Reciprocity-driven Sparse Network Formation

A resource exchange network is considered, where exchanges among nodes are based on reciprocity. Peers receive from the network an amount of resources commensurate with their contribution. We assume the network is fully connected, and impose sparsity constraints on peer interactions. Finding the sparsest exchanges that achieve a desired level of reciprocity is in general NP-hard. To capture near-optimal allocations, we introduce variants of the Eisenberg-Gale convex program with sparsity penalties. We derive decentralized algorithms, whereby peers approximately compute the sparsest allocations, by reweighted l1 minimization. The algorithms implement new proportional-response dynamics, with nonlinear pricing. The trade-off between sparsity and reciprocity and the properties of graphs induced by sparse exchanges are examined.Comment: 19 page

Metal-Organic Frameworks as Supports for Functional Materials

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are intrinsically porous, crystalline materials formed from the assembly of metal nodes and organic linkers. The building-block type synthesis of MOFs has led to the formation of materials with well-defined structures, poised for specific applications. This extends to post-synthetic modification of MOFs, permitting the introduction of added relevance for certain applications. Such materials afforded by this process can be unique and inaccessible via traditional synthetic processes. In this thesis, two avenues for post-synthetic modification of MOFs with metals have been investigated. This includes the post-synthetic metalation of MnMOF-1 with Au(I) and assessment of MOF-derived Ru/TiO2 for CO2 methanation. Both areas highlight the exceptional ability MOFs display as support materials, exploiting their intrinsic properties in diverse ways. The work presented herein has the potential to influence further development of flexible materials and assist in progressing strategies for utilisation of captured anthropogenic CO2 for value-added product formation. The first chapter introduces MOFs and their conception from supramolecular chemistry. It discusses the dynamic properties MOFs can exhibit and the forms which they take, leading to inherently interesting materials with applicability to a wide range of different areas. It also introduces MOFs as versatile materials for heterogenous catalysis, capable as acting as both a catalyst itself, and an exceptional support for a catalytic material in both fundamental and applied research. Work in Chapter 2 details the investigation of ruthenium-loaded titanium MOF-derived catalysts (Ru/TiO2) for CO2 methanation. Two Ti MOFs, MIP-207 (Materials of the Institute of Porous Materials from Paris) and the MUV-10(X) (Materials of Universidad de Valencia) heterometallic Ti MOF family, were synthesised, loaded with Ru, and activated under both reaction conditions (in operando), and via calcination. The pure Ti MOF yielded catalysts prone to degradation with successive cycles, whereas the heterometallic Ti MOFs yielded highly active catalysts comparable to the most successful Ru/TiO2 standard. Chapter 3 explores the metalation of MnMOF-1, a flexible MOF with a free bis-pyrazole coordination site, with Au(I). Single crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) and supporting analyses revealed quantitative metalation of a single pyrazole nitrogen of the bis-pyrazole site in its anti conformation, the first example of this coordination geometry in MnMOF-1. This unique post-synthetically metalated material displays retention of the intrinsic flexibility of the framework, otherwise lost for samples chelated to the bis-pyrazole moiety in the syn conformation. The material played a critical role in understanding the conformation and determining of coordination modulated on-off switching of flexibility of a Cu(I) complex in MnMOF-1, a novel mechanism in which to realise reversible structural flexibility in dynamic frameworks.Thesis (MPhil) -- University of Adelaide, School of Physical Sciences, 202

Heavy and light traffic regimes for M|G|infinity traffic models

The $M|G|infty$ busy server process provides a class of structural models for communication network traffic. In this dissertation, we study the asymptotic behavior of a network multiplexer, modeled as a discrete-time queue, driven by an $M|G|infty$ correlated arrival stream. The asymptotic regimes considered here are those of heavy and light traffic. In heavy traffic, we show that the arising limits are described in terms of the classical Brownian motion and the $alpha$--stable L'{e}vy motion, under short- and long-range dependence, respectively. Salient features are then effectively captured by the exponential distribution and the Mittag-Leffler special function. In light traffic, the analysis reveals the effect of two aspects of the $M|G|infty$ process, i.e., the session duration distribution $G$ and the gradual nature of the arrivals, as opposed to the instantaneous inputs of a standard $GI|GI|1$ queue. We exploit these asymptotic results to construct interpolation approximations for system quantities of interest, applicable to all traffic intensities

