Food-Consumer Interactions: Role of Time – Varying Key Parameters – a New Perspective

Fatigue is the decay process of the structure stress performance under the action of repeated load. The fatigue essence is the material fatigue damage accumulation process along with the increase in the number of fatigue loading. Because of the structural fatigue damage caused by the great dangers, the fatigue damage problem has been studied by many researchers at home and abroad. In this paper, it systematically reviews the research status of fatigue damage of concrete bridges on the basis of previous studies and the problems for further research are discussed. From the bridge component materials perspective, the paper analyses the status and the development direction of the dynamic constitutive models. At the same time, the paper summarizes the fatigue cumulative damage theory and analyses the advantages and disadvantages of the various theories. The main contents of this paper include: the research history and status of fatigue damage of concrete bridges, the damage variable selection, the fatigue cumulative damage theory, the problems for further research on the fatigue damage of concrete bridge.

This chapter discusses linear functional observers with the main objective to accommodate some additional constraints and complexities that are imposed upon by practical systems. Section 8.2 will revisit the design of linear functional observers for time-delay systems and discuss a possible approach to relax their existence conditions through the introduction of a slightly more complex structured observer which includes some extra delay terms. Section 8.3 will discuss the design of state and linear functional observers where the usual assumption about the availability of the instantaneous information of the output (and possibly input) is no longer hold. This situation arises in practical systems where the measured data has to be transmitted through a communication channel with a limited bandwidth, and therefore is only available for estimation after a certain delay in time. In such case, the designer has no other choice but to use the available information of the delayed output to reconstruct the state vector or a linear function of the state vector. This section will also present some possible problems for further research. Section 8.4 will discuss the design of linear functional observers for interconnected systems where the flow of decentralized information is imposed upon the structures of the observers. This section will also present some possible problems for further research.

In the modern market, keeping high competition in brands and varieties in type of products is the way for survival of manufacturing industries. Therefore production control methods with capabilities of quick responses to rapid changes in the demand and efficient distribution of the raw material throughout the network are of importance among leading manufacturers. Nowadays, the production control problem has been widely studied and a lot of valuable approaches including queuing theory, Petri nets, dynamic programming, linear programming, hybrid systems were proposed and some of them are implemented. Though up to this moment many methods have been developed, the factory performance remains a challenging problem for further research. Motivated by this problem we study the performance of several manufacturing networks operated by surplus-based control. In the surplus-based control, decisions are made based on the demand tracking error, which is the difference between the cumulative demand and the cumulative output of the network. The studied networks are a single machine, a manufacturing line, a multi-product manufacturing line, a re-entrant machine and a re-entrant line. The performance analysis is based on the performance factors such as demand tracking errors and inventory levels. Specifically, given the presence of unknown but bounded production speed perturbations as well as demand rate fluctuations, we investigate how close the cumulative production output of a manufacturing network follows its cumulative production demand under a surplus-based control policy. The research is subdivided into theoretical analysis, simulation-based analysis and experimental analysis parts. Theoretical analysis By means of analytical tools, the relation between the production demand tracking accuracy and the inventory levels of the networks is investigated. In order to find this relation, classical tools from control theory are used. Models of production flow processes are formulated by means of difference as well as differential equations. In order to analyze their performance, optimal control theory and Lyapunov theory approaches are exploited. Simulation based analysis By means of simulation tools, the theoretical results on performance are evaluated by time-based simulation models. Thus, all theoretical results are illustrated and confirmed by computer simulation. Also two comparative studies are conducted. The first comparative study is realized in order to test the theoretical results on more accurate models, which are event-based. The results are shown to be in agreement with the theory. The second comparative study is on time-based models, where the behavior of a line, a single re-entrant machine and a re-entrant line is tested under three commonly used surplus-based production policies. The performance of each network is evaluated and the results are presented. Experimental analysis An experimental prototype is invented, designed and developed for education and research purposes. The prototype is a hardware tool that serves as a liquid-based emulator of manufacturing network processes. In its core, the liquid-based emulator consists of several electrical pumps and liquid reservoirs. The electrical pumps emulate manufacturing machine behavior, while the liquid reservoirs serve as the intermediate product storages, also called buffers. In the platform, pumps and tanks can be interconnected in a flexible manner. In that way the prototype permits an easy and intuitive way of studying manufacturing control techniques and performance of several network topologies. A detailed system description is provided. Several network configurations and experimentations are presented and discussed.

