Simple Coincidence Research Articles

Prurigo pigmentosa and bariatric surgery: not a simple coincidence.

Prurigo pigmentosa and bariatric surgery: not a simple coincidence.

The Functional Role of Disordered Metal Oxides from Active Catalysis to Biological Metabolism

AbstractIt has been observed by many authors that highly active electrocatalysts are frequently “disordered” or “amorphous” in nature. The correlation between this lack of order and functionality is highly debated, with researchers still questioning if this structural property is a simple coincidence of the material preparation method, or if this lack of order has an important functional role for these catalysts. Using metal oxides as an example, how amorphous and disordered metal oxides can react by fundamentally different pathways are explored from more ordered forms with very similar bonding and redox states. The distinction between amorphous, disordered, and crystalline materials is reviewed in different characterization methods and suggests how these material characteristics fundamentally change the reactivity of these materials beyond surface area effects. How disorder can change the underlying thermodynamic stability of a material is explored, which in turn impacts redox potential, proton‐transfer, and electron‐transfer properties. It is these fundamental properties that govern the electrocatalytic activity and microbial metabolism of these materials. It is further argued that understanding the amorphous and disordered state of materials may be key to understanding a range of catalytic reactions; from clean energy reactions to the biological systems that underpin life's existence.

HIV and COVID-19 virus: A real cross-reactivity or just a simple coincidence?

HIV and COVID-19 virus: A real cross-reactivity or just a simple coincidence?

Practical Implementation of an Analogue and Digital Electronics System for a Modular Cosmic Ray Detector—MCORD

A Modular COsmic Ray Detector (MCORD) was prepared for use in various physics experiments. MCORD detectors can be used in laboratory measurements or can become a part of large measurement sets. MCORD can be used as a muon detector, a veto system, or a tool supporting the testing and calibration of other detectors. MCORD can also work as a stand-alone device for scientific and commercial purposes. The basic element of MCORD is one section consisting of eight oblong scintillators with a double-sided light reading performed by silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). This work presents a practical description of testing, calibration, and programming of analogue and digital electronics modules. The characterisation and calibration methods of the analogue front-end electronic modules, the obtained results, and their implementation into an operating system are presented. In addition, we describe the development environment and the procedures used to prepare our kit for practical use. The architecture of the FPGAs is also presented with a description of their programming as a data-collecting system in a simple coincidence circuit. We also present the possibilities of extending the data analysis system for large experiments.

Where Do Babies Come From?

According to European folklore, popularized by a fairy tale, storks are responsible for bringing babies to new parents. This probably came from observation in certain European countries, such as Norway, Netherlands or Germany, that storks nesting on the roofs of households were believed to bring good luck, as the possibility of new births. People love stories, but correlation simply means that there is a relationship between two factors that tells nothing about the direction of said relationship, if any. Another possibility is simple coincidence. Let us say that it’s possible that one factor causes another. It’s also possible that the inverse occurs. And maybe both are being caused by a third. The main point is that there is a fundamental confusion between correlation and causality. A correlation doesn’t prove a cause by itself. During these times of abundant fake news, it is necessary to warn folks of the fallacy of mistaking correlation for causation.

Left Ventricular Non-compaction Cardiomyopathy and Polycystic Kidney Disease Revealed by Inappropriate Polycythemia: A Fortuitous Association? Case Report

Abstract We present the case of a patient with heart failure with reduced left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, diagnosed in the first instance by echocardiography and further on by more accurate cardiac magnetic resonance imaging with LV non-compaction (LVNC). Blood tests showed high erythrocyte and hematocrit levels, inappropriate in this setting, whilst Janus Kinase 2V617F mutation was absent, erythropoietin level was slightly increased, and arterial O2 pressure level was normal. At the time of diagnosis, the patient had mild renal impairment, and abdominal echography revealed bilateral polycystic kidney disease (PKD). The patient had one son who fulfilled the echocardiographic criteria for LVNC and had bilateral renal cysts revealed by abdominal ultrasound. The genes responsible for autosomal dominant PKD (ADPKD) development are PKD1, on chromosome 16, coding for polycystin 1 and PKD2, on chromosome 4, coding for polycystin 2. There are some experimental data which suggest that polycystins might play an important role in cardiac development and hence PKD1 and PKD2 mutations may be involved in primary cardiomyopathies. These data could explain this particular association between LVNC and ADPKD. To date, there are only a few isolated cases reported, and only one shows this association in more than one member of the same family. Further genetic testing in the few reported cases would presumably elucidate whether this finding is the result of complex genetic synergy or just a simple coincidence.

