bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aging population in change – a crucial challenge for structurally weak rural areas in Austria
Authors: Fischer Tatjana
Published: February 2014

Besides population decline, structurally weak rural areas in Austria face a new challenge related to demographic change: the increasing heterogeneity of their aging population. From the example of the so-called ‘best agers’ - comprising people aged 55 to 65 years - this contribution makes visible patterns and consequences of growing individualized spatial behaviour and spatial perception. Furthermore, contradictions between claims, wishes and expectations and actual engagement and commitment to their residential rural municipalities are being pointed out. These empirically-based facts are rounded off by considerations on the best agers’ future migration-behaviour and the challenges for spatial planning at the municipal level.
Recent demographic trends in the northern borderland between Italy and Slovenia: Stabilization or further redistribution of population?
Authors: Josipovič Damir
Published: February 2014

The contribution presents findings from the research on a constitution of new ethnic identities in Alps-Adriatic region. The key question dealt here with was to which extent the recent demographical processes impact the peripheral, mountainous, and ethnically specific cross-border region between Slovenia and Italy. In lay and professional discourse there is still omnipresent mentality of extinguishing Slovene minority in Italy. Applying various demographical methods the article resolves the demographical processes and quantifies the extent of the local Slovene speakers. The author argues that the recent demographical processes of heavy depopulation tend to stabilize towards stagnation. Depopulation is stronger in the Slovenian part of the region, though the traditional Slovene-speaking areas in Italy aren’t as threatened as the adjacent Friulian areas. New migration trends along with the generally low fertility contribute to changes in traditional dualistic structure and bring refreshment to remote parts of the border region as well.
Taxonomical, Morphological, Ecological And Chorological Notes On Oxybasis Chenopodioides And O. Rubra (Chenopodiaceae) In Italy
Authors: Iamonico Duilio
Published: February 2014

On the basis of floristic surveys, examination of herbarium specimens and review of literature, notes on the taxonomy, morphology, and ecological features are given of Oxybasis chenopodioides and morphologically fairly similar Oxybasis rubra. Their distributions in Italy according to Provinces are discussed and mapped.
SELECTED ASPECTS OF ACTS OF LAW CONCERNING CRISIS MANAGEMENT AND CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE PROTECTION / WYBRANE ASPEKTY PRAWNE W ZAKRESIE ZARZĄDZANIA KRYZYSOWEGO I OCHRONY INFRASTRUKTURY KRYTYCZNEJ
Authors: Siergiejczyk Mirosław , Dziula Przemysław
Published: February 2014

The paper presents principle aspects of law acts concerning crisis management, currently in force in the Republic of Poland. Fundamental definitions and assumptions included in them, with a special focus on critical infrastructure and its protection, have been also shown. The paper presents also latest alterations of Polish legislation relating crisis management, inspired by respective changes of European Union directives. Article is also mentioning tasks of newly established public administration institutions, appointed on the basis of crisis management related legislation implementation, plus, concerned with them, new obligation of so called: sole and dependent owners of critical infrastructure systems.
On the asymptotic form of convex hulls of Gaussian random fields
Authors: Davydov Youri , Paulauskas Vygantas
Published: February 2014

We consider a centered Gaussian random field X = {X
t : t ∈ T} with values in a Banach space $$\mathbb{B}$$ defined on a parametric set T equal to ℝm or ℤm. It is supposed that the distribution of X
t is independent of t. We consider the asymptotic behavior of closed convex hulls W
n = conv{X
t : t ∈ T
n}, where (T
n) is an increasing sequence of subsets of T. We show that under some conditions of weak dependence for the random field under consideration and some sequence (b
n)n≥1 with probability 1, (in the sense of Hausdorff distance), where the limit set is the concentration ellipsoid of . The asymptotic behavior of the mathematical expectations Ef(W
n), where f is some function, is also studied.
Hypergeometric solutions of the quantum differential equation of the cotangent bundle of a partial flag variety
Authors: Tarasov Vitaly , Varchenko Alexander
Published: February 2014

We describe hypergeometric solutions of the quantum differential equation of the cotangent bundle of a $$\mathfrak{g}\mathfrak{l}_n$$ partial flag variety. These hypergeometric solutions manifest the Landau-Ginzburg mirror symmetry for the cotangent bundle of a partial flag variety.
The separation of TM and TE wave in multi-layer metamaterial structure
Authors: Xia Lijuan , Yu Guanxia , Wang Qian
Published: February 2014

A mixed-structure form of one-dimensional metamaterial structure composed of single negative permittivity material and anisotropic metamaterial has been investigated in this paper. Such a multi-layer metamaterial structure constitutes special resonant structures, which can be used to control wave propagation and realize the complete separation of TM and TE wave by choosing specific parameters. Theoretical analysis and numerical calculations have been performed to confirm the above results. Specifically, augments in incident angles of TM and TE waves make complete transmission frequencies right shift, and the thicknesses of this resonant structure determine propagation modes and propagation frequencies.
UNSOLVED PROBLEMS
Authors: Strauch Oto
Published: February 2014

