A case study of process facility optimization using discrete event simulation and genetic algorithm

Optimization problems such as resource allocation, job-shop scheduling, equipment utilization and process scheduling occur in a broad range of processing industries. This paper presents modeling, simulation and optimization of a port facility such that effective operational management is obtained. A GA base approach has been integrated with the port system model to optimize its operation. A case study of bulk material port handling systems is considered

Exploring the Acceptability of Online Learning for Continuous Professional Development at Kenya Medical Training Colleges

Abstract: This study explores the acceptance of online learning (OL) for continuous professional development among lecturers at Kenya Medical Training College in 2009. The large and multi-campus College faces logistical and cost challenges in ensuring that its 700 lecturing staff have access to continuous professional development. Online learning potentially provides an effective and efficient solution to this problem. A questionnaire was administered to a sample of the lecturers to assess the perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of online learning, taking into account lecturers’ experiences. Two focus group discussions were also held to assess the lecturers’ views on issues relating to OL. We find that there is a high level of acceptability of the idea of undertaking further training using OL as user attitudes towards web-based training were positive. The benefits of OL over face-to-face learning for clinical training and the accreditation of OL courses are issues of ongoing concern to lecturers. Successful and large scale adoption of OL course requires promotion of their benefits in addition to clarification of the accreditation of the available courses

Optical colours of AGN in the Extended Chandra Deep Field South: Obscured black holes in early type galaxies

We investigate the optical colours of X-ray sources from the Extended Chandra Deep Field South (ECDFS) using photometry from the COMBO-17 survey, aiming to explore AGN - galaxy feedback models. The X-ray sources populate both the ``blue'' and the ``red sequence'' on the colour-magnitude diagram. However, sources in the ``red sequence'' appear systematically more obscured. HST imaging from the GEMS survey demonstrates that the nucleus does not affect significantly the observed colours, and therefore red sources are early-type systems. In the context of AGN feedback models, this means that there is still remaining material after the initial ``blowout''. We argue that this material could not be only left-over from the original merger, but a secondary cold gas supplier (such as minor interactions or self-gravitational instabilities) must also assist.Comment: Submitted to A&

Galois theory and Lubin-Tate cochains on classifying spaces

We consider brave new cochain extensions F(BG +,R) → F(EG +,R), where R is either a Lubin-Tate spectrum E n or the related 2-periodic Morava K-theory K n , and G is a finite group. When R is an Eilenberg-Mac Lane spectrum, in some good cases such an extension is a G-Galois extension in the sense of John Rognes, but not always faithful. We prove that for E n and K n these extensions are always faithful in the K n local category. However, for a cyclic p-group C p r, the cochain extension F(BC p r +,E n ) → F(EC p r +, E n ) is not a Galois extension because it ramifies. As a consequence, it follows that the E n -theory Eilenberg-Moore spectral sequence for G and BG does not always converge to its expected target