Traditional Schedule Research Articles

Single priming and a booster dose of 10-valent and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) maintains suppression of vaccine serotype colonization in South African children at 3, 4, and 5 years of age: a single-centre, open-labelled, randomized trial

ABSTRACT Background Surveillance on nasopharyngeal Streptococcus pneumoniae carriage in older children would be informative in determining whether a single priming and booster dose of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) provides durable protection against pneumococcal disease compared with traditional dosing schedules. Methods and objectives We report on the secondary study objective to evaluate overall, vaccine-serotype (VT), and non-vaccine serotype (NVT) S. pneumoniae colonization at 3, 4, and 5 years of age in children who were randomized to receive 10-valent or 13-valent PCV formulations at 6 (6w + 1) or 14 (14w + 1) weeks compared with a two-dose primary series (2 + 1), with all children receiving a booster dose at 9 months of age, using a multiplex nanofluidic qPCR assay. Results The prevalence of overall, VT, or NVT at 5 years of age between the 2 + 1 compared with the 6w + 1 or 14w + 1 groups for both PCV10 and PCV13 did not differ. Conclusion Although inconclusive, our findings suggest that a reduced 1 + 1 PCV dosing schedule is unlikely to increase breakthrough cases of VT pneumococcal disease in older children, which can inform decision-making on transitioning to a 1 + 1 schedule in South Africa. Clinical trial registration: The trial is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov (identifier is NCT04275284).

Evaluating Once a Week Maxillary Advancements Using a Distraction Device

Introduction: Maxillary distraction is often used to correct significant molar Class III malocclusion. We have introduced a modification of the traditional distraction schedule utilizing larger interval distractions once a week under sedation. We hypothesize that this new schedule still allows for successful advancement with limited relapse of the LeFort segment. The underlying principle is that the greatest benefit of maxillary advancement is utilizing the LeFort I segment to expand the soft tissues of the palate and midface. Methods: The modified advancement schedule consisted of the placement of internal distraction devices following a LeFort I osteotomy with an initial advancement of 5 to 8 mm. Thereafter, the patient underwent weekly “interval” advancements under sedation in the operating room. Cephalograms were taken preoperatively, perioperatively, and 6 months after distraction device removal. The cephalometric landmarks were analyzed including SNA and ANB angles as an indicator of maxillary positioning. Results: From June 2021 to September 2023, 13 consecutive patients underwent maxillary advancement with the new interval advancement schedule. Nine patients were found to have all 3 data points required for inclusion in this study. The total distance of advancement averaged 17.2 (±2.9) mm. Patients had an average of 2.7 (±0.7) advancement events. Advancement on the day of surgery averaged 6.7 (±0.8) mm and during each interval advancement event averaged 6.1 (±1.0), 5.2 (±1.6), and 0.5 (±0.5) mm. Conclusion: Modifying the schedule of maxillary distraction from twice daily advancements during the activation phase to weekly advancements with larger interval movements grants acceptable advancement with limited relapse. This new approach to maxillary advancement utilizes both the principles of distraction osteogenesis and soft tissue expansion.

In Vitro Evaluation of Niosomal Formulation for Controlled Delivery of 4‐Hydroxyisoleucine

AbstractThe development of drug delivery systems has aimed to improve bioavailability and reduce limitations of traditional dosing schedules. Vesicular systems like niosomes have gained importance for their stability, cost‐effectiveness, and controlled release capabilities. Niosomes can encapsulate both hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs, making them versatile carriers for various therapeutic agents. Recent research focuses on enhancing niosomes for targeted drug delivery, such as incorporating 4‐hydroxyisoleucine (4‐HIL) for diabetes treatment. In this study, 4‐HIL from fenugreek seeds was encapsulated in niosomes and PEGylated niosomes using a thin‐film hydration method. The 4‐HIL‐loaded niosomes showed semi‐spherical, smooth structures with a size of 200 nm, zeta potential of ‐22 mV, and entrapment efficiency ranging from 55.1% to 87.1%. FTIR spectroscopy confirmed hydrogen bonding between span 60 and cholesterol in the niosomal formulation. PEGylation increased vesicle size to 460–580 nm and enhanced encapsulation efficiency to 75.43–90.1%. The PEGylated niosomes significantly suppressed the in vitro release of 4‐HIL, making this formulation a promising drug delivery system for sustained release of anti‐diabetic drugs.

