Parotid metastasis of rare lung adenocarcinoma: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Lung cancer (LC) is the leading cause of malignancy-related deaths worldwide. The most common sites of metastasis include the nervous system, bone, liver, respiratory system, and adrenal glands. LC metastasis in the parotid gland is very rare, and its diagnosis presents a challenge. Here, we report a case of parotid metastasis in primary LC. CASE SUMMARY: The patient was a 74-year-old male who was discovered to have bilateral facial asymmetry inadvertently two years ago. The right earlobe was slightly swollen and without pain or numbness. Computed tomography (CT) examination showed bilateral lung space-occupying lesions. Pulmonary biopsy was performed and revealed adenocarcinoma (right-upper-lung nodule tissue). Positron emission tomography-CT examination showed: (1) Two hypermetabolic nodules in the right upper lobe of the lung, enlarged hypermetabolic lymph nodes in the right hilar and mediastinum, and malignant space-occupying lesion in the right upper lobe of the lung and possible metastasis to the right hilar and mediastinal lymph nodes; and (2) multiple hypermetabolic nodules in bilateral parotid glands. Parotid puncture biopsy was performed considering lung adenocarcinoma metastasis. Gene detection of lung biopsy specimens revealed an EGFR gene 21 exon L858R mutation. CONCLUSION: This case report highlights the challenging diagnosis of parotid metastasis in LC given its rare nature. Such lesions should be differentiated from primary tumors of the parotid gland. Simple radiological imaging is unreliable, and puncture biopsy is needed for final diagnosis of this condition.

[Role of ß2-Adrenergic Receptor Agonist in the Cognitive Impairment Associated with Neurodegenerative Diseases].

Studies have revealed the neuropathological mechanism of the cognitive impairment associated with neurodegenerative diseases.However,the therapies for these cognitive disorders are limited,and the prevalence of cognitive impairment is expected to increase significantly in the future,which proves the necessity of new therapeutic agents.In recent years,the pharmacological activity of ß2-adrenergic receptor(ß2-AR)has been extensively studied,which has demonstrated that ß2-AR agonist has therapeutic effects on the cognitive impairment associated with several common neurodegenerative diseases,including Alzheimer's disease,vascular dementia,Parkinson's disease with dementia,and Lewy body dementia.We reviewed the neuropathological features of cognitive impairment in several common neurodegenerative diseases and expounded the pharmacological effects of ß2-AR on related diseases.

Adaptive Estimation Distribution Distributed Differential Evolution for Multimodal Optimization Problems.

Multimodal optimization problems (MMOPs) require algorithms to locate multiple optima simultaneously. When using evolutionary algorithms (EAs) to deal with MMOPs, an intuitive idea is to divide the population into several small "niches," where different niches focus on locating different optima. These population partition strategies are called "niching" techniques, which have been frequently used for MMOPs. The algorithms for simultaneously locating multiple optima of MMOPs are called multimodal algorithms. However, many multimodal algorithms still face the difficulty of population partition since most of the niching techniques involve the sensitive niching parameters. Considering this issue, in this article, we propose a parameter-free niching method based on adaptive estimation distribution (AED) and develop a distributed differential evolution (DDE) algorithm, which is called AED-DDE, for solving MMOPs. In AED-DDE, each individual finds its own appropriate niche size to form a niche and acts as an independent unit to find a global optimum. Therefore, we can avoid the difficulty of population partition and the sensitivity of niching parameters. Different niches are co-evolved by using the master-slave multiniche distributed model. The multiniche co-evolution mechanism can improve the population diversity for fully exploring the search space and finding more global optima. Moreover, the AED-DDE algorithm is further enhanced by a probabilistic local search (PLS) to refine the solution accuracy. Compared with other multimodal algorithms, even the winner of CEC2015 multimodal competition, the comparison results fully demonstrate the superiority of AED-DDE.

Adaptive Granularity Learning Distributed Particle Swarm Optimization for Large-Scale Optimization.

