bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Effective and Robust Decentralized Target Tracking Scheme in Wireless Camera Sensor Networks
Authors: Fu Pengcheng , Cheng Yongbo , Tang Hongying , Li Baoqing , Pei Jun , Yuan Xiaobing
Published: March 2017

In this paper, we propose an effective and robust decentralized tracking scheme based on the square root cubature information filter (SRCIF) to balance the energy consumption and tracking accuracy in wireless camera sensor networks (WCNs). More specifically, regarding the characteristics and constraints of camera nodes in WCNs, some special mechanisms are put forward and integrated in this tracking scheme. First, a decentralized tracking approach is adopted so that the tracking can be implemented energy-efficiently and steadily. Subsequently, task cluster nodes are dynamically selected by adopting a greedy on-line decision approach based on the defined contribution decision (CD) considering the limited energy of camera nodes. Additionally, we design an efficient cluster head (CH) selection mechanism that casts such selection problem as an optimization problem based on the remaining energy and distance-to-target. Finally, we also perform analysis on the target detection probability when selecting the task cluster nodes and their CH, owing to the directional sensing and observation limitations in field of view (FOV) of camera nodes in WCNs. From simulation results, the proposed tracking scheme shows an obvious improvement in balancing the energy consumption and tracking accuracy over the existing methods.
The Impact of Bending Stress on the Performance of Giant Magneto-Impedance (GMI) Magnetic Sensors
Authors: Nabias Julie , Asfour Aktham , Yonnet Jean-Paul
Published: March 2017

The flexibility of amorphous Giant Magneto-Impedance (GMI) micro wires makes them easy to use in several magnetic field sensing applications, such as electrical current sensing, where they need to be deformed in order to be aligned with the measured field. The present paper deals with the bending impact, as a parameter of influence of the sensor, on the GMI effect in 100 µm Co-rich amorphous wires. Changes in the values of key parameters associated with the GMI effect have been investigated under bending stress. These parameters included the GMI ratio, the intrinsic sensitivity, and the offset at a given bias field. The experimental results have shown that bending the wire resulted in a reduction of GMI ratio and sensitivity. The bending also induced a net change in the offset for the considered bending curvature and the set of used excitation parameters (1 MHz, 1 mA). Furthermore, the field of the maximum impedance, which is generally related to the anisotropy field of the wire, was increased. The reversibility and the repeatability of the bending effect were also evaluated by applying repetitive bending stresses. The observations have actually shown that the behavior of the wire under the bending stress was roughly reversible and repetitive.
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) Feeding Protects Liver Steatosis in Obese Breast Cancer Rat Model
Authors: Hakkak Reza , Bell Andrea , Korourian Soheila
Published: March 2017

Obesity is a major health problem in the US and globally. Obesity is associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancers, hyperlipidemia, and liver steatosis development. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a dietary supplement used as an anti-obesity supplement. Previously, we reported that DHEA feeding protects 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary tumors. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of obesity and DHEA feeding on liver steatosis, body weight gain, and serum DHEA, DHEA sulfate (DHEA-S), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) levels. Female Zucker rats were randomly assigned to either a control diet or a control diet with DHEA supplementation for 155 days. Livers were collected for histological examination. Serum was collected to measure DHEA, DHEA-S, IGF-1, and IGFBP-3. Our results show that DHEA-fed rats had significantly less liver steatosis (p < 0.001) than control-fed rats and gained less weight (p < 0.001). DHEA feeding caused significant decreases (p < 0.001) in the serum levels of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 and significantly increased (p < 0.001) serum levels of DHEA and DHEA-S. Our results suggest that DHEA feeding can protect against liver steatosis by reducing body weight gain and modulating serum IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 levels in an obese breast cancer rat model.
Comparison of Miniaturized and Conventional Asymmetrical Flow Field-Flow Fractionation (AF4) Channels for Nanoparticle Separations
Authors: You Zengchao , Meier Florian , Weidner Steffen
Published: March 2017

The performance of a miniaturized channel for the separation of polymer and metal nanoparticles (NP) using Asymmetrical Flow Field-Flow Fractionation (AF4) was investigated and compared with a conventional AF4 system. To develop standard separation methods, experimental parameters like cross flow, gradient profile and injection time were varied and optimized. Corresponding chromatographic parameters were calculated and compared. Our results indicate that the chromatographic resolution in the miniaturized channel is lower, whereas significantly shorter analyses time and less solvent consumption were obtained. Moreover, the limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) obtained from hyphenation with a UV-detector are obviously lower than in a conventional channel, which makes the miniaturized channel interesting for trace analysis.
Evaluation of Ion Exchange and Sorbing Materials for Their Adsorption/Desorption Performane towards Anthocyanins, Total Phenolics, and Sugars from a Grape Pomace Extract
Authors: Trikas Evangelos D. , Papi Rigini M. , Kyriakidis Dimitrios A. , Zachariadis George A.
Published: March 2017

