Mobile analysis of railway traffic safety

The paper presents a universal and extremely simple method for studying railway traffic safety, which enables the measurement of safety-related aspects to be conducted with reference to both infrastructure and rolling stock at the same time. The method proposed in the article is an attempt to face up to the challenge of the aforementioned constraint, enabling measurements of characteristics of the railway line infrastructure and of the rolling stock by means of common accelerometers installed in mobile phones. Result obtained illustrates accelerations recorded in three axes. Studying average characteristics for the same train set, one can reveal anomalies related to the track or the rolling stock condition

Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) trophodynamics and fisheries in the Northeast Pacific Ocean

Pacific herring is a common North Pacific forage fish targeted by commercial, aboriginal, and subsistence fisheries. Recent declines in several Northeast Pacific herring stocks have caused concern among scientists, management agencies, and aboriginal peoples. This dissertation investigates the trophodynamics of herring in Northeast Pacific ecosystems and their effects on fisheries management. Its main hypothesis is that herring interacts strongly with both predators and prey, with some interactions governed by top- down and others by bottom-up control. Chapter 1 presents a set of high-resolution, mass- balanced ecosystem models representing waters surrounding Haida Gwaii, an archipelago off northern British Columbia, Canada. These three models provide a dynamic simulation platform and indicate strong interactions between herring and its predators and prey, as well as notable changes in local ecosystem structure across the 20th century, largely due to fishing and whaling. Chapter 2 reveals whale depletion and recovery trajectories off Haida Gwaii, and the historical and current role of whales as consumers, using surplus production and ecosystem models, respectively. Dynamic ecosystem simulations suggest that whale recovery could exert top-down effects on herring and other prey, with indirect trophic impacts on competing predators and ecosystem composition. Chapter 3 employs management strategy evaluation, combined with ecosystem simulations, to comparatively evaluate potential impacts of herring depletion and fisheries management strategies on dependent predators and ecosystem structure. The results suggest sharp tradeoffs between herring and many predator biomasses on the one hand and high, stable herring catches on the other, as well as potential compromise solutions. Chapter 4 investigates the potential positive effects of high adult herring energy content on the trophic role of herring using energy-balanced ecosystem models, reformulated from their mass-balanced counterparts using a novel methodology. Both static and dynamic analyses conducted in these models indicate that elevated energy content increases the dependence of numerous predators on herring. It may thus be concluded that herring, while belonging to a diverse forage fish guild, nevertheless exercises a key role in Northeast Pacific ecosystems as a trophic node connecting zooplankton to higher predators. Many of these depend on herring to support healthy populations, stimulating management tradeoffs for commercial herring fisheries.Science, Faculty ofResources, Environment and Sustainability (IRES), Institute forGraduat

Integrated software environment dedicated for implementation of control systems based on PLC controllers

Industrial processes’ control systems based on PLC controllers play today a very important role in all fields of transport, including also sea transport. Construction of control systems is the field of engineering, which has been continuously evolving towards maximum simplification of system design path. Up to now the time needed forthe system construction from the design to commissioning had to be divided into a few stages. A mistake made in an earlier stage caused that in most cases the next stages had to be restarted. Available debugging systems allows defect detection at an early stage of theproject implementation. The paper presents general characteristic of integrated software for implementation of complex control systems. The issues related to the software use for programming of the visualisation environment, control computer, selection oftransmission medium and transmission protocol as well as PLC controllers’ configuration, software and control have been analysed

PSY OBRONNE. CHARAKTERYSTYKA I WYKORZYSTANIE W PRAKTYCE

Artykuł porusza zagadnienie stosowania wyszkolonych psów przez grupy dyspozycyjne i jednostki specjalistyczne. Psy, w zależności od przebytej tresury pełnią służbę oraz biorą udział w różnych interwencjach. Autor wskazuje na charakterystykę ras, które są najważniejsze dla takiego typu szkolenia oraz na sam proces szkoleniowy

Production of murine monoclonal antibodies specific to CDKF1 protein from Arabidopsis thaliana using Hybridoma Technology