Large-scale optimization has become a significant and challenging research topic in the evolutionary computation (EC) community. Although many improved EC algorithms have been proposed for large-scale optimization, the slow convergence in the huge search space and the trap into local optima among massive suboptima are still the challenges. Targeted to these two issues, this article proposes an adaptive granularity learning distributed particle swarm optimization (AGLDPSO) with the help of machine-learning techniques, including clustering analysis based on locality-sensitive hashing (LSH) and adaptive granularity control based on logistic regression (LR). In AGLDPSO, a master-slave multisubpopulation distributed model is adopted, where the entire population is divided into multiple subpopulations, and these subpopulations are co-evolved. Compared with other large-scale optimization algorithms with single population evolution or centralized mechanism, the multisubpopulation distributed co-evolution mechanism will fully exchange the evolutionary information among different subpopulations to further enhance the population diversity. Furthermore, we propose an adaptive granularity learning strategy (AGLS) based on LSH and LR. The AGLS is helpful to determine an appropriate subpopulation size to control the learning granularity of the distributed subpopulations in different evolutionary states to balance the exploration ability for escaping from massive suboptima and the exploitation ability for converging in the huge search space. The experimental results show that AGLDPSO performs better than or at least comparable with some other state-of-the-art large-scale optimization algorithms, even the winner of the competition on large-scale optimization, on all the 35 benchmark functions from both IEEE Congress on Evolutionary Computation (IEEE CEC2010) and IEEE CEC2013 large-scale optimization test suites.

Dynamic Group Learning Distributed Particle Swarm Optimization for Large-Scale Optimization and Its Application in Cloud Workflow Scheduling.

Cloud workflow scheduling is a significant topic in both commercial and industrial applications. However, the growing scale of workflow has made such a scheduling problem increasingly challenging. Many current algorithms often deal with small- or medium-scale problems (e.g., less than 1000 tasks) and face difficulties in providing satisfactory solutions when dealing with the large-scale problems, due to the curse of dimensionality. To this aim, this article proposes a dynamic group learning distributed particle swarm optimization (DGLDPSO) for large-scale optimization and extends it for the large-scale cloud workflow scheduling. DGLDPSO is efficient for large-scale optimization due to its following two advantages. First, the entire population is divided into many groups, and these groups are coevolved by using the master-slave multigroup distributed model, forming a distributed PSO (DPSO) to enhance the algorithm diversity. Second, a dynamic group learning (DGL) strategy is adopted for DPSO to balance diversity and convergence. When applied DGLDPSO into the large-scale cloud workflow scheduling, an adaptive renumber strategy (ARS) is further developed to make solutions relate to the resource characteristic and to make the searching behavior meaningful rather than aimless. Experiments are conducted on the large-scale benchmark functions set and the large-scale cloud workflow scheduling instances to further investigate the performance of DGLDPSO. The comparison results show that DGLDPSO is better than or at least comparable to other state-of-the-art large-scale optimization algorithms and workflow scheduling algorithms.

Adaptive Distributed Differential Evolution.

Due to the increasing complexity of optimization problems, distributed differential evolution (DDE) has become a promising approach for global optimization. However, similar to the centralized algorithms, DDE also faces the difficulty of strategies' selection and parameters' setting. To deal with such problems effectively, this article proposes an adaptive DDE (ADDE) to relieve the sensitivity of strategies and parameters. In ADDE, three populations called exploration population, exploitation population, and balance population are co-evolved concurrently by using the master-slave multipopulation distributed framework. Different populations will adaptively choose their suitable mutation strategies based on the evolutionary state estimation to make full use of the feedback information from both individuals and the whole corresponding population. Besides, the historical successful experience and best solution improvement are collected and used to adaptively update the individual parameters (amplification factor F and crossover rate CR) and population parameter (population size N), respectively. The performance of ADDE is evaluated on all 30 widely used benchmark functions from the CEC 2014 test suite and all 22 widely used real-world application problems from the CEC 2011 test suite. The experimental results show that ADDE has great superiority compared with the other state-of-the-art DDE and adaptive differential evolution variants.

