A Stochastic Vehicle Routing Problem with Travel Time Uncertainty: Trade-Off Between Cost and Customer Service

On-time shipment delivery is critical for just-in-time production and quick response logistics. Due to uncertainties in travel and service times, on-time arrival probability of vehicles at customer locations can not be ensured. Therefore, on-time shipment delivery is a challenging job for carriers in congested road networks. In this paper, such on-time shipment delivery problems are formulated as a stochastic vehicle routing problem with soft time windows under travel and service time uncertainties. A new stochastic programming model is proposed to minimize carrier’s total cost, while guaranteeing a minimum on-time arrival probability at each customer location. The aim of this model is to find a good trade-off between carrier’s total cost and customer service level. To solve the proposed model, an iterated tabu search heuristic algorithm was developed, incorporating a route reduction mechanism. A discrete approximation method is proposed for generating arrival time distributions of vehicles in the presence of time windows. Several numerical examples were conducted to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed model and solution algorithm.     

Efficient arbitrated quantum signature and its proof of security

In this paper, an efficient arbitrated quantum signature scheme is proposed by combining quantum cryptographic techniques and some ideas in classical cryptography. In the presented scheme, the signatory and the receiver can share a long-term secret key with the arbitrator by utilizing the key together with a random number. While in previous quantum signature schemes, the key shared between the signatory and the arbitrator or between the receiver and the arbitrator could be used only once, and thus each time when a signatory needs to sign, the signatory and the receiver have to obtain a new key shared with the arbitrator through a quantum key distribution protocol. Detailed theoretical analysis shows that the proposed scheme is efficient and provably secure.     

Cancellable biometrics and annotations on BioHash

Lately, the once powerful one-factor authentication which is based solely on either password, token or biometric approach, appears to be insufficient in addressing the challenges of identity frauds. For example, the sole biometric approach suffers from the privacy invasion and non-revocable issues. Passwords and tokens are easily forgotten and lost. To address these issues, the notion of cancellable biometrics was introduced to denote biometric templates that can be cancelled and replaced with the inclusion of another independent authentication factor. BioHash is a form of cancellable biometrics which mixes a set of user-specific random vectors with biometric features. In verification setting, BioHash is able to deliver extremely low error rates as compared to the sole biometric approach when a genuine token is used. However, this raises the possibility of two identity theft scenarios: (i) stolen-biometrics, in which an impostor possesses intercepted biometric data of sufficient high quality to be considered genuine and (ii) stolen-token, in which an impostor has access to the genuine token and used by the impostor to claim as the genuine user. We found that the recognition rate for the latter case is poorer. In this paper, the quantised random projection ensemble based on the Johnson–Lindenstrauss Lemma is used to establish the mathematical foundation of BioHash. Based on this model, we elucidate the characteristics of BioHash in pattern recognition as well as security view points and propose new methods to rectify the stolen-token problem.     

A decision support system for environmental effects monitoring

The Environmental Effects Monitoring (EEM) Statistical Assessment Tool (SAT) Decision Support System (DSS) has been developed to provide a user-friendly data analysis, display and decision support tool for Canada's federal environmental effects monitoring program for the pulp and paper and mining industries. The target users include industries, consultants, regional EEM coordinators, National EEM Office and scientists involved in EEM-related research. The tool allows the assessment of the effects of effluent from industrial or other sources on fish and benthic populations. Effect endpoints, which are used as indicators of potentially important effluent effects, are measured at effluent-exposed sites and are compared statistically to measures at reference sites, in order to determine if changes have occurred and the magnitude of the changes. The main driver of the EEM-SAT DSS is its rule-based expert system. The results are used in assessing the adequacy of existing regulations for protecting aquatic environments.     

