bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High Ridership Growth from Extended Transit Service Hours
Authors: Currie Graham , Loader Chris
Published: January 2010

Ridership growth is now a major objective of transit systems throughout the world. Increasing the quantity of service provided is acknowledged as a means of increasing ridership, but it is an expensive means. Previous research showed that ridership growth returns about a third to a half the percentage growth in expanded service kilometers invested (a short-run elasticity of 0.3 to 0.5) for local bus route improvements. Little research has examined the impact of extending hours of service into the evening. Research was done to explore why higher-than-expected ridership growth was shown in a project in which bus route operating hours were extended into weekday and weekend evenings. Elasticities of more than 0.8 were experienced on weekend services, generally above previous experience. Analysis found that where services were extended into evening hours, about half the ridership growth occurred during the daytime when no changes to services were implemented. It is hypothesized that this is caused by enabling daytime outbound-from-home trips such that riders can return in the evening by using buses. Investigation of travel-behavior patterns established that much outbound daytime travel was tied to return travel in the evening. The patterns examined were consistent with this hypothesis. Implications of these findings, including suggestions for further research in this field, are discussed.
Assessing the Contribution and the Feasibility of a Citywide Personal Rapid Transit System
Authors: Muir Helen , Jeffery David , May Anthony D. , Tripodi Antonino , Shepherd Simon , Vaa Torgeir
Published: January 2010

There is renewed interest in Europe in the potential role of new automated technologies for urban transport. One such system is personal rapid transit (PRT), a system of automated demand-responsive vehicles designed to transport individuals directly to their destinations. Assessing the contribution of such a system when applied extensively in an urban area is challenging. Methods used to assess the potential viability of traditional systems have to be updated to incorporate the new technologies. Several interrelated methods are examined to assess the feasibility and potential benefits of a citywide PRT system by using a case study region. Microsimulation analysis is used to obtain relationships between network characteristics, level of service, demand, and system performances. Outputs from this analysis feed into the strategic model that is used to test the contribution that such a system will make. Outputs from both the microsimulation and strategic modeling are used in the creation and running of a business case tool that provides the basis of the economic justification for such a scheme. Finally, barriers to the introduction of a PRT system are described, along with means of overcoming them.
Residential Off-Street Parking Impacts on Car Ownership, Vehicle Miles Traveled, and Related Carbon Emissions
Authors: Weinberger Rachel , Seaman Mark , Johnson Carolyn
Published: January 2010

Parking is a key element of the street and highway system. Parking supply affects driving demand by changing the underlying cost structure associated with mode choice decisions. It also affects levels of auto ownership by changing the cost of auto ownership. These two facts combine to make parking management an important and powerful tool for both traffic and air-quality management. A pilot analysis of demographics, highway and transit access, and off-street parking in two New York City neighborhoods strongly suggests that the provision of residential off-street parking affects commuting behavior. Moreover, the type of parking provision plays a strong role in determining mode share. Accessory parking that is adjacent to a home, in a garage or driveway, seems more likely to generate auto commutes than does parking in commercial centralized lots. This analysis, which was followed by testing plausible development scenarios, shows that the city's residential off-street parking regulations will undermine its own vision for a sustainable future.
Social Network and Dwelling Characteristics that Influence Ridesharing Behavior of Seniors
Authors: Silvis Julia , Niemeier Debbie
Published: January 2010

By several measures, older people travel less than younger people do. Riding in cars as passengers (ridesharing) is the second most common mode of transportation for those older than 65 (driving being first), and it is a prime coping strategy for mobility loss. Yet little is known about the factors that influence ridesharing. The decision by seniors to rideshare was considered in view of their social network characteristics and their living arrangements. Two hypotheses were evaluated: seniors with larger social networks will rideshare more frequently and those living in retirement communities will rideshare more frequently than those living in the community at large. With the use of survey data collected in California from retirement community– and community-dwelling seniors, a binary logit model was specified to test these hypotheses and find conditional support for both hypotheses. Social network size, on its own, does not strongly influence ridesharing. Yet respondents who participated more frequently in social activities were more likely to rideshare regularly. Respondents living in retirement communities were more likely to be regular ridesharers, although whether a respondent lived in a retirement community did not enter the model, perhaps because of significant differences between retirement community– and community-dwelling seniors on five of the six variables in the final model. Those variables captured the influence of living in a retirement community on ridesharing. In conclusion, the decision by seniors to rideshare on a regular basis seems to be a choice made of necessity and used as one of several ways to circumvent mobility limitations; furthermore, seniors with more active social networks are better placed than others to rideshare regularly.
Evaluation of Travel Demand Management Strategies Using Importance–Performance Analysis
Authors: Ko Joonho , Cho Youngjae , Choi Jinheoun , Kim Tae Ho
Published: January 2010

