bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Another Piece of the “Expectations Gap”: What Do Investors Know About Auditor Involvement with Information in the Annual Report?
Authors: Bedard Jean C. , Sutton Steve G. , Arnold Vicky , Phillips Jillian R.
Published: January 2012

The “expectations gap” refers to differences in views of auditors and users regarding the extent of assurance obtained from auditing procedures. One aspect of the expectations gap considered by prior research is whether users differentiate the level of assurance provided by different audit procedures. We extend that research by studying whether investors understand that information outside of the financial statements, in the 10-K as well as on corporate websites, is not audited. This research is important, as the Public Companies Accounting Oversight Board currently is considering proposals aimed at clarifying or expanding the auditor's responsibility for that information. We surveyed professional and nonprofessional investors, and find that professionals are more likely than nonprofessionals to correctly identify which 10-K components are audited. However, many investors in both groups believe that information outside of the financial statements is audited when in fact it is not. We also find some evidence that investors use certain information categories more often when they believe that the information is audited. Also, for both investor groups, responses concerning whether currently unaudited information categories should be audited suggest an unmet demand for greater assurance on information outside of the financial statements. Our results support proposals for greater clarity in the audit opinion concerning the nature of procedures performed on information outside of the financial statements. Further, our findings imply that additional assurance on that information might be considered useful.
Ethics and Accounting Education
Authors: Thomas Stuart
Published: January 2012

The current study investigates how a university accounting education affects the rationales used by accounting and first-year business students in making ethical decisions, the level of deliberative reasoning they employ, and their ethical decisions. Senior accounting students (with approximately four accounting courses to complete) were found to exhibit higher deliberative reasoning, make more frequent use of post-conventional modes of deliberative reasoning, and make more ethical decisions than first-year accounting students. These results suggest that a university accounting education has a positive effect on deliberative reasoning, on the use of post-conventional modes of deliberative reasoning, and on ethical decisions. There was no difference between the level of deliberative reasoning and ethical decisions of first-year accounting and first-year business students, but there were differences in their modes of deliberative reasoning. These results suggest that first-year accounting and first-year business students may make ethical decisions differently, implying the need for a different emphasis when teaching ethics to these two groups of students.
Literacy as a tool of civic education and resistance to power
Authors: Zápotočná Ol’ga
Published: January 2012

This paper discusses literacy as a socio-political phenomenon from the perspective of several relatively independent educational discourses. The first is critical education theory and research revealing the hidden mechanisms by which education policies act in the interests of a global market economy. The second is the perspective of critical pedagogy scholars on contemporary educational challenges, who offer responses similar to those discussed in current discourse on informal civic education. The third is the heated discussion of high-stakes literacy testing (related to OECD literacy studies such as PISA, IALS, etc.) the results of which are used as a source of argumentation for diverse attitudes and educational consequences. Based on an analysis of literacy theory, research on active citizenship and civic education, the term “civic literacy” is proposed and argued as a relevant conceptual frame for conceptualizing school as an institution which can be involved in resistance to all forms of power politics or ideological indoctrination and manipulation, while at the same time, respecting the traditional values and aims of general education.
When PISA does not matter? The case of the Czech Republic and Germany
Authors: Greger David
Published: January 2012

The present paper gives an overview of the reflections of and reactions to publishing the results of the first wave of the OECD study Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) in the Czech Republic and in Germany. The choice of these two countries enables us to document how the same results could be perceived very differently in diverse country contexts and could lead to a different reaction from policy-makers. In spite of large reforms and numerous policy measures being adopted in Germany in reaction to the PISA results, compared with no response from policy-makers in the Czech Republic, it is argued, that in both countries policy-makers failed to tackle the major problem of their educational systems—its selective nature. In the final section we discuss various mis(uses) of PISA and its supranational and global character influencing local policies.
Politics in an era of globalisation and European Union integration
Authors: Leška Dušan
Published: January 2012

This article looks at the mutual relations and links between globalisation and the integration of countries within the European Union. As the economic sphere is undergoing unrestrained globalisation, the position and sovereignty of nation-states is being weakened and politics is becoming harnessed to the economy. The relationship between the economy and politics is thus changing and there is a need to regulate the economy at a supranational level. The European Union has the potential to make positive use of the trend towards globalisation and limit its negative impacts on the economic, social, ecological and cultural levels. This requires, however, deeper integration and further harmonisation of the countries of the European Union in the economic and political spheres. In order for the countries to come closer together, as the current situation requires, a European people (or demos) and a European public space must be created.
Association Mapping for Improvement of Quantitative Traits in Plant Breeding Populations
Authors: Rosyara Umesh R , Joshi Bal K
Published: January 2012

