bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Framework for Networked Experiments in Global E-Science
Authors: Liberati Diego
Published: April 2013

This chapter presents a framework that creates, uses, and communicates information whose organizational dynamics allow individuals to perform a distributed cooperative enterprise in public educational environments. The approach presented here assumes Web services (possibly offered over a grid) are the enacting paradigm used to formalize educational interactions as cooperative services on various computational nodes of a network. By examining a case study involving a well known micro-array experiment in the growing field of bioinformatics, this chapter will detail how specific classes of interactions can be mapped into a service-oriented model that can be implemented in a variety of e-learning contexts. This framework illustrated by this case study allows for a sophisticated degree of e-learning that can be applied to a range of local or international contexts.
Addressing the Challenges of Detecting Epistasis in Genome-Wide Association Studies of Common Human Diseases Using Biological Expert Knowledge
Authors: Pattin Kristine A. , Moore Jason H.
Published: April 2013

Recent technological developments in the field of genetics have given rise to an abundance of research tools, such as genome-wide genotyping, that allow researchers to conduct genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for detecting genetic variants that confer increased or decreased susceptibility to disease. However, discovering epistatic, or gene-gene, interactions in high dimensional datasets is a problem due to the computational complexity that results from the analysis of all possible combinations of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). A recently explored approach to this problem employs biological expert knowledge, such as pathway or protein-protein interaction information, to guide an analysis by the selection or weighting of SNPs based on this knowledge. Narrowing the evaluation to gene combinations that have been shown to interact experimentally provides a biologically concise reason why those two genes may be detected together statistically. This chapter discusses the challenges of discovering epistatic interactions in GWAS and how biological expert knowledge can be used to facilitate genome-wide genetic studies.
Hybrid Neural Genetic Architecture
Authors: Buabin Emmanuel
Published: April 2013

The objective is a neural-based feature selection in intelligent recommender systems. In particular, a hybrid neural genetic architecture is modeled based on human nature, interactions, and behaviour. The main contribution of this chapter is the development of a novel genetic algorithm based on human nature, interactions, and behaviour. The novel genetic algorithm termed “Buabin Algorithm” is fully integrated with a hybrid neural classifier to form a Hybrid Neural Genetic Architecture. The research presents GA in a more attractive manner and opens up the various departments of a GA for active research. Although no scientific experiment is conducted to compare network performance with standard approaches, engaged techniques reveal drastic reductions in genetic operator operations. For illustration purposes, the UCI Molecular Biology (Splice Junction) dataset is used. Overall, “Buabin Algorithm” seeks to integrate human related interactions into genetic algorithms as imitate human genetics in recommender systems design and understand underlying datasets explicitly.
The Mathematical Modeling and Computational Simulation for Error-Prone PCR
Authors: Luo Lixin , Zhu Fang , Deng Si
Published: April 2013

Many enzymes have been widely used in industrial production, for they have higher catalytic efficiency and catalytic specificity than the traditional catalysts. Therefore, the performance of enzymes has attracted wide attention. However, due to various factors, enzymes often cannot show their greatest catalytic efficiency and the strongest catalytic ability in industrial production. In order to improve the enzyme activity and specificity, people become increasingly interested in the transformation and modification of existing enzymes. For the structure modification of proteinase, this chapter introduces a computational method for modelling error-prone PCR. Error-prone PCR is a DNA replication process that intentionally introduces copying errors by imposing mutagenic reaction condition. We then conclude about the mathematical principle of error-prone PCR which may be applied to the quantitative analysis of directed evolution in future studies.
Incorporating Correlations among Gene Ontology Terms into Predicting Protein Functions
Authors: Hu Pingzhao , Jiang Hui , Emili Andrew
Published: April 2013

The authors describe a new strategy that has better prediction performance than previous methods, which gives additional insights about the importance of the dependence between functional terms when inferring protein function.
Engineering Gene Control Circuits with Allosteric Ribozymes in Human Cells as a Medicine of the Future
Authors: Penchovsky Robert
Published: April 2013

