Identification and characterization of two Bacillus anthracis bacteriophages.

Anthrax is an acute infectious zoonotic disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, a bacterium that is considered a potential biological warfare agent. Bacillus bacteriophages shape the composition and evolution of bacterial communities in nature and therefore have important roles in the ecosystem community. B. anthracis phages are not only used in etiological diagnostics but also have promising prospects in clinical therapeutics or for disinfection in anthrax outbreaks. In this study, two temperate B. anthracis phages, vB_BanS_A16R1 (A16R1) and vB_BanS_A16R4 (A16R4), were isolated and showed siphovirus-like morphological characteristics. Genome sequencing showed that the genomes of phages A16R1 and A16R4 are 36,569 bp and 40,059 bp in length, respectively. A16R1 belongs to the genus Wbetavirus, while A16R4 belongs to the genus Hubeivirus and is the first phage of that genus found to lyse B. anthracis. Because these two phages can comparatively specifically lyse B. anthracis, they could be used as alternative diagnostic tools for identification of B. anthracis infections.

Trajectory of intrinsic capacity among community-dwelling older adults in China: The China health and retirement longitudinal study.

BACKGROUNDS: Intrinsic capacity (IC), the sum of individual mental and physical capabilities, as well as living environment and behavior, jointly determine the functional ability of older adults, shifting the focus from disease to function. At the population level, IC in older adults is associated with adverse health outcomes, such as disability, falls, and death. At the individual level, IC changes dynamically. However, studies on the longitudinal IC trajectory and the factors influencing IC deterioration are limited. We aimed to analyze the IC trajectory and explore the risk factors for IC deterioration in Chinese older adults. METHODS: Data were obtained from the baseline (2011-2012) and 4-year follow-up (2015) CHARLS surveys, including 1906 people aged 60 years and older. IC comprises six dimensions: locomotion, vitality, hearing, vision, cognition, and psychology. IC trajectory was categorized into three groups: improved, maintained, and deteriorated. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze factors influencing the trajectory of IC deterioration. RESULTS: After 4 years, 32.1 % had deteriorated, 38.5 % remained stable, and 29.4 % had improved. Age, low level of education, widowed were independently associated with IC deterioration. CONCLUSIONS: Dynamic IC monitoring supports the development of individualized intervention policies to delay or prevent IC deterioration.

Organic Ligand-Mediated Dissolution and Fractionation of Rare-Earth Elements (REEs) from Carbonate and Phosphate Minerals.

Global efforts to build a net-zero economy and the irreplaceable roles of rare-earth elements (REEs) in low-carbon technologies urge the understanding of REE occurrence in natural deposits, discovery of alternative REE resources, and development of green extraction technologies. Advancement in these directions requires comprehensive knowledge on geochemical behaviors of REEs in the presence of naturally prevalent organic ligands, yet much remains unknown about organic ligand-mediated REE mobilization/fractionation and related mechanisms. Herein, we investigated REE mobilization from representative host minerals induced by three representative organic ligands: oxalate, citrate, and the siderophore desferrioxamine B (DFOB). Reaction pH conditions were selected to isolate the ligand-complexation effect versus proton dissolution. The presence of these organic ligands displayed varied impacts, with REE dissolution remarkably enhanced by citrate, mildly promoted by DFOB, and showing divergent effects in the presence of oxalate, depending on the mineral type and reaction pH. Thermodynamic modeling indicates the dominant presence of REE-ligand complexes under studied conditions and suggests ligand-promoted REE dissolution to be the dominant mechanism, consistent with experimental data. In addition, REE dissolution mediated by these ligands exhibited a distinct fractionation toward heavy REE (HREE) enrichment in the solution phase, which can be mainly attributed to the formation of thermodynamically predicted more stable HREE-ligand complexes. The combined thermodynamic modeling and experimental approach provides a framework for the systematic investigation of REE mobilization, distribution, and fractionation in the presence of organic ligands in natural systems and for the design of green extraction technologies.

Development of dual-channel starch-based film incorporated with betanin@ß-cyclodextrin inclusion complex and berberine for indicating shrimp freshness.

