Capacity Planning with Uncertainty on Contract Fulfillment

This paper focuses on the tactical planning problem faced by a shipper which seeks to secure transportation and warehousing capacity, such as containers, vehicles or space in a warehouse, of different sizes, costs, and characteristics, from a carrier or logistics provider, while facing different sources of uncertainty. The uncertainty can be related to the loads to be transported or stored, the cost and availability of ad-hoc capacity on the spot market in the future, and the availability of the contracted capacity in the future when the shipper needs it. This last source of uncertainty on the capacity loss on the contracted capacity is particularly important in both long-haul transportation and urban distribution applications, but no optimization methodology has been proposed so far. We introduce the Stochastic Variable Cost and Size Bin Packing with Capacity Loss problem and model that directly address this issue, together with a metaheuristic to efficiently address it. We perform a set of extensive numerical experiments on instances related to long-haul transportation and urban distribution contexts and derive managerial insights on how such capacity planning should be performed

Association of Candidate Gene Polymorphisms With Chronic Kidney Disease: Results of a Case-Control Analysis in the Nefrona Cohort

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major risk factor for end-stage renal disease, cardiovascular disease and premature death. Despite classical clinical risk factors for CKD and some genetic risk factors have been identified, the residual risk observed in prediction models is still high. Therefore, new risk factors need to be identified in order to better predict the risk of CKD in the population. Here, we analyzed the genetic association of 79 SNPs of proteins associated with mineral metabolism disturbances with CKD in a cohort that includes 2, 445 CKD cases and 559 controls. Genotyping was performed with matrix assisted laser desorption ionizationtime of flight mass spectrometry. We used logistic regression models considering different genetic inheritance models to assess the association of the SNPs with the prevalence of CKD, adjusting for known risk factors. Eight SNPs (rs1126616, rs35068180, rs2238135, rs1800247, rs385564, rs4236, rs2248359, and rs1564858) were associated with CKD even after adjusting by sex, age and race. A model containing five of these SNPs (rs1126616, rs35068180, rs1800247, rs4236, and rs2248359), diabetes and hypertension showed better performance than models considering only clinical risk factors, significantly increasing the area under the curve of the model without polymorphisms. Furthermore, one of the SNPs (the rs2248359) showed an interaction with hypertension, being the risk genotype affecting only hypertensive patients. We conclude that 5 SNPs related to proteins implicated in mineral metabolism disturbances (Osteopontin, osteocalcin, matrix gla protein, matrix metalloprotease 3 and 24 hydroxylase) are associated to an increased risk of suffering CKD

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Background: Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. // Methods: We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung's disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. // Findings: We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung's disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middle-income countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in low-income countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. // Interpretation: Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Mortality from gastrointestinal congenital anomalies at 264 hospitals in 74 low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries: a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study

Summary Background Congenital anomalies are the fifth leading cause of mortality in children younger than 5 years globally. Many gastrointestinal congenital anomalies are fatal without timely access to neonatal surgical care, but few studies have been done on these conditions in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared outcomes of the seven most common gastrointestinal congenital anomalies in low-income, middle-income, and high-income countries globally, and identified factors associated with mortality. Methods We did a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of patients younger than 16 years, presenting to hospital for the first time with oesophageal atresia, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal atresia, gastroschisis, exomphalos, anorectal malformation, and Hirschsprung’s disease. Recruitment was of consecutive patients for a minimum of 1 month between October, 2018, and April, 2019. We collected data on patient demographics, clinical status, interventions, and outcomes using the REDCap platform. Patients were followed up for 30 days after primary intervention, or 30 days after admission if they did not receive an intervention. The primary outcome was all-cause, in-hospital mortality for all conditions combined and each condition individually, stratified by country income status. We did a complete case analysis. Findings We included 3849 patients with 3975 study conditions (560 with oesophageal atresia, 448 with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, 681 with intestinal atresia, 453 with gastroschisis, 325 with exomphalos, 991 with anorectal malformation, and 517 with Hirschsprung’s disease) from 264 hospitals (89 in high-income countries, 166 in middleincome countries, and nine in low-income countries) in 74 countries. Of the 3849 patients, 2231 (58·0%) were male. Median gestational age at birth was 38 weeks (IQR 36–39) and median bodyweight at presentation was 2·8 kg (2·3–3·3). Mortality among all patients was 37 (39·8%) of 93 in low-income countries, 583 (20·4%) of 2860 in middle-income countries, and 50 (5·6%) of 896 in high-income countries (p<0·0001 between all country income groups). Gastroschisis had the greatest difference in mortality between country income strata (nine [90·0%] of ten in lowincome countries, 97 [31·9%] of 304 in middle-income countries, and two [1·4%] of 139 in high-income countries; p≤0·0001 between all country income groups). Factors significantly associated with higher mortality for all patients combined included country income status (low-income vs high-income countries, risk ratio 2·78 [95% CI 1·88–4·11], p<0·0001; middle-income vs high-income countries, 2·11 [1·59–2·79], p<0·0001), sepsis at presentation (1·20 [1·04–1·40], p=0·016), higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score at primary intervention (ASA 4–5 vs ASA 1–2, 1·82 [1·40–2·35], p<0·0001; ASA 3 vs ASA 1–2, 1·58, [1·30–1·92], p<0·0001]), surgical safety checklist not used (1·39 [1·02–1·90], p=0·035), and ventilation or parenteral nutrition unavailable when needed (ventilation 1·96, [1·41–2·71], p=0·0001; parenteral nutrition 1·35, [1·05–1·74], p=0·018). Administration of parenteral nutrition (0·61, [0·47–0·79], p=0·0002) and use of a peripherally inserted central catheter (0·65 [0·50–0·86], p=0·0024) or percutaneous central line (0·69 [0·48–1·00], p=0·049) were associated with lower mortality. Interpretation Unacceptable differences in mortality exist for gastrointestinal congenital anomalies between lowincome, middle-income, and high-income countries. Improving access to quality neonatal surgical care in LMICs will be vital to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2 of ending preventable deaths in neonates and children younger than 5 years by 2030

