bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Peer-to-Peer Service Discovery for Grid Computing
Authors: Caron Eddy , Desprez Frédéric , Petit Franck , Tedeschi Cédric
Published: May 2010

Within distributed computing platforms, some computing abilities (or services) are offered to clients. To build dynamic applications using such services as basic blocks, a critical prerequisite is to discover those services. Traditional approaches to the service discovery problem have historically relied upon centralized solutions, unable to scale well in large unreliable platforms. In this chapter, we will first give an overview of the state of the art of service discovery solutions based on peer-to-peer (P2P) technologies that allow such a functionality to remain efficient at large scale. We then focus on one of these approaches: the Distributed Lexicographic Placement Table (DLPT) architecture, that provide particular mechanisms for load balancing and fault-tolerance. This solution centers around three key points. First, it calls upon an indexing system structured as a prefix tree, allowing multi-attribute range queries. Second, it allows the mapping of such structures onto heterogeneous and dynamic networks and proposes some load balancing heuristics for it. Third, as our target platform is dynamic and unreliable, we describe its powerful fault-tolerance mechanisms, based on self-stabilization. Finally, we present the software prototype of this architecture and its early experiments.
Adaptive Query Processing in Data Grids
Authors: Zhao Chunjiang , Cao Junwei , Wu Huarui , Chen Weiwei
Published: May 2010

The data grid integrates wide-area autonomous data sources and provides users with a unified data query and processing infrastructure. Adaptive data query and processing is required by data grids to provide better quality of services (QoS) to users and applications in spite of dynamically changing resources and environments. Existing AQP techniques can only meet partially data grid requirements. Some existing work is either addressing domain-specific or single-node query processing problems. Data grids provide new mechanisms for monitoring and discovering data and resources in a cross-domain wide area. Data query in grids can benefit from this information and provide better adaptability to the dynamic nature of the grid environment. In this work, an adaptive controller is proposed that dynamically adjusts resource shares to multiple data query requests in order to meet a specified level of service differentiation. The controller parameters are automatically tuned at runtime based on a predefined cost function and an online learning method. Simulation results show that our controller can meet given QoS differentiation targets and adapt to dynamic system resources among multiple data query processing requests while total demand from users and applications exceeds system capability.
Resource Co-Allocation in Grid Computing Environments
Authors: Netto Marco A.S. , Buyya Rajkumar
Published: May 2010

One of the promises of Grid Computing is to enable the execution of applications across multiple sites. Several multi-site applications require simultaneous access to resources hosted on autonomous domains; this problem is known as resource co-allocation. Projects working on resource co-allocation face four major problems: distributed transactions, fault tolerance, inter-site network overhead, and schedule optimization. Although resource co-allocation is fundamental for Grid Computing, no survey has covered the current projects, solutions, and open challenges on this topic. Therefore, in this chapter, the authors describe the challenges on resource co-allocation, present the projects developed over the last decade, and classify them according to their similar characteristics. In addition, the authors discuss open research issues and trends such as negotiation, advance reservations, and rescheduling of multi-site applications.
Self-Adjustment for Service Provisioning in Grids
Authors: Batista Daniel M. , da Fonseca Nelson L.S.
Published: May 2010

The fluctuation in resource availability, as well as the uncertainties in relation to requirements for applications, call for the implementation of grids that self-adjust resource allocations to avoid degradation in the quality of service provided for those applications. Various proposals have been made for grid systems that will react to changes in resource availability, which are the key for the creation of service-oriented grids. The purpose of this chapter is to present the main characteristics which are necessary for these systems to provide quality of service. Twelve grid systems are described, highlighting their differences and presenting their strong and weak points for the construction of service-oriented grids. The chapter also presents open research questions.
Managing an Outsourcing Partnership
Authors: Westergren Ulrika H.
Published: May 2010

This chapter is an attempt to build on and extend existing outsourcing research by focusing on the process of managing an outsourcing partnership. Furthermore, it considers the role of information technology and the importance of establishing interorganizational trust in order to provide a deeper understanding of the partnership outsourcing phenomenon. The outsourcing partnership in focus in this chapter is between Alpha Corp., a large minerals group, and RDC, its remote service provider. The chapter shows that Alpha Corp.’s strategy for creating, maintaining and evolving the partnership with RDC occurs in three different stages: black-boxing of technology, establishing interorganizational trust, and performance based contracting. Given the multiple roles information technology assumes in an outsourcing alliance, this chapter also shows that understanding and managing the role of IT is crucial in maintaining a successful partnership. In addition, given the documented importance of information technology in outsourcing partnerships, there is a need to include trust in technology as yet another dimension in establishing interorganizational trust.
Technology, Agency, and Community
Authors: Nardi Bonnie , Kallinikos Jannis
Published: May 2010

