Validation of simulated real world TCP stacks

The TCP models in ns-2 have been validated and are widely used in network research. They are however not aimed at producing results consistent with a TCP implementation, they are rather designed to be a general model for TCP congestion control. The Network Simulation Cradle makes real world TCP implementations available to ns-2: Linux, FreeBSD and OpenBSD can all be simulated as easily as using the original simplified models. These simulated TCP implementations can be validated by directly comparing packet traces from simulations to traces measured from a real network. We describe the Network Simulation Cradle, present packet trace comparison results showing the high degree of accuracy possible when simulating with real TCP implementations and briefly show how this is reflected in a simulation study of TCP throughput

Responsible corporate governance in Europe

The latest European Union’s (EU) guiding policies are encouraging big businesses and state-owned organisations to provide a fair and truthful view of their respective entities’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance. At present, European member states are transposing directive 2014/95/EU on non-financial reporting. The EU’s “comply or explain” approach has presented a significant step forward toward the corporations’ active engagement on corporate governance disclosure and transparency. Hence, this chapter makes specific reference to some of the corporations’ best practices as it identifies areas for improvement in corporate governance issues. It explains how three major European banks have reviewed the roles and responsibilities of corporate boards and management. In many cases, they have anticipated any regulatory, legal, contractual, social and market-driven obligations as they helped stakeholders to exercise their rights. This contribution contends that there are significant implications for financial services corporations who intend following the right path toward responsible corporate governance and ethical behaviours.peer-reviewe

Macromarketing insights ninety minutes at a time: A season with Forest Green Rovers, the world's greenest football club

Peterson (2016) in his first publication as the editor of the Journal of Macromarketing called for more research into marketing dynamics and practices functioning at a meso / place-based level. This paper responds to this call by embedding its research in the places and spaces of the World’s greenest football club, Forest Green Rovers (FGR). Through the application of visual ethnographical participatory research FGR is empirically explored as a place capable of educating, influencing and changing consumption choices to favour sustainability. The study offers a novel macromarketing perspective on the practices of a football club and demonstrates the potential of its ‘tangible symbols’ to stimulate sustainable consumption. It shows how specific ‘in place’ symbols of sustainability are perceived as normal and thus lack any real impact, while others such as vegan only food are more significant. It also indicates that the symbols of sustainability functioning at FGR play a role in reaffirming the authenticity and genuine commitment that the football club and its owner have to promote sustainability and veganism. Subsequently, the paper presents both empirical and theoretical contributions to macromarketing by demonstrating the workings of a meso level place to facilitate sustainable consumption and theorising a football club’s commitment to sustainability as a macromarketing phenomenon

Modeling temperature distribution in cylindrical lithium ion batteries for use in electric vehicle cooling system design

Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2008.Includes bibliographical references (leaf 31).Recent advancements in lithium ion battery technology have made BEV's a more feasible alternative. However, some safety concerns still exist. While the energy density of lithium ion batteries has all but made them the premier electric vehicle (EV) battery choice, their potential to overheat and explode is a limiting factor. Beyond certain temperature thresholds, lithium ion batteries will experience what is known as thermal runaway. During thermal runaway, the temperature of the battery increases uncontrollably and fires and explosions can occur. For this reason, adequate thermal management is a necessity in bringing lithium ion battery powered vehicles to market. The purpose of this work is to 1) develop mathematical models for temperature distribution and heat transfer in cylindrical lithium-ion cells and battery packs, 2) derive the target heat transfer coefficient for an EV cooling system 3) analyze the key design parameters of EV thermal management systems, and, ultimately, 4) determine the method of cooling necessary to prevent thermal runaway. The models are based on the fundamentals of heat transfer and are integrated into computer simulations for testing. Based on the models developed in this analysis, forced convection at the surface of the battery pack is not sufficient for preventing thermal runaway outside of minimum operational requirements (low ambient temperatures and discharge rates). For typical vehicle usage, a system in which the working fluid penetrates the pack is needed. There may be potential for a hybrid cooling system: one that relies on surface convection for less strenuous operation and strategically placed cooling channels for typical and extraneous operation.by Samuel Anthony Jasinski.S.B

Teaching in and beyond pandemic times (2021)

Book review:  edited by Jonathan D Jansen and Theola Farmer-Phillip

A Novel Needleless Liquid Jet injection Methodology for Improving Direct Cardiac Gene Delivery: An Optimization of Parameters, Aav Mediated Therapy and investigation of Host Responses in Ischemic Heart Failure

Heart disease remains the leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide, with 22 million new patients diagnosed annually. Essentially, all present therapies have significant cost burden to the healthcare system, yet fail to increase survival rates. One key employed strategy is the genetic reprogramming of cells to increase contractility via gene therapy, which has advanced to Phase IIb Clinical Trials for advanced heart failure patients. It has been argued that the most significant barrier preventing FDA approval are resolving problems with safe, efficient myocardial delivery, whereby direct injection in the infarct and remote tissue areas is not clinically feasible. Here, we aim to: (1) Improve direct cardiac gene delivery through the development of a novel liquid jet device approach (2) Compare the new method against traditional IM injection with two different vector constructions and evaluate outcome (3) Evaluate the host response resulting from both modes of direct cardiac injection, then advance a drug/gene combination with controlled release nanoparticle formulations

Angels in the wind: future directions for educational research

Opening address at the 2014 SAERA conference Michael Samuel(Chair of the Local Organizing Committee