scholarly journals A Novel Ventilator Design for COVID-19 and Resource-Limited Settings

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Madekurozwa ◽  
Willy V. Bonneuil ◽  
Jennifer Frattolin ◽  
Daniel J. Watson ◽  
Axel C. Moore ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chains ◽  
Oxygen Sensor ◽  
Pressure Sensors ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Short Supply ◽  
Chain Flexibility ◽  
Supply Chain Flexibility ◽  
Performance Requirements ◽  
Resource Limited ◽  
Oxygen Concentrator

There has existed a severe ventilator deficit in much of the world for many years, due in part to the high cost and complexity of traditional ICU ventilators. This was highlighted and exacerbated by the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which the increase in ventilator production rapidly overran the global supply chains for components. In response, we propose a new approach to ventilator design that meets the performance requirements for COVID-19 patients, while using components that minimise interference with the existing ventilator supply chains. The majority of current ventilator designs use proportional valves and flow sensors, which remain in short supply over a year into the pandemic. In the proposed design, the core components are on-off valves. Unlike proportional valves, on-off valves are widely available, but accurate control of ventilation using on-off valves is not straightforward. Our proposed solution combines four on-off valves, a two-litre reservoir, an oxygen sensor and two pressure sensors. Benchtop testing of a prototype was performed with a commercially available flow analyser and test lungs. We investigated the accuracy and precision of the prototype using both compressed gas supplies and a portable oxygen concentrator, and demonstrated the long-term durability over 15 days. The precision and accuracy of ventilation parameters were within the ranges specified in international guidelines in all tests. A numerical model of the system was developed and validated against experimental data. The model was used to determine usable ranges of valve flow coefficients to increase supply chain flexibility. This new design provides the performance necessary for the majority of patients that require ventilation. Applications include COVID-19 as well as pneumonia, influenza, and tuberculosis, which remain major causes of mortality in low and middle income countries. The robustness, energy efficiency, ease of maintenance, price and availability of on-off valves are all advantageous over proportional valves. As a result, the proposed ventilator design will cost significantly less to manufacture and maintain than current market designs and has the potential to increase global ventilator availability.

scholarly journals The Inflexible Structure of Global Supply Chains

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 (193) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Tamim Bayoumi ◽  
Jelle Barkema ◽  
Diego Cerdeiro
Keyword(s):  
Business Cycle ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Specific Aspect ◽  
Global Supply Chains ◽  
Global Business ◽  
Chain Flexibility ◽  
Supply Chain Flexibility ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Short Run ◽  
Over Time

The rise of global supply chains has had profound effects on individual economies and the global trading system, thereby complicating standard macroeconomic analyses. For many of the new and challenging questions brought about by this phenomenon, such as its impact on the global business cycle and measurements of competitiveness, the answer largely depends on one specific aspect of global value chains: how easily they can re-configure in response to changes in prices. We propose a parsimonious, generalized specification to test the degree of global-supply-chain flexibility. Our estimates show that, in the short run, the production structure is highly inflexible, and that this rigidity has, if anything, risen over time as supply chains have deepened over time. This finding is robust to alternative price measures, including those that account for the U.S. dollar’s outsized role in trade through invoicing. While in the long run all estimated elasticities rise, supply chains remain somewhat inflexible. Our results have implications for analyses of cross-country business-cycle dynamics, the propagation of sectoral shocks, and the measurement of international competitiveness.

scholarly journals EVALUATING COMPLEX DECISION AND PREDICTIVE ENVIRONMENTS: THE CASE OF GREEN SUPPLY CHAIN FLEXIBILITY

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 1630-1658 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chunguang Bai ◽  
Joseph Sarkis
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Set Theory ◽  
Rough Set ◽  
Rough Set Theory ◽  
Green Supply Chain ◽  
Chain Flexibility ◽  
Supply Chain Flexibility ◽  
Neighborhood Rough Set ◽  
Green Supply Chains