An importance–performance analysis (IPA) technique was used to evaluate 11 travel demand management (TDM) strategies in Seoul, South Korea, to improve TDM programs. The IPA technique, initially developed in the field of marketing, is known as an efficient tool for assessing the effectiveness of marketing strategies as well as their expected outcomes. On the basis of a survey addressed to four expert groups and a citizen group, importance and performance ratings for TDM strategies were obtained and analyzed. Results suggested that public transportation–related strategies should be kept as key elements of TDM strategies, on the basis of their high scores in both importance and performance evaluations. In addition, comparative analyses indicated that citizens’ perception of the strategies is different from that of the experts, especially in the performance evaluations. In conclusion, the IPA technique is a useful and efficient tool for identifying whether a TDM strategy is being effectively implemented, in terms of its expected level and compared with other strategies.
Cap-and-Trade
Authors: Millard-Ball Adam
Published: January 2010

This paper identifies for transportation planners five key implications of extending cap-and-trade for greenhouse gas emissions to the transportation sector, as envisaged in legislative and regulatory proposals in the U.S. Congress and in the western states and Canadian provinces. First, cap-and-trade would increase gasoline prices as refiners and fuel importers pass on the cost of carbon allowances; a $30 per metric ton price of carbon allowances equates to 27 cents per gallon of gasoline. Second, transit, smart growth, and other emission reduction projects might be eligible for billions of dollars in revenue from carbon allowance auctions. Third, as emissions would be constrained at the level of the cap, transportation projects would be unlikely to have any impact on aggregate emissions. Any environmental benefit of a project (reduced emissions) would be converted into an economic benefit (reduced carbon allowance prices and thus reduced compliance costs in other sectors). Fourth, the converse of this argument suggests a weakening of the potential to use the environmental review process to mitigate emissions from development projects. There may be an economic impact (higher carbon allowance prices), but not an environmental impact (emissions would be constrained at the level of the cap). Finally, extending cap-and-trade to the transportation sector would eliminate the potential for revenue from the sale of offsets, as this would double count emission reductions.
Applying System-Level Performance Measures and Targets in the Detroit, Michigan, Metropolitan Planning Process
Authors: Guerre Joseph A. , Evans Jennifer
Published: January 2010

The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) is the metropolitan planning organization for the Detroit, Michigan, region. SEMCOG is in the early stages of developing its 2035 regional transportation plan (RTP). As part of its planning process, SEMCOG is implementing a new approach for prioritizing transportation investments. The objectives of this effort are to ( a) build consensus on the region's transportation priorities and help ensure that the projects included in the RTP support these priorities, ( b) provide decision makers with the quantitative information needed to understand fully the consequences of their investment choices, and ( c) enable SEMCOG to develop an RTP that is realistic in terms of how much it will cost and how much it can achieve. SEMCOG's investment prioritization process consists of defining measures of effectiveness, analyzing the relationship between funding and performance in each of its goal areas, and presenting the results to decision makers in a manner that helps them reach a consensus on long-range funding and performance targets for the region. This paper describes each step in SEMCOG's prioritization process and presents the results of the analysis that was used to facilitate an initial round of target-setting discussions. It presents a comprehensive example of how an agency has incorporated performance measures and targets into their regional planning process.
Challenge of Evacuating the Carless in Five Major U.S. Cities
Authors: Renne John L. , Sanchez Thomas W. , Jenkins Pam , Peterson Robert
Published: January 2010

The 2007 evacuation of New Orleans, Louisiana, was one of the most successful in U.S. history with more than 1.2 million people evacuating the region by car during a 48-h period. It was also one of the most unsuccessful evacuations for a carless society–-those without access to cars or those without the physical or economic means to evacuate who were stranded below sea level. Reasons for the successful car-based evacuation stem from local, regional, and interstate collaboration of transportation professionals, emergency managers, and state police to establish a highway contra-flow traffic management system. Evacuating carless and special needs populations requires collaboration of various stakeholders, including transportation planners, emergency managers, health-care providers, and others. This discussion is based on stakeholder focus groups across five U.S. regions, including Chicago, Illinois; Miami, Florida; New Orleans; New York; and San Francisco, California. The paper concludes with a discussion of overall themes emerging from the focus groups around coordinating emergency preparedness at a regional scale.
E-Government Service Offerings and Website Content of Florida's Metropolitan Planning Organizations
Authors: Bond Alexander , Kramer Jeffrey
Published: January 2010

