Renormings of Lp(Lq)L^p(L^q)

We investigate the best order of smoothness of $L^p(L^q)$. We prove in particular that there exists a $C^\infty$-smooth bump function on $L^p(L^q)$ if and only if $p$ and $q$ are both even integers and $p$ is a multiple of $q$.Comment: 18 pages; AMS-Te

Natural disasters and growth: evidence using a wide panel of countries

Large natural disasters (LNDs) are ubiquitous phenomena with potentially large impacts on the infrastructure and population of countries, and on their economic activity in general. I examine the occurrence pattern of several types of disasters on a panel of 113 countries and its relationship with economic growth using data ranging from 1960 to 1996. The disasters are earthquakes, floods, slides, volcano eruptions, tsunamis, wind storms, wild fires and extreme temperatures. The country sample is partitioned in two ways: small, medium and large population; and low, medium and high income. The results suggest a heterogeneous pattern of short and long-term impact of LNDs, depending on the per capita GDP, the size of the countries studied and the type of LND. Overall, and contrary to previous research, LNDs appear to have persistent effects on the rate of GDP growth in the period between 1960 and 1996. These effects range from a decrease of 0.9% to an increase of 0.6%, depending on the type of disaster.Natural disasters, catastrophes, growth, foreign aid, panel data

Scheduling for Optimal Rate Allocation in Ad Hoc Networks With Heterogeneous Delay Constraints

This paper studies the problem of scheduling in single-hop wireless networks with real-time traffic, where every packet arrival has an associated deadline and a minimum fraction of packets must be transmitted before the end of the deadline. Using optimization and stochastic network theory we propose a framework to model the quality of service (QoS) requirements under delay constraints. The model allows for fairly general arrival models with heterogeneous constraints. The framework results in an optimal scheduling algorithm which fairly allocates data rates to all flows while meeting long-term delay demands. We also prove that under a simplified scenario our solution translates into a greedy strategy that makes optimal decisions with low complexity

Working with OpenCL to Speed Up a Genetic Programming Financial Forecasting Algorithm: Initial Results

The genetic programming tool EDDIE has been shown to be a successful financial forecasting tool, however it has suffered from an increase in execution time as new features have been added. Speed is an important aspect in financial problems, especially in the field of algorithmic trading, where a delay in taking a decision could cost millions. To offset this performance loss, EDDIE has been modified to take advantage of multi-core CPUs and dedicated GPUs. This has been achieved by modifying the candidate solution evaluation to use an OpenCL kernel, allowing the parallel evaluation of solutions. Our computational results have shown improvements in the running time of EDDIE when the evaluation was delegated to the OpenCL kernel running on a multi-core CPU, with speed ups up to 21 times faster than the original EDDIE algorithm. While most previous works in the literature reported significantly improvements in performance when running an OpenCL kernel on a GPU device, we did not observe this in our results. Further investigation revealed that memory copying overheads and branching code in the kernel are potentially causes of the (under-)performance of the OpenCL kernel when running on the GPU device

Numerical simulation of random paths with a curvature dependent action

We study an ensemble of closed random paths, embedded in R^3, with a curvature dependent action. Previous analytical results indicate that there is no crumpling transition for any finite value of the curvature coupling. Nevertheless, in a high statistics numerical simulation, we observe two different regimes for the specific heat separated by a rather smooth structure. The analysis of this fact warns us about the difficulties in the interpretation of numerical results obtained in cases where theoretical results are absent and a high statistics simulation is unreachable. This may be the case of random surfaces.Comment: 9 pages, LaTeX, 4 eps figures. Final version to appear in Mod. Phys. Lett.

Towards a cross-correlation approach to strong-field dynamics in Black Hole spacetimes

The qualitative and quantitative understanding of near-horizon gravitational dynamics in the strong-field regime represents a challenge both at a fundamental level and in astrophysical applications. Recent advances in numerical relativity and in the geometric characterization of black hole horizons open new conceptual and technical avenues into the problem. We discuss here a research methodology in which spacetime dynamics is probed through the cross-correlation of geometric quantities constructed on the black hole horizon and on null infinity. These two hypersurfaces respond to evolving gravitational fields in the bulk, providing canonical "test screens" in a "scattering"-like perspective onto spacetime dynamics. More specifically, we adopt a 3+1 Initial Value Problem approach to the construction of generic spacetimes and discuss the role and properties of dynamical trapping horizons as canonical inner "screens" in this context. We apply these ideas and techniques to the study of the recoil dynamics in post-merger binary black holes, an important issue in supermassive galactic black hole mergers.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figures, contribution to the proceedings volume of the Spanish Relativity Meeting ERE2011: "Towards new paradigms", Madrid, Spain, 29 Aug-2 Sep 201

COOPERATION IN LARGE NETWORKS: AN EXPERIMENTAL

We present a new design of a simple public goods experiment with a large number of players, where up to 80 people in a computer lab have the possibility to connect with others in the room to induce more cooperators to contribute to the public good and overcome the social dilemma. This experimental design explores the possibility of social networks to be used and institutional devices to create the same behavioral responses we observe with small groups (e.g. commitments, social norms, reciprocity, trust, shame, guilt) that seem to induce cooperativebehavior in the private provision of public goods. The results of our experiment suggest that the structure of the network affects not only the players´ ability to communicate, but their willingness to do so as well. Finally, we find that the local connectivity structure of the network has an important role as determinant of the willingness of the players to engage in a more costly type of collective action, namely the endogenous creation of new links to individuals previously out of reach.Social capital, social networks, collective action, cooperation, VCM,experiments, public goods provision