bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Granular Computing in Object-Oriented Software Development Process
Authors: Han Jianchao
Published: January 2012

Granular computing as a methodology of problem solving has been extensively applied in a variety of fields for a long history, but the special research interest in granular computing has only been developed in past decades. So far most granular computing researchers address the mathematical foundation and/or the computation model of granular computing. However, granular computing is not only a computing model for computer-centered problem solving, but also a thinking model for human-centered problem solving. Fortunately, some authors have presented the structures of such kind models and investigated various perspectives of granular computing from different application points of views. In this paper we present the principles, models, components, strategies, and applications of granular computing. Our focus will be on the applications of granular computing in various aspects and phases of the object-oriented software development process, including user requirement specification and analysis, software system analysis and design, algorithm design, structured programming, software testing, and system deployment design. Our objective is to reveal the importance and usefulness of granular computing as a human-centered problem solving strategy in object-oriented software development process.
Macroeconomic Forecasting Using Genetic Programming Based Vector Error Correction Model
Authors: Chen Xi , Pang Ye , Zheng Guihuan
Published: January 2012

Vector autoregressions are widely used in macroeconomic forecasting since they became known in the 1970s. Extensions including vector error correction models, co-integration and dynamic factor models are all rooted in the framework of vector autoregression. The three important extensions are demonstrated to have formal equivalence between each other. Above all, they all emphasize the importance of “common trends” or “common factors”. Many researches, including a series of work of Stock and Watson, find that “common factor” models significantly improve accuracy in forecasting macroeconomic time series. This study follows the work of Stock and Watson. The authors propose a hybrid framework called genetic programming based vector error correction model (GPVECM), introducing genetic programming to traditional econometric models. This new method could construct common factors directly from nonstationary data set, avoiding differencing the original data and thus preserving more information. The authors’ model guarantees that the constructed common factors satisfy the requirements of econometric models such as co-integration, in contrast to the traditional approach. Finally but not trivially, their model could save lots of time and energy from repeated work of unit root tests and differencing, which they believe is convenient for practitioners. An empirical study of forecasting US import from China is reported. The results of the new method dominates those of the plain vector error correction model and the ARIMA model.
Analysis of Human Emotions Using Galvanic Skin Response and Finger Tip Temperature
Authors: Shivakumar G. , Vijaya P. A.
Published: January 2012

Emotion is the excited mental state of a person caused by internal and external factors. In this work, a person’s physiological parameters are measured to decide emotional status. A generalized system measures changes occurring in the body of a subject, such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, electro-dermal (Galvanic skin resistance) activity, and arm and leg motions. These measurements are then compared with the normal levels of the subject. The present work monitors the physiological parameters by connecting sensors at specific points on a test body. Two physiological parameters are considered: galvanic skin response (GSR) and finger tip temperature (FTT). The heart rate is predominant in deciding the emotion of a person. This system, in conjunction with a certified examiner, is used to analyze a subject’s stress. A system is constructed that measures physiological parameters along with signal conditioning units. These measurements are transmitted to a LabVIEW add-on card for further data processing and analysis. LabVIEW is a graphical programming language that includes all tools necessary for data acquisition, data analysis, and presentation of results. The results obtained are realistic and provide a measure of accuracy.
Application of Triplet Notation and Dynamic Programming to Single-Line, Multi-Product Dairy Production Scheduling
Authors: Miori Virginia M. , Segulin Brian
Published: January 2012

The application of optimal methods for production scheduling in the dairy industry has been limited. Within supply chain terminology, dairy production was generally considered a push process but with advancements in automation, the industry is slowly transforming to a pull process. In this paper, the authors present triplet notation applied to the production scheduling of a single production line used for milk, juice, and carnival drinks. Once production and cleaning cycles are characterized as triplets, the problem is formulated. Lagrange relaxation is applied and the final solution is generated using dynamic programming.
Piece-Mold-Machine Manufacturing Planning
Authors: Ibarra-Rojas O. J. , Rios-Solis Y. A. , Chacon-Mondragon O. L.
Published: January 2012

This chapter studies a manufacturing process of pieces. These pieces are produced with molds which are mounted on machines. The authors describe this process as an optimization problem using an integer linear programming formulation which integrates the most important features of the system, and determines the quantities of pieces to produce, including the allocation of molds to machines. The objective function is to maximize the weighted production since the authors seek to minimize the non-fulfilled demand. First they show that the addressed problem belongs to the NP-hard class. After observing that solving the problem in an exact way is time consuming, they propose a solution methodology based on an Iterated Local Search Algorithm. Through computational experimentation they make conclusions about the difficulty of the decisions determined in this manufacturing planning.
Visualization of Communication in Some Mobile Phone Directory and Call Log Icons
Authors: Olaosun Ibrahim Esan
Published: January 2012