Intersectional Criminalization en el Valle: The Criminalization of Formerly Incarcerated and System-Impacted Chicanas in California’s Prison Alley

Despite the overrepresentation of Mexican American women and girls or Chicanas in the juvenile and criminal justice systems, research has paid little attention to their criminalized experiences. This is a surprising gap in knowledge, given that while imprisonment rates for all racially marginalized groups have steadily declined over the past 20 years, they increased for Latinas. Oversight may be explained by the central focus on race in criminalization scholarship, which privileges the racialized experiences of boys and men of color but fails to consider the conditions that shape criminalization for girls and women. This singular focus on race defines criminalization as a process of racialization, conflates criminalization with boys and men of color, and ignores other identities through which race is experienced.This dissertation applies an intersectional perspective to the study of criminalization by investigating how race, gender, and sexuality condition the criminalized experiences of system-involved Chicanas living in California’s rural Central Valley. Drawing on life-history interviews with 38 formerly incarcerated and system-impacted Mexican American women, this multi-level intersectional analysis asks: 1) How do race, gender, and sexuality, as distinct and intersecting systems of oppression, shape the criminalization of Chicanas? 2) How is criminalization, as a concept and process, necessarily reconfigured by an intersectional approach? Findings reveal three unique processes or mechanisms of punishment that differentiate Chicanas’ experiences of criminalization from those of their Chicano male counterparts. First, Chicanas’ interpersonal relationships with Latino men and boys exacerbated their experiences of criminalization. Second, Chicanas’ reasonable responses to gendered and sexualized interpersonal violence were criminalized by institutions traditionally associated with support and protection (e.g., schools, social service agencies, and the police). Third, Chicanas were criminalized through the “unfit hyper-breeder” controlling image, which ascribes sexual, reproductive, and maternal deviance, and operates in the education, family court, and welfare systems.Taken together, I argue that criminalization is a multi-level, racialized, gendered, and heteronormative process and experience that is reflected in everyday interactions, reproduced in social institutions, and embodied in larger systems of white supremacy and hetero-patriarchy. I develop an analytical framework I call intersectional criminalization to capture this process. This is a more comprehensive framework for understanding how intersecting identities and systems of oppression criminalize and reproduce inequality for previously unaccounted groups. What is more, by centering the voices of a group of women who have been traditionally overlooked, this research makes visible structures of inequality and power that go unnoticed and that uphold the carceral state

The Equal Rights Amendment and the Case of the Rescinding States: A Comparative Historical Analysis

