bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Missing Bi-racial Child in Hollywood
Authors: Angel Naomi
Published: January 2008

Abstract:

The growing interest in issues pertaining to “mixed-race” identities and communities, as well as a surge in films with “mixed-race” characters has prompted this examination of representations of “mixed-race” characters in film. The research consists of an analysis of selected films, including Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and Jungle Fever, and situates this analysis within a historical framework based on the particular context in which each film was set and/or made. The value in studying “mixed-race” representations in film lies in the reflection it provides of significant moments in “mixed-race” histories and in the portrayal of cultural imaginings of people of “mixed race.”
Overlay Tester
Authors: Zhou Fujie , Hu Sheng , Chen Dar-Hao , Scullion Tom
Published: January 2008

It is well known that fatigue cracking is not just a material problem; it also correlates highly with pavement structure and environmental and traffic conditions. This unique characteristic highlights the importance of a simple performance test (SPT) that can be used for daily hot-mix asphalt (HMA) mixture design and also for predicting fatigue cracking. This paper investigates the use of the Texas Transportation Institute's overlay tester (OT) as an SPT for fatigue cracking. Fatigue cracking occurs in two stages: crack initiation and crack propagation. However, as noted in this paper, crack initiation is theoretically related to crack propagation. Therefore, the OT that characterizes mainly crack propagation can be used for fatigue cracking. To validate experimentally the OT for fatigue cracking, the OT results were compared with laboratory bending beam fatigue test and field accelerated pavement fatigue test results from the FHWA's accelerated loading facility test site. Positive results were obtained. In addition, other requirements (e.g., cost-related) for being an SPT are discussed. On the basis of all findings, the OT meets most requirements for being an SPT for fatigue cracking. Potential application of the OT to HMA mixture design also is proposed.
Spanish Experience with Gyratory Compactor and Indirect Tensile Test in Design and Control of Cold Recycled Asphalt Pavement
Authors: Martínez Adriana H. , Miró Rodrigo , Pérez-Jiménez Félix
Published: January 2008

This paper summarizes the Spanish experience in the design and control of cold in-place recycling of asphalt pavements. First, results obtained in the laboratory after the mixture design process are compared with the densities encountered in the field. Second, the application of the Superpave® gyratory compactor for specimen manufacture during the design stage is analyzed by varying the standard conditions of gyration angle and vertical pressure. Finally, a new design method based on the indirect tensile test is proposed.
Pedestrian Counting Methods at Intersections
Authors: Diogenes Mara Chagas , Greene-Roesel Ryan , Arnold Lindsay S. , Ragland David R.
Published: January 2008

Resources for implementing countermeasures to reduce pedestrian collisions in urban centers are usually allocated on the basis of need, which is determined by risk studies. Risk studies commonly rely on the determination of pedestrian volumes at intersections. The methods used to estimate pedestrian volumes include direct counts and surveys, but few studies have addressed the accuracy of these methods. This paper investigates the accuracy of three common counting methods: manual counts with sheets, manual counts with clickers, and manual counts with video cameras. The counts took place in San Francisco, California. For the analysis, the counts obtained with video images were assumed to represent the actual pedestrian volumes. The video recordings were made at the same time as the clicker and sheet counts. The results indicate that manual counts with either sheets or clickers systematically underestimated pedestrian volumes. The error rates ranged from 8% to 25%. Additionally, the error rates were greater at the beginning and at the end of the observation period, possibly because of the observer's lack of familiarity with the tasks or fatigue.
Use of Safety Viewgrams to Visualize Driver and Pedestrian Interactions
Authors: Kim Karl , Brunner I. Made , Yamashita Eric
Published: January 2008

The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of a tool for visualizing, at a glance, the salient features of the interaction between motorists and pedestrians. Simple, yet robust and flexible, tools are needed to describe and summarize real-world roadway conditions for problem identification and to monitor the progress that has been made toward achieving safety goals. In the study described in this paper, the safety viewgram has been developed to help visualize various types of traffic safety problems. Although this particular tool has been developed by using observational data for pedestrians and drivers in Hawaii, it could be used for other types of safety studies in other locales. After the development and use of this tool are described, a number of different illustrative examples of how it might be used are provided. Although this is largely a visualization tool, efforts are under way to devise both more rigorous statistical applications and a user-friendly interface for data entry, data manipulation, and presentation of the traffic safety viewgram.
Application of Level-of-Service Methods for Evaluation of Operations at Pedestrian Facilities
Authors: Sisiopiku Virginia P. , Byrd Jonathan , Chittoor Asha
Published: January 2008