Supply chain flexibility is an important operations strategy dimension for organizations to achieve and maintain competitive advantage. With rising greener customer expectations and increasingly stringent environmental regulations, green supply chains are now viewed as another competitive weapon. Green supply chains are characterized by higher complexity and turbulence. Green supply chain flexibility can aid organizations function in this complex and uncertain environment, yet investigation into this area is very limited. This paper aims contribute to this field by investigating green supply chain flexibility achievement through information systems. This paper introduces a green supply chain flexibility matrix framework. Given the large data needs, as described in the matrix, a novel probability evaluation methodology that can help predict rankings of projects and programs is introduced. The methodology extends a TOPSIS based three-parameter interval grey number (TpGN) approach by incorporating neighborhood rough set theory (RST) to evaluate IS programs’ green flexibility support capability. The results of this methodology are more objective and effective for two reasons. (1) The results are predictive rankings based on probability degree instead of the fixed deterministic ranks. (2) Neighborhood rough set theory used in this study can limit loss of information when compared to rough set theory, yet still simplify extensive data sets. This paper also identifies study limitations and future research directions for green supply chain flexibility.

Towards an Empirical-Relational Model of Supply Chain Flexibility

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 67-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Santanu Mandal
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Relational Model ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Chain Flexibility ◽  
Resource Based View ◽  
Supply Chain Flexibility ◽  
Indian Context

Supply chains are prone to disruptions and associated risks. To develop capabilities for risk mitigation, supply chains need to be flexible. A flexible supply chain can respond better to environmental contingencies. Based on the theoretical tenets of resource-based view, relational view and dynamic capabilities theory, the current study develops a relational model of supply chain flexibility comprising trust, commitment, communication, co-operation, adaptation and interdependence. Subsequently the model is empirically validated based on a web based survey of 132 supply chain professionals in the Indian context.

Supply chain flexibility: a comprehensive review

2015 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 767-792 ◽  
Author(s):  
Atul Kumar Tiwari ◽  
Anunay Tiwari ◽  
Cherian Samuel
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Supply Chains ◽  
Citation Analysis ◽  
Strategic Decision ◽  
Chain Flexibility ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Environments ◽  
Supply Chain Flexibility ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Unified Process

Purpose – Changes are inevitable in risky and uncertain business environments of today’s volatile supply chains. The concept of flexibility originates from this need to mitigate the ill-effects of risks and uncertainty in supply chains. In this paper, an attempt is made to present an exhaustive review on supply chain flexibility (SCF) and its implementation to gain strategic advantages. Design/methodology/approach – A citation analysis method is employed in this paper to discuss, analyse and apprehend the conceptual, empirical, analytical and simulation studies done in this field. In this paper, about 110 papers on flexibility from many reputed journals are examined to study and assimilate various aspects of flexibility. Findings – SCF embraces a unified process-based view including the core processes such as procurement, sourcing, distribution and logistics and mitigates uncertainty or risks involved. The review helps to assimilate the key knowledge about relevant practices in SCF and helps to draw implementing strategies while offering managerial insight on the subject. Research limitations/implications – Citation and co-citation analysis is done to review the SCF literature. Efforts are made to investigate relevant papers from various journals regarding its ability to mitigate risk or aid in making strategic decision. The study, however, is limited to certain industries in the papers as per chosen approach here. The strategies described in here may further be verified by the researchers and practitioners pertaining to their study or industries focused. Practical implications – It provides managerial insight for practitioners on how to use flexibility within the firm and across supply chain while considering various trade-offs. Originality/value – This paper is unique as a review paper, as it encompasses various kinds of studies done on SCF from conceptual models to mathematical models. Further, it briefs with the current practices in industries/SC towards being flexible. It talks of various trade-offs in pursuit of flexibility and concludes while suggesting numerous research gaps and opening new dimensions for SCF research. It offers many managerial and academic implications.