Systems and synthetic biology promise to develop new approaches for analysis and design of complex gene expression regulatory networks in living cells with many practical applications to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. In this chapter the development of novel universal strategies for exogenous control of gene expression is discussed. They are based on designer allosteric ribozymes that can function in the cell. The synthetic riboswitches are obtained by a patented computational procedure that provides fast and accurate modular designs with various Boolean logic functions. The riboswitches can be designed to sense in the cell either the presence or the absence of disease indicative RNA(s) or small molecules, and to switch on or off the gene expression of any exogenous protein. In addition, the riboswitches can be engineered to induce RNA interference or microRNA pathways that can conditionally down regulate the expression of key proteins in the cell. That can prevent a disease’s development. Therefore, the presented synthetic riboswitches can be used as truly universal cellular biosensors. Nowadays, disease indicative RNA(s) can be precisely identified by employing next-generation sequencing technologies with high accuracy . The methods can be employed not only for exogenous control of gene expression but also for re-programming the cell fate, anticancer, and antiviral gene therapies. Such approaches may be employed as potent molecular medicines of the future.
Can Activated Platelet Rich Plasma Combined with Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Be Used to Treat Skin Wrinkles?
Authors: Van Pham Phuc , Dang Loan Thi-Tung , Truong Nhung Hai , Phan Ngoc Kim
Published: April 2013

In recent years, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) and Adipose-Derived Stem Cells (ADSCs) have been used separately for many clinical applications, especially skin rejuvenation. A combined injection of PRP and ADSCs could therefore be used to treat skin wrinkles. However, there are controversies and reports with conflicting results regarding the efficacy of this treatment. The authors aimed to determine the anti-wrinkle and skin rejuvenation mechanism of combined PRP and ADSCs treatment. The effects of PRP and ADSCs isolated from the same consenting donors were evaluated using in vitro and in vivo models. The in vitro effects of PRP and ADSCs on dermal fibroblast proliferation, collagen production, and inhibition of Matrix Metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) production were investigated using a co-culture model. Fibroblasts and ADSCs were cultured within the same dish, but in two separate cavities (using an insert plate), in the presence of the same PRP-supplemented medium. In vivo, the authors evaluated the effects of combined PRP and ADSCs on skin histochemistry, including changes in the dermal layer and collagen production in photo-aged skin (mice). They also determined the survival and differentiation of grafted ADSCs. The results show that combined PRP and ADSCs strongly stimulate in vitro fibroblast proliferation, collagen production, and inhibition of MMP-1 synthesis. Intra-dermal co-injection of PRP and ADSCs was observed to stimulate increased dermal layer thickness and collagen production compared with the untreated group. These results indicate that a combined PRP and ADSC injection can reduce wrinkles more effectively than either PRP or ADSC alone, and provide insight into the clinical use of PRP combined with ADSCs for dermal applications, particularly skin rejuvenation.
Analysis of Kinase Inhibitors and Druggability of Kinase-Targets Using Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: Prasanthi S. , Bhavani S.Durga , Rani T. Sobha , Bapi Raju S.
Published: April 2013

Vast majority of successful drugs or inhibitors achieve their activity by binding to, and modifying the activity of a protein leading to the concept of druggability. A target protein is druggable if it has the potential to bind the drug-like molecules. Hence kinase inhibitors need to be studied to understand the specificity of a kinase inhibitor in choosing a particular kinase target. In this paper we focus on human kinase drug target sequences since kinases are known to be potential drug targets. Also we do a preliminary analysis of kinase inhibitors in order to study the problem in the protein-ligand space in future. The identification of druggable kinases is treated as a classification problem in which druggable kinases are taken as positive data set and non-druggable kinases are chosen as negative data set. The classification problem is addressed using machine learning techniques like support vector machine (SVM) and decision tree (DT) and using sequence-specific features. One of the challenges of this classification problem is due to the unbalanced data with only 48 druggable kinases available against 509 non-drugggable kinases present at Uniprot. The accuracy of the decision tree classifier obtained is 57.65 which is not satisfactory. A two-tier architecture of decision trees is carefully designed such that recognition on the non-druggable dataset also gets improved. Thus the overall model is shown to achieve a final performance accuracy of 88.37. To the best of our knowledge, kinase druggability prediction using machine learning approaches has not been reported in literature.
Chemoinformatics on Metabolic Pathways
Authors: Hattori Masahiro , Kotera Masaaki
Published: April 2013

Chemical genomics is one of the cutting-edge research areas in the post-genomic era, which requires a sophisticated integration of heterogeneous information, i.e., genomic and chemical information. Enzymes play key roles for dynamic behavior of living organisms, linking information in the chemical space and genomic space. In this chapter, the authors report our recent efforts in this area, including the development of a similarity measure between two chemical compounds, a prediction system of a plausible enzyme for a given substrate and product pair, and two different approaches to predict the fate of a given compound in a metabolic pathway. General problems and possible future directions are also discussed, in hope to attract more activities from many researchers in this research area.
Resolving Sample Traces in Complex Mixtures with Microarray Analyses
Authors: Lambrou George I. , Koultouki Eleftheria , Adamaki Maria , Moschovi Maria
Published: April 2013

