95 research outputs found
Scaling Theory for Migration-Driven Aggregate Growth
We give a comprehensive rate equation description for the irreversible growth
of aggregates by migration from small to large aggregates. For a homogeneous
rate K(i;j) at which monomers migrate from aggregates of size i to those of
size j, that is, K(ai;aj) ~ a^{lambda} K(i,j), the mean aggregate size grows
with time as t^{1/(2-lambda)} for lambda<2. The aggregate size distribution
exhibits distinct regimes of behavior which are controlled by the scaling
properties of the migration rate from the smallest to the largest aggregates.
Our theory applies to diverse phenomena, such as the distribution of city
populations, late stage coarsening of non-symmetric binary systems, and models
for wealth exchange.Comment: 4 pages, 2-column revtex format. Revision to appear in PRL. Various
changes in response to referee comments. Figure from version 1 deleted but is
available at http://physics.bu.edu/~redne
Revisiting Absorbing Phase Transition in Energy Exchange Models
A recent study of conserved Manna model, with both discrete and continuous
variable, indicates that absorbing phase transitions therein belong to the
directed percolation (DP) universality class. In this context we revisit
critical behaviour in energy exchange models with a threshold. Contrary to the
previous claims [PRE 83, 061130 (2011), arXiv:1102.1631], our results indicate
that both the maximal and minimal versions of this model belong to the DP
class.Comment: 8 pages, 7 eps figure
Comparison of coherent and weakly incoherent transport models for the interlayer magnetoresistance of layered Fermi liquids
The interlayer magnetoresistance of layered metals in a tilted magnetic field
is calculated for two distinct models for the interlayer transport. The first
model involves coherent interlayer transport and makes use of results of
semi-classical or Bloch-Boltzmann transport theory. The second model involves
weakly incoherent interlayer transport where the electron is scattered many
times within a layer before tunneling into the next layer. The results are
relevant to the interpretation of experiments on angular-dependent
magnetoresistance oscillations (AMRO) in quasi-one- and quasi-two-dimensional
metals. We find that the dependence of the magnetoresistance on the direction
of the magnetic field is identical for both models except when the field is
almost parallel to the layers. An important implication of this result is that
a three-dimensional Fermi surface is not necessary for the observation of the
Yamaji and Danner oscillations seen in quasi-two- and quasi-one-dimensional
metals, respectively. A universal expression is given for the dependence of the
resistance at AMRO maxima and minima on the magnetic field and scattering time
(and thus the temperature). We point out three distinctive features of coherent
interlayer transport: (i) a beat frequency in the magnetic oscillations of
quasi-two-dimensional systems, (ii) a peak in the angular-dependent
magnetoresistance when the field is sufficiently large and parallel to the
layers, and (iii) a crossover from a linear to a quadratic field dependence for
the magnetoresistance when the field is parallel to the layers. Properties (i)
and (ii) are compared with published experimental data for a range of
quasi-two-dimensional organic metals and for Sr2RuO4.Comment: 21 pages, RevTeX + epsf, 4 figures. Published version. Subsection
added. References update
The additional value of patient-reported health status in predicting 1-year mortality after invasive coronary procedures: A report from the Euro Heart Survey on Coronary Revascularisation
Objective: Self-perceived health status may be helpful in identifying patients at high risk for adverse outcomes. The Euro Heart Survey on Coronary Revascularization (EHS-CR) provided an opportunity to explore whether impaired health status was a predictor of 1-year mortality in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing angiographic procedures. Methods: Data from the EHS-CR that included 5619 patients from 31 member countries of the European Society of Cardiology were used. Inclusion criteria for the current study were completion of a self-report measure of health status, the EuroQol Questionnaire (EQ-5D) at discharge and information on 1-year follow-up, resulting in a study population of 3786 patients. Results: The 1-year mortality was 3.2% (n = 120). Survivors reported fewer problems on the five dimensions of the EQ-5D as compared with non-survivors. A broad range of potential confounders were adjusted for, which reached a p<0.10 in the unadjusted analyses. In the adjusted analyses, problems with self-care (OR 3.45; 95% CI 2.14 to 5.59) and a low rating (≤ 60) on health status (OR 2.41; 95% CI 1.47 to 3.94) were the most powerful independent predictors of mortality, among the 22 clinical variables included in the analysis. Furthermore, patients who reported no problems on all five dimensions had significantly lower 1-year mortality rates (OR 0.47; 95% CI 0.28 to 0.81). Conclusions: This analysis shows that impaired health status is associated with a 2-3-fold increased risk of all-cause mortality in patients with CAD, independent of other conventional risk factors. These results highlight the importance of including patients' subjective experience of their own health status in the evaluation strategy to optimise risk stratification and management in clinical practice