DNA-based molecular markers have been extensively utilized for mapping of genes and quantitative trait loci (QTL) of interest based on linkage analysis in mapping populations. This is in contrast to human genetics that use of linkage disequilibrium (LD)-based mapping for fine mapping of QTLs using single nucleotide polymorphisms. LD based association mapping (AM) has promise to be used in plants. Possible use of such approach may be for fine mapping of genes / QTLs, identifying favorable alleles for marker aided selection and cross validation of results from linkage mapping for precise location of genes / QTLs of interest. In the present review, we discuss different mapping populations, approaches, prospects and limitations of using association mapping in plant breeding populations. This is expected to create awareness in plant breeders in use of AM in crop improvement activities.Key words: Association mapping; plant breeding; DNA marker; quantitative trait lociDOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/njb.v2i1.5686  Nepal Journal of Biotechnology Jan.2012, Vol.2(1): 72-89
Survivorship care plans in research and practice
Authors: Salz Talya , Oeffinger Kevin C. , McCabe Mary S. , Layne Tracy M. , Bach Peter B.
Published: January 2012

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends the use of survivorship care plans (SCPs) for all cancer survivors. Developing useful SCPs requires understanding what survivors and their providers need and how SCPs can be implemented in practice. Published studies investigating the perspectives of stakeholders (survivors, primary care providers, and oncology providers) were reviewed regarding the content and use of SCPs. All National Cancer Institute (NCI)‐designated cancer centers were surveyed concerning the extent to which SCPs for survivors of breast and colorectal cancers are in use, their concordance with the IOM's recommendation, and details about SCP delivery. Survivors and primary care providers typically lack the information the IOM suggested should be included in SCPs. Oncology providers view SCPs favorably but express concerns about the feasibility of their implementation. Fewer than one‐half (43%) of NCI‐designated cancer centers deliver SCPs to their breast or colorectal cancer survivors. Of those that do, none deliver SCPs that include all components recommended by the IOM. Survivors' and providers' opinions about the use of SCPs are favorable, but there are barriers to implementation. SCPs are not widely used in NCI‐designated cancer centers. Variation in practice is substantial, and many components recommended by the IOM framework are rarely included. CA Cancer J Clin 2012; © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Levels of Sulfur as an Essential Nutrient Element in the Soil-Crop-Food System in Austria
Authors: Sager Manfred
Published: January 2012

Total sulfur data of various agricultural and food items from the lab of the author, have been compiled to develop an understanding of sulfur levels and ecological cycling in Austria. As sulfur level is not an included factor among the quality criteria of soil and fertilizer composition, the database is rather small. Problems in analytical determinations of total sulfur, in particular digestions, are outlined. As a protein component, sulfur is enriched in matrices of animal origin, in particular in egg white. There is substantial excretion from animals and man via urine. Organic fertilizers (manures, composts) might contribute significantly to the sulfur budget of soils, which is important for organic farming of crops with high sulfur needs. For soils, drainage is a main route of loss of soluble sulfate, thus pot experiments may yield unrealistic sulfur budgets.
A Low-Complexity Geometric Bilateration Method for Localization in Wireless Sensor Networks and Its Comparison with Least-Squares Methods
Authors: Cota-Ruiz Juan , Rosiles Jose-Gerardo , Sifuentes Ernesto , Rivas-Perea Pablo
Published: January 2012

This research presents a distributed and formula-based bilateration algorithm that can be used to provide initial set of locations. In this scheme each node uses distance estimates to anchors to solve a set of circle-circle intersection (CCI) problems, solved through a purely geometric formulation. The resulting CCIs are processed to pick those that cluster together and then take the average to produce an initial node location. The algorithm is compared in terms of accuracy and computational complexity with a Least-Squares localization algorithm, based on the Levenberg–Marquardt methodology. Results in accuracy vs. computational performance show that the bilateration algorithm is competitive compared with well known optimized localization algorithms.
URBANISTIKOS PAVELDO TVARKYBOS IŠTAKOS IR ŠIANDIENINĖ SITUACIJA LIETUVOJE
Authors: Dijokienė Dalia
Published: January 2012

The concept of urban heritage value in the mind of the humankind is relatively new. Protection of urban heritage objects started at the latest in the development of the global tangible objects of immovable cultural heritage. Protection of these objects has been developing as an opposition to dominating urbanisation processes. The article briefly reviews evolution of the notion and object of cultural heritage in documents of international organisations in the 20th and 21st centuries and looks into when this notion expands to encompass urban compositions. It analyses the solid scientific framework of the Lithuanian urban heritage research upon which the interpretation and legalisation was founded. The article discuses the present-day legal framework of urban heritage management, pointing out its drawbacks. It seeks to identify why scientists and lawyers, as well as members of government and the public fail to find a common language on issues of urban heritage management.