On the basis of introducing protocol testing and conformance testing, this paper mainly focuses on introducing the testing generation methods based on Finite State Machine model (FSM), Extended Finite State Machine model (EFSM), Deterministic Finite State Machine model (DFSM) and Non-Deterministic Finite State Machine model (NDFSM) and so on. In conclusion, this paper points out some problems for further research and the development trend in this field.

This is to certify that the thesis comprises only my original work except where indicated in the preface; due acknowledgment has been made in the text to all other material used; the thesis is 30,000 words in length, inclusive of footnotes, but exclusive of tables, maps, appendices & bibliography. This thesis explores the area of Community Cultural Development (CCD) through a longitudinal Case Study. It postulates that the potential long-term outcomes of a successful CCD process, including the creation of communities and networks, as well as continuing cultural development for the participants, are frustrated by arts policy and funding. The analysis of the Case Study is contextualised by an examination of the history of CCD in Australia and the cultural policy framework for the funding of CCD projects. This thesis addresses the following question: Do the long-term outcomes of creating networks, creation of communities and continued cultural development succeed? It is hypothesised that CCD can achieve social change through two types of long term outcomes. The two types of longterm outcomes are personal level outcomes and community level outcomes. Both levels of outcomes are examined in relation to the Case Study. However, the cultural policy framework for CCD does not support long-term CCD. It is problematic on many levels funding, evaluation, and the infrastructure support of CCD. It is asserted that there is urgent need for a re-assessment on the way in which CCD is supported in Australia. And that this assessment examines whether the sector is in fact supportive of the aim of CCD to effect social change. CCD is a process and an artform underpinned by a social change agenda. This research aims to further develop the academic body of work in the field of CCD, to create new questions, ideas and problems for further research to build upon. Community Cultural Development – A Policy for Social Change? By Michelle Evans © 2003 2

As known, no more attentions are put to multiple stochastic network models, we design multiple probabilistic dynamic network models in this article for dealing with a network having two or more different communities with different growing mechanisms and preferential attachment mechanisms. We propose three construction algorithms for producing three types of models after defining operators consisted of graphs and graph operations, and get three spaces generated by three types of models. We introduce partial technique, such as partial multiple preferential attachment mechanism, partial degree distribution etc. in dealing with topological structures of our models. Multiple probabilistic community network models are particular models, but close to social networks. We distribute problems for further research.

In nature, there are many tessellation patterns on curved surfaces that look like Voronoi diagrams. Typical examples are the patterns found on fruit skins. Verifying that a given tessellation is a Voronoi diagram will be useful for constructing mathematical models of polygonal patterns. However, the data are usually obtained as a 2D projected image, and hence it is not easy to compare it with a Voronoi diagram on a curved surfaces. We propose a framework for using a photograph of a fruit to measure the difference between the pattern on its skin and a spherical Voronoi diagram. The problem of finding the spherical Voronoi diagram that best fits the fruit skin pattern is reduced to an optimization problem. The validity of this formulation is evaluated using jackfruit and lychee. We also propose generalizations of our problem for further research.

Logistic distribution is an operation linking with consumer directly ,and takes account for considerable proportion in variable costs in logistics. A scientific and reasonable method to vehicle scheduling is an important operation in logistic distribution. This paper attempts to take VSP in VMI as the tow core problems for further research. VSP in VMI may be looked as the stretch of the VSP above. On the VSP in VMI, this paper analyses the contribution of the optimization of logistic distribution's system. Being aimed at looking for the optimal distribution policy, this paper put delivery routing and inventory into consideration jointly, and brings forward an mathematic model and its algorithm. Consequently, results from the case proved the availability of the model and its algorithm.

