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Ferrera D, Galán D, Peláez I, Carpio A, Martín-Buro MC, Mercado F. Long-term findings on working memory neural dynamics in healthcare workers after mild COVID-19. Clin Neurophysiol 2024; 161:40-51. [PMID: 38447493 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2024.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Understanding the long-term impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on cognitive function, even in mild cases, is critical to the well-being of individuals, especially for healthcare workers who are at increased risk of exposure to the virus. To the best of our knowledge, the electrophysiological activity underlying cognitive functioning has not yet been explored. METHODS Seventy-seven healthcare workers took part in the study (43 with mild infection about one year before the study and 34 uninfected). To assess cognitive status, event-related potentials (ERPs) and behavioural responses were recorded while participants performed a working memory task. RESULTS COVID-19 participants exhibited a distinct neural pattern with lower parieto-occipital N1 amplitudes and higher frontal P2 amplitudes as compared to non-infected healthcare workers. We found no behavioural differences (reaction times and error rates) in working memory functioning between groups. CONCLUSIONS This neural pattern suggests the presence of a decrement of processing resources linked to the encoding of sensory information (N1), followed by the enhanced of the P2 response which could be interpreted as the activation of compensation mechanism in COVID-19 participants. SIGNIFICANCE The current findings point out that ERPs could serve as valuable neural indices for detecting distinctive patterns in working memory functioning of COVID-19 participants, even in mild cases. However, further research is required to precisely ascertain the long-term cognitive effects of COVID-19 beyond one-year post-infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Ferrera
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain; Cognitive Neuroscience, Pain and Rehabilitation Research Group (NECODOR), School of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Diego Galán
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain; Cognitive Neuroscience, Pain and Rehabilitation Research Group (NECODOR), School of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene Peláez
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain; Cognitive Neuroscience, Pain and Rehabilitation Research Group (NECODOR), School of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Carpio
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain; Cognitive Neuroscience, Pain and Rehabilitation Research Group (NECODOR), School of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Carmen Martín-Buro
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain; Cognitive Neuroscience, Pain and Rehabilitation Research Group (NECODOR), School of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Mercado
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain; Cognitive Neuroscience, Pain and Rehabilitation Research Group (NECODOR), School of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain
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Fernandes-Magalhaes R, Carpio A, Ferrera D, Peláez I, De Lahoz ME, Van Ryckeghem D, Van Damme S, Mercado F. Neural mechanisms underlying attentional bias modification in fibromyalgia patients: a double-blind ERP study. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2023:10.1007/s00406-023-01709-4. [PMID: 37980687 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-023-01709-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
There is a growing interest in the potential benefits of attentional bias modification (ABM) training in chronic pain patients. However, studies examining the effectiveness of ABM programs in fibromyalgia patients have demonstrated inconclusive effects on both behavioral indices and clinical symptoms. Additionally, underlying neural dynamics of ABM effects could yield new insights but remain yet unexplored. Current study, therefore, aims to investigate the effects of ABM training on known neural electrophysiological indicators of attentional bias to pain (P2, N2a). Thirty-two fibromyalgia patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to an ABM training (N = 16) or control (N = 16) condition (2 weeks duration). Within the ABM training condition participants performed five sessions consisting of a modified version of the dot-probe task in which patients were trained to avoid facial pain expressions, whereas in the control group participants performed five sessions consisting of a standard version of the dot-probe task. Potential ABM training effects were evaluated by comparing a single pre- and post-treatment session, in which event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded in response to both facial expressions and target stimuli. Furthermore, patients filled out a series of self-report questionnaires assessing anxiety, depression, pain-related worrying, fear of pain, fatigue and pain status. After training, results indicated an overall reduction of the amplitude of the P2 component followed by an enhancement of N2a amplitude for the ABM condition compared to control condition. In addition, scores on anxiety and depression decreased in patients assigned to the training condition. However, we found no effects derived from the training on pain-related and fatigue status. Present study offers new insights related to the possible neural mechanisms underlying the effect of ABM training in fibromyalgia. Clinical trial (TRN: NCT05905159) retrospectively registered (30/05/2023).
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Fernandes-Magalhaes
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Av. Atenas s/n, 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Carpio
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Av. Atenas s/n, 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Ferrera
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Av. Atenas s/n, 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene Peláez
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Av. Atenas s/n, 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Eugenia De Lahoz
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Av. Atenas s/n, 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Dimitri Van Ryckeghem
- Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
- Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Stefaan Van Damme
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Francisco Mercado
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Av. Atenas s/n, 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain.
