bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bacterial Over-Expression and Purification of the 3'phosphoadenosine 5'phosphosulfate (PAPS) Reductase Domain of Human FAD Synthase: Functional Characterization and Homology Modeling
Authors: Miccolis Angelica , Galluccio Michele , Giancaspero Teresa , Indiveri Cesare , Barile Maria
Published: December 2012

FAD synthase (FADS, EC 2.7.7.2) is a key enzyme in the metabolic pathway that converts riboflavin into the redox cofactor, FAD. Human FADS is organized in two domains: -the 3'phosphoadenosine 5'phosphosulfate (PAPS) reductase domain, similar to yeast Fad1p, at the C-terminus, and -the resembling molybdopterin-binding domain at the N-terminus. To understand whether the PAPS reductase domain of hFADS is sufficient to catalyze FAD synthesis, per se, and to investigate the role of the molybdopterin-binding domain, a soluble “truncated” form of hFADS lacking the N-terminal domain (Δ1-328-hFADS) has been over-produced and purified to homogeneity as a recombinant His-tagged protein. The recombinant Δ1-328-hFADS binds one mole of FAD product very tightly as the wild-type enzyme. Under turnover conditions, it catalyzes FAD assembly from ATP and FMN and, at a much lower rate, FAD pyrophosphorolytic hydrolysis. The Δ1-328-hFADS enzyme shows a slight, but not significant, change of Km values (0.24 and 6.23 µM for FMN and ATP, respectively) and of kcat (4.2 × 10−2 s−1) compared to wild-type protein in the forward direction. These results demonstrate that the molybdopterin-binding domain is not strictly required for catalysis. Its regulatory role is discussed in light of changes in divalent cations sensitivity of the Δ1-328-hFADS versus wild-type protein.
DNA Damage and Repair in Atherosclerosis: Current Insights and Future Perspectives
Authors: Cervelli Tiziana , Borghini Andrea , Galli Alvaro , Andreassi Maria
Published: December 2012

Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among Western populations. Over the past two decades, considerable evidence has supported a crucial role for DNA damage in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. These findings support the concept that the prolonged exposure to risk factors (e.g., dyslipidemia, smoking and diabetes mellitus) leading to reactive oxygen species are major stimuli for DNA damage within the plaque. Genomic instability at the cellular level can directly affect vascular function, leading to cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and premature vascular senescence. The purpose of this paper is to review current knowledge on the role of DNA damage and DNA repair systems in atherosclerosis, as well as to discuss the cellular response to DNA damage in order to shed light on possible strategies for prevention and treatment.
Oxidative Stress Mediated-Alterations of the MicroRNA Expression Profile in Mouse Hippocampal Neurons
Authors: Xu Shunjiang , Zhang Rui , Niu Jingya , Cui Dongsheng , Xie Bing , Zhang Binggui , Lu Kang , Yu Wenjun , Wang Xueyi , Zhang Qingfu
Published: December 2012

Oxidative stress plays a critical role in the etiology and pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders, and the molecular mechanisms that control the neuron response to ROS have been extensively studied. However, the oxidative stress-effect on miRNA expression in hippocampal neurons has not been investigated, and little is known on the effect of ROS-modulated miRNAs on cell function. In this study, H2O2 was used to stimulate the mouse primary hippocampal neurons to develop an oxidative stress cell model. The alterations of miRNAs expression were detected by microarray analysis and five miRNAs were validated by real-time RT-PCR. The bioinformatic analysis of deregulated miRNAs was performed to determine their potential roles in the pathogenesis of neurological disorders. We found that H2O2 mediated a total of 101 deregulated miRNAs, which mainly took part in the regulation of the MAPK pathway. Among them, miR-135b and miR-708 were up-regulated significantly and their targets were predicted to be involved in DNA recombination, protein ubiquitination, protein autophosphorylation and development of neurons. These results demonstrated that oxidative stress alters the miRNA expression profile of hippocampal neurons, and the deregulated miRNAs might play a potential role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
Wu-Chia-Pi Solution Attenuates Carbon Tetrachloride-Induced Hepatic Injury through the Antioxidative Abilities of Its Components Acteoside and Quercetin
Authors: Huan Steven , Wang Kun-Teng , Lee Chia-Jung , Sung Chun-hsien , Chien Ting-Yi , Wang Ching-Chiung
Published: December 2012

