bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Severe, Disabling, and/or Chronic Penile Pain Associated With Peyronie Disease: Management With Subcutaneous Steroid Injection
Authors: Dickstein Rian , Uberoi Jayant , Munarriz Ricardo
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACT: Penile pain is one of the most distressing, limiting, and difficult to treat manifestations of Peyronie disease. The use of steroid injections for penile deformities associated with Peyronie disease has been ineffective. However, use of steroid injections in managing penile pain has been poorly investigated. The aim of this study was to examine the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous, nonintralesional steroid injections in patients with severe, disabling, and/or chronic penile pain associated with Peyronie disease. This was a single‐institution retrospective study of 16 patients with severe, disabling, and/or chronic penile pain associated with Peyronie disease who underwent subcutaneous, nonintralesional injection of triamcinolone (50 mg) between 2004 and 2006. Preinjection and postinjection analog pain scales were used to assess treatment efficacy. All 16 patients (mean age, 47.6 ± 11.1 years) had penile pain associated with erections for an average of 13.9 months (range, 3–36 months) prior to injections. Mean preinjection and postinjection penile pain scores were 6.6 ± 2.1 and 0.5 ± 0.5, respectively. On average, patients were pain free at follow‐up visits within 10.6 ± 7.6 weeks. The mean pain‐free duration was 23.8 months (range, 3–52 months). The mean cumulative dose of triamcinolone was 75.0 mg (range, 50–200 mg), with a mean of 1.5 injections (range, 1–4 injections). All 16 patients had overall improvement in pain scores. There were no adverse events or geometric penile changes after injections. Subcutaneous, nonintralesional injections of triamcinolone is an effective, safe, and durable means of managing severe, disabling, and/or chronic penile pain in patients with Peyronie disease. Future studies are needed to validate these findings.
Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) of the Endothelial Nitric Oxide Synthase (eNOS) Gene (Glu298Asp Variant) in Infertile Men With Asthenozoospermia
Authors: Buldreghini Eddi , Mahfouz Reda Z. , Vignini Arianna , Mazzanti Laura , Ricciardo‐Lamonica Giuseppe , Lenzi Andrea , Agarwal Ashok , Balercia Giancarlo
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACT:The objective of this study was to elucidate the missense Glu298Asp polymorphism within exon 7 of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene in infertile men with asthenozoospermia and its potential role in sperm motility. In this prospective controlled study conducted in our andrology unit, we investigated the frequency of the 894G>T polymorphism (Glu298Asp variant) within exon 7 of theeNOSgene in 70 infertile men and 60 healthy men. Sperm motion kinetics were assessed with computer‐assisted semen analysis. The presence of G>T, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in exon 7 of theeNOSgene (NCBI SNP cluster rs1799983; GenBank accession number NG_011992; protein accession number NP_000594) was determined by allelespecific polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Sequencing analysis was used to confirm the specific genotype. The 894G>TeNOSallele (T) was found at a higher frequency in the patients with asthenozoospermia (60% vs 22.5% in the control group;P= .02). The percentage of progressive motile sperm (grade a + b) was lower in the asthenozoospermic infertile men with the homozygouseNOS(TT) genotype than in the wild‐typeeNOS(GG) (P= .02) and heterozygouseNOS(GT) genotypes (P= .01). However, the percentage of progressive motile sperm (grade a + b) was higher in the wild‐type vs mutanteNOS(TT) (P= .03) and heterozygouseNOS(GT) genotypes (P= .04). Our findings suggest that the T allele encoding for aspartic acid of theeNOS(Glu298Asp) gene may contribute to poor sperm motility.
Reverse Mathematics: The Playground of Logic
Authors: Shore Richard A.
Published: October 2010

This paper is essentially the author's Gödel Lecture at the ASL Logic Colloquium '09 in Sofia extended and supplemented by material from some other papers. After a brief description of traditional reverse mathematics, a computational approach to is presented. There are then discussions of some interactions between reverse mathematics and the major branches of mathematical logic in terms of the techniques they supply as well as theorems for analysis. The emphasis here is on ones that lie outside the usual main systems of reverse mathematics. While retaining the usual base theory and working still within second order arithmetic, theorems are described that range from those far below the usual systems to ones far above.
An Evaluation of the Job Satisfaction Levels of Turkish Provincial Football Referees
Authors: Çoban Bilal
Published: October 2010

