Clausal Proof Compression

TPA: A Two-Phase Approach Using Simulated Annealing for the Optimization of Census Taker Routes in Mexico

Mathematical Problems in Engineering ◽

10.1155/2015/648035 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 2015 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Silvia Gaona ◽

David Romero

Keyword(s):

Simulated Annealing ◽

Shortest Path ◽

Travel Distance ◽

Visibility Graph ◽

Second Phase ◽

Two Phase ◽

Phase Approach ◽

Dijkstra's Algorithm ◽

Average Improvement ◽

Parameter Values

Censuses in Mexico are taken by the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). In this paper a Two-Phase Approach (TPA) to optimize the routes of INEGI’s census takers is presented. For each pollster, in the first phase, a route is produced by means of the Simulated Annealing (SA) heuristic, which attempts to minimize the travel distance subject to particular constraints. Whenever the route is unrealizable, it is made realizable in the second phase by constructing a visibility graph for each obstacle and applying Dijkstra’s algorithm to determine the shortest path in this graph. A tuning methodology based on theiracepackage was used to determine the parameter values for TPA on a subset of 150 instances provided by INEGI. The practical effectiveness of TPA was assessed on another subset of 1962 instances, comparing its performance with that of the in-use heuristic (INEGIH). The results show that TPA clearly outperformsINEGIH. The average improvement is of 47.11%.

Download Full-text

An Exploration of the Quality of Peer Review Group Activities within Australasia

Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry ◽

10.3109/00048679609062662 ◽

1996 ◽

Vol 30 (5) ◽

pp. 660-666 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Sadie Robertson ◽

Gordon Parker ◽

Simon Byrne ◽

Murray Wright

Keyword(s):

Peer Review ◽

Clinical Work ◽

Second Phase ◽

Practice Model ◽

Two Phase ◽

Review Group ◽

Phase Study ◽

Process And Outcome ◽

Peer Review Groups

Objective: To describe a two-phase study of the structure of Australasian psychiatrist peer review groups. Method (Phase one): Initially, information was sought from chairskoordinators of psychiatrist peer review groups regarding the nature and organisation of their group. Results (Phase one): One hundred and three questionnaires were returned describing a number of models of peer review. Three principal models were identified: a teaching hospital model, a private practice model, and a private institution model. Method (Phase two): The second-phase questionnaire sought information on the quality of the review, using six proposed standards developed by the Quality Assurance Committee of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. Results (Phase two): Many groups indicated that four of the proposed standards (those relating to documentation, having clear goals, reviewing actual clinical cases, and rigorous protection of confidentiality) were either already being followed or would be relatively easy to implement. The remaining two proposed standards (including structure, process and outcome dimensions of health care in the case discussion, and the use of explicit criteria) presented more difficulty. Conclusion: The application of such standards to peer review group meetings should assist groups to provide a forum for presentation and evaluation of clinical work where participants know they will be challenged in an environment which is both supportive and educational.

Download Full-text

KUALITAS FISIK ORGANOLEPTIK LIMBAH TAUGE KACANG HIJAU YANG DIFERMENTASI MENGGUNAKAN Trichoderma harzianum DENGAN LEVEL YANG BERBEDA

JURNAL ILMIAH PETERNAKAN TERPADU ◽

10.23960/jipt.v5i2.p28-32 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 28

Author(s):

Riskha Ayuk Rihadini ◽

S. Mukodiningsih ◽

S. Sumarsih

Keyword(s):

Trichoderma Harzianum ◽

Green Bean ◽

Second Phase ◽

F Test ◽

Two Phase ◽

Physical Quality ◽

Organoleptic Test ◽

Effect Of Treatment ◽

Bean Sprouts

The objective of this research is to test the physical quality of organoleptic including of the color, smell, texture and pH of fermented bean sprouts using Trichoderma harzianum in different level. This research consists of two phase. The first phase is the process of fermentation of green bean sprouts waste that divided into 4 treatments that is the addition of Trichoderma harzianum at 0%, 2%, 4% and 6% level of 4 replications. The second phase of research is to conduct organoleptic test in covering of the color, smell, texture and pH of fermented bean sprouts waste using Trichoderma harzianum in different level. The material used waste bean sprouts, Trichoderma harzianum, aquades. The data obtained at if statistically using RAL. The result data of the research is tested by F test, if there is effect of treatment then proceed with Duncan test at 5% level. The results showed 2% Trichoderma harzianum giving the best pH 5,18. Trichoderma harzianum 6% gives the best color of green brown, texture rather crumbs and acid smells. Keywords:Fermented, Bean Sprouts, Organoleptic, Trichoderma harzianum