In contemporary world, visual communication is fast growing in importance. In the internet, computer, digital media, Artificial Intelligent Programming Languages, etc, communication is dominated by visual resources. Most people, particularly in the third-world countries, face some difficulties in understanding this phenomenon of language. This study applies Eco-semiotic theory on the analysis of some mobile phone directory and call log icons. The study indicates that some of these visual codes do not constitute a new/esoteric language but that they are familiar resources appropriated and spray-painted to have novel semantic values. It therefore proposes that the reading and interpretation of mobile phone visual discourse can best be done through dependence on the general community and individuals’ knowledge of natural phenomena and material world from which these codes are generated. The study also indicates that the communication system is limited in its operation only at the primary level of signification and therefore proposes the exploration of both the primary and secondary level of signification so that audience, particularly those who can only read non linguistic signs would be adequately served by the emerging system of communication. On the whole, the study stresses the need for mobile phone technologists to orient their iconic designs towards meeting the needs of the illiterate audience by drawing iconic signs from their eco-semiotic environment.
Formal Verification of a Subset of UML Diagrams
Authors: Chaoui Allaoua , Tibermacine Okba , Zerek Amer R.
Published: January 2012

We introduce an approach that deals with the verification of UML collaboration and sequence diagrams in respect to the objects internal behaviors which are commonly represented by state machine diagrams. The approach is based on the translation of theses diagrams to Maude specifications. In fact, Maude is a declarative programming language, an executable formal specification language, and also a formal verification system, which permit the achievement of the approach goals. We define in details the rules of translating UML diagrams elements into their corresponding Maude specifications. We present the algebraic structures that represent the OR-States and the AND-states in a state machine diagram, and the structure that represents the collaboration and the sequence diagrams. Also, we explain the mechanism of the execution and the verification of the translated specification, which is based on rewriting logics rules.
Object Oriented Software Testing with Genetic Programming and Program Analysis
Authors: Seesing Arjan , Gross Hans-Gerhard
Published: January 2012

Testing is a difficult and costly activity in the development of object-oriented programs. The challenge is to come up with a sufficient set of test scenarios, out of the typically huge volume of possible test cases, to demonstrate correct behavior and acceptable quality of the software. This can be reformulated as a search problem to be solved by sophisticated heuristic search techniques such as evolutionary algorithms. The goal is to find an optimal set of test cases to achieve a given test coverage criterion. This chapter introduces and evaluates genetic programming as a heuristic search algorithm which is suitable to evolve object-oriented test programs automatically to achieve high coverage of a class. It outlines why the object paradigm is different to the procedural paradigm with respect to testing, and why a genetic programming approach might be better suited than the genetic algorithms typically used for testing procedural code. The evaluation of our implementation of a genetic programming approach, augmented with program analysis techniques for better performance, indicates that object-oriented software testing with genetic programming is feasible in principle. However, having many adjustable parameters, evolutionary search heuristics have to be fined-tuned to the optimization problem at hand for optimal performance, and, therefore, represent a difficult optimization problem in their own right.
OpenLaszlo
Authors: Moya Chris
Published: January 2012

Programming a rich Internet application (RIA) in any Web environment is the goal of Laszlo Systems. The open source software, OpenLaszlo Presentation Server, allows a user to run, on any device, applications that blend to perfection a user-centered design. It facilitates development from the basic levels such as creating forms, menus and other components for a website, up to high-level tasks like focusing on the attention of the user, to easily create, for example, an e-commerce website, a full management back office or a trip booking site, all this using animations comparable to those created with proprietary software.
Medical Outcome Prediction for Intensive Care Unit Patients
Authors: Ludwig Simone A. , Roos Stefanie , Frize Monique , Yu Nicole
Published: January 2012

The rate of people dying from medical errors in hospitals each year is very high. Errors that frequently occur during the course of providing health care are adverse drug events and improper transfusions, surgical injuries and wrong-site surgery, suicides, restraint-related injuries or death, falls, burns, pressure ulcers, and mistaken patient identities. Medical decision support systems play an increasingly important role in medical practice. By assisting physicians in making clinical decisions, medical decision support systems improve the quality of medical care. Two approaches have been investigated for the prediction of medical outcomes: “hours of ventilation” and the “mortality rate” in the adult intensive care unit. The first approach is based on neural networks with the weight-elimination algorithm, and the second is based on genetic programming. Both approaches are compared to commonly used machine learning algorithms. Results show that both algorithms developed score well for the outcomes selected.
India to China – Repurposing Learning Software across Cultures
Authors: Strong Margaret , Joy Bobby , Pulluru Madhukar , Dong Tenya , Zhou Edward
Published: January 2012

