Solving a Huff-like competitive location and design model for profit maximization in the plane

A chain wants to set up a single new facility in a planar market where similar facilities of competitors, and possibly of its own chain, are already present. Fixed demand points split their demand probabilistically over all facilities in the market proportionally with their attraction to each facility, determined by the different perceived qualities of the facilities and the distances to them, through a gravitational or logit type model. Both the location and the quality (design) of the new facility are to be found so as to maximise the profit obtained for the chain. Several types of constraints and costs are considered.     

Some new results for a logistic almost periodic system with infinite delay and discrete delay

A nonautonomous logistic almost periodic system with infinite delay and discrete delay is considered. Our result shows that the system is globally asymptotically stable under the condition for the boundedness of the system. By using almost periodic functional Hull theory and new computational techniques, we show that the almost periodic system has a unique globally asymptotically stable strictly positive almost periodic solution under the condition for the boundedness of the system. Some recent results are improved, and an open question is answered.     

Minimizing makespan for a bipartite graph on a single processor with an integer precedence delay

We consider the makespan minimization for a unit execution time task sequencing problem with a bipartite precedence delays graph and a positive precedence delay d. We prove that the associated decision problem is strongly NP-complete and we provide a non-trivial polynomial sub-case. We also give an approximation algorithm with ratio .     

A DEA approach to derive individual lower and upper bounds for the technical and allocative components of the overall profit efficiency

In this paper, we propose a slack-based data envelopment analysis approach to be used in economic efficiency analyses when the objective is profit maximization. The focus is on the measurement of the technical component of the overall efficiency with the purpose of guaranteeing the achievement of the Pareto efficiency. As a result, we will be able to estimate correctly the allocative component in the sense that this latter only reflects the improvements that can be accomplished by reallocations along the Pareto-efficient frontier. Some new measures of technical and allocative efficiency in terms of both profit ratios and differences of profits are defined. We do not make any assumption on the way the technical efficiency is to be measured, that is, we do not use, for example, either a hyperbolic measure or a directional distance function, which allows us to extend this approach and derive individual lower and upper bounds for these efficiency components. To do it, we use novel models of minimum distance to the frontier. This broadens the range of possibilities for the explanation of the overall efficiency in terms of technical and allocative inefficiencies.     

Effect of declining selling price: profit analysis for a single period inventory model with stochastic demand and lead time

In this paper, considering the empirical trend for sales and price of fashion apparels as prototype, optimal ordering policy for a single period stochastic inventory model is investigated. The impact of the presence of random lead time and declining selling price on the profitability of the retailer is explored. Existence of unique optimal solutions for net profit functions is proved. Numerical examples are presented to illustrate the method of identifying profitable levels of inventory holding and penalty costs. Percentage profit per unit investment in inventory is obtained in order to assist managers in taking business decisions, specifically to the extent of whether or not to take up a particular business under known constraints. It is demonstrated that the optimal inventory policy in the absence of price decline and lead time differs considerably from that when lead time and price decline are simultaneously considered.     

Meinardus' theorem on weighted partitions: Extensions and a probabilistic proof

The number c_n of weighted partitions of an integer n, with parameters (weights) b_k, k1, is given by the generating function relationship . Meinardus (1954) established his famous asymptotic formula for c_n, as n→∞, under three conditions on power and Dirichlet generating functions for the sequence b_k. We give a probabilistic proof of Meinardus' theorem with weakened third condition and extend the resulting version of the theorem from weighted partitions to other two classic types of decomposable combinatorial structures, which are called assemblies and selections.     

A priori bounds for semilinear equations and a new class of critical exponents for Lipschitz domains

A priori bounds for positive, very weak solutions of semilinear elliptic boundary value problems −Δu=f(x,u) on a bounded domain Ω⊂Rn with u=0 on ∂Ω are studied, where the nonlinearity 0?f(x,s) grows at most like sp. If Ω is a Lipschitz domain we exhibit two exponents p_* and p^*, which depend on the boundary behavior of the Green function and on the smallest interior opening angle of ∂Ω. We prove that for 1<p<p_* all positive very weak solutions are a priori bounded in L^∞. For p>p^* we construct a nonlinearity f(x,s)=a(x)sp together with a positive very weak solution which does not belong to L^∞. Finally we exhibit a class of domains for which p_*=p^*. For such domains we have found a true critical exponent for very weak solutions. In the case of smooth domains is an exponent which is well known from classical work of Brezis, Turner [H. Brezis, R.E.L. Turner, On a class of superlinear elliptic problems, Comm. Partial Differential Equations 2 (1977) 601-614] and from recent work of Quittner, Souplet [P. Quittner, Ph. Souplet, A priori estimates and existence for elliptic systems via bootstrap in weighted Lebesgue spaces, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 174 (2004) 49-81].     