Most metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) maintain websites to support their mission of comprehensive transportation planning. Websites can add value to several agency functions, including public involvement, intergovernmental coordination, and information dissemination. This research project reviewed the websites of all 26 MPOs in Florida. Websites were rated on several facets of their functionality and content. The study concluded that all Florida MPOs are meeting or exceeding the minimum electronic availability standards set by Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users and public notification standards of Florida State Statute. However, the functionality and the content of these websites were generally lower than those found on local government websites. Specifically, many MPO websites were not deploying business tools, raw data download capability, and Web 2.0 technology. Other findings include the need for dedicated MPO domain names, reduced size of plan documents, and direct contact between professional staff and the public.
Integrated Transportation and User Capacity Research in Yosemite National Park
Authors: Lawson Steve , Newman Peter , Choi Janet , Pettebone Dave , Meldrum Bret
Published: January 2010

The broad purpose of user capacity management in national parks is to identify the types and amounts of use that can be accommodated in a park, while desired resource and experiential conditions are maintained. Traffic management and transportation planning in national parks are increasingly recognized as inextricably linked with user capacity management. The purpose of this study was to develop a tool to integrate transportation and user capacity management in Yosemite National Park. The study consisted of three primary components. First, survey research was used to identify visitor-based standards of quality for crowding in Yosemite Valley. Second, regression modeling was used to estimate statistical relationships between inbound vehicle traffic at park entrance stations and visitor use levels at recreation sites in Yosemite Valley. Third, regression model estimates of visitor use at recreation sites in Yosemite Valley were simulated with computer models to estimate the extent of crowding that occurs in the valley as a result of different levels of inbound vehicle traffic at park entrance stations. Simulation results were compared with visitor-based standards to characterize the quality of visitor experiences in Yosemite Valley associated with different volumes of vehicle traffic entering the park. Thus, the results of this study provide an empirical basis for managing vehicle traffic entering the park in a manner that maintains the quality of visitors’ experiences in Yosemite Valley. Further, the approach developed in this study can be adapted to other National Park System units to support integrated transportation planning and user capacity management systemwide.
Impacts of Performance Management on Transport Planning Organizations
Authors: Marsden Greg
Published: January 2010

How can public-sector organizations that are dependent on public funding–-but expected to perform more like the best-performing private-sector organizations–-adapt, modify, and adjust to meet the demands of key stakeholders and thereby maintain and increase levels of funding? This paper reviews the experience of local government in England, where just such a transformation has been brought forward in the past decade. Since 2001, local transport authorities have been required to develop a 5-year transport strategy with a series of key performance indicators and to set targets to be achieved. Over the past 5 years the levels of funding awarded to these authorities have varied according to factors including the quality of the plan, the robustness of the analysis underpinning projections, the delivery of planned schemes, and the achievement of the targets set. The paper presents the findings of two research projects conducted from 2003 to 2008 in collaboration with 20 local transport authorities. It describes the nature of the planning system that has brought about the organizational change. It then provides, on the basis of the research, a series of advantages and disadvantages that the new system has generated before presenting some solutions that have been developed to reduce the downsides. Some conclusions about the role of performance management and rewards and organizational targets are drawn for both the managing and participating agencies.
Predicting Land Use Change
Authors: Iacono Michael J. , Levinson David M.
Published: January 2010

This paper proposes to measure the extent of the influence of transportation systems on land use change. With a set of high-resolution land use data for the Twin Cities, Minnesota, metropolitan region, logistic regression models of land use change are estimated for a 10-year period from 1990 to 2000. The models account for existing land use types, neighboring land uses, and transportation network variables that measure the physical proximity of highway networks, as well as the level of accessibility associated with a specific location. The models are estimated with and without the transportation variables and compared to assess the extent of their influence. Transportation-related variables exert some influence on changes to land use patterns, though not as much as variables representing existing and neighboring land uses.
Mitigating Diesel Truck Impacts in Environmental Justice Communities
Authors: Karner Alex , Eisinger Douglas , Bai Song , Niemeier Deb
Published: January 2010

This paper describes a series of sequentially implemented policies to mitigate local diesel truck impacts resulting from goods movement activity at two port facilities and simultaneously to improve traffic operations in the communities of Barrio Logan in San Diego, California, and Old Town in National City, California, both low-income communities of color. The paper provides the first comprehensive documentation of the unique process and solutions that emerged following the collaboration of all major stakeholders. Local impacts in Barrio Logan comprised air pollution, noise, and decreased pedestrian safety, while traffic operations in both communities were affected by congestion on the main freeway access, interchanges with insufficient capacity, and heavily mixed land uses both within and adjacent to the communities. These issues provided the impetus for the mitigation effort, the final implementation of which involved a permanent rerouting of all trucks weighing more than 5 tons to roads external to the community. Previous assessments of the project have described the extent to which mitigation strategies are expected to improve traffic operations or have assumed air quality improvements without carrying out an air quality analysis. A local-scale analysis of diesel particulate matter (DPM) emissions in Barrio Logan is given. The results show that while the mitigation did not result in improved regional air quality, it did significantly improve air quality in the primary affected corridor and resulted in a 99% reduction in DPM emissions and an 87% reduction in diesel truck vehicle miles traveled.
Explaining Gender Difference in Bicycling Behavior
Authors: Emond Catherine R. , Tang Wei , Handy Susan L.
Published: January 2010

