Search

Item does not contain fulltext, The protocols currently used for protein structure determination by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) depend on the determination of a large number of upper distance limits for proton-proton pairs. Typically, this task is performed manually by an experienced researcher rather than automatically by using a specific computer program. To assess whether it is indeed possible to generate in a fully automated manner NMR structures adequate for deposition in the Protein Data Bank, we gathered 10 experimental data sets with unassigned nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (NOESY) peak lists for various proteins of unknown structure, computed structures for each of them using different, fully automatic programs, and compared the results to each other and to the manually solved reference structures that were not available at the time the data were provided. This constitutes a stringent "blind" assessment similar to the CASP and CAPRI initiatives. This study demonstrates the feasibility of routine, fully automated protein structure determination by NMR.

The track allocation problem (TAP) at a multi-track, multi-platform mainline railway station is defined by the station track layout and service timetable, which implies combinations of spatial and temporal conflicts. Feasible solutions are available from either traditional planning or advanced intelligent searching methods and their evaluations with respect to operational requirements are essential for the operators. To facilitate thorough analysis, a timed Coloured Petri Nets (CPN) model is presented here to encapsulate the inter-relationships of the spatial and temporal constraints in the TAP.

Contains fulltext : 75259.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)

From the business viewpoint, the railway timetable is a list of the products presented by the railway transportation operators to the customers, specifying the schedules of all the train services on a railway line or network. In order to evaluate the quality of the train service schedules, a number of indices are proposed in this paper. These indices primarily take the passengers’ needs, such as waiting time, transfer time and transport capacity into consideration. Delay rate is usually used in post-evaluation. In this study, we propose to give an evaluation on the probability that the scheduled train services are likely to be delayed and the recovery ability of the timetable after delay has occurred. The evaluation identifies the possible problems in the services, such as excessive waiting time, non-seamless transfer, and high possibility of delay. This paper also discusses the improvement of these problems through certain adjustments on the timetable. The indices for evaluation and the adjustment method on timetable are then applied to a case study on the Hu-Ning-Hang railway in China, followed by the discussions of the merits of the proposed indices for timetable evaluation and possible improvement.

Fault tree analysis (FTA) is presented to model the reliability of a railway traction power system in this paper. First, the construction of fault tree is introduced to integrate components in traction power systems into a fault tree; then the binary decision diagram (BDD) method is used to evaluate fault trees qualitatively and quantitatively. The components contributing to the reliability of overall system are identified with their relative importance through sensitivity analysis. Finally, an AC traction power system is evaluated by the proposed methods.

Location of intermodal freight terminals is one of the most crucial success factors bearing directly and indirectly on the main stakeholders involved. There have been several attempts to optimize location decisions so that terminal owners’ and users’ benefits are maximized. Only a few attempts include community impacts. The current study is aimed at developing a multi-objective terminal location evaluation model. The individual perception and strategic behavior of each stakeholder and the influences of terminal expansion, interdependency of terminals, and freight policy on the pattern of terminal locations will also be simulated and investigated. The developed model is expected to be a comprehensive tool for assisting decision makers in selecting the optimum terminal location that satisfies the often conflicting needs of the major players.

The lower acceleration capability of a heavy vehicle (HV) compared to that of a passenger car results in greater headways for the HV and vehicles behind it departing a queue at an intersection approach. The Highway Capacity Manual would associate this with increased start loss if the HV were located in the first four vehicles in a queue of vehicles, or with reduced saturation flow if located in the fifth or greater queue position. However, in determining saturation flow rate without conducting a survey, HVs are accounted for through the use of a passenger-car equivalency factor to reduce saturation flow – no provision is available to adjust start loss or end gain with HVs. A simple microsimulation model was developed to demonstrate the effects of HVs at different queue positions at a signalised intersection approach. Control delay was found to be greatest with the HV at the front of the queue, decreasing to that of the non-HV case as the HV was moved rearwards. Knowing the probability distribution of HVs amongst queue positions, an average control delay could be determined. Additional traffic-related effects of HVs are discussed, such as disproportionate lane utilisation behind and beside HVs.

An understanding is provided on how the existing freight transport modes share the Australian freight task, which provided further insight into the corridor mode selection process. It is important to compare modes across all relevant determinants and performance indicators considering the viewpoint of all parties, in order to better understand the mode selection process. The Brisbane – Cairns corridor in Queensland, Australia is used as a case-study to gain an understanding of how each freight mode is currently being used in the line haul freight task along the corridor. This provides a basis for investigating the nature and values of specific freight mode choice determinants and performance indicators for this corridor.