Hotel Performance in the UK: The Role of Information Entropy in a Novel Slack-Based Data Envelopment Analysis

Previous hotel performance studies neglected the role of information entropy in feedback processes between input and output management. This paper focuses on this gap by exploring the relationship between hotel performance at the industry level and the capability of learning by doing and adopting best practices using a sample of 153 UK hotels over a 10-year period between 2008–2017. Besides, this research also fills a literature gap by addressing the issues of measuring hotel performance in light of negative outputs. In order to achieve this, we apply a novel Modified slack-based model for the efficiency analysis and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator to examine the influence of entropy related variable on efficiency score. The Results indicate that less can be learnt from inputs than from outputs to improve efficiency levels and resource allocation is more balanced than cash flow and liquidity. The findings suggest that market dynamics explains the cash flow generation potential and liquidity. We find that market conditions are increasingly offering the opportunities for learning and improving hotel efficiency. The results report that the distinctive characteristic of superior performance in hotel operations is the capability to match the cash flow generation potential with market opportunities.     

Metachronal propulsion of non-Newtonian viscoelastic mucus in an axisymmetric tube with ciliated walls

Cilia-induced flow of viscoelastic mucus through an idealized two-dimensional model of the human trachea is presented.The cilia motion is simulated by a metachronal wave pattern which enables the mobilization of highly viscous mucus even at nonzero Reynolds numbers.The viscoelastic mucus is analyzed with the upper convected Maxwell viscoelastic formulation which features a relaxation time and accurately captures normal stress generation in shear flows.The governing equations are transformed from fixed to wave(laboratory)frame with appropriate variables and resulting differential equations are perturbed about wave number.The trachea is treated as an axisymmetric ciliated tube.Radial and axial distributions in axial velocity are calculated via the regular perturbation method and pressure rise is computed with numerical integration using symbolic software MATHEMATICA^‘TM’.The influence of selected parameters which is cilia length,and Maxwell viscoelastic material parameter i.e.relaxation time for prescribed values of wave number are visualized graphically.Pressure rise is observed to increase considerably with elevation in both cilia length and relaxation time whereas the axial velocity is markedly decelerated.The simulations provide some insight into viscous-dominated cilia propulsion of rheological mucus and also serve as a benchmark for more advanced modeling.     

惯性约束聚变靶丸内杂质气体抽空流洗过程的数值模拟

低温冷冻靶是实现惯性约束聚变(inertial confinement fusion,ICF)的关键部件之一.低温靶靶丸内杂质气体的去除程度和效率对低温靶燃料冰层的在线制备具有重要意义.依据低温靶物理对冰层杂质含量的设计要求,在计算靶丸内杂质气体最大允许分压的基础上,建立了靶丸内气体在微米级充气管内流动的抽空流洗模型.模拟研究了不同微管尺度及结构、温度对靶丸内杂质气体抽空流洗效率的影响规律,获得了靶丸充气微管的最佳管型设计方案.基于最佳管型设计,优化得到了具有最高抽空流洗效率的抽空时间与流洗次数组合策略.     

环形磁场金属等离子体源冷却流场的数值模拟与优化

环形磁场金属等离子体源作为一种全新的等离子体源结构,可用于产生高度离化、无大颗粒、高密度的离子束流,但传统流道结构不能保证其高效、均匀散热,大功率工作时可能引起密封胶圈的烧蚀失效,需对其冷却流场进行优化设计.利用Solidworks Flow Simulation软件对等离子体源冷却流道进行模拟,分析出入水孔分布角度、孔数、孔径以及入水孔高度对冷却效果的影响规律,并对流道结构参数进行优化.结果表明,增大水孔的周向分布范围,有利于提高散热的均匀性;入水孔设置在结构上层有利于减少冷却水的温度分层现象,使铜套和密封胶圈都处于较好的冷却状态;适当减小孔径有利于增大冷却水射流速度,增大湍流程度强化传热,提高换热效率.优化后的流场结构可以提高冷却水的利用率,在相同流量条件下获得更好的冷却效果,改善等离子体源的放电稳定性,为环形磁场金属等离子体源的冷却结构设计提供理论依据.     

Novel Approach to Two-Component Analysis Based on the Generalized Calibration Strategy

The generalized calibration strategy (GCS), developed and previously applied to chemical analysis, has been adapted to two-component (2C) analysis. According to the 2C-GCS procedure, a set of 10 calibration solutions containing a sample and standards of two analytes in well-defined composition was diluted. The measurements performed at a given dilution stage allow the concentration of both analytes in a sample to be evaluated with six apparent concentrations calculated with various mathematical approaches. As a result, the method allows the detection, examination, and elimination of nonlinear and interference effects with multiplicative and additive characteristics. To perform 2C-GCS automatically and effectively, a dedicated flow sequential injection system was designed to be fully controlled by a computer. Caffeine and paracetamol were determined in synthetic and pharmaceutical samples using this calibration approach. The analytes were determined with good precision and accuracy with low consumption of sample and standard solutions. On the basis of this experimental model, the influence of effects and tendencies in the examined analytical system was detected and evaluated.     

