A Combinatorial Optimization Approach to Accessibility Services in International Airports

In this PhD thesis we study a specific variant of the well known Fixed Job Scheduling Problem, namely the Tactical Fixed Job Scheduling Problem with Spread-Time constraints. In this problem it is required to schedule a number of jobs on non identical machines that differ from each other for the set of jobs they can perform and that have constraints on the length of their duty. After providing an extensive literature review of the Fixed Job Scheduling and of its main variants, the original contribution is presented. We illustrate some lower bounds for the optimal value of the problem and display the first heuristic algorithm for solving it. We also study a specific case of interest connected with the assistance of passengers with special needs in large scale international airports

A Gas-Kinetic Model for Shallow Water Flows in Presence of Wet/Dry Fronts

Experimental and Computational Hydraulic

OCT Applications in Conjunctival Disease

Today the of anterior segment optical coherence tomography (ASOCT) has become an irreplaceable tool in the management of various pathologies and also in many surgical techniques. The cornea has been widely studied in many pathologies with ASOCT, but now also the conjunctival study with ASOCT allows to obtain a detailed imaging of the normal and pathological conjunctiva, so that in many conjunctival diseases the ASOCT is a useful tool to help the clinicians. In this chapter we will briefly discuss the results of the imaging of the oct appearance of the normal conjunctiva with ASOCT and its present and potential use in the conjunctival pathologies

Environmental drawbacks of lightweight design algorithms in material extrusion additive manufacturing: a case study

Lightweight design is often assumed to be the leading strategy to improve the sustainability of parts produced by additive manufacturing. The present study confutes such an assumption by a cradle-to-gate life cycle assessment of different lightweight strategies applied to a specific case study in the medical field. In particular, a patient-specific finger splint made of polyamide is redesigned by means of generative design, topology optimization and lattice structures. The analysis investigates two markedly different deposition processes, namely Arburg plastic freeforming and fused filament fabrication. The former is carried out on an industrial-grade machine, while a desktop printer is used for the latter. This allows for observing the impact of the redesign in two quite distinct scenarios. Findings demonstrate that, since environmental impacts are mainly driven by building time, the adoption of automated design algorithms can be detrimental to the sustainability of the process. On the other hand, relevant benefits on environmental impacts were achieved by reducing the infill percentage of parts. The results of this work highlight the most relevant aspects which must be considered to limit environmental impacts when designing parts for deposition-based additive manufacturing. This information can be used by designers to drive weight reduction towards sustainability

Outcomes of Reduced Intensity Conditioning Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Hodgkin Lymphomas: A Retrospective Multicenter Experience by the Rete Ematologica Pugliese (REP)

Patients with Hodgkin lymphomas progressing after autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT) have a very poor outcome. Our retrospective analysis confirms that reduced-intensity conditioning allogeneic SCT may be an effective salvage strategy for patients who relapse after an autologous SCT and that outcomes are similar for both sibling and matched-unrelated donor transplants. Patients with active disease at transplantation have poor outcomes. Background: Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is a potentially curable disease, and modern therapy is expected to successfully cure more than 80% of the patients. However, patients progressing after intensive treatments, such as autologous stem cell transplantation (SCT), have a very poor outcome. Allogeneic SCT offers the only strategy with a curative potential for these patients. This study reports a retrospective multicenter experience of the Rete Ematologica Pugliese (REP) over the past 17 years, aiming to define the impact of each patient's disease and transplant-related characteristics on outcomes. Patients and Methods: We retrospectively studied 72 patients with HL who received allogeneic SCT from 2000 to 2017. At the time of allogeneic SCT, 33 (46%) patients had chemosensitive disease, and 39 (54%) were chemo-refractory. All patients received reduced-intensity conditioning, 50% received grafts from a matched sibling donor, and 50% from a matched-unrelated donor. Results: With a median follow-up of 48 months (range, 3-195 months), 30 patients are alive, and 42 have died. The Kaplan-Meier estimates of overall survival and progression-free survival at 5 years were 35% and 34%, respectively. Following transplantation, 12 (17%) patients died of non-relapse mortality at a median of 90 days (range, 1 day-20 months). The causes of death included infection (n = 7), graft-versus-host disease (n = 3), and multi-organ failure (n = 2). Conclusions: Allogeneic SCT results extend survival in selected patients with relapsed/refractory HL, showing low treatment-related mortality. Patients with active disease at the time of allogeneic transplantation have poor outcomes. Allogeneic SCT may be an effective salvage strategy for patients who relapse after an autologous SCT

