Delivery Delay Research Articles

Root Cause Attribution of Delivery Risks via Causal Discovery with Reinforcement Learning

Managing delivery risks is a critical challenge in modern supply chain management due to the increasing complexity and interdependencies of global supply networks. Existing methods often rely on correlation-based approaches, which fail to uncover the true causes behind delivery delays. This limitation makes it difficult for supply chain managers to identify actionable factors that can mitigate risks effectively. To address these challenges, we propose a novel method that integrates causal discovery with reinforcement learning to identify the root causes of delivery risks. Unlike traditional correlation-based methods, our approach uncovers both the direction and strength of causal relationships between variables, allowing for more accurate identification of the key drivers behind delivery delays. By applying causal strength quantification, we further measure the impact of each factor on delivery performance. Using real-world supply chain data, our results demonstrate that the proposed method reveals hidden causal relationships between factors such as shipping mode, order size, and delivery status. These insights enable supply chain managers to implement more targeted interventions, significantly improving risk mitigation strategies.

Exploring public perception and utilization of medication home delivery services in the United Arab Emirates: a cross-sectional study

IntroductionThe Medication Home Delivery (MHD) service from community pharmacies involves the safe and efficient delivery of pharmaceuticals (prescription and non-prescription medications), and health products directly to the patient’s/consumer’s home. There are several issues encountered by the users of the MHD service that have an impact on their satisfaction with the service. The study aimed to assess the public’s perceptions of the MHD service in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), their willingness to utilize it, and the practical use of the service.MethodA cross-sectional exploratory study was conducted in the UAE using a validated online survey. The inclusion criteria were adults residing in the UAE. Statistical analysis was performed to identify the association between the variables, the service use, and the level of service efficiency.ResultsA total of 556 participants filled out the survey, with 69.4% of them using the service. The majority of participants were females (75.9%) and aged less than 40 years old (71.6%). Three variables showed a statistically significant association with the use of the MHD service (P < 0.05): the participant’s educational level, their medical/health background, and the frequency of visits to community pharmacies. The most common issues raised were receiving the wrong order, delay in delivery, and paying delivery fees. Most participants agreed that the MHD service reduces the risk of exposure during pandemics, serves the elderly, serves disabled people, makes it more comfortable for parents with children at home, and reduces overcrowding in health facilities, as well as the MHD service making pharmacy services more efficient.ConclusionThe study indicated positive perceptions among the public in the UAE towards the MHD service. However, there was a concern that this service may diminish the communication between pharmacists and patients, which potentially minimizes the amount of information received by patients regarding their treatments.

Exploring the barriers to healthcare access among persons with disabilities: a qualitative study in rural Luuka district, Uganda.

The aim of the research was to explore the barriers to healthcare access for persons with various disabilities in rural Luuka district of Uganda. The findings will assist in appreciating the challenges persons with disabilities face in accessing Healthcare in a rural setting. These insights will contribute to the development of an intervention to improve healthcare access that is affordable, timely and acceptable. This qualitative study formed the exploratory formative phase of the 'Missing Billion' project. A total of 27 participants with disabilities-visual impairment (n=5), physical impairment (n=5), multiple impairments (n=6) and intellectual/ cognitive impairment (n=5) were purposively selected to participate in in-depth interviews conducted by two experienced researchers. Participants were identified through contact lists provided by the district disability focal person and local disability associations, with additional participants identified through snowball sampling. Interviews with persons with hearing impairment (n=6) were conducted by a researcher with hearing impairment. The interviews were audio/video recorded and transcribed to facilitate thematic data analysis. We used the disability-inclusive health 'Missing Billion' framework to map and inform the barriers. The study was conducted between September and November 2022 in rural communities in Luuka district, Eastern Uganda. On the demand side, challenges revolved around autonomy and awareness, limited access to health information, lack of financial capacity and dependence on caregivers for healthcare choices left persons with disabilities feeling disempowered. On the supply side, discrimination and negative attitudes from healthcare workers were reported as prevalent. Absence of healthcare workers and service delivery delays impacted on healthcare access, resulting in poor care. Inaccessible healthcare facilities compounded issues, as they had limited accessibility features. Complex and interconnected barriers underscore the pressing need for systemic changes to ensure equitable healthcare access for persons with disabilities in rural Uganda.

