On a long range particle system with unbounded flip rates

We consider an interacting particle system on f0; 1g Z with non-local, unbounded ip rates. Zeroes ip to one at a rate that depends on the number of ones to the right until we see a zero (the ip rate equals times one plus this number). The ip rate of the ones equals . We give motivation for models like this in general, and this one in particular. The system turns out not to be Feller, and we construct it using monotonicity. We show thatfor < the system has a unique non-trivial stationary distribution, which is ergodic, stationary, and has a density ofones of . For the limit is degenerate at f1g Z . Our main tool is an explicit formula for the density of ones at any given moment

Stability and weakly convergent approximations of queuing systems on a circle

We rst consider a nongreedy queueing system on a circle We present a new and very simple proof of the stability of this system un der the appropriate condition based on the average travel times between customers Next we show that the same nongreedy system with a restricted number of customers converges weakly to this system when the restricted number goes to innity Finally we consider a polling network with nitely many service stations in which the server has a greedy service strategy Under the appropriate condition we give a new simple proof of the stability of this syste

A probabilistic approach to Zhang's sandpile model

The current literature on sandpile models mainly deals with the abelian sandpile model (ASM) and its variants. We treat a less known - but equally interesting - model, namely Zhang's sandpile. This model differs in two aspects from the ASM. First, additions are not discrete, but random amounts with a uniform distribution on an interval $[a,b]$. Second, if a site topples - which happens if the amount at that site is larger than a threshold value $E_c$ (which is a model parameter), then it divides its entire content in equal amounts among its neighbors. Zhang conjectured that in the infinite volume limit, this model tends to behave like the ASM in the sense that the stationary measure for the system in large volumes tends to be peaked narrowly around a finite set. This belief is supported by simulations, but so far not by analytical investigations. We study the stationary distribution of this model in one dimension, for several values of $a$ and $b$. When there is only one site, exact computations are possible. Our main result concerns the limit as the number of sites tends to infinity, in the one-dimensional case. We find that the stationary distribution, in the case $a \geq E_c/2$, indeed tends to that of the ASM (up to a scaling factor), in agreement with Zhang's conjecture. For the case $a=0$, $b=1$ we provide strong evidence that the stationary expectation tends to $\sqrt{1/2}$.Comment: 47 pages, 3 figure

Scaling relation for determining the critical threshold for continuum percolation of overlapping discs of two sizes

We study continuum percolation of overlapping circular discs of two sizes. We propose a phenomenological scaling equation for the increase in the effective size of the larger discs due to the presence of the smaller discs. The critical percolation threshold as a function of the ratio of sizes of discs, for different values of the relative areal densities of two discs, can be described in terms of a scaling function of only one variable. The recent accurate Monte Carlo estimates of critical threshold by Quintanilla and Ziff [Phys. Rev. E, 76 051115 (2007)] are in very good agreement with the proposed scaling relation.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

New primary renal diagnosis codes for the ERA-EDTA

The European Renal Association-European Dialysis and Transplant Association (ERA-EDTA) Registry has produced a new set of primary renal diagnosis (PRD) codes that are intended for use by affiliated registries. It is designed specifically for use in renal centres and registries but is aligned with international coding standards supported by the WHO (International Classification of Diseases) and the International Health Terminology Standards Development Organization (SNOMED Clinical Terms). It is available as supplementary material to this paper and free on the internet for non-commercial, clinical, quality improvement and research use, and by agreement with the ERA-EDTA Registry for use by commercial organizations. Conversion between the old and the new PRD codes is possible. The new codes are very flexible and will be actively managed to keep them up-to-date and to ensure that renal medicine can remain at the forefront of the electronic revolution in medicine, epidemiology research and the use of decision support systems to improve the care of patients

Integrated modeling of friction stir welding of 6xxx series Al alloys: Process, microstructure and properties

International audienceCompared to most thermomechanical processing methods, friction stir welding (FSW) is a recent technique which has not yet reached full maturity. Nevertheless, owing to multiple intrinsic advantages, FSW has already replaced conventional welding methods in a variety of industrial applications especially for Al alloys. This provides the impetus for developing a methodology towards optimization, from process to performances, using the most advanced approach available in materials science and thermomechanics. The aim is to obtain a guidance both for process fine tuning and for alloy design. Integrated modeling constitutes a way to accelerate the insertion of the process, especially regarding difficult applications where for instance ductility, fracture toughness, fatigue and/or stress corrosion cracking are key issues. Hence, an integrated modeling framework devoted to the FSW of 6xxx series Al alloys has been established and applied to the 6005A and 6056 alloys. The suite of models involves an in-process temperature evolution model, a microstructure evolution model with an extension to heterogeneous precipitation, a microstructure based strength and strain hardening model, and a micro-mechanics based damage model. The presentation of each model is supplemented by the coverage of relevant recent literature. The "model chain" is assessed towards a wide range of experimental data. The final objective is to present routes for the optimization of the FSW process using both experiments and models. Now, this strategy goes well beyond the case of FSW, illustrating the potential of chain models to support a "material by design approach" from process to performances

