bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anti-Obesity Effects of Onion Extract in Zucker Diabetic Fatty Rats
Authors: Yoshinari Orie , Shiojima Yoshiaki , Igarashi Kiharu
Published: October 2012

Anti-obesity effects of onion extract were determined in obesity and diabetes-prone Zucker diabetic fatty rats by measuring the efficacy of markers concerned with diabetes and obesity. Body and adipose tissue weights in 5% of onion extract-fed group were found to be significantly lower than the control group without onion extract. Fasting blood glucose and HOMA-IR levels were also improved, although the serum insulin and leptin levels did not show any remarkable difference. Serum triglyceride and free fatty acid levels in both the 3% and 5%-fed group were found to be reduced compared to the control group. Additionally the feeding of the onion extract increased the glucose tolerance. These results suggest that dietary onion extract is beneficial for improving diabetes by decreasing lipid levels. We also examined differentiation ability of rat white preadipocyte cells using the onion extract and its sulfur-containing components. Cycloalliin, S-methyl-l-cysteine, S-propyl-l-cysteine sulfoxide, dimethyl trisulfide, especially S-methyl-l-cysteine sulfoxide were reported to be effective in inhibiting formation of oil drop in the cells, suggesting that these compounds may be involved in the anti-obesity effect of the onion extract.
Simulating Forest Cover Changes of Bannerghatta National Park Based on a CA-Markov Model: A Remote Sensing Approach
Authors: Adhikari Sanchayeeta , Southworth Jane
Published: October 2012

Establishment of protected areas (PA) has been one of the leading tools in biodiversity conservation. Globally, these kinds of conservation interventions have given rise to an increase in PAs as well as the need to empirically evaluate the impact of these PAs on forest cover. Few of these empirical evaluations have been geared towards comparison of pre and post policy intervention landscapes. This paper provides a method to empirically evaluate such pre and post policy interventions by using a cellular automata-Markov model. This method is tested using remotely sensed data of Bannerghatta National park (BNP) and its surrounding, which have experienced various national level policy interventions (Indian National Forest Policy of 1988) and rapid land cover change between 1973 and 2007. The model constructs a hypothetical land cover scenario of BNP and its surroundings (1999 and 2007) in the absence of any policy intervention, when in reality there has been a significant potential policy intervention effect. The models predicted a decline in native forest cover and an increase in non forest cover post 1992 whereas the actual observed landscape experienced the reverse trend where after an initial decline from 1973 to 1992, the forest cover in BNP is towards recovery post 1992. Furthermore, the models show a higher deforestation and lower reforestation than the observed deforestation and reforestation patterns for BNP post 1992. Our results not only show the implication of national level policy changes on forest cover but also show the usefulness of our method in evaluating such conservation efforts.
An Embedded Real-Time Red Peach Detection System Based on an OV7670 Camera, ARM Cortex-M4 Processor and 3D Look-Up Tables
Authors: Teixidó Mercè , Font Davinia , Pallejà Tomàs , Tresanchez Marcel , Nogués Miquel , Palacín Jordi
Published: October 2012

This work proposes the development of an embedded real-time fruit detection system for future automatic fruit harvesting. The proposed embedded system is based on an ARM Cortex-M4 (STM32F407VGT6) processor and an Omnivision OV7670 color camera. The future goal of this embedded vision system will be to control a robotized arm to automatically select and pick some fruit directly from the tree. The complete embedded system has been designed to be placed directly in the gripper tool of the future robotized harvesting arm. The embedded system will be able to perform real-time fruit detection and tracking by using a three-dimensional look-up-table (LUT) defined in the RGB color space and optimized for fruit picking. Additionally, two different methodologies for creating optimized 3D LUTs based on existing linear color models and fruit histograms were implemented in this work and compared for the case of red peaches. The resulting system is able to acquire general and zoomed orchard images and to update the relative tracking information of a red peach in the tree ten times per second.
Developing a Reading Concentration Monitoring System by Applying an Artificial Bee Colony Algorithm to E-Books in an Intelligent Classroom
Authors: Hsu Chia-Cheng , Chen Hsin-Chin , Su Yen-Ning , Huang Kuo-Kuang , Huang Yueh-Min
Published: October 2012

A growing number of educational studies apply sensors to improve student learning in real classroom settings. However, how can sensors be integrated into classrooms to help instructors find out students’ reading concentration rates and thus better increase learning effectiveness? The aim of the current study was to develop a reading concentration monitoring system for use with e-books in an intelligent classroom and to help instructors find out the students’ reading concentration rates. The proposed system uses three types of sensor technologies, namely a webcam, heartbeat sensor, and blood oxygen sensor to detect the learning behaviors of students by capturing various physiological signals. An artificial bee colony (ABC) optimization approach is applied to the data gathered from these sensors to help instructors understand their students’ reading concentration rates in a classroom learning environment. The results show that the use of the ABC algorithm in the proposed system can effectively obtain near-optimal solutions. The system has a user-friendly graphical interface, making it easy for instructors to clearly understand the reading status of their students.
Intelligent Color Vision System for Ripeness Classification of Oil Palm Fresh Fruit Bunch
Authors: Fadilah Norasyikin , Mohamad-Saleh Junita , Abdul Halim Zaini , Ibrahim Haidi , Syed Ali Syed Salim
Published: October 2012