An affine scaling interior trust-region method combining with line search filter technique for optimization subject to bounds on variables

This paper proposes and analyzes an affine scaling trust-region method with line search filter technique for solving nonlinear optimization problems subject to bounds on variables. At the current iteration, the trial step is generated by the general trust-region subproblem which is defined by minimizing a quadratic function subject only to an affine scaling ellipsoidal constraint. Both trust-region strategy and line search filter technique will switch to trail backtracking step which is strictly feasible. Meanwhile, the proposed method does not depend on any external restoration procedure used in line search filter technique. A new backtracking relevance condition is given which is weaker than the switching condition to obtain the global convergence of the algorithm. The global convergence and fast local convergence rate of this algorithm are established under reasonable assumptions. Preliminary numerical results are reported indicating the practical viability and show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.     

The FCFS service discipline: Stable network topologies, bounds on traffic burstiness and delay, and control by regulators

We consider the well-known First Come First Serve (FCFS) scheduling policy under bursty arrivals. This policy is commonly used in scheduling communication networks and manufacturing systems. Recently it has been shown that the FCFS policy can be unstable for some nonacyclic network topologies.We identify some network topologies under which FCFS is stable for all arrival and service rate vectors within the system's capacity. This is done by determining a sharp bound on the burstiness of traffic exiting from a tandem section of the system, in terms of the burstiness of the incoming traffic. This burstiness bound further allows us to provide a bound on the maximum number of parts in the system, and the maximum delay. It also enables us to analyze the performance of some systems controlled by the use of traffic smoothing regulators. The maximum delay can remain bounded even in the heavy traffic limit, when all stations are 100% utilized.     

一类二元函数连续与可微条件的归纳与推广

多元函数的可导性、连续性、可微性是多元函数微分学的重要内容.本文基于多元微分学教学实践,归纳了一类二元函数的可偏导、连续、可微的充分条件,并对此类二元函数做一般性推广,得到了推广函数连续与可微的充分条件.     

Local existence,lower mass bounds,and a new continuation criterion for the Landau equation

We consider the spatially inhomogeneous Landau equation with soft potentials. First, we establish the short-time existence of solutions, assuming the initial data has sufficient decay in the velocity variable and regularity (no decay assumptions are made in the spatial variable). Next, we show that the evolution instantaneously spreads mass throughout the domain. The resulting lower bounds are sub-Gaussian, which we show is optimal. The proof of mass-spreading is based on a stochastic process, and makes essential use of nonlocality. By combining this theorem with prior results, we derive two important applications: $C^{\infty }$-smoothing, even for initial data with vacuum regions, and a continuation criterion (the solution can be extended as long as the mass and energy densities stay bounded from above). This is the weakest condition known to prevent blow-up. In particular, it does not require a lower bound on the mass density or an upper bound on the entropy density.     

Efficient bounds on a branch and bound algorithm for graph colouration

By a proper colouring of a simple graph, we mean an assignment of colours to its vertices with adjacent vertices receiving different colours. Applications of this graph‐theoretic modelling are numerous, especially in the areas of scheduling and timetabling. We shall refer to a proper colouration that uses a smallest possible number of colours as a minimum (proper) colouration. This number for the graph is simply its chromatic number, the determination of which is well known to be a ‘hard’ problem. In this paper, from the computational point of view of actually constructing a colouration, we examine a simple coalescence/expansion procedure that bases on the branch and bound technique improved by efficient bounding conditions. They include various tightened fathoming criteria as well as complete subgraph determination. For the computer implementation, we also look at the issues of branching rules and the decomposition of solution tree. With these efforts, empirical results show that minimum colourations can be constructed for moderate size graphs, with ‘good’ solutions computed for problems of up to about forty vertices.     

Heuristics and lower bounds for the simple assembly line balancing problem type 1: Overview,computational tests and improvements

Assigning tasks to work stations is an essential problem which needs to be addressed in an assembly line design. The most basic model is called simple assembly line balancing problem type 1 (SALBP-1). We provide a survey on 12 heuristics and 9 lower bounds for this model and test them on a traditional and a lately-published benchmark dataset. The present paper focuses on algorithms published before 2011.     

Some new explicit bounds for weakly singular integral inequalities with applications to fractional differential and integral equations

Some new weakly singular integral inequalities of Gronwall-Bellman type are established, which generalized some known weakly singular inequalities and can be used in the analysis of various problems in the theory of certain classes of differential equations, integral equations and evolution equations. Some applications to fractional differential and integral equations are also indicated.     

Explicit bounds for second-order difference equations and a solution to a question of Stevi?

This note gives explicit, applicable bounds for solutions of a wide class of second-order difference equations with nonconstant coefficients. Among the applications is an affirmative answer to a recent question of Stevi?.