Rotation Schedule Research Articles

Interprogram Differences in Core General, Core Plastic, and Plastic Surgery-Adjacent Training.

Plastic surgery training continues to evolve with integrated residents spending more time in plastic versus general surgery. Herein, we provide an updated description of interprogram differences in core general, core plastic, and plastic surgery-adjacent training curricula. We obtained rotation schedules from US plastic surgery residency websites or program coordinators for AY2021-2022. Rotation months were recorded and categorized into Core General Surgery, Core Plastic Surgery, and Plastic Surgery-Adjacent. Rotations were compared to American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) standards. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (SPSS, IBM Corp., v27.0, Armonk, NY). Of 84 programs, we obtained schedules for 63 (75%). Most offered 2 years of Core General Surgery followed by 4 years of Core Plastic Surgery training (n = 32, 50.8%). From postgraduate years 1-6, programs offered median 52 months [interquartile range (IQR): 47.5, 55] of Core Plastic Surgery, 12 months (IQR: 9, 14) of Core General Surgery, and 8 months (IQR: 6, 10) of Plastic Surgery-Adjacent rotations. Six (9.5%) programs' schedules included rotations specifically addressing all ABPS competency requirements; 1 (1.6%) included rotations addressing all ACGME Core General Surgery competency requirements. Departmental status was not associated with differences in training time. Our results demonstrate that in AY2021-2022, integrated plastic surgery training programs offered 6 months less Core General Surgery, 3 months less Plastic Surgery-Adjacent, and 9 months more Core Plastic Surgery Rotations than in 2012. Very few program schedules include named rotations that specifically addressed all ABPS or ACGME competency requirements.

A National Assessment of Pediatric Surgical Critical Care Fellowship Structure: Defining the Training Experience.

Pediatric Surgical Critical Care (PSCC) is a unique specialty incorporating fundamental principles of surgical, neonatal, and pediatric critical care. This study aims to characterize the current landscape of PSCC training to identify opportunities for educational standardization and improvement. An anonymous electronic survey-based assessment was distributed to the program directors (PDs) of all current ACGME-accredited PSCC fellowships (n=14). The survey investigated two main program domains: administrative (program size, accreditation, recruitment strategies) and educational (curricula components, learning resources, rotation schedule). Graduate outcomes (estimated board passage rates) were also assessed. Descriptive statistics were performed. The survey response rate was 100%. The majority of primary administrative ACGME accreditation responsibilities are managed either by the pediatric surgery section/department (79%) or the adult surgery department (21%). Only 29% of PDs use a pediatric specific structured curriculum that details specific benchmarks for medical and procedural knowledge. Formalized reading lists and standardized resources are utilized by 64%. All programs offer recurrent educational lectures to fellows by a variety of faculty. There is marked heterogeneity related to time spent in various core and elective rotations. Average duration spent on a PSCC service was 5.1 months (0-10months). However, only 14% of programs reported these months to consist of primary patient management responsibilities. This evaluation of PSCC fellowships demonstrated variability in curriculum, content, and resources. These results support future multidisciplinary efforts to more clearly standardize the fellowship experience in order to ensure practice readiness of these uniquely qualified surgeons. Level V.

Rotational rice transplanting schedule to prevent water scarcity in West Sumatra

Abstract Rice production in West Sumatra decreased due to the impact of climate change. One of the efforts to prevent water scarcity in the rice field is improving water management on the community scale. This study aimed to observe rice water management to prevent water scarcity. The research was conducted in the Tilatang Kamang subdistrict, Agam Regency, through field observation and interviews from November 2023 to April 2024. P3A Namuang Saiyo manages the water management for rice fields. Farmers used a rotational transplanting schedule to prevent water scarcity by cultivating rice 2-month intervals between the upstream, midstream, and downstream areas. The rice cultivated in 2023 shows yields in the areas of 3.48 t ha−1, 3.88 t ha−1, and 3.74 t ha−1, respectively, using a conventional transplanting system (CU) of 37 x 37 cm. However, other conventional transplanting systems help farmers manage fertilizer with sizes 70 x 18 x 53 cm (M1) and 12 x 37 x 37 cm (M2). The results show that CU obtained a higher yield by 3.88 t ha−1, followed by M2 (2.87 t ha−1) and M1 (2.23 t ha−1).

