bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deleterious Effects of Mycotoxin Combinations Involving Ochratoxin A
Authors: Klarić Maja , Rašić Dubravka , Peraica Maja
Published: November 2013

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a nephrotoxic mycotoxin with carcinogenic properties. Its presence was detected in various foodstuffs all over the world but with significantly higher frequency and concentrations in areas with endemic nephropathy (EN). Even though food is often contaminated with more than one mycotoxin, earlier studies focused on the occurrence and toxicology of only OTA. Only a limited number of surveys showed that OTA co-occurs in food with mycotoxins (citrinin-CIT, penicilic acid, fumonisin B1-FB1, aflatoxins-AF) which exert nephrotoxic, carcinogenic or carcinogen-promoting activity. This review summarises the findings on OTA and its co-occurrence with the mentioned mycotoxins in food as well as experimental data on their combined toxicity. Most of the tested mycotoxin mixtures involving OTA produced additive or synergistic effects in experimental models suggesting that these combinations represent a significant health hazard. Special attention should be given to mixtures that include carcinogenic and cancer-promoting mycotoxins.
Influence of particle size and fluorination ratio of CFx precursor compounds on the electrochemical performance of C–FeF2 nanocomposites for reversible lithium storage
Authors: Breitung Ben , Reddy M Anji , Chakravadhanula Venkata Sai Kiran , Engel Michael , Kübel Christian , Powell Annie K , Hahn Horst , Fichtner Maximilian
Published: November 2013

Systematical studies of the electrochemical performance of CFx-derived carbon–FeF2 nanocomposites for reversible lithium storage are presented. The conversion cathode materials were synthesized by a simple one-pot synthesis, which enables a reactive intercalation of nanoscale Fe particles in a CFx matrix, and the reaction of these components to an electrically conductive C–FeF2 compound. The pretreatment and the structure of the utilized CFx precursors play a crucial role in the synthesis and influence the electrochemical behavior of the conversion cathode material. The particle size of the CFx precursor particles was varied by ball milling as well as by choosing different C/F ratios. The investigations led to optimized C–FeF2 conversion cathode materials that showed specific capacities of 436 mAh/g at 40 °C after 25 cycles. The composites were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, X-Ray diffraction measurements, electron energy loss spectroscopy and TEM measurements. The electrochemical performances of the materials were tested by galvanostatic measurements.
Human Capital Management Process Based on Information Technology Models and Governance
Authors: Galinec Darko
Published: November 2013

Human capital management (HCM) inside large systems is very complex and demanding, to achieve successful accomplishment high quality information support is necessary. There are many cases where human capital management process is not conducted in a satisfactory way. Key decisions usually come late, very often because of impossibility to consider a problem in its entirety. The cause of it usually lies in weakness and understatement of the human capital management itself and in this connection data management is not given adequate consideration. Data originating from inside and outside sources within information system (IS) are not integrated in a way which will provide an optimal use. In this connection, this paper examines possibilities to innovate the entire human capital management process through the integration of respective data. Data warehousing (DW) possibilities and position within the integral business intelligence (BI) concept are noted as a first step towards its realization. In this paper the necessity to innovate and promote permanently the quality of human capital management process is considered; the main features of the process are given as well. Business process innovation (BPI) as a systematic approach with a view to achieve significant business process change is presented; its connection with data aspect of IS is given too. According to the research of this paper, HCM BPI is achieved by the data integration within existing IS. DW model intended for HCM has been elaborated as a solution which will innovate the process itself. The position and the role of DW within entire BI organization concept have been established as well. Finally, the benefits achieved by the research are explained.
Recruiting, Selecting and Motivating Human Resources
Authors: Zapounidis Konstantinos C. , Kalfakakou Glykeria
Published: November 2013

This paper’s aim is to analyse practices adapted by different enterprises regarding personnel motivation and human resources approaches to increase their productivity and profitability while examining the methodology of human resources recruitment and selection used by different kinds of enterprises, which cannot exist without human manpower. The objective of this paper is to analyse methods and tools used by several enterprises in motivation and in human resources recruitment and selection. Regarding motivation, the basic aim of the process adapted was to define whether each enterprise was closer to the participating or to directive management model. Especially in the recruiting and selecting process IT could add important value since adapted IT processes could lead to quicker and more successful transparent results. IT professionals could organise these processes for every enterprise in order to become standard, formulated, and even more accredited procedures which would lead to successful recruiting and selecting results.
Analogical Thinking Based Instruction Method in IT Professional Education
Authors: Matsuo Tokuro , Fujimoto Takayuki
Published: November 2013

