A Nonlinear Temporal Headway Model of Traffic Dynamics

In order to describe the dynamics of a group of road vehicles travelling in a single lane, car-following models attempt to mimic the interactions between individual vehicles where the behaviour of each vehicle is dependent upon the motion of the vehicle immediately ahead. In this paper we investigate a modified car-following model which features a new nonlinear term which attempts to adjust the inter-vehicle spacing to a certain desired value. In contrast to our earlier work, a desired time separation between vehicles is used rather than simply being a constant desired distance. In addition, we extend our previous work to include a non-zero driver vehicle reaction time, thus producing a more realistic mathematical model of congested road traffic. Numerical solution of the resulting coupled system of nonlinear delay differential equations is used to analyse the stability of the equilibrium solution to a periodic perturbation. For certain parameter values the post-transient response is a chaotic (non-periodic) oscillations consisting of a broad spectrum of frequency components. Such chaotic motion leads to highly complex dynamical behaviour which is inherently unpredictable. The model is analysed over a range of parameter values and, in each case, the nature of the response is indicated. In the case of a chaotic solution, the degree of chaos is estimated.     

Spectral-temporal filtering of NDT data using wavelet transform modulus maxima

In this paper, a method is described for the filtering of non-destructive testing (NDT) signals. By employing wavelet transform modulus maxima filtering in the time–frequency plane, it allows the high frequency components associated with features within the signal to be retained while high frequency components associated with both signal ring down and noise are removed. The method is applied to sonic echo signals associated with the NDT of piled foundations. The method allows for spectral-temporal filtering of the signal and offers a superior partitioning of the signal of interest from both noise and ringdown artefact. The method has applications in the elucidation of other signals.     

A fast non‐Fickian particle‐tracking diffusion simulator and the effect of shear on the pollutant diffusion process

This paper presents a fast method for the generation of non‐Fickian particle paths within a particle‐tracking pollutant diffusion model based on a Fourier spectral representation of fractional Brownian motion (fBm), a generalization of ordinary Brownian motion. Correlated diffusive components in a particle‐tracking algorithm are modelled using fBm increments that have long‐range correlations over numerous spatial and/or temporal scales; hence producing non‐Fickian diffusion. A fast algorithm to generate fBm and its increment by using its power spectral density S(f) in a fast Fourier transform algorithm is given. A general equation for the scaling of fBm within a velocity flow field with simple linear shear is presented. An initial numerical study of the nature of fBm shear dispersion has been conducted by incorporating fBm increments into a non‐Fickian particle‐tracking algorithm. It is shown that the effect of simple (i.e. linear) shear on the diffusion process is to produce enhanced diffusive phenomena with the longitudinal spreading of the plume scaling with exponent ∼1+H, where H is the Hurst exponent used to describe fBm. Finally, a more complex shear zone at the entrance of a coastal bay model is investigated using both a traditional particle‐tracking method and the fBm‐based method. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A non-Fickian,particle-tracking diffusion model based on fractional Brownian motion

The work is motivated by the recent discovery that ocean surface drifter trajectories contain fractal properties. This suggests that the dispersion of pollutants in coastal waters may also be described using fractal statistics. The paper describes the development of a fractional Brownian motion model for simulating pollutant dispersion using particle tracking. Numerical test cases are used to compare this new model with the results obtained from a traditional Gaussian particle-tracking model. The results seems to be significantly different, which may have implications for pollution modelling in the coastal zone. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

High Throughput Screening of the NatureBank ‘Marine Collection’ in a Haemonchus Bioassay Identifies Anthelmintic Activity in Extracts from a Range of Sponges from Australian Waters

Widespread resistance in parasitic nematodes to most classes of anthelmintic drugs demands the discovery and development of novel compounds with distinct mechanisms of action to complement strategic or integrated parasite control programs. Products from nature—which assume a diverse ‘chemical space’—have significant potential as a source of anthelmintic compounds. In the present study, we screened a collection of extracts (n = 7616) derived from marine invertebrates sampled from Australian waters in a high throughput bioassay for in vitro anti-parasitic activity against the barber’s pole worm (Haemonchus contortus)—an economically important parasitic nematode of livestock animals. In this high throughput screen (HTS), we identified 58 active extracts that reduced larval motility by ≥70% (at 90 h), equating to an overall ‘hit rate’ of ~0.8%. Of these 58 extracts, 16 also inhibited larval development by ≥80% (at 168 h) and/or induced ‘non-wild-type’ (abnormal) larval phenotypes with reference to ‘wild-type’ (normal) larvae not exposed to extract (negative controls). Most active extracts (54 of 58) originated from sponges, three from chordates (tunicates) and one from a coral; these extracts represented 37 distinct species/taxa of 23 families. An analysis of samples by ¹H NMR fingerprinting was utilised to dereplicate hits and to prioritise a set of 29 sponge samples for future chemical investigation. Overall, these results indicate that a range of sponge species from Australian waters represents a rich source of natural compounds with nematocidal or nematostatic properties. Our plan now is to focus on in-depth chemical investigations of the sample set prioritised herein.     

Phase separation of a model binary polymer solution in an external field

The phase separation of a simple binary mixture of incompatible linear polymers in solution is investigated using an extension of the sedimentation equilibrium method, whereby the osmotic pressure of the mixture is extracted from the density profiles of the inhomogeneous mixture in a gravitational field. In Monte Carlo simulations the field can be tuned to induce significant inhomogeneity, while keeping the density profiles sufficiently smooth for the macroscopic condition of hydrostatic equilibrium to remain applicable. The method is applied here for a simplified model of ideal but mutually avoiding polymers, which readily phase separate at relatively low densities. The Monte Carlo data are interpreted with the help of an approximate bulk phase diagram calculated from a simple, second-order virial coefficient theory. By derivation of effective potentials between polymer centers of mass, the binary mixture of polymers is coarse-grained to a "soft colloid" picture reminiscent of the Widom-Rowlinson model for incompatible atomic mixtures. This approach significantly speeds up the simulations and accurately reproduces the behavior of the full monomer resolved model.     

Validation of a simplified procedure for convenient and rapid quantification of reduced and oxidized glutathione in human plasma by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analysis

Endogenous glutathione (GSH) and glutathione disulfide (GSSG) status is highly sensitive to oxidative conditions and have broad application as a surrogate indicator of redox status in vivo. Established methods for GSH and GSSG quantification in whole blood display limited utility in human plasma, where GSH and GSSG levels are ~3–4 orders of magnitude below those observed in whole blood. This study presents simplified sample processing and analytical LC–MS/MS approaches exhibiting the sensitivity and accuracy required to measure GSH and GSSG concentrations in human plasma samples, which after 5-fold dilution to suppress matrix interferences range from 200 to 500 nm (GSH) and 5–30 nm (GSSG). The utility of the methods reported herein is demonstrated by assay performance and validation parameters which indicate good sensitivity [lower limits of quantitation of 4.99 nm (GSH) and 3.65 nm (GSSG), and high assay precision (intra-assay CVs 3.6 and 1.9%, and inter-assay CVs of 7.0 and 2.8% for GSH and GSSG, respectively). These methods also exhibited exceptional recovery of analyte-spiked plasma samples (98.0 ± 7.64% for GSH and 98.5 ± 12.7% for GSSG). Good sample stability at −80°C was evident for GSH for up to 55 weeks and GSSG for up to 46 weeks, with average CVs <15 and <10%, respectively.