The performance of rolling production schedules in a process industry

In this paper we study lot-sizing and changeover decisions in production schedules that are implemented on a rolling-horizon basis. The study is carried out by comparing production schedules for the packaging operations of a pharmaceutical company that produces various products on several capacitated production lines. The schedules are obtained by solving a mixed-integer programming formulation by using a heuristic procedure. We examine the effects of the number of periods in the planning horizon, the starting inventory and the demand fluctuation on the schedules. We show empirically that the saving in annual production cost diminishes rapidly as more demand periods are added to the planning horizon. Computational results are reported.     

Quantitative determination of physical and chemical measurands in honey by near-infrared spectrometry

Fourier transform near-infrared spectroscopy (FT-NIR) was evaluated to quantitatively determine 24 different measurands in honey. The reference values of 421 honey samples of different botanical origins were determined by classical physical and chemical methods. Partial least squares regression was used to develop the calibration models for the measurands studied. These calibrations were then validated using independent samples and proved satisfying accuracies for the determination of water (standard error of prediction: 0.3 g/100 g), glucose (1.3 g/100 g), fructose (1.6 g/100 g), sucrose (0.4 g/100 g), total monosaccharide content (2.6 g/100 g) as well as fructose/glucose ratio (0.09) and glucose/water ratio (0.12). The prediction accuracy for hydroxymethylfurfural, proline, pH-value, electrical conductivity, free acidity and the minor sugars maltose, turanose, nigerose, erlose, trehalose, isomaltose, kojibiose, melezitose, raffinose, gentiobiose, melibiose, maltotriose was poor and unreliable. The results demonstrate that near-infrared spectrometry is a valuable, rapid and non-destructive tool for the quantitative analysis of some measurands related to the main components in honey.     

A model study for release of plasticizers from polymer films through vapor phase

A model has been applied to release of plasticizers from polymer films through vapor phase, for which the overall rate of release may be generally determined by evaporation of the plasticizer from the surface of the film, and/or by migration to the surface at below saturation in the polymer. The experimental system employed made use of n-butyl formate, diethyl-phthalate, di-n-butylphthalate, and N,n-butylbenzenesulfonamide as model molecules in polycaprolactam films, both with the aims of studying undesirable loss of plasticizers, and of simulating a model able to envisage releasing, at a constant rate, of any desired additive, with relatively high solubility and vapor pressure, to the content of packaging films. Experimental measurements were made (at 298–333 K) by investigating in a suitable cell the permeation of plasticizers both at concentrations below and above the saturation limit. Rate of evaporation of plasticizers from the membrane surface above the saturation limit, measured in this cell, were found to coincide satisfactorily with those calculated by application of the mass transfer theory to evaporation from a stationary liquid into a stirred gas, at a known velocity of gas flowing past the surface. From these latter rates and solubilities, the mass transfer coefficients H for evaporation could be obtained, as well as from experimental time lags the diffusivities D_p through the polymer membrane. In the light of the theoretical model a correlation was found between activation energies of H and evaporation enthalpies of the model molecules.     

Azoic dyes derived from 1-aryl-5-methyl-3-hydroxypyrazoles

The potentialities for 1-aryl-5-methyl-3-hydroxypyrazoles as intermediates in the field of dyes have been analysed. Some azoic derivatives have been synthesized and both electronic spectra and tinctorial properties on various substrates (wool, nylon, polyester, plasticized PVC) examined. The effect of substituents on the position of the long wavelength absorption maxima is discussed in terms of Hammett σ constants and interesting relationships are obtained. For each application the most important technical properties are assessed and significant fastness to various agents is evaluated.Finally a comparison with properties of similar pyrazol-5-one derivatives is made.     

DNA damage by PAH and repair in a marine sponge

The sponge Tethya lyncurium from the Northern Adriatic has been used as an experimental species.A method is outlined for preparation of DNA which yields a highly purified DNA with a double-strand (ds) molecular weight of 25 M-dalton between single-strand (ss) breaks, which when properly damaged can be cut opposite to ss-breaks with nuclease s₁. The molecular weights of the resulting ds-DNA pieces and their distribution has been evaluated by electron microscope photographs.Sponges exposed to benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) in the dark only incorporate BaP-derivatives (BaPD) in small amounts, if any. However, in the presence of light, derivatization to BaP derivatives enables effective coupling to occur, as shown previously (R. K. Zahn et al., 1981). Sponges were exposed to radiolabeled BaP in the presence of light. Coupling of BaPD to the DNA as well as the induction of ss-breaks were measured.Light-mediated coupling is concentration dependent from 0.01 – 20 ppb BaP with a correlation coefficient of r = 0.84.Under conditions of possible repair, ss-breaks completely disappear from sponge DNA in the course of three weeks while a substantial fraction of the BaP derivatives persists.Double label experiments show that substantial DNA synthesis occurs during this time. Pollution causes a decrease of the molecular weight of unnicked DNA, re-incubation in clean water an increase. A DNA species of 24 M-dalton seems to play a critical role. If its percentage in the DNA population drops below a critical level, recovery is not longer possible. DNA damage by PAH and repair in sponges seems to differ from that of most eucaryotes.     

