bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Telecommunication Customer Demand Management
Authors: Qi Jiayin , Si Yajing , Tan Jing , Zhang Yangming
Published: May 2010

In the highly competitive environment, the real-time and dynamic customer demand analysis technology is required by the enterprise information systems in order to respond to customer demand efficiently and automatically. Based on a customer value hierarchy model, this chapter proposes a customer demand analysis method and proposes ways to capture customer demand knowledge. Then, we present a novel product recommendation approach, which involves the customer value hierarchy model into traditional recommender systems. Through the above steps, the telecom operators can get their customer demand and respond to their demand automatically.
The Need for a Well-Managed Technology Infrastructure
Authors: Lapping Thomas
Published: May 2010

As commonly defined, the “digital divide” means inadequate access to the Internet in urban or rural areas where telecommunications resources are limited or non-existent. This gap normally exists because of an insufficient economic incentive for investment by telecommunications providers. For educators, the digital divide means that students and teachers are unable to learn and apply the technologies most used by other educators, business, and industry in the information age because these technologies are not available. When there is inadequate access to the tools needed to learn and work in the information age, a barrier is placed between teachers, students, and successful achievement of learning goals.
Supporting the Implementation of Online Learning
Authors: Surry Daniel W. , Ensminger David C.
Published: May 2010

Technology plays an important role in modern society. It is hard to imagine living in a world without such essential technologies as wireless communication, the Internet, laser surgery, polymers, and jet aircrafts, among countless other examples. Technology has had a profound effect on almost all aspects of our lives including banking, communications, medicine, transportation, energy, and the military. As in these other areas, technology is now playing an increasingly important role in education. A variety of technologies have been introduced into the schools over the last few decades. Among the most common of these are computer assisted instruction, multimedia presentations, classroom management software, and various assistive and adaptive technologies. In more recent years, distance and online learning technologies have advanced to the point where online learning is now a viable option for the delivery of high quality educational and training programs. The potential for technology, especially distance and online learning, to revolutionize education and training is beyond question.
21st Century E-Student Services
Authors: Langer Gary R.
Published: May 2010

Developments in information technology and distance learning are revolutionizing the way postsecondary education is organized and delivered in the United States and the world. Higher education is undergoing a fundamental transformation. How higher education transforms in the early years of the 21st century will set the context for the extent to which higher education as an institution will continue to serve as the primary deliverer of educational content, certificates, and degrees. A critical element in this knowledge transfer is the depth and breadth of online student services support. This article will explore the design and development of such services in the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System1 (www.mnscu.edu).
Personalization Services for Online Collaboration and Learning
Authors: Evangelou Christina E. , Tzagarakis Manolis , Karousos Nikos , Gkotsis George
Published: May 2010

Collaboration tools can be exploited as virtual spaces that satisfy the community members’ needs to construct and refine their ideas, opinions, and thoughts in meaningful ways, in order to suc-cessfully assist individual and community learning. More specifically, collaboration tools when properly personalized can aid individuals to articulate their personal standpoints in such a way that can be proven useful for the rest of the community where they belong. Personalization services, when properly integrated to collaboration tools, can be an aide to the development of learning skills, to the interaction with other actors, as well as to the growth of the learners’ autonomy and self-direction. This work pre-sents a framework of personalization services that has been developed to address the requirements for efficient and effective collaboration between online communities’ members that can act as catalysts for individual and community learning.
Data-Mining Techniques for an Analysis Of Non-Conventional Methodologies
Authors: Claster William , Ghotbi Nader , Shanmuganathan Subana
Published: May 2010

Some common methodologies in our everyday life are not based on modern scientific knowledge but rather a set of experiences that have established themselves through years of practice. As a good example, there are many forms of alternative medicine, quite popular, however difficult to comprehend by conventional western medicine. The diagnostic and therapeutic methodologies are very different and sometimes unique, compared to that of western medicine. How can we verify and analyze such methodologies through modern scientific methods? We present a case study where data-mining was able to fill this gap and provide us with many tools for investigation. Osteopathy is a popular alternative medicine methodology to treat musculoskeletal complaints in Japan. Using data-mining methodologies, we could overcome some of the analytical problems in an investigation. We studied diagnostic records from a very popular osteopathy clinic in Osaka, Japan that included over 30,000 patient visits over 6 years of practice. The data consists of some careful measurements of tissue electro-conductivity differences at 5 anatomical positions. Data mining and knowledge discovery algorithms were applied to search for meaningful associations within the patient data elements recorded. This study helped us scientifically investigate the diagnostic methodology adopted by the osteopath.
Ethical Issues of Health Management Predictive Modeling
Authors: McGrady Elizabeth , Nelms Linda W.
Published: May 2010

