1,240 research outputs found
Large scale probabilistic available bandwidth estimation
The common utilization-based definition of available bandwidth and many of
the existing tools to estimate it suffer from several important weaknesses: i)
most tools report a point estimate of average available bandwidth over a
measurement interval and do not provide a confidence interval; ii) the commonly
adopted models used to relate the available bandwidth metric to the measured
data are invalid in almost all practical scenarios; iii) existing tools do not
scale well and are not suited to the task of multi-path estimation in
large-scale networks; iv) almost all tools use ad-hoc techniques to address
measurement noise; and v) tools do not provide enough flexibility in terms of
accuracy, overhead, latency and reliability to adapt to the requirements of
various applications. In this paper we propose a new definition for available
bandwidth and a novel framework that addresses these issues. We define
probabilistic available bandwidth (PAB) as the largest input rate at which we
can send a traffic flow along a path while achieving, with specified
probability, an output rate that is almost as large as the input rate. PAB is
expressed directly in terms of the measurable output rate and includes
adjustable parameters that allow the user to adapt to different application
requirements. Our probabilistic framework to estimate network-wide
probabilistic available bandwidth is based on packet trains, Bayesian
inference, factor graphs and active sampling. We deploy our tool on the
PlanetLab network and our results show that we can obtain accurate estimates
with a much smaller measurement overhead compared to existing approaches.Comment: Submitted to Computer Network
Multi-path Probabilistic Available Bandwidth Estimation through Bayesian Active Learning
Knowing the largest rate at which data can be sent on an end-to-end path such
that the egress rate is equal to the ingress rate with high probability can be
very practical when choosing transmission rates in video streaming or selecting
peers in peer-to-peer applications. We introduce probabilistic available
bandwidth, which is defined in terms of ingress rates and egress rates of
traffic on a path, rather than in terms of capacity and utilization of the
constituent links of the path like the standard available bandwidth metric. In
this paper, we describe a distributed algorithm, based on a probabilistic
graphical model and Bayesian active learning, for simultaneously estimating the
probabilistic available bandwidth of multiple paths through a network. Our
procedure exploits the fact that each packet train provides information not
only about the path it traverses, but also about any path that shares a link
with the monitored path. Simulations and PlanetLab experiments indicate that
this process can dramatically reduce the number of probes required to generate
accurate estimates
The tetrapod Caerorhachis bairdi Holmes and Carroll from the Lower Carboniferous of Scotland
The tetrapod Caerorhachis bairdi, probably from the Pendleian Limestone Coal
Group in the Scottish Midland Valley, is redi agnosed and redescribed, and its affinities are
discussed. Caerorachis was originally interpreted as a temnospondyl amphibian, based on
characters that are now regarded as primitive for tetrapods, or of uncertain polarity. Several
features of Caerorhachis (e.g. gastrocentrous vertebrae, curved trunk ribs, reduced dorsal iliac
blade, L-shaped tarsal intermedium) are observed in certain primitive amniotes. In particular,
Caerorhachis resembles ‘anthracosaurs’, generally considered to be among the most primitive of
stem-group amniotes.
The phylogenetic position of Caerorhachis is considered in the light of recently published cladistic
analyses of Palaeozoic tetrapods. Most analyses place Caerorhachis at the base of, or within, ‘anthra-
cosaurs’. When multiple, equally parsimonious solutions are found, its ‘anthracosaur’ affinities are
shown in at least some trees, and are supported by several informative and, generally, highly
consistent characters. Alternative phylogenetic placements (e.g. sister taxon to temnospondyls) are
usually less well corroborated.
If the fundamental evolutionary split of most early tetrapods into stem-group lissamphibians (e.g.
temnospondyl s) and stem-group amniotes (e.g. ‘anthracosaurs’) is accepted, then the revised
interpretation of Caerorhachi s sheds light on near-ancestral conditions for Amniota
Greedy Gossip with Eavesdropping
This paper presents greedy gossip with eavesdropping (GGE), a novel
randomized gossip algorithm for distributed computation of the average
consensus problem. In gossip algorithms, nodes in the network randomly
communicate with their neighbors and exchange information iteratively. The
algorithms are simple and decentralized, making them attractive for wireless
network applications. In general, gossip algorithms are robust to unreliable
wireless conditions and time varying network topologies. In this paper we
introduce GGE and demonstrate that greedy updates lead to rapid convergence. We
do not require nodes to have any location information. Instead, greedy updates
are made possible by exploiting the broadcast nature of wireless
communications. During the operation of GGE, when a node decides to gossip,
instead of choosing one of its neighbors at random, it makes a greedy
selection, choosing the node which has the value most different from its own.