Ripeness classification of oil palm fresh fruit bunches (FFBs) during harvesting is important to ensure that they are harvested during optimum stage for maximum oil production. This paper presents the application of color vision for automated ripeness classification of oil palm FFB. Images of oil palm FFBs of type DxP Yangambi were collected and analyzed using digital image processing techniques. Then the color features were extracted from those images and used as the inputs for Artificial Neural Network (ANN) learning. The performance of the ANN for ripeness classification of oil palm FFB was investigated using two methods: training ANN with full features and training ANN with reduced features based on the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) data reduction technique. Results showed that compared with using full features in ANN, using the ANN trained with reduced features can improve the classification accuracy by 1.66% and is more effective in developing an automated ripeness classifier for oil palm FFB. The developed ripeness classifier can act as a sensor in determining the correct oil palm FFB ripeness category.
Mobile Mapping of Sporting Event Spectators Using Bluetooth Sensors: Tour of Flanders 2011
Authors: Versichele Mathias , Neutens Tijs , Goudeseune Stephanie , Van Bossche Frederik , Van de Weghe Nico
Published: October 2012

Accurate spatiotemporal information on crowds is a necessity for a better management in general and for the mitigation of potential security risks. The large numbers of individuals involved and their mobility, however, make generation of this information non-trivial. This paper proposes a novel methodology to estimate and map crowd sizes using mobile Bluetooth sensors and examines to what extent this methodology represents a valuable alternative to existing traditional crowd density estimation methods. The proposed methodology is applied in a unique case study that uses Bluetooth technology for the mobile mapping of spectators of the Tour of Flanders 2011 road cycling race. The locations of nearly 16,000 cell phones of spectators along the race course were registered and detailed views of the spatiotemporal distribution of the crowd were generated. Comparison with visual head counts from camera footage delivered a detection ratio of 13.0 ± 2.3%, making it possible to estimate the crowd size. To our knowledge, this is the first study that uses mobile Bluetooth sensors to count and map a crowd over space and time.
Handmade Task Tracking Applied to Cognitive Rehabilitation
Authors: Cogollor José M. , Hughes Charmayne , Ferre Manuel , Rojo Javier , Hermsdörfer Joachim , Wing Alan , Campo Sandra
Published: October 2012

This article presents research focused on tracking manual tasks that are applied in cognitive rehabilitation so as to analyze the movements of patients who suffer from Apraxia and Action Disorganization Syndrome (AADS). This kind of patients find executing Activities of Daily Living (ADL) too difficult due to the loss of memory and capacity to carry out sequential tasks or the impossibility of associating different objects with their functions. This contribution is developed from the work of Universidad Politécnica de Madrid and Technical University of Munich in collaboration with The University of Birmingham. The KinectTM for Windows© device is used for this purpose. The data collected is compared to an ultrasonic motion capture system. The results indicate a moderate to strong correlation between signals. They also verify that KinectTM is very suitable and inexpensive. Moreover, it turns out to be a motion-capture system quite easy to implement for kinematics analysis in ADL.
“The Gong Gong Was Beaten” —Adamorobe: A “Deaf Village” in Ghana and Its Marriage Prohibition for Deaf Partners
Authors: Kusters Annelies
Published: October 2012

Adamorobe is a village in Ghana where the historical presence of a hereditary form of deafness resulted in a high number of deaf inhabitants. Over the centuries, a local sign language emerged, which is used between deaf and hearing people in everyday life, rendering Adamorobe into a unique place of inclusion of deaf people. However, in 1975, a law was introduced to reduce the number of deaf people in Adamorobe: deaf people cannot marry each other in order to avoid deaf offspring. In the long term, this law threatens the linguistic and cultural diversity in this village where the use of sign language is omnipresent and where deaf people are perceived as fully productive and worthy members of society. This article is structured around two sets of tensions in the village, Firstly, hearing people’s acceptance and inclusion of the deaf inhabitants, versus the wish to live in a village with no (or less) deaf people. Secondly, there is a tension between deaf people’s subjection to, and resistance against, the law, this is a tension that can be observed in the existence of relationships between deaf partners, and abortions when these unions lead to pregnancies.
Within-Mat Variability in Anatoxin-a and Homoanatoxin-a Production among Benthic Phormidium (Cyanobacteria) Strains
Authors: Wood Susanna A. , Smith Francine M. J. , Heath Mark W. , Palfroy Thomas , Gaw Sally , Young Roger G. , Ryan Ken G.
Published: October 2012

