bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acyanotic “Taussig-Bing heart” and its surgical aspects
Authors: Muthiah Ramachandran
Published: February 2025

Aim: To report a case of acyanotic Taussig-Bing heart, anatomically consistent with L-transposition and rheumatic Left AV valve regurgitation associated with complete AV block in a male child.

Introduction: Taussig-Bing heart is one of the conotruncal malformation, characterized by double-outlet right ventricle (DORV) and a subpulmonary VSD. Embryologically, abnormal cardiac looping and malalignment of conotruncal septum determines its complexity and great artery relationships.

Case Report: A 14-year-old acyanotic boy presented with severe left-sided AV valve regurgitation and bradycardia. ECG revealed left sided morphologic right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) as evidenced by a loss of septal Q waves in left precordial leads suggesting ventricular inversion. X-ray chest revealed a straight upper right cardiac border due to loss of normal relationship of great vessels and cardiomegaly due to both left atrial and morphologic right ventricular enlargement suggesting a left-sided regurgitant lesion. Echocardiography revealed the ventricular inversion, primary origin of both L-transposed great arteries from the left-sided morphologic right ventricle suggesting a ‘double-outlet morphologic right ventricle’ with ‘double discordance’ and a subpulmonary VSD of Taussig-Bing type. The left-sided morphologic tricuspid valve is severely regurgitant due to rheumatic process resulting in heart failure which was improved with anti-failure measures and penicillin prophylaxis.

Conclusion: The presence of left-sided regurgitation associated with bradycardia is a suspicion of ‘double discordance’ and ‘double switch’ procedure remains the mainstay of its surgical correction. Left AV valve replacement with intraventricular repair is preferred in this child since the malformation is consistent with Taussing-Bing type of DORV with L-transposition.
Isolate and Diagnose Negative Bacteria that Cause Urinary Tract Inflammation and Test their Sensitivity to Certain Antibiotics and Rheum Palmatum
Authors: Faddil Abbas Haneen
Published: February 2025

The current study included the collection of 50 diarrhoea samples from UTIs, ages 25-50 years, 60% female and 40% male patients reviewed to Kirkuk city laboratories, gave 40 positive germ growth samples and 80%, while 10 other samples gave no germ growth. Isolation and diagnosis results showed that E.coli was prevalent on Proteus mirabilis and at 75%, while Proteus mirabilis was at 25% lower. The results of the study showed isolated bacterial sensitivity to a number of antibiotics and the results showed isolated bacterial sensitivity to anti-Ciprofloxacin while bacterial isolates showed the highest resistance to antibiotics. Effective compounds were identified and their concentration in the Riwas plant was determined using High Performance Liquid Chromotography HPLC (containing phenolic, turbine and alkaloid compounds, aquatic and alcoholic extracts were tested at concentrations (25), (50) and (100) and the focus (25) was on the lowest toxins.
Práctica profesional en educación superior: una revisión sistemática
Authors: Peña Hinojosa Lorena , Guerra Araos María Fernanda
Published: February 2025

Introducción: El presente artículo se enfoca en la práctica profesional de los estudiantes universitario, pretende identificar la existencia de modelos de práctica acuñados por las distintas disciplinas, las teorías que se encuentran a la base y las experiencias divulgadas. Metodología: se emplea el método de revisión sistemática, analizando diez ocho artículos seleccionados según los criterios de inclusión y exclusión. Resultados: mediante la revisión de los artículos, se observa un análisis las prácticas profesionales, asociado casuística y a los resultados alcanzado más que al proceso académico o formativo detrás de esta instancia, se relevan también inconsistencias entre la formación teórica versus los requerimientos de desempeño profesional. Discusión: Puede ser esperable algunas discrepancias entre la teoría y la práctica que experimentan los estudiantes, en especial por los continuos avances en materia del conocimiento, sin embargo, preocuparía si se evidencia un bajo impacto del conocimiento en la realidad. Conclusiones: Desde ahí la importancia de emplear modelos de práctica profesional que fortalezcan la integración y aplicación de los conocimientos adquiridos en la formación universitaria.
ПРО МЕТОДИКУ РОЗРАХУНКУ АРКОВИХ МОСТОВИХ СПОРУД З ГОФРОВАНОГО МЕТАЛУ
Authors: Абрамов В. М.
Published: February 2025

