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Background: To assess the prophylactic effect of simultaneous placement of mesh and incidence of parastomal hernia (PSH) after abdominoperineal resection of rectal cancer. Methods: This study included real world data of 56 surgically resected colorectal cancer (CRC) patients who were consecutively assigned to 2 groups: control (no mesh, n=32) and experimental (received mesh, n=24). An artificial patch was placed under the tunica vaginalis of rectus abdominis for patients in experimental group whereas the control group received routine sigmoidostomy. The median follow-up time was >20 months. Difference in hazards function was analyzed by cox regression analysis and results were expressed as hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). A P-value < 0.05 was considered as significant. Results: Post-operative incidence rate of PSH was lower in experimental (41.7 %) than in control group (71.9 %; P=0.045). PSH postoperative time in experimental group was significantly delayed than control group (48 months vs 10 months; PConclusions: Prophylactic mesh placement significantly prolonged post-operative time to recurrence and incidence rate of PSH. The incidence of recurrence of H2 (severe PSH) requiring secondary surgical repair was reduced.

We analyze banks’ “protected-weekend” policies that restrict junior bankers from working during weekends. We use taxi rides from bank addresses in New York City to infer bankers’ working hours. We find the policies induced bankers to shift their work to late-night hours on weekdays. We then investigate whether such shifts in working hours affected the quality of work. After the policy, analysts of the policy-implementing banks make more errors in their earnings forecasts. They also herd more toward the consensus in their forecasts. We further provide evidence that junior bankers are the most adversely affected by the policy. This paper was accepted by Victoria Ivashina, finance. Supplemental Material: The data files and online appendix are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.4774 .

The first-mile service (FMS) refers to the modal choice for the first part of a commuting journey. A well-designed FMS can provide a seamless travel to access public transport services. This research was driven by the efficiency of different travel modes (e.g. taxi, shared bike, bus) in the FMS. Based on realistic travel experience, an expected utility model for each travel mode was developed. Then, a framework based on evolutionary game theory was designed to deal with the issue of passengers’ dynamic interactions during the FMS. Both infinite- and finite-population scenarios were considered. The simulation results showed that walking is the first choice for passengers in comfortable weather and taking a taxi is the first choice in adverse weather. After the implementation of effective strategies, passengers’ travel efficiency increases simultaneously. As such, effective strategies such as shared electric bikes, customised buses and taxi-sharing behaviour are encouraged in FMS planning.

This presentation focuses on teachers' experiences and perceptions of their assuming the student role during an intensive faculty development workshop. The workshop, ITESM Summer Institute, hosted at the University of Texas in Austin in June 2001, was a three-week cross-institutional and cross-discipline professional faculty development workshop on cooperative and collaborative learning attended by faculty members of ITESM (Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education System) from throughout Mexico. This presentation: (1) provides information about the workshop program, activities, and participants; (2) examines and discusses workshop participants' feedback about their learning; (3) discusses implications for future faculty development studies.

Traffic congestion is one of the most challenging issues of urban agglomeration. Congestion costs are often higher than their socially optimal levels, and little is known about the key parameters needed to design optimal congestion policies. This paper addresses this issue by exploiting an exogenous reduction in for-hire vehicle supply in New York City. I estimate the effect of a vehicle on congestion and document substitution patterns to other transportation modes. A 9.1 percent reduction in the number of active vehicles decreases congestion by 0.46 minutes per mile. As vehicles leave the streets, for-hire trips decrease, resulting in increased waiting times and people switching to other transportation modes. Welfare increases for those who travel by vehicle because travel time is reduced. However, welfare decreases for those who face increased wait times or switch to a less-preferred transportation mode. A calibration exercise suggests daily net welfare gains between $0.5 and $1.0 million.

“First-last mile” (FLM) is an informal composed-word, widely used to indicate the first and the last leg of each transport movement. In this paper, it is defined as a complex system characterized by three interconnected macro factors that determine the success of a transport planning system. This is a very challenging part of the transport system from a planning perspective because of the critical issues that make it not much reliable and cost-effective. This paper capitalizes on the experiences gained in different implementations/studies and provides a theoretical framework for a good assessment and planning of the first-last mile. It stems from the recognition that the literature proposes different solutions and methods, ranging from the promotion of green transport to the use of ITS technologies. For this reason, this paper aims at elaborating some guidelines on how to tackle the problem in different territorial contexts, trying to be a help to the planners to reduce the negative consequences of mobility. Five main phases are identified here: 1) First-last mile identification; 2) Schematization of the problem and cost analysis; 3) Definition of the stakeholder involvement in the process; 4) Identification of the critical aspects of the process; 5) Identification of the best strategies to reduce costs. For each phase, the indicators to be taken into account for a correct transport planning are discussed, as a first step for stakeholders and policy-makers for making themselves aware of the significant potential of this issue.

On-demand transit system designs are explored for the first-mile commuting in Markham, a suburb in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Operational scenarios are analysed using different types of on-demand solutions that can complement the existing GO Transit commuter train system. Various use cases of demand-responsive vehicles are explored in terms of vehicle capacity and fleet-size. It is assumed that the existing car-based trips to the four train stations in Markham would be replaced by an on-demand rideshare transit system. The on-demand transit system is simulated using the PTV MaaS Modeller in combination with a mesoscopic simulation, involving 1,865 trip requests within the morning peak from 7AM to 10AM. Wait-time, travel time, demand served, cost, and environmental impact are used as indicators to rate various options. Evaluating the results we came to the conclusion that three cases using vans are providing favourable outcomes. The van-based scenario using 75% of an optimal fleet size and a low detour factor turned out to be very appropriate with regard to the case study. A passenger in this scenario would at an average spend 3 min waiting for the service to arrive and 10 min in the vehicle, costing 7CAD for the ride. With a typical level of public transit subsidies applied, a 7% monthly saving is expected compared to using a private car and paying for parking fees. The scenario also results in 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions when compared to current personal vehicle based trips. Based on the simulation, policy suggestions for implementing the on-demand transit in Markham are presented.

