Measuring cycle riding comfort in Southampton using an instrumented bicycle

The increased environmental awareness and the rising fuel costs make bicycles a more and more attractive mode of travel for short journeys. Considering the future prospect of this mode of transportation and the great advantages that it offers in terms of space consumption, health and environmental sustainability, several city authorities worldwide are presently undertaking schemes aiming at improving cycling infrastructure. The aim of the present study is to monitor the impact of such schemes on the riding comfort of cyclists, as expressed by the, usually lower, quantity and magnitude of vibrations occurring as a result of cycling over pavement defects. Millbrook Road East in the western edge of the city center of Southampton is used as a case study, where vibration measurements are taken by means of an instrumented bicycle during periods before and after a redevelopment scheme involving the resurfacing of the road pavement. The results show a clear overall improvement in cycling comfort post-redevelopment, with statistically significant reductions in both the number of high severity vibrations and of their magnitude in "typical" cycling trips taken on the road. However, instances of finishing "snags" in some parts of the surface appear to introduce new minor defects (e.g. around manholes) that are not visible to the naked eye, and these still have some negative effect on the riding experience. Moreover, the study highlights the detrimental impact that widespread pavement defects can have on riding comfort, which affect cyclists of all ages, abilities and styles

Analysis of scanner data for crop inventories

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

A Mixture IRT Analysis of Risky Youth Behavior

The study reported in this manuscript used a mixture item response model with data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2009 (N = 16,410) to identify subtypes of adolescents at-risk for engaging in unhealthy behaviors, and to find individual survey items that were most effective at identifying such students within each subtype. The goal of the manuscript is twofold: (1) To demonstrate the utility of the mixture item response theory model for identifying subgroups in the population and for highlighting the use of group specific item response parameters and (2) To identify typologies of adolescents based on their propensity for engaging in sexually and substance use risky behaviors. Results indicate that four classes of youth exist in the population, with differences in risky sexual behaviors and substance use. The first group had a greater propensity to engage in risky sexual behavior, while group 2 was more likely to smoke tobacco and drink alcohol. Group 3 was the most likely to use other substances, such as marijuana, methamphetamine, and other mind altering drugs, and group 4 had the lowest propensity for engaging in any of the sexual or substance use behaviors included in the survey. Finally, individual items were identified for each group that can be most effective at identifying individuals at greatest risk. Further proposed directions of research and the contribution of this analysis to the existing literature are discussed

River Discharge

In 2014, combined discharge from the eight largest Arctic rivers (2,487 km3) was 10% greater than average discharge for the period 1980-1989. Values for 2013 (2,282 km3) and 2012 (2,240 km3) were 1% greater than and 1% less than the 1980-1989 average, respectively. For the first seven months of 2015, the combined discharge for the six largest Eurasian Arctic rivers shows that peak discharge was 10% greater and five days earlier than the 1980-1989 average for those months

Applicability of selected wheat remote sensing technology to corn and soybeans

There are no author-identified significant results in this report

Bars, Nightclubs, and Cancer Prevention: New Approaches to Reduce Young Adult Cigarette Smoking.

IntroductionTobacco contributes to multiple cancers, and it is largely preventable. As overall smoking prevalence in California declines, smoking has become concentrated among high-risk groups. Targeting social/cultural groups (i.e., "peer crowds") that share common values, aspirations, and activities in social venues like bars and nightclubs may reach high-risk young adult smokers. Lack of population data on young adult peer crowds limits the ability to assess the potential reach of such interventions.MethodsThis multimodal population-based household survey included young adults residing in San Francisco and Alameda counties. Data were collected in 2014 and analyzed in 2016. Multivariable logistic regressions assessed smoking by sociodemographic factors, attitudes, self-rated health, peer crowd affiliation, and bar/nightclub attendance.ResultsSmoking prevalence was 15.1% overall; 35.3% of respondents sometimes or frequently attended bars. In controlled analyses, bar attendance (AOR=2.13, 95% CI=1.00, 4.53) and binge drinking (AOR=3.17, 95% CI=1.59, 6.32) were associated with greater odds of smoking, as was affiliation with "Hip Hop" (AOR=4.32, 95% CI=1.48, 12.67) and "Country" (AOR=3.13, 95% CI=1.21, 8.09) peer crowds. Multivariable models controlling for demographics estimated a high probability of smoking among bar patrons affiliating with Hip Hop (47%) and Country (52%) peer crowds.ConclusionsBar attendance and affiliation with certain peer crowds confers significantly higher smoking risk. Interventions targeting Hip Hop and Country peer crowds could efficiently reach smokers, and peer crowd-tailored interventions have been associated with decreased smoking and binge drinking. Targeted interventions in bars and nightclubs may be an efficient way to address these cancer risks

Pacific Hake, Merluccius productus, Autecology: A Timely Review

Pacific hake, Merluccius productus, the most abundant groundfish in the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem (CCLME), is a species of both commercial significance, supporting a large international fishery, and ecological importance, connecting other species as both predator and prey. Coastal Pacific hake migrations are characterized by movements between northern summer feeding areas and southern winter spawning areas, with variations in annual abundance, distribution, and the extent of these movements associated with varying climate-ocean conditions. In general, warm (cool) years with enhanced (reduced) stratification and poleward (equatorward) transport are often related to good (poor) recruitment, increased (decreased) northward distribution, and reduced (enhanced) growth. However, the classic periodic pattern of annual migration and distribution may no longer be fully representative. Based on recent advances in the understanding of climate-ocean variability off the U.S. west coast, we hypothesize that the annual movements of Pacific hake are more responsive to climate-ocean variability than previously thought, and further, that changes observed in Pacific hake distributions may reflect long-term changes in climate-ocean conditions in the CCLME. Therefore, an updated model of these relations is key to effective monitoring and management of this stock, as well as to devising scenarios of future change in the CCLME as a result of climate variations. The current state of knowledge of the relationship between the Pacific hake and its environment is reviewed, highlighting emerging ideas compared to those of the past, and priorities for future research are suggested

Jamming transitions in a schematic model of suspension rheology

We study the steady-state response to applied stress in a simple scalar model of sheared colloids. Our model is based on a schematic (F2) model of the glass transition, with a memory term that depends on both stress and shear rate. For suitable parameters, we find transitions from a fluid to a nonergodic, jammed state, showing zero flow rate in an interval of applied stress. Although the jammed state is a glass, we predict that jamming transitions have an analytical structure distinct from that of the conventional mode coupling glass transition. The static jamming transition we discuss is also distinct from hydrodynamic shear thickening.Comment: 7 pages; 3 figures; improved version with added references. Accepted for publication in Europhysics Letter