Studying the impact of uncertainty in operational release planning – An integrated method and its initial evaluation

2010 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 446-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Al-Emran ◽  
Puneet Kapur ◽  
Dietmar Pfahl ◽  
Guenther Ruhe
Keyword(s):  
Initial Evaluation ◽  
Release Planning ◽  
Integrated Method ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Formation of integrated structural units using the systematic and integrated method when implementing high-rise construction projects

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 ◽  
pp. 03075 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Abramov
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Structural Unit ◽  
System Analysis ◽  
Research Priorities ◽  
Structural Units ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Reliability Criterion ◽  
Integrated Method ◽  
Destabilizing Factors ◽  
The Impact

Development of design documentation for a future construction project gives rise to a number of issues with the main one being selection of manpower for structural units of the project’s overall implementation system. Well planned and competently staffed integrated structural construction units will help achieve a high level of reliability and labor productivity and avoid negative (extraordinary) situations during the construction period eventually ensuring improved project performance. Research priorities include the development of theoretical recommendations for enhancing reliability of a structural unit staffed as an integrated construction crew. The author focuses on identification of destabilizing factors affecting formation of an integrated construction crew; assessment of these destabilizing factors; based on the developed mathematical model, highlighting the impact of these factors on the integration criterion with subsequent identification of an efficiency and reliability criterion for the structural unit in general. The purpose of this article is to develop theoretical recommendations and scientific and methodological provisions of an organizational and technological nature in order to identify a reliability criterion for a structural unit based on manpower integration and productivity criteria. With this purpose in mind, complex scientific tasks have been defined requiring special research, development of corresponding provisions and recommendations based on the system analysis findings presented herein.

scholarly journals Relationship Transformation between Israeli Settlers and West Bank Palestinians: The Case of "Roots"

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 70-75
Keyword(s):  
Conflict Resolution ◽  
West Bank ◽  
Initial Evaluation ◽  
Preliminary Assessment ◽  
Strategic Approach ◽  
Religious Dialogue ◽  
The Impact

Against the background of on-going research on the impact of Israeli-Palestinian inter-religious dialogue for conflict resolution efforts; the authors here present a preliminary assessment of the impact and dynamics of a relatively new Israeli-Palestinian initiative known as “Roots”. It is unique in that it has provided a framework for cooperation and relationship transformation to occur between Israeli settlers and neighboring West Bank Palestinians. This paper will present an initial evaluation, concerning the background, strategic approach, impact, and challenges facing this organization in the context of relevant conflict resolution theories.

581 Impact of Weight on Insomnia Severity, Sleep Quality, and Insomnia Improvement in a Clinically Referred Pediatric Sample

SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A229-A229
Author(s):  
Kara Duraccio ◽  
Danielle Graef ◽  
Dean Beebe ◽  
Kelly Byars
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Weight Status ◽  
Sleep Hygiene ◽  
Sleep Medicine ◽  
Initial Evaluation ◽  
Clinically Referred ◽  
Adolescent Sleep ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Insomnia Severity ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Introduction Children with overweight/obesity are more likely to have shortened sleep, though little is known about the role of weight status in insomnia severity, sleep quality, and sleep hygiene in clinically referred youth. Methods A total of 1133 children (43.7% female) presented to a Pediatric Behavioral Sleep Medicine Clinic for insomnia. At the initial evaluation, caregivers of children ages 2–10.9 years (N = 744) completed the Pediatric Insomnia Severity Scale (PISI) and the Children’s Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ); adolescents ages 11–18 years (N = 389) completed the PISI, the Adolescent Sleep Hygiene Scale (ASHS), and the Adolescent Sleep Wake Scale (ASWS). The PISI was completed during at least one Pediatric Behavioral Sleep Medicine visit subsequent to evaluation and initiation of treatment. Patient height and weight, objectively measured within 3 months of the initial evaluation, was used to determine sex-adjusted body mass index z-scores (BMIz). Hierarchal linear regression models were used to determine the impact of BMIz on baseline PISI insomnia severity scores, and CSHQ, ASHS, and ASWS total scores, after covarying for income. Repeated-measures general linear modeling was used to determine whether weight status moderated improvement in insomnia severity over time, covarying for income. Results For children (ages 2–10.9), weight was not associated with baseline insomnia severity (p=.62) or predictive of insomnia improvement following behavioral sleep medicine intervention (p=.71), though higher weight predicted poorer parent-reported sleep quality (p=.006). For adolescents (ages 11–18), higher weight was predictive of higher baseline insomnia severity (p=.026), though did not predict insomnia improvement over time (p = .86); higher weight was also predictive of poorer sleep hygiene (p<.001) and worse sleep quality (p=.03). Conclusion Initial insomnia severity and subjective sleep quality may be worse for youth of higher weight, particularly for adolescents; these findings increase our understanding of how and when overweight/obesity negatively impacts sleep. Fortunately, youth with higher weight respond equally well to pediatric behavioral sleep medicine interventions as their lower-weight peers, suggesting that these interventions need not be modified based on patient weight. Support (if any) Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center Division of Behavioral Medicine and Clinical Psychology’s Research Funds

