bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
World industry in post-industrial society: tendencies and regional shifts
Authors: Rodionova Irina A.
Published: May 2014

The article is devoted to the territorial organization of the manufacturing industry during its transformation from an industrial to a post-industrial phase of development - as one of the most urgent issues of economic geography at the turn of the 21st century. This period was characterized by the acceleration of human output beyond the industrial system and by the regrouping of its driving forces. Post-industrial development of developed countries in many respects determined the changes in the sectorial, institutional and spatial structures of the global industry. At the same time, industrialization acceleration occurred in developing countries, including at the expense of the “transfer” of productions in a number of industries from more developed countries. This article analyses the changes in the distribution of the manufacturing industry on a global and regional level.
Morphological and Physiological Characteristics of Reproduction of the Stone Marten, Martes Foina (Mammalia, Carnivora), in the Steppe Zone of the South of Ukraine
Authors: Steklenev E. P.
Published: May 2014

Morphologcal and Physiological Characteristics of Reproduction of the Stone Marten, Martes foina (Mammalia, Carnivora), in the Steppe Zone of the South of Ukraine. Steklenev, E. P. - Th e basic processes of the physiology of reproduction of the stone marten (Martes foina Erxleben, 1777) in the steppe zone of south Ukraine were investigated. They were found to occur mainly within the biological cycle of reproduction of this species, distributed in different geographical latitudes. It is characterized by a long period of gestation length (243-263 day) with a long latent period (June-July - end of February) and relatively short (15-16 months) period of actual pregnancy (late February-April). Termination of embryonic development is mainly on the stage of blastula. Implantation of embryos begins in late February, accompanied by processes of gastrulation and the formation of the amniotic membranes. Activation of spermatogenesis in adult males begins in late February and March, the formation of fullmature spermatozoa - in April. Males and females reach reproductive maturity mainly in the age of two years. A slight shift of individual processes of reproduction of the stone marten in the steppe zone of Southern Ukraine to earlier periods, compared with such of the northern latitudes, are due to more favorable climatic conditions of residence.
New Species, New Synonym, and Additional Records of Gyrophaena (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae) from the Palaearctic Region
Authors: Glotov S. V.
Published: May 2014

New Species, New Synonym, and Additional Records of Gyrophaena (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Aleocharinae) from the Palaearctic Region. Glotov S. V. - Gyrophaena plutenkoi Glotov, sp. n. is described from Russia (Primorskiy Kray). New synonymy are proposed: Gyrophaena orientalis A. Strand, 1938 = = Gyrophaena transsylvanica Adam, 2008, syn. n. Lectotypes are designated for Gyrophaena fusicornis Eppelsheim, 1887 and Gyrophaena orientalis A. Strand, 1938. Gyrophaena cultellata Assing, 2009 is recorded from Ukraine and Gyrophaena taiwaspinosa Pace, 2007 from Russia (Primorskiy Kray) for the first time.
Annual Levels of Immigration and Immigrant Entry Earnings in Canada
Authors: Hou Feng , Picot Garnett
Published: May 2014

The annual level of immigration is a critical component of a country's immigration policy. This study considers the potential influence of immigration levels on immigrant entry earnings. Using the Longitudinal Immigration Database over the 1982–2010 period, this study finds that a 10 percent increase in the size of a cohort of entering immigrants is associated with a 0.8 percent decline in entry earnings among immigrant men in that cohort and a 0.3 percent decline among immigrant women when controls for changes in immigrant characteristics and macroeconomic conditions are applied. These effects are consistent across the immigrant entry earnings distribution, although somewhat weaker at the very top.
Evaluation of the Activity and Tolerability of a Cosmetic Treatment for the Periocular Area on the Aging Face: Controlled Clinical and Instrumental Evaluation vs. Placebo
Authors: Sparavigna Adele , Tenconi Beatrice , De Ponti Ileana , Guglielmini Giancarlo
Published: May 2014

The aim of this study was to evaluate clinically and by non invasive instrumental evaluations the efficacy and tolerability of a cosmetic treatment containing an innovative active ingredient, ethyl ximenynate, in the prevention of dark circles under the eyes and blemishes of skin aging on the eye profile. Evaluations were performed at baseline and after 2 and 4 weeks of treatment on 22 volunteers; the study was planned as a double blind half-face trial. Data showed a trend towards a lifting of the eyelid skin; all investigator scores (eye puffiness, skin smoothness, roughness and dryness) decreased. In addition, profilometric results confirmed the anti-wrinkles efficacy of the active product and its lifting action, while those related to spectrophotometry underlined the decongestant effect on dark circles that appeared, at the end of the study, to be less marked. The improvement of skin microcirculation and capillary resistance and vascular tone in the eye area underlines a general mitigation of all relevant skin imperfections and blemishes of skin aging on the eye profile. The active ingredient was shown to be effective for the cosmetic treatment of the periocular area.
Use of Segregation Indices, Townsend Index, and Air Toxics Data to Assess Lifetime Cancer Risk Disparities in Metropolitan Charleston, South Carolina, USA
Authors: Rice LaShanta , Jiang Chengsheng , Wilson Sacoby , Burwell-Naney Kristen , Samantapudi Ashok , Zhang Hongmei
Published: May 2014

