On recommendation problems beyond points of interest

Recommendation systems aim to recommend items or packages of items that are likely to be of interest to users. Previous work on recommendation systems has mostly focused on recommending points of interest (POI), to identify and suggest top-k items or packages that meet selection criteria and satisfy compatibility constraints on items in a package, where the (packages of) items are ranked by their usefulness to the users. As opposed to prior work, this paper investigates two issues beyond POI recommendation that are also important to recommendation systems. When there exist no sufficiently many POI that can be recommended, we propose (1) query relaxation recommendation to help users revise their selection criteria, or (2) adjustment recommendation to guide recommendation systems to modify their item collections, such that the users׳ requirements can be satisfied.We study two related problems, to decide (1) whether the query expressing the selection criteria can be relaxed to a limited extent, and (2) whether we can update a bounded number of items, such that the users can get desired recommendations. We establish the upper and lower bounds of these problems, all matching, for both combined and data complexity, when selection criteria and compatibility constraints are expressed in a variety of query languages, for both item recommendation and package recommendation. To understand where the complexity comes from, we also study the impact of variable sizes of packages, compatibility constraints and selection criteria on the analyses of these problems. Our results indicate that in most cases the complexity bounds of query relaxation and adjustment recommendation are comparable to their counterparts of the basic recommendation problem for testing whether a given set of (resp. packages of) items makes top-k items (resp. packages). In other words, extending recommendation systems with the query relaxation and adjustment recommendation functionalities typically does not incur extra overhead.     

Lagrangian relaxation hybrid with evolutionary algorithm for short-term generation scheduling

Short-term generation scheduling is an important function in daily operational planning of power systems. It is defined as optimal scheduling of power generators over a scheduling period while respecting various generator constraints and system constraints. Objective of the problem includes costs associated with energy production, start-up cost and shut-down cost along with profits. The resulting problem is a large scale nonlinear mixed-integer optimization problem for which there is no exact solution technique available. The solution to the problem can be obtained only by complete enumeration, often at the cost of a prohibitively computation time requirement for realistic power systems. This paper presents a hybrid algorithm which combines Lagrangian Relaxation (LR) together with Evolutionary Algorithm (EA) to solve the problem in cooperative and competitive energy environments. Simulation studies were carried out on different systems containing various numbers of units. The outcomes from different algorithms are compared with that from the proposed hybrid algorithm and the advantages of the proposed algorithm are briefly discussed.     

Enhanced relative permittivity in niobium and europium co-doped TiO2 ceramics

The appearance of colossal permittivity materials broadened the choice of materials for energy-storage applications. In this work, colossal permittivity in ceramics of TiO₂ co-doped with niobium and europium ions ((Eu_0.5Nb_0.5)_xTi_1-xO₂ ceramics) was reported. A large permittivity (ε_r ～ 2.01?×?10⁵) and a low dielectric loss (tanδ ～ 0.095) were observed for (Eu_0.5Nb_0.5)_xTi_1-xO₂ (x?=?1%) ceramics at 1?kHz. Moreover, two significant relaxations were observed in the temperature dependence of dielectric properties for (Eu, Nb) co-doped TiO₂ ceramics, which originated from defect dipoles and electron hopping, respectively. The low dielectric loss and high relative permittivity were ascribed to the electron-pinned defect-dipoles and electrons hopping. The (Eu_0.5Nb_0.5)_xTi_1-xO₂ ceramic with great colossal permittivity is one of the most promising candidates for high-energy density storage applications.     

Experimental and modeling approaches of MR behaviors under large step strains

Rheological properties of MR fluids under large step strain shear are presented in this paper. The experiments were carried out using a rheometer with parallel-plate geometry. Under the large step strain shear, MR fluids behave as nonlinear viscoelastic properties, where the stress relaxation modulus, G(t, γ), shows a decreasing trend with step strain. The experimental results indicate that G(t, γ) obeys time-strain separability. Thus, a mathematical form based on finite exponential serials is proposed to predict MR behavior. In this model, G(t, γ) is represented as the product of a linear stress relaxation, G(t), and the damping function, h(γ), i.e. G(t, γ)=G(t) h(γ). G(t) is simply represented as a three-parameter exponential serial and h(γ) has a sigmoidal form with two parameters. The parameters are identified by adopting an efficient optimization method proposed by Stango et al. The comparison between the experimental results and the model-predicted values indicates that this mathematical model can accurately predict MR behavior.     

