Passenger thermal perceptions, thermal comfort requirements, and adaptations in short- and long-haul vehicles

While thermal comfort in mass transportation vehicles is relevant to service quality and energy consumption, benchmarks for such comfort that reflect the thermal adaptations of passengers are currently lacking. This study reports a field experiment involving simultaneous physical measurements and a questionnaire survey, collecting data from 2,129 respondents, that evaluated thermal comfort in short- and long-haul buses and trains. Experimental results indicate that high air temperature, strong solar radiation, and low air movement explain why passengers feel thermally uncomfortable. The overall insulation of clothing worn by passengers and thermal adaptive behaviour in vehicles differ from those in their living and working spaces. Passengers in short-haul vehicles habitually adjust the air outlets to increase thermal comfort, while passengers in long-haul vehicles prefer to draw the drapes to reduce discomfort from extended exposure to solar radiation. The neutral temperatures for short- and long-haul vehicles are 26.2°C and 27.4°C, while the comfort zones are 22.4–28.9°C and 22.4–30.1°C, respectively. The results of this study provide a valuable reference for practitioners involved in determining the adequate control and management of in-vehicle thermal environments, as well as facilitating design of buses and trains, ultimately contributing to efforts to achieve a balance between the thermal comfort satisfaction of passengers and energy conserving measures for air-conditioning in mass transportation vehicles.     

Immunomodulating, antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of immobilized dosage forms of rifampicin and cephalexin]

The aim of the study was to lower the immunosuppressory, prooxidant and hepatotoxic effects of rifampicin and cephalexin by their immobilization in erythrocyte vehicles. The experiments were performed on Wistar rats with the use of rifampicin, cephalexin and lysozyme (ZAO Ferane) and hemodes (6% aqueous saline solution of low molecular polyvinylpyrrolidone, mol. wt. 12600+/-2700). Rifampicin- and cephalexin-entrapped erythrocytes were prepared. Spectrophotometric procedures for quantitative assay of the immobilized antibiotics were developed. The impact of the solution concentration and incubation time on the level of the antibiotic entrapping was studied. The erythrocyte vehicles were shown to be able to entrap the antibiotics for 9 days and to preserve their stability for 24 hours. It was observed that the increase of the immunosuppressory, prooxidant and hepatotoxic effects of the antibiotics administered without the vehicles to the laboratory animals infected by staphylococci was dose-dependent. The use of the antibiotics entrapped in the erythrocyte vehicles stimulated the immune reactivity of the animals and normalized the indices of lipid peroxidation, the antioxidant system, cytolysis and cholestasis.     

Single cell kinetics of intracellular, nonviral, nucleic acid delivery vehicle acidification and trafficking

Mechanistic understanding of the intracellular trafficking of nonviral nucleic acid delivery vehicles remains elusive. A live, single cell-based assay is described here that is used to investigate and quantitate the spatiotemporal, intracellular pH microenvironment of polymeric-based nucleic acid delivery vehicles. Polycations such as polyethylenimine (PEI), poly-l-lysine (PLL), beta-cyclodextrin-containing polymers lacking or possessing imidazole termini (CDP or CDP-imid), and cyclodextrin-grafted PEI (CD-PEI) are used to deliver an oligonucleotide containing a single fluorophore with two emission lines that can be employed to measure the pH. Delivery vehicles were also sterically stabilized by addition of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and investigated. The intracellular trafficking data obtained via this new methodology show that vectors such as PEI and CDP-imid can buffer the endocytic vesicles while PLL and CDP do not. Additionally, the PEGylated vectors reveal the same buffering capacity as their unstabilized variants. Here, the live cell, spatiotemporal mapping of these behaviors is demonstrated and, when combined with cell uptake and luciferase expression data, shows that there is not a correlation between buffering capacity and gene expression.     

Competitive use of sugarcane for food,fuel, and biochemical through the environmental and economic factors

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment - Bioethanol demands for transport face uncertainty; additionally, the emergence of electric vehicles is raising concerns among the ethanol...     

