bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Competence-Based System Self-Study System for Suggesting Study Materials Links
Authors: Nitchot Athitaya , Gilbert Lester , Wills Gary B.
Published: May 2014

The article proposes a self-study system which suggests web links to learners. The suggestions depend upon the learner's chosen competences selected from a competence structure for a particular knowledge domain. Three experiments were conducted, where the first compared the perceived usefulness and value of the links generated by different learning paths selected to navigate the competence structure. The second experiment evaluated the acceptability of the self-study system, and the third experiment compared ratings of the links generated by two different search engines (Google, iSEEK). The results showed that the competence-based self-study system was accepted by learners, that learning paths which included more competence nodes were more useful than paths with fewer nodes, and that there was no significant difference between the ratings of the competence-based links generated by the two types of search engine.
Treatment of neurosarcoidosis: Innovations and challenges
Authors: Stjepanovic Mihailo , Mihailovic-Vucinic Violeta , Jovanovic Dragana , Mijajlovic Milija , Skodric-Trifunovic Vesna , Stjepanovic Mirjana
Published: May 2014

Introduction: Sarcoidosis affects the central nervous system more frequently
than it used to be believed. While the cranial nerves are most frequently
affected, neurosarcoidosis can involve other nervous system tissues as well.
Treatment of Neurosarcoidosis: Although a lot of drugs have proved useful in
treating neurosarcoidosis, corticosteroids are still the gold standard in
treatment of these patients. Therapeutic protocols differ regarding the dose
of these drugs. Symptomatic neurosarcoidosis should always be treated with
pulse corticosteroid therapy. People with diabetes, high blood pressure,
osteoporosis and tuberculosis should be carefully monitored, as they are
prone to complications associated with treatment with corticosteroids. In
cases when treatment with corticosteroids does not show the desired results
or therapy is discontinued due to the development of side effects, there are
other pharmacologic options, such as methotrexate, mycophenolate mofetil,
cyclophosphamide, chloroquine, azathioprine, thalidomide, and infliximab. It
should be noted that the treatment response to the above mentioned regimens,
except for infliximab, is relatively slow compared to corticosteroids;
therefore, corticosteroids should be taken into account in all states and
particularly in the acute phase of the disease. Conclusion: It is the
existence of different forms of the disease, lack of local diagnostic
criteria and different and non standardized therapy that makes the treatment
of this disease difficult. Despite advances in pharmacotherapy and
radiological diagnosis, it is necessary to develop better diagnostic
strategies in order to set the optimal therapeutic approach.
Adaptive search techniques for problems in vehicle routing, part I: A survey
Authors: Kritzinger Stefanie , Doerner Karl , Tricoire Fabien , Hartl Richard
Published: May 2014

Research in the field of vehicle routing often focused on finding new ideas
and concepts in the development of fast and efficient algorithms for an
improved solution process. Early studies introduce static tailor-made
strategies, but trends show that algorithms with generic adaptive policies -
which emerged in the past years - are more efficient to solve complex vehicle
routing problems. In this first part of the survey, we present an overview of
recent literature dealing with adaptive or guided search techniques for
problems in vehicle routing.
Impact of Visit-to-Visit Glycemic Variability on the Risks of Macrovascular and Microvascular Events and All-Cause Mortality in Type 2 Diabetes: The ADVANCE Trial
Authors: Hirakawa Yoichiro , Arima Hisatomi , Zoungas Sophia , Ninomiya Toshiharu , Cooper Mark , Hamet Pavel , Mancia Giuseppe , Poulter Neil , Harrap Stephen , Woodward Mark , Chalmers John
Published: May 2014

OBJECTIVE

There is no consensus on the importance of visit-to-visit glycemic variability in diabetes. Therefore, we assessed the effects of visit-to-visit variability (VVV) in HbA1c and fasting glucose on major outcomes in the ADVANCE (Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease: Preterax and Diamicron MR Controlled Evaluation) trial.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

ADVANCE was a factorial randomized controlled trial of intensive glucose control and blood pressure lowering in patients with type 2 diabetes. VVV in the intensive glucose treatment group was defined using the SD of five measurements of HbA1c and glucose taken 3–24 months after randomization. Outcomes were combined macro- and microvascular events and all-cause mortality occurring post 24 months. Sensitivity analyses were performed using other indices of variability and in the standard glucose treatment group.

RESULTS

Among 4,399 patients in the intensive group, an increase in VVV of HbA1c was associated with an increased risk of vascular events (P = 0.01) and with mortality (P < 0.001): highest versus lowest tenth hazard ratio (95% CI) 1.64 (1.05–2.55) and 3.31 (1.57–6.98), respectively, after multivariable adjustment. A clear association was also observed between VVV of fasting glucose and increased risk of vascular events (P < 0.001; 2.70 [1.65–4.42]). HbA1c variability was positively associated with the risk of macrovascular events (P = 0.02 for trend), whereas glucose variability was associated with both macro- and microvascular events (P = 0.005 and P < 0.001 for trend, respectively). Sensitivity analyses using other indices, and patients in the standard glucose treatment group, were broadly consistent with these results.

