Atypical Way Research Articles

Concept of Sporadic E Monitoring Using Space-Based Low Power Multiple Beacon-Systems

Current monitoring systems to detect sporadic E use ground-based setups, ionosondes, and the network of GNSS satellites in order to assess the phenomenon of sporadic E. This paper aims to monitor sporadic E using a miniature space-based platform in an atypical way. The setup consists of multiple radio-amateur beacon systems aboard satellites, each having a specific modulation and transmission scheme. This Radio Amateur Beacon System for the Investigation of the Ionosphere (RABSII) is coupled to a GNSS receiver, revealing the location of the platform. Multiple beacon data streams are sequentially sent from a satellite platform towards the Earth. By receiving and comparing the Signal-to-Noise ratios of these streams using a dedicated ground-based radio-amateur network of receiving stations, the presence of sporadic E can be determined, and a location-based model can be built. The advantage of this miniaturized, low-power, low-cost instrument is its ability to be put on any satellite platform in the future in order to map sporadic E.

Unusual Surgical Repair of Bronchoesophageal Fistula Following Esophagectomy.

Radical esophagectomy remains the only potentially curative option in the treatment of esophageal cancer. However, this procedure is burdened with high morbidity and mortality rates, even in high-volume centers. A tracheo- or bronchoesophageal fistula (TBF) is rare but is one of the most difficult life-threatening complications following an esophagectomy for cancer treatment. Several classifications have been proposed regarding the localization of a TBF, its etiology, and the timing of its occurrence; hence, no classification is universally accepted. However, one of the most common etiological explanations for the formation of a TBF is a prior esophagogastric anastomotic leak. Treatment options include a conservative approach, which usually combines several endoscopic methods. Surgical treatment is directed towards fistula closure with direct suturing or, more often, the usage of pediculated flaps. Here, we present a patient with late TBF following a minimally invasive esophagectomy, which was surgically solved in an atypical way. We believe that this type of repair may be useful in patients in whom pedunculated flaps are not an option.

The Pragmatic Motivation of Atypical English Way into/to Construction

The English way construction exhibits distinct constructional meaning and semantic features; however, the prepositional slot in this construction has not received sufficient attention, and there remains a lack of comparative research regarding different prepositions in this field. This study set out to examine the semantic classification, mapping features, cognitive factors in the subcategory English way into/to construction, and to improve the algorithm of ΔPratio. The research adopted a bottom-up corpus-driven approach based on the BNC and used HAC (Hierarchical Cluster Analysis) to explore the semantic categories of the verb collexemes and compare the lexical richness in these two constructions. The results revealed that at the level of linguistic structure, coercion and metaphor, as well as family resemblance, served as legitimization methods for verb entry into the construction, while the principles of economy and expressivity disclosed the intentions and motivations behind the semantic extensions of constructions at the pragmatic level. Additionally, this research found that the latter two principles were competitive in the interpretation process of way into/to construction, providing insights into understanding the psychological and social factors in language communication.

Conceptual and Methodological Arguments against the Use of Location Quotient as an Area-Based Measure of Residential Segregation: A Measurement Perspective

Among a wide range of practical applications, the location quotient (LQ) has been used as an area-based measure of residential segregation by race/ethnicity in some studies. However, it does not correspond to any of the five dimensions of residential segregation. Rather, an application of LQ in demographic data analyses brings about an atypical way to quantify the population composition of areal units by race/ethnicity. To clarify misconceptions, the purpose of this study was to demonstrate the relationships between proportions, percentages, and LQs of six racial/ethnic groups in the conterminous United States (US). Since populations change over time, demographic data on race and ethnicity were obtained from the 2000, 2010, and 2020 Census through the US Census Bureau’s website. Using census tracts and counties as the units of analysis, a sequence of scatterplots and associated Pearson’s correlation coefficients (r) was used to display the analytical results of census-tract- and county-based measures at three different time periods. Despite the different levels of aggregation, the relationships between proportions, percentages, and LQs of six racial/ethnic groups consistently showed perfect positive correlations at three different time periods (r = 1.00). These suggest that census-tract- and county-based measures expressed as the proportion, percentage, and LQ of a racial/ethnic group capture the same distributional pattern, but the units of measurement simply differ from one another. Hence, the study of residential segregation and its societal consequences needs to be specific to the dimension under study and to build upon the conceptual and methodological foundations established by sociologists-demographers and geographers.

