VHITS: Vertical handoff initiation and target selection in a heterogeneous wireless network

Global connectivity, for anyone, at anyplace, at anytime, to provide high-speed, high-quality, and reliable communication channels for mobile devices, is now becoming a reality. The credit mainly goes to the recent technological advances in wireless communications comprised of a wide range of technologies, services, and applications to fulfill the particular needs of end-users in different deployment scenarios (Wi-Fi, WiMAX, and 3G/4G cellular systems). In such a heterogeneous wireless environment, one of the key ingredients to provide efficient ubiquitous computing with guaranteed quality and continuity of service is the design of intelligent handoff algorithms. Traditional single-metric handoff decision algorithms, such as Received Signal Strength (RSS) based, are not efficient and intelligent enough to minimize the number of unnecessary handoffs, decision delays, and call-dropping and/or blocking probabilities. This research presented a novel approach for the design and implementation of a multi-criteria vertical handoff algorithm for heterogeneous wireless networks. Several parallel Fuzzy Logic Controllers were utilized in combination with different types of ranking algorithms and metric weighting schemes to implement two major modules: the first module estimated the necessity of handoff, and the other module was developed to select the best network as the target of handoff. Simulations based on different traffic classes, utilizing various types of wireless networks were carried out by implementing a wireless test-bed inspired by the concept of Rudimentary Network Emulator (RUNE). Simulation results indicated that the proposed scheme provided better performance in terms of minimizing the unnecessary handoffs, call dropping, and call blocking and handoff blocking probabilities. When subjected to Conversational traffic and compared against the RSS-based reference algorithm, the proposed scheme, utilizing the FTOPSIS ranking algorithm, was able to reduce the average outage probability of MSs moving with high speeds by 17%, new call blocking probability by 22%, the handoff blocking probability by 16%, and the average handoff rate by 40%. The significant reduction in the resulted handoff rate provides MS with efficient power consumption, and more available battery life. These percentages indicated a higher probability of guaranteed session continuity and quality of the currently utilized service, resulting in higher user satisfaction levels.

Integrated Ecological Modeling and Decision Analysis Within the Everglades Landscape

Planning for complex ecosystem restoration projects involves integrating ecological modeling with analysis of performance trade-offs among restoration alternatives. The authors used the Everglades Landscape Model and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis to explore the effect of simulated ecosystem performance, risk preferences, and criteria weights on the ranking of three alternatives to restoring overland sheet flow in the Everglades. The ecological model outputs included both hydrologic and water quality criteria. Results were scored in the decision analysis framework, highlighting the trade-offs between hydrologic restoration and water quality constraints. Given equal weighting of performance measures, the alternative with more homogenous sheet flow was preferred over other alternatives, despite evidence of some localized eutrophication risk.

Financial sustainability of cooperatives: a case of portuguese olive oil cooperatives

En Portugal, como en otros pa��ses, las cooperativas agr��colas tienen un papel econ��mico importante en el sistema alimentario. Similar a otras organizaciones econ��micas, las cooperativas agr��colas han sido testigos de cambios estructurales en las ��ltimas d��cadas en t��rminos de modelos de gobernaci��n y gesti��n. Las cooperativas agr��colas portuguesas se han visto constre��idas por su contexto a adoptar un modelo tradicional de propiedad y control. El objetivo principal de este estudio era analizar cuestiones relacionadas con la estructura de gesti��n y desempe��o financiero de las cooperativas, basada en los datos recogidos de cooperativas de aceite de oliva situadas en la regi��n interior norte de Portugal. La combinaci��n de un an��lisis cualitativo de la estructura y toma de decisiones, una evaluaci��n financiera y la aplicaci��n de un enfoque en varios criterios (PROMETHEE II), los resultados est��n en l��nea con expectativas (por ejemplo, bajos niveles de participaci��n de los miembros, gesti��n no profesional, ratios de rentabilidad bajos, bajo apalancamiento y una capacidad para cumplir compromisos financieros), excepto la relaci��n entre la gesti��n profesional y el desempe��o financiero. La existencia de gesti��n profesional no conduce a mejores resultados financieros. Este resultado refuerza la creencia de que las cooperativas que est��n estructuradas de diferente manera tienen intereses diferentes y contradictorios a las partes interesadas.

