To further capture the influences of uncertain factors on river bridge safety evaluation, a probabilistic approach is adopted. Because this is a systematic and nonlinear problem, MPP-based reliability analyses are not suitable. A sampling approach such as a Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) or importance sampling is often adopted. To enhance the efficiency of the sampling approach, this study utiliz...

We propose and analyze a heterogeneous, multigroup, susceptible-infectivesusceptible (SIS) sexually transmitted disease (STD) model where the desirability and acceptability in partnership formations are functions of the infected individuals. We derive explicit formulas for the epidemic thresholds, prove the existence and uniqueness of the equilibrium states for the two-group model and provide a...

VANET has attracted a good deal of attention owing to its wide range of important applications. VANET is a special kind of mobile ad hoc network, in which most of the nodes are spatio-temporally volatile fast-moving vehicles. Hence, it is extremely difficult to provide resilient end-to-end communications in VANET, although it is a cornerstone for the wider deployment of VANET applications. In V...

In this paper, we consider optimization problems under probabilistic constraints which are defined by two-sided inequalities for the underlying normally distributed random vector. As a main step for an algorithmic solution of such problems, we derive a derivative formula for (normal) probabilities of rectangles as functions of their lower or upper bounds. This formula allows to reduce the calcu...

Most traditional distributional similarity models fail to capture syntagmatic patterns that group together multiple word features within the same joint context. In this work we introduce a novel generic distributional similarity scheme under which the power of probabilistic models can be leveraged to effectively model joint contexts. Based on this scheme, we implement a concrete model which uti...

The paper presents PACSR, a probabilistic extension of a real-time process algebra ACSR. The extension is built upon a novel treatment of the notion of a resource. In ACSR, resources are used to model contention in accessing physical devices such as processors, memory modules, and communication links, or any other reusable resource of limited capacity. Here, we invest resources with an ability ...

Disorders of the anterior knee are common and include patellofemoral syndrome, patella instability, patella fracture, and patellar and quadriceps tendon ruptures. Depending on the operative procedure performed, the post-operative imaging appearance of these knees may be confusing. It is crucial for the radiologist to be familiar with the procedures performed in order to recognize the postoperat...

Nondeterminism is pervasive in all but the simplest action domains: an agent may flip a coin or pick up a different object than intended, or an action may fail and may fail in different ways. In this paper we provide a qualitative theory of nondeterminism. The account is based on an epistemic extension to the situation calculus that accommodates sensing actions. Our position is that nondetermin...