In designing a new teaching system, a challenging issue is how the system intelligently supports learners. This paper describes a methodology and a system design on the intelligent instruction support for software engineering education. For information science courses at a university, software engineering subjects are usually compulsory and students study dominant conceptions of implementation like software architecture, and the methodology of software design in software engineering lectures. To enhance learners’ understanding, the authors design a novel instructional model based on the analogical thinking theory. The analogical thinking-based instruction consists of concrete teaching methods like analogy dropping method, self role-play method, and the anthropomorphic thinking method. Questionnaires for learners after the instructions give results of effective education in an actual trial. The contribution of this paper is to provide a new instruction theory, the way of educational practice method, and implementation of the system.
Educating IT Professionals Using Effective Online, Pedagogical, and Scheduling Techniques
Authors: Hsu Jeffrey , Hamilton Karin , Wang John
Published: November 2013

Information technology professionals comprise an important segment of adult learners seeking a four-year undergraduate degree, and it is important to provide programs that address not only the conceptual and theoretical, but also adult learning needs in terms of career orientation and practicality together with providing real-life applications relevant to the needs of the IT job marketplace. The techniques of employing distance learning, providing modular and practical learning segments, emphasizing adult-oriented learning preferences, engaging users toward learning, and providing appropriate course schedules and sequencing are discussed in the context of an actual adult learner program. This program integrates job and career-oriented needs with that of a well-rounded business education. Examples and illustrations are provided to illustrate how an adult-oriented program was customized to provide needs important to adult learners and IT professionals, with the objective of producing superior and useful learning results.
Activity Driven Budgeting of Software Projects
Authors: Baumeister Alexander , Ilg Markus
Published: November 2013

There are numerous forecast models of software development costs, however, various problems become apparent in context to practical application. Standardized methods, such as COCOMO II have to be calibrated at an individual operational level on the basis of the underlying database. This paper presents a new activity based approach that is based on business specific cost data that can be easily integrated into existing management accounting systems. This approach can be applied to software development projects based on the unified process in which activity driven budgeting promises several advantages compared to common tools in use. It supports enterprise specific cost forecasting and control and can be easily linked with risk analysis. In addition to the presentation of a conceptual design model, the authors present a framework for activity driven budgeting and cost management of software development projects combined with concrete implementation examples.
The Organizacional Management as Instrument to Overcome the Resistance to the Innovative Process
Authors: Acosta Zamira , Febles Jaime
Published: November 2013

Changes in economic activity on a global scale affect organizations due to modifications on their decision criteria, but also for the permanent character of the change. This situation implies an increase of the competition and also the appearance of new markets and opportunities. On the other hand the innovation not only offers major possibilities to guarantee the organization’s survival but also it allows to increase their competitive capacity; even turning into a generating element of the change and vice versa. But it will be the organization that inserts appropriately the above mentioned innovation, or that uses it better, the one that will be more competitive. The management of the organizational change, in this sense, turns into an influential factor in the creation of future and in the promotion of the available possibilities. This paper analyzes organizational management more adapted to the innovative processes of the Canary companies, as well as the underlying differences in the types of compared enterprises.
Social Identity in Facebook Community Life
Authors: Zhang Shaoke , Jiang Hao , Carroll John M.
Published: November 2013

Social identity is a key construct to understand online community life. While existing online identity studies present a relatively static conception of identity, grounded in user profiles and other personal information, in this paper the authors investigate more dynamic aspects of identity, grounded in patterns of social interaction in Facebook community life, drawing on social science research on identity theory and social identity theory. The authors examine the tensions experienced by people between assimilation and differentiation with respect to group identities and role identities. The study provides a framework for understanding how users construct self-presentations in different online social interactions, actively managing identity, rather than merely declaring it in a relatively static profile. The authors speculate on how social computing environments could more effectively support identity presentation.
Explaining Job Searching Through Social Networking Sites
Authors: Suki Norazah Mohd , Ramayah T. , Ming Michelle Kow Pei
Published: November 2013

This paper examines job searching among employed job seekers through the social networking sites. One hundred ninety survey questionnaires were distributed to employed job seekers who have used online social networking sites via the snowball sampling approach. The collected data were analysed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) technique via the Analysis of Moment Structure (AMOS 16) computer program. The results showed that perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment are positively and significantly related to the behavioural intention to use online social networking sites as a job search tool, whereas perceived ease of use is not positively and significantly related. The study implies that the developers of online social networking sites must provide additional useful functionalities or tools to help users with their job searches. These sites must also assure that they do not disclose individuals’ private and confidential information without the consent. The paper provides insight for employed jobseekers by using online social networking sites as a job search tool.
Business Models for On-Line Social Networks
Authors: Rana Omer F. , Caton Simon
Published: November 2013

