Multi-objective tools for the vehicle routing problem with time windows

Most real-life problems involve the simultaneous optimisation of two or more, usually conflicting, objectives. Researchers have put a continuous effort into solving these problems in many different areas, such as engineering, finance and computer science. Over time, thanks to the increase in processing power, researchers have created methods which have become increasingly sophisticated. Most of these methods have been based on the notion of Pareto dominance, which assumes, sometimes erroneously, that the objectives have no known ranking of importance. The Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows (VRPTW) is a logistics problem which in real-life applications appears to be multi-objective. This problem consists of designing the optimal set of routes to serve a number of customers within certain time slots. Despite this problem’s high applicability to real-life domains (e.g. waste collection, fast-food delivery), most research in this area has been conducted with hand-made datasets. These datasets sometimes have a number of unrealistic features (e.g. the assumption that one unit of travel time corresponds to one unit of travel distance) and are therefore not adequate for the assessment of optimisers. Furthermore, very few studies have focused on the multi-objective nature of the VRPTW. That is, very few have studied how the optimisation of one objective affects the others. This thesis proposes a number of novel tools (methods + dataset) to address the above- mentioned challenges: 1) an agent-based framework for cooperative search, 2) a novel multi-objective ranking approach, 3) a new dataset for the VRPTW, 4) a study of the pair-wise relationships between five common objectives in VRPTW, and 5) a simplified Multi-objective Discrete Particle Swarm Optimisation for the VRPTW

Multi-objective tools for the vehicle routing problem with time windows

Most real-life problems involve the simultaneous optimisation of two or more, usually conflicting, objectives. Researchers have put a continuous effort into solving these problems in many different areas, such as engineering, finance and computer science. Over time, thanks to the increase in processing power, researchers have created methods which have become increasingly sophisticated. Most of these methods have been based on the notion of Pareto dominance, which assumes, sometimes erroneously, that the objectives have no known ranking of importance. The Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows (VRPTW) is a logistics problem which in real-life applications appears to be multi-objective. This problem consists of designing the optimal set of routes to serve a number of customers within certain time slots. Despite this problem’s high applicability to real-life domains (e.g. waste collection, fast-food delivery), most research in this area has been conducted with hand-made datasets. These datasets sometimes have a number of unrealistic features (e.g. the assumption that one unit of travel time corresponds to one unit of travel distance) and are therefore not adequate for the assessment of optimisers. Furthermore, very few studies have focused on the multi-objective nature of the VRPTW. That is, very few have studied how the optimisation of one objective affects the others. This thesis proposes a number of novel tools (methods + dataset) to address the above- mentioned challenges: 1) an agent-based framework for cooperative search, 2) a novel multi-objective ranking approach, 3) a new dataset for the VRPTW, 4) a study of the pair-wise relationships between five common objectives in VRPTW, and 5) a simplified Multi-objective Discrete Particle Swarm Optimisation for the VRPTW

CODEA : an agent based multi-objective optimization framework

This work presents CODEA, a COoperative DEcentralized Architecture for Multiobjective Optimization. CODEA is an objectoriented framework that aims at the creation of groups of agents to tackle complex problems by cooperative search. This cooperation is carried out without any individual controlling the cooperation nor the behaviour of the agents. Each agent works on its own to improve itself and collaborates to improve the performance of the group by sharing information

Nature of real-world multi-objective vehicle routing with evolutionary algorithms

The Vehicle Routing Problem with Time Windows VRPTW) is an important logistics problem which in the realworld appears to be multi-objective. Most research in this area has been carried out using classic datasets designed for the single-objective case, like the well-known Solomon's problem instances. Some unrealistic assumptions are usually made when using these datasets in the multi-objective case (e.g. assuming that one unit of travel time corresponds to one unit of travel distance). Additionally, there is no common VRPTW multiobjective oriented framework to compare the performance of algorithms because different implementations in the literature tackle different sets of objectives. In this work, we investigate the conflicting (or not) nature of various objectives in the VRPTW and show that some of the classic test instances are not suitable for conducting a proper multi-objective study. The insights of this study have led us to generate some problem instances using d ata from a real-world distribution company. Experiments in these new dataset using a standard evolutionary algorithm NSGA-II) show stronger evidence of multi-objective features. Our contribution focuses on achieving a better understanding about the multi-objective nature of the VRPTW, in particular the conflicting relationships between 5 objectives: number of vehicles, total travel distance, makespan, total waiting time, and total delay time

