Theory and methodology on the global optimal solution to a General Reverse Logistics Inventory Model for deteriorating items and time-varying rates

In this paper, we present a unified general inventory model for integrated production of new items and remanufacturing of returned items for an infinite planning horizon. Our model considers a production environment that consists of three shops. The first shop is for remanufacturing returned items, the second shop is for manufacturing new items, while the third shop is for collecting returned items to be remanufactured in the first shop. The system is subject to joint production and remanufacturing options, the first one is to produce new items while the second one is to reproduce/recycle the returned items “as-good-as new”. Items deteriorate while they are in storage, and production, remanufacturing, demand, return, and deterioration rates are arbitrary functions of time. A closed form for the total relevant costs as well as a rigorous mathematical proof, which shows the global optimality of the solution to the underlying inventory system are introduced. Illustrative examples, which explain the application of the theoretical results as well as their numerical verifications, are also given.     

The effect of nonhuman’s versus human’s external regulation on children’s speech use, manifested self-regulation, and satisfaction during learning tasks

Because of several analytical and methodological critiques on the findings and contexts of children’s private speech (PS), self-regulation learning (SRL), and thinking aloud (TA), the present study was conducted to shed new light on the effect of the nonhuman’s/computer’s versus human’s/teacher’s intervention (C-Condition versus T-Condition) on young children’s speech use, SRL, and satisfaction during learning tasks. Four developmental measurements with novel criteria were used to measure: (1) speech analysis, (3) SRL as a function of task level selection, (3) SRL as a function of task precision, and (4) a friendly-chat questionnaire to measure children’s satisfaction. Two types of intervention (enacted versus verbal encouragement) were applied through computer-based learning environment and investigated by forty preschool children divided by their teachers between the two conditions equivalently. It was hypothesized that children who acted alone (C-Condition) were more PS productive, manifested higher SRL, task performance, and satisfaction. The results confirmed the hypothesis with no significant differential effect of the gender on performance, showed that the injudicious use of encouragement hindered the children’s regulation behavior, and proved that PS and TA elicitation were fully different. However, the results were not confirmed Vygotsky’s view and simultaneously not fully inline with Piaget’s view of self-regulation development.     

Automated High Throughput Screening of Fluorescent Imaging Plate Reader (FLIPR) Assays Using Assay Platform™ Integrated with Activity Base for ‘on the fly’ Compound Reconfirmation

Advances in the field of automation have meant hitherto complex manual cell-based assays can now be automated. These improvements have brought significant enhancements in throughput, data fidelity and consistency, and allowed a reallocation of constrained resources.Building upon these improvements, we have linked our automated cell-based screening system, Assay Platform™, to Activity Base (IDBS), a software package designed to automate the analysis of HTS data. Customisation of this package has resulted in software that can identify ‘active’ compounds and re-pick them ‘on the fly’ from the original compound plates for triplicate re-testing without operator intervention.Based on an operator initially defining ‘normal’ parameters for assay activity in Activity Base, combined with an automated quality control software module that checks data fidelity, wells containing ‘active’ compounds can be re-picked and re-tested at the end of an automated screening run. Automating cell-based assays has significantly improved productivity, and, with the synergism of Activity Base, has given us greater power to complete each screening run and report ‘active’ compounds to Chemistry more rapidly. This article presents our approach to the automation of cell-based Fluorescent Imaging Plate Reader (FLIPR) screening together with automated active re-test confirmation using Activity Base.     

An Efficient Solution for Model Checking Graph Transformation Systems

This paper presents an efficient solution for modeling checking graph transformation systems. The approach transforms AGG specifications into Bogor models and supports both attributed typed graphs and layered transformations. Resulting models are amenable to check interesting properties expressed as combinations of LTL (Linear Temporal Logic) and graph transformation rules. The first experimental results are encouraging and show that in most cases our proposal improves existing approaches, both in terms of performance and expressiveness.     

QRS detection based on wavelet coefficients

Electrocardiogram (ECG) signal processing and analysis provide crucial information about functional status of the heart. The QRS complex represents the most important component within the ECG signal. Its detection is the first step of all kinds of automatic feature extraction. QRS detector must be able to detect a large number of different QRS morphologies. This paper examines the use of wavelet detail coefficients for the accurate detection of different QRS morphologies in ECG. Our method is based on the power spectrum of QRS complexes in different energy levels since it differs from normal beats to abnormal ones. This property is used to discriminate between true beats (normal and abnormal) and false beats. Significant performance enhancement is observed when the proposed approach is tested with the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database (MITDB). The obtained results show a sensitivity of 99.64% and a positive predictivity of 99.82%.     

Direct Coupling of Solar Cell Arrays to Electric Power Networks

Results of the investigation of the performance of solar cells when directly coupled to a conventional three-phase power network are presented. This approach dissociates the electricity production problem from the electric energy storage problem. Extensive studies of the required power inverter are performed. Preliminary simulation results indicate that ac power outputs of better than 90 percent of the optimum cell power output can be easily achieved by means of a suitably controlled inverter, thereby justify     

Effect of section width and casting rate on variations of formwork pressure of self-consolidating concrete

The influence of formwork dimensions and rate of casting of self-consolidating concrete (SCC) on the development and variations of lateral pressure were evaluated using two types of experimental columns; the first measuring 2100 mm in height and 200 mm in diameter, and the second 3600 mm in height and 920 mm in diameter. Variations of heat of hydration and setting time were correlated to the rate of decrease in formwork pressure.Test results show that the scale effect has an influence on the rate of drop in lateral pressure with time. Two distinctive rates of pressure drop were obtained during the plastic and setting stages of hydration. A rate of pressure decrease of 5.3 kPa/hr was obtained during the first 6 hours of time and is mostly associated with the increase in the restructuring process due to the reversible effect of thixotropy. A second distinctive slope of 2 kPa/hr was noted beyond 6 hours until the canceling of pressure, and is related to setting. The increase in the casting rate from 10 to 25 m/hr in the 200-mm diameter column resulted in slightly higher lateral pressure.     

Design of Bang-bang Controller Based on a Fuzzy-Neuro Approach: Application to a Heating System

A fuzzy-neuro approach for the design of bang-bang controller is presented in this paper. The approach has been used with success for the time optimal bang-bang control of a heating system. The improved bang-bang controller suppresses the oscillations often observed at the output of an on-off controller. A fuzzy system is used for the implementation of the on-off control. An extension of the fuzzy control is provided by an equivalent neural network of the fuzzy system. A test application, that of a house heating with a two-state furnace, is developed and evaluated with standard hysteresis switching, fuzzy control, and fuzzy-neuro control.