Avv��gning mellan arbetsmilj�� och effektivitet med hj��lp av multikriterieanalys : Hur komplettering av kundtj��nst p��verkar kundn��jdhet och effektivitet

A public organization has a section for customer service which is responsible of order entry from customers concerning errands within real estate and business equipment, cleaning, transport operations and handicap appliance. According to the co-ordinators in hospitals within the organisation the customers are requesting for staff to talk to physically, meaning a person to speak with face to face. The customers experiencing that it���s sometimes difficult to call customer service or use the web form, which is the only communication paths in the current situation. Proposed changes presented claim that a complement to customer service with local service centers in every hospital. The purpose of this study is to evaluate a change proposition by weigh between efficiency and working environment, this by using multi-criteria analysis. To achieve the goal a decision model is designed in the decision tool DecideIT. The aim of the study is to recommend decision makers to choose one of the options based on as rational grounds as possible. The result of the study showed that the preferred alternative is not to supplement customer service with local service centers. For the most part, the result depending on the survey (represented result from working environment criteria) which showed that the majority of customers do not request a person to speak with face to face at all.

Lageroptimering med hj��lp av multikriterieanalys : En fallstudie hos KUBALs centrallager

This thesis deals with control of stock in an inventory, focusing on inventory placement. The purpose of this thesis is to reduce the transport distance within the main stock house while gathering inventory. This will be achieved by reconstructing the inventory placement in consideration with how frequently the inventories get picked and mass of the inventory. In particular, the literature and the data that is collected from the company��s business system have laid the foundation for the thesis. In general, interviews and observations also contributed to the data collection. To fulfill the aim and to produce arbitrary results, two issues have been developed regarding which attributes that should determine the position of the inventory in the stock house and how to obtain a more effective inventory structure? The authors have jointly produced a result of suggestions for future inventory placement in terms of picking frequency and weight. Initially a situation analysis was conducted to identify known problems with the inventory��s placement and storage systems. The problems that were identified were that the inventory placement has no consideration regarding picking frequency. To determine the most frequent picked inventory an ABC analysis was conducted. All of the inventories were spread out throughout the whole stock house. To take in account, the additional criterion, which was weight, a multi-criteria analysis was performed in combination with the ABC analysis. The results of the combined analysis provided that the basis for drawing up concepts for future inventory placement. The proposal includes optimized inventory placements in different zones of the most frequently picked inventory with weight as an additional criterion.

Using AHP and the IPMA Competence Baseline in the project managers selection process

This paper proposes the joint use of the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) and the ICB (IPMA Competence Baseline), as a tool for the decision-making process of selecting the most suitable managers for projects. A hierarchical structure, comprising the IPMA���s ICB 3.0 contextual, behavioural and technical competence elements, is constructed for the selection of project managers. It also describes the AHP implementation, illustrating the whole process with an example using all the 46 ICB competence elements as model criteria. This tool can be of high interest to decision-makers because it allows comparing the candidates for managing a project using a systematic and rigorous process with a rich set of proven criteria.

Community owned solutions: identifying local best practices for social-ecological sustainability

Policies and actions that come from higher scale structures, such as international bodies and national governments, are not always compatible with the realities and perspectives of smaller scale units including indigenous communities. Yet, it is at this local social-ecological scale that mechanisms and solutions for dealing with unpredictability and change can be increasingly seen emerging from across the world. Although there is a large body of knowledge specifying the conditions necessary to promote local governance of natural resources, there is a parallel need to develop practical methods for operationalizing the evaluation of local social-ecological systems. In this paper, we report on a systemic, participatory, and visual approach for engaging local communities in an exploration of their own social-ecological system. Working with indigenous communities of the North Rupununi, Guyana, this involved using participatory video and photography within a system viability framework to enable local participants to analyze their own situation by defining indicators of successful strategies that were meaningful to them. Participatory multicriteria analysis was then used to arrive at a short list of best practice strategies. We present six best practices and show how they are intimately linked through the themes of indigenous knowledge, local governance and values, and partnerships and networks. We highlight how developing shared narratives of community owned solutions can help communities to plan governance and management of land and resource systems, while reinforcing sustainable practices by discussing and showcasing them within communities, and by engendering a sense of pride in local solutions.

