A practical manual for Vissim COM programming in Matlab - 3rd edition for Vissim 9 and 10

Egyetemi elektronikus jegyze

Public transport trajectory planning with probabilistic guarantees

The paper proposes an eco-cruise control strategy for urban public transportbuses. The aim of the velocity control is ensuring timetable adherence, whileconsidering upstream queue lengths at traffic lights in a probabilistic way. Thecontribution of the paper is twofold. First, the shockwave profile model (SPM)is extended to capture the stochastic nature of traffic queue lengths. The modelis adequate to describe frequent traffic state interruptions at signalized intersections.Based on the distribution function of stochastic traffic volume demand,the randomness in queue length, wave fronts, and vehicle numbers are derived.Then, an outlook is provided on its applicability as a full-scale urban traffic networkmodel. Second, a shrinking horizon model predictive controller (MPC) isproposed for ensuring timetable reliability. The intention is to calculate optimalvelocity commands based on the current position and desired arrival time of thebus while considering upcoming delays due to red signals and eventual queues.The above proposed stochastic traffic model is incorporated in a rolling horizonoptimization via chance-constraining. In the optimization, probabilistic guaranteesare formulated to minimize delay due to standstill in queues at signalized intersections. Optimization results are analyzed from two particular aspects, (i)feasibility and (ii) closed-loop performance point of views. The novel stochasticprofile model is tested in a high fidelity traffic simulator context. Comparativesimulation results show the viability and importance of stochastic bounds in urbantrajectory design. The proposed algorithm yields smoother bus trajectoriesat an urban corridor, suggesting energy savings compared to benchmark controlstrategies

Modelling long-distance route choice using mobile phone call detail record data: A case study of Senegal

The growing mobile phone penetration rates have led to the emergence of large-scale call detail records (CDRs) that could serve as a low-cost data source for travel behaviour modelling. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no previous study evaluating the potential of CDR data in the context of route choice behaviour modelling. Being event-driven, the data are discontinuous and only able to yield partial trajectories, thus presenting serious challenges for route identification. This paper proposes techniques for inferring the users' chosen routes or subsets of their likely routes from partial CDR trajectories, as well as data fusion with external sources of information such as route costs, and then adapts the broad choice framework to the current modelling scenario. The model results show that CDR data can capture the expected travel behaviour and the derived values of travel time are found to be realistic for the study area

Optimal headway merging for balanced public transport service in urban networks

This paper presents a velocity control/advise algorithm relying on vehicle-to-vehicle communication, to ensure the headway homogeneity of buses on a joint corridor, i.e. when multiple lines merge and travel on the same route. The proposed control method first schedules merging buses prior to entering a common line. Second, based on the position and velocity of the bus ahead of the controlled one, a shrinking horizon model predictive controller (MPC) calculates a proper velocity profile for the merging bus. The model is able to predict short time- space behavior of public transport buses enabling constrained, finite horizon, optimal control solution to reach the merging point with equidistant headways, taking all buses from different lines into account. The controller is tested in a high fidelity traffic simulator with realistic scenarios

In Vivo Isolation and Characterization of Stem Cells with Diverse Phenotypes Using Growth Factor Impregnated Biomatrices

BACKGROUND: The stimulation to differentiate into specific cell types for somatic stem cells is largely due to a series of internal and external signals coming from the microenvironment that surrounds the stem cell. Even though intensive research has been made, the basic mechanisms of plasticity and/or the molecules regulating stem cells proliferation and differentiation are not completely determined. Potential answers concerning the problems could be derived from the studies of stem cells in culture. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPLE FINDINGS: We combine a new procedure (using the matrigel biopolymer supplemented with a selected cytokine/growth factor) with classic techniques such as light, confocal and electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry and cell culture, to perform an analysis on stem cells involved in the leech (Hirudo medicinalis) repair tissues. The leech has a relative anatomical simplicity and is a reliable model for studying a variety of basic events, such as tissue repair, which has a striking similarity with vertebrate responses. Our data demonstrate that the injection of an appropriate combination of the matrigel biopolymer supplemented with a selected cytokine/growth factor in the leech Hirudo medicinalis is a remarkably effective tool for isolating a specific cell population in vivo. A comparative analysis of biopolymer in vivo sorted stem cells indicates that VEGF recruited cells of a hematopoietic/endothelial phenotype whereas MCP-1/CCL2 isolated cells that were of an early myeloid lineage. CONCLUSION: Our paper describes, for the first time, a method allowing not only the isolation of a specific cell population in relation to the cytokine utilized but also the possibility to culture a precise cell type whose isolation is otherwise quite difficult. This approach could be broadly applied to isolate stem cells of diverse origins based on the recruitment stimuli employed

Critical features of autonomous road transport from the perspective of technological regulation and law

