Buffer Resources Research Articles

HPS: A Hybrid Proactive Scheduler with adaptive channel selection for industrial 6TiSCH networks

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) plays a vital role in Industry 4.0, thanks to advanced wireless protocols like IEEE 802.15.4 Time-Slotted Channel Hopping (TSCH) and their incorporation in the IPv6 stack via 6TiSCH. These protocols rely on carefully constructed schedules generated by a Scheduling Function (SF). The Minimal Scheduling Function (MSF) serves as the standard SF established by the 6TiSCH WG, prescribing the management and adaptation of the communication schedule based on traffic patterns. However, MSF has a notable drawback in adapting to traffic variability and burstiness and fails to account for link quality when updating TSCH cells. To address these limitations, this paper introduces the Hybrid Proactive Scheduler with Adaptive Channel Selection (HPS). HPS calculates cell requirements by considering resource utilization, ETX (Expected Transmission Count), and buffer allocation. It incorporates a fast response mechanism for burst traffic, implemented through an autonomous scheduling mechanism. Additionally, HPS utilizes a whitelisting mechanism to select optimal communication channels. The proposed scheme is implemented in Contiki-ng and evaluated in both simulated environments and real-world testbed. Obtained results demonstrate the potential of HPS to significantly enhance reliability and reduce delays compared to state-of-the-art SFs. Specifically, HPS consistently demonstrates reliability levels surpassing 90% across diverse scenarios accompanied with a noticeable gain in latency and power consumption of approximately 70% and 25%, respectively. These findings highlight the effectiveness of HPS in improving network performance and addressing the limitations of existing SFs.

Analyzing the age of information in prioritized status update systems under an interruption-based hybrid discipline

Motivated by real-life applications, a special research-work interest has been recently directed towards the prioritized status update systems, which prioritize the update streams according to their timeliness constraints. The preferential service treatment between priority classes is commonly based on classical disciplines, preemption and non-preemption. However, both disciplines fail to give an even satisfaction between all classes. In our work, an interruption-based hybrid preemptive/non-preemptive discipline is proposed under a single-buffer system modeled as an M/M/1/2 priority queueing system. Each class being served (resp. buffered) can be preempted unless its recorded number of service preemptions reaches the predetermined in-service (resp. in-waiting) threshold. All thresholds between classes are the controlling parameters of the whole system’s performance. Using the stochastic hybrid system approach, the age of information (AoI) performance metric is analyzed in terms of its statistical average along with the higher-order moments, considering a general number of priority classes. Closed-form results are also obtained for some special cases, giving analytical insights about the AoI stability in heavy loading conditions. The average AoI and its dispersion are numerically investigated for the case of a three-class network. The significance of the proposed model is manifested in achieving a compromise satisfaction between all priority classes by a thorough adjustment of its threshold parameters. Two approaches are proposed to clarify the adjustment of these parameters. It turned out that the proposed hybrid discipline compensates for the limited buffer resource, achieving more promising performance with low design complexity and low cost. Moreover, the proposed scheme can operate under a wider span of the total offered load, through which the whole network satisfaction can be optimized under some legitimate constraints on the age-sensitive classes.

Effect of rainfall on White Rhino calf survival depends on home range choice of the mother

Abstract Within African savannas, seasonal rainfall influences the survival of mammalian grazers by determining the availability and quality of food. The strength of these effects may, however, vary depending on the availability of reserve and buffer resources within the home range of an individual. From 1999 to 2019, 24% of the white rhino (Ceratotherium simum simum) calves born in Ithala Game Reserve died without a known cause. To explore this, we investigated the impacts of seasonal rainfall on calf survival, and whether these relationships were modified by the availability of woodlands (i.e., reserve resources) and bunch grasslands (i.e., buffer resources) within the home ranges established by the mothers. We found that nearly all of the deceased calves died during their first dry season after weaning had commenced. The likelihood of a calf surviving this period was positively influenced by rainfall during the dry season and negatively influenced by its duration. However, these effects were more pronounced when the availability of woodlands within the home range of the mother was high. Ultimately, calf deaths were caused by a combination of low dry season rainfall, long dry seasons, and the selection of home ranges with insufficient bunch grasslands by some mothers. With climate change models predicting increased dry season durations and a reduction in dry season rainfall, our results highlight future challenges for the conservation of white rhinos and other large herbivores.

