bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Spatial heterogeneity in distribution and ecology of Western Palearctic birds
Authors: Møller A. P. , Soler J. J. , Vivaldi M. Martín
Published: September 2010

Species vary in abundance and heterogeneity of spatial distribution, and the ecological and evolutionary consequences of such variability are poorly known. Evolutionary adaptation to heterogeneously distributed resources may arise from local adaptation with individuals of such locally adapted populations rarely dispersing long distances and hence having small populations and small overall ranges. We quantified mean population density and spatial heterogeneity in population density of 197 bird species across 12 similarly sized regions in the Western Palearctic. Variance in population density among regions differed significantly from a Poisson distribution, suggesting that random processes cannot explain the observed patterns. National estimates of means and variances in population density were positively correlated with continental estimates, suggesting that means and variances were maintained across spatial scales. We used Morisita's index of population abundance as an estimate of heterogeneity in distribution among regions to test a number of predictions. Heterogeneously distributed passerine bird species as reflected by Morisita's index had small populations, low population densities, and small breeding ranges. Their breeding populations had been consistently maintained at low levels for considerable periods of time, because the degree of genetic variation in a subsample of non‐passerines and passerines was significantly negatively related to heterogeneity in distribution. Heterogeneously distributed passerine species were not more often habitat specialists than homogeneously distributed species. Furthermore, heterogeneously distributed passerine species had high annual adult survival rates but did not differ in annual fecundity from homogeneously distributed species. Heterogeneously distributed passerine species rarely colonized urban habitats. Finally, homogeneously distributed bird species were hosts to a greater diversity of blood parasite species than heterogeneously distributed species. In conclusion, small breeding ranges, population sizes, and population densities of heterogeneously distributed passerine bird species, combined with their low degree of genetic variability, and their inability to colonize urban areas may render such species particularly susceptible to human‐influenced global climatic changes.
The functional response of a hoarding seed predator to mast seeding
Authors: Fletcher Quinn E. , Boutin Stan , Lane Jeffrey E. , LaMontagne Jalene M. , McAdam Andrew G. , Krebs Charles J. , Humphries Murray M.
Published: September 2010

Mast seeding involves the episodic and synchronous production of large seed crops by perennial plants. The predator satiation hypothesis proposes that mast seeding maximizes seed escape because seed predators consume a decreasing proportion of available seeds with increasing seed production. However, the seed escape benefits of masting depend not only on whether predators are satiated at high levels of seed production, but also on the shape of their functional response (type II vs. type III), and the actual proportion of available seeds that they consume at different levels of seed production. North American red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) are the primary vertebrate predator of white spruce (Picea glauca) mast seed crops in many boreal regions because they hoard unopened cones in underground locations, preempting the normal sequence of cone opening, seed dispersal, and seed germination. We document the functional response of cone‐hoarding by red squirrels across three non‐mast years and one mast year by estimating the number of cones present in the territories of individual red squirrels and the proportion of these cones that they hoarded each autumn. Even though red squirrels are not constrained by the ingestive and on‐body (fat reserves) energy reserve limitations experienced by animals that consume seeds directly, most squirrels hoarded <10% of the cones present on their territories under mast conditions. Cone availability during non‐mast years also reached levels that satiated the hoarding activity of red squirrels; however, this occurred only on the highest‐quality territories. Squirrels switched to mushroom‐hoarding when cone production was low and mushrooms were abundant. This resulted in type III functional response whereby the proportional harvest of cones was highest at levels of cone availability that were intermediate within non‐mast years. Overall, more cones escaped squirrel cone‐hoarding during a mast event than when cone production was low in non‐mast years, which supports the predator satiation hypothesis. However, the highly variable seed escape in non‐mast years may help to explain why all spruce cone production is not concentrated into fewer, larger, mast years.
Are wolves saving Yellowstone's aspen? A landscape‐level test of a behaviorally mediated trophic cascade
Authors: Kauffman Matthew J. , Brodie Jedediah F. , Jules Erik S.
Published: September 2010

Behaviorally mediated trophic cascades (BMTCs) occur when the fear of predation among herbivores enhances plant productivity. Based primarily on systems involving small‐bodied predators, BMTCs have been proposed as both strong and ubiquitous in natural ecosystems. Recently, however, synthetic work has suggested that the existence of BMTCs may be mediated by predator hunting mode, whereby passive (sit‐and‐wait) predators have much stronger effects than active (coursing) predators. One BMTC that has been proposed for a wide‐ranging active predator system involves the reintroduction of wolves (Canis lupus) to Yellowstone National Park, USA, which is thought to be leading to a recovery of trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides) by causing elk (Cervus elaphus) to avoid foraging in risky areas. Although this BMTC has been generally accepted and highly popularized, it has never been adequately tested. We assessed whether wolves influence aspen by obtaining detailed demographic data on aspen stands using tree rings and by monitoring browsing levels in experimental elk exclosures arrayed across a gradient of predation risk for three years. Our study demonstrates that the historical failure of aspen to regenerate varied widely among stands (last recruitment year ranged from 1892 to 1956), and our data do not indicate an abrupt cessation of recruitment. This pattern of recruitment failure appears more consistent with a gradual increase in elk numbers rather than a rapid behavioral shift in elk foraging following wolf extirpation. In addition, our estimates of relative survivorship of young browsable aspen indicate that aspen are not currently recovering in Yellowstone, even in the presence of a large wolf population. Finally, in an experimental test of the BMTC hypothesis we found that the impacts of elk browsing on aspen demography are not diminished in sites where elk are at higher risk of predation by wolves. These findings suggest the need to further evaluate how trophic cascades are mediated by predator–prey life history and ecological context.
Balancing the Boat: Enabling an Ocean of Possibilities
Authors: Majnemer Annette
Published: September 2010