CONCLUSIONS

Consistency of glycemic control is important to reduce the risks of vascular events and death in type 2 diabetes.
β-Cell Failure in Type 2 Diabetes: Postulated Mechanisms and Prospects for Prevention and Treatment
Authors: Halban Philippe A. , Polonsky Kenneth S. , Bowden Donald W. , Hawkins Meredith A. , Ling Charlotte , Mather Kieren J. , Powers Alvin C. , Rhodes Christopher J. , Sussel Lori , Weir Gordon C.
Published: May 2014

OBJECTIVE

This article examines the foundation of β-cell failure in type 2 diabetes (T2D) and suggests areas for future research on the underlying mechanisms that may lead to improved prevention and treatment.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A group of experts participated in a conference on 14–16 October 2013 cosponsored by the Endocrine Society and the American Diabetes Association. A writing group prepared this summary and recommendations.

RESULTS

The writing group based this article on conference presentations, discussion, and debate. Topics covered include genetic predisposition, foundations of β-cell failure, natural history of β-cell failure, and impact of therapeutic interventions.

CONCLUSIONS

β-Cell failure is central to the development and progression of T2D. It antedates and predicts diabetes onset and progression, is in part genetically determined, and often can be identified with accuracy even though current tests are cumbersome and not well standardized. Multiple pathways underlie decreased β-cell function and mass, some of which may be shared and may also be a consequence of processes that initially caused dysfunction. Goals for future research include to 1) impact the natural history of β-cell failure; 2) identify and characterize genetic loci for T2D; 3) target β-cell signaling, metabolic, and genetic pathways to improve function/mass; 4) develop alternative sources of β-cells for cell-based therapy; 5) focus on metabolic environment to provide indirect benefit to β-cells; 6) improve understanding of the physiology of responses to bypass surgery; and 7) identify circulating factors and neuronal circuits underlying the axis of communication between the brain and β-cells.
Effect of Different Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors on Microtensile Bond Strength of an Etch-and-Rinse and a Self-etching Adhesive to Dentin
Authors: Zheng P , Zaruba M , Attin T , Wiegand A
Published: May 2014

Aim

This study aimed to analyze the effect of different matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitors on the microtensile bond strength (microTBS) of an etch-and-rinse and a self-etching adhesive after 9 months of aging.

Methods and Materials

Flat human dentin surfaces were bonded either with an etch-and-rinse adhesive (Optibond FL) or a self-etching adhesive (Clearfil SE Bond). Dentin surfaces were left untreated or were pretreated with MMP inhibitors (2% chlorhexidine digluconate [CHX], 0.05% green tea extract, 1 mM ferrous sulfate, or 0.2 mM galardin) prior to application of the adhesive. Composite buildups were made incrementally. Pretreated groups were tested after 9 months of storage in artificial saliva (37°C) and compared with untreated groups, which were tested immediately (initial microTBS) and upon aging (9-month microTBS). Data were analyzed by linear mixed-model regression. Failure mode analysis was performed microscopically and statistically analyzed by repeated-measures analysis of variance (p<0.05).

Results

MicroTBS of the etch-and-rinse adhesive but not of the self-etching adhesive was significantly decreased by aging. For Optibond FL, pretreatment with 2% CHX, 0.05% green tea extract, and 0.2 mM galardin revealed bond strength values (MPa) similar to the initial microTBS (32.1±14.8) and significantly higher compared with the microTBS (20.3±13.6) of aged untreated dentin. No significant differences were observed between groups bonded with Clearfil SE Bond (initial microTBS: 28.3±12.4; 9-month microTBS: 25.3±11.8). Application of the MMP inhibitors decreased the number of adhesive failures compared with untreated controls after 9 months of aging, but this effect was not significant.

Conclusion

The MMP inhibitors prevented the decrease in microTBS upon aging of the etch-and-rinse but not of the self-etching adhesive.
Multidisciplinary Consensus Guideline for Managing Trigger Finger: Results From the European HANDGUIDE Study
Authors: Huisstede Bionka M.A. , Hoogvliet Peter , Coert J. Henk , Fridén Jan ,   for the European HANDGUIDE Group
Published: May 2014

Background

Trigger finger is characterized by sometimes painful snapping or locking when flexing the finger. Although trigger finger is frequently seen in clinical practice, no standard treatment protocol has been established as “best practice.”

Objective

The aim of this study was to achieve consensus on a multidisciplinary treatment guideline for trigger finger.

Design

A European Delphi consensus strategy was initiated. Systematic reviews reporting on the effectiveness of surgical and nonsurgical interventions were conducted and used as an evidence-based starting point for this study.

Setting

In total, 35 experts (hand therapists and hand surgeons selected by the national member associations of their European federations and physical medicine and rehabilitation physicians) participated in the Delphi consensus strategy.

Measurements

Each Delphi round consisted of a questionnaire, an analysis, and a feedback report.

