Multi Agent Diagnosis: an analysis

The paper analyzes the use of a Multi Agent System for Model Based Diagnosis. In a large dynamical system, it is often infeasible or even impossible to maintain a model of the whole system. Instead, several incomplete models of the system have to be used to detect possible faults. These models may also be physically be distributed. A Multi Agent System of diagnostic agents may offer solutions for establishing a global diagnosis. If we use a separate agent for each incomplete model of the system, establishing a global diagnosis becomes a problem cooperation and negotiation between the diagnostic agents. This raises the question whether `a set of diagnostic agents, each having an incomplete model of the system, can (efficiently) determine the same global diagnosis as an ideal single diagnostic agent having the combined knowledge of the diagnostic agents?''economics of technology ;

Why Are Farmers Going Multifunctional?

The European farm model is aimed at stimulating and facilitating multifunctional agriculture. This paper presents the results of research into the factors determining the adoption of multifunctional activities. In the paper survey results from 495 farms, spread all over the Netherlands, were used. Binomial logit models were estimated for multifunctional activities in general and four specific activities. Trust in the government is an important explaining factor for participation in nature conservation and recreation, however, less important for services and selling products. Location of the farm is important for nature conservation, services, and recreation. Attitude variables are particularly important for participation in nature conservation and day and stay recreation.multifunctionality, land use, agricultural policy, Agricultural and Food Policy, Land Economics/Use, G18,

Clarifying spherical collapse in coupled dark energy cosmologies

The spherical collapse model is often used to follow the evolution of overdensities into the nonlinear regime. We describe the correct approach to be used in coupled dark energy cosmologies, where a fifth force, different from gravity and mediated by the dark energy scalar field, influences the collapse. We reformulate the spherical collapse description by deriving it directly from the set of nonlinear hydrodynamical Navier Stokes equations. By comparing with the corresponding relativistic equations, we show how the fifth force should be taken into account within the spherical collapse picture and clarify the problems arising when an inhomogeneous scalar field is considered within a spherical collapse picture. We then apply our method to the case of coupled quintessence, where the fifth force acts among cold dark matter particles, and to growing neutrino quintessence, where the fifth force acts between neutrinos. Furthermore, we review this method when applied to standard cosmologies and apply our analysis to minimally coupled quintessence and check past results for early dark energy parametrizations.Comment: 16 pages, 13 figures, published in Physical Review D, minor changes and correction

Explaining the Changing Institutional Organisation of Dutch Farms: The Role of Farmer's Attitude, Advisory Network and Structural Factors

Although the family farm remains the dominant organisational form for farms there are changes in the legal mode of organisation. Applying the new institutional economics and economic organisation theory the different organisation modes are explained, mainly in terms of control and income rights. Important factors are (limited) liability, risk-bearing costs, transaction costs, and residual control and income rights. In an empirical follow-up, based on a sample among 3100 farmers in the Netherlands, the impact of farmers' attitudes, farm advisory network, and structural variables on organisation choice are analysed. Especially the financial advisors appear to play a significant role in the choice of organisation mode. Other factors are age, branche (horticulture, factory farming), and farm size.farm organisation, ownership and management, liability, risk, residual control and income rights, attitudes, advisory network, Farm Management, Industrial Organization, Q12,

The bees of Greater Puerto Rico (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Anthophila)

The bee fauna of the Greater Puerto Rico area was studied. A review of the previous relevant studies is presented. An annotated catalog and information about the origin and distributional patterns are also provided. Thirty-nine species of bees occur in Puerto Rico and adjacent islands. This fauna is composed of four elements: exclusive Puerto Rican endemics (26.5%); Antillean endemics occurring on multiple islands (76.5%); continental species that have also colonized the Antilles (23.5%); and species introduced through human activity (12.8%). The bee fauna was both low in its diversity and showed the highest level of disharmony in relation to other faunas of the Greater Antilles. A lectotype is here designated for Agapostemon krugii Wolcott, 1936

Going beyond the Kaiser redshift-space distortion formula: a full general relativistic account of the effects and their detectability in galaxy clustering

