Structuring and creating alternatives for the eggplant loss problem using the value-focused thinking methodology

The eggplant is a short shelf-life vegetable whose export in Mexico generates significant incomes for horticultural companies. However, when the market’s price is down, or its quality does not fulfill the market’s requirements, eggplant is not exported, and demand is low in the domestic market. This situation generates financial problems for companies, unemployment for people, and environmental problems, among others. To reduce eggplant loss is necessary to understand the elements around the issue, structure the problem, and generate solution alternatives. In this work, the Value-Focused Thinking (VFT) methodology was applied in a horticultural farm in Sinaloa, Mexico, to obtain values from a decision-maker to structure the eggplant loss problem, objectives of the farm and generate solution alternatives. This article presents a structured problem about eggplant loss, which includes one strategic objective, five fundamental objectives, and nine means-ends objectives as well as twenty-seven solution alternatives such as applying protected agriculture technology, selling waste as food for livestock and designing a new product based on eggplant. Through the results of the application of VFT methodology, the decision-maker had a better understanding of the eggplant loss problem and its value, which is going to be reflected in benefits for the horticultural farm. Keywords: Eggplant loss, problem structuring, creating alternatives, value-focused thinking. JEL classification: D46, D81 Received: 10/06/2020. Accepted: 06/11/2020. Published: 01/12/2020

A Goal-Driven Tree-Structured Neural Model for Math Word Problems

Most existing neural models for math word problems exploit Seq2Seq model to generate solution expressions sequentially from left to right, whose results are far from satisfactory due to the lack of goal-driven mechanism commonly seen in human problem solving. This paper proposes a tree-structured neural model to generate expression tree in a goal-driven manner. Given a math word problem, the model first identifies and encodes its goal to achieve, and then the goal gets decomposed into sub-goals combined by an operator in a top-down recursive way. The whole process is repeated until the goal is simple enough to be realized by a known quantity as leaf node. During the process, two-layer gated-feedforward networks are designed to implement each step of goal decomposition, and a recursive neural network is used to encode fulfilled subtrees into subtree embeddings, which provides a better representation of subtrees than the simple goals of subtrees. Experimental results on the dataset Math23K have shown that our tree-structured model outperforms significantly several state-of-the-art models.

DISCOVERY ON BEAL CONJECTURE

In this paper we give a proof for Beal's conjecture . Since the discovery of the proof of Fermat's last theorem by Andre Wiles, several questions arise on the correctness of Beal's conjecture. By using a very rigorous method we come to the proof. Let $ \mathbb{G}=\{(x,y,z)\in \mathbb{N}^{3}: \min(x,y,z)\geq 3\}$$\Omega_{n}=\{ p\in \mathbb{P}: p\mid n , p \nmid z^{y}-y^{z}\}$ ,$$\mathbb{T}=\{(x,y,z)\in \mathbb{N}^{3}: x\geq 3,y\geq 3,z\geq 3\}$$$\forall(x,y,z) \in \mathbb{T}$ consider the function $f_{x,y,z}$ be the function defined as :$$\begin{array}{ccccc}f_{x,y,z} & : \mathbb{N}^{3}& &\to & \mathbb{Z}\\& & (X,Y,Z) & \mapsto & X^{x}+Y^{y}-Z^{z}\\\end{array}$$Denote by $$\mathbb{E}^{x,y,z}=\{(X,Y,Z)\in \mathbb{N}^{3}:f_{x,y,z}(X,Y,Z)=0\}$$and $\mathbb{U}=\{(X,Y,Z)\in \mathbb{N}^{3}: \gcd(X,Y)\geq2,\gcd(X,Z)\geq2,\gcd(Y,Z)\geq2\}$Let $ x=\min(x,y,z)$ . The obtained result show that :if $ A^{x}+B^{y}=C^{z}$ has a solution and $ \Omega_{A}\not=\emptyset$, $\forall p \in \Omega_{A}$ ,$$ Q(B,C)=\sum_{j=1}^{x-1}[\binom{y}{j}B^{j}-\binom{z}{j}C^{j}]$$ has no solution in $(\frac{\mathbb{Z}}{p^{x}\mathbb{Z}})^{2}\setminus\{(\overline{0},\overline{0})\} $ Using this result we show that Beal's conjecture is true since $$ \bigcup_{(x,y,z)\in\mathbb{T}}\mathbb{E}^{x,y,z}\cap \mathbb{U}\not=\emptyset$$ Then $\exists (\alpha,\beta,\gamma)\in \mathbb{N}^{3}$ such that $\min(\alpha,\beta,\gamma)\leq 2$ and $\mathbb{E}^{\alpha,\beta,\gamma}\cap \mathbb{U}=\emptyset$ The novel techniques use for the proof can be use to solve the variety of Diophantine equations . We provide also the solution to Beal's equation . Our proof can provide an algorithm to generate solution to Beal's equation

