bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contextualizing Social Science in Nepal
Authors: Dahal Dev Raj
Published: January 2010

Social science informs about the ideals and trains experts to deal with the complex social realities. It has a public purpose rooted in what we call dharma (professional and institutional responsibility) as opposed to the arrogance of reason, self-will and self-rationalization intrinsic to contemporary rational choice and modernity. Learning has a synergy - establishing connection between the world of social science theories and the drama of social life. A lack of mutual learning between Nepal's traditional faith intellectuals and modern reason-based social scientists has created a big hiatus and contradiction. The academic life of social scientists in Nepal is completely outside of spiritual, moral and ethical influence experienced by ordinary public. The spiritual blindness of modern social scientists has thus opened multiple gaps between their worldview and those of the citizens on various frontiers--theoretical knowledge and practical experience, technical understanding and composite knowledge and secularity of social science and the vitality of the Hindu-Buddhist scriptures in the popular mind, culture, behavior and practices. This has reinforced a division between the system of knowledge of social scientists and the life-world of people. The proponents of new social movements in Nepal, such as women, Dalits, Janajatis, Madhesis, youths and marginalized population are seeking a structural shift in reason-based knowledge to both reason and feeling in social science knowledge discovery. This movement can open the "captive mind" to social learning of contextual knowledge, conduct research with the citizens, provide inputs to the policy makers and reverse their linear, structure-bound, rationalist and disciplinary thinking into the one that represents what the Nepal mandala, the Nepali space, is really like and how to improve it for the better. The renewal and indigenization of qualitative social science research is important to overcome the spirited challenges posed by social forces in Nepal and contribute to the application of scientific reasoning in public policy and social change.Key Words: social movement, NepalDOI = 10.3126/dsaj.v2i0.1356Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol.2 pp.1-30
Ethnicity, National Integrity and Monument in Argal
Authors: Khattri Man Bahadur
Published: January 2010

In Nepal, social inclusion, ethnic identity, positive discrimination and proportional representation being burning issues now. Ethnic identity is a vital element of discussion for social inclusion, positive discrimination and proportional representation. Assertion on ethnic identity, seeks recognition from concerned institutions, practices traditions and advocates their ethnic right on socio-economic and political power. These issues are intrinsically linked to national integration. To be sure, very little attention is paid toward ancestral monuments of the past. Monuments vary by their size, pattern, investment, management, and range of dissemination. Local level monuments have little possibility to attract the attention of people of various places and interest, unless they have becomes extraordinary significance. In order to understand monumentality in wider social context, it is very important to look at the village level society. Monument building in Nepal has been linked to culture, history, religion, ethnic identity as well as social system. Argal VDC of Baglung district of Nepal represent with multi-ethnic/caste setting that has high influence over the nature of monument and the rituals performed. In multiethnic setting economic, social, and political activities co-exist, each nourishing the other.Key Words: Ethnicity, Argali Magars, Intra-ethnic relation, Magars, Monuments, National Integrity, NepalDOI = 10.3126/dsaj.v2i0.1359Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol.2 pp.101-120
Social Inclusion and Exclusion: A Review
Authors: Rawal Nabin
Published: January 2010

The concept of social exclusion/inclusion figured prominently in the policy discourse in France in the mid 1970s. The concept was later adopted by the European Union in the late 1980s as a key concept in social policy and in many instances replaced the concept of poverty. This concept which had first appeared in Europe as a response to the crisis of the welfare State has now gained considerable currency over the last five years in both official and development discourses in Nepal. The issue gained considerable leverage when the Nepal Government recognized inclusion as a policy issue as one of the four pillars of 2003 Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP), which is also Nepal's Tenth Plan. The debates surrounding inclusion/exclusion have ascended to conspicuous importance in the present political transition in Nepal with several groups such as Dalit, women, ethnic communities, donor communities, Madhesi communities and region voicing their demands for an inclusive state by virtue of which, the issue has now come to be a part of the popular public discourse. However, what has to be borne in mind is that the concept lacks universality in the way it has been defined and employed. While some claim that social exclusion is more illuminating and holds the promise of understanding disadvantaged groups better, others argue that this concept is so evocative, ambiguous, multidimensional and elastic that it can be defined in many different ways and owing to its ambiguity in definition it may mean all things to all people. Howsoever, the term has been used, defined, conceptualized, the article here makes an effort to review accessible literature on the topic.DOI = 10.3126/dsaj.v2i0.1362Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol.2 pp.161-180
Dimension of Rural Development in Nepal
Authors: Acharya Bala Ram
Published: January 2010