This study was conducted in order to determine the job satisfaction levels of provincial referees on the basis of 9 demographic variables. The study sample consisted of 83 provincial referees working in Kahramanmaras, Adana, and Osmaniye provinces of Turkey. The Minnesota Satisfaction
Questionnaire (MSQ; Dawis, Weiss, England, & Lofquist, 1967) was used to identify job satisfaction levels. While a statistically significant difference was found between provincial referees in terms of age, foreign language level, income level, and other-than-refereeing jobs and term (p
< 0.05); no statistically significant difference was found between the provincial referees in terms of marital status, education level, and sports background (p < 0.05). It is recommended that mental and psychological needs of referees be met to ensure that they can perform well.
Moreover, management and senior colleagues should support younger and less experienced referees.
Student Teachers' Evaluation of the Motivational Strategies Used in Foreign Language Teaching
Authors: Deniz Sabahattin
Published: October 2010

How much importance is attached to motivational strategies in foreign language teaching by student teachers and the extent to which instructors use them in their courses was investigated. The study was performed with 179 student teachers attending the English Language Teaching Department
of Mugla University, Turkey. The findings revealed that these student teachers thought motivational strategies were very important for learning a foreign language, and that their instructors use some of these strategies but did not use other strategies considered to be important by the student
teachers. Interviews showed that students thought studying the cultural values of the target language facilitates fluent use of that language and assists retention.
Earnings Quality and International IPO Underpricing
Authors: Boulton Thomas J. , Smart Scott B. , Zutter Chad J.
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACT: This study examines the impact of country-level earnings quality on IPO underpricing. Examining 10,783 IPOs from 37 countries, we find that IPOs are underpriced less in countries where public firms produce higher quality earnings information. This finding persists after controlling for other deal- and country-specific factors that affect IPO underpricing, and it is driven neither by the large and relatively transparent markets in the U.S. and U.K. nor by the relatively opaque Japanese market. The impact of low earnings quality on underpricing is partially offset by the use of a top-tier underwriter.
Serum Uric Acid Levels Predict New-Onset Type 2 Diabetes in Hospitalized Patients With Primary Hypertension: The MAGIC Study
Authors: Viazzi Francesca , Leoncini Giovanna , Vercelli Marina , Deferrari Giacomo , Pontremoli Roberto
Published: October 2010

OBJECTIVE

Recent studies suggest that uric acid may predict the development of diabetes in the general population. Whether this association holds true in primary hypertension and is independent of renal function and metabolic syndrome is not clear at present.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

In a prospective, observational study, 758 untreated hypertensive patients were evaluated at baseline and followed-up for 11 years.

RESULTS

A total of 8,332 person-years of follow-up revealed that slightly elevated uric acid levels (i.e., ≥318 μmol/l for women and ≥420 μmol/l for men) at baseline were associated with a significantly higher risk of developing diabetes (hazard ratio 3.65 [95% CI 1.99–6.69], P < 0.0001), even after adjustment for several confounding factors such as metabolic syndrome (2.78 [1.35–5.70], P = 0.0054).

CONCLUSIONS

Uric acid is an independent predictor of diabetes in primary hypertension.
Molecular dynamics simulations of EXAFS in germanium
Authors: Timoshenko Janis , Kuzmin Alexei , Purans Juris
Published: October 2010

Classical molecular dynamics simulations have been performed for crystalline germanium with the aim to estimate the thermal effects within the first three coordination shells and their influence on the single-scattering and multiple-scattering contributions to the Ge K-edge extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS).
Calcium: A Nutrient Deserving a Special Issue
Authors: Whiting Susan J.
Published: October 2010

Interest in calcium has continued since the 1980s when its role in promoting bone growth and retention was established in clinical trials of children and postmenopausal women. The human nutrition functions now attributed to calcium have expanded beyond bone health to include other conditions such as body weight maintenance. While most efforts have been focused on the findings that dietary intakes are low, there are emerging data on safety concerns of excess amounts. This Special Issue on calcium nutrition, spanning the lifecycle from critically ill neonates through to older adults, has been written by some of the leading researchers in this field.
Holonic Management
Authors: Kamoshida Akira
Published: October 2010

The aim of an innovative management is to intentionally create a “chaos edge” and to foster and organize the ideas which are born. Chaos edge is a term usually used in complexity studies, but it is also highly applicable to management. In this paper, the management concept used to create innovation is referred to as “Holonic management.” Holonic management requires the following three elements: 1) cultivating the soil from which innovation shoots can grow, 2) introducing an appropriate competition principle, and 3) preparing a strict evaluation and proper support system. Constructing the field of chaos edge in holonic management can activate an internal environment to create ideas, which result in the internal cooperative work possible to generate innovation. The “Heretic management” finds the innovation shoot created by a minor group within a corporation and allows it to grow without fear of failure. This is not just the most effective tool. It is also the method for the realization of knowledge management.
Coupled Solvers for Gas-Solids Flows
Authors: van Wachem Berend
Published: October 2010

