A Study of AI Population Dynamics with Million-agent Reinforcement Learning

We conduct an empirical study on discovering the ordered collective dynamics obtained by a population of intelligence agents, driven by million-agent reinforcement learning. Our intention is to put intelligent agents into a simulated natural context and verify if the principles developed in the real world could also be used in understanding an artificially-created intelligent population. To achieve this, we simulate a large-scale predator-prey world, where the laws of the world are designed by only the findings or logical equivalence that have been discovered in nature. We endow the agents with the intelligence based on deep reinforcement learning (DRL). In order to scale the population size up to millions agents, a large-scale DRL training platform with redesigned experience buffer is proposed. Our results show that the population dynamics of AI agents, driven only by each agent's individual self-interest, reveals an ordered pattern that is similar to the Lotka-Volterra model studied in population biology. We further discover the emergent behaviors of collective adaptations in studying how the agents' grouping behaviors will change with the environmental resources. Both of the two findings could be explained by the self-organization theory in nature.Comment: Full version of the paper presented at AAMAS 2018 (International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems

Getting information to the public and our users : the OECD Experience

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has opened a web site called SourceOECD that allows the purchase of its publications over the Internet. SourceOECD has the facility to allow clients to purchase parts of a publication, for instance a statistical table or even parts of a database. This allows much better precision for the customers than if they have to purchase the complete printed or PDF publication, the principle of SourceOECD being that our customers can buy online as little or as much as they need. It also allows them to download their purchases in advance of receiving a paper copy. This paper will demonstrate the practical aspects of using SourceOECD. The Centre for Documentation and Information (CDI) at the OECD embarked on a radical change of its Internet site in 1999 and since then has offered to its clients a desktop catalogue in HTML with thousands of links to electronic periodicals and relevant Internet sites. A brief demonstration of the CDI’s Intranet site and explanation of its evolution will be of interest to other librarians who are at either at this stage of development or are considering mounting their catalogue onto an Intranet/Internet site

Navigating global-local tensions in accountability/autonomy policies: Comparative case studies in 'Asian' universities

The twin policy domains of accountability and autonomy have featured in recent education reforms in many countries, signalling new relationships between governments and educational institutions. Despite different national and localised contexts, a number of common 'global' trends have been identified. However, simultaneously context-specific differences are also evident. For us, the concept of 'globalisation', when it implies policy homogenisation, is too blunt an instrument to critically analyse these major reforms. We would argue that there are still too few studies on globalisation processes grounded in detailed examinations of particular historical times and geographical spaces. Our research is located within the tensions between global commonalities and localised differences. This paper reports research on changing accountability and autonomy in higher education in three 'Asian' countries. Empirical data has been collected in the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong and Singapore in an attempt to begin to redress a 'Western' hegemony in such research. Within each national context two different types of universities became case study sites for the analysis of both commonalities and differences in accountability and autonomy policies and practices. The current paper focuses in particular on the conceptual and methodological framings of the research and presents some preliminary findings

Audit and External Informational System

The article describes in a real and elaborate manner the aspects concerning the correlation between statutory audit and the financial communication provided by the entity, by means of financial statements. In order to avail of a complex image of this issue, we have begun by stating clearly the importance confered on the financial communication supplied by the entity, particulalrly, when dealing with companies quoted on Stock Exchange,which enables us to observe the reason why certain objectives concerning the external communication should be covered by IFRS together with accounting standards.Simultaneously, the audit standard, as part of operational mechanisms necessary for the economy and the success of capital markets, has been reconsidered to improve the financial communication of the entity with the environment in which it operates. Therefore, we may consider the audit as a means of developing a high-achieving communication, concerned with the users outside the entity and required for the management performance.audit, financial communication, financial statements, decisions, transparency.

Built to last: The Family Law (Scotland) Act 1985 - 30 Years of Financial Provision On Divorce

No abstract available

Sustainable Economic Development: The Main Principles and the Basic Equation

This work offers system and information content of the following economic categories: development, sustainable economic development. The author has formulated the fundamental principles of sustainable development: the principle of minimum resource dissipation and the equation of self-organization, the law of conserving the economic potential of a social system. The basic equation of development has been formulated. The model of sustainable development is viewed on the basis of the equation.economic system sustainable development; economic system selforganization,model sustainable development of the economic system

Library purchasing consortia in the UK: activity, benefits and good practice.

Following a brief introduction in Section 1, Section 2 sets out the operational context of library purchasing consortia. A range of key factors have shaped recent developments in the four LIS sectors under consideration (FE, HE, health and public libraries); some have exerted a common influence over all (e.g. information technology, European Commission purchasing directives, new central government, decline in bookfunds); some are sector-specific (e.g. purchasing arrangements, regional administrative frameworks, collaborative partnerships). The structure and markets of the book and periodical publishing industry in the UK are reviewed, with attention paid to historical as well as more recent practice that has had an impact on library supply. Although each component of the LIS purchasing consortia jigsaw displays individual characteristics that have evolved as a response to its own environment, the thread that links them together is constant change. Section 3 presents the results of a survey of identified library purchasing consortia in the four library sectors. It treats common themes of relevance to all consortia arising from information gathered by seminar input, questionnaire and interview. These include models of consortium operation, membership and governance, ‘typical’ composition of consortia in each sector, and links to analogous practice in other library sectors. Common features of the tendering and contract management process are elicited and attention paid to any contribution of procurement professionals. Finally, levels of consortium expenditure and cost savings are estimated from the published statistical record, which readily demonstrate in financial terms the efficiency of the consortial purchase model for all types of library in the United Kingdom. Section 4 presents the results of a survey of suppliers to libraries in the United Kingdom of books and periodicals, the two sectors most commonly represented in current contracts of library purchasing consortia. It sets out in some detail the operating context governing the highly segmented activities of library booksellers, as well as that pertaining to periodicals suppliers (also known as subscription agents). Detailed responses to questions on the effects of library purchasing consortia on suppliers of both materials have been gathered by questionnaire survey and selected follow-up interviews. Results are presented and analysed according to supply sector with attention given to the tendering process, current contracts under way, cross-sectoral clientele, and advantages and inhibitors of consortia supply. Further responses are reported on issues of how consortia have affected suppliers’ volume of trade, operating margins and market stability as perceived in their own business, the library supply sector and the publishing industry. Finally, overall conclusions are drawn and projections made as to future implications for both types of library suppliers. Section 5 synthesises findings, details enabling and inhibiting factors for consortia formation and models of best practice amongst consortia. The scope for cross-sectoral collaboration is discussed and found to be limited at present. Pointers are given for future activity

CREATe public lectures on the proposed EU right for press publishers

Presents the edited text of lectures by Hoppner and Xalabarder arguing in favour and against the proposal to extend Directive 2001/29 arts 2 and 3 to press publishers, providing them with the exclusive right to publish journalistic material online for a period of 20 years. Discusses the controversies surrounding two similar initiatives in Germany and Spain

Tourism as Mass-media: a suitable global Tool acting locally - a possible Option to appraise the European Heritage on the 21st Century

During the sixties, tourism has turned into a mass movement. By comparison with the mass media, we can identify all basic characteristics of the latter: a location where the message is elaborated to be then spread through specific channels of distribution bearing in mind the same goals. Moreover, tourism as mass media allows the "target" to check the information on location during the trip, a kind of feed back that makes the information the more trustworthy. Virtual tourism has brought new challengesmass media, tourism, virtual tourism