Benthic Phormidium mats can contain high concentrations of the neurotoxins anatoxin-a and homoanatoxin-a. However, little is known about the co-occurrence of anatoxin-producing and non-anatoxin-producing strains within mats. There is also no data on variation in anatoxin content among toxic genotypes isolated from the same mat. In this study, 30 Phormidium strains were isolated from 1 cm2 sections of Phormidium-dominated mats collected from three different sites. Strains were grown to stationary phase and their anatoxin-a, homoanatoxin-a, dihydroanatoxin-a and dihydrohomoanatoxin-a concentrations determined using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Each strain was characterized using morphological and molecular (16S rRNA gene sequences) techniques. Eighteen strains produced anatoxin-a, dihydroanatoxin-a or homoanatoxin-a. Strains isolated from each mat either all produced toxins, or were a mixture of anatoxin and non-anatoxin-producing genotypes. Based on morphology these genotypes could not be separated. The 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons showed a difference of at least 17 nucleotides among anatoxin and non-anatoxin-producing strains and these formed two separate sub-clades during phylogenetic analysis. The total anatoxin concentration among toxic strains varied from 2.21 to 211.88 mg kg−1 (freeze dried weight), representing a 100 fold variation in toxin content. These data indicate that both the relative abundance of anatoxin and non-anatoxin-producing genotypes, and variations in anatoxin producing capability, can influence the overall toxin concentration of benthic Phormidium mat samples.
Clinical Uses of Botulinum Neurotoxins: Current Indications, Limitations and Future Developments
Authors: Chen Sheng
Published: October 2012

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) cause flaccid paralysis by interfering with vesicle fusion and neurotransmitter release in the neuronal cells. BoNTs are the most widely used therapeutic proteins. BoNT/A was approved by the U.S. FDA to treat strabismus, blepharospam, and hemificial spasm as early as 1989 and then for treatment of cervical dystonia, glabellar facial lines, axillary hyperhidrosis, chronic migraine and for cosmetic use. Due to its high efficacy, longevity of action and satisfactory safety profile, it has been used empirically in a variety of ophthalmological, gastrointestinal, urological, orthopedic, dermatological, secretory, and painful disorders. Currently available BoNT therapies are limited to neuronal indications with the requirement of periodic injections resulting in immune-resistance for some indications. Recent understanding of the structure-function relationship of BoNTs prompted the engineering of novel BoNTs to extend therapeutic interventions in non-neuronal systems and to overcome the immune-resistance issue. Much research still needs to be done to improve and extend the medical uses of BoNTs.
An Interagency Collaboration to Facilitate Development of Filovirus Medical Countermeasures
Authors: Kilgore Nicole , Nuzum Edwin O.
Published: October 2012

The Filovirus Animal Non-Clinical Group (FANG) is a US interdepartmental and interagency group established to support and facilitate the advanced development of filovirus Medical Countermeasures (MCM), both vaccines and therapeutics. It is co-led by one representative from the Department of Defense (DoD), the first author, and one from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the second author. The FANG membership includes operational level program staff and Subject Matter Experts (SME) from performing organizations as well as scientific staff and program managers from DoD and HHS funding and regulatory agencies. Focus areas include animal models, assays, reagents, product manufacture and characterization, and other interagency product development issues that will support Food and Drug Administration (FDA) licensure of safe and effective filovirus MCMs. The FANG continues to develop strategies to address broadly applicable and interagency product development challenges relevant to filovirus MCM development. This paper summarizes FANG structure and accomplishments and is meant to heighten community awareness of this government-led collaborative effort.
Improved Hepatocyte Engraftment after Portal Vein Occlusion in LDL Receptor-Deficient WHHL Rabbits and Lentiviral-Mediated Phenotypic Correction in Vitro
Authors: Goulinet-Mainot Sylvie , Tranchart Hadrien , Groyer-Picard Marie-Thérèse , Lainas Panagiotis , Diop Papa Saloum , Holopherne Delphine , Gonin Patrick , Benihoud Karim , Ba Nathalie , Gauthier Olivier , Franco Dominique , Guettier Catherine , Pariente Danièle , Weber Anne , Dagher Ibrahim , Nguyensp Tuan Huy
Published: October 2012