Byproducts of winery industries are treated, in many cases, as useless wastes constituting not only a major disposal problem but also not providing any additional profit to the industries. However, these byproducts could be utilized as a source of various phenolic compounds, such as anthocyanins, that could be used as nutraceuticals or natural colorants. Nine materials were tested and evaluated for their ability to retain and elute anthocyanins, total phenolics, and sugars from a grape pomace extract. The materials tested were the ion exchange Amberlite IRA 400 Cl−, Lewatit TP 208 and Lewatit TP 260, and the sorbing Chromosorb G-HP, Amberite XAD 2, Zeocros CA 150, Chemviron Carbon, Oasis HLB (hydrophilic-lipophilic balance) and Isolute C8 end-capped (EC). The two materials with the higher anthocyanins recovery rate, Oasis HLB and Isolute C8 (EC), were further examined for their anthocyanin capacities which were calculated as 5.76 mg·cm−3 and 3.06 mg·cm−3 respectively. Furthermore, their behavior pattern towards anthocyanins of various molecular weights was investigated using a liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-PDA-MS) system.
Forests and Food Security: What’s Gender Got to Do with It?
Authors: Asher Kiran , Shattuck Annie
Published: March 2017

Hunger remains a key development problem in the 21st century. Within this context, there is renewed attention to the importance of forests and their role in supplementing the food and nutrition needs of rural populations. With a concurrent uptake of “gender mainstreaming” for sustainable development, there is also a call for understanding the gendered dynamics of forest governance and food security. In this paper, we reviewed emerging research (2009–2014) on forests and food security and on the ways gender is said to matter. As with previous work on gender and natural resource management, we found that gender is an important variable; but how, to what degree and why are different in every context. That is, despite the suggestion of clear linkages, the relationships between gender, forests and food security are not generalizable across contexts. Understanding the relationship between forest resources and food security requires attention to gender disparities at the local level, but also to the broader political and economic context in which those disparities are reinforced. We flag the need to guard against ahistorical and technical approaches to gender and suggest some example research questions that use a more relational view of gender—one that examines how political economy and social power structure access to resources at multiple scales.
Land Access, Agricultural Land Use Changes and Narratives about Land Degradation in the Savannahs of Northeast Ghana during the Pre-Colonial and Colonial Periods
Authors: Boateng Peter
Published: March 2017

This paper discusses the evolution of socio-cultural and political relations that defined access to, use, and management of land resources in northeast Ghana during the pre-colonial and colonial periods. The aim is to historicise current meta-narratives about degradation of the natural landscape in the rural savannahs of northeast Ghana. Many of those degradation narratives take their root in the past during the colonial era, but the conceptual underpinnings of those narratives have remained essentially a-historical, a-political, and a-cultural. This paper shows that the organisation of space and land uses in pre-colonial communities in northeast Ghana was governed by certain traditional knowledge systems which were ignored by the colonial authorities. While narratives about landscape degradation by natives were propagated by the colonial government to justify a need to preserve the environment, their attempts to control land management matters were essentially for political and economic reasons. The study concludes that current policy frameworks on desertification and land management need to move beyond inherent historical biases. Rather, attention ought to be given to critical historical reflections on the dynamic processes by which variations in socio-economic relations of resource access/use, farming practices, land tenure arrangements, and political agendas interact with changes in the biophysical environment to produce different land cover trajectories over time.
The Diversification Benefits of Including Carbon Assets in Financial Portfolios
Authors: Zhang Yinpeng , Liu Zhixin , Yu Xueying
Published: March 2017

Carbon allowances traded in the EU-Emission Trading Scheme (EU-ETS) were initially designed as an economic motivation for efficiently curbing greenhouse as emissions, but now it mimics quite a few characteristics of financial assets, and have now been used as a candidate product in building financial portfolios. In this study, we examine the time-varying correlations between carbon allowance prices with other financial indices, during the third phase of EU-ETS. The results show that, at the beginning of this period, carbon price was still strongly corrected with other financial indices. However, this connection was weakened over time. Given the relative independence of carbon assets from other financial assets, we argue for the diversification benefits of including carbon assets in financial portfolios, and building such portfolios, respectively, with the traditional global minimum variance (GMV) strategy, the mean-variance-OGARCH (MV-OGARCH) strategy, and the dynamic conditional correlation (DCC) strategy. It is shown that the portfolio built with the MV-OGARCH strategy far out-performs the others and that including carbon assets in financial portfolios does help reduce investment risks.
Analysis of Factors Contributing to Changes in Energy Consumption in Tangshan City between 2007 and 2012
Authors: Zou Jialing , Liu Weidong , Tang Zhipeng
Published: March 2017