Rural development in Nepal is a complex phenomenon involving an interaction of economic, social, political and cultural factors. The concept of rural development is a process of development and change to improve rural social life entirely. It is linked to infrastructural development, commercialization of agriculture, proper utilization and mobilization of resources, food security, creating opportunities, inclusive social development in the rural community and modernization of overall society. However, achievements of rural development efforts in Nepal are not satisfactory because of imposed development, unstable political situation, absence of people's participation, lack of research and political commitment.Key Words: Rural development, rural poverty, human development in NepalDOI = 10.3126/dsaj.v2i0.1363Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol.2 pp.181-192
Neighborhood Deprivation and Self-Rated Health in Lagos State, Nigeria
Authors: Ojikutu Rasheed Kola
Published: January 2010

This study examines the effect of neighborhood deprivation on the perception of the individuals about their own health in Lagos State, Nigeria. Respondents were required to rate their own health as "excellent, very good, good, fair, poor and very poor". The questionnaire contained questions on various aspect of the respondents neighborhood and their perception about them. It was found that most neighborhoods in Lagos State are deprived of basic essentials of life such as electricity, water, good roads and security. Over 43% of the respondents claimed to have visited a hospital two or more times and 43.7% had lost at least two neighbors in the past one year. Over half (57.8%) of the respondents rated their own health as good, 36.6% ranked their own health as fair while only 5.6% claimed to have poor health. A fitted regression model ( r2 = 0.644) showed that variables such as number of dependants, income, occupation, type of residential accommodation, ownership of house, number of rooms occupied, mode and convenience of transportation, accessibility to water, electricity and good roads and security jointly determine the perception of an individual about his own health status.Key Words: Neighborhood, Deprivation, Self Rated Health, Security, ResidenceDOI = 10.3126/dsaj.v2i0.1364Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol.2 pp.193-210
Senior Citizens and the Elderly Homes: A Survey from Kathmandu
Authors: Acharya Pradeep
Published: January 2010

During the study information about the existing state of the seven elderly homes around Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Kavrepalanchowk district was collected during October-November, 2007 on behalf of Geront World Nepal, Kathmandu. An attempt has been made to come across physical, economic status of different homes, their problems and challenges as well as the personal feelings of senior citizens living in there. The survey has tried to clarify the problems and challenges of elderly homes and the elders. Effort has been provided to see whether the elderly homes are helpful in providing proper care and support for the senior citizens. An analysis of four data sets (interview of 61 senior citizens out of total 122 in 7 homes, interview of all seven home's authorized persons, published/unpublished profile of the homes, and interview of key informants) as well as field observation shows significant positive effects of homes on the life of senior citizen. The survey results indicate that in number of respects elderly homes are favorable for the residents and the society as a whole despite of some problems, particularly for those who are uncomfortable in their family.Key words: Seniors citizens, Homes, Retirement, HealthDOI = 10.3126/dsaj.v2i0.1365Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol.2 pp.
Network Analysis of World Subway Systems Using Updated Graph Theory
Authors: Derrible Sybil , Kennedy Christopher
Published: January 2010

This paper demonstrates that network topologies play a key role in attracting people to use public transit; ridership is not solely determined by cultural characteristics (North American versus European versus Asian) or city design (transit oriented versus automobile oriented). The analysis considers 19 subway systems worldwide: those in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Chicago, Illinois; New York City; Washington, D.C.; San Francisco, California; Mexico City, Mexico; London; Paris; Lyon, France; Madrid, Spain; Berlin; Athens, Greece; Stockholm, Sweden; Moscow; Tokyo; Osaka, Japan; Seoul, South Korea; and Singapore. The relationship between ridership and network design was studied by using updated graph theory concepts. Ridership was computed as the annual number of boardings per capita. Network design was measured according to three major indicators. The first is a measure of transit coverage and is based on the total number of stations and land area. The second relates to the maximum number of transfers necessary to go from one station to another and is called directness. The third attempts to get an overall view of transfer possibilities to travel in the network to appreciate a sense of mobility; it is termed connectivity. Multiple-regression analysis showed a strong relationship between these three indicators and ridership, achieving a goodness of fit (adjusted R2 value) of .725. The importance of network design is significant and should be considered in future public transportation projects.
Calculation of Benefits of Advanced Integrated Rail Service
Authors: Martinez Manuel J.
Published: January 2010

