Mitigating supply and production uncertainties with dynamic scheduling using real-time transport information

Supply and production uncertainties can affect the scheduling and inventory performance of final production systems. Facing such uncertainties, production managers normally choose to maintain the original production schedule, or follow the first-in-first-out policy. This paper develops a new, dynamic algorithm policy that considers scheduling and inventory problems, by taking advantage of real-time shipping information enabled by today’s advanced technology. Simulation models based on the industrial example of a chemical company and the Taguchi’s method are used to test these three policies under 81 experiments with varying supply and production lead times and uncertainties. Simulation results show that the proposed dynamic algorithm outperforms the other two policies for supply chain cost. Results from Taguchi’s method show that companies should focus their long-term effort on the reduction of supply lead times, which positively affects the mitigation of supply uncertainty

Priprava i vrednovanje matriksnog agensa na bazi ispagule za kontrolirano oslobađanje

The objective of the present investigation was to prepare and evaluate an ispaghula husk based directly compressible (DC) adjuvant that can be used as matrixing agent using an agglomeration technique. Addition of hydroxylpropyl methylcellulose was found necessary to improve cohesion. Lactose (X1), calcium hydrogen phosphate diydrate (X2) and Avicel PH101 (X3), used along with ispaghula in preparation of agglomerates, were selected as three independent variables in a simplex lattice design affecting compressional and dissolution characteristics of the drug from the DC adjuvant. The agglomerates were evaluated for their flow properties. Tablets were prepared using 70% agglomerates and 30% acetaminophen, a poorly compressible drug, and were subjected to the in vitro drug release study. Amounts of the drug released at the end of 60 min (Y60), 300 min (Y300) and 480 min (Y480) were selected as dependent variables in a simplex lattice design. Batch IH05 that contained lactose and calcium hydrogen phosphate dihydrate in a 1:2 ratio could control the release for 12 hours and thus form the basis for twice-a-day dosing.Cilj rada bio je priprava i vrednovanje pomoćne tvari za izravnu kompresiju dobivene iz ljuski ispagule, primjenjive u izradi pripravaka metodom aglomeracije. Dodatak hidroksipropil metilceluloze bio je neophodan za povećanje kohezije. U pripravi aglomerata s ispagulom upotrebljeni su laktoza (X1), kalcijev hidrogenfosfat dihidrat (X2) i Avicel PH101 (X3). U eksperimentalnom dizajnu (simplex lattice design) te tri tvari izabrane su kao nezavisne varijable. Proučavan je njihov utjecaj na kompresibilnost i oslobađanje ljekovite tvari iz pripravka dobivenih izravnom kompresijom te svojstva tečnosti aglomerata. Tako dobiveni aglomerati upotrebljeni su za pripravu tableta teško kompresibilne tvari acetaminofena (omjer aglomerata i ljekovite tvari 7:3). Količine oslobođene tvari in vitro pri kraju 60 min (Y60), 300 min (Y300) i 480 min (Y480) bils su zavisne varijable. Iz pripravka IH05 koji sadrži laktozu i kalcijev hidrogenfosfat dihidrat u omjeru 1:2 kontrolirano se oslobađa ljekovita tvar tijekom 12 sati, što je dobar temelj za doziranje dva puta dnevno

Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopic Evaluation of Sealer Penetration in Root Canals of Teeth with the butterfly and Non-butterfly Effect: An In vitro Study

AIM: The study aimed to investigate the penetration depth of calcium hydroxide-based root canal sealer into buccolingual and mesiodistal aspects of roots with and without the butterfly effect at coronal and middle root sections. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Twenty single-rooted maxillary premolars were decoronated at the cementoenamel junction and viewed under a light microscope and grouped as Group 1 – butterfly (B) and Group 2 – non-butterfly according to the presence or absence of the effect. Canals were prepared till working length followed with copious irrigation. Canals were finally rinsed with 5 ml of 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid solution and activated using EndoActivator followed by obturation using gutta-percha (warm vertical compaction technique) with Sealapex sealer. To provide fluorescence for confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), the Sealapex was mixed with rhodamine B dye. Root sectioning yielded coronal and middle sections. CLSM was used to assess the penetration of the sealer. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Shapiro–Wilk test, unpaired “t-test.” RESULTS: Teeth with the butterfly effect had greater mean penetration buccolingually (905.2 μm) than mesiodistally (182.1 μm; p < 0.001). Coronal sections had greater penetration (517.4 μm) compared with the middle (354.6 μm). CONCLUSION: Sealapex sealer exhibited maximum tubular penetration in teeth with butterfly effect in buccolingual direction at the coronal third level

The comparison of clinical outcomes of endophthalmitis from fluoroquinolone-resistant and susceptible bacteria