Innovative cell-based therapies are considered as alternatives to liver transplantation. Recent progress in lentivirus-mediated hepatocyte transduction has renewed interest in cell therapy for the treatment of inherited liver diseases. However, hepatocyte transplantation is still hampered by inefficient hepatocyte engraftment. We previously showed that partial portal vein embolization (PVE) improved hepatocyte engraftment in a nonhuman primate model. We developed here an ex vivo approach based on PVE and lentiviral-mediated transduction of hepatocytes from normal (New Zealand White, NZW) and Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic (WHHL) rabbits: the large animal model of familial hypercholesterolemia type IIa (FH). FH is a life-threatening human inherited autosomal disease caused by a mutation in the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene, which leads to severe hyperc-holesterolemia and premature coronary heart disease. Rabbit hepatocytes were isolated from the resected left liver lobe, and the portal branches of the median lobes were embolized with Histoacryl® glue under radiologic guidance. NZW and WHHL hepatocytes were each labeled with Hoechst dye or transduced with lentivirus expressing GFP under the control of a liver-specific promoter (mTTR, a modified murine transthyretin promoter) and were then immediately transplanted back into donor animals. In our conditions, 65–70% of the NZW and WHHL hepatocytes were transduced. Liver repopulation after transplantation with the Hoechst-labeled hepatocytes was 3.5 ± 2%. It was 1.4 ± 0.6% after transplantation with either the transduced NZW hepatocytes or the transduced WHHL hepatocytes, which was close to that obtained with Hoechst-labeled cells, given the mean transduction efficacy. Transgene expression persisted for at least 8 weeks posttransplantation. Transduction of WHHL hepatocytes with an LDLR-encoding vector resulted in phenotypic correction in vitro as assessed by internalization of fluorescent LDL ligands. In conclusion, our results have applications for the treatment of inherited metabolic liver diseases, such as FH, by transplantation of lentivirally transduced hepatocytes.
Behavior of Human Articular Chondrocytes during in Vivo Culture in Closed, Permeable Chambers
Authors: Martinez-Zubiaurre Iñigo , Annala Tuija , Polacek Martin
Published: October 2012

The exact contribution of transplanted chondrocytes for cartilage tissue repair prior expansion in monolayer cultures remains undetermined. At our laboratory, we have created a new permeable chamber to study the chondrogenesis of dedifferentiated cells implanted ectopically in a closed and controlled environment. The behavior of chondrocytes has been studied in settings frequently used in clinical approaches during transplantation, namely injection of autologous chondrocyte cells in suspension (ACI), cells soaked in collagen membranes (MACI), and cells applied in a polymer gel (fibrin). As controls, we have tested the redifferentiation of chondrocytes in cell aggregates, and we have checked the proper functionality of chambers both in vitro and in vivo. After retrieval, firmed tissue-like shapes were recovered only from chambers containing cells seeded in membranes. Histomorphological, immunohistochemical, and ultrastructural analyses revealed synthesis of fibrous-like tissue, characterized by low-density collagen fibers, low collagen type II, abundant collagen type I, and low amounts of proteoglycans. Additionally, neither the collagen membranes nor the fibrin gel was reabsorbed by cells. In summary, our results show that the newly developed permeable chambers function correctly, allowing proper cell feeding and preventing cell leakage or host cell invasion. Additionally, our results suggest that, under these circumstances, chondrocytes are not able to orchestrate formation of hyaline cartilage and have little capacity to degrade artificial membranes or carrier gels such as fibrin. These are interesting observations that should be considered for understanding what role the transplanted chondrocytes play during restoration of articular cartilage after implantation.
Comparison of Gingiva, Dental Pulp, and Periodontal Ligament Cells from the Standpoint of Mesenchymal Stem Cell Properties
Authors: Otabe Koji , Muneta Takeshi , Kawashima Nobuyuki , Suda Hideaki , Tsuji Kunikazu , Sekiya Ichiro
Published: October 2012

The specific properties of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in oral tissues still remain unknown though their existence has been previously reported. We collected gingiva, dental pulp, and periodontal ligament tissues from removed teeth and isolated MSCs. These MSCs were compared in terms of their yields per tooth, surface epitopes, and differentiation potentials by patient-matched analysis. For in vivo calcification analysis, rat gingival and dental pulp cells mounted on β-tricalcium phospate TCP were transplanted into the perivertebral muscle of rats for 6 weeks. Gingival cells and dental pulp cells showed higher yield per tooth than periodontal ligament cells ( n = 6, p<0.05). Yields of periodontal ligament cells were too low for further analysis. Gingival and dental pulp cells expressed MSC markers such as CD44, CD90, and CD166. Gingival and dental pulp cells obtained phenotypes of chondrocytes and adipocytes in vitro. Approximately 60% of the colonies of gingival cells and 40% of the colonies of dental pulp cells were positively stained with alizarin red in vitro, and both gingival and dental pulp cells were calcified in vivo. We clarified properties of MSCs derived from removed teeth. We could obtain a high yield of MSCs with osteogenic potential from gingiva and dental pulp. These results indicate that gingiva and dental pulp are putative cell sources for hard tissue regeneration.
Bioartificial Renal Epithelial Cell System (BRECS): A Compact, Cryopreservable Extracorporeal Renal Replacement Device
Authors: Buffington Deborah A. , Pino Christopher J. , Chen Lijun , Westover Angela J. , Hageman Gretchen , Humes H. David
Published: October 2012

