An agent-based approach to assess drivers’ interaction with pre-trip information systems.

This article reports on the practical use of a multi-agent microsimulation framework to address the issue of assessing drivers’ responses to pretrip information systems. The population of drivers is represented as a community of autonomous agents, and travel demand results from the decision-making deliberation performed by each individual of the population as regards route and departure time. A simple simulation scenario was devised, where pretrip information was made available to users on an individual basis so that its effects at the aggregate level could be observed. The simulation results show that the overall performance of the system is very likely affected by exogenous information, and these results are ascribed to demand formation and network topology. The expressiveness offered by cognitive approaches based on predicate logics, such as the one used in this research, appears to be a promising approximation to fostering more complex behavior modelling, allowing us to represent many of the mental aspects involved in the deliberation process

Unattended network operations technology assessment study. Technical support for defining advanced satellite systems concepts

The results are summarized of an unattended network operations technology assessment study for the Space Exploration Initiative (SEI). The scope of the work included: (1) identified possible enhancements due to the proposed Mars communications network; (2) identified network operations on Mars; (3) performed a technology assessment of possible supporting technologies based on current and future approaches to network operations; and (4) developed a plan for the testing and development of these technologies. The most important results obtained are as follows: (1) addition of a third Mars Relay Satellite (MRS) and MRS cross link capabilities will enhance the network's fault tolerance capabilities through improved connectivity; (2) network functions can be divided into the six basic ISO network functional groups; (3) distributed artificial intelligence technologies will augment more traditional network management technologies to form the technological infrastructure of a virtually unattended network; and (4) a great effort is required to bring the current network technology levels for manned space communications up to the level needed for an automated fault tolerance Mars communications network

A Call for Self-Study in Middle Level Teacher Education

To promote dialogue and in response to calls for rigorous, large-scale, empirical studies as the standard that will move the field of middle level education forward, a collaborative of middle level teacher researchers submit three counterpoints to the appeals for consideration by the research community: 1) the power of the insights the authors’ gained from using the alternative research method of self-study; 2) the authenticity of using alternative research methods that mirror the uniqueness of a field predicated on the distinctiveness of educating diverse young adolescents; and 3) a reframing of “generalizability” from a “results” perspective to one of generalizability of the process that self-study methodology offers

A Taxonomy of Data Grids for Distributed Data Sharing, Management and Processing

Data Grids have been adopted as the platform for scientific communities that need to share, access, transport, process and manage large data collections distributed worldwide. They combine high-end computing technologies with high-performance networking and wide-area storage management techniques. In this paper, we discuss the key concepts behind Data Grids and compare them with other data sharing and distribution paradigms such as content delivery networks, peer-to-peer networks and distributed databases. We then provide comprehensive taxonomies that cover various aspects of architecture, data transportation, data replication and resource allocation and scheduling. Finally, we map the proposed taxonomy to various Data Grid systems not only to validate the taxonomy but also to identify areas for future exploration. Through this taxonomy, we aim to categorise existing systems to better understand their goals and their methodology. This would help evaluate their applicability for solving similar problems. This taxonomy also provides a "gap analysis" of this area through which researchers can potentially identify new issues for investigation. Finally, we hope that the proposed taxonomy and mapping also helps to provide an easy way for new practitioners to understand this complex area of research.Comment: 46 pages, 16 figures, Technical Repor

Microstructural Characterization of Shrouded Plasma Sprayed Titanium Coatings

Titanium and its alloys are often used for corrosion protection because they are able to offer a high chemical resistance against various corrosive media. In this paper, shrouded plasma spray technology was applied to produce titanium coatings. A solid shroud with an external shrouding gas was used to plasma spray titanium powder feedstock with aim to reduce the oxide content in the as-sprayed coatings. The titanium coatings were assessed by optical microscope, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, LECO combustion method and Vickers microhardness testing. The results showed that the presence of the shroud and the external shrouding gas led to a dense microstructure with a low porosity in the as-prayed titanium coatings. The oxygen and nitrogen contents in the titanium coating were kept at a low level due to the shielding effect of the shroud attachment and the external shrouding gas. The dominant phase in the shrouded titanium coatings was mainly composed of α-Ti phase, which was very similar to the titanium feedstock powders. The shrouded plasma sprayed titanium coatings had a Vickers microhardness of 404.2 ±103.2 H

An agent solution to flexible planning and scheduling of passenger trips

In a highly competitive market, BT1 faces tough challenges as a service provider for telecommunication solutions. A proactive approach to the management of its resources is absolutely mandatory for its success. In this paper, an AI-based planning system for the management of parts of BT’s field force is presented. FieldPlan provides resource managers with full visibility of supply and demand, offers extensive what-if analysis capabilities and thus supports an effective decision making process.IFIP International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Theory and Practice - Industrial Applications of AIRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

The use of nanoparticles and electrospun fibers for intravaginal delivery to treat viral and bacterial infections and electrophysiological measurements of synthetic chloride channels.

