Distributed load adaptive scheduling for throughput and delay guarantees in fading wireless LANs

We consider a problem of providing mean delay and average throughput guarantees in random access fading wireless channels using CSMA/CA algorithm. This problem becomes much more challenging when the scheduling is distributed as is the case in a typical local area wireless network. We model the CSMA network using a novel queueing network based approach. The optimal throughput per device and throughput optimal policy in an M device network is obtained. We provide a simple contention control algorithm that adapts the attempt probability based on the network load and obtain bounds for the packet transmission delay. The information we make use of is the number of devices in the network and the queue length (delayed) at each device. The proposed algorithms stay within the requirements of the IEEE 802.11 standard.

Experiences with a centralized scheduling approach for performance management of IEEE 802.11 wireless LANs

We present a centralized integrated approach for: 1) enhancing the performance of an IEEE 802.11 infrastructure wireless local area network (WLAN), and 2) managing the access link that connects the WLAN to the Internet. Our approach, which is implemented on a standard Linux platform, and which we call ADvanced Wi-fi Internet Service EnhanceR (ADWISER), is an extension of our previous system WLAN Manager (WM). ADWISER addresses several infrastructure WLAN performance anomalies such as mixed-rate inefficiency, unfair medium sharing between simultaneous TCP uploads and downloads, and inefficient utilization of the Internet access bandwidth when Internet transfers compete with LAN-WLAN transfers, etc. The approach is via centralized queueing and scheduling, using a novel, configurable, cascaded packet queueing and scheduling architecture, with an adaptive service rate. In this paper, we describe the design of ADWISER and report results of extensive experimentation conducted on a hybrid testbed consisting of real end-systems and an emulated WLAN on Qualnet. We also present results from a physical testbed consisting of one access point (AP) and a few end-systems.

Instituto Superior Tecnológico do Rio de Janeiro: um estudo de caso sobre a formação tecnológica e a cidadania

O Instituto Superior Tecnológico do Rio de Janeiro (IST-Rio) serviu de lócus para a concretização deste trabalho, que traz o relato de uma realidade institucional vivenciada por uma comunidade educacional que incorporou em seu projeto pedagógico humanidades dentro da perspectiva de uma formação tecnológica. O trabalho foi realizado utilizando como base a Teoria Crítica, aplicada ao universo da educação pública superior e focada nos jovens de classe popular oriundos da Cidade do Rio de Janeiro. A caminhada, turbulenta e ao mesmo tempo repleta de desafios, culminou em conquistas importantes, resultantes do esforço de uma equipe que acreditava nas múltiplas possibilidades de concretização de um projeto comprometido com a formação tecnológica na área de ciência da computação a partir da construção de um currículo integrado que contemplasse as disciplinas da área técnica e não deixasse de privilegiar a formação humanística, tão importante para a vida cidadã. Um projeto que ao mesmo tempo tivesse o olhar pedagógico para a construção de suas práticas e a gerência democrática significativa para a necessária consolidação de um novo estilo de convivência. Os resultados foram significativos e representaram avanços para as vidas dos docentes e discentes, além de profundas mudanças na maneira de consolidar o conhecimento, o que alavancou o desenvolvimento de um sentimento institucional capaz de proporcionar a construção de uma proposta de política pública para a ampliação da formação tecnológica em todo o Estado do Rio de Janeiro, apropriando um projeto inovador, criativo e humano.

A produção social do espaço, desenvolvimento capitalista e conflitos socioambientais: a implantação da TKCSA em Santa Cruz

O presente estudo aborda as práticas de acumulação por expropriação e espoliação e seus impactos na organização e reprodução do espaço local de Santa Cruz, na cidade do Rio de Janeiro, a partir da articulação entre diferentes escalas sócio-espaciais e como estas estratégias são acionadas pelo capital através de práticas imperialistas que visam a recomposição do ciclo de crescimento. Para tanto, a dissertação elege o grupo empresarial TKCSA - ThyssenKrupp Companhia Siderúrgica do Atlântico, um empreendimento multinacional com atuação na cadeia produtiva da industria siderúrgica, oriundo da Alemanha. Pretende-se fazer um estudo sobre os discursos e as práticas de resistência e de denúncia, mobilizados pela sociedade civil organizada, acerca da produção e distribuição desigual e territorialmente localizada dos danos e riscos sócio-ambientais sobre segmentos da população residente e trabalhadora local.