Working in partnership, occupational therapists help clients to “balance their boat” and engage in meaningful occupations as clients journey through life. Life balance requires prioritization between time spent at work and other life experiences. Leisure time provides opportunities to rest, re-energize and enjoy activities of one's choosing, and is vitally important to an individual's physical and mental health. As occupational therapists, we need to appreciate how valuable and meaningful these activities are. In particular, it is essential that we optimize balance between the “must do” activities that are often prioritized in our interventions, with the “would like to do” leisure activities that promote well-being and social engagement. Asking our clients about the leisure activities in which they would most like to participate promotes choice and a sense of control. Focusing on modifiable personal and environmental factors enables occupational therapists to address barriers to participation in leisure activities. Occupational therapists have the knowledge and skills to work with individuals, organizations and communities to advocate for policy and practice changes that will optimize participation for individuals with functional challenges.
Measures of Knowledge and Skills for Evidence-Based Practice: A Systematic Review
Authors: Glegg Stephanie M. N. , Holsti Liisa
Published: September 2010

Background. Lack of knowledge and skills in seeking, evaluating, and applying evidence are barriers to evidence-based practice (EBP). The measurement of these constructs can inform educational initiatives aimed at reducing EBP barriers.Purpose. The purpose of this systematic review is to provide a critical appraisal of the rehabilitation literature describing quantitative measures of EBP knowledge and skills.Methods. Measures used with occupational therapists to evaluate EBP knowledge or skills were compiled from a search of the EMBASE, MEDLINE, CINAHL, EBM Reviews, and PSYCINFO databases. Measures were evaluated using adapted criteria from the CanChild Outcome Measures Rating Form.Findings. Of the 15 measures identified, three met criteria as being adequate for the measurement of EBP knowledge and skills.Implications. Further measure development needs to address limitations of existing measures. Research to evaluate the psychometric properties of existing or novel measures of knowledge and skills related to EBP may improve their utility.
Information Used by an Expert Paediatric Occupational Therapist When Making Clinical Decisions
Authors: Copley Jodie A. , Turpin Merrill J. , King Tegan L.
Published: September 2010

Background. Occupational therapists use a range of types and sources of information when making clinical decisions. It is unclear how this information is integrated.Purpose. This paper describes an exploratory qualitative case study that identified the types and sources of information accessed by one experienced paediatric therapist and how this information was combined and prioritised when making clinical decisions.Methods. Data were collected using observations of therapy sessions, key informant interviews, and semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed the-matically.Findings. To inform clinical decisions, the participant prioritised information about each child in his or her context when making decisions. Other types of information from text books and journals, professional development activities and professional and personal experience, expanded her unique body of knowledge over time.Implications. Re-conceptualisation of how information use supports clinical decision making and expands a therapist's unique body of knowledge over time can support client-centred practice in occupational therapy.
The Simple Shoulder Test Is Responsive in Assessing Change Following Shoulder Arthroplasty
Authors: Roy Jean-SéBastien , Macdermid Joy C. , Faber Kenneth J. , Drosdowech Darren S. , Athwal George S.
Published: September 2010

Study Design

Prospective cohort study with repeated measures.

Objective

To establish the responsiveness of the Simple Shoulder Test (SST) in comparison to other commonly used clinical outcomes in patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty.

Background

Responsiveness statistics are a useful means to compare different outcomes in terms of their ability to detect clinical change. While the responsiveness of the SST has been established for rotator cuff repair, it has not been determined for patients undergoing arthroplasty.

Methods

Patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty (n = 120) were evaluated prior to surgery and 6 months after. The evaluation included the SST, Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire, range of motion, and isometric strength. Responsiveness to change was assessed using standardized response mean (SRM), while longitudinal construct validity was evaluated using Pearson correlation. Receiver operating characteristics curves were plotted to determine clinically important difference of SST.

Results

The SST and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire were highly responsive (SRM, >1.70) for this population. For the assessment of impairment, range of motion (SRM, 0.64–1.03) was moderately to highly responsive, while isometric strength was minimally to moderately responsive (SRM, 0.32–0.69). The clinically important difference of the SST was established at 3.0 SST points. Pearson correlations indicated moderate associations between the change scores of the SST and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand questionnaire (r = 0.49).

