bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mobile Agents in E-Commerce
Authors: Chen Bo
Published: May 2010

A mobile agent is a composition of computer program, data, and execution state, which is able to move from one computer to another autonomously and continue its execution on the destination computer. Mobile agents provide a new programming paradigm for building agile distributed systems. The ability to travel allows a mobile agent system to move computation to data source systems. This decentralized approach improves network efficiency since the processing is performed locally. For example, in an e-commerce application shown in Figure 1, mobile agents are used to search and purchase products. Once the Buyer Server receives a buyer’s purchase request, it generates a mobile agent and sends it to the Information Server to search retailers who sell the product. Having a list of retailers, the Buyer Server dispatches a mobile agent visiting these retailers. The mobile agent negotiates with retailers’ local seller agents and reports the offers to the Buyer Server. The Buyer Server evaluates all the offers, and sends a purchase mobile agent to the best offer retailer to make the final purchase.
Social Networks and Web Services-Based Systems
Authors: Maamar Zakaria , Wives Leandro Krug
Published: May 2010

Web services are paving the way for a new type of business applications. This can be noticed from the large number of standards and initiatives related to Web services (Margaria, 2007; Papazoglou et al., 2007; Yu et al., 2008), which tackle a variety of issues such as security, fault tolerance, and substitution. These issues hinder the automatic composition of Web services. Composition handles the situation of a user’s request that cannot be satisfied by any single, available Web service, whereas a composite Web service obtained by combining available Web services may be used. Despite the tremendous capabilities that empower Web services, they still lack some capabilities that would propel them to a higher level of adoption by the IT community and make them compete with other integration middleware like CORBA and .Net. As a result, Web services adoption could be slowed down if some issues such as the complexity of their discovery are not properly addressed (Langdom, 2003). For this particular issue of discovery, we examine in this chapter the use of social networks (Ethier, visited in 2008; Wasserman and Glaskiewics, 1994). Such networks permit to establish between people relationships of different types like friendship, kinship, and conflict. These relationships are dynamic and, hence, adjusted over time depending on different factors like outcomes of previous interaction experiences, and natures of partners dealt with. Replacing people with Web services is doable since Web services constantly engage in different types of interaction sessions with users and peers as well
Modeling Collaborative Design Competence with Ontologies
Authors: Tarasov Vladimir , Sandkuhl Kurt , Lundqvist Magnus
Published: May 2010

Collaborative design in dispersed groups of engineers creates various kinds of challenges to technology, organization and social environment. Selected examples are knowledge sharing, coordination support or secure tool integration (Jacucci, Pawlak, & Sandkuhl, 2005). Work presented in this chapter is located in the area of formation of teams for collaborative design. The challenge addressed is how to describe and represent the competences needed for a planned collaborative design project in a way that those individuals best suited for the collaboration can be identified. The proposed approach is to apply ontology engineering to modeling competences of individuals, including different competence areas like cultural competences, professional competences or occupational competences.
Efficient Service Task Assignment in Grid Computing Environments
Authors: Michalas Angelos , Louta Malamati
Published: May 2010

The availability of powerful computers and highspeed network technologies is changing the way computers are used. These technology enhancements led to the possibility of using distributed computers as a single, unified computing resource, leading to what is popularly known as Grid computing (Foster, 2001). The term Grid is adopted from the power Grid which supplies transparent access to electric power regardless of its source. Cloud computing, scalable computing, global computing, internet computing, and more recently peer-to-peer computing are well known names describing the Grid technology in distributed systems.
The Global Telecommunications Industry Facing the IP Revolution
Authors: Gruber Harald
Published: May 2010

Technological innovation in the telecommunications sector is a key contributor to the rapid diffusion of e-business. The steady drive towards semiconductor miniaturisation leads to a continuous decline in the price of telecommunications equipment and increase in performance. Technological change therefore continues to transform the way telecommunications services are provided and used. Telecommunication networks are subject to a technological switch from so called circuit switched technology to packet switched technology. In fact, digitalisation of audio and video signals has led to the convergence of telecommunications, data processing and broadcasting technologies into a single service platform based on Internet Protocol (IP). This has strong implications on legacy networks of existing operators, because they need to support during a transition period both technologies in the network, but this duplication is inefficient. This is more so as the incumbent telecommunications operators are subject to sector specific regulation. This regulation was motivated by the externalities that telecommunications generate and the concern that operators would exploit market power to the detriment of users. This appears to be less the case when there is a multiplicity of telecommunications networks.
E-Recruiting
Authors: Lee In
Published: May 2010