In recent years, the application of coupled solver techniques to solve the Navier-Stokes equations has become increasingly popular. The main reason for this, is the increased robustness originating from the implicit and global treatment of the pressure-velocity coupling. The drawback of a coupled solver are the increase in memory requirement and the increased complexity of implementation. However, fully coupled methods are reported to have an overall favorable computational cost when a suitable pre-conditioner and algorithm for solving the resulting set of linear equations are employed. In solving multi-phase flow problems, the coupled solver approach is even more advantageous than in single-phase, due to the presence of large source terms arising from the coupling of the phases. In this chapter, various strategies for the fully coupled approach are discussed. These strategies include employing artificial compressibility, applying physically consistent cell face interpolation, and applying momentum weighted cell face interpolation. The idea behind the strategies is outlined and their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. The treatment of source terms and volume fraction in coupled methods is also shown. Finally, a number of examples of implementations and calculations are presented.
Direct Numerical Simulation of Gas-Solids Flow Based on the Immersed Boundary Method
Authors: Garg Rahul , Tenneti Sudheer , Yusof Jamaludin Mohd. , Subramaniam Shankar
Published: October 2010

In this chapter, the Direct numerical simulation (DNS) of flow past particles is described. DNS is a first-principles approach for modeling interphase momentum transfer in gas-solids flows that does not require any further closure as the flow around the particles is fully resolved. In this chapter, immersed boundary method (IBM) is described where the governing Navier-Stokes equations are modeled with exact boundary conditions imposed at each particle surface using IBM and the resulting three dimensional time-dependent velocity and pressure fields are solved. Since this model has complete description of the gas-solids hydrodynamic behavior, one could extract all the Eulerian and Lagrangian statistics for validation and development of more accurate closures which could be used at coarse-grained simulations described in other chapters.
Circulating Fluidized Beds
Authors: Cocco Ray , Karri S.B. Reddy , Knowlton Ted
Published: October 2010

In the last 20 years, significant improvements in the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling have been made that allow the simulation of large-scale, commercial CFBs. Today, commercial codes are available that can model some of this behavior in large-scale, commercial units in a reasonable amount of time. However, the hydrodynamics in a riser or fluidized bed are complex with both micro and macroscale features. From particle clustering to large streamers to the core-annulus profile, the particle behavior in these unit operations rarely behaves as a “continuous fluid.” Even the role of particle size distribution is often neglected and models that do consider particle size distribution don’t always consider the role of particle size on granular temperature. Many models use insufficient boundary conditions by assuming uniform or symmetric profiles, which is rarely the case. Furthermore, grid sizing is usually based on computer limitations instead of model limitations, and many models of commercial systems extend beyond the capability of the constitutive equations being used. Successful application of today’s CFD models requires a good understanding of the equations behind the code, the assumptions used for those equations and the capability or limitations of the code. CFD is nothing more than a guess without an understanding of the fundamentals, underlying assumptions and code limitations that are part of every model.
Computational Modeling of Gas-Solids Fluidized-Bed Polymerization Reactors
Authors: Rokkam Ram G. , Fox Rodney O. , Muhle Michael E.
Published: October 2010

Gas-solid flows have numerous industrial applications and are also found in natural processes. They are involved in industries like petrochemical, polymer, pharmaceutical, food and coal. Fluidization is a commonly used gas-solid operation and is widely used in production of polyethylene. Polyethylene is one of the most widely used thermoplastics. Over 60 million tons are produced worldwide every year by both gas-phase and liquid-phase processes. Gas-phase processes are more advantageous and use fluidized-bed reactors (e.g., UNIPOLTM PE PROCESS and Innovene process) for the polymerization reactions. In this work a chemical-reaction-engineering model incorporating a given catalyst size distribution and polymerization kinetics along with the quadrature method of moments is used to predict the final polymer size distribution and temperature. An Eulerian-Eulerian multi-fluid model based on the kinetic theory of granular flow is used to solve the fluidized-bed dynamics and predict behavior such as particle segregation, slug flow and other non-ideal phenomena.
Cultural Acceptance of ICTs
Authors: Harvey Jasmine M.
Published: October 2010

The emergence of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) has generated much debate both in and out of academia in relation to theories ranging from economic advancement to imperialism. In the context of the ‘low-income’ economies, a dominant discourse associated with ICTs persists. The discourse of development predicts that nations which have joined the global market will use ICTs to harness global knowledge that will enable them to be competitive and therefore attain development. This has led to change in policy from international to local as ICTs are embraced as the next big development tool. Recently however, there have been reports of more failures of ICTs initiatives than success as professionals in the industry complain about unsustainability of the systems. A genuine issue is that so far analysis of this discourse has tended to be economically or technically deterministic, with little attention paid to social and cultural perspectives. In order to understand how the role of norms, practices and politics of people in particular communities play in this discourse in ‘low income’ economies, over 1000 semi-qualitative questionnaires were analysed from five geographical locations in The Gambia. A key conclusion that has emerged from the research is that there are different attitudes towards the ICTs in the different locations, which vary from full acceptance to rejection of ICTs. Such diverse reactions are underpinned by the religion and information ecologies in which gender plays a critical part. This result challenges the ICT4D agenda, and might be applied to reports of unsustainable ICT initiatives, especially in Africa.
A Psychological Model to Understand E-Adoption in the Context of the Digital Divide
Authors: Thatcher Andrew , Ndabeni Mbongi
Published: October 2010

