Agent-based management of support systems for distributed brainstorming

In this paper, we describe the design and the management of an agent-based system that supports distributed brainstorming activities. The support system is a highly coordinated IoT application composed of many locally installed interface devices, multimedia communication functions, and cloud functions that process application logic and store meeting data. The system is designed to support a variety of brainstorming sessions, so its functionalities must be modifiable and enable the system to be adapted to different environments and user requirements without any loss of performance. System accessibility should be also ensured from any location for any user. These constraints require a flexible and usable support system.We further discuss the aspects of flexibility and usability that are important in a support system for distributed brainstorming, from which we propose a conceptual schema for flexible and usable support systems. To realize this schema, we present a resource-oriented architecture that can modify the brainstorming support system’s structure and functions. Flexibility is achieved thanks to an agent-based system that manages resources and operates on them according to users’ requests.We also describe the system architecture, which is organized around a set of channels dedicated to different services proposed to the users. We present in detail a video channel that ensures user awareness during synchronized activities. We then conduct several experiments verifying the usability of important channels in the architecture and present the results of these experiments.Finally, we discuss experimental scenarios that show how the system owes its adaptability to management based on an agent organization that supports distributed brainstorming and other activities.     

Modeling managerial behavior in real options valuation for project-based environments

Project valuation, as a decision-making tool for initiating investments in projects, should be able to value project flexibilities and incorporate reasonable risk preferences of relevant decision makers. Real options valuation methods are the available approaches for valuing project flexibilities, whereas they have shortcomings in considering managers’ reasonable risk preferences in project decisions. Therefore, researchers have suggested approximating the perspective on risk of real options methods and practitioners in project management. This study proposes a fair real options valuation for project-based environments by a behavioral economic approach, which adopts binomial lattice method, Monte-Carlo simulation, and cumulative prospect theory. The results show that behavioral factors such as ‘risk attitude’ and ‘loss aversion’ should be accepted in project investment decisions while limited to an acceptable amount depending on the project conditions (e.g. uniqueness of decision-making scenarios). This research contributes to the project management domain by enhancing project investment decisions that include project flexibilities.     

Design of regional flexibility markets for electricity: A product classification framework for and application to German pilot projects

With the growing role of distributed energy resources, the electricity network is challenged by numerous technical problems, such as capacity congestion and over- or under-voltage. An often-discussed response, especially in the European zonal electricity system, is to implement regional flexibility markets. We contribute to this discussion by providing a comprehensive classification framework for the design of flexibility products by combining technical requirements with classical auction theory. The framework structures 23 product parameters in four stages of abstraction. By applying the framework to five market approaches used in current German research projects, we demonstrate its usefulness for consistent comparison of flexibility products at a high level of detail. This framework can empower national and international policymakers and practitioners in assessing flexibility markets holistically, thereby facilitating the implementation of sound solutions.     

上海天然气市场和液化天然气的现状与展望

2009年,上海能源供应体系自从引入液化天然气以来,进口液化天然气对全市天然气供应总量和来源多元化做出了重要贡献。2013年,液化天然气消费在全市天然气消费总量中占比达50%,在天然气供应体系中发挥了越来越重要的作用。近年来,上海天然气市场发生了深刻变化,天然气需求增长放缓,与2013年之前十多年的两位数增长形成了鲜明对比。为了更好地理解市场的基本面,首先回顾了上海天然气消费的历史趋势,随后分析了影响需求增长的驱动因素和约束条件,以判断未来天然气需求的趋势和液化天然气在市场中扮演的角色,认为天然气需求增长的潜力主要在民用及商业领域。结合分析可能的供应选择,其结论是未来液化天然气将继续作为上海天然气供应体系的主力气源,同时提供市场急需的灵活性以保障高峰时段的用气需求。     

Luminescence modulation of the Eu3+ doped Srn+1SnnO3n+1 (n=1, 2, 5, ∞) ceramics based on photochromism and its application in anti-counterfeiting technology

