A prototype and demonstrator of Akogrimo’s architecture: An approach of merging grids, SOA, and the mobile Internet

The trend of merging telecommunication infrastructures with traditional Information Technology (IT) infrastructures is ongoing and important for commercial service providers. The driver behind this development is, on one hand, the strong need for enhanced services and on the other hand, the need of telecommunication operators aiming at value-added service provisioning to a wide variety of customers. In the telecommunications sector, the IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) is a promising service platform, which may become a ''standard'' for supporting added-value services on top of the next generation network infrastructure. However, since its range of applicability is bound to SIP- enabled services, IMS extensions are being proposed by ''SIPifying'' applications. In parallel to these developments within the traditional IT sector, the notion of Virtual Organizations (VO) enabling collaborative businesses across organizational boundaries is addressed in the framework of Web Services (WS) standards implementing a Service-oriented Architecture (SOA). Here, concepts for controlled resource and service sharing based on WS and Semantic Technologies have been consolidated. Since the telecommunications sector has become, in the meantime ''mobile'', all concepts brought into this infrastructure must cope with the dynamics mobility brings in. Therefore, within the Akogrimo project the VO concept has been extended towards a Mobile Dynamic Virtual Organization (MDVO) concept, additionally considering key requirements of mobile users and resources. Especial attention is given to ensure the duality of the merge of both, SOA and IMS approaches to holistically support SOA-enabled mobile added-value services and their users. This work describes major results of the Akogrimo project, paying special attention to the overall Akogrimo architecture, the prototype implemented, and the key scenario in which the instantiated Akogrimo architecture shows a very clear picture of applicability, use, and an additional functional evaluation

Worldwide trends in population-based survival for children, adolescents, and young adults diagnosed with leukaemia, by subtype, during 2000-14 (CONCORD-3): analysis of individual data from 258 cancer registries in 61 countries

BACKGROUND Leukaemias comprise a heterogenous group of haematological malignancies. In CONCORD-3, we analysed data for children (aged 0-14 years) and adults (aged 15-99 years) diagnosed with a haematological malignancy during 2000-14 in 61 countries. Here, we aimed to examine worldwide trends in survival from leukaemia, by age and morphology, in young patients (aged 0-24 years). METHODS We analysed data from 258 population-based cancer registries in 61 countries participating in CONCORD-3 that submitted data on patients diagnosed with leukaemia. We grouped patients by age as children (0-14 years), adolescents (15-19 years), and young adults (20-24 years). We categorised leukaemia subtypes according to the International Classification of Childhood Cancer (ICCC-3), updated with International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, third edition (ICD-O-3) codes. We estimated 5-year net survival by age and morphology, with 95% CIs, using the non-parametric Pohar-Perme estimator. To control for background mortality, we used life tables by country or region, single year of age, single calendar year and sex, and, where possible, by race or ethnicity. All-age survival estimates were standardised to the marginal distribution of young people with leukaemia included in the analysis. FINDINGS 164 563 young people were included in this analysis: 121 328 (73·7%) children, 22 963 (14·0%) adolescents, and 20 272 (12·3%) young adults. In 2010-14, the most common subtypes were lymphoid leukaemia (28 205 [68·2%] patients) and acute myeloid leukaemia (7863 [19·0%] patients). Age-standardised 5-year net survival in children, adolescents, and young adults for all leukaemias combined during 2010-14 varied widely, ranging from 46% in Mexico to more than 85% in Canada, Cyprus, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, and Australia. Individuals with lymphoid leukaemia had better age-standardised survival (from 43% in Ecuador to ≥80% in parts of Europe, North America, Oceania, and Asia) than those with acute myeloid leukaemia (from 32% in Peru to ≥70% in most high-income countries in Europe, North America, and Oceania). Throughout 2000-14, survival from all leukaemias combined remained consistently higher for children than adolescents and young adults, and minimal improvement was seen for adolescents and young adults in most countries. INTERPRETATION This study offers the first worldwide picture of population-based survival from leukaemia in children, adolescents, and young adults. Adolescents and young adults diagnosed with leukaemia continue to have lower survival than children. Trends in survival from leukaemia for adolescents and young adults are important indicators of the quality of cancer management in this age group. FUNDING Children with Cancer UK, the Institut National du Cancer, La Ligue Contre le Cancer, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Swiss Re, Swiss Cancer Research foundation, Swiss Cancer League, Rossy Family Foundation, US National Cancer Institute, and the American Cancer Society