In this study, the ß-cyclodextrin encapsulated betanin (BET@ß-CD) with improved thermal stability and retention as well as the berberine (BBR) with aggregate induced luminescence effect were incorporated into corn amylose (CA) biomatrix to develop colorimetric/fluorescent dual-channel smart film. Results shown that the added functional components were uniformly distributed in the film matrix. The high tensile strength (78.87%), low water solubility (31.15%) and water vapor permeability (1.24 × 10-10 g Pa-1 s-1 m-1) of the film predicted its acceptable stability. It was worth mentioning that the film displayed excellent responsiveness to volatile ammonia (0.025-25 mg/mL) with at least 4 times recyclability. Application experiment demonstrated that the film can achieve macroscopic dynamic monitoring of the freshness of shrimps stored at 25 °C, 4 °C, -20 °C under daylight (red to yellow) and UV light (yellow-green to blue-green). Thus, the study suggests an attractive and effective strategy for constructing dual-mode smart packaging materials for food freshness detection.

Evaluating the safety and efficiency impacts of forced lane change with negative gaps based on empirical vehicle trajectories.

A lane-changing (LC) maneuver may cause the follower in the target lane (new follower) to decelerate and give up space, potentially affecting crash risk and traffic flow efficiency. In congested flow, a more aggressive LC maneuver occurs where the lane changer is partially next to the new follower and creates negative gaps, namely negative gap forced LC (NGFLC). Although NGFLC forms the foundation of sideswipe crashes, little has been done to address its impacts and the contributing factors. To tackle this issue, a total of 15,810 LC trajectory samples are extracted from three drone videos at different locations. These samples are categorized into NGFLC and normal LC groups for comparative analysis. Five commonly used conflict indicators are extended into two-dimensional to evaluate the crash risk of LC maneuver. The change of time gaps during LC maneuver are examined to quantify the impact of LC on traffic flow efficiency. We find that NGFLCs significantly increase crash risk, reflected by the number of hazardous LC events and potential crash areas compared to normal LC. Additionally, results reveal that both the lane changer and the new follower tend to maintain a larger time gap after NGFLCs. Factors including time headway, relative speed, and historical gaps in the target lane significantly affect NGFLC incidence. Once the movement of the leader in the original lane is taken into account, the prediction accuracy improves from 81% to 91%. The transferability tests indicate that the findings about the negative impact of NGFLC and the accuracy of its prediction model are consistent across different locations. These findings hold implications for driving assistance systems to better predict and mitigate NGFLCs.

Evaluating the performance of traffic conflict measures in real-time crash risk prediction using pre-crash vehicle trajectories.

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of traffic conflict measures for real-time crash risk prediction. Drone recordings were collected from a freeway section in Nanjing, China, over a year. Twenty rear-end crashes and their associated trajectories were obtained. Vehicle trajectories preceding the crash were segmented based on different time periods to represent varying crash conditions. The Extreme Value Theory (EVT) approach combined with a block maxima sampling method was then employed to investigate the generalized extreme value (GEV) distributions of extremely risky events under non-crash and crash conditions. The prediction performance was demonstrated by the differences in GEV distributions under these two conditions. Within the proposed modeling framework, the performances of Time-to-Collision (TTC), Deceleration Rate to Avoid a Crash (DRAC), and Absolute value of Derivative of Instantaneous Acceleration (ADIA) were examined and compared. The results revealed a decreasing trend in the prediction performances as the preceding time window before a crash increased. For any given length of crash conditions, TTC consistently outperformed DRAC and ADIA. Notably, TTC's reliability in crash risk prediction became more uncertain when forecasting crashes more than 2 s in advance. This study provided the optimal thresholds for TTC and ADIA for practical application in crash early warning. The methods and results in this study have the potential to be used for crash risk assessments in autonomous vehicles.

Phylogenetic Relationships and Evolution of the Genus Eganvirus (186-Type) Yersinia pestis Bacteriophages.

