bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Metrics in routing protocol for wireless mesh networks
Authors: Owczarek Piotr , Zwierzykowski Piotr
Published: May 2014

The interest in services offered by wireless network has been growing for many years. It has encouraged the development of wireless technologies. New solutions are able to satisfy the ever-increasing demands concerning wireless services. It is also evident in the diversification of quality assessment methods employed with reference to connections used in such networks. One of the basic elements used in connection quality assessment are metrics. The use of metrics is directly linked to the type of the routing protocol applied in a given network. The selection of a given routing protocol is often determined by its specific properties that might be advantageous in a certain network type, or that are important in terms of the type or scope of services provided. Therefore, it is easy to identify a relationship between metrics and the area of application of a given routing protocol. The significance and diversity of metrics is also reflected inWireless Mesh Networks (WMNs). The proposed paper presents a review of the current state-of-the-art routing metrics for Ad-hoc and WMN networks
Performance Study of Screen-Printed Textile Antennas after Repeated Washing
Authors: Kazani I. , Declercq F. , Scarpello M. L. , Hertleer C. , Rogier H. , Vande Ginste D. , De Mey G. , Guxho G. , Van Langenhove L.
Published: May 2014

The stability of wearable textile antennas after 20 reference washing cycles was evaluated by measuring the reflection coefficient of different antenna prototypes. The prototypes’ conductive parts were screen-printed on several textile substrates using two different silver-based conductive inks. The necessity of coating the antennas with a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) coating was investigated by comparing coated with uncoated antennas. It is shown that covering the antennas with the TPU layer not only protects the screen-printed conductive area but also prevents delamination of the multilayered textile fabric substrates, making the antennas washable for up to 20 cycles. Furthermore, it is proven that coating is not necessary for maintaining antenna operation and this up to 20 washing cycles. However, connector detachment caused by friction during the washing process was the main problem of antenna performance degradation. Hence, other flexible, durable methods should be developed for establishing a stable electrical connection.
Pyrgotid Flies Assigned to Apyrgota. I. New Species and Synonyms in Eupyrgota (S. Str.) (Diptera, Pyrgotidae), with the Description of a New Subgenus
Authors: Korneyev V. A.
Published: May 2014

Pyrgotid Flies assigned to Apyrgota. I. New Species and Synonyms in Eupyrgota (s. str.) (Diptera, Pyrgotidae), with Description of a New Subgenus. Korneyev, V. A. - Eupyrgota scioida Hendel, 1908, the type species of the genus Apyrgota Hendel, 1909, syn. n. is shown to belong in Eupyrgota Coquillett, 1899. Th e diagnoses of the genus Eupyrgota and the subgenus Eupyrgota (s. str.) are reconsidered. E. alienata (Walker, 1861) comb. n., E. brahma (Hendel, 1914), comb. n., E. aequalis (Malloch, 1939), comb. n., E. angustifrons (Bezzi, 1914), comb. n., and E. armipes (Hendel, 1914), comb. n. are transferred into Eupyrgota (s. str.). Th e following synonymy is established: Eupyrgota Coquillett, 1899 = Apyrgota Hendel, 1909, syn. n.; E. alienata (Walker, 1861) = E. scioida Hendel, 1908, syn. n.; and E. brahma (Hendel, 1914) = Adapsilia nocturna Bezzi, 1914, syn. n. E. nyambene V. Korneyev, sp. n. is described based on a single female from Kenya; the new species belongs in the varipennis subgroup, but diff ers from other species by having a slender fore femur (thickened in E. varipennis Curran) and the mid femur with a femoral organ (absent in E. rugosigenis Hendel). A monotypic subgenus Asipyrgota subgen. n. (type species: Adapsilia flaviseta Malloch, 1929) is established; it shares the presence of the nipple-like processes of the prosternum, a generally robust appearance, and presence of 3 pairs of scutellar setae with members of the subgenus Eupyrgota s. str., diff ering by the absence of paired ventro-apical hooks on the oviscape.
Fishes of the Genus Ameiurus (Ictaluridae, Siluriformes) in the Transcarpathian Water Bodies
Authors: Movchan Yu. V. , Talabishka E. M. , Velikopolskiy I. J.
Published: May 2014

Fishes of the Genus Ameiurus (Ictaluridae, Siluriformes) in the Transcarpathian Water Bodies. Movchan, Yu. V., Talabishka, E. M., Velikopolskiy, I. J. - Morphometric standards of two species of the genus Ameiurus Rafinesque, 1820 are analyzed. The diff erences in external morphology between A. melas and A. nebulosus and the boundaries of current distribution of these fishes in the waters of Transcarpathia are determined.
Isodontia Mexicana (Hymenoptera, Sphecidae), a New Invasive Wasp Species in the Fauna of Ukraine Reared from Trap-Nests in the Crimea
Authors: Fateryga A. V. , Protsenko Yu. V. , Zhidkov V. Yu.
Published: May 2014

