Inventory routing for defense: Moving supplies in adversarial and partially observable environments

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-81
Author(s):  
Michelle Blom ◽  
Slava Shekh ◽  
Don Gossink ◽  
Tim Miller ◽  
Adrian R Pearce
Keyword(s):  
Autonomous Vehicles ◽  
Cost Minimization ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Inventory Routing ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Dynamic Events ◽  
Secondary Objective ◽  
Partially Observable ◽  
Item Types

Future defense logistics will be heavily reliant on autonomous vehicles for the transportation of supplies. We consider a dynamic logistics problem in which: multiple supply item types are transported between suppliers and consuming (sink) locations; and autonomous vehicles (road-, sea-, and air-based) make decisions on where to collect and deliver supplies in a decentralized manner. Sink nodes consume dynamically varying demands (whose timing and size are not known a priori). Network arcs, and vehicles, experience failures at times, and for durations, that are not known a priori. These dynamic events are caused by an adversary, seeking to disrupt the network. We design domain-dependent planning algorithms for these vehicles whose primary objective is to minimize the likelihood of stockout events (where insufficient resource is present at a sink to meet demand). Cost minimization is a secondary objective. The performance of these algorithms, across varying scenarios, with and without restrictions on communication between vehicles and network locations, is evaluated using agent-based simulation. We show that stockpiling-based strategies, where quantities of resource are amassed at strategic locations, are most effective on large land-based networks with multiple supply item types, with simpler “shuttling”-based approaches being sufficient otherwise.

scholarly journals Raman Spectroscopy of n-Type and p-Type GaSb with Multiple Excitation Wavelengths

2007 ◽  
Vol 61 (10) ◽  
pp. 1093-1102 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Maslar ◽  
Wilbur Hurst ◽  
Christine A. Wang
Keyword(s):  
Raman Spectra ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Optical Systems ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Bulk Scattering ◽  
Secondary Objective ◽  
P Type

The interpretation of Raman spectra of GaSb can be complicated by the presence of a so-called surface space-charge region (SSCR), resulting in an inhomogeneous near-surface Raman scattering environment. To fully interpret Raman spectra, it is important to have an understanding of the SSCR profile relative to the Raman probe depth. However, a priori determination of even the actual SSCR width is not always possible for GaSb under a wide range of doping levels. The primary objective of this report is to provide a convenient reference to aid in the determination of relative contributions to an observed GaSb Raman spectrum of SSCR scattering and bulk scattering for a range of excitation wavelengths, doping levels, and SSCR widths and types. Raman spectra of both n-type and p-type doped GaSb epilayers were obtained using 488 nm, 514.5 nm, 647.1 nm, and 752.55 nm excitation radiation. Both n-type and p-type doped GaSb epilayers were selected for investigation because these layers exhibit the two different SSCR types that are typically encountered with as-grown GaSb and related materials. A range of doping levels were examined for each doping type so as to examine the effects of a varying SSCR width on the observed spectra. A secondary objective of this report is to demonstrate the performance of a spectroscopic system based on 752.55 nm excitation that is sensitive to bulk carrier properties in n-type and p-type doped GaSb epilayers over a wide doping range, unlike visible-wavelength-based optical systems.

scholarly journals Online Decision-Making for Scalable Autonomous Systems

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyle Hollins Wray ◽  
Stefan J. Witwicki ◽  
Shlomo Zilberstein
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Autonomous Vehicles ◽  
Formal Model ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Autonomous Systems ◽  
Action Function ◽  
Single Action ◽  
Industry Standard ◽  
Markov Decision ◽  
Partially Observable

We present a general formal model called MODIA that can tackle a central challenge for autonomous vehicles (AVs), namely the ability to interact with an unspecified, large number of world entities. In MODIA, a collection of possible decision-problems (DPs), known a priori, are instantiated online and executed as decision-components (DCs), unknown a priori. To combine their individual action recommendations of the DCs into a single action, we propose the lexicographic executor action function (LEAF) mechanism. We analyze the complexity of MODIA and establish LEAF’s relation to regret minimization. Finally, we implement MODIA and LEAF using collections of partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP) DPs, and use them for complex AV intersection decision-making. We evaluate the approach in six scenarios within an industry-standard vehicle simulator, and present its use on an AV prototype.

