Lagrangian based heuristics for the multicommodity network flow problem with fixed costs on paths

We study the multicommodity network flow problem with fixed costs on paths, with specific application to the empty freight car distribution process of a rail operator. The classification costs for sending a group of cars do not depend on the number of cars in the group, as long as the group is kept together as one unit. Arcs correspond to trains, so we have capacity restrictions on arcs but fixed costs on the paths corresponding to routes for groups of cars. As solution method, we propose a Lagrangian based heuristic using dual subgradient search and primal heuristics based on path information of the Lagrangian subproblem solutions. The method illustrates several ways of exploiting the specific structures of the problem. Computational tests indicate that the method is able to generate fairly good primal feasible solutions and lower bounds on the optimal objective function value.     

Nonionic ortho ester surfactants as cleavable emulsifiers

Acid labile surfactants containing an ortho ester link are used as emulsifiers for an aliphatic oil, squalane. The emulsions were made in the presence of a cationic polymer, either polyamine or the corresponding hydrophobically modified polyamine. Spontaneous hydrolysis of the surfactant resulted in emulsions stabilized by polymer together with degradation products from the surfactant. The effect of breakdown of the surfactant on the emulsion was evaluated by means of droplet size measurements and kinetic stability. One linear and one branched nonionic ortho ester surfactant with the same number of oxyethylene units were characterized and used for the purpose. The ortho ester surfactants are complex mixtures of components, ranging from very hydrophilic to very hydrophobic species. The chemical shift of the central methine proton in the ortho ester link is extremely sensitive to the substitution pattern and it was possible to identify by (1)H NMR the components that make up the surfactants, as has been reported earlier. The change in emulsion stability, the change in droplet size and the rate of surfactant hydrolysis were studied at acidic pH at room temperature. Both gas chromatography and (1)H NMR were used in order to monitor the surfactant degradation. The presence of a polymer gave a more sluggish breakdown of the surfactants, probably due to hydrophobic shielding by the polymer. There was a good correlation between increase of droplet size and degree of surfactant decomposition.     

Oxidation of self-organized nonionic surfactants

Nonionic surfactants containing a polyoxyethylene headgroup are known to slowly undergo oxidative degradation when exposed to air. The oxidation, which starts by abstraction of a hydrogen atom from a methylene group in alpha-position to an ether oxygen, is accelerated by metal ions. Silver ion mediated oxidation of a technical grade surfactant of this type, Brij 30, was investigated in two types of self-assembled systems, a water-in-oil microemulsion and a liquid crystalline phase. It was found that in both systems the longer homologues, i.e., the surfactant homologues that carry a longer polyoxyethylene chain, decompose faster than the shorter homologues. This trend was found to be more pronounced when the surfactant is present in a liquid crystal than in a microemulsion. The difference is explained in terms of differences in accessibility of the polyoxyethylene chains to the silver ions.     

The scaling of the wall pressure fluctuations in polymer-modified turbulent boundary layer flow

Wall pressure fluctuations and integrated skin friction were measured beneath a turbulent boundary layer that was modified by adding drag-reducing polymer to the pure water flow. The measurements were performed on an axisymmetric model, equipped with an isolated cylindrical drag balance section, and placed in the test section of the 0.3048-m-diam water tunnel at ARL Penn State. Data were acquired at a free-stream velocity of 10.7 m/s with pure water and with polymer added to the water at concentrations of 1, 5, 10, and 20 weight parts per million. Nondimensionalization of the wall pressure fluctuation frequency spectra with traditional outer, inner, and mixed flow variables failed to adequately collapse the data. The mean square wall pressure fluctuations were found to scale linearly with the wall shear stress. Polymer addition had little effect on the characteristic time scale of the flow. These properties were used to develop a novel form of the nondimensional wall pressure fluctuation spectrum that provided the best collapse of the measured data.     