Several methods for assessment of the quality of operations of pedestrian facilities on the basis of pedestrian level of service (LOS) have been proposed. Some of these methods use the principles of vehicular traffic to evaluate pedestrian traffic operations. Other methods are more concerned with the facility design and walking environment than with the actual pedestrian flows. To draw a complete picture of LOS determination methods for pedestrian facilities, it is necessary to review, compare, and contrast the various methods in the literature that assess quality of service for pedestrian facilities. This paper compares some of the more common and widely accepted methods for determination of the pedestrian LOS at sidewalks. These include the Highway Capacity Manual 2000 method, the Australian method, the Trip Quality method, the Landis model, and the conjoint analysis approach. After the methods and their associated measured criteria are described, a total of 13 sidewalks at two study sites were evaluated. The study sites are located in the downtown area of Birmingham, Alabama, and represent pedestrian operations at urban sidewalks. The comparison provides useful information on the consistency of the outcomes from the various methods and identifies needs for modifications and improvements. This is particularly useful in determining possible improvements to the existing Highway Capacity Manual 2000 method in the upcoming version of the Highway Capacity Manual.
A Neural Network Model for Prediction of Pile Setup
Authors: Jeon Jongkoo , Rahman M. Shamimur
Published: January 2008

The time-dependent increase in pile capacity after its driving may be significant. A reliable prediction of this increase (setup) may lead to a significant saving in pile design. A neural network model to predict pile setup was developed. A database derived from field tests reported in the literature showing setup of driven piles was compiled, with six variables selected as input parameters: soil type, pile type, pile diameter, pile length, time after pile installation, and initial effective stress at tip. Ultimate pile capacity at beginning of restrike (QBOR) is the sum of pile capacity (QEOD) at end of drive and increased in capacity (ΔQBOR) caused by setup, which in this study is predicted by a backpropagation neural network. The results demonstrate that the neural network model provides a better prediction than predictions by the available empirical methods. A neural network model can serve as a reliable tool for the prediction of pile setup, and further training with additional data will lead to additional improvement in the quality of prediction.
Evaluating Deformation Modulus of Cohesive Soils from Piezocone Penetration Test for Consolidation Settlement
Authors: Abu-Farsakh Murad Y. , Zhang Zhongjie , Gautreau Gavin
Published: January 2008

The piezocone penetration test (PCPT) interpretation methods were evaluated for reasonable prediction of the deformation constrained modulus (M), which is needed to calculate the consolidation settlement of cohesive soil. Seven sites in Louisiana were selected for this study. In each site, PCPT tests were performed, and soundings of cone tip resistance (qc), sleeve friction (fs), and pore pressures (u1 and u2) were recorded. Dissipation tests were conducted at prespecified penetration depths and used to estimate the vertical coefficient of consolidation (cv) using the Teh and Houlsby interpretation method. High-quality Shelby tube samples were collected close to the PCPT tests and used to carry out a laboratory testing program, including consolidated undrained triaxial tests and one-dimensional consolidation tests. The constrained modulus (M) values predicted by using the different interpretation methods were compared with the reference values determined from the laboratory consolidation tests. Results of this study showed that the Sanglerat method was able to predict Mbetter than the other methods. Two correlations were also developed to predict M from the corrected cone tip resistance (qt) and the net cone tip resistance (qt - σvo). The results of this study were verified by comparing the predicted total and time rate of settlements estimated from piezocone penetration and dissipation data with the laboratory-calculated and field-measured settlements for three selected sites.
Field Calibration and Spatial Analysis of Compaction-Monitoring Technology Measurements
Authors: Thompson Mark J. , White David J.
Published: January 2008

To implement compaction-monitoring technologies (i.e., continuous compaction control and intelligent compaction), robust and versatile specifications are needed. These specifications require field calibration of the various machine sensor outputs to in situ soil compaction measurements. The goal of this study was to provide insights into (a) the nature of compaction-monitoring measurements, (b) how the measurements are related to soil properties determined from in situ compaction control tests, and (c) how compaction-monitoring technology may be addressed in specifications for using the technology in practice. To accomplish this goal, testing was conducted on one-dimensional test strips with several nominal moisture contents for developing statistical regression models that relate machine drive power and compaction meter value data to engineering and index properties of soil. In addition, a two-dimensional test area with variable lift thickness and moisture content was constructed and tested by using both compaction-monitoring technology and in situ devices (e.g., nuclear moisture-density gauge, portable falling weight deflectometer). The spatial distribution of the data was investigated. The significance of this research is that it represents the first documented field calibration of both one-dimensional and two-dimensional tests areas on similar soils and introduces a new approach to generating pass-fail criteria based on compaction-monitoring technology.
Role of Stabilized and Drainable Bases in Early-Age Cracking on Concrete Airfield Pavements
Authors: Mallela Jagannath , Hall Jim W. , Smith Kelly L.
Published: January 2008

