Benchmark generator for CEC 2009 competition on dynamic optimization

Evolutionary algorithms(EAs) have been widely applied to solve stationary optimization problems. However, many real-world applications are actually dynamic. In order to study the performance of EAs in dynamic environments, one important task is to develop proper dynamic benchmark problems. Over the years, researchers have applied a number of dynamic test problems to compare the performance of EAs in dynamic environments, e.g., the “moving peaks ” benchmark (MPB) proposed by Branke [1], the DF1 generator introduced by Morrison and De Jong [6], the singleand multi-objective dynamic test problem generator by dynamically combining different objective functions of exiting stationary multi-objective benchmark problems suggested by Jin and Sendhoff [2], Yang and Yao’s exclusive-or (XOR) operator [10, 11, 12], Kang’s dynamic traveling salesman problem (DTSP) [3] and dynamic multi knapsack problem (DKP), etc. Though a number of DOP generators exist in the literature, there is no unified approach of constructing dynamic problems across the binary space, real space and combinatorial space so far. This report uses the generalized dynamic benchmark generator (GDBG) proposed in [4], which construct dynamic environments for all the three solution spaces. Especially, in the rea

PPARβ/δ selectively regulates phenotypic features of age-related macular degeneration.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-β/δ (PPARβ/δ) is a nuclear receptor that regulates differentiation, inflammation, lipid metabolism, extracellular matrix remodeling, and angiogenesis in multiple tissues. These pathways are also central to the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of vision loss globally. With the goal of identifying signaling pathways that may be important in the development of AMD, we investigated the impact of PPARβ/δ activation on ocular tissues affected in the disease. PPARβ/δ is expressed and can be activated in AMD vulnerable cells, including retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) and choroidal endothelial cells. Further, PPARβ/δ knockdown modulates AMD-related pathways selectively. Specifically, genetic ablation of Pparβ/δ in aged mice resulted in exacerbation of several phenotypic features of early dry AMD, but attenuation of experimentally induced choroidal neovascular (CNV) lesions. Antagonizing PPARβ/δ in both in vitro angiogenesis assays and in the in vivo experimentally induced CNV model, inhibited angiogenesis and angiogenic pathways, while ligand activation of PPARβ/δ, in vitro, decreased RPE lipid accumulation, characteristic of dry AMD. This study demonstrates for the first time, selective regulation of a nuclear receptor in the eye and establishes that selective targeting of PPARβ/δ may be a suitable strategy for treatment of different clinical sub-types of AMD

Generation of Long-Lived Isomeric States via Bremsstrahlung Irradiation

A method to generate long-lived isomeric states effectively for Mossbauer applications is reported. We demonstrate that this method is better and easier to provide highly sensitive Mossbauer effect of long-lived isomers (>1ms) such as 103Rh. Excitation of (gamma,gamma) process by synchrotron radiation is painful due mainly to their limited linewidth. Instead,(gamma,gamma') process of bremsstrahlung excitation is applied to create these long-lived isomers. Isomers of 45Sc, 107Ag, 109Ag, and 103Rh have been generated from this method. Among them, 103Rh is the only one that we have obtained the gravitational effect at room temperature.Comment: ICAME 05 conference repor

Strong and Electromagnetic Decays of X(1835) as a Baryonium State

With the assumption that the recently observed X(1835) is a baryonium state we have studied the strong decays of $X(1835) \to \eta^{(\prime)} \pi^+ \pi^-, \eta^{(\prime)} \pi^0 \pi^0$ and the electromagnetic decay of $X(1835) \to 2\gamma$ in the framework of effective Lagrangian formalism. In the present investigation we have included the contributions from the iso-singlet light scalar resonances but we have not included the isospin violating effect. Our result for the strong decay of $X(1835) \to \eta^{\prime} \pi^+ \pi^-$ is smaller than the observed data. The decay width for the radiative decay of $X(1835) \to 2\gamma$ is consistent with the assumption that it decays through the glueball. In addition, the width for the strong decay of $X(1835) \to \eta \pi^+ \pi^-$ is larger than that of the strong decay of $X(1835) \to \eta^{\prime} \pi^+ \pi^-$ due to the large phase space and coupling constant $g_{N\bar{N}\eta}$. From our investigation, it is not possible to interpret X(1835) as a baryonium.Comment: Corrected typo

