Optimizing Service Differentiation Scheme with Sized-based Queue Management in DiffServ Networks

In this paper we introduced Modified Sized-based Queue Management as a dropping scheme that aims to fairly prioritize and allocate more service to VoIP traffic over bulk data like FTP as the former one usually has small packet size with less impact to the network congestion. In the same time, we want to guarantee that this prioritization is fair enough for both traffic types. On the other hand we study the total link delay over the congestive link with the attempt to alleviate this congestion as much as possible at the by function of early congestion notification. Our M-SQM scheme has been evaluated with NS2 experiments to measure the packets received from both and total link-delay for different traffic. The performance evaluation results of M-SQM have been validated and graphically compared with the performance of other three legacy AQMs (RED, RIO, and PI). It is depicted that our M-SQM outperformed these AQMs in providing QoS level of service differentiation.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figures, 1 table, Submitted to Journal of Telecommunication

Audit Committee Effectiveness and Voluntary Disclosure in Malaysia: PRE and Post Introduction of the Revisd Malaysian Code on Corporate Governance 2007

Global economic crisis in 2008 has increased the focus on the role of audit committee in ensuring integrity and transparency in corporate reporting. Audit committee characteristics are crucial in determining the ability of audit committee in carrying out its responsibilities effectively. Hence, this study aims to investigate the contribution of audit committee characteristics to audit committee effectiveness over corporate voluntary disclosure by Malaysian listed firms. This study also examines the effect of board of directors’ characteristics on the level of voluntary disclosure. In addition, this study investigates the moderating effect of corporate board governance and concentrated ownership with audit committee effectiveness and corporate voluntary disclosure. Based on annual reports of 2006 and 2009, the study used 292 firms listed on Bursa Malaysia. The empirical results reveal that higher proportion of independent directors on audit committee, and totally independent audit committee members can lead to significantly a higher level of voluntary disclosure. Further, members with accounting expertise and multiple directorships, and also the size of audit committee are significantly associated with corporate voluntary disclosure. Surprisingly, results on board of directors indicate that none of the board attributes appear to determine corporate voluntary disclosure. The results further reveal that neither board governance nor concentrated ownership moderate the association between audit committee effectiveness and the level of voluntary disclosure. The findings of this study show that audit committee characteristics enhance the effectiveness of audit committee as a monitoring role, and hence mitigating the agency problems associated with corporate disclosure practices. Policy makers and regulatory bodies should interpret this evidence as motivation for them to strengthen corporate boards’ practices to effectively deal with the unique features of corporate governance in emerging economies such as Malaysia

Challenges facing transactional e-government systems

This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University, 17/10/2005.A review of normative literature, in the field of e-government, indicates that the transactional stage of e-government is one of the most important to the implementation of an e-government system as it represents the highest level of interaction within organisations and between customers and government organisations. Due to the importance of the transactional stage of the e-government system and its positive impact, not only in making the delivery of external services quicker, but also in increasing the efficiency of internal government processes, government organisations might seek to reach this stage. In fact, in the literature, there appears to be an absence of theoretical models for the technical and organisational challenges facing transactional e-government systems. Furthermore, there is a lack of studies focusing on identification of the importance, categorisation and presentation of strategies for overcoming technical and organisational challenges. Consequently, this dissertation attempts to fill the information gap based on empirical data derived from two case studies. This work proposes a novel model for the technical and organisational challenges facing transactional e-government systems. In moving from the conceptual to the empirical, the work is based on a qualitative case study approach to examine the proposed model for the technical and organisational challenges facing transactional e-government systems. In doing so, two case studies were conducted, presented and analysed. During the empirical research, additional technical and organisational challenge(s) facing transactional e-government systems emerged, which resulted in modifications being made to the previously presented conceptual model. However, this dissertation proposes the conceptual model, identifies the importance, categorisation, and presentation of the strategies for overcoming, technical and organisational challenges facing a transactional e-government system. This results in the development of a frame of reference that will lead to a model that can be used to enhance decision-making

A free-piston Stirling engine/linear alternator controls and load interaction test facility

A test facility at LeRC was assembled for evaluating free-piston Stirling engine/linear alternator control options, and interaction with various electrical loads. This facility is based on a 'SPIKE' engine/alternator. The engine/alternator, a multi-purpose load system, a digital computer based load and facility control, and a data acquisition system with both steady-periodic and transient capability are described. Preliminary steady-periodic results are included for several operating modes of a digital AC parasitic load control. Preliminary results on the transient response to switching a resistive AC user load are discussed