This case study follows an international e-learning software development project between the India and China Technology Centers of the largest independent software company in the world. The case presents many of the major intercultural project challenges that can typically arise in an information technology workplace. This example focuses on the customization and deployment of an e-learning framework supporting online and physical libraries of technical publications. This library forms an integral component of blended e-learning solutions for the technical workforce. The case uses a running narrative, project artifacts, e-mails, and team debriefings. Students will encounter reflective questioning and be given the opportunity to recognize key milestones and strategies that they might consider adopting when working with intercultural, virtual teams in their professional careers.
Review of Kansei Research in Japan
Authors: Inokuchi Seiji
Published: January 2012

This paper gives a historical review of Kansei-based media technologies in Japan. Kansei is a Japanese word, the meaning of which covers sensibility, sentiment, emotion, and feeling. Kansei research started in the field of music, because music is the most acceptable of the arts to computer science. In the 1990s, the applications of Kansei machine vision became widespread in many industrial fields, including electronic production, automobile manufacture, steel-making, the chemical industry, the food industry, and office appliances, among others. Kansei technologies are also applied to human interface systems, including the field of brain science, for human communication.
Girls’ E-Mentoring in Science, Engineering, and Technology Based at the University of Illinois at Chicago Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Program
Authors: Shirk Sarah , Arreola Veronica , Wobig Carly , Russell Karima
Published: January 2012

The Girls’ E-Mentoring in Science, Engineering, and Technology (GEM-SET) program has been linking volunteer women mentors in the fields of science, engineering and technology to student members from across the U.S. since 2001. More than 1,300 girls ages 13-18 and 200 mentors in graduate school and beyond have participated via on-line mentoring and face-to-face programming where available. The basic benefits to the student participants are a free subscription to the on-line GEM-SET Digest that provides access to scholarships and internships information, invitation to field trips, career panel discussions, and conferences, direct access to successful mentors in non-traditional careers, and tutoring in select schools. GEM-SET is one branch of pre-college mentoring provided by the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) program at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC).
Augmentative and Alternative Communication Technologies
Authors: Gonzales Carol (Heins) , Leroy Gondy , De Leo Gianluca
Published: January 2012

Communication is a dynamic process that creates and conveys a mutual understanding between two or more people. Since this process is complex and not easily taught, there exist many communication disorders ranging from a physical limitation, such as ALS, to a cognitive language disorder, such as autism. Augmentative and alternative communication systems (AACs) help people with communication disorders by providing them substituted means for communicating. These systems range from non-technical solutions, such as a paper-based PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System), to elaborate technical solutions, such as a plasma picture communication table. Due to the increased attention to AACs, the Worldwide Health Organization (WHO) provides a framework to evaluate effectiveness. Using this framework as a basis, the authors identified barriers and support factors for AAC effectiveness and subsequently best practices for AAC designs. They conclude with a case study of adapting a paper-based picture-based communication system to mobile devices using open-source software development for use by children with severe autism.
Introducing Multiagent Systems to Undergraduates through Games and Chocolate
Authors: Bowring Emma , Tambe Milind
Published: January 2012

The field of “intelligent agents and multi-agent systems” is maturing; no longer is it a special topic to be introduced to graduate students after years of training in computer science and many introductory courses in artificial intelligence. Instead, the time is ripe to introduce agents and multi-agents directly to undergraduate students, whether majoring in computer science or not. This chapter focuses on exactly this challenge, drawing on the co-authors’ experience of teaching several such undergraduate courses on agents and multi-agents, over the last three years at two different universities. The chapter outlines three key issues that must be addressed. The first issue is facilitating students’ intuitive understanding of fundamental concepts of multi-agent systems; the authors illustrate uses of science fiction materials and classroom games to not only provide students with the necessary intuitive understanding but with the excitement and motivation for studying multi-agent systems. The second is in selecting the right material — either science-fiction material or games — for providing students the necessary motivation and intuition; we outline several criteria that have been useful in selecting such material. The third issue is in educating students about the fundamental philosophical, ethical and social issues surrounding agents and multi-agent systems:they outline course materials and classroom activities that allow students to obtain this “big picture” futuristic vision of our science. The authors conclude with feedback received, lessons learned and impact on both the computer science students and non computer-science students.
Integrating the LMS in Service Oriented eLearning Systems
Authors: Leal José Paulo , Queirós Ricardo
Published: January 2012