Although men and women bicycle at relatively equal rates in industrialized countries such as the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark, research has consistently found that in the United States men's total bicycle trips surpass women's by a ratio of at least 2 to 1. Current evidence, though limited, suggests that women are affected to greater or lesser degrees than men by certain factors. The purpose of this study is to provide insight on gender differences with the factors that influence the decision to use a bicycle, with the intent of supporting policy development aimed at increasing bicycle ridership, particularly among women. Bicycle use in six small cities in the western United States is examined to determine how gender interacts with individual factors and social and physical environments to influence bicycle behavior. Analysis of data from an online survey using a binary logistic regression approach shows strong interaction of gender with individual factors such as safety perception and household responsibilities and, to a lesser degree, with social and environmental factors to influence bicycle behavior.
Children in a Rail-Based Developed Area of Japan
Authors: Waygood E. Owen D. , Kitamura Ryuichi
Published: January 2010

This paper examines measures of travel behavior and exercise for children in four different levels of population density in the Osaka metropolitan areas of Japan. This area's built environment reflects principles of transit-oriented development with neighborhoods that have grown around an initial train station, where shops intermix with housing and often cluster around the station. Local trips by adults are often by nonmotorized modes. For children's travel behavior, this study looked at measures of social cohesion, independent travel, mode splits, and average travel times. The study found positive correlations of population density with both the social cohesion measure and the percentage of independent trips over a day. Negative correlation was observed for travel time. The measures for exercise were the number of times a child participated in running-level activities over a day and how much exercise was gained through nonmotorized travel. Mixed results occurred, with only Sundays having a negative correlation for the running-level activity participation and the correlation for the amount of exercise gained through nonmotorized travel flip-flopping between weekdays and Sundays.
Application of Elastic–Viscoelastic Correspondence Principle to Determine Fatigue Endurance Limit of Hot-Mix Asphalt
Authors: Bhattacharjee Sudip , Swamy Aravind Krishna , Daniel Jo Sias
Published: January 2010

The fatigue endurance limit is one of the properties of hot-mix asphalt (HMA) that govern fatigue behavior of flexible pavements. Some approaches for determining the endurance limit of HMA are empirical in nature, such as the phenomenological approach. This often requires a series of tests at different strain levels and subsequent determination of the relationship between strain and number of repetitions for failure. The mechanics-based dissipated energy approach is more fundamental. However, it fails to take viscoelastic effects into account. Both approaches require considerable amounts of time and resources. This paper presents an alternative approach for determining the fatigue endurance limit of asphalt concrete by means of the elastic–viscoelastic correspondence principle, by separating the effect of viscoelasticity from that of damage development. Three different asphalt concrete mixes, replicates of the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) test track mixes, were tested for validation of the proposed methodology. Initially the cut and cored samples were tested for dynamic modulus to construct the master curves. With the data, viscoelastic properties were determined by interconversion techniques. In the next stage, fatigue tests were conducted under different strain amplitudes, starting from low to high. Then the strain data were converted to pseudostrain via the elastic–viscoelastic correspondence principle. The endurance limit was determined by identifying the strain level at which a loop between stress and pseudostrain began to develop. Endurance limit values thus determined are comparable to those obtained by flexural tests performed at NCAT. The proposed methodology can contribute to considerable savings in time and resource requirements.
Field and Laboratory Forensic Analysis of Reflective Cracking on Massachusetts Interstate 495
Authors: Bennert Thomas , Worden Michael , Turo Matthew
Published: January 2010

In July 2007 the Massachusetts State Highway Department (Mass-Highway) began a pavement rehabilitation project involving the placement of hot-mix asphalt (HMA) over a section of portland cement concrete (PCC) pavement on Interstate 495. The pavement rehabilitation consisted of a 50.8-mm (2-in.) thick leveling course, followed by a 25.4-mm (1-in.) thick reflective crack relief interlayer (RCRI) and an overlay of another 50.8-mm (2-in.) thick intermediate course consisting of a dense-graded HMA mixture that was identical to the leveling course. Within approximately 2 months after placement, reflective cracking was observed in the area where only the initial 50.8-mm-thick leveling course had been placed. Approximately 6 months after the section that included the RCRI had been placed, reflective cracking was also observed. This paper summarizes a field and laboratory forensic effort that was aimed at determining the cause of the early reflective cracking on Interstate 495 in Massachusetts. Field testing, with the falling weight deflectometer as well as coring of PCC pavement, was used to assess the PCC joint performance in the vertical and horizontal deflection modes. Laboratory testing was conducted on laboratory-prepared HMA and evaluated for cracking resistance under vertical and horizontal deflections and for test temperatures that simulated field conditions. A general framework is introduced that can be used to assess the compatibility of different HMA and RCRI mixtures intended for use on composite pavements during the mixture selection and design phase before field placement.
Determining Intrinsic Healing Properties of Asphalt Binders
Authors: Bommavaram Ramamohan Reddy , Bhasin Amit , Little Dallas N.
Published: January 2010