Neuraxial analgesia to increase the success rate of external cephalic version: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

BACKGROUND: External cephalic version is a medical procedure in which the fetus is externally manipulated to assume the cephalic presentation. The use of neuraxial analgesia for facilitating the version has been evaluated in several randomized clinical trials, but its potential effects are still controversial. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of neuraxial analgesia as an intervention to increase the success rate of external cephalic version. DATA SOURCES: Searches were performed in electronic databases with the use of a combination of text words related to external cephalic version and neuraxial analgesia from the inception of each database to January 2016. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: We included all randomized clinical trials of women, with a gestational age ≥36 weeks and breech or transverse fetal presentation, undergoing external cephalic version who were randomized to neuraxial analgesia, including spinal, epidural, or combined spinal-epidural techniques (ie, intervention group) or to a control group (either intravenous analgesia or no treatment). STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS: The primary outcome was the successful external cephalic version. The summary measures were reported as relative risk or as mean differences with a 95% confidence interval. TABULATION, INTEGRATION, AND RESULTS: Nine randomized clinical trials (934 women) were included in this review. Women who received neuraxial analgesia had a significantly higher incidence of successful external cephalic version (58.4% vs 43.1%; relative risk, 1.44, 95% confidence interval, 1.27-1.64), cephalic presentation in labor (55.1% vs 40.2%; relative risk, 1.37, 95% confidence interval, 1.08-1.73), and vaginal delivery (54.0% vs 44.6%; relative risk, 1.21, 95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.41) compared with those who did not. Women who were randomized to the intervention group also had a significantly lower incidence of cesarean delivery (46.0% vs 55.3%; relative risk, 0.83, 95% confidence interval, 0.71-0.97), maternal discomfort (1.2% vs 9.3%; relative risk, 0.12, 95% confidence interval, 0.02-0.99), and lower pain, assessed by the visual analog scale pain score (mean difference, -4.52 points, 95% confidence interval, -5.35 to 3.69) compared with the control group. The incidences of emergency cesarean delivery (1.6% vs 2.5%; relative risk, 0.63, 95% confidence interval, 0.24-1.70), transient bradycardia (11.8% vs 8.3%; relative risk, 1.42, 95% confidence interval, 0.72-2.80), nonreassuring fetal testing, excluding transient bradycardia, after external cephalic version (6.9% vs 7.4%; relative risk, 0.93, 95% confidence interval, 0.53-1.64), and abruption placentae (0.4% vs 0.4%; relative risk, 1.01, 95% confidence interval, 0.06-16.1) were similar. CONCLUSION: Administration of neuraxial analgesia significantly increases the success rate of external cephalic version among women with malpresentation at term or late preterm, which then significantly increases the incidence of vaginal delivery

Mechanisms by which autophagy regulates memory capacity in ageing

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The Grizzly, September 29, 2011

Fringe Festival Mixes Students, Pros • Homecoming Welcomes Clear Skies, Alumni • Pre-Law Program Offers New Opportunities • Harvard Professor Speaks on Gilgamesh • Internship Profile: Shelter Overseas • New Lantern Editor Appointed • Investment Club Undergoes Revival, Expansion • Steer Your Career in the Right Direction • UC Bike Share Returns • Opinion: Abbas\u27 Bid for Palestinian State Raises Questions • UC Honors Hall of Fame Class of 2011 • Bears Sneak by in Wins on Homecoming Weekend • Bears Terrorize McDaniel in Homecoming Winhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1841/thumbnail.jp