Spatial and temporal visualisation techniques for crash analysis

Understanding the underlying structure of single vehicle crashes (SVCs) is essential for improving safety on the roads. Past research has found that SVCs tend to cluster both spatially and temporally. However, limited research has been conducted to investigate the interaction between the location of SVCs and the time they occur, especially at different levels of scales or spatial extents. This paper applied spatial, temporal and spatio-temporal techniques to investigate patterns of SVCs in Western Australia between 1999 to 2008, at different levels of scale. Spider graphs were adapted to identify temporal patterns of vehicle crashes at two different levels of scales: daily and weekly with respect to their causes. The spatial structures of vehicle crashes were analysed using Kernel Density Estimation analysis at three different scales: West Australia, Metropolitan area, and Perth Local Government Area (LGA). These are illustrated using spatial zooming theory. Comap was then used to demonstrate the spatio-temporal interaction effect on vehicle crashes. The results show significant differences in spatio-temporal patterns of SVCs for various crash causes. The techniques used here have the potential to help decision makers in developing effective road safety strategies

Efficacy and safety of acupuncture for depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Acupuncture is widely accepted as a therapeutic option for managing depression. However, evidence from clinical trials remains controversial. This review aims to synthesize the best available evidence on the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in managing depression. The review was performed according to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) guidelines. Five databases and the relevant trial registries were searched from the inception to October 2021. Randomized clinical trials of acupuncture for managing depression, published in English, were selected for inclusion. The quality of included studies was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Netmeta and dmetar of R packages were used to conduct a network meta-analysis. Twenty-two trials with 2391 participants were eligible and included in the analysis. This review found evidence that electroacupuncture (EA) plus antidepressant achieved superior outcomes compared with the waitlist (standardized mean difference = −8.86, 95% confidence interval: −14.78 to −2.93). The treatment ranking of different interventions in improving depression symptoms indicated that EA plus antidepressant with a probability of 0.8294, followed by manual acupuncture (MA) plus antidepressant (0.6470) and MA (0.5232). Acupuncture, either in isolation or as an adjunct to pharmacological treatment, has clinical benefits and can be considered a safe option for managing depression

The Impact of Spatial Form of Urban Architecture on the Urban Thermal Environment: A Case Study of the Zhongshan District, Dalian

The correlation of spatial variation in land surface temperature with building height and density in Zhongshan District, Dalian, China, is investigated over the period 2003-2013. We utilize remote sensing data and multisource land-use data, which we evaluate using a combination of a single-window algorithm and correlation analysis. The results show that: 1) during 2003-2013, the number of high surface temperature regions increased by 4339 grid cells (out of a total of 53 601), with most of the high-temperature grid cells distributed along Jiefang Road and Zhongnan Road in the northern part of Zhongshan District. Ninety-eight percent of grid cells had temperature ranges of 293-309 K in July 2003, 296-310 K in August 2003, 295-308 K in July 2008, 296-311 K in August 2008, 305-314 K in July 2013, and 303-318 K in August 2013; 2) during 2003-2008, the number of low-rise buildings increased by 140%, and the number of multistory buildings increased by 100%. During 2008-2013, the number of buildings in all height categories remained relatively unchanged, with the exception of an 11% decrease in the number of low-rise buildings; 3) surface temperature showed weak correlation with building height (0.314, 0.346, and 0.361 in 2003, 2008, and 2013, respectively) but moderate correlation with building density (0.511, 0.533, and 0.563, respectively)

Market segments based on the dominant movement patterns of tourists

This paper presents an innovative method for tourist market segmentation-based on dominant movement patterns of tourists; that is, the travel sequences or patterns used by tourists most frequently. There were three steps to achieve this goal. In the first step, general log-linear models were adopted to identify the dominant movement patterns, while the second step was to discover the characteristics of the groups of tourists who travelled with these patterns. The Expectation–Maximisation algorithm was then used to partition tourist segments in terms of socio-demographic and travel behavioural variables. The third step was to select target markets based upon the earlier analysis. These methods were applied to a sample of tourists, over the period of a week, on Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia. A significant outcome of this research is that it will assist tourism organisations to identify tourism market segments and develop better tour packages and more efficient marketing strategies aligned to the characteristics of the tourists

