Academic literature on the topic 'Modified model'

The study of complex networks presented a huge development in last decades. In this dissertation we want to analyze the epidemic spread in scale-free networks through the Susceptible - Infected - Susceptible (SIS) model. We review the fundamental concepts to describe complex networks and the classical epidemiological models. We implement an algorithm that produces a scale-free network and explore the Quenched Mean-Field (QMF) dynamics in a scale-free network. Moreover, we simulate a change on the topology of the network according to the states of the nodes, and it generates a positive epidemic threshold. We show analytically that the fraction of infected vertices follows a power-law distribution in the vicinity of this critical point<br>O estudo de redes complexas tem se desenvolvido muito nos últimos anos. Nesta dissertação queremos analisar o processo de propagação de epidemia em redes livres de escala através do modelo Suscetível - Infectado - Suscetível (SIS). Apresentamos uma revisão de redes e as principais características dos modelos epidemiológicos clássicos. Implementamos um algoritmo que produz uma rede livre de escala dado um expoente e exploramos a dinâmica do modelo Quenched Mean-Field (QMF) inserido em uma rede livre de escala. Além disso, foi simulada uma possível alteração na topologia da rede, devido aos estados dos vértices infectados, que gerou um limiar epidêmico positivo no modelo e a probabilidade de vértices infectados seguiu uma lei de potência na vizinhança desse ponto crítico

We have performed modified Gurson model calibrations to the steel alloys Weldox 460E, Weldox 700E and Weldox 900E through finite element method (FEM) simulations of various tensile material tests performed, and used these material models to perform FEM simulations of impact of blunt tool steel projectiles on target plates made out of these steel alloys. The purpose of these FEM simulations was to study the dependence of target plate steel alloy on the ballistic limit velocity of the projectile resulting from the modified Gurson model. It was found that the modified Gurson model is able to reproduce the dependence seen in experiments, but that it is strongly dependent on a certain model parameter related to the shear stress dependence on material damage. We have also discovered potential problems, and possible solutions, regarding the calibration of these material models and the use of them in the FEM impact simulations carried out.

Recently, in the health surveillance area, control charts have been proposed to decide if the morbidity or mortality of a specific disease reached an epidemic level. This thesis is composed by 3 papers. In the first two papers, CUSUM and EWMA control charts were proposed to monitor count time series with seasonal and trend effects using the Generalized Autoregressive and Moving Average models (GARMA), instead of the independent Generalized Linear Model (GLM) as it is usually used in practice. Different statistics based on transformations, for variables that follow a Negative Binomial distribution, were used in these control charts. In the second paper, two new statistics were proposed based on the ratio of log-likelihood function. Different scenarios describing disease profiles were considered to evaluate the effect of omission of serial correlation in EWMA and CUSUM control charts. The performance of CUSUM and EWMA charts when the serial correlation is neglected in the regression model was measure in terms of average run length (ARL). In summary, when the autocorrelation is neglected, fitting a pure GLM instead of a GARMA model will lead to an increase of false alarms. However, no statistics among the tested ones seem to be robust, in a sense to produce the smallest increase of false alarms in all scenarios. In general, all monitored statistics presented a smaller ARL_0 for higher values of autocorrelation. \\\\ In the last paper, the GARMA models (p, q) with p and q simultaneously different from zero were studied since that two features were observed in practice. One is the multicollinearity, which may lead to a non-convergence of the maximum likelihood, using iteratively reweighted least squares. The second is the inclusion of the same lagged observations into the autoregressive and moving average components confounding the interpretation of the parameters. In a general sense, simulation studies show that the modified model provide estimators closer to the parameters and offer confidence intervals with higher coverage percentage than obtained with the GARMA model, but some restrictions in the parametric space are imposed to guarantee the stationarity of the process. Also, a real data analysis illustrate the GARMA-M fit for daily hospilatization rates of elderly people due to respiratory diseases from October 2012 to April 2015 in São Paulo city, Brazil.<br>Recentemente, no campo da saúde, gráficos de controle têm sido propostos para monitorar a morbidade ou a mortalidade decorrentes de doenças. Este trabalho está composto por três artigos. Nos dois primeiros artigos, gráficos de controle CUSUM e EWMA foram propostos para monitorar séries temporais de contagens com efeitos sazonais e de tendência usando os modelos Generalized autoregressive and moving average models (GARMA), em vez dos modelos lineares generalizados (GLM), como usualmente são utilizados na prática. Diferentes estatísticas baseadas em transformações, para variávies que seguem uma distribuição Binomial Negativa, foram usadas nestes gráficos de controle. No segundo artigo foram propostas duas novas estatísticas baseadas na razão da função de log-verossimilhança. Diferentes cenários que descrevem perfis de doenças foram considerados para avaliar o efeito da omissão da correlação serial nesses gráficos de controle. Este impacto foi medido em termos do Average Run Lenght (ARL). Notou-se que a negligência da correlação serial induz um aumento de falsos alarmes. Em geral, todas as estatísticas monitoradas apresentaram menores valores de ARL_0 para maiores valores de autocorrelação. No entanto, nenhuma estatística entre as consideradas mostrou ser mais robusta, no sentido de produzir o menor aumento de falsos alarmes nos cenários considerados. No último artigo, foram estudados os modelos GARMA (p, q) com p e q simultaneamente diferentes de zero, uma vez que duas características foram observadas na prática. A primeira é a presença de multicolinearidade, que induz à não-convergência do método de máxima verossimilhança usando mínimos quadrados ponderados reiterados. A segunda é a inclusão dos mesmos termos defasados nos componentes autorregressivos e de médias móveis. Um modelo modificado, GARMA-M, foi apresentado para lidar com a multicolinearidade e melhorar a interpretação dos parâmetros. Em sentido geral, estudos de simulação mostraram que o modelo modificado fornece estimativas mais próximas dos parâmetros e intervalos de confiança com uma cobertura percentual maior do que a obtida nos modelos GARMA. No entanto, algumas restrições no espaço paramétrico são impostas para garantir a estacionariedade do processo. Por último, uma análise de dados reais ilustra o ajuste do modelo GARMA-M para o número de internações diárias de idosos devido a doenças respiratórias de outubro de 2012 a abril de 2015 na cidade de São Paulo, Brasil.

