A hybrid model for selection of an outsourcing provider

Outsourcing is a good strategy for firms that need to reduce operating costs and improve competitiveness and it is important that firms scientifically select appropriate outsourcing providers. Some efforts have been made to find systematic ways to deal with outsourcing problems, but these efforts incorrectly assumed that the criteria used in the decision process are independent, which is not true in the real world. In this study, we propose a new hybrid multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) model, which addresses the dependent relationships between the various criteria. The relations-structure among the criteria is built with the aid of the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method. Decision-makers tend to hold diverse opinions about their preferences due to incomplete information and knowledge, or inherent conflict between various departments. We further used the fuzzy preference programming and the analytic network process (ANP) to form a model for the selection of partners for outsourcing providers. The proposed model can help practitioners improve their decision making process, especially when criteria are numerous and inter-related. The method is demonstrated using data from a Taiwanese airline.     

The use of QP-free algorithm in the limit analysis of slope stability

In many mountainous areas, landslides and slope instabilities frequently occur after heavy rainfall and earthquake, and result in enormous casualties and huge economic losses. In order to mitigate the landslides hazard efficiently, a method is required for a better understanding of stability analysis. Fortunately, upper bound theorem of limit analysis provides a practical and effective upper bound approach to evaluate the stability of slopes. And in this approach, the search for the minimum factor of safety can be formulated as a nonlinear constrained optimization. In general, the SQP-type algorithms are used to solve this optimization problem. However, it is quite time consuming and difficult to search the optimum from an arbitrary starting point based on the SQP-type algorithms. Fortunately, a QP-free algorithm based on penalty function and active-set strategy can be globally convergent toward the KKT points with arbitrary starting point, and the rate of convergence is local superlinear or even quadratic. Two classical problems of slope stability are solved by this QP-free algorithm. The results show that the QP-free algorithm would be the better choice than SQP-type algorithms for solving the nonlinear constrained optimization problem which is derived from the upper bound limit analysis of slope stability.     

Model order determination using the Hankel matrix of impulse responses

This letter studies identification problems of model orders using the Hankel matrix of impulse responses of a system and presents two order identification methods: one is based on the singularities or ratios of the Hankel matrix determinants and the other is based on the singular value decomposition of the Hankel matrix. A numerical example verifies the proposed methods.     

Permanence,extinction and periodic solutions in a mathematical model of cell populations affected by periodic radiation

A periodic mathematical model of cell populations affected by periodic radiation is presented and studied in this paper. We obtain some sufficient conditions on the permanence and extinction of the system. Furthermore, criteria on the existence and global asymptotic stability of unique positive periodic solutions are established. Some numerical examples are shown to verify our results. A discussion is presented for further study.     

An alternative class of irreducible polynomials for optimal extension fields

Optimal extension fields (OEF) are a class of finite fields used to achieve efficient field arithmetic, especially required by elliptic curve cryptosystems (ECC). In software environment, OEFs are preferable to other methods in performance and memory requirement. However, the irreducible binomials required by OEFs are quite rare. Sometimes irreducible trinomials are alternative choices when irreducible binomials do not exist. Unfortunately, trinomials require more operations for field multiplication and thereby affect the efficiency of OEF. To solve this problem, we propose a new type of irreducible polynomials that are more abundant and still efficient for field multiplication. The proposed polynomial takes the advantage of polynomial residue arithmetic to achieve high performance for field multiplication which costs O(m ^3/2) operations in \mathbbF_p{\mathbb{F}_p} . Extensive simulation results demonstrate that the proposed polynomials roughly outperform irreducible binomials by 20% in some finite fields of medium prime characteristic. So this work presents an interesting alternative for OEFs.     

模糊蚁群算法及其在TSP中的应用

在传统蚁群算法的基础上加入了使用模糊规则表更新信息素的策略,提出了一种新的算法——模糊蚁群算法.算法结合了模糊控制中输入输出的模糊化处理和蚁群寻优的特点,为实际问题提供了新的解决手段.文中将模糊蚁群算法应用于TSP问题,通过对中国31个省会城市等实例数据进行的测试,验证表明了新算法具有良好的有效性和鲁棒性.     

Controlled formation of mass-selected Cu-Au core-shell cluster beams

Synthesis of bimetallic clusters is a topic of accelerated interest; their physical and chemical properties are greatly dependent on their composition, size, and structure. The cluster beam technique is widely used for preparation of clusters. However, creating bimetallic clusters with well-controlled composition, size, and structure, especially for larger clusters (>100 atoms), is still a big challenge. Here we demonstrate that not only size and composition but also the structure of bimetallic clusters can be controlled by tuning aggregation parameters.     

Direct analysis of oligosaccharides and alpha hydroxy acids in fruits using electrosonic spray ionization mass spectrometry

Electrosonic spray ionization (ESSI) is a derivative technique of electrospray ionization (ESI) for mass spectrometry (MS) in which droplets are charged in the course of sonic spray. In this study, we applied ESSI MS to direct analysis of oligosaccharides and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) in fruits. The components were extracted from fruit fleshes by a feasible method prior to ESSI MS analysis, but the fruit juices were analyzed without further pretreatment. The results demonstrate that mainly alkali metal adducts of oligosaccharides are favorably produced in positive ion mode, while deprotonated AHAs and oligosaccharides are produced in negative ion mode. Compared with mass spectra obtained using electrospray droplet impact/secondary ion mass spectrometry (EDI/SIMS), mass spectra using ESSI make the identification of oligosaccharides more straightforward in positive ion mode than in negative ion mode.     

Biotransformation of a taxadiene by ginkgo cell cultures and the tumor multi-drug resistant reversal activities of the metabolites

The biotransformation of 2α,5α,10β-triacetoxy-14-oxo-taxa-4(20),11-diene (1) by cultured Gingko cells afforded four products. Their structures were identified on the basis of analyses of the chemical and spectroscopic (IR, MS, 1H- and 13C-NMR) data. Among them, 2, 3 and 5 were three new compounds, and 4 displayed potent multi-drug resistant (MDR) reversal activities to MX-1/T tumor MDR cells.     

ent‐Kaurane Diterpenes and Further Constituents from Wedelia trilobata

Two new ent‐kaurane diterpenes, wedelidins A ( 8 ) and B ( 9 ), together with eighteen other constituents, including the sesquiterpenoids 1 and 2 , ent‐kaurane diterpenes 3 – 7 , triterpenoids 10 and 11 , steroids 12 – 14 , and flavonoids 15 – 17 as well as benzene derivatives 18 – 20 , were isolated from the aerial parts of Wedelia trilobata. The structures of wedelidins A ( 8 ) and B ( 9 ) were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic analyses (including UV, IR, NMR, and MS). Furthermore, the structures of compounds 2 and 3 were confirmed by X‐ray single‐crystal diffraction analyses.