ASCEND: 2023-2028 University of Memphis Strategic Plan

The 2023-2028 Strategic Plan for the University of Memphis titled ASCEN

Characteristics of Urban Freight Systems

This report has been developed to support the transportation planning needs for urban goods movement and freight planning as promoted by the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. Characteristics of Urban Freight Systems (CUFS) has been designed to be a compilation of current data that pertain to urban freight movements. Sections I-IX deal with urban truck movement and truck terminals while Sections X-XII are concerned with the intermodal aspects of freight movements - rail intermodal yards, airports and air cargo facilities, and ocean and inland waterway ports. The data were assembled from many different sources and are expected to be of assistance to Metropolitan Planning Organization planners who deal with urban freight issues. Much of the intermodal discussions also focus on truck movements as the primary mode of access to/from intermodal facilities. The information is drawn from U.S. and Canadian experience but is community specific as it is not yet possible to develop generalized relationships. As more data become available from current data collection efforts, it should become possible to develop generalized values that can be transferred to different planning environment. An attempt has been made to include data sources developed since the mid-1980s. Information has been included from some studies dating to the 1970s where more current data were not available. All data were obtained from survey studies and were not synthesized from analytical modeling efforts. All data sources have been identified to assist the planner in assessing their usefulness. Most of the information has been collected from published reports, but some data, particularly in the intermodal freight area, came from internal memos, personal observations, and interviews. It is hoped that Characteristics of Urban Freight Systems (CUFS) will become a starting point for the collection and integration of urban freight data for local planners

Towards Sustainable Tourism Transportation Systems and Services in Tennessee

RES2021-02Tennessee is home to some of the most popular tourist destinations in the country and the tourism industry contributes considerably to Tennessee\u2019s economy. The industry in the state has grown considerably in the previous years and there is a need to identify and address issues related to transportation services to accommodate needs and requirements of tourists. This study identifies current deficiencies in the transportation system dedicated to tourists, and popular tourist destinations and origin markets. The findings from the study are used to provide policy level recommendations for improving tourism focused transportation system in the state. Results show that continued involvement of local and private tourism agencies in transportation project planning is needed, and the collaboration between the state DOT, state tourism office and tourism agencies should be encouraged for a tourism focused transportation system. Analysis of origin markets for major destinations show that most travels to Tennessee are attracted from bordering states. This can help agencies identify routes of interest for future improvement and expansion. Finally, based on our findings, key policy recommendations are presented to improve the current state of transportation system and services for tourism in the state

Development of Research and Innovation Capacity Index of HEIs on Disaster Resilience Related Studies

Research capacity development is one of the most critical challenges facing HEIs in the Asian countries. Growing the number and quality of researchers is a strategic issue. For academia, developing research capacity can help enhance academic fulfilment as well as provide career advancement. The notion that excellent people are a resource to be treasured has led to increased attention being paid to how to attract, support and retain them, thereby building research capacity. This paper is part of an Erasmus plus co-funded project called ASCENT, which focuses on building the research and innovation capacity (R&I) of Higher Education Institutions (HEI) on disaster resilience related studies. This paper particularly aims at reviewing the current context and gaps in the literature with regards to the indices used to assess the research capacity of the higher education institutions. Qualitative systematic review approach was adopted at the initial stage, followed by three-round Focus Group Discussion with high -level academics from 14 countries in Asia and Europe. Twenty-one Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) of HEIs Research and Innovation Capacity were identified, which were grouped into three themes: Structure, System, and Policy; Skills and Training; and Staff

DNA methylation and body mass index from birth to adolescence : meta-analyses of epigenome-wide association studies

