Hospitality Information Systems: Intuitive, Object-Oriented, and Wireless Technology

Automated information system design and implementation is one of the fastest changing aspects of the hospitality industry. During the past several years nothing has increased the professionalism or improved the productivity within the industry more than the application of computer technology. Intuitive software applications, deemed the first step toward making computers more people-literate, object-oriented programming, intended to more accurately model reality, and wireless communications are expected to play a significant role in future technological advancement.

Information systems to support decision-making in *construction owner organizations: A data warehousing approach

Construction organizations typically deal with large volumes of project data containing valuable information. It is found that these organizations do not use these data effectively for planning and decision-making. There are two reasons. First, the information systems in construction organizations are designed to support day-to-day construction operations. The data stored in these systems are often non-validated, non-integrated and are available in a format that makes it difficult for decision makers to use in order to make timely decisions. Second, the organizational structure and the IT infrastructure are often not compatible with the information systems thereby resulting in higher operational costs and lower productivity. These two issues have been investigated in this research with the objective of developing systems that are structured for effective decision-making. ^ A framework was developed to guide storage and retrieval of validated and integrated data for timely decision-making and to enable construction organizations to redesign their organizational structure and IT infrastructure matched with information system capabilities. The research was focused on construction owner organizations that were continuously involved in multiple construction projects. Action research and Data warehousing techniques were used to develop the framework. ^ One hundred and sixty-three construction owner organizations were surveyed in order to assess their data needs, data management practices and extent of use of information systems in planning and decision-making. For in-depth analysis, Miami-Dade Transit (MDT) was selected which is in-charge of all transportation-related construction projects in the Miami-Dade county. A functional model and a prototype system were developed to test the framework. The results revealed significant improvements in data management and decision-support operations that were examined through various qualitative (ease in data access, data quality, response time, productivity improvement, etc.) and quantitative (time savings and operational cost savings) measures. The research results were first validated by MDT and then by a representative group of twenty construction owner organizations involved in various types of construction projects. ^

Analysis of fractured terrain using remote sensing and geographic information systems : establishing a correlation between fracture network properties and vegetation

This research analyzed the spatial relationship between a mega-scale fracture network and the occurrence of vegetation in an arid region. High-resolution aerial photographs of Arches National Park, Utah were used for digital image processing. Four sets of large-scale joints were digitized from the rectified color photograph in order to characterize the geospatial properties of the fracture network with the aid of a Geographic Information System. An unsupervised landcover classification was carried out to identify the spatial distribution of vegetation on the fractured outcrop. Results of this study confirm that the WNW-ESE alignment of vegetation is dominantly controlled by the spatial distribution of the systematic joint set, which in turn parallels the regional fold axis. This research provides insight into the spatial heterogeneity inherent to fracture networks, as well as the effects of jointing on the distribution of surface vegetation in desert environments.

Information systems to support decision-making in construction owner organizations : a data warehousing approach

Construction organizations typically deal with large volumes of project data containing valuable information. It is found that these organizations do not use these data effectively for planning and decision-making. There are two reasons. First, the information systems in construction organizations are designed to support day-to-day construction operations. The data stored in these systems are often non-validated, nonintegrated and are available in a format that makes it difficult for decision makers to use in order to make timely decisions. Second, the organizational structure and the IT infrastructure are often not compatible with the information systems thereby resulting in higher operational costs and lower productivity. These two issues have been investigated in this research with the objective of developing systems that are structured for effective decision-making. A framework was developed to guide storage and retrieval of validated and integrated data for timely decision-making and to enable construction organizations to redesign their organizational structure and IT infrastructure matched with information system capabilities. The research was focused on construction owner organizations that were continuously involved in multiple construction projects. Action research and Data warehousing techniques were used to develop the framework. One hundred and sixty-three construction owner organizations were surveyed in order to assess their data needs, data management practices and extent of use of information systems in planning and decision-making. For in-depth analysis, Miami-Dade Transit (MDT) was selected which is in-charge of all transportation-related construction projects in the Miami-Dade county. A functional model and a prototype system were developed to test the framework. The results revealed significant improvements in data management and decision-support operations that were examined through various qualitative (ease in data access, data quality, response time, productivity improvement, etc.) and quantitative (time savings and operational cost savings) measures. The research results were first validated by MDT and then by a representative group of twenty construction owner organizations involved in various types of construction projects.