Розглянуто питання методики практичного розрахунку аркових мостових споруд з металевих гофрованих конструкцій (МГК) на дію навантаження від маси ґрунту дорожнього насипу і тимчасового рухомого навантаження від транспортних засобів. На підставі аналізу технічної літератури і відповідних нормативних документів показано, які недоліки існують у підходах до проєктування саме аркових мостових споруд з МГК, менш поширених і менш досліджених, в порівнянні зі спорудами круглої форми. За результатами цього аналізу стану справ у галузі проєктування мостових споруд з МГК встановлено, які саме недоліки є у існуючих нормативних документів в частині розрахунків таких споруд, особливо аркових. Надано пропозиції щодо створення основи методики спрощеного розрахунку таких споруд в умовах плоскої задачі, зокрема показано, як можливо досить просто і зрозуміло, з достатньою для практичних цілей точністю визначити несучу здатність аркової мостової споруди з МГК. Показано, що її можна визначити як суму особистої несучоїздатності арки (поза ґрунтом) і додатка до неї у вигляді навантаження, яке необхідне для забезпечення рівноваги схемиарки як системи з жорстких дисків, з’єднаних повними шарнірами в допустимому деформованому стані (з допустимим прогином) в умовах пружного опору ґрунту деформаціям арки. Надані пропозиції дозволяють виконати розрахунок аркової мостової споруди з МГК досить просто і з достатньою для практичних цілей точністю, з урахуванням пружного опору ґрунту в допустимому деформованому стані і з урахуванням фізичної і геометричної не лінійності системи «споруда – ґрунт».
АРХІТЕКТУРА – НАУКА ЧИ МИСТЕЦТВО В МІСТОБУДУВАННІ
Authors: Глущенко А. І.
Published: February 2025

Архітектура та всі її твори – це те, що історично завжди у нас на очах, це об'єкти, які може оцінити кожен із різних сторін. Історію людства можна вивчати з архітектури, безліч архітектурних шкіл представлені у різних країнах і свідчать про рівень розвитку цивілізації у різні часи. Мабуть, у кожному місті серед архітектурних пам'яток є оригінальні композиції, що викликають інтерес, що дивують своєю помпезністю, витонченістю чи офіційною строгістю. І не знайти людину, яку б не підкорювали склепіння арок, мости з давніми фрагментами, вежі і, звичайно, куполи, яким приписують магічні властивості. Краса та функціональність архітектури – це не лише естетика, а й запорука комфортного способу життя.Фрідріх Шіллер (Friedrich Schiller), німецький поет, драматург та філософ, якось висловився таким чином: «Архітектура – це застигла музика». Цим він хотів сказати, що архітектура, подібно до музики, може викликати емоції та захоплення, а також залишати довговічне враження на людей. Водночас заняття архітектурою пов'язане з містобудуванням, плануванням, проєктуванням, вибором технології будівництва будівель, підбором матеріалів, вписуванням будівлі в міський простір. Усі ці речі потребують спеціальної освіти, застосування наукової методології. Питання, чи є  архітектура наукою, часто викликає різноманітні погляди, і відповідь нього залежить від визначення науки і те, які аспекти архітектури розглядаються.Технічний аспект: з одного боку, архітектура може розглядатися як наука в тому сенсі, що вона включає використання наукових знань і методів при проєктуванні будівель і споруд. Це включає знання про фізику, математику, інженерію, матеріалознавство і т.д., які застосовуються для створення структурно і функціонально стійких споруд.З іншого боку, архітектура часто розглядається як мистецтво, оскільки вона включає творчий процес і вираження естетичних і культурних ідеалів через форму, пропорції і композицію будівель. Отже, можна сказати, що архітектура поєднує у собі як мистецькі, так і наукові аспекти. Вона використовує наукові принципи та знання для вирішення  технічних проблем та створення функціональних та безпечних конструкцій, а також виражає культурні та естетичні цінності через форму та стиль. В цілому, хоча архітектура може бути сприйнята як наука в широкому значенні, вона також є мистецтвом та  інженерним мистецтвом, яке поєднує у собі різні аспекти знання та практики.
Opposition Rhetoric in the Information Space of Moldova (March‒April 2023)
Authors: Pavliukh Mariia
Published: February 2025

The article is devoted to the problem of studying the Moldovan information space and leading media, as well as narratives of Russian propaganda, which are spread through mass communication and new media (telegram channels) by Moldovan propagandists. The review and analysis of the articles of the leading channels of Moldova aims to distinguish the tone of rhetoric and the main narratives spread by various political forces, as well as the propaganda of Russian propagandists in the virtual space of pro-Russian media regarding Ukrainians, Ukraine and the Russian-Ukrainian war.

The purpose of the article is to investigate and distinguish the thematic areas of the leading Moldovan media, to investigate the rhetoric and tone of the materials of the articles.

Research methodology: the article uses a set of general and special methods: the method of conceptual analysis in determining individual narratives that are present in the articles of Moldovan propaganda telegram channels; a comparative analysis in identifying the narratives spread by Moldovan and Russian propagandists regarding the image of Ukrainians, Ukraine and the Russian-Ukrainian war among ordinary citizens of Moldova, as well as a synthesis in identifying thematic models of the Moldovan information space. Distortion of facts, excessive emotionality, condemnation of everything Ukrainian in the pro-Russian Moldovan media are studied by the author in a scientific article.

Results and conclusions. The general characteristics of the information space of Moldova touch on thematic areas important for the state: the security situation of Moldova, the official language, foreign and domestic policies, the government vs. the opposition, the economy of the state, benefits for the population and social protection, the Russian-Ukrainian war, the Transnistrian region.

