Space-optimal, backtracking algorithms to list the minimal vertex separators of a graph

For a graph G in read-only memory on n vertices and m edges and a write-only output buffer, we give two algorithms using only O(n) rewritable space. The first algorithm lists all minimal a−b separators of G with a polynomial delay of O(nm). The second lists all minimal vertex separators of G with a cumulative polynomial delay of O(n³m).One consequence is that the algorithms can list the minimal a−b separators (and minimal vertex separators) spending O(nm) time (respectively, O(n³m) time) per object output.     

A graph coloring approach to scheduling of multiprocessor tasks on dedicated machines with availability constraints

We address a generalization of the classical 1- and 2-processor unit execution time scheduling problem on dedicated machines. In our chromatic model of scheduling machines have non-simultaneous availability times and tasks have arbitrary release times and due dates. Also, the versatility of our approach makes it possible to generalize all known classical criteria of optimality. Under these stipulations we show that the problem of optimal scheduling of sparse tree-like instances can be solved in polynomial time. However, if we admit dense instances then the problem becomes NP-hard, even if there are only two machines.     

A graph theoretical bound for the p-median problem

The p-median problem is a minisium network location problem that seeks to find the optimal location of p centres in a network. In the present paper a graph-theoretical bound is developed for the problem. This bound is based on shortest spanning trees and arborescences and other graphical properties of the problem. It is shown that the graph-theoretical bound dominates a bound based on shortest distances.     

A comparison of heuristic algorithms for cost-oriented assembly line balancing

Two new heuristic algorithms for solving cost-oriented assembly line balancing problems -the Wage-Rate-Method (WR) and the Wage-Rate-Smoothing-Method (WRS) — are presented and compared with two known heuristics — the Positional-Weight-Method (PW) and the Positional-Weight-Wage-Rate-Difference-Method (PWWD) with respect to their solution qualities. Firstly, the heuristics are outlined and their computational effort is stated. Then, a theoretical worst-case bound for the solution quality is given and the results of an extensive performance study are reported. In the study the heuristics were investigated with respect to their solution quality by solving randomly generated line balancing problems and problems from literature. It can be concluded that PWWD and WRS are generally superior to PW and WR.Parts of this research have been supported by the Stiftung Industrieforschung.     

A polynomial algorithm for one problem of guillotine cutting

We consider the problem of guillotine cutting a rectangular sheet into two rectangular pieces without rotations. The question is whether there exists a cutting pattern with given numbers of occurrences of both rectangular pieces. A polynomial time algorithm is described to construct the convex hull of solutions to this problem.     

On the generation of bicliques of a graph

An independent set of a graph is a subset of pairwise non-adjacent vertices. A complete bipartite set B is a subset of vertices admitting a bipartition B=X∪Y, such that both X and Y are independent sets, and all vertices of X are adjacent to those of Y. If both X,Y≠∅, then B is called proper. A biclique is a maximal proper complete bipartite set of a graph. When the requirement that X and Y are independent sets of G is dropped, we have a non-induced biclique. We show that it is NP-complete to test whether a subset of the vertices of a graph is part of a biclique. We propose an algorithm that generates all non-induced bicliques of a graph. In addition, we propose specialized efficient algorithms for generating the bicliques of special classes of graphs.     

Polynomial time algorithms for two special classes of the proportionate multiprocessor open shop

This paper describes a complex scheduling problem taken from a hospital diagnostic testing center that schedules hundreds of patients in an open shop environment consisting of multiple facilities and multiple processors. This scheduling problem, known as the multiprocessor open shop (MPOS) problem, is strongly NP-hard with few published results. Realizing that in many MPOS environments processing times are stage-dependent, not both job and stage-dependent, this paper examines a new class of problems for the MPOS—proportionate ones. This paper exploits the structural nature of the proportionate MPOS and defines new terms. Despite the enormous complexity of the MPOS problem, this work demonstrates that polynomial time algorithms exist for two special cases. Since other applications of this problem exist in service and manufacturing environments, solving the proportionate MPOS problem is not only significant in the theory of optimization, but also in many real-world applications.     