In this paper there are given problems from the Unsolved Problems Section on the homepage of the journal Uniform Distribution Theory  It contains 38 items and 5 overviews collected by the author and by Editors of UDT. They are focused at uniform distribution theory, more accurate, distri- bution functions of sequences, logarithm of primes, Euler totient function, van der Corput sequence, ratio sequences, set of integers of positive density, exponen- tial sequences, moment problems, Benford’s law, Gauss-Kuzmin theorem, Duffin- Schaeffer conjecture, extremes fQ fQ F(x,y)dg(x,y) over copulas g(x,y), sum- -of-digits sequence, etc. Some of them inspired new research activities. The aim of this printed version is publicity.
LOGARITHMIC SIGNATURES FOR ABELIAN GROUPS AND THEIR FACTORIZATION
Authors: Svaba Pavol , Trung Tran van , Wolf Paul
Published: February 2014

Factorizable logarithmic signatures for finite groups are the essential component of the cryptosystems MST1 and MST3. The problem of finding efficient algorithms for factoring group elements with respect to a given class of logarithmic signatures is therefore of vital importance in the investigation of these cryptosystems. In this paper we are concerned about the factorization algorithms with respect to transversal and fused transversal logarithmic signatures for finite abelian groups. More precisely we present algorithms and their complexity for factoring group elements with respect to these classes of logarithmic signatures. In particular, we show a factoring algorithm with respect to the class of fused transversal logarithmic signatures and also its complexity based on an idea of Blackburn, Cid and Mullan for finite abelian groups.
CRYPTANALYSIS OF GOST IN THE MULTIPLE-KEY SCENARIO
Authors: Courtois Nicolas T.
Published: February 2014

GOST 28147-89 is a well-known 256-bit block cipher. In 2010 GOST was submitted to ISO, to become an international standard. Then many academic attacks which allow to break full GOST faster than brute force have been found. The fastest known single-key attack on GOST for 264 of data is 2179 of [Courtois, N.: An improved differential attack on full GOST, Cryptology ePrint Archive, Report 2012/138, http://eprint.iacr.org/2012/138] and for 232 of data it is 2191 of [Courtois, N.: Algebraic complexity reduction and cryptanalysis of GOST, Preprint, 2010-13, http://eprint.iacr.org/2011/626]. Other results are slower but require significantly less memory [Courtois, N.: Algebraic complexity reduction and cryptanalysis of GOST, Preprint, 2010-2013, http://eprint.iacr.org/2011/626], [Dinur, I.-Dunkelman, O.-Shamir, A.: Improved attacks on full GOST, in: Fast Software Encryption-FSE ’12, 19th Internat. Workshop, Washington, USA, 2012, Lecture Notes in Comput. Sci., Vol. 7549, Springer, Berlin, 2012, pp. 9-28, http://eprint.iacr.org/2011/558/]. The common stereotype is that these will be “the best” attacks on GOST. However, ciphers are not used in practice with single keys, on the contrary. In this paper we intend to show that there exist attacks on GOST which are more versatile and even somewhat more “practical” than the best single key attack. We argument that multiple random key attacks not single key attacks, are more practical and more likely to be executed in the real life. They recover keys when other attacks recover none. One can break some (weaker) GOST keys in a population of 256-bit keys generated at random with a TOTAL computational effort as low as 2120, this including the cost to examine also the cases in which the attack does not work. All our attacks are based on special non-trivial properties of data inside the cipher which however are such that keys for which the property does not hold can be rejected efficiently.
„RADOŚĆ WIDNOKRĘGÓW SZEROKICH”. O POEZJI BARBARY GROCHOLSKIEJ-KURKOWIAK / “THE JOY OF WIDE HORIZONS”: THE POETRY OF BARBARA GROCHOLSKA-KURKOWIAK
Authors: Skała Agata
Published: February 2014

The poetry of Barbara Grocholska-Kurkowiak (born in 1927, a multiple national skiing champion and member of Poland’s Olympic team in the 1950s) is dominated by two themes, the mountains and the nature of common humanity. A characteristic mark of her poems - published in two volumes Pod otwartym niebem (Under Open Skies) and Zawisnąć w locie (To Hover in the Air) in 1999 and 2006 - is an exploration that goes under the surface of things in a persistent search for understanding. It is an understanding of herself and others encased in a poetic record of her deeply personal experiences, the fruit of a contemplative vision sensitive to the sacral dimensions of the world and its inhabitants. She is a poet of few words pressed in tight clusters between emphatic pauses - evocations of silence. No less emphatic are gaps between words that defy contextual propriety or are isolated by semantic fissures between the lines. There seems to be plenty of air in these rugged sentences, which seem to mimic the mountainous terrain with its joy of wide horizons and its promise of communication beyond language, by silence.
Nasal Deposition of Ciclesonide Nasal Aerosol and Mometasone Aqueous Nasal Spray in Allergic Rhinitis Patients
Authors: Emanuel Ivor A. , Blaiss Michael S. , Meltzer Eli O. , Evans Philip , Connor Alyson
Published: February 2014

Background

Sensory attributes of intranasal corticosteroids, such as rundown to the back of the throat, may influence patient treatment preferences. This study compares the nasal deposition and nasal retention of a radiolabeled solution of ciclesonide nasal aerosol (CIC-hydrofluoroalkane [HFA]) with a radiolabeled suspension of mometasone furoate monohydrate aqueous nasal spray (MFNS) in subjects with either perennial allergic rhinitis (AR) or seasonal AR.