Download Full-text

A methodological framework to allocate storage space for outbound containers

Ingeniería Investigación y Tecnología ◽

10.22201/fi.25940732e.2021.22.3.022 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (3) ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

María D. Gracia

Keyword(s):

Performance Metrics ◽

Container Terminals ◽

Second Phase ◽

Storage Space ◽

Methodological Framework ◽

Two Phase ◽

The Impact ◽

Alternative Solutions ◽

Outbound Containers

The staking of containers on ideal locations within the yard is a tactical decision that affects the productivity of container terminals. The goal is to improve posterior loading and retrieval operations, to get better use of terminal resources. In this paper, we study how to allocate storage space for outbound containers in container terminals. A two-phase methodological framework is proposed. The first phase groups outbound containers into clusters of similar operational loading conditions. Then in a second phase, a bi-objective storage space assignment model is solved to determine the set of block-bays where groups of similar containers will be stored during the planning horizon. This study presents a double contribution. On one hand, it proposes a new methodological framework that combines operations research and data mining techniques to solve a storage space assignment problem for outbound containers. On the other hand, it analyzes the impact of three factors on four performance metrics used to evaluate the quality and quantity of alternative solutions to the problem of allocation of storage space for outbound containers. The experimental framework is composed of an experimental design study to assess the impact of three factors on four performance metrics used to assess the quality of the storage space assignment solutions, and a case study to validate the proposed approach. The experimental results reveal that the storage yard's capacity and the number of clusters used to group the containers destined to a vessel are the main factors that affect the number and quality of alternative solutions.

Download Full-text

A Study on Adaptability of Total Quality Management in Engineering Education Sector

International Journal of Quality Assurance in Engineering and Technology Education ◽

10.4018/ijqaete.2012100103 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2 (4) ◽

pp. 25-37 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Chandra Sekhar Patro

Keyword(s):

Quality Management ◽

Total Quality Management ◽

Engineering Education ◽

Quality Management System ◽

Educational Institution ◽

Educational Institutions ◽

Second Phase ◽

Total Quality ◽

Two Phase

Quality management is an approach to management which requires establishing quality policies, procedures and practices on regular basis. Engineering education is a process of developing techno human resources, which are to be used later as input to industry which in turn produces goods and services for the societal use. Having considered the current situation of the engineering educational system and the quality of all its individual components it can be noticed that the awareness of the importance of education as a foundation for the growth and development of the country, such as India, is not strong enough. Engineering graduates passing out from educational institutions have to fulfill modern and high standard requirements that are needed by industry. Therefore, there is a greater need to instill quality in engineering education to produce technically skilled and creative man-power in India. The continuous assessment of quality is of paramount importance for educational institution. Education efficiency and success does not depend just on quantity but as well on quality. This paper has discussed key points for the improvement in the quality of engineering education with a case study undertaken at various engineering colleges in India. The study was conducted in two phase; first phase is the critical investigation of the literature and the second phase is a study on the quality of engineering education provided by the educational institutions in Visakhapatnam city. A simple random sampling technique was adopted for the study. A research study described in this paper identifies and analyses the quality of engineering education at the educational institutions which adopt the total quality management system to increase the quality and meet the industrial requirements and then suggests some ingredients to improve the quality.

Download Full-text

Using Multiple Criteria Optimization and Two-Stage Genetic Algorithms to Select a Population Management Strategy with Optimized Reliability

Complexity ◽

10.1155/2018/7242105 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2018 ◽

pp. 1-18 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jessica L. Chapman ◽

Lu Lu ◽

Christine M. Anderson-Cook

Keyword(s):

