The news-vendor problem with drop-shipping and resalable returns

As e-commerce expands, more and more products are offered online to attract internet consumers’ interest. These products are then shipped to consumers’ home by a drop-shipper. Drop-shipping seems to be a good option to sell products in addition to physical stores. Furthermore, both types of products, either sold in store or on Internet can be returned by consumers, with often a higher return ratio for those purchased on Internet. To model these two sales channel and the interactions between them, we consider a News-Vendor (NV) managing both a physical store and an online sale channel that can be fulfilled by a drop-shipping option. We also consider the possibility of reselling products that are returned by consumers during the selling season. The concavity of the expected profit is proven and the optimality condition is obtained. Promising results are obtained from a numerical analysis. In particular, we show that the expected profit can be 14.4% less than the optimal expected profit if the return effect is ignored. Using drop-shipping option can reduce the optimal store inventory by 31.2% and if the NV has no drop-shipping option, the expected profit can be 9% less.     

Dry powders for the inhalation of ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin combined with a mucolytic agent for cystic fibrosis patients

Objective: This study aimed to design and characterize an inhalable dry powder of ciprofloxacin or levofloxacin combined with the mucolytics acetylcysteine and dornase alfa for the management of pulmonary infections in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Methods: Ball milling, homogenization in isopropyl alcohol and spray drying processes were used to prepare dry powders for inhalation. Physico-chemical characteristics of the dry powders were assessed via thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffractometry and scanning electron microscopy. The particle size distribution, dissolution rate and permeability across Calu-3 cell monolayers were analyzed. The aerodynamic parameters of dry powders were determined using the Andersen cascade impactor (ACI).

Results: After the micronization process, the particle sizes of the raw materials significantly decreased. X-ray and DSC results indicated that although ciprofloxacin showed no changes in its crystal structure, the structure of levofloxacin became amorphous after the micronization process. FT-IR spectra exhibited the characteristic peaks for ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin in all formulations. The dissolution rates of micro-homogenized and spray-dried ciprofloxacin were higher than that of untreated ciprofloxacin. ACI results showed that all formulations had a mass median aerodynamic diameter less than 5?μm; however, levofloxacin microparticles showed higher respirability than ciprofloxacin powders did. The permeability of levofloxacin was higher than those of the ciprofloxacin formulations.

Conclusion: Together, our study showed that these methods could suitably characterize antibiotic and mucolytic-containing dry powder inhalers.     

A comparison of time series and machine learning models for inflation forecasting: empirical evidence from the USA

This study compares time series and machine learning models for inflation forecasting. Empirical evidence from the USA between 1984 and 2014 suggests that out of sixteen conditions (four different inflation indicators and four different horizons), machine learning models provide more accurate forecasting results in seven conditions and the time series models are better in nine conditions. Moreover, multivariate models give better results in fourteen conditions, and univariate models are better only in two conditions. This study shows that machine learning model prevails against time series models for the core personal consumption expenditure (core-PCE) inflation forecasting, and the time series model (ARDL) is better for the core consumer price (core-CPI) index inflation forecasting in all horizons.

     

Applying robotic frameworks in a simulated multi-agent contest

In the Multi-Agent Programming Contest 2017 the TUBDAI team of the Technische Universität Berlin is using the complex multi-agent scenario to evaluate the application of two frameworks from the field (multi-)robot systems. In particular the task-level decision-making and planning framework ROS Hybrid Behaviour Planner (RHBP) is used to implement the execution and decision-making for single agents. The RHBP framework builds on top of the framework Robot Operating System (ROS) that is used to implement the communication and scenario specific coordination strategy of the agents. The united team for the official contest is formed by volunteering students from a project course and their supervisors.     

Electrolyte and solvent effects of electrocoated polycarbazole thin films on carbon fiber microelectrodes

Carbazole was electrochemically synthesized on carbon fiber microelectrodes (CFMEs) in different electrolyte and solvent media. The characterization of polycarbazole thin films formed on micron sized carbon fiber electrodes was performed by electrochemical methods (i.e., cyclic voltammetric measurements, solid state conductivity measurements (four point probe), spectrophotometric methods (ultraviolet/visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), ex situ spectroelectrochemistry, fourier transform infrared reflectance spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR)) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The best electrolyte and solvent in regards to yield, conductivity and charge for the electro-grafting was sodium perchlorate in acetonitrile, whose conductivity was 3.60 mS cm⁻¹, had a yield of 89% and had a charge of 5.50C. The effects of scan rate, feed ratio, supporting electrolyte and solvent type on the electropolymerization are discussed.     

PERFORMANCE OF AN ANNULAR CATALYTIC THREE-PHASE REACTOR FOR A SECOND ORDER REACTION

A novel annular catalytic three-phase reactor is theoretically investigated for a second order hydrogenation reaction. The results indicate that the ratio of the gaseous reactant to the liquid reactant within the reaction zone of the annular reactor can be adjusted by changing the reactor dimensions and the concentration of the gaseous reactant in the feed. As a consequence, the annular reactor may have a significant advantage over the trickle-bed reactor with respect to the selectivities that may be achieved in the reactor.     