Albendazole-induced granulomatous hepatitis: a case report

INTRODUCTION: Drug-related hepatotoxicity is a common medical problem with implications for health systems. It constitutes a cause of acute liver failure and, in many cases, is responsible for the rejection of new pharmacological agents during efficacy and safety studies. Risk factors, as well as pathogenesis of drug-induced liver injury, are poorly understood. The diagnosis of drug-induced liver injury is challenging; it is difficult to define the cause of drug hepatotoxicity due to the heterogeneity of the clinical presentation and the absence of established criteria for accurate and reproducible identification of drug-associated liver toxicity. CASE PRESENTATION: We report the case of a 25-year-old Hispanic woman admitted to our Clinical Hepatology Unit with symptoms of acute hepatitis of unknown etiology. She was diagnosed with albendazole-induced granulomatous hepatitis after ruling out other possible causes, based on laboratory studies, liver biopsy, medical history, detailed drug history, and spontaneous improvement of her liver biochemical profile after medication withdrawal. This diagnosis was supported by the Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences-Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method, which showed a likely correlation between hepatocellular damage and drug toxicity as the etiology. CONCLUSIONS: Our patient’s suspected diagnosis was albendazole-induced granulomatous hepatitis with confirmatory histologic pattern. This case deserves particular attention due to the wide use of albendazole in our country (Colombia) and the prevalent medical issue of drug-related hepatotoxicity

Epothilone-d rescues cognition and attenuates alzheimer’s disease-like pathology in APP/PS1 mice

AIMS: Cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients has been linked to synaptic damage and neuronal loss. Hyperphosphorylation of tau protein destabilizes microtubules leading to the accumulation of autophagy/vesicular material and the generation of dystrophic neurites, thus contributing to axonal/synaptic dysfunction. In this study, we analyzed the effect of a microtubule-stabilizing compound in the progression of the disease in the hippocampus of APP751SL/PS1M146L transgenic model. METHODS: APP/PS1 mice (3 month-old) were treated with a weekly intraperitoneal injection of 2 mg/kg epothilone-D (Epo-D) for 3 months. Vehicle-injected animals were used as controls. Mice were tested on the Morris water maze, Y-maze and object-recognition tasks for memory performance. Abeta, AT8, ubiquitin and synaptic markers levels were analyzed by Western-blots. Hippocampal plaque, synaptic and dystrophic loadings were quantified by image analysis after immunohistochemical stainings. RESULTS: Epo-D treated mice exhibited a significant improvement in the memory tests compared to controls. The rescue of cognitive deficits was associated to a significant reduction in the AD-like hippocampal pathology. Levels of Abeta, APP and ubiquitin were significantly reduced in treated animals. This was paralleled by a decrease in the amyloid burden, and more importantly, in the plaque-associated axonal dystrophy pathology. Finally, synaptic levels were significantly restored in treated animals compared to controls. CONCLUSION: Epo-D treatment promotes synaptic and spatial memory recovery, reduces the accumulation of extracellular Abeta and the associated neuritic pathology in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 model. Therefore, microtubule stabilizing drugs could be considered therapeutical candidates to slow down AD progression. Supported by FIS-PI12/01431 and PI15/00796 (AG),FIS-PI12/01439 and PI15/00957(JV)Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

SYSTEMIC ADMINISTRATION OF EPOTHYLONE-D RECUES MEMORY AND AMELIORATES ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE-LIKE PATHOLOGY IN APP/PS1 MICE

Aims Cognitive and memory decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients is highly related to synaptic dysfunction and neuronal loss. Tau hyperphosphorylation destabilizes microtubules leading to axonal transport failure, accumulation of autophagy/vesicular material and the generation of dystrophic neurites, thus contributing to axonal/synaptic dysfunction. In this study, we analyzed the effect of a microtubule-stabilizing drug in the progression of the disease in an APP751SL/PS1M146L transgenic model. Method APP/PS1 mice (3 month-old) were weekly treated with 2 mg/kg intraperitoneal injections of Epothilone-D (Epo-D) for 3 months. Vehicle-injected animals were used as controls. For memory performance, animals were tested on the object-recognition tasks, Y-maze and Morris water maze. Levels of Abeta, ubiquitin, AT8 and synaptic markers were analyzed by Western-blot. Hippocampal plaque burden, dystrophic and synaptic loadings were quantified after immunostaining by image analysis. Results Epo-D treated mice showed a significant improvement in the performance of hippocampus-associated cognitive tests compared to controls. This memory recovery correlated with a significant reduction in the AD-like hippocampal pathology. Abeta, APP and ubiquitin levels were significantly reduced in treated animals, and a decrease in both the plaque loading and the axonal pathology was also found. Finally, synaptic levels were significantly preserved in treated animals in comparison with controls. Conclusion Epo-D treatment promotes synaptic and cognitive improvement, reduces the accumulation of extracellular Abeta and the associated neuritic pathology in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 model. Therefore, microtubule stabilizing drugs could be considered therapeutical candidates to slow down AD progression.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. Supported by FIS-PI15/00796 (AG), FIS-PI15/00957(JV) and co-financed by FEDER funds from European Union

Estrategia competitiva y cadena logística de PYMES de actividades de exportación e importación en el distrito de San Isidro, Lima 2021