The aim of this paper is to identify the correlations between energy consumption and the factors that control usage in the city of Tangshan. To do this, we first analyze the current status of Tangshan’s economic development and energy consumption, and then applied the logarithmic mean Divisia index to identify the factors affecting the changes in energy consumption of all sectors. The findings are summarized as follows: (1) secondary industry accounts for an extremely high percentage of industry in Tangshan city, much higher than the national average; from 2007 to 2012, the proportion of secondary industry increased in Tangshan city; (2) Tangshan’s energy consumption in 2013 was nearly twice that in 2005. Coal and coke coal consumption was responsible for 96.2% of total energy consumption in 2005 and 95.1% in 2013; (3) Tangshan’s energy intensity decreased from 3.00 tce/thousand Yuan in 2005 to 1.85 tce/thousand Yuan in 2013. However, the energy intensity of Tangshan was far more than the average for China, and the decline in Tangshan’s energy intensity was much slower than the average for China; (4) The technical effect plays a dominant role in decreasing energy consumption in most sectors, and the scale effect is the most important contributor to increasing energy consumption in all sectors. Input structural and final use structural effects play different roles in energy consumption in different sectors.
Comparative Physicochemical and Microbiological Qualities of Source and Stored Household Waters in Some Selected Communities in Southwestern Nigeria
Authors: Bisi-Johnson Mary , Adediran Kehinde , Akinola Saheed , Popoola Elizabeth , Okoh Anthony
Published: March 2017

In this study, we evaluated the physicochemical and microbial qualities of source and stored household waters in some communities in Southwestern Nigeria using standard methods. Compared parameters include: physicochemical constituents; Temperature (T), pH, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Total Hardness (TH), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Magnesium ion (Mg2+) and Calcium ion (Ca2+) and microbiological parameters included Total Coliform Counts (TC), Faecal Coliform Counts (FC), Fungal Counts (Fung C), Heterotrophic Plate Counts (HPC).Comparing Stored and Source samples, the mean values of some physicochemical parameters of most of the stored water samples significantly (p < 0.05) exceeded that of Sources and ranged in the following order: T (15.3 ± 0.3 °C–28.3 ± 0.5 °C), pH (6.4 ± 0.1–7.6 ± 0.1), TDS (192.1 ± 11.1 ppm–473.7 ± 27.9 ppm), TH (10.6 ± 1.7 mg/L–248.6 ± 18.6 mg/L), BOD (0.5 ± 0.0 mg/L–3.2 ± 0.3 mg/L), Mg2+ (6.5 ± 2.4 mg/L–29.1 ± 3.2 mg/L) and Ca2+ (6.5 ± 2.4 mg/L–51.6 ± 4.4 mg/L). The mean microbial counts obtained from microbial comparison of different points (Stored and Source) of collection showed that most of the stored water had counts significantly exceeding (p < 0.05) those of the source water samples (cfu/100 mL) which ranged as follows: TC (3.1 ± 1.5–156.8 ± 42.9), FC (0.0 ± 0.0–64.3 ± 14.2) and HPC (47.8 ± 12.1–266.1 ± 12.2) across all sampled communities. Also, the predominant isolates recovered from the samples were identified as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter aerogenes, Aspergillus spp., Mucor spp., Rhizopus spp. and Candida spp. The presence of these pathogenic and potentially pathogenic organisms in the waters and the high counts of the indicator organisms suggest the waters to be a threat to public health.
Decomposition and Attribution Analysis of Industrial Carbon Intensity Changes in Xinjiang, China
Authors: Zhang Xinlin , Zhao Yuan , Sun Qi , Wang Changjian
Published: March 2017

Xinjiang’s industrial sector accounted for more than 80% of the total energy-related carbon emissions. A further understanding of each industrial sub-sector’s carbon intensity is very necessary to make differentiated policies and measures. This paper applied index decomposition analysis and attribution analysis to examine the influencing factors and each sub-sector’s contributions to the changes in influencing factors. The results demonstrated the following: (1) energy intensity effect contributed most to the decreases in industrial carbon intensity, and mining and quarrying, foods and tobacco, and other manufactures were the most representative industrial sub-sectors; (2) energy structure effect showed a positive effect on industrial carbon intensity, but its effect was not significant, and fuel processing, smelting and pressing of metals, metal products, and textile were mainly responsible for the increases in energy structure effect; (3) industrial structure effect showed significant fluctuations, but its accumulative effect promoted the increases in industrial carbon intensity, and fuel processing, mining and quarrying, and textiles were the main sub-sectors, which exerted negative effects on the decreases in industrial structure effect; (4) fuel processing, smelting and pressing of metals, and mining and quarrying significantly influenced these three decomposed factors from 2000 to 2014; (5) since 2009, energy-intensive sub-sectors increased rapidly, and the energy structure was not optimized, while attention was not paid to controlling the energy efficiency, thus all decomposed factors promoted the increases in industrial carbon intensity; and (6) mining and quarrying, textiles, fuel processing, and transport equipment were primarily responsible for the increases in energy structure effect. Fuel processing, chemicals, and smelting and pressing of metals were primarily responsible for the increases in energy intensity effect. Fuel processing, chemicals, smelting and pressing of metals, and other manufactures were primarily responsible for the increases in industrial structure effect.
On the Causality and K-Causality between Measures
Authors: Miller Tomasz
Published: March 2017