The digital divide is often conceptualised as inequalities of access to technology. While access is obviously a precursor to technology use, research consistently shows that the digital divide is not explained simply by access to technology; apparent in the evidence of digital divides within communities of equitable wealth or within the same geographical location. This chapter acknowledges the interplay between psychological as well as socio-economic factors as important in the adoption of technology. Within this approach we construct a model based on the Technology Acceptance Model, the Theory of Planned Behaviour, Innovation Diffusion Theory, Hofstede’s culture framework, and Social Cognitive Theory. The framework for the model is based on a combination of an extension of the Technology Acceptance Model, Innovation Diffusion Theory, and Social Cognitive Theory. The underlying theoretical assumptions are based on Social Cognitive Theory. While some aspects of these individual theories have already been applied to understanding the digital divide, this chapter develops a more comprehensive psychological model of e-adoption than currently exists in the literature.
Social Capital and Third Places Through the Internet
Authors: Timms Duncan , Ferlander Sara
Published: October 2010

Although Sweden is generally considered to be at the forefront of the ICT revolution and to have high levels of social capital – interpersonal trust and participation – there remain areas and populations which are relatively disadvantaged. In this chapter we examine a number of efforts which have attempted to make use of ICT to enhance social capital in a Stockholm suburb which has been stigmatised in the press and which contains relatively high proportions of immigrants, single parents and the unemployed, all groups which are relatively excluded. An initial effort, based on the installation of a local community network, largely failed. A second effort, based on a locally-run Internet Café was more successful, with the café operating as a Third Place, both online and offline, bridging many of the divisions characterising the community. Despite its success in encouraging participation, trust and community identity, the IT-Café could not be sustained following the end of project funding and a change in personnel. The factors accompanying the success and failure of the Swedish undertakings provide lessons for other efforts to use ICTs in attempts to enhance social inclusion and community.
Networking for Development
Authors: Nascimbeni Fabio
Published: October 2010

The chapter is about the importance of networking activities in building successful and sustainable international development cooperation (IDC) experiences. The reasoning starts from the consideration that, while society is going through a deep change process and is moving towards a network model (the so-called network society), international development cooperation still seems to adopt models and practices that were conceived for an industrial society. A brief review of the most common critics to IDC shows that increasing the level of networking and knowledge-sharing could contribute to effectively tackling the main inadequacies and challenges that IDC is facing. In turn, this would also help networking for development studies to find their place both in academic and in non-academic research and to be taken in greater account by policy makers. The concept of “networking for development”, introduced in the central part of the chapter, is analyzed from different angles: first by defining the actors that should be involved and the mechanisms that should be put in place, second by reasoning on the added value of networking and on the ways to demonstrate its potential impact on IDC, and finally by mapping the relevance of the issue in a some donors’ strategy.
Utilization of TETRA Networks for Health Information Transfer
Authors: Siassiakos Konstantinos M. , Ioannou Konstantinos , Lazakidou Athina A.
Published: October 2010

Rapid advances in information technology and wireless communications are leading to the emergence of a new type of information infrastructure that has the potential of supporting an array of advanced services for healthcare. Today’s healthcare professionals need to be connected to the network always. Continuous connectivity is the watchword of these demanding users, who need to communicate over the network seamlessly and stay connected everywhere in emergency cases. TETRA technology provides several ways of protecting the privacy and security of communication, such as authentication, air interface encryption and end-to-end encryption. Using a TETRA network can benefit not only ambulance crews, but also medical personnel at remote locations. Even though doctors are rarely present in ambulances, they can use the transmitted medical data to make a formal diagnosis, enabling treatment to be started and saving several critical minutes before arrival at the hospital. The objective of this chapter is to study how simply can a healthcare professional collect physiological data from mobile and/or remote patients and how securely and reliably health information can be transferred from emergency places to hospitals through a TETRA network.
Mesh Wi-Fi Networks
Authors: Patiniotakis E. , Perdikouris St. , Agapiou G. , Chochliouros I. , Voudouris K. , Dimitriadou E. , Fraimis I. , Ioannou A.
Published: October 2010