Pengaruh Pemberian Probiotik Terhadap Performa Ayam Petelur

This study was conducted to determine the effect of supplements probiotic on layer performance (consumption and conversion ration, persentage hen day and egg weight). This research was held on 21 July—24 August 2014 in the CV. Varia Agung Jaya henhouse laying in the District of Seputih Mataram, Center of Lampung Regency. Local probiotic was made in Microbiology Laboratorium and Moleculer Biology Laboratorium, Faculty of MIPA, Lampung University. The study used completely randomized design with 3 treatments (P1: control ration, P2: control ration with local probiotic 3%, and P3: control ration with comercial probiotic 3%) and 6 replications. Data obtained was analyzed using analysis of variance at 5% level and continued Duncan test at 5% level. Based on the results we can conclude: the effect of treatments significant (P0.05) on percentage of hen day and egg weight. Control ration significantly (P0.05) on supplement probiotic

Pengaruh Manajemen Peternak Terhadap Efesiensi Reproduksi Sapi Bali Di Kabupaten Pringsewu Provinsi Lampung

The aim of this research was to determine the effect of farmer management on Balicattle reproduction efficiency in Pringsewu Regency, Lampung Province. This studywas conducted in August—September 2015 to 108 farmers and 143 Bali with censusmethod. Data were analyzed by logistic regression and multiple regression.The results showed that the CR was 51,75% with kind of grass that negativelyassociated with factor value 0,199, wall of cow's pen that positively associated withfactor value 1,455, and sanitation of cow's pen that positively associated with factorvalue 0,510, body conditioning score that negatively associated with factor value0,533 and first mating age that negatively associated with factor value 0,059. The CIwas 416,69 ± 70,03 days with farmer's reason that negatively associated with factorvalue 28,379, floor of cow's pen that positively associated with factor value 19,880,age of weaning calf that positively associated with factor value 0,076, first mating agethat positively associated with factor value 0,972, and state of reproduction thatnegatively associated with factor value 125,306. The S/C was 1,76 with farmereducation that negatively associated with factor value 0,200, large of cow's pen thatnegatively associated with factor value 0,016, and sanitation of cow's pen thatnegatively associated with factor value 0,297. The RB was 18,18% with farmer'sduration that negatively associated with factor value 0,059, the amount of water thatnegatively associated with factor value 0,058, large of cow's pen that negativelyassociated with factor value 0,109 and sanitation of cow's pen that negativelyassociated with factor value 1,154

An exploration of issues and limitations in current methods of TOPSIS and fuzzy TOPSIS

Decision making is an important process for organizations. Common practice involves evaluation of prioritized alternatives based on a given set of criteria. These criteria conflict with each other and commonly no solution can satisfy all criteria simultaneously. This problem is known as Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) or Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) problem. One of the well-known techniques in MCDM is the ‘Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution’ (TOPSIS) which was introduced by Hwang and Yoon in 1981 [1]. However, this technique uses crisp information which is impractical in many real world situations because decision makers usually express opinions in natural language such as Poor and Good. Information in the form of natural language, i.e. words, in turn is characterized by fuzziness and uncertainty (i.e. ‘what is the meaning of poor’). This uncertainty can be a challenge for decision makers. Zadeh [2] introduced the concept of fuzzy sets, which enables systematic reasoning with imprecise and fuzzy information by using fuzzy sets to represent linguistic terms numerically to then handle uncertain human judgement

A comparison between two types of Fuzzy TOPSIS method

Multi Criteria Decision Making methods have been developed to solve complex real-world decision problems. The Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) is currently one of the most popular methods and has been shown to provide helpful outputs in various application areas. In recent years, a variety of extensions, including fuzzy extensions of TOPSIS have been proposed. One challenge that has arisen is that it is not straightforward to differentiate between the multiple variants of TOPSIS existing today. Thus, in this paper, a comparison between the classical Fuzzy TOPSIS method proposed by Chen in 2000 and the recently Fuzzy TOPSIS proposed extension by Yuen in 2014 is made. The purpose of this comparative study is to show the difference between both methods and to provide context for their respective strengths and limitations both in complexity of application, and expressiveness of results. A detailed synthetic numeric example and comparison of both methods are provided