Driver Identification Using Statistical Features of Motor Activity and Genetic Algorithms.

Driver identification refers to the process whose primary purpose is identifying the person behind the steering wheel using collected information about the driver him/herself. The constant monitoring of drivers through sensors generates great benefits in advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), to learn more about the behavior of road users. Currently, there are many research works that address the subject in search of creating intelligent models that help to identify vehicle users in an efficient and objective way. However, the different methodologies proposed to create these models are based on data generated from sensors that include different vehicle brands on routes established in real environments, which, although they provide very important information for different purposes, in the case of driver identification, there may be a certain degree of bias due to the different situations in which the route environment may change. The proposed method seeks to intelligently and objectively select the most outstanding statistical features from motor activity generated in the main elements of the vehicle with genetic algorithms for driver identification, this process being newer than those established by the state-of-the-art. The results obtained from the proposal were an accuracy of 90.74% to identify two drivers and 62% for four, using a Random Forest Classifier (RFC). With this, it can be concluded that a comprehensive selection of features can greatly optimize the identification of drivers.

Vehicle and Driver Monitoring System Using On-Board and Remote Sensors.

This paper presents an integrated monitoring system for the driver and the vehicle in a single case of study easy to configure and replicate. On-board vehicle sensors and remote sensors are combined to model algorithms for estimating polluting emissions, fuel consumption, driving style and driver's health. The main contribution of this paper is the analysis of interactions among the above monitored features highlighting the influence of the driver in the vehicle performance and vice versa. This analysis was carried out experimentally using one vehicle with different drivers and routes and implemented on a mobile application. Compared to commercial driver and vehicle monitoring systems, this approach is not customized, uses classical sensor measurements, and is based on simple algorithms that have been already proven but not in an interactive environment with other algorithms. In the procedure design of this global vehicle and driver monitoring system, a principal component analysis was carried out to reduce the variables used in the training/testing algorithms with objective to decrease the transfer data via Bluetooth between the used devices: a biometric wristband, a smartphone and the vehicle's central computer. Experimental results show that the proposed vehicle and driver monitoring system predicts correctly the fuel consumption index in 84%, the polluting emissions 89%, and the driving style 89%. Indeed, interesting correlation results between the driver's heart condition and vehicular traffic have been found in this analysis.

Immunogenicity in Protein and Peptide Based-Therapeutics: An Overview.

Currently it is well known that all biological drugs, including those with a fully human structure, are capable of inducing a host immune response known as immunogenicity [1]. The presence of ADAs can condition the drug´s level and action, thus modifying the therapeutic effect and even the safety profile by its mechanism of action - neutralizing or non-neutralizing - and / or an increase in its clearance. Immunogenicity is a dynamic factor to be taken into account in biological therapy, especially in long-term treatments, and as a relevant aspect in the assessment of secondary response loss [2]. With the above, not only the knowledge but also the management of the immunogenicity of the different biological treatments, represent a useful instrument for optimization of the strategies of use for each drug, and in the design of predictive models of response, which finally permits a significant improvement in the efficacy and safety profile, aiming to a personalization of the therapies, especially in patients with autoimmune diseases, genetic disorders and cancer [3]. This review summarizes the events of immunogenicity that produce the biological drug, the factor that influence to immunogenicity and the assessment of immunogenicity.

Contaminação por compostos organoclorados em salsichas hot-dog comercializadas na cidade de Santa Maria (RS), Brasil

With the objective of monitoring toxic compounds residues in food, the frequency and levels of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls were verified in sausage samples, hot dog type, commercialized in the city of Santa Maria (RS), Brazil. Values were compared with the ones established by Brazilian legislation. For the analyses the extraction of fat from the samples was done. From the purification of the fat, there was acquisition of an extract in which was determined the organochlorine contaminants residues by gas chromatography with electronic capture detector (CG - µECD63Ni). It was learned that the lindane and HCB were the pesticides that presented the biggest concentration averages (0.001798ppm and 0.001652ppm, respectively). The detected sum of organochlorine pesticides average levels was 0.015783ppm; and from this sum 0.011165ppm belonged to DDT metabolites. The largest average concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls corresponded to the PCBs 10 (0.001817ppm) and 28 (0.002172ppm). Concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and PCBs found in the samples were below the maximum allowed by legislation.