With the increasingly ubiquitous nature of social networks and Cloud computing, users are starting to explore new ways to interact with and exploit these developing paradigms. Social networks reflect real world relationships that allow users to share information and form connections, essentially creating dynamic virtual communities. By leveraging the pre-established trust formed through friend relationships within a social network “Social Clouds” can be realized, which enable friends to share resources within the context of a social network. The creation of Social Clouds gives rise to new business models through collaboration within social networks. In this paper, the authors describe such business models and discuss their impact.
A Cross-Cultural Examination of Student Attitudes and Gender Differences in Facebook Profile Content
Authors: Karl Katherine , Peluchette Joy , Schlagel Christopher
Published: November 2013

This paper examines cultural and gender differences in student reports of the likelihood that they would post various types of information on their Facebook profiles and their attitudes regarding non-students accessing their profiles. Significant gender and country differences were found. In general, U.S. students were more likely than German students to report they would post extreme information. Males in both countries (U.S. and Germany) were more likely than females to self-promote and be extreme in the information they would post and less concerned if employers viewed their profiles. Both U.S. and German students reported several items they would likely post on their profiles, but did not want employers to see. Implications of these results and recommendations for future research are also discussed.
The Importance of Systems Methodologies for Industrial and Scientific National Wealthy and Development
Authors: Kljajic Miroljub
Published: November 2013

The relationship between industrial and scientific knowledge and systems methodologies is discussed in this paper. As the measure of the former on the macro level, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is assumed to be the consequence of systems’ Research and Development (R&D), which is estimated indirectly by the number of articles published in academic journals in the last 40 years. It is assumed that Production, Management and Information Systems (IS) can be considered suitable main representatives of the quality of organizational processes and that GDP is their consequence. In turn, the Systems Approach (SA), Systems Engineering (SE), Operational Research (OR), Information Systems Development (ISD) and Simulation represent the methodology set for coping with organizational complex processes. We looked for the articles containing the aforementioned variables as topic keywords in core scientific databases. Results show a sufficient correlation between the number of publications and the GDP.
An Integrated Systems Approach for Early Warning and Risk Management Systems
Authors: Hürster Walter , Wilbois Thomas , Chaves Fernando
Published: November 2013

An integrated and interdisciplinary approach to Early Warning and Risk Management is described in this paper as well as the general technical implementation of Early Warning and Risk Management Systems. Based on this systems approach, a concept has been developed for the design of an Integrated System for Coastal Protection. In addition to this, as a prototype implementation of a modern environmental monitoring and surveillance system, a system for the Remote Monitoring of Nuclear Power Plants is presented here in more detail, including a Web Portal to allow for public access. The concept, the architectural design and the user interface of Early Warning and Risk Management Systems have to meet high demands. It is shown that only a close cooperation of all related disciplines and an integrated systems approach is able to fulfil the catalogue of requirements and to provide a suitable solution for environmental monitoring and surveillance, for early warning and for emergency management.
Business Innovation and Service Oriented Architecture
Authors: Bygstad Bendik , Grønli Tor-Morten , Bergh Helge , Ghinea Gheorghita
Published: November 2013

Recent research suggests that a strong link exists between business innovation and service oriented IT architectures: modern IT architecture enables business to quickly create new services. However, the relationship between IT capabilities and business performance is not always straightforward. How does SOA support fast innovation in practice, and under which conditions is it effective? In this paper, the authors investigate these issues and ask: How can a SOA architecture like the Enterprise Service Bus support business innovation? This paper investigates this question through a case study at an airline company. Analyzing the relationship between innovation and IT architecture in the company over time, the authors offer the following conclusion: ESB gives strong support to business innovation, under two conditions. First, the implementation of ESB has to be comprehensive, that is, it should include the core processes of the business. Second, the top management (and partners) need to understand the principles of ESB.
An Open and Service-Oriented Architecture to Support the Automation of Learning Scenarios
Authors: Rius Ângels , Santanach Francesc , Conesa Jordi , Almirall Magí , García-Barriocanal Elena
Published: November 2013

