Preface: advances in theoretical and practical combinatorial optimization
Preface: advances in theoretical and practical combinatorial optimization is a scholarly work, published in 2018 in ''Annals of Operations Research''. The main subjects of the publication include integer programming, selection (genetic algorithm), integer data type, computer science, vehicle routing problem, mathematical optimization, operations research, mathematics, simulated annealing, combinatorial optimization, and packing problem. This issue consists of research papers dedicated, though not limited, to the International Symposium in Combinatorial Optimisation (CO2016), chaired by Said Salhi and held at the University of Kent, Canterbury, 1-3 September 2016.Of the many good papers it attracted, 35 were considered suitable for the next stage of review, resulting in 20 being accepted mostly after two rounds of reviews.We divided the issue into three parts, each covering a wider though well-defined area within combinatorial optimization (CO).These three parts, which are not completely distinct, are referred to for simplicity as Mathematically-Oriented (MO), Heuristically-Based (HB) and Practically-Focussed (PF).MO contains seven papers.These include a paper on the integration of network flows in a coloring algorithm by Koster, Scheidweiler, and Tieves; one on a polynomial time algorithm for the minimum flow problem by Khodayifar, Raayatpanah, and Pardalos, and one on a formulation in multi-level capacitated facility location by Irawan and Jones.A.Salhi, Alsoufi, and Yang provide a mixed integer program combined with an evolutionary approach for seaside operations in container ports, while Zare, Borrero, Zeng and Prokopyev have contributed a note on new linearized formulations in bilevel linear integer problems.Fuzzy logic is explored for portfolio optimization by Liagkouras and Metaxiotis, and for supplier selection by Chang.