This paper calculates the benefits of the Advanced Integrated Rail Service in Lima, Peru. The service consists of the application of five new intelligent transportation systems to rail transit managed from an advanced marketing and information center. These systems provide ( a) advanced passenger information, ( b) optimized productivity of roads that access rail stations and their capacities, ( c) improved rail transfers, ( d) advanced taxi–rail service, and ( e) advanced parking management. The new service can produce benefits by improving the quality of rail travel, increasing the productivity of taxis, and optimizing the productivity of roads that access rail stations and their capacities. The benefits include the reduction of three cost items: ( a) transport user costs (time, monetary, and vehicle operating costs), ( b) the cost required to operate the system (fuel subsidies to stabilize the effect of the variability in oil prices), and ( c) the cost of externalities (health impacts, the cost of accidents, social costs, and the cost from carbon emissions). The benefits are estimated by the use of transportation planning software with data from the urban transportation master plan for the period from 2005 to 2025. As a result, the new rail service can produce considerable benefits. These are derived from the transfer of passengers from automobiles and taxis to rail for a segment of their trip, but it can also produce negative but smaller effects derived from the shift of traffic from faster highways to the slower roads that access rail stations. The advanced integrated rail service can foster rail ridership, increase average speeds in the city, and reduce fuel subsidies.
Using a Public Education Campaign to Improve Driver Compliance with Streetcar Transit Lanes
Authors: Currie Graham
Published: January 2010

On-street operation in mixed traffic is the least desirable right-of-way for light rail and tram systems. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, operates one of the world's largest streetcar systems. Most of Melbourne's 195 km of streetcar tracks is protected by road rules that require traffic to avoid delays to trams. However, the rate of compliance with and the level of understanding of these rules are poor. This paper reviews the performance of a public education campaign, called Obey the Yellow, aimed at increasing the level of awareness of and the rate of compliance with road rules. It reports the results of community surveys and provides an analysis of the operational performance of the campaign. Community surveys established that the level of awareness of the road rules that apply to tram lanes has improved, with 28% of respondents saying that they changed their behavior after the campaign. Evidence about the tram system's operational performance suggests a small improvement, although this has not conclusively been linked directly to the campaign. Operations staff perceived improved driver compliance, but this impact is thought to have lasted less than 4 months after the campaign. There was no significant change in customer satisfaction with trams during the campaign. These results suggest that the campaign was successful in meeting its objectives of improved community awareness of road rules. However, any improvements with compliance have had only small, if any, impacts on reliability and travel time performance. The paper discusses the lessons learned from this experience and how they might be applied to improve streetcar performance in other contexts.
Control of Public Transportation Operations to Improve Reliability
Authors: van Oort Niels , van Nes Rob
Published: January 2010

RandstadRail is a new light rail system between the cities of The Hague, Rotterdam, and Zoetermeer in the Netherlands. During peak hours, the frequency on some trajectories is about 24 vehicles an hour. To deal with these high frequencies and to offer travelers a high-quality product according to the waiting times and the probability of getting a seat, the operator designed a three-step philosophy for controlling the system. The first step is to prevent deviations from occurring: the infrastructure is exclusively right-of-way as much as possible, and at intersections RandstadRail gets priority over the other traffic. RandstadRail stops at every stop and never leaves before the scheduled time. The second step in the philosophy is to deal with deviations by planning additional time in the schedule at stops, trajectories, and terminals. Small deviations can be solved in this way. The final step is to get vehicles back on schedule and is performed by the traffic control center: it has a total overview of all vehicles and can respond to disturbances, such as by slowing down vehicles near a delayed vehicle. Major disturbances may be experienced as a result of the rerouting and shortening of lines. RandstadRail has been in operation since 2007. The actual data on its performance were used to analyze the actual effects of the control philosophy. It is shown that because of the measures applied, the variability in trip times has been reduced, while punctuality has increased. This leads to a higher level of service, creating shorter trip times and a better distribution of passengers among the vehicles.
Regional Rail
Authors: Nelson David O. , Blakey Tara , Streit Adamson E.
Published: January 2010

As the extent of North American commuter rail systems increases, interest increases in developing new services to connect with existing and established passenger rail lines. Some new systems under consideration rely on timed transfers between low-frequency routes so that some or all passengers may reach their ultimate destinations. The paper summarizes six North American services that rely on connections and planning reports for two potential new services. It draws general observations and recommendations for the design of other new services and suggests general findings and guidelines for the design and operation of the commuter rail transfer operations. First, most branch-line connecting services tend to offer the greatest economic utility as service supplements during off-peak periods. Second, attractive and economical connecting services are easier to schedule and manage when the branch is very short. Third, it is difficult for a single consist (train set) to provide optimal connections in both directions. Fourth, when trade-offs between convenient inbound and outbound connections must be considered, schedulers nearly always favor the quality of the outbound connection over that of the inbound connection. Fifth, the scheduling of evening outbound connections often entails a load-and-go type of operating regime. Finally, the quality of branch-line connecting services is affected by the reliability of the main-line service.
Line Length versus Operational Reliability
Authors: van Oort Niels , van Nes Rob
Published: January 2010

