In the Internet today, learnt prefixes are forwarded within autonomous systems (ASs) over internal Border Gateway Protocol (iBGP) sessions. Existing schemes for iBGP routing include the full-mesh (FM) solution, route reflection (RR) solution and confederation. Optimal prefix routing and route diversity are the main strength of the FM solution. However, it is rarely employed in a large networks due to its deficiency in aspects including scalability and large Routing Information Base (RIB) size requirement of routers. This is due to the fact that routers in this topology are required to peer with every other router within the AS. To combat these challenges, the RR scheme provides solution for scalability by decreasing the iBGP sessions requirement. Notwithstanding, the RR solution has its own challenges which includes reduced route diversity, introduction of divergence and forwarding anomalies. Also, the FM optimality may be lost since the Route Reflectors are responsible for reflecting the learnt prefixes to their corresponding clients based on its partial view of the network. The concept of Software Defined Networking (SDN) entails decoupling of the control plane from the forwarding plane such that the control plane is logically centralized benefiting from an overall knowledge of the network for decision making. In this work, we propose a solution based on multicasting which employs relay nodes in the iBGP message dissemination. Our solution brings session management scalability and minimization of duplicate prefix announcement through elimination of peer sessions deemed unnecessary. SDN controller is employed to configure and coordinate the multicast tree.

The realisation that management today is increasingly about managing intangible resources is beginning to dawn on business managers and academics alike. Intellectual capital has been identified as the key intangible resource in firms. Consequently, ensuring that managers understand this, and that organisational structures and cultures reflect this, is fast becoming a matter of organisational survival. Therefore commercial banks will need practical methods that can be used to quickly increase understanding and commitment to these intangible resources.This study's main objective is to assist first time readers to understand the concept of intellectual capital in the South African banking sector. At the same time this study investigates if South African Commercial Banks do take this important balance sheet item in account when evaluating financial statements of SMME's.This study is investigative of this knew phenomena, and are backed by a comprehensive literature review and empirical study. The literature gives an overview of who entrepreneurs are, as they are the only creators of job opportunities in the South African economy.Secondly, the focus moves to the high failure rates of SMME's and how can they successfully apply for finance. Thirdly, credit evaluation are taken under investigation, and the role commercial banks can play to be more innovative when deciding on approval of a application, as well as the role of intellectual capital in the credit evaluation process.The empirical study consist of two questionnaires that was e-mailed to respondents, as well as personal interviews were held. Fifty commercial clients and 10 credit managers of the five biggest commercial banks in South Africa formed part of this study. The objective of this study was to determine if South African Commercial banks do take intellectual capital in consideration during the credit evaluation process. Recommendations are also made on how commercial banks can be more innovative to adhere to their clients needs. This study is of value not only for Commercial banks, but also for entrepreneurs who want to know what criteria commercial banks use to make a financial decision. / Thesis (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2003. / Business Management / unrestricted

This practice of traditional male circumcision among the Xhosa people in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa is accompanied by a high level of secrecy: details of the practice may not be shared with non-members such as women, uninitiated boys and strangers. To address the issue of injuries and deaths resulting from poorly performed unhygienic circumcision by untrained practitioners, the Department of Public Health in the Eastern Cape passed the Application of Health Standards in Traditional Circumcision Act No 6 of 2001. In order to explore the conflicting interests between public health and custodians of indigenous knowledge of curation and dissemination of information about Xhosa initiation rites, sociocultural theory through a systematic review of literature is used. Meta-ethnography design and a qualitative research approach is also used, as well as NVivo 11 qualitative data analysis software to analyse the data. Eighteen databases were used, and searches were conducted on 9 June 2016 and 13 October 2018. Using the systematic review screening process and PRISMA checklist, articles were screened against inclusion criteria, resulting in nine articles being included in the final review. Apart from the aforementioned findings that the practice excludes non-members from participating and disseminating information, and that traditional practitioners lack basic skills and knowledge necessary for procedures, findings also showed that the establishment of the Circumcision Act was the major reason for the conflict that exists between public health and Xhosa people: Xhosa people do not want secret information about the practice to be disseminated to non-members. In conclusion it is recommended that the Xhosa-speaking community make some Traditional Male Circumcision (TMC) information available while still preserving the fundamental secret information for traditional purposes. For example, access to pertinent information should be given to public health officials to enable assistance in addressing botched circumcisions.