Wave forecasts associated with hurricane landfalls in the vicinity of Cape Lookout, North Carolina

Hurricanes can cause extensive damage to the coastline and coastal communities due to wind-generated waves and storm surge. While extensive modeling efforts have been conducted regarding storm surge, there is far less information about the effects of waves on these communities and ecosystems as storms make landfall. This report describes a preliminary use of NCCOS’ WEMo (Wave Exposure Model; Fonseca and Malhotra 2010) to compute the wind wave exposure within an area of approximately 25 miles radius from Beaufort, North Carolina for estuarine waters encompassing Bogue Sound, Back Sound and Core Sound during three hurricane landfall scenarios. The wind wave heights and energy of a site was a computation based on wind speed, direction, fetch and local bathymetry. We used our local area (Beaufort, North Carolina) as a test bed for this product because it is frequently impacted by hurricanes and we had confidence in the bathymetry data. Our test bed conditions were based on two recent Hurricanes that strongly affected this area. First, we used hurricane Isabel which made landfall near Beaufort in September 2003. Two hurricane simulations were run first by passing hurricane Isabel along its actual path (east of Beaufort) and second by passing the same storm to the west of Beaufort to show the potential effect of the reversed wind field. We then simulated impacts by a hurricane (Ophelia) with a different landfall track, which occurred in September of 2005. The simulations produced a geographic description of wave heights revealing the changing wind and wave exposure of the region as a consequence of landfall location and storm intensity. This highly conservative simulation (water levels were that of low tide) revealed that many inhabited and developed shorelines would receive wind waves for prolonged periods of time at heights far above that found during even the top few percent of non-hurricane events. The simulations also provided a sense for how rapidly conditions could transition from moderate to highly threatening; wave heights were shown to far exceed normal conditions often long before the main body of the storm arrived and importantly, at many locations that could impede and endanger late-fleeing vessels seeking safe harbor. When joined with other factors, such as storm surge and event duration, we anticipate that the WEMo forecasting tool will have significant use by local emergency agencies and the public to anticipate the relative exposure of their property arising as a function of storm location and may also be used by resource managers to examine the effects of storms in a quantitative fashion on local living marine resources.

Biologically Inspired Tensor Features

According to the research results reported in the past decades, it is well acknowledged that face recognition is not a trivial task. With the development of electronic devices, we are gradually revealing the secret of object recognition in the primate's visual cortex. Therefore, it is time to reconsider face recognition by using biologically inspired features. In this paper, we represent face images by utilizing the C1 units, which correspond to complex cells in the visual cortex, and pool over S1 units by using a maximum operation to reserve only the maximum response of each local area of S1 units. The new representation is termed C1 Face. Because C1 Face is naturally a third-order tensor (or a three dimensional array), we propose three-way discriminative locality alignment (TWDLA), an extension of the discriminative locality alignment, which is a top-level discriminate manifold learning-based subspace learning algorithm. TWDLA has the following advantages: (1) it takes third-order tensors as input directly so the structure information can be well preserved; (2) it models the local geometry over every modality of the input tensors so the spatial relations of input tensors within a class can be preserved; (3) it maximizes the margin between a tensor and tensors from other classes over each modality so it performs well for recognition tasks and (4) it has no under sampling problem. Extensive experiments on YALE and FERET datasets show (1) the proposed C1Face representation can better represent face images than raw pixels and (2) TWDLA can duly preserve both the local geometry and the discriminative information over every modality for recognition.

