ENHANCING DISSOLUTION RATE OF INDOMETHACIN BY IN SITU CRYSTALIZATION; DEVELOPMENT OF ORALLY DISINTEGRATING TABLETS

Objective: The main objective of this study was to investigate the potential of in situ crystallization of indomethacin, in presence or absence of hydrophilic materials, to improve drug dissolution with the goal of developing fast disintegrating tablets.Methods: Indomethacin crystals were prepared by bottom up approach. Water containing hydrophilic additive (polymer or/and surfactant) was added to ethanolic solution of indomethacin while stirring. The selected polymers were hydroxylpropylmethyl cellulose E5 (HPMC E5), polyethylene glycol 6000 (PEG6000) and polyvinylpyrrolidone K40 (PVP K40). The surfactants used were Tween80 and Glucire 44/14. The precipitated particles were collected and air dried. Solid state characterization were performed in addition to in vitro release studies in both acidic (0.1 N HCL) and alkaline medium (phosphate buffer pH 6.8). Optimized formulation was selected to develop fast disintegrating tablets.Results: Thermal behavior suggested modulation in crystalline nature with reduction in particle size that was confirmed by X-ray diffraction results. Infrared spectroscopy excluded any interaction between drug and hydrophilic excipients. Drug dissolution in acid media showed slight improve in drug release, while marked increase was observed in the alkaline media. Combination between Tween80 and HPMC (F7) showed the best dissolution parameters with 5-folds enhancement in release efficiency (RE) compared to pure drug. Formula F7 was successively used to formulate fast disintegrating tablets with prompted release of 58% of the loaded dose and RE of 83%.Conclusion: In situ crystallization of indomethacin is a good approach for enhanced dissolution rate with the presence of hydrophilic additives during precipitation process improving the efficiency

Mathematical formulae for neutron self-shielding properties of media in an isotropic neutron field

The complexity of the neutron transport phenomenon throws its shadows on every physical system wherever neutron is produced or used. In the current study, an ab initio derivation of the neutron self-shielding factor to solve the problem of the decrease of the neutron flux as it penetrates into a material placed in an isotropic neutron field. We have employed the theory of steady-state neutron transport, starting from Stuart's formula. Simple formulae were derived based on the integral cross-section parameters that could be adopted by the user according to various variables, such as the neutron flux distribution and geometry of the simulation at hand. The concluded formulae of the self-shielding factors comprise an inverted sigmoid function normalized with a weight representing the ratio between the macroscopic total and scattering cross-sections of the medium. The general convex volume geometries are reduced to a set of chord lengths, while the neutron interactions probabilities within the volume are parameterized to the epithermal and thermal neutron energies. The arguments of the inverted-sigmoid function were derived from a simplified version of neutron transport formulation. Accordingly, the obtained general formulae were successful in giving the values of the experimental neutron self-shielding factor for different elements and different geometries.Comment: 14 pages, 5 figures, 1 graphical abstract, 73 references, and 2 tables, include improvement of illustration and story-telling writing styl

Comparative study between fisher anatomical subunit approximation technique and millard rotation- advancement technique in unilateral cleft lip repair

Introduction: The ideal lip repair is characterized by; the symmetrical shape of nasolabial folds and both alae of the nose with a natural-looking philtrum and Cupid’s bow in both static and dynamic states, in addition to a hidden scar.Objective: to compare between Fisher anatomical subunit approximation technique and Millard rotational advancement technique in unilateral cleft lip repair.Methods: Prospective study for 40 patients presented to Alexandria Main University hospital with unilateral cleft lip deformity between March 2019 and October 2020. Twenty patients with unilateral cleft lip deformity were repaired by Fisher anatomical subunit approximation technique, while the other twenty were repaired by Millard rotational-advancement technique. The postoperative photographs of the patients were captured and processed in computer photogrammetry software through which anthropometric parameters including (lip height, lip width, vermilion height, and alar base width) were compared between the normal side and the repaired side. In this software, each anthropometric parameter length on the normal side is taken as a control with a fixed value of (1) then the same parameter on the repaired side was measured as a ratio of this value to avoid bias. Comparison between both groups for assessment of the quality of cleft lip repair was also done based on Steffensen grading criteria.Results: Comparison between both techniques in unilateral cleft lip repair showed that there was no significant difference between them in the anthropometric measurements. While the comparison between the two groups using Steffensen grading criteria showed that Fisher’s technique surpassed Millard’s technique.Conclusion: We recommend the use of the Fisher anatomical subunit approximation technique in unilateral cleft lip repair for its superior results over the Millard rotational advancement technique

