Boundary quantum critical phenomena with entanglement renormalization

We extend the formalism of entanglement renormalization to the study of boundary critical phenomena. The multi-scale entanglement renormalization ansatz (MERA), in its scale invariant version, offers a very compact approximation to quantum critical ground states. Here we show that, by adding a boundary to the scale invariant MERA, an accurate approximation to the critical ground state of an infinite chain with a boundary is obtained, from which one can extract boundary scaling operators and their scaling dimensions. Our construction, valid for arbitrary critical systems, produces an effective chain with explicit separation of energy scales that relates to Wilson's RG formulation of the Kondo problem. We test the approach by studying the quantum critical Ising model with free and fixed boundary conditions.Comment: 8 pages, 12 figures, for a related work see arXiv:0912.289

Formation of collimated sound beams by three-dimensional sonic crystals

A theoretical and experimental study of the propagation of sound beams in- and behind three-dimensional sonic crystals at frequencies close to the band edges is presented. An efficient collimation of the beam behind the crystal is predicted and experimentally demonstrated. This effect could allow the design of sources of high spatial quality sound beams

Apreciación político-estratégica de la situación: síntesis de situación internacional y nacional: XX Curso superior de seguridad nacional y desarrollo

La diversidad de razas y etnias, su desigual condición económica y social, la discriminación racial hacia indígenas y negros, la desatención de los gobiernos, la ausencia de una política de una política poblacional, etc., han originado conflictos sociales que han impedido la cohesión y armonía social del pueblo ecuatoriano. (Afecta al Desarrollo Integral, Integración y Justicia Social). La conformación natural de nuestro territorio en régimen totalmente distintos, han originado un espíritu regional negativo, agravado por la desigual atención gubernamental a las regiones y provincias más apartadas, abandonadas y necesitadas, han impedido la formación de un sentimiento profundamente nacional en la población ecuatoriana; afectando a la Integración Nacional y Desarrollo Integral. El territorio ecuatoriano se encuentra políticamente muy subdividido, lo que dificulta una adecuada coordinación de las políticas nacionales, sectoriales y regionales entre las autoridades y entidades estatales, provinciales y municipales, afectando al Desarrollo Integral e Integración Nacional. Las Instituciones Políticas son administradas, controladas o influenciadas por las élites o grupos políticos de presión, en beneficio de sus intereses particulares (Afecta al Desarrollo Integral y Democracia)

Impact of circulating bacterial DNA in long-term glucose homeostasis in non-diabetic patients with HIV infection: cohort study

In HIV-infected patients, the damage in the gut mucosal immune system is not completely restored after antiretroviral therapy (ART). It results in microbial translocation, which could influence the immune and inflammatory response. We aimed at investigating the long-term impact of bacterial-DNA translocation (bactDNA) on glucose homeostasis in an HIV population. This was a cohort study in HIV-infected patients whereby inclusion criteria were: patients with age >18 years, ART-naïve or on effective ART (<50 HIV-1 RNA copies/mL) and without diabetes or chronic hepatitis C. Primary outcome was the change in HbA1c (%). Explanatory variables at baseline were: bactDNA (qualitatively detected in blood samples by PCR [broad-range PCR] and gene 16SrRNA - prokaryote), ART exposure, HOMA-R and a dynamic test HOMACIGMA [continuous infusion of glucose with model assessment], hepatic steatosis (hepatic triglyceride content - 1H-MRS), visceral fat / subcutaneous ratio and inflammatory markers. Fifty-four men (age 43.2 ± 8.3 years, BMI 24.9 ± 3 kg/m2, mean duration of HIV infection of 8.1 ± 5.3 years) were included. Baseline HbA1c was 4.4 ± 0.4% and baseline presence of BactDNA in six patients. After 8.5 ± 0.5 years of follow-up, change in HbA1c was 1.5 ± 0.47% in patients with BactDNA vs 0.87 ± 0.3% in the rest of the sample p < 0.001. The change in Hba1c was also influenced by protease inhibitors exposure, but not by baseline indices of insulin resistance, body composition, hepatic steatosis, inflammatory markers or anthropometric changes. In non-diabetic patients with HIV infection, baseline bacterial translocation and PI exposure time were the only factors associated with long-term impaired glucose homeostasis

SNPLogic: an interactive single nucleotide polymorphism selection, annotation, and prioritization system

