bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantitative Analysis of Tau-Microtubule Interaction Using FRET
Authors: Maïo Isabelle , Barbier Pascale , Allegro Diane , Brault Cédric , Peyrot Vincent
Published: August 2014

The interaction between the microtubule associated protein, tau and the microtubules is investigated. A fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay was used to determine the distance separating tau to the microtubule wall, as well as the binding parameters of the interaction. By using microtubules stabilized with Flutax-2 as donor and tau labeled with rhodamine as acceptor, a donor-to-acceptor distance of 54 ± 1 Å was found. A molecular model is proposed in which Flutax-2 is directly accessible to tau-rhodamine molecules for energy transfer. By titration, we calculated the stoichiometric dissociation constant to be equal to 1.0 ± 0.5 µM. The influence of the C-terminal tails of αβ-tubulin on the tau-microtubule interaction is presented once a procedure to form homogeneous solution of cleaved tubulin has been determined. The results indicate that the C-terminal tails of α- and β-tubulin by electrostatic effects and of recruitment seem to be involved in the binding mechanism of tau.
A Novel Magnetic Graphene Oxide Composite Absorbent for Removing Trace Residues of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers in Water
Authors: Gan Ning , Zhang Jiabing , Lin Shaichai , Long Nengbing , Li Tianhua , Cao Yuting
Published: August 2014

The purpose of the study was to develop a facile method for the fabrication of a stable and reusable magnetic graphene composite absorbent to remove trace levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in water treatment. The poly cationic Fe3O4@PDDA (poly(diallyldimethyl ammonium chloride) (PDDA)) core-shell structured nanoparticles were first synthesized, and then, DNA was laid on the surface of graphene oxide (GOx) to prepare the polyanionic GOx@DNA composite. The above materials were then mixed together and adhered together through sol-gel technology. Thus, the Fe3O4@PDDA/GOx@DNA composite absorbent was prepared. Its performance was tested by disperse solid phase extraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometric (GC/MS) for removing six kinds of indicative polybrominated diphenyl ethers (BDEs) in water samples. The removal percentages of several real samples for six kinds of BDEs (BDE17, BDE28, BDE 71, BDE 47, BDE 66, BDE 100) at the ng/mL order of magnitude were in the range of 88.2%–99.1%. The removal percentage still reached 80.0% when the adsorbent was reused at least 20 times. The results suggested that the magnetic absorbent can obviously remove trace levels of BDEs from large volumes of aqueous solutions in environmental pollution cleanup with high removal efficiency.
Recent Advances in the Application of Metabolomics to Studies of Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds (BVOC) Produced by Plant
Authors: Iijima Yoko
Published: August 2014

In many plants, biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) are produced as specialized metabolites that contribute to the characteristics of each plant. The varieties and composition of BVOCs are chemically diverse by plant species and the circumstances in which the plants grow, and also influenced by herbivory damage and pathogen infection. Plant-produced BVOCs are receptive to many organisms, from microorganisms to human, as both airborne attractants and repellants. In addition, it is known that some BVOCs act as signals to prime a plant for the defense response in plant-to-plant communications. The compositional profiles of BVOCs can, thus, have profound influences in the physiological and ecological aspects of living organisms. Apart from that, some of them are commercially valuable as aroma/flavor compounds for human. Metabolomic technologies have recently revealed new insights in biological systems through metabolic dynamics. Here, the recent advances in metabolomics technologies focusing on plant-produced BVOC analyses are overviewed. Their application markedly improves our knowledge of the role of BVOCs in chemosystematics, ecological influences, and aroma research, as well as being useful to prove the biosynthetic mechanisms of BVOCs.
Simple Stacking Methods for Silicon Micro Fuel Cells
Authors: Scotti Gianmario , Kanninen Petri , Kallio Tanja , Franssila Sami
Published: August 2014

We present two simple methods, with parallel and serial gas flows, for the stacking of microfabricated silicon fuel cells with integrated current collectors, flow fields and gas diffusion layers. The gas diffusion layer is implemented using black silicon. In the two stacking methods proposed in this work, the fluidic apertures and gas flow topology are rotationally symmetric and enable us to stack fuel cells without an increase in the number of electrical or fluidic ports or interconnects. Thanks to this simplicity and the structural compactness of each cell, the obtained stacks are very thin (~1.6 mm for a two-cell stack). We have fabricated two-cell stacks with two different gas flow topologies and obtained an open-circuit voltage (OCV) of 1.6 V and a power density of 63 mW·cm−2, proving the viability of the design.
Copaiba Oil Suppresses Inflammatory Cytokines in Splenocytes of C57Bl/6 Mice Induced with Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis (EAE)
Authors: Dias Débora , Fontes Lívia , Crotti Antônio , Aarestrup Beatriz , Aarestrup Fernando , Da Silva Filho Ademar , Corrêa José
Published: August 2014

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a murine autoimmune disease used to study multiple sclerosis. We have investigated the immunomodulatory effects of copaiba oil (100, 50 and 25 µg/mL) on NO, H2O2, TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-17 production in cultured cells from EAE-mice. Copaiba oil (100 µg/mL) inhibited H2O2, NO, IFN-γ TNF-α and IL-17 production spontaneously or after ConA and MOG35–55 stimulation. It is suggested that copaiba oil acts on the mechanism of development of EAE by IFN-γ, IL-17 and TNF-α inhibition, modulating the immune response on both Th1 and Th17 cells.
Efficient Sensor Placement Optimization Using Gradient Descent and Probabilistic Coverage
Authors: Akbarzadeh Vahab , Lévesque Julien-Charles , Gagné Christian , Parizeau Marc
Published: August 2014