Ergonomic challenges in healthcare: mapping physical load during patient transfers using electromyographic field measurements.

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are prevalent among healthcare workers. These workers experience high rates of low-back pain; partly due to the high physical demands of patient transfers. Understanding the specific transfer scenarios that contribute to high physical loads is therefore crucial for developing strategies to improve working conditions. This study utilized electromyography to measure muscle activity in the erector spinae muscles during patient transfers, performing measurements in real-life hospital settings to identify the physical load associated with different transfer scenarios. Using linear mixed models, the 95th percentile ranks of the normalized root mean square (nRMS) values were analyzed for a range of different patient transfers. The results revealed significant differences in physical load across various patient transfer scenarios. High-load activities included sitting to lying down or lying down to sitting (nRMS 32.7, 95% CI: 28.9-36.6) and lifting the upper body (32.4, 95% CI: 28.8-35.9), while low-load activities such as supporting patients while walking or standing (21.9, 95% CI: 18.6-25.1) and mobilizing in bed (19.9, 95% CI: 16.1-23.8) required less muscle activation. Moderate-load activities included bed to chair transfers (28.1, 95% CI: 24.9-31.3) and lifting the head (26.3, 95% CI: 22.7-29.9). Understanding the physical load associated with different patient transfer scenarios allows for better organization of work in healthcare settings. These novel findings emphasize the need for effective task allocation, rotational schedules, and the use of assistive devices to distribute physical load and reduce injury risk.

A novel framework for optimizing job rotation schedules across industries

Implementing job rotation (JR) can yield positive or negative impacts depending on the firm characteristics and industry type. As a result, a generic framework for its implementation is difficult to develop and presently does not exist in literature. Existing models/frameworks have limited application as they are either too specific or generic, but imprecise. Consequently, managers often rely on their intuition to develop JR schedules which sometimes leads to suboptimal/unwanted outcomes. In this article, we propose a generic JR framework, which can be used by managers to develop optimal JR schedules in firms across many industries, such as IT, manufacturing, banking, medical, construction, chemical, aviation, etc. The proposed framework contributes to theory by addressing important questions, such as when to implement JR, and how to quantify some of its most important impacts. We also demonstrate the utility of the proposed framework through an illustrative industrial example.

Nightshift Rotation Schedule and Fatigue in U.K. and Italian Nurses.

Whether hours on shift might impact adaptation to night shift work is still controversial. We conducted a pooled analysis of two studies, including 170 hospital nurses working night shifts, 116 from a United Kingdom study working 12-hour rotating shifts, and 54 from Italy working 8-hour shifts. Both studies used the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) to detect sleepiness during routine daytime activities as an indicator of fatigue. We compared the prevalence of daytime sleepiness, as indicated by an ESS score≥11, resulting from either shift work schedule. We used logistic regression to calculate the risk of daytime sleepiness associated with 12-hour vs. 8-hour nightshifts, adjusting by age, sex, and parenting children aged≤4. When comparing similar work circumstances, nightshifts prolonged to 12 hours did not increase the risk of daytime sleepiness compared to 8 hours (OR=0.9, 95% CI 0.32, 2.59). Our results suggest that 12-hour rotating nightshifts with additional rest days and 8-hour rotating shift schedules do not differ in their impact on daytime sleepiness. Further research is warranted on what strategies might effectively contrast fatigue, circadian misalignment, and the related metabolic changes leading to adverse health outcomes, including cancer.

Optimization Algorithm of Network Node Layout of Fresh Agricultural Products’ Online Consumption Behavior in E-Commerce Environment

