A
bstract
Starting from the recent action proposed by Sen
1
,
2
, we evaluate the partition function of the compact chiral boson on a two-dimensional torus using a path-integral formulation. ...Crucially, we use a Wick-rotation procedure obtained from a complex deformation of the physical spacetime metric. This directly reproduces the expected result including general characteristics for the theta functions. We also present results for the chiral 2-form potential in six dimensions which can be readily extended to 4
k
+2 dimensions.
Aims/hypothesis The FinnDiane Study has reported that mortality in type 1 diabetes is not increased over a 7 year follow-up in the absence of renal disease (RD). Using the Pittsburgh Epidemiology of ...Diabetes Complications (EDC) Study population (n = 658) of childhood-onset type 1 diabetes (age <17 years), the present study sought to replicate and expand these findings to a 20 year follow-up (as of 1 January 2008) and examine cause of death by renal status. Methods At baseline (1986-1988), mean age and duration of diabetes were 28 and 19 years, respectively. RD was defined as an albumin excretion rate ≥20 μg/min from multiple samples and grouped as microalbuminuria (MA; 20-200 μg/min), overt nephropathy (ON; >200 μg/min), or end stage renal disease (ESRD; dialysis or renal transplantation). Results At baseline, 311 (47.3%) individuals had RD (MA 21.3%, ON 22.2% and ESRD 3.8%). During a median 20 year follow-up, there were 152 deaths (23.1%). Mortality was 6.2 (95% CI 5.2-7.2) times higher than expected, with standardised mortality ratios of 2.0 (1.2-2.8) for normoalbuminuria (NA); 6.4 (4.4-8.4) for MA; 12.5 (9.5-15.4) for ON; and 29.8 (16.8-42.9) for ESRD. Excluding those (n = 64) with NA who later progressed to RD, no significant excess mortality was observed in the remaining NA group (1.2, 0.5-1.9), whose deaths were largely unrelated to diabetes. Conclusions/interpretation These data confirm the importance of RD, including persistent microalbuminuria, as a marker of mortality risk and suggest that type 1 diabetes patients without renal disease achieve long-term survival comparable to the general population.
Diabet. Med. 27, 398–404 (2010)
Aims Time trends in overweight and obesity in the general population have been well documented; however, temporal patterns in Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) have not been ...thoroughly investigated. We therefore assessed temporal patterns in overweight and obesity and predictors of weight change in 589 individuals from the Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications Study, a cohort of childhood‐onset T1DM.
Methods Participants were first seen in 1986–1988, when mean age and diabetes duration were 29 and 20 years, respectively, and biennially thereafter for 18 years. Overweight was defined as 25.0 ≤ body mass index (BMI) < 30.0 kg/m2. Obesity was defined as BMI ≥ 30.0 kg/m2.
Results At baseline, the prevalence of overweight and obesity were 28.6% and 3.4%, respectively. After 18 years’ follow‐up, the prevalence of overweight increased by 47% while the prevalence of obesity increased sevenfold. Seven per cent were on intensive insulin therapy (≥ 3 insulin injections per day or on insulin pump) at baseline; by 2004–2007, this was 82%. Predictors of weight change were a higher baseline HbA1c, symptomatic autonomic neuropathy (inversely), overt nephropathy (inversely), and going onto intensive insulin therapy during follow‐up.
Conclusions These data demonstrate dramatic weight gain in T1DM and underscore the complexity of weight change in this disease.
A
bstract
We construct five-dimensional non-Lorentzian Lagrangian gauge field theories with an SU(1
,
3) conformal symmetry and 12 (conformal) supersymmetries. Such theories are interesting in their ...own right but can arise from six-dimensional (1, 0) superconformal field theories on a conformally compactified Minkowski spacetime. In the limit that the conformal compactification is removed the Lagrangians we find give field theory formulations of DLCQ constructions of six-dimensional (1
,
0) conformal field theories.
New edge-directed interpolation Xin Li; Orchard, M.T.