Isodontia mexicana (Hymenoptera, Sphecidae), a New Invasive Wasp Species in the Fauna of Ukraine Reared from Trap-Nests in the Crimea. Fateryga, A. V., Protsenko, Yu. V., Zhidkov, V. Yu. - Th e North American wasp Isodontia mexicana was found for the first time in Ukraine in trap-nests operated near Pushkino (southern coast of the Crimea) in 2012. Th ree nests contained five cocoons, from which only one adult wasp emerged in 2013, allowing the positive identification; other cocoons were either empty (one) or destroyed by Melittobia acasta (three). Such a find of a newly established invasive species in Ukraine represents the easternmost point in its European range and possibly the most remarkable jump-dispersal event in its distribution.
CO Self-Shielding as a Mechanism to Make 16O-Enriched Solids in the Solar Nebula
Authors: Nuth, III Joseph , Johnson Natasha , Hill Hugh
Published: May 2014

Photochemical self-shielding of CO has been proposed as a mechanism to produce solids observed in the modern, 16O-depleted solar system. This is distinct from the relatively 16O-enriched composition of the solar nebula, as demonstrated by the oxygen isotopic composition of the contemporary sun. While supporting the idea that self-shielding can produce local enhancements in 16O-depleted solids, we argue that complementary enhancements of 16O-enriched solids can also be produced via C16O-based, Fischer-Tropsch type (FTT) catalytic processes that could produce much of the carbonaceous feedstock incorporated into accreting planetesimals. Local enhancements could explain observed 16O enrichment in calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs), such as those from the meteorite, Isheyevo (CH/CHb), as well as in chondrules from the meteorite, Acfer 214 (CH3). CO self-shielding results in an overall increase in the 17O and 18O content of nebular solids only to the extent that there is a net loss of C16O from the solar nebula. In contrast, if C16O reacts in the nebula to produce organics and water then the net effect of the self-shielding process will be negligible for the average oxygen isotopic content of nebular solids and other mechanisms must be sought to produce the observed dichotomy between oxygen in the Sun and that in meteorites and the terrestrial planets. This illustrates that the formation and metamorphism of rocks and organics need to be considered in tandem rather than as isolated reaction networks.
Detection of a Specific Biomarker for Epstein-Barr Virus Using a Polymer-Based Genosensor
Authors: Balvedi Renata , Castro Ana , Madurro João , Brito-Madurro Ana
Published: May 2014

This paper describes methodology for direct and indirect detections of a specific oligonucleotide for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) using electrochemical techniques. The sequence of oligonucleotide probe (EBV1) revealed a high sequence identity (100%) with the EBV genome. For the development of the genosensor, EBV1 was grafted to the platform sensitized with poly(4-aminothiophenol). After that, the hybridization reaction was carried out with the complementary target (EBV2) on the modified electrode surface using ethidium bromide as DNA intercalator. The oxidation peak currents of ethidium bromide increased linearly with the values of the concentration of the complementary sequences in the range from 3.78 to 756 µmol·L−1. In nonstringent experimental conditions, this genosensor can detect 17.32 nmol·L−1 (three independent experiments) of oligonucleotide target, discriminating between complementary and non-complementary oligonucleotides, as well as differentiating one-base mismatch, as required for detection of genetic diseases caused by point mutations. The biosensor also displayed high specificity to the EBV target with elimination of interference from mix (alanine, glucose, uric acid, ascorbic acid, bovine serum albumin (BSA), glutamate and glycine) and good stability (120 days). In addition, it was possible to observe differences between hybridized and non-hybridized surfaces through atomic force microscopy.
The Popeye Domain Containing Genes and cAMP Signaling
Authors: Brand Thomas , Poon Kar , Simrick Subreena , Schindler Roland
Published: May 2014

3'-5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is a second messenger, which plays an important role in the heart. It is generated in response to activation of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Initially, it was thought that protein kinase A (PKA) exclusively mediates cAMP-induced cellular responses such as an increase in cardiac contractility, relaxation, and heart rate. With the identification of the exchange factor directly activated by cAMP (EPAC) and hyperpolarizing cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels as cAMP effector proteins it became clear that a protein network is involved in cAMP signaling. The Popeye domain containing (Popdc) genes encode yet another family of cAMP-binding proteins, which are prominently expressed in the heart. Loss-of-function mutations in mice are associated with cardiac arrhythmia and impaired skeletal muscle regeneration. Interestingly, the cardiac phenotype, which is present in both, Popdc1 and Popdc2 null mutants, is characterized by a stress-induced sinus bradycardia, suggesting that Popdc proteins participate in cAMP signaling in the sinuatrial node. The identification of the two-pore channel TREK-1 and Caveolin 3 as Popdc-interacting proteins represents a first step into understanding the mechanisms of heart rate modulation triggered by Popdc proteins.
Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing Using Cell Free DNA in Maternal Plasma: Recent Developments and Future Prospects
Authors: Benn Peter
Published: May 2014

