Adiabatic Quantum Support Vector Machines

Adiabatic quantum computers can solve difficult optimization problems (e.g., the quadratic unconstrained binary optimization problem), and they seem well suited to train machine learning models. In this paper, we describe an adiabatic quantum approach for training support vector machines. We show that the time complexity of our quantum approach is an order of magnitude better than the classical approach. Next, we compare the test accuracy of our quantum approach against a classical approach that uses the Scikit-learn library in Python across five benchmark datasets (Iris, Wisconsin Breast Cancer (WBC), Wine, Digits, and Lambeq). We show that our quantum approach obtains accuracies on par with the classical approach. Finally, we perform a scalability study in which we compute the total training times of the quantum approach and the classical approach with increasing number of features and number of data points in the training dataset. Our scalability results show that the quantum approach obtains a 3.5--4.5 times speedup over the classical approach on datasets with many (millions of) features

Etanercept treatment for pediatric toxic epidermal necrolysis induced by deflazacort: a case report and literature review

Toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) is a life-threatening mucocutaneous disorder commonly caused by drugs. TEN is often treated with corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), or cyclosporine; however, the efficacy of these treatments is controversial. Etanercept (a TNF-α antagonist) was proven to decrease skin-healing time in a randomized clinical trial. Herein, we report the case of a 44-month-old boy who developed TEN due to deflazacort as the probable culprit drug and was successfully treated with etanercept. The patient presented to the emergency department complaining of erythematous maculopapular rashes and vesicles all over the face and body, with vesicles on the hands, feet, and trunk. Symptoms started 4 days before presentation, with edema of the upper lip, which progressed to erythematous macules over the body. He was started on deflazacort for nephrotic syndrome 21 days before the visit. Approximately 20% of the body surface area (BSA) was covered by vesicular lesions. Under the diagnosis of Steven Johnson syndrome/TEN, deflazacort was discontinued, and intravenous dexamethasone (1.5 mg/kg/day), a 5-day course of IVIG (0.4 mg/kg/day), and cyclosporine (3 mg/kg/day) were administered. The lesions seemed to be stationary for 3 days, but on the 6th day of hospitalization, when IVIG was discontinued, the vesicular lesions progressed to approximately 60% of the BSA. Etanercept 0.8 mg/kg was administered subcutaneously. Lesions stopped progressing, and bullous lesions started epithelialization. However, on the 15th day, around 30% of the BSA was still involved; thus, a second dose of etanercept was administered. No acute or sub-acute complications were observed. In conclusion, the use of etanercept in children with TEN that is not controlled with conventional therapy is both effective and safe

Compartment syndrome due to extravasation of peripheral parenteral nutrition: extravasation injury of parenteral nutrition

Compartment syndrome is a rare but devastating condition that can result in permanent neuromuscular or soft tissue injuries. Extravasation injuries, among the iatrogenic causes of compartment syndrome, occur under a wide variety of circumstances in the inpatient setting. Total parenteral nutrition via a peripheral route is an effective alternative for the management of critically ill children who do not obtain adequate nutrition via the oral route. However, there is an inherent risk of extravasation, which can cause compartment syndrome, especially when detected at a later stage. Herein, we report a rare case of compartment syndrome and skin necrosis due to extravasation, requiring emergency fasciotomy and skin graft in a 7-month-old boy who was treated with peripheral parenteral nutrition via a pressurized infusion pump. Although we cannot estimate the exact time at which extravasation occurred, the extent and degree of the wound suggest that the ischemic insult was prolonged, lasting for several hours. Pediatric clinicians and medical teams should carefully examine the site of insertion of the intravenous catheter, especially in patients receiving parenteral nutrition via a peripheral intravenous catheter with a pressurized infusion pump

Treatment-Seeking Behaviors and Related Epidemiological Features in Korean Acne Patients

Little is known about the treatment-seeking behaviors of acne patients, especially Asian acne patients. This study was performed to obtain detailed information about the treatment-seeking behaviors in Korean acne patients. Patients who visited the dermatology departments at 17 university hospitals completed a self-administered questionnaire. Most patients obtained information about acne from doctors or the Internet. The most important criteria for selecting a treatment method or choosing a particular clinic were effectiveness and accessibility. Patients used traditional medicine, visited beauty clinics, drank more water, and used over-the-counter topical agents more frequently than they sought doctors during the worsening period. The degree of satisfaction in treatment was found to depend on the total cost of treatment, number of places visited, site affected by acne, and emotional stress. Those who had experienced a side effect tended to have been treated for longer, to have paid more for treatment, and to have an associated skin disease. Treatments prescribed by dermatology clinics had the lowest aggravating rate, although improvement rates for family medicine clinics were also fairly high. This is the first study to investigate in detail the demographic features and characteristics of the treatment-seeking behaviors of acne patients in Asia

Nidogen Plays a Role in the Regenerative Axon Growth of Adult Sensory Neurons Through Schwann Cells

We previously reported that nidogen is an extracellular matrix protein regulating Schwann cell proliferation and migration. Since Schwann cells play a critical role in peripheral nerve regeneration, nidogen may play a role in it via regulation of Schwann cells. Here, we demonstrate direct evidence that nidogen induces elongation of regenerative axon growth of adult sensory neurons, and that the effect is Schwann cell dependent. Continuous infusion of recombinant ectodomain of tumor endothelial marker 7, which specifically blocks nidogen function in Schwann cells, suppressed regenerative neurite growth in a sciatic nerve axotomy model. Taken together, it is likely that nidogen is required for proper regeneration of peripheral nerves after injury

Types and Prevalence of Coexisting Spine Lesions on Whole Spine Sagittal MR Images in Surgical Degenerative Spinal Diseases

∙The authors have no financial conflicts of interest. Purpose: We investigated types and prevalence of coexisting lesions found on whole spine sagittal T2-weighted images (WSST2I) acquired from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and evaluated their clinical significance in surgical degenerative spinal diseases. Materials and Methods: Coexisting spinal lesions were investigated using WSST2I from 306 consecutive patients with surgical degenerative spinal diseases. Severity of coexisting lesions was classified into four grades (0-3). Lesions of grade 2 and 3 were defined as “meaningful coexisting spine lesions ” (MCSL). Degenerative spinal diseases were classified into three pathologies: simple disc herniation, degenerative spinal stenosis, and ligament ossification disease. The relationships between MCSL, gender, age, and primary spine lesions were analyzed. Results: MCSL were found in 95 patients: a prevalence of 31.1%. Five out of 95 MCSL were surgically managed. The most common types of MCSL were disc herniation with 13.1 % prevalence, followed b