Application of exact and multi-heuristic approaches to a sustainable closed loop supply chain network design

Closed-loop supply chains (CLSC) are gaining popularity due to their efficiency in addressing economic, environmental, and social concerns. An important point to ponder in the distribution of CLSC is that imperfect refrigeration and bad road conditions may result in product non-conformance during the transit and thus such products are to be returned to the supply node. This may hinder the level of customer satisfaction. This paper presents a sustainable closed-loop supply chain framework coupled with cross-docking subject to product non-conformance. A cost model is proposed to investigate the economic and environmental aspects of such systems. The transportation cost is analyzed in terms of total carbon emissions. A set of metaheuristics are administered to solve the model and a novel lower bound is proposed to relax the complexity of the proposed model. The results of different size problems are compared with the branch and bound approach and the proposed lower bound. The results indicate that the proposed research framework, mathe-matical model, and heuristic schemes can aid the decision-makers in a closed-loop supply chain context

Novel VPS13B Mutations in Three Large Pakistani Cohen Syndrome Families Suggests a Baloch Variant with Autistic-Like Features.

BackgroundCohen Syndrome (COH1) is a rare autosomal recessive disorder, principally identified by ocular, neural and muscular deficits. We identified three large consanguineous Pakistani families with intellectual disability and in some cases with autistic traits.MethodsClinical assessments were performed in order to allow comparison of clinical features with other VPS13B mutations. Homozygosity mapping followed by whole exome sequencing and Sanger sequencing strategies were used to identify disease-related mutations.ResultsWe identified two novel homozygous deletion mutations in VPS13B, firstly a 1 bp deletion, NM_017890.4:c.6879delT; p.Phe2293Leufs*24, and secondly a deletion of exons 37-40, which co-segregate with affected status. In addition to COH1-related traits, autistic features were reported in a number of family members, contrasting with the "friendly" demeanour often associated with COH1. The c.6879delT mutation is present in two families from different regions of the country, but both from the Baloch sub-ethnic group, and with a shared haplotype, indicating a founder effect among the Baloch population.ConclusionWe suspect that the c.6879delT mutation may be a common cause of COH1 and similar phenotypes among the Baloch population. Additionally, most of the individuals with the c.6879delT mutation in these two families also present with autistic like traits, and suggests that this variant may lead to a distinct autistic-like COH1 subgroup

PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF RECLAIMED ASPLHALT PAVEMENT MATERIALS USIN CRUDE PALM OIL AS A REJUVENATING AGENT

Environmental problems and asphalt binder high prices justify the utilization of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) in bituminous mix production. The aged binder has high stiffiness in recycled material and caused different problems such as low fatigue and resistance against cracking and workability issues, that can be answered by utilizing rejuvenating agents

The Role of Pro-environmental Attitude Towards Employee Green Behavior: The Mediating and Moderating Role of Motivational States and Green Work Climate Perceptions

Employee green behavior is a kind of environmentally friendly working environment that forms a key foundation for the execution of a company's current plan for sustainable growth. How does the pro-environmental attitude of an employee affect how they do their activities? We investigated the connection between the pro-environmental attitudes and employee green behavior and the functions of encouraging motivational states and green work climate perceptions in order to obtain an answer to this issue. The results show that the employee green behavior of employees was favorably linked and mediated by controlled and autonomous motivations with environmental views. Furthermore, this research found that green work climate perceptions have moderating role on both controlled and autonomous motivations. Finally, we examine the theoretical and practical implications of our results

ڈپٹی نذیر احمد کے اسم بامسمیٰ کردار

Molvi Nazeer Ahmed is one of the greatest Urdu Novelists. He was considered as a first Urdu Novelist. His novels bear mostly the themes of troubles, ignorance and unawareness prevailing in his era. He was anxious about education of Muslim women and their lot in general; their ignorance and other problems. He gave the idea of a prefect woman being a practical and well-educated and presented them as guides for juvenile girls. His unmatchable novel, Mirat-ul-Uroos (The bride's mirror) comprises such subjects that endorse the foundation of female literacy in Muslim and Indian society, and is recognized for giving birth to an entire genre of fictional works encouraging female education in Urdu. It was his art of characterization that placed his novels in front line of Urdu Novels. Most of his characters are charactonym that means giving the name of a fictional character in such a way that the given name itself reveals the personality of a character. The present study critically analyzes his adaption of technique of charactonym in his novels. Being a social and religious reformer, he used this technique to get the purpose of reformation. By presenting the personal and internal life of a character, he depicts the true picture of human nature

Exploring the Psychological Experiences of Frontline Healthcare Providers Dealing with Covid Patients