The unreliability of public transportation is a well-known problem. During the design stages of public transportation, little attention is paid to operational reliability, although many design choices have a great impact on schedule adherence. During network design, operational reliability should be taken into account as a design parameter. This paper deals with line length. A new design dilemma is introduced: the length of the line versus operational reliability. Long lines offer many direct connections, thereby lowering the need for transfers. However, the variability is often negatively related to the length of a line and leads to less adherence to the schedule and additional waiting time for passengers. This paper suggests that both the positive and the negative effects of extending or connecting a line be taken into account. A tool that can be used to calculate the additional waiting time because of variability and transfers and that is based on actual journey and passenger data was developed. A case study in The Hague, Netherlands, shows that in the case of long lines with large variability, splitting of the line could result in less additional travel time because of improved operational reliability. This benefit compensates for the additional transfer time, provided that the transfer point is well chosen. This research shows the effect of choosing the transfer point at stops with many and fewer passing travelers. The latter could lead to a decrease in additional waiting time of about 30%. The splitting of a long line into two lines with an overlap in the central part could result in even more time savings. In that case, fewer travelers must transfer.
Passenger Choice Models for Analysis of Impacts of Real-Time Bus Information on Crowdedness
Authors: Kim Joon-Ki , Lee Backjin , Oh Sungho
Published: January 2010

This research explores the effect of bus occupancy information on transit users’ choice of a bus by use of a binary logit model. The model predicts the probability of bus choice between the first arriving bus and the second arriving bus. The analysis is based on interview survey data obtained over 1 week (June 19 to June 25, 2008) in the Seoul metropolitan area in South Korea. The data reveal that the need for public transportation information varies by user group (white- or blue-collar workers, students, homemakers, self-employed workers, and older people) and the stage of the trip (before a trip, at a stop, on board, and at a transfer point). The results show that the availability of seats will increase the probability that a bus user will choose to board an arriving bus, with all other things being kept constant, whereas the travel time on board and the crowded-ness on a bus decrease the probability that a public transit user will choose to board an arriving bus. The effects of bus occupancy information are also different among user groups (white- or blue-collar workers, students, homemakers, self-employed workers, and older people) and trip purpose (commute and noncommute).
Approaches to Privacy Preservation in Intelligent Transportation Systems and Vehicle–Infrastructure Integration Initiative
Authors: Cottrill Caitlin D.
Published: January 2010

The goal of this paper is to explore rationales for mitigating privacy loss in intelligent transportation systems and to provide an overview of methods proposed to accomplish this mitigation. The limitations and potential benefits of both technological and policy-oriented approaches are examined, and potential approaches to merging the two are explored in relation to the proposed vehicle–infrastructure integration initiative program.
Real-Time Detection of Hazardous Traffic Events on Freeways
Authors: Oh Cheol , Oh Jutaek , Min Joonyoung
Published: January 2010

A novel surveillance system to detect hazardous traffic events on freeways is presented. This study developed a methodology to evaluate freeway safety performance on the basis of vehicle trajectory data and a prototype implementation. An important feature of this study is to capture unsafe traffic situations of car-following and lane-changing events, which potentially lead to collisions. The proposed methodology used a real-time safety index based on the concept of safe stopping distance and time to collision. A video image processing-based detection system using a long-distance tracing algorithm was also developed to implement the proposed methodology. The outcomes of this study would be valuable for freeway traffic operators in evaluating traffic conditions in terms of safety in real time. The system is expected to be used to support the development of effective traffic management strategies for safety enhancement on freeways.
Development of an Automatic Traffic Conflict Detection System Based on Image Tracking Technology
Authors: Oh Jutaek , Min Joonyoung , Kim Myungseob , Cho Hanseon
Published: January 2010

Increasing reliance on surveillance has emphasized the need for better vehicle detection, such as with wide-area detectors. Traffic information from vehicle trajectories can be especially useful because it measures spatial information rather than single-point information. Additional information from vehicle trajectories could lead to improved incident detection, both by identifying stopped vehicles within the camera's field of view and by tracking detailed vehicle movement trajectories. In this research, a vehicle image processing system was developed by using a vehicle tracking algorithm, and a traffic conflict technology was applied to the tracking system. To overcome the limitations of the existing traffic conflict technology, this study developed a traffic conflict technology that considers the severity of different types of conflict. To apply this method, video images were collected from intersections at Jungja and Naejung in Sungnam City, South Korea. The image processing approach adopted in this research was based on the use of a single camera installed at the corner of a street to detect vehicles approaching an intersection from all directions, and they were analyzed with the traffic information extracted from the image tracking system. To verify the tracking system, three categories were tested: traffic volume and speed accuracy, vehicle trajectory tracking, and traffic conflict.
Processing Traffic Data Collected by Remote Sensing
Authors: Knoop Victor L. , Hoogendoorn Serge P. , van Zuylen Henk J.
Published: January 2010