Steigerung der Energieeffizienz von Fabriksystemen*/Increasing the energy efficiency of factory systems - A method to identify suitable measures in factory planning

Die aktuellen ökologischen und wirtschaftlichen Rahmenbedingungen geben der Energieeffizienz für Industrieunternehmen eine hohe Bedeutung. Der Fachbeitrag beschreibt eine Methode, mit welcher sich unmittelbar geeignete Energieeffizienzmaßnahmen im Rahmen der Fabrikplanung ableiten lassen. Die Vorteile der Methode liegen insbesondere in der schnellen Generierung von Lösungsansätzen und in der qualitativen Betrachtung, sodass keine Daten zum Energieverbrauch benötigt werden.   Ecological and economic aspects lead to an increasing importance of energy efficiency for industrial enterprises. This paper describes a method that supports the identification of energy efficiency measures during factory planning. The main advantages of the method are to quickly generate solution approaches and to describe the factory system qualitatively, which eliminates the necessity of acquiring energy consumption data.

Creativity Predictors: Findings From Design-by-Analogy Ideation Methods’ Learning and Performance

There is still much to learn about the mechanisms and interactions by which psychological and cognitive factors influence creative performance in design, and more explicitly in design’s ideation stage. The present study aims to explore such influences for Design by Analogy (DbA) ideation methods. 69 participants from 52 companies in Mexico and Singapore executed two ideation sessions (phase I and phase II) to generate solution ideas for a service design problem (same design problem was used for both phases). Between the two phases participants were assigned and trained with one of three selected ideation conditions: Control, WordTree and SCAMPER. Finally, they were asked to self-evaluate 11 factors that may influence their creative performance. The explored factors comprised individual, performance self-perception and contextual factors. Individual factors are considered with respect to the ideation activity and the design problem. In the case of the ideation activity evaluated factors are: entertainment (boring-fun), motivation, inspiration and easiness (difficult-easy). For the design problem, interest, easiness and inspiration are considered. Performance self-perception factors are: commitment (minimal effort-hard work), concentration (unfocused-focused) and level of success (unsuccessful-successful). Lastly, the Contextual factor considered is the self-perceived relation of time with respect to ideas. Two main analyses are presented and discussed in this article: the effect of learning and applying DbA ideation methods on participants’ factor self-evaluation, and; the relationship between the 11 self-evaluated factors and creative performance using the metrics of Fluency, Novelty and Fixation.

Mathematical Models for Predicting and Managing Water Resources — The Case of China in 2025

An effective management of water supply is critically significant to a countrys water utilities, and accurate prediction of water supply and demand is of key importance for water supply management. The objectives of this paper are to use Grey System Model (GSM) and Linear Regression Model to forecast the water demand and water supply respectively in China 2025, and then propose a new Optimal Allocation Model (OAM) to generate solution so that analysts and decision makers can gain insight and understanding. The two predictive models take into account four major factors including domestic development, agriculture, industries and eco-environment, calculating a deficit between water demand and water supply in China 2025. Then the OAM, which considers desalinization, irrigation saving and urban recycling, provides a feasible solution to fill the gap and an effectual management of water supply.

The Fractional Hyperbolic Functions: With Application to Fractional Differential Equations

This paper develops the fractional hyperbolic functions based on fractional generalization of the exponential function, the R-function. The fractional hyperbolic functions contain the traditional hyperbolic functions as proper subsets. Laplace transforms and various identities are derived for the new functions and are used to generate solution sets for various classes of fractional differential equations. Also developed are relationships between the R-function and the fractional hyperbolic functions.

¡PONGAN DE CABEZA A ESE SANTO!

It is a case study on the creation, growth and transformation of a medical center into a clinic. Its trajectory follows the rhythm of the country's economic situation, it opens new services when demand increases, which it finances with contributions from new partners and then with loans. When you go through an economic situation that can turn into insolvency, not all partners agree on the causes. Likewise, important changes in the market, such as the creation of new health service organizations and the entry of other competitors, generate solution proposals. Among others, the adoption of a total quality system is accepted. Ten months after its implementation, the situation does not improve and opinions on the effects of the program are divided. An advisor points out that the clinic's problem is financial. The case describes problems in the operation of the clinic and includes an annex section containing the financial statements for the last three years and information on bed occupancy.

Improved Centerpoint Curve Generation Techniques for Four-Precision Position Synthesis Using the Complex Number Approach

A method for predetermining the properties of a centerpoint curve of the Burmester curve pair which will result from an arbitrary set of four precision positions is introduced. The method is based on the discovery that the shape of any Burmester curve is dependent on the Grashof type of the associated compatibility linkage. Three improvements over the existing theory result. First, the exact range of the independent parameter which will generate solution dyads may be determined, eliminating the need to search for solutions on a trial-and-error basis. Second, the composition of the centerpoint curve may be predicted in advance, enabling improved plotting techniques. Third, the points comprising the centerpoint curve can be generated in their natural sequential order. These techniques may be readily programmed for automatic computation.