Renal cell therapy has shown clinical efficacy in the treatment of acute renal failure (ARF) and promise for treatment of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) by supplementing conventional small solute clearance (hemodialysis or hemofiltration) with endocrine and metabolic function provided by cells maintained in an extracorporeal circuit. A major obstacle in the widespread adoption of this therapeutic approach is the lack of a cryopreservable system to enable distribution, storage, and therapeutic use at point of care facilities. This report details the design, fabrication, and assessment of a Bioartificial Renal Epithelial Cell System (BRECS), the first all-in-one culture vessel, cryostorage device, and cell therapy delivery system. The BRECS was loaded with up to 20 cell-seeded porous disks, which were maintained by perfusion culture. Once cells reached over 5×106 cells/disk for a total therapeutic dose of approximately 108 cells, the BRECS was cryopreserved for storage at –80°C or –140°C. The BRECS was rapidly thawed, and perfusion culture was resumed. Near precryopreservation values of cell viability, metabolic activity, and differentiated phenotype of functional renal cells were confirmed postreconstitution. This technology could be extended to administer other cell-based therapies where metabolic, regulatory, or secretion functions can be leveraged in an immunoisolated extracorporeal circuit.
Mobile Phone Network Data
Authors: Manfredini Fabio , Pucci Paola , Tagliolato Paolo
Published: October 2012

The chapter presents some applications of mobile phone network data analysis to urban studies. At the beginning, through examples on mobility, temporary population, and scale, the reasons are discussed for why urban analysis traditional data sources no longer appear to be adequate to describe contemporary city dynamics. Afterwards, mobile phone network data is introduced as a potential new source for urban studies, providing evidences and arguments on issues such as large events monitoring, the need of integration of mobile phone traffic data with statistical data and temporary population definition and analysis. Because of its spatial and temporal resolution, mobile phone data represent an interesting and unique source of information on urban uses variability over time. Telephone traffic can become a valid alternative/complement to traditional methods, being it able to resolve both traditional survey’s limitations of latency (cellular network information can be easily retrieved in real time) and pervasivity (huge diffusion of cell-phones) at once.
Analyzing ICT and Development
Authors: Techatassanasoontorn Angsana A. , Huang Haiyan , Trauth Eileen M. , Juntiwasarakij Suwan
Published: October 2012

This study uses Trauth’s (2000) Influence-Impact Model as a sensitizing device to examine the influence of four key socio-cultural factors —policy, infrastructure, economy, and culture—on information economy development efforts in Thailand. Our assessment shows that progress has been made but gaps remain. Thailand’s infrastructure challenges include unequal development across regions, a small skilled workforce, and low R&D expenditures in the ICT sector. Future economic growth of Thailand will depend on an increase in investments and improvement in technology and innovation. The authors’ cultural analysis reinforces the need to develop a synergy between Thai cultural systems and development needs. To highlight strategies that Thailand might follow, the authors compare their findings to the lessons learned from the case of Ireland, India, and China. These include facilitating ICT sector work, ensuring a supply of qualified workers, exploiting the country’s distinctive capacities, and reconfiguring policy to adapt to changes in the global ICT market.
Evaluating Web Site Support Capabilities in Sell-Side B2B Transaction Processes
Authors: Hung Wei-Hsi J. , Tsai Chia-An , Hung Shin-Yuan , McQueen Robert , Jou Jau-Jeng
Published: October 2012

Business-to-business (B2B) transactions supported by the World Wide Web (Web) have become a major portion of e-commerce transactions. Despite growth, knowledge of the degree of Web site support capabilities in the B2B transaction process is limited. This paper longitudinally compares how Web sites supported the B2B transaction process in New Zealand and Taiwan between 2001 and 2007. The results indicate that, on average, New Zealand Web sites scored higher than those in Taiwan in both years. Yet, the rate of improvement of Taiwanese Web site scores is significant. Specifically, the support capability of several Web functions, including privacy, company information, financial information and product catalog has improved over the study period. The authors found that the sampled Web sites in New Zealand and Taiwan provide different support capabilities to the activities in the B2B transaction process. Taiwanese Web sites are more concerned with providing after-sale services via the Internet whereas New Zealand Web sites are more concerned with sharing information. These two countries’ Web sites share a similar focus on supporting B2B transactions, which provides strong support for users to conduct product promotion and information provision related activities over the Web. Based on these findings, this study suggests several implications for associated academics and practitioners.
An Exploratory Cross-National Study of Information Sharing and Human Resource Information Systems
Authors: Chae Bongsug (Kevin) , Prince J. Bruce , Katz Jeffrey , Kabst Rüdiger
Published: October 2012

Information sharing has recently received considerable academic interest because of the importance knowledge management plays in the creation of sustained competitive advantage for global firms. The interest is attributed to the need for achieving higher levels of worker empowerment and effectiveness. However, the existing research in the area lacks an examination of how national differences impact information sharing activities. This study responds to this need by presenting a structured yet exploratory inquiry into factors impacting information sharing and the adoption of Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS) by examining key national differences. Assessing national differences is extended beyond the examination of national culture by including institutional contexts in the study. Using a 22-country sample from the CRANET database, the study suggests there is a significant and predictable variation in the level of information sharing and HRIS adoption in firms from different countries, and that national differences, including cultural and institutional contexts, have an impact on information sharing. The study also indicates that the level of HRIS adoption is positively associated with information sharing. The authors discuss these findings, their implications for research and practice, and address limitations along with opportunities for future research.
Trust and Perceived Risk of Personal Information as Antecedents of Online Information Disclosure
Authors: Treiblmaier Horst , Chong Sandy
Published: October 2012

