Hybridizing local search algorithms for global optimization

In this paper, we combine two types of local search algorithms for global optimization of continuous functions. In the literature, most of the hybrid algorithms are produced by combination of a global optimization algorithm with a local search algorithm and the local search is used to improve the solution quality, not to explore the search space to find independently the global optimum. The focus of this research is on some simple and efficient hybrid algorithms by combining the Nelder–Mead simplex (NM) variants and the bidirectional random optimization (BRO) methods for optimization of continuous functions. The NM explores the whole search space to find some promising areas and then the BRO local search is entered to exploit optimal solution as accurately as possible. Also a new strategy for shrinkage stage borrowed from differential evolution (DE) is incorporated in the NM variants. To examine the efficiency of proposed algorithms, those are evaluated by 25 benchmark functions designed for the special session on real-parameter optimization of CEC2005. A comparison study between the hybrid algorithms and some DE algorithms and non-parametric analysis of obtained results demonstrate that the proposed algorithms outperform most of other algorithms and their difference in most cases is statistically considerable. In a later part of the comparative experiments, a comparison of the proposed algorithms with some other evolutionary algorithms reported in the CEC2005 confirms a better performance of our proposed algorithms.     

Breaking the mode degeneracy of surface plasmon resonances in a triangular system

In this paper, we present a systematic investigation of symmetry-breaking in the plasmonic modes of triangular gold nanoprisms. Their geometrical C(3v) symmetry is one of the simplest possible that allows degeneracy in the particle's mode spectrum. It is reduced to the nondegenerate symmetries C(v) or E by positioning additional, smaller gold nanoprisms in close proximity, either in a lateral or a vertical configuration. Corresponding to the lower symmetry of the system, its eigenmodes also feature lower symmetries (C(v)), or preserve only the identity (E) as symmetry. We discuss how breaking the symmetry of the plasmonic system not only breaks the degeneracy of some lower order modes, but also how it alters the damping and eigenenergies of the observed Fano-type resonances.     

Lower bound and upper bound of operators on block weighted sequence spaces

Let $A = {({a_{n,k}})_{n,k \ge 1}}$ be a non-negative matrix. Denote by L _v,p,q,F (A) the supremum of those L that satisfy the inequality $$\parallel Ax{\parallel _{v,q,F}} \ge L\parallel x{\parallel _{v,p,F}}$$ where x ? 0 and x ε ? _p (v, F) and also v = (v _n ) _n=1 ^∞ is an increasing, non-negative sequence of real numbers. If p = q, we use L _v,p,F (A) instead of L _v,p,p,F (A). In this paper we obtain a Hardy type formula for L _v,p,q,F ( ${H_\mu }$ ), where ${H_\mu }$ is a Hausdorff matrix and 0 < q ? p ? 1. Another purpose of this paper is to establish a lower bound for ‖A _W ^NM ‖ _v,p,F , where A _W ^NM is the N?rlund matrix associated with the sequence W = {w _n } _n=1 ^t8 and 1 < p < ∞. Our results generalize some works of Bennett, Jameson and present authors.     

A chemiluminescence flow injection system for nitrite ion determination

A chemiluminescence system is described for the determination of nitrite ion based on new designs for an ozone generator, liquid-gas separator and chemiluminescence reaction cell. The method is based on the gas-phase chemiluminescence reaction between ozone and nitric oxide, which is generated from the reduction of nitrite with iodide in sulfuric acid solution. The efficiency of the system was evaluated by investigation of the analytical performance characteristics of the system for nitrite determination in batch and flow injection procedures. Under optimal conditions, the chemiluminescence response of the system was linear against the nitrite concentration over the range 1 to 1 × 10⁴ ng ml^?1 in the batch procedure and 10 to 5 × 10³ ng ml^?1 in the flow injection procedure, with detection limits of 1 and 10 ng ml^?1, respectively. The method is highly selective and allows for the determination of nitrite in the presence of high concentrations of several cationic, anionic and nitrogen containing species. It has been successfully applied to the analysis of nitrite in natural water and soil extracts.