Minimizing makespan on a single machine subject to random breakdowns

We investigate optimal sequencing policies for the expected makespan problem with an unreliable machine, where jobs have to be reprocessed in their entirety if preemptions occur because of breakdowns. We identify a class of uptime distributions under which LPT minimizes expected makespan.     

Composting and biodegradation of thermally processed feather keratin polymer

Proteins obtained from agricultural sources represent a unique feedstock from which to prepare thermally processable polymers. In this study, thermally processed feather keratin films were composted with three-month-old compost inoculum in self-heating laboratory composters for 30 days and temperature and carbon dioxide development monitored. About 24% of the available carbon in the feather keratin polymer (FKP) was metabolized in this time and this may not be high enough for some applications. Degradation of the feather keratin polymers was observed within 10 days with concurrent molecular weight reduction measured using FT-IR. Visual inspection of the polymers also showed destruction of the films. A change in crystallinity was observed in DSC analysis and some degradation processes could be inferred from this as well.     

New transesterification reaction between acetylated wood and tetramethoxysilane: A feasibility study

Novel transesterification of acetylated maritime pine sapwood (Pinus pinaster Soland) reaction was performed with tetramethoxysilane (TMOS) in presence of dibutyltin oxide as a catalyst. Transesterification was confirmed by weight percent gain calculations (WPG), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) as well as ¹³C and ²⁹Si NMR CP-MAS analysis. The results showed that transesterification indeed occurs via exchange of acetate groups from acetylated wood and methoxysilane groups from TMOS. The effect of temperatures and reaction time upon transesterification efficiency was also investigated.     

Direct determination of manganese in vitamin-mineral tablets using solid sampling electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry

Manganese in vitamin-minerals tablets was determined by solid sampling electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (SS-ETAAS) using three different calibration methods, namely calibration against aqueous standards, standard addition with aqueous standards on solid samples and calibration against solid certified standards. Samples were only finely ground and introduced directly into the furnace by means of solid autosampler system without any dissolving process. Effects of different calibration techniques, temperatures and heating rates of atomization and pyrolysis steps on the accuracy and precision of the analyte elements were investigated. After optimization of the experimental parameters, there is good agreement (at 95% confidence level) between the results obtained by solid sampling and those obtained by acid digestion of samples.     

Application of Compton scattering normalization method to the analysis of uranium ore

Compton scattering normalization method is described for the analysis of uranium bearing ore respect to the usage of K X-rays of uranium. Minimum backscatter energy is obtained at a scatter angle of 180° with fixed point source geometry and collimation in appropriate conclusions. By normalizing the intensities of uranium K-lines to the Compton profile in the measured spectra, the results do not depend on several measuring parameters such as primary radiation intensity, matrix, composition, mass of the sample and measuring time. The method presented in this study indicates the convenience of uranium K-lines analysis for thick targets with an adequate measuring geometry.     

A new route for the functionalisation of wood through transesterification reactions

A novel transesterification reaction between acetylated maritime pine sapwood (Pinus pinaster Soland) and methyl benzoate (MB), in the presence of dibutyltin oxide (DBTO) as a catalyst, was performed. Reaction was confirmed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance cross-polarisation with magic-angle spinning (NMR CP MAS) analysis: signals corresponding to benzoylated wood were identified and, when transesterification was performed with ethyl trimethylsilylacetate (ETMSA), characteristic trimethylsilyl groups were detected. The acetyl/benzoyl exchange rate was found to increase with increasing amount of DBTO, temperature and reaction time and a concurrent deterioration of the woody material was evidenced.     

Establishment of a quality system for nuclear analytical laboratories

Comprehensive Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA) Program is stated on the quality policy, organization, methods and records for nuclear analytical laboratories which are necessary for improvement of productivity, to upgrade the performance, credibility and reputation. The proper and complete identification of quality elements for management and technical requirements are being written in Quality Manual as well as analytical and organizational procedures and working instructions according to ISO 17025 standard. Technical ability of gamma, X-ray and a/b laboratories in the Center has been checked by participation in proficiency test, critical technical variables, and quality results. Performance of quality system has been controlled by external audit inspection, progress reports and service to clients. The present study is a framework of the model project of IAEA, coded RER/2/004, which has resulted self-sustainable accreditation from the national body, TURKAK. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Optical spectra of organic quantum dots in the strong coupling regime

We analyze the emission spectrum of a single organic quantum dot coupled to a microcavity in the strong coupling regime. We take into account non-linearities arising from both exciton–exciton interactions and the Pauli exclusion principle. We apply the recently developed Pade approximation for regular truncation of Green functions to calculate the emission spectrum. We show that as the number of excitations in the quantum dot increases the Rabi doublet evolves into a more complicated triplet structure.     

Radii of starlikeness and convexity of a cross-product of Bessel functions

To illustrate vertical and horizontal equidistributions of Kloosterman sums, we prove two relevant central limit theorems by some analytic and combinatorial properties of Chebyshev polynomials and independence of monodromy groups of Kloosterman sheaves. The first one supports a short interval version of Katz’s vertical Sato–Tate distribution theorem, and the second one coincides with the horizontal conjecture of Katz in the statistical sense.     

Holomorphic functional calculus for operators on a locally convex space

One-variable holomorphic functional calculus is studied on the bornological algebra Lec(E) of all continuous linear oprators on a complete locally convex space E. It is proven that the following three basic notions of the theory are equivalent: (i) existence of projective resolvent of an operator T at a point λ₀, (ii) strict regularity of λ₀ for the operator T in the sense of [12, 13, 15], (iii) tamability of the operator (λ₀ ? T)^?1 (T if λ₀ = ∞), which means that there is a new equivalent system of seminorms on E, such that the operator is bounded in each of them.