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Fernandes-Magalhaes R, Carpio A, Ferrera D, Van Ryckeghem D, Peláez I, Barjola P, De Lahoz ME, Martín-Buro MC, Hinojosa JA, Van Damme S, Carretié L, Mercado F. Pain E-motion Faces Database (PEMF): Pain-related micro-clips for emotion research. Behav Res Methods 2023; 55:3831-3844. [PMID: 36253599 PMCID: PMC10615976 DOI: 10.3758/s13428-022-01992-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
A large number of publications have focused on the study of pain expressions. Despite the growing knowledge, the availability of pain-related face databases is still very scarce compared with other emotional facial expressions. The Pain E-Motion Faces Database (PEMF) is a new open-access database currently consisting of 272 micro-clips of 68 different identities. Each model displays one neutral expression and three pain-related facial expressions: posed, spontaneous-algometer and spontaneous-CO2 laser. Normative ratings of pain intensity, valence and arousal were provided by students of three different European universities. Six independent coders carried out a coding process on the facial stimuli based on the Facial Action Coding System (FACS), in which ratings of intensity of pain, valence and arousal were computed for each type of facial expression. Gender and age effects of models across each type of micro-clip were also analysed. Additionally, participants' ability to discriminate the veracity of pain-related facial expressions (i.e., spontaneous vs posed) was explored. Finally, a series of ANOVAs were carried out to test the presence of other basic emotions and common facial action unit (AU) patterns. The main results revealed that posed facial expressions received higher ratings of pain intensity, more negative valence and higher arousal compared with spontaneous pain-related and neutral faces. No differential effects of model gender were found. Participants were unable to accurately discriminate whether a given pain-related face represented spontaneous or posed pain. PEMF thus constitutes a large open-source and reliable set of dynamic pain expressions useful for designing experimental studies focused on pain processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Fernandes-Magalhaes
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Av. Atenas s/n, 28922 Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Carpio
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Av. Atenas s/n, 28922 Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Ferrera
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Av. Atenas s/n, 28922 Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Dimitri Van Ryckeghem
- Department of Experimental Health Psychology, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Irene Peláez
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Av. Atenas s/n, 28922 Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paloma Barjola
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Av. Atenas s/n, 28922 Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Eugenia De Lahoz
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Av. Atenas s/n, 28922 Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Carmen Martín-Buro
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Av. Atenas s/n, 28922 Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - José Antonio Hinojosa
- Insituto Pluridisciplinar, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Departamento de Psicología Experimental, Procesos Cognitivos y Logopedia, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Nebrija en Cognición (CINC), Universidad Nebrija, Madrid, Spain
| | - Stefaan Van Damme
- Department of Experimental-Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Luis Carretié
- Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Mercado
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Av. Atenas s/n, 28922 Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain.
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Ferrera D, Gómez-Esquer F, Peláez I, Barjola P, Fernandes-Magalhaes R, Carpio A, De Lahoz ME, Martín-Buro MC, Mercado F. Working memory dysfunction in fibromyalgia is associated with genotypes of the catechol- O-methyltransferase gene: an event-related potential study. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2023; 273:25-40. [PMID: 36100778 PMCID: PMC9958168 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-022-01488-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Recent findings have associated different COMT genotypes with working memory capacity in patients with fibromyalgia. Although it is thought that the COMT gene may influence neural correlates (P2 and P3 ERP components) underlying working memory impairment in this chronic-pain syndrome, it has not yet been explored. Therefore, the aim of the present research was to investigate the potential effect of the COMT gene in fibromyalgia patients on ERP working memory indices (P2 and P3 components). For this purpose, 102 participants (51 patients and 51 healthy control participants) took part in the experiment. Event-related potentials and behavioral responses were recorded while participants performed a spatial n-back task. Participants had to decide if the stimulus coincided or not in the same location as the one presented one (1-back condition) or two (2-back condition) trials before. Genotypes of the COMT gene were determined through a saliva sample from all participants. Present results significantly showed lower working memory performance (p < 0.05) in patients with fibromyalgia as compared to control participants (higher rate of errors and slower reaction times). At neural level, we found that patients exhibited enhanced frontocentral and parieto-occipital P2 amplitudes compared to control participants (p < 0.05). Interestingly, we also observed that only fibromyalgia patients carrying the Val/Val genotype of the COMT gene showed higher frontocentral P2 amplitudes than control participants (p < 0.05). Current results (behavioral outcomes and P2 amplitudes) confirmed the presence of an alteration in working memory functioning in fibromyalgia. The enhancement of frontocentral P2 could be reflecting that these patients would manifest an inefficient way of activating executive attention processes, in carriers of the Val/Val genotype of COMT. To our knowledge, the present findings are the first linking neural indices of working memory dysfunctions and COMT genotypes in fibromyalgia. Applying a subgroup of patient's strategy based on this genetic marker could be useful to establish more tailored therapeutical approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Ferrera
- grid.28479.300000 0001 2206 5938Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Av. Atenas s/n. 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Gómez-Esquer
- grid.28479.300000 0001 2206 5938Emerging Research Group of Anatomical, Molecular and Human Development Bases, Department of Basic Health Sciences, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene Peláez
- grid.28479.300000 0001 2206 5938Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Av. Atenas s/n. 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paloma Barjola
- grid.28479.300000 0001 2206 5938Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Av. Atenas s/n. 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Roberto Fernandes-Magalhaes
- grid.28479.300000 0001 2206 5938Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Av. Atenas s/n. 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alberto Carpio
- grid.28479.300000 0001 2206 5938Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Av. Atenas s/n. 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Eugenia De Lahoz
- grid.28479.300000 0001 2206 5938Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Av. Atenas s/n. 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Carmen Martín-Buro
- grid.28479.300000 0001 2206 5938Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Av. Atenas s/n. 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Mercado
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Av. Atenas s/n. 28922, Alcorcón, Madrid, Spain.
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González-Albaladejo R, Carpio A, Bonilla LL. Scale-free chaos in the confined Vicsek flocking model. Phys Rev E 2023; 107:014209. [PMID: 36797962 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.107.014209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The Vicsek model encompasses the paradigm of active dry matter. Motivated by collective behavior of insects in swarms, we have studied finite-size effects and criticality in the three-dimensional, harmonically confined Vicsek model. We have discovered a phase transition that exists for appropriate noise and small confinement strength. On the critical line of confinement versus noise, swarms are in a state of scale-free chaos characterized by minimal correlation time, correlation length proportional to swarm size and topological data analysis. The critical line separates dispersed single clusters from confined multicluster swarms. Scale-free chaotic swarms occupy a compact region of space and comprise a recognizable "condensed" nucleus and particles leaving and entering it. Susceptibility, correlation length, dynamic correlation function, and largest Lyapunov exponent obey power laws. The critical line and a narrow criticality region close to it move simultaneously to zero confinement strength for infinitely many particles. At the end of the first chaotic window of confinement, there is another phase transition to infinitely dense clusters of finite size that may be termed flocking black holes.
