Scheduling of home health care services based on multi-agent systems

Home Health Care (HHC) services are growing worldwide and, usually, the home care visits are manually planned, being a time and effort consuming task that leads to a non optimized solution. The use of some optimization techniques can significantly improve the quality of the scheduling solutions, but lacks the achievement of solutions that face the fast reaction to condition changes. In such stochastic and very volatile environments, the fast re-scheduling is crucial to maintain the system in operation. Taking advantage of the inherent distributed and intelligent characteristics of Multi-agent Systems (MAS), this paper introduces a methodology that combines the optimization features provided by centralized scheduling algorithms, e.g. genetic algorithms, with the responsiveness features provided by MAS solutions. The proposed approach was codified in Matlab and NetLogo and applied to a real-world HHC case study. The experimental results showed a significant improvement in the quality of scheduling solutions, as well as in the responsiveness to achieve those solutions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effects of low-intensity continuous ultrasound on hematological parameters of rats

Background: Low intensity ultrasound (US) has some well-known bio-effects which are of great importance to be considered. Objective: We conducted the present study to investigate the effects of low intensity continuous ultrasound on blood cells count in rat. Methods: Rats were anesthetized and blood samples were collected before US exposure. Then, they were exposed to US with nominal intensity of 0.2 W/cm2 at frequency of 3 MHz for a period of 10 minutes and this protocol was repeated for 7 days. Twenty four hours after the last US exposure, secondary blood samples were collected and the changes in blood parameters were evaluated. Results: Analysis revealed that platelets, hematocrit (HCT) and hemoglobin (HGB) were significantly different between experimental and sham groups but no difference between sham and control groups was observed. The results show that HCT and HGB of exposed rats were significantly reduced. Conclusion: This study shows that low intensity US may lead to side effects for hematological parameters such as reduction in the levels of HGB and HCT. © 2016 Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved

An Algorithm Informed by the Parathyroid Hormone Level Reduces Hypocalcemic Complications of Thyroidectomy

Ó The Author(s) 2010. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Background Measurement of the parathyroid hormone (PTH) level following total thyroidectomy (TTx) may allow prediction of postoperative hypocalcemia. We present an algorithmic method of managing hypocalcemia preemptively, based on the PTH level 1 h after operation. Materials and methods We examined 423 consecutive patients undergoing TTx at a single institution. A subset of patients were managed using an algorithm involving routine postoperative oral calcium administration and the early addition of oral calcitriol in patients with a low 1-h postoperative PTH level. Algorithm patients were compared to a concurrent, conventionally managed group. Outcomes measured included serum calcium levels, symptoms of hypocalcemia, postoperative complications, and receipt of intravenous (IV) calcium. Results The algorithm was applied in 135 patients, and 288 patients were managed conventionally. Critically low calcium levels (total calcium \7.5 mg/dl [1.88 mmol/l] or ionized calcium \0.94 mmol/l) were less common in algorithm patients (10.6 % vs. 25.3%; p \ 0.005). Much of this difference was attributable to the protective impact of the algorithm on patients undergoing TTx for cancer, 30% of whom developed critically low calcium levels when managed conventionally. Among patients requiring IV calcium, algorithm patients received fewer doses (1.29 vs

Effect of ejaculation on serum prostate specific antigen level in screening and non-screening population

Background: The serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels are used for prostate cancer screening. Some conditions such as prostatitis, manipulation, and prostate cancer could influence on serum PSA. The impact of ejaculation on serum PSA is controversial. The aim of our study was to evaluate the relation of ejaculation and the levels of serum PSA. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 60 healthy voluntary men below and over 50 years during the year 2009-2011 were participated. After history taking, physical examination, and identical lower urinary tract symptoms score (American Urologic Association Score = AUA); three blood samples were taken before, 1 and 24 h after ejaculation. Results: Patients categorized into a non-screening group (age less than 50 years, n = 25), and screening group (age = 50 years, n = 35). Our data showed significant PSA rising in both groups 1 h after ejaculation (P value < 0.05); however, comparison of PSA levels in both groups, before and 24 h after ejaculation showed no significant differences. Spearman coefficient of correlation was showed a positive correlation between PSA in all stage and AUA score in the second group, but there were no such correlation in the first group. Conclusion: There was a significant relationship between ejaculation and the levels of serum PSA in screening and non-screening patients. However, in non-screening men significant rising of PSA after 1 h of ejaculation was not important clinically (not achieve to greater than 4 ng/ml). Taking a history of ejaculation in men older 50 years especially with high AUA score could prevent false positive results and subsequent un-necessary work-ups

Effects of Low-Intensity Continuous Ultrasound on Hematological Parameters of Rats

Background: Low intensity ultrasound (US) has some well-known bio-effects which are of great importance to be considered. Objective: We conducted the present study to investigate the effects of low intensity continuous ultrasound on blood cells count in rat. Methods: Rats were anesthetized and blood samples were collected before US exposure. Then, they were exposed to US with nominal intensity of 0.2 W/cm2 at frequency of 3 MHz for a period of 10 minutes and this protocol was repeated for 7 days. Twenty four hours after the last US exposure, secondary blood samples were collected and the changes in blood parameters were evaluated. Results: Analysis revealed that platelets, hematocrit (HCT) and hemoglobin (HGB) were significantly different between experimental and sham groups but no difference between sham and control groups was observed. The results show that HCT and HGB of exposed rats were significantly reduced. Conclusion: This study shows that low intensity US may lead to side effects for hematological parameters such as reduction in the levels of HGB and HCT

Optimization of home care visits schedule by genetic algorithm

Currently, it has been verified that population is increasingly aged and it is necessary to perform home services. These services include home care visits to patients with impossibility of travel to healthcare centers, where the health professionals perform the medical treatments. Usually, this home care services are performed by nurses that need transportation for this purpose. Therefore, it is necessary to make a schedule of these home care visits that, usually, is made manually by the healthcare center. This work aims to carry out an automatic schedule of home care visits of the healthcare Center of Bragan¸ca, Portugal, in order to reduce the travel costs and optimize the time spent on trips. The Genetic Algorithm was used to solve this problem. In this paper it is presented the schedule of home care visits for three days of the healthcare center.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Hybrid system for simultaneous job shop scheduling and layout optimization based on multi-agents and genetic algorithm

A challenge is emerging in the design of scheduling support systems and facility layout planning, both for manufacturing environments where dynamic adaptation and optimization become increasingly important on the efficiency and productivity. Focusing on the interactions between these two problems, this work combines two paradigms in sequential manner, optimization techniques and multi-agent systems, to better reflect practical manufacturing scenarios. This approach, in addition to significantly improve the quality of the solutions, enables fast reaction to condition changes. In such stochastic and very volatile environments, the manufacturing industries, the fast rescheduling, or planning, are crucial to maintain the system in operation. The proposed architecture was codified in MatLab $$^{\tiny {\textregistered }}$$ and NetLogo and applied to a real-world job shop case study. The experimental results achieved optimized solutions, as well as in the responsiveness to achieve dynamic results for disruptions and simultaneously layout optimization.This work has been supported by FCT Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia under the Project: PEst2015-2020. This work was also supported by COMPETE:POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007043 and FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2013