Experimental Evaluation of Agent-based Approaches to Solving Multi-mode Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem

ABSTRACT

In this paper, a rank-based nonparametric statistical test for measuring the effect of cooperation between optimization agents solving the multi-mode resource-constrained project scheduling problem is presented. To solve this NP-hard optimization problem, different methods are applied including population- and agent-based approaches. One of them is a team of asynchronous agents composed of multiple optimization agents, management agents, and common memories, which through interactions produce solutions of hard optimization problems. Optimization agents represent different methods including local search, path relinking, or tabu search. Interactions are managed through various cooperation strategies based on applying heuristics, reinforcement learning, or population learning.     

Multi-agent system to support decision-making process in design for recycling

In this paper, the application of multi-agent system to support decision-making process in design for recycling is presented. The design for recycling term is highlighted either as the design problem or from the point of view of regulations. The structure of agent system supporting the designer during the design process is showed. The basis of special kind of product model, that is the extension of standard 3D product model, called recycling-oriented product model, is described. The example results of analysis, based on real household appliance model, are presented.     

Discrimination of Salmonella enterica serotypes by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Salmonella continues to be an important cause of foodborne infections in humans throughout the world. The precise nature of the infection depends on the specific combination of host and Salmonella serotypes, some of them being highly pathogenic. Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy together with chemometric techniques were used in this study to discriminate closely related S. enterica serotypes. Intact cells of 26 different serotypes belonging to serogroups B, C1, C2–C3 and D1 (Enteritidis, Typhimurium, Bredeney, Goldcoast, Rissen, Hadar, Derby, Essen, Virchow, Mbandaka, Menden, Agona, Brikama, Saintpaul, Infantis, Braenderup, Mikawasima, Brandenburg, Heidelberg, Indiana, Norwich, Bardo, Bovismorbificans, Istanbul, Newport and Blockley) were examined by FT-IR spectroscopy in transmittance mode and classified based on the agglutination pattern reactions using the Kauffmann–White classification scheme. Using FT-IR spectra in the 1200–900 cm^? 1 range (outer membrane polysaccharides) allowed to correctly classify all isolates according to the four analysed serogroups. A discrimination analysis applied within each serogroup, demonstrated that it was also possible to differentiate between the different serotypes. Results demonstrate that application of FT-IR spectroscopy together with chemometric methods has considerable potential to effectively fulfil the current requirements for fast and straightforward differentiation of S. enterica serotypes.     

Fluorescence of Colloidal Gold Nanoparticles is Controlled by the Surface Adsorbate

Fluorescent gold nanoparticles are important biological labels, in particular for combined optical and electron microscopy. It is reported that density and type of surface ligands have key influence on the dominant UV‐vis fluorescence band in positively and negatively charged gold nanoparticles capped with citrate, gold oxide, and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB). The peak excitation and emission energies and fluorescence intensities vary with nanoparticle size, reflecting changes in surface charge and surface potential as well as a varying density of surface adsorbates. The fluorescence peak shifts, the evolution of zeta potentials, and fluorescence intensity trends are explained by a model of the principal fluorescence transitions that takes into account the nanoparticle surface conditions, such as the adhesion of ligands. Varying surface ligands is a simple strategy to optimize fluorescence intensity and to design spectral properties of gold nanoparticles.     

Characterization of solution and solid state properties of polyaniline processed from trifluoroacetic acid

In this work are reported properties of polyaniline processed from trifluoroacetic acid. Films obtained by simple drop casting were smooth and defectless. Features like absorption in range of UV–vis-NIR, mid-IR and electrical conductivity are discussed. The highest electrical conductivity of such films was found equal to 65?S/cm. It was observed a striking feature—successive colour transition from cyan to deep green when the solvent was dried out from the cast film.     