Methods

In this open-label, single-dose, randomized, crossover scintigraphy study, 14 subjects with symptomatic AR received a single dose of radiolabeled 74-μg CIC-HFA (37 μg/spray, 1 spray/each nostril) via a nasal metered-dose inhaler or a single dose of radiolabeled 200-μg MFNS (50 μg/spray, 2 sprays/each nostril), with a minimum 5-day washout period between treatments. Initial deposition (2 minutes postdose) of radiolabeled CIC-HFA and MFNS in the nasal cavity, nasopharynx, and on nasal wipes, and retention of radioactivity in the nasal cavity and nasal run-out on nasal wipes at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 minutes postdose were quantified with scintigraphy.

Results

At 2 and 10 minutes postdose, deposition of radiolabeled CIC-HFA was significantly higher in the nasal cavity versus radiolabeled MFNS (99.42% versus 86.50% at 2 minutes, p = 0.0046; and 81.10% versus 54.31% at 10 minutes, p < 0.0001, respectively; p values unadjusted for multiplicity). Deposition of radioactivity on nasal wipes was significantly higher with MFNS versus CIC-HFA at all five time points, and posterior losses of radiolabeled formulation were significantly higher with MFNS at 6, 8, and 10 minutes postdose.

Conclusion

In this scintigraphic study, significantly higher nasal deposition and retention of radiolabeled aerosol CIC-HFA were observed versus radiolabeled aqueous MFNS in subjects with AR.
Expanding the scope of inquiry: exploring accounts of childhood and family life among sex workers in London, Ontario
Authors: Orchard Treena , Farr Sara , Macphail Susan , Wender Cass , Wilson Christine
Published: February 2014

This article presents findings from a qualitative research project that sought to explore the organization of sex work and women's experiences in the trade in a medium-size Canadian city. Drawing upon 14 semi-structured life-history interviews with women between 24 and 60 years of age who have taken part in sex work, primarily street-based, this discussion examines the women's accounts of childhood and early family experiences. Findings related to childhood highlight the role of the women's mothers, fathers, and a range of non-normative conditions in shaping their social experience of childhood. Our participants' accounts of family dynamics feature discussions of loving familial relations, inter-generational involvement in the sex trade, and feelings of exclusion. These findings support existing studies on childhood and family experiences among street-based sex workers and contribute new data to this relatively under-developed area of study within the sex work literature. One of the most unique insights is that although the women's accounts reveal difficult experiences across the spheres of socialization related to childhood and family, they did not identify them as the root cause of their sex trade participation. We discuss the practical significance of this finding for health care and social service professionals (i.e., case worker, support staff, community clinic workers), who work with women in the sex trade but may be uncertain how to broach and/or navigate the sensitive issues of childhood and family in their work with these marginalized groups of women.
Microstructures of Cast Fe-Mn-Si-Cr-Ni Shape Memory Alloys Characterized by Metallography
Authors: Du Y. , Peng H. , Chen J. , Wen Y. , Wang S.
Published: February 2014

In the present paper, we selected or designed several etchants to characterize the solidification modes, the distribution of micro-segregation and the grain morphology of cast Fe-Mn-Si-Cr-Ni SMAs solidifying as A, AF, FA and F modes based on the principle of metallography. The results showed that a tint etchant based on 0.5 g K2S2O5, 20 g NH4HF2 and 100 ml H2O can only characterize the grain morphology of cast Fe-Mn-Si-Cr-Ni SMAs solidifying as F and FA modes and can reveal the typical microstructures of FA, AF and A modes. An ordinary etchant (1 ml HF, 15 ml H2O2, 1 g C2H2O4 and 15 ml H2O) can only reveal the typical microstructures of F mode. As a result, the solidification modes of cast Fe-Mn-Si-Cr-Ni SMAs are determined by using both tint etchants together. Another tint etchant (20 g K2S2O5, 1 g NH4HF2 and 100 ml H2O) can qualitatively characterize the distribution of micro-segregation in cast Fe-Mn-Si-Cr-Ni SMAs with four solidification modes.
Use of Reduction-Effectiveness Ratios to Evaluate Reduced Traffic Data Collection Plans
Authors: Wang Chieh (Ross) , Tsai Yichang (James)
Published: February 2014

