A simulation-based approach for fleet design in a technician dispatch problem with stochastic demand

We address the problem of developing policies for selecting the proper number of technicians to hire (fleet size) for an on-call repair service operating over a yearly planning horizon in an environment where the number of requests to be serviced each day can vary significantly from day to day and on a seasonal basis. We propose a new approach based on the simulation of a large number of sampled weekly instances and the application of a previously developed optimization procedure for the daily dispatch of technicians. The sampled instances are derived from an extensive statistical analysis of demand data with respect to several key parameters. The results of the simulations are utilized to adjust performance curves in function of fleet size that are then used in an economic analysis of the trade-offs between service quality and cost. Efficient policies for fleet design are then deducted from this analysis.     

一种带改进开关和使用新型按比例缩小策略的10位120兆的流水线模数转换器

这篇文章介绍了一种精度为10比特,采样率为120兆的双通道流水线模数转换器(ADC)。这个模数转换器利用了体效应来改善开关的导通性能。在版图绘制中应用了一种新型的按比例缩小的策略。基于0.18μm的CMOS工艺,ADC的整个版图面积为2.05x1.83 mm2。在采样频率为120兆,输入信号频率为4.9兆的情况下,无杂散动态范围达到了74.32dB,信号噪音失真比为55.34dB,3伏供电电压下每通道的功耗为220毫瓦。     

基于模糊中值的IRFPA自适应盲元检测与补偿

红外焦平面阵列(IRFPA)的盲元既包括因材料与制造工艺的缺陷而导致的固定盲元,也包括因环境温度的漂移而出现的随机盲元.基于场景的盲元检测与补偿算法是去除这两种盲元,提高IRFPA 成像质量的有效手段.针对目前滤波类场景检测算法无法有效区分弱小点目标和随机盲元的缺陷,重点研究了随机盲元的响应特性和噪声特性,并提出了一种基于模糊中值与时域累积的盲元自适应检测与补偿算法.首先利用模糊中值滤波器从场景中提取出潜在的盲元,并通过多帧累积确定固定盲元和随机盲元的正确分布,最后对盲元进行实时补偿.实验结果证明:该算法可以有效地实现对盲元的校正,同时避免对弱小点目标的误判别.     

直接相位调制产生线性啁啾脉冲特性研究

直接相位调制可产生带宽可调的线性啁啾脉冲,可作为种子源用于啁啾脉冲放大系统中。对线性啁啾脉冲的产生过程以及啁啾脉冲在光纤中的传输放大过程进行了数值模拟与实验研究,实验获得了底宽为500 ps,带宽为0.69 nm的线性啁啾脉冲。在此基础上提出一种全新的产生冲击点火种子脉冲的方式,即对光脉冲的局部进行调制与压缩以获得高对比度的种子脉冲,并对其进行了实验验证。实验中将一方波脉冲经调制压缩为对比度为2∶1的阶梯脉冲,验证了该方法产生冲击点火种子脉冲的可行性。该方案为未来多种脉冲类型输出的惯性约束聚变(ICF)驱动器光纤前端系统的研制打下了研究基础。     

Hydrolysis kinetics of silane coupling agents studied by near-infrared spectroscopy plus partial least squares model

Abstract

A method of Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) spectroscopy combined with partial least squares (PLS) model was successfully applied to investigate the hydrolysis kinetics of four kinds of silane coupling agents (phenyltriethoxysilane, vinyltriethoxysilane, 3-mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane, 3-chloropropyltriethoxysilane) in an acid-catalyzed EtOH system. The fast scanning speed and high sensitivity of the FT-NIR spectroscopy, and the powerful data processing ability of the PLS, enabled the method to quantitatively and accurately catch the fast changing H₂O concentration during the hydrolysis processes without delay, realizing the study of the fast-paced hydrolysis reactions of the silane coupling agents. The results showed that electrophilic substitution occurred in the hydrolysis reactions, which followed second-order reactions and greatly depend on the catalyst concentration and reaction temperature. The hydrolysis rate constants, activation energy, and Arrhenius Frequency factors were gained. In conclusion, the FT-NIR PLS model is a powerful tool for hydrolysis kinetics researching of the silane coupling agents.     