Drawing from the optimal transport theory adapted to the Lorentzian setting, we propose and study the extension of the Sorkin–Woolgar causal relation K + onto the space of Borel probability measures on a given spacetime. We show that it retains its fundamental properties of transitivity and closedness. Furthermore, we list and prove several characterizations of this relation, including the “measure-theoretic” analogue of the characterization of K + in terms of time functions.
A Review of Phage Therapy against Bacterial Pathogens of Aquatic and Terrestrial Organisms
Authors: Doss Janis , Culbertson Kayla , Hahn Delilah , Camacho Joanna , Barekzi Nazir
Published: March 2017

Since the discovery of bacteriophage in the early 1900s, there have been numerous attempts to exploit their innate ability to kill bacteria. The purpose of this report is to review current findings and new developments in phage therapy with an emphasis on bacterial diseases of marine organisms, humans, and plants. The body of evidence includes data from studies investigating bacteriophage in marine and land environments as modern antimicrobial agents against harmful bacteria. The goal of this paper is to present an overview of the topic of phage therapy, the use of phage-derived protein therapy, and the hosts that bacteriophage are currently being used against, with an emphasis on the uses of bacteriophage against marine, human, animal and plant pathogens.
Occurrence of Pharmaceuticals in Wastewater and Their Interaction with Shallow Aquifers: A Case Study of Horní Beřkovice, Czech Republic
Authors: Rozman David , Hrkal Zbyněk , Váňa Miroslav , Vymazal Jan , Boukalová Zuzana
Published: March 2017

The application of innovative technologies in water management, such as wastewater reuse, requires a deeper understanding of emerging pollutants, including pharmaceuticals. This study presents a unique pilot site at Horní Beřkovice in Central Bohemia, where wastewater parameters are significantly influenced by the effluent from a local psychiatric hospital, and where the treated wastewater infiltrates into a shallow aquifer over a long period. The survey compared the quality parameters of local wastewater with those of the wastewater in four other catchments with no sources of concentrated pharmaceutical contamination. A total of 10 pharmaceuticals were detected while monitoring a common sewage system, but their number increased 3-fold at Horní Beřkovice. The water quality data revealed the effectiveness of the removal of pharmaceuticals from wastewater at the local sewage treatment plant and tracked the fate of substances that move from the treatment plant into the recharge ponds and then gradually into groundwater. The findings showed a significant decrease in all the monitored micropollutants that remained bound in sediments and in the unsaturated zone. Their passage into groundwater was highly reduced, and they virtually disappear after a few hundred meters in the saturated zone. The only exception is carbamazepine. This substance passes through the treatment technology and unsaturated zone. It systematically appears in the groundwater samples collected about 1 km from the infiltration site.
New Tools for the Schistosomiasis Elimination Toolbox: Barriers and Opportunities for Development of a Topical Cercarial Anti-Penetrant
Authors: Downs Philip , Massoudi Natasha , Dick Anna , Kabore Achille , Rothrock Ginger , Blough Bruce
Published: March 2017

Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) affecting about 260 million people worldwide. Elimination of schistosomiasis remains a challenge because of high reinfection rates and limitations of current treatment guidelines and disease control interventions. Despite over 70 years of research on schistosome cercariae anti-penetrants, a personal protective product (PPP) remains elusive for the prevention of schistosomiasis. In this paper we explore perceptions of topical PPPs to identify potential opportunities and barriers in the development, promotion, and use as a tool to control and prevent schistosomiasis. Results from key informant interviews suggest that despite recognized benefits of a cercarial anti-penetrant, translation of research into a practical PPP for endemic areas is hindered by two critical issues: (1) minimal available evidence to demonstrate effective and practical use of topically applied products in community-based settings and (2) limitations of current business models to sustain product availability among high-risk groups in low-income settings. Additionally, introduction of a PPP would require an intensive behavioral change communication strategy to reinforce and enable routine use of the product. The potential additive impact of a PPP on reducing point of source infections, in combination with a comprehensive elimination strategy that includes preventive drug treatment, snail control, and improved water and sanitation, may still present an effective strategy to reduce moderate to high intensity of infection among high-risk groups, but requires additional translational research and business model development.
Predicting Quiescence: The Dependence of Specific Star Formation Rate on Galaxy Size and Central Density at 0.5 < z < 2.5
Authors: Whitaker Katherine E. , Bezanson Rachel , van Dokkum Pieter G. , Franx Marijn , van der Wel Arjen , Brammer Gabriel , Förster-Schreiber Natascha M. , Giavalisco Mauro , Labbé Ivo , Momcheva Ivelina G. , Nelson Erica J. , Skelton Rosalind
Published: March 2017

