bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Coronectomy - A viable alternative to prevent inferior alveolar nerve injury
Authors: Sagtani Alok , Sagtani Reshu Agrawal , Jaisani Mehul , Pradhan Leeza
Published: December 2015

Background and Objectives: Coronectomy is a relatively new method to prevent the risk of Inferior Alveolar Nerve (IAN) injury during removal of lower third molars with limited scientific literature among Nepalese patients. Thus, a study was designed to evaluate coronectomy regarding its use, outcomes and complications.Materials and Methods: A descriptive study was conducted from December 2012 to December 2013 among patients attending Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dental Sciences, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal for removal of mandibular third molars. After reviewing the radiograph for proximity of third molar to the IAN, coronectomy was advised. A written informed consent was obtained from the patients and coronectomy was performed. Patients were recalled after one week. The outcome measures in the follow-up visit were primary healing, pain, infection, dry socket, root exposure and IAN injury. The prevalence of IAN proximity of lower third molars and incidence of complications were calculated.Results: A total 300 mandibular third molars were extracted in 278 patients during the study period. Out of 300 impacted mandibular third molar, 41 (13.7%) showed close proximity to inferior alveolar nerve . The incidence of complications and failed procedure was 7.4% among the patients who underwent coronectomy. During the follow up visit, persistent pain and root exposure was reported while other complications like inferior alveolar nerve injury, dry socket and infection was not experienced by the study patients.Conclusion: With a success rate of 92.6% among the 41 patients, coronectomy is a viable alternative to conventional total extraction for mandibular third molars who have a higher risk for damage to the inferior alveolar nerve.JCMS Nepal. 2015;11(3):1-5.
Expression and Clinical Significance of Cytoskeleton microtubule-associated - Tau in gastric carcinoma
Authors: Li Chun-Hui , Hao Meiling , Sahi Rajina
Published: December 2015

Background and Objectives: Microtubules, the main components of spindles in the mitotic phase, can provide the suitable conditions for unlimited proliferation of tumor cells. Cytoskeleton microtubule-associated-Tau accelerates the progress of malignant tumor through microtubules. Currently, the expression of Cytoskeleton microtubule-associated-Tau in gastric cancer and the relationship between clinical pathological factors research has not yet been reported, so the report aims to elucidate the features of Cytoskeleton microtubule-associated-Tau expression in normal gastric tissue and gastric carcinoma tissue.Materials and Methods: The expressions of Cytoskeleton microtubule-associated protein-Tau protein and Cytoskeleton microtubule-associated protein-Tau mRNA were investigated in 60 cases of gastric carcinoma (cases) and 10 cases of normal gastric tissues (controls). Immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR were respectively used to detect the expression of Cytoskeleton microtubule-associated protein-Tau protein and Tau mRNA in the normal and carcinomatous gastric tissues.Results: The expressions of both cytoskeleton microtubule-associated protein-Tau protein and Tau mRNA in the carcinomatous gastric tissue were higher than in the normal gastric tissue (P<0.05). Likewise, both biomarkers were expressed significantly lower in the well-differentiated and moderately-differentiated gastric carcinoma was than in the poorly-differentiated one (P<0.05). Moreover, their expressions in the gastric carcinoma without lymph node metastasis was lower than in the gastric carcinoma with lymph node metastasis (P<0.05).Conclusion: The expressions of Cytoskeleton microtubule-associated-protein, Tau-protein and Cytoskeleton microtubule-associated-protein, Tau-mRNA were significantly different between the normal gastric tissue and the gastric carcinoma tissue, and were correlated with the degree differentiation and lymph node status.JCMS Nepal. 2015;11(3):6-11.
Clinical Study of Obesity and associated morbidities in patients admitted to College of Medical Sciences Teaching-Hospital, Bharatpur
Authors: Pradhan Manohar
Published: December 2015

Background and Objectives: The present study was conducted with objective to study the incidence of obesity and associated co-morbidities in patients admitted to CMS-TH, Bharatpur.Materials and Methods: One hundred and fifty consecutive overweight patients from the January 2009 to December 2012 with Basal metabolic index (BMI)>25 and obese patients (BMI>30) were included in this hospital based prospective study. Detailed evaluation of risk factors and family history of other diseases were taken, other obesity related indicators like WPRO, 2000 for BMI, waist circumference (NCEP ATP III and NCEP for South Asian ethnicity) NCEP– National Cholesterol Education Program and waist hip ratio (WHO criteria) were measured and comparison done in order to detect best method for application. These cases were evaluated for associated co-morbid condition and metabolic syndrome which were diagnosed using NCEP ATP III criteria.Results: The mean age of patients was 52.7 years. Commonest co-existing risk factors were alcohol consumption, smoking, hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Evaluation based on WHO criteria revealed that 56.7% patients were overweight, 38.7 % were obese class II and 4.6 % were class II. While 45.1% male and 69.1% female patients had central obesity. The figure was 81.7 % for males and 94.1% for females with WHO criteria using waist hip ratio. Risk factors like alcohol consumption (52.7%), smoking (52.7%) and fatty liver disease (22.66%) were the commonest co-morbid conditions.Conclusion: In the present study, risk factors of alcohol, smoking and hypertension and co-morbid conditions diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, ischemic heart disease, stroke and fatty liver were noted. Waist hip ratio was the best indicator to detect central obesity and co-morbid conditions and recommended to be used for Nepali population.JCMS Nepal. 2015;11(3):16-19
Orthodontic correction of severely rotated maxillary central incisor in a diabetic adult
Authors: Gyawali Rajesh , Pokharel Prabhat Ranjan , Giri Jamal , Gautam Ujwal
Published: December 2015