Santrauka

Urbanistikos paveldo vertybės sąvoka žmonijos sąmonėje yra palyginti nauja. Pasaulio materialiojo nekilnojamojo kultūros paveldo apsaugos raidoje urbanistikos paveldo objektai pradėti saugoti vėliausiai. Jų apsauga formavosi kaip priešprieša dominuojantiems urbanizacijos procesams. Straipsnyje glaustai apžvelgiama, kaip kito kultūros paveldo sąvoka ir objektas XX–XXI a. tarptautinių organizacijų dokumentuose ir kada šią sąvoką papildo urbanistiniai dariniai. Analizuojamas Lietuvos urbanistikos paveldotyros mokslinis pagrindas, lėmęs urbanistikos vertybių nustatymą ir įteisinimą. Aptariamas dabartinis teisinis urbanistikos paveldo tvarkybos pagrindas ir jo trūkumai. Ieškoma nesusikalbėjimo tarp mokslo ir teisės atstovų, valdininkijos ir piliečių urbanistikos paveldo tvarkybos klausimais priežasčių.
VILNIAUS MIESTO CENTRO URBANISTINĖS-ARCHITEKTŪRINĖS IR PAVELDOSAUGOS PROBLEMOS
Authors: Glemža Jonas
Published: January 2012

Historic parts of the city, Old Town, New Town, and the new buildings on Gedimino and Konstitucijos avenues form the city centre of Vilnius. These parts are situated on the opposite banks of the River Neris. The above mentioned avenues are the main streets and the river is the spatial axis of the centre. In the process of development of Vilnius city centre, the principal problems should be solved: 1. to further preserve cultural heritage; 2. to use a stable expansion in the development; 3. to strengthen the architecture and singularity of its natural surroundings in the city centre. Specific suggestions are presented for the development or regeneration of separate building spaces in the streets of the city centre relating them to the Official Plan of Vilnius (from 2007 to 2015).

Santrauka

Vilniaus miesto centrą sudaro istorinės miesto dalys – Senamiestis, Naujamiestis su naujais statiniais Gedimino ir Konstitucijos prospektuose, kurie yra skirtingose Neries upės pusėse. Šie prospektai yra pagrindinės gatvės, o upė – erdvinė centro ašis. Vystant Vilniaus centrą turėtų būti sprendžiamos trys pagrindinės problemos: 1) tolesnis kultūros paveldo, jo vietovių saugojimas; 2) taikoma tvari plėtra vystant centrą; 3) architektūrinės bei gamtinės centro aplinkos savitumo stiprinimas. Teikiami konkretūs vertinimai bei siūlymai dėl atskirų centro gatvių užstatymo vietų vystymo ar gaivinimo, siejant tai su Vilniaus miesto Bendruoju planu iki 2015 metų ir jo įgyvendinimu.
Improved detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis using two independent PCR targets in a tertiary care centre in South India
Authors: Barani Ramya , Sarangan Gopalsamy , Antony Tessa , Periyasamy Soundararajan , Kindo Anupma Jyoti , Srikanth Padma
Published: January 2012

Introduction:  Tuberculosis (TB) causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide as one of the leading infectious diseases. In India, more than 1.8 million new cases occur every year. Rapid and accurate diagnosis of TB would improve patient care and limit its transmission.This study aimed to evaluate a dual target polymerase chain reaction (PCR) diagnostic assay to detect Mycobacterium tuberculosis from pulmonary and extra-pulmonary samples at a tertiary care centre in South India. Methodology: Samples were collected from patients with a low index of suspicion of TB. Acid-fast smears were performed by Auramine O fluorescent microscopy and PCR was performed by using two site-specific primer pairs targeting IS6110 by nested PCR and TRC4 by conventional PCR. Amplified products for IS6110 and/or TRC4 were indicative of M. tuberculosis.Results: Among 114 (19 pulmonary and 95 extra-pulmonary) samples tested by PCR assay, 12 (11%) were positive for both IS6110 and TRC4, of which 11 (10%) were non-respiratory and one was (1%) respiratory in origin. PCR for TRC4 alone was positive for eight (7%) non-respiratory and two (2%) respiratory samples, while IS6110 alone tested positive for six (5%) non-respiratory samples and one (1%) respiratory sample. Of a total of 29 PCR positive samples, 17 (15 %) were acid-fast smear positive. Conclusion: Although the target site of IS6110 is specific for M. tuberculosis, some strains from South India may lack this region. Therefore, the use of an additional target site (TRC4) is required for improved detection of M. tuberculosis.
Clinical and radiological deterioration due to Mycobacterium szulgai in an asthmatic patient
Authors: Marjani Majid , Mansouri Nahal , Tabarsi Payam , Baghaei Parvaneh , Farnia Parissa , Sheikholslami Fatemeh-Maryam , Mansouri Davood
Published: January 2012

We report the case of a 23-year-old asthmatic woman who had clinical and radiological deterioration due to Mycobacterium szulgai infection and good response to anti-mycobacterial treatment without any structural abnormalities in previous lung imaging studies. M. szulgai may be considered a pathogen able to cause deterioration of respiratory health even in patients with previously normal lungs.
Evaluation of conventional molecular diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in clinical specimens from Morocco
Authors: Zakham Fathiah , Bazoui Halima , Akrim Mohammed , Lemrabet Sanae , Lahlou Ouafae , Elmzibri Mohamed , Benjouad Abdelaziz , Ennaji My Mustapha , Elaouad Rajae
Published: January 2012

