Population Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Population - Research Paper Example The interrelationship that exists between these parameters has been exploited as determinants of the constraints that are evidenced in the world’s geographical scope, and as platform to control and fight against world poverty. The essence of this paper is to examine the world population growth trends by analyzing the population characteristics in different countries in Africa, US, Europe, Asia, Middle East and South America. The Total Fertility Rate and Maternal Mortality rate The total fertility rate refers to the number of children per woman in a country and it provides the potential of the population of a given country to grow or increase. On the other hand, the maternal mortality rate refers to the number of women who die while in the process of delivering a child and is a unique characteristic that is variable in many countries depending on various factors such as health and nutrition. The charts below indicate the ranking of different countries both by total fertility ra te and maternal mortality rate. The statistics indicate that there is a great tie between the total fertility rate and the maternal mortality rate in the different sample countries. Countries with high total fertility rate have high maternal mortality rate and those with low fertility rate indicate low maternal mortality rate. ... Table 1: Ranking based on Total Fertility rate COUNTRY TFR 1  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Burundi 6.06 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Ethiopia 5.99 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Malawi 5.54 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Tunisia 5.49 5.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Uganda 5.31 6.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   south Africa 5.31 7.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Egypt 5.26 8.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Kenya 3.76 9.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nigeria 2.9 10.  Ã‚   S. America, Brazil 2.25 11.  Ã‚   Asia, Afghanistan 2.06 12.  Ã‚   Europe, Spain 2.01 13.  Ã‚   Middle East, Iran 1.86 14.  Ã‚   US 1.81 15.  Ã‚   Angola 1.48 Table 2: Ranking based on Maternal Mortality Rate The Infant Mortality Rate and the Life Expectancy at Birth The infant mortality rate refers to the number of children who die at the age of one year for every 1000 children who are born alive in a year (Sharma p. 32). On the other hand, the Life expectancy at birth refers to the age at which a child is expected to attain at if the mortality rate in a given environment is assumed to be constant throughout the life period. The infant mortality rate is used to measure the quality of maternal care and health during the early ages of child bearing while the life expectancy at birth is a measure of the optimal life span of individuals in a country. The charts below indicate the ranking of sample countries both by infant mortality rate and the life expectancy at birth. The population growth rate is dependent on the infant mortality as the number of individual in a country will only increase is depends on the number of children who are born and are able to live a full life. If a country has a high infant mortality rate, then a high number of children die at a tender age, meaning that the population of such a country will grow slowly. Again, the life expectancy

Making use of knowledge management system Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Making use of knowledge management system - Essay Example It has been witnessed that at times, knowledge management systems don’t tend to be as successful as desired by the management. Therefore their causes of failure will be analyzed, along with the factors that contribute towards their success. Knowledge management systems can be defined as the set of modules to identify, create, store, acquire, use and share organizational knowledge to improve performance of the employees and thus the organization (Abdullah et al 2005). It basically involves two activities; Knowledge has become the most important driving force for any nation or organization. The level of performance of an organization depends on the quality of knowledge and therefore its productivity (Drucker 1994). Klimesova (2009) states that collection of information and knowledge has a greater meaning than dispersed pieces of information. Knowledge management systems give the opportunity to the professionals to pass on their knowledge and experiences to their peers so that the asset of knowledge is not wasted and spread across the whole organization. Knowledge management systems provide the platform on which information can be available to the employees whenever they need it and gain benefit (Sornlertlamvanich n.d.) Knowledge in an organization can be categorized into two main types; tacit and explicit knowledge (Sanchez n.d.). Tacit knowledge is considered to be very valuable since it is based on a personal level and lies in the heads of the employees. It is the end product of one’s personal experiences, beliefs, ideas etc. On the contrary, explicit knowledge revolves around numbers and words, product specifications, universal principles etc. This kind of knowledge can be easily processed and stored in a database (Clark 2002). The research shall contribute to the field of knowledge management systems by providing a comprehensive

