Innovative Technologies for Sustainable Passenger Transport

Functional transport systems represent an important place in terms of the population mobility and generate a prerequisite for the economic-related development among individual regions. Population mobility increase in recent decades also pushes a question regarding the sustainable development of various world economies. However, a growing need to travel brings negative environmental impacts and points to the necessity for environmental protection. Technological premise creates the prerequisites for organizing, operating, and managing traffic and transport with as little negative environmental impacts as possible and helps to create a system of sustainable mobility. An option to develop transport systems consists in the implementation of innovative technological solutions applied within passenger transport processes

Influence of Vehicle Aerodynamical Devices on Fuel Consumption Evaluated Using Telematics Tools

This paper connects two new technology trends in vehicle fleets of road transport - the new informatics technology, especially telematics software used for evaluation transport, driver and vehicle characteristics. The second one is new technology which makes lowering of fuel consumption - aerodynamical devices of road semi-trailers. The main scope of the paper is evaluation of differences in vehicle fuel consumption and estimation the influence of aerodynamical devices. Three different tracks of haulage were chosen for evaluating the influence of aerodynamical devices on the fuel consumption. The measurement was done on one vehicle with one driver and other variable characteristics were logging for accurate evaluation. The telematics tool is logging many operational parameters. aerodynamical devices influence on vehicle fuel consumption was estimated according to this measured values by using the correlation between different chosen operational factors of haulage

Aplicación de la metodología basada en Design Thinking para el aprendizaje de conceptos técnicos ferroviarios

Docentes e investigadores de las áreas de Ingeniería Mecánica y de Comunicación Audiovisual de la Universidad de Málaga participan en un proyecto Europeo Eramus+ denominado ASTONRail. Dentro de las actividades desarrolladas a lo largo de la ejecución de este proyecto, se diseñó un curso intensivo sobre diferentes temas dentro del ámbito ferroviario. Alumnos provenientes de distintas universidades asistieron a clases sobre seguridad ferroviaria, infraestructura, operación, administración y gestión, material rodante y tecnología. La impartición de la sesión sobre material rodante corrió a cargo de docentes de la Universidad de Málaga y de KTH Royal Institute of Technology de Estocolmo, Suecia. Para esta sesión se hizo uso de las metodologías denominadas Design Thinking, aprendizaje colaborativo y clase invertida. En este trabajo se describirá el proyecto dentro del cual se planificó la actividad y la motivación de la misma. Asimismo, se presentará el desarrollo de la actividad y la evaluación de los resultados alcanzados.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Aplicación de la metodología basada en Design Thinking para el aprendizaje de conceptos técnicos ferroviarios

Docentes e investigadores del área de Ingeniería Mecánica y del área de Comunicación Audivisual de la Universidad de Málaga participan en un proyecto Europeo Eramus+ denominado ASTONRail- Advanced approacheS and practices for rail training and education TO inNovate Rail study programmes & Improve rail higher education provision. El principal objetivo de la asociación estratégica ASTONRail es desarrollar un conjunto de herramientas, métodos, enfoques y prácticas profesionales innovadores para el desarrollo de habilidades ferroviarias y, como resultado, mejorar y modernizar la oferta actual de educación superior ferroviaria en Europa. Entre los socios de este proyecto se encuentran investigadores de las universidades de Zagreb (Croacia), Sapienza de Roma (Italia), TH Wildau (Alemania), Zilina (Eslovaquia), KTH (Suecia), siendo liderado por la Universidad de Aston (Reino Unido). Además, cuenta con la colaboración de Eurnex (Red de Excelencia de Investigación Ferroviaria Europea). Dentro de las actividades desarrolladas a lo largo de la ejecución de este proyecto, se diseñó un curso intensivo sobre diferentes temas dentro del ámbito ferroviario. El curso intensivo se llevó cabo en la universidad de Zagreb durante tres días. Alumnos provenientes de las universidades participantes en el proyecto asistieron a clases sobre seguridad ferroviaria, infraestructura, operación, administración y gestión, material rodante y tecnología. En estas sesiones, los alumnos recibieron formación específica sobre dichos temas, haciendo uso para ello de diversas metodologías docentes. La impartición de la sesión sobre material rodante corrió a cargo de docentes de la Universidad de Málaga y de la Universidad KTH. Para esta sesión se hizo uso de las metodologías denominadas Design Thinking, aprendizaje colaborativo y clase invertida