Results

After 4 Delphi rounds, consensus was achieved on the description, symptoms, and diagnosis of trigger finger. The experts agreed that use of orthoses (splinting), corticosteroid injections, corticosteroid injections plus use of orthoses, and surgery are suitable treatment options. Relevant details for the use of orthoses, corticosteroid injections, and surgery were described. Main factors for selecting one of these treatment options were identified as severity and duration of the disease and previous treatments received. A relationship between the severity and duration of the disorder and the choice of therapy was indicated by the experts and reported on in the guideline.

Limitations

The results represent a group's opinion at a given point in time. When the evidence for the effectiveness of interventions increases, experts' opinions will change, and the guideline should be re-evaluated and adjusted in view of these new insights.

Conclusions

This multidisciplinary treatment guideline may help involved therapists and physicians in the treatment of trigger finger and indicate areas needing additional research.
The Expanding Role of Philanthropy in Education Politics
Authors: Reckhow Sarah , Snyder Jeffrey W.
Published: May 2014

Philanthropic involvement in education politics has become bolder and more visible. Have foundations changed funding strategies to enhance their political influence? Using data from 2000, 2005, and 2010, we investigate giving patterns among the 15 largest education foundations. Our analyses show growing support for national-level advocacy organizations. Furthermore, we find that foundations increasingly fund organizations that operate as “jurisdictional challengers” by competing with traditional public sector institutions. We apply social network analysis to demonstrate the growing prevalence of convergent grant-making—multiple foundations supporting the same organizations. These results suggest that a sector once criticized for not leveraging its investments now increasingly seeks to maximize its impact by supporting alternative providers, investing concurrently, and supporting grantees to engage in policy debates.
Pediatric dural arteriovenous malformations
Authors: Appaduray Shaun P. , King James A. J. , Wray Alison , Lo Patrick , Maixner Wirginia
Published: May 2014

Pediatric dural arteriovenous malformations (dAVMs) are rare lesions that have a high mortality rate and require complex management. The authors report 3 cases of pediatric dAVMs that presented with macrocrania and extracranial venous distension. Dural sinus thrombosis developed in 2 of the cases prior to any intervention, which is an unusual occurrence for this particular disease. All 3 cases were treated using staged endovascular embolization with a favorable outcome in 1 case and a poor outcome in the other 2 cases. Complications developed in all cases and included dural sinus thrombosis, parenchymal hemorrhage, intracranial venous hypertension, and seizures. The strategies and challenges used in managing these patients will be presented and discussed, along with a review of the literature. While outcomes remain poor, the authors conclude that prompt treatment with endovascular embolization provides the best results for children with these lesions. A well-established venous collateral circulation draining directly to the internal jugular veins may further improve the rate of favorable outcome after embolization.
Open reduction and posterior instrumentation of Type 3 high transverse sacral fracture-dislocation
Authors: Starantzis Konstantinos A. , Mirzashahi Babak , Behrbalk Eyal , Sadat Mirmostafa , Shafafy Masood
Published: May 2014

The authors describe an open reduction and fixation through a posterior approach of Roy-Camille Type 3 transverse sacral fractures. This technique involves posterior staged reduction of the fracture applying distraction forces to restore the height, followed by posterior translation to restore sagittal alignment. Tips and pearls of this procedure, described for the first time in the literature, are also discussed in this report.
Education as a response to sustainability issues
Authors: Van Poeck Katrien , Vandenabeele Joke
Published: May 2014

In the field of environmental education and education for sustainable development, there is a lively discussion about the paradox between acknowledging pluralism and taking into account urgent sustainability concerns. With this article, we aim at nurturing this debate theoretically and empirically. We draw on concepts of Latour and Marres that allow an analysis of educational practices that strive to take into account a multiplicity of views, values, interests and knowledge claims without resorting to an 'anything goes' relativism vis-à-vis the far-reaching implications of sustainability issues. We present an analysis of a guided tour of a CSA farm (Community Supported Agriculture) and articulate how the care for a sustainability issue can incite an interesting educational dynamic (understood as 'education as a respons'e) that emerges as a derivative of 'mastery'.
Preparation of phosphines through C–P bond formation
Authors: Wauters Iris , Debrouwer Wouter , Stevens Christian V
Published: May 2014

Phosphines are an important class of ligands in the field of metal-catalysis. This has spurred the development of new routes toward functionalized phosphines. Some of the most important C–P bond formation strategies were reviewed and organized according to the hybridization of carbon in the newly formed C–P bond.
Tettigettalna josei (Boulard, 1982) (Hemiptera: Cicadoidea): first record in Spain, with notes on the distribution, genetic variation and behaviour of the species
Authors: Simões Paula , Nunes Vera , Mendes Raquel , Seabra Sofia , Paulo Octávio , Quartau José
Published: May 2014

