CURIOS:Web-based presentation and management of linked datasets

A number of systems extend the traditional web and Web 2.0 technologies by providing some form of integration with semantic web data [1,2,3]. These approaches build on tested content management systems (CMSs) for facilitating users in the semantic web. However, instead of directly managing existing linked data, these systems provide a mapping between their own data model to linked datasets using an RDF or OWL vocabulary. This sort of integration can be seen as a read-only or write-only approach, where linked data is either imported into or exported from the system. The next step in this evolution of CMSs is a full integration with linked data: allowing ontology instances, already published as linked data, to be directly managed using widely used web content management platforms. The motivation is to keep data (i.e., linked data repositories) loosely-coupled to the tool used to maintain them (i.e., the CMS). In this poster, we extend [3], a query builder for SPARQL, with an update mechanism to allow users to directly manage their linked data from within the CMS. To make the system sustainable and extensible in future, we choose to use Drupal as the default CMS and develop a module to handle query/update against a triple store. Our system, which we call a Linked Data Content Management System (Linked Data CMS) [4], performs similar operations to those of a traditional CMS but whereas a traditional CMS uses a data model of content types stored in some relational database backend, a Linked Data CMS performs CRUD (create, read, update, and delete) operations on linked data held in a triple store. Moreover, we show how the system can assist users in producing and consuming linked data in the cultural heritage domain and introduce 2 case studies used for system evaluation

Energy rating of a water pumping station using multivariate analysis

Among water management policies, the preservation and the saving of energy demand in water supply and treatment systems play key roles. When focusing on energy, the customary metric to determine the performance of water supply systems is linked to the definition of component-based energy indicators. This approach is unfit to account for interactions occurring among system elements or between the system and its environment. On the other hand, the development of information technology has led to the availability of increasing large amount of data, typically gathered from distributed sensor networks in so-called smart grids. In this context, data intensive methodologies address the possibility of using complex network modeling approaches, and advocate the issues related to the interpretation and analysis of large amount of data produced by smart sensor networks. In this perspective, the present work aims to use data intensive techniques in the energy analysis of a water management network. The purpose is to provide new metrics for the energy rating of the system and to be able to provide insights into the dynamics of its operations. The study applies neural network as a tool to predict energy demand, when using flowrate and vibration data as predictor variables

A framework for effective management of condition based maintenance programs in the context of industrial development of E-Maintenance strategies

CBM (Condition Based Maintenance) solutions are increasingly present in industrial systems due to two main circumstances: rapid evolution, without precedents, in the capture and analysis of data and significant cost reduction of supporting technologies. CBM programs in industrial systems can become extremely complex, especially when considering the effective introduction of new capabilities provided by PHM (Prognostics and Health Management) and E-maintenance disciplines. In this scenario, any CBM solution involves the management of numerous technical aspects, that the maintenance manager needs to understand, in order to be implemented properly and effectively, according to the company’s strategy. This paper provides a comprehensive representation of the key components of a generic CBM solution, this is presented using a framework or supporting structure for an effective management of the CBM programs. The concept “symptom of failure”, its corresponding analysis techniques (introduced by ISO 13379-1 and linked with RCM/FMEA analysis), and other international standard for CBM open-software application development (for instance, ISO 13374 and OSA-CBM), are used in the paper for the development of the framework. An original template has been developed, adopting the formal structure of RCM analysis templates, to integrate the information of the PHM techniques used to capture the failure mode behaviour and to manage maintenance. Finally, a case study describes the framework using the referred template.Gobierno de Andalucía P11-TEP-7303 M

Experimenting with the trial of a research data audit: some preliminary findings about data types, access to data and factors for long term preservation

Developing systems and services for the effective and efficient management of research data as well as addressing issues around their long term curation is an area of increasing activity in UK Higher Education. This paper discusses some preliminary results from a questionnaire survey, conducted as part of the trial implementation of the Data Audit Framework Methodology at University College London (UCL). Fifty seven (57) academic and research staff from 5 designated departments and an interdisciplinary research centre provided information about the nature of their research and the types of primary research data they produce. The survey explored factors that could impact on access, use and preservation of such data. The preliminary results indicate that researchers recognise the potential usefulness of such data for other researchers as well as their long term value. Retaining primary research data after the end of the funding period and re-using them for initiating further research are practices already acknowledged. However, ownership, copyright and restrictions on access to research data can be hazy areas for academic and research staff and require further investigation, advice and support. The value of primary research data appears to be closely linked to the context within the data which were generated

Environmental assessment tools for the evaluation and improvement of European livestock production systems

Different types of assessment tools have been developed in Europe with the purpose of determining the environmental impact of various livestock production systems at farm level. The assessment tools differ in terms of which environmental objectives are included and how indicators are constructed and interpreted. The paper compares typical tools for environmental assessment of livestock production systems, and recommends selected indicators suitable for benchmarking. The assessment tools used very different types of indicators ranging from descriptions of farm management and quantification of input to estimates of emissions of, e.g., nitrate and ammonia. The indicators should be useful in a benchmarking process where farmers may improve their practices through learning from farms with better agri-environmental performance. An example of this is given using data on P-surplus on pig farms. Some indicators used the area of the farm as the basis of the indicator — e.g. nitrogen surplus per hectare — while others were expressed per unit produced, e.g. emission of greenhouse gasses per kilogram milk. The paper demonstrates that a comparison of organic vs. conventional milk production and comparison of three pig production systems give different results, depending on the basis of the indicators (i.e. per hectare or per kilogram product). Indicators linked to environmental objectives with a local or regional geographical target should be area-based — while indicators with a global focus should be product-based. It is argued that the choice of indicators should be linked with the definition of the system boundaries, in the sense that area-based indicators should include emissions on the farm only, whereas product-based indicators should preferably include emissions from production of farm inputs, as well as the inputs on the actual farm. The paper ends with recommendations for choice of agri-environmental indicators taking into account the geographical scale, system boundary and method of interpretation

