42 research outputs found

    Epidemics in partially overlapped multiplex networks

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    Many real networks exhibit a layered structure in which links in each layer reflect the function of nodes on different environments. These multiple types of links are usually represented by a multiplex network in which each layer has a different topology. In real-world networks, however, not all nodes are present on every layer. To generate a more realistic scenario, we use a generalized multiplex network and assume that only a fraction qq of the nodes are shared by the layers. We develop a theoretical framework for a branching process to describe the spread of an epidemic on these partially overlapped multiplex networks. This allows us to obtain the fraction of infected individuals as a function of the effective probability that the disease will be transmitted TT. We also theoretically determine the dependence of the epidemic threshold on the fraction q>0q > 0 of shared nodes in a system composed of two layers. We find that in the limit of q0q \to 0 the threshold is dominated by the layer with the smaller isolated threshold. Although a system of two completely isolated networks is nearly indistinguishable from a system of two networks that share just a few nodes, we find that the presence of these few shared nodes causes the epidemic threshold of the isolated network with the lower propagating capacity to change discontinuously and to acquire the threshold of the other network.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figure

    Religious pro-sociality? Experimental evidence from a sample of 766 Spaniards

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    This study explores the relationship between several personal religion-related variables and social behaviour, using three paradigmatic economic games: the dictator (DG), ultimatum (UG), and trust (TG) games. A large carefully designed sample of the urban adult population in Granada (Spain) is employed (N = 766). From participants' decisions in these games we obtain measures of altruism, bargaining behaviour and sense of fairness/equality, trust, and positive reciprocity. Three dimensions of religiosity are examined: (i) religious denomination; (ii) intensity of religiosity, measured by active participation at church services; and (iii) conversion out into a different denomination than the one raised in. The major results are: (i) individuals with “no religion” made decisions closer to rational selfish behaviour in the DG and the UG compared to those who affiliate with a “standard” religious denomination; (ii) among Catholics, intensity of religiosity is the key variable that affects social behaviour insofar as religiously-active individuals are generally more pro-social than non-active ones; and (iii) the religion raised in seems to have no effect on pro-sociality, beyond the effect of the current measures of religiosity. Importantly, behaviour in the TG is not predicted by any of the religion-related variables we analyse. While the results partially support the notion of religious pro-sociality, on the other hand, they also highlight the importance of closely examining the multidimensional nature of both religiosity and pro-social behaviour

    Planck pre-launch status : The Planck mission

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    Glotopolítica latinoamericana : Tendencias y perspectivas

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    Glotopolítica latinoamericana: tendencias y perspectivas recoge el resultado de presentaciones y deliberaciones del IV Congreso Latinoamericano de Glotopolítica, realizado en la Universidad de San Pablo (Brasil) en septiembre de 2019, que convocó a numerosos y destacados especialistas en el área. Su inscripción en una serie (los anteriores se realizaron en Chile, Colombia y Alemania) nos permite apreciar los grandes ejes de los que da cuenta el cuidadoso e inteligente armado del libro decidido por los editores, y fundamentado en la Presentación. El tramo que hemos recorrido como especialistas, en el cual los eventos internacionales son hitos significativos, ha ido mostrando la amplitud de un campo que se construye apelando a tradiciones académicas variadas, que insiste en su carácter interdisciplinario y crítico y que no deja de tener una dimensión militante que se expone en las reflexiones teóricas, las investigaciones empíricas y las prácticas institucionales

    Voice outcome following electrical stimulation-supported voice therapy in cases of unilateral vocal fold paralysis

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    En Abstract Introduction The current lack of knowledge on the effects of transcutaneous electrical stimulation-supported voice therapy (TESVT) on voice production, coupled with increasing anecdotal reports of TESVT use with voice disorders, prompted this research. Aim The aim of this study was to compare the therapeutic value of conventional voice therapy (CVT) and TESVT on voice outcome in patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis. Patients and methods The study was conducted on randomly selected 29 patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis who were candidates for voice therapy attending to the Unit of Phoniatrics, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alexandria. The patients were divided into two groups: group I, which included 14 patients who were assigned to CVT, and group II, which included 15 patients who were assigned to TESVT. Each patient was subjected to the following procedures before and after therapy to document glottis closure and voice quality changes: auditory perceptual assessment using the GRBAS scale, the Voice Problem Self-assessment Scale, videostroboscopic examination, and acoustic and aerodynamic analysis of a sample of phonation in addition to electroglottography. TESVT was applied for all participants. Results Statistically significant changes have been obtained for all measurers. No significant statistical difference was found between CVT and TESVT in patients with vocal fold immobility except for frequency perturbation and some electroglottographic parameters. Conclusion Transcutaneous electrical stimulation-supported voice therapy is as effective as CVT in improving voice parameters in cases of unilateral vocal fold immobility. Further research is warranted with a larger number of patients to assess the efficacy of electrical stimulation-supported voice therapy in cases of vocal fold immobility and to determine selective criteria for this TESVT approach
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