An Indexing Structure and Application Model for Vehicles Moving on Road Networks

Moving objects database systems are the most challenging sub-category among Spatio-Temporal database systems. A database system that updates in real-time the location information of GPS-equipped moving vehicles has to meet even stricter requirements. Currently existing data storage models and indexing mechanisms work well only when the number of moving objects in the system is relatively small. This dissertation research aimed at the real-time tracking and history retrieval of massive numbers of vehicles moving on road networks. A total solution has been provided for the real-time update of the vehicles’ location and motion information, range queries on current and history data, and prediction of vehicles’ movement in the near future. To achieve these goals, a new approach called Segmented Time Associated to Partitioned Space (STAPS) was first proposed in this dissertation for building and manipulating the indexing structures for moving objects databases. Applying the STAPS approach, an indexing structure of associating a time interval tree to each road segment was developed for real-time database systems of vehicles moving on road networks. The indexing structure uses affordable storage to support real-time data updates and efficient query processing. The data update and query processing performance it provides is consistent without restrictions such as a time window or assuming linear moving trajectories. An application system design based on distributed system architecture with centralized organization was developed to maximally support the proposed data and indexing structures. The suggested system architecture is highly scalable and flexible. Finally, based on a real-world application model of vehicles moving in region-wide, main issues on the implementation of such a system were addressed.

ArchWiSeN: uma estratégia baseada em modelos para desenvolvimento de aplicações para redes de sensores e atuadores sem fio

Wireless Sensor and Actuator Networks (WSAN) are a key component in Ubiquitous Computing Systems and have many applications in different knowledge domains. Programming for such networks is very hard and requires developers to know the available sensor platforms specificities, increasing the learning curve for developing WSAN applications. In this work, an MDA (Model-Driven Architecture) approach for WSAN applications development called ArchWiSeN is proposed. The goal of such approach is to facilitate the development task by providing: (i) A WSAN domain-specific language, (ii) a methodology for WSAN application development; and (iii) an MDA infrastructure composed of several software artifacts (PIM, PSMs and transformations). ArchWiSeN allows the direct contribution of domain experts in the WSAN application development without the need of specialized knowledge on WSAN platforms and, at the same time, allows network experts to manage the application requirements without the need for specific knowledge of the application domain. Furthermore, this approach also aims to enable developers to express and validate functional and non-functional requirements of the application, incorporate services offered by WSAN middleware platforms and promote reuse of the developed software artifacts. In this sense, this Thesis proposes an approach that includes all WSAN development stages for current and emerging scenarios through the proposed MDA infrastructure. An evaluation of the proposal was performed by: (i) a proof of concept encompassing three different scenarios performed with the usage of the MDA infrastructure to describe the WSAN development process using the application engineering process, (ii) a controlled experiment to assess the use of the proposed approach compared to traditional method of WSAN application development, (iii) the analysis of ArchWiSeN support of middleware services to ensure that WSAN applications using such services can achieve their requirements ; and (iv) systematic analysis of ArchWiSeN in terms of desired characteristics for MDA tool when compared with other existing MDA tools for WSAN.