Wu-Chia-Pi medicated wine, composed nine Chinese medicines soaked in 35% alcohol, is widely used in Asia for its health-promoting functions. However, long-term consumption of alcohol could result in liver dysfunction. In this study, Wu-Chia-Pi solution (WCPS) and extract (WCPE) were prepared by modification of the principals given by the Committee on Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy in Taiwan. The aim of this study was to explore the protective effect of WCPS against carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced liver injury and to clarify its active component(s). Antioxidative effects of the test samples were evaluated via MDA inhibition, catalase activity and DPPH-scavenging assays. HPLC was used to analysis the active components. Results showed that WCPS (1 and 5 mL/kg) significantly prevented CCl4-induced liver injury without chronic liver toxicity. Referring to the antioxidative activities, WCPE displayed significant MDA inhibitory and DPPH-scavenging activities with IC50 values of 0.91 ± 0.03 and 0.60 ± 0.04 mg/mL, respectively. Catalase activity was also enhanced by treatment of WCPE, acteoside and quercetin. Therefore, we suggest that acteoside and quercetin are the major contributors to the antioxidative and hepatoprotective activities of WCPS, and a possible mechanism could be mediated through reduction of oxidative stress.
MicroRNA miR-491-5p Targeting both TP53 and Bcl-XL Induces Cell Apoptosis in SW1990 Pancreatic Cancer Cells through Mitochondria Mediated Pathway
Authors: Guo Rong , Wang Yi , Shi Wei-Ye , Liu Bin , Hou Sheng-Qi , Liu Li
Published: December 2012

MicroRNA (miRNA) actively participates in a broad range of cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, cell survival and apoptosis. Deregulated expression of miRNA may affect cell growth and eventually lead to cancer. In this study, we found that hsa-miR491-5p (miR491-5p) displays a significantly high level of expression in normal human pancreas tissue versus pancreatic cancer cells. Targeted site prediction indicated that both Bcl-XL and TP53 contain miR-491-5p recognizing sites in their 3' UTRs. Overexpression of miR-491-5p in the pancreatic cancer cell line SW1990 effectively inhibited both endogenous Bcl-XL and TP53 gene expressions. Mutagenesis at the seed match region of both targeted genes further confirmed the specificity of miR491-5p recognition. Cell proliferation rate was inversely related to the increased doses of miR-491-5p. Flow cytometric analysis showed that the proportions of total apoptotic and early apoptotic cells were significantly induced as the dose of miR491-5p increased. Moreover, a mechanistic study indicated that miR-R491-5p-mediated cell apoptosis was associated with the activation of intrinsic mitochondria mediated pathways. miR491-5p also markedly inhibited mitogenic signaling pathways such as STAT3 and PI-3K/Akt, but not Ras/MAPK. Thus, our results demonstrated that miR491-5p could effectively target both Bcl-xL and TP53 and induce cell apoptosis independent of TP53.
Endocytic Pathways Involved in Filovirus Entry: Advances, Implications and Future Directions
Authors: Bhattacharyya Suchita , Mulherkar Nirupama , Chandran Kartik
Published: December 2012

Detailed knowledge of the host-virus interactions that accompany filovirus entry into cells is expected to identify determinants of viral virulence and host range, and to yield targets for the development of antiviral therapeutics. While it is generally agreed that filovirus entry into the host cytoplasm requires viral internalization into acidic endosomal compartments and proteolytic cleavage of the envelope glycoprotein by endo/lysosomal cysteine proteases, our understanding of the specific endocytic pathways co-opted by filoviruses remains limited. This review addresses the current knowledge on cellular endocytic pathways implicated in filovirus entry, highlights the consensus as well as controversies, and discusses important remaining questions.
A Teaching Intervention to Improve the Self-Efficacy of Internationally Educated Nurses
Authors: Tan Rhigel Alforque , Alpert Patricia T.
Published: December 2012

Increasingly, the U.S. health care system relies on internationally educated nurses to meet the staffing shortage. Many of these nurses come to the United States from Asian countries, especially the Philippines, India, Korea, and increasingly China. Because of conflicting professional and socioeconomic expectations, a growing body of literature has documented a range of challenges experienced by internationally educated nurses during their transition to the U.S. health care environment and American society. This article describes an increase in perceived self-efficacy for a group of internationally educated nurses (
N
= 18) who participated in an adverse cardiac event with the use of computer-assisted simulation training. The findings indicate that internationally educated nurses may increase their self-efficacy in caring for patients in U.S. health care facilities if they receive some pre-employment simulation training to help them transition to the U.S. health care work force.
An 83-Year-Old Man with Worsening Cognitive Decline
Authors: Fischer Rachel , Konstantinidis Ioannis , Linares Francisco , McGonigle Daniel , Simon Asher B.
Published: December 2012

CME Educational Objectives

1.

Identify classic presentation of vascular dementia.

2.

Know the most effective treatments for vascular dementia and when they are indicated.

3.

Understand the impact of medical comorbidities on vascular dementia.

The patient is an 83-year-old white man who is widowed and a former professor with a PhD in education, now retired and living in assisted senior housing due to impairments resulting from Alzheimer’s dementia. His medical history is significant for hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary artery disease, and colon cancer in remission.
An 84-Year-Old Man with Agitation
Authors: Baldes David , Nelson Katharine J.
Published: December 2012

CME Educational Objectives

1.

Recognize the impact of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia, including agitation.

2.

Identify nonpharmacological interventions for agitation in patients with dementia.

3.

Describe the risks and benefits associated with treatment with atypical antipsychotic medications for management of agitation in patients with dementia.

