Pedestrian level of service: the impact of social groups on pedestrian flow characteristics

A comprehensive measure of the level of pedestrian comfort can lead to an improved design of public spaces, to the appropriate dimensioning of urban infrastructure (such as airports, stations and commercial centers), and, most importantly, to a design that is more responsive to people and to that very fundamental human activity: walking. The planning and design of the pedestrian environment is based on pedestrian Levels of Service (LOS). These levels currently classify the level of comfort based on space available for movement and speed (and delay, in case of crosswalks). Guidance is provided for different area types and times of day. Although many methods of assessing pedestrian LOS have been developed, all these do not consider spontaneous pedestrian groups. However, social groups, such as friends, couples, colleagues and families, represent an important component of urban crowds. The paper presents first, an overview of the current methods for assessing pedestrian environment LOS. Then the paper presents the application of the HCM method for the evaluation of a selected site LOS. The calculation is based on collected measurements of pedestrian flow. Some critical issues and inconsistencies result. These have been reviewed and read taking into account the presence of groups in pedestrian flows

The inhibition of 45A ncRNA expression reduces tumor formation, affecting tumor nodules compactness and metastatic potential in neuroblastoma cells

open16noWe recently reported the in vitro over-expression of 45A, a RNA polymerase IIItranscribed non-coding (nc)RNA, that perturbs the intracellular content of FE65L1 affecting cell proliferation rate, short-term response to genotoxic stress, substrate adhesion capacity and, ultimately, increasing the tumorigenic potential of human neuroblastoma cells. In this work, to deeply explore the mechanism by which 45A ncRNA contributes to cancer development, we targeted in vitro and in vivo 45A levels by the stable overexpression of antisense 45A RNA. 45A downregulation leads to deep modifications of cytoskeleton organization, adhesion and migration of neuroblastoma cells. These effects are correlated with alterations in the expression of several genes including GTSE1 (G2 and S phaseexpressed- 1), a crucial regulator of tumor cell migration and metastatic potential. Interestingly, the downregulation of 45A ncRNA strongly affects the in vivo tumorigenic potential of SKNBE2 neuroblastoma cells, increasing tumor nodule compactness and reducing GTSE1 protein expression in a subcutaneous neuroblastoma mouse model. Moreover, intracardiac injection of neuroblastoma cells showed that downregulation of 45A ncRNA also influences tumor metastatic ability. In conclusion, our data highlight a key role of 45A ncRNA in cancer development and suggest that its modulation might represent a possible novel anticancer therapeutic approach.openPenna, Ilaria; Gigoni, Arianna; Costa, Delfina; Vella, Serena; Russo, Debora; Poggi, Alessandro; Villa, Federico; Brizzolara, Antonella; Canale, Claudio; Mescola, Andrea; Daga, Antonio; Russo, Claudio; Nizzari, Mario; Florio, Tullio; Menichini, Paola; Pagano, AldoPenna, Ilaria; Gigoni, Arianna; Costa, Delfina; Vella, SERENA LUISA; Russo, Debora; Poggi, Alessandro; Villa, Federico; Brizzolara, Antonella; Canale, Claudio; Mescola, Andrea; Daga, Antonio; Russo, Claudio; Nizzari, Mario; Florio, Tullio; Menichini, Paola; Pagano, Ald

Pedestrian social groups modeling & simulation: a state of the art

The paper focuses on pedestrian social groups. A social group is formed by individuals that have social ties and intentionally walk together, such as friends or family members. The percentage of people in social groups within a crowd is large. Pedestrian crowds have been studied, modeled and simulated for different purposes. The simulation of crowds is employed to support pedestrian environment designs. It allows to elaborate "what if" scenarios and to evaluate the environment design with reference to specific criteria. Virtual worlds, to become more lively and appealing, are populated by large number of characters. Typically, these characters should be able to navigate through the virtual environment in a human-like manner. The study of pedestrian social groups plays a very important role also in the case these groups include mobile robots as individuals and as a robot team. The papers presents empirical evidences of social group walking behavior. Then, briefly presents the most relevant pedestrian microscopic models, focusing on the ones that take into account social groups. A critical review of the current approaches and future developments end the paper

Pedestrian level of service: the impact of social groups on pedestrian flow characteristics

