Rapid Transit Research Articles

Nanotechnology-based Approaches for Targeted Drug Delivery to the Small Intestine: Advancements and Challenges.

Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising avenue for targeted drug delivery to the small intestine, offering precise control over drug release and enhanced therapeutic efficacy. This review discusses recent advancements and challenges in nanotechnology-based approaches for targeted drug delivery to the small intestine. The small intestine presents unique challenges for drug delivery, including enzymatic degradation, low permeability, and rapid transit time. Nanotechnology offers solutions to these challenges by providing carriers capable of protecting drugs from degradation, enhancing their absorption, and facilitating site-specific delivery. Various nanocarrier systems have been explored for targeted drug delivery to the small intestine, including liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, dendrimers, and solid lipid nanoparticles. These carriers can be functionalized with ligands targeting specific receptors or transporters expressed on the intestinal epithelium, enabling efficient uptake and intracellular delivery of drugs. Additionally, nanotechnology enables the controlled release of drugs, allowing for sustained and/or triggered release profiles tailored to the physiological conditions of the small intestine. This precise control over drug release can improve therapeutic outcomes while minimizing systemic side effects. Despite the significant progress in nanotechnology-based drug delivery to the small intestine, several challenges remain. These include achieving sufficient drug loading capacity, ensuring biocompatibility and safety of nanocarriers, and addressing regulatory concerns associated with their clinical translation. In conclusion, nanotechnology holds immense potential for targeted drug delivery to the small intestine, offering solutions to overcome the limitations of conventional drug delivery systems. Addressing the remaining challenges will be crucial for realizing the full therapeutic benefits of nanotechnology in treating diseases affecting the small intestine.

Evaluating canonical babbling ratios extracted from day-long audio recordings in infants later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

Evaluating canonical babbling ratios extracted from day-long audio recordings in infants later diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

Tailoring the special hole transfer layer between BiVO4 and oxygen evolution co-catalysts interfaces for boosting photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Tailoring the special hole transfer layer between BiVO4 and oxygen evolution co-catalysts interfaces for boosting photoelectrochemical water splitting.

Joint bus dispatching and bus bridging timetabling for mass rapid transit disruption management

Joint bus dispatching and bus bridging timetabling for mass rapid transit disruption management

The nexus of smart transportation: Self-powered and self-sensing node for autonomous rail rapid transit

The nexus of smart transportation: Self-powered and self-sensing node for autonomous rail rapid transit

Electric Vehicles: A New Era in Transportation and Its Future Potential

Abstract: Vehicles powered by fossil fuels pose a significant environmental threat by emitting harmful pollutants, including carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and sulfur and nitrogen oxides. In contrast, electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) offer a sustainable solution to this issue. With the growing use of renewable energy sources for charging, the global market is witnessing a rapid transition towards an electric vehicle revolution. Electric propulsion systems are now being adapted for heavy transport vehicles, enabling their shift to electric alternatives. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the role of electric vehicles in mass and freight transportation worldwide, with a focus on battery charging infrastructure. It explores recent advancements and trends in EV battery technology, particularly the sustainability of lithium-ion batteries and their components. Additionally, it includes a comparative analysis of various EV models available in the Indian market. The paper concludes by discussing government incentives, challenges faced by EV adoption, and potential areas for future development.

Rutas piloto de transporte colectivo urbano, en la Zona Metropolitana de Veracruz, México

Population growth and urban expansion in the Veracruz Metropolitan Area, which now has nearly one million inhabitants and continues to grow steadily, have led to deficiencies in the design of collective transportation routes. These routes have developed reactively and without adequate planning to meet current mobility needs, a challenge commonly faced by rapidly growing cities in Mexico and Latin America. In response, this research aims to redesign and enhance urban mobility by proposing an efficient public transportation system known as Bus Rapid Transit [BRT]. Through fieldwork and quantitative analysis, the study proposes two main BRT corridors and nine feeder or mixed routes to optimize road network performance and reduce traffic congestion. The implementation of this system is expected not only to improve regional mobility, but also to decrease economic losses, increase transportation safety, promote universal accessibility, and lower the city’s carbon footprint, contributing to a more sustainable and efficient pattern of urban development.