In the wake of continuously escalating healthcare costs, health management in the workplace has gained new momentum as employers strategize to optimize the health of their workforce while containing healthcare costs. Gaining acceptance as a viable tool to aid employers is a process called Predictive Modeling. On the surface, Predictive Modeling may contribute significantly to delivering the right interventions to the right person at the right time by identifying high risk individuals, and underusers and overusers of health services. This chapter discusses the ethical principles of nonmaleficence, beneficence, justice and autonomy, as well as value judgments and human rights as applied to Predictive Modeling to guide professionals and employers in health management decisions.
Persistent Clinical Encounters in User Driven E-Health Care
Authors: Biswas Rakesh , Sturmberg Joachim , Martin Carmel M. , Ganesh A. U. Jai , Umakanth Shashikiran , Lee Edwin Wen Huo
Published: May 2010

This chapter discusses the role of e-health in creating persistent clinical encounters to extend the scope of health care beyond its conventional boundaries utilizing social networking technology to create what the authors’ term ‘user driven health care’. It points out the necessity to direct the development of health information systems such that they serve as important vehicles between patient and health professional users in communicating and sharing information other than their role in automated alerts and responses. A project is described that plans to create a system of online sharing of health information in a user driven manner that necessarily becomes persistent due to being stored in electronic health records.
User-Centric and Inclusive Design Methods
Authors: Macdonald Alastair S. , Loudon David , Li Christopher S. C.
Published: May 2010

This chapter discusses the role of user-centric and inclusive design methods in healthcare pathways. The rapid uptake of e-health technologies by clinicians and healthcare managers to administer, for example, patient records, has meant that user-centered e-health tools and processes should be adopted to enable those receiving healthcare to become more involved, more proactive in, and more responsible for their own healthcare and its planning. An argument for a user-centered approach as good business practice can also be made. The three case studies described in this chapter are united by a concern for the individual, the end-user, at the heart of healthcare processes, and how design methods, which have a strong emphasis on the consumer or user perspective, can assist the changing requirements for healthcare delivery through an improved, earlier and ongoing engagement with the recipients of health care.
A Stroke Information System (SIS)
Authors: Shanmuganathan Subana
Published: May 2010

Fundamental end user issues identified in the design stage of a Stroke Information System (SIS) for Hospital Information Management System (HIMS) in the secondary care and above phase of TACMIS1, depict the ‘gloomy trend’ in introducing Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to the health sector observed across the world and understanding this trend is vital to the future of eHealth ’. TACMIS is a total, integrated and inclusive healthcare information system design solution that reflects DAITS2 core ideas, namely, creativity, cutting edge and being global. In align with the architecture and concept.of the main system TACMIS, the subsystem HIMS-SIS design as well consists of functions that provide stakeholders and nonmedical professionals involved within a stroke special care unit practice, with access to information stored in this subsystem. The SIS functions are especially introduced to inform staff from the so called nonmedical professions in order to improve healthcare quality. This may also make improved treatment affordable for many if not all. At the end of this chapter, some initial investigations on how to transform large volumes of patient data into useful knowledge using intelligent information processing methodologies are outlined.
Human Factors in Dynamic E-Health Systems and Digital Libraries
Authors: Shaban-Nejad Arash , Haarslev Volker
Published: May 2010

E-health systems and digital libraries deal with human health, requiring fast responses and real-time decision-making. Human intervention can be seen in the whole life cycle of biomedical systems. In fact, relations between patients, nurses, lab technicians, health insurers, and physicians are crucial in such systems, and should be encouraged when necessary. However, there are some issues that affect the successful implementation of such infrastructures. Man-machine interaction problems are not purely computational and need a deep understanding of human behavior. Many integrated health knowledge management systems, have employed various knowledgebases and ontologies as their conceptual backbone to facilitate human-machine communication. Ontologies facilitate sharing knowledge between human and machine; they try to capture knowledge from a domain of interest; when the knowledge changes, the definitions will be altered to provide meaningful and valid information. In this chapter, we review and survey the potential issues related to the human factor in an integrated dynamic e-health system composed of several interrelated knowledgebases, bio-ontologies and digital libraries by looking at different theories in social science, psychology, and cognitive science. We also investigate the potential of some advanced formalisms in the semantic web context such as employing intelligent agents to assist the human user in dealing with changes.
The Role of Wireless Technology in Addressing Sleeping Disorders in Aged Care
Authors: Moloney Clint
Published: May 2010

