Conformal mapping methods for interfacial dynamics

The article provides a pedagogical review aimed at graduate students in materials science, physics, and applied mathematics, focusing on recent developments in the subject. Following a brief summary of concepts from complex analysis, the article begins with an overview of continuous conformal-map dynamics. This includes problems of interfacial motion driven by harmonic fields (such as viscous fingering and void electromigration), bi-harmonic fields (such as viscous sintering and elastic pore evolution), and non-harmonic, conformally invariant fields (such as growth by advection-diffusion and electro-deposition). The second part of the article is devoted to iterated conformal maps for analogous problems in stochastic interfacial dynamics (such as diffusion-limited aggregation, dielectric breakdown, brittle fracture, and advection-diffusion-limited aggregation). The third part notes that all of these models can be extended to curved surfaces by an auxilliary conformal mapping from the complex plane, such as stereographic projection to a sphere. The article concludes with an outlook for further research.Comment: 37 pages, 12 (mostly color) figure

Amyloid and tau pathology associations with personality traits, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and cognitive lifestyle in the preclinical phases of sporadic and autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease

Background Major prevention trials for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are now focusing on multidomain lifestyle interventions. However, the exact combination of behavioral factors related to AD pathology remains unclear. In 2 cohorts of cognitively unimpaired individuals at risk of AD, we examined which combinations of personality traits, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and cognitive lifestyle (years of education or lifetime cognitive activity) related to the pathological hallmarks of AD, amyloid-β, and tau deposits. Methods A total of 115 older adults with a parental or multiple-sibling family history of sporadic AD (PREVENT-AD [PRe-symptomatic EValuation of Experimental or Novel Treatments for AD] cohort) underwent amyloid and tau positron emission tomography and answered several questionnaires related to behavioral attributes. Separately, we studied 117 mutation carriers from the DIAN (Dominant Inherited Alzheimer Network) study group cohort with amyloid positron emission tomography and behavioral data. Using partial least squares analysis, we identified latent variables relating amyloid or tau pathology with combinations of personality traits, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and cognitive lifestyle. Results In PREVENT-AD, lower neuroticism, neuropsychiatric burden, and higher education were associated with less amyloid deposition (p = .014). Lower neuroticism and neuropsychiatric features, along with higher measures of openness and extraversion, were related to less tau deposition (p = .006). In DIAN, lower neuropsychiatric burden and higher education were also associated with less amyloid (p = .005). The combination of these factors accounted for up to 14% of AD pathology. Conclusions In the preclinical phase of both sporadic and autosomal dominant AD, multiple behavioral features were associated with AD pathology. These results may suggest potential pathways by which multidomain interventions might help delay AD onset or progression

The association of sociodemographic and disease variables with hand function: A Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network cohort study

Objectives: Impaired hand function in systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a primary cause of disability and contributes diminished health-related quality of life. The objective of the present study was to evaluate sociodemographic, lifestyle, and disease-related factors independently associated with hand function in SSc. Methods: Patients enrolled in the Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network Cohort who completed baseline study questionnaires between March 2014 and September 2017 were included. Hand function was measured using the Cochin Hand Function Scale (CHFS). Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify independent correlates of impaired hand function. Results: Among 1193 participants (88% female), the mean CHFS score was 13.3 (SD=16.1). Female sex (standardised regression coefficient, beta =.05), current smoking (beta=.07), higher BMI (beta=.06), diffuse SSc (beta=0.14), more severe Raynaud's scores (beta=.23), more severe finger ulcer scores (beta=.23), moderate (beta=0.19) or severe small joint contractures (beta=.20), rheumatoid arthritis (beta=0.07), and idiopathic inflammatory myositis (beta=0.06) were significantly associated with higher CHFS scores (more impaired hand function). Consumption of 1-7 alcoholic drinks per week (beta=-0.07) was associated with lower CHFS scores (less impaired hand function) compared to no drinking. Conclusions: Multiple factors are associated with hand function in SSc. The presence of moderate or severe small joint contractures, the presence of digital ulcers, and severity of Raynaud's phenomenon had the largest associations. Effective interventions are needed to improve the management of hand function in patients with SSc

The association of sociodemographic and disease variables with hand function: A Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network cohort study

Contains fulltext : 196552.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)Objectives: Impaired hand function in systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a primary cause of disability and contributes diminished health-related quality of life. The objective of the present study was to evaluate sociodemographic, lifestyle, and disease-related factors independently associated with hand function in SSc. Methods: Patients enrolled in the Scleroderma Patient-centered Intervention Network Cohort who completed baseline study questionnaires between March 2014 and September 2017 were included. Hand function was measured using the Cochin Hand Function Scale (CHFS). Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify independent correlates of impaired hand function. Results: Among 1193 participants (88% female), the mean CHFS score was 13.3 (SD=16.1). Female sex (standardised regression coefficient, beta =.05), current smoking (beta=.07), higher BMI (beta=.06), diffuse SSc (beta=0.14), more severe Raynaud's scores (beta=.23), more severe finger ulcer scores (beta=.23), moderate (beta=0.19) or severe small joint contractures (beta=.20), rheumatoid arthritis (beta=0.07), and idiopathic inflammatory myositis (beta=0.06) were significantly associated with higher CHFS scores (more impaired hand function). Consumption of 1-7 alcoholic drinks per week (beta=-0.07) was associated with lower CHFS scores (less impaired hand function) compared to no drinking. Conclusions: Multiple factors are associated with hand function in SSc. The presence of moderate or severe small joint contractures, the presence of digital ulcers, and severity of Raynaud's phenomenon had the largest associations. Effective interventions are needed to improve the management of hand function in patients with SSc.7 p