Measurement-based Policy-driven QoS Management in Converged Next Generation Networks

Policy-based management is considered an effective approach to address the challenges of resource management in large complex networks. Within the IU-ATC QoS Frameworks project, a policy-based network management framework, CNQF (Converged Networks QoS Framework) is being developed aimed at providing context-aware, end-to-end QoS control and resource management in converged next generation networks. CNQF is designed to provide homogeneous, transparent QoS control over heterogeneous access technologies by means of distributed functional entities that co-ordinate the resources of the transport network through policy-driven decisions. In this paper, we present a measurement-based evaluation of policy-driven QoS management based on CNQF architecture, with real traffic flows on an experimental testbed. A Java based implementation of the CNQF Resource Management Subsystem is deployed on the testbed and results of the experiments validate the framework operation for policy-based QoS management of real traffic flows.

Planning and management of marine protected areas : methodological approaches to cope with data scarcity

Tese de doutoramento, Biologia (Biologia Marinha e Aquacultura), Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências, 2015

Application of geographic information system and modelling in health impact assessment for urban road mobility in Vietnam

Transport is an essential sector in modern societies. It connects economic sectors and industries. Next to its contribution to economic development and social interconnection, it also causes adverse impacts on the environment and results in health hazards. Transport is a major source of ground air pollution, especially in urban areas, and therefore contributing to the health problems, such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, cancer, and physical injuries. This thesis presents the results of a health risk assessment that quantifies the mortality and the diseases associated with particulate matter pollution resulting from urban road transport in Hai Phong City, Vietnam. The focus is on the integration of modelling and GIS approaches in the exposure analysis to increase the accuracy of the assessment and to produce timely and consistent assessment results. The modelling was done to estimate traffic conditions and concentrations of particulate matters based on geo-references data. A simplified health risk assessment was also done for Ha Noi based on monitoring data that allows a comparison of the results between the two cases. The results of the case studies show that health risk assessment based on modelling data can provide a much more detail results and allows assessing health impacts of different mobility development options at micro level. The use of modeling and GIS as a common platform for the integration of different assessments (environmental, health, socio-economic, etc.) provides various strengths, especially in capitalising on the available data stored in different units and forms and allows handling large amount of data. The use of models and GIS in a health risk assessment, from a decision making point of view, can reduce the processing/waiting time while providing a view at different scales: from micro scale (sections of a city) to a macro scale. It also helps visualising the links between air quality and health outcomes which is useful discussing different development options. However, a number of improvements can be made to further advance the integration. An improved integration programme of the data will facilitate the application of integrated models in policy-making. Data on mobility survey, environmental monitoring and measuring must be standardised and legalised. Various traffic models, together with emission and dispersion models, should be tested and more attention should be given to their uncertainty and sensitivity

Financial planning and Control in public sector undertakings in kerala

Today India is seeking a speedy transformation of her semi-stagnant economy to a dynamic one by means of economic planning in a democratic set up. In the context of this growth oriented endeavour public sector has a vital role to play. After three decades of planned development, it has become important that India must make fresh appraisals on the role of public sector in the economic renaissance of the country. Almost no comprehensive study has been made on this vital segment of the economy vis-a-vis the growth economics. This study is an attempt to fill this need in a very modest way. It presents the subject in a new perspective. An earnest attempt is made to reveal the critical problems inhibiting the growth of the public sector from a new angle which focusses the spot-light on the economics of development.

Adaptive project planning and management based on best practices - COBRA system

Planning a project with proper considerations of all necessary factors and managing a project to ensure its successful implementation will face a lot of challenges. Initial stage in planning a project for bidding a project is costly, time consuming and usually with poor accuracy on cost and effort predictions. On the other hand, detailed information for previous projects may be buried in piles of archived documents which can be increasingly difficult to learn from the previous experiences. Project portfolio has been brought into this field aiming to improve the information sharing and management among different projects. However, the amount of information that could be shared is still limited to generic information. This paper, we report a recently developed software system COBRA to automatically generate a project plan with effort estimation of time and cost based on data collected from previous completed projects. To maximise the data sharing and management among different projects, we proposed a method of using product based planning from PRINCE2 methodology. (Automated Project Information Sharing and Management System -�COBRA) Keywords: project management, product based planning, best practice, PRINCE2

Climate and more sustainable cities: climate information for improved planning and management of cities (producers/capabilities perspective)