Tracking job and housing dynamics with smartcard data.

Residential locations, the jobs-housing relationship, and commuting patterns are key elements to understand urban spatial structure and how city dwellers live. Their successive interaction is important for various fields including urban planning, transport, intraurban migration studies, and social science. However, understanding of the long-term trajectories of workplace and home location, and the resulting commuting patterns, is still limited due to lack of year-to-year data tracking individual behavior. With a 7-y transit smartcard dataset, this paper traces individual trajectories of residences and workplaces. Based on in-metro travel times before and after job and/or home moves, we find that 45 min is an inflection point where the behavioral preference changes. Commuters whose travel time exceeds the point prefer to shorten commutes via moves, while others with shorter commutes tend to increase travel time for better jobs and/or residences. Moreover, we capture four mobility groups: home mover, job hopper, job-and-residence switcher, and stayer. This paper studies how these groups trade off travel time and housing expenditure with their job and housing patterns. Stayers with high job and housing stability tend to be home (apartment unit) owners subject to middle- to high-income groups. Home movers work at places similar to stayers, while they may upgrade from tenancy to ownership. Switchers increase commute time as well as housing expenditure via job and home moves, as they pay for better residences and work farther from home. Job hoppers mainly reside in the suburbs, suffer from long commutes, change jobs frequently, and are likely to be low-income migrants.

Pathogen development and host responses to Plasmopara viticola in resistant and susceptible grapevines: an ultrastructural study.

The downy mildew disease in grapevines is caused by Plasmopara viticola. This disease poses a serious threat wherever viticulture is practiced. Wild Vitis species showing resistance to P. viticola offer a promising pathway to develop new grapevine cultivars resistant to P. viticola which will allow reduced use of environmentally unfriendly fungicides. Here, transmission and scanning microscopy was used to compare the resistance responses to downy mildew of three resistant genotypes of V. davidii var. cyanocarpa, V. piasesezkii and V. pseudoreticulata and the suceptible V. vinifera cultivar 'Pinot Noir'. Following inoculation with sporangia of P. viticola isolate 'YL' on V. vinifera cv. 'Pinot Noir', the infection was characterized by a rapid spread of intercellular hyphae, a high frequency of haustorium formation within the host's mesophyll cells, the production of sporangia and by the absence of host-cell necrosis. In contrast zoospores were collapsed in the resistant V. pseudoreticulata 'Baihe-35-1', or secretions appeared arround stomata at the beginning of the infection period in V. davidii var. cyanocarpa 'Langao-5' and V. piasezkii 'Liuba-8'. The main characteristics of the resistance responses were the rapid depositions of callose and the appearance of empty hyphae and the plasmolysis of penetrated tissue. Moreover, collapsed haustoria were observed in V. davidii var. cyanocarpa 'Langao-5' at 5 days post inoculation (dpi) and in V. piasezkii 'Liuba-8' at 7 dpi. Lastly, necrosis extended beyond the zone of restricted colonization in all three resistant genotypes. Sporangia were absent in V. piasezkii 'Liuba-8' and greatly decreased in V. davidii var. cyanocarpa 'Langao-5' and in V. pseudoreticulata 'Baihe-35-1' compared with in V. vinifera cv. 'Pinot Noir'. Overall, these results provide insights into the cellular biological basis of the incompatible interactions between the pathogen and the host. They indicate a number of several resistant Chinese wild species that could be used in developing new cultivars having good levels of downy mildew resistance.

Supramolecular framework in catena-poly[[(nitrato-κO)silver(I)]-µ-(R,S)-2-(pyridin-4-ylsulfinyl)pyrimidine-κ3N,O:N'].

