A novel combination of multiple primary carcinomas: Urinary bladder transitional cell carcinoma, prostate adenocarcinoma and small cell lung carcinoma- report of a case and review of the literature

BACKGROUND: The incidence of multiple primary malignant neoplasms increases with age and they are encountered more frequently nowadays than before, the phenomenon is still considered to be rare. CASE PRESENTATION: We report a case of a man in whom urinary bladder transitional cell carcinoma, metachronous prostate adenocarcinoma and small cell lung carcinoma were diagnosed within an eighteen-month period. The only known predisposing factor was that he was heavy smoker (90–100 packets per year). The literature on the phenomenon of multiple primary malignancies in a single patient is reviewed and the data is summarized. CONCLUSION: It is important for the clinicians to keep in mind the possibility of a metachronous (successive) or a synchronous (simultaneous) malignancy in a cancer patient. It is worthy mentioning this case because clustering of three primary malignancies (synchronous and metachronous) is of rare occurrence in a single patient, and, to our knowledge, this is the first report this combination of three carcinomas appearing in the same patient

A unified and automated approach to attractor reconstruction

We present a fully automated method for the optimal state space reconstruction from univariate and multivariate time series. The proposed methodology generalizes the time delay embedding procedure by unifying two promising ideas in a symbiotic fashion. Using non-uniform delays allows the successful reconstruction of systems inheriting different time scales. In contrast to the established methods, the minimization of an appropriate cost function determines the embedding dimension without using a threshold parameter. Moreover, the method is capable of detecting stochastic time series and, thus, can handle noise contaminated input without adjusting parameters. The superiority of the proposed method is shown on some paradigmatic models and experimental data from chaotic chemical oscillators

The use of Modulation Transfer Function as an Overall Quality Control parameter in PET/CT

The Modulation Transfer Function (MTF) is an important parameter for the characterization of image quality and the signal transfer properties of an imaging system. To develop a new method for MTF determination of PET/CT in three dimensions (3D), a novel and highly uniform, film based flood source using 18F-FDG has been prepared. The source was placed between PMMA blocks of various thicknesses, and imaged in a GE Discovery-ST, PET/CT system. MTF was then calculated from the line spread function (LSF) profile of the film. The film was prepared by immersing silica gel matrix, Al foils (5×10cm Fluka) in 18F-FDG bath solution. The effects of different reconstruction algorithms and the shape of the scanned object on MTF were investigated. By this method the alignment of PET and CT in the fused image was investigated as well. Hence the MTF can be used as an overall quality control parameter in PET/C

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular testing in Asia: the IAEA INCAPS-COVID study

BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic significantly affected management of cardiovascular disease around the world. The effect of the pandemic on volume of cardiovascular diagnostic procedures is not known. OBJECTIVES This study sought to evaluate the effects of the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiovascular diagnostic procedures and safety practices in Asia. METHODS The International Atomic Energy Agency conducted a worldwide survey to assess changes in cardiovascular procedure volume and safety practices caused by COVID-19. Testing volumes were reported for March 2020 and April 2020 and were compared to those from March 2019. Data from 180 centers across 33 Asian countries were grouped into 4 subregions for comparison. RESULTS Procedure volumes decreased by 47% from March 2019 to March 2020, showing recovery from March 2020 to April 2020 in Eastern Asia, particularly in China. The majority of centers cancelled outpatient activities and increased time per study. Practice changes included implementing physical distancing and restricting visitors. Although COVID testing was not commonly performed, it was conducted in one-third of facilities in Eastern Asia. The most severe reductions in procedure volumes were observed in lower-income countries, where volumes decreased 81% from March 2019 to April 2020. CONCLUSIONS The COVID-19 pandemic in Asia caused significant reductions in cardiovascular diagnostic procedures, particularly in low-income countries. Further studies on effects of COVID-19 on cardiovascular outcomes and changes in care delivery are warranted

Prospective comparison of low-fluence photodynamic therapy combined with intravitreal bevacizumab versus bevacizumab monotherapy for choroidal neovascularization in age-related macular degeneration

Purpose: To evaluate combination treatment with reduced-fluence photodynamic therapy (RDPDT) with Verteporfin and intravitreal bevacizumab, compared to bevacizumab alone, for choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in age-related macular degeneration. Methods: This was a prospective, randomized comparative study comprising 95 patients with CNV. 49 patients received RDPDT (25J/cm2) followed by intravitreal bevacizumab 1.25mg one hour later, while 46 received intravitreal bevacizumab alone. Patients were followed for 12 months at four-week intervals with visual acuity (VA) assessment and Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) of the macula. Bevacizumab re-injections were performed as needed. Results: On average, patients were re-injected 4.45 times in the combination group and 6.96 times in the bavacizumab group (p<0.001). At 12 months, VA improved by 8.64 letters in the bevacizumab group and by 8.37 letters in the combination group (p=0.922). Conclusion: Adding a reduced-fluence PDT arm in combination with bevacizumab offers similar results to those of intravitreal bevacizumab alone with significantly reduced number of injection repetitions. © 2015 Informa Healthcare

