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Peer-to-Peer (P2P) technology is a kind of decentralized framework which is applied to file sharing and video streaming in Internet predominantly. However, there are some problems, like free-riding, fairness, unexpected fluctuation, in P2P systems. Especially, without free riding controlling, many users stop contributing data and only want to receive data. To avoid these problems, a credit-based incentive mechanism using sneak, public-key cryptography and multi-source technique is proposed to make peers in system have no choice but to share data. In the proposed incentive mechanism, the concept of credit is employed. If a peer can contribute more bandwidth for sharing stream, it is arranged closer to video server, to get more credit in return, have less packet loss risk and receive better stream quality. Free-rider is a peer who denies contributing or contributes less resource than it registers to the system. In the proposed mechanism, free-riders are judged by the credits of each peer. In order to prevent illegal behaviors, the public-key cryptography is used for differentiating real and fake credit, also used for tracing credits. Experimental results show that when 90% peers are zero uploading peers, using the proposed mechanism can reduce 85% of zero uploading peers. When 90% peers are cheating peers, adopting the proposed mechanism can reduce 94% of cheating peers. System utility is usually about 100%. Maximum number of hops to video server is about five to six which is much smaller than without using the proposed mechanism, about 40 hops. The loads in managing system topology and delivering sub-streams are reduced. Besides, the resource of the system is used effectively.

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Architecture

Mechanism design theory has given economists a set of tools for designing institutions to achieve socially desirable outcomes. Unfortunately, the behavioral assumptions that these theories often rest are somewhat unrealistic. Testing these institutions in a laboratory setting gives us insight into what assumptions or properties of institutions make them behaviorally successful. Moreover these insights allow us to create new theories that offer, in principle, better actual performance. Thus, the interplay between experimental economics and economic theory seems vital in mechanism design to insure successful institutions. It is in this spirit that this dissertation precedes focusing entirely with mechanisms that were designed to achieve the Lindahl allocation in a public goods environment. The first chapter experimentally examines three such mechanisms in a laboratory setting. It finds that the mechanism that gets the closest to the Lindahl allocation is the one that induces a game with very strong stability of equilibrium properties. Unfortunately this mechanism also has some clear disadvantages: first, it is very complicated; second, payoffs to consumers while learning to play equilibrium are very low; and last, the mechanism gets more complicated when more people participate. The second chapter uses the insights from the first experiment to create a new institution which avoids some of the concerns outlined above while maintaining the strong stability of equilibrium property. The third chapter contributes a missing stability result into the literature. The final chapter of the dissertation experimentally compares the new mechanism introduced in chapter 2 with the most successful mechanism from the first experiment. The treatments in this experiment are designed to stress the above observed trouble areas.

