bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
TRPV1 Antagonists and Chronic Pain: Beyond Thermal Perception
Authors: Brandt Michael R. , Beyer Chad E. , Stahl Stephen M.
Published: February 2012

In the last decade, considerable evidence as accumulated to support the development of Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) antagonists for the treatment of various chronic pain conditions. Whereas there is a widely accepted rationale for the development of TRPV1 antagonists for the treatment of various inflammatory pain conditions, their development for indications of chronic pain, where conditions of tactical, mechanical and spontaneous pain predominate, is less clear. Preclinical localization and expression studies provide a firm foundation for the use of molecules targeting TRPV1 for conditions of bone pain, osteoarthritis and neuropathic pain. Selective TRPV1 antagonists weakly attenuate tactile and mechanical hypersensivity and are partially effective for behavioral and electrophysiological endpoints that incorporate aspects of spontaneous pain. While initial studies with TRPV1 antagonist in normal human subjects indicate a loss of warm thermal perception, clinical studies assessing allelic variants suggests that TRPV1 may mediate other sensory modalities under certain conditions. The focus of this review is to summarize the current perspectives of TRPV1 for the treatment of conditions beyond those with a primary thermal sensitivity.
Probiotic Encapsulation Technology: From Microencapsulation to Release into the Gut
Authors: Gbassi Gildas K. , Vandamme Thierry
Published: February 2012

Probiotic encapsulation technology (PET) has the potential to protect microorgansisms and to deliver them into the gut. Because of the promising preclinical and clinical results, probiotics have been incorporated into a range of products. However, there are still many challenges to overcome with respect to the microencapsulation process and the conditions prevailing in the gut. This paper reviews the methodological approach of probiotics encapsulation including biomaterials selection, choice of appropriate technology, in vitro release studies of encapsulated probiotics, and highlights the challenges to be overcome in this area.
Embedded Palmprint Recognition System Using OMAP 3530
Authors: Shen Linlin , Wu Shipei , Zheng Songhao , Ji Zhen
Published: February 2012

We have proposed in this paper an embedded palmprint recognition system using the dual-core OMAP 3530 platform. An improved algorithm based on palm code was proposed first. In this method, a Gabor wavelet is first convolved with the palmprint image to produce a response image, where local binary patterns are then applied to code the relation among the magnitude of wavelet response at the ccentral pixel with that of its neighbors. The method is fully tested using the public PolyU palmprint database. While palm code achieves only about 89% accuracy, over 96% accuracy is achieved by the proposed G-LBP approach. The proposed algorithm was then deployed to the DSP processor of OMAP 3530 and work together with the ARM processor for feature extraction. When complicated algorithms run on the DSP processor, the ARM processor can focus on image capture, user interface and peripheral control. Integrated with an image sensing module and central processing board, the designed device can achieve accurate and real time performance.
Safe vs. Fair: A Formidable Trade-off in Tackling Climate Change
Authors: Tavoni Massimo , Chakravarty Shoibal , Socolow Robert
Published: February 2012

Global warming requires a response characterized by forward-looking management of atmospheric carbon and respect for ethical principles. Both safety and fairness must be pursued, and there are severe trade-offs as these are intertwined by the limited headroom for additional atmospheric CO2 emissions. This paper provides a simple numerical mapping at the aggregated level of developed vs. developing countries in which safety and fairness are formulated in terms of cumulative emissions and cumulative per capita emissions respectively. It becomes evident that safety and fairness cannot be achieved simultaneously for strict definitions of both. The paper further posits potential global trading in future cumulative emissions budgets in a world where financial transactions compensate for physical emissions: the safe vs. fair tradeoff is less severe but remains formidable. Finally, we explore very large deployment of engineered carbon sinks and show that roughly 1,000 Gt CO2 of cumulative negative emissions over the century are required to have a significant effect, a remarkable scale of deployment. We also identify the unexplored issue of how such sinks might be treated in sub-global carbon accounting.
A comparative transcriptomic study of an allotetraploid and its diploid progenitors illustrates the unique advantages and challenges of RNA‐seq in plant species
Authors: Ilut Daniel C. , Coate Jeremy E. , Luciano Amelia K. , Owens Thomas G. , May Gregory D. , Farmer Andrew , Doyle Jeff J.
Published: February 2012

• Premise of the study: RNA‐seq analysis of plant transcriptomes poses unique challenges due to the highly duplicated nature of plant genomes. We address these challenges in the context of recently formed polyploid species and detail an RNA‐seq experiment comparing the leaf transcriptome profile of an allopolyploid relative of soybean with the diploid species that contributed its homoeologous genomes.

• Methods: RNA‐seq reads were obtained from the three species and were aligned against the genome sequence of Glycine max. Transcript levels were estimated for each gene, relative contributions of polyploidy‐duplicated loci (homoeologues) in the tetraploid were identified, and comparisons of transcript profiles and individual genes were used to analyze the regulation of transcript levels.

