Generalized Nonlinear Variational-Like Inequalities

This study investigates how to dynamically allocate resources with a given budget for advertising through Web portals using keyword-activated banner ads on the Internet. Identifying the factors that affect the potential number of banner ad clickthroughs in each portal, we show that the process of budget allocation between the two types of portals (generic vs specialized) that leads to the largest banner clicksthrough in the long run is an optimal control problem. Using techniques of dynamic programming, we find analytical solutions for the optimal budgeting decisions. Our analysis shows that an advertisers optimal portal budgeting depends nonlinearly on the number of visitors who type the same trigger keyword and the average clicksthrough rates, as well as on the advertiser and ad effectiveness. Further, we find that the maximal number of banner clickthroughs from both portals, at time t, depends on the remaining budget until the end of the planning period. The analytical results have useful managerial insight. One of the interesting features of our solution shows that, while a large visitor base may favor the generic portal, other parameters may affect it unfavorably: e.g., lower clickthrough rates of keyword banners from a more heterogeneous audience. Using a specificaction that is consistent with empirical observations, we show that, in the long run, an advertiser must always spend more ad money at the specialized portal.     

Optimal allocation of reliability tasks to mitigate faults during system development

^** Email: walter.johnston{at}baesystems.com^*** Email: j.quigley{at}strath.ac.uk^**** Email: lesley.walls{at}strath.ac.uk This paper considers reliability planning for a concept designfor a new system where a portfolio of possible reliability developmenttasks exists; the goal is to find a selection and sequence oftasks to achieve reliability targets subject to time constraintsat minimal cost. This is non-trivial given that each task potentiallycan expose several different weaknesses and each weakness potentiallycan be exposed by several different tasks. We use a Bayesianpoint process model to estimate the system reliability. Theprior distribution maps to a fault register and relates directlyto a set of potential engineering modifications.The likely impactof each task can be assessed using the point process model.An integer programming approach is used to sequence and scheduletasks under the constraint that contractual reliability requirementsmust be met. An illustrative example is provided and an extensionto system availability is proposed.     

Time allocated to mathematics in post-primary schools in Ireland: are we in double trouble?

Mathematics educators and legislators worldwide have begun placing a greater emphasis on teaching mathematics for understanding and through the use of real-life applications. Revised curricula have led to the time allocated to mathematics in effected countries being scrutinised. This has resulted in policy-makers and educationalists worldwide calling for the inclusion of double class periods on the mathematics timetable. Research from the United States suggests that the introduction of double or block periods allow for the objectives of revised curricula to be realized. The aim of this study, which is set in the school context, is first to ascertain if schools in Ireland are scheduling double periods for mathematics at both lower post-primary level (Junior Cycle) and upper post-primary level (Senior Cycle). It also seeks to determine if there is a link between teachers’ levels of satisfaction with the time allocated to mathematics and the provision of double periods and to get insights from teachers in relation to their opinions on what can be achieved through the introduction of such classes. Questionnaires were sent to 400 post-primary schools (approximately 1600 teachers) which were selected using stratified sampling techniques. It was found that 8.7% of mathematics teachers reported the provision of double periods at Junior Cycle while 55% reported that double periods were included on their timetable at Senior Cycle. The study also identified a link between teachers’ levels of satisfaction with the time allocated to mathematics and the provision of double periods. Finally, teachers felt that double periods allowed for new teaching methodologies, which were promoted by the revised curricula, to be implemented and teaching for understanding was also more feasible. In essence, it was found that double periods have an influence on the mathematical experience of post-primary students as well as the teaching approaches employed.     

Ruin-based risk measures in discrete-time risk models

For an insurance company, effective risk management requires an appropriate measurement of the risk associated with an insurance portfolio. The objective of the present paper is to study properties of ruin-based risk measures defined within discrete-time risk models under a different perspective at the frontier of the theory of risk measures and ruin theory. Ruin theory is a convenient framework to assess the riskiness of an insurance business. We present and examine desirable properties of ruin-based risk measures. Applications within the classical discrete-time risk model and extensions allowing temporal dependence are investigated. The impact of the temporal dependence on ruin-based risk measures within those different risk models is also studied. We discuss capital allocation based on Euler’s principle for homogeneous and subadditive ruin-based risk measures.     

