Invariant monotone coupling need not exist

We show by example that there is a Cayley graph, having two invariant random subgraphs X and Y, such that there exists a monotone coupling between them in the sense that $X\subset Y$, although no such coupling can be invariant. Here, "invariant" means that the distribution is invariant under group multiplications.Comment: Published in at http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/12-AOP767 the Annals of Probability (http://www.imstat.org/aop/) by the Institute of Mathematical Statistics (http://www.imstat.org

Some two-dimensional finite energy percolation processes

Some examples of translation invariant site percolation processes on the $\Z^2$ lattice are constructed, the most far-reaching example being one that satisfies uniform finite energy (meaning that the probability that a site is open given the status of all others is bounded away from $0$ and $1$) and exhibits a.s. the coexistence of an infinite open cluster and an infinite closed cluster. Essentially the same example shows that coexistence is possible between an infinite open cluster and an infinite closed cluster that are both robust under i.i.d. thinning.Comment: 14 page

Speciation without chromatography: Part 2. Determination of tributyltin by chloride generation flow injection atomic absorption spectrometry

A procedure is described for the quantitation of tributyltin in aqueous samples and extracts based on its relatively high volatility in halide media, permitting vapour phase sampling from the headspace above such samples.Tributyltin chloride (TBT-C1) was purged from various chloride containing aqueous matrices and collected on the surface of an iridium treated graphite tube for subsequent quantitation by graphite furnace atomic absorption. Iodide, bromide and chloride matrices were compared for their generation efficiency. The effect of acidity of the sample was also studied. An absolute detection limit of 1.3 ng TBT (as tin) was estimated, corresponding to a detection limit of 0.33 ng ml 1 for a 4 ml sub-sample. Method validation was achieved using NRCC PACS-2 (sediment) Certified Reference Material, for which reasonable agreement between certified and measured values of tributyltin content was obtained. A procedural concentration limit of detection of 66 ng g 1 TBT in the sediment could be achieved

Selection criteria for preoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography before laparoscopic cholecystectomy and endoscopic treatment of bile duct stones. Results of a retrospective; single center study between 1996-2002

AIM: The optimal treatment for bile duct stones (in terms of cost, complications and accuracy) is unclear. The aim of our study was to determine the predictive factors for preoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). METHODS: Patients undergoing preoperative ERCP (= 8 mm) and/or stone at US examination, coexisting acute pancreatitis and/or acute pancreatitis or jaundice in patient's history. Suspected prognostic factors and the combination of factors were compared to the result of ERCP. RESULTS: Two hundred and six preoperative ERCPs were performed during the observed period. The rate of successful cannulation for ERC was (97.1%). Bile duct stones were detected in 81 patients (39.3%), and successfully removed in 79 (97.5%). The number of prognostic factors correlated with the presence of bile duct stones. The positive predictive value for one prognostic factor was 1.2%, for two 43%, for three 72.5%, for four or more 91.4%. CONCLUSION: Based on our data preoperative ERCP is highly recommended in patients with three or more positive factors (high risk patients). In contrast, ERCP is not indicated in patients with zero or one factor (low risk patients). Preoperative ERCP should be offered to patients with two positive factors (moderate risk patients), however the practice should also be based on the local conditions (e.g. skill of the endoscopist, other diagnostic tools)

Striking elevation in the incidence and prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease in a province of Western Hungary between 1977-2001

AIM: An investigation into inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer in Veszprem Province was conducted from 1977 to 2001. METHODS: Both hospital and outpatient records were collected and reviewed comprehensively. The majority of patients were followed up regularly. RESULTS: The population of the province was decreased from 386,000 to 376,000 during the period. Five hundred sixty new cases of ulcerative colitis (UC), 212 of Crohn's disease (CD), and 40 of indeterminate colitis (IC) were diagnosed. The incidence rates increased from 1.66 to 11.01 cases per 100,000 persons for UC, from 0.41 to 4.68 for CD and from 0.26 to 0.74 for IC. The prevalence rate at the end of 2001 was 142.6 for UC and 52.9 cases per 100,000 persons for CD. The peak onset age in UC patients was between 30 and 40 years, in CD between 20 and 30 years. A family history of IBD was present in 3.4 % in UC and 9.9 % in CD patients. Smoking increased the risk for CD (OR=1.98) while it decreased the risk for UC (OR=0.25). Twelve colorectal carcinomas were observed in this cohort, the cumulative colorectal cancer risk after 10 years in UC was 2%, after 20 years 8.8%, after 30 years 13.3%. CONCLUSION: The incidence and prevalence rates of IBD have increased steadily in Veszprem Province, now equivalent to that in Western European countries. Rapid increase in incidence rates supports a probable role for environmental factors. The rate of colorectal cancers in IBD is similar to that observed in Western countries

Az IVSZ első 25 éve

Az Informatikai Vállalkozások Szövetsége (IVSZ) 25 éves története

Tail loss and anomaly in Zootoca vivipara and Lacerta agilis in Hungary

An article concerned with tail’s morphological anomaly thatwas founded between L. agilis from different regions of Hungary. No anomalies in Z. vivipara sampled were found.Статья посвящена морфологической аномалии хвоста, обнаруженной среди выборок L. agilis из разных регионов Венгрии. Ни одной аномалии среди выборок Z. vivipara не отмечено.This study was supported by the Hungarian National Research Fund (OTKA-NKTH CNK 80140). We thank Zsuzsanna Horvàth, Timea Mechura, Monika Szalai, Sandor Kethelyi-Nagy, Andras Mate, Mihaly Toth, Balazs Velekei for their participation in the fieldwork, Simon Izing and Sandor Tacsi for X-raying and explaining the veterinary background of the phenomenon discussed above