Sequential Placement Research Articles

The First Step in Triadic Decision-Making Involving People with Dementia: Determining Who Talks When

ABSTRACT Everyone should have the opportunity to participate in decisions about their health, including people living with dementia. People with dementia typically bring a companion to medical appointments, so most care decisions are made in interactions involving three parties. To make decisions about their care, patients with dementia must have the opportunity to take a turn-at-talk in conversations where decisions are made. However, negotiating who speaks next in triadic talk is a complex task, especially when dementia-associated language and/or memory problems impact communication. Findings show that using second person (“you”) pronouns assist people with dementia in responding to queries, yet third person (“she/he”) can exclude them from the interaction, although this near-canonical pronoun use can be overridden by sequential placement, gesture, and gaze. We also demonstrate how midturn pronoun switching often only provides for tokenistic inclusion, though this again is dependent on sequential placement and embodied interaction. Data are in English.

Evaluating the Continuous Deck Placement Sequence Approach at Steel Bridges Using a Time-Dependent Numerical Analysis

Evaluating the Continuous Deck Placement Sequence Approach at Steel Bridges Using a Time-Dependent Numerical Analysis

Experimental and theoretical studies on 3D printed short and continuous carbon fiber hybrid reinforced composites

3D-printed carbon fiber composites hold significant potential in aerospace applications because of their lightweight, high strength and complex structure fabrication capabilities. However, additive manufacturing characteristics such as high porosity, anisotropy and continuous fiber content significantly affect the mechanical properties of printed parts. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of hybrid printing of short and continuous carbon fibers on the mechanical properties and failure mechanisms of composites and to develop a model to predict elastic properties considering porosity. First, mechanical testing and characterization of short and continuous fiber reinforced polyamide (nylon) print filaments are performed. The results indicate that the elastic modulus and ultimate strength of continuous carbon fiber filaments reach 60 GPa and 1500 MPa, respectively, while the strength and elastic modulus of short carbon fiber filaments reach 60 MPa and 1 GPa, respectively. Then tensile specimens with different continuous fiber orientations and different continuous fiber placement sequences are printed and tested using a multi-material 3D printing technique. The specimens are characterized before and after testing using scanning electron microscopy and microscopy to assess the porosity and failure mechanisms of specimens with different configurations. The results show that the mechanical properties of the printed parts are much lower than those of the print filaments, which proves the serious negative impact of the material extrusion process on the mechanical properties of the printed structural parts. Finally, an analytical method for predicting the elastic behavior of printed composites is developed by introducing the porosity factor in the volume-averaged stiffness model. For continuous and short fiber filled composites with different fiber contents and printing orientations, the predicted results are in agreement with the experiments, and the prediction error is greatly reduced from 30 % to <5 %.

“Do you have questions?” How sequential placement shapes the uptake of question invitations in HPV vaccine treatment recommendations in the Netherlands

This article concerns public health nurses' invitations to ask questions about HPV-vaccination. The invitations are addressed to children and their parents. Asking questions allows parents and children to gather information they need for an informed decision on whether or not to vaccinate. Our conversation analysis of 36 recorded triadic consultations about general health consultation in the Netherlands identifies two ways in which nurses' questions invitations can be embedded: 1) questions are invited after vaccine treatment recommendation, but before a decision has been made about vaccination - therefore launching an insert expansion, 2) questions are invited after a vaccine treatment recommendation and decision to that recommendation. In the first case, asking questions is treated as raising obstacles to a response to the treatment recommendation. In the second case, a complex interactional environment is set up for asking (critical) questions. The analysis shows that the sequential position of question invitations is important for how these invitations function. It also illustrates that nurses must balance the task of inviting a conversation and securing consent for vaccination.

Algorithms for planning the trajectories of electrode insertion for radiofrequency ablation in robotic surgery

Aim. To improve the efficiency of radiofrequency ablation for large tumors by computer-aided modeling and planning of robotic surgery. Materials and methods. A set of algorithms for planning robotic electrode insertion was developed. Results. The evaluation of the technique proved its potential for achieving complete tumor processing and trajectory building with all feasible constraints. Conclusion. The set of algorithms provides computer-aid planning for sequential placement of radiofrequency ablation needles during intervention.

