University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture
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To Balance or Not to Balance? Applying a Machine Learning Technique to Oversample Severe Injury Crashes in Work Zones
No full textRoad work zones (WZs) are increasingly common due to aging infrastructure and the need for capacity enhancement, presenting significant safety risks characterized by narrow lanes, uneven traffic flow, lower speeds, and reduced visibility. This study focuses on understanding the role of human behavioral factors in WZ crash injury severity and addressing the data imbalance caused by the lower incidence of high-cost fatal and serious injuries. A unique dataset comprising 7,855 WZ crashes in Tennessee from 2018 to 2022 was examined. The study applies the Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE) combined with a Random Forest (RF) model (a machine learning technique) to balance the dataset and improve prediction accuracy. Results indicate that aggressive driving, overspeeding, and drunk driving significantly escalate injury severity. Additionally, balancing the minority categories of crash injury severity levels (fatal and serious injuries) shifts the importance of contributing factors, emphasizing those more closely associated with higher injury categories. The application of SMOTE proved effective, significantly enhancing the prediction performance across various categories. The accuracy of the RF model improved from 71.88% to 74.36%, while the balanced accuracy increased substantially from 51.58% to 80.97%. These findings offer valuable insights for traffic safety engineers, transportation agencies, and policymakers to enhance WZ design and management. The study provides a framework for analyzing imbalanced crash data, highlighting critical behavioral factors, and recommending additional signage, speed limit reductions, and increased enforcement against unsafe driving behaviors. This approach aims to mitigate injury severity and improve road user safety in work zones
Book Review: Ecologies of Inequity. How Disaster Response Reconstitutes Race and Class Inequality
No full textIn Ecologies of Inequity: How Disaster Response Reconstitutes Race and Class Inequality, Sancha Doxilly Medwinter gathered diverse stories about how various migrant communities had to overcome not only disaster but also the overlapping networks established by those who were supposed to support them in 2012 in New York City. Medwinter portrays this contested post-disaster landscape through a thorough data recording of 120 individuals affiliated with various groups: racialized migrants or locals, tenants or property owners, local or external helpers, and those from wealthy or impoverished backgrounds. Ecologies of Inequity refer to the spatialized networks of organizational and interpersonal relations that emerge following the destruction of preexisting structures and the establishment of makeshift disaster response centers. These networks significantly influenced population mobility, spatial utilization, and local networks, particularly in communities that were already vulnerable due to racial and class factors before the disaster. Medwinter’s analysis offers a valuable framework for understanding the informational and resource disparities across diverse urban spaces, organizations, and social groups
Mechanisms of Familial and UV-induced Melanoma
Get PDFMelanoma is the most common form of skin cancer in the United States. Melanoma is a disease where cancerous cells derive from melanocytes. Common melanoma susceptibility genes induce dysregulation in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN),and AKT expression. Melanoma can be induced through prolonged UV-radiation or familial diagnosis. This article aims to discuss the mechanisms of both familial and UV-induced melanomagenesi
Saudi Arabian Universities\u27 Need for a Nuclear Security Educational Textbook: A Systematic Review
Get PDFNuclear security education is a critical element in ensuring the safe and responsible use of nuclear energy, particularly in countries like Saudi Arabia, where the demand for energy is increasing. This systematic review explores the current needs for nuclear security educational materials in Saudi Arabian universities, focusing on the development of a specialized textbook for this purpose. The review addresses the increasing global demand for nuclear security professionals and highlights the gaps in educational resources available in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia. Using a thematic analysis of existing educational programs and curricula from various international institutions, the paper identifies key areas where Saudi Arabian universities can enhance their nuclear security education. It also examines the importance of creating Arabic-language resources tailored to the country’s unique regional, environmental, and economic conditions. Recommendations are provided for developing a comprehensive nuclear security curriculum in Saudi universities, emphasizing collaboration with international bodies such as the International Atomic Energy Agency to ensure that Saudi Arabia can develop and maintain a sustainable nuclear security workforce. The findings underscore the need for immediate attention to nuclear security education to support Saudi Arabia’s future energy goals
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Transitioning from Cancer Patient to Survivor: Implementing a Breast Cancer Survivorship Care Plan
Get PDFBACKGROUND: Advancements in early detection, research, and treatment have led to increased breast cancer survival. Survivorship begins with diagnosis and continues throughout the lifetime. Anxiety is a common occurrence during the transition from active therapy to surveillance, especially in young females under the age of 45. Evidence supports the use of standardized cancer survivorship care plans (SCPs) to reduce anxiety. Reducing anxiety improves patient-reported outcomes, cancer incidence, and mortality.
LOCAL PROBLEM: This practice improvement project was conducted in an East Tennessee community oncology clinic. The clinic had no standardized process for survivorship care planning. The project\u27s purpose was to implement standardized SCPs for breast cancer survivors under the age of 45, with aims to refer 75% to survivorship care and reduce anxiety by 25%.
METHODS: The Evidence-based Practice Improvement (EBPI) model provided the framework for project implementation. Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles were utilized to test the practice change. Referral rates and anxiety symptoms were measured to evaluate progress toward the aims.
INTERVENTIONS: Breast cancer patients under age 45 who had completed active therapy were referred to a nurse practitioner for survivorship care planning. Standardized SCPs were formulated at the initial meeting. Anxiety symptoms were measured before implementing the SCP and one month after using the generalized anxiety (GAD-7) tool.
RESULTS: 100% of eligible patients were appropriately referred for survivorship care planning, exceeding our project aim of 75%. The pre-intervention GAD-7 mean score was 9.33 (range 0-21). Post-SCP, the GAD-7 mean score was 8.67 (range 0-21), a 7.07% decrease.
CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of an evidence-based standardized SCP process was successful at this project site. While the anxiety reduction aim was not met, anxiety improved. Longer follow-up intervals may allow for better assessment and management of anxiety. The standardization and success of this project provides a foundation for sustainability and spread within the practice to include patients with all cancer types