Plague is an endemic infectious disease caused by Yersinia pestis. In this study, we isolated fourteen phages with similar sequence arrangements to phage 186; these phages exhibited different lytic abilities in Enterobacteriaceae strains. To illustrate the phylogenetic relationships and evolutionary relationships between previously designated 186-type phages, we analysed the complete sequences and important genes of the phages, including whole-genome average nucleotide identity (ANI) and collinearity comparison, evolutionary analysis of four conserved structural genes (V, T, R, and Q genes), and analysis of the regulatory genes (cI, apl, and cII) and integrase gene (int). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that thirteen of the newly isolated phages belong to the genus Eganvirus and one belongs to the genus Felsduovirus in the family Peduoviridae, and these Eganvirus phages can be roughly clustered into three subgroups. The topological relationships exhibited by the whole-genome and structural genes seemed similar and stable, while the regulatory genes presented different topological relationships with the structural genes, and these results indicated that there was some homologous recombination in the regulatory genes. These newly isolated 186-type phages were mostly isolated from dogs, suggesting that the resistance of Canidae to Y. pestis infection may be related to the wide distribution of phages with lytic capability.

Crystal plane orientation-dependent surface atom diffusion in sub-10-nm Au nanocrystals.

Surface atom diffusion is a ubiquitous phenomenon in nanostructured metals with ultrahigh surface-to-volume ratios. However, the fundamental atomic mechanism of surface atom diffusion remains elusive. Here, we report in situ atomic-scale observations of surface pressure-driven atom diffusion in gold nanocrystals at room temperature using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy with a high-speed detection camera. The topmost layer of atoms on (001) plane initially diffuse in a column-by-column manner. As diffusion proceeds, the remaining atomic columns collectively inject into adjacent underlayer, accompanied by nucleation of a surface dislocation. In comparison, atoms on (111) plane directly diffuse to the base without collective injection. Quantitative calculations indicate that these crystal plane orientation-dependent atom diffusion behaviors contribute to the larger diffusion coefficient of (111) plane compared to (001) plane in addition to the effect of diffusion activation energy. Our findings provide valuable insights into atomic mechanisms of diffusion-dominant morphology evolution of nanostructured metals and guide the design of nanostructured materials with enhanced structural stability.

Risk Factors for Acute Postsurgical Pain: A Narrative Review.

Acute postsurgical pain (APSP) has received growing attention as a surgical outcome. When poorly controlled, APSP can affect short- and long-term outcomes in patients. Despite the steady increase in awareness about postoperative pain and standardization of pain prevention and treatment strategies, moderate-to-severe APSP is frequently reported in clinical practice. This is possibly because pain varies widely among individuals and is influenced by distinct factors, such as demographic, perioperative, psychological, and genetic factors. This review investigates the risk factors for APSP, including gender, age, obesity, smoking history, preoperative pain history, pain sensitivity, preoperative anxiety, depression, pain catastrophizing, expected postoperative pain, surgical fear, and genetic polymorphisms. By identifying patients having an increased risk of moderate-to-severe APSP at an early stage, clinicians can more effectively manage individualized analgesic treatment protocols with a combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. This would alleviate the transition from APSP to chronic pain and reduce the severity of APSP-induced chronic physical disability and social psychological distress.

The mechanosensory channel PIEZO1 functions upstream of angiopoietin/TIE/FOXO1 signaling in lymphatic development.

Lymphedema is a debilitating disease with no effective cure and affects an estimated 250 million individuals worldwide. Prior studies have identified mutations in piezo-type mechanosensitive ion channel component 1 (PIEZO1), angiopoietin 2 (ANGPT2), and tyrosine kinase with Ig-like and EGF-like domains 1 (TIE1) in patients with primary lymphedema. Here, we identified crosstalk between these molecules and showed that activation of the mechanosensory channel PIEZO1 in lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) caused rapid exocytosis of the TIE ligand ANGPT2, ectodomain shedding of TIE1 by disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain-containing protein 17 (ADAM17), and increased TIE/PI3K/AKT signaling, followed by nuclear export of the transcription factor FOXO1. These data establish a functional network between lymphedema-associated genes and provide what we believe to be the first molecular mechanism bridging channel function with vascular signaling and intracellular events culminating in transcriptional regulation of genes expressed in LECs. Our study provides insights into the regulation of lymphatic function and molecular pathways involved in human disease.

Hexagonal Halide Perovskite Cs2LiInCl6: Cation Ordering, Face-Shared Octahedral Trimers and Mn2+ Luminescence.

