Inferring Social Preferences over Income Distributions through Axioms

Numerous prior experimental studies have attempted to elicit people’s preferences over income distributions through appropriately incentivated questions asking subjects to choose between distributions. Instead, we follow the theoretical literature and start with the principles underlying these preferences. Such principles include, for example, the Rawlsian principle and the Lorenz principle. We implement possibly the first incentivated experiment concentrating solely and directly on these underlying principles. In essence, the experiment asks subjects to state their preferred principles, with the appropriate incentive being provided by the experimenter using the stated axioms to choose a preferred distribution from a randomly generated set, and this preferred distribution then being implemented on the participants in the experiment. Thus one of the subjects becomes the Social Planner. (We have two treatments, one in which the Social Planner is part of society and the second in which the Social Planner is outside society.) We solve problems implied when the chosen set of principle is either mutually contradictory or incomplete (by allowing sequential choice). We observe that the implied social preferences are different from those inferred indirectly through choice over distributions as in the earlier experimental studies, and that elicited preferences are different between the two treatments, suggesting that the disinterested Social Planner is more Equality-preferring than the Social Planner with self-interest.Numerous prior experimental studies have attempted to elicit people’s preferences over income distributions through appropriately incentivated questions asking subjects to choose between distributions. Instead, we follow the theoretical literature and start with the principles underlying these preferences. Such principles include, for example, the Rawlsian principle and the Lorenz principle. We implement possibly the first incentivated experiment concentrating solely and directly on these underlying principles. In essence, the experiment asks subjects to state their preferred principles, with the appropriate incentive being provided by the experimenter using the stated axioms to choose a preferred distribution from a randomly generated set, and this preferred distribution then being implemented on the participants in the experiment. Thus one of the subjects becomes the Social Planner. (We have two treatments, one in which the Social Planner is part of society and the second in which the Social Planner is outside society.) We solve problems implied when the chosen set of principle is either mutually contradictory or incomplete (by allowing sequential choice). We observe that the implied social preferences are different from those inferred indirectly through choice over distributions as in the earlier experimental studies, and that elicited preferences are different between the two treatments, suggesting that the disinterested Social Planner is more Equality-preferring than the Social Planner with self-interest.Non-Refereed Working Papers / of national relevance onl

Are Revealed Intentions Possible?

This paper asks whether it is possible to design an Intentions Revealing Experiment – that is, an experiment in which the early moves of the decision maker in a dynamic decision problem reveal the intentions of that decision maker regarding later moves in the decision problem. If such a type of experiment is possible, then it will enable economists to test whether individuals have plans and implement them – a basic assumption of all economic theories of dynamic decision making. Unfortunately the main finding of the paper is in the form of two Impossibility Theorems which show that, unless one is prepared to make certain assumptions, such an Intentions Revealing Experiment is impossible. However, the paper does have a positive side – it describes the type of assumptions that one needs to make in order to make an Intentions Revealing Experiment possible.This paper asks whether it is possible to design an Intentions Revealing Experiment – that is, an experiment in which the early moves of the decision maker in a dynamic decision problem reveal the intentions of that decision maker regarding later moves in the decision problem. If such a type of experiment is possible, then it will enable economists to test whether individuals have plans and implement them – a basic assumption of all economic theories of dynamic decision making. Unfortunately the main finding of the paper is in the form of two Impossibility Theorems which show that, unless one is prepared to make certain assumptions, such an Intentions Revealing Experiment is impossible. However, the paper does have a positive side – it describes the type of assumptions that one needs to make in order to make an Intentions Revealing Experiment possible.Articles published in or submitted to a Journal with I

On Choosing a Constitution (at least the part relating to the distribution of income)

A Constitution is a collection of principles or axioms determining how society should be organised, and a description of the ordering of the axioms in terms of their importance and of their invocation. We report on an experiment aimed at discovering preferred axioms relating to the distribution of income within society.A Constitution is a collection of principles or axioms determining how society should be organised, and a description of the ordering of the axioms in terms of their importance and of their invocation. We report on an experiment aimed at discovering preferred axioms relating to the distribution of income within society.Articles published in or submitted to a Journal with I

Corporate Image. Un secolo d'immagine coordinata dall'AEG alla NIke

La corporate image (o corporate identity) \ue8 tema di grande interesse e attualit\ue0. Cresce e si allarga, infatti, l\u2019esigenza delle aziende e delle istituzioni pubbliche di definire la propria identit\ue0 e di costruire una strategia per comunicarla, dal logo e dal lettering fino all\u2019articolazione di appositi eventi. Questo libro ne ricostruisce le origini e gli sviluppi teorici attraverso le principali fasi che hanno caratterizzato lo sviluppo della societ\ue0 industriale dagli inizi del Novecento a oggi. Approfondisce poi, con schede dettagliate, una serie di casi significativi di cui analizza le principali caratteristiche progettuali. Fino ai giorni nostri, in cui la mondializzazione e la rivoluzione informativo-informatica modificano la stessa concezione della grafica e sembrano delineare differenti ipotesi di lavoro sul terreno della comunicazione aziendale