Białko CDKF1 (kinaza cyklinozależna F1) pełni istotną rolę w regulacji zarówno cyklu komórkowego jak i procesu translacji. Dokładna funkcja oraz struktura tej kinazy w roślinach nie jest do końca poznana, dlatego istnieje potrzeba wyprodukowania przeciwciał, które będą użyteczne w określeniu struktury tej kinazy przy użyciu mikroskopii krio-EM (kriomikroskopia elektronowa) z wykorzystaniem siatek powinowactwa. Z myszy szczepu BALB/c, po udanej immunizacji fragmentem białka CDKF1 (wersja skrócona do 445 aminokwasów) wyizolowano splenocyty, które następnie unieśmiertelniono wykorzystując w tym celu fuzję z komórkami szpiczaka SP2/0 przy użyciu glikolu polietylenowego. Uzyskane klony komórek hybrydoma weryfikowano pod kątem produkcji przeciwciał specyficznych względem CDKF1 (wersji skróconej do 445 aminokwasów). Wyprodukowano i scharakteryzowano ostatecznie dwa klony komórek hybrydoma produkujące dwa różne przeciwciała monoklonalne: 2F2C11B8, 3F9E11E10. Potwierdzono wiązanie wyprodukowanych przeciwciał do pełnej wersji białka CDKF1. Użyteczność przeciwciał pod kątem zastosowania w mikroskopii krio-EM w celu określenia struktury białka CDKF1 jest weryfikowana w prowadzonych aktualnie badaniach.The CDKF1 protein (Cyclin-Dependent Kinase F1) plays a significant role in regulating the cell cycle and the translation process. The exact function and structure of this kinase in plants are not fully understood. Therefore, there is a need to produce antibodies that will be useful in determining the structure of this kinase using cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) with affinity grids. Splenocytes were isolated from BALB/c mice after successful immunization with a fragment of the CDKF1 protein (shortened version of 445 amino acids). These splenocytes were then immortalized through fusion with SP2/0 myeloma cells using polyethylene glycol. The resulting hybridoma cell clones were screened for the production of antibodies specific to the shortened version of CDKF1 (445 amino acids). Two hybridoma cell clones were produced and characterized, producing two monoclonal antibodies: 2F2C11B8 and 3F9E11E10. The binding of the produced antibodies to the full-length CDKF1 protein was confirmed. The utility of these antibodies for use in cryo-EM microscopy to determine the structure of the CDKF1 protein is currently being verified in ongoing research

Effects of whaling on the structure of the Southern Ocean food web: insights on the "krill surplus" from ecosystem modelling.

The aim of this study was to examine the ecological plausibility of the "krill surplus" hypothesis and the effects of whaling on the Southern Ocean food web using mass-balance ecosystem modelling. The depletion trajectory and unexploited biomass of each rorqual population in the Antarctic was reconstructed using yearly catch records and a set of species-specific surplus production models. The resulting estimates of the unexploited biomass of Antarctic rorquals were used to construct an Ecopath model of the Southern Ocean food web existing in 1900. The rorqual depletion trajectory was then used in an Ecosim scenario to drive rorqual biomasses and examine the "krill surplus" phenomenon and whaling effects on the food web in the years 1900-2008. An additional suite of Ecosim scenarios reflecting several hypothetical trends in Southern Ocean primary productivity were employed to examine the effect of bottom-up forcing on the documented krill biomass trend. The output of the Ecosim scenarios indicated that while the "krill surplus" hypothesis is a plausible explanation of the biomass trends observed in some penguin and pinniped species in the mid-20th century, the excess krill biomass was most likely eliminated by a rapid decline in primary productivity in the years 1975-1995. Our findings suggest that changes in physical conditions in the Southern Ocean during this time period could have eliminated the ecological effects of rorqual depletion, although the mechanism responsible is currently unknown. Furthermore, a decline in iron bioavailability due to rorqual depletion may have contributed to the rapid decline in overall Southern Ocean productivity during the last quarter of the 20th century. The results of this study underscore the need for further research on historical changes in the roles of top-down and bottom-up forcing in structuring the Southern Ocean food web

High-Resolution Trophic Models Reveal Structure and Function of a Northeast Pacific Ecosystem