We are proposing an adaptation of the gradient descent method to optimize the position and orientation of sensors for the sensor placement problem. The novelty of the proposed method lies in the combination of gradient descent optimization with a realistic model, which considers both the topography of the environment and a set of sensors with directional probabilistic sensing. The performance of this approach is compared with two other black box optimization methods over area coverage and processing time. Results show that our proposed method produces competitive results on smaller maps and superior results on larger maps, while requiring much less computation than the other optimization methods to which it has been compared.
Characterization of Fumonisin A-Series by High-Resolution Liquid Chromatography-Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Tamura Masayoshi , Mochizuki Naoki , Nagatomi Yasushi , Toriba Akira , Hayakawa Kazuichi
Published: August 2014

Fumonisin A-series (FAs) in a reference material of corn sample that was naturally contaminated with fumonisins was characterized using high-resolution liquid chromatography-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (LC-Orbitap MS). Peaks for fumonisin B1 (FB1), fumonisin B2 (FB2), and fumonisin B3 (FB3), in addition to three peaks corresponding to unknown compounds I, II, and III, were detected in the chromatogram for the corn sample. Fragment ion analysis for FB1, FB2, and FB3 showed that while the ions formed at m/z values of 200–800 were similar to those formed by the cleavage of the tricarballylic acids and the hydroxyl groups, the fragmentation patterns at m/z values of 50–200 varied depending on the hydroxyl group locations in the compounds. Fragment ion analysis of compounds I–III revealed structural similarities to FBs, only differing by an additional C2H2O in the unknown compounds. Using these results and by comparing the product ion mass spectra of compound I with fumonisin A1 (FA1) synthesized from FB1 standards, compounds I–III were hypothesized to be N-acetyl analogs of FBs: fumonisins A1 (FA1), A2 (FA2), and A3 (FA3). The method for determining concentrations was validated with FA1, FB1, FB2, and FB3 standards and applied to analyze the reference material. The FB1, FB2, and FB3 analytical levels were within acceptance limits and the amount of FA1 in the material was ~15% of FB1 amount at 4.2 mg/kg.
Mechanisms of HIV Protein Degradation into Epitopes: Implications for Vaccine Design
Authors: Rucevic Marijana , Boucau Julie , Dinter Jens , Kourjian Georgio , Le Gall Sylvie
Published: August 2014

The degradation of HIV-derived proteins into epitopes displayed by MHC-I or MHC-II are the first events leading to the priming of HIV-specific immune responses and to the recognition of infected cells. Despite a wealth of information about peptidases involved in protein degradation, our knowledge of epitope presentation during HIV infection remains limited. Here we review current data on HIV protein degradation linking epitope production and immunodominance, viral evolution and impaired epitope presentation. We propose that an in-depth understanding of HIV antigen processing and presentation in relevant primary cells could be exploited to identify signatures leading to efficient or inefficient epitope presentation in HIV proteomes, and to improve the design of immunogens eliciting immune responses efficiently recognizing all infected cells.
Spatial analysis of Güvercinkayası, a Middle Chalcolithic hilltop settlement in northwestern Cappadocia : A preliminary report
Authors: Gülçur Sevil , Firat Céline
Published: August 2014

This investigation of a Middle Chalcolithic hilltop settlement might be representative of a phenomenon known in the Ancient Near East and all over the Ancient World in this period. Only a profound study of all the aspects of settling and the relations of the inhabitants to their environment can help us answer the formulated questions of why the Chalcolithic peoples broke not only from the traditional Neolithic settlement patterns but also from the existing subsistence economy and social system.
Installations paléolithiques en Cappadoce. État des connaissances de cinq années de recherche sur les premiers peuplements humains en Anatolie centrale
Authors: Slimak Ludovic , Balkan-Atlı Nur , Binder Didier , Dinçer Berkay
Published: August 2014

This paper proposes a synthesis of the excavations of "Kaletepe Deresi 3", an open air Palaeolithic site located in the volvanic region of Central Anatolia (Turkey). The activity of this geological complex generated an important intrusion of obsidian largely used during the prehistoric periode for tool making. The site is located a few kilometers on the eastern slopes of the Göllü Dağ volcano in the proximity of the Kömürcü obsidian intrusions which represent one of the most important obsidian sources in the Near-East with outcrops continuing for more than 3 km. Discovered in summer 2000 during an archeological survey, Kaletepe Deresi 3 is an in situ open air Paleolithic site, yielding 16 archaeological occupations from middle to upper Pleistocene. The data allow the examination of long-term human comportements and illustrate the first discovery of an Acheulean complex in Turkey. The multidisciplinary researches are also integrated to the tephrochronological and paleontological context.

Kaletepe Deresi 3 is the first Palaeolithic sequence of Central Anatolia and its oldest archaeological layers illustrate one of the oldest human settlements actually known in Turkey.
Le château de Châtillon-Coligny
Authors: Mesqui Jean , Faucherre Nicolas
Published: August 2014

Le château de Châtillon-Coligny.