In this paper, we investigate the relationship between star formation and structure, using a mass-complete sample of 27,893 galaxies at 0.5 < z < 2.5 selected from 3D-HST. We confirm that star-forming galaxies are larger than quiescent galaxies at fixed stellar mass (

). However, in contrast with some simulations, there is only a weak relation between star formation rate (SFR) and size within the star-forming population: when dividing into quartiles based on residual offsets in SFR, we find that the sizes of star-forming galaxies in the lowest quartile are 0.27 ± 0.06 dex smaller than the highest quartile. We show that 50% of star formation in galaxies at fixed

takes place within a narrow range of sizes (0.26 dex). Taken together, these results suggest that there is an abrupt cessation of star formation after galaxies attain particular structural properties. Confirming earlier results, we find that central stellar density within a 1 kpc fixed physical radius is the key parameter connecting galaxy morphology and star formation histories: galaxies with high central densities are red and have increasingly lower SFR/

, whereas galaxies with low central densities are blue and have a roughly constant (higher) SFR/

at a given redshift. We find remarkably little scatter in the average trends and a strong evolution of >0.5 dex in the central density threshold correlated with quiescence from z ∼ 0.7–2.0. Neither a compact size nor high-n are sufficient to assess the likelihood of quiescence for the average galaxy; instead, the combination of these two parameters together with

results in a unique quenching threshold in central density/velocity.
Elongation of Flare Ribbons
Authors: Qiu Jiong , Longcope Dana W. , Cassak Paul A. , Priest Eric R.
Published: March 2017

We present an analysis of the apparent elongation motion of flare ribbons along the polarity inversion line (PIL), as well as the shear of flare loops in several two-ribbon flares. Flare ribbons and loops spread along the PIL at a speed ranging from a few to a hundred km s−1. The shear measured from conjugate footpoints is consistent with the measurement from flare loops, and both show the decrease of shear toward a potential field as a flare evolves and ribbons and loops spread along the PIL. Flares exhibiting fast bidirectional elongation appear to have a strong shear, which may indicate a large magnetic guide field relative to the reconnection field in the coronal current sheet. We discuss how the analysis of ribbon motion could help infer properties in the corona where reconnection takes place.
Welke plaats voor de haven- en logistieke activiteiten in Brussel?
Authors: Strale Mathieu
Published: March 2017

Logistieke activiteiten zijn een essentiële component van de stedelijke economie. In het Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest is die sector geconcentreerd in de kanaalzone en complementair met de havenactiviteiten die aldaar worden uitgeoefend. Bijgevolg fungeren de wijken langs het kanaal als een ruimte waar de goederenstromen die noodzakelijk zijn voor de bevoorrading van de Brusselse agglomeratie, samenkomen en herverdeeld worden. Dat gebied is evenwel blootgesteld aan grote vastgoed- en politieke druk om het te reconverteren en te desindustrialiseren ten gunste van woon-, handels- of kantoorprojecten. Die beweging kan negatieve gevolgen hebben voor de organisatie van de logistiek in het Brussels Gewest en onderstreept in ruimere zin de paradoxen en grenzen van het Brussels beleid inzake territoriale ontwikkeling.
The role of port and logistics activities in Brussels
Authors: Strale Mathieu
Published: March 2017

Logistics activities are an essential part of the urban economy. In the Brussels-Capital Region, this sector is concentrated in the canal area, as a supplement to port activities carried out there. The neighbourhoods along the canal therefore serve as a space for the concentration and distribution of goods transport necessary for the urban area of Brussels. However, this space is experiencing strong land and political pressure, prompting reconversion and deindustrialisation, to the benefit of housing, commercial and office projects. This movement may have a negative impact on the organisation of logistics in Brussels. More broadly, it highlights the paradoxes and limits of the territorial development policy in Brussels.
Exploring the Barriers to Electronic Collaboration
Authors: Imarhiagbe Bernard Owens
Published: March 2017

This investigation reviews research literature on electronic collaboration (e-collaboration) with a view to collate relevant information to support e-collaboration knowledgebase, further research and encourage further collaborative engagements. E-collaboration has been described with various phrases such as information sharing, information exchange, knowledge sharing, social networking and joint working. This research categorised the challenges of e-collaboration into people, process and technology because all the issues identified in e-collaboration research are rooted in one of these categories. As e-collaboration is a source of competitiveness, businesses that fail to strategically adopt the phenomenon could lose out. A notable example of e-collaboration is crowdfunding which provides funding for start-up and small businesses. However, businesses that support e-collaboration strategy have the potential to have better competitive advantage with increased firm performance.
Internet Based Collaboration Tools
Authors: Wahl Lori , Kitchel Allen
Published: March 2017