The Student Room Survey: Changes in the Post Graduate Study for Cardiothoracic Surgery

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 71-74
Author(s):  
Md Faizus Sazzad ◽  
Mohammed Moniruzzaman ◽  
Dewan Iftakher Raza Choudhury ◽  
Arif Ahmed Mohiuddin ◽  
Raafi Rahman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thoracic Surgery ◽  
Retrospective Analysis ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Graduate Study ◽  
Postgraduate Students ◽  
Depth Interview ◽  
Secondary Objective ◽  
Cardio Vascular ◽  
The University ◽  
Day By Day

Background: The number of postgraduate students in Cardiac surgical discipline is increasing day by day with incremental proportion are measurably suffering from the unnecessary lingering of the present course curriculum. The primary objective of this study was to find out the last 5 years’ of results of Masters in Surgery course under the University of Dhaka from a student room survey. A secondary objective was to find out positive changes that could show us the way of a step toward up-gradation. Methods: It is a retrospective analysis of all examination results of Cardio-vascular & Thoracic Surgery published since January 2008 to January 2013 from the University of Dhaka with in depth interview of 11 participants. Results: 85.24% students failed to pass part-I of Masters in Surgery for Cardio-vascular & Thoracic Surgery course while, 82.18% in part-II and 71.28% failed to pass the final part. Average 2.51 attempts needed to complete each part of the designed course resulted into lingering of course duration for 42.18 months/student. In the thoracic surgery discipline the number of students alarmingly reduced up to 0% in the recent academic sessions. Conclusions: Masters in Surgery is resulting in unnecessary prolongation of the course. We should step forward to meet the next generation challenge. Journal of Surgical Sciences (2019) Vol. 23(2): 71-74

Epidemiology of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma: population-based cohort study

2021 ◽  
Vol 184 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-28
Author(s):  
Alexander A Leung ◽  
Janice L Pasieka ◽  
Martin D Hyrcza ◽  
Danièle Pacaud ◽  
Yuan Dong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cohort Study ◽  
Administrative Data ◽  
Laboratory Data ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Incidence Rates ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Administrative Databases ◽  
Secondary Objective ◽  
True Frequency ◽  
Clinical Records

Objective Despite the significant morbidity and mortality associated with pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma, little is known about their epidemiology. The primary objective was to determine the incidence of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma in an ethnically diverse population. A secondary objective was to develop and validate algorithms for case detection using laboratory and administrative data. Design Population-based cohort study in Alberta, Canada from 2012 to 2019. Methods Patients with pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma were identified using linked administrative databases and clinical records. Annual incidence rates per 100 000 people were calculated and stratified according to age and sex. Algorithms to identify pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma, based on laboratory and administrative data, were evaluated. Results A total of 239 patients with pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma (collectively with 251 tumors) were identified from a population of 5 196 368 people over a period of 7 years. The overall incidence of pheochromocytoma or paraganglioma was 0.66 cases per 100 000 people per year. The frequency of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma increased with age and was highest in individuals aged 60–79 years (8.85 and 14.68 cases per 100 000 people per year for males and females, respectively). An algorithm based on laboratory data (metanephrine >two-fold or normetanephrine >three-fold higher than the upper limit of normal) closely approximated the true frequency of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma with an estimated incidence of 0.54 cases per 100 000 people per year. Conslusion The incidence of pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma in an unselected population of western Canada was unexpectedly higher than rates reported from other areas of the world.

Mathematical Knowledge and the Interplay of Practices

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
José Ferreirós
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Knowledge ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Philosophy Of Mathematics ◽  
Advanced Mathematics ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Epistemology Of Mathematics ◽  
Actual Experience ◽  
Elementary Math ◽  
Mathematical Tradition

This book presents a new approach to the epistemology of mathematics by viewing mathematics as a human activity whose knowledge is intimately linked with practice. Charting an exciting new direction in the philosophy of mathematics, the book uses the crucial idea of a continuum to provide an account of the development of mathematical knowledge that reflects the actual experience of doing math and makes sense of the perceived objectivity of mathematical results. Describing a historically oriented, agent-based philosophy of mathematics, the book shows how the mathematical tradition evolved from Euclidean geometry to the real numbers and set-theoretic structures. It argues for the need to take into account a whole web of mathematical and other practices that are learned and linked by agents, and whose interplay acts as a constraint. It demonstrates how advanced mathematics, far from being a priori, is based on hypotheses, in contrast to elementary math, which has strong cognitive and practical roots and therefore enjoys certainty. Offering a wealth of philosophical and historical insights, the book challenges us to rethink some of our most basic assumptions about mathematics, its objectivity, and its relationship to culture and science.

