Adaptive tension, self-organization and emergence : A complex system perspective of supply chain disruptions

The purpose of this thesis was to explore how microstate human interactions produce macro level self-organization and emergence in a supply disruption scenario, as well as discover factors and typical human behaviour that bring about disruptions. This study argues that the complex adaptive system’s view of complexity is most suited scholarly foundation for this research enquiry. Drawing on the dissipative structure based explanation of emergence and self-organization in a complex adaptive system, this thesis further argues that an energy gradient between the ongoing and designed system conditions, known as adaptive tension, causes supply chains to self-organize and emerge. This study adopts a critical realist ontology operationalized by a qualitative case research and grounded theory based analysis. The data was collected using repertory grid interviews of 22 supply chain executives from 21 firms. In all 167 cases of supply disruptions were investigated. Findings illustrate that agent behaviours like loss of trust, over ambitious pursuit, use of power and privilege, conspiring against best practices and heedless performance were contributing to disruption. Impacted by these behaviours, supply chains demonstrated impaired disruption management capabilities and increased disruption probability. It was also discovered that some of these system patterns and microstate agent behaviours pushed the supply chains to a zone of emergent complexity where these networks self-organized and emerged into new structures or embraced changes in prevailing processes or goals. A conceptual model was developed to explain the transition from micro agent behaviour to system level self-organization and emergence. The model described alternate pathways of a supply chain under adaptive tension. The research makes three primary research contributions. Firstly, based upon the theoretical model, this research presents a conceptualization of supply chain emergence and self-organization from dissipative structures and adaptive tension based view of complexity. Secondly, it formally introduces and validates the role of behavioural and cognitive element of human actions in a supply chain scenario. Lastly, it affirms the complex adaptive system based conceptualization of supply chain networks. These contributions succeed in providing organizations with an explanation for observed deviations in their operations performance using a behavioural aspect of human agents

To Study Analgesic, Hypoglycemic and Hepatoprotective Activity of Moringa olefera Leaf Extract in Albino Wistar Rats

Introduction: Moringa oleifera is widely found in Asian subcontinent and it has been used as an Analgesic, Hypoglycemic and hepatoprotective in Indian folklore medicine. In this study we compared the Analgesic, Hypoglycemic and hepatoprotective effects of Moringa oleifera ethanolic extracts with other standard drug in Albino Wistar Rats. Methods:  Male Wistar albino rats were divided into 5 groups and administered placebo (saline), diclofenac and 3 groups of Moringa Oleifera using 100mg/Kg, 200mg/Kg and 400mg/kg doses for Analgesic Activity.  On the other hand, 30 Albino Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups of six each and administered placebo (saline), Liv-52 (standard) and 3 groups of Moringa Oleifera using 100mg/Kg, 200mg/Kg and 400mg/kg doses for hepatoprotective activity. In addition, the test leaf extracts preparations of Moringa oleifera [100, 200 and 400 mg], were administered for 21 days orally to the rats of respective groups by using oral feeding tube for Hypoglycemic activity. Results: The highest Tail flick latency period was observed in Group 2 and Group 5 at 120 min. At all-time of point, the tail-flick latency period differed significantly between the extract and Aspirin treated Groups being greater in the Group 2. Comparing different doses of the extract revealed that there is positive relationship between reaction time and increase dose of the extract in which, protection against heat application with 400 mg /kg was significant compared to all doses of the extract. Whereas, Rats treated with ethanolic Leaf extract of Moringa Oleifera (100/200/400 mg/kg, orally once daily) for 21days, the SGOT values (242.66 ± 11.63 IU/L, 242.66 ± 11.63 IU/L, 242.66 ± 11.63 IU/L) were significantly lower (P<0.05), (P<0.05), (P<0.01) when compared to SGOT levels in control rats (265 ± 4.75 IU/dl). Rats treated with ethanolic Leaf extract of Moringa Oleifera (100/200/400 mg/kg, orally once daily) for 21days, Conclusion: Ethanolic extracts of Moringa Oleifera leaves exhibits significant Analgesic, Hypoglycemic and hepatoprotective activity in a dose dependent manner.  Keywords: Analgesic, Hypoglycemic, Hepatoprotective, Moringa oleifer

System dynamics of oxyfuel power plants with liquid oxygen energy storage

Traditional energy storage systems have a common feature: the generating of secondary energy (e.g. electricity) and regenerating of stored energy (e.g. gravitational potential, and mechanical energy) are separate rather than deeply integrated. Such systems have to tolerate the energy loss caused by the second conversion from primary energy to secondary energy. This paper is concerned with the system dynamics of oxyfuel power plants with liquid oxygen energy storage, which integrates the generation of secondary energy (electricity) and regeneration of stored energy into one process and therefore avoids the energy loss caused by the independent process of regeneration of stored energy. The liquid oxygen storage and the power load of the air separation unit are self-adaptively controlled based on current-day power demand, day-ahead electricity price and real-time oxygen storage information. Such an oxyfuel power plant cannot only bid in the day-ahead market with base load power but also has potential to provide peak load power through reducing the load of the air separation unit in peak time. By introducing reasoning rules with fuzzy control, the oxygen storage system has potential to be further extended by integrating renewable energy resources into the system to create a cryogenic energy storage hub

