Evaluation of Automatic Vehicle Specific Identification (AVSI) in a traffic signal control system

Automatic Vehicle Specific Identification (AVSI) is a generic name for advanced vehicle detection systems. By automating the identification of vehicles by sensing the presence of vehicles with roadside detection sites or readers, AVSI is assumed to provide vehicle specific information in traffic signal control systems;In the application of AVSI to traffic signal control systems, as a vehicle passes a reader site, the reader records the arrival time and type of the detected vehicle. The reader would then send the information received to a local microprocessor-based traffic signal controller. The controller\u27s built-in signal control logic would then use the information to adjust traffic signal timing to reflect the present traffic stream\u27s characteristics;The purpose of this research is to evaluate the potential benefits of AVSI at an isolated intersection. The evaluation of the applicability of AVSI at an intersection is accomplished by using a new developed microscopic simulation model. This simulation model is coded in SIMAN simulation language. For the purpose of validating the simulation model, a delay study is conducted at an actual intersection. The validation of the model has established a level of confidence in the obtained simulation results;An important element of this simulation model is the development of a new Vehicle Specific Adaptive (VSA) traffic signal control strategy. VSA control strategy adjusts the signal timing based on AVSI traffic information, that is, it examines individual vehicle performance characteristics before extending a phase green time or implementing a new cycle split;Using the simulation model, the incorporated VSA control strategy is tested against a pretimed control system. The simulation results indicates that through the use of AVSI traffic information, the VSA control logic can improve intersection performance by reducing vehicles stopped delay at an intersection

Effectiveness of extra enforcement in construction and maintenance work zones

As traffic-related work zone crashes continue to increase across the nation, safety of road users and workers has become a top priority for transportation agencies. Since inattention and irresponsible behavior by drivers are surmised to contribute to the frequency of work zone crashes, a program featuring extraordinary presence of and enforcement by law officers has been implemented in many states to address this concern. A literature search of such programs and related research was conducted. While the overall benefits of these activities have been found positive, much of the evidence has been anecdotal. To assess the scope of extra work zone enforcement programs, a survey was developed and distributed to state departments of transportation across the nation. This survey sought information regarding these efforts such as criteria for selection of target work zones, methods of enforcement operations, and beneficial results. A special survey was also designed and distributed to enforcement agencies in Iowa and other selected states. In addition to the surveys, personal contacts and office visits were conducted by the research team staff. The study found that use of extra enforcement in work zones is a common practice in many states and these activities appear to be increasing. Current literature, survey responses, and interviews have all indicated a prevalent opinion for the benefits of increased law enforcement presence and activity in work zones. Very few comments offered conclusions of negative impacts, such as additional congestion, from these efforts. However, the beneficial effects of focused enforcement have not been intensively quantified. In addition, procedures for the use of law officers in work zones are quite inconsistent across the nation, as is the general implementation of specific legislation addressing work zone traffic violations. Similar variation can be found in funding levels and sources for enforcement activities in work zones among the states. Training of law officers prior to work zone duty does not appear to be commonly required, though the value of focused training is being recognized in some states. As crashes and deaths continue to rise annually in our nation\u27s work zones, it is imperative that demonstrated beneficial programs such as the expanded use of law officers in these locations be continued, refined, and expanded. Future study is needed to supplement the knowledge base and provide guidance to agencies when considering the use of law enforcement to calm traffic, ensure compliance with traffic laws, and thus provide for safer work zones

Synthesis of Sodalite from Sepiolite by Alkali Fusion Method and Its Application to Remove Fe3+, Cr3+, and Cd2+ from Aqueous Solutions

This is an accepted manuscript of an article published by Mary Ann Liebert in Environmental Engineering Science on 16/06/2020, available online: https://doi.org/10.1089/ees.2019.0492 The accepted version of the publication may differ from the final published version.The aim of this article is to study the sodalite synthesis from sepiolite through an alkali fusion method followed by hydrothermal process, and to investigate its application in heavy metal removal. The fused precursors were prepared through mixing sepiolite with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hydroxide (KOH) activators, at 650°C. Hydrothermal reactions were performed at 100°C, 140°C, 180°C, and 220°C. Under the hydrothermal treatment at 140°C, pure sodalite 1 was formed from fused precursor of sepiolite-NaOH, for 48 h, while pure sodalite 2 was synthesized from fused mixture of sepiolite and KOH, at 180°C for 72 h. Pure sodalites and raw material were characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses. The potential of two sodalites for removal of Fe3+, Cr3+, and Cd2+ cations from 0.001, 0.01, and 0.1 M aqueous solutions was evaluated through a series of batch experiments. The optimum adsorption of Fe3+ and Cr3+ was achieved from 0.001 to 0.01 M solutions. In contrast, Cd2+ was removed most efficiently from 0.1 M solution. In terms of contact time, the maximum adsorption amount from 0.001 M solutions was achieved between 1 and 2 h for pure sodalite 1 and between 30 min and 1 h for pure sodalite 2. The highest adsorption rate from 0.01 to 0.1 M solutions was observed between 30 min and 1 h, for both pure sodalite 1 and pure sodalite 2. Sepiolite was shown to be successfully used as raw material for formation of pure sodalite, and subsequently, pure sodalite has considerable capability to be used for environmental cleanups.Published onlin