Optimal resource allocation in stochastic activity networks via the electromagnetism approach: a platform implementation in Java

An optimal resource allocation approach to stochastic multimodal projects had been previously developed by applying a Dynamic Programming model which proved to be very demanding computationally. A new approach, the Electromagnetism-like Mechanism, has also been adopted and implemented in Mat lab, to solve this problem. This paper presents the implementation of the Electromagnetism approach using an Object Oriented language, Java, and a distributed version to be run in a computer network, in order to take advantage of available computational resources.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Stimulated perturbation on the neutron flux distribution in the mutually-dependent source-to-absorber geometry

The complexity of the neutron transport phenomenon throws its shadows on every physical system wherever neutron is produced or absorbed. The Monte Carlo N-Particle Transport Code (MCNP) was used to investigate the flux perturbations in the neutron field caused by an absorber. The geometry of the present experiment was designed to reach a simulation of an isotopic neutron field. The neutron source was a ${}^{241}$AmBe with the production physics of neutrons is dependent only on alpha-beryllium interaction and is independent of what happened to the neutron after it was generated. The geometries have been designed to get a volume of uniform neutron densities within a spherical volume of radius 15 cm in every neutron energy group up to 10 MeV. Absorbers of different dimensions were placed within the volume to investigate the field perturbation. Different neutron absorbers were used to correlate the phenomenon to the integral cross-section of the absorber. Flux density inside and outside the absorber samples was determined, while the spatial neutron flux distribution produced by the AmBe source without an absorber was taken as a reference. This study displayed that absorbers of various dimensions perturb the neutron field in a way that is dependent on the absorption and scattering cross-sections, particularly in the neutron resonance region. Unlike the simple picture of reducing the number density of neutrons, the perturbation was found to influence the moderation of neutrons in the medium, significantly above 1 MeV.Comment: 10 pages, 13 figures, 26 reference

Effect of Body Forces Due To Aircraft Acceleration on Ventilation Airflow and Contaminant Dispersion in Passenger Aircraft Cabins

Paper presented at 2018 Canadian Society of Mechanical Engineers International Congress, 27-30 May 2018.Numerical simulations for the effect of body forces due to aircraft acceleration on the airflow and contaminant dispersion in a model for a passenger aircraft cabin are performed in this study. It was found that those body forces have a significant impact on the contaminant dispersion phenomena and concentrations, especially during the climb leg, where the concentration was almost triple its counterpart during the steady level flight case at the two monitoring locations. Air velocities, on the other side, increased noticeably during the climb and descent legs leading to evident changes in the airflow patterns, vorticity magnitudes, and at some locations, vorticity directions, as well

A genomewide association study in divergently selected lines in rabbits reveals novel genomic regions associated with litter size traits

