5,178 research outputs found
Two-dimensional flow of foam around an obstacle: force measurements
A Stokes experiment for foams is proposed. It consists in a two-dimensional
flow of a foam, confined between a water subphase and a top plate, around a
fixed circular obstacle. We present systematic measurements of the drag exerted
by the flowing foam on the obstacle, \emph{versus} various separately
controlled parameters: flow rate, bubble volume, bulk viscosity, obstacle size,
shape and boundary conditions. We separate the drag into two contributions, an
elastic one (yield drag) at vanishing flow rate, and a fluid one (viscous
coefficient) increasing with flow rate. We quantify the influence of each
control parameter on the drag. The results exhibit in particular a power-law
dependence of the drag as a function of the bulk viscosity and the flow rate
with two different exponents. Moreover, we show that the drag decreases with
bubble size, and increases proportionally to the obstacle size. We quantify the
effect of shape through a dimensioned drag coefficient, and we show that the
effect of boundary conditions is small.Comment: 26 pages, 13 figures, resubmitted version to Phys. Rev.
Coverage and Characteristics of the Affymetrix GeneChip Human Mapping 100K SNP Set
Improvements in technology have made it possible to conduct genome-wide association mapping at costs within reach of academic investigators, and experiments are currently being conducted with a variety of high-throughput platforms. To provide an appropriate context for interpreting results of such studies, we summarize here results of an investigation of one of the first of these technologies to be publicly available, the Affymetrix GeneChip Human Mapping 100K set of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). In a systematic analysis of the pattern and distribution of SNPs in the Mapping 100K set, we find that SNPs in this set are undersampled from coding regions (both nonsynonymous and synonymous) and oversampled from regions outside genes, relative to SNPs in the overall HapMap database. In addition, we utilize a novel multilocus linkage disequilibrium (LD) coefficient based on information content (analogous to the information content scores commonly used for linkage mapping) that is equivalent to the familiar measure r (2) in the special case of two loci. Using this approach, we are able to summarize for any subset of markers, such as the Affymetrix Mapping 100K set, the information available for association mapping in that subset, relative to the information available in the full set of markers included in the HapMap, and highlight circumstances in which this multilocus measure of LD provides substantial additional insight about the haplotype structure in a region over pairwise measures of LD
A comparative study of different integrate-and-fire neurons: spontaneous activity, dynamical response, and stimulus-induced correlation
Stochastic integrate-and-fire (IF) neuron models have found widespread
applications in computational neuroscience. Here we present results on the
white-noise-driven perfect, leaky, and quadratic IF models, focusing on the
spectral statistics (power spectra, cross spectra, and coherence functions) in
different dynamical regimes (noise-induced and tonic firing regimes with low or
moderate noise). We make the models comparable by tuning parameters such that
the mean value and the coefficient of variation of the interspike interval
match for all of them. We find that, under these conditions, the power spectrum
under white-noise stimulation is often very similar while the response
characteristics, described by the cross spectrum between a fraction of the
input noise and the output spike train, can differ drastically. We also
investigate how the spike trains of two neurons of the same kind (e.g. two
leaky IF neurons) correlate if they share a common noise input. We show that,
depending on the dynamical regime, either two quadratic IF models or two leaky
IFs are more strongly correlated. Our results suggest that, when choosing among
simple IF models for network simulations, the details of the model have a
strong effect on correlation and regularity of the output.Comment: 12 page
Quantitative assessment of renal structural and functional changes in chronic kidney disease using multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging
BACKGROUND:Multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides the potential for a more comprehensive non-invasive assessment of organ structure and function than individual MRI measures, but has not previously been comprehensively evaluated in chronic kidney disease (CKD).METHODS:We performed multi-parametric renal MRI in persons with CKD (nâ=â22, 61â±â24 years) who had a renal biopsy and measured glomerular filtration rate (mGFR), and matched healthy volunteers (HV) (nâ=â22, 61â±â25 years). Longitudinal relaxation time (T1), diffusion-weighted imaging, renal blood flow (phase contrast MRI), cortical perfusion (arterial spin labelling) and blood-oxygen-level-dependent relaxation rate (R2*) were evaluated.RESULTS:MRI evidenced excellent reproducibility in CKD (coefficient of variation
Brokered Graph State Quantum Computing