Enhancing information freshness in multi-class mobile edge computing systems using a hybrid discipline

Timely status updating in mobile edge computing (MEC) systems has recently gained the utmost interest in internet of things (IoT) networks, where status updates may need higher computations to be interpreted. Moreover, in real-life situations, the status update streams may also be of different priority classes according to their importance and timeliness constraints. The classical disciplines used for priority service differentiation, preemptive and non-preemptive disciplines, pose a dilemma of information freshness dissatisfaction for the whole priority network. This work proposes a hybrid preemptive/non-preemptive discipline under an M/M/1/2 priority queueing model to regulate the priority-based contention of the status update streams in MEC systems. For this hybrid discipline, a probabilistic discretionary rule for preemption is deployed to govern the server and buffer access independently, introducing distinct probability parameters to control the system performance. The stochastic hybrid system approach is utilized to analyze the average age of information (AoI) along with its higher moments for any number of classes. Then, a numerical study on a three-class network is conducted by evaluating the average AoI performance and the corresponding dispersion. The numerical observations underpin the significance of the hybrid-discipline parameters in ensuring the reliability of the whole priority network. Hence, four different approaches are introduced to demonstrate the setting of these parameters. Under these approaches, some outstanding features are manifested: exploiting the buffering resources efficiently, conserving the aggregate sensing power, and optimizing the whole network satisfaction. For this last feature, a near-optimal low-complex heuristic method is proposed.

A Method for 5G–ICN Seamless Mobility Support Based on Router Buffered Data

The 5G core network adopts a Control and User Plane Separation (CUPS) architecture to meet the challenges of low-latency business requirements. In this architecture, a balance between management costs and User Experience (UE) is achieved by moving User Plane Function (UPF) to the edge of the network. However, cross-UPF handover during communication between the UE and the remote server will cause TCP/IP session interruption and affect continuity of delay-sensitive real-time communication continuity. Information-Centric Networks (ICNs) separate identity and location, and their ability to route based on identity can effectively handle mobility. Therefore, based on the 5G-ICN architecture, we propose a seamless mobility support method based on router buffered data (BDMM), making full use of the ICN’s identity-based routing capabilities to solve the problem of UE cross-UPF handover affecting business continuity. BDMM also uses the ICN router data buffering capabilities to reduce packet loss during handovers. We design a dynamic buffer resource allocation strategy (DBRAS) that can adjust the buffer resource allocation results in time according to network traffic changes and business types to solve the problem of unreasonable buffer resource allocation. Finally, experimental results show that our method outperforms other methods in terms of average packet delay, weighted average packet loss rate, and network overhead. In addition, our method also has good performance in average handover delay.

The role of the nursing work environment, head nurse leadership and presenteeism in job embeddedness among new nurses: a cross-sectional multicentre study