In the title complex, [Ag(NO(3))(C(9)H(7)N(3)OS)](n), η(1):η(1):η(1):µ(2)-bridging 2-(pyridin-4-ylsulfinyl)pyrimidine (pypmSO) ligands with opposite chiralities are alternately arranged to link the Ag(I) cations through two N atoms and one sulfinyl O atom of each ligand, leading to an extended zigzag coordination chain structure along the [ ̅201] direction. An FT-IR spectroscopic study shows a decreased stretching frequency for the η(1)-O-bonded S=O group compared with that of the free ligand. The parallel chains are arranged and interconnected via O(S=O)···π(pyridine/pyrimidine) and C-H(pyridine)···O(NO(3)(-)) interactions to furnish a layer almost parallel to the ac plane. Along the b axis, the layers are stacked and stabilized through anion(NO(3)(-))···π(pyrimidine) interactions to form a three-dimensional supramolecular framework. The ligand behaviour of the new diheterocyclic sulfoxide and the unconventional O(S=O)···π(pyridine/pyrimidine) and anion(NO(3)(-))...π(pyrimidine) interactions in the supramolecular assembly of the title complex are presented.

Bis{2-[(pyridin-4-yl-κN)sulfan-yl]pyrazine}-silver(I) tetra-fluoridoborate.

In the title mononuclear complex, [Ag(C(9)H(7)N(3)S)(2)]BF(4), the Ag(I) ion adopts a virtually linear coordination geometry [N-Ag-N = 178.06 (11)°] with the two ligands bound to the metal atom via the pyridine N atoms. The metal-coordinated pyridine rings are almost coplanar, making a dihedral angle of 1.5 (2)°, while the two pendent pyrazine rings are arranged on the same side of the N-Ag-N line. Along the a axis, the mononuclear coordination units are stacked with π-π inter-actions between the pyridine rings [centroid-centroid distance = 3.569 (4) Å], leading to infinite chains. The chains are inter-connected through inter-molecular N(pyrazine)⋯π(pyrazine) inter-actions forming layers parallel to the ab plane [N⋯centroid = 3.268 (5) Å]. These layers are further stacked along the c-axis direction, furnishing a three-dimensional supra-molecular framework with the tetra-fluoridoborate anions embedded within the inter-stices.

Bis[5-(pyridin-2-yl)pyrazine-2-carbo-nitrile-κN,N]silver hexa-fluorido-phosphate.

In the mononuclear title complex, [Ag(C(10)H(6)N(4))(2)]PF(6), two κ(2)N,N'-chelating 5-(pyridin-2-yl)pyrazine-2-carbonitrile ligands surround the Ag(I) atom, forming a distorted N(4) tetra-hedral coordination geometry. The mononuclear units are inter-connected through π-π inter-actions [centroid-centroid distances = 3.801 (2) and 3.979 (3) Å] and the hexa-fluoridophosphate anions are embedded within the inter-stices. C N⋯π inter-actions [N⋯centroid = 3.519 (2) Å] and C-H.⋯N hydrogen-bonding inter-actions also occur.

[N-Benzyl-N-(diphenyl-phosphanylmeth-yl)pyridin-2-amine]-chloridomethyl-platinum(II).

In the mononuclear title complex, [Pt(CH(3))Cl(C(25)H(23)N(2)P)], the N-benzyl-N-(diphenyl-phosphanylmeth-yl)pyridin-2-amine functions as a bidentate ligand with the pyridyl N atom and the phosphine P atom chelating the Pt(II) ion, forming a six-membered metallocycle. The Pt(II) atom adopts a square-planar coordination geometry with one methyl group and one chloride ligand bonding to the metal center in a cis relationship. C-H⋯π and C-H⋯Cl inter-actions help to consolidate the packing.

4,4'-Dibromo-7,7'-dimeth-oxy-1,1'-spiro-biindane.

