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Identification of critical links within complex road networks using centrality principles on weighted graphs
No full textBuilding resilient infrastructure has become a necessity in modern times. If a system can efficiently deal with failures, it is considered resilient. Roadways are some of the most vital infrastructures in the world. Their collapse due to unprecedented calamities would disrupt the normal functioning of society and cause significant financial loss. To minimize traffic jams and keep traffic flowing during such times, it is essential to identify important roads within a network and plan alternate routes to divert traffic. This study aims to find critical links in a road network and study their relationships with important nodes in the same network. It also highlights some traditional approaches and applies graph-theory concepts to measure node and edge importance within a network. An approach based on variable centrality is proposed. We have implemented our proposed system and evaluated its performance on multiple networks including a large scale statewide road network in Texas. Our preliminary experiments show promising results
A Tale of Two Americas
Get PDFIn 2016, we were presented with the idea that Americans may not be as United as we thought. With the events of 2020, we began to reimagine the fundamental fabric of what we believe to be the United States of America. In this essay, I will discuss the dichotomy in the history of policing in America. To be effective in the analysis of police misconduct, you must reconcile with the uncomfortable truth embedded in our history
Civil Rights and Protective Orders
Get PDF“Open courts” are a bedrock principal of our judicial system, and court secrecy, including concealment of pretrial proceedings, poses a serious threat to public safety. Overbroad protective orders have concealed facts uncovered during litigation regarding some of the most important public harms, keeping them secret when the public needs protection. Protective orders routinely include provisions that allow parties to designate discovery material as “confidential” without further judicial review. These orders are often abused and result in unnecessary costs to litigants, the courts, and the public’s confidence in the court system. This is always a mistake because it harms the discovery process as a whole, including the ability to compare discovery responses in similar matters, and the integrity of the court system. And because civil rights litigation involves evidence of pattern and practices of police misconduct, overbroad protective orders bury the evidence in each new case. In contrast, a protective order with a sharing provision allows future litigants to discover the patterns of misconduct in a particular department. This presentation elaborates on that process
Cancer disparities and black american representation in clinical trials leading to the approval of oral chemotherapy drugs in the united states between 2009 and 2019
Get PDFPURPOSE Over the past 10 years, oral chemotherapy made up about half (45.6%) of all US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved oncolytic and hematologic medications. Given the disparity in incidence and mortality rate because of certain cancers among Black Americans (BAs) in theUnited States, a review of BA\u27s representation in the clinical trials that lead to the development and FDA approval of oral chemotherapy drugs becomes imperative. The objective of this study was to evaluate the reporting of race and inclusion of BA in clinical trials that led to the approval of oral chemotherapy medications by the FDA from 2009 to 2019 in the United States. Additionally, we evaluated the inclusion of BAs in clinical trials of three cancer types with the highest disparity rates among BAs (lung, breast, and prostate). METHODS A retrospective review of all FDA-approved oral chemotherapy drug from 2009-2019 was obtained using the FDA\u27s Hematology/Oncology Approvals & Safety Notifications website. Reports of racial and demographics inclusion were obtained from the clinical trials registry. RESULTS Primary outcome: 142 clinical trials led to FDA approval of 81 oral chemotherapy agents between 2009 and 2019, among which 74 (52%) reported on at least one race and were included in our analysis. 35,933 participants were enrolled in these 74 clinical trials, among which 25,684 (71.47%), 6,061 (16.87%), 889 (2.47%), and 826 (2.30%) were White, Asian, Black, and Hispanic, respectively. BAs were also underrepresented in the clinical trials of three cancer types with the highest disparity rates among this population. CONCLUSION BAs were under-represented in clinical trials leading to FDA approval of oral chemotherapy drugs. There should be more BAs in cancer clinical trials to increase the generalizability of the results, improve outcomes, and eventually close the health disparity gap among this patient population
Age-and Region-Dependent Disposition of Raloxifene in Rats
Get PDFPurpose: Raloxifene undergoes extensive glucuronidation in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract and the liver. However, the impact of age on raloxifene disposition has never been studied. The purpose of this paper is to determine glucuronidation and Pharmacokinetics (PK) profiles of raloxifene in rats at different ages. Methods: Raloxifene glucuronidation was characterized using S9 fractions prepared from different intestinal segments and the liver of F344 rats at 4-, 11-, and 28-week. PK studies were conducted to determine raloxifene oral bioavailability at different ages. Raloxifene and its glucuronides were quantified using LC-MS/MS. Results: Raloxifene-6-glucuronide and raloxifene-4′-glucuronide were detected as the major metabolites and the ratio of these two glucuronides were different ranging from 2.1 to 4.9 folds in the ileum, jejunum, liver, and duodenum, and from 14.5 to 50 folds in the colon. The clearances in the duodenum at 4-week for both two glucuronides were significantly lower than those at the other two ages. PK studies showed that the oral bioavailability of raloxifene is age dependent. The absolute oral bioavailability of raloxifene was 3.5-folds higher at 4-week compared to that at 11-weeks. When raloxifene was administered through IV bolus, its half-life was 5.9 ± 1.16 h and 3.7 ± 0.68 h at 11-and 4-week, respectively. Conclusion: These findings suggested that raloxifene metabolism in the duodenum was significantly slower at young age in rats, which increased the oral bioavailability of raloxifene. At 11-week, enterohepatic recycling efficiency was higher than that of 4-week. Raloxifene’s dose at different ages should be carefully considered