The Scenario of organ and Tissue Donation for Post-mortem Transplantation in the 16th Health Region/RS

Introduction: The donation and transplantation of organs and tissues is a topic of multiprofessional interest and an important theme regarding the promotion of public health policies regarding the application of this therapy. Objectives: The objective of this article is to present an analysis of the scenario of organ and tissue donation after death, for transplantation, in the 16th Health Region of Rio Grande do Sul between 2010 and 2020, focusing on evaluating family refusals to donate. Methods: A census survey was carried out of the data referring to the brain death protocols carried out in the period, tabulated in Microsoft Excel, analyzed through the construction of time series and related using the chi-square test. Results: The analysis in the region shows a higher proportion of negatives (57.8 %) concerning acceptances (42.2 %) for organ and tissue donation. However, when only the last years of the period are observed, another reality is seen: from 2017 to 2019, the donation statements corresponded to more than 75 % of the interviewed families. In 2020, however, in an atypical way, no brain death protocols were concluded; therefore, no family underwent the interview for donation. Conclusion: There has been a trend toward an increase in donation percentages over the years, both in the 16th Health Region of Rio Grande do Sul and the rest of the country. However, the number of transplants performed is still lower than the population’s need.

Digital Image Text Recognition Using Machine Learning Algorithms

Abstract: Text recognition is used in various fields like document analysis, picture labeling, and text analysis, etc. The process of recognizing text from image is very crucial.. Employing Maximally Stable Extremal Regions (MSER) and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) algorithms have drastically changed the accuracy and reliability of text detection from photos. Our proposed work suggests a model for text recognition that makes use of both the MSER and OCR algorithms' benefits for the purpose of accuracy improvement and reliability of the digital text extraction procedure. OCR follows cutting-edge techniques to distinguish and identify individual characters, serving as the essential building block for text recognition. However, these algorithms may struggle when dealing with complex backdrops, blurry photos, or text that is structured in an atypical way. We use MSER approach, which excels at recognizing text sections by finding maximally stable regions across various severities and scales, to solve these constraints. The suggested model employs a multi-stage methodology. The MSER algorithm is used for extracting the likely text spots from the input image first. To boost OCR performance, these zones are then fine-tuned using pre-processing techniques including noise reduction and picture enhancement. The OCR system next processes the cleaned-up sections, identifying each region's text using machine learning and pattern recognition methods. The text that is recognized is then further processed to increase the accuracy and refine these findings. Thus, compared to most other models, the text recognition model that is built utilizing the MSER and the CNN (OCR, a component of CNN) algorithm performs better

Embodied language of emotions: Predicting human intuitions with linguistic distributions in blind and sighted individuals

Recent constructionist theories have suggested that language and sensory experience play a crucial role not only in how individuals categorise emotions but also in how they experience and shape them, helping to acquire abstract concepts that are used to make sense of bodily perceptions associated with specific emotions.Here, we aimed to investigate the role of sensory experience in conceptualising bodily felt emotions by asking 126 Italian blind participants to freely recall in which part of the body they commonly feel specific emotions (N = 15). Participants varied concerning visual experience in terms of blindness onset (i.e., congenital vs late) and degree of visual experience (i.e., total vs partial sensory loss). Using an Italian semantic model to estimate to what extent discrete emotions are associated with body parts in language experience, we found that all participants' reports correlated with the model predictions. Interestingly, blind – and especially congenitally blind - participants’ responses were more strongly correlated with the model, suggesting that language might be one of the possible compensative mechanisms for the lack of visual feedback in constructing bodily felt emotions.Our findings present theoretical implications for the study of emotions, as well as potential real-world applications for blind individuals, by revealing, on the one hand, that vision plays an essential role in the construction of felt emotions and the way we talk about our related bodily (emotional) experiences. On the other hand, evidence that blind individuals rely more strongly on linguistic cues suggests that vision is a strong cue to acquire emotional information from the surrounding world, influencing how we experience emotions.While our findings do not suggest that blind individuals experience emotions in an atypical and dysfunctional way, they nonetheless support the view that promoting the use of non-visual emotional signs and body language since early on might help the blind child to develop a good emotional awareness as well as good emotion regulation abilities.

