Simultaneous production and distribution of industrial gas supply-chains

In this paper, we propose a multi-period mixed-integer linear programming model for optimal enterprise-level planning of industrial gas operations. The objective is to minimize the total cost of production and distribution of liquid products by coordinating production decisions at multiple plants and distribution decisions at multiple depots. Production decisions include production modes and rates that determine power consumption. Distribution decisions involve source, destination, quantity, route, and time of each truck delivery. The selection of routes is a critical factor of the distribution cost. The main goal of this contribution is to assess the benefits of optimal coordination of production and distribution. The proposed methodology has been tested on small, medium, and large size examples. The results show that significant benefits can be obtained with higher coordination among plants/depots in order to fulfill a common set of shared customer demands. The application to real industrial size test cases is also discussed.     

Solving a combined cutting-stock and lot-sizing problem with a column generating procedure

In NonÅs and Thorstenson [A combined cutting stock and lot sizing problem. European Journal of Operational Research 120(2) (2000) 327–42] a combined cutting-stock and lot-sizing problem is outlined under static and deterministic conditions. In this paper we suggest a new column generating solution procedure for this problem that works well on both small and large-sized problems. The procedure includes characteristics from both the column generating procedure in NonÅs and Thorstenson, which works well on small-sized problems, and from the sequential heuristic due to Haessler [A heuristic programming solution to a nonlinear cutting stock problem, Management Science 17(12) (1971) 793–802], which works well on large-sized problems. Numerical results are presented that show that the new heuristic performs better than both of the earlier procedures. Comparisons with results obtained by other authors indicate that the procedure works well also for the extended cutting-stock problem with only a setup cost for each pattern change.     

A Synthetic Actor model for long-term computer games

Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence provide suitable techniques to improve computer games quality. While the former offers mechanisms to model environment and characters' physical features, the latter provides models and tools for building characters, namely Synthetic Actors or Believable Agents, which can exhibit intelligent social behaviour and express personality and emotions. The current architecture proposals for Synthetic Actors do not fully meet the requirements for long-term games development, such as strategy and adventure ones, it is necessary to guarantee both personality stability and reactive emotional responses, which may be contradictory. In this work, we propose a new Synthetic Actor model that tightly connects emotions and social attitudes to personality, providing a long-term coherent behaviour. This model has been applied to two games presented here as case studies.     

MMPI--A scores and high points of male juvenile delinquents: Scales 4, 5, and 6 as markers of juvenile delinquency.

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-Adolescent (MMPI--A) clinical, supplementary, and content scale score patterns for 655 male delinquents were examined. Low scores on Scale 5 (Masculinity/Femininity) were found to be the most frequent deviation, followed by elevations on Scales 6 (Paranoia) and 4 (Psychopathic Deviate). This is consistent with previous research, although the importance of Scale 5 deviations has been little noted because of the traditional focus on scale elevations only. Classification analysis indicated that a combination of MMPI--A scales discriminated between this delinquent sample and the normative sample, with a sensitivity of 90%-95% and a specificity of 80%-95%. This level of sensitivity was maintained in a replication sample (N=473). (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

核设施的退役

本文对核设施退役的概念、现状等作了简单介绍。     

Applicability of Criterion for Onset of River Ice Breakup

The breakup of an ice cover may lead to ice jamming. However, tested methods for predicting the ice cover breakup are lacking. One method uses hinge resistance at riverbanks as a tentative criterion for ice cover breakup in relatively straight rivers. In the present study, data from 6 years of observations of the Mississippi River at Anoka, Minn. are used to evaluate the applicability of that criterion. The observations include the date, the flow, and the thickness of the ice cover at the onset of cover breakup. An effort is made to estimate the shear stress on the ice cover with reasonable accuracy; and this shear stress is used to determine the counteracting hinge resistance at the onset of cover breakup. The calculated value of hinge resistance does not vary much from year to year, and thus the proposed criterion appears to be applicable for the study site.     

évaluation de la validité théorique de l'Inventaire de l'organisation de la personnalité.

Studied the psychometric properties and the theoretical validity of the French translation of the Inventory of Personality Organization (IPO; O. F. Kernberg and J. F. Clarkin, 1995). The IPO was administered to 845 males and females from a Quebec university and from the general Quebec population. Separate exploratory and 1st-level confirmatory factor analyses were performed. The results indicate a good level of conformity between IPO items and the tridimensional primary constructs of O. F. Kernberg's theoretical model of personality organization. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The latent structure of analogue depression: Should the Beck Depression Inventory be used to classify groups?

Research on depression is often conducted with analogue samples that have been divided into depressed and nondepressed groups using a cutoff score on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Although the relative merits of different cut scores are frequently debated, no study has yet determined whether the use of any cut score is valid, that is, whether the latent structure of BDI depression is categorical or dimensional in analogue samples. The BDI responses of 2,260 college students were submitted to 3 taxometric procedures whose results were compared with those of simulated data sets with equivalent parameters. Analyses provided converging evidence for the dimensionality of analogue depression, arguing against the use of the BDI to classify analogue participants into groups. Analyses also illustrated the notable impact of pronounced skew on taxometric results and the value of using simulated comparison data as an interpretive aid. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Identification of mental disorders in an in-patient prison psychiatric unit: Examining the criterion-related validity of the Personality Assessment Inventory.

Identifying inmates with mental disorders is a crucial function of correctional mental health services. This study examined the utility of several theoretically relevant scales and subscales of the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI; Morey, 1991, 2007) to identify various broad diagnostic categories (i.e., mood, psychotic, and substance use disorders) in a sample of prisoners in an inpatient psychiatric facility (N = 57). Results indicated moderate effect sizes and classification accuracy for most but not all PAI scales and subscales. Experimental scales for the detection of substance use disorders performed worse than the PAI Drug Problems scale in isolation. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Assessing disharmony and disaffection in intimate relationships: Revision of the Marital Satisfaction Inventory factor scales.

Previous research has identified 2 broad components of distress in intimate relationships: overt conflict, or disharmony, and emotional distance, or disaffection. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the authors derived 2 broadband scales of disharmony and disaffection from the Marital Satisfaction Inventory-Revised (D. K. Snyder, 1997), building upon previous measures of these constructs (D. K. Snyder & Regts, 1982) derived from the original instrument. The new scales demonstrated high internal consistency and test-retest reliability, as well as discriminative validity and convergent validity with independent criteria of relationship functioning. Distinct distributions of these scales in community and clinical samples suggested their complementary role in research on intimate relationships and assessment of couples in treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)