Chance versus choice: Eliciting attitudes to fair compensations

This paper reports an experiment designed to elicit social preferences over income compensation schemes, where income differences between subjects have two independent components: one due to chosen effort and the other due to random chance. These differences can be compensated through social dividends, according to principles chosen beforehand by subjects themselves from behind a stylised Rawlsian veil of ignorance, or outside the society on which the principles will be implemented. We test the attractiveness in particular of Luck Egalitarianism, compensating inequalities due to chance but not those due to choice. We find modest but not overwhelming support for these principles, suggesting that subjects´ actual preferences are more complex

Architectural Challenges and Solutions for Collocated LWIP - A Network Layer Perspective

Achieving a tighter level of aggregation between LTE and Wi-Fi networks at the radio access network (a.k.a. LTE-Wi-Fi Aggregation or LWA) has become one of the most prominent solutions in the era of 5G to boost network capacit y and improve end user's quality of experience. LWA offers flexible resource scheduling decisions for steering user tr affic via LTE and Wi-Fi links. In this work, we propose a Collocated LTE/WLAN Radio Level Integration architecture at IP layer (C-LWIP), an enhancement over 3GPP non-collocated LWIP architecture. We have evaluated C-LWIP performance in vari ous link aggregation strategies (LASs). A C-LWIP node ( i.e. , the node having collocated, aggregated LTE eNodeB and Wi-Fi access point functionalities) is implemented in NS-3 which introd uces a traffic steering layer ( i.e. , Link Aggregation Layer) for efficient integration of LTE and Wi-Fi. Using extensive simulations, we verified the correctness of C-LWIP module in NS-3 and evaluat ed the aggregation benefits over standalone LTE and Wi-Fi netwo rks with respect to varying number of users and traffic types. We found that split bearer performs equivalently to switched b earer for UDP flows and switched bearer outperforms split bearer in the case of TCP flows. Also, we have enumerated the potential challenges to be addressed for unleashing C-LWIP capabilit ies. Our findings also include WoD-Link Aggregation Strategy whi ch is shown to improve system throughput by 50% as compared to Naive-LAS in a densely populated indoor stadium environmen t

A New Limit on the Neutrinoless DBD of 130Te

We report the present results of CUORICINO a cryogenic experiment on neutrinoless double beta decay (DBD) of 130Te consisting of an array of 62 crystals of TeO2 with a total active mass of 40.7 kg. The array is framed inside of a dilution refrigerator, heavily shielded against environmental radioactivity and high-energy neutrons, and operated at a temperature of ~8 mK in the Gran Sasso Underground Laboratory. Temperature pulses induced by particle interacting in the crystals are recorded and measured by means of Neutron Transmutation Doped thermistors. The gain of each bolometer is stabilized with voltage pulses developed by a high stability pulse generator across heater resistors put in thermal contact with the absorber. The calibration is performed by means of two thoriated wires routinely inserted in the set-up. No evidence for a peak indicating neutrinoless DBD of 130Te is detected and a 90% C.L. lower limit of 1.8E24 years is set for the lifetime of this process. Taking largely into account the uncertainties in the theoretical values of nuclear matrix elements, this implies an upper boud on the effective mass of the electron neutrino ranging from 0.2 to 1.1 eV. This sensitivity is similar to those of the 76Ge experiments.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

Biological pathways leading to septo-optic dysplasia: a review.

The precise etiology of septo-optic dysplasia (SOD) remains elusive, to date a complex interaction between genetic predisposition and prenatal exposure to environmental factors is believed to come into play. Being SOD such a heterogeneous condition, disruption of many developmental steps in the early forebrain development might occur. The knowledge of genes possibly determining SOD phenotype should be improved, therefore in this review the authors attempt to highlight the genetic pathways and genes related to this clinical condition. Literature search was conducted and updated in November 2023, using PubMed and Google Scholar to identify primary research articles or case reports with available full text using the following search string "case reports," "humans," "septo-optic dysplasia," "optic nerve hypoplasia," with a recognized genetic diagnosis. Moreover, a review of genetic pathways with an involvement in SOD etiology was conducted. This review thus represents the authors' perspective based on selected literature. The several pathways presented might be already associated to other disease phenotypes and interplay with genes and pathways known to have a role in SOD determination. Those pathways may converge and thus, the implicated genes may function as cascading regulators at multiple levels. The present data suggest that genes other than HESX1, SOX2, SOX3, and OTX2 might be investigated in candidate individuals with a clinical diagnosis of SOD corresponding to the presence of at least two diagnostic criteria, particularly in the presence of additional syndromic anomalies

2D versus 3D human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cultures for neurodegenerative disease modelling

Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), Huntington's disease (HD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), affect millions of people every year and so far, there are no therapeutic cures available. Even though animal and histological models have been of great aid in understanding disease mechanisms and identifying possible therapeutic strategies, in order to find disease-modifying solutions there is still a critical need for systems that can provide more predictive and physiologically relevant results. One possible avenue is the development of patient-derived models, e.g. by reprogramming patient somatic cells into human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), which can then be differentiated into any cell type for modelling. These systems contain key genetic information from the donors, and therefore have enormous potential as tools in the investigation of pathological mechanisms underlying disease phenotype, and progression, as well as in drug testing platforms. hiPSCs have been widely cultured in 2D systems, but in order to mimic human brain complexity, 3D models have been proposed as a more advanced alternative. This review will focus on the use of patient-derived hiPSCs to model AD, PD, HD and ALS. In brief, we will cover the available stem cells, types of 2D and 3D culture systems, existing models for neurodegenerative diseases, obstacles to model these diseases in vitro, and current perspectives in the field