Strategic Corporate Finance Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Strategic Corporate Finance - Essay Example There are several capital budgeting techniques that can be used by companies; NPV can be defined as the difference that exists between the present value of cash outflows and the present value of cash inflows. The technique is applicable in capital budgeting in the analsyiss of the profitability that is associated with an investment. The analsysis is usually sensistive to ythe future cashflows that are reliable that a project is likely to yield. The technique usually compares the value of a dollar at the current moment in regard to the same dollar in the future. The values must be inclusive of the effects of inflation and the rate of returns that are expectrsed from a project.a project that has a negative NPV should be rejected because the expected project would probably yield to a loss. In the available projects in the case of Yorkshire, both inshore and off shore prohjects should be rejected because they both have a negative NPV ammounty. That will mean that if the company goes ahead with the project, the company will end up getting losses. IRR can be defined as the discounting rate that is used in capital budgeting in an attempt to make the net present value of cashflows from a project equalto zero. The higher the IRR of a project, the more desirable a project is. IRR is therefore useful in the ranking of projecst that may be considered by a company. If all factors are constant, the project that yields the highest IRR should be considered and undertaken. Irr is also termed as economic rate of return. (ERR). Irr can be thought to be the rate of growth that a project is expected to generate. The IRR of a project can be compared agaibnsts the rates that are [prevailing in the securities matrkrt. If a company can not find a project that hjas an IRR that is greater than the retunrs, the company should prefer investing the retained earnings into the market. The working capital of a company is equivalent to the current assets less the current

Inhibition Effectiveness of Au Compounds

Inhibition Effectiveness of Au Compounds Function of the â€Å"Guiding Bar† on Inhibition Effectiveness of Au Compounds on Thioredoxin Reductase 3 Qi Liu Introduction Mammalian thioredoxin reductase (TR) is an Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) dependent flavoprotein oxidoreductase, which is involved in reducing the disulfide of thioredoxin (Trx) using NADPH (Figure 1). Trx can reduce many important proteins, such as ribonucleotide reductase (RNR), which produces deoxyribonucleotides for DNA synthesis1, 2. Thus, TR and Trx play an important role in maintaining proteins in their reduced state, which involves the regulation of cellular redox reactions, proliferation, and differentiation3. In addition, Trx and TR is overexpressed in a lot of aggressive tumors, and the tumor progression and metastasis appear to be dependent on the Trx system, because tumor cells need constant DNA synthesis. However, tumor progression and metastasis were dramatically reduced when TR knockdown cells were injected into mice4. Thus, the TR was proposed to be a new anticancer drug target5. In mammals, there are three different TRs which have been characterized: the cytosolic form TR1, the mitochondrial form TR3, and thioredoxin glutathione reductase (TGR, also known as TR2)6. All of these TRs are selenoproteins with a selenocysteine (Sec) at their C-terminal active site. In the reaction mechanism of TR, the selenolate of Sec acts as an electron donor to Trx, also selenium can accept electrons from the N-terminal redox center of TR6. This redox center is located on a flexible arm, which is solvent-exposed and reactive towards electrophilic inhibitors, thus representing a target for antitumor drug development1. A number of recent reports suggest that gold-based drugs have strong inhibition ability on TRs, which could be from the direct coordination between Au and the active site Sec on TRs, so that the selenolate group is blocked7. Interestingly, the gold compounds,Bis[1,2-bis(dipyridylphosphino)ethane]gold(I) chloride ([Au(d2pype)2]Cl) and Bis[1,3-bis(di-2-pyridylphosphino)propane]gold(I) chloride ([Au(d2pypp)2]Cl), effect the inhibition effectiveness on human TR1(hTR1) and human TR3 (hTR3) differently (Figure2). The precise molecular mechanism of TR inhibition by gold compounds has not been elucidated. Thus, studies on inhibition of TRs by gold-based drugs are necessary for designing new cancer inhibitors. Available crystal structures of TRs include hTR1, rat TR1 (rTR1), mouse TR3(mTR3), DmTR (thioredoxin reductase from D. melanogaster), and PfTR (thioredoxin reductase