The role of big data technology in project schedule management: the case of Amazon

With the rapid development of the Internet, big data technology has received widespread attention in the field of management. Traditional project schedule management methods cannot adapt to the complex and changing environment, and some researchers believe that big data technology has become a key tool to improve and optimize project management. However, there is a lack of mature theoretical systems and practical experience to guide the application of big data technology. Based on the case of Amazon, this paper analyses how the company uses big data technology to optimize project schedule management. It is found that the application of big data technology in project management brings significant benefits. It is able to provide empirical and innovative support for project schedule management. This paper discusses the application of big data technology in project schedule management, highlighting its capability to enable timely adjustments. Real-time monitoring and forecasting facilitate proactive management of project directions and potential risks. Moreover, it leverages real-time data to optimize resource allocation and enhance resource utilization. Furthermore, the paper addresses the challenges and proposes countermeasures associated with big data technology in this context. To tackle the issue of uneven data quality, a robust data collection mechanism should be established.

Comparing Cisplatin Dosing Schedules in Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy for Locally Advanced Head-and-Neck Cancer: A Comprehensive Review of Weekly Versus 3-Weekly Regimens

Abstract Objective: There are approximately 900,000 new cases of head-and-neck cancer (HNC) annually, with a significant proportion presenting as locally advanced head-and-neck cancer (LA-HNC). Cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) has become widely accepted, particularly for patients deemed inoperable. The standard regimen is a high-dose 3-weekly cisplatin schedule, however, this can lead to considerable toxicities. This review evaluates the efficacy, safety, and compliance associated with an emerging alternative: a weekly cisplatin dosing schedule. Data Sources: The review of current literature included randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and retrospective studies within the past decade, comparing weekly, and 3-weekly cisplatin CCRT regimens for LA-HNC. Study Selection: Studies comparing 3-weekly and weekly cisplatin-based CCRT were included. Results: Weekly cisplatin regimens demonstrated comparable efficacy to the traditional 3-weekly schedule, with lower toxicity and improved compliance. Key studies suggested that weekly cisplatin may have a more favorable safety profile, with reduced risks of neutropenia, renal impairment, and ototoxicity. However, the potential for slightly better locoregional control with the 3-weekly regimen remains a point of ongoing investigation. Novel agents including immune checkpoint inhibitors, xevinapant, and berzosertib are being actively investigated as combinational therapies with cisplatin-based CCRT. Conclusion: Weekly cisplatin-based CCRT is a viable alternative to the traditional 3-weekly regimen for treating LA-HNC, particularly in patients at higher risk of toxicities. Further randomized controlled trials are required to confirm the optimal cisplatin schedule and efficacy of combinational therapies with novel agents. These findings underline the importance of exploring treatment protocols that balance therapeutic benefits with reduced adverse effects and improved compliance.

Takt complementing Last Planner® System on residential construction projects.

Ireland is experiencing a national housing crisis, and this is replicated across many developed economies. This challenges governments and housebuilders to increase production whilst balancing challenging human resource and supply chain constraints. Lean construction methodologies have enhanced project delivery in other sectors of the industry. This study evaluates the outcomes of Last Planner System and Takt planning implementation on two residential projects. The study adopted a mixed methods approach utilising case study design and data collected from a literature review, site observation diary, site documentation analysis, and semi-structured interviews. Findings demonstrate schedule reduction opportunities through higher and more consistent PPC, reduction of cycle times, and enhanced adherence to start and finish dates. The study proposes a more holistic focus is needed on productivity improvement initiatives on the entire project scope as opposed to singular exercises on aspects like internal finishes alone. Increased inter-contractor communication and engagement led to a positive working environment with greater focus on the softer aspects of collaborative working. This study posits the discipline, detail, and diligence of Takt complements LPS to deliver an enhanced production-system that betters traditional schedule milestones in residential project delivery.