Magnetic and structural studies of Co-Al thin films and bulk alloys

Call number: LD2668 .T4 PHYS 1988 T76Master of SciencePhysic

Ethanol-morphine interactions : a study of the effects of prenatal exposure on the development and behavior of the rat

Ethanol-Morphine interactions: a study of the effects of prenatal exposure on the development and behavior of the rat. The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of ethanol, morphine and ethanol-morphine on the physical and behavioral development of the rat. Eighteen female and 18 male animals from Satinder's Heterogeneous Stock (SHS) were paired. The dams were then exposed to a regimen of either water, or morphine (0.5 mg/ml), or ethanol (10% v/v), or ethanol (10%v/v)-morphine (0.5mg/ml) (high), or ethanol (5% v/v)-morphine (0.25mg/ml) (low), for 21 days during gestation. The 116 surviving offspring were observed daily until weaning (day 28 postpartum) for physical, reflex, and sexual development. Following weaning the same offspring were tested for preference towards ethanol and morphine, avoidance learning, reactivity, and hot-plate nociception. There were two instances of delayed physical development one due to ethanol, and one due to ethanol-morphine (high) exposure. There were significant developmental delays due to morphine exposure, and delayed female sexual development due to ethanol, and ethanol-morphine (high) exposure. An overall preference for ethanol was observed regardless of prenatal exposure. This tendency was reversed following morphine, or ethanol-morphine (high) exposure. The consumption of either morphine or ethanol on forced and choice days was dependent on the order of presentation. The postnatal presentation of ethanol and morphine altered food consumption in an order-related pattern. Differences due to prenatal exposure were also observed for the One-Way Avoidance response. It is suggested that the prenatal exposure to ethanol and morphine did not significantly affect learning, while the combination of both agents produced a dose-related hyperresponsivity. The reactivity and the hot-plate testing paradigms were the least sensitive indicators of ethanol-, and/or morphine-induced behavioral effects. The lack of differences is attributed to the limitations of the two testing situations. It is therefore recommended that reactivity testing be extended, and that the hot-plate testing be used in conjunction with postnatal presentation of ethanol or morphine

Telerehabilitation σε χρόνια καρδιακή ανεπάρκεια και στεφανιαία νόσο.