Sleep problems are frequently witnessed in aged care facilities with a large proportion going undetected. Multiple factors are known to contribute many abnormal sleep/wake patterns for residents. A systematic review conducted by Haesler (2004) provided a guide to the direction of future research into sleep in older adults residing in care facilities. This chapter evaluates the effectiveness of implementing the following evidence based recommendation from Haesler (2004): Wrist actigraphy currently represents the most accurate objective sleep assessment tool for use in the population of interest. Factor analysis was utilized to study the patterns of relationship among many dependent variables, with the goal of discovering something about the nature of the independent variables that affect them. Wrist actigraphy showed a disparity between the actual bed time and wake time. One clear difference detected using the device was the increased detection of sleep during the day.
Doctors Using Patient Feedback to Establish Professional Learning Goals
Authors: Baker L. , Greco M. J. , Narayanan A.
Published: May 2010

There is growing interest in the way that communication between doctors and patients affects important aspects of patient care and health outcomes. However, there is not much research on quantifying the effect of specific training programmes in communication skills for doctors. The aim of this chapter is to describe a research project that addresses this issue by first asking patients to provide feedback to doctors on their interpersonal skills. A set of training objectives is then discussed with individual doctors based on patient feedback. A training programme is subsequently undertaken by doctors, who are re-assessed by patients to determine the effectiveness of the feedback and training. The results indicate significant improvement on re-measurement. The chapter discusses the reasons for this improvement and the implications for providing personalised interpersonal skills training programs that target those skills that have been specifically identified by patients.
The Challenge of Designing User-Centric E-Services
Authors: Lombardi Patrizia , Cooper Ian , Paskaleva-Shapira Krassimira , Deakin Mark
Published: May 2010

Harnessing ICTs effectively is one of the main vehicles for achieving the EU’s 2010 strategy to become the most competitive digital knowledge-based economy. Achieving this requires innovation and a process of cultural, structural, and economical change towards the so-called eAgora. This requires that citizens are at the center of attention in the design of civic on-line developments in terms of accessibility. This chapter identifies significant challenges to the design of such user-centric e-services, by illustrating some key results of the European Union (EU) IST Framework 6 research project - IntelCities (2004). It presents the City e-governance framework developed in the research project and it shows how the contents of cities’ existing Web sites do not completely satisfy the expectations of the OECD in the European cities visited by the IntelCities Roadshows. It indicates a consistent way forward for the development of the online services offered by the IntelCities e-learning platform. The chapter closes by querying whether either the European cities examined or their citizens have the appetite for the proposed eAgora that will be necessary for its effective implementation and operation.
From Interval Computations to Constraint-Related Set Computations
Authors: Ceberio Martine , Kreinovich Vladik , Pownuk Andrzej , Bede Barnabás
Published: May 2010

One of the important components of granular computing is interval computations. In interval computations, at each intermediate stage of the computation, we have intervals of possible values of the corresponding quantities. In our previous papers, we proposed an extension of this technique to set computations, where on each stage, in addition to intervals of possible values of the quantities, we also keep sets of possible values of pairs (triples, etc.). In this paper, we show that in several practical problems, such as estimating statistics (variance, correlation, etc.) and solutions to ordinary differential equations (ODEs) with given accuracy, this new formalism enables us to find estimates in feasible (polynomial) time.
Near Sets in Assessing Conflict Dynamics within a Perceptual System Framework
Authors: Ramanna Sheela , Peters James F.
Published: May 2010

The problem considered in this chapter is how to assess different perceptions of changing socio-technical conflicts. Our approach to the solution to this problem of assessing conflict dynamics is to consider negotiation views within the context of perceptual information systems. Briefly, perceptual information systems (succinctly, perceptual systems) are real-valued, total, deterministic information systems. This particular form of an information system is a variant of the deterministic information system model introduced by Zdzislaw Pawlak during the early 1980s. This leads to a near set approach to evaluating perceptual granules derived from conflict situations considered in the context of perceptual systems. A perceptual granule is a set of perceptual objects originating from observations of objects in the physical world. Conflict situations typically result from different sets of viewpoints (perceptions) about issues under negotiation. Perceptual systems provide frameworks for representing and reasoning about different perceptions of socio-technical conflicts. Reasoning about conflict dynamics is made possible with nearness relations and tolerance perceptual near sets used to define a measure of nearness. Several approaches to the analysis of conflict situations are presented in this paper, namely, conflict graphs, approximation spaces and risk patterns. An illustrative example of a requirements scope negotiation for an automated lighting system is presented. The contribution of this chapter is a new way of representing and reasoning about conflicts in the context of requirements engineering with near set theory.
Granular Models
Authors: Pedrycz Witold , Vasilakos Athanasios
Published: May 2010

