Strategic Blockchain Adoption in Supply Chain Operations

Supply chains have often benefited from breakthroughs in information technology. Most recently, blockchain is promising to revolutionize the way supply chains are designed and operated. In this thesis, we explore blockchain adoptions in three supply chain settings. First, we optimize blockchain deployment at the supply chain network design stage and propose a mixed-integer quadratic programming model for it. Based on a case study from the fresh flowers supply chain, we find that significant cost savings could be achieved from the strategic deployment of blockchain throughout the supply chain as opposed to full blockchain adoption, which translates to lower market prices to consumers, increased demand, better product quality products, and higher profits. In the second, we investigate the potential of blockchain adoption to deter counterfeiters. We present a game-theoretic model that uses blockchain technology to increase the capability of detecting deceptive counterfeits. We find that blockchain is not always financially viable for manufacturers to discourage counterfeiting and it becomes less attractive for premium and luxury products. Our framework also demonstrates that manufacturers can strategically balance product quality and blockchain investment to combat counterfeiting. Last, we explore the potential of blockchain to accurately track carbon emissions. We study a competitive supplier selection problem with one manufacturer and two suppliers and investigate the use of financial incentives to encourage suppliers to adopt greener technologies. The game-theoretic framework is modelled as a bi-level optimization problem. We find that financial incentives are effective in fostering greener components from the suppliers and that blockchain offers suppliers the flexibility to explore emission reductions either by better reporting or technological upgrades

A data-driven optimization approach for mixed-case palletization and three-dimensional bin packing

Palletization is the most standard method of packaging and transportation in the retail industry. Their building involves the solution of a three-dimensional packing problem with side practical constraints such as item support and pallet stability, leading to what is known as the mixed-case palletization problem. Motivated by the fact that solving industry-size instances is still very challenging for current methods, we propose a new solution methodology that combines data analysis at the instance level and optimization to build pallets. Item heights are first analyzed to identify possible layers and to derive relationships between item positions. Items are stacked in pairs and trios to create super items, which are then arranged to create layers of even height. The resulting layers are finally stacked to create pallets. The layers are constructed using a reduced-size mixed integer program as well as a two-dimension placement heuristic. Computational tests on industry data show that the solution approach is extremely efficient in producing high-quality solutions in fast computational times

HUMAN FACTORS ENGINEERING APPLIED TO CONTROL CENTRE DESIGN OF A RESEARCH NUCLEAR REACTOR

The Human Factors Engineering (HFE) program is an essential aspect for the design of nuclear installations. The overall aim of the HFE program is the improvement of the operational reliability and safety of plant operation. The HFE program main purpose is to ensure that human factor practices are incorporated into the plant design, emphasizing man-machine interface issues and design improvement of the nuclear reactor Control Centre. The Control Centre of nuclear reactor is a combination of control rooms, control suites and local control stations, which are functionally connected and located on the reactor site. The objective of this paper is to present a design approach for the Control Centre of a nuclear reactor used to produce radioisotopes and for nuclear research, including human factor issues. The design approach is based on participatory design principles, using human factor standards, ergonomic guidelines, and the participation of a multidisciplinary team during all design phases. Using the information gathered, an initial sketch 3D of the Control Centre was developed

Effects of Irrigation and Season on Performance of Grazed Pastures of \u3cem\u3eBrachiaria brizantha\u3c/em\u3e cv. MG5

In Brazil, livestock production is based primarily on systems with continuously grazed natural or cultivated pastures (FAO 2009). Intensifying animal breeding, handling and knowledge strategies is necessary to obtain improvements in production indices for economically feasible and sustainable grazing systems (Cedeño et al. 2003). Beef cattle breeding on irrigated pasture, like all forms of intensive grazing, requires the use of forage species with high potential for production and quality, and Brachiaria brizantha cv. MG5 is considered a good option. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of irrigation on the performance of B. brizantha cv. MG5 grazed rotationally by beef cattle at different times of the year

Spatial Factors Play a Major Role as Determinants of Endemic Ground Beetle Beta Diversity of Madeira Island Laurisilva

The development in recent years of new beta diversity analytical approaches highlighted valuable information on the different processes structuring ecological communities. A crucial development for the understanding of beta diversity patterns was also its differentiation in two components: species turnover and richness differences. In this study, we evaluate beta diversity patterns of ground beetles from 26 sites in Madeira Island distributed throughout Laurisilva – a relict forest restricted to the Macaronesian archipelagos. We assess how the two components of ground beetle beta diversity (βrepl – species turnover and βrich - species richness differences) relate with differences in climate, geography, landscape composition matrix, woody plant species richness and soil characteristics and the relative importance of the effects of these variables at different spatial scales. We sampled 1025 specimens from 31 species, most of which are endemic to Madeira Island. A spatially explicit analysis was used to evaluate the contribution of pure environmental, pure spatial and environmental spatially structured effects on variation in ground beetle species richness and composition. Variation partitioning showed that 31.9% of species turnover (βrepl) and 40.7% of species richness variation (βrich) could be explained by the environmental and spatial variables. However, different environmental variables controlled the two types of beta diversity: βrepl was influenced by climate, disturbance and soil organic matter content whilst βrich was controlled by altitude and slope. Furthermore, spatial variables, represented through Moran’s eigenvector maps, played a significant role in explaining both βrepl and βrich, suggesting that both dispersal ability and Madeira Island complex orography are crucial for the understanding of beta diversity patterns in this group of beetles.Peer reviewe