A strong body of emerging evidence shows that under certain circumstances concrete pavements constructed over certain types of bases have a higher risk of early-age, uncontrolled cracking. In some cases, this has resulted in the removal and replacement of up to 5% to 7% of the total number of slabs paved on a project–an expensive proposition for the stakeholders. An investigation of nearly two dozen airfield pavement sections in the United States identified several plausible factors that act either independently or in concert with other factors and lead to this phenomenon. This study attempted to explain the interaction between factors that trigger slab movements (triggers) and key design, material, and construction factors (variants) that aggravate the impact of these movements on early cracking risk. On the basis of this study, guidelines for design, materials selection, and construction of rigid pavements on stabilized and drainable bases were developed to mitigate the impact of various factors on the early-age cracking phenomenon. Revisions were suggested to the FAA's specifications for lean concrete, cement-treated, and hot-mix asphalt bases. New specifications were developed for permeable bases that balance stability with drainability.
Evaluation of Rubblized Pavement Sections in Michigan
Authors: Wolters Angela S. , Smith Kurt D. , Peterson Carol V.
Published: January 2008

In 1987 the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) began using rubblization of portland cement concrete (PCC) pavement followed by the application of a hot-mix asphalt (HMA) overlay as a rehabilitation method for deteriorated PCC pavements. Early projects constructed in Michigan used the resonant frequency breaker to rubblize the PCC pavement, but by 1997 MDOT began to use the multi-head breaker (MHB) also. In 1999, because some rubblization projects needed rehabilitation after fewer than 12 years of service, MDOT initiated a study to identify causes for underperforming rubblized concrete pavement projects. The current study, initiated in 2005, was conducted specifically to investigate the performance of rubblized projects constructed with the MHB with the use of data provided by MDOT. Analysis of projects constructed in Michigan that used the MHB between 1997 and 2002 revealed that 20 of the 21 pavement sections evaluated had a distress index (DI) condition rating of good, and all sections had ride quality index values in the excellent or good category. The international roughness index values also indicated that all pavements were in good condition, with values of less than 95 in./mi. The DI for most sections indicated that the distress was due to longitudinal cracking at the pavement construction joint and at the pavement edge. Most distresses present on the pavement sections seemed to be related to poor or insufficient drainage, overlay construction issues, or HMA mixture problems.
Resilient Modulus of Base Course Containing Recycled Asphalt Pavement
Authors: Kim Woosung , Labuz Joseph F. , Dai Shongtao
Published: January 2008

Twenty resilient modulus (MR) tests were conducted for specimens with different ratios of recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) and aggregate to investigate the effect on material stiffness. Specimens were prepared by a gyratory compactor instead of a vibratory hammer, because the density of a gyratory-compacted specimen was closer to the field density. Moisture content and density were estimated before and during the tests according to the NCHRP 1–28A protocol requirements. MR data were evaluated by quality control–quality assurance (QC/QA) criteria such as the angle of rotation, signal-to-noise ratio, and coefficient of variance, and about 95% of the sequences passed the QC/QA criteria. Specimens with 65% optimum moisture content were stiffer than the specimens with 100% optimum moisture content at all confining pressures. The 50% aggregate–50% RAP specimens developed stiffness equivalent to 100% aggregate specimens at lower confining pressures; at higher confinement, the RAP specimens were stiffer. However, from the tracking of axial displacement during the conditioning sequence, it appeared that the specimens with RAP exhibited greater permanent deformation than the 100% aggregate material.
Early-Life Performance of Cold-in-Place Pavement Recycling with Foamed Asphalt Technique
Authors: Loizos Andreas , Papavasiliou Vasilis , Plati Christina
Published: January 2008

The cold-in-place recycling technique with foamed asphalt stabilization was used to rehabilitate a severely damaged, heavily trafficked highway, part of the Trans European Network. Lack of experience, at least as far as the performance of the aforementioned technique for heavy-duty pavements was concerned, was the main reason for the Greek Ministry of Public Works to undertake a field experiment incorporating semirigid and flexible pavements. To achieve this goal, a comprehensive monitoring and data analysis research study was performed; it concentrated on the falling weight deflectometer as a major tool for the in situ evaluation of early-life performance of the recycled pavement. In addition, as-built roughness and ground-penetrating radar measurements, accomplished with in situ material coring and related laboratory tests, were performed. The roughness data analysis raised several issues concerning the construction of the recycled layer. According to the deflection analysis, an improvement in the recycled pavement structural condition was observed during the early life. The foamed asphalt material of the semirigid pavement proved to be stiffer than that of the flexible pavement. Furthermore, significant differences between pavement design parameters and related in situ characteristics were obtained through the strain response analysis.
Effectiveness of Transverse and Longitudinal Pavement Grooving in Wet-Skidding Control
Authors: Ong G. P. , Fwa T. F.
Published: January 2008