Autonomous vehicular technology significantly stresses the issue of safety. Although the use of driverless cars raises considerable expectations of a general improvement in safety, new challenges concerning the safety aspects stem from the changing context. On the one hand, the paper addresses regulatory issues raised by the impact of technological changes, particularly standardization problems. On the other hand, the issue of liability questions is investigated as it might cause today’s main legal obstacle for the wide spreading of autonomous cars, especially as autonomous cars might jeopardize the existing approaches to vehicular liability. The aim of this paper is to scrutinize the basic problems in both fields. We provide what, at the current state-of-the-art, appear to be reasonable recommendations from the perspective of technological regulation and law, in order to deal with the main problems that might hamper the development of autonomous transport technology

The neural correlates of verb and noun processing A PET study

The hypothesis that categorical information, distinguishing among word classes, such as nouns, verbs, etc., is an organizational principle of lexical knowledge in the brain, is supported by the observation of aphasic subjects who are selectively impaired in the processing of nouns and verbs. The study lesion location in these patients has suggested that the left temporal lobe plays a crucial role in processing nouns, while the left frontal lobe is necessary for verbs. To delineate the brain areas involved in the processing of different word classes, we used PET to measure regional cerebral activity during tasks requiring reading of concrete and abstract nouns and verbs for lexical decision. These tasks activated an extensive network of brain areas, mostly in the left frontal and temporal cortex, which represents the neural correlate of single word processing. Some left hemispheric areas, including the dorsolateral frontal and lateral temporal cortex, were activated only by verbs, while there were no brain areas more active in response to nouns. Furthermore, the comparison of abstract and concrete words indicated that abstract word processing was associated with selective activations (right temporal pole and amygdala, bilateral inferior frontal cortex), while no brain areas were more active in response to concrete words. There were no significant interaction effects between word class and concreteness. Taken together, these findings are compatible with the view that lexical-semantic processing of words is mediated by an extensive, predominantly left hemispheric network of brain structures. Additional brain activations appear to be related to specific semantic content, or, in the case of verbs, may be associated with the automatic access of syntactic information

Exploring the role of RNASET2 in the immune response of black soldier fly larvae

T2 RNases are transferase-type enzymes distributed across phyla, crucial for breaking down single-stranded RNA molecules. In addition to their canonical function, several T2 enzymes exhibit pleiotropic roles, contributing to various biological processes, such as the immune response in invertebrates and vertebrates. This study aims at characterizing RNASET2 in the larvae of black soldier fly (BSF), Hermetia illucens, which are used for organic waste reduction and the production of valuable insect biomolecules for feed formulation and other applications. Given the exposure of BSF larvae to pathogens present in the feeding substrate, it is likely that the mechanisms of their immune response have undergone significant evolution and increased complexity. After in silico characterization of HiRNASET2, demonstrating the high conservation of this T2 homolog, we investigated the expression pattern of the enzyme in the fat body and hemocytes, two districts mainly involved in the insect immune response, in larvae challenged with bacterial infection. While no variation in HiRNASET2 expression was observed in the fat body following infection, a significant upregulation of HiRNASET2 synthesis occurred in hemocytes shortly after the injection of bacteria in the larva. The intracellular localization of HiRNASET2 in lysosomes of plasmatocytes, its extracellular association with bacteria, and the presence of a putative antimicrobial domain in the molecule, suggest its potential role in RNA clean-up and as an alarm molecule promoting phagocytosis activation by hemocytes. These insights contribute to the characterization of the immune response of Hermetia illucens larvae and may facilitate the development of animal feedstuff enriched with highly valuable BSF bioactive compounds

Covid-19 pandemic and equal access to vaccines

The COVID-19 pandemic has evidenced the chronic inequality that exists between populations and communities as regards global healthcare. Vaccination, an appropriate tool for the prevention of infection, should be guaranteed by means of proportionate interventions to defeat such inequality in populations and communities affected by a higher risk of infection. Equitable criteria of justice should be identified and applied with respect to access to vaccination and to the order in which it should be administered. This article analyzes, as regards the worldwide distribution of anti-COVID-19 vaccines, the various ways the principle of equity has been construed and applied or even overlooked. The main obstacle to equal access to vaccines is vaccine nationalism. The perception of equity varies with the differing reference values adopted. Adequate response to needs appears to be the principal rule for achieving the criterion of equity in line with distributive justice. Priorities must be set equitably based on rational parameters in accordance with current needs. The entire process must be governed by transparency, from parameter identification to implementation. The issue of equal access to vaccination affects the entire world population, necessitating specific protective interventions. In light of this, the World Health Organization (WHO) has devised the COVAX plan to ensure that even the poorest nations of the world receive the vaccine; certain initiatives are also supported by the European Union (EU). This pandemic has brought to the fore the need to build a culture of equitable relationships both in each country's own domain and with the rest of the world