The role of tenure in the management of trees at the community level: theoretical and empirical analyses from Uganda and Malawi

This paper examines the effects of tenure on tree management at a community level. First, several important conceptual issues arising from this particular meso-level focus are discussed. Second, a description of the key tenure and tree management issues in Uganda and Malawi is presented. In each case, data representing changes in land use and tree cover between the 1960-70s and 1990s are analyzed. In both countries, there has been significant conversion of land from woodlands to agriculture. Tree cover has been more or less maintained over time in Uganda but has decreased in Malawi. Lastly, the paper explores the relationships between tenure and tree management using econometric techniques. Tenure is found to be linked to land-use and tree-cover change in both countries, though it is not necessarily the most important factor (e.g., population pressure is the key driving force for land-use change). In Uganda, conversion of land was more rapid under the customary tenure system and tree cover on nonagricultural land better maintained under the mailo system. In Malawi there was more rapid land-use conversion and tree cover depletion where there were more changes to traditional tenure systems taking place.

What improves environmental performance? evidence from Mexican industry

Using new survey evidence, the authors analyze the effects of regulation, plant-level management policies, and plant and firm characteristics on environmental performance in Mexican factories. They focus especially on management policies: the degree of effort to improve environmental performance and the type of management strategy adopted. They index effort with two variables: adoption of ISO 14000-type procedures for pollution management and use of plant personnel for environmental inspection and control. Proxies for strategic orientation are two indices of mainstreaming: assigning environmental responsibilities to general managers instead of specialized environmental managers, and providing environmental training for all plant employees, not just specialists. Detailed survey data let them test the performance impact of such factors as ownership, scale, sector, trade and other business relationships, local regulatory enforcement, local community pressure, management education and experience, and workers'general education. Their findings are: 1) Process is important. Plants that institute ISO 14000-type internal management procedures show superior environmental performance. 2) Mainstreaming works. Environmental training for all plant personnel is more effective than developing a cadre of environmental specialists, and assigning environmental tasks to general managers is more effective than using special environmental managers. 3) Regulatory pressure works. Plants that have experienced regulatory inspections and enforcement are significantly cleaner than those that have not. 4) Public scrutiny promotes stronger environmental policies. Publicly traded Mexican firms are significantly cleaner than privately held firms. 5) Size matters. Large plants in multiplant firms are much more likely to adopt policies that improve environmental performance. 6) OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) influences do not matter. It is generally assumed that plants linked to OECD economies show superior environmental performance, but they find no evidence that OECD links--including multinational ownership, trade, management training, or management experience--affect environmental performance. 7) New technology is not significantly cleaner. They find no evidence that plants with newer equipment perform better environmentally (once other factors are accounted for). 8) Education promotes clean production. Plants with more highly educated workers show significantly better environmental management efforts and performance.Environmental Economics&Policies,Agricultural Knowledge&Information Systems,Public Health Promotion,Health Monitoring&Evaluation,Water and Industry,Environmental Governance,Water and Industry,Agricultural Knowledge&Information Systems,Environmental Economics&Policies,Health Monitoring&Evaluation

The effects of poor financial information systems on the long term sustainability of local public services. Empirical evidence from the Catalan Municipalities

In this paper we describe the existence of financial illusion in public accounting and we comment on its effects for the future sustainability of local public services. We relate these features to the lack of incentives amongst public managers for improving the financial reporting and thus management of public assets. Financial illusion pays off for politicians and managers since it allows for larger public expenditure increases and managerial slack, these being arguments in their utility functions. This preference is strengthen by the short time perspective of politically appointed public managers. Both factors run against public accountability. This hypothesis is tested for Spain by using an unique sample. We take data from around forty Catalan local authorities with population above 20,000 for the financial years 1993-98. We build this data basis from the Catalan Auditing Office Reports in a way that it can be linked to some other local social and economic variables in order to test our assumptions. The results confirm that there is a statistical relationship between the financial illusion index (FI as constructed in the paper) and higher current expenditure. This reflects on important overruns and increases of the delay in paying suppliers, as well as on a higher difficulties to face capital finance. Mechanisms for FI creation have to do among other factors, with delays in paying suppliers (and thereafter higher future financial costs per unit of service), no adequate provision for bad debts and lack of appropriate capital funding either for reposition or for new equipments. For this, it is crucial to monitor the way in which capital transfers are accounted in local public sheet balances. As a result, for most of the Municipalities we analyse, the funds for guaranteeing continuity and sustainability of public services provision are today at risk. Given managerial incentives at present in public institutions, we conclude that public regulation recently enforced for assuring better information systems in local public management may not be enough to change the current state of affairs.Public management, financial information systems, financial illusion, and Spanish local authorities