bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterizing Excellence: Lessons From Awarded Military-Technological Leaders
Authors: Bar-Gil Oshri
Published: July 2024

As technological superiority becomes increasingly vital for military effectiveness, a distinct category of technological leaders has emerged within militaries. This qualitative study explores excellence in this domain by interviewing 11 recipients of the prestigious Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Technological Award. In-depth interviews grounded in the critical incident technique revealed four integral facets of military tech leadership excellence: Technical mastery built through expertise and continuous learning, mission dedication demonstrated through overcoming obstacles, interpersonal skills in understanding needs and translating across domains, and adaptability in integrating innovation. Notable findings show that technologists adhere to canonical military leadership values such as mission dedication, although they apply them distinctly for technological purposes. Compared with traditional military leadership, tech leaders have specialized skills in bridging operational necessities and technological solutions. This study proposes a framework that encapsulates the attributes, motivations, and behaviors that underpin excellence in military technological leadership. These findings have implications for selection, training, and development of future leaders in military technology.
New Paths for Public Governance: Literature Review, Content Analysis, and Proposed Conceptual Framework for an Integrative View
Authors: Raschendorfer Erica Von , Roder Figueira Ariane
Published: July 2024

This article qualitatively investigates the new attributes necessary for leveling interagency relations in the public arena. Our approach focuses on political effectiveness, based on new roles for the State, for society, and for the market. As a result, institutional leadership gains centrality in the new context, moving from the procedural view to an approach of simultaneous and interdependent systems. The research aims to contribute to advancing of debates in the area by offering an analytical model that subsidizes the implementation of governance mechanisms aligned with contemporary public management.
Professional Associations as Networks: How Informal Networking Characterizes Inter-Agency Collaboration from a Social Psychology Perspective
Authors: Yang Zheng
Published: July 2024

Relatively little empirical and theoretical research in public management explores the roles of professional associations in collaborative governance and inter-governmental relationships. Drawing on network perspectives and social psychology literature, this study aims to bridge the gap by examining the case of the Los Angeles County Management Council (LACMC) and theorizing about the characteristics of inter-agency collaboration that is derived from local professional associations. Results from the qualitative analysis reveal five key themes: relational comfort and affect-based trust, autonomy and spontaneity in knowledge sharing, shared identity and group cohesion, enhanced system awareness, and informal accountability.
Beyond the Dichotomy: Creation and Validation of a Continuous Statewide Index of U.S. Honor Culture
Authors: Lopez Henry N. , Bock Jarrod E. , Brown Ryan , Cross Susan E.
Published: July 2024

Honor cultures are characterized by a heightened sensitivity to reputation threats and strong expectations for the defense of honor. U.S. states vary in the extent to which they express the cultural norms of honor, but researchers have frequently relied upon a dichotomous classification that differentiates states as honor or dignity states. We created and validated a continuous, six-item index of honor norms and values across all U.S. states (Study 1). In Study 2, our honor index was correlated with historical variables theoretically associated with the genesis of honor cultures. In Study 3, we validated our honor index further by showing that it predicted several race-/ethnicity-specific outcomes that prior research has connected with honor (e.g., homicide rates, suicide rates). This new index equips researchers with a more nuanced understanding of U.S. honor cultures and a measure that can be used in future investigations.
Falling Vocal Intonation Signals Speaker Confidence and Conditionally Boosts Persuasion
Authors: Vaughan-Johnston Thomas I. , Guyer Joshua J. , Fabrigar Leandre R. , Lamprinakos Grigorios , Briñol Pablo
Published: July 2024

People are often advised to project confidence with their bodies and voices to convince others. Prior research has focused on the high and low thinking processes through which vocal confidence signals (e.g., fast speed, falling intonation, low pitch) can influence attitude change. In contrast, this research examines how the vocal confidence of speakers operates under more moderate elaboration levels, revealing that falling intonation only benefits persuasion under certain circumstances. In three experiments, we show that falling (vs. rising) vocal intonation at the ends of sentences can signal speaker confidence. Under moderate elaboration conditions, falling (vs. rising) vocal intonation increased message processing, bolstering the benefit of strong over weak messages, increasing the proportion of message-relevant thoughts, and increasing thought-attitude correspondence. In sum, the present work examined an unstudied role of vocal confidence in guiding persuasion, revealing new processes by which vocal signals increase or fail to increase persuasion.
Financial Mindfulness: A Scale
Authors: Garbinsky Emily N. , Blanchard Simon J. , Kim Lena
Published: July 2024

