Factorised Steady States in Mass Transport Models

We study a class of mass transport models where mass is transported in a preferred direction around a one-dimensional periodic lattice and is globally conserved. The model encompasses both discrete and continuous masses and parallel and random sequential dynamics and includes models such as the Zero-range process and Asymmetric random average process as special cases. We derive a necessary and sufficient condition for the steady state to factorise, which takes a rather simple form.Comment: 6 page

Matrix product approach for the asymmetric random average process

We consider the asymmetric random average process which is a one-dimensional stochastic lattice model with nearest neighbour interaction but continuous and unbounded state variables. First, the explicit functional representations, so-called beta densities, of all local interactions leading to steady states of product measure form are rigorously derived. This also completes an outstanding proof given in a previous publication. Then, we present an alternative solution for the processes with factorized stationary states by using a matrix product ansatz. Due to continuous state variables we obtain a matrix algebra in form of a functional equation which can be solved exactly.Comment: 17 pages, 1 figur

Immunogenity of the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine in COPD patients. The effect of systemic steroids

AbstractRationale: To investigate if systemic steroids influence the antibody response to the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccaride vaccine (23-PPV) in COPD patients.Patients and methods: COPD patients on: (a)⩾10mg of prednisolone/day (SS, n=30); (b) inhalative steroids (IS, n=30); (c) controls without COPD (CG, n=29) were vaccinated with 23-PPV. The concentration (μg/ml) of capsular specific anti-pneumococcal IgG antibodies (AB) for the serotypes (PNC) 4,6B,9V,14,18C,19F,23F were measured by Elisa technique before, 3 and 12 months (m) after vaccination. Non-responders were defined when AB-concentrations did neither doubled nor reach ⩾1μg/ml.Results: N=24 (CG), n=29 (IS), n=18 (SS) patients completed the study (mean age 64yrs.). Serious adverse events were not observed. Geometric mean (GM) AB-concentration of all serotypes increased significantly (CG, IS, SS) 3 and 12m after vaccination (P<0.05). The percentage of non-responders ranged between 16% (PNC 19F, IS) and 65% (PNC 4, SS) after 3m and 21% (PNC 19F, IS) and 82% (PNC 4, CG) after 12m. Neither post-vaccine AB-concentrations (3 and 12m) nor the rate of non-responders differed significantly between patients on systemic steroids and the other groups (IS, CG).Conclusions: Systemic steroids did not influence the AB-response. In all groups mean AB-concentration increased significantly after vaccination but an important percentage of subjects of all three groups were non-responders

Construction of the factorized steady state distribution in models of mass transport

For a class of one-dimensional mass transport models we present a simple and direct test on the chipping functions, which define the probabilities for mass to be transferred to neighbouring sites, to determine whether the stationary distribution is factorized. In cases where the answer is affirmative, we provide an explicit method for constructing the single-site weight function. As an illustration of the power of this approach, previously known results on the Zero-range process and Asymmetric random average process are recovered in a few lines. We also construct new models, namely a generalized Zero-range process and a binomial chipping model, which have factorized steady states.Comment: 6 pages, no figure

Breakdown and recovery in traffic flow models

Most car-following models show a transition from laminar to ``congested'' flow and vice versa. Deterministic models often have a density range where a disturbance needs a sufficiently large critical amplitude to move the flow from the laminar into the congested phase. In stochastic models, it may be assumed that the size of this amplitude gets translated into a waiting time, i.e.\ until fluctuations sufficiently add up to trigger the transition. A recently introduced model of traffic flow however does not show this behavior: in the density regime where the jam solution co-exists with the high-flow state, the intrinsic stochasticity of the model is not sufficient to cause a transition into the jammed regime, at least not within relevant time scales. In addition, models can be differentiated by the stability of the outflow interface. We demonstrate that this additional criterion is not related to the stability of the flow. The combination of these criteria makes it possible to characterize commonalities and differences between many existing models for traffic in a new way

Corporate Governance, Opaque Bank Activities, and Risk/Return Efficiency: Pre- and Post-Crisis Evidence from Turkey

Does better corporate governance unambiguously improve the risk/return efficiency of banks? Or does either a re-orientation of banks' revenue mix towards more opaque products, an economic downturn, or tighter supervision create off-setting or reinforcing effects? The authors relate bank efficiency to shortfalls from a stochastic risk/return frontier. They analyze how internal governance mechanisms (CEO duality, board experience, political connections, and education profile) and external governance mechanisms (discipline exerted by shareholders, depositors, or skilled employees) determine efficiency in a sample of Turkish banks. The 2000 financial crisis was a wakeup call for bank efficiency and corporate governance. As a result, better corporate governance mechanisms have been able to improve risk/return efficiency when the economic, regulatory, and supervisory environments are more stable and bank products are more complex.corporate governance;bank risk;noninterest income;crisis;frontier

A combination of LCPUFA ameliorates airway inflammation in asthmatic mice by promoting pro-resolving effects and reducing adverse effects of EPA

Cusanuswerk, who supported D.F. with a stipend. J.D. is funded by European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant no: 677542) and the Barts Charity (grant no: MGU0343) to J.D. J.D. is also supported by a Sir Henry Dale Fellowship jointly funded by the Wellcome Trust and the Royal Society (grant 107613/Z/15/Z)

Applications of RESRAD family of computer codes to sites contaminated with radioactive residues.

The RESIL4D family of computer codes was developed to provide a scientifically defensible answer to the question ''How clean is clean?'' and to provide useful tools for evaluating human health risk at sites contaminated with radioactive residues. The RESRAD codes include (1) RESRAD for soil contaminated with radionuclides; (2) RESRAD-BUILD for buildings contaminated with radionuclides; (3) RESRAD-CHEM for soil contaminated with hazardous chemicals; (4) RESRAD-BASELINE for baseline risk assessment with measured media concentrations of both radionuclides and chemicals; (5) RESRAD-ECORISK for ecological risk assessment; (6) RESRAD-RECYCLE for recycle and reuse of radiologically contaminated metals and equipment; and (7) RESRAD-OFFSITE for off-site receptor radiological dose assessment. Four of these seven codes (RESRAD, RESRAD-BUILD, RESRAD-RECYCLE, and RESRAD-OFFSITE) also have uncertainty analysis capabilities that allow the user to input distributions of parameters. RESRAD has been widely used in the United States and abroad and approved by many federal and state agencies. Experience has shown that the RESRAD codes are useful tools for evaluating sites contaminated with radioactive residues. The use of RESRAD codes has resulted in significant savings in cleanup cost. Analysis of 19 site-specific uranium guidelines is discussed in the paper

Asthma

Asthma is the most common respiratory disorder in Canada. Despite significant improvement in the diagnosis and management of this disorder, the majority of Canadians with asthma remain poorly controlled. In most patients, however, control can be achieved through the use of avoidance measures and appropriate pharmacological interventions. Inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) represent the standard of care for the majority of patients. Combination ICS/long-acting beta2-agonists (LABA) inhalers are preferred for most adults who fail to achieve control with ICS therapy. Allergen-specific immunotherapy represents a potentially disease-modifying therapy for many patients with asthma, but should only be prescribed by physicians with appropriate training in allergy. Regular monitoring of asthma control, adherence to therapy and inhaler technique are also essential components of asthma management. This article provides a review of current literature and guidelines for the appropriate diagnosis and management of asthma