Digital Tides in the Media Industry: Navigating the Impact of Digitization on the Kenyan Media Landscape Post Covid-19 Pandemic

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to establish different ways in which Kenyan media practitioners are coping with the rapid transition from legacy media platforms and practices to new digital technologies as audiences’ transition to online spaces moreso after the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was informed by the Media Ecology Theory. The study aimed to meet three objectives: to establish the of the rapid digital shifts on the Kenyan media landscape after the COVID-19 pandemic; to find out if there were any notable paradigm shifts in the Kenyan media professional practice post COVID-19 pandemic; and to determine challenges experienced by stakeholders in the media industry as a result of rapid digitization of the Kenyan media. Materials and Methods: The research adopted a descriptive survey design. The research population comprised media professionals and media content consumers. Sampling was done purposively with the researcher selecting work-based and social WhatsApp group members as respondents. Qualitative and quantitative data collection tools, that is, interviews and questionnaires, were used. Data was analyzed through descriptive statistics and narration. Presentation of the data was done through a description of qualitative data while quantitative data is presented in pie charts and graphs. Findings: Findings of the study indicate that digitization of Kenyan media landscape became more visible and unavoidable after the Covid-19 pandemic. The use of digital media platforms was also found to have expanded after the pandemic causing a shift in audience behaviour, audience engagement, and media revenue management and sourcing as well as job losses among media professionals. The study also provides insight into steps taken by media practitioners who had to quickly adopt digital innovations and practice more collaboration through digital spaces even as they grapple with various ethical issues. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study provides recommendations that would help media professionals and regulators adapt better to the new trends while maintaining the principles and ethics of journalistic practice.

Exploring the role of energy transition in shaping the CO2 emissions pattern in China’s power sector

In this study, an improved gravity model and social network analysis (SNA) are applied to analysis CO2 emissions in China’s power sector, uniquely incorporating electricity and fossil fuel trade flows. It further explores the dynamic effect of energy transition on networks using a panel model, and clarifies the provincial roles in emission abatement and resource allocation. According to the findings, significant regional heterogeneities in CO2 emissions from 2007 to 2022 can be observed. Coal-dependent provinces, such as Inner Mongolia and Shanxi, face high emissions and challenging transitions, while developed areas such as Beijing and Shanghai have decreased emissions through clean energy integration and enhanced power efficiency. Network analysis identifies Beijing and Jiangsu as central to resource management, empowered by robust policy and information-sharing capabilities, while most provinces demonstrate weaker coordination owing to constrained intermediary functions. In addition, the study observes that energy transitions increase network density (0.3512) and contacts (0.3545) yet decrease efficiency (− 0.1464), suggesting technical and coordinative obstacles. An increasing degree of transition strengthens interprovincial CO2 connections, establishing provinces experiencing more rapid transitions as critical nodes. Greater closeness centrality (0.0186) signifies shorter collaborative pathways, accelerating the transition. These findings derive practical guidance for regional power collaborations and sustainable growth, offering novel perspectives for a green transition toward carbon neutrality.

Heterogeneous drivers of decarbonization in the global power sector

Abstract The decarbonization of the fossil-intensive power sector is critical for climate mitigation. During the global financial crisis, we find that major countries changed their energy inputs and achieved a rapid low-carbon transition in the global power sector. In this study, we employ two-stage decomposition models to reveal the diverse drivers of the peak-and-decline dynamic in the global CO2 intensity of electricity. We then examine the regional heterogeneous drivers of CO2 intensity from major electricity-producing countries within three income groups. Results show that the global CO2 intensity of electricity has reached its peak and declined by 0.35% per year since 2007. High-income countries consistently reduce the CO2 intensity, while upper- and lower-middle income countries contribute to a reduction of the CO2 intensity until recently. The adoption of renewable energy, phase-out of thermal power, and improvement in energy efficiency supported by pronounced regional allocation effects contribute to the rapid decline in the global CO2 intensity of electricity. This paper reveals breakthroughs in the recent global energy transition and sheds light on future CO2 mitigation pathways in the global power sector.

A Markov Chain-Based Stochastic Queuing Model for Evaluating the Impact of Shared Bus Lane on Intersection

The introduction of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems has the potential to alleviate urban traffic congestion. However, in certain cities in China, the increasing prevalence of privately owned vehicles, combined with the underutilization of bus lanes due to infrequent bus departures, has contributed to heightened congestion in general lanes. The advent of Internet of Things (IoT) technology offers a promising opportunity to develop intelligent public transportation systems, facilitating efficient management through seamless information transmission to end devices. This paper presents an IoT-based shared bus lane (IoT-SBL) that integrates intersection information, real-time traffic queuing conditions, and bus location data to encourage passenger vehicles to utilize the bus lane. This encouragement can be communicated through traditional signaling methods or future Infrastructure-to-Vehicle (I2V) and Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) communication technologies. To evaluate the effectiveness of the IoT-SBL strategy, we proposed a stochastic model that incorporates queuing effects and derived a series of performance metrics through model analysis. The experimental findings indicated that the IoT-SBL strategy significantly reduces vehicle queuing, decreases vehicle delays, enhances intersection throughput efficiency, and lowers fuel consumption compared to the traditional bus lane strategy.