The small cicada Tettigettalna josei (Boulard, 1982) was until recently only known from southern Portugal and was considered endemic to this country. Fieldwork in 2013 led to the first record of the species in Spain, expanding its known eastern range to Andalusia. The northern limits remain poorly defined but it appears that the distribution of T. josei is restricted to the south Atlantic coastline in the Iberian Peninsula, with the highest densities found in Algarve. Some notes on behaviour and genetic variation of T. josei are also given.
Efectos del choque cultural y de la adaptación intercultural sobre la satisfacción con el aprendizaje de los estudiantes de la China continental que estudian en Taiwan
Authors: Shieh Chich-Jen
Published: May 2014

Debido al impacto de la baja fertilidad en el país, Taiwán afronta un dilema en relación con la inscripción en la enseñanza superior. Para enfrentarse al problema el gobierno ha promovido activamente que estudiantes de la China continental estudien en Taiwán. Además de incrementar la competitividad internacional de las universidades taiwanesas, la formación a ambos lados del estrecho y un verdadero intercambio académico, se espera que ello solucione la escasez de inscripciones en las facultades. Sin embargo, las situaciones y las presiones que generan el choque cultural, la adaptación multicultural y la satisfacción con el aprendizaje resultan críticas para los estudiantes de la China continental. Tomando como muestra de investigación a estudiantes de la China continental que estudian en Taiwán durante más de cuatro meses (aproximadamente un semestre), se distribuyó un total de 250 cuestionarios, de los cuales 167 fueron válidos, con una tasa de recuperación del 67%. Los resultados de la investigación muestran correlaciones significativas entre la adaptación multicultural y el choque cultural, entre el choque cultural y la satisfacción con el aprendizaje y entre la adaptación multicultural y la satisfacción con el aprendizaje.
Sensor Array Based Distributed Instrument System
Authors: Zhang Dengpan , Zhu H. L.
Published: May 2014

The dynamic integration of sensors to design distributed instrument system is absorbing more and more research focus for its requirements in modern producing enterprises for low-cost products. In this paper, the distributed instrument based on sensor array is proposed, and the data exchange model is discussed which implemented the communication of the modules of the measurement instrument. And then the control mechanism of the data exchange among sensors is studied which manages the information of the measurement components and schedules the data process in the measurement cases. In this way, a group of measurement components and the distributed measurement sensors can be connected together dynamically. Based on the hardware concepts, the instrument components are proposed for data acquisition, data management, data processing etc.. The data exchange among instrument components can be configured according to the communication software bus. The measurement data from the distributed sensor array can propagate among the configured data logical flow ways asynchronously, and users can plug and unplug any components to the online instrument cases. Finally, the proposed application case is present which shows that the proposed way can accelerate the collaboration of production for different enterprise and improve the producing efficiency.
Analysis of Four Remote Image Fusion Algorithms for Landsat7 ETM+ PAN and Multi-spectral Imagery
Authors: Bao Yuan De , Xueqian Hong , Shiwei Yu , Lianjian Li , Yanbo Zha
Published: May 2014

This study takes the southeastern part of Beijing as an example to compare four remote image fusion algorithms for improving the visualization of Landsat7 ETM+ imagery. This paper introduces four remote image fusion algorithms including the Smoothing Filter Based Intensity Modulation (SFIM), High Pass Filter (HPF) Transform, Brovey Transform, and Multiplication (MLT) Transform. The effectiveness of the four remote image fusion algorithms is evaluated based on different quantitative indexes, including mean, deviation, information entropy, average gradient and correlation. The study reveals that the SFIM transform is the best method to remain spectral information of the original remote image, which does not cause spectral distortion and has highest spatial frequency information. Moreover, the fused remote images from the same sensor system are of high quality and can be used for improving the latter visual interpretation.
Strategic Management in SMEs
Authors: Jones Rosalind , Sisay Susan
Published: May 2014

The chapter examines strategic orientation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in response to the growing demand for the generation of new knowledge concerning strategic behaviours of SMEs. Drawing from both strategic management and entrepreneurial marketing literature and using models and recent theoretical developments from published research based in small firms, it explains the sorts of activities, attitudes and behaviours which occur in SMEs and suggests that different strategic orientations generate either increased or decreased profitability and firm growth. It also presents a conceptual model which serves to illustrate the competitive strategic typologies adopted by SMEs and the interrelationship between these strategic typologies and an Entrepreneurial Marketing Orientation (EMO) dimension of SMEs. The authors propose that the dominant strategic orientations of SMEs could be predicted by application of this model in future studies. The chapter concludes with ecommendations and suggestions for future research directions.
Strategic Entrepreneurial Orientation and Small Business Growth
Authors: Ferreira João J. , Raposo Mário L. , Fernandes Cristina I.
Published: May 2014

This chapter aims to define a coherent theoretical framework enabling a broader understanding of the strategic entrepreneurial orientation (SEO) and to evaluate their effects on small firm growth. A sample made up of 211 small Portuguese firms from various different sectors of activity was surveyed by questionnaire. The results demonstrate how the life-cycle of companies, their resources, capacities, motivations and surrounding environment all influence the SEO of small companies. The empirical evidence shows how SEO, and across four specific dimensions – proactiveness, innovativeness, risk taking and competitive aggressiveness, clearly impacts on the growth of these small firms. The study contributes both theoretically (through advancing knowledge on the field of strategic factors for small business growth) and practically (when designing support policies strategically orientated towards small firms).
Strategic Management in German Mittelstand Companies
Authors: Kohlert Helmut
Published: May 2014

