Best Value Approach to Highway Projects: Transparency and Innovation

Highway construction projects have historically been delivered using low bid procurement . Even though this method of contracting has fostered competition among the proposers, many industry stakeholders question whether it has achieved best value or not for the amount of dollars spent on the project. Best value procurement is one of several alternate procurement methods used by the highway industry to overcome the shortcomings of low bid procurement. Best value procurement requires the subjective evaluation of technical proposals, and combines the technical factors with price to select the proposer who offers best value to the owners. It is the subjective evaluation of these technical factors that causes transparency issues in the selection process. The aim of this thesis is to explore the use of best value and identify the best practices for developing transparent best value selection procedures in highway projects. This thesis utilized a survey, content analysis of best value Request for Qualification (RFQ)/ Request for Proposal (RFP) documents, interviews, and various case examples to fulfil the research objective. The thesis follows a two - paper format. The first paper focuses on identifying the current state of practice of best value procurement in the highway industry. The content analysis performed for this thesis helps identifies the most common evaluation criteria, award algorithms, and debriefing procedures that promote transparency in best value procurement. In the first paper seven case studies were compiled with the State Department of Transportations (DOT) that have most experience using the best value procurement in the first paper. These seven cases provide a clear description of the best value selection procedure and the steps taken to achieve transparency. The second paper focuses on the use of best value procurement on design-bid-build highway projects. The four case studies presented in the paper describe the best value procedure of the state agencies on their design-bid-build projects. The results of the second paper show that best value procurement can be applied to design-bid-build projects successfully with minor adjustments to the selection process. The thesis results show that providing simple, clear, easy to understand, and project specific evaluation criteria increases the transparency of the best value selection process. This thesis also identifies the various award algorithms and debriefing procedures that increase the transparency of the selection process

Action potentials as indicators of metabolic perturbations for temporal proteomic analysis

The single largest cause of compound attrition during drug development is due to inadequate tools capable of predicting and identifying protein interactions. Several tools have been developed to explore how a compound interferes with specific pathways. However, these tools lack the potential to chronically monitor the time dependent temporal changes in complex biochemical networks, thus limiting our ability to identify possible secondary signaling pathways that could lead to potential toxicity. To overcome this, we have developed an in silico neuronal-metabolic model by coupling the membrane electrical activity to intracellular biochemical pathways that would enable us to perform non-invasive temporal proteomics. This model is capable of predicting and correlating the changes in cellular signaling, metabolic networks and action potential responses to metabolic perturbation. The neuronal-metabolic model was experimentally validated by performing biochemical and electrophysiological measurements on NG108-15 cells followed by testing its prediction capabilities for pathway analysis. The model accurately predicted the changes in neuronal action potentials and the changes in intracellular biochemical pathways when exposed to metabolic perturbations. NG108-15 cells showed a large effect upon exposure to 2DG compared to cyanide and malonate as these cells have elevated glycolysis. A combinational treatment of 2DG, cyanide and malonate had a much higher and faster effect on the cells. A time-dependent change in neuronal action potentials occurred based on the inhibited pathway. We conclude that the experimentally validated in silico model accurately predicts the changes in neuronal action potential shapes and proteins activities to perturbations, and would be a powerful tool for performing proteomics facilitating drug discovery by using action potential peak shape analysis to determine pathway perturbation from an administered compound

Reactive Power Management at PCC with DFIG Based Wind Energy System

Reduction in availability of conventional energy sources and their scarcity in the future has led to the research on adoption of renewable energy sources for electricity generation. Wind is recognized as the prominent renewable energy source for electricity generation. Due to the erratic pattern of wind, variable speed generators such as doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) are preferred over fixed speed wind generators which use synchronous generators. Due to the increase in contribution of electricity generation through renewable energy sources, power quality of the system is deteriorating. In the present paper, a new economical and tangible scheme of DFIG is proposed to compensate for the reactive power at PCC, thus improving the power quality of the grid. The effectiveness of the scheme in compensating for the reactive power is evaluated using MATLAB / Simulink environment

Injudicious antibiotic use leading to fulminating Clostridium difficile infection: a case report

