Arcsine laws for random walks generated from random permutations with applications to genomics

A classical result for the simple symmetric random walk with 2n steps is that the number of steps above the origin, the time of the last visit to the origin, and the time of the maximum height all have exactly the same distribution and converge when scaled to the arcsine law. Motivated by applications in genomics, we study the distributions of these statistics for the non-Markovian random walk generated from the ascents and descents of a uniform random permutation and a Mallows(q) permutation and show that they have the same asymptotic distributions as for the simple random walk. We also give an unexpected conjecture, along with numerical evidence and a partial proof in special cases, for the result that the number of steps above the origin by step 2n for the uniform permutation generated walk has exactly the same discrete arcsine distribution as for the simple random walk, even though the other statistics for these walks have very different laws. We also give explicit error bounds to the limit theorems using Stein’s method for the arcsine distribution, as well as functional central limit theorems and a strong embedding of the Mallows(q) permutation which is of independent interest.

Strong Embeddings for Transitory Queueing Models

In this paper, we establish strong embedding theorems, in the sense of the Komlós-Major-Tusnády framework, for the performance metrics of a general class of transitory queueing models of nonstationary queueing systems. The nonstationary and non-Markovian nature of these models makes the computation of performance metrics hard. The strong embeddings yield error bounds on sample path approximations by diffusion processes in the form of functional strong approximation theorems.

Locked down by inequality: Older people and the COVID-19 pandemic

This paper develops the argument that post-COVID-19 recovery strategies need to focus on building back fairer cities and communities, and that this requires a strong embedding of ‘ age-friendly’ principles to support marginalised groups of older people, especially those living in deprived urban neighbourhoods, trapped in poor quality housing. It shows that older people living in such areas are likely to experience a ‘double lockdown’ as a result of restrictions imposed by social distancing combined with the intensification of social and spatial inequalities. This argument is presented as follows: first, the paper examines the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on older people, highlighting how the pandemic is both creating new and reinforcing existing inequalities in ageing along the lines of gender, class, ethnicity, race, ability and sexuality. Second, the paper explores the role of spatial inequalities in the context of COVID-19, highlighting how the pandemic is having a disproportionate impact on deprived urban areas already affected by cuts to public services, the loss of social infrastructure and pressures on the voluntary sector. Finally, the paper examines how interrelated social inequalities at both the individual and spatial level are affecting the lives of older people living in deprived urban neighbourhoods during the pandemic. The paper concludes by developing six principles for ‘age-friendly’ community recovery planning aimed at maintaining and improving the quality of life and wellbeing of older residents in the post-pandemic city.

Study on the Status Quo of Cultural Regeneration of Chongqing Bayu Culture in the Square Landscape

At present, with the acceleration of urbanization and the strong embedding of foreign cultures, traditional urban culture faces serious threats and disintegration. Cultural faults have become a common problem in Chinese cities. As one of the four centrally administered municipalities in China, Chongqing has a history of two thousand years. In recent years, with the development of modernization, Chongqing’s original unique regional urban characteristics are gradually disappearing. This paper selects the most representative urban landscape of Chongqing as the research object. The purpose of this paper is to find out the phenomenon of cultural regeneration of Chongqing Bayu culture in modern landscape design, and to find out the method of cultural regeneration of traditional Bayu culture in modern landscape. In order to achieve this goal, this paper uses the research method of case investigation. First, select the landscape of the Three Gorges Square, which best represents the image of Chongqing city, for investigation. Then through the on-the-spot investigation, shooting records, conversation records and other forms, the investigation found out the phenomenon of the regeneration of Chongqing Bayu culture in the square landscape, and finally, by analyzing the phenomena appearing in the landscape of these Bayu cultures, the traditional methods of cultural regeneration in the modern landscape can be analyzed.

Ocena możliwości implementacji standardów IPSAS do systemu rachunkowości podmiotów sektora publicznego w Polsce

Ocena możliwości implementacji standardów IPSAS do systemu rachunkowości podmiotów sektora publicznego w Polsce In recent years, there has been a noticeable increase in activity in the field of standardization of public sector accounting, which has an international scope and takes the form of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). It has been planned that the EU Member States, and consequently Poland, will implement obligatory uniform accounting standards in the public sector – EPSAS – which are to be largely based on the content of IPSAS. The purpose of this paper is to assess the possibilities and factors of IPSAS implementation in the accounting system of public finance sector entities in Poland in relation to the currently applicable accounting regulations and the intelligibility criterion for potential users. The assessment was carried out based on a study of the foreign and domestic literature and existing legislation, while for the conclusions, the deductive and synthetic methods were used. The paper demonstrates that despite the relatively long period of operation of IPSAS, their level of implementation into the accounting system of public sector entities in Poland is negligible. The same applies to the works on the European standards, EPSAS, which have been significantly delayed in relation to the original assumptions. Knowledge of international standards is weak, and consequently their dissemination too. In spite of IPSAS implementation problems, there are still a number of reasons for their use. One of the arguments in favor of introducing uniform standards on the European market is the fact that the common market is in operation, and another one is the strong embedding of the need to consolidate the public sector’s international financial data at the central level of the Community. The conducted research confirmed the possibility of implementing IPSAS into Polish public sector entities’ accounting systems. However, that process should be connected with training and educational activities in the topic of IPSAS, and it is recommended that an authorized translation of IPSAS be made into Polish.

An Analysis of New-Tech Agglomeration in Beijing: A New Industrial District in the Making?

Industrial districts are usually referred to as spatially concentrated networks of small and medium-sized firms. These have been seen in Europe and North America, but, so far, have been almost undiscovered in developing countries. Based on the assumption of the strong embedding of the stable and ‘pure’ district model, in this paper we examine a new-tech agglomeration in Beijing, as a variant of such districts in the making, and explain it with the use of concepts adopted from the industrial districts school. The Beijing case represents an experiment in the conscious public creation of new industrial spaces founded on the spontaneous action of key individuals. Initially it progressed as an embryonic industrial district that, in its early development, appeared to contain all three elements of entrepreneurship: small firms, new firm formation, and innovativeness. However, it has eventually been stranded by a unique combination of weaknesses. These include strong hierarchical restraints from the state-owned institutions or firms on local networking, and direct global linkages with the multinationals, which expose local economies to volatile world competition. We pinpoint the necessity for a developing country to rest its development of industrial districts on self-sustained innovativeness, and highlights the difficulties encountered in such a process.