This paper examines the structure and dynamics of the marine ecosystem surrounding Haida Gwaii (an archipelago in the southeastern Gulf of Alaska). Based on previous research, a set of improved mass-balanced models was constructed in Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) to represent ecosystem states existing circa 1900, 1950, and currently. These models feature increased taxonomic and ecological resolution relative to their predecessors across trophic levels and size classes from zooplankton to whales. A more detailed representation of Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii), including its age structure, predators, and prey, was introduced to permit modeling of the ecosystem role of herring as a forage fish, as well as the ecological impacts of herring fisheries. Gross ecosystem structure and herring trophodynamics were compared across ecosystem states using size spectra and ecological indicators, including mixed trophic impacts (MTIs). The 1950 model was fitted to a comprehensive set of biomass and catch time series. Dynamic ecosystem simulations evaluated the influence of fishing, predation, other natural mortality, and primary productivity trends on ecosystem behavior since 1950, as well as the relative importance of top-down versus bottom-up forcing. Size spectra and ecosystem indicators suggest that the Haida Gwaii ecosystem has not undergone a radical structural shift since 1900, despite heavy exploitation of numerous marine mammals and fish. Moreover, MTIs show that herring constitutes an important mid-trophic level node in the food web, participating in complex interactions with many predators, prey, and competitors. Dynamic ecosystem simulations demonstrate that trends in fishing mortality, trophic interactions, and primary productivity (correlated with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation) are all necessary to explain historical Haida Gwaii ecosystem behavior. These interacting drivers yield a mosaic of top-down and bottom-up trophic control for trophic interactions involving herring and throughout the food web. Simulation results also suggest that production of several herring, salmon, and groundfish stocks may have recently become partially decoupled from primary productivity, perhaps due to changes in copepod guild composition. These results also indicate that a biodiversity decline and “fishing down the food web” occurred off Haida Gwaii since 1950. Finally, the fitted 1950 model provides a robust platform for dynamic ecosystem simulations

Supplementary Tables from Southern Ocean biological iron cycling in the pre-whaling and present ecosystems

This study aimed to create the first model of biological iron (Fe) cycling in the Southern Ocean food web. Two biomass-balanced Ecopath models were built to represent pre- and post-whaling ecosystem states (1900 and 2008). Functional group biomasses (tonnes wet weight km^-2) were converted to biogenic Fe pools (kg Fe km^-2) using published Fe content ranges. In both models, biogenic Fe pools and consumption in the pelagic Southern Ocean were highest for plankton and small nektonic groups. The production of plankton biomass, particularly unicellular groups, accounted for the highest annual Fe demand. Microzooplankton contributed most to biological Fe recycling, followed by carnivorous zooplankton and krill. Biological Fe recycling matched previous estimates, and under most conditions, could entirely meet the Fe demand of bacterioplankton and phytoplankton. Iron recycling by large baleen whales was reduced 10-fold by whaling between 1900 and 2008. However, even under the 1900 scenario, the contribution of whales to biological Fe recycling was negligible compared with that of planktonic consumers. These models are a first step in examining oceanic-scale biological Fe cycling, highlighting gaps in our present knowledge and key questions for future research on the role of marine food webs in the cycling of trace elements in the sea

High-Resolution Trophic Models Reveal Structure and Function of a Northeast Pacific Ecosystem

This paper examines the structure and dynamics of the marine ecosystem surrounding Haida Gwaii (an archipelago in the southeastern Gulf of Alaska). Based on previous research, a set of improved mass-balanced models was constructed in Ecopath with Ecosim (EwE) to represent ecosystem states existing circa 1900, 1950, and currently. These models feature increased taxonomic and ecological resolution relative to their predecessors across trophic levels and size classes from zooplankton to whales. A more detailed representation of Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii), including its age structure, predators, and prey, was introduced to permit modeling of the ecosystem role of herring as a forage fish, as well as the ecological impacts of herring fisheries. Gross ecosystem structure and herring trophodynamics were compared across ecosystem states using size spectra and ecological indicators, including mixed trophic impacts (MTIs). The 1950 model was fitted to a comprehensive set of biomass and catch time series. Dynamic ecosystem simulations evaluated the influence of fishing, predation, other natural mortality, and primary productivity trends on ecosystem behavior since 1950, as well as the relative importance of top-down versus bottom-up forcing. Size spectra and ecosystem indicators suggest that the Haida Gwaii ecosystem has not undergone a radical structural shift since 1900, despite heavy exploitation of numerous marine mammals and fish. Moreover, MTIs show that herring constitutes an important mid-trophic level node in the food web, participating in complex interactions with many predators, prey, and competitors. Dynamic ecosystem simulations demonstrate that trends in fishing mortality, trophic interactions, and primary productivity (correlated with the Pacific Decadal Oscillation) are all necessary to explain historical Haida Gwaii ecosystem behavior. These interacting drivers yield a mosaic of top-down and bottom-up trophic control for trophic interactions involving herring and throughout the food web. Simulation results also suggest that production of several herring, salmon, and groundfish stocks may have recently become partially decoupled from primary productivity, perhaps due to changes in copepod guild composition. These results also indicate that a biodiversity decline and “fishing down the food web” occurred off Haida Gwaii since 1950. Finally, the fitted 1950 model provides a robust platform for dynamic ecosystem simulations

The biomass density changes (%) observed for all modelled functional groups at the end of the first bottom-up forcing scenario.

<p>The biomass density changes (%) observed for all modelled functional groups at the end of the first bottom-up forcing scenario.</p