Public Transport Route Optimisation Methodology in South Africa

During the last few decades public transport demand patterns in South African metropolitan areas have changed considerably due to market forces such as urban decentralisation and informal settlement on the urban fringes. Public transport services did not respond to these changing demand patterns in an optimal way and great potential exists to optimise the route network of bus and minibus taxi services. In view of changing demand patterns and the need for metropolitan authorities to develop an integrated multi-modal public transport plan in terms of the new National Land Transport Bill, three authorities applied a public transport route optimisation model to assist in the optimisation of bus and taxi route networks. The DHV Route Optimisation model, developed in the Netherlands, was transferred to South Africa for these studies. The model determines the most optimal set of road based routes, subject to resource constraints, by minimising the total travel time and number of transfers between routes. The paper defines the need for route optimisation in South Africa, describes the DHV model and adjustments made to suit South African conditions, and presents the main results of the route optimisation studies conducted in the Greater Pretoria, Khayalami and Port Elizabeth metropolitan areas. Finally, recommendations are made regarding the route optimisation methodology to be adopted in South Africa in view of lessons learned from the three applications.Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies. Faculty of Economics and Business. The University of Sydne

Robust Digital Holography For Ultracold Atom Trapping

We have formulated and experimentally demonstrated an improved algorithm for design of arbitrary two-dimensional holographic traps for ultracold atoms. Our method builds on the best previously available algorithm, MRAF, and improves on it in two ways. First, it allows for creation of holographic atom traps with a well defined background potential. Second, we experimentally show that for creating trapping potentials free of fringing artifacts it is important to go beyond the Fourier approximation in modelling light propagation. To this end, we incorporate full Helmholtz propagation into our calculations.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

Ontogeny of NET expression and antidepressant-like response to desipramine in wild-type and SERT mutant mice

Abstract word count: 250 Introduction word count: 74

The SNAPSHOT study protocol : SNAcking, Physical activity, Self-regulation, and Heart rate Over Time

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Endocrine therapy in epithelial ovarian cancer

INTRODUCTION: The estrogen receptor (ER) is expressed at high levels in many epithelial ovarian cancers (EOC) and represents a potential target for endocrine therapy. Both anti-estrogens and aromatase inhibitors have been evaluated in phase II clinical trials. Areas covered: We present an overview of the phase II and phase III trials of anti-estrogens (tamoxifen and fulvestrant) and aromatase inhibitors (letrozole, anastrazole and exemestane) undertaken in epithelial ovarian cancer identified through a Pubmed search. We describe predictive biomarkers that are being investigated to identify responsive cancers. Expert commentary: The efficacy of endocrine therapy in epithelial ovarian cancer is likely to be confined to histological subtypes with the highest ER expression while low grade serous ovarian cancer appears to be one subgroup with good sensitivity to these agents. The low toxicity profile of these agents is favourable although their use is unlicensed and the optimal setting undefined. Prospective clinical trials of endocrine agents in the early relapse and maintenance settings are urgently required to establish their definitive role in the management of epithelial ovarian cancer