Background: Studies have demonstrated a relationship between segregation and level of education, occupational opportunities, and risk behaviors, yet a paucity of research has elucidated the association between racial residential segregation, socioeconomic deprivation, and lifetime cancer risk. Objectives: We examined estimated lifetime cancer risk from air toxics by racial composition, segregation, and deprivation in census tracts in Metropolitan Charleston. Methods: Segregation indices were used to measure the distribution of groups of people from different races within neighborhoods. The Townsend Index was used to measure economic deprivation in the study area. Poisson multivariate regressions were applied to assess the association of lifetime cancer risk with segregation indices and Townsend Index along with several sociodemographic measures. Results: Lifetime cancer risk from all pollution sources was 28 persons/million for half of the census tracts in Metropolitan Charleston. Isolation Index and Townsend Index both showed significant correlation with lifetime cancer risk from different sources. This significance still holds after adjusting for other sociodemographic measures in a Poisson regression, and these two indices have stronger effect on lifetime cancer risk compared to the effects of sociodemographic measures. Conclusions: We found that material deprivation, measured by the Townsend Index and segregation measured by the Isolation index, introduced high impact on lifetime cancer risk by air toxics at the census tract level.
Green Conversion of Agroindustrial Wastes into Chitin and Chitosan by Rhizopus arrhizus and Cunninghamella elegans Strains
Authors: Berger Lúcia , Stamford Thayza , Stamford-Arnaud Thatiana , De Alcântara Sergio , Da Silva Antonio , Da Silva Adamares , Do Nascimento Aline , De Campos-Takaki Galba
Published: May 2014

This article sets out a method for producing chitin and chitosan by Cunninghamella elegans and Rhizopus arrhizus strains using a green metabolic conversion of agroindustrial wastes (corn steep liquor and molasses). The physicochemical characteristics of the biopolymers and antimicrobial activity are described. Chitin and chitosan were extracted by alkali-acid treatment, and characterized by infrared spectroscopy, viscosity and X-ray diffraction. The effectiveness of chitosan from C. elegans and R. arrhizus in inhibiting the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enterica, Escherichia coli and Yersinia enterocolitica were evaluated by determining the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) and the minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBC). The highest production of biomass (24.60 g/L), chitin (83.20 mg/g) and chitosan (49.31 mg/g) was obtained by R. arrhizus. Chitin and chitosan from both fungi showed a similar degree of deacetylation, respectively of 25% and 82%, crystallinity indices of 33.80% and 32.80% for chitin, and 20.30% and 17.80% for chitosan. Both chitin and chitosan presented similar viscosimetry of 3.79–3.40 cP and low molecular weight of 5.08 × 103 and 4.68 × 103 g/mol. They both showed identical MIC and MBC for all bacteria assayed. These results suggest that: agricultural wastes can be produced in an environmentally friendly way; chitin and chitosan can be produced economically; and that chitosan has antimicrobial potential against pathogenic bacteria.
Abrasive Resistant Coatings—A Review
Authors: Wu Linmin , Guo Xingye , Zhang Jing
Published: May 2014

Abrasive resistant coatings have been widely used to reduce or eliminate wear, extending the lifetime of products. Abrasive resistant coatings can also be used in certain environments unsuitable for lubrications. Moreover, abrasive resistant coatings have been employed to strengthen mechanical properties, such as hardness and toughness. Given recently rapid development in abrasive resistant coatings, this paper provides a review of major types of abrasive coatings, their wearing mechanisms, preparation methods, and properties.
Fabrication of Polydimethylsiloxane Microlenses Utilizing Hydrogel Shrinkage and a Single Molding Step
Authors: Aldalali Bader , Kanhere Aditi , Fernandes Jayer , Huang Chi-Chieh , Jiang Hongrui
Published: May 2014

We report on polydimethlysiloxane (PDMS) microlenses and microlens arrays on flat and curved substrates fabricated via a relatively simple process combining liquid-phase photopolymerization and a single molding step. The mold for the formation of the PDMS lenses is fabricated by photopolymerizing a polyacrylamide (PAAm) pre-hydrogel. The shrinkage of PAAm after its polymerization forms concave lenses. The lenses are then transferred to PDMS by a single step molding to form PDMS microlens array on a flat substrate. The PAAm concave lenses are also transferred to PDMS and another flexible polymer, Solaris, to realize artificial compound eyes. The resultant microlenses and microlens arrays possess good uniformity and optical properties. The focal length of the lenses is inversely proportional to the shrinkage time. The microlens mold can also be rehydrated to change the focal length of the ultimate PDMS microlenses. The spherical aberration is 2.85 μm and the surface roughness is on the order of 204 nm. The microlenses can resolve 10.10 line pairs per mm (lp/mm) and have an f-number range between f/2.9 and f/56.5. For the compound eye, the field of view is 113°.
Seasonal Variation and Resin Composition in the Andean Tree Austrocedrus chilensis
Authors: Olate Verónica , Soto Alex , Schmeda-Hirschmann Guillermo
Published: May 2014

