Cooperative Cover of Uniform Demand

Networks and Spatial Economics - We investigate the total covered area by multiple facilities applying the cooperative cover model. We found that the cooperative cover area is much larger than the...     

Enhancing the performance of hybrid genetic algorithms by differential improvement

A differential improvement modification to Hybrid Genetic Algorithms is proposed. The general idea is to perform more extensive improvement algorithms on higher quality solutions. Our proposed Differential Improvement (DI) approach is of rather general character. It can be implemented in many different ways. The paradigm remains invariant and can be easily applied to a wider class of optimization problems. Moreover, the DI framework can also be used within other Hybrid metaheuristics like Hybrid Scatter Search algorithms, Particle Swarm Optimization, or Bee Colony Optimization techniques.     

Outdoor attractancy of males ofMatsucoccus josephi (Homoptera: Matsucoccidae) andElatophilus hebraicus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) to synthetic female sex pheromone ofMatsucoccus josephi

The active component of the sex pheromone ofMatsucoccus josephi is (2E,6E,8E)-5,7-dimethyl-2,6,8-decatrien-4-one; the chemical is also a powerful kairomone of adult males and females of the bugElatophilus hebraicus the principal predator ofM. josephi. The presence of theZ isomer (2E,6Z,8E)-5,7-dimethyl-2,6,8-decatrien-4-one does not interfere with the attractancy of the activeE component forM. josephi males or the bug. Our results show a clear dose-response between trap catch ofM. josephi males andE. hebraicus. Conversely, increasing amounts of theZ isomer in the mixture did not affect the attraction of the scale insect males or the bug. The catch ofM. josephi males did not differ significantly among traps of different color, and was significantly higher with traps attached to the tree trunk than those suspended between trees. Comparison of the catch ofM. josephi among the three forests and between pine species suggests that the level of infestation ofPinus halepepsis andPinus brutia ssp.brutia is similar, despite the fact that the latter pine is resistant to the scale insect. Both sexes ofE. hebraicus were trapped in much lower numbers at the more infested sites. This may be related to interference with the activity ofE. hebraicus due to deterioration and drying of parts of the tree crowns and heavy colonization by generalist predators in injured trees.     

Ski rental with two general options

We define and solve a simple extension of the ski-rental problem [A.R. Karlin, M.S. Manasse, L. Rudolph, D.D. Sleator, Competitive snoopy caching, Algorithmica 3 (1) (1988) 77-119]. In the classical version, the algorithm needs to decide when to switch from renting to buying. In our version, no pure buy option is available: even after switching to the buy option, the algorithm needs to pay some reduced rent.     

Nanometer‐Scale Mapping of Elastic Modules in Biogenic Composites: The Nacre of Mollusk Shells

In this study, a newly developed nanoscale modulus mapping is applied in order to visualize the 2D‐distribution of mechanical characteristics in the aragonitic nacre layer of Perna canaliculus (green mussel) shells. Modulus maps provide lateral resolution of about 10 nm. They allow the aragonitic mineral (CaCO₃) tablets and the interfaces between them to be clearly resolved, which are filled by an organic substance (mainly beta‐chitin). The experimental data are compared with finite element simulations that also take into account the tip radius of curvature and the thickness of organic layers, as measured by means of scanning electron microscopy with back‐scattered electrons. Based on this comparison, the Young modulus of beta‐chitin is extracted. The obtained number, E_β = 40 GPa, is higher than previously evaluated. The collected maps reveal that the elastic modules in the nacre layer change gradually across the ceramic/organic interfaces within a spatial range four times wider than the thickness of the organic layers. This is possibly due to inhomogeneous distribution of organic macromolecules within ceramic tablets. According to the data, the concentration of macromolecules gradually increases when approaching the organic/ceramic interfaces. A behavior of this type is unique to biogenic materials and distinguishes them from synthetic composite materials. Finally, three possible mechanisms that attempt to explain why gradual changes of elastic modules significantly enhance the overall resistance to fracture of the nacre layer are briefly discussed. The experimental findings support the idea that individual ceramic tablets, comprising the nacre, are built of the compositionally and functionally graded ceramic material. This sheds additional light on the origin of the superior mechanical properties of biogenic composites.     

