Loading aircraft for military operations

In this paper, we describe an aircraft loading problem submitted by the French military agency (DGA) as part of a more general military airlift planning problem. It can be viewed as a kind of bi-dimensional bin-packing problem, with heterogeneous bins and several additional constraints. We introduce two-phase methods for solving this NP-hard problem. The first phase consists in building good initial solutions, thanks to two fast algorithms: a list-based heuristic and a loading pattern generation method. Both algorithms call a constraint-based subroutine, able to determine quickly if the items already loaded can be reshuffled to accommodate a new object. The second phase improves these preliminary solutions using local search techniques. Results obtained on real data sets are presented.     

Automorphisms with only infinite orbits on non-algebraic elements

 This paper generalizes results of F. K?rner from [4] where she established the existence of maximal automorphisms (i.e. automorphisms moving all non-algebraic elements). An ω-maximal automorphism is an automorphism whose powers are maximal automorphisms. We prove that any structure has an elementary extension with an ω-maximal automorphism. We also show the existence of ω-maximal automorphisms in all countable arithmetically saturated structures. Further we describe the pairs of tuples (ˉa,ˉb) for which there is an ω-maximal automorphism mapping ˉa to ˉb. Received: 12 December 2001 / Published online: 10 October 2002 Supported by the ``Fonds pour la Formation à la Recherche dans l'Industrie et dans l'Agriculture' Mathematics Subject Classification (2000): Primary: 03C50; Secondary: 03C57 Key words or phrases: Automorphism – Recursively saturated structure     

Amplitude des oscillations d'ondes solitaires généralisées

Various physical systems of dispersive waves admit solutions in the form of generalized solitary waves. Such waves result from the resonance between a long localized wave and short periodic oscillations. Many estimates (rigorous and numerical) have been given for the amplitude of the ripples in the tail of the generalized solitary wave when its central part has a sech² shape. This Note provides estimates (not yet rigorous) for the ripple amplitude when the central part is flat and wide. To cite this article: C. Fochesato, F. Dias, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 337 (2003).     

Symmetry properties of radioactive N=Z nuclei

Recent mass measurements of proton-rich nuclei close to the N=Z line were used for the calculation of the interaction strength δV _pn between valence protons and neutrons. When compared with δV _pn values calculated from mass values of the AME’95 mass tables, the breaking down of the SU(4) symmetry is verified at Z=32,33,34.     

Controlled synthesis of amphiphilic biodegradable polylactide‐grafted dextran copolymers

The whole controlled synthesis of novel amphiphilic polylactide (PLA)‐grafted dextran copolymers was achieved. The control of the architecture of such biodegradable and potentially biocompatible copolymers has required a three‐step synthesis based on the “grafting from” concept. The first step consisted of the partial silylation of the dextran hydroxyl groups. This protection step was followed by the ring‐opening polymerization of D ,L ‐lactide initiated from the remaining OH functions of the partially silylated polysaccharide. The third step involved the silylether group deprotection under very mild conditions. Based on previous studies, in which the control of the first step was achieved, this study is focused on the last two steps. Experimental conditions were investigated to ensure a controlled polymerization of D ,L ‐lactide, in terms of grafting efficiency, graft length, and transesterification limitation. After polymerization, the final step was studied in order to avoid degradation of both polysaccharide backbone and polyester grafts. The chemical stability of dextran backbone was checked throughout each step of the synthesis. PLA‐grafted dextrans and PLA‐grafted (silylated dextrans) were proved to adopt a core‐shell conformation in various solvents. Furthermore, preliminary experiments on the potential use of these amphiphilic grafted copolymers as liquid/liquid interface stabilizers were performed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 2577–2588, 2004     

Control of the Morphology of Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Materials Elaborated by Reactive Processing Without Solvent

We study the synthesis of organic-inorganic hybrids in the molten state of the polymer without solvent, by reactive processing. The synthesis is based in a first step upon the crosslinking of ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) through an exchange reaction between the pendant ester groups of EVA and tetrapropoxysilane (TPOS) in presence of dibutyltin oxide (DBTO) as an indispensable catalyst. Then in a second step the hydrolysis-condensation reactions of residual alkoxide groups results in silica network formation, which is covalently bonded with the organic network. An original approach was developed to correlate the evolution of the hydrolysis-condensation reactions through the assessment of propanol by gas chromatography and the evolution of the morphology through SAXS and TEM analysis. Silica-rich domains with a diameter close to 5 nm are obtained.     

Biosorption of Chromium(III) by Biomass of Seaweed Sargassum sp. in a Fixed-Bed Column

This work aimed at modeling chromium biosorption using the biomass of seaweed Sargassum sp. in a fixed-bed column. The mathematical model used was obtained from the mass balance of the component in the liquid phase and in the biosorbent material. The effects of both axial dispersion in the column and the resistance to mass transfer in the solid were considered for the solution of the partial differential equations of the model, using the Galerkin method on finite elements. To represent the equilibrium data of the batch system the Langmuir isotherm were used. The chromium ion adsorption capacity of the seaweed Sargassum sp., at a temperature of 30°C and pH 3.5, was 2.61 mmol/g. The model performance was evaluated from experimental data obtained at 30°C for flow rates of 2, 6 and 8 mL/min. The parameters of the model, mass transfer and axial dispersion coefficients, were adjusted from these experimental data. The model proved adequate to describe chromium biosorption dynamics in fixed-bed columns.     

Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLNs): Preparation and Properties of Calix[4]resorcinarene Derived Systems.

Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLNs) have been prepared fromc-2,c-8,c-14,c-20-tetraundecyl-4,6,10,12,16,18,22,24-octahydroxyresorc[4]areneas colloidal suspensions. Photon Correlation Spectroscopy studies revealed aparticle hydrodynamic diameter of 150 nm. Non-contact mode Atomic ForceMicroscopy allows observation of the particles as slightly flattened sphericalobjects of 236 (±40) nm diameter and 145 (±40) nm height. Thestudy of the preparation parameters showed that shear force does not affectthe hydrodynamic size of the SLNs. In contrast, the viscosity and the pH ofthe aqueous phase, the amphiphile concentration in the organic phase and thevolume of organic phase used, all lead to variation in the size of the particles.In term of post preparation parameters only the ionic strength has been shownto affect significantly the particle size; while the pH of the storing solution,microwave, ultrasonic and thermal treatments do not. Short and long-termstability studies have been performed to measure the effect of the ionic strengthon the stability of the particles. The use of carbohydrate cryoprotectants does notallow re-dispersion of the colloidal suspension after freeze-drying.     

Moments of an exponential functional of random walks and permutations with given descent sets

The exponential functional of simple, symmetric random walks with negative drift is an infinite polynomial Y = 1 + ξ₁ + ξ₁ξ₂ + ξ₁ξ₂ξ₃ + ⋯ of independent and identically distributed non-negative random variables. It has moments that are rational functions of the variables μ _k = E(ξ ^k ) < 1 with universal coefficients. It turns out that such a coefficient is equal to the number of permutations with descent set defined by the multiindex of the coefficient. A recursion enumerates all numbers of permutations with given descent sets in the form of a Pascal-type triangle. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Piecewise Deterministic Markov Control Processes with Feedback Controls and Unbounded Costs

The control of piecewise-deterministic processes is studied where only local boundedness of the data is assumed. Moreover the discount rate may be zero. The value function is shown to be solution to the Bellman equation in a weak sense; however the solution concept is strong enough to generate optimal policies. Continuity and compactness conditions are given for the existence of nonrelaxed optimal feedback controls.