Recent advances in molecular genetic technologies have facilitated non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) through the analysis of cell-free fetal DNA in maternal plasma. NIPT can be used to identify monogenic disorders including the identification of autosomal recessive disorders where the maternally inherited mutation needs to be identified in the presence of an excess of maternal DNA that contains the same mutation. In the future, simultaneous screening for multiple monogenic disorders is anticipated. Several NIPT methods have been developed to screen for trisomy. These have been shown to be effective for fetal trisomy 21, 18 and 13. Although the testing has been extended to sex chromosome aneuploidy, robust estimates of the efficacy are not yet available and maternal mosaicism for gain or loss of an X-chromosome needs to be considered. Using methods based on the analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms, diandric triploidy can be identified. NIPT is being developed to identify a number of microdeletion syndromes including α-globin gene deletion. NIPT is a profoundly important development in prenatal care that is substantially advancing the individual patient and public health benefits achieved through conventional prenatal screening and diagnosis.
Refining Our Understanding of Beta through Quantile Regressions
Authors: Atkins Allen , Ng Pin
Published: May 2014

The Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) has been a key theory in financial economics since the 1960s. One of its main contributions is to attempt to identify how the risk of a particular stock is related to the risk of the overall stock market using the risk measure Beta. If the relationship between an individual stock’s returns and the returns of the market exhibit heteroskedasticity, then the estimates of Beta for different quantiles of the relationship can be quite different. The behavioral ideas first proposed by Kahneman and Tversky (1979), which they called prospect theory, postulate that: (i) people exhibit “loss-aversion” in a gain frame; and (ii) people exhibit “risk-seeking” in a loss frame. If this is true, people could prefer lower Beta stocks after they have experienced a gain and higher Beta stocks after they have experienced a loss. Stocks that exhibit converging heteroskedasticity (22.2% of our sample) should be preferred by investors, and stocks that exhibit diverging heteroskedasticity (12.6% of our sample) should not be preferred. Investors may be able to benefit by choosing portfolios that are more closely aligned with their preferences.
Comparing Triflate and Hexafluorophosphate Anions of Ionic Liquids in Polymer Electrolytes for Supercapacitor Applications
Authors: Liew Chiam-Wen , Ramesh S.
Published: May 2014

Two different ionic liquid-based biopolymer electrolyte systems were prepared using a solution casting technique. Corn starch and lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6) were employed as polymer and salt, respectively. Additionally, two different counteranions of ionic liquids, viz. 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BmImPF6) and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate (also known as 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium triflate) (BmImTf) were used and studied in this present work. The maximum ionic conductivities of (1.47 ± 0.02) × 10−4 and (3.21 ± 0.01) × 10−4 S∙cm−1 were achieved with adulteration of 50 wt% of BmImPF6 and 80 wt% of BmImTf, respectively at ambient temperature. Activated carbon-based electrodes were prepared and used in supercapacitor fabrication. Supercapacitors were then assembled using the most conducting polymer electrolyte from each system. The electrochemical properties of the supercapacitors were then analyzed. The supercapacitor containing the triflate-based biopolymer electrolyte depicted a higher specific capacitance with a wider electrochemical stability window compared to that of the hexafluorophosphate system.
Capsaicin and Dihydrocapsaicin Determination in Chili Pepper Genotypes Using Ultra-Fast Liquid Chromatography
Authors: Usman Magaji , Rafii Mohd , Ismail Mohd , Malek Md. , Latif Mohammad
Published: May 2014

Research was carried out to estimate the levels of capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin that may be found in some heat tolerant chili pepper genotypes and to determine the degree of pungency as well as percentage capsaicin content of each of the analyzed peppers. A sensitive, precise, and specific ultra fast liquid chromatographic (UFLC) system was used for the separation, identification and quantitation of the capsaicinoids and the extraction solvent was acetonitrile. The method validation parameters, including linearity, precision, accuracy and recovery, yielded good results. Thus, the limit of detection was 0.045 µg/kg and 0.151 µg/kg for capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin, respectively, whereas the limit of quantitation was 0.11 µg/kg and 0.368 µg/kg for capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin. The calibration graph was linear from 0.05 to 0.50 µg/g for UFLC analysis. The inter- and intra-day precisions (relative standard deviation) were <5.0% for capsaicin and <9.9% for dihydrocapsaicin while the average recoveries obtained were quantitative (89.4%–90.1% for capsaicin, 92.4%–95.2% for dihydrocapsaicin), indicating good accuracy of the UFLC method. AVPP0705, AVPP0506, AVPP0104, AVPP0002, C05573 and AVPP0805 showed the highest concentration of capsaicin (12,776, 5,828, 4,393, 4,760, 3,764 and 4,120 µg/kg) and the highest pungency level, whereas AVPP9703, AVPP0512, AVPP0307, AVPP0803 and AVPP0102 recorded no detection of capsaicin and hence were non-pungent. All chili peppers studied except AVPP9703, AVPP0512, AVPP0307, AVPP0803 and AVPP0102 could serve as potential sources of capsaicin. On the other hand, only genotypes AVPP0506, AVPP0104, AVPP0002, C05573 and AVPP0805 gave a % capsaicin content that falls within the pungency limit that could make them recommendable as potential sources of capsaicin for the pharmaceutical industry.
Diet-Gene Interactions and PUFA Metabolism: A Potential Contributor to Health Disparities and Human Diseases
Authors: Chilton Floyd , Murphy Robert , Wilson Bryan , Sergeant Susan , Ainsworth Hannah , Seeds Michael , Mathias Rasika
Published: May 2014

