bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Monnaies d'argent gauloises découvertes à Margerides (Corrèze)
Authors: Mitard Pierre-Henri
Published: May 2010

Seize monnaies gauloises ont été découvertes, en 1966-1968, dans les fouilles du sanctuaire gallo-romain des Pièces Grandes à Margerides (Corrèze). Il s'agit de pièces d'argent de six tupes (ou variétés) différents ; attribuables essentiellement aux Lemovices et aux Cadurci. L'une d'entre elles est d'un type inédit. L'intérêt principal des autres réside dans leur poids (et parfois leur module) très réduit, qui fait se demander si ces exemplaires correspondent à une dégradation pondérale de l'unité on à des divisions, les deux explications pouvant d'ailleurs se combiner. Ces pièces ont dû pour la plupart être abandonnées sur le site au cours de la deuxième moitié du IIe siècle avant J.-C.
Le statère réputé arverne de Saint-Alban-sur-Limagnole (Lozère)
Authors: Colbert de Beaulieu Jean-Baptiste , Richard J.-C.M.
Published: May 2010

Une découverte fortuite, en 1944, à Saint-Alban-sur-Limagnole (Lozère) apporte-t-elle un nouveau jalon pour le monnayage arverne antérieur à la guerre des Gaules ?
L'Ecriture de Glozel - Son déchiffrement - Son authenticité
Authors: Hitz Hans-Rudolf
Published: May 2010

Cet essai de déchiffrement de l'écriture de Glozel prouve l'authenticité des inscriptions trouvées au « Champ des Morts ». Grâce à la lecture de deux tablettes inscrites, Glozel pourrait dès à présent être considéré comme un « centre d'initiation à l'astronomie » .

Cette conclusion est basée sur les aspects astronomiques, linguistiques et onomastiques suivants : on constate à Glozel, et aux environs, des lignes d'observations sur les corps célestes de la civilisation Glozélienne. Ces « Viseurs > astronomiques sont ainsi en relation, dans la région de Glozel, avec des toponymies caractéristiques, dans lesquelles on peut découvrir des mots pour « soleil » , « lune » et « étoile » dans une langue ancienne pré-celtique. En second lieu, on peut observer dans les inscriptions l'apparition fréquente d'un symbole bien connu, celui du Swastika. Fait inattendu, il apparut soudain que les rites astronomiques des indiens Hopis d'Amérique du Nord suggéraient que ce Swastika ne représentait pas le symbole du soleil, mais celui de Sirius.

L'analyse des signes inscrits nous montre que l'écriture de Glozel se compose de symboles variés : figuratifs, mnémoniques, phonétiques et numériques. En ce qui concerne ces derniers, ils ressemblent tout à fait à ceux gravés sur des os de l'époque Paléolithique. Un cas spécial concerne les symboles phonétiques dans l'écriture Glozélienne. Ils appartiennent à une langue proto-celtique qui devrait avoir été le précurseur du pré-celtique mentionné dans les toponymies ; ce proto-celtique se compose d'un syllabaire codique à partir de 22 consonnes. Dans l'écriture de Glozel nous avons trouvé jusqu'ici une dizaine de ces symboles proto-celtiques.
Haltes préhistoriques sur les rives du Lac de Guéry (Puy-de-Dôme)
Authors: Perpère Marie
Published: May 2010

L'abaissement du niveau des eaux du lac de Guéry a permis de recueillir 133 silex taillés éparpillés sur les plages Nord et Sud. Ld présence d'une pointé de flèche évoque l'époque néolithique.
Sauvetage et restauration de la Pierre-Pucre à Ecluzelles (Eure-et-Loir)
Authors: Dabat Pierre , Dabat Michelle
Published: May 2010

Le dolmen d'Ecluzelles (à 6 km de Dreux, Eure-et-Loir) encore appelé Pierre Pucre, ou Pierre De Pucre, est un des nombreux mégalithes qui jalonnent la vallée de l'Eure.

Comme beaucoup d'autres monuments de ce type, il a souffert des injures du temps et des hommes. Effondré depuis des décades, son sauvetage, d'abord, et sa restauration, enfin, ont demande de longs mois d'efforts. La bonne volonté des uns et des autres ne suffisant pas, il a fallu demander l'aide du 5e Génie de Versailles pour que le dolmen retrouve sa figure originelle.

Son environnement, hélas, a été complètement bouleversé (sablières) et la Pierre Pucre est désormais un peu perdue au milieu de son modeste îlot...
La céramique à glaçure plombifère du musée municipal de Limoges
Authors: Loustaud Jean-Pierre
Published: May 2010

Ce type particulier de céramique, encore peu étudié, fait partie des productions précoces des officines du centre de la Gaule, qui, en parallèle avec les sigillées tibériennes de Lezoux puis les vases peints des environs de Roanne, ont atteint le chef-lieu de la cité des Lemovices et sa région, dans les premières décennies du Ier siècle. A vrai dire les témoins de céramiques à vernis plombifère qui nous sont parvenus constituent un pourcentage négligeable par rapport à la masse des autres productions. Cependant la description de cet ensemble restreint n'est pas inutile dans la mesure où elle permet de fixer un nouveau jalon sur le cheminement des colportages de cette variété de vases, et peut contribuer, dans ses modestes limites, à alimenter une étude générale souhaitable.
Un puits gallo-romain comblé à la fin du IIIe siècle après J.C. à Limoges
Authors: Loustaud Jean-Pierre
Published: May 2010

