Tracking individual travel behaviour using mobile phones without information from base stations

Data collection methods that use mobile phones have been developed for tracking, monitoring, and analyzing travel behaviour. Previous methods using a Personal Handy Phone System (PHS) assumed that the location data of base stations were known. This paper shows a positioning method for a mobile object when base station location data are unavailable. Instead of base stations, signal strength vectors (reference vectors) are observed at many places in a target area. Mobile objects also observe a signal strength vector (target vector). A similarity index of reference and target vectors is used to calculate the location of a mobile object. This method tracked the ambulatory behaviour of tourists in an urban setting.     

Estimation of origin-destination matrices from link traffic counts on congested networks

Conventional methods for estimating origin-destination (O-D) trip matrices from link traffic counts assume that route choice proportions are given constants. In a network with realistic congestion levels, this assumption does not hold. This paper shows how existing methods such as the generalized least squares technique can be integrated with an equilibrium traffic assignment in the form of a convex bilevel optimization problem. The presence of measurement errors and time variations in the observed link flows are explicitly considered. The feasibility of the model is always guaranteed without a requirement for estimating consistent link flows from counts. A solution algorithm is provided and numerical simulation experiments are implemented in investigating the model's properties. Some related problems concerning O-D matrix estimation are also discussed.     

Evaluation of network reliability using stochastic user equilibrium

When we evaluate the performance reliability of a network, it is necessary to describe user's behaviour in a partially degraded network. This paper shows that the Stochastic User Equilibrium (SUE) model assuming user's route choice behaviour under uncertain network conditions can be incorporated in the performance reliability model. The effects of providing information are analyzed using the SUE model with two different groups of route choice; informed drivers and non informed drivers. It is found that providing information generally increases network performance reliability. This depends, however, on the probability distribution of the network states.     

FOLLICULO-STELLATE CELLS OFTHE RAT ANTERIOR PITUITARY RESPONDED TO ANGIOTENSIN Ⅱ BY INCREASING INTRACELLULAR CONCENTRATION

Objective The main purpose of this study was to investigate whether the folliculo-stellate cells (FSC) respond to angiotensin(Ang) Ⅱ by increasing intracellular free concentration ([]i) ,and where the o-rigin of mobilization is if that has occurred. Methods Pituitary cells in primary culture were prepared from male Wister rats(250g) by a conventional method and cultured in MEM supplemented with 4％ normal rat serum. Af-ter 2 days in culutre,cells were loaded with 1 μmol/L fura-PE3/AM for 1 h and subjected to a ment with Quanti Cell 700 system. Excitation wavelengths of 340 and 380 nm were selected by means of a computer-controlled filterwheel. Results The of FSC in the rat anterior pituitary was elevated by Ang Ⅱ. The eleva-tion of of FSC induced by 0. 1,1.0,10 and 100 nmol/L Ang Ⅱ was (56.33±6.18), (117.07± 36.07), (175.59 ± 40.01 ) and (216.02 ±11.52) nmol/L, respectively. The increase of of FSC induced by 100nmol/L Ang Ⅱ was not influenced by the medium without (0Ca),but significantly suppressed by thapsigargin (TG),an inhibitor of ATPase. The rate of responsive FSC to Ang Ⅱ (100 nmol/L) was 61.84％ which was obviously higher than that of pituitary endocrine cells (43.49％). Conclusion The present experiment demonstrates that the FSC in the rat anterior pituitary responds to Ang Ⅱ by increasing [which raises the possibility that Ang Ⅱ re-leased from either lactotrophs or gonadotrophs affects FSC through paracrine mechanism. The elevation of [induced by Ang Ⅱ presents a dosage-dependent relation, and is possibly because of the release of from an intra-cellular pool (s). Fashions of release are relative to the concentration of Ang Ⅱ. The results indicate that Ang Ⅱ functions as a paracrine factor among pituitary cells including FSC.     

Estimation method for railway passengers’ train choice behavior with smart card transaction data

Smart card systems have become the predominant method of collecting public transport fares in Japan. Transaction data obtained through smart cards have resulted in a large amount of archived information on how passengers use public transportation. The data have the potential to be used for modeling passenger behavior and demand for public transportation. This study focused on train choices made by railway passengers. If each passenger’s train choice can be identified over a long period of time, this information would be useful for improving the customer relationship management of the railway company and for improving train timetables. The aim of this study was to develop a methodology for estimating which train is boarded by each smart card holder. This paper presents a methodology and an algorithm for estimation using long-term transaction data. To validate the computation time and accuracy of the estimation, an empirical analysis is carried out using actual transaction data provided by a railway company in Japan. The results show that the proposed method is capable of estimating passenger usage patterns from smart card transaction data collected over a long time period.     

东日本铁路公司车辆保养检修的现状与课题

JR东日本公司为应对市场、经营理念的巨变，重新评价了传统车辆维修体系，提出了三大新概念，以推进铁道车辆维修的现代化进程。文章简要介绍了车辆维修现代化计划的概况以及围绕车辆维修三大概念开展的工作；重点阐述了新保养体系的实质及待解决的课题。     

城市铁路的经营

1　城市铁路的经营历史 　　一般客货运输用的铁路，最早于1830年英国利物浦和曼彻斯特之间开通，这是连接两市 的城市铁路。在日本于1872年最早开通的国营铁路，是连接东京和横滨两城市的铁路，全长 29km。1884年第一次由纯民间资本开通的铁路，是连接大阪和其南面的土 界町铁路，全长10km。 　　然而，这些以城市间运输为主要目的建设的铁路，都是为城市近郊的短途旅客所用。在东京 ，将南北相离的国营与民营铁路相连接的路线，于1885年在市街区的西侧开通，随市街地 的扩展在城市内运输中发挥了重大的作用（现在的JR山手线)。另外，向东京西部建设的铁 路，越过山手线向市中心延伸，这条线于1904年实现电气化，在近郊区间进行电车的频发 运行（现在的JR中央线）。 　　另一方面，作为市内的运输工具，路面电车是于1888年在美国弗吉尼亚州里士满实用化的 ，在日本则是从1895年的京都开始在各城市开通。这些大多是由民间资本建设，然后为各 市所收购实现公营化的。进而这种路面电车在美国被改良，用于城市之间的运输，日本 也于1905年在东京 横滨、大阪 神户之间首先开通了城市之间的电气铁路。这些直至今 天，仍以民营方式向前发展，形成了城市近郊的民营铁路网。另外，地铁1927年在东京、1933年在大阪也得以开通。     

Fatigue crack growth behaviour of A5083 series aluminium alloys and their welded joints

We investigated the difference in fatigue behaviour between the aluminium alloys A5083-O and A5083-H321, which are used as structural components in ships and high speed craft. We obtained S–N curves for the base materials and the welded joints made of A5083-O. The relationships between the fatigue crack propagation rates and the stress intensity factor ranges ΔK, ΔK _eff and ΔK _RPG (Toyosada et al. in Int J Fatigue 26(9):983–992, 2004) were determined. Additionally, the evolution of fatigue crack growth for the base materials and the welded joints made of A5083-O was measured. We also carried out numerical simulations of fatigue crack growth for both base metals and their welded joints made of A5083-O. The difference in fatigue crack growth behaviour for each alloy and the validity of the numerical simulations of fatigue crack growth based on the RPG stress criterion (Toyosada et al. 2004) in the base materials and their welded joints was investigated.