The case illustrates the myriad of fulminating complications due to Clostridium difficile infection in a previously healthy individual without any risk factors. Community acquired Clostridium difficile infection can occur even many weeks after the course of broad spectrum antibiotics. There is no definitive pattern or guidelines to predict who would develop the fulminating complications

EVALUATION OF WOUND HEALING ACTIVITY WITH A NEW FORMULATION OF DRY MANGIFERA INDICA AND HONEY USING SWISS ALBINO MICE

ABSTRACTObjective: A new formulation was made with dry M. indica power in combination with honey to understand the activity of wound healing on Swissalbino mice.Methods: Initially, animals were grouped into four groups, and a wound of 150 mm was created. All the groups were taken for the study, and woundcontraction was studied on different days. The control group was treated with saline, Vitamin E was used as standard of the care, and other groupswere treated with 200 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg of the new formulation.Results: Wound healing started after 4th2 day in the standard treated group, and the other formulation treated groups also started wound contractionfrom 2nd day onward, whereas control did not show any wound contraction after 2 day. However, significant wound contraction observed aftertreatment with 500 mg of formulation on the 10thnd day, and this cannot be compared with the standard group on the 12 day. Even good woundcontraction observed with 200 mg/kg of the formulation which is similar to that of standard treated groups. The control group showed woundcontraction of about 34.72 mm2, whereas the standard group showed 9.58 mm and the formulation-treated groups 200 mg/kg and 500 mg/kgshowed 15.39 mm2 and 8.48 mm2.2Conclusion: This observation showed that a good wound contraction observed with a new formulation.Keywords: Mangifera indica, Honey, Wound healing, Wound contraction, Swiss albino mice.t

Upper and Lower Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Findings in HIV-Infected Patients in the Era of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy.

Background: Endoscopic evaluation with biopsies are instrumental in the diagnosis and management of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders in the setting of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), especially in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Methods: A retrospective chart review of 304 HIV-positive and 199 HIV-negative patients who had undergone upper and/or lower endoscopy in an urban community hospital from the years 2012 - 2017 was performed. Inclusion criteria included men and women between the ages of 45 to 75 years, which had undergone colonoscopies between within 2012 - 2017 and had tested positive for HIV. They were selected from that population if they had complete charts that included information regarding symptoms, viral load, cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) count, prescribed HAART medication, findings from the upper and lower colonoscopy both from the gastroenterologist\u27s report and pathologist\u27s report. Only then would they be added to the pool of final selection that we could compute data from and draw conclusions. Results: Among HIV patients, those with less than 200 CD4 cells/µL counts had lower rates of diverticulosis and hemorrhoids, as compared with those with greater than 200 cells/µL counts. Other gross and histological findings (from either upper or lower endoscopy) were not statistically different between these two groups. In HIV-positive patients, gastritis, Conclusions: Physicians should consider the possibility that the GI symptoms in HIV-infected patients on HAART may be due to an opportunistic infection, even when the CD4 count is more than 200 cells/µL and the viral load is low

FORMULATION AND EVALUATION OF VILDAGLIPTIN SUSTAINED RELEASE MATRIX TABLETS

Vildagliptin belongs to a class of orally active anti-diabetic drug which inhibits dipeptidyl peptidase-4(DPP-4) and to potentiate the secretion of insulin in the β-cells, there by decreasing blood glucose level. Vildagliptin is a short half life drug so it needs to formulate into sustained release dosage form to reduce dose frequency for patient compliance. Among various techniques, formulation of matrix tablets using matrix formers is a simple and industrially useful technique in the design of sustained release drug delivery systems. In the present study, an attempt has been made to develop sustained release matrix tablets of Vildagliptin using hydrophilic polymers like HPMC (k15M, K100M) and Carbapol by using wet granulation method. Dissolution study was done by using type-II dissolution apparatus gave good results with combination of HPMC K100 M and Carbapol. Drug release from the formulation follows zero order, first order, Higuchi's equation, and korsemeyer's equation

GR-397 Conceptualizing a TOC-Enhanced Chatbot: Pattern Recognition and Interaction