Telegram channels of Moldova, which have a Russian orientation, spread outright lies about Ukrainians and the Russian-Ukrainian war. The articles and messages of these telegram channels contain narratives that have a negative propaganda character and create a negative image of Ukraine and Ukrainians in the minds of the channel̓̓̓̓̓̓’s readers. The manipulative materials about Ukraine, Ukrainians, the Armed Forces, Ukrainian soldiers, and Ukrainian politicians of these telegram channels have negative images that subconsciously affect the average subscribers of this channel.
El estándar de medios efectivos en el Derecho interna cional de las inversiones: ¿un estándar autónomo o una creación antojadiza?: El caso Chevron II
Authors: Carpi Frixone María Bernarda , Flores Martínez Martín
Published: February 2025

El estándar de medios efectivos en el Derecho internacional de las inversiones: ¿un están dar autónomo o una creación antojadiza?: El caso Chevron II Dentro del Derecho internacional de las inversiones, en los últimos siete años, ha surgido el están dar de medios efectivos como un estándar autónomo de protección. A pesar de ello, la existencia de cláusulas en las que los Estados receptores se comprometen a garantizar el acceso a medios judiciales efectivos, data de los años 80 y, desde ese entonces hasta la resolución en el caso Chevron II, los tribunales arbitrales han sabido dar respuesta a esta protección a través del empleo de otros estándares existentes en el Derecho Internacional de las Inversiones, tales como, el estándar de trato justo y equitativo o el estándar de denegación de justicia. Ante ello, el presente artículo busca analizar si el estándar de medios efectivos es realmente un estándar autónomo, o si por el contrario es tan solo una creación antojadiza.
El soft law en el arbitraje internacional. Problemas, debates y el aporte del análisis económico
Authors: Stirnimann Fuentes Franz , Grané Riera Patricio
Published: February 2025

El presente artículo describe los fenómenos que han alentado la proliferación de normas de soft law en los últimos años en el arbitraje internacional y examina las principales categorías dentro de dicho universo de normas. Además de analizar los debates doctrinarios en torno a la existencia, concepto y conveniencia de los instrumentos de soft law en el arbitraje internacional, se señalan los problemas que ha traído consigo la multiplicación excesiva de dichas normas. Por último, se analizan estos problemas como fallas de mercado y de Estado y se propone una solución basada en la teoría económica. La tesis de los autores es que el libre juego de la oferta y la demanda de las normas de soft law revela las preferencias de los usuarios del arbitraje, y que las encuestas, las consultas públicas y iniciativas de codificación son instrumentos eficaces para observar, recabar y sistematizar esas preferencias de los usuarios.
Reflexiones jurídicas actuales a partir de arbitrajes históricos. El fon do piadoso de las Californias
Authors: Sellarés Serra Jordi
Published: February 2025

Un legado en un testamento se convierte en un pleito entre Estados que dura más de cien años, requiere dos laudos arbitrales y  un acuerdo posterior para liquidar los intereses acumulados. De la evangelización de toda California pasamos a un arreglo económico final entre Estados aconfesionales –o mejor, tradicionalmente anticatólicos–. Demostración práctica del adagio que más vale un mal arreglo que un buen pleito.
Nuevo modelo de TBI de los Países Bajos y sus implicaciones en la protección de inversiones
Authors: Morales Ramos Ana
Published: February 2025

El arbitraje de inversión se encuentra en el punto de mira de usuarios, grupos especializados y la opinión pública en general. El incremento exponencial de arbitrajes entre inversores y Estados, la atribución a la Unión Europea de la competencia exclusiva (con las excepciones establecidas en el Dictamen 2/15 de 16 de mayo de 2017 del Tribunal de Justicia europeo) para la firma de tratados de inversión con Estados no miembros de la Unión Europea a raíz del Tratado de Lisboa y las múltiples críticas al sistema, han llevado a los Estados a buscar nuevas fórmulas que protejan los derechos de los inversores extranjeros sin sacrificar sus atribuciones soberanas. En este contexto, el 22 de marzo de 2019, el gobierno neerlandés publicó un nuevo y novedoso modelo de tratado bilateral de inversión que servirá como base para la renegociación de los tratados de inversión vigentes con Estados no miembros de la Unión Europea.
Reflexiones jurídicas actuales a partir de arbitrajes históricos. Los arbitrajes de Viena
Authors: Sellarés Serra Jordi
Published: February 2025

La insatisfacción húngara tras la primera guerra mundial, por la pérdida de territorios en los que habitaban magiares, se intentó corregir tras los acuerdos de Múnich de 1938 por medio de una negociación directa con Checoslovaquia y Rumanía, respectivamente, que al fracasar activó dos arbitrajes, dictados en Viena. Sin embargo, nada parece confirmar que dichos laudos fueran el resultado de auténticos procesos arbitrales, anulados tras la segunda guerra mundial, pero sin detallar los motivos.
El recuento de los daños: compensación, intereses y costas del arbitraje inversionista–Estado del TLCAN. La experiencia mexicana
Authors: Hugues Arthur Juan Pablo , Moreno González Jimena
Published: February 2025