Background: Orthodontics has recently seen an increase in the number of adult population seeking treatment. Financial dependency, increasing awareness and availability of service can be the reasons behind this rise. Though, clinical myths regarding duration, effectiveness of treatment, associated systemic conditions still exist, these should be of no concern and with adequate monitoring and procedural modifications, conventional orthodontic treatment is possible.Case description: A 58 year old Type II diabetic male presented to orthodontic clinic with unesthetic gap between upper front teeth. The history revealed extraction of painful mesiodens. On examination, the patient had Class I molar, canine and incisor relationship. 21 was rotated with 5mm of space between central incisors. Fixed orthodontic treatment was planned after physician consultation regarding his diabetic condition. Bondable buccal tubes instead of bands were used in first molars, 0.022” Roth brackets were bonded on other maxillary teeth. The wire gradually progressed from 0.014”NiTi, 0.016”NiTi to 0.018”SS. Lingual button was attached on the labial and lingual surface of 21 to apply couple. After the correction of rotation of 21, remaining space closure with esthetic contouring of 21 was done. Maintenance of adequate oral hygiene was reinforced throughout the treatment period. Fixed lingual retainer was bonded and pericision performed to retain the achieved result.Conclusion: Orthodontic treatment can be carried out in diabetic adults with good glycemic control to achieve esthetic results; however, measures for maintenance of adequate oral hygiene should be undertaken. Interdisciplinary approach involving restorative procedures can enhance the esthetics achieved.JCMS Nepal. 2015;11(3):30-34
Exploring Driver Error at Intersections
Authors: Wang Kai , Qin Xiao
Published: December 2015

A large portion of crashes occur at intersections, and most such crashes are associated with driver mistakes. Severe mistakes may lead to serious injuries; therefore, it is necessary to investigate the factors that contribute to driver error and how those factors influence driver behavior. More information on these contributing factors can help researchers develop cost-effective countermeasures that might help mitigate driver error. The primary objective of this study was to examine key contributors to driver error that took place at uncontrolled, sign-controlled, and signalized intersections. An ordered-probit statistical model and a data-mining technique called “association rules” were implemented to explore these relationships. The results of both approaches were consistent. Association rules were found to be capable of discovering patterns in the data that could not be found in the ordered-probit statistical model. The secondary objective of this study was to provide new insights on how to improve intersection safety by adding to the knowledge regarding the contributing factors of those driver errors. Most, if not all, errors are related to human factors; thus, they can effectively be corrected through a holistic approach that involves engineering, enforcement, and education.
Multilevel Logistic Regression Modeling for Crash Mapping in Metropolitan Areas
Authors: Imprialou Maria-Ioanna M. , Quddus Mohammed , Pitfield David E.
Published: December 2015

The spatial nature of traffic crashes makes crash locations one of the most important and informative attributes of crash databases. It is, however, very likely that crash locations recorded in terms of easting and northing coordinates, distances from junctions, addresses, road names, and types are inaccurately reported. Improving the quality of crash location mapping therefore has the potential to enhance the accuracy of many spatial crash analyses. Determination of correct crash locations usually requires a combination of crash and network attributes with suitable crash-mapping methods. Urban road networks are more sensitive to erroneous matches because of high road density and inherent complexity. A novel crash-mapping method is presented; it is suitable for urban and metropolitan areas and matches all the crashes that occurred in London from 2010 to 2012. The method is based on a hierarchical data structure of crashes (i.e., candidate road links are nested within vehicles and vehicles are nested within crashes) and employs a multilevel logistic regression model to estimate the probability distribution of mapping a crash onto a set of candidate road links. The road link with the highest probability is considered to be the correct segment for mapping the crash. This method is based on two primary variables: ( a) distance between the crash location and a candidate segment and ( b) difference between the vehicle direction just before the collision and the link direction. Despite the fact that road names were not considered because of the limited availability of this variable in the applied crash database, the developed method provides 97.1% (±1%) accurate matches ( N = 1,000). The method was compared with two simpler, nonprobabilistic crash-mapping algorithms, and the results were used to demonstrate the effect of crash location data quality on a crash risk analysis.
Assessing Safety Improvements to Pedestrian Crossings Using Automated Conflict Analysis
Authors: Pin Calvin , Sayed Tarek , Zaki Mohamed H.
Published: December 2015

