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In our days, simulation based development is a core element of vehicle engineering, especially considering highly automated or fully autonomous vehicles. Accordingly, the paper presents a benchmark of three different automotive simulators: PreScan, IPG CarMaker, and VTD Vires. The three software tools were applied for the same goal, namely, modelling the ZalaZONE Proving Ground of Hungary for vehicle testing. The paper aims to highlight the experiences while creating the virtual models by presenting and comparing the relevant software features and providing suggestions for scientific or practical application.

The direct experimental determination of the 3-point static structure function S(3)(k1, k2, k0) of a 2-dimensional dusty plasma liquid is presented. The measurements are complemented by molecular dynamics simulations of the system, using parameters (dust charge, plasma frequency, coupling and screening coefficients), which are derived from the experimentally obtained 2-point static structure function S(2), as well as the dynamic structure function and current-current fluctuation spectra. The experimental results of S(3) are in good agreement with those of the simulations, including the (low wavenumber) domain, where S(3) acquires negative values. The "Convolution Approximation" (giving S(3) in a factorized form of S(2) functions) clearly breaks down in this domain; however, it is found to be a useful aid for explaining the main features of the S(3)(k1, k2, k0) functions, for which (experimental and simulation) maps are presented at selected values of one of its arguments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present high precision Molecular Dynamics simulations for the dynamical structure function, S(k, ω), of the classical Coulomb One Component Plasma (OCP), for a wide range of the coupling parameter Γ (from 0.05 to 10 000). We follow the positive-to-negative transition of the slope of the ω(k) dispersion curve at small wave numbers caused by the onset of correlations with increasing coupling. The high signal-to-noise ratio of the data over several orders of magnitude allows examination of a wide dynamical range of S(k, ω), including extreme values of ω and k, and the identification of waves at higher harmonics of the plasma frequency. Sum rules are found to be accurately satisfied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linearized fluid equations for the collective modes of weakly inhomogeneous plasmas including strong coupling effects are derived from a recent kinetic theory based on an extended Singwi-Tosi-Land-Sjölander (STLS) ansatz [H. Kählert, G. J. Kalman, and M. Bonitz, Phys. Rev. E 90, 011101(R) (2014)]. The equations are analogous to the equations of linearized elasticity theory with space dependent elastic moduli that correspond to those of a bulk system with the local fluid density. The identification of the latter as infinite-frequency elastic moduli shows that the present version of the extended STLS theory accounts for the elastic properties of the fluid but does not capture the viscous behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently it has been proposed to alter the interaction between dust grains in a plasma by applying ac electric fields to distort the Debye spheres surrounding the grains, which may lead to interaction potentials with a Lennard-Jones form under certain conditions (e.g., Kompaneets et al., Phys. Plasmas 16, 043705 (2009)). Motivated by this, we consider the dispersion relations of longitudinal and transverse waves in a dusty plasma liquid where the grains interact via a Lennard-Jones potential. We use the Quasi-Localized Charge approximation combined with an analytic expression for the pair distribution function for Lennard-Jones fluids (Matteoli and Mansoori, J. Chem. Phys. 103, 4672 (1995)). Possible dusty plasma experimental parameters are considered. (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of the estrogen receptor α (ERα) in bone-forming cells is incompletely understood at present. To examine the in vivo effects of ERα in these cells, we generated a mouse strain in which the ERα gene is inactivated in osteoblasts via osteocalcin promoter-regulated cyclic recombinase (Cre) activity (ERαΔOB/ΔOB). This enabled micro-computed tomography- and histomorphometry-based analysis of ERα-mediated effects in bone-forming cells in mice, in which the systemic ERα-mediated effects are intact. In female ERαΔOB/ΔOB mice, trabecular and cortical bone volumes were significantly reduced (31.5 and 11.4%, respectively) at 3.5 mo of age compared with control ERαfl/fl animals, and their response to ovariectomy was small compared with that of controls. In contrast with females, no differences could be detected in the bone phenotype of young males, whereas in 6-mo-old ERαΔOB/ΔOB males, trabecular bone volume (Tb.BV) was decreased (27.5%). The ERα inactivation-related effects were compared with those of controls having a similar genetic background. Parental osteocalcin-Cre mice did not show Cre-related changes. Our results suggest that in female mice, Tb.BV and cortical bone volume are critically dependent on the ERα regulation of osteoblasts, whereas in male mice, osteoblastic ERα is not required for the regulation of bone formation during rapid skeletal growth, but it is involved in the maintenance of Tb.BV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Here we report the improved results of a new siRNA design program and analysis tool called siRNA_profile that reveals an additional criterion for bioinformatic search of highly functional siRNA sequences. Methods: We retrospectively analysed over 2400 siRNA sequences from 34 genes and with known efficacies to categorize factors that differentiate highly, moderately and non-functional siRNA sequences in more detail. We tested the biological relevance of siRNA_profile in CHO cells stably expressing human TRACP. Results: The highly functional siRNA molecules exhibited lower overall stabilities than nonfunctional siRNAs after taking into consideration all the nucleotides from 5'-terminus to the 3'- terminus along the siRNA molecule, in addition to the 5'-section of the antisense strand and the region between 9-14 nucleotides as previously has been acknowledged. Comparison of the siRNA_profile program to five other programs resulted in a wide range of selected siRNA sequences with diverse gene silencing capacities, even when the target was only 197 nucleotides long. Six siRNA design programs selected 24 different siRNA sequences, and only 6 of them were selected by two or more programs. The other 18 sequences were individually selected by these six programs. Conclusion: Low general stability of dsRNA plays a significant role in the RNAi pathway and is a recommended criterion to consider, in addition to 5'-instability, internal instability, nucleotide preferences and target mRNA position, when designing highly efficient siRNAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rab7 has been shown to regulate the late steps of the endocytic pathway. In bone-resorbing osteoclasts, it is involved in formation of the ruffled border, which is a late endosomal-like compartment in the plasma membrane. Here we report a new Rab7-interacting protein, Rac1, another small GTPase protein that binds to the GTP-form of Rab7 as found with a two-hybrid system. We demonstrate further that Rab7 colocalizes with Rac1 at the fusion zone of the ruffled border in bone-resorbing osteoclasts. In other cell types, such as fibroblast-like cells, partial colocalization is perinuclear. Because Rac1 is known to control the actin cytoskeleton through its effectors, the Rab7-Rac1 interaction may mediate late endosomal transport between microtubules and microfilaments enabling endosomal vesicles to switch tracks and may thus also regulate ruffled border formation in osteoclasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial-temporal localization of particles in the local minima of the potential surface is a prominent feature of strongly coupled plasmas. The duration of localization is investigated by molecular dynamics simulation, through monitoring of the decorrelation of the surroundings of individual particles. Three- and two-dimensional systems of particles interacting through Coulomb and Yukawa potentials are studied over a wide range of the plasma coupling (Γ) and screening (&kappa) parameters in the liquid phase. The oscillation spectrum of the caged particles in the equilibrium system as well as in the frozen environment of other particles (Einstein frequency spectrum) is determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A spectacular measurement campaign was carried out on a real-world motorway stretch of Hungary with the participation of international industrial and academic partners. The measurement resulted in vehicle based and infrastructure based sensor data that will be extremely useful for future automotive R&D activities due to the available ground truth for static and dynamic content. The aim of the measurement campaign was twofold. On the one hand, road geometry was mapped with high precision in order to build Ultra High Definition (UHD) map of the test road. On the other hand, the vehicles—equipped with differential Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) for ground truth localization—carried out special test scenarios while collecting detailed data using different sensors. All of the test runs were recorded by both vehicles and infrastructure. The paper also showcases application examples to demonstrate the viability of the collected data having access to the ground truth labeling. This data set may support a large variety of solutions, for the test and validation of different kinds of approaches and techniques. As a complementary task, the available 5G network was monitored and tested under different radio conditions to investigate the latency results for different measurement scenarios. A part of the measured data has been shared openly, such that interested automotive and academic parties may use it for their own purposes.