El siguiente artículo presenta un análisis jurídico de los costos generales que ha representado el arbitraje de inversión del TLCAN para México en los últimos veinte años. Así, se evalúan los razonamientos de los Tribunales en cuanto a compensación de daños por violaciones de la sección A del Capítulo XI; los intereses dictados sobre dichos daños, y la distribución de las costas del arbitraje de inversión. Asimismo, se realiza un balance sobre los costos generados por el arbitraje de inversión derivado del TLCAN y los posibles beneficios económicos que han surgido del mismo para de esta forma concluir que en términos jurídico–económicos, la experiencia de México en los últimos 20 años de arbitraje de inversión del TLCAN ha sido positiva, en general.
Grenzen im Schreiben und Fühlen. Zum Verhältnis von Emotionstagebüchern und psychischer Belastung
Authors: Heining Maja
Published: February 2025

Emotionstagebücher betrachten Emotion und Affekt auch methodisch in der Feldforschung und nehmen diese als weitere Dimension der Daten mit auf. Dabei sollen sie unter anderem emotional literacy schulen sowie als sicherer Rückzugsort dienen. Bisher bezieht die Methode psychische Belastung als Beeinflussung emotionalen Erlebens noch nicht explizit mit ein, wodurch sie nicht barrierefrei ist. Emotionales Erleben, Fühlen und Schreiben können durch Belastungen oder psychische Erkrankungen erschwert oder teilweise verunmöglicht werden, womit Emotionstagebücher frustrierend oder weiter belastend sein können. Durch Modifikationen können Emotionstagebücher inklusiver gestaltet und eine Debatte um den Einbezug von psychischer Belastung in methodisches Vorgehen angestoßen werden.
Innovation-Focused Ship Design
Authors: Hopman Hans
Published: February 2025

The European shipbuilding industry has been able to survive by focusing on building ‘specials’. In order to maintain this position, it is an absolute necessity for the European shipbuilding industry to remain innovative. However, it is difficult to realise product innovations in this industry. The series are usually too small, the development time too short and the risks too high. This article will discuss several developments and some measures that should be taken in order to stimulate the realisation of product innovations.
Offshore Structures: Hidden Treasures for Designers
Authors: Romeijn Arie  , Meek Jan
Published: February 2025

Structures for the production of oil and gas placed in relatively shallow offshore waters are generally fixed structures which are piled to the seafloor. With increasing water depths these structures tend to become more sensitive to dynamic response and fatigue. When entering water depths exceeding approximately 300 meters these conventional fixed platforms are generally not capable to cope with the offshore environment and being replaced by floating platforms. As under certain functional design considerations bottom founded platforms may be preferred over floating platforms the industry developed the so called ‘compliant tower’: a bottom founded platform capable of carrying topside loads up to 30,000 t in water depths ranging from 300 meters to approximately 500 meters. This paper describes the basics of conventional bottom founded fixed platform design followed by the fascinating design and installation aspects of compliant towers and will conclude with the challenging statement that, contrary to the belief of many in the industry, under certain conditions conventional fixed bottom founded platforms may be feasible in water depths up 400m.
AI Techniques for Conceptual Design
Authors: Jansen Frederik W.  , Rentama Date W.E.
Published: February 2025

The conceptual design of complex products may be improved by applying knowledge available in existing designs (analogues), pre-defined components (parametric models), and functional models (rules). To represent and re-use this knowledge, AI techniques may be applied such as Case-Based Reasoning (CBR), Constraint-Based Modeling (CBM) and Rule-Based Reasoning (RBR). Case-Based Reasoning indexes a database with existing products with known performance characteristics, to suggest a first prototype solution that fits the requirements. The prototype can then be modelled and dimensioned with Constraint-Based Modeling, and its performance be verified with a network of functional relations derived by Rule-Based Reasoning and optimized with a numeric solver. In this way a first design concept can be quickly generated and evaluated as a first step towards a more elaborated design.
Online optimization for variable selection in data streams
Authors: Anagnostopoulos Christoforos  , Tasoulis Dimitris  , Hand David J.  , Adams Niall M.
Published: February 2025

Variable selection for regression is a classical statistical problem, motivated by concerns that too many covariates invite overfitting. Existing approaches notably include a class of convex optimisation techniques, such as the Lasso algorithm. Such techniques are invariably reliant on assumptions that are unrealistic in streaming contexts, namely that the data is available off-line and the correlation structure is static. In this paper, we relax both these constraints, proposing for the first time an online implementation of the Lasso algorithm with exponential forgetting. We also optimise the model dimension and the speed of forgetting in an online manner, resulting in a fully automatic scheme. In simulations our scheme improves on recursive least squares in dynamic environments, while also featuring model discovery and changepoint detection capabilities.
Semantic Activity Recognition
Authors: Thonnat Monique
Published: February 2025

Extracting automatically the semantics from visual data is a real challenge. We describe in this paper how recent work in cognitive vision leads to significative results in activity recognition for visualsurveillance and video monitoring. In particular we present work performed in the domain of video understanding in our PULSAR team at INRIA in Sophia Antipolis. Our main objective is to analyse in real-time video streams captured by static video cameras and to recognize their semantic content. We present a cognitive vision approach mixing 4D computer vision techniques and activity recognition based on a priori knowledge. Applications in visualsurveillance and healthcare monitoring are shown. We conclude by current issues in cognitive vision for activity recognition.
Theoretical and Computational Properties of Preference-based Argumentation
Authors: Dimopoulos Yannis  , Moraitis Pavlos  , Amgoud Leila
Published: February 2025