An 84-year-old, married, white man with a history of idiopathic Parkinson’s disease with dementia, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and coronary artery disease was brought by ambulance to the emergency department for agitation and confusion. His wife had summoned emergency services after he struck her in the face. She reported that the patient had worsening nighttime agitation over the previous 7 to 10 days. She also noted he had worsening shortness of breath on exertion and cough over this period of time.
A 75-Year-Old Man with Provoked Confabulation
Authors: Egol Claudine , Rapp Erica , Simon Asher B.
Published: December 2012

CME Educational Objectives

1.

Recognize the presenting symptoms of Alzheimer’s dementia.

2.

Know the differences between Korsakoff syndrome and Alzheimer’s dementia.

3.

Know the relationship between alcohol consumption and Alzheimer’s dementia.

The patient is a 75-year-old man who presented to the outpatient psychiatric clinic for evaluation and treatment of worsening memory and difficulty managing household tasks. According to the patient’s wife, though his memory decline started 3 years ago, she has most recently noticed his significant word finding difficulties and frequent “story-telling,” prompting her to seek further evaluation.
A 43-Year-Old Man with Memory and Behavior Disturbance
Authors: Dickmann Patricia J. , Nelson Katharine J.
Published: December 2012

CME Educational Objectives

1.

Recognize the diverse symptoms and signs of tertiary syphilis.

2.

Identify appropriate laboratory screening and confirmatory tests for syphilis.

3.

Have awareness of the rising rates of syphilis in the United States.

A 43-year-old single man, working for several years as a flight attendant, was evaluated in the emergency department for unusual behaviors. He denied significant psychiatric history or medical problems.
Development of an Institutional Review Board Preapproval Process for Doctor of Nursing Practice Students: Process and Outcome
Authors: Szanton Sarah L. , Taylor Holly A. , Terhaar Mary
Published: December 2012

As Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) programs proliferate, effective collaboration with institutional review boards (IRBs) is important to protect human subjects. It is particularly important that faculty and students recognize which DNP students’ projects should be considered as “human subjects research” or “quality improvement.” The former require IRB review, whereas the latter may be eligible for expedited review or may be considered exempt. We report outcomes following implementation of a combination of didactic training, one-to-one consultation, and a decision support protocol to improve preparation for and collaboration with the IRB at a large university. In the first year of using this protocol, 53% of projects were deemed human subjects research and received IRB review. The other 47% were deemed quality improvement projects and did not require IRB review. We offer our experience as an approach for teaching students how to protect the subjects included in their quality improvement activities.
Outcomes of Femtosecond Laser Cataract Surgery With a Diffractive Multifocal Intraocular Lens
Authors: Lawless Michael , Bali Shveta Jindal , Hodge Chris , Roberts Timothy V. , Chan Colin , Sutton Gerard
Published: December 2012

PURPOSE:

To report the visual and refractive outcomes in an initial series of eyes undergoing femtosecond laser cataract surgery with implantation of a diffractive multi-focal intraocular lens (IOL).

METHODS:

The first 61 consecutive eyes undergoing femtosecond laser cataract surgery and ReSTOR (Alcon Laboratories Inc) +3.00-diopter (D) add IOL implantation between May and July 2011 were enrolled in the study (LCS group). The control group consisted of a retrospective consecutive cohort of 29 eyes that underwent manual phacoemulsification cataract surgery and ReSTOR +3.00-D add IOL implantation (MCS group) between December 2010 and April 2011. Visual and refractive parameters were collected pre- and postoperatively at 1 and 3 months.

RESULTS:

Mean postoperative spherical equivalent refraction was −0.01±0.35 D and −0.06±0.30 D in the LCS and MCS groups, respectively (
P
=.492). Mean absolute refractive prediction error (PE) was 0.26±0.25 D for the LCS group and 0.23±0.16 D for the MCS group (
P
=.489). Mean arithmetic refractive PE was 0.06±0.44 D and −0.02±0.30 D for the LCS and MCS groups, respectively (
P
=.388). No significant difference was noted in mean postoperative uncorrected distance visual acuity or uncorrected near visual acuity between groups. No eyes in either group had surgical complications or loss of corrected distance visual acuity in the follow-up period.

CONCLUSIONS:

Mean spherical equivalent refraction and visual acuity of our initial group of patients undergoing laser cataract surgery are comparable to the manual phacoemulsification cohort for the AcrySof ReSTOR +3.00-D add IOL.
Pentacam HR Criteria for Curvature Change in Keratoconus and Postoperative LASIK Ectasia
Authors: Epstein Robert L. , Chiu Yi-Lin , Epstein Greg L.
Published: December 2012

PURPOSE:

To determine criteria for keratoconus or postoperative LASIK ectasia progression or improvement based on Pentacam HR (Oculus Optikgeräte GmbH) measured steepest corneal curvature.

METHODS:

Sixty-one eyes from 41 patients with keratoconus or postoperative LASIK ectasia were evaluated. Each eye was measured 5 times with the Pentacam HR during the same clinic visit and the random measurement variations of Rmin(back) and maximal keratometry (Kmax; mathematically linked to Rmin[front]) were statistically analyzed. Confidence levels for diagnosing true curvature change were determined for 3 typical clinical situations differing by the number of available Pentacam measurements.

