Reliability of GPS based traffic data: an experimental evaluation

GPS tracking of mobile objects provides spatial and temporal data for a broad range of applications including traffic management and control, transportation routing and planning. Previous transport research has focused on GPS tracking data as an appealing alternative to travel diaries. Moreover, the GPS based data are gradually becoming a cornerstone for real-time traffic management. Tracking data of vehicles from GPS devices are however susceptible to measurement errors – a neglected issue in transport research. By conducting a randomized experiment, we assess the reliability of GPS based traffic data on geographical position, velocity, and altitude for three types of vehicles; bike, car, and bus. We find the geographical positioning reliable, but with an error greater than postulated by the manufacturer and a non-negligible risk for aberrant positioning. Velocity is slightly underestimated, whereas altitude measurements are unreliable.

Design and validation of a sheet metal shearing experimental procedure

Throughout the industrial processes of sheet metal manufacturing and refining, shear cutting is widely used for its speed and cost advantages over competing cutting methods. Industrial shears may include some force measurement possibilities, but the force is most likely influenced by friction losses between shear tool and the point of measurement, and are in general not showing the actual force applied to the sheet. Well defined shears and accurate measurements of force and shear tool position are important for understanding the influence of shear parameters. Accurate experimental data are also necessary for calibration of numerical shear models. Here, a dedicated laboratory set-up with well defined geometry and movement in the shear, and high measurability in terms of force and geometry is designed, built and verified. Parameters important to the shear process are studied with perturbation analysis techniques and requirements on input parameter accuracy are formulated to meet experimental output demands. Input parameters in shearing are mostly geometric parameters, but also material properties and contact conditions. Based on the accuracy requirements, a symmetric experiment with internal balancing of forces is constructed to avoid guides and corresponding friction losses. Finally, the experimental procedure is validated through shearing of a medium grade steel. With the obtained experimental set-up performance, force changes as result of changes in studied input parameters are distinguishable down to a level of 1%.

Influência da aboragem cirúrgica (laparotomia versus vedeolaparoscopia na gestação : estudo experimental em coelhas

Objetivo: Estudar a influência de duas abordagens cirúrgicas na evolução da gestação de coelhas prenhes. Delineamento: Estudo experimental e controlado. Método: Sessenta coelhas brancas, da raça Nova Zelândia (Oryctolagus cuniculus), prenhes, foram divididas em três grupos de estudo: controle (n=20), laparotomia (n=20) e videolaparoscopia (n=20). Os três grupos, após anestesia intravenosa e intubação orotraqueal, foram submetidos a duas diferentes abordagens cirúrgicas (laparotomia exploradora e videolaparoscopia diagnóstica) e acompanhados até o momento do parto. Foram feitas observações referentes à duração da gestação, da mortalidade fetal e do peso dos láparos vivos. Foram coletadas amostras de sangue arterial, no período pré e pós-operatório, para análise gasométrica e medidas do hematócrito e da hemoglobina das coelhas. Resultados: A duração da gestação (31,6 ± 0,99 vs. 31,8 ± 1,8 vs. 31,3 ± 2,24 dias), a taxa de mortalidade fetal (1,0 ± 2,5 vs. 1,9 ± 2,7 vs. 1,4 ± 2,0) e o peso dos láparos vivos no primeiro dia de vida (48,7 ± 11,3 vs. 51,5 ± 11,9 vs. 48,3 ± 8,2 g) nos grupos C, L e V, respectivamente, não apresentaram diferenças estatísticas significativas entre os grupos de estudo (p>0,05). Nas análises das amostras sangüíneas, quando comparado as diferenças entre o pré e o pós-operatório entre os grupos L e V, respectivamente, foram encontradas diferenças com relevância estatística (p>0,05) em relação às medidas do hematócrito (34,4 ± 3,1 e 33,1 ± 2,8 vs. 34,2 ± 3,2 e 30,3 ± 3,7), do pH (7,4 ± 0,1 e 7,4 ± 0,1 vs. 7,5 ± 0 e 7,3 ± 0,1), do paCO2 ( 30,8 ± 5,1 e 40,7 ± 8,2 vs. 32 ± 3,7 e 53,5 ± 18,4), mas sem relevância clínica. Conclusão: A evolução da gestação das coelhas prenhes submetidas a abordagens videolaparoscópica e laparotômica não mostrou diferença entre os grupos, estando ambas as técnicas indicadas no período gestacional de coelhas quando se fizer necessário.

