Recursive least squares algorithm for a nonlinear additive system with time delay

This paper proposes a recursive least squares algorithm for a nonlinear additive system with time delay. By the Weierstrass approximation theorem and the key term separation principle, the model can be simplified as an identification model. Based on the identification model, a recursive least squares identification algorithm is used to estimate all the unknown parameters of the time-delayed additive system. An example is provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.     

Decomposing and Cluster Refinement Design Method for Application-Specific Network-on-Chips

Along with higher and higher integration of intellectual properties (IPs) on a single chip, traditional bus-based system-on-chips (SoC) meets several design difficulties (such as low scalability, high power consumption, packet latency and clock tree problem). As a promising solution, network-on-chips (NoC) has been proposed and widely studied. In this work, a novel algorithm for NoC topology synthesis, which is decomposing and cluster refinement (DCR) algorithm, has been proposed to minimize the total power consumption of application-specific NoC. This algorithm is composed of two stages: decomposing with cluster generation, and cluster refinement. For partitioning and cluster generation, an initial low-power solution for NoC topology is generated. For cluster refinement, the clustering is optimized by performing floorplan to further reduce power consumption. Meanwhile, a good tradeoff between power consumption and CPU time can be achieved. Experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms the existing work.     

Review of managing the risks of offshore banking and its implications for the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone

As more and more Chinese and foreign-funded banks settle in the China (Shanghai) Pilot Free Trade Zone (CSPFTZ), it has become an imperative to enhance risk management of offshore banking. At the international level, the regulatory effort for offshore banking mainly focuses on tax evasion and money laundering. Existing regulatory frameworks have established standards to identify countries providing facilities for money laundering and developed punitive measures. In terms of strategy, it is suggested that, firstly, relevant regulatory measures should be improved in the short term, and it is necessary to define the scope of offshore banking and regulatory measures for Chinese banks and foreign-funded banks under a suitable legal framework. Secondly, it is necessary to establish risk exposure mechanism and risk evaluation system for the offshore banking in the CSPFTZ, while risk management measures are implemented based on on-site supervision. Thirdly, in the medium and long term, it is necessary to enhance management of potential risks which can be created by offshore banking due to deregulation. Fourthly, on the one hand, specific regulations should be formulated to provide a regulatory basis for taxation; on the other hand, tax informational exchange agreements (TIEAs) may be used as a reference for achieving effective tax regulation.     

行政裁决:地方政府的制度推力

在统计时间内有效的行政裁决制度共有16项,分布在自然资源和环境、知识产权以及民间纠纷三大领域,均为中央政府的法律、行政法规和部门规章所设定.但行政裁决设定的领域范围在逐步退缩,已设定的行政裁决被纷纷废止,新的法律更倾向规定调解或仲裁.行政裁决实施性规定多集中于与土地有关的行政裁决,其中绝大多数系由地方政府所制定.地方政府不仅做出了细密规定,而且纷纷制定了专门性规定.但在矿权、环境、知识产权和民间纠纷领域,地方政府并未充分发挥出细化法律、行政法规和部门规章中行政裁决条款的作用,更没有制定专门的行政裁决规定.有关行政裁决的行政规范性文件高度集中于征地补偿裁决、拆迁补偿裁决和林地权属裁决.其中,林地权属裁决的中央行政规范性文件较多,征地补偿裁决和拆迁补偿裁决的地方行政规范性文件较多.这些行政规范性文件的内容,集中在纠纷的化解而非行政裁决制度本身.从行政裁决引发的诉讼案件反观行政裁决制度,征地补偿裁决、拆迁补偿裁决和林地权属裁决都在运行,其他行政裁决制度都没有运行.其中,拆迁补偿裁决的运行异常活跃,征地补偿裁决的运行却极为低迷.统计发现的耦合是:凡地方政府对行政裁决制定了专门性实施规定的,行政裁决制度都在运行,否则都已停滞；地方行政规范性文件被用作行政裁决依据的多少,与该行政裁决的活跃程度成正比.当然,上述发现的证成或证伪,有待于另一项研究.     

