Logarithmic Corrections for Spin Glasses, Percolation and Lee-Yang Singularities in Six Dimensions

We study analytically the logarithmic corrections to the critical exponents of the critical behavior of correlation length, susceptibility and specific heat for the temperature and the finite-size scaling behavior, for a generic $\phi^3$ theory at its upper critical dimension (six). We have also computed the leading correction to scaling as a function of the lattice size. We distinguish the obtained formulas to the following special cases: percolation, Lee-Yang (LY) singularities and $m$-component spin glasses. We have compared our results for the Ising spin glass case with numerical simulations finding a very good agreement. Finally, and using the results obtained for the Lee-Yang singularities in six dimensions, we have computed the logarithmic corrections to the singular part of the free energy for lattice animals in eight dimensions.Comment: 18 pages. We have extended the computation to lattice animals in eight dimensions. To be published in Journal of Physics

Influence of age, gender and obesity on pressure discomfort threshold of the foot: A cross-sectional study

[EN] Background: Foot pain is a highly prevalent health problem for which measures such as a pattern of Pressure Discomfort Threshold of the foot plantar surface can provide valuable information for orthosis design. This study aimed to describe such pattern as a tool for the assessment of painful conditions of the feet and to analyse how it modifies according to age, gender and obesity. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed with participants allocated in: Group 1 people aged 20 to 35 years, Group 2 aged 50 to 65 years and Group 3 aged over 65. Pressure Discomfort Threshold on twelve points of the foot plantar surface was measured with an adapted manual dynamometer. Inferential analyses of the data were performed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) considering foot areas, age group, gender and obesity. Findings: 36 participants were analysed. The pattern of Pressure Discomfort Threshold for all individuals showed a significantly higher threshold on the heel and external foot (P < 0.001, eta(2) = 0.124) and was statistical significantly influenced by age (P < 0.001, eta(2) = 0.17), especially in participants aged over 65; by gender, with women having higher values (P < 0.001, eta(2) = 0.13), and by obesity (P < 0.001, eta(2) = 0.19). Interpretation: A Pressure Discomfort Threshold pattern exists in the foot plantar surface. The characteristics of the discomfort pattern of the foot and its association with aging, gender and obesity may have considerable implications for orthosis and footwear design.Dueñas, L.; Arnal-Gómez, A.; Aparicio, I.; Balasch-Bernat, M.; López-Bueno, L.; Gonzalez Garcia, JC.; Solves Camallonga, C.... (2021). Influence of age, gender and obesity on pressure discomfort threshold of the foot: A cross-sectional study. 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Foot problems in the elderly. Clinical Rehabilitation, 4(3), 217-222. doi:10.1177/026921559000400306Betts, R. P., Franks, C. I., & Duckworth, T. (1980). Analysis of pressure and loads under the foot. II. Quantitation of the dynamic distribution. Clinical Physics and Physiological Measurement, 1(2), 113-124. doi:10.1088/0143-0815/1/2/002Bus, S. A., Ulbrecht, J. S., & Cavanagh, P. R. (2004). Pressure relief and load redistribution by custom-made insoles in diabetic patients with neuropathy and foot deformity. Clinical Biomechanics, 19(6), 629-638. doi:10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2004.02.010Caravaggi, P., Giangrande, A., Lullini, G., Padula, G., Berti, L., & Leardini, A. (2016). In shoe pressure measurements during different motor tasks while wearing safety shoes: The effect of custom made insoles vs. prefabricated and off-the-shelf. Gait & Posture, 50, 232-238. doi:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2016.09.013Duckworth, T., Boulton, A., Betts, R., Franks, C., & Ward, J. (1985). Plantar pressure measurements and the prevention of ulceration in the diabetic foot. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. British volume, 67-B(1), 79-85. doi:10.1302/0301-620x.67b1.3968150Dufour, A. B., Broe, K. E., Nguyen, U.-S. D. T., Gagnon, D. R., Hillstrom, H. J., Walker, A. H., … Hannan, M. T. (2009). Foot pain: Is current or past shoewear a factor? Arthritis & Rheumatism, 61(10), 1352-1358. doi:10.1002/art.24733Von Elm, E., Altman, D. G., Egger, M., Pocock, S. J., Gøtzsche, P. C., & Vandenbroucke, J. P. (2008). The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement: guidelines for reporting observational studies. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 61(4), 344-349. doi:10.1016/j.jclinepi.2007.11.008Fillingim, R. B. (2000). Sex, gender, and pain: Women and men really are different. Current Review of Pain, 4(1), 24-30. doi:10.1007/s11916-000-0006-6Gonzalez JC, García AC, Vivas MJ, Ferrús E, Alcántara E, Forner A. A new portable method for the measurement of pressure discomfort threshold on the foot plant. Fourth symposium of the Technical Group on Footwear Biomechanics. 