Darbe atlikta teorinė hipoterapijos sampratos, istorijos, pasaulinės reabilitacijos praktikoje atliktų tyrimų analizė. Supažindinama su hipnoterapijos metodo panaudojimo neįgaliesiems galimybėmis, raitelio ir žirgo tarpusavio sąveika. Iškelta hipotezė, kad žirgui judant, trimatėje erdvėje atliekami judesiai tuo pačiu metu sukelia atsakomuosius raitelio judesius, dėl ko lavėja kūno judesių funkcijos. Lavėjant kūno judesių funkcijoms, gerėja asmens psicho-emocinė būsena jojimo metu, dėl ko tobulėja jojimo įgūdžiai. Testavimo, kiekybinio stebėjimo ir kokybinio eksperimento (su kiekybiniais elementais) metodais atliktas tyrimas, kurio tikslas - gerinti vaikų, turinčių fizinių ir judėjimo sutrikimus, sutrikusias kūno judesių funkcijas, psicho-emocinę būseną ir mokyti jojimo įgūdžių, taikant hipoterapijos ir jojimo terapijos užsiėmimus. Atlikta statistinė (deskriptyvinė dažnių, vidurkių, Spearman‘o koreliacijos koeficiento) duomenų analizė. Tyrime dalyvavo šeši vaikai, turintys fizinių ir judėjimo sutrikimų (cerebrinis paralyžius, įgimta stuburo smegenų išvarža). Empirinėje dalyje nagrinėjami kūno judesių funkcijų, psicho-emocinės ir jojimo įgūdžių pokyčiai, taikant hipoterapijos ir jojimo terapijos užsiėmimus. Svarbiausios empirinio tyrimo išvados: 1. Tyrimo pradžioje kelta hipotezė apie žirgo trimatėje erdvėje sukeliamus atsakomuosius raitelio judesius pasitvirtino. Tyrimo rezultatai parodė, kad jojimo terapijos dėka pagerėjo tiriamųjų KJF. Pirmos tiriamosios KJF patobulėjo 1,3%... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The present work displays the fields of horse usage in rehabilitation and sozialization. An experiment where six children with physical and motion disorders (spina bifida and cerebral palsy) at age of 2.5 14 years took parts presented. duration of participation in the experiment of the investigated children varies from 3 months up to 2 years. After applying therapy of horse-riding, functions of body movements of children have improved, they have become more mobile. The hypothesis raised at the beginning of the research concerning responsive movements of a rider caused by a horse in a three-dimensional space was proved. The research results showed that due to horse-riding therapy functions of body movements of the investigated had improved. Data obtained during assessment and quantitative observation of funktions of body movements allows us drawing a conclusion that the higher funtions of body movements of the investigated child, the more stabile psycho-emotional state during horse-riding is. Assessment of functions of body movements and data obtained during quantitative observation allow us drawing the conclusion that the more functions of body movements are higher the faster the investigated master horse-riding skills. However, it was noticed that changes of horse-riding skills of the investigated were influenced by their age, psycho-emotional state, personal features, too. Data obtained during the experiment showed that change of horse-riding skills during horse-riding... [to full text] / In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde eine theoretische Analyse des Hippotherapiebegriffs und der Hippotherapiegeschichte sowie der praktisch durchgeführten Untersuchungen gemacht. In der Arbeit wurde ebenfalls darauf eingegangen, wie man das Hyppotherapieverfahren für die physisch Behinderten anwenden kann, sowie besprochen, wie ein Reiter und ein Ross zusammenwirken. Es wurde eine Hypothese entworfen, dass beim Bewegen eines Rosses im dreidimensionalen Raum seine Bewegungen in demselben Moment entsprechende Bewegungen des Reiters hervorrufen, was die Funktionen der Körperbewegungen (KBF) verbessert. Indem sich die Funktionen der Körperbewegungen verbessern, wird der psycho-emotionale Zustand des Menschen auch besser, was zu besseren Reitfertigkeiten führt. Es wurde aufgrund der Teste, der quantitativen Beobachtung sowie des qualitativen Experiments (zusammen mit quantitativen Elementen) eine Untersuchung durchgeführt, deren Ziel war, den psycho-emotionalen Zustand der Kinder, die physische - und Bewegungsbehinderungen sowie beeinträchtigte Funktionen der Körperbewegungen haben, zu verbessern und Reitfertigkeiten mit Hilfe von Hippotherapie und Reittherapie einzubringen. Es wurde eine statistische Analyse der Dateien ausgeführt. An der Untersuchung haben sechs Kinder teilgenommen, die physische - und Bewegungsprobleme haben (Zerebralparalyse, angeborene Rückenmarkbruch). In dem empirischen... [der volle Text, siehe weiter]

Hypothesis. It is considered that during horseback riding the three-dimensional movements initiated by horse’s hind legs also cause responsive movements by the horseman; these movements stimulate symmetric muscle activeness and develop gross motor functions. Analogical movements that imitate three-dimensional actions caused by the horse performed on a therapeutic ball should have lesser influence on the symmetry of muscle activeness of children with CP since the actions are triggered by subjects themselves. It is likely that during gross motor function development the psycho-emotional condition of the human being should improve also perfecting the person’s horseback riding skills. The Aims of the Research. 1. To analyze horseback riding influence on gross motor function, muscle activeness and psycho-emotional condition of healthy children and children with CP. 2. To analyze the influence of exercises on a therapeutic ball on the symmetry of muscle activeness of healthy children and children with CP. The Goals of the Research. 1. To determine and to compare the symmetry of muscle (m. erector spinae lumbar, m. gluteus medius) activeness of healthy children and children with CP while doing exercises on a therapeutic ball using the methods of electromyography and myotonometry. 2. To evaluate the influence of horseback riding on gross motor function of beginner and advanced horsemen with CP. 3. To compare the muscle activeness symmetry of beginner and advanced horsemen (both... [to full text] / Darbo tikslai: ištirti jojimo poveikį sveikų raitelių ir raitelių, sergančių CP, bendrajai motorikai, raumenų aktyvumo simetriškumui ir psichoemocinei būsenai; ištirti pratimu ant didžiojo kamuolio poveikį sveikų vaikų ir vaikų, sergančių CP, raumenų aktyvumo simetriškumui. Tyrimo metodai: bendrosios motorikos funkcijų vertinimas; raumenų pasyviųjų mechaninių savybių tyrimas (miotonometrija); raumenų elektrinio aktyvumo tyrimas (elektromiografija); psichoemocinės būsenos ir jojimo įgūdžių stebėjimas. Tyrimo imtis. Atlikti keturi tyrimai, kuriuose dalyvavo 71 tiriamasis. Buvo tiriami sveiki, t.y. padėties ir judesio sutrikimų neturintys asmenys (n=19), ir asmenys, kuriems diagnozuotas cerebrinis paralyžius (n=52). Darbo naujumas ir mokslinė, praktinė reikšmė. Disertacinis darbas prisideda prie reikalingo, tolesnio kryptingo reabilitacijos metodų veiksmingumo vaikams, sergantiems cerebriniu paralyžiumi, tyrinėjimo Lietuvoje: atlikti tyrimai padėjo nustatyti skirtingų metodų veiksmingumą vaikams, sergantiems cerebriniu paralyžiumi. Tai pirmasis tyrimas, nagrinėjantis sveikų vaikų ir vaikų, sergančių CP, nugaros tiesiamojo ir sėdmens viduriniojo raumenų aktyvumo simetriškumą ant skirtingų paviršių. Gauti rezultatai atskleidė, kad pratimus ant didžiojo kamuolio savo praktikoje sėkmingai gali taikyti reabilitacijos specialistai, siekiant sumažinti sveikų vaikų ir vaikų, sergančių CP, sėdmens viduriniojo raumens pasyviųjų mechaninių savybių asimetrija. Įvertintas pažengusiųjų ir... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