The objective of this chapter is to analyze the special aspects of strategic management in Mittelstand companies. It is a German phenomenon, which comes primarily from the State of Baden-Württemberg, in the south-west of Germany. Although the south-west of Germany was one of the poorest areas in Europe at the end of the 19th century, it developed to the most prosperous region in Europe over the next 100 years despite two wars which threw the region back for decades. The Mittelstand companies especially, sometimes called “the mighty middle,” are strongly connected with the German “Wirtschaftswunder,” the rise of the German economy after 1945. The strategic approach of Mittelstand companies is the content of this chapter. The formal approach of big corporations in strategic management does not really work in the very owner-centric environment of a Mittelstand company. The owners of Mittelstand companies seem to act more intuitively and are more intrinsically motivated than their counterparts in big corporations. The question now is what do Mittelstand companies have in common in their strategic management which can be generalized? This is the basic question of this chapter, which is looking for plausible answers.
Effects of Business Managers' Skills
Authors: Mezghani Karim , Ayadi Faouzi , Aloulou Wassim
Published: May 2014

In this chapter, the authors introduce the key ideas related to strategic alignment and ICT in SMEs. They present the ERP strategic alignment in SMEs as an important investment but more problematic, discussing the challenges of ERP systems implementation in Arab SMEs by introducing the main studies conducted in the area. This literature review helps to understand the main enablers of ERP strategic alignment in this context. The intent of the chapter is to provide readers with a theoretical framework linking business managers' skills and interaction between business managers and IS managers to ERP strategic alignment as main chosen variables. This framework was tested in previous research conducted in Tunisian context and retested for this study in a Saudi context. Within this context, the authors hope the chapter can be helpful for researchers in ERP strategic alignment, mainly for students and professors in their academic activities.
Real World Applications
Authors: Tistarelli Massimo , Li Stan Z.
Published: May 2014

The analysis of face images has been extensively applied for the recognition of individuals in several application domains. Most notably, faces not only convey information about the identity of the subject, but also a number of ancillary information, which may be equally useful to anonymously determine the characteristics of an individual. Even though the first applications of face recognition have been related to security and access control, nowadays the analysis of human faces is related to several applications including law enforcement, man-machine interaction, and robotics, just to mention a few. This chapter explores the analysis of face images.
Robust 3D Face Identification in the Presence of Occlusions
Authors: Alyuz Nese , Gokberk Berk , Akarun Lale
Published: May 2014

The face is one of the most natural biometrics, and as such, its acceptance by users is high. While biometrics such as fingerprint and iris can only be acquired with active cooperation of the user, the face can be acquired from a distance. This makes it an attractive modality for uncooperative scenarios. However, in such scenarios, occlusion is a common problem. The focus of this chapter is to illustrate the problems caused by 3D occlusion, and to go over solutions. The authors review 3D face identification approaches with focus on occlusion scenarios, introduce 3D databases containing occlusions, and present a prototype system with solutions for occlusion at landmarking, registration, feature extraction, and matching stages.
Local vs. Global
Authors: Riccio Daniel , Casanova Andrea , Fenu Gianni
Published: May 2014

Face recognition in real world applications is a very difficult task because of image misalignments, pose and illumination variations, or occlusions. Many researchers in this field have investigated both face representation and classification techniques able to deal with these drawbacks. However, none of them is free from limitations. Early proposed algorithms were generally holistic, in the sense they consider the face object as a whole. Recently, challenging benchmarks demonstrated that they are not adequate to be applied in unconstrained environments, despite of their good performances in more controlled conditions. Therefore, the researchers' attention is now turning on local features that have been demonstrated to be more robust to a large set of non-monotonic distortions. Nevertheless, though local operators partially overcome some drawbacks, they are still opening new questions (e.g., Which criteria should be used to select the most representative features?). This is the reason why, among all the others, hybrid approaches are showing a high potential in terms of recognition accuracy when applied in uncontrolled settings, as they integrate complementary information from both local and global features. This chapter explores local, global, and hybrid approaches.
Fusion of Face Recognition Classifiers under Adverse Conditions
Authors: Poh Norman , Chan Chi Ho , Kittler Josef
Published: May 2014

