EVALUATION OF AN ONLINE INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM (ITS) ASSET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) enhances the performance of modern transportation systems by improving the reliability of travel times and reducing the risk of collisions and injuries. Recently, many public agencies have expressed a need for an ITS asset management system that will effectively and efficiently meet their requirements of managing associated resources, which often includes technologically sophisticated devices, computer hardware and software, and communications infrastructure. To address this need, the author evaluated different asset management systems for their potential efficacy to support public agencies requirements for an ITS asset management system. These requirements were identified through a nationwide survey of public agencies. This thesis included an evaluation of NexusWorx, a customized ITS asset management system along with the Enterprise Based GIS and Microsoft Access, based on a case study conducted on a selected site in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Multi-attribute utility analysis was performed to identify the relative utility of these three potential ITS asset management system. The capabilities of three systems were evaluated based on their performance and finally, a comprehensive evaluation was performed considering system capabilities and costs. The multi-attribute utility analysis revealed that Enterprise based GIS received the highest rating in terms of system capability. In the comprehensive evaluation, Nexusworx and Enterprise based GIS have received similar utility. This study concludes that if an agency has an Enterprise based GIS system, it would be effective to use ITS asset management on top of its existing system. If any agency does not have Enterprise based GIS system, they can either adopt a customized ITS asset management system or they might consider to develop an Enterprise based GIS supported asset management system for ITS, which will eventually be useful for managing other assets as well. House of Quality (HQ) analysis was performed as another evaluation method that visually demonstrated similar findings as the multi-attribute utility analysis

Investigation on Rheology of Oil Well Cement Slurries

The rheology of OWC slurries is generally more complicated than that of conventional cement paste. In order to contend with bottom hole conditions (wide range of pressure and temperature), a number of additives are usually used in the OWC slurries and the slurry shows different characteristics depending on the combination of admixture used. The objective of this research is to develop a fundamental understanding on the important mechanisms that affects the rheology of cement slurry incorporating various chemical and mineral admixtures. The thesis aimed at developing cement slurries by partial replacement of oil well cement using different mineral admixtures, offering both environmental and economic benefit. The mechanisms underlying the effect of chemical admixtures on the rheology of oil well cement slurry were investigated at different temperatures using an advanced shear-stress/shear-strain controlled rheometer. The compatibility and interactions between the binder and chemical admixtures were explored. It was found that the rheological properties of oil well cement slurries are highly dependent on temperature, water/cement ratio and the type of admixture used. Coupled effects of temperature and chemical admixtures had a substantial effect on the flow properties of the slurries. The results indicated that current technical data for chemical admixtures need to be validated for oil well cementing; admixtures proven effective in normal cementing job at moderate temperature may become ineffective for oil well cementing at high temperature. The coupled effects of temperature and supplementary cementing materials on the rheology of oil well cement slurry were also investigated. Because of differences in their chemical compositions and the mechanisms by which they act, cement slurries prepared with the addition of supplementary cementitious materials exhibit different rheological behaviour than those prepared with pure oil well cement. It was found that not all minerals/supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) act in the same way when used as replacement of cement. For example, Fly ash, owing to its spherical particle shape, reduces the water demand when used as a partial replacement of cement. On the other hand, silica fume increase the water demand by adsorbing water because of their higher surface area. However results suggested that new generation polycarboxylate-based high-range water reducing admixture (PCH) improved the rheological properties of all slurries at all temperature tested. However, lower dosage of PCH was found to be less efficient in reducing the yield stress or plastic viscosity of OWC slurries when metakaolin (MK) or rice husk ash (RHA) was used as replacement of cement. PCH was found to enhance the shear thickening behaviour of oil well cement slurries and the intensity of this behaviour varied with the type and amount of SCM such as the phenomenon was amplified with metakaolin, reduced by SF, unchanged with FA and showed irregular behaviour with RHA. Furthermore, new equations were proposed using multiple regression analysis (MRA) and design of experiments (DOE) to predict the Bingham parameters (yield stress and plastic viscosity) of cement slurries prepared in combination with or without supplementary cementitious materials considering various parameters including the ambient temperature, chemical admixture type and dosage, and superplasticizer type and dosage. An artificial neural network (ANN) model was developed to predict the rheological properties of oil well cement slurries. The results indicated that the predicted rheological parameters for cement slurries were in good agreement with corresponding experimental results. However, the ANN-based model performed better than the MRA-based model or DOE-based model in predicting the rheological properties of OWC slurries

