Determining matchdays in sports league schedules to minimize rest differences

Many sports leagues first announce the games to be played in each round and then determine their matchdays as the season progresses. This study focuses on the fairness criterion of minimizing the total rest difference among opposing teams to find the matchdays for an announced schedule. We show that the problem is decomposable into optimizing the rounds separately. We also provide a polynomial-time exact algorithm for canonical schedules.     

Mathematical studies of the solution of Burgers' equations by Adomian decomposition method

In this paper, a novel Adomian decomposition method (ADM) is developed for the solution of Burgers' equation. While high level of this method for differential equations are found in the literature, this work covers most of the necessary details required to apply ADM for partial differential equations. The present ADM has the capability to produce three different types of solutions, namely, explicit exact solution, analytic solution, and semi-analytic solution. In the best cases, when a closed-form solution exists, ADM is able to capture this exact solution, while most of the numerical methods can only provide an approximation solution. The proposed ADM is validated using different test cases dealing with inviscid and viscous Burgers' equations. Satisfactory results are obtained for all test cases, and, particularly, results reported in this paper agree well with those reported by other researchers.     

Optimal control and stability analysis of an online game addiction model with two stages

In this paper, we establish a mathematical model of online game addiction with two stages to research the dynamic properties of it. The existence of all equilibria is obtained, and the basic reproduction number is calculated by the method of next-generation matrix. The global asymptotic stability of disease-free equilibrium (DFE) is proved by comparison principle, and the global asymptotic stability of endemic equilibrium (EE) is proved by constructing an appropriate Lyapunov function. Then we use the Pontryagin's maximum principle to find the optimal solution of the model, so that the number of infected people can be minimized. In numerical simulation, firstly, we validate the global stability of DFE and EE. Secondly, we consider three kind of control measures (treatment, isolation, and education) and divide them into four cases. The models with control and without control are solved numerically by using forward and backward sweep Runge-Kutta method. In order to achieve the best control effect, we suggest that three kind of measures should be used simultaneously according to the optimal control strategy.     

Chebyshev spectral variational integrator and applications

The Chebyshev spectral variational integrator(CSVI) is presented in this paper. Spectral methods have aroused great interest in approximating numerically a smooth problem for their attractive geometric convergence rates. The geometric numerical methods are praised for their excellent long-time geometric structure-preserving properties.According to the generalized Galerkin framework, we combine two methods together to construct a variational integrator, which captures the merits of both methods. Since the interpolating points of the variational integrator are chosen as the Chebyshev points,the integration of Lagrangian can be approximated by the Clenshaw-Curtis quadrature rule, and the barycentric Lagrange interpolation is presented to substitute for the classic Lagrange interpolation in the approximation of configuration variables and the corresponding derivatives. The numerical float errors of the first-order spectral differentiation matrix can be alleviated by using a trigonometric identity especially when the number of Chebyshev points is large. Furthermore, the spectral variational integrator(SVI) constructed by the Gauss-Legendre quadrature rule and the multi-interval spectral method are carried out to compare with the CSVI, and the interesting kink phenomena for the Clenshaw-Curtis quadrature rule are discovered. The numerical results reveal that the CSVI has an advantage on the computing time over the whole progress and a higher accuracy than the SVI before the kink position. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated and verified perfectly through the numerical simulations for several classical mechanics examples and the orbital propagation for the planet systems and the Solar system.     

A Runge-Kutta–based WENO reconstruction on moving mesh for compressible fluids

In this paper, we construct a high-order moving mesh method based on total variation diminishing Runge-Kutta and weighted essential nonoscillatory reconstruction for compressible fluid system. Beginning with the integral form of fluid system, we get the semidiscrete system with an arbitrary mesh velocity. We use weighted essential nonoscillatory reconstruction to get the space accuracy on moving meshes, and the time accuracy is obtained by modified Runge-Kutta method; the mesh velocity is determined by moving mesh method. One- and two-dimensional numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the efficient and accurate performance of the scheme.     

A proper orthogonal decomposition variational multiscale meshless interpolating element-free Galerkin method for incompressible magnetohydrodynamics flow

In the recent decade, the meshless methods have been handled for solving most of PDEs due to easiness of the meshless methods. One of the popular meshless methods is the element-free Galerkin (EFG) method that was first proposed for solving some problems in the solid mechanics. The test and trial functions of the EFG are based on the special basis. Recently, some modifications have been developed to improve the EFG method. One of these improvements is the variational multiscale EFG procedure. In the current article, the shape functions of interpolation moving least squares approximation have been applied to the variational multiscale EFG technique for solving the incompressible magnetohydrodynamics flow. In order to reduce the elapsed CPU time of simulation, we employ a reduced-order model based on the proper orthogonal decomposition technique. The current combination can be referred to as the reduced-order variational multiscale EFG technique. To illustrate the reduction in CPU time used as well as the efficiency of the proposed method, we applied it for the two-dimensional cases.     