Video data are being used more often to study traffic operations. However, extracting vehicle trajectories from video by current methods is a difficult process, typically resulting in many errors. The process requires extensive labor to correct the trajectories manually. This paper proposes a method to process video data from traffic operations. Instead of detecting a vehicle in each picture of the video separately, the video data are transformed so that the trajectories of the vehicles (their position over time) become visible in a single image. In this single image, the trajectories can be found by detecting lines. The difference from other methods is that trajectories rather than vehicles are detected. Trajectory (line) detection is more robust than vehicle (rectangle) detection; with this method, about 95% of the trajectories are detected correctly and, more important, the segments of each trajectory are much longer compared with results from other methods in the literature. Also, the detection is a quick process because only a single image is required to be analyzed. For a data set 5 min long, transforming costs several minutes, and automatically detecting and tracking costs 40 to 50 min per lane. Manual correction is then necessary, which costs about 10 min per lane. In contrast, with a different method the total processing time for analyzing traffic operations costs about 1 week for all lanes together.
Application of Advanced Traffic Information Systems
Authors: Zou Nan , Wang Jianwei , Chang Gang-Len , Paracha Jawad
Published: January 2010

With increased congestion in most urban networks, providing reliable trip times to commuters has emerged as a critical challenge for all existing advanced traffic information systems. This paper presents the development and evaluation of a hybrid travel-time prediction model in a demonstration system sponsored by the Maryland State Highway Administration. The automated real-time travel-time prediction system is located on a 25-mi stretch of I-70 eastbound from MD-27 to I-695, which includes seven interchanges and 10 traffic detectors. To contend with the resource constraints of more than 1 mi in detector spacing, the proposed prediction model consists of two components: a multitopology neural network model with a clustering function as the main model and an enhanced k nearest neighbor model as the supplemental model. The evaluation results based on estimated travel times and field data collected by a third party indicate that the proposed hybrid model can provide reliable predictions of travel times in real-time operations in uncongested, congested, and transition traffic conditions.
Improving Travel Time Estimates from Inductive Loop and Toll Collection Data with Dempster–Shafer Data Fusion
Authors: El Faouzi Nour-Eddin , Klein Lawrence A. , De Mouzon Olivier
Published: January 2010

Dempster–Shafer data fusion can enhance travel time estimation for motorists and traffic managers. In this paper, travel time data from inductive loop road sensors and toll collection stations are merged through Dempster–Shafer inference to generate an improved estimate of travel time. The technique captures travel time data from the two sources and combines them by using Dempster's rule and belief values (also called probability mass) calculated from a confusion matrix. The most probable travel time over the monitored road section is selected as that with the largest belief. A case study is provided to illustrate application of the fusion technique with data gathered on winter Saturdays for 2 years: 2003 data are used to compute the confusion matrices and belief values, and 2004 data are used for validation.
Real-Time Estimation of Urban Street Segment Travel Time Using Buses as Speed Probes
Authors: Pu Wenjing , Lin Jie (Jane) , Long Liang
Published: January 2010

Using transit buses as probes to detect general vehicle traffic conditions could be a real-time traffic monitoring mechanism in an urban advanced traveler information system. The feasibility of such an application depends primarily on the existence of quantifiable relationships between bus traffic and general vehicle traffic and infrequent bus travel observations (constrained by the scheduled bus headway and route configuration) that are sufficiently sensitive to infer real-time general vehicle traffic conditions. Considering that urban bus probe studies have focused only on the first criterion, this study is designed to examine real-time sensitivity between buses and cars. A generic framework of real-time urban travel time estimation is proposed, followed by a field study in which real-time bus travel information is available and a simulation study that examines the impact of passenger demand on performance of the proposed framework. The study findings provide insights into the feasibility of a real bus probe application in an urban traffic environment. Future studies are desired to explore bus probe performance in nonrecurrent traffic congestion.
Comprehensive Review of Emerging Technologies for Congestion Reduction and Safety
Authors: Ukkusuri Satish V. , Ramadurai Gitakrishnan
Published: January 2010

The New York Metropolitan Transportation Council (NYMTC) funded a project executed by a team from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to perform a comprehensive scan of emerging technologies that could affect transportation in the New York City metropolitan region in the next 20 years. A primary goal of the technology scan is to develop a document that serves as a one-stop shop for emerging technology that may be considered for implementation by different transportation agencies in the NYMTC region. This paper briefly presents the different emerging technologies, their characteristics, and important results from the project pertaining to congestion reduction and safety objectives.
Changes in Video Detection Performance at Signalized Intersections under Different Illumination Conditions
Authors: Medina Juan C. , Benekohal Rahim F. , Chitturi Madhav V.
Published: January 2010