Texture Changes During the Ripening of Port Salut Argentino Cheese in 2 Sampling Zones

ABSTRACT: Texture changes during ripening of Port Salut Argentino cheese for different sampling zones were studied. Compression relaxation tests were performed and results were analyzed using both Maxwellian and Peleg's models. Elastic equilibrium modulus obtained from the Maxwellian model decreased from 1.22 to 0.11 10⁴Pa during ripening. The constants derived from Peleg's model, k₁ and k₂, diminished with ripening time from 1.18 to 0.71 min and from 1.27 to 1.12, respectively. Asymptotic equilibrium modulus from Peleg's model decreased from 0.95 to 0.07 10⁴Pa during ripening. Rate parameters derived from a 1st order kinetics applied to both equilibrium moduli showed that the decrease was faster in the external zone (0.0846 d⁻¹) than in the central zone (0.0368 d⁻¹). The correlation between equilibrium moduli, salt concentration, moisture content, and maturation indexes was obtained with a determination coefficient of 0.76.     

先张法预应力桥梁板施工工艺及应用实例

结合太原市向阳店桥梁板施工实例，介绍了采用先张法进行预应力桥梁板施工的过程。阐述了桥梁板的施工工艺，该工艺实现了整体张拉、整体放张，使钢绞线逐根受力均匀，施工速度快，能保证梁端的质量。指出拉杆系统的使用，降低了成本，增加了效益。     

Cif2000平台下的核磁共振测井解谱方法研究

介绍了在Cif2000多井解释平台下的核磁共振解谱方法与编程实现。解谱采用加入平滑因子后在特征矩阵的奇异值分解中截去小的非零奇异值的方法，可以在低信噪比时得到稳定的弛豫谱，在油田实际应用中证明了该方法的有效性。根据该方法在Cif2000平台上编制了完整的解谱处理程序，可以直接用于油田的生产实际。     

核磁共振谱的岩石孔喉结构分析

刘堂宴 ,王绍民 ,傅容珊 ,周明顺 ,李艳华 ,罗曼 .核磁共振谱的岩石孔喉结构分析 .石油地球物理勘探 ,2 0 0 3,38(3) :32 8～ 333岩心核磁共振 T2 谱和压汞分析数据均在一定程度上反映了岩石的孔喉结构 ,理论分析表明 ,这两组数据具有相关性。应用岩心核磁共振 T2 谱研究岩石孔喉结构 ,关键是确定 T2 与 Pc的转换系数。但以前的方法在 T2与 Pc 的转换过程中 ,需要涉及某些岩石特性参数 ,实用中有一定困难。本文直接利用岩心核磁共振 T2 谱和压汞分析数据之间的相关性 ,客观地确定 T2 与 Pc之间的转换系数 ,避免了确定岩石特性参数的困难。应用本文方法 ,对 6块岩心的多种核磁共振分析数据进行了对比分析 ,做出了 NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance,简称NMR) T2 毛管力曲线和孔喉半径分布 ,并将这些结果与压汞分析的结果进行了对比。结果表明 ,岩心 NMR T2谱在实用性和评价精度上均略显优势 ;至少是在饱含油的条件下 ,岩心的 NMR T2 谱可以用于研究孔喉结构分布 ,油气的弛豫特性作为影响背景值存在 ,对于评价结果没有明显的影响 ;在全部 6块岩心中 ,T2 与 Pc 的转换系数位于 2 5 0 0～ 4 0 0 0μs· MPa之间。     

Entropy,Free Volume,and Cooperative Relaxation

The high frequency end of the relaxation spectrum for polymer molecules involves the rotation of the segmental bonds. This fast relaxation process, however, cannot take place easily in the condensed state crowded by the densely packed conformers, necessitating the slower cooperatively synchronous relaxation. As the temperature is lowered, the domain of cooperativity grows towards the infinite size at the Kauzmann zero entropy temperature, though actually the system deviates from the equilibrium as the glass transition intervenes typically at 50 K above that temperature. The excess enthalpy and entropy drop faster than predicted by the rotational isomeric states which would reach zero only at 0 K. The real ΔC_P is greater than that of the RIS value. The actual volume in excess of the crystalline lattice volume, however, points towards zero at 0 K. Thus, a polymer with higher T_g typically exhibits a lower density and modulus in the glassy state. Since the configurational entropy associated with the free volume is proportional to the logarithm of the latter, the Kauzmann temperature can be scaled by ln M, where M is the algebraic average of the conformer molecular weight. The temperature dependence of the most dominant, i.e., the largest equilibrium domain size will result in the Adam-Gibbs and Vogel equations for the characteristic relaxation time. The cooperative domain distribution leads to the relaxation spectrum that follows a power law. The relationship between the characteristic relaxation time and the rate of physical aging is derived.     

我国低松弛预应力钢丝钢绞线发展现状和展望

对我国低松弛预应力钢丝、钢绞线的发展及市场现状进行了综述，并对目前我国开发、生产与市场销售的严峻形势作了分析，提醒要上这一项目的厂家要慎重对待。