Representing Conversations for Scalable Overhearing

Open distributed multi-agent systems are gaining interest in the academic community and in industry. In such open settings, agents are often coordinated using standardized agent conversation protocols. The representation of such protocols (for analysis, validation, monitoring, etc) is an important aspect of multi-agent applications. Recently, Petri nets have been shown to be an interesting approach to such representation, and radically different approaches using Petri nets have been proposed. However, their relative strengths and weaknesses have not been examined. Moreover, their scalability and suitability for different tasks have not been addressed. This paper addresses both these challenges. First, we analyze existing Petri net representations in terms of their scalability and appropriateness for overhearing, an important task in monitoring open multi-agent systems. Then, building on the insights gained, we introduce a novel representation using Colored Petri nets that explicitly represent legal joint conversation states and messages. This representation approach offers significant improvements in scalability and is particularly suitable for overhearing. Furthermore, we show that this new representation offers a comprehensive coverage of all conversation features of FIPA conversation standards. We also present a procedure for transforming AUML conversation protocol diagrams (a standard human-readable representation), to our Colored Petri net representation

A computerized method for objective measurement of muscle tone

This article is concentrated on the objective computerizing method of measuring of muscle tone using compressive and decompressive deformation of superficial skeletal muscle of wrist in vivo. Four indices were highly recommended for complex analysis of muscle tone

SELECTION OF SHF-BACKSCATTERING MODEL OF THE SEA SURFACE WITH REGARD TO SHADOWING

Subject and Purpose. The article is devoted to the analysis of theoretically and experimentally obtained values of the specific effective sea-scattering surface in the region of super-high-frequencies (SHF). The study is reasoned by the need to know characteristics of the electromagnetic wave scattering from various objects at the modeling stage. The focus is on the choice of backscattering model with a methodology of specific effective scattering surface estimation that takes into account the shadowing effect of the sea surface under given conditions. Methods and Methodology. The study is based on mathematical modeling techniques and is accompanied by the comparison of the modeling results with experiment. Results. Proceeding from the simulation results with the effect of sea-surface shadowing taken into account and relying on the check of consistency with the measured data, a comparison analysis has been performed among theoretical models of specific effective sea-scattering surface calculation at low grazing angles. Conclusion. Analysis has been given to the specific effective sea-scattering surface obtained by the facet and two-scale models and to the values measured by experiment. Quantitative estimates of the specific effective scattering surface have been obtained with the shadowing effect of the sea surface taken into account. Analysis of the quantitative estimates has been carried out

Survival through networks: the 'grip' of the administrative links in the Russian post-Soviet context

© 2014 Taylor & Francis. Based on an analysis of the post-Soviet transformation experience of four defence sector organizations in a Russian region where the defence sector occupies a substantial part of the local economy, this article develops a typology of network relationships: Grooved Inter-relationship Patterns (Gr’ip) networks and Fluid Inter-relationship Patterns (Fl’ip) networks. This typology can be applied to a range of transition/emerging market and low system trust contexts. Gr’ip networks, in this case, represent the persisting legacy of the Soviet command-administrative system. Fl’ip networks are here an attempt by the defence companies to link into the civilian supply chains of a developing market economy. This article argues that Gr’ip networks had and still have a crucial role to play in Russian enterprises’ survival and development

"Exhibitionists" and "voyeurs" do it better: A shared environment for flexible coordination with tacit messages

Coordination between multiple autonomous agents is a major issue for open multi-agent systems. This paper proposes the notion of Behavioural Implicit Communication (BIC) originally devised in human and animal societies as a new and critical coordination mechanism also for artificial agents. BIC is a parasitical form of communication that exploits both some environmental properties and the agents? capacity to interpret their actions. In this paper we abstract from the agents? architecture to focus on the interaction mediated by the environment. Observability of the environment ? and in particular of agents? actions ? is crucial for implementing BIC-based form of coordination in artificial societies. Accordingly in this paper we introduce an abstract model of environment providing services to enhance observation power of agents, enabling BIC and other form of observation-based coordination. Also, we describe a typology of environments and examples of observation based coordination with and without implicit communication

Features of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant protection in Mongoloid men, carriers of non-functional polymorphisms of GSTT1 and GSTM1 genes, with different status of fertility

Background. Genetic factors cause 30-50 % of cases of male infertility different forms. We have conducted the investigation of the lipid peroxidation and antioxidant protection system components, associated with the biotransformation genes polymorphisms, in men with infertility. Aims: to study parameters of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant defense system associated with polymorphisms of biotransformation genes in infertile Mongoloid men. Materials and methods. The main group included 143 men of reproductive age from Mongoloid population who came to the Public Health Institution "Republican Perinatal Center" in Ulan-Ude with the problem of one year and more infertility after the marriage. Fifty-three almost healthy males with proven fertility were included in the control group. Blood samples of all men were genotyped by glutathione S-transferase (GSTP1, GSTM1, GSTT1) gene family and activity of glutathione system enzymes was determined. Results. In the fertile Mongoloids with non-functional genotype GSTT1(0/0)/GSTM1(0/0) we have established an increase concentration of a-tocopherol in serum, activity of glutathione peroxidase and a decrease in glutathione-S-transferase, as well as a decrease in the concentration of a-tocopherol. In infertile Mongoloids with non-functional GSTT1(0/0)/ GSTM1 (0/0) genotypes, an increase in the tiobarbituric acid reactants, glutathione peroxidase and a decrease in the concentration of a-tocopherol was found in the ejaculate; we also detected a decrease in the concentration of a-tocopherol, the level of oxidized glutathione and glutathione-s-transferase activity. Conclusions. Genetically determined peculiarities of functioning of the xenobiotic biotransformation system make each individual unique with regard to their adaptive capacity - resistance or sensibility to the damaging exo- and endogenous factors

Petri Net Plans A framework for collaboration and coordination in multi-robot systems

Programming the behavior of multi-robot systems is a challenging task which has a key role in developing effective systems in many application domains. In this paper, we present Petri Net Plans (PNPs), a language based on Petri Nets (PNs), which allows for intuitive and effective robot and multi-robot behavior design. PNPs are very expressive and support a rich set of features that are critical to develop robotic applications, including sensing, interrupts and concurrency. As a central feature, PNPs allow for a formal analysis of plans based on standard PN tools. Moreover, PNPs are suitable for modeling multi-robot systems and the developed behaviors can be executed in a distributed setting, while preserving the properties of the modeled system. PNPs have been deployed in several robotic platforms in different application domains. In this paper, we report three case studies, which address complex single robot plans, coordination and collaboration