The specifications of automated learning scenarios can lead to advantages for virtual learning environments and important benefits for organizations, although research in this e-learning area has not addressed this issue. To achieve this goal, one requirement is to have an infrastructure able to support the execution of specifications of learning scenarios. This paper presents an open service-oriented architecture based on the Open Services Interface Definition (OSID) specifications proposed by the Open Knowledge Initiative (OKI) and other normative specifications. The architecture is used as a technological infrastructure in a virtual learning environment with more than 40,000 students enrolled and has been tested as the infrastructure of a tool to automate specifications of learning scenarios. A case study has been used to test the suitability of the architecture and describe such a tool for the future.
Minimising Collateral Damage
Authors: Kwecka Zbigniew , Buchanan William J.
Published: November 2013

Investigators often define invasion of privacy as collateral damage. Inquiries that require gathering data from third parties, such as banks, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) or employers are likely to impact the relationship between the data subject and the data controller. In this research a novel privacy-preserving approach to mitigate collateral damage during the acquisition process is presented. This approach is based on existing Private Information Retrieval (PIR) protocols, which cannot be employed in an investigative context. This paper provides analysis of the investigative data acquisition process and proposes three modifications that can enable existing PIR protocols to perform investigative enquiries on large databases, including communication traffic databases maintained by ISPs. IDAP is an efficient Symmetric PIR (SPIR) protocol optimised for the purpose of facilitating public authorities’ enquiries for evidence. It introduces a semi-trusted proxy into the PIR process in order to gain the acceptance of the general public. In addition, the dilution factor is defined as the level of anonymity required in a given investigation. This factor allows investigators to restrict the number of records processed, and therefore, minimise the processing time, while maintaining an appropriate level of privacy.
A Cross Layer Spoofing Detection Mechanism for Multimedia Communication Services
Authors: Vrakas Nikos , Lambrinoudakis Costas
Published: November 2013

The convergence of different network types under the same architecture offers the opportunity for low cost multimedia services. The main objective has been the high quality of the provided services. However, considering that older equipment with limited processing capabilities may be present in such environments, a tradeoff between security and service quality is inevitable. Specifically, low resource enabled devices cannot utilize state of the art security mechanisms, such as IPSec tunnels, integrity mechanisms, etc., and they simply employ HTTP Digest authentication. The lack of integrity mechanisms in particular raises many security concerns for the IMS infrastructures. Attacks such as Man in the Middle (MitM), spoofing, masquerading, and replay that can be launched in IMS environments, have been pinpointed in bibliography by various researchers. Moreover, an internal attacker may utilize his legitimate security tunnels in order to launch spoofing and identity theft attacks. This paper presents a cross-layer spoofing detection mechanism that protects SIP-based infrastructures from the majority of the aforementioned attacks without requiring an additional cryptographic scheme which would inevitably introduce considerable overheads.
A Theory of Learning for the Creation and Management of Knowledge in Learning Communities and Organizations
Authors: Jörg Ton
Published: November 2013

Social sciences have been in crisis for a long time, partly by being the captive of the Newtonian paradigm, and partly through the effects of this paradigm on practice. This crisis was recognized in the past by the Russian psychologist and philosopher Lev Vygotsky, and continues to this day. The educational crisis is just one instance. It is hard to imagine how to escape this crisis, and a real shift of paradigm is needed. In this article, such a shift toward the paradigm of complexity is advocated. The shift implies a reframing of complexity and a new kind of thinking in complexity. The new paradigm implies the development of a causally generative complexity theory of change and development. Ultimately, the fundamental challenge is to harness the complexity of complex, generative learning in the communities of learners in learning organizations.
Are We Stuck With Knowledge Management?
Authors: Griffiths David , Koukpaki Serge
Published: November 2013

This is a conceptual paper offering an approach to apparent practitioner and academic dissatisfaction with the field of Knowledge Management (KM). Discussing definitions of knowledge, the drivers for its value as an organisational resource and comparing these against definitions of Knowledge Management, this paper suggests a divergence between operational needs and KM as the medium for coordination. Offering an historical perspective of knowledge as a resource it suggests KM to be too broad a concept to be effective in fulfilling the needs of organisations. The authors suggest a continuum for knowledge resource development from which Strategic Knowledge Resource Development is offered as a potential solution for current unsatisfaction.
VPRS-Based Group Decision-Making for Risk Response in Petroleum Investment
Authors: Xie Gang , Yue Wuyi , Wang Shouyang
Published: November 2013