• Key results: We present a novel metric developed to address issues arising from high degrees of gene space duplication and a method for dissecting a gene's measured transcript level in a polyploid species into the relative contribution of its homoeologues. We identify the gene family likely contributing to differences in photosynthetic rate between the allotetraploid and its progenitors and show that the tetraploid appears to be using the “redundant” gene copies in novel ways.

• Conclusions: Given the prevalence of polyploidy events in plants, we believe many of the approaches developed here to be applicable, and often necessary, in most plant RNA‐seq experiments. The deep sampling provided by RNA‐seq allows us to dissect the genetic underpinnings of specific phenotypes as well as examine complex interactions within polyploid genomes.
Strategies for transcriptome analysis in nonmodel plants
Authors: Ward Judson A. , Ponnala Lalit , Weber Courtney A.
Published: February 2012

Even with recent reductions in sequencing costs, most plants lack the genomic resources required for successful short‐read transcriptome analyses as performed routinely in model species. Several approaches for the analysis of short‐read transcriptome data are reviewed for nonmodel species for which the genome of a close relative is used as the reference genome. Two approaches using a data set from Phytophthora‐challenged Rubus idaeus (red raspberry) are compared. Over 70000000 86‐nt Illumina reads derived from R. idaeus roots were aligned to the Fragaria vesca genome using publicly available informatics tools (Bowtie/TopHat and Cufflinks). Alignment identified 16956 putatively expressed genes. De novo assembly was performed with the same data set and a publicly available transcriptome assembler (Trinity). A BLAST search with a maximum e‐value threshold of 1.0 × 10−3 revealed that over 36000 transcripts had matches to plants and over 500 to Phytophthora. Gene expression estimates from alignment to F. vesca and de novo assembly were compared for raspberry (Pearson's correlation = 0.730). Together, alignment to the genome of a close relative and de novo assembly constitute a powerful method of transcriptome analysis in nonmodel organisms. Alignment to the genome of a close relative provides a framework for differential expression testing if alignments are made to the predefined gene‐space of a close relative and de novo assembly provides a more robust method of identifying unique sequences and sequences from other organisms in a system. These methods are considered experimental in nonmodel systems, but can be used to generate resources and specific testable hypotheses.
Microsatellite primers in the Chinese dove tree, Davidia involucrata (Cornaceae), a relic species of the Tertiary
Authors: Li Zuozhou , Wang Chuanhua , Liu Yanhong , Li Junqing
Published: February 2012

• Premise of the study: The first microsatellite primers were developed for Davidia involucrata, an endangered relic species of the Tertiary in China, to further describe its genetic variability and population structure.

• Methods and Results: Using the Fast Isolation by AFLP of Sequences Containing Repeats (FIASCO) protocol, 15 polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized in 20 individuals from the germplasm collections of D. involucrata at the Hunan Forest Botanical Garden. High levels of polymorphism were revealed, with the total number of alleles per locus and the number of alleles per locus per individual ranging from two to 13 and from one to six, respectively.

• Conclusions: The multibanded patterns of microsatellite loci obtained in the current study confirmed that D. involucrata might be a polyploid species. The primers will be useful for studies of genetic diversity and for guiding conservation strategies for D. involucrata.
Development of novel low‐copy nuclear markers for Hieraciinae (Asteraceae) and their perspective for other tribes
Authors: Krak Karol , Álvarez Inés , Caklová Petra , Costa Andrea , Chrtek Jindrˇich , Fehrer Judith
Published: February 2012

• Premise of the study: The development of three low‐copy nuclear markers for low taxonomic level phylogenies in Asteraceae with emphasis on the subtribe Hieraciinae is reported.

• Methods and Results: Marker candidates were selected by comparing a Lactuca complementary DNA (cDNA) library with public DNA sequence databases. Interspecific variation and phylogenetic signal of the selected genes were investigated for diploid taxa from the subtribe Hieraciinae and compared to a reference phylogeny. Their ability to cross‐amplify was assessed for other Asteraceae tribes. All three markers had higher variation (2.1−4.5 times) than the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) in Hieraciinae. Cross‐amplification was successful in at least seven other tribes of the Asteraceae. Only three cases indicating the presence of paralogs or pseudogenes were detected.

• Conclusions: The results demonstrate the potential of these markers for phylogeny reconstruction in the Hieraciinae as well as in other Asteraceae tribes, especially for very closely related species.
Phylogenomic analysis of transcriptome data elucidates co‐occurrence of a paleopolyploid event and the origin of bimodal karyotypes in Agavoideae (Asparagaceae)
Authors: McKain Michael R. , Wickett Norman , Zhang Yeting , Ayyampalayam Saravanaraj , McCombie W. Richard , Chase Mark W. , Pires J. Chris , de Pamphilis Claude W. , Leebens‐Mack Jim
Published: February 2012

• Premise of the study: The stability of the bimodal karyotype found in Agave and closely related species has long interested botanists. The origin of the bimodal karyotype has been attributed to allopolyploidy, but this hypothesis has not been tested. Next‐generation transcriptome sequence data were used to test whether a paleopolyploid event occurred on the same branch of the Agavoideae phylogenetic tree as the origin of the Yucca–Agave bimodal karyotype.