The normal spectral emittance of erbium,dysprosium and samarium above 1000 K

An apparatus for measuring the normal spectral emittance (λ = 0.645 μ.) of metals with very high vapor pressures has been designed and used for erbium, dysprosium and samarium at temperatures above 1000 K. The samples are maintained in an argon atmosphere at a pressure slightly above atmospheric pressure. The measured normal spectral emittances are: Erbium, (solid), ∈ _nλ = 0.372 ± 0.011; (liquid), ∈ _nλ = 0.372 ± 0.011; Dysprosium, (solid), ∈ _nλ = 0.631 – 1.889 × 10^–4 T (deg K); (liquid), ∈ _nλ = 0.297 ± 0.088; Samarium, (solid), ∈ _nλ = 0.437 ± 0.030; (liquid, estimated), ∈ _nλ = 0.437 ± 0.03. TERRY S. KING, formerly Undergraduate Research Helper. DORAB N. BARIA, formerly NSF Presidential Intern and Post-Doctoral Fellow. Prepared for the Energy Research and Development Administration under Contract No. W-7405-eng-82.     

Effect of surface conditions on the normal spectral emittance of titanium and zirconium between 1000 and 1800 K

The normal spectral emittance of Ti and Zr was obtained in the temperature range 1100 to 1800 K and wavelength 0.645 μ for electrochemically polished, mechanically polished and 60 grit ground surfaces at a pressure below 10^-8 mm Hg. The emittance at the melting point of both metals was obtained by extrapolation of an empirical equation fitted to the experimental data obtained for the electrochemically polished surface and was found to be in good agreement with reported values. The considerable grain growth on the surface affected the emittance. The emittance was found to increase with temperature up to 1300 K and then decreased with further increase in temperature. Formarly a National Science Foundation Presidential Intern and an Ames Laboratory-USAEC Postdoctoral Fellow, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.     

Photochemical grafting of acrylated azo dyes onto polymeric surfaces,IV. Grafting of 4-(N-ethyl-N-2-acryloxyethyl)amino-4′-nitro-azobenzene onto cellulose

Photochemically induced grafting and graft-polymerization of 4-(N-ethyl-N-2-acryloxyethyl)amino-4′-nitro-azobenzene I , brought into contact in the solid state with cellulose by evaporation of solvent from monomer solutions, has been investigated kinetically at 30°C. Two constant rate periods were observed. The first one was interpreted on the basis of a self-sensitized grafting mechanism of monomeric or oligomeric species of I , photochemically initiated by hydrogen abstraction from the cellulose surface. The second one was explained as a self-sensitized photochemically induced graft-polymerization of I on the first grafted layer. Some particular features, such as concurrent photodegradation of the first grafted layer at low surface coverage, are discussed in the light of the proposed mechanism.     

Electrochemical oxidation of aliphatic hydrocarbons promoted by inorganic radicals. I. OH radicals

The OH initiated oxidation of aliphatic hydrocarbons by the simultaneous electrochemical reduction of O₂ and of Fe(III) at controlled potential was investigated in the liquid phase over a Fe(III) concentration range 0.5–5 mM. OH radicals were generated by the reaction: Fe(II)+H₂O₂Fe(III)+^.OH+OH^– The compounds studied were the linear alkane hydrocarbons from C₅ to C₁₀ and 3-methyl pentane. The results showed that the ketones are the only reaction products and that the yields decrease with increasing number of carbonium atoms of the hydrocarbon. Decreasing yields were also observed with increasing Fe(III) concentration.     

