161 research outputs found
Geometric Path Integrals. A Language for Multiscale Biology and Systems Robustness
In this paper we suggest that, under suitable conditions, supervised learning
can provide the basis to formulate at the microscopic level quantitative
questions on the phenotype structure of multicellular organisms. The problem of
explaining the robustness of the phenotype structure is rephrased as a real
geometrical problem on a fixed domain. We further suggest a generalization of
path integrals that reduces the problem of deciding whether a given molecular
network can generate specific phenotypes to a numerical property of a
robustness function with complex output, for which we give heuristic
justification. Finally, we use our formalism to interpret a pointedly
quantitative developmental biology problem on the allowed number of pairs of
legs in centipedes
Spherical Spectral Synthesis and Two-Radius Theorems on Damek-Ricci Spaces
We prove that spherical spectral analysis and synthesis hold in Damek-Ricci
spaces and derive two-radius theorems
On the injectivity of the circular Radon transform arising in thermoacoustic tomography
The circular Radon transform integrates a function over the set of all
spheres with a given set of centers. The problem of injectivity of this
transform (as well as inversion formulas, range descriptions, etc.) arises in
many fields from approximation theory to integral geometry, to inverse problems
for PDEs, and recently to newly developing types of tomography. The article
discusses known and provides new results that one can obtain by methods that
essentially involve only the finite speed of propagation and domain dependence
for the wave equation.Comment: To appear in Inverse Problem
Uniqueness of reconstruction and an inversion procedure for thermoacoustic and photoacoustic tomography
The paper contains a simple approach to reconstruction in Thermoacoustic and
Photoacoustic Tomography. The technique works for any geometry of point
detectors placement and for variable sound speed satisfying a non-trapping
condition. A uniqueness of reconstruction result is also obtained
Micronutrient malnutrition and wasting in adults with pulmonary tuberculosis with and without HIV co-infection in Malawi
BACKGROUND: Wasting and micronutrient malnutrition have not been well characterized in adults with pulmonary tuberculosis. We hypothesized that micronutrient malnutrition is associated with wasting and higher plasma human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) load in adults with pulmonary tuberculosis. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study involving 579 HIV-positive and 222 HIV-negative adults with pulmonary tuberculosis in Zomba, Malawi, anthropometry, plasma HIV load and plasma micronutrient concentrations (retinol, α-tocopherol, carotenoids, zinc, and selenium) were measured. The risk of micronutrient deficiencies was examined at different severity levels of wasting. RESULTS: Body mass index (BMI), plasma retinol, carotenoid and selenium concentrations significantly decreased by increasing tertile of plasma HIV load. There were no significant differences in plasma micronutrient concentrations between HIV-negative individuals and HIV-positive individuals who were in the lowest tertile of plasma HIV load. Plasma vitamin A concentrations <0.70 μmol/L occurred in 61%, and zinc and selenium deficiency occurred in 85% and 87% respectively. Wasting, defined as BMI<18.5 was present in 59% of study participants and was independently associated with a higher risk of low carotenoids, and vitamin A and selenium deficiency. Severe wasting, defined as BMI<16.0 showed the strongest associations with deficiencies in vitamin A, selenium and plasma carotenoids. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that wasting and higher HIV load in pulmonary tuberculosis are associated with micronutrient malnutrition
Phase I study to determine the safety, tolerability and immunostimulatory activity of thalidomide analogue CC-5013 in patients with metastatic malignant melanoma and other advanced cancers
We assessed the safety, tolerability and efficacy of the immunomodulatory drug, CC-5013 (REVIMID(TM)), in the treatment of patients with metastatic malignant melanoma and other advanced cancers. A total of 20 heavily pretreated patients received a dose-escalating regimen of oral CC-5013. Maximal tolerated dose, toxicity and clinical responses were evaluated and analysis of peripheral T-cell surface markers and serum for cytokines and proangiogenic factors were performed. CC-5013 was well tolerated. In all, 87% of adverse effects were classified as grade 1 or grade 2 according to Common Toxicity Criteria and there were no serious adverse events attributable to CC-5013 treatment. Six patients failed to complete the study, three because of disease progression, two withdrew consent and one was entered inappropriately and withdrawn from the study. The remaining 14 patients completed treatment without dose reduction, with one patient achieving partial remission. Evidence of T-cell activation was indicated by significantly increased serum levels of sIL-2 receptor, granulocyte- macrophage colony-stimulating factor, interleukin-12 (IL-12), tumour necrosis factor-alpha and IL-8 in nine patients from whom serum was available. However, levels of proangiogenic factors vascular endothelial growth factor and basic foetal growth factor were not consistently affected, This study demonstrates the safety, tolerability and suggests the clinical activity of CC-5013 in the treatment of refractory malignant melanoma. Furthermore, this is the first report demonstrating T-cell stimulatory activity of this class of compound in patients with advanced cancer
- …