Global incidence, prevalence, years lived with disability (YLDs), disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and healthy life expectancy (HALE) for 371 diseases and injuries in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, 1990–2021: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Background: Detailed, comprehensive, and timely reporting on population health by underlying causes of disability and premature death is crucial to understanding and responding to complex patterns of disease and injury burden over time and across age groups, sexes, and locations. The availability of disease burden estimates can promote evidence-based interventions that enable public health researchers, policy makers, and other professionals to implement strategies that can mitigate diseases. It can also facilitate more rigorous monitoring of progress towards national and international health targets, such as the Sustainable Development Goals. For three decades, the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) has filled that need. A global network of collaborators contributed to the production of GBD 2021 by providing, reviewing, and analysing all available data. GBD estimates are updated routinely with additional data and refined analytical methods. GBD 2021 presents, for the first time, estimates of health loss due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The GBD 2021 disease and injury burden analysis estimated years lived with disability (YLDs), years of life lost (YLLs), disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), and healthy life expectancy (HALE) for 371 diseases and injuries using 100 983 data sources. Data were extracted from vital registration systems, verbal autopsies, censuses, household surveys, disease-specific registries, health service contact data, and other sources. YLDs were calculated by multiplying cause-age-sex-location-year-specific prevalence of sequelae by their respective disability weights, for each disease and injury. YLLs were calculated by multiplying cause-age-sex-location-year-specific deaths by the standard life expectancy at the age that death occurred. DALYs were calculated by summing YLDs and YLLs. HALE estimates were produced using YLDs per capita and age-specific mortality rates by location, age, sex, year, and cause. 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs) were generated for all final estimates as the 2·5th and 97·5th percentiles values of 500 draws. Uncertainty was propagated at each step of the estimation process. Counts and age-standardised rates were calculated globally, for seven super-regions, 21 regions, 204 countries and territories (including 21 countries with subnational locations), and 811 subnational locations, from 1990 to 2021. Here we report data for 2010 to 2021 to highlight trends in disease burden over the past decade and through the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings: Global DALYs increased from 2·63 billion (95% UI 2·44–2·85) in 2010 to 2·88 billion (2·64–3·15) in 2021 for all causes combined. Much of this increase in the number of DALYs was due to population growth and ageing, as indicated by a decrease in global age-standardised all-cause DALY rates of 14·2% (95% UI 10·7–17·3) between 2010 and 2019. Notably, however, this decrease in rates reversed during the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, with increases in global age-standardised all-cause DALY rates since 2019 of 4·1% (1·8–6·3) in 2020 and 7·2% (4·7–10·0) in 2021. In 2021, COVID-19 was the leading cause of DALYs globally (212·0 million [198·0–234·5] DALYs), followed by ischaemic heart disease (188·3 million [176·7–198·3]), neonatal disorders (186·3 million [162·3–214·9]), and stroke (160·4 million [148·0–171·7]). However, notable health gains were seen among other leading communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional (CMNN) diseases. Globally between 2010 and 2021, the age-standardised DALY rates for HIV/AIDS decreased by 47·8% (43·3–51·7) and for diarrhoeal diseases decreased by 47·0% (39·9–52·9). Non-communicable diseases contributed 1·73 billion (95% UI 1·54–1·94) DALYs in 2021, with a decrease in age-standardised DALY rates since 2010 of 6·4% (95% UI 3·5–9·5). Between 2010 and 2021, among the 25 leading Level 3 causes, age-standardised DALY rates increased most substantially for anxiety disorders (16·7% [14·0–19·8]), depressive disorders (16·4% [11·9–21·3]), and diabetes (14·0% [10·0–17·4]). Age-standardised DALY rates due to injuries decreased globally by 24·0% (20·7–27·2) between 2010 and 2021, although improvements were not uniform across locations, ages, and sexes. Globally, HALE at birth improved slightly, from 61·3 years (58·6–63·6) in 2010 to 62·2 years (59·4–64·7) in 2021. However, despite this overall increase, HALE decreased by 2·2% (1·6–2·9) between 2019 and 2021. Interpretation: Putting the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of a mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive list of causes of health loss is crucial to understanding its impact and ensuring that health funding and policy address needs at both local and global levels through cost-effective and evidence-based interventions. A global epidemiological transition remains underway. Our findings suggest that prioritising non-communicable disease prevention and treatment policies, as well as strengthening health systems, continues to be crucially important. The progress on reducing the burden of CMNN diseases must not stall; although global trends are improving, the burden of CMNN diseases remains unacceptably high. Evidence-based interventions will help save the lives of young children and mothers and improve the overall health and economic conditions of societies across the world. Governments and multilateral organisations should prioritise pandemic preparedness planning alongside efforts to reduce the burden of diseases and injuries that will strain resources in the coming decades. Funding: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Evaluation of Automatic Vehicle Specific Identification (AVSI) in a traffic signal control system

