bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Breaking Bergmann's rule: truncation of Northwest Atlantic marine fish body sizes
Authors: Fisher Jonathan A. D. , Frank Kenneth T. , Leggett William C.
Published: September 2010

A strictly species‐centric view of human impacts on ecological communities may conceal important trait changes key to ecosystem functioning and stability. Analyses of body size and community composition data for 326 Northwest Atlantic fish species sampled across >900 000 km2 over three decades revealed a rapid and widespread reduction of body sizes driven by declines within species and changes in relative abundances. The changes were unrelated to species richness but of sufficient magnitude to eliminate biogeographic scale gradients of increasing body size with latitude commonly characterized as Bergmann's rule. These changes have persisted despite reduced potential for intraspecific competition and favorable bottom water temperatures, both of which should lead to increased growth rates. The aggregate body sizes in these Northwest Atlantic fish communities may now represent a mismatch between the environmental variability characteristic of the Northwest Atlantic and the historical body size, life history traits, and productivity of species across this region. We discuss how these changes may jeopardize the potential for recovery of these important temperate/subarctic ecosystems.
Analysis of Polymorphisms in the SRD5A2 Gene and Semen Parameters in Estonian Men
Authors: Peters Maire , Saare Merli , Kaart Tanel , Haller‐Kikkatalo Kadri , Lend Ave Kris , Punab Margus , Metspalu Andres , Salumets Andres
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACT: Spermatogenesis is an androgen‐dependent process and polymorphisms in genes encoding androgen‐metabolizing enzymes may be associated with impaired male fertility. The enzyme steroid 5α‐reductase converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone. We analyzed genotype frequencies of 5 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs 1–5) (rs632148, rs523349, rs2300701, rs2268797, and rs12470143) in the steroid 5α‐reductase type 2 gene (SRD5A2) in 132 azoospermic or oligozoospermic and 211 normozoospermic men. We found no association between investigated genotypes and the occurrence of male infertility. Linear regression analysis revealed a significant correlation between certain alleles of SNP1 and SNP5 and testicular volume among control men. Normozoospermic men carrying the minor allele of all but SNP5 polymorphism exhibited a significantly higher proportion of progressively motile spermatozoa, compared with major homozygotes. However, SRD5A2 genotypes did not influence sperm concentration, serum testosterone, or follicle‐stimulating hormone levels in controls. Our results suggest that polymorphisms examined in SRD5A2 exhibit no adverse effect on semen parameters in Estonian men.
Advocacy in Occupational Therapy: Exploring Clinicians' Reasons and Experiences of Advocacy
Authors: Dhillon Shaminder K. , Wilkins Seanne , Law Mary C. , Stewart Debra A. , Tremblay Mary
Published: September 2010

Background. Occupational therapy literature encourages therapists to advocate, yet any member of the team could advocate with/for people with disabilities. There is a need to determine why occupational therapists provide these services and how they learn to advocate.Purpose. The objective of this article is to understand the meaning of advocacy for occupational therapists by exploring their reasons for advocating.Methods. Interpretive phenomenology and the social model of disability were used to interview 13 occupational therapists about their advocacy experiences. Data analysis was completed using a Gadamerian-based approach.Findings. Occupational therapists advocate for a number of reasons; some relate to themselves, some relate to clients, and others relate to both. Learning about advocacy may be understood as taking place on a continuum of time.Implications. The occupational therapist's unique reason for advocating is to facilitate the client's occupational performance. A new definition of advocacy is presented based on study findings.
Novel Small Molecule Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Stimulates Insulin Secretion in Rodents and From Human Islets
Authors: Sloop Kyle W. , Willard Francis S. , Brenner Martin B. , Ficorilli James , Valasek Kathleen , Showalter Aaron D. , Farb Thomas B. , Cao Julia X.C. , Cox Amy L. , Michael M. Dodson , Gutierrez Sanfeliciano Sonia Maria , Tebbe Mark J. , Coghlan Michael J.
Published: September 2010

OBJECTIVE

The clinical effectiveness of parenterally-administered glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) mimetics to improve glucose control in patients suffering from type 2 diabetes strongly supports discovery pursuits aimed at identifying and developing orally active, small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonists. The purpose of these studies was to identify and characterize novel nonpeptide agonists of the GLP-1 receptor.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

Screening using cells expressing the GLP-1 receptor and insulin secretion assays with rodent and human islets were used to identify novel molecules. The intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) and hyperglycemic clamp characterized the insulinotropic effects of compounds in vivo.