Because of budget shortfalls in recent years, state departments of transportation (DOTs) must adjust their traffic data collection plans by reducing data collection locations or extending data collection cycles; however, few studies have been performed to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of various efforts to reduce data collection. This study developed a quantitative method for evaluating the impact of various reduced plans for traffic data collection on the overall accuracy of the annual average daily traffic (AADT) estimation. The mean absolute percentage error is calculated to compare the accuracy of 10 reduced data collection plans with a base plan. In addition, a reduction-effectiveness ratio (i.e., the percentage of reduced data collection cost to the percentage of increased AADT estimation error) is proposed. Results from this study show that the current practice, which randomly selects data collection sites on the basis of different cycles, performs well in maintaining AADT estimation accuracy but may not be the most cost-effective approach. Results also show that certain types of sites, such as rural sites, lower-AADT sites, and sites with higher AADT variation, tend to produce larger errors if they are not counted. The results imply that the proposed method both provides a quantitative means with which to evaluate plans for reduced data collection and suggests ways to enhance current data collection and traffic estimation practices. The method also enriches the information provided to state departments of transportation for effective and informed decision making with limited resources.
Locating Traffic Sensors on a Highway Network
Authors: Sayyady Fatemeh , Fathi Yahya , List George F. , Stone John R.
Published: February 2014

This paper considers the problem of finding optimal sensor locations on a traffic network with the goal of characterizing system use overall. The problem is studied for two practical scenarios. In the first scenario, it is assumed that there is a given number of sensors (p) to be located on the highway network. In this context, the problem is to find a collection of p locations among a given collection of candidate locations. In the second scenario, it is assumed that there is a cost (ci) associated with installing a sensor at each candidate location i and a total budget b. In this context, the problem is to find a collection of locations that provide the best possible characterization given the budget constraint. A metric is proposed for evaluating a potential solution, and then appropriate mathematical models are proposed for solving the problem for each scenario. It is shown that the budget-constrained problem is an extension of the well-known p-median problem. A new Lagrangian heuristic algorithm is presented for solving large instances of this problem when a budget constraint is imposed. A comprehensive computational experiment is used to demonstrate that the Lagrangian heuristic algorithm provides solutions for large-scale networks within reasonable execution times. Examples are based on locating weigh-in-motion sensors on a large-scale highway network.
Sensor Performance in Measuring Vehicle Length
Authors: Minge Erik , Petersen Scott
Published: February 2014

Although most vehicle classification conducted in the United States is axle based, some applications could be supplemented or replaced by length-based data. Common length-based methods, including loop detectors and several types of nonloop sensors (both side-fire and in-road sensors), are more widespread and can be less expensive. The most frequently deployed data collection method is by loop detector, and most dual-loop installations can report vehicle length. This paper examines field and laboratory tests of loop detectors and nonloop sensors for their performance in determining vehicle length and vehicle speed. Field testing was conducted at four locations in Minnesota and South Dakota. Ten commercially available sensors were evaluated. The testing results indicated that across a variety of detection technologies, the loop detectors and nonloop sensors generally reported comparable length and speed data. The research also examined various loop configurations and found that 6- x 6-ft loops performed similarly to 6- x 8-ft loops, although 6- x 6-ft quadrupole loops performed poorly for vehicles with high beds because of the loops’ relatively small magnetic field. Loop detector performance was found not to degrade with the variety of lead-in wire lengths that were tested. Laboratory testing conducted with a loop simulator confirmed the field testing and found that loop detector data are generally repeatable.
Classification of Bicycle Traffic Patterns in Five North American Cities
Authors: Miranda-Moreno Luis F. , Nosal Thomas , Schneider Robert J. , Proulx Frank
Published: February 2014

This study used a unique database of long-term bicycle counts from 38 locations in five North American cities and along the Route Verte in Quebec, Canada, to analyze bicycle ridership patterns. The cities in the study were Montreal, Quebec; Ottawa, Ontario; and Vancouver, British Columbia, in Canada and Portland, Oregon, and San Francisco, California, in the United States. Count data showed that the bicycle volume patterns at each location could be classified as utilitarian, mixed utilitarian, mixed recreational, and recreational. Study locations classified by these categories were found to have consistent hourly and weekly traffic patterns across cities, despite considerable differences between the cities in their weather, size, and urban form. Seasonal patterns across the four categories and in the cities also were identified. Expansion factors for each classification are presented by hour and day of the week. Monthly expansion factors are presented for each city. Finally, traffic volume characteristics are presented for comparison purposes.
Generating Site-Specific Axle Load Factors for the Mechanistic–Empirical Pavement Design Guide
Authors: Cunagin Wiley , Reel Richard L. , Ghanim Mohammad S. , Roark Drew , Leggett Michael
Published: February 2014

Use of the AASHTO DARWin-ME mechanistic–empirical pavement design software requires that truck loading data be provided in the form of normalized axle load frequency distributions (spectra). Default axle load frequency spectra are provided in the software. However, these default distributions were derived from national data and may not suit the needs of individual states. This study analyzed the Florida Department of Transportation's substantial database of truck weight data taken from its network of high-quality weigh-in-motion stations to determine whether site- or state-specific axle load spectra could be generated and how they should be applied. Several analytical procedures were developed and applied to the data, including analysis of variance and cluster analysis. The results of this work were used to develop Level 2 axle load spectra that could be applied to design sections. This paper presents detailed information about the traffic data requirements of the new guide, the process followed for deriving Florida's input values, and the resulting recommended values.
Variable Speed Limit Control Based on Extended Link Transmission Model
Authors: Hajiahmadi Mohammad , Corthout Ruben , Tampère Chris , De Schutter Bart , Hellendoorn Hans
Published: February 2014