This chapter reviews the microarray technology and deal with the majority of aspects regarding microarrays. It focuses on today’s knowledge of separation techniques and methodologies of complex signal, i.e. samples. Overall, the chapter reviews the current knowledge on the topic of microarrays and presents the analyses and techniques used, which facilitate such approaches. It starts with the theoretical framework on microarray technology; second, the chapter gives a brief review on statistical methods used for microarray analyses, and finally, it contains a detailed review of the methods used for discriminating traces of nucleic acids within a complex mixture of samples.
Certification and Security Issues in Biomedical Grid Portals
Authors: Doukas Charalampos , Maglogiannis Ilias , Chatziioannou Aristotle
Published: April 2013

User authentication and data security are very important aspects for the deployment and proper function of biomedical grid portals, since both sensitive data issues and controlled access to grid resources must be addressed. This chapter discusses certification and security issues in biomedical grid portals and presents the security infrastructure of GRISSOM (Grids for In Silico Systems biology and Medicine) platform. The platform consists of a web-based portal and a Web Service that enables statistical analysis of microarray cDNA data with the use of EGEE Grid infrastructure. The security infrastructure addresses user authentication and access issues, data encryption, Grid secure access and Web Service Security. The appendix of the chapter contains code snapshots on how to implement secure authentication in Web Services and create user SSL certificates on demand.
The Applications of Omics Technologies and the Challenges of Ethics in Nutritional Sciences
Authors: Bhardwaj Minakshi
Published: April 2013

During the past two decades, there have been numerous developments in the genetic and genomic technologies enabling us to understand complex biological systems in an integrative manner through holistic approaches in research. Since the sequencing of the human genome, efforts are made to identify the number of the genes and their functions. The tools for determining the functionality of the genes are just beginning to appear. Initially the methodologies to identify functionality of the genes were largely based on comparative studies between model organisms. The very high number of genes with unknown functions demanded the need to develop new methods and technologies that may be helpful in assigning functions to the identified genes. Advancements in computing techniques and software opened the door for new technologies to be able to take an applied approach by studying biomolecules needed for proper functioning of the cell and take a holistic approach in biomedical research. Besides genomics, several other technologies are developed in the last decade that take an ‘omics’ approach, i.e., an integrated approach in the study of cell function. It is hoped that the applied integrative omics approaches may be helpful in establishing cause and effect relationships between genotype and phenotype. These ‘omics’ approaches include the integration of genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics and other omic technologies to do the non-targeted studies of biomolecules involved in the proper functioning of the cells and their responses to environmental changes. The applications of these technologies have been also utilized in the field of nutrition for studies on how nutrients and other metabolites effect the proper functioning of the cell. With these emerging techniques to understand the molecular functioning of the body, it is envisaged that they might be helpful to give personalized medical care and dietary advice to people based on their individual genotypes in the future. Whilst nutritional genomics is a rapidly growing field in the nutritional sciences focusing on the diet-gene relationships, there is an increasing understanding that other technologies will also be crucial in understanding the whole biological processes involved in metabolism of food. In this chapter I wish to outline the use of contemporary technologies that are involved in establishing the intricate linkages between diet and the genes, and the ethical challenges they raise in their applications.
Genomics Perspectives of Bioethanol Producing Zymomonas Mobilis
Authors: Asraf S. Sheik , Rajnish K.N. , Gunasekaran P.
Published: April 2013

In recent years, there has been continuous increase in demand for fossil fuels that has led to the need for new potential fuel sources. Biofuels, in particular ethanol, are of high interest because of dwindling fossil fuels. Among the ethanol producers, Zymomonas mobilis has acquired greater interest because it is a renewable source of bioethanol. Zymomonas mobilis is an aerotolerant, gram-negative, ethanol producing bacterium that shows high ethanol yield, tolerance, and greater productivity. This chapter focuses on recent efforts made to engineer Z. mobilis, transcriptomic, genome-based metabolomic studies, and bioinformatics exploitation of the available genomic data for the production of bioethanol. Recently, several bioinformatics tools have been used to predict the functional properties of the carbohydrate active ethanologenic enzymes in Z. mobilis. A number of processes were used to study the functional properties of the ethanologenic enzymes of Z. mobilis. Thus, functional genomics seeks to apply technologies that would help to improve the production of bioethanol by Z. mobilis.
Ethics and Privacy Considerations for Systems Biology Applications in Predictive and Personalized Medicine
Authors: Chen Jake Y. , Xu Heng , Shi Pan , Culbertson Adam , Meslin Eric M.
Published: April 2013