5–7 August 1999. Canmore, Canada. International Society of Biomechanics.Gorter, K., Kuyvenhoven, M., & de Melker, R. (2000). Nontraumatic foot complaints in older people. A population-based survey of risk factors, mobility, and well-being. Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, 90(8), 397-402. doi:10.7547/87507315-90-8-397Greenspan, J. D., Craft, R. M., LeResche, L., Arendt-Nielsen, L., Berkley, K. J., Fillingim, R. B., … Traub, R. J. (2007). Studying sex and gender differences in pain and analgesia: A consensus report. Pain, 132(Supplement 1), S26-S45. doi:10.1016/j.pain.2007.10.014Hennig, E. M., & Sterzing, T. (2009). Sensitivity Mapping of the Human Foot: Thresholds at 30 Skin Locations. Foot & Ankle International, 30(10), 986-991. doi:10.3113/fai.2009.0986Hill, C. L., Gill, T. K., Menz, H. B., & Taylor, A. W. (2008). Prevalence and correlates of foot pain in a population-based study: the North West Adelaide health study. Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, 1(1). doi:10.1186/1757-1146-1-2Hills, A., Hennig, E., McDonald, M., & Bar-Or, O. (2001). Plantar pressure differences between obese and non-obese adults: a biomechanical analysis. International Journal of Obesity, 25(11), 1674-1679. doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0801785Hong, W.-H., Lee, Y.-H., Chen, H.-C., Pei, Y.-C., & Wu, C.-Y. (2005). Influence of Heel Height and Shoe Insert on Comfort Perception and Biomechanical Performance of Young Female Adults During Walking. Foot & Ankle International, 26(12), 1042-1048. doi:10.1177/107110070502601208Le Johansson, L., Kjellberg, A., Kilbom, A., & Hagg, G. M. (1999). Perception of surface pressure applied to the hand. Ergonomics, 42(10), 1274-1282. doi:10.1080/001401399184947Kwan, R. L.-C., Zheng, Y.-P., & Cheing, G. L.-Y. (2010). The effect of aging on the biomechanical properties of plantar soft tissues. Clinical Biomechanics, 25(6), 601-605. doi:10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2010.04.003Machado, Á. S., Bombach, G. D., Duysens, J., & Carpes, F. P. (2016). Differences in foot sensitivity and plantar pressure between young adults and elderly. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 63, 67-71. doi:10.1016/j.archger.2015.11.005McPoil, T. G., & Cornwall, M. W. (2006). Plantar tactile sensory thresholds in healthy men and women. The Foot, 16(4), 192-197. doi:10.1016/j.foot.2006.07.001Messing, K., & Kilbom, Å. (2001). Standing and very slow walking: foot pain-pressure threshold, subjective pain experience and work activity. Applied Ergonomics, 32(1), 81-90. doi:10.1016/s0003-6870(00)00030-2Mickle, K. J., & Steele, J. R. (2015). Obese older adults suffer foot pain and foot-related functional limitation. Gait & Posture, 42(4), 442-447. doi:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2015.07.013Mickle, K. J., Munro, B. J., Lord, S. R., Menz, H. B., & Steele, J. R. (2010). Foot Pain, Plantar Pressures, and Falls in Older People: A Prospective Study. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 58(10), 1936-1940. doi:10.1111/j.1532-5415.2010.03061.xOkifuji, A., Bradshaw, D. H., & Olson, C. (2009). Evaluating obesity in fibromyalgia: neuroendocrine biomarkers, symptoms, and functions. Clinical Rheumatology, 28(4), 475-478. doi:10.1007/s10067-009-1094-2Redmond, A. C., Landorf, K. B., & Keenan, A.-M. (2009). Contoured, prefabricated foot orthoses demonstrate comparable mechanical properties to contoured, customised foot orthoses: a plantar pressure study. Journal of Foot and Ankle Research, 2(1). doi:10.1186/1757-1146-2-20Shrout, P. E., & Fleiss, J. L. (1979). Intraclass correlations: Uses in assessing rater reliability. Psychological Bulletin, 86(2), 420-428. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.86.2.420Veves, A., Murray, H. J., Young, M. J., & Boulton, A. J. M. (1992). The risk of foot ulceration in diabetic patients with high foot pressure: a prospective study. Diabetologia, 35(7), 660-663. doi:10.1007/bf00400259Weerasinghe, T. W., Goonetilleke, R. S., & Reischl, U. (2016). Pressure thresholds and stiffness on the plantar surface of the human foot. Ergonomics, 60(7), 985-996. doi:10.1080/00140139.2016.1229042Xiong, S., Goonetilleke, R. S., Witana, C. P., & Rodrigo, W. D. A. S. (2010). An indentation apparatus for evaluating discomfort and pain thresholds in conjunction with mechanical properties of foot tissue in vivo. The Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development, 47(7), 629. doi:10.1682/jrrd.2009.09.0152Xiong, S., Goonetilleke, R. S., & Jiang, Z. (2011). Pressure thresholds of the human foot: measurement reliability and effects of stimulus characteristics. Ergonomics, 54(3), 282-293. doi:10.1080/00140139.2011.552736Xu, R., Wang, Z., Ma, T., Ren, Z., & Jin, H. (2019). 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On the Phase Structure of the 3D Edwards Anderson Spin Glass

