Integrating Variable Reduction Strategy With Evolutionary Algorithms for Solving Nonlinear Equations Systems

Nonlinear equations systems (NESs) are widely used in real-world problems and they are difficult to solve due to their nonlinearity and multiple roots. Evolutionary algorithms (EAs) are one of the methods for solving NESs, given their global search capabilities and ability to locate multiple roots of a NES simultaneously within one run. Currently, the majority of research on using EAs to solve NESs focuses on transformation techniques and improving the performance of the used EAs. By contrast, problem domain knowledge of NESs is investigated in this study, where we propose the incorporation of a variable reduction strategy (VRS) into EAs to solve NESs. The VRS makes full use of the systems of expressing a NES and uses some variables (i.e., core variable) to represent other variables (i.e., reduced variables) through variable relationships that exist in the equation systems. It enables the reduction of partial variables and equations and shrinks the decision space, thereby reducing the complexity of the problem and improving the search efficiency of the EAs. To test the effectiveness of VRS in dealing with NESs, this paper mainly integrates the VRS into two existing state-of-the-art EA methods (i.e., MONES and DR-JADE) according to the integration framework of the VRS and EA, respectively. Experimental results show that, with the assistance of the VRS, the EA methods can produce better results than the original methods and other compared methods. Furthermore, extensive experiments regarding the influence of different reduction schemes and EAs substantiate that a better EA for solving a NES with more reduced variables tends to provide better performance.      

Regional characteristics and the decision to innovate in a developing country: A multilevel analysis of Ecuadorian firms

This is the first study that uses multilevel modelling to analyse regional influence on the decision to invest in innovation activities of firms in a single developing country, Ecuador. Our results indicate that the decision to invest in R&D and in other innovation activities are conditioned by the region in which the firm is located. Regional loan volume, orientation towards knowledge exploitation and intra-regional-sectorial R&D spillovers are positively associated with both types of innovation activities, while regional levels of co-operation and inter-regional R&D spillovers are only positively associated with the probability of investing in other innovation activities.     

面向可解释性的物体拓扑结构骨架表征方法

目的 模式识别中，通常使用大量标注数据和有效的机器学习算法训练分类器应对不确定性问题。然而，这一过程缺乏知识表征和可解释性。认知心理学和实验心理学的研究表明，人类往往不使用代价如此巨大的机制，而是使用表征、归纳、推理、解释和约束传播等与符号主义人工智能方法类似的手段来应对物体识别中的不确定性并提供可解释性。因此本文旨在从传统的符号计算出发，利用骨架拓扑结构表征提供一种可解释性的思路。方法 以骨架树为基本手段来形成物体拓扑结构特征和几何特征的形式化表征，并基于泛化框架对少量同类表征进行知识抽取来形成关于物体类别的知识概括显式化表征。结果 在形成物体类别的概括表征实验中，通过路径重建直观展示了同类属物体上得到的最一般表征的几何物理意义。在可解释性验证实验中，通过跨数据的拓扑应用展示了新测试样本相对于概括表征的特定差异，表明该表征具有良好的可解释性。最后在形状补全的不确定性推理实验中，不仅可以得到识别结论，而且清晰展示了识别背后做出的判断依据，进一步验证了该表征的可解释性。结论 实验表明一般化的形式表征能够应对尺寸、颜色和形状等不确定性问题，本文方法避免了基于纹理特征所带来的不确定性，适用于任意基于基元的表征方式，具有更好的鲁棒性、普适性和可解释性，计算代价更小。     

重庆市药物临床试验机构现状分析及地区性机构体系构建的思考

目的：重庆市具有丰富的医药产业底蕴和极佳的医疗资源，在我国药品注册审评制度改革紧密推进和重庆市大力发展生物医药产业的大背景下，本课题从对重庆市药物临床试验机构（以下简称机构）管理人员调研的角度入手，旨在明确重庆市机构建设现状与问题，探讨可行的创新发展对策。方法：本研究对我市20家有药物临床试验资质机构的54位管理人员问卷数据进行统计；并通过比对相应的公共数据，系统分析我市机构建设水平。结果：问卷分析显示，我市机构仍以传统GCP架构模式为主；以承担国内企业项目为主（90.00%），65.00%的机构近三年承接项目总数在40项以下；机构管理者多数从事机构相关工作的工作年限多在6年以内（79.59%），且仍有部分机构管理者未接受系统的培训；对公共数据调查分析显示，截至2019年5月底，我市机构总数目为22家，自2017年7月22日以来承接在Clinical Trails注册的在研项目数为81项，远低于机构工作开展较好的城市（北京：61家，433项；上海：53家，326项）。结论：重庆市机构建设水平亟待提高，应整合全市临床研究资源，构建区域化的药物临床试验机构体系，加速重庆市医药产业的创新发展。     