BackgroundThe retention of new nurses has become a major challenge for medical institutions. Job embeddedness has been seen as a valuable lens for examining nurse turnover, but greater details about job embeddedness are rarely disclosed, especially among new nurses. This study aimed to reveal how the nursing work environment, head nurse leadership and presenteeism shape job embeddedness in this population from the perspective of conservation of resources (COR) theory.MethodA cross-sectional multicentre study involving 436 participants from 10 cities and 33 hospitals was conducted over 4 months. Samples were selected using a two-stage convenience sampling method. A sequential multiple mediation model performed with SPSS-PROCESS was used to analyse the relationships among the nursing work environment, head nurse leadership, presenteeism and job embeddedness.ResultsThe nursing work environment not only directly affects the job embeddedness of new nurses (β = 0.480, p < 0.001) but also indirectly affects it through the sequential multiple mediating effects of head nurse leadership and presenteeism (R2 = 0.535, F = 82.160, p < 0.001).ConclusionsNew nurses’ job embeddedness needs to be improved. These results suggest that preserving adequate resources for new nurses, such as work environment resources, head nurse leadership resources, and individual productivity resources, is an effective way to shape their job embeddedness. In addition, when a certain resource is insufficient, fully considering the principles of investment and buffering between resources and providing reciprocal, alternative, or buffer resources in a timely manner are necessary to improve new nurses’ job embeddedness.Large language modelsLarge language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, were not used during the writing of this article. An expert native English speaker performed language revision.

Feeling Alone Together: Loneliness in Older Adults with Cognitive Impairment and Their Family Caregivers with Low Mastery

Introduction: Loneliness in older persons with cognitive impairment (PCI) may beget loneliness in their family caregivers, depending on buffering resources caregivers possess. This study examined the association between loneliness in older PCI and loneliness experienced by their family caregivers, and the moderating role of caregiver mastery in this association. Methods: Dyadic data from 135 PCI and their family caregivers in Singapore were analyzed using multivariable regression. Loneliness was measured using a three-item UCLA loneliness scale. Mastery was assessed using a seven-item Pearlin instrument. Results: Multivariable regression showed that PCI loneliness and caregiver loneliness were weakly associated, taking other covariates into account. Notably, a significant interaction between PCI loneliness and caregiver mastery was observed, indicating that PCI loneliness was associated with caregiver loneliness only when caregivers had low mastery. Conclusion: Lonely PCI may share their feelings of loneliness with their caregivers, and this can lead to loneliness among caregivers if they have low mastery. Promoting caregiver mastery may help reduce caregiver loneliness, directly and indirectly as a buffer against PCI loneliness.

Gebang (Corypha utan Lamk) Tree as A Food Resource for Timorese People

Gebang (Corypha utan Lamk.) has been using by Timorese people as one of the food buffers crops, especially during the food shortage period due to drought and other extreme conditions. Gebang tree is one of food buffering resource for people in Timor Island. One mature tree can result 281 kg dry starch or about 280 liters sap because both utilizations will cause the death to the tree. The sugar content in the sap is enough to be used to form sugar palm. The starch from gebang is almost similar with that resulted from sagu tree, with proportion of amylose and amylopectin are 24.44% and 75.56%, and temperature of gelatinization of 80.55oC.

When high work engagement is negative for family tasks: mechanisms and boundary conditions.

Typically, work engagement is positively related to beneficial job outcomes. Earlier studies, however, revealed a "dark side" of work engagement showing negative effects such as more work-family conflict. Using a resource perspective, our study seeks to better understand why and when these negative effects of work engagement occur. Specifically, we test a new model in which the relationship of work engagement with work-family conflict is mediated by organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) and work rumination. Moreover, we argue that employees' resource-building strategies (i.e., job crafting) and resource levels (i.e., psychological capital) buffer resource depletion due to high work engagement. We tested our assumptions in a field study that involved data collected on three measurement points with 523 employees from Nigeria. The measures consist of Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, Organizational Citizenship Behavior Scale, Work Rumination Scale, Psychological Capital Scale, Job Crafting Measure, Work-family Conflict Scale, and demographic variables. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypotheses. Results from latent structure equation modelling confirm that work rumination mediates the positive relationship between work engagement and work-family conflict. Additionally, our findings suggest that behavioral engagement (i.e.,OCB) and work rumination mediate the relationship between work engagement and work-family conflict. Moreover, psychological capital mitigated the relationships of work engagement with work rumination, but not job crafting. Our study helps to better understand the "dark side" of work engagement and offers implications on how to mitigate its detrimental relationship with work-family conflict.

