Active Queue Management for Fair Resource Allocation in Wireless Networks

This paper investigates the interaction between end-to-end flow control and MAC-layer scheduling on wireless links. We consider a wireless network with multiple users receiving information from a common access point; each user suffers fading, and a scheduler allocates the channel based on channel quality,but subject to fairness and latency considerations. We show that the fairness property of the scheduler is compromised by the transport layer flow control of TCP New Reno. We provide a receiver-side control algorithm, CLAMP, that remedies this situation. CLAMP works at a receiver to control a TCP sender by setting the TCP receiver's advertised window limit, and this allows the scheduler to allocate bandwidth fairly between the users

Wasta and Non-Arab Training, Characteristics, Task, and Culture in Arab Markets

Non-Arab global leaders face many cultural challenges when doing business in Arab markets. One such challenge is how to work with wasta, which is translated as networking and favoritism. The purpose of this study was to identify the relationships between wasta and a non-Arab managerial expatriates\u27 training, personal and professional characteristics, task complexity, and cultural differences and the effect of such relationships on wasta performance of non-Arab managerial expatriates in Arab markets. A quantitative non-experimental survey design was used to collect and statistically test data to answer the research questions. A simple random sample of 53208 non-Arab expatriates currently working in the U.A.E. were invited to participate in the study, resulting in -final sample of 175 non-Arab expatriates who are holding managerial positions (.33%). Simple and multiple regression analyses were used to test the research questions and hypotheses. Coefficient alphas and factor analyses were conducted on all scales used in the study in order to examine their reliability and validity. For the multiple regression analyses, an F Value statistical test was used to identify the model\u27s significant predictive capability. R Square (R2) identified the variances in the dependent variable explained by the independent variables. Findings of this study indicated significant influence of Expatriates\u27 Training on the Wasta Performance indicator of ability to build network with Arab managers; Expatriates\u27 Characteristics on the Wasta Performance indicators of ability to build network and relationship with Arab managers, ability to understand Arab managers\u27 decision making, and ability to integrate in the Arab business community; Task Complexity on the Wasta Performance indicators of ability to build network and relationship with Arab managers, and ability to integrate in the Arab business community; Cross-Cultural Differences on the Wasta Performance indicators of ability to build network and. strong relationship with Arab managers and understand Arab managers\u27 decision making. Future research may also include non-managerial expatriates in Arab markets, focus on the differences between wasta in the Arab culture and networking in other cultures, and assess non-expatriates in other Arab countries

Political violence, fear, and democracy: how violence shapes democracy in Mozambique

Abstract How does living in a violent context influence political participation, political behavior, and attitudes about democracy? Since the end of the Cold War, intrastate violence has increased across developing democracies. This growing violence has occurred in parallel with the proliferation of elections. Although today, in almost every country globally, citizens are afforded the chance to select their leadership, too often, bullets and ballots mix. The mix of voting and violence threatens the democratization process, undermines essential democratic institutions, and can lead to prolonged civil conflict. It is dangerous to the survival of democratic regimes and, in many ways, can be a path to upending or suspending democratic processes altogether. Political violence makes it difficult to establish peace and stability and strengthen citizen confidence in democracy. Despite the substantial literature on political behavior in Africa, we still do not fully understand how varying socio-political and socioeconomic contexts influence citizens' behaviors. Although cross-national studies have examined the influence of political and institutional contextual factors, such as electoral and party systems, on voter turnout, country-specific issues, like ongoing armed conflict or pervasive political violence, are not always included in these analyses. It is necessary to move beyond examining individual characteristics and include country-specific contextual factors that can explain voter behavior and attitudes about democracy within African countries. Individual characteristics alone do not tell the whole story, and by focusing solely on these variables, we miss out on a variety of social and political environmental factors that may shape how citizens behave and think. Based on theories stemming from the literatures on the legacies of civil war, terrorism, electoral violence, and political behavior, I argue that voter turnout, vote choice, and attitudes to democracy are shaped by the social and political contexts in which citizens find themselves. Ongoing armed conflict and pervasive political violence are crucial contextual determinants that shape whether individuals decide to vote, whom they choose to support, and how they feel about democracy and democratic institutions. I also argue that close ties to a political party play a crucial role in conditioning the relationship between violence and democratic citizenship. Using a rich array of data, I produce statistical evidence that shows violent contexts have a negative impact on these behaviors and attitudes. I examine the consequences of political violence and ongoing armed conflict in a country that regularly holds elections. The case of Mozambique, and in particular, its 2014 election, presents an opportunity to understand the impact of armed conflict and political violence on both elections, and the larger multi-party regime. The evidence supports the notion that the ruling party, FRELIMO, lost support because of the violence and that RENAMO was able to bolster its support. However, the identity of the perpetrators of violence, in combination with individual partisan identity influenced how violence shaped Mozambican political behavior. In addition to violent contexts, I find that fear of electoral violence reduces voter turnout, support for the incumbent, and satisfaction with and support for democracy. The effect of fear is particularly salient for individuals who are not attached to a political party. Thus, not only does violence shape how people behave in a given election, it also shapes how they view the larger multi-party regime in which elections take place

