Self-organized networks of competing boolean agents

A model of Boolean agents competing in a market is presented where each agent bases his action on information obtained from a small group of other agents. The agents play a competitive game that rewards those in the minority. After a long time interval, the poorest player's strategy is changed randomly, and the process is repeated. Eventually the network evolves to a stationary but intermittent state where random mutation of the worst strategy can change the behavior of the entire network, often causing a switch in the dynamics between attractors of vastly different lengths.     

Dynamics of three types of annual plants competing for water and light

We present and discuss a Monte Carlo model describing the dynamics of three types of annual plants which have different tolerances to shade and drought. External conditions (water and light) fluctuate around some values which are our control parameters and which decide how many resources the system receives. The plants compete with their nearest neighbours for the resources, however not in the same way. We show that for certain ranges of the control parameters a coexistence of the three species is observed. We discuss how the characteristics of the the plants — their number, germination, biomass or the number of nearest neighbours, depend on the two control parameters characterising external conditions. We show that elimination is done at the level of adult plants, not seedlings. We find also cooperative behaviour of plants in difficult conditions, as observed in field studies and we propose an explanation for this fact. Apart from plants tolerating shade but requiring more water and those tolerating drought but needing more light, which are common in nature, we introduce a third species with intermediary demands. We investigate under what conditions this new species could dominate and whether the total number of plants, regardless of their type, is larger with or without the intermediate plant. We show that in our model, like in nature, systems with two kinds of plants with opposite characteristics are, in general, as effective as a system with an additional third type of plants. We show that two contradictory hypotheses made by biologists, concerning the demands of plants in drought and shade, could be both true, however in different regimes.     

Crowd effects and volatility in markets with competing agents

We present analytic and numerical results for two models, namely the minority model and the bar-attendance model, which offer simple paradigms for a competitive marketplace. Both models feature heterogeneous agents with bounded rationality who act using inductive reasoning. We find that the effects of crowding are crucial to the understanding of the macroscopic fluctuations, or ‘volatility’, in the resulting dynamics of these systems.     

Mass-spectrometric investigation of coal gases from samples with a low and high degree of coalification

The methods and results of experimental investigation into the composition of gases by mass spectrometry with electron impact ionization are described. Experiments are performed on a crossed-beams setup with ion separation and detection using a monopole mass spectrometer with an upgraded ion source. Emphasis is on determination of the molecular composition of gases, including methane, liberating from the coal material as a function of temperature.     

Mechanistic origin of dragon-kings in a population of competing agents

We analyze the mechanistic origins of the extreme behaviors that arise in an idealized model of a population of competing agents, such as traders in a market. These extreme behaviors exhibit the defining characteristics of ‘dragon-kings’. Our model comprises heterogeneous agents who repeatedly compete for some limited resource, making binary choices based on the strategies that they have in their possession. It generalizes the well-known Minority Game by allowing agents whose strategies have not made accurate recent predictions, to step out of the competition until their strategies improve. This generates a complex dynamical interplay between the number V of active agents (mimicking market volume) and the imbalance D between the decisions made (mimicking excess demand). The wide spectrum of extreme behaviors which emerge, helps to explain why no unique relationship has been identified between the price and volume during real market crashes and rallies.     

Ranking the spreading influence of nodes in complex networks: An extended weighted degree centrality based on a remaining minimum degree decomposition

Ranking the spreading influence of nodes is crucial for developing strategies to control the spreading process on complex networks. In this letter, we define, for the first time, a remaining minimum degree (RMD) decomposition by removing the node(s) with the minimum degree iteratively. Based on the RMD decomposition, a weighted degree (WD) is presented by utilizing the RMD indices of the nearest neighbors of a node. WD assigns a weight to each degree of this node, which can distinguish the contribution of each degree to the spreading influence. Further, an extended weighted degree (EWD) centrality is proposed by extending the WD of the nearest neighbors of a node. Assuming that the spreading process on networks follows the Susceptible-Infectious-Recovered (SIR) model, we perform extensive experiments on a series of synthetic and real networks to comprehensively evaluate the performance of EWD and other eleven representative measures. The experimental results show that EWD is a relatively efficient measure in running efficiency, it exposes an advantage in accuracy in the networks with a relatively small degree heterogeneity, as well as exposes a competitive performance in resolution.     

Dynamics of moving agents with memory

The problem of emergence of collective behavior in a system of two dimensional interacting moving agents is considered. The individual agent architecture is hybrid in the sense that the response is reactive but the agent is capable to choose between two different rules in a probabilistic way: one rule depends on the information from the environment and the other depends on the information imprinted in the agents memory. The dynamics of the system is studied through the characterization of the equilibrium state and the non-equilibrium properties of the system.     

