Inferring directed road networks from GPS traces by track alignment

This paper proposes a method to infer road networks from GPS traces. These networks include intersections between roads, the connectivity between the intersections and the possible traffic directions between directly-connected intersections. These intersections are localized by detecting and clustering turning points, which are locations where the moving direction changes on GPS traces. We infer the structure of road networks by segmenting all of the GPS traces to identify these intersections. We can then form both a connectivity matrix of the intersections and a small representative GPS track for each road segment. The road segment between each pair of directly-connected intersections is represented using a series of geographical locations, which are averaged from all of the tracks on this road segment by aligning them using the dynamic time warping (DTW) algorithm. Our contribution is two-fold. First, we detect potential intersections by clustering the turning points on the GPS traces. Second, we infer the geometry of the road segments between intersections by aligning GPS tracks point by point using a stretch and then compress strategy based on the DTW algorithm. This approach not only allows road estimation by averaging the aligned tracks, but also a deeper statistical analysis based on the individual track's time alignment, for example the variance of speed along a road segment

Integrating Pharmacogenetic Decision Support into a Clinical Information System

Pharmacogenetic testing can prevent adverse drug events but has rarely found its way into clinical routine. One reason is the lack of tools for smooth and automatable integration of pharmacogenetic knowledge into existing processes. Especially, electronic medical records (EMR) represent a suitable environment for such tools. We developed a modular service-oriented prototype of a pharmacogenetic decision support system within an EMR system of the Bern University Hospital. Here, we present the component architecture of our system and discuss issues required for generalizing our results

Measuring and Modeling Vertical Crosshead Vibration in API-618 Reciprocating Compressors

LectureReciprocating compressors constructed to API-618 standards find application in refineries, petrochemical plants, and pipelines around the world. These compressors are constructed with a force-fed lubricated crosshead that drives a double-acting piston via a piston rod. Looseness in the running gear (piston assembly, connecting rod assembly, and crosshead assembly) results in knocks (impulse events) that are usually detected at the crosshead guide with accelerometers and, in some cases, with proximity probes measuring the piston rod vibration at the pressure packing case. Crosshead guide accelerometers have proven successful in detecting and preventing catastrophic failure; however, the alarm set points for the vibration levels have been derived heuristically because no model exists that relates forces and impacts within the running gear to the vibration of the crosshead guide. This paper presents a model of the crosshead system that estimates the vibration response of the crosshead and crosshead guide in reaction to the forces and impulses in the running gear. The model incorporates the oil-film behavior including non-linear, position-dependent stiffness and damping. The paper also examines the system response in the time domain and the complex plane (eigenvalue migration). The numerical model results are validated by comparison with data acquired on operating machines in known conditions of distress. The results show good agreement between the model and crosshead and piston rod vibration data, both in the timing and amplitude of vibration. Using the results of the model and historical data collected from operating reciprocating compressors the paper concludes with guidelines for filtering of crosshead accelerometer signals and alarm thresholds

Penerapan Konsep Non-Deterministic Finite Automata (NFA) pada Aplikasi Simulasi Mesin Kopi Vending

In this research, an application for the simulation of vending coffee machines will be discussed using the concept of Non-Deterministic Finite Automata (NFA). With the projected growth in coffee consumption in Indonesia, which increases every year, vending machines can be one of the innovations that can be applied to coffee machines. This coffee vending machine can make 6 coffee variants, with its temperature and desired glass size. There is also a system of cash payments that are applied to this vending coffee machine, where the change will be issued according to the excess balance that is available. The method used is the formal method, to link the design of formal specifications with the application flowchart. Based on the test results obtained, the concept of Non-Deterministic Finite Automata (NFA) can be used as an alternative in the design of vending coffee machines

Smart route recommendations based on historical GPS trajectories and weather information

