A production programming model is proposed through the application of a metaheuristic technique to achieve the reduction of the makespan. A company in the textile sector was chosen as a case study and a production programming methodology for hybrid-flexible flow shop configurations was developed with the coding of a simple genetic algorithm. The algorithm gives good quality results with very reasonable computational times and coefficients of variation of about 2% in relation to the values of the makespan. This model also shows a level of efficiency comparable to other applications found in the literature, in which evolutionary algorithms are used. It is concluded that from the encoding of the production system and its main restrictions, the genetic algorithm well performs production scheduling by reducing the makespan.

Se propone un modelo de programación de la producción mediante la aplicación de una meta heurística para lograr la reducción del tiempo de terminación del último trabajo (makespan). Se eligió como objeto de estudio una empresa del sector textil y a partir de la codificación de un algoritmo genético simple se desarrolló una metodología de programación de la producción para configuraciones tipo línea de flujo (flow shop) híbrida flexible. El algoritmo arroja resultados de buena calidad con tiempos computacionales bastante razonables y con coeficientes de variación del orden de 2%, en relación a los valores del makespan. Este modelo también muestra un nivel de eficiencia comparable a otras aplicaciones encontradas en la literatura, en las cuales se utilizan algoritmos evolutivos. Se concluye que a partir de la codificación del sistema productivo y sus principales restricciones, el algoritmo genético ejecuta bien la programación de producción reduciendo el makespan.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the role of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in congenital ureteropelvic junction obstruction at diagnosis and during postoperative follow-up. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a case-control study including 19 patients with a mean age of 6.7 years and 19 matched controls. All patients presented negative voiding cystourethrography, obstructive diuretic renogram and underwent dismembered pyeloplasty. Urinary TGF-β1 and other markers were measured pre-, intra- and postoperatively. RESULTS: The mean bladder urine TGF-β1 concentration in obstructed patients prior to pyeloplasty was higher than in controls (92.5 pg/mL ± 16.8 vs. 35.8 pg/mL ± 16.2; p = 0.0001). The mean renal pelvic urine TGF-β1 concentration in the hydronephrotic kidney was higher than in the preoperative bladder urine sample (122.3 pg/mL ± 43.9 vs. 92.5 pg/mL ± 16.8; p = 0.036). Postoperative mean TGF-β1 concentration was significantly lower than preoperative TGF-β1 (48.7 pg/mL ± 13.1 vs. 92.5 pg/mL ± 16.8; p = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: TGF-β1 is a cytokine leading to renal fibrosis. The measurement of urinary TGF-β1 could become a useful tool for the diagnosis of obstructive hydronephrosis and the evaluation of the parenchyma function status, pre and postoperatively.