Recently, a web-enabled e-recruiting emerged quickly as a powerful method for both job seekers and recruiters. E-recruiting has driven companies to redesign the recruiting process and to move quickly to web-based integrated human resource systems that provide standardized frameworks for key personnel processes (Cullen, 2001). Currently, corporate career web sites are among the most widely deployed e-business web sites (Maurer and Liu, 2007). Job seekers visit corporate career web sites to survey a job market in addition to searching for job opportunities. Recruiting via social networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn.com, and MySpace is also getting popular. E-recruiting systems have evolved through numerous technological developments since its introduction in the mid-1990s. A recent survey shows that Fortune 100 companies are in various stages of development (Lee, 2005). At the early stage of the corporate e-recruiting system, the purpose of the career web site was to simply post job openings on the static web page for job seekers’ information. As e-commerce technologies advanced and recruiters gained more e-recruiting experience, the front-end e-recruiting systems added new features and functions, targeted job seekers better, and integrated with a back-end human resource management system. An advanced e-recruiting system of large companies has been powered by an enterprise-wide system and incorporated best practice recruiting methodologies to achieve strategic advantage.
The Anonymity of the Internet
Authors: Rovie Eric M.
Published: May 2010

Commerce performed electronically using the Internet (e-commerce) faces a unique and difficult problem, the anonymity of the Internet. Because the parties are not in physical proximity to one another, there are limited avenues for trust to arise between them, and this leads to the fear of cheating and promise-breaking. To resolve this problem, I explore solutions that are based on Thomas Hobbes’s solutions to the problem of the free rider and apply them to e-commerce.
The Ethical Implications of A/B and Multivariate E-Commerce Optimization Testing
Authors: Sylvia J. J.
Published: May 2010

A/B and multivariate website optimization may not seem ethically problematic at first blush; however, in this chapter I will consider some of the less obvious elements that have been tested, such as header color, button design, and the style of tabs used for linking to product details. A/B and multivariate testing has shown that these seemingly insignificant changes can increase average order value and decrease abandoned shopping carts, among other results. I will consider these tests through the lens of the major ethical systems of utilitarianism, Kant’s respect for person’s principle, and virtue ethics, using specific case studies and examples of testing results. I conclude that this type of practice is likely ethically problematic in many uses, as understood through all three ethical systems. Along the way I will be careful to demonstrate how the manipulation resulting from A/B and multivariate testing is different and more problematic than that of advertising in general.
Application of Adult Learning Theory in Distance Learning
Authors: Grant Mary Rose
Published: May 2010

Adult learning theory suggests that adults need to perceive the relevance and purpose of learning in order to learn most effectively. Grounded in the notion that adults frame their own learning objectives, are self-directed and active participants in their learning, require constructive feedback and want opportunities to practice new skills, online and virtual learning environments are well suited for adult learners and are directly based on adult learning principles. Virtual environments provide opportunities for adults to construct learning based on what they already know and apply what they are learning in the instructional setting. An online instructor is an adult learning expert. Using adult and constructivist learning theories and current knowledge about web-based andragogy, this chapter will focus on the characteristics and learning preferences of adult-learners in virtual learning environments and recommend instructional design and teaching strategies to encourage behaviors that influence student engagement, retention and learning.
Virtual Environments and Serious Games
Authors: Barrett K. A. , Johnson W. Lewis
Published: May 2010

The Alelo language and culture game-based training has been successfully applied in the K-16 education, government, and military sectors. With increasing globalization of business and widespread use of the Internet, this same approach is applicable for corporate education. The chapter will suggest how virtual environments using cross-cultural simulations that include communicating with virtual avatars could be adopted for corporate use to effectively train and educate employees in cross-cultural communication, as well as other skill sets.
Corporate Training Goes Virtual
Authors: Wood Natalie T. , Solomon Michael R. , Marshall Greg W. , Lincoln Sarah
Published: May 2010

Eighty million members of the Millennial Generation are knocking at the door of Corporate America. Can traditional “chalk and talk” corporate training techniques adequately address the needs of a generation that views the world through a digital lens? In this chapter, the authors will explore the learning styles of Millennials and how virtual world platforms can mesh with the learning styles of these new workers. They review existing literature on virtual learning and identify the types of conditions that argue for an immersive digital platform as opposed to a traditional face-to-face or distance learning encounter. They conclude by outlining a specific scenario (within the domain of pharmaceutical sales training) that illustrates how corporate educators can deliver both types of learning using a hybrid real/virtual platform.
Blueprint for a Mashup
Authors: Peachey Anna , Livingstone Daniel , Walshe Sarah
Published: May 2010

