749 research outputs found
Estimation of Train Driver Workload: Extracting Taskload Measures from On-Train-Data-Recorders
This paper presents a method to extract train driver taskload from downloads of on-train-data-recorders (OTDR). OTDR are in widespread use for the purposes of condition monitoring of trains, but they may also have applications in operations monitoring and management. Evaluation of train driver workload is one such application. The paper describes the type of data held in OTDR recordings and how they can be transformed into driver actions throughout a journey. Example data from 16 commuter journeys are presented, which highlights the increased taskload during arrival at stations. Finally, the possibilities and limitations of the data are discussed
Tributes to Rick Edwards upon His Retirement
I understand that you will be retiring from UNL in August. I wanted to express my sadness that you will be leaving the Center for Great Plains Studies, but am glad that you will now be able to perhaps enjoy life even more without having to do the administrative tasks that go with being the director of any organization. (RFD
Localisation of gamma-ray bursts from the combined SpIRIT+HERMES-TP/SP nano-satellite constellation
Multi-messenger observations of the transient sky to detect cosmic explosions
and counterparts of gravitational wave mergers critically rely on orbiting
wide-FoV telescopes to cover the wide range of wavelengths where atmospheric
absorption and emission limit the use of ground facilities. Thanks to
continuing technological improvements, miniaturised space instruments operating
as distributed-aperture constellations are offering new capabilities for the
study of high energy transients to complement ageing existing satellites. In
this paper we characterise the performance of the upcoming joint SpIRIT +
HERMES-TP/SP nano-satellite constellation for the localisation of high-energy
transients through triangulation of signal arrival times. SpIRIT is an
Australian technology and science demonstrator satellite designed to operate in
a low-Earth Sun-synchronous Polar orbit that will augment the science
operations for the equatorial HERMES-TP/SP. In this work we simulate the
improvement to the localisation capabilities of the HERMES-TP/SP when SpIRIT is
included in an orbital plane nearly perpendicular (inclination = 97.6)
to the HERMES orbits. For the fraction of GRBs detected by three of the HERMES
satellites plus SpIRIT, the combined constellation is capable of localising 60%
of long GRBs to within ~ 30 deg on the sky, and 60% of short GRBs within ~
1850 deg. Based purely on statistical GRB localisation capabilities (i.e.,
excluding systematic uncertainties and sky coverage), these figures for long
GRBs are comparable to those reported by the Fermi GBM. Further improvements by
a factor of 2 (or 4) can be achieved by launching an additional 4 (or 6)
SpIRIT-like satellites into a Polar orbit, which would both increase the
fraction of sky covered by multiple satellite elements, and enable 60%
of long GRBs to be localised within a radius of ~ 1.5 on the sky.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figures, 1 table. Accepted for publication in PAS
Management for sustainable cephalopod fisheries in Europe: review and recommendations
Although cephalopod fisheries are of world-wide importance, in Europe catching cephalopods is managed
only in small-scale fisheries, at national level, and few stocks are formally assessed. Because cephalopods
are not quota species under the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, there is currently no requirement for
assessment or management at European level. Given increasing interest in targeting cephalopods in
Europe, there is a risk that they will be fished unsustainably. Although there have been recent review
papers on progress in stock assessment and fishery forecasting for commercially fished cephalopods there
has been no recent review of cephalopod fishery management. We aim to fill this gap, with a particular
focus on European cephalopod fisheries.We review potential barriers to sustainable fishing and reasons
why management of cephalopod fisheries differs from that for finfish fisheries, e.g. due to the high
inherent volatility and the possibly cyclic nature of year-to-year variation in cephalopod abundance,
reflecting their short lifespan, rapid growth and high sensitivity to environmental conditions. We review
fishery management approaches in important cephalopod fisheries worldwide (e.g. in the USA, Japan,
Falklands, South Africa, Australia and Russia) and current management of small-scale cephalopod
fisheries in Europe. We identify knowledge gaps and limitations to current monitoring programmes and
stock assessments and discuss the options available for cephalopod fishery management in Europe,
considering the suitability or otherwise of catch and effort limits, use of closed areas and seasons,
restrictions on sizes caught and types of fishing gear, and the ole of market-based sustainability pathways.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Opportunities for improving animal welfare in rodent models of epilepsy and seizures
Animal models of epilepsy and seizures, mostly involving mice and rats, are used to understand the pathophysiology of the different forms of epilepsy and their comorbidities, to identify biomarkers, and to discover new antiepileptic drugs and treatments for comorbidities. Such models represent an important area for application of the 3Rs (replacement, reduction and refinement of animal use). This report provides background information and recommendations aimed at minimising pain, suffering and distress in rodent models of epilepsy and seizures in order to improve animal welfare and optimise the quality of studies in this area. The report includes practical guidance on principles of choosing a model, induction procedures, in vivo recordings, perioperative care, welfare assessment, humane endpoints, social housing, environmental enrichment, reporting of studies and data sharing. In addition, some model-specific welfare considerations are discussed, and data gaps and areas for further research are identified. The guidance is based upon a systematic review of the scientific literature, survey of the international epilepsy research community, consultation with veterinarians and animal care and welfare officers, and the expert opinion and practical experience of the members of a Working Group convened by the United Kingdom's National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs)