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Affiliation(s)
- R González-Albaladejo
- Departamento de Matemática Aplicada, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Gregorio Millán Institute for Fluid Dynamics, Nanoscience and Industrial Mathematics, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 28911 Leganés, Spain
| | - A Carpio
- Departamento de Matemática Aplicada, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Gregorio Millán Institute for Fluid Dynamics, Nanoscience and Industrial Mathematics, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 28911 Leganés, Spain
| | - L L Bonilla
- Gregorio Millán Institute for Fluid Dynamics, Nanoscience and Industrial Mathematics, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 28911 Leganés, Spain
- Department of Mathematics, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 28911 Leganés, Spain
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Goldfarb S, Carter J, Arkema A, Abdo N, Carpio A, Chang C, Vahdat L. Flibanserin Improves Libido In Women with Breast Cancer. J Sex Med 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jsxm.2022.05.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
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Fernandes-Magalhaes R, Ferrera D, Peláez I, Martín-Buro MC, Carpio A, De Lahoz ME, Barjola P, Mercado F. Neural correlates of the attentional bias towards pain-related faces in fibromyalgia patients: An ERP study using a dot-probe task. Neuropsychologia 2022; 166:108141. [PMID: 34995568 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2021.108141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of the major cognitive deficits in fibromyalgia has been linked to the hypervigilance phenomenon. It is mainly reflected as a negative bias for allocating attentional resources towards both threatening and pain-related information. Although the interest in its study has recently grown, the neural temporal dynamics of the attentional bias in fibromyalgia still remains an open question. METHOD Fifty participants (25 fibromyalgia patients and 25 healthy control subjects) performed a dot-probe task. Two types of facial expressions (pain-related and neutral) were employed as signal stimuli. Then, as a target stimulus, a single dot replaced the location of one of these two faces. Event-related potentials (ERP) in response to facial expressions and target stimulation (i.e., dot) were recorded. Reaction time (RT) and accuracy measures in the experimental task were collected as behavioural outcomes. RESULTS Temporal dynamics of brain electrical activity were analysed on two ERP components (P2 and N2a) sensitive to the facial expressions meaning. Pain-related faces elicited higher frontal P2 amplitudes than neutral faces for the whole sample. Interestingly, an interaction effect between group and facial expressions was also found showing that pain-related faces elicited enhanced P2 amplitudes (at fronto-central regions, in this case) compared to neutral faces only when the group of patients was considered. Furthermore, higher P2 amplitudes were observed in response to pain-related faces in patients with fibromyalgia compared to healthy control participants. Additionally, a shorter latency of P2 (at centro-parietal regions) was also detected for pain-related facial expressions compared to neutral faces. Regarding the amplitude of N2a, it was lower for patients as compared to the control group. Non-relevant effects of the target stimulation on the ERPs were found. However, patients with fibromyalgia exhibited slower RT to locate the single dot for incongruent trials as compared to congruent and neutral trials. CONCLUSIONS Data suggest the presence of an attentional bias in fibromyalgia that it would be followed by a deficit in the allocation of attentional resources to further process pain-related information. Altogether the current results suggest that attentional biases in fibromyalgia might be explained by automatic attentional mechanisms, which seem to be accompanied by an alteration of more strategic or controlled attentional components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Fernandes-Magalhaes
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain; Clinical Foundation of the Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
| | - David Ferrera
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Irene Peláez
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Alberto Carpio
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Eugenia De Lahoz
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paloma Barjola
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Mercado
- Department of Psychology, School of Health Sciences, Rey Juan Carlos University, Madrid, Spain.
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Carpio A, Arroyo-Manzanares N, Ríos-Moreno A, Garrido-Jurado I, Gámiz-Gracia L, García-Campaña A, Quesada-Moraga E, Arce L. Development of a QuEChERS-based extraction method for the determination of destruxins in potato plants by UHPLC–MS/MS. Talanta 2016; 146:815-22. [DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2015.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2015] [Revised: 06/01/2015] [Accepted: 06/03/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Bonilla LL, Carpio A, Prados A. Theory of force-extension curves for modular proteins and DNA hairpins. Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys 2015; 91:052712. [PMID: 26066204 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.91.052712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
We study a model describing the force-extension curves of modular proteins, nucleic acids, and other biomolecules made out of several single units or modules. At a mesoscopic level of description, the configuration of the system is given by the elongations of each of the units. The system free energy includes a double-well potential for each unit and an elastic nearest-neighbor interaction between them. Minimizing the free energy yields the system equilibrium properties whereas its dynamics is given by (overdamped) Langevin equations for the elongations, in which friction and noise amplitude are related by the fluctuation-dissipation theorem. Our results, both for the equilibrium and the dynamical situations, include analytical and numerical descriptions of the system force-extension curves under force or length control and agree very well with actual experiments in biomolecules. Our conclusions also apply to other physical systems comprising a number of metastable units, such as storage systems or semiconductor superlattices.
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Affiliation(s)
- L L Bonilla
- G. Millán Institute, Fluid Dynamics, Nanoscience and Industrial Mathematics, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 28911 Leganés, Spain
| | - A Carpio
- Departamento de Matemática Aplicada, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - A Prados
- Física Teórica, Universidad de Sevilla, Apartado de Correos 1065, E-41080, Sevilla, Spain
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Abstract
Biofilms are antibiotic-resistant bacterial aggregates that grow on moist surfaces and can trigger hospital-acquired infections. They provide a classical example in biology where the dynamics of cellular communities may be observed and studied. Gene expression regulates cell division and differentiation, which affect the biofilm architecture. Mechanical and chemical processes shape the resulting structure. We gain insight into the interplay between cellular and mechanical processes during biofilm development on air-agar interfaces by means of a hybrid model. Cellular behavior is governed by stochastic rules informed by a cascade of concentration fields for nutrients, waste, and autoinducers. Cellular differentiation and death alter the structure and the mechanical properties of the biofilm, which is deformed according to Föppl-Von Kármán equations informed by cellular processes and the interaction with the substratum. Stiffness gradients due to growth and swelling produce wrinkle branching. We are able to reproduce wrinkled structures often formed by biofilms on air-agar interfaces, as well as spatial distributions of differentiated cells commonly observed with B. subtilis.