Dispatching,routing, and scheduling of two automated guided vehicles in a flexible manufacturing system

This article presents a new approach for planning the dispatching, conflict-free routing, and scheduling of automated guided vehicles in a flexible manufacturing system. The problem is solved optimally in an integrated manner, contrary to the traditional approach in which the problem is decomposed in three steps that are solved sequentially. The algorithm is based on dynamic programming and is solved on a rolling time horizon. Three dominance criteria are used to limit the size of the state space. The method finds the transportation plan minimizing the makespan (the completion time for all the tasks). Various results are discussed. A heuristic version of the algorithm is also proposed for an extension of the method to many vehicles.     

Use of liposomes, viral capsids, and nanoparticles as DNA carriers

We tested a variety of liposomes for parameters such as DNA binding capacity and DNase I protection of incorporated and attached DNA to elucidate their use as vehicles for DNA transfer into cells and animals. The results were compared to other potential DNA vehicles, empty viral capsids, and nanoparticles. Maximal binding capacity was achieved for positively charged nanoparticles, DNase I protection was observed for most preparations with neosome preparations being least efficient. The uptake of radiolabeled DNA by cells in culture was determined for cationic and nonionic surfactant vesicles, viral capsids, and nanoparticles. Cellular DNA uptake was best for dioleoyl-derived positively charged liposomes (N-[1-(2,3-dioleoyloxy)propyl]-N,N,N-trimethylammonium chloride; DOTMA) and the DNA could be shown to be physiologically active. The recombination rate for DNA fragments transfected in polyoma capsids in live mice was higher than for liposome mediated transfection. Homologous recombination could be observed for both DOTMA and polyoma-mediated DNA transfer.     

Experimental basis for the use of new dosage forms of doxorubicin for correction of its hepatotoxic, prooxidant and immunosuppressory effects]

The study was aimed at design of new dosage forms of doxorubicin (films, erythrocyte vehicles) for correction of its hepatotoxic, prooxidant and immunosuppressory effects. The experiments were performed on Wistar rats with the use of doxorubicin of Lens-Pharm (Moscow) and auxiliary substances meeting the requirements of the standards. Technology for preparation of doxorubicin-entrapped films was developed and the optimal polymer for the vehicle was recommended, i.e. oxypropylmethylcellulose Methocel 65 Hg 50 providing preservation of the antimicrobial activity. Conditions for storage of the antibiotic-entrapped films were determined. The main qualitative indices of the antibiotic-entrapped films were shown to be stable during the storage for 12 months. Erythrocyte-vehicles with entrapped doxorubicin were prepared. Antibiotic-free erythrocyte vehicles were found to preserve their ability to entrap doxorubicin for 9 days and the doxorubicin-entrapped erythrocyte vehicles were stable for 48 hours. A procedure for spectrophotometric qualitative evaluation of doxorubicin entrapping into the films and erythrocyte vehicles was developed. It was observed that administration of doxorubicin immobilized in the films had a stabilizing effect on the immunity status, the level of lipid peroxidation, the potency of the antioxidant system, cytolysis and cholestasis. Administration of the doxorubicin entrapped in the erythrocyte vehicles stimulated the body immune response, normalized the indices of the lipid peroxidation--antioxidant system and the state of the hepatic cells in the laboratory animals infected by staphylococci.     

Energy Efficiency Analysis: Biomass-to-Wheel Efficiency Related with Biofuels Production, Fuel Distribution, and Powertrain Systems

Background

Energy efficiency analysis for different biomass-utilization scenarios would help make more informed decisions for developing future biomass-based transportation systems. Diverse biofuels produced from biomass include cellulosic ethanol, butanol, fatty acid ethyl esters, methane, hydrogen, methanol, dimethyether, Fischer-Tropsch diesel, and bioelectricity; the respective powertrain systems include internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles based on gasoline or diesel ICEs, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, sugar fuel cell vehicles (SFCV), and battery electric vehicles (BEV).

Methodology/Principal Findings

We conducted a simple, straightforward, and transparent biomass-to-wheel (BTW) analysis including three separate conversion elements -- biomass-to-fuel conversion, fuel transport and distribution, and respective powertrain systems. BTW efficiency is a ratio of the kinetic energy of an automobile''s wheels to the chemical energy of delivered biomass just before entering biorefineries. Up to 13 scenarios were analyzed and compared to a base line case – corn ethanol/ICE. This analysis suggests that BEV, whose electricity is generated from stationary fuel cells, and SFCV, based on a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle with an on-board sugar-to-hydrogen bioreformer, would have the highest BTW efficiencies, nearly four times that of ethanol-ICE.

