A new AATP model with considering supply chain lead-times and resources and scheduling of the orders in flowshop production systems: A graph-theoretic view

The present study attempts to synchronize the scheduling problem with determining the advanced available-to-promise (AATP) in a flowshop system to enhance supplier profitability and service level. In the proposed model the AATP, scheduling and graph theory concept have been combined to find the optimum resource allocation and enable accurate estimations of machines scheduling, production costs and delivery dates. To find the near optimum solutions for the large size problems a genetic algorithm is developed, first the orders are ranked based on their scores which are estimated then the optimum cost is calculated by balancing profitability and constraints such as the availability of the machines or the available material in each workstation. Some computer simulated experiments are provided to evaluate the performance of the proposed algorithm.     

Pricing to accelerate demand learning in dynamic assortment planning for perishable products

Retailers, from fashion stores to grocery stores, have to decide what range of products to offer, i.e., their product assortment. Frequent introduction of new products, a recent business trend, makes predicting demand more difficult, which in turn complicates assortment planning. We propose and study a stochastic dynamic programming model for simultaneously making assortment and pricing decisions which incorporates demand learning using Bayesian updates. We show analytically that it is profitable for the retailer to use price reductions early in the sales season to accelerate demand learning. A computational study demonstrates the benefits of such a policy and provides managerial insights that may help improve a retailer’s profitability.     

Characterizing and finding full dimensional efficient facets in DEA: a variable returns to scale specification

The full dimensional efficient facets (FDEFs) of a production possibility set (PPS) play a key role in data envelopment analysis (DEA). Finding the FDEFs has been the subject of intensive research over the past decade. The available algorithms for finding the FDEFs in the current DEA literature either require information about the position of all the extreme efficient decision-making units on the facets of the PPS or knowledge of all extreme optimal solutions of the multiplier form of the BCC model. In this article, we develop an algorithm that does not require such crucial information that may not be easily available. To this purpose, we first carefully analyse the structure of the FDEFs of PPS with BCC technology, using basic concepts of polyhedral set theory. We then utilize this information to devise an algorithm for finding the FDEFs, using mixed integer linear programming. We illustrate our algorithm using a set of real data.     

Developing the CGLS algorithm for the least squares solutions of the general coupled matrix equations

In the present paper, we consider the minimum norm solutions of the general least squares problem By developing the conjugate gradient least square (CGLS) method, we construct an efficient iterative method to solve this problem. The constructed iterative method can compute the solution group of the problem within a finite number of iterations in the absence of roundoff errors. Also it is shown that the method is stable and robust. Finally, by some numerical experiments, we demonstrate that the iterative method is effective and efficient. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An inexact line search approach using modified nonmonotone strategy for unconstrained optimization

This paper concerns with a new nonmonotone strategy and its application to the line search approach for unconstrained optimization. It has been believed that nonmonotone techniques can improve the possibility of finding the global optimum and increase the convergence rate of the algorithms. We first introduce a new nonmonotone strategy which includes a convex combination of the maximum function value of some preceding successful iterates and the current function value. We then incorporate the proposed nonmonotone strategy into an inexact Armijo-type line search approach to construct a more relaxed line search procedure. The global convergence to first-order stationary points is subsequently proved and the R-linear convergence rate are established under suitable assumptions. Preliminary numerical results finally show the efficiency and the robustness of the proposed approach for solving unconstrained nonlinear optimization problems.     

Radioiodination of 4-benzyl-1-(3-iodobenzylsulfonyl)piperidine, 4-(3-iodobenzyl)-1-(benzylsulfonyl)piperazine and their derivatives via isotopic and non-isotopic exchange reactions