The concept of mindfulness has enjoyed much resonance among researchers. Despite this past work, we argue there is a need for a domain-specific conceptualization and measure of financial mindfulness (FM). We first define FM as “the tendency to be highly aware of one’s current objective financial state while possessing an acceptance of that state,” and, second, develop and validate an eight-item scale to measure individual differences in FM. This article has nine studies, including a field survey administered by a financial services provider to examine actual behavior. Importantly, the FM-Scale is associated with financial behaviors (i.e., sunk cost bias) above and beyond related scales (i.e., money management stress, self-control, and general mindfulness). To the best of our knowledge, our work is the first to provide a succinct way to measure FM that incorporates elements of both awareness and acceptance, highlighting the role of financial acceptance specifically.
Unconstrained Descriptions of Facebook Profile Pictures Support High-Dimensional Models of Impression Formation
Authors: Connor Paul , Nicolas Gandalf , Antonoplis Stephen , Koch Alex
Published: July 2024

Dominant models of impression formation focus on two fundamental dimensions: a horizontal dimension of warmth/communion/trustworthiness and a vertical dimension of competence/agency/dominance. However, these models have typically been studied using theory-driven methods and stimuli of restricted complexity. We used a data-driven approach and naturalistic stimuli to explore the latent dimensions underlying >300,000 unconstrained linguistic descriptions of 1,000 Facebook profile pictures from 2,188 participants. Via traditional (Exploratory Factor Analysis) and modern (natural language dictionaries, semantic sentence embeddings) approaches, we observed impressions to form with regard to the horizontal and vertical dimensions and their respective facets of sociability/morality and ability/assertiveness, plus the key demographic variables of gender, age, and race. However, we also observed impressions to form along numerous further dimensions, including adventurousness, conservatism, fitness, non-conformity, and stylishness. These results serve to emphasize the importance of high-dimensional models of impression formation and help to clarify the content dimensions underlying unconstrained descriptions of individuals.
Invisibilized victims: the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents in the European context / Víctimas invisibilizadas: la explotación sexual de niños, niñas y adolescentes en el contexto europeo
Authors: Pereda Noemí
Published: July 2024

This scoping review explores key aspects arising from recent research on child sexual exploitation (CSE) within the European context. CSE represents a form of sexual violence occurring across all regions and countries, impacting the most vulnerable children and adolescents. The exploiter or exploiters respond to the victim’s unmet basic needs and lead them to believe that they are engaging in a consensual exchange and relationship. This social issue affects between 1% and 2.5% of European boys and girls, with these figures being notably higher among specific high-risk groups. Preventing situations of CSE, identifying them and intervening effectively with their victims is only possible if Europe acknowledges and addresses the reality of this serious issue of personal and social vulnerability that affects a significant number of boys and girls within our borders. It has been invisible for far too long.
Can mothers’ testimony revise children’s naïve physical beliefs? Young children’s learning in different physics concepts / El papel del testimonio materno en la revisión de las creencias infantiles ingenuas: aprendizaje infantil de distintos conceptos físicos
Authors: Li Tingyu , Chen Yiqun , Li Yilin , Qiu Xiaoju , Zhu Liqi
Published: July 2024

Young children develop naïve theories, which often contain misconceptions, spontaneously before formal education. Testimony from others plays a crucial role in revising their initial false beliefs. Understanding the development of children’s naïve theories and the factors influencing children’s naïve belief revision is of great importance. The present study examined belief revision in three-to-five-year-old children ( N = 90) when exposed to scientific testimonies from their mothers that contradicted their naïve physical beliefs. Three object motion tasks, including gravitational motion, horizontal projectile motion and free-falling motion, were employed. Results showed that children of different ages held different levels of initial beliefs across different concepts. Scientific testimony from mothers facilitated children’s belief revision, and the belief revision is different across physical concepts and age. These findings emphasize the importance of testimony in science education and highlight the significance of considering the impact of different concepts on children’s science learning.
Effectiveness of vortioxetine in elderly patients with major depressive disorder in real-world clinical practice: Results from the RELIEVE study
Authors: Di Nicola M , Adair M , Rieckmann A , Christensen M Cronquist
Published: July 2024

Background:

Data demonstrating the real-world, long-term effectiveness of vortioxetine in elderly patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) are clinically useful to confirm findings from randomized trials.

Methods:

RELIEVE was a multinational, 24-week, observational, prospective study in outpatients with MDD initiating vortioxetine treatment in routine care settings (NCT03555136). Here, we report data from a subgroup of 130 patients aged ⩾ 65 years. The primary study outcome was changed from baseline in patient functioning assessed using the Sheehan Disability Scale (SDS). Other clinical outcomes included depression severity (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9] and Clinical Global Impressions–Severity [CGI-S]), cognitive performance (Digit Symbol Substitution Test [DSST]) and symptoms (Perceived Deficits Questionnaire – Depression-5 item [PDQ-D-5]), and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) (EuroQoL 5 Dimensions 5 Levels [EQ-5D-5L]).

