Surface embedding, topology and dualization for spin networks

Spin networks are graphs derived from 3nj symbols of angular momentum. The surface embedding, the topology and dualization of these networks are considered. Embeddings into compact surfaces include the orientable sphere S^2 and the torus T, and the not orientable projective space P^2 and Klein's bottle K. Two families of 3nj graphs admit embeddings of minimal genus into S^2 and P^2. Their dual 2-skeletons are shown to be triangulations of these surfaces.Comment: LaTeX 17 pages, 6 eps figures (late submission to arxiv.org

Statistical mechanics of voting

Decision procedures aggregating the preferences of multiple agents can produce cycles and hence outcomes which have been described heuristically as `chaotic'. We make this description precise by constructing an explicit dynamical system from the agents' preferences and a voting rule. The dynamics form a one dimensional statistical mechanics model; this suggests the use of the topological entropy to quantify the complexity of the system. We formulate natural political/social questions about the expected complexity of a voting rule and degree of cohesion/diversity among agents in terms of random matrix models---ensembles of statistical mechanics models---and compute quantitative answers in some representative cases.Comment: 9 pages, plain TeX, 2 PostScript figures included with epsf.tex (ignore the under/overfull \vbox error messages

Quantum mechanics of lattice gas automata. I. One particle plane waves and potentials

Classical lattice gas automata effectively simulate physical processes such as diffusion and fluid flow (in certain parameter regimes) despite their simplicity at the microscale. Motivated by current interest in quantum computation we recently defined quantum lattice gas automata; in this paper we initiate a project to analyze which physical processes these models can effectively simulate. Studying the single particle sector of a one dimensional quantum lattice gas we find discrete analogues of plane waves and wave packets, and then investigate their behaviour in the presence of inhomogeneous potentials.Comment: 19 pages, plain TeX, 14 PostScript figures included with epsf.tex (ignore the under/overfull \vbox error messages), two additional large figures available upon reques

From quantum cellular automata to quantum lattice gases

A natural architecture for nanoscale quantum computation is that of a quantum cellular automaton. Motivated by this observation, in this paper we begin an investigation of exactly unitary cellular automata. After proving that there can be no nontrivial, homogeneous, local, unitary, scalar cellular automaton in one dimension, we weaken the homogeneity condition and show that there are nontrivial, exactly unitary, partitioning cellular automata. We find a one parameter family of evolution rules which are best interpreted as those for a one particle quantum automaton. This model is naturally reformulated as a two component cellular automaton which we demonstrate to limit to the Dirac equation. We describe two generalizations of this automaton, the second of which, to multiple interacting particles, is the correct definition of a quantum lattice gas.Comment: 22 pages, plain TeX, 9 PostScript figures included with epsf.tex (ignore the under/overfull \vbox error messages); minor typographical corrections and journal reference adde

Discrete structures in gravity

Discrete approaches to gravity, both classical and quantum, are reviewed briefly, with emphasis on the method using piecewise-linear spaces. Models of 3-dimensional quantum gravity involving 6j-symbols are then described, and progress in generalising these models to four dimensions is discussed, as is the relationship of these models in both three and four dimensions to topological theories. Finally, the repercussions of the generalisations are explored for the original formulation of discrete gravity using edge-length variables.Comment: 30 pages, 4 figure

Microalbuminuria among Type 1 and Type 2 diabetic patients of African origin in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

BACKGROUND: The prevalences and risk factors of microalbuminuria are not full described among black African diabetic patients. This study aimed at determining the prevalence of microalbuminuria among African diabetes patients in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and relate to socio-demographic features as well as clinical parameters. METHODS: Cross sectional study on 91 Type 1 and 153 Type 2 diabetic patients. Two overnight urine samples per patient were analysed. Albumin concentration was measured by an automated immunoturbidity assay. Average albumin excretion rate (AER) was used and were categorised as normalbuminuria (AER < 20 ug/min), microalbuminuria (AER 20–200 ug/min), and macroalbuminuria (AER > 200 ug/min). Information obtained also included age, diabetes duration, sex, body mass index, blood pressure, serum total cholesterol, high-density and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, serum creatinine, and glycated hemoglobin A(1c). RESULTS: Overall prevalence of microalbuminuria was 10.7% and macroalbuminuria 4.9%. In Type 1 patients microalbuminuria was 12% and macroalbuminuria 1%. Among Type 2 patients, 9.8% had microalbuminuria, and 7.2% had macroalbuminuria. Type 2 patients with abnormal albumin excretion rate had significantly longer diabetes duration 7.5 (0.2–24 yrs) than those with normal albumin excretion rate 3 (0–25 yrs), p < 0.001. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure among Type 2 patients with abnormal albumin excretion rate were significantly higher than in those with normal albumin excretion rate, (p < 0.001). No significant differences in body mass index, glycaemic control, and cholesterol levels was found among patients with normal compared with those with elevated albumin excretion rate either in Type 1 or Type 2 patients. A stepwise multiple linear regression analysis among Type 2 patients, revealed AER (natural log AER) as the dependent variable to be predicted by [odds ratio (95% confidence interval)] diabetes duration 0.090 (0.049, 0.131), p < 0.0001, systolic blood pressure 0.012 (0.003–0.021), p < 0.010 and serum creatinine 0.021 (0.012, 0.030). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of micro and macroalbuminuria is higher among African Type 1 patients with relatively short diabetes duration compared with prevalences among Caucasians. In Type 2 patients, the prevalence is in accordance with findings in Caucasians. The present study detects, however, a much lower prevalence than previously demonstrated in studies from sub-Saharan Africa. Abnormal AER was significantly related to diabetes duration and systolic blood pressure