We characterize numerically the properties of the phase transition of the three dimensional Ising spin glass with Gaussian couplings and of the low temperature phase. We compute critical exponents on large lattices. We study in detail the overlap probability distribution and the equilibrium overlap-overlap correlation functions. We find a clear agreement with off-equilibrium results from previous work. These results strongly support the existence of a continuous spontaneous replica symmetry breaking in three dimensional spin glasses.Comment: 30 pages and 17 figures. Final version to be published in PR

Stopping power of Au for silver ions at low velocities

Energy loss measurements for the slowing down of Ag ions in Au, in the velocity range 1:6v0 < v < 4:4v0, where v0 is the Bohr velocity, are presented. The measurements were performed using the Doppler shift technique and also with a new method, where a secondary beam of low velocity heavy ions is produced by elastic scattering of the accelerated beam. The results are compared to the SRIM2000 calculations (www.srim.org) and to recent measurements in this velocity region

Foveal avascular zone and choroidal thickness are decreased in subjects with hard drusen and without high genetic risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease

A family history (FH+) of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and ɛ4 allele of the ApoE gene are the main genetic risk factors for developing AD, whereas ɛ4 allele plays a protective role in age-related macular degeneration. Ocular vascular changes have been reported in both pathologies. We analyzed the choroidal thickness using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) using OCT-angiography and compared the results with ApoE gene expression, AD FH+, and the presence or absence of hard drusen (HD) in 184 cognitively healthy subjects. Choroidal thickness was statistically significantly different in the (FH−, ɛ4−, HD+) group compared with (i) both the (FH−, ɛ4−, HD−) and the (FH+, ɛ4+, HD+) groups in the superior and inferior points at 1500 μm, and (ii) the (FH+, ɛ4−, HD+) group in the superior point at 1500 μm. There were statistically significant differences in the superficial FAZ between the (FH+, ɛ4−, HD+) group and (i) the (FH+, ɛ4−, HD−) group and (ii) the (FH+, ɛ4+, HD−) group. In conclusion, ocular vascular changes are not yet evident in participants with a genetic risk of developing AD

