Social distancing strategies against disease spreading

The recurrent infectious diseases and their increasing impact on the society has promoted the study of strategies to slow down the epidemic spreading. In this review we outline the applications of percolation theory to describe strategies against epidemic spreading on complex networks. We give a general outlook of the relation between link percolation and the susceptible-infected-recovered model, and introduce the node void percolation process to describe the dilution of the network composed by healthy individual, $i.e$, the network that sustain the functionality of a society. Then, we survey two strategies: the quenched disorder strategy where an heterogeneous distribution of contact intensities is induced in society, and the intermittent social distancing strategy where health individuals are persuaded to avoid contact with their neighbors for intermittent periods of time. Using percolation tools, we show that both strategies may halt the epidemic spreading. Finally, we discuss the role of the transmissibility, $i.e$, the effective probability to transmit a disease, on the performance of the strategies to slow down the epidemic spreading.Comment: to be published in "Perspectives and Challenges in Statistical Physics and Complex Systems for the Next Decade", Word Scientific Pres

INVESTMENT CLIMATE OF TOURISM INDUSTRY IN CALABARZON: INPUTS TO BUSINESS OPERATIONS INITIATIVES

This study will identify the investment climate of tourism in CALABARZON. More specifically: it will assess the quality of investment climate of tourism industry in CALABARZON in terms of macro fundamental, governance and infrastructure; to test if there is significant difference on the assessment of the respondents to quality of investment climate when grouped according to LGU, residents and tourists; to propose a business operations initiative based on the results. The researcher used descriptive method to determine the investment climate and attractiveness of tourism industry in CALABARZON. The questionnaire is one of the major instruments used by the researcher to gather and collect the needed data. Results showed that majority of the respondents belonged to the young age group, female, single, college graduate and has an average income. The tourists, local residents and local government unit all agreed that CALABARZON region is moderately favorable for investment among investors since the climate is good and the competition is healthy. There is significant relationship on the assessment of the respondents to quality of investment with regard to governance. The researcher proposed business operations initiative win order for the tourism industry in CALABARZON region more competitive

El razonamiento probabilístico informal de estudiantes de bachillerato

El objetivo del trabajo es explorar cómo los estudiantes articulan sus conocimientos sobre los enfoques de probabilidad (clásico y frecuencial) para dar respuesta a preguntas de probabilidad. Se describen y analizan los razonamientos informales de 10 estudiantes de bachillerato (12º grado) que habían estudiado un semestre de probabilidad y estadística. Los datos se recogieron mediante un cuestionario con tres situaciones de urnas en las que se pide estimar probabilidades y hacer predicciones. El análisis revela que dicha articulación y los diferentes niveles en la calidad de las respuestas dependen de ideas informales de aleatoriedad, independencia y variabilidad, y de la manera en que se combinan para hacer predicciones con incertidumbre. Se concluye con una propuesta de las proposiciones informales correspondientes a estas ideas cuyo manejo potenciaría el razonamiento probabilístico informal de los estudiantes

Natural Gas Pipeline Survey Northwest Menard County, Texas Prepared for the City of Menard

Pursuant to requirements of the E.D.A. as outlined in a letter from the City Menard, Texas dated April 16, 1979, the Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) submitted a proposal for an archaeological survey of the route of a new natural gas pipeline. This proposal was accepted by the City of Menard in a letter dated April 23, and the survey was accomplished on May 1 and 2 by Thomas C. Kelly and Fred Valdez, Jr., archaeologists from the UTSA Center for Archaeological Research

Habitat Correlates of Jaguar Kill-Sites of Cattle in Northeastern Sonora, Mexico

Predation on cattle by the endangered jaguar (Panthera onca) can be a serious ecological and economic conflict. We investigated habitat characteristics of kill sites of cattle in Sonora, Mexico, from 1999 to 2004 to see whether habitat management or cattle distribution could be used as effective nonlethal methods to limit predation. Kill-sites were positively associated with oak, semitropical thornscrub, and xeric thornscrub vegetation types, whereas they were negatively associated with upland mesquite. Sites of cattle kills were also positively associated with proximity to permanent water sources and roads. A model including these relationships fi t kill locations well (AUC = 0.933) and correctly classified 93% of all kill-site locations. Because kill-sites were associated with specific habitat attributes, management practices that alter cattle distribution, such as placement of permanent water sources in uplands, herding, and fencing riparian areas characterized by frequent depredations, can be used to minimize co-occurrence of jaguars and cattle and, thus, potentially limit predation without illegal killing of jaguars. These practices could also lead to more uniform use of pastures and, consequently, higher stocking rates, resulting in increased profitability to landowners. Managing habitat attributes that predispose cattle to predation may provide a viable alternative for maintaining both livestock enterprises and a large endangered carnivore in areas of conflict