Sequential organization and interactional functions of patient loyalty in routine chronic encounters

Doctor-patient communication is pivotal for the delivery of effective health care, patient satisfaction and retention, and the development of patient loyalty to the provider. However, the interactional dynamics of loyalty in real-life communication are left underexplored. In this regard, this study aims to examine and analyze loyalty in naturally occurring routine chronic encounters. Based on audio-recordings collected in a state-run tier-three hospital in China, the study uses conversation analysis to examine the sequential placement of loyalty display and its interactional functions in different environments. The findings report two sequential environments where loyalty display emerges: the opening and closing phases. The findings also show that loyalty is mainly produced by the patient to display affiliation and commitment, indicate their preferred treatment options, and rekindle a disconnected relationship. This work contributes to a more nuanced understanding of loyalty display in service and institutional encounters.

Large-scale rain gauge network optimization using a kriging emulator

Rain gauge networks deliver crucial observations for many water-related applications but can be expensive to purchase and operate, which makes optimization of the number and locations of gauges an important task. Traditional optimization approaches often focus on kriging-based methods that are computationally expensive, which limits the scale of the optimization to small areas or a very limited number of gauges. This study presents a novel workflow with high computational efficiency that is able to handle optimization problems on large rain gauge networks. This is accomplished by developing a fast parametric emulator of the commonly used ordinary kriging approach. The results show that the developed emulator is able to accurately reproduce the original kriging uncertainty estimates with a computational speed up of a factor of 3000. In order to determine the best locations for new gauges, a greedy optimization heuristic that relies on sequential placement of gauges is developed. The sequential optimization can lead to sub-optimal solutions by itself, so a resubstitution mechanism is introduced to correct for this. The workflow is applied to the national gauging network of Denmark with 291 gauges, where it is able to optimally place 175 new gauges within 1 h of running time. A similar optimization with a traditional kriging approach would have taken approximately 125 days to complete highlighting the value the workflow.

Optimal Treatment Order With Fibula-Free Flap Reconstruction, Oncologic Treatment, and Dental Implants: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Head and neck cancer (HNC) patients benefit from craniofacial reconstruction, but no clear guidance exists for rehabilitation timing. This meta-analysis aims to clarify the impact of oncologic treatment order on implant survival. An algorithm to guide placement sequence is also proposed in this paper. PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched for studies on HNC patients with ablative and fibula-free flap (FFF) reconstruction surgeries and radiotherapy (RTX). Primary outcomes included treatment sequence, implant survival rates, and RTX dose. Of 661 studies, 20 studies (617 implants, 199 patients) were included. Pooled survival rates for implants receiving >60Gy RTX were significantly lower than implants receiving < 60Gy (82.8% versus 90.1%, P =0.035). Placement >1 year after RTX completion improved implant survival rates (96.8% versus 82.5%, P =0.001). Implants receiving pre-placement RTX had increased survival with RTX postablation versus before (91.2% versus 74.8%, P <0.001). One hundred seventy-seven implants were placed only in FFF with higher survival than implants placed in FFF or native bone (90.4% versus 83.5%, P =0.035). Radiotherapy is detrimental to implant survival rates when administered too soon, in high doses, and before tumor resection. A novel evidence-based clinical decision-making algorithm was presented for utilization when determining the optimal treatment order for HNC patients. The overall survival of dental prostheses is acceptable, reaffirming their role as a key component in rehabilitating HNC patients. Considerations must be made regarding RTX dosage, timing, and implant location to optimize survival rates and patient outcomes for improved functionality, aesthetics, and comfort.

The concept of optimal planning of a linearly oriented segment of the 5G network.

In the article, the extreme problem of finding the optimal placement plan of 5G base stations at certain points within a linear area of finite length is set. A fundamental feature of the author's formulation of the extreme problem is that it takes into account not only the points of potential placement of base stations but also the possibility of selecting instances of stations to be placed at a specific point from a defined excess set, as well as the aspect of inseparable interaction of placed 5G base stations within the framework of SON. The formulation of this extreme problem is brought to the form of a specific combinatorial model. The article proposes an adapted branch-and-bounds method, which allows the process of synthesis of the architecture of a linearly oriented segment of a 5G network to select the best options for the placement of base stations for further evaluation of the received placement plans in the metric of defined performance indicators. As the final stage of the synthesis of the optimal plan of a linearly oriented wireless network segment based on the sequence of the best placements, it is proposed to expand the parametric space of the design task due to the specific technical parameters characteristic of the 5G platform. The article presents a numerical example of solving an instance of the corresponding extremal problem. It is shown that the presented mathematical apparatus allows for the formation of a set of optimal placements taking into account the size of the non-coverage of the target area. To calculate this characteristic parameter, both exact and two approximate approaches are formalized. The results of the experiment showed that for high-dimensional problems, the approximate approach allows for reducing the computational complexity of implementing the adapted branch-and-bounds method by more than six times, with a slight loss of accuracy of the optimal solution. The structure of the article includes Section 1 (introduction and state-of-the-art), Section 2 (statement of the research, proposed models and methods devoted to the research topic), Section 3 (numerical experiment and analysis of results), and Section 4 (conclusions and further research).