Conclusions

The SST has been previously shown to be valid and highly reliable. The present results show that the SST is also responsive following shoulder arthroplasty and that it has a clinically important difference of 3.0 SST points. This should provide confidence to clinicians who wish to use a brief shoulder-specific measure in their practice. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2010;40(7):413–421.doi:10.2519/jospt.2010.3209
A new Sesquiterpenoid Eremophilenolactone from Senecio Nemorensis
Authors: Zhao Ruijian , Xie Weidong , Liu Yuxue , Meng Fanjun , Zhao Hong , Lai Pengxiang
Published: September 2010

A new sesquiterpenoid eremophilenolactone and three known compounds were isolated from the MeOH extract of the aerial parts of Senecio nemorensis L. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic evidence including IR, HR-ESI-MS, 1D and 2D NMR techniques. The new compound was established as 8α-hydroxy-6β-(isobutanoyloxy)-eremophila-7(11),1(10)-dieno-12,8β-lactone.
Evaluation of the Radical Scavenging Activity of Resorcinarenes by DPPH• Free Radical Assay
Authors: Bishnoi Anjali , Chawla Har Mohindra , Pant Nalin , Mrig Sarika , Kumar Satish
Published: September 2010

A series of methyl-pendanted resorcinarene derivatives have been synthesised and evaluated for radical scavenging potential by using a colorimetric DPPH• assay to reveal their utility as potent radical scavengers. An evaluation of the efficiencies in relation to the number of DPPH• molecules reduced by one molecule of antioxidant establishes that resorcinarene can reduce approximately eight DPPH• molecules at a fairly lower stoichiometric concentration. This behaviour is compared to that of well known radical scavengers (α-tocopherol, BHT and resorcinol) frequently used as reference compounds in scientific evaluations.
Synthesis, Characterisation and Antimicrobial Activity of Thiazole, Bisthiazole, Pyridone and Bispyridone Derivatives
Authors: Ali Gameel A. M. El-Hag , Helal Mohamed H. , Mohamed Yehia A. , Ali Ahmed A. , Ammar Yousry A.
Published: September 2010

N-cyclohexyl-2-cyanoacetamide was reacted with phenyl isothiocyanates and sulfur to give thiazolidine and bisthiazolidine derivatives. Treatment of N-cyclohexyl-2-cyanoacetamide with phenyl isothiocyanate and KOH followed by in situ heterocyclisation with α-halo compounds gave thiazole derivatives. Treatment of N-cyclohexyl-2-cyanoacetamides with cinnamonitriles gave pyridone and bispyridone derivatives. N-cyclohexyl-2-cyanoacetamide coupled smoothly with benzene-diazonium chloride in pyridine. Cyclocondensation of N-cyclohexyl-2-cyanoacetamide with acetylacetone gave 1,1′-(ethane-1,2-diyl)bis(4,6-dimethyl-2-oxo-1,2-dihydropyridine-3-carbonitrile). Ternary condensation of N-cyclohexyl-2-cyanoacetamide, malononitrile and acetaldehyde gave a bispyridone derivative. Some of the new compounds were tested against bacteria and some fungi.
p-Toluene Sulfonic Acid-Catalysed Microwave Synthesis of Symmetrical Bisamides by Reaction between Aromatic Aldehydes and Amides
Authors: Anary-Abbasinejad Mohammad , Hassanabadi Alireza , Heidari-Barfeh Motahareh
Published: September 2010

Reaction between aldehydes and amides catalysed by p-toluene sulfonic acid in microwave conditions provided a simple and efficient one-pot route for the synthesis of symmetrical bisamide derivatives in excellent yields.
Indium-mediated Barbier-type Allylation Reaction in PEG400 and PEG400/H2O
Authors: Du Zhengyin , Wang Fen , Zhou Wanwei , Wang Jin-Xian
Published: September 2010

A green method for the allylation of aldehydes with allyl bromide mediated by indium in polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG400) and PEG400/H2O is described. Aldehydes with different substituents afforded the corresponding homoallylic alcohols in good to excellent yields. Comparative studies show that water promoted this reaction in PEG 400.
Histoire naturelle des pigeonsorLes pigeons: Coenraad Jacob Temminck versus Pauline Knip
Authors: Dickinson Edward C. , David Normand , Overstreet Leslie K. , Steinheimer Frank D. , Jansen Justin
Published: September 2010

Evidence for the dates of the parts of C. J. Temminck's Histoire naturelle des pigeons was planted by the artist who, with the benefit of royal patronage, had earlier made herself the apparent architect of the work as a whole and renamed it Les pigeons. We here reveal the flaws in the planted evidence, available in Philadelphia, and how these flaws show when she committed the deed. Wrappers play a major role, and a set in Berlin reveals the true dates of publication. The consequence is that the work must be seen as two works: one, the combined issue of the last parts where the artist must be allowed her pride of place; the other, the bulk of the work where her evidence crumbles and Temminck is undoubtedly and lead player in the publication not just the author.
Robert Jameson (1774–1854) and the concept of a public museum
Authors: Swinney Geoffrey N.
Published: September 2010