Significance

In the long term, a small fraction of the annual US biomass (e.g., 7.1%, or 700 million tons of biomass) would be sufficient to meet 100% of light-duty passenger vehicle fuel needs (i.e., 150 billion gallons of gasoline/ethanol per year), through up to four-fold enhanced BTW efficiencies by using SFCV or BEV. SFCV would have several advantages over BEV: much higher energy storage densities, faster refilling rates, better safety, and less environmental burdens.     

Bacteriophages and biotechnology: vaccines, gene therapy and antibacterials

In recent years it has been recognized that bacteriophages have several potential applications in the modern biotechnology industry: they have been proposed as delivery vehicles for protein and DNA vaccines; as gene therapy delivery vehicles; as alternatives to antibiotics; for the detection of pathogenic bacteria; and as tools for screening libraries of proteins, peptides or antibodies. This diversity, and the ease of their manipulation and production, means that they have potential uses in research, therapeutics and manufacturing in both the biotechnology and medical fields. It is hoped that the wide range of scientists, clinicians and biotechnologists currently researching or putting phages to practical use are able to pool their knowledge and expertise and thereby accelerate progress towards further development in this exciting field of biotechnology.     

Comparative transduction efficiencies of human and nonhuman adenoviral vectors in human, murine, bovine, and porcine cells in culture

Clinical usefulness of human Ad serotype 5 (HAd5) based vectors is limited primarily because of preexisting Ad immunity and lack of targeting to specific cell types. Alternative vectors based on less prevalent HAd serotypes as well as nonhuman adenoviruses such as porcine Ad serotype 3 (PAd3) and bovine Ad serotype 3 (BAd3) are being developed to overcome these shortcomings. Using virus neutralization assay, we examined whether preexisting Ad immunity in humans would cross-neutralize PAd3 or BAd3. To further evaluate the potential of PAd3 and BAd3 vectors as gene delivery vehicles, we compared their transduction efficiencies in a panel of human, murine, bovine, and porcine cell lines to those obtained with a HAd5 vector. Transduction by the HAd5 vector in the majority of human cell lines correlated with the expression levels of coxsackievirus-adenovirus receptor (CAR), the primary HAd5 receptor; while transduction by PAd3 and BAd3 vectors was CAR-independent. The results suggest that PAd3 and BAd3 vectors are promising gene delivery vehicles for human gene therapy as well as for recombinant vaccines for human and animal use.     

Urban road traffic scale analysis from the perspective of atmospheric environmental indicators in Tianjin,China

In order to investigate the largest motor vehicle ownership load within the scope of a city with atmospheric environmental indicators as constraint, this article estimates traffic atmospheric environmental capacity (TAEC) and carrying capacity (TAECC) in Tianjin using the A-value method recommended by the Chinese national standard. Our results indicate that NO_X carrying capacity is a key restraining factor of TAEC. According to the current vehicle emission levels per year and air quality standard, Tianjin can accommodate 4.21 million vehicles. Classified by the vehicle type, heavy trucks and large-sized passenger cars are identified as the most important restrictive factors of TAECC. Then we analyze change of TAECC and TAECC’s service life under the circumstances of clean vehicle strategy and mobility management strategy. Clean vehicles strategy represented by the elimination of heavy-polluting vehicles can reduce emissions of vehicles so that it can rapidly enhance the TAECC in the short term. Mobility management strategy represented by the car purchase restriction, which reduces total motor vehicle travel, is indispensable for improvement of TAECC in the long term. On the whole, the clean vehicles strategy and mobility management strategy should be implemented gradually.     

Tahitala's Revenge: Monumental Architecture and the Great Canoe,Lomipeau

In discussing ways that monumental architecture symbolises political power, I suggest that vehicles are a unique category of monument construction. Their ability to travel, and to be used for politically momentous tasks, increases the prestige of the rulers who make use of them. The Lomipeau, a large double‐hulled canoe used by Tongan rulers in the sixteenth century, exemplifies the concept of a monumental vehicle. To demonstrate the concept, I examine the origins of the canoe, the archaeology of sites associated with its exploits, and its use in ceremonial voyages of national importance. Identifying vehicles as a distinctive class of monumental architecture in future studies will help us to comprehend the complex variety of ways leaders express power across cultures.     