RESULTS:

With a single past and single present Pentacam HR measurement available (situation 1+1), the 95% confidence levels of true change for ΔKmax, ΔRmin(front), and ΔRmin(back) were 1.51 diopters (D), 0.162 mm, and 0.290 mm, respectively. With one prior and the average of five present Pentacam measurements (situation 5+1), the 95% confidence levels of true change for ΔKmax, ΔRmin(front), and ΔRmin(back) were 1.17 D, 0.126 mm, and 0.225 mm, respectively. With the average of five past and five present measurements (situation 5+5), the 95% confidence levels of true change for ΔKmax, ΔRmin(front), and ΔRmin(back) were 0.68 D, 0.072 mm, and 0.130 mm, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS:

Steepest corneal curvature changed with 95% confidence if the difference between single past and present Kmax exceeded 1.51 D. With the advantage of five past and five present measurements, 95% confidence of real Kmax change occurs at a 0.68-D difference.
Femtosecond Laser Lenticule Transplantation in Rabbit Cornea: Experimental Study
Authors: Liu HuiYing , Zhu WenQing , Jiang Alice C. , Sprecher Alicia J. , Zhou XingTao
Published: December 2012

PURPOSE:

To evaluate the feasibility of femtosecond laser–induced lenticule transplantation in the rabbit cornea and to observe the relative histologic characteristics of corneal tissue and nerve repair after transplantation.

METHODS:

Eight healthy, purebred, New Zealand white rabbits underwent femtosecond laser small-incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) surgery in the right eye. Lenticules were inserted into a femtosecond laser–created corneal stromal pocket in the left eye, which was defined as femtosecond laser corneal lenticule transplantation. Postoperative observation and examination were completed to evaluate the surgery.

RESULTS:

In the early postoperative period, inflammation of the cornea was noted, tissue around the lenticule was edematous, and cells were activated. Tissue edema remained at postoperative day 10. By 1 month, edema had resolved, activated cells gradually became quiescent, and nerve fiber regeneration was observed. By 3 months, the lenticule integrated into the recipient cornea, extracellular matrix gradually cleared, and thicker nerve fibers were noted. By 6 months postoperative, morphology and distribution of the corneal stromal fibers were close to normal, and the number of nerve fibers was reduced.

CONCLUSIONS:

Femtosecond laser corneal lenticule transplantation in rabbits is feasible, as the lenticule was shown to thrive and integrate with the recipient stroma. Nerve regeneration begins after 1 month.
Basics of Camera-Based Gaze Tracking
Authors: Hansen Dan Witzner , Majaranta Päivi
Published: December 2012

Most of the studies presented in this book use camera-based gaze trackers, used to monitor where the user is looking on screen or in the 3D environment. While a gaze tracker may resemble a blackbox device that miraculously determines the point of gaze, it actually consists of several hardware and software components with specific purposes. This chapter gives a brief introduction to the typical setup, composition and operating principles of eye and gaze tracking and it provides a simplified overview of camera-based gaze trackers that will be of use to all readers of this book.
The Impact of Gaze Controlled Technology on Quality of Life
Authors: Pasian Valentina , Corno Fulvio , Signorile Isabella , Farinetti Laura
Published: December 2012

This chapter presents the process of introducing an eye tracking device to impaired users. It reports results from a gaze control user trial conducted with people for whom gaze control is a necessity due to their current condition or for whom it will soon become a necessity because of a progressive disease. Special attention is paid to the impact of this new communication method on their quality of life.
Communication and Text Entry by Gaze
Authors: Majaranta Päivi
Published: December 2012

There are several ways to write by gaze. In a typical setup, gaze direction is used to point and dwell-select letters on an on-screen keyboard. Alternatively, if the person cannot fixate, the eyes can be used as switches using blinks or rough gestures to select items. This chapter introduces different ways to enter text by gaze and reviews related research. We will discuss techniques to enhance text entry by gaze, such as word and letter prediction, and show how the possibility of adjusting the duration of the dwell time affects learning and typing speed. In addition, design issues such as keyboard layout and feedback are raised, with practical examples and guidelines that may aid in designing interfaces for gaze-based text entry.
Beyond Communication and Control
Authors: Bates Richard , Castellina Emiliano , Corno Fulvio , Novák Petr , Štepánková Olga
Published: December 2012

This chapter reviews the challenges and requirements in taking gaze-based interaction beyond communication and control, such as environmental control and mobility by gaze. The chapter is divided into two sections: the first section is devoted to environment control and the second to mobility control. Each section starts by introducing its necessary underlying notions and definitions and proceeds by explaining the main arguments for the development of environmental and mobility control and examining the general problems with these areas and of those domain-specific problems related to gaze control. While special attention is devoted to standardization when environment control is at issue, user safety is the priority in mobility control. A brief review of existing commercial or advanced research solutions offered for domotic and mobility control is given for both sections, as is a review of current open research issues. Finally, some promising academic prototypes are described, along with the ways in which their developers are trying to solve some of the problems identified.
Gaze-Aware Systems and Attentive Applications
Authors: Istance Howell , Hyrskykari Aulikki
Published: December 2012

