Time Differential Pricing Model of Urban Rail Transit Considering Passenger Exchange Coefficient

Passenger exchange coefficient is a significant factor which has great impact on the pricing model of urban rail transit. This paper introduces passenger exchange coefficient into a bi-level programming model with time differential pricing for urban rail transit by analysing variation regularity of passenger flow characteristics. Meanwhile, exchange cost coefficient is also considered as a restrictive factor in the pricing model. The improved particle swarm optimisation algorithm (IPSO) was applied to solve the model, and simulation results show that the proposed improved pricing model can effectively realise stratification of fares for different time periods with different routes. Taking Line 2 and Line 8 of the Beijing rail transit network as an example, the simulation result shows that passenger flows of Line 2 and Line 8 in peak hours decreased by 9.94% and 19.48% and therefore increased by 32.23% and 44.96% in off-peak hours, respectively. The case study reveals that dispersing passenger flows by means of fare adjustment can effectively drop peak load and increase off-peak load. The time differential pricing model of urban rail transit proposed in this paper has great influences on dispersing passenger flow and ensures safety operation of urban rail transit. It is also a valuable reference for other metropolitan rail transit operating companies

The Quasinormal Modes and Isospectrality of Bardeen (Anti-) de Sitter Black Holes

Black holes (BHs) exhibiting coordinate singularities but lacking essential singularities throughout the entire spacetime are referred to as regular black holes (RBHs). The initial formulation of RBHs was presented by Bardeen, who considered the Einstein equation coupled with a nonlinear electromagnetic field. In this study, we investigate the gravitational perturbations, including the axial and polar sectors, of the Bardeen (Anti-) de Sitter black holes. We derive the master equations with source terms for both axial and polar perturbations, and subsequently compute the quasinormal modes (QNMs) through numerical methods. For the Bardeen de Sitter black hole, we employ the 6th-order WKB approach. The numerical results reveal that the isospectrality is broken in this case. Conversely, for Bardeen Anti-de Sitter black holes, the QNM frequencies are calculated by using the HH method.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures, 4 table

The newly developed CRF1-receptor antagonists, NGD 98-2 and NGD 9002, suppress acute stress-induced stimulation of colonic motor function and visceral hypersensitivity in rats.

Corticotropin releasing factor receptor 1 (CRF1) is the key receptor that mediates stress-related body responses. However to date there are no CRF1 antagonists that have shown clinical efficacy in stress-related diseases. We investigated the inhibitory effects of a new generation, topology 2 selective CRF1 antagonists, NGD 98-2 and NGD 9002 on exogenous and endogenous CRF-induced stimulation of colonic function and visceral hypersensitivity to colorectal distension (CRD) in conscious rats. CRF1 antagonists or vehicle were administered orogastrically (og) or subcutaneously (sc) before either intracerebroventricular (icv) or intraperitoneal (ip) injection of CRF (10 µg/kg), exposure to water avoidance stress (WAS, 60 min) or repeated CRD (60 mmHg twice, 10 min on/off at a 30 min interval). Fecal pellet output (FPO), diarrhea and visceromotor responses were monitored. In vehicle (og)-pretreated rats, icv CRF stimulated FPO and induced diarrhea in >50% of rats. NGD 98-2 or NGD 9002 (3, 10 and 30 mg/kg, og) reduced the CRF-induced FPO response with an inhibitory IC50 of 15.7 and 4.3 mg/kg respectively. At the highest dose, og NGD 98-2 or NGD 9002 blocked icv CRF-induced FPO by 67-87% and decreased WAS-induced-FPO by 23-53%. When administered sc, NGD 98-2 or NGD 9002 (30 mg/kg) inhibited icv and ip CRF-induced-FPO. The antagonists also prevented the development of nociceptive hyper-responsivity to repeated CRD. These data demonstrate that topology 2 CRF1 antagonists, NGD 98-2 and NGD 9002, administered orally, prevented icv CRF-induced colonic secretomotor stimulation, reduced acute WAS-induced defecation and blocked the induction of visceral sensitization to repeated CRD

Investigation and analysis of psychological stress and professional identity of nursing students during COVID-19 pandemic

426-432Certain diseases or infections affect large number of people in short span of time. A local endemic disease can outbreak into an epidemic affecting the whole population or region which at times extend to other countries and continents and become pandemic. Pandemics results in loss of life as well as economy. Pooled efforts and resources, effective sharing of data, parallel multiple approaches as well as physical and mental state of front line staff influence management of pandemics. The coronavirus disease COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 started in December 2019 from Wuhan in China, is now a worldwide public health emergency affecting millions of people. It affects many frontline healthcare workers too. Here, we studied psychological stress and professional identity of nursing students for possible correlations, if any, and analyze influencing factors. We used purposive sampling technique with 415 nursing students in Nanjing, China through a general information questionnaire, perceived stress scale and nursing professional identity questionnaire. Students' origin, monthly living expenses and their knowledge on epidemic prevention and treatment have shown a significant impact on their psychological stress (P <0.01). Similarly, students' gender, origin, clinical practices and knowledge of prevention and treatment, and whether they actively learn such knowledge impact significantly on their professional identity (P <0.01). The overall score of psychological stress was (24.47±7.35) and professional identity had 72.47±8.07. The stress condition exhibited negative correlation with the degree of professional identity (P <0.01，r = -0.457). Increased psychological stress, had lower sense of professional identity. Overall, analysis of data on perceived stress and professional identity pandemic suggests that stress levels are inversely proportional to knowledge in effective ways of handling the pandemic. Students with clinical practice fared better in terms of professional identity. The study suggests nursing students to stay focused on studies, clinical practice and counselling, if required