A face acquired by recognition systems is invariably subject to environmental and sensing conditions, which may change over time. This may have a significant negative impact on the accuracy of recognition algorithms. In the past, these problems have been tackled by building in invariance to the various changes, by adaptation, and by multiple expert systems. More recently, the possibility of enhancing the pattern classification system robustness by using auxiliary information has been explored. In particular, by measuring the extent of degradation, the resulting sensory data quality information can be used to combat the effect of the degradation phenomena. This can be achieved by using the auxiliary quality information as features in the fusion stage of a multiple classifier system, which uses the discriminant function values from the first stage as inputs. Data quality can be measured directly from the sensory data. Different architectures are suggested in this chapter for decision making using quality information. Examples of these architectures are presented and their relative merits discussed. The problems and benefits associated with the use of auxiliary information in sensory data analysis are illustrated on the problem of personal identity verification used in biometrics.
Recognizing Face Images with Disguise Variations
Authors: Kose Neslihan , Dugelay Jean-Luc , Singh Richa , Vatsa Mayank
Published: May 2014

Challenges in automatic face recognition can be classified in several categories such as illumination, image quality, expression, pose, aging, and disguise. In this chapter, the authors focus on recognizing face images with disguise variations. Even though face recognition with disguise variations is a major challenge, the research studies on this topic are limited. In this study, first disguise variations are defined followed by an overview of the existing databases used for disguise analysis. Next, the studies that are dedicated to the impact of disguise variations on existing face recognition techniques are introduced. Finally, a collection of several techniques proposed in state-of-the-art which are robust against disguise variations is provided. This study shows that disguise variations have a significant impact on face recognition; hence, more robust approaches are required to address this important challenge.
Secure Face Recognition for Mobile Applications
Authors: Lovell Brian C. , Smith Daniel F.
Published: May 2014

Biometric systems are generally restricted to specialist deployments and require expensive equipment. However, the world has recently experienced the widespread rollout of cheap biometric devices in the form of smart phones and tablets. One of the main drivers for mainstream adoption of biometric technologies is the need to address continuing problems with authenticating to online systems. These mobile devices may now be suitable to provide biometric-based authentication to a wide user population. This chapter discusses the different ways that face recognition can be used on smart mobile devices. The authors highlight the online authentication problem and show how three-factor authentication can address many pressing issues. They also discuss the ways that such a system could be attacked, and focus on replay attacks which have yet to be seriously addressed in the literature. The authors conclude with a brief examination of the current research into addressing replay attacks.
Measuring Effectiveness
Authors: Ahn Heinz , Neumann Ludmila
Published: May 2014

This paper presents a Data Envelopment Analysis approach that evaluates the relative effectiveness of decision making units (DMUs) in the presence of predetermined targets which are to be achieved simultaneously. As such targets are a core element of common performance management systems, the approach is a desirable complement of these systems. The proposed method classifies the DMUs into subsets according to their ability to meet the targets and provides a complete ranking within each subset on the basis of a measure of relative effectiveness. For that purpose, we introduce a new concept called super-effectiveness. The approach is illustrated by means of an example referring to a European pharmacy chain.
Time Lags Related to Past and Current IT Innovations in Japan
Authors: Sasaki Hiroshi
Published: May 2014

The aim of this study was to examine two types of time lag related to IT innovations in Japan. The first is the time lag between newspaper articles and academic papers in the past. The second is the ongoing time lag with regard to the big data trend between the United States and Japan. This article explores a new analytical process based on two-dimensional maps proposed by Krinder et al. (2005) for visualizing and measuring time lags. After overviewing the big data trend in Japan, the author analyzed 2,910 newspaper articles and 550 academic papers published in Japan related to past innovations, as well as 734 newspaper articles from the United States and 173 from Japan related to the big data innovation. The results indicate that academic research for past trends lags business trends by 1-4 years. However, time lags in the big data trend could not be captured because of the difficulty predicting the point of inflection of S-shaped curves in an early stage of innovation. Accordingly, the author simulated future S-shaped curves to show the gap between the United States and Japan.
The Relationship Between Institutional Investment and Earnings Management
Authors: Aybars Aslı
Published: May 2014

The emergence of corporate scandals at the end of the 20th and beginning of the 21th century raised doubts regarding the integrity of financial reporting and the soundness of firms' corporate governance practices. The practice of earnings management is considered to be one of the important causes of these scandals due to its harm to the transparency and quality of financial statements. The discretion exercised by managers in accounting result in agency costs arising from the mismatch between the goals and desires of the principle and the agent causing investors to make suboptimal decisions. The recent surge in institutional investors' shares and associated degree of activism increased their importance as an external control mechanism of corporate governance. Accordingly, the primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of these investors on earnings management and alignment of the interests of owners and managers within the context of agency theory. Consequently, two main hypotheses; namely, active monitoring and managerial myopia induced by institutional investors are tested by panel data analysis utilizing data belonging to the firms listed on Borsa Istanbul during the 7 year period between 2005 and 2011, inclusive. The absolute value of discretionary accruals obtained from the performance adjusted cross-sectional industry based accrual model proposed by Kothari, Leone and Wasley (2005) is used as the proxy of earnings management to evaluate whether the presence of institutional investors mitigate or stimulate managers' discretionary accounting practices. Additionally, further analysis is conducted to evaluate the existence of monitoring and clientele effects to better interpret the direction of the relationship between the associated variables of interest.
An Investigation of Greek Firms' Compliance to IFRS Mandatory Disclosure Requirements
Authors: Ballas Apostolos , Sykianakis Nicos , Tzovas Christos , Vassilakopoulos Constantinos
Published: May 2014