Integrative analysis and modeling of the omics data using systems biology have led to growing interests in the development of predictive and personalized medicine. Personalized medicine enables future physicians to prescribe the right drug to the right patient at the right dosage, by helping them link each patient’s genotype to their specific disease conditions. This chapter shares technological, ethical, and social perspectives on emerging personalized medicine applications. First, it examines the history and research trends of pharmacogenomics, systems biology, and personalized medicine. Next, it presents bioethical concerns that arise from dealing with the increasing accumulation of biological samples in many biobanking projects today. Lastly, the chapter describes growing concerns over patient privacy when large amount of individuals’ genetic data and clinical data are managed electronically and accessible online.
Promoter Structures Conserved between Homo Sapiens, Mus Musculus and Drosophila Melanogaster
Authors: Jankovic Boris R. , Archer John A. C. , Chowdhary Rajesh , Schaefer Ulf , Bajic Vladimir B.
Published: April 2013

Some of the key processes in living organisms remain essentially unchanged even in evolutionarily very distant species. Transcriptional regulation is one such fundamental process that is essential for cell survival. Transcriptional control exerts great part of its effects at the level of transcription initiation mediated through protein-DNA interactions mainly at promoters but also at other control regions. In this chapter, the authors identify conserved families of motifs of promoter regulatory structures between Homo sapiens, Mus musculus and Drosophila melanogaster. By a promoter regulatory structure they consider here a combination of motifs from identified motif families. Conservation of promoter structure across these vertebrate and invertebrate genomes suggests the presence of a fundamental promoter architecture and provides the basis for deeper understanding of the necessary components of the transcription regulation machinery. The authors reveal the existence of families of DNA sequence motifs that are shared across all three species in upstream promoter regions. They further analyze the relevance of our findings for better understanding of preserved regulatory mechanisms and associated biology insights.
A New Approach for Sequence Analysis
Authors: Dempsey Kathryn , Currall Benjamin , Hallworth Richard , Ali Hesham
Published: April 2013

Understanding the structure-function relationship of proteins offers the key to biological processes, and can offer knowledge for better investigation of matters with widespread impact, such as pathological disease and drug intervention. This relationship is dictated at the simplest level by the primary protein sequence. Since useful structures and functions are conserved within biology, a sequence with known structure-function relationship can be compared to related sequences to aid in novel structure-function prediction. Sequence analysis provides a means for suggesting evolutionary relationships, and inferring structural or functional similarity. It is crucial to consider these parameters while comparing sequences as they influence both the algorithms used and the implications of the results. For example, proteins that are closely related on an evolutionary time scale may have very similar structure, but entirely different functions. In contrast, proteins which have undergone convergent evolution may have dissimilar primary structure, but perform similar functions. This chapter details how the aspects of evolution, structure, and function can be taken into account when performing sequence analysis, and proposes an expansion on traditional approaches resulting in direct improvement of said analysis. This model is applied to a case study in the prestin protein and shows that the proposed approach provides a better understanding of input and output and can improve the performance of sequence analysis by means of motif detection software.
Towards Optimal Microarray Universal Reference Sample Designs
Authors: Potamias George , Kaforou Sofia , Kafetzopoulos Dimitris
Published: April 2013

In this paper, the authors present an assessment of the reliability of microarray experiments as well as their cross-laboratory/platform reproducibility rise as the major need. A critical challenge concerns the design of optimal universal reference rna (urr) samples to maximize detectable spots in two-color/channel microarray experiments, decrease the variability of microarray data, and finally ease the comparison between heterogeneous microarray datasets. Toward this target, the authors present an in-silico (binary) optimization process the solutions of which present optimal urr sample designs. Setting a cut-off threshold value over which a gene is considered as detectably expressed enables the process. Experimental results are quite encouraging and the related discussion highlights the suitability and flexibility of the approach.
Emerging Web Tools and Their Applications in Bioinformatics
Authors: Singh Shailendra , Singh Amardeep
Published: April 2013

Bioinformatics is an emerging area of interest for many researchers and scientists. It has unlimited applications in many areas. The most important application of this is to know about genes, et cetera. But nowadays, research has also started in the emerging areas of network security and threats using bioinformatics. In the present scenario, we are highly dependent on Internet. The Web has invited different people from different backgrounds to work together sitting at far places. And to fulfill the needs of the interested and involved people, lots of Web based tools have been developed, and many others are being developed. In this chapter, the area of bioinformatics has been introduced along with its applications, Web, developed Web based tools, and a case study of one such tool.
Breaking the Ice
Authors: Stuart Lindsay H. , Remus Ulrich , Mills Annette M.
Published: April 2013