Cet article présente le mobilier essentiel contenu dans le remplissage d'un puits d'aqueduc comblé à la fin du IIIe siècle à Limoges. L'accent est mis sur le caractère de dispersion des tessons appartenant à un même vase, que l'on retrouve dans d'autres puits occultés à la même époque. Les céramiques non sigillées appartiennent toutes au formes répertoriées en usage à Limoges dans le dernier quart du IIIe siècle ap. J.-C. Deux pièces sont particulièrement intéressantes : le vase Déch. 72 gravé à la pointe après cuisson, et la cruche en fer exceptionnellement bien conservée.
Le gisement préhistorique de Longetraye (Haute-Loire), avec un appendice de Claude Chopelin.
Authors: Philibert Denise
Published: May 2010

Denise PHILIBERT,

R.A.C., t.21, mars 1982.

The Prehistoric site of Longetraye (Haute-Loire). Survey on tools.

Four archaeological levels are observable in the prehistoric site at Longetraye (Haute-Loire) of which falling concerns the end of Würm IV and the post glacial. After two occupations corresponding to the " Magdalénien " terminal and the "Sauveterrien", the existence of primitive neolithic showing a break with the Mesolithic substrata is brought to life and the probable existence of a " Chasséen " neolithic characteristic.
Un atelier médiéval pour la fonte des cloches à Issoudun (Indre)
Authors: Schweitz Daniel , Rossillo Alfred
Published: May 2010

Daniel SCHWEITZ,

R.A.C., t.21, mars 1982.

Un atelier médiéval pour la fonte des cloches à Issoudun (Indre).

Des travaux réalisés sur le site de l'ancienne abbaye Notre-Dame, à Issoudun, ont permis la fouille archéologique des vestiges d'un atelier de fondeurs de cloches datant de la fin du Moyen Age. Au cours de cette fouille, on a recueilli des données précises sur la technologie mise en œuvre par les fondeurs à la fin du Moyen Age, qu'il convient de porter à la connaissance des spécialistes de l'histoire des techniques. L'intérêt de ces nouvelles données n'est pas négligeable, d'une part en raison de l'indigence de la documentation archéologique disponible en ce domaine, d'autre part du fait du caractère tout à fait spécifique des vestiges mis au jour.
Vases peints de type «Roanne» découverts à Périgueux (Dordogne)
Authors: Chevillot Christian
Published: May 2010

Christian CHEVILLOT

R.A.C., t. 21, juin 82.

Vases peints de type « Roanne » découverts à Périgueux (Dordogne).

Résumé : Nous présentons dans cette note des vases peints de type « Roanne » qui ont été découverts anciennement et récemment sur le site antique de Périgueux, à l'occasion de Fouilles de sauvetage. L'intérêt de cette céramique réside essentiellement sur le fait que c'est la première fois qu'elle est signalée à Périgueux. Ces documents viennent compléter nos connaissances en ce qui concerne les relations commerciales que pouvait entretenir l'antique Vésone avec le Centre de la Gaule, et plus particulièrement avec les ateliers du Forez et de la région de Roanne.
Les Couvents : Evolution d'un site rural antique à la Chapelle Montbrandeix (Haute-Vienne)
Authors: Belligaud Gérard
Published: May 2010

G. BELLIGAUD

R.A.C.t. 21, sept. 1982

«Les Couvents» ; Evolution of an antic ruralsite at La Chapelle-Montbrandeix

(Haute-Vienne)

Summary : This ruralsite, where the discoveries arise from the neolithic period to the fourth or fifth century A.C., has only been peopled, at the third or fourth century. The plan is complex for the building of the walls, from remodeling to adding, are drawn up at intervals between the second century and the fourth one.

This site as not delivered all about itself, for the second state is badly known and we have not yet found the furnace which permitted the processin of ironore.
La céramique à glaçure plombifère de Vichy (Allier)
Authors: Corrocher Jacques
Published: May 2010

Jacques CORROCHER

R.A.C., t. 22, mars 1983

Pottery with lead glazing in Vichy

Out of all that has been made in the Gaul period made in Vichy, lead glazing pottery is not the least original. This catalogue has been drawn up starting from the collections to be found in the Chastel-Franc museum in Vichy, Art and Archaeological museum, the Guimet museum in Lyon, the National Antiquities in St-Germain-en-Laye, the centre of Archeological Research in Vichy and the surrounding area and from private collectors.
Les eaux chez les Arvernes et les Bituriges (Les sanctuaires des eaux) - Chapitre I
Authors: Audin Pierre
Published: May 2010

Particulièrement riche en sources, la Gaule du Centre se prêtait tout à fait à la mise au net d'un inventaire des stations thermales, sanctuaires de l'eau et fontaines saintes.

Chez les Arvernes et les Bituriges, qui un moment se disputèrent les destinées de la Gaule indépendante, les sites de l'eau se sont souvent perpétués jusqu'à l'époque contemporaine grâce, soit à une utilisation médicale intensive des qualités minérales de l'eau, soit à la christianisation de la source, qui en a évité l'abandon.

