Optimization of maintenance policy under warranty length‐based demand with consideration of both manufacturer and buyer satisfaction

This study proposes a model to optimize postsale services consisting of four factors: (a) the basic warranty length, (b) the extended warranty length, (c) the preventive maintenance level, and (d) the preventive maintenance interval. Furthermore, consumer demand for the product and extended warranty are considered as functions of the length of the basic warranty and extended warranty periods, respectively. Because buyer dissatisfaction with a product can lead to the loss of potential buyers and the switch of current customers to the competitors, both manufacturer and buyer satisfaction are considered in the model. Three comparative studies are done for showing the effectiveness of the model. The first one compares the results of simultaneous optimization from the two perspectives of manufacture and customer with the single‐objective optimization results from each of the mentioned viewpoints. The second comparison studies the provision of extended warranty contract in the proposed model, and the third comparison investigates the effect of preventive maintenance actions on the results of the model.     

Preparation,Characterization and Controlled Release Investigation of Biocompatible pH-Sensitive PVA/PAA Hydrogels

In the present research hydrogel films based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polyacrylic acid (PAA) blend, with various crosslink densities, have been prepared through different thermal treatment. The results of FTIR and DSC confirmed quality and quantity of conclusion on miscibility of PVA/PAA blends, respectively. Besides, biocompatibility of the samples has been proved in cytotoxicity tests using L929 cells, according to ISO10993–5. Water uptake of the hydrogel blends is measured. pH sensitivity properties of blends are studied with and without boiling in NaOH solutions where the effect of swelling in water before boiling has also been investigated. Preswellings in water and NaOH concentration have been found to be mainly effective on pH sensitivity of PVA/PAA blends. Biocompatibility and pH sensitivity behavior make these hydrogels appropriate candidates to orally deliver drugs such as insulin and peptides that can be released in basic pH of intestine. The stability of these films in acidic solutions and its expansion and also the consequent release of drugs in basic solutions have been studied by using Teofilin as a model drug by UV-spectrophotometeric measurements.     

Factors contributing to academic achievement: a Bayesian structure equation modelling study

In Iran, high school graduates enter university after taking a very difficult entrance exam called the Konkoor. Therefore, only the top-performing students are admitted by universities to continue their bachelor's education in statistics. Surprisingly, statistically, most of such students fall into the following categories: (1) do not succeed in their education despite their excellent performance on the Konkoor and in high school; (2) graduate with a grade point average (GPA) that is considerably lower than their high school GPA; (3) continue their master's education in majors other than statistics and (4) try to find jobs unrelated to statistics. This article employs the well-known and powerful statistical technique, the Bayesian structural equation modelling (SEM), to study the academic success of recent graduates who have studied statistics at Shahid Beheshti University in Iran. This research: (i) considered academic success as a latent variable, which was measured by GPA and other academic success (see below) of students in the target population; (ii) employed the Bayesian SEM, which works properly for small sample sizes and ordinal variables; (iii), which is taken from the literature, developed five main factors that affected academic success and (iv) considered several standard psychological tests and measured characteristics such as ‘self-esteem’ and ‘anxiety’. We then study the impact of such factors on the academic success of the target population. Six factors that positively impact student academic success were identified in the following order of relative impact (from greatest to least): ‘Teaching–Evaluation’, ‘Learner’, ‘Environment’, ‘Family’, ‘Curriculum’ and ‘Teaching Knowledge’. Particularly, influential variables within each factor have also been noted.     

Improving Thompson's Conjecture for Suzuki Groups

Let G be a finite group and cs(G) be the set of conjugacy class sizes of G. In 1987, J. G. Thompson conjectured that, if G is a finite group with Z(G) = 1 and M is a nonabelian simple group satisfying that cs(G) = cs(M), then G ? M. This conjecture has been proved for Suzuki groups in [5 Guiyun, C. (1996). On Thompson's conjecture. J. Algebra 185(1):184–193.[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]]. In this article, we improve this result by proving that, if G is a finite group such that cs(G) = cs(Sz(q)), for q = 2^2m+1, then G ? Sz(q) × A, where A is abelian. We avoid using classification of finite simple groups in our proofs.     

Bregman operator splitting with variable stepsize for total variation image reconstruction

This paper develops a Bregman operator splitting algorithm with variable stepsize (BOSVS) for solving problems of the form $\min\{\phi(Bu) +1/2\|Au-f\|_{2}^{2}\}$ , where ? may be nonsmooth. The original Bregman Operator Splitting (BOS) algorithm employed a fixed stepsize, while BOSVS uses a line search to achieve better efficiency. These schemes are applicable to total variation (TV)-based image reconstruction. The stepsize rule starts with a Barzilai-Borwein (BB) step, and increases the nominal step until a termination condition is satisfied. The stepsize rule is related to the scheme used in SpaRSA (Sparse Reconstruction by Separable Approximation). Global convergence of the proposed BOSVS algorithm to a solution of the optimization problem is established. BOSVS is compared with other operator splitting schemes using partially parallel magnetic resonance image reconstruction problems. The experimental results indicate that the proposed BOSVS algorithm is more efficient than the BOS algorithm and another split Bregman Barzilai-Borwein algorithm known as SBB.     

