Region of interest-based adaptive multimedia streaming scheme

Adaptive multimedia streaming aims at adjusting the transmitted content based on the available bandwidth such as losses that often severely affect the end-user perceived quality are minimized and consequently the transmission quality increases. Current solutions affect equally the whole viewing area of the multimedia frames, despite research showing that there are regions on which the viewers are more interested in than on others. This paper presents a novel region of interest-based adaptive scheme (ROIAS) for multimedia streaming that when performing transmission-related quality adjustments, selectively affects the quality of those regions of the image the viewers are the least interested in. As the quality of the regions the viewers are the most interested in will not change (or will involve little change),the proposed scheme provides higher overall end-user perceived quality than any of the existing adaptive solutions

Pizza, Pizza, Pizza: A Competitive Strategy Exercise

While business students are typically comfortable identifying and extrapolating trends uncovered during competitive analyses, they often fail to take the Red Queen Effect into account when formulating new competitive strategies. This competitive strategy exercise employs Kim and Mauborgne’s (2005) strategy canvas to help students to anticipate rivals’ potential reactions and then develop new competitive strategies for firms competing in highly competitive markets. The exercise concludes with key takeaways as to how students may best develop and evaluate new competitive strategies. Student feedback indicates that students found the exercise useful, as 97% of students (n = 69) recommended that instructors at other universities adopt the exercise

ChargeUp! Data Swap: Using data from battery swapping e-motorcycles in Nairobi to assess impacts and plan infrastructure

The dearth of available data on e-motorcycle usage in African cities is a significant challenge in impact studies of e-motorcycle deployment. The ChargeUp! project aimed to fill this research gap using operational data from e-motorcycles and battery swap stations in Nairobi to perform modelling and analysis to determine several key outputs. This project included the analysis of: e-motorcycle trips; battery swapping demand; battery charging energy consumption; swap battery charging related emissions for a high renewables and high fossil energy mix scenarios; charging related electricity costs for different tariff scenarios; the effect of a co-ordinated charging scenario on emissions and tariffs; optimal battery ratios and required numbers of swap stations; and a methodology to determine optimal regions for battery swap stations based on trip data

Performing Resistance Type Exercise in Various Body Positions Elicits Different Cardiovascular Responses

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The value of contractual terms in office leases

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 2006.This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.Includes bibliographical references (leaf 41).This paper uses a comprehensive data set to develop a hedonic model of office rent that estimates values of contractual terms such as tenant improvement allowances, leasing commissions, and options. The model includes variables to control for building characteristics and market conditions, as well as basic lease terms. Although other studies have used a similar approach, the prior work in this area was limited by the lack of data regarding contractual terms. The results show that there is a consistent, upward-sloping, convex term structure of rent. Furthermore, there is an insignificant "size premium" but the "proportion discount" is significant. In general, other variables, such as location variables and qualitative variables behave as expected, with the exception of the expense type dummy variables. Tenant improvement allowances and leasing commissions paid by the landlord do not have a predictable impact on rent at low levels. But high levels of allowances and commissions result in significant rent premiums. These results indicate that lower levels of allowances and commissions may be expected by the market. At higher levels, however, these contractual terms are clearly priced into rent levels.(cont.) Renewal options appear to have positive impacts in some years and negative impacts in other years. Renewal options may represent amenities that are granted to tenants as inducements in weaker leasing markets but are priced in stronger markets. Termination options and rights of first offer/refusal appear to have negative impacts on rent that are somewhat consistent in all years. This is counterintuitive because these options are thought to benefit the tenant. One explanation is that these options are in fact beneficial to the landlord. Further study is necessary to understand the value of these options. Overall, more information about options terms would be beneficial. Information such as the renewal rent, the termination fee, and the size of the offer/refusal space would help us to understand the economic arrangement between the parties and to predict the corresponding impact on rent.by Kevin T. Sheehan.S.M

Intrinsically biased electrocapacitive catalysis

We propose the application of the contact potential from metal-metal junctions or the built-in potential of semiconductor p-np-n junctions to induce or catalyze chemical reactions. Free of external sources, this intrinsic potential across microscale and nanoscale vacuum gaps establishes electric fields in excess of 10^7V/m. The electrostatic potential energy of these fields can be converted into useful chemical energy. As an example, we focus on the production of superthermal gas ions to drive reactions. Analysis indicates that this intrinsically biased electrocapacitive catalysis can achieve locally directed ion energies up to a few electron volts and local gas temperatureboosts in excess of 10^4K. Practical considerations for implementation and experimental tests are considered

Spatial analysis of colorectal cancer incidence and proportion of late-stage in Massachusetts residents: 1995–1998

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aims of this study were to determine if observed geographic variations in colorectal cancer incidence are simply random or are statistically significant deviations from randomness, whether statistically significant excesses are temporary or persistent, and whether they can be explained by risk factors such as socioeconomic status (SES) or the percent of the population residing in an urban area rather than a rural area. Between 1995 and 1998, 6360 male and 6628 female invasive colorectal cancer cases were diagnosed in Massachusetts residents. Cases were aggregated to Census tracts and analyzed for deviations from random occurrence with respect to both location and time.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Six geographic areas that deviated significantly from randomness were uncovered in the age-adjusted analyses of males: three with higher incidence rates than expected and eight lower than expected. In the age-adjusted analyses of females, one area with a higher incidence rate, and one area with a lower incidence rate than expected, were found. After adjustment for SES and percent urban, some of these areas were no longer significantly different.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Public health practitioners can use the results of this study to focus their attention onto areas in Massachusetts that need to increase colorectal screening or have elevated risk of colorectal cancer incidence.</p