In vitro establishment of Salvia hispanica L. plants and callus

El presente trabajo describe la optimización para el establecimiento y mantenimiento de plantas y callos deSalvia hispanica L. (Chia). El establecimiento de los cultivos in vitro se realizó a partir de secciones de tallos.Tanto el AIA como ANA indujeron el desarrollo de raíces adventicias utilizadas a diferentes concentracionessolas o en combinación con citoquininas en condiciones de luz u oscuridad. En oscuridad, la adición de 2,4-D (2.25 μM) indujo el desarrollo de tejido embriogénico, y en iluminación fue promovida la iniciación y elestablecimiento de callos con una alta tasa de crecimiento, los cuales, al principio, fueron verdes pero a lolargo del tiempo fueron perdiendo friabilidad. Por el contrario, cuando se subcultivaron en medio de cultivo MScon las combinaciones de reguladores de crecimiento NAA: kin (0.54 μM:0.46 μM) o Picloram (1.72 μM, 3.43μM) indujeron la formación de callos y mantuvieron su condición de friables por más de dos años. Fue posibledetectar la presencia de aceites esenciales en los callos pero los valores registrados fueron significativamentemenores que en las semillas.Fil: Marconi, Patricia L. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Dr. César Milstein (CONICET); ArgentinaFil: López, María C. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial. INTI-Agroalimentos; ArgentinaFil: De Meester, Jürgen. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Dr. César Milstein (CONICET); ArgentinaFil: Bovjin, Celia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Dr. César Milstein (CONICET); ArgentinaFil: Alvarez, María A. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología Dr. César Milstein (CONICET); Argentin

Infinite volume limit of the Abelian sandpile model in dimensions d >= 3

We study the Abelian sandpile model on Z^d. In dimensions at least 3 we prove existence of the infinite volume addition operator, almost surely with respect to the infinite volume limit mu of the uniform measures on recurrent configurations. We prove the existence of a Markov process with stationary measure mu, and study ergodic properties of this process. The main techniques we use are a connection between the statistics of waves and uniform two-component spanning trees and results on the uniform spanning tree measure on Z^d.Comment: First version: LaTeX; 29 pages. Revised version: LaTeX; 29 pages. The main result of the paper has been extended to all dimensions at least 3, with a new and simplyfied proof of finiteness of the two-component spanning tree. Second revision: LaTeX; 32 page

Public health impact of achieving 80% colorectal cancer screening rates in the United States by 2018

BACKGROUND: The National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable, a national coalition of public, private, and voluntary organizations, has recently announced an initiative to increase colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates in the United States to 80% by 2018. The authors evaluated the potential public health benefits of achieving this goal. METHODS: The authors simulated the 1980 through 2030 United States population of individuals aged 50 to 100 years using microsimulation modeling. Test-specific historical screening rates were based on National Health Interview Survey data for 1987 through 2013. The effects of increasing screening rates from approximately 58% in 2013 to 80% in 2018 were compared to a scenario in which the screening rate remained approximately constant. The outcomes were cancer incidence and mortality rates and numbers of CRC cases and deaths during short-term follow-up (2013-2020) and extended follow-up (2013-2030). RESULTS: Increasing CRC screening rates to 80% by 2018 would reduce CRC incidence rates by 17% and mortality rates by 19% during short-term follow-up and by 22% and 33%, respectively, during extended follow-up. These reductions would amount to a total of 277,000 averted new cancers and 203,000 averted CRC deaths from 2013 through 2030. CONCLUSIONS: Achieving the goal of increasing the uptake of CRC screening in the United States to 80% by 2018 may have a considerable public health impact by averting approximately 280,000 new cancer cases and 200,000 cancer deaths within <20 years

Strict inequalities of critical values in continuum percolation

We consider the supercritical finite-range random connection model where the points $x,y$ of a homogeneous planar Poisson process are connected with probability $f(|y-x|)$ for a given $f$. Performing percolation on the resulting graph, we show that the critical probabilities for site and bond percolation satisfy the strict inequality $p_c^{\rm site} > p_c^{\rm bond}$. We also show that reducing the connection function $f$ strictly increases the critical Poisson intensity. Finally, we deduce that performing a spreading transformation on $f$ (thereby allowing connections over greater distances but with lower probabilities, leaving average degrees unchanged) {\em strictly} reduces the critical Poisson intensity. This is of practical relevance, indicating that in many real networks it is in principle possible to exploit the presence of spread-out, long range connections, to achieve connectivity at a strictly lower density value.Comment: 38 pages, 8 figure