A l'emplacement probable d'une tour de bois du XIe siècle, le donjon de Châtillon-Coligny (Loiret) est une construction d'Etienne de Sancerre, fils du Comte de Blois-Champagne, qui l'édifia entre 1 180 et 1 190 dans l'esprit des donjons de Châteaudun et Provins. C'est un énorme cylindre à 16 faces renforcé par 8 contreforts de 28 x 16 mètres hors-œuvre. Construits sur trois niveaux voûtés dont deux sur pilier central et un ceinturé d'une gaine circulaire ménagé dans le rein de voûte, les appartements seigneuriaux sont reliés à l'entrée par une vis et équipés avec confort : cheminée, latrines, lavabo, oriel d'agrément. L'ouvrage constitue à cet égard un de nos plus parfaits donjons — symboles logeables, immédiatement antérieur aux grosses tours de Philippe- Auguste.

Un bâtiment en fer à cheval, dont subsistent les caves, a ceinturé ce donjon au sud, intégrant le puits. Les travaux considérables réalisés par l'amiral Gaspard de Coligny dans le troisième quart du XVIe siècle nous sont surtout connus par des dessins de Girodet pendant la destruction. Il en subsiste principalement le châtelet d'entrée et l'immense orangerie formant soutènement de la terrasse du château mais son emprise primitive a été révélée par des sondages. Comme au château du Grand- Pressigny, le donjon médiéval a servi d'axe à toute la composition renaissance.
Discovery of saké in Central Africa : Mold-fermented liquor of the Songola
Authors: Ankei Takako
Published: August 2014

A new type of alcoholic beverage from rice was discovered in the republic of Zaire. Molds on rice play an indispensable role in the saccharification of starch, as is the case of Japanese saké. Comparison of starters for fermentation suggests its origin independent of Asia. Further field survey will probably reveal the existence of such mold-fermented alcoholic beverages in other regions of Africa.
Fragments d'un discours paysan antillais : « Roche-Pierre » et « Sol-Terre »
Authors: Feller Christian , Etifier-Chalono Élisabeth , de Guiran Emmanuel
Published: August 2014

Unformal interviews with small farmers from Martinique and St-Lucia give and idea of how native carribbeans perceive notions such as soil and rock. In granting prime importance to "earth" as a factor of growth — not only for plants but also for rocks — farmers discourse can be opposed to scientific interpretations.
Agriculture créole; une étude de cas : Saül (Guyane française)
Authors: Gely Anne
Published: August 2014

Ce travail présente une analyse partielle de l'agriculture créole en Guyane française, et met en évidence les paramètres qui influencent la pratique de cette activité dans une commune isolée en forêt tropicale humide. Il souligne également l'intérêt de réaliser des études chez les communautés créoles, qui ont hérité d'importantes tradition culturelles d'origine amérindienne, européenne et africaine.
Les Cypéracées médicinales et magiques de l'Ucayali
Authors: Tournon J. , Raynal-Roques A. , Zambettakis C.
Published: August 2014

Cyperaceae are frequently utilized in the Amazon as medicinal and magical plants. This is something of a paradox because species belonging to this family have little or no pharmacological activity. We try to answer it by presenting and analysing ethnographic and botanic data collected by us among the Shipibo-Conibo of the Upper Ucayali.
Striga Lour. (Scrophulariaceae), essai étymologique
Authors: Raynal-Roques A. , Salle G.
Published: August 2014

Four origins of the name Striga are proposed. Each refers to one ore various characteristics of the specy representatives. The explanation of the four hypothesis makes understand through a curious coincidence the more remarkable aspects of Striga.
Le millet Setaria italica, une plante à découvrir (étude bibliographique)
Authors: Naciri Yamama , Belliard Jacques
Published: August 2014

Foxtail millet Setaria italica is an autogamous plant of Panicoïdés tribe, which seems to be one of the first cultivated cereal in Europe and Asia. Although China seems to be the oldest birthplace of foxtail millet, recent studies would point out that this part of the world is not its only center of origin (with Harlan's meaning). Indeed, foxtail millet would not only have been domesticated in Europe and China, but also in India, Japan and South of Russia, at different times and independantly. Migrations and introgressions would have occured afterwards ; and so have been created the current geographical groups. The extension of foxtail millet is due to its agronomical (autogamy, hardiness...) and nutritional advantages (high protein and fatty acid contents...). Actually, foxtail millet is, among other uses, a cereal of high nutritive value. Foxtail millet is still widely cultivated in Asia for human food, but it has nearly disappeared in Europe except for bird food because of maize introduction and because of a lack in genetic improvment. Nevertheless, in the current context of overproduction and diversification, a wide and unused variability and a high nutritive value make of foxtail millet an interesting culture for the futur.
Horticulteurs et maraîchers parisiens de la seconde moitié du XIXe siècle à la première guerre mondiale
Authors: Gaulin Chantal
Published: August 2014