Multiple Objectives ◽

Second Phase ◽

Two Phase ◽

Phase Approach ◽

Reliability Estimates ◽

Starting Point ◽

Single Use ◽

Management Optimization ◽

Reliability Performance ◽

The Impact

An important aspect of good management of inventory for many single-use populations or stockpiles is to develop an informed consumption strategy to use a collection of single-use units, with varied reliability as a function of age, during scheduled operations. We present a two-phase approach to balance multiple objectives for a consumption strategy to ensure good performance on the average reliability, consistency of unit reliability over time, and least uncertainty of the reliability estimates. In the first phase, a representative subset of units is selected to explore the impact of using units at different time points on reliability performance and to identify beneficial consumption patterns using a nondominated sorting genetic algorithm based on multiple objectives. In the second phase, the results from the first phase are projected back to the full stockpile as a starting point for determining best consumption strategies that emphasize the priorities of the manager. The method can be generalized to other criteria of interest and management optimization strategies. The method is illustrated with an example that shares characteristics with some munition stockpiles and demonstrates the substantial advantages of the two-phase approach on the quality of solutions and efficiency of finding them.

Download Full-text

A Case Study for Infrastructure Scour Management

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-22209 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Eftychia Koursari ◽

Stuart Wallace ◽

Panagiotis Michalis ◽

Yi Xu ◽

Manousos Valyrakis

Keyword(s):

At Risk ◽

Water Levels ◽

Bridge Engineering ◽

Second Phase ◽

Two Phase ◽

Phase Approach ◽

Remediation Measures ◽

Stability Of Structures ◽

Safety Inspections

Scour is the leading cause of bridge collapse worldwide, being responsible for compromising the stability of structures&#8217; foundations. Scour and erosion can take place without prior warning and cause sudden failure. This study describes engineering measures and complications encountered during construction for a case study in the Scottish Borders (A68 Galadean Bridge). The bridge studied carries the A68 road across the Leader Water.Transport Scotland&#8217;s structures crossing or near a watercourse are subject to a two-stage scour assessment following the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) BD97/12 Standard, &#8216;The Assessment of Scour and Other Hydraulic Actions at Highway Structures&#8217;. Structures identified at risk are monitored through Reactive Structures Safety Inspections following events likely to increase water levels. The most common form of monitoring includes visual inspections, however, monitoring sensors are being currently implemented and trialled at locations at high risk of scour.Scour in the area was identified during a Reactive Structures Safety Inspection, following which a weekly scour monitoring regime was established, alongside further Reactive Structures Safety Inspections, until remediation measures were put in place.Despite the bridge being constructed perpendicular to the Leader Water, meandering of the watercourse was detected upstream. Sediment transport was the cause of an island formation immediately upstream of the structure. Non-uniform flow and secondary, spiral currents, resulting from the formation of the bend were exacerbating scour and erosion in the area. The design of the remediation measures included the implementation of rock rolls alongside the affected riverbank. However, during construction, increased water levels resulting from thawing snow resulted in the collapse of a significant portion of the embankment supporting the structure&#8217;s abutment and the A68 road, prior to the realisation of the remediation measures. An emergency design revision was required and emergency measures had to be enforced.The urgency of the works led to a two-phase approach being followed for the design and construction of the scour measures in the affected area. The first phase included the construction of a platform in front of the affected road embankment and the implementation of rock rolls to provide scour protection. The two-phase approach ensured the infrastructure at risk was protected from further deterioration while the reconstruction of the embankment was being designed.The second phase of works included the reconstruction of the affected road embankment, for which the anticipated total scour depth was taken into account.&#160;References:Koursari E and Wallace S. 2019. Infrastructure scour management: a case study for A68 Galadean Bridge, UK. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers &#8211; Bridge Engineering, https://doi.org/10.1680/jbren.18.00062&#160;Acknowledgements:The authors would like to acknowledge Transport Scotland for funding this project.

Download Full-text

Integrating Anticipative Replenishment Allocation with Reactive Fulfillment for Online Retailing Using Robust Optimization

Manufacturing & Service Operations Management ◽

10.1287/msom.2020.0926 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Yun Fong Lim ◽

Song Jiu ◽

Marcus Ang

Keyword(s):

