Solving Weighted Number of Operation Plus Processing Time Due-Date Assignment, Weighted Scheduling and Process Planning Integration Problem Using Genetic and Simulated Annealing Search Methods

Traditionally, the three important manufacturing functions, which are process planning, scheduling and due-date assignment, are performed separately and sequentially. For couple of decades, hundreds of studies are done on integrated process planning and scheduling problems and numerous researches are performed on scheduling with due date assignment problem, but unfortunately the integration of these three important functions are not adequately addressed. Here, the integration of these three important functions is studied by using genetic, random-genetic hybrid, simulated annealing, random-simulated annealing hybrid and random search techniques. As well, the importance of the integration of these three functions and the power of meta-heuristics and of hybrid heuristics are studied

Cost-Effective Control of Molecular Weight in Ultrasound-Assisted Emulsion Polymerization of Styrene

This paper focuses on the determination of economically most feasible conditions to obtain polystyrene with various target molecular weights through ultrasound-assisted emulsion polymerization. Briefly, batch polymerizations of styrene have been performed by ultrasound-assisted emulsion polymerization process using different reaction feed compositions. Polymerization rates were calculated using the monomer conversions at various reaction times. Also, molecular weights of the synthesized polymers, as well as the Mark-Houwink constants, were determined by intrinsic viscosity and gel permeation chromatography measurements. It was found that the polydispersity index of the polymers is ranging from 1.2 to 1.5, and the viscosity average molecular weights are in between 100000-1500000 g/mol depending on the reaction conditions. Finally, model equations were also developed for response variables, and the most economical ways of reaching various target molecular weights were interpreted by response surface methodology based multi objective optimization

Apparent diffusion coefficient histogram analysis for predicting neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy response in patients with rectal cancer

PURPOSEThis study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) histograms in predicting chemoradiotherapy (CRT) response in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC).METHODSA total of 51 patients who underwent surgery in our institution for rectal cancer following neoadjuvant CRT between November 2013 and July 2019 were enrolled. Conventional magnetic resonance (MR) and diffusion-weighted images obtained before and after CRT were evaluated retrospectively. All tumor-containing regions of interests were drawn in 3 selected axial images, and special software for histogram analysis was used to evaluate ADC distribution. ADC cutoff values from post-CRT ADC histogram were calculated from receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for evaluating CRT response.RESULTSIn histopathological analysis, 5 patients (9.8%) had minimal response (group 1), 31 patients (60.8%) had partial response (group 2), and 15 patients (29.4%) had complete or almost complete response (group 3). In the ADC histogram, minimum, maximum, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile, mean ADC values, and skewness values of groups 2 and 3 showed significant changes before and after CRT, but no difference was found within group 1 values. The mean, 25th, 50th, 75th percent ADC values after CRT and skewness, and kurtosis values were significantly different between group 1 and group 3. Skewness value from the ADC histogram in postCRT magnetic resonance imaging had the best diagnostic performance with an area under the ROC curve of 0.851 (P =.003) for detecting group 3. The skewness cutoff calculated from the ROC analysis was 0.210 for evaluating CRT response. The sensitivity and specificity of the cut-off value were 100% and 61.4%, respectively.CONCLUSIONThe ADC histogram analysis seems to have potential application in predicting response to neoadjuvant CRT in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer

Solving Integrated Process Planning, Dynamic Scheduling, and Due Date Assignment Using Metaheuristic Algorithms

Because the alternative process plans have significant contributions to the production efficiency of a manufacturing system, researchers have studied the integration of manufacturing functions, which can be divided into two groups, namely, integrated process planning and scheduling (IPPS) and scheduling with due date assignment (SWDDA). Although IPPS and SWDDA are well-known and solved problems in the literature, there are limited works on integration of process planning, scheduling, and due date assignment (IPPSDDA). In this study, due date assignment function was added to IPPS in a dynamic manufacturing environment. And the studied problem was introduced as dynamic integrated process planning, scheduling, and due date assignment (DIPPSDDA). The objective function of DIPPSDDA is to minimize earliness and tardiness (E/T) and determine due dates for each job. Furthermore, four different pure metaheuristic algorithms which are genetic algorithm (GA), tabu algorithm (TA), simulated annealing (SA), and their hybrid (combination) algorithms GA/SA and GA/TA have been developed to facilitate and optimize DIPPSDDA on the 8 different sized shop floors. The performance comparisons of the algorithms for each shop floor have been given to show the efficiency and effectiveness of the algorithms used. In conclusion, computational results show that the proposed combination algorithms are competitive, give better results than pure metaheuristics, and can effectively generate good solutions for DIPPSDDA problems

Concurrent solution of WATC scheduling with WPPW due date assignment for environmentally weighted customers, jobs and services using SA and its hybrid

After industrial revolution environmental problems increased drastically. Air, water and soil pollution became a serious threat for the mankind. In order to overcome this threat everyone should take responsibility and try to preserve environment as much as possible. Environmentally conscious actions, people, law and foundations should be supported. When it came to determining due dates and scheduling, one of the important criteria should be the supporting the environment. In this study environmentally conscious customers, jobs, and services are rewarded, on the other hand unconscious customers, jobs, and services are penalized, while determining due dates and schedules. Simulated annealing and its hybrid with random search are applied to get environmentally better due dates and schedules

Investigation of relationship between IL-6 gene variants and hypertension in Turkish population

Hypertension (HT) is a common and life threating health problem worldwide leading to stroke, heart attack and renal failure. It is characterized by elevated blood pressure forced heart load. Human interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C- reactive protein (CRP) are known to be involved in inflammatory processes. IL-6 gene is a polymorphic gene which -174 G/C is a common and -572 G/C is a rare polymorphisms identified in promoter region. Publications on IL-6 gene polymorphisms raised the question whether this gene polymorphisms lead to susceptibility to HT or not. To investigate the effects of IL-6 gene -174 G/C (rs 1800795) and -572 G/C (rs1800796) polymorphisms on plasma IL-6 and CRP levels and their associations with hypertension disease in Turkish population we analyzed -174 G/C and -572 G/C polymorphisms and plasma IL-6 and CRP levels in 111 healthy controls and 108 hypertension patients from Adyaman, Turkey. We determined the genotypes using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism and analyzed plasma levels of IL-6 by ELISA and CRP by automated standard biochemical methods. We have found no statistically significant differences between IL-6 gene -174 G/C and -572 G/C genotypes and allelic frequencies and IL-6 and CRP plasma levels and HT (p > 0.05). No CC genotype was found in control subjects for -572 G/C polymorphism. In conclusion, we found relation to -174 G/C and -572 G/C gene variants between neither IL-6 and CRP levels nor hypertension. The -572 G allele and GG genotype are predominant in Turkish population in Adyaman, Turkey whereas the CC genotype is very rare.This study was supported by a grant of the Research Foundation of Adiyaman University (FEFYL/2012-0002), Turkey