PurposeThis paper introduces the concept of manihah and develops a conceptual framework to address Malaysia's abandoned lands and food security issues.Design/methodology/approachThis is a conceptual paper based on insights from the existing literature and secondary data on food security, abandoned lands and manihah. Based on the prevailing gaps, the study proposes a conceptual framework of the Manihah Agricultural Financing Model to address Malaysia's abandoned land and food security issues.FindingsThe proposed model can address abandoned lands and food security issues due to the new incorporation of manihah within Malaysia's agricultural and Islamic financial industries' milieu.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a conceptual paper mainly intended to spark a discussion on the potentiality of manihah.Practical implicationsThe paper contends that Islamic banks have a crucial role in furthering the socio-economic development agenda under the value-based intermediation (VBI). The paper will also be an excellent introduction to Islamic bank practitioners in understanding manihah's relevance to their daily operation.Originality/valueThis paper introduces manihah as the potential solution to food security issues by utilizing abandoned lands.

This article positions King as both heir to the literary romantics and arbiter of contemporary issues as located specifically within his representation of energy, and electricity in particular. Writing both within and beyond horror, King both characterizes and creates energic structures that reflect both romantic aesthetic conceptualizations of electricity and modern concerns regarding its generation and fuel consumption more generally. By examining how The Shining (1977), The Green Mile (1996) and Revival (2014) present energy and also formally generate it, I will explore a little attended to element of King’s work and identify how energy functions ambiguously within these texts, materializing both horror and hope, bringing about both the conclusion and continuation of human life. I will also explore how the particular spaces this power is located within both channel and amplify it, King’s work here a surprising textual conduit for our fascination with, reliance on and fear of energy and the ongoing problems and potentialities alive within it.

This paper evaluated the significance of the posted differential speed limits (DSL) on traffic safety and operation along interstate highways in South Carolina. This paper defines DSL as the difference between the posted maximum and minimum speed limits. The paper used vehicle speed and traffic crashes for analysis. The evaluation results showed over 99% of all vehicles complied with the posted 45 mph minimum speed limit and more than 50% of drivers drove above the posted maximum speed limit regardless of the posted maximum speed limits. The results also indicated that speed variations increased as the DSL increased. However, the safety evaluation showed conflicting results on the impacts of the DSL on safety. The results showed the DSL had negative implications on crashes per AADT per lane. This is attributed to increased interactions between slower and faster-moving vehicles in the traffic stream. On the contrary, it was observed that segments with higher DSL had fewer crashes per mile per lane than the segments with the lower DSL. These results suggest there is a need to conduct more research to quantify the efficacy of posting the minimum speed limit because there were no problems observed with motorists driving too slowly on interstate highways. The results provide important information on the efficacy of posting minimum speed limits to improve the uniformity of traffic flow and safety.

The rise in e-commerce has increased last mile parcel deliveries, in turn affecting the sustainability of transport. With the worldwide efforts to minimise fossil fuel use including the UK Governme...

First-mile transportation provides convenient transit service for passengers to travel from their homes, workplaces, or public institutions to a public transit station that is located beyond comfortable walking distance. This paper studies the Passenger-Centric Vehicle Routing for First-Mile Transportation (PCVR-FMT) problem to plan optimal vehicle routes that provide a high quality of service (QoS) to enhance passenger experience. We consider a practical scenario with 1) deterministic requests, consisting of travel requests that are known in advance (e.g., submitted by passengers through a mobile application), and 2) uncertain requests (e.g., new travel requests generated during service operation). We formally formulate the PCVR-FMT problem to maximize the QoS in terms of the passenger waiting and riding time (for both deterministic and uncertain requests) while jointly considering the traditional constraints on the pickup time window as well as vehicle capacity. We developed an Ant-Colony Optimization algorithm based on a novel Dynamic Request Driven scheme for vehicle route construction, denoted as DRD-ACO, to efficiently solve PCVR-FMT. DRD-ACO relies on a novel request-location graph that models both deterministic and uncertain requests, which enable the ants to share information across different generations via pheromone for dealing with uncertain requests. A dynamic seat reservation mechanism is devised to determine a suitable number of reserved seats to deal with uncertain requests. A time window expansion mechanism is developed to selectively expand passengers’ pickup time window if the number of vehicles is insufficient. The effectiveness of the proposed methods is evaluated using Singapore’s road network and synthetic travel requests generated from real bus travel demands. Some of the travel requests are treated as uncertain requests. The results show that on relatively small size instances, our methods obtain solutions that are close to the optimal ones computed by CPLEX, with deviations ranging from only 2.55% to 8.79%. In comparison to other baselines, our methods achieve better results in the objective function, ratio of served uncertain passengers, as well as the expansion in waiting time due to request uncertainty, for both small-scale and large-scale problem instances. Accepted version

Knowledge of measured energy expenditure (EE) during walking and running is important for exercise prescription. Further, research on the EE comparison and EE predicted equation during walking or running among different ethnicities is limited. The purpose of the current study was to compare EE to walk or run 1 mile in Caucasian, African American and Asian adults and to develop a regression equation to predict EE to walk or run 1 mile. Two hundred and twenty-four participants were included (71 Caucasians, 68 African Americans and 85 Asians) with 3 groups (normal weight walking, overweight walking and running). EE was measured via indirect calorimetry. Analysis of variance was used to compare EE across groups. Multiple regression analysis was employed for EE prediction, and the prediction equation was cross-validated. A significant EE difference was found between walking and running among three ethnicities. The prediction equation was: EE ​= ​0.978 Body Weight – 4.571 Gender (male=1; female=2) ​+ ​3.524 Ethnicities (Caucasians=1, African Americans=2, Asians=3) ​+ ​32.447 (standard error of estimate=12.5 ​kcal·mile−1). The equation was valid through cross-validation, so it is recommended to apply for calculating EE during walking or running 1 mile among Caucasians, African Americans and Asians.