• Methods: Illumina RNA‐seq data were generated for phylogenetically strategic species in Agavoideae. Paleopolyploidy was inferred in analyses of frequency plots for synonymous substitutions per synonymous site (Ks) between Hosta, Agave, and Chlorophytum paralogous and orthologous gene pairs. Phylogenies of gene families including paralogous genes for these species and outgroup species were estimated to place inferred paleopolyploid events on a species tree.

• Key results: Ks frequency plots suggested paleopolyploid events in the history of the genera Agave, Hosta, and Chlorophytum. Phylogenetic analyses of gene families estimated from transcriptome data revealed two polyploid events: one predating the last common ancestor of Agave and Hosta and one within the lineage leading to Chlorophytum.

• Conclusions: We found that polyploidy and the origin of the Yucca–Agave bimodal karyotype co‐occur on the same lineage consistent with the hypothesis that the bimodal karyotype is a consequence of allopolyploidy. We discuss this and alternative mechanisms for the formation of the Yucca–Agave bimodal karyotype. More generally, we illustrate how the use of next‐generation sequencing technology is a cost‐efficient means for assessing genome evolution in nonmodel species.
In Vitro Microbiology Studies on a New Peritoneal Dialysis Connector
Authors: Di Bonaventura Giovanni , Cerasoli Paolo , Pompilio Arianna , Arrizza Fabio , Di Liberato Lorenzo , Stingone Antonio , Sirolli Vittorio , Arduini Arduino , Bonomini Mario
Published: February 2012

Objective

We evaluated the ability of a recently developed peritoneal dialysis (PD) connector to prevent the risk of bacterial transfer to the fluid path after simulated touch and airborne contamination.

Methods

Staphylococcus epidermidis ATCC1228 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC27853 strains were used. For touch contamination, 2 μL of a standardized inoculum [1x108 colony-forming units (CFU) per milliliter] were deposited on top of the pin closing the fluid path of the patient connector. For airborne contamination, the patient connector was exposed for 15 seconds to a nebulized standardized inoculum. To simulate the patient peritoneum and effluent, the patient connector was pre-attached to a 2-L bag of sterile PD solution. After contamination, the patient connector was attached to the transfer set, the pin was captured, flow control was turned to simulate “patient drain” into the empty bag, and then “patient fill” using the bag pre-attached to the connector. Finally, a new pin was recaptured. The PD solution collected in the bag pre-attached to the connector was run through a 0.20-μm filter for colony counts.

Results

No infected connector transferred bacteria to the fluid path, regardless of the challenge procedure or the strain used.

Conclusions

Our results show that the new PD connector may fully obviate the risk of bacterial infection, even in the presence of heavy contamination. Further studies are in progress to test our PD connector in a clinical setting.
Construct and Criterion Validity of the Short Form-6D Utility Measure in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: HARRISON MARK J. , AHMAD YASMEEN , HAQUE SAHENA , DALE NICOLA , TEH LEE-SUAN , SNOWDEN NEIL , HO PAULINE , GORODKIN RACHEL , BRUCE IAN N.
Published: February 2012

Objective.

Preference-based measures, such as the Short Form-6D (SF-6D), allow quality-adjusted life-years, used in cost-utility evaluations, to be calculated. We investigated the construct and criterion validity of the SF-6D in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods.

Female patients with SLE were recruited from outpatient clinics at 2 timepoints, 5 years apart. Cross-sectional correlation of the SF-6D with domains of the disease-specific LupusQol health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measure, the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Damage Index (SDI; for damage) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI; for activity) measures, and patient characteristics was tested. The ability to discriminate between groups defined by smoking status, presence/absence of carotid plaque, depression, and fatigue was tested using the t-test.

Results.

In total 181 patients were recruited at baseline. The SF-6D correlated moderately to strongly with all domains of the LupusQoL (0.6–0.8) apart from intimate relationships (0.42) and body image (0.34). Correlations of the SF-6D with the demographic and disease-specific measures at baseline were small for the SDI score (−0.23) and age (−0.19) and in the expected direction. The SF-6D did not correlate with disease activity (SLEDAI −0.08). The SF-6D could distinguish those who smoked, had carotid plaque, had depression, and reported fatigue from those who did not, with the largest effect size being for depression (0.75).

Conclusion.