Learning management systems are routinely used for presenting, solving and grading exercises with large classes. However, teachers are constrained to use questions with pre-defined answers, such as multiple-choice, to automatically correct the exercises of their students. Complex exercises cannot be evaluated automatically by the LMS and require the coordination of a set of heterogeneous systems. For instance, programming exercises require a specialized exercise resolution environment and automatic evaluation features, each provided by a different type of system. In this paper, the authors discuss an approach for the coordination of a network of eLearning systems supporting the resolution of exercises. The proposed approach is based on a pivot component embedded in the LMS and has two main roles: 1) provide an exercise resolution environment, and 2) coordinate communication between the LMS and other systems, exposing their functions as web services. The integration of the pivot component in the LMS relies on Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI). This paper presents an architecture to coordinate a network of eLearning systems and validate the proposed approach by creating such a network integrated with LMS from two different vendors.
Usability and Affordances for Teaching and Learning in Second Life
Authors: Barker Trevor
Published: January 2012

This chapter presents a summary of research undertaken at the University of Hertfordshire into the usability and affordances of three-dimensional (3D) virtual environments (VE) used in teaching and learning. Our earlier experimental work identified important variables related to individual differences and how these affected task completion, learning, and attitude to the environment. More recently the results of these laboratory-based empirical studies have been applied to teaching and learning in the Second Life virtual world. The results of two studies are presented with undergraduate Computer Science students. In the first study the affordances of the Second Life environment for project group working and teaching was evaluated. In the second study small groups of learners developed real world games and modified these for play in Second Life. Based on experiences from these studies, a set of recommendations related to the use of 3D virtual environments in teaching and learning is presented.
Ezine and iRadio as Knowledge Creation Metaphors for Scaffolding Learning in Physical and Virtual Learning Spaces
Authors: Dillon Steve , Seeto Deidre , Berry Anne
Published: January 2012

eZine and iRadio represent knowledge creation metaphors for scaffolding learning in a blended learning environment. Through independent and collaborative work online participating students experience a simulated virtual publishing space in their classrooms. This chapter is presented as an auto-ethnographic account highlighting the voices of the learning designer and the teacher. Using an iterative research design, evidence is provided for three iterations of each course. A collaborative approach to the development, planning, implementation, and evaluation of two tertiary music elective courses between lecturers, tutors, learning and technological designers is narrated. The student voice is embedded in the methodology, which involved an innovative approach that blends software development and pedagogy in iterations of software and experience design. The chapter describes how the teachers and learning designers translate these data into action and design. A blended learning space was incorporated within each of these elective music courses and the movement between these learning spaces is described and problematized. The research suggests that learning design, which provides real world examples and resources integrating authentic task design, can provide meaningful and engaging experiences for students. The dialogue between learning designers and teachers and iterative review of the learning process and student outcomes has engaged students meaningfully to achieve transferable learning outcomes.
Bounded Rationality and Market Micro-Behaviors
Authors: Chen Shu-Heng , Zeng Ren-Jie , Yu Tina , Wang Shu G.
Published: January 2012

We investigate the dynamics of trader behaviors using an agent-based genetic programming system to simulate double-auction markets. The objective of this study is two-fold. First, we seek to evaluate how, if any, the difference in trader rationality/intelligence influences trading behavior. Second, besides rationality, we also analyze how, if any, the co-evolution between two learnable traders impacts their trading behaviors. We have found that traders with different degrees of rationality may exhibit different behavior depending on the type of market they are in. When the market has a profit zone to explore, the more intelligent trader demonstrates more intelligent behaviors. Also, when the market has two learnable buyers, their co-evolution produced more profitable transactions than when there was only one learnable buyer in the market. We have analyzed the trading strategies and found the learning behaviors are very similar to humans in decision-making. We plan to conduct human subject experiments to validate these results in the near future.
Deliberate Leadership
Authors: Lamoreaux Kristen , Varghese Dibi
Published: January 2012

For decades, societal influences, academic ennui, and corporate resistance to change have contributed toward the reduction of the number of women pursuing the computer science field. Technology innovations have enabled greater workplace flexibility, yet gender schemas and negative stereotypes remain. Human Resources organizations are pivotal in altering negative perceptions and reversing misconceptions. HR has low and no cost options available to them to greatly impact their work environment and subsequent female IT recruitment, development, and retention programs. Organizations that do not deliberately address the talent shortfall within Information Technology will clearly suffer recruitment, retention, and business performance consequences. While the focus of this chapter is women in IT, most of the discussion can also be applied to men.
Best Practices Guidelines for Agile Requirements Engineering Practices
Authors: Patel Chetankumar , Ramachandran Muthu
Published: January 2012

