Proactive project scheduling in an R&D department: a bi-objective genetic algorithm

In this paper, we present part of a study on stochastic, dynamic project scheduling in an R&D Department of a leading home appliances company in Turkey. The problem under consideration is the preemptive resource constrained multi-project scheduling problem with generalized precedence relations in a stochastic and dynamic environment. The model consists of three phases. Phase I of the model provides a systematic approach to assess uncertainty resulting in activity deviation distributions. In Phase II, proactive project scheduling is accomplished through two different scheduling approaches,which employ a bi-objective genetic algorithm. Phase III is the reactive project scheduling phase aiming at rescheduling the disrupted project activities. Here, we will limit our presentation to Phase II – the proactive project scheduling phase. The procedure is demonstrated through an implementation with real data covering 37 R&D projects. Computational study is performed to compare the two different scheduling approaches called single and multi-project scheduling approaches, as well as two different chromosome evaluation heuristics. Results are presented and discussed

Uncertainty assessment in project scheduling with data mining

During project execution, especially in a multi-project environment project activities are subject to risks that may cause delays or interruptions in the baseline schedules. This paper considers the resource constrained multi-project scheduling problem with generalized activity precedence relations requiring multi-skilled resources in a stochastic and dynamic environment present in the R&D department of a home appliances company and introduces a two-phase model incorporating data mining and project scheduling techniques. This paper presents the details of Phase I, uncertainty assessment phase, where Phase II corresponds to proactive project scheduling module. In the proposed uncertainty assessment approach models are developed to classify the projects and their activities with respect to resource usage deviation levels. In doing so, the proposed approach enables the project managers not only to predict the deviation level of projects before they actually start, but also to take needed precautions by detecting the most risky projects. Moreover, Phase I generates one of the main inputs of Phase II to obtain robust baseline project schedules and identifies the risky activities that need close monitoring. Details of the proposed approach are illustrated using R&D project data of a leading home appliances company. The results support the efficiency of the proposed approach

Važnost broja somatskih stanica u mljekarskoj tehnologiji

Mastitis is an important infection that affects herd health, udder health and milk yield of individual animals. Somatic cells (SCs) naturally present in milk are used as an indicator of subclinical mastitis, but also to assess milk quality and safety. Somatic cell count is the main monitoring variable used in milk quality and safety assessment. This review especially focuses on the effect of SCs on milk as food and also their effect on the dairy technology. The most significant effect of SCC on dairy technology is provided by the enzymes released from these cells. Alternatively, a limited number of conclusions were reported that SCs may assist dairy technology. SCs pass to milk and continue inhibitory effect on bacteria.Mastitis je važna infekcija koja utječe na zdravlje stada, zdravlje vimena i mliječnost pojedinih životinja. Somatske stanice prirodno prisutne u mlijeku služe kao pokazatelj supkliničkog mastitisa te za procjenu kvalitete i sigurnosti mlijeka. Broj somatskih stanica glavna je varijabla koja se kontinuirano nadzire i koristi u procjeni kvalitete i sigurnosti mlijeka. Ovaj rad posebno se fokusira na učinak somatskih stanica na mlijeko kao hranu, ali i na njihov učinak u tehnologiji prerade mlijeka. Enzimi koji se oslobađaju iz somatskih stanica imaju najznačajniji učinak u tehnologiji proizvodnje mliječnih proizvoda. Međutim, ograničen broj provedenih istraživanja ukazuje kako somatske stanice mogu biti korisne u tehnologiji mliječnih proizvoda. Somatske stanice prelaze u mlijeko i nastavljaju inhibitorno djelovanje na bakterije

Evaluation of Incidence and Clinical Features of Antibody-Associated Autoimmune Encephalitis Mimicking Dementia

Background. Anti-neuronal autoimmunity may cause cognitive impairment that meets the criteria for dementia. Objective. Our aim was to detect the incidence and clinical features of autoimmune encephalitis imitating clinical findings of primary dementia disorders and to delineate the validity of anti-neuronal antibody screening in dementia patients. Methods. Fifty consecutive patients fulfilling the clinical criteria for primary dementia, 130 control patients, and 50 healthy controls were included. Their sera were investigated for several ion channel and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies by a cell-based assay, radioimmunoassay, and ELISA, as required. Results. Sixteen patients satisfying dementia criteria had atypical findings or findings suggestive of autoimmune encephalitis. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antibody was detected in a patient with dementia, Parkinsonism, and REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) fulfilling the criteria for dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). One control patient with bipolar disease displayed low anti-GAD antibody levels. Conclusions. Our study showed for the first time the presence of parkinsonism and RBD in an anti-NMDAR encephalitis patient mimicking DLB. Although autoimmune encephalitis patients may occasionally present with cognitive decline, most dementia patients do not exhibit anti-neuronal antibodies, suggesting that routine analysis of these antibodies in dementia is not mandatory, even though they display atypical features

Assessment of the requisites of microbiology based infectious disease training under the pressure of consultation needs

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Training of infectious disease (ID) specialists is structured on classical clinical microbiology training in Turkey and ID specialists work as clinical microbiologists at the same time. Hence, this study aimed to determine the clinical skills and knowledge required by clinical microbiologists.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional study was carried out between June 1, 2010 and September 15, 2010 in 32 ID departments in Turkey. Only patients hospitalized and followed up in the ID departments between January-June 2010 who required consultation with other disciplines were included.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 605 patients undergoing 1343 consultations were included, with pulmonology, neurology, cardiology, gastroenterology, nephrology, dermatology, haematology, and endocrinology being the most frequent consultation specialties. The consultation patterns were quite similar and were not affected by either the nature of infections or the critical clinical status of ID patients.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The results of our study show that certain internal medicine subdisciplines such as pulmonology, neurology and dermatology appear to be the principal clinical requisites in the training of ID specialists, rather than internal medicine as a whole.</p