The performance of three widely used video detection systems (VDS) was evaluated under five illumination conditions: dawn, sunny morning (long shadows), cloudy noon, dusk, and night. Large data sets were collected in stop bar and advance detection zones of a signalized intersection where VDS were installed side by side. Potential detection errors from each system (false, missed, stuck-on, and dropped calls) were initially identified by comparing VDS and loops using a computer algorithm; then they were visually verified by using videos from the intersection. Results showed significant effects of illumination conditions on the three VDS, which performed best in cloudy noon conditions. In the stop bar zones, false calls increased for all systems mostly at dawn (up to 31%), dusk (up to 51%), and night (up to 35%). Missed calls were affected in only one system and one zone with up to 29% missed vehicles; stuck-on calls increased up to 8% in sunny conditions and up to 6% at night. Dropped calls were rare, and only three were observed in all conditions and for all systems. In the advance zones, the three systems had the most false calls during sunny conditions (up to 53%); missed calls increased for only one system (up to 18%)–-also in sunny conditions; and stuck-on calls were less than 2%. This evaluation would help to identify strengths and weaknesses of VDS at signalized intersections, causes of detection errors, and potential effects in traffic operation and safety.
Real-Time Traffic Information and Navigation
Authors: Cohn Nick
Published: January 2010

Consumer demand for accurate, reliable, and up-to-date traffic information has prompted TomTom to develop a new system for using multiple traffic information sources and integrating them with in-car navigation. This new system, called high-definition traffic, has been introduced in the Netherlands, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Switzerland and is planned for introduction in other European countries in 2009. The goal is to provide drivers with accurate door-to-door travel time, delay time, estimated arrival time, and seamless cross-border information services integrated into personal navigation devices: thus route choice can be made based on real-time traffic information and adjusted continually on the basis of changing traffic conditions. The traffic information provided to drivers is based on four sources: data from global system for mobile communications networks, data from users of TomTom navigation devices (real-time Global Positioning System data), third-party data such as government traffic control centers, and historic information collected from navigation devices. The information is provided to drivers by connected navigation devices, which include subscriber identity module cards and allow for two-way data transmission. These connected devices incorporate traffic information into route calculations to provide drivers with real-time travel and delay times. The combination of more accurate and complete traffic information with connected in-car systems provides drivers with the capability of making informed decisions about departure times and routes as well as whether to make a trip by car.
Traffic Flow Impacts of Adaptive Cruise Control Deactivation and (Re)Activation with Cooperative Driver Behavior
Authors: Klunder Gerdien , Li Minwei , Minderhoud Michiel
Published: January 2010

In 2006 in the Netherlands, a field operational test was carried out to study the effect of adaptive cruise control (ACC) and lane departure warning on driver behavior and traffic flow in real traffic. To estimate the effect for larger penetration rates, simulations were needed. For a reliable impact assessment, the on- and off-switching of the system should be taken into account. Furthermore, because ACC systems are less cooperative than normal drivers, the reference behavior should include this cooperative behavior. In this research, cooperative driver models for normal drivers were developed as well as an ACC model that included on- and off-switching for the microscopic simulation environment known as the intelligent transportation systems modeler. Parameter settings were validated with data from the pilot. The results clearly show that on- and off-switching behavior has a large influence on traffic flow. This effect depends on the degree of congestion. In congestion, the effect of the ACC is larger. Without the possibility of switching it on and off, the ACC has a positive impact on throughput. However, when the ACC can be switched on and off, it has a negative impact on throughput.
Novel Combinations for the Treatment of Metastatic Breast Cancer
Authors: Vahdat Linda  T.
Published: January 2010

Anthracyclines and taxanes represent the mainstay of first-line cytotoxic therapy for metastatic breast cancer (MBC), but most patients eventually develop resistance to these agents. Consequently, alternative combinations for MBC therapy are the subject of much ongoing research. Capecitabine and ixabepilone is the only chemotherapy combination specifically approved for MBC after failure of anthracyclines and taxanes. Other options have limited data to support their use in this setting but are commonly used in practice. Future MBC therapies will likely combine alternative chemotherapies and novel biologic agents, and numerous ongoing trials should help to further define the proper use of these regimens.
The Technology of Waste, Biofuels and Global Warming in Viable Closed Loop, Sustainable Operations
Authors: Butterworth William  R.
Published: January 2010