Adaptive sampling enhancement for Hotelling’s T charts

This paper makes a study of an adaptive sampling scheme useful to increase the power of the fixed sampling rate (FSR) T² control chart. In our study, the three parameters of T² control chart: the sample size, the sampling interval, and the upper percentage factor that is used for determining the action limit, vary between two values for a relaxed or tightened control, depending on the most recent T² value. The average time to signal (ATS) and adjusted average time to signal (AATS) a shift in the process mean vector for the new chart are derived and regarded as an objective function respectively to optimize its design parameters. With some minor changes, the new chart can be reduced to the variable sampling interval (VSI) T² chart, the sample size (VSS) T² chart, the variable sample size and sampling interval (VSSI) T² chart, or the FSR T² chart. Numerical comparisons among them are made and discussed. Furthermore, the effects of the initial sample number (use for estimating the in-control process parameters) upon the chart’s performance and adaptive design parameters are presented.     

A polynomial-time simplex method for the maximumk-flow problem

A generalization of the maximum-flow problem is considered in which every unit of flow sent from the source to the sink yields a payoff of $k. In addition, the capacity of any arce can be increased at a per-unit cost of $c _e . The problem is to determine how much arc capacity to purchase for each arc and how much flow to send so as to maximize the net profit. This problem can be modeled as a circulation problem. The main result of this paper is that this circulation problem can be solved by the network simplex method in at mostkmn pivots. Whenc _e = 1 for each arce, this yields a strongly polynomial-time simplex method. This result uses and extends a result of Goldfarb and Hao which states that the standard maximum-flow problem can be solved by the network simplex method in at mostmn pivots.Research partially supported by Office of Naval Research Grant N00014-86-K-0689 at Purdue University.     

A graph partitioning heuristic for the parallel pseudo-exhaustive logical test of VLSI combinational circuits

The logical test of integrated VLSI circuits is one of the main phases of their design and fabrication. The pseudo-exhaustive approach for the logical test of integrated circults consists in partitioning the original circuits to be tested into non-overlapping subcircuits with a small, bounded number of subcircuits, which are then exhaustively tested in parallel. In this work, we present an approximate algorithm for the problem of partitioning integrated combinational circuits, based on the tabu search metaheuristic. The proposed algorithm presents several original features, such as: the use of a reduced neighborhood, obtained from moves involving only a subset of boundary nodes; complex moves which entail several resulting moves, although the variations in the cost function are easily computable; a bi-criteria cost function combining the number of subcircuits and the number of cuts, which simultaneously adds a diversification strategy to the search; and the use of a bin-packing heuristic as a post-optimization step. The behavior of the proposed algorithm was evaluated through its application to a set of benchmark circuits. The computational results have been compared with those obtained by the other algorithms in the literature, with significant improvements. The average reduction rates have been of the order of 30% in the number of subcircuits in the partition, and of the order of 40% in the number of cuts.     

A note on the computational complexity of graph vertex partition

A stable set of a graph is a vertex set in which any two vertices are not adjacent. It was proven in [A. Brandstädt, V.B. Le, T. Szymczak, The complexity of some problems related to graph 3-colorability, Discrete Appl. Math. 89 (1998) 59-73] that the following problem is NP-complete: Given a bipartite graph G, check whether G has a stable set S such thatG-Sis a tree. In this paper we prove the following problem is polynomially solvable: Given a graph G with maximum degree 3 and containing no vertices of degree 2, check whether G has a stable set S such thatG-Sis a tree. Thus we partly answer a question posed by the authors in the above paper. Moreover, we give some structural characterizations for a graph G with maximum degree 3 that has a stable set S such that G-S is a tree.     

农艺措施对蔗糖产量影响的探讨

采用五元二次回归旋转正交组合设计方法，通过１９９０—１９９１年秋植蔗试验，建立蔗糖产量与种植密度，尿素、钙镁磷、氯化钾、桐麸的施用量等主要农艺措施之间的数学模型，得出各主要农艺措施及它们相互之间的作用对蔗糖产量的影响程度，并优选甘蔗生产的最优综合栽培农艺措施方案。     

A dual approach for the continuous collapsing knapsack problem

We formulate and solve a dual version of the Continuous Collapsing Knapsack Problem using a geometric approach. Optimality conditions are found and an algorithm is presented. Computational experience shows that this procedure is efficient.     

