Envy Freeness in Experimental Fair Division Problems

In the recent experimental literature several social preference models have been suggested that address observed behavior not reducible to the pursuit of self-interest. Inequality aversion is one such model where preferences are distributional. Frequently, envy is suggested as the underlying rationale for inequality aversion. Envy is a central criterion in the theoretical literature on fair division, whose definition (Foley 1967) differs from the more casual use of the word in the experimental literature. We present and discuss results from free-form bargaining experiments on fair division problems where the role of envy in Foley’s sense can be analyzed and compared to social preferences. We find that envy freeness does matter as a secondary criterion.Fairness, Envy Freeness, Social Preferences, Bargaining

The Magnetic Field of L1544: I. Near-Infrared Polarimetry and the Non-Uniform Envelope

The magnetic field (B-field) of the starless dark cloud L1544 has been studied using near-infrared (NIR) background starlight polarimetry (BSP) and archival data in order to characterize the properties of the plane-of-sky B-field. NIR linear polarization measurements of over 1,700 stars were obtained in the H-band and 201 of these were also measured in the K-band. The NIR BSP properties are correlated with reddening, as traced using the RJCE (H-M) method, and with thermal dust emission from the L1544 cloud and envelope seen in Herschel maps. The NIR polarization position angles change at the location of the cloud and exhibit their lowest dispersion of position angles there, offering strong evidence that NIR polarization traces the plane-of-sky B-field of L1544. In this paper, the uniformity of the plane-of-sky B-field in the envelope region of L1544 is quantitatively assessed. This allowed evaluating the approach of assuming uniform field geometry when measuring relative mass-to-flux ratios in the cloud envelope and core based on averaging of the envelope radio Zeeman observations, as in Crutcher et al. (2009). In L1544, the NIR BSP shows the envelope B-field to be significantly non-uniform and likely not suitable for averaging Zeeman properties without treating intrinsic variations. Deeper analyses of the NIR BSP and related data sets, including estimates of the B-field strength and testing how it varies with position and gas density, are the subjects of later papers in this series.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figures; accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa

Josephson Coupling in the Dissipative State of a Thermally Hysteretic μ\mu-SQUID

Micron-sized superconducting interference devices ($\mu$-SQUIDs) based on constrictions optimized for minimizing thermal runaway are shown to exhibit voltage oscillations with applied magnetic flux despite their hysteretic behavior. We explain this remarkable feature by a significant supercurrent contribution surviving deep into the resistive state, due to efficient heat evacuation. A resistively shunted junction model, complemented by a thermal balance determining the amplitude of the critical current, describes well all experimental observations, including the flux modulation of the (dynamic) retrapping current and voltage by introducing a single dimensionless parameter. Thus hysteretic $\mu$-SQUIDs can be operated in the voltage read-out mode with a faster response. The quantitative modeling of this regime incorporating both heating and phase dynamics paves the way for further optimization of $\mu$-SQUIDs for nano-magnetism.Comment: 10 pages, 11 figures, Revise

The unusual distribution of molecular gas and star formation in Arp 140

We investigate the atomic and molecular interstellar medium and star formation of NGC 275, the late-type spiral galaxy in Arp 140, which is interacting with NGC 274, an early-type system. The atomic gas (HI) observations reveal a tidal tail from NGC 275 which extends many optical radii beyond the interacting pair. The HI morphology implies a prograde encounter between the galaxy pair approximately 1.5 x 10**8 years ago. The Halpha emission from NGC 275 indicates clumpy irregular star-formation, clumpiness which is mirrored by the underlying mass distribution as traced by the Ks-band emission. The molecular gas distribution is striking in its anti-correlation with the {HII regions. Despite the evolved nature of NGC 275's interaction and its barred potential, neither the molecular gas nor the star formation are centrally concentrated. We suggest that this structure results from stochastic star formation leading to preferential consumption of the gas in certain regions of the galaxy. In contrast to the often assumed picture of interacting galaxies, NGC 275, which appears to be close to merger, does not display enhanced or centrally concentrated star formation. If the eventual merger is to lead to a significant burst of star formation it must be preceded by a significant conversion of atomic to molecular gas as at the current rate of star formation all the molecular gas will be exhausted by the time the merger is complete.Comment: 13 paper, accepted my Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Societ

Antihyperglycemic Medications and Hypoglycemia in Older Adults with Diabetes

Background: In the last decade, several new antihyperglycemic medications have been approved to treat people with diabetes. However, the hypoglycemia risk of these medications in older adults in routine clinical practice remains unclear. Further, there is limited understanding as to how these medications are being prescribed to older adults in our region. Methods: We carried out retrospective, population-based studies of adults age 66 and older in Ontario, Canada using linked healthcare databases. We first investigated the real-world hypoglycemia risk of 2 antihyperglycemic medications – glyburide and modified-release gliclazide. In an ecological study, we then examined trends in antihyperglycemic medication prescriptions, and in this setting, investigated hospital encounters for hypoglycemia. Results: Initiating glyburide vs gliclazide as monotherapy or in the presence of metformin was associated with a significantly higher risk of a hospital encounter with hypoglycemia. Over the last decade, newer and safer antihyperglycemic medications have been prescribed to older adults in our region. In this setting, the overall percentage of patients with a hospital encounter with hypoglycemia has declined. Conclusions: Antihyperglycemic medications differ in their real-world hypoglycemia risk in older patients. In the setting of newer and safer antihyperglycemic medications, encounters for hypoglycemia have declined

Inequality Aversion and Efficiency with Ordinal and Cardinal Social Preferences – An Experimental Study

In this paper, we report on a series of free-form bargaining experiments inwhich two players have to distribute four indivisible goods among themselves. In one treatment, players are informed about the monetary payoffs associated with each bundle of goods; in a second treatment only the ordinal ranking of the bundles is given. We find that in both cases, inequality aversion plays a prominent role. In the ordinal treatment, individuals apparently use the ranks in the respective preference orderings over bundles of goods as a substitute for the unknown monetary value. Allocations that distribute the value (money or ranks, respectively) most equally serve as natural “reference points” forthe bargaining processes. Frequently, such “equal split” allocations are chosen by our subjects even though they are Pareto dominated; but also if they are rejected for that reason they matter in a specific way: whether a Pareto optimal allocation is chosen or not depends on whether or not it is a Pareto improvement relative to the equal split. Interestingly, we find much less Pareto-damaging behavior due to inequality aversion in the ordinal treatment