Desired State Research Articles

Couple-group consensus of heterogeneous nonlinear multi-agent systems with cooperative–competitive interactions and input saturation

Couple-group consensus of multi-agent systems with cooperative–competitive interactions and input saturation is studied under fixed and switching topologies based on pinning control and event-triggered control. First, for heterogeneous multi-agent systems consisting of first- and second-order agents, we propose two new distributed event-triggered control protocols, and the control protocols both enable the groups of agents to achieve the desired consensus state, which can effectively reduce the number of controller updates and save communication resources. Second, based on the Lyapunov stability theory, the sufficient conditions are established for the couple-group consensus of multi-agent systems. Meanwhile, Zeno behavior is excluded. Third, the effectiveness and feasibility of the control methods proposed in this paper are verified via some simulation examples.

Scalable Action Mining Hybrid Method for Enhanced User Emotions in Education and Business Domain

Education sector ,Business field,Medical domain and SocialMedia,huge amounts of data in a single day . Mining this data can provide a lot of meaningful insights on how to improve user experience in social media, users engage in these domains collect and cherish the data as they hope to find patterns and trends and the golden nuggets that help them to accomplish their goal. For example: How to improve student learning; how to increase business profit ability; how to improve user experience in social media; and how to heal patients and assists hospital administrators. Action Rule Miningmines actionable patterns which are hidden in various datasets. Action Rules provide actionable suggestions on how to change the state of an object from an existing state to a desired state for the benefit of the user. There are two major frameworks in the literature of Action Rule mining namely Rule-Based method where the extraction of Action Rules is dependent on the pre-processing step of classification rule discovery and Object-Based method where it extracts the Action Rules directly from the database without the use of classification rules.Hybrid Action rule mining approach combines both these frame works and generates complete set of Action Rules. The hybrid approach shows significant improvement in terms computational performance over the Rule-Based and Object-Based approach. In this work we propose a novel Modified Hybrid Action rule method with Partition Threshold Rho, which further improves the computational performance with large datasets.

Controlling target brain regions by optimal selection of input nodes.

The network control theory framework holds great potential to inform neurostimulation experiments aimed at inducing desired activity states in the brain. However, the current applicability of the framework is limited by inappropriate modeling of brain dynamics, and an overly ambitious focus on whole-brain activity control. In this work, we leverage recent progress in linear modeling of brain dynamics (effective connectivity) and we exploit the concept of target controllability to focus on the control of a single region or a small subnetwork of nodes. We discuss when control may be possible with a reasonably low energy cost and few stimulation loci, and give general predictions on where to stimulate depending on the subset of regions one wishes to control. Importantly, using the robustly asymmetric effective connectome instead of the symmetric structural connectome (as in previous research), we highlight the fundamentally different roles in- and out-hubs have in the control problem, and the relevance of inhibitory connections. The large degree of inter-individual variation in the effective connectome implies that the control problem is best formulated at the individual level, but we discuss to what extent group results may still prove useful.

A discrete model for layered growth

We present a discrete model that captures the fundamental properties of layered deposition in a minimal setting. The model is based on simplified kinematics and allows for the onset of incompatible deformations between discrete layers of a growing stack. Thanks to the discrete nature of the model, we obtain an averaged formulation of mechanical equilibrium for the growing stack, leading to closed-form solutions that are both analytically simple and physically transparent. In particular, we are able to explain the origin of residual stress by the accumulation of incompatible deformations between adjacent layers. The model can also be regarded as an elementary approximation of additive manufacturing. Within this context, we are able to formulate the technologically relevant inverse problem that provides the deposition protocol required to produce a desired state of internal stress in an additively-manufactured stack. Another important aspect analyzed in the work is the role played by an ideal “glue” between the layers, whose presence is fundamental to prevent their sliding and whose mechanical behavior can quantitatively influence the final stress distribution in the stack. The simplicity of the model makes it possible to highlight how the controls exerted during deposition will have qualitative or quantitative effects on the final stress state of the stack.