Little is known about the changes in resin composition in South American gymnosperms associated with the different seasons of the year. The diterpene composition of 44 resin samples from seven Austrocedrus chilensis (Cupressaceae) trees, including male and female individuals, was investigated in three different seasons of the year (February, June and November). Twelve main diterpenes were isolated by chromatographic means and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The diterpene composition was submitted to multivariate analysis to find possible associations between chemical composition and season of the year. The principal component analysis showed a clear relation between diterpene composition and season. The most characteristic compounds in resins collected in summer were Z-communic acid (9) and 12-oxo-labda-8(17),13E-dien-19 oic acid methyl ester (10) for male trees and 8(17),12,14-labdatriene (7) for female trees. For the winter samples, a clear correlation of female trees with torulosic acid (6) was observed. In spring, E-communic acid (8) and Z-communic acid (9) were correlated with female trees and 18-hydroxy isopimar-15-ene (1) with male tree resin. A comparison between percent diterpene composition and collection time showed p < 0.05 for isopimara-8(9),15-diene (2), sandaracopimaric acid (4), compound (7) and ferruginol (11).
Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity, Polyphenolic Compounds, Amino Acids and Mineral Elements of Representative Genotypes of Lonicera edulis
Authors: Sochor Jiri , Jurikova Tunde , Pohanka Miroslav , Skutkova Helena , Baron Mojmir , Tomaskova Lenka , Balla Stefan , Klejdus Borivoj , Pokluda Robert , Mlcek Jiri , Trojakova Zuzana , Saloun Jan
Published: May 2014

The aim of this study was to evaluate the bioactive substances in 19 berry cultivars of edible honeysuckle (Lonicera edulis). A statistical evaluation was used to determine the relationship between the content of selected bioactive substances and individual cultivars. Regarding mineral elements, the content of sodium was measured using potentiometry and spectrophotometry. The content of selected polyphenolic compounds with high antioxidant activity was determined by a HPLC–UV/ED method. The total amount of polyphenols was determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. The antioxidant activity was determined using five methods (DPPH, FRAP, ABTS, FR and DMPD) that differ in their principles. The content of 13 amino acids was determined by ion-exchange chromatography. The experimental results obtained for the different cultivars were evaluated and compared by statistical and bioinformatic methods. A unique feature of this study lies in the exhaustive analysis of the chosen parameters (amino acids, mineral elements, polyphenolic compounds and antioxidant activity) during one growing season.
Iron Stores of Breastfed Infants during the First Year of Life
Authors: Ziegler Ekhard , Nelson Steven , Jeter Janice
Published: May 2014

The birth iron endowment provides iron for growth in the first months of life. We describe the iron endowment under conditions of low dietary iron supply. Subjects were infants participating in a trial of Vitamin D supplementation from 1 to 9 months. Infants were exclusively breastfed at enrollment but could receive complementary foods from 4 months but not formula. Plasma ferritin (PF) and transferrin receptor (TfR) were determined at 1, 2, 4, 5.5, 7.5, 9 and 12 months. At 1 month PF ranged from 38 to 752 µg/L and was only weakly related to maternal PF. PF declined subsequently and flattened out at 5.5 months. PF of females was significantly higher than PF of males except at 12 months. TfR increased with age and was inversely correlated with PF. PF and TfR tracked strongly until 9 months. Iron deficiency (PF < 10 µg/L) began to appear at 4 months and increased in frequency until 9 months. Infants with ID were born with low iron endowment. We concluded that the birth iron endowment is highly variable in size and a small endowment places infants at risk of iron deficiency before 6 months. Boys have smaller iron endowments and are at greater risk of iron deficiency than girls.
Melt Free-Radical Grafting of Maleic Anhydride onto Biodegradable Poly(lactic acid) by Using Styrene as A Comonomer
Authors: Ma Piming , Jiang Long , Ye Tao , Dong Weifu , Chen Mingqing
Published: May 2014

Maleic anhydride (MA) was grafted onto poly(lactic acid) (PLA) in the presence of styrene (St) by using a free-radical grafting methodology. The grafting degree (Dg) of MA was increased from 0.65 wt % to 1.1 wt % with the St/MA ratio up to 2/1, where the grafting efficiency (Eg) of MA was 27%. However, both Dg and Eg were decreased with further increasing of the St/MA ratio to 4/1. The Dg of MA increased with MA concentration and showed a maximum at 180 °C in the temperature range of 165 °C–190 °C. The grafting mechanisms of MA in the presence of St are analyzed based on titration, thermogravimetric analysis and infrared results, i.e., MA is grafted onto PLA chains via single monomers and a charge-transfer-complex (CTC) at St/MA ratios of ≤ 1/1, while dominantly via St-co-MA oligomers at St/MA ratios of around 2/1. Copolymerization rather than grafting of St and MA occurs at St/MA ratios of around 4/1. The thermal stability of PLA was compromised to a certain extent by the grafting of MA, resulting in reductions in the decomposition temperature (Td-5%) and molecular weight of the PLA. In addition, the crystallization and melting temperatures of the PLA were slightly reduced after the grafting.
Electrochemical Detection of p-Aminophenol by Flexible Devices Based on Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotubes Dispersed in Electrochemically Modified Nafion
Authors: Scandurra Graziella , Antonella Arena , Ciofi Carmine , Saitta Gaetano , Lanza Maurizio
Published: May 2014