区域集群下板材订单配置模型及算法研究

针对集群企业板材资源滞留、无法共享、加工旺季材料短缺等问题,依据区域板材特性和区域企业集群地理相关优势,建立以减少需求方板材订单采购费用最小化为目标的板材订单分配模型,采用以粒子群、免疫算法相结合的混合调度算法。计算过程中,将订单分配对应企业编号作为免疫系统的抗体基因,通过比较适应度函数解与订单预算成本的关系,将抗体群区分为支配解与非支配解,提高算法对抗原的免疫能力和最优解的选择概率。最后以板材订单分配实例进行试验仿真,分别采用PSO算法与IA-PSO算法进行试验对比,对平台上6家订单发布企业寻找合适地理位置相近和价格相对低廉的供应商。试验结果表明,IA-PSO算法能够有效地解决区域集群内板材订单的匹配问题,并且在寻找价格更低和位置更合适的供应商上更有优势。     

Integration of indifference-zone with multi-objective computing budget allocation

In this paper, we consider how to address the issues of having designs with close performance in the multi-objective ranking and selection (MORS) problem. To resolve this issue we propose integrating the indifference-zone (IZ) concept into the multi-objective computing budget allocation (MOCBA) framework. In particular, when IZ is introduced into the MOCBA framework, we address how to determine the probability of non-dominance, how to define the Pareto set, and how to derive allocation rules for the simulation replications. Empirical results show that the MOCBA framework with IZ can significantly save simulation budget when designs to be compared have close performance.     

基于MAS协作机制的动态计算资源调度模型

针对网格环境的自治性、动态性、分布性和异构性等特征.提出基于多智能体系统(Mutil Agent System,MAS)博弈协作的资源动态分配和任务调度模型,建立了能够反映供求关系的网格资源调度模型和任务求解算法,证明了资源分配博弈中Nash均衡点的存在性、唯一性和Nash均衡解,该方法能够利用消费者agent的学习和协商能力,考虑和引入消费者的心理行为,使得消费者的资源申请和任务调度具有较高的合理性和有效性.实验结果表明,资源调度算法不但可以有效减少不必要的延迟,而且在响应时间的平滑性、吞吐率及资源利用率方面比传统算法要好,从而使得整个资源的供需合理、负载均衡.     

Ant colony approach to constrained redundancy optimization in binary systems

This paper presents an ant colony optimization algorithm to address the constrained redundancy allocation problem in order to maximize system reliability for complex binary systems. The constraints involved, though separable, are both linear and non-linear. We couple an adaptive penalty function with the basic ant colony approach to handle highly constrained problems and embed a local search technique to find still better locally optimal solutions. The proposed algorithm has been tested on a large number of problems, containing even up to 500 subsystems, with both fixed and randomly generated parameters. Experimental results demonstrate the advantage of the proposed algorithm to solve similar types of problems.     

A Dual 13C and 15N Long Term Labelling Technique to Investigate Uptake and Translocation of C and N in Beech (Fagus sylvatica L.)

Abstract

A continuous dual ¹³CO₂ and ¹⁵NH₄ ¹⁵NO₃ labelling experimental set-up is presented that was used to investigate the C and N uptake and allocation within 3-year old beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) during one growing season. The C and N allocation pattern was determined after six, twelve and eighteen weeks of growth. The carbon uptake was distinctly different in the three phases examined: The first six weeks after budbreak were dedicated to leaf growth with a R/S (root to shoot) ratio of 0.14 for the new carbon. The second growth phase showed a balanced R/S ratio of C allocation and after week 13, the root compartment was the main carbon sink (R/S = 6.97).

Nitrogen allocation was more basipetal as compared to carbon. In the second growth phase, R/S of N_new was 5.57 but fell to 3.54 for the third growth phase probably due to formation of reserves in buds and stem.     

基于矩阵式遗传算法的进出口集装箱堆场箱位分配策略

为提高集装箱码头堆场系统的运作效率,本文针对集装箱码头进出口堆场的空间分配问题,建立了在“作业面”作业模式下以集卡水平运输距离最短为目标,考虑各箱位作业量均衡的集装箱箱位分配模型,对计划时段内的进出口箱箱位分配进行全局优化．采用矩阵式的实数编码方式的遗传算法对模型进行了求解,使用最优解保存策略保证了最终的优化结果．最后通过仿真算例,验证了本文所建立的箱位分配模型对优化堆场空间资源分配,提高进出口箱流转速度的适用性．