In this chapter, we examine systems that use the current focus of a person’s visual attention to make the system easier to use, less effortful and, hopefully, more efficient. If the system can work out which object the person is interested in, or is likely to interact with next, then the need for the person to deliberately point at, or otherwise identify that object to the system can be removed. This approach can be applied to interaction with real-world objects and people as well as to objects presented on a display close to the system user. We examine just what we can infer about a person’s focus of visual attention, and their intention to do something from studying their eye movements, and what, if anything, the system should do about it. A detailed example of an attentive system is presented where the system estimates the difficulty a reader has understanding individual words when reading in a foreign language, and displays a translation automatically if it thinks it is needed.
Usability Evaluation of Gaze Interaction
Authors: Heikkilä Henna , Ovaska Saila
Published: December 2012

This chapter provides practical advice on how to run tests with eye tracking devices in a laboratory environment and underlines some potential problems that the use of eye tracking equipment may create in test design. Examples of test settings used in design projects for gaze-based systems help the researcher decide what kind of procedure to use in their study. In addition, the authors discuss how to apply eye tracking in usability evaluations to augment understanding of the user experience and how to utilize gaze data when studying users’ behavior.
Introduction to Eye and Gaze Trackers
Authors: Hansen Dan Witzner , Villanueva Arantxa , Mulvey Fiona , Mardanbegi Diako
Published: December 2012

In the previous chapters of the book, you will have seen multiple applications for using (and the benefits of using) a gaze tracker. In this chapter, you will be given more insight into how an eye tracker operates. Not only can this aid in understanding the eye tracker better, it also gives important information about how future applications might improve on current ones, by using more of the information available from the eye tracker: as we shall see, an eye tracker can often provide you with more information than just coordinates on a screen. This chapter gives an overview of the components of an eye tracker and introduces basics of gaze modelling. It helps in understanding the following chapters which each provide some details of how to build an eye tracker. This section has technical content, but it is our hope that also readers not particularly interested in the details of eye and gaze trackers will gain some useful insights.
Image Analysis
Authors: Droege Detlev
Published: December 2012

This chapter focuses on the image processing part of eye tracking systems. Basic knowledge of image processing is assumed. After an overview of the possible input images and some remarks on preprocessing of the images, we will focus on the detection relevant features such as pupils and glints. The last part of this chapter focuses on estimating positions of these features. It is not possible to present a comprehensive solution for an eye tracker in this chapter; however, we will indicate possible yet simplified methods in the different steps of processing and demonstrate how images can be processed to obtain real-time performance. The program code is given in Matlab (Octave) language for clarity.
Gaze Estimation
Authors: Villanueva Arantxa , Cabeza Rafael , San Agustin Javier
Published: December 2012

The main objective of gaze trackers is to provide an accurate estimate of the user’s gaze by using the eye tracking information. Gaze, in its most general form, can be considered to be the line of sight or line of gaze, as 3D (imaginary) lines with respect to the camera, or as the point of regard (also termed the point of gaze). This chapter introduces different gaze estimation techniques, including geometry-based methods and interpolation methods. Issues related to both remote and head mounted trackers are discussed. Different fixation estimation methods are also briefly introduced. It is assumed that the reader is familiar with basic 3D geometry concepts as well as advanced mathematics, such as matrix manipulation and vector calculus.
Verification of Non-Functional Requirements by Abstract Interpretation
Authors: Cortesi Agostino , Logozzo Francesco
Published: December 2012

This chapter investigates a formal approach to the verification of non-functional software requirements that are crucial in Service-oriented Systems, like portability, time and space efficiency, and dependability/robustness. The key-idea is the notion of observable, i.e., an abstraction of the concrete semantics when focusing on a behavioral property of interest. By applying an abstract interpretation-based static analysis of the source program, and by a suitable choice of abstract domains, it is possible to design formal and effective tools for non-functional requirements validation.
Analysing Time-Related Properties of Service-Oriented Systems
Authors: Bocchi Laura , Fiadeiro José , Solanki Monika , Gilmore Stephen , Abreu João , Vankayala Vishnu
Published: December 2012

We present a formal approach for expressing and analysing time-related properties of service-oriented systems. Our aim is to make it possible for analysts to determine, based on models of services developed at early stages of design, what quality-of-service properties can be expected from, or offered by, the providers of those services. Our approach is based on an extension of SRML, a high-level modelling language developed in the Sensoria project for architectural and behavioural specification of dynamically reconfigurable service-oriented systems. The proposed language extension offers primitives that capture several kinds of delays that may occur during service provision. Quantitative analysis is supported by mapping SRML models to PEPA, a Markovian process algebra supported by a range of efficient software tools that can either confirm that required properties are met or provide feedback that can be used to improve the SRML model.
On Modelling Non-Functional Properties of Semantic Web Services
Authors: Toma Ioan , De Paoli Flavio , Fensel Dieter
Published: December 2012