The paper investigates the compliance with IFRS disclosure requirements and ultimately the quality of financial statements. Using a checklist based on the IFRS disclosure requirements, a compliance score was calculated for a sample of 58 listed, non-finance, Greek firms for the 2006 and 2008 financial statements. Disclosure compliance was measured under the “dichotomous approach” and the “partial compliance unweighted method”. Subsequently, univariate tests and a multivariate regression model were used to investigate what firm characteristics are related with disclosure compliance. Closely-held firms exhibit higher compliance rate, while disclosure compliance is not associated with firms' profitability, leverage and size. There is a positive association between the engagement of a Big-4 international auditing firm and the compliance rate. This study can be of interest to accounting regulators who set disclosure requirements and capital market participants by providing indication regarding Greek firms' compliance with IFRS disclosure requirements. In addition, it examines the disclosure compliance with the important disclosure items of all IFRS rather than focusing in the disclosure items of specific IFRS. By adopting both approaches proposed in literature for measuring compliance, the authors enhance the robustness of the findings of this study, while the authors provide empirical evidence concerning the extent to which the two approaches provide significantly different results. The authors found that the two methods do not produce significantly different results.
Tourism Demand Forecasting Based on a Neuro-Fuzzy Model
Authors: Atsalakis George , Chnarogiannaki Eleni , Zopounidis Consantinos
Published: May 2014

Tourism in Greece plays a major role in the country's economy and an accurate forecasting model for tourism demand is a useful tool, which could affect decision making and planning for the future. This paper answers some questions such as: how did the forecasting techniques evolve over the years, how precise can they be, and in what way can they be used in assessing the demand for tourism? An Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) has been used in making the forecasts. The data used as input for the forecasting models relates to monthly time-series tourist arrivals by air, train, sea and road into Greece from January 1996 until September 2011. 80% of the data has been used to train the forecasting models and the rest to evaluate the models. The performance of the model is achieved by the calculation of some well known statistical errors. The accuracy of the ANFIS model is further compared with two conventional forecasting models: the autoregressive (AR) and autoregressive moving average (ARMA) time-series models. The results were satisfactory even if the collected data were not pleasing enough. The ANFIS performed further compared to the other time-series models. In conclusion, the accuracy of the ANFIS model forecast proved its great importance in tourism demand forecasting.
Wearable ECG Monitoring and Alerting System Associated with Smartphone
Authors: Watanabe Hyuma , Kawarasaki Masatoshi , Sato Akira , Yoshida Kentaro
Published: May 2014

Heart disease has the second high mortality rate behind cancer in Japan, and requires quick treatment. To take a part in emerging mHealth, the authors developed a wearable electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring and alerting system “iHeart”. iHeart continuously monitors patient's ECG in his/her daily activities and issues an alert to the patient as well as surrounding people if it detects abnormal heart behaviour. iHeart consists of a wireless ECG sensor and a smartphone to achieve light-weighted, low-cost system that does not degrade the patient's Quality of Life. In parallel, the authors developed ECG analysis algorithm to detect R-wave as well as arrhythmia, and implemented these algorithms in wireless ECG sensor rather than in smartphone to save power consumption of ECG sensor caused by radio communication. The authors proof the practicality and usefulness of our system in clinical experiment. This paper describes the implementation of iHeart, evaluation experiment, and future requirements of the system.
Cost Efficient Deployment and Reliable Routing Modeling Based Multi-Objective Optimization for Dynamic Wireless Body Sensor Networks Topology
Authors: Moungla Hassine , Touati Nora , Mehaoua Ahmed
Published: May 2014

Wireless Body Sensor Networks (WBSNs), like any other sensor networks, suffer from limited energy and are highly distributed network, where its nodes organize by themselves and each of them has the flexibility of collecting and transmitting patient biomedical information to a sink. When a knowledge was sent to a sink from a path that doesn't have a definite basis, the routing is a crucial challenge in Wireless Body Area Sensor Networks. Furthermore, reliability and routing delay are the considerable factors in these types of networks. More attention should be given to the energy routing issue and frequent topology's change in WBSNs. That increases the dynamics of network topology, and complicates the relay selection process in cooperative communications. Unreliable communication over the wireless channel complicates communication protocols and results in low data yield (Stathopoulos 2005). The deployment sensors step is a crucial and complex task due to several independent objectives and constraints. This paper presents a Min-Max multi-commodity flow model for WBSNs which allows preventing sensor node saturation and taking best action against reliability and the path loss, by imposing an equilibrium use of sensors during the routing process. This model is based on the authors' optimal sensors deployment method for WBSNs. Simulations results show that the algorithm balances the energy consumption of nodes effectively and maximize the network lifetime. It will meet the enhanced WBSNs requirements, including better delivery ratio, less reliable routing overhead.
Neural Networks for an Analysis of the Hemometabolites Biosensor Response
Authors: Braga José Renato Garcia , Ramos Alexandre Carlos Brandão , Alencar de Queiroz Alvaro Antonio , Soares Demétrio Artur Werner , Bataglini Marília de Campos
Published: May 2014