The use of grooving in the pavement surface is a common approach to improve wet weather skid resistance and reduce hydroplaning risk. Field measurements have found transverse grooves effective in significantly improving skid resistance and reducing the occurrence of hydroplaning. Nevertheless, despite the reported effectiveness of longitudinal grooving in wet weather accident reduction, most experimental studies do not record any significant increase in the measured skid resistance of longitudinally grooved pavements. An analytical study is presented to evaluate the relative effectiveness of the two types of grooving in terms of their ability to reduce hydroplaning potential and their respective skid resistance available at the onset of hydroplaning. The groove dimensions examined cover widths from 2 to 10 mm, depths from 1 to 10 mm, and center-to-center spacing from 5 to 25 mm. It is found that in terms of the ability to raise hydroplaning speeds (i.e., to lower hydroplaning risk) and skid resistance values, transverse grooving consistently produces much better results than longitudinal grooving. The simulation results confirm that, for longitudinal grooving with dimensions within the practical ranges, only marginal improvements occur in both hydroplaning speed and skid resistance in the longitudinal directions. However, an analysis by the simulation model indicates that, unlike a smooth plane surface that has the same skid resistance properties in all directions, longitudinally grooved pavements have significantly higher skid resistance as the skidding direction deviates from the true longitudinal direction. The quantitative simulation analysis suggests that this relationship has the effect of enhancing traction to keep skidding vehicles within the roadway and to cut down on wet-pavement accidents, a result that has been widely observed in field applications of longitudinal grooving.
Stimulation or Saturation?
Authors: Dennis Nigel
Published: January 2008

The European low-cost carriers have enjoyed dramatic growth in recent years and have substantially altered the network of short-haul air services provided. Demand for low-cost services has proved more volatile than in the United States, however, and there are incipient signs that the carriers’ ability to stimulate traffic is diminishing. Many new entrants have jumped on the bandwagon, and the traditional airlines have started to fight back. An analysis of different routes from London shows that the low-cost carriers have been much more successful in some markets than others. The major airlines remain dominant in sectors involving their principal hub airports whereas thin routes within northern Europe have shown little growth from low-cost carrier entry, some remaining the preserve of regional carriers. The low-cost airlines have performed best on dense routes not involving major airports and leisure routes between northern and southern Europe. Competitive strategies that are examined include the ability of low-cost airlines to attract traffic to secondary and regional airports that were previously underutilized. It is shown that on some routes from major cities, secondary airports are now handling a majority of the local passengers. However, the ability of airports to grow beyond the traffic potential of their own local catchment area diminishes as more locations gain low-cost service. Although some untapped opportunities may remain in countries such as France and for services with smaller aircraft, new routes are tending to dilute existing demand. The focus is therefore likely to turn to more head-to-head competition in the denser markets.
Using Multilateration Data in Probabilistic Analysis of Wake Vortex Hazards for Landing Aircraft
Authors: Shortle John F. , Jeddi Babak G.
Published: January 2008

Wake vortices are a safety hazard to landing aircraft. A landing aircraft that encounters a wake may roll; this might result in a fatal crash if the roll is severe enough or if the aircraft is low enough to the ground. Therefore, aircraft are separated by a sufficient distance to ensure that wakes have time to decay in strength. However, because of the inherent variability in wake behavior and aircraft separation and position, there is still a possibility for a wake encounter. To estimate the probability of such encounters, a hybrid simulation methodology is presented. The approach is hybrid in the sense that part of the simulation is conducted by using a direct data feed of flight-track data, and the other part is obtained by simulation of wake-evolution models. The approach is demonstrated on a 1-week sample of flight tracks to predict the frequency of potential wake alerts. A wake alert is defined as an event in which the trailing aircraft is in a region of space where the wake is likely to be. The results depend on atmospheric conditions and other model parameters.
Accelerated Practices for Construction of Airfield Concrete Pavement
Authors: Bruinsma James E. , Peshkin David G. , Wade Monty J. , Delatte Norbert J.
Published: January 2008

Information and experiences about accelerated or fast-track portland cement concrete (PCC) paving projects from the airport pavement industry are presented. The focus is on steps that can be taken during the planning phase to accelerate airfield PCC paving projects; the presentation is based on detailed case studies that were developed under an Innovative Pavement Research Foundation project. These case studies were developed from an extensive list of accelerated projects compiled from sources within the airfield paving industry, including contractors, designers, owners, and industry representatives. The key to applying accelerated paving techniques for rigid pavements lies in understanding the available strategies and in knowing when and how these strategies should be applied. A range of materials is available for accelerating pavement opening times, which is most often thought of as accelerated paving. However, beyond the simple selection of appropriate materials, many other strategies can accelerate an airfield PCC paving or repair project, including thorough planning and coordination of project activities, considering procurement and contract factors, and application of appropriate phasing and scheduling techniques during the project planning phase. Strategies addressing design, construction, and ancillary issues are included in the Accelerated Practices for Airfield Concrete Pavement Construction final documents.
Multiproduct Distribution Network Design of Third-Party Logistics Providers with Reverse Logistics Operations
Authors: Lee Der-Horng , Bian Wen , Dong Meng
Published: January 2008

