Scalable bloom-filter based content dissemination in community networks using information centric principles

Information-Centric Networking (ICN) is a new communication paradigm that shifts the focus from content location to content objects themselves. Users request the content by its name or some other form of identifier. Then, the network is responsible for locating the requested content and sending it to the users. Despite a large number of works on ICN in recent years, the problem of scalability of ICN systems has not been studied and addressed adequately. This is especially true when considering real-world deployments and the so-called alternative networks such as community networks. In this work, we explore the applicability of ICN principles in the challenging and unpredictable environments of community networks. In particular, we focus on stateless content dissemination based on Bloom filters (BFs). We highlight the scalability limitations of the classical single-stage BF based approach and argue that by enabling multiple BF stages would lead to performance enhancements. That is, a multi-stage BF based content dissemination mechanism could support large network topologies with heterogeneous traffic and diverse channel conditions. In addition to scalability improvements, this approach also is more secure with regard to Denial of Service attacks

Sources of Cardiovascular Health Information and Channels of Health Communication Among Urban Population in Nigeria

This study employed mixed methods to investigate the preferred sources of health information and later explored the views of community healthcare workers on the enablers, barriers and ways of overcoming barriers to health communication. The study found that majority of the participants preferred their source of CV (cardiovascular) health information from the healthcare workers including the medical doctors, nurses, and pharmacists. On the other hand, the least preferred source of health information was from friends, family members, and community leaders. Some of the identified enablers to community health communication include awareness programme via Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), community-based organisations such as faith-based organisations and healthcare facilities. Others are traditional media and social media. The identified barriers to community-based health communication include lack of knowledge and poverty, language barriers, and other miscellaneous issues including misuse of internet, lack of basic amenities and religious beliefs. The community-based healthcare providers articulated ways to overcome the identified barriers, including enlightenment programmes, using the language of the target audience, funding health awareness programmes, and monitoring of health education interventions. This study concludes that dissemination of health information using numerous channels is essential in ensuring population-wide primary prevention of diseases

Health Information Services Available for People Living With HIV/AIDS: Perspectives of Library and Information Professionals

There is an urgent need for availability of life-saving health information services as well as adequate marketing, advertising, and dissemination strategies to people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHAs), and to the broader public at large, especially in the context of a recent UNAIDS estimation that the number of people living with HIV in the United States, at the end of 2003, exceeded one million for the first time. This study explores the HIV/AIDS health information services that are available within the local community of Knoxville, Tennessee, and presents focus group perspectives of nine library and information professionals about awareness and use of these services by PLWHAs. The study forms part of a larger plan to apply a community informatics (CI) approach to examine the provision of health information services for PLWHAs in terms of how PLWHAs and other stakeholders including health care service providers, academic community at the University of Tennessee, community leaders and activists, and faith-based organizations, use and apply information and communication technologies (ICTs) to empower and enable PLWHAs to meet their information needs, goals, and aspirations. Here we report findings from the project’s first phase of documenting perspectives of library and information professionals about existing HIV/AIDS information services, users of these services, barriers and challenges to effective use, and the role of health information professionals in the context of developing ideal information support services for PLWHAs

Community radio-based disaster information dissemination pattern on K-Pass FM Radio Katapang

K-Pass FM Radio Katapang is one of the radios disseminating information about disasters that focuses on training, awareness, and understanding of the people of Katapang Regency to play a role in dealing with disasters and help reduce disaster risk as well. This study aimed to determine the dissemination pattern of disaster information based on community radio conducted by Radio K-Pass FM Katapang. The research used a qualitative approach through case studies research methods. Data collection techniques included in-depth interviews, observation, documentation, and literature studies. Informants amount six people consist of resource persons consisting of community radio administrators, people who feel the impact of the existence of community radio, and people who take part in community radio programs. The study results showed that the dissemination of disaster information on Radio K-Pass FM Katapang increased the awareness of the local community about the dangers of disasters. The disaster information on K-Pass FM Radio Katapang went through three stages: the pattern of dissemination of disaster mitigation information (pre), the pattern of disseminating information when the disaster occurred (in), and post-disaster information (past). This community radio also established a Rescue School that aims to provide knowledge and actions that the community can carry out when a disaster occurs. This study concludes that Radio K-Pass FM Katapang has succeeded in becoming a community radio that positively impacts society, especially in disseminating information related to disasters. Therefore, Radio K-Pass FM Katapang still exists today even though it has been around for a long

Coordination of Decisions in a Spatial Agent Model

For a binary choice problem, the spatial coordination of decisions in an agent community is investigated both analytically and by means of stochastic computer simulations. The individual decisions are based on different local information generated by the agents with a finite lifetime and disseminated in the system with a finite velocity. We derive critical parameters for the emergence of minorities and majorities of agents making opposite decisions and investigate their spatial organization. We find that dependent on two essential parameters describing the local impact and the spatial dissemination of information, either a definite stable minority/majority relation (single-attractor regime) or a broad range of possible values (multi-attractor regime) occurs. In the latter case, the outcome of the decision process becomes rather diverse and hard to predict, both with respect to the share of the majority and their spatial distribution. We further investigate how a dissemination of information on different time scales affects the outcome of the decision process. We find that a more ``efficient'' information exchange within a subpopulation provides a suitable way to stabilize their majority status and to reduce ``diversity'' and uncertainty in the decision process.Comment: submitted for publication in Physica A (31 pages incl. 17 multi-part figures