In this chapter, the authors consider whether and to what extent digital technologies enable people to accomplish expressive activities of personal or social value by examining customization and extension of software artifacts. They approach their topic within the context of multiplayer online games that provide a rather radical departure from the studies of organizational technologies that dominate the field. While less constrained by the rigid social order of organizations, the customization and extension of software artifacts in communities like those represented by multiplayer online games still confronts the central issue of the malleability of these artifacts and their power to shape human agency.
Ultraversity-Integrating Technology in Adult Education
Authors: Lang Geraint
Published: May 2010

The influence of technology in our daily live grows unabated and exponentially; some see it as a culture in itself. It has been hailed variously as a universal panacea for enabling lifelong learning; a means of opening the doors to knowledge barred by the education gatekeepers. Recent research has revealed that the metaphoric barriers put in place to obstruct the use of the innovative technology tools for the purposes of engaging in lifelong learning, particularly with reference to adult education may not be due to the often perceived intransigence of adult educators, but to potential learners themselves. Recent research into adult uses of technology draw out interesting results, but do not take into account, nor acknowledge recent and successful wholly online undergraduate degree courses, based upon adult experiential learning in the work place. This chapter outlines one such degree course in the United Kingdom, Ultraversity.
Collaborative Sensor Networks
Authors: He Yuan , Liu Yunhao
Published: May 2010

Sensor networks have been widely deployed in all kinds of applications. In the near future, we expect to witness the proliferation of sensor networks with a variety of functions that requires a comprehensive collaboration mechanism among them. Specific designs are necessary to manipulate a fabric of multiple sensor networks, facilitate the collaboration among them, and support efficient data sensing, aggregation, storage, transmission, and query processing. In this chapter, through comparison and analysis of existing works, we present a new taxonomy of collaborative sensor networks based on the architectures and the methodologies of organizing different modules of a system. We find that a cross-layer design simultaneously guaranteeing the energy efficiency of underlying sensor networks and the quality of services for users is a challenging issue which has not been well studied. We also discuss the design space in this field and point out potential research directions.
Connected k-Coverage Protocols for Densely Deployed Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Ammari Habib M.
Published: May 2010

In this chapter, we study duty-cycling to achieve both k-coverage and connectivity in highly dense deployed wireless sensor networks, where each location in a convex sensor field (or simply field) is covered by at least k active sensors while maintaining connectivity between all active sensors. Indeed, the limited battery power of the sensors and the difficulty of replacing and/or recharging batteries on the sensors in hostile environments require that the sensors be deployed with high density in order to extend the network lifetime. Also, the sensed data originated from source sensors (or simply sources) should be able to reach a central gathering node, called the sink, for further analysis and processing. Thus, network connectivity should be guaranteed so sources can be connected to the sink via multiple communication paths. Finally, wireless sensor networks suffer from scarce energy resources. A more practical deployment strategy requires that all the sensors be duty-cycled to save energy. With duty-cycling, sensors can be turned on or off according to some scheduling protocol, thus reducing the number of active sensors required for k-coverage and helping all sensors deplete their energy as slowly and uniformly as possible. We also extend our discussion to connected k-coverage with mobile sensors as well as connected k-coverage in a three-dimensional deployment area. Furthermore, we discuss the applicability of our protocols to heterogeneous wireless sensor networks.
Network-Wide Broadcast Service in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Wang Feng , Liu Jiangchuan
Published: May 2010

Network-wide Broadcast is one of the most fundamental services in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). It facilitates sensor nodes to propagate messages across the whole network, serving a wide range of higher-level operations and thus being critical to the overall network design. A distinct feature of WSNs is that many sensor nodes alternate between the active state and the dormant state, so as to conserve energy and extend the lifetime of the network. Unfortunately, the impact of such cycles has been largely ignored in existing network-wide broadcast implementations that adopt the common assumption of all sensor nodes being active all over the whole broadcast process. In this chapter, we first provide a brief survey on previous research works on network-wide broadcast services. We then revisit the network-wide broadcast problem by remodeling it with active/dormant cycles and showing the practical lower bounds for the time and message costs, respectively. We also propose an adaptive algorithm named RBS (Reliable Broadcast Service) for dynamic message forwarding scheduling in this context, which enables a reliable and efficient broadcast service with low delay. The performance of the proposed solution is evaluated under diverse network configurations. The results suggest that the proposed solution is close to the lower bounds of both time and forwarding costs, and it well resists to the network size and wireless loss increases.
Architectures for Large Scale Distributed Systems
Authors: Cristea Valentin , Dobre Ciprian , Stratan Corina , Pop Florin
Published: May 2010