A class of polynomial variable metric algorithms for linear optimization

In the paper, the behaviour of interior point algorithms is analyzed by using a variable metric method approach. A class of polynomial variable metric algorithms is given achieving O ((n/β)L) iterations for solving a canonical form linear optimization problem with respect to a wide class of Riemannian metrics, wheren is the number of dimensions and β a fixed value. It is shown that the vector fields of several interior point algorithms for linear optimization is the negative Riemannian gradient vector field of a linear a potential or a logarithmic barrier function for suitable Riemannian metrics. Research Partially supported by the Hungarian National Research Foundation, Grant Nos. OTKA-T016413 and OTKA-2116.     

A PTAS for the sparsest 2-spanner of 4-connected planar triangulations

A t-spanner of an undirected, unweighted graph G is a spanning subgraph of G with the added property that for every pair of vertices in G, the distance between them in is at most t times the distance between them in G. We are interested in finding a sparsest t-spanner, i.e., a t-spanner with the minimum number of edges. In the general setting, this problem is known to be NP-hard for all t2. For t5, the problem remains NP-hard for planar graphs, whereas for t{2,3,4}, the complexity of this problem on planar graphs is still unknown. In this paper we present a polynomial time approximation scheme for the problem of finding a sparsest 2-spanner of a 4-connected planar triangulation.     

Frequency domain approach for the polynomial stability of a system of partially damped wave equations

In this paper, we study the stability of a system of wave equations which are weakly coupled and partially damped. Using a frequency domain approach based on the growth of the resolvent on the imaginary axis, we establish the polynomial energy decay rate for smooth initial data. We show that the behavior of the system is sensitive to the arithmetic property of the ratio of the wave propagation speeds of the two equations.     

A well-solvable special case of the bounded knapsack problem

We identify a polynomially solvable special case of the bounded knapsack problem that is characterized by a set of simple inequalities relating item weight ratios to item profit ratios. Our result generalizes and extends a corresponding result of Zukerman, et al. [M. Zukerman, L. Jia, T. Neame, G.J. Woeginger, A polynomially solvable special case of the unbounded knapsack problem, Operations Research Letters 29 (2001) 13-16] for the unbounded knapsack problem.     

A genetic algorithms simulation approach for the multi-attribute combinatorial dispatching decision problem

This paper presents a genetic algorithms (GA) simulation approach in solving a multi-attribute combinatorial dispatching (MACD) decision problem in a flow shop with multiple processors (FSMP) environment. The simulation is capable of modeling a non-linear and stochastic problem. GA are one of the commonly used metaheuristics and are a proven tool for solving complex optimization problems. The proposed GA simulation approach addresses a complex MACD problem. Its solution quality is illustrated by a case study from a multi-layer ceramic capacitor (MLCC) manufacturing plant. Because GA search results are often sensitive to the search parameters, this research optimized the GA parameters by using regression analysis. Empirical results showed that the GA simulation approach outperformed several commonly used dispatching rules. The improvements are ranging from 33% to 61%. On the other hand, the increased shop-floor-control complexity may hinder the implementation of the system. Finally, future research directions are discussed.     

A matrix approach to status quo analysis in the graph model for conflict resolution

An algebraic method is developed to carry out status quo analysis within the framework of the graph model for conflict resolution. As a form of post-stability analysis, status quo analysis aims at confirming that possible equilibria, or states stable for all decision-makers, are in fact reachable from the status quo or any other initial state. Although pseudo-codes for status quo analysis have been developed, they have never been implemented within a practical decision support system. The novel matrix approach to status quo analysis designed here is convenient for computer implementation and easy to employ, as is illustrated by an application to a real-world conflict case. Moveover, the proposed explicit matrix approach reveals an inherent link between status quo analysis and the traditional stability analysis and, hence, provides the possibility of establishing an integrated paradigm for stability and status quo analyses.