This research set out to explore and develop a route relating the recycling of urban and industrial wastes to land to produce agricultural crops with energy crops in the rotation, using the green leaf to “harvest” sunlight and to examine the sequestration of carbon dioxide and release of oxygen in a sustainable closed loop. Further, to establish if the pollution, particularly of nitrogen and phosphates (often associated with cultivations and use of mineral fertilisers) could be reduced or eliminated, so as to be able to develop systems which could contribute to the reversal of global warming. Finally, to probe whether practical operators on the ground could understand the technology, use it, and express what they were doing in a way acceptable to a wider society.
Avian Colibacillosis and Salmonellosis: A Closer Look at Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, Control and Public Health Concerns
Authors: Kabir S. M. Lutful
Published: January 2010

Avian colibacillosis and salmonellosis are considered to be the major bacterial diseases in the poultry industry world-wide. Colibacillosis and salmonellosis are the most common avian diseases that are communicable to humans. This article provides the vital information on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, control and public health concerns of avian colibacillosis and salmonellosis. A better understanding of the information addressed in this review article will assist the poultry researchers and the poultry industry in continuing to make progress in reducing and eliminating avian colibacillosis and salmonellosis from the poultry flocks, thereby reducing potential hazards to the public health posed by these bacterial diseases.
Assessing the Relationship between Socioeconomic Conditions and Urban Environmental Quality in Accra, Ghana
Authors: Fobil Julius , May Juergen , Kraemer Alexander
Published: January 2010

The influence of socioeconomic status (SES) on health inequalities is widely known, but there is still poor understanding of the precise relationship between area-based socioeconomic conditions and neighborhood environmental quality. This study aimed to investigate the socioeconomic conditions which predict urban neighbourhood environmental quality. The results showed wide variation in levels of association between the socioeconomic variables and environmental conditions, with strong evidence of a real difference in environmental quality across the five socioeconomic classes with respect to total waste generation (p < 0.001), waste collection rate (p
ERK in Learning and Memory: A Review of Recent Research
Authors: Peng Sheng , Zhang Yan , Zhang Jiannan , Wang Hua , Ren Bingxu
Published: January 2010

The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway is a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) superfamily, which is an important, highly conserved family of enzymes associated with cell membrane receptors and regulative targets. In the central nervous system, there is almost no mature neuronal proliferation and differentiation, but the regulation of MAPK and its upstream and downstream molecular pathways is still widespread, with the ERK signaling pathway being one of the most actively studied signal transduction pathways. It is activated by a variety of cell growth factors and substances which promote mitotic activity, and transmits extracellular signals from the cell surface to the nucleus, which transmission plays an important role in the process of cell proliferation and differentiation. In recent years, accumulating evidence has shown that the ERK signaling pathway has an important link with the higher functions of learning and memory.
An Incremental Mori-Tanaka Homogenization Scheme for Finite Strain Thermoelastoplasticity of MMCs
Authors: Pettermann Heinz  E. , Huber Christopher  O. , Luxner Mathias  H. , Nogales Sergio , Böhm Helmut  J.
Published: January 2010

The present paper aims at computational simulations of particle reinforced Metal Matrix Composites as well as parts and specimens made thereof. An incremental Mori-Tanaka approach with isotropization of the matrix tangent operator is adopted. It is extended to account for large strains by means of co-rotational Cauchy stresses and logarithmic strains and is implemented into Finite Element Method software as constitutive material law. Periodic unit cell predictions in the finite strain regime are used to verify the analytical approach with respect to non-proportional loading scenarios and assumptions concerning finite strain localization. The response of parts made of Metal Matrix Composites is predicted by a multiscale approach based on these two micromechanical methods. Results for the mesoscopic stress and strain fields as well as the microfields are presented to demonstrate to capabilities of the developed methods.
Removal of Mn, Fe, Ni and Cu Ions from Wastewater Using Cow Bone Charcoal
Authors: Moreno Juan Carlos , Gómez Rigoberto , Giraldo Liliana
Published: January 2010

Cow bone charcoal (CBC) was synthesized and used for the removal of metals ions (manganese, iron, nickel and copper) from aqueous solutions. Two different adsorption models were used for analyzing the data. Adsorption capacities were determined: copper ions exhibit the greatest adsorption on cow bone charcoal because of their size and pH conditions. Adsorption capacity varies as a function of pH. Adsorption isotherms from aqueous solution of heavy metals on CBC were determined. Adsorption isotherms are consistent with Langmuir´s adsorption model. Adsorbent quantity and immersion enthalpy were studied.
Chitin Deacetylases: Properties and Applications
Authors: Zhao Yong , Park Ro-Dong , Muzzarelli Riccardo A.A.
Published: January 2010

