SIMPLE METHOD OF PUNCHING AND RE-LOCATING TISSUES FOR MANUAL CONSTRUCTION OF TISSUE MICROARRAY

A series of human tissue samples and cultured cell lines were formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded. Specimen cylinder ( 1.2 - 1.8mm) were punched by a modified bone marrow biopsy needle and arrayed on a recipient paraffin block. Microscopic analysis on the sections from this tissue microarray (TMA) block demonstrated that the spots of tissues and cells were well preserved, and the cultured cell samples were successfully embedded from 5 × 104 to 2 × 105 in number. These TMA sections were also suitable for immunohistochemistry and RNA in situ hybridization.     

The influence of the Agulhas Current on the adjacent coastal ocean: possible impacts of climate change

The dynamics of the coastal ocean along the southeastern coast of Africa is dominated by a strong and intense western boundary current, the Agulhas Current. With a near-uniform, narrow continental shelf and a steep shelf slope that stabilizes this current, the trajectory of the Agulhas exhibits great stability. The only substantial perturbation occurs with the irregular passage of a Natal Pulse, a soliton meander. The initiation of this meander at the Natal Bight is due to a barotropic instability when the intensity of the landward border of the current exceeds a certain threshold value. This may come about with natural fluctuations in the current or with the adsorption of deep-sea eddies onto the current. Under a climate change scenario of altered wind stress curl over the South Indian Ocean it is conceivable that the threshold for the triggering of a Natal Pulse will occur more frequently. This will lead to a situation where the current axis on average lies further offshore. The possible consequences of such a situation on the rainfall of the coast, on the ecology of estuaries and the coastal ocean, and on the socio-economics of the region is discussed.     

大型半潜式钻井平台安全关键技术研究

BINGO—9000型平台是目前世界上最先进的第五代半潜式钻井平台，能在深海(工作水深3000m)，恶劣气候海况(零下20℃、风速41m／s、浪高32m)下开采石油。以BINGO—9000型平台为例，介绍了平台结构和压载状态实时监测系统设计的关键技术问题，以及基于疲劳寿命分析的结构设计思想。展开了该平台波浪载荷的分析计算，在此基础上对主体结构进行了三维有限元强度分析。对平台特殊结构如K型管节点及支撑结构和立柱结构进行了强度分析和疲劳寿命分析。还研究了平台吃水数据采集、压载状态监测等技术。通过以上关键技术的研究，平台结构设计更趋安全可靠合理，既具有必需的强度储备，又可减轻结构重量。     

Optimal Control of the Tractor-Semitrailer Truck

This paper is concerned with the braking performance and the handling behavior of the tractor-semitrailer truck under optimal braking. Optimal control theory is used in order to deal with the problem and a combination of the steepest descent method and the Davidon Fletcher Powell method is used to solve it numerically. Results for some chosen braking maneuvers are obtained for a nonlinear truck model which has 14 degrees of freedom. These results show that, for the chosen maneuvers an idealized anti-skid braking is close to being optimal in the sense defined in this paper. Implementation of an idealized anti-skid braking on the tractor-semitrailer truck, however, may be not desirable.     

Use of the analytic hierarchy process to evaluate transit fare system

The transportation fare system influences the mobility of a region and the life quality of its inhabitants. This study aims to evaluate a region's optimal fare system by using the analytic hierarchy process, based on a survey among transportation experts, divided into three categories: operators, professors/consultants and government officials. The results are presented divided by category and overall, and the performance of the most important relative criteria to establish a fare system is determined. The most important criterion according to all the selected experts was the fare price, with 21.5%. The fare system determined as the best was distance/zone (31.1%) and the worst was a flat fare system (7.2%). In addition, we show the influence of the fare price criterion in each fare system through sensitivity charts and highlight its importance for all three groups of experts to evaluate the fare system.     

A combined destination and route choice model for a bicycle sharing system

This paper studies the supply variables that influence the destination and route choices of users of a bicycle sharing system in the Chilean city of Santiago. A combined trip demand logit model is developed whose explanatory variables represent attributes relating to the topology of the possible routes and other characteristics such as the presence of bikeways, bus service and controlled intersections. The data for the explanatory variables and system users were collected through field surveys of the routes and interviews conducted at the system stations. The results of the model show that proximity to stops on the Santiago Metro and the existence of bikeways are the main factors influencing destination and route choices. Also indicated by the model estimates are gender differences, a preference for tree-lined routes and an avoidance of routes with bus services. Finally, the outcomes reveal considerable potential for the integration of bicycle sharing systems with Metro transit.     

How to Write a Literature Review Paper?

This paper discusses the question about how to write a literature review paper (LRP). It stresses the primary importance of adding value, rather than only providing an overview, and it then discusses some of the reasons for (or not) actually writing an LRP, including issues relating to the nature and scope of the paper. It also presents different types of LRPs, advises on reporting the methodology used for the selection of papers for review, and the structure of an LRP. An important conclusion is that the heterogeneity in LRPs is very large. This paper also presents some of the aspects that the authors feel are important structural and contextual considerations that help produce high-quality review papers.     

Practicability study on the suitability of artificial,neural networks for the approximation of unknown steering torques

For steer-by-wire systems, the steering feedback must be generated artificially due to the system characteristics. Classical control concepts require operating-point driven optimisations as well as increased calibration efforts in order to adequately simulate the steering torque in all driving states. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are an innovative control concept; they are capable of learning arbitrary non-linear correlations without complex knowledge of physical dependencies. The present study investigates the suitability of neural networks for approximating unknown steering torques. To ensure robust processing of arbitrary data, network training with a sufficient volume of training data is required, that represents the relation between the input and target values in a wide range. The data were recorded in the course of various test drives. In this research, a variety of network topologies were trained, analysed and evaluated. Though the fundamental suitability of ANNs for the present control task was demonstrated.     

On the development of public transit in large cities

This article presents a summary of the analyses and set of recommendations given by a committee of transit specialists gathered by the Minister of Transport of Chile aiming at improving Transantiago, the new transit system recently inaugurated for Santiago. This summary focuses on those recommendations directed towards improving the efficiency, service quality and sustainability of mass public transportation systems in major cities in the developing world and that could be implemented in a short term (within two years). Three broad dimensions of public transit are considered: competition and regulation; investment, financing, fares and subsidies; and the operation and use of infrastructure, design, inspection and control. Although the study grew out of the needs and characteristics of a city such as Santiago (Chile), and of the virtues and deficiencies of Transantiago, much of the analyses and recommendations could be adopted and implemented in the major cities of developed countries in Europe, North America and Asia.