Results:

Clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvements in patient functioning, depressive symptoms, cognitive function, and HRQoL were observed at week 24. Least squares mean SDS, PHQ-9, CGI-S, PDQ-D-5, DSST, and EQ-5D-5L scores improved from baseline by 6.5, 5.7, 1.2, 3.2, 4.4, and 0.11 points, respectively ( p < 0.01 for all). Adverse events were observed in 23.1% of patients.

Conclusions:

Consistent with previous clinical studies of vortioxetine, this study supports the effectiveness and safety of vortioxetine in treating elderly patients with MDD in a real-world setting over a 6-month period. Patients showed clinically relevant and sustained improvements in psychosocial functioning, depressive symptoms, and cognitive function after receiving vortioxetine, which was generally well tolerated. Main study limitations include the open-label study design and lack of a placebo or comparator group.
From chaos to kaleidoscope: Exploring factors in psychedelic self-treatment for mental health conditions
Authors: Walker Claire , Piatkowski Timothy , Ferris Jason , Davies Emma , Barratt Monica , Winstock Adam , Puljević Cheneal
Published: July 2024

Introduction:

This study explores how individuals self-treat psychiatric conditions with psychedelics outside medical guidance bridging the gap in understanding unregulated therapeutic use.

Aims:

The primary objective was to extract specific factors underlying the effects of psychedelics, exploring their relationship with the need for medication, particularly for mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. Additionally, we aimed to understand how the likelihood of being prescribed pharmacological medication varies based on mental health diagnoses and demographic factors.

Methods:

This research utilised the Global Drug Survey 2020, an annual online survey focused on substance use patterns and demographics, incorporating modules addressing mental health and psychedelic use. The study employed Exploratory Factor Analysis to discern latent factors underlying the self-reported effects of psychedelics. Bivariable and multivariable logistic regressions were conducted to investigate the association between identified factors and the likelihood of current prescribed medication usage.

Results:

In all, 2552 respondents reported using psychedelics for self-treatment of mental health conditions. Three significant factors were identified: Improved Mental Health, Improved Self-Awareness and Neuro-Sensory Changes. The majority of the sample reported a history of depression (80%) or anxiety (65.6%), with a significant association observed between reported factors of psychedelics’ effects and current medication usage for mental health, especially notable in cases of depression or comorbid depression and anxiety.

Conclusions:

Perceived symptom improvement following psychedelic self-treatment may reduce the need for medically supervised pharmacological interventions. These findings highlight the potential of psychedelics to positively influence mental health and self-awareness, paving the way for further research into their therapeutic application.
Modeling Radiologists’ Assessments to Explore Pairing Strategies for Optimized Double Reading of Screening Mammograms
Authors: Gommers Jessie J. J. , Abbey Craig K. , Strand Fredrik , Taylor-Phillips Sian , Jenkinson David J. , Larsen Marthe , Hofvind Solveig , Broeders Mireille J. M. , Sechopoulos Ioannis
Published: July 2024

Purpose

To develop a model that simulates radiologist assessments and use it to explore whether pairing readers based on their individual performance characteristics could optimize screening performance.

Methods

Logistic regression models were designed and used to model individual radiologist assessments. For model evaluation, model-predicted individual performance metrics and paired disagreement rates were compared against the observed data using Pearson correlation coefficients. The logistic regression models were subsequently used to simulate different screening programs with reader pairing based on individual true-positive rates (TPR) and/or false-positive rates (FPR). For this, retrospective results from breast cancer screening programs employing double reading in Sweden, England, and Norway were used. Outcomes of random pairing were compared against those composed of readers with similar and opposite TPRs/FPRs, with positive assessments defined by either reader flagging an examination as abnormal.

Results

The analysis data sets consisted of 936,621 (Sweden), 435,281 (England), and 1,820,053 (Norway) examinations. There was good agreement between the model-predicted and observed radiologists’ TPR and FPR ( r ≥ 0.969). Model-predicted negative-case disagreement rates showed high correlations ( r ≥ 0.709), whereas positive-case disagreement rates had lower correlation levels due to sparse data ( r ≥ 0.532). Pairing radiologists with similar FPR characteristics (Sweden: 4.50% [95% confidence interval: 4.46%–4.54%], England: 5.51% [5.47%–5.56%], Norway: 8.03% [7.99%–8.07%]) resulted in significantly lower FPR than with random pairing (Sweden: 4.74% [4.70%–4.78%], England: 5.76% [5.71%–5.80%], Norway: 8.30% [8.26%–8.34%]), reducing examinations sent to consensus/arbitration while the TPR did not change significantly. Other pairing strategies resulted in equal or worse performance than random pairing.

Conclusions

Logistic regression models accurately predicted screening mammography assessments and helped explore different radiologist pairing strategies. Pairing readers with similar modeled FPR characteristics reduced the number of examinations unnecessarily sent to consensus/arbitration without significantly compromising the TPR.