SNPLogic (http://www.snplogic.org) brings together single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) information from numerous sources to provide a comprehensive SNP selection, annotation and prioritization system for design and analysis of genotyping projects. SNPLogic integrates information about the genetic context of SNPs (gene, chromosomal region, functional location, haplotypes tags and overlap with transcription factor binding sites, splicing sites, miRNAs and evolutionarily conserved regions), genotypic data (allele frequencies per population and validation method), coverage of commercial arrays (ParAllele, Affymetrix and Illumina), functional predictions (modeled on structure and sequence) and connections or established associations (biological pathways, gene ontology terms and OMIM disease terms). The SNPLogic web interface facilitates construction and annotation of user-defined SNP lists that can be saved, shared and exported. Thus, SNPLogic can be used to identify and prioritize candidate SNPs, assess custom and commercial arrays panels and annotate new SNP data with publicly available information. We have found integration of SNP annotation in the context of pathway information and functional prediction scores to be a powerful approach to the analysis and interpretation of SNP-disease association data

Entanglement renormalization and boundary critical phenomena

The multiscale entanglement renormalization ansatz is applied to the study of boundary critical phenomena. We compute averages of local operators as a function of the distance from the boundary and the surface contribution to the ground state energy. Furthermore, assuming a uniform tensor structure, we show that the multiscale entanglement renormalization ansatz implies an exact relation between bulk and boundary critical exponents known to exist for boundary critical systems.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures; for a related work see arXiv:0912.164

Initial therapy, regimen change, and persistence in a spanish cohort of newly treated type 2 diabetes patients: A retrospective, observational study using real-world data

The World Health Organization considers the non-adherence to medication a significant issue with global impact, especially in chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes. We aim to study antidiabetic treatment initiation, add-on, treatment switching, and medication persistence. We conducted an observational study on 4247 individuals initiating antidiabetic treatment between 2013 and 2014 in the EpiChron Cohort (Spain). We used Cox regression models to estimate the likelihood of non-persistence after a one-year follow-up, expressed as hazard ratios (HRs). Metformin was the most frequently used first-line antidiabetic (80% of cases); combination treatment was the second most common treatment in adults aged 40–79 years, while dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors were the second most common in individuals in their 80s and over, and in patients with renal disease. Individuals initiated on metformin were less likely to present addition and switching events compared with any other antidiabetic. Almost 70% of individuals initiated on monotherapy were persistent. Subjects aged 40 and over (HR 0.53–0.63), living in rural (HR 0.79) or more deprived areas (HR 0.77–0.82), or receiving polypharmacy (HR 0.84), were less likely to show discontinuation. Our findings could help identify the population at risk of discontinuation, and offer them closer monitoring for proper integrated management to improve prognosis and health outcomes

Characterization of New Proteomic Biomarker Candidates in Mucopolysaccharidosis Type IVA

Mucopolysaccharidosis type IVA (MPS IVA) is a lysosomal storage disease caused by mutations in the N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfatase (GALNS) gene. Skeletal dysplasia and the related clinical features of MPS IVA are caused by disruption of the cartilage and its extracellular matrix, leading to a growth imbalance. Enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) with recombinant human GALNS has yielded positive results in activity of daily living and endurance tests. However, no data have demonstrated improvements in bone lesions and bone grow thin MPS IVA after ERT, and there is no correlation between therapeutic efficacy and urine levels of keratan sulfate, which accumulates in MPS IVA patients. Using qualitative and quantitative proteomics approaches, we analyzed leukocyte samples from healthy controls (n = 6) and from untreated (n = 5) and ERT-treated (n = 8, sampled before and after treatment) MPS IVA patients to identify potential biomarkers of disease. Out of 690 proteins identified in leukocytes, we selected a group of proteins that were dysregulated in MPS IVA patients with ERT. From these, we identified four potential protein biomarkers, all of which may influence bone and cartilage metabolism: lactotransferrin, coronin 1A, neutral alpha-glucosidase AB, and vitronectin. Further studies of cartilage and bone alterations in MPS IVA will be required to verify the validity of these proteins as potential biomarkers of MPS IVA

The Circadian Deadenylase Nocturnin Is Necessary for Stabilization of the iNOS mRNA in Mice

Nocturnin is a member of the CCR4 deadenylase family, and its expression is under circadian control with peak levels at night. Because it can remove poly(A) tails from mRNAs, it is presumed to play a role in post-transcriptional control of circadian gene expression, but its target mRNAs are not known. Here we demonstrate that Nocturnin expression is acutely induced by the endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs) lacking Nocturnin exhibit normal patterns of acute induction of TNFα and iNOS mRNAs during the first three hours following LPS treatment, but by 24 hours, while TNFα mRNA levels are indistinguishable from WT cells, iNOS message is significantly reduced 20-fold. Accordingly, analysis of the stability of the mRNAs showed that loss of Nocturnin causes a significant decrease in the half-life of the iNOS mRNA (t1/2 = 3.3 hours in Nocturnin knockout MEFs vs. 12.4 hours in wild type MEFs), while having no effect on the TNFα message. Furthermore, mice lacking Nocturnin lose the normal nighttime peak of hepatic iNOS mRNA, and have improved survival following LPS injection. These data suggest that Nocturnin has a novel stabilizing activity that plays an important role in the circadian response to inflammatory signals