This chapter introduces the macroscopic views on distributed systems’ components and their inter-relations. The importance of the architecture for understanding, designing, implementing, and maintaining distributed systems is presented first. Then the currently used architectures and their derivatives are analyzed. The presentation refers to the client-server (with details about Multi-tiered, REST, Remote Evaluation, and Code-on-Demand architectures), hierarchical (with insights in the protocol oriented Grid architecture), service-oriented architectures including OGSA (Open Grid Service Architecture), cloud, cluster, and peer-to-peer (with its versions: hierarchical, decentralized, distributed, and event-based integration architectures). Due to the relation between architecture and application categories supported, the chapter’s structure is similar to that of Chapter 1. Nevertheless, the focus is different. In the current chapter, for each architecture the model, advantages, disadvantages and areas of applicability are presented. Also the chapter includes concrete cases of use (namely actual distributed systems and platforms), and clarifies the relation between the architecture and the enabling technology used in its instantiation. Finally, Chapter 2 frames the discussion in the other chapters, which refer to specific components and services for large scale distributed systems.
The ‘Technology' Pole
Authors: Bertin Jean-Claude , Gravé Patrick
Published: May 2010

Whether new or old, technologies are a recurring issue in the practice of university teachers and researchers. While they form an integral part of everyday life, they are considered as specific objects in the field of research and teaching. Although they are prized for their instrumental functions, their epistemic dimension remains largely ignored. Resorting to a technical device to optimize a research or a teaching activity or make it more comfortable seems operational; pondering over what this technical device modifies in the organization of the message and the tasks, as well as in the subject (teacher and learner)’s representations is often regarded a waste of time and efficiency. The energetic and material cost is then considered too high for the individual and the collectivity. Yet, if one easily disregards the changes brought about by the introduction of an artifact in educational interactions, the risk is high simply to reproduce the same thing indefinitely: a technically improved pedagogic model – sometimes at a high cost – but basically still the same1. (Albero, 2004, pp. 253-54)
Natural Resources Accounting for Sustainable Development
Authors: Nallathiga Ramakrishna
Published: May 2010

Economic growth has been conventionally looked upon as the measure for the development of society, while ignoring the other aspects viz., human development, natural resources, environment and ecology. In the conventional accounting of economic development, the value of services and goods provided by natural resources like air, water, land and biota are ignored; neither any attempts are made to monitor and account for the changes in natural resources and environment. For the economic development to be sustainable, the environmental costs have to be limited and to be growing at slower pace than the economic gains. In this chapter, an attempt is made to outline the importance of using Natural Resource Accounting (NRA) for sustainable development through an attempt to estimate the environmental costs and benefits, and also to compare with economic growth in the case of India. This chapter highlights the potential of using NRA to make decisions for sustainable development through policies for conservation, management and development of natural resources.
Re-Conceptualising the ‘Technology-Development’ Nexus
Authors: Wong Sam
Published: May 2010

This book chapter re-conceptualises the relationships between technology and development. It focuses on rural economic development and examines how water- and energy-related technologies interact with human-nature relationships. Drawing on case studies in Rajasthan, India, this chapter argues that people’s preferences for livelihoods can be incompatible with technological design. The unintended consequences of water and energy interventions can bring uncertainty to policy-making which affects long-term economic development and ecological sustainability. Changing governance structures in challenging caste and gender inequalities also require strong leadership. It proposes a ‘people-centred’ technological intervention framework which links the macro technical system and the micro process of people’s daily practices and subjectivities. In achieving this, it calls for a different approach to understanding human motivations, power dynamics and gender politics.
Developing the Financial Infrastructure in an Emerging Market Economy
Authors: Papaioannou Michael G. , Tsetsekos George P.
Published: May 2010

This chapter examines the role of credit rating agencies in capital-market development and on the conduct of monetary policy. Rating agencies in developed capital markets provide quality certification to issuers, while their role in emerging capital markets is mainly to enhance informational efficiency in the marketplace. The authors highlight some indirect macroeconomic consequences from the presence of a rating agency, including its monetary surveillance role and the positive implications for foreign investments. The chapter also outlines the conditions for an effective rating agency in an emerging market economy, discusses the benefits of security ratings to constituencies, and proposes a scenario for a rating agency’s design. The collaboration of regulators, central bankers, and issuers is especially critical to the success of a rating agency.
Telecommunications Capital Intensity and Aggregate Production Efficiency
Authors: Repkine Alexandre
Published: May 2010

