Analysis of hierarchical system integration for production planning and scheduling

Orientador: Maria Teresa Moreira RodriguesTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia QuímicaResumo: A tendência nos últimos anos é de utilizar eficientemente a capacidade instalada de plantas de produção descontínua (flexível, multipropósito) de forma a analisar a viabilidade das demandas sem padrão dos diferentes produtos. O objetivo principal de produção é atender aos pedidos em um tempo relativamente curto, direcionado ao cliente e permitindo flexibilizar a planta. O objetivo deste trabalho é de propor uma análise de integração das etapas de planejamento e programação. Esta integração deve permitir medir corretamente as possibilidades reais de execução de planejamentos alternativos, e assim, propor um novo modelo a partir das variáveis comuns destes sistemas. Inicialmente analisou-se o método de propagação de restrições como um elo comum das duas etapas o qual, além de garantir que durante o processo de propagação de restrições não sejam eliminadas soluções factíveis, também permite recalcular as novas soluções integradas. Com esta integração consegue-se que as variáveis externas em determinadas etapas do processo de solução evitem re-processos computacionais, os quais em sistemas de grande porte podem significar gastos de tempo importante. As características do novo modelo são: utilização de janelas de processamento, planta descontínua, produção em batelada com restrições sobre os recursos compartilhados (equipamentos) e sobre armazenagem, com modo de operação na planta por atendimento de pedidos (direcionada ao cliente)Abstract: The efficient use of installed capacity in discontinued production plants (flexible, multi-purpose) in such a way as to analyze the feasibility of standard-less demands of different products is a trend in recent years. The main objective of the production problem is to fulfill orders in a relatively short time, in a way that it is client-focused and enables keeping the plant flexible. The objective of this work was to introduce an analysis of the integration of the production planning and scheduling stages. This integration allows the correct measurement of the actual performance possibilities of alternative plans, introducing a new model based on the common variables of these systems. Initially, we analyzed the method of constraint propagation as a common bond of two stages, and besides, we guarantee the search space also allowed to recalculate the new integrated problems. With this integration, it was determined that the external variables at certain points in the solution process avoid re-computational processes in which large systems can mean spending important time. The characteristics of this new model are: usage of processing-windows; the use of discontinued plants; batch production with constraints on shared (equipment) and storage resources; and on-demand operation mode (client-focused)DoutoradoSistemas de Processos Quimicos e InformaticaDoutor em Engenharia Químic

Ewing's Sarcoma of the Lesser Sac Masquerading as a Pancreatic Tumor

Extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor (ES/PNET) is an uncommon, aggressive, and malignant tumor with a poor patient outcome. Its occurrence in the lesser sac is a rare event and to the best of our knowledge, has not been previously described. The present case was clinically and radiologically misdiagnosed as a pancreatic tumor/gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Histopathology revealed a tumor with "small round cells" that were positive for CD99, confirming the diagnosis of ES/PNET. This report highlights the importance of considering Ewing's sarcoma in the differential diagnosis of intraabdominal, extraintestinal masses

primary cutaneous cd30 anaplastic large cell lymphoma in a heart transplant patient case report and literature review

Solid organ transplant recipients are at risk of develop ing a wide range of viral-associated malignancies, in cluding skin tumours and lymphoproliferative disorders. The risk of a post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder is 28–49 times the risk of a lymphoproliferative disorder in the normal population. Most cases are of B-cell phenotype and are associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection. Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders presenting clinically in the skin are rare and usually of B-cell phenotype. Only rare cases of cutaneous T-cell post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder have been reported previously, mostly mycosis fungoides type. We describe here a rare primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoma CD30+ arising in a heart transplant patient who had a nodule on the right leg, several years after heart transplantation. The morphology and immunohistochemical findings were consistent with a CD30+ anaplastic large cell lymphoma with a T-cell phenotype. Excisional biopsy and radiotherapy of the affected area were performed. In this patient, the presence of a solitary lesion and th

Quantitative Estimation of the Nonstationary Behavior of Neural Spontaneous Activity

The “stationarity time” (ST) of neuronal spontaneous activity signals of rat embryonic cortical cells, measured by means of a planar Multielectrode Array (MEA), was estimated based on the “Detrended Fluctuation Analysis” (DFA). The ST is defined as the mean time interval during which the signal under analysis keeps its statistical characteristics constant. An upgrade on the DFA method is proposed, leading to a more accurate procedure. Strong statistical correlation between the ST, estimated from the Absolute Amplitude of Neural Spontaneous Activity (AANSA) signals and the Mean Interburst Interval (MIB), calculated by classical spike sorting methods applied to the interspike interval time series, was obtained. In consequence, the MIB may be estimated by means of the ST, which further includes relevant biological information arising from basal activity. The results point out that the average ST of MEA signals lies between 2-3 seconds. Furthermore, it was shown that a neural culture presents signals that lead to different statistical behaviors, depending on the relative geometric position of each electrode and the cells. Such behaviors may disclose physiological phenomena, which are possibly associated with different adaptation/facilitation mechanisms

Magnetic resonance imaging assessment of lipomatous soft-tissue tumors

Aim: To establish the accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in distinguishing between benign and malignant lipomatous tumors; to evaluate the reproducibility of the MRI interpretation assessing the agreement between judgments of two radiologists with the same experience in soft-tissue sarcomas; to identify an association among MRI findings (size, depth, septa, nodules, signal homogeneity) and nature of the lesion. Materials and Methods: A total of 54 patients (28 men and 26 women), with a mean age of 56 (range=27-84) were included years. All subjects followed-up by the Multidisciplinary Sarcoma Group. The following MRI findings were judged in a blind study by two radiologists: Size, localization, septa, nodules and signal homogeneity. A diagnostic indication was then given from among lipoma, atypical lipomatous tumour (ALT) and liposarcoma. Accuracy in distinguishing between benign and malignant lesions, and between lipoma and ALT (Fisher's exact test), inter-operator agreement (Cohen's kappa), association of MRI findings and malignancy of the lesion (Fisher's exact test and odds ratio) were evaluated. Results: The inter-operator agreement was complete (100%). The agreement between diagnostic hypothesis and histological diagnosis was statistically significant (p<0.05). Among the radiological findings taken into account, only septa and signal homogeneity were significantly associated with the malignancy of the lesion (p<0.05). Conclusion: MRI could be helpful in distinguishing lipomatous tumors, allowing biopsy to be avoided in some cases (negative predictive value=100%)