Midurethral Sling With Concomitant Sacrocolpopexy: Does the Sequence Matter? A Retrospective Cohort Study

The objective is to determine if the timing of midurethral sling (MUS) placement has an impact on the recurrence rate of stress urinary incontinence. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent robot sacrocolpopexy (RSC) with MUS placement at a large community hospital. Our data demonstrated that there was no significant difference in stress urinary incontinence recurrence when the MUS was placed before or after the RSC (15% vs. 11%, P = 0.41, respectively). We concluded that physician preference may dictate surgical approach to sequence of retropubic MUS placement at the time of RSC.

Sequence of Epinephrine and Advanced Airway Placement After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

While epinephrine and advanced airway management (AAM) (supraglottic airway insertion and endotracheal intubation) are commonly used for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), the optimal sequence of these interventions remains unclear. To evaluate the association of the sequence of epinephrine administration and AAM with patient outcomes after OHCA. This cohort study analyzed the nationwide, population-based OHCA registry in Japan and included adults (aged ≥18 years) with OHCA for whom emergency medical services personnel administered epinephrine and/or placed an advanced airway between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2019. The data analysis was performed between October 1, 2022, and May 12, 2023. The sequence of intravenous epinephrine administration and AAM. The primary outcome was 1-month survival. Secondary outcomes were 1-month survival with favorable functional status and prehospital return of spontaneous circulation. To control imbalances in measured patient demographics, cardiac arrest characteristics, and bystander and prehospital interventions, propensity scores and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) were performed for shockable and nonshockable initial rhythm subcohorts. Of 259 237 eligible patients (median [IQR] age, 79 [69-86] years), 152 289 (58.7%) were male. A total of 21 592 patients (8.3%) had an initial shockable rhythm, and 237 645 (91.7%) had an initial nonshockable rhythm. Using IPTW, all covariates between the epinephrine-first and AAM-first groups were well balanced, with all standardized mean differences less than 0.100. After IPTW, the epinephrine-first group had a higher likelihood of 1-month survival for both shockable (odds ratio [OR], 1.19; 95% CI, 1.09-1.30) and nonshockable (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.19-1.37) rhythms compared with the AAM-first group. For the secondary outcomes, the epinephrine-first group experienced an increased likelihood of favorable functional status and prehospital return of spontaneous circulation for both shockable and nonshockable rhythms compared with the AAM-first group. These findings suggest that for patients with OHCA, administration of epinephrine before placement of an advanced airway may be the optimal treatment sequence for improved patient outcomes.

Flirting and winking in Tinder chats

Abstract Existing research across the diverse field(s) of ‘discourse studies’ has started to explore the communicative orders and sequential practices surrounding emoji use (Skovholt, Grønning and Kankaanranta 2014; Herring and Dainas 2017; Gibson, Huang and Yu 2018; Sampietro 2019). However, researchers have not yet systematically analysed one of the demonstrable phenomena of emoji, which is their ambiguity as meaning-making devices (Miller et al. 2016; Jaeger et al. 2017). This study draws on Conversation Analysis to explore the issue of ambiguity in the use of one particular type of emoji, the wink (e.g., 😉, 🥴, 😜). Drawing on a data corpus of text conversations in Danish and in Spanish by users of the dating app ‘Tinder’, the analysis explores the phenomena of ambiguity in relation to the practice of flirting. The paper highlights four possible sources of ambiguity: idiosyncratic use, semiotic references, sequential placement, and relationship to ambiguous textual actions. The paper ends with reflections on possible future areas of research in the study of emoji and communication.

Stability constraints in a 3D knapsack problem with non parallelepipedic items

This paper concerns stability issues that we encountered while solving an industrial pallet loading problem. The practical problem can be modeled as a three-dimensional knapsack with original constraints related to the stability of the pallet: when the placement of the boxes on the pallet is computed, the weight of the boxes and the placement sequence are not known.Despite this lack of information, the placement must remain stable throughout the construction of the pallet. Even more important, the major difference with classical placement problems is that the boxes are parallelepipedic rectangle with edge reduction (the upper surface may be smaller than the bottom face).In this paper, we review stability constraints used in the literature and the assumptions under which these constraints can be used and we detail their adequacy to the problem we consider. We then propose a new stability constraint which takes into account the practical features, which can be integrated into a placement algorithm and which is not too restrictive.Numerical experiments on benchmarks from the literature show that this constraint, added to a classical placement algorithm, obtains results which are similar to algorithms from the literature dedicated to a specific stability constraint for parallelepipedic boxes. By adjusting the benchmark to take into account the practical problem specificities, we show that this new stability constraint is perfectly suited to the industrial problem and obtains very good results compared to classical constraints. Therefore, it has been integrated in the placement software developed by the company.

