Quality Of Service Support Research Articles

Quality of Service Aware Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation for Rate Control in WSN

Different types of data can be generated by Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) in both Real-Time (RT) and Non-RT (NRT) scenarios. The combination of these factors, along with the limited bandwidth available, necessitates careful management of these categories in order to reduce congestion. Due to this, a Proficient Rate Control and Fair Bandwidth Allocation (PRC-FBA) method has been created that prioritizes certain types of traffic and creates a virtual queue for them.In PRC-FBA, the Signal-to-Noise and Interference Ratio (SINR) model is applied to the problem of bandwidth allocation in WSN in an effort to find a compromise between equity and performance. Then, a brand-new bandwidth utility factor is defined with regard to equity and effectivenes. The FBA method in PRC-FBA is devoped for only improving throughput, but not considering delay. However, delay is the main factors for trasnmiitng NRT packets. This paper offers a PRC with Quality of Service (QoS) aware Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation (PRC-QDBA) approach for allocating bandwidth while prioritizing packets based on their traffic classes. This model employs a QoS associated dynamic bandwidth allocation strategy which efficiently distributes the unused time slots among the required nodes. The distribution technique is performed based on hierarchical manner utilizing a parent-child association of tree topology. The parent node receives traffic indication maps (TIMs) from the children nodes and adopts them to allocate time slots based on their demamds. If the parent node is unable to allocate the required slots, it creates a TIM that indicating the demands and transfer it to its immediate parent node. This increases the entire performance rate of RT traffic. Furthermore, this model assures the packet forwarding for previously accepted flows by allowing node transmission based on ancestral connection capabilities. Finally, simulation results demonstartes that the suggested model significantly increases the throughput and delay for bandwidth allocation while also enabling QoS support for RT traffic in WSNs.

Analysis Of Quality Of Service Using The Swot Method At Pertamina Of Ihc Dental And Oral Poly Clinic In Jakarta

The purpose of this study was to analyze the quality of service using the SWOT method at the dental and oral clinic of the Pertamina IHC Clinic in Jakarta. The method used in this study uses a qualitative SWOT analysis model. The results of the study are the results of the SWOT strategy analysis, 1) Strength opportunities (SO) strategy, namely implementing service standards and improving the quality of existing services, increasing consumer confidence, expanding the target market. 2) Weaknesses opportunity (WO) strategy, namely completing medical equipment and supply of goods. 3) Strength threat (ST) strategy, namely developing competitiveness, increasing the response of health workers, continuing to provide the best service in serving patients. 4) Weaknesses threat (WT) strategy, namely paying attention to patient comfort, equipping equipment and fittings to support service quality, immediately do digitalization so that it is easier for employees to work

Resource Allocation Challenges and Strategies for RF-Energy Harvesting Networks Supporting QoS

This paper specifically addresses the resource allocation challenges encountered in wireless sensor networks that incorporate RF energy harvesting capabilities, commonly referred to as RF-energy harvesting networks (RF-EHNs). RF energy harvesting and transmission techniques bring substantial advantages for applications requiring Quality of Service (QoS) support, as they enable proactive replenishment of wireless devices. We commence by providing an overview of RF-EHNs, followed by an in-depth examination of the resource allocation challenges associated with this technology. In addition, we present a case study that focuses on the design of an efficient operating strategy for RF-EHN receivers. Our investigation highlights the critical aspects of service differentiation and QoS support, which have received limited attention in previous research. Besides, we explore previously unexplored areas within these domains.

