International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 20-23, 2003 / Riviera Hotel and Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada / Delay-tolerant networking (DTN) is a system for constructing automated data networks in which end-to-end communication is reliable despite low data rates, possible sustained interruptions in connectivity, and potentially high signal propagation latency. As such it promises to provide an inexpensive and robust medium for returning telemetry from research vehicles in environments that provide meager support for communications: deep space, the surface of Mars, the poles or the sub- Arctic steppes of Earth, and others. This paper presents an overview of DTN concepts, including “bundles” and the Bundling overlay protocol. One possible scenario for the application of DTN to a telemetry return problem is described, and there is a brief discussion of the current state of DTN technology development.

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A thesis presented to the Faculty of Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Medicine / Since changes occur in size, shape and haemoglobin content of red cells in disease a classification of the anaemias based on the morphology of the red cell has been widely used ( Wintrobe, 1956 ) . While such classification has a limited usefulness from the diagnostic and therapeutic approach it has two serious defects.. / IT2018

Model Predictive Control (MPC) refers to a class of algorithms that optimize the future behavior of the plant subject to operational constraints [46]. The merits of the class algorithms include its ability to handle imposed hard constraints on the system and perform on-line optimization. This thesis investigates design and implementation of continuous time model predictive control using Laguerre polynomials and extends the design ap- proaches proposed in [43] to include intermittent predictive control, as well as to include the case of the nonlinear predictive control. In the Intermittent Predictive Control, the Laguerre functions are used to describe the control trajectories between two sample points to save the com- putational time and make the implementation feasible in the situation of the fast sampling of a dynamic system. In the nonlinear predictive control, the Laguerre polynomials are used to describe the trajectories of the nonlinear control signals so that the reced- ing horizon control principle are applied in the design with respect to the nonlinear system constraints. In addition, the thesis reviews several Quadratic Programming methods and compares their performances in the implementation of the predictive control. The thesis also presents simulation results of predictive control of the autonomous underwater vehicle and the water tank.

Förbättring av kvävereduktionsprocessen på avloppsreningsverket Lucerna under WTOS-styrningJonas Wenström Övergödning av sjöar och hav är idag ett stort miljöproblem vilket samhället bidrar till genom sitt utsläpp av bland annat kväve. Därför har Sverige genom Baltic Sea Action Plan åtagit sig att minska sin belastning på Östersjön från reningsverk med 3000 ton kväve årligen fram till 2021. Om- och utbyggnader av reningsverk kommer att krävas, men en viss förbättring av reningen kan uppnås genom optimering av befintliga processer. Avloppsreningsverket Lucerna i Västervik hade tidigare problem att uppnå tillräcklig kväverening, men sedan processtyrningssystemet WTOS implementerades 2010 klaras kraven. Efter att WTOS implementerats sker luftningen intermittent i verkets aktivslamsteg, i vilken en biologisk rening sker. För att utreda om kvävereningen ytterligare kunde förbättras utfördes denna studie med huvudmålet att lämna förslag på hur kvävereningen kunde förbättras i verkets aktivslamprocess. Vid sidan av huvudmålet undersöktes även hur energiförbrukningen kunde minskas. Med simuleringar i Benchmark Simulation Modell nr 1, där en modell anpassades efter aktivslamsteget på Lucernaverket, utreddes fyra olika driftomställningar för att uppnå en bättre kvävereduktion. Som en kompletterande studie utfördes även fullskaleförsök, i en av två linjer i aktivslamsteget, för två typer av driftomställningar. Från resultatet av studien rekommenderas att driften av aktivslamsteget under sommarförhållanden använder en fördenitrifikation och en förlängd tid för denitrifikationsfasen samt att lägre syrebörvärden jämfört med vad som används i dagens drift utvärderas. Under vinterförhållanden rekommenderas en användning av en förlängd tid för denitrifikationsfasen samt att en stegbeskickning utvärderas i en av aktivslamlinjerna. Utöver driftomställningarna stödjs även att en investering görs för att hela aktivslamsteget ska ha en mekanisk omblandning. Om de rekommenderade driftomställningarna utförs förväntas en förbättring av kvävereduktionen i aktivslamsteget. Alla driftomställningarna förväntas även leda till en minskad energiförbrukning för luftningen på verket.