Surrogate safety measures, such as the traffic conflict technique, have been promoted as an alternative or complementary approach to evaluate road safety from a broader perspective than collision statistics alone. The before-and-after evaluation of safety treatments is one application that can significantly benefit from the use of surrogate safety measures. This study demonstrated the use of automated traffic conflict analysis to conduct before-and-after safety evaluations. The objective was to conduct a time-series (before-to-after) safety evaluation for an intersection in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, where several pedestrian-related countermeasures were implemented. Treatments included one or more of the following: use of protected-only turns for left-turning vehicles, installation of pedestrian countdown timers, crosswalk realignment, and use of drop-down sidewalks. Results indicated a significant decrease in both pedestrian conflict frequency and severity at the intersection following the treatments. A greater reduction of conflicts was exhibited on the western portion of the intersection where several countermeasures were implemented, including a protected left-turn phase, dual drop-down ramps, and a shift in the crosswalk further west. This variation in conflict reduction along different segments of the same intersection gives a particularized view of the impact of the adopted countermeasures. The outcome of this research provides evidence that surrogate safety indicators can be used effectively to diagnose safety problems and evaluate countermeasures at intersections.
Understanding Factors Affecting Frequency of Traffic Conflicts between Electric Bicycles and Motorized Vehicles at Signalized Intersections
Authors: Bai Lu , Liu Pan , Guo Yanyong , Xu Chengcheng
Published: December 2015

The primary objective of this study was to identify factors influencing traffic conflicts between electric bicycles and motorized vehicles at signalized intersections. Data were collected at 20 sites in the Kunming area in China. Three predominant types of traffic conflicts, which accounted for more than 75% of the total conflicts at the selected sites, were identified. Conflict models were developed to relate the frequency of traffic conflicts to various explanatory variables. Three types of models were compared: the fixed-effect, the random-effect, and the random-parameter generalized linear regression models. It was found that the random-parameter models provided the best goodness of fit to field data. With analysis of the elasticity of the explanatory variables, it was concluded that motorized vehicles played a more important role in conflict occurrences at signalized intersections than did two-wheeled vehicles. The presence of scooter-style electric bicycles had a considerably negative influence on the safety of signalized intersections, whereas the presence of bicycle-style electric bicycles had a minor effect. The current traffic channelization and barrier between motorized vehicles and bicycle lanes significantly reduce traffic conflicts between two-wheeled and motorized vehicles at signalized intersections.
Crash Patterns at Signalized Intersections
Authors: Polders Evelien , Daniels Stijn , Hermans Elke , Brijs Tom , Wets Geert
Published: December 2015

Traffic signals are often implemented to provide for efficient movement and to improve traffic safety. Nevertheless, severe crashes still occur at signalized intersections. This study aims to improve understanding of signalized intersection safety by identifying crash types, locations, and factors associated with signalized intersections. For this purpose, 1,295 police-reported crashes at 87 signalized intersections were analyzed on the basis of detailed crash descriptions, that is, crash data and collision diagrams. The information from the collision diagrams was used to distinguish six crash types and to create a crash location typology to divide the signalized intersection into 13 detailed typical segments. Logistic regression modeling techniques were used to identify relations between crash types, their crash location on certain signalized intersection segments, the crash severity, and the different features that affected crash occurrence. Four dominant crash types were identified: rear-end, side (i.e., left-turn plus right-angle), head-on, and vulnerable road user crashes. The results of the logistic regression models showed that the location of these crash types was related to specific signalized intersection segments. The results also revealed important signalized intersection features that affected the crash occurrence. As a result, connections between certain signalized intersection crash types, their crash location, and signalized intersection design characteristics were found. The combination of intersection features with detailed signalized intersection segments provided valuable insights into the nature of signalized intersection crashes and the safety impact of signalized intersection design.
Analyses of Multiyear Statewide Secondary Crash Data and Automatic Crash Report Reviewing
Authors: Zheng Dongxi , Chitturi Madhav V. , Bill Andrea R. , Noyce David A.
Published: December 2015

Secondary crashes are undesired consequences of highway incidents. Previous studies used different methods to identify secondary crashes. However, because of the expense of accurate identification, most studies focused only on small-scale highway networks (e.g., up to urban arte-rials). Some studies considered statewide networks, but the accuracy of their secondary crash identification methods was not justified. Recently, the authors proposed an efficient method to identify secondary crashes on statewide freeway networks with reasonable accuracy. A 1-year case study was conducted for preliminary analysis. As a continuing effort, this research included four more years of secondary crash data and found that (a) rear-end and sideswipe crashes in the same direction were the top two secondary crash types; (b) road debris, construction zones, and obscured visibility were three major potential highway contributing factors; ( c) following too closely, inattentive driving, losing vehicle control, and speeding were four major potential driver contributing factors; ( d) temporal distributions by hour and month were different between secondary crashes and general crashes; and ( e) secondary crash hot spots clustered around urban areas and were within 1 mi from major freeway interchanges. In addition, an algorithm was proposed to detect secondary crashes on the basis of police narratives in the crash reports. This algorithm was evaluated by using 5-year secondary crash data (4 years for training and 1 year for testing). By choosing an optimal threshold, this algorithm identified all true secondary crashes while keeping false positives at a low number.
Assessment of Pedestrian Risk at Crossings with Kinematic-Probabilistic Model
Authors: Gaca Stanislaw , Kiec Mariusz
Published: December 2015

