Improved solutions to dynamic and stochastic maritime pick-up and delivery problems using local search.

Heuristics for stochastic and dynamic vehicle routing problems are often kept relatively simple, in part due to the high computational burden resulting from having to consider stochastic information in some form. In this work, three existing heuristics are extended by three different local search variations: a first improvement descent using stochastic information, a tabu search using stochastic information when updating the incumbent solution, and a tabu search using stochastic information when selecting moves based on a list of moves determined through a proxy evaluation. In particular, the three local search variations are designed to utilize stochastic information in the form of sampled scenarios. The results indicate that adding local search using stochastic information to the existing heuristics can further reduce operating costs for shipping companies by 0.5–2 %. While the existing heuristics could produce structurally different solutions even when using similar stochastic information in the search, the appended local search methods seem able to make the final solutions more similar in structure.

Climbing Combinatorial Fitness Landscapes

International audience

Implementation of the trauma registry as a tool for quality improvement in trauma care in a brazilian hospital: the first 12 months

ABSTRACTObjective:to analyze the implementation of a trauma registry in a university teaching hospital delivering care under the unified health system (SUS), and its ability to identify points for improvement in the quality of care provided.Methods:the data collection group comprised students from medicine and nursing courses who were holders of FAPESP scholarships (technical training 1) or otherwise, overseen by the coordinators of the project. The itreg (ECO Sistemas-RJ/SBAIT) software was used as the database tool. Several quality "filters" were proposed to select those cases for review in the quality control process.Results:data for 1344 trauma patients were input to the itreg database between March and November 2014. Around 87.0% of cases were blunt trauma patients, 59.6% had RTS>7.0 and 67% ISS<9. Full records were available for 292 cases, which were selected for review in the quality program. The auditing filters most frequently registered were laparotomy four hours after admission and drainage of acute subdural hematomas four hours after admission. Several points for improvement were flagged, such as control of overtriage of patients, the need to reduce the number of negative imaging exams, the development of protocols for achieving central venous access, and management of major TBI.Conclusion: the trauma registry provides a clear picture of the points to be improved in trauma patient care, however, there are specific peculiarities for implementing this tool in the Brazilian milieu.

Use of survival analysis as a tool for the genetic improvement of age at first conception in Nellore cattle

Restricted breeding seasons in beef cattle lead to censoring of reproductive data. In this paper, age at first conception (AFC) of Nellore females exposed to the sires for the first time between 11 and 16 months of age, was studied aiming to verify the possibility of genetically advance sexual precocity using a survival model. The final data set contained 6699 records of AFC in days. Records of females that did not calve in the next year following exposure to the sire were considered censored (77.5% of total). The model used was a Weibull mixed survival model including effects of contemporary groups, period (fixed) and animal (random). The effect of the contemporary groups on AFC was important (p < 0.01). Heritabilities were 0.51 and 0.76 in logarithmic and original scales respectively. Results indicate that it is possible to genetically advance sexual precocity, using the outcome of survival analysis of AFC as selection criterion. They also suggest that improvements of the environment could advance sexual precocity too, thus an adequate pregnancy rate for farmers could quickly be achieved.

Improvement of interferon-beta related skin reactions after diluent halving: first experience of five patients

The spectrum of side effects related to interferon beta-1b (INF-1b) treatment may compromise long-term adherence.

First lessons in speech improvement /

Mode of access: Internet.

Gaming Regulatory Improvement Act of 1999 : hearing before the Committee on Indian Affairs, United States Senate, One Hundred Sixth Congress, first session, on S. 309, to amend the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

"March 24, 1999, Washington, DC"--Pt. 1.

Social Security Trust Fund Integrity and Benefits Improvement Act of 1991 : hearing before the Subcommittee on Social Security of the Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives, One Hundred Second Congress, first session, on H.R. 2838 ... September 17, 1991.

"Serial 102-58."

Snake river, Oreg., Wash., and Idaho : hearings before the Committee on Rivers and Harbors, House of Representatives, Seventy-seventy Congress, first session on the subject of the improvement of the Snake river, Oreg., Wash., and Idaho. September 22, and October 15, 1941.

Mode of access: Internet.

Improvement and widening of Washington-Gettysburg highway. Hearings, Seventy-first Congress, second session.

Mode of access: Internet.

East River, N.Y. : hearings before the Committee on Rivers and Harbors, House of Representatives, Seventy-seventh Congress, first session, on the subject of the improvement of the East River, N.Y. March 5-7, 1941.

Mode of access: Internet.

Central Valley Project Improvement Act : hearings before the Subcommittee on Water and Power of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, One Hundred Second Congress, first session, on S. 484 ... Los Angeles, CA, March 18, 1991; Washington, DC, May 6, 1991; Sacramento, CA, May 30, 1991.

"San Francisco, CA, September 4, 1991"--Pt. 2.

Public Lands Management Improvement Act of 1997 : hearings before the Subcommittee on Forests and Public Land Management of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, One Hundred Fifth Congress, first session, on S. 1253, to provide to the federal land management agencies the authority and capability to manage effectively the federal lands in accordance with the principles of multiple use and sustained yield, and for other purposes, October 30, 1997, December 15, 1997, February 3, 1998.

"April 23,1998, April 30, 1998, May 5, 1998, June 4, 1998, June 17, 1998"--Pt. 2.