The “modern western” diet (MWD) has increased the onset and progression of chronic human diseases as qualitatively and quantitatively maladaptive dietary components give rise to obesity and destructive gene-diet interactions. There has been a three-fold increase in dietary levels of the omega-6 (n-6) 18 carbon (C18), polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) linoleic acid (LA; 18:2n-6), with the addition of cooking oils and processed foods to the MWD. Intense debate has emerged regarding the impact of this increase on human health. Recent studies have uncovered population-related genetic variation in the LCPUFA biosynthetic pathway (especially within the fatty acid desaturase gene (FADS) cluster) that is associated with levels of circulating and tissue PUFAs and several biomarkers and clinical endpoints of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Importantly, populations of African descent have higher frequencies of variants associated with elevated levels of arachidonic acid (ARA), CVD biomarkers and disease endpoints. Additionally, nutrigenomic interactions between dietary n-6 PUFAs and variants in genes that encode for enzymes that mobilize and metabolize ARA to eicosanoids have been identified. These observations raise important questions of whether gene-PUFA interactions are differentially driving the risk of cardiovascular and other diseases in diverse populations, and contributing to health disparities, especially in African American populations.
Unusual Multiple Production of N-Acylhomoserine Lactones a by Burkholderia sp. Strain C10B Isolated from Dentine Caries
Authors: Goh Share , Tan Wen-Si , Khan Saad , Chew Hooi , Kasim Noor , Yin Wai-Fong , Chan Kok-Gan
Published: May 2014

Bacteria realize the ability to communicate by production of quorum sensing (QS) molecules called autoinducers, which regulate the physiological activities in their ecological niches. The oral cavity could be a potential area for the presence of QS bacteria. In this study, we report the isolation of a QS bacterial isolate C10B from dentine caries. Preliminary screening using Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 biosensor showed that isolate C10B was able to produce N-acylhomoserine lactones (AHLs). This bacterium was further identified as a member of Burkholderia, an opportunistic pathogen. The isolated Burkholderia sp. was confirmed to produce N-hexanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C6-HSL), N-octanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C8-HSL), N-decanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C10-HSL) and N-dodecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C12-HSL).
A Ubiquitous and Low-Cost Solution for Movement Monitoring and Accident Detection Based on Sensor Fusion
Authors: Felisberto Filipe , Fdez.-Riverola Florentino , Pereira António
Published: May 2014

The low average birth rate in developed countries and the increase in life expectancy have lead society to face for the first time an ageing situation. This situation associated with the World’s economic crisis (which started in 2008) forces the need of equating better and more efficient ways of providing more quality of life for the elderly. In this context, the solution presented in this work proposes to tackle the problem of monitoring the elderly in a way that is not restrictive for the life of the monitored, avoiding the need for premature nursing home admissions. To this end, the system uses the fusion of sensory data provided by a network of wireless sensors placed on the periphery of the user. Our approach was also designed with a low-cost deployment in mind, so that the target group may be as wide as possible. Regarding the detection of long-term problems, the tests conducted showed that the precision of the system in identifying and discerning body postures and body movements allows for a valid monitorization and rehabilitation of the user. Moreover, concerning the detection of accidents, while the proposed solution presented a near 100% precision at detecting normal falls, the detection of more complex falls (i.e., hampered falls) will require further study.
Atherton–Todd reaction: mechanism, scope and applications
Authors: Le Corre Stéphanie S , Berchel Mathieu , Couthon-Gourvès Hélène , Haelters Jean-Pierre , Jaffrès Paul-Alain
Published: May 2014

Initially, the Atherton–Todd (AT) reaction was applied for the synthesis of phosphoramidates by reacting dialkyl phosphite with a primary amine in the presence of carbon tetrachloride. These reaction conditions were subsequently modified with the aim to optimize them and the reaction was extended to different nucleophiles. The mechanism of this reaction led to controversial reports over the past years and is adequately discussed. We also present the scope of the AT reaction. Finally, we investigate the AT reaction by means of exemplary applications, which mainly concern three topics. First, we discuss the activation of a phenol group as a phosphate which allows for subsequent transformations such as cross coupling and reduction. Next, we examine the AT reaction applied to produce fire retardant compounds. In the last section, we investigate the use of the AT reaction for the production of compounds employed for biological applications. The selected examples to illustrate the applications of the Atherton–Todd reaction mainly cover the past 15 years.
EVALUATION OF NOₓ EMISSION AND DISPERSION FROM MARINE SHIPS IN KLAIPEDA SEA PORT
Authors: ABRUTYTĖ Eglė , ŽUKAUSKAITĖ Audronė , MICKEVIČIENĖ Rima , ZABUKAS Vytenis , PAULAUSKIENĖ Tatjana
Published: May 2014

