Validation and verification of social processes within agent-based computational organization models

The use of simulation modeling in computational analysis of organizations is becoming a prominent approach in social science research. However, relying on simulations to gain intuition about social phenomena has significant implications. While simulations may give rise to interesting macro-level phenomena, and sometimes even mimic empirical data, the underlying micro and macro level processes may be far from realistic. Yet, this realism may be important to infer results that are relevant to existing theories of social systems and to policy making. Therefore, it is important to assess not only predictive capability but also explanation accuracy of formal models in terms of the degree of realism reflected by the embedded processes. This paper presents a process-centric perspective for the validation and verification (V&V) of agent-based computational organization models. Following an overview of the role of V&V within the life cycle of a simulation study, emergent issues in agent-based organization model V&V are outlined. The notion of social contract that facilitates capturing micro level processes among agents is introduced to enable reasoning about the integrity and consistency of agent-based organization designs. Social contracts are shown to enable modular compositional verification of interaction dynamics among peer agents. Two types of consistency are introduced: horizontal and vertical consistency. It is argued that such local consistency analysis is necessary, but insufficient to validate emergent macro processes within multi-agent organizations. As such, new formal validation metrics are introduced to substantiate the operational validity of emergent macro-level behavior. Levent Yilmaz is Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Engineering in the College of Engineering at Auburn University and co-founder of the Auburn Modeling and Simulation Laboratory of the M&SNet. Dr. Yilmaz received his Ph.D. and M.S. degrees from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). His research interests are on advancing the theory and methodology of simulation modeling, agent-directed simulation (to explore dynamics of socio-technical systems, organizations, and human/team behavior), and education in simulation modeling. Dr. Yilmaz is a member of ACM, IEEE Computer Society, Society for Computer Simulation International, and Upsilon Pi Epsilon. URL: http://www.eng.auburn.edu/~yilmaz     

慢速饮酒血液中酒精含量的数学模型

描述的是在一定时间内慢慢地匀速喝完一定数量酒的问题,并建立了相应的数学模型.同时也建立了快速饮酒的数学模型,以及证明了在各次饮酒后的某时刻酒精含量的可叠加性.     

Incubation period in the 2,2,4,4‐tetramethyl‐1‐piperidinyloxy‐mediated thermal autopolymerization of styrene: Kinetics and simulations

Mechanisms and simulations of the induction period and the initial polymerization stages in the nitroxide‐mediated autopolymerization of styrene are discussed. At 120–125 °C and moderate 2,2,4,4‐tetramethyl‐1‐piperidinyloxy (TEMPO) concentrations (0.02–0.08 M), the main source of radicals is the hydrogen abstraction of the Mayo dimer by TEMPO [with the kinetic constant of hydrogen abstraction (k_h)]. At higher TEMPO concentrations ([N?] > 0.1 M), this reaction is still dominant, but radical generation by the direct attack against styrene by TEMPO, with kinetic constant of addition k_ad, also becomes relevant. From previous experimental data and simulations, initial estimates of k_h ≈ 1 and k_ad ≈ 6 × 10^?7 L mol^?1 s^?1 are obtained at 125 °C. From the induction period to the polymerization regime, there is an abrupt change in the dominant mechanism generating radicals because of the sudden decrease in the nitroxide radicals. Under induction‐period conditions, the simulations confirm the validity of the quasi‐steady‐state assumption (QSSA) for the Mayo dimer in this regime; however, after the induction period, the QSSA for the dimer is not valid, and this brings into question the scientific basis of the well‐known expression k_th[M]³ (where [M] is the monomer concentration and k_th is the kinetic constant of autoinitiation) for the autoinitiation rate in styrene polymerization. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 6962‐6979, 2006     

Surface characterization and barrier properties of plasma‐modified polyethersulfone/layered silicate nanocomposites

This study describes the preparation of polyethersulfone (PES)/layered silicate nanocomposites (PLSNs) by mixing PES polymer chain into organically‐modified layered silicate in 1‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone (NMP) solution. Both X‐ray diffraction data and transmission electron microscopy images of PLSNs indicate that the silicate layers were almost exfoliated and randomly distributed into the PES matrix. The mechanical and barrier properties of PLSNs show remarkable enhancement in the storage modulus and water/oxygen permeability when compared with that of neat PES matrix. Surfaces modification of PES and PLSN films with various treated times, system pressures, and radio frequency (RF) powers were performed using a mixture of oxygen (O₂) and nitrogen (N₂) plasmas. The topographical and physical properties of plasma‐modified PES and PLSN surfaces were investigated using scanning probe microscopy (SPM), contact‐angle measurements, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). These results indicate that the surface roughness of PLSNs with the same condition of plasma modification is lower than that of neat PES matrix and is probably due to the increase of stiffness with the presence of inorganic layered silicates in PES matrix. The surface properties of the PES and PLSNs are also changed from hydrophobic to hydrophilic. The XPS spectra suggest that the exposure of the PES and PLSNs to the plasmas led to the combination of etching reactions of polymer surface initiated by plasma and the following addition reactions of new oxygen‐ and nitrogen‐containing functional groups onto polymer surfaces to change their surface properties. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 3185–3194, 2006     

