Alternative Countermeasures Research Articles

Study on the Enrichment of Pavement Marking Width and Retroreflectivity on Elderly Drivers’ Safety

Drivers’ visual function and cognitive ability deteriorate with age, and road marking improvements can better meet the driving safety and comfort needs of elderly drivers. To provide an optimal solution for marking setup and management for a large elderly community, the specific enrichment of marking width and retroreflective luminance coefficient on the driving safety of elderly drivers is investigated through an outdoor real-vehicle experiment. Twelve elderly drivers were randomly selected as experimental participants to visually detect the markings under the illumination of the vehicle high beam, and the visible distance data of white 10, 15, and 20 cm wide markings with retroreflective luminance coefficients ranging from 33 to 420 mcd.m−2.lx−1 were collected. The results showed that the visual detection ability of elderly drivers to pavement markings was significantly affected by the width and the retroreflective luminance coefficient of the markings and the enrichment of width on the detection ability of elderly drivers gradually increased with the increase of the width of markings, but the enrichment of the retroreflective luminance coefficient on the detection ability of elderly drivers gradually decreased with the increase of the retroreflective luminance coefficient of markings. The logarithmic function models of the retroreflective luminance coefficient of markings and the detection distance of elderly drivers with different marking widths were obtained by fitting. The results can provide a technical reference for proposing alternative countermeasures for the design, maintenance, and updating of pavement markings based on meeting elderly drivers’ safety with respect to economic cost and low carbon.

ANALISIS DESAIN BANGUNAN PENGAMAN PANTAI (SEAWALL) DI KECAMATAN BINAMU KABUPATEN JENEPONTO

One of the districts in South Sulawesi Province which has a coastal area is Jeneponto Regency. For the people of Jeneponto, this coastal area is important not only because of its rich diversity but also because of its economic activities, including fishing, seaweed cultivation and recreation. However, currently coastal erosion in Jeneponto Regency is very serious. Natural systems will deteriorate if prevention of sea water erosion is not implemented, altering coastlines in the process. The aim of this research is to evaluate the design of beach safety buildings that will be used at Tamarunang Beach and look for alternative countermeasures that will be built. The analysis process involves selecting replacement coastal protection structures and design calculations. Sea walls or hexagonal concrete supports are the treatment with the most points according to the matrix used in this research to select alternative coastal safety construction. However, when choosing beach treatment, you need to consider the various conditions along Tamarunang beach. In terms of community willingness, as long as security measures do not hinder the flow of boats carrying fishermen and seaweed farmers, then the community may be given protection along the Tamarunang coast. Based on the research results, the following conclusions can be drawn: 1. The height of the sea wall is 2.44 meters; 2. The stone used for the sea wall weighs 27 kg; and 3. The diameter of the stone is 27 cm.

Analisis Daerah Rawan Kecelakaan Lalu Lintas pada Jalan Tjilik Riwut Kota Kasongan Kabupaten Katingan Provisi Kalimantan Tengah

Katingan Regency is one of the areas known to be prone to traffic accidents in Central Kalimantan Province. As a result of these accidents, there are many casualties. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct research to determine the level of accidents that occur on the Tjilik Riwut Kasongan road section. The purpose of this study is to analyze accident data on the Tjilik Riwut Kasongan road, analyze the location of traffic accident hotspots on the road, analyze the main factors causing accidents and provide recommendations to relevant agencies to reduce the accident rate on the road. The results of the accident analysis on the Tjilik Riwut Kasongan road carried out for 5 years (2018-2022) accidents amounted to 51 events. Based on the Accident Equivalent Number (AEK) method and the Upper Control Limit (UCL) method, it shows that segment 1 (Km 0+000 - Km 5+000) is a traffic accident prone area. The main cause of accidents is due to human factors and the influence of road conditions. The alternative countermeasures are patching potholes, cleaning drainage, leveling asphalt patching, adding road medians, repainting faded signs, installing traffic signs, and socializing traffic safety and legal discipline in traffic.