In order to improve the efficiency of online consumption and supply chain efficiency of fresh agricultural products in the e-commerce environment, a network node layout optimization algorithm was designed. In the e-commerce environment, a network node deployment model has been constructed for the online consumption behavior of fresh agricultural products. A network transmission supply chain detection model was established through the rotation scheduling method. By combining distributed transformation protocols, the spatial layout characteristics of network nodes have been reorganized. Further introduction of a multi-coverage scheduling model, combined with sensor information fusion tracking technology, accurately detects the layout characteristics of network nodes. Based on these detection data, forwarding and adaptive control protocols were developed. Real-time control using the node traversal method was developed. Under the optimal node supply chain transmission mechanism, the scheduling of the network node layout has been achieved. Meanwhile, convolutional neural networks were utilized to dynamically adjust layout control to ensure convergence and stability. The simulation results show that the node forwarding ability of the network node layout design for online consumption behavior of fresh agricultural products in the e-commerce environment is good, which improves the output balance of the network supply chain transmission of online consumption behavior of fresh agricultural products in the e-commerce environment. In addition, the optimized delivery cost decreased by 20% compared to before optimization, delivery efficiency increased by 30%, and inventory turnover rate increased by 25%, confirming that the proposed method has good optimization performance.

A multifunctional life cycle assessment of durum wheat cropping systems

Agricultural systems strongly impact ecosystems by driving terrestrial degradation, water depletion, and climate change. The Life Cycle Assessment allows for comprehensive analyses of the environmental impacts of food production. Nonetheless, its application still faces challenges due to cropping systems’ increased complexity and multifunctionality. Past research has emphasized the need for more holistic approaches to consider dynamic crop interactions and diverse functions of cropping systems, beyond just meeting the demand for foods and feeds. In this context, this study applied an alternative combined and multifunctional modelling approach to compare the environmental performances of two durum wheat cropping systems. The latter differed in crop rotation schedules, farming methods, tillage techniques, and genotypes grown (including both modern and old ones). Novel methodological choices were adopted in this study, aiming at best representing the complexity and peculiarities of these systems, by considering crop rotation effects and reflecting the main durum wheat stakeholders’ perspectives. The results showed that the organic low-input landrace-growing system (Case 1) had considerably lower environmental impacts than the conventional high-input one (Case 2), regardless of the functional unit. The environmental hotspots were the increased land occupation and the bare fallow for Case 1 and Case 2, respectively. At the endpoint level, the most affected impact categories for both the systems of analysis were land use, fine particulate matter formation, global warming (human health), and human non-carcinogenic toxicity. Also, the midpoint analysis pointed out important differences in terms of other assessed impact categories, with Case 1 better performing for the majority of them. The identified improvement solutions include the following: the enhancement of the yield performances and the optimization of nitrogen provision from the leguminous crop for Case1, the shift toward a more efficient rotational scheme, the reduction of the use of external inputs, and the avoidance of unnecessary soil tillage operations for Case 2.

Scheduling surgical success: Early minimally invasive surgery rotations as a predictor of ABSITE performance

IntroductionThe American Board of Surgery In-Training Examination (ABSITE®) serves as a benchmark for assessing resident knowledge and comprehension in surgery training programs. While previous studies have examined factors such as USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 performance in ABSITE® preparation, the impact of rotational schedule on ABSITE® performance remains underexplored. MethodsWe retrospectively investigated the independent influence of rotational schedule on ABSITE® performance among interns at a single academic institution over an 11 year period. ResultsEarly exposure to minimally invasive surgery rotations and specialty rotations such as surgical oncology and vascular surgery during the winter or just before ABSITE® was associated with higher ABSITE® percentiles when controlled for USMLE Step 2 performance. ConclusionThis study underscores the significance of rotational scheduling in optimizing ABSITE® performance and suggests potential strategies for enhancing resident preparation and success on this examination.

Sleep Behavior in Royal Australian Navy Shift Workers by Shift and Exposure to the SleepTank App.