A conducting composite prepared by dispersing multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) into a host matrix consisting of Nafion, electrochemically doped with copper, has been prepared, characterized and used to modify one of the gold electrodes of simply designed electrochemical cells having copier grade transparency sheets as substrates. Electrical measurements performed in deionized water show that the Au/Nafion/Au-MWCNTs–Nafion:Cu cells can be successfully used in order to detect the presence of p-aminophenol (PAP) in water, without the need for any supporting electrolyte. The intensity of the redox peaks arising when PAP is added to deionized water is found to be linearly related to the analyte in the range from 0.2 to 1.6 µM, with a detection limit of 90 nM and a sensitivity of 7 µA·(µM−1)·cm−2.
Reliable Geographical Forwarding in Cognitive Radio Sensor Networks Using Virtual Clusters
Authors: Zubair Suleiman , Fisal Norsheila
Published: May 2014

The need for implementing reliable data transfer in resource-constrained cognitive radio ad hoc networks is still an open issue in the research community. Although geographical forwarding schemes are characterized by their low overhead and efficiency in reliable data transfer in traditional wireless sensor network, this potential is still yet to be utilized for viable routing options in resource-constrained cognitive radio ad hoc networks in the presence of lossy links. In this paper, a novel geographical forwarding technique that does not restrict the choice of the next hop to the nodes in the selected route is presented. This is achieved by the creation of virtual clusters based on spectrum correlation from which the next hop choice is made based on link quality. The design maximizes the use of idle listening and receiver contention prioritization for energy efficiency, the avoidance of routing hot spots and stability. The validation result, which closely follows the simulation result, shows that the developed scheme can make more advancement to the sink as against the usual decisions of relevant ad hoc on-demand distance vector route select operations, while ensuring channel quality. Further simulation results have shown the enhanced reliability, lower latency and energy efficiency of the presented scheme.
Robust Curb Detection with Fusion of 3D-Lidar and Camera Data
Authors: Tan Jun , Li Jian , An Xiangjing , He Hangen
Published: May 2014

Curb detection is an essential component of Autonomous Land Vehicles (ALV), especially important for safe driving in urban environments. In this paper, we propose a fusion-based curb detection method through exploiting 3D-Lidar and camera data. More specifically, we first fuse the sparse 3D-Lidar points and high-resolution camera images together to recover a dense depth image of the captured scene. Based on the recovered dense depth image, we propose a filter-based method to estimate the normal direction within the image. Then, by using the multi-scale normal patterns based on the curb’s geometric property, curb point features fitting the patterns are detected in the normal image row by row. After that, we construct a Markov Chain to model the consistency of curb points which utilizes the continuous property of the curb, and thus the optimal curb path which links the curb points together can be efficiently estimated by dynamic programming. Finally, we perform post-processing operations to filter the outliers, parameterize the curbs and give the confidence scores on the detected curbs. Extensive evaluations clearly show that our proposed method can detect curbs with strong robustness at real-time speed for both static and dynamic scenes.
Energy Recovery from Scrap Tires: A Sustainable Option for Small Islands like Puerto Rico
Authors: Laboy-Nieves Eddie
Published: May 2014

Puerto Rico generates and disposes nearly five million/year scrap tires (ST), of which 4.2% is recycled and 80% is exported. The Island has one of the world highest electrical service tariff ($0.28 kWh), because of its dependency on fossil fuels for power generation. The Government has not considered ST for electricity production, despite more than 13,000 ST are generated daily, and paradoxically exported for that purpose. Theoretically, if ST recycling increases to 10% and assuming that the caloric value of ST be 33 MJ/kg, it was estimated that scrap tires processed with pyrolysis can supply annually about 379 MWh, a potential value that shall not be unnoticed. This paper is a literature review to describe the legal, technical, and economic framework for the viability of ST for power generation in Puerto Rico using pyrolysis, the most recommended process for ST energy recovery. Data of ST from Puerto Rico was used to model the potential of ST for pyrolytic energy conversion. The herein article is intended to invite other insular countries and territories, to join efforts with the academic and scientific community, and with the energy generation sector, to validate ST as a sustainable option for energy generation.
Effect of Deoxynivalenol and Other Type B Trichothecenes on the Intestine: A Review
Authors: Pinton Philippe , Oswald Isabelle
Published: May 2014