Analisis Perubahan Garis Pantai pada Desa Liang serta Alternatif Penanggulanganya

Liang Village Beach is an area located in the north of Ambon Island, with great marine tourism potential. However, the coastal part of this village experienced erosion marked by the resignation of the coastline and the erosion of agricultural land. This study aims to find out, analyze erosion and coastline changes using the CERC method. The variables observed are the distribution of sediment particles and the pattern of coastline changes, so that it can be estimated the area affected by sedimentation and erosion in the range of 1, 5, and 10 years in the future. The data used are data on the initial coastline, coastal slope, specific gravity of seawater (1.025 tons/m3.) and gravity of the earth (g) (9.81 m/s2). The wave data required in numerical calculations consist of the height of the rupture wave (Hb), the depth of the ruptured wave (db), the rapid propagation of the ruptured wave (Cb), and the angle of incidence of the ruptured wave ( ). Based on numerical calculations, the change in the coastline of 1 year, 5 years and 10 years is the retreat of the coastline (erosion) that occurred on the coast of Liang Village. The changes that occur are caused by waves that are more dominant for the northwest and north, causing erosion along the coast, therefore there is a need for alternative countermeasures such as Revetment to prevent further erosion and accretion on the coast of Liang Village.

MECHANICS OF SHOALING AT THE HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL’S BAYPORT FLARE

The Houston Ship Channel (HSC) is one of the most vital and busiest deep-draft navigation channels in the United States. In 2019 in partnership with the Port of Houston, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District (SWG) completed a five-year award-winning mega feasibility study for the HSC Engineering Channel Improvement Project (ECIP). As part of the 2019 HSC ECIP Feasibility Report Environmental Impact Statement (FREIS) and, through ongoing and repeated maintenance events, the Bayport Flare (Flare) was noted as an area of concern due to chronic shoaling that disrupts traffic and requires continuous dredging. The Flare is the intersection of the HSC and Bayport Ship Channel (BSC). This study seeks to (1) improve our understanding of the source and mechanisms for generation of shoaling and (2) develop and assess conceptual alternative countermeasures for shoaling mitigation. To assess and isolate the sources and mechanics of shoaling in the Flare, a multiple layer approach was applied, which included both field and numerical investigations. A workshop was held to develop alternative countermeasures based on the understanding of system dynamics. Alternatives will (1) be optimized based on cost-benefit considerations; (2) have no-adverse impact on navigation nor require revision, to the point practicable, of ongoing ship simulation studies; and (3) may be structural, non-structural or OandM based.

An Engineered Human-Antibody Fragment with Fentanyl Pan-Specificity That Reverses Carfentanil-Induced Respiratory Depression.

The opioid overdose crisis primarily driven by potent synthetic opioids resulted in more than 500,000 deaths in the US over the last 20 years. Though naloxone, a short-acting medication, remains the primary treatment option for temporarily reversing opioid overdose effects, alternative countermeasures are needed. Monoclonal antibodies present a versatile therapeutic opportunity that can be tailored to synthetic opioids and help prevent post-treatment renarcotization. The ultrapotent analog carfentanil is especially concerning due to its unique pharmacological properties. With this in mind, we generated a fully human antibody through a drug-specific B cell sorting strategy with a combination of carfentanil and fentanyl probes. The resulting pan-specific antibody was further optimized through scFv phage display, producing C10-S66K. This monoclonal antibody displays high affinity to carfentanil, fentanyl, and other analogs and reversed carfentanil-induced respiratory depression. Additionally, X-ray crystal structures with carfentanil and fentanyl bound provided structural insight into key drug:antibody interactions.

Analysis of Traffic Accidents Before and During Covid 19 Pandemic and Alternative Countermeasures on Daan Mogot Road

Analysis of Traffic Accidents Before and During Covid 19 Pandemic and Alternative Countermeasures on Daan Mogot Road

A single-dose F1-based mRNA-LNP vaccine provides protection against the lethal plague bacterium.

Messenger RNA (mRNA) lipid nanoparticle (LNP) vaccines have emerged as an effective vaccination strategy. Although currently applied toward viral pathogens, data concerning the platform's effectiveness against bacterial pathogens are limited. Here, we developed an effective mRNA-LNP vaccine against a lethal bacterial pathogen by optimizing mRNA payload guanine and cytosine content and antigen design. We designed a nucleoside-modified mRNA-LNP vaccine based on the bacterial F1 capsule antigen, a major protective component of Yersinia pestis, the etiological agent of plague. Plague is a rapidly deteriorating contagious disease that has killed millions of people during the history of humankind. Now, the disease is treated effectively with antibiotics; however, in the case of a multiple-antibiotic-resistant strain outbreak, alternative countermeasures are required. Our mRNA-LNP vaccine elicited humoral and cellular immunological responses in C57BL/6 mice and conferred rapid, full protection against lethal Y. pestis infection after a single dose. These data open avenues for urgently needed effective antibacterial vaccines.

