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The main theme shared by the two main parts of this thesis is EFFICIENT AUTOMATED REASONING.Part I is focussed on a general theory underpinning a number of efficient approximate algorithms for Constraint Satisfaction Problems (CSPs),the constraint propagation algorithms.In Chapter 3, we propose a Structured Generic Algorithm schema (SGI) for these algorithms. This iterates functions according to a certain strategy, i.e. by searching for a common fixpoint of the functions. A simple theory for SGI is developed by studying properties of functions and of the ways these influence the basic strategy. One of the primary objectives of our theorisation is thus the following: using SGI or some of its variations for DESCRIBINING and ANALISYING HOW the "pruning" and "propagation" process is carried through by constraint propagation algorithms.Hence, in Chapter 4, different domains of functions (e.g., domain orderings) are related to different classes of constraint propagation algorithms (e.g., arc consistency algorithms); thus each class of constraint propagation algorithms is associated with a "type" of function domains, and so separated from the others. Then we analys each such class: we distinguished functions on the same domains for their different ways of performing pruning (point or set based), and consequently differentiated between algorithms of the same class (e.g., AC-1 and AC-3 versus AC-4 or AC-5). Besides, we also show how properties of functions (e.g., commutativity or stationarity) are related to different strategies of propagation in constraint algorithms of the same class (see, for instance, AC-1 versus AC-3). In Chapter 5 we apply the SGI schema to the case of soft CSPs (a generalisation of CSPs with sort-of preferences), thereby clarifying some of the similarities and differences between the "classical" and soft constraint-propagation algorithms. Finally, in Chapter 6, we summarise and characterise all the functions used for constraint propagation; in fact, the other goal of our theorisation is abstracting WHICH functions, iterated as in SGI or its variations, perform the task of "pruning" or "propagation" of inconsistencies in constraint propagation algorithms.We focus on relations and relational structures in Part II of the thesis. More specifically, modal languages allow us to talk about various relational structures and their properties. Once the latter are formulated in a modal language, they can be passed to automated theorem provers and tested for satisfiability, with respect to certain modal logics. Our task, in this part, can be described as follows: determining the satisfiability of modal formulas in an efficient manner. In Chapter 8, we focus on one way of doing this: we refine the standard translation as the layered translation, and use existing theorem provers for first-order logic on the output of this refined translation. We provide ample experimental evidence on the improvements in performances that were obtained by means of the refinement.The refinement of the standard translation is based on the tree model property. This property is also used in the basic algorithm schema in Chapter 9 ---the original schema is due to~\cite{seb97}. The proposed algorithm proceeds layer by layer in the modal formula and in its candidate models, applying constraint propagation and satisfaction algorithms for finite CSPs at each layer. With Chapter 9, we wish to draw the attention of constraint programmers to modal logics, and of modal logicians to CSPs.Modal logics themselves express interesting problems in terms of relations and unary predicates, like temporal reasoning tasks. On the other hand, constraint algorithms manipulate relations in the form of constraints, and unary predicates in the form of domains or unary constraints, see Chapter 6. Thus the question of how efficiently those algorithms can be applied to modal reasoning problems seems quite natural and challenging.

This paper explores strategies in portfolio optimization, focusing on integrating mean-variance optimization (MVO) frameworks with cardinality constraints to enhance investment decision-making. Using a combination of quadratic programming and mixed-integer linear programming, the Gurobi optimizer handles complex constraints and achieves computational solutions. The study compares two mathematical formulations of the cardinality constraint: the Complementary Model and the Big M Model. As cardinality increased, risk decreased exponentially, converging at higher cardinalities. This behavior aligns with the theory of risk reduction through diversification. Additionally, despite initial expectations, both models performed similarly in terms of root relaxation risk and execution time due to Gurobi's presolve transformation of the Complementary Model into the Big M Model. Root relaxation risks were identical while execution times varied slightly without a consistent trend, underscoring the Big M Model's versatility and highlighting the limitations of the Complementary Model.