The In-based double perovskite halides have been widely studied for promising optical-electric applications. The halide hexagonal perovskite Cs2LiInCl6 was isolated using solid-state reactions and investigated using X-ray diffraction and solid-state NMR spectra. The material adopts a 12-layered hexagonal structure (12R) consisting of layered cationic orders driven by the cationic charge difference and has Li+ cations in the terminal site and In3+ in the central site of face-shared octahedron trimers. Such a cationic ordering pattern is stabilized by electrostatic repulsions between the next-nearest neighboring cations in the trimers. The LiCl6 octahedron displays large distortion and is confirmed by 7Li SSNMR in the Cs2LiInCl6. The Cs2LiInCl6 material has a direct bandgap of ~ 4.98 eV. The Cs2LiInCl6: Mn displays redshift luminescence (centered at ~610 - 622 nm) from the substituted Mn2+ emission in octahedron with larger PLQY (17.8%-48%) compared with that of Cs2NaInCl6: Mn2+.  The Mn-doped materials show luminescent concentration quenching and thermal quenching. The composition Cs2Li0.99In0.99Mn0.02Cl6 exhibits the highest PL intensity, a maximum PLQY of 48%, and high luminescent retention rate of ~ 86% below 400 K and is suitable for application for pc-LED. These findings contribute to our understanding of the chloride perovskites and hold potential for widespread optical applications.

Investigating the Influence of Varied Particle Sizes on the Load-Bearing Properties of Arrester Bed Aggregates.

This study employs the discrete element method to investigate the influence of particle size on the load-bearing characteristics of aggregates, with a specific emphasis on the aggregates used in escape ramp arrester beds. This study utilises the log edge detection algorithm to introduce an innovative approach for modelling irregularly shaped pebbles, integrating their physical properties into a comprehensive discrete element model to enhance the accuracy and applicability of simulations involving such pebbles. Meticulous validation and parameter calibration (friction coefficient: 0.37, maximum RMSE: 3.43) confirm the accuracy of the simulations and facilitate an in-depth examination of the mechanical interactions between aggregate particles at macroscopic and microscopic scales. The findings reveal a significant relationship between the particle size and load-bearing capacity of aggregates. Smaller pebbles, which are more flexible under pressure, can be packed more densely, thereby improving the distribution of vertical forces and increasing the concentration of local stress. This enhancement substantially increases the overall load-bearing capacity of aggregates. These discoveries hold significant implications for engineering practices, particularly in the optimisation of safety for truck escape ramps and in identifying the ideal sizes of pebbles with irregular shapes.

Intensive or liberal glucose control in intensive care units for septic patients? A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical outcomes of intensive glucose control and liberal glucose control for septic patients in intensive care unit. METHODS: The databases of PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase and Web of Science were searched systematically from inception to November 27, 2023 to identify trials involving a randomized comparison between intensive and liberal glucose control for septic patients in intensive care unit. RESULTS: A total of 14 randomized controlled trials involving 6226 patients were finally included. There was no statistically significant difference observed between intensive glucose control and liberal glucose control in terms of all-cause mortality, the need for renal replacement, vasopressor-free and mechanical ventilation-free days, and length of hospital stay. However, it is noteworthy that intensive glucose control exhibited a statistically higher risk of severe hypoglycemia (RR 2.66; 95%CI 1.85 to 3.83), need for blood transfusion (RR 1.12; 95%CI 1.01 to 1.23), and statistically prolonged length of stay in the ICU (MD 1.67; 95%CI 0.22 to 3.12) compared to liberal glucose control. Nevertheless, sensitivity analysis revealed that the need for blood transfusion and length of stay in the intensive care unit were not robust. CONCLUSIONS: Both intensive and liberal glucose control had comparable effects on improving patient outcomes, but intensive glucose control carried a higher risk of severe hypoglycemia.

Examining the relationship between meeting 24-hour movement behaviour guidelines and mental health in Chinese preschool children.

