Persistent Monitoring by Multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Using Bernstein Polynomials

Journal of Optimization Theory and Applications - A framework for monitoring a target modeled as Dubins car using multiple UAVs is proposed. The UAVs are subject to minimum and maximum speed,...     

Novel mass spectral fragmentation of heptafluorobutyryl derivatives of acyl analogues of platelet-activating factor

Direct derivatization of the acyl analogue of platelet-activating factor (acyl-PAF) with heptafluorobutyric anhydride results in replacement of the phosphocholine moiety with a heptafluorobutyryl (HFB) group. Electron capture (EC) mass spectrometric analysis of this compound that makes use of negative ion detection along with subsequent accurate mass measurement and tandem mass spectrometry studies revealed that in addition to expected fragmentation due to losses of elements of HF, ketene, and/or acetic acid, there is a rearrangement reaction between the HFB group and the substituent on carbon-2 of the glycerol backbone. For 2-acetyl isomers, this fragmentation yields a characteristic ion at m/z 237; for 1-acetyl isomers, the analogous ion is observed at [M-135]⁻, along with a corresponding carboxylate anion. The use of the HFB derivative is invaluable for analysis of PAF homologues and analogues because it provides detailed structural information in combination with the high sensitivity of a gas chromatography combined with EC-mass spectrometry assay.     

A stereotypic,transplantable liver tissue-culture system

A method of coculturing adult rat hepatic parenchymal cells (PC) and stromal cells in a three-dimensional framework of nylon filtration screens or biodegradable polymer meshes was developed in our laboratory. Rat liver stroma, which includes vascular and bile duct endothelial cells, fat-storing cells, fibroblasts, and Kupffer cells, were isolated by gradient centrifugation afterin situ liver perfusion and expanded in monolayer culture prior to seeding onto nylon screens or bioresorbable polyglycolic acid (PGA) polymers oriented into a felt-like construct. A second inoculum of freshly isolated PC was applied after the stromal cells became established. Histological analyses revealed that PC proliferation occurred until all available space for expansion within the template was exhausted. These cells retained their rounded morphology, and after 4–5 wk 7–9 “layers” of PC filled the 140-μm deep template. Dioxin-inducible cytochrome P450 activity was detected for up to 58 d in culture, and albumin, fibrinogen, transferrin, and soluble fibronectin were detected in the medium by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for 48 d in vitro. Immunohistochemical analysis of sections through the cultures confirmed the presence of these proteins as well as cytokeratin at the cellular level; the extracellular matrix stained for both collagen type III and laminin. Long-term PC proliferation and function were enhanced by the presence of stromal cells as well as by a meshwork template whose geometry allows the interaction of PC with stroma and matrix on several different planes. To permit transplantation, co-cultures of hepatic PC and stromal cells were established on PGA felt constructs instead of nylon screens. After 24 d in vitro, these constructs were grafted into sites in the mesentery, omentum, and sub-cutaneous tissues of adult Long-Evans rats. The growth of hepatocytes after 30 din situ was evident by histological analysis; grafts of co-cultures regenerated a liver-like architecture consisting of sinusoids and putative biliary structures. In addition, PC at these extrahepatic graft sites were positive for albumin, transferrin, and fibrinogen synthesis by immunohistochemistry. Graft survival was enhanced when recipients were subjected to 40% hepatectomy. Hepatic PC:stromal cell cocultures may prove useful in the restoration of liver function either by direct transplantation using PGA or similar templates, or as extracorporeal devices, using nylon screens.     

A simulation-based approach for fleet design in a technician dispatch problem with stochastic demand

We address the problem of developing policies for selecting the proper number of technicians to hire (fleet size) for an on-call repair service operating over a yearly planning horizon in an environment where the number of requests to be serviced each day can vary significantly from day to day and on a seasonal basis. We propose a new approach based on the simulation of a large number of sampled weekly instances and the application of a previously developed optimization procedure for the daily dispatch of technicians. The sampled instances are derived from an extensive statistical analysis of demand data with respect to several key parameters. The results of the simulations are utilized to adjust performance curves in function of fleet size that are then used in an economic analysis of the trade-offs between service quality and cost. Efficient policies for fleet design are then deducted from this analysis.     

Design of insurance contracts using stochastic programming in forestry planning

This work addresses a tactical planning problem faced by a forestry firm, deciding which timber units to harvest and what roads to build to obtain the greatest possible benefits. We include uncertainty in prices by means of utility theory. This enables solutions to be found that the firm finds preferable to those obtained when risk aversion is ignored and makes it possible to design insurance contracts that benefit the firm while also being attractive to an insurer. Two types of contract are designed; one dependent on the firm’s operating result and the other independent of it. Metrics are then developed to quantify the benefits conferred by a contract, demonstrating that the latter contract type dominates the former. These results are then illustrated by applying them to a simplified planning problem of a forest owned by the Chilean forestry operator Millalemu.