206 research outputs found
Chaotic versus stochastic behavior in active-dissipative nonlinear systems
We study the dynamical state of the one-dimensional noisy generalized Kuramoto-Sivashinsky (gKS) equation by making use of time-series techniques based on symbolic dynamics and complex networks. We focus on analyzing temporal signals of global measure in the spatiotemporal patterns as the dispersion parameter of the gKS equation and the strength of the noise are varied, observing that a rich variety of different regimes, from high-dimensional chaos to pure stochastic behavior, emerge. Permutation entropy, permutation spectrum, and network entropy allow us to fully classify the dynamical state exposed to additive noise
Fluctuations in viscous fingering
Our experiments on viscous (Saffman-Taylor) fingering in Hele-Shaw channels
reveal finger width fluctuations that were not observed in previous
experiments, which had lower aspect ratios and higher capillary numbers Ca.
These fluctuations intermittently narrow the finger from its expected width.
The magnitude of these fluctuations is described by a power law, Ca^{-0.64},
which holds for all aspect ratios studied up to the onset of tip instabilities.
Further, for large aspect ratios, the mean finger width exhibits a maximum as
Ca is decreased instead of the predicted monotonic increase.Comment: Revised introduction, smoothed transitions in paper body, and added a
few additional minor results. (Figures unchanged.) 4 pages, 3 figures.
Submitted to PRE Rapi
Gravity-driven instability in a spherical Hele-Shaw cell
A pair of concentric spheres separated by a small gap form a spherical
Hele-Shaw cell. In this cell an interfacial instability arises when two
immiscible fluids flow. We derive the equation of motion for the interface
perturbation amplitudes, including both pressure and gravity drivings, using a
mode coupling approach. Linear stability analysis shows that mode growth rates
depend upon interface perimeter and gravitational force. Mode coupling analysis
reveals the formation of fingering structures presenting a tendency toward
finger tip-sharpening.Comment: 13 pages, 4 ps figures, RevTex, to appear in Physical Review
Protective effi cacy of prolonged co-trimoxazole prophylaxis in HIV-exposed children up to age 4 years for the prevention of malaria in Uganda: a randomised controlled open-label trial
Background WHO recommends daily co-trimoxazole for children born to HIV-infected mothers from 6 weeks of age
until breastfeeding cessation and exclusion of HIV infection. We have previously reported on the eff ectiveness of
continuation of co-trimoxazole prophylaxis up to age 2 years in these children. We assessed the protective effi cacy and
safety of prolonging co-trimoxazole prophylaxis until age 4 years in HIV-exposed children.
Methods We undertook an open-label randomised controlled trial alongside two observational cohorts in eastern
Uganda, an area with high HIV prevalence, malaria transmission intensity, and antifolate resistance. We enrolled HIVexposed
infants between 6 weeks and 9 months of age and prescribed them daily co-trimoxazole until breastfeeding
cessation and HIV-status confi rmation. At the end of breastfeeding, children who remained HIV-uninfected were
randomly assigned (1:1) to discontinue co-trimoxazole or to continue taking it up to age 2 years. At age 2 years, children
who continued co-trimoxazole prophylaxis were randomly assigned (1:1) to discontinue or continue prophylaxis from
age 2 years to age 4 years. The primary outcome was incidence of malaria (defi ned as the number of treatments for new
episodes of malaria diagnosed with positive thick smear) at age 4 years. For additional comparisons, we observed
48 HIV-infected children who took continuous co-trimoxazole prophylaxis and 100 HIV-unexposed uninfected children
who never received prophylaxis. We measured grade 3 and 4 serious adverse events and hospital admissions. All
children were followed up to age 5 years and all analyses were by intention to treat. This study is registered with
ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT00527800.
Findings 203 HIV-exposed infants were enrolled between Aug 10, 2007, and March 28, 2008. After breastfeeding ended,
185 children were not infected with HIV and were randomly assigned to stop (n=87) or continue (n=98) co-trimoxazole
up to age 2 years. At age 2 years, 91 HIV-exposed children who had remained on co-trimoxazole prophylaxis were
randomly assigned to discontinue (n=46) or continue (n=45) co-trimoxazole from age 2 years to age 4 years. We
recorded 243 malaria episodes (2·91 per person-years) in the 45 HIV-exposed children assigned to continue cotrimoxazole
until age 4 years compared with 503 episodes (5·60 per person-years) in the 46 children assigned to stop
co-trimoxazole at age 2 years (incidence rate ratio 0·53, 95% CI 0·39–0·71; p<0·0001). There was no evidence of
malaria incidence rebound in the year after discontinuation of co-trimoxazole in the HIV-exposed children who stopped
co-trimoxazole at age 2 years, but incidence increased signifi cantly in HIV-exposed children who stopped co-trimoxazole
at age 4 years (odds ratio 1·78, 95% CI 1·19–2·66; p=0·005). Incidence of grade 3 or 4 serious adverse events, hospital
admissions, or deaths did not signifi cantly diff er between HIV-exposed, HIV-unexposed, and HIV-infected children.