Rotating shiftwork schedules are known to disrupt sleep in a manner that can negatively impact safety. Consumer sleep technologies (CSTs) may be a useful tool for sleep tracking, but the standard feedback provided by CSTs may not be salient to shift-working populations. SleepTank is an app that uses the total sleep time data scored by a CST to compute a percentage that equates hours of sleep to the fuel in a car and warns the user to sleep when the "tank" is low. Royal Australian Navy aircraft maintenance workers operating on a novel rotational shift schedule were given Fitbit Versa 2s to assess sleep timing, duration, and efficiency across a 10-week period. Half of the participants had access to just the Fitbit app while the other half had access to Fitbit and the SleepTank app. The goal of this study was to evaluate differences in sleep behavior between shifts using an off-the-shelf CST and to investigate the potential of the SleepTank app to increase sleep duration during the 10-week rotational shift work schedule. Royal Australian Navy volunteers agreed to wear a Fitbit Versa 2 with the SleepTank app (SleepTank condition), or without the SleepTank app (Controls), for up to 10 weeks from May to July 2023 during the trial of a novel shift rotation schedule. Participants from across 6 units worked a combination of early (6:00 AM to 2:00 PM), day (7:30 AM to 4:30 PM), late (4:00 PM to 12:00 AM), and night shifts (12:00 AM to 6:00 AM) or stable day shifts (6:00 AM to 4:00 PM). Differences in sleep behavior (time in bed, total sleep time, bedtime, wake time, sleep efficiency [SE]) between conditions and shift types were tested using Analysis of Variance. This study was approved by the Australian Departments of Defence and Veterans' Affairs Human Research Ethics Committee. Thirty-four participants completed the full study (n = 17 Controls; n = 17 SleepTank). There was a significant effect of shift type on 24-hour time in bed (TIB24; F(4,9) = 8.15, P < .001, η2 = 0.15) and total sleep time (TST24; F(4,9) = 8.54, P < .001, η2 = 0.18); both were shorter in early shifts and night shifts compared to other shift types. TIB24 and TST24 were not significantly different between conditions, but there was a trend for greater SE in the SleepTank condition relative to Controls (F(1,9) = 2.99, P = .08, η2 = 0.11). Sleep data collected by Fitbit Versa 2s indicated shorter sleep duration (TIB24, TST24) for Royal Australian Navy workers during early and late shifts relative to stable day shifts. Access to the SleepTank app did not greatly influence measures of sleep duration but may be protective against fatigue by affecting SE. Further research is needed to evaluate the utility of the SleepTank app as a means of improving sleep hygiene in real-world, shift-working environments.

Optimizing the Dosing Regimen During Rotation From Subcutaneous to Transdermal Administration of Fentanyl

ContextSubcutaneous (SC) administration of fentanyl allows for rapid dose titration to treat urgent cancer-related pain. After establishing the optimal fentanyl dose, patients typically rotate towards transdermal (TD) fentanyl patches. Continuing the SC fentanyl up to 12h after application of the patch led to elevated fentanyl concentrations and fentanyl-related toxicities. Based on these findings, and simulations using a pharmacokinetic (PK) model, SC fentanyl administration was discontinued immediately following the application of the patch. ObjectivesTo validate the fentanyl rotation schedule by assessing the PK equivalence in fentanyl exposure before and after rotation. MethodsPK samples and clinical data were prospectively collected from 12 hours prior to rotation until 12 hours after rotation in patients with cancer-related pain undergoing fentanyl rotation. ResultsBetween December 2021 and September 2023, 29 evaluable patients were enrolled in the study. The 90% confidence interval (CI) of the geometric mean ratio between the post- over pre-rotation area under the curve (AUC) fell within the prespecified 0.8–1.25 equivalence interval (90% CI 1.05–1.16). Patient-reported intensity of both nausea (P = 0.047) and transpiration (P = 0.034) decreased post-rotation. Pain intensity and other adverse events did not differ significantly pre and post-rotation. One patient needed adjustment of opioid therapy 40 hours after rotation due to fentanyl-related toxicities. ConclusionThe updated rotation scheme, implying a 1:1 dose conversion and discontinuation of SC fentanyl directly after rotation, resulted in equivalent fentanyl exposure pre and post-rotation. Moreover, the dosing regimen showed to be safe and efficacious during rotation. The new dosing regimen when rotating from SC to TD fentanyl can be effectively and safely implemented in routine palliative care.

Comparing the economic performance of poplar-based alley cropping systems with arable farming in Brandenburg under varying site conditions and policy scenarios