From the perspective of risk response in petroleum project investment, the authors use a group decision-making (GDM) approach based on a variable precision rough set (VPRS) model for risk knowledge discovery, where experts were invited to identify risk indices and evaluate risk exposure (RE) of individual projects. First, the approach of VPRS-based GDM is introduced. Next, while considering multiple risks in petroleum project investment, the authors use multi-objective programming to obtain the optimal selection of project portfolio with minimum RE, where the significance of risk indices is assigned to each of corresponding multi-objective functions as a weight. Then, a numerical example on a Chinese petroleum company’s investments in overseas projects is presented to illustrate the proposed approach, and some important issues are analyzed. Finally, conclusions are drawn and some topics for future work are suggested.
Growing From Childhood into Adolescence
Authors: Yan Zheng , Zheng Robert Z.
Published: November 2013

In this theoretical review paper, the authors discuss five important issues about the science of cyber behavior as a field of scientific research. First, they argue that the science of cyber behavior as a field of research is entering its adolescence after growing from its childhood, but before spearheading into its adulthood. The paper reviews the current understanding of human behavior in general and state that behavior sciences have generated extensive knowledge about human behavior theoretically, empirically, and methodologically across multiple disciplines. Next, the authors focus on cyber communication as an example to illustrate current knowledge about various types of cyber behaviors. They showcase exemplary research programs on cyber behavior in four disciplines of behavioral sciences, social psychology, cognitive psychology, communication studies, and sociology. Finally, the paper outlines future research programs in five major directions for further development of the field. Taking the opportunity to commemorate the inaugural issue of the International Journal of Cyber Behavior, Psychology and Learning, the authors attempt to draw the first sketch of the science of cyber behavior from the perspective of history of science.
Interest and Performance When Learning Online
Authors: Fraughton Tamra B. , Sansone Carol , Butner Jonathan , Zachary Joseph
Published: November 2013

As part of the Regulating Motivation and Performance Online Project (RMAPO), students completing an online HTML programming lesson demonstrated higher quiz scores and greater post-lesson interest when initially provided information about how the skills could be used (personal or organizational applications). These effects were mediated by higher levels of engagement with optional examples and exercises during the lesson. This paper examines whether the benefit from adding utility value information was limited to students with no prior experience creating web pages. Results show that, regardless of prior experience, the added information was associated with higher engagement levels, which were associated with higher lesson interest and quiz scores. Because prior experience was related to lower engagement levels overall, results suggest that experience had an indirect negative effect on motivation and performance outcomes that was offset by enhanced engagement when value was added. Implications for the Self-Regulation of Motivation Model (SRM) and online instructors are discussed.
Attention Versus Learning of Online Content
Authors: Yaros Ronald A. , Cook Anne E.
Published: November 2013

Previous eye tracking studies have consistently associated increased eye fixations with comprehension difficulty. However, little research has probed this relationship in more complex news stories online. This exploratory within-subject experiment exposed participants (N = 20) to different text and graphic structures in health news stories. Results suggest enhanced learning, shorter viewing time, and fewer eye fixations for a linear text structure as compared to an “inverted pyramid” text commonly used in news. Graphics interacted with text, facilitating performance in the linear conditions but inhibiting them in the inverted pyramid structure. Graphics tended to also increase viewing time and eye fixations on text only and text combined with graphics for both structure conditions. Results discuss the importance of text structure in complex news and how the data are not entirely consistent with the assumption that explanatory graphics increase understanding.
Effects on Gambling Behaviour of Developments in Information Technology
Authors: Parke Adrian , Griffiths Mark
Published: November 2013

The rapid growth and acceptance of online gambling is concerning to academics and clinicians in the field of pathological gambling research. This study proposes a theoretical framework that outlines the effect of technological developments in information technology (IT) on gambling behaviour. The aim of the study is to produce theoretical propositions that can be investigated empirically in future research. Grounded Theory was employed to enable a theoretical framework to conceptualise online gambling behaviour and the utility of IT in gambling behaviour. In total, eight participants were interviewed via semi-structured interviews until theoretical saturation was achieved. The theoretical framework was contrasted against existing problem gambling research. Grounded Theory has indicated that developments in IT have been a catalyst for Elevated Gambling Involvement, in terms of both participation and pre-occupation, and that this phenomenon was produced via the following behavioural constructs: Increased Outcome Control, Reduced Discipline, Expediency and Consumer Value.
Cyberbullying Among High School Students
Authors: Aoyama Ikuko , Barnard-Brak Lucy , Talbert Tony L.
Published: November 2013

