Neurotechnology for enhancing human operation of robotic and semi-autonomous systems.

Human operators of remote and semi-autonomous systems must have a high level of executive function to safely and efficiently conduct operations. These operators face unique cognitive challenges when monitoring and controlling robotic machines, such as vehicles, drones, and construction equipment. The development of safe and experienced human operators of remote machines requires structured training and credentialing programs.

Environmental Factors Associated with Incidence and Distribution of and in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, USA: A three-year case study.

Members of the genus are ecologically significant bacteria native to aquatic ecosystems globally, and a few can cause diseases in humans. Vibrio-related illnesses have increased in recent years, primarily attributed to changing environmental conditions. Therefore, understanding the role of environmental factors in the occurrence and growth of pathogenic strains is crucial for public health.

Assessment of pathogens in flood waters in coastal rural regions: Case study after Hurricane Michael and Florence.

The severity of hurricanes, and thus the associated impacts, is changing over time. One of the understudied threats from damage caused by hurricanes is the potential for cross-contamination of water bodies with pathogens in coastal agricultural regions. Using microbiological data collected after hurricanes Florence and Michael, this study shows a dichotomy in the presence of pathogens in coastal North Carolina and Florida.

Exploratory analysis of factors affecting levels of home deliveries before, during, and post- COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected shopping behavior and has accelerated the adoption of online shopping and home deliveries. We administered an online survey among the population in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro Metropolitan area on household and demographic characteristics, e-commerce preferences and factors, number of deliveries made before and during the COVID-19 lockdown, and number of deliveries expected to make post-pandemic. In this research, we conduct an exploratory analysis of the factors that affect home delivery levels before, during, and post-COVID-19.

Exploring the impact of socio-demographic characteristics, health concerns, and product type on home delivery rates and expenditures during a strict COVID-19 lockdown period: A case study from Portland, OR.

E-commerce volumes and home deliveries have experienced steady growth in the last two decades. Strict COVID-19 lockdowns made home delivery an essential service and a lifeline for many households that, for travel restrictions or health concerns, were not able to utilize traditional shopping methods. This research studies the impact of socio-demographic variables and e-commerce attitudes on household deliveries for seven product categories (groceries, meals, electronics, household and office goods, recreational items, and fashion, beauty and personal care products, and medicine/health-related products) during the lockdown period in the greater Portland metropolitan region.

Distribution and Antibiotic Resistance Profiles of in Rural Areas of North Carolina After Hurricane Florence in 2018.

In this study, water samples were analyzed from a rural area of North Carolina after Hurricane Florence in 2018 and the distribution of the virulence gene of were investigated. We also examined the distribution of culturable and determined their antibiotic resistance profiles. Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the classes of aminoglycoside, beta-lactam, and macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLSB) were targeted in this study.

Home-deliveries before-during COVID-19 lockdown: Accessibility, environmental justice, equity, and policy implications.

During the COVID-19 lockdowns, home deliveries have changed from being a desirable luxury or comfortable solution to a health-supporting and essential service for many COVID-19 at-risk populations. However, not all households are equal in terms of access to home deliveries. The onset of COVID-19 has brought to light access inequalities that preceded the pandemic and that the COVID-19 lockdown has exacerbated and made visible.

Predictive Time Series Analysis Linking Bengal Cholera with Terrestrial Water Storage Measured from Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment Sensors.

Outbreaks of diarrheal diseases, including cholera, are related to floods and droughts in regions where water and sanitation infrastructure are inadequate or insufficient. However, availability of data on water scarcity and abundance in transnational basins, are a prerequisite for developing cholera forecasting systems. With more than a decade of terrestrial water storage (TWS) data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment, conditions favorable for predicting cholera occurrence may now be determined.

A time of day analysis of crashes involving large trucks in urban areas.

Previous studies have looked at different factors that contribute to large truck-involved crashes, however a detailed analysis considering the specific effects of time of day is lacking. Using the Crash Records Information System (CRIS) database in Texas, large truck-involved crashes occurring on urban freeways between 2006 and 2010 were separated into five time periods (i.e.

Analysis of large truck crash severity using heteroskedastic ordered probit models.

Long-combination vehicles (LCVs) have significant potential to increase economic productivity for shippers and carriers by decreasing the number of truck trips, thus reducing costs. However, size and weight regulations, triggered by safety concerns and, in some cases, infrastructure investment concerns, have prevented large-scale adoption of such vehicles. Information on actual crash performance is needed.