Perfil sociodemográfico dos idosos nas capitais do Nordeste e a mortalidade por doenças crônico-degenerativas desse segmento populacional em Natal (RN)

Population aging is a global demographic trend. This process is a reality that merits attention and importance in recent years, and cause considerable impact in terms of greater demands on the health sector, social security and special care and attention from families and society as a whole. Thus, in the context of addressing the consequences of demographic transition, population aging is characterized as a major challenge for Brazilian society. Therefore, this study was conducted in two main objectives. In the first article, variables of socioeconomic and demographic contexts were employed to identify multidimensional profiles of elderly residents in the Northeast capitals, from specific indicators from the 2010 Census information Therefore, we used the Grade of Membership Method (GoM), whose design profiles admits that an individual belongs to different degrees of relevance to multiple profiles in order to identify socioeconomic and demographic factors associated with living conditions of the elderly in the Northeastern capitals. The second article examined the possible relationship between mortality from chronic diseases and socio-economic indicators in the elderly population, of the 137 districts in Natal, broken down by ten-year age groups (60 to 69 years, 70-79 years and 80 and over. The microdata from the Mortality Information System (SIM), was used, provided by the Health Secretariat of Christmas, and population information came from the Population Census 2010. The method refers to the Global and Local Index neighborhood logic (LISA) Moran, whose spatial distribution from the choropleth maps allowed us to analyze the mortality of the elderly by neighborhoods, according to socioeconomic and demographic indicators, according to the presence of special significance. In the first article, the results show the identification of three extreme profiles. The Profile 1 which is characterized by median socioeconomic status and contributes 35.5% of elderly residents in the area considered. The profile 2 which brings together seniors with low socioeconomic status characteristics, with a percentage of 24.8% of cases. And the Profile 3 composing elderly with features that reveal better socioeconomic conditions, about 29.7% of the elderly. Overall, the results point to poor living conditions represented by the definition of these profiles, mainly expressed by the results observed in more than half of the northeastern elderly experience a situation of social vulnerability given the large percentage that makes up the Profile 1 and Profile 2, adding 60% of the elderly. In the second article, the results show a higher proportion of elderly concentrated in the neighborhoods of higher socioeconomic status, such as Petrópolis and LagoaSeca. Mortality rates, according to the causes of death and standardized by the empirical Bayesian method were distributed locally as follows: Neoplasms (Reis Santos, New Discovery, New Town, Grass Soft and Ponta Negra); Hypertensive diseases (Blue Lagoon, Potengi, Redinha, Reis Santos, Riverside, Lagoa Nova, Grass Soft, Neópolis and Ponta Negra); Acute Myocardial Infarction (Northeast, Guarapes and grass Soft); Cerebrovascular diseases (Petrópolis and Mother Luiza); Pneumonia (Ribeira, Praia do Meio, New Discovery, Grass Soft and Ponta Negra); Chronic Diseases of the Lower Way Airlines (Igapó, Northeast and Thursdays). The present findings at work may contribute to other studies on the subject and development of specific policies for the elderly.

Perfil sociodemográfico dos idosos nas capitais do Nordeste e a mortalidade por doenças crônico-degenerativas desse segmento populacional em Natal (RN)