The SF-6D displays construct and criterion validity for use in patients with SLE, but the low correlation with aspects of intimate relationships and body image represents a concern and reinforces the need to collect disease-specific measures of HRQOL alongside generic preference-based instruments.
Peripheral Versus Central Compartment Starting Point in Hip Arthroscopy for Femoroacetabular Impingement
Authors: Rupp Robert , Duggan Brian
Published: February 2012

The purpose of this study was to compare the perioperative complications and traction times in femoroacetabular impingement hip arthroscopy with either a peripheral or central compartment starting point. Sixty patients with femoroacetabular impingement were treated with hip arthroscopy. Thirty patients had a peripheral compartment starting point and 30 had a central compartment starting point. Intra- and postoperative complications were documented along with traction times. The peripheral compartment starting group experienced 6 minor chondral injuries and 1 case of postoperative paresthesias. The central compartment starting group experienced 8 minor and 3 moderate chondral injuries, 2 labral penetrations, and 3 cases of postoperative paresthesias. Traction time averaged 46 minutes in the peripheral compartment starting group and 73 minutes in the central compartment starting group.

Iatrogenic injury and traction times are decreased with peripheral vs central compartment starting in hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement. Consideration should be given for peripheral compartment starting in hip arthroscopy for the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement.
Effect of Training Level on Accuracy of Digital Templating in Primary Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Hsu Andrew R. , Kim Jeffrey D. , Bhatia Sanjeev , Levine Brett R.
Published: February 2012

The use of digital radiography and templating software continues to become more prevalent in orthopedics as the number of total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) procedures increases every year. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of training level on the accuracy of digital templating for primary THA and TKA. Digital radiographs of 97 patients undergoing primary THA (49 cases) and TKA (48 cases) were retrospectively templated using OrthoView digital planning software (OrthoView LLC, Jacksonville, Florida). Anteroposterior hip and lateral knee radiographs were digitally templated and compared with the actual size of the implants used intraoperatively. An implant sales representative, physician assistant, medical student (J.D.K.), resident (A.R.H.), and fellowship-trained arthroplasty surgeon (B.R.L.) templated all cases independently after a standardized orientation and were blinded to the actual component sizes used for surgery. The medical student, resident, and arthroplasty surgeon retemplated the same 97 cases 1 month later to determine intraobserver reliability.

Digital templating was accurate in predicting the correct implant size in 33% of THAs and 54% of TKAs. In 73% of THAs and 92% of TKAs, digital templating was within 1 size of the actual implant used, and in 88% of THAs and 99% of TKAs, templating was within 2 sizes of the final components. In no cases did the templated implant size vary by >3 sizes from the final components. Interobserver reliability for templating THAs and TKAs showed good reliability as measured by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) (ICC
THA
=.70; ICC
TKA
=.86). Intraobserver reliability for templating THAs had excellent reliability for the resident and arthroplasty surgeon, with a kappa coefficient (κ) of 0.92, and good reliability for the medical student (κ=0.78). Intraobserver reliability for templating TKAs showed excellent reliability among all examiners (κ=0.90).
Monteggia Fractures in Pediatric and Adult Populations
Authors: Beutel Bryan G.
Published: February 2012

A Monteggia fracture is a fracture of the proximal ulna coupled with a radial head dislocation. These fractures are an uncommon class of forearm fractures. Numerous classification systems have been developed to characterize these fractures, with the Bado classification being the most common. Elbow radiographs are the primary diagnostic modality, demonstrating dislocation when a line drawn extending through the radial head from the radial shaft does not penetrate the capitellum in all views. Notable differences exist in the prevalence, treatment, and outcomes of Monteggia fractures for pediatric and adult patient populations, with adolescents often achieving a better prognosis. Nonoperative management with closed reduction and cast immobilization often prevails in pediatric patients, dictated by the pattern of the ulnar fracture more so than the direction of the radial head dislocation. However, in adults, operative intervention is frequently indicated because angulation and shortening of the ulna often occur after closed reduction. Although the orthopedic community’s understanding of these fractures has evolved, the fractures themselves remain a challenging clinical phenomenon. This article reviews the relevant anatomy and pathogenesis, classification, clinical presentation, diagnostic studies, management, outcomes, and complications of Monteggia fractures in children and adults.
Perspectiva socio-psicológica del modelo de aceptación de la tecnología. Revisión crítica del trabajo de Torres, Robles y Molina (2011)
Authors: López-Bonilla Jesús Manuel , López-Bonilla Luis Miguel
Published: February 2012

Este trabajo es una revisión crítica del artículo de Torres, Robles y Molina (2011), que ha sido publicado en la Revista Internacional de Sociología (RIS, vol. 69, nº 2). Dicho artículo es de gran interés, pero observamos que hay varios sesgos de los investigadores que restan confianza a los resultados obtenidos.
Artificial Intelligence Supported Non-Verbal Communication for Enriched Collaboration in Distributed E-Research Environments
Authors: Smith Paul , Redfern Sam
Published: February 2012

