Optimal control and energy storage for DC electric train systems using evolutionary algorithms

Railway Engineering Science - Electrified railways are becoming a popular transport medium and these consume a large amount of electrical energy. Environmental concerns demand reduction in energy...     

Calculated effect of pulsed pheromone release on range of attraction

In order to assess the possible function of pulsed release of windborne pheromones, calculations were performed to predict the concentration pattern downwind of the source. Two patterns of pulsed releases (sinusoidal and instantaneous) were compared to a constant release pattern. In all three cases, the average rate of release was the same. Assuming the receiving animal needs only a momentary exposure to concentrations above threshold to respond, it is clear that sinusoidal release has a greater distance of detection than constant release and that instantaneous release is even better. The relative magnitude of the increase in range of detection depends on the ratio of average release rate to threshold concentration. Pulsed releases have a greater advantage when the threshold is high and the range of attraction is inherently short. Under these conditions, sinusoidal release can double the range of attraction and instantaneous release can increase it 10-fold. In contrast, with a low threshold and consequent long range of attraction, the pulsed patterns are lost and the increase in range is insignificant. Several testable predictions are derived from the hypothesis that the primary function of pulsed release is to extend the range and time over which a given quantity of pheromone can act.     

A Multi-Channel Pulse-Coded Multiplexing and Demodulating Telemetry System

A multiplexing, demodulating, and recording telemetry system designed to process multiple pulse-coded temperature channels is described. The system provides complete control of recording and multiplexing sequences and timing, and gives a single analog signal in response to each sample of pulse-coded data. It identifies all channels and indicates to a computer when a new data sample is to be processed. The system is self-calibrating to maintain accuracy over extended data collection periods, and is inexpensive.     

Effect of Inhomogeneities on the Apparent Location and Magnitude of a Cardiac Current Dipole Source

A mathematical model was used to investigate the effects of electrical inhomogeneities introduced by the intracavitary blood mass and the lungs on the apparent location and magnitude of a current dipole source representing local activity in the myocardium. Radial and tangential current source moments were considered, and lung conductivity was taken as a variable parameter. Both the blood mass and the lungs cause a current source to appear closer to the heart center than it actually is. The effect increases as the source moves away from the endocardial surface, and maximum displacement is estimated to be of the order of 1 cm. The net effect of the inhomogeneities is to increase the magnitude of the radial component of a source dipole while diminishing its tangential component. These effects depend on source location.     

Combinatorial materials research applied to the development of new surface coatings: II. Process capability analysis of the coating formulation workflow

A combinatorial process has been developed for the high throughput production and evaluation of surface coatings. The workflow designed for the production of arrays of liquid coatings involves the robotic transfer of aliquots of solutions of raw materials to an array of glass vials and mixing of the coatings using an unconventional magnetic stirring process. An investigation of the capability of the workflow to accurately and repeatedly prepare coating arrays was conducted as a function of solution viscosity and aliquot size. In addition, mixing capability was evaluated as a function of solution viscosity, total solution volume, and mechanism of stirring. Overall, the results of the study indicated that adequate accuracy and repeatability of the coating preparation process can be achieved as long as raw material solutions are designed such that viscosity is below about 250 cP and aliquot sizes are above about 75 μl. With regard to mixing capability, total solution volume was found to have a profound affect as did the stirring mechanism.     

Numerical Analysis of the Constrained Blister Test

The constrained blister test is investigated through finite element analysis to determine the applicabilities and the limitations of the new technique. Numerical results confirm that the strain energy release rate asymptotically approaches a constant value. These results also show that the test technique and the approximate solution for strain energy release rate are applicable for some practical cases.     

Desalination and the commons: tragedy or triumph?

A policy is more likely to be economically efficient when its costs and benefits fall on the same group, but politicians can allocate costs and benefits to different groups within their jurisdictional commons. This article examines the distribution of costs and benefits from desalination projects using examples from San Diego, Almería and Riyadh. The examples illustrate how mismatches between costs and benefits can persist or change as politicians adjust the policy portfolio to balance inefficiency and political risk.     

The effect of axial pressure gradient on extruder mixing characteristics

Many twin screw extruders are operated in the starve-fed mode with the majority of the extruder having partially-filled channels. There will always be regions of totally filled channels due to the presence of the die or reverse elements. The authors experimentally show the effect of the change of percent drag flow on the rate of distributive mixing in the co-rotating and counter-rotating twin screw extruder. Optimum operating conditions for distributive mixing are identified experimentally and verified theoretically.     

A review of attacks and security approaches in open multi-agent systems

Open multi-agent systems (MASs) have growing popularity in the Multi-agent Systems community and are predicted to have many applications in future, as large scale distributed systems become more widespread. A major practical limitation to open MASs is security because the openness of such systems negates many traditional security solutions. In this paper we introduce and classify main attacks on open MASs. We then survey and analyse various security techniques in the literature and categorise them under prevention and detection approaches. Finally, we suggest which security technique is an appropriate countermeasure for which classes of attack.     

Endogenous Movement and Equilibrium Selection in Spatial Coordination Games

We study the effects of agent movement on equilibrium selection in network based spatial coordination games with Pareto dominant and risk dominant Nash equilibria. Our primary interest is in understanding how endogenous partner selection on networks influences equilibrium selection in games with multiple equilibria. We use agent based models and best response behaviors of agents to study our questions of interest. In general, we find that allowing agents to move and choose new game play partners greatly increases the probability of attaining the Pareto dominant Nash equilibrium in coordination games. We also find that agent diversity increases the ability of agents to attain larger payoffs on average.