STUDIES ON THE MECHANISMS OF ANTI-HIV-1 FUNCTIONS OF APOBEC3F AND APOBEC3G

The seven human cytidine deaminases in the APOBEC3 (A3) family deaminate cytosine in single-stranded DNA to form uracil. The enzymes recognize specific di- and tri-nucleotide sequences and deaminate cytosines within them. The A3 proteins are potent antiviral restriction factors capable of inhibiting retrotransposons and both exogenous and endogenous retroviruses. The overall goal of my Ph.D. research was to biochemically characterize the A3 enzymes, APOBEC3F (A3F) and APOBEC3G (A3G) and identify the biochemical determinants of their anti-HIV-1 function. I characterized these enzymes alone and how they may act in concert to restrict HIV-1 replication. In order to inhibit HIV-1, A3 enzymes must become encapsidated into budding virions and upon infection of the next target cell, the enzymes can deaminate cytosines in HIV-1 single-stranded DNA generated during reverse transcription. The promutagenic uracils formed act as a template for second strand synthesis and result in numerous transition mutations in the double-stranded proviral DNA. These mutations inactivate the virus. To understand how these deaminations take place, I characterized A3F and A3G biochemically. I found that like A3G, A3F is a processive enzyme that can deaminate at least two cytosines in a single enzyme-substrate encounter. Processivity is achieved through diffusional mechanisms termed sliding, jumping, and intersegmental transfer. Unlike A3G, which scans ssDNA using both sliding and jumping movements, A3F solely relies on jumping movements. Further, A3F jumping movements are distinct from A3G. We discovered that a 190NPM192 motif in A3F prevents its sliding movement since insertion of 195NPM197 into A3G decreased its sliding movements. Our data demonstrated that A3G is a more potent inhibitor of HIV-1 owing primarily to its unique DNA scanning mechanism and secondly to its deamination motif specificity. The data support a model in which the processive DNA scanning mechanism of an A3 enzyme can predict its mutagenic potential. Since A3F and A3G are coexpressed in the CD4+ T cells that HIV-1 infects, we undertook a study to determine if A3F and A3G were coencapsidated and could be concurrently deaminating viral DNA. First, we found that an A3F/A3G hetero-oligomer can form in cells and in vitro, in the absence of RNA. This hetero-oligomer has unique biochemical properties and more efficiently deaminates cytosines compared to each A3 alone. Namely, the A3F in the A3F/A3G hetero-oligomer enhances A3G-mediated deamination. Moreover, A3F and A3F/A3G caused the accumulation of shorter reverse transcripts due to decreasing the reverse transcriptase efficiency, which would leave single-stranded (-)DNA exposed for longer periods of time enabling more deamination events to occur. Overall my thesis research identified and characterized the mechanisms by which A3F, A3G, and A3F/A3G hetero-oligomer act as inhibitors of HIV-1. Future studies on whether hetero-oligomers of other A3s involving A3D, A3F, A3G, and A3H will be very interesting

Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy study of Arsenic Speciation under Cellular Matrix influence

Arsenic is an environmentally consequential metalloid which has various species based on its oxidation states and methyl substituents. In this study, Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy was utilized to explore Arsenic speciation under the cellular matrix influence using physiological buffers (sodium bicarbonate, phosphate etc.). Four common existing arsenicals were used: arsenite, arsenate, monomethylarsonic acid, and dimethylarsinic acid. Liquid droplets of arsenical solutions were dropped onto the Silver nanoparticle coated films and strong signals were generated by Raman spectroscopy. Signals were regenerated for the dried droplets after water evaporated from the solutions. Arsenicals were closer to the surface of the films and in the peripheral of the droplets after being dried. Vibrational bands were obtained in different intensities for the arsenicals and the data were analyzed for further evaluation. The significance of this project is to obtain detailed composition of Arsenic species in the biological matrix to evaluate its bioavailability and toxicity

A comparative study of the effects of programmed labour protocol and expectant management of labour

Background: Childbirth is one of the most wonderful and anticipated moments in a woman’s life. But the excruciating pain associated with labour makes it a really undesirable one. Objective of present study was to compare the effects of programmed labour protocol and expectant management of labour.Methods: A clinical study was conducted on 120 low risk primigravida, 60 of them were managed with programmed labour protocol (group A) and the rest 60 (group B) were managed expectantly. Primary parameters were pain relief and changes in the mean duration of labour. Secondary parameters were changes in the amount of blood loss and APGAR score of delivered babies.Results: Among group A, 25% had good pain relief, 60% had moderate pain relief, 15% had mild pain relief and 0% had no relief of pain. The mean duration of labour from active phase through third stage in group A was 234.27±50.38 minutes and 304.58±41.72 minutes in group B. The average blood loss during labour was 89.33±19.06 ml in group A and 142.15±32.27 ml in group B. In group A, 4 babies had APGAR score less than 7 at 1 minute, but had score more than 7 after 5 minutes following resuscitation. In group B, 9 babies had APGAR less than 7 at 1 minute. Of these, 6 babies had score more than 7 after 5 minutes following resuscitation. 3 babies had score less than 7 even after 5 minutes and were shifted to neonatal ICU.Conclusions: Programmed labour protocol is an effective method to reduce the deleterious effects of labour on both mother and foetus.