Análise topológica experimental por perfilometria cíclica indutiva de superficies de paredes estruturais

To enhance the maintenance practices, Oil and Gas Pipelines are inspected from the inside by automated systems called PIG (Pipeline Inspection Gauge). The inspection and mapping of defects, as dents and holes, in the internal wall of these pipelines are increasingly put into service toward an overall Structural Integrity Policy. The residual life of these structures must be determined such that minimize its probability of failure. For this reason, the investigation on the detection limits of some basic topological features constituted by peaks or valleys disposed along a smooth surface is of great value for determining the sensitivity of the measurements of defects from some combinations of circumferential, axial and radial extent. In this investigation, it was analyzed an inductive profilometric sensor to scan three races, radius r1, r2, r3, in a circular surface of low carbon steel, equipped with eight consecutive defects simulated by bulges and holes by orbit, equally spaced at p/4 rad. A test rig and a methodology for testing in laboratory were developed to evaluate the sensor response and identify their dead zones and jumps due to fluctuations as a function of topological features and scanning velocity, four speeds different. The results are presented, analyzed and suggestions are made toward a new conception of sensor topologies, more sensible to detect these type of damage morphologies

Separating interface state response from parasitic effects in conductance measurements on organic metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitors

A simple model is developed for the admittance of a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) capacitor which includes the effect of a guard ring surrounding the Ohmic contact to the semiconductor. The model predicts most of the features observed in a MIS capacitor fabricated using regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) as the active semiconductor and polysilsesquioxane as the gate insulator. In particular, it shows that when the capacitor is driven into accumulation, the parasitic transistor formed by the guard ring and Ohmic contact can give rise to an additional feature in the admittance-voltage plot that could be mistaken for interface states. When this artifact and underlying losses in the bulk semiconductor are accounted for, the remaining experimental feature, a peak in the loss-voltage plot when the capacitor is in depletion, is identified as an interface (or near interface) state of density of similar to 4 x 10(10) cm(-2) eV(-1). Application of the model shows that exposure of a vacuum-annealed device to laboratory air produces a rapid change in the doping density in the channel region of the parasitic transistor but only slow changes in the bulk semiconductor covered by the gold Ohmic contact. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics.

MIGRATION MEASUREMENTS FROM PLASTIC PACKAGING: A SIMULATION STUDY ON INFLUENCE OF INITIAL CONCENTRATION PROFILE

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

In vivo CYP2E1 phenotyping as a new potential biomarker of occupational and experimental exposure to benzene

Assessing CYP2E1 phenotype in vivo may be important to predict individual susceptibility to those chemicals, including benzene, which are metabolically activated by this isoenzyme. Chlorzoxazone (CHZ), a specific CYP2E1 substrate, is readily hydroxylated to 6-OH-chlorzoxazone (6-OH-CHZ) by liver CYP2E1 and the metabolic ratio 6-OH-CHZ/CHZ in serum (MR) is a specific and sensitive biomarker of CYP2E1 activity in vivo in humans. We used this MR as a potential biomarker of effect in benzene-treated rats and, also, in humans occupationally exposed to low levels of benzene. Male Sprague-Dawley rats (375-400 g b.w.) were treated i.p. for 3 days with either a 0.5 ml solution of benzene (5 mmol/kg b.w.) in corn oil, or 0.5 ml corn oil alone. Twenty-four hours after the last injection, a polyethylene glycol (PEG) solution of CHZ (20 mg/kg b.w.) was injected i.p. in both treated and control animals. After 2, 5.10,15, 20,30,45, 60, 90, 120, 180, and 240 min from injection, 0.2 ml blood was taken from the tip tail and stored at -20 degrees C until analysis. A modified reverse phase HPLC method using a 5 mu m Ultrasphere C18 column equipped with a direct-connection ODS guard column, was used to measure CHZ and its metabolite 6-OH-CHZ in serum. No statistically significant difference in the MR was observed, at any sampling time, between benzene-treated and control rats. The concentration-versus-time area under the curve (AUC), however, was lower (p < 0.05, Mann-Whitney test), whereas the systemic clearance was higher (p < 0.05) in treated than in control rats. Eleven petrochemical workers occupationally exposed to low levels of airborne benzene (mean +/- SD, 25.0 +/- 24.4 mu g/m(3)) and 13 non-exposed controls from the same factory (mean +/- SD, 6.7 +/- 4.0 mu g/m(3)) signed an informed consent form and were administered 500 mg CHZ p.o. Two hours later a venous blood sample was taken for CHZ and 6-OH-CHZ measurements. Despite exposed subjects showed significantly higher levels of t,t-MA and S-PMA, two biomarkers of exposure to benzene, than non-exposed workers, no difference in the MR mean values +/- SD was found between exposed (0.59 +/- 0.29) and non-exposed (0.57 +/- 0.23) subjects. So, benzene was found to modify CHZ disposition, but not CYP2E1 phenotype in benzene-treated rats, nor in workers exposed to benzene, probably due to the levels of exposure being too low. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Experimental study of the conventional equation to determine a plate's moment of inertia