Definite Treatment Delay With Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Longitudinal Monitoring by Circulating Tumor DNA for Advanced Cervical Cancer During Pregnancy: A Case Series and Literature Review.

Previous studies mainly concentrate on neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) for delivery delay in FIGO Stage IB1-IIIB cervical cancer during pregnancy to prevent early preterm delivery while not affecting maternal outcome. Here, we described two pregnant patients with FIGO Stage IIIC cervical cancer about their diagnosis, treatment, and outcome. Both patients underwent cesarean delivery, left enlarged lymph node dissection, and longitudinal monitoring by circulating tumor DNA. Our study suggested that pregnant patient was completely response to NACT, which was confirmed by ctDNA monitoring, followed by left pelvic enlarged lymph node dissection during cesarean section and adjuvant chemoradiotherapy postpartum. The infant grew normally, without any evidence of chemotherapy-related side effects after delivery. In pregnant women with advanced cervical cancer, longitudinal ctDNA monitoring might be able to evaluate maternal response to NACT and confirm if delivery delay to optimize fetal outcome would compacting the maternal outcomes or not. Cervical cancer may not transmit across the placental barrier and so it is safe for delayed delivery until fetal maturity in utero during pregnancy.

E-Tendering and Performance of Humanitarian United Nations Agencies and Non-Governmental Organizations in South Sudan

Purpose: Manual procurement processes are expensive in terms of human resource cost, purchasing cost, wastage due to errors of commission or omissions, cause of delays in delivery of goods, services, and works which accounts for 40% of losses due to inefficiencies, and attracts corruption in the system amongst others. The study aimed to assess the effect of e-tendering on performance of humanitarian United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations in South Sudan. Methodology: The study methodology adopted an explanatory research design of cross-sectional type for the population under study. There were over 235 National Non-governmental organizations, 150 International organizations in addition to over 15 United Nations agencies, bringing the total target population to 400 organizations. This study targeted 400 humanitarian organizations operating in South Sudan. Therefore, the sample size of 200 humanitarian organizations operating in South Sudan was selected using a stratified random sampling technique. Data was collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Reliability findings indicated that e-tendering had a Cronbach Alpha Coefficient of 0.873, and performance had 0.859. The study established that e-tendering had a positive and significant relationship with performance significant (β=0.282, P=0.000). Conclusion: The study concluded that e-tendering has a positive and significant effect on performance of humanitarian United Nations agencies and non-governmental organizations. This study hence suggested that all NGOs and humanitarian agencies should ensure they adopt the use of e-tendering in their solicitation and sourcing processes in conducting procurement activities. The study cited advantages such saving time, wide coverage of markets and reaching more potential suppliers and finally save environment from printing more paper works attaining sustainable procurement practice.

11.A. Scientific session: Overcoming Real-World Challenges in Setting up Health Data Linkages for Public Health Policy

Abstract Background Linking available administrative data has gained momentum in the last years to enhance public health research and public health formulation. Linkage of diverse data sources can be leveraged to understand social-determinants of health, the cost-effectiveness of an intervention, and to evaluate impact of policies. For instance, data linkage has been proven to be a powerful approach to periodically analyze real-world progress of the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, we are witnessing an unparalleled increase in electronic health data stemming from citizens who interact with services such as healthcare providers, employers, sick funds, and other governmental structures. This enormous amount of data opens many innovative possibilities in epidemiological research. The main advantages of the secondary use of data are the following: 1) it is enriching for new collected data (e.g. survey study), 2) it provides comprehensive information of the target population, and 3) it is cheaper than new data collection. Data linkage between data sources is, however, often a herculean task, and it comes with considerable challenges such as: 1) juridical complexity related to intra-national and cross-border data governance procedures, 2) fragmented data integration, 3) data delivery delays. Addressing these challenges is essential to unlocking the true potential of data linkages for timely responses to emerging public health questions, thereby contributing to evidence-based policy and care and transforming our health research into a One Health approach. Objectives The workshop’s main aim is to present the researcher’s lessons-learned and approaches in applying data linkage from an European, and a country-level perspective through case-studies while creating a space for the public to share their own view. In this workshop we aim to 1) provide a helicopter overview of current data linkages approaches in Europe, 2) illustrate this with case studies from an international, and a country-level perspective, and 3) emphasize the challenges and disadvantages of those data linkages, while sharing potential solutions. Workshop outline The workshop is divided into a knowledge translation, and an interactive part. In the first part of the workshop, three speakers will give a presentation of each 10 minutes with a Q&amp;A of 5 minutes between each presentation where data linkage will be introduced, and three case studies on how data linkage can be used will be presented. The first presentation will introduce approaches to data linkages in Europe, and will delve into how AI can be used during routine data linkage. The second presentation will show a case-study on how an international data linkages can be done in an European federated manner. The third presentation will further illustrate how nationally data can be linked to investigate health inequalities. In the second part of the workshop, the audience will be invited to interact with the speakers and share their experiences. Key messages • A comprehensive overview of different current data linkages approaches are provided, setting the stage for discussions on methods and best practices. • Administrative data linkages are a powerful tool to answer important public health challenges, but important challenges related to data governance need to be addressed to realize the full potential.

