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Weekly train timetabling integrating stop planning for high-speed rail lines
Get PDFIn high-speed rail (HSR) train planning and scheduling, traditional approaches often focus on passenger demand over short periods, such as one or two hours or a single day, while overlooking demand fluctuations over an entire week. This study proposes an integrated model for weekly train timetabling and stop planning, aiming to optimize both train stops and schedules across different times of day and days of the week. To improve computational efficiency for large-scale, real-world applications, a Lagrangian relaxation algorithm is developed. Case studies based on Chinese HSR lines demonstrate that the proposed model and algorithm outperform both the commercial solver CPLEX and the conventional sequential approach of line planning followed by timetabling. The weekly timetable generated by the proposed algorithm significantly reduces train and passenger traveling costs by improving traveling speeds and the proportion of passengers traveling within their preferred periods compared to current practical timetables, making it widely applicable to a wide range of HSR lines
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) and related infections in hematopoietic cellular therapy (HCT) in adults and children: a survey from the Infectious Diseases Working Party (IDWP) of the European Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT)
No full textRelating digital platform synergy and SME agility: The roles of organizational inertia and modularity
No full textOrganizational agility is vital for the survival of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in turbulent environments. While several studies have examined the role of digital platforms in shaping organizational agility, the impact of digital platform synergy on organizational agility in the context of SMEs remains underresearched. To address this gap, we examine the impact of SMEs’ digital platform synergy on their organizational agility and identify the mechanisms underlying this relationship. Using a sample of 421 Chinese manufacturing SMEs, the analysis demonstrates that digital platform synergy inhibits organizational agility. Furthermore, organizational inertia mediates this relationship, while organizational modularity negatively moderates the positive effect of digital platform synergy on organizational inertia, thereby reducing the mediating effect of organizational inertia. The study advances the growing literature on the factors influencing the agility of SMEs in digital contexts by illuminating the nuanced roles of digital platform synergy, organizational inertia, and modularity
Factory flow simulation and ramp-up optimisation: an aerospace case study
Get PDFThis study explores the application of Discrete Event Simulation (DES) for optimising the factory flow in an aerospace manufacturing setting. GKN Aerospace's manufacturing facilities aim to increase production efficiency through capital investment and automation, aligned with Lean Manufacturing principles of waste reduction and flow improvement. A target has been set for this work of a 25% throughput increase per month by 2027. Through DES modelling, we replicated the different configurations of an aerospace component manufacturing process flow, capturing key operational constraints such as machine availability, resource allocation, and material handling. A baseline model was developed to reflect the standard configuration of new CNC technology and automated loading and unloading operations, which is followed by scenario analysis to compare the deployment of different configurations of the system. The simulation results provide insights into bottlenecks, resource utilisation, and potential improvements, enabling data-driven decision-making for production ramp-up while supporting a culture of continuous improvement. The findings highlight the effectiveness of DES in mitigating operational uncertainties and optimising manufacturing strategies before real-world implementation. This research contributes to aerospace manufacturing by demonstrating how simulation-driven approaches can enhance efficiency and support strategic investment decisions within a Lean Manufacturing framework
Sex Disparities in Ischemic Heart Disease Mortality Across United States: The Southern Burden of Excess Body Weight and Diet
No full textBackground
While prior studies have assessed sex disparities in ischemic heart disease (IHD) outcomes in the United States (US), little is known about how these differences vary across states.
Methods
We analyzed Global Burden of Disease (GBD) data from 2011 to 2021 for all 50 US states. Sex‐specific age‐standardized IHD mortality rates (ASMRs) and age‐standardized IHD prevalence rates (ASPRs) were used to calculate the mortality‐to‐prevalence ratios (MPRs) per 100,000 inhabitants per year, enabling comparison of death rates relative to the population at risk. Hawaii, the state with the lowest ASPR and ASMR in both sexes, served as the reference for Z‐score analyses, with 99% (Z > 2.58) or 95% (Z > 1.96) confidence thresholds.
Results
In 2011, 30 states had significantly higher MPRs in females than males (Z > 2.58), indicating elevated mortality in females with IHD. By 2021, only Arkansas (6.7% [UI: 4.6–9.3]) and Mississippi (7.1% [UI: 4.8–9.7]) exceeded this threshold, while 11 additional states, mainly in the South, retained moderate disparities (Z > 1.96). Higher MPRs were inversely associated with state GDP per capita. High body max index, processed meat intake, low fiber, and low vegetable intake emerged as the most significant contributors (Z > 1.96, 95%) to excess IHD mortality in females but not males.
