Spatial organization in cyclic Lotka-Volterra systems

We study the evolution of a system of $N$ interacting species which mimics the dynamics of a cyclic food chain. On a one-dimensional lattice with N<5 species, spatial inhomogeneities develop spontaneously in initially homogeneous systems. The arising spatial patterns form a mosaic of single-species domains with algebraically growing size, $\ell(t)\sim t^\alpha$, where $\alpha=3/4$ (1/2) and 1/3 for N=3 with sequential (parallel) dynamics and N=4, respectively. The domain distribution also exhibits a self-similar spatial structure which is characterized by an additional length scale, ${\cal L}(t)\sim t^\beta$, with $\beta=1$ and 2/3 for N=3 and 4, respectively. For $N\geq 5$, the system quickly reaches a frozen state with non interacting neighboring species. We investigate the time distribution of the number of mutations of a site using scaling arguments as well as an exact solution for N=3. Some possible extensions of the system are analyzed.Comment: 18 pages, 10 figures, revtex, also available from http://arnold.uchicago.edu/~ebn

Manifestation of Resonance-Related Chaos in Coupled Josephson Junctions

Chaotic features of systems of coupled Josephson junctions are studied. Manifestation of chaos in the temporal dependence of the electric charge, related to a parametric resonance, is demonstrated through the calculation of the maximal Lyapunov exponent, phase-charge and charge-charge Lissajous diagrams and correlation functions. The number of junctions in the stack strongly influences the fine structure in the current voltage characteristics and a strong proximity effect results from the nonperiodic boundary conditions. The observed resonance-related chaos exhibits intermittency over a range of conditions and parameters. General features of the system are analyzed by means of a linearized equation and the criteria for a breakpoint region with no chaos are obtained. Such criteria could clarify recent experimental observations of variations in the power output from intrinsic Josephson junctions in high temperature superconductors.Comment: 13 pages, 16 figure

Memory in low-grade glioma patients treated with radiotherapy or temozolomide: a correlative analysis of EORTC study 22033-26033.

EORTC study 22033-26033 showed no difference in progression-free survival between high-risk low-grade glioma receiving either radiotherapy (RT) or temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy alone as primary treatment. Considering the potential long-term deleterious impact of RT on memory functioning, this study aims to determine whether TMZ is associated with less impaired memory functioning. Using the Visual Verbal Learning Test (VVLT), memory functioning was evaluated at baseline and subsequently every 6 months. Minimal compliance for statistical analyses was set at 60%. Conventional indices of memory performance (VVLT Immediate Recall, Total Recall, Learning Capacity, and Delayed Recall) were used as outcome measures. Using a mixed linear model, memory functioning was compared between treatment arms and over time. Neuropsychological assessment was performed in 98 patients (53 RT, 46 TMZ). At 12 months, compliance had dropped to 66%, restricting analyses to baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. At baseline, patients in either treatment arm did not differ in memory functioning, sex, age, or educational level. Over time, patients in both arms showed improvement in Immediate Recall (P = 0.017) and total number of words recalled (Total Recall; P &lt; 0.001, albeit with delayed improvement in RT patients (group by time; P = 0.011). Memory functioning was not associated with RT gross, clinical, or planned target volumes. In patients with high-risk low-grade glioma there is no indication that in the first year after treatment, RT has a deleterious effect on memory function compared with TMZ chemotherapy

Impact of pharmaceutical promotion on prescribing decisions of general practitioners in Eastern Turkey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Commercial sources of information are known to have greater influence than scientific sources on general practitioners' (GPs) prescribing behavior in under developed and developing countries. The study aimed to determine the self-reported impact of pharmaceutical promotion on the decision-making process of prescription of GPs in Eastern Turkey.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional, exploratory survey was performed among 152 GPs working in the primary health centers and hospitals in Erzurum province of Eastern Turkey in 2006. A self-administered structured questionnaire was used. The questionnaire included questions regarding sociodemographics, number of patients per day, time per patient, frequency of sales representative visits to GPs, participation of GPs in training courses on prescribing (in-service training, drug companies), factors affecting prescribing decision, reference sources concerning prescribing and self-reported and self-rated effect of the activities of sales representatives on GPs prescribing decisions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of 152 subjects, 53.3% were male and 65.8% were working at primary health care centers, respectively. Mean patient per day was 58.3 ± 28.8 patients per GP. For majority of the GPs (73.7%), the most frequent resource used in case of any problems in prescribing process was drug guides of pharmaceutical companies. According to self-report of the GPs, their prescribing decisions were affected by participation in any training activity of drug companies, frequent visits by sales representatives, high number of patient examinations per day and low year of practice (p < 0.05 for all).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The results of this study suggest that for the majority of the GPs, primary reference sources concerning prescribing was commercial information provided by sales representatives of pharmaceutical companies, which were reported to be highly influential on their decision-making process of prescribing by GPs. Since this study was based on self-report, the influence reported by the GPs may have been underestimated.</p