班公湖带多不杂超大型富金斑岩铜矿床的成岩成矿年代学、岩石学及高氧化岩浆¬流体-成矿作用

Duobuza copper deposit, newly discovered typical gold-rich porphyry copper deposit with superlarge potential, is located in the Tiegelong Mesozoic tectonic -magmatic arc of the southern edge of Qiangtang block and the northern margin of Bangonghu-Nujiang suture. Quartz diorite porphyrite and grandiorite porphyry, occurred in stock, are the main ore-bearing porphyries. As the emplacement of porphyry stock, a wide range of hydrothermal alteration has developed. Within the framework of the ore district, abundant hydrothermal magnetite developed, and the relationship between precipitation of copper and gold and hydrothermal magnetite seems much close. Correspondingly, a series of veinlets and network veinlets occurred in all alteration zones. Therefore, systematic research on such a superlarge high-grade Duobuza gold-rich porphyry copper deposit can fully revealed the metallogenic characteristics of gold-rich porphyry copper deposits in this region, establish metallogenetic model and prospecting criteria, and has important practical significance on the promotion of regional exploration. In addition, this research on it can enrich metallogenic theory of strong oxidation magma-fluid to gold-rich porphyry copper deposit, and will be helpful to understand the metallogenic characteristics in early of subduction of Gangdese arc stages and its entire evolution history of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the temporal and spatial distribution of ore deposits and their geodynamics settings. Northern ore body of Duobuza copper deposit have been controlled with width (north-south) about 100 ~ 400 m, length (east-west) about 1400 m, dip of 200 °, angle of dip 65 °~ 80 °. And controlled resource amount is of 2.7 million tons Cu with grade 0.94% and 13 tons Au with 0.21g/tAu. Overall features of ore body are large scale, higher grade copper, gold-rich. Ore occurred in the body of granodiotite porphyry and quartz diorite porphyrite and its contact zone with wall rock. Through the detailed mapping and field work studies, some typies of alteration are identificated as follows: albitization, biotititation, sericitization, silication, epidotization, chloritization, carbonatization, illitization, kaolinization and so on. The range of alteration is more than 10km2. Wall alteration zone can be divided into potassic alteration, moderate argillization alteration, argillization, illite-hydromuscovite or propylitization from ore-bearing porphyry center outwards, but phyllic alteration has not well developed and only sericite-quartz veins occurred in local area. Moreover, micro-fracture is development in ore district , and correspondingly a series of veinlets are development as follows: biotite vein (EB type), K-feldspar-biotite-chalcopyrite-quartz vein, magnetite-antinolite-K-feldspar vein, quartz-chalcopyrite-magnetite veins (A-type), quartz-magnetite-biotite-K-feldspar vein, chalcopyrite veinlets in potassic alteration zone; (2) chalcopyrite occurring in the center vein–quartz vein (B type), chalcopyrite veinlets, chalcopyrite-gypsum vein in intermediate argillization alteration; (3) chalcopyrite- pyrite-quartz vein, pyrite-quartz vein, chalcopyrite-gypsum veins, quartz-gypsum- molybdenite-chalcopyrite vein in argillization alteration; (4) gypsum veins, quartz-(molybdenite)-chalcopyrite vein, quartz-pyrite vein, gypsum- chalcopyrite vein, potassium feldspar veinlets, Carbonate veins, quartz-magnetite veins in the wall rock. In short, various veins are very abundant within the framework of the ore district. The results of electronic probe microscopy analysis (EMPA) indicate that Albite (Ab 91.5~99.7%) occurred along the rim of plagioclase phenocryst and fracture, and respresents the earliest stages of alteration. K-feldspar (Or 75.1~96.9%) altered plagioclase phenocryst and matrix or formed secondary potassium feldspar veinlets. Secondary biotite occurred mainly in phenocryst, matrix and veinlets, belong to magnesium-rich biotite formed under the conditions of high-oxidation magma- hydrothermal. Chloritization developed in all alteration zones and alterd iron- magnesium minerals such as biotite and hornblende and then formed chlorite veinlets. As the temperature rises, Si in the tetrahedral site of chlorite decreased, and chlorite component evolved from diabantite to ripiolite. The consistent 280℃~360℃ of formation temperature hinted that chlorite formed on the same temperature range in all alteration zones. However, formation temperature range of chlorite from the gypsum-carbonate-chlorite vein was 190℃~220℃, and it may be the product of the latest stage of hydrothermal activity. The closely relationship between biotite and rutile indicate that most of rutiles are precipitated in the process of biotite alteration and recrystallization. In addition, the V2O3 concentration of rutile from ore body in Duobuza gold-rich porphyry copper deposit is >0.4％, indicate that V concentration in rutile has important significance on marking main ore body of porphyry copper deposit. Apatites from Duobuza deposit all are F-rich. And apatite in the wall rock contained low MnO content and relatively high FeO content, which may due to the basaltic composition of the wall rocks. The MnO in apatite from altered porphyry show a strong positive correlation with FeO. In addition, Cl/F ratio of apatite from wall rock was highest, followed by the potassic alteration zone and potassic alteration zone overprinted by moderate argillization alteration was the lowest. SO2 in Apatite are in the scope of 0 to 0.66%, biotite in the apatite has the highest SO2, followed by the potassic alteration zone, potassic alteration zone overprinted by moderate argillization alteration, and the lowest in the surrounding