This chapter explores the link between telecommunications capital intensity and aggregate production efficiency in the framework of meta-frontier analysis. The latter makes it possible to compare technical efficiency levels between countries operating under different technological frontiers. The author’s analysis suggests that increasing per capita levels of telecommunication capital will push a country towards its local frontier, but it will not decrease much the technological gap with the global meta-frontier. In Africa policies providing incentives for firms and households to purchase more telecommunications equipment appear to be most justified in terms of efficiency gains, while this does not appear to be the case for the OECD countries. The author’s general conjecture is, in order to avoid wasting productive resources on increasing the level of telecommunications capital intensity, it is advisable to keep a close eye on the location of a country’s aggregate output with respect to both local and meta-frontiers.
Higher Order Neural Network Group-based Adaptive Tolerance Trees
Authors: Zhang Ming
Published: May 2010

Recent artificial higher order neural network research has focused on simple models, but such models have not been very successful in describing complex systems (such as face recognition). This chapter presents the artificial Higher Order Neural Network Group-based Adaptive Tolerance (HONNGAT) Tree model for translation-invariant face recognition. Moreover, face perception classification, detection of front faces with glasses and/or beards, and face recognition results using HONNGAT Trees are presented. When 10% random number noise is added, the accuracy of HONNGAT Tree for face recognition is 1% higher that artificial neural network Group-based Adaptive Tolerance (GAT) Tree, and is 6% higher than a general tree. When the gamma value of the Gaussian Noise exceeds 0.3, the accuracy of HONNGAT Tree for face recognition is 2% higher than GAT Tree, and is about 9% higher than that of a general tree. The artificial higher order neural network group-based adaptive tolerance tree model is an open box model and can be used to describe complex systems.
Evolutionary Algorithm Training of Higher Order Neural Networks
Authors: Epitropakis M. G. , Plagianakos V. P. , Vrahatis Michael N.
Published: May 2010

This chapter aims to further explore the capabilities of the Higher Order Neural Networks class and especially the Pi-Sigma Neural Networks. The performance of Pi-Sigma Networks is evaluated through several well known neural network training benchmarks. In the experiments reported here, Distributed Evolutionary Algorithms are implemented for Pi-Sigma neural networks training. More specifically, the distributed versions of the Differential Evolution and the Particle Swarm Optimization algorithms have been employed. To this end, each processor of a distributed computing environment is assigned a subpopulation of potential solutions. The subpopulations are independently evolved in parallel and occasional migration is allowed to facilitate the cooperation between them. The novelty of the proposed approach is that it is applied to train Pi-Sigma networks using threshold activation functions, while the weights and biases were confined in a narrow band of integers (constrained in the range [-32, 32]). Thus, the trained Pi-Sigma neural networks can be represented by using only 6 bits. Such networks are better suited for hardware implementation than the real weight ones and this property is very important in real-life applications. Experimental results suggest that the proposed training process is fast, stable and reliable and the distributed trained Pi-Sigma networks exhibit good generalization capabilities.
Analysis of Quantization Effects on Higher Order Function and Multilayer Feedforward Neural Networks
Authors: Jiang Minghu , Gielen Georges , Wang Lin
Published: May 2010

In this chpater we investigate the combined effects of quantization and clipping on Higher Order function neural networks (HOFNN) and multilayer feedforward neural networks (MLFNN). Statistical models are used to analyze the effects of quantization in a digital implementation. We analyze the performance degradation caused as a function of the number of fixed-point and floating-point quantization bits under the assumption of different probability distributions for the quantized variables, and then compare the training performance between situations with and without weight clipping, and derive in detail the effect of the quantization error on forward and backward propagation. No matter what distribution the initial weights comply with, the weights distribution will approximate a normal distribution for the training of floating-point or high-precision fixed-point quantization. Only when the number of quantization bits is very low, the weights distribution may cluster to ±1 for the training with fixed-point quantization. We establish and analyze the relationships for a true nonlinear neuron between inputs and outputs bit resolution, training and quantization methods, the number of network layers, network order and performance degradation, all based on statistical models, and for on-chip and off-chip training. Our experimental simulation results verify the presented theoretical analysis.
Artificial Higher Order Neural Network Training on Limited Precision Processors
Authors: Shawash Janti , Selviah David R.
Published: May 2010

