BoneRoute: An Adaptive Memory-Based Method for Effective Fleet Management

This paper presents an adaptive memory-based method for solving the Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem (CVRP), called BoneRoute. The CVRP deals with the problem of finding the optimal sequence of deliveries conducted by a fleet of homogeneous vehicles, based at one depot, to serve a set of customers. The computational performance of the BoneRoute was found to be very efficient, producing high quality solutions over two sets of well known case studies examined.     

Quadratic data envelopment analysis

Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) offers a piece-wise linear approximation of the production frontier. The approximation tends to be poor if the true frontier is not concave, eg in case of economies of scale or of specialisation. To improve the flexibility of the DEA frontier and to gain in empirical fit, we propose to extend DEA towards a more general piece-wise quadratic approximation, called Quadratic Data Envelopment Analysis (QDEA). We show that QDEA gives statistically consistent estimates for all production frontiers with bounded Hessian eigenvalues. Our Monte-Carlo simulations suggest that QDEA can substantially improve efficiency estimation in finite samples relative to standard DEA models.     

Effective dimensionality approach to the RKKY interaction in multilayer systems

We consider RKKY interaction in a quasi 2D system with nonparabolic dispersion. In our paper we calculate the RKKY range function assuming the in-layer confinement via effective dimensionality approach. We show, that indirect magnetic exchange in our system can be modelled by the effective spectral dimension which equals one.     

Ermakov Approach for Minisuperspace Oscillators

The Wheeler–DeWitt equation of arbitrary Hartle–Hawking factor ordering for several minisuperspace universe models, such as the pure gravity Friedmann–Robertson–Walker and Taub ones, is mapped onto the dynamics of corresponding classical oscillators. The latter ones are studied by the classical Ermakov invariant method, which is a natural approach in this context. For the more realistic case of a minimally coupled massive scalar field, one can study, within the same type of approach, the corresponding squeezing features as a possible means of describing cosmological evolution. Finally, we comment on the analogy with the accelerator physics.     

Real-time recursive estimation of statistical parameters

Recursive algorithms for the computation of standard deviation and average deviation are derived and their applications in data acquisition are discussed. The relative speeds and accuracies of the two algorithms are compared for synthetic data. The performance of recursive estimation under shot and proportional noise limitations is also described. As an example of the utility of these algorithms, absorbance data with constant confidence intervals are collected regardless of incident and transmitted intensities. The desired precision is specified prior to data acquisition and used to control signal-averaging of the data in real time.     

Mode of complement activation by acidic heteroglycans from the leaves of Artemisia princeps PAMP.

The mode of action of the anti-complementary acidic heteroglycans, AAF-IIb-2 and IIb-3 which consisted of rhamnogalacturonan core and arabinogalactan moieties, purified from the leaves of Artemisia princeps PAMP (Japanese name = Gaiyo) were investigated. The anti-complementary activities of AAF-IIb-2 and IIb-3 were reduced partially in the absence of Ca2+ ions. A marked consumption of C4 was observed to have occurred when serum was incubated with both polysaccharides in the presence of Ca2+ ions. AAF-IIb-2 showed more potent C4 consumption than IIb-3. After the incubation of the serum with AAF-IIb-2 in the absence of Ca2+ ions, a cleavage of C3 in the serum was detected by immunoelectrophoresis. AAF-IIb-2 showed more significant consumption of the complement than IIb-3 when rabbit erythrocytes were used in the assay system in the absence of Ca2+ ions. These results indicate that AAF-IIb-2 activates the complement via both the alternative and classical pathways, whereas IIb-3 mainly activates the complement via the classical pathway. The absorption of serum with Protein A-Sepharose results in a decrease of the activity of AAF-IIb-2 and IIb-3. However, the decrease of the activity was restored by the replacement of the immunoglobulin G (IgG) fraction after its recovery from the Protein A-Sepharose. These results suggest that IgG dependent mechanisms are both involved in the anti-complementary activity of AAF-IIb-2 and IIb-3.     

Hilbert重级数定理的一个改进

The object of this note is to prove the followingTheorem Let{a_n}and{b_n}be sequences of real numbers such that0<∑∑a_n~2<+∞and0<∑b_n~2<+∞.Then we have the inequalitysum from m=1 to∞sum from n=1 to∞a_mb_n/m+n<{sum from n=1 to∞(π-θ/n~(1/2)a_n~2}~1/2{sum from n=1 to∞(π-θ/n~(1/2)b_n~2}~1/2 (1)whereθ=3/2~(1/2)-1=1.121320343.     

Inclusion of carbon nanotubes in a TiO2 sol-gel matrix

We report here the successful inclusion of carbon nanotubes (CNs) into a TiO₂ matrix prepared by a sol-gel method. The presence of CNs in the sol-gel matrix and the structure of the film were analyzed principally by transmission electron microscopy. Complementary information about the behavior of embedded carbon nanotubes versus heat treatment and ion irradiation were obtained by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The elaboration of an inorganic matrix containing embedded carbon nanotubes leads to a new nanocomposite. The possible applications of this nanocomposite are discussed.