A qualitative study of refugee men's mental health in non-metropolitan Manitoba

In bringing together literature on masculinity, refugee mental health experiences, and rural and non-metropolitan settings, we identify a gap surrounding the mental health experiences of refugee men in non-metropolitan places, and in non-metropolitan Canada specifically. In this article, we explore how refugee men in non-metropolitan Canada understood mental health; what they perceive to be the most significant barriers to good mental health; and the perceived access to and quality of support services. This collaborative qualitative study of refugee men's mental health was based in Brandon, Manitoba, and involved focus groups with a total of 29 participants, conducted in three different languages. Participants were from various countries in East Africa and the Middle East and ranged in age from 18 to 61 years old. Participants revealed diverse understandings of mental health related to cultural and religious/spiritual teachings as well as stressors that were embedded in their non-metropolitan community and their transnational journeys and relationships. Participants also indicated that both local stressors (e.g., employment/unemployment problems, challenges making a life/future) and distant stressors (e.g., concern for the safety of family in the participants’ home countries, the separation of family participants due to migration, logistical difficulties in communicating with loved ones outside of Canada, and grief over war and conflict in participants’ countries of origin) significantly impacted their mental health. We conclude that a holistic approach to health supports, including mental, physical, and spiritual wellness is important for refugee men in rural/non-metropolitan areas. These findings can inform policies, programs and funding of initiatives supporting newcomers and refugees to rural and non-metropolitan areas and contributes meaningfully to the refugee dispersion debate in Canada.

Software-Defined Network-Based Proactive Routing Strategy in Smart Power Grids Using Graph Neural Network and Reinforcement Learning

Smart power grid relies on sensors and actuators to provide continuous monitoring and precise control functions. Two types of data and command packets are associated with such field devices, namely, periodic fixed scheduling (FS) and emergency-related event-driven (ED) packets, which require different levels of quality-of-service (QoS) support. However, existing routing strategies in smart power grids are not adaptive to network conditions and cannot guarantee differentiated QoS support. To overcome this limitation, we propose a software-defined network (SDN) proactive routing framework in smart grids that takes into account the current and future state of the network while making the routing decisions. The proposed framework offers the following features: (a) It sets up separate queues for ED and FS packets, with higher priority for the ED queue; (b) It predicts the future traffic condition at each switch within the network (congested or not congested) using a graph-neural-network (GNN) model that provides an accurate prediction of the traffic condition despite the sparsity of the ED events; (c) It adopts a reinforcement learning (RL) strategy that establishes an ideal route and updates the queue service rate for each switch along the route following the network’s current and predicted future congestion condition. The proposed framework is tested on the cyber layers of the IEEE 14-bus and 39-bus test systems, and compared to two benchmarks. Our results indicate the superiority of our proposed framework compared with the benchmarks.

ROLE OF PERCEIVED VALUE ON CUSTOM-ER LOYALTY THROUGH OPTIMIZATION OF SERVICE QUALITY AND INNOVATION

Service providers must pay attention to customer satisfaction in their activities. They must focus on the quality of services provided and the need for innovation to increase customer value. It is important because service providers often pay little attention to the customer's perceived value in supporting service quality. The quantitative approach is used in this research. Data analysis is statistical and involves hypothesis tests. The survey is also conducted in which the data are obtained through a questionnaire. The object of research is service quality, innovation, perceived value, and customer loyalty. The research population is the customers of BPR Kedung Jaya Surabaya, with a sample of 100 respondents. The data collection instrument involves a questionnaire, documentation, and observation. The measurement scale is Likert Scale. The analysis technique in this research is a descriptive statistic and partial least square assisted by Smart PLS software. Results of the study show that: service quality has a significant effect on perceived value, innovation has a significant effect on perceived value, service quality has a significant effect on customer loyalty, innovation has a significant effect on customer loyalty, perceived value has a significant effect on customer loyalty, service quality significantly affects customer loyalty with the mediation of perceived value, and innovation significantly affects customer loyalty with the mediation of perceived value. This research implies that BPR Kedung Jaya Surabaya can use the results of this research as guidance to strengthen customer loyalty by examining all factors that influence research variables.

"We will need to build up the atmosphere of trust again": Service providers' perceptions of experiences of COVID-19 amongst resettled refugee adolescents.