The jurisdictional challenges to the prosecution of piracy cases in Kenya: mixed fortunes for a perfect model in the global war against piracy

Since 2008 Kenya has distinguished itself in the global war against piracy by undertaking prosecutions in the national courts of suspected pirates arrested in the high seas and handed over by navies of leading maritime nations under bilateral agreements (MOUs) entered into between Kenya and these leading maritime nations. As of July 2011, Kenya had over 20 convicted pirates serving jail terms ranging between 7 and 20 years and over 100 suspected pirates awaiting trial in national courts. This is the largest number of suspected pirates held and tried in any one state at any given time in modern history. To achieve this, Kenya had to effect far reaching changes in the law. In the initial stages, suspected pirates were charged under Kenya’s Penal Code (Cap 63 Laws of Kenya). However, the high court in the case of Re Mohamud Mohamed Dashi and eight others [2010] eKLR, ruled that Kenya had no jurisdiction to try suspected pirates under that law. In September 2009, Kenya passed a new law (the Merchant Shipping Act), which not only defined more comprehensively and extensively the offence of piracy, but also extended the jurisdiction of Kenyan courts to try piracy committed by non-nationals. Though the law gives Kenya a very broad jurisdiction to try suspected pirates, the process is still fraught with challenges due to lack of financial and human resources. In the case of Republic vs Hassan Jama Haleys Alias Hassan Jamal and five others [2010] eKLR, the court commented thus:

“… I must note that the ‘piracy trials’ have presented a unique challenge to the Kenyan legal system. We cannot ignore the fact that these are suspects who having been arrested by foreign naval forces on the High Seas are brought to Kenya for trial. They are strangers in the country, do not understand the legal system, may not know what their rights are and do not understand the language… the Kenyan Government and the International partners supporting these trials put in place a system to provide free legal representation for the suspects…”     

Fast Ferry Smoothing Motion via Intelligent PD Controller

A novel type of control law was adopted to reduce the vertical acceleration of a fast ferry as well as the motion sickness incidence suffered by the passengers onboard by means of a submerged T-foil. Considering the system changing characteristics under high disturbances, a model-free approach was adopted. In addition, an upgraded proportional-derivative (PD) controller with correction terms resulting from a fast-online estimation of the system dynamics was designed. The overall controller, known as intelligent PD (i-PD) controller, was tested, and the obtained results were compared with those of a classic PD controller. The controllers were also tested in a changing environment and at different operating velocities. The results confirmed the effectiveness of the i-PD controller to smooth the motions with low computational cost control schemes. Furthermore, thanks to ability of the i-PD controller to continually update the estimated dynamics of the system, it showed a better reduction in both vertical motions and the seasickness level of the passengers with the needed robustness under external disturbances and system changing parameters.     

Full Duplex Communications for Next Generation Cellular Networks: The Capacity Gain

Full duplex communication highly improves spectrum efficiency of a wireless communication link. However, when it is applied to a cellular network, the capacity gain from this technology remains unknown. The reason is that full duplex communication changes the aggregate interference experienced by each communication link in cellular networks. In this paper, the capacity gain from full duplex communication is studied for cellular networks of 4G and beyond, where the same frequency channel is adopted in each cell. A two-layer Poisson point process (PPP) is adopted to model the network topology, and stochastic geometry is employed to derive the coverage probability and the average capacity of typical link in a cellular network. On the basis of these derived parameters, the capacity gain from full duplex communication is determined. Numerical results reveal that without mutual interference cancellation (MIC), the capacity gain is small under various power levels; with perfect MIC at base stations, the capacity gain can exceed 60%; with imperfect MIC at base stations, the capacity gain decreases quickly even with a slight drop of MIC performance.     

Assessing the representativeness of a smartphone-based household travel survey in Dar es Salaam,Tanzania

The household travel survey (HTS) finds itself in the midst of rapid technological change. Traditional methods are increasingly being sidelined by digital devices and computational power—for tracking movements, automatically detecting modes and activities, facilitating data collection, etc.. Smartphones have recently emerged as the latest technological enhancement. FMS is a smartphone-based prompted-recall HTS platform, consisting of an app for sensor data collection, a backend for data processing and inference, and a user interface for verification of inferences (e.g., modes, activities, times, etc.). FMS, has been deployed in several cities of the global north, including Singapore. This paper assesses the first use of FMS in a city of the global south, Dar es Salaam. FMS in Dar was implemented over a 1-month period, among 581 adults chosen from 300 randomly selected households. Individuals were provided phones with data plans and the FMS app preloaded. Verification of the collected data occurred every 3 days, via a phone interview. The experiment reveals various social and technical challenges. Models of individual likelihood to participate suggest little bias. Several socioeconomic and demographic characteristics apparently do influence, however, the number of days fully verified per individual. Similar apparent biases emerge when predicting the likelihood of a given day being verified. Some risk of non-random, non-response is, thus, evident.