Dynamics of opinion formation in a small-world network

The dynamical process of opinion formation within a model using a local majority opinion updating rule is studied numerically in networks with the small-world geometrical property. The network is one in which shortcuts are added to randomly chosen pairs of nodes in an underlying regular lattice. The presence of a small number of shortcuts is found to shorten the time to reach a consensus significantly. The effects of having shortcuts in a lattice of fixed spatial dimension are shown to be analogous to that of increasing the spatial dimension in regular lattices. The shortening of the consensus time is shown to be related to the shortening of the mean shortest path as shortcuts are added. Results can also be translated into that of the dynamics of a spin system in a small-world network.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

Exploring the physical activity of Iranian migrant women in the United Kingdom: a qualitative study

Purpose: This article explores the role migration has on the physical activity of Iranian migrant women living in the United Kingdom. Method: This qualitative study includes 22 first-generation Iranian migrant women, aged 24–64, residing in London. Data was collected through in-depth, semi-structured, individual interviews and was analyzed thematically. Results: The findings show that for those women from traditional backgrounds, migration corresponds with liberation from social and cultural pressures experienced in Iran and greater motivation to adopt a physically active lifestyle. However, for Iranian women who had arrived in the UK more recently and had a higher social standing in Iran, migration was associated with the loss of their careers, sources of income, and social networks. These issues were compounded by a lack of cohesion in Iranian migrant communities and poor access to local physical activity resources. This resulted in diminishing motivation and the subsequent de-prioritisation of the women’s physical activity, even though they had regularly engaged in physical activity in Iran. Conclusion: Despite migration leading to improving physical activity for some Iranian women, for others, migration leads to marginality in Britain. Local authorities and Iranian community organizations need to adopt innovative strategies to reach out to recent Iranian migrant women

Scale-free networks with tunable degree distribution exponents

We propose and study a model of scale-free growing networks that gives a degree distribution dominated by a power-law behavior with a model-dependent, hence tunable, exponent. The model represents a hybrid of the growing networks based on popularity-driven and fitness-driven preferential attachments. As the network grows, a newly added node establishes $m$ new links to existing nodes with a probability $p$ based on popularity of the existing nodes and a probability $1-p$ based on fitness of the existing nodes. An explicit form of the degree distribution $P(p,k)$ is derived within a mean field approach. For reasonably large $k$, $P(p,k) \sim k^{-\gamma(p)}{\cal F}(k,p)$, where the function ${\cal F}$ is dominated by the behavior of $1/\ln(k/m)$ for small values of $p$ and becomes $k$-independent as $p \to 1$, and $\gamma(p)$ is a model-dependent exponent. The degree distribution and the exponent $\gamma(p)$ are found to be in good agreement with results obtained by extensive numerical simulations.Comment: 12 pages, 2 figures, submitted to PR

Signature Characters for A_2 and B_2

The signatures of the inner product matrices on a Lie algebra's highest weight representation are encoded in the representation's signature character. We show that the signature characters of a finite-dimensional Lie algebra's highest weight representations obey simple difference equations that have a unique solution once appropriate boundary conditions are imposed. We use these results to derive the signature characters of all $A_2$ and $B_2$ highest weight representations. Our results extend, and explain, signature patterns analogous to those observed by Friedan, Qiu and Shenker in the Virasoro algebra's representation theory.Comment: 22 p

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Falls Among Older Adults: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine whether differences in reported fall rates exist between different ethnic groups. Searches were carried out on four databases: Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Scopus, and Web of Science. Only English language studies with community-dwelling participants aged 60 + years were included. Studies also needed to compare fall prevalence for at least two or more ethnic groups. Two reviewers independently screened all articles and evaluated study quality. Twenty-three articles were included for systematic review, and meta-analyses were carried out on the 16 retrospective studies that reported falls in the previous 12 months. The Asian group demonstrated significantly lower fall prevalence than all other ethnic groups at 13.89% (10.87, 16.91). The Hispanic group had a fall prevalence of 18.54% (12.95, 24.13), closely followed by the Black group at 18.60% (13.27, 23.93). The White group had the highest prevalence at 23.77% (18.66, 28.88). Some studies provided adjusted estimates of effect statistics for the odds/risk of falls, which showed that differences still existed between some ethnic groups even after adjusting for other risk factors. Overall, differences in fall prevalence do appear to exist between different ethnic groups, although the reasons for these differences currently remain undetermined and require further investigation. These findings highlight the need to provide more ethnically tailored responses to public health challenges, which could potentially increase the adherence to prevention interventions, and allow for a more targeted use of resources

The Number of Incipient Spanning Clusters in Two-Dimensional Percolation

Using methods of conformal field theory, we conjecture an exact form for the probability that n distinct clusters span a large rectangle or open cylinder of aspect ratio k, in the limit when k is large.Comment: 9 pages, LaTeX, 1 eps figure. Additional references and comparison with existing numerical results include

An exploration of social participation in Caribbean student nurses' use of social media in their learning journey

Aims: To identify how social participation facilitates pre-registration student nurses learning and professional development using social media. Design: A social survey using thematic analysis to explore Caribbean student nurses' views of social media usage from an open-ended question in a survey. Methods: A qualitative analysis of student nurses from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, who completed an open-ended question in a survey. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results/Findings: The three themes identified were: (1) Social media and communica-tion; (2) Social media and self-care; and (3) Social media and learning. Conclusion: This paper used qualitative evidence to identify and report a new way of viewing SoMe in nursing education as a student- centred educational learning tool. SoMe can improve the effectiveness of student nurses learning, while developing fundamen-tal skills (open- mindedness, critical thinking, professionalism and decision- making) for nursing practice. Social participation and connectivism theory are embedded in student nurses' learning journey. However, it has been used by student nurses outside the tradi-tional university teaching and their capacity to own their personal learning. To meet the new generation of student nurses' learning needs, it is important that higher education institutions develop guidance, support and use of social media for learning to support student nurses in their education as students and also future professionals. Impact: This study addresses how social participation is used in social media to con-tribute to Caribbean student nurses' education. The main finding is the introduction of a new learning theory supporting learning using social media. This study has an impact on using social media for learning. Patient or Public Contribution: No patient or public contribution

Random Networks with Tunable Degree Distribution and Clustering

We present an algorithm for generating random networks with arbitrary degree distribution and Clustering (frequency of triadic closure). We use this algorithm to generate networks with exponential, power law, and poisson degree distributions with variable levels of clustering. Such networks may be used as models of social networks and as a testable null hypothesis about network structure. Finally, we explore the effects of clustering on the point of the phase transition where a giant component forms in a random network, and on the size of the giant component. Some analysis of these effects is presented.Comment: 9 pages, 13 figures corrected typos, added two references, reorganized reference