The natural food contaminants, mycotoxins, are regarded as an important risk factor for human and animal health, as up to 25% of the world’s crop production may be contaminated. The Fusarium genus produces large quantities of fusariotoxins, among which the trichothecenes are considered as a ubiquitous problem worldwide. The gastrointestinal tract is the first physiological barrier against food contaminants, as well as the first target for these toxicants. An increasing number of studies suggest that intestinal epithelial cells are targets for deoxynivalenol (DON) and other Type B trichothecenes (TCTB). In humans, various adverse digestive symptoms are observed on acute exposure, and in animals, these toxins induce pathological lesions, including necrosis of the intestinal epithelium. They affect the integrity of the intestinal epithelium through alterations in cell morphology and differentiation and in the barrier function. Moreover, DON and TCTB modulate the activity of intestinal epithelium in its role in immune responsiveness. TCTB affect cytokine production by intestinal or immune cells and are supposed to interfere with the cross-talk between epithelial cells and other intestinal immune cells. This review summarizes our current knowledge of the effects of DON and other TCTB on the intestine.
Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Panic Disorder: Considerations for the Treatment of Patients Over the Long Term
Authors: Otto Michael W , Gould Robert A , Pollack Mark H
Published: May 2014

Treatment studies demonstrate approximately equal effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral and pharmacologic strategies in the short term, but a very different picture emerges when long-term efficacy is examined.
Prevalence and Treatment Models for Addiction in Psychiatric Populations
Authors: Miller Norman S
Published: May 2014

The setting where the patient seeks treatment is clearly important in determining prevalence rates for comorbidity and perspectives toward diagnosis and treatment
Case Management for People with Coexisting Severe Mental Disorder and Substance Use Disorder
Authors: Drake Robert E , Noordsy Douglas L
Published: May 2014

Studies show that case management can be used to integrate treatments and that dually disordered clients can be successfully engaged in community-based services.
Schizophrenia: A Multidimensional Disorder
Authors: Opler Lewis A , Hwang Michael Y
Published: May 2014

Positive symptoms are active processes such as hallucinations and delusions, whereas negative symptoms are absences of normal function such as blunted affect and emotional withdrawal.
Medical "Mimics" of Depression
Authors: Pies Ronald W
Published: May 2014

Missed physical illness as an underlying cause of psychiatric morbidity and mortality is an enormous problem.
Endocrine Factors in Depression
Authors: Gadde Kishore M , Krishnan K Ranga R
Published: May 2014

After a thorough diagnostic evaluation, patients initially presenting with depression are often found to have an endocrine disorder.
Substance Abuse and Depression
Authors: Renner John A , Ciraulo Domenic A
Published: May 2014

The comorbidity of serious addictive disease and major depression is now recognized as a common clinical problem.
Assessment of the Potential for Violence
Authors: Hughes Douglas H
Published: May 2014

In a society where violence is becoming commonplace, psychiatrists and other mental health professionals are increasingly expected to predict and control the violence and aggression of their patients.
Working With Drug/Alcohol-Addicted Patients in Crisis
Authors: Miller Norman S , Owley Thomas , Eriksen Ana
Published: May 2014

Patients with addiction disorders present to the emergency room with medical, surgical, and psychiatric complications.
Traumatic Stress Reactions and the Psychiatric Emergency
Authors: Forster Peter , King Jon
Published: May 2014

There is good evidence that psychiatric patients have an increased likelihood of exposure to traumatic stress.
The Value of Shared Clinical Experience
Authors: Fawcett Jan
Published: May 2014

Civilian psychiatrists can learn from their colleagues' experiences, even when relating to various subspecialties such as the military.
Cognitive-behavior Therapy for Chronic Depression
Authors: Wright Jesse H
Published: May 2014

Combined Treatment May Succeed When Pharmacologic Monotherapy Fails
The Perfect Storm
Authors: Sabin James E , Daniels Norman , Teagarden J Russell
Published: May 2014

Both consumers and clinicians must learn to navigate pharmacy benefit plans.
Culture as Casualty
Authors: Pastor Larry H
Published: May 2014

Examining the causes and consequences of collective trauma
Nano Indentation Response of Various Thin Films Used for Tribological Applications
Authors: Roy Manish
Published: May 2014

Various thin films used for tribological applications are classified under four heads. Based on their load vs. displacement curves, which have some characteristics features, the ratio of nanohardness to elastic modulus and the ratio of cube of nanohardness to square of elastic modulus are evaluated in this chapter. It is demonstrated that depending on the type of film used, these ratios vary within a certain range. For soft self-lubricating films, these ratios are very low; whereas for hard self-lubricating film, these ratios are quite high.
Conductive Probe Microscopy Investigation of Electrical and Charge Transport in Advanced Carbon Nanotubes and Nanofibers-Polymer Nanocomposites
Authors: Souier Tewfik
Published: May 2014