In contrast to numeric models, granular models produce results coming in a form of some information granules. Owing to the granularity of information these constructs dwell upon, such models become highly transparent and interpretable as well as operationally effective. Given also the fact that information granules come with a clearly defined semantics, granular models are often referred to as linguistic models. The crux of the design of the linguistic models studied in this paper exhibits two important features. First, the model is constructed on a basis of information granules which are assembled in the form of a web of associations between the granules formed in the output and input spaces. Given the semantics of information granules, we envision that a blueprint of the granular model can be formed effortlessly and with a very limited computing overhead. Second, the interpretability of the model is retained as the entire construct dwells on the conceptual entities of a well-defined semantics. The granulation of available data is accomplished by a carefully designed mechanism of fuzzy clustering which takes into consideration specific problem-driven requirements expressed by the designer at the time of the conceptualization of the model. We elaborate on a so-called context – based (conditional) Fuzzy C-Means (cond-FCM, for brief) to demonstrate how the fuzzy clustering is engaged in the design process. The clusters formed in the input space become induced (implied) by the context fuzzy sets predefined in the output space. The context fuzzy sets are defined in advance by the designer of the model so this design facet provides an active way of forming the model and in this manner becomes instrumental in the determination of a perspective at which a certain phenomenon is to be captured and modeled. This stands in a sharp contrast with most modeling approaches where the development is somewhat passive by being predominantly based on the existing data. The linkages between the fuzzy clusters induced by the given context fuzzy set in the output space are combined by forming a blueprint of the overall granular model. The membership functions of the context fuzzy sets are used as granular weights (connections) of the output processing unit (linear neuron) which subsequently lead to the granular output of the model thus identifying a feasible region of possible output values for the given input. While the above design is quite generic addressing a way in which information granules are assembled in the form of the model, we discuss further refinements which include (a) optimization of the context fuzzy sets, (b) inclusion of bias in the linear neuron at the output layer.
Semantic Analysis of Rough Logic
Authors: Liu Qing
Published: May 2010

In this Chapter, we analyse the semantics of the rough logic. Related operations and related properties of semantics based on the rough logic are also discussed. Related reasoning of the semantis are also studied. Significant of studying semantics of the rough logic will hopefully offer a new idea for the applications to classical logic and other nonstandard logic, also hopefully offer a new theory and methodology for problem resolving in artificial intelligence.
Discovering Perceptually Near Granules
Authors: Peters James F.
Published: May 2010

The problem considered in this chapter is how to discover perceptual granules that are in some sense near each other. One approach to the solution to the problem of discovering perceptual granules close to each other comes from near set theory. This is made clear in this chapter by considering various nearness relations that define coverings of sets of perceptual objects that are near each other. A perceptual granule is something that is graspable by the senses or by the mind. Every perceptual granule is represented by a set of perceptual objects that have their origin in the physical world. This means that a perceptual granule does not include the empty set. Hence, each family of perceptual granules is a dual chopped lattice. Both perceptual near sets and tolerance near sets are presented in this chapter. Both the theory and applications of perceptually near granules are presented in this chapter.
QoS-Aware Web Services Discovery with Federated Support for UDDI
Authors: Zhou Chen , Chia Liang-Tien , Lee Bu-Sung
Published: May 2010

Web services’ discovery mechanism is one of the most important research areas in Web services because of the dynamic nature of Web services. In practice, UDDI takes an important role in service discovery since it is an online registry standard to facilitate the discovery of business partners and services. However, QoS related information is not naturally supported in UDDI. Service requesters can only choose good performance Web services by manual test and comparison. In addition, discovery among private UDDI registries in a federation is not naturally supported. To address these problems, we propose UDDI extension (UX), an enhancement for UDDI that facilitates requesters to discover services with QoS awareness. In this system the service requester invokes and generates feedback reports, which are received and stored in local domain’s UX server for future usage. By sharing these experiences from those requesters in the local domain, the UX server summarizes and predicts the service’s performance. A general federated service is designed to manage the service federation. The discovery between different cooperating domains is based on this general federated service, and therefore the links between domains are maintained dynamically. The system handles the federated inquiry, predicates the QoS difference among different domains, and provides a simple view over the whole federation. Meanwhile, the UX server’s inquiry interface still conforms to the UDDI specification.
A National ICT-in-Education Initiative
Authors: Hosman Laura
Published: May 2010