Automatic Vehicle Specific Identification (AVSI) is a generic name for advanced vehicle detection systems. By automating the identification of vehicles by sensing the presence of vehicles with roadside detection sites or readers, AVSI is assumed to provide vehicle specific information in traffic signal control systems;In the application of AVSI to traffic signal control systems, as a vehicle passes a reader site, the reader records the arrival time and type of the detected vehicle. The reader would then send the information received to a local microprocessor-based traffic signal controller. The controller's built-in signal control logic would then use the information to adjust traffic signal timing to reflect the present traffic stream's characteristics;The purpose of this research is to evaluate the potential benefits of AVSI at an isolated intersection. The evaluation of the applicability of AVSI at an intersection is accomplished by using a new developed microscopic simulation model. This simulation model is coded in SIMAN simulation language. For the purpose of validating the simulation model, a delay study is conducted at an actual intersection. The validation of the model has established a level of confidence in the obtained simulation results;An important element of this simulation model is the development of a new Vehicle Specific Adaptive (VSA) traffic signal control strategy. VSA control strategy adjusts the signal timing based on AVSI traffic information, that is, it examines individual vehicle performance characteristics before extending a phase green time or implementing a new cycle split;Using the simulation model, the incorporated VSA control strategy is tested against a pretimed control system. The simulation results indicates that through the use of AVSI traffic information, the VSA control logic can improve intersection performance by reducing vehicles stopped delay at an intersection.</p

Cutaneous Lymphadenoma: A Case of Recurrence after Shave Excision

Cutaneous lymphadenoma (CL) is a rare skin tumor supposedly derived from the pilosebaceous unit. Since its description in 1987, fewer than 60 cases have been documented. Herein we report a case of CL presenting as a small nodule on the forehead of a young female. The lesion recurred two years after shave excision of a similar lesion. The histopathological examination revealed interconnected islands, sheets, and trabeculae consisting of two distinct types of cells within a sclerotic stroma, a peripheral rim of palisading basophilic cells, and central epithelial cells with eosinophilic to clear cytoplasm. A dense infiltration with prominent lymphocytes and few plasma cells dominated the stroma and permeated the epithelial nests. This case represents the recurrence of this type of skin tumor after shave excision and thus highlights the importance of complete margin-free excision of such lesions

Cutaneous Leiomyoma: Novel Histologic Findings for Classification and Diagnosis

Smooth muscle tumors rather benign or malignant can arise wherever the muscular tissue presents but cutaneous leiomyoma is one of the rare benign tumors of the which even the diagnostic criteria from the malignant type of the tumor is still in doubt. This study was aimed to compare the subtypes of cutaneous leiomyoma from different histologic aspects in order to find unique criteria for better classification and diagnosis. The six year data base of our center was reviewed and 25 patients with cutaneous leiomyoma were included in this study. Of 25 patients, 5 were female and 20 were male. 5 patients had angioleiomyoma (ALM) and 20 had pilar leiomyoma (PLM). ALM had following characteristics: dilated vascular canals intermingled with compact smooth muscle bundles; well circumscribe counter and myxoid and hyaline changes through the tumor. In contrast, PLMs had following histologic features: poor defined outline, entrapped hair follicles and eccrine glands, acanthosis and elongated rete ridges with hyperpigmentation and smooth muscle bundles which are interdigitated with elongated rete ridges. Here we introduced some distinct histological features for each subtype of the cutaneous leiomyoma which can lead to create novel criteria for classification and diagnosis of the lesion