Introduction: Tuberculosis is a major public health threat, annually affecting new individuals worldwide, especially those in developing countries. Rapid detection of the agent and effective treatment are two important factors in controlling this disease.Methodology: The present study aimed to evaluate polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as a rapid and direct molecular method for the diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) in 70 clinical specimens (62 sputum samples, six cerebrospinal fluids, and two biopsies) using heat shock protein (hsp65) as the gene target. Automated sequencing of the same gene was used for the identification of MTB to the species level. Results: The sensitivity of PCR was 81.13%, with specificity of 88.24%; the positive and negative predictive values were 95.56% and 60%, respectively.Conclusion: Based on these results, the hsp65 gene sequence can be used to differentiate the members of MTB complex from non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM).
Nodal tuberculosis revisited: a review
Authors: Handa Uma , Mundi Irneet , Mohan Sugandha
Published: January 2012

Lymphadenitis is the most common extrapulmonary manifestation of tuberculosis. Tuberculous lymphadenitis is considered to be the local manifestation of the systemic disease, whereas lymphadenitis due to nontuberculous mycobacteria is truly a localized disease. A high index of suspicion is needed for the diagnosis of tuberculous lymphadenitis which is known to mimic a number of pathological conditions. Over the last two to three decades, fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) has emerged as a simple out-patient diagnostic procedure for the evaluation of tuberculous lymphadenitis and has replaced lymph node biopsy for histopathology. A number of molecular methods have also been introduced in diagnostics which have greatly improved the diagnostic accuracy. This article provides a review of epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and pathogenesis and emphasizes current trends in pathologic diagnosis of nodal tuberculosis.
Preliminary remarks on assembly whole genome sequencing of MDR M. tuberculosis isolated in Vietnam
Authors: Tram Ngo Viet Quynh , Bach Nguyen Hoang , Anh Nguyen Thi Chau , Duong Huynh Hai , Thanh Le Nu Xuan , An Le Van , Ferroni Stefano , Cappuccinelli Piero
Published: January 2012

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Conflits et réconciliation dans la vie éthique selon Hegel
Authors: Soual Philippe
Published: January 2012

Résumé Chez Hegel, la conflictualité humaine, sociale et politique, relève de la liberté de l’esprit, et elle a quelque chose de nécessaire et de fécond, dans la mesure où elle est l’épreuve de cette liberté. En distinguant collision et conflit, cet article étudie trois points : d’abord le problème de la reconnaissance, du droit et de la violence ; ensuite, les conflits socio-économiques, avec les institutions et les lois nécessaires à leur résolution ; et enfin les conflits proprement politiques. Si l’État s’efforce de prévenir ou résoudre les conflits par ses institutions, en chaque sphère persiste une conflictualité invincible, dans une réconciliation qui reste fragile, comme la liberté.
L'âge de la liberté : Hegel avec Foucault
Authors: Pagès Claire
Published: January 2012

Résumé Chez Hegel, la liberté ne dépend pas seulement de conditions historiques, politiques ou géographiques, mais aussi de conditions anthropologiques comme celle de l’âge : le degré de liberté dépend de l’âge qu’on a, la liberté ne vient pas avant l’âge ou le bon âge. Hegel développe une analyse parallèle des âges des peuples. Pourquoi la liberté a-t-elle pour condition l’âge de l’homme fait ? Est-ce la liberté du puissant face au jeune homme qui n’a pas le pouvoir et au vieillard qui est affaibli ? Foucault, en commentant l’ Alcibiade de Platon, a pu soutenir lui aussi l’idée d’un âge de la liberté : l’accès à soi permis par un âge critique de la vie conditionne surtout, dans le dialogue et pour Foucault, l’action et la pensée politiques. Revenant à Hegel, nous pouvons alors mieux comprendre que sa thèse de la plus grande liberté de l’homme fait ne dépend pas de sa puissance mais de l’exigence pratique et politique qui caractérise l’âge qui est le sien.
On Network Management of Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Khan Sana , Bakhsh Sheikh Tahir
Published: January 2012

Wireless sensor networks have become a popular research area of distributed computing. It is the emerging area of pervasive computing, for supporting daily life applications of human usage in future and could provide large amount of benefits to the society, by efficient delivery of sensed information. Network management of WSNs plays an important role for the efficient working of whole network and application. It is the research area that is recently gaining the attraction from research community. This chapter compiles some related information on the basis of studied literature regarding wireless sensors network management, including WSN background, issues and challenges, proposed solutions, and research trends.
Interoperability in Wireless Sensor Networks Based on IEEE 1451 Standard
Authors: Higuera Jorge , Polo Jose
Published: January 2012

