Vickrey-Clarke-Groves (VCG) mechanisms are a framework for finding a solution to a distributed optimization problem in systems of self-interested agents. VCG mechanisms have received wide attention in the AI community because they are efficient and strategy-proof; a special case of the Groves family of mechanisms, VCG mechanisms are the only direct-revelation mechanisms that are allocatively ef...

this paper presents a k- turbulence model for simulation of steady current and itsinduced vortex shedding caused by the presence of an offshore pipeline. performance of the modelaround a circular cylinder above a wall with gap to diameter ratios of 0.1, 0.35 and 0.5 underdifferent flow regimes with reynolds numbers of 1500, 2500 and 7000 is studied. the flow field iscomputed with solving the re...

main purpose of current study is development of a new multi zone model for direct injection diesel engines. zone configuration is based on conical shape of spray. siebers’s correlation is used for spray cone angle calculation. experimental data are used for calculation of fuel inlet mass flow rate. fuel diffusion in different zones is calculated using fick’s law. a chemical kinetics mechanism c...

in this paper, dynamical behavior of the delay mechanism of a special projectile controller is studied, using 3d finite element simulation. the controller considered here is among of high-acceleration mechanical controllers. due to high linear and angular accelerations of the projectile and also explosion risk, experimental investigation is very limited and almost impossible. so, numerical simu...

BACKGROUND Small private-sector health care providers can play an important role in meeting the developing country health care needs, but a lack of credit can prove major constraint to small-provider expansion. This study examines the potential of small, microfinance loans to strengthen the private health sector and improve access to quality preventive and curative health services in Uganda. ...

The multivariate normality of stock returns is a crucial assumption in many tests of assets pricing models. While past Australian research has examined the univariate normality of returns, univariate test statistics are unreliable for testing multivariate normality since they ignore the contemporaneous correlation between asset returns. This paper utilises a multivariate test procedure, based o...

Equilibrium solutions are believed to structure the pathways for ergodic trajectories in a dynamical system. However, equilibria are atypical for systems with continuous symmetries, i.e., for systems with homogeneous spatial dimensions, whereas relative equilibria (traveling waves) are generic. In order to visualize the unstable manifolds of such solutions, a practical symmetry reduction method...

Retinotopic maps are plastic in response to changes in sensory input; however, the experience-dependent instructive cues that organize retinotopy are unclear. In animals with forward-directed locomotion, the predominant anterior to posterior optic flow activates retinal ganglion cells in a stereotyped temporal to nasal sequence. Here we imaged retinotectal axon arbor location and structural pla...

Use of stable water isotopes has become increasingly popular in quantifying water flow paths and travel times in hydrological systems using tracer-aided modeling. In snow-influenced catchments, snowmelt produces a traceable isotopic signal, which differs from original snowfall isotopic composition because of isotopic fractionation in the snowpack. These fractionation processes in snow are relat...

In humans, as well as most animal species, perception of object motion is critical to successful interaction with the surrounding environment. Yet, as the observer also moves, the retinal projections of the various motion components add to each other and extracting accurate object motion becomes computationally challenging. Recent psychophysical studies have demonstrated that observers use a fl...