In this chapter, the main scanning probe microscopy-based methods to measure the transport properties in advanced polymer-Carbon Nanotubes (CNT) nanocomposites are presented. The two major approaches to investigate the electrical and charge transport (i.e., Electrostatic Force Microscopy [EFM] and Current-Sensing Atomic Force Microscopy [CS-AFM]) are illustrated, starting from their basic principles. First, the authors show how the EFM-related techniques can be used to provide, at high spatial resolution, a three-dimensional representation CNT networks underneath the surface. This allows the studying of the role of nanoscopic features such as CNTs, CNT-CNT direct contact, and polymer-CNT junctions in determining the overall composite properties. Complementary, CS-AFM can bring insight into the transport mechanism by imaging the spatial distribution of currents percolation paths within the nanocomposite. Finally, the authors show how the CS-AFM can be used to quantify the surface/bulk percolation probability and the nanoscopic electrical conductivity, which allows one to predict the macroscopic percolation model.
Social Network Citizenship
Authors: Seraj Mina , Toker Aysegul
Published: May 2014

This chapter describes and discusses the specificities of membership commitment to online social networks. While delineating these specificities, we introduce the concept of social network citizenship (SNC) to define the characteristics of committed network members. A conceptual model involving commencement, creation, change, and commitment is developed in order to establish the antecedents of this new concept. In addition, the implications for marketing practice are discussed to reveal how companies can acquire social network citizens to retain their social media marketing strategies successful.
Web 2.0 as a Foundation for Social Media Marketing
Authors: Podobnik Vedran , Ackermann Daniel , Grubisic Tomislav , Lovrek Ignac
Published: May 2014

In the Web 1.0 era, users were passive consumers of a read-only Web. However, the emergence of Web 2.0 redefined the way people use information and communication services—users evolved into prosumers that actively participate and collaborate in the ecosystem of a read-write Web. Consequently, marketing is one among many areas affected by the advent of the Web 2.0 paradigm. Web 2.0 enabled the global proliferation of social networking, which is the foundation for Social Media Marketing. Social Media Marketing represents a novel Internet marketing paradigm based on spreading brand-related messages directly from one user to another. This is also the reason why Social Media Marketing is often referred to as the viral marketing. This chapter will describe: (1) how social networking became the most popular Web 2.0 service, and (2) how social networking revolutionized Internet marketing. Both issues will be elaborated on two levels—the global and the Croatian level. The chapter will first present the evolution of social networking phenomenon which has fundamentally changed the way Internet users utilize Web services. During the first decade of 21st century, millions of people joined online communities and started using online social platforms, about 1.5 billion members of social networks globally in 2012. Furthermore, the chapter will describe how Internet marketing provided marketers with innovative marketing channels, which offer marketing campaign personalization, low-cost global access to consumers, and simple, cheap, and real-time marketing campaign tracking. Specifically, the chapter will focus on Social Media Marketing, the latest step in the Internet marketing evolution. The three most popular Social Media Marketing platforms (i.e., Facebook, Twitter, and Foursquare) will be described, and examples of successful marketing case studies in Croatia will be presented.
Cyber Criminals on the Internet Super Highways
Authors: Agwu Edwin
Published: May 2014

The internet has impacted the lives of individuals, organisations, and governments all over the world. However, it is now viewed and adopted with caution due mainly to the criminal tendencies of some misguided elements within the society. The internet technology has evolved to become a weapon of “mass robbery” in the hands of criminals. Fraudulent mails emanating from Africa, in general and Nigeria in particular have received world wide attentions. These and more have dented the image of the country home and abroad. This study presents the various ways in which the internet is used for criminal purposes within the Nigerian polity. It further examined the various crime related laws, their adequacies, and implications. Findings revealed the interplay of different methods through which vulnerable individuals and organisations are defrauded. The strategies proposed for addressing these crimes with a view to giving the country a clean bill of health in the international community are as well applicable to other developing countries. The findings also lay solid foundations for further research within different strands of crimes. It also concludes with recommendations for policy makers, businesses, and internet services providers with emphasis on the need for greater awareness creation.
Safeguarding Australia from Cyber-Terrorism
Authors: Beggs Christopher , Warren Matthew
Published: May 2014

Terrorist groups are currently using information and communication technologies (ICTs) to orchestrate their conventional attacks. More recently, terrorists have been developing a new form of capability within the cyber-arena to coordinate cyber-based attacks. This chapter identifies that cyber-terrorism capabilities are an integral, imperative, yet under-researched component in establishing, and enhancing cyber-terrorism risk assessment models for SCADA systems. This chapter examines a cyber-terrorism SCADA risk framework that has been adopted and validated by SCADA industry practitioners. The chapter proposes a high level managerial framework, which is designed to measure and protect SCADA systems from the threat of cyber-terrorism within Australia. The findings and results of an industry focus group are presented in support of the developed framework for SCADA industry acceptance.
Semantically Linking Virtual Communities
Authors: Akerkar Rajendra , Aaberge Terje
Published: May 2014

