Generalized multiple time windows model based parallel machine scheduling for TDRSS

The scheduling efficiency of the tracking and data relay satellite system（TDRSS）is strictly limited by the scheduling degrees of freedom（DoF）,including time DoF defined by jobs＇ flexible time windows and spatial DoF brought by multiple servable tracking and data relay satellites（TDRSs）.In this paper,ageneralized multiple time windows（GMTW）model is proposed to fully exploit the time and spatial DoF.Then,the improvements of service capability and job-completion probability based on the GMTW are theoretically proved.Further,an asymmetric path-relinking（APR）based heuristic job scheduling framework is presented to maximize the usage of DoF provided by the GMTW.Simulation results show that by using our proposal 11%improvement of average jobcompletion probability can be obtained.Meanwhile,the computing time of the time-to-target can be shorten to 1/9 of the GRASP.

Time series prediction of mining subsidence based on a SVM

In order to study dynamic laws of surface movements over coal mines due to mining activities,a dynamic prediction model of surface movements was established,based on the theory of support vector machines(SVM) and times-series analysis.An engineering application was used to verify the correctness of the model.Measurements from observation stations were analyzed and processed to obtain equal-time interval surface movement data and subjected to tests of stationary,zero means and normality.Then the data were used to train the SVM model.A time series model was established to predict mining subsidence by rational choices of embedding dimensions and SVM parameters.MAPE and WIA were used as indicators to evaluate the accuracy of the model and for generalization performance.In the end,the model was used to predict future surface movements.Data from observation stations in Huaibei coal mining area were used as an example.The results show that the maximum absolute error of subsidence is 9 mm,the maximum relative error 1.5%,the maximum absolute error of displacement 7 mm and the maximum relative error 1.8%.The accuracy and reliability of the model meet the requirements of on-site engineering.The results of the study provide a new approach to investigate the dynamics of surface movements.

Self-adaptive large neighborhood search algorithm for parallel machine scheduling problems

A self-adaptive large neighborhood search method for scheduling n jobs on m non-identical parallel machines with mul- tiple time windows is presented. The problems＇ another feature lies in oversubscription, namely not all jobs can be scheduled within specified scheduling horizons due to the limited machine capacity. The objective is thus to maximize the overall profits of processed jobs while respecting machine constraints. A first-in- first-out heuristic is applied to find an initial solution, and then a large neighborhood search procedure is employed to relax and re- optimize cumbersome solutions. A machine learning mechanism is also introduced to converge on the most efficient neighborhoods for the problem. Extensive computational results are presented based on data from an application involving the daily observation scheduling of a fleet of earth observing satellites. The method rapidly solves most problem instances to optimal or near optimal and shows a robust performance in sensitive analysis.

Real-time crash prediction on freeways using data mining and emerging techniques

Recent advances in intelligent transportation system allow traffic safety studies to extend from historic data-based analyses to real-time applications. The study presents a new method to predict crash likelihood with traffic data collected by discrete loop detectors as well as the web-crawl weather data. Matched case-control method and support vector machines （SVMs） technique were employed to identify the risk status. The adaptive synthetic over-sampling technique was applied to solve the imbalanced dataset issues. Random forest technique was applied to select the contributing factors and avoid the over-fitting issues. The results indicate that the SVMs classifier could successfully classify 76.32% of the crashes on the test dataset and 87.52% of the crashes on the overall dataset, which were relatively satisfactory compared with the results of the previous studies. Compared with the SVMs classifier without the data, the SVMs classifier with the web-crawl weather data increased the crash prediction accuracy by 1.32% and decreased the false alarm rate by 1.72%, showing the potential value of the massive web weather data. Mean impact value method was employed to evaluate the variable effects, and the results are identical with the results of most of previous studies. The emerging technique based on the discrete traffic data and web weather data proves to be more applicable on real- time safety management on freeways.

