Statistical equilibrium in simple exchange games I

Simple stochastic exchange games are based on random allocation of finite resources. These games are Markov chains that can be studied either analytically or by Monte Carlo simulations. In particular, the equilibrium distribution can be derived either by direct diagonalization of the transition matrix, or using the detailed balance equation, or by Monte Carlo estimates. In this paper, these methods are introduced and applied to the Bennati-Dragulescu-Yakovenko (BDY) game. The exact analysis shows that the statistical-mechanical analogies used in the previous literature have to be revised.Comment: 11 pages, 3 figures, submitted to EPJ

Relaxation in statistical many-agent economy models

We review some statistical many-agent models of economic and social systems inspired by microscopic molecular models and discuss their stochastic interpretation. We apply these models to wealth exchange in economics and study how the relaxation process depends on the parameters of the system, in particular on the saving propensities that define and diversify the agent profiles.Comment: Revised final version. 6 pages, 5 figure

Gamma-distribution and wealth inequality

We discuss the equivalence between kinetic wealth-exchange models, in which agents exchange wealth during trades, and mechanical models of particles, exchanging energy during collisions. The universality of the underlying dynamics is shown both through a variational approach based on the minimization of the Boltzmann entropy and a complementary microscopic analysis of the collision dynamics of molecules in a gas. In various relevant cases the equilibrium distribution is the same for all these models, namely a gamma-distribution with suitably defined temperature and number of dimensions. This in turn allows one to quantify the inequalities observed in the wealth distributions and suggests that their origin should be traced back to very general underlying mechanisms: for instance, it follows that the smaller the fraction of the relevant quantity (e.g. wealth or energy) that agents can exchange during an interaction, the closer the corresponding equilibrium distribution is to a fair distribution.Comment: Presented to the International Workshop and Conference on: Statistical Physics Approaches to Multi-disciplinary Problems, January 07-13, 2008, IIT Guwahati, Indi

Heterogeneous nucleation and heat flux avalanches in La(Fe, Si)13 magnetocaloric compounds near the critical point

The phase transformation kinetics of LaFe11.41Mn0.30Si1.29-H1.65 magnetocaloric compound is addressed by low rate calorimetry experiments. Scans at 1 mK/s show that its first order phase transitions are made by multiple heat flux avalanches. Getting very close to the critical point, when the transition becomes of the second order type, the step-like discontinuous behaviour associated with avalanches is smoothed out and the thermal hysteresis disappears. This result is confirmed by magneto-resistivity measurements and allows to obtain accurate values of the temperature hysteresis (DThyst = 0.37 K) at zero external magnetic field and of the critical field (Hc = 1.19 T). The number and magnitude of heat flux avalanches change as the magnetic field strength is increased, showing the interplay between the intrinsic energy barrier between phases and the microstructural disorder of the sample

Collective privacy recovery: Data-sharing coordination via decentralized artificial intelligence

Collective privacy loss becomes a colossal problem, an emergency for personal freedoms and democracy. But, are we prepared to handle personal data as scarce resource and collectively share data under the doctrine: as little as possible, as much as necessary? We hypothesize a significant privacy recovery if a population of individuals, the data collective, coordinates to share minimum data for running online services with the required quality. Here, we show how to automate and scale-up complex collective arrangements for privacy recovery using decentralized artificial intelligence. For this, we compare for the first time attitudinal, intrinsic, rewarded, and coordinated data sharing in a rigorous living-lab experiment of high realism involving real data disclosures. Using causal inference and cluster analysis, we differentiate criteria predicting privacy and five key data-sharing behaviors. Strikingly, data-sharing coordination proves to be a win–win for all: remarkable privacy recovery for people with evident costs reduction for service providers

Surprises in the Orbital Magnetic Moment and g-Factor of the Dynamic Jahn-Teller Ion C_{60}^-

We calculate the magnetic susceptibility and g-factor of the isolated C_{60}^- ion at zero temperature, with a proper treatment of the dynamical Jahn-Teller effect, and of the associated orbital angular momentum, Ham-reduced gyromagnetic ratio, and molecular spin-orbit coupling. A number of surprises emerge. First, the predicted molecular spin-orbit splitting is two orders of magnitude smaller than in the bare carbon atom, due to the large radius of curvature of the molecule. Second, this reduced spin-orbit splitting is comparable to Zeeman energies, for instance, in X-band EPR at 3.39KGauss, and a field dependence of the g-factor is predicted. Third, the orbital gyromagnetic factor is strongly reduced by vibron coupling, and so therefore are the effective weak-field g-factors of all low-lying states. In particular, the ground-state doublet of C_{60}^- is predicted to show a negative g-factor of \sim -0.1.Comment: 19 pages RevTex, 2 postscript figures include