A comprehensive measure of the level of pedestrian comfort can lead to an improved design of public spaces, to the appropriate dimensioning of urban infrastructure (such as airports, stations and commercial centers), and, most importantly, to a design that is more responsive to people and to that very fundamental human activity: walking. The planning and design of the pedestrian environment is based on pedestrian Levels of Service (LOS). These levels currently classify the level of comfort based on space available for movement and speed (and delay, in case of crosswalks). Guidance is provided for different area types and times of day. Although many methods of assessing pedestrian LOS have been developed, all these do not consider spontaneous pedestrian groups. However, social groups, such as friends, couples, colleagues and families, represent an important component of urban crowds. The paper presents first, an overview of the current methods for assessing pedestrian environment LOS. Then the paper presents the application of the HCM method for the evaluation of a selected site LOS. The calculation is based on collected measurements of pedestrian flow. Some critical issues and inconsistencies result. These have been reviewed and read taking into account the presence of groups in pedestrian flows

Level of service of pedestrian facilities: Modelling human comfort perception in the evaluation of pedestrian behaviour patterns

The paper presents a new methodology for evaluating the quality of operation of pedes- trian facilities: the methodology is based on the individual level of comfort perceived by each pedestrian that moves in the area. At each time instant, each pedestrian perceives a comfort level which is a function of the space they feel currently available and of his required space. The required space depends on the subject\u2019s walking direction as well as on physical and psychological factors. The available space depends on the current positions of pedestrians. The proposed methodol- ogy quantifies the current discomfort due to pedestrian interactions as a continuous function of the interpersonal distances. The proposed methodology has been applied to empirical data. The experimental data are presented, discussed and compared with widely accepted level of service assessment methods

Simulative analysis for performance measurement of RFID implementation in cargo handler logistics

The research focuses on the Air Cargo Handler logistic activities that take place in warehouses. The performances of these activities are highly influenced by human errors. Radio-Frequency IDentification (RFID) implementation in warehouses allows to promptly detect human errors and to implement mitigation actions in order to reduce human error consequences. Consequences are analyzed in the paper in terms of delay in transit times. The paper proposes a methodology for evaluating RFID implementations in air cargo handler's warehouses. Different set-ups of RFID implementation in cargo handler logistics define different scenarios and the proposed methodology allows to compare the performances of these scenarios

Potential beneficial and/or adverse effects of Capsicum annuum L. (cv. Fiesta) at two stage of ripening in CD-1 mice

Aim of the present study was to evaluate the potential beneficial and/or adverse effects of Capsicum annuum L. (cv. Fiesta) extracts at two stage of ripening (immature and mature), and at two dosages (low and high) by evaluation of biochemical profile and oxidative status in CD-1 mice. The extracts were daily administered to mice by oral gavage for 20 days. At the end of the trial, the animals were euthanatized and blood was collected. Evidence of liver damage (increase of AST, ALT and bilirubin) in the group receiving the higher dosage of immature peppers extract were observed. Even if no adverse effects were seen at the lower doses, also no signs of beneficial effects in term of health status, biochemical profile and oxidative status were detected. These results are in contrast with in vitro findings and raise doubts about the possible use of Capsicum annuum L. (cv. Fiesta) as a nutritional supplement

Breastfeeding promotion and support: a quality improvement study

Background. Breastfeeding success is determined by early skin to skin contact, early initiation of breastfeeding, rooming-in, baby-led breastfeeding, creation of a favorable environment, specific training of health professionals, and continuity of care. Objective. To investigate the women’s satisfaction regarding the care and support re- ceived in the first days after childbirth. Material and Methods. A questionnaire of 24 items was administered to mothers be- fore discharge, from May to September 2019 at the University Hospital of Modena. Results. The predictive variables of exclusive breastfeeding were the delivery mode, age at birth and parity. The multivariate analysis showed that a high satisfaction score was associated with vaginal birth (OR=2.63, p=0.005), rooming-in during the hospitalization (OR=8.64, p<0.001), the skin to skin contact (OR=6.61, p=0.001) and the first latch-on within 1 hour after birth (OR=3.00, p=0.02). Conclusions. Mothers’ satisfaction is one of the important factors of positive experience during hospital stay and of better health outcomes