2D-electrophoresis and multiplex immunoassay proteomic analysis of different body fluids and cellular components reveal known and novel markers for extended fasting
Proteomic technologies applied for profiling human biofluids and blood cells are considered to reveal new biomarkers of exposure or provide insights into novel mechanisms of adaptation
Management for sustainable cephalopod fisheries in Europe: review and recommendations
Cephalopod International Advisory Council Conference, Cephalopods in the Anthropocene: Multiple Challenges in a Changing Ocean, April 2-8, 2022, Sesimbra, PortugalAlthough cephalopod fisheries are of world-wide importance, in Europe catching cephalopods is managed only in small-scale fisheries, at national level, and few stocks are formally assessed. Because cephalopod are not quota species under the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy, there is currently no requirement for assessment or management at European level. Given increasing interest in targeting cephalopods in Europe, there is a risk that they will be fished unsustainably. Although there have been recent review papers on progress in stock assessment and fishery forecasting for commercially fished cephalopods there has been no recent review of cephalopod fishery management. We aim to fill this gap, with a particular focus on European cephalopod fisheries.We review potential barriers to sustainable fishing and reasons why management of cephalopod fisheries differs from that for finfish fisheries, e.g. due to the high inherent volatility and the possibly cyclic nature of year-to-year variation in cephalopod abundance, reflecting their short lifespan, rapid growth and high sensitivity to environmental conditions. We review fishery management approaches in important cephalopod fisheries worldwide (e.g. in the USA, Japan, Falklands, South Africa, Australia and Russia) and current management of small-scale cephalopod fisheries in Europe. We identify knowledge gaps and limitations to current monitoring programmes and stock assessments and discuss the options available for cephalopod fishery management in Europe, considering the suitability or otherwise of catch and effort limits, use of closed areas and seasons, restrictions on sizes caught and types of fishing gear, and the ole of market-based sustainability pathwaysN
Novel genetic loci associated with hippocampal volume
The hippocampal formation is a brain structure integrally involved in episodic memory, spatial navigation, cognition and stress responsiveness. Structural abnormalities in hippocampal volume and shape are found in several common neuropsychiatric disorders. To identify the genetic underpinnings of hippocampal structure here we perform a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 33,536 individuals and discover six independent loci significantly associated with hippocampal volume, four of them novel. Of the novel loci, three lie within genes (ASTN2, DPP4 and MAST4) and one is found 200 kb upstream of SHH. A hippocampal subfield analysis shows that a locus within the MSRB3 gene shows evidence of a localized effect along the dentate gyrus, subiculum, CA1 and fissure. Further, we show that genetic variants associated with decreased hippocampal volume are also associated with increased risk for Alzheimer's disease (rg =-0.155). Our findings suggest novel biological pathways through which human genetic variation influences hippocampal volume and risk for neuropsychiatric illness
Novel genetic loci underlying human intracranial volume identified through genome-wide association
Intracranial volume reflects the maximally attained brain size during development, and remains stable with loss of tissue in late life. It is highly heritable, but the underlying genes remain largely undetermined. In a genome-wide association study of 32,438 adults, we discovered five novel loci for intracranial volume and confirmed two known signals. Four of the loci are also associated with adult human stature, but these remained associated with intracranial volume after adjusting for height. We found a high genetic correlation with child head circumference (ρgenetic=0.748), which indicated a similar genetic background and allowed for the identification of four additional loci through meta-analysis (Ncombined = 37,345). Variants for intracranial volume were also related to childhood and adult cognitive function, Parkinson’s disease, and enriched near genes involved in growth pathways including PI3K–AKT signaling. These findings identify biological underpinnings of intracranial volume and provide genetic support for theories on brain reserve and brain overgrowth
AI is a viable alternative to high throughput screening: a 318-target study
: High throughput screening (HTS) is routinely used to identify bioactive small molecules. This requires physical compounds, which limits coverage of accessible chemical space. Computational approaches combined with vast on-demand chemical libraries can access far greater chemical space, provided that the predictive accuracy is sufficient to identify useful molecules. Through the largest and most diverse virtual HTS campaign reported to date, comprising 318 individual projects, we demonstrate that our AtomNet® convolutional neural network successfully finds novel hits across every major therapeutic area and protein class. We address historical limitations of computational screening by demonstrating success for target proteins without known binders, high-quality X-ray crystal structures, or manual cherry-picking of compounds. We show that the molecules selected by the AtomNet® model are novel drug-like scaffolds rather than minor modifications to known bioactive compounds. Our empirical results suggest that computational methods can substantially replace HTS as the first step of small-molecule drug discovery
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