A self-healing material has the inherent ability to partially reverse damage. There is consensus that the healing of damage has a substantial effect on the performance of asphalt pavements. It is important to understand the mechanisms responsible for healing in asphalt binders, to develop a model to predict healing on the basis of these mechanisms, and to develop test methods to determine the properties required for use with such a model. A healing model for asphalt materials comprises a convolution of wetting and intrinsic healing processes that occur across a crack interface. According to the proposed convolution process, intrinsic healing or strength gain across a crack surface occurs in two steps: an instantaneous strength gain resulting from the interfacial cohesion between the crack faces, and a time-dependent strength gain resulting from intermolecular diffusion and randomization across the crack interface. A modified form of the Avrami equation, which includes a parameter for instantaneous strength gain, is used to describe the intrinsic healing in asphalt binders. A test method is described that is based on the use of a dynamic shear rheometer for estimating the parameters of the intrinsic healing function. Five asphalt binders with considerably different compositions were studied. Limited validation of this test method and the intrinsic healing model are presented by comparing the parameter related to instantaneous healing with the thermodynamic work of cohesion for the selected binders.
Modeling of Repeated Creep and Recovery Experiments in Asphalt Binders
Authors: Reyes Mauricio , Kazatchkov Igor B. , Stastna Jiri , Zanzotto Ludo
Published: January 2010

The viscoelastic characterization of asphalt binders was determined with repeated creep and recovery experiments. Four different commercial asphalt binders from western Canadian heavy crude oil sources, covering a wide spectrum (straight run, polymer-modified, and blown and blend binders), were used. The differences in the viscoelastic behavior of the tested asphalts were demonstrated in the master curves of the storage and loss moduli and in the accumulated creep compliance after 100 cycles. The feasibility of applying the linear viscoelastic theory to describe the repeated creep and recovery experiments was shown. The predictive capability of the linear viscoelastic models was good in both base and modified asphalt binders. The repeated creep behavior could be closely described by means of rheological parameters obtained from the retardation spectrum and the steady shear measurements. Zero-shear viscosity was the parameter governing the experiment and basically determined the accumulated deformation in the tested samples.
Investigation of Fiber-Modified Bituminous Mixes
Authors: Kumar Praveen , Mehndiratta H. C. , Immadi Satish
Published: January 2010

Bituminous pavements provide a resilient, waterproof, load-distributing medium that protects the base course from the detrimental effects of water and the abrasive action of traffic. Bituminous pavements are subject to maintenance as a result of wear, weathering, and deterioration from aging. Flexibility of bituminous pavement permits slight adjustments in the pavement structure, resulting from consolidation of base course or effect of load, without detrimental effect. Hot-mix bituminous pavements are designed by either the Marshall or gyratory method. Development of modified bituminous materials to improve pavement performance has been the focus of several research efforts over the past few decades. Several attempts were made to modify bituminous mixes. The concept of using fibers to improve the behavior of the bituminous mixes is a recent development in the field. This research work compares the effects of polypropylene fiber on bituminous mixes with the help of laboratory investigations. The Marshall stability and flow values have been determined to evaluate the strength and deformation characteristics. To evaluate the field performance, indirect tensile strength, tensile strength ratio, retained stability, and permanent deformation have been determined through tests. With an increase in fiber content, Marshall stability values increase, density values decrease, and optimum binder content slightly increases. The indirect tensile strength increases with an increase in fiber content in the mix. The tensile strength ratio and retained stability increase with an increase in fiber content, indicating improved moisture resistance. Permanent deformation decreases with an increase in fiber content, indicating a decrease in rutting potential.
Testing of Moderate and High Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement Content Mixes
Authors: West Randy , Kvasnak Andrea , Tran Nam , Powell Buzz , Turner Pamela
Published: January 2010

