Drop-Shipping at a Promotional Products Distributor

During the current economic times, companies are trying to reduce costs by incorporating new strategies into their business plan. Supply chain, in particular the distribution network is one area where an improvement can bring in a healthy return on investment to a company. Drop-shipping is a distribution strategy whereby customer orders are fulfilled by directly delivering products from manufacturer\u27s facility, instead of storing these products at the warehouse. Drop-shipping helps in reducing inventory and material handling costs at the warehouse, but may increase transportation costs due to frequent shipments. This research was motivated by the current operations at a promotional products distributor in the Midwest US. This distributor wanted to decide which products to drop-ship versus stock in the warehouse. We develop a mixed integer programming (MIP) model to categorize the products as \u27to be drop-shipped\u27 or \u27kept in warehouse\u27 with the objective of minimizing the total distribution cost. This single-period MIP model assumes deterministic demand, all-unit transportation LTL and parcel rates, and warehouse space. To solve larger problem instances, a Ruin and Recreate (RR) based heuristic is proposed. Numerical results indicate that a savings in warehouse space ranging between 28-53% and an additional cost savings of up to 5.2%. A case study involving realistic data obtained from the distributor is presented and avenues for future research in this area are discussed

Long term clinical outcome of intra caesarean intrauterine contraceptive device insertion

Background: Adequate spacing following caesarean section prior to next pregnancy will decrease maternal and neonatal complications. Unmet need of contraception is still high in our country. Motivating women for intra caesarean copper T insertion will decrease the incidence of unintended pregnancies. Postpartum intra uterine contraceptive device (PPIUCD) insertion is an effective, long-term, reversible, nonhormonal contraceptive, best suited for Indian women. This study aims to evaluate long term complications like bleeding, pain, expulsion rate, perforation, infection, missing strings and continuation rate.Methods: This prospective observational study was carried out in a tertiary care hospital in Chennai, between January 2012-June 2015. CuT 380A was inserted immediately following placental delivery in caesarean section. They were followed up at the time of discharge, at 6 weeks, then at 6 monthly intervals till 30months.Results: A total of 235 PPIUCD acceptors were followed up for 30 months. Most of our acceptors are primipara group (n=156, 66.4%). Continuation rate is high 84.7% (n=199) at the end of 30 months. Expulsion rate was 2.55% (n=6), bleeding in 8.5% (n=20), pain in 8.9% (n=21) and infection in 0.85% (n=2) of acceptors. Removal rate at 30 months was 12.7% (n=30), majority of the removal was for opting to go for permanent method of sterilization (n=117, 7.2%), followed by planning next pregnancy (n=6, 2.55%). Pain was the cause for removal in only 0.67%, bleeding in 1.67%. Missing strings were observed in 11.9% (n=28), of which ultrasound confirmed in situ uterine cavity location in 22 acceptors.Conclusions: Intra caesarean IUCD insertion is a safe and effective method of contraception for spacing with high continuation rate, low expulsion and complication rates

Clinical profile and pregnancy outcome following tubal recanalisation

Background: Female sterilization by tubal ligation accounts for 36% of all methods of family planning used in our country. Almost half of tubal ligations are done in women younger than 25 years. These women want reversal of tubectomy subsequently, in circumstances like death of children, remarriage. This study aims to evaluate various factors affecting the outcome of pregnancies following microsurgical tubal recanalisation.Methods: It is a prospective observational study carried out at Govt Kilpauk Medical College for a total number of 50 patients who have undergone tubal recanalisation during 2011 and 2012. They were followed up till December 2016.Results: 84% of women (n-42) opted for recanalisation were in young reproductive age (<30 years) group. Conception rate was higher in younger age group (52.9% in 21-25 years). Death of children (n-37, 74%) and remarriage (n-12, 24%) were the common indications for tubal recanalisation. Outcome is better if reversal surgery is done within 4 years after sterilization (69.6%, n-16 out of 23) than after 4 years (30.4%, n-7out of 23). Conception rate (55.3%, n-21) was higher and statistically significant in subjects with final length of tube more than 4 cms (P value -0.0193). Conception rate was higher within 1 year of recanalisation (n-13, 26%), followed by 16% (n-8) in 2nd year and statistically significant (p- 0.00001). Overall pregnancy rate in our study was 46% (n-23). Out of the 23 women who conceived, 14 (61%) resulted in live birth, 3 (13%) abortions and the remaining 6(26%) had ectopic pregnancies.Conclusions: Proper selection of patients and meticulous tuboplasty technique can yield successful pregnancy outcome comparable to ART