To identify patients who developed acute-onset endophthalmitis after clear corneal cataract surgery, and to compare treatment outcomes between cases caused by fluoroquinolone susceptible organisms versus fluoroquinolone resistant organisms. Retrospective case series. Patients who developed endophthalmitis within six weeks of cataract surgery, and were treated between January 1996 and December 2008 at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami, Florida, were identified retrospectively. Clinical features, organisms cultured, and visual acuity outcomes were evaluated. A total of 97 patients met study criteria, and 37 (38%) demonstrated in vitro fluoroquinolone resistance. All fluoroquinolone resistant endophthalmitis in the study was caused by either Staphylococcus epidermidis (n = 32) or Staphylococcus aureus (n = 5). Presenting clinical features were similar between fluoroquinolone resistant and fluoroquinolone susceptible groups. Final visual acuity was >/=20/40 in 49% of fluoroquinolone-resistant cases and 42% of fluoroquinolone-susceptible cases. All fluoroquinolone-resistant isolates were susceptible to vancomycin. In the current study, approximately one-third of isolates were resistant to fluoroquinolones. There was no significant difference in clinical outcomes in this study, regardless of fluoroquinolone susceptibility

Design optimization of pixel sensors using device simulations for the phase-II CMS tracker upgrade

In order to address the problems caused by the harsh radiation environment during the high luminosity phase of the LHC (HL-LHC), all silicon tracking detectors (pixels and strips) in the CMS experiment will undergo an upgrade. And so to develop radiation hard pixel sensors, simulations have been performed using the 2D TCAD device simulator, SILVACO, to obtain design parameters. The effect of various design parameters like pixel size, pixel depth, implant width, metal overhang, p-stop concentration, p-stop depth and bulk doping density on the leakage current and critical electric field are studied for both non-irradiated as well as irradiated pixel sensors. These 2D simulation results of planar pixels are useful for providing insight into the behaviour of non-irradiated and irradiated silicon pixel sensors and further work on 3D simulation is underway. © 2015 Elsevier B.V

Prox-imal Femoral Nail in Reverse Trochanteric Femoral Fractures: An Analysis of 53 Cases at One Year Follow-Up

Abstract Treatment of reverse oblique trochanteric femoral fractures poses a lot of challenges. There have been proponents of intramedullary devices as well as extramedullary devices. We present the results of proximal femoral nailing surgery performed for reverse obliquity intertrochanteric fractures using two proximal lag screws and a nail of 250 mm. There is prospective study of fifty three patients with AO/OTA 31 A-A3 fractures being treated by proximal femoral nailing in our institute after seeking approval from the Hospital ethics board. The quality of the reduction, the operative time, complications and the functional status of the patients were the parameters on which the results were evaluated. The mean Harris hip score was 76.66 (range 70 -93) and the mean Barthel activity score was 16.21 (range 12 -20). The average surgical time was 50 minutes and the mean consolidation time was 11.5 weeks. Intramedullary nailing with proximal femoral nails seems to be a good option in the treatment of reverse obliquity intertrochanteric fractures as against the various existing options available for the management

Neutron-Proton Scattering in the Context of the d∗d^*(2380) Resonance

New data on quasifree polarized neutron-proton scattering, in the region of the recently observed $d^*$ resonance structure, have been obtained by exclusive and kinematically complete high-statistics measurements with WASA at COSY. This paper details the determination of the beam polarization, checks of the quasifree character of the scattering process, on all obtained $A_y$ angular distributions and on the new partial-wave analysis, which includes the new data producing a resonance pole in the $^3D_3$-$^3G_3$ coupled partial waves at ($2380\pm10 - i40\pm5$) MeV -- in accordance with the $d^*$ dibaryon resonance hypothesis. The effect of the new partial-wave solution on the description of total and differential cross section data as well as specific combinations of spin-correlation and spin-transfer observables available from COSY-ANKE measurements at $T_d$ = 2.27 GeV is discussed

Cross section ratio and angular distributions of the reaction p + d -> 3He + eta at 48.8 MeV and 59.8 MeV excess energy

We present new data for angular distributions and on the cross section ratio of the p + d -> 3He + eta reaction at excess energies of Q = 48.8 MeV and Q = 59.8 MeV. The data have been obtained at the WASA-at-COSY experiment (Forschungszentrum J\"ulich) using a proton beam and a deuterium pellet target. While the shape of obtained angular distributions show only a slow variation with the energy, the new results indicate a distinct and unexpected total cross section fluctuation between Q = 20 MeV and Q = 60 MeV, which might indicate the variation of the production mechanism within this energy interval.Comment: 9 pages, 9 figure