RESULTS

Novel low molecular weight pyrimidine-based compounds that activate the GLP-1 receptor and stimulate glucose-dependent insulin secretion are described. These molecules induce GLP-1 receptor-mediated cAMP signaling in HEK293 cells expressing the GLP-1 receptor and increase insulin secretion from rodent islets in a dose-dependent manner. The compounds activate GLP-1 receptor signaling, both alone or in an additive fashion when combined with the endogenous GLP-1 peptide; however, these agonists do not compete with radiolabeled GLP-1 in receptor-binding assays. In vivo studies using the IVGTT and the hyperglycemic clamp in Sprague Dawley rats demonstrate increased insulin secretion in compound-treated animals. Further, perifusion assays with human islets isolated from a donor with type 2 diabetes show near-normalization of insulin secretion upon compound treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

These studies characterize the insulinotropic effects of an early-stage, small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist and provide compelling evidence to support pharmaceutical optimization.
Synthesis of 4,16-Dimethoxy-1,2-Dimethyl[2.4]Metacyclophan-1-Ene and 8,17-Dimethoxy-1.2-Dimethyl-10-Thia[2.3.4](1,3,5)Cyclophan-1-Ene
Authors: Shimizu Tomoe , Kato Rika , Miyamoto Shinpei , Yamato Takehiko
Published: September 2010

McMurry cyclisation of 1,4-bis(3-acetyl-4-methoxyphenyl)butane afforded flexible 4,16-dimethoxy-1,2-dimethyl[2.4] metacyclophan-1-ene, which was converted to the corresponding triple bridged 8,17-dimethoxy-1,2-dimethyl-10-thia[2.3.4](1,3,5)cyclophan-1-ene. The conformational studies of these cyclophan-1-enes in solution are also described.
Formation of Indazole Derivatives from 2,4-Disubstituted Thiosemicarbazides and some Chloro-p-Quinones
Authors: Hassan Alaa A. , Aly Ashraf A. , Mohamed Mamdouh A.
Published: September 2010

The reaction of 2,4-disubstituted thiosemicarbazides with 2,3,5,6-tetrachloro-1,4-benzo-quinone gave 2-aryl-5,6-dichloro-3-(substituted imino)-2,3-dihydro-1 H-indazole-4,7-diones in 57–66% yield together with smaller amounts of 2-aryl-3-(substituted imino)-4,6,7-trichloro-2 H-indazole-5(3 H)-ones (21–25% yield). Reaction of 2,3-dichloro-1,4-naphthoquinone with 2,4-disubstituted thiosemicarbazides provided 2-aryl-3-(substituted imino)-2,3-dihydro-1 H-benzo[ f]-indazole-4,9-diones in 63–74% yield. Rationales for these transformations are presented.
Aza-Michael Addition of Acrylonitrile with 2-Aryloxymethylbenzimidazole Derivatives under Microwave Irradiation
Authors: Wei Tai-Bao , Hua Mao-Tang , Shi Hai-Xiong , Liu Yong , Zhang You-Ming
Published: September 2010

A simple, rapid, and highly efficient method has been developed for the aza-Michael addition of acrylonitrile to 2-aryl-oxymethylbenzimidazole derivatives in the presence of anhydrous potassium carbonate under microwave irradiation. A series novel of 1-cyanoethyl-2-aryloxymethylbenzimidazole derivatives have been prepared and characterised by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, IR spectra and elemental analysis.
Synthesis of Pyrazolo[3,4-b]Pyridine and Pyrido[2′,3′:3,4]Pyrazolo [1,5-a]Pyrimidine Derivatives
Authors: El-Enany Mervat M. , El-Meligie Salwa E. M. , Abdou Nadia A. , El-Nassan Hala B.
Published: September 2010

The synthesis of two series of 1-phenyl and 1 H-pyrazolo[3,4- b]pyridine is described. Thus, reacting 5-amino-1-phenylpyrazole with chalcone analogues gave 4,6-diarylpyrazolo[3,4- b]pyridine derivatives. While, reacting the same starting material with benzylidene derivatives of ethyl cyanoacetate and malononitrile resulted in 4-oxo and 4-aminopyrazolo[3,4- b]pyridine derivatives, respectively. The synthesis of 3-amino-4,6-diarylpyrazolo[3,4- b]pyridines starting from pyridine was also described. Thus, chlorination of 4,6-diarylpyridone derivatives and their subsequent cyclisation with hydrazine hydrate afforded 3-amino-4,6-diarylpyrazolo[3,4 -b]pyridines. Reaction of the latter compounds with acetylacetone, ethyl ethoxymethylenecyanoacetate and chalcone analogue gave the tricyclic pyrido[2′,3′: 3,4]pyrazolo[1,5- a]pyrimidines. The structures of the products were confirmed by spectral data.
“An outstanding man among Scottish ornithologists”: Surgeon Rear-Admiral John Hutton Stenhouse (1865–1931)
Authors: McGowan R. Y. , Stenhouse I. J.
Published: September 2010

A biographical sketch of John Hutton Stenhouse (1865–1931) is provided. This focuses on his contributions to ornithology in Scotland and to Scottish ornithology, most notably through his long association with the Royal Scottish Museum. His involvements with bird migration studies on Fair Isle and his influence on the subsequent development of a permanent bird observatory on the island are discussed
Le surmoi est‑il un super-rejeton ?
Authors: Bayle Gérard
Published: September 2010