L'archéologue regrettera cependant que, sur une quarantaine de sites directement liés à des fontaines sacrées, moins d'une dizaine aient donné lieu à des fouilles systématiques, suivies de la publication d'un rapport. A lire certaines études datant de l'entre-deux-guerres, les phrases dithyrambiques ne manquent pas pour décrire telle ou telle «station thermale» mais, lorsque l'on se réfère directement aux auteurs des découvertes, on ne dispose plus que de quelques lignes évoquant des murs, des statuettes et des monnaies, sans autres précisions ! Il est alors bien difficile de dire s'il s'agit de captages utilitaires, de bains publics ou d'un vrai site thermal à rôle médical et religieux.
Anciennes et récentes découvertes numismatiques à l'oppidum d'Essalois (1866-1979)
Authors: Preynat J.-P.
Published: May 2010

Si l'oppidum d'Essalois a été connu très tôt c'est grâce à la présence des monnaies gauloises et principalement des potins au taureau. Toutefois, cette notoriété est la résultante de deux faits : tout d'abord, la fondation en 1608, d'un collège d'oratoriens, à quelques kilomètres d'Essalois, à Notre-Dame-des-Grâces, amenait à proximité, des érudits capables de s'intéresser à des découvertes insolites pour l'époque ; ensuite la résurgence, à fleur de terre, de monnaies gauloises, dans les champs situés entre le sommet de l'oppidum et le château d'Essalois, versant nord-est, résurgence entretenue par les labourages.
Les industries du paléolithique inférieur et moyen de la formation des « Grouais de Chicheray », commune de Pezou (Loir-et-Cher) / The lower and middle palaeolithic industries in the geological formation of « Les Grouais de Chicheray », commune de Pezou (Loir-et-Cher)
Authors: Despriée Jackie
Published: May 2010

Les terrasses de 12-15 m d'altitude relative sont présentes sur toute la longueur de la vallée du Loir vendômois. Constituées de deux niveaux de cailloutis séparés par des lentilles sableuses, elles reposent sur la craie altérée du substratum et sont recouvertes de limons peu épais. Trois séries d'industries préhistoriques ont été trouvées en stratigraphie : des industries archaïques sur galets de silex dans l'argile de base, des industries de l'Acheuléen moyen et supérieur dans les cailloutis et un Moustérien de Tradition Acheuléenne à la base des limons. L'ensemble de la formation alluviale est rapportée aux Riss I et II ; l'argile de base, contenant l'industrie archaïque, doit être datée de l'interglaciaire Mindel-Riss.
Les haches polies en roche dure du Limousin. Premières réflexions sur la base de leur étude pétrographique / Petrographie analysis of stone axes from Limousin
Authors: Santallier Danièle , Tardiveau Denis , Vuaillat Dominique
Published: May 2010

L'analyse pétrographique de cent-quarante-six haches polies du Limousin apporte aujourd'hui une meilleure connaissance de l'industrie des roches dures au Néolithique. Huit groupes pétrographiques ont été définis. Leurs équivalents ont été recherchés dans les différentes formations géologiques reconnues sur le terrain. Les descriptions précises de ces groupes permettent la comparaison avec la taxinomie en usage en Bretagne depuis trente ans.
Les silex de la région du Grand-Pressigny (Indre-et-Loire). Recherche géologique et analyse pétrographique / Flints in Grand-Pressigny country (Indre-et-Loire). Geological research and pétrographie analysis
Authors: Giot Denis , Mallet Nicole , Millet Dominique
Published: May 2010

Les études géologiques et minéralogiques reprises ces dernières années ont permis le recensement systématique des affleurements de silex de la région du Grand-Pressigny, la recherche des zones d'approvisionnement de l'homme préhistorique ainsi que la définition pétrographique du matériau utilisé pour le débitage des grandes lames pressigniennes.

L'analyse pétrographique, principalement orientée sur la texture cristalline microquartzeuse et la recherche du microfaciès sédimentaire originel, a été utilisée pour caractériser le silex pressignien. Une étude comparative a été réalisée sur les silex de la région prélevés dans des sites géologiques différents ; il en est conclu que les sources d'approvisionnement sont les terrains dérivés par altération du tuffeau jaune turonien : argile sableuse d'altération, col- luvions et alluvions anciennes. L'analyse pétrographique confirme en outre la diffusion préhistorique d'outils provenant des ateliers de taille de la région du Grand-Pressigny.
Contrôler l'énergie hydraulique en Sologne / Control hydraulic energy in Sologne
Authors: Schweitz Arlette
Published: May 2010

Parcourue par de nombreuses rivières et ruisseaux, la Sologne est une région favorable pour une étude des moulins à eau. Au cours du XIXe siècle, l'utilisation de l'énergie hydraulique suscita de profonds bouleversements technologiques, notamment par la construction d'ouvrages régulateurs selon des normes départementales. La lecture des rapports des ponts-et-chaussées rend compte de cette tentative d'adaptation aux nouvelles techniques.
Le Limousin à l'âge du Bronze - Recensement synthétique des découvertes et première approche métallogénique
Authors: Hernandez Oscar , Léger Patrick , Vuaillat Dominique
Published: May 2010