Incidência da utilização de protetores bucais em diversos esportes de contato

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (45) ◽  
pp. 118-122
Author(s):  
Victor Paes Dias Gonçalves ◽  
Hugo Leonardo Matias Nahmias ◽  
Marcus Menezes Alves Azevedo
Keyword(s):  
Martial Arts ◽  
Rio De Janeiro ◽  
Dental Trauma ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Type Ii ◽  
Contact Sports ◽  
The Face ◽  
Secondary Objective ◽  
The City

Among contact sports, the practice of martial arts offers a greater risk of causing dental trauma and fractures as contact with the face is more frequent. The primary objective of the research is to evaluate the incidence of mouthguard use, and the secondary objective is to verify which type has a greater predominance and the difficulties in its use correlating to the type of mouthguard used. A documentary study was carried out with 273 athletes of different contact sports, among them: MMA, Boxing, Muay Thai, Jiu-Jitsu, and Taekwondo of the city of Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was concluded that the most commonly used mouthguard is PB Boils and Bites - Type II and its level of approval is poor, interfering with the athletes’ performance, mainly in relation to the breathing factor.

scholarly journals Use of Ceftaroline in Hospitalized Patients with and without COVID-19: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 763
Author(s):  
Daniele Roberto Giacobbe ◽  
Chiara Russo ◽  
Veronica Martini ◽  
Silvia Dettori ◽  
Federica Briano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Bloodstream Infections ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
First Line Therapy ◽  
Large Teaching Hospital ◽  
Secondary Objective ◽  
Medical Wards

A single-center cross-sectional study was conducted to describe the use of ceftaroline in a large teaching hospital in Northern Italy, during a period also including the first months of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The primary objective was to describe the use of ceftaroline in terms of indications and characteristics of patients. A secondary objective was to describe the rate of favorable clinical response in patients with bloodstream infections (BSI) due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA-BSI) receiving ceftaroline. Overall, 200 patients were included in the study. Most of them had COVID-19 (83%, 165/200) and were hospitalized in medical wards (78%, 155/200). Included patients with COVID-19 pneumonia were given empirical ceftaroline in the suspicion of bacterial co-infection or superinfection. Among patients with MRSA-BSI, ceftaroline was used as a first-line therapy and salvage therapy in 25% (3/12) and 75% (9/12) of cases, respectively, and as a monotherapy or in combination with daptomycin in 58% (7/12) and 42% (5/12) of patients, respectively. A favorable response was registered in 67% (8/12) of patients. Improving etiological diagnosis of bacterial infections is essential to optimize the use of ceftaroline in COVID-19 patients. The use of ceftaroline for MRSA-BSI, either as a monotherapy or in combination with other anti-MRSA agents, showed promising rates of favorable response.

scholarly journals Multicenter point prevalence evaluation of the utilization and safety of drug therapies for COVID-19 at the onset of the pandemic timeline in the United States

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathaniel J Rhodes ◽  
Atheer Dairem ◽  
William J Moore ◽  
Anooj Shah ◽  
Michael J Postelnick ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Drug Therapy ◽  
Supportive Care ◽  
The United States ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Point Prevalence ◽  
Medical Centers ◽  
Academic Medical ◽  
History Of ◽  
Secondary Objective

