Correlates of bicycling trip flows in Hamilton,Ontario: fastest,quietest, or balanced routes?

Transportation - Bicycling is an increasingly popular mode of travel in Canadian urban areas, like the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). While trip origins and destinations can be inferred...     

Formal scientific research of traffic collision data utilizing GIS

This paper explores the tenuous link between speeding behavior and accident causation, one that has not been well established in the international literature to date. Taking advantage of established engineering conventions and formulae, we were able to set up an a priori hypothesis suitable for testing. Utilizing this formal scientific method (which GIS researchers have been criticised for not using) we establish a statistical link for this relationship. Our methodology can be used to support all police intervention strategies, including the controversial photo radar systems. The results from our research have been entered into a GIS in order to create a map for spatial display. This map illustrates the relative probability or risk of collision occurrence resulting from speeding at all intersections and interchanges within the scope of the study. It is suggested that this methodology could easily be maintained with periodic updates of data, thus creating a dynamic model from which to monitor traffic safety within the city. Furthermore, this model can be utilized to study specific strategies, allowing for the scrutiny of before, during and after effects. The study area is the entire city of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and includes all traffic collisions occurring during the year of 1994.     

Book reviews

The European Community Transport Policy: Towards a Common Transport Policy. By Jurgen Erdmenger (Gower Publishing Co. 1984) [Pp. 155.] £14.50.

Transport Reform: Changing the Rules. By Stephen Plowden. P.S.I. No. 642 (London: Institute, 1985.) [Pp. 250.] £6.50. ISBN 0–85374–258–8.

The Atlas of British Railway History. By Michael Freeman and Derek Aldcroft (London: Croom Helm, 1985.) [Pp. 128.] £12.95.

Losing Track. By Kerry Hamilton and Stephen Potter (Routledge & Kegan Paul in association with Channel Four, 1985.) [Pp. viii + 152.] £7.95. Paperback.     

Novel experimental strategy for high resolution AFM imaging of membrane-associated bacterial toxins

Bacterial pore-forming toxins （PFTs） are essential virulence factors of many human pathogens. Knowl- edge of their structure within the membrane is critical for an understanding of their function in pathogenesis and for the development of useful therapy. Atomic force microscopy （AFM） has often been employed to structurally interrogate many membrane proteins, including PFTs, owing to its ability to produce sub-nanometer resolution images of samples under aqueous solution. However, an absolute prerequisite for AFM studies is that the samples are single-layered and closely-packed, which is frequently challenging with PFTs. Here, using the prototypical member of the cholesterol-dependent cytolysin family of PFTs, perfringolysin O （PFO）, as a test sample, we have developed a simple, highly robust method that routinely produces clean, closely-packed samples across the entire specimen surface. In this approach, we first use a small Teflon well to prepare the supported lipid bilayer, remove the sample from the well, and then directly apply the proteins to the bilayer. For reasons that are not clear, bilayer preparation in the Teflon well is essential. We anticipate that this simple method will prove widely useful for the preparation of similar samples, and thereby enable AFM imaging of the greatest range of bacterial PFTs to the highest possible resolution.     

Plate scanning tools to obtain travel times in traffic networks

The management of vehicle travel times has been shown to be fundamental to traffic network analysis. To collect travel time measurement, some methods focus solely on isolated links or highway segments, and where two measurement points, at the beginning and at the end of a section, are deemed sufficient to evaluate users' travel time. However, in many cases, transport studies involve networks in which the problem is more complex. This article takes advantage of the plate scanning technique to propose an algorithm that minimizes the required number of registering devices and their location in order to identify vehicles candidates to compute the travel times of a given set of routes (or subroutes). The merits of the proposed method are explained using simple examples and are illustrated by its application to the real network of Ciudad Real.     