Previous research suggested Artificial Neural Network (ANN) operation in a limited precision environment was particularly sensitive to the precision and could not take place below a certain threshold level of precision. This study investigates by simulation the training of networks using Back Propagation (BP) and Levenberg-Marquardt algorithms in limited precision to achieve high overall calculation accuracy, using on-line training, a new type of Higher Order Neural Network (HONN) known as the Correlation HONN (CHONN), discrete XOR and continuous optical waveguide sidewall roughness datasets to find the precision at which the training and operation is feasible. The BP algorithm converged to a precision beyond which the performance did not improve. The results support previous findings in literature for ANN operation that discrete datasets require lower precision than continuous datasets. The importance of our findings is that they demonstrate the feasibility of on-line, real-time, low-latency training on limited precision electronic hardware such as Digital Signal Processors (DSPs) and Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) to achieve high overall operational accuracy.
Technology Enhanced Language Learning in Early Childhood
Authors: Katzlinger Elisabeth
Published: May 2010

This chapter deals with a training curriculum for kindergarten teachers to introduce a learning game for technology-enhanced language learning in early childhood and how kindergarten teachers can launch the game in their classes. The game helps children to become familiar with the German language as a mother tongue or as a second language. The game “Schlaumäuse” was developed to enhance the children’s language learning. Children between the ages of four to eight are the target group of this software. The different activities in the game’s story encourage the children’s phases of language learning like structure of syllables, phoneme, rhymes or phonological features.
The Haunted School on Horror Hill
Authors: Kee Kevin , Vaughan Tamara , Graham Shawn
Published: May 2010

As gaming technology for personal computers has advanced over the last two decades, the text-adventures that predominated in the 1980s ceased to be commercially viable. However, the easy availability of powerful authoring systems developed by enthusiasts and distributed free over the Internet has led to a renaissance in text-adventures, now called “Interactive Fiction.” The educational potential in playing these text-based games and simulations was recognised when they were first popular; the new authoring systems now allow educators to explore the educational potential of creating these works. The authors present here a case-study using the ADRIFT authoring system to create a work of interactive fiction in a split grade 4/5 class (9 and 10 year-olds) in Quebec. They find that the process of creating the game helped improve literary and social skills amongst the students.
Policy, Pedagogy and Interactive Whiteboards
Authors: Moss Gemma , Jewitt Carey
Published: May 2010

This paper will examine the factors that led to the rapid uptake of interactive whiteboards in English schools, the promise they represented to policy-makers and practitioners in those early stages, and how assumptions about their potential to transform pedagogy shaped early use. What can other countries learn from the English experience? Which approaches to IWB use have endured beyond the early stages of uptake? Which have remained unfulfilled, or in the light of experience now deserve to be revised? Where should research and development now focus if “transformative practice” with IWBs remains the policy goal? By reflecting on the history of IWBs in England, their emergence as a focus for policymakers’ interests and their use in classrooms, this paper will consider how far such technologies can foster pedagogic change.
Distinctions Between Games and Learning
Authors: Becker Katrin
Published: May 2010

Serious games are digital games designed for purposes other than pure entertainment. This category includes educational games but it also includes a great deal more. A field that was unheard of until Ben Sawyer referred to it as Serious Games in late 2002 (Sawyer, 2003) has already grown so large that one can only hope to keep track of a very small part of it. The time is rapidly coming to an end when literature surveys of even one branch of Serious Games can be considered comprehensive. This chapter will examine the current state of the part of the serious games discipline that intersects with formal education, with a particular focus on design. The chapter begins broadly by looking at games in order to define the term serious game but then narrows to a specific focus on games for education. In this way, it provides an educational context for games as learning objects, distinguishes between traditional, (i.e. non-digital; Murray, 1998) and digital games, and classifies games for education as a subcategory of serious games while at the same time still being part of a larger group of interactive digital applications.
Interactivity, Process, and Algorithm
Authors: Crawford Chris
Published: May 2010

The most serious impediment to the progress of serious games is the difficulty of grasping the abstract concept of interactivity. Our brains are prejudiced in favor of thinking in terms of objects rather than processes. A firm grasp of interactivity requires a process-oriented way of thinking that does not come easily.
Outcomes Research in Physical Therapy
Authors: Pleiman Jennifer Ferrell
Published: May 2010