Population aging is a global demographic trend. This process is a reality that merits attention and importance in recent years, and cause considerable impact in terms of greater demands on the health sector, social security and special care and attention from families and society as a whole. Thus, in the context of addressing the consequences of demographic transition, population aging is characterized as a major challenge for Brazilian society. Therefore, this study was conducted in two main objectives. In the first article, variables of socioeconomic and demographic contexts were employed to identify multidimensional profiles of elderly residents in the Northeast capitals, from specific indicators from the 2010 Census information Therefore, we used the Grade of Membership Method (GoM), whose design profiles admits that an individual belongs to different degrees of relevance to multiple profiles in order to identify socioeconomic and demographic factors associated with living conditions of the elderly in the Northeastern capitals. The second article examined the possible relationship between mortality from chronic diseases and socio-economic indicators in the elderly population, of the 137 districts in Natal, broken down by ten-year age groups (60 to 69 years, 70-79 years and 80 and over. The microdata from the Mortality Information System (SIM), was used, provided by the Health Secretariat of Christmas, and population information came from the Population Census 2010. The method refers to the Global and Local Index neighborhood logic (LISA) Moran, whose spatial distribution from the choropleth maps allowed us to analyze the mortality of the elderly by neighborhoods, according to socioeconomic and demographic indicators, according to the presence of special significance. In the first article, the results show the identification of three extreme profiles. The Profile 1 which is characterized by median socioeconomic status and contributes 35.5% of elderly residents in the area considered. The profile 2 which brings together seniors with low socioeconomic status characteristics, with a percentage of 24.8% of cases. And the Profile 3 composing elderly with features that reveal better socioeconomic conditions, about 29.7% of the elderly. Overall, the results point to poor living conditions represented by the definition of these profiles, mainly expressed by the results observed in more than half of the northeastern elderly experience a situation of social vulnerability given the large percentage that makes up the Profile 1 and Profile 2, adding 60% of the elderly. In the second article, the results show a higher proportion of elderly concentrated in the neighborhoods of higher socioeconomic status, such as Petrópolis and LagoaSeca. Mortality rates, according to the causes of death and standardized by the empirical Bayesian method were distributed locally as follows: Neoplasms (Reis Santos, New Discovery, New Town, Grass Soft and Ponta Negra); Hypertensive diseases (Blue Lagoon, Potengi, Redinha, Reis Santos, Riverside, Lagoa Nova, Grass Soft, Neópolis and Ponta Negra); Acute Myocardial Infarction (Northeast, Guarapes and grass Soft); Cerebrovascular diseases (Petrópolis and Mother Luiza); Pneumonia (Ribeira, Praia do Meio, New Discovery, Grass Soft and Ponta Negra); Chronic Diseases of the Lower Way Airlines (Igapó, Northeast and Thursdays). The present findings at work may contribute to other studies on the subject and development of specific policies for the elderly.

Business information systems:technology, development and management for the e-business

In order to run a successful business, today’s manager needs to combine business skills with an understanding of information systems and the opportunities and benefits that they bring to an organisation. Starting from basic concepts, this book provides a comprehensive and accessible guide to: •understanding the technology of business information systems; •choosing the right information system for an organisation; •developing and managing an efficient business information system; •employing information systems strategically to achieve organisational goals. Taking a problem-solving approach, Business Information Systems looks at information systems theory within the context of the most recent business and technological advances. This thoroughly revised new edition has updated and expanded coverage of contemporary key topics such as: •Web 2.0 •enterprise systems •implementation and design of IS strategy •outsourcing

A Mobile High Sensitivity On-field Organophosphorous Compounds Detecting System for IoT Based Food Safety Tracking

Food safety has always been a social issue that draws great public attention. With the rapid development of wireless communication technologies and intelligent devices, more and more Internet of Things (IoT) systems are applied in the food safety tracking field. However, connection between things and information system is usually established by pre-storing information of things into RFID Tag, which is inapplicable for on-field food safety detection. Therefore, considering pesticide residue is one of the severe threaten to food safety, a new portable, high-sensitivity, low-power, on-field organophosphorus (OP) compounds detection system is proposed in this thesis to realize the on-field food safety detection. The system is designed based on optical detection method by using a customized photo-detection sensor. A Micro Controller Unit (MCU) and a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) module are used to quantize and transmit detection result. An Android Application (APP) is also developed for the system to processing and display detection result as well as control the detection process. Besides, a quartzose sample container and black system box are also designed and made for the system demonstration. Several optimizations are made in wireless communication, circuit layout, Android APP and industrial design to realize the mobility, low power and intelligence.

Using technology to overcome the tyranny of space: information provision and wayfinding.

Urban wayfinding technology offers many possibilities by which older people and mobility-impaired users can overcome the barriers encountered on every-day journeys in the built environment. Previous work has highlighted the extent to which personal mobility and independence are significant determinants of the quality of life amongst both elderly and visually impaired groups. The paper outlines the development of the auditory location finder (ALF), which is a beacon-based local information system designed to enhance the wayfinding activities of these, and potentially other, user-groups in the community. The proposed system provides the user with an audio message, which is obtained on request via a small portable hand unit. The messages inform the user of their whereabouts and give information about the area that they are currently in. The development of the device involves issues such as message content and structure, route choice, orientation, landmarks, clues and the extent of user reliance on technology. Preliminary trials have been carried out in a UK city and have obtained initial user feedback to help underpin the technological development of the device and its potential application. The paper concludes by outlining the importance of new urban technology and the way in which such local information systems can potentially contribute to overcoming particular patterns of exclusion experienced by mobility-impaired groups, such as the visually impaired