Long-term forecasting for growth of electricity load based on customer sectors

The availability of electrical energy is an important issue. Along with the growth of the human population, electrical energy also increases. This study addresses problems in the operation of the electric power system. One of the problems that occur is the power imbalance due to scale growth between demand and generation. Alternative countermeasures that can be done are to prepare for the possibility that will occur in the future or what we are familiar with forecasting. Forecasting using the multiple linear regression method with this research variable assumes the household sector, business, industry, and public sectors, and is considered by the influence of population, gross regional domestic product, and District Minimum Wage. In forecasting, it is necessary to evaluate the accuracy using mean absolute percentage error (MAPE). MAPE evaluation results show a value of 0.142 % in the household sector, 0.085 % in the business sector, 1.983 % in the industrial sector, and 0.131 % in the total customer sector.

SARS-CoV-2 spike protein variant binding affinity to an angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 fusion glycoproteins.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, continues to evolve and circulate globally. Current prophylactic and therapeutic countermeasures against Covid-19 infection include vaccines, small molecule drugs, and neutralizing monoclonal antibodies. SARS-CoV-2 infection is mainly mediated by the viral spike glycoprotein binding to angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on host cells for viral entry. As emerging mutations in the spike protein evade efficacy of spike-targeted countermeasures, a potential strategy to counter SARS-CoV-2 infection is to competitively block the spike protein from binding to the host ACE2 using a soluble recombinant fusion protein that contains a human ACE2 and an IgG1-Fc domain (ACE2-Fc). Here, we have established Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell lines that stably express ACE2-Fc proteins in which the ACE2 domain either has or has no catalytic activity. The fusion proteins were produced and purified to partially characterize physicochemical properties and spike protein binding. Our results demonstrate the ACE2-Fc fusion proteins are heavily N-glycosylated, sensitive to thermal stress, and actively bind to five spike protein variants (parental, alpha, beta, delta, and omicron) with different affinity. Our data demonstrates a proof-of-concept production strategy for ACE2-Fc fusion glycoproteins that can bind to different spike protein variants to support the manufacture of potential alternative countermeasures for emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Albumin, oral contraceptives, and venous thromboembolism risk in astronauts.

A venous thromboembolism (VTE) event occurred in a female astronaut during long-duration spaceflight. Multiple factors may have contributed to this risk, including the use of combined (progestin + estrogen) oral contraceptives (cOC). Biochemistry data from 65 astronauts were evaluated for associations with cOC use and with sex. The female astronauts who used cOCs had lower concentrations of serum albumin and higher concentrations of transferrin, a protein involved in the clotting cascade, than the male astronauts and the female astronauts who were not taking cOCs (P < 0.001). The women who used cOCs had higher serum concentrations of the acute phase reactant ceruloplasmin and cortisol during flight (P < 0.001) than the men and the women who were not taking cOCs; they also had higher calculated whole blood viscosity than women not taking cOCs (P < 0.001). Lower circulating concentrations of albumin, higher concentrations of transferrin, and elevated markers of inflammation all could contribute to an increased risk of VTE during spaceflight. These changes, in association with a higher blood viscosity, can directly affect endothelial glycocalyx integrity and hypercoagulability status, both of which contribute to VTE risk in terrestrial populations.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We report here evidence of an association between oral contraceptive use and serum albumin, among other factors, which potentially increase the risk of venous thromboembolism in astronauts. These findings highlight potential risks to astronaut health while providing potential alternative countermeasures for decreasing VTE risk during spaceflight. These findings also highlight an underrecognized potential mechanism for hypoalbuminemia to increase VTE risk in terrestrial populations.

An Intelligent, Two-Stage, In-Vehicle Diagnostic-Based Secured Framework

Recent research interests have been directed to study the security of vehicles due to the advancement of their technologies. Due to the rapid growth and accelerated development of electronic control units (ECUs), they are countered to be exploited by external attacks. As a result, recent research efforts have been focused on investigating alternative countermeasures that might be implemented by introducing different intrusion detection systems (IDSs). The problem with some of IDSs is the location of their deployment because of the ECU limitations and constraints. Other introduced IDSs require severe changes in the in-vehicle network, which is not preferred by vehicle manufacturers. In this research, we introduce a novel design of a framework to check the state of the vehicle and capture possible attacks by detecting any malicious data in the diagnostic parameters of the vehicle. The framework is divided into two phases: the specific-based detection phase and the anomaly-based detection phase. The proposed system employs the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) algorithm to detect anomalies in diagnostic data and it is optimized by a non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II). The model is verified against two datasets collected from real vehicles. To generate anomalies in datasets, an attack generation algorithm is introduced. The model is trained on a dataset that contains different attack types and verified blindly against various attacks that have not been seen before. The framework&#x2019;s experimental results show that it can detect abnormalities with accuracy 97.00% for the Seat Leon 2018 dataset and 97.49% for the KIA SOUL dataset.

