Selected applications of satellite technologies in rail transport

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are increasingly being used in various modes of transport, including rail transport. When this technology is applied to railway traffic control, it is essential to ensure a high level of safety and reliability. The approval of a railway traffic control system requires a safety analysis, which includes hazard analysis and risk analysis. This also includes GNSS-based solutions in terms of their compliance with safety integrity requirements, i.e. THR (Tolerable Hazard Rate) and SIL (Safety Integrity Level) parameters, as defined in normative documents. In the case of railway traffic control systems, the level of dependability of the determined train position, referred to as position integrity, is very important in ensuring safety. Position integrity is affected by many factors, including: errors due to SIS (Signal-In-Space) propagation, multipath errors, signal interference or GNSS receiver errors. In order to improve position integrity, among other things, new data processing methods can be used to improve the accuracy and reliability of measurements. The paper presents the concept of satellite signal processing for precise determination of the position of objects in selected railway systems. The Kalman filter based model of satellite signal filtration and its selected applications, which were tested in the real condition, was presented. The application of Kalman filtration indicated in the paper is a universal method that improves the estimated measurement parameters and can be used in many applications of satellite systems for railway tasks. The applicability of satellite systems to automatic train operation, defect positioning in automatic and manual flaw detection tests, determining track spatial orientation and train integrity control have been considered. The conducted tests confirmed the correctness of the adopted concept and the model of satellite signals filtration developed for this purpose. According to the authors, the described methods can also be used in many other tasks related to rail transport

Influence of a multi-strain probiotic and zinc-glycine chelate, administered in ovo, on immune response in newly hatched chicks

IntroductionThe supplementation of chicken embryos with bioactive compounds may elicit a beneficial effect on the development of their gut microbiome and enhance protection against infectious agents after hatching. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of in ovo co-supplementation with a multi-strain probiotic and zinc-glycine chelate on the levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, acute-phase proteins, and immunoglobulins in the peripheral blood and tissues of broiler chickens on the day of hatching and 7 days post hatching. The effect of supplementation on the growth parameters of chickens was assessed as well.MethodsThe study was conducted on 1,500 hatching eggs from a broiler breeding flock (Ross × Ross 308) at 36 weeks. ELISA kits were used to determine levels of acute-phase proteins and immunoglobulins. Expression of immunoglobulins was determined by means of qRT-PCR.ResultsThe results indicate enhanced synthesis of acute-phase proteins in the liver and increased levels of serum amyloid A in the small intestine tissue, as well as IgA and IgM mRNA and suppressed synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines IFN-γ and TNF-α. During the cumulative experimental period (days 0–42), the mean body weight gain (BWG) and feed intake (FI) in the group supplemented with a multi-strain probiotic were statistically significantly lower than the control group.DiscussionIt may be concluded that the combined in ovo use of a multi-strain probiotic and Zn-Gly chelate modulates the immune response, helps maintain the balance between the synthesis of Th1 and Th2 cytokines, inhibits inflammatory processes, and stimulates immune system development

Effect of SSR504734, a selective glycine transporter type 1 inhibitor, on seizure thresholds, neurotransmitter levels, and inflammatory markers in mice

Studies have revealed that inhibition of glycine transporter type 1 (GlyT1) may provide a balanced regulation between excitation and inhibition in some brain structures and, thereby, modulate seizure activity. Data on the role of GlyT1 in epilepsy are, however, very limited. Here, we examined the effect of SSR504734, a highly selective and reversible GlyT1 inhibitor, on three acute seizure tests in mice. We also evaluated its impact on neurotransmitter levels in the relevant brain structures following seizures, possible adverse effects, and changes in the levels of inflammatory mediators in the serum and liver. In addition, in vivo pharmacokinetic profile and in vitro ADME-Tox properties of SSR504734 were investigated. The results show that SSR504734 significantly increased the threshold for tonic hindlimb extension in the MEST test after acute and repeated treatment but had no influence on seizure thresholds in the 6 Hz and i.v. PTZ seizure tests. SSR504734 did not affect the levels of glutamate, GABA, glycine, or adenosine in brain structures of mice with MES-induced seizures. However, after acute treatment, the concentration of glutamate and adenosine in the brainstem of control animals (i.e., without seizures) decreased. Moreover, SSR504734 increased the levels of inflammatory markers (TNF-α, Il-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and TLR4) in serum. In vivo pharmacokinetic profiling and in vitro ADME-Tox data confirmed suitable drug-like properties of SSR504734, including its notable penetration into brain tissue. However, possible hepatotoxicity at higher doses should be taken into account. Further studies should be considered to better characterize the SSR504734-mediated effects as well as to validate GlyT1 as a potential new molecular target in epilepsy treatment

Lidocaine bolus may facilitate computed tomographic coronary angiography in patients with frequent premature ventricular contractions

