Ontology-based access to sensor data streams

Sensor networks are increasingly becoming one of the main sources of Big Data on the Web. However, the observations that they produce are made available with heterogeneous schemas, vocabularies and data formats, making it difficult to share and reuse these data for other purposes than those for which they were originally set up. In this thesis we address these challenges, considering how we can transform streaming raw data to rich ontology-based information that is accessible through continuous queries for streaming data. Our main contribution is an ontology-based approach for providing data access and query capabilities to streaming data sources, allowing users to express their needs at a conceptual level, independent of implementation and language-specific details. We introduce novel query rewriting and data translation techniques that rely on mapping definitions relating streaming data models to ontological concepts. Specific contributions include: ��� The syntax and semantics of the SPARQLStream query language for ontologybased data access, and a query rewriting approach for transforming SPARQLStream queries into streaming algebra expressions. ��� The design of an ontology-based streaming data access engine that can internally reuse an existing data stream engine, complex event processor or sensor middleware, using R2RML mappings for defining relationships between streaming data models and ontology concepts. Concerning the sensor metadata of such streaming data sources, we have investigated how we can use raw measurements to characterize streaming data, producing enriched data descriptions in terms of ontological models. Our specific contributions are: ��� A representation of sensor data time series that captures gradient information that is useful to characterize types of sensor data. ��� A method for classifying sensor data time series and determining the type of data, using data mining techniques, and a method for extracting semantic sensor metadata features from the time series.

Enabling query technologies for the semantic sensor web

Sensor networks are increasingly being deployed in the environment for many different purposes. The observations that they produce are made available with heterogeneous schemas, vocabularies and data formats, making it difficult to share and reuse this data, for other purposes than those for which they were originally set up. The authors propose an ontology-based approach for providing data access and query capabilities to streaming data sources, allowing users to express their needs at a conceptual level, independent of implementation and language-specific details. In this article, the authors describe the theoretical foundations and technologies that enable exposing semantically enriched sensor metadata, and querying sensor observations through SPARQL extensions, using query rewriting and data translation techniques according to mapping languages, and managing both pull and push delivery modes.

El aprovechamiento del deporte por la pol��tica: datos culturales para un an��lisis sociol��gico

CAPITULO PRIMERO: EL DEPORTE EN LA SOCIEDAD (SU EVOLUCI��N) - El primer Estadio dentro de la evoluci��n hist��rica del deporte corresponde sin lugar a dudas a Grecia. - La Iglesia y el deporte. (Los Doctores de la Iglesia). - La sociedad: Definici��n - Concepto de deporte. (Su importancia social). - Visi��n sociol��gica del deporte. Conclusi��n. CAPITULO SEGUNDO: EL ABANDONO INTELECTUAL DEL DEPORTE. - La educaci��n fisica ante el humanismo - Los intelectuales ante el deporte - El papel del intelectual. Lo que es y lo que significa, reflejado en las palabras del gran fil��sofo JEAN-PAUL SARTRE. CAPITULO TERCERO: DEPORTE, REFLEJO DE LAS CATEGOR��AS DEL SISTEMA CAPITALISTA . - Introducci��n: El capitalismo; conclusiones. - El Modelo del Estado socialista, - Visi��n comunista. ��Cual es la actitud del Estado comunista ante el fen��meno deportivo? - El deporte Sovi��tico: Preguntas y respuestas. - JEAN-PAUL SARTRE opina sobre uno de sus viajes a la Uni��n Sovi��tica - Visi��n de un intelectual sovi��tico en contraposici��n a las opiniones de un intelectual franc��s, acerca del pueblo ruso - Conclusiones - Marco gubernamental de la politica deportiva en nuestro pa��s. CAPITULO CUARTO: "EL OLIMPISMO" "SU SIGNIFICADO POLITICO" - El movimiento de restauraci��n del Olimpismo. - El gran exibicionismo pol��tico. - Historia de los juegos olimpicos. De Atenas a Mosc��. Cada cuatro a��os la maldici��n olimpica

The road to e-services: online and mobile games as enablers

Institute for Prospective Technological Studies Mission: - to provide customer-driven support to the EU policymaking process - by developing science based responses to policy challenges - having both socio-economic and scientific /technological dimension.