In 2005 the Centre for Professional Learning and Development at the Open University (OU) established a pioneering collaboration with Reuters (which in 2008 became Thomson Reuters), working together on The Management Challenge Online (TMCO), a 10-week cohort-based course for First Line Managers. The course is currently delivered in the open source Moodle environment using Flash learning modules, to a model that encourages and supports collaborative participation and deep learning for delegates. This chapter will begin with an introduction to TMCO, providing some context and background to its development, structure and delegate groups. This has been described in detail elsewhere, see Peachey & Walshe (2008), where it was identified that “a Second Life activity programme element for TMCO would offer additional engagement potential for a significant number of participants.” The chapter will describe the virtual world Second Life and the course management integration system Sloodle before exploring the motivation and structure for integrating these new tools into the next evolution of TMCO. The chapter will propose an adaptation of an evaluation framework originally proposed by de Freitas & Oliver (2006), creating a tool for evaluating the introduction of virtual world technology into a work based training curriculum, and will outline the proposed Second Life/Moodle/Sloodle activity for TMCO in some detail.
Meta-heuristic Approach to Solve Mixed Vehicle Routing Problem with Backhauls in Enterprise Information System of Service Industry
Authors: Anbuudayasankar S. P. , Ganesh K. , Lee Tzong-Ru
Published: May 2010

This chapter presents the development of simulated annealing (SA) for a health care application which is modeled as Single Depot Vehicle routing problem called Mixed Vehicle Routing Problem with Backhauls (MVRPB), an extension of Vehicle Routing Problem with Backhauls (VRPB). This variant involves both delivery and pick-up customers and sequence of visiting the customers is mixed. The entire pick-up load should be taken back to depot. The latest rapid advancement of meta-heuristics has shown that it can be applied in practice if they are personified in packaged information technology (IT) solutions along with the combination of a Supply Chain Management (SCM) application integrated with an enterprise resource planning (ERP) resulted to this decision support tool. This chapter provides empirical proof in sustain of the hypothesis, that a population extension of SA with supportive transitions leads to a major increase of efficiency and solution quality for MVRPB if and only if the globally optimal solution is located close to the center of all local optimal solutions.
Two-Way Substitutable Inventory System with N–Policy
Authors: Anbazhagan N.
Published: May 2010

This article presents a two commodity stochastic inventory system under continuous review. The maximum storage capacity for the i-th item is fixed as Si (i = 1, 2). It is assumed that demand for the i-the commodity is of unit size and demand time points form Poisson distribution with parameter i = 1, 2. The reorder level is fixed as si for the i-th commodity (i = 1, 2) and the ordering policy is to place order for items for the i-th commodity (i = 1, 2) when both the inventory levels are less than or equal to their respective reorder levels. The lead time is assumed to be exponential. The two commodities are assumed to be substitutable. That is, if the inventory level of one commodity reaches zero, then any demand for this commodity will be satisfied by the item of the other commodity. If no substitute is available, then this demand is backlogged up to a certain level Ni, (i = 1, 2) for the i-th commodity. Whenever the inventory level reaches Ni, (i = 1, 2), an order for Ni items is replenished instantaneously. For this model, the limiting probability distribution for the joint inventory levels is computed. Various operational characteristics and expression for long run total expected cost rate are derived.
Mathematical Modeling of Supply Chain Management Systems
Authors: Anbazhagan N.
Published: May 2010

Supply Chain Management (SCM) is the practice of coordinating the flow of goods, services, information and finances as they move from raw materials to parts supplier to manufacturer to wholesaler to retailer to consumer. Different supply chains have been designed for a variety of firms and this chapter discusses some issues in this regard. This chapter attempts to find why we require different supply chain for different companies. In this chapter we discuss the role of stochastic models in supply chain management system, and also discuss other mathematical models for SCM.
Leveraging University Research to Assist SMEs in Legacy Industrial Era Regions
Authors: Karunakaran Arvind , Purao Sandeep , Cameron Brian
Published: May 2010

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in legacy industrial era regions face unique challenges that vary from the challenges faced by SMEs in other regions. Especially, SMEs in legacy industrial regions face problems with respect to the access to knowledge networks. The authors discuss an approach that focuses on enabling the SMEs in legacy regions towards accessing these knowledge networks. The authors base their discussion upon the ongoing debate within the IS community regarding ‘rigor-relevance’ gap, and they take the specific case of SME’s in I-99 corridor to illustrate this. The chapter highlights the challenges faced by SMEs in legacy industrial era regions, and briefly describe the ongoing research project called LAIR (Leveraging Advanced IT Research), aimed at understanding the risks that SMEs in the I-99 Corridor are likely to face as they grow, with a specific focus on risks associated with upgrading, implementing and integrating their existing and new Information Systems.
The Alignment of Business Strategy with Agile Software Development within SMEs
Authors: Kanavittaya Pattama , Armarego Jocelyn , Goulding Paula
Published: May 2010