Bullying, a typical occurrence in schools, has gone digital. As a result, cyberbullying has become ever more present among youth. The current study aimed to classify high school students into four groups based on their cyberbullying experiences and to examine the characteristics of these groups based on the sex and age of the participants and the level of parental monitoring. Participants were 133 high school students located in central Texas. A cluster analysis revealed four distinct groups of students who were “highly involved both as bully and victim,” “more victim than bully,” “more bully than victim,” or “least involved.” Significantly more girls and more students in lower grades were classified into the “more victim than bully group” while older students were more likely to be classified into the “more bully than victim” group. No significant differences were found between cluster membership and the degree of parental monitoring.
An Integrated Information System to Support the Management of World-Widely Spread Educational Resources for the Greek Ministry of Education
Authors: Garofalakis John , Koskeris Andreas , Michail Theofanis-Aristofanis , Oikonomou Flora
Published: November 2013

In this chapter, a Government Resource Management System for the efficient organization of wide-spread manpower resources is presented. It concerns the case of the Greek Ministry of Education which manages several educational resources (educational units and teachers) spread around the globe to provide education opportunities for students with Greek origin. After reviewing the problems which have arisen from previous situation concerning the administration of this wide-spread man-power and the primitive tools used to collect information for effective operational activities (e.g. appointment of teachers to several educational units, selection of teachers to be transferred in educational units abroad, payment procedures), an integrated Web-based solution has been designed, developed, and applied. This case study is presented in detail in the following pages along with the benefits of this implementation and the concepts for its further exploitation.
A New Model for Transparency and e-Participation
Authors: Purian Ronit , Ahituv Niv , Ein-Dor Phillip
Published: November 2013

The knowledge hierarchy, which is widely used in Information Systems (IS) research, may provide the desired user-view framework. The knowledge hierarchy can support the selection of targeted stakeholders in accordance with their skills and abilities. This can be done by matching each type of e-participatory activity to the appropriate level in the knowledge hierarchy. For example: matching processed inputs on a conceptual level, termed knowledge, with the wide community; matching specific information with engaged citizens that possess local knowledge in their areas of interest; and matching data with semi-professional local representatives that produce value out of data much as experts do. This model should help understand conflicts such as the ban of mosque minarets in a country with Muslim minority, or the often heard accusation of “too much democracy,” the disfavor of open debates and other expressions of imbalance in the new era of e-participation. Governments and communities may benefit from the proposed user-view framework while designing and implementing new e-participation initiatives.
Using Web-Conferencing to Increase Learner Engagement
Authors: Whitehair Kristin , Tally Kathy
Published: November 2013

This chapter examines themes in scholarly literature regarding web-conferencing as applied at the University of Kansas Medical Center (KUMC). The chapter profiles how applications of web-conferencing can dramatically change the “classroom” environment for both users on campus and at a distance. We conclude that successful implementations of web-conferencing offer new opportunities in the classroom, increasing learner engagement, but also require adequate resources to support faculty and students.
How Similar or Different are We?
Authors: Picherit-Duthler Gaelle
Published: November 2013

Global virtual teams are becoming vastly popular amongst public and private organizations. This prevalent way of organizing can be used for students to gain experience in working with various cultures using technology. GlobCom is a global communication project that provides students with this opportunity but also presents them with challenges such as cultural barriers. This chapter explores students’ perceptions of diversity in their global virtual teams. It provides insight as to how students overcome issues of cultural differences by working in an online environment.
Speech Codes Theory as a Framework for Analyzing Communication in Online Educational Settings
Authors: Hart Tabitha
Published: November 2013

Knowing how best to assess and evaluate the communication that takes place in online educational settings can be a challenge, especially when the features of educational platforms continue to develop in their complexity. This chapter will discuss Speech Codes Theory, which is grounded in the Ethnography of Communication, as a theoretical and methodological framework for conducting qualitative, interpretive research. It will show how Speech Codes Theory can potentially be used to analyze and understand communication in a range of online educational settings.
The Agile Teaching Library
Authors: Gunn Mariela , Kraemer Elizabeth W.
Published: November 2013

This chapter discusses several models of integrating information literacy instruction into computer mediated learning processes on university campuses with an eye towards the sustainability of each model, its advantages and limitations, as well as its demands on both personnel and the institution as a whole. We strive to provide professionals with the insights to make informed decisions suitable for their context in terms of pedagogical outcomes, organizational resources, and technology infrastructure.
The Assurance Point Model for Consistency and Recovery in Service Composition
Authors: Urban Susan D. , Gao Le , Shrestha Rajiv , Xiao Yang , Friedman Zev , Rodriguez Jonathan
Published: November 2013