PREDICTING THE BIODEGRADABILITY NATURE OF IMIDAZOLE AND ITS DERIVATIVES BY MODULATING TWO HISTIDINE DEGRADATION ENZYMES (UROCANASE AND FORMIMINOGLUTAMASE) ACTIVITIES

Objectives: The biodegradation pathway of substituted imidazole ring compounds has been reported to have close analogy to the histidine degradation pathway. This prompted the present study to be carried out on 12 selected imidazole and its derivatives which are 1-imidazole, 1, 2-dimethylimidazole, 1-ethyl imidazole, 2-ethyl-4-methylimidazole, 2-isopropylimidazole, 2-Isopropyl-4-nitro-1H-imidazole, 1-methylimidazole, 2-methyl-5-nitroimidazole, 2-methyl-1-vinylimidazole, 1-nitro imidazole, 1-phenyl imidazole, and 1-vinylimidazole.Methods: The imidazole and its derivatives were evaluated on the docking behavior of urocanase and formiminoglutamase using PatchDock. In addition, molecular physicochemical, drug-likeness, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion analyses (ADME) were done.Results: The molecular physicochemical analysis revealed that all the tested ligands showed nil violation and complied well with the Lipinski's rule of five. ADME analysis showed that 1-phenylimidazole alone predicated to have cytochrome P450 1A2 inhibition effect. Docking studies revealed that 1-nitroimidazole showed the least atomic contact energy with both targeted enzymes (urocanase and FIGase).Conclusion: Inhibition of both enzymes (urocanase and FIGase) might show poor biodegradability nature. Thus, we can predict biodegradability nature of imidazloe and its derivatives by modulating two histidine degradation enzymes activities

An analytical cross sectional study on hypothyroidism in pregnancy, its maternal and fetal outcome

Background: Hypothyroidism is associated with maternal and fetal complications. This study aims to evaluate the prevalence, maternal and fetal outcome in hypothyroidism. Objective of this study was to determine whether thyroid function test can be recommended as a universal or selective screening in pregnancy.Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study with internal comparison carried out at Govt. Kilpauk Medical College & Hospital from September 2017 to July 2018 for antenatal mothers in third trimester. Serum TSH and freeT3, T4 in case of abnormal TSH were measured, grouped into subclinical and overt hypothyroidism and were treated with Levothyroxine. Six-week follow-up with TSH, pregnancy complications were observed.Results: 932 pregnant mothers were followed up. Prevalence of hypothyroidism was 10.5% (n = 98). Among the hypothyroid 62.24% (n = 61) had subclinical and 37.76% (n = 37) had overt hypothyroidism. The prevalence of anaemia was 35% in overt and 15% in subclinical hypothyroid group (p = 0.019). Preeclampsia is reported in 49% of overt and 16% of subclinical hypothyroid group (p = <0.001), statistically significant. Eclampsia was noted in 1 (1.64%) overt hypothyroid patient. Abruptio placenta was observed in 1 subclinical and 4 overt hypothyroid patients (5.1%). The incidence of preterm labour in this study subjects was 38% in overt and 20% in subclinical hypothyroid group (p = 0.048). The incidence of LBW fetus was 41% in overt hypothyroid and 21% in subclinical hypothyroid group (p = 0.041). The incidence of complication in this study was 41% in subclinical and 78% in overt hypothyroid group (p = <0.001).Conclusions: Early screening, adequate treatment and follow up will bring down maternal and fetal complications in hypothyroidism

Evaluation of Mix Design Methods for Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement Mixes with Foamed Bitumen

AbstractThe main objective of this work is to evaluate the use of two mix design procedures for designing bituminous pavement mixes with foamed bitumen. Mix design was carried out following the South African and Caltrans guidelines. The RAP materials used for mix design were collected from the NH-5, Chennai-Tada section. Using foamed bitumen produced from Wirtgen WLB 10 foaming equipment, a mix with RAP material, virgin aggregate and active filler were produced in the pug mill mixer. Marshall compaction effort was used for fabricating the samples. Using the indirect tensile strength test on dry and wet specimens, the optimum binder content was determined. It was seen that the two mix design procedure adopted showed different mix constituents despite using the same RAP source

