Modeling the Impacts of Autonomous Vehicles on Land Use Using a LUTI Model

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) can generate major changes in urban systems due to their ability to use road infrastructures more efficiently and shorten trip times. However, there is great uncertainty about these effects and about whether the use of these vehicles will continue to be private, in continuity with the current paradigm, or whether they will become shared (carsharing/ridesharing). In order to try to shed light on these matters, the use of a scenario-based methodology and the evaluation of the scenarios using a land use–transport interaction model (LUTI model TRANSPACE) is proposed. This model allows simulating the impacts that changes in the transport system can generate on the location of households and companies oriented to local demand and accessibility conditions. The obtained results allow us to state that, if AVs would generate a significant increase in the capacity of urban and interurban road infrastructures, the impacts on mobility and on the location of activities could be positive, with a decrease in the distances traveled, trip times, and no evidence of significant urban sprawl processes. However, if these increases in capacity are accompanied by a large augment in the demand for shared journeys by new users (young, elderly) or empty journeys, the positive effects could disappear. Thus, this scenario would imply an increase in trip times, reduced accessibilities, and longer average distances traveled, all of which could cause the unwanted effect of expelling activities from the consolidated urban center.

Remaining Lifetime Assessment of Bucket Wheel Excavator’s Boom Structure by Using Non-destructive Method

The bucket wheel excavators (BWE), when operating in faces with hard intrusions (rock structures with increased cutting resistance) are submitted to loads exceeding those arising during the operation in normal conditions. The most vulnerable structural element of the BWE from the point of view of these loads is the boom. The unexpected occurrence of hard formations produces shocks and vibrations, their unwanted effect being sudden failures of the constitutive elements and, in long term, fatigue, which increases the vulnerability of the mentioned structural element. In the paper we present the results obtained regarding the fatigue and remaining lifetime assessment using a new method, issued from the researches performed in the frame of BEWEXMIN project.

Effect of optimal Multi-DG siting and sizing in transmission system using hybrid optimization technique for voltage control

<span>The advancement of Distributed Generation (DG) technologies have caused great impact to power system operation. Inappropriate installation of DGs may lead to over-compensation or under-compensation situation. Thus, a reliable optimization is urgent to avoid any unwanted effect. This paper analyses the installation impact of different types-multi-DGs determined using a pre-developed hybrid optimization technique termed as Immunized-Brainstorm-Evolutionary Programming (IBSEP). It is imperative to study the effect of multi-DGs installation such that a relevant utility can make a correct decision, whether its installation is worth or vice versa. Rigorous study has been conducted in terms of identifying the optimal location and sizing, installed on transmission system for voltage control involving different DG types. Comprehensive results are embedded in this paper to demonstrate the effect of multi-DGs installation in transmission system which in turns beneficial to the utility.</span>

Periodontal Management of Cyclosporin A-Induced Gingival Overgrowth: A Nonsurgical Approach

Gingival overgrowth is a major and frequent unwanted effect accompanying the chronic usage of antihypertensive, anticonvulsant, and immunosuppressant drugs. The expression and the severity of this tissue-specific condition are influenced by a variety of factors, mainly drug and periodontal variables. Such increased volume of gingiva may compromise normal oral functions, aesthetics in addition to the patients’ ability to practice optimal oral hygiene. The management of gingival overgrowth includes nonsurgical approach, surgical approach, or both of them for severe cases of gingival overgrowth as well as drug withdrawal. This case report illustrates a successful nonsurgical management of a 21-year-old patient with cyclosporin A-induced gingival overgrowth who experienced a total regression of the gingival enlargement without any surgical procedure or drug substitution. And it highlights therefore the key role of supportive periodontal therapy in maintaining good and stable outcomes over 2 years of follow-up.

The Transforming Media Landscape

During the last decades, the digital revolution that we have all experienced through the widespread deployment of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has multilaterally influenced individual's perception about significant aspects of everyday life. Among others, the massive adoption of internet technologies and the transition to the Web 2.0/3.0 paradigms (and beyond) have shaped a dynamically changing media environment. As a result, new forms of journalism and mass communication have been launched and are currently available, promoting the so-called citizen and participatory journalism models, where user generated content (UGC) is dominant. The arising issue is that part of the propagated information may be subjective, manipulated, and/or unreliable, which is further deteriorated by the lack of confidence of many average users within the new digital environment. The present chapter attempts to enlighten the correlations between the rapidly transforming media landscape and its unwanted effect on news and content tampering.

On The Effect Of Image Brightness And Contrast Nonuniformity On Statistical Texture Parameters

Computerized texture analysis characterizes spatial patterns of image intensity, which originate in the structure of tissues. However, a number of texture descriptors also depend on local average image intensity and/or contrast. This variations, known as image nonuniformity (inhomogeneity) artefacts often occur, e.g. in MRI. Their presence may lead to errors in tissue description. This unwanted effect is explained in this paper using statistical texture descriptors applied for MRI slices of a normal and fibrotic liver. To reduce the errors, correction of image spatial nonuniformity prior to texture analysis is performed. The issue of sensitivity of popular texture parameters to image nonuniformities is discussed. It is illustrated by classification examples of natural Brodatz textures, digitally modified to account for inhomogeneities – modeled as smooth variations of image intensity and contrast. A set of texture features is identified which represent certain immunity to image inhomogeneities.