Prediction Possibility in the Fractal Overlap Model of Earthquakes

The two-fractal overlap model of earthquake shows that the contact area distribution of two fractal surfaces follows power law decay in many cases and this agrees with the Guttenberg-Richter power law. Here, we attempt to predict the large events (earthquakes) in this model through the overlap time-series analysis. Taking only the Cantor sets, the overlap sizes (contact areas) are noted when one Cantor set moves over the other with uniform velocity. This gives a time series containing different overlap sizes. Our numerical study here shows that the cumulative overlap size grows almost linearly with time and when the overlapsizes are added up to a pre-assigned large event (earthquake) and then reset to `zero' level, the corresponding cumulative overlap sizes grows upto some discrete (quantised) levels. This observation should help to predict the possibility of `large events' in this (overlap) time series.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures. To be published as proc. NATO conf. CMDS-10, Soresh, Israel, July 2003. Eds. D. J. Bergman & E. Inan, KLUWER PUB

User and provider perspectives on emergency obstetric care in a Tanzanian rural setting: A qualitative analysis of the three delays model in a field study

The aim of this field study was to analyze the main dynamics and conflicts in attending and providing good quality delivery care in a local Tanzanian rural setting. The women and their relatives did not see the problems of pregnancy and birth in isolation but in relation to multiple other problems they were facing in the context of poverty. Local health professionals were aware of the poor quality of care at health facilities but were still blaming the community. The study describes the difficulties within the conceptual framework of thewidely used “three delays model”to disentangle different perspectives and to identify a feasible strategy of action to improve access to timely and effective emergency obstetric care. There seems to be a need for a supplementary analytic model that more clearly has the health system as the central agent responsible for improving maternal health. A modified “actantial model is suggested for that purpose

Emergent quantum Euler equation and Bose-Einstein condensates

In this paper, proceeding from the recently developed way of deriving the quantum-mechanical equations from the classical ones, the complete system of hydrodynamical equations, including the quantum Euler equation, is derived for a perfect fluid and an imperfect fluid with pairwise interaction between the particles. For the Bose-Einstein condensate of the latter one the Bogolyubov spectrum of elementary excitations is easily reproduced in the acoustic approximation.Comment: 10 page

Metabolic flexibility as a major predictor of spatial distribution in microbial communities

A better understand the ecology of microbes and their role in the global ecosystem could be achieved if traditional ecological theories can be applied to microbes. In ecology organisms are defined as specialists or generalists according to the breadth of their niche. Spatial distribution is often used as a proxy measure of niche breadth; generalists have broad niches and a wide spatial distribution and specialists a narrow niche and spatial distribution. Previous studies suggest that microbial distribution patterns are contrary to this idea; a microbial generalist genus (Desulfobulbus) has a limited spatial distribution while a specialist genus (Methanosaeta) has a cosmopolitan distribution. Therefore, we hypothesise that this counter-intuitive distribution within generalist and specialist microbial genera is a common microbial characteristic. Using molecular fingerprinting the distribution of four microbial genera, two generalists, Desulfobulbus and the methanogenic archaea Methanosarcina, and two specialists, Methanosaeta and the sulfate-reducing bacteria Desulfobacter were analysed in sediment samples from along a UK estuary. Detected genotypes of both generalist genera showed a distinct spatial distribution, significantly correlated with geographic distance between sites. Genotypes of both specialist genera showed no significant differential spatial distribution. These data support the hypothesis that the spatial distribution of specialist and generalist microbes does not match that seen with specialist and generalist large organisms. It may be that generalist microbes, while having a wider potential niche, are constrained, possibly by intrageneric competition, to exploit only a small part of that potential niche while specialists, with far fewer constraints to their niche, are more capable of filling their potential niche more effectively, perhaps by avoiding intrageneric competition. We suggest that these counter-intuitive distribution patterns may be a common feature of microbes in general and represent a distinct microbial principle in ecology, which is a real challenge if we are to develop a truly inclusive ecology

Endotoxin-induced monocytic microparticles have contrasting effects on endothelial inflammatory responses

Septic shock is a severe disease state characterised by the body's life threatening response to infection. Complex interactions between endothelial cells and circulating monocytes are responsible for microvasculature dysfunction contributing to the pathogenesis of this syndrome. Here, we intended to determine whether microparticles derived from activated monocytes contribute towards inflammatory processes and notably vascular permeability. We found that endotoxin stimulation of human monocytes enhances the release of microparticles of varying phenotypes and mRNA contents. Elevated numbers of LPS-induced monocytic microparticles (mMP) expressed CD54 and contained higher levels of transcripts for pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF, IL-6 and IL-8. Using a prothrombin time assay, a greater reduction in plasma coagulation time was observed with LPS-induced mMP than with non-stimulated mMP. Co-incubation of mMP with the human brain endothelial cell line hCMEC/D3 triggered their time-dependent uptake and significantly enhanced endothelial microparticle release. Unexpectedly, mMP also modified signalling pathways by diminishing pSrc (tyr416) expression and promoted endothelial monolayer tightness, as demonstrated by endothelial impedance and permeability assays. Altogether, these data strongly suggest that LPS-induced mMP have contrasting effects on the intercellular communication network and display a dual potential: enhanced pro-inflammatory and procoagulant properties, together with protective function of the endothelium. © 2014 Wen et al