Wi-Fi mesh is a fast growing and mature technology which is widely used and has been proven very useful for healthcare including applications for ambient people. In this chapter, we attempt a quick introduction of the principles of 802.11s protocol that refers to mesh topology Wi-Fi networks. Specifically, we describe the main operations and functions performed in a Wi-Fi mesh network such as routing procedures, synchronization as well as QoS capabilities and security mechanisms that are crucial for carrying sensitive information like medical data. Finally, in the second part of this chapter, actual measurements are presented from an experimental network that consisted of four dual radio (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) mesh access points. Key parameters are evaluated, such as maximum throughput for different distances, jitter, delay and data loss which affect the transmission of sensitive data. Moreover, the handover capability of the system is presented in terms of data throughput and voice quality degradation during the transition.
WiMAX Networks
Authors: Rigas A. , Patiniotakis E. , Agapiou G. , Chochliouros I. , Voudouris K. , Dimitriadou E. , Ioannou K. , Ioannou A.
Published: October 2010

The term WiMAX is an abbreviation of Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access and it is defined in IEEE, as the 802.16 family of standards. Unlike other legacy Point-to-Multipoint wireless technologies, WiMAX is able to offer higher transmission rates, quality of service assurance and hence it can be compared to other wireline technologies. Additionally, WiMAX is proven to be useful for telemedicine purposes (live surgeries and medical examinations, medical conferences etc.), especially in distant areas. WiMAX is based on two major standards; one is the IEEE802.16d that was developed specifically for fixed wireless communications and is dedicated mainly in LOS environments and can be used in many cases, where fixed infrastructure is not available. On the other hand, 802.16e can be used in cases of both fixed and moving subscribers, while providing better coverage, performance and even higher transmission rates. This chapter describes the major capabilities of the WiMAX standard and presents the performance of WiMAX networks based on measurements taken during laboratory and field tests.
Policy-Based Service Composition and Recommendation
Authors: Bræk Rolv , Castejón Humberto Nicolás , Le Hien Nam , Rossebø Judith E. Y.
Published: October 2010

This chapter addresses concepts and methods to support dynamic composition of situated services. We focus mainly on service modelling and service design for execution environments that can support dynamic composition of situated services. In our approach, services are modelled using UML 2.x collaborations that are mapped to parts of a UML 2.x design model. Services are also associated with situations, that is, sets of properties that characterise the executing environment of the service. A policy-driven mechanism is proposed to enhance the service composition process. The policy model takes into account context situations and user preferences that can impact the performance and functionalities of the composed services. Within a given situation, executable services are identified and service composition policies used to determine their execution order. We demonstrate the approach using a multi-media over IP service that takes into account security requirements, monitored threat levels, user locations and preferences.
Dynamic Maintenance of Service Orchestrations
Authors: Fredj Manel , Zarras Apostolos , Georgantas Nikolaos , Issarny Valérie
Published: October 2010

Service-oriented architectures evolved rapidly as the solution to the latest requirements for loosely-coupled distributed computing. Into this broad context several approaches emerged towards the discovery and the systematic composition/orchestration of services. One of the next challenges in this field is the maintenance of service-oriented architectures towards accomplishing the ultimate goal of constructing eternal service-oriented systems out of loosely-coupled basic engineering elements. The particular problem we deal with in this paper is the dynamic maintenance of service orchestrations in the presence of unavailable services. Specifically, we focus on the dynamic substitution of stateful services that become unavailable during the execution of service orchestrations. As an answer to this problem, we propose the SIROCO middleware platform based on ontology which is further detailed along with an experimental evaluation of our first prototype. Our findings show that SIROCO provides the necessary means for achieving dynamic maintenance with a reasonable expense on the execution of service orchestrations.
Specification of Context for Management of Service-Oriented Systems with WS-Policy4MASC
Authors: Tosic Vladimir , Karunaratne Rasangi Pumudu , Lu Qinghua
Published: October 2010

Specification of monitored context properties and their influence on operation of service-oriented systems and on management activities is a prerequisite for context-sensitive operation. We researched context specification for a management system performing various management activities and potentially used by mobile service-oriented systems. Due to the similarities between processing and use of context properties and processing and use of quality of service (QoS) metrics, we decided to model context properties analogously to QoS metrics. We built our solutions for specification of context properties and related management activities into two languages: the Web Service Offerings Language (WSOL) and WS-Policy4MASC, the latter of which is the focus of this book chapter. WS-Policy4MASC is a powerful extension of the industrial standard Web Services Policy Framework (WS-Policy) with constructs for specification of information necessary for run-time policy-driven management. The presented constructs related to context increase usefulness of WS-Policy4MASC for management of mobile service-oriented systems.
Business Models for Insurance of Business Web Services
Authors: Wenyin Liu , Liu An , Li Qing , Huang Liusheng
Published: October 2010