Demographic History of Indigenous Populations in Mesoamerica Based on mtDNA Sequence Data

The genetic characterization of Native American groups provides insights into their history and demographic events. We sequenced the mitochondrial D-loop region (control region) of 520 samples from eight Mexican indigenous groups. In addition to an analysis of the genetic diversity, structure and genetic relationship between 28 Native American populations, we applied Bayesian skyline methodology for a deeper insight into the history of Mesoamerica. AMOVA tests applying cultural, linguistic and geographic criteria were performed. MDS plots showed a central cluster of Oaxaca and Maya populations, whereas those from the North and West were located on the periphery. Demographic reconstruction indicates higher values of the effective number of breeding females (Nef) in Central Mesoamerica during the Preclassic period, whereas this pattern moves toward the Classic period for groups in the North and West. Conversely, Nef minimum values are distributed either in the Lithic period (i.e. founder effects) or in recent periods (i.e. population declines). The Mesomerican regions showed differences in population fluctuation as indicated by the maximum Inter-Generational Rate (IGRmax): i) Center-South from the lithic period until the Preclassic; ii) West from the beginning of the Preclassic period until early Classic; iii) North characterized by a wide range of temporal variation from the Lithic to the Preclassic. Our findings are consistent with the genetic variations observed between central, South and Southeast Mesoamerica and the North-West region that are related to differences in genetic drift, structure, and temporal survival strategies (agriculture versus hunter-gathering, respectively). Interestingly, although the European contact had a major negative demographic impact, we detect a previous decline in Mesoamerica that had begun a few hundred years before

Comparative Analysis of Serine/Arginine-Rich Proteins across 27 Eukaryotes: Insights into Sub-Family Classification and Extent of Alternative Splicing

Alternative splicing (AS) of pre-mRNA is a fundamental molecular process that generates diversity in the transcriptome and proteome of eukaryotic organisms. SR proteins, a family of splicing regulators with one or two RNA recognition motifs (RRMs) at the N-terminus and an arg/ser-rich domain at the C-terminus, function in both constitutive and alternative splicing. We identified SR proteins in 27 eukaryotic species, which include plants, animals, fungi and “basal” eukaryotes that lie outside of these lineages. Using RNA recognition motifs (RRMs) as a phylogenetic marker, we classified 272 SR genes into robust sub-families. The SR gene family can be split into five major groupings, which can be further separated into 11 distinct sub-families. Most flowering plants have double or nearly double the number of SR genes found in vertebrates. The majority of plant SR genes are under purifying selection. Moreover, in all paralogous SR genes in Arabidopsis, rice, soybean and maize, one of the two paralogs is preferentially expressed throughout plant development. We also assessed the extent of AS in SR genes based on a splice graph approach (http://combi.cs.colostate.edu/as/gmap_SRgenes). AS of SR genes is a widespread phenomenon throughout multiple lineages, with alternative 3′ or 5′ splicing events being the most prominent type of event. However, plant-enriched sub-families have 57%–88% of their SR genes experiencing some type of AS compared to the 40%–54% seen in other sub-families. The SR gene family is pervasive throughout multiple eukaryotic lineages, conserved in sequence and domain organization, but differs in gene number across lineages with an abundance of SR genes in flowering plants. The higher number of alternatively spliced SR genes in plants emphasizes the importance of AS in generating splice variants in these organisms

ETMS: A system for economic management of overlay traffic

The concept of Economic Traffic Management (ETM) encompasses various techniques for optimizing overlay networks considering both, underlay and overlay networks’ performance requirements as well as the resulting economic implications for ISPs. This work presents several mechanisms through an overall ETM System (ETMS), identifying the possibility for synergies between mechanisms, both in the sense of complementarity of decision grounds and in the sense of functionality and components employed thereby. The paper describes the core ETMS architecture and how various mechanisms are instantiated. It continues with the discussion of the flexibility and modularity of this architecture, allowing for the accommodation of synergies. Finally, it presents selected results from the test-bed trials of the ETMS and a dedicated discussion on incentives behind these ETM mechanisms

A framework of economic traffic management employing self-organization overlay mechanisms