Individuals have to disclose personal information in order to utilize the manifold options of the Internet. Online users frequently trade data for benefits (privacy calculus). Trust in both the Internet and the vendor has been identified as an important antecedent to disclosing personal information online. The authors introduce the perceived risk of disclosing specific data types as an additional factor in the field of study. The results from a survey in three countries (Austria, Australia, and Hong Kong) show that the perceived risk of disclosing personal information is a stronger stimulus for the intention to provide personal information than having trust in the Internet or in the online vendor. Several significant differences are found in the relationships between the perceived risk of disclosing personal information, trust, and the willingness to disclose personal information.
Perspectives on the Field of Cognitive Informatics and its Future Development
Authors: Wang Yingxu , Widrow Bernard Carlos , Zhang Bo , Kinsner Witold , Sugawara Kenji , Sun Fuchun , Lu Jianhua , Weise Thomas , Zhang Du
Published: October 2012

The contemporary wonder of sciences and engineering has recently refocused on the beginning point of: how the brain processes internal and external information autonomously and cognitively rather than imperatively like conventional computers. Cognitive Informatics (CI) is a transdisciplinary enquiry of computer science, information sciences, cognitive science, and intelligence science that investigates the internal information processing mechanisms and processes of the brain and natural intelligence, as well as their engineering applications in cognitive computing. This paper reports a set of eight position statements presented in the plenary panel of IEEE ICCI’10 on Cognitive Informatics and Its Future Development contributed from invited panelists who are part of the world’s renowned researchers and scholars in the field of cognitive informatics and cognitive computing.
Songs to Syntax
Authors: Berwick Robert C.
Published: October 2012

Language comprises a central component of a complex that is sometimes called “the human capacity.” This complex seems to have crystallized fairly recently among a small group in East Africa of whom people are all descendants. Common descent has been important in the evolution of the brain, such that avian and mammalian brains may be largely homologous, particularly in the case of brain regions involved in auditory perception, vocalization and auditory memory. There has been convergent evolution of the capacity for auditory-vocal learning, and possibly for structuring of external vocalizations, such that apes lack the abilities that are shared between songbirds and humans. Language’s recent evolutionary origin suggests that the computational machinery underlying syntax arose via the introduction of a single, simple, combinatorial operation. Further, the relation of a simple combinatorial syntax to the sensory-motor and thought systems reveals language to be asymmetric in design: while it precisely matches the representations required for inner mental thought, acting as the “glue” that binds together other internal cognitive and sensory modalities, at the same time it poses computational difficulties for externalization, that is, parsing and speech or signed production. Despite this mismatch, language syntax leads directly to the rich cognitive array that marks us as a symbolic species.
Interactive Feature Visualization and Detection for 3D Face Classification
Authors: McLaughlin Jason , Fang Shiaofen , Jacobson Sandra W. , Hoyme H. Eugene , Robinson Luther , Foroud Tatiana
Published: October 2012

A new visual approach to the surface shape analysis and classification of 3D facial images is presented. It allows the users to visually explore the natural patterns and geometric features of 3D facial scans to provide decision-making information for face classification which can be used for the diagnosis of diseases that exhibit facial characteristics. Using surface feature analysis under a digital geometry analysis framework, the method employs an interactive feature visualization technique that allows interactive definition, modification and exploration of facial features to provide the best discriminatory power for a given classification problem. OpenGL based surface shading and interactive lighting are employed to generate visual maps of discriminatory features to visually represent the salient differences between labeled classes. This technique will be applied to a medical diagnosis application for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) which is known to exhibit certain facial patterns.
Cognitive Informatics and Cognitive Computing in Year 10 and Beyond
Authors: Wang Yingxu , Berwick Robert C. , Haykin Simon , Pedrycz Witold , Kinsner Witold , Baciu George , Zhang Du , Bhavsar Virendrakumar C. , Gavrilova Marina L.
Published: October 2012

Cognitive Informatics (CI) is a transdisciplinary enquiry of computer science, information sciences, cognitive science, and intelligence science that investigates into the internal information processing mechanisms and processes of the brain and natural intelligence, as well as their engineering applications in cognitive computing. The latest advances in CI leads to the establishment of cognitive computing theories and methodologies, as well as the development of Cognitive Computers (CogC) that perceive, infer, and learn. This paper reports a set of nine position statements presented in the plenary panel of IEEE ICCI*CC’11 on Cognitive Informatics in Year 10 and Beyond contributed from invited panelists who are part of the world’s renowned researchers and scholars in the field of cognitive informatics and cognitive computing.
Inference Algebra (IA)
Authors: Wang Yingxu
Published: October 2012