AdaptMCloud: uma estratégia para adaptação dinâmica de aplicações Multi-Cloud

Multi-Cloud Applications are composed of services offered by multiple cloud platforms where the user/developer has full knowledge of the use of such platforms. The use of multiple cloud platforms avoids the following problems: (i) vendor lock-in, which is dependency on the application of a certain cloud platform, which is prejudicial in the case of degradation or failure of platform services, or even price increasing on service usage; (ii) degradation or failure of the application due to fluctuations in quality of service (QoS) provided by some cloud platform, or even due to a failure of any service. In multi-cloud scenario is possible to change a service in failure or with QoS problems for an equivalent of another cloud platform. So that an application can adopt the perspective multi-cloud is necessary to create mechanisms that are able to select which cloud services/platforms should be used in accordance with the requirements determined by the programmer/user. In this context, the major challenges in terms of development of such applications include questions such as: (i) the choice of which underlying services and cloud computing platforms should be used based on the defined user requirements in terms of functionality and quality (ii) the need to continually monitor the dynamic information (such as response time, availability, price, availability), related to cloud services, in addition to the wide variety of services, and (iii) the need to adapt the application if QoS violations affect user defined requirements. This PhD thesis proposes an approach for dynamic adaptation of multi-cloud applications to be applied when a service is unavailable or when the requirements set by the user/developer point out that other available multi-cloud configuration meets more efficiently. Thus, this work proposes a strategy composed of two phases. The first phase consists of the application modeling, exploring the similarities representation capacity and variability proposals in the context of the paradigm of Software Product Lines (SPL). In this phase it is used an extended feature model to specify the cloud service configuration to be used by the application (similarities) and the different possible providers for each service (variability). Furthermore, the non-functional requirements associated with cloud services are specified by properties in this model by describing dynamic information about these services. The second phase consists of an autonomic process based on MAPE-K control loop, which is responsible for selecting, optimally, a multicloud configuration that meets the established requirements, and perform the adaptation. The adaptation strategy proposed is independent of the used programming technique for performing the adaptation. In this work we implement the adaptation strategy using various programming techniques such as aspect-oriented programming, context-oriented programming and components and services oriented programming. Based on the proposed steps, we tried to assess the following: (i) the process of modeling and the specification of non-functional requirements can ensure effective monitoring of user satisfaction; (ii) if the optimal selection process presents significant gains compared to sequential approach; and (iii) which techniques have the best trade-off when compared efforts to development/modularity and performance.

Status of Endangered and Threatened Sand Area Species of the Illinois Flora

This study was undertaken to determine the distribution and habitat requirements of many of the endangered and threatened plant species associated with the sand deposits of Illinois. Approximately 70 species of endangered and threatened plants are known to grow in these deposits. The habitat fidelity and natural community types were determined for 40 of these species that are restricted to these glacial drift sand habitats. Plant community types, associated species, moisture requirements, and other data concerning each of the plant species were determined by reviewing the pertinent literature, searching the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Natural Heritage Database, through discussions with botanists and natural heritage biologists, examination of herbarium specimens, and our studies of the vegetation of the Illinois sand deposits. Throughout the course of these studies, most of the nature preserves, state parks, and identified natural areas in the sand regions were visited on numerous occasions and vegetation surveys undertaken. The information presented in this paper could allow rare plant conservation in Illinois to become more proactive by encouraging the selection of sites where in situ conservation efforts could be conducted by state, local, and nongovernmental organizations.

Condiciones para la innovación, cultura organizacional y sostenibilidad de las organizaciones

Las organizaciones se pueden asumir como el resultado de las necesidades históricas del entorno y de los sistemas sociales en su proceso evolutivo, y su sostenibilidad depende de la capacidad de entender su propia complejidad. Este artículo propone que la dotación de condiciones para la innovación, como expresión de la cultura organizacional, es una opción garante de sostenibilidad y requiere de un proceso no uniforme, ni predecible, es decir, un proceso complejo. Las reflexiones apuntan a que las empresas, para garantizar su sostenibilidad deben encontrar, cuasiequilibrios altamente dinámicos y transitorios, del núcleo de los requerimientos funcionales de las demandas y las capacidades estructurales de la oferta. Como resultado de esta reflexión se propone que las decisiones instrumentadas a partir de estas capacidades, pueden aceptarse dentro de un rango amplio de estrategias evolutivas eficientes, en un extenso espectro que va desde la adición cercana a los enfoques económicos ortodoxos hasta los actuales de innovación.