In face-to-face work, discussion and negotiation relies strongly on non-verbal feedback, which provides important clues to negotiation states such as agreement/disagreement and understanding/confusion, as well as indicating the emotional states and reactions of those around us. With the continued rise of virtual teams, collaboration increasingly requires tools to manage the reality of distributed e-research and remote work, which is often hampered by a lack of social cohesion and such phenomena as participant multitasking. This chapter discusses important concepts and current issues related to remote research teams and discusses current research in the use of Automatic Facial Expression Recognition Systems (AFERS) in solving some of the inherent problems of the existing online collaboration tools used to support collaborative and distributed research and work. The later half of this chapter describes a proof-of-concept artificial intelligence based software agent (Emotion Tracking Agent, or ETA) developed by the authors for the monitoring of presence and the emotional states of co-workers in virtual research meetings. The agent is intended as an innovative solution to the impaired awareness and attention resulting from continuous task switching or multitasking behaviours of collaborating remote team members. The ETA was developed and integrated into a CVE (Collaborative Virtual Environment), where an initial study was conducted to analyse its benefits and impact on the communicating participants. This chapter describes the results of this study and their implications for the future of distributed e-research and remote work.
Collaboration within Multinational Learning Communities
Authors: Kordaki Maria , Gorghiu Gabriel , Bîzoi Mihai , Glava Adina
Published: February 2012

This chapter focuses on the investigation of essential features of a multinational virtual community that can promote effective collaboration and research among its members so as to overcome space, time, and language barriers. Specifically, a multinational Virtual Community Collaborative Space for Sciences Education has been formed in the context of the Socrates Comenius 2.1 European Project: “VccSSe – Virtual Community Collaborating Space for Science Education.” In this project, researchers from five European countries (Romania, Spain, Poland, Finland, and Greece) participated in a multinational learning community where blended collaborative learning courses were formed in order to train teachers from these countries in the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in their real teaching practices. Within this framework, a number of specific software and pedagogical tools were formed to support collaboration and learning for the teachers and the researchers who participated in this virtual community. After the end of these courses, the teachers were asked to design their own virtual experiments and lesson plans and then to implement them in their classrooms. The analysis of the data shows that the researchers-partners of VccSSe effectively used various collaborative methods to produce the previously mentioned software and pedagogical tools. It has been also shown that teachers who participated in the VccSSe project were encouraged—by the use of the collaborative tools provided and the aforementioned collaborative blended course—to develop interesting virtual experiments and use them in their classrooms. Finally, it is worth noting that students who participated in those classes provided favourable feedback related to the implementation of virtual experiments in their everyday learning experiences.
Addressing Conflicting Cognitive Models in Collaborative E-Research
Authors: Diviacco Paolo
Published: February 2012

Most existing collaborative tools assume that partners share the same perspective on the entities they are working on and therefore these solutions cannot be applied directly to the types of cases this chapter addresses. By exploring geophysics and its peculiarities, one understands its inner dynamics, so that possible solutions can be proposed. These rely on the creation of “boundary objects” capable of bridging different cognitive models. These solutions are based on the integration of diagrams, where concepts and their relations are expressed at an optimal granularity and shared spaces where information can be made available to all partners. These ideas have been implemented in a Web-based Computer-Supported Collaborative Research (CSCR) system that is currently successfully used within many international research projects in this disciplinary field.
Effects of the Drewlite CSCL Platform on Students’ Learning Outcomes
Authors: Noroozi Omid , Biemans Harm , Busstra Maria C. , Mulder Martin , Popov Vitaliy , Chizari Mohammad
Published: February 2012

This chapter presents a case study of Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) in the field of human nutrition and health at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. More specifically, this study investigates the effect of the type of collaboration (personal discussion in front of a shared computer vs. online discussion) in CSCL on students’ learning outcomes. A pre-test, post-test design was used. Eighty-two students were asked (as an individual pre-test) to design and analyze a study which evaluates a certain dietary assessment method. Subsequently, they were asked to discuss their evaluation studies in randomized pairs. The pairs in one group discussed their task results online and the pairs in the other group discussed their results face-to-face while sharing one computer, in both cases using the CSCL platform Drewlite. As an individual post-test, students had to re-design and re-analyze the same evaluation study. Learning outcomes were measured based on the results of teachers’ regular evaluation of students’ achievements as well as on the quality of the students’ knowledge construction. The results showed that both teachers’ marks and the quality of knowledge construction of all students improved significantly from pre-test to post-test. However, the type of collaboration had no significantly different effect. Furthermore, the scores on knowledge construction were consistent with exam results as obtained by teachers’ evaluations.
Social Network Analysis Tools to Understand How Research Groups Interact
Authors: López-Ferrer Mayte
Published: February 2012

