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In this paper, a new production, allocation, location, inventory holding, distribution, and flow problems for a new sustainable-resilient health care network related to the COVID-19 pandemic under uncertainty is developed that also integrated sustainability aspects and resiliency concepts. Then, a multi-period, multi-product, multi-objective, and multi-echelon mixed-integer linear programming model for the current network is formulated and designed. Formulating a new MILP model to design a sustainable-resilience healthcare network during the COVID-19 pandemic and developing three hybrid meta-heuristic algorithms are among the most important contributions of this research. In order to estimate the values of the required demand for medicines, the simulation approach is employed. To cope with uncertain parameters, stochastic chance-constraint programming is proposed. This paper also proposed three meta-heuristic methods including Multi-Objective Teaching–learning-based optimization (TLBO), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), and Genetic Algorithm (GA) to find Pareto solutions. Since heuristic approaches are sensitive to input parameters, the Taguchi approach is suggested to control and tune the parameters. A comparison is performed by using eight assessment metrics to validate the quality of the obtained Pareto frontier by the heuristic methods on the experiment problems. To validate the current model, a set of sensitivity analysis on important parameters and a real case study in the United States are provided. Based on the empirical experimental results, computational time and eight assessment metrics proposed methodology seems to work well for the considered problems. The results show that by raising the transportation costs, the total cost and the environmental impacts of sustainability increased steadily and the trend of the social responsibility of staff rose gradually between − 20 and 0%, but, dropped suddenly from 0 to + 20%. Also in terms of the on-resiliency of the proposed network, the trends climbed slightly and steadily. Applications of this paper can be useful for hospitals, pharmacies, distributors, medicine manufacturers and the Ministry of Health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new decentralized/distributed decision-making (DDM) supply chain planning model. A supply chain is called decentralized when various decisions are made in different companies trying to optimize their own objectives. The proposed approach is applied to plan a wood supply chain network called Puya Wood Company. The supply chain network design problem discussed in this paper is an integrated multi-echelon, multi-product problem considering total costs of purchasing raw materials/returned product, transportation of raw materials, and inventory holding of raw materials. A coordination mechanism is designed to share information between the retailer model and the manufacturer model called centralized planning. The main contributions of this paper are summarized as follows: (1) presenting a decentralized (distributed) approach in order to address the production and distribution problem in supply chain including manufacturer and retailers and (2) proposing a coordination mechanism in order to handle problems related to production and distribution in a two-echelon supply chain network through a decentralized approach. The proposed model is tested using real case study. Sensitivity analysis is accomplished to find the effects of changing the parameter on the results. The proposed coordination mechanism provides high-quality solutions in reasonable number of iterations for the case study. This coordination mechanism can be applied in other supply chains such as natural gas and oil, water resource management, and crisis and disaster planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cascade disasters can destroy urban infrastructures, kill thousands of people, and permanently displace millions of people. The paramount goal of disaster relief programs is to save lives, reduce financial loss, and accelerate the relief process. This study proposes a bi-level two-echelon mathematical model to minimize pre-disaster costs and maximize post-disaster relief coverage area. The model uses a geographic information system (GIS) to classify the disaster area and determine the optimal number and location of distribution centers while minimizing the relief supplies' inventory costs. A simulation model is used to estimate the demand for relief supplies. Initially, vulnerable urban infrastructures are identified, and then the interaction among them is investigated for cascade disasters. The aims of this study are threefold: (1) to identify vulnerable urban infrastructures in cascade disasters, (2) to prioritize urban areas based on the severity of cascade disasters using a GIS, and (3) to develop a bi-objective multi-echelon multi-supplies mathematical model for location, allocation, and distribution of relief supplies under uncertainty. The model is solved with an epsilon-constraint method for small and medium-scale problems and the invasive weed optimization algorithm for large-scale problems. A case study is presented to demonstrate the applicability and efficacy of the proposed method. The results confirm the difficulty of relief operations during the night as the cost of night-time relief operations is higher than daytime. In addition, the results show the coverage area increases as the demand surges. Therefore, establishing more distribution centers will increase operating costs and expand coverage are. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The online version of the original article can be found at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-022-05005-7Correction to: Annals of Operations Researchhttps://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-022-05005-7This correction is published as several notations were overlooked by typesetter during proofing.Original article has been corrected.Publisher's NoteSpringer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.By Fariba Goodarzian; Vikas Kumar and Peiman GhasemiReported by Author; Author; Author [Extracted from the article]