Highlights

A logistic-regression model can be derived that accurately predicts individual and paired reader performance during mammography screening reading. Pairing screening mammography radiologists with similar false-positive characteristics reduced false-positive rates with no significant loss in true positives and may reduce the number of examinations unnecessarily sent to consensus/arbitration.
The building of an institutional liver transplant registry: opportunities and challenges
Authors: Marciano Sebastián , Martínez Morales Jorge Carlos , Juana Camila , de Santibañes Martin , Pekolj Juan , de Santibañes Eduardo , Francisconi Mariela , Uño Tala Jimmy Walker , Burgos Pratx Leandro Daniel , Gadano Adrian , Ardiles Victoria
Published: July 2024

To improve current data systems for institutional decision-making, the Adult Liver Transplant Registry was established at the Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Argentina. This article describes its design and implementation and reports on the outcomes for patients transplanted since its January 2020 launch. A multidisciplinary team designed the registry by identifying key variables from a literature review while considering balance between data depth and feasibility. Rigorous quality control measures were enforced, including monthly audits and staff training. Benchmark indicators for post-transplant outcomes were established. As of November 2023, the registry included 136 transplants. Its implementation and maintenance were straightforward, with no significant difficulties encountered. Cirrhosis was the predominant indication (77%) for transplant. Only one living donor transplantation was performed. Post-transplant results generally aligned with benchmarks, but rates of biliary complications slightly exceeded the recommended thresholds. The one-year post-transplant survival rate was 87%. The successful registry implementation provides a robust framework for research, treatment management, and patient care enhancement within a liver transplant unit.
COVID-19 trends across borders: Identifying correlations among countries
Authors: Muhaidat Jihan , Albatayneh Aiman
Published: July 2024

Objectives

To enhance the accuracy of forecasting future coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases and trends by identifying and analyzing correlations between the daily case counts of different countries reported between January 2020 and January 2023, to uncover significant links in COVID-19 patterns between nations, allowing for real-time, precise predictions of disease spread based on observed trends in correlated countries.

Methods

Daily COVID-19 cases for each country were tracked between January 2020 and January 2023 to identify correlations between nations. Current case data were obtained from reliable sources, such as Johns Hopkins University and the World Health Organization. Data were analyzed in Microsoft Excel using Pearson’s correlation coefficient to assess the strength of connections.

Results

Strong correlations (r > 0.80) were revealed between the daily reported COVID-19 case counts of numerous countries across various continents. Specifically, 62 nations showed significant correlations with at least one correlated (connected) country per nation. These correlations indicate a similarity in COVID-19 trends over the past 3 or more years.

Conclusion

This study addresses the gap in country-specific correlations within COVID-19 forecasting methodologies. The proposed method offers essential real-time insights to aid effective government and organizational planning in response to the pandemic.
Entrepreneurial passion and the big five: Impact on entrepreneurial behavior
Authors: Tabak Filiz , Qian Shanshan , Brannon David
Published: July 2024

Although there has been a long history of research linking personality traits and entrepreneurship, this interchange has provided inconsistent results without a definitive entrepreneurial trait profile. In this research, the relationship between entrepreneurial passion (EP) for inventing and entrepreneurial behavior was investigated by exploring the moderating effects of personality as conceptualized by the Big Five Personality Traits. Results provided evidence that the personality traits of conscientiousness, agreeableness, and extraversion moderated the relationship between EP and entrepreneurial behavior. Individuals with a high level of conscientiousness, agreeableness, or extraversion exhibited a higher likelihood of entrepreneurial behaviors. The moderation effect of agreeableness was most pronounced at low levels of EP with this effect dissipating as the level of passion rises to a high level. A significant contribution of this research is a greater understanding as to what characteristics and processes increase the likelihood of a person to undertake entrepreneurial behaviors. Theoretical and practical implications of study findings as well as limitations and future research directions were discussed.
Virtual diversity: Resolving the tension between the wider culture and the institution of science
Authors: Collins Harry , Evans Robert , Reyes-Galindo Luis
Published: July 2024