Atomistic investigation of phase transition in solid argon induced by shock wave transmission

A molecular dynamics (MD) simulation is employed to study the phase transition process in argon induced by shock wave transmission. Deriving the relation between the shock and piston velocities, the theoretical equation of state for argon is presented. Also, argon equation of state is obtained by measuring the quantities directly from simulations to be able to detect the phase transitions. The phase transition is also detected by using argon phase diagram and free energy calculations. A comparison shows good agreement between the theoretical and MD results for the phase transitions. Based on these simulations, it is concluded that under a shock wave transmission with suitable energy, the solid argon experiences a phase transition from solid to liquid and another from liquid to supercritical fluid. By reflecting the shock wave back at the end of its passage, the whole argon may reach the supercritical state.     

Methoxyflavone Inhibitors of Cytochrome P450

Abstract  Cytochrome P450 enzymes are a superfamily of enzymes involved in the metabolism of endogenous compounds as well as xenobiotics. Due to the large number of reactions catalyzed by these enzymes and their importance in drug metabolism and carcinogenesis, they have been the focus of many studies over the years. Based on the knowledge that flavones are natural substrates of certain P450 enzymes (such as P450 1A2) involved in carcinogenesis, we have synthesized and studied a number of flavonoids as potential inhibitors of these enzymes. These compounds are structurally very similar to the natural flavone substrates of these enzymes but have methoxy substituents at various positions. Here we are reporting the synthesis, structural analysis, X-ray crystal structures, and preliminary inhibition studies of four methoxyflavones from this series. Crystallographic data: 2′-methoxyflavone, P-1, a = 7.2994(8) ?, b = 8.3322(7) ?, c = 10.8240(10) ?, α = 97.905(8)°, β = 92.779(10)°, γ = 111.105(8)°, V = 604.9(1) ?³; 3′-methoxyflavone, P2₁/n, a = 15.1313(16) ?, b = 3.9699(4) ?, c = 19.9454(16) ?, β = 91.673(8)°, V = 1197.6(2) ?³; 4′-methoxyflavone, P2₁/n, a = 16.451(12) ?, b = 3.881(1) ?, c = 19.529(16) ?, β = 106.65(1)°, V = 1195.1(4) ?³; 3′,4′-dimethoxyflavone, C2/c, a = 30.819(5) ?, b = 4.0857(7) ?, c = 26.100(3) ?, β = 124.21(1)°, V = 2717.6(7) ?³. Index Abstract  Methoxyflavone Inhibitors of Cytochrome P450 Michael McKendall, Tasha Smith, Kien Anh, Jamie Ellis, Terri McGee, Maryam Foroozesh, Naijue Zhu and Cheryl L. Klein Stevens* This paper is a report of the synthesis, structural analysis, X-ray crystal structures, and preliminary inhibition studies of 2′-methoxyflavone, 3′-methoxyflavone, 4′-methoxyflavone, and 3′,4′-dimethoxyflavone.

Photocatalytic Performance of H6P2W18O62/TiO2 Nanocomposite Encapsulated into Beta Zeolite under UV Irradiation in the Degradation of Methyl Orange

In this work, neat and supported H₆P₂W₁₈O₆₂ into nanocage of β‐zeolite were synthesized. However, H₆P₂W₁₈O₆₂ into nanocage of β‐zeolite was synthesized via template synthesis method. In addition, TiO₂ was supported on H₆P₂W₁₈O₆₂/β zeolite by impregnation method. The obtained materials were characterized by XRD, FT‐IR, UV‐Vis, FESEM and EDS techniques. Also, W and Ti contents of the catalyst were determined by ICP and EDS technique. The results reveal that the photocatalyst performance depends on catalyst loading, pH effect, and methyl orange concentration. Photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange follows a pseudo‐first order kinetic. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) experimental proved mineralization of methyl orange. Another reason for degradation and mineralization of methyl orange is the absence of hydrazine at the end of reaction which is one of the photodecolorization products. The plausible mechanism for photodegradation of MO was proposed.     

Evolution of Oxygen–Metal Electron Transfer and Metal Electronic States During Manganese Oxide Catalyzed Water Oxidation Revealed with In Situ Soft X‐Ray Spectroscopy

Manganese oxide (MnO_x) electrocatalysts are examined herein by in situ soft X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and resonant inelastic X‐ray scattering (RIXS) during the oxidation of water buffered by borate (pH 9.2) at potentials from 0.75 to 2.25 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode. Correlation of L‐edge XAS data with previous mechanistic studies indicates Mn^IV is the highest oxidation state involved in the catalytic mechanism. MnO_x is transformed into birnessite at 1.45 V and does not undergo further structural phase changes. At potentials beyond this transformation, RIXS spectra show progressive enhancement of charge transfer transitions from oxygen to manganese. Theoretical analysis of these data indicates increased hybridization of the Mn?O orbitals and withdrawal of electron density from the O ligand shell. In situ XAS experiments at the O K‐edge provide complementary evidence for such a transition. This step is crucial for the formation of O₂ from water.