A new business—insurance on business Web services—is proposed. As more and more Web services will be developed to fulfill the ever increasing needs of e-Business, the e-marketplace for Web services will soon be established. However, the qualities of these business Web services are unknown without real experiences and users can hardly make decisions on service selection. We propose that insurance can help build trust in the market of Web services. In this chapter, we propose three insurance models for business Web services and enabling technologies, including quality description, reputation scheme, transaction analysis, etc. We believe that the insurance of business Web services will help service competition and hence boost the development of more and more business Web services, and the software industry at large.
Industrialisation of the Knowledge Work
Authors: Karagiannis Dimitris , Woitsch Robert , Hrgovcic Vedran
Published: October 2010

When analysing the transformation of the information society an industrialisation of knowledge work can be observed. The maturity, the quality, the process-orientation and the alignment of knowledge to personal or organisational requirements are industrialisation aspects covered by knowledge work. This chapter focuses on process-orientation, discusses the evolution of process-oriented knowledge management and sees the current industrialisation of knowledge work as a challenge that needs to be tackled not only on social and technical level but also on a conceptual level. Hence the so-called knowledge conveyer belt approach is introduced that is a realisation framework of process-oriented and service based knowledge management. This approach is seen as an answer for the requirements of industrialisation of knowledge work that keeps the “human in the loop” and enables the business and knowledge alignment. The realisation concepts and two implementation show cases are introduced.
Change Knowledge Management
Authors: Carneiro Alberto
Published: October 2010

Besides being a basic way to understand the world and an appropriate behavior to survival and development of organizations, the knowledge – acquisition, updating, and use – must be managed to increase creativity, and should be taken as a force to drive the human being in the field of competitive innovation. In this chapter the potential contribution of knowledge workers is discussed. Considering an assets approach, these reflections may enable the organization to promote and use the creativity of their knowledge workers, which are seen as a specific set of assets in the organization. This specificity should be considered in the policies of human resources management and also in the formulation of competitive strategies. Some suggestions are made for improving the utilization of knowledge workers to increase the level of productive creativity.
A Novel Practical Triangular Approach to Process Innovation
Authors: Butan Daniela , O’Brien Emma , Southern Mark , Clifford Seamus
Published: October 2010

This chapter presents a novel Knowledge Management model - VDF (Variation Mode and Effect Analysis & Design of Experiments & Finite Element Analysis) for process innovation and efficient problem solving in enterprises. To date there is no practical unified tool that enables companies to switch from engineering chaos to a structured, sustainable process. Unlike process improvement the current method creates a multidisciplinary framework which promotes innovation into the organizations processes. The VDF triangulated approach uses the company’s tacit knowledge asset, convert it into explicit knowledge (through a Variation Mode and Effect Analysis) and it couples it with engineering scientific tools (Design of Experiments and Finite Element Analysis) to solve problems and innovate inside the organization. The unified model was validated through multiple company case studies one of which is presented in this chapter. The use of this model resulted in a robust, controllable, innovative process which could be sustained due to the development of key knowledge.
Acquiring and Applying Market Knowledge for Large Software Purchases
Authors: Russell Steve , Toklu Candemir
Published: October 2010

Persona profiles of the top managers in a corporation help marketers to position and promote large software products. Sales calls are more targeted and cordial, aligned with the needs and communication styles of the prospects. The methods applied in the archetype discovery are complemented by knowledge of corporate structures and influence networks. When the key customer concerns and constraints are clarified, the software vendor can craft informational programs, sales plans, and product improvement projects to outperform their competition. The added persona-model knowledge complements the vendor’s existing knowledge of their software products, helping to build compelling marketing programs and to significantly improve software sales.
Intellectual Capital
Authors: Cabrita Maria do Rosário , Machado Virgílio Cruz , Grilo António
Published: October 2010

With the rise of the “new economy”, knowledge became a most valuable resource. Accepting knowledge as a resource suggests that knowledge can be acquired, transferred, combined and used, and it may be a potential source of sustainable competitive advantage. In this context, knowing how an organization creates value, based on its potential of knowledge, became a central question in management research. Under a strategic perspective, knowledge that creates value is defined as intellectual capital, the application of which will give organisations sustainable competitive advantage. Therefore, identifying, measuring and managing intellectual capital is crucial for corporate innovation and competitiveness. The purpose of our study is to examine the interrelationships and the effects of interaction between intellectual capital components and organisational performance, and defines how knowledge creates value. The study is developed in the context of Portuguese banks, an industry where differentiation of products and services almost exclusively hinges on the continuous rejuvenation of the underlying knowledge base. Empirical findings from this study support the propositions that intellectual capital is a key driver of organisational performance and that a knowledge-based perspective holds a more holistic model of organisations’ value creation.
Bringing the Internet to the Rural Area
Authors: Ibrahim Zulkefli bin , Sulaiman Ainin , Faziharudean Tengku M.
Published: October 2010