Résumé Les interventions restructurantes du cadre utilisent la force d’Éros. Elles contrecarrent et lient les effets de la pulsion de mort mise en œuvre lors des attaques du cadre ou dans les enlisements sadiques ou masochistes d’une cure analytique. L’exemple d’une telle intervention dans un psychodrame psychanalytique, à l’instar de celles exposées par ailleurs dans les articles de R. Asséo, J.?L. Baldacci et A. Rosenberg, donne voie à un processus analytique jusqu’alors inaccessible. À partir de ses effets, on peut formuler une hypothèse sur la constitution du surmoi archaïque. Tel un rejeton durable de l’inconscient, il serait constitué d’une mixtion de pulsion de mort et de fixations libidinales précoces. Cet ensemble étant modifié par les remaniements postœdipiens.
Le surmoi et l'impératif d'inscription
Authors: Chervet Bernard
Published: September 2010

Résumé L’utilisation du terme de surmoi dans la littérature psychanalytique est porteuse de confusions liées à l’incertitude de son efficience. Un retour sur la généalogie de cette instance puis un détour par la règle fondamentale, en tant qu’elle représente le surmoi dans la cure, permettent d’approcher cette incertitude et de préciser les fonctions du surmoi. Le travail de séance met en valeur son rôle : soutenir la liaison de toute économie régressive à la conscience et l’inscrire en un destin psychique. C’est en promouvant la construction des voies régrédientes et progrédientes que l’impératif d’inscription s’oppose aux régressions transgressives, extinctives. Le surmoi se révèle être lui?même le lieu d’un conflit entre effectuation et élimination.
Modes de transfert, réflexivité et écart moi‑surmoi
Authors: Seulin Christian
Published: September 2010

Résumé L’auteur évoque la question du surmoi archaïque dans la cure et de ses liens avec la métapsychologie de Fairbairn. Le début de séance présenté par J.?L. Baldacci, où domine le surmoi archaïque de sa patiente, conduit l’auteur à l’idée d’un transfert d’excitation transmise à l’analyste. L’intervention de l’analyste est vectrice de sa réflexivité liée à l’écart moi?surmoi, et elle est utilisée par la patiente comme un modèle processuel. La suite de la séance montre le passage d’un transfert d’excitation à un transfert de processus psychiques, puis à un transfert de représentations, objectal, mettant successivement en lumière trois modes de transfert.
L'interprétation et quoi d'autre ?
Authors: Wainrib Steven
Published: September 2010

Résumé Deux modalités spécifiques du travail analytique peuvent être distinguées. Les  interventions subjectalisantes ouvrent de nouvelles perspectives de liens, tout en ayant une valeur interprétative. Le processus interprétatif , proprement dit, génère chez l’analysant l’émergence d’une position méta, venant accueillir le développement de la réflexivité qui résulte de l’analyse du transfert. Chaque analyse doit trouver son propre dosage entre ces deux modes d’intervention, susceptibles de s’associer pour faire advenir une nouvelle dynamique des processus de subjectivation, restés en souffrance, piégés dans l’automatisme de répétition.
La destructivité primaire et sa réacquisition
Authors: Sali Madjid
Published: September 2010

Résumé La pulsion de mort définie par Freud comme aspiration de la vie organisée à un retour vers l’état inorganique antérieur n’est ni vérifiable ni réfutable. Elle est indécidable. Nous y voyons, pour notre part, l’expression métaphorique, à forte composante mytho?poétique, d’une intuition profonde et féconde, chez Freud, d’une destructivité primaire en œuvre dans et contre la vie du sujet comme de l’objet, qui ne se déduit de rien d’autre, ni ne peut se réduire plus avant. Elle naît avec la vie, pas de la vie. La destructivité primaire, en tant que traduction pratique, clinique de la pulsion de mort, exige une exploration selon les trois déterminants du psychisme, toujours présents chez Freud, que sont la pulsion et sa représentance, l’objet et ses effets de séduction, de transférance et d’identification et enfin la psychophylogenèse à entendre comme transmission non génique d’une lignée, d’un phylum psychique. La psychophylogenèse se différencie ainsi de la biophylogenèse qui, elle, utilise les gènes pour se transmettre. L’enjeu central est celui de sa réacquisition.
Charging in Mobile Telecommunication Networks
Authors: Ary Bálint , Imre Sándor
Published: September 2010

The tariff packages in the mobile telecommunication industry got more and more complex in the last few years. The telecommunication companies have introduced several different services along with different discounts and allowances. The price calculation of the services and the understanding of prices became harder for the subscribers. This chapter describes the basic architecture and the major flows of a billing system in the telecommunication area. It introduces a novel concept for price calculation, which could aid the Advance of Charge and Income Prediction functionalities.
Real-Time Communications in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Augé-Blum Isabelle , Yang Fei , Watteyne Thomas
Published: September 2010

