A branch and bound algorithm for hybrid flow shop scheduling problem with setup time and assembly operations

A hybrid flow shop scheduling problem (HFSP) with assembly operations is studied in this paper. In the considered problem, a number of products of the same kind are produced. Each product is assembled using a set of several parts. At first, the parts are produced in a hybrid flow shop and then they are assembled in an assembly stage to produce products. The considered objective is to minimize the completion time of all products (makespan). This problem has been proved strongly NP-hard, so in order to solve it, a hierarchical branch and bound algorithm is presented. Also, some lower and upper bounds are developed to increase the efficiency of the proposed algorithm. The numerical experiments are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm.     

Solving a new stochastic multi-mode p-hub covering location problem considering risk by a novel multi-objective algorithm

In this paper, we develop a novel stochastic multi-objective multi-mode transportation model for hub covering location problem under uncertainty. The transportation time between each pair of nodes is an uncertain parameter and also is influenced by a risk factor in the network. We extend the traditional comprehensive hub location problem by considering two new objective functions. So, our multi-objective model includes (i) minimization of total current investment costs and (ii) minimization of maximum transportation time between each origin–destination pair in the network. Besides, a novel multi-objective imperialist competitive algorithm (MOICA) is proposed to obtain the Pareto-optimal solutions of the problem. The performance of the proposed solution algorithm is compared with two well-known meta-heuristics, namely, non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) and Pareto archive evolution strategy (PAES). Computational results show that MOICA outperforms the other meta-heuristics.     

Binodal curve measurements for (water + propionic acid + dichloromethane) ternary system by cloud point method

The binodal (solubility) curves and tie line data for ternary systems of (water + propionic acid + dichloromethane) at 91.3 kPa and T = (277.15, 284.15, and 294.15) K are reported. The binodal curve results were determined by cloud point measurements method. A simple titration method has been used for determining of the concentration of propionic acid in the both liquid phases at equilibrium. The results obtained were successfully correlated with the UNIQUAC activity coefficient model. The deviations between experimental and calculated compositions in both phases for the ternary system using this model are reported. The partition coefficients of propionic acid and the selectivity factor of dichloromethane for extracting of propionic acid from water were calculated and are reported. The phase diagrams for the ternary system studied including both the experimental and correlated tie lines are presented.     

Conversion of ketones to trisubstituted olefins under neutral conditions

Phenylaziridine hydrazones react at 140°–160°C to provide sterically congested trisubstituted olefins in good yield.     

Flow separation in a computational oscillating vocal fold model

A finite-volume computational model that solves the time-dependent glottal airflow within a forced-oscillation model of the glottis was employed to study glottal flow separation. Tracheal input velocity was independently controlled with a sinusoidally varying parabolic velocity profile. Control parameters included flow rate (Reynolds number), oscillation frequency and amplitude of the vocal folds, and the phase difference between the superior and inferior glottal margins. Results for static divergent glottal shapes suggest that velocity increase caused glottal separation to move downstream, but reduction in velocity increase and velocity decrease moved the separation upstream. At the fixed frequency, an increase of amplitude of the glottal walls moved the separation further downstream during glottal closing. Increase of Reynolds number caused the flow separation to move upstream in the glottis. The flow separation cross-sectional ratio ranged from approximately 1.1 to 1.9 (average of 1.47) for the divergent shapes. Results suggest that there may be a strong interaction of rate of change of airflow, inertia, and wall movement. Flow separation appeared to be "delayed" during the vibratory cycle, leading to movement of the separation point upstream of the glottal end only after a significant divergent angle was reached, and to persist upstream into the convergent phase of the cycle.     

Sensitivity of Elastic Properties to Measurement Uncertainties in Laryngeal Muscles With Implications for Voice Fundamental Frequency Prediction

This paper discusses the effects of measurement uncertainties when calculating elastic moduli of laryngeal tissue. Small dimensions coupled with highly nonlinear elastic properties exacerbate the uncertainties. The sensitivity of both tangent and secant Young's Modulus was quantified in terms of the coefficient of variation, which depended on measurement of reference length and cross-sectional area. Uncertainties in the measurement of mass, used to calculate cross-sectional area of a small tissue sample, affected Young's Modulus calculations when tissue absorption of the hydrating solution was not accounted for. Uncertainty in reference length had twice the effect on elasticity than other measures. The implication of these measurement errors on predicted fundamental frequency of vocalization is discussed. Refinements on isolated muscle experimental protocols are proposed that pay greatest attention to measures of highest sensitivity.     

ELECTROGENERATED CHEMILUMINESCENCE OF SEVERAL POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS

Abstract Electrogenerated chemiluminescence (eel) of several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) (-)/triphenylamine (TPA) derivative (+) mixed systems has been studied at a platinum wire electrode in acetonitrile (ACN) and tetrahydrofuran (THF) solutions using tetra- n -butylammonium perchlorate (TBAP) as a supporting electrolyte, and the results are reported. Exciplexes, as well as the lowest singlet excited state of PAH, are identified as emitting species in these eel systems. The results shown by the temperature and pulse duration dependencies on eel intensities indicate that exciplexes are formed directly from solvent separated ion pairs. The interaction of PAH in their excited states with several donor molecules is discussed based on eel and fluorescence quenching results.     

Macromodel—an integrated software system for modeling organic and bioorganic molecules using molecular mechanics

An integrated molecular modeling system for designing and studying organic and bioorganic molecules and their molecular complexes using molecular mechanics is described. The graphically controlled, atom-based system allows the construction, display and manipulation of molecules and complexes having as many as 10,000 atoms and provides interactive, state-of-the-art molecular mechanics on any subset of up to 1,000 atoms. The system semiautomates the graphical construction and analysis of complex structures ranging from polycyclic organic molecules to biopolymers to mixed molecular complexes. We have placed emphasis on providing effective searches of conformational space by a number of different methods and on highly optimized molecular mechanics energy calculations using widely used force fields which are supplied as external files. Little experience is required to operate the system effectively and even novices can use it to carry out sophisticated modeling operations. The software has been designed to run on Digital Equipment Corporation VAX computers interfaced to a variety of graphics devices ranging from inexpensive monochrome terminals to the sophisticated graphics displays of the Evans & Sutherland PS300 series.     

Kinetic spectrophotometric method for the determination of selenium(IV) by its catalytic effect on the reduction of spadns by sulphide in micellar media

A simple kinetic spectrophotometric method was developed for the determination of ultratrace amounts of Se(IV). The method is based on the reduction of spadns by sulphide in micellar media. The reaction was monitored spectrophotometrically by measuring the decrease in the absorbance of spadns at 515 nm with a fixed-time method. The decrease in the absorbance of spadns is proportional to the concentration of Se(IV) in the range 0.5–100 ng/mL with a fixed time of 2.5–7.0 min from the initiation of the reaction. The limit of detection is 0.3 ng/mL Se(IV). The relative standard deviation for the determination of 0.02 and 0.10 μg/mL Se(IV) was 2.10 and 1.95%, respectively. The method was applied to the determination of Se(IV) in water. The text was submitted by the authors in English.