Development of an Appropriate Uncertainty Model with an Application to Solid Waste Management Planning.

The purpose of this study is to achieve a novel and efficient method for treating the interval coefficient linear programming (ICLP) problems. The problem is used for modeling an uncertain environment that represents most real-life problems. Moreover, the optimal solution of the model represents a decision under uncertainty that has a risk of selecting the correct optimal solution that satisfies the optimality and the feasibility conditions. Therefore, a proposed algorithm is suggested for treating the ICLP problems depending on novel measures such as the optimality ratio, feasibility ratio, and the normalized risk factor. Depending upon these measures and the concept of possible scenarios, a novel and effective analysis of the problem is done. Unlike other algorithms, the proposed algorithm involves an important role for the decision-maker (DM) in defining a satisfied optimal solution by using a utility function and other required parameters. Numerical examples are used for comparing and illustrating the robustness of the proposed algorithm. Finally, applying the algorithm to treat a Solid Waste Management Planning is introduced.

A Novel Approach for Characterizing Solutions of Rough Optimization Problems Based on Boundary Region.

Rough set theory, presented by Pawlak in 1981, is one of the most well-known methods for communicating ambiguity by estimating an item based on some knowledge rather than membership. The concept of a rough function and its convexity and differentiability in regard to its boundary region are discussed in this work. The boundary notion is also used to present a new form of rough programming issue and its solutions. Finally, numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the proposed method and emphasize its advantages over other approaches.

Mathematical search technique for detecting moving novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) based on minimizing the weight function.

The study of search plans has found considerable interest between searchers due to its interesting applications in our real life like searching for located and moving targets. This paper develops a method for detecting moving targets. We propose a novel strategy based on weight function W ( Z ) , W ( Z ) = λ H ( Z ) + ( 1 - λ ) L ( Z ) , where H ( Z ) , L ( Z ) are the total probabilities of un-detecting, and total effort respectively, is searching for moving novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cells among finite set of different states. The total search effort will be presented in a more flexible way, so it will be presented as a random variable with a given distribution. The objective is searching for COVID-19 which hidden in one of n cells in each fixed number of time intervals m and the detection functions are supposed to be known to the searcher or robot. We look in depth for the optimal distribution of the total effort which minimizes the probability of undetected the target over the set of possible different states. The effectiveness of this model is illustrated by presenting a numerical example.

The negative impact of wearing personal protective equipment on communication during coronavirus disease 2019.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 personal protective equipment has been reported to affect communication in healthcare settings. This study sought to identify those challenges experimentally. METHOD: Bamford-Kowal-Bench speech discrimination in noise performance of healthcare workers was tested under simulated background noise conditions from a variety of hospital environments. Candidates were assessed for ability to interpret speech with and without personal protective equipment, with both normal speech and raised voice. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in speech discrimination scores between normal and personal protective equipment wearing subjects in operating theatre simulated background noise levels (70 dB). CONCLUSION: Wearing personal protective equipment can impact communication in healthcare environments. Efforts should be made to remind staff about this burden and to seek alternative communication paradigms, particularly in operating theatre environments.

Effect of dexmedetomidine on the characteristics of bupivacaine in a caudal block in pediatrics.

BACKGROUND: Dexmedetomidine (DEX) is a highly selective alpha(2)-adrenoceptor agonist that has been used increasingly in children. However, the effect of caudal DEX has not been evaluated before in children. This prospective randomized double-blinded study was designed to evaluate the analgesic efficacy of caudal DEX with bupivacaine in providing pain relief over a 24-h period. METHODS: Sixty children (ASA status I) aged 1-6 years undergoing unilateral inguinal hernia repair/orchidopexy were allocated randomly to two groups (n = 30 each). Group B received a caudal injection of bupivacaine 2.5 mg/ml, 1 ml/kg; Group BD received the same dose of bupivacaine mixed with DEX 1 microg/kg during sevoflurane anesthesia. Processed electroencephalogram (bispectral index score), heart rate, blood pressure, pulse oximetry and end-tidal sevoflurane were recorded every 5 min. The characteristics of emergence, objective pain score, sedation score and quality of sleep were recorded post-operatively. Duration of analgesia and requirement for additional analgesics were noted. RESULTS: The end-tidal sevoflurane concentration and the incidence of agitation were significantly lower in the BD group (P < 0.05). The duration of analgesia was significantly longer (P < 0.001) and the total consumption of rescue analgesic was significantly lower in Group BD compared with Group B (P < 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in hemodynamics between both groups. However, group BD had better quality of sleep and a prolonged duration of sedation (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Caudal DEX seems to be a promising adjunct to provide excellent analgesia without side effects over a 24-h period. It has the advantage of keeping the patients calm for a prolonged time. Implications statement: Caudally administered DEX (1 microg/kg), combined with bupivacaine, was associated with an extended duration of post-operative pain relief.

The Role of Expectations in Effective Genetic Counseling.

The goals for this investigation were to assess individuals' expectations for social support from genetic counselors, and to explore how these expectations influence perceptions of genetic counselor effectiveness. Two studies were conducted to address these goals. Results from the first study show that individuals most frequently expect genetic counselors to provide options and support following the disclosure of distressing test results, while data from the second study demonstrate that expectations play a significant role in individuals' assessment of genetic counselor effectiveness. These findings shed light on what individuals expect from genetic counselors following the disclosure of medically positive test results and inform how these expectations influence the success of genetic counseling sessions.

Rethinking how to measure organizational culture in the hospital setting. The Hospital Culture Scale.

Like all organizations, health care delivery systems must be concerned with understanding the implicit beliefs, values, and assumptions extant within the organization that ubiquitously motivate and shape the behavior of participating members. The Hospital Culture Scale (HCS) was designed as a way to assess the unique culture of hospital organizations. The HCS demonstrated high discriminant validity and reliability when applied to all members (patients, nurses, and physicians) of this particular organization. Data provided from different hospital organizations indicated that the HCS could differentiate between a variety of hospitals. Physicians, nurses, and patients were also compared. Although there was agreement between nurses and patients on how scale items are used, there were disagreements when these organizational members were compared to physicians. Differences between hospital members on the overall perception of hospital culture were found. The implications and utility of the HCS are discussed.