This chapter presents the state-of-the-art of real-time communication in the challenging topic of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). In real-time communication, the duration between the event which initiates the sending of a message, and the instant this message is received must be smaller than a known delay. Because topologies are extremely dynamic and not known priori, this type of constraint is very hard to meet in WSNs. In this chapter, the different communication protocols proposed in the literatures, together with their respective advantages and drawbacks, are discussed. We focus on MAC and routing because they are key layers in real-time communication. As most existing protocols are not suitable under realistic constraints where sensor nodes and wireless links are unreliable, we give, at the end of this chapter, some insights about future trends in designing real-time protocols. We hope to give the reader an overview of recent research works in this complex topic which we consider to be essential in critical applications.
MAC Protocols for Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Braun Torsten , Anwander Markus , Hurni Philipp , Wälchli Markus
Published: September 2010

The chapter describes related work on medium access control protocols for wireless sensor nodes. We focus on scheduled and contention-based protocols that have been proposed by the research community during the last few years. In particular, we evaluate the potential to save energy of several representative protocols, namely LMAC, TEEM, and WiseMAC. This has been done by measurements of implementations in real sensor networks. The measurement results show that by sophisticated MAC protocol design we can significantly improve the energy-efficiency and increase the lifetime of a sensor node. Real-world measurements are important to determine power consumption parameters of sensor nodes.
Mechanisms for Automatic Web Service Composition
Authors: Yuan Quan , Fonoage Mihai , Cardei Ionut
Published: September 2010

This chapter introduces the web services composition as a means of studying efficient integration of the existing web services to satisfy users’ requirements. It discusses the web services composition definition, combined with the current web services composition methods, and divides those methods into two categories: AI-based methods and Non-AI methods. Also, the authors present the features and the comparison of these two categories, to assist researchers in the understanding of web service composition in a variety of contexts.
A Multi-Agent System Forecast of the S&P/Case-Shiller LA Home Price Index
Authors: Kaboudan Mak
Published: September 2010

Successful decision-making by home-owners, lending institutions, and real estate developers among others is dependent on obtaining reasonable forecasts of residential home prices. For decades, home-price forecasts were produced by agents utilizing academically well-established statistical models. In this chapter, several modeling agents will compete and cooperate to produce a single forecast. A cooperative multi-agent system (MAS) is developed and used to obtain monthly forecasts (April 2008 through March 2010) of the S&P/Case-Shiller home price index for Los Angeles, CA (LXXR). Monthly housing market demand and supply variables including conventional 30-year fixed real mortgage rate, real personal income, cash out loans, homes for sale, change in housing inventory, and construction material price index are used to find different independent models that explain percentage change in LXXR. An agent then combines the forecasts obtained from the different models to obtain a final prediction.
Neuroeconomics
Authors: Chen Shu-Heng , Wang Shu G.
Published: September 2010

Recently, the relation between neuroeconomics and agent-based computational economics (ACE) has become an issue concerning the agent-based economics community. Neuroeconomics can interest agent-based economists when they are inquiring for the foundation or the principle of the software-agent design, normally known as agent engineering. It has been shown in many studies that the design of software agents is non-trivial and can determine what will emerge from the bottom. Therefore, it has been quested for rather a period regarding whether we can sensibly design these software agents, including both the choice of software agent models, such as reinforcement learning, and the parameter setting associated with the chosen model, such as risk attitude. In this chapter, we shall start a formal inquiry by focusing on examining the models and parameters used to build software agents.
Autonomous Specialization in a Multi-Robot System using Evolving Neural Networks
Authors: Goka Masanori , Ohkura Kazuhiro
Published: September 2010

Artificial evolution has been considered as a promising approach for coordinating the controller of an autonomous mobile robot. However, it is not yet established whether artificial evolution is also effective in generating collective behaviour in a multi-robot system (MRS). In this study, two types of evolving artificial neural networks are utilized in an MRS. The first is the evolving continuous time recurrent neural network, which is used in the most conventional method, and the second is the topology and weight evolving artificial neural networks, which is used in the noble method. Several computer simulations are conducted in order to examine how the artificial evolution can be used to coordinate the collective behaviour in an MRS.
Swarm Intelligence Based Reputation Model for Open Multi agent Systems
Authors: Mahmood Saba , Asar Azzam ul , Suguri Hiroki , Ahmad Hafiz Farooq
Published: September 2010

In open multiagent systems, individual components act in an autonomous and uncertain manner, thus making it difficult for the participating agents to interact with one another in a reliable environment. Trust models have been devised that can create level of certainty for the interacting agents. However, trust requires reputation information that basically incorporates an agent’s former behaviour. There are two aspects of a reputation model i.e. reputation creation and its distribution. Dissemination of this reputation information in highly dynamic environment is an issue and needs attention for a better approach. We have proposed a swarm intelligence based mechanism whose self-organizing behaviour not only provides an efficient way of reputation distribution but also involves various sources of information to compute the reputation value of the participating agents. We have evaluated our system with the help of a simulation showing utility gain of agents utilizing swarm based reputation system. We have utilized an ant net simulator to compute results for the reputation model. The ant simulator is written in c
Evolutionary Search for Cellular Automata with Self-Organizing Properties toward Controlling Decentralized Pervasive Systems
Authors: Iwase Yusuke , Suzuki Reiji , Arita Takaya
Published: September 2010

