Quantitative Concept Analysis

Formal Concept Analysis (FCA) begins from a context, given as a binary relation between some objects and some attributes, and derives a lattice of concepts, where each concept is given as a set of objects and a set of attributes, such that the first set consists of all objects that satisfy all attributes in the second, and vice versa. Many applications, though, provide contexts with quantitative information, telling not just whether an object satisfies an attribute, but also quantifying this satisfaction. Contexts in this form arise as rating matrices in recommender systems, as occurrence matrices in text analysis, as pixel intensity matrices in digital image processing, etc. Such applications have attracted a lot of attention, and several numeric extensions of FCA have been proposed. We propose the framework of proximity sets (proxets), which subsume partially ordered sets (posets) as well as metric spaces. One feature of this approach is that it extracts from quantified contexts quantified concepts, and thus allows full use of the available information. Another feature is that the categorical approach allows analyzing any universal properties that the classical FCA and the new versions may have, and thus provides structural guidance for aligning and combining the approaches.Comment: 16 pages, 3 figures, ICFCA 201

COVID-19 in hospitalized lung and non-lung solid organ transplant recipients: A comparative analysis from a multicenter study

Lung transplant recipients (LTR) with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may have higher mortality than non-lung solid organ transplant recipients (SOTR), but direct comparisons are limited. Risk factors for mortality specifically in LTR have not been explored. We performed a multicenter cohort study of adult SOTR with COVID-19 to compare mortality by 28 days between hospitalized LTR and non-lung SOTR. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess comorbidity-adjusted mortality among LTR vs. non-lung SOTR and to determine risk factors for death in LTR. Of 1,616 SOTR with COVID-19, 1,081 (66%) were hospitalized including 120/159 (75%) LTR and 961/1457 (66%) non-lung SOTR (p =.02). Mortality was higher among LTR compared to non-lung SOTR (24% vs. 16%, respectively, p =.032), and lung transplant was independently associated with death after adjusting for age and comorbidities (aOR 1.7, 95% CI 1.0–2.6, p =.04). Among LTR, chronic lung allograft dysfunction (aOR 3.3, 95% CI 1.0–11.3, p =.05) was the only independent risk factor for mortality and age >65 years, heart failure and obesity were not independently associated with death. Among SOTR hospitalized for COVID-19, LTR had higher mortality than non-lung SOTR. In LTR, chronic allograft dysfunction was independently associated with mortality

Changing trends in mortality among solid organ transplant recipients hospitalized for COVID-19 during the course of the pandemic

Mortality among patients hospitalized for COVID-19 has declined over the course of the pandemic. Mortality trends specifically in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTR) are unknown. Using data from a multicenter registry of SOTR hospitalized for COVID-19, we compared 28-day mortality between early 2020 (March 1, 2020–June 19, 2020) and late 2020 (June 20, 2020–December 31, 2020). Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess comorbidity-adjusted mortality. Time period of diagnosis was available for 1435/1616 (88.8%) SOTR and 971/1435 (67.7%) were hospitalized: 571/753 (75.8%) in early 2020 and 402/682 (58.9%) in late 2020 (p <.001). Crude 28-day mortality decreased between the early and late periods (112/571 [19.6%] vs. 55/402 [13.7%]) and remained lower in the late period even after adjusting for baseline comorbidities (aOR 0.67, 95% CI 0.46–0.98, p =.016). Between the early and late periods, the use of corticosteroids (≥6 mg dexamethasone/day) and remdesivir increased (62/571 [10.9%] vs. 243/402 [61.5%], p <.001 and 50/571 [8.8%] vs. 213/402 [52.2%], p <.001, respectively), and the use of hydroxychloroquine and IL-6/IL-6 receptor inhibitor decreased (329/571 [60.0%] vs. 4/492 [1.0%], p <.001 and 73/571 [12.8%] vs. 5/402 [1.2%], p <.001, respectively). Mortality among SOTR hospitalized for COVID-19 declined between early and late 2020, consistent with trends reported in the general population. The mechanism(s) underlying improved survival require further study

A Genotype-First Approach for Clinical and Genetic Evaluation of Wolcott-Rallison Syndrome in a Large Cohort of Iranian Children With Neonatal Diabetes

Objective: Wolcott-Rallison syndrome (WRS) is an extremely rare autosomal recessive condition, characterized by permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus (PNDM) associated with skeletal dysplasia, growth retardation and liver dysfunction. WRS is caused by biallelic mutations in the gene encoding eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2alpha kinase 3 (EIF2AK3). Methods: As part of a comprehensive study on clinical and genetic investigation of neonatal diabetes in an Iranian population, 60 unrelated Iranian subjects referred with PNDM were analyzed. All the probands were screened for KCNJ11, INS, ABCC8 and EIF2AK3 using a polymerase chain reaction�based sequencing approach. Results: We identified 9 different variants in EIF2AK3 in 11 unrelated Iranian probands, of which 5 variants were shown to be novel and not reported previously. The diagnosis of WRS was made by molecular genetic testing and confirmed by clinical re-evaluation of the subjects. Clinical follow up of the affected individuals shows that in at least some of them, PNDM was associated with short stature, failure to thrive, neurodevelopmental delay, epilepsy and hepatic and renal dysfunction. There was a strong family history of neonatal diabetes in the families of the probands with a high mortality rate. Conclusion: WRS is a common cause of PNDM in children of consanguineous parents. Furthermore, clinical diagnosis of WRS would have been delayed or possibly missed without genetic testing because this study shows that the associated features of WRS might be obscured by a diagnosis of PNDM. Therefore EIF2AK3 should be considered for any infant and young child with PNDM, particularly if the parents are related. © 2017 Diabetes Canad

