SNIP Light User Manual

A systemic approach to identifying road locations that exhibit safety problems was provided by the Safety Needs Identification Program (SNIP and SNIP2) developed by the Purdue University Center for Road Safety (CRS). The new version SNIP Light has been developed to provide other uses with planning level traffic safety analysis capability for a wider range of uses including Metropolitan Planning Agencies (MPOs) who want the tool for planning cost-effective safety programs in their metropolitan areas. The SNIP Light reduces the demand of computing and data storage resources and replaces the SQL server database system an integrated module coded in-house which is considerably faster than the original component. Furthermore, certain proficiency required to install and use the old version is no longer needed thanks to the intuitive single-window interface and executing file operations in the background without the user’s involvement. Some operations, such as optimizing funding of safety projects, are removed to simplify the tool

A Systematic Approach to Identifying Traffic Safety Needs and Intervention Programs for Indiana: Volume II—SNIP2 User Manual

This report presents the results of JTRP Project: “A Systematic Approach of Identifying Safety Intervention Programs for Indiana (SNIP2),” which aimed to develop SNIP2 to support identification of roads that have excessive crashes of the types defined by the user. In addition, this tool is capable of selecting the best combination of high-crash roads and relevant safety interventions that maximizes the safety benefits and keeps the total cost within the budget and other user-defined constraints. Unlike other studies considering the implementation time of safety projects, the optimization objective of SNIP2 is to identify an optimal combination of countermeasures renewable within a long time horizon. This simplification is accomplished by representing the projects through their annualized costs and benefits. It allows consideration of many projects for large road networks and it makes the SNIP2 suitable for identification of safety focus areas in strategic safety plans. The SNIP optimizer – a heuristic approximation of a large-size mixed integer knapsack problem based on a greedy search was extensively tested and evaluated. It was found producing optimal or near-optimal solutions in a sufficiently short time. Another research result is a comprehensive catalog of countermeasures for Indiana – a list of countermeasure names, road and crash conditions for the countermeasure relevance, corresponding crash modification factors, and countermeasure costs. The SNIP2 is computer software developed with close collaboration with the INDOT future users. It includes an updated crash and state road database. A user’s manual describes on the necessary details of the software and various aspects of its use. Two example studies are also included in the manual to illustrate its use and to better presents the SNIP2 features

A Systematic Approach to Identifying Traffic Safety Needs and Intervention Programs for Indiana: Volume I—Research Report

This report presents the results of JTRP Project: “A Systematic Approach of Identifying Safety Intervention Programs for Indiana (SNIP2),” which aimed to develop SNIP2 to support identification of roads that have excessive crashes of the types defined by the user. In addition, this tool is capable of selecting the best combination of high-crash roads and relevant safety interventions that maximizes the safety benefits and keeps the total cost within the budget and other user-defined constraints. Unlike other studies considering the implementation time of safety projects, the optimization objective of SNIP2 is to identify an optimal combination of countermeasures renewable within a long time horizon. This simplification is accomplished by representing the projects through their annualized costs and benefits. It allows consideration of many projects for large road networks and it makes the SNIP2 suitable for identification of safety focus areas in strategic safety plans. The SNIP optimizer – a heuristic approximation of a large-size mixed integer knapsack problem based on a greedy search was extensively tested and evaluated. It was found producing optimal or near-optimal solutions in a sufficiently short time. Another research result is a comprehensive catalog of countermeasures for Indiana – a list of countermeasure names, road and crash conditions for the countermeasure relevance, corresponding crash modification factors, and countermeasure costs. The SNIP2 is computer software developed with close collaboration with the INDOT future users. It includes an updated crash and state road database. A user’s manual describes on the necessary details of the software and various aspects of its use. Two example studies are also included in the manual to illustrate its use and to better presents the SNIP2 features

Os Caminhos da Pesquisa Científica em Administração em Busca da Relevância Perdida

A discussão da relevância social da pesquisa em administração tem sido tema de diversos artigos científicos. Este estudo tem como objetivo contribuir para o entendimento da evolução dessa corrente reflexiva, fornecendo um mapa com a trajetória histórica da discussão no âmbito internacional, buscando fomentar o debate no Brasil. Para isso, realizamos uma análise de rede de citação sobre uma base de 780 artigos. Identificamos os maiores citadores, os mais citados e o caminho principal, o qual revelou a trajetória do tema da relevância social da pesquisa em administração desde a década de 1960. Observamos que as distintas lógicas e perspectivas presentes na discussão resultaram em uma pluralidade de abordagens e posições. Concluímos que o campo ainda se encontra em evolução, porém os debates já indicam caminhos e soluções que podem ser incorporados às práticas de pesquisa das escolas de administração. Com base nos achados da pesquisa, nós advogamos uma orientação prática para a pesquisa brasileira: o direcionamento de esforços para a realização de pesquisas orientadas para a relevância, mantendo, entretanto, a busca do rigor científico

Role of pressor mechanisms from the NTS and CVLM in control of arterial pressure

In the present study, we investigated the effects of inhibition of the caudal ventrolateral medulla (CVLM) with the GABA(A) agonist muscimol combined with the blockade of glutamatergic mechanism in the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) with kynurenic acid (kyn) on mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and regional vascular resistances. in male Holtzman rats anesthetized intravenously with urethane/chloralose, bilateral injections of muscimol (120 pmol) into the CVLM or bilateral injections of kyn (2.7 nmol) into the NTS alone increased MAP to 186 +/- 11 and to 142 +/- 6 mmHg, respectively, vs. control: 105 +/- 4 mmHg; HR to 407 +/- 15 and to 412 +/- 18 beats per minute (bpm), respectively, vs. control: 352 +/- 12 bpm; and renal, mesenteric and hindquarter vascular resistances. However, in rats with the CVLM bilaterally blocked by muscimol, additional injections of kyn into the NTS reduced MAP to 88 +/- 5 mmHg and mesenteric and hindquarter vascular resistances below control baseline levels. Moreover, in rats with the glutamatergic mechanisms of the NTS blocked by bilateral injections of kyn, additional injections of muscimol into the CVLM also reduced MAP to 92 +/- 2 mmHg and mesenteric and hindquarter vascular resistances below control baseline levels. Simultaneous blockade of NTS and CVLM did not modify the increase in HR but also abolished the increase in renal vascular resistance produced by each treatment alone. the results suggest that important pressor mechanisms arise from the NTS and CVLM to control vascular resistance and arterial pressure under the conditions of the present study.Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Physiol, EPM, São Paulo, BrazilUNESP, Fac Odontol, Dept Physiol & Pathol, Araraquara, BrazilABC, Fac Med, Dept Physiol, Santo Andre, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Physiol, EPM, São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Updating RoadHAT: Collision Diagram Builder and HSM Elements

In order to minimize the losses resulting from traffic crashes, Indiana developed its road safety management methods before the Highway Safety Manual and the SafetyAnalyst became available. This study includes two related but distinct components: (1) comparison of the HSM-based and Indiana methods of safety management, and (2) development of a Collision Diagram Builder (CDB) to improve current Indiana safety management tools. This study concluded that the HSM SPFs would need to be calibrated to the Indiana conditions before they could be used. Calibrating the SPFs for so-called base conditions would lead to an insufficient number of roads and, consequently, to estimates that were not trustworthy. An advanced statistical simulation of a safety management system aimed to maximize the total safety benefit was performed. The results indicate that two best performing criteria: the HSM EPDO-based criterion and the Indiana total cost of crashes criterion are equivalent and they produce the same results. It is important that the HSM provides guidance as to which screening criteria support which screening objectives because some of the HSM criteria were found inadequate for maximizing the overall safety benefit. It also was concluded that although the cost of crashes and the Index of Crash Cost and Frequency used separately proved to be good screening criteria in Indiana, the combined use of these two measures did not deliver any considerable improvement. Two differences were found between the HSM and Indiana procedures for evaluating the benefits and costs of safety projects: the infinite period of analysis and the road capacity constraint on traffic growth. The differences between the two methods were quite limited and they could be fully reconciled if the capacity constraints was relaxed in the Indiana method and a long analysis period assumed in the HSM method. A second major component of the study was to improve the current Indiana safety management tool, RoadHAT2, by developing a computer application facilitating preparation of a so-called collision diagram. These diagrams are an important element of safety audits. The developed application reduces this time from one or two days to an hour or less. The application also provides additional tools for analyzing and visualization of crash patterns. A developed CDB User Manual introduces the user to the tool and provides examples to help the user get familiar with the application