We describe a procedure for graph state quantum computing that is tailored to
fully exploit the physics of optically active multi-level systems. Leveraging
ideas from the literature on distributed computation together with the recent
work on probabilistic cluster state synthesis, our model assigns to each
physical system two logical qubits: the broker and the client. Groups of
brokers negotiate new graph state fragments via a probabilistic optical
protocol. Completed fragments are mapped from broker to clients via a simple
state transition and measurement. The clients, whose role is to store the
nascent graph state long term, remain entirely insulated from failures during
the brokerage. We describe an implementation in terms of NV-centres in diamond,
where brokers and clients are very naturally embodied as electron and nuclear
spins.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure
3D Collagen Alignment Limits Protrusions to Enhance Breast Cancer Cell Persistence
Patients with mammographically dense breast tissue have a greatly increased risk of developing breast cancer. Dense breast tissue contains more stromal collagen, which contributes to increased matrix stiffness and alters normal cellular responses. Stromal collagen within and surrounding mammary tumors is frequently aligned and reoriented perpendicular to the tumor boundary. We have shown that aligned collagen predicts poor outcome in breast cancer patients, and postulate this is because it facilitates invasion by providing tracks on which cells migrate out of the tumor. However, the mechanisms by which alignment may promote migration are not understood. Here, we investigated the contribution of matrix stiffness and alignment to cell migration speed and persistence. Mechanical measurements of the stiffness of collagen matrices with varying density and alignment were compared with the results of a 3D microchannel alignment assay to quantify cell migration. We further interpreted the experimental results using a computational model of cell migration. We find that collagen alignment confers an increase in stiffness, but does not increase the speed of migrating cells. Instead, alignment enhances the efficiency of migration by increasing directional persistence and restricting protrusions along aligned fibers, resulting in a greater distance traveled. These results suggest that matrix topography, rather than stiffness, is the dominant feature by which an aligned matrix can enhance invasion through 3D collagen matrices
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The Prevalence and Clinical Implications of Comorbid Back Pain in Shoulder Instability: A Multicenter Orthopaedic Outcomes Network (MOON) Shoulder Instability Cohort Study.
Background:Understanding predictors of pain is critical, as recent literature shows that comorbid back pain is an independent risk factor for worse functional and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) as well as increased opioid dependence after total joint arthroplasty. Purpose/Hypothesis:The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether comorbid back pain would be predictive of pain or self-reported instability symptoms at the time of stabilization surgery. We hypothesized that comorbid back pain will correlate with increased pain at the time of surgery as well as with worse scores on shoulder-related PRO measures. Study Design:Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods:As part of the Multicenter Orthopaedic Outcomes Network (MOON) Shoulder Instability cohort, patients consented to participate in pre- and intraoperative data collection. Demographic characteristics, injury history, preoperative PRO scores, and radiologic and intraoperative findings were recorded for patients undergoing surgical shoulder stabilization. Patients were also asked, whether they had any back pain. Results:The study cohort consisted of 1001 patients (81% male; mean age, 24.1 years). Patients with comorbid back pain (158 patients; 15.8%) were significantly older (28.1 vs 23.4 years; P < .001) and were more likely to be female (25.3% vs 17.4%; P = .02) but did not differ in terms of either preoperative imaging or intraoperative findings. Patients with self-reported back pain had significantly worse preoperative pain and shoulder-related PRO scores (American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, Western Ontario Shoulder Instability Index) (P < .001), more frequent depression (22.2% vs 8.3%; P < .001), poorer mental health status (worse scores for the RAND 36-Item Health Survey Mental Component Score, Iowa Quick Screen, and Personality Assessment Screener) (P < .01), and worse preoperative expectations (P < .01). Conclusion:Despite having similar physical findings, patients with comorbid back pain had more severe preoperative pain and self-reported symptoms of instability as well as more frequent depression and lower mental health scores. The combination of disproportionate shoulder pain, comorbid back pain and mental health conditions, and inferior preoperative expectations may affect not only the patient's preoperative state but also postoperative pain control and/or postoperative outcomes
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