Service-Oriented Architectures (SOAs) are a widespread solution for realizing distributed applications. Empowered by semantic technologies these architectures will evolve in what is known as Semantically Enabled Service Oriented Architectures (SESAs) providing automatic support for various service related tasks such as discovery, ranking, composition, etc. Services are the core building blocks of both SOA- and SESA- based systems and therefore modelling various aspects of services becomes a fundamental challenge to any enterprise building SOA solutions. Among these aspects, non-functional properties of a service need to be addressed given the high dynamism of any SOA-based system. Non-functional properties descriptions are highly relevant for many of the service related tasks such as discovery, ranking, selection, and negotiation. This chapter investigates several research problems which arise in the area of Semantic Web services, namely how to describe non-functional properties of services, what models are required, and what is the proper language support for describing Non-functional Properties. Our solution was developed, and is part of the Web Service Modelling Ontology, one of the major initiatives in Semantic Web services area. We present a comprehensive set of ontological models for non-functional properties, our approach to attach non-functional properties descriptions to services, and the language support needed to formalize non-functional properties descriptions.
A Quality Driven Web Service Selection Model
Authors: Plebani Pierluigi , Ramoni Filippo
Published: December 2012

The chapter introduces a quality of Web service model which can be exploited by a Web service broker during the Web service selection phase. The model considers both user and provider standpoints. On the one hand, providers express their capabilities with respect to measurable dimensions (e.g., response time, latency). On the other hand, users can define the requirements with a higher level of abstraction (e.g. performance). Since the quality is subjective by definition, the presented quality model also maps the user preferences, i.e., how much a quality dimension is more important than another one in evaluating the overall quality. The Analytic Hierarchy Approach (AHP) has been adopted as a technique for expressing user preferences. The chapter also describes how the model can be exploited in the Web service selection process. Starting from a set of functionally equivalent Web services, the selection process identifies which are the Web services able to satisfy the user requirements. Moreover, according to a cost-benefit analysis, the list of selected Web services is sorted and, as a consequence, the best Web service is identified.
Towards Aligning and Matchmaking QoS-Based Web Service Specifications
Authors: Kritikos Kyriakos , Plexousakis Dimitris
Published: December 2012

QoS plays an important role in all service life-cycle activities, and consequently, has grabbed the researchers’ attention. Concerning QoS-based service description, the various approaches proposed adopt different meta-models and propose different QoS models mostly covering domain-independent NFPs and metrics. This lack of a common QoS meta-model and model causes serious accuracy problems in QoS-based service matchmaking. While mapping between QSDs is not difficult as they rely on similar meta-models, mapping between equivalent metrics specified even with the same meta-model is challenging. For this reason, a novel QoS metric matching algorithm has been proposed for metrics specified in the OWL-Q language. In this chapter, this algorithm is exploited for aligning OWL-Q specifications. Moreover, two novel QSM algorithms are proposed that advance the state-of-the-art by solving the problems of non-coverage of QoS demand metrics by QoS offers, erroneous matchmaking metrics, limited service categorization, and non-useful result production for over-constrained QoS demands.
Framework for Managing Features of Open Service Ecosystems
Authors: Ruokolainen Toni , Kutvonen Lea
Published: December 2012

The recent increased use of Internet, social media, and networked business mark a development trend where software-based services flow to the open market for enabling service-oriented networked business. Our vision is that in the future, organizations and individuals collaborate within open service ecosystems. An open service ecosystem is characterized especially by the autonomy of its entities, its evolution with respect to available services and collaboration types, and dynamic establishment of collaborations. For facilitating collaboration establishment in open service ecosystems features of services and cooperation facilities, and feature inter-dependencies need to be governed rigorously. Towards this purpose we have established a framework for unambiguous description of service ecosystem features. The framework comprises a conceptual model which provides especially a categorization of features, and a formalization of the conceptual model as a meta-model for service ecosystems. We show that the corresponding feature categories have their specific roles and semantics as part of different ecosystem elements and in different phases of service ecosystem processes.
An Outlook on the Future of Services and Non-Functional Properties Management
Authors: Pedrinaci Carlos , Liu Dong , Álvaro Guillermo , Dietze Stefan , Domingue John
Published: December 2012

Over the years a large number of technologies have been devised in order to describe service interfaces, e.g., WSDL (Booth & Liu, 2007), combine services in a process-oriented way, e.g., WS-BPEL (OASIS Web Services Business Process Execution Language (WSBPEL) TC, 2007), provide support for transactions, e.g., WS-Transaction, and cover non-functional properties (NFP) of services such as security aspects and the like, see for instance WS-Security and WS-Policy to name just a few (Erl, 2007). There is in an overwhelming stack of technologies and specifications dubbed WS-*, covering most aspects researchers have faced thus far. There remain nonetheless a number of outstanding issues (Papazoglou, Traverso, Dustdar, & Leymann, 2007) some of which are of a general technical nature, and some, indeed, are specifically related to NFPs. The latter will be dealt with in more detail in the next section.
3D Visualization of Urban Data Based on CityGML with WebGL
Authors: Gesquière Gilles , Manin Alexis
Published: December 2012