No evidence of brown adipose tissue activation after 24 weeks of supervised exercise training in young sedentary adults in the ACTIBATE randomized controlled trial

Exercise modulates both brown adipose tissue (BAT)metabolismand white adipose tissue (WAT) browning in murine models. Whether this is true in humans, however, has remained unknown. An unblinded randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT02365129) was therefore conducted to study the effects of a 24-week supervised exercise intervention, combining endurance and resistance training, on BAT volume and activity (primary outcome). The study was carried out in the Sport and Health University Research Institute and the Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital of the University of Granada (Spain). One hundred and forty-five young sedentary adults were assigned to either (i) a control group (no exercise, n = 54), (ii) a moderate intensity exercise group (MOD-EX, n = 48), or (iii) a vigorous intensity exercise group (VIG-EX n = 43) by unrestricted randomization. No relevant adverse events were recorded. 97 participants (34 men, 63 women) were included in the final analysis (Control; n = 35, MOD-EX; n=31, and VIG-EX; n=31).We observed no changes in BAT volume (Δ Control: −22.2 ± 52.6ml; Δ MOD-EX: −15.5 ± 62.1ml, Δ VIG-EX: −6.8 ± 66.4 ml; P = 0.771) or 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake (SUVpeak Δ Control: −2.6 ± 3.1ml; Δ MOD-EX: −1.2 ± 4.8, Δ VIG-EX: −2.2 ± 5.1; p = 0.476) in either the control or the exercise groups. Thus, we did not find any evidence of an exercise-induced change on BAT volume or activity in young sedentary adults.Spanish Government PI13/01393Retos de la Sociedad DEP2016-79512-R PTA-12264IEuropean CommissionSpanish Government FPU13/04365 FPU14/04172 FPU15/04059 FPU16/03653 FPU19/01609Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia (CONACyT) 440575Fundacion Iberoamericana de Nutricion (FINUT)Redes Tematicas de Investigacion Cooperativa RETIC Red SAMID RD16/0022AstraZenecaUniversity of Granada Plan Propio de Investigacion 2016 -Excellence actions: Unit of Excellence on Exercise and Health (UCEES)Plan Propio de Investigacion 2018 -Programa Contratos-PuentePrograma Perfecionamiento de DoctoresJunta de Andalucia Consejeria de Conocimiento, Investigacion y Universidades (ERDF) SOMM17/6107/UGRJunta de Andalucia P18-RT-4455Fundacion Alfonso Martin EscuderoMaria Zambrano fellowship by the Ministerio de Universidades y la Union Europea-NextGenerationEU RR_C_2021_04Novo Nordisk FoundationNovocure Limited NNF18OC003239

Divalent Metal Vinylphosphonate Layered Materials: Compositional Variability, Structural Peculiarities, Dehydration Behavior, and Photoluminescent Properties

A family of M-VP (M = Ni, Co, Cd, Mn, Zn, Fe, Cu, Pb; VP = vinylphosphonate) and M-PVP (M = Co, Cd; PVP = phenylvinylphosphonate) materials have been synthesized by hydrothermal methods and characterized by FTIR, elemental analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Their structures were determined either by single crystal X-ray crystallography or from laboratory X-ray powder diffraction data. The crystal structure of some M-VP and M-PVP materials is two-dimensional (2D) layered, with the organic groups (vinyl or phenylvinyl) protruding into the interlamellar space. However, the Pb-VP and Cu-VP materials show dramatically different structural features. The porous, three-dimensional (3D) structure of Pb-VP contains the Pb center in a pentagonal pyramid. A Cu-VP variant of the common 2D layered structure shows a very peculiar structure. The structure of the material is 2D with the layers based upon three crystallographically distinct Cu atoms; an octahedrally coordinated Cu2+ atom, a square planar Cu2+ atom and a Cu+ atom. The latter has an unusual co-ordination environment as it is 3-coordinated to two oxygen atoms with the third bond across the double bond of the vinyl group. Metal-coordinated water loss was studied by TGA and thermodiffractometry. The rehydration of the anhydrous phases to give the initial phase takes place rapidly for Cd-PVP but it takes several days for Co-PVP. The M-VP materials exhibit variable dehydration-rehydration behavior, with most of them losing crystallinity during the process.Proyecto nacional MAT2010-15175 (MICINN, España