In this work, the concentration dependent response of amperometric biosensor array for the biomarkers glucose, cholesterol and urease was explored, using artificial neural nets (ANN). The aim was to explore an array of amperometric biosensors for the discrimination of the biomarkers glucose, cholesterol and urea in blood. Seven out of eight platinum electrodes on the array were modified with four different enzymes; glucose oxidase, cholesterol, urease and peroxidase. The dynamic biosensor response curves from the eight sensors were used for ANN analysis. The ANN were applied to an analysis of the biosensor response to multi-biomarkers mixtures the ANN was able to detect the conditions with an accuracy up to 90%. The results obtained by using ANN to interpret the electrical signal of the developed biosensor arrays leads to the conclusion that: i) after training the ANN, the evaluation of recorded data are on-line, ii) microelectrode sites which are highly correlated to the information about the concentrations within the recorded signals was identified, iii) the recognition of blood biomarkers is improved by using the ANN.
An Experimental Study on Bending Process of AISI 304 Steel Sheets by using Diode Laser Forming
Authors: Paoletti Alfonso
Published: May 2014

Laser bending is a promising technique utilised in order to deform metal sheets that offers the advantage of requiring no hard tooling and no external forces, thus reducing cost and increasing flexibility. Laser forming involves a complex interaction of many process parameters, ranging from those connected with the irradiation of the laser beam to those regarding the thermal and mechanical properties of the workpiece material. The present work is focused on the laser bending of AISI 304 steel sheets by using of a diode laser. The influence of process parameters, such as the power of laser beam and the scanning speed as well as the metal sheet thickness on the bending angle has been taken into account. The investigation has also analysed the effect of rolling direction of the metal sheets and the conditions of cooling on the bending process.
Analysis of EMCA, EFNR and HEFRN Algorithm in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Karpagam M. , Nagarajan N. , Abiramiathavi J. , Vijaipriya K.
Published: May 2014

One of the main challenges of wireless sensor network is maximization of the lifetime of the sensor node. Since the energy efficiency determines the lifetime of a sensor node, power consumption of the sensing device should be minimized. To conserve power, sensor node should shut off the power supply when not in use. In this paper, we analyze the performance of energy efficient algorithms namely enhanced fault node regaining (EFNR) algorithm, energy – efficient mobile-sink clustering algorithm (EMCA) and a relay node routing technique to High Energy First (HEFRN) clustering algorithm.
Modelling and Simulation of Solar Photovoltaic Cell for Different Insolation Values Based on MATLAB/Simulink Environment
Authors: Narendiran S. , Sahoo Sarat Kumar
Published: May 2014

The paper discuss about the modelling and electrical characteristics of photovoltaic cell and its array type of construction in matlab-simulink environment at different insolation levels. The photovoltaic module is modelled using the diode electrical characteristic equation. The photovoltaic cell is analysed by voltage input and current input modules, The voltage and current input photovoltaic modules are simulated with different insolation values by varying the construction of PV modules. The results conclude that the current input PV module is well suited for applications were it shares same current when connected in series and voltage input PV module, where it shares same voltage when connected in parallel.
Co-Ordinated most Active Band (MAB) Attack: For Optimum Payoff in Cognitive Radio Networks
Authors: Sabitha R. , Kumar K.R. Shankar , Reegan Christo Raj. V. , Dinesh S.
Published: May 2014

The unused or under-utilized TV bands are opportunistically utilized by Cognitive Radio enabled IEEE 802.22 Wireless Regional Area Networks (WRAN). However due to the nature of cognitive radio networks and lack of proactive security protocols, these networks are vulnerable to various Denial of Service (DoS) threats. In this paper the target band chosen for attack is a specific band called as Most Active Band (MAB) which has most signal activities among the available bands. Co-ordination among the malicious nodes in MAB is analyzed to produce maximum net outcome. Simulation results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed co-ordinated MAB attack.
Research on Vibration Characteristics of Horn with Longitudinal Bending Vibration
Authors: Niu Ying , Jiao Feng , Tong Jing Lin , Li Jie , Zhang Jia Fei
Published: May 2014

Based on the theory of the chute can achieve single excitation longitudinal and bending vibration, design chute horn with longitudinal bending vibration . Using finite element analysis method combined with experiment,research on vibration characteristics of horn with longitudinal bending vibration, obtained the resonance frequency and the amplitude of longitudinal and bending of the horn, in different angle and the number of chute .Verified it can realize longitudinal bending complex vibration by opening chute on the horn, and in the different chute, and gained variation of the resonance frequency and the amplitude of longitudinal and bending of the horn, in different angle and the number of chute ,to lay the foundation for the two-dimensional ultrasonic vibration in ultraprecision cutting.