Operational Performance Evaluation Model for Food Processing Machinery Industry Chain

This study aims to create a performance evaluation model for the food processing machinery industry. The goal is to help food processing plants improve both process quality and competitiveness. Additionally, component failures may disrupt the continuous operation of the food processing machine, potentially resulting in insufficient production and delays in delivery, which in turn leads to cost losses. For the sold food processing machinery, decreases in the average number of failures within a unit of time, the average repair response time when a failure occurs, and the average repair duration are three crucial factors in minimizing the total expected loss due to machine failures. Based on these three important factors, this study established the following evaluation indices: (1) the processing performance index, (2) the repair reporting performance index, and (3) the maintenance performance index. These indices serve as tools for assessing the performance of the three key operational aspects. This study employed a radar chart to construct the evaluation model, which can directly compare the critical values with the point estimates of three indices. Consequently, this approach can judge whether the operational performance has achieved the required level. This can maintain the simplicity and usability of point estimates while reducing the risk of misjudgment due to sampling errors.

The Impact of Lead Time Variability on Supply Chain Management

Purpose: The impact of lead time variability on supply chain management (SCM) is a critical factor affecting operational efficiency, cost management, and service delivery. This study examines how variations in lead time affect key aspects of supply chain performance, including inventory management, production scheduling, and order fulfillment. Methodology: A mixed-methods approach is adopted, combining quantitative analysis through simulation modeling and qualitative insights derived from case studies of companies in the manufacturing and retail sectors. The simulation model accounts for different levels of lead time variability and its influence on stockouts, excess inventory, and overall supply chain responsiveness. Case studies are used to illustrate real-world challenges and strategies employed by businesses to mitigate the effects of lead time fluctuations. Findings: Findings indicate that higher lead time variability leads to increased inventory costs, stockouts, and delays in product deliveries. Companies that rely heavily on just-in-time (JIT) systems are particularly vulnerable to these fluctuations, whereas firms with flexible inventory strategies or buffer stock perform better in managing variability. Additionally, the study reveals that advanced demand forecasting and more resilient supplier relationships can significantly reduce the negative impact of lead time uncertainty. The analysis also highlights the importance of integrating lead time variability into the broader risk management framework of supply chains. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Based on these findings, recommendations include implementing more robust demand forecasting systems, optimizing safety stock levels, diversifying suppliers, and using advanced inventory management technologies. Moreover, it is advised that businesses foster stronger communication and collaboration with suppliers to reduce variability and improve lead time predictability. Future research should explore the potential of real-time data and AI-driven supply chain management systems to further mitigate lead time variability's impact on SCM.

