Optimisation of fault-tolerant fabric-cutting schedules using genetic algorithms and fuzzy set theory

In apparel industry, manufacturers developed standard allowed minutes (SAMs) databases on various manufacturing operations in order to facilitate better scheduling, while effective production schedules ensure smoothness of downstream operations. As apparel manufacturing environment is fuzzy and dynamic, rigid production schedules based on SAMs become futile in the presence of any uncertainty. In this paper, a fuzzification scheme is proposed to fuzzify the static standard time so as to incorporate some uncertainties, in terms of both job-specific and human related factors, into the fabric-cutting scheduling problem. A genetic optimisation procedure is also proposed to search for fault-tolerant schedules using genetic algorithms, such that makespan and scheduling uncertainties are minimised. Two sets of real production data were collected to validate the proposed method. Experimental results indicate that the genetically optimised fault-tolerant schedules not only improve the operation performance but also minimise the scheduling risks.     

Intermolecular rhodium-catalyzed [2+2+2] carbocyclization reactions of 1,6-enynes with symmetrical and unsymmetrical alkynes

The crossed intermolecular rhodium-catalyzed [2+2+2] carbocyclization of carbon and heteroatom tethered 1,6-enynes can be accomplished with symmetrical and unsymmetrical alkynes, to afford the corresponding bicyclohexadienes in an efficient and highly selective manner.     

A novel class of amide-derived air-stable P,O-ligands for Suzuki cross-coupling at low catalyst loading

The benzamide-derived P,O-ligands efficiently promoted the Pd-catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling reactions of aryl bromides with phenylboronic acid at 0.01 mol % of Pd loading at 60-80 °C to form biaryls in excellent yields. A sterically hindered arylboronic acid gave a quantitative yield of the coupling product at 110 °C with 1 mol % Pd.     

Singular Sturm—Liouville problems with nonnegative and indefinite weights

This article is concerned with the oscillatory properties of the eigenfunctions of a class of singular Sturm—Liouville problems—(p y)+q y=w y on (a, b), where the weight functionw vanishes on a subinterval of positive measure, or where the weight functionw changes sign on (a, b).This work was supported by the Applied Mathematical Sciences Research Program (KC-04-02) of the Office of Energy Research of the U.S. Department of Energy under Contract W-31-109-Eng-38.     

The effects of sensory hearing loss on cochlear filter times estimated from auditory brainstem response latencies.

Derived-band auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were obtained in 43 normal-hearing and 80 cochlear hearing-impaired individuals using clicks and high-pass noise masking. The response times across the cochlea [the latency difference between wave V's of the 5.7- and 1.4-kHz center frequency (CF) derived bands] were calculated for five levels of click stimulation ranging from 53 to 93 dB p.-p.e. SPL (23 to 63 dB nHL) in 10-dB steps. Cochlear response times appeared to shorten significantly with hearing loss, especially when the average pure tone (1 to 8 kHz) hearing loss exceeded 30 dB. Examination of derived-band latencies indicates that this shortening is due to a dramatic decrease of wave V latency in the lower CF derived band. Estimates of cochlear filter times in terms of the number of periods to maximum response (Nmax) were calculated from derived-band latencies corrected for gender-dependent cochlear transport and neural conduction times. Nmax decreased as a function of hearing loss, especially for the low CF derived bands. The functions were similar for both males and females. These results are consistent with broader cochlear tuning due to peripheral hearing loss. Estimating filter response times from ABR latencies enhances objective noninvasive diagnosis and allows delineation of the differential effects of pathology on the underlying cochlear mechanisms involved in cochlear transport and filter build-up times.     

On product-cordial index sets and friendly index sets of 2-regular graphs and generalized wheels

A vertex labeling f : V → Z2 of a simple graph G = (V, E) induces two edge labelings f+ , f*: E → Z2 defined by f+ (uv) = f(u)+f(v) and f*(uv) = f(u)f(v). For each i∈Z2 , let vf(i) = |{v ∈ V : f(v) = i}|, e+f(i) = |{e ∈ E : f+(e) = i}| and e*f(i)=|{e∈E:f*(e)=i}|. We call f friendly if |vf(0)-vf(1)|≤ 1. The friendly index set and the product-cordial index set of G are defined as the sets{|e+f(0)-e+f(1)|:f is friendly} and {|e*f(0)-e*f(1)| : f is friendly}. In this paper we study and determine the connection between the friendly index sets and product-cordial index sets of 2-regular graphs and generalized wheel graphs.     

Synthesis of Biomorphic ZrO2-CeO2 Nanostructures by Silkworm Silk Template

以桑蚕丝为模板制备多级生物形态结构ZrO₂-CeO₂. 整个合成过程是由桑蚕丝模板的导向作用决定的. 分析结果表明ZrO₂-CeO₂结晶良好,呈多级网络中空纤维结构,直径为16～28μm,800 oC煅烧后ZrO₂-CeO₂晶粒尺寸约为14 nm.     

Synthesis of Biomorphic ZrO2-CeO2 Nanostructures by Silkworm Silk Template

A simple and green technique has been developed to prepare hierarchical biomorphic ZrO₂-CeO₂, using silkworm silk as the template. Different from traditional immersion technics, the whole synthesis process depends more on the restriction or direction functions of the silkwormsilk template. The analytic results showed that ZrO₂-CeO₂ exhibited a well-crystallized hierarchically interwoven hollow fiber structure with 16-28 μm in diameter. The grain size of the sample calcined at 800 oC was about 14 nm. Consequently, the interwoven meshwork at three dimensions is formed due to the direction of biotemplate. The action mechanism is summarily discussed here. It may bring the biomorphic ZrO₂-CeO₂ nanomaterials with hierarchical interwoven structures to more applications, such as catalysts.