In this paper the link transmission model (LTM) is extended to include the effects of variable speed limit (VSL) and consequently to provide VSL control for traffic networks modeled by the LTM. The LTM was recently developed for route assignment, but in this study the LTM was modified to be used for control purposes. This modification achieved a model that provides a balanced trade-off between accuracy and computational complexity, and therefore the model is useful for online model-based traffic control. Nevertheless the extension of the model for ramp metering and speed limit control needed careful attention. Because the LTM lacks explicit velocity equations, the focus was on other potential sources that could imitate the influences of VSL. The delays inside the model were manipulated to achieve the mentioned goal. Moreover, different situations were taken into account that might occur in reality on the basis of changes in VSL and different traffic conditions. Finally, the total extensions were verified with simulation and real data. For that aim to be achieved, the VSL extension integrated in the LTM was verified with simulations for a benchmark case study (to show the performance of the extended LTM clearly). Next, the LTM was calibrated by real data collected from the A12 freeway in the Netherlands. The optimal parameters of the model were identified with a global optimization method. Comparison with real data from a period of time when VSL installed on the freeway was active showed the acceptable performance of the total extended and calibrated LTM.
Application of Naturalistic Driving Data to Modeling of Driver Car-Following Behavior
Authors: Sangster John , Rakha Hesham , Du Jianhe
Published: February 2014

The driver-specific data available from naturalistic driving studies provide a unique perspective from which to test and calibrate car-following models. As equipment and data storage costs continue to decline, the collection of data through in situ probe-type vehicles is likely to become more popular, and thus there is a need to assess the feasibility of these data for the modeling of driver car-following behavior. This study focused on the costs and benefits of naturalistic data for use in mobility applications. Any project seeking to use naturalistic data should plan for a complex and potentially costly data reduction process to extract mobility data. A case study was based on data from the database of the 100-Car Study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. One thousand minutes' worth of data comprising more than 2,000 car-following events recorded across eight drivers from a section of multilane highway located near Washington, D.C., was compiled. The collected event data were used to calibrate four different car-following models, and a comparative analysis of model performance was conducted. The results of model calibration are given in tabular format, displayed on the fundamental diagram, and shown with sample event charts of speed versus time and headway versus time. When compared with the Gipps, intelligent driver, and Gaxis–Herman–Rothery models, the Rakha–Pasumarthy–Adjerid model was found to perform best in matching individual drivers and in matching aggregate results.
Spatiotemporal Link Speed Correlations
Authors: Rachtan Piotr , Huang He , Gao Song
Published: February 2014

Traffic variables are known to be correlated over time and space as a result of traffic flow propagation. However, the correlation pattern is still largely unknown, and most of the research in short-term travel time prediction, demand forecasting, and network modeling either ignores or assumes correlation. In this paper the patterns of spatial and temporal correlations of average point speeds in a freeway setting were investigated. Five-minute speed aggregates were obtained for two directions of an urban freeway along a 12-mi segment in Los Angeles, California. Other variables included traffic flow, ramp locations, number of lanes, and level of congestion at detector stations. Weighted least squares multivariate linear regression models were fitted to the data from three different times of day (morning, midday, and afternoon) along a shorter, 6.5-mi stretch of the I-10 eastbound freeway. Estimated regression models indicated that an increase in spatial or temporal distance or both reduced the expected value of Fisher Z (transformed correlation). The positive parameters of spatial and temporal distance interaction terms showed that the reduction rate diminished with spatial or temporal distance. Higher congestion tended to preserve higher correlation; variations in road geometry carried relatively small corrections to the models. Models were cross validated on two locations: the remaining 5.5-mi stretch of I-10 eastbound and the 6.3-mi segment of I-10 westbound. Cross validation results showed that the models retained 75% or more of their original predictive capability when applied to independent samples. The developed regression models are thus transferable and are apt to predict correlation on other freeway locations.
Novel Cell Transmission Model–Based Simulations of Left-Turn Blockages inside Intersections
Authors: Wang Ping , Jones Steven L. , Gurupackiam Saravanan , Wang Li
Published: February 2014