Analytical determination of specific 4,4′-methylene diphenyl diisocyanate hemoglobin adducts in human blood

4,4′-Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) is one of the most important isocyanates in the industrial production of polyurethane and other MDI-based synthetics. Because of its high reactivity, it is known as a sensitizing agent, caused by protein adducts. Analysis of MDI is routinely done by determination of the nonspecific 4,4′-methylenedianiline as a marker for MDI exposure in urine and blood. Since several publications have reported specific adducts of MDI and albumin or hemoglobin, more information about their existence in humans is necessary. Specific adducts of MDI and hemoglobin were only reported in rats after high-dose MDI inhalation. The aim of this investigation was to detect the hemoglobin adduct 5-isopropyl-3-[4-(4-aminobenzyl)phenyl]hydantoin (ABP-Val-Hyd) in human blood for the first time. We found values up to 5.2 ng ABP-Val-Hyd/g globin (16 pmol/g) in blood samples of workers exposed to MDI. Because there was no information available about possible amounts of this specific MDI marker, the analytical method focused on optimal sensitivity and selectivity. Using gas chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry with negative chemical ionization, we achieved a detection limit of 0.02 ng ABP-Val-Hyd/g globin (0.062 pmol/g). The robustness of the method was confirmed by relative standard deviations between 3.0 and 9.8 %. Combined with a linear detection range up to 10 ng ABP-Val-Hyd/g globin (31 pmol/g), the enhanced precision parameter demonstrates that the method described is optimized for screening studies of the human population.     

Preparation of an amperometric sensor for norfloxacin based on molecularly imprinted grafting photopolymerization

A sensitive amperometric sensor for norfloxacin (NF) was introduced. The receptor layer was prepared by molecularly imprinted photopolymerization of acrylamide and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate on the surface of a gold electrode. The binding mechanism of the molecularly imprinted polymer was explored by ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. The chemosensor was characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), electrochemical impedance (EI), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The electrode prepared by photopolymerization has a better recognition ability to template molecules than that of electropolymerization and NIP. Some parameters affecting sensor response were optimized. Norfloxacin was detected by measurements of an amperometric i–t curve. The linear relationships between current and logarithmic concentration are obtained from 1.0?×?10^?9 to 1.0?×?10^?3?mol?L^?1. The detection limit of the sensor was 1.0?×?10^?10?mol?L^?1. The proposed method is sensitive, simple, and cheap, and is applied to detect NF in human urine successfully.

Supramolecular organogelators based on Janus type AT nucleosides

J-AT nucleoside-based organogelators 1a and 1b were designed and synthesized. They were endowed with unparalleled superiority to natural nucleobase analogues 2–6 to gelate aromatic solvents due to their excellent self-assembly properties. The J-AT nucleoside-based organogelators showed a specific self-complementary base pair recognition characteristic. The gel stabilities of 1a and 1b were drastically influenced by adenine analogue 2, hardly affected by thymine analogue 3, uracil analogue 4, cytosine analogue 5, and mildly interrupted by guanine analogue 6.     

Ba2Cd(B3O6)2: A Congruent‐Melting Compound with Isolated B3O6 Units

The single crystals of Ba₂Cd(B₃O₆)₂ were grown by the spontaneous crystallization method for the first time. They crystallize in the centrosymmetric trigonal space group R$\bar{3}$ with a = 7.143(3) Å, c = 17.405(16) Å, and Z = 3. The structure is characterized by isolated B₃O₆ units, and the Ba²⁺ and Cd²⁺ cations connect with B₃O₆ rings to form three dimensional structure. The TG/DSC and XRD results reveal that Ba₂Cd(B₃O₆)₂ melts congruently. First‐principles electronic structure calculation performed with the density functional theory (DFT) method shows that the calculated bandgaps are 4.66 eV, which is in good agreement with the UV/Vis/NIR experimental value 4.59 eV. The calculation shows that the Ba₂Cd(B₃O₆)₂ crystal has a large birefringence (Δn = 0.0875–0.0569 from 270 nm to 2600 nm), which demonstrates that Ba₂Cd(B₃O₆)₂ is a potential birefringence crystal.