Preschoolers modulate contrastive inferences during online language comprehension.

This study examined 4- and 5-year-olds' incremental interpretation of size adjectives, focusing on whether contrastive inferences are modulated by speaker behavior. Children (N=120, 59 females, mostly White, tested between July, 2018 and August, 2019) encountered either a conventional or unconventional speaker who labeled objects in a correspondingly typical or atypical way. Critical utterances contained size adjectives (e.g., "Look at the big duck"). With conventional speakers, gaze measures indicated that children rapidly used the adjective to differentiate members of a contrasting pair, indicating that even 4-year-olds derive contrastive inferences. With unconventional speakers, contrastive inferences were delayed in processing. The findings demonstrate that preschoolers adjust their use of pragmatic cues when presented with evidence disconfirming their default assumptions about a speaker.

Varicella Zoster Virus Aseptic Meningitis: A Misleading Clinical And Laboratory Presentation: Three Case Reports

Background: A septic meningitis caused by varicella zoster virus (VZV) reactivation was less described in the literature, Varicella-zoster virus is a neurotropic virus that remain dormant in dorsal root ganglion after primary infection, usually manifested as chickenpox which gets reactivated in immunocompromized state presented usually with vesicular rash complicated with multi-organ affection such as central nervous system. Rarely this characteristic skin rash can be absent initially requiring high clinical suspicion for diagnosis. When no skin lesions are present, a high clinical suspicion is required to reach the diagnosis. In this report we described three clinical of varicella-zoster virus reactivation presented in atypical way in terms of clinical presentation and cerebrospinal fluid analysis. Case presentation: Three patients otherwise healthy were admitted to the hospital with a chief complaint of headache, nausea, vomiting and symptoms suggestive of increased intracranial pressure (IIH). Resembling IIH but due to acute presentation and positive meningeal signs this was unlikely. The clinical examination did not show any neurological deficits or rash except lately in the first case. Lumbar puncture unexpectedly showed high opening pressure with markedly elevated CSF total and high total cell count with lymphocytic predominance which was misleading raising suspicion of tuberculous meningitis. Further CSF analysis, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and detection of intrathecal synthesis of antibodies, showed a VZV infection. Clinical follow-up examinations later on proved successful antiviral treatment. Conclusion: In conclusion, absence of typical vesicular rash of varicella zoster initially as well as high opening CSF pressure with high CSF protein even young and previously healthy patients should not rule out consideration of varicella zoster meningitis.

Patterns of connectome variability in autism across five functional activation tasks: findings from the LEAP project

BackgroundAutism spectrum disorder (autism) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition with pronounced behavioral, cognitive, and neural heterogeneities across individuals. Here, our goal was to characterize heterogeneity in autism by identifying patterns of neural diversity as reflected in BOLD fMRI in the way individuals with autism engage with a varied array of cognitive tasks.MethodsAll analyses were based on the EU-AIMS/AIMS-2-TRIALS multisite Longitudinal European Autism Project (LEAP) with participants with autism (n = 282) and typically developing (TD) controls (n = 221) between 6 and 30 years of age. We employed a novel task potency approach which combines the unique aspects of both resting state fMRI and task-fMRI to quantify task-induced variations in the functional connectome. Normative modelling was used to map atypicality of features on an individual basis with respect to their distribution in neurotypical control participants. We applied robust out-of-sample canonical correlation analysis (CCA) to relate connectome data to behavioral data.ResultsDeviation from the normative ranges of global functional connectivity was greater for individuals with autism compared to TD in each fMRI task paradigm (all tasks p < 0.001). The similarity across individuals of the deviation pattern was significantly increased in autistic relative to TD individuals (p < 0.002). The CCA identified significant and robust brain-behavior covariation between functional connectivity atypicality and autism-related behavioral features.ConclusionsIndividuals with autism engage with tasks in a globally atypical way, but the particular spatial pattern of this atypicality is nevertheless similar across tasks. Atypicalities in the tasks originate mostly from prefrontal cortex and default mode network regions, but also speech and auditory networks. We show how sophisticated modeling methods such as task potency and normative modeling can be used toward unravelling complex heterogeneous conditions like autism.