Formulation of the problem. A national climate program, complying with the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU, is aimed at long-term adaptation measures to climate change, providing for the development of legislation in the field of environmental protection, sectoral strategies, improving air and water quality. These measures require identification of climatic factors’ impact on hydrological characteristics of water bodies in any area in order to protect and improve them, as well as a comprehensive approach to the rational management of water resources. Analysis of previous research. Using mathematical models of atmospheric circulation allows us to obtain generalized calculations of the average global and regional air temperature, characterized by significant errors in case of different models. Problems of further research. Modern changes in climatic conditions in Ukraine are characterized by locality and rapidity: increasing number of anomalous atmospheric phenomena, frequency of droughts, dry winds which, according to preliminary estimates, may lead to reduction of water resources, changes in internal annual redistribution of water temperature and runoff against the background of increasing thermal resources of the territory. The purpose. The article analyses climatic indicators’ influence on the main hydrological characteristics on the example of the Psyol river basin within Ukraine. Research methods. Research methods are presented by statistical and cartographic analysis (correlation analysis method). The initial information is the results of observations contained in the State Climate Cadastre and the State Water Cadastre for the Dnieper Valley. Presentation of the main research material. Analysis of climate change in the Psyol river basin indicates a decrease in water consumption, both in the main river of the basin and in its main tributaries. In addition to changes in temperature and humidity, the reasons for this process were the shifts that occurred in the nature of the intra-annual distribution of the runoff. During the late XX – early XXI century the share of spring floods decreased due to the reduced period of ice phenomena and corresponding decrease in the thickness of the snow cover on the rivers. As a result, the most important component of the annual runoff of rivers began to decrease rapidly. The role of groundwater in the formation of water runoff increased against the background of a predominant decrease in precipitation. This is especially true for medium-size and small rivers, subject to significant anthropogenic pressure: over-regulation of channels, creation of artificial lakes, their shallowing. Practical value. Based on the main provisions of the national environmental policy of Ukraine on the use of water resources and the implementation of European principles of the Water Framework Directive 2000/60 / EC (ERVD) the study of changes in hydrological regime of rivers is of practical importance for sustainable management. Research results. The study of the impact of changes in climatic indicators on hydrological characteristics makes it possible to determine the reference conditions and classes of ecological status of rivers under conditions of anthropogenic pressure against the background of further changes in climatic indicators that will have different trends.

Logistic distribution is an operation linking with consumer directly, and takes account for considerable proportion in variable costs in logistics. A scientific and reasonable method to vehicle scheduling is an important operation in logistic distribution. This paper attempts to take VSP in VMI as the tow core problems for further research. VSP in VMI may be looked as the stretch of the VSP above. On the VSP in VMI, this paper analyses the contribution of the optimization of logistic distribution's system. Being aimed at looking for the optimal distribution policy, this paper put delivery routing and inventory into consideration jointly, and brings forward an mathematic model and its algorithm. Consequently, results from the case proved the availability of the model and its algorithm.

For a set A of nonnegative integers, the representation functions R2(A, n) and R3(A, n) are defined as the numbers of solutions to the equation n = a + a′ with a, a′ ∈ A, a 0, it is known that there exist A, A′ ⊆ ℕ such that R2(A′, n) = R2(ℕ \ A′, n) and R3(A, n) = R3(ℕ \ A, n) for all n ⩾ n0. We obtain several related results. For example, we prove that: If A ⊆ ℕ such that R3(A, n) = R3(ℕ \ A, n) for all n ⩾ n0, then (1) for any n ⩾ n0 we have R3(A, n) = R3(ℕ \ A, n) > c1n − c2, where c1, c2 are two positive constants depending only on n0; (2) for any \(\alpha αn has the density one. The answers to the four problems in Chen-Tang (2009) are affirmative. We also pose two open problems for further research.

A supplement to Fu [1] is presented. Three areas are briefly reviewed: 1) control systems with human controller, 2) control systems with man-machine controller, and 3) autonomous robot systems. Problems for further research are discussed.

We describe the universal associative enveloping algebra of a Lie–Jordan algebra with a unit over a field of characteristic 0. We show that if L is a Lie–Jordan algebra with a unit e over a field of characteristic 0, then the (unital) universal associative envelope of L is isomorphic to where The center of the universal associative envelope is also described. We conclude the paper with some open problems for further research.

We summarize results on non-deterministic cellular language acceptors. The non-determinism is regarded as limited resource. For parallel devices, it is natural to bound the non-determinism in time and/or space. Depending on the length of the input, the number of allowed non-deterministic state transitions as well as the number of non-deterministic cells at all is limited. We centre our attention to real-time, linear-time, and unrestricted-time computations and discuss the computational power of these machines. Speed-up results and the possibility to reduce the non-determinism as well as closure properties of languages acceptable with a constant number of non-deterministic transitions are presented. By considering the relations with context-free languages, several relations between the devices in question are implied. We do not prove these results but we merely draw attention to the big picture and some of the main ideas involved, and open problems for further research.

The key issue of the paper is combinatorial complexity functions of infinite words, especially factor complexity and its modifications. First of all, we present an overview of the available results for the class of words with the minimal factor complexity - Sturmian words. Specialattention is paid to the arithmetical complexity of infinite words, the study of which was initiatedby Van der Waarden Theorem on one-color arithmetic progressions. Arithmetical complexity is presented in a sense a modification of factor complexity. An overview of current results and exact values of arithmetic complexity for Sturmian words is presented. We present polynomial Van der Waerden Theorem, which gives rise to the study of a more generalized modification ofthe factor complexity function - the polynomial complexity of infinite words. In conclusion, wepresent open problems for further research.