Objectives The opioid crisis significantly affects residents of rural communities who already experience poor health outcomes based on social determinants. Therefore, this project evaluated the reported availability and accessibility of opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment resources in rural Utah county pharmacies through a multistep process intended to estimate the distance (miles) to registered (waivered) OUD care providers and community pharmacies and, thus, the ability to fill prescriptions for OUD treatment medications. Methods First, the United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service dichotomous classification scheme was used to identify nonmetropolitan counties. Second, online resources were used to identify the volume of waivered treatment providers and community pharmacies by county. Third, the driving distances to both resources were estimated according to ZIP Code and county. Finally, the immediate availability of filling a prescription for OUD treatment medications was determined by surveying community pharmacists in rural Utah counties. Results Nineteen of the 29 Utah counties were identified as rural and included in the study. Pharmacists in 50 of the 75 viable pharmacies completed surveys (66.7% usable response rate). OUD treatment medications were immediately available for dispensing in 90% (45 of 50) of the responding pharmacies. Two of the 19 counties (10.5%) lacked a pharmacy, and 6 of the 19 counties (31.6%) lacked a registered OUD treatment provider. Driving distances ranged from 1 mile to 71 miles to the nearest pharmacy and from 1 mile to 96 miles to the nearest waivered treatment provider. Conclusion OUD treatment medications were readily available in some but not all rural Utah pharmacies. However, geographic barriers may prevent reasonable access to treatment providers and pharmacies for residents of smaller, remote communities.

The Golden Mile fault zone is a key controlling structure to the estimated 75 Moz gold endowment of the Kalgoorlie gold camp in the Yilgarn craton of Western Australia. The earliest structures in the fault are F1 folds that developed during D1 recumbent-fold and thrust deformation (

Bikeshare provides important first mile–last mile, commuting, circulation, and sightseeing options in many cities. Bikeshare can also be healthy and convenient for users. Throughout the year, holidays occur that change typical bikeshare activity patterns. Existing literature shows mixed results relating to the ridership impacts of holidays: some research shows that these days may result in higher ridership, whereas others show no effect. Because of variations in system locations and modeling methods, it is difficult to determine the reasons for these mixed results. To control for these aspects, this project consisted of a multicity study of the effect of holidays on system-level ridership using a loglinear regression model with robust standard errors. The results showed the impacts of holidays on bikeshare system ridership for different user types among systems in the Washington D.C., Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, and Minneapolis metro areas. Several hypotheses were developed and tested to examine the effects of holidays on bikeshare usage. A major finding from this study was that federal holidays negatively affected member ridership and positively affected nonmember ridership. It was also found that different federal holidays had dissimilar effects on total ridership. These findings could be useful for bikeshare agencies to plan, reposition fleet, and improve system operation.

Many organizations have turned to “just-in-time” pay systems to manage fluctuations in demand for products and services. For example, the trucking industry commonly pays truck drivers by the mile, and retail organizations fluctuate hours available to work to align with holiday demand. Based on the Unfolding Model of Turnover, we propose that the pay volatility, that is, fluctuations in individual pay over time, created by such systems create shocks that initiate thoughts of leaving the organization. We propose that these thoughts increase turnover likelihood. We also propose that pay level and pay trajectory moderate the pay volatility and turnover relationship. Based on a large dataset containing information on objective pay and turnover for truck drivers over a period of 34 weeks, the results of this study support the role of pay volatility, pay level, and pay trajectory in affecting voluntary turnover. Specifically, the results show that all three factors predict turnover likelihood and that pay volatility and pay level interact to predict turnover likelihood. The findings indicate that pay volatility has organizational downsides due to its effects on employee turnover in addition to its known upsides (i.e., flexibility).

Government agencies are only given the power to govern their administrative areas; however, long-distance trails usually span across different local governments and supervised by different central ...

Introduction: With the growing older adult population due to the aging baby-boom cohort, there was concern that increases in fatal motor-vehicle crashes would follow. Yet, previous analyses showed this to be untrue. The purpose of this study was to examine current trends to determine if previous declines have persisted or risen with the recent increase in fatalities nationwide. Methods: Trends among drivers ages 70 and older were compared with drivers 35–54 for U.S. passenger vehicle fatal crash involvements per 100,000 licensed drivers from 1997 to 2018, fatal and all police-reported crash involvements per vehicle miles traveled using the 1995, 2001, 2009, and 2017 National Household Travel Surveys, and driver deaths per 1,000 crashes. Results: Since the mid-1990s, fatal crashes per licensed driver trended downward, with greater declines for drivers ages 70 and older than for middle-aged drivers (43% vs. 21%). Fatal crash rates per 100,000 licensed drivers and police-reported crash rates per mile traveled for drivers ages 70–79 are now less than those for drivers ages 35–54, but their fatal crash rates per mile traveled and risk of dying in a crash remain higher as they drive fewer miles. As the economy improved over the past decade, fatal crash rates increased substantially for middle-aged drivers but decreased or remained stable among older driver age groups. Conclusions: Fatal crash involvements for adults ages 70 and older has recently increased, but they remain down from their 1997 peak, even as the number of licensed older drivers and the miles they drive have increased. Health improvements likely contributed to long-term reductions in fatal crash rates. As older drivers adopt vehicles with improved crashworthiness and safety features, crash survivability will improve. Practical Application: Older adults should feel confident that their independent mobility needs pose less risk than previously expected.

This study aims to estimate passenger demand for Urban Air Mobility (UAM) and analyze the feasibility of operating the system in Northern California. UAM is a concept mode of transportation that is designed to bypass ground congestion for time-sensitive, price-inelastic travelers using autonomous, electric aircraft with Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) capabilities. This study focuses specifically on commuting trips, which are frequent and considered relatively more time-sensitive than other types of personal trips. The UAM mode's feasibility is studied using sensitivity analysis of UAM demand to cost per passenger mile and the number of vertiports placed in the region. This study also explores the spatial distribution of UAM demand in Northern California, which further helps in identifying the major commuter trip-attraction and trip-production zones for the UAM mode in the region. The results indicate that sufficient UAM demand for commuting trips can only be reached at optimistically low UAM offered fares. These fare levels could be challenging to obtain given the high real estate cost in Northern California's urban regions. Moreover, the reliability of the UAM mode must be comparable to the automobile mode; otherwise, it loses significant demand with increasing delays. The results also show that the commuting flows with promising UAM demand in Northern California are heavily one-directional, with San Francisco Financial District being a major attraction. Other types of trips should also be considered along with commuting trips to generate an economically viable system and reduce deadheading.