During the last years, argumentation has been gaining increasing interest in modeling different reasoning tasks of an agent. Many recent works have acknowledged the importance of incorporating preferences or priorities in argumentation. However, relatively little is known about the theoretical and computational implications of preferences in argumentation.
Multi-valued Pattern Databases
Authors: Linares López Carlos
Published: February 2025

Pattern Databases were a major breakthrough in heuristic search by solving hard combinatorial problems various orders of magnitude faster than state-of-the-art techniques at that time. Since then, they have received a lot of attention. Moreover, pattern databases are also researched in conjunction with other domain-independent techniques for solving planning tasks. However, they are not the only technique for improving heuristic estimates. Although more modest, perimeter search can also lead to significant improvements in the number of generated nodes and overall running time. Therefore, whether they can be combined or not is a natural and interesting issue. While other researchers have recently proven that a joint application of both ideas (termed as multiple goal) leads to no progress at all, it is shown here that there are other alternatives for putting both techniques together—denoted here as multi-valued. This paper shows that multi-valued pattern databases can still improve the performance of standard (or single-valued) pattern databases in practice. It also examines how to enhance memory usage when comparing multi-valued pattern databases in contraposition to various single-valued standard pattern databases.
Semantic Modularity and Module Extraction in Description Logics
Authors: Konev Boris  , Lutz Carsten  , Walther Dirk  , Wolter Frank
Published: February 2025

The aim of this paper is to study semantic notions of modularity in description logic (DL) terminologies and reasoning problems that are relevant for modularity. We define two notions of a module whose independence is formalised in a model-theoretic way. Focusing mainly on the DLs ℰℒ and 𝒜ℒ𝒞, we then develop algorithms for module extraction, for checking whether a part of a terminology is a module, and for a number of related problems. We also analyse the complexity of these problems, which ranges from tractable to undecidable. Finally, we provide an experimental evaluation of our module extraction algorithms based on the large-scale terminology SNOMED CT.
Continuous Plan Management Support for Space Missions: the RAXEM Case
Authors: Cesta Amedeo  , Cortellessa Gabriella  , Denis Michel  , Donati Alessandro  , Fratini Simone  , Oddi Angelo  , Policella Nicola  , Rabenau Erhard  , Schulster Jonathan
Published: February 2025

This paper describes RAXEM, an AI-based system developed to support human mission planners in the daily task to plan uplink commands for an interplanetary spacecraft. The intelligent environment of RAXEM has been designed to support the users in analyzing the problem and taking planning decisions as a result of an interactive process. The system combines different ingredients like integrating flexible automated algorithms, promoting user active participation during problem solving, and guaranteeing continuity of work practice. The paper touches upon all these aspects and comments on how a key factor for success has been the integration of intelligent technology to continuously support mission plan management.
Emergence of Rules in Cell Assemblies of fLIF Neurons
Authors: Belavkin Roman V.  , Huyck Christian R.
Published: February 2025

Inspired by biological cognition, CABOT project explores the ways symbolic processing can emerge in a system of neural cell assemblies (CAs). Here we show how a stochastic meta–control process can regulate learning of associations between the CAs, the neural basis of symbols. An experiment illustrates the learning between CAs representing conditions actions pairs, which leads to CA–based representations of ‘if–then’ rules.
Web-Based Recommender Systems and User Needs – the Comprehensive View
Authors: Kazienko Przemysław
Published: February 2025

Recommender systems became an important element of many web-based systems. The general process about how recommender systems fulfil various user needs based on the analysis of recent literature in presented in the survey paper. Recommender systems are compared with other method like Information Retrieval and browsing. The paper also includes the comprehensive view over the typical components and structure of recommender systems. The state-of-the-art of recommendation methods is described as well.
Designing Norms in Virtual Organizations
Authors: Argente E.  , Criado N.  , Julián V.  , Botti V.
Published: February 2025

Virtual Organizations have been recently employed as an abstraction for modelling dynamical and complex systems. The Norm concept has arisen inside the Multi-Agent Theory for avoiding conflicts and ensuring coordination and cooperation in open environments. In this work, a desing of norms that govern Virtual Organizations is proposed, which is based on a service-oriented approach. Therefore, we define a formal normative language for mainly controlling service registering and usage. Thus, a better integration of both Web Services and MAS Technology is achieved.
On Partial Deduction and Conversational Agents
Authors: Morveli-Espinoza Mariela  , Puyol-Gruart Josep
Published: February 2025

Agents are situated autonomous entities that perceive and act in their environment, and communicate with other agents. An agent usually starts a conversation by querying another agent because it needs to satisfy a specific goal. This process allocates a new goal to the agent receiving the initial query, starting new dialogs with other agents, generating a recursive interaction. The generation of this kind of dialog is interesting when the system has the possibility of generating conditional answers with imprecise and uncertain values. We consider simple deliberative rule-based agents that proactively try to satisfy their goals. The mechanism to achieve this dialogs is based in the specialization of the mental state of agents, by means of the partial deduction of rule bases.
Creation of Virtual Environments through Knowledge-Aid Declarative Modeling
Authors: Zaragoza Jaime  , Ramos Félix  , Orozco Héctor Rafael  , Gaildrat Véronique
Published: February 2025