There are widespread calls for increased demographic diversity in science, often linked to the epistemic claim that including more perspectives will improve the quality of the knowledge produced. By distinguishing between demographic and epistemic diversity, we show that this is only true some of the time. There are cases where increasing demographic diversity will not bring about the necessary epistemic diversity and cases where failing to exclude some voices reduces the quality of the scientific debate. We seek to resolve these tensions with an analysis that turns on the way the experience-based expertise of non-scientists can be absorbed into mainstream science. Mostly it has to be done via what we call ‘virtual diversity’, in which scientists take responsibility for acquiring interactional expertise in the non-scientific expertise-based domains which they consider provide knowledge valuable to the science. We argue that virtual diversity represents the only feasible option in most scenarios, with cases where demographic diversity or full cultural mergers provide the solution being the exception rather than the rule. This analysis is an exercise in the sociology of knowledge, which is considered as being continuous with philosophy. The paper is prescriptive as well as descriptive, and the moral, cultural, political, and educational implications of the argument are drawn out. A main conclusion is that the acquisition of virtual diversity should be a new norm for science, allowing the voices of experienced non-scientist citizens to be heard but without eroding the institution of science, which continues to be a vital foundation of truth in democracy.
Holistic and Practical Approach for Assessing Flood Risks of Low Volume Asphalt Roads
Authors: Chen Qiming , Tao Mingjiang , Mallick Rajib B. , Zhang Zhongjie
Published: July 2024

Flood-induced damage to roadways is well recognized and documented in local and national media as well as in the literature. However, the damage to pavement structures that remain visually intact after a flood event are far from well understood, nor is there a guideline for selecting an appropriate engineering tool or procedure to evaluate such structural damage, based on flood characteristics and roadway conditions. While low volume roads are the most vulnerable to flood-induced damage, many municipalities, such as smaller cities, towns, or local government districts, are the least prepared to address such risks and hazards to their transportation infrastructure because of the lack of financial or technical resources. A holistic framework for assessing flood damage after a flood event or for future flood scenarios is proposed, which considers destructiveness of hazard (i.e., flood), vulnerability, and consequence of the flood. A quantitative, composite indicator, risk factor ( RF), as a multiplication of hazard destructiveness factor ( HF), vulnerability factor ( VF), and consequence factor ( CF), can readily be approximated with flood characteristics, pavement characteristics, and functional class of pavement and traffic volume. A flooding risk map is then developed, on the basis of the RF in a space of physical damage factor ( PF)–consequence factor ( CF). The map is divided into three different risk zones: high risk zone ( RF>64), medium risk zone (27< RF≤64), and low risk zone ( RF≤27). The proposed holistic, quantitative approach has been applied to six flooded pavement sections in Louisiana to evaluate its feasibility and application potential.
Assessing Public Opinions of and Interest in Bidirectional Electric Vehicle Charging Technologies: A U.S. Perspective
Authors: Dean Matthew D. , Kockelman Kara M.
Published: July 2024

An increasing number of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) have bidirectional charging technology that provides new benefits to motorists, homeowners, and power grid operators. A web-based survey investigates the willingness of over 300 Americans to pay for added bidirectional charging features, namely, vehicle-to-load (V2L), vehicle-to-home (V2H), and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technologies, along with their expected use frequency. Summary statistics suggest that Americans are willing to pay (WTP) an average of $280 and $776 on top of the price of a new car for V2L and V2H, respectively. About 51.3% would let their power company discharge their vehicle via V2G during grid emergencies if compensated and guaranteed a minimum battery level. Interval regression and ordered probit equations explain how demographics, travel patterns, and attitudinal variables affect the response variables, including WTP for bidirectional charging features and expected reliance on technology. The statistically and practically significant relationships suggest that adults over 34 have lower WTP values for V2L and V2H, and those in households with more vehicles plan on more bi-directional charging, as expected. The findings have implications for policymakers, manufacturers, and stakeholders involved in the BEV ecosystem, informing their decision-making processes related to integrating and commercializing bidirectional charging technologies. These models may even help power grid planners understand who is likely to adopt V2G technology, enabling them to aggregate and shift BEV loads to help manage the grid in parallel and isolation.
Rethinking Transit Safety: Understanding and Addressing Gender-Based Harassment and Enhancing Safety on San Francisco’s Muni Transit System
Authors: Cowan Greer , Liu Pearl
Published: July 2024

The goal of this research is to support prioritizing safety on the Muni system from a gender equity lens. This work is specifically aimed to inform the Safety Equity Initiative of the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA). Using a mixed-method approach, we surveyed Muni transit riders ( n = 1,613) to explore their travel behaviors, experiences with gender-based harassment, and perceptions of safety while riding Muni. We find that the pervasiveness of gender-based harassment on the Muni public transit system is significant, with 67% of our sample reporting that they have experienced harassment in the last six months. Perceptions of safety are also quite low, with 68% always or often feeling safe while riding Muni during the daytime and only 32% feeling safe at nighttime. We found that certain populations are disproportionately victimized while riding transit with statistically significant differences across both perception of safety and experiences of harassment between women versus men, gender minorities versus cis gender people, transit dependent riders versus those who have access to a private vehicle, and white versus non-white riders. Based on these findings we provide transformative recommendations to address the high rates of harassment among certain groups of Muni riders. The recommendations are organized into three categories: service changes, infrastructure improvements, and campaigns and advocacy. This work adds to the existing knowledge about gender-based harassment in the transit environment while also specifically informing the Safety Equity Initiative of the SFMTA.
Assessing Regional Agency Interest in Truck Freight Planning Practices: Insights from Virginia
Authors: Miller John S. , Vavitta Parambil Nishara
Published: July 2024

