4,555 research outputs found
Solution of an infection model near threshold
We study the Susceptible-Infected-Recovered model of epidemics in the
vicinity of the threshold infectivity. We derive the distribution of total
outbreak size in the limit of large population size . This is accomplished
by mapping the problem to the first passage time of a random walker subject to
a drift that increases linearly with time. We recover the scaling results of
Ben-Naim and Krapivsky that the effective maximal size of the outbreak scales
as , with the average scaling as , with an explicit form for
the scaling function
Invasion threshold in heterogeneous metapopulation networks
We study the dynamics of epidemic and reaction-diffusion processes in
metapopulation models with heterogeneous connectivity pattern. In SIR-like
processes, along with the standard local epidemic threshold, the system
exhibits a global invasion threshold. We provide an explicit expression of the
threshold that sets a critical value of the diffusion/mobility rate below which
the epidemic is not able to spread to a macroscopic fraction of subpopulations.
The invasion threshold is found to be affected by the topological fluctuations
of the metapopulation network. The presented results provide a general
framework for the understanding of the effect of travel restrictions in
epidemic containment.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure
Low prevalence, quasi-stationarity and power-law distribution in a model of spreading
Understanding how contagions (information, infections, etc) are spread on
complex networks is important both from practical as well as theoretical point
of view. Considerable work has been done in this regard in the past decade or
so. However, most models are limited in their scope and as a result only
capture general features of spreading phenomena. Here, we propose and study a
model of spreading which takes into account the strength or quality of
contagions as well as the local (probabilistic) dynamics occurring at various
nodes. Transmission occurs only after the quality-based fitness of the
contagion has been evaluated by the local agent. The model exhibits
quality-dependent exponential time scales at early times leading to a slowly
evolving quasi-stationary state. Low prevalence is seen for a wide range of
contagion quality for arbitrary large networks. We also investigate the
activity of nodes and find a power-law distribution with a robust exponent
independent of network topology. Our results are consistent with recent
empirical observations.Comment: 7 pages, 8 figures. (Submitted
Physical activity and menopausal symptoms in women who have received menopause-inducing cancer treatments: results from the Women's Wellness After Cancer Program.
ObjectiveThis randomized controlled trial tested a digitally-delivered whole-of-lifestyle program for women previously treated for cancer. We investigated (1) associations between self-reported physical activity (PA) and menopausal symptoms and (2) if the intervention was associated with beneficial changes in PA and menopausal symptoms.MethodsWomen were randomized to intervention (n = 142) or control (n = 138). The intervention targeted lifestyle behavior including PA. Self-reported PA (International Physical Activity Questionnaire - Short Form) and menopausal symptom (Green Climacteric Scale, GCS) data were collected at baseline, with measures repeated at 12 weeks (end of intervention) and 24 weeks (to assess sustainability). Generalized estimating equation models explored associations between PA and GCS scores. Mixed-effects generalized equation models analyzed changes within and between groups in PA and GCS scores.ResultsTotal GCS scores were 1.83 (95% CI: 0.11-3.55) and 2.72 (95% CI: 1.12-4.33) points lower in women with medium and high levels of PA, respectively, than in women with low levels of PA. Total average GCS scores were 1.02 (0.21-2.26) and 1.61 (0.34-2.87) points lower in those undertaking moderate or vigorous intensity PA, respectively. Time spent walking, and performing moderate and vigorous PA were not different between intervention and control. The average GCS decrease of 0.66 points (95% CI: 0.03-1.29; p time = 0.03) over 24 weeks was not different between groups.ConclusionThis exploratory study established a stepwise association between moderate and vigorous PA and a lower total menopausal symptom score. The intervention did not appear to increase self-reported PA in women treated for early stage breast, reproductive, and blood cancers
Reinforcement-Driven Spread of Innovations and Fads
We propose kinetic models for the spread of permanent innovations and
transient fads by the mechanism of social reinforcement. Each individual can be
in one of M+1 states of awareness 0,1,2,...,M, with state M corresponding to
adopting an innovation. An individual with awareness k<M increases to k+1 by
interacting with an adopter. Starting with a single adopter, the time for an
initially unaware population of size N to adopt a permanent innovation grows as
ln(N) for M=1, and as N^{1-1/M} for M>1. The fraction of the population that
remains clueless about a transient fad after it has come and gone changes