Robust Optimization ◽

Operating Cost ◽

Planning Horizon ◽

Problem Definition ◽

Computational Time ◽

Second Phase ◽

Online Retailer ◽

Two Phase ◽

Solution Quality ◽

Phase Approach

Problem definition: In each period of a planning horizon, an online retailer decides how much to replenish each product and how to allocate its inventory to fulfillment centers (FCs) before demand is known. After the demand in the period is realized, the retailer decides on which FCs to fulfill it. It is crucial to optimize the replenishment, allocation, and fulfillment decisions jointly such that the expected total operating cost is minimized. The problem is challenging because the replenishment allocation is done in an anticipative manner under a push strategy, but the fulfillment is executed in a reactive way under a pull strategy. We propose a multiperiod stochastic optimization model to delicately integrate the anticipative replenishment allocation decisions with the reactive fulfillment decisions such that they are determined seamlessly as the demands are realized over time. Academic/practical relevance: The aggressive expansion in e-commerce sales significantly escalates online retailers’ operating costs. Our methodology helps boost their competency in this cutthroat industry. Methodology: We develop a two-phase approach based on robust optimization to solve the problem. The first phase decides whether the products should be replenished in each period (binary decisions). We fix these binary decisions in the second phase, in which we determine the replenishment, allocation, and fulfillment quantities. Results: Numerical experiments suggest that our approach outperforms existing methods from the literature in solution quality and computational time and performs within 7% of a benchmark with perfect information. A study using real data from a major fashion online retailer in Asia suggests that the two-phase approach can potentially reduce the retailer’s cumulative cost significantly. Managerial implications: By decoupling the binary decisions from the continuous decisions, our methodology can solve large problem instances (up to 1,200 products). The integration, robustness, and adaptability of the decisions under our approach create significant value.

Download Full-text

A cubic chromosome representation for patient scheduling in the Emergency Department

RAIRO - Operations Research ◽

10.1051/ro/2018079 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 53 (5) ◽

pp. 1453-1474

Author(s):

Sarah Ben Othman ◽

Faten Ajmi ◽

Hayfa Zgaya ◽

Slim Hammadi

Keyword(s):

Emergency Department ◽

Dynamic Scheduling ◽

Waiting Times ◽

Three Dimensional ◽

Daily Basis ◽

Second Phase ◽

Patient Scheduling ◽

Two Phase ◽

Chromosome Representation

In healthcare institution management, hospital flow control and the prediction of overcrowding are major issues. The objective of the present study is to develop a dynamic scheduling protocol that minimizes interference between scheduled and unscheduled patients arriving at the emergency department (ED) while taking account of disturbances that occur in the ED on a daily basis. The ultimate goal is to improve the quality of care and reduce waiting times via a two-phase scheduling approach. In the first phase, we used a genetic algorithm (based on a three-dimensional cubic chromosome) to manage scheduled patients. In the second phase, we took account of the dynamic, uncertain nature of the ED environment (the arrival of unscheduled patients) by continuously updating the schedule.

Download Full-text

Evaluation of the Vocational Education Orientation Programme (VEOP) at a university in South Africa

The International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning ◽

10.19173/irrodl.v14i4.1568 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 14 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Lynette Jacobs ◽

Corene De Wet

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Vocational Education ◽

Professional Education ◽

Further Education ◽

Second Phase ◽

Two Phase ◽

The Individual ◽

The University ◽

And Training

To address the training needs of Further Education and Training college (FETC) lecturers, and in the absence of a full professional education qualification, several higher education institutions, FETCs, and other bodies in South Africa formed an alliance to develop a short programme towards a possible future full qualification. In 2010 a Vocational Education Orientation Programme (VEOP) was piloted. In line with the responsibility for quality assurance, and the need to inform further developments in the training of FETC lecturers, the aim of this research was to evaluate the VEOP presented by the University of the Free State (UFS). To reach the stated aim, a two phase evaluative study was undertaken (1) to assess the individual modules, and (2) to holistically investigate the quality of the programme. Two questionnaires were used to gather data. The first set of data was collected at the completion of each of the six modules. For the second phase of the study, 48 lecturer-students were randomly selected more than a year after completion of the VEOP. The study identified a number of strengths and weaknesses of the VEOP. The results emphasise the need to carefully select tutors and train them to have an understanding of the FETC milieu, rethink the methodology employed in the education training of FETC lecturers, and redesign the modules’ contents to better reflect the FETC sector. The need to enhance student support and improve administration is also highlighted by the study. The results of the study may inform the development of a full qualification for FETC lecturers.

Download Full-text