This chapter presents a unique national initiative: Macedonia Connects, a multi-partner, scaled ICT-for-education project wherein every school across Macedonia was equipped with both computers and wireless Internet connections and through which the Internet was made available to citizens across the entire country. A number of best practices may be identified, including the pre-deployment training of teachers in IT adoption, the equality of provision to promote positive inter-ethnic relations, and the long-term focus on the part of all stakeholders in terms of outcomes. The goals of this project target both educational and socio-economic development. There are many aspects of this case that may be applicable to future ICT-for-development endeavors, and some of Macedonia’s neighboring states have already indicated interest in following this model.
Developing Human Capital for National Development
Authors: Gan Gerald Goh Guan , Lim Khor Yoke
Published: May 2010

Leapfrogging from a developing nation status to one that is fully developed by 2020 is the ‘futural role imagery’ of most Malaysians ever since the Malaysian government laid out its bold Vision 2020 national development blueprint in the 1990s. Central to the attainment of this vision is the provision of world-class information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure and the creation of an excellent human capital base that is skilled, knowledgeable, flexible and mobile. To this end, the Malaysian government embarked on the Smart School Initiative, a flagship application of the MSC Malaysia project that aims to transform the way students are being schooled. The smart school pilot project was implemented in 88 schools across the country which saw these schools being fitted and equipped with ICT infrastructure, educational courseware and radical changes in its teaching-learning practices. This chapter provides an overview of the smart school project and highlights some of the issues encountered in the pilot phase. The lessons learned from the smart school pilot project is an invaluable resource to education policy makers, administrators and the school community in other countries intending to introduce an ICT-infused curriculum in schools. It is discovered that a balanced development of all smart school components - ICT infrastructure deployment and maintenance, connectivity, school management system, educational courseware development, teacher development and continuous training is needed to create a smarter learning environment for effective human capital development.
Information System Strategy Development and Implementation in the Egyptian Small and Medium Construction Enterprises
Authors: Samaha Khaled , Dahawy Khaled
Published: May 2010

Egypt’s diversified economy has historically performed below its potential; however the Egyptian government is recognizing the importance of small to medium enterprises (SMEs). SMEs face many constraints including weak supply of skilled labor, limited access to capital and poor access to IT. This chapter provides an investigation into the Information System (IS) strategy of SMEs in Egypt using questionnaires and case studies to explore whether SMEs in Egypt follow a comprehensive IS strategy or whether IS is not viewed as an important factor in organisational success. It was evidenced that most Egyptian SMEs lack the structure needed to successfully plan an IS strategy. However it was discovered from three case studies that organisations operating with a structured hierarchy proved to be far more advanced with regard to IS strategy planning. In addition, communication between levels was more efficient; therefore alignment of IS strategy with business strategy was inevitable. It was also evidenced that top management involvement is present at the decision making stages and through implementation, and IS planning is undertaken in some way by Egyptian SMEs. However they face many problems with lack of resources and lack of expertise. This is mainly due to management not understanding the need to recruit experienced individuals.
Do Insecure Systems Increase Global Digital Divide?
Authors: Siddiqi Jawed , Alqatawna Ja’far , Btoush Mohammad Hjouj
Published: May 2010

This chapter surveys the issues concerning the digital divide facing developing nations. The authors assert that “insecurity” and the “digital divide” are highly dependent on each other and as insecurity increases so does the digital divide. Therefore, the authors propose to extend the concept of the digital divide to include information security features by putting forward a new model or paradigm of security that is multi-faceted and is able to assist in bridging the digital divide gap. They argue that a lack of attention to security reduces the access to and use of resources with which to attack the digital divide. In particular, for e-business, the authors conclude that in developing countries having security issues at the forefront would encourage engagement with e-initiatives, or restrain it if there is an absence of security.
Supporting Group and Individual Processes in Web-Based Collaborative Learning Environments
Authors: Pozzi F.
Published: May 2010

This chapter tackles the issue of how it is possible to integrate individual differences in the learning design of Web-based collaborative learning experiences. In particular, in online collaborative learning environments, it is quite common to adopt techniques to support collaboration and interactions among peers. This contribution proposes to monitor the enactment of the collaborative techniques to make individual and group differences emerge, thus allowing the consequent customization of the learning experience. To this aim, a monitoring model is proposed, whose flexibility allows the tutor to bring different aspects and different levels of the ongoing learning process under control.
Event Models in Distributed Event Based Systems
Authors: Blanco Rolando , Alencar Paulo
Published: May 2010