[EN] Uterine capacity (UC), defined as the total number of kits from unilaterally ovariectomized does at birth, has a high genetic correlation with litter size. The aim of our research was to identify genomic regions associated with litter size traits through a genome-wide association study using rabbits from a divergent selection experiment for UC. A high-density SNP array (200K) was used to genotype 181 does from a control population, high and low UC lines. Traits included total number born (TNB), number born alive (NBA), number born dead, ovulation rate (OR), implanted embryos (IE), and embryo, foetal and prenatal survivals at second parity. We implemented the Bayes B method and the associations were tested by Bayes factors and the percentage of genomic variance (GV) explained by windows. Different genomic regions associated with TNB, NBA, IE, and OR were found. These regions explained 7.36%, 1.27%, 15.87%, and 3.95% of GV, respectively. Two consecutive windows on chromosome 17 were associated with TNB, NBA, and IE. This genomic region accounted for 6.32% of GV of TNB. In this region, we found the BMP4, PTDGR, PTGER2, STYX and CDKN3 candidate genes which presented functional annotations linked to some reproductive processes. Our findings suggest that a genomic region on chromosome 17 has an important effect on litter size traits. However, further analyses are needed to validate this region in other maternal rabbit lines.The work was funded by project AGL2014-55921-C2-1-P from the National Programme for Fostering Excellence in Scientific and Technical Research Project I+D. B. Samuel Sosa-Madrid was supported by a grant from the National Secretariat of Science, Technology, and Innovation of Panama (SENACYT) for a master's degree (the first stage of this study): BECA-2199-40-2012. Also, he was supported by an FPI grant from the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of Spain (the second stage of this study): BES-2015-074194.Sosa-Madrid, BS.; Santacreu Jerez, MA.; Blasco Mateu, A.; Fontanesi, L.; Pena, R.; Ibáñez-Escriche, N. (2020). A genomewide association study in divergently selected lines in rabbits reveals novel genomic regions associated with litter size traits. Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics. 137(2):123-138. https://doi.org/10.1111/jbg.12451S1231381372Aken, B. L., Ayling, S., Barrell, D., Clarke, L., Curwen, V., Fairley, S., … Searle, S. M. J. (2016). The Ensembl gene annotation system. Database, 2016, baw093. doi:10.1093/database/baw093Al-Samerria, S., Al-Ali, I., McFarlane, J. R., & Almahbobi, G. (2015). The impact of passive immunisation against BMPRIB and BMP4 on follicle development and ovulation in mice. REPRODUCTION, 149(5), 403-411. doi:10.1530/rep-14-0451Argente, M. J., Merchán, M., Peiró, R., García, M. L., Santacreu, M. A., Folch, J. M., & Blasco, A. (2010). Candidate gene analysis for reproductive traits in two lines of rabbits divergently selected for uterine capacity1. Journal of Animal Science, 88(3), 828-836. doi:10.2527/jas.2009-2324Argente, M. J., Santacreu, M. A., Climent, A., Bolet, G., & Blasco, A. (1997). Divergent selection for uterine capacity in rabbits. Journal of Animal Science, 75(9), 2350. doi:10.2527/1997.7592350xAshburner, M., Ball, C. A., Blake, J. A., Botstein, D., Butler, H., Cherry, J. M., … Sherlock, G. (2000). Gene Ontology: tool for the unification of biology. Nature Genetics, 25(1), 25-29. doi:10.1038/75556Ballester, M., Castelló, A., Peiró, R., Argente, M. J., Santacreu, M. A., & Folch, J. M. (2012). Identification of differentially expressed genes in the oviduct of two rabbit lines divergently selected for uterine capacity using suppression subtractive hybridization. Animal Genetics, 44(3), 296-304. doi:10.1111/age.12005Bergfelder-Drüing, S., Grosse-Brinkhaus, C., Lind, B., Erbe, M., Schellander, K., Simianer, H., & Tholen, E. (2015). A Genome-Wide Association Study in Large White and Landrace Pig Populations for Number Piglets Born Alive. PLOS ONE, 10(3), e0117468. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0117468Blasco, A., Argente, M. J., Haley, C. S., & Santacreu, M. A. (1994). Relationships between components of litter size in unilaterally ovariectomized and intact rabbit does. Journal of Animal Science, 72(12), 3066-3072. doi:10.2527/1994.72123066xBlasco, A., Ortega, J. A., Climent, A., & Santacreu, M. A. (2005). Divergent selection for uterine capacity in rabbits. I. Genetic parameters and response to selection1. Journal of Animal Science, 83(10), 2297-2302. doi:10.2527/2005.83102297xBlasco, A., & Pena, R. N. (2018). Current Status of Genomic Maps: Genomic Selection/GBV in Livestock. Animal Biotechnology 2, 61-80. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-92348-2_4Browning, B. 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(2014). Genome-wide association study for intramuscular fat deposition and composition in Nellore cattle. BMC Genetics, 15(1), 39. doi:10.1186/1471-2156-15-39Christenson, R. K., Leymaster, K. A., & Young, L. D. (1987). Justification of Unilateral Hysterectomy-Ovariectomy as a Model to Evaluate Uterine Capacity in Swine. Journal of Animal Science, 65(3), 738-744. doi:10.2527/jas1987.653738xDing, X., Zhang, X., Mu, Y., Li, Y., & Hao, J. (2012). Effects of BMP4/SMAD signaling pathway on mouse primordial follicle growth and survival via up-regulation ofSohlh2andc-kit. Molecular Reproduction and Development, 80(1), 70-78. doi:10.1002/mrd.22138Fan, B., Du, Z.-Q., Gorbach, D. M., & Rothschild, M. F. (2010). Development and Application of High-density SNP Arrays in Genomic Studies of Domestic Animals. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences, 23(7), 833-847. doi:10.5713/ajas.2010.r.03Garrick, D. J., & Fernando, R. L. (2013). Implementing a QTL Detection Study (GWAS) Using Genomic Prediction Methodology. Genome-Wide Association Studies and Genomic Prediction, 275-298. doi:10.1007/978-1-62703-447-0_11Goggolidou, P., Soneji, S., Powles-Glover, N., Williams, D., Sethi, S., Baban, D., … Norris, D. P. (2013). A chronological expression profile of gene activity during embryonic mouse brain development. Mammalian Genome, 24(11-12), 459-472. doi:10.1007/s00335-013-9486-7Jiao, X., Sherman, B. T., Huang, D. W., Stephens, R., Baseler, M. W., Lane, H. C., & Lempicki, R. A. (2012). DAVID-WS: a stateful web service to facilitate gene/protein list analysis. Bioinformatics, 28(13), 1805-1806. doi:10.1093/bioinformatics/bts251Kass, R. E., & Raftery, A. E. (1995). Bayes Factors. Journal of the American Statistical Association, 90(430), 773-795. doi:10.1080/01621459.1995.10476572Kessner, D., & Novembre, J. (2015). Power Analysis of Artificial Selection Experiments Using Efficient Whole Genome Simulation of Quantitative Traits. Genetics, 199(4), 991-1005. doi:10.1534/genetics.115.175075Konno, T., Pinho Melo, E., Lopes, C., Mehmeti, I., Lenzen, S., Ron, D., & Avezov, E. (2015). ERO1-independent production of H2O2 within the endoplasmic reticulum fuels Prdx4-mediated oxidative protein folding. Journal of Cell Biology, 211(2), 253-259. doi:10.1083/jcb.201506123Laborda, P., Mocé, M. L., Blasco, A., & Santacreu, M. A. (2012). Selection for ovulation rate in rabbits: Genetic parameters and correlated responses on survival rates1. Journal of Animal Science, 90(2), 439-446. doi:10.2527/jas.2011-4219Laborda, P., Mocé, M. L., Santacreu, M. A., & Blasco, A. (2011). Selection for ovulation rate in rabbits: Genetic parameters, direct response, and correlated response on litter size1. Journal of Animal Science, 89(10), 2981-2987. doi:10.2527/jas.2011-3906Lehermeier, C., Wimmer, V., Albrecht, T., Auinger, H.-J., Gianola, D., Schmid, V. J., & Schön, C.-C. (2013). Sensitivity to prior specification in Bayesian genome-based prediction models. Statistical Applications in Genetics and Molecular Biology, 12(3). doi:10.1515/sagmb-2012-0042Li, Y., & Parast, M. M. (2014). BMP4 regulation of human trophoblast development. The International Journal of Developmental Biology, 58(2-3-4), 239-246. doi:10.1387/ijdb.130341mpLópez de Maturana, E., Ibáñez-Escriche, N., González-Recio, Ó., Marenne, G., Mehrban, H., Chanock, S. J., … Malats, N. (2014). Next generation modeling in GWAS: comparing different genetic architectures. Human Genetics, 133(10), 1235-1253. doi:10.1007/s00439-014-1461-1Marras, G., Rossoni, A., Schwarzenbacher, H., Biffani, S., Biscarini, F., & Nicolazzi, E. L. (2016). zanardi: an open-source pipeline for multiple-species genomic analysis of SNP array data. Animal Genetics, 48(1), 121-121. doi:10.1111/age.12485Matzuk, M. M., & Lamb, D. J. (2002). Genetic dissection of mammalian fertility pathways. Nature Cell Biology, 4, S33-S40. doi:10.1038/ncb-nm-fertilitys41Merchán, M., Peiró, R., Argente, M. J., Santacreu, M. A., García, M. L., Blasco, A., & Folch, J. M. (2009). Analysis of theoviductal glycoprotein 1polymorphisms and their effects on components of litter size in rabbits. Animal Genetics, 40(5), 756-758. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2052.2009.01898.xMocé, M. L., Santacreu, M. A., Climent, A., & Blasco, A. (2004). The effect of divergent selection for uterine capacity on fetal and placental development at term in rabbits: Maternal and embryonic genetic effects1. Journal of Animal Science, 82(4), 1046-1052. doi:10.1093/ansci/82.4.1046Mocé, M. L., Santacreu, M. A., Climent, A., & Blasco, A. (2005). Divergent selection for uterine capacity in rabbits. III. Responses in uterine capacity and its components estimated with a cryopreserved control population1. Journal of Animal Science, 83(10), 2308-2312. doi:10.2527/2005.83102308xOnteru, S. K., Fan, B., Du, Z.-Q., Garrick, D. J., Stalder, K. J., & Rothschild, M. F. (2011). A whole-genome association study for pig reproductive traits. Animal Genetics, 43(1), 18-26. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2052.2011.02213.xOnteru, S. K., Gorbach, D. M., Young, J. M., Garrick, D. J., Dekkers, J. C. M., & Rothschild, M. F. (2013). Whole Genome Association Studies of Residual Feed Intake and Related Traits in the Pig. PLoS ONE, 8(6), e61756. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0061756Peiró, R., Merchán, M., Santacreu, M. A., Argente, M. J., García, M. L., Folch, J. M., & Blasco, A. (2008). Identification of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphism in the Progesterone Receptor Gene and Its Association With Reproductive Traits in Rabbits. Genetics, 180(3), 1699-1705. doi:10.1534/genetics.108.090779Piles, M., García, M. L., Rafel, O., Ramon, J., & Baselga, M. (2006). Genetics of litter size in three maternal lines of rabbits: Repeatability versus multiple-trait models. Journal of Animal Science, 84(9), 2309-2315. doi:10.2527/jas.2005-622Quinton, V. M., Wilton, J. W., Robinson, J. A., & Mathur, P. K. (2006). Economic weights for sow productivity traits in nucleus pig populations. Livestock Science, 99(1), 69-77. doi:10.1016/j.livprodsci.2005.06.002Ragab, M., Sánchez, J. P., Mínguez, C., Vicente, J. S., & Baselga, M. (2014). Litter size components in a full diallel cross of four maternal lines of rabbits1. Journal of Animal Science, 92(8), 3231-3236. doi:10.2527/jas.2013-7286Rosenbloom, K. R., Armstrong, J., Barber, G. P., Casper, J., Clawson, H., Diekhans, M., … Kent, W. J. (2014). The UCSC Genome Browser database: 2015 update. Nucleic Acids Research, 43(D1), D670-D681. doi:10.1093/nar/gku1177Ros-Freixedes, R., Gol, S., Pena, R. N., Tor, M., Ibáñez-Escriche, N., Dekkers, J. C. M., & Estany, J. (2016). Genome-Wide Association Study Singles Out SCD and LEPR as the Two Main Loci Influencing Intramuscular Fat Content and Fatty Acid Composition in Duroc Pigs. PLOS ONE, 11(3), e0152496. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0152496Rossitto, M., Ujjan, S., Poulat, F., & Boizet-Bonhoure, B. (2015). Multiple roles of the prostaglandin D2 signaling pathway in reproduction. REPRODUCTION, 149(1), R49-R58. doi:10.1530/rep-14-0381Santacreu, M. A., Mocé, M. L., Climent, A., & Blasco, A. (2005). Divergent selection for uterine capacity in rabbits. II. Correlated response in litter size and its components estimated with a cryopreserved control population1. Journal of Animal Science, 83(10), 2303-2307. doi:10.2527/2005.83102303xSchneider, J. F., Nonneman, D. J., Wiedmann, R. T., Vallet, J. L., & Rohrer, G. A. (2014). Genomewide association and identification of candidate genes for ovulation rate in swine12. Journal of Animal Science, 92(9), 3792-3803. doi:10.2527/jas.2014-7788Schneider, J. F., Rempel, L. 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Genomic and serum tumor markers in Egyptian females with and without family cancer history

