The Redesign of Processes’ Development in Food Production Organizations Using Quality Engineering Methods and Tools

A number of trends and challenges such as increased competition, new technologies and regulations, quality and new consumer trends have been forcing the food industry to change [1, 2, 3]. In response to these new challenges, food companies are improving compet‐ itiveness by restructuring, redesigning existing processes, and intensifying the fight for mar

Development of a fuzzy logic-based inherent safety index for food industries

Inherent safety is a proactive approach for loss or elimination of hazard values and risk management. Expansion of safety relating to process and production in a supply chain in an uncertain environment has a critical effect on the competitive advantage of each food industrial organization. In this article, the fuzzy rating weights of each pair of the considered hazards and uncertain hazard values are described by linguistic expressions modelled by triangular fuzzy numbers. The fuzzy extent approach for the synthetic extent values of the pairwise comparison for handling fuzzy analytic hierarchical process is used to calculate the weight vector. The proposed fuzzy model is arranged in a hierarchical structure, so that the output of one interference system is used as an input for the second interference step. In the first of interference steps, the total hazard value for each identified process is calculated using the fuzzy algebra rules. In the second interference step, the inherent safety index for each process is determined on the basis of total hazard value, using the IF-THEN fuzzy logic rules. It is shown that the proposed fuzzy model is highly suitable as a decision making tool for making decisions about the inherent safety index of food industrial processes

Pneumothorax, significance of X-ray in ER: Report of two cases

INTRODUCTION: Pneumothorax is abnormal collection of air in the pleural space occurring when there is discontinuity between visceral and parietal pleura. When communication between bronchi, alveololi and pleural cavity occurs, atsmopheric and intrapleural pressure are being equalized, which lead to decrease in lung compliance thus causing collapsed lung. Collapsed lung can be partial and complete. Pneumothorax can be primary spontaneous, secondary spontaneous and traumatic. CASE PRESENTATION: We have shown two patients, bot with primary spontaneous pneumothorax, without previous chest trauma, without primary pulmonary disease, that were diagnosed with pneumothorax radiographically in ER. In first case, 20 y/o male presented in ER with chest pain and dyspnoea. He was smoker. Said symptoms occurred for the first time. Auscultatory, breath sounds were inaudible. After x-ray of the chest were performed, there were detected presence of gas collection in the left apical zone, with collapsed lung parenchyma. Toracal drainage catheter were inserted, thus making possible for reexpansion of collapsed lung and patient, with stable condition, was transferred to the internal medicine ward.In the second case, patient 56 y/o was presented, who had spontaneous recurrent pneumothorax and called for an ambulance because of breathing difficulty which he had had for two days. Auscultatory, breath sounds were diminished. Righ-sided pneumothorax was detected after chest x-ray was performed in ER. Thoracic drainage catheter was inserted, collapsed lung reexpanded and in stable condition, patient was discharged after five days. CONCLUSION: Cases that were demonstrated can point out the fact that auscultatory findings can not with certainty indicate pneumothorax. Radiography, which can reveal partial or complete collapsed lung, along with blood gas analysis which are important for evaluation of the disturbed lung functions, are of the great importance for the treatment of this condition

Development of a fuzzy logic-based inherent safety index for food industries

Inherent safety is a proactive approach for loss or elimination of hazard values and risk management. Expansion of safety relating to process and production in a supply chain in an uncertain environment has a critical effect on the competitive advantage of each food industrial organization. In this article, the fuzzy rating weights of each pair of the considered hazards and uncertain hazard values are described by linguistic expressions modelled by triangular fuzzy numbers. The fuzzy extent approach for the synthetic extent values of the pairwise comparison for handling fuzzy analytic hierarchical process is used to calculate the weight vector. The proposed fuzzy model is arranged in a hierarchical structure, so that the output of one interference system is used as an input for the second interference step. In the first of interference steps, the total hazard value for each identified process is calculated using the fuzzy algebra rules. In the second interference step, the inherent safety index for each process is determined on the basis of total hazard value, using the IF-THEN fuzzy logic rules. It is shown that the proposed fuzzy model is highly suitable as a decision making tool for making decisions about the inherent safety index of food industrial processes