Developing software that meets the customers or stakeholders’ needs and expectation is the ultimate goal of the software development methodology. To meet their need we have to perform requirement engineering which helps to identify and structure requirements. In traditional software development methods end users or stakeholders predefined their requirements and sent to the development team to analysis and negotiation to produce requirement specification. In many cases it is risky or very difficult and not economical to produce a complete, verifiable set of requirements. Traditional software development has a problem to deal with requirement change after careful analysis and negotiation. This problem is well tackled by the Agile Practices as it’s recommends an on-site customer to represents their requirements through user stories on story cards. Generally customers have rarely a general picture of the requirements or system in their mind which leads problems related to requirements like requirements conflicts, missing requirements, and ambiguous requirements etc, and does not address non-functional requirements from exploration phase. This chapter introduces best knowledge based guidelines for agile requirements engineering to enhance the quality of requirements (story cards).
Forward and Backward Chaining with P Systems
Authors: Ivanov Sergiu , Alhazov Artiom , Rogojin Vladimir , Gutiérrez-Naranjo Miguel A.
Published: January 2012

One of the concepts that lie at the basis of membrane computing is the multiset rewriting rule. On the other hand, the paradigm of rules is profusely used in computer science for representing and dealing with knowledge. Therefore, establishing a “bridge” between these domains is important, for instance, by designing P systems reproducing the modus ponens-based forward and backward chaining that can be used as tools for reasoning in propositional logic. In this paper, the authors show how powerful and intuitive the formalism of membrane computing is and how it can be used to represent concepts and notions from unrelated areas.
Information Systems Outsourcing in Large Companies
Authors: Leeney Mark , Varajão João , Ribeiro António Trigo , Colomo-Palacios Ricardo
Published: January 2012

Information systems outsourcing is an indispensable tool in the management of information systems. The set of services contracted to outside suppliers, originally more limited to services of an operational nature, has expanded over the past two decades, and today there is a wide range of services subject to outsourcing. Among them are: the hiring of software development; maintenance of applications; services and communications networks; security of information systems; and many others. Depending on the nature of the services contracted and on the range that the contracting of services has on departments of information systems, the issues involved in project management vary considerably. This article presents the results of a survey conducted among large companies in the Republic of Ireland to characterize, among other things, the range of services that are most often outsourced. The results are relevant in the sense that not only do they enable a better understanding of the reality of information systems departments of large Irish companies, but also enable the management to focus attention on specific services.
Programming Languages as Mathematical Theories
Authors: Turner Raymond
Published: January 2012

That computer science is somehow a mathematical activity was a view held by many of the pioneers of the subject, especially those who were concerned with its foundations. At face value it might mean that the actual activity of programming is a mathematical one. Indeed, at least in some form, this has been held. But here we explore a different gloss on it. We explore the claim that programming languages are (semantically) mathematical theories. This will force us to discuss the normative nature of semantics, the nature of mathematical theories, the role of theoretical computer science and the relationship between semantic theory and language design.
Neuro Linguistic Programming
Authors: Choubey Ankur , Singh Ramesh
Published: January 2012

The power of computers is now beginning to be exploited in subjective areas of human study like those related to human psychology in order to make the interaction between humans and computers more natural. An effective interaction must involve automatic analysis of human behavior by the computer, and responding to it. Neuro-Linguistic Programming was developed, drawing its inspiration from the computer programs, so as to change the perception of the human brain to a more successful behavior. In addition to that, Neuro Linguistic Programming gave an algorithmic approach to ‘observe’ and analyze human behavior, both verbal and non-verbal, and serve to effectively perceive the human behavior and interaction. The interaction is a more deep rooted cognitive interaction. With the use of Neuro Linguistic Programming and the fundamentals of cybernetics, the humans and computer can be brought closer, with automatic transfer of valuable information between the two. This chapter describes the fundamentals of Neuro Linguistic Programming and aims at developing a hypothetical model on how Neuro Linguistic Programming can be used to better understand the interaction between the humans and the computers.
Shifting Legitimation along Information Infrastructures Growth
Authors: Miscione Gianluca
Published: January 2012

This chapter addresses the institutional dimension of scaling of information systems through the interplay of globally distributed software development with organizational processes. Through examining various phases of a long term project to implement information systems for the public health care sector in global South countries, I highlight changing sources of acceptance and legitimation. The analysis centers on the balance between local and global levels, from pilot sites, through an emerging broader organizational field, to increasingly involving national level institutional settings. In parallel to the established view of the scaling of ICT implementations as relating to complexity and risk in the form of unintended side-effects of the growth of a system, the chapter highlights the qualitative switch between regulatory contexts. Shifting relations to local institutions means that scalability requires actors to interact with quite different organizational cultures, accountabilities and communicative practices.
Stem Cell-Based Personalized Medicine
Authors: Prigione Alessandro
Published: January 2012