The aim of the presented research was to assess the NOx emission and dispersion from marine ships in Klaipeda sea port. NOx emissions from ships operating in Klaipeda sea port were calculated using the Lloyd's Register detailed ship movement method, after collecting the information about technical characteristics of each marine ship visiting the port and the time spent staying in the port. After calculating the emission, the modelling using AERMOD software was completed and the dispersion of pollutants over different seasons of the year was determined. When performing the evaluation of NOx emissions it was estimated, that most of these pollutants enter the atmosphere from stationary vessels moored to quays with active auxiliary motors; this accounts even for up to 72% of the total NOx emission from marine ships in Klaipeda port. It was calculated that a total of 945.6 tons of NOx compounds enter the air basin from ships which operate in Klaipeda port. It was determined that the seasonality and meteorological conditions are a significant factor affecting the dispersion of pollutants. During winter time, a higher dispersion of pollutants is typically found at the source of contamination, and in the summer pollutants are decomposed more quickly and their concentrations as formed above the port are 30% lower, however, 40-50% higher concentrations are formed over the Klaipeda city residential districts.
Computer-Aided Psychotherapy: Machine Helping Therapist
Authors: Zarr Michael
Published: May 2014

The notion that computers could "do" psychotherapy has always been extremely controversial.
Computational Models of the Mind and Psychiatry
Authors: Stein Dan J
Published: May 2014

The psychological sciences have witnessed a paradigm shift with the emergence of cognitive science as the "new science of mind."
Long-Term Pharmacologic Treatment of Panic Disorder
Authors: Pollack Mark H , Otto Michael W
Published: May 2014

Acute and follow-up studies of these pharmacotherapeutic agents suggest that many patients, though improved, remain symptomatic despite treatment.
The Initial Evaluation of the Dual Diagnosis Patient
Authors: Anthenelli Robert M
Published: May 2014

Substance-dependent patients seldom volunteer information about their alcohol and drug use patterns when they present their psychiatric complaints.
Schizophrenia with Obsessive-Compulsive Features: Assessment and Treatment
Authors: Hwang Michael Y , Opler Lewis A
Published: May 2014

Obsessive-compulsive phenomena have been described in various forms as a part of schizophrenia for over 100 years.
Refractory Depression: Is There a Next Step?
Authors: Potter William Z , Manji Husseini K
Published: May 2014

Only a few treatment approaches for refractory depression have been studied systematically, and even fewer reports of positive outcomes have been replicated.
A 46-year-old Man With Recurrent Mood Disturbances and Suicidal Ideation
Authors: Thase Michael
Published: May 2014

Psychiatric and medical history and status must be evaluated completely to determine the correct diagnosis and best treatment options.
A 36-year-old Man With a History of Non-response to Multiple Medications
Authors: Amsterdam Jay D
Published: May 2014

Trials of various pharmacologic combinations may be necessary to find the correct treatment in some cases of resistant depression.
Is Suicide Preventable?
Authors: Fawcett Jan
Published: May 2014

There is no room for complacency in patient treatment or clinician attitude when recognizing suicidal risk.
Handling Human Remains
Authors: Keller Richard T , Bobo William V
Published: May 2014

Exposure may result in severe psychological responses among rescue workers
Temperament and the Parent-Child Interaction
Authors: Chess Stella , Thomas Alexander
Published: May 2014

Temperament plays a significant role in the development of the growing child. Not only do the parents' temperaments influence the child, however, but the child's inclinations and responses can have a profound effect on each of his parents.
Counseling Parents About Day Care
Authors: Pizzo Peggy Daly
Published: May 2014

Day care - properly selected and used without a negative emotional experience - helps to relieve stress. In an age when the extended family is no longer accessible to millions of parents, day-care facilities are often the mother's only hope for help with the children.
Parenting the Adolescent
Authors: Williams Frank S
Published: May 2014

During this turbulent period the teen-ager needs the assurance and help of the physician who has known him since infancy.
Prescriptive Analytics Using Synthetic Information
Authors: Marathe Madhav V. , Mortveit Henning S. , Parikh Nidhi , Swarup Samarth
Published: May 2014

In this chapter, the authors describe the use of synthetic information for doing prescriptive and predictive analytics. They discuss in detail how synthetic information is created by combining data from multiple sources and then describe its role in an ongoing disaster resilience study where they simulate the aftermath of a hypothetical nuclear detonation in Washington DC.
Applications in Predictive Analytics
Authors: Castañeda William Alberto Cruz , Ojeda Renato Garcia
Published: May 2014

According to the World Health Organization, Healthcare Technology (HT) is defined as the application of techniques and knowledge in the way of devices, medicaments, vaccines, procedures, and systems in order to develop solutions for healthcare problems and enhance the quality of life. Clinical Engineering has emerged as an interdisciplinary profession in the areas of medical equipment and technology management. With the correct support of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), these and others questions may be resolved through the ubiquitous environments and services that allow the acquisition, processing, diagnostic, transmission, and information-sharing in real time. Ubiquitous healthcare is a new paradigm that allows developing models and tools that improve the processes through monitoring, evaluation, prediction, and decision-making of the medical equipment condition. This chapter presents an ubiquitous management methodology for predictive maintenance with support of ICT and predictive analysis techniques that enhance decision-making in medical equipment.
Application of Spatial and Temporal Predictive Analysis for Energy Network Optimization
Authors: Cai Tianxing
Published: May 2014

