Parameterized computational complexity of control problems in voting systems

Voting systems are common tools in a variety of areas. This paper studies parameterized computational complexity of control of Plurality, Condorcet and Approval voting systems, respectively. The types of controls considered include adding or deleting candidates or voters, under constructive or destructive setting. We obtain the following results: (1) constructive control by adding candidates in Plurality voting is W[2]-hard with respect to the parameter “number of added candidates”, (2) destructive control by adding candidates in Plurality voting is W[2]-hard with respect to the parameter “number of added candidates”, (3) constructive control by adding voters in Condorcet voting is W[1]-hard with respect to the parameter “number of added voters”, (4) constructive control by deleting voters in Condorcet voting is W[1]-hard with respect to the parameter “number of deleted voters”, (5) constructive control by adding voters in Approval voting is W[1]-hard with respect to the parameter “number of added voters”, and (6) constructive control by deleting voters in Approval voting is W[2]-hard with respect to the parameter “number of deleted voters”.     

Image compression-encryption scheme combining 2D compressive sensing with discrete fractional random transform

Multimedia Tools and Applications - Most of the existing image encryption algorithms based on compressive sensing are too complex to operate. An image compression-encryption scheme with simple...     

Inviting Strangers to Participate in Collaborative Consumption through Mobile App

ABSTRACT

Mobile technology has facilitated an emerging form of consumption practices called collaborative consumption. In this study, we investigate one such manifestation whereby merchants send group discount coupons to nearby consumers and encourage them to invite surrounding people to enjoy the discount together. We are interested to know if timing (morning vs. afternoon) and message framing (active vs. passive mutual helping tone) would increase the chance of an individual deciding to invite strangers (and invite a higher proportion of strangers if they did) to participate in the collaborative consumption. Facilitating the participation among strangers can help elevate the reach and influence of collaborative consumption, allowing its potential to be better exploited. Our field experiment findings show that in general people are more likely to invite strangers (and also a higher proportion of strangers in all their invitations) in the morning than in the afternoon. In addition, a message framed to ask the focal individual to actively help others enjoy the deal (active tone) is more effective than a message framed passively, i.e., to let others help him/her (passive tone) in the morning. However, passive tone framing can induce individuals to invite a higher proportion of strangers in the afternoon if they did invite others. These findings have important implications to merchants and app providers on how to more fully tap into the potential of collaborative consumption via mobile technology.     

Prediction of residual stresses in high strength carbon steel pipe weld considering solid-state phase transformation effects

In this paper, prediction of axial and hoop residual stresses produced in high strength carbon steel pipe weld was made by employing a sequentially coupled 3-D thermal, metallurgical and mechanical FE model. Solid-state phase transformation during welding was incorporated into the FE model by allowing for volumetric changes and the associated changes in yield stress induced by austenitic and martensitic transformations. In the FE model, temperature-dependent thermo-physical and mechanical properties were considered, and phase transformation plasticity was also taken into account. The results showed the importance of incorporating solid-state phase transformation in the simulation of the pipe welding.     

Internet-Based Smart-Space Navigation of a Car-Like Wheeled Robot Using Fuzzy-Neural Adaptive Control

In this paper, a navigation system is developed. The system includes path tracking and obstacle avoidance apparatus for a car-like wheeled robot (CLWR) within an Internet-based smart-space (IBSS) using fuzzy-neural adaptive control (FNAC). Two distributed charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras are installed to capture both the dynamic pose of the CLWR and the obstacle. Based on the control authority of these two CCD cameras, a suitable reference command that contains the desired steering angle and angular velocity for the FNAC built into the client computer is planned. Because of the delay encountered by the transmission through the Internet network (IN) and the wireless local area network (WLAN) and the nonlinear coupling features of the CLWR, a weighted combination of $N$ linear subsystems that are described by a state-space model with average-delay is implemented to approximate the dynamics of an IBSS-CLWR. The proposed FNAC contains a neural network consisting of a radial basis function (RBFNN) to learn the uncertainties due to the fuzzy-model error (e.g., the random time-varying delays and the slippage of the CLWR) and the interactions caused by other subsystems. The stability of the overall system is then investigated by adopting the Lyapunov stability theory. Finally, a sequence of experiments including the control of the off-ground CLWR (i.e., the CLWR does not make contact with the ground) and the navigation of the IBSS-CLWR as compared with the conventional proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control is performed to demonstrate the advantage of the proposed control system.      

从修辞学的角度对设计符号学中象征功能的再认识

我试图通过解读修辞学的发展历程,探究符号学发展的必然性,由本不存在修辞,到需要修辞,再到修辞的消亡的逻辑关系,联想到设计符号学的发展历程竟与其如此惊人的相似,由仅追求原始功能,到添加装饰满足非本质的需求,继而又摒弃装饰成分,聚焦其本质所在的现代设计,就像我在文章开头说的乙杂邢薜姆绞奖硐治尴蘧褪敲烙是象征的精髓一样,以最简洁的形式传达了最准确的信息,是设计符号学的核心所在。     

Studying the protein-protein interactions in the postsynaptic density by means of immunoabsorption and chemical crosslinking

Postsynaptic densities (PSDs), isolated from porcine cerebral cortices, are large disk-shaped aggregates consisting of hundreds of different proteins. To study the protein-protein interactions in such complex supramolecules, we developed a procedure to break up the PSD's overall structure, while preserving some interactions between individual proteins. Using the resulting PSD sample and an indirect immunoabsorption procedure, PSD-95 was isolated along with the α- and β-subunits of calcium calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKIIα and CaMKIIβ), α-tubulin, β-tubulin, and Chapsyn110. Similarly, CaMKIIα was isolated along with CaMKIIβ, α-tubulin, β-tubulin, and small amounts of PSD-95. The proteins isolated from PSDs treated with a cleavable bifunctional crosslinking reagent were further subjected to diagonal gel electrophoresis analysis, and the results indicated that CaMKIIα resides next to α-tubulin in the PSD. Overall, the results obtained here suggest that within the PSD, large aggregates of CaMKIIα, CaMKIIβ, α-tubulin, and β-tubulin may occur that indirectly associate with PSD-95 and Chapsyn110. Such a protein organization would allow interactions with F-actin in the cytoplasm and with proteins, such as N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors, which reside on the postsynaptic membrane. Furthermore, it would facilitate binding to proteins such as the various microtubule-associated proteins that reside in the core region of the PSD.