Manpower planning optimization in three different real world areas: container terminals, hospitals and retail stores

Problems related to the optimization of human resources in working areas have been extensively studied in the literature with the major goal of guaranteeing the greatest benefits from the efforts of workers, while taking into account their personal skills and requirements. In particular, in this thesis we focus on short-term and long-term manpower planning problems. The main goal consists in appropriately assigning shifts to workers in a given time horizon, taking into account their own requirements, their contractual rules, and the quality and efficiency of the work environment. In this thesis the manpower planning problem is studied in three different working areas, namely container terminals, hospitals and retail stores. Different solutions are proposed based on mathematical models that allow to describe in linear algebraic terms the set of feasible solutions. An optimal scheduling is then computed using linear integer programming. The proposed policies have been validated on three different real case studies in Cagliari, Italy

Using IoT for Accessible Tourism in Smart Cities

In the past few years, the Smart City concept became one of the main driving forces for the transition towards sustainable economy and improved mobility. Tourism, as one of the fastest growing economies worldwide, is an integrated part of the Smart City paradigm. Taking into consideration recent studies performed by the United Nations, stating that almost one third of the population is directly affected by disability, the concept of Accessible Tourism needs also to be integrated in the future vision for tourism, especially in the context of Smart Cities, environments fully benefiting from the recent technological advances. Within the combined framework of Smart Cities and Accessible Tourism, the Internet-of-Things (IoT) concept is the key technological point for the development of smart urban environments. IoT and big data are both technology-driven developments, leading to scenarios such as the Smart Cities one that has the potential to make citizen live smarter, more sustainable and more accessible. This chapter analyses the key requirements for IoT applications in a Smart City context, the state-of-the-art for the use of IoT for Accessible Tourism applications and proposes an architecture together with its practical implementation, tailored for the use-case of accessible tourism for physically impaired persons

Downregulated Wnt/β-catenin signalling in the Down syndrome hippocampus

Pathological mechanisms underlying Down syndrome (DS)/Trisomy 21, including dysregulation of essential signalling processes remain poorly understood. Combining bioinformatics with RNA and protein analysis, we identified downregulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in the hippocampus of adult DS individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and the ‘Tc1’ DS mouse model. Providing a potential underlying molecular pathway, we demonstrate that the chromosome 21 kinase DYRK1A regulates Wnt signalling via a novel bimodal mechanism. Under basal conditions, DYRK1A is a negative regulator of Wnt/β-catenin. Following pathway activation, however, DYRK1A exerts the opposite effect, increasing signalling activity. In summary, we identified downregulation of hippocampal Wnt/β-catenin signalling in DS, possibly mediated by a dose dependent effect of the chromosome 21-encoded kinase DYRK1A. Overall, we propose that dosage imbalance of the Hsa21 gene DYRK1A affects downstream Wnt target genes. Therefore, modulation of Wnt signalling may open unexplored avenues for DS and Alzheimer’s disease treatment

Long term nurse scheduling via a decision support system based on linear integer programming: A case study at the University Hospital in Cagliari

This paper proposes a long term nurse scheduling approach based on linear integer programming. The main contribution consists in the derivation of a mathematical model that characterizes in a given time horizon, the set of feasible scheduling that satisfy a series of constraints related to contractual rules, specific local requirements, and different working conditions of nurses. When performing optimization, different goals may be imposed. Motivated by a real case study in Italy, special attention is devoted to the following three main issues: reduce the requirement of nurses from other departments, keep the number of working hours of each nurse as close as possible to a given value that is proportional to the length of the considered time horizon, and assign not isolated free days. To address the issues related to computational complexity in the case of very long time horizons and even more, to keep into account sudden variations in the availability of nurses, the proposed optimization model has been included in a Decision Support System (DSS) which allows to partition the whole time interval in several time intervals, where the scheduling is performed taking into account a series of input data that are continuously updated. A real case study is considered, namely the surgery department of the University Hospital in Cagliari, Italy. The scheduling resulting from the proposed approach is compared with that adopted by the hospital planner who currently computes it manually. It is also shown that in most of the cases, the proposed method finds out solutions not considered by the hospital planner, greatly reducing redundancies or weakness in the staff, and satisfying all the required constraint

Planning and optimizing manpower management in a transshipment container terminal

Manpower management is a complex problem for transshipment container terminals, because different requirements must be taken into account in the short-term plan to properly assign workers to shifts, tasks and operations, while accounting for some decisions already made in the long-term plan. An optimisation model is formulated to discuss the decision-making ability of a real terminal in dealing with this problem. The experimentation shows that its current policy on the short-term plan is effective, but some improvements can be obtained if unnecessary restrictions were removed from the long-term plan and some changes are accepted in the current modus operandi of the terminal

An optimization model for the short-term manpower planning problem in transhipment container terminals

This paper investigates the short-term manpower planning problem regarding transhipment container terminals. It consists of determining shifts, tasks and activities of the manpower working in these terminals in order to serve vessels in time intervals, which typically do not overlap with personnel shifts. This complex problem is modelled by an integer linear programming formulation. The optimal solutions of the model are compared with the decisions made in accordance with the manpower policy adopted by a real transhipment container terminal. The experimentation sheds light on when its policy is effective or when there is room for optimisation. The computational tests indicate that the model can be optimally solved even in the case of huge transhipment container terminals

