Reading Comprehension using Entity-based Memory Network

This paper introduces a novel neural network model for question answering, the \emph{entity-based memory network}. It enhances neural networks' ability of representing and calculating information over a long period by keeping records of entities contained in text. The core component is a memory pool which comprises entities' states. These entities' states are continuously updated according to the input text. Questions with regard to the input text are used to search the memory pool for related entities and answers are further predicted based on the states of retrieved entities. Compared with previous memory network models, the proposed model is capable of handling fine-grained information and more sophisticated relations based on entities. We formulated several different tasks as question answering problems and tested the proposed model. Experiments reported satisfying results

Enumerating All Subgraphs Under Given Constraints Using Zero-Suppressed Sentential Decision Diagrams

Subgraph enumeration is a fundamental task in computer science. Since the number of subgraphs can be large, some enumeration algorithms exploit compressed representations for efficiency. One such representation is the Zero-suppressed Binary Decision Diagram (ZDD). ZDDs can represent the set of subgraphs compactly and support several poly-time queries, such as counting and random sampling. Researchers have proposed efficient algorithms to construct ZDDs representing the set of subgraphs under several constraints, which yield fruitful results in many applications. Recently, Zero-suppressed Sentential Decision Diagrams (ZSDDs) have been proposed as variants of ZDDs. ZSDDs can be smaller than ZDDs when representing the same set of subgraphs. However, efficient algorithms to construct ZSDDs are known only for specific types of subgraphs: matchings and paths. We propose a novel framework to construct ZSDDs representing sets of subgraphs under given constraints. Using our framework, we can construct ZSDDs representing several sets of subgraphs such as matchings, paths, cycles, and spanning trees. We show the bound of sizes of constructed ZSDDs by the branch-width of the input graph, which is smaller than that of ZDDs by the path-width. Experiments show that our methods can construct ZSDDs faster than ZDDs and that the constructed ZSDDs are smaller than ZDDs when representing the same set of subgraphs

COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine–Associated Uveitis Leading to Diagnosis of Sarcoidosis: Case Report and Review of Literature

A 34-year-old Japanese person with male gender identity who had been taking intramuscular injection of methyltestosterone depot for 11 years after bilateral mastectomy noticed blurred vision 5 days after the second vaccination for COVID-19 (Tozinameran; Pfizer-BioNTech) in the interval of 3 weeks following the first vaccination. The patient was diagnosed as granulomatous iritis with mutton-fat keratic precipitates and small iris nodules at the pupillary margin in the right eye and began to have 0.1% betamethasone eye drops with good response. The patient, however, continued to have fever and malaise and showed a high level of serum soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) even 4 weeks after the second vaccination. Computed tomographic scan disclosed mediastinal and bilateral hilar small lymphadenopathy together with limited granular lesion in the right lung. Gallium-67 scintigraphy demonstrated high uptake not only in mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes but also in bilateral parotid glands. Right parotid gland biopsy revealed noncaseating granulomas and proved pathological diagnosis of sarcoidosis. The systemic symptoms were relieved by oral prednisolone 20 mg daily. Even though the causal relationship remains undetermined, this case is unique at the point that vaccine-associated uveitis led to the detection of pulmonary lesions and lymphadenopathy, resulting in clinical and pathological diagnosis of sarcoidosis. In literature review, 3 patients showed sarcoidosis-like diseases after COVID-19 vaccination: 2 patients were diagnosed clinically as Lofgren syndrome with acute onset of erythema nodosum and ankle swelling, with or without mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy, whereas 1 patient with mediastinal lymphadenopathy but no uveitis was diagnosed pathologically by biopsy as sarcoidosis. </jats:p

Endobronchial Electrocautery Using Snare

Between May 1987 and March 1994, upper airway and tracheobronchial electrosurgery with snare was performed in 13 patients (10 men and 3 women), ranging in age from 18 to 87 years. Four patients had benign lesions, and nine had malignant tumors. Total eradication has been achieved in the two patients with benign lesions. Electroexcision of the endobronchial portion of the tumor helped to clear the respiratory airways in all cases with malignant tumors. There has been no major side effects such as bleeding due to this method. Electrocautery is an available economical tool, which helps to diagnose and treat obstructing airway mass lesions