The enteric nervous system, which regulates many gastrointestinal functions, is derived from neural crest cells (NCCs). Defective NCC migration during embryonic development may lead to enteric neuropathies such as Hirschsprung's disease (hindgut aganglionosis). Sox10 is known to be essential for cell migration but downstream molecular events regulating early NCC migration have not been fully elucidated. This study aimed to determine how Sox10 regulates migration of sacral NCCs toward the hindgut using Dominant megacolon mice, an animal model of Hirschsprung's disease with a Sox10 mutation.We used the following: time-lapse live cell imaging to determine the migration defects of mutant sacral NCCs; genome-wide microarrays, site-directed mutagenesis, and whole embryo culture to identify Sox10 targets; and liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry to ascertain downstream effectors of Sox10.Sacral NCCs exhibited retarded migration to the distal hindgut in Sox10-null embryos with simultaneous down-regulated expression of cadherin-19 (Cdh19). Sox10 was found to bind directly to the Cdh19 promoter. Cdh19 knockdown resulted in retarded sacral NCC migration in vitro and ex vivo, whereas re-expression of Cdh19 partially rescued the retarded migration of mutant sacral NCCs in vitro. Cdh19 formed cadherin-catenin complexes, which then bound to filamentous actin of the cytoskeleton during cell migration.Cdh19 is a direct target of Sox10 during early sacral NCC migration toward the hindgut and forms cadherin-catenin complexes which interact with the cytoskeleton in migrating cells. Elucidation of this novel molecular pathway helps to provide insights into the pathogenesis of enteric nervous system developmental defects.

Contemporary Hollywood filmmakers often look to classical Hollywood cinema for inspiration. In doing so, they also often coopt the codes of production of the earlier era of Hollywood filmmaking and...

This study attempts to evaluate culture-dependent microbial and proximate composition of African salad (Abacha) sold at Nkpolu Oroworukwo (mile 3) market, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. Samples were bought from stationary vendors at market within the months of March, 2019 to March, 2021. Garnished African salad (GAS) and ungarnished African salad (UAS) samples were determined by standard microbiological techniques whereas proximate composition (PC) was analysed by the methods of Association of Official of Analytical Chemists (AOAC) Total aerobic plate counts (TAPCs), total coliform counts (TCCs) and fungal counts (FCs) of GAS were higher 4.5x104CFU/g, 5.3x104CFU/g and 1.1x104CFU/g respectively as against 3.4x104CFU/g, 3.8x104 CFU/g and 0.8x104CFU/g for UAG. Microfloral diversity were more in GAS with species such as Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, Klebsiella sp., Micrococcus sp.. Bacillus sp., Enterobacter sp., and Aspergillus sp., Penicillium sp., Rhizopus sp., Fusarium sp., Mucor sp., Saccharomyces and Candida species than in UAS. Nutrient composition, energy (116.00Kcal/100g) and pH (6.4) values were higher in GAS. In contrast, only the moisture (62.52±0.53%) and carbohydrate (23.21±0.21%) contents were slightly higher in UAS than those in GAS. The study revealed that African salad’ bioburden was slightly above the microbiological standard limits of International Commission on Microbiological Specification for Foods (ICMSF) and (Public Health Laboratory Service (PHLS) for RTE foods for mesophilic aerobic bacteria (MAB)/TAPC but exceeded that for total coliforms. However, the microbes detected are likely aetiologic agents of several food borne diseases (FBDs) in human and animal pathologies. Therefore, adequate surveillance, monitoring and compliance with hygienic practices and environmental sanitary measures during processing, fortification and distribution should be enforced by regulatory agencies and stakeholders for wholesome and palatable RTE foods.

PurposeHaving easy access to the flu and COVID-19 vaccination sites may be important for controlling the spread of the infection. Chicago implemented a broad strategy of opening COVID-19 vaccination locations across the city in a variety of locations.Design/methodology/approachWe defined access as having vaccinations within one mile. Data came from the American Community Survey (ACS), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Social Vulnerability Index (SVI), Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Chicago Data Portal. We calculated the street-network distance from the population-weighted centroid of census tracts to the nearest vaccination sites before, during and post COVID-19 pandemic. We compared the demographics of census tracts within one mile to those greater than one mile during each period.FindingsPeople age 65 and above and with disabilities saw significant decreases in flu vaccination site access to locations within one mile of their census tract in 2020–2021 compared to 2018–2019. The COVID-19 vaccination sites mimic these flu vaccination site patterns, suggesting a severe lack of geographic access for a group likely to experience limited mobility. Results combining instances of both flu and COVID-19 vaccination sites suggest that making COVID-19 vaccination sites available at flu shot site locations would significantly reduce the number of people with limited mobility lacking geographic access.Originality/valuePolicymakers should explore how this expanded network of vaccination locations could facilitate permanent improvements to access to vaccination sites for people with disabilities.

It has been 10 years since the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (NPS) accident. This article begins by discussing the robots used during the responses to the Three Mile Island and Chernobyl nuclear accidents. It then reviews the robots used to respond to the Fukushima Daiichi NPS accident, while considering the lessons learned from the previous accidents. Such discussions will hopefully lead to the further development of robots for decommissioning the Fukushima Daiichi NPS.

The introduction of automated, electrified, and ridesourcing mobility options will likely revolutionize mobility over the coming decades. Adoption of these new mobility technologies will be shaped by their economic competitiveness. Economic assessments typically focus on fixed and variable out-of-pocket monetary costs such as vehicle purchase, fuel, maintenance, parking, and insurance cost. Non-monetary costs, while difficult to quantify, are also important in determining the relative attractiveness of competing mobility options. Travel time cost (TTC) is an important non-monetary hedonic cost. Vehicle automation and shared mobility enable more productive use of travel time and have a large impact on TTC. We build on our recent monetary cost (MC) analysis by adding TTC for driving a personal vehicle, riding as a passenger, waiting for pickup, searching for parking, and walking to and from vehicles and destination points. We show that TTCs can be of major importance and are sometimes greater in value than the MCs for competing choices. The sum of MC and TTC which we define as “generalized cost” varies with trip type, travel time, and the traveler's value of time which is a function of their income. In our circa 2020 scenarios driving a personal car is the lowest cost mode for all income levels and trip lengths. Pooled ridesourcing is typically lower cost than solo ridesourcing. In marked contrast to the situation in circa 2020, in our hypothetical future automated scenario in 2030–2035 ridesourcing becomes cost competitive with private vehicles; pooled ridesourcing is generally the least attractive option for short trips. Finally, we review road pricing programs around the world. We find that even those systems with the highest fees per mile do not change the relative costs of private and ridesourced trip options significantly, with the exception of congestion area fees (such as London's). These can substantially disfavor the use of private vehicles especially for short trips.