Geometry and symmetries in lattice spinor gravity

Lattice spinor gravity is a proposal for regularized quantum gravity based on fermionic degrees of freedom. In our lattice model the local Lorentz symmetry is generalized to complex transformation parameters. The difference between space and time is not put in a priori, and the euclidean and Minkowski quantum field theory are unified in one functional integral. The metric and its signature arise as a result of the dynamics, corresponding to a given ground state or cosmological solution. Geometrical objects as the vierbein, spin connection or the metric are expectation values of collective fields built from an even number of fermions. The quantum effective action for the metric is invariant under general coordinate transformations in the continuum limit. The action of our model is found to be also invariant under gauge transformations. We observe a "geometrical entanglement" of gauge- and Lorentz-transformations due to geometrical objects transforming non-trivially under both types of symmetry transformations.Comment: 38 page

Efficacy and Safety of Dapagliflozin in Patients With Inadequately Controlled Type 1 Diabetes (the DEPICT-2 Study): 24-Week Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE: This 24-week, double-blinded, phase 3 clinical trial (DEPICT-2; ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02460978) evaluated efficacy and safety of dapagliflozin as adjunct therapy to adjustable insulin in patients with inadequately controlled type 1 diabetes (HbA1c 7.5-10.5%). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Patients were randomized 1:1:1 to dapagliflozin 5 mg (n = 271), dapagliflozin 10 mg (n = 270), or placebo (n = 272) plus insulin. Insulin dose was adjusted by investigators according to self-monitored glucose readings, local guidance, and individual circumstances. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were balanced between treatment groups. At week 24, dapagliflozin significantly decreased HbA1c (primary outcome; difference vs. placebo: dapagliflozin 5 mg -0.37% [95% CI -0.49, -0.26], dapagliflozin 10 mg -0.42% [-0.53, -0.30]), total daily insulin dose (-10.78% [-13.73, -7.72] and -11.08% [-14.04, -8.02], respectively), and body weight (-3.21% [-3.96, -2.45] and -3.74% [-4.49, -2.99], respectively) (P 70 to ≤180 mg/dL) versus placebo were significantly improved. More patients receiving dapagliflozin achieved a reduction in HbA1c ≥0.5% without severe hypoglycemia compared with placebo. Adverse events were reported for 72.7%, 67.0%, and 63.2% of patients receiving dapagliflozin 5 mg, dapagliflozin 10 mg, and placebo, respectively. Hypoglycemia, including severe hypoglycemia, was balanced between groups. There were more adjudicated definite diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) events with dapagliflozin: 2.6%, 2.2%, and 0% for dapagliflozin 5 mg, dapagliflozin 10 mg, and placebo, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Dapagliflozin as adjunct therapy to adjustable insulin in patients with type 1 diabetes was well tolerated and improved glycemic control with no increase in hypoglycemia versus placebo but with more DKA events.status: publishe

Dynamic flow synthesis of porous organic cages

The dynamic covalent synthesis of two imine-based porous organic cages was successfully transferred from batch to continuous flow. The same flow reactor was then used to scramble the constituents of these two cages in differing ratios to form cage mixtures. Preparative HPLC purification of one of these mixtures allowed rapid access to a desymmetrised cage molecule.We thank the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) for financial support under the Grants EP/H000925/1 (AIC), EP/K009494/1 (SVL) and EP/M004120/1 (SVL), and Pfizer Worldwide Research & Development (CB). The authors would like to thank EPSRC Dial-a-Molecule Grand Challenge Network (EP/K004840/1) for funding a placement with SVL via the Interdisciplinary Mobility Funding scheme (AGS).This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from RSC via http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/C5CC07447