A linear programming-based method for job shop scheduling

We present a decomposition heuristic for a large class of job shop scheduling problems. This heuristic utilizes information from the linear programming formulation of the associated optimal timing problem to solve subproblems, can be used for any objective function whose associated optimal timing problem can be expressed as a linear program (LP), and is particularly effective for objectives that include a component that is a function of individual operation completion times. Using the proposed heuristic framework, we address job shop scheduling problems with a variety of objectives where intermediate holding costs need to be explicitly considered. In computational testing, we demonstrate the performance of our proposed solution approach

New dinuclear cyanido complexes with amine alcohol ligand: synthesis, characterization and biotechnological application potential

In this study, the cyanido complexes given by the formula [Ni(Abut)Ni(CN)4]·8H2O (C1), [Cu(Abut)2Ni(CN)4]·7H2O (C2), [Zn(Abut)Ni(CN)4]·8H2O (C3) and [Cd(Abut)Ni(CN)4]·7H2O (C4) were obtained by microwave synthesis method. The powder forms of the complexes were characterized by elemental, FT-IR spectroscopy, and thermal analysis. And also antibacterial, antibiofilm and anticancer activities were investigated. The splitting stretching bands of cyanido groups in the FT-IR spectra of C1-C4 indicated the assets of terminal and end cyanido groups. The antibacterial activities of C1-C4 were tested with nine Gram negative and six Gram positive bacteria. The most efficient antibacterial activity of complexes was observed at 1000 µg/ml-1 concentration. Anticancer activity was tested using HeLa cell line and MTT test. The studied cyanide complexes have been shown to decrease the viability of HeLa cells with IC50 values 14.86, 6.5, 7.2 and 19.2 µg/ml for C1, C2, C3 and C4 complex, respectively

Primary peritonitis in children with nephrotic syndrome: Results of a 5-year multicenter study

PubMedID: 19430812Primary peritonitis is a well-described infectious complication of nephrotic syndrome. Current data on the true incidence of peritonitis and efficacy of preventive pneumococcal vaccination are not clear in this group of children. In this nationwide study, among a total of 268 patients with an initial diagnosis of steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome, eight episodes of primary peritonitis were detected in seven patients during 5 years. All eight attacks of peritonitis occurred in the relapse period. Seven of these peritonitis episodes occurred in the first 2 years of nephrotic syndrome, three of them during the first attack. One patient had two attacks with a 6-month interval. Only two of the patients were steroid sensitive, while four of them were steroid dependent, and one was steroid resistant at the diagnosis of peritonitis. The causing microorganism was identified in three patients (Streptococcus hemolyticus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and ?-hemolytic Streptococcus). Incidence of peritonitis (2.6%) in our series was not high when compared with previous reports. None of the patients had been immunized against pneumococcus before or after the peritonitis attack. It raises the question if the vaccine is necessary for every child with steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome. However, we suggest that immunization against pneumococcus is not indicated in children with steroid-responsive nephrotic syndrome (NS) and should be reserved for the small number of children who have steroid-dependent or steroid-resistant NS. © 2009 Springer-Verlag

Sağlık Çalışanlarında Mobbing: Kamu Ve Özel Sağlık Kurum Çalışanlarının Karşılaştırmalı Türkiye Örneği,

Günümüzün ve çalışma hayatının en önemli sorunlarının başında mobbing gelmektedir. Çalışma hayatı içerisinde sıklıkla karşılaşılan mobbing kavramı; başta performans, verimlilik, stres, cinsel taciz, ruhsal ve psikolojik baskı ve yıldırma ve tükenmişlik gibi birçok açıdan ele alınmaktadır. Bu araştırmanın amacı sağlık sektöründe maruz kalınan yıldırma davranışlarının bazı değişkenler açısından irdelenmesi, devlet ve özel hastanelerde görev yapan sağlık personelinin mobbing’e maruz kalma oranının karşılaştırmalı olarak tespit edilmesidir. Yapılan bu araştırma, kamu hastaneleri ile özel hastanelerde çalışan personele yönelik saha uygulamalı bir çalışmadır. Araştırmanın evrenini İstanbul, İzmir, Bursa, Tekirdağ, Sakarya ve Ankara illerinde bulunan sağlık kurum çalışanları oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmanın örneklemini özel (430 kişi) ve kamu (430 kişi) sağlık kurumu çalışanları oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmada 5’li likert ölçekli 45 maddeden oluşan soru ile 12 demografik sorudan oluşan anket kullanılmıştır. Kullanılan anket daha önce “Leymann tarafından geliştirilen (LIPT) ölçeği doğrultusunda çalışmaya uyarlanmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda elde edilen veriler SPSS 20.0 paket programında analiz edilmiştir. Analiz kapsamında, güvenilirlik analizi, frekans tabloları, betimleyici istatistikler, bağımsız örneklem t testi, ki kare analizi, Pearson korelasyon analizi, tek yönlü varyans analizi ve Tukey testinden faydalanılmıştır. Güvenirlilik analizi sonucunda Cronbach alpha katsayısı 0.972 olarak bulunmuştur. Bu sayı çalışmanın oldukça güvenilir olduğunu göstermektedir. Karşılaştırma ve araştırma sonucunda özel sağlık kurumlarında çalışan personelin daha fazla mobbing’e uğradığı görülmüştür. Kadın çalışanların erkek çalışanlara oranla daha fazla mobbing gördüğü saptanmıştır. 29 yaşından küçük çalışanların ve lise mezunu çalışanların daha çok mobbing’e maruz kaldığı belirlenmiştir