The alignment of business strategy and IT strategy has been recognised as a strategic weapon within organisations. Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) also recognise a need for new Information Technology and Information Systems (IT/IS) functions to support business strategies, and provide new services to the market. Agile methodologies support the timely and economical development of Web and Internet-based software, the technologies being exploited by organisations seeking to enhance their business performance. Based on multiple-case research, this paper explores the impact of agile software development on the alignment of business strategy with IT strategy in SMEs. Several models of strategic alignment developed for large enterprises were used to examine the SME environment. The findings suggest that agile methods are applied to provide added flexibility for organisations to create or react to new opportunities, to increase responsiveness to customer requirements not possible with traditional software development, and to gain competitive advantage. Personal interest was found to be a factor in adopting agile methodologies, in addition to IT maturity and technical IT sophistication. However, the use of agile methods in response to internal and external uncertainty may change the role of ICT in the firms, and hence impact on the alignment of business and IT/IS strategy.
Macroeconomic Forecasting Using Genetic Programming Based Vector Error Correction Model
Authors: Chen Xi , Pang Ye , Zheng Guihuan
Published: May 2010

Vector autoregressions are widely used in macroeconomic forecasting since they became known in the 1970s. Extensions including vector error correction models, co-integration and dynamic factor models are all rooted in the framework of vector autoregression. The three important extensions are demonstrated to have formal equivalence between each other. Above all, they all emphasize the importance of “common trends” or “common factors”. Many researches, including a series of work of Stock and Watson, find that “common factor” models significantly improve accuracy in forecasting macroeconomic time series. This study follows the work of Stock and Watson. The authors propose a hybrid framework called genetic programming based vector error correction model (GPVECM), introducing genetic programming to traditional econometric models. This new method could construct common factors directly from nonstationary data set, avoiding differencing the original data and thus preserving more information. The authors’ model guarantees that the constructed common factors satisfy the requirements of econometric models such as co-integration, in contrast to the traditional approach. Finally but not trivially, their model could save lots of time and energy from repeated work of unit root tests and differencing, which they believe is convenient for practitioners. An empirical study of forecasting US import from China is reported. The results of the new method dominates those of the plain vector error correction model and the ARIMA model.
A Confidence-Based RBF Neural Network Ensemble Learning Paradigm with Application to Delinquent Prediction for Credit Risk Management
Authors: Yu Lean , Wang Shouyang
Published: May 2010

In this study, a multistage confidence-based radial basis function (RBF) neural network ensemble learning model is proposed to design a reliable delinquent prediction system for credit risk management. In the first stage, a bagging sampling approach is used to generate different training datasets. In the second stage, the RBF neural network models are trained using various training datasets from the previous stage. In the third stage, the trained RBF neural network models are applied to the testing dataset and some prediction results and confidence values can be obtained. In the fourth stage, the confidence values are scaled into a unit interval by logistic transformation. In the final stage, the multiple different RBF neural network models are fused to obtain the final prediction results by means of confidence measure. For illustration purpose, two publicly available credit datasets are used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed confidence-based RBF neural network ensemble learning paradigm.
Bankruptcy Prediction Using Principal Component Analysis Based Neural Network Models
Authors: Pai G. A. Rekha , Pai G. A. Vijayalakshmi
Published: May 2010

Industrial bankruptcy is a rampant problem which does not occur overnight and when it occurs can cause acute financial embarrassment to Governments and financial institutions as well as threaten the very viability of the firms. It is therefore essential to help industries identify the impending trouble early. Several statistical and soft computing based bankruptcy prediction models that make use of financial ratios as indicators have been proposed. Majority of these models make use of a selective set of financial ratios chosen according to some appropriate criteria framed by the individual investigators. In contrast, this study considers any number of financial ratios irrespective of the industrial category and size and makes use of Principal Component Analysis to extract their principal components, to be used as predictors, thereby dispensing with the cumbersome selection procedures used by its predecessors. An Evolutionary Neural Network (ENN) and a Backpropagation Neural Network with Levenberg Marquardt’s training rule (BPN) have been employed as classifiers and their performance has been compared using Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analyses. Termed PCA-ENN and PCA-BPN models, the predictive potential of the two models have been analyzed over a financial database (1997-2000) pertaining to 34 sick and 38 non sick Indian manufacturing companies, with 21 financial ratios as predictor variables.
On the Efficient Dynamical Financial Analysis Computation Supported by UML(VR)
Authors: Kotulski Leszek , Tusiewicz Marcin , Dymek Dariusz
Published: May 2010