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Affiliation(s)
- D R Espeso
- Centro Nacional de Biotecnología, CSIC, Madrid 28049, Spain
| | - A Carpio
- Departamento de Matematica Aplicada, Universidad Complutense, Madrid 28040, Spain
| | - B Einarsson
- Center for Complex and Nonlinear Science, UC Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA
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Carpio A, Esquivel D, Arce L, Romero-Salguero F, Van Der Voort P, Jiménez-Sanchidrián C, Válcarcel M. Evaluation of phenylene-bridged periodic mesoporous organosilica as a stationary phase for solid phase extraction. J Chromatogr A 2014; 1370:25-32. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2014.10.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2014] [Revised: 10/15/2014] [Accepted: 10/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Burneo JG, Escalaya AL, Carpio A, Fleury A, Vega-Gama G, Garcia-Pedroza F, Rueda-Franco F, Gonzalez-Duarte A, Sethi NK, Baird RA, Wiebe S, Zunt JR, Halperin JJ, Roos KL. Evidence-based guideline: Treatment of parenchymal neurocysticercosis: Report of the Guideline Development Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology. Neurology 2013; 81:1474. [DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0b013e3182a7afaf] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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Carpio A, Bonilla-Valverde D, Arce C, Rodríguez-Estévez V, Sánchez-Rodríguez M, Arce L, Valcárcel M. Evaluation of hippuric acid content in goat milk as a marker of feeding regimen. J Dairy Sci 2013; 96:5426-34. [PMID: 23849634 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2012-6396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2012] [Accepted: 05/27/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Organic producers, traders, and consumers must address 2 issues related to milk: authentication of the production system and nutritional differentiation. The presence of hippuric acid (HA) in goat milk samples has been proposed as a possible marker to differentiate the feeding regimen of goats. The objective of this work is to check the hypothesis that HA could be a marker for the type of feeding regimen of goats by studying the influence of production system (conventional or organic) and feeding regimen (with or without grazing fodder). With this purpose, commercial cow and goat milk samples (n=27) and raw goat milk samples (n=185; collected from different breeds, localizations, and dates) were analyzed. Samples were grouped according to breed, feeding regimen, production system, and origin to compare HA content by ANOVA and honestly significant difference Tukey test at a confidence level of ≥95%. Hippuric acid content was obtained by analyzing milk samples with capillary electrophoresis. This method was validated by analyzing part of the samples with HPLC as a reference technique. Sixty-nine raw goat milk samples (of the total 158 samples analyzed in this work) were quantified by capillary electrophoresis. In these samples, the lowest average content for HA was 7±3 mg/L. This value corresponds to a group of conventional raw milk samples from goats fed with compound feed. The highest value of this group was 28±10 mg/L, corresponding to goats fed compound feed plus grass. Conversely, for organic raw goat milk samples, the highest concentration was 67±14 mg/L, which corresponds to goats fed grass. By contrast, the lowest value of this organic group was 26±10 mg/L, which belongs to goats fed organic compounds. Notice that the highest HA average content was found in samples from grazing animals corresponding to the organic group. This result suggests that HA is a good marker to determine the type of goats feeding regimen; a high content of HA represents a diet based mainly or exclusively on eating green grass (grazing), independently of the production system. Hence, this marker would not be useful for the actual organic policies to distinguish organic milk under the current regulations, because organic dairy ruminants can be fed organic compound feed and conserved fodder without grazing at all.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Carpio
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemistry and Nanochemistry, University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
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Prados A, Carpio A, Bonilla LL. Sawtooth patterns in force-extension curves of biomolecules: an equilibrium-statistical-mechanics theory. Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys 2013; 88:012704. [PMID: 23944489 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.88.012704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
We analyze the force-extension curve for a general class of systems, which are described at the mesoscopic level by a free energy depending on the extension of its components. Similarly to what is done in real experiments, the total length of the system is the controlled parameter. This imposes a global constraint in the minimization procedure leading to the equilibrium values of the extensions. As a consequence, the force-extension curve has multiple branches in a certain range of forces. The stability of these branches is governed by the free energy: there are a series of first-order phase transitions at certain values of the total length, in which the free energy itself is continuous but its first derivative, the force, has a finite jump. This behavior is completely similar to that observed in real experiments with biomolecules like proteins and with other complex systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Prados
- Física Teórica, Universidad de Sevilla, Apartado de Correos 1065, E-41080 Sevilla, Spain
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Rodriguez D, Einarsson B, Carpio A. Biofilm growth on rugose surfaces. Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys 2012; 86:061914. [PMID: 23367982 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.86.061914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2012] [Revised: 11/15/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
A stochastic model is used to assess the effect of external parameters on the development of submerged biofilms on smooth and rough surfaces. The model includes basic cellular mechanisms, such as division and spreading, together with an elementary description of the interaction with the surrounding flow and probabilistic rules for extracellular polymeric substance matrix generation, cell decay, and adhesion. Insight into the interplay of competing mechanisms such as the flow or the nutrient concentration change is gained. Erosion and growth processes combined produce biofilm structures moving downstream. A rich variety of patterns are generated: shrinking biofilms, patches, ripplelike structures traveling downstream, fingers, mounds, streamerlike patterns, flat layers, and porous and dendritic structures. The observed regimes depend on the carbon source and the type of bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Rodriguez
- Departamento de Matemática Aplicada, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Prados A, Carpio A, Bonilla LL. Spin-oscillator model for the unzipping of biomolecules by mechanical force. Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys 2012; 86:021919. [PMID: 23005797 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.86.021919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2012] [Revised: 07/08/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