from P. falciparum) enzymes9. A recent study showed the crystal structure of hTR1 with its substrate thioredoxin, in which the C-terminal tail of hTR1 was stabilized by a â€Å"guiding bar†, so that the flexible C-terminal tail can be observed (Figure 3). The guiding bar was first proposed in one of the structure studies of hTR1, and is composed of three amino acids: Trp407, Asn418, and Asn419. It functions to suppress random motions and positions the C-terminal tail in catalytically competent position through hydrogen bonding interactions9. However, the crystal structure of mTR3 does not show the C-terminus because of the random motion of the C-terminal without control from the guiding bar. Furthermore, the sequence comparison between hTR1 and hTR3 shows the absence of the guiding bar in TR3 (Figure 4). Research question Though inhibition of gold compounds on TRs has been studied, the function of the guiding bar on the gold compounds inhibition effectiveness on TRs has never been brought up to the studies of inhibition effectiveness on TRs. The goal of this proposal is to investigate the role of the guiding bar on the inhibition ability of gold based compounds on hTR1 and hTR3. The guiding bar will be constructed on hTR3 by mutations of K432W, A443N and S444N. Biophysical characterization will be applied to observe the presence of the C-terminus on TR3 after mutagenesis. My hypothesis is the C-terminal tail of the crystal structure of mutated TR3 will be observed, because the random motion of the C-terminus is reduced by restriction from the guiding bar. Then, two gold compounds, [Au(d2pype)2]Cl and [Au(d2pypp)2]Cl , will be applied to test the inhibition difference on normal TR3 and mutated TR3. I expect to see that the inhibition on mutated TR3 could be stronger than that on normal TR3. Significance of Proposed Research The thioredoxin system plays an important role in the intracellular redox enviornment and is composed of Trx and TR10. Proposed studies will give an insight into the function of the guiding bar on different TR enzymes. The guiding bar is expected to suppress the random motion of the C-terminal tail so that the redox center Sec on the C-terminus can have better coordination with the gold compounds. The coordination between metal and Sec will tightly block the Sec redox center, so the intracellular redox balance will be disturbed and result in potent TR inhibition4. Thus, the presence of the guiding bar can help TR to be a better drug target. Proposed studies Enzyme Expression and Purification Recombinant human TR1 and TR3 will be cloned into E. coli BL21(DE3) cells, and the growth and purification will be done as described previously.11 Mutation of Human TR3 In order to study the impact of the guiding bar residues on TR catalysis, the proposed mutations will be constructed on hTR3 with K432W, A443N, and S444N. These three mutation sites are chosen based on the sequence alignment of hTR1 in the guiding bar region of Pro376-Tyr422 (Figure 3), in which the critical amino acids, Trp407, Asn418 and Asn419, have the function of limiting random motion of the C-terminus. Thus, the same function of the guiding bar on hTR3 is expected to be observed via specific site mutation. Mutations will be introduced by the Quick Change mutagenesis method and confirmed by DNA sequencing. Structural Studies of Mutated Human TR3 The C-terminal tail in human and rat TR1 could be observed by X-ray crystallography, because the guiding bar limits its random motion. However, because the guiding bar is not present in mouse TR3, the C-terminal tail is too mobile to generate sufficient electron density without restriction from the guiding bar. This leads to the absence of the C-terminal tail in the crystal structure of mouse TR39. The mutated hTR3 after insertion of the guiding bar will be studied by X-ray crystallography. The presence of an ordered C-terminal tail in the crystal structure and the interaction between the guiding bar and the C-terminal tail will suggest restricted motion of the C-terminal tail. I expect to see that the interaction of the guiding bar on the C-terminal tail will improve the inhibition effectiveness of Au compounds on hTR3. Electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (ESIMS) Characterization ESI is an ionization technique which is used to detect high molecular weight molecules, such as proteins, peptides and other macromolecules, so ESI MS is an important technique for studying a complex biological sample9. Instead of fragmenting the macromolecules into smaller charged particles, this process turns the macromolecules into small droplets by ionization, and these droplets are further desolvated into even smaller droplets, which creates molecules with attached protons12. As a putative target for anticancer metallodrugs, the selenoenzyme TR is the drug target for gold compounds, such as [Au(d2pype)2]Cl and [Au(d2pypp)2]Cl. The TR inhibition is thought to occur through direct binding of the gold to the active site Sec following ligand substitution. So, TR3 and mutated TR3 will be separately incubated with