An Effective Scoring-Based Metaheuristic Algorithm for Rectilinear Block Placement

Due to the new packaging schemes such as multi-project wafer (MPW), the shape of integrated circuit blocks becomes more flexible and the demand for rectilinear block placement is rising. MPW can be modeled as the rectilinear block placement problem, which requires to place a set of L/T/U-shaped rectilinear blocks on a plane without overlapping. The objective is to minimize the area of the enveloping rectangle with the aspect ratio of the envelope close to 1:1. This paper presents an effective scoring-based metaheuristic algorithm (SMA) for the MPW problem. A skyline heuristic is proposed to find a suitable block for the lowest and leftmost space for the rectilinear block placement problem. Comparing to the previous algorithms for rectangle packing, our algorithm considers the characteristics of L/T/U-shaped blocks and different orientations in the scoring strategies for block selection. In order to improve the placement sequence, swapping and shifting operations are incorporated to iteratively change the current sequence. Computational experiments were conducted on ten benchmark instances from the Integrated Circuit EDA Elite Challenge 2020 (ICEEC 2020). The experimental results show that the average filling ratio of our algorithm is around 95% which demonstrates the effectiveness of SMA.

Intelligent system for radio-surgical treatment planning using spheres placement optimization with overlaps

In this study, we introduce a novel approach employing sphere placement with controlled overlaps to strategically position radiation shots within a three-dimensional tumor characterized as a convex polyhedral set. Our primary goal is to ensure optimal radiation dosage by managing sphere overlaps. We present a method that guides a systematic sphere placement procedure, utilizing predetermined sizes, to achieve a heightened filling coefficient within the tumor volume. Through the dense arrangement of these spheres, we effectively minimize uncovered regions, contributing to improved radiation coverage. The iterative packing process concludes upon reaching the threshold where no additional spheres can be accommodated, accounting for permissible overlaps. The proposed methodology embodies principles of an intelligent system, orchestrating the placement sequence to enhance treatment efficacy. A practical illustration is included to demonstrate the application of our approach

An improved spider monkey optimization algorithm for multi-objective planning and scheduling problems of PCB assembly line

In recent years, the demand for printed circuit boards (PCBs) with various electronic components has tremendously increased due to high customization in smart electronic devices. To meet the market competition, efficient and realistic decisions with optimum planning and scheduling are required to enhance the productivity of PCB industries. Processing time of surface mounting technology (SMT) machines defines the pace of PCB production because of time consuming and critical process. In addition, it is observed that various planning and scheduling problems exist in PCB assembly line which are required to emphasize to increase the productivity. Therefore, in this study critical planning and scheduling problems i.e., component allocation problem (CAP) and component placement sequence problem (CPSP) are considered to optimize. Moreover, the periodic maintenance (PM) is also considered to maintain the efficiency of machines and make the problem more realistic. A mathematical model is formulated to minimize the maximum completion time, total energy consumption and the total maintenance time simultaneously. To solve this multi-objective NP-hard problem, an improved spider monkey optimization (ISMO) algorithm is developed. The efficiency and effectiveness of ISMO algorithm is improved by embedding few additional features. a) Two heuristics to ensure better initial solutions; b) evolutionary state judgment based on change in Pareto entropy to ensure the tradeoff between exploration and exploitation; c) an archive-based Q-Learning strategy to ensure the parametric adaptive tuning. Finally, computational experiments and comprehensive performance comparisons with other well-known multi-objective algorithms are performed with several size problem instances. The statistical results and analysis demonstrate that the proposed ISMO algorithm outperforms the other competitors.

