Developing interest management techniques in distributed interactive simulation using Java

Bandwidth consumption in distributed real time simulation, or networked real time simulation, is a major problem as the number of participants and the sophistication of joint simulation exercises grow in size. The paper briefly reviews distributed real time simulation and bandwidth reduction techniques and introduces the Generic Runtime Infrastructure for Distributed Simulation (GRIDS) as a research architecture for studying such problems. GRIDS uses Java abstract classes to promote distributed services called thin agents, a novel approach to implementing distributed simulation services, such as user defined bandwidth reduction mechanisms, and to distributing the executable code across the simulation. Thin agents offer the advantages of traditional agents without the overhead imposed by mobility or continuous state, which are unnecessary in this context. We present our implementation and some predicted results from message reduction studies using thin agent

Integrating BOINC with Microsoft Excel: A case study

The convergence of conventional Grid computing with public resource computing (PRC) offers potential benefits in the enterprise setting. For this work we took the popular PRC toolkit BOINC and used it to execute a previously monolithic Microsoft Excel financial model across several commodity computers. Our experience indicates that speedup approaching linear may be realised for certain scenarios, and that this approach offers a viable route to leveraging idle desktop PCs in the enterprise

Technical report: Trial experience and data capture in the Low Birth Weight South Asia Trial, a large cluster-randomised controlled trial in lowland Nepal

Objectives: i) to describe data capture in the Low Birth Weight South Asia Trial (LBWSAT) and factors affecting it; ii) to analyse to what extent differential data capture created bias in the available data. Methods: We describe the context, study design, data collection instruments used and their capture rates. Little of the data available were eligible for trial analyses, so use of the data for secondary analyses is important. Data capture was affected by data collector overload, pressure to enrol women in the food and cash transfer arms, delayed receipt of participant ID cards, enrolment of women at any gestational age (including after delivery at the start), in-migration into the food/cash arms to access transfers, political instability, conflict in the field team, logistical issues, establishment of a run-in period, hiatus of data collection during training, and lack of funds to extend the duration of the study. To assess the extent that differential data capture generated bias we described background characteristics by study arm and in-migration status. Then for each of the main data collection instruments we compared captured and not-captured enrolled women’s age, age at marriage, wealth score and height using t-tests and enrolled women’s and husband’s education using chi squared tests. Using mixed logistic regressions (adjusted for clustering using random effects) we assessed the odd of questionnaire capture in relation to these factors. Results: Small differences between captured and non-captured women were found. In-migrators were more prevalent in the cash/food transfer arms and compared with permanent residents were more likely to be living in their parental homes, younger, primigravida, adolescent, Muslim, slightly poorer and have some education. Analyses of captured and non-captured women by questionnaire revealed small differences in age, age at marriage, wealth score and education but mostly these differences were very small. The largest differences were between captured and non-captured women in the endline cross-sectional survey, when slightly older, less educated, poorer women were more likely to be captured. These women more likely to report to a measuring station in their community. Conclusions: Many challenges in implementing large-scale trials in the plains of Nepal affect rates of data capture, especially when several timebound follow-up data collection occasions are needed. Although in-migrated and permanent residents, and captured and non-captured women differed slightly, the differences were not large enough to be of concern

Creating year 7 bubbles to support primary to secondary school transition: a positive pandemic outcome?

In this paper, we explore the benefits of new forms of in-school grouping for children moving from primary to secondary school during the COVID-19 pandemic in England. Our three-phase study with over 400 students and teachers found that protective measures to limit COVID-19 though year group ‘bubbles’ generated an environment more aligned to children’s previous primary school experience. This natural experiment smoothed the process of transition by providing a better correspondence with students’ developmental needs, especially for those on the cusp of adolescence. We recommend that physical, administrative and pedagogical school structures are reimagined for this age group to this end

Introducing KiVa school-based antibullying programme to the UK: A preliminary examination of effectiveness and programme cost

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from Sage Publications via the DOI in this record.Bullying is an internationally recognized problem and school-based bullying is particularly pervasive. KiVa is a robustly evidenced school-based antibullying programme developed and evaluated at Turku University, Finland, and subsequently disseminated across Finland. Following a positive UK trial of Unit 2 (for 10- to 12-year-olds), further UK dissemination has taken place. This study presents (a) pupil self-reported levels of victimization and bullying prior to, and after, one year of KiVa implementation (Units 1 and 2) with 7- to 11-year-olds from 41 schools, and (b) programme training and delivery costs. Data from 41 primary schools were analysed using a linear mixed model effects analysis. Results revealed statistically significant reductions in victimization and bullying after one year of programme implementation. Ongoing costs were small, at £2.84 per Key Stage 2 pupil per annum. These promising results highlight the need for further more rigorous evaluation of KiVa in the UK, including the exploration of factors associated with effective implementation, and the importance for educators and policy makers of evaluating both impact and costs when implementing programmes to prevent and reduce bullying.BIG Lottery Wales innovation fun