The event model of a system determines how events are defined and generated, and how events are notified to interested components. In this chapter we look at key differences between the event model in distributed event based systems (DEBSs) and event models found in other implicit invocation systems. We identify features common to all DEBS event models, and variations within different DEBSs implementations. The main goal of the chapter is to elicit important features in event models that need to be supported in the engineering of DEBS applications.
Serendipity Reloaded
Authors: Cutting Daniel , Quigley Aaron
Published: May 2010

Client/server approaches to event-based message can scale to millions of users, but at great administrative and financial cost. By contrast, distributed peer-to-peer (P2P) systems offer the promise of smooth scalability from small to large numbers of participants without dedicated infrastructure. Some forms of event-based messaging, such as publish/subscribe, require events to be delivered to groups of consumers based upon their characteristics or interests. Such groups are undefined until the moment of publication and may be very large, posing significant delivery and load distribution problems in P2P environments. This chapter presents Ice, a structured P2P overlay design with scale-free properties that can be used to construct fairly loaded and efficient event-based messaging architectures.
Securing Event-Based Systems
Authors: Bacon Jean , Eyers David , Singh Jatinder
Published: May 2010

The scalability properties of event-based communication paradigms make them suitable for building large-scale distributed systems. For effective management at the application level, such systems often comprise multiple administrative domains, although their underlying communication infrastructure can be shared. Examples of such systems include those required by government and public bodies for domains such as healthcare, police, transport and environmental monitoring. We investigate how to build security into these systems. We outline point-to-point and publish/subscribe event-based communication, and examine security implications in each. Publish/subscribe decouples communicating entities. This allows for efficient event dissemination, however it makes controlling data visibility more difficult. Some data is sensitive and must be protected for personal and legal reasons. Large pub/sub systems distribute events using intermediate broker nodes. Some brokers may not be fully trusted. We discuss how selective encryption can effect security without impacting on content-based routing, and the implications of federated multi-domain systems.We discuss the specification of policy using role-based access control, and demonstrate how to enforce the security of the communications API and the broker network.
Knowledge-Based Networking
Authors: Keeney John , Jones Dominic , Guo Song , Lewis David , O’Sullivan Declan
Published: May 2010

Knowledge-Based Networking, which is built on-top of Content-based Networking (CBN), involves the forwarding of events across a network of brokers based on subscription filters applied to some semantics of the data and associated metadata of the events contents. Knowledge-based Networks (KBN) therefore support the efficient filtered dissemination of semantically enriched knowledge over a large, loosely coupled network of distributed heterogeneous agents. This is achieved by incorporating ontological semantics into event messages, allowing subscribers to define semantic filters, and providing a subscription brokering and routing mechanism. The KBN used for this work provides ontological concepts as an additional message attribute type, onto which subsumption relationships, equivalence, type queries and arbitrary ontological relationships can be applied. It also provides a bag type to be used that supports bags equivalence, sub-bag and super-bag relationships to be used in subscription filters, composed with traditional CBN subscription operators or the ontological operators. When combined with the benefits of Content–based Networking, this allows subscribers to easily express meaningful subscription interests and receive results in a more expressive and flexible distributed event system than heretofore. Within this chapter the detailed analysis of ontological operators and their application to a publish/subscribe (pub/sub) domain will be fully explored and evaluated.
Panel
Authors: Hinze Annika , Bacon Jean , Buchmann Alejandro , Chakravarthy Sharma , Chandi Mani , Gal Avigdor , Gawlick Dieter , Tibbetts Richard
Published: May 2010

This chapter is a panel discussion in writing. The field of event-based systems finds researchers from a number of different backgrounds: distributed systems, streaming data, databases, middleware, and sensor networks. One of the consequences is that everyone comes to the field with a slightly different mindset and different expectations and goals. In this chapter, we try to capture some of the voices that are influential in our field. Seven panellists from academia and industry were invited to answer and discuss questions about event-based systems. The questions were distributed via email, to which each participant replied their initial set of answers. In a second round every panelist was given the opportunity to expand their statement and discuss the contributions of the other panellists. The questions asked can be grouped into two types. Questions in the first group refer to each participant’s understanding of the basic concepts of event-based systems (EBS), the pros and cons of EBS, typical assumptions of the field and how they understood EBS to fit into the overall landscape of software architectures. The second group of questions pointed to the future of EBS, possible killer applications and the challenges that EBS researchers in academia and industry need to address in the medium and long term. The next section gives each panellist’s initial statements as well as their comments to other participants’ contributions. Each participant’s section starts with a short introduction of the panellist and their work. In the final section, we compare and reflect on the statements and discussions that are presented by the seven panellists.
On the Prospects and Concerns of Pattern-Oriented Web Engineering
Authors: Kamthan Pankaj
Published: May 2010

