Economic selection of process mean for single-vendor single-buyer supply chain

Process mean selection for a container-filling process is an important decision in a single-vendor single-buyer supply chain. Since the process mean determines the vendor’s conforming and yield rates, it influences the vendor–buyer decisions regarding the production lot size and number of shipments delivered from the vendor to buyer. It follows, therefore, that these decisions should be determined simultaneously in order to control the supply chain total cost. In this paper, we develop a model that integrates the single-vendor single-buyer problem with the process mean selection problem. This integrated model allows the vendor to deliver the produced lot to buyer in number of unequal-sized shipments. Moreover, every outgoing item is inspected, and each item failing to meet a lower specification limit is reprocessed. Further, in order to study the benefits of using this integrated model, two baseline cases are developed. The first of which considers a hierarchical model where the vendor determines the process mean and schedules of production and shipment separately. This hierarchical model is used to show the impact of integrating the process mean selection with production/inventory decisions. The other baseline case is studied in the sensitivity analysis where the optimal solution for a given process is compared to the optimal solution when the variation in the process output is negligible. The integrated model is expected to lead to reduction in reprocessing cost, minimal loss to customer due to the deviation from the optimum target value, and consequently, providing better products at reduced cost for customers. Also, a solution procedure is devised to find the optimal solution for the proposed model and sensitivity analysis is conducted to investigate the effect of the model key parameters on the optimal solution.     

Tunable intramolecular multicenter H-bonding interactions in first-row metal complexes bearing bidentate redox-active ligands

Abstract

In this research article, we report the synthesis and structural characterization of a family of first-row metal complexes bearing redox-active ligands with tunable H-bonding donors. We observed that these coordination complexes can adopt three different geometries and that they are stabilized by intramolecular multicenter H-bonding interactions, which are systematically modified by changing the metal ion (Co, Ni, Cu, Zn), the ligand scaffold (variations in the diamine and ureanyl substituents used) and the solvent of crystallization.     

Construction of a TiO2–Fe3O4‐decorated molecularly imprinted polymer nanocomposite for tartrazine degradation: Response surface methodology modeling and optimization

We synthesized a novel recoverable and reusable photocatalyst system for tartrazine degradation by one‐step incorporation of Fe₃O₄ and TiO₂ nanoparticles into a molecularly imprinted polymer through a facile precipitation polymerization method. The as‐prepared samples were systematically characterized using X‐ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive spectroscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometry. Benefiting from the positive synergistic effect, tartrazine was almost completely degraded under UV‐C within 180 min by the multicomponent photocatalyst (Fe₃O₄ + TiO₂ + MIP) in comparison with far fewer activities by the corresponding NIP system and the nonmagnetic and bare structures. On the other hand, the central composite design in response surface methodology was applied to optimize the tartrazine photocatalytic degradation process. Twenty experiments were conducted by adjusting three parameters (nanocomposite dosage, initial pH of the reaction solution, and initial dye concentration) in the multiple variable analysis method. A satisfactory correlation between the experimental and predicted values was obtained (R² = 0.956). Additionally, ANOVA analysis with a p value of 1.15 × 10^–5 indicated that the model terms are highly significant. Under the determined optimum conditions, a verification experiment was conducted and shown the adequately approximate value between the predicted (99%) and the experimental (97%) results, which confirmed the validity of the model.     

Structure and sensory equipment of the ovipositor of Habrobracon hebetor (Say) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae)

The microsculpture of various structures of the ovipositor of Habrobracon hebetor (Say) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is described from scanning and transmission electron microscopy. These include: the ovipositor egg canal, valvillus, seal of the first valvulae, interlocking mechanism (olistheter) connecting the first and second valvulae, an olistheter-like interlocking mechanism connecting the two pieces of the first valvulae, annulation, microtrichia of the third valvulae, and the ovipositor sensory equipment. Better understanding of the microsculpture of these components may make their roles in stinging, oviposition, and the host selection process more clear.     

On a system of nonlinear integral equations with hysteresis

In this paper we give some sufficient conditions for the existence and uniqueness of a continuous solution of the system of Urysohn-Volterra equation with hysteresis.     

Note on stability theorems for nonlinear mixed integral equations

In this paper we study the stability theorems for nonlinear Fredholm-Volterra integral equations system.     

Unusual addition patterns in trifluoromethylation of [60]fullerene

From pyrolytic trifluoromethylation of [60]fullerene with CF3CO2Ag at 300 degrees C we have isolated ca. sixty C60(CF3)n isomers (numbers in parentheses) as follows: n = 2(1), 4(8), 6(13), 8(21), 10(11), 12(5), 14(4), twenty-one of which have been characterised by 19F NMR. Compounds with addition levels up to n = 20 have also been identified. With increasing value of n, yields decrease and the separation of compounds of similar HPLC retention time but different addend levels becomes more difficult. Many of the 19F NMR spectra show combinations of quartets and septets (the latter tending to be more downfield) due to 'linear' addend arrays. The spectra are consistent with addition across both 6:6- and 5:6-ring junctions [double (1.2) and single (1.6) bonds, respectively], giving corresponding coupling constants for adjacent addends of ca. 14.5 and 12.0 Hz respectively, the differences being attributable to the different 1.2- and 1.6-bond lengths. The 13C NMR spectrum of C60(CF3)2 shows the CF3 groups are in either a 1.4- or 1.6-relationship; the UV-vis band appears at 442 nm. Other unsymmetrical tetra-adducts are comprised of isolated pairs of CF3 groups. The exceptionally large number of derivatives and isomers, (much greater than in any other fullerene reaction), no dominant product, and unusual addition pattern indicates that thermodynamic stability is not of primary importance in governing product formation. EI mass spectrometry of trifluoromethylfullerenes is characterised by loss of CF3 groups, the more highly addended compounds also showing fragmentation by CF2 loss, attributable to steric compression. The CF3 group shows strong IR bands at ca. 1260 and 1190 cm-1. The compounds are stable to aq. acetone, which contrasts to the behaviour of fluorofullerenes. Trifluoromethylation by the Scherer radical (C9F19.) gave addition of up to eight CF3 groups, together with hydrogen in some products. During EI mass spectrometry of some of these, loss of HF attributable to CF3 and H adjacency can occur, giving CF2-containing derivatives.     

Isolation and characterisation of both the first fluoroxyfluorofullerene C60F17OF and oxahomofluorofullerenol C60F17O.OH

The first fluoroxyfluorofullerene C₆₀F₁₇OF (A) has been isolated from the fluorination of [60]fullerene with a mixture of MnF₃ and K₂NiF₆ at 480 °C. This compound has a shorter HPLC retention time than the isomeric fluorofullerene ethers (oxahomofullerenes) and is less stable towards EI mass spectrometry. It fragments by losing OF as a single entity and shows no formation of C₆₀O as a fragment ion. By contrast, the ethers fragment by first losing a number of F atoms and then CO, and ultimately show also the presence of C₆₀O, whilst epoxides lose CO as a main fragmentation step and do not give C₆₀O. The first oxahomofluorofullerenol C₆₀F₁₇O.OH (B) has been isolated from the UV-irradiation of a toluene solution of C₆₀F₁₈ in air during 65 h and readily eliminates HF due to adjacent F and OH groups during EI mass spectrometry. The structures of both the compounds have been deduced from 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. Just as oxygen inserts into FCCF bonds of C₆₀F₁₈ to give ethers, so insertion into a CF bond gives A. The oxahomofluorofullerenol B is produced by S_N2′ substitution of F by OH, followed by oxygen insertion into a 6:5-bond (αβ to the OH group) giving a motif not seen previously in fluorofullerenes.