the two gold compounds mentioned above for 30 mins at room temperature, and then the products will be analyzed by EIS-MS. The results will be compared and are expected to explain the binding of the gold onto the hTRs. I hope to see the gold compounds have better binding on mutated hTR3 than normal hTR3. This can be explained as the guiding bar can reduce the motion of flexible C-terminal tail, so that the gold compounds can bind onto the Sec of mutated hTR3 easier than the normal one and cause more inhibition on the mutated hTR313. TR Inhibition Assay The solvent-accessible selenolate group, arising from enzyme reduction, very likely constitutes a high affinity binding site for gold compounds. Tightly blocking the active site Sec through metal coordination should result in potent TR inhibition9. Thus, after ESI-MS characterization, the TR inhibition study will be performed with the two different gold compounds, [Au(d2pype)2]Cl and [Au(d2pypp)2]Cl, on hTR1, hTR3 and mutated hTR3 respectively. In addition to Trx, some low molecular weight disulfide-containing substrates, including 5,5†²-dithiobis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB), lipoic acid, and lipoamidem, can also be reduced by TRs9. Here, DTNB would be chosen as the substrate for TR inhibition assay to keep consistent with the previous studies from other groups9. The NADPH dependent TR catalyzed reduction of DTNB will be monitored and determined by the increase in absorbance at 412nm. Inhibition of hTR1, hTR3 and mutated hTR3 will be done by using different concentrations of go ld compounds ([Au(d2pype)2]Cl and [Au(d2pypp)2]Cl). The inhibition results from different TRs and gold compounds will be compared. Based on the assumption that the guiding bar can suppress the motion of the C-terminal tail, greater inhibition effectiveness on mutated hTR3 than that on normal hTR3 is expected to be seen. This will show that the C-terminus is limited by the guiding bar on mutated hTR3 helps the gold compounds inhibit the active site Sec more. Binding Studies by Isothermal Titration Calorimetry (ITC) ITC is a technique used to determine the thermodynamic parameters of interaction in solution. It can be applied to study the interactions between protein-protein, enzyme-inhibitor, protein-small molecules, protein-DNA, and so on. Thus, the binding between gold compounds and the three TRs (hTR1, hTR3 and mutated hTR3) can be investigated by ITC. Applying this method will tell us how well the inhibitors, the gold compounds, bind to TRs. The binding affinity (Ka) could show how strongly the gold compounds and TRs will bind, and the higher Ka, the stronger the binding. In addition, enthalpy changes (ΔH) can tell the amount of energy released or obtained. Then, the entropy change (ΔS) and Gibbs energy changes (ΔG) can be determined by the following equation (1): ΔG = -RTlnKa = ΔH-TΔS (1) Comparison of the binding parameters between gold compounds ([Au(d2pype)2]Cl and [Au(d2pypp)2]Cl) and TRs (hTR1, hTR3 and the mutated hTR3) will give more information about the function of the guiding bar on the inhibition effectiveness of TRs. The higher Ka of hTR1 compared to normal hTR3 is expected to be seen, because the absence of guiding bar in hTR3 will lead to a flexible C-terminal tail, which will give a lower inhibition. In addition, Ka of the mutated hTR3 is expected to show higher binding affinity than the normal hTR3, because the guiding bar mutated on hTR3 will help reduce the random motion of the C-terminal tail, so that the redox center Sec can be easily inhibited by the gold compounds. Thus, the guiding bar can help improve the inhibition effectiveness of gold compounds on mutated hTR3. Conclusion Through mutation and structural studies, the presence of the C-terminal tail which is restricted by the inserted guiding bar is expected to be seen in the mutated hTR3. The ESI-MS characterization and binding study can give information about if the gold can successfully bind to the specific active site on the mutated hTR3. Finally, a better understanding of the inhibition effectiveness will be tested and compared by the inhibition assay with hTR1, hTR3 and mutated hTR3. Thus, a better understanding of the function of the guiding bar in the TR system will give an insight into the effect of the guiding bar on the drug inhibition effect on TR3 so that it can become a better drug target. References O. Rackham., A. M. Shearwood., R. Thyer., E. McNamara., S. M. Davies., B. A. Callus., A. Miranda-Vizuete., S. J. Berners-Price., Q. Cheng., E. S. J. Arner and A. Filipovska,Free Radical Biol. Med. 2011, 50, 689–699 Lothrop A. P.,Snider G. W.,RugglesE. L., PatelA. S., LeesW. J., and HondalR. J., Biochemistry.2014,53, 654–663 Fritz-Wolf K, Kehr S, Stumpf M, Rahlfs S, and Becker K., Nat Commun.2001, 2, 383 Fritz-Wolf K., Urig S., Becker K., J. Mol. Biol. 2007, 37, 116–127 Lothrop, A. P., Snider, G. W., and Hondal, R. J., Biochemistry. 2014, DOI: 10.1021/bi400651x Pratesi A., Gabbiani C., Michelucci E., Ginanneschi M., Papini A. M., Rubbiani R., Ott I., Messori L., J. Inorg. Biochem. 