In this chapter, the development and evolution of Web Applications is viewed from an engineering perspective that relies on and accommodates the knowledge inherent in patterns. It proposes an approach in the direction of building a foundation for pattern-oriented Web Engineering. For that, a methodology for pattern-oriented Web Engineering, namely POWEM, is described. The steps of POWEM include selection of a suitable development process model, construction of a semiotic quality model, namely PoQ, and selection and mapping of suitable patterns to quality attributes in PoQ. To support decision making and to place POWEM in context, the feasibility issues involved in each step are discussed. For the sake of is illustration, the use of patterns during the design phase of a Web Application are highlighted. Finally, some directions for future research, including those for Web Engineering education and Social Web Applications, are given.
Time-Sequencing and Force-Mapping with Integrated Electromyography to Measure Occlusal Parameters
Authors: Kerstein Robert B.
Published: May 2010

Computerized Occlusal Analysis technology records, and quickly displays for clinical interpretation, tooth contact timing sequences of .003 second increments, and each tooth contacts’ fluctuating force levels which occur during functional jaw movements. These measurements are recorded intraorally with an ultra-thin, mylar-encased sensor that is connected to a computer via a USB interface. This sensor is placed between a patients’ teeth during functional jaw movements to record changing tooth-tooth interactions. The displayed occlusal data aids in the examination and treatment of occlusal abnormalities on natural teeth, dental prostheses, and dental implant prostheses. The software can be linked to an Electromyography software program that simultaneously records the electromyographic potential of 8 head and neck muscles. This combination of dynamic tooth contact force and time data, and functional muscular data, affords a dentist detailed, precise, and unparalleled diagnostic and treatment information, with which to address many differing clinical occlusal pathologies.
Selective Laser Melting in Dentistry
Authors: Strietzel R.
Published: May 2010

Although casting is currently the first choice to produce metallic frame work selective laser melting (SLM) has established. Based on a CAD/CAM system the digital data of the frame work are transferred to the production machine. The three dimensional data set of the transferred in to numerous quasi 2-dimensional data. Each of these data sets represents a single slice, which is then produced. Due to the production process complex geometries and outstanding mechanical and chemical properites can be realized. Advantageously is also the large number of simultaneously fabricated parts, which makes this method very economic.
Finite Element Analysis and Its Application in Oral Surgery Research
Authors: Gallas Mercedes
Published: May 2010

The Finite Element Method (FEM) is a widely applied mathematical model that permit us to know the biomechanical behavior of the human mandible in various clinical situations under physiological and standardized trauma conditions. The three-dimensional FEM provides to simulate force systems applied and allows analysis of the response of the jawbone to the loads in 3D space. Clinical extrapolations from FEM may not give absolute values but they will provide detailed description of biomechanical pattern and a prediction of regional stresses distribution. This virtual modeling is useful to choose the most efficient localization and design of miniplate osteosynthesis and to test new biomaterials.
A Comprehensive Evaluation of the Virulence of Oral Flora
Authors: Yamashita Yoshihisa , Takeshita Toru
Published: May 2010

The oral cavity is inhabited by more than 700 species of commensal bacteria. Several have been identified as pathogens of oral diseases, dental caries, and periodontal diseases. However, the lack of information concerning the interaction between pathogens and the remaining commensal bacteria has made it difficult to understand the precise etiologies of oral diseases. We need to identify the comprehensive species found in individual oral flora and compare these results with corresponding oral health conditions. In this chapter, the authors delineate the previous attempts to identify oral commensal bacterial flora and discuss the potential capability of modern molecular genetic technologies such as terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism, DNA microarray and pyrosequencing analyses utilizing bioinformatics.
Evolutionary Algorithms in Supervision of Error-Free Control
Authors: Sulc Bohumil , Klimanek David
Published: May 2010