Sequential Deployment of Mobile Radiation Sensor Network Using Reinforcement Learning in Radioactive Source Search

Ever since the attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, prevention of nuclear terrorist attacks in urban environments has been a major focus for homeland security. To that end, mobile radiation sensor networks that are deployed within a specific area to acquire consecutive measurements are a first line of defense against the illicit movement of nuclear threats. However, sensor network deployment is a complex process imposed on physical and financial constraints and dynamically varying conditions. In this work, reinforcement learning (RL) is applied to control the sequential deployment of a mobile radiation sensor network within a specific geographic area. RL is utilized for dynamically learning of the environment and subsequent decision making on the optimal position of the network sensors driven by shared mutual information. RL has the benefit of allowing the network to learn and update a deployment strategy online from an initially unknown state. The performance of the RL method is demonstrated through self-contained exploration and interaction between sensors in a source search scenario for detecting a radioactive source with a set of mobile detectors within the space of the University of Texas at San Antonio campus. Results exhibit the efficiency and efficacy of (a-sequential) RL in comparison to the sequential placement of the mobile sensors, showcasing optimality in accuracy and efficiency in source detection.

Використання технології блокчейну при побудові ієрархічної структури на множині державних реєстрів для захисту від підробки інформації

The work deals with the problem of ensuring the security of information storage in various registers, including state ones. First of all, we focused on security against attacks aimed at changing information in the registry, which is a constant and real threat today. The method proposed by us to prevent such attacks on changing information in the registry is based on the use of results from a relatively new direction in the field of information technology – blockchain technology. We propose building a so-called cascade structure of registers on blockchains using one of the newest consensus protocols called Proof-of-Proof. Such a cascade structure of registers, with the correct parameters of its construction and use, provides all the properties of correct information storage, such as non-failure, immutability, sequence of placement in the register, and others. After formulating the basic idea of building a cascade registry, we present a list of problems that need to be solved so that the probability of success of a substitution information attack is negligibly small.

Gastrostomy Sequence With Ventriculoperitoneal Shunting-Does It Matter?

Neurological injury requiring ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS) placement often necessitates gastrostomy for nutritional support. The sequence of these procedures is debated over concerns for shunt infection and displacement requiring revisional surgery as a consequence of gastrostomy. To determine the optimal sequence of VPS shunt and gastrostomy tube placement in adults. In an all-payer database, adult patients undergoing gastrostomy and VPS placement were identified within 15 days between January 2010 and October 2021. Patients were categorized as receiving gastrostomy before, on the same day as, or after shunt placement. The primary outcomes of this study were rates of revision and infection. All outcomes were evaluated within 30 months after index shunting. In total, 3015 patients were identified as undergoing VPS and gastrostomy procedures within 15 days. After a 1:1:1 match, 1080 patient records were analyzed. Revision rates at 30 months were significantly lower among patients who received VPS and gastrostomy procedures on the same day compared with gastrostomy after VPS (odds ratio [OR] 0.61, 95% CI 0.39-0.96). In addition, patients who received gastrostomy before VPS compared with those after had lower revision rates (OR 0.61, 95% CI 0.39-0.96) and infection (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.21-0.99). No significant differences were noted in mechanical complication or shunt displacement rates. Patients requiring VPS and gastrostomy may benefit from undergoing both procedures concurrently or with gastrostomy before VPS placement, secondary to lower revision rates. Patients undergoing gastrostomy before VPS have the added benefit of decreased infection rates.

Improving Additive Manufacturing production planning: A sub-second pixel-based packing algorithm

Additive Manufacturing (AM), the technology of rapid prototyping directly from 3D digital models, has made a significant impact on both academia and industry. When facing the growing demand of AM services, AM production planning (AMPP) plays a vital role in reducing makespan and costs for AM service companies. This research focuses on the AMPP problem under the unrelated machine environment and two-dimensional irregular packing constraints such that the makespan can be minimized. Since there is no promising sub-second algorithm for solving the 2D irregular packing sub-problems in current literature, the efficiency of checking the packing feasibility of batches is the bottleneck of algorithms of AMPP. Therefore, we propose an efficient pixel-based AM packing algorithm (PAMPA) which can tackle irregular packing sub-problems that allow hole filling and free rotation. In PAMPA, parts are placed one by one in a Bottom-Left (BL) way and the rotation angle is determined by a novel angle selection heuristic. A new codification method and contour-guided method are proposed to accelerate separating overlap. The placement sequence is optimized by a biased random-key genetic algorithm (BRKGA). Furthermore, by adopting PAMPA, we introduce a variable neighbourhood search (VNS) framework to solve the AMPP. Finally, new instances are generated to conduct experiments. Based on the new instances and instances from (ESICUP), the efficiency of PAMPA is analysed and verified. The proposed VNS framework can reduce the makespan by 8 h on average compared with the initial solution, which illustrates that our PAMPA is beneficial for AMPP. Some interesting insights are also revealed and discussed based on the case study.