scholarly journals The Climate Action Simulation

2019 ◽  
Vol 51 (2) ◽  
pp. 114-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliette N. Rooney-Varga ◽  
Florian Kapmeier ◽  
John D. Sterman ◽  
Andrew P. Jones ◽  
Michele Putko ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Energy Systems ◽  
Role Playing ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Initial Evaluation ◽  
Emotional Engagement ◽  
Action Simulation ◽  
Climate Action ◽  
The Impact

Background. We describe and provide an initial evaluation of the Climate Action Simulation, a simulation-based role-playing game that enables participants to learn for themselves about the response of the climate-energy system to potential policies and actions. Participants gain an understanding of the scale and urgency of climate action, the impact of different policies and actions, and the dynamics and interactions of different policy choices. Intervention. The Climate Action Simulation combines an interactive computer model, En-ROADS, with a role-play in which participants make decisions about energy and climate policy. They learn about the dynamics of the climate and energy systems as they discover how En-ROADS responds to their own climate-energy decisions. Methods. We evaluated learning outcomes from the Climate Action Simulation using pre- and post-simulation surveys as well as a focus group. Results. Analysis of survey results showed that the Climate Action Simulation increases participants’ knowledge about the scale of emissions reductions and policies and actions needed to address climate change. Their personal and emotional engagement with climate change also grew. Focus group participants were overwhelmingly positive about the Climate Action Simulation, saying it left them feeling empowered to make a positive difference in addressing the climate challenge. Discussion and Conclusions. Initial evaluation results indicate that the Climate Action Simulation offers an engaging experience that delivers gains in knowledge about the climate and energy systems, while also opening affective and social learning pathways.

Towards Consistent Value Orientation in Release Planning

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tarık Şahin ◽  
David Inkermann ◽  
Thomas Vietor
Keyword(s):  
Systems Engineering ◽  
Paradigm Shift ◽  
New Product ◽  
Fast Response ◽  
Value Orientation ◽  
Release Planning ◽  
Product Features ◽  
Current State ◽  
Value Contribution ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Product development is experiencing a paradigm shift under the impact of highly segmented and rapidly evolving markets. The intention to offer successful products in such turbulent conditions forces companies to provide value comprehensively but rapidly. These attempts conceal a high risk of rising product complexities and development efforts. For this reason, the aim of design should be to maintain or improve value contribution according to customer and market demands with fast response time while reducing internal product disruption and development efforts. A proactive planning of continuous value contribution by introducing new product features, while considering the complexity of product structures and corresponding development efforts, is established in the field of release planning. Here, systematic ways are proposed to support the identification and timing of product features to provide value for customers and markets as well as the consideration and planning of according efforts for their realization. However, the literature highlights a need for more consistent value orientation in release planning. For this reason, this contribution aims to present an outline and further steps for consistent value orientation in release planning in the context of systems engineering. Accordingly, this contribution first discusses the significance of consistent value orientation during release planning activities. On this basis, requirements for consistent value orientation in release planning are presented and the respective current state of existing concepts are discussed. Ultimately, a framework towards consistent value orientation in release planning is presented with a concluding outlook for further research.