La Programmation par contraintes est un cadre général utilisé pour modéliser et résoudre des problèmes combinatoires complexes. Cependant, la modélisation d'un problème sous forme d’un réseau de contraintes nécessite une bonne expertise dans le domaine. Ce niveau d'expertise est un obstacle majeur pour une large diffusion de la programmation de contraintes. Pour remédier à ce problème, plusieurs systèmes d'acquisition de contraintes ont été proposés pour aider l'utilisateur dans la tâche de modélisation. Dans ces systèmes, l'utilisateur ne répond qu'à des questions très simples. L'inconvénient est que lorsqu'aucune connaissance de base n’est fournie, l'utilisateur peut avoir besoin de répondre à un grand nombre de questions pour apprendre toutes les contraintes. Dans cette thèse, nous montrons que l'utilisation de la structure du problème peut améliorer considérablement le processus d'acquisition. Pour ce faire, nous proposons plusieurs techniques. Tout d'abord, nous introduisons le concept de requête de généralisation basée sur une agrégation de variables sous forme detypes. Deuxièmement, pour faire face aux requêtes de généralisation, nous proposons un algorithme de généralisation de contraintes, nommé GENACQ, ainsi que plusieurs stratégies. Troisièmement, pour rendre la construction de requêtes de généralisation totalement indépendante de l'utilisateur, nous proposons l'algorithme MINE&ASK, qui est en mesure d'apprendre la structure au cours du processus d'acquisition de contraintes, et d'utiliser la structure apprise pour générer des requêtes de généralisation. Quatrièmement, pour aller vers un concept générique de requête, nous introduisons la requête de recommandation basée sur la prédiction de liens dans le graphe de contraintes apprises jusqu’à présent. Cinquièmement, nous proposons un algorithme de recommandation de contraintes, ppelé PREDICT&ASK, qui demande à l’utilisateur de classifier des requêtes de recommandation chaque fois que la structure du graphe courant a été modifiée. Enfin, nous intégrons toutes ces nouvelles techniques dans l’algorithme QUACQ, menant à trois nouvelles versions, à savoir G-QUACQ, M- QUACQ, et P-QUACQ. Pour évaluer toutes ces techniques, nous avons fait des expérimentations sur plusieurs jeux de données. Les résultats montrent que les versions étendues améliorent considérablement le QUACQ de base. / Constraint Programming is a general framework used to model and solve complex combinatorial problems.However, modeling a problem as a constraint network requires significant expertise in the field.Such level of expertise is a bottleneck to the broader uptake of the constraint technology.To alleviate this issue, several constraint acquisition systems have been proposed to assist thenon-expert user in the modeling task. Nevertheless, in these systems the user is only asked to answervery basic questions. The drawback is that when no background knowledge is provided,the user may need to answer a large number of such questions to learn all the constraints.In this thesis, we show that using the structure of the problem under consideration may improvethe acquisition process a lot. To this aim, we propose several techniques.Firstly, we introduce the concept of generalization query based on an aggregation of variables into types.Secondly, to deal with generalization queries, we propose a constraint generalization algorithm, named GENACQ, together with several strategies. Thirdly, to make the build of generalization queries totally independent of the user, we propose the algorithm MINE&ASK, which is able to learn the structure, during the constraint acquisition process, and to use the learned structure to generate generalization queries. Fourthly, toward a generic concept of query, we introduce the recommendation query based on the link prediction on the current constraint graph. Fifthly, we propose a constraint recommender algorithm, called PREDICT&ASK, that asks recommendation queries, each time the structure of the current graph has been modified. Finally, we incorporate all these new generic techniques into QUACQ algorithm leading to three boosted versions, G-QUACQ, M- QUACQ, and P-QUACQ. To evaluate all these techniques, we have made experiments on several benchmarks. The results show that the extended versions improve drastically the basic QUACQ.

When a mechanical system is subject to constraints its motion is in some way restricted. In accordance with Newton's second law, motion is a direct result of forces acting on a system; hence, constraint is inextricably linked to force. The presence of a constraint implies the application of particular forces needed to compel motion in accordance with the constraint; absence of a constraint implies the absence of such forces. The objective of this thesis is to formulate a comprehensive, consistent, and concise method for identifying a set of forces needed to constrain the behavior of a mechanical system modeled as a set of particles and rigid bodies. The goal is accomplished in large part by expressing constraint equations in vector form rather than entirely in terms of scalars. The method developed here can be applied whenever constraints can be described at the acceleration level by a set of independent equations that are linear in acceleration. Hence, the range of applicability extends to servo-constraints or program constraints described at the velocity level with relationships that are nonlinear in velocity. All configuration constraints, and an important class of classical motion constraints, can be expressed at the velocity level by using equations that are linear in velocity; therefore, the associated constraint equations are linear in acceleration when written at the acceleration level. Two new approaches are presented for deriving equations governing motion of a system subject to constraints expressed at the velocity level with equations that are nonlinear in velocity. By using partial accelerations instead of the partial velocities normally employed with Kane's method, it is possible to form dynamical equations that either do or do not contain evidence of the constraint forces, depending on the analyst's interests.

Comments and Discussions : Yuko ARAYAMA (荒山裕行)

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-12T15:51:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 arquivo2757_1.pdf: 5759741 bytes, checksum: 8075c58c36a6d409b242f2a7873fb02f (MD5) license.txt: 1748 bytes, checksum: 8a4605be74aa9ea9d79846c1fba20a33 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Vitorino dos Santos Filho, Jairson; Pierre Louis Robin, Jacques. CHROME: a model-driven component-based rule engine. 2009. Tese (Doutorado). Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciência da Computação, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, 2009.

This study investigates the effect of the European sovereign debt crisis on alternative capital sources of public companies from France, Germany, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Specifically, it studies which financing choices expose a company to potential bank lending and demand shocks during the Euro crisis. To this end, the study employs average treatment effect estimations and difference-in-differences regressions to show whether financially more (less) constrained companies use more (less) alternative capital than matching control companies. I find that two of three financially more constrained company groups show higher use of alternative capital sources than matched companies due to evidence for bank lending shocks in Germany and France. Companies with a high financial dependence behave against the expectation because of high cash holdings and lower need for alternative capital. Companies with high cash holdings showed signs of a demand shock. Swiss and British companies appear to be much less affected by the Euro crisis because of weaker financial ties with the most affected southern Eurozone economies.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 18-21, 2004 / Town & Country Resort, San Diego, California / Several algorithms have been proposed for solving constraint satisfaction and the more general constraint optimization problem in a distributed manner. In this paper we apply two such algorithms to the task of dynamic resource allocation in the sensor network domain using appropriate abstractions. The aim is to effectively track multiple targets by making the sensors coordinate with each other in a distributed manner, given a probabilistic representation of tasks (targets). We present simulation results and compare the performance of the DBA and DSA algorithms under varying experimental settings.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 26-29, 1992 / Town and Country Hotel and Convention Center, San Diego, California / In the event of a NASA Space Shuttle mission landing at the While Sands Missile Range, White Sands, New Mexico, a data communications system for processing Shuttle’s telemetry data has been installed there in the Master Control Telemetry Station, JIG-56. This data system required a Viterbi decoder since the Shuttle’s data is convolutionally encoded. However, the Shuttle uses a nonstandard code, and the manufacturer which in the past has provided decoders for Shuttle support, no longer produces them. Since no other company produced a Viterbi decoder designed to decode the shuttle’s data, it was necessary to develop the required decoder. The purpose of this paper is to describe the functional performance requirements and design of this decoder.