Varicella Zoster Virus Aseptic Meningitis: A Misleading Clinical and Laboratory Presentation: Three Cases Reports

A septic meningitis caused by varicella zoster virus (VZV) reactivation was less described in the literature, Varicella-zoster virus is a neurotropic virus that remain dormant in dorsal root ganglion after primary infection, usually manifested as chickenpox which gets reactivated in immunocompromized state presented usually with vesicular rash complicated with multi-organ affection such as central nervous system. Rarely this characteristic skin rash can be absent initially requiring high clinical suspicion for diagnosis. When no skin lesions are present, a high clinical suspicion is required to reach the diagnosis. In this report we described three clinical of varicella- zoster virus reactivation presented in atypical way in terms of clinical presentation and cerebrospinal fluid analysis.

Varicella Zoster Virus Aseptic Meningitis: A Misleading Clinical and Laboratory Presentation: Three Cases Reports

Background: A septic meningitis caused by varicella zoster virus (VZV) reactivation was less described in the literature, Varicella-zoster virus is a neurotropic virus that remain dormant in dorsal root ganglion after primary infection, usually manifested as chickenpox which gets reactivated in immunocompromized state presented usually with vesicular rash complicated with multi-organ affection such as central nervous system. Rarely this characteristic skin rash can be absent initially requiring high clinical suspicion for diagnosis. When no skin lesions are present, a high clinical suspicion is required to reach the diagnosis. In this report we described three clinical of varicella- zoster virus reactivation presented in atypical way in terms of clinical presentation and cerebrospinal fluid analysis. Case presentation: Three patients otherwise healthy were admitted to the hospital with a chief complaint of headache, nausea, vomiting and symptoms suggestive of increased intracranial pressure (IIH). Resembling IIH but due to acute presentation and positive meningeal signs this was unlikely. The clinical examination did not show any neurological deficits or rash except lately in the first case. Lumbar puncture unexpectedly showed high opening pressure with markedly elevated CSF total and high total cell count with lymphocytic predominance which was misleading raising suspicion of tuberculous meningitis. Further CSF analysis, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and detection of intrathecal synthesis of antibodies, showed a VZV infection. Clinical follow-up examinations later on proved successful antiviral treatment.

Dendritic bubble growth during the sub-atmospheric boiling of water in a narrow vertical channel

The bubbles observed during the boiling of water at subatmospheric pressure (a few mbar) behave in a very atypical way compared to under atmospheric pressure. Moreover, the presence of very close walls significantly affects bubble dynamics and interface disturbances like fingering can be observed during growth. Interface perturbations were reported in a phenomenological analysis. Image processing software was developed to process the obtained high resolution camera recordings. Based on this software, physical quantities characterising the bubble are measured for the purpose of a parametric study of the dentritic growth of the bubbles. It appeared that the bubble interfacial velocity , bubble interface acceleration and nucleation immersion depth, related to inertia and hydrostatic pressure, have a significant influence on the fingering occurrence.

Rapidly progressive ischemic strokes and transient antiphospholipid syndrome during a mild SARS-CoV-2 infection.

SARS-CoV-2 infection is associated with an increased risk of thrombotic events, especially during severe forms of disease. Here we describe the clinical history of a patient with a mild form of Covid-19 infection presenting with multiple cerebral ischemic lesions that evolved in an atypical way.

Population distributions of single-cell adhesion parameters during the cell cycle from high-throughput robotic fluidic force microscopy

