Alternative group trip planning queries in spatial databases

Trip Planning Queries are considered as one of the popular services offered by Location-Based Services. We propose a new query type called an Alternative Group Trip Planning Query (AGTPQ) which is an extended version of Sequenced Group Trip Planning Queries (SGTPQs). Given a set of users’ source locations and destination locations and a sequence of Categories of Interest (COIs) that the users want to visit, an AGTPQ generates a new COI sequence order using one of the proposed techniques and finds an optimal trip starting from the source locations, passing through the new sequenced COI order and ending at the destination locations. We propose three approaches: Permutation Strategy on Sequenced Group Trip Planning Queries (PSGTPQs), Greedy Strategy on Sequenced Group Trip Planning Queries (GSGTPQs) and Random Strategy on Sequenced Group Trip Planning Queries (RSGTPQs). We compare the results of our proposed strategies with the PGNE strategy through experimental evaluation

Dynamic group trip planning queries in spatial databases

Trip planning queries are considered an integral part of Location Based Services. The advancement of positioning devices and highly available internet facilities enable users to access network information from anywhere at any time. In our research, we investigated Sequential Group Trip Planning (SGTP) queries. Given a set of starting and destination locations and an ordered sequence of Categories of Interests (COIs) for a group of users, a SGTP query returns the route for each user from their respective start and destination locations that minimizes the overall travel distance. We propose two approaches: Dynamic Group Trip Planning (DGTP) and Modified Dynamic Group Trip Planning (M-DGTP). The proposed DGTP approach enables users to plan a group trip in a more flexible manner and the M-DGTP approach optimizes the total travel distance of the group. We compare the results of our proposed strategies with an existing strategy called N-DGTP through experimental evaluation.School of Graduate Studies (SGS) of the University of Lethbridg

Leveling the Playing Field: Teacher Perception of Integrated STEM, Engineering, and Engineering Practices

The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions and approaches of 14 third-through-fifth grade Arkansan elementary teachers towards integrative engineering and engineering practices during 80 hours of integrated STEM professional development training in the summer and fall of 2014. This training was known as Project Flight. The purpose of the professional development was to learn integrated STEM content related to aviation and to write grade level curriculum units using Wiggins and McTighe’s Understanding by Design curriculum framework. The current study builds upon on the original research. Using a mixed method exploratory, embedded QUAL[quan] case study design and a non-experimental convenience sample derived from original 20 participants of Project Flight, this research sought to answer the following question: Does professional development influence elementary teachers’ perceptions of the curriculum and instruction of integrated STEM engineering and engineering practices in a 3-to-5 grade level setting? A series of six qualitative and one quantitative sub-questions informed the research of the mixed method question. Hermeneutic content analysis was applied to archival and current qualitative data sets while descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and repeated measures ANOVA tests were performed on the quantitative data. Broad themes in the teachers’ perceptions and understanding of the nature of integrated engineering and engineering practices emerged through triangulation. After the professional development and the teaching of the integrated STEM units, all 14 teachers sustained higher perceptions of personal self-efficacy in their understanding of Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The teachers gained understanding of engineering and engineering practices, excluding engineering habits of mind, throughout the professional development training and unit teaching. The research resulted in four major findings specific to elementary engineering, which included engineering as student Social agency and empowerment and the emergence of the engineering design loop as a new heuristic, and three more general non-engineering specific findings. All seven, however, have implications for future elementary engineering professional development as teachers in adopting states start to transition into using the NGSS standards

Semantic discovery and reuse of business process patterns

Patterns currently play an important role in modern information systems (IS) development and their use has mainly been restricted to the design and implementation phases of the development lifecycle. Given the increasing significance of business modelling in IS development, patterns have the potential of providing a viable solution for promoting reusability of recurrent generalized models in the very early stages of development. As a statement of research-in-progress this paper focuses on business process patterns and proposes an initial methodological framework for the discovery and reuse of business process patterns within the IS development lifecycle. The framework borrows ideas from the domain engineering literature and proposes the use of semantics to drive both the discovery of patterns as well as their reuse