The syntactic and semantic interoperability is a challenge of the Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) with smart sensors in pervasive computing environments to increase their harmonization in a wide variety of applications. This chapter contains a detailed description of interoperability in heterogeneous WSN using the IEEE 1451 standard. This work focuses on personal area networks (PAN) with smart sensors and actuators. Also, technical, syntactic, and semantic levels of interoperability based on IEEE 1451 standardization are established with common control commands. In this architecture, each node includes a Transducer Electronic Datasheets (TEDS) and intelligent functions. The authors explore different options to apply the IEEE 1451 standard using SOAP or REST Web service style in order to test a common syntactical interoperability that could be predominant in future WSNs.
A Taxonomy of Routing Techniques in Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Ayaz Muhammad , Abdullah Azween , Faye Ibrahima
Published: January 2012

Underwater Wireless Sensor Networks (UWSNs) are finding different applications for offshore exploration and ocean monitoring. In most of these applications, the network consists of a significant number of sensor nodes deployed at different depth levels throughout the area of interest. Sensor nodes on the sea bed cannot communicate directly with the nodes near the surface level, so they require multihop communication assisted by an appropriate routing scheme. However, this appropriateness not only depends on network resources and application requirements, but environment constraints are involved as well. These factors all provide a platform where a resource aware routing strategy plays a vital role in fulfilling different application requirements with dynamic environment conditions. Realizing this fact, much of the attention has been given to construct a reliable scheme, and many routing protocols have been proposed in order to provide efficient route discoveries between the source and sink. In this chapter, the authors present a review and comparison of different algorithms proposed recently for underwater sensor networks. Later on, all of these have been classified into different groups according to their characteristics and functionalities.
Wireless Sensor Network Testbeds
Authors: El-Darymli Khalid , Ahmed Mohamed H.
Published: January 2012

The rapid increase in WSN-Testbed deployments alongside intra-academic and inter-industrial collaboration are two healthy signs which not only affirm but also confirm that it is a matter of time before WSN technology becomes a preferred industrial norm. In this chapter, the authors help in realizing this very fact through reflecting on different experiences pertinent to WSN-Testbed deployments. To put this objective into perspective, first, the authors adopt and describe a classification methodology for WSN-Testbeds. Second, the authors present a generic architecture for the different classes of WSN-Testbeds. Third, the authors pinpoint some design challenges and evaluation criteria/benchmarking scheme pertinent to WSN-Testbeds. Fourth, the authors examine the literature and opt for a variety of 30 WSN-Testbeds. The selection of these WSN-Testbeds is carefully made to cover the various spectra of WSN applications while avoiding redundancy. Fifth, selected WSN-Testbeds are comparatively analyzed with highlights of architecture and distinctive features. Sixth, the authors apply the benchmarking scheme and properly evaluate the selected WSN-Testbeds. Then, the authors shed light on some of the most relevant challenges and drawbacks. Finally, interesting discussion is introduced where among the issues discussed are: vitality of WSN-Testbeds, design trade-offs, network model, WSN’s OS, topology control, power management, some real world deployment challenges, and confidentiality infringement. The authors believe that this chapter is a contribution towards realizing the important role that a WSN-Testbed plays in hastening the industrial adoption for the promising WSN technology.
Mitigation of Hot Spots on Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Gielow Fernando , Nogueira Michele , Santos Aldri
Published: January 2012

The use of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) has increased over the past years, supporting applications such as environmental monitoring, security systems, and multimedia streaming. These networks are characterized by a many-to-one traffic pattern. Hence, sensor nodes near to the sink have higher energy consumption, being prone to earlier deaths and failures. Those areas overloaded with high traffic rates are called Hot Spots, and their emergence creates and expands energy holes that compromise network lifetime and data delivery rates, and may result in disconnected areas. This chapter provides an overview of techniques to mitigate Hot Spot impacts, such as the uneven distribution of sensors, routes that balance energy consumption, sink mobility, and the use of unequal clustering. Further, it depicts the approach for achieving mitigation of sink centered Hot Spots. Finally, this chapter presents conclusions and future research perspectives.
Node Localization
Authors: Zaman Noor , Abdullah Azween , Ahmed Muneer
Published: January 2012

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are taking a major share with almost all types of different applications and especially, it is most suited in very harsh and tough environments, where it is too hard to deploy conventional network applications, for example in the forest fire area, battlefields during the war, chemical and thermal sites, and also for few underwater applications. WSNs are now becoming part of almost all applications because of their ease in deployment and cheaper cost. These networks are resource constraints, very small in size, computation, and with much less communication capabilities. Nodes are normally deployed in random fashion, and it’s too hard to find their location because there is no any predefined way like conventional networks to discern location. Location is highly important to know the data correlation: for example its target tracking, and to know actual vicinity of the any event occurrence. This chapter describes the current available approaches, issues, and challenges with current approaches and future directions for node localization, one by one. Node localization is highly important for large sensor networks where users desire to know about the exact location of the nodes to know the data location.
Cooperative Diversity Techniques for Energy Efficient Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Hult Tommy , Mohammed Abbas
Published: January 2012

Wireless Sensor Networks can be used for a multitude of applications, but they all have in common that they need to send their collected data to some central processing node. If the sensors are located at a long distance from a processing node, the transmission might need the combined transmitter power of several sensors. In this chapter, the authors investigate the use of various cooperative diversity techniques in wireless sensor networks to increase the transmission range, minimize power consumption, and maximize network lifetime.
Energy Efficient Communication in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Israr Nauman
Published: January 2012