A Virtual Community can be defined as a group of people sharing interests and making use of electronic forms of communication for exchanges. The shared interests might be with respect to a topic or a domain of knowledge, but it might also be related to a task. With the advent of virtual communities, there is a growing need for providing methods to link these communities together in a meaningful way. In this chapter, we shall describe the usage of semantic technologies for enhancing community portals and connecting heterogeneous virtual community sites. We propose a framework for semantically interlinked virtual communities called SIVC that can be used for information structuring, export and information dissemination. We present the SIVC ontology which combines terms from vocabularies that already exist with new terms needed to describe the relationships between concepts in the domain of virtual community.
Designing and Implementing Online Collaboration Tools in West Africa
Authors: Bentley Caitlin M.
Published: May 2014

This chapter explores how the Web 2.0 principle of the Web as a platform was applied in the context of a development aid-funded project aimed to enhance online collaboration capacities of 17 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in five West African Nations. The main issues confronted in the project related to the linear project design and a misconceptualisation of technology as an input, thus separating the design and implementation processes from the ultimate collaboration aims that are desired outcomes. It is therefore argued that technology-mediated collaboration initiatives within development cooperation contexts can draw from underlying Web 2.0 principles, but that these principles could more usefully be linked to development concepts in order to further enable critical reflection by primary stakeholders, so as to include them in all aspects of technology design. By focusing less on technology provision and more on the capacity of users to assess their own emergent needs has potentially more important long-term collaboration impacts.
Security and Privacy Issues in E-Government
Authors: Palanisamy Ramaraj , Mukerji Bhasker
Published: May 2014

Government is a unique actor as a provider of online public services to its citizens and enterprises. The e-citizens expect that the e-government services are safe and secure, that the privacy of the e-citizen is protected. As security and privacy are primary concerns in e-government, this chapter describes the security and privacy issues faced by the government, the sources and applications of these threats, the ways of protecting security and citizens' personal information, and the challenges in managing the security threats. The purpose of this chapter is to provide guidelines for the administrators of state-level & federal-level e-government services and IT professionals that they need for continuous improvement of e-government security and privacy.
The Use of Internet by Diasporic Communities for Political Mobilization
Authors: Sanchez Maricarmen , Ganapati Sukumar
Published: May 2014

This chapter analyzes how the Internet enables social and political mobilization of diasporic communities. Two diasporic communities—the Eritreans and the Iranians—form the empirical basis. The Eritrean diasporic community has used the Internet in their fight against Ethiopia and in their efforts to establish Eritrea as an independent country. The Iranian diasporic community used social networking, blogging, and other methods to politically mobilize amongst themselves in the host society and to mobilize their fellow countrymen in their homeland in the recent 2009 elections. The case studies illustrate how the Internet enables political mobilization that transcends time and space. Yet, the success of political mobilization depends on the diaspora's relationship with the homeland's government, their ability to create linkages, and their power relations.
Norms, Practices, and Rules of Virtual Community of Online Gamers
Authors: Yusof Shafiz Affendi Mohd
Published: May 2014

In this chapter, the author addresses a key question rooted in an institutional perspective: What norms, practices, and rules are evident in online gaming that facilitates the development of a virtual community of online gamers? Available studies have so far examined the institutional influences on organizations but not on virtual community. Thus, there is a compelling need to bridge fields such as IS and sociology in order to understand virtual communities of online gamers. The chapter comprises five sections: (1) examination of online gamers as an example of a virtual community; (2) brief description of institutional theory to illustrate the theoretical lens applied; (3) presentation of the methodology of the study; (4) discussion of the findings based on four different aspects: social roles and social positions, interaction rules, social control systems, and leadership; and finally (5) presentation of some implications and suggestion of future directions for study of the rapidly-growing phenomenon of online gaming.
Digital Storytelling with Web 2.0 Tools for Collaborative Learning
Authors: Smeda Najat , Dakich Eva , Sharda Nalin
Published: May 2014

The purpose of this chapter is to present the vision of a framework for developing Web 2.0 tools for collaborative learning using digital storytelling as the underlying pedagogical model. Storytelling can be used as a pedagogical tool to enhance learning outcomes across the curriculum, and digital storytelling is its new manifestation, as it can be used to enhance collaboration and creativity when learning in the classroom. A number of story development models have been created in recent years to help educators achieve better outcomes with digital storytelling. This chapter shows how, by creating an innovative e-Learning system based on Web 2.0 tools, a constructivist learning environment for knowledge remixing, sharing, and reusing through digital storytelling is also created.
Wikipedia's Success and the Rise of the Amateur-Expert
Authors: Sweet Christopher
Published: May 2014

The Free Online Encyclopedia, as Wikipedia calls itself, is a radical departure from traditional encyclopedias and traditional methods of knowledge creation. This chapter is an examination of how a community of amateurs on Wikipedia has challenged notions of expertise in the 21st century. It does so by first looking at the roots of Wikipedia in a phenomenon known as the “wisdom of the crowds” and in the open source software movement. The reliability of Wikipedia is examined as are the claims made by major critics of the project. Throughout, epistemological questions raised by Wikipedia are addressed.
Virtual Communities as Contributors for Digital Objects Metadata Generation
Authors: Dantas Joana Sócrates , Silveira Regina Melo
Published: May 2014