This research has defined an abstract execution model for establishing user-defined correctness and recovery in a service composition environment. The service composition model defines a hierarchical service composition structure, where a service is composed of atomic and/or composite groups. The model provides multi-level protection against service execution failure by using compensation and contingency at different composition granularity levels. The model is enhanced with the concept of assurance points (APS) and integration rules, where APs serve as logical and physical checkpoints for user-defined consistency checking, invoking integration rules that check pre and post conditions at different points in the execution process. The unique aspect of APs is that they provide intermediate rollback points when failures occur, thus allowing a process to be compensated to a specific AP for the purpose of rechecking pre-conditions before retry attempts. APs also support a dynamic backward recovery process, known as cascaded contingency, for hierarchically nested processes in an attempt to recover to a previous AP that can be used to invoke contingent procedures or alternate execution paths for failure of a nested process. As a result, the assurance point approach provides flexibility with respect to the combined use of backward and forward recovery options. Petri Nets have been used to define the semantics of the assurance point approach to service composition and recovery. A comparison to the BPEL fault handler is also provided.
EDUPMO
Authors: Amorim Joni A. , Miskulin Rosana G.S. , Miskulin Mauro S.
Published: November 2013

Engineering is seen today as a synonym of innovation, especially for providing technological solutions that affect not only daily work and entertainment, but education as well. Project portfolio management of multimedia production and use emerges today as a challenge both for the enrichment of traditional classroom based teaching and for distance education offering. In this way, this chapter intends to answer the following question: Which are the fundamental aspects to be considered in the management of projects on educational multimedia production and use? This research presents a proposal of a project management model for digital content production and use. The model, the methodology and the implementation will be named EduPMO, an abbreviation of Educational Project Management Office. Therefore, the model, the methodology, and the implementation should be understood as related but independent entities. This interdisciplinary investigation involves different topics, going from metadata and interoperability to intellectual property and process improvement.
Mobile Government and Defense
Authors: Jones Jim
Published: November 2013

The Government, Military, and Intelligence communities of the United States and other countries are adopting mobile technologies almost as quickly as commercial entities, and in some cases are going beyond the applications we see in the commercial space. Government services, such as information access and certain transactions, are rapidly adopting mobile delivery mechanisms. The military is using mobile technology to share static information as well, but is also providing live data feeds and information sharing to support combat operations. Intelligence agencies are using mobile devices as a data collection platform for their own agents, and are also accessing the mobile devices of enemy agents and intelligence targets to collect data surreptitiously. Military operations face unique challenges, given that they are often conducted in regions without existing networks and against an enemy trying to actively disrupt communications. The Government, Defense, and Intelligence communities all face the challenge of securing mobile devices and data in response to regulatory and statutory requirements, as well as a dynamic and evolving threat space of identity thieves, hackers/crackers, hostile military forces, and foreign intelligence services.
City Competitiveness and Spatial Location
Authors: Hamburger Diana Sarita
Published: November 2013

This chapter discusses the importance of Information Technology to spatial location and city competitiveness. Understanding spatial location in urban networks can be informed by economic geography concepts, especially those with insights into how urban areas form and develop. Relative distance to markets and the flow of goods and services influences the spatial position of cities, shapes how urban settlements evolve, and helps explain their distribution. Concepts like accessibility and centrality—and strategies for measuring them—can be used to determine a good place to locate a business or transportation hub. This chapter makes a case for the importance of considering information utilities, especially telecommunication networks, as important part of economic geography, and ultimately the growth and competitiveness of cities.
Developing a Competitive City through Healthy Decision-Making
Authors: Gudes Ori , Kendall Elizabeth , Yigitcanlar Tan , Han Jung Hoon , Pathak Virendra
Published: November 2013

This chapter investigates the challenges and opportunities associated with planning for a competitive city. The chapter is based on the assumption that a healthy city is a fundamental prerequisite for a competitive city. Thus, it is critical to examine the local determinants of health and factor these into any planning efforts. The main focus of the chapter is on e-health planning by utilising Web-based geographic decision support systems. The proposed novel decision support system would provide a powerful and effective platform for stakeholders to access essential data for decision-making purposes. The chapter also highlights the need for a comprehensive information framework to guide the process of planning for healthy cities. Additionally, it discusses the prospects and constraints of such an approach. In summary, this chapter outlines the potential insights of using an information science-based framework and suggests practical planning methods as part of a broader e-health approach for improving the health characteristics of competitive cities.
High Speed Rail and Regional Competitiveness
Authors: Brunello Lara , Bunker Jonathan , Fabbro Sandro , Migliorini Franco , Ferrara Renzo
Published: November 2013

