Drastic disorded-induced reduction of signal amplification in scale-free networks

Understanding information transmission across a network is a fundamental task for controlling and manipulating both biological and man-made information processing systems. Here, we show how topological resonant-like amplification effects in scale-free networks of signaling devices are drastically reduced when phase disorder in the external signals is considered. This is demonstrated theoretically by means of a star-like network of overdamped bistable systems, and confirmed numerically by simulations of scale-free networks of such systems. The taming effect of the phase disorder is found to be sensitive to the amplification's strength, while the topology-induced amplification mechanism is robust against this kind of quenched disorder in the sense that it does not significantly change the values of the coupling strength where amplification is maximum in its absence.Comment: 5 pages, 4 (double) figure

Residue Number System Hardware Emulator and Instructions Generator

Residue Number System (RNS) is an alternative form of representing integers on which a large value gets represented by a set of smaller and independent integers. Cryptographic and signal filtering algorithms benefit from the use of RNS, due to its capabilities to increase performance and security. Herein, a simulation tool is presented which emulates the hardware implementation of an actual RNS co-processor. An “high-level to assembly” instructions generator is also built into this tool. The programmability and scalable architecture of the considered processor along with the high level description of the algorithm allows researchers and developers to easily evaluate and test their RNS algorithms on an actual architecture, using Java

An adaptive Uzawa FEM for the Stokes problem: Convergence without the inf-sup condition

We introduce and study an adaptive finite element method (FEM) for the Stokes system based on an Uzawa outer iteration to update the pressure and an elliptic adaptive inner iteration for velocity. We show linear convergence in terms of the outer iteration counter for the pairs of spaces consisting of continuous finite elements of degree k for velocity, whereas for pressure the elements can be either discontinuous of degree k - 1 or continuous of degree k -1 and k. The popular Taylor-Hood family is the sole example of stable elements included in the theory, which in turn relies on the stability of the continuous problem and thus makes no use of the discrete inf-sup condition. We discuss the realization and complexity of the elliptic adaptive inner solver and provide consistent computational evidence that the resulting meshes are quasi-optimal.Fil: Bänsch, Eberhard. Freie Universität Berlin;Fil: Morin, Pedro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Matemática Aplicada del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Matemática Aplicada del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Nochetto, Ricardo Horacio. University of Maryland; Estados Unido

Surface diffusion of graphs: Variational formulation, error analysis, and simulation

Surface diffusion is a (fourth-order highly nonlinear) geometric driven motion of a surface with normal velocity proportional to the surface Laplacian of mean curvature. We present a novel variational formulation for graphs and derive a priori error estimates for a time-continuous finite element discretization. We also introduce a semi-implicit time discretization and a Schur complement approach to solve the resulting fully discrete, linear systems. After computational verification of the orders of convergence for polynomial degrees 1 and 2, we show several simulations in one dimension and two dimensions with and without forcing which explore the smoothing effect of surface diffusion, as well as the onset of singularities in finite time, such as infinite slopes and cracks.Fil: Bänsch, Eberhard. Freie Universität Berlin; . Weierstrass Institute For Applied Analysis And Stochastics;Fil: Morin, Pedro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Matemática Aplicada del Litoral. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto de Matemática Aplicada del Litoral; ArgentinaFil: Nochetto, Ricardo Horacio. University of Maryland; Estados Unido

Economies of scale and scope in the provision of diagnostic techniques and therapeutic services in Portuguese hospitals

This paper analyses the provision of auxiliary clinical services that are typically carried out within the hospital. We estimate a flexible cost function for the three most important (cost- wise) diagnostic techniques and therapeutic services in Portuguese hospitals: Clinical Pathology, Medical Imaging and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Our objective in carrying out this estimation is the evaluation of economies of scale and scope in the provision of these services. For all services, we find evidence of ray economies of scale and some evidence of economies of scope. These results have important policy implications and can be related to the ongoing discussion of where and how should hospitals provide these services.translog cost function, economies of scale, economies of scope, clinical services, hospitals