IT Team Project Management Transformation Plan for TIC Company’s IT Division

Nowadays, organizations are increasingly reliant on information technology to maintain efficient and effective internal systems, stay competitive, and meet the evolving needs of their customers. However, organizations facing challenges often include delays in project delivery, difficulties in managing workflows, and issues with accurately tracking progress and performance. The Information Technology Division of one of the testing, inspection, and certification companies in Indonesia is responsible for application development but frequently encounters operational issues such as development delays, unaddressed requests, difficulties in tracking project timelines and completions, and unclear job description alignments. This study examines Waterfall, Kanban, and Scrum Agile methodologies through case studies and Design Science Research Methodology to address these issues. Scrum Agile, with its principles and practices, is selected as the preferred solution for resolving these recurring problems. The research proposes transitioning project management to Scrum Agile methods and demonstrates how these methods effectively address several existing challenges. This approach results in the development of a new system that implements Scrum Agile for project management within the department. This research can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of application development and improve project visibility and control for the organization. Additionally, it provides learning through comparative analysis to identify appropriate new methods and systems based on the case study.

FMORT: The Meta-Heuristic routing method by integrating index parameters to optimize energy consumption and real execution time using FANET

Decreasing energy consumption in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) while simultaneously enhancing their reliability and processing capabilities is considered a fundamental challenge. The routing mechanisms employed in Flying Ad Hoc Networks (FANETs) are more complex compared to those in Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANETs) and Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks (VANETs), a challenge addressed by the FMORT method. To tackle these complex routing challenges, clustering techniques that utilize hybrid Meta-heuristic algorithms can be applied. Data analysis within the FMORT framework identified factors influencing service integration, leading to a reduction in redundant request transmissions and overall redundancy in the proposed method. The identification of food sources in the hybrid Meta-heuristic algorithm of the FMORT method is achieved through the integration of the Sparrow and Dragonfly algorithms. These algorithms work simultaneously to increase energy efficiency and increase network lifetime. This strategy optimizes information exchange by selecting an intelligent threshold detector and categorizing inputs, thereby minimizing node mobility. As a result, it improves performance metrics and decreases delivery costs, energy consumption, and delays. In the proposed method, a balanced performance is achieved by comparing existing methods in terms of transmission delay, Packet Delivery Ratio( PDR), throughput, and energy consumption. Simulation results show that the FMORT approach provides effective and stable outcomes in terms of reliability, decreased delays, and improved packet delivery rates. The FMORT framework includes principles for neighbor selection, determining suitable cluster heads, and scoring based on the average Euclidean distance. Additionally, it manages topology access, ensures proper distribution, guarantees data connectivity, and accurately categorizes inputs. By optimizing the sensitivity rate, this method minimizes the average delays and meekly values input data through effective load balancing. Key parameters considered for real time optimization of overall performance include the number of cluster heads during re-clustering, the ratio of request-to-acknowledgment packet transmission, node, and network lifetime, end-to-end delay, and energy consumption. Ultimately, the simulation results show that compared to the MWCRSF algorithm, the average optimization of index parameters,% 0.73 decrease in energy consumption,% 2.23 network lifetime, 1.35 re-cluster construction time and also% 0.11 re-cluster lifetime has increased.

An Integrated Approach to Constraints Theory and Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) in Construction Projects (Case Study)

The research endeavors to harness the benefits stemming from the integration of constraint theory into construction project management, with the primary goal of mitigating project completion delays. Additionally, it employs fuzzy analysis to determine the relative significance of fundamental constraints within projects by assigning them appropriate weights. The research problem primarily revolves around two key issues. Firstly, the persistent utilization of outdated methodologies and a heavy reliance on workforce experience without embracing modern computerized technologies. Secondly, the recurring problem of project delivery delays. Construction projects typically encompass five fundamental constraint types: cost restrictions, time constraints, administrative and legal limitations, technical and design constraints, and environmental constraints. To address these issues, a field study was conducted, focusing on the development of a housing complex in Qa'imaqamiya, Al-Mada'in district, Bismayah. The researchers propose a three-stage methodology to tackle these challenges. In the initial stage, the theory of accelerated activities is applied to all concurrent implementable tasks. Subsequently, the second stage introduces a hierarchical analysis process, known as FAHP, to quantify the importance of each constraint. Finally, in the third phase, fuzzy logic is employed to calculate the projected duration and associated costs for each activity, ensuring project execution and delivery within agreed-upon timeframes. After applying the proposed methodology, there is a reduction in completion time by up to (23%). Research Type: Research Paper