This article deals with the problem of Declarative Modeling of scenarios in 3D. The innovation presented in this work consists in the use of a knowledge base to aid the parsing of the declarative language. The example described in this paper shows that this strategy reduces the complexity of semantic analysis, which is rather time- and resource-consuming. The results of our work confirm that this contribution is useful mainly when the proposed language constructions have high complexity.
Integration of MDA Framework into the Model of Traditional Software Development
Authors: Nikiforova Oksana  , Nikulsins Vladimirs  , Sukovskis Uldis
Published: February 2025

OMG initiative, The Model Driven Architecture (MDA), shifts the focus of software development from writing code to building models. MDA is a model-oriented software development paradigm, which can be applied to any software development methodology. MDA gives no guidelines in terms of the processes such as activities and phases, roles and responsibilities which are involved in the software development process. When an organization considers applying MDA-based software development process, it will face the lack of methodological guidelines. The aim of this paper is to integrate MDA framework into the model of traditional software development.
Government by Wire: Distance, Discourse and the Impact of Technology
Authors: Bannister Frank  , Connolly Regina
Published: February 2025

When most people talk about e-government, in practice, they are referring to e-public administration. Discussion of how information and communications technology (ICT) might be used in the processes of governing as such has been limited to a few areas such as document flow management and executive support type technologies. A decision by the Irish government in 2003 to disperse government departments throughout the state raised many questions, not least political and administrative, but amongst these was the potential of technology to alleviate the problems the practical problems likely to arise when senior civil servants are geographically dispersed and, by implication, on the ability of technology to facilitate the process of government itself. This paper is a theoretical exploration of the likely contribution, if any, of ICT to supporting the process of policy formulation where those involved in the process are dispersed and asks whether this is yet another technology where the hype fails to take account of practicalities.
The Myths and Ceremonies of E-Government: Beyond the Hype of a New and Better Government?
Authors: Bekkers Victor  , Homburg Vincent
Published: February 2025

The hype around e-government can also be understood in terms of myths. Myths play an important role in policy formulation because they can inspire and convince and thus can stimulate collective action. However, they can also blur our perspective on reality. In such cases people talk about ‘hypes’. In this chapter we look at policy documents regarding the first waves in the establishment of electronic government in Australia, Canada, Denmark and the Netherlands. We discuss these documents in terms of myths in order to understand the cleft between the ambitions of these documents and daily reality. Four myths are constructed and discussed: the myth of a new and better government which operates as a single unit, the myth of technological progress, the myth of rational information planning and the myth of the intelligent and empowered consumer.
Governments and Multi-Channeling: Channel Positioning Strategies for the Future
Authors: Pieterson Willem
Published: February 2025

During the years of the dot-com hype, the Internet was believed to be the ideal service channel. Based on its cost efficiency and some communicative characteristics it was believed that it would render the other service channels, such as the telephone and front desks, obsolete. Yet instead of replacing the traditional channels, Internet simply became an addition to the existing service repertoire. Nowadays many governmental organizations struggle with the management of their multiple service channels. In many cases the Internet did not lead to a decline in the use of the traditional channels, and therefore hardly any cost reductions were realized. Further, citizens appear to prefer different channels for different situations. In this chapter we present an overview of channel usage by citizens as well as various governmental channel management strategies. We pay special attention to the currently popular perspective on multi-channel management. However, multi-channel management is ambiguous, in the sense that a number of different views on multi-channeling exist. We discuss the various perspectives and argue why governmental agencies should focus on integrated multi-channel management strategies.
Safety loading in the annuity pension fund dynamics
Authors: Sibillo Marilena  , Coppola Mariarosaria  , D'Amato Valeria  , Di Lorenzo Emilia
Published: February 2025

The portfolio consistency fund studied in the paper is referred to a pension scheme of beneficiaries entering in the retirement state at the same time. It arises from the payment stream consisting in cash flows due at the beginning of each year in case of life of the pensioner: in the deferment period, in the form of premiums entering in the fund, and during the retirement period, in the form of instalments getting out of it. The fund dynamic as function of the time of valuation evolves increasing thanks to the interest maturing on the accumulated fund and decreasing because of the benefits paid to the survivals. Both the mortality trend, determining the number of payments at each time, and the interest maturing on the fund, are considered deterministically unknown at the moment of the contract issue. Stochastic assumptions about the behaviour of the interest rate process and the description of the mortality trend betterment, most likely to be expected in very long periods and in civilized world, provide a dynamic description of the pension scheme and in particular of the pension fund. In the paper we want to deepen the aspect of the financial and demographic basis chosen for premium calculation with respect to the impact on the portfolio fund consistency and on the risk arising from the randomness in the choice of the survival model used for the valuations. To this aim, we will assume for the fund description different projection levels for the survival probabilities and the Vasicek hypotheses for the interest rates maturing on the fund itself; moreover, we will determine the premium amounts introducing different scenarios in a safety loading perspective. As evident, in the premium quantification lower interest rate jointly with higher survival probabilities constitute a form of implied loading. The numerical application presented in the paper shows how the change in the premium calculation conditions affects the portfolio fund consistency in the different scenarios and investigates on the impact they have on the Demographic Model Risk Measure. Useful information for managing aim can be derived.
Interactive Visualization Tools for Meta-Clustering
Authors: Bifulco Ida  , Iorio Francesco  , Napolitano Francesco  , Raiconi Giancarlo  , Tagliaferri Roberto
Published: February 2025