Longer life time is the primary goal of interest in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). Communication dominates the power consumption among all the activities in WSNs. The classical sleep and wake up scheduling scheme at the application layer is believed to be one of the best power saving schemes for dense WSNs. These schemes reduce redundant transmissions, and as a result, prolong the network life time. This chapter analyzes the effect of density on inter cluster and intra cluster communication and evaluates a hybrid cross layer scheduling schemes to enhance the life time of the WSNs. In the conventional scheduling schemes at the application layer, all the nodes whose area are covered by their neighbors are put to sleep in order to prolong the life time of the WSNs. The hybrid cross layer scheme in this chapter suggests that instead of putting the redundant nodes to sleep if they are used for some other energy intensive tasks, for example the use of redundant nodes as relay stations in inter cluster communication, will be more energy efficient compare to the conventional application layer scheduling schemes in WSNs. Performance studies in the chapter indicate that the proposed communication strategy is more energy efficient than the conventional communication strategies that employ the sleep/wake up pattern at application layer.
Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Jung Low Tang , Abdullah Azween
Published: January 2012

This chapter presents the studies and analysis on the approaches, the concepts, and the ideas on data packet size optimization for data packets transmission in underwater wireless sensor network (UWSN) and terrestrial wireless sensor network (TWSN) communications. These studies are based on the related prior works accomplished by the UWSN and TWSN research communities. It should be mentioned here that the bulk of the studies and analysis would be on the data packet size optimization techniques or approaches rather than on the communication channel modeling, but the channel model is deemed essential to support the optimization approaches. The various optimization solutions proposed in the prior arts are dealt with in depth to explore their feasibilities to accommodate the data packet size optimization algorithm proposed by the various researchers. This chapter starts off with the studies and analysis on prior arts found in UWSN and then moves on to the similar works found elsewhere in the TWSN communications counterparts. A comparison on some important issues related to data packet size optimization approaches used in UWSN and TWSN communications are summarized in a table at the end of this chapter. The findings in this chapter may be helpful to readers who are interested in the R&D of data packet size optimization techniques with the intention to formulate new data packet size optimization framework or algorithms.
Wireless Sensor Network
Authors: Zaman Noor , Abdullah Azween , Ragab Khalid
Published: January 2012

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are becoming common in use, with a vast diversity of applications. Due to its resource constraints, it is hard to maintain Quality of Service (QoS) with WSNs. Though they contain a vast variety of applications, at the same time they are also required to provide different levels of QoS, for various types of applications. A number of different issues and challenges still persist ahead to maintain the QoS of WSN, especially in critical applications where the accuracy of timely, guaranteed data transfer is required, such as chemical, defense, and healthcare. Hence, QoS is required to ensure the best use of sensor nodes at any time. Researchers are trying to focus on QoS issues and challenges to get maximum benefit from their applications. With this chapter, the authors focus on operational and architectural challenges of handling QoS, requirements of QoS in WSNs, and they discuss a selected survey of QoS aware routing techniques by comparing them in WSNs. Finally, the authors highlight a few open issues and future directions of research for providing QoS in WSNs.
Routing Optimization and Secure Target Tracking in Distributed Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Mansouri Majdi , Lyes Khoukhi , Snoussi Hichem , Richard Cédric
Published: January 2012

Due to the limited energy supplies of nodes in wireless sensor networks (WSN), optimizing their design under energy constraints, reducing their communication costs, and securing their aggregated data are of paramount importance. To this goal, and in order to efficiently solve the problem of target tracking in WSN with quantized measurements, the authors propose to jointly estimate the target position and the relay location, and select the secure sensor nodes and the best communication path. Firstly, the authors select the appropriate group in order to balance the energy dissipation and to provide the required data of the target in the WSN. This selection is also based on the transmission power between a single sensor and a cluster head (CH). Secondly, the authors detect the malicious sensor nodes based on the information relevance of their measurements. Thirdly, they select the best communication path between the candidate sensor and the CH. Then, the authors estimate jointly the target position and the relay location using Quantized Variational Filtering (QVF) algorithm. The selection of candidate sensors is based on multi-criteria function, which is computed by using the predicted target position provided by the QVF algorithm. The proposed algorithm for the detection of malicious sensor nodes is based on Kullback-Leibler distance between the current target position distribution and the predicted sensor observation, while the best communication path is selected as well as the highest signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) at the CH. The efficiency of the proposed method is validated by extensive simulations in target tracking for wireless sensor networks.
Event Based Data Gathering in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Khan Asfandyar , Abdullah Azween , Hasan Nurul
Published: January 2012