Simulation of oversaturated traffic conditions, especially those that involve left-turn blockages, remains a challenge. In oversaturated conditions, left turns at intersections not only are blocked by the oversaturated through traffic in the same direction but can also be blocked by spillback into the intersection from the through traffic in the opposite direction. This research developed and tested a new model, proposed as the conditional cell transmission model (CCTM). This model allows for the possibility of the formation of an additional cell in an intersection to account for any vehicles that may be caught there for some amount of time and incur delay that may potentially cause delay to conflicting movements. The results of experiments demonstrated that (a) the CCTM could accommodate various traffic demands properly and accurately represent left-turn blockages at intersections, (b) the CCTM had the ability to simulate left-turn blockages within an area inside an intersection, and (c) the CCTM uniquely allowed users to input the probability of a conditional cell and the probability of the occurrence of a useful gap to match the behavior of local drivers. The third feature is a unique contribution of the CCTM. Finally, the consistency between Highway Capacity Manual procedures and the CCTM shows that the CCTM is a reliable methodology with which to model traffic flow in oversaturated conditions.
Using Mobile Probe Data and the Macroscopic Fundamental Diagram to Estimate Network Densities
Authors: Gayah Vikash V. , Dixit Vinayak V.
Published: February 2014

Recent advances in urban traffic network modeling have led to the proposal of several large-scale control strategies aimed at improving network efficiency, including metering vehicle entry, pricing network use, and allocating limited street space between multiple modes. However, these strategies typically require accurate real-time predictions of networkwide traffic conditions to be implemented, and it is often taken for granted that this information is available. In practice, this is not a trivial issue, because measuring traffic conditions across a large urban network in real time is not straightforward. For that purpose, this paper presents a method of indirectly estimating average vehicle densities across a network in real time by combining travel speed information from a few circulating probe vehicles with the macroscopic fundamental diagram (MFD) of urban traffic. The proposed method is advantageous because it requires relatively little data and involves few calculations. Tests of this methodology on a simulated network showed that the results were not accurate when the network was uncongested, but reliable density estimates could be obtained when the network was congested or approaching congestion, even if only a small fraction of vehicles served as probes. This result is promising because congested states are the most critical. Therefore, this methodology seems useful as a traffic-monitoring scheme to complement networkwide control strategies, provided that the network exhibits a well-defined and reproducible MFD.
Gaussian Process Metamodels for Sensitivity Analysis of Traffic Simulation Models
Authors: Ciuffo Biagio , Casas Jordi , Montanino Marcello , Perarnau Josep , Punzo Vincenzo
Published: February 2014

This study adopted a metamodel-based technique for model sensitivity analysis and applied it to the AIMSUN mesoscopic model. The application of sensitivity analysis is crucial for the true comprehension and correct use of the traffic simulation model, although the main obstacle to an extensive use of the most sophisticated techniques is the high number of model runs such techniques usually require. For this reason, the possibility of performing a sensitivity analysis was tested not on a model but on its metamodel approximation. Important issues concerning metamodel estimation were investigated and commented on in the specific application to the AIMSUN model. Among these issues are the importance of selecting a proper sampling strategy based on low-discrepancy random number sequences and the importance of selecting a class of metamodels able to reproduce the inputs–outputs relationship in a robust and reliable way. Sobol sequences and Gaussian process metamodels were recognized as the appropriate choices. The proposed methodology was assessed by comparing the results of the application of variance-based sensitivity analysis techniques with the simulation model and with a metamodel estimated with 512 model runs for a variety of traffic scenarios and model outputs. Results confirmed the power of the proposed methodology and also made a more extensive application of sensitivity analysis techniques available for complex traffic simulation models.
Model-Based Traffic Congestion Control in Urban Road Networks
Authors: Lin Shu , Zhou Zhao , Xi Yugeng
Published: February 2014

Traffic congestion is a serious problem for big cities. The model-based optimization control strategy is an effective method for decreasing traffic congestion. A proper control performance criterion is a key factor for effectively addressing different urban road network issues, for example, network mobility and traffic congestion. Therefore, two control performance criteria are proposed—L2-norm and L∞-norm performance indexes—for model-based urban road network controllers. The L2-norm and L∞-norm performance indexes are aimed at keeping road network homogeneity and decreasing road network congestion, respectively. For analysis of these two control performance criteria, case studies were conducted with the microscopic simulation software CORSIM to evaluate the designed model-based controllers with different criteria. The control effects of the model-based road network controllers were compared quantitatively by analyzing the degree of road network congestion and qualitatively by analyzing the macroscopic fundamental diagram of the road network (i.e., a network aggregated characteristic).
Simulation-Based Assessment of Double-Parking Impacts on Traffic and Environmental Conditions
Authors: Kladeftiras Markos , Antoniou Constantinos
Published: February 2014

The objective of this research was to estimate the effects that a specific pattern of illegal parking (double-parking) had on traffic conditions and the environment by using microscopic simulation. Through a sensitivity analysis, the effects of illegal double-parking on average speed, delay, and stopped time were estimated. Results showed that the existence of the phenomenon entailed a severe decrease in average speed and an important increase in delay and stopped time. Through a case study, the effects that a reduction or an elimination of the phenomenon would have in a real network were evaluated: all traffic indicators would be improved if double-parking were suppressed partially (e.g., through an intensification of enforcement) or, even better, completely. Results showed that limiting double-parking could result in an increase in speeds of about 10% to 15% and a decrease of about 15% and 20% in delay and stopped time, respectively. However, even greater improvements may be achieved if double-parking is eliminated: average speed can increase by up to 44%, while delay and stopped time can decrease by up to 33% and 47%, respectively. On the basis of the results extracted from the case study, the effects for the whole district of the municipality of Athens, as well as for the entire Athens region, were assessed by using several indexes and performance measures. Savings from decreased lost time and reduced carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbon emissions were calculated. Directions for future research are also proposed.
Dynamics of Perpetuation: The Politics of Keeping Highly Toxic Pesticides on the Market in Ecuador
Authors: Sherwood Stephen G. , Paredes Myriam
Published: February 2014