Participatory rural appraisal approaches: an overview and an exemplary application of focus group discussion in climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies

Different tools and techniques of participatory approaches are the basic way of conducting qualitative research especially in the field of applied social science. Focus Group Discussion (FGD) is one of the main Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) technique often used in combination with others to achieve desired goals. Considering this concept, this paper attempts to review the PRA approach and then application of FGD, in combination with matrix scoring and ranking to identify problems and causes of climate change along with possible mitigation and adaptation strategies. A group of 20 students at post graduate level under the faculty of Agriculture and Horticulture at Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany those from different corner of the world was considered as target people of the study. The results concluded that unpredictable weather events was ranked as the present outstanding visible climate change problem caused by human activities. However, it was noted that if alternative renewable energy sources are exploited, this could contribute to solving the present climate change problem. This finding might have the good reference for the policy makers in the same line not only for developing countries but also for developed countries. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/ijarit.v3i2.17848 Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 3 (2): 72-78, December, 201

A comparative study of maternal and fetal outcomes following induction of labour versus expectant management in mild gestational hypertension at term

Background: To compare the maternal and neonatal outcomes between planned induction of labour and expectant management in women with mild gestational hypertension at term.Methods: A prospective hospital based observational study. The 120 pregnant women with mild gestational hypertension were randomized in a 1:1 ratio either to receive immediate induction of labour (group A comprising 60 women) or expectant management (group B comprising 60 women). Primary outcomes were incidence of any maternal mortality, renal failure, pulmonary oedema, need for ICU care or post-partum eclampsia and also composite maternal morbidity like severe gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, abruption and PPH. Secondary outcomes were mode of delivery, need for antihypertensives and MgSO4.Results: Though there were no maternal death or renal or pulmonary complications in any group, progression to severe hypertension was more in group B (expectant management) compared to group A (immediate induction) (18.33% vs. 3.33%). Increased incidence of pre-eclampsia and eclampsia were noted in group B (15% and 3%) as compared to group A (0%). Incidence of Abruption and PPH was less in group A 1.67% and 5% compared to group B 3.33% and 10 % respectively. Spontaneous vaginal delivery rate was low and caesarean section rates were high in group A (61.67% and 31.67%) compared to group B (68.33% and 25% respectively). Need for antihypertensive and MgSO4 were less in group A (3.33% each) compared to group B (18.33% and 16.66% respectively).Conclusions: Requirement of antihypertensive, progression to severe hypertension, pre-eclampsia, eclampsia, use of MgSO4, incidence of abruption, PPH were less in group A compared to group B. However, induction at completion of 37 weeks may be associated with increased incidence of operative deliveries

Present Environmental Condition and Its Impact on Livelihood – A Case Study of Two Villages around the University of Barisal

The study was focused mainly on the level of knowledge and current situation on environmental pollution and degradation in the male, female and school going children living in Char Aicha and West Karnakathi villages in Barisal district. Data were collected randomly from 200 families (most of them consist of 6/7 members) by personal observation, focal group discussion and personal interviews during the period from January to June, 2016. The study revealed that majority of the people knew the basics of environmental pollution and degradation through television but they do not apply this in their way of living. On the other hand, about 30% of the people do not know what it is. The data showed that most of the women were not conscious about the devastation of pollution. As household wastes were not managed properly, the open area especially the ponds filled with waste. Pond is one of the prime sources of water for cooking and washing. Tree plantation program, hand washing program, school based awareness program, introduction of cheap water filtration process and discussion program on sustainable agricultural production revealed a positive attitude to manage environment. After these awareness programs, results showed that almost 90% of people follow the prescribed methods. In addition, primary school going children showed keen interest about the program and they play an important role in controlling pollution in the study area by sharing with their parents about the harmful effect of pollution in their regular life. The study will provide baseline information for controlling environmental pollution and degradation in the area. Key Words: Environmental Pollution, Degradation, Awareness program, Kirtonkhola River