Attention is drawn to Robert Jameson's distinction between “the public” and “the working classes” in relation to the audience for the Natural History Museum of the College (later the University of) Edinburgh. This distinction is discussed, together with specific usage of the related term “closed”, in the context of recent theoretical studies on the creation and construction of the public and a public sphere during the nineteenth century.
“Muy poco se sabe de los resultados”: Francis E. Bond's expedition to the Paria Peninsula and delta of the Orinoco, Venezuela (1911)
Authors: Dorr L. J.
Published: September 2010

The natural history expedition of the American banker and stock broker Francis E. Bond and companions to the Paria Peninsula and delta of the Orinoco, Venezuela, in early 1911 is described. Biographical details are provided for the three principals; Francis E. Bond, Stewardson Brown and Thomas S. Gillin. The itinerary of their three and a half month expedition is elaborated, and notes are provided on the collections of plants, animals, and artefacts that they gathered in South America and deposited in the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia on their return.
David Lack and the birth of radar ornithology
Authors: Fox Anthony D. , Beasley Patrick D. L.
Published: September 2010

The use of radar to detect ships and aircraft became a key part of Britain's defence in the early part of the Second World War, but not all echoes were those of operational targets. David Lack, of the Army Operational Research Group, showed that many unexplained echoes came from flying birds, despite critics at the time. Careful observation combined with experiments provided observers with means of differentiating birds from boats and aircraft. Lack went on to use his wartime experience to launch the science of radar ornithology during the 1950s, which formed the basis of a development that continues to the present day with a range of more sophisticated radar equipment.
Le surmoi, personnalisation, impersonnalisation, dépersonnalisation
Authors: Asséo Robert
Published: September 2010

Résumé La question du passage de la personnalisation du surmoi (c’est-à-dire de la présence de l’objet de l’identification) à l’impersonnalisation, destin classique de la disparition du complexe d’Œdipe, se pose à différents niveaux de constitution du surmoi et donc de différenciation moi/surmoi. Dès le modèle de la « phylogenèse », jusqu’à celui du surmoi « mélancolique », dit « pure culture d’instinct de mort », la complexité des identifications tant maternelles que paternelles impose une relativisation du terme. Une dynamique interinstancielle peut tenter d’instaurer un jeu entre les divers pôles et entre sexualisation et désexualisation. Les troubles dits « de caractère » permettent de mettre en évidence un certain nombre d’ambiguïtés de la dynamique moi/surmoi. L’exemple d’un cas de mélancolie sans autoreproches mais avec un désinvestissement narcissique radical permettra de mesurer quels impacts certaines réactions contre-transférentielles peuvent apporter à la dynamique de différenciation moi/surmoi.
Un moi emprisonné. Idéal du moi‑surmoi
Authors: Siksou Joyceline
Published: September 2010

Résumé Une séquence clinique d’ouverture d’une crypte en référence au modèle proposé par N. Abraham et M. Torok permet à l’analyste de s’interroger sur le devenir d’un moi?idéal édifié sur un deuil non fait de l’enfance. Le trajet qui mène ce patient de ce moi?idéal à une appropriation au niveau instantiel d’un moi et d’un surmoi séparés et dégagés de l’emprise des objets œdipiens et d’un objet narcissiquement nécessaire se fait parallèlement à un deuil redevenu possible de la perte traumatique réelle de la mère.
D'une certaine élasticité dans la relation moi‑surmoi
Authors: Zilkha Nathalie
Published: September 2010

Résumé L’auteur rappelle quelques points de la conceptualisation de Donnet concernant le processus de surmoïsation pour s’intéresser à son évolution naturelle à travers les remaniements de la relation moi?surmoi à l’adolescence, ainsi qu’aux destins moins heureux que sont les formations de caractère. Corrélativement à l’articulation étroite entre différenciation topique et fonctionnalité de l’interprétation de transfert, point que développe Baldacci, certaines interprétations ont pour but de rétablir une différenciation moi?surmoi. Elles agissent souvent à travers des voies qui rappellent celles dans lesquelles la psyché s’engage naturellement pour soutenir ses remaniements identificatoires. Ainsi le travail de séance (re)prend?il parfois le chemin de l’adolescence.
Analyste terminé – Analyste interminable
Authors: Danon-Boileau Henri
Published: September 2010

Résumé L’arrêt de son exercice professionnel ne dépend pour un analyste que de sa seule décision. Ce choix, essentiel pour le devenir des patients, mériterait une étude approfondie mais « à froid » au cours du cursus ; elle favoriserait la mise en place par l’institution de propositions qui, tout en respectant le libre arbitre et la responsabilité de chacun, offrirait l’avantage de fournir un cadre de réflexion ; la « triangulation » liée à cette intervention extérieure faciliterait un choix nécessaire, dont les prolongements inconscients nombreux et fortement investis exigent de réels efforts d’autoanalyse.
Prendre sa retraite et rester psychanalyste ?
Authors: Quinodoz Danielle
Published: September 2010