This structured literature review examines the digital tools used to facilitate distance collaboration and the available research relative to the use of those tools. The purpose of this paper was to contribute to a better understanding of Internet based professional collaboration tools, their features and benefits, and best research based professional practices. The authors examined 33 refereed or peer reviewed articles published from 2002 to 2015 that addressed the use of Web-based digital tools to support professional collaboration. Authors who are considered experts in the areas of virtual communities, digital collaboration, social psychology and technology and who publish in other forms were also included in the paper. In addition to providing a definition, a description and available research for each tool type, the Fit-Viability Model () is presented as part of this paper to guide digital collaborators in digital tool selection. The review and synthesis of the literature suggest an emerging need for a range of knowledge of Internet-based professional collaboration tools. Important elements of this knowledge include an understanding of the types of tools available and their features, limitations, and use. These insights empower digital collaborators with the ability to choose an appropriate and efficient tool for the collaborative project.
The Social Relations of Anywhere Working
Authors: Berrell Mike
Published: March 2017

The idea of anywhere working provides opportunities to utilize non-traditional work spaces and new employment relationships. However, the new employment relationships ensuing from the work practice have implications for both employees and employers. While thinking about the nature of anywhere working tends to focus on macro-level issues and micro-level practices, the social relations of anywhere working is a peripheral concern. This chapter reviews some of the images and meanings attached to work through the ages. Subsequently, the dominant ideas in the anywhere working literature emerge as employee centric, employer centric and technology centric themes. The notion of a sociological paradigm frames the discussion and analysis of anywhere working in its broadest context. Given its rapid spread, anywhere working may be represented as a watershed in employment relations and work practices. In this light, new ways of thinking about the social relations and the nature of work itself are required.
Working Anywhere and Working Anyhow?
Authors: Wärzner Alessandro , Hartner-Tiefenthaler Martina , Koeszegi Sabine Theresia
Published: March 2017

Working from anywhere relies heavily on information communication technologies (ICT). Scholars are increasingly utilizing a tension-based research lens to investigate organisational paradoxes which are rooted in opposite tendencies that might negate one another. Thus, computer-mediated communication can be both demanding and resourceful. The aim of this chapter is to present an analytical framework integrating three distinct but interrelated perspectives (task, medium and individual) to account for individuals' perceptions of job demands and job resources associated with the usage of ICT when working from anywhere. This chapter draws on insights from theories of media choice and communication performance, the self-determination theory and the job demands-resources model to better understand the impact of communication in the remote setting.
Collaboration via Technology as a Means for Social and Cognitive Development within the K-12 Classroom
Authors: Boyd N. Leigh
Published: March 2017

Collaboration within the K-12 classroom has been shown to benefit students' social and cognitive development. However, the results are not automatic, and there is some disagreement as to how to structure classroom collaboration to benefit students' development. Likewise, though technology seems nearly ubiquitous these days in the classroom, neither technology in general nor mobile technology specifically automatically offers benefits for students. This chapter will examine the research on collaboration and technology in the classroom, including Mercer's (2013) three products of collaboration (appropriation, co-construction, and transformation) and Stevenson and Hedburg's (2013) three interdependent elements of learning (task, environment, and experience). Finally, based on the research, a theoretical framework for understanding how best to set up mobile technology-enabled collaboration in the K-12 classroom is offered, including specific suggestions for curriculum planning.
E-Collaborative Learning (e-CL)
Authors: Xafopoulos Alexandros
Published: March 2017

This chapter investigates the highly researched and debated key issue of electronic collaboration (e-collaboration) in the learning process, onwards called e-collaborative learning (e-CL), in a holistic overview. The structure of the chapter is as follows. First of all, it clarifies the meaning and context of e-CL, and compares it with analysed relevant notions. Second, the human elements of e-CL and their roles are explored, classified into functional categories. Third, the supportive elements technology, pedagogy, and methodology are extensively visited. Fourth, the framework elements time, space, and society are presented. Fifth, the e-CL process is analysed, following the ADDIE model and analysing its phases. Sixth, significant affordances and challenges of e-CL are identified, and seventh, future directions are considered. Finally, conclusions are reached. Throughout the chapter new approaches, methods, and terms are proposed in the interests of the enrichment or the effectiveness of e-CL.
The Telework as an Organizational Innovation in the Entities of the Third Sector
Authors: Belzunegui Ángel , Erro-Garcés Amaya , Pastor Inma
Published: March 2017

This article discusses the role of the telework as an organizational innovation incorporated to the activities of the third sector as well as in the creation of networks and links between these entities. The telework has become a tool that has produced important changes in the traditional organization of the work, and has improved the inter- and intra-organizational communication, in addition to promoting the creation of extensive networks of collaboration in the third sector. The online connection and the provision made in telework mode have also served for the creation of a higher density of contacts between the entities that are grouped in the third sector, done so that it benefits the transmission of information and collaborative practices in providing services to the citizens. Its effectiveness consists in the speed that prints the response capacity of the social economy entities.
Aged Care, ICT, and Working Anywhere
Authors: Taylor Gabriele Helen , Blount Yvette , Gloet Marianne
Published: March 2017