A spin-oscillator system models unzipping of biomolecules (such as DNA, RNA, or proteins) subject to an external force. The system comprises a macroscopic degree of freedom, represented by a one-dimensional oscillator, and internal degrees of freedom, represented by Glauber spins with nearest-neighbor interaction and a coupling constant proportional to the oscillator position. At a critical value F(c) of an applied external force F, the oscillator rest position (order parameter) changes abruptly and the system undergoes a first-order phase transition. When the external force is cycled at different rates, the extension given by the oscillator position exhibits a hysteresis cycle at high loading rates, whereas it moves reversibly over the equilibrium force-extension curve at very low loading rates. Under constant force, the logarithm of the residence time at the stable and metastable oscillator rest position is proportional to F-F(c) as in an Arrhenius law.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Prados
- Física Teórica, Universidad de Sevilla Apartado de Correos 1065, E-41080 Sevilla, Spain
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Bonilla LL, Carpio A, Prados A, Rosales RR. Ripples in a string coupled to Glauber spins. Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys 2012; 85:031125. [PMID: 22587056 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.85.031125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2011] [Revised: 02/17/2012] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Each oscillator in a linear chain (a string) interacts with a local Ising spin in contact with a thermal bath. These spins evolve according to Glauber dynamics. Below a critical temperature, there appears an equilibrium, time-independent, rippled state in the string that is accompanied by a nonzero spin polarization. On the other hand, the system is shown to form "metastable," nonequilibrium long-lived ripples in the string for slow spin relaxation. The system vibrates rapidly about these quasistationary states, which can be described as snapshots of a coarse-grained stroboscopic map. For moderate observation times, ripples are observed irrespective of the final thermodynamically stable state (rippled or not). Interestingly, the system can be considered as a "minimal" model to understand rippling in clamped graphene sheets.
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Affiliation(s)
- L L Bonilla
- G. Millán Institute for Fluid Dynamics, Nanoscience and Industrial Mathematics, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 28911 Leganés, Spain
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Kelvin EA, Carpio A, Bagiella E, Leslie D, Leon P, Andrews H, Hauser WA. The association of host age and gender with inflammation around neurocysticercosis cysts. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 2010; 103:487-99. [PMID: 19695154 DOI: 10.1179/000349809x12459740922291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
The results of previous investigations indicate that age and gender may influence the strength of the human host's immune response to infection of the central nervous system with the larvae of Taenia solium. Most of the relevant research on such neurocysticercosis (NCC) has, however, been conducted on hospital-based samples in developing countries, where differential access to healthcare may bias the study results. Using data from 171 NCC patients participating in a treatment trial, the associations of patient age and gender with the presence of inflammation around NCC cysts (i.e. cysts in the transitional phase) have recently been explored, after controlling for measures of economic and geographical access to healthcare. Data on cysts were collected from computed-tomography or magnetic-resonance images taken at four time-points, from baseline to 12-months post-treatment. The odds of having transitional cysts were evaluated by logistic regression whereas Poisson regression was used to explore the numbers of transitional cysts, with generalised estimating equations (GEE) used to account for the multiple observations over time. After controlling for healthcare access, the odds of having transitional cysts were found to be 1.5-fold higher for the female patients than for the male, although this association was not statistically significant (P = 0.136). In the Poisson model, however, the number of transitional cysts was found to be 1.8-fold higher in the female patients than in the male, and this gender effect was not only statistically significant (P = 0.002) but also constant over time. The association of host age with transitional cysts was more complicated, with significant interaction between age and time. It therefore appears that there are significant gender and age differences in the local immune response to NCC, even after adjusting for differences in healthcare access.
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Affiliation(s)
- E A Kelvin
- HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
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Carpio A, Kelvin EA, Bagiella E, Leslie D, Leon P, Andrews H, Hauser WA. Effects of albendazole treatment on neurocysticercosis: a randomised controlled trial. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2008; 79:1050-5. [PMID: 18495737 DOI: 10.1136/jnnp.2008.144899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
AIM The aim of this trial was to evaluate the effects of albendazole (ALB) on cyst disappearance, reduction of the number of cysts and seizure recurrence. METHODS 178 patients with new onset symptoms due to active or transitional neurocysticercosis were randomly assigned to receive either 800 mg of ALB daily or placebo for 8 days. All patients also received prednisone. Imaging studies were done at baseline and at months 1, 6 and 12 of follow-up. RESULTS Active cysts were identified in 59 of 88 people randomised to ALB and 57 of the 90 in the placebo arm. By 1 month, 31% were free of active cysts in the treatment group compared with 7% in the placebo group (p = 0.001). In addition, the ALB group had a greater reduction in the number of active cysts compared with the placebo group (p = 0.001). After 1 month following treatment there was no additional gain by treatment group in the disappearance or reduction in the number of active cysts. ALB treatment had little effect on cysts in the transitional or calcification stage. We found no difference between the ALB and placebo groups in symptoms during treatment or in seizure recurrence during the 12 months after treatment. CONCLUSION Albendazole plus symptomatic treatment leads to the disappearance of active cysts in 31% of patients compared with 7% of those with symptomatic treatment alone. This treatment effect occurs within the first 30 days after treatment. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT00283699.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Carpio
- School of Medicine, University of Cuenca, Cuenca, Ecuador
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Abstract
During the last two decades, there has been a renewed interest in studying epidemiology of epilepsy in developing countries. While there are data on prevalence of epilepsy from many developing countries, there is very little information on the mortality of epilepsy in these same populations. This is because incidence studies of epilepsy are difficult to perform, death certificates are unreliable and often unavailable, and the cause of death is difficult to determine. We report on several studies of mortality in epilepsy in developing countries: Ecuador; the Parsi community of Bombay; a semiurban community in Vasai, India; Mali; Martinique; and Africa. Overall, these studies in general illustrate excess mortality among people with epilepsy when compared with the general population.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Carpio
- School of Medicine and Research Institute, University of Cuenca, Ecuador.