Background DNA methylation has been shown to be associated with adiposity in adulthood. However, whether similar DNA methylation patterns are associated with childhood and adolescent body mass index (BMI) is largely unknown. More insight into this relationship at younger ages may have implications for future prevention of obesity and its related traits. Methods We examined whether DNA methylation in cord blood and whole blood in childhood and adolescence was associated with BMI in the age range from 2 to 18 years using both cross-sectional and longitudinal models. We performed meta-analyses of epigenome-wide association studies including up to 4133 children from 23 studies. We examined the overlap of findings reported in previous studies in children and adults with those in our analyses and calculated enrichment. Results DNA methylation at three CpGs (cg05937453, cg25212453, and cg10040131), each in a different age range, was associated with BMI at Bonferroni significance, P <1.06 x 10(-7), with a 0.96 standard deviation score (SDS) (standard error (SE) 0.17), 0.32 SDS (SE 0.06), and 0.32 BMI SDS (SE 0.06) higher BMI per 10% increase in methylation, respectively. DNA methylation at nine additional CpGs in the cross-sectional childhood model was associated with BMI at false discovery rate significance. The strength of the associations of DNA methylation at the 187 CpGs previously identified to be associated with adult BMI, increased with advancing age across childhood and adolescence in our analyses. In addition, correlation coefficients between effect estimates for those CpGs in adults and in children and adolescents also increased. Among the top findings for each age range, we observed increasing enrichment for the CpGs that were previously identified in adults (birth P-enrichment = 1; childhood P-enrichment = 2.00 x 10(-4); adolescence P-enrichment = 2.10 x 10(-7)). Conclusions There were only minimal associations of DNA methylation with childhood and adolescent BMI. With the advancing age of the participants across childhood and adolescence, we observed increasing overlap with altered DNA methylation loci reported in association with adult BMI. These findings may be compatible with the hypothesis that DNA methylation differences are mostly a consequence rather than a cause of obesity.Peer reviewe

Epigenome-wide meta-analysis of blood DNA methylation in newborns and children identifies numerous loci related to gestational age

Background Preterm birth and shorter duration of pregnancy are associated with increased morbidity in neonatal and later life. As the epigenome is known to have an important role during fetal development, we investigated associations between gestational age and blood DNA methylation in children. Methods We performed meta-analysis of Illumina's HumanMethylation450-array associations between gestational age and cord blood DNA methylation in 3648 newborns from 17 cohorts without common pregnancy complications, induced delivery or caesarean section. We also explored associations of gestational age with DNA methylation measured at 4-18 years in additional pediatric cohorts. Follow-up analyses of DNA methylation and gene expression correlations were performed in cord blood. DNA methylation profiles were also explored in tissues relevant for gestational age health effects: fetal brain and lung. Results We identified 8899 CpGs in cord blood that were associated with gestational age (range 27-42 weeks), at Bonferroni significance, P <1.06 x 10(- 7), of which 3343 were novel. These were annotated to 4966 genes. After restricting findings to at least three significant adjacent CpGs, we identified 1276 CpGs annotated to 325 genes. Results were generally consistent when analyses were restricted to term births. Cord blood findings tended not to persist into childhood and adolescence. Pathway analyses identified enrichment for biological processes critical to embryonic development. Follow-up of identified genes showed correlations between gestational age and DNA methylation levels in fetal brain and lung tissue, as well as correlation with expression levels. Conclusions We identified numerous CpGs differentially methylated in relation to gestational age at birth that appear to reflect fetal developmental processes across tissues. These findings may contribute to understanding mechanisms linking gestational age to health effects.Peer reviewe

Team Paper Category - Aerosols and Particulates Emitted by Speech and Breath

Human-to-human transmission of upper respiratory diseases such as COVID-19 is primarily driven by the dispersion of virus-laden droplets that are expelled from the nose and mouth. Aerosolized droplets can concentrate in the air for hours and pose a significant threat to human activities in the aerospace and aeronautics industry, which frequently occur in confined environments. Tracking data has shown that the virus spread quickly in confined spaces, such as airplanes and ships. Updated guidelines for human interaction in confined spaces (i.e., less than 6ft in distance between individuals) is critical as the world tries to return to normal operations. A lack of data exists concerning the extent of exposure to aerosolized particles in ecologically relevant, non-intrusive scenarios. Studies involving exhalation into small boxes or funnels do little to advance the fundamental understanding of exposure risk associated with many activities. This research aims to meet the need by investigating the quantity, concentration, and distribution of particles exhaled while speaking and breathing. This data can be used to verify computational models of the same. To accomplish this, specific vocal exercises and activities will be performed in a clean, room-sized environment to generate the airborne droplets associated with each activity. Images of these particles will be captured using a 1200 frame-per-second optical camera and a high-power laser, then analyzed numerically using computer software. The resulting data sets will be compared and used to draw conclusions about the volume and behavior of aerosolized particles associated with various vocal activities. Initial tests suggest very different results than those which implement intrusive data collection. Future studies using this experimental setup will investigate patterns that are discovered and the effectiveness of risk mitigation