A framework for capacity planning and machine configuration in flexible assembly systems

We consider the problem of simultaneously determining the number of machines (and/or workers), the assignment of tasks (and related tools and components) to these machines, and the number of jobs circulating in a flexible assembly system (FAS), to satisfy steady-state throughput requirements for a family of similar products at minimum cost. We focus on situations where there are precedence relations among the various tasks, as is common in assembly systems. We present a framework for solving this problem based on a heuristic decomposition approach which involves the solution of only a few types of sub-problems. We demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of the overall procedure using a number of example problems.     

Bis(Benzofuran–1,3-N,N-heterocycle)s as Symmetric and Synthetic Drug Leads against Yellow Fever Virus

The yellow fever virus (YFV) is an emerging RNA virus and has caused large outbreaks in Africa and Central and South America. The virus is often transmitted through infected mosquitoes and spreads from area to area because of international travel. Being an acute viral hemorrhagic disease, yellow fever can be prevented by an effective, safe, and reliable vaccine, but not be eliminated. Currently, there is no antiviral drug available for its cure. Thus, two series of novel bis(benzofuran–1,3-imidazolidin-4-one)s and bis(benzofuran–1,3-benzimidazole)s were designed and synthesized for the development of anti-YFV lead candidates. Among 23 new bis-conjugated compounds, 4 of them inhibited YFV strain 17D (Stamaril) on Huh-7 cells in the cytopathic effect reduction assays. These conjugates exhibited the most compelling efficacy and selectivity with an EC₅₀ of <3.54 μM and SI of >15.3. The results are valuable for the development of novel antiviral drug leads against emerging diseases.     

TRPV1: A Common Denominator Mediating Antinociceptive and Antiemetic Effects of Cannabinoids

The most common medicinal claims for cannabis are relief from chronic pain, stimulation of appetite, and as an antiemetic. However, the mechanisms by which cannabis reduces pain and prevents nausea and vomiting are not fully understood. Among more than 450 constituents in cannabis, the most abundant cannabinoids are Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). Cannabinoids either directly or indirectly modulate ion channel function. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) is an ion channel responsible for mediating several modalities of pain, and it is expressed in both the peripheral and the central pain pathways. Activation of TRPV1 in sensory neurons mediates nociception in the ascending pain pathway, while activation of TRPV1 in the central descending pain pathway, which involves the rostral ventral medulla (RVM) and the periaqueductal gray (PAG), mediates antinociception. TRPV1 channels are thought to be implicated in neuropathic/spontaneous pain perception in the setting of impaired descending antinociceptive control. Activation of TRPV1 also can cause the release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and other neuropeptides/neurotransmitters from the peripheral and central nerve terminals, including the vagal nerve terminal innervating the gut that forms central synapses at the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS). One of the adverse effects of chronic cannabis use is the paradoxical cannabis-induced hyperemesis syndrome (HES), which is becoming more common, perhaps due to the wider availability of cannabis-containing products and the chronic use of products containing higher levels of cannabinoids. Although, the mechanism of HES is unknown, the effective treatment options include hot-water hydrotherapy and the topical application of capsaicin, both activate TRPV1 channels and may involve the vagal-NTS and area postrema (AP) nausea and vomiting pathway. In this review, we will delineate the activation of TRPV1 by cannabinoids and their role in the antinociceptive/nociceptive and antiemetic/emetic effects involving the peripheral, spinal, and supraspinal structures.     

Sensitivity analysis of nonlinear fractional order control systems with state delay

In this paper, we consider a class of nonlinear fractional order control system with delay in state variable. Existence and uniqueness of solution are shown by using method of steps. The sensitivity of the state and control with respect to the parameters of the system is shown. Finally, analytical results are substantiated by numerical examples.     

Improvement of tea leaves fermentation with Aspergillus spp. pectinase

The pectinase enzymes isolated from Aspergillus spp., A. indicus, A. flavus and A. niveus were used for fermentation of tea leaves. The enzymes were purified and characterized. The effect of both crude enzyme preparation and purified pectinase enzymes on the improvement of tea leaf fermentation were determined in terms of theaflavin, thearubigin, high polymerized substances, total liquor colour, dry matter content and total soluble solids of the tea produced. The crude enzyme preparations obtained from ethanol precipitation were found to be more effective in improving tea leaf fermentation than the purified pectinase enzymes.     

PulseNet standardized protocol for subtyping Listeria monocytogenes by macrorestriction and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis

PulseNet is a national network of pubic health and food regulatory laboratories established in the US to detect clusters of foodborne disease and respond quickly to foodborne outbreak investigations. PulseNet laboratories currently subtype Escherichia coli O157:H7, non-typhoidal Salmonella, and Shigella isolates by a highly standardized 1-day pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and exchange normalized DNA "fingerprint" patterns via the Internet. We describe a standardized molecular subtyping protocol for subtyping Listeria monocytogenes that was recently added to PulseNet. The subtyping can be completed within 30 h from the time a pure culture of the bacteria is obtained.     