DnaG interacts with a linker region that joins the N- and C-domains of DnaB and induces the formation of 3-fold symmetric rings

Loading of the replicative ring helicase onto the origin of replication (oriC) is the final outcome of a well coordinated series of events that collectively constitute a primosomal cascade. Once the ring helicase is loaded, it recruits the primase and signals the switch to the polymerization mode. The transient nature of the helicase-primase (DnaB-DnaG) interaction in the Escherichia coli system has hindered our efforts to elucidate its structure and function. Taking advantage of the stable DnaB-DnaG complex in Bacillus stearothermophilus, we have reviewed conflicting mutagenic data from other bacterial systems and shown that DnaG interacts with the flexible linker that connects the N- and C-terminal domains of DnaB. Furthermore, atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging experiments show that binding of the primase to the helicase induces predominantly a 3-fold symmetric morphology to the hexameric ring. Overall, three DnaG molecules appear to interact with the hexameric ring helicase but a small number of complexes with two and even one DnaG molecule bound to DnaB were also detected. The structural/functional significance of these data is discussed and a speculative structural model for this complex is suggested.

Base de dados relacional de controlos de segurança da informação

No desenvolvimento deste Trabalho de Investigação Aplicada, pretende-se responder à questão: Quais os requisitos necessários a implementar numa base de dados relacional de controlos de segurança da informação para Unidades, Estabelecimentos ou Órgãos militares do Exército Português? Deste modo, para se responder a esta questão central, houve necessidade de subdividir esta em quatro questões derivadas, sendo elas: 1. Quais as principais dimensões de segurança da informação ao nível organizacional? 2. Quais as principais categorias de segurança da informação ao nível organizacional? 3. Quais os principais controlos de segurança da informação a implementar numa organização militar? 4. Quais os requisitos funcionais necessários a implementar numa base de dados de controlos de segurança da informação a implementar numa organização militar? Para responder a estas questões de investigação, este trabalho assenta numa investigação aplicada, com o objetivo de desenvolver uma aplicação prática para os conhecimentos adquiridos, materializando-se assim numa base de dados. Ainda, quanto ao objetivo da investigação, este é descritivo, explicativo e exploratório, uma vez que, tem o objetivo de descrever as principais dimensões, categorias e controlos da segurança da informação, assim como o objetivo de explicar quais são os requisitos funcionais necessários a implementar numa base de dados de controlos de segurança da informação. Por último, tem ainda o objetivo de efetuar um estudo exploratório, comprovando a eficácia da base de dados. Esta investigação assenta no método indutivo, partindo de premissas particulares para chegar a conclusões gerais, isto é, a partir de análise de documentos e de inquéritos por entrevista, identificar-se-ão quais são os requisitos funcionais necessários a implementar, generalizando para todas as Unidades, Estabelecimentos ou Órgãos militares do Exército Português. No que corresponde ao método de procedimentos, usar-se-á o método comparativo, com vista a identificar qual é a norma internacional de gestão de segurança de informação mais indicada a registar na base de dados. Por último, como referido anteriormente, no que concerne às técnicas de investigação, será usado o inquérito por entrevista, identificando os requisitos necessários a implementar, e a análise de documentos, identificando as principais dimensões, categoriasou controlos necessários a implementar numa base de dados de controlos de segurança da informação. Posto isto, numa primeira fase da investigação, através da análise de documentos, percecionam-se as principais dimensões, categorias e controlos de segurança da informação necessários a aplicar nas Unidades, Estabelecimentos ou Órgãos militares do Exército Português, por forma a contribuir para o sucesso na gestão da segurança da informação militar. Ainda, através de entrevistas a especialistas da área de segurança da informação e dos Sistemas de Informação nas unidades militares, identificar-se-ão quais os requisitos funcionais necessários a implementar numa base de dados de controlos de segurança da informação a implementar numa organização militar. Por último, numa segunda fase, através do modelo de desenvolvimento de software em cascata revisto, pretende-se desenvolver uma base de dados relacional, em Microsoft Access, de controlos de segurança da Informação a fim de implementar em Unidades, Estabelecimentos ou Órgãos militares do Exército Português. Posteriormente, após o desenvolvimento da base de dados, pretende-se efetuar um estudo exploratório com vista a validar a mesma, de modo a comprovar se esta responde às necessidades para a qual foi desenvolvida.