2014 Gabbiani C., Mastrobuoni G., Sorrentino F., Dani B., Rigobello M. P., Bindoli A., Cinellu M. A., Pieraccini G., Messori L. and Casini A.,Med. Chem. Commun. 2011,2, 50–54 Lu J.,Chew E. H.,Holmgren A.,Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.2007, 104,12288 Yoo M.H., Xu X.M., Carlson B.A., Gladyshev V.N., Hatfield D.L., J BiolChem, 2006, 281, 13005–13008. Arnà ©r E.S.J., Holmgren A., Eur. J. Biochem, 2000, 267, 6102–6109 Gromer, S., Urig, S., and Becker, K., Med. Res. Rev. 2004, 24, 40-89 http://chemwiki.ucdavis.edu/Analytical_Chemistry/Instrumental_Analysis/Mass_Spectrometry/Mass_Spectrometers_(Instrumentation)/Electrospray_Ionization_Mass_Spectrometry Lu, J., Chew, E.H., Holmgren, A., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci.,2007, 104, 12288–12293. Berners-Price S. J., inBioinorganic Medicinal Chemistry, ed. E. Alessio, Wiley-VCH, Weinheim Berners-Price S. J. and Filipovska A.,Metallomics, 2011,3, 863–873

Kidnapped :: Free Essays Online

Kidnapped Kidnapped: Being Memoirs of the Adventures of David Balfour in the Year 1751 was written by Robert Louis Stevenson. Stevenson was born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1850. As a child growing up Stevenson was extremely sick and suffered from severe respiratory ailments which continually interrupted his schooling. As he grew up his relationship with his parents became more and more difficult. His father expected Robert to follow the family profession and become an engineer. Stevenson agreed to study law but rarely attended classes and studied literature instead. Motivated by his love for adventure and need for a climate that suited his health needs Stevenson was continually traveling. In the 1870’s he traveled to France making money off of essays and travel books. There he met Fanny Osbourne, a married American he soon fell in love with. Stevenson followed Fanny to California to arrange for her divorce and soon after the newly married couple moved back to Europe During the 1880’s Stevenson wrote the novels that would make him famous. Treasure Island was the first book to set him off on his literary career in 1883. This book although written for a boys magazine is said to be more for an adult audience; that’s how most of Stevenson’s books are, filled with romantic adventure and a grim reality. In 1886, Stevenson wrote two novels, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, one of his most famous works, and Kidnapped. Although received highly by the critics Kidnapped was overshadowed by Jekyll and Hyde in the public’s eye. Kidnapped is a story with fictional characters woven around true incidents. David Balfour is orphaned at nineteen and sent to his uncle to gain his inheritance. As he travels across the country to get to his uncle’s estate he learns that the people curse his name. When he gets to his uncle’s house instead of being greeted with a warm family welcome, his Uncle Ebenezer shuns him away. David refuses to leave and demands his inheritance and his uncle finally decides to take him in.

Personal Attitude Speech FAA Medication Essay

Thesis Statement: I believe all pilots should avoid any type of medications that may slow the thinking process or reaction times before they fly. Introduction I. Many common medications are known to slow the thinking process and slow reaction times. II. I believe all pilots should avoid any type of medications that may slow the thinking process or reaction times before they fly. Body I. Slowness caused by medication can have a substantial negative impact on critical times of flight. a. When encountering bad weather, an unfamiliar area, or even just an unexpected flight event, the slowness caused by some medication could be the final determining factor that causes an accident. b. When encountering these types of conditions, a pilots mind must be clear to make split second decisions. II. Pilots have a great amount of responsibility placed on them with each and every flight. a. Some pilots may have the lives of several passengers behind their every move. b. Other pilots may be flying solo, but in a mishap can still cause danger to themselves or innocent bystanders on the ground. III. The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) has compiled a list of prohibited medications, recognizing that some medications are valid for concern. a. In 12% of all fatal accidents in General Aviation prohibited medications were found to be a contributing factor (According to analysis of data by the FAA from the past decade). b. A valid point for concern that many pilots are still using impairing medications while operating aircraft, maybe unknowingly. i. Many OTC medications have a ubiquitous presence of sedating antihistamines. Conclusion I. A safe pilot should utilize the IMSAFE (which stands for Illness, Medications, Stress, Alcohol, Fatigue, and Emotions) to ensure they are safe prior to every flight, paying particular attention to the medications part of the checklist. II. I believe all pilots should avoid any type of medications that may slow the thinking process or reaction times before they fly.

