51 research outputs found
The Pantograph Equation in the Complex Plane
AbstractThe subject matter of this paper focuses on two functional differential equations with complex lag functions. We address ourselves to the existence and uniqueness of solutions and to their asymptotic behaviour
Analysis of the archetypal functional equation in the non-critical case
We study the archetypal functional equation of the form (), where is a probability measure on ; equivalently, , where is expectation with respect to the distribution of random coefficients . Existence of non-trivial (i.e. non-constant) bounded continuous solutions is governed by the value ; namely, under mild technical conditions no such solutions exist whenever (and ) then there is a non-trivial solution constructed as the distribution function of a certain random series representing a self-similar measure associated with . Further results are obtained in the supercritical case , including existence, uniqueness and a maximum principle. The case with is drastically different from that with ; in particular, we prove that a bounded solution possessing limits at must be constant. The proofs employ martingale techniques applied to the martingale , where is an associated Markov chain with jumps of the form
Spectral analysis on infinite Sierpinski fractafolds
A fractafold, a space that is locally modeled on a specified fractal, is the
fractal equivalent of a manifold. For compact fractafolds based on the
Sierpinski gasket, it was shown by the first author how to compute the discrete
spectrum of the Laplacian in terms of the spectrum of a finite graph Laplacian.
A similar problem was solved by the second author for the case of infinite
blowups of a Sierpinski gasket, where spectrum is pure point of infinite
multiplicity. Both works used the method of spectral decimations to obtain
explicit description of the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions. In this paper we
combine the ideas from these earlier works to obtain a description of the
spectral resolution of the Laplacian for noncompact fractafolds. Our main
abstract results enable us to obtain a completely explicit description of the
spectral resolution of the fractafold Laplacian. For some specific examples we
turn the spectral resolution into a "Plancherel formula". We also present such
a formula for the graph Laplacian on the 3-regular tree, which appears to be a
new result of independent interest. In the end we discuss periodic fractafolds
and fractal fields
Laplace Operators on Fractals and Related Functional Equations
We give an overview over the application of functional equations, namely the
classical Poincar\'e and renewal equations, to the study of the spectrum of
Laplace operators on self-similar fractals. We compare the techniques used to
those used in the euclidean situation. Furthermore, we use the obtained
information on the spectral zeta function to define the Casimir energy of
fractals. We give numerical values for this energy for the Sierpi\'nski gasket
Existence of a Meromorphic Extension of Spectral Zeta Functions on Fractals
We investigate the existence of the meromorphic extension of the spectral
zeta function of the Laplacian on self-similar fractals using the classical
results of Kigami and Lapidus (based on the renewal theory) and new results of
Hambly and Kajino based on the heat kernel estimates and other probabilistic
techniques. We also formulate conjectures which hold true in the examples that
have been analyzed in the existing literature
The monomer-dimer problem and moment Lyapunov exponents of homogeneous Gaussian random fields
We consider an "elastic" version of the statistical mechanical monomer-dimer
problem on the n-dimensional integer lattice. Our setting includes the
classical "rigid" formulation as a special case and extends it by allowing each
dimer to consist of particles at arbitrarily distant sites of the lattice, with
the energy of interaction between the particles in a dimer depending on their
relative position. We reduce the free energy of the elastic dimer-monomer (EDM)
system per lattice site in the thermodynamic limit to the moment Lyapunov
exponent (MLE) of a homogeneous Gaussian random field (GRF) whose mean value
and covariance function are the Boltzmann factors associated with the monomer
energy and dimer potential. In particular, the classical monomer-dimer problem
becomes related to the MLE of a moving average GRF. We outline an approach to
recursive computation of the partition function for "Manhattan" EDM systems
where the dimer potential is a weighted l1-distance and the auxiliary GRF is a
Markov random field of Pickard type which behaves in space like autoregressive
processes do in time. For one-dimensional Manhattan EDM systems, we compute the
MLE of the resulting Gaussian Markov chain as the largest eigenvalue of a
compact transfer operator on a Hilbert space which is related to the
annihilation and creation operators of the quantum harmonic oscillator and also
recast it as the eigenvalue problem for a pantograph functional-differential
equation.Comment: 24 pages, 4 figures, submitted on 14 October 2011 to a special issue
of DCDS-
Coordination and resource-related difficulties encountered by Quebec's public health specialists and infectious diseases/medical microbiologists in the management of A (H1N1) - a mixed-method, exploratory survey
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In Quebec, the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic was managed using a top-down style that left many involved players with critical views and frustrations. We aimed to describe physicians' perceptions - infectious diseases specialists/medical microbiologists (IDMM) and public health/preventive medicine specialists (PHPMS) - in regards to issues encountered with the pandemics management at the physician level and highlight suggested improvements for future healthcare emergencies.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In April 2010, Quebec IDMM and PHPMS physicians were invited to anonymously complete a web-based learning needs assessment. The survey included both open-ended and multiple-choice questions. Descriptive statistics were used to report on the frequency distribution of multiple choice responses whereas thematic content analysis was used to analyse qualitative data generated from the survey and help understand respondents' experience and perceptions with the pandemics.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 102 respondents, 85.3% reported difficulties or frustrations in their practice during the pandemic. The thematic analysis revealed two core themes describing the problems experienced in the pandemic management: coordination and resource-related difficulties. Coordination issues included communication, clinical practice guidelines, decision-making, roles and responsibilities, epidemiological investigation, and public health expert advisory committees. Resources issues included laboratory resources, patient management, and vaccination process.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Together, the quantitative and qualitative data suggest a need for improved coordination, a better definition of roles and responsibilities, increased use of information technologies, merged communications, and transparency in the decisional process. Increased flexibility and less contradiction in clinical practice guidelines from different sources and increased laboratory/clinical capacity were felt critical to the proper management of infectious disease emergencies.</p
The facilitating factors and barriers encountered in the adoption of a humanized birth care approach in a highly specialized university affiliated hospital
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Considering the fact that a significant proportion of high-risk pregnancies are currently referred to tertiary level hospitals; and that a large proportion of low obstetric risk women still seek care in these hospitals, it is important to explore the factors that influence the childbirth experience in these hospitals, particularly, the concept of humanized birth care.</p> <p>The aim of this study was to explore the organizational and cultural factors, which act as barriers or facilitators in the provision of humanized obstetrical care in a highly specialized, university-affiliated hospital in Quebec province, in Canada.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A single case study design was chosen. The study sample included 17 professionals and administrators from different disciplines, and 157 women who gave birth in the hospital during the study. The data was collected through semi-structured interviews, field notes, participant observations, a self-administered questionnaire, documents, and archives. Both descriptive and qualitative deductive content analyses were performed and ethical considerations were respected.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Both external and internal dimensions of a highly specialized hospital can facilitate or be a barrier to the humanization of birth care practices in such institutions, whether independently, or altogether. The greatest facilitating factors found were: caring and family- centered model of care, professionals' and administrators' ambient for the provision of humanized birth care besides the medical interventional care which is tailored to improve safety, assurance, and comfort for women and their children, facilities to provide a pain-free birth, companionship and visiting rules, dealing with the patients' spiritual and religious beliefs. The most cited barriers were: the shortage of health care professionals, the lack of sufficient communication among the professionals, the stakeholders' desire for specialization rather than humanization, over estimation of medical performance, finally the training environment of the hospital leading to the presence of too many health care professionals, and consequently, a lack of privacy and continuity of care.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The argument of medical intervention and technology at birth being an opposing factor to the humanization of birth was not seen to be an issue in the studied highly specialized university affiliated hospital.</p
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