An integrated fuzzy-lp approach for a supplier selection problem in supply chain management

In supply chain management process, the firm select best supplier takes the competitive advantage to other companies. Thus, supplier selection is an important issue and with the multiple criteria decision-making approach, the supplier selection problem includes both tangible and intangible factors. This paper is aimed to present an integrated fuzzy and linear programming approach to the problem. Firstly, linguistic values expressed in trapezoidal fuzzy numbers are applied to assess weights and ratings of supplier selection criteria. Then a hierarchy multiple model based on fuzzy set theory is expressed and fuzzy positive and negative ideal solutions are used to find each supplier’s closeness coefficient. Finally, a linear programming model based on the coefficients of suppliers, buyer’s budgeting, suppliers’ quality and capacity constraints is developed and order quantities assigned to each supplier according to the linear programming model. The integrated model is illustrated by an example in a textile firm.     

The search for optimal feature set in power quality event classification

The significance of detection and classification of power quality (PQ) events that disturbs the voltage and/or current waveforms in the electrical power distribution networks is well known. Consequently, in spite of a large number of research reports in this area, the problem of PQ event classification remains to be an important engineering problem. Several feature construction, pattern recognition, analysis, and classification methods were proposed for this purpose. In spite of the extensive number of such alternatives, a research on the comparison of “how useful these features with respect to each other using specific classifiers” was omitted. In this work, a thorough analysis is carried out regarding the classification strengths of an ensemble of celebrated features. The feature items were selected from well-known tools such as spectral information, wavelet extrema across several decomposition levels, and local statistical variations of the waveform. The tests are repeated for classification of several types of real-life data acquired during line-to-ground arcing faults and voltage sags due to the induction motor starting under different load conditions. In order to avoid specificity in classifier strength determination, eight different approaches are applied, including the computationally costly “exhaustive search” together with the leave-one-out technique. To further avoid specificity of the feature for a given classifier, two classifiers (Bayes and SVM) are tested. As a result of these analyses, the more useful set among a wider set of features for each classifier is obtained. It is observed that classification accuracy improves by eliminating relatively useless feature items for both classifiers. Furthermore, the feature selection results somewhat change according to the classifier used. This observation shows that when a new analysis tool or a feature is developed and claimed to perform “better” than another, one should always indicate the matching classifier for the feature because that feature may prove comparably inefficient with other classifiers.     

Effects of project size and resource constraints on project duration through priority rule-base heuristics

Priority rules are one of the frequently used methods in project programming with resource-constraints. In this paper, the effects of project size and number of resource constraints on project duration are compared to the performances of pre-selected priority rules. Ten projects in different sizes have been programmed with 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 limited-resource conditions by means of MRPL (Maximum Remaining Path Length), LFT (Latest Finish Time), MNSLCK (Minimum Slack Time), EFT (Earliest Finish Time), and LST (Latest Start Time) priority rules. When the number of resource constraints is low, the performance of MRPL is generally observed to be higher. As the number of resource constraints increases, a decrease in the performance of MRPL is observed in contrast with an increase in the performance of LFT.     

Investigating the Effectiveness of Certain Priority Rules on Resource Scheduling of Housing Estate Projects

The heuristic method is one of the methods used for the scheduling of resource-constrained projects. This method is commonly used in programming the projects with high number of activities and resources such as construction investments. This paper investigates the effectiveness of three heuristic method priority rules applied in the resource scheduling of ten Turkish housing estate projects which were scheduled according to three preselected priority rules [maximum remaining path length (MRPL), latest finish time (LFT), and minimum slack time (MNSLCK)] in resource-constrained conditions. The performance of each priority rule was evaluated in relation to the duration of the project. The results revealed that MRPL priority reduced the project duration to minimum in six projects, whereas LFT priority yielded the best duration results in three projects and MNSLCK priority in only one project.     

Variations in normal color vision. IV. Binary hues and hue scaling

We used hue cancellation and focal naming to compare individual differences in stimuli selected for unique hues (e.g., pure blue or green) and binary hues (e.g., blue-green). Standard models assume that binary hues depend on the component responses of red-green and blue-yellow processes. However, variance was comparable for unique and binary hues, and settings across categories showed little correlation. Thus, the choices for the binary mixtures are poorly predicted by the unique hue settings. Hue scaling was used to compare individual differences both within and between categories. Ratings for distant stimuli were again independent, while neighboring stimuli covaried and revealed clusters near the poles of the LvsM and SvsLM cardinal axes. While individual differences were large, mean focal choices for red, blue-green, yellow-green, and (to a lesser extent) purple fall near the cardinal axes, such that the cardinal axes roughly delineate the boundaries for blue vs. green and yellow vs. green categories. This suggests a weak tie between the cone-opponent axes and the structure of color appearance.     