Wireless LANs: From WarChalking to Open Access Networks

This work discusses the evolution of W-LANs from their current status of wireless termination of LAN services to a possible global infrastructure where the access networks become open to multiple operators and a vehicle of a win-win scenario, where both users and operators benefit from the new network architecture. The idea of Open Access Networks (OANs) can go beyond wireless HotSpots and be generalized to a generic shared access infrastructure that fosters service operators competition and drastically reduces the cost of last mile coverage.The general concept of Open Access Networks is detailed, highlighting its difference with the more traditional model of vertical integration of the access network into the global service. About the OANs development, it is shown how to support the quick and smooth evolution of the infrastructure toward a widespread and reliable communication support.Business models are discussed by mentioning the different actors, the market organization and the different organization forms.The final part of the paper is devoted to technical challenges such as access control, security, privacy, roaming, resource exploitation and service differentiation. As an example of how to tackle these problems, we discuss a pricing technique devoted to resource management and billing support.In addition we present a simulation on how the OAN concept can speed-up the deployment of broadband access in a real case.A preliminary version of this paper with the title “Global Growth of Open Access Networks: from WarChalking and Connection Sharing to Sustainable Business” was presented at WMASH 2003. Roberto Battiti received the Laurea degree from the University of Trento, Italy, in 1985 and the Ph.D. degree from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), USA, in 1990. He has been a consultant in the area of parallel computing and pattern recognition and since 1991 he has been a faculty member at the University of Trento, where he is now full professor of Computer Networks. His main research interests are heuristic algorithms for optimization problems, in particular reactive search algorithms for maximum clique, maximum satisfiability, graph coloring, networks and massively parallel architectures, code assignment in wireless and cellular networks, protocols for pricing and Quality of Service in wireless networks.Prof. R. Battiti is currently Dean of the international Graduate School in Information and Communication Technologies at Trento, Deputy Dean at the Faculty of Science, member of the advisory committee for the future Telecommunications Plan of the Autonomous Province of Trento. Prof. R. Battiti is associate editor of various scientific journals. He is the author of more than fifty scientific publications, including special issues dedicated to experimental algorithmics and wireless on-demand networks.R. Battiti is a member of IEEE Computer Society and ACM Sigmobile. Renato Lo Cigno is Associate Professor at the Department of Computer Science and Telecommunications (DIT) of the University of Trento, Italy. He received a Dr. Ing. degree in Electronic Engineering from Politecnico di Torino in 1988. From 1989 to 2002 has been with the Telecommunication Research Group of the Electronics Department of Politecnico di Torino.From June 1998 to February 1999, he was at the CS Department at UCLA as Visiting Scholar under grant CNR 203.15.8. He is coauthor of more than 90 journal and conference papers in the area of communication networks and systems. His curent research interests are in performance evaluation of wired and wireless networks, modeling and simulation techniques, flow and congestion control, as well as network management and architecture. Renato Lo Cigno is member of the IEEE Communication Society and ACM Sigcomm. Mikalai Sabel received his master degree in radio physics from Belorussian State University in 2002. He is now pursuing his Ph.D. at the international Graduate School of Information and Communication Technologies at University of Trento, Italy. His research interest include wireless LANs, pricing and incentive engineering, IEEE802.11 MAC protocol. His current research is focused on optimization algorithms that can provide stability and maximum global welfare in a non-cooperative environment where singles tries to maximize their own benefit function. Experimentation of such schemes to pricing techniques and micro-payments in TLC networks provides the application environment of the fundamental research. Fredrik Orava is associate professor at KTH, Stockholm, Sweden. He conducts research into scalable (in terms of cost, capacity, number of users and devices etc.) communication system architectures and technologies. He has a MSc in engineering physics from Uppsala University and a PhD in computer systems also from Uppsala University. He previously held positions as researcher at the Swedish Institute for Computer Science (SICS); senior lecturer and manager of the telecommunications systems laboratory at the department for teleinformatics, KTH; acting professor in telecomunication systems at KTH; director for the Swedish Centre for Internet Technologies; and vice president of Dynarc AB with world wide responsibility for product management. Dynarc AB develops, manufactures and sells IP routers for optical IP networks. Bjorn Pehrson is a professor of telecommunication systems at KTH, the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, since 1992, where he has also served as a department chairman and vice dean. He had his PhD from Uppsala University 1975 where he also served as senior lecturer and established a research group in computer and communication technology. During the period 1985-1992 he participated in the establishment of the Swedish Institute of Computer Science. Björn Pehrson research interests are currently focussed on open network topologies allowing different actors forming new value chains to build networks together based on different, sometimes very local business models. The results are applied in testbeds, especially in rural areas and in developing countries.This revised version was published online in August 2005 with a corrected cover date.