Cellular Automata (CAs) have been investigated extensively as abstract models of the decentralized systems composed of autonomous entities characterized by local interactions. However, it is poorly understood how CAs can interact with their external environment, which would be useful for implementing decentralized pervasive systems that consist of billions of components (nodes, sensors, etc.) distributed in our everyday environments. This chapter focuses on the emergent properties of CAs induced by external perturbations toward controlling decentralized pervasive systems. We assumed a minimum task in which a CA has to change its global state drastically after every occurrence of a perturbation period. In the perturbation period, each cell state is modified by using an external rule with a small probability. By conducting evolutionary searches for rules of CAs, we obtained interesting behaviors of CAs in which their global state cyclically transited among different stable states in either ascending or descending order. The self-organizing behaviors are due to the clusters of cell states that dynamically grow through occurrences of perturbation periods. These results imply that we can dynamically control the global behaviors of decentralized systems by states of randomly selected components only.
Internet Banking Strategy in a Highly Volatile Business Environment
Authors: Ezeoha Abel E.
Published: September 2010

Internet banking strategy can be generally very challenging, but more challenging in an economic environment infested with high degree of corruption, insecurity, bad governance, poverty, and financial system instability. Due to its global nature, Internet banking, under such situation, is threatened by the easiness at which off-line crimes are transmitted into online businesses, and the difficulty in building trusts and confidence in online business relationships. Using the Nigerian case, this chapter aims at establishing some theoretical link between offline country image and Internet banking reputation. The chapter summarizes the structural and regulatory challenges in the Nigerian banking system. It represents and relates the country’s socioeconomic conditions with its Internet business reputation; and lays down past regulatory and global efforts to control the menace of the Nigerian version of Internet frauds. The last two sections of the chapter, respectively, suggest some future research direction and conclude the chapter.
An Intelligent Framework for Usable Speech-Enabled E-Health System
Authors: Moses Oyelami Olufemi , Onuwa Uwadia Charles , Taofeek Akinwale Adio
Published: September 2010

People search websites for health information for self-care, but the information provided by these e-health portals are delivered in text form and this does not cater for the needs of the visually impaired, the blind, the low-literate and those that are not computer literate. Also, existing speech-based disease screening initiatives lack reasoning capability to make them attain the level of an expert system. This work presents an intelligent framework for usable speech-enabled e-health system that provides speech-based health information to cater for the needs of those not catered for in graphical user interface. It also introduces rule-based reasoning technique into speech-based disease screening systems. A prototype application was developed to provide health information on malaria fever, yellow fever, typhoid fever and lassa fever, and also allows the caller to diagnose his kind of fever. This will enable the visually impaired, the blind, the low-literate and the computer illiterate access to the same health information available through the graphical user interface and offer a reasoning-induced speech-based disease diagnosis.
An Overview of Internet Developments and their Impact on E-Government in South Africa
Authors: Naidoo Goonasagree , Singh S. , Levine Niall
Published: September 2010

The usage of the internet has grown over recent years in South Africa but at a very slow rate. This is the result of several challenges facing the growth of the Internet in South Africa. These challenges are mostly related to the lack of infrastructure for the Internet, high cost of computer technology and service provider challenges. The paper provides an overview of the Internet usage and its impact on E-Government in South Africa. It examines regulatory issues pertaining to the Internet. It also examines Internet growth in the business and government sectors. In the government sector, the Cape Online Strategy, is an initiative by the provincial government of the Western Cape in SA, is an example of a global trend towards greater levels of interactivity between government and citizens. This initiative is an excellent example of how Web-based solutions can be used to deliver certain services to citizens. Another excellent example is an E-justice initiative undertaken by the Department of Justice. The initiative aims at promoting a more efficient system of Justice in SA. The paper also provides an overview of the challenges to Internet adoption in South Africa.
Enhancing Democratic Participation
Authors: Backhouse Jenny
Published: September 2010

The Internet and Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) have long been seen as potentially contributing to a solution to the problem of voter disaffection and disengagement that has occurred in many western liberal democracies over the past couple of decades. The success of Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential campaign in the United States has highlighted the role that ICTs, in the form of Web 2.0 technologies and social media, can play in enhancing citizens‘ democratic participation and involvement in political campaigning. This paper examines the nature of Web 2.0 technologies and social media and analyses their role in political campaigning, particularly in the context of the 2007/8 presidential primaries in America and the 2007 federal election in Australia. While broadcast television is still a dominant political player, the empirical evidence suggests that a viable campaign needs to integrate diverse communication strategies tailored to citizens‘ interests and the political environment. The interactive and participatory technologies of the online world are increasingly key components of such integrated campaign strategies.
Last Online Deposits Spatial Data in the Web
Authors: Kholladi Mohamed-Khireddine
Published: September 2010