Adolescent resettled refugees across the United States have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, through socio-economic stressors in households, disproportionate morbidity and mortality in immigrant communities, and social isolation and loss of learning due to school closures and the shift to online learning. The Study of Adolescent Lives after Migration to America [SALaMA] investigates the mental health and wellbeing of adolescents who come from-or who have parents who came from-the Middle East and North Africa [MENA] region and settled in the U.S. There is a gap in understanding of the experiences during the pandemic of MENA-background adolescents in the U.S. The objective of this study was to describe the perspective of educators and other school-affiliated service providers on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and wellbeing of adolescent resettled refugees and access to and quality of education and support services for adolescent resettled refugees. The researchers collected data using in-depth interviews with key informants in Chicago, Illinois; Harrisonburg, Virginia; and Detroit Metropolitan Area [DMA], Michigan, Key informants were school administrators, managers of English language learning services and programs, teachers, therapists, staff of non-governmental organizations and/ or community-based organizations, and case workers. Data analysis was conducted utilizing directed content analysis to develop an initial codebook and identify key themes in the data. Findings revealed a number of pathways through which the pandemic impacted adolescent refugees and immigrants' mental health and wellbeing, with online programming impacting students' engagement, motivation and social isolation in terms of peer and provider relationships. Specific dynamics in refugee adolescents' households increased stressors and reduced engagement through online learning, and access to space and resources needed to support learning during school closures were limited. Service providers emphasized multiple and overlapping impacts on service quality and access, resulting in reduced social supports and mental health prevention and response approaches. Due to the long-term impacts of school closures in the first two years of the pandemic, and ongoing disruption, these data both provide a snapshot of the impacts of the pandemic at a specific moment, as well as insights into ways forward in terms of adapting services and engaging students within restrictions and limitations due to the pandemic. These findings emphasize the need for educators and mental health service providers to rebuild and strengthen relationships with students and families. These findings indicate the need to consider, support and expand social support and mental health services, specifically for refugee adolescent students, in the context of learning and well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Research on Resource Allocation Algorithm for Satellite Uplink to Provide Differentiated QoS Support

Broadband satellite systems are built to serve different user groups ranging from enterprise and military users to common personal users, with various kinds of services calling for dissimilar quality of service (QoS). Obviously, the satellite systems are expected to distinguish the specific type of an incoming service request as well as the importance of its owner in order to perform an efficient assignment of valuable resources. In this article, the uplink resource management challenge in a multifrequency-time-division multiple access satellite system is addressed where provisioning the discriminated QoS is of vital importance. Having taken both user priority and service type into account, a differentiated QoS support principle conforming to the digital video broadcast - second generation DVB interactive satellite system (DVB-RCS2) standard is put forward, based on which the uplink timeslot assignment problem is formulated.The NP-hardness of the problem is proved, and a differentiated QoS resource allocation scheme is designed, decoupling the problem into the coarse-level of resource allocation and fine-level of timeslot assignment. The former stage involves the constant rate assignment, bandwidth adjustment, QoS degradation and user scheduling, among which the subproblem of user scheduling is an integer nonlinear program. To tackle the issue, the problem is first innovatively converted to an integer linear program, and is then modeled as the multiple-choice multiple knapsack (MCMK) problem. Furthermore, an MCMK algorithm is presented to give the optimal solution to the user scheduling problem, after which the timeslot assignment is investigated in the second phase to generate the terminal burst time plan table for return channel satellite terminals.

Mapping frameworks and approaches to measuring the quality of transition support services for young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Transition to adulthood for young people with intellectual disabilities and developmental disabilities (IDD) has been given significant attention in research, policy development and practice. The aim of this paper was to explore how a recently developed theoretical outcomes-based framework for measuring the quality of services for people with disabilities could potentially be useful in conceptualizing and supporting successful transition to adulthood. The theoretical discussion draws on both the scoping review and template analysis that was used to develop the Service Quality Framework and on a separate study synthesizing expert completed country templates and literature review which included models of and research on successful transition to adulthood. Synthesis identified that using a quality of life outcomes focused framework of Service Quality could be mapped onto and extend current thinking on what is seen as successful transition to adulthood by putting the focus on successful transition as people with IDD moving towards having similar opportunities and quality of life as other adults without disabilities living in the same community/society. Implications of a more wide-ranging definition and holistic view for both practice and future research are discussed.