Nous avons tenté dans cet article de rendre sensible le phénomène rural à Paris, notamment le maraîchage et l'horticulture et leur pratique ainsi que l'extinction de ces activités, dues à l'industrialisation et l'urbanisation. Ce fut un signe non négligeable, à l'aube du XXe siècle, du basculement de la ville dans le monde moderne et il marqua l'avènement du paysagisme qui va contribuer au remodelage de l'environnement urbain par la recréation de la « nature » qui en avait effectivement disparu.
Plantes médicinales utilisées en Amazonie comme fond potentiel de nouveaux agents thérapeutiques dans les cas d'allergie, thrombose et inflammation
Authors: Elisabetsky Elaine , Gely Anne
Published: August 2014

In order to select species to be further analysed for possible pharmacological action related to thrombosis, allergy and inflammation, we integrated chemotaxonomy and ethnophar- macological data. Ethnopharmacological data were collected among rural population (caboclos) and amerin- dians ; chemotaxonomy information was based on Gottlieb (1978) work. We suggest that ethnopharmacology and chemotaxonomy are two disciplines that, used in an integrated fashion, could improve plant selection for scientific analysis. As a result of such a methodology, it is expected that new research lines on pharmacology and phytochemistry would be developed in order to discover new therapeutical coumpounds of plant origin, usefull to thrombosis, allergy and inflammation.
Les dégâts d'oiseaux d'eau sur les rizières aménagées du delta central du Niger au Mali
Authors: Treca Bernard
Published: August 2014

Wildfowl causes quite important damages to floating rice, when maturing, on managed rice fields of the of Niger river's Central Delta in Mali. Main responsible are ducks (garganey and pintail) and one species of Charadriidae (ruff). Damages are very variable among years (from 0.76 to 14 % of the harvest, by mean), but they are not uniformaly distributed, some fields being very heavily destroyed, when other are untouched. Fields condition, as well as the distance to a pond are important factors which increase or decrease the risk of attack from wildfowl. Same, early draining permits to diminish the time during which wildfowl may damage rice fields. We have found no statistical difference between damages on different floating rice varieties.

Different rice fields protection methods are discussed.
L’adjectif ionien ἀντίξοος et la résistance active
Authors: Blanc Alain
Published: August 2014

L’explication traditionnelle qui fait de l’adjectif ionien ἀντίξοος un composé de la famille de ξέω « racler, polir » n’est pas satisfaisante car cet adjectif a pour unique sens « contraire, opposé » . Après une étude des emplois, qui montre qu’ ἀντίξοος signifie « qui résiste à » et après une étude des composés en -ξοος < ξέω qui prouve qu’ ἀντίξοος n’a rien à voir avec eux, on établit que cet adjectif correspond sémantiquement à ἀντέχω / ἀντίσχω « résister à » et qu’il en est le dérivé. Il faut partir ou bien de * ἄντί-σχ-ο-ς, avec un second membre très archaïque à degré zéro (cf. νεο– γνός), ou bien de *ἄντ-ίσχ-ο-ς, adjectif verbal tiré directement du présent ἀντίσχω. Deux phénomènes ont affecté la finale : 1) Il y a eu métathèse de -σχ-en -χσ-(> -ξ-) ; 2) La finale des composés de ξέω tendait à passer à -ξος comme le montre le nom du fabricant de lances en attique, δορυζος. Au cours de la période de flottement entre -ξοος et -ξος, on a indûment étendu la finale -οος à *ἄντιξος.
Rhapsodes et poètes épiques à l’époque impériale
Authors: Gangloff Anne
Published: August 2014

This work relates to the rhapsodists and the epic poets of imperial period, studied from the prosopography of Dionysian technites that was established by I. E. Stephanis. These artists were very appreciated during the Hellenistic period. The purpose of this paper is to examine to which extent they have continued to broadcast Homeric myths, which were the contexts of their performances and which were their roles as representatives of the traditional epic poetry in the imperial period. We first discuss certain identifications of Stephanis and analyze connections between rhapsodists and homerists, to estimate the number of the rhapsodists and epic poets whose track we have saved. We then study their distribution in space and time, between the end of the Ist century BC and the second half of the IIIrd century AD, to identify their cultural and social functions and to understand the noticeable decrease in their number in competitions, auditions or private feasts.
Goethe, lecteur de Philostrate
Authors: Siebert Gérard
Published: August 2014

La traduction et le commentaire des Eikones de Philostrate occupent dans l’oeuvre de Goethe une place singulière. Ces textes, suscités par les expositions et les projets des Weimarer Kunstfreunde, reflètent la vision goethéenne d’une Grèce idéale. Le sophiste grec n’a pas été sans laisser de trace dans la sensibilité méditerranéenne et la création littéraire du poète de Faust.
À propos de l’anecdote pythagoricienne de Phintias et Damon: extrait du Pseudo-Maxime, un nouveau témoin d’un fragment de Diodore
Authors: Cohen-Skalli Aude
Published: August 2014

