Free-floating bike sharing: Solving real-life large-scale static rebalancing problems

Free-floating bike sharing (FFBS) is an innovative bike sharing model. FFBS saves on start-up cost, in comparison to station-based bike sharing (SBBS), by avoiding construction of expensive docking stations and kiosk machines. FFBS prevents bike theft and offers significant opportunities for smart management by tracking bikes in real-time with built-in GPS. However, like SBBS, the success of FFBS depends on the efficiency of its rebalancing operations to serve the maximal demand as possible.Bicycle rebalancing refers to the reestablishment of the number of bikes at sites to desired quantities by using a fleet of vehicles transporting the bicycles. Static rebalancing for SBBS is a challenging combinatorial optimization problem. FFBS takes it a step further, with an increase in the scale of the problem. This article is the first effort in a series of studies of FFBS planning and management, tackling static rebalancing with single and multiple vehicles. We present a Novel Mixed Integer Linear Program for solving the Static Complete Rebalancing Problem. The proposed formulation, can not only handle single as well as multiple vehicles, but also allows for multiple visits to a node by the same vehicle. We present a hybrid nested large neighborhood search with variable neighborhood descent algorithm, which is both effective and efficient in solving static complete rebalancing problems for large-scale bike sharing programs.Computational experiments were carried out on the 1 Commodity Pickup and Delivery Traveling Salesman Problem (1-PDTSP) instances used previously in the literature and on three new sets of instances, two (one real-life and one general) based on Share-A-Bull Bikes (SABB) FFBS program recently launched at the Tampa campus of University of South Florida and the other based on Divvy SBBS in Chicago. Computational experiments on the 1-PDTSP instances demonstrate that the proposed algorithm outperforms a tabu search algorithm and is highly competitive with exact algorithms previously reported in the literature for solving static rebalancing problems in SBSS. Computational experiments on the SABB and Divvy instances, demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is able to deal with the increase in scale of the static rebalancing problem pertaining to both FFBS and SBBS, while deriving high-quality solutions in a reasonable amount of CPU time.     

Privacy-preserving MaaS fleet management

On-demand traffic fleet optimization requires operating Mobility as a Service (MaaS) companies such as Uber, Lyft to locally match the offer of available vehicles with their expected number of requests referred to as demand (as well as to take into account other constraints such as driver’s schedules and preferences). In the present article, we show that this problem can be encoded into a Constrained Integer Quadratic Program (CIQP) with block independent constraints that can then be relaxed in the form of a convex optimization program. We leverage this particular structure to yield a scalable distributed optimization algorithm corresponding to computing a gradient ascent in a dual space. This new framework does not require the drivers to share their availabilities with the operating company (as opposed to standard practice in today’s mobility as a service companies). The resulting parallel algorithm can run on a distributed smartphone based platform.     

山区避险车道设计研究

结合张涿高速设计对山区公路长下坡的避险车道设计进行探讨,提出避险车道对于提高道路安全性能的重要性。     

二阶随机需求条件下公交网络的服务可靠性研究

引入服务可靠性这一概念,以乘客出行成本和车行运营成本最小为目标建立随机需求下的 公交网络模型,并提出固定需求的服务方案模型和改进的二阶随机方案模型。该模型体现了乘客 公交出行的选择策略并反映了公交网络中不确定需求和服务可靠性的相互联系。在分析公交出行 网络中的服务设计,包括常规服务和特别服务的基础上,运用二阶下降法通过规定不确定的随机 变量（服务可靠性参数） 来求解二阶随机方案：首先在一阶段减少混合整数规划的数量以节省计 算时间,随后在二阶段中模拟出一个线性规划,以便有效地求解二阶随机方案。最后,通过实例 模型验证了该方案的可行性。     

非均质材料零件的材料设计

阐述了非均质材料零件设计优化的数学模型，并采用灵敏度分析以及最速下降法对其各个材料区域的材料性能进行设计优化，得到最佳材料性能参数后，再从非均质材料数据库中找到相应的工程材料，合成满足设计要求的非均质材料零件．该方法为设计者提供了切实可行的非均质材料零件的材料设计方法．     

