Interventions for neurocognitive dysfunction

Purpose of review: To evaluate current barriers to HIV cure strategies and interventions for neurocognitive dysfunction with a particular focus on recent advancements over the last three years. Recent findings: Optimal anti-retroviral therapy (ART) poses challenges to minimise neurotoxicity, whilst ensuring blood brain barrier penetration and minimising the risk of cerebrovascular disease. CSF biomarkers, BCL11B and neurofilament light chain may be implicated with a neuroinflammatory cascade leading to cognitive impairment. Diagnostic imaging with diffusion tensor imaging as well as resting-state fMRI show promise in future diagnosis and monitoring of HAND. Summary: The introduction of ART has resulted in a dramatic decline in HIV-associated dementia. Despite this reduction, milder forms of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) are still prevalent and are clinically significant. The central nervous system (CNS) has been recognised as a probable reservoir and sanctuary for HIV, representing a significant barrier to management interventions

What Sequences obey Benford's Law ?

We propose a new necessary and sufficient condition to test whether a sequence is Benford (base-b) or not and apply this characterization to some kinds of sequences (re)obtaining some well known results, as the fact that the sequence of powers of 2 is Benford (base-10).Benford's law, equidistributed sequences, ergodic endomorphisms

A Modified Galam's Model

In this paper we analyze the stochastic model proposed by Galam in [2], for information spreading in a `word-of-mouth' process among agents, based on a majority rule. Using the communications rules among agents defined in [2], we first perform simulations of the `word-of-mouth' process and compare the results with the theoretical values predicted by Galam's model. Since some dissimilarities arise in particular when a small number of agents is considered, we suggest some enhancements by introducing a new parameter dependent model. We propose a modified Galam's scheme which is asymptotically coincident with the original model in [2]. Furthermore, for relatively small values of the parameter, we provide a numerical experience proving that the modified model often outperforms the original one, in terms of efficiency.Word-of-mouth process, information spreading, agent based simulation

IKT approach for quantum hydrodynamic equations

A striking feature of standard quantum mechanics is its analogy with classical fluid dynamics. In particular it is well known the Schr\"{o}dinger equation can be viewed as describing a classical compressible and non-viscous fluid, described by two (quantum) fluid fields {\rho ,% \mathbf{V}} , to be identified with the quantum probability density and velocity field. This feature has suggested the construction of a phase-space hidden-variable description based on a suitable inverse kinetic theory (IKT; Tessarotto et al., 2007). The discovery of this approach has potentially important consequences since it permits to identify the classical dynamical system which advances in time the quantum fluid fields. This type of approach, however requires the identification of additional fluid fields. These can be generally identified with suitable directional fluid temperatures $T_{QM,i}$ (for $i=1,2,3$), to be related to the expectation values of momentum fluctuations appearing in the Heisenberg inequalities. Nevertheless the definition given previously for them (Tessarotto et al., 2007) is non-unique. In this paper we intend to propose a criterion, based on the validity of a constant H-theorem, which provides an unique definition for the quantum temperatures.Comment: Contributed paper at RGD26 (Kyoto, Japan, July 2008

Leading advertisers efficiency evaluated by data envelopment analysis

In this paper we analyze the problem of measuring the advertising efficiency of the Leading US Advertisers during the period 2001-2006. We use the DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) approach that enables to evaluate the relative efficiency in case of multiple inputs and outputs. In particular, the classical CCR-DEA model is first implemented in each year considered; a windows analysis approach is then used in order to better capture the dynamics of efficiency. Finally, the effect on efficiency of advertising spending over time, is captured by Adstock as an additional variable of the DEA model. The dynamics of Adstock is described by a finite difference equation.

The French Pacific territories and free trade

For more about the East-West Center, see http://www.eastwestcenter.org/Jeremy Ellero, Research Associate at the Law and Economics Research Laboratory at the University of New Caledonia, explains that “Massive financial transfers combined with tariffs and quotas on imported goods have created overprotected economies whose purchasing power is unrelated to actual economic power.