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The use of autonomous vehicles (AVs) in transportation at signalized intersections is proposed to improve safety, efficiency, and sustainability. The discussion shall thus focus more on the impacts of different AV driving behaviors to some key transportation metrics solely at signalized intersections. Among the parameters considered are travel time, queue length, delay, and speed. This is clear from one such holistic study that Cautious AV behavior would reduce accidents, but on the other way around, it might increase traffic delays and lead to congestion at signalized junctions. Aggressive AVs will improve the flow of traffic but face problems in safety in this kind of set-up. Normal AV operation A balanced approach that offers intermediary levels of travel time and safety. The review further investigates the environmental effects of various driving patterns within signalized intersections, where it notes that there are noticeable differences in emissions and fuel consumed if the driving behavior is taken into consideration. It goes further into the implications for traffic management and control systems, noting challenges and opportunities while integrating AVs into existing infrastructure and spotlighting at signalized intersections. Paramount to the review are the considerations of safety, regulatory frameworks, and mitigating strategies relevant to AV behavior at signalized intersections. In so doing, this review seeks to inform future research and policy decisions with a nuanced understanding of how various AV driving behaviors affect signalized intersection performance, seeking to optimize AV benefits while mitigating possible risks at critical traffic junctures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish plays an essential role in Bangladesh people's diet, being the leading and sometimes easily replaceable food of low-income households. Major and minor elements in fish are crucial for the biological process in the human body. The analyses of 18 distinct elements (Na, Mg, Al, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, Br, Rb, Sr, Cd, I, Pb) in 6 selected fishes consumed by the people who live in the Savar region of Dhaka city in Bangladesh were conducted. The objective of the present analysis is to assess the concentration of heavy and trace elements in these fishes and provide up-to-date information if these fishes are safe to eat. The Proton-Induced Gamma Emission technique and the High Purify Germanium detector were used to detect the characteristic Gamma-rays from the target and then calculate the concentration of elements. In general, the highest concentrations range was typically found in K, Ca, and Fe, while the lowest concentrations range were found in V, Cd, and Pb. The findings were compared with the allowable limits of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA-407) and the World Health Organisation/Food and Agriculture Organization (WHO/FAO).Fish are a key source of protein for millions of Bangladeshi citizens, particularly households with low incomes, so monitoring the toxicity level of fish is very crucial. The present analysis results indicate that these fishes are not entirely free of health hazards in consumption. Further study will provide crucial information on the relationship between the concentration of elements and human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physical and psychosocial elements of schools contribute to the students learning. The study focused on the investigation of the physical and psychosocial environment of government schools. A multistage sampling technique was adopted in the selection of forty schools from four districts of Punjab and eight hundred and five (805) students of the IX and X grades were the sample of the study. A self-developed questionnaire was used as a research tool. Validation of the tool was established in the light of experts' opinions. Reliability was measured through Cronbach Alpha and its value was found 0.83. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics were applied i.e. mean score and standard deviation. It was found a positive student-teacher relation to some extent, teachers assign a lot of homework, schools have sufficient facilities but students feel psychologically and physically unsafe, and the using of facilities is not up to the mark. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The technique of in vitro fertilization is the cornerstone of all assisted reproductive techniques. Other sophisticated procedures springing from it can differ in the method of assisted fertilization; for example, the site of deposition of gametes or embryos in the uterus or Fallopian tube, the use of fresh or frozen gametes and embryos, assistance from donor sperms or oocytes, and whether gestation is carried out in the same woman or another woman. IVF itself depends on the retrieval of ova from a woman's ovaries. This pivotal stage of IVF has not been deliberated upon by Muslim jurists, who largely focus on the overall legal status of IVF, whereas the legal position of this particular step in IVF impacts the whole procedure. This research paper focuses specifically on the retrieval of ova for IVF in the light of Islamic Sharī'ah. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) method was used in this present research to identify the elements present in selected vegetable samples to show the possible influence in the metal absorption by the vegetables grown in a saline region of Rampal area of Munshiganj District, Bangladesh. The data acquisition setup is calibrated using a 2.5-MeV proton beam in the current ranges of 5nA to 15nA. The detector was used to measure the X-rays emitted during the irradiation. Data acquisition system MAESTRO-32 was used to measure the spectrum picks, and concentration calculation has been done by GUPIX/DAN-32 software. The purpose of this study is to determine the concentration of heavy and trace elements in these samples and to give current information on their safety for consumption. The result shows that K, Ca, and Fe have the highest concentrations, while lead exhibits the lowest but alarming rates compared to reference materials. The findings were likened to IAEA-V-10, IAEA-359, SRM 1515 (apple leaf), and SRM 1573a (tomato leaf). The outcomes of the present investigation demonstrate that these samples are not devoid of health risks in intake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: In non-operative methods, hip spica casting is a gold standard for children under six years of age because of excellent bone union and remodeling qualities. The study was conducted to determine the frequency of limb shortening in femur shaft fractures in children treated by hip spica casting. Study Design: Descriptive cross sectional study. Setting: Orthopedics Department of Combined Military Hospital, Rawalakot, Pakistan which is the teaching hospital of Poonch Medical College, Rawalakot, AJK. Period: One year from July, 2016 to June, 2017. Material and Methods: After approval of the study from institution's ethical committee, all patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria were admitted through emergency or outpatient department for hip spica casting. It was descriptive cross sectional study and sampling was done by non-probability convenience sampling in 107 femur fracture patients treated by hip spica casting. Diagnosis of the fracture was based upon history of trauma with break in the continuity of shaft as seen by X-ray. Informed consent was obtained from parents/guardian to be included in the study. Results: The mean age was 5(± 2.04) years. Sixty eight percent patients were male and 32% were female. Sixty three percent patients had proximal femoral shaft fracture, 32% had middle femoral shaft fracture and 4% patients had distal femoral shaft fracture. The shortening of limb length was found in14% of patients. Conclusion: In closed femoral shaft fractures, hip spica casting is a safe treatment in children. It has a low risk of complications. We recommend its use except for open fractures, multiple fractures, or fractures in older children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple, precise and sensitive spectrofluorimetric method was developed for the determination of cephradine in pharmaceutical formulations. The method is based on reaction of cephradine with ethyl acetoacetate ( EAA) in the presence of formaldehyde in acidic media. The fluorescence intensity of the resultant fluorescent derivative was measured at 443 nm after excitation at 350 nm. The effects of various experimental parameters on the formation of the fluorescent product were studied and optimized. A linear relationship between concentration of cephradine and fluorescence intensity was found over the range of 0.1-5.0 μg/mL. The limit of detection and quantification were calculated an found 1.09 × 10 ± 3.64 × 10 μg/mL and 3.64 × 10 ± 3.64 × 10 μg/mL, respectively and with relative standard deviation ( RSD) 4.14%. Accuracy of the method was checked by standard addition method and applied to four different commercial formulations. The percentage recovery was found in the range of 97.03 to 103.80% for Velora suspension, 98.16 to 102.90% for velocef injection, 99.00 to 108.10% for Velora capsule and 99.06 to 104.90% for Cefradin capsule. The good percentage recoveries from all samples indicated that there were no interferences from the common excipients of formulations. The proposed method was successfully applied to the analysis of commercial suspension, capsule and injections. The result obtained by the proposed method was statistically validated with reference HPLC method. No significant difference in the results of the two methods was found regarding accuracy and precision using Student's t-test and the variance ratio F-test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT A sensitive and accurate spectrofluorimetric method has been developed for the determination of sulpiride in pharmaceutical preparations and human plasma. The developed method is based on the derivatization reaction of 2-cyanoacetamide with sulpiride in 30% ammonical solution. The fluorescent derivatized reaction product exhibited maximum fluorescence intensity at 379 nm after excitation at 330 nm. The optimum conditions for derivatization reactions were studied and the fluorescence intensity versus concentration plot was found to be linear over the concentration range 0.2-20.0 µg/mL with a correlation coefficient of 0.9985. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were found to be 0.82 and 2.73 ng/mL, respectively. The proposed method was validated according to ICH guidelines. The effects of common excipients and co-administered drugs were also studied. The accuracy of the method was checked using the standard addition method and percent recoveries were found to be in the range of 99.00-101.25% for pharmaceutical preparations and 97.00-97.80% for spiked human plasma. The method was successfully applied to commercial formulations and the results obtained for the proposed method were compared with a high-performance liquid chromatography reference method and statistically evaluated using the Student's t-test for accuracy and the variance ratio F-test for precision. A reaction pathway was also proposed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT We describe the development and validation of a new, simple, sensitive and cost-effective method for the determination of ceftriaxone in commercial formulations and spiked human plasma. The method proposes the conversion of ceftriaxone into a fluorescent product by reacting with ortho-phthalaldehyde (OPA) in the presence of sulfite at room temperature. The reaction medium is buffered to pH 10 using borate buffer. The derivatized reaction product is highly fluorescent and exhibits maximum fluorescence intensity at λem = 386 nm after excitation at λex = 324 nm. The experimental parameters affecting progress of the derivatization reaction were carefully studied and optimized. Under optimum experimental conditions, the method has an excellent correlation coefficient of 0.9984 with a broad linear range of 0.4−20 µg/mL. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were found to be 1.30 × 10−3 and 3.90 × 10−3 µg/mL, respectively. The interference effects of common excipients on the quantification of drug were investigated and no interference effect was observed. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the determination of ceftriaxone in pharmaceutical formulations and spiked human plasma samples. The method has been validated statistically through percent recovery studies using standard addition and by comparison with a reference HPLC method. The developed method exhibits excellent inter- and intraday precision. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new spectrofluorimetric method has been developed and validated for the quantification of ceftriaxone in bulk powder, pharmaceutical formulations and spiked human plasma. The developed method is reproducible, accurate, sensitive and cost effective. In this method, ceftriaxone was converted into a fluorescent compound by reacting with 0.8 M ethyl acetoacetate and 25% formaldehyde in a buffered medium (pH = 4.2) at 90 °C. The excitation and emission wavelengths of the fluorescent reaction product are 316 nm and 388 nm respectively. Optimization of the experimental conditions affecting the condensation reaction were carefully carried out and the optimum experimental conditions were incorporated in the procedure. The developed method has a broad linear range (0.2-20 μg mL) with a correlation coefficient of 0.9992. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) was found to be 1.94 × 10 μg mL and 6.47 × 10 μg mL respectively. The common excipients and co-administered drugs were investigated for their interferences effect in the assay. The developed method was validated statistically through recovery studies and successfully applied to ceftriaxone determination in bulk powder, pharmaceutical formulations and spiked human plasma samples. The percent recoveries were found to be in the range of 99.04-100.26% for bulk powder, 98.88-99.92% for pharmaceutical formulations and 94.22-98.48% for spiked human plasma. The results were verified by comparing with reference literature HPLC method and were found in good agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

simple, sensitive and accurate method has been developed for spectrofluorimetric determination of cefixime in pure form and pharmaceutical preparations. The method is based on the reaction of cefixime with 2-cyanoacetamide in the presence of 21% ammonia at 100 °C. The fluorescent reaction product showed maximum fluorescence intensity at λ 378 nm after excitation at λ 330 nm. The factors affecting the derivatization reaction were carefully studied and optimized. The fluorescence intensity versus concentration plot was rectilinear over the range of 0.02 to 4 μg mL with correlation coefficient of 0.99036. The limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) was found to be 2.95 ng mL and 9.84 ng mL, respectively. The proposed method was validated statistically and through recovery studies. The method was successfully applied for the determination of cefixime in pure and dosage form with percent recoveries from 98.117% to 100.38%. The results obtained from the proposed method have been compared with the official HPLC method and good agreement was found between them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Due to the menacing increase in the number of vehicles on a daily basis, abating road congestion is becoming a key challenge these years. To cope-up with the prevailing traffic scenarios and to meet the ever-increasing demand for traffic, the urban transportation system needs effective solution methodologies. Changes made in the urban infrastructure will take years, sometimes may not even be feasible. For this reason, traffic signal timing (TST) optimization is one of the fastest and most economical ways to curtail congestion at the intersections and improve traffic flow in the urban network. Purpose: Researchers have been working on using a variety of approaches along with the exploitation of technology to improve TST. This article is intended to analyze the recent literature published between January 2015 and January 2020 for the computational intelligence (CI) based simulation approaches and CI-based approaches for optimizing TST and Traffic Signal Control (TSC) systems, provide insights, research gaps and possible directions for future work for researchers interested in the field. Methods: In analyzing the complex dynamic behavior of traffic streams, simulation tools have a prominent place. Nowadays, microsimulation tools are frequently used in TST related researches. For this reason, a critical review of some of the widely used microsimulation packages is provided in this paper. Conclusion: Our review also shows that approximately 77% of the papers included, utilizes a microsimulation tool in some form. Therefore, it seems useful to include a review, categorization, and comparison of the most commonly used microsimulation tools for future work. We conclude by providing insights into the future of research in these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]