Study Windshield Survey Pondok Desa Batangan Tanah Merah District as an Alternative Effort to Handle ODGJ Patients

Mental health development has been carried out by the Government in various efforts, through health centers one of which is Posyandu Jiwa. In addition, countermeasures from the government, at the village level, there are alternative countermeasures in the form of mental health huts, but the cottage is not handled by individuals who have a background. behind health. Therefore, researchers are interested in conducting a StudyWindshield Survey Pondok Desa Batangan District Tanah Merah Bangkalan Regency. The type of research used is analytical and the type of approach used descriptively. The variables used are Gender, Age, Length of Care, Environmental Conditions, Therapy Treatment, Success Rate. Sampling using Total sampling, the instrument used by Care is observation. There is no statistical test, but it uses frequency retribution.

DI-5-Cuffs: Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Proteoglycan and Water Content Changes in Humans after Five Days of Dry Immersion to Simulate Microgravity.

Most astronauts experience back pain after spaceflight, primarily located in the lumbar region. Intervertebral disc herniations have been observed after real and simulated microgravity. Spinal deconditioning after exposure to microgravity has been described, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. The dry immersion (DI) model of microgravity was used with eighteen male volunteers. Half of the participants wore thigh cuffs as a potential countermeasure. The spinal changes and intervertebral disc (IVD) content changes were investigated using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analyses with T1-T2 mapping sequences. IVD water content was estimated by the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), with proteoglycan content measured using MRI T1-mapping sequences centered in the nucleus pulposus. The use of thigh cuffs had no effect on any of the spinal variables measured. There was significant spinal lengthening for all of the subjects. The ADC and IVD proteoglycan content both increased significantly with DI (7.34 ± 2.23% and 10.09 ± 1.39%, respectively; mean ± standard deviation), p < 0.05). The ADC changes suggest dynamic and rapid water diffusion inside IVDs, linked to gravitational unloading. Further investigation is needed to determine whether similar changes occur in the cervical IVDs. A better understanding of the mechanisms involved in spinal deconditioning with spaceflight would assist in the development of alternative countermeasures to prevent IVD herniation.

ANALISIS PENGARUH KENDARAAN PARKIR DI BADAN JALAN SEBAGAI HAMBATAN SAMPING TERHADAP KINERJA RUAS JALAN MAHONI KOTA BENGKULU

Parking on the road body is one of the causes of traffic congestion, therefore the handling of parking on the road becomes very important and has a positive impact on solving traffic congestion problems. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of parking vehicles on the road body on the performance of the Mahoni Street in Bengkulu City. Data collection methods and techniques include road geometric surveys, traffic volume surveys, side barriers and speed surveys. To get the data in this study is done by recording the state of the road and calculating the number of vehicles that cross the road through the recording.Data generated at peak hours in the form of a capacity of 1544,076 smp/hour traffic volume of 1281.2 sm / hour with a degree of saturation of 0.83 is at the level ofservice D which means approaching an unstable current, low speed. DS value is above the degree of saturation required by MKJI, namely DS &lt;0.75. It is necessary to do alternative countermeasures by moving the parkinglocated on Mahoni Street resulting in a capacity of 2218.5 smp/hour and a saturation degree of 0.50 with level ofservice C which means that the current is stable and the speed is controlled by traffic.

Nose-Angle Bridge Piers as Alternative Countermeasures for Local Scour Reduction

This study investigates the performance nose-angle piers as countermeasures for local scour reduction around piers. Four nose angles were studied, i.e., 90°, 70°, 60° and 45° and tested in a laboratory. The sediment size was fixed at 0.39 mm whereas the flow angle of attack (or skew angle) was varied at four angles, i.e., skew angles, i.e., 0°, 10°, 20° and 30°. Scour reduction was clear when decreasing nose angles and reached maximum when the nose angle is 45°. Increasing the flow velocity and skew angle was subsequently increasing the scour profile, both in vertical and transversal directions. However, the efficiency of nose angle piers was only high at low Froude number less than 0.40 where higher Froude number gives minimal changes in the maximum scour depth reduction. At a higher skew angle, although showed promising maximum scour depth reduction, the increasing pier projected width resulted in the increase of transversal lengths.

