53 research outputs found
Discretized Diffusion Processes
We study the properties of the ``Rigid Laplacian'' operator, that is we
consider solutions of the Laplacian equation in the presence of fixed
truncation errors. The dynamics of convergence to the correct analytical
solution displays the presence of a metastable set of numerical solutions,
whose presence can be related to granularity. We provide some scaling analysis
in order to determine the value of the exponents characterizing the process. We
believe that this prototype model is also suitable to provide an explanation of
the widespread presence of power-law in social and economic system where
information and decision diffuse, with errors and delay from agent to agent.Comment: 4 pages 5 figure, to be published in PR
Black Rings in Taub-NUT and D0-D6 interactions
We analyze the dynamics of neutral black rings in Taub-NUT spaces and their
relation to systems of D0 and D6 branes in the supergravity approximation. We
employ several recent techniques, both perturbative and exact, to construct
solutions in which thermal excitations of the D0-branes can be turned on or
off, and the D6-brane can have -fluxes turned on or off in its worldvolume.
By explicit calculation of the interaction energy between the D0 and D6 branes,
we can study equilibrium configurations and their stability. We find that
although D0 and D6 branes (in the absence of fields, and at zero
temperature) repeal each other at non-zero separation, as they get together
they go over continuosly to an unstable bound state of an extremal singular
Kaluza-Klein black hole. We also find that, for -fields larger than a
critical value, or sufficiently large thermal excitation, the D0 and D6 branes
form stable bound states. The bound states with thermally excited D0 branes are
black rings in Taub-NUT, and we provide an analysis of their phase diagram.Comment: 50 pages, 8 figures; v3: minor changes and references added; v4:
improved figs. 7 and 8, matches with published versio
Truncation of power law behavior in "scale-free" network models due to information filtering
We formulate a general model for the growth of scale-free networks under
filtering information conditions--that is, when the nodes can process
information about only a subset of the existing nodes in the network. We find
that the distribution of the number of incoming links to a node follows a
universal scaling form, i.e., that it decays as a power law with an exponential
truncation controlled not only by the system size but also by a feature not
previously considered, the subset of the network ``accessible'' to the node. We
test our model with empirical data for the World Wide Web and find agreement.Comment: LaTeX2e and RevTeX4, 4 pages, 4 figures. Accepted for publication in
Physical Review Letter
Boundary effects in a random neighbor model of earthquakes
We introduce spatial inhomogeneities (boundaries) in a random neighbor
version of the Olami, Feder and Christensen model [Phys. Rev. Lett. 68, 1244
(1992)] and study the distributions of avalanches starting both from the bulk
and from the boundaries of the system. Because of their clear geophysical
interpretation, two different boundary conditions have been considered (named
free and open, respectively). In both cases the bulk distribution is described
by the exponent . Boundary distributions are instead
characterized by two different exponents and , for free and open boundary conditions, respectively. These
exponents indicate that the mean-field behavior of this model is correctly
described by a recently proposed inhomogeneous form of critical branching
process.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures ; to appear on PR
Order Parameter and Scaling Fields in Self-Organized Criticality
We present a unified dynamical mean-field theory for stochastic
self-organized critical models. We use a single site approximation and we
include the details of different models by using effective parameters and
constraints. We identify the order parameter and the relevant scaling fields in
order to describe the critical behavior in terms of usual concepts of non
equilibrium lattice models with steady-states. We point out the inconsistencies
of previous mean-field approaches, which lead to different predictions.
Numerical simulations confirm the validity of our results beyond mean-field
theory.Comment: 4 RevTex pages and 2 postscript figure
Credit Default Swaps Drawup Networks: Too Tied To Be Stable?
We analyse time series of CDS spreads for a set of major US and European
institutions on a pe- riod overlapping the recent financial crisis. We extend
the existing methodology of {\epsilon}-drawdowns to the one of joint
{\epsilon}-drawups, in order to estimate the conditional probabilities of
abrupt co-movements among spreads. We correct for randomness and for finite
size effects and we find significant prob- ability of joint drawups for certain
pairs of CDS. We also find significant probability of trend rein- forcement,
i.e. drawups in a given CDS followed by drawups in the same CDS. Finally, we
take the matrix of probability of joint drawups as an estimate of the network
of financial dependencies among institutions. We then carry out a network
analysis that provides insights into the role of systemically important
financial institutions.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures, Supplementary informatio
Avalanches in Breakdown and Fracture Processes
We investigate the breakdown of disordered networks under the action of an
increasing external---mechanical or electrical---force. We perform a mean-field
analysis and estimate scaling exponents for the approach to the instability. By
simulating two-dimensional models of electric breakdown and fracture we observe
that the breakdown is preceded by avalanche events. The avalanches can be
described by scaling laws, and the estimated values of the exponents are
consistent with those found in mean-field theory. The breakdown point is
characterized by a discontinuity in the macroscopic properties of the material,
such as conductivity or elasticity, indicative of a first order transition. The
scaling laws suggest an analogy with the behavior expected in spinodal
nucleation.Comment: 15 pages, 12 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. E, corrected typo in
authors name, no changes to the pape