Energy supply is characterized by its diversity. It involves a complex network system composed of energy generation, energy transformation, energy transportation, and energy consumption, and presents a complex task for conducting agile energy dispatching when extreme events have caused local energy shortages that need to be restored timely. One of the useful methodologies to solve such a problem is soft computing that conducts collaboration, association, and complementariness of the different techniques that integrate it and that cooperate from their basics. Their main objective is to take advantage of inherent tolerance of the imprecision and uncertainty to obtain tractability, robustness, and low solution-cost. In this chapter, the spatial and temporal predictive analysis techniques and their application in energy network optimization are briefly introduced. The application scope covers the energy demand prediction, the identification of the strategy to meet the peak demand requirement, and the environment impact optimization. The demonstration application is presented to demonstrate the application capability and capacity of temporal and spatial analysis to provide prediction of temperature change trend, demand forecast, and the potential environmental impact of traditional power plant operation.
Exploration of Soft Computing Approaches in Itemset Mining
Authors: Pillai Jyothi , Vyas O. P.
Published: May 2014

Data Mining is largely known to extract knowledge from large databases in an attempt to discover existing trends and newer patterns. While data mining refers to information extraction, soft computing is more inclined to information processing. Using Soft Computing, the tolerance for imprecision, uncertainty, approximate reasoning, and partial truth for achieving tractability, robustness, and low-cost solutions can be revealed. For effective knowledge discovery from large databases, both Soft Computing and Data Mining can be merged. Soft computing techniques are Fuzzy Logic (FL), Neural Network (NN), Genetic Algorithm (GA), Rough Set (RS), etc. For handling different types of uncertainty in huge data, FL and RS are highly suitable. NNs are a nonparametric, robust technique and provide good learning and generalization capabilities in data-rich environments. GAs provide efficient search algorithms for selecting a model, from mixed-media data, based on some priority criterion. In one of its realms, Association Rule Mining (ARM) and Itemset mining have been a focus of research in data mining for a decade, including finding most frequent item sets and corresponding association rules and extracting rare itemsets including temporal and fuzzy concepts in discovered patterns. The objective of this chapter is to explore the usage of Soft Computing approaches in itemset utility mining, both frequent and rare itemsets. In addition, a literature review of applications of soft computing techniques in temporal mining is described.
Metal Oxide-Graphene Nanocomposites
Authors: Sharma Ponchami , Hussain Najrul , Das Manash R. , Deshmukh Ashvini B. , Shelke Manjusha V. , Szunerits Sabine , Boukherroub Rabah
Published: May 2014

Graphene is one of the most interesting materials in the field of nanoscience and nanotechnology. Metal oxide nanoparticles exhibit unique physical and chemical properties due to their reduced size and high density of corner or edge surface sites. The metal oxide-graphene nanocomposites not only possess favorable properties of graphene and metal oxide, but also greatly enhance the intrinsic properties due to the synergistic effect between them. These composites are used for catalysis, supercapacitors, lithium ion batteries, solar cells, sensors, removal of pollutants from water, etc. There is a very broad scope of further research for the development of metal oxide-graphene nanocomposites with enhanced properties for different applications. This chapter deals with a comprehensive review of the current research activities from the viewpoint of chemistry and materials science with a special focus on the synthesis, characterization, and applications of metal oxide-graphene nanocomposite materials.
Theoretical Assessment of the Mechanical, Electronic, and Vibrational Properties of the Paramagnetic Insulating Cerium Dioxide and Investigation of Intrinsic Defects
Authors: Kanoun Mohammed Benali , Goumri-Said Souraya
Published: May 2014

First-principles calculations are performed by taking into account the strong correlation effects on ceria. To obtain an accurate description including f electrons, the authors optimized the Coulomb U parameter for use in Local-Density Approximation (LDA) and Generalized Gradient Approximation (GGA) calculation. A good agreement with experimental data is obtained within the GGA+U (Wu-Cohen scheme). Elastic stiffness constants are found in correct agreement with the available experimental results. Born effective charge, dielectric permittivity, and the phonon-dispersion curves are computed using density functional perturbation theory. The origin of magnetism in undoped ceria with intrinsic defects is investigated. The authors show that both of Ce and O vacancies induce local moments and ferromagnetism without doping ceria by magnetic impurities in this chapter.
E-Infrastructures for International Cooperation
Authors: Andronico Giuseppe , Balaž Antun , Banda Tiwonge Msulira , Barbera Roberto , Becker Bruce , Chattopadhyay Subrata , Chen Gang , Ciuffo Leandro N. , Dhekne P. S. , Gavillet Philippe , Jalife Salma , Kondoro John Wajanga Aron , Lin Simon C. , Marechal Bernard Marie , Masoni Alberto , Matyska Ludek , Merrouch Redouane , Mitsos Yannis , Nan Kai , Napis Suhaimi , Nassar Salwa , Paganoni Marco , Prnjat Ognjen , Qian Depei , Qjan Sijin , Reale Mario , Ruggieri Federico , Şener Cevat , Singh Dipak , Torman Yousef , Voss Alex , West David , Wright Colin
Published: May 2014