Effective Design and Operation of Pedestrian Crossings

Pedestrians are vulnerable road users since they are prone to more severe injuries in any vehicular collision. While innovative solutions promise improved pedestrian safety, a careful analysis of local conditions is required before selecting proper corrective measures. This research study had two focuses: (1) methodology to identify roads and areas in Indiana where the frequency and severity of pedestrian collisions are heightened above the acceptable level, and (2) selecting effective countermeasures to mitigate or eliminate safety-critical conditions. Two general methods of identifying specific pedestrian safety concerns were proposed: (1) area-wide analysis, and (2) road-focused analysis. A suitable tool, Safety Needs Analysis Program (SNAP), is currently under development by the research team and is likely the future method to implement an area-wide type of analysis. The following models have been developed to facilitate the road-focused analysis: (1) pedestrian crossing activity level to fill the gap in pedestrian traffic data, and (2) crash probability and severity models to estimate the risk of pedestrian crashes around urban intersections in Indiana. The pedestrian safety model was effectively utilized in screening and identifying high-risk urban intersection segments for safety audits and improvements. In addition, detailed guidance was provided for many potential pedestrian safety countermeasures with specific behavioral and road conditions that justify these countermeasures. Furthermore, a procedure was presented to predict the economic feasibility of the countermeasures based on crash reduction factors. The findings of this study should help expand the existing RoadHAT tool used by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) to emphasize and strengthen pedestrian safety considerations in the current tool

Stenosis of reverse great saphenous vein graft in infrainguinal arterial revascularization

SummaryObjectiveThe aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of hemodynamically significant infrainguinal bypasses stenosis using reverse great saphenous vein graft.MethodsFrom March of 2008 to March of 2009, 56 infrainguinal bypasses were performed with reverse great saphenous vein graft in 56 patients. On the 30th post-operative day, 32 out of 56 patients were submitted to vascular ultrasonography. The prevalence of significant graft stenosis was determined. In addition, the diagnosis of stenosis was related to the clinical and surgical characteristics of the patients. The variables analyzed at the moment of diagnosis were the localization of the graft stenosis, the risk factors associated with stenosis and the association of vascular ultrasonography findings with ankle-brachial pressure index (ABI).ResultsThe overall prevalence of significant graft stenosis was 48.4%. Out of the total number of observed stenosis, 19.4% were considered severe, and 29% mild or moderate. There was no significant association between the presence of significant stenosis and the following variables: gender, diabetes, hypertension, smoking, hipercholesterolemia, graft diameter, site of the distal anastomosis, and graft composition. There was a weak agreement between ABI and vascular ultrasonography in detecting stenosis in general (K=0.30; CL95% 0.232 - 0.473; p=0.018). However, there was a substantial agreement in detecting severe stenosis (K=0.75; CL95% 0.655 - 0.811; p=0.0001).ConclusionThere was a high prevalence of stenosis on the 30th post-operative day, mostly localized in the proximal half of the vein graft. There was no significant association of stenosis with clinical and surgical factors analyzed. ABI and vascular ultrasonography had weak agreement with the diagnosis of stenosis in general and an important agreement for the diagnosis of severe stenosis

Retrofit de Painéis Elétricos de um Hospital da Região Serrana com Adequação à NR-10.

O Retrofit é o processo de modernização de algum equipamento já considerado ultrapassado ou fora de norma. O projeto tem como fundamento a adequação de um painél elétrico de força e comando de uma instalação industrial, com o intuito  de normatizá-lo de acordo com a NR 10, que diz respeito a Segurança em Instalações e Serviços em Eletricidade. Para adequação proposta, realizou-se inicialmente um estudo das normas vigentes sobre o tema, elaborou-se então um check-list para levantamento das substituições de equipamentos necessárias e por fim um relatório justificando detalhadamente cada item necessário à substituição. As modificações então realizadas foram executadas visando a segurança e eficiência de energia elétrica das instalações com aplicação da NR 10 e posteriormente a proposta execução do Retrofit foi aplicada à outros painéis de mesmas características e especificações técnicas. Conclui-se que o sistema elétrico do local estudado ficará normatizado de acordo com as Leis Vigentes e conforme a NR 10, trazendo maior segurança, confiança e eficiência. O trabalho serve de referência par aplicação das adequações de forma satisfatória em  outros painéis elétricos da mesma instalação