Mineralization of Sialoliths Investigated by Ex Vivo and In Vivo X-ray Computed Tomography

The fraction of organic matter present affects the fragmentation behavior of sialoliths; thus, pretherapeutic information on the degree of mineralization is relevant for a correct selection of lithotripsy procedures. This work proposes a methodology for in vivo characterization of salivary calculi in the pretherapeutic context. Sialoliths were characterized in detail by X-ray computed microtomography (μCT) in combination with atomic emission spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. Correlative analysis of the same specimens was performed by in vivo and ex vivo helical computed tomography (HCT) and ex vivo μCT. The mineral matter in the sialoliths consisted essentially of apatite (89 vol%) and whitlockite (11 vol%) with average density of 1.8 g/cm3. In hydrated conditions, the mineral mass prevailed with 53 ± 13 wt%, whereas the organic matter, with a density of 1.2 g/cm3, occupied 65 ± 10% of the sialoliths' volume. A quantitative relation between sialoliths mineral density and X-ray attenuation is proposed for both HCT and μCT.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Amerindian genetic ancestry and INDEL polymorphisms associated with susceptibility of childhood B-cell Leukemia in an admixed population from the Brazilian Amazon

AbstractAcute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a malignant tumor common in children. Studies of genetic susceptibility to cancer using biallelic insertion/deletion (INDEL) type polymorphisms associated with cancer development pathways may help to clarify etymology of ALL. In this study, we investigate the role of eight functional INDEL polymorphisms and influence of genetic ancestry to B-cell ALL susceptibility in children of Brazilian Amazon population, which has a high degree of inter-ethnic admixture. Ancestry analysis was estimated using a panel of 48 autosomal ancestry informative markers. 130 B-cell ALL patients and 125 healthy controls were included in this study. The odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were adjusted for confounders. The results indicated an association between the investigated INDEL polymorphisms in CASP8 (rs3834129), CYP19A1 (rs11575899) e XRCC1 (rs3213239) genes in the development of B-cell ALL. The carriers of Insertion/Insertion (Ins/Ins) genotype of the polymorphism in CASP8 gene presented reduced chances of developing B-cell ALL (P=0.001; OR=0.353; 95% CI=0.192–0.651). The Deletion/Deletion (Del/Del) genotype of the polymorphism in CYP19A1 gene was associated to a lower chance of developing B-cell ALL (P=3.35×10−6; OR=0.121; 95% CI=0.050–0.295), while Del/Del genotype of the polymorphism in XRCC1 gene was associated to a higher chance of developing B-cell ALL (P=2.01×10−4; OR=6.559; 95% CI=2.433–17.681). We also found that Amerindian ancestry correlates with the risk of B-cell ALL. For each increase of 10% in the Amerindian ancestry results in 1.4-fold chances of developing B-cell ALL (OR=1.406; 95% IC=1.123–1.761), while each increase of 10% in the European ancestry presents a protection effect in the development of B-cell ALL (OR=0.666; 95% IC=0.536–0.827). The results suggest that genetic factors influence leukemogenesis and might be explored in the stratification of B-cell ALL risk in admixed populations

Superpulsed low-level laser therapy protects skeletal muscle of mdx mice against damage, inflammation and morphological changes delaying dystrophy progression.

Aim: To evaluate the effects of preventive treatment with low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on progression of dystrophy in mdx mice. Methods: Ten animals were randomly divided into 2 experimental groups treated with superpulsed LLLT (904 nm, 15 mW, 700 Hz, 1 J) or placebo-LLLT at one point overlying the tibialis anterior muscle (bilaterally) 5 times per week for 14 weeks (from 6th to 20th week of age). Morphological changes, creatine kinase (CK) activity and mRNA gene expression were assessed in animals at 20th week of age. Results: Animals treated with LLLT showed very few morphological changes in skeletal muscle, with less atrophy and fibrosis than animals treated with placebo-LLLT. CK was significantly lower (p = 0.0203) in animals treated with LLLT (864.70 U.l−1, SEM 226.10) than placebo (1708.00 U.l−1, SEM 184.60). mRNA gene expression of inflammatory markers was significantly decreased by treatment with LLLT (p<0.05): TNF-α (placebo-control = 0.51 µg/µl [SEM 0.12], - LLLT = 0.048 µg/µl [SEM 0.01]), IL-1β (placebo-control = 2.292 µg/µl [SEM 0.74], - LLLT = 0.12 µg/µl [SEM 0.03]), IL-6 (placebo-control = 3.946 µg/µl [SEM 0.98], - LLLT = 0.854 µg/µl [SEM 0.33]), IL-10 (placebo-control = 1.116 µg/µl [SEM 0.22], - LLLT = 0.352 µg/µl [SEM 0.15]), and COX-2 (placebo-control = 4.984 µg/µl [SEM 1.18], LLLT = 1.470 µg/µl [SEM 0.73]). Conclusion: Irradiation of superpulsed LLLT on successive days five times per week for 14 weeks decreased morphological changes, skeletal muscle damage and inflammation in mdx mice. This indicates that LLLT has potential to decrease progression of Duchenne muscular dystrophy