Paediatric motor difficulties and internalising problems: an integrative review on the environmental stress hypothesis.

The current study aims to provide an in-depth analysis and extension of the Environmental Stress Hypothesis (ESH) framework, focusing on the complex interplay between poor motor skills and internalising problems like anxiety and depression. Using an integrative research review methodology, this study synthesises findings from 38 articles, both empirical and theoretical, building upon previous foundational works. The hypothesis posits that poor motor skills serve as a primary stressor, leading to internalising problems through various secondary stressors. A rigorous comparison of data was conducted, considering study design, findings, and methodologies-while exploring variables such as age, sex, and comorbidities. The study also enhances the ESH framework by including intrapersonal stressors and introducing resource buffers, including optimism and familial support as additional influencing factors. This multi-level approach yields a more nuanced and comprehensive ESH framework, highlighting the need for future studies to consider variables that intersect across multiple domains and how the relationship between poor motor skills and internalising problems may vary across different life stages.

FEELING ALONE TOGETHER: LONELINESS IN OLDER ADULTS WITH COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AND THEIR CAREGIVERS WITH LOW MASTERY

Abstract Loneliness can be contagious because lonely people tend to share their loneliness with others. According to this perspective, loneliness in older persons with cognitive impairment (PCI) may beget loneliness in their family caregivers. However, not all caregivers of lonely PCI experience loneliness. This may be because caregivers have buffering resources that mitigate the contagion of loneliness. Nevertheless, empirical evidence on whether and how PCI and caregiver loneliness are related is lacking. Therefore, we examined the association between PCI loneliness and caregiver loneliness, and the moderation role of caregiver mastery on this association. We used dyadic data from 135 PCI and their family caregivers in Singapore. Descriptive statistics and bivariate correlation showed that PCI reported higher levels of loneliness than their caregivers, and PCI and caregiver loneliness were weakly related. Multivariable regression showed that PCI loneliness was not associated with caregiver loneliness, taking other covariates into account. Nevertheless, we found that the interaction between PCI loneliness and caregiver sense of mastery was significant, such that PCI loneliness was significantly associated with caregiver loneliness when caregivers had low mastery. In conclusion, lonely PCI may share their loneliness with their caregivers, and this may lead to caregiver loneliness if caregivers have low mastery. Tailored interventions should be designed to reduce loneliness among PCI and their caregivers and improve caregiver mastery as a protective factor against the spread of loneliness between PCI and caregivers.

Vicarious abusive supervision among restaurant frontline employees: the role of employee industry tenure

PurposeVicarious abusive supervision (VAS) has recently garnered the attention of hospitality researchers. VAS is prevalent in hospitality work settings characterized by long production chains and open operating environments. Based on the conservation of resources (CORs) theory, this study aims to examine how VAS influences hospitality employees’ work behaviours (i.e. supervisor-directed deviance, silence and helping behaviour) via affective rumination, with the moderating role of industry tenure as an individual contingency on the relationship between VAS and affective rumination.Design/methodology/approachThe data were gathered from 233 restaurant frontline employees and their supervisors in Turkey. The authors tested the proposed model using partial least squares method through SmartPLS 3.FindingsThe results reveal that VAS triggers affective rumination, which, in turn, is positively related to supervisor-directed deviance and silence, and negatively related to helping behaviour. Moreover, industry tenure, as a buffer resource, significantly moderates the relationship between VAS and affective rumination.Practical implicationsTo reduce the occurrence of VAS and mitigate its negative effects, managers should establish a work environment that embraces understanding and respect, pay attention to how they communicate with employees, implement appropriate interventions when VAS occurs and conduct stress management training and improve employees’ emotion regulation skills in ways that correspond to the employees’ industry experience.Originality/valueThis study advances research on VAS by offering insight into how VAS impacts employees’ work behaviours via the underlying mechanism of affective rumination through a COR lens. The findings also shed light on the salient buffering effect of industry tenure as an individual contingency.