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Cause of Death and Predictors of All-Cause Mortality in Anticoagulated Patients With Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation : Data From ROCKET AF
M. Kaste on työryhmän ROCKET AF Steering Comm jäsen.Background-Atrial fibrillation is associated with higher mortality. Identification of causes of death and contemporary risk factors for all-cause mortality may guide interventions. Methods and Results-In the Rivaroxaban Once Daily Oral Direct Factor Xa Inhibition Compared with Vitamin K Antagonism for Prevention of Stroke and Embolism Trial in Atrial Fibrillation (ROCKET AF) study, patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation were randomized to rivaroxaban or dose-adjusted warfarin. Cox proportional hazards regression with backward elimination identified factors at randomization that were independently associated with all-cause mortality in the 14 171 participants in the intention-to-treat population. The median age was 73 years, and the mean CHADS(2) score was 3.5. Over 1.9 years of median follow-up, 1214 (8.6%) patients died. Kaplan-Meier mortality rates were 4.2% at 1 year and 8.9% at 2 years. The majority of classified deaths (1081) were cardiovascular (72%), whereas only 6% were nonhemorrhagic stroke or systemic embolism. No significant difference in all-cause mortality was observed between the rivaroxaban and warfarin arms (P=0.15). Heart failure (hazard ratio 1.51, 95% CI 1.33-1.70, P= 75 years (hazard ratio 1.69, 95% CI 1.51-1.90, P Conclusions-In a large population of patients anticoagulated for nonvalvular atrial fibrillation, approximate to 7 in 10 deaths were cardiovascular, whereasPeer reviewe
Baseline characteristics of patients in the reduction of events with darbepoetin alfa in heart failure trial (RED-HF)
<p>Aims: This report describes the baseline characteristics of patients in the Reduction of Events with Darbepoetin alfa in Heart Failure trial (RED-HF) which is testing the hypothesis that anaemia correction with darbepoetin alfa will reduce the composite endpoint of death from any cause or hospital admission for worsening heart failure, and improve other outcomes.</p>
<p>Methods and results: Key demographic, clinical, and laboratory findings, along with baseline treatment, are reported and compared with those of patients in other recent clinical trials in heart failure. Compared with other recent trials, RED-HF enrolled more elderly [mean age 70 (SD 11.4) years], female (41%), and black (9%) patients. RED-HF patients more often had diabetes (46%) and renal impairment (72% had an estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m2). Patients in RED-HF had heart failure of longer duration [5.3 (5.4) years], worse NYHA class (35% II, 63% III, and 2% IV), and more signs of congestion. Mean EF was 30% (6.8%). RED-HF patients were well treated at randomization, and pharmacological therapy at baseline was broadly similar to that of other recent trials, taking account of study-specific inclusion/exclusion criteria. Median (interquartile range) haemoglobin at baseline was 112 (106–117) g/L.</p>
<p>Conclusion: The anaemic patients enrolled in RED-HF were older, moderately to markedly symptomatic, and had extensive co-morbidity.</p>
Congenital and childhood atrioventricular blocks: pathophysiology and contemporary management
Atrioventricular block is classified as congeni-
tal if diagnosed in utero, at birth, or within the first
month of life. The pathophysiological process is believed
to be due to immune-mediated injury of the conduction
system, which occurs as a result of transplacental pas-
sage of maternal anti-SSA/Ro-SSB/La antibodies.
Childhood atrioventricular block is therefore diagnosed
between the first month and the 18th year of life.
Genetic variants in multiple genes have been described
to date in the pathogenesis of inherited progressive car-
diac conduction disorders. Indications and techniques of
cardiac pacing have also evolved to allow safe perma-
nent cardiac pacing in almost all patients, including
those with structural heart abnormalities
Contagion Shocks in One Dimension
We consider an agent-based model of emotional contagion coupled with motion in one dimension that has recently been studied in the computer science community. The model involves movement with a speed proportional to a “fear” variable that undergoes a temporal consensus averaging based on distance to other agents. We study the effect of Riemann initial data for this problem, leading to shock dynamics that are studied both within the agent-based model as well as in a continuum limit. We examine the behavior of the model under distinguished limits as the characteristic contagion interaction distance and the interaction timescale both approach zero. The limiting behavior is related to a classical model for pressureless gas dynamics with “sticky” particles. In comparison, we observe a threshold for the interaction distance vs. interaction timescale that produce qualitatively different behavior for the system - in one case particle paths do not cross and there is a natural Eulerian limit involving nonlocal interactions and in the other case particle paths can cross and one may consider only a kinetic model in the continuum limit
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