The structure and optical properties of Sr_n+1Sn_nO_3n+1 ceramics greatly depend on the n value. Thus, we fabricated four compositions, namely Sr_n+1Sn_nO_3n+1:Eu³⁺ (n = 1, 2, 5, ∞) ceramics, and their crystal structure, photoluminescence, photochromism and luminesce modulation properties have been investigated. It is found that excellent photochromism and luminesce modulation properties are found in Sr₂SnO₄:Eu³⁺ and Sr₃Sn₂O₇:Eu³⁺ ceramics. After 280-nm light irradiation, the Sr₂SnO₄:Eu³⁺ ceramics transform into gray purple from primal white. Meanwhile, luminescence intensity decrement ratio ΔI_dec of the colored Sr₂SnO₄:Eu³⁺ reaches a high value of 80.8% under optimized irradiation wavelength. The decreased luminescence intensity of Eu³⁺ can be completely recovered via 450-nm light irradiation. The ΔI_dec of Sr₃Sn₂O₇:Eu³⁺ ceramic reaches 53.1%, and the decreased luminesce intensity can not be covered by light irradiation, only can be covered by a high temperature stimulus at 400 °C. Finally, we successfully fabricated a flexible membrane using Sr₂SnO₄:Eu³⁺ and PDMS for anti-counterfeiting applications.     

爆炸排淤填石法中淤泥的本构模型

以爆炸排淤填石法为背景 ,对不同应变率阶段淤泥的本构模型进行了分析 ,利用ANSYS/LS-DYNA动态有限元分析程序对所选择的模型进行验证和确认。计算和分析结果表明 :在形成爆炸空腔的高应变率阶段 ,淤泥表现为理想不可压缩流体的性质 ;在小药量小抵抗线条件下 ,甚至在淤泥自重作用下的较低应变率变形阶段 ,其黏性效应也可以忽略不计。     

当代国外教学空间组织启示

新的时代呼唤新的教育理念，新的教育理念需要新型教学空间。该文借鉴国外中小学教学空间实例，试从“办公——教室”、“教室——教室”、教室内部三个层次探讨新型教学空间的组织模式。     

Numerical analysis of piping elbows for in-plane bending and internal pressure

This work presents the development of two different finite piping elbow elements with two nodal tubular sections for mechanical analysis. The formulation is based on thin shell displacement theory, where the displacement is based on high-order polynomial or trigonometric functions for rigid-beam displacement, and uses Fourier series to model warping and ovalization phenomena of cross-tubular section. To model the internal pressure effect an additional formulation is used in the elementary stiffness matrix definition. Elbows attached to nozzle or straight pipes produce a stiffening effect due to the restraint of ovalization provided by the adjacent components. When submitted to any efforts, the excessive oval shape may reduce the structural resistance and can lead to structural collapse. For design tubular systems it is also important to consider the internal-pressure effect, given its effect on the reduction of the pipe flexibility. Some conclusions and examples are compared with results produced by other authors.     

Determination of flexibility of beam-to-column connectors used in thin walled cold-formed steel pallet racking systems

This paper describes a new test to determine flexibility of beam-to-column connectors used in conventional pallet racking systems. In this study, two different ways were used to find the flexibility of a connector. The connector developed was tested using the conventional cantilever method [Bajoria, KM. Three dimensional progressive collapse of warehouse racking, PhD Thesis, University of Cambridge, UK 1986], and then also using a newly proposed double cantilever method. To verify the results obtained from both the tests, a full scale frame test was carried out. In the double cantilever test the connector is subjected to three types of forces namely moment, shear and the axial pull by the beams, thereby giving behavior close to practical usage of connectors. Non-linear finite element analysis of both the tests and also of the full scale test were carried out using ANSYS [ANSYS 7.0—User's Manual, ANSYS Inc., 2005] software. The results obtained from the double cantilever test were found to match well with the full scale frame test. The experimental results and the finite element results are compared in this paper.     

走向松弛的限定--浅议新开发城区的街道城市设计

该文讨论了城市街道复合的功能及其半独立存在和半被动构成两种特殊性质,并以开发状态为依据,将城市街道分为已开发城区街道和新开发城区街道两种类型,归纳分析了业已得到广泛应用的面向已开发城区街道的城市设计的典型模式,并指出此种典型模式在应用于新开发城区街道时,所遇到的设计过程困境和实施过程困境,然后,提出针对新开发城区街道的城市设计,应以强化规划设计弹性为导向进行规划思想和技术方法的双重革新,文章最后以余姚市南雷南路城市设计为例,介绍了以规划设计弹性为导向的新开发城区街道城市设计.