A genetic algorithm with resource buffers for the resource-constrained multi-project scheduling problem

In this study, we compose a new metaheuristic algorithm for solving the resource-constrained multi-project scheduling problem. Our approach is based on a general metaheuristic strategy which incorporates two resource-buffered scheduling tactics. We build on the most effective evolutionary operators and other well-known scheduling methods to create a novel genetic algorithm with resource buffers. We test our algorithm on a large benchmark dataset and compare its performance to ten existing metaheuristic algorithms. Our results show that our algorithm can generate new best-known solutions for about 20% of the test instances, depending on the optimisation criterion and due date. In some cases, our algorithm outperforms all other available methods combined. Finally, we introduce a new schedule metric that can quantitatively measure the dominant structure of a solution, and use it to analyse the differences between the best solutions for different objectives, due dates, and instance parameters.

Profiles of psychosocial stressors and buffers among Latinx immigrant youth: Associations with suicidal ideation

This study aimed to examine the associations of latent profile group membership based on post-migration psychosocial stressors (proximal immigrant minority stress) and buffers (family, peer, and school support, and ethnic identity importance), and distal stressors (pre- to post-migration victimization and forced immigration-related family separation) with suicidal ideation among immigrant youth from the Northern Triangle (NT). Surveys were administered in a public high school-based Latinx immigrant youth support program between Spring 2019 and Spring 2022 (N = 172). A three latent profile model was previously identified, characterized by moderate stress/low buffer (weak resources), moderate stress/moderate buffer (average resources), and low stress/high buffer (strong resources) levels of psychosocial stressors and buffers. Associations of profile membership and the previously mentioned distal stressors with suicidal ideation were examined using multivariable logistic regression. Findings revealed that youth in the strong resources group experienced significant protection from suicidal ideation compared to youth in both the average and weak resources groups. Distal stressors were not significantly associated with suicidal ideation in multivariable analysis. Immigrant youth from the NT may require substantial buffering resources (i.e., ethnic identity importance, and school, family, and peer support) and minimization of proximal immigrant minority stress during post-migration to experience protection from suicidal ideation.

A Novel Memory Concurrent Editing Model for Large-Scale Video Streams in Edge Computing

Efficient management and utilization of edge server memory buffers are crucial for improving the efficiency of concurrent editing in the concurrent editing application scenario of large-scale video in edge computing. In order to elevate the efficiency of concurrent editing and the satisfaction of service users under the constraint of limited memory buffer resources, the allocation of memory buffers of concurrent editing servers is transformed into the bin-packing problem, which is solved using an ant colony algorithm to achieve the least loaded utilization batch. Meanwhile, a new distributed online concurrent editing algorithm for video streams is designed for the conflict problem of large-scale video editing in an edge computing environment. It incorporates dual-buffer read-and-write technology to solve the difficult problem of concurrent inefficiency of editing and writing disks. The experimental results of the simulation show that the scheme not only achieves a good performance in the scheduling of concurrent editing but also implements the editing resource allocation function in an efficient and reasonable way. Compared with the benchmark traditional single-exclusive editing scheme, the proposed optimized scheme can simultaneously enhance editing efficiency and user satisfaction under the restriction of providing the same memory buffer computing resources. The proposed model has a wide application to video real-time processing application scenarios in edge computing.

Examining the effect of technology-related divestitures on exploratory innovation: evidence from China

PurposeThis study aims to test the effects of Technology-related Divestitures (TRDs) on firms' exploratory innovation. The moderating effects of firms' internal and external resource coordination activities, resource buffering and bridging, are also explored.Design/methodology/approachA set of data including 1,372 Chinese listed firms from 2009 to 2018 is adopted. Based on propensity score matching sample, random-effect Tobit models were employed to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe empirical results indicate that TRDs inhibit firms' exploratory innovation, while both resource buffering and bridging can mitigate this negative effect. This implies that to promote exploratory innovation, resource coordination activities are the essential.Originality/valueThe research findings can contribute to both the exploratory innovation and technological divestiture literature. The test on the moderating roles of resource buffering and bridging can also extend our understanding of the effect of TRDs on firms' exploratory innovation. Accordingly, several practical implications can be provided. This is especially important for strategic decisions of firms from emerging and developing countries, which often lack sufficient internal resources and strong technological capabilities to develop exploratory innovation.