rocks, which may be caused by the decrease of oxygen fugacity of hydrothermal fluid and S exhaust by sulfide precipitation in potassic alteration. Magnetite in the wall rock have higher Cr2O3 and lower Al2O3 features compared with altered porphyry, this may be due to basalt wall rock generally has high Cr content. And magnetites have higher TiO2 content in potassic alteration than moderate argillization alteration overprinted by potassic alteration, argillization and wall rock, suggested that its formation temperature in potassic alteration was the highest among them. The ore minerals mainly are chalcopyrite and bornite, and Au contents of chalcopyrite, bornite, and pyrite are similar with chalcopyrite slightly higher. The Eu* negative anomaly of disseminated chalcopyrite was relatively lower than chalcopyrite in veinlets. Within a drill hole, the Eu* negative anomaly of disseminated chalcopyrite was gradually larger from bottom to top. Magnetite has the same distribution model, with obvious negative Eu* abnormal, and ΣREE in great changes. The gypsum has the highest ΣREE content and the obvious negative anomaly, and biotite obviously has the Eu* abnormal. Based on the petrographic and geochemical characteristics, five series of magmatic rocks can be broadly classified; they are volcanic rocks of the normal island arc, high-Nb basaltic rocks, adakites, altered porphyry and diorite. The Sr, Nd, Hf isotopes and geochemistry of various series of magmatic rock show that they may be the result of mixing between basic magma and various degrees of acid magma coming from lower crust melted by high temperature basic underplating from partial melting of the subduction sediment melt metasomatic mantle wedge. Furthermore S isotope and Pb isotope of the sulfide, ore-bearing porphyries and volcanic rocks indicated ore-forming source is the mantle wedge metasomatied by subduction sediment melt. Oxygen fugacity of magma estimated by Fe2O3/FeO of whole rock and zircon Ce4+/Ce3+ indicated that the oxidation of basalt-andesitic rocks is higher than ore-forming porphyry, and might imply high-oxidation characteristics of underplated basic magma. Its high oxidative mechanism is likely mantle sources metasomatied by subduction sediment magma, including water and Fe3+. And such high oxidation of basaltic magma is conducive to the mantle of sulfides in the effective access to melt. And the An component of dark part within plagioclase phenocryst zoning belong to bytownite (An 74%), and its may be a result of magma composition changes refreshment by basaltic magma injection. SHRIMP zircon U-Pb and LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb geochronology study showed that the intrusions and volcanic rocks from Duobuza porphyry copper deposit belong to early Cretaceous magma series (126~105Ma). The magma evolution series are as follows: the earliest diorite and diorite porphyrite → ore-bearing porphyry and barren grandiorite porphyry →basaltic andesite → diorite porphyrite → andesite → basaltic andesite, and magma component shows a evolution trend from intermediate to intermediate-acid to basic. Based on the field evidences, the formation age of high-Nb basalt may be the latest. The Ar-Ar geochronology of altered secondary biotite, K-feldspar and sericite shows that the main mineralization lasting a interval of about 4 Ma, the duration limit of whole magma-hydrothermal evolution of about 6 Ma, and possibly such a long duration limit may result in the formation of Duobuza super-large copper deposit. Moreover, tectonic diagram and trace element geochemistry of volcanic rocks and diorite from Duobuza porphyry copper deposit confirm that it formed in a continental margin arc environment. Zircon U-Pb age of volcanic rocks and porphyry fall in the range of 105~121Ma, and Duobuza porphyry copper deposit locating in the north of the Bangonghu- Nujiang suture zone, suggested that Neo-Tethys ocean still subducted northward at least early Cretaceous, and its closure time should be later than 105 Ma. Three major inclusion types and ten subtypes are distinguished from quartz phenocrysts and various quartz veins. Vapor generally coexisting with brine inclusions, suggest that fluid boiling may be the main ore-forming mechanism. Raman spectrums of fluid inclusions display that the content of vapor and liquid inclusion mainly contain water, and vapor occasionally contain a little CO2. In addition, the component of liquid inclusions mainly include Cl-, SO42-, Na+, K+, a small amount of Ca2+, F-; and Cl- and Na+ show good correlation. Vapor mainly contains water, a small amount of CO2, CH4 and C2H6 and so on. The daughter minerals identified by Laman spectroscopy and SEM include gypsum, chalcopyrite, halite, sylvite, rutile, potassium feldspar, Fe-Mn-chloride and other minerals, and ore-forming fluid belong to a complex hydrothermal system containing H2O-NaCl-KClFeCl2CaCl2. H and O isotopic analysis of quartz phenocryst, vein quartz, magnetite, chlorite and gypsum from all alteration zones show that the ore-forming fluid of Duobuza gold-rich porphyry copper deposit consisted mainly of magmatic water, without addition of meteric water. Duobuza gold-rich porphyry copper deposit formed by the primary magmatic fluid (600-950C), which has high oxidation, ultra-high salinity and metallogenic element-rich, exsolution direct from the magma, and it is representative of the typical orthomagmatic end member of the porphyry continuum. Moreover, the fluid evolution model of Duobuza gold-rich porphyry copper deposit has been established. Furthermore, two key factors for formation of large Au-rich porphyry copper deposit have been summed up, which are ore-forming fluids earlier separated from magma and high oxidation magma-mineralization fluid system.