People's physical and mental health have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical and psychological preparedness of the emergency healthcare workers (HCWs) is critical during a continuing outbreak of Ebola virus disease. An investigation of the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency health care providers (EHCPs), as well as their stress coping mechanisms or protective factors, and obstacles they face while caring for COVID-19 patients will be conducted. From April 2, 2020 to April 25, 2020, 15 frontline emergency healthcare workers (HCWs) dealt with COVID-19 patients. In person or via phone, semi-structured interviews were done. Analysis was conducted utilising a thematic approach to data collection.  A number of key findings focused on coping strategies for dealing with stressful situations, including: limiting media exposure; sharing duty details on a limited basis; religious coping; altruism as a fallback strategy; and, dealing with challenges, including: psychological responses and noncompliance with the public/denial by religious scholars. The COVID-19 pandemic-related stress and anxiety were discussed and various coping mechanisms were practiced and advised. Stress and worry in the population are often attributed to the media. Coping mechanisms included religious faith and a desire to serve humanity and their country

Comparison of neural mobilization and conservative treatment on pain, range of motion, and disability in cervical radiculopathy : A randomized controlled trial

Objective: The objective of the study was to compare the effectiveness of neural mobilization technique with conservative treatment on pain intensity, cervical range of motion, and disability. Methods: It was a randomized clinical trial; data was collected from Mayo Hospital, Lahore. Eighty-eight patients fulfilling the sample selection criteria were randomly assigned into group 1 (neural mobilization) and group 2 (conventional treatment). Pain intensity was measured on a numeric pain rating scale, range of motion with an inclinometer, and functional status with neck disability index (NDI). Data were analyzed using SPSS, repeated measure ANOVA for cervical ranges and the Friedman test for NPRS and NDI were used for within-group analysis. Independent samples t-test for cervical ranges and Mann-Whitney U test for NPRS and NDI were used for between-group comparisons. Results: There was a significant improvement in pain, disability, and cervical range of motion after the treatment in both groups compared to the pre-treatment status (p < 0.001), and when both groups were compared neural mobilization was more effective than conventional treatment in reducing pain and neck disability (p < 0.001), but there was no significant difference present in the mean score of cervical range of motion between both groups. (p>0.05). Conclusions: The present study concluded that both neural mobilization and conservative treatment were effective as an exercise program for patients with cervical radiculopathy, however, neural mobilization was more effective in reducing pain and neck disability in cervical radiculopathy

Lab Scale Implementation of Industry 4.0 for an Automatic Yogurt Filling Production System—Experimentation, Modeling and Process Optimization

Currently, Industry 4.0 is word of mouth, and its implementation has gained increased attention from industrial and academic researchers, entrepreneurs, and service providers all over the world. With Industry 4.0, the integration of facilities and products enables real-time data exchange, and the overall production system becomes self-reliant and intelligent to predict and maintain its operational performance. In this research, the lab-scale implementation of Industry 4.0 is implemented for an automatic yogurt filling production system. A mathematical model for the process optimization of Industry 4.0 was also developed. A real-life problem was solved optimally using linear programming techniques with the objective of maximizing the speed of the conveyor belt. Moreover, the sequencing of processing orders using single-dimensional rules was performed. The effects of changes in the feed rate of the yogurt valve and length of the conveyor belt on the feed rate of the flavor valve, speed of conveyor belt, waiting time, processing times, and the different performance measures were investigated at the end

Effects of neurodynamic mobilization on health-related quality of life and cervical deep flexors endurance in patients of cervical radiculopathy : A randomized trial

Purpose: Cervical radiculopathy is disorder of cervical spinal nerve root affecting large number of population. Previously many studies are conducted to design suitable protocol for management of this disorder, but they lack in quality. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of neural mobilization and cervical isometrics on health-related quality of life and deep flexors endurance in cervical radiculopathy. Methods: A double-blinded randomized clinical trial was conducted at Mayo Hospital, Lahore, Pakistan. Eighty-eight patients within the age range of 35-50 years were included in the study after taking their consent. In the experimental group (n = 44), median nerve mobilization was applied along with cervical isometric exercises. The control group (n = 44) performed cervical isometric exercises alone. Muscle endurance was measured by craniocervical flexion test and quality of life on 36 items short form health survey SF-36 scale. Measurements were taken at baseline, at 2nd week, and at 4th week. For missing data, intention-to-treat analysis was used. Results: Within-group comparison with Friedman test showed a significant difference between pre, mid, and posttreatment scores on craniocervical flexion test and in all domains of SF 36 in both groups. While between-group comparison with Mann-Whitney U test showed all variables were similar at baseline but after 4 weeks there was a statistically significant improvement in craniocervical flexion test scores and all domains of SF 36 in the experimental group. But domain of pain showed mean rank of 49.43 after 4 weeks in the experimental group and 39.57 in the control group with p = 0.065 and d = 0.579, while for all the other 7 domains values were p < .05 and d > 0.25. Conclusion: Neural mobilization combined with cervical isometrics shows significant effects in improving quality of life and deep flexors endurance in patients with cervical radiculopathy than cervical isometrics alone