Résumé La disparition prématurée de son premier analyste a permis à D. Quinodoz de prendre conscience de l’éphémère. Cette expérience douloureuse l’a amenée à penser que pour protéger l’intérêt des analysants, il est important qu’une Société de psychanalyse favorise chez ses membres une réflexion autour de la terminaison de leur activité. Pour elle, il s’agirait de faciliter chez les membres de notre Société l’installation d’un Surmoi protecteur. Briser le tabou de la perte éventuelle de nos capacités professionnelles ou de nos capacités psychiques et en parler sans honte couperaient peut?être court aux rumeurs que l’on n’ose pas aborder directement avec les intéressés.
La défaite de Dieu
Authors: Ombrosi Orietta
Published: September 2010

Résumé On cherche ici à penser, à travers les pages du livre d’André Neher, L’Exil de la parole. Du silence biblique au silence d’Auschwitz (1970), ce qui, dans une expression fort rhétorique, se dit comme « la défaite de Dieu ». Il s’agit de tenter, une nouvelle fois, de comprendre cette défaite du Dieu biblique face à la Catastrophe : de sonder les modulations ou les variations de Son éclipse. À travers l’herméneutique du nom biblique « Shadday » attribué à Dieu, on cherche à évaluer les limites de la puissance divine. Mais c’est peut‑être dans le ve hen lâ (« malgré tout ») et le Kouléhay ve‑oulay  ! (« Peut‑être ») qu’il faut chercher les derniers et les premiers mots d’une foi née ex nihilo .
Absence de Dieu et anthropologie de la peur chez Georges Bataille
Authors: Goddard Jean-Christophe
Published: September 2010

Résumé On peut considérer comme relevant de « l’impuissance de Dieu » le thème de l’absence de Dieu et de l’abandon de l’homme en présence de Dieu chez Georges Bataille. Cette réflexion sur le sentiment d’absence est ce qui permet d’échapper à la confusion théologique traditionnelle du sacré et de l’utile. Cet athéisme de la peur de la mort est à la base de l’anthropologie de Bataille.
Cross Layer Design for Multimedia Transmission over Wireless Networks
Authors: Bouras Christos , Gkamas Apostolos , Kioumourtzis Georgios
Published: September 2010

Over the last years a number of new protocols have been developed for multimedia applications in the whole OSI layer’s scale. In addition wireless communications and networking fast occupy centre stage in research and development activity in the area of communication networks. In order to better support wireless user the cross layer design paradigm has been proposed. This chapter presents the challenges in design and implementation of cross layer adaptation schemes for multimedia transmission over wireless networks. In addition, this chapter presents the most important parameters and constrains that should be taken into consideration when attempting cross layer adaptation in wireless networks that involves different protocols in the overall protocol stack.
Local Algorithms for Topology Control in Ad-Hoc Networks
Authors: Kranakis Evangelos , Urrutia Jorge
Published: September 2010

In this chapter, we present a survey of recent techniques for local topology control in location aware Unit Disk Graphs including local algorithms for Routing, Traversal, Planar Spanners, Dominating and Connected Dominating Sets, and Vertex and Edge Coloring. In addition to investigating trade-offs for these problems, we discuss open problems that will play an important role in the future development of the subject.
Emerging Mobility Applications of Host Identity Protocol
Authors: Nováczki Szabolcs , Bokor László , Jeney Gábor , Imre Sándor
Published: September 2010

This chapter is devoted to give an overview of the Host Identity Protocol (HIP) and to discuss two different mobility management extensions built on it. We introduce the basic ideas and the main paradigms behind the HIP-scheme, and show its wild range usability in next generation mobile and ubiquitous networks. The broad scale of possible advanced mobility applications of HIP will be introduced based on two extensions of the protocol, both developed by the authors. The first one is a micromobility solution based on HIP (µHIP), while the second one provides a scalable and secure network mobility solution (HIP-NEMO).
Calling Police Using SMS
Authors: Shirali-Shahreza Mohammad , Shirali-Shahreza M. Hassan
Published: September 2010

In this chapter, a method is proposed to contact the Police with mobile phones and via SMS (Short Message Service). In this method, when a person wants to contact the Police, he must only press a special key on his mobile phone for a short time to launch a special program. This program sends current location of the person using GPS system and sends it periodically with other useful information such as name, home and work address of that person automatically to the Police Station using SMS. In this method, there is no need to talk and a person can contact the Police easily and tell them the place which crime has occurred. In addition, there is no busy line problem. This method has low cost and can be run on many mobile phones This method is implemented using JavaME (Java Platform Micro Edition) programming language and tested on a Nokia N71 mobile phone by using an ‘Evermore BT-R700’ GPS receiver.
Agents in Quantum and Neural Uncertainty
Authors: Resconi Germano , Kovalerchuk Boris
Published: September 2010