Reverse logistics—the distribution activities involved in product returns—is receiving growing attention. Because of the differences in and interaction between forward and reverse distribution, figuring out how to integrate the two channels has become an urgent issue. Many companies use inefficient, slow, and expensive processes for handling returned products, and many are either incapable of or unwilling to enter the reverse logistics market. Thus, more and more companies are outsourcing their distribution operations to third-party logistics providers (3PLs). In practice, 3PLs usually serve a number of clients that handle multiple products. Thus, the multiproduct aspect must be considered in any distribution network design for 3PLs. Nonetheless, almost all existing research in this field focuses only on the separate reverse distribution and homogeneous product. This paper addresses an integrated forward and reverse distribution network design problem for 3PLs that involves locating distribution facilities such as warehouses, collection centers, and hybrid warehouse–collection centers and determining the strategy for distributing multiple products between the clients of the 3PLs and the customers via the distribution facilities. A genetic algorithm with two greedy algorithms is used for solution purposes. Computational experiments demonstrate a great deal of promise for this solution method, as high-quality solutions are obtained while expending modest computational effort.
Rail Freight as a Means of Reducing Roadway Congestion
Authors: Bryan Joseph , Weisbrod Glen , Martland Carl D.
Published: January 2008

As congestion levels have grown on both urban and intercity highway routes, state and regional transportation planners are starting to look more broadly at alternatives that can hold down or reduce traffic growth. Planners have long considered modal diversion from road to rail for passenger travel, but less attention has been given to opportunities for modal shifting of freight as a means of addressing roadway traffic. Yet it is becoming increasingly clear that railroads can offer a potentially viable alternative to trucking in some situations. This alternative becomes of particular interest when expanded use of rail freight can reduce either existing traffic congestion levels or the need for expanding highway capacity in the future. This paper summarizes findings from NCHRP Project 8–42, which examined the feasibility and value of rail freight solutions as a means of reducing highway congestion, and these solutions’ implications for public planning. It defines the range of rail freight strategies that can be applied to mitigate the growth of traffic congestion and discusses the types of situations in which they can be most relevant. It describes the economic and institutional factors affecting the feasibility of diverting some truck freight to rail, and it lays out a structural framework for evaluating the relative benefits of these options.
Dedicated Truck Facilities as Solution to Capacity and Safety Issues on Rural Interstate Highway Corridors
Authors: Burke Neil A. , Maze Tom H. , Crum Michael R. , Plazak David J. , Smadi Omar G.
Published: January 2008

This paper identifies the safety and operational benefits of constructing dedicated truck facilities on a rural Interstate corridor. The Interstate highway segment in the case study is a 164-mi section of I-80 from the Iowa–Illinois border to Altoona, Iowa (an eastern suburb of Des Moines, Iowa). Although many studies have considered constructing an additional lane on freeways and designating it for trucks only, this paper considers the construction of a separate four-lane, limited-access facility for trucks. The I-80 corridor was analyzed with the Highway Economic Requirements Software–state edition (HERS-ST) to measure the performance before and after trucks were removed from the general purpose lanes. Several benefit-to-cost ratios were calculated outside of HERS-ST to determine the economic feasibility (but not the financial feasibility) of constructing dedicated truck lanes. Since there are no similar truck-only facilities in the United States, it is unknown what proportion of motor carriers would choose to use a truck-only facility rather than the mixed-traffic lanes (general purpose lanes), and future policy may or may not require trucks to use parallel truck-only facilities. Therefore, a sensitivity analysis was conducted within the benefit-to-cost analysis to determine the benefits of diverting 100%, 75%, 50%, and 25% of trucks to a dedicated truck facility. At all levels of diversion, the benefits exceed the costs. Although the analysis shows that a truck-only facility is desirable, the policy framework to make such a facility physically and financially feasible does not exist in federal or Iowa policy.
Hazard Anticipation of Novice and Experienced Drivers
Authors: Garay-Vega Lisandra , Fisher Donald L. , Pollatsek Alexander
Published: January 2008

Considerable evidence from field and laboratory studies now indicates that a major difference between novice and experienced drivers is the extent to which they scan the world in front of them. One index is that experienced drivers make more horizontal eye movements than do novice drivers. In addition, the difference in eye movements between novice and experienced drivers in a driving simulator is not just a global pattern of behavior, since experienced drivers are more likely to examine specific areas of the visual display that could either contain a potential hazard or signal that a potentially hazardous situation is coming. The daytime simulator scenarios used had several cues that signaled potential risk. The present studies examined whether this advantage for experienced drivers would be (a) smaller in nighttime conditions when the cues would be much less salient and (b) smaller if some risks were foreshadowed with salient cues. The data indicated that neither change reduced the advantage for experienced drivers, even though the absolute level of performance changed for both groups (i.e., reduced in nighttime conditions and enhanced by foreshadowing cues). Thus, it appears that the expertise of experienced drivers that induces them to attend to areas where potential risks could appear is applied in a fairly wide range of situations. This finding suggests that inducing this expertise in younger drivers through training may have a significant effect on crash rates.
Evaluation of Highway Safety Corridors
Authors: Fontaine Michael D. , Read Stephen W.
Published: January 2008