Combining quantitative and qualitative descriptors to predict genetic diversity in Capsicum

The objective of the present study was to assess the accuracy of analyzing quantitative and qualitative descriptors separately or combined to differentiate Capsicum accessions. We assessed 47 Capsicum accessions from the UFV Vegetable Germplasm Bank (BGH-UFV) with botanical classification previously known. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design with four replicates. Variables consisted of 16 morphological descriptors proposed by the IPGRI. Analysis of quantitative descriptors alone was performed by calculating the Mahalanobis distance matrix (D1), while qualitative descriptors alone were analyzed using the simple coincidence index (D2). The joint analysis consisted of the sum of the distance matrices D1 and D2, and the joint calculation of both descriptors using Gower’s algorithm. Association between the distance matrices was assessed by Mantel’s correlation test, and accession clustering was performed using the UPGMA method. There was genetic variability amongst Capsicum accessions for both quantitative and qualitative traits. Accession clustering was more accurate when performed using the distances obtained by the simple coincidence index (qualitative descriptors alone) and the Gower’s algorithm (qualitative and quantitative descriptors combined)

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Quantum Mechanical Perspective

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: A Quantum Mechanical Perspective

Etymological Aspects of Apollo’s Mythology

The present study focuses on how etymology could play an important role in the mythology of Apollo. Obviously, when it comes to the issue of the meaning of names, one often enters the realm of speculation. However, in many instances of Apollo’s mythology, etymology seems to reflect important aspects of the myth. These aspects start with Apollo’s family and birth, and continue with his role in Greek mythology. The accord between etymology and mythology appears to be more than a simple coincidence.

Alternative Ways to Improve Asthma Control in Obese Patients

Diseases of the respiratory tract occupy one of the leading places among pathologies in people of working age in the world. According to the data of world studies, it can be considered that these two comorbidities are mutually aggravating, but scientists do not have a unanimous opinion about whether this is a simple coincidence or whether these pathologies are pathogenetically related. There is considerable evidence that asthma patients do not achieve adequate asthma control worldwide. Yes, according to Maria Sandra Magnoni et al. 77.8% of patients with asthma have an uncontrolled course of asthma, although 68.4% of them believe that they have sufficient asthma control, and their treatment does not require correction. Therefore, taking into account all of the above and taking into account the low level of asthma control in patients with comorbid pathology who often suffer from bacterial and viral diseases, we believe that a more detailed study of the immunological status of these individuals is necessary in order to optimize treatment and prevention measures. Aim: to investigate the effectiveness of alternative ways of asthma control in patients with bronchial asthma against the background of overweight or obesity. Materials and methods. At the I stage, 255 patients with BA were examined. According to the study design, patients were selected according to the "inclusion/exclusion" criteria at this stage. The study was randomized. Allocation of patients into groups was carried out by the method of simple randomization with elements of stratification. Groups are statistically significant. Statistical processing of the results was carried out using parametric and non-parametric analysis methods. Resalts. Overweight or obese patients had a more severe course of bronchial asthma than patients with a normal body mass index. Overweight or obese patients were found to have higher levels of systemic inflammation, namely eosinophilic cationic protein levels and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, than patients with a normal body mass index. In addition, a close direct correlation was established between the severity of the course of bronchial asthma and indicators of eosinophil cationic protein (r=0.97; p˂0.001). After pharmacological correction, there was an increase in asthma control in patients with different severity of the course (р˂0.001; p˂0.001; p˂0.001, respectively), a decrease in the frequency of exacerbations (p˂0.05), a reduction in the number of hospitalizations (p˂0, 05) and the number of acute respiratory diseases (p˂0.05) in patients with bronchial asthma against the background of excess body weight or obesity. The use of the developed treatment-prophylactic complex using the drug bacterial lysate and inosine pranobex together with training in the Asthma School and standard treatment contributes to increasing asthma control and compliance with the doctor, reducing the number of exacerbations and hospitalizations per year in patients with bronchial asthma against the background overweight or obesity.

