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The article offers information on the fully web enabled online manuscript submission and review system for the "Evolutionary Ecology" journal contributors by Springer in the U.S. The new system was offered for the authors, editors and reviewers of the journal as it will provide them an easy and straightforward log-in and submission procedures. The system supports a wide range of submission file formats such as for manuscripts, Word, Word-Perfect, RTF, TXT and LaTex. While for figures, TIFF, GIF, JPEG, EPS, PPT and Postscript. Format for the manuscripts are also presented by the author for further information.

The monitoring utilization and workloads of computer hardware components, such as CPU, RAM, bus, and storage, are an ideal way to evaluate the effectiveness of these components. In this paper, we surveyed the basic concepts, characteristics, and parameters of computer systems that determine system performance, and the types of models that provide adequate modeling of these systems. We investigated and developed the applied aspects of the theory of fuzzy sets' principles and the Matlab environment tools for monitoring and evaluating the state of computing systems. The idea of the paper is to identify the state of the computer infrastructure by using the models of Mamdani and Sugeno FIS (fuzzy inference system) to evaluate the impact of RAM and storage on CPU performance. With this approach, we observed the behavior of computer infrastructure. The results are useful for understanding performance issues with regard to specific bottlenecks and determining the correlation of performance counters. Moreover, the model presents linguistic results. Hereafter, performance counter correlations will support the development of algorithms that can detect whether the performance of a given computer will be affected by a reasonable priority. The performance assertions derived from these approaches allow resource management policies to prevent performance degradation, and as a result, the infrastructure will be able to serve safely as expected. These methods can be applied across the entire spectrum of computer systems, from personal computers to large mainframes and supercomputers, including both centralized and distributed systems. We look forward to their continued use, as well as their improvement when it is necessary to evaluate future systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the challenges and opportunities of incorporating electronic data capture (EDC) with electronic medical records (EMR) in the U.S. It mentions that EDC allows users to review and analyze data in real time while EMR allows users to perform the same for patient care data since they are both focused on collecting patient data. It notes that the convergence of the two systems has the possibility to improve the management of clinical research data.

The paper analyzes the problem of rational replacement of computing systems. Such systems, especially high-performance computers, are expensive, but quickly become obsolete. A system analysis of the replacement problem is provided and the relevant modeling problems are identified and studied. The obtained results give certain rules for calculating the optimal lifetime of computing systems, which are based on the given rates of technological change in the related computer industry. Two simulation examples estimate the optimal lifetime of PCs and high-performance computers in the current US economy. The results are in good agreement with other recommendations and existing business practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The generalization error bounds found by current error models using the number of effective parameters of a classifier and the number of training samples are usually very loose. These bounds are intended for the entire input space. However, support vector machine (SVM), radial basis function neural network (RBFNN), and multilayer perceptron neural network (MLPNN) are local learning machines for solving problems and treat unseen samples near the training samples to be more important. In this paper, we propose a localized generalization error model which bounds from above the generalization error within a neighborhood of the training samples using stochastic sensitivity measure. It is then used to develop an architecture selection technique for a classifier with maximal coverage of unseen samples by specifying a generalization error threshold. Experiments using 17 University of California at Irvine (UCI) data sets show that, in comparison with cross validation (CV), sequential learning, and two other ad hoc methods, our technique consistently yields the best testing classification accuracy with fewer hidden neurons and less training time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates factors affecting the, post-adoption behavior of first-Her supply chain members within the U.S. automotive industry toward a new information technology. This paper examined a specialized information technology known as the collaborative visibility network (CVN) used within the U.S. automotive industry that provides enhanced part-level visibility to Its supply chain affiliates. Using existing research on innovation diffusion, this paper examines cognitive and experiential antecedents of post-adoption behavior. A model grounded in innovation diffusion theory, social learning theory, and the technology acceptance model is proposed and tested. Field interviews followed by a mail survey were used to collect data from 515 first-tier supply chain users of CVN. A structural equation model tested the hypothesized relationships to support the proposed model. Results confirmed the majority of the hypotheses. The opportunity to experiment, training effectiveness, prior experience with a similar technology, and prior technological knowledge have an effect on perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness, which ultimately affect technology performance. Implications of this study along with suggestions for future research are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Documentation of medical treatment and observation of patients during evacuation from the point of injury to definitive treatment is important both for optimizing patient treatment and managing the evacuation process. The current practice in military medical field documentation uses paper forms and voice communication. There are many shortcomings associated with this approach, especially with respect to information capture and sharing processes. Current research addresses the use of new technology for civilian ambulance-to-hospital communication. The research work presented in this article addresses information capture and sharing in extreme military conditions by evaluating a targeted computerized information system called EvacSys during a military exercise in northern Norway in December 2003., Methods and Materials: EvacSys was designed and implemented in close cooperation with military medical personnel in both Norway and the USA. The system was evaluated and compared to the traditional paper-based documentation method during a military exercise. The on-site evaluation was conducted in a military medical platoon in the Norwegian Armed Forces, using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, observation and video recording to capture the users' system acceptance., Results: A prototype software system running on a commercial off-the-shelf hardware platform was successfully developed. The evaluation of this system shows that the usability of digital information capturing and sharing are perceived to be at least as good as the traditional paper-based method. The medics found the new digital method to be more viable than the old one. No technical problems were encountered., Conclusions: Our research shows that it is feasible to utilize digital information systems for medical documentation in extreme outdoor environments. The usability concern is of utmost importance, and more research should be put into the design and alignment with existing workflow. Successful digitalization of information at the point of care will provide accurate and timely information for the management of resources during disaster response.

Computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) technology is becoming an important tool to assess treatment response in clinical trials. However, CAD software alone is not sufficient to conduct an imaging-based clinical trial. There are a number of architectural requirements such as image receive (from multiple field sites), a database for storing quantitative measures, and data mining and reporting capabilities. In this paper we describe the architectural requirements to incorporate CAD into clinical trials and illustrate their functionality in therapeutic trials for emphysema.

Successful integration of modern psychometrics and advanced informatics in patient-reported outcomes (PRO) measurement and management can potentially maximize the value of health outcomes research and optimize the delivery of quality patient care. Unlike the traditional labor-intensive paper-and-pencil data collection method, item response theory-based computerized adaptive testing methodologies coupled with novel technologies provide an integrated environment to collect, analyze and present ready-to-use PRO data for informed and shared decision-making. This article describes the needs, challenges and solutions for accurate, efficient and cost-effective PRO data acquisition and dissemination means in order to provide critical and timely PRO information necessary to actively support and enhance routine patient care in busy clinical settings.

Many of the Institutes, Agencies and Centers that make up the US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) have recognized the need for better instrumentation in health outcomes research, and provide support, both internally and externally, for research utilizing advances in measurement theory and computer technology (informatics). In this paper, representatives from several DHHS agencies and institutes will discuss their need for better instruments within their discipline and describe current or future initiatives for exploring the benefits of these technologies. Together, the perspectives underscore the importance of developing valid, precise, and efficient measures to capture the full burden of disease and treatment on patients. Initiatives, like the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) to create health-related quality of life item banks, represent a trans-DHHS effort to develop a standard set of measures for informing decision making in clinical research, practice, and health policy.

Background: In 2003, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released a guidance document on the scope of "Part 11" enforcement. In this guidance document, the FDA indicates an expectation of a risk-based approach to determining which systems should undergo validation. Since statistical programs manage and manipulate raw data, their implementation should be critically reviewed to determine whether or not they should undergo validation. However, the concepts of validation are not often discussed in biostatistics curriculum., Discussion: This paper summarizes a "Plan, Do, Say" approach to validation that can be incorporated into statistical training so that biostatisticians can understand and implement validation principles in their research., Summary: Validation is a process that requires dedicated attention. The process of validation can be easily understood in the context of the scientific method.

