Evaluating cost impacts on reverse logistics using an Economic Order Quantity (EOQ) model with environmental and social considerations

Central European Journal of Operations Research - Societal awareness and legislation changes concerning sustainability have affected how organizations generate value for stakeholders, as well as...     

Approximation algorithms for dynamic resource allocation

We consider a problem of allocating limited quantities of M types of resources among N independent activities that evolve over T epochs. In each epoch, we assign to each activity a task which consumes resources, generates utility, and determines the subsequent state of the activity. We study the complexity of, and approximation algorithms for, maximizing average utility.     

Interface-related effects on confined excitons in GaAs/AlxGa1−xAs single quantum wells

Confined excitons in non-abrupt GaAs/Al_xGa_1−xAs single quantum wells are studied. The graded interfaces are described taking into account fluctuations in their thickness a and positioning with respect to the abrupt interface picture. Numerical results for confined (0,0),(1,1) and (0,2) excitons in GaAs/Al_0.3Ga_0.7As quantum wells show that while the interfacial fluctuations produce small changes (<0.5 meV) in the exciton binding energies, the confined exciton energies can be red- or blue-shifted as much as 25 meV for wells with mean width of 50 Å and 2 ML wide interfaces.     

Exciton energy broadening due to interface fluctuations in ZnSe/ZnSxSe1−x strained quantum wells

The excitonic properties of a ZnSe/ZnS_xSe_1−x strained quantum well (QW) are calculated taking into account interface effects. Numerical results obtained with ZnS_0.18Se_0.82/ZnSe QWs show that graded interfaces can be responsible for a strong broadening of excitonic spectra.     

Spherical Particles of Zirconia-Titania of Hexagonal Structure from a Neutral Amine Route

Through the sol–gel process, using the so-called neutral amine route, spherical particles of 1:1 zirconia–titania were synthesized from zirconium(IV) and titanium(IV) butoxides as well as 1,12-diaminododecane as precursor species. The obtained product exhibited a hexagonal structure, as determinated by X-ray diffraction data. The obtained material was also characterized by thermogravimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and surface area measurements. Despite the release of template molecules on heating, the spherical morphology was retained up to about 1200°C, at which the disruption of the spheres took place.     

A further study of the cytotoxic constituents of a milnamide-producing sponge

A reinvestigation of Auletta sp. yielded the novel compound milnamide C (3) plus the known compounds milnamide A (1), milnamide B (hemiasterlin) (2), jasplakinolide (5), and geodiamolides A (6), D (7), E (8), and G (9). The isolation work was guided by cytoskeletal bioactivity data. Compounds 2 and 3 were shown to cause microtubule depolymerization, and 6-9 were shown to cause microfilament disruption. This biological activity and the structural elucidation of 3, including X-ray analysis, are reported here. [structure: see text]     

The First VOPO4·2H2O Intercalation Compound Synthesized through a Solid-State Reaction at Room Temperature

This communication reports the first intercalation into VOPO₄·2H₂O performed through a solid-state reaction at room temperature. Ethyleneurea, EU (2-imidazolidone) was intercalated into the oxovanadium phosphate by grinding in a mortar stoichiometric amounts of both reagents at room temperature for 30 min. C, H and N elemental analyses of the obtained intercalation compound gave the formula VOPO₄·(EU)·H₂O. The profile of the absorption bands due to the VOPO₄ lattice vibration around 1000 cm⁻¹ was retained after reaction, providing evidence that an intercalation compound and not merely a salt of V-P-O species was produced. For α-VOPO₄·2H₂O, the interlayer distance is 0.75 nm, whereas for the EU inter-calation compound it is 0.95 nm. The obtained SEM micrographs show that the microstructure of VOPO₄·2H₂O is changed after reaction, with a total exfoliation of the oxovanadium matrix.     

Thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetric investigations of manganese–glycine interactions

Thermogravimetric (t.g.) and differential scanning calorimetric (d.s.c.) data have been used to study metal–amino acid interactions in adducts of general formula MnCl₂ · ngly (gly = glycine, n = 0.7, 2.0, 4.0 and 5.0). All the prepared adducts exhibit only a one step mass loss associated with the release of glycine molecules, except for the 0.7gly adduct, which exhibits two glycine mass loss steps. From d.s.c. data, the enthalpy values associated with the glycine mass loss can be calculated: MnCl₂ · 0.7gly = 409 and 399 kJ mol^–1, MnCl₂ · 2.0gly = 216 kJ mol^–1, MnCl₂ · 4.0gly = 326 kJ mol^–1 and MnCl₂ · 5.0gly = 423 kJ mol^–1, respectively. The enthalpy associated with the ligand loss, plotted as function of the number of ligands for the n = 2.0, 4.0 and 5.0 adducts, gave a linear correlation, fitting the equation: H (ligand loss)/kJ mol^–1 = 67 × (number of ligands, n) + 76. A similar result was achieved when the enthalpy associated with the ligand loss was plotted as a function of the _a(COO^–) bands associated with the coordination through the carboxylate group, 1571, 1575 and 1577 cm^–1, respectively, for the n = 2.0, 4.0 and 5.0 adducts, giving the equation H (ligand loss) /kJ mol^–1 = 33.5 × _a(COO^–) /cm^–1 – 52418.5. This simple equation provides evidence for the enthalpy associated with the ligand loss being very closely related to the electronic density associated with the metal–amino acid bonds.