One of the primary road safety problems in Poland is accidents involving pedestrians. Accident statistics indicate a significant 26.5% share of pedestrians in accidents and their consequences; that is, the number of injured and killed pedestrians exceeds one-third of all accident fatalities. Many factors affect accidents involving pedestrians, such as those related to road characteristics, speed, and traffic volume. The authors used surrogate measures of road safety risk assessment that included speed change on the approach to a crossing. This assessment was carried out by applying a model taking into account fatality risk as a function of impact speed for pedestrians struck by the front of a passenger car and the initial vehicle speed. Initial speed was analyzed in relation to vehicle speeds recorded on the approach to various pedestrian crossings with different signs and locations. The presented model can support evaluation of road safety for various infrastructural measures at pedestrian crossings while taking into account a number of variables such as lighting and surface conditions as well as the distance at which pedestrians are noticed in the moment when braking begins. On the basis of research results, hazard levels caused by the sudden appearance of a pedestrian on the road, depending on the type of pedestrian crossing, were evaluated. Ratios of the probability of a road accident at compared types of pedestrian crossings were evaluated as well as the probability of fatalities caused by intrusion on the pedestrian crossing.
Effects of Multimodal Operations on Urban Roadways
Authors: Arnet Kathrin , Guler S. Ilgin , Menendez Monica
Published: December 2015

Public transportation (e.g., buses) can provide more efficient urban transportation systems by carrying more people in the same space. A commonly used solution to prioritize this mode is to dedicate a lane for bus use only. However, the changes in system capacity are not clear for the use of a dedicated bus lane instead of completely mixed-use lanes. Even if the capacity of the dedicated bus lane were not fully used, this strategy could still increase car capacity in the remaining lanes in two ways: ( a) buses traveling on a separate lane would eliminate conflicting bus maneuvers and ( b) the reduced number of lanes available for cars could reduce the number of lane changes and could smooth traffic. This paper empirically analyzes differences in car capacity between ( a) a mixed-use scenario without the influence of buses and a dedicated-lane scenario and ( b) a mixed-use scenario with and without buses. Results show that with mixed-use lanes the car capacity per lane remains the same as compared with a dedicated-lane scenario. However, in mixed-use conditions, the presence of a bus in traffic flow can reduce capacity by 20%. Based on these findings, a simple analysis is carried out to compare passenger delay at urban signalized intersections with a mixed use versus dedicated bus lane. It is shown that passenger delay can be reduced with use of dedicated bus lanes if bus occupancies are relatively high or if car demand is low.
Worker Attitude toward Bus Rapid Transit: Considering Dhaka, Bangladesh
Authors: Nasrin Sharmin , Bunker Jonathan , Zheng Zuduo
Published: December 2015

The government of Bangladesh is planning to develop and implement bus rapid transit (BRT) in Dhaka City. This paper presents a stated choice survey conducted to understand workers’ attitudes toward BRT in Dhaka. Survey data were analyzed with a multinomial logit model to scrutinize the effect of social and economic factors on participants’ mode choices. Analysis results revealed that males, older workers, workers with higher education qualifications, and workers with higher incomes have a greater tendency toward choosing BRT.
Modeling Bus Travel Time Reliability with Supply and Demand Data from Automatic Vehicle Location and Smart Card Systems
Authors: Ma Zhen-Liang , Ferreira Luis , Mesbah Mahmoud , Hojati Ahmad Tavassoli
Published: December 2015

Travel time reliability is an important aspect of bus service quality. Despite a significant body of research on private vehicle reliability, little attention has been paid to bus travel time reliability at the stop-to-stop link level on different types of roads. This study aims to identify and quantify the underlying determinants of bus travel time reliability on links of different road types with the use of supply and demand data from automatic vehicle location and smart card systems collected in Brisbane, Australia. Three general bus-related models were developed with respect to the main concerns of travelers and planners: average travel time, buffer time, and coefficient of variation of travel time. Five groups of alternative models were developed to account for variations caused by different road types, including arterial road, motorway, busway, and central business district. Seemingly unrelated regression equations estimation were applied to account for cross-equation correlations across regression models in each group. Three main categories of unreliability contributory factors were identified and tested in this study, namely, planning, operational, and environmental. Model results provided insights into these factors that affect bus travel time and its variability. The most important predictors were found to be the recurrent congestion index, traffic signals, and passenger demand at stops. Results could be used to target specific strategies aimed at reducing unreliability on different types of roads.
How Land Use Affects Station Access Behaviors of Bus Rapid Transit Passengers in Bangkok, Thailand
Authors: Chalermpong Saksith , Ratanawaraha Apiwat
Published: December 2015