Method for Early Diagnosis of Real-Time Traffic Loss with Timeout Monitoring in Software-Configurable Networks

The purpose of the research is to develop the method for early diagnosis of real-time traffic loss with time-out control in software defined networks (SDN).Methods. An overview and description of the transfer of heterogeneous traffic in an Ethernet switch with support for quality of service and Time-Triggered Ethernet technology is given. The functioning of the timeout control blocks for instantaneous removal of a frame from the hard timeout control system and depending on the length of the frame when the idle timeout receiving side is reached is described in detail. These control units are included in the hardware guard of control time-outs for real-time traffic. The work of the switch OpenFlow is described using guard of control time-outs. The formation of time windows of timeouts during frame transmission is described and developed.Results. With the help of the proposed method of early diagnosis of real-time traffic losses with control of timeouts in SDN, a modeling of SDN based on Petri nets and using the CPN Tools modeling package was carried out. The obtained model and experimental results are consistent with the theoretical calculations and the proposed method of transmitting real-time traffic, taking into account its losses in SDN.Conclusion. Using the model, the functional and temporal behavior of the model was investigated; the method was verified using Petri nets. The results were obtained in the form of time diagrams reflecting the work on traffic types in accordance with the proposed method.

Family planning and multiple sclerosis: A qualitative study of patient experiences to understand information needs and promote informed decision-making

ObjectivesAmbiguity exists about the impact of multiple sclerosis (MS) on fertility and pregnancy. We explored female and male patients’ experiences with MS regarding family planning to understand information needs and opportunities to improve informed decision-making. MethodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with Australian female (n = 19) and male (n = 3) patients of reproductive age diagnosed with MS. Transcripts were analysed thematically, adopting a phenomenological approach. ResultsFour main themes emerged: ‘reproductive planning’, revealing inconsistent experiences about pregnancy intention discussions with health care professionals (HCPs), and involvement in decisions about MS management and pregnancy; ‘reproductive concerns’, about the impact of the disease and its management; ‘information awareness and accessibility’, with participants generally reporting they had limited access to desired information and received conflicting information about family planning; and ‘trust and emotional support’, with continuity of care and engagement with peer-support groups about family planning needs valued. ConclusionPatients with MS want consistent engagement with HCPs regarding discussion of pregnancy intent and desire improvements in quality and accessibility of available resources and support services to address reproductive concerns. Practice implicationsFamily planning conversations should be a part of routine care planning for MS patients and contemporary resources are required to support these discussions.

Patient and health worker perspectives on quality of HIV care and treatment services in Haiti

BackgroundPoor quality of care is a barrier to engagement in HIV care and treatment in low- and middle-income country settings. This study involved focus group discussions (FGD) with patients and health workers in two large urban hospitals to describe quality of patient education and psychosocial support services within Haiti’s national HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART) program. The purpose of this qualitative study was to illuminate key gaps and salient “ingredients” for improving quality of care.MethodsThe study included 8 FGDs with a total of 26 male patients and 32 female patients and 15 smaller FGDs with 57 health workers. The analysis used a directed content analysis method, with the goal of extending existing conceptual frameworks on quality of care through rich description.ResultsDimension of safety, patient-centeredness, accessibility, and equity were most salient. Patients noted risks to privacy with both clinic and community-based services as well as concerns with ART side effects, while health workers described risks to their own safety in providing community-based services. While patients cited examples of positive interactions with health workers that centered their needs and perspectives, they also noted concerns that inhibited trust and satisfaction with services. Health workers described difficult working conditions that challenged their ability to provide patient-centered services. Patients sought favored relationships with health workers to help them navigate the health care system, but this undermined the sense of fairness. Both patients and health workers described frustration with lack of resources to assist patients in dire poverty, and health workers described great pressure to help patients from their “own pockets.”ConclusionsThese concerns reflected the embeddedness of patient – provider interactions within a health system marked by scarcity, power dynamics between patients and health workers, and social stigma related to HIV. Reinforcing a respectful and welcoming atmosphere, timely service, privacy protection, and building patient perception of fairness in access to support could help to build patient satisfaction and care engagement in Haiti. Improving working conditions for health workers is also critical to achieving quality.

