Selection of a correlated equilibrium in Markov stopping games

This paper deals with an extension of the concept of correlated strategies to Markov stopping games. The Nash equilibrium approach to solving nonzero-sum stopping games may give multiple solutions. An arbitrator can suggest to each player the decision to be applied at each stage based on a joint distribution over the players’ decisions according to some optimality criterion. This is a form of equilibrium selection. Examples of correlated equilibria in nonzero-sum games related to the best choice problem are given. Several concepts of criteria for selecting a correlated equilibrium are used.     

双向Poission点过程与反应时测试

本文研究一类应用于反应时测试的随机数学模型——双向Poission点过程及其拓广.首先考察双向Poission点过程及其点间间距的统计特性,并拓广之为齐次双向点过程;最后讨论这一模型在反应时测试中的应用.     

双侧激励源对热声制冷谐振腔内声场分布的影响

超声磁致伸缩换能器作为热声制冷机的激励元件,其输出声场强度直接影响热声制冷的效率。为提高谐振腔内直观的声压幅值,在单侧磁致伸缩换能器激励的基础上,集合声波相干理论,应用有限元软件ATILA模拟了双侧激励情况下,不同长度谐振腔与激励相位的匹配关系对谐振腔内声压幅值的影响,并与单侧激励谐振腔内声压幅值做比较。研究结果表明:相同激励力情况下,双侧激励(170 mm受同相激励,340 mm受反相激励)谐振腔内产生的平面驻波声场更加稳定、单色性好、声压幅值是单侧激励的1.78(半波长谐振腔)/1.81倍(一个波长谐振腔),均接近于2倍关系。以上研究成果对双侧激励源的相位与谐振腔长度的匹配工作提供了实验依据。     

Single-lens 3D digital image correlation system based on a bilateral telecentric lens and a bi-prism: Systematic error analysis and correction

Recently, we proposed a single-lens 3D digital image correlation (3D DIC) method and established a measurement system on the basis of a bilateral telecentric lens (BTL) and a bi-prism. This system can retrieve the 3D morphology of a target and measure its deformation using a single BTL with relatively high accuracy. Nevertheless, the system still suffers from systematic errors caused by manufacturing deficiency of the bi-prism and distortion of the BTL. In this study, in-depth evaluations of these errors and their effects on the measurement results are performed experimentally. The bi-prism deficiency and the BTL distortion are characterized by two in-plane rotation angles and several distortion coefficients, respectively. These values are obtained from a calibration process using a chessboard placed into the field of view of the system; this process is conducted after the measurement of tested specimen. A modified mathematical model is proposed, which takes these systematic errors into account and corrects them during 3D reconstruction. Experiments on retrieving the 3D positions of the chessboard grid corners and the morphology of a ceramic plate specimen are performed. The results of the experiments reveal that ignoring the bi-prism deficiency will induce attitude error to the retrieved morphology, and the BTL distortion can lead to its pseudo out-of-plane deformation. Correcting these problems can further improve the measurement accuracy of the bi-prism-based single-lens 3D DIC system.     

融合双边滤波算子的多相水平集图像分割算法

由于乳腺肿瘤超声图像的边界模糊,且灰度异质现象较严重,准确分割出肿瘤区域是一项具有挑战性的工作.针对传统的Chan-Vese模型和局部二值拟合模型(local binary fitting)的分割缺陷,在乳腺肿瘤超声图像的全局和局部能量信息的基础上,结合双边滤波算子,提出一种全局和局部二值拟合模型的多相水平集分割算法.首先,将双边滤波算子作为乳腺肿瘤超声图像的核函数;然后,根据变分法求解表征超声图像结构信息的能量泛函,得到对应的梯度矢量方程;随后,引入多相水平集函数实现病灶区域的多区域细化分割;最后,对乳腺超声图像数据集的分割实验.结果 发现:经过与医生手动标记的肿瘤区域进行对比,分割准确度为94.51％.可见,该模型的准确度较高、误判率较低、鲁棒性较强.     

Critical oscillations of mass–spring systems due to nonsmooth friction

Critical values of the parameters governing the dynamics of simple systems appear when Coulomb friction is not regularized. We explore such systems using a method based on the fact that under constant or analytical data the trajectory exists, is unique and is also sufficiently regular. In fact these properties justify elementary analytical computations on successive time intervals where the condition used to connect the solution from one interval to the other is due to the regularity. Although the systems are simple the dynamics turn out to be quite complex and thus furnish an interesting benchmark for contact dynamics numerical codes. Among other possible applications we choose to present here how to use a mass–spring chain with Coulomb friction to slow down in a progressive and regular manner an oncoming mass with a given initial velocity.     

Preliminary results of layer chromatography combined with bilateral band compression to search active minor components

Abstract

Bilateral band compression (BBC) is a process where a solvent flow perpendicular to the direction of development squeezes bands into a smaller area. BBC of the 10 mm wide lanes of high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) separation resulted in more than 6 times increase in peak height and peak area of Canadian goldenrod labdane diterpenes solidagenone and presolidagenone. Simultaneously, the signal-to-noise ratio increased only up to 2.2–2.4 times due to the higher noise level. The BBC increased the relative standard deviations (RSDs) of peak height and area reached three to four times of the original as well. It is known that overpressured layer chromatography (OPLC) separates more efficiently than conventional TLC/HPTLC techniques. In order to increase the bio-detection sensitivity, we combined bioautography, BBC, and fully offline infusion-OPLC using band-shaped sample application/separation. Thyme essential oil has been applied as a multi-component object to show the potential of this process. It is demonstrated that biologically active minor components, which may be missed in case of a conventional process, can also be detected by means of this combined method.     

Communication network formation with link specificity and value transferability

We model strategic communication network formation with (i) link specificity: link maintenance lowers specific attention and thus value (negative externality previously ignored for communication) and (ii) value transferability via indirect links for informational but not for social value (positive externality modeled uniformly before). Assuming only social value, the pairwise stable set includes many nonstandard networks under high and particular combinations of complete components under low link specificity. Allowing for social and informational value reduces this set to certain fragmented networks under high and the complete network under low link specificity. These extremes are efficient, whereas intermediate link specificity generates inefficiency.     

Sequential Formation of Coalitions Through Bilateral Agreements in a Cournot Setting

We study a sequential protocol of endogenous coalition formation based on a process of bilateral agreements among the players. We apply the game to a Cournot environment with linear demand and constant average costs. We show that the final outcome of any subgame perfect equilibrium of the game is the grand coalition, provided the initial number of firms is high enough and they are sufficiently patient.This research was partially conducted while the first authors were visiting the Department of Economics of the Norwegien School of Economics and Business Administration (Bergen).     

QoS commitment between vertically integrated autonomous systems

Vertically integrated autonomous systems bargain to provide quality of service guarantees and revenue sharing. Depending on the perceived quality of service and access price, consumers determine whether they subscribe to the access provider’s service. Four types of contracts are compared: (i) best effort, (ii) bilateral bargaining, (iii) cascade negotiations and (iv) grand coalition cooperation; the impact of the consumers’ QoS sensitivity parameter and power relation are tested for each contract. Assuming that the consumers’ quality of service sensitivity parameter is unknown and might evolve dynamically due to error judgement, word-of-mouth effect or competition pressure, a learning algorithm is detailed and implemented by each integrated autonomous systems under asymmetrical information. Its convergence and the influence of bias introduction by the most informed autonomous system is analyzed.