Implementation of CPOE, ERBI, and ePPID in Critical Care Operating Rooms at a Tertiary Care Academic Center

Abstract Introduction/Objective Blood transfusion in operating rooms (ORs) is a critical and complex process, often complicated by issues such as paper-based orders, lack of guidelines, and delays in blood delivery. In response, a multidisciplinary task force developed a quality improvement plan. This study assesses the impact of implementing an electronic positive patient identification (ePPID) system, standardized computer provider order entry (CPOE), and electronic remote blood issue (ERBI) process in a critical care OR setting at our institution. Methods/Case Report The team initially implemented ePPID in cardiac surgery ORs before expanding hospital-wide. CPOE was developed in collaboration with the laboratory information systems (LIS) and hospital information technology (IT). ERBI required cross-departmental coordination to establish a bi-directional interface between LIS and ERBI software. Staff received training through a train-the-trainer approach, interactive sessions, videos, and surveys. CPOE focused on order set development and creating the Maximum Surgical Blood Order Schedule (MSBOS). ePPID began with a pilot program and expanded with training sessions. Data collection tracked blood ordering, ERBI workflow, and transfusion data for compliance and utilization rates. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) The implementation of ePPID saw a rise in compliance rates from 71% to 98%, with 60 completed cases and 233 blood products transfused by 24 clinicians. ePPID’s utilization for blood products increased from 60% to 98% within 90 days. ERBI lowered RBC return rates from 30% to 15% and plasma return rates from 45% to 35% over a 2.5 year span. ERBI utilization rates reached 81% at 24 months post-implementation. Conclusion The implementation of ePPID, CPOE, and ERBI in critical care ORs was well-received among clinicians. Significant improvements in compliance and utilization rates for blood products following ePPID implementation were evident. ERBI implementation also led to substantial reductions in return rates of blood products allocated to ORs. The steady increase in ERBI utilization indicates successful integration into OR workflows.

A Graph-Refinement Algorithm to Minimize Squared Delivery Delays Using Parcel Robots

In recent years, parcel volumes have reached record highs, prompting the logistics industry to explore innovative solutions to meet growing demand. In densely populated areas, delivery robots offer a promising alternative to traditional truck-based delivery systems. These autonomous electric robots operate on sidewalks and deliver time-sensitive goods, such as express parcels, medicine and meals. However, their limited cargo capacity and battery life require a return to a depot after each delivery. This challenge can be modeled as an electric vehicle-routing problem with soft time windows and single-unit capacity constraints. The objective is to serve all customers while minimizing the quadratic sum of delivery delays and ensuring each vehicle operates within its battery limitations. To address this problem, we propose a mixed-integer quadratic programming model and introduce an enhanced formulation using a layered graph structure. For this layered graph, we present two solution approaches based on relaxations that reduce the number of nodes and arcs compared to the expanded formulation. The first approach, Iterative Refinement, solves the current relaxation to optimality and refines the graph when the solution is infeasible for the expanded formulation. This process continues until a proven optimal solution is obtained. The second approach, Branch and Refine, integrates graph refinement into a branch-and-bound framework, eliminating the need for restarts. Computational experiments on modified Solomon instances demonstrate the effectiveness of our solution approaches, with Branch and Refine consistently outperforming Iterative Refinement across all tested parameter configurations.

Aplicación de la metodología MASP para reducir el tiempo de producción: el caso de una industria del mueble

The furniture industry generated sales of R$78 million in the year 2021. However, a company in the sector is not always able to deliver on time to fulfill. In this context, this research aimed to identify the main causes for the delay in delivery of orders in the company studied, applying the Methodology of analysis and problem solving (MASP) in order to identify, analyze and propose corrective actions. The study was conducted in the company Arte Mobília, which manufactures furniture for indoor and outdoor environments made of aluminum and sling fabric, whose delimitation was the process related to the production of chairs. As results, in the first stage of MASP the problem of the delay of orders that were delivered 10 days late was identified and in the second stage the family and the product to be studied, the chair 1, was identified. In the analysis stage quality tools were applied, such as brainstorming, Pareto chart, Ishikawa diagram, and the five whys. With the application of MASP it was possible to reduce the production lead time by 10 days. With this, the company will be able to present a higher level of service and be more connective in the market. ILIA: Investigaciones Latinoamericanas en Ingeniería y Arquitectura, No. 01, 2024: 146-154.