A Novel Deep-Learning Model for Remote Driver Monitoring in SDN-Based Internet of Autonomous Vehicles Using 5G Technologies

The rapid advancement in the Internet of Things (IoT) and its integration with Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques are expected to play a crucial role in future Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). Additionally, the continuous progress in the industry of autonomous vehicles will accelerate and increase their short adoption in smart cities to allow safe, sustainable and accessible trips for passengers in different public and private means of transportation. In this article, we investigate the adoption of 5G different technologies, mainly, the Software-Defined Networks (SDN) to support the communication requirements of delegation of control of level-2 autonomous vehicles to the Remote-Control Center (RCC) in terms of ultra-low delay and reliability. This delegation occurs upon the detection of a drowsy driver using our proposed deep-learning-based technique deployed at the edge to reduce the level of accidents and road congestion. The deep learning-based model was evaluated and produced higher accuracy, precision and recall when compared to other methods. The role of SDN is to implement network slicing to achieve the Quality of Service (QoS) level required in this emergency case. Decreasing the end-to-end delay required to provide feedback control signals back to the autonomous vehicle is the aim of deploying QoS support available in an SDN-based network. Feedback control signals are sent to remotely activate the stopping system or to switch the vehicle to direct teleoperation mode. The mininet-WiFi emulator is deployed to evaluate the performance of the proposed adaptive SDN framework, which is tailored to emulate radio access networks. Our simulation experiments conducted on realistic vehicular scenarios revealed significant improvement in terms of throughput and average Round-Trip Time (RTT).

Improving the performance and reliability of RPL networks through security analysis and QoS support

This review presents the integration of security analysis with Quality of Service (QoS) support in the Routing Protocol for Low power and Lossy networks (RPL). This study highlights the importance of the security and QoS. A methodology for security analysis and evaluation of QoS support was proposed. An algorithm for integrating security analysis and QoS support in RPL is presented, addressing the vulnerability assessment and dynamic adaptation of route selection. This review highlights the significance of research on enhancing security and QoS support in RPL and its potential to contribute to the field of low-power and lossy networks.

Improving operational - developmental connections: foregrounding an alignment - dealignment - realignment perspective

On the basis of our administrative experiences and gaps in the literature, the authors develop a very practical theory, namely the (ADR) alignment-dealignment-realignment perspective. Using a sample of 80 questionnaires targeting university administrators in Albania, the authors hypothesise direct linkages between education process, quality of support services, achieving sustainability in higher education. The SSPS statistical package was employed to receive reliability analysis, Spearman's correlation, and Chi-square test results. If from one side, budgeting, research, human resource issues, and student's matters are found to have a strong positive monotonic correlation between both, quantity-quality aspects, and information given on a timely basis, the academic policies and degree programs are showing a weak relationship. Additionally, different management categories have different opinions regarding the reasons for which the problem in the HE system occurs. The survey analysis provides valuable insights regarding the existing communication gap among the university administrators and the challenges of HEIs.

Improved QoS-Secure Routing in MANET Using Real-Time Regional ME Feature Approximation

Mobile Ad-hoc Network (MANET) routing problems are thoroughly studied several approaches are identified in support of MANET. Improve the Quality of Service (QoS) performance of MANET is achieving higher performance. To reduce this drawback, this paper proposes a new secure routing algorithm based on real-time partial ME (Mobility, energy) approximation. The routing method RRME (Real-time Regional Mobility Energy) divides the whole network into several parts, and each node’s various characteristics like mobility and energy are randomly selected neighbors accordingly. It is done in the path discovery phase, estimated to identify and remove malicious nodes. In addition, Trusted Forwarding Factor (TFF) calculates the various nodes based on historical records and other characteristics of multiple nodes. Similarly, the calculated QoS Support Factor (QoSSF) calculating by the Data Forwarding Support (DFS), Throughput Support (TS), and Lifetime Maximization Support (LMS) to any given path. One route was found to implement the path of maximizing MANET QoS based on QoSSF value. Hence the proposed technique produces the QoS based on real-time regional ME feature approximation. The proposed simulation implementation is done by the Network Simulator version 2 (NS2) tool to produce better performance than other methods. It achieved a throughput performance had 98.5% and a routing performance had 98.2%.

