Characterizing epidemiology of prediabetes, diabetes, and hypertension in Qataris: A cross-sectional study

Objectives To characterize the epidemiologic profiles of prediabetes mellitus (preDM), diabetes mellitus (DM), and hypertension (HTN) in Qataris using the nationally representative 2012 Qatar STEPwise Survey. Methods A secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional survey that included 2,497 Qatari nationals aged 18–64 years. Descriptive and analytical statistical analyses were conducted. Results Prevalence of preDM, DM, and HTN in Qataris aged 18–64 years was 11.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 9.6%-14.7%), 10.4% (95% CI 8.4%-12.9%), and 32.9% (95% CI 30.4%-35.6%), respectively. Age was the common factor associated with the three conditions. Adjusted analyses showed that unhealthy diet (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.84, 95% CI 1.01–3.36) was significantly associated with preDM; that physical inactivity (aOR = 1.66, 95% CI 1.12–2.46), central obesity (aOR = 2.08, 95% CI 1.02–4.26), and HTN (aOR = 2.18, 95% CI 1.40–3.38) were significantly associated with DM; and that DM (aOR = 2.07, 95% CI 1.34–3.22) was significantly associated with HTN. Population attributable fraction of preDM associated with unhealthy diet was 7.7%; of DM associated with physical inactivity, central obesity, and HTN, respectively, was 14.9%, 39.8%, and 17.5%; and of HTN associated with DM was 3.0%. Conclusions One in five Qataris is living with either preDM or DM, and one in three is living with HTN, conditions that were found to be primarily driven by lifestyle factors. Prevention, control, and management of these conditions should be a national priority to reduce their disease burden and associated disease sequelae.This publication was made possible by NPRP grant number 10-1208-160017 from the Qatar National Research Fund (a member of Qatar Foundation)

Proceedings of the Sixth International Workshop on Web Caching and Content Distribution

OVERVIEW The International Web Content Caching and Distribution Workshop (WCW) is a premiere technical meeting for researchers and practitioners interested in all aspects of content caching, distribution and delivery on the Internet. The 2001 WCW meeting was held on the Boston University Campus. Building on the successes of the five previous WCW meetings, WCW01 featured a strong technical program and record participation from leading researchers and practitioners in the field. This report includes all the technical papers presented at WCW'01. Note: Proceedings of WCW'01 are published by Elsevier. Hardcopies of these proceedings can be purchased through the workshop organizers. As a service to the community, electronic copies of all WCW'01 papers are accessible through Technical Report BUCS‐TR‐2001‐017, available from the Boston University Computer Science Technical Report Archives at http://www.cs.bu.edu/techreps. [Ed.note: URL outdated. Use http://www.bu.edu/cs/research/technical-reports/ or http://hdl.handle.net/2144/1455 in this repository to access the reports.]Cisco Systems; InfoLibria; Measurement Factory Inc; Voler

A bargaining game theoretic method for virtual resource allocation in LTE-based cellular networks

In this paper, we study the virtual resource (VR) allocation problem in LTE-based wireless network virtualization (WNV). A practical network scenario, where multiple virtual wireless service providers (WSPs) request the VR from a unique mobile network operator (MNO) is considered. Our objective is two folds. The first is to guarantee the minimum rate requirements of the MNO and the WSPs. The second is to distribute the system rate among the MNO and the WSPs in the Pareto optimal manner. To this end, an efficient VR allocation scheme based on bargaining game theory is proposed, and the Nash bargaining solution (NBS) method is used to solve the proposed game problem. The proposed game problem is proved to be a convex optimization problem. By using standard convex optimization method, the global optimal NBS of the game is obtained in closed form. The effectiveness of the proposed VR allocation game is testified through numerical results

Modeling Guaranteed Delay of Virtualized Wireless Networks Using Network Calculus

Wireless network virtualization is an emerging technology that logically divides a wireless network element, such as a base station (BS), into multiple slices with each slice serving as a standalone virtual BS. In such a way, one physical mobile wireless network can be partitioned into multiple virtual networks each operating as an independent wireless network. Wireless virtual networks, as composed of these virtual BSs, need to provide quality of service (QoS) to mobile end user services. One such key QoS parameter is network delay, in particular upper bound delay. This paper presents a delay model for such a wireless virtual network. This delay model considers resources (in particular queues) of both physical nodes and virtual nodes and provides a realistic modelling of the delay behaviours of wireless virtual networks. Network calculus, which usually provides finer insight into a system, is utilized to fulfil the modelling task. The numerical results have shown the effectiveness of the proposed model. The model is useful for both off-line network planning and online network admission control

An Elastic Sub-carrier and Power Allocation Algorithm Enabling Wireless Network Virtualization

Wireless mobile network virtualization enables physical mobile network operators (PMNO) to partition their network resources into smaller slices and assign each slice to an individual virtual mobile network operator and then manages these virtual networks in a more dynamic and cost-effective fashion. How a PMNO allocates resources to individual slices while ensuring resource elasticity is a key issue. This paper presents a resource allocation algorithm in such a network virtualization scenario where resource considered here includes both sub-carriers and transmission power. The overall algorithm involves the following two major processes: firstly to virtualize a physical wireless network into multiple slices each representing a virtual network, where resources are allocated elastically based on traffic loads and channel state information during virtualization; secondly, to carry out physical resource allocation within each virtual network (or slice). In particular the paper adopts orthogonal frequency division multiplexing as its physical layer to achieve more efficient resource utilization. A multi-step dynamic optimization approach is proposed to achieve sub-carrier allocation using binary integer programming and power allocation using nonlinear programming. The aim is to achieve the following design goals: virtual network isolation, and resource efficiency. The simulation results show that the above goals have been achieved. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York

Quality of Service Modelling of Virtualized Wireless Networks: A Network Calculus Approach

Wireless network virtualization is an emerging technology that logically divides a wireless network element, such as a base station (BS), into multiple slices with each slice serving as a standalone virtual BS. In such a way, one physical mobile wireless network can be partitioned into multiple virtual networks each operating as an independent wireless network. Wireless virtual networks, as composed of these virtual BSs, need to provide quality of service (QoS) to mobile end user services. Key QoS parameters include buffer queue length, network delay and effective bandwidth, in particular their upper bound forms. This paper presents a QoS model for such a wireless virtual network addressing these parameters. This QoS model considers resources of both physical nodes and virtual nodes and provides a realistic modelling of the delay and bandwidth behaviours of wireless virtual networks. Network calculus (NC), which usually provides finer insight into a system, is utilized to fulfil the modelling task. The numerical results have shown the effectiveness of the proposed model. The model is useful for both off-line network planning and online network admission control. © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York