Psychosocial linkages of consumers' income security, financial well-being and social loneliness

PurposeExtant research suggests that consumers value the pursuit, attainment and retention of income security and financial well-being (FWB). The authors aim to expand the relevant literature by examining how consumers' psychosocial characteristics affect and are affected by the pursuit of those objectives.Design/methodology/approachThe authors utilize partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to evaluate the authors' hypotheses based on a sample of USA and Canadian consumers (n = 619).FindingsThe authors' PLS-SEM results provide support for the authors' hypotheses, indicating that individuals' insecure attachments – anxious and avoidant – relate negatively to their income security and FWB. The authors' results also show that these two desirable states relate positively to individuals' undesirable state of social loneliness.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors' methodology and findings illuminate the positioning of psychosocial factors as antecedents to and outcomes of income security and FWB. This research also provides a basis for understanding the linear vs curvilinear influences of income security on an individual’s social life.Originality/valueIn the present empirical study, the authors present a rare empirical examination of individuals' income security and FWB as outcomes of their psychosocial profile vis-à-vis insecure attachments. Drawing on established psychometric scales, this study expands the consumer psychology and FWB literature, showing significant linkages between insecure attachments, income security, FWB and social loneliness.

Trace preservation in B and Event-B refinements

Refinement guarantees that the concrete version of a model does not violate the constraints introduced at the abstract level. The peculiarity of refinement, however, is that we have no guarantee about the preservation of the behavior of the model. For example, a trace (a set of desirable states and transitions) created on the abstract model may not replay on the concrete model. Its manual recreation, usually via animation, is necessary to run the trace, as the model may have changed significantly during refinement. However, this is a labor-intensive and error-prone task. To this end, this article presents an automatic trace refining technique and tool called BERT (B and Event-B Trace Refinement Technique) that allows modelers to ensure the behavioral integrity of high-level traces at the concrete level. The cost- and time-effectiveness of BERT are shown in industrial-strength case studies from the automotive and aviation domains.

Advancing policy design through creative engagement with lived experience: the Tomorrow Party

We consider how lived experience might actively inform policy design. Good policy design calls for analysis of problems, how they might be addressed, and likely outcomes. Policy scholars and practitioners have devised methods that bring rigor to policy design through problem framing, assessment of potential interventions, and prediction of outcomes of those interventions. This pursuit of analytical and predictive rigor has often given short shrift to the insights of people whose lives are affected by current challenges and who will be impacted by policy change. Our theory of change is that creative engagement with citizens can generate insights of high value to the process of policy design. We introduce the Tomorrow Party – a design method for generating novel stakeholder insights regarding desirable future states. We then discuss initial findings from a series of pilots. Those findings suggest the Tomorrow Party is a broadly applicable creative tool for advancing policy design.

Using desirable urban states to understand key linkages between resilience subsystems

Interdisciplinary research is called for to model integrated urban resilience across separate urban subsystems (infrastructure, governance, resources, socio-economic), and for chartering pathways toward an urban ‘desirable state’. A core challenge is to determine the linkages between the subsystems. In this work, we demonstrate a novel approach by first constructing profiles of a desirable state, based on human shared values obtained empirically, and then use those to identify linkages naturally occurring between associated subsystems. We demonstrate the approach in two contrasting cities, Shanghai and Vienna, using WeValue InSitu methods to crystallize shared values and explore perspectives of urban disruption. The Desirable States of both cities provide elements with intrinsic strong linkages between urban subsystems, which can be represented with system dynamics mapping. These results reveal that this values-based approach contributes to modeling and studies of integrated urban resilience, for theory building and for applications.