Nanoparticle emission characteristics and reduction strategies by boost pressure control and injection strategies in a passenger diesel engine

This research attempted to analyze nanoparticles and other harmful exhaust emissions in accordance with injection strategies and air-fuel ratio (AFR) changes for small diesel engines. The emission characteristics were analyzed in the medium-speed condition, which is the main driving range of a diesel engine. In the case of particulate matter (PM), the number of particles was measured, analyzed, and compared to identify the correlation and emission characteristics of nanoparticles by using a dilution device and condensation particle counter (CPC), which are international standards for particle measurement recommended by the Particulate Measurement Programme (PMP). The engine torque tended to be reduced as pilot injections were added, and the torque was increased by the increased boost pressure, but reduced by the exhaust pressure increase in a part of the low-load range. The number of nanoparticles was not influenced greatly by the change in AFR, but the reduction effect on the PM weight was great depending on the boost pressure increase. In addition, the number of nanoparticles tended to increase as the fuel injection timing became closer to TDC in all conditions, and its difference became larger with an increase in AFR. In addition, in the case of the pilot injection, nanoparticle emission showed similar characteristics depending on the main injection timing, but it was increased by advanced injection timing when performing the main injection only, and the number of the nanoparticles increased as pilot injections were added. Last, the optimal conditions for EMS calibration were analyzed by selecting the conditions of torque reduction and NOx increase within 5 % from all of the engine operating conditions; optimized conditions are presented.     

A study on the stability of a motorcycle wheel–swingarm suspension with chain transmission

The present study describes a possible driving mechanism for a self-excited oscillation observed in motorcycle dynamics, often referred to as chatter. This phenomenon, affecting the performance of road racing motorcycles, has been simulated in straight running braking manoeuvres with multibody motorcycle models. It involves rear suspension bounce and driveline oscillation in the frequency range between 17 and 22?Hz. A simplified model of a motorcycle rear suspension with chain transmission is proposed and its stability in equilibrium configurations is studied via eigenvalue analysis. The sensitivity with respect to all its governing parameters is analysed by means of stability maps and the self-excitation mechanism is explained with the aid of energy balance analysis and phase diagrams. It is found that the key role for the instability onset is played by the gradient of the nonlinear characteristic slip function of the tyre.     

行人微观仿真中的运动模型与行为模型——STEPS与NOMAD模型对比

为了解各类行人仿真模型的性能差异和适用范围,以选取适当模型进行交通枢纽行人仿真,对两种典型行人仿真模型进行研究。依据模型对行人行为描述的复杂程度,将行人仿真模型分为运动模型、部分行为模型、行为模型3类,并分别介绍了各自的特点。选取典型的运动模型软件STEPS和行为模型软件NOMAD,详细探讨其采用的数学模型,并通过4个仿真实例对比分析这两种模型的特点。分析结果得出两种模型在宏观与微观层面的异同点以及存在的问题。     

快速老化小鼠的学习记忆缺陷及其生化机制

目的用快速老化小鼠(SAMP8)模拟老年痴呆,观察其学习记忆能力,并探讨其学习记忆能力下降的可能机制。方法采用10月龄SAMP8,并用同龄抗快速老化小鼠(SAMR1)作为正常对照。用水迷路检测近记忆以及空间学习记忆能力。用生物化学方法检测大脑皮层线粒体膜电位和ATP酶活力,观察线粒体功能;检测皮层和海马胆碱乙酰基转移酶(ChAT)和乙酰胆碱酯酶(AChE)的活力,观察中枢胆碱能神经功能;检测血清超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活力和丙二醛(MDA)含量,观察其全身性氧化应激状况。结果与SAMR1相比,SAMP8出现明显的衰老体征,其近记忆和空间学习记忆能力明显减弱,具有衰老和痴呆特征;皮层线粒体膜电位和ATP酶活力显著降低,海马ChAT活力显著下降,AChE活力显著升高,血清SOD活力稍有增高。结论SAMP8可以很好地模拟老年痴呆,其机制包括大脑皮层线粒体功能降低、海马胆碱能神经功能下降以及氧化应激等。