Elite middle distance runners present as a unique population in which to explore biomechanical phenomena in relation to running speed, as their training and racing spans a broad spectrum of paces. However, there have been no comprehensive investigations of running mechanics across speeds within this population. Here, we used the spring-mass model of running to explore global mechanical behavior across speeds in these runners. Ten elite-level 1500 m and mile runners (mean 1500 m best: 3:37.3 ± 3.6 s; mile: 3:54.6 ± 3.9 s) and ten highly trained 1500 m and mile runners (mean 1500 m best: 4:07.6 ± 3.7 s; mile: 4:27.4 ± 4.1 s) ran on a treadmill at 10 speeds where temporal measures were recorded. Spatiotemporal and spring-mass characteristics and their corresponding variation were calculated within and across speeds. All spatiotemporal measures changed with speed in both groups, but the changes were less substantial in the elites. The elite runners ran with greater approximated vertical forces (+ 0.16 BW) and steeper impact angles (+ 3.1°) across speeds. Moreover, the elites ran with greater leg and vertical stiffnesses (+ 2.1 kN/m and + 3.6 kN/m) across speeds. Neither group changed leg stiffness with increasing speeds, but both groups increased vertical stiffness (1.6 kN/m per km/h), and the elite runners more so (further + 0.4 kN/m per km/h). The elite runners also demonstrated lower variability in their spatiotemporal behavior across speeds. Together, these findings suggested that elite middle distance runners may have distinct global mechanical patterns across running speeds, where they behave as stiffer, less variable spring-mass systems compared to highly trained, but sub-elite counterparts.

Does recreational marijuana legalization have the potential to transform urban spaces? Using Denver’s “Green Mile” as a case study, this study explores the potential for marijuana legalization to e...

Recognition of fundamental tectonic boundaries has been extremely diffi-cult in the (>1000-km-wide) Proterozoic accretionary orogen of south western North America, where the main rock types are similar over large areas, and where the region has experienced multiple postaccretionary deformation events. Discrete ultramafic bodies are present in a number of areas that may mark important boundaries, especially if they can be shown to represent tectonic fragments of ophiolite complexes. However, most ultramafic bodies are small and intensely altered, precluding petrogenetic analysis. The 91-Mile peridotite in the Grand Canyon is the largest and best preserved ultramafic body known in the southwest United States. It presents a special opportunity for tectonic analysis that may illuminate the significance of ultramafic rocks in other parts of the orogen. The 91-Mile peridotite exhibits spectacular cumulate layering. Contacts with the surrounding Vishnu Schist are interpreted to be tectonic, except along one margin, where intrusive relations have been interpreted. Assemblages include olivine, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, magnetite, and phlogopite, with very rare plagioclase. Textures suggest that phlogopite is the result of late intercumulus crystallization. Whole-rock compositions and especially mineral modes and compositions support derivation from an arc-related mafic magma. K-enriched subduction-related fluid in the mantle wedge is interpreted to have given rise to a K-rich, hydrous, high-pressure partial melt that produced early magnetite, Al-rich diopside, and primary phlogopite. The modes of silicate minerals, all with high Mg#, the sequence of crystallization, and the lack of early plagioclase are all consistent with crystallization at relatively high pressures. Thus, the 91-Mile peridotite body is not an ophiolite fragment that represents the closure of a former ocean basin. It does, however, mark a significant tectonic boundary where lower-crustal arc cumulates have been juxtaposed against middle-crustal schists and granitoids.

The global telecommunications industry has witnessed tremendous challenge in the last two decades. Telecommunications companies in Nigeria have formulated policies that could enable them to cope with the global challenge. However, most of them have not really employed strategic options that could enable them to cope with the changing condition. The main objective of this study is to examine the effect of Miles and Snows strategies which is considered the major approach that could promote competitiveness in the industry to enable them manage and survive other present and future challenges. The study adopted survey research design and population composed of 7,567 top and middle level management staff of four major service providers MTN, Airtel, Globacom and 9Mobile with sample size of 380 determined scientifically through Yamane’s formula. Combinations of judgemental and stratified random sampling techniques were used to select participants for the study from the selected Telecommunication Companies. Out of the 380 content validated questionnaire subjected to cronbach’s alpha measure of reliability distributed, 369 were retrieved representing a response rate of 97.1%. The study reaffirmed the efficacy of Mile and Snow’s competitive strategy. It was recommended that Telecom Company should adopt prospector, analyzer, and defender strategies to improve their performances.

The speed advantage in bicycling over walking is believed to ease first-and-last mile (F&LM) travel and expand transit service coverage. To quantitatively investigate the potential effect of using bicycle as a F&LM connector, the paper measures and compares the impacts of walking and bicycling F&LM access on transit service coverage. In the estimation of transit service coverage, F&LM travel decay functions representing the attractiveness of public transit that declines with increasing walking/biking time to access transit facilities and the spatial boundaries of transit catchment areas are developed using GPS trajectory data collected from the latest Cincinnati Household Travel Survey in Hamilton County, Ohio. Level of traffic stress is used to evaluate the bicycle suitability of streets and bike network connectivity. Based on the F&LM distance decay functions and low-stress bike network connectivity, the transit service coverage area as well as the transit-served population and employment in Hamilton County, Ohio, are estimated. Results show that more population can reach transit services and therefore employment by bicycling than walking. Meanwhile, disadvantaged groups, that is, low-income and zero-car population, can be better served by transit if using bicycle as the F&LM connector. In addition, low-stress bicycling connectivity is a significant factor determining the bicycle-transit service coverage, and a well-connected low-stress bike network with quality bikeways is crucial to guaranteeing that. These findings can be used as references to assist planners in their decision-making process to achieve better mobility and accessibility.