Due to the advances in computer graphics and improved network speed it is now possible to navigate in 3D virtual world in real time. Until now, technologies employed require to install standalone application or plugins on navigators. The arrival of HTML 5 brings news solutions to visualize 3D data in a browser with WebGL. Several globe projects have proven that such technologies can be employed. Unfortunately, demonstrations are often based on proprietary formats to exchange or to store data. In this work, we propose to use CityGML: a standard provided by the Open Geospatial Consortium. CityGML files are imported in our Environment Editor. With several tools that we present in this paper, data are processed and stored. A client server application is also presented to permit the visualization of geometry and semantic in a navigator.
A Multi-Level Cache Approach for Realtime Visualization of Massive 3D GIS Data
Authors: Li Xiaoming , Xu Weiping , Zhu Qing , Hu Jinxing , Hu Han , Zhang Yeting
Published: December 2012

The real-time visualization of 3D GIS at a whole city scale always faces the challenge of dynamic data loading with high-efficiency. Based on the multi-tier distributed 3D GIS framework, this paper presents a multi-level cache approach for dynamic data loading. It aims to establish in 3D GIS spatial database engine (3DGIS-SDE) the unified management mechanism of caches on three levels, including: the client memory cache (CMC) oriented to sharing application, the client file cache (CFC) organized by index, as well as the application server memory cache (ASMC) of structural consistency. With the help of the proposed optimized cache replacement policy, multi-level cache consistency maintenance as well as multithread loading model designed in the paper, the engine is able to adaptively make full use of each-level caches according to their own application properties and achieve effective coordination between them. Finally, a practical 3D GIS database based on Oracle 11g is employed for test. The experimental results prove this approach could satisfy multi-user concurrent applications of 3D visual exploration.
A Model of Culture for Cognitive Agents
Authors: Ramos Félix , González Omar , Barthès Jean-Paul A.
Published: December 2012

Misunderstandings derived from cultural differences represent a main barrier for effective communication and collaboration. As part of a platform aimed at supporting intercultural interactions, the authors present a synthetic model for quantifying culture. Their approach is based on theories which abstract culture as a set of quantifiable aspects called cultural dimensions. Given that in general, the values of cultural dimensions are subjective and highly dependent on the observer judgment, they are modeled as linguistic variables. Linguistic variables allow profiling users using pseudo natural language which is appropriate for an abstract concept like culture. Regarding computations, fuzzy logic and approximate reasoning can be used for comparing culture of individuals, making inferences from their values, and modeling stereotypical cultural profiles.
Motorola's Experiences in Designing the Internet of Things
Authors: Schaller Andreas , Mueller Katrin
Published: December 2012

The Internet of Things will enable connectivity for virtually any physical object that potentially offers a message, and will affect every aspect of life and business. This article looks at the concepts and technologies in three application areas that Motorola is contributing to now and in the coming years.
Teaching Phonics to Chinese L1 EFL Pupils
Authors: Cheng Yu-Lin
Published: December 2012

Despite that converging evidence has led to the mandate of phonics instruction in primary education in the UK, U.S. and EFL (English as a Foreign Language) China and Taiwan, teachers across the board (native or EFL, experienced or novice alike) have been found to lack the knowledge required for delivering high-quality synthetic phonics. While reforms to improve current practices are underway, it is vital that teachers are supported with well-designed educational technology (e.g., interactive synthetic phonics software) to maintain teaching standards and boost learning outcomes. Although well-designed interactive synthetic phonics software is available, it is not suitable for Chinese L1 EFL teachers and pupils. The current article introduces Easy Phonics (interactive synthetic phonics software designed specifically for Chinese L1 EFL teachers and pupils), presents preliminary findings using the software in classroom teaching, and confirms its potential to assist ‘phonics-untrained’ teachers in maintaining teaching standards and boosting learning outcomes. The current article, while supporting the use of educational technology in phonics teaching, does not suggest that educational technology can ‘replace’ teachers in phonics instruction.
A Literature Review and Classification of Relationship Marketing Research
Authors: Gupta Ashish , Sahu G. P.
Published: December 2012

This paper presents a literature review and classification of Relationship Marketing (RM) research. A range of online databases were searched to gain comprehensive knowledge on RM. Several articles were identified and reviewed for their direct relevance to RM, relevant were subsequently selected. Each of these articles has been further reviewed and classified. Papers and research on RM categorized into five broad categories (Relationship Marketing – Understanding, Industry Applications, Market Development, Technological concern and Firm Performance) and further sub-categories. The most popular areas covered by the papers in the sub-category understanding of RM, Market Development; and RM general, concept, and study followed by papers in different areas of management like-retail, banking, construction etc. The bibliography provides an academic database of the literature from various journals. The classification approach provides a means to conceptualize the coverage of relationship marketing and the relative popularity of CRM topic areas. This paper provides a roster of field projects accompanied by a comprehensive bibliography that will be useful to both academics and practitioners for studying existing research as well as for contemplating future research.
A Structural Analysis Based Feature Extraction Method for OCR System For Myanmar Printed Document Images
Authors: Win Htwe Pa Pa , Khine Phyo Thu Thu , Tun Khin Nwe Ni
Published: December 2012