性腺动脉的应用解剖学

尸解观测性腺动脉的起始位置、支数、口径，与腹主动脉的夹角，与肠系膜下动脉起始处的距离、经行及其与肾蒂的关系，进行统计分析。发现左右两侧动脉口径间存在显著线性关系，建立线性方程。结合观测结果讨论了临床应用要点。     

Data-driven ferry network design with candidate service arcs: the case of Zhuhai Islands in China

ABSTRACT

We investigate a ferry network design problem with candidate service arcs (FNDP-SA), which is a new variant motivated by areal-world case from Zhuhai Islands. In this research, the design of a ferry schedule must conform to strict constraints including technical feasibility, safety issues, environmental impacts and moreover, avoid conflicting with ferries from neighboring cities (i.e. HongKong, Shenzhen and Macao). Therefore, a set of cautiously approved service arcs are firstly given, based on which the ferry service network is optimized. This study is among the first to formally describe the FNDP-SA and model it as an integer program. A hybrid variable neighborhood descent (VND)-based algorithm is developed. Two sets of instances are generated based on the case of Zhuhai Islands, where the first set is based on historical ticket sales data while the second set is derived by incorporating increased demands in the future according to a questionnaire survey. Numerical studies have shown that 59% cost reduction on the first set can be achieved by the proposed VND algorithm when compared with manual results. Research outcomes of this study have been adopted and implemented to facilitate the sustainable development of the ferry service of Zhuhai Islands.     

青春期大鼠实验性精索静脉曲张模型的建立及其对睾丸的影响

目的　研究青春期精索静脉曲张对睾丸的损害 ,探讨精索静脉曲张不育的机理。方法　通过部分结扎左肾静脉建立青春期大鼠实验性精索静脉曲张 (ELV)模型 ,分别于术后 4周和 8周研究双侧睾丸的组织学改变并进行统计学分析。结果　成功建立了ELV模型。该模型大鼠的睾丸病理损害以生精上皮退化 ,精子发生阻滞 ,生精细胞脱落 ,曲精小管萎缩 ,间质水肿最为多见。损害为双侧性 ,且有累进性特点。统计学分析显示 ,ELV大鼠左右侧睾丸平均重量和曲精小管直径均较对照组显著减小 ,睾丸间质面积较对照组显著扩大。结论　ELV大鼠双侧睾丸有严重的累进性病理改变 ,这可能是精索静脉曲张不育的主要原因之一。该模型为研究青春期精索静脉曲张的病理生理及其对附睾的影响提供了有用工具     

An equilibrium-based network model for international container flows

The liner shipping industry is a highly complex system and is extremely sensitive to rapid changes in the environment. To facilitate decision-making in response to endogenous and exogenous shocks, this research develops a strategic network model based on equilibrium principles to analyze the international marine liner shipping network according to port charge, congestion level at the port, and load factor of the ship and estimates the possible container flows under different scenarios in the long run. The distribution model of container flows is extended from Beckmann's transformation. To calibrate the parameters employed in the model so that it offers greater fidelity in predicting container flows, we devise a descent direction-based heuristic. The proposed framework is empirically applied to various scenarios to validate the model and predict the flow pattern after significant events. By identifying these events’ potential impact on the maritime network, the presented model can help relevant stakeholders reduce uncertainty when shaping maritime policies so that they can seize opportunities to increase their competitiveness and maintain their advantage in the maritime market.     

基于梯度下降法的磁体变电阻在线计算方法研究

针对高稳定度平顶脉冲磁场控制技术对磁体电阻参数辨识的需求,提出了基于梯度下降法的磁体变电阻在线计算方法,可在仅测量磁体端口电压、电流幅值的条件下快速准确地计算磁体电阻瞬时值。分别给出了单线圈和耦合双线圈磁体两种结构下的变电阻在线计算模型,并对相应梯度控制系数的选取进行了分析。仿真结果表明提出的电阻计算方法响应速度高达10ms级,跟踪误差小于0.5mΩ,在测量系统中含有高频谐波和白噪声、测量瞬时值大幅波动的情况下,依然实现对磁体瞬时变化电阻值的快速准确跟踪。