Metaheuristics for vehicle routing problems with three-dimensional loading constraints

This paper addresses an important combination of three-dimensional loading and vehicle routing, known as the Three-Dimensional Loading Capacitated Vehicle Routing Problem. The problem calls for the combined optimization of the loading of freight into vehicles and the routing of vehicles along a road network, with the aim of serving customers with minimum traveling cost. Despite its clear practical relevance in freight distribution, the literature on this problem is very limited. This is because of its high combinatorial complexity.     

Poly (Isonicotinic Acid N-Oxide–Isonicotinate-N-Oxide-Chloro-Uranyl): The Interpenetrating Grids Created by Coordination and Hydrogen Bonds

Abstract  

The building blocks of the title compound, [UO₂ ²⁺·Cl⁻·(C₆H₄NO₃)⁻ · (C6H5NO3)]_n–uranyl fragment, chloride ion, one deprotonated isonicotinate N-oxide and one isonicotinic acid N-oxide, are arranged in the complicated three dimensional network by means of both coordination and hydrogen bonds. The uranium ion is seven-coordinated, in the fashion intermediate between the pentagonal bipyramid and capped octahedron. The coordination one-dimensional polymer chains are connected by strong carboxyl—carboxyl hydrogen bonds into two dimensional grids. These grids interpenetrate each other like the chain-links.     

Total internal reflectance fluorescence (TIRF) biosensor for environmental monitoring of testosterone with commercially available immunochemistry: antibody characterization, assay development and real sample measurements

Nowadays, little technology exists that can monitor various water sources quickly and at a reasonable cost. The ultra-sensitive, fully automated and robust biosensor River Analyser (RIANA) is capable of detecting multiple organic targets rapidly and simultaneously at a heterogeneous assay format (solid phase: bulk optical glass transducers). Commercialization of such a biosensor requires the availability of commercial high-affinity recognition elements (e.g. antibodies) and suitable commercial haptens (modified target molecules) for surface chemistry. Therfore, testosterone was chosen as model analyte, which is also a task of common analytical methods like gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), because they have to struggle with detecting sub-nanogram per liter levels in environmental samples. The reflectometric interference spectroscopy (RIfS) was used to characterize the commercially available immunochemistry resulting in a high-affinity constant of 2.6 ± 0.3 × 10⁹ mol⁻¹ for the unlabeled antibody. After the labeling procedure, necessary for the TIRF-based biosensor, a mean affinity constant of 1.2 × 10⁹ mol⁻¹ was calculated out of RIfS (1.4 ± 0.4 × 10⁹ mol⁻¹) and TIRF (1.0 ± 0.3 × 10⁹ mol⁻¹) measurements.Thereafter, the TIRF-based biosensor setup was used to determine the steroidal hormone testosterone at real world samples without sample pre-treatment or sample pre-concentration. Results are shown for rapid and ultra-sensitive analyses of testosterone in aqueous samples with at a remarkable limit of detection (LOD) of 0.2 ng L⁻¹. All real world samples, even those containing testosterone in the sub-nanogram per liter range (e.g. 0.9 ng L⁻¹), could be determined with recovery rates between 70 and 120%. Therefore, the sensor system is perfectly suited to serve as a low-cost system for surveillance and early warning in environmental analysis in addition to the common analytical methods. For the first time, commercially available immunochemistry was fully characterized using a label-free detection method (RIfS) and successfully incorporated into a TIRF-based biosensor setup (RIANA) for reliable sub-nanogram per liter detection of testosterone in aqueous environmental samples.     

Extreme events,discounting and stochastic optimization

The paper analyzes the implications of extreme events on the proper choice of discounting. Any discounting with constant or declining rates can be linked to random “stopping time” events, which define the internal discount-related horizons of evaluations. Conversely, any stopping time induces a discounting, in particular, with the standard discount rates. The expected duration of the stopping time horizon for discount rates obtained from capital markets does not exceed a few decades and, as such, these rates may significantly underestimate the net benefits of long-term decisions. The alternative undiscounted stopping time criterion allows to induce social discounting focusing on arrival times of potential extreme events rather then horizons of market interests. Induced discount rates are conditional on the degree of social commitment to mitigate risk. In general, extreme events affect these rates, which alter the optimal mitigation efforts that, in turn, change events. The use of undiscounted stopping time criteria requires stochastic optimisation methods.     