Twitter in improving the quality of a BRT

PurposeThis study aims to analyze active participation of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system users in Mexico City through Twitter and determine whether it relates to its service quality.Design/methodology/approachA statistical and content analysis was conducted on tweets posted by BRT users to identify service-related topics of interest. Tweets mentioning the official BRT account from 2019 to 2022 were collected, followed by sentiment analysis to determine their positive or negative tone. These tasks were performed using R and ATLAS.ti software as well as the academictwitteR and Syuzhet packages.FindingsActive participation of BRT users via Twitter enhances the quality of this public transportation service by leveraging one of its key attributes: information dissemination. Specifically, it enables greater dissemination of service status, causes and effects of disruptions, and the performance of drivers and security personnel.Originality/valueThis article provides evidence to the literature suggesting that user participation helps improve public services quality. While previous research conducted interviews to identify critical service attributes based on a pre-existing typology, this study adopts an inductive approach to reveal users’ interests through their posted messages. These results highlight issues service providers need to address to enhance quality.

Tailoring Cu2CdSnS4 Phase Evolution for High‐Efficiency Solar Cells via Precursor Engineering

AbstractCopper‐based sulfide Cu2CdSnS4 solar cells exhibit excellent electronic band properties with the substitution of Cd with Zn in Cu2ZnSnS4 due to the reduction of sub‐band‐gap states. However, their performance remains inferior compared to other thin‐film solar cells, and the fundamental material characteristics that are responsible for this inferior performance are not elucidated. In this paper, the performance‐limiting factors of complicated chemical reactions involved in the sulfurization process are revealed by an in‐depth investigation of phase evolution and grain growth. It is shown that the Cu2‐xS in a Cl‐based precursor involved a multi‐step phase fusion reaction with the CdS and SnSx intermediate phases, leading to a severe VOC deficit. Conversely, it is observed that a rapid phase transition with the formation of Cu2SnS3 (CTS) at the initial stage for the Ac‐dominated sample generates numerous nucleation centers, resulting in poor crystallization. Hence, when a favorable ratio of Cl−/Ac− anion is employed, the substantial deficit in VOC of the CCTS solar cells primarily originated from [2CuCd++SnCd2−] defect cluster is alleviated, which is believed to result from the modified multi‐phase fusion and grain growth mechanism. The noteworthy champion efficiency of 11.89% with a VOC/VOC,SQ of 65.0% for the CCTS solar cells is achieved.

The epidemiology and burden of injury in countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), 1990–2021: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

The epidemiology and burden of injury in countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), 1990–2021: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

A framework for testing tropical cyclone hazard models

Abstract The field of tropical cyclone (TC) hazard modeling is in the midst of a rapid transition away from purely statistical techniques based on historical events to more physics-based approaches that can better account for the climate change that has already occurred and that will continue into the future. As such models proliferate, it is important to test them against TC observations and compare them to each other. Here a framework is proposed for comparing hazard model predictions to metrics derived strictly from historical (‘best-track’) observations, though in the future metrics more directly related to damage should be incorporated. While a specific set of metrics and statistical tests is presented here for illustrative purposes, it is hoped that the TC hazard community along with industry and government interests will convene to agree on a set that will serve as a benchmark for testing and intercomparing TC hazard models. This should allow for more rapid refinement and improvement of such models.

Distributional justice and rapid green energy transitions: citizen experiences in Kenya

Abstract A global movement promotes and supports the concept of just energy transitions. Advocates endorse the combined goals of universal, affordable access to electricity, and the use of clean, renewable sources of energy. In the Global South and particularly Africa, international organizations are promoting these rapid green energy transitions with financing and encouraging private sector investment and innovation. What remains unclear is how rapid green energy transitions are experienced by citizens, especially the poor in the Global South. Are the transitions just or equitably shared across populations? Kenya is an important country for assessing this question. Kenya is expected to achieve SDG 7, ‘sustainable energy access for all’, by 2030, one of the few African countries to reach this milestone. Kenya’s achievements, however, mask significant tensions surrounding its rapid energy transition. This paper reveals a mismatch between national and global narratives about access to electricity compared to local-level citizen experiences. The paper argues that the current transition aims for but is not achieving distributional justice. While there are many valuable lessons to take from Kenya’s experience, there are also significant concerns as the poor are carrying a heavy burden of the transition. Our analysis is based on focus groups, qualitative interviews, and survey data. The paper concludes by reflecting on the lessons from this critical case about the relationship between the global promotion of just energy transitions and African citizen needs.