IEEE transactions on image processing,
10/2001, Letnik:
10, Številka:
10
Journal Article
Recenzirano
This paper proposes an edge-directed interpolation algorithm for natural images. The basic idea is to first estimate local covariance coefficients from a low-resolution image and then use these ...covariance estimates to adapt the interpolation at a higher resolution based on the geometric duality between the low-resolution covariance and the high-resolution covariance. The edge-directed property of covariance-based adaptation attributes to its capability of tuning the interpolation coefficients to match an arbitrarily oriented step edge. A hybrid approach of switching between bilinear interpolation and covariance-based adaptive interpolation is proposed to reduce the overall computational complexity. Two important applications of the new interpolation algorithm are studied: resolution enhancement of grayscale images and reconstruction of color images from CCD samples. Simulation results demonstrate that our new interpolation algorithm substantially improves the subjective quality of the interpolated images over conventional linear interpolation.
Diabet. Med. 30, 46–55 (2013)
Aims Whether long‐term cardiovascular risk is reduced by the Diabetes Prevention Program interventions is unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the long‐term ...differences in cardiovascular disease risk factors and the use of lipid and blood pressure medications by the original Diabetes Prevention Program intervention group.
Methods This long‐term follow‐up (median 10 years, interquartile range 9.0–10.5) of the three‐arm Diabetes Prevention Program randomized controlled clinical trial (metformin, intensive lifestyle and placebo), performed on 2766 (88%) of the Diabetes Prevention Program participants (who originally had impaired glucose tolerance), comprised a mean of 3.2 years of randomized treatment, approximately 1‐year transition (during which all participants were offered intensive lifestyle intervention) and 5 years follow‐up (Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study). During the study, participants were followed in their original groups with their clinical care being provided by practitioners outside the research setting. The study determined lipoprotein profiles and blood pressure and medication use annually.
Results After 10 years’ follow‐up from Diabetes Prevention Program baseline, major reductions were seen for systolic (−2 to −3) and diastolic (−6 to −6.5 mmHg) blood pressure, and for LDL cholesterol (−0.51 to −0.6 mmol/l) and triglycerides (−0.23 to −0.25 mmol/l) in all groups, with no between‐group differences. HDL cholesterol also rose significantly (0.14 to 0.15 mmol/l) in all groups. Lipid (P = 0.01) and blood pressure (P = 0.09) medication use, however, were lower for the lifestyle group during the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study.
Conclusion Overall, intensive lifestyle intervention achieved, with less medication, a comparable long‐term effect on cardiovascular disease risk factors, to that seen in the metformin and placebo groups.
The management of inflammatory bowel disease represents a key component of clinical practice for members of the British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG). There has been considerable progress in ...management strategies affecting all aspects of clinical care since the publication of previous BSG guidelines in 2004, necessitating the present revision. Key components of the present document worthy of attention as having been subject to re-assessment, and revision, and having direct impact on practice include: The data generated by the nationwide audits of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) management in the UK in 2006, and 2008. The publication of 'Quality Care: service standards for the healthcare of people with IBD' in 2009. The introduction of the Montreal classification for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The revision of recommendations for the use of immunosuppressive therapy. The detailed analysis, guidelines and recommendations for the safe and appropriate use of biological therapies in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The reassessment of the role of surgery in disease management, with emphasis on the importance of multi-disciplinary decision-making in complex cases. The availablity of new data on the role of reconstructive surgery in ulcerative colitis. The cross-referencing to revised guidelines for colonoscopic surveillance, for the management of metabolic bone disease, and for the care of children with inflammatory bowel disease. Use of the BSG discussion forum available on the BSG website to enable ongoing feedback on the published document http://www.bsg.org.uk/forum (accessed Oct 2010). The present document is intended primarily for the use of clinicians in the United Kingdom, and serves to replace the previous BSG guidelines in IBD, while complementing recent consensus statements published by the European Crohn's and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) https://www.ecco-ibd.eu/index.php (accessed Oct 2010).
Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2011; 34: 113–124
Summary
Background There is no international agreement on scoring systems used to measure disease activity in ulcerative colitis, nor is there a validated ...definition for disease remission.
Aim To review the principles and components for defining remission in ulcerative colitis and propose a definition that will help improve patient outcomes.
Methods A review of current standards of remission from the perspective of clinical trials, guidelines, clinical practice and patients was conducted by the authors. Selected literature focused on the components of a definition of remission, the utility of a definition and treatment strategies, based on current definitions.
Results Different definitions of remission affect the assessment of outcome and make it difficult to compare trials. In the clinic, endoscopy is rarely used to confirm remission, because mucosal healing has only recently begun to be related to the duration of subsequent remission in a way that will affect clinical practice. Histopathology may be the ultimate arbiter of mucosal healing. There is no agreement on the definition of remission in current guidelines. Patient‐defined remission may predict endoscopic remission, but has yet to be shown to predict duration of remission.
Conclusions A standard based on clinical symptoms and endoscopy is proposed. Histopathology is a third dimension of remission that may have prognostic value. The definition of remission should help predict long‐term outcome. The expectations of patients and their physicians need to be raised, as the goal of treatment of active ulcerative colitis should be to induce remission.
Background: There are limited data on factors predicting response to azathioprine and uncertainty regarding the optimal duration of treatment. Patients and methods: The notes of patients attending ...the Oxford IBD clinic from 1968 to 1999 were reviewed. Remission was defined as no need for oral steroids for at least three months and relapse was defined as active disease requiring steroids. Results: A total of 622 of 2205 patients were treated with azathioprine (272 Crohn's disease, 346 ulcerative colitis, and four indeterminate colitis). Mean duration of the initial course of treatment was 634 days. The overall remission rates were 45% for Crohn's disease and 58% for ulcerative colitis. For the 424 patients who received more than six months of treatment, remission rates were 64% and 87%, respectively. Factors favouring remission were ulcerative colitis (p=0.0001), lower white blood cell (WBC) or neutrophil count (p=0.0001), higher mean cell volume (p=0.0001), and older age (p=0.05). For Crohn's disease, colonic disease favoured remission (p=0.03). Factors that were not significant were age, sex, lymphocyte count, and dose (mg/kg). The proportion of patients remaining in remission at one, three, and five years was 0.95, 0.69, and 0.55, respectively. The chance of remaining in remission was higher if WBC was less than 5×109 (p=0.03) and in male patients (p=0.01; Crohn's disease only). There was no difference in relapse rates between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. After stopping azathioprine, the proportion of patients remaining in remission at one, three, and five years was 0.63, 0.44, and 0.35 (222 patients). Duration of azathioprine treatment did not affect the relapse rate after stopping treatment (p=0.68). Conclusions: Azathioprine is effective treatment for ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. The efficacy of azathioprine is reasonably well sustained over five years.
Diabet. Med. 27, 234–237 (2010)
Aims To examine the relationship between depressive symptomatology, diabetes‐related distress and aspects of diabetes self‐care in a cohort of individuals with Type 1 ...diabetes.
Methods Individuals with Type 1 diabetes taking part in the Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications Study completed the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES‐D) Scale and the Problem Areas in Diabetes (PAID) scale. Self‐care was measured by physical activity in the past week and over the previous year, frequency of blood glucose/urine testing, smoking status and alcohol intake.
Results Clinically significant levels of depressive symptomatology (i.e. scores ≥ 16) were reported by 14% of the study population on the BDI and by 18% on the CES‐D. There were strong correlations between depressive symptoms and diabetes‐related distress (PAID scores) and physical activity. Multivariate analyses indicated that depression was independently associated with diabetes‐related distress scores and with physical activity, but not with frequency of blood glucose testing.
Conclusions These findings have implications for clinical practice and treatment of both psychological morbidity and diabetes. There may be significant effects of depression on aspects of diabetes self‐care. Further prospective studies are required to confirm these findings.
PDF