In 2016, the College of Staten Island held a groundbreaking ceremony for the Willowbrook Mile, a walking path across the campuses of the college and the Office of Persons with Developmental Disabilities’ Institute for Basic Research that would document the history of the notorious Willowbrook School. The Willowbrook School was a state institution for the developmentally disabled that was closed in part because of an expose about the School’s horrific conditions. It took more than a decade for the groundbreaking to occur, and 4 years later, the Mile remains unbuilt. This article traces the development process by examining planning documents and recollections of key participants at the groundbreaking and makes two findings about the development and evolution of memory exhibits. First, the Mile’s slow process reflects that public memory is a contest of identity and difference. Memorializing Willowbrook pits vernacular memory of activists and laypeople committed to social justice for the developmentally disabled against an official public memory that deflects attention away from the state’s role in maintaining the Willowbrook School. Second, the competition between official and vernacular memory led to a both-and compromise where official and vernacular memory appear equally. This compromise appears to be untenable for many involved, leading to continued development delays after the Mile’s groundbreaking. This analysis not only traces the conflict between official and vernacular memory of Willowbrook, but how conflict creates new proposals for memory even as their development remains impeded.

The popularity of Uber and Lyft and advances in autonomous vehicle technology have spurred public interest in the potential of shared ride services to reduce traffic congestion, vehicle emissions and space devoted to parking. However, research has shown that long waiting times, circuitous routes and privacy concerns might lead most patrons to choose exclusive-ride services over shared services (ride-hail or autonomous), thus increasing rather than decreasing vehicle mileage. This paper uses Uber and Lyft experience from 2014 to 2020 to examine the effectiveness of shared (or “pooled”) services in reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) in four cities with large concentrations of ride-hail trips and suburban areas of California. Taking into account three key inputs -- pooling rates, modal shifts and deadhead miles – results show that pre-pandemic levels of pooling led to at least a doubling of VMT when comparing ride-hail trips with patrons’ previous mode, with increases of 97% in Chicago, 114% in New York City, 118% in San Francisco, 157% in Boston and 118% in California suburbs. These large VMT increases are driven by the addition of dead-head miles before each pick-up and the absence of offsetting VMT reductions among travelers who switch to ride-hail from public transportation, biking and walking. VMT increases are only modestly mitigated by the use of ride-hail for “first mile/last mile” trips to connect to public transportation or by reduced cruising for parking by drivers in their personal vehicles. In sum, ride-hail adds to vehicle mileage for trips associated with ride-hail even taking into account pooling. This pattern is likely to endure in a world of autonomous vehicles given that auto users tend to switch to solo services due to considerations of travel time, reliability, comfort and privacy, while pooled options mainly draw patrons from sustainable modes like public transportation. The implication for public policy is that in dense urban areas, it remains important for policy-makers to prioritize space-efficient modes of public transportation, walking and biking. At the same time, ride-hail can clearly be valuable to meet specific needs such as providing paratransit services to people with disabilities, providing first and last mile connections to transit services and connecting late-night workers to jobs. These results will be important as cities emerge from the coronavirus pandemic and navigate a path to economic recovery, social equity, and environmental sustainability.

Purpose Why building out a fleet of freelance talent could be the reason some companies survive to see 2021, while their competitors do not. Design/methodology/approach Authors drew upon their experience as cofounders of 10x Management and their experience in the talent management field. Findings If you are not so sure if freelance talent could be game changing for your company, consider that experimentation is a key element of staying nimble. Companies tend to layoff staff, pause raises and scale back the office lease as initial reactions to reduce costs and stay lean. But the ones that do it the best go the extra mile. It is not just about cutting costs – rather, it is about doubling down on new (and old) ways to achieve peak performance in the face of uncertainty. Using freelancers can do just that. Research limitations/implications There are five number of ways in which freelance workers benefit a company, including speed, adaptability, cost, low commitment and remote expertise. Originality/value The findings will help companies stay nimble in the midst of crises such as the current pandemic.

An important gap in the customer mistreatment literature is understanding how employees’ affective reactions can be modified to decrease negative affective reactions. The current study draws from affective events theory to examine how customer-focused perspective-taking, or employees taking the customer’s point of view, can modify employees’ affective reactions to customer mistreatment. Withholding customer compensation was examined as an outcome of customer-focused perspective-taking, and anger and empathy were examined as mediators. A two-group (customer-focused perspective-taking: yes or no) experimental design examined the between-subjects effect of customer-focused perspective-taking among 128 frontline managers. The results indicate mediation of anger and empathy between perspective-taking and customer compensation, supporting customer-focused perspective-taking as an intervention to help employees maximize service delivery. The most important theoretical contribution of the article is showing that by interrupting the affective events theory process at a within-person level, affective reactions and episodic performance can be modified when reacting to customer mistreatment.

The first mile as a part of logistics of postal items is beginning to appear as another narrow place in the logistics process that needs to be improved. One of the categories, of this first mile, may also be the collection of items by authorized employees of postal companies from letter boxes. Because universal postal service requires that you choose to collect items from letter boxes every day, even though not every letter box is filled, this may seem like an outdated way. In addition, the number of letters sent has been declining overall in recent years. Therefore, it would be appropriate for postal operators, in such a case, to focus on the selection of both types of consignments through submission devices. The article is focused on defining the strengths and weaknesses of selected devices for the submission of consignments. Furthermore, criteria are set that influence both the customer and the postal company when choosing a mailbox. Subsequently, the criteria are evaluated by using the Saaty´s method and, at the end, the results of the whole analysis are summarized.

Booming parcel shipping business has raised wide attention. The trunk line is easier to manage, since parcels are consolidated to fully utilize vehicle capacities. However, the first mile handled by individual companies is beset by high empty haul rates and low efficiency. This paper takes the lead in exploring a new business model and possibilities of establishing a common service platform for the first mile. We investigate strategic decisions of two courier logistics companies competing with partially substitutable collection service. They can choose to cooperate with the cost-efficient platform to enjoy a saving, while the market share of their original channel has to be eroded by the outsourcing channel. We propose three scenarios: (i) Both companies have only one direct channel. (ii) Only one company has two channels. (iii) Both companies have two. This paper comprehensively presents the joint effect of internal competition and the cost saving on companies’ welfare and customers’ consuming experience. The findings show that in most cases, cooperating with the platform will help the companies gain a profit increment and customers will benefit from a price decrease compared to the current practice. However, when customers loyalty to the direct channel is moderate, they will suffer a price increase, though companies are better off. Additionally, given the cost advantage of outsourcing is slighter, and customers show less difference to two channels, the internal competition will be the most intensified and overtake the effect of cost sparing. The company running two channels will suffer a profit loss.

Human Trafficking (HT) persists in the US, despite multi-level measures designed to mitigate its societal costs. HT instruction for healthcare providers is growing, but there is a dearth of resources and training presenting obstacles for victims accessing suitable healthcare services. Voices of survivors are also scant in the literature, despite the fact that their recommendations would appear essential when designing best practices. This study aimed to methodically gather recommendations from sex trafficking (ST) survivors who sought medical care during their victimization. An exploratory concurrent mixed-methods design was used, and semi-structured interviews (N = 22) were conducted between March 2016 and March 2017, in San Diego, CA, and Philadelphia, PA. Data were analyzed through a coding system to identify meaningful analytical themes. Study participants were recruited through survivor-centered organizations, and their identification was kept anonymous and confidential. Findings included three main themes: (A) Red Flags, (B) supportive healthcare practices, and (C) resources for ST-patient study participants&rsquo, recommendations aimed to improve healthcare practice in response to their medical needs in a compassionate and caring manner, with trust building, rapport, and an opportunity to instill hope among ST-patients. Implementing Compassionate Care approaches when caring for ST-patients could positively impact patient&ndash, provider interactions, while creating opportunities for intervention.

This article examines the nature and features of ‘unused old order rights’ (‘UOORs’) under item 8 of Schedule II of the Mineral and Petroleum Resources Development Act 28 of 2002 in light of the recent decision by the Constitutional Court in Magnificent Mile Trading 30 (Pty) Ltd v Celliers 2020 (4) SA 375 (CC). At issue was: (a) whether an UOOR was transmissible to heirs upon the death of its holder; and (b) the applicability of the Oudekraal principle to the award of an unlawful prospecting right to an applicant, contrary to the rights enjoyed by the holder of an UOOR. The article analyses the constituent elements of an UOOR, rights ancillary to the UOOR’s and the nature and features of UOORs and ancillary rights. The article also considers the possible loss of an UOOR by application of the Oudekraal principle due to the unlawful grant of a prospecting right by the state, as custodian of mineral resources. The article illustrates that the CC ensured in Magnificent Mile that the Oudekraal principle does not undermine the security of tenure and statutory priority afforded to holders of UOORs by ultra vires grants of inconsistent rights to opportunistic applicants. Concern is also expressed about the poor administration of mineral resources by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy.

Research methods to access and engage historically oppressed communities have evolved dramatically. Leisure researchers once aspired to be objective and to remain detached from their participants, ...

Context Although one in four U.S. women has an abortion in her lifetime, barriers to abortion persist, including distance to care. This study evaluates the association between distance to care and the abortion rate, adjusting for abortion demand. Methods Two analyses were conducted using a data set linking provider locations and 2000-2014 county-level abortion data for 18 states; data sources included the Census Bureau, state vital statistics offices and the Guttmacher Institute. First, a series of linear regression models were run, with and without adjustment for demographic covariates, modeling distance as both a continuous and a categorical variable. Then, an instrumental variable analysis was conducted in which being 30 or more miles from a large college-enrolled female population younger than age 25 was used as an instrument for distance to a provider. The outcome variable for all models was abortions per 1,000 women aged 25 or older. All models were adjusted for state, year and state-year interaction fixed effects. Results Increased distance to a provider was associated with a decreased abortion rate. Each additional mile to a provider was associated with a decrease of 0.011 in the abortion rate. Compared with being within 30 miles of a provider, being between 30 and 90 miles from a provider was associated with 0.80-1.46 fewer abortions per 1,000 women. In the instrumental variable analysis, being 30 or more miles from a provider was associated with 5.26 fewer abortions per 1,000 women. Conclusions Distance to a provider may present a barrier to abortion by preventing access to care. Therefore, policies that increase travel distances have potential for harm.

Shared fleets of fully automated vehicles (SAVs) coupled with real-time ride-sharing to and from transit stations are of interest to cities and nations in delivering more sustainable transportation systems. By providing first-mile last-mile (FMLM) connections to key transit stations, SAVs can replace walk-to-transit, drive-to-transit, and drive-only trips. Using the SUMO (Simulation of Urban MObility) toolkit, this paper examines mode splits, wait times, and other system features by micro-simulating two fleets of SAVs providing an FMLM ride-sharing service to 10% of central Austin’s trip-makers near five light-rail transit stations. These trips either start or end within two geofenced areas (called automated mobility districts [AMDs]), and travel time and wait time feedbacks affect mode choices. With rail service headways of 15 min, and 15 SAVs serving FMLM connections to and from each AMD, simulations predict that 3.7% of the person-trip-making will shift from driving alone to transit use in a 3 mi × 6 mi central Austin area. During a 3-h morning peak, 30 SAVs serve about 10 person-trips each (to or from the stations), with 3.4 min average wait time for SAVs, and an average vehicle occupancy of 0.74 persons (per SAV mile-traveled), as a result of empty SAV driving between riders. Sensitivity analysis of transit headways (from 5 to 20 min) and fleet sizes (from 5 to 20 vehicles in each AMD) shows an increase in FMLM mode share with more frequent transit service and larger fleet size, but total travel time served as the biggest determinant in trip-makers’ mode share.

Vehicle hydrocarbon (HC) emissions can be emitted from either tailpipe or nontailpipe locations, and understanding their fleet apportionment is important for a successful air pollution policy. Vehicles initially misidentified as having elevated tailpipe HC emissions first indicated that roadside exhaust sensors could detect the presence of evaporative HC emissions as increased noise in the HC/carbon dioxide (CO2) correlation measurement. The 90th percentile of the largest residual of the HC/CO2 correlation is defined as a running loss index (RLI) for each measurement. An RLI that is three standard deviations or greater above the instrument noise indicates possible evaporative running loss emissions with the probability increasing with larger RLI values. Two databases of vehicle emission measurements previously collected in West Los Angeles in 2013 and 2015 were screened using this method. The screening estimated that 0.09% (31/33,806) and 0.18% (49/27,413) of the attempted measurements indicated evaporative running loss emissions from a 9-year-old fleet. California LEV I certified vehicles (1994-2003 model years) accounted for the largest age group for both. The minimum detection limits for the instrument used were estimated at 2.8 and 1.6 g/mile on a propane basis for the 2013 and 2015 data, respectively, or 32-56 times the Federal Tier 2 and Tier 3 standards of 0.05 g/mile.

Background: Military soldiers are army personnel who are required to have good physical endurance and optimal fitness, include. So, it's needed physical exercise, include to be able to improve lung function. One parameter that can reflect physical fitness are lung function and m VO2max. This study aims to determine whether there is a relationship between physical exercise in the form of 2-mile jogging with increased lung function and VO2max of military soldiers Kodam 1 Bukit Barisan Methods: This research is an experimental study carried out in February-April 2019 against the TNI soldiers of the Bukit Barisan Military District 1. The research subjects were divided into two groups, group 1 who underwent regular 2-mile jogging exercises 3-5 times a week with a duration of 25 minutes for 2 months, and group 2 who underwent non-routine jogging exercises (less than 3 times a week). Lung function was assessed by spirometry. Results: As many as 68 military soldiers were involved in this study which were divided into two groups, 38 people in the group 1 who routinely trained and 30 people in group 2 that did not routinely practice. Group 1 VEP1 values were higher than group 2 (p=0.03). No significant differences in terms of KVP, MVV and VO2max in both groups. Lung function of smokers were lower than non-smokers, but not statistically significant. Conclusion: There were significant differences in VEP1 values between military soldiers who routinely and did not routinely undergo 2-mile jogging exercises.

The increasing neoliberalisation of universities demands that early-career academics (ECAs) accomplish extremely high levels of productivity. In this context, research excellence and parenthood are...

Moving On initiatives (MOIs) transition stable permanent supportive housing (PSH) residents into mainstream housing without embedded services. While this approach frees up PSH for homeless individuals in need, open questions remain regarding MOI recipients' long-term outcomes. This exploratory study examines how housing environment and residential satisfaction, potential predictors of housing retention, change from PSH to mainstream housing. Subjective assessments of housing and neighborhood quality and residential satisfaction, as well as objective neighborhood-level data, are used to examine housing-related change for New York City MOI recipients. Participants generally moved to less-distressed neighborhoods with lower poverty and crime. Subjective perceptions of some aspects of neighborhood and housing quality also improved post-move. Participants tended to move farther from public transportation but were on average located within one mile of the nearest subway station. Results can be taken as early indicators of the potential benefits of MOIs.

The International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) regulates the participation of athletes, both male and female, at an international level (see IAAF website https://www.iaaf.org/home). Therefore, it has the mandate to develop criteria for the administration of athletic competitions. In pursuance of this role, in 2018, the IAAF rolled out the Eligibility Regulations for Female Classifications – Athletes with Differences in Sex Development (2018). The IAAF states that the Rules are intended to ensure that females are given the same opportunities in terms of competing in races (International Association of Athletics Federations, 2018 Eligibility Regulations for Female Classification – Athletes with Differences in Sexual Development for events from 400 metres to the mile, including 400 metres, hurdles races, 800 metres, 1500 metres, one mile races and combined events over the same distances, 26 April 2018 - the 2018 Regulations). According to these Regulations, for Relevant Athletes to be eligible to compete internationally in the 400 metres, 800 metres, and 1500 metres races, their testosterone levels have to be under 5 nanomoles (nml) per litre. Importantly, “Relevant Athletes” who are females and belong to a specific list of DSD conditions all happen to be XY. These athletes are to reduce their testosterone levels to 5 nml/L for at least six months and thereafter to maintain it at that level for as long as they wish to participate in these races (the 2018 Regulations). They are therefore being asked to lower their testosterone levels to help ensure a level playing ground based on the debatable assumption that testosterone levels impact on athletic performance. These rules were rolled out against the backdrop of existing standards on human rights demanding, among other things, that the rights of all people are respected. That would include athletes. One such right is the right to health.

This paper explores door-to-door commuting pa erns and the way commuting time is associated with three factors: the built environment, transport mode (from residence and workplace to HSR stations), and commute frequency. Econometric and statistical analyses are employed to examine evidence from China that draws on a survey targeting Suzhou-based HSR commuters who travel to work in Shanghai. The findings present three major points. First, a dense urban environment around residence and workplace is associated with reduced commuting time to high-density healthcare facilities (Suzhou and Shanghai) and financial institutions (Shanghai only). However, the density of public transport facilities near both residence and workplace has no association with commuting time. Second, taking the metro to and from HSR stations shows signi ficant association with increased commuting time for the first and last miles, while walking from HSR stations to the workplace shows signi ficant reduction of commuting time. Third, daily commuting is associated with reduced commuting time in the first mile, while weekly commuting is reversely related to longer commuting time in the last mile, which is coupled with a shorter commuting time for the first mile than the last mile. These findings lead us to conclude that reducing the total commuting time for a door-to-door journey is a key factor in associated commuting pa erns, commuting frequency, and travel mode choice. This re flects the choices commuters make in relation to where they live rather than where they work, which off ers fewer options. A longer last mile relates to a weekly commuting pa ern rather than a daily commuting. The current public metro systems in both home and work cities appear to be lengthy and inefficient. Transitoriented and integrated development is required to provide more efficient experiences for commuters.

The few publications discussing sport sponsorship from a network approach lack sufficient explanations for resource integration. Building on the sport value framework, sponsorship, and engagement l...