-In this paper, we develop a new heuristic procedure for the linear ordering problem (LOP). This NP-hard problem has a significant number of applications in practice. The LOP, for example, is equivalent to the so-called triangulation problem for input-output tables in economics. In this paper we concentrate on matrices that arise in the context of this real-world application. The proposed algorithm is based on the tabu search methodology and incorporates strategies for search intensification and diversification. For search intensification, we experiment with path relinking, a strategy proposed several years ago in connection with tabu search, which has been rarely used in actual implementations. Extensive computational experiments with input-output tables show that the proposed procedure outperforms the best heuristics reported in the literature. Furthermore, the experiments also show the merit of achieving a balance between intensification and diversification in the search. Laguna, et al. / 2

In this paper, we consider the Capacitated Arc Routing Problem (CARP), in which a fleet of vehicles, based on a specified vertex (the depot) and with a known capacity Q, must service a subset of the edges of a graph, with minimum total cost and such that the load assigned to each vehicle does not exceed its capacity. New lower bounds are developed for this problem, producing at least as good results as the already existing ones. Three of the proposed lower bounds are obtained from the resolution of a minimum cost perfect matching problem. The fourth one takes into account the vehicle capacity and is computed using a dynamic programming algorithm. Computational results, in which these bounds are compared on a set of test problems, are included.

. The problem of reducing the bandwidth of a matrix consists of finding a permutation of the rows and columns that keeps the nonzero elements in a band that is as close as possible to the main diagonal of the matrix. This NP-complete problem can also be formulated as a labeling of vertices on a graph, where edges are the nonzero elements of the corresponding symmetrical matrix. Many bandwidth reduction algorithms have been developed since the 1960s and applied to structural engineering, fluid dynamics and network analysis. For the most part, these procedures do not incorporate metaheuristic elements, which is one of the main goals of our current development. Another equally important goal is to design and test a special type of candidate list strategy and a move mechanism to be embedded in a tabu search procedure for the bandwidth reduction problem. This candidate list strategy accelerates the selection of a move in the neighborhood of the current solution in any given iteration. Our extensive experimentation shows that the proposed procedure outperforms the best-known algorithms in terms of solution quality consuming a reasonable computational effort.

-In this article we develop a greedy randomized adaptive search procedure (GRASP) for the problem of reducing the bandwidth of a matrix. This problem consists of finding a permutation of the rows and columns of a given matrix, which keeps the nonzero elements in a band that is as close as possible to the main diagonal. The proposed method may be coupled with a Path Relinking strategy to search for improved outcomes.Empirical results indicate that the proposed GRASP implementation compares favourably to classical heuristics.GRASP with Path Relinking is also found to be competitive with a recently published tabu search algorithm that is considered one of the best currently available for bandwidth minimization.

This paper presents the geographical distribution, biology and life cycle, symptoms of damage, pathotypes, races or biotypes, survival and spread, economic importance, and management measures (chemical, cultural and biological control methods, and pest resistance) of the parasitic nematodes of coffee and cocoa, with particular emphasis on Meloidogyne spp. and Pratylenchus spp.

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In this paper, we develop a general purpose heuristic for permutations problems. The procedure is based on the scatter search and tabu search methodologies and treats the objective function evaluation as a black box, making the search algorithm context-independent. We perform computational experiments with four well-known permutation problems to study the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed method.

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