Inference as the basic mechanism of thought is one of the gifted abilities of human beings. It is recognized that a coherent theory and mathematical means are needed for dealing with formal causal inferences. This paper presents a novel denotational mathematical means for formal inferences known as Inference Algebra (IA). IA is structured as a set of algebraic operators on a set of formal causations. The taxonomy and framework of formal causal inferences of IA are explored in three categories: (a) Logical inferences on Boolean, fuzzy, and general logic causations; (b) Analytic inferences on general functional, correlative, linear regression, and nonlinear regression causations; and (c) Hybrid inferences on qualification and quantification causations. IA introduces a calculus of discrete causal differential and formal models of causations; based on them nine algebraic inference operators of IA are created for manipulating the formal causations. IA is one of the basic studies towards the next generation of intelligent computers known as cognitive computers. A wide range of applications of IA are identified and demonstrated in cognitive informatics and computational intelligence towards novel theories and technologies for machine-enabled inferences and reasoning.
Human Centricity and Perception-Based Perspective and Their Centrality to the Agenda of Granular Computing
Authors: Pedrycz Witold
Published: October 2012

In spite of their striking diversity, numerous tasks and architectures of intelligent systems such as those permeating multivariable data analysis, decision-making processes along with their underlying models, recommender systems and others exhibit two evident commonalities. They promote (a) human centricity and (b) vigorously engage perceptions (rather than plain numeric entities) in the realization of the systems and their further usage. Information granules play a pivotal role in such settings. Granular Computing delivers a cohesive framework supporting a formation of information granules and facilitating their processing. The author exploits two essential concepts of Granular Computing. The first one deals with the construction of information granules. The second one helps endow constructs of intelligent systems with a much needed conceptual and modeling flexibility. The study elaborates in detail on the three representative studies. In the first study being focused on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) used in decision-making, the author shows how an optimal allocation of granularity helps improve the quality of the solution and facilitate collaborative activities in models of group decision-making. The second study is concerned with a granular interpretation of temporal data where the role of information granularity is profoundly visible when effectively supporting human centric description of relationships existing in data. The third study concerns a formation of granular logic descriptors on a basis of a family of logic descriptors.
Not Ready for Prime Time
Authors: Jensen Jostein , Jaatun Martin Gilje
Published: October 2012

Model Driven Development (MDD) is by many considered a promising approach for software development. This article reports the results of a systematic survey to identify the state-of-the-art within the topic of security in model driven development, with a special focus on finding empirical studies. The authors provide an introduction to the major secure MDD initiatives, but the survey shows that there is a lack of empirical work on the topic. The authors conclude that better standardization initiatives and more empirical research in the field is necessary before it can be considered mature.
Using Executable Slicing to Improve Rogue Software Detection Algorithms
Authors: Durand Jan , Flores Juan , Atkison Travis , Kraft Nicholas , Smith Randy
Published: October 2012

This paper describes a research effort to use executable slicing as a pre-processing aid to improve the prediction performance of rogue software detection. The prediction technique used here is an information retrieval classifier known as cosine similarity that can be used to detect previously unknown, known or variances of known rogue software by applying the feature extraction technique of randomized projection. This paper provides direction in answering the question of is it possible to only use portions or subsets, known as slices, of an application to make a prediction on whether or not the software contents are rogue. This research extracts sections or slices from potentially rogue applications and uses these slices instead of the entire application to make a prediction. Results show promise when applying randomized projections to cosine similarity for the predictions, with as much as a 4% increase in prediction performance and a five-fold decrease in processing time when compared to using the entire application.
A Formal Language for XML Authorisations Based on Answer Set Programming and Temporal Interval Logic Constraints
Authors: Policarpio Sean , Zhang Yan
Published: October 2012

The Extensible Markup Language is susceptible to security breaches because it does not incorporate methods to protect the information it encodes. This work focuses on the development of a formal language that can provide role-based access control to information stored in XML formatted documents. This language has the capacity to reason whether access to an XML document should be allowed. The language, Axml(T), allows for the specification of authorisations on XML documents and distinguishes itself from other research with the inclusion of temporal interval reasoning and the XPath query language.
Analysis of ANSI RBAC Support in EJB
Authors: Darwish Wesam , Beznosov Konstantin
Published: October 2012

This paper analyzes access control mechanisms of the Enterprise Java Beans (EJB) architecture and defines a configuration of the EJB protection system in a more precise and less ambiguous language than the EJB 3.0 standard. Using this configuration, the authors suggest an algorithm that formally specifies the semantics of authorization decisions in EJB. The level of support is analyzed for the American National Standard Institute’s (ANSI) specification of Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) components and functional specification in EJB. The results indicate that the EJB specification falls short of supporting even Core ANSI RBAC. EJB extensions dependent on the operational environment are required in order to support ANSI RBAC required components. Other vendor-specific extensions are necessary to support ANSI RBAC optional components. Fundamental limitations exist, however, due to the impracticality of some aspects of the ANSI RBAC standard itself. This paper sets up a framework for assessing implementations of ANSI RBAC for EJB systems.
Model-Driven Software Migration
Authors: Fuhr Andreas , Winter Andreas , Erdmenger Uwe , Horn Tassilo , Kaiser Uwe , Riediger Volker , Teppe Werner
Published: October 2012

