Fitness Uniform Optimization

In evolutionary algorithms, the fitness of a population increases with time by mutating and recombining individuals and by a biased selection of more fit individuals. The right selection pressure is critical in ensuring sufficient optimization progress on the one hand and in preserving genetic diversity to be able to escape from local optima on the other hand. Motivated by a universal similarity relation on the individuals, we propose a new selection scheme, which is uniform in the fitness values. It generates selection pressure toward sparsely populated fitness regions, not necessarily toward higher fitness, as is the case for all other selection schemes. We show analytically on a simple example that the new selection scheme can be much more effective than standard selection schemes. We also propose a new deletion scheme which achieves a similar result via deletion and show how such a scheme preserves genetic diversity more effectively than standard approaches. We compare the performance of the new schemes to tournament selection and random deletion on an artificial deceptive problem and a range of NP-hard problems: traveling salesman, set covering and satisfiability.Comment: 25 double-column pages, 12 figure

Expectation-driven interaction: a model based on Luhmann's contingency approach

We introduce an agent-based model of interaction, drawing on the contingency approach from Luhmann's theory of social systems. The agent interactions are defined by the exchange of distinct messages. Message selection is based on the history of the interaction and developed within the confines of the problem of double contingency. We examine interaction strategies in the light of the message-exchange description using analytical and computational methods.Comment: 37 pages, 16 Figures, to appear in Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation

Double-Mode Stellar Pulsations

The status of the hydrodynamical modelling of nonlinear multi-mode stellar pulsations is discussed. The hydrodynamical modelling of steady double-mode (DM) pulsations has been a long-standing quest that is finally being concluded. Recent progress has been made thanks to the introduction of turbulent convection in the numerical hydrodynamical codes which provide detailed results for individual models. An overview of the modal selection problem in the HR diagram can be obtained in the form of bifurcation diagrams with the help of simple nonresonant amplitude equations that capture the DM phenomenon.Comment: 34 pages, to appear as a chapter in Nonlinear Stellar Pulsation in the Astrophysics and Space Science Library (ASSL), Editors: M. Takeuti & D. Sasselov (prints double column with pstops '2:[email protected](22.0cm,-2cm)[email protected](22.0cm,11.0cm)' in.ps out.ps

Mobile transporter path planning

The use of a genetic algorithm (GA) for solving the mobile transporter path planning problem is investigated. The mobile transporter is a traveling robotic vehicle proposed for the space station which must be able to reach any point of the structure autonomously. Elements of the genetic algorithm are explored in both a theoretical and experimental sense. Specifically, double crossover, greedy crossover, and tournament selection techniques are examined. Additionally, the use of local optimization techniques working in concert with the GA are also explored. Recent developments in genetic algorithm theory are shown to be particularly effective in a path planning problem domain, though problem areas can be cited which require more research

Semi-inclusive photon-hadron production in pp and pA collisions at RHIC and LHC

We investigate semi-inclusive photon-hadron production in the color glass condensate (CGC) framework at RHIC and the LHC energies in proton-proton (pp) and proton-nucleus (pA) collisions. We calculate the coincidence probability for azimuthal correlation of pairs of photon-hadron and show that the away-side correlations have a double-peak or a single-peak structure depending on trigger particle selection and kinematics. This novel feature is unique for semi-inclusive photon-hadron production compared to a similar measurement for double inclusive dihadron production in pA collisions. We obtain necessary conditions between kinematics variables for the appearance of a double-peak or a single peak structure for the away-side photon-hadron correlations in pp and pA collisions at forward rapidities and show that this feature is mainly controlled by the ratio p_T^hadron/p_T^photon. Decorrelation of away-side photon-hadron production by increasing the energy, rapidity and density, and appearance of double-peak structure can be understood by QCD saturation physics. We also provide predictions for the ratio of single inclusive prompt photon to hadron production, and two-dimensional nuclear modification factor for the semi-inclusive photon-hadron pair production at RHIC and the LHC at forward rapidities.Comment: 16 pages, 20 figures; v2: latex Compilation problem in Figs. 3,4 correcte

Expectation-Driven Interaction: a Model Based on Luhmann's Contingency Approach

We introduce an agent-based model of interaction, drawing on the contingency approach from Luhmann\'s theory of social systems. The agent interactions are defined by the exchange of distinct messages. Message selection is based on the history of the interaction and developed within the confines of the problem of double contingency. We examine interaction strategies in the light of the message-exchange description using analytical and computational methods.Contingency, Message Exchange Model, Interaction, Expectation-Expectation, Asymptotic Analysis

Estimating population treatment effects from a survey sub-sample

We consider the problem of estimating an average treatment effect for a target population from a survey sub-sample. Our motivating example is generalizing a treatment effect estimated in a sub-sample of the National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement to the population of U.S. adolescents. To address this problem, we evaluate easy-to-implement methods that account for both non-random treatment assignment and a non-random two-stage selection mechanism. We compare the performance of a Horvitz-Thompson estimator using inverse probability weighting (IPW) and two double robust estimators in a variety of scenarios. We demonstrate that the two double robust estimators generally outperform IPW in terms of mean-squared error even under misspecification of one of the treatment, selection, or outcome models. Moreover, the double robust estimators are easy to implement, providing an attractive alternative to IPW for applied epidemiologic researchers. We demonstrate how to apply these estimators to our motivating example