This case explores the challenges of implementing an enterprise system (ES) across a university with a diverse organizational culture. This teaching case describes the process through which Southern University sought to implement the Delta student management system (SMS) and the challenges encountered due to the university’s organizational culture. The project team ran into a change resistant culture with organizational units that enjoyed autonomy in their business processes. Rather than attend to various needs by customizing the system, the project team implemented a plain version of the system. Although this approach ensured the project team was able to complete the implementation on time and within budget, it left behind many dissatisfied users and organizational members, and created resistance within the organization toward the system. Therefore, this case provides opportunities for students to discuss the impact of organizational culture and user resistance on IS implementations as well as the merits and limitations of the strategies employed by the project team to ensure the new system was implemented on time and within budget.
A Crisis at Hafford Furniture
Authors: Levine Keith , White Bruce A.
Published: April 2013

This case presents a cloud computing technology solution that gives promise to a company devastated by a natural disaster. After a hurricane, the company recovered because of a solid disaster recovery plan, although it was financially strapped. The Vice President of Information Technology suggested using cloud computing to cut internal information technology costs. With a cloud computing solution, the IT department would go from twelve people to six. IT infrastructure (servers, hardware, programs, processing) would be done by a vendor (“the cloud”), although responsibility for information technology would be retained by the company. The case presents a background in cloud computing and cloudonomics. As the case unfolds, the authors find that proper oversight was neglected; rash decisions were made; and a crisis developed. The president took matters into his own hands, and without following proper protocols, selected a vendor that later went bankrupt and forced the company into dire circumstances.
The Other Side of “Big Brother”
Authors: Aspland David
Published: April 2013

A significant shift has occurred in the nature of policing over the past 30 to 40 years across jurisdictions and contexts. The paradigm of policing as a purely government function is under challenge. Policing is becoming more “pluralised” with a range of actors, both public and private. This shift has significant social implications for the general public, together with the public and private organisations that provide policing services. These implications are discussed and highlighted through the use of information technology by private police in two areas—CCTV surveillance and intelligence gathering. This case discusses this shift between public and private sectors in policing. The situation is more complex than a simple public/private divide and plays host to a range of interactions that bring many actors into contact, competition, and alliance in networks and assemblages. Most research and regulation remains focused on public policing even though, numerically, private policing is now a major provider of policing services in an increasingly fragmented, pluralized, and commodified market. This case considers the regulation of private policing as it exists in the Australian context and how it applies to the use of information technology, together with issues for human rights, especially privacy.
Location Based Context-Aware Services in a Digital Ecosystem with Location Privacy
Authors: Eklund Peter , Thom Jeff , Wray Tim , Dou Edward
Published: April 2013

This case discusses the architecture and application of privacy and trust issues in the Connected Mobility Digital Ecosystem (CMDE) for the University of Wollongong’s main campus community. The authors describe four mobile location-sensitive, context-aware applications (app(s)) that are designed for iPhones: a public transport passenger information app; a route-based private vehicle car-pooling app; an on-campus location-based social networking app; and a virtual art-gallery tour guide app. These apps are location-based and designed to augment user interactions within their physical environments. In addition, location data provided by the apps can be used to create value-added services and optimize overall system performance. The authors characterize this socio-technical system as a digital ecosystem and explain its salient features. Using the University of Wollongong’s campus and surrounds as the ecosystem’s community for the case studies, the authors present the architectures of these four applications (apps) and address issues concerning privacy, location-identity and uniform standards developed by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).
Agile Knowledge-Based E-Government Supported By Sake System
Authors: Ko Andrea , Kovács Barna , Gábor András
Published: April 2013

The evolution of e-Government services is fast. There is a limited time for adaptation to the new environment in terms of legislation, society, and economy. Maintaining reliable services and a secure IT environment is even more difficult with perpetual changes like mergers and acquisitions, supply chain activity, staff turnover, and regulatory variation. Nature of the changes has become discontinuous; however, the existing approaches and IT solutions are inadequate for highly dynamic and volatile processes. The management of these challenges requires harmonized change management and knowledge management strategy. In this paper, the selected change management strategy and the corresponding knowledge management strategy and their IT support is analysed from the public administration point of view. SAKE project (FP6 IST-2005-027128 funded by the European Commission) approach and IT solution are detailed to demonstrate the strategic view and to solve the knowledge management and change management related problems and challenges in public administration. The current situation of economic downturn and political change forces public administration to follow the reconfiguration of existing resources strategy, which is appropriate on the short run, moreover the combined application of personalization and codification strategy can result in long-term success.
Adoption of Computer-Based Formative Assessment in a High School Mathematics Classroom
Authors: Warner Zachary B.
Published: April 2013