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Carpio A. Asymptotic construction of pulses in the discrete Hodgkin-Huxley model for myelinated nerves. Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys 2005; 72:011905. [PMID: 16089999 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.72.011905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2004] [Revised: 03/29/2005] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
A quantitative description of pulses and wave trains in the spatially discrete Hodgkin-Huxley model for myelinated nerves is given. Predictions of the shape and speed of the waves and the thresholds for propagation failure are obtained. Our asymptotic predictions agree quite well with numerical solutions of the model and describe wave patterns generated by repeated firing at a boundary.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Carpio
- Departamento de Matemática Aplicada, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Spain.
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Neu JC, Bonilla LL, Carpio A. Igniting homogeneous nucleation. Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys 2005; 71:021601. [PMID: 15783331 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.71.021601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2004] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Transient homogeneous nucleation is studied in the limit of large critical sizes. Starting from pure monomers, three eras of transient nucleation are characterized in the classic Becker-Döring kinetic equations with two different models of discrete diffusivity: the classic Turnbull-Fisher formula and an expression describing thermally driven growth of the nucleus. The latter diffusivity yields time lags for nucleation which are much closer to values measured in experiments with disilicate glasses. After an initial stage in which the number of monomers decreases, many clusters of small size are produced and a continuous size distribution is created. During the second era, nucleii are increasing steadily in size in such a way that their distribution appears as a wave front advancing towards the critical size for steady nucleation. The nucleation rate at critical size is negligible during this era. After the wave front reaches critical size, it ignites the creation of supercritical clusters at a rate that increases monotonically until its steady value is reached. Analytical formulas for the transient nucleation rate and the time lag are obtained that improve classical ones and compare very well with direct numerical solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- J C Neu
- Department of Mathematics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
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Abstract
We present a stability theory for kink propagation in chains of coupled oscillators and a different algorithm for the numerical study of kink dynamics. The numerical solutions are computed using an equivalent integral equation instead of a system of differential equations. This avoids uncertainty about the impact of artificial boundary conditions and discretization in time. Stability results also follow from the integral version. Stable kinks have a monotone leading edge and move with a velocity larger than a critical value which depends on the damping strength.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Carpio
- Departamento de Matemática Aplicada, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
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Guijo T, Fuentes L, Carpio A, Pardo J, Iglesias A, López A. Tuberculosis gastroduodenal: una causa de estenosis pilórica. Gastroenterol Hepatol 2003. [DOI: 10.1157/13054453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Cutter AC, Davis LE, Burneo J, Chakravarty A, Hauser WA, Carpio A. Prognosis for seizure recurrence in patients with newly diagnosed neurocysticercosis. Neurology 2003. [DOI: 10.1212/wnl.60.11.1873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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Carpio A, Bonilla LL. Oscillatory wave fronts in chains of coupled nonlinear oscillators. Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys 2003; 67:056621. [PMID: 12786310 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.67.056621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2003] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Wave front pinning and propagation in damped chains of coupled oscillators are studied. There are two important thresholds for an applied constant stress F: for |F|<F(cd) (dynamic Peierls stress), wave fronts fail to propagate, for F(cd)<|F|<F(cs) stable static and moving wave fronts coexist, and for |F|>F(cs) (static Peierls stress) there are only stable moving wave fronts. For piecewise linear models, extending an exact method of Atkinson and Cabrera's to chains with damped dynamics corroborates this description. For smooth nonlinearities, an approximate analytical description is found by means of the active point theory. Generically for small or zero damping, stable wave front profiles are nonmonotone and become wavy (oscillatory) in one of their tails.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Carpio
- Departamento de Matemática Aplicada, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
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Carpio A, Bonilla LL. Edge dislocations in crystal structures considered as traveling waves in discrete models. Phys Rev Lett 2003; 90:135502. [PMID: 12689302 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.90.135502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2002] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The static stress needed to depin a 2D edge dislocation, the lower dynamic stress needed to keep it moving, its velocity, and displacement vector profile are calculated from first principles. We use a simplified discrete model whose far field distortion tensor decays algebraically with distance as in the usual elasticity. Dislocation depinning in the strongly overdamped case (including the effect of fluctuations) is analytically described. N parallel edge dislocations whose average interdislocation distance divided by the Burgers vector of a single dislocation is L>>1 can depin a given one if N=O(L). Then a limiting dislocation density can be defined and calculated in simple cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Carpio
- Departamento de Matemática Aplicada, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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29
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Guijo TM, Fuentes L, Carpio A, Pardo J, Iglesias A, López A. Tuberculosis Gastroduodenal: Una Causa De Estenosis Pilórica. Gastroenterología y Hepatología 2003; 26:614. [PMID: 14642246 DOI: 10.1016/s0210-5705(03)70415-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