Female reproductive viral and bacterial infections affect millions of women worldwide. Given the diversity and magnitude of these unmet reproductive health challenges, topical administration of antiretrovirals (ARVs) and antibiotics have emerged as promising approaches to maintain and restore reproductive health. However, currently available intravaginal dosage forms often suffer from low user adherence and the need for frequent, daily administration to achieve therapeutic effect. To address these challenges, the broad goal of this research was to focus on the development of new localized nanoparticle (NP) and electrospun fiber dosage forms to prolong the delivery and enhance the efficacy of active agents to treat viral and bacterial infections. The first goal of this work was to evaluate the synergistic interactions between a biologic, Q-Griffithsin (Q-GRFT), and three ARVs − tenofovir (TFV), raltegravir (RAL), and dapivirine (DAP) − in free and encapsulated forms, to identify unique protein-drug synergies to prevent human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. Free Q-GRFT and free ARV co-administration resulted in strong synergistic interactions, relative to administration of each active agent alone. Similarly, Q-GRFT NP and ARV NP co-administration resulted in synergy across all formulations, with the most potent interactions between encapsulated Q-GRFT and DAP. This work suggests that Q-GRFT and ARV co-administration in free or encapsulated forms may improve efficacy and decrease the dose required to achieve prophylaxis. Moreover, the encapsulation of different active agents in NP-based platforms may provide modest levels of sustained-release with utility to a variety of agents and infection types. The second part of this dissertation focused on the use of molecular dynamics (MD) and molecular mechanics simulations to study the compatibility of the mentioned ARVs with PLGA NPs. Solubility parameters were calculated for water, polymer, and each drug individually, and were compared with those attained from a group-contribution method (GCM). In addition, plots of the radial distribution function (RDF) and calculated charges obtained from electrostatic potential (ESP) fitting were used to compare the interactions between each drug and the polymer. Results indicated stronger hydrogen bonding between RAL and PLGA compared to TFV and PLGA. These findings explain the experimental observation that PLGA NPs encapsulating RAL have significantly higher encapsulation efficiency relative to NPs encapsulating TFV. This result provides important insight into the role of drug–polymer interactions on the encapsulation efficacy of small molecule antiretrovirals in polymeric NPs. The third goal of this dissertation was to develop a new electrospun fiber dosage form to promote vaginal microbiota health, with the potential to prolong probiotic delivery for bacterial vaginosis (BV) treatment. First, we examined the initial safety and efficacy of fast-dissolving polyethylene oxide (PEO) fibers formulated alone or with an antibiotic in an established murine model of BV infection. We then fabricated PEO and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fibers containing Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus) as a model probiotic. In addition, different parameters including electrospinning solution, the use of fresh or lyophilized bacteria, and extended storage conditions were evaluated for their impact on L. acidophilus viability and fiber morphology. Our results show that probiotics are highly and viably incorporated in PEO and PVA fibers, and exhibit prolonged stability for up to 3 months within -20 or 4°C storage conditions. In addition, this study suggests that blank and antibiotic-containing PEO fibers are safe in vivo, inert to the vaginal mucosa in the absence and presence of Gardnerella vaginalis (G. vaginalis) infection, and capable of delivering effective therapeutics. In addition, probiotics were highly and viably incorporated in PEO and PVA fibers, and exhibited prolonged stability for up to 3 months within -20 or 4°C storage conditions. Furthermore, PEO and PVA fibers inhibited the viability and cell adhesion of G. vaginalis, in both soluble and epithelial-based co-culture assays, suggesting their ability to exert health-promoting effects against pathogenic species involved in BV. Lastly, we sought to build upon the baseline hydrophilic rapid release fiber dosage form to develop a fiber-based sustained-release delivery platform to prolong probiotic release for up to 2 weeks. Two different fiber architectures – mesh and layered – were developed to incorporate two lactic acid-producing model organisms, Lactobacillus crispatus (L. crispatus) and Lactobacillus acidophilus (L. acidophilus). In this study, fiber mass loss and morphology were assessed to evaluate fiber degradation over 2 wk, followed by the assessment of probiotic release and proliferation, lactic acid release, and changes in pH. Lastly, the efficacy of these fibers was evaluated in an in vitro soluble co-culture assay against G. vaginalis infection. Both fiber architectures prolonged probiotic release for up to 14 d and produced therapeutically-relevant levels of lactic acid, which correlated with a significant reduction in pH. Moreover, probiotic-containing fibers showed similar inhibitory properties to free probiotics against G. vaginalis, indicating that probiotics maintain their activity after electrospinning and have the potential to fully inhibit G. vaginalis infection. This study demonstrated that electrospun fibers composed of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic polymers may offer a viable long-term alternative to daily administration to maintain vaginal health, treat BV, and prevent BV recurrence

QoS Provision for Wireless Sensor Networks

Wireless sensor network is a fast growing area of research, receiving attention not only within the computer science and electrical engineering communities, but also in relation to network optimization, scheduling, risk and reliability analysis within industrial and system engineering. The availability of micro-sensors and low-power wireless communications will enable the deployment of densely distributed sensor/actuator networks. And an integration of such system plays critical roles in many facets of human life ranging from intelligent assistants in hospitals to manufacturing process, to rescue agents in large scale disaster response, to sensor networks tracking environment phenomena, and others. The sensor nodes will perform significant signal processing, computation, and network self-configuration to achieve scalable, secure, robust and long-lived networks. More specifically, sensor nodes will do local processing to reduce energy costs, and key exchanges to ensure robust communications. These requirements pose interesting challenges for networking research. The most important technical challenge arises from the development of an integrated system which is 1)energy efficient because the system must be long-lived and operate without manual intervention, 2)reliable for data communication and robust to attackers because information security and system robustness are important in sensitive applications, such as military. Based on the above challenges, this dissertation provides Quality of Service (QoS) implementation and evaluation for the wireless sensor networks. It includes the following 3 modules, 1) energy-efficient routing, 2) energy-efficient coverage, 3). communication security. Energy-efficient routing combines the features of minimum energy consumption routing protocols with minimum computational cost routing protocols. Energy-efficient coverage provides on-demand sensing and measurement. Information security needs a security key exchange scheme to ensure reliable and robust communication links. QoS evaluation metrics and results are presented based on the above requirements