Based on reflective practice over 15 years in Ecuador, the authors examine the perpetuation of knowingly harmful public policy in highly toxic pesticides. They study how actors cooperate, collude, and collide in advancing certain technological agenda, even when against public interests. Ultimately, entrenchment of perspective opened up space for arrival of new social actors and competing activity and transition. In light of struggles for sustainability, the authors find neglected policy opportunities in the heterogeneity of peoples' daily practices and countermovements, leading to a call for further attention to the inherently incoherent, complex, and irresolvable human face of sociotechnical change.
Selection for High Egg Testosterone and Immune Response of Young Japanese Quail under Mild Food Restriction
Authors: Kankova Zuzana , Zeman Michal , Okuliarova Monika
Published: February 2014

Maternal androgens link the mother and her progeny and can shape postnatal growth and development. However, the positive effects of prenatal androgens are likely to be balanced by negative impacts on other fitness related traits, such as immune defence, especially when animals are subjected to unfavourable environmental conditions ( e.g. a food shortage). To examine these relationships, we investigated the effects of genetic selection on high (HET) and low (LET) egg testosterone content in Japanese quail on the immune system under mild food restriction. To test immune response, we examined: (1) skin swelling after subcutaneous phytohaemagglutinine injection; and (2) acute phase response in reaction to intraperitoneal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration. Food restriction decreased body mass in comparison with ad libitum fed animals, but food restriction did not diminish the positive influence of increased maternal testosterone (mT) on body growth. Furthermore, three hours after LPS injection, plasma corticosterone levels and heterophil/lymphocyte ratio were not affected by increased mT. In fact, cell mediated immunity was enhanced in the HET as compared to the LET line. Thus, our data indicate no trade-off between growth rate and immune response in young quail hatched from eggs with high mT, even under conditions of mild food deficiency.
Bidirectional Selection for Yolk Testosterone Content in Japanese Quail
Authors: Okuliarova Monika , Kankova Zuzana , Skrobanek Peter , Zeman Michal
Published: February 2014

A broad variability of yolk androgen levels is considered as an important source of adaptive phenotypic plasticity. This variability of maternal androgen deposition is explained by environmental variation and also by genetic differences among avian mothers. We experimentally investigated such heritable variation of testosterone (T) levels in the egg through the bidirectional selection of Japanese quail. The response to selection for yolk T concentrations was evaluated in downward (low egg T, LET) and upward (high egg T, HET) directions over five generations. Moreover, the correlative response of circulating sex steroids to selection was examined by a comparison of plasma T and estradiol levels between the HET and LET females. We observed a distinct pattern of the response to selection in the HET and LET lines with the stronger response occurring in the upward direction and a limited potential for selection in the downward direction. In the HET line, the population mean increased more than double as compared to the initial population but it seems to be still below its plateau. The LET line reached the selection limit in the second generation suggesting that yolk T concentrations were close to their physiological minimum. Estradiol levels were higher in the circulation of the HET than LET females without changes in plasma T concentrations underlying specific control mechanisms for yolk and plasma hormone levels.
Complex Song Development and Stress Hormone Levels in the Bengalese Finch
Authors: Suzuki Kenta , Matsunaga Eiji , Yamada Hiroko , Kobayashi Tetsuya , Okanoya Kazuo
Published: February 2014

Models of birdsong are useful in the study of developmental and evolutional mechanisms of vocal learning behaviour. Knowledge of these mechanisms is important for understanding the evolutionary adaptation strategies of organisms. The Bengalese finch sings a complex song believed to have evolved by domestication because the song of its wild ancestor, the white-backed munia, was very simple. There is evidence that the song complexity is used as an indicator of male quality during mate selection. Because songbirds learn their song as juveniles, development of the song system is affected by developmental stress. Therefore, song traits may reflect developmental conditions and that may be honest sexually selected signals. We compared the level of the stress hormone corticosterone between Bengalese finches and white-backed munias. Results showed that Bengalese finches had lower circulating corticosterone levels than white-backed munias. Relaxation from natural selection pressures and the addition of artificial selection due to domestication may have decreased the corticosterone levels and allowed for the evolution of the complex song in the Bengalese finch. Two subtypes of corticosterone receptors, the glucocorticoid receptor and mineralocorticoid receptor, showed expression in song nuclei of the Bengalese finch brain. Thus, these results suggest the possibility that song development is regulated by corticosterone via binding to the corticoid receptors. Song-nuclei-related expression of corticoid receptors might have had an increasing developmental condition-dependent influence on song traits. Thus, our results suggest that decreased stress hormone levels secondary to domestication might account for one reason why songs became complex in Bengalese finches.
Prediction Method for Image Coding Quality Based on Differential Information Entropy
Authors: Tian Xin , Li Tao , Tian Jin-Wen , Li Song
Published: February 2014