People are seeking health information from a wide variety of sources. The comprehensive information in clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) represents an excellent source of evidence based information which should be communicated to this audience. Currently, there is little research about how to write a version of a CPG that would be easily accessible to people and more information is needed to identify barriers and supports, and potential solutions to disseminate CPGs to this audience (i.e. patients and the public). This thesis represents a body of research consisting of four scientific papers with an overarching objective to understand and explore how CPGs and recommendations primarily developed and written for health care professionals can be disseminated to patients and the public. A CPG was developed using the rigorous methods of the GRADE approach; a randomised controlled trial was conducted to evaluate a format to disseminate synthesised evidence to patients and the public; a systematic review of the literature with a thematic and narrative synthesis of patient and public attitudes towards and awareness of CPGs was performed; and a qualitative description and content analysis of a sample of patients versions of CPGs was conducted. The studies found that people are interested in patient versions of CPGs for a variety of purposes, such as for decision making, as a tool to prepare for consultations with health care providers, and as advice for self-care management. However, barriers to their use may include lack of personalisation of information, negative attitudes towards guidelines as ways to restrict and control access to care, and lack of understanding of the recommendations and the evidence. A format to disseminate the evidence from a guideline is proposed, but future research should focus on strategies to personalise the information, to overcome the negative attitudes towards guidelines, and to communicate the recommendations and the evidence informing the recommendations. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The prevalence and severity of childhood overweight has climbed dramatically in the past three decades and is recognized as a serious public health concern that requires urgent action. The home environment has been identified as a key influence on the diet and physical activity of children. Furthermore, low-income families experience obesity at higher rates and current interventions have not been translated from research to practice settings. Therefore, there is a need to evaluate the potential for evidence-based obesity treatment strategies to be translated into community or clinical delivery settings that reach broadly into the population of low-income families. In addition, while the home environment has successfully been targeted to treat childhood obesity, there is a paucity of measurement tools available to provide a comprehensive assessment of the home physical and social environment as it pertains to physical activity and dietary intake. This dissertation includes: (1) a mixed-methods study to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of a childhood obesity treatment intervention based on a partnership with a Health Care Organization and delivered through Cooperative Extension, (2) a systematic review of home environmental measures related to physical activity and dietary intake, and (3) a home environment measure development and validation study. Smart Choices for Healthy Families (SC) was developed through a research-practice partnership that included a local healthcare provider (Carilion Clinic), Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE), and an interdisciplinary research team. The aim of this study was to assess the reach, implementation, and effectiveness of SC to reduce the BMI z-scores of overweight and obese children from low-income families. The resultant intervention, based on an evidence-based social-ecological model, included brief physician counseling and referral, six-biweekly group sessions taught by VCE lay leaders, and six automated telephone counseling calls on alternate weeks. Twenty-six of 264 eligible children (50% boys; mean age=10.5 years) were recruited and 78% completed baseline and 3-month assessments. Over the 6 class sessions, there was an average 65% attendance rate and an average 58% completion rate for the automated telephone calls. Results revealed a significant reduction in children's BMI z-score (p<0.01), an increase in lean muscle mass (p<0.001) and weight (p<0.05), and an increase in Health Related Quality of Life (HRQL; p<0.0001). The participating group had a higher income (p<0.05) and also participated in fewer food assistance programs (p<0.05). Despite this small difference, Smart Choices reached a sample that was representative of the larger target population and was effective in reducing BMI z-score, increasing lean muscle mass, and improving HRQL of low-income obese children. A systematic review was conducted of the measures of the home environment in order to collect and synthesize the current body of literature. It was found that some authors choose to use non-validated measures and that there is an inconsistent use of measures across the field, making comparisons between studies difficult and conclusions regarding parental influence on childhood obesity difficult to discern. The psychometric properties that were reported on these studies are reported in this review. Through the systematic review of literature a number of measures were identified that assessed different aspects of the home environment. These measures were compiled and combined to generate a comprehensive tool to assess the physical and social aspects of the home environment that could influence eating and physical activity. This measure plus a social-ecological framework for the measure were provided to experts in the field who provided information on potential areas that had been overlooked and advice on additions or contractions of items and scales. The modified measure, the Comprehensive Home Environment Survey (CHES), was then tested for reliability and validity in a low-income audience. Parent-child dyads (n=132; Children 47% girls, age range 5 to 17; Parent 82% mothers; mean age=36) were recruited through a pediatric clinic in Roanoke, Virginia, that serves a primarily low-income audience (i.e., 95% eligible for Medicaid). Each of these parents completed the assessment tool and additional surveys to assess concurrent and predictive validity. Height and weight was assessed in each child, and children between the ages of 9 and 17 also completed nutrition and physical activity self-report surveys. Test-retest reliability was assessed in 43 parents who complete the survey a second time one-to-two-weeks following the initial assessment. Inter-rater reliability was assessed in 36 cases by having a spouse or second care-giver complete the assessment tool. Internal consistency, test-retest, inter-rater reliability, and predictive validity all showed promising results. Across the scales internal consistency was adequate to high with Cronbach's Alphas ranging from 0.67-0.92, test-retest reliability was high with Pearson Correlations ranging from 0.73-0.97 and inter-rater reliability was higher with Pearson Correlations ranging from 0.42-0.92. Finally, the CHES displayed predictive validity with subscale scores predicting outcome behaviors (e.g., parents who modeling more physical activity had children who were more active). This dissertation demonstrated that the home environment is a key factor in the treatment of childhood obesity and provides avenues for both intervention and measurement in this field of study. / Ph. D.