Dynamic Financial Analysis (DFA) is disciplines of actuarial science developed to asses and manage risk. The structure of the problem, simulations-based approach as well as great user demands issue a challenge in terms of defining and controlling a computer software system. In order to properly support an efficient software and data allocation onto a distributed hardware environment we have to specify their basic characteristics. In this chapter we suggest using UML notation extended with vertical relations joining the information represented by different kinds of UML diagrams. Next this information is transformed into a graph notation that supports the optimal allocation of a new DFA process with the polynomial computational complexity. This way we are able to optimize DFA calculations on a given hardware environment without any changes to the software system.
Building a Radical Innovation Mechanism at Large Firms
Authors: Shah Chintan M. , Ortt J. Roland , Scholten Victor
Published: May 2010

Large firms are generally good at managing incremental innovations, yet they often lack the capabilities that are conducive to developing and deploying radical innovations (RI). Even though many large firms recognise the importance of RI, most of them fail to establish a mechanism, that is, a well defined organisational structure, management processes and resource allocation system that facilitates a systematic and continual development of RI. Drawing on extant literature we build a research framework that explains the obstacles which large firms face with respect to developing radical innovations. We collect data among three large firms, namely Shell, Nokia and IBM, and identify the practices that these firms have developed and a radical innovation mechanism that they have established to circumvent the obstacles for tapping into RI. Following these practices we conclude with implications for managers that are building a RI mechanism for their firms.
Factors Predicting the Innovation Climate
Authors: Übius Ülle , Alas Ruth
Published: May 2010

The purpose of this chapter is to investigate how such factors as corporate social responsibility, individual and organizational level factors predict the innovation climate. The survey was conducted in Estonian, Chinese, Japanese, Russian and Slovakian electric-electronic machine, retail store and machine-building enterprises. Linear regression analysis was done in order to analyze connections between the innovation climate, corporate social responsibility, individual and organizational level factors. The total number of respondents was 4632. The results of an empirical study show that both facets of corporate social responsibility - the firm performance concerning social issues and the firm respects the interests of agents, individual and organizational level factors predict the innovation climate, but it differs according to different countries. The 5 models developed explain how corporate social responsibility, individual and organizational level factors predict the innovation climate in Estonian, Chinese, Japanese, Russian and Slovakian electric-electronic machine, retail store and machine-building enterprises.
MDA-Based Object-Oriented Reverse Engineering
Authors: Favre Liliana María
Published: May 2010

Reverse engineering is the process of analyzing software systems to extract software artifacts at a higher level of abstraction so that it is easier to understand them, e.g., for reengineering, modernizing, reuse, migration or documenting purposes. This chapter describes an approach to reverse engineering object oriented code. A central idea in reverse engineering is exploiting the source code as the most reliable description both of the system behavior and of the organization and its business rules. We propose an approach for MDA-based object oriented reverse engineering that integrates classical compiler techniques, metamodeling techniques and formal specification for recovering designs and architectures. We analyze reverse engineering of PSMs and PIMs from object-oriented code. Models are expressed using UML and OCL. On the one hand, the subset of UML diagrams, that are useful for platform-dependent models, includes class diagram, object diagram, state diagram, interaction diagram (collaboration diagram and sequence diagram) and package diagram. On the other hand, a PIM can be expressed by means of use case diagrams, activity diagrams, interaction diagrams to model system processes and state diagrams to model lifecycle of the system entities.
SUMMING UP THE PARTS
Authors: Favre Liliana María
Published: May 2010

This chapter summarizes the main results described in this book and challenges and strategic directions in MDA reverse engineering. Reverse engineering is the process of analyzing software systems to extract software artifacts at a higher level of abstraction. Nowadays, software and system engineering industry evolves to manage new platform technologies, design techniques and processes. Architectural framework for information integration and tool interoperation, such as MDA, had created the need to develop new analysis tools and specific techniques. MDA is not itself a technology specification but it represents an evolving plan to achieve cohesive model-driven technology specifications. The original inspiration around the definition of MDA had to do with the middleware integration problem in internet. Beyond interoperability reasons, there are other good benefits to use MDA such as to improve the productivity, process quality and maintenance costs. The outstanding ideas behind MDA are separating the specification of the system functionality from its implementation on specific platforms, managing the software evolution from abstract models to implementations increasing the degree of automation and achieving interoperability with multiple platforms, programming languages and formal languages.
The Smart Women – Smart State Strategy
Authors: Winter Alexandra
Published: May 2010