Nationally, some regional planning agencies (RPAs) devote less attention to planning for truck freight than for passengers. To increase future regional truck freight planning, this paper reports the survey results from 22 Virginia RPA freight planning practices. Some RPAs were interested in practices not yet undertaken: provision of parking during emergencies (of interest to half the respondents), incorporation of parking needs as part of zoning ordinances (one-third), and provision of locally funded parking areas (a quarter). RPAs were heterogeneous: none of the 50 practices interested all RPAs and, on average, a given practice interested just 23% of respondents. Practices rarely undertaken but of high interest included identifying critical gaps in the truck freight network, identifying load-restricted bridges affecting business deliveries, and incorporation of parking needs into zoning ordinances. Accordingly, one such practice was piloted with one RPA, demonstrating that having adequate off-site locations to situate trucks for unloading is a pressing problem. The survey and pilot revealed that truck freight planning can be encouraged by tailoring practices to tightly defined regional interests. One pilot question concerned how future land use might stimulate off-site parking demand near pickup or delivery points. The ability to give a rough answer quickly led to a resulting action item proposed by the locality: explicit consideration of truck parking within the county comprehensive plan. The results showed that although additional data can yield a more exact answer, sketch-level planning information was sufficient to initiate a collaborative effort between a state and a willing regional participant.
Examining the Land Use and Land Cover Impacts of Highway Capacity Expansions in California Using Remote Sensing Technology
Authors: Alexander Serena , Yang Bo , Hussey Owen
Published: July 2024

Highway capacity expansion has wide impacts on land use and land cover (LULC). Cost–benefit analyses and environmental review processes for roadway capacity expansion and maintenance decisions do not comprehensively consider the LULC impacts. This study examined land cover changes directly associated with highway expansion in California, and the relationship between land use and the vegetation impacts of highway projects using satellite remote sensing data. The methodology involves a geospatial analysis of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data in 18 sites across California before and after highway expansion project completion. We accounted for seasonality and included a set of control sites. Findings indicate that the impacts of highway expansion on changes in NDVI are diverse, stressing the importance of the environmental context around each individual project site. Sites that are located near less-developed areas with more extensive natural vegetation (e.g., sprawled areas or exurbs), show a significant decline in NDVI values. Virtually all sites with insignificant changes in NDVI after highway expansion are located in areas that already exhibit heavy urban development (e.g., Los Angeles, San José) or are otherwise located near large expanses of bare, non-vegetated earth. Also, project sites that experienced multiple types of construction (i.e., adding more lanes, widening sections, bridge renovation, etc.) were more likely to exhibit decreasing NDVI values compared with project sites that only experienced one type of construction. Decisions about highway construction and capacity expansion should consider the context and the full environmental impacts, including land use and land cover changes over time.
Analyzing the Suitability of Vehicle Telematics Data as a Surrogate Safety Measure for Short-Term Crashes
Authors: Joshi Manmohan , Bamney Anshu , Wang Kai , Zhao Shanshan , Ivan John , Jackson Eric
Published: July 2024

Traffic safety analysis relies heavily on the comprehensiveness of traffic crash data. However, crash occurrences are rare events. Researchers have sought alternative measures closely linked to crash occurrences, known as surrogate safety measures, to address this challenge. The advent of vehicle telematics has introduced a valuable source of data, consisting of time-stamped positional information of vehicles, facilitated through telecommunication networks. Wejo Data Services Inc. collects vehicle telematics data through collaboration with various automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to furnish connected vehicle data along with driver event variables, such as braking and acceleration. This study seeks to investigate the relationship between hard-braking events and the incidence of total crashes and peak period crashes across different facility types using analysis of variance and negative binomial models. The results show a strong correlation between hard braking and crash frequency. The ratio of hard-braking events to crashes exhibits notable variations across peak hours, off-peak periods, and nighttime. Further, the coefficient of hard braking is significantly higher on freeways compared with non-freeways. The model performance of different short period models improved better than the extent of improvement in total crash model after hard braking was introduced as an explanatory variable. The marginal effects of hard braking on crash frequency on freeways are consistently higher than those in non-freeway segments.
Transit Board Diversity and Pandemic Service Cuts in Vulnerable Communities
Authors: Voulgaris Carole Turley , Ray Rosalie Singerman , Fischer Lauren Ames
Published: July 2024