scholarly journals Development of a Functional Analytical Nurse Observation Chart (FANOC)

2013 ◽  
Vol 42 (1) ◽  
pp. 111-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Veale ◽  
Selina Warlow ◽  
Tara O'Donoghue ◽  
Chris Callow
Keyword(s):  
Daily Life ◽  
Initial Evaluation ◽  
Staff Satisfaction ◽  
Rater Agreement ◽  
Experience Of Care ◽  
Brief Training ◽  
Observed Behaviour ◽  
Training And Support ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mediators Of Change

Background: There has been little evaluation or development of nurse observation charts on psychiatric in-patient units since they were first introduced. Aim: We aimed to develop a new nursing chart that adds a functional and contextual assessment of the observed behaviour. We describe its initial evaluation in an in-patient setting. Method: A member of the staff coded a participant's behaviour as either an instance of an individual's daily life problem; or an improvement; or a non-clinically relevant behaviour. We evaluated the charts in 14 in-patients and compared the coding of the behaviour against that of one of the investigators. Results: After brief training the inter-rater agreement resulted in Kappa = 0.496 with p < .001. Removal of a rating of neutral behaviours resulted in a higher Kappa = 0.546 with p < .001. Conclusions: The inter-rater reliability was only moderate for the Functional Analytical Nurse Observation Charts. Frequent training and support from management and therapy staff is required to maintain a psychologically informed environment and observation in an in-patient setting. An area for further research is to explore the impact that a FANOC has on staff satisfaction and an individual's experience of care, and whether it can assist in determining mediators of change before an improvement in symptoms.

Initial evaluation of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer within a community health system.

2015 ◽  
Vol 33 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 269-269
Author(s):  
Kathryn Tzung-Kai Chen
Keyword(s):  
Pancreatic Cancer ◽  
Emergency Department ◽  
Health System ◽  
Community Health ◽  
Outpatient Clinic ◽  
Care Center ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Initial Evaluation ◽  
Entire Cohort ◽  
The Impact

269 Background: The management of pancreatic patients who are referred to a tertiary care center is well described. However, many patients receive their initial evaluation and care at community health systems. We sought to describe how patients present within the community, the patterns of initial evaluation, and the impact on management. Methods: In a period spanning 3 years (2010-2013), 82 patients were newly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, as identified by a cancer registry at a community health system. Under IRB approval, data regarding patient characteristics, initial evaluation, and management were retrospectively collected from the electronic medical record (EMR) and analyzed. Results: Of the 82 patients, 68 patients had sufficient data available in the EMR for analysis. Thirty-two patients (47%) initially presented to outpatient clinic, and 36 patients (53%) presented to the emergency department. The presenting complaint was identified as abdominal pain in 33 patients (49%), jaundice in 20 patients (29%), and general malaise in 9 patients (13%). Patients who presented through outpatient clinic vs. emergency department received similar initial imaging studies upfront, including CT of the abdomen and pelvis (61% vs. 72%) and abdominal ultrasound (27% vs. 17%). Sixteen percent of those patients evaluated in outpatient clinic were subsequently admitted, compared to 94% of those patients evaluated in the emergency department. Finally, 31% of those presenting in outpatient clinic eventually underwent surgical resection, compared to 8% of those presenting through the ER, and the median time to surgery for the entire cohort was 1.1 months. Conclusions: Within the community, half of all patients present through the emergency department, and the majority of these are admitted for work up and management of symptoms. In contrast, those patients who present through outpatient clinic are less likely to be admitted, and are more likely to undergo definitive resection. This likely represents a disparity on several levels: the acuity of patients presenting to the emergency department vs. clinic, and how they are managed in each setting.