This research investigates the outcomes of physical therapy by using data fusion methodology to develop a process for sequential episode grouping data in medicine. By using data fusion, data from different sources will be combined to review the use of physical therapy in orthopedic surgical procedures. The data that were used to develop sequential episode grouping consisted of insurance claims data from the Thomson Medstat MarketScan database. The data will be reviewed as a continuous time lapse for surgery date; that is, the utilization of physical therapy for a defined time period both before and after surgery will be used and studied. The methodology of this research will follow a series of preprocessing cleaning and sequential episode grouping, culminating in text mining and clustering the results to review. Through this research, it was found that the use of physical therapy for orthopedic issues is not common and was utilized in under 1% of the data sampled. Text mining was further utilized to examine the outcomes of physical rehabilitation in cardiopulmonary research. The functional independence measures score at discharge can be predicted to identify the potential benefits of physical rehabilitation on a patient by patient basis. By text mining and clustering comorbidity codes, the severity of those clusters were used in a prediction model to determine rehabilitation benefits. Other information such as preliminary functional independence scores and age (in relation to independence scores) were used in the prediction model to provide the prescribing physician a way to determine if a patient will benefit from rehabilitation after a cardiopulmonary event.
Analyzing the Relationship between Diagnosis and the Cost of Diabetic Patients
Authors: Wang Xiao
Published: May 2010

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the diagnosis and the cost of patient care for those with diabetes in Medicare. In this analysis, the author used data sets about outpatient claim, inpatient claim as well as beneficiary demography information for the year 2004, all of which were taken from the Chronic Condition Data Warehouse provided by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. The author analyzed the cases for diabetic inpatients and outpatients by different methods. For outpatient analysis, exploratory data analysis and linear models were used .The results show that the total charges for diagnoses are reduced considerably for payment. The distribution of the total charges follows a Gamma distribution. The output of the generalized linear model demonstrates that only 15 out of the top 20 primary treatments for charges are statistically significant to the expenditures on outpatients.
An Example of Defining Patient Compliance
Authors: Petrou Christiana
Published: May 2010

This case examines the issue of compliance by patients at the University of Louisville School of Dentistry (ULSD). The focus is defining compliance and constructing a measurement scale. Confidence interval estimation and bootstrapping were explored to assist with the allocation of patients to compliance levels. Patients who were within the 95% confidence interval of the median for visit intervals at least 80% of the time were defined as fully compliant, with decreasing levels of compliance as the percentage decreases. Research on compliance has developed over the past few years, but a lot of work still needs to be done. A new measure of compliance could assist in understanding the patients’ needs and concerns other than the obvious financial, fear and psychological reasons as well as shedding some light on the way dentists operate and how that affects compliance. A new way of defining and measuring compliance is proposed in this research study.
Cost Models with Prominent Outliers
Authors: Battioui Chakib
Published: May 2010

Government reimbursement programs, such as Medicare and Medicaid, generally pay hospitals less than the cost of caring for the people enrolled in these programs. For many patient conditions, Medicare and Medicaid pay hospitals a fixed amount based upon average cost for a procedure or treatment with local conditions taken into consideration. In addition, while the hospital provides the services, it has little control over the cost of delivery of that service, which is determined more by physician orders. The physician is under no real obligation to control those costs as the physician bills separately for services that are independent of orders charged. However, some patients who are severely ill will cost considerably more than average. This has caused providers to lose money. In this study, we investigate the reimbursement policies and the assumptions that have been made to create these reimbursement policies.
The Relationship between Sleep Apnea and Cognitive Functioning
Authors: Khan M. S. S.
Published: May 2010

The brain is the most complicated and least studied area of Neuro Sceince. In recent times, it has been one of the fastest growing areas of study in the Medical Sciences. This is mostly due to computers and computational techniques that have emerged in the last 10-15 years. Cognitive Neuropsychology aims to understand how the structure and function of the brain relates to psychological processes. It places emphasis on studying the cognitive effects of brain injury or neurological illness with a view to inferring models of normal cognitive functioning. We investigate the relationship between sleep apnea and learning disorders. Sleep apnea is a neural disorder, where individuals find it difficult to sleep because they stop breathing. We want to see if patients with learning disabilities should be treated for sleep apnea.
From Wood to Bits to Silicon Chips
Authors: Rowe Debbie A.
Published: May 2010

This chapter lists some of the key inventions and applications in the history of computer synthesized speech (CSS). Starting with a brief look at the early synthesis machines—precursors to the computerized renditions of the 20th century—the chapter proceeds to look at the strides made by corporations, such as Bell Labs, IBM, Apple Inc., and Microsoft, in creating assistive technologies that tap into the benefits of CSS. There is also a discussion on developments in the fields of Neuroscience, Robotics, and the non-scientific fields of Composition and the Arts. Finally, the chapter explores how CSS has permeated the popular culture mediums of film and television, sometimes in parallel and sometimes as antecedents to current day inventions.
XML Benchmark
Authors: Geng Ke , Dobbie Gillian
Published: May 2010