Model of optimal distribution of network resources with constraints on quality of service indicators

Existing algorithms and mathematical models of queuing at the nodes of a telecommunications network are considered in this paper. The necessity of coordinated solutions to problems of distribution of channel and buffer resources of the network is shown. A model for the optimal distribution of channel and buffer resources on network nodes has been developed. The optimization (minimization) criterion is the total average packet delay with constraints on the quality of service (QoS) indicators of heterogeneous flows. The optimization problem is presented as a constrained nonlinear programming problem and solved using the “fmincon” program of the optimization toolbox MATLAB package.

Evasive (knowledge) hiding and task performance: the moderating role of accumulative job resources

PurposeBuilding on the premise of conservation of resources theory (COR) that people protect their knowledge as a resource, the authors questioned whether the contextual nature of job resources buffers the counterintuitive positive relationship between evasive knowledge hiding (KH) and task performance.Design/methodology/approachTwo multisource field survey studies were conducted to examine the moderating influence of task-job resources on the knowledge hiders' task performance. Hierarchical regression analyses tested the main effect of evasive KH on task performance. In addition, conditional process analyses were applied to examine two-way and three-way interactions of evasive KH, job autonomy and task variety.FindingsThe data analysis showed a positive relationship between evasive KH and task performance. Moreover, the authors found that employees receiving accumulative task-job resources continued to hide knowledge and used abundant resources to increase their task performance further. However, contrary to expectations, for employees—who received partial task-job resources—their task performance deteriorated when evasively hiding knowledge.Practical implicationsManagers and human resource practitioners should acknowledge that employees' evasive KH to co-workers is not always wrong and should not be treated like it is. Moreover, they are endorsed to pay attention and invest in job resources since job autonomy and task variety create a beneficial context for knowledge holders' task performance.Originality/valueThe authors provided novel theoretical (the gain-loss perspective of COR theory) and consistent empirical (confirmed by two field-study evidence) arguments for an important contextual role of an HRM practice of job design in shaping the underrepresented knowledge behavior–task performance relationship.

Sibling Support and Perceived Daily Hassles in Latino and Non-Latino Families of Children with DD.

Parents of children with developmental delay (DD) report significantly higher levels of parenting stress compared to parents of children with typical development. There is a heightened need for social support among families of children with DD. Siblings play an important role in these contexts as a supportive resource and primary stress buffer. Little to no research has examined how these stress and supportive processes may differ among Latino and non-Latino parents. The current study examined the relation between sibling support and parents' perceived daily hassles between Latino and non-Latino parents of children with DD (N = 146; 65% Latino; mean parent age = 37.39 years; mean child age = 49.63 months; SD = 7.9). Latinos reported significantly greater use of sibling support and lower perceived daily hassles compared to non-Latino counterparts. In the combined sample, greater sibling support was significantly correlated with lower daily hassles. When examined separately in Latino and non-Latino groups, this correlation only remained significant among Latinos. The interaction between ethnicity and sibling support on perceived daily hassles was approaching significance, such that Latinos who reported high levels of sibling support reported lower perceived daily hassles. Findings emphasize the universal importance of familial support systems for the well-being of parents of children with DD and point to the possible protective role of Latino cultural factors that influence the degree to which these supports are employed. Results may inform culturally sensitive adaptations to parenting interventions for Latino families that harness sibling support to target and buffer parenting stress.

Human resource allocation in multi-project management using resource buffers

Human resource allocation in multi-project management using resource buffers