Single-cell adhesion plays an essential role in biological and biomedical sciences, but its precise measurement for a large number of cells is still a challenging task. At present, typical force measuring techniques usually offer low throughput, a few cells per day, and therefore are unable to uncover phenomena emerging at the population level. In this work, robotic fluidic force microscopy (FluidFM) was utilized to measure the adhesion parameters of cells in a high-throughput manner to study their population distributions in-depth. The investigated cell type was the genetically engineered HeLa Fucci construct with cell cycle-dependent expression of fluorescent proteins. This feature, combined with the high-throughput measurement made it possible for the first time to characterize the single-cell adhesion distributions at various stages of the cell cycle. It was found that parameters such as single-cell adhesion force and energy follow a lognormal population distribution. Therefore, conclusions based on adhesion data of a low number of cells or treating the population as normally distributed can be misleading. Moreover, we found that the cell area was significantly the smallest, and the area normalized maximal adhesion force was significantly the largest for the colorless cells (the mitotic (M) and early G1 phases). Notably, the parameter characterizing the elongation of the cells until the maximum level of force between the cell and its substratum was also dependent on the cell cycle, which quantity was the smallest for the colorless cells. A novel parameter, named the spring coefficient of the cell, was introduced as the fraction of maximal adhesion force and maximal cell elongation during the mechanical detachment, which was found to be significantly the largest for the colorless cells. Cells in the M phase adhere in atypical way, with so-called reticular adhesions, which are different from canonical focal adhesions. We first revealed that reticular adhesion can exert a higher force per unit area than canonical focal adhesions, and cells in this phase are significantly stiffer. The possible biological consequences of these findings were also discussed, together with the practical relevance of the observed population-level adhesion phenomena.

Donor-Derived Disseminated Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Infection in a Lung Transplant Recipient Three Months After Transplant

<h3>Introduction</h3> Reactivation of latent mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection in lung transplant recipients is common, which is why pre-transplant screening is recommended to guide treatment. However, MTB transmission from a donor organ is much rarer and there is no consistent screening process of donors. We describe a consequence of this, a rare case of donor-derived disseminated MTB infection in a bilateral lung transplant (BLTx) recipient. <h3>Case Report</h3> A 61-year-old female three months post BLTx complicated by post-operative right lung torsion requiring pneumonectomy presented with a swollen and tender right index finger, tender nodules along her occiput, and a recurrent left sided pleural effusion, which was drained on presentation and culture negative. She improved initially with linezolid and ceftriaxone for presumed septic arthritis, however re-presented two weeks later with similar features, which prompted further evaluation. CT and subsequently MRI of the abdomen demonstrated multiple rim-enhancing liver lesions. A finger aspirate and liver biopsy were obtained that were both culture and smear positive for MTB. Sputum acid fast bacilli samples were negative, and she was started on quadruple therapy with rifabutin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol with clinical improvement, including resolution of her culture-negative pleural effusion. We suspect that this was a donor-derived infection as the donor lived in an endemic region for many years and the recipient was latent TB negative pre-transplant. <h3>Summary</h3> Donor-derived MTB infection can be difficult to diagnosis due to the atypical way it can present, especially in patients who reside in non-endemic areas. As the world becomes more globalized, and access to lung transplant more accessible, we believe that more donor organs will come from individuals who have lived in endemic areas increasing the risk of donor-derived MTB infections making this an important diagnosis to consider.

Nursing home residents with suspected urinary tract infections: a diagnostic accuracy study

BackgroundUrinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infections in nursing homes (NHs). A high error rate of a UTI diagnosis based solely on clinical criteria is to be expected in older persons as they often present infections in an atypical way. A study was set up to assess the diagnostic value of signs/symptoms and urine dipstick testing in identifying UTIs in NH residents and to explore whether C-reactive protein (CRP) measured by point-of-care testing (POCT) can help in the diagnosis.MethodsDuring a three month prospective multicentre study, urine sampling for culture, POCT CRP and urinary dipstick testing were performed in each NH resident with a suspected UTI. UTIs were defined according to Stone et al., i.e. criteria based upon the presence of a set of signs/symptoms and a positive urine culture.ResultsEleven NHs and 1 263 residents participated. Sixteen out of 137 recorded UTI suspicions were confirmed. Acute dysuria (positive likelihood ratio (LR +): 7.56, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.94–14.5) and acute suprapubic pain (LR + : 11.4, 95% CI: 3.58–35.9) were found to be significant predictors. The combined nitrite and leucocyte esterase urine dipstick test (one or both positive) had a 96.0% negative predictive value (95% CI: 80.5–99.3%). The sensitivity of a positive CRP test (≥ 5 mg/L) was 60.0% (95% CI: 32.3–83.7%). Antimicrobials were prescribed in 60.2% of suspected but unconfirmed UTIs and in 92.3% of confirmed UTIs.ConclusionsUsing a stringent definition, only 11.7% of our suspicions were confirmed. Besides acute dysuria and suprapubic pain, we were not able to prove that any other clinical sign/symptom or POCT CPR adds useful information to the UTI diagnosis. We confirmed the findings of earlier research that urine dipstick tests are useful in ruling out UTIs and identified a potential overuse of antimicrobials in our NH population.