A mild and simple technique for preparing of 4-benzyl-1-(3-[¹²⁵I]iodobenzylsulfonyl)piperidine, 4-(3-[¹²⁵I]iodobenzyl)-1-(benzylsulfonyl)piperazine and their derivatives, as sigma-1 receptor ligands, with relatively high radiochemical yields via nucleophilic substitution reaction by means of isotopic and non-isotopic exchange reactions is described. Some factors affecting the radiochemical yield were commonly studied in presence of acidic medium at elevated temperature. Unfortunately, the radiochemical yields were weak. Some attempts were carried out in presence of polar aprotic solvents to enhance the radiochemical yield. N,N-Dimethylformamide was proved highly efficient for preparing of radioiodinated 4-benzyl-1-(3-iodobenzylsulfonyl)piperidine (4-B-[¹²⁵I]-IBSP, 70 ± 5.7 %) and 4-(3-iodobenzyl)-1-(benzylsulfonyl)piperazine (4-[¹²⁵I]-IBBSPz, 72 ± 6.0 %) at moderate temperature (100–105 °C) within 8 h. The specific activities of 4-B-[¹²⁵I]-IBSP and 4-[¹²⁵I]-IBBSPz (6,534.2 and 5,927.4 MBq/mmol) were obtained respectively.     

A micro-discharge photoionization detector for micro-gas chromatography

We report on a small (20?×?10 mm) micromachined device for the detection of gases in micro-gas chromatography (GC). It incorporates a micro-discharge across a 20-μm gap, and a remote electrode in the micro cavity that generates an electrical signal corresponding to the photo-ionization of gaseous analytes in a stream of carrier gas. Multi-component mixtures were detected and the results compared to those obtained with a flame ionization detector. The minimum detectable limit is 350 pg.μL^?1 of n-octane in air when applying a 1.4 mW discharge. The combination of wet etching of glass (as used for microfluidic channels) with a lift-off process for detector electrodes by a robust batch process results in a universal, non-destructive, and sensitive microdetector for micro-GC.

An efficient and green synthesis of phthalide-fused pyrazole and pyrimidine derivatives

An efficient and green method for the synthesis of phthalide [isobenzofuran-1(3H)-one] fused pyrazoles via the catalyst-free condensation reaction of 2-formylbenzoic acid, hydrazine hydrate, and acetylenic esters in water is reported. Reaction of 2-formylbenzoic acid with 6-amino-uracils or cyclic 1,3-diketones resulted in the formation of phthalide-fused pyrimidine or cyclic 1,3-diketone derivatives.     

Finite-time synchronization control for a class of perturbed nonlinear systems with fixed convergence time and hysteresis quantizer: applied to Genesio–Tesi chaotic system

In the present article, a terminal sliding mode control strategy has been proposed in order to address the synchronization problem for a class of perturbed nonlinear systems with fixed convergence time and input quantization. The proposed protocol guarantees the fixed-time convergence of the sliding manifold to the origin, which means that the convergence time of the proposed sliding manifold does not change on the variations of initial values, different from typical control methods. Here, the hysteresis quantizer, as a specific type of quantizer with nonlinear sector-bounded, is applied in order to quantize the input signal. The proposed quantized control scheme vigorously prevents the potential adverse chattering phenomenon which is experienced in the common quantization methods. The proposed controller does not need the limiting criteria related to considered parameters of quantization compared to recent control approaches. Finally, the designed controller is implemented on the perturbed Genesio–Tesi (G–T) chaotic systems to verify effectiveness and strength of the proposed method.

     

Kinetics Investigation of Reaction of Naphthalene with OH Radicals at 1–3 Torr and 240–340 K

The combination of relative rate method with discharge flow and mass spectrometry (RR/DF/MS) technique was employed to determine the rate constant for the gas‐phase reaction of hydroxyl radicals (OH) with naphthalene at 240?340 K and a total pressure of 1–3 Torr. At 298 K, the rate constant was measured to be cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, which is in good agreement with reported literature values determined using different techniques. The reaction of OH with naphthalene was found to be essentially independent of pressure in a range of 1?3 Torr at both 298 and 340 K. At 240–340 K, the rate constant of this reaction was found to be negatively dependent on temperature, with an Arrhenius expression of k₁(T) cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 and k₁(T) cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 using 1,4‐dioxane and styrene as the reference compounds, respectively. The atmospheric lifetime of naphthalene was estimated to be 9.6 h using the rate constant of naphthalene + OH determined at 277 K in the present work.