This chapter examines how information and communication technology (ICT) and working anywhere was adopted in a not-for-profit aged care organization in Australia. The aged-care and services sector has grown over the last decade leading to shortages of skilled and experienced workers. At the same time, the sector is dealing with significant changes relating on how services are funded, an increase in competition from both not-for-profit and for profit providers, a rise in demand for services, changes in technology as well as variations in government regulations Using ICT to streamline operations, communicate and collaborate has become critical for delivering efficient and effective services in both residential aged care and community care sections of the aged care and services sector. The not-for-profit case study in this chapter shows how a first mover in ICT adoption and utilizing working anywhere (telework) can support cost savings, provide the ability to respond to the changing regulatory environment as well as attract, recruit and retain skilled and experienced workers.
A Virtual Supply Chain Architecture to Grant Product Transparency in Agribusiness
Authors: Bruno Giulia
Published: March 2017

Especially in the food sector, fraud and counterfeiting are affecting the trust of consumers, who are more and more oriented to chose products basing on quality and traceability attributes rather than the price. Recently, the Electronic Product Code Information Services (EPCIS) standard was introduced to provide specifications for the representation of product traceability information. The collection and analysis of such information allows supply chains to be monitored and controlled through virtualization. Several applications of EPCIS were presented in literature, even if most of them are mainly focused on enabling technologies, with less emphasis on assessing how the available information can be used for a control at a higher level. This chapter review the relevant literature available on this topic, and present an architecture allowing the traceability of information about products throughout the entire supply chain by exploiting both the EPCIS standard and a NoSQL database. An application showing the potentiality of the proposed system in a case study is also reported.
Multiple Exploration of Entrepreneurs' Suggestions for Agricultural Development of Local Regional Units in Greece
Authors: Moschidis Odysseas , Ismyrlis Vasileios
Published: March 2017

The purpose of the present article is to evaluate the factors which are considered to be important for the agribusiness development of a local economy, with data derived from the entrepreneurs' perspective. For this purpose, an appropriate methodology was designed, in order to include the most of the aforementioned factors. Emphasis was given to questions which can illustrate the level of technological innovation with actions and initiatives like digital marketing, innovative ability and others. Therefore, a questionnaire was created and was then applied to many regions in northern Greece. In respect of data analysis, the contribution of Correspondence Analysis (CA), a method from the multidimensional statistics field, was crucial because it easily revealed the characteristics that intensively differentiated themselves. The above methodologies and their special characteristics facilitated also the implementation of SWOT analysis. In the case of the Regional Units examined in the current research, the positive and negative factors-points were easily revealed and presented.
Social-Based Product Innovation and Governance in The Milk Sector
Authors: Quaranta Giovanni , Salvia Rosanna
Published: March 2017

The chapter reports and discusses a case study on an economic and scientific partnership which has developed a successful innovation, a cheese produced with vegetable (artichoke) rennet, using measure 124 of Campania region's Rural Development Plan, in a sector which is currently in crisis. The case study shows how the initiative's key to success is not only in product innovation but, more importantly, in the innovation of governance in the production chain and in the composition of the partnership. The latter includes not only the actors traditionally involved in processes of innovation in the agricultural sector (producers/adopters of innovation) but, also, new figures capable of producing organisational models to increase competitiveness in this struggling sector.
A Survey
Authors: Gupta Sakshi , Gigras Yogita
Published: March 2017

This chapter presents a compiled analysis of the Characteristics and various vulnerabilities that are present till date of PDF files. Samples of maliciousness can include some zero days and files used on wild for some specific attacks. The PDF format is showed very quickly only to help understand the attack vectors. The PDF files that are malicious attacks are one of the wildest for almost a decade, and recently these types of attacks are increasing, and the various techniques are used to isolate from the anti-virus and other anti-malware software is growing very complex; hence, this is an important reason to work on understanding the protection point.
A Practical Approach of Network Simulation
Authors: Agarwal Ratish , Shukla Piyush Kumar , Goyal Sachin
Published: March 2017

Communication is a very important area of research in the present era. Expansion of globalization and reduction in the cost of electronic devices has made communication very effective. A large number of researchers from academics and industries are involved in the research on communication and networks. Any novel idea has to be verified on the simulator. A number of simulators are available for network simulations such as Network Simulator (NS2 and NS3), OPNET, NetSim, OMNeT++, REAL, J-Sim and QualNet. NS is an open-source simulation tool that runs on Linux. It is a discreet event simulator for networking research and provides substantial support for simulation of routing, multicast and IP protocols. This chapter provides an overview of NS in a much simpler way. At the completion of this chapter readers will be able to write tcl script to simulate a scenario of network. Every simulation on NS generates a huge trace file; the study of this can be done with the help of AWK script.
Distributed System Implementation Based on “Ants Feeding Birds” Algorithm
Authors: Mulay Preeti , Patel Krishnal , Gauchia Hecto Gomez
Published: March 2017