Studies of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and its eventual defeat are by no means in short supply. However, the scholarly research in this area has paid little attention to the five states that initially ratified the amendment but later rescinded their votes, choosing instead to count them amongst the 35 states that officially ratified the amendment. This simplistic “ratified/non-ratified” approach runs the risk of masking crucial decisions and patterns that are unique to the five rescinding states, and which may have helped shape the eventual defeat of the amendment. In this comparative historical study, I examine the factors that explain why and how Idaho, Nebraska, South Dakota, Kentucky, and Tennessee rescinded their initial votes for ERA ratification. I employ content analysis of primary and secondary sources from each rescinding state from the period between 1972 through 1982. The data presented here consist of historical documents from state-level chapters of three pro-ERA organizations, legislative documents, and newspapers. Drawing on multiple social movement perspectives, I find the decision to rescind reflects a retrenchment of pro-feminist ideology followed by a backlash of the conservative gendered order. In this paper I demonstrate how the opposition, through a process I call constructed confusion, or the social manufacturing of confusion, exploited uncertainty and propagated misinformation to reframe rescission as a moral and social corrective. Aided by the slow and ineffectual response by proponents to combat these efforts, rescission was used to maintain inequality by preserving the very power structures that legitimized it. Ultimately, the decision to rescind is a story of hegemonic power and its reproduction

The Equal Rights Amendment and the Case of the Rescinding States: A Comparative Historical Analysis

Studies of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) and its eventual defeat are by no means in short supply. However, the scholarly research in this area has paid little attention to the five states that initially ratified the amendment but later rescinded their votes, choosing instead to count them amongst the 35 states that officially ratified the amendment. This simplistic “ratified/non-ratified” approach runs the risk of masking crucial decisions and patterns that are unique to the five rescinding states, and which may have helped shape the eventual defeat of the amendment. In this comparative historical study, I examine the factors that explain why and how Idaho, Nebraska, South Dakota, Kentucky, and Tennessee rescinded their initial votes for ERA ratification. I employ content analysis of primary and secondary sources from each rescinding state from the period between 1972 through 1982. The data presented here consist of historical documents from state-level chapters of three pro-ERA organizations, legislative documents, and newspapers. Drawing on multiple social movement perspectives, I find the decision to rescind reflects a retrenchment of pro-feminist ideology followed by a backlash of the conservative gendered order. In this paper I demonstrate how the opposition, through a process I call constructed confusion, or the social manufacturing of confusion, exploited uncertainty and propagated misinformation to reframe rescission as a moral and social corrective. Aided by the slow and ineffectual response by proponents to combat these efforts, rescission was used to maintain inequality by preserving the very power structures that legitimized it. Ultimately, the decision to rescind is a story of hegemonic power and its reproduction

Un sistema de geoinformación basado en la web para la gestión del patrimonio y la geovisualización en el Cantón Nabón (Ecuador)

Desde la antigüedad, el ser humano se ha interesado por conocer su entorno para poder tomar decisiones acertadas en la gestión territorial. El componente espacial es una característica de gran importancia en los bienes que nos rodean. La geoinformación patrimonial es una vía cómoda y eficaz para la gestión, protección y salvaguarda del patrimonio cultural y natural. Para un cumplimiento óptimo, hoy en día es imprescindible contar con el uso de nuevas tecnologías web y conocimientos geomáticos que permitan la documentación, visualización, seguimiento y gestión del patrimonio. Por lo tanto, el objetivo principal de este artículo es desarrollar un sistema de gestión del patrimonio cultural basado en la web en el Cantón Nabón, Ecuador, como un estudio de caso. El sistema, que consiste en un geoportal basado en la web accesible para toda la sociedad, permitirá consultar la información patrimonial geolocalizada del área de estudio en un mapa virtual, así como la geovisualización 3D en un visor web interactivo. El sistema integrado, una vez implementado, tendrá en consideración el ciclo de conservación preventiva en el ámbito patrimonial, destacando, en español, la creación de los modelos de datos patrimoniales según ISO21127:2014.Since ancient times, human beings have been interested in knowing their environment in order to make the right decisions in territorial management. The spatial component is a feature of great importance in the assets that surround us. Heritage geoinformation is a convenient and effective way for management, protection and safeguarding of cultural and natural heritage. For optimal compliance, it is nowadays indispensable to rely on the use of new web technologies and geomatics knowledge that allow the documentation, visualisation, monitoring and management of heritage. Therefore, the main objective of this article is to develop a web-based cultural heritage management system in Cantón Nabón, Ecuador, as a case study. The system, consisting of a web-based geoportal accessible to the whole society, will allow consulting the geolocalised heritage information of the study area on a virtual map, as well as 3D geovisualisation in an interactive web viewer. The integrated system, once implemented, will take into consideration the preventive conservation cycle in the heritage field, highlighting, in Spanish, the creation of the heritage data models according to ISO21127:2014