Bed Morphology around Various Solid and Flexible Grade Control Structures in an Unstable Gravel-Bed River

Flexible grade control structures (GCSs) are increasingly popular alternative countermeasures consisting of conventional solid structures for protecting riverbeds from erosion. Among this structure typology, tetrahedron framed permeable weirs (TFPW) were proposed to stabilize riverbeds and protect cross-river structures. The bed morphology as well as the interactions among the structures, water flow and bed features have not been systematically analyzed. Therefore, based on the field data collected in the Jianjiang River, a series of physical model experiments were carried out in this study to investigate the river morphology in unstable gravel-bed rivers under five different structural conditions, including no GCSs, solid bed sills and flexible TFPW with three different layout types. Data on bedform features, topography changes and the volume of erosion or deposition were collected and analyzed. The results indicated that dramatic general erosion and bed armoring would occur without any protection. The bed would be protected from upstream erosion with bed sills, but, at the same time, in addition to general erosion and bed armoring downstream of the structures, deep local scour might pose a serious threat to structural safety. TFPW had good protective effects on riverbeds by preventing the bed from erosion and even inducing sediment deposition both upstream and downstream from the structures. Because the flexible structures have advantages in ecology, structural stability and construction, TFPW were suitable and optimal for riverbed stabilization in unstable gravel-bed rivers.

Regulatory requirements for Vaccine registration in United States

Vaccination is one among the foremost cost-efficient health interventions out available, saving a lot of individuals from illness, incapacity, and death annually. No alternative countermeasures are effective in reducing or eliminating the prevalence of infectious diseases reminiscent of measles, mumps, rubella, smallpox, and diphtheria. Vaccines are products of biological origin that exhibit some inherent variability. They are characterized by advanced manufacturing processes and are administered to a huge number of healthy youngsters, adolescents, and adults. Their quality cannot be assessed by testing the ultimate product alone. The vaccine industry is highly regulated. Vaccines development maybe an advanced and long method. Before a new vaccine is approved for release into the market, a rigorous restrictive procedure to assess quality, effectiveness, and safety should be undertaken. The Office of Vaccines Research and Review (OVRR) at the Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are responsible for the regulation of Vaccines. Current authority for the regulation of vaccines is in Section 351(a) of the Public Health Service Act (PHS). Throughout the lifecycle of development, from preclinical studies to licensure, vaccines are subjected to rigorous testing and oversight. Manufacturers should adhere to good manufacturing practices and management procedures to make sure the quality of vaccines.

ACMT Position Statement: Alternative or Contingency Countermeasures for Acetylcholinesterase Inhibiting Agents.

First responders and health care providers must prepare to provide care for patients poisoned by acetylcholinesterase (AchE) inhibitor chemical warfare agents or pesticides. However, pre-deployed medical countermeasures (MCMs) may not be sufficient due to production and delivery interruption, rapid depletion of contents during a response, expiration of MCM components, or lack of local availability of approved MCMs. To augment supplies of community-based and forward-deployed nerve agent countermeasures, the American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) supports several strategies: (1) The use of expired atropine, diazepam, and pralidoxime auto-injectors and vials if non-expired drugs are unavailable; and (2) Investigation, development, and identification of alternative countermeasures-commonly stocked drugs that are not approved for nerve agent poisoning but are in the same therapeutic class as approved drugs.

Planning of alternative countermeasures for a station blackout at a boiling water reactor using multilevel flow modeling

Abstract Operators face challenges to plan alternative countermeasures when no procedure exists to address the current plant state. A model-based approach is desired to aid operators in acquiring plant resources and deriving response plans. Multilevel flow modeling (MFM) is a functional modeling methodology that can represent intentional knowledge about systems, which is essential in response planning. This article investigates the capabilities of MFM to plan alternatives. It is concluded that MFM has a knowledge capability to represent alternative means that are designed for given ends and a reasoning capability to identify alternative functions that can causally influence the goal achievement. The second capability can be applied to find originally unassociated means to achieve a goal. This is vital in a situation where all designed means have failed. A technique of procedure synthesis can be used to express identified alternatives as a series of operations. A case of station blackout occurring at the boiling water reactor is described. An MFM model of a boiling water reactor is built according to the analysis of goals and functions. The accident situations are defined by the model, and several alternative countermeasures in terms of operating procedures are generated to achieve the goal of core cooling.