Com o objetivo de monitorar os resíduos de compostos tóxicos em alimentos, verificou-se a freqüência e os níveis de praguicidas organoclorados (OC) e bifenilas policloradas (PCBs) em amostras de salsichas Hot-Dog, comercializadas na Cidade de Santa Maria, Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (RS) e, compararam-se os valores com aqueles estabelecidos pela Legislação. Para as análises, procedeu-se a extração da gordura das amostras. A partir da purificação desta, obteve-se um extrato do qual se determinaram os resíduos organoclorados por cromatografia gasosa com detector de captura eletrônica (CG - µECD63Ni). Verificou-se que o lindano e o HCB foram os pesticidas que apresentaram as maiores concentrações médias (0,001798ppm e 0,001652ppm, respectivamente). O somatório dos níveis médios dos pesticidas organoclorados detectados foi de 0,015783ppm, sendo que deste total 0,011165ppm pertencia aos metabólitos do DDT. Quanto as bifenilas policloradas, as maiores concentrações médias corresponderam às PCBs 10 (0,001817ppm) e 28 (0,000317ppm). O somatório das PCBs foi de 0,002172ppm. As concentrações de praguicidas organoclorados e PCBs encontradas nas amostras analisadas estavam abaixo dos limites máximos permitidos pela legislação.

Contaminação por compostos organoclorados em salsichas hot-dog comercializadas na cidade de Santa Maria (RS), Brasil

With the objective of monitoring toxic compounds residues in food, the frequency and levels of organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls were verified in sausage samples, hot dog type, commercialized in the city of Santa Maria (RS), Brazil. Values were compared with the ones established by Brazilian legislation. For the analyses the extraction of fat from the samples was done. From the purification of the fat, there was acquisition of an extract in which was determined the organochlorine contaminants residues by gas chromatography with electronic capture detector (CG - µECD63Ni). It was learned that the lindane and HCB were the pesticides that presented the biggest concentration averages (0.001798ppm and 0.001652ppm, respectively). The detected sum of organochlorine pesticides average levels was 0.015783ppm; and from this sum 0.011165ppm belonged to DDT metabolites. The largest average concentration of polychlorinated biphenyls corresponded to the PCBs 10 (0.001817ppm) and 28 (0.002172ppm). Concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and PCBs found in the samples were below the maximum allowed by legislation.

Com o objetivo de monitorar os resíduos de compostos tóxicos em alimentos, verificou-se a freqüência e os níveis de praguicidas organoclorados (OC) e bifenilas policloradas (PCBs) em amostras de salsichas Hot-Dog, comercializadas na Cidade de Santa Maria, Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (RS) e, compararam-se os valores com aqueles estabelecidos pela Legislação. Para as análises, procedeu-se a extração da gordura das amostras. A partir da purificação desta, obteve-se um extrato do qual se determinaram os resíduos organoclorados por cromatografia gasosa com detector de captura eletrônica (CG - µECD63Ni). Verificou-se que o lindano e o HCB foram os pesticidas que apresentaram as maiores concentrações médias (0,001798ppm e 0,001652ppm, respectivamente). O somatório dos níveis médios dos pesticidas organoclorados detectados foi de 0,015783ppm, sendo que deste total 0,011165ppm pertencia aos metabólitos do DDT. Quanto as bifenilas policloradas, as maiores concentrações médias corresponderam às PCBs 10 (0,001817ppm) e 28 (0,000317ppm). O somatório das PCBs foi de 0,002172ppm. As concentrações de praguicidas organoclorados e PCBs encontradas nas amostras analisadas estavam abaixo dos limites máximos permitidos pela legislação.

AUMENTO NA PRODUÇÃO DE SEMENTES DE GIRASSOL (Helianthus annuus) PELA AÇÃO DE INSETOS POLINIZADORES

Sunflower plants, cv Anhandy, freely visited by insects (control) were compared to plants protected from insects. Two flower isolation methods were used: covering the plants with net cages (width 3m, lenght 4m, height 2m) and bagging the flowers with gauze. The number, the weight and the percentage of seed setting were significantly higher (P 0.05) in the visited plants (579.28; 41.17g and 82.37%; 456.97; 23.44g 79.70%, in two trials) than in plants protected by cages (81.53; 2.23g and 1.16% in the first trial and 111.92; 3.16g e 28.49%, in the second). The number and the weight of no seed settings were significantly higher (P 0.05) in the plants covered with cages (416.29 and 6.58g; 375.25 and 5.04g in two trials) than in the control (142.69 and 1.71g; 182.38 and 2.53g). The percentage of seed setting in the bagged flowers with gauze was intermediate to the control plants and the covered plants. (64.56% in the first trial and 68.61%, in the second). It is concluded that the sunflower, cv Anhandy, presents a significant increase of seed production due to visits of pollinating insects, mainly honey bees. Cage is the most indicated method to protect plants from pollinating insects.

