Immunopathological Effects Of Aquaporin-4 Ig G In Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders

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Consistent relaxation matching for handwritten Chinese character recognition

Due to the complexity in structure and the various distortions (translation, rotation, shifting, and deformation) in different writing styles of Handwritten Chinese Characters(HCCs), it is more suitable to use a structural matching algorithm for computer recognition of HCC. Relaxation matching is a powerful technique which can tolerate considerable distortion. However, most relaxation techniques so far developed for Handwritten Chinese Character Recognition (HCCR) are based on a probabilistic relaxation scheme. In this paper, based on local constraint of relaxation labelling and optimization theory, we apply a new relaxation matching technique to handwritten character recognition. From the properties of the compatibility constraints, several rules are devised to guide the design of the compatibility function, which plays an important role in the relaxation process. By parallel use of local contextual information of geometric relaxationship among strokes of two characters, the ambiguity between them can be relaxed iteratively to achieve optimal consistent matching.published_or_final_versio

A deformable elastic matching model for handwritten Chinesecharacter recognition

Conference Theme: Intelligent Systems for the 21st CenturyThis paper describes a deformable elastic matching approach to handwritten Chinese character recognition (HCCR). Handwritten character is regarded as a kind of deformable object, with elastic property. For the same category of character, we assume that different handwriting variations share the same topological structure, but may differ in shape details. The variations between different handwriting characters are modelled by a set of stroke displacement vectors (SDV). According to the SDV derived, a model character is deformed gradually, in an effort to transform itself much closer to an input character. Experiments show that the proposed elastic matching model can efficiently deal with local shape changes and variations between characters.published_or_final_versio

Prevalence of influenza vaccination and associated factors among Chinese nursing home health care workers

BACKGROUND: Influenza vaccination (IV) in nursing home health care workers (nHCWs) can reduce mortality of nursing home older adults. There is no study examining the prevalence of IV in Chinese nHCWs ...postprin

Effectiveness of influenza vaccination in institutionalised older adults: a systematic review

This journal suppl. entitled: 19th Medical Research Conference; Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong KongBACKGROUND: Influenza infection is common among institutionalised older adults. Many non-randomised observational studies on influenza vaccination suggested that it could reduce influenza-related hospitalizations and mortality in institutionalised older adults. Criticism regarding the effectiveness of influenza vaccine estimated by non-randomised observational studies includes the frailty selection bias and use of non-specific outcome like all-cause mortality. A systematic review of studies of influenza vaccination in institutionalized older adults to ...postprin

The impact of ischemic stroke on atrial fibrillation-related healthcare cost: a systematic review

OBJECTIVES: To summarize healthcare costs incurred from patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who developed ischemic stroke and to explore the factors associated with increased cost, thereby highlighting the importance of anticoagulation therapy for stroke prophylaxis ...postprin

Validation of the Abbreviated Mental Test (Hong Kong version) in the elderly medical patient

The Abbreviated Mental Test is a useful screening test for abnormal cognitive function in the elderly patient. It is widely used in UK geriatrics practice. A modified local version of the Abbreviated Mental Test is also commonly used in Hong Kong. In the present study, the local version of the 10-question Abbreviated Mental Test was validated against clinical diagnoses of normal/abnormal cognitive function (by DSM III R criteria). Sixty-nine patients (aged 65 years and older) referred to the Acute Geriatric Assessment Team at the Queen Mary Hospital were assessed. Nine patients (13%) were excluded because of language barrier, deafness, dysphasia and/or severe dysarthria. Sixty patients completed the test and the clinical assessment. An incorrect answer in each of the test items was found to be significantly associated with abnormal cognitive function (P<0.005). For the Abbreviated Mental Test score, the best cut-off point was found to be six (below six was considered abnormal); this yielded a sensitivity of 96% and a specificity of 94%.published_or_final_versio

Molecular and cellular aspects of plasticity after neural injury

This review focuses on our effort to address plasticity of the nervous system after neural injury. We have used different animal models to examine cellular mechanisms of plasticity underlying the pathological and repair processes. After severance of sensory input from one inner ear, topographic representations of spacecentered coordinates in the brain undergo plastic changes. During vestibular compensation, tissue plasticity constitutes an important component for functional recovery of neuronal network. In Parkinsonian animals, modulation of signaling via glutamatergic synapses, neurotrophins and neurokinins contributes to the protection of basal ganglion neurons from degeneration, thereby delaying deterioration of motor functions. With the use of animal models of neural injury, we further overcome the molecular restriction at the glial scar to enhance neural regrowth and remyelination, pointing to the possibility of developing new therapeutic strategies to stimulate neural plasticity and repair in the adult nervous system.published_or_final_versio

A randomised controlled trial to compare immunogenicity between intramuscular and intradermal trivalent influenza vaccination in nursing home older adults

BACKGROUND: Immunosenescence in older adults contributes to unsatisfactory immunogenicity towards influenza vaccine. Intradermal (ID) administration of influenza vaccine has been suggested to improve immunogenicity but there is no study regarding the immunogenicity of ID influenza vaccination in nursing home older adults ...postprin

Herpetic shoulder paresis in a Chinese elderly patient

A patient with left shoulder girdle weakness secondary to herpetic myotomal paresis is reported. Needle electromyography revealed denervational discharge from the left supraspinatus, deltoid, and brachioradialis muscles, compatible with a radiculopathy that was relevant to his myotomes affected by zoster infection. The patient was managed with range-of-movement and strengthening exercises as well as pain relief for post-herpetic neuralgia. Further studies are required to determine whether antiviral treatment can limit the extent of motor deficit and hasten recovery. Zoster paresis should be one of the differential diagnoses of girdle muscle weakness.published_or_final_versio