Complex Agent Networks explaining the HIV epidemic among homosexual men in Amsterdam

Simulating the evolution of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) epidemic requires a detailed description of the population network, especially for small populations in which individuals can be represented in detail and accuracy. In this paper, we introduce the concept of a Complex Agent Network(CAN) to model the HIV epidemics by combining agent-based modelling and complex networks, in which agents represent individuals that have sexual interactions. The applicability of CANs is demonstrated by constructing and executing a detailed HIV epidemic model for men who have sex with men (MSM) in Amsterdam, including a distinction between steady and casual relationships. We focus on MSM contacts because they play an important role in HIV epidemics and have been tracked in Amsterdam for a long time. Our experiments show good correspondence between the historical data of the Amsterdam cohort and the simulation results.Comment: 21 pages, 4 figures, Mathematics and Computers in Simulation, added reference

Slope Instability of the Earthen Levee in Boston, UK: Numerical Simulation and Sensor Data Analysis

The paper presents a slope stability analysis for a heterogeneous earthen levee in Boston, UK, which is prone to occasional slope failures under tidal loads. Dynamic behavior of the levee under tidal fluctuations was simulated using a finite element model of variably saturated linear elastic perfectly plastic soil. Hydraulic conductivities of the soil strata have been calibrated according to piezometers readings, in order to obtain correct range of hydraulic loads in tidal mode. Finite element simulation was complemented with series of limit equilibrium analyses. Stability analyses have shown that slope failure occurs with the development of a circular slip surface located in the soft clay layer. Both models (FEM and LEM) confirm that the least stable hydraulic condition is the combination of the minimum river levels at low tide with the maximal saturation of soil layers. FEM results indicate that in winter time the levee is almost at its limit state, at the margin of safety (strength reduction factor values are 1.03 and 1.04 for the low-tide and high-tide phases, respectively); these results agree with real-life observations. The stability analyses have been implemented as real-time components integrated into the UrbanFlood early warning system for flood protection

Inference of the Russian drug community from one of the largest social networks in the Russian Federation

The criminal nature of narcotics complicates the direct assessment of a drug community, while having a good understanding of the type of people drawn or currently using drugs is vital for finding effective intervening strategies. Especially for the Russian Federation this is of immediate concern given the dramatic increase it has seen in drug abuse since the fall of the Soviet Union in the early nineties. Using unique data from the Russian social network 'LiveJournal' with over 39 million registered users worldwide, we were able for the first time to identify the on-line drug community by context sensitive text mining of the users' blogs using a dictionary of known drug-related official and 'slang' terminology. By comparing the interests of the users that most actively spread information on narcotics over the network with the interests of the individuals outside the on-line drug community, we found that the 'average' drug user in the Russian Federation is generally mostly interested in topics such as Russian rock, non-traditional medicine, UFOs, Buddhism, yoga and the occult. We identify three distinct scale-free sub-networks of users which can be uniquely classified as being either 'infectious', 'susceptible' or 'immune'.Comment: 12 pages, 11 figure

Equilibrium spherically curved 2D Lennard-Jones systems

To learn about basic aspects of nano-scale spherical molecular shells during their formation, spherically curved two-dimensional N-particle Lennard-Jones systems are simulated, studying curvature evolution paths at zero-temperature. For many N-values (N<800) equilibrium configurations are traced as a function of the curvature radius R. Sharp jumps for tiny changes in R between trajectories with major differences in topological structure correspond to avalanche-like transitions. For a typical case, N=25, equilibrium configurations fall on smooth trajectories in state space which can be traced in the E-R plane. The trajectories show-up with local energy minima, from which growth in N at steady curvature can develop.Comment: 10 pages, 2 figures, to be published in Journal of Chemical Physic

Manganese-induced hydroxyl radical formation in rat striatum is not attenuated by dopamine depletion or iron chelation in vivo

The present studies were aimed at investigating the possible roles of dopamine (DA) and iron in production of hydroxyl radicals (.OH) in rat striatum after Mn2+ intoxication. For this purpose, DA depletions were assessed concomitant with in vivo 2,3- and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHBA) formation from the reaction of salicylate with .OH, of which 2,3-DHBA is a nonenzymatic adduct. Following intrastriatal Mn2+ injection, marked 2,3-DHBA increases were observed in a time- and dose-dependent fashion reaching maximum levels at 6-18 h and a plateau beyond 0.4 μmol (fourfold increase). The delayed increase of 2,3-DHBA levels suggests that Mn2+ induces OH formation in the living brain by an indirect process. The early DA depletion (2 h) and relatively late .OH formation (6 h) indicate independent processes by Mn2+. In addition, depletion of DA (about 90%) by reserpine pretreatment did not significantly alter Mn2+-induced 2,3-DHBA formation or the extent of DA depletion, suggesting that DA or DA autoxidation are not participating in Mn2+-induced .OH formation in vivo. Furthermore, Mn2+ injection did not significantly alter the low molecular weight iron pool in striatum, and co-injections of the iron-chelator deferoxamine with Mn2+ into striatum did not significantly attenuate Mn2+-induced 2,3-DHBA formation. These findings suggest no role of chelatable iron in generation of Mn2+-induced .OH, but do not exclude a role for mitochondrial heme-iron or peroxynitrite (Fe-independent) in Mn2+-induced .OH formation

Yang-Lee Zeros of the Q-state Potts Model on Recursive Lattices

The Yang-Lee zeros of the Q-state Potts model on recursive lattices are studied for non-integer values of Q. Considering 1D lattice as a Bethe lattice with coordination number equal to two, the location of Yang-Lee zeros of 1D ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic Potts models is completely analyzed in terms of neutral periodical points. Three different regimes for Yang-Lee zeros are found for Q>1 and 0<Q<1. An exact analytical formula for the equation of phase transition points is derived for the 1D case. It is shown that Yang-Lee zeros of the Q-state Potts model on a Bethe lattice are located on arcs of circles with the radius depending on Q and temperature for Q>1. Complex magnetic field metastability regions are studied for the Q>1 and 0<Q<1 cases. The Yang-Lee edge singularity exponents are calculated for both 1D and Bethe lattice Potts models. The dynamics of metastability regions for different values of Q is studied numerically.Comment: 15 pages, 6 figures, with correction

Permeability of Three-Dimensional Random Fiber Webs

We report the results of essentially ab initio simulations of creeping flow through large three-dimensional random fiber webs that closely resemble fibrous sheets such as paper and nonwoven fabrics. The computational scheme used in this Letter is that of the lattice-Boltzmann method and contains no free parameters concerning the properties of the porous medium or the dynamics of the flow. The computed permeability of the web is found to be in good agreement with experimental data, and confirms that permeability depends exponentially on porosity over a large range of porosity.Peer reviewe

Enumeration of self-avoiding walks on the square lattice

We describe a new algorithm for the enumeration of self-avoiding walks on the square lattice. Using up to 128 processors on a HP Alpha server cluster we have enumerated the number of self-avoiding walks on the square lattice to length 71. Series for the metric properties of mean-square end-to-end distance, mean-square radius of gyration and mean-square distance of monomers from the end points have been derived to length 59. Analysis of the resulting series yields accurate estimates of the critical exponents $\gamma$ and $\nu$ confirming predictions of their exact values. Likewise we obtain accurate amplitude estimates yielding precise values for certain universal amplitude combinations. Finally we report on an analysis giving compelling evidence that the leading non-analytic correction-to-scaling exponent $\Delta_1=3/2$.Comment: 24 pages, 6 figure