Intelligent Traffic System for Islamabad

Intelligent Traffic System (ITS) for Road Network Management in Islamabad Mohammad Imran (Sp-2011/PhD EM/001) Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering, Islamabad Author Note Mohammad Imran, Department of Engineering Management, Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering, Islamabad Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Mohammad Imran, Department of Engineering Management, Centre for Advanced Studies in Engineering, Islamabad. E-mail: [email  protected] com Abstract Traffic congestion is a vexing problem felt by residents of most urban areas. Despite of high gasoline prices, rush hour gridlock and pollution, seemingly nothing can interfere with people’s love affair with the car. Building more roads cannot provide the answer to better traffic management as it cannot keep pace with the ever increasing vehicle population as well as limitation of the environment’s ability to sustain the impact. Unlike authorities in cities across the world where people are encouraged to make greater use of public transport, residents of Islamabad are handicapped to exercise this option due to absence of a mature and well integrated mass transit system. An intelligent traffic management system which can ensure smooth flow of traffic to manage congestion (delay, reliability and network resilience) for all people and freight movement on the road network is required for Islamabad. This paper therefore argues the case for a better integrated approach towards road network management for ensuring mobility of people and goods through integration of governance management issues, information technology and traffic routing systems. 1. Background Interest in ITS comes from the problems caused by traffic congestion and a synergy of new information technology for simulation, real-time control and communications networks. Traffic congestion has been increasing worldwide as a result of increased motorization, urbanization, population growth, and changes in population density. Congestion reduces efficiency of transportation infrastructure and increases travel time, air pollution, and fuel consumption. In the developing world, the migration of people from ural to urbanized habitats has progressed differently. Many areas of the developing world have urbanized without significant development of road network as well as unplanned formation of suburbs. In Islamabad for instance the population is supported by a multimodal system of walking, bicycle transportation, motorcycles, mini buses, taxis and cars. Many urban poor, living on the outskirts of Islamabad, cannot afford to travel to economically active areas. Those who can are dependen t on a public transport system, which generally has a low service level. In many cases, informal minibuses or taxis provide the only public transport available. Many vehicles used in this informal system are not road worthy. For those who cannot afford the minibuses or taxis, the only option is walking or riding bicycles. In case of affluent urban inhabitants private car ownership is high and public transport is not considered an option. Highways and secondary roads provide access to all parts of the city. Moreover, private cars are expected to play an even greater role for transportation of the urbanites in the future as well. The data held with Motor Vehicle Registration Authority of Islamabad indicates that the number of vehicles using the road network of the city continues to be higher than the month before. The high fuel prices do not seem to have a restricting effect on car usage in the city. The ever increasing vehicles plying on the city’s roads pose a significant safety risk due to limited space available on the road network, exert pressure on the ever increasing conflict between further developments of road network in relation to other land uses, degrade air quality and exacerbate feelings of inequities in the society. This trend re-emphasizes the need for ITS and efficient road network management system. 2. Traffic Control Systems and Road Network of Islamabad The Islamabad Metropolitan Area is composed of Islamabad, the old city of Rawalpindi and the National Park. The latter is a hilly area, containing two large lakes, the National Sports Centre, the National University and the National Research Centre. Four major interurban roads delineate the above three major components of the Metropolitan Area. Islamabad is planned according to a hierarchical system of communities of various classes, each class comprising the functions corresponding to its ize. These communities are properly served by a major transportation system developed within wide corridors of a grid-iron configuration, surrounding and defining the higher class communities. Local and collector low speed roads, wide sidewalks, pedestrian roads and bicycles lanes within the lower class â€Å"human communities† provide access to the major transportation system. The above hierarchical system of communities and transportation facilities, contributes to the reduction of travel distances/times and accidents, and to the promotion of â€Å"green transport† (walking, cycling, public transport). Traffic congestion in urban areas and related environmental problems such as air/noise pollution, through car movements in residential and other sensitive areas, road accidents, etc. are mainly due to the development of these areas before the explosion of car ownership as well as to the lack of proper combined transportation –land use planning, to cope with this explosion. The standalone traffic control signals and limitations imposed by the existing road pattern designed in 1960’s do not allow for the development of the configuration, spacing and capacity of the road network required under the current scenario. As a result, the ever increasing traffic imposes its rules. When existing as well as possible new arteries are saturated, new arterial routes are created through collector and local streets within residential areas, deteriorating the quality of life and increasing traffic accidents in these areas. The limitations of infrastructure are further compounded by improper behavior of road users, (lack of respect to traffic lights, to lanes for opposing traffic, etc), by the public transport drivers (stopping anywhere to drop and pick up passengers), by improper design and signage of intersections, by lack of systematic police enforcement, etc. Efforts