Despite its primary role in shaping policy and service characteristics, board governance is an understudied topic in the field of urban transit. Existing research on board management and representative bureaucracy theory suggests that the race and gender diversity of boards has a significant impact on organizational activity but that these relationships are highly dependent on the cultural context and industry analyzed. In this paper, we evaluate how the diversity of transit boards (with respect to race, gender, and disability) in the U.S.A. correlates with service changes authorized by these boards during the COVID-19 pandemic. Utilizing a database on board governance and general transit feed specification data for 36 agencies, we find a positive relationship between the presence of women on transit boards and vertically equitable service cuts, defined as increasing or maintaining transit service in more vulnerable neighborhoods. Overall, transit agencies with more female board members had more equitable service cuts, on average, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Spatial and Temporal Variation of Subway Ridership before and during the COVID-19 Period in Beijing
Authors: Liu Chengshuai , He Hui , Chen Peng
Published: July 2024

The outbreak of COVID-19 in 2019 caused a huge impact on people’s lives. Uncovering the variation of public traffic daily patterns during the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods would help interpret the impact of the pandemic on people’s routine activity and promote the sustainable development of public transport systems. By collecting subway traffic data during the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods in Beijing, China, this paper analyzes the spatial and temporal variation of subway ridership and seeks to find out what sort of environment variables related to the variation of subway ridership during the two periods. The results show that the ridership of Beijing subway during the pandemic period decreased by 91.69% compared with the pre-pandemic period. On working days and non-working days during the pandemic period, the subway stations experiencing huge ridership reductions were mainly distributed within the core urban areas, while in the morning peak hours, the stations experiencing huge ridership reduction were located within suburban areas. The origin-destination stations with a large decrease in ridership were mainly distributed along the central to northern directions of Beijing but, on non-working days, they were mainly distributed along the central to northwestern directions of Beijing. The results of the regression analysis indicated that, during the pandemic period, the industrial parks were significantly positively correlated with subway ridership, while the pedestrian road network density was significantly negatively correlated with subway ridership.
Study on Mechanical Properties of Tunnel Flame Retardant Asphalt Pavement Considering the Ablative Effect
Authors: Zhu Yunsheng , Hua Ruiyang , Song Liming , Wang Kaifeng , Li Yue
Published: July 2024

With the widespread utilization of composite pavements in highway tunnel projects, the flammability issue of asphalt layers has garnered increasing attention. Previous research has demonstrated that the addition of flame retardants effectively reduces the occurrence of pavement fires. However, there are few studies combining asphalt flame retardant technology with tunnel composite pavement structures. Therefore, this paper, considering the context of actual engineering projects, uses ABAQUS software to analyze and calculate the mechanical response of the tunnel composite pavement, considering the thickness of various asphalt layers under the ablation depth. Key design indexes such as shear stress and lower tensile strain of the asphalt layer, the bottom tensile stress of the cement concrete subgrade, and interlayer shear stress between the asphalt layer and cement concrete subgrade of composite pavements are analyzed using the nonlinear finite element analysis method. The findings enable the determination of the optimal thickness of the composite pavement asphalt layer combination after ablation, thus contributing to enhancing the safety of tunnel pavements.
Developing Safety Performance Functions for Severe Distraction-Related Crashes along Kentucky’s Rural and Urban Two-Lane Roadways
Authors: Banerjee Arunabha , Pathivada Bharat Kumar , Haleem Kirolos , Justice Dylan , Brittenham Evan , Oliver Joshua
Published: July 2024

This study develops safety performance functions (SPFs) for severe (“KA” or “fatal and suspected serious injury”) distraction-related crashes along Kentucky’s rural and urban two-lane undivided roadway segments using recent four-year (2018–2021) crash records. Additional efforts were made to meticulously scrutinize crash narratives categorized as non-distracted and correct those cases. To account for crash under-dispersion, the Conway–Maxwell–Poisson, heterogeneous Conway–Maxwell–Poisson, zero-inflated Conway–Maxwell–Poisson, and zero-inflated heterogeneous Conway–Maxwell–Poisson (ZI-HTCMP) models were fitted and compared. The ZI-HTCMP model outperformed the other models with respect to several goodness-of-fit measures (e.g., mean absolute deviance and mean square prediction error). From the developed SPFs for rural and urban two-lane roads, wider lanes and higher speed limits (55 mph) were associated with increased severe distraction-related crash frequencies. Furthermore, some variables were found to be significant in rural areas, but insignificant in urban areas, and vice versa. For example, major collector roads, minor collector/local roads, the presence of roadside guardrails, wider right-hand shoulders, the presence of horizontal curves, and the presence of vertical grades were associated with increased crash frequencies along rural two-lane roads. In addition, the proportion of heavy vehicles (>5%) and the existence of paved shoulders were associated with increased crashes along urban two-lane roads. The empirical Bayes method was then used to rank the top 10 distraction-related high crash locations (HCLs) for both rural and urban two-lane segments. In-depth investigation of HCLs highlighted single-vehicle distraction-related crashes as the most common collision type. Countermeasures were proposed to help reduce severe distraction-related crashes, for example, installing chevron signs along rural two-lane roads.
Pedestrian and Car Occupant Crash Casualties Over a 9-Year Span of Vision Zero in New York City
Authors: Shi Ge , Song Yu , Atkinson-Palombo Carol , Garrick Norman
Published: July 2024