An analysis of overlapping Schwarz method for a weakly coupled system of singularly perturbed convection-diffusion equations

In this article, we have developed an overlapping Schwarz method for a weakly coupled system of convection-diffusion equations. The method splits the original domain into two overlapping subdomains. A hybrid difference scheme is proposed in which on the boundary layer region, we use the central finite difference scheme on a uniform mesh, whereas on the nonlayer region, we use the mid-point difference scheme on a uniform mesh. It is shown that the numerical approximations converge in the maximum norm to the exact solution. We have proved that, when appropriate subdomains are used, the method produces almost second-order convergence. Furthermore, it is shown that two iterations are sufficient to achieve the expected accuracy. Numerical examples are presented to support the theoretical results. The main advantage of this method used with the proposed scheme is that it reduces iteration counts very much and easily identifies in which iteration the Schwarz iterate terminates.     

A new database and benchmark of the bond energies of noble-gas-containing molecules

We have developed a new database of structures and bond energies of 59 noble-gas-containing molecules. The structures were calculated by CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ methods and the bond energies were obtained using the CCSD(T)/complete basis set method. Many wavefunction-based and density functional theory methods have been benchmarked against the 59 accurate bond energies. Our results show that the MPW1B95, B2GP-PLYP, and DSD-BLYP functionals with the aug-cc-pVTZ basis set excel in predicting the bond energies of noble-gas molecules with mean unsigned errors (MUEs) of 2.0 to 2.1 kcal/mol. When combinations of Dunning's basis sets are used, the MPW1B95, B2GP-PLYP, DSD-BLYP, and BMK functionals give significantly lower MUEs of 1.6 to 1.9 kcal/mol. Doubly hybrid methods using B2GP-PLYP and DSD-BLYP functionals and MP2 calculation also provide satisfactory accuracy with MUEs of 1.4 to 1.5 kcal/mol. If the Ng bond energies and the total atomization energies of a group of 109 main-group molecules are considered at the same time, the MPW1B95/aug-cc-pVTZ single-level method (MUE = 2.7 kcal/mol) and the B2GP-PLYP and DSD-PLYP functionals with combinations of basis sets or using the doubly hybrid method (MUEs = 1.9-2.2 kcal/mol) give the overall best result.     

Rapid and cost-effective LC–MS/MS method for determination of hydroxycitric acid in plasma: Application in the determination of pharmacokinetics in commercial Garcinia preparations

Garcinia cambogia is one of the most commonly used anti-obesity dietary supplements, and hydroxycitric acid (HCA) is a major constituent in the commercial preparations of Garcinia. High doses of HCA are often consumed without much awareness of its pharmacokinetic and toxicokinetic parameters, and therefore, a complete understanding of its effects is lacking. The first step in understanding these parameters is the availability of a reliable bioanalytical method. Here, we present the first report on a UPLC–MS/MS method for analysis of HCA in rat plasma after a simplified and cost-effective protein precipitation. Chromatographic separation of the analytes in the supernatant was achieved using hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography, where mass parameters were optimized and a rapid 5-min quantitative assay was developed. The method was highly sensitive, accurate, precise and linear in the concentration range of 10.5–5000 ng/mL (validated according to the United States Food and Drug Administration guidelines). Further, the method was successfully used to describe the pharmacokinetic profile of HCA in rat plasma after the administration of pure HCA and commercial Garcinia preparations.     

Torsional vibration of functionally graded nano-rod under magnetic field supported by a generalized torsional foundation based on nonlocal elasticity theory

Abstract

This article contains the nonlocal elasticity theory to capture size effects in functionally graded (FG) nano-rod under magnetic field supported by a torsional foundation. Torque effect of an axial magnetic field on an FG nano-rod has been defined using Maxwell’s relation. The material properties were assumed to vary according to the power law in radial direction. The Navier equation and boundary conditions of the size-dependent FG nano-rod were derived by the Hamilton’s principle. These equations were solved by employing the generalized differential quadrature method (GDQM). Presented model has the ability to turn into the classical model if the material length scale parameter is taken to be zero. The effects of some parameters, such as inhomogeneity constant, magnetic field and small-scale parameter, were studied. As an important result of this study can be stated that an FG nano-rod model based on the nonlocal elasticity theory behaves softer and has smaller natural frequency.