Bridging data gaps in the food industry – sensor-equipped metal food containers as an enabler for sustainability

In recent years, Machine Learning (ML) applications for manufacturing have reached a high degree of maturity and can be considered as a suitable tool for improving production performance. In addition, ML applications can be used in many other production areas to enhance sustainability within the manufacturing process. One area is storing and transporting bulk materials with metal Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBC). These IBCs are currently used solely for their primary purpose of storage and transportation of raw and finished goods. Hence, while in use , IBCs are often a black box that does not provide additional value to manufacturers. Equipping IBCs with sensor technology can provide such value: new data can be generated along the entire supply chain and production processes, taking the sustainability of production to a new level. Within the research project smart.CONSERVE, we use this additional data, for example, to monitor the stored food's critical characteristics or to establish predictive maintenance for IBCs. Thus, storing produced goods in defective IBCs can be avoided and wasting resources can be prevented. This publication describes how smart IBCs in the food industry can increase supply chain visibility and reduce food waste. To illustrate this, we present possible use cases enabled by new data availabilities. Additionally, we provide insights into how these use cases can be transferred to other industries. Besides, we exemplify the many opportunities for manufacturers to develop new smart services and ML applications based on the collected data - and how this can support manufacturers in achieving higher levels of sustainability

From Complexity To Clarity In Sustainable Factory Planning: A Conceptual Approach For Data-driven Integration Of Green Factory KPIs In Manufacturing Site Selection

The selection of manufacturing facility locations entails high costs and long-term consequences. This necessitates an objective approach to mitigate uncertainties associated with subjective decision-making. Our paper builds upon previous research on data-driven location selection and conceptually extends it to integrate sustainability potential evaluation. By combining Green Factory Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), the authors aim to facilitate and standardize long-term decision-making in sustainable factory planning. After outlining the requirements, current state of the art, and limitations of location selection, we emphasize the need for integrating region-specific Green Factory KPIs with new data sources for site selection. Therefore, we propose a methodology involving a review of scientific literature and other sources to identify data sources for site selection, establishing research criteria for determining data suitability. The results include suitable subsets for location selection and future steps such as criteria application and target data determination. This paper contributes to paving the way for implementing sustainability-driven location selection strategies in factory planning. In conclusion, we outline a roadmap for further development and suggest two areas for future research: data collection and integration, as well as developing and validating a location selection app

The effectiveness of modern cardiac rehabilitation : A systematic review of recent observational studies in non-attenders versus attenders

BACKGROUND: The beneficial effects of cardiac rehabilitation (CR) have been challenged in recent years and there is now a need to investigate whether current CR programmes, delivered in the context of modern cardiology, still benefit patients. METHODS: A systematic review of non-randomised controlled studies was conducted. Electronic searches of Medline, Embase, CINAHL, science citation index (web of science), CIRRIE and Open Grey were undertaken. Non-randomised studies investigating the effects of CR were included when recruitment occurred from the year 2000 onwards in accordance with significant CR guidance changes from the late 1990's. Adult patients diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) were included. Non-English articles were considered. Two reviewers independently screened articles according to pre-defined selection criteria as reported in the PROSPERO database (CRD42015024021). RESULTS: Out of 2,656 articles, 8 studies involving 9,836 AMI patients were included. Studies were conducted in 6 countries. CR was found to reduce the risk of all-cause and cardiac-related mortality and improve Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) significantly in at least one domain. The benefits of CR in terms of recurrent MI were inconsistent and no significant effects were found regarding re-vascularisation or re-hospitalisation following AMI. CONCLUSION: Recent observational evidence draws different conclusions to the most current reviews of trial data with respect to total mortality and re-hospitalisation, questioning the representativeness of historic data in the modern cardiological era. Future work should seek to clarify which patient and service level factors determine the likelihood of achieving improved all-cause and cardiac mortality and reduced hospital re-admissions

Azimuthal anisotropy of charged jet production in root s(NN)=2.76 TeV Pb-Pb collisions

We present measurements of the azimuthal dependence of charged jet production in central and semi-central root s(NN) = 2.76 TeV Pb-Pb collisions with respect to the second harmonic event plane, quantified as nu(ch)(2) (jet). Jet finding is performed employing the anti-k(T) algorithm with a resolution parameter R = 0.2 using charged tracks from the ALICE tracking system. The contribution of the azimuthal anisotropy of the underlying event is taken into account event-by-event. The remaining (statistical) region-to-region fluctuations are removed on an ensemble basis by unfolding the jet spectra for different event plane orientations independently. Significant non-zero nu(ch)(2) (jet) is observed in semi-central collisions (30-50% centrality) for 20 <p(T)(ch) (jet) <90 GeV/c. The azimuthal dependence of the charged jet production is similar to the dependence observed for jets comprising both charged and neutral fragments, and compatible with measurements of the nu(2) of single charged particles at high p(T). Good agreement between the data and predictions from JEWEL, an event generator simulating parton shower evolution in the presence of a dense QCD medium, is found in semi-central collisions. (C) 2015 CERN for the benefit of the ALICE Collaboration. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).Peer reviewe

Forward-central two-particle correlations in p-Pb collisions at root s(NN)=5.02 TeV

Two-particle angular correlations between trigger particles in the forward pseudorapidity range (2.5 2GeV/c. (C) 2015 CERN for the benefit of the ALICE Collaboration. Published by Elsevier B. V.Peer reviewe

Event-shape engineering for inclusive spectra and elliptic flow in Pb-Pb collisions at root(NN)-N-S=2.76 TeV

Peer reviewe

Production of He-4 and (4) in Pb-Pb collisions at root(NN)-N-S=2.76 TeV at the LHC

Results on the production of He-4 and (4) nuclei in Pb-Pb collisions at root(NN)-N-S = 2.76 TeV in the rapidity range vertical bar y vertical bar <1, using the ALICE detector, are presented in this paper. The rapidity densities corresponding to 0-10% central events are found to be dN/dy4(He) = (0.8 +/- 0.4 (stat) +/- 0.3 (syst)) x 10(-6) and dN/dy4 = (1.1 +/- 0.4 (stat) +/- 0.2 (syst)) x 10(-6), respectively. This is in agreement with the statistical thermal model expectation assuming the same chemical freeze-out temperature (T-chem = 156 MeV) as for light hadrons. The measured ratio of (4)/He-4 is 1.4 +/- 0.8 (stat) +/- 0.5 (syst). (C) 2018 Published by Elsevier B.V.Peer reviewe