This paper provides empirical evidence on ways commuters access bus rapid transit (BRT) stations in Bangkok, Thailand. It is hypothesized that land use characteristics in areas near BRT stations affect passengers’ travel behavior, particularly the station access portion of the trip. The authors conducted interview surveys of BRT commuters and another survey of land use and transport network characteristics around BRT stations. It was found that the three most widely used modes of access were walking, motorcycle taxi, and bus, with average access distances of 373, 1,040, and 7,076 m, respectively. In addition, the logistic regression technique was used to model walking access mode choice as a function of land use characteristics around stations where passengers boarded the BRT, controlling socioeconomic and trip characteristics. It was found that land use characteristics, including residential, commercial, service, retail, and financial land use intensity in BRT station areas, affected passengers’ tendency to walk to BRT stations. The extent of the catchment area and the determinants of travel behavior have important implications for land use and transportation policies that aim to promote transit-oriented development, particularly those that allow for greater building density around transit stations.
Method for Assessing Bus Delay in Mixed Traffic to Identify Transit Priority Improvement Locations in Cambridge, Massachusetts
Authors: Rosenblum Jeffrey L. , Allen Duncan W. , Bennett Tegin L. , Warade Ritesh K. , Stoughton Cleo M.
Published: December 2015

Urban transit services face a number of challenges from space constraints, congestion, and delays, among other issues. Implementing bus priority at traffic signals or providing exclusive operating space for buses can increase the attractiveness of taking the bus and thereby encourage ridership. The City of Cambridge, Massachusetts, was looking to pilot such interventions to demonstrate benefits of bus ridership, but needed a prioritized list of route segments with the largest levels of excess travel time to do so. Three metrics were used to evaluate delay: vehicle delay, overall passenger delay, and system reliability. These three metrics were combined into a single composite rating system for each segment and used to identify route segments along which buses experienced the most delay. The City of Cambridge analyzed high-ridership bus routes with automatic passenger counter data to identify segments along the route where buses experienced substantial delay. The next step for this project is to conduct an on-site field visit of targeted segments to develop potential bus prioritization proposals for each. This paper outlines the method developed to calculate bus delay by segment and presents results for one route analyzed.
Exploring Multiplier Effects Generated by Bus Lane Combinations
Authors: Truong Long Tien , Sarvi Majid , Currie Graham
Published: December 2015

Numerous studies have explored design and evaluation of bus lane priority by using empirical, analytical, and simulation approaches. However, none attempted to understand how different bus lane combinations, such as continuous and discontinuous bus lane sections, and a different number of bus lane sections, affect bus performance and general traffic. This paper investigates operational effects of bus lane combinations to establish whether multiple bus lane sections create a multiplier effect in which a series of continuous bus lane sections creates more benefits than several single-lane sections. If a multiplier effect exists, it suggests scale economies in wider implementation of bus priority on a networkwide scale. Overall, results confirm that there is a multiplier effect; thus bus travel time benefits and general traffic travel time disbenefits are proportional to the number of links with a bus lane. The effect suggests a constant return to scale on continuous multiple sections. The results also suggest that converting a traffic lane to a bus lane when the upstream traffic volume exceeds the capacity of the remaining traffic lanes causes significant negative effects for buses and general traffic. In addition, negative general traffic effects of continuous bus lane combinations are lower than those for a similar number of discontinuous bus lanes. Bus delays at intersections approaching the bus lane tend to improve when upstream traffic volume does not exceed the capacity of remaining downstream traffic lanes. Policy implications and areas for future research are suggested.
Optimal Synchronized Transfers in Schedule-Based Public Transport Networks Using Online Operational Tactics
Authors: Liu Tao , Ceder Avishai (Avi) , Ma Jihui , Nesheli Mahmood Mahmoodi , Guan Wei
Published: December 2015

Synchronized transfers in schedule-based public transport (PT) networks are used to reduce interroute or intermodal passenger transfer waiting time and provide a well-connected service. However, in practice, synchronized transfers do not always materialize because of some stochastic and uncertain factors, such as traffic disturbances and disruptions, fluctuations in passenger demand, and erroneous behavior of PT drivers. As a result, missed direct transfers not only frustrate existing users but also discourage potential passengers from using PT service. This work presents an optimization procedure based on a model predictive control (MPC) to increase the actual occurrence of synchronized transfers in schedule-based PT networks. The procedure aims to reduce the uncertainty of meetings between PT vehicles. MPC uses selected online operational tactics based on real-time data, such as skip stop, speed change, and holding. First a library of operational tactics was built to serve as a basis for the sequential receding horizon control process in the MPC. Then, an event activity network with dynamic moving elements was constructed to represent the logical process of the PT transfer synchronization problem. The MPC procedure for a real-time deployment of operational tactics was explicated. A detailed example was used as an expository device to illustrate the procedure developed, along with a real-life example from Auckland, New Zealand.
Evaluation of Bus Reliability Measures and Development of a New Composite Indicator
Authors: Gittens Antonio , Shalaby Amer
Published: December 2015