On high-speed computing with a programmable linear array

It has been observed by many researchers that systolic arrays are very suitable for certain high-speed computations. Using a formal methodology, we present a design for a single simple programmable linear systolic array capable of solving large numbers of problems drawn from a variety of applications. The methodology is applicable to problems solvable by sequential algorithms that can be specified as nested for-loops of arbitrary depth. The algorithms of this form that can be computed on the array presented in this paper include 25 algorithms dealing with signal and image processing, algebraic computations, matrix arithmetic, pattern matching, database operations, sorting, and transitive closure. Assuming bounded I/O, for 18 of those algorithms the time and storage complexities are optimal, and therefore no improvement can be expected by using dedicated special-purpose linear systolic arrays designed for individual algorithms. We also describe another design which, using a sufficient large local memory and allowing data to be preloaded and unloaded, has an optimal processor/time product.An earlier version of this paper was presented at Supercomputing '88.This work was partially supported by ONR under the contract N00014-85-K-0046 and by NSF under Grant Number CCR-8906949.     

Optimal Control of a Linear Trend Process with Quadratic Loss

This paper deals wth the problem of optimizing the start and finish points for runs in a process which has a linearly drifting average. Deviations fr om a target value are penalized by a quadratic loss function which may have a different constant for negative or positive deviations.     

Chattering linear systems: A model of rapidly oscillating coefficients

We introduce linear control systems, termed chattering systems, which model instantaneous oscillations in the control parameters. Such systems serve as a limit case of systems with rapidly oscillating control parameters, which can be analyzed as perturbations from the chattering model. Several optimization and regulation problems for chattering systems are examined, along with the robustness property: the possibility of employing the solutions of the chattering case in the rapidly oscillating approximations. The theory is demonstrated on an example of an armature-controlled dc motor.     

TENT4A Non-Canonical Poly(A) Polymerase Regulates DNA-Damage Tolerance via Multiple Pathways That Are Mutated in Endometrial Cancer

TENT4A (PAPD7) is a non-canonical poly(A) polymerase, of which little is known. Here, we show that TENT4A regulates multiple biological pathways and focuses on its multilayer regulation of translesion DNA synthesis (TLS), in which error-prone DNA polymerases bypass unrepaired DNA lesions. We show that TENT4A regulates mRNA stability and/or translation of DNA polymerase η and RAD18 E3 ligase, which guides the polymerase to replication stalling sites and monoubiquitinates PCNA, thereby enabling recruitment of error-prone DNA polymerases to damaged DNA sites. Remarkably, in addition to the effect on RAD18 mRNA stability via controlling its poly(A) tail, TENT4A indirectly regulates RAD18 via the tumor suppressor CYLD and via the long non-coding antisense RNA PAXIP1-AS2, which had no known function. Knocking down the expression of TENT4A or CYLD, or overexpression of PAXIP1-AS2 led each to reduced amounts of the RAD18 protein and DNA polymerase η, leading to reduced TLS, highlighting PAXIP1-AS2 as a new TLS regulator. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that TLS error-prone DNA polymerase genes and their TENT4A-related regulators are frequently mutated in endometrial cancer genomes, suggesting that TLS is dysregulated in this cancer.     

Thermoelastic properties and conductivity of carbon/carbon fiber composites

Unidirectional carbon/carbon composites are modeled as fiber composites with cylindrically orthotropic fibers and matrix. All of the thermoelastic properties and the conductivities are evaluated on the basis of the composite cylinder assemblage (CCA) and the generalized self consistent scheme (GSCS) models. The former for axisymmetric elastic properties, axial shear modulus, thermal expansion coefficients and conductivities; the latter for transverse shear and Young's moduli and Poisson's ratio. Numerical results are given for onion skin, radial and transversely isotropic phase graphitic structures.