An Autonomous Intelligent Driving Simulation Tutor for Driver Training and Remediation: A Concept Paper

An intelligent tutoring model for use in a driving simulation training platform is proposed. Driving simulators by themselves cannot teach and staffing driving simulators with live trainers limits their ability to reach a wide audience. Research has shown that customized feedback, coupled with active practice in a simulator is very effective in changing a driver’s behavior for the better. A driving simulation training program which utilizes an intelligent tutoring system (ITS) can diagnose driver errors, tailor feedback to the student’s specific needs, determine when a student has mastered a specific skill set and can provide remediation as necessary. A brief discussion of basic ITS architecture is provided. An ITS model that has been successful in teaching individual skills in other domains (such as mental rotation) is applied to driving simulator instruction. The various critical components of the ITS, including the domain model, student model and tutoring model, are discussed in detail and a working example provided

Strategies for improving reproductive performance in gilts

ABSTRACT Efficient pork production is largely dictated by the reproductive success of the sow. Identifying gilts with the ability to produce an optimal number of pigs over successive parities, and do so in as few days as possible is the fundamental key to improving sow lifetime productivity. Low heritability and effect of external factors such as heat stress, makes selecting for reproductive success problematic. Age at puberty is predictive of sow longevity and has been associated with vulva development at approximately 100 days of age. To determine the effectiveness of scoring gilts according to prepubertal vulva width as a means of identifying reproductive superior replacements, physical measurements were recorded at 15 weeks of age and performance was tracked through production. Gilts assigned lowest possible scores based on prepubertal vulva development proved to be less likely to farrow a litter, had an increased age at first farrowing, and showed poorer productivity through their second parity. In addition to maximizing productivity, mitigating negative influences on reproduction is also vital for sow farm sustainability. Heat stress contributes to significant economic losses annually in the swine industry, and results in decreased farrowing rates, smaller litters, and greater wean-to-estrus intervals. To determine the effect of heat stress (HS) on corpus luteum function and the effect on early conceptus development, gilts were assigned to HS or thermal neutral (TN) conditions and either received altrenogest (a progesterone receptor agonist) supplementation or a control group that was not supplemented. Corpus luteum weight was affected by environment and supplementation, however, this change was not reflected in luteal or circulating progesterone concentrations. Conceptus development was accelerated in those supplemented with altrenogest with a higher percentage of conceptuses transitioned into a filamentous conformation. Conceptus stage of development remained unaffected when environmental assignments were compared. Collectively, these findings provide new insight into the areas of gilt development and selection, and the possible effects heat stress has on early pregnancy, and provide potential management strategies that can be implemented by pork producers

Liturgies and Hymnology in the American Lutheran Church Until 1820

In the analysis and consideration of any liturgical form or group of liturgies the student must from the beginning set down for himself certain principles and accepted norms of judgment to guide him in such study and to form for him a definite, logical and true basis for comparison and evaluation of the material treated

Using Intelligent Prefetching to Reduce the Energy Consumption of a Large-scale Storage System

Many high performance large-scale storage systems will experience significant workload increases as their user base and content availability grow over time. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) center hosts one such system that has recently undergone a period of rapid growth as its user population grew nearly 400% in just about three years. When administrators of these massive storage systems face the challenge of meeting the demands of an ever increasing number of requests, the easiest solution is to integrate more advanced hardware to existing systems. However, additional investment in hardware may significantly increase the system cost as well as daily power consumption. In this paper, we present evidence that well-selected software level optimization is capable of achieving comparable levels of performance without the cost and power consumption overhead caused by physically expanding the system. Specifically, we develop intelligent prefetching algorithms that are suitable for the unique workloads and user behaviors of the world\u27s largest satellite images distribution system managed by USGS EROS. Our experimental results, derived from real-world traces with over five million requests sent by users around the globe, show that the EROS hybrid storage system could maintain the same performance with over 30% of energy savings by utilizing our proposed prefetching algorithms, compared to the alternative solution of doubling the size of the current FTP server farm

Role of outer membrane impermeability in Pseudomonas aeruginosa resistance to liptin d7

BACKGROUND: Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that is intrinsically resistant to hydrophobic molecules, yet is susceptive to chemical sensitization by low concentrations of the biocide triclosan using the outer membrane permeabilizer compound 48/80. In order to obtain a better understanding of these properties in P. aeruginosa, it was decided to examine disparate hydrophobic substances thought to also possess antibacterial potential. Researchers working with Dr. Dennis Burns at Wichita State University have recently synthesized and characterized a novel class of picket porphyrins (liptins) and showed them to have antibacterial properties in previous studies.METHODS: Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined for a model liptin molecule (d7) using a conventional macro-broth dilution bioassay. Pasteurella multocida was included as a reference organism because of its permeable outer membrane. The next steps would have been to repeat the analysis in the presence of outer membrane permeabilizer compound 48/80, as well as to perform disc agar diffusion assays to eliminate possible bactericidal interference by the solvent.RESULTS: The liptin d7 did not readily dissolve in absolute ethanol, thereby resulting in a turbid suspension at concentrations necessary for this study. P. aeruginosa and P. multocida were both found to be resistant to liptin d7 with MICs of 32 and 64 ug/mL, respectively.CONCLUSION: Because the MICs were so high, especially with respect to P. multocida which was expected to be susceptible, both organisms were deemed liptin d7 resistant. We were subsequently informed by our collaborators that the liptin derivative sent to us may have been incorrectly labeled and was in fact a less soluble and less inhibitory derivative than the intended liptin d7. This halted further study of the compound due to an inability to obtain the more soluble active form to perform the analyses

Effects of Cognitive and Physical Decline on Older Drivers\u27 Side-to-Side Scanning for Hazards While Executing Turns

Age related declines in cognitive and physical ability significantly impair an older adult’s ability to safely drive. As we age it gradually becomes more difficult to scan for, detect, process, and ultimately react to critical elements in our driving environment. Older drivers are over represented in angled impacts in intersections. Research has shown that older drivers tend to execute fewer side-to-side glances while in the process of turning than middle-aged drivers. This decrease in scanning can directly lead to an increase in angled impacts. The present research investigates the correlation between cognitive and physical decline and the likelihood that an older driver will execute side-to-side glances at the beginning and during a turn. Results of both simulator and field drive sessions with fifty-four older drivers 70-89 years of age demonstrated that cognitive, but not physical, decline was significantly correlated with a decrease in side-to-side scanning while turning

Using Situation Awareness as a Measure of Driver Hazard Perception Ability

The present study investigated the effectiveness of a tablet-based hazard anticipation training program on teenage drivers. Verbal and eye tracking protocols were mapped to Endsley’s three level model of situation awareness (SA) as a means of measuring schema development. Participants were trained with a tablet based training program containing hazard identification scenarios. After six months they were asked to drive a simulator and on-road drive with various hazard scenarios. Results showed a significant difference between trained teen drivers and placebo teen drivers, both in eye tracking and verbal protocol. Verbal protocol and eye tracking protocol of trained teen drivers showed higher order of situation awareness in either of Endsley’s model levels. This means trained group were more capable of identifying and mitigating the hazards and verbalizing the future states of the environment. In conclusion, the tablet based hazard identification and anticipation training program could be an effective post-licensure training program to give better insight of “what is going on” in driving environment

Inspections: a self evaluation process for law enforcement agencies

Discusses the benefits to an agency of having implemented an agency inspection process