Peer-to-peer (P2P) networks have been under investigation for several years now, with many novel mechanisms proposed as is shown by available articles. Much of the research focused on showing how the proposed mechanism improves system performance. In addition, several applications were proposed to harness the benefits of the P2P networks. Of these applications, online social networks (OSNs) raised much interest particularly because of the scalability and privacy concerns with centralized OSNs, hence several proposals are in existence. However, accompanying studies on the overall performance of the P2P network under the weight of the OSN applications outside simulations are very few, if any. In this paper, the aim is to undertake a systematic evaluation of the performance of a P2P framework for online social networks called LibreSocial. Benchmark tests are designed, taking into account the random behavior of users, effects of churn on system stability and effect of replication factor. We manage to run benchmark tests for up to 2000 nodes and show the performance against costs of the system in general. From the results it is evident that LibreSocial’s performance is capable of meeting the needs of users.

Objective, reliable and valid means of assessing the cognitive and psychosocial functionings of elderly persons are in demand for several reasons. Clinical needs for initial assessment, placement, and treatment monitoring are supplemented by the need for research tools for program evaluation and clinical trials. The set of behavior rating scales called the Multidimensional Observation Scale for Elderly Subjects (MOSES) was developed with these needs in mind. This paper describes the development of the MOSES scale and its rationale and norming on 2,391 residents of hospitals and residential settings. Internal consistency reliabilities in the .8 range and interrater reliabilities from .58 to .97 are reported. Validity correlations with the zung depression, robertson short mental status, kingston dementia, and the physical and mental impairment-of-function evaluation (PAMIE) scales were all satisfactory. The applications and advantages of the use of MOSES are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]