In this work we propose a scientific data exploration methodology and software environment that permits to obtain both data meta-clustering and interactive visualizations. Our approach is based on an elaboration pipeline, including data reading, multiple clustering solution generation, meta clustering and consensus clustering. Each stage is supported by dedicated visualization and interaction tools. Involved techniques include a Price based global optimization algorithm able to build a set of solutions that are local minima of the K-means objective function; different consensus methods aimed to reduce the set of solutions; tools for the interactive hierarchical agglomeration of clusterings and for the exploration and visualization of the space of clustering solutions.
The Study of CIO Role and Responsibility in Taiwanese Corporation: A Comparative Perspective
Authors: Tseng Shu-Fen  , Chiang Yao-Kuo
Published: February 2025

Enterprises are all facing a rapidly changing market that global competition is vigorous. It is important for enterprises to win business opportunities by taking advantage of sophistication IT application. The keys for enterprises to growth largely depend on the capacity of using IT appropriately to reduce cost, increase productivity, and enhance innovation and competitiveness. The CEO has been long responsible for management strategy in corporation, as diverse and complex IT applications have developed, the role of CIO, who is in charge of IT related process in an enterprise becomes vital for corporation development. Previous studies are limited in address nation-specific economic and industrial context by identifying differences of roles and responsibilities of CIO across nations. This study employs secondary data analysis to compare the roles and responsibilities of CIO in enterprises across the US, Japan and Taiwan respectively to shed the lights of comparative CIO studies from national economic respective. The results suggest while more transformational leader and business strategist role of CIO is found in the US corporation, Taiwanese CIOs are more likely to characterize as the function head and recently transformational leader that primarily focused on activities that aims at achieving IT operational excellence and on creating change for their enterprise through close partnerships with business operations. The role of CIOs in Japan is shifting toward the US model that emphasizes leadership and managerial responsibilities as top priorities. In all, this paper suggests economic and industrial aspects of global economy should be taken into account in the CIO related studies to understand the change and development of CIO job models and typology.
Computer Security Incident Handling and Phishing Cases in Thailand
Authors: Jirawannakool Kitisak  , Sanglertsilapachai Nuttapong  , Siwamogsatham Siwaruk
Published: February 2025

This paper presents computer security incident handling in Thailand by ThaiCERT. Because ThaiCERT generally receives numerous incident reports every year, we need to manage our limited resources to timely and efficiently deal with every case. This paper will also display statistics of incidents handled by ThaiCERT for different categories of incidents and sources of attackers. It appears that the number of phishing cases in Thailand has dramatically increased over recent years.
Leadership Needed for e-Governance and the Knowledge Economy
Authors: Hanna Nagy K.
Published: February 2025

Leadership is an important factor in e-Governance process and Knowledge Economy development. This article introduces the ICT roles and promises for policy makers in developing countries. Realization of such promises incorporated challenges for leaders in leading Public Sector Transformation and orchestrating the E-Development Process. At the same time they have to pay attention to related activities and notions including managing risks, the demand for E-Leaders, E-Leadership development and current supply, implementation crisis, e-Leadership gap and promising responses and practices from other countries.
Affective Gendered Learning Companions
Authors: Arroyo Ivon  , Woolf Beverly Park  , Royer James M.  , Tai Minghui
Published: February 2025

We researched the impact of gendered pedagogical agents on student attitudes for math, motivation and achievement in math, within the context of an adaptive tutoring software for high school mathematics. Learning companions emphasize perseverance by valuing effort in challenging tasks. They are also empathetic, as they reflect students' emotional states. The results suggest that, across two studies, it was the male learning companion that produced the most positive impact on female students' state-based emotions, attitudes and learning. It is possible that girls transfer their stereotypes to the computer software.
Intelligent Learning Object Guide (iLOG): A Framework for Automatic Empirically-Based Metadata Generation
Authors: Riley S.A.  , Miller L.D.  , Soh L.-K.  , Samal A.  , Nugent G.
Published: February 2025

We present a framework for the automatic annotation of learning objects (LOs) with empirical usage metadata. Our implementation of the Intelligent Learning Object Guide (iLOG) was used to collect interaction data of over 200 students' interactions with eight LOs. We show that iLOG successfully tracks student interaction data that can be used to automate the creation of meaningful empirical usage metadata that is based on real-world usage and student outcomes.
The Second Workshop on Culturally Aware Tutoring Systems
Authors: Blanchard Emmanuel G.  , Lane H. Chad  , Allard Daniele
Published: February 2025