The Nutrition in Early Life and Asthma (NELA) birth cohortstudy: Rationale, design, and methods

This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made. © 2021 The Authors. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.Background: Primary prevention strategies for asthma are lacking. Its inception probably starts in utero and/or during the early postnatal period as the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) paradigm suggests. Objectives: The main objective of Nutrition in Early Life and Asthma (NELA) cohort study is to unravel whether the following factors contribute causally to the developmental origins of asthma: (1) maternal obesity/adiposity and foetal growth; (2) maternal and child nutrition; (3) outdoor air pollution; (4) endocrine disruptors; and (5) maternal psychological stress. Maternal and offspring biological samples are used to assess changes in offspring microbiome, immune system, epigenome and volatilome as potential mechanisms influencing disease susceptibility. Population: Randomly selected pregnant women from three health areas of Murcia, a south-eastern Mediterranean region of Spain, who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were invited to participate at the time of the follow-up visit for routine foetal anatomy scan at 19–22 weeks of gestation, at the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Unit of the “Virgen de la Arrixaca” University Clinical Hospital over a 36-month period, from March 2015 to April 2018. Design: Prospective, population-based, maternal-child, birth cohort study. Methods: Questionnaires on exposures and outcome variables were administered to mothers at 20–24 gestation week; 32–36 gestation week; and delivery. Children wer

Genome Degradation in Brucella ovis Corresponds with Narrowing of Its Host Range and Tissue Tropism

Brucella ovis is a veterinary pathogen associated with epididymitis in sheep. Despite its genetic similarity to the zoonotic pathogens B. abortus, B. melitensis and B. suis, B. ovis does not cause zoonotic disease. Genomic analysis of the type strain ATCC25840 revealed a high percentage of pseudogenes and increased numbers of transposable elements compared to the zoonotic Brucella species, suggesting that genome degradation has occurred concomitant with narrowing of the host range of B. ovis. The absence of genomic island 2, encoding functions required for lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, as well as inactivation of genes encoding urease, nutrient uptake and utilization, and outer membrane proteins may be factors contributing to the avirulence of B. ovis for humans. A 26.5 kb region of B. ovis ATCC25840 Chromosome II was absent from all the sequenced human pathogenic Brucella genomes, but was present in all of 17 B. ovis isolates tested and in three B. ceti isolates, suggesting that this DNA region may be of use for differentiating B. ovis from other Brucella spp. This is the first genomic analysis of a non-zoonotic Brucella species. The results suggest that inactivation of genes involved in nutrient acquisition and utilization, cell envelope structure and urease may have played a role in narrowing of the tissue tropism and host range of B. ovis

Mucopolysaccharidosis I, II, and VI: Brief review and guidelines for treatment

Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) are rare genetic diseases caused by the deficiency of one of the lysosomal enzymes involved in the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) breakdown pathway. This metabolic block leads to the accumulation of GAG in various organs and tissues of the affected patients, resulting in a multisystemic clinical picture, sometimes including cognitive impairment. Until the beginning of the XXI century, treatment was mainly supportive. Bone marrow transplantation improved the natural course of the disease in some types of MPS, but the morbidity and mortality restricted its use to selected cases. The identification of the genes involved, the new molecular biology tools and the availability of animal models made it possible to develop specific enzyme replacement therapies (ERT) for these diseases. At present, a great number of Brazilian medical centers from all regions of the country have experience with ERT for MPS I, II, and VI, acquired not only through patient treatment but also in clinical trials. Taking the three types of MPS together, over 200 patients have been treated with ERT in our country. This document summarizes the experience of the professionals involved, along with the data available in the international literature, bringing together and harmonizing the information available on the management of these severe and progressive diseases, thus disclosing new prospects for Brazilian patients affected by these conditions