Correlations of record events as a test for heavy-tailed distributions

A record is an entry in a time series that is larger or smaller than all previous entries. If the time series consists of independent, identically distributed random variables with a superimposed linear trend, record events are positively (negatively) correlated when the tail of the distribution is heavier (lighter) than exponential. Here we use these correlations to detect heavy-tailed behavior in small sets of independent random variables. The method consists of converting random subsets of the data into time series with a tunable linear drift and computing the resulting record correlations.Comment: Revised version, to appear in Physical Review Letter

Pancreatic Beta-Cell Purification by Altering FAD and NAD(P)H Metabolism

Isolation of primary beta cells from other cells within in the pancreatic islets is of importance for many fields of islet research. However, up to now, no satisfactory method has been developed that gained high numbers of viable beta cells, without considerable alpha-cell contamination. In this study, we investigated whether rat beta cells can be isolated from nonbeta endocrine cells by manipulating the flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NAD(P)H) autofluorescence. Beta cells were isolated from dispersed islets by flow cytometry, based on their high FAD and NAD(P)H fluorescence. To improve beta cell yield and purity, the cellular FAD and NAD(P)H contents were altered by preincubation in culture media containing varying amounts of D-glucose and amino acids. Manipulation of the cellular FAD and NAD(P)H fluorescence improves beta cell yield and purity after sorting. This method is also a fast and reliable method to measure beta cell functional viability. A conceivable application is assessing beta cell viability before transplantation

Constraints to the sustainability of a ‘systematised’ approach to livestock marketing amongst smallholder cattle producers in South Africa

Commercialization of smallholder agriculture in South Africa is underpinned by reforms to improve livestock off-take in communal areas and engage smallholder farmers with formal markets. To achieve this, Custom Feeding Programmes (CFPs) were established to improve the condition of communal cattle prior to their sale into formal markets and to ‘systematise’ the informal marketing of cattle in communal areas by enabling participants to achieve higher informal market prices. We evaluate the sustainability of eight CFPs located in Eastern Cape Province in terms of their ability to add value to smallholder cattle production and encourage market participation. Communities with CFPs achieved a 16.6% mean cattle off-take rate, substantially higher than in most communal systems. Furthermore, cattle sold through CFPs attained a 17% higher mean selling price than those sold through other marketing channels. However, these benefits were mainly realized by better-off farmers with larger cattle herds and greater ability to transport animals to and from CFPs. More marginalized farmers, particularly women, had low participation. CFPs also face challenges to their sustainability, including inconsistent feed and water supplies, poor infrastructure and high staff turnover. Key to enhancing participation in CFPs, will be improving the way they are supported and embedded within communities

Absence of phase coexistence in disordered exclusion processes with bypassing

Adding quenched disorder to the one-dimensional asymmetric exclusion process is known to always induce phase separation. To test the robustness of this result, we introduce two modifications of the process that allow particles to bypass defect sites. In the first case, particles are allowed to jump l sites ahead with the probability p_l ~ l^-(1+sigma), where sigma>1. By using Monte Carlo simulations and the mean-field approach, we show that phase coexistence may be absent up to enormously large system sizes, e.g. lnL~50, but is present in the thermodynamic limit, as in the short-range case. In the second case, we consider the exclusion process on a quadratic lattice with symmetric and totally asymmetric hopping perpendicular to and along the direction of driving, respectively. We show that in an anisotropic limit of this model a regime may be found where phase coexistence is absent.Comment: 18 pages, 10 figures, to appear in JSTA

Colorectal anastomotic leak:Transcriptomic profile analysis

BACKGROUND: Anastomotic leakage in patients undergoing colorectal surgery is associated with morbidity and mortality. Although multiple risk factors have been identified, the underlying mechanisms are mainly unknown. The aim of this study was to perform a transcriptome analysis of genes underlying the development of anastomotic leakage. METHODS: A set of human samples from the anastomotic site collected during stapled colorectal anastomosis were used in the study. Transcriptomic profiles were generated for patients who developing anastomotic leakage and case-matched controls with normal anastomotic healing to identify genes and biological processes associated with the development of anastomotic leakage. RESULTS: The analysis included 22 patients with and 69 without anastomotic leakage. Differential expression analysis showed that 44 genes had adjusted P < 0.050, consisting of two upregulated and 42 downregulated genes. Co-functionality analysis of the 150 most upregulated and 150 most downregulated genes using the GenetICA framework showed formation of clusters of genes with different enrichment for biological pathways. The enriched pathways for the downregulated genes are involved in immune response, angiogenesis, protein metabolism, and collagen cross-linking. The enriched pathways for upregulated genes are involved in cell division. CONCLUSION: These data indicate that patients who develop anastomotic leakage start the healing process with an error at the level of gene regulation at the time of surgery. Despite normal macroscopic appearance during surgery, the transcriptome data identified several differences in gene expression between patients who developed anastomotic leakage and those who did not. The expressed genes and enriched processes are involved in the different stages of wound healing. These provide therapeutic and diagnostic targets for patients at risk of anastomotic leakage