Modeled after Doherty & Simmons’ (1996) study on the practice patterns of marriage and family therapists, this project explored similar questions about equine assisted/facilitated psychotherapists who are members of two main certification organizations, EAGALA and PATH Intl. An Internet survey distributed to equine assisted/facilitated practitioners across the country explored demographic information of the clinician, their clients, and their typical work setting. Equine assisted/facilitated psychotherapy is a growing field and gaining an understanding of the current position of the field allows for growth in areas that are currently underdeveloped within this sector of the mental health field.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on November 6, 2007) Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.F.A.)--Rochester Institute of Technology, 2006. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 38-40).

Master of Science / Department of Horticulture, Forestry, and Recreation Resources / Ryan L. Sharp / The need to balance increasing recreation demands with resource conservation in parks and protected areas presents a challenge for land managers. Managing recreational use of vast land and river areas often encompasses concerns about increasing numbers of recreation visitors, including horse riders. These increases in visitor use may cause adverse impacts to natural resources. A typical outdoor recreation activity, like horse riding, can lead to such impacts as soil erosion, compaction, damage to vegetation, wildlife disturbance, and water pollution. Parks and protected areas require diligent monitoring of these impacts. Along with biophysical impacts, potential social conflicts usually revolve around shared trail use with other horse riders, mountain bikers, and/or hikers. Self-administered questionnaires were given to recreationists (i.e., horse riders) at Ozark National Scenic Riverways (OZAR) in Missouri, U.S.A. Data were collected about levels and patterns of visitor activities on trails at OZAR via stratified random sample at multiple locations, times of day, days of the week and time of year (e.g. summer and fall), thus capturing a representative sample of the riders throughout the whole park. The study examined horse riders’ perceptions of potential management scenarios regarding horse riding trails. Additionally, experience use history data at OZAR were collected. The objective of the research was to explore management options when looking at seasonality, temporal differences, experiential level and the perceived severity of the actions to horse riders at OZAR. The Potential for Conflict Index was used for measuring the potential for conflict between users at different times of the week and times of year (e.g. summer and fall), as well as between horse riders and managers (through proposed management actions). This study sought to help inform park and protected area managers about horse riders’ perceptions of potential management actions and the potential for conflict related to said management actions. Of the management scenarios, there is a lower potential for conflict for trail permitting than trail management. Fall visitors had a higher potential for conflict regarding trail permitting (PCI₂ value = 0.43) and fall users also had a higher potential for conflict for trail management (PCI₂ value = 0.25). For expert and novice users, both groups felt similarly about trail conditions, trail permitting, and trail management; however, there was an overall lower potential for conflict for expert horse riders than novice horse riders. The results revealed the complexity of managing horse use in a protected area. Even during periods of high use, horse riders did not report crowded conditions, nor did horse riders favor restricting use on the trails. Additionally, horse riders felt that the trail conditions were acceptable. As past research has shown, increased horse use often leads to degraded ecological conditions (though none was perceived) and possible conflicts with other users (but not intra-activity). Limiting use may be the only viable way to maintain the ecological integrity of the park, regardless of horse riders lack of desire for restricted use or the presence of experiential impacts. Managers often have to make difficult decisions in the face of conflicting information, and this study clearly displays this dilemma.