This research is within the frame of sociometric studies of science, particularly the application of social networks to co-authorship, and patterns of citations among researchers in Psychiatry and Neurosciences, General Psychology, and Experimental Psychology. This chapter applies Social Network Analysis to information retrieval from a multidisciplinary database; subject headings lists are not considered sufficient or sufficiently flexible to describe relationships between the sciences. The aim is also to identify similarities and differences among these areas according to bibliometric and network indicators. Social Network Analysis used to select scientific articles within a discipline overcomes the rigidity of information retrieval based on a preselected set of topics. Network graphs can be used to show working groups that otherwise would remain hidden. It is useful, also, to overlap networks of co-authorship (explicit relations) and patterns of cited references (implicit relations), which allow comparison between individual author or groups and the whole group. Finally, the author highlights the need to adapt assessment indicators from different scientific areas to allow consideration of the characteristics of diverse disciplines, based not only on the productivity of individual authors, but also their capacity to mediate with other actors and works within the research system.
TCP for Wireless Internet
Authors: Ghaleb-Seddik Alaa , Ghamri-Doudane Yacine , Senouci Sidi Mohammed
Published: February 2012

The authors present, in this chapter, the work done in order to improve TCP performance and to cope with new data transmission network technologies and topologies (such as Wi-Fi, WiMAX, cellular, wireless, mobile, ad-hoc, Mesh, and Vehicular networks). They also discuss the remaining research challenges that should be studied and evaluated within such wireless networks.
A Comparative Analysis of Hierarchical Routing Protocols in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Abdel Hady Anar , Abd El-kader Sherine M. , Eissa Hussein S. , Salem Ashraf , Fahmy Hossam M.A.
Published: February 2012

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) consist of small nodes with sensing, computation, and wireless communications capabilities. Many routing, power management, and data dissemination protocols have been specifically designed for WSNs. Routing protocols in WSNs might differ depending on the application and network architecture. However, wireless sensor networks have several restrictions, e.g. limited energy supply, limited computing power, and limited bandwidth, and hence, one of the main design goals of WSNs is to carry out data communication while trying to prolong the lifetime of the network and prevent connectivity degradation by employing efficient energy management techniques. This chapter will give a detailed description of the characteristics of routing in wireless sensor networks; it describes the routing protocols used in these networks pointing out the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Measuring Information Systems Success
Authors: Gelderman Cees J. , Kusters Rob J.
Published: February 2012

Information System success is difficult to measure directly. Because of the influence of non-controllable variables, it actually seems to be impossible to directly compute or determine the contribution of Information Systems to organizational performance, or to overall organizational effectiveness. As an alternative, perception of system success is often used as a surrogate measure. However, this raises the question of the validity of this surrogate measure. In this chapter, the authors describe a survey aiming to investigate the validity of this surrogate measure. Results show that there is reason to doubt the usefulness and validity of surrogate measures for objective system success.
Fuzzy Approach for Monitoring Projects Success in the IT/IS Industry
Authors: Salmeron Jose L. , Lopez Cristina
Published: February 2012

There are many uncertainties that can influence the success of Information Technology (IT) and Information Systems (IS) projects. These are characterized to be highly complex and risky, among other issues. These features explain the high rate of failures in this kind of projects. So, if practitioners want to prevent undesired outcomes in their IT/IS projects, they have to continuously manage the risks existing in them. In this way, practitioners should monitor risks impacts on IT/IS projects success. However, current methods used for it, have several limitations that can be overcome by employing artificial intelligence techniques. Based on the fuzzy theory, this chapter proposes the use of fuzzy approaches to model risks effects on IT/IS projects success measures. Its applicability is presented through an illustrative case. The findings highlight that the method proposed give project managers insights into the causes of failure or delay of their IT/IS projects, in order to develop effective strategies.
Antecedents of Children’s Satisfaction with Company Websites and their Links with Brand Awareness
Authors: Sermanet Lucie , Goethals Frank , Carugati Andrea , Leclercq-Vandelannoitte Aurélie
Published: February 2012

This chapter focuses on children’s satisfaction with the use of commercial websites. The authors address two relevant gaps in extant literature: children as users of Information Technology and the concept of Information System success itself. Children’s use of IT needs focus since this age group has been largely neglected by extant IS research. The concept of success needs further research because the research results on this dependent variable have been controversial, and there is still no full agreement on the antecedents of success. In this chapter, the authors therefore contextualize the classic Information Systems success model of DeLone and McLean to IS success with children. They carried out a survey of a sample of 76 children aged 11 to 14, located in various cities in France. The results show that children get higher brand awareness if they are more satisfied with the kids website of the brand. The chapter finds the satisfaction with the site depends upon the personalization that is possible and the presence of dynamic elements on the site. Characters and animations that help navigating the site are also appreciated. A good presentation of the site’s rules could not be shown to be a significant antecedent of satisfaction. Qualitative data that was gathered suggests that children are not really aware of the link between symbols they see on the site and products that are sold.
A Model to Measure E-Learning Systems Success
Authors: Alsabawy Ahmed Younis , Cater-Steel Aileen , Soar Jeffrey
Published: February 2012