E-infrastructures are becoming in Europe and in other regions of the world standard platforms to support e-Science and foster virtual research communities. This chapter provides the reader with a comprehensive view of the developments of e-Infrastructures in China, India, Asia-Pacific, Mediterranean, Middle-East, Sub-Saharan Africa, South-East Europe and Latin America and with an outlook on the very important issue of their long term sustainability.
Virtual Learning Communities
Authors: Bassani Patrícia Brandalise Scherer
Published: May 2014

This chapter presents a reflection on the use of social software tools to enhance the interaction between students, allowing the development of virtual learning communities in blended learning settings. The discussion about education in Web 2.0, learning through communities, personal learning environments, and social software tools are the basic concepts of this reflection. The results show the importance of five strategies to promote blended learning based on virtual learning communities. They are: the use of a pedagogical approach based on cooperation; the focus on the selection of learning spaces that promote the interaction between students; the mixing of oriented collaborative activities in the VLE and the promotion of the use of social software, articulating prescriptive learning systems and emergent learning networks; the use of Web 2.0 tools in a PLE perspective; and the use of folksonomies to follow up the contents students produce on the Web.
Web 2.0 Technologies and Authentic Public Participation
Authors: Casey Colleen , Li Jianling
Published: May 2014

In this chapter, the authors evaluate the use of Web 2.0 technology to engage citizens in the transportation decision making process. They evaluate the potential of Web 2.0 technology to create effective participatory environments to enable authentic participation; provide an inventory of the current tools and technologies utilized, identify barriers faced by administrators in the implementation of these tools, and summarize universal lessons for public administrators. Based on a review of 40 cases of collaborations, the authors find that Web 2.0 technology is predominantly used as a complement rather than a substitute for traditional approaches. Furthermore, the review suggests that the full potential of Web 2.0 remains untapped, and additional tools and technologies can be utilized to overcome barriers to implementation.
Tracking Public Participation in Urban Governance
Authors: Obermeyer Nancy J.
Published: May 2014

This chapter examines the use of GIS, geovisualization, and other geo-locational technologies and applications, including social networking websites and mobile phones associated with Web 2.0, as a tool kit for promoting democratization or leading to loss of data privacy and freedom, focusing on the relevant historical events in 2011 and the first half of 2012. The chapter begins by presenting a brief history of the GIS and society literature, including public participation GIS, volunteered geographic information, and geoslavery. The discussion covers both the rosy view (geospatial and Web 2.0 technologies as a democratizing force) and the gloomy perspective (these same technologies as tools of control based on data capture and loss of privacy). Underlying both of these views are scale and the ability to jump scales, which are examined through the lens of Kevin Cox's (1998) “spaces of dependence and engagement.” Having laid this groundwork, the chapter considers events in the recent past, focusing first on the Arab Spring movements in Tunisia and Egypt and the Occupy movement in the U.S. as examples of the optimistic perspective. It then proceeds to discuss data capture from smart phones and cell phones as examples of the pessimistic view. The chapter concludes with a discussion of how individuals may enhance the democratization potential of geotechnologies and Web 2.0 while minimizing data capture, loss of spatial data privacy, and the harm that these can bring.
Cyber Command and Control
Authors: Ruiz Michael E. , Redmond Richard
Published: May 2014

Cyber-space is emerging as the fifth domain of warfare and a crucial operational concern for commercial industry. As such, it requires a command and control system that enables defensive and operational capabilities within cyber-space. This chapter describes a research and development project aimed at discovering solutions for a Cyber Command and Control both for commercial and military environments. The chapter identifies challenges and provides solutions rooted in the body of knowledge composed of Command and Control and Situation Awareness Theory.
Social Networking in Academic Libraries
Authors: Joshi Sudhanshu
Published: May 2014

The chapter provides a snapshot on the use of social networking in academic libraries through a systematic review of the available literature and an examination of the libraries' presence on the most popular social networking sites. The chapter initially reviews 819 articles of empirical research, viewpoints, and case studies, based on keyword(s) search “Web 2.0 + Academic Libraries” since 2006 found in the Library Literature and Information Full Text Database. Out of full text research papers, articles with empirical studies, 328 (40% of 819), are shortlisted; all articles are from journals having impact factors (as per ISI Thomson Reuters rating 2011-12), 0.8 and above. The articles are collected from four major management and library science publishers: Ebscohost, Science Direct, Taylor and Francis, Emerald Insight (including EarlyCite articles, Backfiles content). The potential limitation of the study is that it does not attempt to trace out trends using any regression techniques. The extension of this study could be statistically testing the figures observed in this chapter and laying down a grounded theory approach for future research in Web 2.0 applications in libraries. The important finding is that the popularity of the various social networking sites can change quickly on the basis of e-World of Month (e-WoM).
The Continued Use of a Virtual Community
Authors: Jin Xiao-Ling , Lee Matthew K.O. , Cheung Christy M.K. , Zhou Zhongyun (Phil)
Published: May 2014