NESS002ie: A new fluorinated thiol endopeptidase inhibitor with antinociceptive activity in an animal model of persistent pain

or the past few decades membrane zinc metallopeptidases have been identified as important therapeutic targets in the control of pain. In particular, neutral endopeptidase (NEP) has been shown to play critical roles in the metabolism of the endogenous peptides Met- and Leu-enkephalins. In this study, we have evaluated the activity of a new fluorinated peptidase inhibitor NESS002ie in both in vitro and in vivo assays. NESS002ie has been compared to the peptidomimetic compound thiorphan and the previously reported NEP selective thiol inhibitor C20. The metallopeptidases inhibitory activity of NESS002ie was tested in vitro using a highly, sensitive, continuous, fluorometric, enzyme assay. Also, the analgesic propriety of NESS002ie, thiorphan and C20 have been evaluated in vivo, by intraplantar, intravenous and intrathecal administration, through nociception assays based on formalin test in mice. Metallopeptidases assays have shown an inhibitory potency of NESS002ie in the nanomolar range for NEP and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). The new fluorinated inhibitor showed higher analgesic activity and bioavailability compared to thiorphan and C20 when administered by both intravenous and intrathecal injections. More significantly, intrathecal injection of NESS002ie reduced both the first and the second phases of the formalin biphasic pain response. In addition, naltrindole and naloxone reversed the analgesic effect of NESS002ie with a diverse profile. This study shows an improvement in relief of inflammation and pain, in vivo, using NESS002ie compared to reference compounds thiorphan and C20. This significant effect could be due to the replacement of isobutyl chain of the thiol C20 with the trifluoromethyl group

Novel pyrazole derivatives as neutral CB1 antagonists with significant activity towards food intake

In spite of rimonabant's withdrawal from the European market due to its adverse effects, interest in the development of drugs based on CB1 antagonists is revamping on the basis of the peculiar properties of this class of compounds. In particular, new strategies have been proposed for the treatment of obesity and/or related risk factors through CB1, antagonists, i.e. by the development of selectively peripherally acting agents or by the identification of neutral CB1 antagonists. New compounds based on the lead 031 antagonist/inverse agonist rimonabant have been synthesized with focus on obtaining neutral CB1 antagonists. Amongst the new derivatives described in this paper, the mixture of the two enantiomers (+/-)-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-3-(2-cyclohexyl-1-hydroxyethyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole ((+/-)-5), and compound 5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-3-[(4-2-cyclohexyl-1-fluorovinyl]-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole ((Z)-6), showed interesting pharmacological profiles. According to the preliminary pharmacological evaluation, these novel pyrazole derivatives showed in fact both neutral CB1 antagonism behaviour and significant in vivo activity towards food intake

Novel pyrazole derivatives as neutral CB₁ antagonists with significant activity towards food intake

In spite of rimonabant's withdrawal from the European market due to its adverse effects, interest in the development of drugs based on CB1 antagonists is revamping on the basis of the peculiar properties of this class of compounds. In particular, new strategies have been proposed for the treatment of obesity and/or related risk factors through CB1 antagonists, i.e. by the development of selectively peripherally acting agents or by the identification of neutral CB1 antagonists. New compounds based on the lead CB1 antagonist/inverse agonist rimonabant have been synthesized with focus on obtaining neutral CB1 antagonists. Amongst the new derivatives described in this paper, the mixture of the two enantiomers (±)-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-3-(2-cyclohexyl-1-hydroxyethyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole ((±)-5), and compound 5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-3-[(Z)-2-cyclohexyl-1-fluorovinyl]-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole ((Z)-6), showed interesting pharmacological profiles. According to the preliminary pharmacological evaluation, these novel pyrazole derivatives showed in fact both neutral CB1 antagonism behaviour and significant in vivo activity towards food intake

Novel pyrazole derivatives as neutral CB₁ antagonists with significant activity towards food intake

In spite of rimonabant's withdrawal from the European market due to its adverse effects, interest in the development of drugs based on CB1 antagonists is revamping on the basis of the peculiar properties of this class of compounds. In particular, new strategies have been proposed for the treatment of obesity and/or related risk factors through CB1 antagonists, i.e. by the development of selectively peripherally acting agents or by the identification of neutral CB1 antagonists. New compounds based on the lead CB1 antagonist/inverse agonist rimonabant have been synthesized with focus on obtaining neutral CB1 antagonists. Amongst the new derivatives described in this paper, the mixture of the two enantiomers (±)-5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-3-(2-cyclohexyl-1-hydroxyethyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole ((±)-5), and compound 5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-3-[(Z)-2-cyclohexyl-1-fluorovinyl]-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole ((Z)-6), showed interesting pharmacological profiles. According to the preliminary pharmacological evaluation, these novel pyrazole derivatives showed in fact both neutral CB1 antagonism behaviour and significant in vivo activity towards food intake