D��veloppement d���un indice du potentiel TOD pour l���agglom��ration de Montr��al

R��sum�� : Les am��nagements ax��s sur le transport en commun (transit-oriented development ou TOD) reposent sur la cr��ation de d��veloppements r��sidentiels �� proximit�� d���un n��ud de transport existant. Dans le cadre de cet essai, on cherche plut��t �� identifier les quartiers existants de Montr��al poss��dant d��j�� les caract��ristiques propices �� l���am��nagement d���un TOD, mais mal desservis par les transports en commun. En s���inspirant d���une ��tude men��e aux Pays-Bas, on a eu recours �� une analyse spatiale multicrit��res afin de concevoir un ��indice du potentiel TOD��, comportant quatre crit��res jug��s essentiels, soit : la densit�� d���habitants, la mixit�� des utilisations du sol, la mixit�� sociale, ainsi que la distance aux transports. Malgr�� la difficult�� d���int��grer l���ensemble des crit��res identifi��s dans la litt��rature, les r��sultats r��v��lent un fort potentiel TOD sur le Plateau Mont-Royal, dans le Sud-Ouest, Hochelaga-Maisonneuve et plus particuli��rement dans Anjou et Saint-Michel. On recommande notamment un secteur situ�� dans Saint-Michel, dont le potentiel TOD pourrait ��tre enrichi par la cr��ation de plus fortes connexions au r��seau de transports en commun.

A long-term energy efficiency prediction model for the Brazilian automotive industry

According to law number 12.715/2012, Brazilian government instituted guidelines for a��program named Inovar-Auto. In this context, energy efficiency is a survival requirement��for Brazilian automotive industry from September 2016. As proposed by law, energy��efficiency is not going to be calculated by models only. It is going to be calculated by��the whole universe of new vehicles registered. In this scenario, the composition of vehicles��sold in market will be a key factor on profits of each automaker. Energy efficiency and its��consequences should be taken into consideration in all of its aspects.��In this scenario, emerges the following question: which is the efficiency curve of one automaker��for long term, allowing them to adequate to rules, keep balancing on investment��in technologies, increasing energy efficiency without affecting competitiveness of product��lineup? Among several variables to be considered, one can highlight the analysis of manufacturing��costs, customer value perception and market share, which characterizes this��problem as a multi-criteria decision-making. To tackle the energy efficiency problem required��by legislation, this paper proposes a framework of multi-criteria decision-making.��The proposed framework combines Delphi group and Analytic Hierarchy Process to identify��suitable alternatives for automakers to incorporate in main Brazilian vehicle segments.��A forecast model based on artificial neural networks was used to estimate vehicle sales demand��to validate expected results. This approach is demonstrated with a real case study��using public vehicles sales data of Brazilian automakers and public energy efficiency data.

Proposta de uma matriz de decis��o em energia hidrel��trica com o uso do m��todo multicrit��rio, para formula����o de pol��ticas p��blicas no estado do Paran��

Brazil is internationally acknowledged for its renewable sources, most notably, hydroelectric power plant projects which correspond to 65% of electricity production supply to the National Interconnected System. The main question behind this research is: what are the weights and the relative importance of the variables which have influence on the decision making process for the expansion of hydroelectric generation projects in Parana? The main objective is to propose a multi-criteria decision procedure, in association with water sources options that take into consideration the weight and relative importance of the alternatives having influence on the decision by enterprises in the generation of electricity in the state of Paran��. As far as the approach to the problem is concerned, this research can be classified as having mixed methodologies, applying Content Analysis, Delphi technique and the Analytic Hierarchy Process. Following Delphi methodology, a group of 21 was selected for data collection, all of those linked to Paranaense hydroelectricity market. And the main result was the construction of a decision tree in which it was possible to identify the importance and relative weight of the elements associated with the four dimensions of energy. In environmental dimension, the highest relative weight was placed on the loading capacity of Parana system; the economic dimension, the amortization of investment; in social dimension, the generation of direct work places and in institutional dimension, the availability of suitable sources of financing. Policy makers and business managers make their decisions based on specific criteria related to the organization segment, market information, economic and political behavior among other indicators that guide them in dealing with the typical tradeoffs of projects in hydropower area. The results obtained in the decision tree show that the economic bias is still the main factor in making investment decisions. However, environmental impacts on the State loading capacity, income generation, providing opportunities for direct as well as indirect jobs. And at an institutional level, the absence of funding sources show that the perception of experts is focused on other issues beyond the logic behind development per se. The order of priority of variables in this study indicates that in the current environment of uncertainty in the Brazilian economy as many variables must be analyzed and compared in order to optimize the scarce resources available to expand local development in relation to Paranaense water matrix.

