Convergence of U-statistics indexed by a random walk to stochastic integrals of a Levy sheet

We establish limit theorems for U-statistics indexed by a random walk on Z^d and we express the limit in terms of some Levy sheet Z(s,t). Under some hypotheses, we prove that the limit process is Z(t,t) if the random walk is transient or null-recurrent ant that it is some stochastic integral with respect to Z when the walk is positive recurrent. We compare our results with results for random walks in random scenery.Comment: 38 page

Empirical processes for recurrent and transient random walks in random scenery

In this paper, we are interested in the asymptotic behaviour of the sequence of processes $(W_n(s,t))_{s,t\in[0,1]}$ with \begin{equation*} W_n(s,t):=\sum_{k=1}^{\lfloor nt\rfloor}\big(1_{\{\xi_{S_k}\leq s\}}-s\big) \end{equation*} where $(\xi_x, x\in\mathbb{Z}^d)$ is a sequence of independent random variables uniformly distributed on $[0,1]$ and $(S_n)_{n\in\mathbb N}$ is a random walk evolving in $\mathbb{Z}^d$, independent of the $\xi$'s. In Wendler (2016), the case where $(S_n)_{n\in\mathbb N}$ is a recurrent random walk in $\mathbb{Z}$ such that $(n^{-\frac 1\alpha}S_n)_{n\geq 1}$ converges in distribution to a stable distribution of index $\alpha$, with $\alpha\in(1,2]$, has been investigated. Here, we consider the cases where $(S_n)_{n\in\mathbb N}$ is either: a) a transient random walk in $\mathbb{Z}^d$, b) a recurrent random walk in $\mathbb{Z}^d$ such that $(n^{-\frac 1d}S_n)_{n\geq 1}$ converges in distribution to a stable distribution of index $d\in\{1,2\}$

Disk Growth in Bulge-Dominated Galaxies: Molecular Gas and Morphological Evolution

Substantial numbers of morphologically regular early-type (elliptical and lenticular) galaxies contain molecular gas, and the quantities of gas are probably sufficient to explain recent estimates of the current level of star formation activity. This gas can also be used as a tracer of the processes that drive the evolution of early-type galaxies. For example, in most cases the gas is forming dynamically cold stellar disks with sizes in the range of hundreds of pc to more than one kpc, although there is typically only 1% of the total stellar mass currently available to form young stars. The numbers are still small, but the molecular kinematics indicate that some of the gas probably originated from internal stellar mass loss while some was acquired from outside. Future studies will help to quantify the role of molecular gas (dissipational processes) in the formation of early-type galaxies and their evolution along the red sequence.Comment: 4 pages. To appear in the proceedings of IAU Symposium 245, "Formation and Evolution of Galaxy Bulges," M. Bureau, E. Athanassoula, and B. Barbuy, ed

Inaccessible Apexes: Comparing Access to Regional Human Rights Courts and Commissions in Europe, the Americas, and Africa Symposium: Comparing Regional Human Rights Regimes

The three well-established regional human rights systems (in Europe, the Americas, and Africa) aim to provide access to individuals to a decision and remedy based on the violation of human rights in the founding treaties. In this article, the notion of the dispute pyramid, developed in sociolegal studies, generally, is adjusted to describe and help us better understand regional access. Access differs considerably across the three systems, and its major stumbling blocks present themselves at different stages. In the European system, most cases are dismissed at the admissibility phase. In the Inter-American system, most cases are weeded out at the pre-admissibility phase, by the Commission\u27s Secretariat. In the African system, the greatest constraint to regional access lies in the small number of cases decided domestically. The general trend toward judicialization, observed in all three systems, does not necessarily imply greater access. In order to overcome the impediments to access at the domestic level, quasi-judicial bodies-cultivating rights awareness and understanding still have a role to play

The Aids policy cycle in Western Europe: From exceptionalism to normalization

In every Western European country the occurrence of Aids has led to exceptional innovations in prevention, patient care, health policy and questions of civil rights. This exception can be explained not only by the fact that a health catastrophe was feared, but also civilizational harm in the field of civil rights. Despite national differences, this brought about similar exceptionalist alliances consisting of health professionals, social movements and those affected. With the failure of a catastrophe to arise signs of fatigue in the exceptionalist alliance and increasing possibilities of medical treatment, exceptionalism in Europe is drawing to a close. The paper elucidates specific aspects of each of the four roughly distinguishable phases in this process: Approx. 1981 - 1986: emergence of exceptionalism. The underlying reasons for exceptionalism are investigated in this paper. Approx. 1986 - 1991: consolidation and performance of exceptionalism. The paper investigates the exceptionalist policy model, more specifically some nationally different factors in the polity and politics that help to explain the different forms of policies. Approx. 1991 - 1996: exceptionalism crumbling, steps toward normalization. The forces driving the process of normalization are investigated. Since 1996: normalization, normality. The changes made in the management of HIV and Aids are elucidated using examples from the fields of health care, primary prevention and drug policies. Aids health-policy innovations, and their risks and opportunities in the course of normalization are investigated. Three possible paths of development are identified: stabilization, generalization and retreat. The chances of utilizing innovations developed in connection with Aids for the modernization of health policy in other fields of prevention and patient care vary from country to country with the degree to which Aids exceptionalism has been institutionalized and the distance of these innovations from medical/therapeutic events. The contribution made by European countries to containing the global Aids crisis is inadequate. --

Introduction of Potentially Allergenic Foods in the Infant's Diet during the First Year of Life in Five European Countries

