An Efficient Algorithm for the Single Machine Total Tardiness Problem

This paper presents an exact algorithm for the single machine total tardiness problem (1// Σ T_i). We present a new synthesis of various results from the literature which leads to a compact and concise representation of job precedences, a simple optimality check, new decomposition theory, a new lower bound, and a check for presolved subproblems. These are integrated through the use of an equivalence concept that permits a continuous reformation of the data to permit early detection of optimality at the nodes of an enumeration tree. The overall effect is a significant reduction in the size of the search tree, CPU times, and storage requirements. The algorithm is capable of handling much larger problems (e.g., 500 jobs) than its predecessors in the literature (≤ 150). In addition, a simple modification of the algorithm gives a new heuristic which significantly outperforms the best known heuristics in the literature.     

Experimental investigation of thermal performance of a double-flow solar air heater having aluminium cans

This study experimentally investigates a device for inserting an absorbing plate made of aluminium cans into the double-pass channel in a flat-plate solar air heater (SAH). This method substantially improves the collector efficiency by increasing the fluid velocity and enhancing the heat-transfer coefficient between the absorber plate and air. These types of collectors had been designed as a proposal to use aluminium materials to build absorber plates of SAHs at a suitable cost. The collector had been covered with a 4-mm single glass plate, in order to reduce convective loses to the atmosphere. Three different absorber plates had been designed and tested for experimental study. In the first type (Type I), cans had been staggered as zigzag on absorber plate, while in Type II they were arranged in order. Type III is a flat plate (without cans). Experiments had been performed for air mass flow rates of 0.03 kg/s and 0.05 kg/s. The highest efficiency had been obtained for Type I at 0.05 kg/s. Also, comparison between the thermal efficiency of the SAH tested in this study with the ones reported in the literature had been presented, and a good agreement had been found.     

Performance characterization of a microwave transistor subject to the noise and matching requirements

In this paper, the gain G_T of a microwave transistor is expressed analytically in terms of the mismatchings (V_in ≥ 1, V_out ≥ 1) at the ports, noise figure F ≥ F_min and the [z]‐parameter and noise parameters. Firstly, because the input termination Z_S determines the noise F ≥ F_min, thus the input termination Z_S is pre‐determined to lie on the tangent constant noise and available gain circles so that the maximum power delivery is ensured for the given noise. Then, a design configuration is constructed in the input impedance Z_in‐ plane covering the gain and the required input and output mismatch circles within the Unconditionally Stable Working Area for the predetermined input termination Z_S. Finally, the compatible (F ≥ F_min, G_T, V_in ≥ 1, V_out ≥ 1) quadrates for either required or optimum (V_in ≥ 1, V_out ≥ 1) couples are obtained with their (Z_S, Z_L) couples from the analysis of the design configuration. Furthermore, a case study is also presented for the full flexible performance characterization of a selected microwave transistor. It can be concluded that the near future microwave transistor is expected to be identified by performance data base built by its compatible (F ≥ F_min, G_T, V_in ≥ 1, V_out ≥ 1) quadrates and the (Z_S, Z_L) terminations within the device operation domain to overview all the possible low‐noise amplifier designs using the full device capacity. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of using combined essential oils on quality parameters of bio‐yogurt

Present study aims to develop a new type of probiotic yogurt with ginger and chamomile essential oils (EOs) at therapeutic levels (0.2 and 0.4%) by evaluating its some physical, chemical, microbiological and sensory characteristics. Probiotic types of yogurt samples and those with 0.4% ginger EO gave the largest counts of viable probiotic bacteria in the rates of 8.32 cfu/g and 8.01 cfu/g, respectively. It gave larger syneresis rate (8.64 mL/25 g) on the first day than the rest of the samples while C1 (only probiotic strain with direct vat set starter culture) sample represented the lowest rate (5.9 mL/25 g) on day 21. Among the samples with various contents, C2 (inoculated probiotic strain with 0.2% essential oil ginger) and C3 (inoculated probiotic strain with 0.4% essential oil ginger) were found to be organoleptically the most acceptable with close scores to that of control.

Practical applications

Antibacterial and antioxidant activities of essential oils have received considerable attention in food preservation. During bio‐yogurt storage, the edible film incorporating ginger and chamomile essential oils showed reducing effect on the microbial growth and extended the shelf‐life of samples.     

A review on traditional Turkish fermented non-alcoholic beverages: Microbiota,fermentation process and quality characteristics

Shalgam juice, hardaliye, boza, ayran (yoghurt drink) and kefir are the most known traditional Turkish fermented non-alcoholic beverages. The first three are obtained from vegetables, fruits and cereals, and the last two ones are made of milk. Shalgam juice, hardaliye and ayran are produced by lactic acid fermentation. Their microbiota is mainly composed of lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus brevis and Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei in shalgam fermentation and L. paracasei subsp. paracasei and Lactobacillus casei subsp. pseudoplantarum in hardaliye fermentation are predominant. Ayran is traditionally prepared by mixing yoghurt with water and salt. Yoghurt starter cultures are used in industrial ayran production. On the other hand, both alcohol and lactic acid fermentation occur in boza and kefir. Boza is prepared by using a mixture of maize, wheat and rice or their flours and water. Generally previously produced boza or sourdough/yoghurt are used as starter culture which is rich in Lactobacillus spp. and yeasts. Kefir is prepared by inoculation of raw milk with kefir grains which consists of different species of yeasts, LAB, acetic acid bacteria in a protein and polysaccharide matrix. The microbiota of boza and kefir is affected from raw materials, the origin and the production methods.     