Cell phone���based health education messaging improves health literacy.

Background: The ubiquity of cell phones, which allow for short message service (SMS), provides new and innovative opportunities for disease prevention and health education. Objective: To explore the use of cell phone���based health education SMS to improve the health literacy of community residents in China. Methods: A multi-stage random sampling method was used to select representative study communities and participants ��� 18 years old. Intervention participants were sent health education SMSs once a week for 1 year and controls were sent conventional, basic health education measures. Health literacy levels of the residents before and after the intervention were evaluated between intervention and control groups. Results: Public health literacy scores increased 1.5 points, from 61.8 to 63.3, after SMS intervention for 1 year (P<0.01); the increase was greater for males than females (2.01 vs. 1.03; P<0.01) and for Shenzhen local residents than non-permanent residents (2.56 vs. 1.14; P<0.01). The frequency of high health literacy scores was greater for the intervention than control group (22.03% to 30.93% vs. 22.07% to 20.82%). With health literacy as a cost-effective index, the cost-effectiveness per intervention was 0.54. Conclusion: SMS may be a useful tool for improving health literacy.

Dificuldades de aprendizagem da ��lgebra: An��lise de manuais do 7�� e 8�� anos de escolaridade

Disserta����o de Mestrado apresentada ao Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada para obten����o de grau de Mestre na especialidade de Psicologia Educacional.

Estudo s��cio-ecol��gico sobre tr��fico de seres humanos para fins de explora����o laboral na regi��o do Alentejo : an��lise espacial e estat��stica

O presente relat��rio, inserido no Mestrado em Gest��o do Territ��rio, ��rea de Especializa����o em Dete����o Remota e Sistemas de Informa����o Geogr��fica, lecionado pelo Departamento de Geografia e Planeamento Regional da Faculdade de Ci��ncias Sociais e Humanas da Universidade Nova de Lisboa, pretende descrever o trabalho desenvolvido pelo mestrando enquanto estagi��rio no Observat��rio do Tr��fico de Seres Humanos (OTSH). O relat��rio est�� estruturado em tr��s cap��tulos distintos. No primeiro cap��tulo �� realizada uma abordagem te��rica sobre o Tr��fico de Seres Humanos e a distin����o entre o mesmo com o Aux��lio �� Imigra����o Ilegal. Neste, �� tamb��m feita uma pequena refer��ncia �� problem��tica dos novos fluxos de refugiados/migrantes que, no momento da realiza����o do mesmo, constituem uma quest��o bastante complexa sobretudo ao n��vel europeu. No segundo cap��tulo �� realizada uma caracteriza����o da ��rea de estudo, assim como a descri����o dos dados utilizados e a metodologia aplicada no mesmo. No terceiro cap��tulo s��o apresentados os resultados finais do estudo e a cartografia de s��ntese que sustenta os mesmos. Para a realiza����o deste estudo recorreu-se a uma an��lise multicrit��rio em SIG para prever a localiza����o de ��reas de maior suscetibilidade de ocorr��ncia de novos casos relativos ao crime do tr��fico de seres humanos para explora����o laboral na agricultura, na regi��o do Alentejo (distritos de Beja, ��vora e Portalegre), atrav��s do recurso a dados estat��sticos disponibilizados tanto pelo OTSH, como por outras entidades. A metodologia apresentada integra um SIG baseado num modelo raster com o Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). Atrav��s da realiza����o deste estudo, a import��ncia dos SIG como ferramenta no aux��lio ao processo de tomada de decis��o, p��de ser testada, conjuntamente com o processo metodol��gico AHP, atrav��s dos resultados apresentados. Com um poss��vel desenvolvimento deste modelo anal��tico, pretende-se que o mesmo seja adapt��vel a outras regi��es e em ��ltima inst��ncia, outros tipos de explora����o e/ou tr��fico.