Clinical Study in 11 Cases of Endobronchial Foreign Body

We report 11 cases of endobronchial foreign body. From January 1982 through December 1994, a total of 11 cases were diagnosed roentogenographically and bronchoscopically at our hospital. These patients consisted of 10 men and 1 woman with a mean age of 58.5 years (range 33 to 77 years). Symptoms on presenting were usually cough, sputum, or chest pain. The foreign bodies were inorganic in 10 cases and of organic origin in 1 case. Three patients were not aware that they had aspirated a foreign body. In 9 patients, the endobronchial foreign bodies were successfully removed endoscopically. One patient spontaneously expectorated the foreign body before bronchoscopy. One patient underwent thoracotomy because the foreign body could not be removed bronchoscopically. There were no severe complications during or after the endoscopic removal of the foreign bodies, but in one patient extraction of the foreign body caused pneumonia after bronchoscopy. In conclusion, flexible bronchoscopy is useful for the diagnosis and treatment of endobronchial foreign bodies

Evaluating the Safety of Simultaneous Intracranial Electroencephalography and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Acquisition Using a 3 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scanner

Background: The unsurpassed sensitivity of intracranial electroencephalography (icEEG) and the growing interest in understanding human brain networks and ongoing activities in health and disease have make the simultaneous icEEG and functional magnetic resonance imaging acquisition (icEEG-fMRI) an attractive investigation tool. However, safety remains a crucial consideration, particularly due to the impact of the specific characteristics of icEEG and MRI technologies that were safe when used separately but may risk health when combined. Using a clinical 3-T scanner with body transmit and head-receive coils, we assessed the safety and feasibility of our icEEG-fMRI protocol. Methods: Using platinum and platinum-iridium grid and depth electrodes implanted in a custom-made acrylic-gel phantom, we assessed safety by focusing on three factors. First, we measured radio frequency (RF)-induced heating of the electrodes during fast spin echo (FSE, as a control) and the three sequences in our icEEG-fMRI protocol. Heating was evaluated with electrodes placed orthogonal or parallel to the static magnetic field. Using the configuration with the greatest heating observed, we then measured the total heating induced in our protocol, which is a continuous 70-min icEEG-fMRI session comprising localizer, echo-planar imaging (EPI), and magnetization-prepared rapid gradient-echo sequences. Second, we measured the gradient switching-induced voltage using configurations mimicking electrode implantation in the frontal and temporal lobes. Third, we assessed the gradient switching-induced electrode movement by direct visual detection and image analyses. Results: On average, RF-induced local heating on the icEEG electrode contacts tested were greater in the orthogonal than parallel configuration, with a maximum increase of 0.2°C during EPI and 1.9°C during FSE. The total local heating was below the 1°C safety limit across all contacts tested during the 70-min icEEG-fMRI session. The induced voltage was within the 100-mV safety limit regardless of the configuration. No gradient switching-induced electrode displacement was observed. Conclusion: We provide evidence that the additional health risks associated with heating, neuronal stimulation, or device movement are low when acquiring fMRI at 3 T in the presence of clinical icEEG electrodes under the conditions reported in this study. High specific absorption ratio sequences such as FSE should be avoided to prevent potential inadvertent tissue heating

Surgical Treatment for Pulmonary Metastases

This study is based on 29 patients undergoing resection for pulmonary metastases from 1960 to 1981 in our clinics. Factors concerning their prognosis are discussed in this study. 1) Prognosis following surgery is associated with the origin of the primary disease, the sizes and numbers of pulmonary metastases, and the disease-free period. 2) Pulmonary metastases arising from original tumors with slow growth rate, such as thyroid cancer, breast cancer, and some of osteogenic sarcomas, are favorable candidates for surgical treatment. 3) Operative methods of choice are not essential in anticipating better results. Complete removal of the tumor is required. We assume that improved chemotherapy may be contributary to a gain in a longer survival

Is the Importance of Achieving Stable Disease Different between Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Cytotoxic Agents in the Second-Line Setting for Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer?

BackgroundIt is controversial whether achieving stable disease leads to a survival benefit and whether the importance of achieving stable disease differs between cytotoxic agents and molecular targeted agents. To examine these questions, the authors retrospectively reviewed phase II and III studies in the second-line setting for advanced non-small cell lung cancer using epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) and cytotoxic agents separately.MethodsThe authors chose 45 trials for the chemotherapy group and nine for the EGFR TKI group by searching the PubMed database. All nine trials in the EGFR TKI group concern gefitinib and erlotinib.ResultsThe median survival time increased 0.0375 month with each 1% increase in stable disease rate (p = 0.039), and each 1% increase in response rate resulted in 0.0744 (p < 0.001) month of median survival time in the analysis combined with both cytotoxic agents and EGFR TKIs. Main and interaction terms for EGFR TKI treatment were not statistically significant. With respect to time to progression, only response rate showed a statistically significant relationship with survival.ConclusionsTo obtain response seems to be more important than to achieve stable disease for both cytotoxic agents and EGFR TKIs, although achieving stable disease is still valuable. The relationship between survival and response or stable disease appears similar for cytotoxic agents and EGFR TKIs