Chitin deacetylases, occurring in marine bacteria, several fungi and a few insects, catalyze the deacetylation of chitin, a structural biopolymer found in countless forms of marine life, fungal cell and spore walls as well as insect cuticle and peritrophic matrices. The deacetylases recognize a sequence of four GlcNAc units in the substrate, one of which undergoes deacetylation: the resulting chitosan has a more regular deacetylation pattern than a chitosan treated with hot NaOH. Nevertheless plain chitin is a poor substrate, but glycolated, reprecipitated or depolymerized chitins are good ones. The marine Vibrio sp. colonize the chitin particles and decompose the chitin thanks to the concerted action of chitinases and deacetylases, otherwise they could not tolerate chitosan, a recognized antibacterial biopolymer. In fact, chitosan is used to prevent infections in fishes and crustaceans. Considering that chitin deacetylases play very important roles in the biological attack and defense systems, they may find applications for the biological control of fungal plant pathogens or insect pests in agriculture and for the biocontrol of opportunistic fungal human pathogens.
Determination of the Volatile Composition in Essential Oil of Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb ex Prantl (Flixweed) by Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS)
Authors: Li Jing , Liu Xingang , Dong Fengshou , Xu Jun , Zheng Yongquan , Shan Weili
Published: January 2010

Exhaustive hydro-distillation of Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb ex Prantl (flixweed) collected from two different locations (Cangzhou city-Sample 1 and Beijing city-Sample 2) gave in both cases yellowish colored oils in 0.31 and 0.26% yield, respectively. Detailed chemical composition of the essential oils was analyzed by GC and GC/MS, and forty and thirty-eight compounds were identified. The results indicated that the most abundant component of Sample 1were cis-β-ocimene (20.1%), menthol (11.27%), neoisomenthyl acetate (3.5%), alloaromadendrene (2.28%) and longicyclene (2.25%). Compared with the constituents of Sample 1, several chemical compounds such as 1,8-cineole, α-eudesmol, cis, trans-farnesol and β-pinene were not detected in Sample 2 although it was similarly dominated by cis-β-ocimene (17.12%), menthol (10.7%) and neoisomenthyl acetate (2.96%). Final analysis of the chemical constituents in the essential oils of the two samples showed similarity in their chemical composition, but the relative content of all shared chemical constituents in Sample 2 was lower than that in Sample 1.
Substituted Pyrazinecarboxamides as Abiotic Elicitors of Flavolignan Production in Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn Cultures in Vitro
Authors: Tůmová Lenka , Tůma Jiří , Megušar Klara , Doležal Martin
Published: January 2010

Substituted pyrazinecarboxamides markedly influenced production of flavonolignans in Silybum marianum callus and suspension cultures. In this study the effect of two compounds, N-(3-iodo-4-methylphenyl)pyrazine-2-carboxamide (1) and N-(3-iodo-4-methylphenyl)-5-tert-butyl-pyrazine-2-carboxamide (2), as abiotic elicitors on flavono-lignan production in callus culture of S. marianum was investigated. Silymarin complex compounds have hepatoprotective, anticancer and also hypocholesterolemic activity. In vitro flavonolignan concentration in cells is very low and the elicitation is one of the methods to increase production. Elicitors were tested at three concentrations and at different culture times. In the case of elicitation with 1, the greatest increase of flavonolignan and taxifoline production was observed at concentration c1a after 6-hours of elicitation and after 24 and 72-hours at concentration c1b. However, increased production of silychristin, one of the compounds in the silymarin complex, was achieved after only 6-hours elicitation with c1a (2.95 × 10-4 mol/L). The content of silychristin was 2-times higher compared to the control sample. An increased production of silychristin was reached with compound 2 at the concentration c2 (2.53 × 10-3 mol/L) after 72 h of elicitation. The production of silychristin in this case was increased 12-times compared to control.
The Gluten-Free Diet: Safety and Nutritional Quality
Authors: Saturni Letizia , Ferretti Gianna , Bacchetti Tiziana
Published: January 2010

The prevalence of Celiac Disease (CD), an autoimmune enteropathy, characterized by chronic inflammation of the intestinal mucosa, atrophy of intestinal villi and several clinical manifestations has increased in recent years. Subjects affected by CD cannot tolerate gluten protein, a mixture of storage proteins contained in several cereals (wheat, rye, barley and derivatives). Gluten free-diet remains the cornerstone treatment for celiac patients. Therefore the absence of gluten in natural and processed foods represents a key aspect of food safety of the gluten-free diet. A promising area is the use of minor or pseudo-cereals such as amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa, sorghum and teff. The paper is focused on the new definition of gluten-free products in food label, the nutritional properties of the gluten-free cereals and their use to prevent nutritional deficiencies of celiac subjects.