Determination of Antioxidant Activity of Hibiscus Flowers by Flow Injection Analysis with Chemiluminescence Detection

This study reports a simple and rapid method for the determination of the antioxidant activity of the phenolics present in plants of the Hibiscus genus. The protocol is based on the ability of the phenolic compounds to inhibit luminol chemiluminescence through the inactivation of free radicals in a flow injection system. Using the optimized operational conditions, the antioxidant activities of several phenolics were measured. The results were explained on the basis of structure–reactivity relationships. The antioxidant activities of dried flowers of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis and Hibiscus sabdariffa were evaluated. The protocol was validated by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl-hydrate free radical assay. The differences in the antiradical activities were explained based on the concentrations of total polyphenol and flavonoid concentrations determined by spectrophotometric methods. It was concluded that the chemiluminescence method was complementary for the evaluation of hydrophilic antioxidants in plants.     

Fluorescence‐based lateral flow assays for rapid oral fluid roadside detection of cannabis use

With the recent worldwide changes in the legalization of marijuana, there is a significant need for rapid, roadside screening test for driving under the influence of drugs. A robust, sensitive, lateral flow assay has been developed to detect recent use via oral‐fluid testing for Δ⁹‐tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This proof‐of‐concept assay uses a fluorescent‐based immunoassay detection of polymeric beads, conjugated to antibodies against native THC. The fluorescent technique allows for significantly lower limits of detection and higher precision determination of recent marijuana use without the use of urine or blood sampling—thus allowing for roadside identification. Detection levels of 0.01 ng/mL were distinguished from background and the lower limit of quantification was determined to approach 1 ng/mL.     

Comparison of antimicrobial peptide purification via free‐flow electrophoresis and gel filtration chromatography

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are usually small and cationic biomolecules with broad‐spectrum antimicrobial activities against pathogens. Purifying them from complex samples is essential to study their physiochemical properties. In this work, free‐flow zone electrophoresis (FFZE) was utilized to purify AMPs from yeast fermentation broth. Meanwhile, gel filtration chromatography (GFC) was conducted for comparison. The separation efficiency was evaluated by SDS‐PAGE analysis of the fractions from both methods. Our results demonstrated as follows: (i) FFZE had more than 30‐fold higher processing capacity as compared with GFC; (ii) FFZE could achieve 87% purity and 89% recovery rate while in GFC these parameters were about 93 and 82%, respectively; (iii) the former had ∼2‐fold dilution but the latter had ∼13‐fold dilution. Furthermore, Tricine‐SDS‐PAGE, Native‐PAGE, and gel IEF were carried out to characterize the purified AMPs. We found that two peptides existed as a pair with the molecular mass of ∼5.5 and 7.0 kDa, while the same pI 7.8. These two peptides were proved to have the antimicrobial activity through the standardized agar diffusion method. Therefore, FFZE could be used to continuously purify AMPs with high bioactivity, which will lead to its wide application in the clinical and pharmaceutical fields.     

夹心法免疫层析试条的数学模型与仿真研究

基于夹心法免疫层析试条检测原理,结合对流扩散方程和流体动力学方程,建立了夹心法免疫层析试条动态反应过程的数学模型,并通过COMSOL软件对试条动态反应过程进行仿真.分别探究了目标待测物A浓度在0 ～ 20 mol/L,标记物P浓度在1×10-2～1×103 mol/L以及硝酸纤维素膜的孔隙率在0～1范围内变化时,检测线上夹心复合物浓度关于位置和时间的浓度变化情况,并分析了各物质初始浓度以及试条结构对于检测结果和检测时间的影响.结果表明,在一定浓度范围内,目标待测物A以及标记物P浓度的增加将提高试条的定量检测性能,而孔隙率通过影响混合液流速和混合液中各物质反应接触情况来影响检测结果.     

Traveling disturbance appearing in boundary layer transition in a Yawed cylinder

Boundary layers that develop over a body in fluid flow are in most cases three-dimensional owing to the spin, yaw, or surface curvature of the body. Therefore, the study of three-dimensional (3D) boundary-layer transition is essential to work in practical aerodynamics. The present investigation is concerned with the problem of 3D boundary layers over a yawed body. A yawed cylinder model that represents the leading edge portion of a swept wing and the mechanism of crossflow instability are investigated in detail using hot-wire velocimetry and a flow visualization technique. As a result, traveling disturbances having frequencies f₁ and f₂, which differ by about one order of magnitude, are detected in the transition region. The phase velocities and directions of travel of those disturbances are measured. Results for the low-frequency disturbance f₁ show qualitative coincidence with results numerically predicted for a crossflow unsteady disturbance. Nameley, F₁ travels nearly spanwise to the yawed cylinder and very close to the cylinder wall. The results for the high-frequency disturbance f₂ good agreement with the existing experimental results. The ₂ disturbance is found to be the high-frequency inflectional secondary instability that appears in 3D boundary layer transition in general. A two-stage transition process, where stationary crossflow vortices appear as the primary instability and a traveling inflectional disturbance is generated as a secondary instability, was observed. Secondary instability seems to play a major role in turbulent transition.