Argumentation and Public Deliberation on the Internet

89 σ.Σκοπός της παρούσας διπλωματικής εργασίας είναι η ανάλυση αδόμητων διαλόγων του διαδικτύου από τη σκοπιά της Δομημένης Επιχειρηματολογίας. Μέσα από την ανάλυση αυτή στοχεύουμε στον εντοπισμό Επιχειρηματολογικών Σχημάτων, στην δόμηση και παρουσίαση του αδόμητου διαλόγου με τη χρήση ενός Γράφου Επιχειρηματολογίας, στον εντοπισμό των δυσκολιών που παρουσιάζει η διαδικασία και στον προσδιορισμό του ιδανικού Γράφου Επιχειρηματολογίας. Στα πλαίσια της εργασίας γίνεται επίσης και σχολιασμός της πιθανότητας, στο μέλλον, τη διαδικασία αυτή να την αναλάβει αποκλειστικά κάποιο σύστημα εξελιγμένης Τεχνητής Νοημοσύνης. Στο 1ο Κεφάλαιο δίνονται κάποια βασικά θεωρητικά στοιχεία για τη Δομημένη Επιχειρηματολογία Στο 2ο Κεφάλαιο γίνεται μία περιληπτική αναφορά της επικρατούσας κατάστασης όσον αφορά το Δημόσιο Διάλογο στο διαδίκτυο Στο 3ο Κεφάλαιο παρουσιάζεται η ανάλυση των διαλόγων, η μεθοδολογία με την οποία αυτή πραγματοποιήθηκε καθώς και δίνονται πληροφορίες σχετικά με το τι είναι και πως χρησιμοποιείται ένας Γράφος Επιχειρηματολογίας Στο 4ο Κεφάλαιο σημειώνονται οι δυσκολίες της διαδικασίας, οι παρατηρήσεις και τα συμπεράσματα που προέκυψαν, ενώ επίσης προσδιορίζεται και ο ιδανικός Γράφος Επιχειρηματολογίας.The purpose of this diploma thesis is to analyze unstructured Internet dialogues using Structured Argumentation. The aim of the analysis is tο find which Argumentation Schemes are used in the aforementioned dialogues, to reconstruct and present the dialogues using an Argument Graph, to state out the difficulties of the process and to define the ideal Argument Graph. The possibility, in the future, to realize the same process via Artificial Intelligence systems is also discussed. In Chapter 1, some basic information and fundamentals of Structured Argumentation. In Chapter 2, a brief report on what is the situation on Public Deliberation on the Internet nowadays. In Chapter 3, the analysis of the dialogues, the methodology which was used and presentation of the Argument Graphs and their use. In Chapter 4, presentation of the difficulties of the process, conclusions and comments on the process and definition of the Ideal argument.Δατσέρης Ι. Εμμανουή

Anatomical and Functional Changes in the Coexistence of Vitreomacular Traction and Epiretinal Membrane: A Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Study

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the anatomical and functional findings in patients with vitreomacular traction (VMT) combined with epiretinal membrane (ERM) in the same eye. Methods: In this retrospective, cross-sectional study, we studied 65 patients with VMT and ERM. In 36 of them, ERM/VMT had a 'unified' appearance (group Ι) but in 29, VMT and ERM coexisted without an interrelationship (group ΙΙ). All patients were examined with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). We recorded the macular thickness, the presence, type and location of macular edema, the horizontal diameter of VMT, ellipsoid zone/external limiting membrane (EZ/ELM) status, the vitreofoveal angle of VMT nasally and temporally and the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Results: Group Ι presented with increased macular thickness, a broader adhesion diameter, extensive EZ/ELM defect and decreased BCVA compared to those where VMT and ERM were not intercorrelated. In group I ('unified' VMT and ERM), cystoid macular edema was found at a greater percentage (41.7%), while in patients where the 2 entities were not intercorrelated, diffuse macular edema was more evident (69%). There was no statistically significant difference between the 2 groups in the vitreofoveal angle temporally and nasally. Conclusions: Macular thickness, type of macular edema, adhesion diameter, the extent of the EZ/ELM defect and BCVA appeared different in cases where VMT and ERM were unified compared to cases where ERM and VMT coexisted but were not intercorrelated. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel