AROW: A V2X-based Automated Right-of-Way Algorithm for Distributed Cooperative Intersection Management

Safe and efficient intersection management is critical for an improved driving experience. As per several studies, an increasing number of crashes and fatalities occur every year at intersections. Most crashes are a consequence of a lack of situational awareness and ambiguity over intersection crossing priority. In this regard, research in Cooperative Intersection Management (CIM) is considered highly significant since it can utilize Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication among Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs). CAVs can transceive basic and/or advanced safety information, thereby improving situational awareness at intersections. Although numerous studies have been performed on CIM, most of them are reliant on the presence of a Road-Side Unit (RSU) that can act as a centralized intersection manager and assign intersection crossing priorities. In the absence of RSU, there are some distributed CIM methods that only rely on communication among CAVs for situational awareness, however, none of them are specifically focused towards Stop Controlled-Intersection (SCI) with the aim of mitigating ambiguity among CAVs. Thus, we propose an Automated Right-of-Way (AROW) algorithm based on distributed CIM that is capable of reducing ambiguity and handling any level of noncompliance by CAVs. The algorithm is validated with extensive experiments for its functionality and robustness, and it outperforms the current solutions

Pay-it-forward gonorrhoea and chlamydia testing among men who have sex with men in China:a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND: WHO recommends that men who have sex with men (MSM) receive gonorrhoea and chlamydia testing, but many evidence-based preventive services are unaffordable. The pay-it-forward strategy offers an individual a gift (eg, a test for sexually transmitted diseases) and then asks whether they would like to give a gift (eg, a future test) to another person. This study examined the effectiveness of a pay-it-forward programme to increase gonorrhoea and chlamydia testing among MSM in China. METHODS: We did a randomised controlled superiority trial at three HIV testing sites run by MSM community-based organisations in Guangzhou and Beijing, China. We included MSM aged 16 years or older who were seeking HIV testing and met indications for gonorrhoea and chlamydia testing. Restricted randomisation was done using computer-generated permuted blocks. 30 groups were randomised into three arms (1:1:1): a pay-it-forward arm in which men were offered free gonorrhoea and chlamydia testing and then asked whether they would like to donate for testing of prospective participants, a pay-what-you-want arm in which men were offered free testing and given the option to pay any desired amount for the test, and a standard-of-care arm in which testing was offered at ¥150 (US$22). There was no masking to arm assignment. The primary outcome was gonorrhoea and chlamydia test uptake ascertained by administrative records. We used generalised estimating equations to estimate intervention effects with one-sided 95% CIs and a prespecified superiority margin of 20%. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03741725. FINDINGS: Between Dec 8, 2018, and Jan 19, 2019, 301 men were recruited and included in the analysis. 101 were randomly assigned to the pay-it-forward group, 100 to the pay-what-you-want group, and 100 to the standard-of-care group. Test uptake for gonorrhoea and chlamydia was 56% (57 of 101 participants) in the pay-it-forward arm, 46% (46 of 100 participants) in the pay-what-you-want arm, and 18% (18 of 100 participants) in the standard-of-care arm. The estimated difference in test uptake between the pay-it-forward and standard-of-care group was 38·4% (95% CI lower bound 28·4%). Among men in the pay-it-forward arm, 54 of 57 (95%) chose to donate to support testing for others. INTERPRETATION: The pay-it-forward strategy can increase gonorrhoea and chlamydia testing uptake among Chinese MSM and could be a useful tool for scaling up preventive services that carry a mandatory fee. FUNDING: US National Institute of Health; Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases, sponsored by UNICEF, UNDP, World Bank, and WHO; the National Key Research and Development Program of China; Doris Duke Charitable Foundation; and Social Entrepreneurship to Spur Health

Spectroscopy of the unbound nucleus 18Na

Expérience GANIL, SPIRALInternational audienceThe unbound nucleus 18Na, the intermediate nucleus in the two-proton radioactivity of 19Mg, is studied through the resonant elastic scattering 17Ne(p,17Ne)p. The spectroscopic information obtained in this experiment is discussed and put in perspective with previous measurements and the structure of the mirror nucleus 18N

Anomalous structural evolution and glassy lattice in mixed-halide hybrid perovskites

Hybrid halide perovskites have emerged as highly promising photovoltaic materials because of their exceptional optoelectronic properties, which are often optimized via compositional engineering like mixing halides. It is well established that hybrid perovskites undergo a series of structural phase transitions as temperature varies. In this work, the authors find that phase transitions are substantially suppressed in mixed-halide hybrid perovskite single crystals of MAPbI3-xBrx (MA = CH3NH3+ and x = 1 or 2) using a complementary suite of diffraction and spectroscopic techniques. Furthermore, as a general behavior, multiple crystallographic phases coexist in mixed-halide perovskites over a wide temperature range, and a slightly distorted monoclinic phase, hitherto unreported for hybrid perovskites, is dominant at temperatures above 100 K. The anomalous structural evolution is correlated with the glassy behavior of organic cations and optical phonons in mixed-halide perovskites. This work demonstrates the complex interplay between composition engineering and lattice dynamics in hybrid perovskites, shedding new light on their unique properties.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Reactive transport modelling the oxalate-carbonate pathway of the Iroko tree; Investigation of calcium and carbon sinks and sources

International audienceThe oxalate carbonate pathway (OCP) of the Iroko tree has been shown to function as a carbon sink, due to the precipitation of calcium (Ca) carbonate in the tree and the soil around its roots, a soil developed on a carbonate-free bedrock. A 1D reactive transport (RT) model of the Iroko OCP system was constructed and used in a sensitivity analysis to replicate the geochemical pathway of the OCP and carbon sequestration, constrained by the Ca mass balance. The sensitivity analysis examined ranges of contributions for Ca sources to the system, including rainfall, dust, plant decomposition, mineral weathering, and optionally groundwater Ca sources. The study focused on identifying possible scenarios by which the observed magnitude of accumulated soil calcite could be reproduced, related to the OCP geochemical pathway. In line with field observations of the Iroko, all model results showed a soil transition from acidic (pH 5.1) to mildly alkaline (maximum pH 8.1) conditions, as well as precipitation of calcite. The location of calcite precipitation remained within the upper reach of the soil column, and between 29% and 63% of carbon was retained as calcite. The magnitude of calcite precipitation was limited both by the availability of Ca from the various sources, and by the tree’s rate of root water and solute uptake. The sensitivity analysis confirms that surficial sources such as rainfall and dust deposition contribute only a small fraction of Ca, and indicate that mineral weathering and the extent of the root system, must play a dominant role in supplying Ca to facilitate carbon sequestration through calcium carbonate formation

Chemical Cues Used by the Weevil <i>Curculio chinensis</i> in Attacking the Host Oil Plant <i>Camellia oleifera</i>

The weevil Curculio chinensis Chevrolat (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a major cause of economic losses to growers of Camellia oleifera in China, as females lay their eggs in developing fruits and the hatching larvae feed on their seed, aborting fruit growth. Olfactory cues play a key role in the host location of this weevil. The present study focused on identifying volatiles from different parts of the host plant Ca. oleifera, namely, the leaves, fruit peel, and seeds, and testing the antennal and behavioral responses of adult Cu. chinensis to those same volatiles. Methods relied on gas chromatography, electroantennograms, and Y-tube bioassays. The results included a total of twenty-five volatiles emitted by the three plant parts, among which eight elicited antennal responses in Cu. chinensis adults of both sexes. The behavioral bioassays indicated that 3-hexenal, trans-2-hexen-1-ol, methyl salicylate, geraniol, and phenethyl alcohol were attractive to Cu. chinensis, while trans-2-hexenal and 2-ethyl-1-hexanol were repellent. Tests with different concentrations indicated that the behavioral response could be dose-dependent. Future studies should focus on field tests with blends of the attractant compounds in order to develop novel, improved control methods for field applications

Effect of the Emory Healthy Kitchen Collaborative on Employee Health Habits and Body Weight: A 12-Month Workplace Wellness Trial

Introduction: Teaching kitchens are being used to facilitate lifestyle changes with a focus on culinary and nutrition programs to improve health behaviors. Less is known regarding their use as a worksite wellness program and their influence on employees’ quality of life, body weight, and adoption of healthy behaviors. We evaluated changes in self-reported healthy behaviors, overall health, and weight during a one-year multidisciplinary teaching kitchen program. Methods: Thirty-eight benefits-eligible employees were recruited, screened based on a priori eligibility criteria that prioritized elevated body mass index (BMI), co-morbid conditions, and high levels of motivation to make lifestyle changes, and consented to participate in The Emory Healthy Kitchen Collaborative. This 12-month program included a 10-week didactic and experiential curriculum followed by continued support and access to health coaching implemented in an academic health system university hospital workplace between 2019 and 2020. Comparative statistics, paired t-test, Mcnemar’s tests, and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to assess changes at four time points. Results: Participants improved diet quality (p ≤ 0.0001), increased confidence in tasting new foods (p = 0.03), and increased mindful eating habits (p = 0.00002). Significant changes were seen in physical activity levels; aerobic activities (p = 0.007), strength resistance activities (p = 0.02), and participation in yoga (p = 0.002). Most participants weighed within 5 lbs. of their starting weight at 3 months (p = 0.57). Conclusions: A teaching kitchen intervention is an innovative model for improving employee health behaviors and general health self-perception