Hole centers in γ-irradiated,oxidized Al2O3

ESR observations of centers with $\text{S =}\text{1}\text{2}\text{, g ? 2, S = 1, g ? 2}$ have been made at 77 K on oxidized Al₂O₃ after γ-irradiation at 30°C. From the radiation growth data, it is shown that the $\text{S =}\text{1}\text{2}$ centers are precursors of the S = 1 centers. In addition, when the S = 1 centers anneal out at about 110°C, the $\text{S =}\text{1}\text{2}$ centers reappear and eventually anneal out at about 260°C. Previously Gamble and Cox, respectively, observed $\text{S =}\text{1}\text{2}$ and S = 1 paramagnetic centers in electron-irradiated nominally pure Al₂O₃ and γ-irradiated, oxidized, titanium-doped Al₂O₃. The models proposed for these centers were one hole and two holes trapped on oxygen ions adjacent to Al³⁺ vacancies. Our results further substantiate these models.     

Levels and transitions in136Ba

Excited states of¹³⁶Ba are studied in the beta decay of¹³⁶Cs. The gamma spectrum is measured with high-resolution and coincidence techniques. Several new transitions are suggested to be connected with two recently reported levels. Gamma-gamma directional correlations are performed in an attempt to determine the characteristics of these levels, and in order to determine mixing ratios. The lifetime of the 2207.5 keV state is remeasured, and the lifetime of the 2140.5 keV state is measured for the first time.     

Titration Microcalorimetry Studies of the Interaction between Humicola lanuginosa Lipase and Ionic Surfactants

Microcalorimetry has been used to study the interaction between Humicola lanuginosa lipase and either the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate, SDS, or the cationic surfactant tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide, TTAB. For SDS no conclusive evidence was obtained of whether or not an enzyme-surfactant complex is formed. Although not unambiguous, the calorimetric titration curves obtained with TTAB indicate formation of such a complex. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.     

Phase conditions,hydrodynamic features and salt influence in the polymer-amphiphile interaction for the EHEC/SDS/water system

Two fractions of ethyl(hydroxy)ethyl cellulose, EHEC, and their interactions with sodium dodecyl sulphate, SDS, have been investigated. The effect of salt on these interactions was explored. The more hydrophobic fraction exhibits a cloud point (CP) of 30°C, and the more hydrophilic fraction has a CP around 65°C. The properties of the systems were studied by means of hydrodynamic (viscosity), equilibrium dialysis and cloud point measurements. Dye solubilization was used to obtain indications of cluster formation on the polymer backbone. The equilibrium dialysis shows a steep binding beginning at a critical surfactant concentration indicating a cooperative effect in the EHEC/SDS/water system. It is found that when the degree of binding is moderate and only 10–20% of the value at saturation, the specific viscosity effects occur and solutions containing high polymer concentrations pass a marked maximum in viscosity. It is shown that the maximum in viscosity and the collcoil interaction, expressed as Huggins constant,k _H, appear a composition with the same fractional amount of SDS adsorbed to both EHEC fractions. It was found that the onset of redistribution and increase in viscosity were shifted to higher SDS concentrations, although still below the normal CMC, for the EHEC fraction with a high CP. When small amounts of salt are present in the EHEC/SDS/water solutions, the CP curves develop a pronounced minimum at low SDS concentrations. The redistribution of SDS to the polymers starts immediately in the presence of salt, but the viscosity of the solutions is affected only in a very narrow composition interval.     

Immobilization of protein to surface-grafted PEO/PPO block copolymers

Adsorption and covalent immobilization of Ig G to a grafted tetrabranched PEO/PPO block copolymer have been studied and related to the temperature-dependent properties of the grafted polymer. The investigation was performed by means of in situ ellipsometry, as well as by ESCA and ELISA measurements. The results show that the copolymer grafted to polystyrene (PS) surface contracts substantially upon increasing the temperature. A close interrelation was found between the properties of the grafted layer and the amount of protein (Ig G) that could be either adsorbed or covalently immobilized to the modified PS surface. By utilizing the reversed temperature phase behavior exhibited by these copolymers a relatively high loading of protein was obtained at temperatures close to the cloud point. By lowering the temperature after immobilization, the grafted layer regains its hydrophilicity and protein-rejecting properties. Thus, problems associated with interaction between bound protein and the underlying solid surface are minimized.