三峡库区滑坡的时空分布、成因及其预报模式

Landslides are widely distributed along the main stream banks of the Three Gorges Reservoir area. Especially with the acceleration of the human economic activities in the recent 30 years, the occurrence of landslide hazards in the local area trends to be more serious. Because of the special geological, topographic and climatic conditions of the Three Gorges areas, many Paleo-landslides are found along the gentle slope terrain of the population relocation sites. Under the natural condition, the Paleo-landslides usually keep stable. The Paleo-landslides might revive while they are influenced under the strong rainfall, water storage and migration engineering disturbance. Therefore, the prediction and prevention of landslide hazards have become the important problem involving with the safety of migration engineering of the Three Gorges Reservoir area.The past research on the landslides of the Three Gorges area is mainly concentrated on the stability analysis of individual landslide, and importance was little attached to the knowledge on the geological environment background of the formation of regional landslides. So, the relationship between distribution and evolution of landslides and globe dynamic processes was very scarce in the past research. With further study, it becomes difficult to explain the reasons for the magnitude and frequency of major geological hazards in terms of single endogenic or exogenic processes. It is possible to resolve the causes of major landslides in the Three Gorges area through the systematic research of regional tectonics and river evolution history.In present paper, based on the view of coupling of earth's endogenic and exogenic processes, the author researches the temporal and spacial distribution and formation evolution of major landslides(Volume^lOOX 104m3) in the Three Gorges Reservoir area through integration of first-hand sources statistics, .geological evolution history, isotope dating and numerical simulation method etc. And considering the main formation factors of landslides (topography, geology and rainfall condition), the author discusses the occurrence probability and prediction model of rainfall induced landslides.The distribution and magnitude of Paleo-landslides in the Three Gorges area is mainly controlled by lithology, geological structure, bank slope shape and geostress field etc. The major Paleo-landslides are concentrated on the periods 2.7-15.0 X 104aB.R, which conrresponds to the warm and wettest Paleoclimate stages. In the same time, the Three Gorges area experiences with the quickest crust uplift phase since 15.0X 104aB.P. It is indicated that the dynamic factor of polyphase major Paleo-landslides is the coupling processes of neotectonic movement and Quaternary climate changes. Based on the numerical simulation results of the formation evolution of Baota landslide, the quick crust uplift makes the deep river incision and the geostress relief causes the rock body of banks flexible. Under the strong rainfall condition, the pore-water pressure resulted from rain penetration and high flood level can have the shear strength of weak structural plane decrease to a great degree. Therefore, the bank slope is easy to slide at the slope bottom where shear stress concentrates. Finally, it forms the composite draught-traction type landslide of dip stratified rocks.The susceptibility idea for the rainfall induced landslide is put forward in this paper and the degree of susceptibility is graded in terms of the topography and geological conditions of landslides. Base on the integration with geological environment factors and rainfall condition, the author gives a new probabilistic prediction model for rainfall induced landslides. As an example from Chongqing City of the Three Gorges area, selecting the 5 factors of topography, lithology combination, slope shape, rock structure and hydrogeology and 21 kinds of status as prediction variables, the susceptibility zonation is carried out by information methods. The prediction criterion of landslides is established by two factors: the maximum 24 hour rainfall and the antecedent effective precipitation of 15 days. The new prediction model is possible to actualize the real-time regional landslide prediction and improve accuracy of landslide forecast.