For the requirement of quality-based image coding, an approach to predict the quality of image coding based on differential information entropy is proposed. First of all, some typical prediction approaches are introduced, and then the differential information entropy is reviewed. Taking JPEG2000 as an example, the relationship between differential information entropy and the objective assessment indicator PSNR at a fixed compression ratio is established via data fitting, and the constraint for fitting is to minimize the average error. Next, the relationship among differential information entropy, compression ratio and PSNR at various compression ratios is constructed and this relationship is used as an indicator to predict the image coding quality. Finally, the proposed approach is compared with some traditional approaches. From the experiments, it can be seen that the differential information entropy has a better linear relationship with image coding quality than that with the image activity. Therefore, the conclusion can be reached that the proposed approach is capable of predicting image coding quality at low compression ratios with small errors, and can be widely applied in a variety of real-time space image coding systems for its simplicity.
Involvement of Hydrogen Peroxide in Safingol-Induced Endonuclease G-Mediated Apoptosis of Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Hamada Masakazu , Wakabayashi Ken , Masui Atsushi , Iwai Soichi , Imai Tomoaki , Yura Yoshiaki
Published: February 2014

Safingol, a L-threo-dihydrosphingosine, induced the nuclear translocation of a mitochondrial apoptogenic mediator—endonuclease G (endo G)—and apoptosis of human oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells. Upstream mediators remain largely unknown. The levels of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in cultured oral SCC cells were measured. Treatment with safingol increased intracellular H2O2 levels but not extracellular H2O2 levels, indicating the production of H2O2. The cell killing effect of safingol and H2O2 was diminished in the presence of reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC). Dual staining of cells with annexin V and propidium iodide (PI) revealed that apoptotic cell death occurred by treatment with H2O2 and safingol. The number of apoptotic cells was reduced in the presence of NAC. In untreated cells, endo G distributed in the cytoplasm and an association of endo G with mitochondria was observed. After treatment with H2O2 and safingol, endo G was distributed to the nucleus and cytoplasm, indicating the nuclear translocation of the mitochondrial factor. NAC prevented the increase of apoptotic cells and the translocation of endo G. Knock down of endo G diminished the cell killing effect of H2O2 and safingol. These results suggest that H2O2 is involved in the endo G-mediated apoptosis of oral SCC cells by safingol.
Paclitaxel Induces Apoptosis in Breast Cancer Cells through Different Calcium—Regulating Mechanisms Depending on External Calcium Conditions
Authors: Pan Zhi , Avila Andrew , Gollahon Lauren
Published: February 2014

Previously, we reported that endoplasmic reticulum calcium stores were a direct target for paclitaxel initiation of apoptosis. Furthermore, the actions of paclitaxel attenuated Bcl-2 resistance to apoptosis through endoplasmic reticulum-mediated calcium release. To better understand the calcium-regulated mechanisms of paclitaxel-induced apoptosis in breast cancer cells, we investigated the role of extracellular calcium, specifically; whether influx of extracellular calcium contributed to and/or was necessary for paclitaxel-induced apoptosis. Our results demonstrated that paclitaxel induced extracellular calcium influx. This mobilization of extracellular calcium contributed to subsequent cytosolic calcium elevation differently, depending on dosage. Under normal extracellular calcium conditions, high dose paclitaxel induced apoptosis-promoting calcium influx, which did not occur in calcium-free conditions. In the absence of extracellular calcium an “Enhanced Calcium Efflux” mechanism in which high dose paclitaxel stimulated calcium efflux immediately, leading to dramatic cytosolic calcium decrease, was observed. In the absence of extracellular calcium, high dose paclitaxel’s stimulatory effects on capacitative calcium entry and apoptosis could not be completely restored. Thus, normal extracellular calcium concentrations are critical for high dose paclitaxel-induced apoptosis. In contrast, low dose paclitaxel mirrored controls, indicating that it occurs independent of extracellular calcium. Thus, extracellular calcium conditions only affect efficacy of high dose paclitaxel-induced apoptosis.
The Lipopolysaccharide Export Pathway in Escherichia coli: Structure, Organization and Regulated Assembly of the Lpt Machinery
Authors: Polissi Alessandra , Sperandeo Paola
Published: February 2014

The bacterial outer membrane (OM) is a peculiar biological structure with a unique composition that contributes significantly to the fitness of Gram-negative bacteria in hostile environments. OM components are all synthesized in the cytosol and must, then, be transported efficiently across three compartments to the cell surface. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a unique glycolipid that paves the outer leaflet of the OM. Transport of this complex molecule poses several problems to the cells due to its amphipatic nature. In this review, the multiprotein machinery devoted to LPS transport to the OM is discussed together with the challenges associated with this process and the solutions that cells have evolved to address the problem of LPS biogenesis.