This paper describes the performance of test sections containing moderate and high levels of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) at the National Center for Asphalt Technology test track. The test sections included two with 20% RAP, four with 45% RAP, and a control with no RAP. Each mixture contained the same component aggregates and RAP. One of the 20% RAP mixes contained PG 67-22 binder, and the other contained PG 76-22 binder. Different binders in the 45% RAP mixes included PG 52-28, PG 67-22, PG 76-22, and PG 76-22 plus 1.5% Sasobit. All sections performed well for rutting and raveling. Low-severity longitudinal wheelpath cracking was documented in two sections. The 45% RAP section with PG 76-22 plus Sasobit had moderate cracking, which appears to reflect cracking from the underlying pavement. The 20% RAP section with PG 76-22 had less cracking. Other sections had no cracking. Laboratory tests included asphalt pavement analyzer (APA) rutting tests, dynamic modulus, bending beam fatigue, and energy ratio. The APA results corresponded to the effective stiffness of the binder in the mixes. Master curves of dynamic moduli showed the effects of the virgin binder grade on the stiffness of the mixtures. Beam fatigue tests indicated that the 45% RAP mixes have lower fatigue lives compared with those of the other mixes, but this is because of a lower effective volume of asphalt in these mixes.
Laboratory and Field Evaluations of Foamed Warm-Mix Asphalt Projects
Authors: Wielinski Jason , Hand Adam , Rausch David Michael
Published: January 2010

Warm-mix asphalt (WMA) is much like hot-mix asphalt (HMA), but it is produced at lower plant temperatures than conventional HMA. Key benefits of the reduced WMA production temperature include the reduction of fuel consumption and of emissions. Granite Construction performed two WMA paving demonstration projects from its Indio, California, facility in early 2008. Both projects were paved with WMA produced with the free water method (Astec Double Barrel Green). The objectives of these demonstrations were ( a) to demonstrate that WMA with reclaimed asphalt pavement could be produced and placed at lower temperatures while yielding mix properties and field compaction similar to those of conventional HMA and ( b) to construct field test sections so that WMA and HMA performance could be compared side by side. These objectives were accomplished by producing and placing the WMA and by completing an in-depth sampling and testing program to compare the WMA and HMA paved on similar test sections and produced with similar methods (the only exception was production temperatures). The initial field performance of the WMA and HMA has been similar, and the long-term performance will be monitored. The WMA demonstration objectives were achieved, with the WMA exhibiting mix properties and field compaction similar to those of the HMA, with slightly lower initial stiffness, as expected. The potential rutting concern with WMA has not been an issue in this arid Southern California climate, and the sections placed on the haul road into and out of the Indio plant have been exposed to significant truck traffic.
Comparison of Asphalt Rubber and Conventional Mixture Properties
Authors: Rodezno Maria Carolina , Kaloush Kamil E.
Published: January 2010

In 1999 the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) started outlining and developing a long-range pavement research program. This research program was established in cooperation with Arizona State University (ASU) and had the ultimate goal of implementing the Mechanistic–Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) for Arizona. Since ADOT uses asphalt rubber (AR) mixes for new and rehabilitation pavement designs, an integral part of the MEPDG calibration effort must include AR mixtures, which were not included in the MEPDG's development. The objective of this study was to perform a comparison between AR properties and those of the conventional dense graded asphalt mixtures typically used for MEPDG development, calibration, and validation. Another important task was to evaluate how these mixes could be implemented into the MEPDG in the short term and to make recommendations on how to use them in future designs. A total of 23 AR mixtures were available for analysis from a joint ADOT-ASU database. The database contains several engineering properties of AR mixes and binders. These data were used to compare properties, select MEPDG input parameters, generate design analysis for permanent deformation and fatigue cracking, run case studies to predict performance, and compare results with field performance data. Several issues were identified pertaining to the implementation of AR mixes in the MEPDG, and recommendations were provided.
Highly cited works in neurosurgery. Part I: the 100 top-cited papers in neurosurgical journals
Authors: Ponce Francisco A. , Lozano Andres M.
Published: January 2010

Object

The number of citations a published article receives is a measure of its impact in the scientific community. This study identifies and characterizes the current 100 top-cited articles in journals specifically dedicated to neurosurgery.

Methods

Neurosurgical journals were identified using the Institute for Scientific Information Journal Citation Reports. A search was performed using Institute for Scientific Information Web of Science for articles appearing in each of these journals. The 100 top-cited articles were selected and analyzed.

Results

The 100 most cited manuscripts in neurosurgical journals appeared in 3 of 13 journals dedicated to neurosurgery. These included 79 in the Journal of Neurosurgery, 11 in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Psychiatry, and 10 in Neurosurgery. The individual citation counts for these articles ranged from 287 to 1515. Seventy-seven percent of articles were published between 1976 and 1995. Representation varied widely across neurosurgical disciplines, with cerebrovascular diseases leading (43 articles), followed by trauma (27 articles), stereotactic and functional neurosurgery (13 articles), and neurooncology (12 articles). The study types included 5 randomized trials, 5 cooperative studies, 1 observational cohort study, 69 case series, 8 review articles, and 12 animal studies. Thirty articles dealt with surgical management and 12 with nonsurgical management. There were 15 studies of natural history of disease or outcomes after trauma, 11 classification or grading scales, and 10 studies of human pathophysiology.