An improved co-evolutionary memetic algorithm based on novel schedule type and unconditional feasibility for hybrid flow-shop scheduling problem

The hybrid flow-shop scheduling problem (HFSP) is used in a wide range of industries and is very hard to solve. There has been a great deal of research on HFSP with the objective of makespan, but related research mainly focused on the algorithmic level, ignoring characters of HFSP. In this paper, through the study of the characters of HFSP itself, together with the design of the algorithm, new records on benchmarks are obtained. Firstly, the property of unconditional feasibility of HFSP (UFH) is formally proven. Based on UFH, the disjunctive-graph-based encoding scheme is considered convenient and accurate to HFSP, and the constraints for feasible neighborhood solutions are superfluous to HFSP. New specialized neighborhood structures are developed for HFSP accordingly. Secondly, traditional schedule types (such as active schedule) are found to be further explored. A novel type of schedule, all-active schedule (AAS) is proposed to tap the potential of one scheduling process. Thirdly, an improved co-evolutionary memetic algorithm (ICMA) based on UFH and AAS is proposed to solve HFSP. To balance exploration and exploitation, the co-evolutionary framework with multiple groups is adopted. Path reconnection is used as a crossover operator, and a non-dominated selection mechanism is also employed. In the end, the effectiveness of ICMA is experimentally demonstrated. 1 new solution on Carlier benchmark (proposed in 2000) and 45 new solutions on Jose benchmark (proposed in 2020) are found by ICMA, outperforming all previous outstanding algorithms.

An intelligent schedule maintenance method for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles based on deep reinforcement learning considering dynamic reliability

Schedule maintenance activities for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are aimed to keep them in better condition in long-term operation. In this paper, we develop a reinforcement learning based schedule maintenance strategy, which is used to comprehensively consider the balance between safety and maintenance cost, so as to find the optimal maintenance strategy. A multi-level framework is established with remaining useful life of key components, fault tree analysis, and logistics cost model to generate an exploration environment that can express the operational stability, the failure rate of components, and the cost of repair and storage. The trained agent combines a deep neural network to explore the optimal strategy under the dynamic reliability of key components. Finite steps are the constraints. Safety rates, maintenance cost, and episode of operation are incorporated into a multi-objective reward function. The hydrogen supply circuit of fuel cell vehicle is simulated via Python. The trained agent is compared with traditional time-based schedule maintenance strategy and corrective maintenance strategy. The results show that the reinforcement learning based schedule maintenance agent has optimized the total reward, cost control and accident rate by 77%, 59% and 5%, respectively, compared with the traditional time-based schedule maintenance strategy. In the safe operation management of fuel cell vehicles, efficient and stable decision-making ability has been achieved.

Effectiveness of Music Interventions in Occupational Stress of Women

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate if listening to music can help reduce stress for women who work in an electric car parts factory in Mashhad. Methods: Out of 200 people in this study, 32 were chosen at random and split into two groups: one for the experiment and one for comparison. To gather information, we used a job stress questionnaire and a music therapy plan that consisted of 30 sessions, which lasted for one month. In this study, we played the music that the participants liked 4 times during each session. Each time, we played the music for 15 minutes, while they were taking a break or before they started working. Results: There were 16 participants in the group we tested. The people in the control group followed their normal way of doing things and did not use this procedure. The research found that music intervention helps decrease the occupational stress in women more than the traditional work schedule method. The effect size of the music intervention was 0.809, which means it had approximately an 81% impact on reducing stress. Conclusion: The results of the pre-tests and post-tests indicated that the stress levels of women in the experiment group decreased significantly after listening to music. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that listening to music while taking breaks at work helps to lower job stress.

Research on Multiple Optimization of Engineering Management Models under the Concept of Environmental Protection

Abstract With the continuous development of social economy, engineering management technology is becoming increasingly mature, and multi-objective optimization technology is widely used in engineering management. Based on the traditional schedule, cost and quality model, the article introduces the environmental factor as the fourth optimization objective and constructs a comprehensive four-objective optimization model. The model starts from the concept of environmental protection, and proposes the modeling method of ecological indicators for deterministic and non-deterministic conditions. The article utilizes the multi-objective comprehensive optimization model to conduct an in-depth analysis of the engineering management condition of S project. After the engineering management optimization implementation, the optimization scheme showed that the planned duration was shortened to 324 days, which saved 12.9% of the construction time compared to the initial scheme and 1.81 million RMB in cost. In addition, the project achieved an average value of 0.9167 for quality reliability and a reduction in environmental impact to 296.48, which met the expected criteria in the S-engineering contract. The research in this paper not only provides a new type of multi-objective optimization method integrating the concept of environmental protection for project management, but also proves the effectiveness and practicability of this method in actual projects through example analysis.