Background: Limited research has explored the relationship between adhering to 24-h Movement Behaviour guidelines and mental health in Chinese preschool children. The objectives of this study encompassed two primary goals: (1) to investigate the adherence of preschool children in China to the 24-h Movement Behaviour guidelines; and (2) to analyze the relationship between fulfilling various combinations of these guidelines and mental health, identifying the most advantageous combination. Methods: Utilizing a convenience sampling approach, this study included 205 preschool children (117 boys and 88 girls, average age 4.8 ± 0.51 years) from five kindergartens in Hengyang, Hunan Province. The physical activity (PA) and sedentary behaviour of preschool children were objectively assessed using waist-worn accelerometers, while sleep duration and screen time were reported by the children's parents. To evaluate mental health, the parent version of the internationally validated Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was employed, which measures externalizing problems, internalizing problems, and prosocial behaviour. Employing Mplus 8.0 for Structural Equation Modeling analysis, while controlling for demographic variables, the study explored the connection between preschool children's mental health and their adherence to the 24-h Movement Behaviour guidelines. Results: Worryingly, merely 14.6% of preschoolers met the recommended guidelines for all three aspects (PA, sleep duration, and screen time). Positive correlations were identified between meeting PA guidelines and displaying prosocial behaviour (ß = 0.184; p < 0.05), while screen time adherence exhibited a negative correlation with externalizing problems (ß = -0.207; p < 0.05). Similarly, there was a negative association between sleep duration adherence and externalizing problems (ß = -0.191; p < 0.05). Meeting all three recommended guidelines was notably linked to enhanced prosocial behaviour (ß = 0.464; p < 0.05), while following the screen time and sleep duration guidelines was negatively associated with externalizing problems (ß = -0.246; p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study underscores the limited adherence of Chinese preschoolers to the comprehensive 24-h Movement Behaviour guidelines. Noteworthy findings include the positive influence of PA on prosocial behaviour, alongside the significant roles that sleep duration and screen time play in mitigating externalizing problems within this age group. Alignment with the 24-h Movement Behaviour guidelines is associated with more favorable mental health indicators in preschoolers.

High burden of human papillomavirus infection among men in Guangzhou, South China: Implications for HPV vaccination strategies.

The epidemiological and clinical aspects of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection in women have been extensively studied. However, there is a lack of information regarding HPV characteristics in males. In this study, we conducted a retrospective and observational study of 3737 consecutive male individuals attending outpatient clinics of Guangdong Women and Children Hospital from 2012 to 2023 in Guangzhou, South China, to determine the age- and genotype-specific prevalence of HPV in men. The results showed the overall prevalence of HPV among men was 42.15% (1575/3737), with variations ranging from 29.55% to 81.31% across distinct diagnostic populations. Low-risk HPV6 (15.47%), HPV11 (8.94%), and high-risk HPV52 (5.51%) were the most common types. The annual HPV prevalence decreased significantly (Z = -3.882, p < .001), ranging from 31.44% to 52.90%. 28.77% (1075/3737) of men manifested infection with a singular HPV type, predominantly identified as a low-risk type. The age-specific distribution of HPV infections revealed distinctive peaks in the < 25 y age group (47.60%, 208/437) and the 40-44 y age group (44.51%, 154/346). Notably, the positive rate of Chlamydia trachomatis was significantly higher among HPV-positive individuals in comparison to HPV-negatives (16.14% vs. 11.25%, p < .05). Our findings reveal a substantial prevalence of HPV infection among outpatient men in Guangzhou, South China. It is recommended to consider the inclusion of HPV vaccination for adolescent males in national immunization schedules, once an adequate supply of vaccines is accessible.

A novel dual-channel cassava starch/polyvinyl alcohol-based film for visual monitoring of shrimp freshness.

In this study, the polyvinylpyrrolidone-alizarin nanoparticles (PVP-AZ NPs) with favorable water dispersion and the carbon quantum dots (RQDs) with aggregate induced emission effect were synthesized to construct an eco-friendly film for food freshness monitoring. The introduction of PVP-AZ NPs and RQDs enhanced the network structure and thermal stability of the cassava starch/polyvinyl alcohol film, and reduced its crystallinity and light transmittance via non-covalent binding with the film-forming matrix. The developed film exhibited visually recognizable colorimetric and fluorescent responses to ammonia at 0.025-25 mg/mL, and it can be reused at least 6 times. Practical application experiment proved that the film, as an indicator label, can achieve accurate, real-time, and visual dynamic monitoring of the freshness of shrimp stored at 25 °C, 4 °C, and - 20 °C under daylight (orange yellow to purple) and UV light (red to blue). The integration of multivariate detection technology can eliminate the interference of external factors by self-correction to improve sensitivity and reliability, which provides a reference for the development of other food quality and safety monitoring platforms.