Despite growing demand for skilled workers, women remain under-represented in science, engineering and technology industries. Limited opportunities for women not only impacts upon individual women’s access to the workforce and economic security, but also means that the State does not have the appropriate skills for future growth. In Australia, the Queensland State Government developed and implemented a strategy to promote science, engineering and technology to women and girls, and to retain women in these fields of education and work. The strategy involved a range of methods, including policy and program delivery, to engage women and girls at different points of their lives. This chapter gives an overview of the Smart Women – Smart State Strategy and the initiatives delivered as part of the strategy, and finishes by highlighting the need for ongoing strategies to effect social and attitudinal change. This overview highlights the importance of policy development and delivery that is gender sensitive, as well as the broader social and economic benefits of women’s equitable participation in science, engineering and technology.
GETSMART
Authors: Veltri Natasha F. , Webb Harold W. , Papp Raymond
Published: May 2010

This chapter reports on the development a formal social mechanism for interaction among female IT role models, such as industry executives and recent college graduates, higher education IT academicians, and female middle school and high school students. The GETSMART (Getting Everyone To Study Math and Related Technologies) program is designed to address the national issue of low female participation in the computer science and information systems fields. The goal of this initiative is to create an innovative educational and mentoring program that encourages women to pursue studies and careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The comments of the GETSMART participants serve as a feedback loop to the program executive and academic leaders and indicate the importance of teachers, parents, role models and early STEM experiences in formation of interest in STEM.
The Computer Games Industry
Authors: Prescott Julie , Bogg Jan
Published: May 2010

This chapter focuses on the current position and experiences of women working within the computer games industry, the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector and the wider context of the Science, Engineering and Technology industry (SET). Global data collected as part of a larger quantitative study on women who are currently working in the male dominated computer games industry is reviewed, in relation to the long hour’s culture associated with the sector. In addition, the lack of females, especially females with families in the gaming industry, skills shortages, work life balance and flexible working will be discussed in the games industry context. The research discussed will be related to the question of attracting and retaining women, in the games development workforce of the future. The issues discussed will be of relevance to employers, professional bodies, policy makers and researchers of the games industry and the wider ICT and SET industries. Recommendations from the findings and future research directions are provided.
Applications in Multiobjective, Constrained and Minimax Problems
Authors: Konstantinos E. Parsopoulos , Michael N. Vrahatis
Published: May 2010

This chapter is devoted to the application of PSO and its variants on three very interesting problem types, namely (a) multiobjective, (b) constrained, and (c) minimax optimization problems. The biggest part of the chapter refers to the multiobjective case, since there is a huge bibliography with a rich assortment of PSO approaches developed to date. Different algorithm types are presented and briefly discussed, focusing on the most influential approaches.
Quantum Computation Perspectives in Medical Image Processing
Authors: Rodrigues Pedro , Ferreira Manuel João , Monteiro João Luís
Published: May 2010

The need to increase the complexity of computational methods to produce improvements in functional performance, particularly in medical image processing applications, leads to find suitable physical devices. This chapter describes two ways of adapting the techniques of image processing to quantum devices. This kind of computing can achieve, for some problems, unparalleled performance as compared to classic computing. In the first method, using the quantum Grover’s algorithm how to implement image processing techniques under quantum rules is shown. In the second method, using diffraction and interference, the possibility of using less complex quantum devices for processing digital images is treated. Using leucocytes images, that mode is tested.
Knowledge Management in Healthcare
Authors: El Morr Christo , Subercaze Julien
Published: May 2010

While knowledge management (KM) is becoming an established discipline with many applications and techniques, its adoption in health care has been challenging. Though, the health care sector relies heavily on knowledge and evidence based medicine is expected to be implemented in daily health care activities; besides, delivery of care replies on cooperation of several partners that need to exchange their knowledge in order to provide quality of care. In public health decision is mainly based on data and a shift is needed towards evidence based decision making. It is obvious that health care can profit from many advantages that KM can provide. Nevertheless, several challenges are ahead, some are proper to KM and other particular to the health care field. This chapter will overview KM, its methods and techniques, and provide and insight into health care current challenges and needs, discuss applications of KM in health care and provide some future perspectives for KM in health care.
An Interoperable Cross-Context Architecture to Manage Distributed Personal E-Health Information
Authors: Deng Mina , De Cock Danny , Preneel Bart
Published: May 2010