Research on project schedule optimization model construction and engineering efficiency improvement method

Abstract Project schedule management is an important guarantee for the smooth implementation of the project, which is closely related to the interests of all parties involved in the project, and how to improve the efficiency and quality of the project is a problem that still needs to be solved. In this paper, with reference to the actual situation in the project engineering, the objective function of schedule, cost, quality, and safety is proposed, and the multi-objective optimization mathematical model of the project engineering is obtained through multi-attribute utility theory modeling. Based on the objective function and constraints, the fitness function is established, the constructed model is solved using a genetic algorithm, and safeguard measures are designed to improve the efficiency of project engineering. The empirical results show that the duration and labor demand in the project schedule optimization scheme proposed by the model in this paper are much lower than those in the planning scheme of traditional project schedule optimization methods. Compared to the traditional method, the total cost of the project works decreased by 8.70%, while the quality of the work improved by 0.71%. It shows that the model can improve the quality of project efficiency and enhance the economic benefits of the entire project. The model proposed in this paper makes project schedule optimization more scientific, reasonable, and practical and has certain theoretical and practical significance. In addition, the establishment of a perfect schedule risk management mechanism can be considered in future research in this field to further improve the project schedule optimization model.

Reduced Compared With Traditional Schedules for Routine Antenatal Visits: A Systematic Review

(Abstracted from Obstet Gynecol 2023;142:8–18) Preventive care during pregnancy generally involves screening and monitoring of both mother and fetus to minimize negative outcomes for both during pregnancy and childbirth. Previous research has demonstrated improved outcomes associated with high-quality antenatal care but has not established optimal timing or frequency of visits for routine care.

Projectification and its impact on the work and identity of public sector employees: Project natives, emigrants and immigrants

As a result of the increasing number of projects used to deliver public services and the professionalization of project management activities in government, the phenomenon of projectification has emerged as a key feature of contemporary public management. The article examines the impact of projectification on public sector employees based on in-depth qualitative research conducted in Polish public organizations in 2018–2019. As the findings shows, the phenomenon of projectification shapes the working environment of the public sector by shifting work from repetitive activities to the demands of unique projects, by requiring constant communication with stakeholders, by working outside of the traditional schedules and workplaces, and by operating in matrix structures. Mass implementation of projects has also left its mark on the identity of public sector workers. Respondents increasingly perceive their professional identity through the prism of project work: they frequently tend to identify with their projects rather than the organization itself or its departments. Moreover, despite the difficulties and inconveniences of project work, public sector employees involved in projects show an extraordinarily high level of motivation, which results from the possibility of implementing interesting, innovative and diverse projects.

Impact of traditional versus nontraditional initiation dosing schedule of paliperidone palmitate on 30-day readmission and safety.

Paliperidone palmitate (PP), a second-generation long-acting injectable antipsychotic, requires 2 injections upon initiation. Due to the fast-paced nature of the inpatient setting, the second dose may be administered earlier than recommended by labeled use despite the lack of evidence that evaluates this practice. This was a retrospective chart review that investigated the outcomes associated with the timing of the second PP initiation dose with the aim of comparing patients who received the second PP dose fewer than 3 days after the first injection with those who received it between 3 and 11 days after the first injection. The primary outcomes included 30-day psychiatric readmission, index hospitalization length of stay, and time until the next psychiatric hospitalization. Secondary outcomes included 6-month readmission and the percentage of patients who experienced an adverse event after the second injection. No statistically significant differences were observed between groups for 30-day readmission. There was a statistically significant shortened index length of hospitalization (median, 2 vs 4 days; P < 0.001) and a non-statistically significant trend for time until the next psychiatric hospitalization (median, 25 vs 47 days) when comparing those who received the nontraditional loading regimen to those who received the traditional labeled loading regimen. No differences were observed in the secondary outcomes or safety/tolerability. The results of the study indicate that there are no significant differences in readmission rates and adverse drug reactions in those who received the second PP dose earlier than recommended per labeled use. Larger, controlled studies are needed to further investigate clinical and safety outcomes.