Myosin A and F-Actin play a critical role in mitochondrial dynamics and inheritance in Toxoplasma gondii.

The single mitochondrion of the obligate intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii is highly dynamic. Toxoplasma's mitochondrion changes morphology as the parasite moves from the intracellular to the extracellular environment and during division. Toxoplasma's mitochondrial dynamic is dependent on an outer mitochondrion membrane-associated protein LMF1 and its interaction with IMC10, a protein localized at the inner membrane complex (IMC). In the absence of either LMF1 or IMC10, parasites have defective mitochondrial morphology and inheritance defects. As little is known about mitochondrial inheritance in Toxoplasma, we have used the LMF1/IMC10 tethering complex as an entry point to dissect the machinery behind this process. Using a yeast two-hybrid screen, we previously identified Myosin A (MyoA) as a putative interactor of LMF1. Although MyoA is known to be located at the parasite's pellicle, we now show through ultrastructure expansion microscopy (U-ExM) that this protein accumulates around the mitochondrion in the late stages of parasite division. Parasites lacking MyoA show defective mitochondrial morphology and a delay in mitochondrion delivery to the daughter parasite buds during division, indicating that this protein is involved in organellar inheritance. Disruption of the parasite's actin network also affects mitochondrion morphology. We also show that parasite-extracted mitochondrion vesicles interact with actin filaments. Interestingly, mitochondrion vesicles extracted out of parasites lacking LMF1 pulled down less actin, showing that LMF1 might be important for mitochondrion and actin interaction. Accordingly, we are showing for the first time that actin and Myosin A are important for Toxoplasma mitochondrial morphology and inheritance.

Cycle time reduction using intermittent DC internal heating in vapour phase drying of cellulose-based insulation used in transformers

ABSTRACT For the commissioning of a new transformer, a delay in delivery caused owing to the long-drying process at the manufacturer is not acceptable in order to avoid erratic power supplies and extensive down times. To increase productivity, ensure on-time delivery, avoid unplanned power outages, reduce the cost, increase the efficiency of energy utilisation and maintain the quality parameters of the transformer insulation thereby increasing its service life, cycle time of insulation drying at the manufacturer needs to be reduced. As of today, the latest technology for insulation drying of transformers at the manufacturer’s factory is the vapour phase drying (VPD) method. The cycle time in VPD may span for 4–5 days for a power transformer. This establishes the need to reduce the cycle time in VPD of transformer insulation. In this work, experimentation was carried out on 11 kV transformers for developing a system to reduce the cycle time in VPD.

PDOC-14 CASE SERIES ON THE MANAGEMENT OF POSTERIOR CRANIAL FOSSA TUMORS AND CHALLENGES ENCOUNTERED IN A LOW RESOURCE SETTING: ZIMBABWE

Abstract OBJECTIVES To investigate the management and challenges encountered in caring for patients with posterior cranial fossa tumors in Zimbabwean government central hospitals and their outcomes. METHODS Clinical and surgical records of six paediatric patients diagnosed with posterior cranial fossa tumors and managed at Parirenyatwa group of hospitals and Sally Mugabe Central Hospital over the past 8months were accessed from the hospital archives and utilized to fill in a previously created assessment tool. RESULTS Six cases of posterior fossa tumors were analysed. The ages ranged from 2 to 12 years, with a female-to-male ratio of 2:1. None of the patients underwent standard emergency posterior fossa tumor excision. All of the patients initially had a ventriculoperitoneal shunt inserted for active hydrocephalus due to the unavailability of theatre time, surgical sundries, ICU beds, and blood products. A single patient deceased after developing a complication of upward herniation whilst four patients proceeded to have uneventful excisions of posterior fossa tumors. For the cases that had surgical tumor excision, an average waiting period of 2 weeks was observed between ventriculoperitoneal shunting and surgical excision. One patient was lost to follow-up after shunting. CONCLUSION There are delays in emergency neuro-oncological service delivery in Zimbabwe leading to delayed excision of posterior fossa tumors. These delays have been bridged by CSF diversion through the placement of ventriculoperitoneal shunts while awaiting definitive surgery. Despite these challenges and delays, the outcomes are generally satisfactory.