Applications based on overlays have become very popular, due to the separation they provide and the improvement of perceived QoS by the end-user. Recent studies show that overlays have a significant impact on the traffic management and the expenditures of the underlying network operators. In this paper, we define a framework for Economic Traffic Management (ETM) mechanisms that optimize the traffic impact of overlay applications on ISP and telecommunication operator networks based on the interaction of network operators, overlay providers and users. We first provide a definition and an overview of Self-Organization Mechanisms (SOMs) and ETM for overlays. We then describe a basic framework for the interaction of components of SOMs and ETM, in terms of information and metrics provided, decisions made etc. Finally, we describe in detail how SOMs can be used to support ETM and we illustrate our approach and its implications by means of a specific example

A Survey on Metrics and Measurement Tools for Sustainable Distributed Cloud Networks

Energy efficiency and emissions awareness are core capabilities for sustainable and lower cost distributed cloud networks. In this context, metrics are fundamental for comparison and management purposes, along with the methods and tools which support such metrics’ capture and analysis. However, prior works on green metrics and tools have presented only a partial view, mainly as a result of the recent advances in green networking technologies. In this survey, we present an extensive study of metrics, methods, and tools to support sustainable operations in distributed cloud networks, with the aim of providing an end-to-end and up-to-date scenario to support current and coming research, as well as to analyze existing gaps

DemoOrt Phase 1 Entwicklung eines Demonstrators für Ortungsaufgaben mit Sicherheitsverantwortung im Schienengüterverkehr

Das vom BMBF geförderte Projekt DemoOrt hat das Ziel, einen Demonstrator für bordautonome Ortungsaufgaben mit Sicherheitsverantwortung im Schienenverkehr zu realisieren. Das Gesamtprojekt wurde in zwei Phasen geteilt. In der hier beschriebenen ersten Phase geht es um die Spezifikation der DemoOrt-Plattform sowie eines Referenzmesssystems, gegen die das neue System validiert werden kann. Die DemoOrt-Plattform fusioniert die Ortungsdaten aus unterschiedlichen Einzelsystemen. Im Einzelnen sind das eine satellitenbasierte Ortung mittels GNSS, eine Ortung mittels eines Wirbelstrom-Sensors und die Nutzung der Ortungsdaten einer digitalen Karte. Vor der Systemspezifikation erfolgte eine genaue Anforderungsanalyse an das System, die in unterschiedlichen Detaillierungstiefen durchgeführt wurde. Da sich die DemoOrt-Plattform aus mehreren Einzelsystemen zusammensetzt, wurde auch ein Gesamtsystemkonzept erstellt und ein Konzept zur Sensordatenfusion erarbeitet. Denn nur durch die Diversität der Sensorik und effiziente Datenfusion lässt sich eine hochgenaue, verlässliche und sichere fahrzeugautarke Ortung realisieren. Zur Validation der DemoOrt-Plattform muss zusätzlich ein Referenzmesssystem aufgebaut werden. Dieses System wurde ebenfalls zunächst von der Anforderungsseite her betrachtet, um daraus die eigentliche Spezifikation abzuleiten. Für einen Vergleich der beiden Systeme wurde eine Auswerteeinheit spezifiziert, die neben der Datenaufzeichnung aus beiden Teilsystemen auch die Auswertung der Daten und eine Fernüberwachung des Systems ermöglicht

Empirische Arbeit: Entwicklung von Skalen zur Erhebung domänenspezifischer Vorstellungen über das Lernen in der Biologie

In this paper we describe the development of scales for assessing learners' beliefs about learning in biology. The scales can be used for conducting scientific studies or diagnosing learning prerequisites. The paper argues that reliable instruments for assessing beliefs about knowledge, knowing and learning are still missing. The need to differentiate between beliefs about knowledge and knowing on the one hand and beliefs about learning on the other hand is lined out. Based on a literature review, scales measuring the beliefs about ability, effort, and speed to learn are developed. 363 teacher students for biology and nature and life (Sachunterricht) participated in the study. Factor analyses provide evidence for the assumed beliefs about learning. All scales reach high values for Cronbach's a ranging between .71 and .86. Discriminant validity of the scales is proved by the strict Fornell-Larcker-Criterion. The paper draws conclusions for further scale development