Experiences in developing and applying a software engineering technology testbed

A major problem in empirical software engineering is to determine or ensure comparability across multiple sources of empirical data. This paper summarizes experiences in developing and applying a software engineering technology testbed. The testbed was designed to ensure comparability of empirical data used to evaluate alternative software engineering technologies, and to accelerate the technology maturation and transition into project use. The requirements for such software engineering technology testbeds include not only the specifications and code, but also the package of instrumentation, scenario drivers, seeded defects, experimentation guidelines, and comparative effort and defect data needed to facilitate technology evaluation experiments. The requirements and architecture to build a particular software engineering technology testbed to help NASA evaluate its investments in software dependability research and technology have been developed and applied to evaluate a wide range of technologies. The technologies evaluated came from the fields of architecture, testing, state-model checking, and operational envelopes. This paper will present for the first time the requirements and architecture of the software engineering technology testbed. The results of the technology evaluations will be analyzed from a point of view of how researchers benefitted from using the SETT. The researchers just reported how their technology performed in their original findings. The testbed evaluation showed (1) that certain technologies were complementary and cost-effective to apply; (2) that the testbed was cost-effective to use by researchers within a well-specified domain of applicability; (3) that collaboration in testbed use by researchers and the practitioners resulted comparable empirical data and in actions to accelerate technology maturity and transition into project use, as shown in the AcmeStudio evaluation; and (4) that the software engineering technology testbed’s requirements and architecture were suitable for evaluating technologies and accelerating their maturation and transition into project use.

Engineering linear F(ab')2 fragments for efficient production in Escherichia coli and enhanced antiproliferative activity

We developed a novel bivalent antibody fragment, the linear(L-) F(ab')₂, comprising tandem repeats of a heavy chain fragmentV_H–C_H1–V_H–C_H1 cosecreted with a light chain.Functional humanized L-F(ab')₂ directed against p185^HER2 wassecreted from Escherichia coli at high titer (100 mg/l) andpurified to homogeneity. The L-F(ab')₂ binds two equivalentsof antigen with an apparent affinity (K_d = 0.46 nM) that iswithin 3-fold of the corresponding thioether-linked F(ab')₂fragment The N-terminal site binds antigen with an affinity(K_d = 1.2 nM) that is 4-fold greater than that for the C-terminalsite, as shown by the comparison of L-F(ab')₂ variants containinga single functional binding site. L-F(ab')₂ has greater antiproliferativeactivity than the thioether-linked F(ab')₂ against the p185^HER2-overexpressingtumor cell line BT474. Linear and thioether-linked F(ab')₂ havevery similar pharmacokinetic properties in normal mice, andtheir serum permanence times are respectively 7- and 8-foldlonger than the corresponding Fab fragment L-F(ab')₂ offersa facile route to bivalent antibody fragments that are potentiallysuitable for clinical applications, and that may have improvedbiological activity compared with thioether-linked F(ab')₂ fragments.     

Fiber-optic epoxy composite cure sensor. I. Dependence of refractive index of an autocatalytic reaction epoxy system at 850 nm on temperature and extent of cure

We discuss the behavior of the refractive index of a typical epoxy-aromatic diamine system. Near 850 nm the index of refraction is found to be largely controlled by the density of the epoxy. Models are derived to describe its dependence on temperature and extent of cure. Within the range of temperatures studied, the refractive index decreases linearly with increasing temperature. In addition, as the epoxy is cured, the refractive index increases linearly with conversion to the gel point. From then on, shrinkage in the volume of the epoxy is restricted by local viscosity. Therefore the linear relationship between the refractive index and the extent of cure does not hold beyond the gel point.     

Fiber-optic epoxy composite cure sensor. II. Performance characteristics

The performance of a fiber-optic epoxy composite cure sensor, as previously proposed, depends on the optical properties and the reaction kinetics of the epoxy. The reaction kinetics of a typical epoxy system are presented. It is a third-order autocatalytic reaction with a peak observed in each isothermal reaction-rate curve. A model is derived to describe the performance characteristics of the epoxy cure sensor. If a composite coupon is cured at an isothermal temperature, the sensor signal can be used to predict the time when the gel point occurs and to monitor the cure process. The sensor is also shown to perform well in nonstoichiometric epoxy matrices. In addition the sensor can detect the end of the cure without calibration.     

Application of virtual reality for peritoneal dialysis exchange learning in patients with end-stage renal disease and cognitive impairment

Virtual Reality - Cognitive impairment is not uncommon in patients with end-stage renal disease and can make it more difficult for these patients to carry out peritoneal dialysis (PD) on their own....