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Carpio A, Bonilla LL, Luzón A. Effects of disorder on the wave front depinning transition in spatially discrete systems. Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys 2002; 65:035207. [PMID: 11909150 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.65.035207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2001] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Pinning and depinning of wave fronts are ubiquitous features of spatially discrete systems describing a host of phenomena in physics, biology, etc. A large class of discrete systems is described by overdamped chains of nonlinear oscillators with nearest-neighbor coupling and subject to random external forces. The presence of weak randomness shrinks the pinning interval and it changes the critical exponent of the wave front depinning transition from 1/2 to 3/2. This effect is derived by means of a recent asymptotic theory of the depinning transition, extended to discrete drift-diffusion models of transport in semiconductor superlattices and is confirmed by numerical calculations.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Carpio
- Departamento de Matemática Aplicada, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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Carpio A, Bonilla LL, Dell'Acqua G. Motion of wave fronts in semiconductor superlattices. Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys 2001; 64:036204. [PMID: 11580419 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.64.036204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2001] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
An analysis of wave front motion in weakly coupled doped semiconductor superlattices is presented. If a dimensionless doping is sufficiently large, the superlattice behaves as a discrete system presenting front propagation failure and the wave fronts can be described near the threshold currents J(i) (i=1,2) at which they depin and move. The wave front velocity scales with current as |J-J(i)|(1/2). If the dimensionless doping is low enough, the superlattice behaves as a continuum system and wave fronts are essentially shock waves whose velocity obeys an equal area rule.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Carpio
- Departamento de Matemática Aplicada, Universidad Complutense, Madrid 28040, Spain
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Carpio A, Bonilla LL. Wave front depinning transition in discrete one-dimensional reaction-diffusion systems. Phys Rev Lett 2001; 86:6034-6037. [PMID: 11415422 DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.86.6034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2001] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Pinning and depinning of wave fronts are ubiquitous features of spatially discrete systems describing a host of phenomena in physics, biology, etc. A large class of discrete systems is described by overdamped chains of nonlinear oscillators with nearest-neighbor coupling and controlled by constant external forces. A theory of the depinning transition for these systems, including scaling laws and asymptotics of wave fronts, is presented and confirmed by numerical calculations.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Carpio
- Departamento de Matemática Aplicada, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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Carpio A, Bonilla LL, Wacker A, Scholl E. Wave fronts may move upstream in semiconductor superlattices. Phys Rev E Stat Phys Plasmas Fluids Relat Interdiscip Topics 2000; 61:4866-76. [PMID: 11031528 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.61.4866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/1999] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
In weakly coupled, current biased, doped semiconductor superlattices, domain walls may move upstream against the flow of electrons. For appropriate doping values, a domain wall separating two electric-field domains moves downstream below a first critical current, it remains stationary between this value and a second critical current, and then moves upstream above. These conclusions are reached by using a comparison principle to analyze a discrete drift-diffusion model, and validated by numerical simulations. Possible experimental realizations are suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Carpio
- Departamento de Matematica Aplicada, Universidad Complutense, Madrid, Spain
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Abstract
Neurocysticercosis is a disease of poverty and underdevelopment. Little is known about the natural history of the infection in humans, but some of the mechanisms whereby the parasite remains silent and evades the host immune response are understood. Symptomatic neurocysticercosis usually results from host inflammatory response after parasite death, and the clinical manifestations can be diverse. There is no evidence that cysticidal treatment does more good than harm in addition to conventional antiepileptic treatment. Population control measures involving immunisation or mass treatment have not shown long term effectiveness.Epilepsy, similarly to neurocysticercosis, is a largely unrecognised but increasing burden on the welfare and economies of developing countries. The technology of drug treatment and psychosocial rehabilitation is well known but requires widespread and effective dissemination at low cost. There is little epidemiological data on risk factors for epilepsy in developing countries on which to base prevention strategies. The public health prioritisation of chronic disorders such as epilepsy remains a challenge for policy and practice in developing countries. For both neurocysticercosis and epilepsy, there is a dilemma about whether limited public resources would better be spent on general economic development, which would be expected to have a broad impact on the health and welfare of communities, or on specific programmes to help individual affected people with neurocysticercosis and epilepsy. Either approach requires detailed economic evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- D K Pal
- Neurosciences Unit, Institute of Child Health, University College London, UK.
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Abstract
The prevalence of neurocysticercosis has been well documented in rural communities in Latin America using the enzyme-linked inmmunoelectrotransfer blot (EITB) assay. We studied the prevalence of neurocysticercosis in an urban, upper-middle class population in Cuenca, Ecuador. Family members of 34 index cases with parenchymal neurocysticercosis on a computed tomography (CT) scan and family members of 14 patients who had normal CT scans after a trauma or migraine were enrolled in the study. Serum was obtained from 226 individuals, 173 (72%) from the case families and 67 (28%) from the control families. Twelve percent of the case family members and 4% of the control family members were seropositive by the EITB assay. This was a statistically significant difference (P < 0.05) when age and education were held constant by logistic regression. Seropositivity was not related to age. No neurologic symptom proved predictive of serostatus and the only demographic variable that correlated with seropositivity was increased crowding. Positive serology in index cases did correlate with CT findings as follows: 86% of patients with active lesions, 67% with transitional lesions, and only 41% of patients with inactive lesions were positive by the EITB assay. Eighteen percent of family members with a positive EITB test result had parenchymal lesions on a subsequent CT scan. This study demonstrates a high rate of seropositivity of cysticercosis among urban, middle to upper-middle class individuals in a region endemic for Taenia solium. Household contacts of patients with neurocysticercosis had a three-fold higher risk of positive serology for cysticercosis, in comparison with controls.
