The Effect of Initial Inventories in a Two-Echelon System

A model in which jointly optimal stocks of material and finished products are to be chosen is reexamined. While it costs less to hold material, a certain percentage of the random demand not immediately satisfied by previously finished products is lost. We pay particular attention to the dependence of the optimal stocks on the initial ones, which assumes an interesting form. For example, if the stock of finished products is high but the combined stock is low, die quantity of material ordered depends on the stock of finished products.     

On the Retirement of E. P. Goldfinch, Founder of Radiation Protection Dosimetry

In June of 2004, Eddie Goldfinch will be retiring from his dutiesas Executive Editor of Radiation Protection Dosimetry (RPD).Oxford University Press is publishing the journal, however itshould be noted that Eddie has not completely stopped his publishingactivities or his association with RPD. He will remain as anemeritus member of the Editorial     

A novel frequency planning algorithm for mitigating unfairness in wireless LANs

A typical objective of frequency planning in wireless networks is maximizing the overall network throughput by reducing inter-cell interference. We argue that network throughput alone, as obtained by simulations or direct measurement, is not an adequate measure for evaluating a frequency plan, so that any direct optimization of network throughput would indeed not be advisable as it is especially inadequate for fairness. Contrary to intuition, we demonstrate via simple experiments that in IEEE 802.11 wireless LANs (WLANs) a bad frequency planning, which causes higher interference, may increase the overall network throughput. Such cases occur when far users with low bit-rates get starved under bad frequency planning, while near users that use high bit-rates monopolize the transmission opportunities. Such a counter-intuitive phenomenon indicates that both network throughput and fairness must be considered for frequency planning in WLANs. In this paper we first devise a novel framework to model the load of WLAN cells considering inter-cell interference. Then, we present an efficient frequency planning algorithm which is designed on the basis of this load model. Extensive simulations show that the proposed model allows adequate evaluation of the performance of a frequency plan from both throughput and fairness perspectives. It is also shown that our algorithm provides fairer service to its users compare to existing frequency planning algorithms, while preserving high network utilization.     

Generalized satellite link model and its application to the transmission plan

A generalized model for the satellite link that includes non-linear effects is presented. The transponder is handled as a black box with nominal gain g_s. At a specific operating point each signal in the transponder has its own gain, g_sci, that may be different from g_s. The parameter g_sci depends on the operating point of the transponder, the power of the signal and the distribution of the residual transponder power among the other carriers. The intermodulation between the carriers and between them and the up-link noise is included in the model as well. The generalized model is represented by the conventional traditional equation, modified with correction factors which account for the nonlinear effects. Application of the model to typical transmission plans is given and comparison of the results to field experiments and transponder analysis program is included. Emphasis is placed on the use of the transponder with mixed TV and SCPC operation.     

On the Relation Between the Benefits of Risk Pooling and the Variability of Demand

The benefits of pooling risks, manifested in inventory management by consolidating multiple random demands in one location, are well known. What is less well understood are the determinants of the magnitude of the savings. Recently there has been speculation about the impact of demand variabilities on the benefits of risk pooling. We provide an example where increased variability of the individual demands actually reduces the benefits of risk pooling. We prove, however, that if we restrict increased variability to a common linear transformation, the greater the demand variabilities the larger the benefits of consolidating them, in agreement with intuition. We also provide bounds on the benefits of the consolidation of demands. Our results do not require independence of the demands, apply to any number of pooled demands, and are obtained in a pure cost-driven model.     

Trans boundary transport of pollutants by atmospheric mineral dust

The transport of anthropogenic pollution by desert dust in the Eastern Mediterranean region was studied by analyzing major and trace element composition, organic species, and Pb isotope ratios in suspended dust samples collected in Jerusalem, Israel. Dust storms in this region are associated with four distinct synoptic conditions (Red Sea Trough (RS), Eastern High (EH), Sharav Cyclone (SC), and Cold Depression (Cyprus low, CD)) that carry dust mostly from North African (SC, CD, EH) and Arabian and Syrian (RS, EH) deserts. Substantial contamination of dust particles by Pb, Cu, Zn, and Ni is observed, while other elements (Na, Ca, Mg, Mn, Sr, Rb, REE, U, and Th) display natural concentrations. Sequential extraction of the abovementioned elements from the dust samples shows that the carbonate and sorbed fractions contain most of the pollution, yet the Al-silicate fraction is also contaminated, implying that soils and sediments in the source terrains of the dust are already polluted. We identified the pollutant sources by using Pb isotopes. It appears that before the beginning of the dust storm, the pollutants in the collected samples are dominated by local sources but with the arrival of dust from North Africa, the proportion of foreign pollutants increases. Organic pollutants exhibit behavior similar and complementary to that of the inorganic tracers, attesting to the importance of anthropogenic-pollutant addition en route of the dust from its remote sources. Pollution of suspended dust is observed under all synoptic conditions, yet it appears that easterly winds carry higher proportions of local pollution and westerly winds carry pollution emitted in the Cairo basin. Therefore, pollution transport by mineral dust should be accounted for in environmental models and in assessing the health-related effects of mineral dust.     

Hafnium Reactivity with Boron and Carbon Sources Under Non-Self-Propagating High-Temperature Synthesis Conditions

The homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions of hafnium (Hf) with boron (B) or carbon (C) powders were studied under non-self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) conditions in searching for chemically aided processes of ultra-high-temperature ceramics at mild and practical conditions. The threshold interactions of the Hf/B and Hf/C powder mixtures consisting of relatively large Hf particles occur at 700° and 800°C, respectively, with no observation of particle melting as previously postulated for igniting SHS reactions. A microscale melting phenomenon at the Hf surface was observed by scanning electron microscopy analysis in heterogeneous reactions between Hf metal strips and B or C powders at the temperature range of 1100°–1200°C, more than 1000°C below the incipient melting point of the metal. The non-SHS conditions allow halting the reactions at intermediate stages for analytical purposes. Kinetic studies of the homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions, heat transfer model analyses, and their association with the investigation of microstructural phenomena were used to postulate the mechanism involved in the observed reactions.     

Controlled Mesoporosity in SiOC via Chemically Bonded Polymeric “Spacers”

Silicon oxycarbides with controlled porosity in the mesopore range have been obtained through high‐temperature pyrolysis of newly developed reactive siloxane formulations. The starting gels have been synthesized via Pt catalyzed hydrosilylation reaction between polyhydromethylsiloxane (PHMS) and vinyl‐terminated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) of different molecular weights in the presence of tetravinyltetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane as a crosslinking enhancer. In our approach, the PDMS serves the double purpose of size‐controlling templating agent as well as solvent at the early stages of the synthesis. During the curing step, the vinyl‐terminated PDMS is chemically bonded to the preceramic network through the extremely efficient hydrosilylation reaction and “solidify.” Accordingly, its removal during pyrolysis occurs through decomposition of a solid phase with retention of the formed porosity. The structural and morphological evolution of the preceramic gels containing the molecular spacers have been investigated as a function of the thermal treatment temperature by N₂ physisorption measurements, thermogravimetry, and SEM analyses. The results show that the pore size distribution of the resulting SiOCs depends on the molecular weight of the PDMS and is directly related to the molecular volume assumimg that the PDMS chains are entangled into spheroidal shapes. The total pore volume is related to the initial amount of templating PDMS assuming its complete decomposition during pyrolysis.