Environment as a first class abstraction in multiagent systems

The current practice in multiagent systems typically associates the environment with resources that are external to agents and their communication infrastructure. Advanced uses of the environment include infrastructures for indirect coordination, such as digital pheromones, or support for governed interaction in electronic institutions. Yet, in general, the notion of environment is not well defined. Functionalities of the environment are often dealt with implicitly or in an ad hoc manner. This is not only poor engineering practice, it also hinders engineers to exploit the full potential of the environment in multiagent systems. In this paper, we put forward the environment as an explicit part of multiagent systems.We give a definition stating that the environment in a multiagent system is a first-class abstraction with dual roles: (1) the environment provides the surrounding conditions for agents to exist, which implies that the environment is an essential part of every multiagent system, and (2) the environment provides an exploitable design abstraction for building multiagent system applications. We discuss the responsibilities of such an environment in multiagent systems and we present a reference model for the environment that can serve as a basis for environment engineering. To illustrate the power of the environment as a design abstraction, we show how the environment is successfully exploited in a real world application. Considering the environment as a first-class abstraction in multiagent systems opens up new horizons for research and development in multiagent systems.     

多孔粒状铵油炸药在乌海矿业公司的应用

通过对多孔粒状铵油炸药质量影响因素的分析，结合乌海矿业公司爆破的特点，提出了保证炸药加工质量的合理参数。     

基于ADμC834芯片热泵热水机组控制器的研制

热泵热水机组是一种新型热水和供暖产品,它可以从空气、水等环境中吸取能量,热效率高,被公为是传统锅炉、电热水器及燃油(气)热水机组的更新换代环保型产品。详细阐述了以ADμC834芯片为核心的热泵热水机组控制器软硬件系统设计。论述了多路温度数据与压力数据采集、液晶显示等模块的硬件组成及各个模块的工作原理。控制器的软件系统采用前后台架构,用QuickStart平台开发完成。其人机界面系统由按键阵列和TG2401286V2型液晶显示屏组成。     

罗坡坝水电站泄水建筑物设计及试验研究

罗坡坝水电站拱坝设置有三个溢流表孔,中间孔高程低于两侧的孔,三个泄水孔设有差动式挑坎。通过模型试验表明,不发生危及岸坡稳定的泄流雾化问题,此外,适当控制泄流水舌射程可以减少坝下冲坑深度,消能效果良好。     

Photocatalytic degradation of methyl tert‐butyl ether (MTBE) in contaminated water by ZnO nanoparticles

BACKGROUND: Over the past several decades methyl tert‐butyl ether (MTBE) as additive to gasoline, intended to either boost ratings of fuel or to reduce air pollution, has been accepted worldwide. Since MTBE has high water solubility, the occurrence of fuel spills or leaks from underground storage tanks or transferring pipeline has led to the contamination of natural waters. In this study the degradation of aqueous MTBE at relatively high concentrations was investigated by a UV‐visible/ZnO/H₂O₂ photocatalytic process. The effects of important operational parameters such as pH, amount of H₂O₂, catalyst loading and irradiation time were also investigated. Concentration of MTBE and intermediates such as tert‐butyl formate and tert‐butyl alcohol were measured. RESULTS: Time required for complete degradation increased from 20 to 150 min when the initial concentration was increased from 10 to 500 mg L^?1. The first‐order rate constants for degradation of MTBE were estimated to be 0.183–0.022 min^?1 as the concentration increased from 10 to 500 mg L^?1. Study of the overall mineralization monitored by total organic carbon analysis showed that at an initial concentration of 100 mg L^?1 MTBE complete mineralization was obtained after 100 min under UV‐visible/ZnO/H₂O₂ photocatalysis. CONCLUSION: The data presented in this paper clearly indicated that UV‐visible/ZnO/O₂ as an advanced oxidation process provides an efficient treatment alternative for the remediation of MTBE‐contaminated waters. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Nonaqueous Phase Liquid Pool Dissolution as a Function of Average Pore Water Velocity