In this work, we describe an experimental setup in which an electric current is used to determine the angular velocity attained by a plate rotating around a shaft in response to a torque applied for a given period. Based on this information, we show how the moment of inertia of a plate can be determined using a procedure that differs considerably from the ones most commonly used, which generally involve time measurements. Some experimental results are also presented which allow one to determine parameters such as the exponents and constant of the conventional equation of a plate's moment of inertia.

Structural and optical properties of CaTiO3 perovskite-based materials obtained by microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis: An experimental and theoretical insight

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Assessment of liquid disposal originated by uranium enrichment at Aramar Experimental Center São Paulo-Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Synthesis, optical and ferroelectric properties of PZT thin films: experimental and theoretical investigation

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

A novel intelligent system to nitrogen content prediction in plants using indirect chlorophyll measurements

The accurate identification of the nitrogen content in plants is extremely important since it involves economic aspects and environmental impacts, Several experimental tests have been carried out to obtain characteristics and parameters associated with the health of plants and its growing. The nitrogen content identification in plants involves a lot of non-linear parameters and complexes mathematical models. This paper describes a novel approach for identification of nitrogen content thought SPAD index using artificial neural networks (ANN). The network acts as identifier of relationships among, crop varieties, fertilizer treatments, type of leaf and nitrogen content in the plants (target). So, nitrogen content can be generalized and estimated and from an input parameter set. This approach can form the basis for development of an accurate real time system to predict nitrogen content in plants.

A simplified and higher dynamic range version of the J(1) ... J(4) method for optical phase measurements

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Remodelação miocárdica após infarto agudo do miocárdio experimental em ratos: efeito do bloqueio do sistema renina angiotensina aldosterona

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Comparação de diferentes métodos para medida do tamanho do infarto experimental crônico em Ratos

OBJETIVO: Avaliar as diferenças entre três métodos para medida do infarto experimental em ratos, em relação ao método tradicional. MÉTODOS: A área infartada por histologia (AREA), o perímetro interno da cavidade infartada por histologia (PER) e o perímetro interno por ecocardiograma (ECO) foram comparados ao método tradicional (análise histológica das circunferências epicárdicas e endocárdicas da região infartada - CIR). Utilizaram-se ANOVA de medidas repetidas, complementada com o teste de comparações múltiplas de Dunn, o método de concordância de Bland & Altman e o teste de correlação de Spearman. A significância foi p < 0,05. RESULTADOS: Foram analisados dados de 122 animais, após 3 a 6 meses do infarto. Houve diferença na avaliação do tamanho do infarto entre CIR e os outros três métodos (p < 0,001): CIR = 42,4% (35,9-48,8), PER = 50,3% (39,1-57,0), AREA = 27,3% (20,2-34,3), ECO = 46,1% (39,9-52,6). Assim, a medida por área resultou em subestimação de 15% do tamanho do infarto, enquanto as medidas por ecocardiograma e pelo perímetro interno por meio de histologia resultaram em superestimação do tamanho do infarto de 4% e 5%, respectivamente. em relação ao ECO e PER, apesar de a diferença entre os métodos ser de apenas 1,27%, o intervalo de concordância variou de 24,1% a -26,7%, sugerindo baixa concordância entre os métodos. em relação às associações, houve correlações estatisticamente significativas entre: CIR e PER (r = 0,88 e p < 0,0001); CIR e AREA (r = 0,87 e p < 0,0001) e CIR e ECO (r = 0,42 e p < 0,0001). CONCLUSÃO: Na determinação do tamanho do infarto, apesar da alta correlação, houve baixa concordância entre os métodos.