Malaysia aims to be an information society by the year 2020 can only be achieved if the mass population, that include those who live in the rural area, has the access to use the ICT. This is due to the uneven distribution of the basic telecommunication infostructure between the urban and rural areas in Malaysia that left the rural area to be at the disadvantage to access the ICT. Meanwhile, there are many programs that have been implemented by the government to encourage the rural population to use the Internet, such as ‘Kedaikom’, a community based telecenter serving the rural population. A questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate how ‘Kedaikom’ as a community based telecenter could assist in diffusing the usage of the ICT to the rural population. The result from the survey has indicated that the community telecenter could be used to bridge the digital divide between the underserved rural community and the well-accessed urban community. More of the rural population, especially from the younger generation and those with higher education background (irrespective of age) are using the community telecenter to be connected to the Internet.
iREACH
Authors: Grunfeld Helena , Siochrú Seán Ó , Unger Brian , Im Sarun
Published: October 2010

Cambodia is for various reasons a challenging environment for ICT development. This did not deter IDRC (Canada) from funding an ambitious and ground-breaking project designed ultimately to influence ICT policy in Cambodia but initially to establish two pilot community-owned networks in poor rural areas. Each comprises both a cluster of local telecentres (10 in each area), and a mini telecoms enterprise run by the communities. Begun in May 2006, with initial funding of USD1.3 million the project runs to May 2010 when the question of sustainability comes to the fore. Additional support is likely to be needed. iREACH‘ experiences are being fully documented and lessons are emerging around community capacity building and empowerment; technical challenges in a rural environment; developing relevant and appropriate services; creating a community based enterprise; deploying a range of participatory monitoring and evaluation approaches; and working within a centralised and fluid political context
The Adoption and Sustainability of Technology-Enhanced Education in Higher Institutions of Learning in Africa
Authors: Evoh Chijioke J.
Published: October 2010

This chapter explores factors that enhance and constrain the adoption and sustainability of Information and Communication Technologies in Universities and higher institutions of learning in South Africa. This study examines pedagogical, socio-economic and epistemological aspects of the paradigm shift in higher education delivery in Africa. Adopting and sustaining ICTs for educational improvement is a multifaceted process. As a dynamic process, all the vital elements of technology adoption need to be present in order to meet the goals of technology-enhanced higher education in Africa. It further argues that policy guidelines and strategic plans are essential for the successful adoption and sustainability of ICTs in higher education (HE) institutions in Africa. The chapter argues that the success of ICT-mediated higher education is not only technical but also political in nature.
Say It Down!
Authors: Kaun Karen P.
Published: October 2010

English Language Learners (ELLs) are in urgent need of instruction and tools to support their academic writing in English, which is essential to achievement in every academic subject and to overall school success (August & Shanahan, 2006). This chapter assesses the potential of speech recognition (SR) software, which through advances in research and development fueled by myriad commercial applications, now holds promise for new application in the classroom. SR has been studied for use in general education and by students with learning disabilities for academic writing. However, few studies to date have analyzed the impact of SR on ELLs’ writing. This study shows that SR software supported student pronunciation skills, which in turn may impact word fluency and text production. In addition, students used the software along with other semiotic tools (language, document-based questions, and other curricular material) to enhance their writing during the New York State Education Department Examination in Social Studies, which scores students’ essays for how they utilize higher level thinking skills and the extent to which they support their ideas with facts, examples, and details. Finally, this chapter explores how the constraints and affordances of the SR technology as a scaffold transformed with the students’ mastery of spoken language and literacy.
A Dinosaur Hatches Its Eggs
Authors: Pincham Linda B.
Published: October 2010

Oksika, Johnson, and Buteau (2009) state that incorporating new pedagogy into teaching is attributed to the instructor’s feelings about themselves and what they have previously learned. In other words, if one has a positive attitude towards technology, one will be more inclined to incorporate it into one’s teaching. This chapter discusses changed attitudes and mindsets toward technology, particularly in the mindsets of the secondary education faculty in the author’s college. Because technology has been integrated in the college’s secondary education courses, the faculty, including the author of this chapter, had to learn about new technologies to teach as well as model to their students. This chapter also discusses the author’s personal journey into using technology as a pedagogical tool. Various technology methods taught to secondary education students will be highlighted, with a concluding sampling of students’ ideas to illustrate the creative thinking that technology integration can produce.
The Trend of Commitment
Authors: Baia Patricia
Published: October 2010

