Topology optimization of trusses using genetic algorithm,force method and graph theory

In this article size/topology optimization of trusses is performed using a genetic algorithm (GA), the force method and some concepts of graph theory. One of the main difficulties with optimization with a GA is that the parameters involved are not completely known and the number of operations needed is often quite high. Application of some concepts of the force method, together with theory of graphs, make the generation of a suitable initial population well‐matched with critical paths for the transformation of internal forces feasible. In the process of optimization generated topologically unstable trusses are identified without any matrix manipulation and highly penalized. Identifying a suitable range for the cross‐section of each member for the ground structure in the list of profiles, the length of the substrings representing the cross‐sectional design variables are reduced. Using a contraction algorithm, the length of the strings is further reduced and a GA is performed in a smaller domain of design space. The above process is accompanied by efficient methods for selection, and by using a suitable penalty function in order to reduce the number of numerical operations and to increase the speed of the optimization toward a global optimum. The efficiency of the present method is illustrated using some examples, and compared to those of previous studies. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Requirements engineering in health care: the example of chemotherapy planning in paediatric oncology

Health care is characterized by highly complex processes of patient care that require unusual amount of communication between different health care professionals of different institutions. Sub-optimal processes can significantly impact on the patient’s health, increase the consumption of services and resources and in severe cases can lead to the patient death. For these reasons, requirements engineering for the development of information technology in health care is a complex process as well: without constant and rigorous evaluation, the impact of new systems on the quality of care is unknown and it is possible that badly designed systems significantly harm patients. To overcome these limitations, we present and discuss an approach to requirements engineering that we applied for the development of applications for chemotherapy planning in paediatric oncology. Chemotherapy planning in paediatric oncology is complex and time-consuming and errors must be avoided by all means. In the multi-hospital/multi-trial-centre environment of paediatric oncology, it is especially difficult and time-consuming to analyse requirements. Our approach combines a grounded theory approach with evolutionary prototyping based on the constant development and refinement of a generic domain model, in this case a domain model for chemotherapy planning in paediatric oncology. The prototypes were introduced in medical centres and final results show that the developed generic domain model is adequate.     

Study on the Complexity of the Bullwhip Effect

Recent years have witnessed a rapid growth of interest in the study of the dynamic behavior of replenishment rules of bullwhip effect. We prove that bullwhip effect and butterfly effect share a same the self-oscillation amplifying mechanism that is the ordering decisions the supplier self-oscillation amplify the perturbations brought by the errors in the processing of retailers' demand information. This results as an explicit self-similar structure of the sensitivity of the system to the initial values duty to the nonlinear mechanism. In this paper, the causes process of the bullwhip effect is described as the internal nonlinear mechanism and study on the complexity of bullwhip effect for order-up-to policy under demand signal processing. The methodology is based on fractal and chaotic theory and allows important insights to be gained about the complexity behavior of bullwhip effect.     

Review of Alterations of Consciousness: An Empirical Analysis for Social Scientists.

Reviews the book by Baruss (see record 2003-02669-000), which reviews the experimental and phenomenological research on alterations of consciousness, ranging from sleep and dreaming to mystical and near-death experience. The reviewer suggests there is a clear agenda announced by the book's subtitle, "An Empirical Analysis for Social Scientists." In the view of Baruss, all too often in states of consciousness research a preoccupation with theory has kept investigators from full engagement with the actual data. The book provides readable and at times appropriately controversial discussions of empirical literature on dreaming and lucid dreams, daydreaming and fantasy proneness, hypnosis, dissociative identity disorder, shamanism and possession states, psychedelic drug research, parapsychology, trance-chanelling and mediumship, the alien abduction syndrome, classical mystical experience, out-of-body and near-death experiences, and recent attempts by MacDonald and others to assess individual differences in spirituality through multifactor questionnaires. However, the reviewer believes that the breadth of coverage of both recent and past research is too often highly selective, and that the author's rejection of theory is both questionable in itself and more illusion than reality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

火工品压药机装配误差的研究

针对军用雷管生产线中压药机结构,分别用极值法和概率法对压药机冲子和雷管的配合精度,进行了装配尺寸链的描述和计算,并对所得的结果进行了比较。     

The Role of Test Protocols in Automated Test Generation for Embedded-Core-Based System ICs

Modular testing is an attractive approach to testing large system ICs, especially if they are built from pre-designed reusable embedded cores. This paper describes an automated modular test development approach. The basis of this approach is that a core or module test is dissected into a test protocol and a test pattern list. A test protocol describes in detail how to apply one test pattern to the core, while abstracting from the specific test pattern stimulus and response values. Subsequent automation tasks, such as the expansion from core-level tests to system-chip-level tests and test scheduling, all work on test protocols, thereby greatly reducing the amount of compute time and data involved. Finally, an SOC-level test is assembled from the expanded and scheduled test protocols and the (so far untouched) test patterns. This paper describes and formalizes the notion of test protocols and the algorithms for test protocol expansion and scheduling. A running example is featured throughout the paper. We also elaborate on the industrial usage of the concepts described.     

Kinetics of two-step anionic polymerization

This article deals with the kinetics of two-step anionic polymerization by way of a non-steady state method. Several molecular parameters can be evaluated using the formulae developed. A bimodal molecular weight distribution function for the resulting polymer is derived from the set of kinetic differential equations, which is in agreement with the experimental data reported.     

控制理论的现状及对它的期望

本文首先简述了控制理论的发展过程，侧重叙述促进现代控制理论发展的主要因素，然后叙述了控制理论主要研究方向的进展及有待解决的问题，最后从第十二届ＩＦＡＣ世界大会看人们如何对待控制理论的各个方面。     

基于信息的智能控制理论研究

本文介绍的基于信息的智能控制理论的发展过程，主要分为智能控制的信息指标和智能控制的信息结构分析两部分，文中在最后对这套理论可能的发展方向进行了探讨。     

Quantitative feedback theory with applications in welding

Two different control systems were developed using quantitative feedback theory for weld quality improvement. The first application to be discussed was designed for the resistance pinch welding process and uses electrode displacement and force as feedback parameters. A correlation between weld quality and electrode displacement is established for constant electrode force. The system is capable of producing repeatable welds of consistent quality, with wide variations in weld parameters. This is the first time feedback control has been successfully applied to pinch welding. The second example presented in this paper was developed for penetration control of the gas-tungsten-arc welding process. The feedback signal is obtained by measuring the amount of light emitted from the back side of the weld. Welds of constant penetration have been demonstrated in tests with travel speeds varying from 1.5 to 6 inches per minute and with 200 per cent changes in part thickness.