The presence of High Speed Rail (HSR) systems influences market shares of road and air transport, and the development of cities and regions they serve. Changes in accessibility have led researchers to investigate the effects on the economic and spatial derived variables. Contention exists when managing the trade off between efficiency and access points, which are usually in the range of hundreds of kilometres apart. In short, it is argued that intermediate cities, bypassed by HSR services, suffer a decline in their accessibility and developmental opportunities. This chapter will analyse possible impacts of HSR infrastructure by considering small and medium agglomerations in the vicinity of HSR corridors which are not always served by HSR stations. The benefits of accessibility and distribution will be quantified and investigated in a model that accounts for locations where an HSR station cannot be positioned and different rail transit services offered, including (i) cadenced, (ii) express, (iii) frequent or (iv) non-stopping services. This theoretical approach linking infrastructure, accessibility, distributive patterns, services, and competitiveness is applied to a case study in the North-Eastern Italian regions. Results indicate that benefits derive from well informed decisions on HSR station positioning and the appropriate blend of complementary services in the whole region to interface an HSR infrastructure. The results have significance for all countries in Europe and worldwide, not only for investing in an HSR infrastructure, but mostly in terms of building territorial cohesion, while seeking international recognition for developing successful new technology and systems.
Anemia, Bleeding, and Blood Transfusion in the Intensive Care Unit: Causes, Risks, Costs, and New Strategies
Authors: McEvoy Michael T. , Shander Aryeh
Published: November 2013

The definition of anemia is controversial and varies with the sex, age, and ethnicity of the patient. Anemia afflicts half of hospitalized patients and most elderly hospitalized patients. Acute anemia in the operating room or intensive care unit is associated with increased morbidity as well as other adverse outcomes, including death. The risks of anemia are compounded by the added risks associated with transfusion of red blood cells, the most common treatment for severe anemia. The causes of anemia in hospitalized patients include iron deficiency, suppression of erythropoietin and iron transport, trauma, phlebotomy, coagulopathies, adverse effects of and reactions to medications, and stress-induced gastrointestinal bleeding. The types and causes of anemia and the increased health care utilization and costs associated with anemia and undetected internal bleeding are described. The potential benefits and risks associated with transfusion of red blood cells also are explored. Last, the strategies and new tools to help prevent anemia, allow earlier detection of internal bleeding, and avoid unnecessary blood transfusions are discussed.
Protection and Management of the Annunziata River Mouth Area (Italy)
Authors: Sicilia Carmelo L , Foti Giandomenico , Campolo Antonino
Published: November 2013

A better understanding and prediction of the dynamic processes that govern the coastal zone is the topic of the current paper; in particular, a deep investigation of the coastal processes that affect the shoreline dynamic and flood inundation risk is carried out at the Annunziata river mouth area (Italy). The Annunziata River is situated in the Northern part of Reggio Calabria city; it is, at the same time, a source of danger and an important environmental and hydrological resource for Reggio Calabria, since on the right side there is the city port and on the left side there is the public beach. The protection and management of coastal areas should be supported by a deep knowledge of the interaction between water motion and seabed topography, which affects the natural response of coastal systems to changes in external conditions and to human interferences. This work tries to analyze the coastal morphology through the use of some recent models based on spectral theory.
Contributions of Microglia to Structural Synaptic Plasticity
Authors: Kim Kyung Ho , Son Sung Min , Mook-Jung Inhee
Published: November 2013

Synaptic plasticity critically depends on reciprocal interactions between neurons and glia. Among glial cells, microglia represent approximately 10% of the total brain cell population serve as the brain's resident macrophage, and help to modulate neural activity. Because of their special role in the brain's immune response, microglia are involved in the pathological progression of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, microglia also are surveyors of the brain's health and continuously contact dendritic spines to regulate structural synaptic changes. This review summarizes our current understanding of neuronal-microglial signals that affect neural function at the synapse. Here, we examine the role of microglia in neuronal synapses in pathological brains and specifically focus on in vivo studies using 2-photon microscopy. Furthermore, because the role of microglia in AD progression is controversial, we outline the interaction between neurons and microglia in pathological conditions such as AD.