Methylation pattern of caveolin-1 in prostate cancer as potential cfDNA biomarker

High prevalence and mortality of prostate cancer (PCa) are well known global health issues. Novel biomarkers for better identifying patients with PCa are the subject of extensive research. Prostate specific antigen (PSA) shows low specificity in screening and diagnostics, leading to unnecessary biopsies and health costs. Eighty patients with PCa and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) were included in the study. We analyzed CAV1 gene expression and methylation in tissue. CAV1 cfDNA methylation from blood and seminal plasma was accessed as a potential PCa biomarker. Although methylation in blood plasma did not differ between PCa and BPH patients, methylation in seminal plasma showed better PCa biomarker performances than tPSA (AUC 0.63 vs. AUC 0.52). Discrimination of BPH and Gleason grade group 1 PCa patients from patients with higher Gleason grade groups revealed very good performance as well (AUC 0.72). CAV1 methylation is useful biomarker with potential for further seminal plasma cfDNA research, but its diagnostic accuracy should be improved, as well as general knowledge about cfDNA in seminal plasma

Inland Intermodal Terminals Location Criteria Evaluation: The Case of Croatia

Determining a suitable location for an intermodal terminal is a critical element of the terminal establishment process, a decision on which the functionality of the entire intermodal freight distribution chain depends. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the criteria used for deciding on suitable locations for intermodal terminals in Croatia. First, quality indicators of intermodal terminals were identified: flexibility, safety and security, reliability, time, and accessibility. Based on these quality indicators, and in compliance with the European traffic policy and efficient functioning of intermodal transport, location criteria were formed and evaluated: legislative, environmental, goods flows, spatial, technical-technological, and organizational. Each criterion is divided further into subcriteria and evaluated using the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method. The results of the study show that the criterion of goods flows has the most significant impact on the selection of the terminal location, followed by the spatial criterion. A position that connects to the European traffic corridor network is essential for a Croatian terminal’s success

Intermodal Terminal Location– Criteria Evaluation

Intermodal freight transport is a significant sector of the transport industry, and intermodal terminals play a crucial role in that sector. Therefore, decision regarding suitable location for an intermodal terminal is a critical element of the establishment process – it is essential for the functionality of the total intermodal freight distribution chain. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate criteria used for determination of suitable locations for intermodal terminals. In compliance with the European traffic policy and efficient functioning of intermodal transport, location criteria were formed and evaluated: legislative, environmental, cargo flows, spatial, technical–technological and organizational. Each criterion is divided further into sub-criteria and evaluated with the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. The criteria for defining the network of intermodal terminals and their efficiency in the processes have great impact on the quality of the entire process of intermodal transport. The results show that the criterion of goods flows has the most significant impact on the selection of the terminal location, followed by spatial criterion

The Proposal of a Tariff Taking into Account the Risk from Unoccupied Capacity of Passenger Trains

There are many different views on perceived benefits and costs of the offered transport services in the market, because each customer gives a different weight to characteristics of these services. The customer thus buys a service from the transport company that offers the highest perceived benefits in relation to the total cost. Therefore it is important to monitor traffic flows of passengers in a long-distance rail passenger transport and in advance specify the expected number of passengers who use this link. Only on the basis of a well-prepared prediction it will be possible to establish an effective session tariff, which ensures reimbursement of all costs to the carrier and also guarantees a reasonable profit. The aim of this paper is to provide a cost analysis of a carrier in passenger rail transport at the risk of unoccupied capacity of a selected train in different variants of its workload and the proposal of a session tariff with respect to this risk

Intermodal Terminal Location– Criteria Evaluation

Intermodal freight transport is a significant sector of the transport industry, and intermodal terminals play a crucial role in that sector. Therefore, decision regarding suitable location for an intermodal terminal is a critical element of the establishment process – it is essential for the functionality of the total intermodal freight distribution chain. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate criteria used for determination of suitable locations for intermodal terminals. In compliance with the European traffic policy and efficient functioning of intermodal transport, location criteria were formed and evaluated: legislative, environmental, cargo flows, spatial, technical–technological and organizational. Each criterion is divided further into sub-criteria and evaluated with the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) method. The criteria for defining the network of intermodal terminals and their efficiency in the processes have great impact on the quality of the entire process of intermodal transport. The results show that the criterion of goods flows has the most significant impact on the selection of the terminal location, followed by spatial criterion