Experimentation and Evaluation of an Advanced Freight Transportation System with Respect to Tactical Planning

RÉSUMÉ: Nous introduisons une approche descendante pour mettre en œuvre les décisions tactiques dans la planification opérationnelle. Cette approche est composée des modèles d’optimisation (planification tactique et opérationnelle) pour un réseau à segment unique, de leurs solutions, des scénarios potentiels et des stratégies définies pour servir de guide pour exécuter les décisions de planification tactique. Les scénarios potentiels sont définis pour montrer différentes situations, y compris des conditions constantes, modifiées et nouvelles qui pourraient se produire lorsque nous appliquons les décisions de planification tactique à la planification opérationnelle. Ensuite, les stratégies sont générées pour prendre en compte différents niveaux de flexibilité dans l’utilisation de l’optimisation pour sélectionner de nouvelles demandes et offres, et de la réoptimisation pour modifier les affectations tactiques. Les modifications requises dans la planification opérationnelle pour l’application de chaque stratégie pour chaque scénario sont spécifiquement expliquées. Pour évaluer la performance de ces stratégies dans différents scénarios possibles, une procédure est proposée qui simule un environnement opéra-tionnel sur une certaine période. Les résultats obtenus en réalisant les expérimentations numériques basées sur la procédure définie sont analysés et comparés. Les résultats montrent la capacité des stratégies définies à atténuer les limites de la mise en œuvre directe des décisions de chaque niveau de planification, à améliorer l’efficacité de la consolidation et l’utilisation de la capacité des services ainsi que la rentabilité de l’ensemble du système. ABSTRACT: This study focuses on implementing the tactical planning decisions of an integrated multi-stakeholders transportation system, Many-to-one-to-Many (M1M), at the operational plan-ning level. In this consolidation-based system, demand requests from different shippers must be consolidated into the selected service offers to maximize the total profit for all stakeholders. To this end, the operational and tactical planning models are designed to make optimal decisions including acceptance and rejection of shipper demand requests, selection carrier service offers, and demand-to-service assignments, for the system at different times and with different available data. Although the tactical planning provides the plan for the contracted and regular requests and offers in advance while the operational planning aims to implement the plan and make required adjustments, there is no structure to link these two planning levels. In this study, we introduce a top-down approach to implementing the tactical decisions into the operational planning. This approach is made of the optimization models (tactical and operational planning) for a single-segment network, their solutions, potential scenarios, and the defined strategies to act as a guideline to execute the tactical planning decisions. The potential scenarios are defined to show different situations including constant, changed and new conditions that might happen when we apply the tactical planning decisions to the operational planning. Then the strategies are generated to consider different levels of flexibility in using optimization to select new requests and offers, and reoptimization to change the tactical assignments. The required modifications in the operational planning for applying each strategy for each scenario are specifically explained. To evaluate the performance of these strategies in different possible scenarios, we propose a procedure that simulates an en-vironment of operational time over a certain period. The results obtained by carrying out the computational experiments based on the defined procedure are analyzed and compared. The results show the ability of the defined strategies to mitigate the limitations of implementing the decisions of each planning level directly. In particular, these strategies improve the efficiency of consolidation and capacity usage of services as well as the profitability of the whole system

Aromatherapy with Rosa Damascenes in Apnea, Bradycardia and Spo2 of Preterm Infants; a Randomized Clinical Trial

Background  Apnea is one of the most common problems in preterm neonates. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of aromatherapy on the reduction of apnea, bradycardia, and Pulse Oximetry (SPO2) in premature infants. Materials and Methods In a clinical trial study, 60 preterm neonates randomly divided in two groups and exposed to aromatherapy with Rosa damascenes distillate or distilled water beside the routine treatment. In experimental group, two drops of 10% Rosa damascenes distillate was dropped on the pad eye in second day of birth at 6 Am. The intervention was repeated in 9 AM, 12 Am, 15 PM and 18 PM hours. A same condition applied for control group and distilled water was dropped on the pad eye. The number of apnea attacks, bradycardia and decrease in SpO2 compared between two groups using chi-square test, independent t-test and repeated measure test. Results The overall apnea attacks, bradycardia, and SPO2 in tree studied days were lower in intervention group than control group (0.47±0.13 vs. 2.6±0.41, 0.47±0.13 vs. 2.56±0.41 and 0.70±0.17 vs. 2.77±0.21, respectively). In addition, the repeated measurement test showed that the mean number of apnea attacks, decrease in heart pulse rate, and decrease in SpO2 was statistically lower in intervention group with aromatherapy than controls in first, second, third and sum of three days (P< 0.05). Conclusion Aromatherapy with Rosa damascenes distillate can reduce more and speedy the occurrence of apnea attacks, bradycardia and SPO2 in premature infants, along with other routine treatment