Several state transportation agencies have recently started highway safety corridor (HSC) programs to reduce crashes, injuries, and deaths on roads with a high rate and frequency of crashes. HSC programs use a coordinated campaign of education, enforcement, and low-cost engineering measures to address safety issues. Fines for moving violations are increased in these HSCs as a way to strengthen the potential impact of enforcement. While several states have implemented these programs, little information is available on how these programs have affected safety. In 2003, Virginia passed legislation establishing a state HSC program that increased fines for moving violations within an HSC. This paper documents the initial evaluation of the HSC program on two Interstate HSCs. Travel speeds before and after the HSC designation are examined at one site, while crash data are presented at both Interstate locations. Public opinions on the HSC program are also discussed. The results of the analysis indicate that little improvement in speed compliance and safety was observed at the congested, urban Interstate site. Significant reductions in crash frequency were observed at the more rural Interstate location, with a reduction in crash frequency of almost 30% being estimated in the most recent year. While results have been mixed for the two corridors, they show promise. More consistent effects may be possible if more dedicated resources are invested in the program.
Click it or Pay It
Authors: Ratnayake Indike , Dissanayake Sunanda
Published: January 2008

This study investigated the association of seat belt use with occupant characteristics and the effect of seat belt use on occupant injuries and hospital costs for treatments. Data from the Kansas Trauma Registry were used for the analysis; from these, data related to crash victims who were occupants of motor vehicles were extracted. According to the analysis results, the overall seat belt usage among hospitalized highway crash victims was 43%, significantly lower than the observed Kansas seat belt usage rate. Young hospitalized occupants were less likely to wear seat belts, while older crash victims were reported to have the highest recorded seat belt usage rate. A majority of the hospitalized occupants were males, and their seat belt usage was lower than that of female occupants. Occupants who sustained less severe injuries had a higher seat belt usage rate than severely injured occupants. A univariate analysis showed possible association between seat belt usage and occupant age, gender, and injury severity. The mean hospital charge for an unrestrained occupant was about $68,000, while that value for a restrained occupant was about $51,000. Length of stay in an intensive care unit and the injury severity score were also higher for unrestrained occupants. On the basis of the analysis results, it was confirmed that unrestrained occupants have higher odds of being fatally injured than restrained occupants.
Factors Influencing Seat Belt Usage Rate for Blacks and Hispanics
Authors: Daniel Janice R. , Bladikas Athanassios , Curley Joshua
Published: January 2008

Seat belt usage among African Americans and Hispanics has been documented to be significantly lower than that of other population groups. In 1996, an NHTSA study showed low seat belt usage rates among the general population and among African Americans especially. Studies have continued to be performed to measure seat belt usage among African Americans and Hispanics. The Division of Highway Traffic Safety of New Jersey commissioned a study to determine seat belt usage rates for blacks and Hispanics in urban areas in New Jersey and to identify differences in these rates and factors that affect the usage rates. Direct observation was used to obtain safety belt usage for drivers in passenger motor vehicles. Race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic data were also obtained through a questionnaire given to drivers of noncommercial motor vehicles. The study found no significant difference between the usage rates of Asians, blacks, Hispanics, and whites. A logistic regression model was also developed to estimate the probability of seat belt use, which was regarded as the dependent variable, with independent variables including gender, vehicle type, racial–ethnic group, highest educational level achieved, marital status, age, whether the driver had children, and total household income. The variables identified as significant included gender, marital status, and age. Race was not found to be a significant factor in estimating the probability of seat belt usage.
Can Travel Time Information Influence Network Flow?
Authors: Kitamura Ryuichi , Nakayama Shoichiro
Published: January 2008

Drawing from the literature on the minority game, this study proposes that predictive travel time information provided to drivers to assist with their route choices may not influence network flow; under the condition that route choices are made repeatedly by the same group of drivers, the drivers self-organize to reach the same network equilibrium regardless of the contents of the predictive travel time information given. A numerical example supports this conjecture by showing that improvements in network flow are negligibly small even when precise information on travel time is provided. If no predictive information is present, the results of agent-based route choice simulation studies indicate that higher levels of the cognitive capabilities of drivers tend to produce more self-organization and stable network flows and that information on those routes a driver did not take is important for this self-organization.
Examining Shoppers’ Stated Willingness to Pay for Parking at Suburban Malls
Authors: Newmark Gregory L. , Shiftan Yoram
Published: January 2008

