Modeling expert problem solving in a game of chance: a Yahtzee© case study

Although developments on software agents have led to useful applications in automation of routine tasks such as electronic mail filtering, there is a scarcity of research that empirically evaluates the performance of a software agent versus that of a human reasoner, whose problem-solving capabilities the agent embodies. In the context of a game of a chance, namely Yahtzee©, we identified strategies deployed by expert human reasoners and developed a decision tree for agent development. This paper describes the computer implementation of the Yahtzee game as well as the software agent. It also presents a comparison of the performance of humans versus an automated agent. Results indicate that, in this context, the software agent embodies human expertise at a high level of fidelity.     

Numerical analysis on compliance and electrical behavior of multi-copper-column flip-chip interconnects for wafer-level packaging

This paper presents modeling and simulation results of a modified copper-column-based flip-chip interconnect with ultrafine pitch for wafer-level packaging, and the process and prototyping procedure are described as well. This interconnect consists of multiple copper columns which are electrically in parallel and supporting a solder bump. A simple analytical model has been developed for correlation between the interconnect geometry and the thermal fatigue life. In comparison to the conventional single-copper-column (SCC) interconnects, numerical analysis reveals that the multi-copper-column (MCC) interconnect features enhanced compliances and, hence, higher thermomechanical reliability, while the associated electrical parasitics (R, L, and C) at dc and moderate frequencies are still kept low. Parametric studies reveal the effects of geometric parameters of MCC interconnects on both compliances and electrical parasitics, which in turn facilitate design optimization for best performance. By using coplanar waveguides (CPWs) as feed lines on both chip and package substrate, a high-frequency (up to 40 GHz) S-parameter analysis is conducted to investigate the transmission characteristics of the MCC interconnects within various scenarios which combines various interconnect pitches and common chip and package substrates. An equivalent lumped circuit model is proposed and the circuit parameters (R, L, C, and G) are obtained throughout a broad frequency range. Good agreement is achieved for the transmission characteristics between the equivalent lumped circuit model and direct simulation results.     

Temperature-dependent variability in lifetime prediction of thermally activated systems

The lifetime of high-temperature systems is often controlled by thermally activated mechanisms such as diffusion. The variability in the lifetime of such systems is analyzed when the operating temperature varies according to a normal (Gaussian) distribution. Linear approximation analysis is employed to obtain simple closed form results for the probability density function (pdf) for the lifetime. The Gaussian variation in temperature is shown to transform to a log-normal distribution for the lifetime. The standard deviation of the log-normal distribution can be predicted from the activation energy, the peak temperature, and the standard deviation of the temperature distribution. Higher activation energy and lower operating temperature increase the variability of the lifetime. This approximate result is compared with the exact transformation. Lifetime experiments with incandescent tungsten lamps are compared to the theoretical prediction.     

Anatomy of a portable digital mediaprocessor

Portable devices equipped with imaging, video, and audio functionality are proliferating rapidly, and manufacturers are shipping hundreds of millions of such devices. A general-purpose processor (GPP) typically consumes tens of watts to nearly a hundred watts, while a high-performance digital still cameras main processor consumes only hundreds of milliwatts to nearly half a watt. Designing a mediaprocessor with performance comparable to that of a GPP at a power budget two orders of magnitude lower and a cost more than an order of magnitude lower poses quite a challenge. To meet requirements and reduce overall system cost, mediaprocessor designers must integrate the device with an extensive set of peripherals. For performance, cost, and power reasons, application-specific integrated circuits have traditionally been the most popular choice for portable media systems. We discuss the architecture of the DM310, a highly integrated portable digital mediaprocessor, manufactured in a 0.13-micron process.     

Surface Alloying of Nitrogen to Improve Corrosion Resistance of Steels and Stainless Steels

It is well known that the addition of nitrogen to steels and stainless steels enhances the passivity and localized corrosion resistance, in addition to improving the mechanical properties. Selective alloying of surfaces of steels and stainless steels with nitrogen could also enhance the corrosion resistance and improve the mechanical properties without affecting the bulk properties. Techniques like ion implantation, laser alloying, nitriding, etc. can be effectively used to introduce very high levels of nitrogen. In addition, these techniques can also produce modified surfaces with novel microstructures to further improve the properties. The surface alloying methods also provide an opportunity to selectively nitrogenate the surface of finished components in order to obtain better properties. The review highlights the techniques, modifications and the properties obtained further.     