The Case for a Paradigm Shift in Extension from Information-Centric to Community-Centric Programming

Since its establishment through the Smith-Lever Act, the Cooperative Extension Service has sought to use non-formal education programs centered on community needs to provide research-based information. However, the onset of the information age has transformed the way knowledge is shared and as a result altered the way people access information. Based on observations and program evaluations clients are more interested in the development of communities than passive dissemination of information from traditional Extension programs. Consequently, we assert that the current Extension paradigm of information-centric programming is no longer adequate and Extension should move toward one that is community centric

DISEMINASI PENGEMBANGAN INFORMASI PELAYANAN MASYARAKAT BERBASIS MULTIMEDIA INTERAKTIF DI DESA SINDANGKARYA

Abstrak: Pengurusan administrasi secara konvensional membuat pekerjaan organisasi desa menjadi lebih lambat dan transparan. Kesenjangan digital akibat kurangnya infrastruktur dan sumber daya manusia membuat terhambatnya pengembangan informasi pelayanan masyarakat berbasis multimedia. Tujuan pengabdian untuk mengembangkan informasi pelayanan masyarakat berbasis multimedia interaktif. Metode yang digunakan adalah diseminasi modul sistem informasi pelayanan masyarakat berbasis multimedia interaktif. Kegiatan dilaksanakan pada Rabu, 21 September 2022. Kegiatan diikuti oleh 25 orang yang terdiri atas aparatur desa, anggota karang taruna, kader posyandu, dan bidan. Setelah dilaksanakannya kegiatan pendampingan dan diseminasi, perangkat desa mengalami perubahan signifikan. Segenap aparatur desa telah mampu menjalankan sistem media interaktif dengan baik. Sebanyak 88% mengatakan terbantu dengan adanya multimedia interaktif dalam pelayanan informasi. Dengan demikian kegiatan diseminasi modul bermanfaat untuk mengembangkan multimedia interaktif sebagai informasi pelayanan masyarakat. Aparatur desa dapat meningkatkan kemampuan menyimpan data administrasi dan menyebar informasi desa dengan mudah.Abstract: Conventional administrative management makes the work of village organizations slower and more transparent. The digital divide due to a lack of infrastructure and human resources has hampered the development of multimedia-based community service information. The purpose of the service is to develop interactive multimedia-based community service information. The method used is the dissemination of community service information system modules based on interactive multimedia. The activity was held on Wednesday, September 21, 2022. The activity was attended by 25 people consisting of village officials, members of youth organizations, posyandu cadres, and midwives. After the mentoring and dissemination activities were carried out, village officials underwent significant changes. All village officials have been able to run the interactive media system well. As many as 88% said they were helped by interactive multimedia in information services. Thus the module dissemination activities are useful for developing interactive multimedia as information on community services. Village officials can improve their ability to store administrative data and disseminate village information easily.

An Evaluative Study of Community-based Library and Information Services in Mbaitoli LGA of Imo State, Nigeria

This study explored rural-based library and information services. The location was Mbaitoli LGA in Imo State of Nigeria. Descriptive research method was used while the purposive sampling technique was adopted. Data obtained from copies of questionnaire returned in useable condition were collated, categorized, interpreted and presented in tables and percentages followed by discussion. Results show that although information services exist in different forms in all the communities surveyed, rural libraries were almost none-existent in twenty-nine (93.5%) out of thirty-one villages covered and, so have not played the expected role in rural information dissemination. Most of the available information agencies are not properly coordinated to suit the peculiar information needs of rural communities. It was also found that poor funding, absence of information infrastructure (i.e. rural libraries, community radio/television, rural newspapers, etc) and high cost of information materials are amongst the several problems which impede the effectiveness of community-based information services. Several recommendations were made, prominent among which are, that: (i) Rural libraries should be established, properly funded and adequately equipped; and (ii) Different information-generating and dissemination agencies in the rural areas should be effectively coordinated. It is also recommended that community radio and rural-focused print media should be established in the Local Government Area (LGA)

Dissemination Using Infographic Reports Depicting Program Impact of a Community-Based Research Program: eB4CAST in iCook 4-H

Objective: To evaluate barriers to dissemination and implementation and perceptions of the Evidence- Based Forecast Capture, Assemble, Sustain, Timelessness (eB4CAST) dissemination infographic tool as part of iCook 4-H dissemination. Design: Online surveys and phone interviews. Participants: Experts (n = 35) in community research completed the survey; 13 completed the interview. Main Outcomes Measure: Experts’ perceptions of eB4CASTreports used for iCook 4-H dissemination. Analysis: Frequency and thematic analysis. Results: Survey respondents agreed (85%) that the eB4CAST infographic provided a clear understanding of iCook 4-H and relevant information (83%). Statistics included in the infographic were reported as easily understood (66%). Respondents (83%) stated that the infographic would be helpful to share outcomes with stakeholders. Thematic analysis showed that the majority of interviewees agreed that eB4CAST infographics might aid in overcoming barriers to dissemination and implementation including communication and community ownership. Conclusions and Implications: This study provides perceptions from experts regarding the value of using eB4CAST infographics as a tool to disseminate the impact of a community nutrition program