Assessment of Palliative Care in Lung Cancer in Turkey

Objective: To investigate the symptoms of lung cancer in Turkey and to evaluate approaches to alleviate these symptoms. Subjects and Methods: This study included 1,245 lung cancer patients from 26 centers in Turkey. Demographic characteristics as well as information regarding the disease and treatments were obtained from medical records and patient interviews. Symptoms were evaluated using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) and were graded on a scale between 0 and 10 points. Data were compared using the ?2, Student t, and Mann-Whitney U tests. Potential predictors of symptoms were analyzed using logistic regression analysis. Results: The most common symptom was tiredness (n = 1,002; 82.1%), followed by dyspnea (n = 845; 69.3%), appetite loss (n = 801; 65.7%), pain (n = 798; 65.4%), drowsiness (n = 742; 60.8%), anxiety (n = 704; 57.7%), depression (n = 623; 51.1%), and nausea (n = 557; 45.5%). Of the 1,245 patients, 590 (48.4%) had difficulty in initiating or maintaining sleep. The symptoms were more severe in stages III and IV. Logistic regression analysis indicated a clear association between demographic characteristics and symptom distress, as well as between symptom distress (except nausea) and well-being. Overall, 804 (65.4%) patients used analgesics, 630 (51.5%) received treatment for dyspnea, 242 (19.8%) used enteral/parenteral nutrition, 132 (10.8%) used appetite stimulants, and 129 (10.6%) used anxiolytics/antidepressants. Of the 799 patients who received analgesics, 173 (21.7%) reported that their symptoms were under control, and also those on other various treatment modalities (dyspnea: 78/627 [12.4%], appetite stimulant: 25/132 [18.9%], and anxiolytics/antidepressants: 25/129 [19.4%]) reported that their symptoms were controlled. Conclusion: In this study, the symptoms progressed and became more severe in the advanced stages of lung cancer, and palliative treatment was insufficient in most of the patients in Turkey. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel

Pulmonary diffusion capacity predicts major complications after esophagectomy for patients with esophageal cancer

A reduced forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1) is a well-recognized risk factor for complications after esophagectomy. Lung diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO) is not routinely integrated in the risk assessment of esophagectomy. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association of preoperative pulmonary function tests with major postoperative complications after esophagectomy for cancer. In order to achieve this aim, 459 patients with newly diagnosed esophageal cancer who underwent elective transthoracic (n = 352) or transhiatal (n = 107) surgical resection of the esophagus with cervical anastomosis between 2003 and 2015 were analyzed. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to assess the association of preoperative pulmonary function tests (expressed as % of predicted) with major complications after esophagectomy, adjusted for previously identified predictors. Major complications were defined as Clavien-Dindo grade IIIb or higher. Of the 459 included patients, 114 (24.8%) developed major complications. In univariable analysis FEV 1, forced vital capacity (FVC), vital capacity (VC), and DLCO were associated with major complications. After adjusting each pulmonary function test for age, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, cardiac comorbidity, diabetes mellitus, peripheral vascular disease, and surgical approach, FVC (OR: 1.24 per 10% decrease; 95% CI: 1.06-1.45; P = 0.004), VC (OR: 1.19 per 10% decrease; 95% CI: 1.02-1.39; P = 0.025) and DLCO (OR: 1.16 per 10% decrease; 95%CI: 1.02-1.33; P = 0.025) remained predictive factors for major surgical complications. In multivariable analysis in which all pulmonary functions tests were combined, DLCO was the strongest predictor of major complications (OR: 1.14 per 10% increase; 95% CI: 1.01-1.30; P = 0.046). The ideal cut-off for DLCO% of predicted was determined at <84% (OR: 1.97; 95% CI: 1.28-3.03; P = 0.002). These data indicate that DLCO is an independent predictor of major complications after esophagectomy for cancer. This pulmonary function test deserves greater consideration in prediction research of major complications after esophagectomy