OBJECTIVE: Multiple variables affect the probability of development of cancer. The present study aimed to screen Egyptian females for early prognostic cancer markers such as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), the soluble form of transmembrane mucin protein (CA15-3), MUC1 and important sex hormones (Progesteron, Oestrogen, and Prolactin) and three germline BRCA1/2 founder mutations. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-five DNA samples were screened for 185delAG and 5382insC in the BRCA1 and 6174delT in the BRCA2 genes using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-directed mutagenesis. Each sample of the 185delAG and the 6174delT mutations was confirmed using Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Nine suspected PCR products of 185delAG and the forty-five amplicons of 6174delT mutations were further confirmed using Sanger sequencing. Sex hormones (Progesteron, Oestrogen, and Prolactin) and cancer antigens (CA 15-3 and CEA) concentrations were quantitatively determined in serum samples using ELISA. RESULTS: We found significant associations only for oestrogen (p-value=0.036), while non-significant (p-value= 0.123) hyperprolactinemia with cancer history. But none of the individuals carried the BRCA1/2 studied mutations while new variants were detected; (delA) in position 93865, deletion (delA) or substitution of A by G (A/G) in position 93858 and (insA) in position 93844 with frequency of 50%, 50%, 25% and 25%, respectively, in subjects with cancer history. CONCLUSIONS: The serum level of oestrogen could be a useful non-invasive cancer marker while significant association of hyperprolactinemia and the new BRCA1/2 variants with cancer needs extra study

