21 research outputs found
Discrete non-commutative integrability: the proof of a conjecture by M. Kontsevich
We prove a conjecture of Kontsevich regarding the solutions of rank two
recursion relations for non-commutative variables which, in the commutative
case, reduce to rank two cluster algebras of affine type. The conjecture states
that solutions are positive Laurent polynomials in the initial cluster
variables. We prove this by use of a non-commutative version of the path models
which we used for the commutative case.Comment: 17 pages, 2 figure
Q-systems, Heaps, Paths and Cluster Positivity
We consider the cluster algebra associated to the -system for as a
tool for relating -system solutions to all possible sets of initial data. We
show that the conserved quantities of the -system are partition functions
for hard particles on particular target graphs with weights, which are
determined by the choice of initial data. This allows us to interpret the
simplest solutions of the Q-system as generating functions for Viennot's heaps
on these target graphs, and equivalently as generating functions of weighted
paths on suitable dual target graphs. The generating functions take the form of
finite continued fractions. In this setting, the cluster mutations correspond
to local rearrangements of the fractions which leave their final value
unchanged. Finally, the general solutions of the -system are interpreted as
partition functions for strongly non-intersecting families of lattice paths on
target lattices. This expresses all cluster variables as manifestly positive
Laurent polynomials of any initial data, thus proving the cluster positivity
conjecture for the -system. We also give an alternative formulation in
terms of domino tilings of deformed Aztec diamonds with defects.Comment: 106 pages, 38 figure
Noncommutative Toda Chains, Hankel Quasideterminants And Painlev'e II Equation
We construct solutions of an infinite Toda system and an analogue of the
Painlev'e II equation over noncommutative differential division rings in terms
of quasideterminants of Hankel matrices.Comment: 16 pp; final revised version, will appear in J.Phys. A, minor changes
(typos corrected following the Referee's List, aknowledgements and a new
reference added
Fusion products, Kostka polynomials, and fermionic characters of su(r+1)_k
Using a form factor approach, we define and compute the character of the
fusion product of rectangular representations of \hat{su}(r+1). This character
decomposes into a sum of characters of irreducible representations, but with
q-dependent coefficients. We identify these coefficients as (generalized)
Kostka polynomials. Using this result, we obtain a formula for the characters
of arbitrary integrable highest-weight representations of \hat{su}(r+1) in
terms of the fermionic characters of the rectangular highest weight
representations.Comment: 21 pages; minor changes, typos correcte
T-systems and Y-systems in integrable systems
The T and Y-systems are ubiquitous structures in classical and quantum
integrable systems. They are difference equations having a variety of aspects
related to commuting transfer matrices in solvable lattice models, q-characters
of Kirillov-Reshetikhin modules of quantum affine algebras, cluster algebras
with coefficients, periodicity conjectures of Zamolodchikov and others,
dilogarithm identities in conformal field theory, difference analogue of
L-operators in KP hierarchy, Stokes phenomena in 1d Schr\"odinger problem,
AdS/CFT correspondence, Toda field equations on discrete space-time, Laplace
sequence in discrete geometry, Fermionic character formulas and combinatorial
completeness of Bethe ansatz, Q-system and ideal gas with exclusion statistics,
analytic and thermodynamic Bethe ans\"atze, quantum transfer matrix method and
so forth. This review article is a collection of short reviews on these topics
which can be read more or less independently.Comment: 156 pages. Minor corrections including the last paragraph of sec.3.5,
eqs.(4.1), (5.28), (9.37) and (13.54). The published version (JPA topical
review) also needs these correction
Circulating microRNAs in sera correlate with soluble biomarkers of immune activation but do not predict mortality in ART treated individuals with HIV-1 infection: A case control study