Background: Little information is available on infants' age at first introduction of potentially allergenic foods as part of complementary feeding. We aimed to analyze age at the introduction of potentially allergenic foods in healthy term infants relative to recommendations in 5 European countries. Method: Recruitment was conducted from October 2002 to June 2004. A total of 1,678 infants {[}588 breastfed (BF) and 1,090 formula-fed (FF) infants] were studied. In 1,368 infants, at least one 3-day weighed food diary at the age of 1-9 and 12 completed months was available. Results: Six percent of BF infants and 13% of FF infants consumed some potentially allergenic food already prior to the recommended minimum age of 4 months, and 4% of BF infants and 11% of FF infants had already received gluten. There were significant differences in the timing of the introduction of potentially allergenic foods between the countries at the age of 4-6 months (p < 0.001). Conclusion: The time of first introduction of potentially allergenic foods in infants differed significantly between countries, and they were introduced much earlier than recommended in some countries. FF infants received potentially allergenic foods earlier than BF infants. Better information and counseling of parents is desirable. Copyright (C) 2011 S. Karger AG, Base

Die Normalisierung von Aids in Westeuropa: Der Politik-Zyklus am Beispiel einer Infektionskrankheit

Das Auftreten von Aids hat in allen westeuropäischen Ländern zu exzeptionellen Innovationen in Prävention, Krankenversorgung, Gesundheitspolitik und Bürgerrechtsfragen geführt. Diese Ausnahmen vom normalen Verlauf der Gesundheitspolitik erklären sich vor allem daraus, daß neben einer gesundheitlichen Katastrophe infolge von Aids auch Zivilisationsbrüche auf dem Gebiet der Bürgerrechte befürchtet wurden. Dies brachte eine trotz großer nationaler Unterschiede im Grundmuster ähnliche „exceptionalist alliance“ aus beteiligten Gesundheitsberufen, sozialen Bewegungen und Betroffenen hervor, die den mangels wirksamer Therapien von der Medizin nicht besetzten Handlungsraum produktiv nutzte. Mit dem Ausbleiben der Katastrophe, Ermüdungserscheinungen der „exceptionalist alliance“ und zunehmenden Therapiemöglichkeiten der Medizin geht der ‘exceptionalism' in Europa jedoch schrittweise zu Ende. In diesem Prozeß werden bei national unterschiedlichen Entwicklungsmustern vier Phasen unterschieden: Circa 1981 - 1986: Entstehung des ‘exceptionalism'. Hierzu werden die Ursachen des ‘exceptionalism' untersucht. Circa 1986 - 1991: Praxis und Konsolidierung des ‘exceptionalism'. Dargestellt werden sowohl das Policy-Modell des ‘exceptionalism' als auch länderspezifische Konfigurationen der Polities und Politics, die zu unterschiedlichen Inhalten der politischen Entscheidungsprozesse (Policies) in bezug auf Aids führten. Circa 1991 - 1996: Auflösung des ‘exceptionalism' und erste Anzeichen der Normalisierung. Untersucht werden die Gründe des Normalisierungsprozesses. Seit 1996: Normalisierung, Normalität. Darstellung des veränderten Umgangs mit HIV und Aids. Dazu werden Beispiele aus den Bereichen Krankenversorgung, Primärprävention und Drogenpolitik betrachtet. Es wird untersucht, welche gesundheitspolitischen Innovationen der ‘Aids-exceptionalism' in Westeuropa hervorbrachte und auf welche Risiken und Chancen diese Innovationen im Zuge der Normalisierung treffen. Es werden drei mögliche Entwicklungspfade identifiziert: Stabilisierung, Generalisierung und Rückwärtsentwicklung. Die Chancen, in Zusammenhang mit Aids entwickelte Innovationen für die Modernisierung der Gesundheitspolitik auch für andere Felder der Prävention und der Krankenversorgung zu nutzen, variieren länderspezifisch. In welchem Umfang ‘Aids-exceptionalism' gesundheitspolitische Innovationen auch in anderen Bereichen anstoßen kann, hängt letztlich vom jeweils erreichten Grad der Institutionalisierung des ‘exceptionalism' und der Entfernung dieser Neuerungen vom konventionellen medizinisch-therapeutischen Geschehen ab. Der Beitrag der europäischen Länder zur Eindämmung der globalen Aids-Krise ist unzureichend.In every Western European country the occurrence of Aids has led to exceptional innovations in prevention, patient care, health policy and questions of civil rights. This exception can be explained not only by the fact that a health catastrophe was feared, but also civilizational harm in the field of civil rights. Despite national differences, this brought about similar "exceptionalist alliances" consisting of health professionals, social movements and those affected. With the failure of a catastrophe to arise signs of fatigue in the "exceptionalist alliance" and increasing possibilities of medical treatment, exceptionalism in Europe is drawing to a close. The paper elucidates specific aspects of each of the four roughly distinguishable phases in this process, given nationally different patterns of development: Approx. 1981 - 1986: emergence of exceptionalism. The underlying reasons for exceptionalism are investigated in this paper. Approx. 1986 - 1991: consolidation and performance of exceptionalism. The paper investigates the exceptionalist policy model, more specifically some nationally different factors in the polity and politics that help to explain the different forms of policies. Approx. 1991 - 1996: exceptionalism crumbling, steps toward normalization. The forces driving the process of normalization are investigated. Since 1996: normalization, normality. The changes made in the management of HIV and Aids are elucidated using examples from the fields of health care, primary prevention and drug policies. Aids health-policy innovations, and their risks and opportunities in the course of normalization are investigated. Three possible paths of development are identified: stabilization, generalization and retreat. The chances of utilizing innovations developed in connection with Aids for the modernization of health policy in other fields of prevention and patient care vary from country to country with the degree to which Aids exceptionalism has been institutionalized and the distance of these innovations from medical/therapeutic events. The contribution made by European countries to containing the global Aids crisis is inadequate