Social Media Usage and Women's Empowerment in Qatar: Evidence from a National Representative Survey

Introduction Social media usage has grown in importance over the past decade, particularly in Middle East. During this period, it has come to be recognized as more than a tool for social connections between individuals, with research demonstrating how it can empowering people socially, politically and economically[1]. Past research has demonstrated the impact of social media in areas as diverse as such as healthcare provision, political participation, and marketing[2]. However, how and to what extent social media usage contributes to women's empowerment in the Arab region has not been thoroughly examined. Academic and non-academic studies alike have focused heavily on a few well-known cases of social media activism and woman's rights, such as, women driving in Saudi Arabia[3] or the Arab Spring in Egypt[4]. These studies raise a number of relevant questions. Is social media potent in the population more broadly, or is it just a tool for activists and polemics? If it does empower women, does it do so by shaping deeply rooted attitudes and norms or does it mere reflect the value of the general population? How can we understand the role of traditional education in shaping attitudes and values in light of the large volumes of readily available information provided by social media? The current paper examines social media usage in Qatar and its influences on attitudes toward women's empowerment and considers the complex role of education. We use a national representative survey data from a 2017 survey of Qatari nationals to test our expectations. In the last twenty years, Qatar has experienced a significant shift in economic development, and education accessibility. The State of Qatar has widely sought to include women in public life, particularly in the process of decision-making. Yet, the debate about the role of social media in increasing women's awareness of their equal rights in holding positions of power and contributing to their political and economic empowerment is not widely discussed in Qatar. Thus, Qatar is a case where researchers might expect to find changing attitudes in spite of the absence of major social media feminist activists. The paper also explores a number of trends emerging in the analysis of social media usage, across demographic groups such as age, gender, marital status and socio-economic differences including education levels and household income. Methodology A questionnaire was initially designed in English and then translated into Arabic by the Social and Economic Survey Research Institute (SESRI) to collect all necessary information related to the study. In this survey, the target population included people who are 18 years or older and live in residential housing units in Qatar during the survey reference period (May 6th-27th, 2017). It includes groups of Qataris and expatriates, though the analysis in this paper focuses on Qataris. It is important to note that while preparing the sample for the survey, the Qatari population sub-group was over sampled in order to ensure that Qataris were well represented in the survey. The survey was administered in CAPI (computer assisted data collection) method for face to face interviews. The interviews were conducted at the home of the respondent. In terms of data analysis, all individual interviews were merged and saved in a single BLAISE data file. This dataset was then cleaned, coded and saved in STATA formats for analysis. Analysis of the data included order logistical regression with appropriate calculation of interactive effects and predicted probabilities for interpretation. Findings and Implications Data from the 2017 survey are newly available and thus the findings discussed here are preliminary. We find that social media usage in the examined population is related to increased support for woman in community leadership among Qatari females but not males. This finding is robust to a number of statistical controls, including for the respondent's level of education. In fact, a respondent's level of formal education has much less predictive power than social media usage among female Qataris. Furthermore, we find that social media usage is only weakly related to political variables, such as interest in politics. This suggests that social media may be working to empower women first through changing gender attitudes and only secondly through engagement with the political sphere. These findings are relevant to both academics who are seeking to understand the mechanisms through which social media may empower women and policymakers in Qatar who are concerned with advancing their welfare. It shows that woman can use social media to find their voice and engage with the public sphere, even where political activism has not been common. [1] Dubai School of Government, "Arab Social Media Report, Vol 1, No. 3, November 2011. [2] TNS, "Arab Social Media Report", First Report 2015. [3] Begum, Rothna, "The Brave Female Activists Who Fought to Lift Saudi Arabia's Driving Ban", News Deeply, September 29th, 2017. [4] Tufekci, Zeynep and Wilson, Christopher, "Social Media and the Decision to Participate in Political Protest: Observations From Tahrir Square", Journal of Communication, 62 (2012) 363-37.qscienc

Integrating production scheduling and transportation procurement through combinatorial auctions

This study uses the winner determination problem (WDP) to integrate auction transportation procurement with decisions related to production scheduling. The basic problem arises when a manufacturer has to clear a combinatorial auction to decide whether to cover transportation needs by using the in-house fleet or to procure transportation through auction. Thus, the manufacturer should include an additional decision level by integrating the WDP with production scheduling to gain efficiency and achieve savings in the logistics system. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time production and transportation procurement problems are being solved simultaneously in an integrated manner. The study proposes a mathematical formulation and develops two heuristic approaches for solving the integrated problem. Extensive computational experiments and sensitivity analyses are reported to validate the model, assess the performance of the heuristics, and show the effect of integration on total cost. © 2020 The Authors. Networks published by Wiley Periodicals LLC