Vaccine Supply Chains in Resource-Limited Settings: Mitigating Rainy Season Disruptions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim De Boeck ◽  
Catherine Decouttere ◽  
Jónas Oddur Jónasson ◽  
Nico Vandaele
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chains ◽  
Rainy Season ◽  
Resource Limited Settings ◽  
Resource Limited

scholarly journals Context matters in understanding the vulnerability of women: perspectives from southwestern Uganda

2021 ◽  
Vol 79 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Neema Murembe ◽  
Teddy Kyomuhangi ◽  
Kimberly Manalili ◽  
Florence Beinempaka ◽  
Primrose Nakazibwe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Workers ◽  
Geographical Location ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Extreme Poverty ◽  
Economic Class ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Resource Limited ◽  
The People ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Southwestern Uganda

Abstract Background Vulnerability at the individual, family, community or organization level affects access and utilization of health services, and is a key consideration for health equity. Several frameworks have been used to explore the concept of vulnerability and identified demographics including ethnicity, economic class, level of education, and geographical location. While the magnitude of vulnerable populations is not clearly documented and understood, specific indicators, such as extreme poverty, show that vulnerability among women is pervasive. Women in low and middle-income countries often do not control economic resources and are culturally disadvantaged, which exacerbates other vulnerabilities they experience. In this commentary, we explore the different understandings of vulnerability and the importance of engaging communities in defining vulnerability for research, as well as for programming and provision of maternal newborn and child health (MNCH) services. Methodology In a recent community-based qualitative study, we examined the healthcare utilization experiences of vulnerable women with MNCH services in rural southwestern Uganda. Focus group discussions were conducted with community leaders and community health workers in two districts of Southwestern Uganda. In addition, we did individual interviews with women living in extreme poverty and having other conventional vulnerability characteristics. Findings and discussion We found that the traditional criteria of vulnerability were insufficient to identify categories of vulnerable women to target in the context of MNCH programming and service provision in resource-limited settings. Through our engagement with communities and through the narratives of the people we interviewed, we obtained insight into how nuanced vulnerability can be, and how important it is to ground definitions of vulnerability within the specific context. We identified additional aspects of vulnerability through this study, including: women who suffer from alcoholism or have husbands with alcoholism, women with a history of home births, women that have given birth only to girls, and those living on fishing sites. Conclusion Engaging communities in defining vulnerability is critical for the effective design, implementation and monitoring of MNCH programs, as it ensures these services are reaching those who are most in need.

scholarly journals Investigating Capnography Innovation for Better Patient Monitoring in the Resource Limited Surgical Setting

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 124-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maziar M. Nourian ◽  
Patrick Kolbay ◽  
Soeren Hoehne ◽  
Ahrash E. Poursaid ◽  
Ann E. Rowley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
In Silico ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Sampling Rate ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Resource Limited ◽  
Industry Standards ◽  
Environmental Sensor ◽  
Available Technology ◽  
Surgical Setting ◽  
Lung Simulation

Background. Access to basic anesthetic monitoring in the developing world is lacking, which contributes to the 100 times greater anesthesia-related mortality in low- and middle-income countries. We hypothesize that an environmental sensor with a lower sampling rate could provide some clinical utility by providing CO2 levels, respiratory rate, and support in detection of clinical abnormalities. Materials and Methods. A bench-top lung simulation was created to replicate CO2 waveforms, and an environmental sensor was compared with industry-available technology. Sensor response time and respiratory rates were compared between devices. Additionally, an in silico model was created to replicate capnography pathology as waveforms would appear using the environmental sensor. Results and Conclusion. Breath simulations using the bench-top lung simulation produced similar results to industry standards with a degree of variability. Respiratory rates did not differ between the environmental sensor and all other devices tested. Finally, pathological waveforms created in silico carried a certain level of detail regarding ventilatory pathology, which could provide some clinical insight to an anesthesiologist. We believe our prototype is the first step toward making low-cost and portable capnography available in the resource-limited setting, and future efforts should focus on bridging the gap to safer anesthesia and surgery globally.

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