Restoration of Topoisomerase 2 Function by Complementation of Defective Monomers in Drosophila

Type II topoisomerases are essential ATP-dependent homodimeric enzymes required for transcription, replication, and chromosome segregation. These proteins alter DNA topology by generating transient enzyme-linked double-strand breaks for passage of one DNA strand through another. The central role of type II topoisomerases in DNA metabolism has made these enzymes targets for anticancer drugs. Here, we describe a genetic screen that generated novel alleles of Drosophila Topoisomerase 2 (Top2). Fifteen alleles were obtained, resulting from nonsense and missense mutations. Among these, 14 demonstrated recessive lethality, with one displaying temperature-sensitive lethality. Several newly generated missense alleles carry amino acid substitutions in conserved residues within the ATPase, Topoisomerase/Primase, and Winged helix domains, including four that encode proteins with alterations in residues associated with resistance to cancer chemotherapeutics. Animals lacking zygotic Top2 function can survive to pupation and display reduced cell division and altered polytene chromosome structure. Inter se crosses between six strains carrying Top2 missense alleles generated morphologically normal trans-heterozygous adults, which showed delayed development and were female sterile. Complementation occurred between alleles encoding Top2 proteins with amino acid substitutions in the same functional domain and between alleles encoding proteins with substitutions in different functional domains. Two complementing alleles encode proteins with amino acid substitutions associated with drug resistance. These observations suggest that dimerization of mutant Top2 monomers can restore enzymatic function. Our studies establish the first series of Top2 alleles in a multicellular organism. Future analyses of these alleles will enhance our knowledge about the contributions made by type II topoisomerases to development

FLT3L and Plerixafor Combination Increases Hematopoietic Stem Cell Mobilization and Leads to Improved Transplantation Outcome

AbstractHematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation has curative potential for patients with hematological malignancies. Clinically, HSCs derived from mobilized peripheral blood are used more frequently than bone marrow. However, current standard mobilizing agents yield grafts that may not contain sufficient HSCs. Here, using murine models, we discovered that FLT3L synergized with plerixafor to mobilize phenotypically defined HSCs and their combination (FP) was superior to granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) alone or in combination with plerixafor (GP). Additionally, FP mobilized more regulatory T cells, natural killer cells, and plasmacytoid dendritic cells compared with G-CSF alone or GP. Both syngeneic and allogeneic grafts mobilized by FP led to long-term survival in transplanted mice. Collectively, FP represents a promising novel and potent mobilization regimen with potential clinical application in both the autologous and allogeneic transplantation settings

Activation of WNT/beta-Catenin Signaling Enhances Pancreatic Cancer Development and the Malignant Potential Via Up-regulation of Cyr61

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), a poor prognostic cancer, commonly develops following activating mutations in the KRAS oncogene. Activation of WNT signaling is also commonly observed in PDAC. To ascertain the impact of postnatal activation of WNT-stimulated signaling pathways in PDAC development, we combined the Elastase-tva-based RCAS-TVA pancreatic cancer model with the established LSL-KrasG12D, Ptf1a-cre model. Delivery of RCAS viruses encoding beta-cateninS37A and WNT1 stimulated the progression of premalignant pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasias (PanIN) and PDAC development. Moreover, mice injected with RCAS-beta-cateninS37A or RCAS-Wnt1 had reduced survival relative to RCAS-GFP-injected controls (P \u3c .05). Ectopic expression of active beta-catenin, or its DNA-binding partner TCF4, enhanced transformation associated phenotypes in PDAC cells. In contrast, these phenotypes were significantly impaired by the introduction of ICAT, an inhibitor of the beta-catenin/TCF4 interaction. By gene expression profiling, we identified Cyr61 as a target molecule of the WNT/beta-catenin signaling pathway in pancreatic cancer cells. Nuclear beta-catenin and CYR61 expression were predominantly detected in moderately to poorly differentiated murine and human PDAC. Indeed, nuclear beta-catenin- and CYR61-positive PDAC patients demonstrated poor prognosis (P \u3c .01). Knockdown of CYR61 in a beta-catenin-activated pancreatic cancer cell line reduced soft agar, migration and invasion activity. Together, these data suggest that the WNT/beta-catenin signaling pathway enhances pancreatic cancer development and malignancy in part via up-regulation of CYR61