This chapter models quantum and neural uncertainty using a concept of the Agent–based Uncertainty Theory (AUT). The AUT is based on complex fusion of crisp (non-fuzzy) conflicting judgments of agents. It provides a uniform representation and an operational empirical interpretation for several uncertainty theories such as rough set theory, fuzzy sets theory, evidence theory, and probability theory. The AUT models conflicting evaluations that are fused in the same evaluation context. This agent approach gives also a novel definition of the quantum uncertainty and quantum computations for quantum gates that are realized by unitary transformations of the state. In the AUT approach, unitary matrices are interpreted as logic operations in logic computations. We show that by using permutation operators any type of complex classical logic expression can be generated. With the quantum gate, we introduce classical logic into the quantum domain. This chapter connects the intrinsic irrationality of the quantum system and the non-classical quantum logic with the agents. We argue that AUT can help to find meaning for quantum superposition of non-consistent states. Next, this chapter shows that the neural fusion at the synapse can be modeled by the AUT in the same fashion. The neuron is modeled as an operator that transforms classical logic expressions into many-valued logic expressions. The motivation for such neural network is to provide high flexibility and logic adaptation of the brain model.
Social Simulation with Both Human Agents and Software Agents
Authors: Chen Shu-Heng , Tai Chung-Ching , Wang Tzai-Der , Wang Shu G.
Published: September 2010

In this chapter, we will present agent-based simulations as well as human experiments in double auction markets. Our idea is to investigate the learning capabilities of human traders by studying learning agents constructed by Genetic Programming (GP), and the latter can further serve as a design platform in conducting human experiments. By manipulating the population size of GP traders, we attempt to characterize the innate heterogeneity in human being’s intellectual abilities. We find that GP traders are efficient in the sense that they can beat other trading strategies even with very limited learning capacity. A series of human experiments and multi-agent simulations are conducted and compared for an examination at the end of this chapter.
Evolution of Agents in a Simple Artificial Market
Authors: Sato Hiroshi , Kubo Masao , Namatame Akira
Published: September 2010

In this chapter, we conduct a comparative study of various traders following different trading strategies. We design an agent-based artificial stock market consisting of two opposing types of traders: “rational traders” (or “fundamentalists”) and “imitators” (or “chartists”). Rational traders trade by trying to optimize their short-term income. On the other hand, imitators trade by copying the majority behavior of rational traders. We obtain the wealth distribution for different fractions of rational traders and imitators. When rational traders are in the minority, they can come to dominate imitators in terms of accumulated wealth. On the other hand, when rational traders are in the majority and imitators are in the minority, imitators can come to dominate rational traders in terms of accumulated wealth. We show that survival in a finance market is a kind of minority game in behavioral types, rational traders and imitators. The coexistence of rational traders and imitators in different combinations may explain the market’s complex behavior as well as the success or failure of various trading strategies. We also show that successful rational traders are clustered into two groups: In one group traders always buy and their wealth is accumulated in stocks; in the other group they always sell and their wealth is accumulated in cash. However, successful imitators buy and sell coherently and their wealth is accumulated only in cash.
Agent-Based Modeling Bridges Theory of Behavioral Finance and Financial Markets
Authors: Takahashi Hiroshi , Terano Takao
Published: September 2010

This chapter describes advances of agent-based models to financial market analyses based on our recent research. We have developed several agent-based models to analyze microscopic and macroscopic links between investor behaviors and price fluctuations in a financial market. The models are characterized by the methodology that analyzes the relations among micro-level decision making rules of the agents and macro-level social behaviors via computer simulations. In this chapter, we report the outline of recent results of our analysis. From the extensive analyses, we have found that (1) investors’ overconfidence behaviors plays various roles in a financial market, (2) overconfident investors emerge in a bottom-up fashion in the market, (3) they contribute to the efficient trades in the market, which adequately reflects fundamental values, (4) the passive investment strategy is valid in a realistic efficient market, however, it could have bad influences such as instability of market and inadequate asset pricing deviations, and (5) under certain assumptions, the passive investment strategy and active investment strategy could coexist in a financial market.
The AGILE Design of Reality Game AI
Authors: Reynolds Robert G. , O’Shea John , Che Xiangdong , Gawasmeh Yousof , Meadows Guy , Fotouhi Farshad
Published: September 2010

This chapter investigates the use of agile program design techniques within an online game development laboratory setting. The proposed game concerns the prediction of early Paleo-Indian hunting sites in ancient North America along a now submerged land bridge that extended between Canada and the United States across what is now Lake Huron. While the survey of the submerged land bridge was being conducted, the online class was developing a computer game that would allow scientists to predict where sites might be located on the landscape. Crucial to this was the ability to add in gradually different levels of cognitive and decision-making capabilities for the agents. We argue that the online component of the courses was critical to supporting an agile approach here. The results of the study indeed provided a fusion of both survey and strategic information that suggest that movement of caribou was asymmetric over the landscape. Therefore, the actual positioning of human artifacts such as hunting blinds was designed to exploit caribou migration in the fall, as is observed today.
Exploitation-Oriented Learning XoL
Authors: Miyazaki Kazuteru
Published: September 2010