A Genotype-First Approach for Clinical and Genetic Evaluation of Wolcott-Rallison Syndrome in a Large Cohort of Iranian Children With Neonatal Diabetes

Objective: Wolcott-Rallison syndrome (WRS) is an extremely rare autosomal recessive condition, characterized by permanent neonatal diabetes mellitus (PNDM) associated with skeletal dysplasia, growth retardation and liver dysfunction. WRS is caused by biallelic mutations in the gene encoding eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2alpha kinase 3 (EIF2AK3). Methods: As part of a comprehensive study on clinical and genetic investigation of neonatal diabetes in an Iranian population, 60 unrelated Iranian subjects referred with PNDM were analyzed. All the probands were screened for KCNJ11, INS, ABCC8 and EIF2AK3 using a polymerase chain reaction�based sequencing approach. Results: We identified 9 different variants in EIF2AK3 in 11 unrelated Iranian probands, of which 5 variants were shown to be novel and not reported previously. The diagnosis of WRS was made by molecular genetic testing and confirmed by clinical re-evaluation of the subjects. Clinical follow up of the affected individuals shows that in at least some of them, PNDM was associated with short stature, failure to thrive, neurodevelopmental delay, epilepsy and hepatic and renal dysfunction. There was a strong family history of neonatal diabetes in the families of the probands with a high mortality rate. Conclusion: WRS is a common cause of PNDM in children of consanguineous parents. Furthermore, clinical diagnosis of WRS would have been delayed or possibly missed without genetic testing because this study shows that the associated features of WRS might be obscured by a diagnosis of PNDM. Therefore EIF2AK3 should be considered for any infant and young child with PNDM, particularly if the parents are related. © 2017 Diabetes Canad

Postoperative Abdominal Adhesions: Clinical Significance and Advances in Prevention and Management

Postoperative adhesions remain one of the more challenging issues in surgical practice. Although peritoneal adhesions occur after every abdominal operation, the density, time interval to develop symptoms, and clinical presentation are highly variable with no predictable patterns. Numerous studies have investigated the pathophysiology of postoperative adhesions both in vitro and in vivo. Factors such as type and location of adhesions, as well as timing and recurrence of adhesive obstruction remain unpredictable and poorly understood. Although the majority of postoperative adhesions are clinically silent, the consequences of adhesion formation can represent a lifelong problem including chronic abdominal pain, recurrent intestinal obstruction requiring multiple hospitalizations, and infertility. Moreover, adhesive disease can become a chronic medical condition with significant morbidity and no effective therapy. Despite recent advances in surgical techniques, there is no reliable strategy to manage postoperative adhesions. We herein review the pathophysiology and clinical significance of postoperative adhesions while highlighting current techniques of prevention and treatment. © 2017, The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract

多層撚同軸ケーブルの概要とその内部導体銅テープに要求される諸性質について

Cases of colorectal cancer (CRC) have increased dramatically in Middle Eastern and other Asian countries. Many studies indicate an important role of environmental factors, including trace elements as an etiology of cancer. This study aims to assess the concentration of eight trace elements in cancerous and adjacent non-cancerous tissues in case of CRC. In a cross-sectional study, conducted between March 2015 and February 2016, zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), tin (Sn), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), lead (Pb), and iron (Fe) levels were evaluated among patients suffering from CRC. All the patients underwent a full colonoscopy. Multiple samples were taken from cancerous lesions and adjacent healthy tissues that kept a minimum distance of 10 cm from the lesions. These specimens were kept at �80 °C. The classic flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS) method was applied in this study. The mean age of the study population was 55.6 ± 12.8. The median of Zn, Cr, Cu, Al, and Pb in cancerous tissues was significantly higher than that of healthy tissues (P < 0.05). Nevertheless, the median of Mn, Sn, and Fe was significantly lower than that of non-cancerous tissues (P < 0.05). Between colon and rectal specimens, we did not find a difference between Cr and Al levels and Zn, Sn, and Cu levels in cancerous and healthy tissues, respectively. We revealed that gender and history of smoking may influence the level of some trace elements. We revealed that the levels of eight elements were significantly different for cancerous and healthy tissues. This may play a role in developing CRC. These findings reflect the importance of environmental pollution in this setting. © 2017, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC