A random parameter logistic model of fatigue-related motorcycle crash involvement in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Since motorcycle taxi drivers often work long hours, fatigue would affect their riding abilities, impacting crash risks. However, there is limited understanding about motorcycle taxi drivers' fatigue-related crashes. This study investigates self-reported fatigue-related crashes among motorcycle taxi drivers in Hanoi, Vietnam. Results from a survey showed that approximately 16% of the motorcycle taxi drivers reported fatigue-related crash involvement. It was also found that nearly 37% of all crashes reported by motorcycle taxi drivers were related to fatigue while riding a motorcycle taxi. Results of the heterogeneity-in-means random parameter logistic model suggested that working fulltime, more delivery trips, and overweight conditions were associated with increased likelihoods of fatigue-related crash involvement. Hybrid taxi drivers, who operate as either traditional or ride-hailing taxi drivers at different times, and most ride-hailing taxi drivers had a reduced likelihood of fatigue-related crash involvement when compared to traditional taxi drivers. Overall, this study has revealed a significant issue of fatigue-related crashes among motorcycle taxi drivers. Immediate interventions via publicity or educational campaigns should be considered by authorities to address this important issue. Ride-hailing companies should contribute by sending warnings of excessive riding hours to ride-hailing taxi drivers.

Polyurethane/polycaprolactone membrane grafted with conjugated linoleic acid for artificial vascular graft application.

Constructing satisfied small-diameter vascular graft (diameter less than 6 mm) remains an unsolvable challenge in vascular tissue engineering. This study described the fabrication of electrospun polyurethane/polycaprolactone (PU/PCL) membranes chemically grafted with various densities of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) - an antithrombotic fatty acid - for making small-diameter blood vessel. Differences in mechanical, antithrombotic properties and biocompatibility of the membranes resulting from the CLA-grafting procedure were the focus of the study. Investigation of mechanical properties relevant to vascular graft application revealed that these properties of the membranes remained unaffected and satisfied clinical criteria following the CLA graft. Blood-membrane interaction assays showed that the CLA-grafted membranes mitigated the adhesion of blood cells, as well as preventing blood coagulation. These effects were also commensurate with increasing density of CLA, suggesting an effective approach to improve antithromboticity. Cellular tests suggested that CLA has an optimal density at which it promoted cell proliferation on the surface of the membranes; however, excessive presence of CLA might cause undesirable inhibition on cells. In conclusion, PU/PCL membrane grafted with CLA could be a prospective material for vascular tissue engineering with further development and investigation.

Mobile phone related crashes among motorcycle taxi drivers.

In many countries, motorcycle taxis remain an important mode of travel due to their fast, flexible, and inexpensive service. The recent advent of ride-hailing services has led to dramatic growth in the fleet of motorcycle taxis and additional types of motorcycle taxi drivers. Furthermore, mobile phone use while riding a motorcycle is an emerging safety issue, particularly among ride-hailing motorcycle taxi drivers. This paper investigates mobile phone use while riding, crashes and mobile phone related crashes among ride-hailing, traditional, and hybrid motorcycle taxi drivers, using data from a survey in Hanoi, Vietnam. Results show that ride-hailing motorcycle taxi drivers had the highest prevalence of mobile phone use while riding a motorcycle taxi (95.3%), followed by hybrid (88.6%) and traditional taxi drivers (64%). Approximately 32.6%, 19.3%, and 9.7% of motorcycle taxi drivers reported being involved in a crash, injury crash, and mobile phone related crash respectively. Mobile phone related crashes represent 20.5% of all reported crashes. Logistic and negative binomial regression were used to explore factors influencing mobile phone use while riding and crash frequencies. Regression results indicate that ride-hailing taxi drivers were more likely to be involved in a mobile phone related crash. Delivery trips were found to be associated with increases in crashes whereas passenger trips were found to be associated with decreases in crashes. Policy implications are also discussed.

Macroscopic road safety impacts of public transport: A case study of Melbourne, Australia.

Mode shift from private vehicle to public transport is often considered as a potential means of improving road safety, given public transport's lower fatality rates. However, little research has examined how public transport travel contributes to road safety at a macroscopic level. Further, there is a limited understanding of the individual effects of different public transport modes. This paper explores the effects of commuting by public transport on road safety at a macroscopic level, using Melbourne as a case study. A random effect negative binomial (RENB) and a conditional autoregressive (CAR) model are adopted to explore links between total and severe crash data to commuting mode shares and a range of other zonal explanatory factors. Overall, results show the great potential of public transport as a road safety solution. It is evident that mode shift from private vehicle to public transport (i.e. train, tram, and bus), for commuting would reduce not only total crashes, but also severe crashes. Modelling also demonstrated that CAR models outperform RENB models. In addition, results highlight safety issues related to commuting by motorbike and active transport. Effects of sociodemographic, transport network, and land use factors on crashes at the macroscopic level are also discussed.

Pedestrian overpass use and its relationships with digital and social distractions, and overpass characteristics.

Pedestrian deaths and injuries are a major health issue in both developed and developing countries. In Vietnam, pedestrians account for about 10-11% of all road traffic deaths, while their travel distance contributes to approximately 2.4% of the total distance travelled by all modes. This paper aims to explore the use of pedestrian overpasses and identify influencing factors, particularly with regards to social and digital distractions, and overpass characteristics. An observational survey was conducted in Hanoi, Vietnam, in March 2017 at ten pedestrian overpasses. Behaviours of 608 pedestrians, including those who used an overpass to cross and those who illegally crossed, were observed. The rates of overpass usage varied significantly, between 35.9% and 96.5%. Modelling results suggest that pedestrians tended to compensate for the risks of illegal crossing by forming group and avoiding digital and social distractions (i.e., calling, operating a mobile phone's screen, listening to music, or talking to other pedestrians while crossing). In addition, overpass usage decreased with taller overpasses, but increased with wider overpasses. Effects of gender, weather, and illegal crossing speed on overpass use were also discussed.

Mobile phone use while riding a motorcycle and crashes among university students.

OBJECTIVE: Motorcycle crashes are a significant road safety challenge, particularly in many low- and middle-income countries where motorcycles represent the vast majority of their vehicle fleet. Though risky riding behaviors, such as speeding and riding under the influence of alcohol, have been identified as important contributors to motorcycle crashes, little is understood about the effect of using a mobile phone while riding on motorcycle crash involvement. This article investigates crash involvement among motorcycle riders with risky riding behaviors, particularly using a mobile phone while riding. METHODS: Data were obtained from an online survey of university students' risky riding behaviors in Vietnam administered between March and May 2016 (n = 665). RESULTS: Results show that 40% of motorcycle riders reported to have experienced a crash/fall and nearly 24% of motorcycle riders indicated that they had been injured in a crash/fall. Effects of mobile phone use while riding on safety of motorcycle riders are highlighted. Specifically, more frequent use of a mobile phone for texting or searching for information while riding is associated with a higher chance of being involved in a crash/fall. The results also show that drink riding is associated with a higher chance of being injured. CONCLUSIONS: Overall this article reveals significant safety issues of using a mobile phone while riding a motorcycle, providing valuable insight for designing education and publicity campaigns.

Correlations between mobile phone use and other risky behaviours while riding a motorcycle.

Motorcyclist safety is a major concern in many developing countries. Understanding motorcycle riders' risky behaviours, particularly among the younger population, is essential to developing effective interventions. This paper explores the correlations between mobile phone use while riding and other risky riding behaviours as well as the relationships between perceived risks and risky riding behaviours, using an online survey of university students in Vietnam. Results show that calling while riding a motorcycle had the highest prevalence (74%) while reckless overtaking had the lowest prevalence (33.2%). Survey participants who indicated that they had the behaviours of reckless overtaking or riding on sidewalks were around twice as likely to call, text, or search for information while riding. In addition, those who admitted that they rode a motorcycle while under the influence of alcohol were nearly twice as likely to call or text while riding. The results also show that perceived crash risks reduced the likelihood of risky riding behaviours, including calling, texting, searching for information, speeding, running red lights, riding on the wrong side of a road, and riding on sidewalks. A more coordinated approach to enforcement is needed to help reduce the prevalence of multiple risk taking behaviours among motorcyclists.