Established software systems usually represent important assets, which are worth preserving in new software structures, to combine already proven functionality with the benefits of new technologies. The SOAMIG project is aimed at developing an adaptable migration process model with an accompanying tool support based on model-driven technologies. This process model, which combines reverse and forward engineering techniques, was applied in two different case studies on migrating a monolithic software system to service-oriented architecture and to a transformation-based language migration from COBOL to Java.
Moving to SaaS
Authors: Orue-Echevarria Leire , Alonso Juncal , Escalante Marisa , Benguria Gorka
Published: October 2012

These methods are currently being supported by real-life experiments carried out in different companies based on successful SaaS implementation experiences, a deep understanding of the details, and a proven approach to making SaaS transformation happen in an accurate, secure, and sustainable way.
Migration of Data between Cloud and Non-Cloud Datastores
Authors: Bhatt Shreyansh , Chaudhary Sanjay , Bhise Minal
Published: October 2012

The on demand services and scalability features of cloud computing have attracted many customers to move their applications into the cloud. Therefore, application, data access, storage, and migration to and from cloud have garnered much recent attention, especially with well-established legacy applications. Cloud service providers are following different standards to host applications and data. In the present chapter, the authors focus on data migration from various datastores to cloud and vice versa. They have discussed various challenges associated with this reciprocal migration and proposed a simple yet powerful model whereby data can be migrated between various datastores, especially cloud datastores. The results show an efficient way to move data from conventional relational databases to Google App Engines and how data residing in the Google App Engines can be stored on relational databases and vice versa. They provide a generalized architecture to store data in any cloud datastore. The authors use RDF/RDFS as an intermediate model in the migration process.
Bridging the SOA and REST Architectural Styles
Authors: Delgado José C.
Published: October 2012

This chapter proposes a new architectural style, based on a combination of the best characteristics of SOA and REST, which the authors designate as Structural Services. Unlike REST, resources are able to offer a variable set of operations, and unlike SOA, services are allowed to have structure. This style uses structural interoperability, which includes structural compliance and conformance.
Model Driven Integration of Heterogeneous Software Artifacts in Service Oriented Computing
Authors: Simon Eric , Estublier Jacky
Published: October 2012

Systems evolutivity requires complex operations on services, including migration, duplication, updating, and a number of administration-related actions. However, current environments are heterogeneous and require integration to manage services. It is a complex problem, because it implies a transformation of life cycle related concepts. This integration does not fit very well in the service-oriented approach: indeed this approach is consumer-centered and considers that services are hosted by third parties, while administration is a provider view. Therefore, there is a gap between technologies used to compose applications and technologies that provide them. In the context of system adaptability, this gap becomes a major challenge to be solved. The authors propose an execution environment, which provides a homogeneous service representation used to integrate: their functionalities, their life-cycle and management operations, and lifecycle related concerns, like deployment. Their approach includes two integration mechanisms: the technologies integration supported by wrappers and concerns integration supported by the run-times.
Performance Analysis of a Distributed Execution Environment for JUnit Test Cases on a Small Cluster
Authors: Bower Eric , Parveen Tauhida , Tilley Scott
Published: October 2012

HadoopUnit is a software testing framework that integrates Hadoop and JUnit to facilitate the distribution of unit tests to the nodes of a cluster for concurrent execution. It was conceived of the need to reduce test execution time for large collections of tests and has been shown to successfully accomplish this in a medium-size cluster of 150 nodes. This work considers its effectiveness on a small cluster (4 nodes) to determine any inefficiency present in the system and attempts to overcome them with the purpose of increasing performance. It was found that naïve use of HadoopUnit on a small cluster was slower than the best times achieved on a single machine, but by properly configuring the number of tests executed by each Hadoop Map task, a 75% reduction in execution time was achieved. These results show that, on a small scale, the original implementation of HadoopUnit may not be the best solution, but with the addition of a new feature, a significant increase in performance can be achieved.
Software Testing as a Service
Authors: Riungu-Kalliosaari Leah , Taipale Ossi , Smolander Kari
Published: October 2012

This chapter describes a qualitative study whose aim was to explore and understand the conditions that influence software testing as a service. Interviews were conducted with software professionals from 16 organizations. The study used qualitative grounded theory as its research method. The level of domain knowledge required by testers was an initial indication of whether testing could be delivered as a service. The benefits of software testing as a service included flexibility and cost effectiveness. Among top requirements were security and pricing. Cloud computing was envisaged as the delivery model for software testing as a service. Some potential research areas suggested were pricing models and handling of test data. There was an indication that the demand for software testing as a service was on the rise, albeit with mixed feelings. Organizations would have to make careful considerations before embarking on testing their systems and applications over the internet.