Old Habits Die Hard: Dietary Habits of Migraine Patients Challenge our Understanding of Dietary Triggers.

Introduction: Migraine is a multifactorial neurological disorder with a major metabolic facet. Dietary approaches represent a commonly implemented lifestyle modifying strategy in headache clinics, yet the precise relationship between diet and migraine is still a matter of debate.Materials and Methods: The study consisted of two parts: first, in a cross-sectional design, we compared alimentary habits of migraine subjects and a control group of healthy volunteers. For the second part, we prospectively evaluated patients' daily consumption of various potentially migraine-triggering foods over a two-month period in order to examine their possible association with the occurrence of a migraine attack.Results: Most migraine patients reported avoiding at least one potentially migraine-triggering food/drink from their diet. In spite of that, with the sole exemption of citrus fruits, there were no statistically significant differences with respect to consumption patterns between migraine patients and controls (including wine and chocolate). Consumption frequency over time was proportional to intake of potentially migraine-triggering foods the day before a migraine attack.Conclusion: Our results underline the need of performing trigger challenges in order to avoid falling into an association-causation fallacy when attempting to identify possible alimentary migraine triggers. Indeed, it is possible that intake of certain foods like chocolate before attacks is a consequence of pre-attack cravings or a simple coincidence facilitated by previously established dietary habits.

Autoinflammation leading to autoimmunity in adult-onset Still\u2019s disease: more than simple coincidence?

BackgroundAdult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) should be considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with endocarditis, with or without a cardiac decompensation.Case presentationWe report the case of a 68-year-old Caucasian male diagnosed with AOSD after an initial acute manifestation of endocarditis with severe aortic acute manifestation of endocarditis with severe aortic insufficiency. The histological findings revealed Libman–Sacks endocarditis. He was treated with the IL-1 receptor inhibitor anakinra. Two years later the patient developed a symptomatic dilated cardiomyopathy with reduced ejection fraction (23.5%) and functional anti-beta-1-adrenergic receptor antibodies, which was initially treated with plasmapheresis; anakinra was maintained. While his AOSD symptoms responded well, our patient presented with recurrent arthritis in multiple joints, dual-energy CT showed urate deposition compatible with a gouty arthropathy. Over 7 years, he presented with recurrent episodes of arthritis and the adjustment of dosages of colchicine and febuxostat was needed. In 2018, our patient died due to a deterioration of his underlying cardiac disease.ConclusionsOnly two cases with initial endocarditis prior to AOSD diagnosis have been published, and we are not aware of any other cases reporting -β1AR-Ab development with DCM and gout in the setting of AOSD treated with anakinra.

Integration of Leaky-Integrate-and-Fire Neurons in Standard Machine Learning Architectures to Generate Hybrid Networks: A Surrogate Gradient Approach.

Up to now, modern machine learning (ML) has been based on approximating big data sets with high-dimensional functions, taking advantage of huge computational resources. We show that biologically inspired neuron models such as the leaky-integrate-and-fire (LIF) neuron provide novel and efficient ways of information processing. They can be integrated in machine learning models and are a potential target to improve ML performance. Thus, we have derived simple update rules for LIF units to numerically integrate the differential equations. We apply a surrogate gradient approach to train the LIF units via backpropagation. We demonstrate that tuning the leak term of the LIF neurons can be used to run the neurons in different operating modes, such as simple signal integrators or coincidence detectors. Furthermore, we show that the constant surrogate gradient, in combination with tuning the leak term of the LIF units, can be used to achieve the learning dynamics of more complex surrogate gradients. To prove the validity of our method, we applied it to established image data sets (the Oxford 102 flower data set, MNIST), implemented various network architectures, used several input data encodings and demonstrated that the method is suitable to achieve state-of-the-art classification performance. We provide our method as well as further surrogate gradient methods to train spiking neural networks via backpropagation as an open-source KERAS package to make it available to the neuroscience and machine learning community. To increase the interpretability of the underlying effects and thus make a small step toward opening the black box of machine learning, we provide interactive illustrations, with the possibility of systematically monitoring the effects of parameter changes on the learning characteristics.

