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Revisiting Accessibility to Amenities: Equity Implications From Comparing Cumulative Opportunity Measure and Two‐Step Floating Catchment Area Method
Get PDFEvaluating the accessibility of amenities is fundamental to achieving equitable urban planning of cities. The cumulative opportunity measure (CO) and the two‐step floating catchment area method (2SFCA) are widely used in previous studies. Although there is ongoing debate and discussion about the choice of method for measuring accessibility, the comparison between these two methods has not been thoroughly examined and differences in the spatial distribution of accessibility and the resulting equity from them have tended to be ignored. Here, we contrasted the similarities and differences in spatial accessibility in 12 different scenarios by using CO and 2SFCA, respectively. The scenarios considered the two models in two transportation modes, public transport (PT) and private car (PC), and six key urban services, company, education, healthcare, shopping, restaurant, and scenery, are thoroughly explored. Equity, between different housing price areas, was also evaluated by using the Gini coefficient and Palma ratio. The findings show that the spatial distributions of accessibility from CO are more related to the whole city structure, while the results from 2SFCA can better reflect the local characteristics and spatial heterogeneity. Regarding equity, PT accessibility is less equitable than PC under CO, but more equitable under 2SFCA. We also found that the accessibility and equity of PT are more susceptible to the chosen method compared to PC. This study can help planners understand accessibility and equity from different views and make adjustments of resources allocation in future planning
Creating an accessible project proposal: Example agenda from the collaborative design of ‘No Research About Us, Without Us’
Get PDFWhen the call for funding was announced by the NIHR we knew we wanted to put together a project to challenge the barriers people with learning disabilities face when contributing to or leading research.
We wanted to begin as we meant to go on, inclusively. We issued an open invitation to anyone interested in working together to join a Zoom meeting and plan the research.
After the first meeting we created an easy-read summary of the discussion to support everyone to remember what was said and contribute at the next meeting. We continued this practice as we agreed the project design
Algorithms and complexity of difference logic
Get PDFDifference Logic (DL) is a fragment of linear arithmetic where atoms are constraints x + k ≤ y for variables x, y (ranging over Q or Z) and integer k. We study the complexity of deciding the truth of existential DL sentences. This problem appears in many contexts: examples include verification, bioinformatics, telecommunications, and spatio-temporal reasoning in AI. We begin by considering sentences in CNF with rational-valued variables. We restrict the allowed clauses via two natural parameters: arity and coefficient bounds. The problem is NP-hard for most choices of these parameters. As a response to this, we refine our understanding by analysing the time complexity and the parameterized complexity (with respect to well-studied parameters such as primal and incidence treewidth). We obtain a comprehensive picture of the complexity landscape in both cases. Finally, we generalise our results to integer domains and sentences that are not in CNF
Modelling the heterogeneity in preferences of subway passengers utilizing smart card data from Beijing
No full textThere is considerable heterogeneity in the travel behavior of subway passengers. The growing availability of large-scale smart card data offers the valuable opportunity to observe the major share of the passengers over a long period of time to uncover this heterogeneity in travel behavior and devise targeted policies for peak spreading. This study analyzes 7.92 million trip records from Beijing’s subway system—spanning 24 lines and 331 stations—to identify distinct passenger groups based on travel frequency, temporal patterns, and spatial characteristics. Four distinct passenger clusters are identified, and class-specific mode choice models (between subway and bus) are estimated to derive each group’s value of travel time (VOT) and value of travel time reliability (VOR). Results indicate that commuters who take the subway frequently have a higher willingness to pay to improve trip reliability. This indicates that measures like low fare incentives may not be effective in changing the travel behavior of this group, while they are the main target group for alleviating the subway congestion during peak-hours. Therefore, targeted incentives based on the travel characteristics and transport preferences of different passengers could better improve the effectiveness of subway congestion management
Characterisation of Bespoke Patient-Derived In Vitro Models of Ewing Sarcoma
Get PDFBackground/Objectives: Preclinical models that accurately reflect Ewing sarcoma (ES) will enable the prioritisation of clinically active targeted agents from bench to clinic. To expedite this process, we have established and characterised patient-derived ES cultures (PDES) in vitro. Methods: Fluorescence in situ hybridisation, RT-PCR and western blotting were used to examine expression of the pathognomonic EWSR1 fusions. Activation or repression of EWSR1 fusion downstream targets and proliferation was examined by immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry. Using next-generation sequencing, the DNA and transcriptomic profiles of PDES and cell lines were compared. The response of PDES and cell lines to standard-of-care chemotherapeutics, ionising radiation and investigational drugs was examined. Results: All PDES contain EWSR1 fusion DNA, consistent with a diagnosis of ES. EWSR1 fusion gene RNA and protein were detected in 70% and 21% of PDES, respectively. Markers of proliferation and expression of EWSR1 fusion target genes were consistent with the tumours from which PDES were derived (R2 = 0.74, p < 0.0001) and the paediatric mesenchymal lineage (SBS5 and SBS1, ID1 and ID2). In contrast, the transcriptome of PDES was significantly different from that of cell lines. PDES had a significantly increased doubling time (p < 0.00001), decreased expression of Ki67 (p < 0.0001) and increased migration (p < 0.02) compared to cell lines. Consistent with the longer doubling time, PDES were more resistant to doxorubicin, etoposide and vincristine and ionising radiation (p < 0.0001) than cell lines. PDES were sensitive to mTKIs (cabozantinib, lenvatinib, and regorafenib), and trabectedin. The response of PDES to drugs in vitro reflects the clinical experience of patients. Conclusions: Models incorporating PDES cells may positively contribute to the preclinical pipeline
Reducing, and ultimately replacing, the involvement of animals in education: Legislative, ethical and societal drivers for change
No full textThe involvement of animals, especially vertebrates, in university educational activities raises strong emotions, with an increasing drive globally, from learners, educators, the public, Regulatory and Statutory Bodies, and other stakeholders, to replace these animals with Non-Animal Technologies, New Approach Methodologies or digital technologies.
