Policija i sigurnost cestovnog prometa - uloga i prekršajno kažnjavanje

Autor se u radu bavi stanjem sigurnosti cestovnog prometa u Hrvatskoj s aspekta prometnih nezgoda u razdoblju od 2000. do 2004. godine. Analizirajući uzroke stradavanja sudionika nesreća te represivnog djelovanja policije, on ističe da je Zakon o prekršajima koji je stupio na snagu u srpnju 2004. godine pridonio pogoršanju stanja sigurnosti cestovnog prometa time što je ukinuo pojedine ovlasti policije na brzo kažnjavanje vozaca za počinjeni prekršaj. Dalje razmatra prekršajnu odgovornost pravnih i odgovornih osoba za prekršaje iz Zakona o sigurnosti prometa na cestama u pojedinim segmentima prometne regulacije, kao što su održavanje cesta i prometne signalizacije, obilježavanje radova i zapreka na cesti, postavljanje i održavanje prometnih znakova i dr. Autor zaključuje da se bez sustavnog provođenja mjera za suzbijanje negativnih posljedica u prometu ne mogu ostvariti dugoročni ciljevi koji su obuhvaćeni Nacionalnim programom sigurnosti cestovnog prometa Vlade Republike Hrvatske

Traffic flow modelling on the road network in the cities

Planiranje cestovne prometne infrastrukture je složen proces. Jedan od najvećih problema je određivanje projektnih elemenata cestovne infrastrukture (vrsta ceste i broj prometnih traka, poprečni profil i sl). Za potrebe dimenzioniranja prometnica koriste se parametri iz strane literature s vrijednostima koje su empirijskim metodama derivirane iz lokalnih podataka o prometnom toku (najčešće sjevernoamerički gradovi). Cilj ovog rada bio je istraživanje prometnih tokova radi izrade modela koji će pružiti mogućnost egzaktnijeg opisa lokalnih karakteristika prometnih tokova na području srednjoeuropskih gradova. Istraživanje osnovnih parametara prometnog toka sastojalo se od izbora lokacije cesta, vremena snimanja, snimanja prometa, analize video zapisa istatističke analize i proračuna osnovnih parametara prometnog toka. Posebnost provedenog istraživanja sadržana je u načinu prikupljanja i analizi podataka za svaki prometni trak (ili kolnik) radi uočavanja razlike u vrijednostima osnovnih parametara prometnih tokova. Istraživanje je obavljeno na različitim gradskim prometnicama i u različitim prometnim uvjetima te su dobiveni osnovni parametri prometnog toka. Pomoću tih parametara napravljeni su dijagrami odnosa brzine, gustoće i propusne moći i dobivene su kumulativne funkcije parametara prometnih tokova za cjelokupnu prometnu mrežu grada. Time je omogućeno da se izrade nove jednadžbe pomoću kojih je moguće teoretski odrediti kapacitet, brzinu i gustoću toka prometnice.Razvijena metoda kao i rezultat ovog znanstvenog istraživanja pouzdan je, koristan i primjenljiv alat za određivanje kriterija propusne moći ceste i proračun vrijednosti relevantnih koeficijenata mjerodavnih za dimenzioniranje poprečnog presjeka cesta u urbanim sredinama, ali i svih ostalih kategorija cesta.Planning of road transport infrastructure is a complex process. One of the major issues is determining the design elements of road infrastructure (road type and number of traffic lanes, cross-sectional profile, etc.). When designing roads, parameters from the international literature are used, containing values derived empirically from local data on traffic flow (mostly from northern American cities). The goal of this paper was to explore traffic flows for the purpose of developing a model that will enable scientifically exact description of traffic flows in urban areas of Central Europe. Study of basic parameters of traffic flow included the selection of road location, survey time, traffic survey, analysis of video recordings, as well as statistical analysis and calculation of basic parameters of traffic flow. Added value of this research is demonstrated through the method of collecting and analysing the data for each lane (or roadway) separately in order to detect the difference in the values of the basic parameters of traffic flows. The research was conducted on various urban roads and in various traffic conditions and in this way the basic parameters of traffic flow were obtained. These parameters were used to develop diagrams of relations between speed, traffic density and volume, resulting in cumulative functions of traffic flow parameters for the entire urban traffic network. This made it possible to develop new equations enabling theoretical determination of flow volume, speed and density for a given road. Methods established in this work and the results of the research present a useful and applicable tool for benchmarking road capacity and finding relevant coefficients significant for dimensioning the road cross-sections in urban areas, but also on all other categories of roads

Overtaking as Indicator of Road Traffic Conditions

Overtaking is presemed as one of the indicators of roadtraffic flow. The possibility of overtaking depends on the existenceof an intetval in the opposing traffic flow sufficient to performovertaking. It also analyses the probability of overtakingby applying adequate equations and graphical presentation

Road Infrastructure Financing Models

Already in its early phase, starting with initial general needsof people to survive and find food, traffic and traffic se1viceturned into a modern system which increased the complexityand interdependence within the traffic system, and then withthe environment as well. The financing problem is especially expressedduring the creation of new roads and road networksand achieving of better transport service. High investmentmeans required for the road construction require also systemicforecasting of financial sources. Financing of road infrastructureconstruction opens up the basic dilemma: whether totransfer the costs directly to the state budget and the cun·entgeneration or to transfer this burden to the future generations.These considerations require also a certain organizational approach.High investments in road infrastructure require a rationalselection before the decision itself on the selection of thetraffic system. Such selection has to be done based on adequatetraffic plans, which assumes classification of all the needs regardingtheir level so that every investment would be rationallyallocated