discontinuously as a function of the fad abandonment rate lambda for M>1. The
fad dies out completely in a time that varies non-monotonically with lambda.Comment: 4 pages, 2 columns, 5 figures, revtex 4-1 format; revised version has
been expanded and put into iop format, with one figure adde
Scallop swimming kinematics and muscle performance: modelling the effects of "within-animal" variation in temperature sensitivity
Escape behaviour was investigated in Queen scallops (Aequipecten opercularis) acclimated to 5, 10 or 15 degrees C and tested at their acclimation temperature. Scallops are active molluscs, able to escape from predators by jet-propelled swimming using a striated muscle working in opposition to an elastic hinge ligament. The first cycle of the escape response was recorded using high-speed video ( 250 Hz) and whole-animal velocity and acceleration determined. Muscle shortening velocity, force and power output were calculated using measurements of valve movement and jet area, and a simple biomechanical model. The average shortening speed of the adductor muscle had a Q(10) of 2.04, significantly reducing the duration of the jetting phase of the cycle with increased temperature. Muscle lengthening velocity and the overall duration of the clap cycle were changed little over the range 5 - 15 degrees C, as these parameters were controlled by the relatively temperature-insensitive, hinge ligament. Improvements in the average power output of the adductor muscle over the first clap cycle ( 222 vs. 139 W kg(-1) wet mass at 15 and 5 degrees C respectively) were not translated into proportional increases in overall swimming velocity, which was only 32% higher at 15 degrees C ( 0.37m s(-1)) than 5 degrees C (0.28 m s(-1))
Interplay between HIV/AIDS Epidemics and Demographic Structures Based on Sexual Contact Networks
In this article, we propose a network spread model for HIV epidemics, wherein
each individual is represented by a node of the transmission network and the
edges are the connections between individuals along which the infection may
spread. The sexual activity of each individual, measured by its degree, is not
homogeneous but obeys a power-law distribution. Due to the heterogeneity of
activity, the infection can persistently exist at a very low prevalence, which
has been observed in real data but can not be illuminated by previous models
with homogeneous mixing hypothesis. Furthermore, the model displays a clear
picture of hierarchical spread: In the early stage the infection is adhered to
these high-risk persons, and then, diffuses toward low-risk population. The
prediction results show that the development of epidemics can be roughly
categorized into three patterns for different countries, and the pattern of a
given country is mainly determined by the average sex-activity and transmission
probability per sexual partner. In most cases, the effect of HIV epidemics on
demographic structure is very small. However, for some extremely countries,
like Botswana, the number of sex-active people can be depressed to nearly a
half by AIDS.Comment: 23 pages, 12 figure
A Derivation of Three-Dimensional Inertial Transformations
The derivation of the transformations between inertial frames made by
Mansouri and Sexl is generalised to three dimensions for an arbitrary direction
of the velocity. Assuming lenght contraction and time dilation to have their
relativistic values, a set of transformations kinematically equivalent to
special relativity is obtained. The ``clock hypothesis'' allows the derivation
to be extended to accelerated systems. A theory of inertial transformations
maintaining an absolute simultaneity is shown to be the only one logically
consistent with accelerated movements. Algebraic properties of these
transformations are discussed. Keywords: special relativity, synchronization,
one-way velocity of light, ether, clock hypothesis.Comment: 16 pages (A5), Latex, one figure, to be published in Found. Phys.
Lett. (1997
Genomic catastrophes frequently arise in esophageal adenocarcinoma and drive tumorigenesis
Oesophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) incidence is rapidly increasing in Western countries. A better understanding of EAC underpins efforts to improve early detection and treatment outcomes. While large EAC exome sequencing efforts to date have found recurrent loss-offunction mutations, oncogenic driving events have been underrepresented. Here we use a combination of whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and single-nucleotide polymorphism-array profiling to show that genomic catastrophes are frequent in EAC, with almost a third (32%, n¼40/123) undergoing chromothriptic events. WGS of 22 EAC cases show that catastrophes may lead to oncogene amplification through chromothripsis-derived double-minute chromosome formation (MYC and MDM2) or breakage-fusion-bridge (KRAS, MDM2 and RFC3). Telomere shortening is more prominent in EACs bearing localized complex rearrangements. Mutational signature analysis also confirms that extreme genomic instability in EAC can be driven by somatic BRCA2 mutations. These findings suggest that genomic catastrophes have a significant role in the malignant transformation of EAC
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