More than Metadata: Where the Rubber Meets the Road in DLS Migration

This panel presentation provided several use cases that detail the complexity of large-scale digital library system (DLS) migration from the perspective of three university libraries and a statewide academic library services consortium. Each described the methodologies developed at the beginning of their migration process, the unique challenges that arose along the way, how issues were managed, and the outcomes of their work. Florida Atlantic University, Florida International University, and the University of Central Florida are members of the state's academic library services consortium, the Florida Virtual Campus (FLVC). In 2011, the Digital Services Committee members began exploring alternatives to DigiTool, their shared FLVC hosted DLS. After completing a review of functional requirements and existing systems, the universities and FLVC began the implementation process of their chosen platforms. Migrations began in 2013 with limited sets of materials. As functionalities were enhanced to support additional categories of materials from the legacy system, migration paths were created for the remaining materials. Some of the challenges experienced with the institutional and statewide collaborative legacy collections were due to gradual changes in standards, technology, policies, and personnel. This was manifested in the quality of original digital files and metadata, as well as collection and record structures. Additionally, the complexities involved with multiple institutions collaborating and compromising throughout the migration process, as well as the move from a consortial support structure with a vendor solution to open source systems (both locally and consortially supported), presented their own sets of unique challenges. Following the presentation, the speakers discussed commonalities in their migration experience, including learning opportunities for future migrations.

Modeling the Aesthetic Axis of Information Organization Frameworks, Part 1: Theoretical Basis

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a theoretical framework, based on contemporary philosophical aesthetics, from which principled assessments of the aesthetic value of information organization frameworks may be conducted.Design/methodology/approach – This paper identifies appropriate discourses within the field of philosophical aesthetics, constructs from them a framework for assessing aesthetic properties of information organization frameworks. This framework is then applied in two case studies examining the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), and Sexual Nomenclature: A Thesaurus. Findings – In both information organization frameworks studied, the aesthetic analysis was useful in identifying judgments of the frameworks as aesthetic judgments, in promoting discovery of further areas of aesthetic judgments, and in prompting reflection on the nature of these aesthetic judgments. Research limitations/implications – This study provides proof-of-concept for the aesthetic evaluation of information organization frameworks. Areas of future research are identified as the role of cultural relativism in such aesthetic evaluation and identification of appropriate aesthetic properties of information organization frameworks.Practical implications – By identifying a subset of judgments of information organization frameworks as aesthetic judgments, aesthetic evaluation of such frameworks can be made explicit and principled. Aesthetic judgments can be separated from questions of economic feasibility, functional requirements, and user-orientation. Design and maintenance of information organization frameworks can be based on these principles.Originality/value – This study introduces a new evaluative axis for information organization frameworks based on philosophical aesthetics. By improving the evaluation of such novel frameworks, design and maintenance can be guided by these principles.Keywords Evaluation, Research methods, Analysis, Bibliographic systems, Indexes, Retrieval languages

Modeling the Aesthetic Axis of Information Organization Frameworks, Part 2: Case Studies