E-learning involves adopting and exploiting the potential of new, advanced Information Technology in development and delivery of education. In spite of a rapid growth in the e-learning field there still exists a range of issues facing the stakeholders of e-learning systems. One of the key issues is how to measure e-learning system success. Although considerable attention has been paid to the Information Systems success issue, there remain arguments about the factors which are most effective for measuring Information System success. The issue of measuring Information System success has an impact on evaluating e-learning systems success. This chapter aims to fill this void by proposing an evaluation methodology model to assess e-learning systems success. The contribution of this study is the proposed model to evaluate the success of e-learning systems. The model is based on a thorough review of the e-learning success literature and existing Information Systems success models.
Web Services for Healthcare Management
Authors: Grandinetti Lucio , Pisacane Ornella
Published: February 2012

Nowadays, Health Care Organizations (HCOs) are interested in defining methodologies of Information Technology (IT) for providing high quality services at minimum cost. Through modern software and hardware, they can process data and manage the three important phases: diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy. In this scenario, Web Technologies (WTs) can: provide advanced Information Systems that combine software applications; offer a heterogeneous connectivity to users; allow costs reduction; improve the delivery of the services; guarantee an interactive support of the doctors, interconnectivity between the HCOs, and effective information sharing. In this chapter, first it is described how to provide the services of a HCO through the WTs, and then it is shown how Operations Research makes it more effective, to deal with, for example, clinical data classification problem, clinical predictions, clinical what-if analysis, and Web services composition process.
Internet Security Using Biometrics
Authors: Tiwari Shrikant , Singh Aruni , Singh Ravi Shankar , Singh Sanjay K.
Published: February 2012

Internet security is a big challenge for Internet users, and passwords are the primary means of authenticating users. Establishing identity is becoming difficult in this vastly interconnected society. The need for reliable Internet security techniques has increased in the wake of heightened concerns about security and rapid advancements in networking, communication, and mobility. Biometrics is the science of identifying an individual based on his physical (static) or behavioral (dynamic) characteristics, and it is beginning to gain acceptance as a legitimate method for determining an individual’s identity. Biometrics has been used for many years in high security government and military applications, but the technology is now becoming affordable for use as an authentication methods and general security feature. In this chapter, the authors provide an overview of Internet security using Biometrics.
Optimizing Path Reliability in IPTV Systems Using Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Anbar Mohammad , Vidyarthi Deo P.
Published: February 2012

IPTV system is meant to provide TV services through IP networks. IPTV is a next generation technology and is growing rapidly day by day across the globe. Providing TV services through IP networks reflects the audio-video service through the IP networks in IP format. TV packets are media and real-time packets in nature, therefore delivering these packets through the IP network is a big challenge. It needs to be done with utmost care and reliably for the timely delivery of these packets to ensure reliable packet transfer is a big issue in IPTV systems. Reliability, in such systems, depends on the failure rates of various components through which the packet passes. This chapter addresses the reliability issue in IPTV systems and suggests a possible solution to maximize it using Genetic Algorithms. The proposed model explores for the most reliable path among many available paths for the packet delivery. It helps in deciding the best available route passing through which reliability is maximized. Experimental results reveal the efficacy of the model.
Random Early Discard (RED) Queue Evaluation for Congestion Control
Authors: Islam Md. Shohidul , Morshed Md. Niaz , Islam Sk. Shariful , Azam Md. Mejbahul
Published: February 2012

Congestion is an un-avoiding issue of networking, and many attempts and mechanisms have been devised to avoid and control congestion in diverse ways. Random Early Discard (RED) is one of such type of algorithm that applies the techniques of Active Queue Management (AQM) to prevent and control congestion and to provide a range of Internet performance facilities. In this chapter, performance of RED algorithm has been measured from different point of views. RED works with Transmission Control Protocol (TCP), and since TCP has several variants, the authors investigated which versions of TCP behave well with RED in terms of few network parameters. Also, performance of RED has been compared with its counterpart Drop Tail algorithm. These statistics are immensely necessary to select the best protocol for Internet performance optimization.
Smart Rooms
Authors: Sarker Biplab K. , Descottes Julian , Sohail Mohsin , Kosaraju Rama Krishna
Published: February 2012

In this chapter, the authors present a framework to provide useful and accurate information to users based on data collected from rooms in a building comprised of wireless sensor networks. The authors call a room “smart room” when a room is considered suitable for a particular purpose. For instance, a dark room for a conference, a bright room for a party, et cetera, which can be determined according to the data available from various positions of sensors located in each room and a sensor network of a building. The authors undertook the task of designing a semantic inferencing framework for a smart room. This led to automatic extraction of information from the central repository or even when the data is in a transient state (dynamic) in the network. The chapter discusses a practical way of building a query system using semantic Web technology and tools. Similar systems are becoming more feasible nowadays, and industrial leaders are moving forward to build them from commercial view point. The chapter is concluded with some future directions of the system.
Spiraling into Transformative Learning
Authors: Cranton Patricia
Published: February 2012