The inventory of places and artefacts dating from the Bronze Age in the three countries of Limousin shows a multitude of metal artefacts in comparison with pottery, particularly in Creuse. The investigation of products shows a balance ofatlantic and eastern influences during the period of early Bronze and at the beginning of middle Bronze. The end of middle Bronze seems to be under atlantic influence in its type and metallurgy, pottery approaching "Duffaits". Places are scarce for late Bronze where pottery are known only on late Bronze IIIb. Investigations achieved on metal things show a stong influence of metal work from atlantic zone. However, the discovery of matrix and crucibles leeds supposed a local production that could be justified by the existence of metal deposits in the country.
Une statue de pierre anthropomorphe à Levroux (Indre)
Authors: Krausz Sophie , Soyer Claire , Buchsenschutz Olivier
Published: May 2010

Une fosse du village celtique des Arènes à Levroux (Indre) a livré dans son remplissage une statue en calcaire associée à un bois de cerf et à un polissoir. La céramique qui accompagne ces objets suggère une datation de l'enfouissement entre 80 et 60 av. J.C. Le remplissage de cette fosse est purement détritique, mais l'association de ces objets exceptionnels, attestée déjà sur d'autres sites, correspond à un dépôt volontaire.
La prospection au sol : étude bibliographique
Authors: Dieudonné Nadine
Published: May 2010

Le dépouillement d'une centaine d'ouvrages, anglo-saxons en particulier, concernant des réalisations de prospections au sol, permet de mettre en évidence les différentes techniques employées, ainsi que les problèmes méthodologiques posés par ce type de prospection. Des exemples de problématiques et d'exploitations historiques des résultats sont exposés et discutés.
Éléments néolithiques Villeneuve-Saint-Germain et Cerny du nord et du sud de la Beauce (Essonne, Loiret) / Neolithic Villeneuve-Saint-Germain And cerny elements in the north and south of the Beauce (Essonne, Loiret)
Authors: Manolakakis Laurence , Quatrehomme Françoise
Published: May 2010

Abstract : Fieldwalking carried out in the valleys of the Mauve region (Loiret) by the Société Historique et Archéologique du Canton de Méréville (Essonne) and F. Quatrehomme identified 23 Neolithic sites belonging to the post-Bandkeramik groups of Villeneuve-Saint-Germain and Cerny. Analysis of the pottery allows a more precise definition of the most recent of the Villeneuve-Saint-Germain groups, identified by C. Constantin, and of a particular variant of the Cerny group, which could be termed " Cerny sud " (as proposed by Y. Lanchon). These sites not only represent the earliest Neolithic settlements of the Beauce region, but clarify the course of the south-westward extension of Danubian colonization and illustrate the accompanying processes ofregionalization. The Chambon group belongs to the end of this sequence, with the appearance, as in neighbouring regions, of " proto-monumental " tombs.
Apport de la micromorphologie à l'étude archéologique du village médiéval de Saint-Victor-de-Massiac (Cantal) . / Application of micromorphology to the archaeological study of the medieval village at Saint-Victor-de-Massiac (Cantal)
Authors: Bertran Pascal , Raynal Jean Paul
Published: May 2010

A microscopic study has been carried out on medieval levels successively corresponding to the floor of a church and of a presbytery at Saint-Victor-de-Massiac (Cantal, France). These levels are composed of alterning yellow or reddish hard-packed floors and humus-rich " living " levels, covered by a mixture of rubified soil aggregates and charred debris which could represent the remnants of a burnt floor. The comparison of these deposits with the soil outside the house clearly shows the importance of transformations in the open air due to biological mixing of sediments, translocation of fine particles under precipitations and phosphates accumulation coming from cattle urine.
Biodiversité, biotechnologies et savoirs traditionnels. Du patrimoine commun de l'humanité aux ABS.
Authors: Thomas Frédéric
Published: May 2010

Cet article montre que les pays en développement, en dénonçant le statut de patrimoine commun de la biodiversité comme un héritage colonial des pays riches gardant un accès libre et gratuit à leurs ressources, et en revendiquant leur souveraineté nationale sur ces ressources, ont bien plus fait le jeu des firmes de biotechnologies et fait avancer la cause de la brevetabilité du vivant qu’ils n’ont défendu leurs intérêts et ceux de leurs populations.
Quantifying Changes in EEG Complexity Induced by Photic Stimulation
Authors: Faes L. , Nollo G. , Erla S.
Published: May 2010

Objectives: This study aims to characterize EEG complexity, measured as the prediction error resulting from nonlinear prediction, in healthy humans during photic stimulation.

Methods: EEGs were recorded from 15 subjects with eyes closed (EC) and eyes open (EO), during the baseline condition and during stroboscopic photic stimulation (PS) at 5, 10, and 15 Hz. The mean squared prediction error (MSPE) resulting from nearest neighbor local linear prediction was taken as complexity index. Complexity maps were generated interpolating the MSPE index over a schematic scalp representation.

Results: Statistical analysis revealed that: i) EEG shows good predictability in all conditions and seems to be well explained by a linear stochastic process; ii) the complexity is lower with EC than with EO and increases significantly during PS, to a lesser extent during 10 Hz stimulation; iii) significant differences of EEG complexity are detectable between anterior-central and posterior scalp regions.