Kaiser redshift-space distortion formula describes well the clustering of galaxies in redshift surveys on small scales, but there are numerous additional terms that arise on large scales. Some of these terms can be described using Newtonian dynamics and have been discussed in the literature, while the others require proper general relativistic description that was only recently developed. Accounting for these terms in galaxy clustering is the first step toward tests of general relativity on horizon scales. The effects can be classified as two terms that represent the velocity and the gravitational potential contributions. Their amplitude is determined by effects such as the volume and luminosity distance fluctuation effects and the time evolution of galaxy number density and Hubble parameter. We compare the Newtonian approximation often used in the redshift-space distortion literature to the fully general relativistic equation, and show that Newtonian approximation accounts for most of the terms contributing to velocity effect. We perform a Fisher matrix analysis of detectability of these terms and show that in a single tracer survey they are completely undetectable. To detect these terms one must resort to the recently developed methods to reduce sampling variance and shot noise. We show that in an all-sky galaxy redshift survey at low redshift the velocity term can be measured at a few sigma if one can utilize halos of mass M>10^12 Msun (this can increase to 10-sigma or more in some more optimistic scenarios), while the gravitational potential term itself can only be marginally detected. We also demonstrate that the general relativistic effect is not degenerate with the primordial non-Gaussian signature in galaxy bias, and the ability to detect primordial non-Gaussianity is little compromised.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, published in PR

Gedung Pertunjukan Seni Teater Tradisional Jawa di Surabaya

Gedung Pertunjukan Seni Teater Tradisional Jawa di Surabaya ini merupakan sebuah gedung teater untuk mengadakan pertunjukan kesenian teater tradisional Jawa seperti Wayang Kulit, Wayang Orang, Ludruk, dan Ketoprak di Surabaya. Fasilitas yang disediakan teater tertutup dan ampiteater, serta tempat nongkrong bagi masyarakat dan anak-anak muda berupa taman terbuka, coffee shop dan restaurant. Pendekatan yang dipakai dalam merancang adalah pendekatan vernakular kontemporer untuk mengapresiasi nilai-nilai lokal namun memberikan nuansa modern yang akrab bagi anak-anak muda. Dengan demikian diharapkan Gedung Pertunjukan Seni Teater Tradisional Jawa di Surabaya ini dapat membangkitkan kesenian teater tradisional Jawa sebagai hiburan favorit masyarakat di kota Surabaya. Pendalaman desain difokuskan pada perhitungan akustik untuk mendapatkan suasana indoor teater dengan suara yang baik

Zwischen Sozialstaats-Status quo und Beschäftigungswachstum. Das Dilemma des Bündnisses für Arbeit und Trilemma der Dienstleistungsgesellschaft

Die Bundesrepublik Deutschland weist – aus historisch wie aus international vergleichender Perspektive – in den 90er Jahren eine suboptimale wirtschaftliche Performanz auf und laboriert gegenwärtig vor allem an einer anhaltenden Wachstums- und Innovationsschwäche mit einhergehender strukturell verfestigter Massenarbeitslosigkeit. In diesem Beitrag gehen wir der Frage nach, inwiefern die Sozialstaatsfinanzierung die Beschäftigungsdynamik beeinflusst und welche Implikationen sich daraus für die von der rot-grünen Regierungskoalition (neuerlich) initiierten Konzertierungsbemühungen im Rahmen eines Bündnisses für Arbeit ergeben. Unsere Hauptthese ist, dass ein ausgebauter Sozialversicherungsstaat die Beschäftigungsdynamik insbesondere im niedrigproduktiven Dienstleistungssektor bremst, also in einem Beschäftigungssegment, dem in Zukunft große Wachstumspotenziale zugeschrieben werden können. Just an der Schnittstelle von Arbeitsmarkt und Sozialstaat setzen auch die Bündnisgespräche an. Jedoch erschien das Bündnis für Arbeit aufgrund prozeduraler und institutioneller Rahmenbedingungen bis zum Sommer 1999 als eine wenig erfolgversprechende Konzertierungsaktion, um das Dilemma zwischen ausgebautem Sozialversicherungsstaat und Beschäftigungsdynamik im Dienstleistungszeitalter abzuschwächen