Regenerative medicine is a rapidly evolving research field whose main aims are to provide new therapeutic approaches and to repair or replace injured tissues with functional cells derived from stem cells. In the past few years, research breakthroughs have revolutionized the field by showing that all somatic cells have the potential to re-acquire stem cell-like properties. Thus, it appears possible to generate relevant cell types starting from cells easily obtained from affected individuals. The obtained differentiated cells could eventually serve as in vitro tools for the study of disease-associated mechanisms and for performing customized drug screenings. Moreover, in the context of cellular transplantation, these cells represent the ideal cell source given that they posses the same genetic code and thus will avoid the occurrence of unwanted immune reactions. Overall, this revolutionary technique called cellular reprogramming might provide substantial support for the future development of personalized medicine. In this chapter, I describe the recent advances in the field of stem cell-based regenerative medicine applications. Parkinson’s disease is chosen as a paradigmatic example in which the use of stem cells for study and therapy could have a relevant impact and potentially represent a future cure for this debilitating disorder.
Solving Complex Problems in Human Genetics Using Nature-Inspired Algorithms Requires Strategies which Exploit Domain-Specific Knowledge
Authors: Greene Casey S. , Moore Jason H.
Published: January 2012

In human genetics the availability of chip-based technology facilitates the measurement of thousands of DNA sequence variations from across the human genome. The informatics challenge is to identify combinations of interacting DNA sequence variations that predict common diseases. The authors review three nature-inspired methods that have been developed and evaluated in this domain. The two approaches this chapter focuses on in detail are genetic programming (GP) and a complex-system inspired GP-like computational evolution system (CES). The authors also discuss a third nature-inspired approach known as ant colony optimization (ACO). The GP and ACO techniques are designed to select relevant attributes, while the CES addresses both the selection of relevant attributes and the modeling of disease risk. Specifically, they examine these methods in the context of epistasis or gene-gene interactions. For the work discussed here we focus solely on the situation where there is an epistatic effect but no detectable main effect. In this domain, early studies show that nature-inspired algorithms perform no better than a simple random search when classification accuracy is used as the fitness function. Thus, the challenge for applying these search algorithms to this problem is that when using classification accuracy there are no building blocks. The goal then is to use outside knowledge or pre-processing of the dataset to provide these building blocks in a manner that enables the population, in a nature-inspired framework, to discover an optimal model. The authors examine one pre-processing strategy for revealing building blocks in this domain and three different methods to exploit these building blocks as part of a knowledge-aware nature-inspired strategy. They also discuss potential sources of building blocks and modifications to the described methods which may improve our ability to solve complex problems in human genetics. Here it is argued that both the methods using expert knowledge and the sources of expert knowledge drawn upon will be critical to improving our ability to detect and characterize epistatic interactions in these large scale biomedical studies.
Non-Visual Programming, Perceptual Culture and Mulsemedia
Authors: Hayhoe Simon
Published: January 2012

The study found that programmers who had been introduced to, and educated using a range of visual, audio and / or tactile devices, whether early or late blind, could adapt to produce code with GUIs, but programmers who were educated using only tactile and audio devices preferred to shun visual references in their work.
Computing Gamma Calculus on Computer Cluster
Authors: Lin Hong , Kemp Jeremy , Gilbert Padraic
Published: January 2012

Gamma Calculus is an inherently parallel, high-level programming model, which allows simple programming molecules to interact, creating a complex system with minimum of coding. Gamma calculus modeled programs were written on top of IBM’s TSpaces middleware, which is Java-based and uses a “Tuple Space” based model for communication, similar to that in Gamma. A parser was written in C++ to translate the Gamma syntax. This was implemented on UHD’s grid cluster (grid.uhd.edu), and in an effort to increase performance and scalability, existing Gamma programs are being transferred to Nvidia’s CUDA architecture. General Purpose GPU computing is well suited to run Gamma programs, as GPU’s excel at running the same operation on a large data set, potentially offering a large speedup.
Theoretical Studies on the Structure and Spectroscopic Properties of 2,4-D (2,4-Diclorofenoxiacetic Acid)
Authors: Andino María G. , Profeta Mariela I. , Romero Jorge M. , Jorge Nelly L. , Castro Eduardo A.
Published: January 2012