On correctness in RDF stream processor benchmarking

Two complementary benchmarks have been proposed so far for the evaluation and continuous improvement of RDF stream processors: SRBench and LSBench. They put a special focus on different features of the evaluated systems, including coverage of the streaming extensions of SPARQL supported by each processor, query processing throughput, and an early analysis of query evaluation correctness, based on comparing the results obtained by different processors for a set of queries. However, none of them has analysed the operational semantics of these processors in order to assess the correctness of query evaluation results. In this paper, we propose a characterization of the operational semantics of RDF stream processors, adapting well-known models used in the stream processing engine community: CQL and SECRET. Through this formalization, we address correctness in RDF stream processor benchmarks, allowing to determine the multiple answers that systems should provide. Finally, we present CSRBench, an extension of SRBench to address query result correctness verification using an automatic method.

Demo paper: tablet-based visualization of transportation data in Madrid using SPARQLStream

In this demo paper we describe an iOS-based application that allows visualizing live bus transport data in Madrid from static and streaming RDF endpoints, reusing the Web services provided by the bus transport authority in the city and wrapping them using SPARQLStream

Innovations in the video game industry: changing global markets

The paper examines the video game industry in the perspective of being the paradigm of innovation in digital media and content. In particular, it analyses the response to two main factors that have impacted this industry over the last decade. First, it tracks the evolution of its global market and its emerging geography with the rise of Asia. Second, within this global landscape the paper explores how the changes derived from mobile and on-line gaming enabled major transformations of this industry. From here, some conclusions on the lessons from the evolution of this sector for the whole media and content industries are presented.

RECONHECENDO-SE SEM-RELIGI��O NAS PERIFERIAS DA CIDADE: LIBERDADE COMPARTILHADA COMO RESIST��NCIA

Reconhecendo, a partir da constata����o emp��rica, a multiplicidade de escolhas de cren��as no Mundo e em particular na periferia urbana paulistana, reconhecemos, tamb��m, a emerg��ncia criativa de novas possibilidades de crer e n��o crer. Tal amplitude n��o apenas aponta para o crer (segundo as ofertas de um sem n��mero de religi��es) e o n��o crer (ateu e agn��stico), mas para uma escolha que poderia vir a ser silenciada e esquecida, neste bin��mio arcaico e obsoleto, quando algu��m se d�� �� liberdade crer sem ter religi��o. Reconhecer interessadamente os sem-religi��o nas periferias urbanas paulistanas �� dar-se conta das viol��ncias a que estes indiv��duos est��o submetidos: viol��ncia econ��mica, viol��ncia da cidadania (vulnerabilidade) e proveniente da armas (grupos x Estado). Tanto quanto a viol��ncia do esquecimento e silenciamento. A concomit��ncia espa��o-temporal dos sem-religi��o nas periferias, levou-nos buscar refer��ncias em teorias de seculariza����o e de laicidade, e, a partir destas, tra��ar uma hist��ria do poder violento, cuja pretens��o �� a inelutabilidade, enquanto suas fissuras s��o abertas em espa��os de resist��ncias. A hist��ria da legitima����o do poder que se quer ��nico, soberano, de car��ter universal, enquanto fragmenta a sociedade em indiv��duos atomizados, fragilizando v��nculos horizontais, e a dos surgimentos de resist��ncias n��o violentas questionadoras da totalidade tr��gica, ao reconhecer a liberdade de ser com autonomia, enquanto se volta para a produ����o de partilha de bens comuns. Propomos reconhecer a igual liberdade de ser (expressa na cren��a da filia����o divina) e de partilhar o bem comum em reconhecimentos m��tuos (expressa pela a����o social), uma express��o de resist��ncia n��o violenta ao poder que requer a igual abdica����o da liberdade pela via da fragmenta����o individualizante e submiss��o inquestion��vel �� ordem totalizante. Os sem-religi��o nas periferias urbanas, nossos contempor��neos, partilhariam uma tal resist��ncia, ao longo da hist��ria, com as melissas gregas, os profetas messi��nicos hebreus, os hereges crist��os e os ateus modernos, cuja pretens��o n��o �� o poder, mas a partilha igual da liberdade e dos bens comuns. Estes laicos, de fato, seriam agentes de resist��ncias de reconhecimento m��tuos, em espa��os de multiplicidade crescente, ao poder violento real na hist��ria.