Implication of long-distance regulation of the HOXA cluster in a patient with postaxial polydactyly

Apparently balanced chromosomal inversions may lead to disruption of developmentally important genes at the breakpoints of the inversion, causing congenital malformations. Characterization of such inversions may therefore lead to new insights in human development. Here, we report on a de novo inversion of chromosome 7 (p15.2q36.3) in a patient with postaxial polysyndactyly. The breakpoints do not disrupt likely candidate genes for the limb phenotype observed in the patient. However, on the p-arm the breakpoint separates the HOXA cluster from a gene desert containing several conserved noncoding elements, suggesting that a disruption of a cis-regulatory circuit of the HOXA cluster could be the underlying cause of the phenotype in this patient

Germline mutations in the PTEN/MMAC1 gene in patients with Cowden disease

Contains fulltext : 25911___.PDF (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Lung function and peak oxygen uptake in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease phenotypes with and without emphysema.

Previous studies of associations of forced expiratory lung volume in one second (FEV1) with peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have not taken sex, age and height related variance of dynamic lung volumes into account. Nor have such demographic spread of spirometric measures been considered in studies comparing VO2peak between COPD phenotypes characterized by degree of emphysema. We aimed to assess the association of FEV1Z-score with VO2peak in COPD (n = 186) and investigate whether this association differs between emphysema (E-COPD) and non-emphysema (NE-COPD) phenotypes. Corresponding assessments using standardized percent predicted FEV1 (ppFEV1) were performed for comparison. Additionally, phenotype related differences in VO2peak were compared using FEV1Z-score and ppFEV1 as alternative expressions of FEV1. E-COPD and NE-COPD were defined by transfer factor of the lung for carbon monoxide below and above lower limits of normal (LLN), respectively. The associations were assessed in linear regression models. One unit reduction in FEV1Z-score was associated with 1.9 (95% CI 1.4, 2.5) ml/kg/min lower VO2peak. In stratified analyses, corresponding estimates were 2.2 (95% CI 1.4, 2.9) and 1.2 (95% CI 0.2, 2.2) ml/kg/min lower VO2peak in E-COPD and NE-COPD, respectively. The association did not differ statistically by COPD phenotype (p-value for interaction = 0.153). Similar estimates were obtained in analyses using standardized ppFEV1. Compared to NE-COPD, VO2peak was 2.2 (95% CI 0.8, 3.6) and 2.1 (95% CI 0.8, 3.5) ml/kg/min lower in E-COPD when adjusted for FEV1Z-score and ppFEV1, respectively. In COPD, FEV1Z-score is positively associated with VO2peak. This association was stronger in E-COPD but did not differ statistically by phenotype. Both the association of FEV1 with VO2peak and the difference in VO2peak comparing COPD phenotypes seems independent of sex, age and height related variance in FEV1. Mechanisms leading to reduction in FEV1 may contribute to lower VO2peak in E-COPD

The association between normal lung function and peak oxygen uptake in patients with exercise intolerance and coronary artery disease

In coronary artery disease (CAD), exercise intolerance with reduced oxygen uptake at peak exercise (VO2peak) is assumed to primarily reflect cardiovascular limitation. However, oxygen transport and utilization depends on an integrated organ response, to which the normal pulmonary system may influence overall capacity. This study aimed to investigate the associations between normal values of lung function measures and VO2peak in patients with exercise intolerance and CAD. We hypothesized that forced expiratory lung volume in one second (FEV1), transfer factor of the lung for carbon monoxide (TLCO) and TLCO/alveolar volume (TLCO/VA) above lower limits of normal (LLN) are associated with VO2peak in these patients. We assessed patients with established CAD (n = 93; 21 women) referred for evaluation due to exercise intolerance from primary care to a private specialist clinic in Norway. Lung function tests and cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) were performed. Z-scores of FEV1, FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC), TLCO and TLCO/VA were calculated using the Global Lung Function Initiative (GLI) software and LLN was defined as the fifth percentile (z = -1.645). Non-obstructive patients, defined by both FEV1 and FEV1/FVC above LLN, were assessed. The associations of FEV1Z-score, TLCOZ-score and TLCO/VAZ-score above LLN with VO2peak were investigated using linear regression models. Mean VO2peak ± standard deviation (SD) was 23.8 ± 6.4 ml/kg/min in men and 19.7 ± 4.4 ml/kg/min in women. On average, one SD increase in FEV1, TLCO and TLCO/VA were associated with 1.4 (95% CI 0.2, 2.6), 2.6 (95% CI 1.2, 4.0) and 1.3 (95% CI 0.2, 2.5) ml/kg/min higher VO2peak, respectively. In non-obstructive patients with exercise intolerance and CAD, FEV1, TLCO and TLCO/VA above LLN are positively associated with VO2peak. This may imply a clinically significant influence of normal lung function on exercise capacity in these patients