This case follows a high school mathematics teacher who is new to the classroom and is looking to adopt computer-based formative assessment as a part of his curriculum. Working within the confines of the school environment, this requires navigating a shrinking budget, colleagues that do not share his value of technology, restricted time, student issues, and limited resources. He must examine all aspects of the available computer-based formative assessment systems and weigh the pros and cons to insure the best academic outcomes for his students.
The Ecological Industrialism Bet
Authors: Michelini Rinaldo C. , Razzoli Roberto P.
Published: April 2013

The sustainable growth dilemma requires providing well-matched prosperity to current citizens, aimed at preserving suited life-quality standards. Currently, civilization intentionally alters the surrounding wilderness. The changes include using biological sources (agricultural revolution) and energy supplies (industrial revolution) purposefully promoted and performed by men. The modern growth decisively exploits skilful provisions acquired from fossil and fissile earth stocks, through totally technical and non-conservative ways. The instant disadvantages of this are paid by contamination, inexorably altering the bio-sphere. The engineer’s doings in the new millennium have to cope with ecological quality objectives, curbing the industrialism practices, in view to provide visibility of all induced changes and to apply the responsible recovery measures. Here, the overview of the state of the art is shown, in particular addressing the design of “product-service” items, deliberately considering the early specifications for the lifecycle and the dismissal phases, and the integration prerequisites in the supply chain management, explaining the usefulness of network aids and the connected commercial modifications. The challenge is extraordinary and involves socio-cultural aspects, too. The discussion, although offering sketchy images, concerns technical suggestions, basically limited to assessing the life cycle eco-coherence as total company challenge. The business design conditions embed compulsory legal issues, requiring worldwide management.
Analyzing Enterprise System Post-Implementation Use of Manufacturing Processes in Greek SMEs
Authors: Mantakas Marios , Doukas Dimitris
Published: April 2013

This exploratory study assesses the maturity of the use of manufacturing processes by Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) which run enterprise information systems (ESs). The chapter considers a reference set of manufacturing best practice processes and analyzes which of these processes are used and which are not on a sample of 15 Greek SMEs. It explores the causes of process non-use from the ES implementer’s perspective. The analysis shows that several production planning, scheduling, execution, and costing processes, which could in principle add value to the sample companies, are not used, even after 7 years on the average of ES operation. Most deficiencies can be attributed to the companies’ lack of process-specific knowledge. An implication is that the analysis of the use of detailed processes should be part of the process and ES maturity assessments, and should precede the evaluation of higher-level business process orientation metrics.
A Decision Support System for ERP Implementation in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
Authors: Ali Mahmood , Xie Ying , Cullinane Joanna
Published: April 2013

This study investigates the implementation of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) and the role played by certain Critical Success Factors (CSFs) in implementation. Based on primary data collected, the relationship between the variables of time, cost, and achievement is formulated for each CSF. A simulation model based Decision Support Systems (DSS) is developed to assist resource allocations in ERP implementation, such as time and budget allocated to address each CSF. The DSS also facilitates making decisions to achieve more desired performance, measured by higher achievement, lower cost, and shorter implementation time. By drawing upon this model, the authors forecast how SME can better utilise and prioritise different CSFs and resources by choosing the best implementation strategy before real life implementation, thus saving time and money.
Software Solutions Construction
Authors: Guetat Sana Bent Aboulkacem , Dakhli Salem Ben Dhaou
Published: April 2013

Information has become an essential resource for the survival and sustainable development of modern organizations, which face the constraints of their unstable and continuously changing economic and technological environments. In order to manage effectively this valuable resource, organizations need information systems that play a critical role in information management and in supporting complex organizational processes. In particular, to support innovation processes and short time-to-market constraints organizations’ information systems must be agile and flexible. The information systems’ urbanization may be considered as one of the main solutions proposed by researchers since the late 1990s to help organizations build agile information systems. Nevertheless, despite the advantages of this concept, it remains too descriptive and presents many weaknesses. For example, there is no useful approach dedicated to urbanized information systems construction. In this chapter, the authors propose a development approach of software solutions that are compliant with the information system urbanization rules characterized by their main dimensions.
SME as a Service
Authors: Delgado José Carlos Martins
Published: April 2013