Closing the implementation gap in urban climate policy: Mexico’s public transit buildup

ABSTRACT This paper examines the political conditions conductive to closing the structural implementation gap in urban climate policy, conceptualized as a policy adoption gap and a policy outcome gap. I argue that closing an adoption gap starts with an interaction between subnational policy experimentation and national policy learning, while closing an outcome gap hinges upon effective guardrail institutions guiding political decision-making. To substantiate this argument, I draw on evidence from Mexico’s public transit buildup (2009–2016). I show how the development of bus rapid transit systems in eight cities was driven by a fiscal support policy and enabled by three guardrail institutions: a capable implementing organization, a process for disciplining public authority, and a mechanism for redistributing public outlays. These findings underscore the importance and limits of bottom-up policy change in enabling urban transformations. They suggest that effective urban climate governance relies on institutions that discipline rather than empower urban political actors.

Physically Cross-Linked Silk Fibroin Hydrogel with Rapid Sol-Gel Transition and Enhanced Mechanical Performance.

It remains a great challenge to fabricate physically cross-linked silk fibroin (SF) hydrogels with rapid gelation and robust mechanical properties. In this study, a novel SF hydrogel is obtained by synergistically modulating the SF molecular weight (MW) and the freeze-inducing process, avoiding the use of any exterior additives. First, the effects of MW on the self-assembly behaviors of SF are investigated under physiological temperature. The results demonstrate that high MW SF derived from papain degumming (PSF) facilitates the sol-gel transition with increasing β-sheet content, and contributed to the construction of the hierarchical micro-nanofiber structure. Subsequently, cryo-concentration treatment is applied to further accelerate the gelation process. The resultant PSF (F-PSF) exhibits rapid sol-gel transition (within 1 h), a high compressive modulus (54.2±3.7 kPa), and a high storage modulus (up to 247.9 kPa), which are superior to traditional physically cross-linked SF hydrogels. The relatively low β-sheet content and dense structure endow the F-PSF hydrogels with excellent mechanical flexibility, physiological environmental stability, and long-term mechanical stability. In vitro cellular experiments show that F-PSF hydrogels are beneficial to cell proliferation and spreading. These attractive features enable the physically cross-linked SF hydrogels to be promising for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.

A Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium genome-wide CRISPRi screen reveals a role for type 1 fimbriae in evasion of antibody-mediated agglutination.

The O5-specific monoclonal IgA antibody, Sal4, mediates the conversion of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (STm) from virulent, free-swimming cells to non-motile, multicellular biofilm-like aggregates within a matter of hours. We hypothesize that the rapid transition from an invasive to a non-invasive state is an adaptation of STm to Sal4 IgA exposure. In this report, we performed a genome-wide CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) screen to identify STm genes that influence multicellular aggregate formation in response to Sal4 IgA treatment. From a customized library of >36,000 spacers, ~1% (373) were enriched at the top of the culture supernatant after two consecutive rounds of Sal4 IgA treatment. The enriched spacers mapped to a diversity of targets, including genes involved in O-antigen modification, cyclic-di-GMP metabolism, outer membrane biosynthesis/signaling, and invasion/virulence, with the most frequently targeted gene being fimW, which encodes a negative regulator of type 1 fimbriae (T1F) expression. Generation of a STm ΔfimW strain confirmed that the loss of FimW activity results in a hyperfimbriated phenotype and evasion of Sal4 IgA-mediated agglutination in solution. Closer examination of the fimW mutant revealed its propensity to form biofilms at the air-liquid interface in response to Sal4 exposure, suggesting that T1F "primes" STm to transition from a planktonic to a sessile state, possibly by facilitating bacterial attachment to abiotic surfaces. These findings shed light on the mechanism by which IgA antibodies influence STm virulence in the intestinal environment.

Inner pace: A dynamic exploration and analysis of basketball game pace.

This study aims to investigate the dynamics of basketball game pace and its influence on game outcomes through a novel intra-game segmentation approach. By employing K-means clustering on possession duration, we categorized possessions from 1,141 NBA games in the 2019-2020 season into high-frequency (HFS), low-frequency (LFS), and normal-frequency segments (NFS). A sliding window method was utilized to identify these segments, revealing distinct temporal patterns within games. To analyze the predictive value of these segments, we applied machine learning models, including Random Forest and Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM), complemented by SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) for interpretability. Our findings demonstrate that HFS segments increase toward the end of each quarter, driven by rapid transitions and tactical urgency, whereas LFS segments dominate the middle phases, reflecting strategic tempo control. NFS accounts for the majority of game time but decreases as the game progresses. The LightGBM analysis highlighted the importance ranking of key performance indicators (KPIs) across different segments and revealed differences in the importance of these indicators within each segment. Compared to traditional methods, our approach provides a finer-grained analysis of game pace dynamics and offers actionable insights for optimizing coaching strategies. This study not only advances the understanding of basketball game rhythm but also establishes a robust framework for integrating machine learning and statistical models in sports analysis.