Vision Zero has been increasingly embraced by jurisdictions across the United States. Existing research primarily focuses on the theoretical principles and effectiveness of specific engineering measures. However, there is limited understanding of the holistic effects of Vision Zero treatments, in the context of street type and urban environment. We developed a street typology framework to categorize street segments using four design and operational features: street width, traffic direction (one- versus two-way), number of travel lanes, and presence of on-street parking. We applied a sample-based partitioning around medoids algorithm to classify 90,327 street segments in New York City. This process results in six distinctive types of street segment. To integrate neighborhood-level factors (e.g., land use variables and sociodemographics), we aggregated street segments of a given street type for each neighborhood. Negative binomial regression models were developed for pedestrian and car occupant crash injuries and fatalities separately for three periods: 2014 to 2016, 2017 to 2019, and 2020 to 2022. Our findings showed that street-segment groups with narrower, two-way sections and greater tree canopy coverage were significantly associated with a lower risk of casualties for both pedestrians and motorized users. Street-segment groups located in neighborhoods with a larger percentage of African American and Hispanic American residents experienced a significantly greater risk of casualties. Vision Zero treatments had mixed effects on safety outcomes. Streets treated with leading pedestrian intervals showed a lower risk of casualties. Neighborhood- and arterial slow zones were associated with a lower risk of car occupant casualties.
Modeling Pedestrian Near-Crash Events at a Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon-Controlled Intersection Using Video Analytics and Long Short-Term Memory Neural Network
Authors: Kalambay Panick , Pulugurtha Srinivas S.
Published: July 2024

Pedestrian safety is a long-standing issue in urban areas, where pedestrian near-crash events are more frequent than in suburban or rural areas. To address the pedestrian safety problem, a proactive approach was explored to assess and predict the severity of these events, which are valuable indicators of potential crashes. Object detection and tracking techniques were used to establish the temporal relationship of pedestrian near-crash events involving vehicles at an intersection controlled with rectangular rapid flashing beacons. A long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network model is proposed to warn a driver 2 s before the vehicle reaches the conflict zone. However, this scenario can be considered optimistic, as the 2 s interval represents an ideal driver’s reaction time, which is more likely to happen in a connected and automated vehicle environment where vehicles receive real-time information about their surroundings and perform some basic tasks such as braking without waiting for the driver reaction. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed LSTM neural network model, with an area under the curve value of 78.5% on the training data and an overall recall of 71.1% on the test data. The practical significance of this model is its potential to provide timely information about near-crash events, thereby enhancing pedestrian safety at critical points such as intersections.
Study on the recovery of bladder function in patients with cervical cancer after operation by portable ultrasound combined
Authors: Zhao Yu-Ting , Guo Shuai , Shang Zai-Chun , Ding Hong-Yi , Jin Jian-Hua , Chu Kai-Yue , Ge Bin-Bin , Xu Peng-Qin
Published: July 2024

Background:

Postoperative urination dysfunction is a common complication after surgery in patients with cervical cancer. Portable bladder ultrasound are commonly utilized in clinical practice for measuring residual urine volume. This study aimed to the effect of bladder function training combined with portable ultrasound monitoring on bladder function recovery in patients with cervical cancer after training.

Methods:

A total of 40 postoperative patients with cervical cancer were randomly divided into a control group (A) and an experimental group (B) of 20 cases each. Group A was given routine postoperative care, while group B was given bladder function training. Urgent urine bladder volume were taken twice daily after removal of the urinary catheter and monitored for five consecutive days. The difference of urgent urine bladder volume and bladder filling rate were compared by t-test and chi-square test respectively. The 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) was used to evaluate the quality of life of patients before and after intervention, and compared by Mann-Whitney U test.

Results:

There was no significant difference in preoperative urgent urine volume between the two groups. After catheter removal, the bladder volume of patients in the B increased, while the bladder volume of patients in the A increased less and fluctuated greatly. The bladder filling rate in the A was significantly lower than that in the B (5/15 vs 17/18, p < 0.05). After intervention, the quality of life of the experimental group was better than that of the control group, including scores of general health, mental health, vitality, and physical role ( p < 0.05).

Conclusion:

Postoperative cervical cancer patients trained to hold urine by portable ultrasound monitoring are able to recover bladder function.