Adaptive subsequence adjustment with evolutionary asymmetric path-relinking for TDRSS scheduling

Due to the limited transmission resources for data relay in the tracking and data relay satellite system （TDRSS）, there are many job requirements in busy days which will be discarded in the conventional job scheduling model. Therefore, the improvement of scheduling efficiency in the TDRSS can not only help to increase the resource utilities, but also to reduce the scheduling failure ratio. A model of nonhomogeneous parallel machines scheduling problems with time window （NPM-TW） is firstly built up for the TDRSS, considering the distinct features of the variable preparation time and the nonhomogeneous transmission rates for different types of antennas on each tracking and data relay satellite （TDRS）. Then, an adaptive subsequence adjustment （ASA） framework with evolutionary asymmetric path-relinking （EvAPR） is proposed to solve this problem, in which an asymmetric progressive crossover operation is involved to overcome the local optima by the conventional job inserting methods. The numerical results show that, compared with the classical greedy randomized adaptive search procedure （GRASP） algorithm, the scheduling failure ratio of jobs can be reduced over 11% on average by the proposed ASA with EvAPR.

Formal Verification of TASM Models by Translating into UPPAAL

Timed abstract state machine(TASM) is a formal specification language used to specify and simulate the behavior of real-time systems. Formal verification of TASM model can be fulfilled through model checking activities by translating into UPPAAL. Firstly, the translational semantics from TASM to UPPAAL is presented through atlas transformation language(ATL). Secondly, the implementation of the proposed model transformation tool TASM2UPPAAL is provided. Finally, a case study is given to illustrate the automatic transformation from TASM model to UPPAAL model.

Exploring the Effects of Mental Imagery in the Solution Focused Approach

This study examined the effects of mental imagery in the solution-focused approach by evaluating the impact of positive self-image about the future on emotional states using the time machine question (which is a questioning technique used in the solution-focused approach). We compared the change in the emotional state of 270 participants, using the Japanese version of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), before and after the intervention. The intervention conditions included: verbal description of one’s positive future on a worksheet (the language description condition), and imagining one’s positive future (the imagery condition). The results of the experiment showed that after the intervention, the scores of the imagery group on the positive and negative affect scales of the PANAS were significantly higher and lower, respectively, than those of the language description group. We also found that the amount of change in the scores of the positive and negative affect scales of the PANAS was significantly larger in the imagery group as compared to the language description group. These results indicate that interventions involving the imagining of one’s future via the time machine question of the solution-focused approach have a more direct impact on emotional states than interventions using a language description. This suggests that mental imagery plays an important role in interventions carried out within the framework of the solution-focused approach.

AADL2TASM: a Verification and Analysis Tool for AADL Models

Architecture analysis and design language （AADL） is an architecture description language standard for embedded real-time systems and it is widely used in safety-critical applications. For facilitating verifcafion and analysis, model transformation is one of the methods. A synchronous subset of AADL and a general methodology for translating the AADL subset into timed abstract state machine （TASM） were studied. Based on the arias transformation language （ ATL ） framework, the associated translating tool AADL2TASM was implemented by defining the meta-model of both AADL and TASM, and the ATL transformation rules. A case study with property verification of the AADL model was also presented for validating the tool.

Root microbiota shift in rice correlates with resident time in the field and developmental stage

Land plants in natural soil form intimate relationships with the diverse root bacterial microbiota. A growing body of evidence shows that these microbes are important for plant growth and health. Root microbiota composition has been widely studied in several model plants and crops; however, little is known about how root microbiota vary throughout the plant's life cycle under field conditions. We performed longitudinal dense sampling in field trials to track the time-series shift of the root microbiota from two representative rice cultivars in two separate locations in China. We found that the rice root microbiota varied dramatically during the vegetative stages and stabilized from the beginning of the reproductive stage, after which the root microbiota underwent relatively minor changes until rice ripening. Notably, both rice genotype and geographical location influenced the patterns of root microbiota shift that occurred during plant growth. The relative abundance of Deltaproteobacteria in roots significantly increased overtime throughout the entire life cycle of rice, while that of Betaproteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Gammaproteobacteria decreased. By a machine learning approach, we identified biomarker taxa and established a model to correlate root microbiota with rice resident time in the field(e.g., Nitrospira accumulated from 5 weeks/tillering in field-grown rice). Our work provides insights into the process of rice root microbiota establishment.