The so-called Deffuant model describes a pattern for social interaction, in which two neighboring individuals randomly meet and share their opinions on a certain topic, if their discrepancy is not beyond a given threshold θ. The major focus of the analyses, both theoretical and based on simulations, lies on whether these single interactions lead to a global consensus in the long run or not. First,

When it comes to the mathematical modelling of social interaction patterns, a number of different models have emerged and been studied over the last decade, in which individuals randomly interact on the basis of an underlying graph structure and share their opinions. A prominent example of the so-called bounded confidence models is the one introduced by Deffuant et al.: Two neighboring individuals

During the last decades, quite a number of interacting particle systems have been introduced and studied in the crossover area of mathematics and statistical physics. Some of these can be seen as simplistic models for opinion formation processes in groups of interacting people. In the model introduced by Deffuant et al. (2000), agents that are neighbors on a given network graph, randomly meet in p

Dealing with finite Markov chains in discrete time, the focus often lies on convergence behavior and one tries to make different copies of the chain meet as fast as possible and then stick together. There are, however, discrete finite (reducible) Markov chains, for which two copies started in different states can be coupled to meet almost surely in finite time, yet their distributions keep a total

If the nodes of a graph are considered to be identical barrels – featuring different water levels – and the edges to be (locked) water-filled pipes in between the barrels, consider the optimization problem of how much the water level in a fixed barrel can be raised with no pumps available, that is, by opening and closing the locks in an elaborate succession. This model is related to an opinion for

A two-type version of the frog model on Zd is formulated, where active type i particles move according to lazy random walks with probability pi of jumping in each time step (i = 1, 2). Each site is independently assigned a random number of particles. At time 0, the particles at the origin are activated and assigned type 1 and the particles at one other site are activated and assigned type 2, while

The reintegration of former armed group affiliates into formal politics is a fundamental challenge for post-conflict societies. Arguably, this challenge is even more difficult in settings where ethnic discrimination is pervasive, since discrimination implies comparatively higher barriers to political reintegration for racialized ex-combatants. In this paper, we explore how ethnicity and armed grou

Deflationism about truth is often said to be incompatible with truth-theoretic semantics. However, both of these labels are ambiguous, making the truth of the incompatibility claim dependent on interpretation. I provide one pair of natural interpretations, on which both views relate essentially to grounding and on which they are indeed incompatible. This result has some intrinsic interest as well

Dermatitis herpetiformis has been investigated in the past; however, only a limited number of studies have reported its incidence based on validated nationwide population-based registries. To address this gap, the aims of this study are to estimate the incidence of dermatitis herpetiformis in Sweden and to validate the National Patient Register (NPR) for diagnosis of dermatitis herpetiformis. A po

This chapter brings the Global South to the centre stage of degrowth debates to envision what a truly global and anti-colonial movement towards degrowth could look like. To do so, we first bring the varying definitions of the term ‘Global South’ to the forefront and consider the Global South not as an undynamic and apolitical cate- gory, but as a site of resistance and independent critical thinkin

De relevanta faktorerna för val av övergångsställe eller gångpassage samt för deras utformning på huvudgator beskrivs baserat på litteraturstudie utifrån forskning och handböcker. Några kommuners arbete med översyn av övergångsställen beskrivs och det belyses på vilka grunder som åtgärderna är gjorda och vilket tillvägagångsätt kommunerna har haft. Det görs en sammanställning av olika sätt att öka

This article analyses latent violence to highlight important aspects of our empirical data: qualitative interviews with women who have been subjected to violence by their siblings. The concept points to the fear experienced by victims in close relationships, and the adaptations they make to avoid violence. Although the concept has been applied to family and intimate partner violence, it is also us

The report reviews the literature to identify existing best practices used to prevent incursions into work zones and improve safety of road users and road workers. A systematic literature search was conducted and various available sources referred to by knowledgeable experts in the field were considered. Best practices found in the literature review comprise both regulatory/management issues and t

Background: Umbilical cord clamping strategies at preterm birth have the potential to affect important health outcomes. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of deferred cord clamping, umbilical cord milking, and immediate cord clamping in reducing neonatal mortality and morbidity at preterm birth. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and individual participant data meta-anal

Background: The existing association between skin disease and psychiatric comorbidity has gained attention during the last decades. Stress and mental illness can directly or indirectly affect skin disease, while dermatological conditions, known to impair life quality and mental well-being, can promote psychiatric conditions. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the risk of developing ps