This paper proposes a new feature extraction method for off-line recognition of Myanmar printed documents. One of the most important factors to achieve high recognition performance in Optical Character Recognition (OCR) system is the selection of the feature extraction methods. Different types of existing OCR systems used various feature extraction methods because of the diversity of the scripts’ natures. One major contribution of the work in this paper is the design of logically rigorous coding based features. To show the effectiveness of the proposed method, this paper assumed the documents are successfully segmented into characters and extracted features from these isolated Myanmar characters. These features are extracted using structural analysis of the Myanmar scripts. The experimental results have been carried out using the Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier and compare the pervious proposed feature extraction method.
The Business Value of Consumer Participation through Social Media
Authors: Kosonen Miia , Ellonen Hanna-Kaisa
Published: December 2012

Despite the growing enthusiasm about social media’s revolutionary potential, there is a lack of research on the possible business-side benefits. The authors maintain that in order to realize social media’s business potential, it is essential to identify the roles in which customers can participate in value co-creation. This study explores consumer participation enabled by social interaction technologies in the context of the newspaper and magazine industry. A qualitative analysis of 31 interviews with the publishers of the leading Finnish newspapers and magazines was conducted. A typology of six different roles of online consumer participation was developed: namely, agent, commentator, tester, debater, content producer, and messenger. The more company-driven types of participation (agent, commentator, and tester) can be integrated with product development support and learning from customers, the more consumer-driven types (debater, content producer, and messenger) are able to provide brand support and options for value co-creation.
Illusions of Empowerment
Authors: Weisgerber Corinne
Published: December 2012

This article calls into question the social media empowerment narrative and the underlying idea that social media platforms are empowering everyday netizens to have their voices heard. The author argues that social media technologies may simply privilege only those Internet users who are new media savvy and have leisure time to participate in the so-called digital democracy. While social media systems might have lowered the entrance threshold for civic engagement, hurdles such as the growing competition in an attention economy, the odds of standing out amidst millions of other individual voices, knowledge of new media technologies required to achieve visibility, and time demands make the social media empowerment vision more difficult to attain than the architects of the empowerment ideology have made the public to believe.
OpenStreetMap
Authors: Curran Kevin , Crumlish John , Fisher Gavin
Published: December 2012

OpenStreetMap is a collaborative web-mapping project that collects geospatial data to create and distribute online maps, freely available to anyone with an Internet connection. Once accessed, OpenStreetMap allows Internet users to contribute and edit geospatial data, effectively making it the mapping equivalent of Wikipedia. OpenStreetMap is maintained by volunteer cartographers from around the world who use GPS devices, portable cameras, and laptops for field mapping. Collected data are complemented with digitised open source aerial photography and free maps from the governmental and commercial sources. This report provides a summary of OpenStreetMap as a remarkable example of participatory geographic information systems (GIS).
Development of a Novel Robotic Catheter Manipulating System with Fuzzy PID Control
Authors: Ma Xu , Guo Shuxiang , Xiao Nan , Guo Jian , Yoshida Shunichi , Tamiya Takashi , Kawanishi Masahiko
Published: December 2012

Manual operation of steerable catheter is inaccurate in minimally invasive surgery, requiring dexterity for efficient manipulation of the catheter, and it exposes the surgeons to intense radiation. The authors’ objectives are to develop a robotic catheter manipulating system that replaces the surgeons with high accuracy. Increasing demands for flexibility and fast reactions in a control method, fuzzy control (FC) can play an important role because the experience of experts can be combined in the fuzzy control rules to be implemented in the systems. They present a practical application of a fuzzy PID control to this developed system during the remote operations and compare with the traditional PID (Proportional-Integral-Derivative Controllers) control experimentally. The feasibility and effectiveness of the control method are demonstrated. The synchronous manipulation performance with the fuzzy PID control is much better than using the conventional PID control method during the remote operations.
Robust Integral of NN and Error Sign Control for Nanomanipulation Using AFM
Authors: Yang Qinmin , Lu Jiangang
Published: December 2012

This paper presents a novel control methodology for automatically manipulating nano particles on the substrate by using Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The interactive forces and dynamics between the tip, particle and substrate are modeled and analyzed including the roughness effect of the substrate. Further, the control signal is designed to consist of the robust integral of a neural network (NN) output plus the sign of the error feedback signal multiplied with an adaptive gain. Using the NN-based adaptive force controller, the task of pushing nano particles is demonstrated in simulation environment. Finally, the asymptotical tracking performance of the closed-loop system, boundedness of the NN weight estimates and applied forces are shown by using the Lyapunov-based stability analysis.