Conclusions: Changes in EEG complexity during PS can be successfully assessed using nonlinear prediction. The observed modifications in the patterns of complexity seem to reflect neurophysiological behaviors and suggest future applicability of the method in clinical settings.
Drugs, sex, gender-based violence, and the intersection of the HIV/AIDS epidemic with vulnerable women in South Africa
Authors: Wechsberg Wendee , Parry Charles , Jewkes Rachel
Published: May 2010

Recent innovative research has identified key factors that put vulnerable South African women at risk of HIV/AIDS and gender-based violence, including high-risk patterns of alcohol abuse and sexual partnering, gender norms that place men in control in sexual relationships, low educational levels and limited access to employment, poor health care, inadequate housing, and sex work.

These studies suggest that targeted HIV-prevention interventions can effect improvement for this vulnerable population when programs remain sensitive to gender and cultural differences and expectations and address the social and economic inequalities that make women vulnerable.

Solving these problems on a larger economic scale will require institutional participation and political support for women’s equity, HIV-prevention literacy, and a broader HIV-prevention agenda. This can be accomplished with a multilevel, collaborative response from government, community, and international partners using multiple prevention strategies and fostering sustainability.
IT Governance Mechanisms in Public Sector Organisations
Authors: Ali Syaiful , Green Peter
Published: May 2010

Information technology plays a significant role enabling organisations to achieve their objectives. Accordingly, the governance mechanisms over the organisation’s IT resources must be in place and operating effectively if the organization is to achieve its objectives. The concern with IT governance is not only evident in the private sector but also in the public sector. This study attempts to examine empirically the individual IT governance mechanisms that influence the overall effectiveness of IT governance in Australian public sector organisations. Using sample data from auditors who currently work in Australian public sector organisations, this study examined the influence of four proposed individual IT governance mechanisms on the overall effectiveness of IT governance. This study found significant positive relationships between the existence of an IT strategy committee and corporate (organisational) communication systems, and the overall level of effective IT governance within Australian public sector organisations.
The Digital Divide, Framing and Mapping the Phenomenon
Authors: Calderaro Andrea
Published: May 2010

This chapter explores the global dimension of the digital divide. It frames the concept and maps the status and the causes of the phenomenon today. The first part investigates how the digital divide can be measured, framing the question and some of the trends foreseen by scholars on the phenomenon. The second part provides the current status of the digital divide, mapping the distribution of the usage of the Internet worldwide with some national indicators and measuring how economic factors cause some of the digital inequalities. The chapter then maps the worldwide unequal distribution of some of the infrastructure of the Internet. By comparing the different measures of the digital divide, the chapter finally provides some conclusions on the expectations regarding the trend of the phenomenon.
Teleworking and the "Disability Divide"
Authors: Bricout John C. , Baker Paul M.A. , Ward Andrew C. , Moon Nathan W.
Published: May 2010

Much of the discourse on the digital divide focuses on issues of information disparity and accessibility, frequently in socioeconomic terms. This perspective overlooks an important aspect of the digital divide, the lack of access and missed opportunities faced by persons with disabilities, referred to here as the “disability divide.” Barriers to access and knowledgeable use of information and communication technology (ICT) represent more than simple exclusion from information to encompass social segregation and devaluation. At its most insidious, barriers to ICTs limit full community engagement in employment activities. This chapter examines the ramification of the impact of digital divide on the nature of employment and participation in the workplace, using ICT to conduct telework, and explores challenges to social policy with respect to ‘reasonable’ accommodations. In the absence of practices, structures, and policies targeting the distributive work environment, telework is much less likely to close the digital divide for persons with a disability. This suggests the need to explore and develop potential policy options to close the disability divide.
Optical Access Comes of Age in a Packet-Delivery World
Authors: Yue William , Hunck Brian
Published: May 2010

The access network is the last loop, or last mile, in the provider network between the central office (CO) or point of presence (PoP) and the customer premises. Competitive pressure to provide high-bandwidth services (such as video) to consumers, and Ethernet transport to enterprises, is forcing service providers to rebuild their access networks. More optical fibers are being added in the last mile to meet these new bandwidth demands since legacy access networks have not been sufficient to support bandwidth-intensive applications. This chapter reviews the multiple definitions of “optical access” and the migration from direct copper loops to a variety of optical architectures, including Synchronous Optical Networking (SONET), Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH), Fiber to the x (FTTx), Ethernet and wavelength delivery. Key business drivers such as carrier competition, bandwidth needs, and the reliability and service level agreement issues of optical technology are covered. The chapter concludes by considering the near future of optical access product trends and key optical deployment options in applications such as cellular backhaul. The data presented in this chapter is mainly based on our recent deployment experience in the North American optical access market segment.
Business Models for Municipal Metro Networks
Authors: Kyriakidou Vagia , Chipouras Aristidis , Katsianis Dimitris , Sphicopoulos Thomas
Published: May 2010