Wireless sensor networks (WSANs) are increasingly being used and deployed to monitor the surrounding physical environments and detect events of interest. In wireless sensor networks, energy is one of the primary issues and requires the conservation of energy of the sensor nodes, so that network lifetime can be maximized. It is not recommended as a way to transmit or store all data of the sensor nodes for analysis to the end user. The purpose of this “Event Based Detection” Model is to simulate the results in terms of energy savings during field activities like a fire detection system in a remote area or habitat monitoring, and it is also used in security concerned issues. The model is designed to detect events (when occurring) of significant changes and save the data for further processing and transmission. In this way, the amount of transmitted data is reduced, and the network lifetime is increased. The main goal of this model is to meet the needs of critical condition monitoring applications and increase the network lifetime by saving more energy. This is useful where the size of the network increases. Matlab software is used for simulation.
An Outline of Security in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Malik M. Yasir
Published: January 2012

With the expansion of wireless sensor networks, the need for securing the data flow through these networks is increasing. These sensor networks allow for easy-to-apply and flexible installations, which have enabled them to be used for numerous applications. Due to these properties, they face distinct information security threats. Security of the data flowing through across networks provides the researchers with an interesting and intriguing potential for research. Design of these networks to ensure the protection of data faces the constraints of limited power and processing resources. The author provides the basics of wireless sensor network security in this chapter to help researchers and engineers in better understanding of this applications field. In this chapter, the author provides the basics of information security, with special emphasis on WSNs. The chapter also gives an overview of the information security requirements in these networks. Threats to the security of data in WSNs and some of their counter measures are also presented.
Wireless Sensor Network to Support Intelligent Transport Systems
Authors: Ranganathan H
Published: January 2012

The future generation of vehicles on the road is going to be driven by wire. To aid in this ‘electronic’ revolution in the vehicle, the role of wireless sensors and their interaction amongst themselves and with the environment is gaining importance. It is an area where the majority of research resources is allocated and being spent. For successful interaction of information from environment / vehicle, there is a need for wireless networking of the information from different sources. To keep pace with the development of wireless networks for intelligent transport systems, newer network architectures, protocols, and algorithms are being developed. This chapter sheds light on all these issues.
Middleware Systems for Sensor Network
Authors: Ahmed Nova
Published: January 2012

The middleware is a very important component in the wireless sensor network system. It has major challenges that are generic for any distributed systems as well as specific ones that are inherent to the physical nature of WSN systems due to the resource constraint nature. The author classifies WSN middleware systems as Event Based Middleware, System Abstraction Based Middleware, Application and Network Aware System, and Query Based Systems to gain a better understanding of such systems.
A Grid-Based Localization Technique for Forest Fire Surveillance in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Le Thu Nga , Li Xue Jun , Chong Peter Han Joo
Published: January 2012

This chapter presents a novel grid-based localization technique dedicated for forest fire surveillance systems. The proposed technique estimates the location of sensor node based on the past and current set of hop-count values, which are to be collected through the anchor nodes’ broadcast. The authors’ algorithm incorporates two salient features, grid-based output and event-triggering mechanism, in order to improve the accuracy while reducing the power consumption. The estimated computational complexity of the proposed algorithm is O(Na) where Na is the number of anchor nodes. Through computer simulation, results showed that the proposed algorithm shows that the probability to localize a sensor node within a small region is more than 60%. Furthermore, the algorithm was implemented and tested with a set of Crossbow sensors. Experimental results demonstrated the high feasibility of good performance with low power consumption with the proposed technique.
IL-21 Can Supplement Suboptimal Lck-Independent MAPK Activation in a STAT-3–Dependent Manner in Human CD8+ T Cells
Authors: Imataki Osamu , Ansén Sascha , Tanaka Makito , Butler Marcus O. , Berezovskaya Alla , Milstein Matthew I. , Kuzushima Kiyotaka , Nadler Lee M. , Hirano Naoto
Published: January 2012

Although both MHC class II/CD8α double-knockout and CD8β null mice show a defect in the development of MHC class I-restricted CD8+ T cells in the thymus, they possess low numbers of high-avidity peripheral CTL with limited clonality and are able to contain acute and chronic infections. These in vivo data suggest that the CD8 coreceptor is not absolutely necessary for the generation of Ag-specific CTL. Lack of CD8 association causes partial TCR signaling because of the absence of CD8/Lck recruitment to the proximity of the MHC/TCR complex, resulting in suboptimal MAPK activation. Therefore, there should exist a signaling mechanism that can supplement partial TCR activation caused by the lack of CD8 association. In this human study, we have shown that CD8-independent stimulation of Ag-specific CTL previously primed in the presence of CD8 coligation, either in vivo or in vitro, induced severely impaired in vitro proliferation. When naive CD8+ T cells were primed in the absence of CD8 binding and subsequently restimulated in the presence of CD8 coligation, the proliferation of Ag-specific CTL was also severely hampered. However, when CD8-independent T cell priming and restimulation were supplemented with IL-21, Ag-specific CD8+ CTL expanded in two of six individuals tested. We found that IL-21 rescued partial MAPK activation in a STAT3- but not STAT1-dependent manner. These results suggest that CD8 coligation is critical for the expansion of postthymic peripheral Ag-specific CTL in humans. However, STAT3-mediated IL-21 signaling can supplement partial TCR signaling caused by the lack of CD8 association.
IL-1 Receptor Signaling Is Required at Multiple Stages of Sensitization and Elicitation of the Contact Hypersensitivity Response
Authors: Kish Danielle D. , Gorbachev Anton V. , Fairchild Robert L.
Published: January 2012