Optical and physical behaviours of newly developed germanium-tellurium (GeTe) glasses: a comprehensive experimental and in-silico study with commercial glasses and ordinary shields

Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Electronics - In this study, synthesis and determination of physical, optical, and radiation shielding properties of glasses based on TeO2 and GeO2 were...     

The Genus Heracleum: A Comprehensive Review on Its Phytochemistry,Pharmacology, and Ethnobotanical Values as a Useful Herb

Heracleum species, also known as hogweed, are traditionally used as food additives, spices, and flavoring agents. Moreover, these plants are widely used in folklore medicine for the treatment of many disorders such as inflammation, flatulence, stomachache, epilepsy, psoriasis, and as carminative, wound healing, antiseptic, antidiarrheal, tonic, digestive, pain killer, analgesic, and anticonvulsant agents. The genus Heracleum has broad pharmacological activities: anti‐inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticholinesterase, anti‐oxidant, antiviral, cytotoxic, and anticarcinogenic. A total of 94 compounds have been isolated from plants of the Heracleum genus, all indicating vital biological activities. Also, about 50 compounds have been identified as major components in their essential oils. The genus is rich in several types of bioactive coumarin compounds, with huge potential for the discovery of new coumarins. Various parts of these plants produce essential oils (mainly aliphatic esters and monoterpenes) with a wide spectrum of biological activities. Heracleum species have great potential for applications in the food, cosmetics, perfumery, and pharmaceutical industries due to their broad ethnobotanical uses and pharmacological properties. Accordingly, this review aims to categorize updated and comprehensive information on ethnobotanical uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacology of Heracleum species in order to open new perspectives for future studies, including possible uses as functional ingredients in food products.     

Heterogeneous catalytic degradation of cyanide using copper-impregnated pumice and hydrogen peroxide

The main objective of this research was to investigate the oxidative destruction of free cyanide with hydrogen peroxide and copper-impregnated pumice as a heterogeneous catalyst. Original or copper-impregnated pumices added alone were not effective adsorbents of negatively charged cyanide ions due to incompatible surface interactions. Peroxide and original pumices added together were also ineffective in removing cyanide. However, for all of the three natural pumices tested with various particle size fractions, the use of copper-impregnated pumices and peroxide together significantly enhanced both the initial rate and extent of cyanide removal. Although copper-impregnated specific surface area was the major factor affecting the rate and extent of cyanide destruction for a particular pumice source with similar surface chemistries, the type of surface chemistry (i.e., specific functional groups) within different pumice sources also appears to be a very important factor. Lower rates and extents of cyanide removals were observed at pH 11 compared to pH 8 probably because of the negative impacts of alkaline conditions in terms of scavenging peroxide and forming more negatively charged pumice surfaces. Both the initial rate and ultimate extent of cyanide removals were generally higher at a temperature of 20 degrees C compared with those found at 10 degrees C. The use of copper-impregnated pumice as a light, cheap, readily available, natural, and porous heterogeneous catalyst either in completely mixed/suspended or fixed-bed reactor configurations may be an effective treatment technology for cyanide removal from solution. This new approach may minimize downstream metal removal problems experienced in conventional cyanide oxidation technologies.     

Scale-up studies for stable,long-term indoor and outdoor production of hydrogen by immobilized Rhodobacter capsulatus

Photofermentative hydrogen production by immobilized Rhodobacter capsulatus YO3 was carried out in a novel photobioreactor in sequential batch mode under indoor and outdoor conditions. Long-term H₂ production was realized in a 1.4 L photobioreactor for 64 days using Rhodobacter capsulatus YO3 immobilized with 4% (w/v) agar on 5 mM sucrose and 4 mM glutamate. The highest hydrogen yield (19 mol H₂/mol sucrose) and hydrogen productivity (0.73 mmol H₂ L^?1 h^?1) were achieved indoors on 5 mM sucrose. The effect of initial sucrose concentration (5 mM, 10 mM, and 20 mM) on hydrogen production was also investigated. Sustained hydrogen production was carried out under natural, outdoor conditions as well. For the outdoor experiments, the highest hydrogen productivity and yield were obtained as 0.87 ± 0.06 mmol H₂ L^?1 h^?1 and 6.1 ± 0.2 mol H₂/mol sucrose, respectively on 10 mM sucrose. Furthermore, this system prevented sudden pH drops and fluctuations caused by the utilization of sucrose throughout the process. These results demonstrate that a proper immobilization setup can lead to long-term efficient and robust hydrogen production even under naturally varying conditions.