Toward Ultrahigh Rate and Cycling Performance of Cathode Materials of Sodium Ion Battery by Introducing a Bicontinuous Porous Structure.

The emerging sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are one of the most promising candidates expected to complement lithium-ion batteries and diversify the battery market. However, the exploitation of cathode materials with high-rate performance and long-cycle stability for SIBs has remained one of the major challenges. To this end, an efficient approach to enhance rate and cycling performance by introducing an ordered bicontinuous porous structure into cathode materials of SIBs is demonstrated. Prussian blue analogues (PBAs) are selected because they are recognized as a type of most promising SIB cathode materials. Thanks to the presence of 3D continuous channels enabling fast Na+ ions diffusion as well as the intrinsic mechanical stability of bicontinuous architecture, the resultant PBAs exhibit excellent rate capability (80 mAh g-1 at 2.5 A g-1) and ultralong cycling life (>3000 circulations at 0.5 A g-1), reaching the top performance of the reported PBA-based cathode materials. This study opens a new avenue for boosting sluggish ion diffusion kinetics in electrodes of rechargeable batteries and also provides a new paradigm for solving the dilemma that electrodes' failure due to high-stress concentration upon ion storage.

Isotemporal substitution effect of 24-hour movement behavior on the mental health of Chinese preschool children.

The 24-h movement behavior of preschoolers comprises a spectrum of activities, including moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA), light-intensity physical activity (LPA), screen-based sedentary behavior (SCSB), non-screen-based sedentary behavior (NSCSB), and sleep. While previous research has shed light on the link between movement behaviors and children's mental health, the specific impacts on the unique demographic of Chinese preschoolers remain underexplored. This study significantly contributes to the literature by exploring how 24-h movement behavior affects the mental health of preschoolers in a Chinese context. The study involved205 Chinese preschool children (117 boys and 88 girls) between the ages of 3 and 6 years wore accelerometers to measure their LPA, MVPA, and sedentary behavior (SB), while their parents reported the time spent on sleep and SCSB. The parents also completed the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire to assess their children's mental health. The study used compositional regression and isotemporal substitution models to examine the relationship between the various components of 24-h movement behavior and mental health. The results showed that greater NCSSB compared to MVPA, LPA, sleep, and SCSB was associated with good prosocial behavior and lower scores on externalizing problems. This highlights the potential of NSCSB as a beneficial component in the daily routine of preschoolers for fostering mental well-being. Replacing 15 min of sleep and SCSB with 15 min of NSCSB was associated with a decrease of 0.24 and 0.15 units, respectively, in externalizing problems. Reallocating 15 min of sleep to NSCSB was linked to an increase of 0.11 units in prosocial behavior. There were no significant substitution effects between LPA and MVPA time with any other movement behavior on prosocial behavior and externalizing problems. Given the positive associations observed, further longitudinal studies are necessary to explore the link between 24-h movement behavior and mental health in preschool children.

Modeling temporal correlation and heterogeneity in real-time conflict rates using Bayesian Tobit models for signalized intersections.

The use of real-time traffic conflicts for safety studies provide more insight into how important dynamic signal cycle-related characteristics can affect intersection safety. However, such short-time window for data collection raises a critical issue that the observed conflicts are temporally correlated. As well, there is likely unobserved heterogeneity across different sites that exist in conflict data. The objective of this study is to develop real-time traffic conflict rates models simultaneously accommodating temporal correlation and unobserved heterogeneity across observations. Signal cycle level traffic data, including traffic conflicts, traffic and shock wave characteristics, collected from six signalized intersections were used. Three types of Tobit models: conventional Tobit model, temporal Tobit (T-Tobit) model, and temporal grouped random parameters (TGRP-Tobit) model were developed under full Bayesian framework. The results show that significant temporal correlations are found in T-Tobit models and TGRP-Tobit models, and the inclusion of temporal correlation considerably improves the goodness-of-fit of these Tobit models. The TGRP-Tobit models perform best with the lowest Deviance Information Criteria (DIC), indicating that accounting for the unobserved heterogeneity can further improve the model fit. The parameter estimates show that real-time traffic conflict rates are significantly associated with traffic volume, shock wave area, shock wave speed, queue length, and platoon ratio.