A linear program for the two-hub location problem

This paper considers the discrete two-hub location problem. We need to choose two hubs from a set of nodes. The remaining nodes are to be connected to one of the two hubs which act as switching points for internodal flows. A configuration which minimizes the total flow cost needs to be found. We show that the problem can be solved in polynomial time when the hub locations are fixed. Since there are at most ways to choose the hub locations, the two-hub location problem can be solved in polynomial time. We transform the quadratic 0–1 integer program of the single allocation problem in the fixed two-hub system into a linear program and show that all extreme points of the polytope defined by the LP are integral. Also, the problem can be transformed into a minimum cut problem which can be solved efficiently by any polynomial time algorithm.     

Local acid environment in poly(ethylene‐ran‐methacrylic acid) ionomers

The local environment of unneutralized carboxylic acid groups in poly(ethylene‐ran‐methacrylic acid) (E/MAA) ionomers neutralized with monovalent (Li and Na) and divalent (Ca and Zn) ions has been investigated with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. These unneutralized acid groups interact with one another to form acid dimers, and they associate with existing neutralized complexes. At room temperature, no free acids can be detected for any system, not even for pure E/MAA. With the acid dimer peak (1700 cm^?1) and a known unneutralized acid concentration, the concentration of acids associated with a neutralized complex can be determined. This concentration of associated acids increases with increasing neutralization, reaches a maximum below 50% neutralization, and then decreases toward zero near 80% neutralization. This behavior is perhaps due to the increased driving force for aggregation of the neutralization acids. Although Li, Na, and Ca contain similar concentrations of associated acids over the range of neutralizations, the Zn system contains far fewer associated acids (i.e., more acid dimers) at any particular neutralization level. These results are confirmed by an analysis of the absorbance in the neutralized region (1650–1500 cm^?1). © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 2833–2841, 2002     

A step-and-repeat UV-nanoimprint lithography process using an elementwise patterned stamp

Ultraviolet-nanoimprint lithography (UV-NIL) is a promising cost-effective method for defining nanoscale structures at room temperature and low pressure. To apply a large-area stamp to a high throughput step-and-repeat process at atmospheric conditions, we proposed a new UV-NIL process that uses an elementwise patterned stamp (EPS), which consists of elements separated by channels, and additive gas pressurization. The proposed UV-NIL process required just four imprints to press an 8-in. wafer. EPS features measuring 50-80 nm were successfully transferred onto the wafers. The experiments demonstrated that a 5 × 5-in.² EPS could be used with a step-and-repeat UV-NIL process to imprint 8-in. wafers under atmospheric conditions.     

Evaluation of Geometric Modeling for KOMPSAT‐1 EOC Imagery Using Ephemeris Data

Using stereo images with ephemeris data from the Korea Multi‐Purpose Satellite‐1 electro‐optical camera (KOMPSAT‐1 EOC), we performed geometric modeling for three‐dimensional (3‐D) positioning and evaluated its accuracy. In the geometric modeling procedures, we used ephemeris data included in the image header file to calculate the orbital parameters, sensor attitudes, and satellite position. An inconsistency between the time information of the ephemeris data and that of the center of the image frame was found, which caused a significant offset in satellite position. This time inconsistency was successfully adjusted. We modeled the actual satellite positions of the left and right images using only two ground control points and then achieved 3‐D positioning using the KOMPSAT‐1 EOC stereo images. The results show that the positioning accuracy was about 12‐17 m root mean square error (RMSE) when 6.6 m resolution EOC stereo images were used along with the ephemeris data and only two ground control points (GCPs). If more accurate ephemeris data are provided in the near future, then a more accurate 3‐D positioning will also be realized using only the EOC stereo images with ephemeris data and without the need for any GCPs.     

Grating lobe reduction in ultrasonic synthetic focusing

Two novel schemes of data acquisition in synthetic aperture ultrasonic imaging systems using a linear array transducer are presented to solve the troublesome grating lobe problem. Simulation and experimental results show that in both schemes the grating lobes are significantly reduced without appreciable degradation of the main lobe characteristics.<>     

Combined in-situ SAXS/WAXS and HRTEM study on crystallization of (Cu60Co40)1 − xZrx metallic glasses

CuZr as well as CoZr are well known metallic glass-formers in a wide compositional range. Since the binary Cu-Co system exhibits a metastable liquid-liquid miscibility gap, i.e. Cu and Co tend to separate from each other, the ternary Cu-Co-Zr system is a promising candidate to form phase separated glass-glass composites. In this work (Cu₆₀Co₄₀)_1 − xZr_x metallic glasses with relatively low Zr contents of x = 37 and x = 32 were prepared by melt spinning and investigated by in-situ small-angle and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS/WAXS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Certain heat treated samples were additionally investigated by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Even for x = 32 there are no indications for any kind of phase separation in the as-quenched state within experimental resolution, i.e. the critical temperature T_c for a liquid-liquid phase separation has already decreased from 1556 K for binary Cu₆₀Co₄₀ to a temperature below the glass transition temperature T_g = 762(5)K found for (Cu₆₀Co₄₀)₆₈Zr₃₂. Combined in-situ SAXS/WAXS and HRTEM investigations reveal that thermal annealing also does not induce an amorphous-amorphous phase separation. Instead the formation of nano crystallites of a so far unknown Cu-rich/Zr-poor phase with relatively low activation energy for crystallization E_a = 116(7) kJ/mol at temperatures far below the crystallization temperature deduced from DSC measurements is observed.     

A new Li-Al-N-H system for reversible hydrogen storage

Complex metal hydrides are considered as a class of candidate materials for hydrogen storage. Lithium-based complex hydrides including lithium alanates (LiAlH(4) and Li(3)AlH(6)) are among the most promising materials owing to its high hydrogen content. In the present work, we investigated dehydrogenation/rehydrogenation reactions of a combined system of Li(3)AlH(6) and LiNH(2). Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of Li(3)AlH(6)/3LiNH(2)/4 wt % TiCl(3)-(1)/(3)AlCl(3) mixtures indicated that a large amount of hydrogen (approximately 7.1 wt %) can be released between 150 degrees C and 300 degrees C under a heating rate of 5 degrees C/min in two dehydrogenation reaction steps. The results also show that the dehydrogenation reaction of the new material system is nearly 100% reversible under 2000 psi pressure hydrogen at 300 degrees C. Further, a short-cycle experiment has demonstrated that the new combined material system of alanates and amides can maintain its hydrogen storage capacity upon cycling of the dehydrogenation/rehydrogenation reactions.     

Support vector machines for default prediction of SMEs based on technology credit

In Korea, many forms of credit guarantees have been issued to fund small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with a high degree of growth potential in technology. However, a high default rate among funded SMEs has been reported. In order to effectively manage such governmental funds, it is important to develop an accurate scoring model for selecting promising SMEs. This paper provides a support vector machines (SVM) model to predict the default of funded SMEs, considering various input variables such as financial ratios, economic indicators, and technology evaluation factors. The results show that the accuracy performance of the SVM model is better than that of back-propagation neural networks (BPNs) and logistic regression. It is expected that the proposed model can be applied to a wide range of technology evaluation and loan or investment decisions for technology-based SMEs.     

On the relations of graph parameters and its total parameters

In this paper we get some relations between α（G）, α＇（G）, β（G）, β＇（G） and αT（G）, βT（G）. And all bounds in these relations are best possible, where α（G）, α＇（G）,/3（G）, β（G）, αT（G） and βT（G） are the covering number, edge-covering number, independent number, edge-independent number （or matching number）, total covering number and total independent number, respectively.