Hyperphosphaturic Mesenchymal Tumor induced Osteomalacia– A Case Report

Hyperphosphaturic Mesenchymal Tumor (HMT) is a very rare benign tumor of the soft tissue or bone which produces tumorinduced osteomalacia, also called as oncogenic osteomalacia. This activity can only be stopped by the surgical removal of thetumor. We present a 23 years old man who presented with long standing bony pains without any relief by a variety ofmedications. The clue to the diagnosis was taken from pelvis skiagram, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the body, PETscan and the blood chemistry

Successful Amelioration of Mitochondrial Optic Neuropathy Using the Yeast NDI1 Gene in a Rat Animal Model

Background: Leber’s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is a maternally inherited disorder with point mutations in mitochondrial DNA which result in loss of vision in young adults. The majority of mutations reported to date are within the genes encoding the subunits of the mitochondrial NADH-quinone oxidoreductase, complex I. Establishment of animal models of LHON should help elucidate mechanism of the disease and could be utilized for possible development of therapeutic strategies. Methodology/Principal Findings: We established a rat model which involves injection of rotenone-loaded microspheres into the optic layer of the rat superior colliculus. The animals exhibited the most common features of LHON. Visual loss was observed within 2 weeks of rotenone administration with no apparent effect on retinal ganglion cells. Death of retinal ganglion cells occurred at a later stage. Using our rat model, we investigated the effect of the yeast alternative NADH dehydrogenase, Ndi1. We were able to achieve efficient expression of the Ndi1 protein in the mitochondria of all regions of retinal ganglion cells and axons by delivering the NDI1 gene into the optical layer of the superior colliculus. Remarkably, even after the vision of the rats was severely impaired, treatment of the animals with the NDI1 gene led to a complete restoration of the vision to the normal level. Control groups that received either empty vector or the GFP gene had no effects

Fixed and flexible: coexistence of obligate and facultative migratory strategies in a freshwater fish

Migration is an important event in many animal life histories, but the degree to which individual animals participate in seasonal migrations often varies within populations. The powerful ecological and evolutionary consequences of such partial migration are now well documented, but the underlying mechanisms are still heavily debated. One potential mechanism of partial migration is between-individual variation in body condition, where animals in poor condition cannot pay the costs of migration and hence adopt a resident strategy. However, underlying intrinsic traits may overrule such environmental influence, dictating individual consistency in migratory patterns. Unfortunately, field tests of individual consistency compared to the importance of individual condition on migratory propensity are rare. Here we analyse 6 years of field data on roach migration, gathered by tagging almost 3000 individual fish and monitoring their seasonal migrations over extended periods of time. Our aims were to provide a field test of the role of condition in wild fish for migratory decisions, and also to assess individual consistency in migratory tendency. Our analyses reveal that (1) migratory strategy, in terms of migration/residency, is highly consistent within individuals over time and (2) there is a positive relationship between condition and the probability of migration, but only in individuals that adopt a migratory strategy at some point during their lives. However, life-long residents do not differ in condition to migrants, hence body condition is only a good predictor of migratory tendency in fish with migratory phenotypes and not a more general determinant of migratory tendency for the population. As resident individuals can achieve very high body condition and still remain resident, we suggest that our data provides some of the first field evidence to show that both facultative and obligate strategies can co-exist within populations of migratory animals

Applying Interconnected Game Theory to Analyze Transboundary Waters: A Case Study of the Kura-Araks Basin

A number of environmental problems are international in nature, including many water management issues. Rivers, for example, do not recognize political boundaries. Therefore, pollution generated in one country can affect neighboring countries, while water extraction in an upstream country can affect water flow and water availability in a downstream country. The situation creates an interdependency among countries, which might lead to disputes over the management of transboundary water. Therefore, coordination among the countries is necessary for effective management of these transboundary resources. The focus of a recently published study (Khachaturyan and Schoengold, 2018) is the transboundary Kura-Araks Basin (see Figure 1 for its location), which is a major river system in the South Caucasus, with about 11 million people living in the basin. The countries in the basin are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, and Turkey, with Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia having over 80 percent of the streamflow. The Kura-Araks Basin is a primary source of water for agricultural, industrial, and municipal uses in the South Caucasian countries. The study determines whether there are economic benefits to be gained from cooperation in the management of the Kura River (shared between Azerbaijan and Georgia), and under what conditions cooperation is an achievable outcome. Azerbaijan withdraws about 35 percent of the total available renewable water resources while Georgia only withdraws about 3 percent

Fluctuation scaling in complex systems: Taylor's law and beyond

Complex systems consist of many interacting elements which participate in some dynamical process. The activity of various elements is often different and the fluctuation in the activity of an element grows monotonically with the average activity. This relationship is often of the form "$fluctuations \approx const.\times average^\alpha$", where the exponent $\alpha$ is predominantly in the range $[1/2, 1]$. This power law has been observed in a very wide range of disciplines, ranging from population dynamics through the Internet to the stock market and it is often treated under the names \emph{Taylor's law} or \emph{fluctuation scaling}. This review attempts to show how general the above scaling relationship is by surveying the literature, as well as by reporting some new empirical data and model calculations. We also show some basic principles that can underlie the generality of the phenomenon. This is followed by a mean-field framework based on sums of random variables. In this context the emergence of fluctuation scaling is equivalent to some corresponding limit theorems. In certain physical systems fluctuation scaling can be related to finite size scaling.Comment: 33 pages, 20 figures, 2 tables, submitted to Advances in Physic