Spatiotemporal and Thermal Analysis of VCSEL for Short-range Gigabit Optical Links

High-speed Optoelectronic Modules using Vertical Cavity Surface Emitting Lasers (VCSEL) coupled to Multi Mode Fibers (MMF) are a performing and low-cost solution for 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 GbE) in short-distance optical links. A complete model of the spatiotemporal behavior of multimode VCSELs, through static and dynamic response, noise, thermal effects, and its coupling to MMF has been investigated. Relative Intensity Noise shows modal dependence and can be affected by spatial filtering due to coupling and fiber propagation. Simulations permit to evaluate critical parameters, such as modulation formats, launching conditions, and operating temperature for global bandwidth and eye diagram optimization up to 10 Gb/s. Simulation results are compared to measurements on prototype optoelectronic modules.     

Studies on solution cast perfluorocarbonsulfonic acid ionomers

The thermal properties of perfluorocarbonsulfonic acid ionomer films cast from solution and their temperature-dependent far infrared spectra have been investigated. In addition to the endotherms and spectral changes associated with the loss of solvent as the films were heated, a significant exotherm has been observed and assigned to the relaxation associated with rearrangements resulting in partially crystallized phases in insoluble thermally treated membranes. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

An evolutionary method for optimization of plate buckling resistance

Optimization of plate buckling resistance is very complicated, because the in-plane stress resultants in the prebuckled state of a plate are functions of thickness distribution. This paper discusses the problem of finding the optimum thickness distribution of isotropic plate structures, with a given volume and layout, that would maximise the buckling load. A simple numerical method using the finite-element analysis is presented to obtain the optimum thickness distribution. Optimum designs of compression-loaded rectangular plates with different boundary conditions and plate aspect ratios are obtained by using the proposed method. Optimum designs from earlier studies and the methods of buckling analysis used to attain these results are discussed and compared with the designs from the proposed method. This paper also examines the reliability of the optimality criterion generally used for plate buckling optimization, which is based on the uniform strain energy density.     

舒兰褐煤树脂组分中某些分离物的化学研究

我国褐煤资源丰富 ,分布于云南、吉林、黑龙江、山东和内蒙古等地。褐煤除作燃料和腐植肥料外 ,还应用于轻化工和机械工业 ,如从褐煤制取褐煤蜡。褐煤蜡中含有较多的树脂物质 ,影响了褐煤蜡的质量 ,因此通常褐煤蜡树脂作为废弃物脱除 ,以提高褐煤蜡的质量。褐煤蜡的化学组成为纯蜡和树脂 ,前者为高碳脂肪酸和脂肪醇的酯类、游离脂肪酸和脂肪醇 ,以及烃类物等 ;后者则以萜类为主 ,并含有甾醇、羟基酸和烃化合物[1～ 5] 。 1982年唐运千等采用红外光谱和氢核磁共振谱检定 ,褐煤树脂中含有 β 谷甾醇 ;柱层析和薄层层析检出雌二醇和雌酚酮[2 ] …     

La2Zr2O7催化剂结构相变对甲烷氧化偶联反应性能的影响

采用共沉淀法并通过改变焙烧温度制备了一系列具有不同晶相结构的La₂Zr₂O₇催化剂，在微型固定床反应器上评价其甲烷氧化偶联反应性能，并利用XRD、Raman、CO₂-TPD、XPS等表征手段，探究催化剂的物相结构、表面碱性以及表面氧物种的变化规律。结果表明，随着焙烧温度从700℃逐渐升高到1200℃，La₂Zr₂O₇催化剂结晶度不断提高，晶相发生明显变化，从无定形结构逐渐向缺陷萤石结构过渡，最终转变成烧绿石结构。焙烧温度提高促使La₂Zr₂O₇晶相转变过程中，催化剂表面的碱性强度减弱，中等碱性位数量以及具有催化活性的表面氧物种O₂^2-和O₂^-的相对含量不断减少，致使催化剂的CH₄转化率和C₂₊选择性不断降低。其中，无定形LZO-CP-700催化剂表现出最佳的甲烷氧化偶联反应性能。