Cooperative advertising in a capacitated manufacturer–retailer supply chain: a game‐theoretic approach

To achieve a more realistic understanding of how the supply chain's components interact, it is helpful to consider the operational limitations of the underlying supply chain while analyzing cooperative advertising. This paper studies cooperative advertising in a manufacturer–retailer supply chain under the practical operational assumption that the manufacturer's production capacity is limited. The retailer advertises locally, and the manufacturer advertises in national media and supports part of the retailer's promotional costs. Equilibria are determined under two different scenarios. In the first scenario, both retailer and manufacturer move simultaneously, while in the second scenario, they move sequentially, with the manufacturer being the leader. The sales function is a bivariate version of the diminishing returns response function. When the production capacity is unlimited, several important properties can be proven, which cannot be shown analytically for the existing sales functions. Considering the production‐capacity constraint leads to new managerial insights into cooperative advertising. For example, only if the production capacity is large enough, both manufacturer and retailer are better off under the second scenario than the first scenario. In other words, the sequential move is not necessarily Pareto‐improving when the production capacity is limited. It is also observed that, under the first scenario, there are multiple equilibria whenever the production capacity is not too high. Under the second scenario, the manufacturer supports the retailer only when the retailer's margin is relatively small compared to the manufacturer's margin and production capacity.     

Prediction of bankruptcy Iranian corporations through artificial neural network and Probit-based analyses

In this study, multilayer perceptron (MLP) of artificial neural networks is utilized to build a new model for bankruptcy prediction. A precise MLP-based relationship is obtained to classify samples of 136 bankrupt and non-bankrupt Iranian corporations using their financial ratios. A Probit analysis is performed to benchmark the MLP model. Ratios of sales to current assets ratio, operational income to sales, quick assets to total assets, and total liability to total assets are used as the effective predictive financial ratios. A comparative study is further conducted on the classification accuracy of the MLP, Probit, and other existing models. The proposed MLP model has a significantly better performance than the Probit and other models found in the bankruptcy prediction literature.     

Power grid analysis and verification considering temperature variations

Process variations significantly impact leakage power, a pivotal parameter in designing a power grid. Because of the strong relationship between temperature and leakage power, the variations also impose statistical behavior on the operating temperature. In addition, the metal resistivity of a power grid increases with temperature. Therefore, ignoring the interdependency between leakage and temperature can introduce large errors in the power grid design. In this paper, a power grid analysis is proposed considering a statistical thermal profile across the grid. In addition, an efficient verification method is provided that ensures the robustness of the power grid in the presence of variations. A reliable estimation of the statistical thermal profile at the architecture level makes it possible to address any voltage violation early in the design process.     

Collision provoked failure sequencing in space reentry vehicles

This work underlines damage prognosis and crashworthiness verification studies aim to provide a fast methodology for investigation of complex and non-linear responses of future advanced reentry space vehicles. The output of the methodology can be broadcast over the internet almost instantaneously, depending on the area of damage and intricacy of the corresponding analysis, and accessed by mission control with no delay. To evaluate the methodology, the Space Shuttle Columbia damage scenario was considered. The response of the vehicle hybrid wing structures was assessed due to the high velocity dynamic loading caused by the impact of foams detached from the liquid hydrogen tank. In general, such high velocity to ballistic loading conditions can mostly be exerted by foreign object collisions during the vehicle atmospheric flight window, particularly, within the early launch phase. Coupled explicit finite element-micro mechanics constitutive impact damage evaluation models were constructed and compared to the test data provided by the Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio. The methodology developed provides the level of accuracy required with minimal dependency on rigorous calibration procedures otherwise deemed necessary by conventional modeling approaches.     

A System for Synchronized Pulsed Perfusion of the Coronary Arteries During Cardiopulmonary Bypass

A system for providing near-physiologic flow patterns in the coronary arteries during cardiac surgery is described. Results in 40 dogs demonstrate the effectiveness of the method.     

A comparison of omeprazole and placebo for bleeding peptic ulcer

BACKGROUND: The role of medical treatment for patients with bleeding peptic ulcers is uncertain. METHODS: We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 220 patients with duodenal, gastric, or stomal ulcers and signs of recent bleeding, as confirmed by endoscopy. In 26 patients the ulcers showed arterial spurting, in 34 there was active oozing, in 35 there were nonbleeding, visible vessels, and in 125 there were adherent clots. The patients were randomly assigned to receive omeprazole (40 mg given orally every 12 hours for five days) or placebo. The outcome measures studied were further bleeding, surgery, and death. RESULTS: Twelve of the 110 patients treated with omeprazole (10.9 percent) had continued bleeding or further bleeding, as compared with 40 of the 110 patients who received placebo (36.4 percent) (P<0.001). Eight patients in the omeprazole group and 26 in the placebo group required surgery to control their bleeding (P<0.001). Two patients in the omeprazole group and six in the placebo group died. Thirty-two patients in the omeprazole group (29.1 percent) and 78 in the placebo group (70.9 percent) received transfusions (P<0.001). A subgroup analysis showed that omeprazole was associated with significant reductions in recurrent bleeding and surgery in patients with nonbleeding, visible vessels or adherent clots, but not in those with arterial spurting or oozing. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with bleeding peptic ulcers and signs of recent bleeding, treatment with omeprazole decreases the rate of further bleeding and the need for surgery.     

Heraclenin: A Potential Optoelectronic Device Material from Prangos pabularia

Heraclenin (C₁₆H₁₄O₅), a linear furanocoumarin, was isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of the roots of Prangos pabularia. The compound was characterized using x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy, ultraviolet (UV)–visible, and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. Structural analysis confirmed the orthorhombic structure of the system. Exploration by SEM and optical images predicted that the compound contains microcrystals with irregular morphology. From UV–visible spectroscopy, high transmission was displayed by these crystals in the entire visible range. The optical band gap (E _g) was found to be around 3.91 eV and exhibited indirect allowed transitions. Photoluminescence data showed good emission at certain wavelengths in the visible region. The observed optical properties could be due to intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) when excited by any suitable light. The present properties of the compound can be explored for use in optoelectronics and as fluorophores in biological imaging applications.     

Particle Size Modification of Thermally Stable Secondary Explosives for IM Applications

As well as improving the survivability of weapons and platforms, insensitive munitions (IM) reduce both casualty rates and mission losses. Their use also leads to improved safety during storage and transportation. For a munition to fulfil IM criteria, each of its energetic sub‐sections must be IM compliant. The initiator and explosive train are the most critical of these sub‐systems as their safety and reliability are of paramount importance if the weapon is to be suitable for service use, yet they are generally the most difficult part of a weapon to protect from inadvertent initiation. As part of an ongoing study into initiation methods suitable for use in IM systems, an investigation into the behaviour of energetic materials when impacted by laser‐driven flyers was performed. Laser‐based detonators exhibit increased safety characteristics over conventional initiation methods as they can be based on insensitive secondary explosives rather than sensitive primary explosives. Also, they are less susceptible to accidental initiation due to an external hazard threat. Single pulses from a high‐powered Q‐switched Nd:YAG laser were used to launch flyers from substrate‐backed aluminium films to velocities up to 6 km s⁻¹ across a short stand‐off to impact explosive targets. Several novel energetic materials have been selected for investigation as potential candidates for inclusion within flyer‐based initiation systems and explosive train applications. The materials are of interest due to their increased thermal stability and power output over conventional explosives currently in service. Attempts were made to increase the flyer responsiveness of the materials by tuning their particle size using ultrasound. The effect of particle size on the initiation threshold energy was investigated for three materials.