Interpretation Continuation of co-trimoxazole prophylaxis up to 4 years of age seems safe and effi cacious to protect
HIV-exposed children living in malaria-endemic areas
Rotating Hele-Shaw cells with ferrofluids
We investigate the flow of two immiscible, viscous fluids in a rotating
Hele-Shaw cell, when one of the fluids is a ferrofluid and an external magnetic
field is applied. The interplay between centrifugal and magnetic forces in
determining the instability of the fluid-fluid interface is analyzed. The
linear stability analysis of the problem shows that a non-uniform, azimuthal
magnetic field, applied tangential to the cell, tends to stabilize the
interface. We verify that maximum growth rate selection of initial patterns is
influenced by the applied field, which tends to decrease the number of
interface ripples. We contrast these results with the situation in which a
uniform magnetic field is applied normally to the plane defined by the rotating
Hele-Shaw cell.Comment: 12 pages, 3 ps figures, RevTe
Safety and tolerability of artemether-lumefantrine versus dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine for malaria in young HIV-infected and uninfected children
BACKGROUND: Artemisinin combination therapy has become the standard of care for uncomplicated malaria in most of Africa. However, there is limited data on the safety and tolerability of these drugs, especially in young children and patients co-infected with HIV. METHODS: A longitudinal, randomized controlled trial was conducted in a cohort of HIV-infected and uninfected children aged 4-22 months in Tororo, Uganda. Participants were randomized to treatment with artemether-lumefantrine (AL) or dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (DP) upon diagnosis of their first episode of uncomplicated malaria and received the same regimen for all subsequent episodes. Participants were actively monitored for adverse events for 28 days and then passively for up to 63 days after treatment. This study was registered in ClinicalTrials.gov (registration # NCT00527800). RESULTS: A total of 122 children were randomized to AL and 124 to DP, resulting in 412 and 425 treatments, respectively. Most adverse events were rare, with only cough, diarrhoea, vomiting, and anaemia occurring in more than 1% of treatments. There were no differences in the risk of these events between treatment groups. Younger age was associated with an increased risk of diarrhoea in both the AL and DP treatment arms. Retreatment for malaria within 17-28 days was associated with an increased risk of vomiting in the DP treatment arm (HR = 6.47, 95% CI 2.31-18.1, p < 0.001). There was no increase in the risk of diarrhoea or vomiting for children who were HIV-infected or on concomitant therapy with antiretrovirals or trimethoprim-sulphamethoxazole prophylaxis. CONCLUSION: Both AL and DP were safe and well tolerated for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria in young HIV-infected and uninfected children. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00527800; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00527800
Role of the Laboratory in Ensuring Global Access to ARV Treatment for HIV-Infected Children: Consensus Statement on the Performance of Laboratory Assays for Early Infant Diagnosis
A two day meeting hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was held in May 2006 in Entebbe, Uganda to review the laboratory performance of virologic molecular methods, particularly the Roche Amplicor DNA PCR version 1.5 assay, in the diagnosis of HIV-1 infection in infants. The meeting was attended by approximately 60 participants from 17 countries. Data on the performance and limitations of the HIV-1 DNA PCR assay from 9 African countries with high-burdens of HIV/AIDS were shared with respect to different settings and HIV- subtypes. A consensus statement on the use of the assay for early infant diagnosis was developed and areas of needed operational research were identified. In addition, consensus was reached on the usefulness of dried blood spot (DBS) specimens in childhood as a means for ensuring greater accessibility to serologic and virologic HIV testing for the paediatric population
De novo mutations in congenital heart disease with neurodevelopmental and other congenital anomalies
Congenital heart disease (CHD) patients have an increased prevalence of extracardiac congenital anomalies (CAs) and risk of neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs). Exome sequencing of 1213 CHD parent-offspring trios identified an excess of protein-damaging de novo mutations, especially in genes highly expressed in the developing heart and brain. These mutations accounted for 20% of patients with CHD, NDD, and CA but only 2% of patients with isolated CHD. Mutations altered genes involved in morphogenesis, chromatin modification, and transcriptional regulation, including multiple mutations in RBFOX2, a regulator of mRNA splicing. Genes mutated in other cohorts examined for NDD were enriched in CHD cases, particularly those with coexisting NDD. These findings reveal shared genetic contributions to CHD, NDD, and CA and provide opportunities for improved prognostic assessment and early therapeutic intervention in CHD patients
Protective efficacy of co-trimoxazole prophylaxis against malaria in HIV exposed children in rural Uganda: a randomised clinical trial
Objective To evaluate the protective efficacy of co-trimoxazole prophylaxis against malaria in HIV exposed children (uninfected children born to HIV infected mothers) in Africa
A New Class of Nonsingular Exact Solutions for Laplacian Pattern Formation
We present a new class of exact solutions for the so-called {\it Laplacian
Growth Equation} describing the zero-surface-tension limit of a variety of 2D
pattern formation problems. Contrary to common belief, we prove that these
solutions are free of finite-time singularities (cusps) for quite general
initial conditions and may well describe real fingering instabilities. At long
times the interface consists of N separated moving Saffman-Taylor fingers, with
``stagnation points'' in between, in agreement with numerous observations. This
evolution resembles the N-soliton solution of classical integrable PDE's.Comment: LaTeX, uuencoded postscript file
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