Dynamics of threshold network on non-trivial distribution degree

The dynamics of a threshold network (TN) with thermal noise on scale-free, random-graph, and small-world topologies are considered herein. The present analytical study clarifies that there is no phase transition independent of network structure if temperature T = 0, threshold h = 0 and the probability distribution degree P(k) satisfies P(0) = D = 0. The emergence of phase transition involving three parameters, T, h and D is also investigated. We find that a TN with moderate thermal noise extends the regime of ordered dynamics, compared to a TN in the T = 0 regime or a Random Boolean Network (RBN). A TN can be continuously reduced to an expression of RBN in the infinite T limit.Received: 25 February 2004, Published online: 12 August 2004PACS: 89.75.Fb Structures and organization in complex systems - 89.20.Hh World Wide Web, Internet - 05.70.Fh Phase transitions: general studies     

Nodes and layers PageRank centrality for multilayer networks

In this paper, we propose a new centrality algorithm that can simultaneously rank the nodes and layers of multilayer networks, referred to as the MRFNL centrality. The centrality of nodes and layers are obtained by developing a novel iterative algorithm for computing a set of tensor equations. Under some conditions, the existence and uniqueness of this centrality were proven by applying the Brouwer fixed point theorem. Furthermore, the convergence of the proposed iterative algorithm was established. Finally, numerical experiments on a simple multilayer network and two real-world multilayer networks(i.e., Pierre Auger Collaboration and European Air Transportation Networks) are proposed to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm and to compare it to other existing centrality measures.     

Dynamics of orbital degree of freedom in transition-metal oxides

The collective excitation in the orbital degree of freedom termed orbital wave is studied in the orbital ordered transition-metal oxides, in particular, in LaMnO₃. Symmetry, dispersion and energy gap of this excitation are examined by the group theoretical analyses and the linear spin-wave theory. The cross-section of the Raman scattering from the orbital wave is calculated and is compared with the recent experimental results.     

Nuclear rotation for low and high spin values

It is shown that a rigorous application of the Peierls-Yoccoz angular momentum projection method leads, in the case ofK=0 rotational bands, to a simple exact expression for the projected energyE _I , which may be especially suitable for numerical calculations. On the basis of this energy law and without making any assumption for the overlapsn(Β) andh(Β), a finite expansion ofE _I in powers ofI( _I +1) is obtained and discussed. Using this finite series a microscopical variable moment of inertia model is presented.     

Robustness and closeness centrality for self-organized and planned cities

Street networks are important infrastructural transportation systems that cover a greatpart of the planet. It is now widely accepted that transportation properties of streetnetworks are better understood in the interplay between the street network itself and theso-called information or dual network, which embeds thetopology of the street network’s navigation system. In this work, we present a novelrobustness analysis, based on the interaction between the primal and the dualtransportation layer for two large metropolises, London and Chicago, thus considering thestructural differences to intentional attacks for self-organized andplanned cities. We elaborate the results through an accurate closeness centrality analysisin the Euclidean space and in the relationship between primal and dual space.Interestingly enough, we find that even if the considered planar graphs display verydistinct properties, the information space induce them to converge toward systems whichare similar in terms of transportation properties.     

Dynamics of paramagnetic agents by off-resonance rotating frame technique

Off-resonance rotating frame technique offers a novel tool to explore the dynamics of paramagnetic agents at high magnetic fields (B0 > 3T). Based on the effect of paramagnetic relaxation enhancement in the off-resonance rotating frame, a new method is described here for determining the dynamics of paramagnetic ion chelates from the residual z-magnetizations of water protons. In this method, the dynamics of the chelates are identified by the difference magnetization profiles, which are the subtraction of the residual z-magnetization as a function of frequency offset obtained at two sets of RF amplitude omega(1) and pulse duration tau. The choices of omega(1) and tau are guided by a 2-D magnetization map that is created numerically by plotting the residual z-magnetization as a function of effective field angle theta and off-resonance pulse duration tau. From the region of magnetization map that is the most sensitive to the alteration of the paramagnetic relaxation enhancement efficiency R(1rho)/R1, the ratio of the off-resonance rotating frame relaxation rate constant R(1rho) verse the laboratory frame relaxation rate constant R(1), three types of difference magnetization profiles can be generated. The magnetization map and the difference magnetization profiles are correlated with the rotational correlation time tauR of Gd-DTPA through numerical simulations, and further validated by the experimental data for a series of macromolecule conjugated Gd-DTPA in aqueous solutions. Effects of hydration water number q, diffusion coefficient D, magnetic field strength B0 and multiple rotational correlation times are explored with the simulations of the magnetization map. This method not only provides a simple and reliable approach to determine the dynamics of paramagnetic labeling of molecular/cellular events at high magnetic fields, but also a new strategy for spectral editing in NMR/MRI based on the dynamics of paramagnetic labeling in vivo.     