Bayesian hypothesis testing for pattern discrimination in brain decoding

Research in cognitive neuroscience and in brain–computer interfaces (BCI) is frequently concerned with finding evidence that a given brain area processes, or encodes, given stimuli. Experiments based on neuroimaging techniques consist of a stimulation protocol presented to a subject while his or her brain activity is being recorded. The question is then whether there is enough evidence of brain activity related to the stimuli within the recorded data. Finding a link between brain activity and stimuli has recently been proposed as a classification task, called brain decoding. A classifier that can accurately predict which stimuli were presented to the subject provides support for a positive answer to the question. However, it is only the answer for a given data set and the question still remains whether it is a general rule that will apply also to new data. In this paper we try to reliably answer the neuroscientific question about the presence of a significant link between brain activity and stimuli once we have the classification results. The proposed method is based on a Beta-Binomial model for the population of generalization errors of classifiers from multi-subject studies within the Bayesian hypothesis testing framework. We present an application on nine brain decoding investigations from a real functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment about the relation between mental calculation and eye movements.     

Berlin and Warsaw: in search of a new role in the European urban system

After 1989, the cities of Central and Eastern Europe were engaged in an inter-urban competition, a process characteristic of the urban scene since the beginning of European integration. Being a topic of great interest to researchers, a large body of literature has accumulated on the observed role of capital cities in the region as well as on their potential role in the future. Several researchers have focused on the position as well as the interdependence of Berlin and Warsaw—two urban nodes in what is hypothesized as a future West–East development trajectory (see Domański, 1999). The present paper deals with the emergence and development of metropolitan functions in these two cities. It is based on a comparative research project, which involved a series of structured, in-depth interviews with planners and policy-makers in Germany and Poland conducted by the author during the period 2001–2003. The paper discusses the development factors and their contributions to the metropolitan potential of Berlin and Warsaw. The identification of these factors is a starting point for determining the future position and rank of these two capital cities in the European urban system. The analysis is complemented by a comparison of trends in the employment structure of Berlin and Warsaw during the period 1994–2002. The results allow the author to evaluate some hypotheses posed in strategic planning documents concerning Berlin and Warsaw.

Cobalt cationic sites in ferrierites: QM/MM modeling

Cobalt(II) sites in ferrierites are already well-known from their catalytic activity, their speciation and properties, however, the knowledge are far from completeness. The following paper presents the first in literature combined QM/MM study to elucidate the structure of these sites. With this end force-field parameters describing Co interactions with ionic shells in zeolite have been tested and the cell size for various Al distributions and Co positioning has been determined. Oxide-type Buckingham parameters are shown to perform better than the carbonate ones. Moreover, Co(II) ions stability in α and β sites with various Al distribution indicates at T1T1 Al substitution in β-site as that the preferred Co(II) siting. DFT results show that the quartet spin state of Co(II) is more stable than the doublet one.     

New method to optimize a solar absorber graded film profile

Normalized dc conductivity was used to analyze the inhomogeneously graded depth profile structure of deposits from dc magnetron reactive sputtering in a roll coater. The graded coating was obtained by moving the substrate through the deposition zone with a non-uniform oxidation along the zone mainly due to the asymmetrical position of the oxygen inlet to the right of the target. With this arrangement, the composition of the deposited film was gradually changed from metal to metal oxide as the substrate moved from left to right through the zone. The profile control therefore relied on the non-uniform oxidation along the sputtering zone. The study shows that the normalized dc conductivity of stationary samples in this roll coater offers a simple and effective method to optimize the graded composition in spectrally selective solar absorber coatings. A solar absorptance of 0.91 with thermal emittance of 0.05 at 100 °C was achieved for a single graded film without antireflection treatment.     

The self-calibration method of IR mixer with low IF

This paper describes a new self-calibration method of phase shifters providing better suppression of image component in the signal path of a receiver for ISM 2.4 GHz band. The method has been applied to Hartley architecture of image-reject mixers that are used in low IF RF receivers. The method relies on measuring the amplitude differences and phase errors between the I/Q mixer signals and iterative tuning of digitally controlled capacitance arrays, which are located inside the phase shifters. Circuit implementation of the proposed method in 0.35 μm BiCMOS provided IRR (Image Rejection Ratio) = 45 dB what is about 20 dB better than IRR obtainable without self-calibration. The range of amplitude compensation is 20% and the phase correction operates correctly in the range of initial phase error ±4°.