Analysis of the Effect of Information Quality, System Quality, and Support Service Quality on User Satisfaction Levels and Its Implications for Blended E-Learning Continuance Intention to Use in the New Normal Era

Technology encourages e-learning to improve student learning and performance. The Covid-19 pandemic accelerated e-learning in Indonesian higher education. The learning method has transitioned from complete online learning to blended e-learning in new normal era. This research was conducted to determine the factors that influence students' intention to continue using blended e-learning using the IS Success Model. This research was conducted using a quantitative approach. Sampling was carried out by convenience sampling of 232 active students using blended e-learning in Indonesia. Data analysis was carried out with PLS-SEM. The hypothesis test shows that information, system, and support service quality affect blended e-learning student satisfaction. This research demonstrates that user happiness affects the intention to continue using blended e-learning

Network Condition-Aware Enhanced Distributed Channel Access for IEEE 802.11e Wireless Ad-Hoc Networks

Abstract The increasing use of multimedia applications in wireless ad-hoc networks makes the support of quality of service (QoS) an overriding necessity. In this article, we present a new extension of the IEEE 802.11e EDCA scheme called NCA-EDCA, which uses the lifetime and the number of retransmissions attempts of a packet to assess the aggressiveness of the environment in order to adjust the channel access parameters to work in the best possible way and improve service quality accordingly. This new extension aims to (1) improve the performance of real-time applications; (2) increase the overall throughput by reducing the collision rate and (3) achieve an acceptable level of fairness. The simulation results show that our extension significantly improves EDCA for better QoS support of multimedia applications. More specifically, it increases throughput of the different flows by no negligible factors and significantly reduces the collision rate while maintaining a high degree of fairness between flows of equal priority.

ASSESS THE SATISFACTION OF VAN HIEN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS WITH THE SERVICE QUALITY OF OHAO SMART

The study presents an overview of the characteristics of the research sample, a general description of the sample's response results, and the results of testing the measurement scales, the research sample has reflected the characteristics of the research. The results of the scale test using Cronbach's Alpha and the EFA factor analysis help us extract the components of the leadership style affecting student satisfaction: (1) Design of OHAOSMART, (2) OHAO SMART responsiveness, (3) OHAO SMART support service quality, (4) Food quality/reliability, (5) OHAO SMART price. The scale of the research concepts has reached convergent and discriminant validity through satisfying the conditions of EFA factor analysis and Pearson correlation analysis. The test results of the linear regression show that all 5 components have a leadership style that positively impacts student satisfaction at a significant value of < 0.05 (95% significance level). The model test results show that the model is suitable, there is no violation of the test assumptions, and the results of testing the hypotheses are accepted.

P065 Sleep Perceptions of Carers in Palliative Care: A Qualitative Study

Abstract Introduction Carers of individuals receiving palliative care have heightened responsibilities as part of their role which significantly affects their sleep. Despite the recognised importance of sleep, and the evidence regarding the impact of disturbed sleep on one’s physical and psychological wellbeing, sleep of carers is often overlooked. Furthermore, research regarding the lived experience of carers regarding their sleep is limited. This study aimed to explore carers’ sleep experiences, perceived factors related to sleep, and sleep management strategies that they adopt, in order to inform tailored assessment and sleep interventions for carers of individuals receiving palliative care. Methods Nine carers providing home palliative care were interviewed regarding their sleep experiences. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Results Five key themes were identified: (1) Sleep experiences are complex; (2) Sleep is not the priority; (3) Contributing factors of sleep vary; (4) Multiple sleep management strategies exist; and, (5) Need for carer preparedness and ongoing support; under one overarching theme being “sleep is individual for every carer”. Discussion Sleep is an individualised and complex experience that is perceived differently by carers. To improve carers’ self-appraisal in sleep quality, consideration of personal beliefs and attitudes should be accounted for to aid addressing factors that contribute to carers’ sleep disturbances. Further, carer-specific resources are crucial to improving quality and accessibility of support services (i.e. respite care).