A chatbot is a software which is capable of communicating with human by using natural language processing. In our project, we plan to develop a Python-based chatbot that integrates theory of computation (TOC) concepts, including finite automata and regular expressions. The chatbot will interact with users, recognizing patterns and keywords in their inputs. We’ll begin by defining initial regular expressions for basic user interactions including greetings and inquiries.Future developments may enhance regular expressions and broaden the chatbot’s TOC-related capabilities, creating a versatile educational tool with practical TOC applications

Analysis of results of huge segmental bone loss of tibia treated with Ilizarov external fixator: our experience in Indian population

Background: Orthopaedic surgeons face challenges in treating complex tibial fractures with bone loss due to complications like infection, repeat surgeries, and patient psychological burden. The Ilizarov external fixator approach offers better clinical and radiological results, addressing these issues. The purpose of this study was to examine the outcome of tibial segmental loss treated with the Iliazrov external fixator. Methods: The study was done between January 2015 to December 2021. It’s a prospective as well as retro-prospective study. The age group of 18-65 years was considered. Patients were monitored monthly, up to nine months post-surgery, or until bone union. Functional and bone outcomes of the patients were evaluated using ASAMI criteria, knee society score, and St. Pierre ankle scoring system. Results: The study included 20 patients, all of them were male and had a mean age of 34.1±10.1. Bone union was achieved in all cases. After ilizarov application, the average bone defect was 82.6±42.9 mm. The final regeneration attained was 75.1±47.5 mm. The average limb length difference was 20.41±6.55 mm after achieving union. Out of 20 patients, 13 and 4 had good and fair ASAMI score, 1, 4, and 13 had fair, good, and excellent knee society score, and17 had fair St. Pierre score and 3 patients were lost to follow-up. Conclusions: Ilizarov technique is an excellent way for treating complicated tibial fractures. The difficulties, challenges, and complications associated with Ilizarov external fixation are negligible compared to the significant difficulties associated with open techniques

Nutritional profile of Indian vegetarian diets--the Indian Migration Study (IMS).

BACKGROUND: The cardiovascular and other health benefits and potential harms of protein and micronutrient deficiency of vegetarian diets continue to be debated. METHODS: Study participants included urban migrants, their rural siblings and urban residents (n = 6555, mean age - 40.9 yrs) of the Indian Migration Study from Lucknow, Nagpur, Hyderabad and Bangalore. Information on diet (validated interviewer-administered semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire), tobacco, alcohol, physical activity, medical histories, as well as blood pressure, fasting blood and anthropometric measurements were collected. Nutrient databases were used to calculate nutrient content of regional recipes. Vegetarians ate no eggs, fish, poultry and meat. Using multivariate linear regression with robust standard error model, we compared the macro- and micro-nutrient profile of vegetarian and non-vegetarian diets. RESULTS: Vegetarians, (32.8% of the population), consumed greater amounts of legumes, vegetables, roots and tubers, dairy and sugar, while non-vegetarians had a greater intake of cereals, fruits, spices, salt (p < 0.01), fats and oils. Vegetarians had a higher socioeconomic status, and were less likely to smoke, drink alcohol (p < 0.0001) and engage in less physical activity (p = 0.04). On multivariate analysis, vegetarians consumed more carbohydrates (β = 7.0 g/day (95% CI: 9.9 to 4.0), p < 0.0001), vitamin C (β = 8.7 mg/day (95% CI: 4.3 to13.0), p < 0.0001) and folate (β = 8.0 mcg/day (95% CI: 3.3 to 12.7), p = 0.001) and lower levels of fat (β = -1.6 g/day (95% CI: -0.62 to -2.7), p = 0.002), protein (β = -6.4 g/day (95% CI: -5.8 to -7.0), p < 0.0001), vitamin B12 (β = -1.4 mcg/day (95% CI: -1.2 to -1.5), p < 0.0001) and zinc (β = -0.6 mg/day (95% CI: -0.4 to -0.7), p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Overall, Indian vegetarian diets were found to be adequate to sustain nutritional demands according to recommended dietary allowances with less fat. Lower vitamin B12 bio-availability remains a concern and requires exploration of acceptable dietary sources for vegetarians