Influence of root resistivity on plant water uptake mechanism,Part II: analytical solutions for low/moderate soil-root conductivity ratio

A one-dimensional approximate analytical model, which preserves the main features of soil-crop-atmospheric hydrodynamics, has been suggested for plant roots of low soil-root conductivity ratio (SRCR). The proposed approach involves physically based concepts, such as mass balance equation, Darcy’s law, and related water uptake and plant transpiration functions. Two main assumptions have been made to derive the analytical solution: (1) gravitational flow is adopted and (2) the uniform soil moisture distribution within the root water activity zone is supposed. The mass balance equation in its integral form is solved by the method of characteristics. This leads to the two functional equations for soil pressure head and root potential, which can be solved simultaneously by using common software. The model has been further verified against the numerical one. The model represents a reasonable compromise between the complicated mechanism of unsaturated water flow with root water uptake (RWU) and still insufficient knowledge of the soil-plant-atmospheric continuum. It is able to account for temporal fluctuations in root activity zone and provides a relatively simple algorithm for investigation of RWU-mechanism. Besides the theoretical and applicative importance, this flow model yields water and velocity distributions within soil profile, and, thereby, constitutes a preliminary step toward solution of contaminant transport problems in vadose zone. Deceased     

Conservation laws of two coupled non-linear oscillators

This paper presents a novel approach to obtaining a complete set of time-dependent expressions for approximate conservation laws of two weakly non-linear coupled oscillators. The procedure developed for a non-resonant case is based on the field method concept of deriving a conservation law from an incomplete solution of a partial differential equation. Due to the non-linearity of the system being considered, this concept is combined with the multiple variable expansion procedure.     

Variational Bayes With Intractable Likelihood

Variational Bayes (VB) is rapidly becoming a popular tool for Bayesian inference in statistical modeling. However, the existing VB algorithms are restricted to cases where the likelihood is tractable, which precludes their use in many interesting situations such as in state--space models and in approximate Bayesian computation (ABC), where application of VB methods was previously impossible. This article extends the scope of application of VB to cases where the likelihood is intractable, but can be estimated unbiasedly. The proposed VB method therefore makes it possible to carry out Bayesian inference in many statistical applications, including state--space models and ABC. The method is generic in the sense that it can be applied to almost all statistical models without requiring too much model-based derivation, which is a drawback of many existing VB algorithms. We also show how the proposed method can be used to obtain highly accurate VB approximations of marginal posterior distributions. Supplementary material for this article is available online.     

Solving probability reasoning based on DNA strand displacement and probability modules

In computation biology, DNA strand displacement technology is used to simulate the computation process and has shown strong computing ability. Most researchers use it to solve logic problems, but it is only rarely used in probabilistic reasoning. To process probabilistic reasoning, a conditional probability derivation model and total probability model based on DNA strand displacement were established in this paper. The models were assessed through the game “read your mind.” It has been shown to enable the application of probabilistic reasoning in genetic diagnosis.     

Eliminating counterexamples: A Grade 8 student’s learning trajectory for contrapositive proving

This study uses a teaching experiment and retrospective analysis to develop a learning trajectory for improving a Grade 8 student’s ability to construct, critique, and validate contrapositive arguments. The study is predicated on the hypothesis that adolescents perform poorly on contrapositive reasoning tasks because they lack sufficient ways of justifying contrapositive argumentation as a viable mode of argumentation. By studying a student’s actions and comments as she develops, critiques, and validates not-the-conclusion-implies-the-conditions-are-impossible arguments for conditional claims, a promising learning trajectory for contrapositive argumentation is developed. The student’s learning trajectory demonstrates how a conception of contrapositive proving as eliminating counterexamples can be useful in developing, critiquing, and validating contrapositive arguments.     

The notion of motion: covariational reasoning and the limit concept

This paper investigates outcomes of building students’ intuitive understanding of a limit as a function's predicted value by examining introductory calculus students’ conceptions of limit both before and after instruction. Students’ responses suggest that while this approach is successful at reducing the common limit equals function value misconception of a limit, new misconceptions emerged in students’ responses. Analysis of students’ reasoning indicates a lack of covariational reasoning that coordinates changes in both x and y may be at the root of the emerging limit reached near x = c misconception. These results suggest that although dynamic interpretations of limit may be intuitive for many students, care must be taken to foster a dynamic conception that is both useful at the introductory calculus level and is in line with the formal notion of limit learned in advanced mathematics. In light of the findings, suggestions for adapting the pedagogical approach used in this study are provided.     

A numerical investigation of transient detonation in granulated material

A two-phase model based upon principles of continuum mixture theory is numerically solved to predict the evolution of detonation in a granulated reactive material. Shock to detonation transition (SDT) is considered whereby combustion is initiated due to compression of the material by a moving piston. In particular, this study demonstrates the existence of a SDT event which gives rise to a steady two-phase Chapman-Jouguet (CJ) detonation structure consisting of a single lead shock in the gas and an unshocked solid; this structure has previously been independently predicted by a steady-state theory. The unsteady model equations, which constitute a non-strictly hyperbolic system, are numerically solved using a modern high-resolution method. The numerical method is based on Godunov's method, and utilizes an approximate solution for the two-phase Riemann problem. Comparisons are made between numerical predictions and known theoretical results for 1) an inert two-phase shock tube problem, 2) an inert compaction wave structure, and 3) a reactive two-phase detonation structure; in all cases, good agreement exists. Received 4 August 1995 / Accepted 17 February 1996     

基于贝叶斯网络的智能故障诊断方法

首先提出了基于贝叶斯网络的智能故障诊断方法，它对于解决复杂设备诊断问题中存在的不确定性，关联性具有很大的优质。然后阐述了贝叶斯网络模型的数学描述及基于贝叶斯网络的故障诊断方法的基本思路和决策算法。最后以某型SINS／GPS组合导航系统的故障诊断应用实例说明了该方法的有效性。     

Regularity and asymptotic behavior of solutions of nonautonomous differential equations

The existence of a nonautonomous approximate inertial manifold is shown for problems of the formu + Au + N(t,u)=0, in whichA is a self-adjoint operator with compact resolvent in a Hilbert spaceH. The operatorN(t, u) = G(u) + F(t, u) is nonlinear withG a monotone gradient that is locally Lipschitz fromD(A ^1/2) intoH, andF:⁺×HH a Lipschitz perturbation that is Hölder continuous int. Weak solutions are shown to be uniformly locally Hölder continuous intoD(A) with equicontinuity in families of solutions with ¦u(0)¦ r.A priori estimates of ¦Au(t)¦ are also verified and used in a skew-product flow to show there is a global attractor whose component elements form a equicontinuous family of solutions.     

Linear interactions affecting the propogation of waves in a linear elastic fluid

Small linear interactions affecting the propogation of waves in a linear elastic fluid are investigated. These linear interactions may occur as a result of impurities on the surface of a linear elastic fluid. These interactions are imposed on the linear wave equations which were investigated in Momoniat (Propogation of waves in a linear elastic fluid, submitted for publication) using the non-classical contact symmetry method. The occurrence of a small parameter in the wave equations under consideration in this paper makes the problem ideal for analysis using an approximate non-classical contact symmetry method. Approximate contact symmetries and approximate solutions are determined and discussed for the problems under consideration. Comparisons are made with the case of no interaction.