Frequency optimization in public transportation systems: Formulation and metaheuristic approach

We study the transit frequency optimization problem, which aims to determine the time interval between subsequent buses for a set of public transportation lines given by their itineraries, i.e., sequences of stops and street sections. The solution should satisfy a given origin–destination demand and a constraint on the available fleet of buses. We propose a new mixed integer linear programming (MILP) formulation for an already existing model, originally formulated as a nonlinear bilevel one. The proposed formulation is able to solve to optimality real small-sized instances of the problem using MILP techniques. For solving larger instances we propose a metaheuristic which accuracy is estimated by comparing against exact results (when possible). Both exact and approximated approaches are tested by using existing cases, including a real one related to a small-city which public transportation system comprises 13 lines. The magnitude of the improvement of that system obtained by applying the proposed methodologies, is comparable with the improvements reported in the literature, related to other real systems. Also, we investigate the applicability of the metaheuristic to a larger-sized real case, comprising more than 130 lines.     

Correlation structure of time-changed Pearson diffusions

The stochastic solution to diffusion equations with polynomial coefficients is called a Pearson diffusion. If the time derivative is replaced by a distributed order fractional derivative, the stochastic solution is called a distributed order fractional Pearson diffusion. This paper develops a formula for the covariance function of distributed order fractional Pearson diffusion in the steady state, in terms of generalized Mittag-Leffler functions. The correlation function decays like a power law. That formula shows that distributed order fractional Pearson diffusions exhibits long range dependence.     

Chemical Shift and Its Uses as an Electronic Parameter in Structure-Activity Correlations

Apparent correlations are found between the N-H chemical shifts of congeneric series of compounds and the dipole moments of the molecules, such as lactams and thiolactams, cyclic ureas and thioureas. When there is a high degree of correlation, either the N-H chemical shift or the dipole moment of the molecule can be used as an electronic parameter in correlating the biological activity with the chemical structure. In a series of substituted salicylaldehydes the Hammett σ constant gives better correlation with the biological activity than the O-H chemical shift. This is probably due to the anisotropic effect of the substituent besides the electronic effect. Other factors affecting the N-H chemical shift, e.g. intramolecular hydrogen-bonding of nitrosoureas and the deshielding effect of a benzene ring, in o-phenyleneureas are also presented. In spite of the limitations, the chemical shifts of many compounds can be obtained very easily, therefore, their uses in structure-activity correlations deserve further investigation.     

Effect of Temperature and Composition on the Density and Viscosity of Binary Mixtures of Ionic Liquid with Alcohols

Density and viscosity were determined for the binary mixtures containing the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium thiocyanate ([BMIM][SCN]) and 1-alcohols (1-butanol, 1-pentanol and 1-hexanol) at six temperatures (298.15, 308.15, 318.15, 328.15, 338.15 and 348.15) K and ambient pressure. The density and viscosity correlation for these systems was tested by an empirical second-order polynomial and by the Vogel-Fucher-Tammann equation in wide ranges of temperatures. Excess molar volumes were described by the Redlich-Kister polynomial expansions. The density and viscosity variations with composition were described by polynomials. A qualitative analysis of the trend of the properties with solvent and temperature was performed. The obtained results indicate that ionic liquid interactions with 1-alcohols are strongly dependent on the special trend of packing of this ionic liquid into hydroxylic solvents. As previously observed, an increase of the 1-alcohol carbon-chain length leads to lower interactions on mixing. Electronic Supplementary Material  The online version of this article () contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Testing procedures for detection of linear dependencies in efficiency models

The validity of many efficiency measurement methods rely upon the assumption that variables such as input quantities and output mixes are independent of (or uncorrelated with) technical efficiency, however few studies have attempted to test these assumptions. In a recent paper, Wilson (2003) investigates a number of independence tests and finds that they have poor size properties and low power in moderate sample sizes. In this study we discuss the implications of these assumptions in three situations: (i) bootstrapping non-parametric efficiency models; (ii) estimating stochastic frontier models and (iii) obtaining aggregate measures of industry efficiency. We propose a semi-parametric Hausmann-type asymptotic test for linear independence (uncorrelation), and use a Monte Carlo experiment to show that it has good size and power properties in finite samples. We also describe how the test can be generalized in order to detect higher order dependencies, such as heteroscedasticity, so that the test can be used to test for (full) independence when the efficiency distribution has a finite number of moments. Finally, an empirical illustration is provided using data on US electric power generation.     

Correlation lengths in quasi-one-dimensional systems via transfer matrices

ABSTRACT

Using transfer matrices up to next-nearest-neighbour interactions, we examine the structural correlations of quasi-one-dimensional systems of hard disks confined by two parallel lines and hard spheres confined in cylinders. Simulations have shown that the non-monotonic and non-smooth growth of the correlation length in these systems accompanies structural crossovers [Fu et al., Soft Matter 13, 3296 (2017)]. Here, we identify the theoretical basis for these behaviours. In particular, we associate kinks in the growth of correlation lengths with eigenvalue crossing and splitting. Understanding the origin of such structural crossovers answers questions raised by earlier studies, and thus bridges the gap between theory and simulations for these reference models.     

Decay of correlations in one and two dimensions

An exposition of some methods of proving exponential (stretched exponential) decay of correlations is given. One-dimensional strictly hyperbolic and quadratic maps and two-dimensional piecewise smooth, uniformly hyperbolic maps are considered. The emphasis is on the fundamental constructions of the Markov sieve method due to Bunimovich-Chernov-Sinai and those of Liverani's Hilbert metric method.     

脏腑病变与寸关尺压力波的关系

该文根据波动理论，推证了脏腑病变对寸、关、尺压力波的 影响，分析了寸、关、尺部位的脉状与脏腑病变的关系。 