Immunogenetics

This open access book explores techniques for working in the field of immunogenetics, i.e. fundamental and translational research into the adaptive immune receptor repertoire. Many chapters are dedicated to lab protocols, bioinformatics, and immunoinformatics analysis of high-resolution immunome analysis, exemplified by numerous applications. Additionally, the newest technological variations on these protocols are discussed, including non-amplicon, single-cell, and cell-free strategies. Written for the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Immunogenetics: Methods and Protocols covers a broad spectrum of methodologies for applications in research and clinical diagnostics to illustrate the impact that immunogenetics has achieved and will further expand in all fields of medicine, from infection and (auto)immunity, to vaccination, to lymphoid malignancy and tumor immunity

Teacher Education Futures: Developing learning and teaching in ITE across the UK

A selection of papers from the Teacher Education Futures conference 2006

Proceedings of the GIS Research UK 18th Annual Conference GISRUK 2010

This volume holds the papers from the 18th annual GIS Research UK (GISRUK). This year the conference, hosted at University College London (UCL), from Wednesday 14 to Friday 16 April 2010. The conference covered the areas of core geographic information science research as well as applications domains such as crime and health and technological developments in LBS and the geoweb. UCL’s research mission as a global university is based around a series of Grand Challenges that affect us all, and these were accommodated in GISRUK 2010. The overarching theme this year was “Global Challenges”, with specific focus on the following themes: * Crime and Place * Environmental Change * Intelligent Transport * Public Health and Epidemiology * Simulation and Modelling * London as a global city * The geoweb and neo-geography * Open GIS and Volunteered Geographic Information * Human-Computer Interaction and GIS Traditionally, GISRUK has provided a platform for early career researchers as well as those with a significant track record of achievement in the area. As such, the conference provides a welcome blend of innovative thinking and mature reflection. GISRUK is the premier academic GIS conference in the UK and we are keen to maintain its outstanding record of achievement in developing GIS in the UK and beyond

Applications

Volume 3 describes how resource-aware machine learning methods and techniques are used to successfully solve real-world problems. The book provides numerous specific application examples: in health and medicine for risk modelling, diagnosis, and treatment selection for diseases in electronics, steel production and milling for quality control during manufacturing processes in traffic, logistics for smart cities and for mobile communications

Extending Two-Dimensional Knowledge Management System Theory with Organizational Activity Systems\u27 Workflow Dynamics

Between 2005 and 2010 and across 48 countries, including the United States, an increasing positive correlation emerged between national intellectual capital and gross domestic product per capita. The problem remains organizations operating with increasingly complex knowledge networks often lose intellectual capital resulting from ineffective knowledge management practices. The purpose of this study was to provide management opportunities to reduce intellectual capital loss. The first research question addressed how an enhanced intelligent, complex, and adaptive system (ICAS) model could clarify management\u27s understanding of organizational knowledge transfer. The second research question addressed how interdisciplinary theory could become more meaningfully infused to enhance management practices of the organization\u27s knowledge ecosystem. The nature of this study was phenomenological to gain deeper understanding of individual experiences related to knowledge flow phenomena. Data were collected from a single historical research dataset containing 11 subject interviews and analyzed using Moustakas\u27 heuristic framework. Original interviews were collected in 2012 during research within a military unit, included in this study based on theme alignment. Organizational, knowledge management, emergent systems, and cognition theories were synthesized to enhance understandings of emergent ICAS forces. Individuals create unique ICAS flow emergent force dynamics in relation to micro- and macro-meso sensemaking and sensegiving. Findings indicated individual knowledge work significantly shapes emergent ICAS flow dynamics. Collectively enhancing knowledge stewardship over time could foster positive social change by improving national welfare