Knowledge, Attitude, Awareness of Dental Implant among Common People, Dental Undergraduate Students and General Dental Practitioners

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to assess the Knowledge, Attitude, Awareness about dental implants to replace missing tooth among Common people, Dental Undergraduate students and General Dental practitioners using questionnaire MATERIALS AND METHOD: The study was conducted with 750 participants and as three different groups with three different closed ended self-administered questionnaires for each group. Group I – Common people, Group II - Dental Undergraduate students, Group III – General Dental Practitioners. Each group consists of 250 participants. The responses can be obtained by direct approach and online forms (google forms). Statistical analyses were preformed using Statistical Package For Social science software for windows(SPSS), version 20.0(Armonk,NY). Data comparison was done by applying specific statistical test to find out statistical significance of obtained results. Frequencies were obtained to describe the response distribution of the questionnaire and the dental record abstracted items. RESULTS: In group I, About awareness of the dental implant, 100% of upper class, 73% of the upper middle class, 65.3% of lower middle class, 36.4% of upper lower class and 15.6% of Lower class people have about dental implants. 84.4% of the Lower class, 63.6% of the Upper middle and 34.7% of the Lower middle class has not been aware about dental implants. Their attitude and affordability descends towards lower class people. In group II, that majority of the students perceived to be well informed about dental implants. There were differences in the perception and knowledge at different academic levels. About 182 (72.8%) of the dental students were not aware of the complications and there is lack of any experience with dental implants in 223 (89.2%) of the dental students. In Group III, Out of 250 practitioners 26.4% (66) has undergone dental implant training and 73.6% (184) has not undergone any dental implant training. There is significant difference in knowledge between the general dental practitioners who had undergone training and who had not undergone any training. One third of non-trained general dental practitioners 25% (46) lack the knowledge in all aspects. CONCLUSION: There is increase in awareness and positive attitude towards dental implants in this era and also it had become a field of interest in modern dentistry. Still the general dentist have the major role in educating the patient but the lack of curriculum framework of dental implant in undergraduate level can limit their role in dental implant dentistry

UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF HEAT RECIRCULATION IN ENHANCING THE SPEED OF PREMIXED LAMINAR FLAMES IN A PARALLEL PLATE MICRO-COMBUSTOR

This dissertation investigates the role of heat recirculation in enhancing the flame speeds of laminar flames stabilized in a parallel plate reactor by: 1) developing analytical models that account for conjugate heat transfer with the wall and 2) making measurements of temperature profiles in a simulated microcombustor using non-intrusive FTIR spectroscopy from which heat recirculation is inferred. The analytical models have varying degrees of complexity. A simple heat transfer model simulates the flame by incorporating a concentrated heat release function along with constant temperature wall model. The next level model accommodates conjugate heat transfer with the wall along with a built in heat loss model to the environment. The heat transfer models identify the thermal design parameters influencing the temperature profiles and the Nusselt number. The conjugate heat transfer model is coupled with a species transport equation to develop a 2-D model that predicts the flame speed as an eigenvalue of the problem. The flame speed model shows that there are three design parameters (wall thermal conductivity ratio ( &kappa ), wall thickness ratio ( &tau ) and external heat loss parameter ( NuE )) that influence the flame speed. Finally, it is shown that all these three parameters really control the total heat recirculation which is a single valued function of the flame speed and independent of the velocity profile (Plug or Poiseuille flow). On the experimental side, a previously developed non-intrusive diagnostic technique based on FTIR spectroscopy of CO2 absorbance is improved by identifying the various limitations (interferences from other species, temperature profile fitting, ... etc) and suggesting improvements to each limitation to make measurements in a silicon walled, simulated microcombustor. Methane/Air and Propane/Air flames were studied for different equivalence ratios and burning velocities. From the temperature profiles it can be seen that increasing the flame speed pushes the flames further up the channel and increases the combustors inner gas and outer wall temperatures (measured using IR thermography). The temperature profiles measured are used to make a 2-D heat recirculation map for the burner as a function of the equivalence ratio and burning velocity. The experimental results are compared to the analytical models predictions which show a linear trend between flame speed and heat recirculation