How self-organized criticality works: A unified mean-field picture
We present a unified mean-field theory, based on the single site
approximation to the master-equation, for stochastic self-organized critical
models. In particular, we analyze in detail the properties of sandpile and
forest-fire (FF) models. In analogy with other non-equilibrium critical
phenomena, we identify the order parameter with the density of ``active'' sites
and the control parameters with the driving rates. Depending on the values of
the control parameters, the system is shown to reach a subcritical (absorbing)
or super-critical (active) stationary state. Criticality is analyzed in terms
of the singularities of the zero-field susceptibility. In the limit of
vanishing control parameters, the stationary state displays scaling
characteristic of self-organized criticality (SOC). We show that this limit
corresponds to the breakdown of space-time locality in the dynamical rules of
the models. We define a complete set of critical exponents, describing the
scaling of order parameter, response functions, susceptibility and correlation
length in the subcritical and supercritical states. In the subcritical state,
the response of the system to small perturbations takes place in avalanches. We
analyze their scaling behavior in relation with branching processes. In
sandpile models because of conservation laws, a critical exponents subset
displays mean-field values ( and ) in any dimensions. We
treat bulk and boundary dissipation and introduce a new critical exponent
relating dissipation and finite size effects. We present numerical simulations
that confirm our results. In the case of the forest-fire model, our approach
can distinguish between different regimes (SOC-FF and deterministic FF) studied
in the literature and determine the full spectrum of critical exponents.Comment: 21 RevTex pages, 3 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Prevalence of JC Virus in Chinese Patients with Colorectal Cancer
BACKGROUND: JCV is a DNA polyomavirus very well adapted to humans. Although JCV DNA has been detected in colorectal cancers (CRC), the association between JCV and CRC remains controversial. In China, the presence of JCV infection in CRC patients has not been reported. Here, we investigated JCV infection and viral DNA load in Chinese CRC patients and to determine whether the JCV DNA in peripheral blood (PB) can be used as a diagnostic marker for JCV-related CRC. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Tumor tissues, non-cancerous tumor-adjacent tissues and PB samples were collected from 137 CRC patients. In addition, 80 normal colorectal tissue samples from patients without CRC and PB samples from 100 healthy volunteers were also harvested as controls. JCV DNA was detected by nested PCR and glass slide-based dot blotting. Viral DNA load of positive samples were determined by quantitative real-time PCR. JCV DNA was detected in 40.9% (56/137) of CRC tissues at a viral load of 49.1 to 10.3×10(4) copies/µg DNA. Thirty-four (24.5%) non-cancerous colorectal tissues (192.9 to 4.4×10(3) copies/µg DNA) and 25 (18.2%) PB samples (81.3 to 4.9×10(3) copies/µg DNA) from CRC patients were positive for JCV. Tumor tissues had higher levels of JCV than non-cancerous tissues (P = 0.003) or PB samples (P<0.001). No correlation between the presence of JCV and demographic or medical characteristics was observed. The JCV prevalence in PB samples was significantly associated with the JCV status in tissue samples (P<0.001). Eleven (13.8%) normal colorectal tissues and seven (7.0%) PB samples from healthy donors were positive for JCV. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: JCV infection is frequently present in colorectal tumor tissues of CRC patients. Although the association between JCV presence in PB samples and JCV status in tissue samples was identified in this study, whether PB JCV detection can serve as a marker for JCV status of CRC requires further study
JC Virus T-Antigen Regulates Glucose Metabolic Pathways in Brain Tumor Cells
Recent studies have reported the detection of the human neurotropic virus, JCV, in a significant population of brain tumors, including medulloblastomas. Accordingly, expression of the JCV early protein, T-antigen, which has transforming activity in cell culture and in transgenic mice, results in the development of a broad range of tumors of neural crest and glial origin. Evidently, the association of T-antigen with a range of tumor-suppressor proteins, including p53 and pRb, and signaling molecules, such as β-catenin and IRS-1, plays a role in the oncogenic function of JCV T-antigen. We demonstrate that T-antigen expression is suppressed by glucose deprivation in medulloblastoma cells and in glioblastoma xenografts that both endogenously express T-antigen. Mechanistic studies indicate that glucose deprivation-mediated suppression of T-antigen is partly influenced by 5′-activated AMP kinase (AMPK), an important sensor of the AMP/ATP ratio in cells. In addition, glucose deprivation-induced cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase is blocked with AMPK inhibition, which also prevents T-antigen downregulation. Furthermore, T-antigen prevents G1 arrest and sustains cells in the G2 phase during glucose deprivation. On a functional level, T-antigen downregulation is partially dependent on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production during glucose deprivation, and T-antigen prevents ROS induction, loss of ATP production, and cytotoxicity induced by glucose deprivation. Additionally, we have found that T-antigen is downregulated by the glycolytic inhibitor, 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG), and the pentose phosphate inhibitors, 6-aminonicotinamide and oxythiamine, and that T-antigen modulates expression of the glycolytic enzyme, hexokinase 2 (HK2), and the pentose phosphate enzyme, transaldolase-1 (TALDO1), indicating a potential link between T-antigen and metabolic regulation. These studies point to the possible involvement of JCV T-antigen in medulloblastoma proliferation and the metabolic phenotype and may enhance our understanding of the role of viral proteins in glycolytic tumor metabolism, thus providing useful targets for the treatment of virus-induced tumors
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