Universiti Malaysia Pahang examination timetabling problem: scheduling invigilators

This paper presents a real-world examination timetabling problem from Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP), Malaysia. The problem involves assigning invigilators to examination rooms. This problem has received less attention than the examination timetabling problem from the research community partly because no data sets are available in the literature. In modelling, and solving, this problem we assume that there is already an examination timetable in place (this was the subject of our previous work) and the task is to assign invigilators to that timetable. The contributions of this paper are to formally define the invigilator scheduling problem and to present a constructive algorithm that is able to produce good quality solutions that are superior to the solutions produced when using the university's current software. We also include additional constraints taking into account the comments made by the invigilators, which the current system fails to capture. The model we present, we believe, accurately reflects the real-world problem, capturing various aspects of the problem that have not been presented before in the scientific literature. Moreover, the proposed approach adheres to all hard constraints, which the university's current system fails to do.     

The examination timetabling problem at Universiti Malaysia Pahang: Comparison of a constructive heuristic with an existing software solution

This paper presents a real-world, capacitated examination timetabling problem from Universiti Malaysia Pahang (UMP), Malaysia. The problem has constraints which have not been modelled before, these being the distance between examination rooms and splitting exams across several rooms. These constraints provide additional challenges in defining a suitable model and in developing a constructive heuristic. One of the contributions of this paper is to formally define this real-world problem. A further contribution is the constructive heuristic that is able to produce good quality solutions for the problem, which are superior to the solutions that are produced using the university’s current software. Moreover, our method adheres to all hard constraints which the current systems fails to do.     

A great deluge algorithm for a real-world examination timetabling problem

The examination timetabling problem involves assigning exams to a specific or limited number of timeslots and rooms with the aim of satisfying all hard constraints (without compromise) and satisfying the soft constraints as far as possible. Most of the techniques reported in the literature have been applied to simplified examination benchmark data sets. In this paper, we bridge the gap between research and practice by investigating a problem taken from the real world. This paper introduces a modified and extended great deluge algorithm (GDA) for the examination timetabling problem that uses a single, easy to understand parameter. We investigate different initial solutions, which are used as a starting point for the GDA, as well as altering the number of iterations. In addition, we carry out statistical analyses to compare the results when using these different parameters. The proposed methodology is able to produce good quality solutions when compared with the solution currently produced by the host organisation, generated in our previous work and from the original GDA.     

Gas chromatographic–mass spectrometric analysis of volatiles obtained by four different techniques from Salvia rosifolia Sm., and evaluation for biological activity

Four different isolation techniques, conventional hydrodistillation (HD), microwave-assisted hydrodistillation (MWHD), microdistillation (MD) and micro-steam distillation-solid-phase microextraction (MSD-SPME), have been used to analyze the volatile constituents from the aerial parts of Salvia rosifolia Sm. by gas chromatography and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. HD and MWHD techniques produced quantitatively (yield, 0.39% and 0.40%) and qualitatively (aromatic profile) similar essential oils. α-Pinene (15.7–34.8%), 1,8-cineole (16.6–25.1%), β-pinene (6.7–13.5%), β-caryophyllene (1.4–5.0%) and caryophyllene oxide (1.4–4.4%) were identified as major constituents of this Turkish endemic species. Besides, the hydrodistilled oil of S. rosifolia was evaluated for antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities. The hydrodistilled oil of S. rosifolia showed antibacterial activity against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with a MIC value of 125 μg/mL. Other human pathogenic microorganisms (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter aerogenes, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Candida albicans) were also inhibited within a moderate range (MIC = 125–1000 μg/mL). Antifungal activity of the oil was also observed against the strawberry anthracnose-causing fungal plant pathogens Colletotrichum acutatum, C. fragariae and C. gloeosporioides. No cytotoxicity was observed for S. rosifolia oil up to 25 mg/mL against malignant melanoma, epidermal, ductal and ovary carcinoma.     

