Modeling the NF-κB mediated inflammatory response predicts cytokine waves in tissue

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Waves propagating in "excitable media" is a reliable way to transmit signals in space. A fascinating example where living cells comprise such a medium is Dictyostelium D. which propagates waves of chemoattractant to attract distant cells. While neutrophils chemotax in a similar fashion as Dictyostelium D., it is unclear if chemoattractant waves exist in mammalian tissues and what mechanisms could propagate them.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We propose that chemoattractant cytokine waves may naturally develop as a result of NF-<it>κ</it>B response. Using a heuristic mathematical model of NF-<it>κ</it>B-like circuits coupled in space we show that the known characteristics of NF-<it>κ</it>B response favor cytokine waves.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>While the propagating wave of cytokines is generally beneficial for inflammation resolution, our model predicts that there exist special conditions that can cause chronic inflammation and re-occurrence of acute inflammatory response.</p

A united statement of the global chiropractic research community against the pseudoscientific claim that chiropractic care boosts immunity.

BACKGROUND: In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the International Chiropractors Association (ICA) posted reports claiming that chiropractic care can impact the immune system. These claims clash with recommendations from the World Health Organization and World Federation of Chiropractic. We discuss the scientific validity of the claims made in these ICA reports. MAIN BODY: We reviewed the two reports posted by the ICA on their website on March 20 and March 28, 2020. We explored the method used to develop the claim that chiropractic adjustments impact the immune system and discuss the scientific merit of that claim. We provide a response to the ICA reports and explain why this claim lacks scientific credibility and is dangerous to the public. More than 150 researchers from 11 countries reviewed and endorsed our response. CONCLUSION: In their reports, the ICA provided no valid clinical scientific evidence that chiropractic care can impact the immune system. We call on regulatory authorities and professional leaders to take robust political and regulatory action against those claiming that chiropractic adjustments have a clinical impact on the immune system

Modular networks of word correlations on Twitter

Complex networks are important tools for analyzing the information flow in many aspects of nature and human society. Using data from the microblogging service Twitter, we study networks of correlations in the appearance of words from three different categories, international brands, nouns and US major cities. We create networks where the strength of links is determined by a similarity measure based on the rate of coappearance of words. In comparison with the null model, where words are assumed to be uncorrelated, the heavy-tailed distribution of pair correlations is shown to be a consequence of modules of words representing similar entities.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figure