Η στεφανιαία νόσος (ΣΝ) είναι μια από τις κορυφαίες αίτιες θανάτου παγκοσμίως στις αναπτυγμένες χώρες και ήταν υπεύθυνη για περίπου έναν σε κάθε 7 θανάτους στις Η.Π.Α το 2013. Ο επιπολασμός της καρδιακής ανεπάρκειας (ΚΑ) υπολογίζεται στο 1-2 % στο δυτικό κόσμο. Η καρδιακή αποκατάσταση έχει αποδεδειγμένα θετικά οφέλη στη πρόληψη της ΣΝ, και συνίσταται στις κατευθυντήριες οδηγίες για τους ασθενείς με ΣΝ. Τα οφέλη των προγραμμάτων άσκησης είναι αναμφισβήτητα και πλήρως καταγεγραμμένα και επομένως συνίστανται για τους ασθενείς με ΚΑ. Παρόλο που η καρδιακή αποκατάσταση έχει ισχυρή σύσταση δεν εφαρμόζεται επαρκώς στην καθημερινή κλινική πρακτική. Σύμφωνα με μια ευρωπαϊκή έρευνα λιγότεροι από τους μίσους ασθενείς που είναι επιλέξιμοι για καρδιακή αποκατάσταση συμμετέχουν σε τέτοια προγράμματα. Οι λόγοι για αυτή τη κατάσταση είναι η έλλειψη νομοθεσίας, οι ανεπαρκείς πόροι, η έλλειψη κατευθυντήριων οδηγιών, η ανεπάρκεια των επικοινωνιακών συστημάτων, κοινωνικοί λόγοι, προβλήματα του συστήματος υγείας και του θεραπευτικού πλάνου. Η εφαρμογή ενός προγράμματος αποκατάστασης στο σπίτι του ασθενή και η εφαρμογή μιας απλής μεθόδου άσκησης θα μπορούσε να καταργήσει αυτά τα προβλήματα και να αυξήσει τη συμμετοχή των ασθενών στα προγράμματα αποκατάστασης. Το κλειδί για να λυθεί το πρόβλημα της ασφαλής παρακολούθησης των ασθενών που είναι σε πρόγραμμα αποκατάστασης στο σπίτι τους και για να γίνει αυτή η μέθοδος αποκατάστασης εφικτή σε καρδιαγγειακούς ασθενείς είναι οι τελευταίες τεχνολογικές εξελίξεις στο τομέα της τηλεϊατρικής που ήταν και ο λόγος που οδήγησε την Ευρωπαϊκή Εταιρία Καρδιολογίας να συμπεριλάβει αυτή τη μέθοδο αποκατάστασης στις αναθεωρημένες κατευθυντήριες οδηγίες της. Η τηλεαποκατάσταση είναι η εφαρμογή και η εποπτεία ενός αποτελεσματικού προγράμματος αποκατάστασης από απόσταση. Περιλαμβάνει το telemonitoring, το teleassessment,το telesupport, το teletherapy, το telecoaching, το teleconsulting και το telesupervision της θεραπευτικής άσκησης. Συστηματικές ανασκοπήσεις που συνέκριναν την τηλεαποκατάσταση με τα παραδοσιακά προγράμματα αποκατάστασης έδειξαν ότι το πρώτο δεν είναι κατώτερο του δευτέρου. Έρευνες έδειξαν ότι τα προγράμματα τηλεαποκατάστασης είναι αποδεκτά από τους ασθενείς, ασφαλή και αποτελεσματικά με μεγάλα ποσοστά συμμέτοχης ανάμεσα στους ασθενείς με ΚΑ. Σε αυτό το πλαίσιο μπορούμε να καταλάβουμε πως η τηλεαποκατάσταση για τους ασθενείς με καρδιολογικά προβλήματα μπορεί να είναι χρήσιμη για να κάνει την καρδιακή αποκατάσταση πιο δημοφιλή και να επιτρέψει την πιο πιστή εφαρμογή των κατευθυντήριων οδηγιών για την αντιμετώπιση της ΣΝ και της ΚΑ.Coronary heart disease (CHD) is one of the top causes of death in the developed countries, the top cause of years of life lost globally and it was responsible for ≈1 of every 7 deaths in the United States in 2013. The prevalence of heart failure (HF) is estimated at 1–2% in the western world and the incidence approaches 5–10 per 1000 persons per year. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has proven beneficial effects on prevention of CHD, and is highly recommended in clinical guidelines for patients with coronary artery disease(CAD). The benefits of exercise training are well documented and unquestionable therefore, exercise training is strongly recommended in HF patients. Even though CR is highly recommended it is poorly implemented in everyday clinical practice. According to a European survey fewer than half of eligible cardiovascular patients benefit from CR in most European countries. Deficits include absent or inadequate legislation, funding, professional guidelines and information systems in many countries. There are different categories of barriers for exercise in HF such as patient related, social and economic, healthcare system/team, condition related and therapy related. Enabling a comprehensive CR at patients’ homes and the introduction of simple training modality could eliminate those adherence hindering factors and increase patient participation in rehabilitation programs. The key to solve the problem of safety and monitoring of homebased physical training of cardiovascular patients and to make this rehabilitation modality theoretically possible is the latest technological advancements in the field of telemedicine which was the reason for the European Society of Cardiology to mention this form of rehabilitation in its current guidelines. Telerehabilitation is the supervision and performance of a comprehensive CR programme at a distance. The components of telerehabilitation are telemonitoring, teleassessment, telesupport, teletherapy, telecoaching, teleconsulting, and telesupervision of exercise training. Systematic reviews including primary studies comparing cardiac telerehabilitation with centre-based CR have shown that the former to be non-inferior to the latter. Published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) showed that home-based telerehabilitation is well accepted, safe, and effective and has high adherence among HF patients. In this context we can understand that telerehabilitation for cardiopulmonary patients may be helpful to the furthering and popularization of CR and moreover increase the compliance to the recommended guidelines

Η αρχή της χρηστής διοίκησης στο πεδίο της κοινωνικής ασφάλισης: νομοθετική εξέλιξη, νομολογιακή εφαρμογή και πτυχές του δημοσίου συμφέροντος