Investigation on the Effect of ECAP Routes on the Wear Behavior of AA2014

ECAP is an effective process to improve the mechanical strength and wear resistance along with mechanical and microstructural properties. AA2014 solutionized at 495 °C and aged at 195 °C was subjected to Equal Channel Angular Pressed (ECAP) through route A and B_c at room temperature. It was well proved that the mechanical strength increased due to ECAP in AA2014. In order to investigate their wear behavior after ECAP, dry sliding wear tests were conducted using vacuum tribometer at nominal loads of 10N and 30N with constant speed of 2 m/s for sliding distance of 2000 m. The co-efficient of friction and loss in volume were decreased after ECAP both in route A and B_c. The dominant wear mechanisms observed were adhesive, delamination and stick slip process. In addition to these wear mechanisms, abrasive wear also appeared along with transfer of iron particles from the counter surface to the AA2014 pin. Presence of black powder and oxide formation were observed using EDAX analysis on wear debris. Routes A and B_c showed similar wear mechanisms and characteristics which were better than in unECAPed specimens.     

Megalithic and Continuing Peninsular High-Tin Binary Bronzes: Possible Roots in Harappan Binary Bronze Usage?

This paper attempts to trace the development of an unusual and skilled class of alloys, of binary high-tin bronze (i.e. alloys of only copper with a higher percentage of tin), which are found from surprisingly early contexts from Indian antiquity. In particular, the deliberate use was made of binary beta bronze with around 22–24 % tin, specifically exploiting the properties of higher hot-forgability of bronze of this composition due to the formation of the high temperature beta intermetallic compound phase of 22.9 % tin. Quenching resulted in the retention of the beta phase, yielding a musical alloy with golden lustre and improved tensile strength as compared to the as-cast state. Examples of hot forged and quenched high-tin beta bronzes studied by the author from the South Indian Iron Age and megalithic cultures from Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra and Gandharan Grave Culture of Taxila are summarised here ranking amongst the earliest and most finely wrought such finds. There are technological and morphological similarities to surviving high-tin bronze crafts practices documented by the author in Kerala since 1990. Since the 1990’s she has also documented the making of high-tin delta bronze mirrors at Aranmula with a composition closer to the pure delta phase of 32.6 % tin, which instead exploited the specular properties this alloy while managing its brittleness. Although it is difficult to speculate about origins, a long standing practice of using binary tin–bronzes (i.e. only copper–tin alloys) can be detected going back to Harappan bronzes which also seem to be predominantly binary bronzes with not much lead added to them. Though most of these seem to be low-tin bronze, the presence of a couple with higher tin of about 20 % is also notable in terms of the above discussion.     

<Emphasis Type="Bold">Analysis of Spatio-temporal Characteristics and Regional Frequency of Droughts in the Southern Peninsula of India</Emphasis>

A detailed regional drought study is carried out in the southern peninsula of India to characterize the spatio-temporal nature of droughts and to predict the drought magnitudes for various probabilities in the homogeneous drought regions. The method of several random initializations of the cluster centres of the K-means algorithm is suggested for the identification of the initial regions in the context of drought regionalization, which is shown to perform better than the initialization from the Ward’s algorithm and the Ward’s algorithm itself. The peninsula is classified into seven spatially well-separated homogeneous drought regions. The robust L-moment framework is used for the regional frequency analysis of drought magnitudes computed using the standardized precipitation index. The Pearson type III is found to be appropriate for regional drought frequency analysis in six of the regions, while the robust Wakeby distribution is suggested for one region. Low magnitude droughts are frequent and dominant in the northern part of west coast, the north-eastern coast and its adjoining inland region, while high magnitude droughts are less in number and are experienced in semi-arid central part, southern part of western coast, south-eastern part and north-western inland region. The spatial maps of drought magnitudes indicate that at higher return periods (100 and 200 years) the south-eastern part of the peninsula is likely to encounter high magnitude droughts, while the central region is likely to experience the same at lower return periods (10 and 50 years). Hence these regions need to be given special importance in the drought mitigation planning activities.     

Layered reasoning for randomized distributed algorithms

This paper adopts the communication closed layer (CCL) concept of Elrad and Francez to the formal reasoning of randomized distributed algorithms. We do so by enriching probabilistic automata (PA) with a layered composition operator, an intermediate between parallel and sequential composition. Layered composition is used to establish probabilistic counterparts of the CCL laws that exploit independence and/or precedence conditions between the constituent PA. The probabilistic CCL laws enable partial order (po-) equivalence when layered composition is replaced by sequential composition. Such po-equivalence induces a purely syntactic partial-order state space reduction via layered separation in compositions of PA while preserving probabilistic next-free linear-time properties. The feasibility of such layered separation is demonstrated on a randomized mutual exclusion algorithm by Kushilevitz and Rabin, complementing an algebraic approach (for analyzing this algorithm) by McIver, Gonzalia, Cohen, and Morgan.