Kinetic constants of polymeric materials from thermogravimetric data

The thermal decomposition of polytetrafluoroethylene (TFE, Teflon), high and low density polyethylene (HDP and LDP), Delrin Acetal (DA), AVCO Phenolic Fiberglass (APFG), and carbon phenolic (CP), were studied by a thermogravimetric technique which utilized a constant heating rate. Loss in sample weight was recorded as a function of time or temperature from room temperature to approximately 700°. Reaction orders were established from logarithmic rate versus temperature plots. Arrhenius frequency factors and overall activation energies were determined from computerized integrations of the appropriate rate equations in which the results were treated on the basis of first-order reaction mechanisms for specific temperature regions. Zero-order mechanisms were estimated by the usual graphical methods.

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Zusammenfassung Die thermische Zersetzung von Polytetrafluoräthylen (TFE, Teflon), von Polyäthylen niedriger und hoher Dichte (HDP und LDP), von Delrin Acetal (DA), von AVCO Phenolglaswolle (APFG) und von Phenolkohle (CP) wurde thermogravimetrisch mit konstanter Aufheizgeschwindigkeit untersucht. Der Gewichtsverlust wurde als Funktion der Zeit und der Temperatur von Zimmertemperatur bis zu 700° registriert. Aus der Darstellung der Logarithmen der Reaktionsgeschwindigkeit gegen die Temperatur wurde die Reaktionsordnung ermittelt. Die Arrheniusschen Frequenzfaktoren und die Werte der durchschnittlichen Aktivierungsenergien wurden durch komputerierte Integrierung der geeigneten Geschwindigkeitsgleichungen bestimmt. In den entsprechenden Geschwindigkeitsgleichungen wurden für spezielle Temperaturgebiete die Ergebnisse aufgrund des Reaktionsmechanismus von erster Ordnung behandelt. Reaktionen nullter Ordnung wurden nach den üblichen graphischen Methoden ausgewertet.

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Résumé Etude de la décomposition thermique du polytétrafluoroéthylène (Teflon), du polyethylene haute et basse densité, de l'acétal Delrin, de la fibre de verre phénolique AVCO et du carbone phénolique par TG à vitesse d'échauffement constante. Enregistrement de la perte de poids en fonction du temps ou de la température, depuis la température ambiante jusqu'à 700°C environ. Détermination de l'ordre des réactions en portant le logarithme de la vitesse en fonction de la température. Détermination des facteurs de fréquence et des énergies d'activation moyennes par intégration numérique des équations de vitesse appropriées en traitant les résultats sur la base de mécanismes réactionnels du 1er ordre dans les domaines de température correspondants. Emploi des méthodes graphiques habituelles dans le cas des réactions d'ordre zéro.

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The authors wish to acknowledge the many hours of valued assistance accomplished by Leonie Boehmer who performed all computational calculations reported herein and for the programming and compilation of data for the CDC 6061 computer. Acknowledgment is also extended to Mark Middleton who assisted with the technical measurements and calculations presented in this report.     

Optical and structural properties of thin films deposited from laser fused Zirconia,Hafnia, and Yttria

The optical and structural properties of films deposited from laser sintered Zirconia (ZrO₂), Hafnia (HfO₂), and Yttria (Y₂O₃) and from the commercially available (unprocessed material) Zirconia, Hafnia and Yttria, were studied and compared. All the films had low absorption. Films deposited from the laser sintered material had very low optical inhomogeneity. ZrO₂ films showed negative inhomogeneity for films deposited from the unprocessed material. The refractive index increased for ZrO₂ films deposited from the laser sintered material. HfO₂ and Y₂O₃ films showed positive inhomogeneity when deposited from the unprocessed material. The refractive index of the films of these materials decreased when deposited from the laser sintered material. The thin films of ZrO₂ and Y₂O₃ prepared from laser sintered material had stable monoclinic and cubic structures respectively while HfO₂ films were found to be amorphous.     

Application of Polyelectrolytic Temperature-Responsive Hydrogels in Chemical Sensors

Summary: A rapidly expanding field of on-line process monitoring and on-line control in biotechnology, food industry, pharmaceutical industry, process chemistry, environmental measuring technology, water treatment and sewage processing requires the development of new micro fabricated reliable chemical and biosensors that are specific for particular species and can attain the analytic information in a faster, simpler and cheaper manner. Using a functionalised polymer coating in sensors provides the possibility to detect, transmit and record the information regarding the concentration change or the presence of a specific analyte (a chemical or biological substance that needs to be measured) by producing a signal proportional to the concentration of the target analyte. However, the sensor response time and signal reproducibility are limited by the visco-elastical and hysteresis behaviour of the polymer material. We propose some methods improving the properties of the chemical sensors on the basis of thermo-shrinking N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAAm) copolymer gels.