A mathematical model of cancer treatment by immunotherapy

In this paper, a detailed mathematical study of cancer immunotherapy will be presented. General principles of cancer immunotherapy and the model equations and hypotheses will be discussed. Mathematical analyses of the model equations with regard to dissipativity, boundedness of solutions, invariance of non-negativity, nature of equilibria, persistence, extinction and global stability will be analyzed. It will also be shown that bifurcations can occur, and criteria for total cure will also be derived

Global attractivity in a periodic chemostat with general uptake functions

A system of ODE's is considered as a model of two populations competing for a nutrient, where nutrient inputs and chemostat washouts are periodic. As well, general nutrient uptake functions which may also be time dependent and periodic are considered. Criteria are derived for there to exist a globally attracting positive periodic solution, and a theorem on global monotonicity of attracting solutions between different systems is proved

Predictability and trapping under conditions of globalization and agricultural trade : an application of the CDS approach

The purpose of the paper is to demonstrate how timely investments in the ecosphere promote high level stable agricultural income. It is shown that the recovery capability of the ecosphere together with strong agricultural productivity relative to the rest of the economy may be considered as control parameters of the system. They play a crucial role for agriculture to escape from a low level trap. The scenario leading to the escape is based on an economic strategy leading to a sequence of local and global bifurcations, changing the dynamical structure of the system. The effects of globalization on the system’s dynamics and stable sets are considered. Globalization is taken into account by means of nonautonomous impulses making selected system parameters oscillate. Necessary conditions for sustainable agriculture development are established

Mathematical models of predator mutualists

Systems of differential equations are proposed as models of predator mutualists which cooperate in hunting for prey. In the case that the mutualism is facultative on at least one of the predators, it is shown that both predators may persist on only one prey population. In the case of obligate mutualism, it is shown that if the mutualism is sufficiently strong, then a reversal of outcome is possible in the sense that there may exist a positive stable invariant set

Effectiveness of differing levels of support for family meals on obesity prevention among head start preschoolers: the simply dinner study

Abstract Background Despite slight decreases in obesity prevalence in children, nearly 25% of preschool-aged children are overweight or obese. Most interventions focused on promoting family meals as an obesity-prevention strategy target meal planning skills, knowledge and modeling of healthy eating without addressing the practical resources that enable implementation of family meals. There is a striking lack of evidence about what level of resources low-income parents need to implement family meals. This study will identify resources most effective in promoting family meals and, subsequently, test associations among the frequency of family meals, dietary quality and children’s adiposity indices among children enrolled in Head Start. Methods The Multiphase Optimization Strategy, employed in this study, is a cutting-edge approach to maximizing resources in behavioral interventions by identifying the most effective intervention components. We are currently testing the main, additive and interactive effects of 6 intervention components, thought to support family meals, on family meal frequency and dietary quality (Primary Outcomes) as compared to Usual Head Start Exposure in a Screening Phase (N = 512 low-income families). Components yielding the most robust effects will be bundled and evaluated in a two-group randomized controlled trial (intervention and Usual Head Start Exposure) in the Confirming Phase (N = 250), testing the effects of the bundled intervention on children’s adiposity indices (Primary Outcomes; body mass index and skinfolds). The current intervention components include: (1) home delivery of pre-made healthy family meals; (2) home delivery of healthy meal ingredients; (3) community kitchens in which parents make healthy meals to cook at home; (4) healthy eating classes; (5) cooking demonstrations; and (6) cookware/flatware delivery. Secondary outcomes include cooking self-efficacy and family mealtime barriers. Moderators of the intervention include family functioning and food security. Process evaluation data includes fidelity, attendance/use of supports, and satisfaction. Discussion Results will advance fundamental science and translational research by generating new knowledge of effective intervention components more rapidly and efficiently than the standard randomized controlled trial approach evaluating a bundled intervention alone. Study results will have implications for funding decisions within public programs to implement and disseminate effective interventions to prevent obesity in children. Trial registration Clincaltrials.gov Identifier NCT02487251 ; Registered June 26, 2015.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136082/1/12889_2017_Article_4074.pd

Genetic studies of African populations: an overview on disease susceptibility and response to vaccines and therapeutics.

Africa is the ultimate source of modern humans and as such harbors more genetic variation than any other continent. For this reason, studies of the patterns of genetic variation in African populations are crucial to understanding how genes affect phenotypic variation, including disease predisposition. In addition, the patterns of extant genetic variation in Africa are important for understanding how genetic variation affects infectious diseases that are a major problem in Africa, such as malaria, tuberculosis, schistosomiasis, and HIV/AIDS. Therefore, elucidating the role that genetic susceptibility to infectious diseases plays is critical to improving the health of people in Africa. It is also of note that recent and ongoing social and cultural changes in sub-Saharan Africa have increased the prevalence of non-communicable diseases that will also require genetic analyses to improve disease prevention and treatment. In this review we give special attention to many of the past and ongoing studies, emphasizing those in Sub-Saharan Africans that address the role of genetic variation in human disease