Reliability is cited as a key aspect of service quality, but many of the indicators in use today do not measure reliability from the user's perspective. A review of earlier work on transit user behavior concluded that the traveler's perspective of reliability was driven by punctuality in arriving at the destination, short waiting times at the origin stop, and consistent wait and travel times. Twenty indicators were assessed, but none were well suited to capturing all of these elements of reliability. A new measure, journey time buffer index (JTBI), was therefore proposed; the index used estimates of wait times at bus stops while capturing variability in wait and travel times that tended to increase the disutility of transit travel. Alternative formulations were developed for short and long headway service, and the new indicator was applied to the London Transit Commission's bus network in London, Ontario, Canada. This procedure demonstrated that the JTBI was better suited to identifying the factors contributing to unreliable service than metrics that focused on a single component of reliability. A linear regression analysis also highlighted that route length, stop spacing, time of day, route orientation relative to the city center, and passenger load all influenced reliability although the low adjusted R2 value of .298 showed that some major causes of reliability were not captured by the model.
Modeling Diesel and Hybrid Bus Fuel Consumption with Virginia Tech Comprehensive Power-Based Fuel Consumption Model: Model enhancements and Calibration issues
Authors: Edwardes William , Rakha Hesham
Published: December 2015

The goal of this paper was to develop a calibration procedure and use it to estimate diesel bus fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emission levels. There are few models for estimating those values. Available models require dynamometer data to calibrate model parameters and produce a bang-bang control system (optimum control entails maximum throttle and braking input). The only diesel fuel consumption model that does not suffer from these deficiencies is the Virginia Tech comprehensive power-based fuel consumption model (VT-CPFM). VT-CPFM can be calibrated with publicly available data from the Altoona Bus Research and Testing Center. However, each bus is slightly different because it is built and tuned for the specific transit agency. Consequently, research presented in this paper enhanced the VT-CPFM for modeling diesel buses and developed a procedure for calibrating bus fuel consumption models by using in-field data. All models produced a good fit to the in-field data with a coefficient of determination ( R2) greater than .936, and the sum of the mean squared error for each quarter of a second was less than 0.002. Validation found an average error of 17.55% in total fuel consumed during the validation portion of the test. However, for tests with air-conditioning on, the average error was 10.82%.
Measuring Bus Stops toward a Sustainable Urban Environment
Authors: Ma Wenbin , Hsiao Shirley , MacKechnie Christopher
Published: December 2015

This paper describes how a bus stop measuring system can be developed not only to achieve transit operation efficiency but also to collaborate proactively with urban planners and traffic engineers on transit–land use interface activities. The measuring system was developed by identifying transit performance variants at the bus stop level with the use of a dynamic composite weighting factor approach on a geographic information system platform. A tier structure framework was used to categorize the composite scores of bus stops into six groups. Specific transit improvement actions were then tailored on the basis of their bus stop characteristics. Two project application examples are presented in this paper. One is a bus stop thinning project for speed improvement, and the other is for prioritizing capital project improvements. As various active transportation programs emerge to encourage local jurisdictions to plan transit connectivity with other community gathering places, this bus stop measuring approach presents a con tinued process to monitor their performance. It is also used to strengthen integration with other street improvement activities, including pedestrian paths and bikeways, to create a safe and sustainable urban environment.
Cost–Benefit Analysis of Rural and Small Urban Transit in the United States
Authors: Godavarthy Ranjit Prasad , Mattson Jeremy , Ndembe Elvis
Published: December 2015

The true value of transit systems in rural and small urban areas in the United States has been largely unmeasured, and there are often effects that go unidentified. Many studies have documented the benefits of urban transit systems with benefit–cost analysis. However, not many have looked into the benefits of transit in rural and small urban areas, where there is a great need for public transit, especially for transportation-disadvantaged individuals. This study focused on evaluating the qualitative and quantitative benefits of rural and small urban public transit systems and analyzed the benefit–cost ratio for rural and small urban transit areas for fixed-route and demand-response services in the United States. Data for rural and small urban transit systems from the national transit database (NTD) and rural NTD were used for calibrating the transit benefits and costs. Results were presented at a national level to show the effects of transit investments in rural and small urban areas nationally. Transit benefits in the United States for 2011 were found to be $1.6 billion for rural transit and $3.7 billion for small urban transit, not including the economic effects. Results showed a benefit–cost ratio of 2.16 for small urban transit and 1.20 for rural transit in the United States. Sensitivity analysis showed that increasing the percentage of forgone trips to 50%, increasing the cost of forgone medical and work trips by 25%, and increasing the percentage of medical trips to 30% substantially increased the total transit benefits by 88%, 20%, and 158%, respectively.
A Screening Test for Iron Deficiency Anaemia and Thalassaemia Traits
Authors: Kabir Amin Lutful , Dipta Tashmim Farhana , Khatun Hajera , Rahman Mohammad Hafizur , Haq Mahfuz , Uddin Mohammad Kazim , Begum Masuda
Published: December 2015