Sleep, eat and talk: symbolic enstillment

Sleep, food and language are pillars of children’s healthy lives, are intertwined from birth and make up the dynamic structure of child development. These are the effects of interdependent conditions: organic, psychic and social, which involve the child and result, simultaneously, from organic and symbolic inheritances. The latter overdetermines and modulates the interaction of the child with the environment, especially with the other human who is there. This heritage will draw patterns of conduct and behavior that can often contribute to changes that compromise, to some extent, the overall development of the child. In the children’s clinic, the description of developmentdisorders, from the mildest to the most severe, includes, as a rule, food, sleep and language aspects, which suggests, then, a base triad, questioning clinicians as to the possibility of there being, more than a simple coincidence, a correlation between fundamental biological functions. If this is the case, it will be important for the clinician to appropriate this perspective, since the implication will probably determine particularities in the diagnostic and treatment procedures. In this direction, it is worth deepening and discussing the development of these functions (sleep, diet, language), seeking to clarify their constitutive correlation, the link between them.

Recurrence of Graves' Disease (a Th1-type Cytokine Disease) Following SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Vaccine Administration: A Simple Coincidence?

Graves' disease is a Th1-mediated immune disease in which interferon gamma plays a key role.The recurrence of hyperthyroidism due to Grave's disease should be monitored in patients exposed to risk factors.

Comparison of the therapeutic effects of Minoxidil 5% solution alone with Flutamide 2% and Minoxidil 5% mixed solution in patients with androgenetic alopecia referring to dermatology clinic of Isfahan university of medical sciences

Introduction: A special type of alopecia called androgenetic alopecia is one of the most common skin and hair diseases, and topical minoxidil solution is one of the best treatments. Studies have shown that the use of topical 5% minoxidil solution in patients with androgenetic alopecia reduces hair loss, increases patients' satisfaction with recovery and increases hair growth. Also, the therapeutic effects of flutamide in women with hair loss have been shown that flutamide is a very suitable treatment regimen for the treatment of these patients and its low doses are very suitable and have few side effects. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to compare the therapeutic effects of 5% minoxidil solution with the combined solution of minoxidil 5% and flutamide 2% in patients with androgenetic alopecia referring to Isfahan Skin Clinic. Methods: This study was a randomized double-blind clinical trial that was conducted as a preliminary study from the summer of 1397 to the summer of 1398 in Al-Zahra Hospital. After identifying patients with mild to moderate androgenetic alopecia as a simple coincidence available to 40 people, they were randomly divided into two groups of cases and 20 subjects. Patients in the control group received 5% minoxidil solution, 1 cc each 20 drops 2 times a day, and patients in the combined group received 2% flutamide and 5% minoxidil in the same way for 9 months. The required data were collected based on the checklist. After collecting the data in SPSS software, version 22 was examined at a significance level of 0.05. Results: There was no significant difference between gender, age, hair thickness in the two groups of case and control (P>0.05), but there was a significant difference between hair thickness in the two groups of case and control after intervention (P 0.05), but there was a significant difference after the intervention (P 0.05). There was a significant difference between hair size in the case and control group before and after the intervention (P 0.05). Conclusion: According to the results of this study and since conducting this study was an introduction to better understanding the therapeutic effects of minoxidil and flutamide in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia and comparing its therapeutic effects in men and women with androgenetic alopecia, so the necessary measures can be taken. He used a combination of these two drug solutions.

Birdsong Overlapping: Random Coincidence or Acoustic Interactions.

Birdsong overlapping may either indicate communicative interaction between birds or be a simple coincidence. We developed a program that allowed us to mathematically modulate the independent singing of birds with a given level of song rate. This permitted us to statistically evaluate whether song overlapping is a random coincidence or real acoustic interactions between birds. Analysis of automatic recording (Song Meter SM4) of singing detected the cases of reliable acoustic interactions between both conspecific and heterospecific individuals. They account for 6% of the total singing time. The most numerous and actively singing chaffinches (in the case of singing of several individuals) suppress the singing of other species. The singing of a single chaffinch, on the other hand, can provoke the singing of other species, involving previously silent neighbors in song duels. It is possible that it is the acoustic interactions that are responsible for maintaining the structure of the population at the end of the breeding season.