With the advent of the Internet, so too came several new means by which people share and acquire information. One such method is the use of virtual communities. Virtual communities are steadily becoming a valuable resource for today's organizations. However, a large number of virtual communities fail because their members withdraw from using them. Motivated by this concern, this study investigates the factors which motivate individuals to continue using a virtual community for information adoption. The proposed model integrates the IS continuance model with the information adoption model and is validated through an online survey of 240 users of a Bulletin Board System established by a local university in China. The results reveal that continuance intention within a virtual community is primarily determined by user satisfaction with prior usage, as well as by perceived information usefulness. The results also suggest that a long-term sustainable virtual community should be provided with high-quality and credible information. The findings of this study contribute to both theory building in virtual community continuance and practice in virtual community management.
Web 2.0, the Individual, and the Organization
Authors: Burner Kerry J.
Published: May 2014

This chapter explores the issues that can arise when professionals employ Web 2.0 social networking technologies in service of their professional development by way of informal learning. Issues around privacy, confidentiality, and compliance are discussed and possible actions organizations and individuals can take are presented.
An Approach to Governance of CyberSecurity in South Africa
Authors: Jansen van Vuuren Joey , Leenen Louise , Phahlamohlaka Jackie , Zaaiman Jannie
Published: May 2014

A government has the responsibility to provide, regulate and maintain national security, which includes human security for its citizens. Recent declarations from the UK and USA governments about setting up cybersecurity organisations and the appointment of cyber czars reflect a global recognition that the Internet is part of the national critical infrastructure that needs to be safeguarded and protected. Although the South African government approved a draft National Cyber Security Policy Framework in March 2012, the country still needs a national cybersecurity governance structure in order to effectively control and protect its cyber infrastructure. Whilst various structures have been established to deal with cybersecurity in South Africa, they are inadequate and implementation of the policy is still in the very early stages. Structures need to be in place to set the security controls and policies and also to govern their implementation. It is important to have a holistic approach to cybersecurity, with partnerships between business, government and civil society put in place to achieve this goal. This paper investigates different government organisational structures created for the control of national cybersecurity in selected countries of the world. The main contribution is a proposed approach that South Africa could follow in implementing its proposed cybersecurity policy framework, taking into account the challenges of legislation and control of cybersecurity in Africa, and in particular, in South Africa.
The Role of Web 2.0 in the Arab Spring
Authors: Cropf Robert A. , Benmamoun Mamoun , Kalliny Morris
Published: May 2014

The Arab Spring seemed to give a renewed sense of promise to proponents of Web 2.0 as a force for democratization. However, a year on, throughout the Arab world the prospects for democracy are still far from certain. Our conclusion, based on an examination of the events in four countries—Egypt, Morocco, Bahrain, and Libya—is that Web 2.0 collaborative tools are without parallel in their ability to mobilize vast numbers of the public. Unknown, however, is whether Web 2.0 can also assist in institutionalizing democracy throughout the Arab world. In this study, the authors adapt the path dependency model of Douglass North and others to explain why, despite the huge popularity of Web 2.0 in the region, the growth of Arab e-democracy will be slow and uncertain. Path dependency suggests that in order for e-democracy to eventually take root and thrive in the region, certain preconditions must be met.
Abstract Service for Cyber Physical Service Composition
Authors: Zhao Yajing , Dong Jing , Huang Jian , Zhang Yansheng , Yen I-Ling , Bastani Farokh
Published: May 2014

The collaboration of cyber physical systems poses many real-world challenges, such as knowledge restriction, resource contention, and communication limitation. Service oriented architecture has been proven effective in solving interoperability issues in the software engineering field. The semantic web service helps to automate service discovery and integration with semantic information. This chapter models cyber physical system functionalities as services to solve the collaboration problem using semantic web services. We extend the existing OWL-S framework to address the natures of the cyber physical systems and their functionalities, which are different from software systems and their functionalities. We also present a case study to illustrate our approach.
Social Media and Social Change
Authors: Goldkind Lauri , McNutt John G.
Published: May 2014

Technological advances in communications tools, the Internet, and the advent of social media have changed the ways in which nonprofit organizations engage with their various constituents. Nonprofits now have a constellation of tools including: interactive social media sites, mobile applications (apps), Websites, and mash-ups that allow them to create a comprehensive system for mobilizing supports to advocate for changing public policies. From Facebook to Twitter and from YouTube to Pinterest, communicating to many via words and images has never been easier. The authors explore the history of nonprofit advocacy and organizing, describe the social media and technology tools available for moving advocacy goals forward, and conclude with some possible challenges that organizations considering these tools could face.
Crowdfunding
Authors: Ariza-Montes José Antonio , López-Martín M. Carmen , Lucia-Casademunt Ana María
Published: May 2014

This chapter provides a brief review of the main ways of obtaining resources from the non-profit entities in order to appreciate the new tools for doing so, as well as the possibilities of new technologies in this field. More specifically, this text analyzes how the social networks and the development of Web 2.0 affect the possibilities of obtaining resources for these organizations through crowdfunding, which represents an additional source of income to help fund projects with very specific characteristics, but is not the only way to enable these organizations to sustain their cost structures.