In the last two decades substantial advances have been made in the understanding of the scientific basis of urban climates. These are reviewed here with attention to sustainability of cities, applications that use climate information, and scientific understanding in relation to measurements and modelling. Consideration is given from street (micro) scale to neighbourhood (local) to city and region (meso) scale. Those areas where improvements are needed in the next decade to ensure more sustainable cities are identified. High-priority recommendations are made in the following six strategic areas: observations, data, understanding, modelling, tools and education. These include the need for more operational urban measurement stations and networks; for an international data archive to aid translation of research findings into design tools, along with guidelines for different climate zones and land uses; to develop methods to analyse atmospheric data measured above complex urban surfaces; to improve short-range, high-resolution numerical prediction of weather, air quality and chemical dispersion through improved modelling of the biogeophysical features of the urban land surface; to improve education about urban meteorology; and to encourage communication across scientific disciplines at a range of spatial and temporal scales.

Career planning and development in elite sport : an AFL perspective

This paper examines career development in elite sport, specifically the perceptions of Australian Football League (AFL) players on the career development programs offered by the AFL Players Association. HRM literature reveals considerable research in the area of career planning and development. There is however a paucity of research into career planning for elite athletes in Australia. While overseas studies indicate a lack of career planning by elite athletes for their life after sport, that is not the findings of this research. This pilot study reveals that AFL Players not only recognise the need for and value of career planning, they actively utilise the AFL Players Association, Player Development program, in particular the training and development and guidance aspects of the program, This research is useful because it provides feedback to those who formulate such programs to better cater for and create more focused programs. It also provides the basis for further research across the sport and the potential to test its applicability across other elite sports.

Continence prevalence and management in an acute hospital

Learning Objective 1: describe the prevalence of incontinence within an Australian acute care hospital

Learning Objective 2: describe the current management practices for incontinence with regard to patients in an acute care hospital
Introduction: In 1998 the World Health Organisation recognised the international problem of incontinence. However, incontinence remains a major problem that affects more than 3.8 million Australians. Currently, there are no Australian guidelines governing the management of continence within the acute healthcare setting. Cabrini Health sought to identify the prevalence of incontinence in the acute inpatient setting and pilot a Continence Management Program to improve patient safety and patient outcomes.

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of and current management practices for incontinence with regard to Cabrini Health inpatients.

Method: The sample comprised 392 inpatients across three campuses of Cabrini Health (mean age= 68.3 years). Continence prevalence was assessed using a validated Continence Point Prevalence Tool.

Results: Urinary incontinence prevalence was 14%. The resulting overall faecal incontinence prevalence was 7.4%. There were 113 (52.3%) patients who were not incontinent and were using a continence product/device. Fifteen (25.9%) patients were incontinent and were not using any form of continence product/device. There were 43 (74.1%) patients who were incontinent and were using a continence product/device. For the large majority of patients, the admission notes contained documentation of their bladder and bowel function. Specifically, 46 (11.8%) patients had no form of admission documentation relating to bowel function and 45 (11.5%) patients had no form of admission documentation regarding to bladder function.

Conclusions: This study provided baseline continence prevalence for Cabrini Health. There is a need for evidence-based guidelines to support the management of incontinent patients. These interventions will assist staff to educate patients on appropriate choice of continence products and enable patients to maintain or regain continence. Thereby, leading to improved outcomes for patients and improved risk management.

Development of a universal approach to estuarine planning and management, with special reference to Australia

The study develops a universal management framework for estuaries. Based on the identified problems, policy makers' inputs and characteristics of effective management models, the study proposes a universal planning and management framework, which consists of four elements. On the basis of the elements the study outlines a detailed planning and management framework for estuaries.

Minahasan indigenous perspectives on place planning and management : tracing the indigenous culture through the lens of local wisdom

Indigenous cultures draw upon many thousands of years of residency and environmental adaptation offering unique knowledge resources to better understand our landscapes and environment. The Minahasan society, on the island of Sulawesi in the Indonesian archipelago, is one such Indigenous community. The Minahasan are the Indigenous community of northern Sulawesi, before the Portuguese and Dutch 1500-1900 colonization of this island, and the later nationalist cultural assimilation following post Indonesian independence. Thus, some 500 years of post-European contact and management can be contrasted against over I 00,000 years of Minahasan society. Further, the majority of this colonisation has been focused upon the coastal fringes resulting in a relatively intact Minahasan cultural landscape within the interior of northern Sulawesi focused upon the Tondano Lake catchment. This paper considers the importance of the Minahasan-formed cultural landscape, its importance to this culture, and the role and influence it continues to have in settlement formation and planning in northern Sulawesi despite conventional Indonesian and Western-informed sustainable urban and regional planning traditions and knowledge. It draws upon intensive qualitative research using 14 different villages, to analyse and compare local knowledge and land-relationships developed by the respective communities to manage and curate their unique characteristics as well as ensuring adaption without compromising their cultural, social and economic values. The research embodies this ethnoecological information in seeking to analyse historical and contemporary land use planning systems, and to offer a future planning perspective that will respect and endure this relationship and environmental management regime.