Extreme value statistics and return intervals in long-range correlated uniform deviates

We study extremal statistics and return intervals in stationary long-range correlated sequences for which the underlying probability density function is bounded and uniform. The extremal statistics we consider e.g., maximum relative to minimum are such that the reference point from which the maximum is measured is itself a random quantity. We analytically calculate the limiting distributions for independent and identically distributed random variables, and use these as a reference point for correlated cases. The distributions are different from that of the maximum itself i.e., a Weibull distribution, reflecting the fact that the distribution of the reference point either dominates over or convolves with the distribution of the maximum. The functional form of the limiting distributions is unaffected by correlations, although the convergence is slower. We show that our findings can be directly generalized to a wide class of stochastic processes. We also analyze return interval distributions, and compare them to recent conjectures of their functional form

Laboratory study of the impact of repetitive electrical and mechanical stimulation on brown shrimp Crangon crangon

Pulse trawling is currently the best available alternative to beam trawling in the brown shrimp Crangon crangon and Sole Solea solea (also known as Solea vulgaris) fisheries. To evaluate the effect of repetitive exposure to electrical fields, brown shrimp were exposed to the commercial electrodes and pulse settings used to catch brown shrimp (shrimp startle pulse) or Sole (Sole cramp pulse) 20 times in 4 d and monitored for up to 14 d after the first exposure. Survival, egg loss, molting, and the degree of intranuclear bacilliform virus (IBV) infection were evaluated and compared with those in stressed but not electrically exposed (procedural control) and nonstressed, nonexposed (control) brown shrimp as well as brown shrimp exposed to mechanical stimuli. The lowest survival at 14 d (57.3%) occurred in the Sole cramp pulse treatment, and this was significantly lower than in the group with the highest survival, the procedural control (70.3%). No effect of electrical stimulation on the severity of IBV infection was found. The lowest percentage of molts occurred in the repetitive mechanical stimulation treatment (14.0%), and this was significantly lower than in the group with the highest percentage of molts, the procedural control (21.7%). Additionally, the mechanically stimulated brown shrimp that died during the experiment had a significantly larger size than the surviving individuals. Finally, no effect of the shrimp startle pulse was found. Therefore, it can be concluded that repetitive exposure to a cramp stimulus and mechanical stimulation may have negative effects on the growth and/or survival of brown shrimp. However, there is no evidence that electrical stimulation during electrotrawls would have a larger negative impact on brown shrimp stocks than mechanical stimulation during conventional beam trawling

The gut wall's potential as a partner for precision oncology in immune checkpoint treatment

The gut wall is the largest immune organ and forms a barrier through which gut microbiota interact with the immune system in the rest of the body. Gut microbiota composition plays a role in the strength and timing of the anticancer immune response on immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). Surprisingly, the effects of gut wall characteristics, such as physical barrier integrity, permeability, and activity and composition of the intestinal immune system, on response to ICI has received little attention. Here, we provide an overview of markers to characterize the gut wall and interventions that can modulate these gut wall characteristics. Finally, we present a future perspective on how these gut wall markers and interventions might be utilized and studied to improve ICI treatment strategies

Symptomatology of carbamazepine- and oxcarbazepine-induced hyponatremia in people with epilepsy

OBJECTIVE: To ascertain whether adverse effects experienced by people taking carbamazepine or oxcarbazepine could be attributed to carbamazepine- or oxcarbazepine-induced hyponatremia (COIH). METHODS: We performed an observational study, collecting data between 2017 and 2019 on serum sodium levels and adverse effects retrospectively in people with epilepsy while receiving treatment with either carbamazepine (CBZ) or oxcarbazepine (OXC). We defined hyponatremia as sodium level ≤134 mEq/L and severe hyponatremia as sodium level ≤128 mEq/L. Adverse effects experienced were compared between groups of individuals with and without hyponatremia. RESULTS: A total of 1370 people using CBZ or OXC were identified, of whom 410 had at least one episode of hyponatremia. We checked for symptoms related to the use of CBZ and OXC in 710 people (410 with and 300 without hyponatremia) and found relevant information in 688. Adverse effects occurred in 65% of people with hyponatremia compared to 21% with normal sodium levels (odds ratio [OR] 7.5, P ≤ .001) and in 83% of people with severe hyponatremia compared to 55% in those with mild hyponatremia (P ≤ .001). Significant predictors of adverse effects were the drug (OXC vs CBZ), and the number of concomitant anti-seizure medications. Dizziness (28% vs 6%), tiredness (22% vs 7%), instability (19% vs 3%), and diplopia (16% vs 4%) were reported more often in the hyponatremia group than in patients with normal levels. SIGNIFICANCE: People with COIH had a 7-fold increased risk of developing adverse effects during treatment. Clinicians should consider ascertainment of sodium levels in patients taking CBZ and OXC and act upon findings