Un extrait du florilège du Pseudo-Maxime fournit un nouveau fragment pour l’édition du livre X de Diodore de Sicile : l’étude philologique, montrant l’indépendance de la transmission des Loci Communes par rapport à celle de l’encyclopédie de Constantin VII, implique que ce nouveau témoignage sur une anecdote pythagoricienne soit considéré isolément du fragment que Vogel publiait dans son édition de la Bibliothèque Historique (Fr. X, 4 Vogel = Excerpta de Virtutibus et Vitiis 63) — il doit donc être publié en tant que tel, en parallèle, dans l’édition de Diodore. Y figure une donnée historique supplémentaire qui permet de faire remonter l’épisode de Phintias et Damon à l’époque du tyran de Syracuse Denys le Jeune : Diodore est le seul à venir confirmer la datation fournie par Aristoxène de Tarente (Fr. 31 Wehrli), jusqu’ici isolée.
Influence of cyclodextrin on the UCST- and LCST-behavior of poly(2-methacrylamido-caprolactam)-co-(N,N-dimethylacrylamide)
Authors: Burkhart Alexander , Ritter Helmut
Published: August 2014

The monomer 2-methacrylamido-caprolactam (4) was synthesized from methacryloyl chloride (3) and racemic α-amino-ε-caprolactam (2). Copolymerization of 4 with N,N-dimethylacrylamide (5) was carried out by a free-radical mechanism using 2,2’-azobis(2-methylpropionitrile) (AIBN) as an initiator. The new copolymers show a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) in water and an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) in ethanol, 1-propanol, and 1-butanol. The solubility properties of the copolymers can be influenced significantly by the addition of randomly methylated β-cyclodextrin (CD). The complexation of the copolymers with CD, was confirmed by the use of ROESY-NMR-spectroscopy.
Understanding Interactive Technology in Organizational Settings
Authors: Andrei Daniela , Fleştea Alina , Guran Adriana , Miclea Mircea
Published: August 2014

Despite the growing interest in holistic approaches capable to go beyond utilitarian perspectives in understanding users' relationship with interactive technology, user experience remains largely ignored in organizational settings (Bargas-Avila & Hornbæk, 2011). Traditionally, technology use in organizations was seen as almost completely externally motivated by the need to perform certain tasks. But this is bound to change as complex interactive technologies are increasingly used by organizations and as research indicating the importance of work motivation for employees performance and well-being (Gagné & Deci, 2005) is starting to be considered in the field of interactive technology interaction (Harbich & Hassenzahl, 2008). As a result, this paper addresses the opportunities of applying a user experience approach in organizational settings by providing an overview of the existing research and insights into how important individual and contextual variables might be considered in order to better understand the way desired technology-related outcomes can be facilitated.
Using Fuzzy Logic for Optimizing Business Intelligence Success in Multiple Investment Combinations
Authors: Farzaneh Mandana , Vanani Iman Raeesi , Sohrabi Babak
Published: August 2014

Business intelligence (BI) has become a critical foundation of competition for organizations over the last several years and has a significant role in sustaining competitive advantage. However there are many problems in BI investment, which are derived from the existence of a large amount of criteria involved in its success which are not all tangible. According to the large amount of complicated quantitative and qualitative factors to be considered in the candidate BI projects and because of the vagueness of them, fuzzy logic is employed to optimize BI investment in businesses. In this regards a fuzzy inference system (FIS) is designed to specifically help in overcoming the complexity of evaluation the business intelligence investment. Proposed FIS is based on a knowledge-driven approach. The main objective is to present to readers a concise deep insight of critical success factors of BI investment model based on FIS.
Measuring Shared Mental Models in Unmanned Aircraft Systems
Authors: Reynolds Rosemarie , Mirot Alex J. , Nudze Prince D.
Published: August 2014

Unmanned aircraft systems (UASs) are becoming part of the aviation landscape, taking on the dirty, dangerous, or dull operations traditionally completed by military and specialized civil aircraft. These operations often require high levels of team coordination. Team coordination is facilitated when team members share a mental model of group tasks and the individual crewmember's responsibilities in the performance of these tasks. The shared mental model is therefore critical for unmanned aircraft system teams to complete their operational objectives. The ability to forge a shared mental model is complicated by the diverse and often distributed nature of unmanned aircraft system teams. Before strategies can be developed to create accurate shared mental models, researchers must effectively measure shared mental models. This chapter explores the measurement of shared mental models in UASs.
Using Semantics in the Environment for Multiagent-Based Simulation
Authors: Béhé Florian , Nicolle Christophe , Galland Stéphane , Gaud Nicolas , Koukam Abderrafiaa
Published: August 2014

In this chapter, we carry out an overview and analysis of the usage of semantics to enhance environments in the domain of multiagent-based simulations. Firstly, we take a look at what a multiagent system (MAS) is, and after that we look at the environment for these systems, and why semantics are required in it. Various propositions to put semantics in the environment for MAS are then reviewed, as well as the strengths and weaknesses for these approaches. These propositions are grouped together under two categories, regarding whether the proposed approach is based on only the environment or on both the agents and the environment. The paper is then concluded with findings that have emerged by analyzing the various proposed approaches.
Real-Time Smart Navigation and the Genetic Approach to Vehicle Routing
Authors: De Castro Cristina , Masini Barbara Mavì , Habib Ibrahim , Andrisano Oreste
Published: August 2014

The ever increasing traffic requirements are boosting the evolution of Smart Navigation Systems, where innately time-variant information, such as road conditions, must be properly handled with. For instance, when the quickest route to a destination is requested, if significant traffic variations occur during the trip, the first path suggested can become no longer efficient. In this case, the user must be indicated an alternative in real-time. Three main interactive factors contribute to service quality: architectures, wireless communication methods and vehicle routing algorithms. An infrastructure and communication strategies are thus presented, for traffic monitoring, vehicle-system data exchange, and real-time transmission of path variations. Results about saved travel time are reported. A survey is then presented about the performance of Genetic Algorithms in real-time routing, with special attention to localized searches; a variant is consequently proposed of the adopted traffic control and prediction architecture.
Exploring the M-Government
Authors: Quintanilla Gabriela
Published: August 2014