Anxiety disorders : assessment and management in general practice

Background: Anxiety is a normal physiological response to a threat. Anxiety disorders occur when this normal physiological response is associated with high levels of autonomic arousal, erroneous cognitions and dysfunctional coping strategies. Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent and present commonly to general practice. Anxiety disorders are often comorbid with other psychiatric and medical disorders and may be associated with significant morbidity.

Objective: This article describes the diagnosis, assessment and management of anxiety disorders in the general practice setting.

Discussion: Assessment in patients presenting with anxiety symptoms involves excluding a medical cause, identifying features of specific anxiety disorders as well as other coexisting psychiatric disorders, and assessing the degree of distress. Management options include psychoeducation, psychological treatments (particularly cognitive behaviour therapy) and pharmacological treatments. Patients with a diagnosis of an anxiety disorder can access Medicare funded psychological care under a number of Australian government initiatives. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors are the first line pharmacological agents used to treat anxiety disorders. Regular review is vital to monitor for clinical improvement and more complex presentations may require specialist psychological or psychiatric referral.

Business relationship development and management in China

The Australian Government's White Paper on Australia in the Asian Century, released in October 2012, is based on the premise that the transformation of the Asian region into the world's economic powerhouse is not only unstoppable, it is gathering pace. Asia's extraordinary ascent has already changed the Australian economy, society and strategic environment. Within a few years, Asia will be the world's largest producer of goods and services, as well as the largest consumer market and the home of the majority of the world's middle class. The White Paper notes that thriving in the Asian century requires the Australian nation to have a clear plan to seize the economic opportunities and manage the strategic challenges that will arise, by taking a farsighted approach focused on fairness. To do so, Australians must be Asia-literate and Asia-capable, with a thorough understanding of Asian cultures and languages. These capabilities are needed to build stronger connections and partnerships across the region. Australia's commercial success in the region requires that highly innovative, competitive Australian firms and institutions develop collaborative relationships with others m the region. Australian firms need new business models and new mind-sets to operate and connect with Asian markets. Against this backdrop, this chapter discusses several important issues relating to Australian firms developing and managing their business relationships in China, in the context of urban planning, architecture, civil engineering and construction. The chapter examines the Chinese business environment, in terms of guanxi, business opportunities, risks and strategies, in a case study of the successful partnerships established to manage the 'Water Cube' for the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.

Perceptions of water conditions and management in the Sonora River Basin, Sonora, Mexico

The effects of climate change are expected to be very severe in arid regions. The Sonora River Basin, in the northwestern state of Sonora, Mexico, is likely to be severely affected. Some of the anticipated effects include precipitation variability, intense storm events, higher overall temperatures, and less available water. In addition, population in Sonora, specifically the capital city of Hermosillo, is increasing at a 1.5% rate and current populations are near 700,000. With the reduction in water availability and an increase in population, Sonora, Mexico is expected to experience severe water resource issues in the near future. In anticipation of these changes, research is being conducted in an attempt to improve water management in the Sonora River Basin, located in the northwestern part of Sonora. This research involves participatory modeling techniques designed to increase water manager awareness of hydrological models and their use as integrative tools for water resource management. This study was conducted as preliminary research for the participatory modeling grant in order to gather useful information on the population being studied. This thesis presents research from thirty-four in-depth interviews with water managers, citizens, and agricultural producers in Sonora, Mexico. Data was collected on perceptions of water quantity and quality in the basin, thoughts on current water management practices, perceptions of climate change and its management, experience with, knowledge of, and trust in hydrological models as water management tools. Results showed that the majority of interviewees thought there was not enough water to satisfy their daily needs. Most respondents also agreed that the water available was of good quality, but that current management of water resources was ineffective. Nearly all interviewees were aware of climate change and thought it to be anthropogenic. May reported experiencing higher temperatures, precipitation changes, and higher water scarcity and attributed those fluctuations to climate change. 65% of interviewees were at least somewhat familiar with hydrological models, though only 28% had ever used them or their output. Even with model usage results being low, 100% of respondents believed hydrological models to be very useful water management tools. Understanding how water, climate change, and hydrological models are perceived by this population of people is essential to improving their water management practices in the face of climate change.