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a theoretical framework, based on contemporary philosophical aesthetics, from which principled assessments of the aesthetic value of information organization frameworks may be conducted.Design/methodology/approach – This paper identifies appropriate discourses within the field of philosophical aesthetics, constructs from them a framework for assessing aesthetic properties of information organization frameworks. This framework is then applied in two case studies examining the Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH), and Sexual Nomenclature: A Thesaurus. Findings – In both information organization frameworks studied, the aesthetic analysis was useful in identifying judgments of the frameworks as aesthetic judgments, in promoting discovery of further areas of aesthetic judgments, and in prompting reflection on the nature of these aesthetic judgments. Research limitations/implications – This study provides proof-of-concept for the aesthetic evaluation of information organization frameworks. Areas of future research are identified as the role of cultural relativism in such aesthetic evaluation and identification of appropriate aesthetic properties of information organization frameworks.Practical implications – By identifying a subset of judgments of information organization frameworks as aesthetic judgments, aesthetic evaluation of such frameworks can be made explicit and principled. Aesthetic judgments can be separated from questions of economic feasibility, functional requirements, and user-orientation. Design and maintenance of information organization frameworks can be based on these principles.Originality/value – This study introduces a new evaluative axis for information organization frameworks based on philosophical aesthetics. By improving the evaluation of such novel frameworks, design and maintenance can be guided by these principles.Keywords Evaluation, Analysis, Bibliographic systems, Indexes, Retrieval languages, Philosophy

Authenticity as a Social Contract—We Are Our Records

This poster presents the authors’ work to date on developing an application profile for authenticity metadata (the IPAM, or InterPARES Authenticity Metadata), including (1) the functional requirements,(2) metadata elements derived from the Chain of Preservation model from the InterPARES research project, (3) a crosswalk of a sample of IPAM elements to Dublin Core, PREMIS, and MoReq2010,(4) those elements deemed essential to presume the authenticity of a record as it moves from creation to permanent preservation, and (5) next steps, integrating the application profile into the Archivematica preservation system the core elements of the application profile relating to maintaining the presumption of authenticity through preservation and access.

Epistemic, Ontic, Axiologic, and Praxic Constructs in Knowledge Organization Research

The work of knowledge organization requires a particular set of tools. For instance we need standards of content description like Anglo-American Cataloging Rules Edition 2, Resource Description and Access (RDA), Cataloging Cultural Objects, and Describing Archives: A Content Standard. When we intellectualize the process of knowledge organization – that is when we do basic theoretical research in knowledge organization we need another set of tools. For this latter exercise we need constructs. Constructs are ideas with many conceptual elements, largely considered subjective. They allow us to be inventive as well as allow us to see a particular point of view in knowledge organization. For example, Patrick Wilson’s ideas of exploitative control and descriptive control, or S. R. Ranganathan’s fundamental categories are constructs. They allow us to identify functional requirements or operationalizations of functional requirements, or at least come close to them for our systems and schemes. They also allow us to carry out meaningful evaluation.What is even more interesting, from a research point of view, is that constructs once offered to the community can be contested and reinterpreted and this has an affect on how we view knowledge organization systems and processes. Fundamental categories are again a good example in that some members of the Classification Research Group (CRG) argued against Ranganathan’s point of view. The CRG posited more fundamental categories than Ranganathan’s five, Personality, Matter, Energy, Space, and Time (Ranganathan, 1967). The CRG needed significantly more fundamental categories for their work.1 And these are just two voices in this space we can also consider the fundamental categories of Johannes Kaiser (1911), Shera and Egan, Barbara Kyle (Vickery, 1960), and Eric de Grolier (1962). We can also reference contemporary work that continues comparison and analysis of fundamental categories (e.g., Dousa, 2011).In all these cases we are discussing a construct. The fundamental category is not discovered; it is constructed by a classificationist. This is done because it is useful in engaging in the act of classification. And while we are accustomed to using constructs or debating their merit in one knowledge organization activity or another, we have not analyzed their structure, nor have we created a typology. In an effort to probe the epistemological dimension of knowledge organization, we think it would be a fruitful exercise to do this. This is because we might benefit from clarity around not only our terminology, but the manner in which we talk about our terminology. We are all creative workers examining what is available to us, but doing so through particular lenses (constructs) identifying particular constructs. And by knowing these and being able to refer to these we would consider a core competency for knowledge organization researchers.

