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Multiscale integration schemes for jump-diffusion systems
We study a two-time-scale system of jump-diffusion stochastic differential equations. We analyze a class of multiscale integration methods for these systems, which, in the spirit of [1], consist of a hybridization between a standard solver for the slow components and short runs for the fast dynamics, which are used to estimate the effect that the fast components have on the slow ones. We obtain explicit bounds for the discrepancy between the results of the multiscale integration method and the slow components of the original system
Learning to mentalize: a mediational approach for caregivers and therapists
Mentalization-based therapies (MBTs) are rigorous, theoretically grounded, and evidence-based
interventions. However, dissemination of this psychodynamically informed intervention lags behind
that of more skills-based therapies because of a lack of concrete operationalization of its key
components. In this proof-of-concept paper, we describe how the learning (mediational)
components of an educational intervention, the Mediational Intervention for Sensitizing Caregivers
(MISC), can operationalize key components of MBTs in behaviorally anchored ways. We suggest
that the process of the recovery of mentalizing can be operationalized through five learning
components: focusing, affecting, expanding, rewarding, and regulating. In operationalizing the
process of rebuilding mentalizing using these observable, behaviorally anchored concepts focusing
on creating epistemic trust, we hope to increase the accessibility of MBTs to a wider audience
Effective dynamics using conditional expectations
The question of coarse-graining is ubiquitous in molecular dynamics. In this
article, we are interested in deriving effective properties for the dynamics of
a coarse-grained variable , where describes the configuration of
the system in a high-dimensional space , and is a smooth function
with value in (typically a reaction coordinate). It is well known that,
given a Boltzmann-Gibbs distribution on , the equilibrium
properties on are completely determined by the free energy. On the
other hand, the question of the effective dynamics on is much more
difficult to address. Starting from an overdamped Langevin equation on , we propose an effective dynamics for using conditional
expectations. Using entropy methods, we give sufficient conditions for the time
marginals of the effective dynamics to be close to the original ones. We check
numerically on some toy examples that these sufficient conditions yield an
effective dynamics which accurately reproduces the residence times in the
potential energy wells. We also discuss the accuracy of the effective dynamics
in a pathwise sense, and the relevance of the free energy to build a
coarse-grained dynamics
Asymptotic analysis for the generalized langevin equation
Various qualitative properties of solutions to the generalized Langevin
equation (GLE) in a periodic or a confining potential are studied in this
paper. We consider a class of quasi-Markovian GLEs, similar to the model that
was introduced in \cite{EPR99}. Geometric ergodicity, a homogenization theorem
(invariance principle), short time asymptotics and the white noise limit are
studied. Our proofs are based on a careful analysis of a hypoelliptic operator
which is the generator of an auxiliary Markov process. Systematic use of the
recently developed theory of hypocoercivity \cite{Vil04HPI} is made.Comment: 27 pages, no figures. Submitted to Nonlinearity
Dimension reduction for systems with slow relaxation
We develop reduced, stochastic models for high dimensional, dissipative
dynamical systems that relax very slowly to equilibrium and can encode long
term memory. We present a variety of empirical and first principles approaches
for model reduction, and build a mathematical framework for analyzing the
reduced models. We introduce the notions of universal and asymptotic filters to
characterize `optimal' model reductions for sloppy linear models. We illustrate
our methods by applying them to the practically important problem of modeling
evaporation in oil spills.Comment: 48 Pages, 13 figures. Paper dedicated to the memory of Leo Kadanof
Influence of age, social patterns and nasopharyngeal carriage on antibodies to three conserved pneumococcal surface proteins (PhtD, PcpA and PrtA) in healthy young children
The acquisition of specific antibodies is paramount to protect children against pneumococcal diseases, and a better understanding of how age, ethnicity and/or Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) nasopharyngeal carriage influence the acquisition of antibodies to pneumococcal surface proteins (PSP) is important for the development of novel serodiagnostic and immunisation strategies. IgG antibody titres against three conserved PSP (PhtD, PcpA and PrtA) in the sera of 451 healthy children aged 1 to 24months from Israel [Jewish (50.1%) and Bedouin (49.9%)] were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), while nasopharyngeal swabs from these children were assessed for the presence of Spn. Globally, anti-PhtD and anti-PrtA geometric mean concentrations (GMC; EU/ml) were high at <2.5months of age [PhtD: 35.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 30.6-40.6; PrtA: 71.2, 95 % CI 60-84.5], was lower at 5-7months of age (PhtD: 10, 95 % CI 8-12.4; PrtA: 17.9, 95 % CI 14.4-22.1) and only increased after 11months of age. In contrast, an increase in anti-PcpA was observed at 5-7months of age. Anti-PcpA and anti-PrtA, but not anti-PhtD, were significantly higher in Bedouin children (PcpA: 361.6 vs. 226.3, p = 0.02; PrtA: 67.2 vs. 29.5, p < 0.001) in whom Spn nasopharyngeal carriage was identified earlier (60% vs. 38% of carriers <6months of age, p = 0.002). Spn carriage was associated with significantly higher anti-PSP concentrations in carriers than in non-carriers (p < 0.001 for each PSP). Thus, age, ethnicity and, essentially, nasopharyngeal carriage exert distinct cumulative influences on infant responses to PSP. These specific characteristics are worthwhile to include in the evaluation of pneumococcal seroresponses and the development of new PSP-based vaccine
Ergodic properties of quasi-Markovian generalized Langevin equations with configuration dependent noise and non-conservative force
We discuss the ergodic properties of quasi-Markovian stochastic differential
equations, providing general conditions that ensure existence and uniqueness of
a smooth invariant distribution and exponential convergence of the evolution
operator in suitably weighted spaces, which implies the validity
of central limit theorem for the respective solution processes. The main new
result is an ergodicity condition for the generalized Langevin equation with
configuration-dependent noise and (non-)conservative force
What is the mechanism for persistent coexistence of drug-susceptible and drug-resistant strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae?
The rise of antimicrobial resistance in many pathogens presents a major challenge to the treatment and control of infectious diseases. Furthermore, the observation that drug-resistant strains have risen to substantial prevalence but have not replaced drug-susceptible strains despite continuing (and even growing) selective pressure by antimicrobial use presents an important problem for those who study the dynamics of infectious diseases. While simple competition models predict the exclusion of one strain in favour of whichever is ‘fitter’, or has a higher reproduction number, we argue that in the case of Streptococcus pneumoniae there has been persistent coexistence of drug-sensitive and drug-resistant strains, with neither approaching 100 per cent prevalence. We have previously proposed that models seeking to understand the origins of coexistence should not incorporate implicit mechanisms that build in stable coexistence ‘for free’. Here, we construct a series of such ‘structurally neutral’ models that incorporate various features of bacterial spread and host heterogeneity that have been proposed as mechanisms that may promote coexistence. We ask to what extent coexistence is a typical outcome in each. We find that while coexistence is possible in each of the models we consider, it is relatively rare, with two exceptions: (i) allowing simultaneous dual transmission of sensitive and resistant strains lets coexistence become a typical outcome, as does (ii) modelling each strain as competing more strongly with itself than with the other strain, i.e. self-immunity greater than cross-immunity. We conclude that while treatment and contact heterogeneity can promote coexistence to some extent, the in-host interactions between strains, particularly the interplay between coinfection, multiple infection and immunity, play a crucial role in the long-term population dynamics of pathogens with drug resistance
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