Preparation of a second station for the measurement of solar oscillations of low degree

Summary An observing station to detect low-degree global solar oscillations is already operational at Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Pasadena, CA-USA). In collaboration with Reparto Raggi Cosmici, I.F.S.I.-C.N.R., a second station for continuative measurements of such oscillations has recently been installed and successfully tested in Rome. The high transmission and stability of the magneto-optical filter (MOF) coupled with the lock-in amplifier technique allow analogic and real time detection of oscillation modes with a noise level of only a few cm/s. We show observing runs and estimates of the signal-to-noise ratio in time and frequency domains. Routine observations will establish whether the MOF sensitivity and stability is suitable to detect stellar oscillations. To speed up publication, the proofs were not sent to the authors and were supervised by the Scientific Committee.     

高功率低阻抗三平板传输线的设计

设计了Z箍缩实验装置中单路模块样机的低阻抗水介质三平板结构的传输线。根据三平板传输线的结构参数及相关计算公式,得到所设计的三平板传输线实际阻抗为4.08 Ω（设计阻抗为4.00 Ω）。在考虑传输线内板边缘与水箱耦合电容影响的条件下,采用有限元方法精确计算得到三平板传输线阻抗为3.77 Ω。根据实验得到的传输线入口、出口电压电流测量结果,计算得到三平板传输线的实际运行阻抗为3.83 Ω,与计算结果基本一致。另外,还对三平板传输线进行了静电场计算和分析,耐压实验表明,当三平板传输线出口电压达到3.1 MV时,未出现绝缘闪络,绝缘设计满足指标要求。     

高功率低阻抗三平板传输线的设计

设计了Z箍缩实验装置中单路模块样机的低阻抗水介质三平板结构的传输线。根据三平板传输线的结构参数及相关计算公式,得到所设计的三平板传输线实际阻抗为4.08Ω(设计阻抗为4.00Ω)。在考虑传输线内板边缘与水箱耦合电容影响的条件下,采用有限元方法精确计算得到三平板传输线阻抗为3.77Ω。根据实验得到的传输线入口、出口电压电流测量结果,计算得到三平板传输线的实际运行阻抗为3.83Ω,与计算结果基本一致。另外,还对三平板传输线进行了静电场计算和分析,耐压实验表明,当三平板传输线出口电压达到3.1 MV时,未出现绝缘闪络,绝缘设计满足指标要求。     

Dynamics of systems with isotropic competing interactions in an external field: a Langevin approach

We study the Langevin dynamics of a ferromagnetic Ginzburg-Landau Hamiltonian with a competing long-range repulsive term in the presence of an external magnetic field. The model is analytically solved within the self consistent Hartree approximation for two different initial conditions: disordered or zero field cooled (ZFC), and fully magnetized or field cooled (FC). To test the predictions of the approximation we develop a suitable numerical scheme to ensure the isotropic nature of the interactions. Both the analytical approach and the numerical simulations of two-dimensional finite systems confirm a simple aging scenario at zero temperature and zero field. At zero temperature a critical field h _c is found below which the initial conditions are relevant for the long time dynamics of the system. For h < h _c a logarithmic growth of modulated domains is found in the numerical simulations but this behavior is not captured by the analytical approach which predicts a t ^1/2 growth law at T = 0.     

Design of two kinds of dual-core high birefringence and high coupling degree photonic crystal fibers

We propose two kinds of dual-core high birefringence and high coupling degree photonic crystal fibers (DHBHCD-PCFs) in this paper. The characteristics of birefringence and coupling are studied by multipole method. Numerical results show that the birefringence and the coupling length reach an order of 10^− 2 and 10^− 5 m at 1.55 μm, respectively. It is found that the birefringence and the coupling intensity increase with the increase of air-filling fraction, which is different from other dual-core fibers. The DHBHCD-PCFs with high degree of polarization-maintaining and high coupling degree are helpful for manufacturing minitype photonic apparatus.     

Network growth with preferential attachment for high indegree and low outdegree

We study the growth of a directed transportation network, such as a food web, in which links carry resources. We propose a growth process in which new nodes (or species) preferentially attach to existing nodes with high indegree (in food-web language, number of prey) and low outdegree (or number of predators). This scheme, which we call inverse preferential attachment, is intended to maximize the amount of resources available to each new node. We show that the outdegree (predator) distribution decays at least exponentially fast for large outdegree and is continuously tunable between an exponential distribution and a delta function. The indegree (prey) distribution is poissonian in the large-network limit.