中国机动车总颗粒物排放时空演变特征及驱动因子

机动车尾气颗粒物排放已成为城市空气污染的主要来源,严重影响环境空气质量和人体健康。研究基于2011-2015年中国市级机动车总颗粒物（total particulate matter,TPM）排放量数据,运用空间分析方法从存量和增量角度探究中国机动车TPM排放的时空演变特征,进而利用地理探测器模型定量评价其主要驱动因素的影响强度。结果表明：中国机动车TPM排放量呈逐年降低趋势,省会和直辖市是中国机动车TPM排放量减少的主要贡献者。省会和直辖市的机动车TPM排放量和减排量最大,其各年均值均超全国市级年均值的2倍。中国机动车TPM排放量和减排量均呈东部沿海至西部内陆地区递减趋势,且呈"低排放,高增加;高排放、高减少"的空间分布特征。"低排放,高增加"区域主要集中在中西部地区,特别是西南各省市;"高排放、高减少"区域为以京津冀为核心的泛华北平原地区。机动车TPM排放量的空间集聚性下降,空间随机分布趋势加强,热点区破碎化的空间分布格局日趋显著。地理探测分析表明,机动车TPM排放量受机动车数量的驱动作用最强,其次是机动车的使用强度,受自然环境条件的驱动作用最弱。年平均气温和海拔等自然因素主要通过与人类活动的共同作用显著增强对机动车TPM排放量的解释力。探究机动车颗粒物排放的时空异质特征和驱动因素,对提高中国机动车尾气治理的精准性具有重大意义。     

Coupling between elytra of some beetles: Mechanism, forces and effect of surface texture

Lightweight materials, structures and coupling mechanisms are very important for realizing advanced flight vehicles. Here, we obtained the geometric structures and morphologies of the elytra of beetles and ascertained its coupling zone by using the histological section technique and SEM. We set up a three-dimensional motion observing system to monitor the opening and closing behaviour of elytra in beetles and to determine the motion mechanism. We constructed a force measuring system to measure the coupling forces between elytra. The results show that elytra open and close by rotating about a single axle, where the coupling forces may be as high as 160 times its own bodyweight, the elytra coupling with the tenon and mortise mechanism, surface texture and opening angle between elytra heavily influence the coupling forces. These results may provide insights into the design mechanism and structure for future vehicles of flight.     

Forecasting Replacement Demand of Durable Goods and the Induced Secondary Material Flows: A Case Study of Automobiles

The aim of this article is to propose a method for forecasting future secondary material flows by combining a product lifetime distribution analysis with a waste input‐output analysis and present a simple case study of automobiles. The case study demonstrates that the proposed method enables us to estimate replacement demand of new vehicles, number of end‐of‐life (EOL) vehicles arising from the aging of vehicles, volume of shredder scraps recovered from EOL vehicles, and volume of shredder scraps required to meet final consumption in the future.     

表位疫苗及相关技术研究进展

表位疫苗是用抗原表位制备的疫苗,是近年来新兴的一种疫苗研制技术,也是今后最具开发前景的疫苗技术之一,在肿瘤、病毒等疾病的防治中有着自身独特的优势。本文详细阐述了T表位和B表位的筛选和鉴定方法、表位疫苗的载体研究及表位疫苗在肿瘤、病毒和微生物感染中的应用等,对表位疫苗的最新研究进展进行了综述。     

Cyclospora cayetanensis: biology, environmental distribution and transfer

Cyclospora cayetanensis is an apicomplexan protozoan that has emerged as an important pathogen causing endemic or epidemic diarrheal disease worldwide. In industrialized countries, the parasite has been recognized as the causative agent of several outbreaks of diarrheal illness mostly associated with produce imported from endemic areas. In developing countries, human cyclosporosis is widely distributed. Infection rates from 0% to 41.6% have been described in the general population. However, the epidemiology, biology, and ecology of C. cayetanensis are not fully understood. The life cycle is not completely characterized, although it appears to require a single human host to be accomplished. The role of animals as natural reservoirs of the parasite remains to be determined. Little information is available concerning the environmental distribution and vehicles of transmission of C. cayetanensis. Contaminated water, foods or soil can be vehicles of spread of the parasite. The significant uncertainties that remain in the knowledge of C. cayetanensis highlight the need for continuing research in several areas, including its basic biology and environmental distribution.     