Contact hypersensitivity (CHS) is a CD8 T cell-mediated response to hapten skin sensitization and challenge. The points at which IL-1R signaling is required during this complex, multistep immune response have not been clearly delineated. The role of IL-1R signaling during 2, 4 dinitro-1-fluorobenezene (DNFB) sensitization to induce hapten-specific CD8 effector T cells and in the trafficking of the effector T cells to the DNFB challenge site to elicit the response were investigated using IL-1R deficient mice. DNFB-sensitized IL-1R−/− mice had low CHS responses to hapten challenge that were caused in part by marked decreases in hapten-specific CD8 T cell development to IL-17– and IFN-γ–producing cells during sensitization. Hapten-primed wild type CD8 T cell transfer to naive IL-1R−/− mice did not result in T cell activation in response to hapten challenge, indicating a need for IL-1R signaling for the localization or activation, or both, of the CD8 T cells at the challenge site. Decreased CD8 T cell priming in sensitized IL-1R−/− mice was associated with marked decreases in hapten-presenting dendritic cell migration from the sensitized skin to draining lymph nodes. Transfer of hapten-presenting dendritic cells from wild type donors to naive IL-1R−/− mice resulted in decreased numbers of the dendritic cells in the draining lymph nodes and decreased priming of hapten-specific CD8 T cells compared with dendritic cell transfer to naive wild type recipients. These results indicate that IL-1R signaling is required at multiple steps during the course of sensitization and challenge to elicit CHS.
IL-12Rβ2 Is Essential for the Development of Experimental Cerebral Malaria
Authors: Fauconnier Mathilde , Palomo Jennifer , Bourigault Marie-Laure , Meme Sandra , Szeremeta Frédéric , Beloeil Jean-Claude , Danneels Adeline , Charron Sabine , Rihet Pascal , Ryffel Bernhard , Quesniaux Valérie F. J.
Published: January 2012

A Th1 response is required for the development of Plasmodium berghei ANKA (PbA)-induced experimental cerebral malaria (ECM). The role of pro-Th1 IL-12 in malaria is complex and controversial. In this study, we addressed the role of IL-12Rβ2 in ECM development. C57BL/6 mice deficient for IL-12Rβ2, IL-12p40, or IL-12p35 were analyzed for ECM development after blood-stage PbA infection in terms of ischemia and blood flow by noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging and angiography, T cell recruitment, and gene expression. Without IL-12Rβ2, no neurologic sign of ECM developed upon PbA infection. Although wild-type mice developed distinct brain microvascular pathology, ECM-resistant, IL-12Rβ2–deficient mice showed unaltered cerebral microcirculation and the absence of ischemia after PbA infection. In contrast, mice deficient for IL-12p40 or IL-12p35 were sensitive to ECM development. The resistance of IL-12Rβ2–deficient mice to ECM correlated with reduced recruitment of activated T cells and impaired overexpression of lymphotoxin-α, TNF-α, and IFN-γ in the brain after PbA infection. Therefore, IL-12Rβ2 signaling is essential for ECM development but independent from IL-12p40 and IL-12p35. We document a novel link between IL-12Rβ2 and lymphotoxin-α, TNF-α, and IFN-γ expression, key cytokines for ECM pathogenesis.
Deploying culture as a defence against incompetence: The unconscious dynamics of public service work
Authors: Mnguni Peliwe P.
Published: January 2012

Orientation: The intractability of public service delivery and a polarised societal landscape heighten anxiety and reinforce a propensity for public service organisations to be used for defensive purposes.Research purpose: This article employs social defense theory to explore manifestations of anxiety and defense within South African public service organisations.Motivation for the study: Dominant discourse on public service institutions over-relies on political, sociological and public administration theories and tends to ignore psychosocial explanations. Further, whilst the psychodynamics of social service work are generally understood, the unconscious dynamics of generic public service work remain under-theorised. Research design, approach and method: This conceptual article draws on my personal observations as a reflective citizen and experiences as a consultant to government departments.Main findings: Herein, an argument is advanced that the deployment of ill-qualified party loyalists to key positions in the public service is perverse: it serves as a collective defense against the impossible aspects of the task at hand. The appointees, in turn, deploy organisational processes to defend against feelings of incompetence and the inevitability of failure. This practice, coupled with acute resource constraints, sets up front line staff for scapegoating.Practical/managerial implications: An appreciation of the multiple meanings of public service work and the defensive role played by public institutions stands to inform purposeful change towards sustainable public service organisational practice.Contribution/value-add: The discussion seeks to contribute to attempts that employ systems psychodynamics to make sense of anxiety and defense within organisations in general and public service institutions in particular.