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

Ecological risks of novel environmental crop technologies using phytoremediation as an example:

"Phytoremediation is the use of living plants, known as hyperaccumulators which absorb unusually large amounts of metals in comparison to other plants. The use of classical plant breeding and new molecular techniques offers great potential to develop crops with the ability to clean up polluted sites. While these technologies have gained widespread attention, prior to commercial development, there are risks that must be considered – only a few of which have received even modest examination. Therefore, the focus of this working paper is to explore specific risks associated with phytoremediation and suggest ways in which these risks can be managed so that new, novel, and innovative plant technologies may be applied to provide low cost and efficient environmental solutions. " Authors' AbstractPhytoextraction, Phytomining,

Incorporating project uncertainty in novel environmental biotechnologies: illustrated using phytoremediation

"Pollution of the environment by metals and organic contaminants is an intractable global problem, with cleanup costs running into billions of dollars using current engineering technologies. The availability of alternative, cheap and effective technologies would significantly improve the prospects of cleaning-up metal contaminated sites. Phytoremediation has been proposed as an economical and ‘green' method of exploiting plants to extract or degrade the contaminants in the soil. To date, the majority of phytoremediation efforts have been directed at leaping the biological, biochemical and agronomic hurdles to deliver a working technology, with scant attention to the economic outlook other than simple estimates of the cost advantages of phytoremediation over other techniques. In this paper we use a deterministic actuarial model to show that uncertainty in project success (the possibility that full clean up may not be realized) may significantly increase the perceived costs of remediation works for decision-makers." Authors' Abstractbiotechnology, Soil contaminants, Environmental remediation Economic aspects, Industrial crop technologies,

Gator: a low-background counting facility at the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory

A low-background germanium spectrometer has been installed and is being operated in an ultra-low background shield (the Gator facility) at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory in Italy (LNGS). With an integrated rate of ~0.16 events/min in the energy range between 100-2700 keV, the background is comparable to those of the world's most sensitive germanium detectors. After a detailed description of the facility, its background sources as well as the calibration and efficiency measurements are introduced. Two independent analysis methods are described and compared using examples from selected sample measurements. The Gator facility is used to screen materials for XENON, GERDA, and in the context of next-generation astroparticle physics facilities such as DARWIN.Comment: 14 pages, 6 figures, published versio

Peranan Lingkungan Terhadap Kejadian Malaria Di Kecamatan Silian Raya Kabupaten Minahasa Tenggara

: Malaria, an infectious disease, is still an issue for public health world-wide, including in Indonesia. Malaria is caused by Plasmodium Sp. which is transmitted by the Anopheles mosquito. Southeast Minahasa Regency has high malaria rate. This study aimed to know the role of the environment on the incidence of malaria in Silian Raya subdistrict, Southeast Minahasa regency. This was a descriptive survey. The population was the community in Silian Raya subdistrict, Southeast Minahasa regency with 194 respondents. The results showed that people in Silian Raya subdistrict mostly live around swamps, rice paddies, and rivers. This study also showed that only a few people of Silian Raya subdistrict who had pets, and fish ponds around their houses

The Zero Age Main Sequence of WIMP burners

We modify a stellar structure code to estimate the effect upon the main sequence of the accretion of weakly interacting dark matter onto stars and its subsequent annihilation. The effect upon the stars depends upon whether the energy generation rate from dark matter annihilation is large enough to shut off the nuclear burning in the star. Main sequence WIMP burners look much like protostars moving on the Hayashi track, although they are in principle completely stable. We make some brief comments about where such stars could be found, how they might be observed and more detailed simulations which are currently in progress. Finally we comment on whether or not it is possible to link the paradoxically young OB stars found at the galactic centre with WIMP burners.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figs. Matches published versio

Deteksi Transmisi Virus Dengue Pada Nyamuk Wild Aedes Aegypti Betina Di Kota Manado

: Dengue hemorrhagic fever is an acute disease with clinical manifestations of hemorrhage caused by dengue virus infection. Manado is endemic dengue. Dengue virus has the ability to maintain its existence in nature through horizontal and vertical transmission. There are several ways to detect the dengue virus by Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry Streptavidin Biotin Peroxidase Complex (ISBPC). This research aims to determine the wild Aedes aegypti population in Manado and to detect dengue virus in wild mosquito Aedes aegypti by ISBPC methods. This was a descriptive survey study with a cross sectional design to describe the transmission of dengue virus in wild mosquito Aedes aegypti in the city of Manado. The results showed that there were 5 wild Aedes aegypti mosquitoes positive for dengue virus, and 36 wild Aedes aegypti mosquitoes negative containing dengue virus. Conclusion: Of the 41 samples immunohistochemistry tested, 5 samples showed dengue virus transmission in wild mosquito Aedes aegypti in Manado which is a positive possibility of horizontal transmission

Kecacingan Usus Pada Anak Sekolah Dasar Di Tanawangko Kecamatan Tombariri Kabupaten Minahasa

: Helminth is one of the most commonly infected parasites in human. According to WHO, more than 1,5 billions of people around the world are infected by helminthes. The highest number of helminthiasis cases is of school age children. This study was aimed to obtain the helminthiasis cases in students of elementary schools at Tanawangko Minahasa and to identify the types of helmiths. This was a descriptive study. Feces samples from the students were kept in feces pot and then were examined microscopically. The results showed that of the 118 feces samples there were five samples (4.3%) which were positively infected by helminth, Ascaris lumbricoides

Peran Sarana Pelayanan Kesehatan Terhadap Kejadian Malaria Di Kecamatan Silian Raya Kabupaten Minahasa Tenggara

: The problem of public health, especially in developing coutries such as Indonesia, is based on the physical aspects such as health facilities, the treatment of disease, and non physical aspects related to the health problem. Malaria is still a public health problem because it often creates exrtraordinary events, which has great impact on quality on life and economy, and may result death. The main keys of reducing the incidence of malaria especially in high endemic areas are prevention and treatment. This study aimed to determine the role of health care facilities on the incidence of malaria in Silian Raya sub-district of Southheast Minahasa district. This was a descriptive survey study. The population was the community in Silian Raya sub-district of Southeast Minahasa district with total samples 194 respondents. The results showed that the counseling done by health workers was at the most 2 times (39.2%). Spraying insecticide by health workers was 1 time (41.8%). People that used the available health care facilities in Silian Raya sub-district, the health center, were 51.0%