Skeletal variability of the fibular ends and evolutionary implications

This thesis investigates the morphological variations of fibular extremities in humans and non-human hominids using a 3D Geometric Morphometric approach. The study has three objectives: (1) to assess the shape, form, and size variations of fibular epiphyses within the human species, highlighting sexually dimorphic features; (2) to explore interpopulation variability of fibular extremities from the Upper Paleolithic to the 20th century, comparing subsistence, mobility, and lifestyles; and (3) to examine interspecific variations in fibular ends, testing potential associations with locomotor and positional behavior among extant hominid taxa. In terms of intraspecific variations, sex-related differences in fibular form and size were observed, suggesting distinct functional requirements for the lower limb between sexes. Interpopulation variations revealed a decline in activity level over time, influenced by terrain and footwear use. Hunter-gatherer groups exhibited greater joint mobility, loading, and range of motion compared to sedentary pre- and post-industrial populations. Interspecific variations demonstrated significant morphological differences among hominid taxa, indicating functional implications related to both phylogeny and specific loading patterns on the lower limb. The study identified features indicative of bipedalism in humans, as well as shared characteristics among non-human great apes. Furthermore, distinguishing features were found between Asian and African apes, along with unique morphological signals associated with distinct positional behavior in each hominid taxa. By comprehensively analyzing fibular morphology, this research sheds light on the importance of this bone in knee support, ankle stabilization, and overall locomotor function. The findings contribute to our understanding of the evolutionary and functional aspects of the fibula across human populations and non-human hominids throughout history.

Polarity and specific sequence requirements of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)/retinoid X receptor heterodimer binding to DNA. A functional analysis of the malic enzyme gene PPAR response element.

The malic enzyme (ME) gene is a target for both thyroid hormone receptors and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR). Within the ME promoter, two direct repeat (DR)-1-like elements, MEp and MEd, have been identified as putative PPAR response elements (PPRE). We demonstrate that only MEp and not MEd is able to bind PPAR/retinoid X receptor (RXR) heterodimers and mediate peroxisome proliferator signaling. Taking advantage of the close sequence resemblance of MEp and MEd, we have identified crucial determinants of a PPRE. Using reciprocal mutation analyses of these two elements, we show the preference for adenine as the spacing nucleotide between the two half-sites of the PPRE and demonstrate the importance of the two first bases flanking the core DR1 in 5'. This latter feature of the PPRE lead us to consider the polarity of the PPAR/RXR heterodimer bound to its cognate element. We demonstrate that, in contrast to the polarity of RXR/TR and RXR/RAR bound to DR4 and DR5 elements respectively, PPAR binds to the 5' extended half-site of the response element, while RXR occupies the 3' half-site. Consistent with this polarity is our finding that formation and binding of the PPAR/RXR heterodimer requires an intact hinge T region in RXR while its integrity is not required for binding of the RXR/TR heterodimer to a DR4.

Blood flow and oxygen delivery to human brain during functional activity: Theoretical modeling and experimental data

Coupling of cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral metabolic rate for oxygen (CMRO2) in physiologically activated brain states remains the subject of debates. Recently it was suggested that CBF is tightly coupled to oxidative metabolism in a nonlinear fashion. As part of this hypothesis, mathematical models of oxygen delivery to the brain have been described in which disproportionately large increases in CBF are necessary to sustain even small increases in CMRO2 during activation. We have explored the coupling of CBF and oxygen delivery by using two complementary methods. First, a more complex mathematical model was tested that differs from those recently described in that no assumptions were made regarding tissue oxygen level. Second, [15O] water CBF positron emission tomography (PET) studies in nine healthy subjects were conducted during states of visual activation and hypoxia to examine the relationship of CBF and oxygen delivery. In contrast to previous reports, our model showed adequate tissue levels of oxygen could be maintained without the need for increased CBF or oxygen delivery. Similarly, the PET studies demonstrated that the regional increase in CBF during visual activation was not affected by hypoxia. These findings strongly indicate that the increase in CBF associated with physiological activation is regulated by factors other than local requirements in oxygen.