In Europe initiatives towards the development of optical networks infrastructures’ have undertaken in order to address the need of faster and more telecommunications services. Consequently, the implementation of appropriate business model seems to be meaningful tool for infrastructures as it could ensure commercial viability and limit investment’s risks. Although, the variety of forms characterizes a business model, there are some aspects that networks owners or decision makers should consider in each case. The purpose of this book chapter is to highlight the main issues that should be considered from the main actors involved in the business models like telecom operators, fiber optical constructors as well as municipalities that own the main part of the infrastructure.
The New Generation Access Network
Authors: Vassilopoulos Christos
Published: May 2010

This chapter offers a qualitative approach towards the development of the new generation access network, based on FTTx implementations. After a brief description of the current state of traditional access networks and an estimation of the expected data rate per household in terms of services, the chapter examines all the available Network Technologies (FTTx), Access Technologies (xDSL, Ethernet and PON) for both P2P and P2MP development schemes and their relevant implementations. The prospects of NGA are also strategically examined in view of the complicated multi-player environment, involving Telco (ILEC and CLEC), regulators and pressure interest groups, all striving to serve their individual, often conflicting interests. The chapter concludes with an outline of the different deployment strategies for both ILEC and CLEC Telco.
Mouse Dynamics Biometric Technology
Authors: Ahmed Ahmed Awad E. , Traore Issa
Published: May 2010

In this chapter the Authors introduce the concepts behind the mouse dynamics biometric technology, present a generic architecture of the detector used to collect and process mouse dynamics, and study the various factors used to build the user’s signature. The Authors will also provide an updated survey on the researches and industrial implementations related to the technology, and study possible applications in computer security.
Social Networking Sites (SNS) and the ‘Narcissistic Turn'
Authors: Ibrahim Yasmin
Published: May 2010

The advent of the Internet hailed the ability of users to transform their identity and expression and articulation of the ‘self’ through their digital interactions. The Internet in its early days enabled the user to re-define identity through the text-based environment of the internet without declaring their offline persona or identity. In comparison new social software like Facebook have brought about a narcissistic turn where private details are placed on a global arena for public spectacle creating new ways of connecting and gazing into the lives of the others. It raises new social issues for societies including the rise of identity fraud, infringement of privacy, the seeking of private pleasures through public spectacle as well as the validation of one’s identity through peer recognition and consumption.
Learning Networks and Connective Knowledge
Authors: Downes Stephen
Published: May 2010

The purpose of this chapter is to outline some of the thinking behind new e-learning technology, including e-portfolios and personal learning environments. Part of this thinking is centered around the theory of connectivism, which asserts that knowledge - and therefore the learning of knowledge - is distributive, that is, not located in any given place (and therefore not ‘transferred’ or ‘transacted’ per se) but rather consists of the network of connections formed from experience and interactions with a knowing community. And another part of this thinking is centered around the new, and the newly empowered, learner, the member of the net generation, who is thinking and interacting in new ways. These trends combine to form what is sometimes called ‘e-learning 2.0’ - an approach to learning that is based on conversation and interaction, on sharing, creation and participation, on learning not as a separate activity, but rather, as embedded in meaningful activities such as games or workflows.
Using Social Networking to Enhance Sense of Community in E-Learning Courses
Authors: Yuen Steve Chi-Yin , Yang Harrison Hao
Published: May 2010

This chapter provides an overview and development of sense of community and social networking; discusses the potential uses of social networking in education; and presents a case study that integrates social networking into two graduate courses for the purpose of building a sense of community, improving communications and interactions, and promoting student-centered collaboration. The construction of class social networking sites, the implementation of these networks, and their effects on the students’ learning experience are examined. In addition, an analysis of feedback from students on the value of social networking in learning is included.
Introduction to Ranking Models
Authors: Cerrito Patricia
Published: May 2010

Risk adjustment models only consider patient condition and not patient compliance with treatment.(Rosen, Reid, Broemeling, & Rakovski, 2003) This paper suggests that health status is dependent upon health behaviors and psychosocial factors as well as the social environment and socioeconomic status of the patients themselves. Therefore, a physician with more lower-income and minority patients will have health outcomes that are not as strong as a physician with mostly affluent patients. However, that brings up another issue. Just how should health behaviors be identified and ranked? In other words, risk is an extremely complex issue that has multiple dimensions, and all dimensions contribute to risk. Without looking at all of these factors and dimensions, risk adjustment models will continue to be questionable.
Predictive Modeling Versus Regression
Authors: Cerrito Patricia
Published: May 2010

Predictive modeling includes regression, both logistic and linear, depending upon the type of outcome variable. It can also include the generalized linear model. However, there are other types of models also available, including decision trees and artificial neural networks under the general term of predictive modeling. Predictive modeling includes nearest neighbor discriminant analysis, also known as memory based reasoning. These other models are nonparametric and do not require that you know the probability distribution of the underlying patient population. Therefore, they are much more flexible when used to examine patient outcomes. Because predictive modeling uses regression in addition to these other models, the end results will improve upon those found using just regression by itself.
The All Patient Refined Diagnosis Related Group
Authors: Cerrito Patricia
Published: May 2010

In this chapter, we will discuss the APRDRG, or all patient refined diagnosis related group. It is another type of coding system that, unlike the Charlson Index, is proprietary and developed by the 3M Healthcare Company in 1990.(Anonymous-3M 2008) The APRDRG severity grouper is currently used by CMS (The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid) for severity adjusting all of Medicare’s hospital discharges. The 3M Company is also responsible for maintaining, updating and creating new DRG’s for CMS.Therefore, we cannot know what specific diagnosis codes are used to define the APRDRG severity index. In the APRDRG, patients are divided into one of four classes for severity of illness, and again divided into one of four classes for the risk of mortality.
Risk Adjustment Based Upon Resource Utilization
Authors: Cerrito Patricia
Published: May 2010