On the identification and optimization of nonsmooth superposition operators in semilinear elliptic PDEs

We study an infinite-dimensional optimization problem that aims to identify the Nemytskii operator in the nonlinear part of a prototypical semilinear elliptic partial differential equation (PDE) which minimizes the distance between the PDE-solution and a given desired state. In contrast to previous works, we consider this identification problem in a low-regularity regime in which the function inducing the Nemytskii operator is a-priori only known to be an element of H1loc(ℝ). This makes the studied problem class a suitable point of departure for the rigorous analysis of training problems for learning-informed PDEs in which an unknown superposition operator is approximated by means of a neural network with nonsmooth activation functions (ReLU, leaky-ReLU, etc.). We establish that, despite the low regularity of the controls, it is possible to derive a classical stationarity system for local minimizers and to solve the considered problem by means of a gradient projection method. The convergence of the resulting algorithm is proven in the function space setting. It is also shown that the established first-order necessary optimality conditions imply that locally optimal superposition operators share various characteristic properties with commonly used activation functions: They are always sigmoidal, continuously differentiable away from the origin, and typically possess a distinct kink at zero. The paper concludes with numerical experiments which confirm the theoretical findings.

Bound on the distance between controlled quantum state and target state under decoherence

To implement quantum information technologies, carefully designed control for preparing a desired state plays a key role. However, in realistic situation, the actual performance of those methodologies is severely limited by decoherence. Therefore, it is important to evaluate how close we can steer the controlled state to a desired target state under decoherence. In this paper, we provide an upper bound of the distance between the two controlled quantum systems in the presence and absence of decoherence. The bound quantifies the degree of achievement of the control for a given target state under decoherence, and can be straightforwardly calculated without solving any equation. Moreover, the upper bound is applied to derive a theoretical limit of the probability for obtaining the target state under decoherence.

On the regional tracking problem of the bilinear wave equation subject to bounded controls

This research focuses on a regional optimal control problem of a bilinear wave equation evolving on a spatial domain Ω⊂Rd, where d≥1. The equation is excited by bounded controls that act on the velocity term. The main objective of this study is to minimize a functional cost, which involves tracking a desired state within a subregion ω of Ω and the energy term over the time interval [0,T]. We successfully prove the existence of an optimal control that we characterize as a solution to an optimality system. Additionally, an algorithm for the computation of such a control is given and successfully illustrated through simulations.

Contemporary Aspects of Local Security

The sense of security of the inhabitants of a given territorial unit is one of the elements integrally related to the process of local development. Achieving an acceptable level of local security requires the creative activity of the local government and providing residents with protection against threats. Creating the desired state of security in the local environment is not possible without the continuous involvement of many entities in both material and non-material dimensions, which should ensure the implementation of the agreed tasks and the meeting of the collective needs of the community. An important element here is to take action to build and strengthen the resilience of territorial units against threats and crises. It is also important to perceive the security policy in the context of the objectives, assumptions, and implementation practice of the cohesion policy.

Whether Live Streaming Has a Better Performance? An Examination of Product Presentation Modes on Cross-Border E-Commerce Platform

Scholars have long recognized that product presentation plays an important role for consumers to understand product and make further decisions, but it is not well-tested in the cross-border e-commerce context. Additionally, there exist inconsistent insights regarding the influences of the two major product presentation modes currently used by cross-border e-commerce platforms (i.e., static pictures and live streaming). Therefore, drawing on regulatory focus theory, this study develops a research model to explain and differentiate how live streaming and static pictures affect cross-border purchase intentions through the motivation systems associated with different desired end states (i.e., accessing benefit and avoiding uncertainty). Partial least squares approach and relative importance analysis were used to test the model with 272 survey participants. The empirical results show that both product presentation modes can enhance cross-border purchase intentions through regulatory focus. More interestingly, it shows that static pictures are better at reducing perceived uncertainty, whereas live streaming is more effective at increasing perceived desirability, in leading to higher cross-border purchase intentions. This study contributes to differentiating the impacts of different product presentation modes in attracting cross-border purchase intentions from a regulatory focus perspective and provides practical implications for cross-border e-commerce providers and sellers to leverage distinct product presentation modes to attract consumers.