Seismic Deformation of Bar Mat Mechanically Stabilized Earth Walls. II: A Multiblock Model

A relatively simple rigid plastic multiblock computational model has been developed to predict the permanent seismic displacement of mechanically stabilized earth (MSE) walls. The model formulation was based on many observations made from a series of centrifuge tests carried out on many different configurations of MSE walls. The proposed model is similar to the sliding block method of Newmark. The approach accounted for the variation in acceleration within the backfill and the nonuniform nature of the permanent wall face deformation. The predictive capability of the proposed model has been verified using centrifuge test results obtained for four MSE walls each subjected to three earthquake excitations with strength varying between 0.48 and 0.9g. The analytical model captures many aspects of the characteristic deformation behavior of MSE walls observed in the centrifuge tests. In each of the eleven wall displacement cases studied, the backfill friction angle that yielded a good match between the computed and measured maximum wall displacement was consistent with the corresponding laboratory measured values.     

Glial Cell-Mediated Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder; it is the most common cause of dementia and has no treatment. It is characterized by two pathological hallmarks, the extracellular deposits of amyloid beta (Aβ) and the intraneuronal deposits of Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Yet, those two hallmarks do not explain the full pathology seen with AD, suggesting the involvement of other mechanisms. Neuroinflammation could offer another explanation for the progression of the disease. This review provides an overview of recent advances on the role of the immune cells’ microglia and astrocytes in neuroinflammation. In AD, microglia and astrocytes become reactive by several mechanisms leading to the release of proinflammatory cytokines that cause further neuronal damage. We then provide updates on neuroinflammation diagnostic markers and investigational therapeutics currently in clinical trials to target neuroinflammation.     

The Directed Orienteering Problem

This paper studies vehicle routing problems on asymmetric metrics. Our starting point is the directed k-TSP problem: given an asymmetric metric (V,d), a root r∈V and a target k≤|V|, compute the minimum length tour that contains r and at least k other vertices. We present a polynomial time O(\fraclog² nloglogn·logk)O(\frac{\log^{2} n}{\log\log n}\cdot\log k)-approximation algorithm for this problem. We use this algorithm for directed k-TSP to obtain an O(\fraclog² nloglogn)O(\frac{\log^{2} n}{\log\log n})-approximation algorithm for the directed orienteering problem. This answers positively, the question of poly-logarithmic approximability of directed orienteering, an open problem from Blum et al. (SIAM J. Comput. 37(2):653–670, 2007). The previously best known results were quasi-polynomial time algorithms with approximation guarantees of O(log ² k) for directed k-TSP, and O(log n) for directed orienteering (Chekuri and Pal in IEEE Symposium on Foundations in Computer Science, pp. 245–253, 2005). Using the algorithm for directed orienteering within the framework of Blum et al. (SIAM J. Comput. 37(2):653–670, 2007) and Bansal et al. (ACM Symposium on Theory of Computing, pp. 166–174, 2004), we also obtain poly-logarithmic approximation algorithms for the directed versions of discounted-reward TSP and vehicle routing problem with time-windows.     

3D CFD validation of invert trap efficiency for sewer solid management using VOF model

Earlier investigators have numerically carried out performance analysis of the invert trap fitted in an open channel using the stochastic discrete phase model(DPM) by assuming the open channel flow to be closed conduit flow under pressure and assuming zero shear stress at the top wall.This is known as the fixed lid model.By assuming the top wall to be a shear free wall,they have been able to show that the velocity distribution looks similar to that of an open channel flow with zero velocity at the bottom and maximum velocity at the top,representing the free water surface,but no information has been provided for the pressure at the free water surface.Because of this assumption,the validation of the model in predicting the trap efficiency has performed significantly poorly.In addition,the free water surface subject to zero gauge pressure cannot be modeled using the fixed lid model because there is no provision of extra space in the form of air space for the fluctuating part of the water surface profile.It can.however,be modeled using the volume of fluid(VOF) model because the VOF model is the appropriate model for open channel or free surface flow.Therefore,in the present study,three-dimensional(3D) computational fluid dynamics(CFD) modeling with the VOF model,which considers open channel flow with a free water surface,along with the stochastic DPM.was used to model the trap efficiency of an invert trap fitted in an open rectangular channel.The governing mathematical flow equations of the VOF model were solved using the ANSYS Fluent 14.0 software,reproducing the experimental conditions exactly.The results show that the 3D CFD predictions using the VOF model closely fit the experimental data for glass bead particles.