In order to make this selection, nodes need to know their neighbors' values.
Therefore, we assume that all transmissions are wireless broadcasts and nodes
keep track of their neighbors' values by eavesdropping on their communications.
We show that the convergence of GGE is guaranteed for connected network
topologies. We also study the rates of convergence and illustrate, through
theoretical bounds and numerical simulations, that GGE consistently outperforms
randomized gossip and performs comparably to geographic gossip on
moderate-sized random geometric graph topologies.Comment: 25 pages, 7 figure
Examining The Cultural, Age and Gender Differences In Attitudes Toward Employee Engagement Surveys.
In order to assess levels of engagement in a global organisation, employees must communicate their views, concerns and issues, typically through an online anonymous survey. The main providers such as Towers Watson, Gallop or Effectory, often release white papers and eye catching headlines about varying degrees of employee engagement around the world (Penhale Smith N, 2015.) As an Organisational Development Consultant, increasingly involved in both administering employee surveys, including the communication that precedes their implementation, I became concerned that comparing engagement results between countries was at the very least problematic and potentially unreliable. When I hear that Indian employees are more engaged than Chinese (Dale Carnegie, 2014) and Austrians are the most engaged in Europe (Effectory, 2014) the potential variances within the profiles of respondents would appear at first glance to be significant enough to impact direct comparisons. For instance, do employees in former communist countries see engagement and its typical composites (leadership, benefits, development, welfare, trust, brand loyalty, etc.) in the same way as those from countries with, as Hostede highlighted, lesser degrees of “Power Distance” (Hofstede Centre, 2015.)
Starting with the null hypothesis that “attitudes to employee surveys do not vary by country or gender and age within those countries” I conducted an online survey with employees from one organisation in, the UK, USA, Mexico, Romania, India and China, (n= 286) assessing their attitudes towards factors such as belief in the anonymity of surveys, honesty of response, preferred method of raising concerns and whether they believe employee surveys to be the most effective method of communicating issues related to engagement. In addition, the results of a recent pan European Employee engagement survey and focus groups I had conducted, were examined to see if differences in attitude could be identified.
Conclusion
That in countries with a high level of “Power Distance” such as Romania, India, China and Mexico, employee surveys were the preferred method of communicating upwards, particularly with female employees. (P=
Overall there were many differences in attitude towards communicating upwards using an online anonymous survey and this raises serious concerns for practitioners when asked to compare the results from employees around the world. In light of the strong correlation between attitudes to employee surveys and high levels of Power –Distance, it may be possible to identify countries and minority groups within them, for whom a survey is the most effective method, and in turn recommend other methods to gather feedback, in those with a lower level
The TrueBlue study : is practice nurse-led collaborative care effective in the management of depression for patients with heart disease or diabetes?
Background: In the presence of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) or coronary heart disease (CHD), depression is under diagnosed and under treated despite being associated with worse clinical outcomes. Our earlier pilot study demonstrated that it was feasible, acceptable and affordable for practice nurses to extend their role to include screening for and monitoring of depression alongside biological and lifestyle risk factors. The current study will compare the clinical outcomes of our model of practice nurse-led collaborative care with usual care for patients with depression and T2DM or CHD.Methods: This is a cluster-randomised intervention trial. Eighteen general practices from regional and metropolitan areas agreed to join this study, and were allocated randomly to an intervention or control group. We aim to recruit 50 patients with co-morbid depression and diabetes or heart disease from each of these practices. In the intervention group, practice nurses (PNs) will be trained for their enhanced roles in this nurse-led collaborative care study. Patients will be invited to attend a practice nurse consultation every 3 months prior to seeing their usual general practitioner. The PN will assess psychological, physiological and lifestyle parameters then work with the patient to set management goals. The outcome of this assessment will form the basis of a GP Management Plan document. In the control group, the patients will continue to receive their usual care for the first six months of the study before the PNs undergo the training and switch to the intervention protocol. The primary clinical outcome will be a reduction in the depression score. The study will also measure the impact on physiological measures, quality of life and on patient attitude to health care delivered by practice nurses.Conclusion: The strength of this programme is that it provides a sustainable model of chronic disease management with monitoring and self-management assistance for physiological, lifestyle and psychological risk factors for high-risk patients with co-morbid depression, diabetes or heart disease. The study will demonstrate whether nurse-led collaborative care achieves better outcomes than usual care.<br /
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