A laboratory experiment on the heuristic switching model

© 2018 Elsevier B.V. We present results from the first laboratory experiment on the seminal heuristic switching model introduced by Brock and Hommes (1997, 1998). Subjects choose between two alternatives, a sophisticated and stabilizing, but costly, heuristic, and a destabilizing, but cheap, heuristic, and are paid according to the performance of the chosen heuristic. Aggregate choices determine the evolution of a state variable and, consequently, the performance of both heuristics. Theoretically, an increase in the costs for the stabilizing heuristic generates instability and leads to endogenous fluctuations in both the state variable and the fraction of agents using that heuristic. We vary the costs of the stabilizing heuristic in the experiment and find that the predictions of the heuristic switching model are partially confirmed. For low costs the dynamics are stable. For high costs, the dynamics initially are unstable and exhibit the type of bubbles and crashes emblematic for the heuristic switching model. However, over time the pattern of bubbles and crashes disappears and the dynamics become more stable. We estimate a standard discrete choice model on aggregate choice data and observe that subjects have a tendency to become less sensitive to payoff differences when the environment is less stable, which has important implications for the application of heuristic switching models

SPHINCS+^+ post-quantum digital signature scheme with Streebog hash function

Many commonly used public key cryptosystems will become insecure once a scalable quantum computer is built. New cryptographic schemes that can guarantee protection against attacks with quantum computers, so-called post-quantum algorithms, have emerged in recent decades. One of the most promising candidates for a post-quantum signature scheme is SPHINCS$^+$, which is based on cryptographic hash functions. In this contribution, we analyze the use of the new Russian standardized hash function, known as Streebog, for the implementation of the SPHINCS$^+$ signature scheme. We provide a performance comparison with SHA-256-based instantiation and give benchmarks for various sets of parameters.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figures, 3 table

A strategy for the innovative low-carbon growth of the Sverdlovsk region, Russia

The objective for this project was to work out the practical recommendations for the curb of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission at a regional level. This work was carried out in the following steps: a survey on GHG emission, the identification of the overall historical and current GHG emission rates as well as a breakdown into economical sectors, the forecast for future GHG emissions (up to 2020), identification of the technological opportunities for GHG emission reduction and an assessment of their potential reduction, identification of the main barriers for low-carbon development and the drafting of proposals and the instruments for GHG reduction. A draft for the low-carbon strategy was discussed with stakeholders and delivered to the government of Sverdlovsk Oblast. © 2014 WIT Press.International Journal of Safety and Security Engineering;International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning;WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environmen

Identification of possible non-stationary effects in a new type of vortex furnace

The article presents the results of an experimental study of pressure and velocity pulsations in the model of improved vortex furnace with distributed air supply and vertically oriented nozzles of the secondary blast. Investigation of aerodynamic characteristics of a swirling flow with different regime parameters was conducted in an isothermal laboratory model (in 1:25 scale) of vortex furnace using laser Doppler measuring system and pressure pulsations analyzer. The obtained results have revealed a number of features of the flow structure, and the spectral analysis of pressure and velocity pulsations allows to speak about the absence of large-scale unsteady vortical structures in the studied design

Synthesis of 6-(2-hydroxyaryl)-2-pyridones by the reaction of chromones with cyanoacetic, acetoacetic, and malonic acid amides

A reaction of chromones with cyanoacetic, acetoacetic, and malonic acid amides in the presence of sodium ethoxide furnished a number of new 3-substituted 6-(2-hydroxyaryl)-2-pyridones in good yields, including those containing a polyfluoroalkyl group at position 4. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York

Quantum-secured blockchain

Blockchain is a distributed database which is cryptographically protected against malicious modifications. While promising for a wide range of applications, current blockchain platforms rely on digital signatures, which are vulnerable to attacks by means of quantum computers. The same, albeit to a lesser extent, applies to cryptographic hash functions that are used in preparing new blocks, so parties with access to quantum computation would have unfair advantage in procuring mining rewards. Here we propose a possible solution to the quantum era blockchain challenge and report an experimental realization of a quantum-safe blockchain platform that utilizes quantum key distribution across an urban fiber network for information-theoretically secure authentication. These results address important questions about realizability and scalability of quantum-safe blockchains for commercial and governmental applications.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures; published versio

Long-time behavior of MHD shell models

The long time behavior of velocity-magnetic field alignment is numerically investigated in the framework of MHD shell model. In the stationary forced case, the correlation parameter C displays a nontrivial behavior with long periods of high variability which alternates with periods of almost constant C. The temporal statistics of correlation is shown to be non Poissonian, and the pdf of constant sign periods displays clear power law tails. The possible relevance of the model for geomagnetic dynamo problem is discussed.Comment: 6 pages with 5 figures. In press on Europhysics Letter