Resource utilization is based upon the assumption that patients with more severe problems will utilize more resources, and the most severe patients will require the most resources. This type of index assumes that no unnecessary resources are utilized and that treatments, medications, and laboratory diagnostics are required because of the severity of the patient condition. However, if the provider is extravagant in the use of resources, the patient will look severe. Then, too, some of the resources used will depend upon the admitting condition.
Use of Risk Adjustment Models for Provider Reimbursements
Authors: Cerrito Patricia
Published: May 2010

In this chapter, we will focus on the use of patient severity indices to determine the reimbursement to healthcare providers. In order to do this, we must first examine the standard practice of reimbursing hospitals for specific DRG codes, and for reimbursing other providers based upon a point system that designates the level of service. We especially want to investigate the problem of upcoding, or “gaming” in more detail to determine if it can be detected and corrected, so that providers are reimbursed based upon the actual level of care, and not upon better coding practices.
How to Check Measures for Adequacy
Authors: Cerrito Patricia
Published: May 2010

Perhaps the biggest problem when checking measures for adequacy, in addition to overlooking the fact that model assumptions are invalid, is the need to examine the model for reliability, and also to generalize a reliable result to an assumption of validity. Without some test of validity, the results could be bogus because the model does not measure what it is supposed to measure. The question is, just how should a model be validated?
Finding Minimal Infrequent Elements in Multi-Dimensional Data Defined over Partially Ordered Sets and its Applications
Authors: Elbassioni Khaled M.
Published: May 2010

The authors consider databases in which each attribute takes values from a partially ordered set (poset). This allows one to model a number of interesting scenarios arising in different applications, including quantitative databases, taxonomies, and databases in which each attribute is an interval representing the duration of a certain event occurring over time. A natural problem that arises in such circumstances is the following: given a database D and a threshold value t, find all collections of “generalizations” of attributes which are “supported” by less than t transactions from D. They call such collections infrequent elements. Due to monotonicity, they can reduce the output size by considering only minimal infrequent elements. We study the complexity of finding all minimal infrequent elements for some interesting classes of posets. The authors show how this problem can be applied to mining association rules in different types of databases, and to finding “sparse regions” or “holes” in quantitative data or in databases recording the time intervals during which a re-occurring event appears over time. Their main focus will be on these applications rather than on the correctness or analysis of the given algorithms.
Mining Unexpected Sequential Patterns and Implication Rules
Authors: Li Dong (Haoyuan) , Laurent Anne , Poncelet Pascal
Published: May 2010

As common criteria in data mining methods, the frequency-based interestingness measures provide a statistical view of the correlation in the data, such as sequential patterns. However, when the authors consider domain knowledge within the mining process, the unexpected information that contradicts existing knowledge on the data has never less importance than the regularly frequent information. For this purpose, the authors present the approach USER for mining unexpected sequential rules in sequence databases. They propose a belief-driven formalization of the unexpectedness contained in sequential data, with which we propose 3 forms of unexpected sequences. They further propose the notion of unexpected sequential patterns and implication rules for determining the structures and implications of the unexpectedness. The experimental results on various types of data sets show the usefulness and effectiveness of our approach.
Strong Symmetric Association Rules and Interestingness Measures
Authors: Merceron Agathe
Published: May 2010

Strong symmetric association rules are defined as follows. Strong means that the association rule has a strong support and a strong confidence, well above the minimum thresholds. Symmetric means that X?Y and Y?X are both association rules. Common objective interestingness measures such as lift, correlation, conviction or Chi-square tend to rate this kind of rule poorly. By contrast, cosine is high for such rules. However, depending on the application domain, these rules may be interesting regarding criteria such as unexpectedness or actionability. In this chapter, the authors investigate why the abovementioned measures, except cosine, rate strong symmetric association rules poorly, and show that the underlying data might take a quite special shape. This kind of rule can be qualified as rare, as they would be pruned by many objective interestingness measures. Then the authors present lift and cosine in depth, giving their intuitive meaning, their definition and typical values. Because lift has its roots in probability and cosine in geometry, these two interestingness measures give different information on the rules they rate. Furthermore they are fairly easy to interpret by domain experts, who are not necessarily data mining experts. They round off our investigation with a discussion on contrast rules and show that strong symmetric association rules give a hint to mine further rare rules, rare in the sense of a low support but a high confidence. Finally they present case studies from the field of education and discuss challenges.
He Wasn't There Again Today
Authors: O’Keefe Richard A. , Rountree Nathan
Published: May 2010

In this chapter, the authors discuss the characteristics of data collected by the New Zealand Centre for Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring (CARM) over a five-year period. The authors begin by noting the ways in which adverse reaction data are similar to market basket data, and the ways in which they are different. They go on to develop a model for estimating the amount of missing data in the dataset, and another to decide whether a drug is rare simply because it was only available for a short time. They also discuss the notion of “rarity” with respect to drugs, and with respect to reactions. Although the discussion is confined to the CARM data, the models and techniques presented here are useful to anyone who is about to embark on an association mining project, or who needs to interpret association rules in the context of a particular database.
Boosting Prediction Accuracy of Bad Payments in Financial Credit Applications
Authors: Pears Russel , Oetama Raymond
Published: May 2010