Prerequisites, reasons and course of choosing the khan dignity of the sultan Uali

The historical personality of Uali Khan is rarely mentioned in research. Uali Khan was a legitimate ruler, also internationally recognized by the Qing and Russian empires, Uali Khan remained in history the last ruler of the Kazakhs of the Middle Zhuz. In this article, we consider those aspects that reveal some of the answers to the questions of how Sultan Uali came to power, what ups and downs could have taken place on the eve of the rite of the election of a Khan among the Chingizids, the time of this election and the proclamation of the Khan. Uali continued the work of the great Ablai Khan to a certain extent, and he held back the political interests of the Russian and Qing empires at a level sufficient to cause fears of a demonstration of open expansion. The process of election to the khan dignity of Uali and the recognition of the title of the ruler of the Kazakhs of the Middle and part of the Senior Zhuzes in neighboring empires is not a simple coincidence and had certain prerequisites for that. The authors see in the events under consideration a certain fundamental basis of the political views and aspirations of Sultan Uali, which was subsequently projected for the entire period of his almost forty-year rule by the Kazakhs of the Middle Zhuz.

Genetic variability in Brazilian castor (Ricinus communis) germplasm assessed by morphoagronomic traits and gray mold reaction.

The characterization and conservation of castor accessions in germplasm bank are essential in order to breeding programs achieve its goals. Despite Brazil having the 4th largest castor germplasm bank in the world, castor diversity in Brazil remains little explored. Thus, this study aimed at characterize castor accessions collected in different Brazilian regions by means of 31 morphoagronomic traits and gray mold reaction. Forty accessions of the Universidade do Estado de São Paulo (UNESP), Botucatu, SP, Brazil, germplasm bank were evaluated. Genetic parameters were estimated for the quantitative traits, and the accessions were grouped by Ward method using the standardized Euclidean distance and the simple coincidence index for quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. Qualitative and quantitative traits were important to understand and differentiate castor accessions. The accessions showed a high variation regarding the castor gray mold reaction. The accessions assessed in this study have been preserved and can be used as a source for genetic variability in the development of new castor varieties in breeding programs.

Localised multiple sclerosis-like disease after irradiation of the cervicothoracic spinal cord

BackgroundRadiation has been discussed as a potential causative factor for Multiple Sclerosis (MS). However, it is unresolved whether radiation increases the aggressiveness of the immune system or whether it alters the nervous tissue to become vulnerable to a pre-existing autoimmune attackdisposition. We report a patient with an MS-like disease confined to the irradiated part of his central nervous system (CNS). Case reportwithin the course of a year, a 29 year-old man developed three relapses that were distinguishable regarding their neurological signs and symptoms. Clinically and on MRI, all relapses were localised to the cervico-thoracic spinal cord (sensory level Th6, monoparesis right leg, sign of Lhermitte). Four years before, he had been diagnosed with supradiaphragmatic Hodgkin´s lymphoma stage IIa. Four courses of chemotherapy with the ABVD-protocol and irradiation with 29,5 Gray led to complete tumour remission. Consecutive MR-imaging of the brain and spinal cord revealed fluctuating and partially contrast-enhancing lesions exclusively in those sections of the spinal cord that were localised in the field irradiated four years before. Treatment with pulsed i.v. steroids led to improvement. CSF analysis showed mild pleocytosis and isolated oligoclonal bands. Extensive work-up for differential diagnoses was negative. Genetic sequencing for DNA repair enzymes and in-vitro assays of the patients peripheral blood mononuclear cells for increased sensitivity to irradiation was unrevealing. ConclusionThe fact that this patients MS-like disease was strictly confined to the irradiated parts of the body suggests that the co-occurrence of Hodgkins and MS-like disease was not simple coincidence but that they are pathogenetically linked. An increased aggressiveness of the immune system caused by the radiation is an unlikely explanation as the autoimmune attack would not be expected to spare the non-radiated parts of the CNS. We propose that in our patient the nervous tissue in the radiation clinical target volume was altered by radiation. This alteration of antigenic make-up, in turn, may have enabled an MS-specific autoimmune attack by a pre-existent immunological mechanism. This hypothesis is supported by experimental studies of induction of experimental autoimmune encephalitis (EAE) in irradiated rats.