The multifaceted utilization of mobile computing devices, including smart phones, PDAs, tablet computers with increasing functionalities and the advances in wireless technologies, has fueled the utilization of collaborative computing (peer-to-peer) technique in mobile environment. Mobile collaborative computing, known as mobile peer-to-peer (MP2P), can provide an economic way of data access among users of diversified applications in our daily life (exchanging traffic condition in a busy high way, sharing price-sensitive financial information, getting the most-recent news), in national security (exchanging information and collaborating to uproot a terror network, communicating in a hostile battle field) and in natural catastrophe (seamless rescue operation in a collapsed and disaster torn area). Nonetheless, data/content dissemination among the mobile devices is the fundamental building block for all the applications in this paradigm. The objective of this research is to propose a data dissemination scheme for mobile distributed systems using an MP2P technique, which maximizes the number of required objects distributed among users and minimizes to object acquisition time. In specific, we introduce a new paradigm of information dissemination in MP2P networks. To accommodate mobility and bandwidth constraints, objects are segmented into smaller pieces for efficient information exchange. Since it is difficult for a node to know the content of every other node in the network, we propose a novel Spatial-Popularity based Information Diffusion (SPID) scheme that determines urgency of contents based on the spatial demand of mobile users and disseminates content accordingly. The segmentation policy and the dissemination scheme can reduce content acquisition time for each node. Further, to facilitate efficient scheduling of information transmission from every node in the wireless mobile networks, we modify and apply the distributed maximal independent set (MIS) algorithm. We also consider neighbor overlap for closely located mobile stations to reduce duplicate transmission to common neighbors. Different parameters in the system such as node density, scheduling among neighboring nodes, mobility pattern, and node speed have a tremendous impact on data diffusion in an MP2P environment. We have developed analytical models for our proposed scheme for object diffusion time/delay in a wireless mobile network to apprehend the interrelationship among these different parameters. In specific, we present the analytical model of object propagation in mobile networks as a function of node densities, radio range, and node speed. In the analysis, we calculate the probabilities of transmitting a single object from one node to multiple nodes using the epidemic model of spread of disease. We also incorporate the impact of node mobility, radio range, and node density in the networks into the analysis. Utilizing these transition probabilities, we construct an analytical model based on the Markov process to estimate the expected delay for diffusing an object to the entire network both for single object and multiple object scenarios. We then calculate the transmission probabilities of multiple objects among the nodes in wireless mobile networks considering network dynamics. Through extensive simulations, we demonstrate that the proposed scheme is efficient for data diffusion in mobile networks.