Many experimental therapies have been used in the search for effective approaches to improve recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI). One of the most promising approaches is the augmentation of spontaneously occurring plasticity in uninjured neural pathways. Acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH-brief exposures to reduced O2 levels alternating with normal O2 levels) elicits plasticity in respiratory and non-respiratory spinal systems in experimental animals. AIH treatment has also been shown to improve walking abilities in persons with chronic incomplete SCI. In this thesis, I first examined the effect of AIH treatment, alone or in combination with motor training, on functional recovery in a rat model of incomplete cervical SCI. Second, I examined the effect of AIH on the expression of plasticity- and hypoxia-related proteins in the spinal cords of SCI rats. In a randomized, blinded, normoxia-controlled study, rats were trained to cross a horizontal ladder and footslip errors were measured before surgery for SCI, 4 wks post-surgery, each day of daily AIH treatment, and 1, 2, 4 and 8 weeks after treatment. dAIH treatment consisted of 10 episodes of AIH: (5 min 11% O2: 5 min 21% O2) for 7 days beginning at 4 wks post-SCI. AIH-treated rats made fewer footslips on the ladder task compared to normoxia-treated control rats after 4 days of treatment and this improvement was sustained for 8 wks post-treatment. Importantly, daily ladder training was required for AIH treatment to facilitate recovery. AIH treatment + motor training also increased the expression of Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), tyrosine kinase B receptors (trkB) and phospho-trkB in spinal motor neurons in SCI rats compared to normoxia-treated SCI rats. In particular these hypoxia- and plasticity-related proteins were differentially expressed both temporally and spatially in the spinal cord during AIH treatment. These findings demonstrate that AIH + motor training can augment neural plasticity and improve motor recovery in an animal model of SCI. Taken together with the promising findings from human SCI studies, the results of this thesis suggest that AIH has potential as an effective therapy to restore motor function after nervous system injury.

Thesis (doctoral)--Turku, 1979. / "English summary: Intermittent claudication: noninvasive functional evaluation in diagnosis and follow-up of physical training."

Master of Science / Department of Animal Sciences and Industry / James S. Drouillard / Since the 1960’s liver abscess incidence and severity have been identified as a problem associated with feeding high concentrate finishing rations to feedlot cattle. Liver abscesses lead to decreased feedlot performance and decreased carcass value. Tylosin phosphate is a macrolide antibiotic commonly used by feedlots throughout the United States and has been shown to successfully control liver abscesses. In 2013, the FDA issued Guidance for Industry #213, which encourages reduced usage of medically important classes of antibiotics, such as macrolides, in animal feed. This will be achieved by implementing veterinary oversight of these drugs via Veterinary Feed Directives (VFD). Thus, it is of importance to find alternative strategies to reduce usage of tylosin in finishing rations to control liver abscesses. One strategy that has been suggested is increasing dietary roughage concentration. However, this isn’t a viable option as increasing dietary roughage concentration not only leads to a decline in feedlot performance, hot carcass weight, and dressing percentage, but also has an environmental impact. Available research has also indicated that increasing dietary roughage has no impact on liver abscess incidence or severity. Our research objective was therefore to identify alternative strategies to reduce liver abscess incidence. Our first trial evaluated the impact of antioxidants on liver abscess incidence and severity. Treatments consisted of a control treatment (basal diet containing 200 IU/d α-tocopherol acetate), and an antioxidant treatment (basal diet containing 2000 IU/d α-tocopherol acetate and 500 mg/d crystalline ascorbate). Treatments were randomly assigned to 390 crossbred heifers. No differences in feedlot performance were detected; however, there was a tendency for improved feed intake (P = 0.075) and feed efficiency (P = 0.066) for heifers that received the antioxidant treatment. An increased number of yield grade 3 carcasses (P = 0.03) and fewer yield grade 1 carcasses (P < 0.01) was observed in the antioxidant treatment group. No differences were detected between treatments for other carcass characteristics or liver abscess incidence and severity. Another trial evaluated intermittent tylosin feeding and its impact on liver abscess incidence and antimicrobial resistant Enterococcus spp. when compared to continuous tylosin feeding. One of 3 treatments were randomly assigned to 312 crossbred steers: negative control (no tylosin fed throughout the feeding period); positive control (tylosin fed throughout the feeding period); or intermittent treatment (tylosin fed intermittently throughout the feeding period: 1week on, 2 weeks off). Fecal samples were collected on day 0, 20, and 118 to characterize antimicrobial resistant Enterococcus spp. By design, the intermittent treatment consumed 60% less tylosin than the positive control group. No differences were detected between treatments for feedlot performance. Liver abscess incidence was greatest for the negative control, and least for the positive control and intermittent treatments, with no difference being detected between the latter two treatments (P = 0.716). Antimicrobial resistance was unaffected by treatment, but was affected by sampling time. We concluded that supplementing antioxidants is not a viable option to reduce liver abscess incidence and severity, and that tylosin usage can be decreased without adversely affecting performance or liver abscess incidence.