Collective action at the local and national levels is needed if we wish to achieve women's full participation as creators of computing technology. This paper reviews themes from research on the gender composition of computing with particular emphasis on the United States. The author highlights evidence that both culture and social structures contribute to creating and maintaining women's underrepresentation in this increasingly influential field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proponents of airline passenger profiling claim that profiling will reduce the cost of security, improve the detection of attackers, increase the reliability of signals from screening devices, and reduce the inconvenience to normal passengers. In this paper we show that if the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) manually inspects all those passengers classified as likely attackers and sends others through a screening system, as it did when it deployed the Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening System (CAPPS), then it is superior to no profiling on all four performance measures if and only if the quality of the profiler vis-à-vis that of the screening system is sufficiently high. If the quality of the screening device is sufficiently high, profiling could be detrimental on all four performance measures. On the other hand, if the TSA deploys two screening devices along with the profiler--each screening device optimally configured for each of the two groups of passengers--then profiling improves the reliability of screening device signals, reduces the inconvenience caused to normal passengers, and improves the social welfare even when quality of the screening device is high. One of the implications of our findings is that the security architecture used by the TSA when it deployed CAPPS could provide a strong support to the arguments by some against the use of profiling; however, if the TSA deploys a two-screening device architecture, it might not only blunt the criticism that profiling is discriminatory but also benefit normal passengers and overall society economically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nearest Neighbor search is an important and widely used technique in a number of important application domains. In many of these domains, the dimensionality of the data representation is often very high. Recent theoretical results have shown that the concept of proximity or nearest neighbors may not be very meaningful for the high dimensional case. Therefore, it is often a complex problem to find good quality nearest neighbors in such data sets. Furthermore, it is also difficult to judge the value and relevance of the returned results. In fact, it is hard for any fully automated system to satisfy a user about the quality of the nearest neighbors found unless he is directly involved in the process. This is especially the case for high dimensional data in which the meaningfulness of the nearest neighbors found is questionable. In this paper, we address the complex problem of high dimensional nearest neighbor search from the user perspective by designing a system which uses effective cooperation between the human and the computer. The system provides the user with visual representations of carefully chosen subspaces of the data in order to repeatedly elicit his preferences about the data patterns which are most closely related to the query point. These preferences are used in order to determine and quantify the meaningfulness of the nearest neighbors. Our system is not only able to find and quantify the meaningfulness of the nearest neighbors, but is also able to diagnose situations in which the nearest neighbors found are truly not meaningful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a generic library of problem-solving methods for scheduling applications. Although some attempts have been made in the past at developing the libraries of scheduling problem-solvers, these only provide limited coverage. Many lack generality, as they subscribe to a particular scheduling domain. Others simply implement a particular problem-solving technique, which may be applicable only to a subset of the space of scheduling problems. In addition, most of these libraries fail to provide the required degree of depth and precision. In our approach, we subscribe to the Task-Method-Domain-Application knowledge modeling framework which provides a structured organization for the different components of the library. At the task level, we construct a generic scheduling task ontology to formalize the space of scheduling problems. At the method level, we construct a generic problem-solving model of scheduling that generalizes from the variety of approaches to scheduling problem-solving, which can be found in the literature. The generic nature of this model is demonstrated by constructing seven methods for scheduling as an alternative specialization of the model. Finally, we validated our library on a number of applications to demonstrate its generic nature and effective support for developing scheduling applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aggregation/disaggregation is a method for implementing multi-resolution simulations within a High Level Architecture (HLA) federation. HLA is a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) developed standard to facilitate linking different types of simulations, in various locations, to form an or interactive, full-scale simulation, called a federation. Data Distribution Management (DDM) is a High Level Architecture/Run-time Infrastructure (HLA/RTI) service that manages the distribution of state updates and interaction information and controls the volume of data exchanged, in large-scale distributed simulations. The purpose of HLA is to promote interoperability and reuse among heterogenous simulations, including those simulations that offer varied levels of resolution, to provide practical training to military personnel of different ranks. The purpose of Aggregation/disaggregation is to ensure consistency in state updates between federates simulating objects at various levels of resolution. This paper focuses on the scalability of aggregation/disaggregation with different DDM implementations and examines the effects, on performance of large-scale simulations. We implement a federate-based aggregation/disaggregation scheme, originally introduced in [TAN01], with a tank dogfight scenario, aggregating five tanks into one tank battalion and disaggregating the battalion back into five individual entities (tanks). The DDM methods we analyze consist of the Fixed Grid-Based method, the Dynamic Grid-Based method and the Region-Based method. In [TAN01], testing of this federate-based aggregation/disaggregation was limited to a dual federation and a single DDM scheme. In an effort to determine the scalability of aggregation/disaggregation, with three methods of DDM, we measure the communication overhead and analyze performance during a federation execution. We present the results of extensive testing, varying the number of aggregation/disaggregation requests, the number of multi-resolution federates participating in the federation, the number of objects, the number/size of the grids and report on the performance evlauation of our protocols using an extensive set of simulation experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Population (00324663) is the property of Institut National d'Etudes Demographiques and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of the Faculty of Education, Beni Suef University is the property of Beni Suef University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background Since the introduction of electronic nursing documentation systems, its implementation in recent years has increased rapidly in Germany. The objectives of such systems are to save time, to improve information handling and to improve quality. To integrate IT in the daily working processes, the employee is the pivotal element. Therefore it is important to understand nurses' experience with IT implementation. At present the literature shows a lack of understanding exploring staff experiences within the implementation process. Methods A systematic review and meta-ethnographic synthesis of primary studies using qualitative methods was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, and Cochrane. It adheres to the principles of the PRISMA statement. The studies were original, peer-reviewed articles from 2000 to 2013, focusing on computer-based nursing documentation in Residential Aged Care Facilities. Results The use of IT requires a different form of information processing. Some experience this new form of information processing as a benefit while others do not. The latter find it more difficult to enter data and this result in poor clinical documentation. Improvement in the quality of residents' records leads to an overall improvement in the quality of care. However, if the quality of those records is poor, some residents do not receive the necessary care. Furthermore, the length of time necessary to complete the documentation is a prominent theme within that process. Those who are more efficient with the electronic documentation demonstrate improved time management. For those who are less efficient with electronic documentation the information processing is perceived as time consuming. Normally, it is possible to experience benefits when using IT, but this depends on either promoting or hindering factors, e. g. ease of use and ability to use it, equipment availability and technical functionality, as well as attitude. Conclusions In summary, the findings showed that members of staff experience IT as a benefit when it simplifies their daily working routines and as a burden when it complicates their working processes. Whether IT complicates or simplifies their routines depends on influencing factors. The line between benefit and burden is semipermeable. The experiences differ according to duties and responsibilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]