Ensuring interoperability across different healthcare providers becomes an important issue with a potentially large return on investment (ROI) potential when multiple healthcare providers are collaborating in an e-Health system. In cross-context communications, the same information can be expressed by means of different types or values. This chapter proposes a new architecture for cross-context identity management in the e-Health application domain, aiming to improve interoperability between healthcare providers when context-specific information, such as patients’ identifiers, is transferred from one context to another. Furthermore, an algorithm for issuing and converting context-specific identifiers, based on cryptographic techniques, is presented. How the proposed cross-context interoperability service can be integrated in a real-word e-Health system is explained with a use case scenario.
Nutritional Monitoring and Advising Information System for Healthcare Support
Authors: Fernandes Vitor Basto , Varajão João
Published: May 2010

In the last decade, developed and developing countries have unsuccessfully been fighting the so called new world syndrome or the epidemic of 21st century. Nutritional misbehaviors in so called developed countries are causing significant social and economic damages, reflected in considerable growth of chronic diseases, morbidity and death. The phenomenon has been traditionally felt in aged populations, but a significant increase has also been detected more recently in young populations. This chapter presents a proposal to tackle theses serious problems related to nutrition by the means of information and communication technology tools. NutriMe is presented as a new nutritional monitoring and advising system to help individuals to monitor and correct their behaviors. NutriMe is also proposed as the main component for a public national observatory on nutritional profiles for public health and medical analysis purposes.
E-Therapy
Authors: Reis Catarina I. , Freire Carla S. , Monguet Josep M.
Published: May 2010

Nowadays, information and communication technologies (ICT) are being used in the mental health field to improve the quality of the services provided. Several studies refer both advantages and disadvantages for these practices. E-therapy appears as a new way to help people in their life and existing relationships, and there is proven evidence that online therapy helps, for instance, to reduce depression symptoms. It is also seen as a complement of the technological and traditional techniques, to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the therapeutic process. As a matter of fact, some people tend to be more comfortable with the computer than in face-to-face therapy. Besides patients and physicians, other direct players could be found in this domain, namely, families and caregivers. All players will be directly affected by the use of existing services and thus, a correct assessment of the effectiveness of e-therapy solutions and studies is required. eSchi is a multimedia portal that enables an e-therapy setting for schizophrenia patients. Currently under development, the system is described and future trends in the area are depicted.
Online Advice, Guidance and Counseling for Problem Gamblers
Authors: Griffiths Mark
Published: May 2010

Clinicians cannot afford to ignore the Internet. Psychological advice, help and treatment for addicts are no exceptions with both counseling and psychotherapy entering the computer age. The chapter overviews the main issues in the area and approaches the discussion acknowledging that online therapy has to be incorporated within the overall framework of the need for clinical assistance. The chapter also provides brief overviews of some websites as illustrative examples of what types of online help and therapy are available. The chapter makes particular reference to online help for problem gamblers and overviews the only study to date that evaluates the effectiveness of an online help and guidance service for a particular type of addiction (i.e., problem gambling).
4G Access Network Architecture
Authors: Choi Young-June
Published: May 2010

Although all-IP networking is the ultimate goal of 4G wireless networks, 3G LTE and WiMAX systems have designed semi all-IP network architectures for efficient radio resource and mobility management. These semi all-IP networks separate layer 2 and layer 3 handoff operations by grouping many base stations (BSs) as a subnet, thus alleviating handoff, while the pure all-IP networks provide a simple network platform at the cost of high handoff overhead. The authors compare the semi all-IP networks to the pure all-IP networks, and provide an overview to WiMAX access service networks and 3G LTE backhaul networks. They then present advanced architectures that support efficient radio resource and mobility management. First, they present a semi hierarchical cellular system with a super BS that behaves like a normal BS as well as a supervisor over other BSs within the group. They further extend this model to a system that combines multiple access techniques of OFDMA and FH-OFDMA with microcells and macrocells. Also, to alleviate the handoff latency, a dual-linked BS model is presented in order to support seamless handoff. Finally, as an integrated approach to supporting diverse QoS requirements, the authors consider an IP-triggered resource allocation strategy (ITRAS) that exploits IntServ and DiffServ of the network layer to interwork with channel allocation and multiple access of MAC and PHY layers, respectively. These cross layer approaches shed light on designing a QoS support model in a 4G network that cannot be handled properly by a single layer based approach.
User Experience in 4G Networks
Authors: Vidales Pablo , Wältermann Marcel , Lewcio Blazej , Möller Sebastian
Published: May 2010