Buses,Cars, Bicycles and Walkers: The Influence of the Type of Human Transport on the Flight Responses of Waterbirds

One way to manage disturbance to waterbirds in natural areas where humans require access is to promote the occurrence of stimuli for which birds tolerate closer approaches, and so cause fewer responses. We conducted 730 experimental approaches to 39 species of waterbird, using five stimulus types (single walker, three walkers, bicycle, car and bus) selected to mimic different human management options available for a controlled access, Ramsar-listed wetland. Across species, where differences existed (56% of 25 cases), motor vehicles always evoked shorter flight-initiation distances (FID) than humans on foot. The influence of stimulus type on FID varied across four species for which enough data were available for complete cross-stimulus analysis. All four varied FID in relation to stimuli, differing in 4 to 7 of 10 possible comparisons. Where differences occurred, the effect size was generally modest, suggesting that managing stimulus type (e.g. by requiring people to use vehicles) may have species-specific, modest benefits, at least for the waterbirds we studied. However, different stimulus types have different capacities to reduce the frequency of disturbance (i.e. by carrying more people) and vary in their capacity to travel around important habitat.     

Comparative Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Conventional and Electric Vehicles

Electric vehicles (EVs) coupled with low‐carbon electricity sources offer the potential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and exposure to tailpipe emissions from personal transportation. In considering these benefits, it is important to address concerns of problem‐shifting. In addition, while many studies have focused on the use phase in comparing transportation options, vehicle production is also significant when comparing conventional and EVs. We develop and provide a transparent life cycle inventory of conventional and electric vehicles and apply our inventory to assess conventional and EVs over a range of impact categories. We find that EVs powered by the present European electricity mix offer a 10% to 24% decrease in global warming potential (GWP) relative to conventional diesel or gasoline vehicles assuming lifetimes of 150,000 km. However, EVs exhibit the potential for significant increases in human toxicity, freshwater eco‐toxicity, freshwater eutrophication, and metal depletion impacts, largely emanating from the vehicle supply chain. Results are sensitive to assumptions regarding electricity source, use phase energy consumption, vehicle lifetime, and battery replacement schedules. Because production impacts are more significant for EVs than conventional vehicles, assuming a vehicle lifetime of 200,000 km exaggerates the GWP benefits of EVs to 27% to 29% relative to gasoline vehicles or 17% to 20% relative to diesel. An assumption of 100,000 km decreases the benefit of EVs to 9% to 14% with respect to gasoline vehicles and results in impacts indistinguishable from those of a diesel vehicle. Improving the environmental profile of EVs requires engagement around reducing vehicle production supply chain impacts and promoting clean electricity sources in decision making regarding electricity infrastructure.     

Livestock Vehicle Accidents in Spain: Causes,Consequences, and Effects on Animal Welfare

Livestock vehicle accidents are rare but involve significant economic, human, and nonhuman farm animal losses. This study obtained information on the characteristics of accidents, the animals involved, and injuries to humans from newspaper reports about livestock vehicle accidents in Spain from January 2000 to December 2008. Most accidents involved pig transport (57%), followed by bovine (30%), poultry (8%), and sheep (5%). Driver mortality was not high (6%), and most accidents (76%) involved only the livestock vehicle, which often was overturned (64%) on a straight road transect (51%). Multivariate analysis of the data suggests 2 types of accidents, depending on the species transported. In the first cluster, 95.3% of the cases involved pig transport with articulated vehicles (60.5%). In the second cluster, 94.4% of the accidents involved small vehicles used for cattle transport (44.4%). The results of this study indicate that the characteristics of livestock vehicle accidents vary according to species. One of the main causes of accidents appears to be driver fatigue, which may be due to several factors such as intense workdays, poorly designed route plans, or high levels of pressure from companies.