Conclusions
Despite an overall decline, sex disparities in IHD mortality persist with Arkansas and Mississippi continuing to bear the highest burden. These disparities are largely driven by overweight/obesity and dietary risk factors, warranting targeted, state‐level interventions
Palindrome-mediated 16p13.3 triplications cause a recognizable neurodegenerative disorder with ataxia
Get PDFComplex neurodegenerative conditions have occasionally been associated with copy-number gains. Using microarray and genome sequencing on DNA samples from eleven individuals from nine unrelated families, we show that copy-number gains at 16p13.3 cause a severe, recognizable disorder characterized by early-onset progressive ataxia and cognitive decline (9–32 years). Most affected individuals also displayed peripheral neuropathy and scoliosis. Optic atrophy, nystagmus, and dystonia were more variable features. The neuroradiological phenotype comprises a distinctive combination of atrophy of the cerebellum and caudate nuclei. Co-segregation data showed that the structural variant (SV) had occurred de novo in 5 individuals and, for one other individual, had been inherited from a mosaic, unaffected parent. Triplicated segments of 16p13.3 were identified within the duplications. Although these varied in size (30–811 kb), the minimal region of overlap included a single gene (ATP6V0C) that is highly expressed in the cerebellum. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) using whole-blood and fibroblast/lymphoblast cultures indicated increased expression of several genes within the SV, with ATP6V0C showing the most significant increase (up to 4-fold). In most cases, the central segment of the SV was proven to be inverted and lay immediately distal to a 144 kb palindrome. Across 500,000 individuals from the UK Biobank, we identified 19 duplications but no triplications at this locus. Further analysis of the consequences of ATP6V0C overexpression on the stoichiometry within the vacuolar H+-ATPase heteromer and on neurological function will provide valuable pathomechanistic insights. Together, our findings define palindrome-mediated triplication on 16p13.3 as the cause of a clinically distinct childhood-onset neurodegenerative disorder
Acoustic assessment of lithium-ion batteries: Unravelling temperature and charge contributions
Get PDFLithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are critical for renewable energy storage, and accurate charge and health estimation remains a significant challenge. Acoustic sensing offers a unique method to observe lithium-ion movement between electrodes during battery operation. However, both the charge state and the internal temperature of the battery affect the acoustic response. This study systematically investigates the interactions between temperature and charge state on acoustic signals through a novel thermal cycle methodology. Using a global sensitivity analysis, we demonstrate that temperature has a non-negligible and dominant effect on the acoustic signal, with a largely insignificant cooperative interaction with charge state. The results reveal temperature-induced variations in the acoustic signal that increase with charge level, though not uniformly. Our findings underscore the critical importance of temperature compensation in acoustic-based LIB estimation techniques. By quantifying the independent and cooperative effects of temperature and charge, this research provides the possibility of independently measuring thermal and SOC effects on the acoustic signal without the need for additional thermal sensing equipment
Behaviour of heated steel beams with lateral and axial restraint in steel-timber hybrid structures
Get PDFAmidst the climate emergency and ambitions to decarbonise the built environment, hybrid systems consisting of a steel structural frame supporting cross-laminated timber floors have emerged as a new paradigm in sustainable construction. While this form of hybridisation is beneficial in many ways, it also presents certain challenges, particularly regarding its structural performance in fire. A critical concern in fire is the risk of lateral-torsional buckling of the steel beams connected to the timber slabs with self-tapping screws, which goes beyond the scope of current design guidance. Using a numerical approach, this study has developed finite element modelling capacity to investigate the thermo-mechanical response of a 9 m unprotected steel beam with screws at 250 mm spacing under various levels of lateral restraint from the screws and axial restraint from the end connections. The imposed heating regimes have also explored the influence of the temperature on the compression flanges of the steel beam. When axial restraint is present, indicating a realistic support condition in fire, the beam initially behaves similarly to a corresponding fully laterally restrained beam. This response continues until the first screw fails in the midspan region, which eventually triggers instability by lateral-torsional buckling. The results highlight the significance of lateral restraint in enhancing the fire performance of steel-timber hybrid structures. However, it is not realistic to assume a full lateral restraint condition in fire design
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