Today, information technologies have revolutionized governments and society. Information flows through mobile devices, not just for communication, but also to obtain services and the right of satisfying new demands and expectations. Mobile government (m-Government) has begun to leverage these tools to improve services, create more opportunities, and extend access (ITU/OECD, 2011). The amalgamation of smart technologies with m-Government has opened new possibilities to promote participation and collaboration, not only facilitating interaction between individuals and governments, but also reducing the digital divide. The goal of this research is to analyze the feasibility of m-Government using smart technologies, to promote a shift that motivates citizens to use the new platform and services for participation in government operation.
The Single Patent for Portuguese or Spanish Language Countries
Authors: Vairinho Sofia , Branstad Tara , Guerreiro Joao , Sanz Francisco J. Leon , Sanchez Sonia R.
Published: August 2014

The economic and financial situation in Southern European Countries creates an almost involuntary need for entrepreneurial ideas and innovation in the approach to social, legal and political solutions. Countries such as Portugal and Spain struggle to define strategies to improve their economies.Transversal to several fields, including the Information Science and Technology, we may consider as possible path or valid option the Patent System. If we consider the Patent System as a possible route to protect and stimulate investment, we may say that, presently, an isolated Portuguese or a Spanish patent does not represent a common choice for investors. To address this issue, this article proposes a new approach to the Patent System, based on the creation of a patent that will cover, with only one standard submission and evaluation process, all the Portuguese or Spanish language countries. Moving towards the establishment of a more innovative and competitive environment, the “Portuguese and/or Spanish Language Patent” would give a broader competitive advantage to companies operating within these particular markets, and, therefore, to the countries themselves. The strongest international advantage each of these two countries (Portugal and Spain) has in common is the widespread dissemination of their language across multiple continents. The present approach would be a complementary response to the implementation of the European Union Unitary Patent. The consolidation of the “Portuguese and/or Spanish Language Patent” would rely on the same principles defined for the Unitary Patent: simplicity; lower cost; and the involvement of a large number of Countries.
Advances in Electrocardiogram Information Management
Authors: Nair T.R. Gopalakrishnan
Published: August 2014

One of the interesting challenges in health care field is the intelligent interpretation of signals from human being duly measured by various instruments like ECG, EEG etc. Automated ECG Analysis is expected to provide a good guidance in interpreting anomalies of the human heart. Computerized ECG analysis has been found to be specially useful in primary care facilities where specialists are not available to do that very easily. At the same time, surveys indicate that use of computer based ECG interpretation has not resulted in a very significant augmentation of diagnostic accuracy of physicians yet. Study of those probable incoherence appearing in interpretations are related to various aspects of handling ECG like data acquisition, noise removal, feature extraction, logical processing and pattern recognition. There exists several opportunities to improve the automated solution in each of these areas. This paper presents the work done till now on analysis and subsequent interpretation of fiducial points. There are various types of faulty heart conditions existing, and often they get manifested through ECG. There exist various technological approaches which can enable the automated interpretation of ECG.
Determinants of Users' Intention to Use Mobile Information Technologies
Authors: Trakulmaykee Numtip , Benrit Parichard
Published: August 2014

This article provides the guideline for businesses and academics to understand the determinants of users' intention to use mobile information technologies in particular of innovation characteristics. As a result of the different features and innovation characteristics in each mobile context, the determinants of users' intention are different in various mobile contexts. Therefore, this article focuses on the innovation characteristics of mobile information technologies. In order to clearly understand the similarity and difference of innovation characteristics, this article compares and synthesizes the innovation characteristics in four mobile contexts (mobile banking, mobile commerce, mobile learning and mobile health). The outcome of article is guideline which proposes the core innovation characteristics of all mobile information technologies, the core innovation characteristics of each mobile context, and additional innovation characteristics of each mobile context.
IT Resources, IT-Enabled Capabilities, and Business Performance
Authors: Ghobakhloo Morteza , Hong Tang Sai , Jabeen Samrena
Published: August 2014

A number of IT scholars attempted to analyze the direct contribution of IT to firm performance, but, the findings were mixed and inconclusive. Viewed from IT-enabled organizational capability perspective, recent scholars increasingly consider the firm's IT resources as complementary resources augmenting the value of other organizational resources and capabilities, which will further lead to the performance improvement. This article provides a comprehensive review on the background of IT-enabled organizational capability and provides potential research directions for future IT scholars.
Fear Appeals, Threat Perceptions, and Protection Motivation in Information Systems Security
Authors: Paravastu Narasimha , Anandarajan Murugan
Published: August 2014

Information security is important for organizations as well as individuals from the perspective of protection from data breaches, identity theft, malware and infections, hacking etc. This article presents the framework of Protection Motivation Theory and its constructs, and then reviews the past IS Literature on information systems security, from a protection motivation perspective. Specifically this article tries to explain how individuals perceive a fear appeal in an information systems security threat, and how the protection motivation framework of fear, threat perceptions of severity and vulnerability, impact the coping intentions of individuals to protect themselves from information systems security threats. This article further discusses the theoretical and managerial implications of protection motivation theory as it applies to information systems security.
Wearable for Health and Fashion
Authors: Spaanenburg Lambert , Jansen Walter
Published: August 2014