Benchmarks are widely used in database-related research, helping users choose suitable database management systems and helping researchers evaluate their new methods. Recently benchmarks for XML have been designed to support the development of XML tools and systems. In this chapter, XML benchmarks are categorized into four groups: application benchmark, micro benchmark, XML generator and real dataset. Characteristics of each benchmark are discussed and compared. Finally, the future direction of XML benchmarks are discussed.
XML Stream Processing
Authors: Tatemura Junichi
Published: May 2010

This chapter reviews recent advances on stream XML query evaluation algorithms with stack-based encoding of intermediary data. Originally proposed for disk-resident XML, the stack-based architecture has been extended for streaming algorithms for both single and multiple query processing, ranging from XPath filtering to more complex XQuery. The key benefit of the stack-based architecture is its succinct encoding of partial query results, which can cause exponential enumeration if encoded naively. In addition, the chapter discusses opportunities to integrate benefits demonstrated in the reviewed work. For single-query processing, a sketch is given for an integrated algorithm, StreamTwig2Stack, that achieves all the benefits of existing algorithms in terms of functionality, time complexity, and buffer memory optimality.
XML Data Integration
Authors: Cao Huiping , Qi Yan , Candan K. Selçuk , Sapino Maria Luisa
Published: May 2010

Many applications require exchange and integration of data from multiple, heterogeneous sources. eXtensible Markup Language (XML) is a standard developed to satisfy the convenient data exchange needs of these applications. However, XML by itself does not address the data integration requirements. This chapter discusses the challenges and techniques in XML Data Integration. It first presents a four step outline, illustrating the steps involved in the integration of XML data. This chapter, then, focuses on the first two of these steps: schema extraction and data/schema mapping. More specifically, schema extraction presents techniques to extract tree summaries, DTDs, or XML Schemas from XML documents. The discussion on data/schema mapping focuses on techniques for aligning XML data and schemas.
Contributions of E-Collaborative Knowledge Construction to Professional Learning and Expertise
Authors: Harteis Christian
Published: May 2010

Modern employment and work life demands employees who continuously develop and actualize their competencies. Information and computer technology (ICT) provides rich opportunities to support individuals in their professional learning. This contribution describes professional learning from the perspective of research on expertise, which analyses the development of knowledge structures on the way from novice to high performing expert. First, a general concept of competence and knowledge development is to be discussed and different types of knowledge are to be distinguished. Then this contribution discusses opportunities to support this development with e-learning scenarios on the various levels of knowledge construction. The main argument is that e-learning opportunities are an option to overcome the traditional distinction between formal and informal learning. However, crucial challenges for implementing e-collaborative knowledge construction remain – as the contribution finally will conclude.
The Role of Narrative in Educational Games and Simulations
Authors: Bizzocchi Jim
Published: May 2010

This chapter examines the relationship of story, interaction, and learning through a close view of the role of narrative in two SAGE for Learning projects: Contagion and COMPS. The combination of narrative with an interactive multi-mediated environment can enhance the learning experience. In interactive environments, the standard narrative arc has limited analytical utility; in its place, we use a framework of more focused and particular narrative components, with the following components: storyworld, character, emotion, narrativized interface, micro-narrative and narrative progression. This framework is used to analyze Contagion and COMPS, revealing the underlying narrative dynamics that drive the design, and support the learning experiences that they make possible.
Does Fantasy Enhance Learning In Digital Games?
Authors: Asgari Mahboubeh , Kaufman David
Published: May 2010

Digital games have the potential to create environments that increase motivation, engage learners, and support learning. This chapter focuses on fantasy as one of the motivational features of games, and explores the relationships among digital games, fantasy, and learning. The authors describe game characteristics and the key factors that make digital games motivational and compelling – important factors in designing games for learning. Motivation is critical in engaging students in learning activities, and this chapter explores fantasy as an important motivational feature in digital games, the popular genre of fantasy role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, and the importance of creating different kinds of fantasies for males and females. Finally, the authors explore the integration of learning content in fantasy contexts in digital games.
The Computer-Assisted Patient Consultation
Authors: Shachak Aviv , Reis Shmuel
Published: May 2010

The implementation of electronic health records (EHRs) holds the promise to improve patient safety and quality of care, as well as opening new ways to educate patients and engage them in their own care. On the other hand, EHR use also changes clinicians’ workflow, introduces new types of errors, and can distract the doctor’s attention from the patient. The purpose of this chapter is to explore these issues from a micro-level perspective, focusing on the patient consultation. The chapter shows the fine balance between beneficial and unfavorable impacts of using the EHR during consultations on patient safety and patient-centered care. It demonstrates how the same features that contribute to greater efficiency may cause potential risk to the patient, and points to some of the strategies, best practices, and enabling factors that may be used to leverage the benefits of the EHR. In particular, the authors point to the role that medical education should play in preparing practitioners for the challenges of the new, computerized, environment of 21st century medicine.
Functional Neuroimaging, Free Will, and Privacy
Authors: Gligorov Nada , Krieger Stephen C.
Published: May 2010

