Effect of Traffic and Geometric Characteristics of Rural Two Lane Roads on Traffic Safety: a case study of Ilesha-Akure-Owo road, South-West, Nigeria

Road safety engineering involves identifying influencing factors causing traffic crashes through accident data, carrying out detailed accident studies at different locations and implementing relevant remedial measures. This study was carried out to establish relationship between traffic accident characteristics (frequency and severity) and traffic and road design characteristics on a two-lane highway. Statistical models applied in traffic accident modeling are Poisson regression, Negative Binomial regression (NB), and Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial regression (ZINB).; Traffic flow and road geometry related variables were the independent variables of the models. Using Ilesha-Akure-Owo highway, South-West, Nigeria accident prediction models were developed on the basis of accident data obtained from Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) during a 4-year monitoring period extending between 2012 and 2015. Curve radius (CR), lane width (LW), shoulder factor (SF), access road (CHAR), average annual daily traffic (AADT), parentage heavy good vehicle (HGV) and traffic sign posted (TSP) were the identified effective factors on crash occurrence probability. Finally, a comparison of the three models developed proved the efficiency of ZINB models against traditional Poisson and NB models. Keywords— Traffic accidents. Single carriageway, accident prediction model, road geometric characteristics

Evaluation of Cement and Bitumen Emulsion on Strength Characteristics of Native South African Granular Soil as Base Course Material

Pavement rehabilitation where the material in the existing pavement is recycled in-situ with bitumen will sustain the environment with conservation of natural aggregates, reduction in noise, dust emission and traffic disruption. This study investigate the effects of a native South African granular material stabilized with cement and bitumen emulsion as a base layer in pavement construction. The material stabilized with cement-bitumen emulsion (2-3%) was subjected to Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) and Indirect Tensile Strength (ITS) tests for 1, 4, 7 and 28 days curing. The UCS and ITS requirement was evaluated with respect to a base layer for design traffic application of less than six million equivalent single axles. The results of UCS and ITS tests for the stabilized material showed improved strength and have the potential for use as a base course material for the design traffic. The result revealed that 2.5% cement and bitumen emulsion meets the minimum strength characteristics for the base layer. Relative to 2% cement and 2% bitumen emulsion, ITS obtained for 4 and 7 days of curing increased approximately by 24%, 41% and 24%, 53% respectively. Models for UCS in terms of ITS was developed for cement and bitumen emulsion which will make one test among the two sufficient to indicate the strength of cement and bitumen emulsion stabilized materials at the mix design level. Bitumen stabilization is a quick construction method, with lower cost than reconstruction and good for rehabilitation. Keywords— bitumen emulsion, cement, granular, indirect tensile strength unconfined compressive strength.

Inhibitor clinical burden of disease: a comparative analysis of the CHESS data.

From Europe PMC via Jisc Publications Router.Publication status: PublishedBACKGROUND:Patients with hemophilia and inhibitors generally face greater disease burden compared to patients without inhibitors. While raising awareness of relative burden may improve the standard of care for patients with inhibitors, comparative data are sparse. Analyzing data drawn from the Cost of Haemophilia across Europe - a Socioeconomic Survey (CHESS) study, the aim of this study was to compare the clinical burden of disease in patients with severe hemophilia with and without inhibitors. Hemophilia specialists (N = 139) across five European countries completed an online survey between January-April 2015, providing demographic, clinical and 12-month ambulatory/secondary care activity data for 1285 patients. Patients with hemophilia who currently presented with inhibitors and those who never had inhibitors were matched on baseline characteristics via propensity score matching. Outcomes were compared between the two cohorts using a paired t-test or Wilcoxon signed-rank or McNemar's test. RESULTS:The proportion of patients who currently presented with inhibitors was 4.5% (58/1285). Compared to PS-matched patients without inhibitors, patients with inhibitors experienced more than twice the mean annual number of bleeds (mean ± standard deviation, 8.29 ± 9.18 vs 3.72 ± 3.95; p < .0001) and joint bleeds (2.17 ± 1.90 vs 0.98 ± 1.15; p < .0001), and required more hemophilia-related (mean ± standard deviation, 1.79 ± 1.83 vs 0.64 ± 1.13) and bleed-related hospitalizations (1.86 ± 1.88 vs 0.81 ± 1.26), hemophilia-related consultations (9.30 ± 4.99 vs 6.77 ± 4.47), and outpatient visits (22.09 ± 17.77 vs 11.48 ± 16.00) (all, p < .001). More than one-half (53.5%) experienced moderate/severe pain necessitating medication compared to one-third (32.8%) of patients without inhibitors (p = .01). CONCLUSIONS:Patients with hemophilia and inhibitors exhibited greater clinical burden and higher resource utilization compared to their peers without inhibitors. Strategies for improving the standard of care may alleviate burden in this population