Scottish Community Councils online: the 2014 survey.

This document reports the results of a survey, carried out in late spring 2014, of the public web presences of potentially over 1300 Scottish Community Councils (CCs). It follows on from similar survey in summer 2012. The report reviews content-types associated with up-to-date presences and examines Community Councils’ social media use, using three archetypes which may be used to derive models and examples of good practice, and create recommendations for Community Councils and their Local Authorities (LAs). The research found that there has little change overall since 2012, which combined with a high level of churn implies an increasing number of digitally disengaged Community Councils. A good way forward would be for to CCs emulate and adapt the examples of good practice identified, by publishing minutes, news, planning and local area information, limiting publication of other types of content, and using social media to engage with citizens. A number of broader recommendations are made to LAs, including that that they publish CC schemes on their websites, provide training in online methods and work together via their CCLOs and IT teams to support CCs

‘Novice Teachers’ Views of an Introductory Workshop about Teaching in the Biosciences.

Seven regional networking events, aimed at supporting and developing ‘early stage’ novice university bioscience teachers were held across the UK. These workshops allowed 230 participants to reflect on teaching styles, learn about Higher Education Academy resources and discuss strategies to deal with a range of teaching situations. Post-event feedback was sought, and the results are presented in this paper. Feedback on the events was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the need for such events to support the development of new teachers in higher education. Institutional training varies and these opportunities for sharing experiences, asking questions, networking and reflection on teaching practice were highly regarded. Most participants felt more confident about their teaching and believed that students were more directly engaged in their teaching after attending the events. Recommendations for support of this category of teacher include provision of discipline-specific events, opportunity for local area networking and support for the development of reflective practice in teaching and learning.

An exploratory study on the impact of an early years' preschool intervention programme in the Republic of Ireland

Early years’ education has increasingly been identified as a mechanism to alleviate educational disadvantage in areas of social exclusion. Early years’ intervention programmes are now a common government social policy for addressing social problems (Reynolds, Mann, Miedel, and Smokowski, 1997). In particular, state provided early years’ programmes such as Head Start in the United States and Early Start in Ireland have been established to combat educational disadvantage for children experiencing poverty and socio-economic inequality. The focus of this research is on the long-term outcomes of an early years’ intervention programme in Ireland. It aims to assess whether participation in the programme enhances the life course of children at-risk of educational disadvantage. It involves an in-depth analysis of one Early Start project which was included in the original eight projects established by the Department of Education and Science in 1994. The study utilises a multi-group design to provide a detailed analysis of both the academic and social progress of programme participants. It examines programme outcomes from a number of perspectives by collecting the views of the three main stakeholders involved in the education process; students who participated in Early Start in 1994/5, their parents and their teachers. To contribute to understanding the impact of the programme from a community perspective interviews were also conducted with local community educators and other local early years’ services. In general, Early Start was perceived by all participants in this study as making a positive contribution to parent involvement in education and to strengthening educational capital in the local area. The study found that parents and primary school teachers identified aspects of school readiness as the main benefit of participation in Early Start and parents and teachers were very positive about the role of Early Start in preparing children for the transition to formal school. In addition to this, participation in Early Start appears to have made a positive contribution to academic attainment in Maths and Science at Junior Certificate level. Students who had participated in Early Start were also rated more highly by their second level teachers in terms of goal-setting and future orientation which are important factors in educational attainment. Early Start then can be viewed as providing a positive contribution to the long-term social and academic outcomes for its participants.