This research combines stated preference data with demographic, travel habit, and shopping behavior information to examine the willingness of suburban mall patrons to pay for surface parking. Bivariate correlations and multivariate regression models are used to identify the factors that predict the hourly parking fee breakpoint at which current drivers will change travel behavior and no longer drive to the mall. This research identifies household income, vehicle engine size, mall purchase amount, and the number of additional passengers in the car as positively correlated with the willingness to pay for parking. Age and grocery shopping are negatively correlated with a willingness to pay. Several parking policy options are presented, with particular concern for social equity impacts. This research broadens the research on parking policy to consider suburban venues and provides statistical information for municipalities and mall owners to craft effective and equitable parking policies.
Neurturin regulates postnatal differentiation of parasympathetic pelvic ganglion neurons, initial axonal projections, and maintenance of terminal fields in male urogenital organs
Authors: Yan Hui , Keast Janet R.
Published: January 2008

We have investigated the development of autonomic nerves in the urogenital tract of male mice and the effect of neurturin gene deletion on this process. At birth, autonomic innervation of the reproductive organs was sparse, but urinary bladder smooth muscle was well innervated. Further innervation of reproductive tissues occurred until P21, but noradrenergic axons established their complete terminal field later than nitrergic cholinergic axons: in adults the former are more prevalent, yet this became apparent only at P7 (vas deferens, seminal vesicles), P14 (prostate) or after P14 (penis). Neurturin was essential for initial projection of axons (mucosa of vas deferens), maintenance of terminal fields (prostate and seminal vesicles), or both functions (cavernosum of penis). In contrast, some targets (e.g., bladder muscle and suburothelium, vas deferens smooth muscle) were unaffected by neurturin gene deletion. Pelvic ganglion neurons more than doubled between birth and adulthood, probably as aresult of continued maturation of p75‐positive undifferentiated neuronal precursors rather than cell division. The adult number of neurons was achieved by P7 (sympathetic) or P21 (parasympathetic). In adult neurturin knockout mice, there were ∼25% fewer parasympathetic neurons compared with wild types, because of failure of differentiation after P14. This study revealed the complexity of postnatal maturation of urogenital innervation, with each organ showing a distinct chronology of innervation and different requirement for neurturin. Our results also indicate that in adults there will be distinct differences in neurturin dependence between organs, such that proregenerative therapies may have to be tailored specifically for the nerve pathway of interest. J. Comp. Neurol. 507:1169–1183, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Two‐stage detection of partitioned random CDMA
Authors: Krzymien Lukasz , Truhachev Dmitri , Schlegel Christian , Burnashev Marat
Published: January 2008

Random Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) with low complexity two‐stage joint detection/decoding is considered. A sequence partitioning approach is used for modulation, where every spreading sequence is divided into M sections (partitions) which are interleaved prior to transmission. This setup, called partitioned CDMA, can be understood as a generalisation of (chip) interleave division multiple access (IDMA). An analysis of a low‐complexity iterative cancellation receiver is presented for arbitrary received power distributions. It is shown that for equal rate and equal power users the asymptotic performance of partitioned CDMA is equal to the performance of CDMA with optimal a posteriori probability (APP) detection for system loads K/N < 1.49. Effects of asynchronous signal transmission are quantified for standard pulse shaping filters and it is shown that the signal‐to‐noise ratios achievable in an asynchronous system are improved with respect to fully synchronous transmission. The effect of unequal received powers is examined and considerable gains in performance are obtained by judicious choices of power distributions. For certain power distribution, partitioned CDMA with iterative detection can achieve arbitrary system loads, that is detection is no longer fundamentally interference limited. The practical near‐far resistance of the proposed system is illustrated using an example of a receiver with a circular receive footprint and uniformly distributed transmitters (single cell system). Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Celecoxib as an adjunct in the treatment of depressive or mixed episodes of bipolar disorder: a double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled study
Authors: Nery Fabiano G. , Monkul Emel S. , Hatch John P. , Fonseca Manoela , Zunta‐Soares Giovana B. , Frey Benício N. , Bowden Charles L. , Soares Jair C.
Published: January 2008

Objective

To investigate whether the cox‐2 inhibitor celecoxib has antidepressant effects in bipolar disorder (BD) patients during depressive or mixed phases.

Methods

We studied 28 DSM‐IV BD patients who were experiencing a depressive or mixed episode and were on a stable dose of a mood stabilizer or atypical antipsychotic medication. Subjects were randomized to receive 6 weeks of double‐blind placebo or celecoxib (400 mg/day) treatment. Current mood stabilizer or antipsychotic medication remained at the same doses during the trial.