The posting of interactive mapping is essential for the dissemination of information to the general public and in all areas. All the elements constituting a spatial object are represented by agreements with symbols. Each element is represented at the level of reality. The posting of maps on the Internet can take many forms. It can be static maps, as a picture. Interactions with the user can be included on the maps produced. These are movements and functions of the zoom presentation (display information, change of scale, global view). At this level, it is also possible to examine, by selection of the objects represented on the map (common facilities). This level is commonly known as Web mapping. The dynamic mapping is used when information is to be renewed or if the geographical extent of the area is large. In this case, a server handles in real-time updated database to provide users answers to their complaints. The functions proposed in this case are close to those of GIS software (acquisition, manipulation, management and processing of geographical data). In this chapter we will explore the possibility of integrating a dynamic mapping on the Web.
Electronic Commerce in the Arab World
Authors: Nathan Robert Jeyakumar , Ahmed Mohammed Saeed
Published: September 2010

This chapter presents a literature discussion and empirical research that examines the factors that affect Electronic Commerce (EC) adoption in the Arab countries. The five countries that are represented in this research include Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. The purpose of this research is analyzing the crucial factors affecting EC adoption among the Arab consumers. The chapter presents the effect of risk perception, trust and consumer knowledge on their EC adoption. It also highlights consumer’s knowledge mediation in affecting their perception of risk and trust towards EC adoption. Upon filtration, three hundred samples were selected for data analysis. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses including statistical mediation technique were carried out to analyse the data. Results reveal knowledge as the most important factor that contributes to EC adoption and it mediates consumers’ perception of risk and trust in contributing to their EC adoption. The preliminary findings of this research was presented in the International Arab Conference of E-Technology held in Amman, Jordan from 14th to 16th October 2008 and subsequently published in the first issue of the International Arab Journal of E-Technology. This chapter presents the complete research with further data analysis, extended reports and discussions on issues relating to EC adoption.
Efficient Implementation of E-Government Interoperability in Labour Market Information Systems based on Service Oriented Architecture
Authors: Saekow Apitep , Boonmee Choompol
Published: September 2010

In many countries, governments have been developing electronic information systems to support in labour market in form of on-line services, web-based application as well as one-stop service. One of the biggest challenges is to facilitate the seamless exchange of labour market information (LMI) across governmental departments. This chapter introduces an efficient implementation of Thailand’s e-government interoperability project in LMI systems using service oriented architecture (SOA) based on XML web service technology. In Thailand, the Ministry of Labour (MOL) has developed a Ministry of Labour Operation Center (MLOC) as the center for gathering, analyzing and monitoring LMI to assist the policy makers. The MOL consists of four departments: department of employment, department of labour protection and welfare, department of skill development, and social security office. Thsse departments utilize electronic systems to manage LMI such as employment, labour protection and welfare, skill development and social security. Provincially, MOL has 75 branches called “labour provincial offices” located at 75 provinces in Thailand. Each office has developed a “Provincial Labour Operation Center or PLOC” as the operating center in the province where the information system called “PLOC” system has been developed to analyze and monitor the localized labour information for the provincial policy-makers. Since these systems differ, it requires the process of data harmonization, modeling and standardizations using UN/CEFACT CCTS and XML NDR for achieving the common XML schema standard, with the implementation of SOA to integrate efficiently all those systems. We apply TH e-GIF guidelines for interoperable data exchanges and the XML schema standardization. In Thailand, the first Thailand e-Government Interoperability Framework – the TH e-GIF - came into being in November 2006. This chapter illustrates main concepts of TH e-GIF, the project background and methodology as well as key leverage factors for the project.
Effort Estimation Model for each Phase of Software Development Life Cycle
Authors: Safavi Sarah Afzal , Shaikh Maqbool Uddin
Published: September 2010

The assessment of main risks in software development discloses that a major threat of delays are caused by poor effort / cost estimation of the project. Low / poor cost estimation is the second highest priority risk [Basit Shahzad]. This risk can affect four out of a total five phases of the software development life cycle i.e. Analysis, Design, Coding and Testing. Hence targeting this risk alone may reduce the overall risk impact of the project by fifty percent. Architectural designing of the system is a great activity which consumes most of the time in SDLC. Obviously, effort is put forth to produce the design of the system. It is evident that none of the existing estimation models try to calculate the effort put on designing of the system. Although use case estimation model uses the use case points to estimate the cost. But what is the cost of creating use cases? One reason of poor estimates produced by existing models can be negligence of design effort/cost. Therefore it shall be well estimated to prevent any cost overrun of the project. We propose a model to estimate the effort in each of these phases rather than just relying upon the cost estimation of the coding phase only. It will also ease the monitoring of project status and comparison against planned cost and actual cost incurred so far at any point of time.
Surviving with SMS
Authors: Shirali-Shahreza Mohammad , Shirali-Shahreza Sajad
Published: September 2010