Η διπλωματική εργασία καταπιάνεται με μία από τις θεμελιώδεις αρχές του διοικητικού δικαίου, την αρχή της χρηστής διοίκησης και επικεντρώνεται στην εφαρμογή της στο πεδίο της κοινωνικής ασφάλισης. Στο πρώτο μέρος εξετάζεται η αρχή της χρηστής διοίκησης ως γενικής αρχής του διοικητικού δικαίου, τόσο στην ελληνική, όσο και στην ευρωπαϊκή έννομη τάξη, καθώς και στις έννομες τάξεις ευρωπαϊκών κρατών. Το δεύτερο μέρος εστιάζει στην αρχή της χρηστής διοίκησης στην κοινωνική ασφάλιση μέσα από τη σχέση της με άλλες επιμέρους αρχές του κοινωνικοασφαλιστικού δικαίου και κυρίως, μέσα από την ερμηνεία και την εφαρμογή της από τα ελληνικά ανώτατα διοικητικά δικαστήρια.The thesis deals with one of the fundamental principles of administrative law, the principle of good administration, and focuses on its application in the field of social security. The first part examines the principle of good administration as a general principle of administrative law, both in the Greek and the European legal order, as well as in the legal orders of European states. The second part focuses on the principle of good administration in social security through its relationship with other individual principles of social security law and mainly, through its interpretation and application by the Greek supreme administrative courts

Heavy Traffic Limits Associated with M|GI|Input Processes

We study the heavy traffic regime of a discrete-time queue driven by correlated inputs, namely the M|GI|input processes of Cox. We distinguish between M|GI|processes with short- and long- range dependence, identifying for each case the appropriate heavy traffic scaling that results in non-degenerate limits. As expected, the limits we obtain for short-range dependent input involve the standard Brownian motion. Of particular interest are the conclusions for the long-range dependent case: The normalized queue length can be expressed as a function not of a fractional Brownian motion, but of an a-stable, 1/a self-similar independent increments levy process. The resulting buffer asymptotics in heavy traffic display a hyperbolic decay, of power 1 - a. Thus M|GI|processes already demonstrate that, within long-range dependence, fractional Brownian motion does not necessarily assume the ubliquitous role that standard Brownian motion plays in the short-range dependence setup

Head mounted display effect on vestibular rehabilitation exercises performance

OBJECTIVES: Vestibular rehabilitation clinical guidelines document the additional benefit offered by the Mixed Reality environments in the reduction of symptoms and the improvement of balance in peripheral vestibular hypofunction. The HOLOBalance platform offers vestibular rehabilitation exercises, in an Augmented Reality (AR) environment, projecting them using a low- cost Head Mounted Display. The effect of the AR equipment on the performance in three of the commonest vestibular rehabilitation exercises is investigated in this pilot study. METHODS: Twenty-five healthy adults (12/25 women) participated, executing the predetermined exercises with or without the use of the AR equipment. RESULTS: Statistically significant difference was obtained only in the frequency of head movements in the yaw plane during the execution of a vestibular adaptation exercise by healthy adults (0.97 Hz; 95% CI=(0.56, 1.39), p<0.001). In terms of difficulty in exercise execution, the use of the equipment led to statistically significant differences at the vestibular-oculomotor adaptation exercise in the pitch plane (OR=3.64, 95% CI (-0.22, 7.50), p=0.049), and in the standing exercise (OR=28.28. 95% CI (23.6, 32.96), p=0.0001). CONCLUSION: Τhe use of AR equipment in vestibular rehabilitation protocols should be adapted to the clinicians' needs

Interpolation approximations for M∣G∣inftyM|G|infty arrival processes

We present an approximate analysis of a discrete-time queue with correlated arrival processes of the so-called $M|G|infty$ type. The proposed heuristic approximations are developed around asymptotic results in the heavy and light traffic regimes. Investigation of the system behavior in light traffic quantifies the differences between the gradual $M|G|infty$ inputs and the point arrivals of a classical $GI|GI|1$ queue. In heavy traffic, salient features are effectively captured by the exponential distribution and the Mittag-Leffler special function, under short- and long-range dependence respectively. By interpolating between the heavy and light traffic extremes we derive approximations to the queue size distribution, applicable to all traffic intensities. We examine the accuracy of these expressions and discuss possible extensions of our results in several numerical examples