Who's calling? Social networks and mobile phone use among motorcyclists.

Mobile phone use while riding a motorcycle poses a key safety risk, particularly among younger people who have been found to be more susceptible to distracted driving. While previous research has examined the influence of social networks on mobile phone use while driving a car, no research has explored this association in the context of motorcycle use. Using a survey of university students in Vietnam, this research explores the association between social networks and mobile phone use among motorcyclists and the links this has to reported crashes/falls. Results show that the majority of students are most likely to use a mobile phone to communicate with a friend while riding, either through talking (56.5%) or text messaging (62.0%). However, respondents who frequently talk to a girlfriend/boyfriend or spouse while riding were more likely to experience a crash/fall than those who frequently talk with others while riding (e.g. parent, brother/sister). In addition, those who frequently text message a friend while riding were more likely to experience a crash/fall than those who frequently text message others while riding. The results highlight a clear association between social networks and mobile phone use while riding a motorcycle. Developing a culture of societal norms, where mobile phone use while riding a motorcycle is considered socially unacceptable, will help to reduce the prevalence and ultimate crash risk associated with mobile phone use while riding.

Calling, texting, and searching for information while riding a motorcycle: A study of university students in Vietnam.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence of calling, texting, and searching for information while riding a motorcycle among university students and the influences of sociodemographic characteristics, social norms, and risk perceptions on these behaviors. METHODS: Students at 2 university campuses in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, the 2 largest cities in Vietnam, were invited to participate in an anonymous online survey. Data collection was conducted during March and May 2016. RESULTS: There were 741 respondents, of whom nearly 90% of students (665) were motorcycle riders. Overall prevalence of mobile phone use while riding is 80.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 77.9-83.9%) with calling having a higher level of prevalence than texting or searching for information while riding: 74% (95% CI, 70.7-77.3%) vs. 51.7% (95% CI, 47.9-55.5%) and 49.9% (95% CI, 46.1-53.7%), respectively. Random parameter ordered probit modeling results indicate that mobile phone use while riding is associated with gender, motorcycle license duration, perceived crash risk, perceived risk of mobile phone snatching, and perceptions of friends' mobile phone use while riding. CONCLUSIONS: Mobile phone use while riding a motorcycle is highly prevalent among university students. Educational programs should focus on the crash and economic risk of all types of mobile phone use while riding, including calling, texting, and searching for information. In addition, they should consider targeting the influence of social norms and peers on mobile phone use while riding.

Inositol-Triphosphate 3-Kinase C Mediates Inflammasome Activation and Treatment Response in Kawasaki Disease.

Kawasaki disease (KD) is a multisystem vasculitis that predominantly targets the coronary arteries in children. Phenotypic similarities between KD and recurrent fever syndromes point to the potential role of inflammasome activation in KD. Mutations in NLRP3 are associated with recurrent fever/autoinflammatory syndromes. We show that the KD-associated genetic polymorphism in inositol-triphosphate 3-kinase C (ITPKC) (rs28493229) has important functional consequences, governing ITPKC protein levels and thereby intracellular calcium, which in turn regulates NLRP3 expression and production of IL-1ß and IL-18. Analysis of transcript abundance, protein levels, and cellular response profiles from matched, serial biospecimens from a cohort of genotyped KD subjects points to the critical role of ITPKC in mediating NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Treatment failure in those with the high-risk ITPKC genotype was associated with the highest basal and stimulated intracellular calcium levels and with increased cellular production of IL-1ß and IL-18 and higher circulating levels of both cytokines. Mechanistic studies using Itpkc-deficient mice in a disease model support the genomic, cellular, and clinical findings in affected children. Our findings provide the mechanism behind the observed efficacy of rescue therapy with IL-1 blockade in recalcitrant KD, and we identify that regulation of calcium mobilization is fundamental to the underlying immunobiology in KD.

Spatiotemporal and random parameter panel data models of traffic crash fatalities in Vietnam.

This paper investigates factors associated with traffic crash fatalities in 63 provinces of Vietnam during the period from 2012 to 2014. Random effect negative binomial (RENB) and random parameter negative binomial (RPNB) panel data models are adopted to consider spatial heterogeneity across provinces. In addition, a spatiotemporal model with conditional autoregressive priors (ST-CAR) is utilised to account for spatiotemporal autocorrelation in the data. The statistical comparison indicates the ST-CAR model outperforms the RENB and RPNB models. Estimation results provide several significant findings. For example, traffic crash fatalities tend to be higher in provinces with greater numbers of level crossings. Passenger distance travelled and road lengths are also positively associated with fatalities. However, hospital densities are negatively associated with fatalities. The safety impact of the national highway 1A, the main transport corridor of the country, is also highlighted.

Mobile phone use among motorcyclists and electric bike riders: A case study of Hanoi, Vietnam.

Motorcyclist injuries and fatalities are a major concern of many developing countries. In Vietnam, motorcycles are involved in more than 70% of all road traffic crashes. This paper aims to explore the prevalence and factors associated with mobile phone use among motorcyclists and electric bike riders, using a case study of Hanoi, Vietnam. A cross-sectional observation survey was undertaken at 12 sites, in which each site was surveyed during a two-hour peak period from 16:30 to 18:30 for two weekdays and one weekend day. A total of 26,360 riders were observed, consisting of 24,759 motorcyclists and 1601 electric bike riders. The overall prevalence of mobile phone use while riding was 8.4% (95% CI: 8.06-8.74%) with calling having higher prevalence than screen operation: 4.64% (95% CI: 4.39-4.90%) vs. 3.76% (95% CI: 3.52-3.99%) respectively. Moreover, the prevalence of mobile phone use was higher among motorcyclists than electric bike riders: 8.66% (95%CI: 8.30-9.01%) vs. 4.43% (95% CI: 3.40-5.47%) respectively. Logistic regression analyses revealed that mobile phone use while riding was associated with vehicle type, age, gender, riding alone, weather, day of week, proximity to city centre, number of lanes, separate car lanes, red traffic light duration, and police presence. Combining greater enforcement of existing legislations with extensive education and publicity programs is recommended to reduce potential deaths and injuries related to the use of mobile phones while riding.

Corticosteroids for dengue - why don't they work?

BACKGROUND: Dysregulated immune responses may contribute to the clinical complications that occur in some patients with dengue. FINDINGS: In Vietnamese pediatric dengue cases randomized to early prednisolone therapy, 81 gene-transcripts (0.2% of the 47,231 evaluated) were differentially abundant in whole-blood between high-dose (2 mg/kg) prednisolone and placebo-treated patients two days after commencing therapy. Prominent among the 81 transcripts were those associated with T and NK cell cytolytic functions. Additionally, prednisolone therapy was not associated with changes in plasma cytokine levels. CONCLUSION: The inability of prednisolone treatment to markedly attenuate the host immune response is instructive for planning future therapeutic strategies for dengue.

Rapid detection of high-level oncogene amplifications in ultrasonic surgical aspirations of brain tumors.