Results

Intention‐to‐treat analysis showed that the patients receiving celecoxib had lower Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HamD) scores after 1 week of treatment compared to the patients receiving placebo, but this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.09). The improvement in the first week of treatment was statistically significant when the analysis included only the subjects who completed the full 6‐week trial (p = 0.03). The two groups did not differ significantly on depressive or manic symptoms from the second week until the end of the trial. Celecoxib was well tolerated with the exception of two subjects who dropped out of the study due to rash.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that adjunctive treatment with celecoxib may produce a rapid‐onset antidepressant effect in BD patients experiencing depressive or mixed episodes. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Reversed phase‐HPLC for rapid determination of polyphenols in flowers of rose species
Authors: Kumar Neeraj , Bhandari Pamita , Singh Bikram , Gupta Ajai P. , Kaul Vijay K.
Published: January 2008

A rapid, simple, sensitive, robust, and improved HPLC method was developed and validated for determination of 10 polyphenols, namely gallic acid, catechin, epicatechin, rutin, m‐coumaric acid, quercitrin, myricetin, quercetin, apigenin, and kaempferol in fresh flowers of Rosa bourboniana and R. brunonii and in both fresh flowers and marc (left after industrial distillation of rose oil) of R. damascena. Six polyphenols, gallic acid, rutin, quercitrin, myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol, were detected and quantified in all extracts. The chromatographic separation of 10 polyphenols was achieved in less than 16 min by RP‐HPLC (Phenomenex, Luna C18 (2) column, 5 μm, 250 mm×4.6 mm) using linear gradient elution of water and acetonitrile (0.02% trifluroacetic acid) with a flow rate of 1 mL/min at λ 280 nm. Standard calibration curves were linear in the range of 0.39–500 μg/mL. Good results were achieved with respect to repeatability (RSD <3%) and recovery (98.6–100.8%). The method was validated for linearity, accuracy, repeatability, LOD, and LOQ.
Headspace single‐drop microextraction of herbal essential oils
Authors: Adam Martin , Dobiáš Petr , Eisner Aleš , Ventura Karel
Published: January 2008

A method employing the headspace single‐drop microextraction (HS‐SDME) is presented for the determination of essential oils in dried herbal leaves. By optimising the key experimental parameters, a linear response for the individual target compounds was obtained in the concentration range from LOQ to 4 mg/mL (r2 = 0.9912–0.9998), with LODs from 3.3 up to 20.5 μg per 100 g of dried leaves, and the repeatability within the RSD of 2.1–8.9%. The HS‐SDME‐based procedure, enabling a rapid and simple analysis of essential oils in herbs, was applied to selected real samples (nine essential oils in four different samples) in combination with GC‐FID identification and quantification of the target volatiles.
Dystonia in the Woodhouse Sakati syndrome: A new family and literature review
Authors: Schneider Susanne A. , Bhatia Kailash P.
Published: January 2008

Woodhouse Sakati syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive neuroendocrine disorder characterized by the combination of alopecia, hypogonadism, diabetes mellitus, mental retardation, sensory neural deafness and extrapyramidal features. Movement disorders mainly consist of dystonia and chorea of the limbs with onset in adolescence. Facial muscles are usually spared, but dysarthria is common. Pyramidal features and peripheral abnormalities are inconsistent features. Most of the reported families are from the Middle Eastern countries although rarely Caucasian cases have been described. Here we present clinical details of two affected siblings from a new Middle East family and draw attention of movement disorder specialists to this entity. We summarize findings from pervious cases with particular focus on neurological and movement disorder features. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society
Voluntary, spontaneous, and reflex blinking in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Agostino Rocco , Bologna Matteo , Dinapoli Loredana , Gregori Bruno , Fabbrini Giovanni , Accornero Neri , Berardelli Alfredo
Published: January 2008

Blinking, a motor act consisting of a closing and an opening eyelid movement, can be performed voluntarily, spontaneously, and reflexly. In this study we investigated the kinematic features of voluntary, spontaneous, and reflex blinking in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), OFF and ON dopaminergic treatment. Patients were asked to blink voluntarily as fast as possible. Spontaneous blinking was recorded for a minute during which the subjects just relaxed. Reflex blinking was evoked by electrical stimulation on the supraorbital nerve. Eyelid movements were recorded with the SMART analyzer motion system. Patients OFF therapy paused longer than controls during voluntary blinking but not during spontaneous and reflex blinking. The blink rate tended to be lower in patients OFF therapy than in controls and the spontaneous blinking had abnormally low amplitude and peak velocity. Finally, in patients OFF therapy the excitability of the neural circuit mediating the closing phase of the reflex blinking was enhanced. Dopaminergic treatment shortened the pause during voluntary blinking and increased the blink rate. In PD patients the longer pauses between the closing and opening phase in comparison to normal subjects, suggest bradykinesia of voluntary blinking. PD patients also display kinematic abnormalities of spontaneous blinking and changes in the excitability of the closing phase of reflex blinking. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society