Randomization helps to perform independent tasks reliably

This paper is about algorithms that schedule tasks to be performed in a distributed failure‐prone environment, when processors communicate by message‐passing, and when tasks are independent and of unit length. The processors work under synchrony and may fail by crashing. Failure patterns are imposed by adversaries. Linearly‐bounded adversaries may fail up to a constant fraction of the processors. Weakly‐adaptive adversaries have to select, prior to the start of an execution, a subset of processors to be failure‐prone, and then may fail only the selected processors, at arbitrary steps, in the course of the execution. Strongly adaptive adversaries have a total number of failures as the only restriction on failure patterns. The measures of complexity are work, measured as the available processor steps, and communication, measured as the number of point‐to‐point messages. A randomized algorithm is developed, that attains both ??(n log*n) expected work and ??(n log*n) expected communication, against weakly‐adaptive linearly‐bounded adversaries, in the case when the numbers of tasks and processors are both equal to n. This is in contrast with performance of algorithms against strongly‐adaptive linearly‐bounded adversaries, which has to be Ω(n log n/log log n) in terms of work. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2004     

Three Decades in Econophysics—From Microscopic Modelling to Macroscopic Complexity and Back

We explore recent contributions to research in Econophysics, switching between Macroscopic complexity and microscopic modelling, showing how each leads to the other and detailing the everyday applicability of both approaches and the tools they help develop. Over the past decades, the world underwent several major crises, leading to significant increase in interdependence and, thus, complexity. We show here that from the perspective of network science, these processes become more understandable and, to some extent, also controllable.     

Cascades with coupled map lattices in preferential attachment community networks

In this paper, cascading failure is studied by coupled map lattice （CML） methods in preferential attachment community networks. It is found that external perturbation R is increasing with modularity Q growing by simulation. In particular, the large modularity Q can hold off the cascading failure dynamic process in community networks. Furthermore, different attack strategies also greatly affect the cascading failure dynamic process. It is particularly significant to control cascading failure process in real community networks.     

Analysis of effective service time with age dependent interruptions and its application to optimal rollback policy for database management

A stochastic model is developed describing a service system subject to inhomogeneous Poisson interruptions with age dependent interruption periods. By studying the probabilistic flow of the underlying multivariate Markov process, the Laplace transform of the effective service time is explicitly obtained. For general renewal interruptions, only the expected effective service time is derived. As an application, an optimal checkpoint policy is examined for database management. It is shown that an optimal policy maximizing the ergodic availability of the database is to implement a checkpoint as soon as the cumulative uptime of the database reaches a prespecified constantk ^*. A computational procedure is then developed for findingk ^* and numerical results are exhibited.This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. ECS-8600992 and by the IBM Program of Support for Education in the Management of Information Systems.     

Inertia and damping effects on the damage-dependent burst size distribution of fiber bundles

Distributions of simultaneous fiber failures—bursts—in loaded fiber bundles are studied considering inertia and damping. Resulting burst size distributions have universal properties: all approach the power law D_ΔΔ^−2.5 for larger burst sizes Δ. Momentary burst size distributions evolve with increasing damage and do not follow power laws but are still universal. Finally, it is briefly outlined how to use distribution progression to assess damage state.     

On the Dirac equation in the algebraic approximation

It is shown that the restrictive conditions of Wood et al. [1] are not necessary to reach the conclusion that the Dirac hamiltonian, projected onto the space of the large component, exhibits variational properties. The eigenvalue spectrum of matrix approximations to the partitioned hamiltonian (obtained by matrix partitioning) converges to the exact spectrum in the limit of infinite order (assuming completeness) but not necessarily from above as for true matrix representations (obtained from operator partitioning). Optimization of non-linear parameters is shown not to cause variational instabilities.Control Data Corporation PACER fellow 1984–1986     

混沌激光对非本征光导型探测器的混沌干扰机制研究

 在唯象理论和二能级模型下，根据级联非线性系统原理，通过求解载流子输运动力学方程的Lyapunov指数，对混沌激光辐照下非本征光电导的混沌干扰机制进行了研究。结果表明：混沌激光能导致非本征光电导本身的混沌现象。     

矿尘影响下生态系统脆弱性级联传播模型分析

为了解决矿尘连续排放并迁移对地表生态系统造成的脆弱性问题,提出了基于函数地理Petri网的脆弱性级联传播模型。综合考虑污染物迁移方向和生态环境在地理空间上的关联关系,直观地构造了基于级联传播的污染Petri网。在此基础上,定义了基于VCPM的脆弱度和阈值的概念,利用两者的关系进行脆弱性级联传播分析,从而明确级联传播的三种状态。最后,以神府煤田矿尘迁移作为污染物连续排放的污染源,通过模型方法的模拟仿真分析,对生态环境系统在级联传播下的脆弱性进行了深入探讨。已有的研究方法和结果不仅在生态环境脆弱性研究领域做出了新的贡献,而且为环境的修复和重建提供了参考价值。     

Optimal scheduling of non-perfect inspections

^** Corresponding author. Email: romulo.zequeira{at}utt.fr^*** Email: christophe.berenguer{at}utt.fr In this paper, we study the determination of optimal inspectionpolicies when three types of inspections are available: partial,perfect and imperfect. Perfect inspections diagnose withouterror the system state. The system can fail because of threecompeting failure types: I, II and III. Partial inspectionsdetect without error type I failures. Failures of type II canbe detected by imperfect inspections which have non-zero probabilityof false positives. Partial and imperfect inspections are madeat the same time. Type III failures are detectable only by perfectinspections. If the system is found failed in an inspection,a repair is made which renders the system in a good-as-new condition.The system is preventively maintained following an age-basedpolicy. Preventive maintenance actions return the system toa good-as-new condition. We consider cost contributions of inspections,repairs, preventive maintenance and periods of unavailability.The model presented permits to determine the optimal (constant)inter-inspection period for partial, imperfect and perfect inspectionsand the optimal times of preventive maintenance actions.     

Optimal weighting scheme and the role of coupling strength against load failures in degree-based weighted interdependent networks

The optimal weighting scheme and the role of coupling strength against load failures on symmetrically and asymmetrically coupled interdependent networks were investigated. The degree-based weighting scheme was extended to interdependent networks, with the flow dynamics dominated by global redistribution based on weighted betweenness centrality. Through contingency analysis of one-node removal, we demonstrated that there still exists an optimal weighting parameter on interdependent networks, but it might shift as compared to the case in isolated networks because of the break of symmetry. And it will be easier for the symmetrically and asymmetrically coupled interdependent networks to achieve robustness and better cost configuration against the one-node-removal-induced cascade of load failures when coupling strength was weaker. Our findings might have great generality for characterizing load-failure-induced cascading dynamics in real-world degree-based weighted interdependent networks.