Exploitation-oriented Learning XoL is a new framework of reinforcement learning. XoL aims to learn a rational policy whose expected reward per an action is larger than zero, and does not require a sophisticated design of the value of a reward signal. In this chapter, as examples of learning systems that belongs in XoL, we introduce the rationality theorem of profit Sharing (PS), the rationality theorem of reward sharing in multi-agent PS, and PS-r*. XoL has several features. (1) Though traditional RL systems require appropriate reward and penalty values, XoL only requires an order of importance among them. (2) XoL can learn more quickly since it traces successful experiences very strongly. (3) XoL may be unsuitable for pursuing an optimal policy. The optimal policy can be acquired by the multi-start method that needs to reset all memories to get a better policy. (4) XoL is effective on the classes beyond MDPs, since it is a Bellman-free method that does not depend on DP. We show several numerical examples to confirm these features.
Pheromone-style Communication for Swarm Intelligence
Authors: Kawamura Hidenori , Suzuki Keiji
Published: September 2010

Pheromones are the important chemical substances for social insects to realize cooperative collective behavior. The most famous example of pheromone-based behavior is foraging. Real ants use pheromone trail to inform each other where food source exists and they effectively reach and forage the food. This sophisticated but simple communication method is useful to design artificial multiagent systems. In this chapter, the evolutionary pheromone communication is proposed on a competitive ant environment model, and we show two patterns of pheromone communication emerged through co-evolutionary process by genetic algorithm. In addition, such communication patterns are investigated with Shannon’s entropy.
Improving E-Society through E-Banking
Authors: Shanmugam Bala , Supramaniam Mahadevan
Published: September 2010

The emergence of e-banking has created a significant transformation towards the services provided by the banks. E-banking provides alternatives for faster delivery of banking services to a wider scope of customers hence creating a major impact towards e-society. Nowadays, e-banking have gained increasing popularity in delivering online services for e-society. However, prior to the implementation of e-banking, several factors and best practices must be identified to ensure a more efficient execution of e-banking services towards the development of e-society. E-banking factors are found to have a significant effect on the success of e-society.
Ontology Based Business Rules and Services Integration Environment
Authors: Kamada Aqueo , Figueiredo Adriana , Rodrigues Marcos
Published: September 2010

Nowadays, the relationships among people, governments and organizations are subject to fast changes. The increasing demand for new services conducts to the need to create services from scratch and by integrating disparate and heterogeneous legacy systems. The problem is that the monolithic form as most of the systems were implemented turns the change excessively slow and expensive. Considering that some business logic portions are quite volatile and susceptible to changes and other portions are quite stable and less susceptible to changes, this paper proposes ontology based integrated development environment (IDE) that can capture business changes and quickly implement them into computational systems. The volatile portions are externalized as business rules and the stable portions as SOA based services. Business rules’ facts and conditions are linked to services, which are discovered in the business rules development or maintenance time. The IDE aggregates a set of tools to automate the modeling of business rules in the business people‘s terminology and to automate the integration of services. It is based on a set of ontologies to deal with metadata related to services, vocabularies and business rules. Business rules are modeled according to OMG’s Semantics of Business Vocabularies and Business Rules Metamodel.
Developing a Secure Integrated E-Voting System
Authors: Ayo Charles K. , Daramola J.O. , Azeta A. A.
Published: September 2010

The electoral system is paramount to the survival of democracy all over the world. Current happenings around the world, particularly in the developing world where poor conduct of elections had left a number of countries devastated are of great concern to world leaders. Therefore, efforts are ongoing to introduce a voting system that is transparent, convenient and reliable. This chapter presents an overview of an integrated electronic voting (e-Voting) system comprising: the electronic voting machine (EVM), Internet voting (i-Voting) and mobile voting (m-Voting). Similarly, issues of interoperability of the integrated system are discussed as well as the needed security measures. It is however recommended that emphasis be directed at EVM for use within the country while others are restricted to special cases of remote voting for citizens living abroad or living with certain deformities.
An Overview of E-Health Development in Australia
Authors: Teoh Say Yen , Singh Mohini , Chong Josephine
Published: September 2010

This chapter is a discussion of e-health development in Australia. The Australian government has been very proactive in e-government and applications of e-government such as e-health in the last five years. E-health is an important application of e-government in Australia for innovation of the public sector, as well as due to its very sparsely populated large rural areas. E-health development in this chapter is analysed using Layne and Lee’s (2001) e-government development model due to the similarities in the stages of development of both applications. This chapter illustrates that in Australia e-health development is mostly at the informational stage. It also indicates that e-health developments can be established in four stages of information; transaction; vertical and horizontal integration of services.
Learning from Failure
Authors: Salem Fadi , Jarrar Yasar
Published: September 2010