Providing Delayed, In-Person Collected Feedback From Residents to Teaching Faculty: Lessons Learned.

Background Teaching faculty request timely feedback from residents to improve their skills. Yet even with anonymous processes, this upward feedback can be difficult to obtain as residents raise concerns about identification and repercussions. Objective To examine faculty perception of the quality and content of feedback from residents after increasing anonymity and sacrificing timeliness. Methods Between 2011 and 2017, an associate program director at a large internal medicine residency program met briefly with each resident individually to obtain feedback about their teaching faculty shortly after their rotation. To improve anonymity, residents were promised their feedback would not be released until they graduated. In 2019, all feedback was collated and released at one time to faculty. We administered 3 timed, voluntary, anonymous, 36-item closed-ended surveys to faculty asking about the content and value, and to self-identify whether the feedback was praise, constructive, or criticism. Results Exactly 189 faculty participated with 140 completing all 3 surveys (74.1% response rate). Faculty reported this feedback content to be of higher quality (81.0%, 81 of 100) and quantity (82.4%, 84 of 102) in contrast to prior feedback. More than 85.4% (88 of 103) of faculty agreed this feedback was more specific. Faculty identified less praise (median 35.0% vs median 50.0%, P<.001) and more negative constructive feedback (median 20.0% vs median 5.0%, P<.001) compared to prior feedback. More than 82% (116 of 140) of faculty reported it would change their behavior, but 3 months after receiving the feedback, only 63.6% (89 or 140) felt the same way (P<.001). Faculty were divided on the necessity of a time delay, with 41.4% (58 of 140) believing it reduced the feedback's value. Despite the delay, 32.1% (45 of 140) felt they could identify residents. Conclusions Offering a substantial delay in feedback delivery increased anonymity and enabled residents to furnish more nuanced and constructive comments; however, faculty opinions diverged on whether this postponement was valuable.

Interest-aware joint caching, computing, and communication optimization for mobile VR delivery in MEC networks

In the upcoming B5G/6G era, Virtual Reality (VR) over wireless has become a typical application, which is an inevitable trend in the development of video. However, in immersive and interactive VR experiences, VR services typically exhibit high delay, while simultaneously posing challenges for the energy consumption of local devices. To address these issues, this paper aims to improve the performance of VR service in the edge-terminal cooperative system. Specifically, we formulate a joint Caching, Computing, and Communication (3C) VR service policy problem by optimizing the weighted sum of the total VR delivery delay and the energy consumption of local devices. To design the optimal VR service policy, the optimization problem is decoupled into three independent subproblems to be solved separately. To improve the caching efficiency within the network, a Bert-based user interest analysis method is first proposed to accurately characterize the content request behavior. Based on this, a service cost minimum-maximization problem is formulated under the consideration of performance fairness among users. Then, the joint caching and computing scheme is derived for each user with a given allocation of communication resources while a bisection-based communication scheme is acquired with the given information on the joint caching and computing policy. With alternative optimization, an optimal policy for joint 3C based on user interest can be finally obtained. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the superiority of the proposed user interest-aware caching scheme and the effectiveness of the joint 3C optimization policy while considering user fairness. Our code is available at https://github.com/mrfuqaq1108/Interest-Aware-Joint-3C-Optimization.

Analysis Risk Mitigation of Delay in Delivery Using House of Risk Method (Case: Air Cargo Transportation)

Logistics Service Provider Companies are responsible for ensuring the delivery of goods using land modes, sea modes and air modes on time. However, in reality there are many problems and obstacles faced in order to guarantee one of these important key performance indicators. This research uses the house of risk method to identify the causes of the risk of delays and design mitigation strategies that can be done to overcome this problem by conducting interviews and filling out house of risk questionnaires with respondents who understand the problem. In this research, 13 risk events and 19 risk agents were found, and 9 priority risk agents were found to cause the problem. After that, activities were carried out to design mitigation strategies that could be carried out and 8 preventive actions were identified and the sequence that must be carried out to overcome the risk of delays.