Technological advances in neuroscience have made inroads on the localization of identifiable brain states, in some instances purporting the individuation of particular thoughts. Brain imaging technology has given rise to what seem to be novel ethical issues. This chapter will assess the current abilities and limitations of functional neuroimaging and examine its ethical implications. The authors argue that currently there are limitations of fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) and its ability to capture ongoing brain processes. They also examine the impact of neuroimaging on free will and privacy. The degree of variability of brain function precludes drawing meaningful conclusions about an individual’s thoughts solely from images of brain activity. The authors argue that neuroimaging does not raise novel challenges to privacy and free will, but is a recapitulation of traditional moral issues in a novel context.
Classroom Management in Synchronous Online Secondary Classrooms
Authors: Clemmons Karina , Nolen Amanda , Hunt Andrew , Grable Cheryl
Published: May 2010

Virtual schooling in the United States has continued to grow since the first virtual schools were established over ten years ago. A review of literature related to online education has largely centered on the experience of students in online classes (Barbour & Reeves, 2009), with little emphasis on the experiences of teachers who teach online classes (Robinson, 2008). The current study fills a critical gap in knowledge for teacher educators faced with the complex questions of how best to educate teacher candidates for the modern challenges of online teaching (Zeichner, 2008). Specifically, this study explores the following questions: How is classroom management addressed in an online learning environment? What are the necessary components of an effective online learning environment? The issues examined parallel Domain B of the Pathwise Assessment (Educational Testing Service, 2006): creating a climate of fairness, establishing rapport with students, communicating challenging learning expectations, establishing and maintaining consistent standards for classroom behavior, and making the classroom environment conducive to learning. A mixed-methods approach yields quantitative and qualitative data for analysis. The results indicate that the skills teachers acquire managing classroom behavior in traditional classroom settings do not transfer to online environments. Additional results suggest that the role of the facilitator, the students’ schools, and technology that allows equitable access is critical to the success of teachers creating an effective online learning environment. A discussion and implications for future research are also included.
Training of Teachers in Virtual Scenario
Authors: Alegre-Rosa Olga M. , Villar-Angulo Luis M.
Published: May 2010

The integration of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into higher education instruction is receiving growing attention from university scholars and administrators. The Canarian Government funded the Faculty Professional Development project (FPD) to enhance the quality of formative programmes. Political and socioeconomic forces are inundating the two institutions with more strenuous demands for student competence and teaching accountability. FPD aims at developing and implementing online courses for training faculty members. Thus, understanding what makes faculty development effective is critical to understanding the success or failure of the FPD innovation. The arguments in this chapter response the following needs: (a) an explanation of the potential impact of e-development on faculty and agency staff members’ learning, and (b) electronic training for quality assurance specifications
Web-Based Instructions
Authors: Saleh Al Balawi Mohammed
Published: May 2010

Factors affecting faculty decisions in the conventional university setup in Saudi Arabia for participating or not participating sin Web-based instruction (WBI) were investigated in this study. Incentives and barriers to WBI, faculty attitudes, and participants’ demographic information were also explored. The study was aimed to investigate the attitudes of the faculty members at three Saudi universities toward WBI in an effort to describe the current status of WBI in the Saudi higher education system. In addition, results of the study could also provide the Saudi universities and the faculty with insight into factors affecting adoption of WBI. Finally, since there have been few implementations of WBI across the country, it was important to explore how WBI is currently used in Saudi universities and to determine critical factors that could affect the implementation of WBI.
An E-Learning Metaphor
Authors: Jameson Jill
Published: May 2010

This chapter describes a case study of collaborative e-learning, in which technological and human adaptability was fostered in a community of practice (CoP). The chapter reflects on the use of the extended metaphor of the camel in the JISC-funded eLIDA CAMEL and JISC infoNet CAMEL projects. Technological and social insights were gained through this use of the camel metaphorical model in a designed community of practice. A series of nomadic journeys held in oases provided by partners enabled honest exchanges amongst a community of ‘CAMEL’ practitioners, improving e-learning practices. The creation of an intentional e-learning community of practice fostered shared understandings about learning technology innovations. The camel metaphor was formative in stimulating understanding about building communal solutions to sustainability, low-cost innovative engagement and improved cooperation with others. The CAMEL metaphorical model has been validated in numerous other UK e-learning applications from which transnational insights for e-learning development can be drawn.