This paper explores how technical and vocational learning may spiral into transformative learning. Transformative learning theory is reviewed and the learning tasks of critical theory are used to integrate various approaches to transformative learning. With this as a foundation, the paper explores how transformative learning can be fostered in adult vocational education.
Technology as Integral to a New Paradigm of Adult Education
Authors: Parker Judith
Published: February 2012

Technology and adult education are often discussed as two separate subjects, yet just as it is impossible to live one day without the impact of technology, it is impossible to discuss adult education without considering technology. The growth of the field of adult education and the evolution of modern technology as well as the theorists and practitioners who were instrumental in moving the fields will be considered in this article as the foundation for a paradigm shift in adult education. Since effective adult education involves not only information dissemination but communication and collaboration among its participants, online learning activities and entire online courses influence how the field itself is viewed. This new paradigm will be explored in the current and future world of adult teaching and learning.
Critical Components of Curriculum Development for Career and Technical Education Instructors in the United States
Authors: Wang Victor X.
Published: February 2012

Developing curriculum(s) requires instructors to take into several factors. These factors can be viewed as critical components of curriculum development for career and technical education (CTE) instructors. Without adequately addressing critical components such as curriculum history, curriculum theory, curriculum philosophies, curriculum processes, curriculum implementation and evaluation, CTE instructors will fail to develop sound/meaningful curriculum(s). This article attempts to discuss those critical components in order to help instructors in the field. As curriculum development in the United States is characterized by both centralization and decentralization, it is essential that CTE instructors should be equipped with necessary skills, knowledge and attitudes to develop practical curriculum(s) that they can use to benefit their own teaching.
Towards Adaptive and Scalable Context Aware Middleware
Authors: Corradi Antonio , Fanelli Mario , Foschini Luca
Published: February 2012

The diffusion of portable client devices is promoting the spreading of novel mobile services, both traditional such as email and printing, and new such as social computing applications, capable of opportunistically exploiting any computing resource and any wireless connectivity encountered by roaming users. The new requirements call for novel context-aware middlewares to support and simplify the retrieval and the usage of context data. However, existing context data dissemination infrastructures still present several limitations: they are unable to adaptively exploit impromptu any wireless communication opportunity; they are unable to scale, especially in wide/densely populated environments; and they are prone to connection/device flaws. The article proposes a novel context-aware middleware that achieves adaptability, scalability, and dependability in context data dissemination through three main core guidelines: by using a distributed hierarchical architecture, by employing lightweight and adaptive context data dissemination solutions, and by adopting statistical context data/query replication techniques. The performance results, obtained by extensively testing the proposed solution in our wireless university campus testbed, have validated our design choices.
A Multi-User Ad-Hoc Resource Manager for Public Urban Areas
Authors: Huerta-Canepa Gonzalo , Lee Dongman
Published: February 2012

Smart spaces are defined as an environment capable of communicating with users in order to support them in achieving a goal. Previously, smart spaces were restricted to closed private areas in a well defined environment. However, factors such as the omnipresence of mobile devices, the advancement in wireless communication, and the low cost of technological infrastructure allows the creation of smart spaces everywhere. One trend that is acquiring relevance these days is to use surrounding public resources to perform tasks on behalf of mobile devices, which are resource constrained. To achieve this, systems should be able to control the access to public resources, minimize possible interference among users, and maintain the purpose of public resources untouched. This work presents a multi-user ad-hoc resource manager for smart urban areas based on previous considerations. The current system helps to avoid conflicts between users by means of a distributed scheme based on social gain for the community. The management is performed without the need of a central infrastructure. Results show that it is possible to discover and manage public resources from mobile devices while handling conflicts in a distributed manner.
Technological and Educational Challenges of Resilient Computing
Authors: Simoncini Luca
Published: February 2012

The adjective resilient has been used in dependable computing essentially as a synonym of fault-tolerant, thus ignoring the unexpected aspect of the phenomena the systems may have to face. These phenomena are very relevant when moving to systems like the future large, networked, evolving systems constituting complex information infrastructures that are the emergence of the ubiquitous systems that will support Ambient Intelligence. From an educational point of view, very few Universities offer a comprehensive track that is able to prepare students able to cope with the challenges posed by the design of ubiquitous systems. To fill both gaps, a European Network of Excellence, ReSIST – Resilience for Survivability in IST, was run from January 2006 to March 2009 (see http://www.resist-noe.org/). In this article the technological challenges, the related educational issues and a proposed MSc curriculum in Resilient Computing that arise from the results of ReSIST are presented and discussed.