Introduction: The use of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) has dramatically reduced HIV-1 associated morbidity and mortality. However, HIV-1 infected individuals have increased rates of morbidity and mortality compared to the non-HIV-1 infected population and this appears to be related to end-organ diseases collectively referred to as Serious Non-AIDS Events (SNAEs). Circulating miRNAs are reported as promising biomarkers for a number of human disease conditions including those that constitute SNAEs. Our study sought to investigate the potential of selected miRNAs in predicting mortality in HIV-1 infected ART treated individuals. Materials and Methods: A set of miRNAs was chosen based on published associations with human disease conditions that constitute SNAEs. This case: control study compared 126 cases (individuals who died whilst on therapy), and 247 matched controls (individuals who remained alive). Cases and controls were ART treated participants of two pivotal HIV-1 trials. The relative abundance of each miRNA in serum was measured, by RTqPCR. Associations with mortality (all-cause, cardiovascular and malignancy) were assessed by logistic regression analysis. Correlations between miRNAs and CD4+ T cell count, hs-CRP, IL-6 and D-dimer were also assessed. Results: None of the selected miRNAs was associated with all-cause, cardiovascular or malignancy mortality. The levels of three miRNAs (miRs -21, -122 and -200a) correlated with IL-6 while miR-21 also correlated with D-dimer. Additionally, the abundance of miRs -31, -150 and -223, correlated with baseline CD4+ T cell count while the same three miRNAs plus miR- 145 correlated with nadir CD4+ T cell count. Discussion: No associations with mortality were found with any circulating miRNA studied. These results cast doubt onto the effectiveness of circulating miRNA as early predictors of mortality or the major underlying diseases that contribute to mortality in participants treated for HIV-1 infection
Development and Validation of a Risk Score for Chronic Kidney Disease in HIV Infection Using Prospective Cohort Data from the D:A:D Study
Ristola M. on työryhmien DAD Study Grp ; Royal Free Hosp Clin Cohort ; INSIGHT Study Grp ; SMART Study Grp ; ESPRIT Study Grp jäsen.Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major health issue for HIV-positive individuals, associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Development and implementation of a risk score model for CKD would allow comparison of the risks and benefits of adding potentially nephrotoxic antiretrovirals to a treatment regimen and would identify those at greatest risk of CKD. The aims of this study were to develop a simple, externally validated, and widely applicable long-term risk score model for CKD in HIV-positive individuals that can guide decision making in clinical practice. Methods and Findings A total of 17,954 HIV-positive individuals from the Data Collection on Adverse Events of Anti-HIV Drugs (D:A:D) study with >= 3 estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) values after 1 January 2004 were included. Baseline was defined as the first eGFR > 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 after 1 January 2004; individuals with exposure to tenofovir, atazanavir, atazanavir/ritonavir, lopinavir/ritonavir, other boosted protease inhibitors before baseline were excluded. CKD was defined as confirmed (>3 mo apart) eGFR In the D:A:D study, 641 individuals developed CKD during 103,185 person-years of follow-up (PYFU; incidence 6.2/1,000 PYFU, 95% CI 5.7-6.7; median follow-up 6.1 y, range 0.3-9.1 y). Older age, intravenous drug use, hepatitis C coinfection, lower baseline eGFR, female gender, lower CD4 count nadir, hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) predicted CKD. The adjusted incidence rate ratios of these nine categorical variables were scaled and summed to create the risk score. The median risk score at baseline was -2 (interquartile range -4 to 2). There was a 1: 393 chance of developing CKD in the next 5 y in the low risk group (risk score = 5, 505 events), respectively. Number needed to harm (NNTH) at 5 y when starting unboosted atazanavir or lopinavir/ritonavir among those with a low risk score was 1,702 (95% CI 1,166-3,367); NNTH was 202 (95% CI 159-278) and 21 (95% CI 19-23), respectively, for those with a medium and high risk score. NNTH was 739 (95% CI 506-1462), 88 (95% CI 69-121), and 9 (95% CI 8-10) for those with a low, medium, and high risk score, respectively, starting tenofovir, atazanavir/ritonavir, or another boosted protease inhibitor. The Royal Free Hospital Clinic Cohort included 2,548 individuals, of whom 94 individuals developed CKD (3.7%) during 18,376 PYFU (median follow-up 7.4 y, range 0.3-12.7 y). Of 2,013 individuals included from the SMART/ESPRIT control arms, 32 individuals developed CKD (1.6%) during 8,452 PYFU (median follow-up 4.1 y, range 0.6-8.1 y). External validation showed that the risk score predicted well in these cohorts. Limitations of this study included limited data on race and no information on proteinuria. Conclusions Both traditional and HIV-related risk factors were predictive of CKD. These factors were used to develop a risk score for CKD in HIV infection, externally validated, that has direct clinical relevance for patients and clinicians to weigh the benefits of certain antiretrovirals against the risk of CKD and to identify those at greatest risk of CKD.Peer reviewe