The 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) is applied to and recovered from the leaf surfaces of garden bean and corn plants. This paper examines the theoretical study of the 2,4-D IR and UV spectra as well as the determination of its optimized molecular structure. Theoretical calculations are performed at the density functional theory (DFT) levels. The different structural and electronic effects determining the molecular stability of the conformers are discussed in a comparative fashion. The optimized geometry was calculated via the B3LYP method with 6-311G(d,p) and 6-311++G(d,p) basis sets and the FT-IR spectra was calculated by the density functional B3LYP method with the 6-311++G(d,p) basis set. The scaled theoretical wavenumbers show good agreement with the experimental values. A detailed interpretation of the infrared spectra of 2,4-D is reported.
Wavy Motion of Viscous Bubbly Liquid in Tubes of Orthotropic Material
Authors: Amenzadeh Rafael Yusif , Sayyad Akperli Reyhan , Naghiyev Faig Bakhman Ogli
Published: January 2012

This article investigates the pulsating flow of a compressible two-phase bubble of viscous fluid contained in an elastic orthotropicle direct axis tube. In this work, one-dimensional linear equations have been used. It is assumed that the tube is rigidly attached to the certain environment. In the case of finite length the pressure is applied at the end of its faces. In the limited process, relations obtained for a very long tube. Such a description, in a sense generalizes and strengthens the work of this type. In the numerical experiment a semi-infinite tube with flowing water containing small amount of air bubbles is considered. The influence of volume fraction of bubbles on wave characteristics is determined.
Online Security Cues and E-Payment Continuance Intention
Authors: Huang Echo , Cheng Fa-Chang
Published: January 2012

Previous studies consider confidence in the Internet as a means of payment and existence of a legal framework that protect consumers in their activities on the Internet are the critical issues of B2C success. To respond, this study extends the IS Continuance Model with Cue Utilization Theory to examine the impact of offering e-payments to online users, specifically, the relationship between their perceived benefits, legal protection, risk avoidance, and satisfaction with prior experiences. The analytical results presented in this study indicate that perceived cues (benefits, legal protection and risk allocation) differentially affect consumer behavior. Notably, perceived cues and confirmation associated with satisfaction have influences on e-payment continuance intention. That is, if consumers’ perception of online security cues increases, their intentions to continue use of e-payment increase even if the systems or services are perceived low reliability. Finally the practical and theoretical implications of this study are discussed.
Comparative Evaluation of Independent Private Values Distributions on Internet Auction Performance
Authors: Leung Timothy L. Y. , Knottenbelt William J.
Published: January 2012

The Independent Private Values (IPV) model is foundational for the analysis of Internet auction performance and is widely used in the study of auction behaviour. The characteristics of this model include the assumptions of privacy and independence where the value of the commodity in question is private to the individual buyers, and that different buyers do not know the values other buyers attached to the commodity. In addition, these values are drawn from a common distribution which is known to the buyers. In probabilistic terms, this essentially amounts to a series of values which are independent and identically distributed. The features and characteristics of the IPV distribution will have a significant impact on auction behaviour, and since a general stochastic analysis of their impact is analytically intractable, here auction performance is studied using an auction process simulator. Both hard close and soft close Internet auctions are studied. In addition, Vickrey auctions and auction mechanisms with multiple bid acceptance are compared and evaluated. From experimental findings, the paper establishes quantitative relationships between the different auction process parameters, deploy suitable IPV distributions to model the characteristics of different communities of bidders, provide suggestions for optimising auction performance, and recommend strategies for efficient auction design.
Combining Software Engineering Elicitation Technique with the Knowledge Management Lifecycle
Authors: Vásquez-Bravo Diana-Marcela , Sánchez-Segura Maria-Isabel , Medina-Domínguez Fuensanta , Amescua Antonio
Published: January 2012

Knowledge elicitation process allows acquiring and transferring the knowledge. This process presents difficulties to select the appropriate elicitation technique. This paper presents a classification of the elicitation techniques used in software engineering and the relationship between the elicitation techniques and some elements of knowledge management as assets knowledge, epistemological dimension of knowledge and the knowledge creation phases. This classification provides a guideline to select a technique or a set of techniques for knowledge elicitation based on phases of Nonaka’s model.
MyElvin
Authors: García-Peñalvo F. J. , González-González J. C. , Murray M.
Published: January 2012

