Bin covering with a general profit function: approximability results

In the recent paper (Benk? et al. 2010) we introduced a new problem that we call Bin Packing/Covering with Delivery, or BP/CD for short. Mainly we mean under this expression that we look for not only a good, but a “good and fast” packing or covering. In the present paper we investigate the offline case. For the analysis, a novel view on “offline optimum” is introduced, which appears to be relevant concerning all problems where a final solution is ordering-dependent. We prove that if the item sizes are not allowed to be arbitrarily close to zero, then an optimal offline solution can be found in polynomial time. On the other hand, for unrestricted problem instances, no polynomial-time algorithm can achieve an asymptotic approximation ratio better than 6/7 if $P\ne NP$ .     

Transition between the Lagrange and Hermite–Fejér interpolations. I (Trigonometric case)

We construct a special class of discrete φ-summations to describe the transition between the well known (trigonometric) Lagrange and Hermite–Fejér interpolations. We give general properties, operator norm and convergence order for these cases.     

Measurement of production date (age) of nanogram amount of uranium

JRC-Karlsruhe obtained a swipe sample from a highly enriched uranium seizure, which had taken place in 2011. Due to the very low amount of uranium (nanograms) a new method needed to be developed to determine the U production date (age). The particles on the swipe were collected on a pyrolytic graphite planchet using a vacuum impactor and they were subsequently leached with ccHNO₃. The “bulk” U isotopic composition (²³⁵U: 72.51?±?0.03 wt%) and the production date (December 1992?±?1 year) determined by MC-ICP-MS indicated that the material showed similarity with two other HEU cases seized earlier in Europe.

     

An extension of the Rådström cancellation theorem to cornets

Semigroup Forum - The aim of this paper is to introduce the notion of cornets, which form a particular subclass of ordered semigroups also equipped with a multiplication by natural numbers. The...