Conclusions

The most cited articles in neurosurgical journals are trials evaluating surgical or medical therapies, descriptions of novel techniques, or systems for classifying or grading disease. The time of publication, field of study, nature of the work, and the journal in which the work appears are possible determinants of the likelihood of citation and impact.
Highly cited works in neurosurgery. Part II: the citation classics
Authors: Ponce Francisco A. , Lozano Andres M.
Published: January 2010

Object

The term “citation classic” has been used in reference to an article that has been cited more than 400 times. The purpose of this study is to identify such articles that pertain to clinical neurosurgery.

Methods

A list of search phrases relating to neurosurgery was compiled. A topic search was performed using the Institute for Scientific Information Web of Science for phrases. Articles with more than 400 citations were identified, and nonclinical articles were omitted. The journals, year of publication, topics, and study types were analyzed.

Results

There were 106 articles with more than 400 citations relating to clinical neurosurgery. These articles appeared in 28 different journals, with more than half appearing in the Journal of Neurosurgery or the New England Journal of Medicine. Fifty-three articles were published since 1990. There were 38 articles on cerebrovascular disease, 21 on stereotactic and functional neurosurgery, 21 on neurooncology, 19 on trauma, 4 on nontraumatic spine, 2 on CSF pathologies, and 1 on infection. There were 29 randomized trials, of which 86% appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine, Lancet, or the Journal of the American Medical Association, and half concerned the prevention or treatment of stroke. In addition, there were 16 prospective studies, 15 classification or grading systems, and 7 reviews. The remaining 39 articles were case series, case reports, or technical notes.

Conclusions

More than half of the citation classics identified in this study have been published in the past 20 years. Case series, classifications, and reviews appeared more frequently in neurosurgical journals, while randomized controlled trials tended to be published in general medical journals.
Transformation of Tri-Titanium(IV)-Substituted α-Keggin Polyoxometalate (POM) into Tetra-Titanium(IV)-Substituted POMs : Reaction Products of Titanium(IV) Sulfate with the Dimeric Keggin POM Precursor under Acidic Conditions
Authors: Mouri Yuki , Sakai Yoshitaka , Kobayashi Yoshitaka , Yoshida Shoko , Nomiya Kenji
Published: January 2010

Reaction products of titanium(IV) sulfate in HCl-acidic aqueous solution with the dimeric species linked through three intermolecular Ti-O-Ti bonds of the two tri-titanium(IV)-substituted α-Keggin polyoxometalate (POM) subunits are described. Two novel titanium(IV)-containing α-Keggin POMs were obtained under different conditions. One product was a dimeric species through two intermolecular Ti-O-Ti bonds of the two tetra-titanium(IV)-substituted α-Keggin POM subunits, i.e., [[{Ti(H2O)3}2(μ-O)](α-PW9Ti2O38)]26- (1). The other product was a monomeric α-Keggin species containing the tetra-titanium(IV) oxide cluster and two coordinated sulfate ions, i.e., [{Ti4(μ-O)3(SO4)2(H2O)8}(α-PW9O34)]3- (2). Molecular structures of 1 and 2 were also discussed based on host (lacunary site)-guest (titanium atom) chemistry.
A Disposable Organophosphorus Pesticides Enzyme Biosensor Based on Magnetic Composite Nano-Particles Modified Screen Printed Carbon Electrode
Authors: Gan Ning , Yang Xin , Xie Donghua , Wu Yuanzhao , Wen Weigang
Published: January 2010

A disposable organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) enzyme biosensor based on magnetic composite nanoparticle-modified screen printed carbon electrodes (SPCE) has been developed. Firstly, an acetylcholinesterase (AChE)-coated Fe3O4/Au (GMP) magnetic nanoparticulate (GMP-AChE) was synthesized. Then, GMP-AChE was absorbed on the surface of a SPCE modified by carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/nano-ZrO2/prussian blue (PB)/Nafion (Nf) composite membrane by an external magnetic field. Thus, the biosensor (SPCE|CNTs/ZrO2/PB/Nf|GMP-AChE) for OPs was fabricated. The surface of the biosensor was characterized by scanning electron micrography (SEM) and X-ray fluorescence spectrometery (XRFS) and its electrochemical properties were studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). The degree of inhibition (A%) of the AChE by OPs was determined by measuring the reduction current of the PB generated by the AChE-catalyzed hydrolysis of acetylthiocholine (ATCh). In pH = 7.5 KNO3 solution, the A was related linearly to the concentration of dimethoate in the range from 1.0 × 10-3–10 ng•mL-1 with a detection limit of 5.6 × 10-4 ng•mL-1. The recovery rates in Chinese cabbage exhibited a range of 88%–105%. The results were consistent with the standard gas chromatography (GC) method. Compared with other enzyme biosensors the proposed biosensor exhibited high sensitivity, good selectivity with disposable, low consumption of sample. In particular its surface can be easily renewed by removal of the magnet. The convenient, fast and sensitive voltammetric measurement opens new opportunities for OPs analysis.
STUDY OF GUANGZHOU HOUSE PRICE BUBBLE BASED ON STATE‐SPACE MODEL
Authors: Hui Eddie Chi Man , Gu Qi
Published: January 2010