Both iron deficiency and thalassaemia trait can present with hypochromic microcytic morphology. Naked eye single tube red cell osmotic fragility (NESTROF) is an inexpensive and simple test which can effectively differentiate iron deficiency anaemia from thalassaemia trait. Our study was an opportunity to observe the role of NESTROF in screening of thalassaemia trait among our study population. Initially NESTROF was carried out in 677 patients (N) population of four groups having both positive and negative NESTORF; for economical issue, auto-analyzer study and haemoglobin electrophoresis were done among only 100 randomly selected subjects, who were finally included in our study as final study population (n). In our study, NESTROF was 94.23% sensitive and its specificity was 92.08%. The predictive value of a positive test was 88.13% and predictive value of a negative test was 96.24%. Our study showed, NESTROF can effectively differentiate iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) from thalassaemia trait but, is not effective in co-existent IDA and thalassaemia.J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2014; 32: 190-193
The Role of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in the Management of Breast Cancer
Authors: Saha Moni Mohan , Hossain Md Mokter , Saha Sukumar
Published: December 2015

The sentinel lymph node (SLN) is defined as the first node(s) receiving lymphatic drainage from a primary tumour. A promising alternative to axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) is sentinel lymph node biopsy. SLN biopsy has been introduced as a technique to identify axillary lymph node most likely to contain tumour cells metastasizing from a primary carcinoma of breast. Several methods of identifying the SLN exists, including the use of radioactive tracer, lymphazurin dye or combination of the two via intraparenchymal and/or intradermal, peritumoral or periaerolar injection sites. Intraoperative evaluation of SLNs are done by performing FS(Frozen Section) on all the lymph nodes after serially sectioning them at 3-4mm intervals; at least 2 levels are cut of all the sentinel lymph nodes. In addition, touch preparation cytology(TP) smear may also be made for evaluation. The limitations of SLNB is that a proportion of patients who have metastasis limited to the SLN can be predicted when there is a combination of tumour size <1.0cm, the absence of lymphovascular invasion and micrometastatic disease (<0.2cm) in SLN. However for patients with large breast cancer, the role of SLNB is controversial. Early studies of SLNB in large breast cancer patients demonstrated a high (8-18%) false negative rate, with the accuracy worsening with the increasing size. Excision of SLNs have an extremely low morbidity and a high degree of staging accuracy. A tumour-free SLN virtually excludes lymphatic involvement of the entire regional lymphatic basin. More than 50 observational studies of SLNB validated by a back up ALND demonstrate that SLNB is feasible, accurate and suitable for virtually all patients with operable clinically node negative disease. Sentinel lymph node biopsy not only provide prognostic information, but also aims to guide adjuvant therapy without the untoward side effects of complete axillary dissection.J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2014; 32: 211-217
Prolonged Fever in Adult Stills Disease  A Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Majumder Md Shafayet Hasan , Jalil Md Ehsan
Published: December 2015

Prolonged high fever is a common clinical problem and sometimes the diagnosis is difficult, management can be a challenge to the clinicians. Adult onset Stills Disease is a rare systemic inflammatory disorder of unknown etiology that is responsible for a significant proportion of cases of fever of unknown origin and can also have serious musculoskeletal sequelae. The disease presents as a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to the clinicians and clinical guidelines are lacking. The emergence of classification criteria, discovery of better serological markers and the application of new biological agents may all provide the clinicians with significant tools for the diagnosis and management of this complex disorderJ Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2014; 32: 224-228
A Young Male Presenting with Polyuria and Unilateral Exophthalmos
Authors: Das Aparna , Cader F Aaysha
Published: December 2015

Abstract not availableJ Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2014; 32: 241-243
College News 32(4)
Authors: Ahasan HAM Nazmul
Published: December 2015

Abstract not availableJ Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2014; 32: 246-250
Assesment of Coronary Artery Disease by The Detection of Inflammatory Marker Like Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate, Neutrophil Lymphocyte Ratio and Leucocyte Count
Authors: Bhuiyan Mohammad Monzurul Alam , Islam Md Saiful , Ferdousi Sheuli , Ghosh Mousumi , Paul Debatosh , Sultana Tuhin , Hoque Harisul , Rahman Quddusur , Ahmed AN Nashimuddin
Published: December 2015