Funding High-poverty School Districts: Federal Policy Tools and the Limits of Incentives

Abstract What can the federal government do to help ensure that the public schools attended by children living in poverty have enough resources to serve their students? In this brief, we describe existing federal efforts to support education spending in high-poverty districts, discuss their limitations, and suggest alternative approaches for federal policy. We focus especially on the Education Finance Incentive Grant (EFIG) formula—a part of the compensatory Title I grant program designed to encourage changes to state school finance policy—and show that the incentives embedded in the formula are in fact negligible; revising the formula to be more effective would be difficult. Further, any attempt to incentivize desirable state policy faces a fundamental trade-off: Such policy can reinforce inequality because districts in states that do not respond to the incentives by adopting desirable policies also do not receive (as much) federal funding. We argue that federal policy should be more attentive to state fiscal capacity because it is an important determinant of district-level school spending, and the federal government is uniquely positioned to address between-state inequality.

Anti-unwinding Twistor-based Finite-time Control for Flying Around a Non-cooperative Target

An integrated attitude and orbit finite-time control based on anti-unwinding twistor representation for flying-around with non-cooperative target is proposed in this paper. Firstly, an integrated attitude and orbit model based on traditional twistor representation is established for non-cooperative flying-around problem with complex initial situation. Secondly, an anti-unwinding representation is proposed to avoid the unwinding phenomenon. Thirdly, a finite-time controller in the framework of the anti-unwinding twistor representation is designed to guarantee the spacecraft to reach the desired state quickly. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by numerical simulations.

Advancing Aircraft Safety through CAx-Enhanced Digitalization and Thermal Stress Testing Methodologies: A Comprehensive Approach

Safety is of utmost importance in air transport, and the quality and durability of aircraft construction materials play a significant role in ensuring overall safety. The right technology and methodology for designing, simulating, and testing aircraft components can simplify the process, digitize components, and utilize non-destructive testing methods to increase safety. This article focuses on the digitization, creation of a 3D model, and testing of a small jet engine, MPM-20. Using a 3D scanner and position markers, the authors created a 3D digital model of the engine and adjusted it to the desired state using computer-aided technologies (CAx). Thermo-spectral analysis was then performed on the real object using a thermal camera and associated software. It was found that the engine’s structural integrity was not compromised by excessive thermal load in the specified spatial points. The methodology used can be applied to a wide range of aircraft components, improving their digitization, modification, and stress-testing.

SOCIAL VALUES AND GOALS OF ADMINISTRATIVE LAW NORMS AS KEY CATEGORIES OF OBJECTIVES IN ADMINISTRATIVE LAW

The article reveals the content of social values and goals of administrative law norms as key categories of goal setting in administrative law. It has been found that the role of social values, on which the subject of goal-setting of legal norms is oriented (should be oriented), is manifested in the following functions: 1) values form a specific picture of the world, a kind of cultural (civilizational) worldview of the era, taking into account a certain scale of values; 2) values form a system of transmitted experience, in which innovations and traditions are in a state of synthesis; 3) values act as the basic basis of the thinking style of a person of a certain era, they contain a model of the variability of a categorical way of thinking and a basis for the formation of new categories. It is proven that since the goal expresses the future and desired state of the object of activity based on the perceived value, it cannot be detached and indepen­dent from the social scale of values. However, when it comes to goals and values in law, there are specific connections between social values and the goal of law as a whole or the goals of its elements (branches of law, legal institutions, legal norms). The lower the level of elements of the legal system (law as a regulator of social relations, branch of law, legal institution, legal norm), the less the dependence of their goals on social values. That is precisely why, when characterizing law as a regulator of social relations, there is always a need to correlate its goals with social values. The same thing happens at the level of branches of law, because both legislators and scientists working in this field of legal relations try to emphasize the conformity of the goals of, for example, administrative law with certain social values. It was concluded that the relationship between the social value and the goal, as an element of goal-setting of the rule of administrative law, is as follows: 1) not every goal of the rule of law is a mandatory reflection of some specific social value, it just must not contradict the existing social values in society; 2) the goals of a large number of legal norms are formed not on the basis of social values, but on the basis of the needs of practice.