Microelectronics is shrinking health equipment in size, cost and operability, thereby moving it from the medical to the consumer market. A typical example is the oximeter. Originally, it was the bulky helper of the anaesthetist in the operating theatre, but gradually it has become a routine check for hospital admittance and is rapidly shaped as a simple consumer item, similar to a smart thermometer. The mobile platform such as the smart phone is the typical carrier for such small, embedded oximeter intelligence. Monolithic sensors drive the advance of a plethora of sensors allowing a variety of health monitoring opportunities. Where the phone is too restrictive, set-up items and wireless connected accessories can be applied. Gradually a new class of wearable, such as smart watch, appears in the health arena, being both functional and fashionable.
Effects of Environmental Threat on U.S. Defense Contractors in War Zones from the Social Science and Technology Perspectives
Authors: Fowler Jeffrey T. , Sharf Ruth
Published: August 2014

The following article will explore environmental threat as it applies to contractor personnel in combat zones from both the technological and scientific perspectives. A unique aspect of defense contracting is the performance of contracts in war zones, such as Afghanistan. Asymmetric warfare, lacking conventional front lines, dictates that contractors encounter physical threat at any time and in a variety of circumstances. Under these conditions, contracting assumes a new dimension associated with a heightened level of physical environmental threat and the mitigating effects inherent in technological advantage. In addition, social science research into morale factors is an important element in contractor performance. It is interesting to note that the West has been unable to destroy the fundamentalist forces arrayed against it despite remarkable and rapid technological and scientific advances and their application in the theater of war.
SDSS Based on GIS
Authors: Pechanec Vilém
Published: August 2014

In recent years, the GIS is increasingly understood as a means used to support decision-making and recognizes as the basis for the SDSS. Generally it attach two basic role in the process of decision support: a) GIS is used for better decision support, because it helps to collect, organize, analyze and properly visualize data that the user uses the solution to the problem. The decision on the appropriateness of solutions can be used modeling alternative scenarios and then compare their critical parameters. b) GIS is widely used in solving specific problems SDSS, which are geared to location and allocation problems and highly applicable in the event of network analysis. For the application of GIS in the SDSS is specific that, in addition to building a data structure, which is the primary reason for deployment, significantly applied and specific methods for determining their own GIS technology.
State of the Art of Software Architecture Design Methods Used in Main Software Development Methodologies
Authors: Yuritzy Reyes Delgado Paola , Manuel Mora Tavarez José , Alejandro Duran-Limon Hector , Cecilia Rodríguez-Martínez Laura , Ricardo Mendoza González , Alberto Rodríguez Díaz Mario
Published: August 2014

The design Software Architecture (SA) is an essential activity in the modern development software systems. This SA design activity defines its core components, the interrelationships among them, and a set of essential attributes expected for the final software. While this design is realized in a high level of abstraction, missing this activity or a wrong conduction of it will have negative effects in further software development phases, and lately in the final software. Thus, SA design methods are relevant to be studied and applied. In this article, we review the SA design methods that are (explicitly or implicitly) included in five well-known Software Development Methodologies (SDMs). We report: (1) a brief description of the five SDMs; (2) a substantial description of the SA design methods used in each SDM; and (3) a comparative analysis among them using an evaluation template posited by well-recognized experts in this topic. Our results suggest that SA design methods, while sharing a similar design purpose and some activities, they also present a varied structured and nomenclature.
Web Archiving
Authors: Alvord Trevor
Published: August 2014

Web Archiving is an emerging and growing field in Information Science and Technology; not even out of its second decade yet playing a critical role in the documentation and preservation of the human experience portrayed on the Internet. With an estimated 72 hours of video uploaded to YouTube every minute and over 300 million images added to Facebook daily the Internet has by far become the preferred method for documenting ones life; traditional mediums such as journals and scrapbooks have given way to blogs and Flickr accounts. This article explores the history, issues—such as appraisal, metadata, and copyright—uses, and the developing lexicon of web archiving while examining current tools and services available in the field.
The Survival and Differentiation of Pro-B and Pre-B Cells in the Bone Marrow Is Dependent on IL-7Rα Tyr449
Authors: Patton Daniel T. , Plumb Adam W. , Abraham Ninan
Published: August 2014