Agroforestry can address multiple environmental challenges across the agricultural sector, for example biodiversity loss and soil degradation. However, agroforestry uptake remains low in Germany. Since economic considerations are important for farmer uptake, this paper compares the economic performance of conventional arable farming with silvoarable alley cropping in Brandenburg. Using a modelling approach, the net present value (NPV) is calculated to assess the competitiveness of alley cropping with poplar compared to arable farming under different scenarios. These scenarios cover a range of crops, rotation schedules, alley widths, woodchip prices, and yield levels. Additionally, policy measures that can compensate for potential economic losses associated with transitioning to agroforestry are considered. Results show that short rotation alley cropping had higher NPVs than medium rotation alley cropping, mainly due to cash-flow characteristics. Short rotation alley cropping can be competitive at high woodchip prices without policy support, while at low or average prices alley cropping needs subsidies to be competitive. Medium rotation systems at all price levels were not competitive unless policy support was provided. Current policy payments were unable to make silvoarable alley cropping competitive except at high woodchip prices. When subsidies increase, alley cropping can be competitive even at low or average woodchip prices and over a range of site conditions. Besides policy support, economic performance was strongly influenced by woodchip prices, relative yield potential of poplar and arable crops, and site conditions.

Exposure to the reproductive endocrinology subspecialty among obstetrics and gynecology residency programs.

Prior studies found that Ob-gyn trainees believe they have inadequate experience in the REI subspecialty. We evaluated the amount of time devoted to REI within the 4-year rotation schedule of ACGME-accredited Ob-gyn residency programs. A list of current Ob-gyn residency programs, both with and without REI fellowships, was created using ACOG and ACGME databases. The programs' websites were reviewed, or the program coordinator was queried to determine the length and year of REI rotation, and the career or fellowships pursued by alumni. Wilcoxon rank sum test was utilized to assess differences in total REI rotation time between REI-affiliated and non-affiliated programs. Spearman's correlation was utilized to assess the association between total REI exposure and the percentage of alumni pursuing REI fellowships. Cumulative length of REI rotations throughout residency ranged from 0 to 20weeks. Mean cumulative rotation length was greater in non-REI than in REI-affiliated programs (7.4weeks vs. 6.1weeks, p = 0.007). However, REI-affiliated programs had greater exposure to REI rotations during the first 2years of residency (3.9weeks vs 3.1weeks, p = 0.042). Among all programs, 24% had the REI rotation in PGY-1, 61% in PGY-2, 50% in PGY-3, and 16% in PGY-4. The proportion of alumni matching in REI fellowship was significantly greater in REI-affiliated programs than non-REI affiliated programs (9.5% vs. 3.1%, p < 0.001). Compared to non-REI affiliated programs, Ob-gyn residencies affiliated with REI fellowships spend less time throughout residency training in REI rotations while sending a greater proportion of residents to REI fellowships.

Risk-Based Gastrointestinal Parasite Control in a Tropical Zoological Institute

The surveillance and treatment of parasites are important features of preventative healthcare plans in zoological institutes. The parasite control strategies employed in temperate regions often involve prophylactic anthelmintic treatments during seasons where the burden of gastrointestinal parasites in fecal testing is high. These strategies are, however, not applicable in the tropics, where temperatures remain high throughout the year, allowing continuous parasitic development. A risk-based parasite management strategy was adopted by a tropical zoological institute. For parasite surveillance, routine fecal direct smears and magnesium sulfate flotations were performed to determine parasitic prevalence. The frequency of fecal checks for the year was determined by the frequency at which clinically relevant parasitism (fecal tests that resulted in the animal being treated) was detected during routine fecal checks in the previous year. A yearly anthelmintic drug-class rotation schedule was also implemented. The total number of fecal tests performed per year and the number of animals with clinically significant parasitic disease decreased by 30.0% (637/2126) and 46.9% (207/451), respectively, over the four-year period of the study. Anthelmintic class rotation also improved the efficacy of fenbendazole in treating Strongyloides spp. infecting the group of orangutans. This parasite control strategy is a targeted approach to managing preventative healthcare, reducing the work required to perform routine surveillance tests whilst maintaining the health of the collection of animals.