Attitudes to the involvement of animals in education vary considerably across different communities and cultures globally. For some learners and educators, the replacement of vertebrates with invertebrates or immature vertebrates is an acceptable half-way house in the global journey to replace all animals used for educational purposes with humane alternatives. However, these partial replacements are not without their own ethical and moral issues including speciesism, harms to animals and concerns regarding when life begins.
Ultimately, the decision of whether to offer or engage with educational activities that involve invertebrates or immature vertebrates is a personal decision for educators, technicians and learners respectively, in line with their individual beliefs and values. Nobody should be forced to engage with activities against their wishes. It is incumbent on programmes to offer educationally robust non-animal alternatives which realise the same intended learning outcomes to these conscientious objectors.
Substantial resources are being allocated to the development of Non-Animal Technologies and New Approach Methodologies in research. There is a need to re-imagine those that are low-cost or less resource intensive for use in education. It will require significant cultural change. Networks for sharing of these resources in education, and data from such interventions are emerging. We should embrace and grow these initiatives globally
Assessing the Influence of Innovation Characteristics on the Implementation Process of an Optimised Tuberculosis Diabetes Integrated Care Package (Opt TBD):A Mixed Method Study Protocol
Get PDFBackground: Tuberculosis with co-morbid diabetes mellitus presents a substantial public health challenge, necessitating immediate and coordinated interventions. Such interventions should be sustainable and have a high acceptance rate in real-world settings. Applying the principles of implementation science is essential to enhance the existing system. This research study aims to assess the influence of innovation characteristics on the implementation of an Optimised TB-diabetes integrated care package. Objectives: The main objectives of this study are to explore the perceptions and experiences of intervention developers; to understand the experiences of health professionals and patients regarding the Opt TBD integrated care package; assess the content validity of the innovation characteristics instrument; and evaluate the influence of intervention characteristics on the implementation process of the Opt TBD integrated care package. Methods: The study will be conducted at thirteen selected TB healthcare facilities across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab over a period of 18 months, in three phases. Evaluation will involve qualitative exploration of intervention development, followed by feasibility testing, and finally the definitive implementation of the intervention. The participants will include key stakeholders: intervention developers, TB health professionals, and patients. Conclusion: This study will generate critical insights for the Opt TBD integrated care package, focusing on enhancing contextual relevance and improving adoption rates in practical, real-world settings. Specifically, this research study seeks to identify key implementation challenges, evaluate the fidelity of the intervention, and validate the causal relationships between the characteristics of the innovation and its implementation success
Flexoelectricity-driven softening of bend elasticity leads to spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking in a polar fluid
No full textThe origin of recently observed spontaneous chiral symmetry breaking in polar fluids is an unsolved problem, and poses fundamental questions as to how heliconical structures emerge in systems composed of achiral molecules. We report on the softening of bend elasticity close to such phase transition, showing that flexoelectric coupling between the electric polarization and the bend deformation is the responsible mechanism, presumably arising from the bent shape of the constituent highly polar molecules
Mostly haunted: a socio-spatial analysis of ghost tourism in England and Wales
Get PDFThere is now a well-established literature on ghost tourism. However, much of this work examines aspects associated with the demand side of the industry, or the motivations and experiences of consumers. There are currently no studies that have sought to explore the supply of ghost tourism and the spatial, social, and economic relationships that exist between these places. Using Lower Tier Local Authorities (LTLAs) in England and Wales as the units of analysis, this study draws on a bespoke range of local government and Census data to examine the prevalence of ghost tourism and explore how these sites are differentiated across local contexts. We find that locations with higher levels of economic deprivation and connections to rurality are more likely to contain sustained ghost tourism. The study makes three key contributions to the literature. First, it provides a spatial analysis of the regional variations in the number of ghost hunts and ghost walks in England and Wales. Second, it identifies the spatial, social and economic circumstances associated with local variations in the provision of ghost tourism. Third, it outlines a localized and robust research method through which ghost tourism can be systematically studied
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