The aim of this thesis was to develop a touchscreen-adapted version of the well established Keystroke-level model, which is a user performance model designed to be a quick and easy way to evaluate user interfaces prior to creating prototypes. A quantitative research method was chosen to measure general execution times for common touchscreen gestures on mobile devices. Over 1000 data points were collected from participants who partook in a observational experiment using a prototype specifically programmed for this study. The results of the thesis involves the analyzed measurements acquired from the experiment, as well as a four important aspect to consider when performing similar experiments, namely: (1) The individual speed of the participants; (2) The participants’ level of expertise; (3) The participants’ methods of performing the gestures; (4) Designing the experiment for medium difficulty.<br>Målet med denna uppsats var att utveckla en pekskärmsanpassad version av den välkända modellen Keystroke-level model, vilket är en modell som kan användas för att snabbt och enkelt utvärdera gränssnitt utan att behöva utveckla fungerande prototyper. En kvantitativ forskningsmetod användes för att mäta hur lång tid det tar för användare generellt att utföra de vanligaste fingergesterna på mobila pekskärmar. Över 1000 datapunkter samlades in från ett experiment där deltagarna fick använda en prototyp som automatiskt mätte den tid det tog för användarna att utföra de olika fingergesterna. Resultaten av studien består av de mätvärden som räknats ut samt fyra aspekter som är viktiga att ha i beaktning när liknande experiment ska utformas. Dessa är: (1) Varje deltagares individuella hastighet; (2) Deltagarnas pekskärmsvana; (3) Sättet de olika deltagarna utför fingergesterna; (4) Utforma experimentet för att representera en medium svårighetsgrad.<br>Le but de ce projet fut de créer une version du Keystroke-level model adaptée aux écrans tactiles. Ce modèle de performance utilisateur est une méthode d’évaluation simple et rapide d’interfaces utilisateur avant la création de prototypes. Une étude quantitative fut choisie pour mesurer le temps d’exécution général de mouvements spécifiques effectués sur des écrans tactiles de téléphones. Plus de 1000 points de données furent collectés auprès de participants ayant pris part à une étude observationnelle utilisant un prototype spécialement programmé pour l’occasion. Les résultats de ce projet incluent l’analyse des mesures acquises lors de cette étude ainsi que quatre aspects importants à considérer lors de la réalisation d’études similaires, à savoir: (1) La vitesse individuelle des participants; (2) Le niveau d’habitude d’utilisation d’écrans tactiles des participants; (3) Les méthodes utilisées par les participants lors de la réalisation des mouvements; (4) La conception d’étude pour des mouvements de difficulté dite moyenne.

Thesis: S.B., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Mechanical Engineering, 2015.<br>Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.<br>Includes bibliographical references (page 29).<br>This thesis presents new observations of the hysteresis behavior of piezoelectric stack actuators and proposes an Input-Range Dependent Maxwell Model for more accurate hysteresis compensation. Experimental studies show that the assumptions of the classical Maxwell model do not fully hold: the actuator behaves differently in the initiation stage compared to the later cycles, and the parameters of the Maxwell model are dependent on the input history. Two most prominent factors are the input range of the most recent half loop and the local extremum input at the beginning of the current half loop. To accommodate for these variations, two types of modified Maxwell model are presented: the Input-Range Dependent Maxwell Model and the Local-Extremum Dependent Maxwell Model. We further propose parameter estimation schemes for each modified model. In both models, one set of parameters is obtained for the initiation stage and another set for later cycles, and the first Maxwell spring constant is related to the input history - input range or local extremum, respectively. Further studies suggested that the linear dependence of the first spring constant on the input range is much stronger than on the local extremum. Simulations with the identified Input-Range Dependent Maxwell Model gave a maximum percentage error of 2.71%, as compared with a percentage error of 8.29% using the classical Maxwell model. This suggests that the model can accurately predict the response of a piezoelectric stack actuator and is promising for hysteresis compensation in nano-positioning applications.<br>by Xiaoyue Xie.<br>S.B.