Rep��blica Federativa Evang��lica: uma an��lise de g��nero sobre a laicidade no Brasil a partir da atua����o dos/as parlamentares evang��licos/as no Congresso Nacional no exerc��cio da 54�� Legislatura S��o Bernardo do Campo

Essa pesquisa objetiva a an��lise da rela����o entre religi��o e pol��tica, em perspectiva de g��nero considerando a atua����o de parlamentares evang��licos/as na 54�� Legislatura (de 2011 a 2014) e a forma de interven����o desses atores no espa��o pol��tico brasileiro quanto �� promulga����o de leis e ao desenvolvimento de pol��ticas p��blicas que contemplem, dentre outras, a regulamenta����o do aborto, a criminaliza����o da homofobia, a uni��o est��vel entre pessoas do mesmo sexo e os desafios oriundos dessa posi����o para o Estado Brasileiro que se posiciona como laico. Ora, se laico remete �� ideia de neutralidade estatal em mat��ria religiosa, legislar legitimado por determinados princ��pios fundamentados em doutrinas religiosas, pode sugerir a supress��o da liberdade e da igualdade, o n��o reconhecimento da diversidade e da pluralidade e a aus��ncia de limites entre os interesses p��blicos / coletivos e privados / particulares. Os procedimentos metodol��gicos para o desenvolvimento dessa pesquisa fundamentam-se na an��lise e interpreta����o bibliogr��fica visando estabelecer a rela����o entre religi��o e pol��tica, a conceitua����o, qualifica����o e tipifica����o do fen��meno da laicidade; levantamento documental; an��lise dos discursos de parlamentares evang��licos/as divulgados pela m��dia, proferidos no plen��rio e adotados para embasar projetos de leis; pesquisa qualitativa com a realiza����o de entrevistas e observa����es das posturas p��blicas adotadas pelos/as parlamentares integrantes da Frente Parlamentar Evang��lica - FPE. Porquanto, os postulados das Ci��ncias da Religi��o devidamente correlacionados com a interpreta����o do conjunto de dados obtidos no campo de pesquisa podem identificar o lugar do religioso na sociedade de forma interativa com as interfaces da laicidade visando aprofundar a compreens��o sobre a democracia, sobre o lugar da religi��o nas sociedades contempor��neas e sobre os direitos difusos, coletivos e individuais das pessoas.

Expression of myogenin during embryogenesis is controlled by Six/sine oculis homeoproteins through a conserved MEF3 binding site

Myogenin, one of the MyoD family of proteins, is expressed early during somitogenesis and is required for myoblast fusion in vivo. Previous studies in transgenic mice have shown that a 184-bp myogenin promoter fragment is sufficient to correctly drive expression of a ��-galactosidase transgene during embryogenesis. We show here that mutation of one of the DNA motifs present in this region, the MEF3 motif, abolished correct expression of this ��-galactosidase transgene. We have found that the proteins that bind to the MEF3 site are homeoproteins of the Six/sine oculis family. Antibodies directed specifically against Six1 or Six4 proteins reveal that each of these proteins is present in the embryo when myogenin is activated and constitutes a muscle-specific MEF3-binding activity in adult muscle nuclear extracts. Both of these proteins accumulate in the nucleus of C2C12 myogenic cells, and transient transfection experiments confirm that Six1 and Six4 are able to transactivate a reporter gene containing MEF3 sites. Altogether these results establish Six homeoproteins as a family of transcription factors controlling muscle formation through activation of one of its key regulators, myogenin.

A retro-inverso peptide corresponding to the GH loop of foot-and-mouth disease virus elicits high levels of long-lasting protective neutralizing���antibodies

Peptides corresponding to the immunodominant loop located at residues 135���158 on capsid protein VP1 of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) generally elicit high levels of anti-peptide and virus-neutralizing antibodies. In some instances, however, the level of neutralizing antibodies is low or even negligible, even though the level of anti-peptide antibodies is high. We have shown previously that the antigenic activity of peptide 141���159 of VP1 of a variant of serotype A can be mimicked by a retro-inverso (all-d retro or retroenantio) peptide analogue. This retro-inverso analogue induced greater and longer-lasting antibody titers than did the corresponding l-peptide. We now show that a single inoculation of the retro-inverso analogue elicits high levels of neutralizing antibodies that persist longer than those induced against the corresponding l-peptide and confer substantial protection in guinea pigs challenged with the cognate virus. In view of the high stability to proteases of retro-inverso peptide analogues and their enhanced immunogenicity, these results have practical relevance in designing potential peptide vaccines.