are therefore required to obtain sustainable mobility through proper traffic and demand management, improving Public and other â€Å"Green Modes† of transport, using Intelligent Transportation Systems, etc. Parallel efforts are also required to convert the existing road network into a system of properly spaced arteries, collectors and local roads, each category serving the proper through and access movements generated by the existing and planned land uses. 2. The Global Perspective on ITS Traffic congestion is a vexing problem felt by residents of most urban areas. Despite of high gasoline prices, rush hour gridlock and pollution, seemingly nothing can interfere with the growing number of vehicles plying on the road. The relief from traffic congestion through the construction of highways is temporary as new commercial and residential growth follows the path of every project. Building more roads therefore cannot provide the answer to better traffic management as it cannot keep pace with the ever increasing vehicle population, other potential uses of land as well as limitation of the environment’s ability to sustain the impact. Efficient use of the existing road network using the emerging advancements in technology represents itself as the appropriate solution towards better traffic and road network management. The traditional solution to combat vehicle congestion has been to construct more and larger highways. Martin, Marini & Tosunoglu (2008) analyzed the potential solutions provided by technology for efficient traffic control and management of the road network. There work revealed that high financial, social and environmental costs of new road projects can be curtailed by efficient use of technology. They identified remodeling of existing road network, improved traffic-signal controllers, changeable highway signs, rerouting of rush hour traffic, creation of traffic-control centers which monitor and display gross traffic conditions, use of preplanned alternative traffic solutions based on repeated daily traffic patterns as some of the many innovations offered by modern technology which can potentially be used for better road network management and traffic control. Deakin (2006) examined the current thinking about sustainable transportation as part of a broader strategy of transportation and land use based on existing traffic patterns. Her work revealed that demand management, operations management, pricing policies, vehicle technology improvements, clean fuels, and integrated land use and transportation planning are the components which have to be pursued in an integrated manner as a part of transport sustainability strategy. The interest in creating intelligent transport systems as a means of achieving satisfactory safety levels is dependent on the need for powerful databases able to manage the data. Maria and Ruiz (2005) examined the different areas in which geographic information system technology (GIS-T) can be used for efficient traffic control and management of road network. Their work revealed that GIS-T integrates land management, planning of new infrastructure, integral traffic control, inter-modal integration of transport plying on the road network and management of road space to ease the flow of traffic thereby controlling congestion. Xu (2003) indicates, telemetric products and services for individual means of transport are based on the integration of digital maps and radio data systems / traffic message channels for the transmission of traffic data, Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) for the transmission of travel data and mobile telephone communications and other additional sensors needed to gather travel information in real time. The role of GIS is therefore pivotal towards development of ITS. Traffic congestion is a vexing problem felt by residents of most urban areas. Traffic control and road network management in real-time is a complex field. Remodeling of roads as well as the number of ways to interface with vehicle drivers and travelers is increasing. A top-down, strategic approach is needed to ensure that technology is used in an appropriate and effective way for efficient traffic control and management of road networks . New technology offers the capability for rapid collection, processing and dissemination of data and information that would enable efficient traffic control as well different strands of road network to be managed collectively and coherently. 3. Research Methodology Our experience with solving local problems is based on importing solutions from other countries. It would be out of context to say that these solutions do not assist in circumscribing the problem but more often than not they fail to deliver the optimum results. Adapting international practices to the local setting can help improve the impact and sustainability of solution to the problem shortlisted for implementation. Learning from indigenous knowledge by investigating first what local communities know and have, can improve understanding of local conditions and provide a productive context for activities designed to help the communities find solution to the problem. Indigenous knowledge about the various contours of the problem therefore provides the necessary data which when utilized in consonance with best international practices delivers the desired results. The methodology which will be applied in the study has been chosen in order to acquire information and deduce conclusions about the selection of appropriate traffic control initiatives combined with initiatives designed to efficient management of road network for Islamabad. 3. 1Purpose of Study and Type of Investigation This paper argues the case for ITS through a better integrated approach towards road network management for ensuring mobility of people and goods through integration of management issues, information technology and traffic routing systems. For the above reason, this research will take an exploratory approach. According to Sekaran (2002) an exploratory study is undertaken when not much is known about the situation at hand, or when sufficient information is available on how similar problems or research issues have been solved in the past. The aim will be to gain familiarity with the issues, and to gain a deeper understanding about the topic. 3. 