Credit scoring is a tool commonly employed by lenders in credit risk management. However credit scoring methods are prone to error. Failures from credit scoring result in granting loans to high risk customers, thus significantly increasing the incidence of overdue payments, or in the worst case, customers defaulting on the loan altogether. In this research the authors use a machine learning approach to improve the identification of such customers. However, identifying such bad customers is not a trivial task as they form the minority of customers and standard machine learning algorithms have difficulty in learning accurate models on such imbalanced datasets. They propose a novel approach based on a data segmentation strategy that progressively partitions the original data set into segments where bad customers form the majority. These segments, known as Majority Bad Payment Segments (MBPS) are then used to train machine learning classifiers such as Logistic Regression, C4.5, and Bayesian Network to identify high risk customers in advance. The authors compare their approach to the traditional approach of under sampling the majority class of good customers using a variety of metrics such as Hit Rate, Coverage and the Area under the Curve (AUC) metrics which have been designed to evaluate classification performance on imbalanced data sets. The results of our experimentation showed that the MBPS generally outperformed the under sampling method on all of these measures. Although MBPS has been used in this research in the context of a financial credit application, the technique is a generic one and can be used in any application domain that involves imbalanced data.
User Interface Design Approaches in Learning Environments
Authors: Sidhu Manjit Singh
Published: May 2010

Interface design provides the practical information for the multimedia author to develop well-designed and usable interfaces. However, the design of the user interface for any learning package involves many interacting concerns. The developer of such a package needs to consider the tasks to be achieved using the particular learning package. Although most learning package developers may use their own choices to develop the package, various approaches to user interface design has been proposed by standardization bodies (e.g. ISO, CEC/CENELEC, BSI) to provide the basic mechanisms for developing, promoting and imposing standards in the user interface in designing learning packages (Hutchins 1987; Ianella, 1992, Pangalos, 1993; Deborah, 1997; Plass, 1998; and Carter 2002). Unfortunately, many learning package developers do not use a common standard user interface design when designing a learning package. This Chapter reviews some approaches that are available to learning package developers and suggestions for user interface design.
Effectiveness of the TAPS Packages
Authors: Sidhu Manjit Singh
Published: May 2010

This Chapter discusses the effectiveness of TAPS packages and provides a brief account of the differences between the approach of the TAPS packages used in this study with that of commercial simulation packages accompanying the Engineering Mechanics Dynamics textbook.
Principal Graphs and Manifolds
Authors: Gorban Alexander N. , Zinovyev Andrei Y.
Published: May 2010

In many physical, statistical, biological and other investigations it is desirable to approximate a system of points by objects of lower dimension and/or complexity. For this purpose, Karl Pearson invented principal component analysis in 1901 and found ‘lines and planes of closest fit to system of points’. The famous k-means algorithm solves the approximation problem too, but by finite sets instead of lines and planes. This chapter gives a brief practical introduction into the methods of construction of general principal objects (i.e., objects embedded in the ‘middle’ of the multidimensional data set). As a basis, the unifying framework of mean squared distance approximation of finite datasets is selected. Principal graphs and manifolds are constructed as generalisations of principal components and k-means principal points. For this purpose, the family of expectation/maximisation algorithms with nearest generalisations is presented. Construction of principal graphs with controlled complexity is based on the graph grammar approach.
Calibration of Machine Learning Models
Authors: Bella Antonio , Ferri Cèsar , Hernández-Orallo José , Ramírez-Quintana María José
Published: May 2010

The evaluation of machine learning models is a crucial step before their application because it is essential to assess how well a model will behave for every single case. In many real applications, not only is it important to know the “total” or the “average” error of the model, it is also important to know how this error is distributed and how well confidence or probability estimations are made. Many current machine learning techniques are good in overall results but have a bad distribution assessment of the error. For these cases, calibration techniques have been developed as postprocessing techniques in order to improve the probability estimation or the error distribution of an existing model. This chapter presents the most common calibration techniques and calibration measures. Both classification and regression are covered, and a taxonomy of calibration techniques is established. Special attention is given to probabilistic classifier calibration.
Machine Learning for Biometrics
Authors: Salah Albert Ali
Published: May 2010

Biometrics aims at reliable and robust identification of humans from their personal traits, mainly for security and authentication purposes, but also for identifying and tracking the users of smarter applications. Frequently considered modalities are fingerprint, face, iris, palmprint and voice, but there are many other possible biometrics, including gait, ear image, retina, DNA, and even behaviours. This chapter presents a survey of machine learning methods used for biometrics applications, and identifies relevant research issues. The author focuses on three areas of interest: offline methods for biometric template construction and recognition, information fusion methods for integrating multiple biometrics to obtain robust results, and methods for dealing with temporal information. By introducing exemplary and influential machine learning approaches in the context of specific biometrics applications, the author hopes to provide the reader with the means to create novel machine learning solutions to challenging biometrics problems.