scholarly journals An integrated method for urban transit evaluation and optimization

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 168781401770814 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Teng ◽  
Xiong-fei Lai
Keyword(s):  
Road Traffic ◽  
Optimization Method ◽  
Sample Volume ◽  
Urban Transit ◽  
Good Efficiency ◽  
Integrated Method ◽  
Transit Services ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Timetable Optimization

Public transit services should be fast and reliable. Complex road conditions, however, make them slow and fluctuate. Therefore, to reflect the impact of road traffic conditions for buses running, we should take both fast and reliable into consideration. This article uses GPS data of buses, proposes an integrated method for urban transit evaluation and optimization, including a bus running index calculation method which based on bus planning travel time and focusing on bus main roads, as well a bus timetable optimization method which faces a bus corridor. In order to verify the effectiveness, this article selects a bus main road on Yan’an Road between Shimen Road No. 1 Stop to Kaixuan Road Stop in Shanghai, China, as a case. Through this case study, this article verifies that the proposed bus running index can objectively and sensitively evaluate bus running conditions. Meanwhile, the result of bus timetable optimization shows good efficiency. On top of that, by contrast with the traditional single-line-based transit evaluation and optimization method, the proposed integrated evaluation and optimization method has an advantage in the sample volume size and calculation effectiveness.

scholarly journals Imaging and modeling of acute pressure-induced changes of collagen and elastin microarchitectures in pig and human resistance arteries

2017 ◽  
Vol 313 (1) ◽  
pp. H164-H178 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Bloksgaard ◽  
Thomas M. Leurgans ◽  
Bart Spronck ◽  
Maarten H. G. Heusinkveld ◽  
Bjarne Thorsted ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Modeling ◽  
Extracellular Matrix ◽  
Quantitative Relationship ◽  
Model System ◽  
Mesenteric Arteries ◽  
Resistance Arteries ◽  
Internal Elastic Lamina ◽  
Integrated Method ◽  
Induced Changes ◽  
The Impact

The impact of disease-related changes in the extracellular matrix (ECM) on the mechanical properties of human resistance arteries largely remains to be established. Resistance arteries from both pig and human parietal pericardium (PRA) display a different ECM microarchitecture compared with frequently used rodent mesenteric arteries. We hypothesized that the biaxial mechanics of PRA mirror pressure-induced changes in the ECM microarchitecture. This was tested using isolated pig PRA as a model system, integrating vital imaging, pressure myography, and mathematical modeling. Collagenase and elastase digestions were applied to evaluate the load-bearing roles of collagen and elastin, respectively. The incremental elastic modulus linearly related to the straightness of adventitial collagen fibers circumferentially and longitudinally (both R2 ≥ 0.99), whereas there was a nonlinear relationship to the internal elastic lamina elastin fiber branching angles. Mathematical modeling suggested a collagen recruitment strain (means ± SE) of 1.1 ± 0.2 circumferentially and 0.20 ± 0.01 longitudinally, corresponding to a pressure of ~40 mmHg, a finding supported by the vital imaging. The integrated method was tested on human PRA to confirm its validity. These showed limited circumferential distensibility and elongation and a collagen recruitment strain of 0.8 ± 0.1 circumferentially and 0.06 ± 0.02 longitudinally, reached at a distending pressure below 20 mmHg. This was confirmed by vital imaging showing negligible microarchitectural changes of elastin and collagen upon pressurization. In conclusion, we show here, for the first time in resistance arteries, a quantitative relationship between pressure-induced changes in the extracellular matrix and the arterial wall mechanics. The strength of the integrated methods invites for future detailed studies of microvascular pathologies. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first study to quantitatively relate pressure-induced microstructural changes in resistance arteries to the mechanics of their wall. Principal findings using a pig model system were confirmed in human arteries. The combined methods provide a strong tool for future hypothesis-driven studies of microvascular pathologies.

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