BACKGROUND: Genomic tumor information, such as identification of amplified oncogenes, can be used to plan treatment. The two sources of a brain tumor that are commonly available include formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) sections from the small diagnostic biopsy and the ultrasonic surgical aspiration that contains the bulk of the tumor. In research centers, frozen tissue of a brain tumor may also be available. This study compared ultrasonic surgical aspiration and FFPE specimens from the same brain tumors for retrieval of DNA and molecular assessment of amplified oncogenes. METHODS: Surgical aspirations were centrifuged to separate erythrocytes from the tumor cells that predominantly formed large, overlying buffy coats. These were sampled to harvest nuclear pellets for DNA purification. Four glioblastomas, 2 lung carcinoma metastases, and an ependymoma were tested. An inexpensive PCR technique, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA), quantified 79 oncogenes using 3 kits. Copy number (CN) results were normalized to DNA from non-neoplastic brain (NB) in calculated ratios, [tumor DNA]/[NB DNA]. Bland-Altman and Spearman rank correlative comparisons were determined. Regression analysis identified outliers. RESULTS: Purification of DNA from ultrasonic surgical aspirations was rapid (<3 days) versus FFPE (weeks) and yielded greater amounts in 6 of 7 tumors. Gene amplifications up to 15-fold corresponded closely between ultrasonic aspiration and FFPE assays in Bland-Altman analysis. Correlation coefficients ranged from 0.71 to 0.99 using 3 kit assays per tumor. Although normalized CN ratios greater than 2.0 were more numerous in FFPE specimens, some were found only in the ultrasonic surgical aspirations, consistent with tumor heterogeneity. Additionally, CN ratios revealed 9 high-level (≥ 6.0) gene amplifications in FFPE of which 8 were also detected in the ultrasonic aspirations at increased levels. The ultrasonic aspiration levels of these amplified genes were also greater than 6.0 CN ratio, except in one case (3.53 CN ratio). Ten of 17 mid-level (≥3.0 & <6.0 CN ratio) amplifications detected in FFPE were also detected as being increased (≥ 2.0 CN ratio) in the aspirations. CONCLUSIONS: Buffy coats of centrifuged ultrasonic aspirations contained abundant tumor cells whose DNA permitted rapid, multiplex detection of high-level oncogene amplifications that were confirmed in FFPE. VIRTUAL SLIDES: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1883718801686466.

The sensory circuitry for sexual attraction in C. elegans males.

BACKGROUND: Why do males and females behave differently? Sexually dimorphic behaviors could arise from sex-specific neurons or by the modification of circuits present in both sexes. C. elegans males exhibit different behaviors than hermaphrodites. Although there is a single class of sex-specific sensory neurons in the head of males, most of their neurons are part of a core nervous system also present in hermaphrodites. Are the behavioral differences due to sex-specific or core neurons? RESULTS: We demonstrate that C. elegans males chemotax to a source of hermaphrodite pheromones. This sexual-attraction behavior depends on a TRPV (transient receptor potential vanilloid) channel encoded by the osm-9, ocr-1, and ocr-2 genes. OSM-9 is required in three classes of sensory neurons: the AWA and AWC olfactory neurons and the male-specific CEM neurons. The absence of OSM-9 from any of these neurons impairs attraction, suggesting that their ensemble output elicits sexual attraction. Likewise, the ablation of any of these classes after sexual maturation impairs attraction behavior. If ablations are performed before sexual maturation, attraction is unimpaired, demonstrating that these neurons compensate for one another. Thus, males lacking sex-specific neurons are still attracted to pheromones, suggesting that core neurons are sexualized. Similarly, transgender nematodes-animals that appear morphologically to be hermaphrodites but have a masculinized core nervous system-are attracted to hermaphrodite pheromones. CONCLUSIONS: Both sexually dimorphic and core sensory neurons are normally required in the adult for sexual attraction, but they can replace each other during sexual maturation if necessary to generate robust male-specific sexual attraction behavior.

Nanoengineered liquid mirrors shaped by thermal fields.

We discuss a new type of deformable mirror made from nanoengineered reflective layers deposited onto liquids. The surfaces are shaped by heating with a laser. The response times of the deformed surfaces are slow (> 1 s). Simplicity and low cost appear to be the main advantages of thermally deformable liquid mirrors.

Solid-phase synthesis of linear ureas tethered to hydantoins and thiohydantoins.

An efficient method for the solid-phase synthesis of hydantoins and thiohydantoins tethered to ureas, starting from a resin-bound amino acid, is presented. Following reduction of the amide with borane-THF, a second amino acid was selectively coupled to the primary amine followed by treatment of the secondary amine by an isocyanate to generate the corresponding urea. Hydantoin and thiohydantoin formation was achieved through the use of carbonyldiimidazole and thiocarbonyldiimidazole, respectively. Cleavage from the solid support using hydrogen fluoride, followed by extraction and lyophilization, provided the desired urea-linked heterocyclic compounds in good yield and high purity.