Incorporating the learning effect into data envelopment analysis to measure MSW recycling performance

The effect of organizational learning, which results in continuous improvement of organizational performance over time, has been widely discussed. The cumulative learning effect may form as a source of intellectual capital. Thus far, the static data envelopment analysis (DEA) model has not been used to examine the longitudinal learning effect. Therefore, a two-stage approach is developed together with the estimation of a latent learning effect using time-series data; the estimated learning effect is then used as an input in the DEA Slacks-Based Measure (SBM) model. The proposed DEA SBM model can be used to investigate the efficiency of the organizational learning effect of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) recycling systems.     

A Crowning Moment for Wiener Indices

The Wiener (Sum of All Distances) Index for three out of the four classes of hexagonal models or regular planar hex-patterns used to model graphite and similar structures have been known for a few years. In this paper we find the Wiener Index for the Crown or Beehive hexagonal model.     

Some statistics on Stirling permutations and Stirling derangements

A permutation of the multiset $\{1,1,2,2,\dots ,n,n\}$ is called a Stirling permutation of order $n$ if every entry between the two occurrences of $i$ is greater than $i$ for each $i\in \{1,2,\dots ,n\}$. In this paper, we introduce the definitions of block, even indexed entry, odd indexed entry, Stirling derangement, marked permutation and bicolored increasing binary tree. We first study the joint distribution of ascent plateaux, even indexed entries and left-to-right minima over the set of Stirling permutations of order $n$. We then present an involution on Stirling derangements.     

Enhancement of buckling characteristics for sandwich structure with fiber reinforced composite skins and core made of aluminum honeycomb and polyurethane foam

This experimental study is concerned with enhancing the buckling characteristics of sandwich structure when the 6061-T6 aluminum skins are replaced by carbon fiber reinforced composite for the same aluminum honeycomb and polyurethane core. Such an improvement can be attributed to the high strength to weight ratio of the composite skin while the softer core material acts on a relative base as a better energy absorbent and hence tends to stabilize the failure. This results in much higher post-buckling loads which corresponds to the remaining strength of the structure after the onset of buckling.Sandwich structures with core made of polyurethane foam with different densities were also tested in compression. The buckling load increased with the density of polyurethane up to 280 kg/m³ while deattachment of the core and skin occurred when the density is decreased below 100 kg/m³. Compatibility of the skin and core material is shown to play an important role in the buckling behavior of sandwich structure.     

复合载荷下圆底扁球壳非线性稳定性

本文采用半解析方法研究在中心分布载荷及中心集中力联合作用下,圆底扁球壳的非线性稳定性问题.避免了求近似解析解时繁重的人工计算,而p-W_m特征关系仍可由显式表达.     

Maintenance outsourcing coordination with risk-averse contractors

Under a maintenance outsourcing contract, an external contractor receives a fixed payment from a manufacturer for periodically performing preventive maintenance and for performing minimal repairs whenever process failures occur. If the contractor’s maintenance policy results in a process uptime above a target level specified in the contract, the contractor receives a bonus payment based on the difference between the uptime and the target levels. We study the optimal designs of maintenance outsourcing contracts for achieving channel coordination when the contractor is risk averse towards uncertain repair costs caused by process failures. We find cases in which channel coordination cannot be achieved because of the contractor’s risk preference. Furthermore, the contractor’s risk preference may make channel coordination more difficult or easier, depending on the parameters considered in the model.     

On L(d,1)-labelings of graphs

Given a graph G and a positive integer d, an L(d,1)-labeling of G is a function f that assigns to each vertex of G a non-negative integer such that if two vertices u and v are adjacent, then |f(u)−f(v)|d; if u and v are not adjacent but there is a two-edge path between them, then |f(u)−f(v)|1. The L(d,1)-number of G, λ_d(G), is defined as the minimum m such that there is an L(d,1)-labeling f of G with f(V){0,1,2,…,m}. Motivated by the channel assignment problem introduced by Hale (Proc. IEEE 68 (1980) 1497–1514), the L(2,1)-labeling and the L(1,1)-labeling (as d=2 and 1, respectively) have been studied extensively in the past decade. This article extends the study to all positive integers d. We prove that λ_d(G)Δ²+(d−1)Δ for any graph G with maximum degree Δ. Different lower and upper bounds of λ_d(G) for some families of graphs including trees and chordal graphs are presented. In particular, we show that the lower and the upper bounds for trees are both attainable, and the upper bound for chordal graphs can be improved for several subclasses of chordal graphs.     

Using Saganc loop of optical-injected semiconductor laser scheme for stable and continuous CW wavelength-tuning

We propose and experimentally investigate a stable and continuous wavelength-tuning laser structure by using self-injected Fabry-Perot laser diode (FP-LD) with Saganc loop scheme. In this proposed laser scheme, the lasing wavelength can be tuned in the range of 1526.20 to 1549.75 nm with tuning-step of 1.30 nm in single-longitudinal-mode (SLM) output. Here, the maximum and minimum output powers are −7.4 and −17.0 dBm, and their corresponding side-mode suppression ratios are 52.0 and 52.8 dB/0.05 nm, respectively. Moreover, to achieve the continuous wavelength tuning, we can also adjust the temperature of FP-LD for wavelength shifting.     

Response of bilateral breasts to the endogenous hormonal fluctuation in a menstrual cycle evaluated using 3D MRI

The normal breast tissue responds to the fluctuation of endogenous hormones during a menstrual cycle (MC) and shows changes in breast density. The changes between left and right breasts of the same women were compared to evaluate the symmetrical response. Twenty-four healthy women were recruited in this study. Four weekly magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies were performed during one MC. A computer algorithm was used to segment the breast and the fibroglandular tissue to measure the fibroglandular tissue volume (FV) and three morphological parameters: circularity, convexity and irregularity. The coefficient of variation (CV) for each parameter measured among four MRI studies was calculated; also, the maximal percent change between two MRI studies that show the highest and the lowest FV was calculated. These parameters measured from left and right breasts were compared using Pearson correlation.     

Preparations for the study on the cluster structure of 16C

In order to look for a proposed cluster structure of 16C, simulation work was made. The simulation of the reaction dynamics give the resolution of the excitation energy on 16C which was reconstructed prior to breakup. The excitation energy resolution is typically ～200 keV at 2 MeV above the two body decay threshold for 16C→12Be+4He. Moreover,some performances of detectors tested using 241 Am α source are also reported.