2Data Collection For the purpose of this research both primary and secondary data was collected and utilized. Primary data was collected in two ways. Firstly, interviews were carried out with commuters to identify areas and issues which need to be addressed in Islamabad for improving traffic control and better road network management. Secondly, a questionnaire survey was conducted to prioritize the issues and recommend solutions. The secondary data used has contributed towards the formation of background information, needed by both the researcher in order to build constructively the project and the reader to comprehend more thoroughly the survey outcome. 3. 3 Sample Design Ideally one desires to study the entire population. However, usually it is impossible or unfeasible to do this and therefore one must settle for a sample. According to Black (2006), sample is a portion of elements taken from a population, which is considered to be representative of the population. In order to collect primary data the questionnaire survey technique was used. For the purpose of this study random probability sampling was selected. According to Akhtar (2000), sample sizes larger than 30 and less than 500 are appropriate for most researches. Accordingly, the sample size consisted of about 100 respondents. 4. Results 4. 1Interviews The issues identified due to interviews conducted with commuters within the context of integrated issue of traffic control and road network management in Islamabad are as under:- †¢Future Development oWider roads. oDesign of roads to allow expansion. oSufficient roadside drainage facilities for surface runoff. oIncorporate passage of utilities. oCohesion between various line departments. oModeling to ease flow of traffic. oTransit, pedestrian and bicycle friendly development. †¢Conventional Traffic Flow Improvements oTraffic signal timing. oTraffic signal coordination. oBottleneck removal. Restructuring of security checkpoints. oDensity calculation. oImposition of toll based on vehicle occupancy. oDiversion of traffic on connecting roads. oTicketing on vehicles parked on roads to pick up school children. oPrevent walking on busy roads. oShoulders to be converted into lanes for use by bicycles / motorcycles. †¢Modal Substitution oTransit, ridesharing, cycling improvemen ts and incentives. oMass transit system. oRevamping of public transport system. †¢Intelligent Traffic System Improvements oSmart roads. oCorridor flow of traffic. oRouting and scheduling enhancements. Accident and incidence management. oCentralized nerve system. †¢Awareness Programs oRadio updates. oDriver education. oLeaflets. oRoad billboards. †¢Pricing Incentives for Easing Road Usage oImposition of road tax on vehicles not registered in Islamabad. oVehicle tax to be assessed on fuel efficiency, fuel consumption, road space occupied, weight and expected life. oVehicle registration based on residency verification and not on property holding. oOther impact fees based on assessed usage. 4. 2Survey The results of survey yielded the following results:- 4. 2. 1. Valid Driving License 4. 2. 2. Mode of Traveling 4. 2. 3. Importance of Values 4. 2. 4. Means to Ease Traffic Congestion 4. 2. 5. Traffic Police Performs to Manage Flow of Traffic and Road Network 4. 2. 6. Maturity of Traffic Control System 4. 2. 7. Technology Intervention Can Improve Traffic Flow and Road Network Management 4. 2. 8. Better Facilities for Pedestrians and Cyclists Can Ease Flow of Traffic 4. 2. 9. Improvement of Public Transport and Introduction of Mass Transit System Can Help Ease Traffic Congestion 4. 2. 10. Best Initiative(s) for Easing Flow of Traffic 4. 2. 11. Support for Implementation of ITS 4. 2. 12. Faith on Civic Managers to Deliver on ITS 4. 2. 13. Financial Commitment for ITS Conclusion Intelligent Transport Systems aim to tackle the problems of road network management. Most proposed systems are already technically feasible. †¢ Various safety systems exist that warn of hazards or that automatically intervene to assist the driver. †¢ Safety systems need to be carefully implemented to avoid giving the driver too much or too little to do. †¢Congestion could be reduced by road charging, and by better network management and information provision. †¢ Road charges could reflect the costs of congestion and pollution. However, such a system could be expensive. †¢ Integrating different systems can reduce costs. References Hernandez , Ossowski S. , and Garcia-Serrano (2002). Multi agent architectures for intelligent traffic management systems, Transportation Research Part C 10 473–506. Martin, Marini & Tosunoglu (2008). Geographic Information Systems and Intelligent Transport Systems: Technologies used to form new communication networks, NETCOM volume 17. Deakin, E. (2006). Sustainable Development and Sustainable Transport: Strategies for Economic Prosperity, Environmental Quality and Equity. Central London Congestion Charging: Impacts Monitoring, Sixth Annual Report, Transport for London, 2008. 10 Implementation of Road Pricing System, Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management, The Netherlands, 2008. Annexure A Questionnaire 1. Do you have a valid driving license? a. Yes b. No 2. What is your mode of traveling? a. Car b. Minibus c. Taxi d. Motorcycle e. Bicycle f. Walking 3. What is more important to you when you are traveling? a. Cost b. Time c. Convenience d. All of above 4. Congestion on roads can best be managed by:- a. Building new roads. . Better Management of road network. 5. Are you satisfied with performance of traffic police in managing flow of traffic and road network management? a. Yes b. No 6. Is the traffic control system mature or requires improvement? a. Mature b. Requires improvement 7. Can induction of technology improve the flow of traffic and road network management? a. Yes b. No 8. Can better facilities for pedestrians and cyclists imp rove the flow of traffic? a. Yes b. No 9. Can improvement of public transport and introduction of mass transit system help ease traffic congestion? . Yes b. No 10. Which initiatives can best ease flow of traffic and ensure effective road network management? a. Corridor flow. b. Smart road. c. Communication of information. d. Remodeling roads. e. Introduction of toll. f. All of above. 11. Should the Intelligent Traffic System be implemented? a. Yes b. No 12. Do you have faith in the current civic managers to deliver if the initiatives are implemented? a. Yes b. No 13. Will you be willing to pay for initiatives to implement an Intelligent Traffic System for better road network management? a. Yes b. No