Minimax particle filtering for tracking a highly maneuvering target

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/152473/1/rnc4785_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/152473/2/rnc4785.pd

Leukoaraiosis is associated with pneumonia after acute ischemic stroke

Diagnostic criteria for stroke associated pneumonia based on the CDC criteria. (DOCX 25 kb

Intracellular Membrane Association of the Aplysia cAMP Phosphodiesterase Long and Short Forms via Different Targeting Mechanisms

Phosphodiesterases (PDEs) play key roles in cAMP compartmentalization, which is required for intracellular signaling processes, through specific subcellular targeting. Previously, we showed that the long and short forms of Aplysia PDE4 (ApPDE4), which are localized to the membranes of distinct subcellular organelles, play key roles in 5-hydroxytryptamineinduced synaptic facilitation in Aplysia sensory and motor synapses. However, the molecular mechanism of the isoform-specific distinct membrane targeting was not clear. In this study, we further investigated the molecular mechanism of the membrane targeting of the ApPDE4 long and short forms. We found that the membrane targeting of the long form was mediated by hydrophobic interactions, mainly via 16 amino acids at the N-terminal region, whereas the short form was targeted solely to the plasma membrane, mainly by nonspecific electrostatic interactions between theirNtermini and the negatively charged lipids such as the phosphatidylinositol polyphosphates PI4P and PI(4,5)P<inf>2</inf>, which are embedded in the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane. Moreover, oligomerization of the long or short form by interaction of their respective upstream conserved region domains, UCR1 and UCR2, enhanced their plasma membrane targeting. These results suggest that the long and short forms of ApPDE4 are distinctly targeted to intracellular membranes through their direct association with the membranes via hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions, respectively. © 2014 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.1

A Rare Case of a Signet Ring Cell Carcinoma of the Colon Mimicking a Juvenile Polyp

Primary signet ring cell carcinoma (SRC) of colon at early stage is quite rare. Only 26 cases were reported until now. We report an early stage of primary SRC which was misdiagnosed as a juvenile polyp and treated with polypectomy followed by surgical resection. A 21-year-old male was administered for hematochezia. Abdominopelvic enhanced computed tomography revealed a polyp with active bleeding at the proximal rectum just below the rectosigmoid junction. Colonoscopy examination revealed a colon polyp with 0.5 cm sized head. Polypectomy was performed with snare and the polyp was completely removed. Biopsy revealed SRC. Surgical resection was also performed and there were no residual tumor or lymph node metastasis in the surgical specimen

Treatment response with potassium-competitive acid blockers based on clinical phenotypes of gastroesophageal reflux disease: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is typically managed based on the clinical phenotype. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of potassium-competitive acid blockers (PCABs) in patients with various clinical GERD phenotypes. METHODS: Core databases were searched for studies comparing PCABs and proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in clinical GERD phenotypes of erosive reflux disease (ERD), non-erosive reflux disease (NERD), PPI-resistant GERD and night-time heartburn. Additional analysis was performed based on disease severity and drug dosage, and pooled efficacy was calculated. RESULTS: In 9 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the initial treatment of ERD, the risk ratio for healing with PCABs versus PPIs was 1.09 (95% CI, 1.04-1.13) at 2 weeks and 1.03 (95% CI, 1.00-1.07) at 8 weeks, respectively. PCABs exhibited a significant increase in both initial and sustained healing of ERD compared to PPIs in RCTs, driven particularly in severe ERD (Los Angeles grade C/D). In 3 NERD RCTs, PCAB was superior to placebo in proportion of days without heartburn. Observational studies on PPI-resistant symptomatic GERD reported symptom frequency improvement in 86.3% of patients, while 90.7% showed improvement in PPIresistant ERD across 5 observational studies. Two RCTs for night-time heartburn had different endpoints, limiting meta-analysis. Pronounced hypergastrinemia was observed in patients treated with PCABs. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to PPIs, PCABs have superior efficacy and faster therapeutic effect in the initial and maintenance therapy of ERD, particularly severe ERD. While PCABs may be an alternative treatment option in NERD and PPI-resistant GERD, findings were inconclusive in patients with night-time heartburn

Microvasculature remodeling in the mouse lower gut during inflammaging

Inflammaging is defined as low-grade, chronic, systemic inflammation in aging, in the absence of overt infection. Age-associated deterioration of gastrointestinal function could be ascribed to the inflammaging, although evidence is yet to emerge. Here we show that microvessels in aging mouse intestine were progressively deprived of supportive structures, microvessel-associated pericytes and adherens junction protein vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin, and became leaky. This alteration was ascribed to up-regulation of angiopoetin-2 in microvascular endothelial cells. Up-regulation of the angiopoietin-2 was by TNF-α, originated from M2-like residential CD206 + macrophages, proportion of which increases as animal ages. It was concluded that antigenic burdens encountered in intestine throughout life create the condition of chronic stage of inflammation, which accumulates M2-like macrophages expressing TNF-α. The TNF-α induces vascular leakage to facilitate recruitment of immune cells into intestine under the chronic inflammatory setting. © Author(s) 2017.1

Transvaginal Endoscopic Appendectomy

Since Kalloo and colleagues first reported the feasibility and safety of a peroral transgastric approach in the porcine model in 2004, various groups have reported more complex natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) procedures, such as the cholecystectomy, splenectomy and liver biopsy, in the porcine model. Natural orifice access to the abdominal cavity, such as transgastric, transvesical, transcolonic, and transvaginal, has been described. Although a novel, minimally invasive approach to the abdominal cavity is a peroral endoscopic transgastric approach, there are still some challenging issues, such as the risk of infection and leakage, and the method of gastric closure. Hybrid-NOTES is an ideal first step in humans. Human hybrid transvaginal access has been used for years by many surgeons for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Here, we report a transvaginal flexible endoscopic appendectomy, with a 5-mm umbilical port using ultrasonic scissors in a 74-year-old woman with acute appendicitis

Comparison of Oral Sulfate Solution and Polyethylene Glycol Plus Ascorbic Acid on the Efficacy of Bowel Preparation

Background/Aims The quality of bowel preparation is one of the quality indicators for colonoscopy. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of oral sulfate solution (OSS) and polyethylene glycol plus ascorbic acid (PEG-AA) for bowel preparation. Methods The study involved 167 patients who underwent diagnostic colonoscopies. Inadequate bowel preparation was defined as any score of ≤1 in each colon section based on the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale. Multivariate logistic regression was used to compare the efficacy of OSS and PEG-AA. Subgroup analyses were performed based on patient characteristics. Results Overall, 106 (63.5%) patients received OSS, and 61 (36.5%) patients received PEG-AA. The rate of inadequate bowel preparation was 12.3% in patients receiving OSS and 32.8% in patients receiving PEG-AA (p=0.001). OSS (odds ratio [OR] = 0.26; p=0.003) and morning examination (OR=0.11; p=0.038) were significantly associated with efficient bowel preparation. The efficacy of OSS compared with PEG-AA was only significant in patients ≥50 years of age vs. <50 years of age (OR=0.13; p=0.001 vs. OR=0.96; p=0.959) and female vs. male patients (OR=0.06; p=0.002 vs. OR=0.58; p=0.339). Conclusions OSS was significantly more efficient for bowel preparation than PEG-AA, especially in patients ≥50 years of age and female patients. Morning examination led to a good quality of bowel preparation, irrespective of the preparation regimen