Through the lens of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK), this chapter’s goal is to understand how commitments affect readiness to innovate and how readiness to innovate affects commitments. Even further, it initiates the conversation on what engages faculty to change and improve their own teaching. Can faculty’s commitment to pedagogical quality (CPQ) predict instructional technology adoption? Current Instructional Technology Adoption Models (ITAMs) ignore issues of pedagogy and are mostly developed for an alternative audience and environment, outside the realities and characteristics of higher education. A literature review explores exiting models for factors motivating full-time faculty to incorporate technology. Three audience categories naturally emerge (non-educational, K-12, and higher education), which highlight how each community treats teaching and learning differently. In addition, a study was conducted to analyze relationships between CPQ and adoption. Results indicated CPQ is related to instructional technology adoption through beliefs, academic title, years taught, tenure status, intrinsic and extrinsic motives, and curriculum.
Preparing Teachers to Integrate Technology Effectively
Authors: Polly Drew
Published: October 2010

Technology has the greatest impact on student learning outcomes when students complete technology-rich activities that also develop their higher-order thinking skills (HOTS). This chapter presents findings from a study that examined two lesson plans from 74 first-year teachers who were learning how to plan technology-rich instruction focused on students’ HOTS. Findings indicate that teachers’ lesson plans did not address students’ HOTS and rated low on the Level of Technology Integration (LOTI) scale. Further, teachers’ use of an indirect instruction lesson plan format that promoted student discovery was associated with higher levels of HOTS and technology use. Implications and future trends for both practice and research are also shared.
Developing an Online Mentoring Program for Beginning Teachers
Authors: Clouse Nancy K. Gagen , Williams Sandra R. , Evans Roberta D.
Published: October 2010

If schools are to retain well-qualified and much needed new teachers, it is important that teachers are provided a variety of resources for helping them through the transition from pre-service education to the classroom. An electronic mentoring program that provides school administrators and teachers a connection to a wide spectrum of professional contacts without the constraints of time and distance can be a valuable tool for the retention and professional development of this precious human resource. The leadership role for an electronic mentoring program calls for a unique combination of in-depth knowledge of the developmental needs of beginning teachers, a plan for development of an online program based on knowledge of the necessary program components, an understanding of professional development and adult learning, skills to effectively communicate online, and the ability to work in a collaborative, facilitative, and ever-changing environment.
Electronic Portfolios in the Professional Development of Educators
Authors: Sherman Greg , Byers Al
Published: October 2010

This chapter presents an overview of current electronic portfolio options available to practicing educators, emphasizing the different roles portfolios play within the professional development process. Available features within a variety of free and subscription web-based portfolio services are compared and the use of specific portfolio options within different professional development environments such as university graduate programs are profiled. Using a case study-like approach, the chapter details the use of the National Science Teachers Association’s (NSTA) Learning Center, a collection of resources available to teachers that includes a web-based professional development plan and portfolio tool. The chapter concludes with a reflection on the different ways in which professional organization resources like the NSTA’s PD Plan and Portfolio Tool can be used in the near future to continually improve the professional practice of educators.
Methods for Service Quality Assurance
Authors: Bruhn Manfred
Published: October 2010

This chapter describes how the four phases of quality management (quality planning, quality control, quality inspection and quality assurance) for service firms should be structured and what individual measures can be employed in the respective phases. Since the QM-system – particularly in the case of the services sector – has to be adapted to a firm’s specific characteristics, the selection of the methods and techniques suited to the specific situation is of particular importance. For this reason, the criteria for evaluating such methods are also outlined. In addition to the classical instruments used for quality management, recently quality awards, national customer satisfaction barometers and certificates have become well established, also sharing the objective of raising quality standards for services. Finally, an overview is given of the techniques and methods used for securing and promoting quality standards which are linked to the phases of the management process – analysis, planning, implementation and audit. This results in the construction of a systematic system for the quality management of services using a ten-step procedure.
Self-regulated Strategies and Cognitive Styles in Multimedia Learning
Authors: Colombo Barbara , Antonietti Alessandro
Published: October 2010

An experiment was carried out to investigate how participants self-regulate their access to explanatory pictures that were designed to facilitate learning. Participants learned from two multimedia presentations, one in audio, and the other in video format. Participants were given the opportunity to ask for an explanatory picture when they felt they needed more information to better understand the text. Recording the requests for pictures assessed self-regulation of strategies that promote picture use. Before completing comprehension questions, participants explained why they asked for pictures and were asked to express their level of awareness of the cognitive processes involved in learning from pictures. Two questionnaires were administered to measure the right/left thinking styles and the spontaneous tendency to use mental images. Results showed that participants, without full awareness, self-regulated their cognitive strategies according to presentation complexity. Judgments of picture utility were internally coherent. Finally, cognitive styles played a minor role in self-regulating learning, but tended to influence the metacognitive awareness of the strategies applied.