Foram realizados dois ensaios nos quais compararam-se plantas de girassol, do cultivar Anhandy, livremente visitadas por insetos(testemunhas) e outras impedidas de visitação por dois métodos (cobertura de plantas com gaiolas teladas, de 3m de largura, 4m de comprimento e 2m de altura, e ensacamento de capítulos com filó). O número, o peso e a porcentagem de sementes granadas foram significativamente maiores (P 0,05) nas plantas visitadas (579,28; 41,17g e 82,37%; 456,97; 23,44g 79,70%, nos dois ensaios), em relação às plantas cobertas com gaiolas teladas (81,53; 2,23g e 1,16% no primeiro ensaio e 111,92; 3,16g e 28,49%, no segundo). O número e o peso de sementes não granadas foram significativamente maiores (P 0,05) nas plantas cobertas com gaiolas teladas (416,29 e 6,58g; 375,25 e 5,04g, nos dois ensaios) em relação à testemunha (142,69 e 1,71g; 182,38 e 2,53g). Os capítulos ensacados com filó apresentaram valores de porcentagem de sementes granadas intermediários entre as plantas testemunhas e as cobertas com gaiolas teladas (64,56 no primeiro ensaio e 68,61, no segundo). Pode-se concluir que o cultivar de girassol em estudo apresenta significativo aumento de produção de sementes devido a visitas de insetos polinizadores, principalmente abelhas, e que as gaiolas teladas são mais indicadas como método para impedir o acesso de insetos polinizadores.

AUMENTO NA PRODUÇÃO DE SEMENTES DE GIRASSOL (Helianthus annuus) PELA AÇÃO DE INSETOS POLINIZADORES

Sunflower plants, cv Anhandy, freely visited by insects (control) were compared to plants protected from insects. Two flower isolation methods were used: covering the plants with net cages (width 3m, lenght 4m, height 2m) and bagging the flowers with gauze. The number, the weight and the percentage of seed setting were significantly higher (P 0.05) in the visited plants (579.28; 41.17g and 82.37%; 456.97; 23.44g 79.70%, in two trials) than in plants protected by cages (81.53; 2.23g and 1.16% in the first trial and 111.92; 3.16g e 28.49%, in the second). The number and the weight of no seed settings were significantly higher (P 0.05) in the plants covered with cages (416.29 and 6.58g; 375.25 and 5.04g in two trials) than in the control (142.69 and 1.71g; 182.38 and 2.53g). The percentage of seed setting in the bagged flowers with gauze was intermediate to the control plants and the covered plants. (64.56% in the first trial and 68.61%, in the second). It is concluded that the sunflower, cv Anhandy, presents a significant increase of seed production due to visits of pollinating insects, mainly honey bees. Cage is the most indicated method to protect plants from pollinating insects.

Foram realizados dois ensaios nos quais compararam-se plantas de girassol, do cultivar Anhandy, livremente visitadas por insetos(testemunhas) e outras impedidas de visitação por dois métodos (cobertura de plantas com gaiolas teladas, de 3m de largura, 4m de comprimento e 2m de altura, e ensacamento de capítulos com filó). O número, o peso e a porcentagem de sementes granadas foram significativamente maiores (P 0,05) nas plantas visitadas (579,28; 41,17g e 82,37%; 456,97; 23,44g 79,70%, nos dois ensaios), em relação às plantas cobertas com gaiolas teladas (81,53; 2,23g e 1,16% no primeiro ensaio e 111,92; 3,16g e 28,49%, no segundo). O número e o peso de sementes não granadas foram significativamente maiores (P 0,05) nas plantas cobertas com gaiolas teladas (416,29 e 6,58g; 375,25 e 5,04g, nos dois ensaios) em relação à testemunha (142,69 e 1,71g; 182,38 e 2,53g). Os capítulos ensacados com filó apresentaram valores de porcentagem de sementes granadas intermediários entre as plantas testemunhas e as cobertas com gaiolas teladas (64,56 no primeiro ensaio e 68,61, no segundo). Pode-se concluir que o cultivar de girassol em estudo apresenta significativo aumento de produção de sementes devido a visitas de insetos polinizadores, principalmente abelhas, e que as gaiolas teladas são mais indicadas como método para impedir o acesso de insetos polinizadores.