Previous literature has explored Guangzhou's real estate market bubble problem, by using the perspective of rent receipts to measure the fundamental housing value. Since there is high proportion of owner‐occupied property in Guangzhou; and that the household income is considered a key factor affecting housing price level, this article is from the perspective of household income, by the present asset market model, it sets up housing price model that analysis of the bubble phenomenon, and uses the state‐space model that can be estimated characteristics by unobservable variables. The article estimates the price bubble and analyzes the size of the bubble at different times. The housing price in Guangzhou from January 2004 to December 2008 is studied. The results concluded that the housing market bubble peaked in October 2007 at around 43% of the market housing price. Santruka Jau skelbtuose darbuose Guangžu nekilnojamojo turto rinkos burbulo problema nagrineta pasitelkus gaunamos nuomos perspektyva, siekiant nustatyti fundamentaliaja būsto verte. Kadangi nemaža dalis nuosavybes Guangžu mieste užimta savininku, o namu ūkiu pajamos laikomos esminiu būsto kainu lygi lemiančiu veiksniu, šiame straipsnyje pasirinkta namu ūkio pajamu perspektyva pagal esama turto rinkos modeli; sudarytas būsto kainu modelis, kuriuo remiantis nagrinejamas burbulo reiškinys, ir pasitelktas būsenu ir erdves modelis, kuris charakteristikas leidžia ivertinti pagal netiesioginius kintamuosius veiksnius. Straipsnyje vertinamas kainu burbulas ir analizuojamas burbulo dydis ivairiu metu. Nagrinejamos Guangžu būsto kainos nuo 2004 m. sausio iki 2008 m. gruodžio. Rezultatai rodo, kad būsto rinkos burbulas pika pasieke 2007 m. spali, apytikriai prie 43 % būstu rinkos kainos.
THE PHENOMENON OF DAOISM IN CHINESE CIVILIZATION
Authors: Juzefovič Agnieška
Published: January 2010

In this article Daoism is analyzed in the context of Chinese culture. It is demonstrated how the ideas of Daoism were shaped and matured in the Chinese civilization and how they reflect the peculiarities of the civilization of Eastern Asia and China. The author revives the genealogy and authorship of the main works of the Daoists (Daodejing, Zhuangzi) and analyzes their influence on the development of Daoism tradition during later periods. It is argued that Daoism was formed as the reaction towards the crisis of old Zhou culture and feeding degradation of Confucian rituals followed by the ruling circles. Different correlations are emphasized between the development of Chinese civilization and the maturation and transformation of Daoists’ ideas. It is demonstrated that Daoism is a natural product of its epoch and society; thus, it could not be dissociated from common Chinese cultural, religious and philosophical context, but rather analyzed together with it. Finally, the discussion is held on the anti‐rationality, sceptical view towards mind and logical argumentation.
EUROPEAN DEMOS: DEMOCRACY DEFICIT AND NATIONAL FEELINGS
Authors: Rubavičius Vytautas
Published: January 2010

The level and scope of European Union (EU) integration activities are showing the aspects of civilizational development with a huge impact on the world system of civilizations and make more evident the fact that the future of EU depends on the attitude of European policy‐makers to the national, cultural, and political identities. Interest in the identities has been reinforced in recent years by the failure of EU Constitutional Treaty and further attempts to reach an agreament about the new Treaty. This failure stimulated cogitations on both the subject of Constitutional Treaty and the features of the European demos. Spirited discussions pointed to the so called “deficits” – “community deficit”, “legitimacy deficit” and, as a consequence, to the “democracy deficit”. Thus EU future can be seen as depending on the removal of these “deficits”. How can this be done under the prevailing political attitude of denationalization? The problem of European demos was aggravated by the enlargement of EU: new Member states are loaded with different historic experience and clearly visible features of national sense. National feelings have been the main force raising people for national liberation movement or national revival. This experience must be taken into account while discussing new political guidelines for the construction of European demos. The social content of demos, including identity, common history and the sense of “unity in diversity”, could be accumulated through the loyalties and bonds of affection to one's nation, culture, language, and historical myths; thus, the attitude of denationalization requires a modification.