Applicant Use of Residency Program Websites During Virtual Interviews [ID 2683623

INTRODUCTION: Program websites are the most common online resource applicants use to access information about residency programs. During the COVID-19 pandemic, online resources have had to take place of site visits when interviews transitioned to the virtual setting. At this time, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education does not have a plan for a transition back to in-person interviews. The objective of this study is to assess applicant use, and information that is sought for development of high-quality residency websites. METHODS: A survey was shared to interviewees on their interview day with Creighton University–Phoenix obstetrics and gynecology residency during the 2022–2023 application cycle. To remove the possibility of influence or coercion, the survey was kept anonymous. This was found to be IRB exempt. RESULTS: Of the 88 survey respondents, 100% marked they visited the program website. Only 32 of the 88 respondents indicated they did not find the information they were looking. The most-sought information by respondents was current resident profiles (75% of respondents), hospital/training site information (68%), rotation schedule (63%), and faculty profiles (60%). Other notable categories respondents were hoping to find information about included the following: surgical training, family planning training, and benefits offered by the program. CONCLUSION: Program websites are highly utilized by residency applicants. Information traditionally shared on interview day is now found through online resources; most-sought information included resident and faculty profiles, rotation schedules, and training site information.

Preparing Future Pediatric Care Providers with a Clinical Informatics Elective.

Clinical informatics (CI) has reshaped how medical information is shared, evaluated, and utilized in health care delivery. The widespread integration of electronic health records (EHRs) mandates proficiency among physicians and practitioners, yet medical trainees face a scarcity of opportunities for CI education. We developed a CI rotation at a tertiary pediatric care center to teach categorical pediatric, pediatric-neurology, and medicine-pediatric residents foundational CI knowledge and applicable EHR skills. Created in 2017 and redesigned in 2020, a CI rotation aimed to provide foundational CI knowledge, promote longitudinal learning, and encourage real-world application of CI skills/tools. Led by a team of five physician informaticist faculty, the curriculum offers personalized rotation schedules and individual sessions with faculty for each trainee. Trainees were tasked with completing an informatics project, knowledge assessment, and self-efficacy perception survey before and after rotation. Paired t-test analyses were used to compare pre- and postcurriculum perception survey. Thirty-one residents have completed the elective with their projects contributing to diverse areas such as medical education, division-specific initiatives, documentation improvement, regulatory compliance, and operating plan goals. The mean knowledge assessment percentage score increased from 77% (11.6) to 92% (10.6; p ≤ 0.05). Residents' perception surveys demonstrated improved understanding and confidence across various informatics concepts and tools (p ≤ 0.05). Medical trainees are increasingly interested in CI education and find it valuable. Our medical education curriculum was successful at increasing residents' understanding, self-efficacy, and confidence in utilizing CI concepts and EHR tools. Future data are needed to assess the impact such curricula have on graduates' proficiency and efficiency in the use of CI tools in the clinical workplace.

Evaluation of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship Program Websites.

Introduction Due to the COVID-19 pandemic,the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) recommended that all interviews for residencies and fellowships be conducted in a virtual format. As of March 2024, the Society of Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) continues to request that all fellowship interviews occur virtually. Without in-person interviews, prospective Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) fellowship applicants must largely rely on program websites to gain insight into each program's offerings, culture, and application requirements. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the content of American College of Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)-accredited Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) fellowship program websites and assess if regional differences exist among website content. Methods All ACGME-accredited MFM fellowship programwebsites were assessed for 21 defined criteria as of March 2024 and further compared by geographic regions (Midwest, Northeast, South, and West). Analyses were completed using chi-squared univariate tests, with a p < 0.05. Results Of the 108 accredited MFM fellowship programs, 106 programs had a dedicated website (98.15%). Most MFM programs (over 80%) included contact information (102/106), program director name (98/106), faculty names (95/106), application requirements (92/106), current fellow names (91/106), and the program coordinator name (89/106) on their website. Less programs (less than 30%) included diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI) content (28/106), interview dates (28/106), and current fellow research projects or publications (27/106). Western programs were less likely to include the program coordinator's name (12/18 (67%), p = 0.046), but more likely to include DEI content (10/18 (56%), p = 0.005). Northeastern programs were less likely to include their application requirements (24/32 (75%), p = 0.049) and less likely to include pictures of their current fellows (20/32 (63%), p = 0.045). Southern programs were more likely to include the yearly rotation schedule (19/32 (59%), p = 0.040). Midwestern programs were more likely to include information on fellowship benefits or salary (15/24 (63%), p = 0.046). Conclusion This study demonstrated that the content available on MFM fellowship websites varies greatly between programs and geographic regions. Efforts should be made by MFM training institutions to enhance website DEI content, curriculum information, recent fellow publications, and information on program alumni. A detailed and well-structured website may helpapplicants compare individual programs more equitablyin the age of virtual interviewing.