Evolutionary algorithms are well known as optimization techniques, suitable for solving various kinds of problems (Ruano, 2005). The new application of evolutionary algorithms represents their use in the detection of biased control loop functions caused by controlled variable sensor discredibility (Klimanek, Sulc, 2005). Sensor discredibility occurs when a sensor transmitting values of the controlled variable provides inexact information, however the information is not absolutely faulty yet. The use of discredible sensors in control circuits may cause the real values of controlled variables to exceed the range of tolerated differences, whereas zero control error is being displayed. However, this is not the only negative consequence. Sometimes, sensor discredibility is accompanied with undesirable and hardly recognizable side effects. Most typical is an increase of harmful emission production in the case of combustion control, (Sulc, Klimanek, 2005). We have found that evolutionary algorithms are useful tools for solving the particular problem of finding a software-based way (so called software redundancy) of sensor discredibility detection. Software redundancy is a more economical way than the usual hardware redundancy, which is otherwise necessary in control loop protection against this small, invisible control error occurrence. New results from a long-term tracking residuum trends show that credibility loss can be forecasted. Operators can be warned in advance that the sensor measuring the controlled variable needs to be exchanged. This need can be effectively reflected in maintenance plans. Namely, the standard genetic algorithm and the simulated annealing algorithm have been successfully applied and tested to minimize the given cost function. By means of these algorithms, a newly developed method is able to detect controlled variable sensor discredibility. When applied to combustion processes, production of harmful emissions can be kept within accepted limits. The application of the used evolutionary algorithms inclusive terminology transfer in this application area can serve as an explanatory case study to help readers gain a better understanding of the how the evolutionary algorithms operate.
Soft Computing Techniques in Spatial Databases
Authors: Schneider Markus
Published: May 2010

Spatial database systems and geographical information systems are currently only able to support geographical applications that deal with only crisp spatial objects, that is, objects whose extent, shape, and boundary are precisely determined. Examples are land parcels, school districts, and state territories. However, many new, emerging applications are interested in modeling and processing geographic data that are inherently characterized by spatial vagueness or spatial indeterminacy. Examples are air polluted areas, temperature zones, and lakes. These applications require novel concepts due to the lack of adequate approaches and systems. In this chapter, the authors show how soft computing techniques can provide a solution to this problem. They give an overview of two type systems or algebras that can be integrated into database systems and utilized for the modeling and handling of spatial vagueness. The first type system, called Vague Spatial Algebra (VASA), is based on well known, general, and exact models of crisp spatial data types and introduces vague points, vague lines, and vague regions. This enables an exact definition of the vague spatial data model since we can build it upon an already existing theory of spatial data types. The second type system, called Fuzzy Spatial Algebra (FUSA), leverages fuzzy set theory and fuzzy topology and introduces novel fuzzy spatial data types for fuzzy points, fuzzy lines, and fuzzy regions. This enables an even more fine-grained modeling of spatial objects that do not have sharp boundaries and interiors or whose boundaries and interiors cannot be precisely determined. This chapter provides a formal definition of the structure and semantics of both type systems. Further, the authors introduce spatial set operations for both algebras and obtain vague and fuzzy versions of geometric intersection, union, and difference. Finally, they describe how these data types can be embedded into extensible databases and show some example queries.
Fuzzy Decision Rule Construction Using Fuzzy Decision Trees
Authors: Beynon Malcolm J. , Jones Paul
Published: May 2010

This chapter considers the soft computing approach called fuzzy decision trees (FDT), a form of classification analysis. The consideration of decision tree analysis in a fuzzy environment brings further interpretability and readability to the constructed ‘if .. then ..’ decision rules. Two sets of FDT analyses are presented, the first on a small example data set, offering a tutorial on the rudiments of one FDT technique. The second FDT analysis considers the investigation of an e-learning database, and the elucidation of the relationship between weekly online activity of students and their final mark on a university course module. Emphasis throughout the chapter is on the visualization of results, including the fuzzification of weekly online activity levels of students and overall performance.
Integrity Constraints Checking in a Distributed Database
Authors: Ibrahim Hamidah
Published: May 2010

Preserving the accuracy and the integrity of information in a database is extremely important for the organization that is maintaining that database. Such an organization is likely to rely heavily upon that accuracy. Applications that consult and use the database expect a warranty that the database is supplying the correct information. Critical business decisions may be made assuming that information extracted from the database is correct. Thus, incorrect data can lead to incorrect business decisions which can have serious implications for the people and organizations using it (Codd, 1990).
Interconnecting a Class of Machine Learning Algorithms with Logical Commonsense Reasoning Operations
Authors: Naidenova Xenia
Published: May 2010

The purpose of this chapter is to demonstrate the possibility of transforming a large class of machine learning algorithms into commonsense reasoning processes based on using well-known deduction and induction logical rules. The concept of a good classification (diagnostic) test for a given set of positive examples lies in the basis of our approach to the machine learning problems. The task of inferring all good diagnostic tests is formulated as searching the best approximations of a given classification (a partitioning) on a given set of examples. The lattice theory is used as a mathematical language for constructing good classification tests. The algorithms of good tests inference are decomposed into subtasks and operations that are in accordance with main human commonsense reasoning rules.