Mediator framework for inserting xDRs into hadoop

During the last decades, we assisted to what is called “information explosion”. With the advent of the new technologies and new contexts, the volume, velocity and variety of data has increased exponentially, becoming what is known today as big data. Among them, we emphasize telecommunications operators, which gather, using network monitoring equipment, millions of network event records, the Call Detail Records (CDRs) and the Event Detail Records (EDRs), commonly known as xDRs. These records are stored and later processed to compute network performance and quality of service metrics. With the ever increasing number of collected xDRs, its generated volume needing to be stored has increased exponentially, making the current solutions based on relational databases not suited anymore. To tackle this problem, the relational data store can be replaced by Hadoop File System (HDFS). However, HDFS is simply a distributed file system, this way not supporting any aspect of the relational paradigm. To overcome this difficulty, this paper presents a framework that enables the current systems inserting data into relational databases, to keep doing it transparently when migrating to Hadoop. As proof of concept, the developed platform was integrated with the Altaia - a performance and QoS management of telecommunications networks and services.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

ERIC is an information system sponsored by the National Institute of Education, Department of Education, United States acquires, selects, summarizes, indexes, processes and disseminates information that is generated and produced in the field of education.ERIC was founded in 1966 with the purpose of controlling and collecting the literature of education and research and technical reports, conferences, studies by commissions and committees, descriptions of projects and programs, lectures, speeches and the like.

STATE OF CHARGE BALANCING DROOP CONTROL

This thesis presents a load sharing method applied in a distributed micro grid system. The goal of this method is to balance the state-of-charge (SoC) of each parallel connected battery and make it possible to detect the average SoC of the system by measuring bus voltage for all connected modules. In this method the reference voltage for each battery converter is adjusted by adding a proportional SoC factor. Under such setting the battery with a higher SoC will output more power, whereas the one with lower SoC gives out less. Therefore the higher SoC battery will use its energy faster than the lower ones, and eventually the SoC and output power of each battery will converge. And because the reference voltage is related to SoC status, the information of the average SoC in this system could be shared for all modules by measuring bus voltage. The SoC balancing speed is related to the SoC droop factors. This SoC-based load sharing control system is analyzed in feasibility and stability. Simulations in MATLAB/Simulink are presented, which indicate that this control scheme could balance the battery SoCs as predicted. The observation of SoC sharing through bus voltage was validated in both software simulation and hardware experiments. It could be of use to non-communicated distributed power system in load shedding and power planning.

Solution to reduce nonlinearity in LTE RoF system for an efficient das topology:a brief review

In this paper, a review on radio-over-fiber (RoF) technology is conducted to support the exploding growth of mobile broadband. An RoF system will provide a platform for distributed antenna system (DAS) as a fronthaul of long term evolution (LTE) technology. A higher splitting ratio from a macrocell is required to support large DAS topology, hence higher optical launch power (OLP) is the right approach. However, high OLP generates undesired nonlinearities, namely the stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS). Three different aspects of solving the SBS process are covered in this paper, where the solutions ultimately provided an additional 4 dB link budget.

A novel latent factor model for recommender system

Matrix factorization (MF) has evolved as one of the better practice to handle sparse data in field of recommender systems. Funk singular value decomposition (SVD) is a variant of MF that exists as state-of-the-art method that enabled winning the Netflix prize competition. The method is widely used with modifications in present day research in field of recommender systems. With the potential of data points to grow at very high velocity, it is prudent to devise newer methods that can handle such data accurately as well as efficiently than Funk-SVD in the context of recommender system. In view of the growing data points, I propose a latent factor model that caters to both accuracy and efficiency by reducing the number of latent features of either users or items making it less complex than Funk-SVD, where latent features of both users and items are equal and often larger. A comprehensive empirical evaluation of accuracy on two publicly available, amazon and ml-100 k datasets reveals the comparable accuracy and lesser complexity of proposed methods than Funk-SVD.

Design and implementation of an enterprise application integration solution for science and research outcomes information management using guaraná technology

This document presents an Enterprise Application Integration based proposal for research outcomes and technological information management. The proposal addresses national and international science and research outcomes information management, and corresponding information systems. Information systems interoperability problems, approaches, technologies and integration tools are presented and applied to the research outcomes information management case. A business and technological perspective is provided, including the conceptual analysis and modelling, an integration solution based in a Domain-Specific Language (DSL) and the integration platform to execute the proposed solution. For illustrative purposes, the role and information system needs of a research unit is assumed as the representative case.