Vibration analysis of symmetric laminated composite plates with attached mass

In this study, vibration of symmetrically laminated composite plates with attached mass is studied. The Ritz method with algebraic polynomial displacement field is used. The plates with at least two adjacent free edges are considered in the formulations. The effect of various parameters (number of layers, ratio of attached mass to the plate mass, position of attached mass, fiber orientation) upon the frequencies and mode shapes is investigated. It is found that attachment of a mass has important effects on the vibration characteristics of composite laminated plates.     

Anhydrous fuel ethanol production by a combined hydrophobic–hydrophilic pervaporation system

In this study, a hybrid bioethanol production and purification system was designed and operated at different operation conditions. In the first stage, dilute ethanol (3 wt%) was produced by fermentation and concentrated to 80 wt% ethanol–water mixture by means of poly(dimethylsiloxane) membrane. In the second stage, residual water was purified to approximately 99% water content by using carboxymethyl cellulose membrane. The first stage is a fermentor, so the temperature was kept stable at 25°C. Effects of the operation variables such as temperature and concentration of the mixture on membrane separation performance were evaluated.     

Identification and characterisation of lactic acid bacteria isolated from traditional Urfa cheese

In this study, characterisation of dominant strains of lactic flora in traditional Urfa cheese made from sheep's milk was performed using biochemical, phenotypic and genotypic methods. According to the results obtained, the percentage distributions of the lactic acid bacteria isolated were as follows: 48.95% Enterococcus spp., 40.55% Lactococcus spp., 9.10% Lactobacillus spp., 0.69% Streptococcus spp. and 0.69% Leuconostoc spp. The majority of lactococcal isolates showed an atypical phenotype of growing in the presence of 6.5% NaCl. Acidification and bacteriocin production were also determined for each isolate. Four strains showed bacteriocin activity.     

Hydrogenation of olefins catalyzed by Pd(II) complexes containing a perfluoroalkylated S,O-chelating ligand in supercritical CO2 and organic solvents

Pd(II) complexes with the tridentate ligands heptadecafluorodecyl-thiophene-2-carboxylate (L₁ = SOSR_f1, R_f1 = (CH₂)₂(CF₂)₇CF₃) and heptadecafluorononil thiophene-2-carboxylate (L₂ = SOOR_f2, R_f2 = (CH₂)(CF₂)₇CF₃) have been synthesized, and their catalytic activities for the homogeneous hydrogenation of olefins have been studied with molecular hydrogen in scCO₂ and organic solvents. Both perfluoroalkylated-heterocycle ligands potentially have three donor atom sets (SOO/SOS). Depending on the soft-hard interaction between palladium and the donor atoms of the ligands, different activities for the Pd(II) complexes were observed. The nature of the solvent had an effect upon the hydrogenation of olefins. The effects of temperature and H₂ pressure on the hydrogenation of styrene were also investigated.     

Compressive moduli and network parameters of N‐isopropylacrylamide hydrogels copolymerized by monoesters of itaconic acid and crosslinked with tetraallylammonium bromide

The present study focuses on the mechanical properties of hydrophilically or hydrophobically modified poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) hydrogels, and all discussions on their improved mechanical strengths are based on the conformational effects of hydrophobic side chains attached to the comonomers and the structural differences between the crosslinkers. Three different types of monoalkyl itaconates, bearing octyl (Oc), cetyl (Ce), and cyclohexyl (CH) groups as comonomers, were used to prepare the copolymeric PNIPAAm hydrogels crosslinked with N,N′‐methylenebisacrylamide (BIS) and tetraallylammonium bromide (TAB) as neutral tetrafunctional and ionic octafunctional crosslinkers, respectively. The most striking result is the compressive E modulus of TAB‐crosslinked PNIPAAm hydrogel containing 10 mol % of mOcI. It reaches nearly 1.0 MPa and is independent of the temperature and pH of the swelling/shrinking medium. The result was discussed in terms of the inter/intramolecular interactions between hydrophobic octyl groups adopting a rod‐like conformation in the case of 25 °C/distilled deionized water (DDW) and 37 °C/DDW combinations. Further, it was observed that the electrostatic repulsive forces between the carboxylate groups on mOcI units could be suppressed even at 37 °C and pH 9 due to the rod‐like conformations of C₈H₁₇ groups. Its micrographs under bright‐field and polarized light supported the presence of an ordered anisotropic phase and multiple associations of extended, hydrophobic side chains. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 45039.