An innovative signal timing strategy for implementing contraflow left-turn lanes at signalized intersections with split phasing
Get PDFContraflow Left-Turn Lanes (CLLs) have the potential of being a solution for mitigating congestions at signalized intersections where split phasing is recommended or required. However, the current signal timing strategy for the intersections with CLLs cannot be directly applied at the signalized intersections with split phasing (SIWSP). To address this problem, this study proposed an innovative signal timing strategy, which is referred to as Counterclockwise Split Phasing (CSP) signal timing, for implementing the CLLs at the SIWSPs. A traffic simulation-based case study was conducted and the results indicate that, by using the proposed CSP signal timing plan, CLLs can be implemented at the SIWSP and can significantly reduce the traffic congestions caused by the high left-turn demand at this type of intersection. In addition, since the proposed CSP signal timing design procedure has fully considered the clearance time requirements for the left-turn vehicles on the CLLs, the risk associated with the use of CLLs can be controlled which makes it safe to use this innovative intersection design at SIWSPs
Probiotics in Prevention and Treatment of COVID-19: Current Perspective and Future Prospects
Get PDFSaving lives and flattening the curve are the foremost priorities during the ongoing pandemic spread of SARS-CoV-2. Developing cutting-edge technology and collating available evidence would support frontline health teams. Nutritional adequacy improves general health and immunity to prevent and assuage infections. This review aims to outline the potential role of probiotics in fighting the COVID-19 by covering recent evidence on the association between microbiota, probiotics, and COVID-19, the role of probiotics as an immune-modulator and antiviral agent. The high basic reproduction number (R0) of SARS-CoV-2, absence of conclusive remedies, and the pleiotropic effect of probiotics in fighting influenza and other coronaviruses together favour probiotics supplements. However, further support from preclinical and clinical studies and reviews outlining the role of probiotics in COVID-19 are critical. Results are awaited from many ongoing clinical trials investigating the benefits of probiotics in COVID-19
Application of stoichiometric hydrogen atoms for balancing organic combustion reactions
Get PDFCombustion is a common redox reaction, and organic combustion is one of the basic contents in chemistry curriculum. The transferred H-atom is commonly used as a redox indicator in organic chemistry and biochemistry. Nevertheless, the relationship between the number of transferred H-atoms and the number of transferred electrons has not been fully revealed. Oxidation number (ON) is an electron-counting concept. Without knowing the ONs, the number of transferred electrons cannot be counted and therefore, the redox reactions cannot be classified, defined, and balanced. This paper explores the new H-atom method for counting the number of transferred H-atoms. It provides a half-reaction approach to balance the overall organic combustion reactions. Only simple arithmetic procedures are needed to determine the number of transferred H-atoms and consequently the number of transferred electrons. According to this method, the mathematical formulas for assigning the number of transferred H-atoms can be deducted by balancing the general chemical formulas of organic compounds in half and overall organic combustions. Furthermore, the number of transferred electrons and their stoichiometric categories can be determined conveniently by any given organic chemical formula in organic combustion reactions
Automation in Aviation: An Advancement or Hindrance to Aviation Safety
Get PDFAutomation in Aviation, most notably in large airliners, is quite contributable to the industry\u27s stellar safety record. However, it is metaphorically a double-edged sword as it often leads to complacency among airmen as well as flaws in design and training, which may often lead to accidents. This thesis will utilize a series of case studies to demonstrate how automation can be both an asset and a liability. It will also evaluate the role of automation and the possibility of completely replacing human intervention with automation
Efforts to Diminish Social Inequity in South Africa: Evaluating Life Skills and Income Generation Programs on Maternal Socioeconomic Position in Cape Town
Get PDFThe purpose of this case study was to explore perceptions of the impact of program participation on diminishing social inequity using in-depth semi-structured interviews with marginalized Black and Coloured mothers at a civil society organization (CSO) in the Western Cape Province of South Africa (SA). Narratives from a total of thirty-seven interviews form the basis of this paper. Interviews provide examples of extreme poverty and the importance of within-in program social support networks. This case study highlights the successful efforts of one CSO to alleviate social inequity – through life skills and income generation programming – among impoverished women. Findings indicated that women benefited from participation by gaining a social support network, improving their knowledge and skills, increasing mother-child bonds, and inspiring female entrepreneurship. The goal of this study was to provide much-needed insight into this marginalized community by presenting a variety of voices that are underreported in the literature