Search results for "Delivery"

Hybridizing large neighborhood search and exact methods for generalized vehicle routing problems with time windows

2021

International audience; Delivery options are at the heart of the generalized vehicle routing problem with time windows (GVRPTW) allowing that customer requests are shipped to alternative delivery locations which can also have different time windows. Recently, the vehicle routing problem with delivery options was introduced into the scientific literature. It extends the GVRPTW by capacities of shared locations and by specifying service-level constraints defined by the customers' preferences for delivery options. The vehicle routing problem with delivery options also generalizes the vehicle routing problem with home roaming delivery locations and the vehicle routing problem with multiple time…

Tubular Nanocontainers for Drug Delivery

2018

Layered Double Hydroxides: A Toolbox for Chemistry and Biology

2019

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are an emergent class of biocompatible inorganic lamellar nanomaterials that have attracted significant research interest owing to their high surface-to-volume ratio, the capability to accumulate specific molecules, and the timely release to targets. Their unique properties have been employed for applications in organic catalysis, photocatalysis, sensors, drug delivery, and cell biology. Given the widespread contemporary interest in these topics, time-to-time it urges to review the recent progresses. This review aims to summarize the most recent cutting-edge reports appearing in the last years. It firstly focuses on the application of LDHs as catalysts in re…

Nanoparticles as Contrast Agents for MRI of Atherosclerotic Lesions

2008

Nanoparticle contrast agents for MRI may aid in identifying atherosclerotic lesions that give rise to ischemic events by means of penetration and retention in the plaque. These imaging agents may provide valuable information regarding plaque characteristics which can help determine the risk of plaque rupture. By increasing molecular flexibility or adding a means of specifically targeting ligands via antibody or peptide, nanoparticles can enhance certain regions of the atherosclerotic plaque. The development of single contrast agents detectable with multiple imaging modalities may further improve our ability to detect and characterize atherosclerosis in clinical and preclinical applications.…

Current Progress in Particle-Based Systems for Transdermal Vaccine Delivery

2020

Transcutaneous immunization (TCI) via needle-free and non-invasive drug delivery systems is a promising approach for overcoming the current limitations of conventional parenteral vaccination methods. The targeted access to professional antigen-presenting cell (APC) populations within the skin, such as Langerhans cells (LCs), various dermal dendritic cells (dDCs), macrophages, and others makes the skin an ideal vaccination site to specifically shape immune responses as required. The stratum corneum (SC) of the skin is the main penetration barrier that needs to be overcome by the vaccine components in a coordinated way to achieve optimal access to dermal APC populations that induce priming of…

Image Segmentation Techniques for Healthcare Systems

2019

The present special issue of the Journal of Healthcare Engineering collects articles written by researchers scattered around the world who belong to the academic and industrial environments. The papers of this special issue have been selected by a rigorous peer-reviewing process with the support of at least two reviewers per paper, along with the opinion written in the final decision by a component of the editorial staff. Different methods on biomedical image segmentation dedicated to healthcare systems have been developed regarding, for example, the fields of machine learning, deformable models, fuzzy models, and so on. Such methods have been applied on different biomedical image modalitie…

Physicochemical Properties of A New PEGylated Polybenzofulvene Brush for Drug Encapsulation

2019

A new polymer brush was synthesized by spontaneous polymerization of benzofulvene macromonomer 6-MOEG-9-T-BF3k bearing a nona(ethylene glycol) side chain linked to the 3-phenylindene scaffold by means of a triazole heterocycle. The polymer structure was studied by SEC-MALS, NMR spectroscopy, and MALDI-TOF MS techniques, and the results supported the role of oligomeric initiatory species in the spontaneous polymerization of polybenzofulvene derivatives. The aggregation features of high molecular weight poly-6-MOEG-9-T-BF3k-FE were investigated by pyrene fluorescence analysis, dynamic light scattering studies, and transmission electron microscopy, which suggested a tendency towards the format…

How perceived value drives the use of mobile financial services apps

2019

Mobile information services have revolutionized business models and service delivery methods by facilitating consumer access to information and order placement via mobile apps. In developed markets, mobile banking (m-banking) and mobile payment (m-payment) applications have replaced text-based mobile services. However, extant research has not addressed these mobile financial services apps (MFSAs) adequately from the perspective of consumer behavior. Thus, the present study developed and tested a series of hypotheses related to the antecedents of perceived value of MFSA use; it also examined how such use affects the development of customers’ overall relationships with banks. Our hypotheses w…

3D Printing : Challenging Existing Business Models

2016

Technologies labelled as “disruptive” challenge conventional business procedures. The development of 3D printing technology and additive manufacturing (AM) is expected to transform product design and manufacturing. 3D printing technology makes it possible to produce complex and unique physical products from digitally designed CAD models. It is estimated that the effects of 3D printing on business will be diverse and far‐reaching. Hence, it is vital for business owners to observe how 3D printing may impact on business models and business networks, considering also the effects on stakeholders’ value propositions and on value creation. This paper reports on the potential impact of 3D printing …

Glycerosomes:investigation of role of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidycholine (DMPC) on the assembling and skin delivery performances

2017

Glycerosomes were formulated using 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidycholine (DMPC), diclofenac sodium salt and 10, 20 or 30% glycerol in the water phase, while corresponding liposomes were prepared with the same amount of DMPC and diclofenac, without glycerol. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the effect of the used phospholipid on vesicle features and ability to favour diclofenac skin deposition by comparing these results with those found in previous works performed using hydrogenated soy phosphatidylcholine (P90H) and dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC). Liposomes and glycerosomes were multilamellar, liposomes being smaller (72±6nm). Interactions among glycerol, phospho…