Abstract Disclaimer In an effort to expedite the publication of articles related to the COVID-19 pandemic, AJHP is posting these manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time. Purpose There are currently no FDA-approved medications for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). At the onset of the pandemic, off-label medication use was supported by limited or no clinical data. We sought to characterize experimental COVID-19 therapies and identify safety signals during this period. Methods We conducted a non-interventional, multicenter, point prevalence study of patients hospitalized with suspected/confirmed COVID-19. Clinical and treatment characteristics within a 24-hour window were evaluated in a random sample of up to 30 patients per site. The primary objective was to describe COVID-19–targeted therapies. The secondary objective was to describe adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Results A total of 352 patients treated for COVID-19 at 15 US hospitals From April 18 to May 8, 2020, were included in the study. Most patients were treated at academic medical centers (53.4%) or community hospitals (42.6%). Sixty-seven patients (19%) were receiving drug therapy in addition to supportive care. Drug therapies used included hydroxychloroquine (69%), remdesivir (10%), and interleukin-6 antagonists (9%). Five patients (7.5%) were receiving combination therapy. The rate of use of COVID-19–directed drug therapy was higher in patients with vs patients without a history of asthma (14.9% vs 7%, P = 0.037) and in patients enrolled in clinical trials (26.9% vs 3.2%, P < 0.001). Among those receiving drug therapy, 8 patients (12%) experienced an ADR, and ADRs were recognized at a higher rate in patients enrolled in clinical trials (62.5% vs 22%; odds ratio, 5.9; P = 0.028). Conclusion While we observed high rates of supportive care for patients with COVID-19, we also found that ADRs were common among patients receiving drug therapy, including those enrolled in clinical trials. Comprehensive systems are needed to identify and mitigate ADRs associated with experimental COVID-19 treatments.

A Pilot Study Assessing Type a Behavior in Violence-Prone Inmates

1986 ◽  
Vol 59 (2) ◽  
pp. 371-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernadette H. Schell ◽  
Jean-Charles Cachon ◽  
Ozhand Ganjavi ◽  
Frank Porporino
Keyword(s):  
Multivariate Analysis ◽  
Type A ◽  
Type A Behavior ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Prison Inmates ◽  
Activity Profile ◽  
Voice Analysis ◽  
Assessment Techniques ◽  
Secondary Objective ◽  
Violent Offenses

This study compared the Type A tendencies reported on the Behavior Activity Profile questionnaire and those yielded by a taped-voice analysis of 34 male prison inmates convicted for a variety of violent offenses. The primary objective was to provide prison officials with an instrument for detecting repeated assaulters from nonassaulters. The secondary objective was to determine which of the two Type A assessment techniques was more predictive of prisoners' status as assaulters. The multivariate analysis indicated that the profile, prisoners' length of sentence, and number of convictions accounted for 88% of the variance in grouping, assaulter or nonassaulter. Implications for prison administrators and researchers were discussed.

scholarly journals ‘N-Angle’: Clinical Indicator for Predictable Insertion of Ramal Bone Screws

2021 ◽  
pp. 030157422199194
Author(s):  
Vivek J Patni ◽  
Neeraj E Kolge ◽  
Madhura J Pednekar
Keyword(s):  
Soft Tissue ◽  
Average Distance ◽  
Primary Objective ◽  
Bone Screws ◽  
Neurovascular Bundle ◽  
Primary Concern ◽  
Bone Screw ◽  
Permanent Molars ◽  
Secondary Objective ◽  
Margin Of Safety

Introduction: The primary concern in the placement of ramal bone screws is the blind nature of the procedure, as there is a thick, mobile layer of soft tissue over the bone; also, the ramus is not a uniplanar structure but is swerving like a propeller blade. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the possibility of establishing clinical guidelines based on visible dental and soft-tissue landmarks for safe, reliable, and accurate insertion of ramal bone screws. Aims and Objectives: Our primary objective was to evaluate the angle formed between the appropriate direction of ramal-implant placement and the line tangential to the buccal surfaces of the first and second permanent molars. Our secondary objective was to evaluate the average distance of the neurovascular bundle from the tip of the bone screw. Materials and Methods: We obtained 80 cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) samples, marked reference lines and points on selected axial and coronal sections, and evaluated the following parameters using the software’s linear- and angular-measurement device: the angle between the appropriate direction of ramal bone screw placement and the line tangential to the buccal surfaces of the first and second permanent molars; and the proximity of the bone screw to the neurovascular bundle. Results: The angle between the constructed line of insertion and the occlusal line, as evaluated from our study, was 19.04 (SD ± 6.89) degrees. The proximity of the neurovascular bundle from the screw is 7.1773 (SD ± 1.73988) mm. Conclusion: We can conclude that ramal bone screws can be placed with a comfortable margin of safety.

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