5-p-Tolyl-1,2,3,3a-tetra­hydro­benzo[e]pyrrolo­[2,1-b][1,3]oxazepin-10(5H)-one

The structure of the title compound, C19H19NO2, contains a seven-membered ring, which is fused to one five- and one six-membered ring, and carries a tolyl substituent. The two benzene rings are oriented relative to each other at a dihedral angle of 86.90 (7)°. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked by weak inter­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds

Tensor meson exchange at low energies

We complete the analysis of meson resonance contributions to chiral low-energy constants of O(p^4) by including all quark-antiquark bound states with orbital angular momentum less or equal to one. Different tensor meson Lagrangians used in previous work are shown to produce the same final results for the low-energy constants once QCD short-distance constraints are properly implemented. We also discuss the possible relevance of axial-vector mesons with odd C-parity.Comment: 20 pages, comparison with previous work updated, typos removed, results unchanged, version to appear in EPJ

Tidal evolution of exo-planetary systems: WASP-50, GJ 1214 and CoRoT-7

We perform numerical simulations to investigate tidal evolution of two single-planet systems, that is, WASP-50 and GJ 1214 and a two-planet system CoRoT-7. The results of orbital evolution show that tidal decay and circularization may play a significant role in shaping their final orbits, which is related to the initial orbital data in the simulations. For GJ 1214 system, different cases of initial eccentricity are also considered as only an upper limit of its eccentricity (0.27) is shown, and the outcome suggests a possible maximum initial eccentricity (0.4) in the adopted dynamical model. Moreover, additional runs with alternative values of dissipation factor $Q^\prime_1$ are carried out to explore tidal evolution for GJ 1214b, and these results further indicate that the real $Q^\prime_1$ of GJ 1214b may be much larger than its typical value, which may reasonably suggest that GJ 1214b bears a present-day larger eccentricity, undergoing tidal circularization at a slow rate. For the CoRoT-7 system, tidal forces make two planets migrating towards their host star as well as producing tidal circularization, and in this process tidal effects and mutual gravitational interactions are coupled with each other. Various scenarios of the initial eccentricity of the outer planet have also been done to investigate final planetary configuration. Tidal decay arising from stellar tides may still work for each system as the eccentricity decreases to zero, and this is in association with the remaining lifetime of each planet used to predict its future.Comment: 9 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in "SCIENCE CHINA Physics,Mechanics & Astronomy

Two-dimensional spin systems in PECVD-grown diamond with tunable density and long coherence for enhanced quantum sensing and simulation

Systems of spins engineered with tunable density and reduced dimensionality enable a number of advancements in quantum sensing and simulation. Defects in diamond, such as nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers and substitutional nitrogen (P1 centers), are particularly promising solid-state platforms to explore. However, the ability to controllably create coherent, two-dimensional spin systems and characterize their properties, such as density, depth confinement, and coherence is an outstanding materials challenge. We present a refined approach to engineer dense ($\gtrsim$1 ppm$\cdot$nm), 2D nitrogen and NV layers in diamond using delta-doping during plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) epitaxial growth. We employ both traditional materials techniques, e.g. secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS), alongside NV spin decoherence-based measurements to characterize the density and dimensionality of the P1 and NV layers. We find P1 densities of 5-10 ppm$\cdot$nm, NV densities between 1 and 3.5 ppm$\cdot$nm tuned via electron irradiation dosage, and depth confinement of the spin layer down to 1.6 nm. We also observe high (up to 42$\%$) conversion of P1 to NV centers and reproducibly long NV coherence times, dominated by dipolar interactions with the engineered P1 and NV spin baths

A Dynamic Knowledge Management Framework for the High Value Manufacturing Industry

Dynamic Knowledge Management (KM) is a combination of cultural and technological factors, including the cultural factors of people and their motivations, technological factors of content and infrastructure and, where these both come together, interface factors. In this paper a Dynamic KM framework is described in the context of employees being motivated to create profit for their company through product development in high value manufacturing. It is reported how the framework was discussed during a meeting of the collaborating company’s (BAE Systems) project stakeholders. Participants agreed the framework would have most benefit at the start of the product lifecycle before key decisions were made. The framework has been designed to support organisational learning and to reward employees that improve the position of the company in the market place