The role of culture in learning is an underexplored area of research. Learners come with a variety of cultural backgrounds, belief systems, and perspectives. Research in education has shown that teaching methodologies and instructional design cannot always be universally applied as their impact can greatly vary from one culture to another. In other words, pedagogical strategies that are effective for one cultural group may not be effective with a different one. Researchers in the Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED) community are beginning to address these issues by incorporating models of culture into their systems with goal of either adapting to learners' varying cultural backgrounds or by culturally-appropriate underlying teaching methodologies into their systems. Developing AIED systems with cultural discernment capabilities therefore – among other possibilities – may reduce misunderstanding and confusion that is derived from learner behaviour as well as allow for customized learning according to cultural needs. A greater cultural focus can also increase the flexibility of the systems we build and promote their acceptance and wider spread use.
Ontological Analysis of Functional Decomposition
Authors: Burek Patryk  , Herre Heinrich  , Loebe Frank
Published: February 2025

Functional decomposition is a popular technique applied not only in software engineering but also in business modeling and in technical devices design. As its principle it takes a functional view on a system and analyzes it in terms of functions. However, despite its popularity the notion of functional decomposition seems not to be clear-cut and as such may lead to ambiguities in models based on it. The current paper presents the results of the ontological analysis of the notion of functional decomposition. In particular, various relations between functions which may underlie functional decomposition are analyzed and put into the cohesive framework of the Ontology of Functions (OF), which is proposed to be used as a foundation for functional modeling.
Reasoning About Actions for the Management of Urban Wastewater Systems: Preliminary report
Authors: Nieves Juan Carlos  , Aulinas Montse  , Cortés Ulises
Published: February 2025

It is well-known that the management of Urban Wastewater Systems (UWS) is a complex and critical process. To decide which is the correct sequence of actions for managing a given circumstance it is necessary a sophisticated analysis of hypothetical impact of these. Hence, the design of intelligent systems able to perform temporal projections based on the description of actions could help to deal with risk scenarios.
Conceptions of Vagueness in Subjective Probability for Evidential Reasoning
Authors: Keppens Jeroen
Published: February 2025

Much work on probabilistic evidential reasoning for crime investigation employs probabilities that express subjective expert beliefs. This use of subjective probabilities is inevitable for several reasons, including lack of data, non-specificity of phenomena and fuzziness of concepts in this domain. Numerous representation formalisms and corresponding inference mechanisms have been developed to capture and reason with the intrinsic vagueness in subjective probabilities. In the literature, these schemes are largely presented as though they are diametrically opposed to one another. This paper critically examines what aspects of vagueness are captured by these different approaches. It demonstrates that they are concerned with different aspects of vagueness. This leads to a proposal of a method to combine the different approaches.
Russian e-Programs for the Post-Crisis Economy
Authors: Korotkov Andrey  , Blatun Julia
Published: February 2025

This paper describes the main Russian ICT programs, stressing on the key objectives and key problems. Despite the subprime mortgage financial crisis which caused a global financial crisis in 2008, the Russia Government aims to be among the top 20 countries of the world which have the most advanced information society.
IAC Towards Global CIO Development
Authors: Tubtimhin Jirapon
Published: February 2025

This paper describes the mission and activities of the International Academy of the CIO (IAC). The IAC was founded in 2006 to foster CIO development and best practice with the goal of furthering good e-Governance, and introducing a global CIO standard by bringing together academic resources with real world best practices.
e-Government in Japan
Authors: Minami Toshiyuki
Published: February 2025

In this paper the author describes the development of e-government in Japan by presenting not only what has the Japanese government done, but by describing the challenges faced in the implementation of e-government. The paper concludes presenting the next steps the government will take to further develop its e-government strategy.
Utilizing ICT and e-Applications to Meet Global Challenges
Authors: Toure Hamadoun
Published: February 2025

This is a speech given at the Tokyo 2008 IAC Conference to commemorate the 5th anniversary of the ITU-Waseda University Research Center which is involved in various ICT policy related research such as the use of ICT in disaster prevention and mobile broadband standards.
Improving RFID's Location Based Services by means of Hidden Markov Models
Authors: Garcia-Valverde Teresa  , Garcia-Sola Alberto  , Botia Juan A.
Published: February 2025

Services in Ambient Intelligence systems must adapt to context information and users. So, the development of these services become in a complex task. In this context, we present AmISim: a methodology for the engineering of AmI services. Using AmISim, a LBS based on RFID technology is built. Engineering the service is based on Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) for locations within an intelligent building. The results show that the resolution of a RFID based LBS can be significantly improved and allows by means of the simulator optimally configure the number and location of RFID antennas.
Refining the Notion of Effort
Authors: Heinemann Bernhard
Published: February 2025

The aim of this paper is to incorporate a qualitative approach to measurement into the more general concept of effort. The fundamental idea to achieve this goal is to assign suitable modalities to the methods of measurement being available to an agent. The knowledge of the agent changes, in fact, generally increases by applying such methods. Thus, the system should be able to describe this change of knowledge as well. We develop an appropriate logic, show that it satisfies some of the fundamental properties that are desirable at any rate, and discuss possible extensions.