Species inhabiting intermittent streams must have life-history traits that confer resistance or resilience to flow cessation or drying. However, we lack basic life-history information for most aquatic invertebrate species, especially those from intermittent streams. I documented the life cycle and distribution of an unusual winter stonefly species, Mesocapnia arizonensis (Capniidae). The species was first described from 6 localities in 1969, but its natural history remained enigmatic. I surveyed >90 streams across the southwestern USA, documented the life cycle of M. arizonensis at 1 locality, and experimentally rehydrated dry streambed sediment in search of dormant stoneflies at another locality. Field surveys expanded the number of localities from 22 to 98, most of which were intermittent with flow durations as brief as 3 mo/y, and extended the known range of the species by 800 km. Nymphs were abundant within days of flow resumption, grew rapidly as a single cohort, and started emerging as adults 42 d after flow resumed. The brief appearance of a 2(nd) cohort of tiny nymphs 1 mo before the stream dried indicates direct hatching of at least some eggs. I failed to find dormant stoneflies in the top 30 cm of dry stream sediment, suggesting that M. arizonensis undergoes dormancy deep in the substrate, putting it safely out of reach of scouring summer floods that occur between favorable winter seasons. The remarkable ability of M. arizonensis to survive in short-flow duration streams and to endure multiple consecutive dry years, suggests that the species is well prepared for the drier climatic conditions predicted to occur across its range.

Glaister, M., M.H. Stone, A.M. Stewart, M.G. Hughes, and G.L. Moir. The influence of endurance training on multiple sprint cycling performance. J. Strength Cond. Res. 21(2):606-612. 2007. - The aims of the present study were to examine the effects of endurance training on multiple sprint cycling performance and to evaluate the influence of recovery duration on the magnitude of those effects. Twenty-one physically active male university students were randomly assigned to either an experimental (n = 12) or a control (n = 9) group. The experimental group cycled for 20 minutes each day, 3 times per week, for 6 weeks at 70% of the power output required to elicit maximal oxygen uptake (Vo2max). Multiple sprint performance was assessed using 2 maximal (20 × 5 seconds) sprint cycling tests with contrasting recovery periods (10 or 30 seconds). All tests were conducted on a friction-braked cycle ergometer. Relative to controls, training resulted in a 0.2 L·min -1 increase in mean Vo2max (95% likely range: -0.04 to 0.44 L·min-1). Changes in anaerobic capacity (determined by maximal accumulated oxygen deficit) over the same period were trivial (p = 0.96). After training, the experimental group showed significant improvements (∼40 W), relative to controls, in multiple sprint measures of peak and mean power output. In contrast, training-induced reductions in fatigue were trivial (p = 0.63), and there were no significant between-protocol differences in the magnitude of any effects. In summary, 6 weeks of endurance training resulted in substantial improvements in multiple sprint cycling performance, the magnitude of the improvements being largely unaffected by the duration of the intervening recovery periods.