Route planning plays an important role in intelligent transportation systems (ITS). Its objective is to find the optimal route for users with consideration to the efficiency and safety of the route as well as the users' preferences. The existing methods for finding this optimal route are mainly based on computing the shortest geographic route between the source and destination locations. However, traveling only along the shortest path route may be sub-optimal in terms of travel time because the route ignores prior users' experience and other environmental factors, such as road capacity and historical traffic patterns. In this paper, we present a smart driving route recommendation system based Geolife GPS trajectory dataset from Microsoft Research, generated by 182 users in a period of over five years under various weather conditions. The approach consists of three steps. First, each trajectory is segmented into small routes according to stationary points (places where users spends a significant amount of time) and intersections (with other trajectories) on their current route. Second, we extract the features of each route from all of the trajectory data, such as the average and standard deviation of the speeds, and the confidence of the GPS trajectory data matching the real map using on-line map services, e.g. OpenStreetMap(OSM) and Google Map. These features are utilized to model the probability of this route being a good route using Bayesian theory. Correlation between these features and the historical weather data is studied as additional factor of the road conditions. Lastly, an improved Johnson's algorithm is employed to calculate the optimal driving route to the destination. In our method, the edge weight relies on not only the distance between two locations, but also the route evaluation and the estimated impact of the weather. Results show that the proposedmethod has better performance compared to the traditional path-planning methods

Fair Wage Policy and Construction Costs in British Columbia

The effect of the 1992 Fair Wage and Skill Development Policy on construction costs in British Columbia is estimated by an econometric model in which costs are a function of the project's physical characteristics, location, as well as the applicability of the fair wage policy standards. Construction projects funded by private companies and by the Province of British Columbia before and after the introduction of the policy provide the data which were collected from 1989 to 1995. Depending on the measure of construction cost and the model specification employed, the results indicate that while public construction projects are from 26 to 47 percent more expensive than privately funded projects, the fair wage policy did not significantly impact this cost differential. given the status of construction labor supply in British Columbia at the time, it is unlikely that input substitution can explain all of this result. Rather, it is more likely that the profit margin enjoyed by non-union construction companies absorbed much of the cost of this policy.

In Vivo Systems Analysis Identifies Spatial and Temporal Aspects of the Modulation of TNF-α-Induced Apoptosis and Proliferation by MAPKs

Cellular responses to external stimuli depend on dynamic features of multipathway network signaling; thus, cell behavior is influenced in a complex manner by the environment and by intrinsic properties. Methods of multivariate systems analysis have provided an understanding of these convoluted effects, but only for relatively simplified examples in vitro. To determine whether such approaches could be successfully used in vivo, we analyzed the signaling network that determines the response of intestinal epithelial cells to tumor necrosis factor–α (TNF-α). We built data-driven, partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA) models based on signaling, apoptotic, and proliferative responses in the mouse small intestinal epithelium after systemic exposure to TNF-α. The extracellular signal–regulated kinase (ERK) signaling axis was a critical modulator of the temporal variation in apoptosis at different doses of TNF-α and of the spatial variation in proliferation in distinct intestinal regions. Inhibition of MEK, a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase upstream of ERK, altered the signaling network and changed the temporal and spatial phenotypes consistent with model predictions. Our results demonstrate the dynamic, adaptive nature of in vivo signaling networks and identify natural, tissue-level variation in responses that can be deconvoluted only with quantitative, multivariate computational modeling. This study lays a foundation for the use of systems-based approaches to understand how dysregulation of the cellular network state underlies complex diseases.National Institute of General Medical Sciences (U.S.) (Grant R01-GM088827)National Cancer Institute (U.S.) (Grant U54-CA112967

Avian oncogenesis induced by lymphoproliferative disease virus: a neglected or emerging retroviral pathogen?

Lymphoproliferative disease virus (LPDV) is an exogenous oncogenic retrovirus that induces lymphoid tumors in some galliform species of birds. Historically, outbreaks of LPDV have been reported from Europe and Israel. Although the virus has previously never been detected in North America, herein we describe the widespread distribution, genetic diversity, pathogenesis, and evolution of LPDV in the United States. Characterization of the provirus genome of the index LPDV case from North America demonstrated an 88% nucleotide identity to the Israeli prototype strain. Although phylogenetic analysis indicated that the majority of viruses fell into a single North American lineage, a small subset of viruses from South Carolina were most closely related to the Israeli prototype. These results suggest that LPDV was transferred between continents to initiate outbreaks of disease. However, the direction (New World to Old World or vice versa), mechanism, and time frame of the transcontinental spread currently remain unknown