A generic view of Dantzig-Wolfe decomposition in mixed integer programming

The Dantzig-Wolfe reformulation principle is presented based on the concept of generating sets. The use of generating sets allows for an easy extension to mixed integer programming. Moreover, it provides a unifying framework for viewing various column generation practices, such as relaxing or tightening the column generation subproblem and introducing stabilization techniques.     

Chromatic polynomial, q-binomial counting and colored Jones function

We define a q-chromatic function and q-dichromate on graphs and compare it with existing graph functions. Then we study in more detail the class of general chordal graphs. This is partly motivated by the graph isomorphism problem. Finally we relate the q-chromatic function to the colored Jones function of knots. This leads to a curious expression of the colored Jones function of a knot diagram K as a chromatic operator applied to a power series whose coefficients are linear combinations of long chord diagrams. Chromatic operators are directly related to weight systems by the work of Chmutov, Duzhin, Lando and Noble, Welsh.     

Quantitative Comparison of REAPDOR and TRAPDOR Experiments by Numerical Simulations and Determination of H–Al Distances in Zeolites

Quantitative H–Al distances in acid sites of two zeolites with MFI and IFR framework topology were obtained by numerical simulation of ¹H{²⁷Al} rotational echo adiabatic passage double resonance (REAPDOR) experiments. A ²⁷Al offset-dependent data set yields for each resolved ¹H NMR line a corresponding nuclear electric quadrupole coupling constant of the neighboring ²⁷Al site. This information is used for analyzing a second data set for on-resonance irradiation, where the dipolar evolution time (number of rotor cycles) was varied, to yield the ¹H–²⁷Al dipolar coupling constant. Numerical simulations indicate that the REAPDOR method does not depend significantly on the polar angles, defining the orientation of the electric field gradient tensor of ²⁷Al with respect to the Al–H dipolar vector. In contrast, the transfer of populations in double resonance sequence is sensitive to these angles, and it can be thus used to measure them.     

Bubble point pressure estimates from Gibbs ensemble simulations

Bubble pressure points of ethanol–1,1,1,2,3,3,3-heptafluoropropane (HFC-227ea refrigerant) mixtures from the third Industrial Fluid Properties Simulation Challenge are computed using publicly available molecular simulation software. Several published force fields are compared against the known answers provided in the contest guidelines and the best force fields are used to make predictions for the unknown results.     

Recent changes in A-level Mathematics: is the availability and uptake of mechanics declining yet more?

In the past 6 years changes have occurred in GCE A-levels. Inparticular, there have been several major changes in A-levelMathematics courses. As engineering students are usually requiredto have studied A-level Mathematics, or its equivalent, thesechanges have had an effect on their prior mathematical knowledge.Moreover, engineering students traditionally obtained a goodgrounding in mechanics as part of their A-level Mathematicsqualification. However, mechanics, which was once included inthe core syllabus, is now optional. This article investigatesthe current availability and uptake of mechanics modules withinA-level Mathematics courses in schools. Comparisons are drawnbetween these results and results of a survey of schools in2004 and surveys of first year engineering students conductedin 2004 and 2005. It is found that there is a decline in theavailability of mechanics modules and the uptake of more thanone mechanics module has also decreased. The implications ofthese findings for engineering educators are discussed.     

Random Walks And The Colored Jones Function

It can be conjectured that the colored Jones function of a knot can be computed in terms of counting paths on the graph of a planar projection of a knot. On the combinatorial level, the colored Jones function can be replaced by its weight system. We give two curious formulas for the weight system of a colored Jones function: one in terms of the permanent of a matrix associated to a chord diagram, and another in terms of counting paths of intersecting chords. Electronic supplementary material to this article is available at and is accessible to authorized users. * S. G. was partially supported by an NSF and by an Israel-US BSF grant. † M. L. was partly supported by GAUK 158 grant and by the Project LN00A056 of the Czech Ministry of Education.