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in genes MACC1, RAD18, MMP7 and SDF-1[alpha] as prognostic factors in resectable colorectal cancer

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Research has indicated that functional gene changes such as single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) influence carcinogenesis and metastasis and might have an influence on disease relapse. The aim of our study was to evaluate the role of SNPs in selected genes as prognostic markers in resectable CRC. Patients and methods: In total, 163 consecutive patients treated surgically for CRC of stages I, II and III at the University Medical Centre in Maribor in 2007 and 2008 were investigated. DNA was isolated from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded CRC tissue from the Department of Pathology and SNPs in genes SDF-1alpha, MMP7, RAD18 and MACC1 were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction followed by high resolution melting curve analysis or restriction fragment length polymorphism. Results: We found worse disease-free survival (DFS) for patients with TT genotype of SNP rs1990172 in gene MACC1 (p = 0.029). Next, we found worse DFS for patients with GG genotype for SNP rs373572 in gene RAD18 (p = 0.020). Higher frequency of genotype GG of MMP7 SNP rs11568818 was found in patients with T3/T4 stage (p = 0.014), N1/N2 stage (p = 0.041) and with lymphovascular invasion (p = 0.018). For MACC1 rs1990172 SNP we found higher frequency of genotype TT in patients with T3/T4 staging (p = 0.024). Higher frequency of genotype GG of RAD18 rs373572 was also found in patients with T1/T2 stage with disease relapse (p = 0.041). Conclusions: Our results indicate the role of SNPs as prognostic factors in resectable CRC

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms as Prognostic and Predictive Factors of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Colorectal Cancer of Stages I and II

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a highly heterogeneous disease regarding the stage at time of diagnosis and there is special attention regarding adjuvant chemotherapy in unselected patients with stage I and stage II. The clinicohistologically based TNM staging system with emphasis on histological evaluation of primary tumor and resected regional lymph nodes remains the standard of staging, but it has restricted sensitivity resulting in false downward stage migration. Molecular characteristics might predispose tumors to a worse prognosis and identification of those enables identifying patients with high risk of disease recurrence. Suitable predictive markers also enable choosing the most appropriate therapy. The current challenge facing adjuvant chemotherapy in stages I and II CRC is choosing patients with the highest risk of disease recurrence who are going to derive most benefit without facing unnecessary adverse effects. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are one of the potential molecular markers that might help us identify patients with unfavorable prognostic factors regarding disease initiation and recurrence and could determine selection of an appropriate chemotherapy regimen in the adjuvant and metastatic setting. In this paper, we discuss SNPs of genes involved in the multistep processes of cancerogenesis, metastasis, and the metabolism of chemotherapy that might prove clinically significant

Method of Light Bulbs Analysis on Vehicles Damaged in Traffic Accidents

One of the measures to increase road traffic safety in Croatia is the introduction of obligatory use of daily lights on vehicles in road traffic during driving, regardless of the visibility and the time of day. The paper describes the new original technical and technological procedure of analysing automotive light bulbs in order to find the traces of glass particles of the broken glass balloon in the marginal cases of action of small inertia forces generated as result of a traffic accident. Investigations of light bulbs in traffic accidents had been rarely done before; therefore the subject of this scientific research is the analysis of the light bulb filament used in automobiles to light the road ahead and to give light signals, i.e. all the light signalling devices on the automobile using the new technical and technological procedure by means of SEM/EDX method. The scientific research has improved the investigation procedure in analysing the light bulbs on automobiles in determining whether at the moment of the traffic accident the regulatory lights were switched on. In determining the responsibility of participants for causing the traffic accident, such a fact may sometimes be of crucial significance. KEY WORDS: traffic accident, light bulb, technical and technological procedure, lights in traffic, microscope, molten glass particle

Experiences with Pluvial Flood Risk Mapping in Croatia at Multiple Spatial Scales

This study presents our experience with pluvial flood modelling and risk assessment in Croatia. We focus on the methodology that is suitable for investigating different levels of flood risk - from the catchment level to the city level to the local sub-basin level. We discuss the availability and selection of spatial input data, such as digital terrain models (DTMs) and land use models, and how they can be processed for flood hazard analysis and flood risk assessments. We highlight the differences between flood simulation results using DTMs at different resolutions and discuss the optimal resolution. We also examine different types of open land cover/land use data available for the EU, such as the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service data. We describe various aspects related to integrated 2D hydrological-hydraulic modelling and the rain-on-grid approach, and we compare the results at different scales. In terms of flood risk assessment, we explain two different types of analyses, particularly the differences between the object-based and the pixel-based approach. Lastly, we provide flood hazard and flood risk maps for a pilot area in Croatia and offer some recommendations for further research. Our study emphasizes the importance of using an integrated and comprehensive approach that considers different sources of flooding, as well as the potential compound effects of these sources, to develop more realistic and accurate flood risk assessments