The X-ray spectrum of Fe XVII revisited with a multi-ion model

The theoretical intensities of the soft X-ray Fe XVII lines arising from 2l-3l' transitions are reexamined using a three-ion collisional-radiative model that includes the contributions to line formation of radiative recombination (RR), dielectronic recombination (DR), resonant excitation (RE), and inner-shell collisional ionization (CI), in addition to the usual contribution of collisional excitation (CE). These additional processes enhance mostly the 2p-3s lines and not the 2p-3d lines. Under coronal equilibrium conditions, in the electron temperature range of 400 to 600 eV where the Fe XVII line emissivities peak, the combined effect of the additional processes is to enhance the 2p-3s lines at 16.78, 17.05, and 17.10 A, by ~ 25%, 30%, and 55%, respectively, compared with their traditional, single-ion CE values. The weak 2p-3d line at 15.45 A is also enhanced by up to 20%, while the other 2p-3d lines are almost unaffected. The effects of DR and RE are found to be dominant in this temperature range (400 - 600 eV), while that of CI is 3% at the most, and the contribution of RR is less than 1%. At lower temperatures, where the Fe XVII / Fe XVIII abundance ratio is high, the RE effect dominates. However, as the temperature rises and the Fe XVIII abundance increases, the DR effect takes over. The newly calculated line powers can reproduce most of the often observed high values of the (I17.05 + I17.10) / I15.01 intensity ratio. The importance of ionization and recombination processes to the line strengths also helps to explain why laboratory measurements in which CE is essentially the sole mechanism agree well with single-ion calculations, but do not reproduce the astrophysically observed ratios.Comment: Submitted to Ap

Production of Self - Compacting Concrete Using Jordanian Oil Shale Ash

The potential of using Jordanian oil shale ash (OSA) as partial replacement of the cement on fresh and mechanical properties of self-compacting concrete (SCC) was investigated in depth. Six SCC mixtures were prepared with limestone filler and varying cement mass replacements of 0-30% OSA. The binder materials content was kept constant at (350 kg/m3) while the water-to-binder ratio was changed from 0.5 to 0.68 depending upon the amount of mixing water needed to achieve the required fresh properties. Standard cylinders (100x200 mm) were cast, then cured in water for 7, 28 and 56 days before being tested under compression to evaluate the mechanical properties of SCC. The strength of the SCC concrete decreased with higher OSA replacement contents although maintaining a higher value than that of conventional concrete made at almost the same cement factor. In general, replacement contents of cement by OSA not larger than 10% imparted limited negative impact on obtained mechanical properties. The SCC mixtures studied experienced high flowability, filling ability and resistance against segregation as indicated by the several tests carried out on fresh mixtures

Analysing the impact of post-pandemic factors on entrepreneurial intentions: The enduring significance of self-efficacy in student planned behaviour.

After the pandemic, there has still been an increased interest in examining university students’ entrepreneurial goals. In this study, we looked at the practicality and validity of using self-efficacy to broaden the theory of planned behavior (TPB) in assessing students’ intent to be entrepreneurs. Additionally, we looked at how students’ geographic location and gender affected their plans to start their businesses. Following the epidemic, we analyzed data obtained from a number of university students in both urban and rural regions of India using PLS-SEM and ANN methods. Our study confirmed the pivotal role that university students’ self-efficacy had in their entrepreneurial goals. The results of multi-group analysis (MGA) reported the insignificant moderating role of gender for the students’ entrepreneurial intentions. Still, they found a statistically significant difference in their said behavior control for entrepreneurial intentions regarding location. Based on their perceived behavioral control, the findings also suggest that youths in rural areas had lower entrepreneurial inclinations than urban students. The study indicated that considering the importance of student self-efficacy, universities should focus on improving students’ skill sets and problem-solving mindsets while constructing education courses