Resilient and complex infrastructure: conjugating opposite ends of the spectrum

<p>Solid lines in A-C represent simulated mean plasma concentration-time profiles, whereas dashed lines represent the 5^th and 95^th percentiles for the predicted values. The observed data points (●) are shown as mean ± SD or mean only. The solid lines in D and E illustrates unity, as well as a twofold deviation from unity; whereas the data points represent observed mean ± SD values with respective to the simulated mean ± SD values for <i>AUC</i> (D) and <i>C</i>_<i>max</i> (E).</p

Upstream supply chain vulnerability, robustness and resilience : a systematic review of literature

Purpose: In the last decade, supply chains of many global firms have been exposed to severe and costly supply chain disruptions. Triggered by either a manmade or a natural disaster, these disruptions are often a result of the increased network complexity and interdependency. One of the many contributing factors to this increased network complexity is the conscious effort by organizations to over optimise their efficiency and performance. The field of supply chain resilience, robustness and vulnerability studies, a new and growing area of knowledge, is contributing towards discovering the causes leading to supply chain disasters and measures to tackle them. Criticized to be highly fragmented and fraught with conceptual ambiguity, the filed has been evolving by incorporating vulnerability and resilience research from other interdisciplinary domains. This present research aims at mapping the intellectual territory of the resilience, robustness and vulnerability domain by conducting a literature review. The review also aims to establish a conceptual clarity in the definition of terms and constructs relevant to the field and to discover conceptual and methodological gaps in the existing body of literature. Design/methodology/approach: This literature review is conducted using a systematic review approach which benefits from a clearly defined audit and decision trail. After filtering through 2077 titles, the review is taken up for 43 articles. Findings: The review demonstrates that the drivers of vulnerability and strategies to tackle it can be grouped into three themes, Structural, Operational and Strategic. The review also demonstrates that the field is still plagued with conceptual ambiguity. By the analysis of the findings, a number of research directions were identified. Research limitations/implications: Major limitations to this study were the associated personal bias in quality assessment of included and excluded articles. Also, due to blurred definitions of terms and constructs in the literature, the thematic classification of findings could be challenged. Lastly, it cannot be stated with conviction that the chosen 43 articles are sufficient. Practical implications: This research highlights the future conceptual and methodological prospects in the field of resilience, robustness and vulnerability. The direction of structural research proposed in the thesis has a very high potential to secure future supply chains. Originality/value: This review is first to address the issue of SCV, SCRel and SCRob. The review provides an extensive overview of the present extant of the vulnerability, robustness research and it proposes a thematic framework to further extend the knowledge in this filed

Role of high sensitive C-reactive protein as a marker in assessing severity of asthma

Increased serum high sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) in asthma and its association with disease severity has been investigated in many studies. This study aimed to determine serum hs-CRP status in asthma versus healthy controls and to examine its ability in predicting asthma control. This is a comparative-descriptive and observational study was carried out in the TB &amp; Respiratory Medicine, N.C Medical College and Hospital over a period of 6 months. Total 70 patients (both old and newly diagnosed cases) were selected for the study for case group patients were on maintenance treatment including inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators according to the guideline treatment of asthma. In our present study, a total of 70 patients were included out of which 38 (57.4%) were males. In our study, most of the patients were 51-70 years i.e., 38 out of 70 (54.2%), followed by 31-50. The mean hs CRP of Case group patients are 4.31±1.46 and in control group patients 0.83±0.07. Pulmonary function test using Spirometer was s done in all the patients (case and control). The FEV1 values are compared against hsCRP values. Statistical significance is assessed using Spearman’s correlation. Case group patients showing highly significant negative correlation of hsCRP with FEV1

The fatigued anesthesiologist: A threat to patient safety?

Universally, anesthesiologists are expected to be knowledgeable, astutely responding to clinical challenges while maintaining a prolonged vigilance for administration of safe anesthesia and critical care. A fatigued anesthesiologist is the consequence of cumulative acuity, manifesting as decreased motor and cognitive powers. This results in impaired judgement, late and inadequate responses to clinical changes, poor communication and inadequate record keeping. With rising expectations and increased medico-legal claims, anesthesiologists work round the clock to provide efficient and timely services, but are the "sleep provider" in a sleep debt them self? Is it the right time to promptly address these issues so that we prevent silent perpetuation of problems pertinent to anesthesiologist′s health and the profession. The implications of sleep debt on patient safety are profound and preventive strategies are quintessential. Anesthesiology governing bodies must ensure requisite laws to prevent the adverse outcomes of sleep debt before patient care is compromised

U turn to venous air embolism

There is a definitive risk of venous air embolism when the fluid infusion is complete and the drip set is still open in a glass bottle. We have devised a novel way of preventing the chances of air embolism when the fluid in the glass bottle finishes. It really gives a “U” turn to the chances of venous air embolism