Solving applied general equilibrium models represented as a mixture of linearized and levels equations

General equilibrium moels are usually represented as a system of levels equations (e.g., in North America) or a system of linearized equations (e.g., in Australia). Either representation can be used to obtain accurate solutions. General-purpose software is available in both cases-GAMS or MPS/GE is typically used by levels modellers and GEMPACK by linearizers. Some equations (notably accounting identities) are naturally expressed in the levels while others (especially behavioural equations) are naturally expressed in a linearized form. This paper describes the new GEMPACK facility for solving models represented as a mixture of levels and linearized equations and discusses the advantages to modellers of using such a representation.     

Stress concentration and fatigue of profiled reinforcing steels

Stress concentrations arise from profiles of ribbed reinforcing steel bars and in this study the results of calculated stress concentration factors (SCF), by using finite element method, are related to the fatigue test results. It is apparent that the degree of confinement of a ribbed bar embedded in concrete not only affects the magnitude of the ultimate bond stress but also the bond stress-slip relation. Thus the rib geometry or profile pattern is designed for optimum bond characteristics and not for fatigue considerations. However the rib geometry influences the fatigue performance through the SCFs arising from the root radius, width and flank angles of the profiles. It is shown that these latter factors have a significant influence on the fatigue behaviour of reinforcing steel bars.     

工作流流程模型结构优化算法的研究

该文从一个新颖的角度提出一种优化工作流流程模型结构的算法,用进程代数CCS来描述工作流流程模型的定义,并引用了进程代数中的互模拟的思想,提出了互模拟活动集合以及子流程的定义,同时给出如何找出复杂工作流流程模型中的互模拟活动的算法,该算法的提出简化了工作流流程模型的结构,从而提高了流程的运行效率。     

连续体结构的参数化水平集统一优化

针对传统分步式结构优化设计的不足,提出一种同时进行结构拓扑、形状和尺寸统一优化的设计方法.首先采用水平集函数描述统一的结构优化模型和几何尺寸边界,通过引入紧支径向插值基函数将结构拓扑优化变量、形状优化变量和尺寸优化变量变换为基函数的扩展系数;然后取该扩展系数为设计变量,借助一种参数的变化表达3种优化要素对结构性能的影响,将复杂的多变量优化问题变换为相对简单的参数优化问题,有利于与相对成熟的优化算法相结合提高求解效率;进一步用R函数将其融合为一个整体,构造出统一优化模型,并用最优化准则法进行求解.最后通过数值案例证明了该方法的有效性和精确性.     

Interpreting the negative mood-helping literature via "mega"-analysis: A contrary view.

"Mega"-analysis was developed by M. Carlson and N. Miller (see record 1987-31249-001) as an extension of traditional meta-analytic procedures for conducting integrative reviews of existing research literatures. One such mega-analysis was conducted by Carlson and Miller to synthesize the literature on the relation between negative mood states and helping. That analysis found no support for a theoretical account (negative state relief) that had been confirmed previously by using various experimental approaches. In an attempt to reconcile the discrepancy, the logic and methods used in Carlson and Miller's mega-analysis of the negative mood-helping literature were examined, and several serious problems were found. These problems are discussed, and data are presented to show that the results of that mega-analysis, and perhaps all mega-analyses, should not be viewed with confidence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Comparing ANN and GMM in a voice conversion framework

In this paper, we present a comparative analysis of artificial neural networks (ANNs) and Gaussian mixture models (GMMs) for design of voice conversion system using line spectral frequencies (LSFs) as feature vectors. Both the ANN and GMM based models are explored to capture nonlinear mapping functions for modifying the vocal tract characteristics of a source speaker according to a desired target speaker. The LSFs are used to represent the vocal tract transfer function of a particular speaker. Mapping of the intonation patterns (pitch contour) is carried out using a codebook based model at segmental level. The energy profile of the signal is modified using a fixed scaling factor defined between the source and target speakers at the segmental level. Two different methods for residual modification such as residual copying and residual selection methods are used to generate the target residual signal. The performance of ANN and GMM based voice conversion (VC) system are conducted using subjective and objective measures. The results indicate that the proposed ANN-based model using LSFs feature set may be used as an alternative to state-of-the-art GMM-based models used to design a voice conversion system.     

Model-guided evaluation of consumer products

An evaluation of a consumer product is presented as an example of how ergonomics models can guide data collection and interpretation by non-ergonomists. The product, a new cooking pan, was compared with its earlier counterpart on performance and safety tests for specific features. Model-guided evaluations produced data which could be well-fitted by linear relationships, and measures derived from the data could be interpreted in physical terms by engineers. This is now the standard methodology for pan evaluation in the client company.     

The quantifier structure of sentences that characterize nondeterministic time complexity

For every nondeterministic Turing machineM of time complexityT(n), there is a second-order sentence of a very restricted form, whose set of finite models encodes the set of strings recognized byM. Specifically, has a relational symbol which is interpreted as addition restricted to finite segments of the natural numbers, and a prefix consisting of existentially quantified unary second-order variables followed by a universal-existential first-order part. Here, every input stringx is encoded by a model of sizeT(|x|). Using a closely related encoding of strings as models where the size of the model is the length of the string, a consequence is that ifT(n)=n ^d, then there is a sentence with a similar prefix but whose second-order variables ared-ary and whose finite models encode the strings accepted byM. Potential applications to low-level complexity are discussed.