IL-7 is critical for murine T and B cell development and survival and plays a significant role in lymphoblastic leukemia in both humans and mice. We evaluated the role of the IL-7Rα Tyr449 cytoplasmic SH2-binding motif in IL-7–mediated B cell development using a knock-in mouse with a Tyr to Phe mutation (IL-7Rα449F/449F mouse). IL-7Rα449F/449F and IL-7Rα−/− mice showed no defect in the number of pre–pro-B cells, although IL-7Rα449F/449F mice had decreased Ebf1 in pre–pro-B cells and impairment in B cell–committed CLPs. We identified that IL-7Rα Tyr449 was critical for both pro-B and pre-B stages of development in the bone marrow. IL-7Rα449F/449F and IL-7Rα−/− mice had comparable precursor B cell defects, indicating that signaling from the IL-7Rα required this motif. Although the defect in IL-7Rα449F/449F pro-B cells was associated with loss of STAT5 activation and diminished expression of Mcl1, this was not rescued by overexpression of Bcl-2. IL-7Rα449F/449F and IL-7Rα−/− pre-B cells also showed defective cyto-Igμ and CD25 expression, associated with reduced levels of Rag1, Rag2, and Irf4. Pre-B cells from IL-7Rα449F/449F mice also failed to proliferate, perhaps as a result of the failure to rearrange Igμ. Our data suggest that IL-7Rα Tyr449 was essential for IL-7Rα signaling in bone marrow B cell development and survival.
IL-33–Induced Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cell Mobilization Depends upon CCR2
Authors: Kim Juyang , Kim Wonyoung , Le Hongnga T. , Moon U J. , Tran Vuvi G. , Kim Hyun J. , Jung Soyeon , Nguyen Quang-Tam , Kim Byung-Sam , Jun Jae-Bum , Cho Hong R. , Kwon Byungsuk
Published: August 2014

IL-33 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma, atopic allergy, anaphylaxis, and other inflammatory diseases by promoting the production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines or Th2 immune responses. In this study, we analyzed the in vivo effect of IL-33 administration. IL-33 markedly promoted myelopoiesis in the bone marrow and myeloid cell emigration. Concomitantly, IL-33 induced hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) mobilization and extramedullary hematopoiesis. HSPC mobilization was mediated mainly through increased levels of CCL7 produced by vascular endothelial cells in response to IL-33. In vivo treatment of IL-33 rapidly induced phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, and p38, and inhibition of these signaling molecules completely blocked the production of CCL7 induced by IL-33. Consistently, inhibitor of CCR2 markedly reduced IL-33–mediated HSPC mobilization in vivo and migration of HSPCs in response to CCL7 in vitro. IL-33–mobilized HSPCs were capable of homing to, and of long-term reconstitution in, the bone marrow of irradiated recipients. Immune cells derived from these recipients had normal antifungal activity. The ability of IL-33 to promote migration of HSPCs and myeloid cells into the periphery and to regulate their antifungal activity represents a previously unrecognized role of IL-33 in innate immunity. These properties of IL-33 have clinical implications in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Live Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Vaccine Correlate of Protection: Immune Complex–Inhibitory Fc Receptor Interactions That Reduce Target Cell Availability
Authors: Smith Anthony J. , Wietgrefe Stephen W. , Shang Liang , Reilly Cavan S. , Southern Peter J. , Perkey Katherine E. , Duan Lijie , Kohler Heinz , Müller Sybille , Robinson James , Carlis John V. , Li Qingsheng , Johnson R. Paul , Haase Ashley T.
Published: August 2014

Principles to guide design of an effective vaccine against HIV are greatly needed, particularly to protect women in the pandemic’s epicenter in Africa. We have been seeking these principles by identifying correlates of the robust protection associated with SIVmac239Δnef vaccination in the SIV-rhesus macaque animal model of HIV-1 transmission to women. We identified one correlate of SIVmac239Δnef protection against vaginal challenge as a resident mucosal system for SIV-gp41 trimer Ab production and neonatal FcR-mediated concentration of these Abs on the path of virus entry to inhibit establishment of infected founder populations at the portal of entry. In this study, we identify blocking CD4+ T cell recruitment to thereby inhibit local expansion of infected founder populations as a second correlate of protection. Virus-specific immune complex interactions with the inhibitory FcγRIIb receptor in the epithelium lining the cervix initiate expression of genes that block recruitment of target cells to fuel local expansion. Immune complex–FcγRIIb receptor interactions at mucosal frontlines to dampen the innate immune response to vaginal challenge could be a potentially general mechanism for the mucosal immune system to sense and modulate the response to a previously encountered pathogen. Designing vaccines to provide protection without eliciting these transmission-promoting innate responses could contribute to developing an effective HIV-1 vaccine.
Upper Jurassic - Lower Cretaceous Dinoflagellate assemblages from Arctic Canada
Authors: Brideaux W W , Fisher M J
Published: August 2014

This paper describes the taxonomy, biostratigraphy and geographic occurrence within the Canadian Boreal Region of an Upper Jurassic-lowermost Cretaceous (Oxfordian-Berriasian) dinoflagellate cyst assemblage. This association, termed the borealis assemblage, is
intermediate in age between assemblages described from older Jurassic rocks and those present in the upper Lower Cretaceous (Neocomian) in these regions.
Data have been obtained from three surface and four subsurface sec t ions from the northern Interior Plains-Richardson Mountains regions and from four seismic shot-point locations and seven subsurface sections in the Arctic Islands (Sverdrup Basin).
Five new dinoflagellate cyst taxa are described: Psaligonyaulax dualis, Pareodinia capillosa, Pareodinia borealis, Horologinella spinosigibberosa, and Lanterna saturnalis. One other species, Gonyaulacysta sp. cf. G. cladophora (Deflandre) Dodekova, also is associated with the borealis assemblage.
The ranges of the new taxa have been determined by comparison with published macrofaunal zonal schemes and from published ranges of selected spore, pollen and dinoflagellate taxa.