Evolving technologies are intricately woven into the fabric of social and institutional systems. With the invent of “Internet of Everything (IoE)” concept it is realistic now to employ animals and or humans to transmit details electronically. IoE concepts with sensor technology can prove wonders in any domain for that matter starting from eFarming, eHealth, eCare and what not. Humans can transform electronics by using various eConnected gadgets also motivated due to or based on “Nature Inspired Algorithms”. The confluence of IT, psychology with non-IT systems will be part of new generation's life. Such collaborative concept can be implemented practically with the help of “Cloud-to-Dew-Computing” based technologies. To include so many concepts together, it is essential to concentrate also on Cyber Security and Risk associated with such conceptual implementation. Dew-Computing at root levels will take care of Cyber Security effectually. Dew-Computing being backend support of Distributed System, can process multiple entities resourcefully. “Animal Data Interchange Standards” are very well considered innovative business opportunity these days and for years to come. These standards have started their work focusing on the Dairy related animal standard. Every dairy animal should enjoy life to remain healthy and more productive. Incremental Learning about Animal Life Data and Animal Identification, behavior, seasonal-changes, health etc. can be easily achieved with IoE.
A Survey
Authors: Sharma Srishti , Gigras Yogita
Published: March 2017

The cloud computing field is an emerging field and continuously growing at a fast pace. The data stored on the public cloud is not safe as the attackers can hack or gain unauthorized access to the data and can modify its contents to harm the organizations and the users as well. They pose security threats and risks at various levels. These threats need to be removed and security actions need to be taken at right time to protect the cloud data and resources from being misused by the attackers. Some of the security measures are summarized in order to protect the data.
Digital Signature Schemes Based on Two Hard Problems
Authors: Nimbalkar A. B. , Desai C. G.
Published: March 2017

This chapter takes a critical review of the digital signature schemes which are based on two hard problems. The analytical study begins with the Harn (1994) scheme and He-Kiesler (1994) scheme. Shao's 1998 and 2002 schemes have been studied. Wei-Hua He (2001) and Shimin Wei (2004, 2007) schemes are analyzed further in the research work. Attacks on Shimin Wei's (2004, 2007) schemes are critically studied and drawbacks have been noted so as to design better schemes than these. Then we continue our analysis work by studying Ismail, Thate, and Ahmad's (2008) scheme and Swati Verma's (2012) signature scheme.
Cloud Auditor Loyalty Checking Process Using Dual Signature
Authors: Thakur Divya
Published: March 2017

We apply dual signature method. Providing security to the data from auditor during remote data possession checking by applying dual signature. Basically dual signature is a mechanism that is used to provide security during secure electronic transition protocol. The function of dual signature is to provide authenticity and integrity of the data. It links two message wished for two different recipient. In the case of providing security from auditor we use this methodology because it works on the basic of providing two links for two different recipients. In the case of dual signature customer wants to send order information to the trader and payment information to the bank. Here we use two links but not for the purpose of secure transaction but for the purpose of secure information exchange in remote possession checking.
Cloud Security Using 2-Factor Image Authentication Technique
Authors: Agarwal Ratish , Pandey Anjana , Pawar Mahesh
Published: March 2017

Cloud computing is being anticipated as the infrastructural basis of tomorrow's IT industry and continues to be a topic of interest of many new emerging IT firms. Cloud can deliver resources and services to computers and devices through internet. Since Cloud Computing involves outsourcing of sensitive data and critical information the security aspects of cloud need to be dealt carefully. Strong authentication, focusing mainly on user-authentication, acts as a pre-requisite for access control in the cloud environment. In this paper we discuss an efficient authentication mechanism to deal with the security threats that are faced by cloud. The method proposed in this paper prevents the confidential data and information of end users stored in a private cloud from unauthorized access by using a two-factor authentication involving shared image concept in addition with encrypted key authentication.MD5 hashing technique is used which takes binary pixel value of image as input and convert it into a 128-bit hash value. The overall process of authentication has been shown through experimental result and implementation which shows a series of snapshots taken from the chapter.
Utilizing Soft Computing Application for QOS and Security Optimization by Meta-Heuristic-Based Genetic Approach
Authors: Zafar Sherin
Published: March 2017

In cloud computing network, due to high node mobility, routing is regarded as one of the most challenging task. Some of the traditional protocols developed for cloud networks, wireless network and cyber world use dynamic optimization for QOS accomplishment using some of the optimality criterions like shortest distance, minimal bandwidth usage and minimum delay and constraints like limited power and limited capability of wireless links. GA (Genetic Algorithm) based approach is utilized in this chapter for QOS design based secured routing protocol, where GA is used for finding the most optimal (fittest route) hence improving QOS leading to an optimized secured routing protocol. GA based approach which is discussed in this chapter, selecting the fittest route leads to optimization of QOS based performance parameters like average packet delivery ratio, average drop rate etc. Simulation results shown in the chapter also validate the approach.