Browsing by Author "Ankit Gupta"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3

Diagnostic techniques for visceral leishmaniasis: An overview of methods used in East Africa
(Elsevier Inc., 2025) Vincent Obino Orucho; Ankit Gupta; Rael Jepkogei Masai; Erick Nyakundi Ondari; Om Prakash Singh; Benuel Nyagaka; Angamuthu Selvapandiyan
Leishmanias is a parasitic infection caused by a protozoan belonging to the genus Leishmania and transmitted by sand fly, Phlebotomus fly in the old world and Lutzomyia in the New world. The disease is prevalent in the tropics, subtropics, and Southern Europe, where it affects about 1.5 million to 2 million people annually. India, Bangladesh, Sudan, South Sudan, Brazil and Ethiopia account for up to 90% of all the VL cases. While Leishmania cases in Asia are declining, cases in East Africa especially in Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya have been increasing. The rise in East African cases is partially attributed to ongoing armed conflicts especially in Somalia, Sudan and Southern Sudan, which has displaced people and increased their exposure to sand fly bites. Migration from endemic to non-endemic regions, misdiagnosis, famine, malnutrition, climate change and an increase in HIV cases are other contributing factors. The clinical diagnosis of Leishmania in East Africa combines the patient's clinical signs with either serological or parasitological test, with rK39 strip and microscopy being the major methods used. Diagnosis of the condition remains challenging, as current techniques have limitations, including the inability to detect parasites in tissue, the need for specialized expertise, prohibitive costs of testing equipment, low antibody titers, and the risk of misdiagnosis due to co-infections with diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and typhoid. Various techniques, including serological and molecular parasitological methods, have been employed in attempts to address these challenges, but with limited success. This article therefore, reviews some of the techniques that have been used in Leishmania diagnosis in East Africa and discusses other available new techniques with aim of overcoming the current challenges. © 2024 Elsevier Inc.
Microsimulation-based framework to analyse urban signalised intersection in mixed traffic
(ICE Publishing, 2020) Satyajit Mondal; Ankit Gupta
Microscopic traffic simulation is a powerful tool for studying complex traffic systems when analytical or empirical approaches cannot define response patterns adequately and accurately. The application of simulation techniques for evaluating the characteristics of controlled intersections is effective due to their quick and reliable outcomes. This paper presents a methodology for model development and a unique calibration process for mixed traffic streams using the widely used simulation software Vissim. An isolated signalised intersection was selected for the model development. Most of the calibration methodologies described in previous literature were based on informal practices based on a homogeneous traffic stream. This study frames a novel calibration process suitable for mixed traffic streams. The validity of the proposed methodology was evaluated using field data from another signalised intersection by means of a feasibility comparison of field data and simulation outputs. The calibrated parameters produced suitable simulation outputs, with the measure of effectiveness matching the result obtained from actual field conditions. In contrast, simulations with default or best-guess parameters resulted in significant discrepancies between the observed and simulated outputs. © 2020 Emerald Publishing Limited: All rights reserved.
Utilization of Waste Glass Powder and Glass Composite Fillers in Asphalt Pavements
(Hindawi Limited, 2021) Jayvant Choudhary; Brind Kumar; Ankit Gupta
Today, researchers around the globe are looking for suitable alternatives of conventional fillers which can form flexible pavements with satisfactory engineering performance in an environmental friendly and cost-effective manner. This study investigated the engineering, economical, and environmental viability of recycling waste glass powder (GP) and glass-hydrated lime (GL) composite as alternative fillers, in place of stone dust (SD). All fillers were characterized, and asphalt concrete mixes incorporating them at different proportions (4-8.5%) were designed using the Marshall mix design method. The engineering performance of asphalt mixes was analyzed using the static creep analysis, indirect tensile fatigue test, Cantabro test, modified Lottman test, resilient modulus test, mixing time analysis, and boiling water test. Additionally, the design of single km of two-lane flexible pavements utilizing aforesaid mixes was done as per the mechanistically empirical method suggested in IRC 37 guideline. Finally, the economic and environmental analysis was done by comparing their material cost and global warming potential (GWP). GL and GP mixes exhibited better resistance against rutting, fatigue, and low temperature cracking at lower optimum asphalt content than SD mixes. However, GP mixes also displayed poor moisture resistance and adhesion due to the high amount of silica in GP. GL mixes had satisfactory moisture resistance up to 7% filler content due to the fine nature and anti-stripping properties of hydrated lime. The pavement containing GL and GP fillers also reduced material cost and GWP up to 35% while consuming up to 74 tons of GP. © 2021 Jayvant Choudhary et al.