A critical analysis of the ten-year experience of using endoscopic transpapillary interventions in an urgent surgical hospital

The aim of this work was to provide a critical analysis of the ten-year experience of using transpapillary interventions in an urgent surgical hospital with a detailed study of all groups of registered complications.Material and methods. In the period from 2008 to 2018, 1188 retrograde endoscopic transpapillary grafts were performed on the bile ducts with dissection of the major duodenal papilla in a typical and atypical way on the basis of our clinic. The group of observed patients included 1188 patients with endoscopic papillosphincterotomy, including 839 women (70.6%) and 349 men (29.4%). The average age was 63.2 ± 1.25.Results. During the period, 25 complications (2.1%) were revealed when performing transpapillary interventions with dissection of the major duodenal papilla: acute pancreatitis — 10 patients (0.8%); bleeding from the opening of the major duodenal papilla — 4 (0.33%), perforation 12p. intestines — 4 (0.33%), breakage of the basket cable with wedging — 1 (0.08%), cholangitis — 1 (0.08%), overlapping with a stent of the lobar duct — 1 (0.08%). The overall mortality associated with complications is 0.25%. Based on the analyzed material, the iatrogenic index was calculated. It was 0.044. After the analysis of complications, on the basis of the data obtained, we proposed an algorithm of actions when performing transpapillary interventions.Conclusion. Based on the study, we come to the conclusion that it will not be possible to completely level the risk and avoid possible papillotomic-induced complications. In this regard, the early, preferably intraoperative diagnosis of the latter and the prompt implementation of correlating therapeutic measures are of great importance, which will undoubtedly improve the treatment results and have a positive eff ect on the outcome of the disease.

The oldest civilization in South America? Phenomenon of Norte Chico: approaches and research problems

The article is devoted to the analysis of approaches to the study of Norte Chico culture (3000 – 1800 BC) located in in the north of the central part of the Pacific coast of Republic of Peru. Particular attention is paid to the analysis of paleoeconomic processes and politogenesis in the Late Preceramic Period of Peru to determine the nature of the origin of early civilizations in the region. Substantiates compliance paleoeconomic model Norte Chico atypical way &amp;quot;Neolithic revolution&amp;quot; in the region and offers a hypothesis about the characteristics of the type of political organization. The article substantiates the correspondence of the Norte-Chico paleoeconomic model to the atypical way &amp;quot;Neolithic revolution&amp;quot; in the region and offers a hypothesis about the characteristics of the type of political organization.

Renal Involvement in Sjogren S Syndrome

Abstract Background. Primary Sjogren’s syndrome (pSS) is a chronic progressive autoimmune disorder characterized by lymphocytic infiltration of the exocrine glands, which affects the salivary and lacrimal glands, presenting dryness of the mouth and eyes. Renal involvement is easily ignored by the physicians because the clinical symptoms are often insidious. The most common renal disease in pSS is tubulointerstitial nephritis, responsible for renal tubular acidosis in 20%. Case report. A 36-year-old woman with polyuria and polydipsia for 10 years ago was admitted to the hospital because asymptomatic hypokalemia, kidney stones, and rashes. This woman presented nephrogenic diabetes insipidus and chronic metabolic acidosis for one year, conditions treated with amiloride and sodium bicarbonate. Anti-Sjögren’s antibody A and B were checked and were both found to be positive. At presentation, she had elevated serum osmolality of 301, with a very low urine osmolality of 61, and serum sodium of 143. A metabolic acidosis with hypokalemia and elevated urine pH are consistent with distal renal tubular acidosis (RTA). A kidney biopsy was obtained, which revealed tubular interstitial fibrosis with infiltration of lymphocytes and plasmacytes who extended into intact cortical parenchyma and was consistent with active chronic interstitial nephritis. Conclusions. Our presenting patient presented renal manifestations of pSS, including diabetes insipidus, renal tubular acidosis type I, tubulointerstitial nephritis, and nephrolithiasis. None of these findings are common presentations of pSS. The presence of all of these symptoms in one individual makes this patient an atypical way to diagnose a primary Sjogren’s syndrome.