The Optimal Size of a Heterogeneous Air Taxi Fleet in Advanced Air Mobility: A Traffic Demand and Flight Scheduling Approach

Introducing Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) as a novel transportation mode poses unique challenges due to limited practical and empirical data. One of these challenges involves accurately estimating future passenger demand and the required number of air taxis, given uncertainties in modal shift dynamics, induced traffic patterns, and long-term price elasticity. In our study, we use mobility data obtained from a Dresden traffic survey and modal shift rates to estimate the demand for AAM air taxi operations for this regional use case. We organize these operations into an air taxi rotation schedule using a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) optimization model and set a tolerance for slight deviations from the requested arrival times for higher productivity. The resulting schedule aids in determining the AAM fleet size while accounting for flight performance, energy consumption, and battery charging requirements tailored to three distinct types of air taxi fleets. According to our case study, the methodology produces feasible and high-quality air taxi flight rotations within an efficient computational time of 1.5 h. The approach provides extensive insights into air taxi utilization, charging durations at various locations, and assists in fleet planning that adapts to varying, potentially uncertain, traffic demands. Our findings reveal an average productivity of 12 trips per day per air taxi, covering distances from 13 to 99 km. These outcomes contribute to a sustainable, business-focused implementation of AAM while highlighting the interaction between operational parameters and overall system performance and contributing to vertiport capacity considerations.

Scheduling optimization of electric energy meter distribution vehicles for intelligent batch rotation

As industrial technology continues to advance through integration, society's demand for electricity is rapidly increasing. To meet the requirements of refined grid management and address the elevated challenges arising from the increased electrical load, this paper delves into the investigation of distribution vehicle scheduling for the practical scenario of batch rotation of smart meters. Initially, based on the practical distribution task requirements of a provincial metrology verification center, a multi-level optimization model is constructed for the batch rotation and distribution vehicle scheduling of smart meters. The primary objective is to maximize the enhancement of smart meter distribution efficiency while minimizing the overall distribution cost. Moreover, this paper introduces a refined Grey Wolf Optimization algorithm (OLC-GWO) based on Opposition-based Learning, Levy flight strategy, and Cauchy mutation to solve the model. By generating an opposite population to improve the quality of initial feasible solutions and further harnessing the global search capabilities of Levy flight and Cauchy mutation operators, the algorithm's effectiveness is enhanced. The algorithm is subjected to testing using multiple benchmark functions and its performance is compared with variants of GWO, as well as several cutting-edge intelligent optimization algorithms including Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), Harris Hawks Optimization (HHO), and Honey Bee Algorithm (HBA). The results indicate that OLC-GWO exhibits excellent performance in terms of convergence speed and optimization capability. Finally, the improved algorithm is subjected to simulation experiments by incorporating order data from the practical distribution operations of a provincial metrology verification center. The outcomes verify the efficiency of the proposed algorithm, reinforcing the practical significance of the established model in addressing the real-world challenge of batch rotation and distribution vehicle scheduling for smart meters.

Source Network Load Storage Access to Power Wireless Private Network Technology Based on 5G Ultra Dense Networking

We make the source network load storage access power wireless private network, this paper proposes a source network load storage access power wireless private network technology based on 5G ultra dense network. The multiple rotation scheduling and self-organizing learning methods are used to establish the deployment model of the source network load storage access node of the power wireless private network under the 5G communication mode. According to the routing control algorithm design of the 5G ultra dense networking node, combined with the integration analysis of the access load parameters, the source network load storage access model of the 5G ultra dense networking under the dynamic load distributed control mode is established. Through the method of optimal control of reactive power and voltage of distribution network, the transmission link equilibrium structure model of 5G source network load storage access to power wireless private network is constructed. Combined with the coverage analysis of link topology structure and the benefit maximization constraint analysis of production and consumption users, the active and reactive capacity analysis of transaction between production and consumption user groups and multiple production and consumption users is adopted. Combined with the energy storage characteristics analysis and power flow parameter calculation of the source network load storage access power, the 5G ultra dense networking and private network access to the source network load storage access power are realized. The test shows that this method has better power balance dispatching ability and larger output power gain when it is applied to the design of source network load storage access power wireless private network.