Large-scale electronic government projects had mixed results over the past decade. A considerably large percentage of such projects effectively failed. The over-ambitious promise of e-governance positively transforming public sectors in developing nations didn’t fully materialize. The actual causes of e-government failures are still to be explored in more detail to improve the understanding of the phenomenon by practitioners and scholars alike. This chapter explores the causes of e-government failures within the context of Arab states and discusses prevailing views of such failures in earlier literature. Based on a survey of senior e-government practitioners in nine Arab countries, our findings indicate that the underlying roots of failure in e-government projects in Arab countries (which we classify in nine main categories) are entwined with multifaceted social, cultural, organizational, political, economic and technological factors. We argue that, despite their many similarities, e-government initiatives in the Arab states would be better equipped for avoiding failure when a local ‘fit’ is established between leadership commitment, sustainable cross-government vision, appropriate planning, rational business strategy, suitable regulatory framework, practical awareness campaigns and rigorous capacity building for the public administrators and society at large. Based on our findings, we argue that replicable “best practices” in a complex and developing field of e-government rarely exist. We conclude with a proposal to nurture a culture more tolerant to risk-taking and failure in the relatively new area of e-government in the Arab states. Until a local maturity level is reached, such culture should be accompanied with home-grown e-government risk management approaches as well as effective mechanisms of knowledge management to enable extracting relevant local lessons from failed projects and partial successes.
Lessons from Constructivist Theories, Open Source Technology, and Student Learning
Authors: Palma de Schrynemakers Gladys
Published: September 2010

There has been a great deal written about the three subjects discussed in this chapter. One of the challenges, however, is establishing meaningful links between the first two, constructivism and open source, so that the synergism between them can provide faculty with the tools to create the best possible learning environment for students. Herein, therefore, we examine these connections, first by an overview of how students acquire information and thus learn about themselves and others in the 21st century. From here, the discussion moves on to shed light on the deeply-rooted need of individuals to understand themselves and the world through dialectic, that is by investigating truths through discussion. Intrinsic to this task is an examination of the impact of technology on those interested in pursuing teaching and learning through open source platforms: How, for example, has technology abetted or truncated that dialogue in education? We then follow the linkages between constructivism and open source to examine how both link up to provide support and pedagogical assistance to student learning. The chapter concludes with examples of how the author has integrated constructivist philosophies with open source technology to establish a collaborative and effective learning environment for college students.
Higher Education and FOSS for E-Learning
Authors: Williams van Rooij Shahron
Published: September 2010

This paper examines the paradox of FOSS adoption in U.S. institutions of higher education, where campus-wide deployment of FOSS for e-learning lags far behind adoption for technical infrastructure applications. Drawing on the fields of organizational management, information systems, and education, the author argues that the gap between the advocacy for FOSS teaching and learning applications and the enterprise-wide deployment of FOSS for e-learning is a consequence of the divergent perspectives of two organizational sub-cultures—the technologist and the academic—and the extent to which those sub-cultures are likely to embrace FOSS. The author recommends (a) collaborative needs analysis/assessment prior to a go/no go adoption decision, and (b) broad dissemination of total cost of ownership (TCO) data by institutions deploying FOSS for e-learning enterprise-wide. This discussion satisfies e-learning administrators and practitioners seeking research-based, cross-disciplinary evidence about the FOSS decision-making process and also assists educators in graduate degree programs seeking to expand student knowledge of e-learning technology options.
Data Mining User Activity in Free and Open Source Software (FOSS)/ Open Learning Management Systems
Authors: McGrath Owen
Published: September 2010

Free and Open Source Software (FOSS)/Open Educational Systems development projects abound in higher education today. Many universities worldwide have adopted open source software like ATutor and Moodle as an alternative to commercial or homegrown systems. The move to open source learning management systems entails many special considerations, including usage analysis facilities. The tracking of users and their activities poses major technical and analytical challenges within web-based systems. This paper examines how user activity tracking challenges are met with data mining techniques, particularly web usage mining methods, in four different open learning management systems: ATutor, LON-CAPA, Moodle, and Sakai. As examples of data mining technologies adapted within widely used systems, they represent important first steps for moving educational data mining outside the research laboratory. Moreover, as examples of different open source development contexts, exemplify the potential for programmatic integration of data mining technology processes in the future. As open systems mature in the use of educational data mining, they move closer to the long-sought goal of achieving more interactive, personalized, adaptive learning environments online on a broad scale.
What Audacity!
Authors: Swanson Peter B. , Early Patricia N. , Baumann Quintina
Published: September 2010

Promoting student engagement in the second language classroom can be difficult for teachers. Multiple obstacles such as perceptions of the irrelevance of authentic language applications and the affective barriers (e.g. performance anxiety speaking before peers) tend to hinder student oral language performance. For teachers, especially for beginners, other obstacles appear such as being given the most challenging assignments with little to no professional support. Many times these educators scramble to squeeze the most out of every minute in the classroom for instructional purposes while trying to increase student achievement. Three free and open source software options are presented and findings from two studies of focusing on the use of Audacity indicate multiple benefits for both teachers and students. Afterwards, the authors demonstrate how to use Audacity for oral language assessment and discuss its implications for the world language classroom.