In this paper, a new responsive-green-cold vaccine supply chain network during the COVID-19 pandemic is developed for the first time. According to the proposed network, a new multi-objective, multi-period, multi-echelon mathematical model for the distribution-allocation-location problem is designed. Another important novelty in this paper is that it considers an Internet-of-Things application in the COVID-19 condition in the suggested model to enhance the accuracy, speed, and justice of vaccine injection with existing priorities. Waste management, environmental effects, coverage demand, and delivery time of COVID-19 vaccine simultaneously are therefore considered for the first time. The LP-metric method and meta-heuristic algorithms called Gray Wolf Optimization (GWO), and Variable Neighborhood Search (VNS) algorithms are then used to solve the developed model. The other significant contribution, based on two presented meta-heuristic algorithms, is a new heuristic method called modified GWO (MGWO), and is developed for the first time to solve the model. Therefore, a set of test problems in different sizes is provided. Hence, to evaluate the proposed algorithms, assessment metrics including (1) percentage of domination, (2) the number of Pareto solutions, (3) data envelopment analysis, and (4) diversification metrics and the performance of the convergence are considered. Moreover, the Taguchi method is used to tune the algorithm's parameters. Accordingly, to illustrate the efficiency of the model developed, a real case study in Iran is suggested. Finally, the results of this research show MGO offers higher quality and better performance than other proposed algorithms based on assessment metrics, computational time, and convergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the increasing carbon dioxide released through vehicles and the shortage of water resources, decision-makers decided to combine the environmental and economic effects in the Agri-Food Supply Chain Network (AFSCN) in developing countries. This paper focuses on the citrus fruit supply chain network. The novelty of this study is the proposal of a mathematical model for a three-echelon AFSCN considering simultaneously CO2 emissions, coefficient water, and time window. Additionally, a bi-objective mixed-integer non-linear programming is formulated for production–distribution-inventory-allocation problem. The model seeks to minimise the total cost and CO+ emission simultaneously. To solve the multi-objective model in this paper, the Augmented Epsilon-constraint method is utilised for small- and medium-sized problems. The Augmented Epsilon-constraint method is not able to solve large-scale problems due to its high computational time. This method is a well-known approach to dealing with multi-objective problems. It allows for producing a set of Pareto solutions for multi-objective problems. Multi-Objective Ant Colony Optimisation, fast Pareto genetic algorithm, non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II, and multi-objective simulated annealing are used to solve the model. Then, a hybrid meta-heuristic algorithm called Hybrid multi-objective Ant Colony Optimisation with multi-objective Simulated Annealing (HACO-SA) is developed to solve the model. In the HACO-SA algorithm, an initial temperature and temperature reduction rate is utilised to ensure a faster convergence rate and to optimise the ability of exploitation and exploration as input data of the SA algorithm. The computational results show the superiority of the Augmented Epsilon-constraint method in small-sized problems, while HACO-SA indicates that is better than the suggested original algorithms in the medium- and large-sized problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensional printing (3DP) is an evolutionary solution for making customize items for all sectors, but it has become more prominent in the healthcare sector. In this field, some solutions have to be adapted to patients. This is especially true for dentistry, where all the patients have their own unique mouth and tooth structure. It is now possible to provide an accurate model of the patient's mouth and teeth with solutions that are perfectly compatible with them, leading to the provision of a dental service with a high success rate. Even if there is a problem, it is enough to change the three-dimensional design. Therefore, it is a time-saving method, too. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of 3DP in dentistry and to identify the processes and procedures resulting from the use of this technology. To do so, with the help of a case study, a 3DP-based dental clinic that provides implant, orthodontics, restoration and dentures services is simulated in Arena software. The current state of the system is assessed by defining appropriate evaluation criteria including net profit, utilization, waiting time, patients makespan and laboratory makespan. The simulation model is then developed with innovations such as adding an inventory control policy, creating rest time for resources and controlling the policy of sending products from laboratory to the clinic. After an extensive sensitivity analysis, improving the performance of the system is on the agenda of this paper by examining various scenarios. Results show that scenarios such as reducing some resources of the system or considering rest time in exchange for increasing the duration of the work shift can have a significant impact on clinic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, sustainable supply chains have emerged to emphasize the importance of social and environmental concerns along with economic factors in supply chain management. In this context, there is a necessity for mathematical models that indicate environmental aspects and the social effects of the supply chain network. In the present study, a new multi-product production, distribution, and transportation, in which the economic, environmental, and social effects under CO2 emission to fill this gap are presented. Additionally, service technology under various criteria in the social aspects and time window for the earliest and latest arrival time of products to main distribution centers are provided. Also, other novelties of this paper, the environmental effects to open main and local distribution centers, warehouses, and pharmacies are considered as environmental effects. So, the main contributions of this paper are to develop a multi objective, dynamic production and distribution planning using time windows in service technology of sustainable pharmaceutical supply Chain Network. In this regard, the mathematical model is formulated as a mixed-integer linear programming model. Moreover, a Benders decomposition approach is appropriately extended to solve the presented model. In the proposed approach, the problem is decomposed into two models of sub-problem and a master. The master problem is developed by means of preprocessing and valid inequalities. The general and relative efficiency of the model and approach is experimentally assessed. The pharmaceutical production and distribution system of France is considered as a real case study in this paper. Eventually, the results indicate that the proposed approach considerably outperforms, and the efficiency of the developed model is verified through a set of sensitivity analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]