INTRODUCTION: Heart rate irregularities are the major limitations of computed tomographic coronary angiography (CTCA) due to severe motion artifacts. AIM: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a lidocaine intravenous bolus in preserving good image quality by the transient suppression of premature ventricular contractions (PVC) during the CTCA scan. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study group comprised 67 consecutive patients with sinus rhythm and numerous PVC scheduled for CTCA. Intravenous boluses of 25–50 mg lidocaine were given after calcium score assessment and immediately before CTCA. The control group comprised 67 patients with sinus rhythm without PVC matched according to the body mass index (BMI), age, sex, and calcium score. All coronary vessel segments were assessed for image quality and presence of significant stenosis. RESULTS: As compared with calcium score assessment, after administration of lidocaine and during the CTCA scan PVC were completely suppressed in 22 (40%), reduced in 10 (18%), unchanged in 18 (32%), and intensified in 5 (10%) patients. Overall, there were 32 (58%) patients with sinus rhythm during CTCA as compared with only 11 (20%) patients free from PVC during calcium score assessment (p < 0.001). Image quality in 871 coronary segments including both the study group and control patients was worse in patients with PVC (p < 0.0001). However, there was no statistically significant difference in the number of patients with at least one segment of non-diagnostic quality (6% vs. 12%, p = 0.36; respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Single lidocaine bolus given prior to CTCA is safe, may temporarily eliminate or reduce the intensity of arrhythmia, and hence results in improved quality of CTCA in patients with numerous PVC

Evacuation of people to a medium-high public buildings

Evacuation of people into the building that is not classified as dedicated protective one is not a conventional solution. However, the experiment described in the study shows that with the appropriate identification of a threat and proper alerting this type of evacuation can be an effective way to preserve the health and lives of people at risk. Examination of the possibility of using a medium-high public building for this purpose is the subject of this study. The study focuses on the verification of potentially safe building areas that can be used to save people, as well as traffic conditions and capacity in these spaces. A research experiment was carried out with use of computer simulation in the Pathfinder software. For the purpose of this study, the possibility of staying in a area relatively easily accessible in buildings was considered. Places generally intended for possible stay of people were: staircases and underground garages. The conducted experiment showed that it is possible to quickly evacuate people into the buildings in case of specific danger occurring. Simulations confirmed that in less than 12 minutes it is possible to evacuate over 500 people from outside to empty spaces such as staircase or a garage of a nearby building

Selected Aspects of Research on Railway Transport Safety

This article showcases the findings of research conducted at the Faculty of Transport, Electrotechnics, and Informatics of the Technological-Humanistic University in Radom. Initially, it delves into a statistical analysis of measurements procured during automatic ultrasonic testing. By integrating these measurements with distinct features of the diagnostic method and fusing differential coding with traditional lossless compression techniques (like Huffman and dictionary coding), a potent measurement compression algorithm was developed. This algorithm subsequently found application in railway track diagnostics. The primary objective of this article is to illustrate this algorithm's efficiency and benchmark its advantages against other compression techniques. Subsequently, the paper delineates the design of a system tailored for collating operational data and evaluating the reliability and safety of railway automation systems. This concept was actualized under the auspices of a project sponsored by the National Center for Research and Development, PBS3/A6/29/2015. A spotlight will be thrown on the software that acts as an integrative tool, assimilating data from various systems. In its final segments, the article discusses the initiative to harness open systems, premised on the PN-EN 50159:2011 standard, to bolster the safety standards of railway transportation. The first one resulted from the maximum train speed, the second one is the variety of rolling stock used on this line (compartmental and non-compartmental wagons). The part of research concerning collection of measurement material was performed within the framework of completed research work PBS3/A6/29/2015. As a result of conducted in-depth literature analysis as well as performed measurements and calculations, it allowed to develop a model and software for simulating system operation in real conditions. A prototype of this system, accompanied by select research outcomes from railway routes, will be laid out. Ultimately, the article seeks to emphasize the significance of diverse research endeavors that hold the potential to directly enhance the safety and operational efficiency of railway transport

Selected aspects of the diagnostic process in rail transport

The article presents selected results of research in the area of reducing the risk of defects in railway infrastructure and traffic control devices. The first part of the article will discuss selected topics used in a defectoscope car for automated ultrasonic rail inspections related to the identification of joints and flaws. A method based on the identification of joints and flaws using a neural network will be presented. The second part of the article will cover research on the automatic collection of diagnostic data from railway traffic control devices. The solutions presented concern a simulator of railway traffic control device malfunctions, from which data is extracted to populate a database of malfunctions and then used in the inference process. The article will present partial results of research on both systems

Tick-borne diseases in Poland: Prevalence and difficulties in diagnostics

The article presents an overview of diagnostics of tick-borne diseases in Poland, which form one of the most prevalent group of occupational illnesses in the Polish area. This is a current issue due to a constantly growing number of tick-borne infections, i.e., Lyme borreliosis, tick-borne encephalitis, tularemia, Q fever, human granulocytic anaplasmosis and babesiosis. The scale of the problem is well illustrated by the latest reports of the Polish National Institute of Public Health – National Institute of Hygiene (NIPH – NIH). The article also covers the taxonomy of vectors of etiological factors, as well as their reservoirs and possible transmission to humans. The highest risk of tick-borne infection is particularly connected with people either resting or working in the forest or meadow surroundings (i.e., foresters, farmers, hunters). The article contains up-to-date data on epidemiology, etiopathogenesis, symptomatology, laboratory medicine and factors affecting the credibility of results according to current recommendations of the Polish Society of Epidemiology and Physicians of Infectious Diseases and the Polish National Chamber of Laboratory Diagnosticians. The presented review focuses on modern laboratory techniques used in difficult diagnostics of tick-borne diseases, mainly diagnostics algorithms, pre-analytical phase (type of biological material) and analytical phase of diagnostics (reference methods, efficacy of different techniques, interfering factors, proper diagnostic procedures). Med Pr 2016;67(1):73–8