The mobile phone is one of the technologies which are widely used these days. It is available in most countries and all people, even children and elderly people can use it. It seems that in the near future, each person will have at least one mobile phone. So it is a good choice for communication in emergency situations, such as a heart attack or after an earthquake. In this chapter, we will survey a number of systems which are designed for communication in emergency situations and then explain three systems which are developed by the authors. The first one is for locating and rescuing victims after an earthquake. The second system is for calling an emergency team by patients in emergency situations. The third system is for finding lost people with amnesia. In addition, we review some of related works which use mobile phones for communication in emergency.
Open for Social
Authors: Laffey James M. , Schmidt Matthew , Amelung Christopher J.
Published: September 2010

Online learning in K-12 and higher education has been growing rapidly, and open source software has the potential to improve the quality of e-learning. This paper describes how FOSS enables turning e-learning from a potentially restrictive and narrow framing of the education experience to an emergent and social experience. The authors identify several key elements of the FOSS model that position open source initiatives to contribute to the emergent and social nature of experience in e-learning. The authors also describe several challenges to developing FOSS in a community of educators for e-learning. These elements and challenges are illustrated in a brief case report about the development of an open source software system called Context-aware Activity Notification System (CANS). CANS (http://cansaware.com) is a notification system that integrates with collaborative work and learning systems and is designed around the importance of awareness of user activity, a user’s social context and personal notification preferences.
Stakeholder Analysis of IT Applications for Microfinance
Authors: Nyapati Krishna
Published: September 2010

Microfinance Institutions (MFI) currently service over 130 million clients worldwide (World Bank, 2009), while potentially 3 billion people could benefit from the services offered by this sector. This huge base of clients, and the corresponding transactions which they generate, offer a significant potential for MFI operators to utilize Information Technology (IT) based applications in order to reduce costs and expand services. At the same time, a host of factors including inadequate infrastructure, such as the low penetration of computers and limited availability of data communication services in many geographies, and illiteracy and lack of skills, present significant challenges in being able to realize such potential. The present discussion uses a framework of stakeholder analysis, in order to identify specific problems and possible solutions impacting the future of IT applications in the MFI sector. Stakeholder analysis is a well known technique which is used to design and construct large and complex systems. The present discussion looks at the MFI context which is characterized by multiple stakeholders, with a variety of often divergent goals / requirements at a systems level. Such requirements need to be identified, prioritized and quantified, in order to ensure that they are effectively addressed in the several downstream phases, such as design, development, implementation and ongoing support. The present discussion examines the key stakeholders in the MFI context and their high level requirements. These requirements, which are typically complex and abstract, are then decomposed into elementary attributes, which are amenable to quantification and measurement. While the discussion addresses multiple stakeholders, the detailed analysis is restricted to MFIs and their clients (borrowers of micro credit). Clients are the most important category of stakeholders in any proposed system and the detailed discussion looks at some of the unique characteristics of this group, challenges they pose to designers of IT applications, and some possible ideas which have the potential to make significant impact in future systems. Specific attributes discussed include accessibility, availability and unique identity. The usage of computers and Management Information Systems (MIS) in the MFI sector has been growing rapidly, with an estimated 82% of all MFIs using some form of automation (CGAP, 2009 a) as per recent surveys. However, most of the currently deployed MIS solutions address back office functions and do not engage their clients directly or through intermediaries, using technology based solutions. The present discussion examines a few specific technologies and design ideas which have the potential to improve availability and accessibility of technology based solutions to the client base of MFIs, thereby enhancing the scope of automation in this sector.
On the Importance of Framing
Authors: Harter Nathan
Published: September 2010

Forces have converged to produce stunning new technologies and the Information Age. As a result, we experience unanticipated consequences. Among the implications of this transition are a variety of ethical predicaments. This chapter introduces a process of conceptual framing. We classify this work as the inspection and consideration of our conceptual frameworks. We move from doubt about our current frameworks toward better ones. The way to make this transition is to render beliefs into ideas and then compare those ideas. Nevertheless, there is always an imperfect alignment of ideas with lived reality, so we must avoid dogmatic closure. The ethics predicaments we face are in actuality an ill-defined “mess” of multiple problems, the solutions to which affect one another. In response, we consider the processes of design for the future in the face of such ill-defined ethics problems.
Customizing and Personalizing an Adult Blended Course
Authors: Pandolfini Valeria
Published: September 2010

This chapter, by combining research-based results and theoretical principles, analyzes how it is possible to integrate teaching models and use of new technologies in an adult blended course, and to adapt training experiences to the target group, in order to offer a course that may prove personalized as much as possible. Basing on the results of an evaluative study, some improvement factors and best practices are discussed at the end of the chapter, as well as some identified weaknesses, with a view to learning environments that, making use of specific strategies, online tools, and educational contents, are capable to reach high levels of accessibility, adaptability and personalization in training paths specifically tailored on students’ actual training requirements.
Evaluating and Implementing Teaching Standards
Authors: Barrett Bob
Published: September 2010