Bench-scale reactor experiments were performed to study the dissolution of a binary naphthalene-in-nonane mixture nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) pool over a wide range of average pore water velocities, vx (≈0.1–60 m/day). Experimental NAPL pool dissolution flux values were determined using a steady-state mass balance approach. The experimental flux data were compared to model predictions made assuming either local equilibrium or mass-transfer limited conditions. The local equilibrium model could describe the trends in the average effluent concentration and dissolution flux with 0.110?m/day. Data determined to be under mass-transfer limited conditions were fit to the nonequilibrium model to estimate values for an overall mass-transfer coefficient. The calculated overall mass-transfer coefficients had an average value of 0.407 m/day and showed no correlation with vx, probably due to mass-transfer resistance becoming dominated by the diffusional resistance in the NAPL. These results suggest that the nonequilibrium approach is better suited for describing high velocity (vx>10?m/day) dissolution of multicomponent NAPL pools, and that flushing of groundwater at very high velocities may not be an effective approach for enhancing NAPL-pool dissolution flux.     

The silence of the library: Environment, situational norm, and social behavior.

On the basis of the idea that situational norms are mentally represented as associations between environments and normative behavior, it was proposed that an environment can automatically direct normative behavior. More specifically, when situational norms are well-established (e.g., when entering the library, one should be silent), an environment is capable of automatically activating mental representations of normative behavior and the behavior itself. In these experiments, participants were exposed to pictures of environments, and effects on accessibility of representations of normative behavior and on actual behavior were assessed. Results indicated that representations of behavior and actual behavior itself are activated automatically when (a) goals to visit the environment are active and (b) strong associations between environment and normative behavior are established. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Determination of the total concentration and speciation of Al(III) in tea infusions

The aluminium species in different tea infusions were investigated, by determining their stability constants and concentration. This was done for some particular samples using a simple experimental method based on the sorption of aluminium on the strongly sorbing resin Chelex 100, by a batch procedure. From the thermodynamic information obtained it is possible to calculate the concentration of the different species, and in particular that of the free metal ion, which is very important for evaluating the adsorption of aluminium on biological membranes. It was found that aluminium in the tea infusions here considered is present at high total concentration, approximately 0.1 mM, but mainly linked to strong complexes, for instance with side reaction coefficient higher than 10(5.11) at pH 3.95 in one case (tea 1). This could be the reason for the low toxicity of aluminium in tea. These strong complexes were not dissociated even in the presence of Chelex 100. In this case only a limiting value of the reaction coefficient could be evaluated. The presence of the very strong complexes was found in all the tea sample here considered. In two of the considered samples (one black and one green tea) a part of Al(III) was linked to less strong complexes, for example with a reaction coefficient 10(4.14) (tea 2, pH 4.20). The presence in the considered tea infusions of other substances able to complex aluminium was also detected, by the well known ligand titration procedure, at concentration ranging from 0.65 to 3.37 mM in three tea infusions, and at somewhat higher concentration in the case of the ready drink, which was also considered for comparison.     

厦门市气源转换的技术分析

分析了气源转换时原有输配系统的管道、调压设备、计量设备、用气设备与天然气系统相适应的问题，提出了相应的措施。     

用常规电阻率测井资料确定水淹层的剩余油饱和度

油田综合含水越来越高，利用电阻率测井资料确定地层的剩余油饱和度变得非常困难。针对这一问题，提出了确定地层水民阻率和含油饱和度的方法。（１）利用已知的地怪水分析资料，采用井下自然电位刻度，井间对经和双自然电位一方法来示准地层水混合电阻率，然后利用相邻井相同地层的电阻率对比方法求含水饱和度。（２）利用电阻率的横向探测特性，避开阿尔奇公式中ｍ、ａ选择上的困难，采用横向法计算水淹层目前的含水饱和度。利用以