Synthesis of a side chain liquid crystalline polycarbonate with a chiral backbone

We report the experimental demonstration of a novel and environmentally benign supercritical carbon dioxide (ScCO₂) technique that yields an optically active, side chain liquid crystalline polycarbonate in a single‐step reaction. The obtained polymer is worthwhile, since it is highly stereoregular and can find applications in an enlarged mesomorphic temperature range compared to its acrylic analogues. The synthesized materials were characterized by IR, ¹H‐NMR, and ¹³C‐NMR, while the thermal properties were measured by DSC. Polarized optical micrograph and wide angle X‐ray diffraction were used for the mesogenic property characterization of the copolymer. The transfer chirality from the backbone to the mesophase is demonstrated on the optical microscopy textures. Being consistent with the ¹³C‐NMR, X‐ray implies an ordered polymeric structure. The DSC analysis of the copolymer indicates that the T_i (the clearing point temperature) value does not change dramatically, whereas a pronounced decrease in T_g (the glass transition temperature) value is observed from that of its acrylic analogues. Hence, the obtained polymer exhibits another practical benefit by widening the mesomorphic temperature range. This study is the insightful combination of material processing and chemical design that elucidates the advantages of ScCO₂ application, in terms of liquid crystallinity and the tacticity of the obtained polymer. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 1915–1921, 2006     

Enzymatic production of human milk fat substitutes containing γ-linolenic acid: Optimization of reactions by response surface methodology

Structured lipids resembling human milk fat and containing GLA were synthesized by an enzymatic interesterification between tripalmitin, hazelnut oil FA, and GLA in n-hexane. Commercially immobilized 1,3-specific lipases, lipozyme^® RM IM and Lipozyme^® TL IM, were used as the biocatalysts. The effect of these enzymes on the incorporation levels was investigated. A central composite design with five levels and three factors—substrate ratio, reaction temperature, and time—were used to model and optimize the reaction conditions via response surface methodology. Good quadratic models were obtained for the incorporation of GLA (response 1) and oleic acid (response 2) by multiple regression and backward elimination. The determination coefficient (R ²) values for the models were found to be 0.92 and 0.94 for the reactions catalyzed by Lipozyme RM IM, and 0.92 and 0.88 for the reactions catalyzed by Lipozyme TL IM, respecitively. The optimal conditions generated from the models for the targeted GLA (10%) and oleic acid (45%) incorporation were 14.8 mol/mol, 55°C, and 24 h; 14 mol/mol, 55°C, and 24 h for substrate ratio (moles total FA/mol tripalmitin), temperature and time for the reactions catalyzed by Lipozyme RM IM and Lipozyme TL IM, respectively. Human milk fat substitutes containing GLA that can be included in infant formulas were success-fully produced using both Lipozyme RM IM and Lipozyme TL IM enzymes. The effect of the two enzymes on the incorporation of GLA and oleic acid were found to be similar.     

Improved mechanical strength of p(AAm) interpenetrating hydrogel network due to microgranular cellulose embedding

Here, polyacrylamide [p(AAm)]‐based hydrogels were synthesized via redox polymerization technique in the presence of various amounts of microgranular cellulose (MGCell) such as 0, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 150 mg MGCell/g. The synthesized p(AAm)‐MGCell interpenetrating hydrogels were characterized spectroscopically by FTIR, thermally by TGA analysis, and mechanically via dynamic mechanical measurements. Furthermore, the effect of the amount of MGCell in p(AAm) hydrogels on swelling% (S%) degree and mechanical strength was investigated. It was found that the S% was decreased from 727 ± 9 to 667 ± 6, 642 ± 8 and 619 ± 10, 568 ± 6 for p(AAm)‐MGCell interpenetrating network hydrogels containing 10, 50, 100, and 150 mg MGCell, respectively. On the other hand, the Young modulus of p(AAm)‐based hydrogels increased from 2.8 ± 0.2 kPa to 3.1 ± 0.03, 3.4 ± 0.1, 3.6 ± 0.3 and 4.3 ± 0.3 kPa with the incorporation of 10, 50, 100, and 150 mg MGCell into p(AAm) hydrogels. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 44854.     

Superporous cryogel/conductive composite systems for potential sensor applications

In situ synthesis of conductive polymers, poly(Aniline) (p(An)), poly(Pyrrole) (p(Py)), and poly(Thiophene) (p(Th)) within network of superporous cryogels with tunable functionalities as neutral poly(acrylamide) (p(AAm), anionic poly(acrylic acid) (p(AAc)), and cationic poly(4-vinylpyridine) (p(4-VP)) were carried out via oxidation polymerization technique. The highest conductivity values were measured for p(AAm)/p(An) semi-IPN cryogel with 1.4 × 10^?2 S.cm^?1 and for p(AAc)/p(Py) cryogel with 3.2 × 10^?4 S.cm^?1. In addition, to increase the amounts of conductive polymers within cryogel networks, reloading/polymerization cycle was carried out thrice, and found that there is no significant increase in the amounts of conductive polymers and the measured conductivity values. The prepared p(AAm), p(AAc), and p(4-VP) cryogels and their corresponding p(An), p(Py), and p(Th) composites were tested potential sensor materials against HCl and NH₃ vapor. The changes on conductivities for bare p(4-VP) cryogel were observed as 70 and 52-fold increase upon HCl and NH₃ gas treatment, respectively. The p(4-VP)/p(An) p(An) composites showed 7-fold conductivity decrease upon the treatments of HCl and NH₃ vapors. The p(AAm)/p(Py) composite responded 2-fold increase upon HCl vapor exposure and 50-fold decrease upon NH₃ vapor exposure. Furthermore, p(AAm)/p(Th) cryogel composite responded 7-fold decrease and 300-fold increase in their conductivities upon HCl and NH₃ vapor exposure, respectively.

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