Inhibition of Rho Is Required for cAMP-induced Melanoma Cell Differentiation

Up-regulation of the cAMP pathway by forskolin or ��-melanocyte stimulating hormone induces melanocyte and melanoma cell differentiation characterized by stimulation of melanin synthesis and dendrite development. Here we show that forskolin-induced dendricity is associated to a disassembly of actin stress fibers. Since Rho controls actin organization, we studied the role of this guanosine triphosphate (GTP)-binding protein in cAMP-induced dendrite formation. Clostridium botulinum C3 exotransferase, which inhibits Rho, mimicked the effect of forskolin in promoting dendricity and stress fiber disruption, while the Escherichia coli toxin cytotoxic necrotizing factor-1 (CNF-1), which activates Rho and the expression of a constitutively active Rho mutant, blocked forskolin-induced dendrite outgrowth. In addition, overexpression of a constitutively active form of the Rho target p160 Rho-kinase (P160ROCK) prevented the dendritogenic effects of cAMP. Our results suggest that inhibition of Rho and of its target p160ROCK are required events for cAMP-induced dendrite outgrowth in B16 cells. Furthermore, we present evidence that Rho is involved in the regulation of melanogenesis. Indeed, Rho inactivation enhanced the cAMP stimulation of tyrosinase gene transcription and protein expression, while Rho constitutive activation impaired these cAMP-induced effects. This reveals that, in addition to controlling dendricity, Rho also participates in the regulation of melanin synthesis by cAMP.

Endogenous, hyperactive Rac3 controls proliferation of breast cancer cells by a p21-activated kinase-dependent pathway

Uncontrolled cell proliferation is a major feature of cancer. Experimental cellular models have implicated some members of the Rho GTPase family in this process. However, direct evidence for active Rho GTPases in tumors or cancer cell lines has never been provided. In this paper, we show that endogenous, hyperactive Rac3 is present in highly proliferative human breast cancer-derived cell lines and tumor tissues. Rac3 activity results from both its distinct subcellular localization at the membrane and altered regulatory factors affecting the guanine nucleotide state of Rac3. Associated with active Rac3 was deregulated, persistent kinase activity of two isoforms of the Rac effector p21-activated kinase (Pak) and of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK). Introducing dominant-negative Rac3 and Pak1 fragments into a breast cancer cell line revealed that active Rac3 drives Pak and JNK kinase activities by two separate pathways. Only the Rac3���Pak pathway was critical for DNA synthesis, independently of JNK. These findings identify Rac3 as a consistently active Rho GTPase in human cancer cells and suggest an important role for Rac3 and Pak in tumor growth.

Heterogeneity of subcellular localization and electrophoretic mobility of survival motor neuron (SMN) protein in mammalian neural cells and tissues

Spinal muscular atrophy is caused by defects in the survival motor neuron (SMN) gene. To better understand the patterns of expression of SMN in neuronal cells and tissues, we raised a polyclonal antibody (abSMN) against a synthetic oligopeptide from SMN exon 2. AbSMN immunostaining in neuroblastoma cells and mouse and human central nervous system (CNS) showed intense labeling of nuclear ���gems,��� along with prominent nucleolar immunoreactivity in mouse and human CNS tissues. Strong cytoplasmic labeling was observed in the perikarya and proximal dendrites of human spinal motor neurons but not in their axons. Immunoblot analysis revealed a 34-kDa species in the insoluble protein fractions from human SY5Y neuroblastoma cells, embryonic mouse spinal cord cultures, and human CNS tissue. By contrast, a 38-kDa species was detected in the cytosolic fraction of SY5Y cells. We conclude that SMN protein is expressed prominently in both the cytoplasm and nucleus in multiple types of neurons in brain and spinal cord, a finding consistent with a role for SMN as a determinant of neuronal viability.