When patches grow themselves: from analogy to autocatalytic processes, the relevance of ecological nucleation for restoration practices

Choosing restoration strategies may depend on ecosystem's stability properties. When degraded ecosystems do not self‐perpetuate, natural regeneration can lead to system recovery, and restoration interventions are often designed to accelerate the natural regeneration process. However, when degraded systems self‐perpetuate, reestablishing functional ecosystems depends on overcoming resistance thresholds that impede recovery. In both scenarios, concentrating restoration efforts in patches of the desired state may enhance ecosystem recovery. Introducing patches of a desired state has been motivated by two frameworks: autocatalytic nucleation and the analogy to nucleation. When restoration depends on overcoming resistance thresholds, autocatalytic nucleation lowers restoration barriers by initiating a local positive feedback mechanism that is only successful when desired patches are introduced above a critical patch size. In contrast, the analogy to nucleation accelerates natural regeneration whereby desired patches interact with landscape scale factors often through directed dispersal. We compare nucleation frameworks, and discuss their applications for restoration practices.

Robust high‐gain observer‐based sliding mode controller for pitch and yaw position control of an AUV

AbstractThis article addresses a trajectory tracking control problem concerning an autonomous underwater vehicle's pitch and yaw channel dynamics in the presence of model uncertainties, underwater disturbances, and input saturation. Three different observers are introduced to estimate unknown state variables: a Luenberger‐type cubic observer, a sliding mode observer, and a high‐gain observer (HGO). Initially, a backstepping controller is employed to tackle the tracking problem, extending it to incorporate backstepping sliding mode control (SMC). The mentioned observers are utilized in both aspects of the controller design. Our proposed control law assesses trajectory tracking performance by introducing virtual control inputs, with the sliding surface designed to guide the current state variables toward approximating the virtual state variables. By combining backstepping and SMC, ensure that the state variables of the closed‐loop system converge to the desired state using the HGO. A rigorous analysis is incorporated to validate the robust performance of our proposed control law under conditions of model uncertainties and underwater disturbances. Furthermore, the control law is extended for anti‐windup compensation, mitigating adverse effects on stern and rudder plane saturation levels. Lyapunov stability theory is adopted to establish the stability of the closed‐loop system. Our simulation results convincingly demonstrate the effectiveness of the HGO‐based backstepping SMC law compared to alternative control approaches.

An efficient Yb:YAG microchip laser for generating high-power cylindrical vector beams with four topological charges

High-power cylindrical vector beams (CVBs) in the form of Laguerre-Gaussian (LG0,l) with fixed topological charge and desirable state of polarization (SoP) have been widely needed for various applications such as quantum communication, optical trapping, manipulating microparticles, laser machining, and high-resolution imaging. Highly efficient high-order CVBs with fixed topological charge and SoP generated in solid-state lasers are desirable for various applications. Here, by adjusting annular pump beam waist and distance between focus spot and gain medium, we directly generated LG0,l (l = 2, 3, 4) CVBs with SoP in the form of E0,l(ϕ,r) = - Eϕ ×sin[(l + 1)ϕ]+ Er ×cos[(l + 1)ϕ] in a highly efficient Yb3+:Y3Al5O12 (Yb:YAG) microchip laser. The LG0,4 CVB is obtained when the input pump power is higher than 2.9 W and keeps as the input pump power further increases. The output power of the LG0,4 cylindrical vector laser is 1.3 W at the input pump power of 6.1 W. The optical conversion efficiency is as high as 21.3%. Polarization purity is over 93% for LG0,4 CVB generated in the Yb:YAG microchip laser.