GIS-Based Spatial Analysis of Accident Hotspots: A Nigerian Case Study

This study identified high-risk locations (hotspots) using geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial analysis. Five years of accident data (2013–2017) for the Lokoja-Abuja-Kaduna highway in Nigeria were used. The accident concentration analysis was conducted using the mean center analysis and Kernel density estimation method. These locations were further verified using Moran’s I statistics (spatial autocorrelation) to determine their clustering with statistical significance. Fishnet polygon and network spatial weight matrix approaches of the Getis–Ord Gi* statistic were used in the hotspot analysis. Hotspots exist for 2013, 2014, and 2017 with a significance level between 95–99%. However, hotspots for 2015 and 2016 have a low significance level and the pattern is random. The spatial autocorrelation analysis of the overall accident locations and the Moran’s I statistic showed that the distribution of the accidents on the study route is random. Thus, preventive measures for hotspot locations should be based on a yearly hotspot analysis. The average daily traffic values of 31,270 and 16,303 were obtained for the northbound and southbound directions of the Abaji–Abuja section. The results show that hotspot locations with high confidence levels are at points where there are geometric features

GIS-Based Spatial Analysis of Accident Hotspots: A Nigerian Case Study

This study identified high-risk locations (hotspots) using geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial analysis. Five years of accident data (2013&ndash;2017) for the Lokoja-Abuja-Kaduna highway in Nigeria were used. The accident concentration analysis was conducted using the mean center analysis and Kernel density estimation method. These locations were further verified using Moran&rsquo;s I statistics (spatial autocorrelation) to determine their clustering with statistical significance. Fishnet polygon and network spatial weight matrix approaches of the Getis&ndash;Ord Gi* statistic were used in the hotspot analysis. Hotspots exist for 2013, 2014, and 2017 with a significance level between 95&ndash;99%. However, hotspots for 2015 and 2016 have a low significance level and the pattern is random. The spatial autocorrelation analysis of the overall accident locations and the Moran&rsquo;s I statistic showed that the distribution of the accidents on the study route is random. Thus, preventive measures for hotspot locations should be based on a yearly hotspot analysis. The average daily traffic values of 31,270 and 16,303 were obtained for the northbound and southbound directions of the Abaji&ndash;Abuja section. The results show that hotspot locations with high confidence levels are at points where there are geometric features

Ureteric Injuries Arising from Obstetric and Gynaecological Operations at the University College Hospital Ibadan: a 20-year Review

Context: Iatrogenic ureteric injuries occur as a result of inadvertent ligation, transection or crushing of the ureters. A clinical condition with potential significant morbidity and mortality such as this should be a subject of regular reviews. Objective: The objective of the study is to determine the aetiology, the types and the various mode of management of ureteric associated with obstetric and gynaecological surgeries within the study period. Methods: This is a descriptive study of 20 years duration from January 1981 to December 2000, carried out at the University College Hospital, Ibadan Nigeria. The clinical and operative records of all patients who had ureteric injuries during the period under review were retrospectively analysed. Results: The incidence of ureteric injuries during the period of review was 0.4%. The mean age of the patients was 39.4 years and the injury occurs mostly in grand-multiparous women. The commonest surgical procedure leading to ureteric injuries in this study was total abdominal hysterectomy, whereby ligation of the ureter was the commonest mode of injury. Conclusion: The incidence of ureteric injury during the study period is fewer than in that of previous review. This is probably so because less radical pelvic surgeries are performed now than during the period covered by the previous review which was about three decades ago. Also improved surgical skill among gynaecologists coupled with better obstetric care might have contributed to the fever number of ureters that were injured. Key Words: Ureter, Iatrogenic, Injury, Fistula, Urinary Bladder. [Trop J Obstet Gynaecol, 2003, 20: 32-36