The market evolves at an increasingly faster pace. Enterprises, and in particular SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises), besides having to stay agile, competitive and aware of competition, must give customers what they need (customized products or services) when they need it. The classical business paradigm (carefully studying what customers have bought in the past to predict what they will buy in the near future and derive a strategy from it) is not agile and adequate enough anymore. This chapter discusses a customer-centric business paradigm with enough agility to follow the patterns of customers’ needs and the ability to customize specific needs as a variant of some pattern, turning the very low volume customer market into a viable business opportunity. The customization and corresponding production result from concrete user requests and not anticipation of demand. We call it EaaS (Enterprise as a Service) and is particularly adequate to SMEs.
Semantic Web Applications to Enhance the Market Opportunities of SMEs
Authors: Morandi Valentina , Sgobbi Francesca
Published: April 2013

This chapter contributes to the debate on Semantic Web applications as business-enablers by focusing the perspective of smaller business users. A case study investigates the benefits and the challenges of adopting an inter-organisational Information System based on Semantic Web identified by the members of a consortium of small ICT firms which collaborate in the provision of end-to-end services to their clients. Besides the opportunity of increased turnover, also appropriate technical skills, availability of a critical mass of digitalised information, change management competencies and innovativeness play a crucial role in driving the success of Semantic Web applications. These dimensions should be carefully considered when assessing the benefits of technological innovations based on Semantic Web, especially when addressing smaller businesses.
Interference Mitigation in Femtocell using Optimized Power Control
Authors: Al-Hmoudi Mutieb I. , Saeed Rashid
Published: April 2013

The femtocell network is a new technology that uses the advantage of an Internet backbone to enhance the cellular coverage in residential or small business areas. However, due to the expected random deployment of the Femtocell Access Point (FAP), there is a strong probability of interference among the femtocell nodes and between the femtocells and the macrocell nodes. In this chapter, an interference enhancement for OFDMA systems is developed and designed for two tiered macro-femtocell networks. An adaptive power control is calculated based on selecting the minimum interference channel with the optimized channel gain. In the simulation a number of the FAPs, the distance between the macrocell and the femtocell, and the path loss between the macrocell node and the FAPs are used as design parameters. By using optimized power control performance enhancement the interference degradation ratio can be observed.
Specifications for a Website Audit Tool for Small Businesses
Authors: Burgess Stephen
Published: April 2013

These days, small businesses typically have a web presence beyond their own website, employing the services of other online providers to host details of their businesses and hopefully attract more customers to them. This chapter examines the notion of a web presence audit tool for small businesses to enable them to track the various website features that they have implemented on their own, and other, websites over time. A ’website feature’ can be something as simple as listing the business address and telephone number on the website, but it can also include more advanced features such as online ordering and purchasing. The chapter discusses the specifications for such a website audit tool and suggests a relational database design for the tool. The resultant specifications are to be trialed in a number of settings before being introduced to a wider group of small businesses.
Fault-Tolerant and Fail-Safe Design based on Reconfiguration
Authors: Kubatova Hana , Kubalik Pavel
Published: April 2013

The main aim of this chapter is to present the way, how to design fault-tolerant or fail-safe systems in programmable hardware (FPGAs) and therefore to use FPGAs in mission-critical applications, too. RAM based FPGAs are usually taken for unreliable due to high probability of transient faults (SEU) and therefore inapplicable in this area. But FPGAs can be easily reconfigured. The authors’ aim is to utilize appropriate type of FPGA reconfiguration and to combine it with well-known methods for fail-safe and fault-tolerant design (duplex, TMR) including on-line testing methods for fault detection and then startup of the reconfiguration process. Dependability parameters’ calculations based on reliability models is integral part of proposed methodology. The trade-off between the requested level of dependability characteristics of a designed system and area overhead with respect to FPGA possible faults the main property and advantage of proposed methodology.
Canadian Biotechnology Systems
Authors: Queenton Johanne , Dufour Yvon , Milot Régis
Published: April 2013

In this chapter, the authors seek to estimate the importance of the clustering phenomenon in link with the biotechnological system as external factors that influence the growth of SBEs (specialised biotechnology enterprises). This is a first step in determining the geographical proximity of SBEs and researchers, and secondly, to identify the players involved in biotechnological systems of different clusters of agglomeration. Thus, the authors specify the number of SBEs by region, the number of researchers, and their links with industry. Therefore, in terms of biotechnological systems in place, the identification of the different stakeholders allow for revealing strengths and weaknesses of those regions for the sustaining of innovation in Canadian SBEs.
E-Commerce Adoption in Nigerian Businesses
Authors: Ekong Uyinomen O. , Ifinedo Princely , Ayo Charles K. , Ifinedo Airi
Published: April 2013