Basic kinetic wealth-exchange models: common features and open problems

We review the basic kinetic wealth-exchange models of Angle [J. Angle, Social Forces 65 (1986) 293; J. Math. Sociol. 26 (2002) 217], Bennati [E. Bennati, Rivista Internazionale di Scienze Economiche e Commerciali 35 (1988) 735], Chakraborti and Chakrabarti [A. Chakraborti, B. K. Chakrabarti, Eur. Phys. J. B 17 (2000) 167], and of Dragulescu and Yakovenko [A. Dragulescu, V. M. Yakovenko, Eur. Phys. J. B 17 (2000) 723]. Analytical fitting forms for the equilibrium wealth distributions are proposed. The influence of heterogeneity is investigated, the appearance of the fat tail in the wealth distribution and the relaxation to equilibrium are discussed. A unified reformulation of the models considered is suggested.Comment: Updated version; 9 pages, 5 figures, 2 table

Multipurpose High Frequency Electron Spin Resonance Spectrometer for Condensed Matter Research

We describe a quasi-optical multifrequency ESR spectrometer operating in the 75-225 GHz range and optimized at 210 GHz for general use in condensed matter physics, chemistry and biology. The quasi-optical bridge detects the change of mm wave polarization at the ESR. A controllable reference arm maintains a mm wave bias at the detector. The attained sensitivity of 2x10^10 spin/G/(Hz)1/2, measured on a dilute Mn:MgO sample in a non-resonant probe head at 222.4 GHz and 300 K, is comparable to commercial high sensitive X band spectrometers. The spectrometer has a Fabry-Perot resonator based probe head to measure aqueous solutions, and a probe head to measure magnetic field angular dependence of single crystals. The spectrometer is robust and easy to use and may be operated by undergraduate students. Its performance is demonstrated by examples from various fields of condensed matter physics.Comment: submitted to Journal of Magnetic Resonanc

Prevalence of Tuberculosis infection among teen-agers in Tuscany

Introduction. In Tuscany, Tuberculosis incidence is more thantriplicate from 1982 to the beginning of the third millennium.The impact of this trend on open population is not known, asupdated studies on Tuberculosis prevalence are not available.Tuberculin skin test provides the currently most widely used toolfor assessing Tuberculosis transmission in a community and theprevalence of infection as well.The objective of this investigation was the evaluation of tuberculin index by means of the Mantoux test in adolescents eighteen-years old.Results. The study was carried out in 21 secondary schools ofSiena and its Province; 1,138 students participated to this survey.The overall prevalence of subjects with a skin reaction size >5 mm was 1.6%; if the standard cut-off of 10 mm was used, the overall prevalence of a positive skin reaction was 0.4%. Riskfactors for a doubtful or positive reaction were previous immunization with BCG and migration from high-endemicity countries. Discussion. In Italy, studies on tuberculin index in young adultsare scanty and controversial: our results show a very low Tuberculosis prevalence and an epidemiological pattern typical ofcountries with low Tuberculosis endemicity.Conclusions. The slightly increase in Tuberculosis incidencehas no impact on the prevalence of latent Tuberculosis infection on our geographical area. We conclude that skin-test screening for Tuberculosis should be addressed to high risk population as migrants from Countries reporting high transmissionrate, those recently exposed to an infectious case and healthworkers

Hydrogeology of Stromboli volcano, Aeolian Islands (Italy) from the interpretation of resistivity tomograms, self-potential, soil temperature and soil CO2 concentration measurements

International audienceTo gain a better insight of the hydrogeology and the location of the main tectonic faults of Stromboli volcano in Italy, we collected electrical resistivity measurements, soil CO2 concentrations, temperature and self-potential measurements along two profiles. These two profiles started at the village of Ginostra in the southwest part of the island. The first profile (4.8 km in length) ended up at the village of Scari in the north east part of the volcano and the second one (3.5 km in length) at Forgia Vecchia beach, in the eastern part of the island. These data were used to provide insights regarding the position of shallow aquifers and the extension of the hydrothermal system. This large-scale study is complemented by two high-resolution studies, one at the Pizzo area (near the active vents) and one at Rina Grande where flank collapse areas can be observed. The Pizzo corresponds to one of the main degassing structure of the hydrothermal system. The main degassing area is localized along a higher permeability area corresponding to the head of the gliding plane of the Rina Grande sector collapse. We found that the self-potential data reveal the position of an aquifer above the villages of Scari and San Vincenzo. We provide an estimate of the depth of this aquifer from these data. The lateral extension of the hydrothermal system (resistivity ∼15-60 ohm m) is broader than anticipated extending in the direction of the villages of Scari and San Vincenzo (in agreement with temperature data recorded in shallow wells). The lateral extension of the hydrothermal system reaches the lower third of the Rina Grande sector collapse area in the eastern part of the island. The hydrothermal body in this area is blocked by an old collapse boundary. This position of the hydrothermal body is consistent with low values of the magnetization (<2.5 A m−1) from previously published work. The presence of the hydrothermal body below Rina Grande raises questions about the mechanical stability of this flank of the edifice