La investigación tuvo como objetivo, determinar la relación entre Estrategias Competitivas y Cadena Logística en PYMES de actividades de exportación e importación en el distrito de San Isidro, Lima 2021. La metodología tuvo un enfoque cuantitativo, con una población de 50 colaboradores del area logística de una Pyme que realiza actividades de exportación teniendo una muestra censal de 50 colaboradores de la Pymes estudiada. La técnica empleada fue la encuesta y el instrumento el cuestionario, conformado por 18 Items por cada variable que fue debidamente validado por tres expertos, para luego demostrar la confiabilidad mediante el Alfa de Cronbach. Los resultados obtenidos indican para la variable estrategia competitiva de 0.809 y cadena logística de 0.844 por encima del promedio, los resultados indicaron que tienen correlación entre las variables y se logra afirmar la hipótesis alterna. Concluyendo que, si existe relación entre las variables de acuerdo, al análisis de los autores ya que generó un impacto positivo dentro de las empresas impulsando estrategias competitivas en la cadena logística con el fin de lograr posicionamiento y crecimiento de la empresa en el mercado nacional e internaciona

Planeacion estrategica de tecnologias de informacion para el hospital Hernando Quintero Blanco

las graficas y diagramas se encuentran relacionadas en la parte del objetivo numero cuatro del trabajo de grado en la gestion de la propuesta tecnico operativaEste trabajo de grado se enmarca en la planeación estratégica de tecnologías de información aplicada al hospital municipal Hernando Quintero Blanco del municipio de el Paso (Cesar), la cual esta soportada bajo la metodología del Balanced ScoreCard y la aplicación de los lineamientos del PMBOK. Asimismo, en la ejecución de este proyecto se permitió establecer el logro de la planeación estratégica en dos dependencias de la organización objeto de estudio, las cuales fueron el area de recursos humanos y el area de gestión de calidad, demostrando mediante esta óptica de trabajo, que las organizaciones empresariales pueden ser sustentables través de sus mismos recursos tecnológicos, utilizando el apalancamiento de las estrategias predictivas que ayudan al desarrollo de las buenas prácticas de gestión en las tecnologías de información e innovación. En este orden de ideas, la aplicación del Balanced ScoreCard logro el cumplimiento de las metas planteadas en los objetivos trazados en el hospital Hernando Quintero Blanco, tales como: la falta de nuevas dependencias para el departamento de TI+i, falta de seguridad de la información, gestión de la información, entre otros parámetros; demostrando que el área de tecnologías de información e innovación, hacen parte fundamental en los ejes de apoyo estratégico para el cumplimiento de las metas planteadas, controlando y asegurando la información captada mediante el uso del Balanced ScoreCard con los objetivos de control, encontrando las relaciones de causa-efecto entre las perspectivas del negocio, determinando cuáles de los objetivos de TI+i se están cumpliendo o no. Por consiguiente, el despliegue de las dos metodologías propuestas para la implantación del modelo de planeación estratégica de tecnologías de información, permitió concluir el plan estratégico de la organización, e iniciar el proceso del mismo con la determinación del nivel de madurez de gestión de tecnologías de información. Del mismo modo, con la construcción del modelo, se establecieron las acciones que permitieron cerrar la brecha que existe entre los esfuerzos de tecnologías de información e innovación y las estrategias de la organización expresadas tanto en procesos como en dependencias, generando acciones correctivas y preventivas, las cuales fueron ajustadas mediante un amplio marco teórico de regulación en el área de aplicación de procesos, actividades y beneficios de la situación actual de la infraestructura tecnológica del hospital Hernando Quintero Blanco.This degree work is part of the strategic planning of information technologies applied to the Hernando Quintero Blanco municipal hospital in the municipality of El Paso (Cesar), which is supported under the Balanced ScoreCard methodology and the application of the PMBOK guidelines. Likewise, in the execution of this project it was allowed to establish the achievement of strategic planning in two units of the organization under study, which were the area of human resources and the area of quality management, demonstrating through this work perspective, that business organizations can be sustainable through their same technological resources, using the leverage of predictive strategies that help the development of good management practices in information and innovation technologies. In this order of ideas, the application of the Balanced ScoreCard achieved the fulfillment of the goals set in the objectives set in the Hernando Quintero Blanco hospital, such as: the lack of new dependencies for the IT + i department, lack of security of the information, information management, among other parameters; demonstrating that the area of information technologies and innovation, are a fundamental part in the strategic support axes for the fulfillment of the goals set, controlling and ensuring the information captured through the use of the Balanced ScoreCard with the control objectives, finding the relationships of Cause-effect between business perspectives, determining which of the IT + i objectives are being met or not. Therefore, the deployment of the two methodologies proposed for the implementation of the strategic planning model of information technologies, allowed to conclude the strategic plan of the organization, and initiate the process of the same with the determination of the level of maturity of technology management of information. In the same way, with the construction of the model, the actions were established that allowed to close the gap that exists between the efforts of information and innovation technologies and the strategies of the organization expressed both in processes and in dependencies, generating corrective and preventive actions, which were adjusted through a broad theoretical framework of regulation in the area of application of processes, activities and benefits of the current situation of the technological infrastructure of the Hernando Quintero Blanco hospital