四苯基卟啉锌薄膜/K+交换玻璃光波导传感器检测挥发性有机化合物气体

利用Alder法合成了四苯基卟啉锌配合物并对它进行表征;用匀胶机将一定浓度的四苯基卟啉锌溶液做成薄膜固定在钾离子(K⁺)交换玻璃光波导表面研制了高灵敏的四苯基卟啉锌薄膜/K⁺交换玻璃光波导传感器,并对挥发性有机气体进行检测。 实验结果表明,在室温下该传感器对低浓度的苯乙烯、二甲苯、甲苯等蒸气具有一定的响应,其中对苯乙烯的响应最大;能够检测到1×10^-9(V(苯乙烯)/V(空气))的苯乙烯蒸气,其响应和恢复时间分别为2和7 s。 该传感器具有灵敏度高,回复-响应时间快,可逆性等特点。     

Synthesis,characterization and stimuli-sensitive properties of novel linear and crosslinked polybetaines based on acrylic acid and ethyl 3-aminocrotonate

Novel linear and crosslinked polybetaines based on acrylic acid (AA) and ethyl 3-aminocrotonate (CRO) have been synthesized by a Michael addition reaction followed by radical polymerization. The polymerization of AA and CRO was carried out in bulk, water and organic solvents. The dependence of polymer yield on the molar ratio of monomers and water content was found. Primary attention was paid to linear and crosslinked polybetaines synthesized at equimolar ratio of monomers in the feed. The composition and structure of linear polybetaines was determined by elemental analysis, potentiometric titration, FTIR and NMR spectroscopy. The isoelectric points of linear and crosslinked polybetaines determined by electrophoresis, viscometry and swelling experiments corresponded to pH 2.0-2.2. The stimuli-sensitive properties of amphoteric gels were studied as a function of pH, ionic strength, water-organic solvent mixture, electric, and combined electric and magnetic fields. Appearance of pH gradient within the polyampholyte gel matrix under the externally imposed DC electric field was observed.     

Activated Carbon/Pectin Composite Enterosorbent for Human Protection from Intoxication with Xenobiotics Pb(II) and Sodium Diclofenac

The use of enterosorbents—materials which can be administered orally and eliminate toxic substances from the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) by sorption—offers an attractive complementary protection of humans against acute and chronic poisoning. In this study, we report the results of developing a microgranulated binary biomedical preparation for oral use. It was designed with a core-shell structure based on pectin with low degree of esterification as the core, and nanoporous activated carbon produced from rice husk, AC-RH, as the shell, designated as AC-RH@pectin. The adsorption properties of the synthesized materials were studied in aqueous solutions for the removal of lead (II) nitrate as a representative of toxic polyvalent metals and sodium diclofenac as an example of a medicinal drug. The composite enterosorbent demonstrated high adsorption capacity for both adsorbates studied. Adsorption kinetics of lead and diclofenac adsorption by AC-RH, pectin, and AC-RH@pectin, fitted well a pseudo-second-order model. According to the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model, the best fitted isotherm model, the maximum adsorption capacity, q_max, of AC-RH@pectin for diclofenac and for lead (II) was 130.9 mg/g and 227.8 mg/g, respectively. Although q_max of AC-RH for diclofenac, 537.6 mg/g, and q_max of pectin for lead (II), 245.7 mg/g, were higher, the maximum adsorption capacity of AC-RH for lead (II), 52.7 mg/g, was much lower than that of the composite AC-RH@pectin and the adsorption capacity of pectin for diclofenac was negligible. Therefore, the composite material AC-RH@pectin demonstrated substantial efficiency of removing both species which potentially defines it as a more universal enterosorbent suitable for treating poisoning caused by substances of different chemical nature.     

First iodocyclization reaction of allene–thioureas: an efficient approach to bicyclic β-lactams

The regioselective iodocyclization reaction of allene–thioureas is described, for the first time, for the synthesis of bicyclic β-lactams. The substitution at the allenyl part heavily influenced the iodocyclization reaction. The iodocyclization reaction of the unsubstituted allene–thioureas afforded six-membered 3-thia-1-dethiacephems whereas, the substituted allene–thiourea afforded seven-membered thiazepines along with five-membered isopenams.     

Characterization of the Optical and Gas Sensitivities of a Nickel-Doped Lithium Iron Phosphate Thin Film

The influence of heat-treatment temperature on the optical properties (refractive index, transmittance, and attenuation) and gas sensitivities of nickel-doped lithium iron phosphate (LiFe_0.99Ni_0.01PO₄) thin films were discussed. LiFe_0.99Ni_0.01PO₄ was synthesized in one step using hydrothermal methods and fixed to tin-diffused glass as a sensing film by spin-coating before calcination at different temperatures. The obtained thin films were characterized by refractive index, thickness, attenuation, and porosity, as well as gas sensing performances for benzene, toluene, and xylene. The experimental results indicated that the LiFe_0.99Ni_0.01PO₄ thin films dried at 450°C displayed higher refractive indices, good transparency, and less attenuation; thus, the resulting sensor of a LiFe_0.99Ni_0.01PO₄ thin film/tin-diffused optical wave-guide exhibited a greater response to xylene in the concentration range of 0.1–1000?ppm.