ELIN (European Languages Virtual Network) is a European Union Lifelong Learning Programme Project aimed at creating an informal social network to support and facilitate languages learning, this social environment is so called MyElvin. This social platform allows a very interesting combination of formal and informal learning activities. The research work behind this project aims to research and develop the connection between social networks, professional profiles and language learning in an informal educational context. At the core of the ELVIN project, there will be a web 2.0 social networking platform, MyElvin that connects employees/students for language practice based on their own professional/academic needs and abilities, using all relevant technologies. This paper presents the first system prototype that integrates social media and content repository.
Challenging Current Ways of Evaluating and Documenting the Accessibility of Educational Digital Resources
Authors: Bocconi Stefania , Dini Silvia , Ott Michela
Published: January 2012

The accessibility of digital educational resources is a key issue in order to provide “all” students with equal educational opportunities. Teachers and educators need adequate help and support to choose and adopt in their school practice those products that are fully accessible by “all” their students; this entails both that they should receive adequate training and that they may access reliable specific information (i.e., that the accessibility of digital educational resources is carefully assessed and documented and that related information is made available for them through appropriate documentation systems). This paper refers on how the authors, during a field experience, tackled the issue of evaluating, documenting and spreading information about the accessibility of educational digital resources. The methodological framework adopted for evaluating the accessibility of educational digital resources is outlined and a concrete example of how this was implemented in a nation-wide dedicated documentation system is described.
Malaria Knowledge, Concern, Land Management, and Protection Practices among Land Owners and/or Managers in Lowland versus Highland Ecuador
Authors: Pinault Lauren L. , Hunter Fiona F.
Published: January 2012

To control malaria effectively, it is essential to understand the current knowledge, beliefs, concerns, land management practices, and mosquito bite protection methods in use by citizens. This study presents a comparative, quantitative, interview-based study of land owners and/or managers () in the Ecuadorian lowlands (presently considered malarious) () and highlands (potentially malarious in the future) (). Although respondents had a strong understanding of where the disease occurs in their own country and of the basic relationship among standing water, mosquitoes, and malaria, about half of respondents in potential risk areas denied the current possibility of malaria infection on their own property. As well, about half of respondents with potential anopheline larval habitat did not report its presence, likely due to a highly specific definition of suitable mosquito habitat. Most respondents who are considered at risk of malaria currently use at least one type of mosquito bite prevention, most commonly bed nets.
Treatment of Indolent, Nonencapsulated Cryptococcal Meningitis Associated with Hydrocephalus
Authors: Garber Sarah T. , Penar Paul L.
Published: January 2012

Infection with cryptococcal meningitis is uncommon in immunocompetent patients. The major virulence factor is the polysaccharide capsule, while nonencapsulated mutants are generally considered nonpathogenic. The authors present a case of hydrocephalus caused by meningitis from an indolent, nonencapsulated Cryptococcus sp. requiring placement and multiple revisions of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt (VPS). The patient presented with progressively worsening occipital headaches. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed significant hydrocephalus with no apparent cause. Her symptoms initially resolved after placement of a VPS, but returned four months later. Cultures of the shunt tubing and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) showed no bacterial infection. When the symptoms failed to resolve, CSF fungal culture revealed Cryptococcus-like yeast, although the organisms were nonencapsulated, and the cryptococcal antigen was negative. After antibiotic therapy, the symptoms resolved. The unusual clinical presentation delayed the diagnosis, highlighting the importance of understanding the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of meningeal infections caused by C. neoformans.
Overview of pelvic floor failure and associated problems
Authors: Refaat Khaled , Fischer-Hammadeh Constanze , Hammadeh Mohamad Eid
Published: January 2012

Pelvic organ prolapse POP, including anterior and posterior vaginal prolapse, uterine prolapse, and enterocele, is a common group of clinical conditions affecting millions of women worldwide. The aim of this review is to highlight the clinical importance of prolapse, its pathophysiology, and different modalities for diagnosis and treatment. POP includes a range of disorders, from asymptomatic disturbed vaginal anatomy to complete vaginal eversion associated with considerable degrees of urinary, defecatory, and sexual dysfunction. The pathophysiology of prolapse is multifactorial however genetically susceptible women are more exposed to life events that result in the development of clinically significant prolapse. The evaluation of women with prolapse requires a comprehensive approach, with focusing on the function in all pelvic compartments based on a detailed patient history, physical examination, and investigations. Although prolapse is associated with many symptoms, few are specific for prolapse; it is often a challenge for the clinician to determine which symptoms are prolapse-specific and will therefore improve or resolve after prolapse treatment. Prolapse treatment is based on specific symptoms moreover its management options fall into two broad categories: nonsurgical, which includes pelvic floor muscle training and pessary use; and surgical, which can be reconstructive or obliterative. Associated symptoms require additional management. All women with prolapse can be treated and their symptoms improved, even if not completely resolved.