As of the end of 2006, 38 states in the United States have established state-led online learning programs, policies regulating online learning, or both. Also, 25 states have state-led online learning programs, and 18 states are home to a total of 147 virtual charter schools serving over 65,000 students (http://www.nacol.org). This chapter will survey current online teacher training standards and trends, in terms of what is required of new online instructors. It will also focus on the use of the online learning environment as a vehicle to help instructors to prepare for online teaching in terms of current teaching strategies used – both from the live (on-ground) and online learning environments. This chapter will focus on several universities in terms of their approaches to online teacher training for experienced instructors, as well as new teaching recruits as they prepare to transition from traditional classrooms over to virtual classes.
E-Learning Challenges in the European Knowledge-Based Society
Authors: Barna Cristina , Epure Manuela , Vasilescu Ruxandra
Published: September 2010

In the context of 2009 European Year of Innovation and Creativity, this chapter focuses on ICT for innovation as a key challenge in the knowledge-based society. Today we are facing the growing complexity of the e-learning phenomenon and its role as a basic tool for high quality education and training. The authors approach the importance of e-learning in the European Lifelong Learning Program 2007 – 2013, the conceptual framework of e-learning, the characteristics of a teaching philosophy that provides stability, continuity and long-term guidance in the e-learning environment, the imperative of quality assurance and improvement in e-learning– a new paradigm in higher education systems, and the interdependencies between e-learning, e-inclusion and e-working. The Romanian case is presented as a comparative study with the EU and US standards in higher education.
E-Learning Methodologies in Higher Education
Authors: Ronco Alicia Mateos , Sánchez Mar Marín
Published: September 2010

The Spanish educational system will require certain changes in order to achieve the Bologna objectives for the European Higher Education Area, including with new activities and roles for both students and teachers, who must assume new skills that will affect concepts and attitudes related to the teaching and learning processes. This chapter describes the authors’ experience in designing E-learning methodologies for the teaching of accountancy in the Business Administration Degree Course at the Polytechnic University of Valencia. The chapter’s methodology designed for teaching accounting, is based on PBL (Problem Based Learning), compiled with Internet based technologies. The authors analyze its use and evolution in two accounting subjects in the first and the fourth year of the degree. The conclusions obtained from the statistical treatment of the results show that there is a direct correlation between the use of an active E-learning model and obtaining satisfactory exam results in the subject.
Including Nomadic People in Collaborative E-Learning
Authors: Barchetti Ugo , Bucciero Alberto , Mainetti Luca
Published: September 2010

The focus of this chapter is the design of a solution for Computer-Supported Cooperative Learning (CSCL) that is able to connect both stationary and mobile users in live shared-learning sessions. The authors started from experiences that were mainly technology-driven to arrive at the development of two subsystems, OpenWebTalk and MobileWebTalk, that build, flexibly and simply, mixed reality environments in which users cooperate to perform the same learning task. From these experiences, the authors argue that heterogeneous learning environments (stationary and mobile) can only be really effective if they are designed from a unique abstract model. Therefore the challenge is to derive a conceptual model to describe a collaborative learning session that can be deployed in different devices.
Between Hackers and White-Collar Offenders
Authors: Turgeman-Goldschmidt Orly
Published: September 2010

Scholars often view hacking as one category of computer crime, and computer crime as white-collar crime. However, no study to date has examined the extent to which hackers exhibit the same characteristics as white-collar offenders. This chapter looks at empirical data drawn from 54 face-to-face interviews with Israeli hackers, in light of the literature in the field of white-collar offenders, concentrating on their accounts and socio-demographic characteristics. Hackers and white-collar offenders differ significantly in age and in their accounts. White-collar offenders usually act for economic gain; hackers act for fun, curiosity, and opportunities to demonstrate their computer virtuosity. Hackers, in contrast to white-collar offenders, do not deny their responsibility, nor do they tell a “sad tale.”
The General Theory of Crime and Computer Hacking
Authors: Bossler Adam M. , Burruss George W.
Published: September 2010

Though in recent years, a number of studies have been completed on hackers’ personality and communication traits by experts in the fields of psychology and criminology, a number of questions regarding this population remain. Does Gottfredson and Hirschi’s concept of low self-control predict the unauthorized access of computer systems? Do computer hackers have low levels of self-control, as has been found for other criminals in mainstream society? If low self-control can predict the commission of computer hacking, this finding would seem to support the generality argument of self-control theory and imply that computer hacking and other forms of cybercrime are substantively similar to terrestrial crime. This chapter focuses on the results of a study where we examined whether Gottfredson and Hirschi’s general theory of crime is applicable to computer hacking in a college sample.