The multifaceted utilization of mobile computing devices, including smart phones, PDAs, tablet computers with increasing functionalities and the advances in wireless technologies, has fueled the utilization of collaborative computing (peer-to-peer) technique in mobile environment. Mobile collaborative computing, known as mobile peer-to-peer (MP2P), can provide an economic way of data access among users of diversified applications in our daily life (exchanging traffic condition in a busy high way, sharing price-sensitive financial information, getting the most-recent news), in national security (exchanging information and collaborating to uproot a terror network, communicating in a hostile battle field) and in natural catastrophe (seamless rescue operation in a collapsed and disaster torn area). Nonetheless, data/content dissemination among the mobile devices is the fundamental building block for all the applications in this paradigm. The objective of this research is to propose a data dissemination scheme for mobile distributed systems using an MP2P technique, which maximizes the number of required objects distributed among users and minimizes to object acquisition time. In specific, we introduce a new paradigm of information dissemination in MP2P networks. To accommodate mobility and bandwidth constraints, objects are segmented into smaller pieces for efficient information exchange. Since it is difficult for a node to know the content of every other node in the network, we propose a novel Spatial-Popularity based Information Diffusion (SPID) scheme that determines urgency of contents based on the spatial demand of mobile users and disseminates content accordingly. The segmentation policy and the dissemination scheme can reduce content acquisition time for each node. Further, to facilitate efficient scheduling of information transmission from every node in the wireless mobile networks, we modify and apply the distributed maximal independent set (MIS) algorithm. We also consider neighbor overlap for closely located mobile stations to reduce duplicate transmission to common neighbors. Different parameters in the system such as node density, scheduling among neighboring nodes, mobility pattern, and node speed have a tremendous impact on data diffusion in an MP2P environment. We have developed analytical models for our proposed scheme for object diffusion time/delay in a wireless mobile network to apprehend the interrelationship among these different parameters. In specific, we present the analytical model of object propagation in mobile networks as a function of node densities, radio range, and node speed. In the analysis, we calculate the probabilities of transmitting a single object from one node to multiple nodes using the epidemic model of spread of disease. We also incorporate the impact of node mobility, radio range, and node density in the networks into the analysis. Utilizing these transition probabilities, we construct an analytical model based on the Markov process to estimate the expected delay for diffusing an object to the entire network both for single object and multiple object scenarios. We then calculate the transmission probabilities of multiple objects among the nodes in wireless mobile networks considering network dynamics. Through extensive simulations, we demonstrate that the proposed scheme is efficient for data diffusion in mobile networks.

International Telemetering Conference Proceedings / October 18-21, 2004 / Town & Country Resort, San Diego, California / A new class of precision timing and frequency reference is introduced that indirectly receives GPS timing and frequency information via TIA/EIA Standard IS-95 Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) mobile telecommunications base station transmissions. Like cell phones, these products operate indoors without external antennas and provide accuracy, low cost and ease of installation. The technology fits particularly well in IP network synchronization and quality-of-service monitoring applications where rooftop antenna installation is often impossible. The salient characteristics of the IS-95 CDMA signals that make them suitable for this purpose and a general CDMA timing receiver architecture are described. Performance data versus similar references that use conventional GPS reception are also presented.

The purpose of this paper is to find out how sociolinguistics part depicted in textbooks of Swedish over time and study how much space portion is provided in three teaching aids dated 1976, 1995 and 2014. The study also intends to examine the degree of changes and what they might be due to. This study rests on two research traditions, sociolinguistics and materials analysis. Research in language sociology is extensive. Similarly, there is a tradition of research of teaching materials analysis particularly in the subject of history. Counterparts to my research is thus to be found in particular in the subject of history. For the Swedish part of the substance seems this type of research to be scant, consequently, there is a research gap that is interesting to examine more closely. This study can be seen as a contribution to the earlier tradition of research in general, but also as a contribution to the subject Swedish study materials research in particular. In order to answer these questions, a qualitative and a quantitative content analysis are made. The results show that the deployment can be greatly linked to the prevailing social context that political governance, curriculum, textbook author, etc. The results also show that the mayor differentiation lies between percentage with in the socio-linguistics text section internal than external to the teaching material. Changes that can be distinguished in the teaching material are seen mainly in the method of preparation. Learning materials go from the more stereotypical and more locked form of knowledge to become more educational and based more and more on the individual and his or her knowledge.

Mobile social networking(MSN) has emerged as an effective platform for social network users to pervasively disseminate the contents such as news, tips, book information, music, video and so on. In content dissemination, mobile social network users receive content or information from their friends, acquaintances or neighbors, and selectively forward the content or information to others. The content generators and receivers have different motivation and requirements to disseminate the contents according to the properties of the contents, which makes it a challenging and meaningful problem to effectively disseminate the content to the appropriate users. In this dissertation, the typical content dissemination scenarios in MSNs are investigated. According to the content properties, the corresponding user requirements are analyzed. First, a Bayesian framework is formulated to model the factors that influence users behavior on streaming video dissemination. An effective dissemination path detection algorithm is derived to detect the reliable and efficient video transmission paths. Second, the authorized content is investigated. We analyze the characteristics of the authorized content, and model the dissemination problem as a new graph problem, namely, Maximum Weighted Connected subgraph with node Quota (MWCQ), and propose two effective algorithms to solve it. Third, the authorized content dissemination problem in Opportunistic Social Networks(OSNs) is studied, based on the prediction of social connection pattern. We then analyze the influence of social connections on the content acquirement, and propose a novel approach, User Set Selection(USS) algorithm, to help social users to achieve fast and accurate content acquirement through social connections.