Forthcoming 4G networks will enable users to freely roam across different communication systems. This implies that formerly independent wireless and wired technologies will be integrated to deliver transparent access to a plethora of mobile services and applications. This will also involve changes in the user’s experience mainly derived from (1) mobility across heterogeneous technologies, (2) drastic changes in the underlying link conditions, and (3) continuous adaptation of applications, e.g. flexible coding schemes. This chapter presents a detailed study of these so far unknown phenomena arising in the context of 4G networks. Current instrumental models employed to estimate user perception, such as PESQ (ITU-T Rec. P.862, 2001) for predicting the quality of transmitted speech, were designed to measure conditions that are common in today’s wireless and wired systems. However, it is expected that new conditions encountered in 4G networks are not going to be accurately handled by today’s models. Thus, they need to be adjusted, or new models should be proposed in order to predict the perceptual influence of new phenomena such as the three aspects aforementioned. The authors undertook this task and designed a novel methodology and experimental setup to measure user perception in future 4G networks. Moreover, the authors carried out an extensive set of subjective tests to accurately quantify user perception and derive conclusions for optimal user experience in 4G networks. These processes and initial results are included in this chapter.
Fourth Generation Networks
Authors: Govil Jivesh , Govil Jivika
Published: May 2010

Mobile researchers are witnessing burgeoning interest in 4G wireless networks that patronize global roaming across diverse wireless and mobile networks. The pith of 4G mobile systems lies in seamlessly integrating the existing wireless technologies including Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA). High Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA)/ High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA). 1×Evolution Data Optimized, (1×EVDO). Wireless LAN, and Bluetooth. However, migrating current systems to 4G engenders enormous challenges. With ever-changing specification and standards, developing a prototype requires flexible process to provide 4G system capabilities. The 4G system has its own advantages and associated dangers. This chapter intends to deal with adoption issues of 4G, the fundamentals as well as issues pertaining to 4G networks, standards, terminals, services of 4G, and the vision of network operators and service providers. Besides, to overcome the challenges of sophisticated personal sessions and service mobility, advanced mobility management (MM) is needed to fulfill the need for seamless global roaming. The chapter endeavors to make an evaluation on development, transition, and roadmap for fourth generation mobile communication system with a perspective of wireless convergence domain in addition to mobility management. Lastly, open research issues in 4G are succinctly discussed.
Cross-Layer Joint Optimization of Multimedia Transmissions over IP Based Wireless Networks
Authors: Lamy-Bergot Catherine , Panza Gianmarco
Published: May 2010

The traditional approach consisting in separately optimizing each module of a transmission chain has shown limitations in the case of wireless communications where delay, power limitation and error-prone channels are experienced. This is why modern designers focus on a more integrated strategy to establish the heterogeneous 21st century networks, such as 3G (i.e. UMTS) system and its evolutions (i.e. Beyond 3G or 4G like LTE or future 5G systems). Indeed, it was shown in several studies that optimal allocation of user and system resources could be effectively achieved with the co-operative optimization of communication system components. In this chapter, an innovative Joint-Source Channel Coding and Decoding (JSCC/D) system is described and its performance over an IPv6-based Network infrastructure is assessed. A particular focus is put on the application controller, the key component to realize the adaptation strategies. Conclusions and considerations about the system implementation are also proposed, and the interest of a possible extension to a point-to-multipoint scenario is explained.
Parallel Soft Spherical Detection for Coded MIMO Systems
Authors: Nikopour Hosein , Mobasher Amin , Khandani Amir K. , Saleh Aladdin
Published: May 2010

This Chapter briefly evaluates different multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) detection techniques in the literature as the candidates for the next generation wireless systems. The authors evaluate the associated problems and solutions with these methods. The focus of the chapter is on two categories of MIMO decoding: i) hard detection and ii) soft detection. These techniques significantly increase the capacity of wireless communications systems. Theoretically, a-posteriori probability (APP) MIMO decoder with soft information can achieve the capacity of a MIMO system. A sub-optimum APP detector is proposed for iterative joint detection/decoding in a MIMO wireless communication system employing an outer code. The proposed detector searches inside a given sphere in a parallel manner to simultaneously find a list of m-best points based on an additive metric. The metric is formed by combining the channel output and the a-priori information. The parallel structure of the proposed method is suitable for hardware parallelization. The radius of the sphere and the value of m are selected according to the channel condition to reduce the complexity. Numerical results are provided showing a significant reduction in the average complexity (for a similar performance and peak complexity) as compared to the best earlier known method. This positions the proposed algorithm as a candidate for the next generation wireless systems. The proposed scheme is applied for the decoding of the rate 2, 4 × 2 MIMO code employed in the IEEE 802.16e standard.