Childhood obesity in Ireland: recent trends and modifiable determinants

Background: Childhood obesity is a global epidemic posing a significant threat to the health and wellbeing of children. To reverse this epidemic, it is essential that we gain a deeper understanding of the complex array of driving factors at an individual, family and wider ecological level. Using a social-ecological framework, this thesis investigates the direction, magnitude and contribution of risk factors for childhood overweight and obesity at multiple levels of influence, with a particular focus on diet and physical activity. Methods: A systematic review was conducted to describe recent trends (from 2002-2012) in childhood overweight and obesity prevalence in Irish school children from the Republic of Ireland. Two datasets (Cork Children’s Lifestyle [CCLaS] Study and the Growing Up in Ireland [GUI] Study) were used to explore determinants of childhood overweight and obesity. Individual lifestyle factors examined were diet, physical activity and sedentary behaviour. The determinants of physical activity were also explored. Family factors examined were parental weight status and household socio-economic status. The impact of food access in the local area on diet quality and body mass index (BMI) was investigated as an environmental level risk factor. Results: Between 2002 and 2012, the prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity in Ireland remained stable. There was some evidence to suggest that childhood obesity rates may have decreased slightly though one in four Irish children remained either overweight or obese. In the CCLaS study, overweight and obese children consumed more unhealthy foods than normal weight children. A diet quality score was constructed based on a previously validated adult diet score. Each one unit increase in diet quality was significantly associated with a decreased risk of childhood overweight and obesity. Individual level factors (including gender, being a member of a sports team, weight status) were more strongly associated with physical activity levels than family or environmental factors. Overweight and obese children were more sedentary and less active than normal weight children. There was a dose response relationship between time spent at moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and the risk of childhood obesity independent of sedentary time. In contrast, total sedentary time was not associated with the risk of childhood obesity independent of MVPA though screen time was associated with childhood overweight and obesity. In the GUI Study, only one in five children had 2 normal weight parents (or one normal weight parent in the case of single parent families). Having overweight and obese parents was a significant risk factor for overweight and obesity regardless of socio-economic characteristics of the household. Family income was not associated with the odds of childhood obesity but social class and parental education were important risk factors for childhood obesity. Access to food stores in the local environment did not impact dietary quality or the BMI of Irish children. However, there was some evidence to suggest that the economic resources of the family influenced diet and BMI. Discussion: Though childhood overweight and obesity rates appear to have stabilised over the previous decade, prevalence rates are unacceptably high. As expected, overweight and obesity were associated with a high energy intake and poor dietary quality. The findings also highlight strong associations between physical inactivity and the risk of overweight and obesity, with effect sizes greater than what have been typically found in adults. Important family level determinants of childhood overweight and obesity were also identified. The findings highlight the need for a multifaceted approach, targeting a range of modifiable determinants to tackle the problem. In particular, policies and interventions at the shared family environment or community level may be an effective mean of tackling this current epidemic.

Performance analysis of a register insertion ring with a variable size buffer

There has been a recent revival of interest in the register insertion (RI) protocol because of its high throughput and low delay characteristics. Several variants of the protocol have been investigated with a view to integrating voice and data applications on a single local area network (LAN). In this paper the performance of an RI ring with a variable size buffer is studied by modelling and simulation. The chief advantage of the proposed scheme is that an efficient but simple bandwidth allocation scheme is easily incorporated. Approximate formulas are derived for queue lengths, queueing times, and total end-to-end transfer delays. The results are compared with previous analyses and with simulation estimates. The effectiveness of the proposed protocol in ensuring fairness of access under conditions of heavy and unequal loading is investigated.

Constructions of locality and gender and their impact on the educational aspirations of working class children

Over recent years the moral panic that has surrounded 'boys' underachievement' has tended to encourage crude and essentialist comparisons between all boys and all girls and to eclipse the continuing and more profound effects on educational achievement exerted by social class and 'race'/ethnicity. While there are differences in educational achievement between working class boys and girls, these differences are relatively minor when comparing the overall achievement levels of working class children with those from higher, professional social class backgrounds. This paper argues that a need exists therefore for researchers to fully contextualise the gender differences that exist in educational achievement within the over-riding contexts provided by social class and 'race'/ethnicity. The paper provides an example of how this can be done through a case study of 11-year-old children from a Catholic, working class area in Belfast. The paper shows how the children's general educational aspirations are significantly mediated by their experiences of the local area in which they live. However, the way in which the children come to experience and construct a sense of locality differs between the boys and girls and this, it is argued, helps to explain the more positive educational aspirations held by some of the girls compared to the boys. The paper concludes by considering the relevance of locality for understanding its effects on educational aspirations among other working class and/or minority ethnic communities.