T4和T6热处理对Mg-2.5Zn-1.5Ca-0.22Zr合金组织和硬度的影响

采用光学显微镜、扫描电镜和显微硬度仪等研究了T4和T6热处理对Mg-2.5Zn-1.5Ca-0.22Zr镁合金显微组织及硬度的影响。结果表明:Mg-2.5Zn-1.5Ca-0.22Zr镁合金经T4热处理之后,网状结构的β-Ca2Mg6Zn3相逐渐分解并转变为不规则的团聚的块状结构,MgZn2相逐渐溶解于α-Mg基体中,硬度比铸态时显著提高,达到63.87 HV;经过不同时间的T6热处理之后,MgZn2相从α-Mg基体中重新析出,球状的Mg2Ca中间化合物均匀的分布于晶粒内且发生明显长大。随着时效时间的延长,MgZn2相增多,对位错的钉扎增强,合金的硬度提高,在"峰时效"时的硬度达到64.97 HV。410℃×24 h固溶处理后150℃×8 h时效处理为Mg-2.5Zn-1.5Ca-0.22Zr镁合金的最佳热处理工艺。     

基于Citespace的我国稀土出口研究进展与热点分析

随着战略性新兴产业的兴起发展，稀土作为战略资源的重要地位不断凸显，作为公共产品供给，稀土出口问题备受国内外关注。文章运用CiteSpace软件并基于文献计量与知识图谱分析方法，以CNKI文献资料为数据源，对1993~2019年稀土出口研究相关文献从发文量、作者群体、发文机构、关键词、突现词及时间线方面进行分析，以探讨国内稀土出口领域研究的演进趋势与发展热点。结果表明：近年来稀土出口领域文献整体呈增长趋势，但是文献发表具有明显的波动性和政策关联性。作者群体和发文机构主要集中在具有科研优势或资源优势地区的高校，研究团队之间合作程度较低。稀土产业、出口管制、出口配额、出口定价、出口政策等成为文献关键词和高频词。未来的稀土出口领域的研究方向主要集中在出口定价、可持续发展、本土稀土产业链发展和稀土产业资本出口四个方面。     

OWL‐based acquisition and editing of computer‐interpretable guidelines with the CompGuide editor

Computer‐Interpretable Guidelines (CIGs) are the dominant medium for the delivery of clinical decision support, given the evidence‐based nature of their source material. Therefore, these machine‐readable versions have the ability to improve practitioner performance and conformance to standards, with availability at the point and time of care. The formalisation of Clinical Practice Guideline knowledge in a machine‐readable format is a crucial task to make it suitable for the integration in Clinical Decision Support Systems. However, the current tools for this purpose reveal shortcomings with respect to their ease of use and the support offered during CIG acquisition and editing. In this work, we characterise the current landscape of CIG acquisition tools based on the properties of guideline visualisation, organisation, simplicity, automation, manipulation of knowledge elements, and guideline storage and dissemination. Additionally, we describe the CompGuide Editor, a tool for the acquisition of CIGs in the CompGuide model for Clinical Practice Guidelines that also allows the editing of previously encoded guidelines. The Editor guides the users throughout the process of guideline encoding and does not require proficiency in any programming language. The features of the CIG encoding process are revealed through a comparison with already established tools for CIG acquisition.     

水文水资源学家陈守煜先生学术研究的知识图谱分析

为探索水文水资源学家陈守煜先生学术研究历程及其演变规律,以其335篇文献作为数据基础,采用共现分析等文献计量可视化分析方法,通过文献发表的时间分布、学科和期刊分布、高被引文献分布和研究主题等方面的知识图谱分析,系统分析了陈先生的学术研究历程。结果显示:陈守煜先生学术研究生命周期历时达62年,在其60岁后出现了2个学术创新高峰期;其学术研究特色荟萃于其河渠非恒定流计算、模糊集理论的水文水资源应用、模糊水文水资源学基本理论、模糊聚类-识别-优选统一理论、可变模糊集理论和可变模糊集理论的水文水资源应用6个研究主题,其中主题1为后续的5个模糊水文水资源学创新主题奠定了数值计算的研究方法论,主题2为模糊集现有理论的应用探索,主题3至主题5为面向工程应用的模糊集理论不断深入创新,主题6为可变模糊集理论的应用探索,形成了"紧密结合应用-持续理论创新-创新理论再应用"这种理论与实践互馈的研究特色。他每一阶段的研究目标比较集中、明确,与其研究主题密切对应,显著提高了研究效率;他的学术研究影响广泛,合计被引8554次,缘于他的源头理论创新。陈先生的研究,理论与应用不断互馈,贵在厚积薄发、深入钻研、持续创新,其研究理念和方法论,对水利科学的学术创新研究具有重要的启示作用和深远影响。     

When ‘knowing what’ is not enough: Role of organised simulations for developing effective practice

A decade on from the Rethinking Project Management (PM) network, concerns about the relevance gap continue with a number of multinationals looking explicitly to alternative strategies and forms of PM staff development. The literature is light on how project simulations can help the development of experienced managers as reflective experts. Few have examined the link between intended learning outcomes and real-time performance. Posing the question of “how easily is knowledge developed in the classroom transformed into effective practice?” the paper presents a chronological account of a 3-day simulated project by 25 experienced managers. Despite their prior experience and learning from shared problem-solving and structured reflections, participants struggled to deliver their projects as planned. Analysis referencing the knowledge epistemology and ambidexterity literatures yielded a number of design improvement opportunities and the insight that closing the knowing-doing gap requires courses to incorporate the ‘soft’ perceptual and attitudinal aspects underlying why people fail to convert their learning into effective practice.