Business organizations around the world engage in e-commerce (EC) and e-business to support business operations and enhance revenue generation from non-traditional sources. Studies focusing on EC adoption in Sub Saharan Africa (SSA) are just beginning to emerge in the extant information systems (IS) literature. The objective of this current study is to investigate factors impacting the acceptance of EC in small businesses in SSA with Nigeria as an example. A research model based on the Diffusion of Innovation (DIT) and the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) frameworks were used to guide this discourse. Such factors as relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, management support, organizational readiness, external pressure, and IS vendor support were used to develop relevant hypotheses. Questionnaires were administered to respondents in Nigeria and data analysis was performed using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) technique. Predictions related to relative advantage, management support, and IS vendor support were confirmed; the other hypotheses were unsupported by the data. The study’s implications for research and practice are discussed in the chapter.
Building a Sustainable Regional Eco System for Green Technologies
Authors: Greenlee Bob , Daim Tugrul
Published: April 2013

This chapter begins with a brief overview of the environmental and policy drivers for cellulosic ethanol, and a description of the basic technology behind it. It then outlines a simple methodology for selecting the three primary components of a sustainable supply chain in the Pacific Northwest: feedstock, process, and distribution method. Using a weighted rating scale, the authors evaluate the alternatives for feedstocks, conversion processes, and distribution methods, and make some recommendations for an Oregon-based facility. These results are compared with the approach chosen by a new cellulosic ethanol startup, Pacific Ethanol, currently under construction in Boardman, Oregon. Although Pacific Ethanol’s choices help confirm the model, the model also provides valuable information for other potential ethanol production companies based in the Pacific Northwest.
Key Contracts Needed for SMEs Conducting e-Business
Authors: De Silva Sam
Published: April 2013

In order for a small to medium enterprise (SME) to conduct business electronically, that SME requires the establishment of a website. This requires agreements relating to (1) website development, (2) website hosting (3), Internet access, and (4) online content and advertising. The chapter will provide a practical guide from a UK law perspective for a SME in relation to the issues which should be considered when contracts for the above mentioned services are negotiated. The chapter does not cover the issues relating to how the SME should set up its arrangements with its own customers (for example, through website terms and conditions) nor does it consider e-commerce legislation required when conducting business on the Internet.
Crowdsourcing in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises
Authors: Mwila Natasha Katuta
Published: April 2013

In as much as caution must be taken to avoid hyper inflating the advantages of open innovation and crowdsourcing, the relevance of the concepts cannot and must not be dismissed. The purpose of this chapter is to elucidate on the major challenges faced by SMEs in crowdsourcing and the hindrance this presents in open innovation. For this reason, solutions and recommendations are provided to these challenges.
Why Select an Open Source ERP over Proprietary ERP?
Authors: Huq Nasimul , Shah Syed Mushtaq Ali , Mihailescu Daniela
Published: April 2013

This chapter introduces the key factors that motivate Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) to select Open Source ERP (OS ERP) over the proprietary ERP. The chapter starts with the related previous research works by stating the basic concepts of OS ERP selection. The goal of this chapter is to empirically identify the most important factors that may motivate the Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) to select this category of enterprise systems. Therefore this chapter proposes a Theoretical Model for Open Source ERP selection by SMEs and later on conducts an empirical study based on that theoretical model. The chapter tries to broaden the discussion around the important selection factors by including the perspective of the suppliers along with the perspective of OS ERP implementer SMEs.
Investigating the Impact of Entrepreneurship Online Teaching on Science and Technology Degrees on Students Attitudes in Developing Economies
Authors: El-Gohary Hatem , O’Leary Simon , Radway Paul
Published: April 2013

This paper investigates the influence of entrepreneurship online teaching in science and technology degree courses in developing economies and the impact of this teaching on students’ attitudes towards starting a small business enterprise (SBE). An organised examination of the literature related to entrepreneurship teaching is discussed and illustrated to provide an archive of past research points to explore and develop a clear understanding about the influence of entrepreneurship online teaching to science and technology degree students in developing economies (Egypt). Based on this review, the study validates a conceptual model utilising a positivist research philosophy with a quantitative approach, in which data is collected based on survey strategy through questionnaires to address different levels of the study. The findings indicated that there is very few research studies related to entrepreneurship teaching in developing countries and no single study related to entrepreneurship teaching in Egypt. The study provides great benefits for entrepreneurs, policy makers, practitioners, researchers, and educators by providing an understanding for all the issues related to teaching entrepreneurship on science and technology degree courses. This paper benefits researchers and scholars towards suitable future research studies which in turn will contribute to the related accumulated knowledge in the field.