The Influence of a Supervised and Unsupervised Strength and Conditioning Program for Elite Adolescent Freestyle Swimmers

Introduction: Adolescent high school swimmers, aged 13-16 years, are an athletic population that can benefit from a strength and conditioning (S&amp;C) program which caters for their developmental and sports-specific needs. The aim of this case study was to analyze the adherence to and subsequent effect of a short-term (12-week) combined supervised and unsupervised S&amp;C program in elite adolescent swimmers during a competitive season. Methods: Seven elite adolescent swimmers (4 females, 3 males) completed the study (age: 15.2 ± 0.5 years; mass: 64.5 ± 5.1 kg; stature: 1.76 ± 0.07 m). The participants were required to adhere to one supervised S&amp;C session and two unsupervised S&amp;C sessions per week that were performed on non-consecutive days while maintaining their traditional swimming training schedules. The unsupervised component was delivered digitally with participant feedback monitored. The S&amp;C program consisted of upper- and lower limbs exercises with low loads and low volume as well as bodyweight exercise. Adherence to both programs was measured by attendance with correlational analysis conducted from total S&amp;C program adherence to swim performance. The effect of the S&amp;C training protocol was assessed using performance time pre and post the S&amp;C intervention during the 50-m freestyle swim. Results: The S&amp;C training program intervention resulted in significant improvements in the 50-m freestyle swim (p &lt; 0.001, d = &gt;1). Total adherence to the supervised and unsupervised parts of the S&amp;C program was 88% while adherence to the digital only component was 76%. Although a correlation was observed between total adherence to the combined supervised and unsupervised S&amp;C program (r = 0.8, p = 0.0243) and improved 50 m freestyle swim performance, this was not the case when the unsupervised component was compared to swim time performance (r = 0.4, p = 0.679). Conclusions: This case study demonstrated that a 12-week S&amp;C intervention has a positive effect on elite adolescents’ 50 m freestyle swim performance. Furthermore, swim performance was improved when participant adherence to both formats of the S&amp;C program were met. This study supports the development of S&amp;C interventions to develop these correlates and increase adherence.

Effects of Reward Schedule and Avatar Visibility on Joint Agency during VR Collaboration.

Joint agency, a group-level sense of agency, has been studied as an essential social cognitive element while engaging in collaborative tasks. The joint agency has been actively investigated in diverse contexts (e.g., performance, reward schedules, and predictability), yet the studies were mostly conducted in traditional 2D computer environments. Since virtual reality (VR) is an emerging technology for remote collaboration, we aimed to probe the effects of traditional reward schedule factors along with novel VR features (i.e., avatar visibility) on joint agency during remote collaboration. In this study, we implemented an experiment based on a card-matching game to test the effects of the reward schedule (fair or equal) and the counterpart's avatar hand visibility (absent or present) on the sense of joint agency. The results showed that participants felt a higher sense of joint agency when the reward was distributed equally regardless of the individual performance and when the counterpart's avatar hand was present. Moreover, the effects of reward schedule and avatar hand visibility interacted, with a bigger amount of deficit for the absent avatar hand when the reward was distributed differentially according to performance. Interestingly, the sense of joint agency was strongly correlated to the level of collaborative performance, as well as to perceptions of other social cognitive factors, including cooperativeness, reward fairness, and social presence. These results contribute to the understanding of joint agency perceptions during VR collaboration and provide design guidelines for remote collaborative tasks and environments for users' optimal social experience and performance.