Background: The inflammatory marker like erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), neutrophil lymphocyte ratio (NLR), total leucocyte count can be a useful tool to detect and measure the early detection of coronary artery disease (CAD). Objective: To assess the ESR, NLR and total leucocyte count as a useful inflammatory marker for detection of coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods: This case control study was conducted in the Department of Clinical pathology in collaboration with Department of Cardiology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Shahbag, Dhaka from March 2014 to February 2015. Total 134 patients were enrolled in this study who were waiting for further percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the Department of Cardiology, BSMMU; 84 cases were considered as Group I (Patients with CAD) and 50 controls were Group II (Patients without CAD). Coronary artery disease with 50% coronary artery stenosis and more critical lesion that were diagnosed by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were included in this study as cases. Coronary artery disease with less than 50% coronary artery stenosis who were diagnosed by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were included in this study as control. The statistical analysis was done by Chi-square test and unpaired samplet test. Results: NLR and ESR was higher in CAD (+) group compared to group without CAD (-) (2.76 (±0.74) vs. 1.56 (±0.15), p<0.001) and (31.07± (18.25) vs. 11.76± (6.20), p<0.001).Conclusion: ESR and NLR was higher in patients with angiographically proven CAD compared to those without CAD. ESR and NLR may be a useful inflammatory marker to detect the presence of CAD.University Heart Journal Vol. 10, No. 2, July 2014; 55-59
Dental students’ and lecturers’ perception of the degree of difficulty of caries detection associated learning topics in Brazil
Authors: Lara Juan Sebastian , Braga Mariana Minatel , Shitsuka Caleb , Wen Chao Lung , Haddad Ana Estela
Published: December 2015

Purpose: It aimed to explore the degree of difficulty of caries-detection-associated-topics perceived by dental students and lecturers as pedagogical step in the development of learning objects for e-learning. Methods: A convenience sample comprising ninety-eight subjects from different academic levels (undergraduate/graduate students and pediatric dentistry lecturers) participated. Two spreadsheets (isolated/relative) were created considering key topics in the caries detection process. The isolated evaluation intended to explore each topic in an isolated way, while the relative intended to classify, comparatively, the participants’ perceived difficulty per topic. Afterwards, data were analyzed. All values on spreadsheets were combined obtaining the subject’s final perception. Associations between the subjects’ degree of the perceived difficulty and academic level were estimated. ANOVA was used to determine differences regarding the perception among evaluated topics in distinct groups. Results: Caries histopathology and detection of proximal carious lesions were the topics perceived as the most difficult in the process of caries detection by both students and lecturers. Differentiation between an extrinsic pigmentation and a brown-spot (caries lesion) as well as differential diagnosis between caries and enamel developmental defects or non-carious lesions were considered as more difficult by undergraduates in comparison to graduates/lecturers (regression-coefficient=14.54; Standard Error=3.34; P<0.001 and 8.40, 3.31, and 0.01 respectively). Conclusion: Topics as histopathology and detection of proximal caries lesions were identified as the most difficult despite the academic level. However, some topics are differently perceived according to the group. These results are useful for developing pedagogical material, based on the students real learning needs/expectations.
Taking up Cancer Immunotherapy Challenges: Bispecific Antibodies, the Path Forward?
Authors: Del Bano Joanie , Chames Patrick , Baty Daniel , Kerfelec Brigitte
Published: December 2015

As evidenced by the recent approvals of Removab (EU, Trion Pharma) in 2009 and of Blincyto (US, Amgen) in 2014, the high potential of bispecific antibodies in the field of immuno-oncology is eliciting a renewed interest from pharmaceutical companies. Supported by rapid advances in antibody engineering and the development of several technological platforms such as Triomab or bispecific T cell engagers (BiTEs), the “bispecifics” market has increased significantly over the past decade and may occupy a pivotal space in the future. Over 30 bispecific molecules are currently in different stages of clinical trials and more than 70 in preclinical phase. This review focuses on the clinical potential of bispecific antibodies as immune effector cell engagers in the onco-immunotherapy field. We summarize current strategies targeting various immune cells and their clinical interests. Furthermore, perspectives of bispecific antibodies in future clinical developments are addressed.
Novel Molecular Non-Volatile Memory: Application of Redox-Active Molecules
Authors: Zhu Hao , Li Qiliang
Published: December 2015

This review briefly describes the development of molecular electronics in the application of non-volatile memory. Molecules, especially redox-active molecules, have become interesting due to their intrinsic redox behavior, which provides an excellent basis for low-power, high-density and high-reliability non-volatile memory applications. Recently, solid-state non-volatile memory devices based on redox-active molecules have been reported, exhibiting fast speed, low operation voltage, excellent endurance and multi-bit storage, outperforming the conventional floating-gate flash memory. Such high performance molecular memory will lead to promising on-chip memory and future portable/wearable electronics applications.
Erratum: Hassan, M.; et al. An Assessment of the South Asian Summer Monsoon Variability for Present and Future Climatologies Using a High Resolution Regional Climate Model (RegCM4.3) under the AR5 Scenarios. Atmosphere 2015, 6, 1833–1857
Authors:   Atmosphere Editorial Office
Published: December 2015

The published date in the paper [1] should be 23 November 2015. We apologize to the authors of the paper and readers of Atmosphere for any inconvenience caused. [...]