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Affiliation(s)
- K A Goodman
- Stanford University School of Medicine, California, USA
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Abstract
Neurocysticercosis (NC) remains a major public health problem in developing and some developed countries. Currently, the best procedures for diagnosing NC are neuroimaging studies. Immunoserologic assays, such as enzyme-linked immunoelectrotransfer blot assay (EITB) or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), detect antibodies against Taenia solium, or cysticercus. Consequently, they are useful in identifying a population at risk of contact with the parasite but do not necessarily indicate a systemic active infection. Most seropositive individuals are asymptomatic. No data from prospective studies concern the proportion of these individuals that will develop seizures or other neurologic symptoms. There is a discrepancy between the results of serologic assays and neuroimaging studies: >50% of those individuals with NC diagnosed by computed tomography (CT) scan test EITB negative. Pathophysiologic classification of NC into active, transitional, and inactive forms permits a good correlation between clinical manifestations and neuroimaging procedures and facilitates medical and surgical management and research. The most frequent clinical manifestations of NC are seizures. We assume that NC is the main cause of symptomatic epilepsy in developing countries; however, no case-control or cohort studies demonstrate this association. Most patients with NC with seizures have a good prognosis; nevertheless, further studies analyzing factors related to recurrence of seizures and possibilities of discontinuation of antiepileptic medications (AEDs) are needed. Regarding treatment of NC with antihelminthic drugs, no controlled clinical trials exist that establish specific indications, definitive doses, and duration of treatment. The most effective approach to taeniasis/cysticercosis infection is prevention. This should be a primary public health focus for developing countries. We critically review the available information regarding the epidemiology and diagnosis of human cysticercosis, the physiopathology and imaging correlation of the parasite in the central nervous system (CNS) of the host, the relation between seizures or epilepsy and NC, and the issues surrounding the treatment and prognosis of NC, including the use of antihelminthic therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Carpio
- Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute, University of Cuenca, Ecuador
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de Bittencourt PR, Adamolekum B, Bharucha N, Carpio A, Cossío OH, Danesi MA, Dumas M, Meinardi H, Ordinario A, Senanayake N, Shakir R, Sotelo J. Epilepsy in the tropics: I. Epidemiology, socioeconomic risk factors, and etiology. Epilepsia 1996; 37:1121-7. [PMID: 8917065 DOI: 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1996.tb01035.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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de Bittencourt PR, Adamolekum B, Bharucha N, Carpio A, Cossío OH, Danesi MA, Dumas M, Fernandes JG, Genton P, Manreza ML, Meinardi H, Ordinario A, Senanayake N, Shakir R, Singhal BS, Sotelo J. Epilepsy in the tropics: II. Clinical presentations, pathophysiology, immunologic diagnosis, economics, and therapy. Epilepsia 1996; 37:1128-37. [PMID: 8917066 DOI: 10.1111/j.1528-1157.1996.tb01036.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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Carpio A, Santillán F, León P, Flores C, Hauser WA. Is the course of neurocysticercosis modified by treatment with antihelminthic agents? Arch Intern Med 1995; 155:1982-8. [PMID: 7575052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neurocysticercosis, occasionally associated with long-term neurologic sequelae such as epilepsy or hydrocephalus, is more often a condition characterized by a benign course and spontaneous remission without permanent neurologic symptoms. This variability in outcome has led to difficulties in the interpretation of studies of the effectiveness of drugs used to treat this condition. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the relative efficacy of two antihelminthic agents against each other and against symptomatic treatment alone. METHODS Randomized clinical trial of treatment of patients with newly identified active neurocysticercosis with oral prednisolone alone (27 patients), praziquantel with prednisolone (54 patients), or albendazole with prednisolone (57 patients). RESULTS At 6 months and at 1 year after treatment, there were no differences in the three treatment groups in terms of the proportion of patients who were free of cysts or the relative reduction of number of cysts. At 2 years, there was no difference in the proportion of patients free of seizures during the entire follow-up period. Early and late sequelae occurred in a higher proportion of patients treated with praziquantel and albendazole, compared with those receiving only prednisolone. CONCLUSIONS Previous reports of favorable response to treatment of neurocysticercosis with either praziquantel or albendazole are by no means definitive and may be a reflection of the natural history of the condition. The present study, with randomized treatment assignment and including a control group, raises questions as to what extent and in whom treatment with these drugs is effective, and suggests that treatment with antihelminthic agents may be associated with an increased frequency of long-term sequelae.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Carpio
- School of Medicine and Research Institute of Health Sciences, University of Cuenca, Ecuador
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Abstract
The complicated pathophysiological and immunological changes in the central nervous system of patients with neurocysticercosis produce a variety of signs and symptoms, which complicate the clinical and surgical management of this disease. A complete and objective classification is needed, to improve the medical approach as a whole. We studied 336 patients, in whom we classified neurocysticerosis according to criteria of viability and location of the parasite in the CNS: active form (37.2%) when the cysticercus is alive, transitional form (32.8%) when it is in the degenerative phase, and inactive form (30%) when the parasite is dead. This classification establishes the correlation between the different forms of neurocysticerosis and its clinical manifestations, and can be used for planning therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Carpio
- School of Medicine, University of Cuenca, Ecuador
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Carpio A, Placenua M. Definition of contemporary surgical management in cisternal and parenchymatous cysticercosis cerebri. Neurosurgery 1992; 30:968-9. [PMID: 1614608 DOI: 10.1227/00006123-199206000-00035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
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Escobar A, Carpio A. [Mental disorders as a manifestation of temporal lobe epilepsy]. GAC MED MEX 1981; 117:142-7. [PMID: 7327354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
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Escobar A, Carpio A. [Tuberculous meningoencephalitis]. GAC MED MEX 1980; 116:549-56. [PMID: 7262483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
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Carpio A, Martín F, Carnicero M, Pérez J, Oterino D, Castillo C. [Tuberculosis and pregnancy]. Rev Clin Esp 1973; 129:381-8. [PMID: 4720284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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Carpio A, Martín F, Rosi P. [Death caused by hydatid vomica]. Rev Clin Esp 1973; 128:263-4. [PMID: 4699116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
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Martín RS, Polo J, Carpio A. [Present status of throacoplasty in the surgical treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis]. Rev Clin Esp 1966; 103:392-5. [PMID: 5999026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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Sastre Martín R, Polo JJ, Carpio A. [Hidatidosis pleuropulmonary]. Rev Clin Esp 1966; 102:224-6. [PMID: 5997887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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