L'EU-1 et la MCM-22 sont deux zéolithes à taille de pores intermédiaire, utilisées respectivement pour l'isomérisation de la coupe C8 aromatique et l'alkylation du benzène par des oléfines légères. Leurs propriétés catalytiques originales sont dues à une contribution très importante des sites acides localisés sur leur surface externe. Au cours de ce travail, différentes approches ont été envisagées pour augmenter la quantité ou la proportion de ces sites aux dépends des sites internes. Tout d'abord, une série de zéolithes H-EU-1 partiellement échangées par du sodium a été préparée et caractérisée par voie physicochimique et par des réactions modèles. Comme attendu, l'échange s'accompagne d'une diminution de la concentration en sites acides de Brönsted. Toutefois, une augmentation importante de la quantité de sites acides très forts a été observée pour des taux d'échange de 26 à 35 % et corrélée à l'augmentation de l'activité en craquage du méthylcyclohexane. Par ailleurs, les conversions du m-xylène et du 1,3,5-triméthylbenzène diminuent rapidement pour de faibles taux d'échange, ce qui pourrait s'expliquer par un échange préférentiel des sites acides externes, également mis en évidence dans le cas de zéolithes MCM-22. Enfin, une nouvelle zéolithe de la famille MWW a été synthétisée et caractérisée. Cette zéolithe possède une acidité totale similaire à celle de la MCM-22, mais une proportion de sites acides externes beaucoup plus importante, conduisant à une activité beaucoup plus grande en transformation du m-xylène et du 1,3,5-triméthylbenzène. Cette nouvelle zéolithe pourrait donc constituer une alternative intéressante à la zéolithe MCM-22 en alkylation du benzène<br>EU-1 and MCM-22 are two 10-ring zeolites used in petrochemical applications such as C8-aromatic cut isomerization and benzene alkylation with short olefins. In all these processes, the original catalytic behaviors of both zeolites are characterized by an important contribution of the acid sites located over the external surface of their crystals. In this work, different methods were investigated in order to increase the amount or the proportion of these acid sites at the expense of those located inside the pores. Firstly, a series of partially Na-exchanged H-EU-1 was prepared and fully characterized through physicochemical techniques and model reactions. As expected, the exchange led to a gradual decrease in the total Brönsted site concentration. Nevertheless, an increase of the concentration in very strong acid sites was obtained for exchange ratio between 26 and 35%, leading to a significant increase of the activity in methylcyclohexane transformation. On the other hand, m-xylene and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene (135-TMB) conversions decreased rapidly at low exchange ratio, which was attributed to a preferential exchange of the external acid sites. This latter phenomenon was also observed over Na-exchanged H-MCM-22 zeolites. Secondly, a new zeolite belonging to the MWW family was synthesized and characterized. This zeolite was shown to possess the same acid site concentration than MCM-22 zeolite but with a much higher proportion of external sites. In consequence, it exhibited a very high catalytic activity in both m-xylene and 135-TMB transformations. This material could therefore be considered as an alternative to MCM-22 in the benzene alkylation process<br>EU-1 e MCM-22 são dois zeólitos de poros intermédios utilizados, respetivamente, na isomerização do corte C8 aromático e na alquilação do benzeno com olefinas leves. As suas propriedades catalíticas originais devem-se a uma importante contribuição dos centros ácidos localizados nas superfície externa. Nesta tese, diferentes abordagens foram investigadas com o objetivo de aumentar a quantidade ou a proporção destes centros ácidos em detrimento dos centros internos. Primeiramente, uma série de zeólitos H-EU-1 parcialmente permutados com sódio foi preparada e caracterizada por via físico-química e por reações modelo. Como esperado, a permuta é acompanhada por uma diminuição da concentração em centros ácidos de Brönsted. Contudo, um importante aumento da quantidade de centros ácidos muito fortes foi obtido para taxas de permuta entre 26 e 35% e correlacionado com um aumento da atividade no cracking do metilciclohexano. Por outro lado, as conversões do m-xileno e do 1,3,5-trimetilbenzeno diminuem rapidamente para baixas taxas de permuta, o que pode ser explicado por uma permuta preferencial dos centros ácidos externos. Este último fenómeno foi igualmente observado no caso do zeólito H-MCM-22 permutado com sódio. Por fim, um novo zeólito pertencente à família MWW foi sintetizado e caracterizado. Este zeólito demonstrou possuir uma acidez total semelhante à do zeólito MCM-22, porém com uma muito maior proporção de centros ácidos externos, conduzindo a uma bastante superior atividade nas transformações do m-xileno e do 1,3,5-trimetilbenzeno. Este novozeólito poderá, portanto, representar uma alternativa interessante ao zeólito MCM-22 na alquilação do benzeno