Description of online digital content is currently extremely necessary to facilitate a diverse amount of resource sharing over the internet. Many times, content is shared and reused within a virtual community. Virtual communities tend to have their own specific needs of resources, and tend to use a specific vocabulary to describe content. Members of virtual communities also tend to have specific motivations for participating and sharing information and knowledge with other members. In this chapter, the authors discuss the benefits of community members generating content description by analyzing the current literature on the matter. Then, the authors present two studies they have held where they assess the metadata generated by users of an IPTV system and by members of two different virtual communities.
Mindclone Technoselves
Authors: Rothblatt Martine
Published: May 2014

Ethical issues arise with respect to a digitized analog of a person. Such an analog exists when a person transfers an adequate quantity of digitized memories into a database coupled to software capable of discerning, and reproducing, a close facsimile of the person's apparent consciousness, including personality, mannerisms, recollections, feelings, beliefs, attitudes, and values. This chapter refers to such a digitized analog of a person as a “mindclone.” The requisite software to create a mindclone is called “mindware,” and the database upon which mindware operates is called a “mindfile.” The purpose of this chapter is to assess two issues with respect to the ethical boundaries and cyber-psychological precepts for mindclone technoselves. First, is the legal identity of the mindclone separate from, or unified with, the identity of the biological original? Second, how does traditional bioethical analysis of biomedical actions toward people morph into a biocyberethical analysis of biomedical actions toward mindclones?
Cyber-Bullying, Personality and Coping among Pre-Adolescents
Authors: Kokkinos Constantinos M. , Antoniadou Nafsika , Dalara Eleni , Koufogazou Anastasia , Papatziki Angeliki
Published: May 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the association of personality (Five Factor Model), coping and cyber-bullying/victimization experiences among 300 Greek pre-adolescent students attending the upper two primary school grades. Boys reported more frequent involvement in cyber-bullying incidents, while there were no significant gender differences in terms of cyber-victimization. In terms of participant roles, non-involved students scored higher in Conscientiousness, and cyber-bully/victims in Emotional Instability. The latter also tended to use maladaptive coping strategies more frequently, while cyber-bullies reported using more aggression and resignation to cope with interpersonal conflicts. Multiple regression analyses indicated that low conscientious boys who use passive avoidance and aggression were more likely to cyber-bully, while those who use aggression, passive avoidance and situation control to cope with interpersonal stressors were more likely to be cyber-victimized. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Capturing Tacit Knowledge within Business Simulation Games
Authors: Levy Meira , Pliskin Nava
Published: May 2014

Knowledge, in particular the tacit knowledge embedded in people and groups, is considered a strategic organizational asset. Many organizations harness knowledge to increase the quality of decision-making processes, especially in the current complex global business environment. Many organizations also harness business simulation games to support learning aimed at improving decision-making processes. Given the importance of knowledge, on the one hand, and of simulation games, on the other, this chapter presents a conceptual model for embedding knowledge management capabilities, including Web 2.0 applications, within simulation games environments for the purpose of improving the learning outcomes with regard to capturing tacit knowledge as well as to developing online communication skills.
Empirical Study of Cyber Harassment among Social Networks
Authors: Kuzma Joanne
Published: May 2014

The growth of Online Social Networking sites has brought new services and communication methods to consumers. However, along with benefits, serious problems such as online cyber harassment have recently come to the forefront of the electronic media. This behavior can have significant negative effect on individuals, businesses and the social networks. Some sites have begun to provide some levels of protection and create specific anti-harassment policies in their terms of service along with implementing protection technologies. However, these protective measures are not consistent among social media, leaving some consumers at greater risk. This study analyzed 60 worldwide social sites and determined the level of cyber-harassment protection. It reviewed statistical differences among geographical-based social networks. The results showed significant gaps among various social networks, but suggests methods for improving consumer safeguards to provide consistent levels of protection.
Advancing Cyber Resilience Analysis with Performance-Based Metrics from Infrastructure Assessments
Authors: Vugrin Eric D. , Turgeon Jennifer
Published: May 2014

Cyber resilience is becoming increasingly recognized as a critical component of comprehensive cybersecurity practices. Current cyber resilience assessment approaches are primarily qualitative methods, making validation of their resilience analyses and enhancement recommendations difficult, if not impossible. The evolution of infrastructure resilience assessment methods has paralleled that of their cyber counterparts. However, the development of performance-based assessment methods has shown promise for overcoming the validation challenge for infrastructure systems. This article describes a hybrid infrastructure resilience assessment approach that combines both qualitative analysis techniques with performance-based metrics. The qualitative component enables identification of system features that limit resilience, and the quantitative metrics can be used to evaluate and confirm the effectiveness of proposed mitigation options. The authors propose adaptation of this methodology for cyber resilience analysis. A case study is presented to demonstrate how the approach could be applied to a hypothetical system.