Faster is More Different: Mean-Field Dynamics of Innovation Diffusion

Based on a recent model of paradigm shifts by Bornholdt et al., we studied mean-field opinion dynamics in an infinite population where an infinite number of ideas compete simultaneously with their values publicly known. We found that a highly innovative society is not characterized by heavy concentration in highly valued ideas: Rather, ideas are more broadly distributed in a more innovative society with faster progress, provided that the rate of adoption is constant, which suggests a positive correlation between innovation and technological disparity. Furthermore, the distribution is generally skewed in such a way that the fraction of innovators is substantially smaller than has been believed in conventional innovation-diffusion theory based on normality. Thus, the typical adoption pattern is predicted to be asymmetric with slow saturation in the ideal situation, which is compared with empirical data sets.Comment: 11 pages, 4 figure

Réflexions sur le dialogue littéraire dans les manuels de FLE pour l'apprentissage langagier et littéraire en classe universitaire

International audienceThis study aims to articulate learning the French as a foreign language and literature for South Korean students. As they are beginners, we chose the 'literary' dialogue as language, literary and cultural support. Given the presence of literary dialogue and its treatment in textbooks, its use could be a track to consider possible methods of teaching

Réflexions sur le dialogue littéraire dans les manuels de FLE pour l'apprentissage langagier et littéraire en classe universitaire

International audienceThis study aims to articulate learning the French as a foreign language and literature for South Korean students. As they are beginners, we chose the 'literary' dialogue as language, literary and cultural support. Given the presence of literary dialogue and its treatment in textbooks, its use could be a track to consider possible methods of teaching

DOES EXCHANGE RATE MATTER TO AGRICULTURAL BILATERAL TRADE BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND CANAD?

This study examines the effects of the U.S.-Canada exchange rate on bilateral trade of agricultural goods between the two countries and on U.S. farm income. Special attention is given to agricultural trade between the two countries under the Canada - United States Free Trade Agreement (CUSTA). This study utilizes two time series models: the vector error correction model (VECM) and the vector moving average model (VMA) with quarterly time series data from 1983 to 2000. This study found that exchange rates have a significant impact on U.S. agricultural trade with Canada and that the exchange rate between the two currencies is weakly exogenous in the U.S. agricultural sector, indicating that it is not influenced by U.S. agricultural trade with Canada and U.S. farm income.cointegration, VECM, VMA, exchange rate impacts, weak exogeneity, over-identification, short- and long-run impulse response, International Relations/Trade,

Soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 and echocardiography in sepsis

Soluble suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (sST2) has emerged as a biomarker of cardiac stretch or remodeling, and has demonstrated a role in acutely decompensated heart failure. However, its role in sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction is still unknown. We explored whether sST2 serum concentration reflects either systolic or diastolic dysfunction as measured by Doppler echocardiography. In a total of 127 patients with sepsis, correlations between sST2 and blood pressure, left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction, LV diastolic filling (ratio of early transmitral flow velocity to early diastolic mitral annulus velocity), and resting pulmonary arterial pressure were evaluated. Correlations between sST2 and other sepsis biomarkers (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein [hs-CRP] and procalcitonin) were also examined. sST2 showed a moderate correlation with mean arterial pressure (r=-0.3499) but no correlation with LV ejection fraction, diastolic filling, or resting pulmonary hypertension. It showed moderate correlations with hs-CRP and procalcitonin (r=0.2608 and r=0.3829, respectively). sST2 might have a role as a biomarker of shock or inflammation, but it cannot reflect echocardiographic findings of LV ejection fraction or diastolic filling in sepsis