An Effect and Less Spraying Control Method Successfully Controls Botrytis cinerea on Grapes in China

Gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea is a destructive disease in grapes. Although the preharvest use of pesticides can control it, fungicide resistance in B. cinerea is now common. We used an Effect and Less Spraying Control (ELSC) method for applying fungicides effective against B. cinerea on grapes. The spraying schedule was determined by exploring the key stages of B. cinerea invasion using field and in vitro inoculation tests. The results indicated that the stage most vulnerable to pathogen invasion is the full-bloom stage. The disease incidence/severity in this stage is highest compared with the pre-bloom, 10-days-after-full-bloom, bunch-closure and veraison stages. Given the inoculation results and the threat of residual infected petals, the ELSC method established an optimum spray schedule at full bloom and 10 days after full bloom. To evaluate the ELSC method, four kinds of fungicides were used in an experimental trial in Beijing in 2015 and 2017; Shanghai in 2016; and Hebei in 2019 and 2021. Fludioxonil was the most effective fungicide, followed by Pythium oligandrum (bio-fungicide), difenoconazole + azoxystrobin and pyraclostrobin. ELSC was more effective against B. cinerea than the traditional control schedule, when comparing the disease severity (i.e., 0.07 ± 0.10% in ELSC and 0.49 ± 0.014% in the traditional practice when using fludioxonil). The average yield per hectare in ELSC confirmed that spraying during flowering does not have a deleterious effect on grape yield. It produced a 1224.37 00 kg/ha greater yield than the control group when fludioxonil was applied.

1492P Retrospective study of the real-world safety profile of extended dosing 6-weekly pembrolizumab in comparison to traditional 3-weekly dosing schedule for treatment of lung cancer and melanoma in a Queensland hospital

1492P Retrospective study of the real-world safety profile of extended dosing 6-weekly pembrolizumab in comparison to traditional 3-weekly dosing schedule for treatment of lung cancer and melanoma in a Queensland hospital

Is it Safe to Omit the One-week Postoperative Examination after Uncomplicated Phacoemulsification?

The incidence of cataract surgery is increasing, accounting for a large percentage of eye care expenses. Scientific evidence supporting the medical necessity of the traditional postoperative schedule is lacking. Further studies are needed to optimize postoperative care to reduce the burden on patients and medical providers. To study the rate of complication one week after uncomplicated phacoemulsification to determine if the one-week postoperative examination can be safely omitted. A retrospective record review was conducted on all consecutive patients who had uncomplicated phacoemulsification between February 1, 2019, and February 1, 2020, at a clinic in an urban setting with a predominantly black and African American patient population. Subjects were included if they had no complications during the one-day postoperative examination. Complications at the one-week and one-month postoperative examination were recorded and analyzed. Omitting the one-week postoperative examination would result in missed complications in 4.48%-15.97% of patients and failure to make unexpected management changes in 1.78% to 13.84% of patients. The results of this study do not support omitting the one-week postoperative examination after uncomplicated phacoemulsification. Further studies are needed to determine whether telemedicine can be safely substituted for postoperative examinations.

Effect of shift-based scheduling on student learning, satisfaction and capacity in obstetrics and gynecology rotations.

Determine how a shift- based schedule to accommodate more students affects learning, performance, and satisfaction with the Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBG) rotation. The study was conducted among third year OBG medical students with a triangular convergent cross-sectional approach. A new shift-based schedule was implemented. After each rotation, an online survey was conducted using a convenience sampling. Student scores on the National Board of Medical Examiner (NBME) OBG subject exam were analyzed using paired t test. Survey data was analyzed using two sample t test. The relationship between survey responses and exam score findings were described. Data from shift-schedule students was compared to traditional schedule students from the prior academic year. A statistically significant improvement was seen for average NBME score for shift-schedule students during the beginning portion (groups 1-3) of the academic year (M=80, SD=6.9) compared to traditional (M=75.7, SD=7.3) [t (145) =3.69, p =.001]. A similar pattern was not seen in subsequent groups (groups 4-6). Shift-schedule students also showed a statistically significant improvement in their perception of learning (t (183) =-2.54, p =.012). Parallel results were seen for belonging, manageable workload, time to study, and engaging meaningfully. Using this model, we increased rotation capacity from 24 to 30 students per group (20%). Shift based scheduling allows 20% increase in capacity. Exam scores and student learning outcomes were similar or better than traditional schedule controls.