In the title compound, C(19)H(18)Br(2)O(2), the dihedral angle between the two benzene rings of the spiro-biindane molecule is 70.44 (8)°. In the crystal, mol-ecules are inter-connected along the c axis by C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking [centroid-centroid distance = 3.893 (2) Å] inter-actions, forming an infinite chain structure. The chains are further inter-connected through another set of C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming layers approximately parallel to the bc plane.

catena-Poly[[aqua-cadmium(II)]-bis-(µ(2)-4-chloro-benzoato)].

In the title complex, [Cd(C(7)H(4)ClO(2))(2)(H(2)O)](n), the Cd atom lies on a twofold axis and adopts a square-pyramidal coordination geometry. The water mol-ecule occupies the axial site with O atoms from four different 4-chloro-benzoato ligands in the equatorial plane. Pairs of 4-chloro-benzoato ligands bridge adjacent Cd(II) ions, generating an infinite chain structure along the c axis. Parallel polymeric chains are further inter-connected through water-acetate O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming layers in the bc plane.

Bis[5-(2-pyrid-yl)pyrazine-2-carbonitrile]-silver(I) tetra-fluorido-borate.

In the title mononuclear complex, [Ag(C(10)H(6)N(4))(2)]BF(4), the Ag(I) atom adopts a square-planar N(4 )coordination geometry and is surrounded by two 5-(2-pyrid-yl)pyrazine-2-carbonitrile ligands. The tetra-fluorido-borate anions link the mononuclear cations through inter-molecular C-H⋯F hydrogen-bonding inter-actions, forming an infinite tape structure along [110]. Other weak inter-actions occur: π-π stacking with centroid-centroid distances of 3.820 (2) and 3.898 (1) Šbetween pyridyl rings and 3.610 (2) and 3.926 (2) Šbetween pyrazinyl rings as well as F⋯π contacts involving the tetra-fluorido-borate anions and pyrazine rings [F⋯centroid = 2.999 (3) Å]; these combine with the hydrogen-bonding inter-actions to link the mononuclear cations into a three-dimensional supra-molecular architecture.

Chlorido{N,N-dibenzyl-N,N-bis-[(diphenyl-phosphan-yl)meth-yl]pyridine-2,6-diamine}-methyl-platinum(II).

In the title mononuclear complex, [Pt(CH(3))Cl(C(45)H(41)N(3)P(2))], the pyridine-2,6-diamine ligand can be viewed as a centrosymmetric motif having two pendant N-benzyl-N-[(diphenyl-phosphan-yl)meth-yl] arms, the two P atoms of which chelate to the Pt(II) ion, forming a ten-membered metallocycle. A distorted square-planar coordination geometry around the Pt(II) atom is completed by a methyl ligand and a chloride ion. The packing between the mononuclear units is achieved through C-H⋯π inter-actions, which link the mol-ecules into chains along the c axis.

(2-Pyrid-yl)[5-(2-pyridyl-carbon-yl)-2-pyrid-yl]methanone.

In the centrosymmetric title compound, C(17)H(11)N(3)O(2), the dihedral angle between the central and pendant pyridyl rings is 50.29 (9)°. In the crystal, mol-ecules stack along the a axis by π-π inter-actions between the pyridine rings with centroid-centroid distances of 3.845 (2) Å. The N atom and one of the C atoms of the central ring are disordered by symmetry.

Poly[hexa-µ-acetato-bis-(dimethyl sulfoxide)-trimanganese(II)].

In the title complex, [Mn(3)(CH(3)CO(2))(6)(C(2)H(6)SO)(2)](n), the Mn(II) ions exhibit similar MnO(6) octa-hedral coordination geometries but with different coordination environments. One type of Mn(II) ion is surrounded by five acetate groups and a terminal dimethyl sulfoxide group, while the other lies on a twofold axis and is coordinated by six O atoms from three symmetry-related acetate ions. The acetate anions exhibit three independent bridging modes, which flexibly bridge the Mn(II) ions along the c-axis direction, forming an infinite chain structure; the chains are further inter-connected through weak C-H⋯O and C-H⋯S hydrogen-bonding inter-actions.