Easing the smart home: Translating human hierarchies to intelligent environments

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-02478-8_137Proceedings of 10th International Work-Conference on Artificial Neural Networks, IWANN 2009, Salamanca, Spain.Ubiquitous computing research have extended traditional environments in the so–called Intelligent Environments. All of them use their capabilities for pursuing their inhabitants’s satisfaction, but the ways of getting it are most of the times unclear and frequently unshared among different users. This last problem becomes patent in shared environments in which users with different preferences live together. This article presents a solution translating human hierarchies to the Ubicomp domain, in a continuing effort for leveraging the control capabilities of the inhabitants in their on–growing capable environments. This mechanism, as a natural ubicomp extension of the coordination mechanism used daily by humans, has been implemented over a real environment: a iving room equipped with ambient intelligence capabilities, and installed in two more: an intelligent classroom and an intelligent secure room.This work was partially funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology through the HADA project(TIN2007-64718) and by the chair UAM–Indra of Ambient Intelligenc

Hybrid Arabic text steganography

An improved method for Arabic text steganography is introduced in this paper. This method hides an Arabic text inside another based on a hybrid approach. Both Kashida and Arabic Diacritics are used to hide the Arabic text inside another text. In this improved method, the secret message is divided into two parts, the first part is to be hidden by the Kashida method, and the second is to be hidden by the Diacritics or Harakat method. For security purposes, we benefitted from the natural existence of Diacritics as a characteristic of Arabic written language, as used to represent vowel sounds. The paper exploits the possibility of hiding data in Fathah diacritic and Kashida punctuation marks, adjusting previously presented schemes that are based on a single method only. Here, the secret message is divided into two parts, the cover text is prepared, and then we apply the Harakat method on the first part. The Kashida method is applied on the second part, and then the two parts are combined. When the hidden ‘StegoText’ is received, a split mechanism is used to recover the original message. The described hybrid Arabic StegoText showed higher capacity and security with promising results compared to other methods

Ruptured Splenic Hemangioma Presenting As Small Bowel Obstruction: A Case Report

Introduction: Splenic hemangioma is a rare vascular tumor of the spleen. Typically asymptomatic, these lesions can present with rupture and hemoperitoneum. Clinical Findings: We report the case of a patient with no previous abdominal surgery that presented with symptoms and imaging consistent with small bowel obstruction (SBO), and an incidental finding of a splenic lesion. Main diagnoses, therapeutic interventions, and outcomes: At diagnostic laparoscopy, a ruptured splenic hemangioma was identified, with obstructive ileus due to hemoperitoneum. The patient subsequently underwent splenectomy to prevent recurrent bleeding. Conclusions: Splenic hemangiomas are rare vascular neoplasms of the spleen, which can be complicated by rupture. While obstructive ileus is a common post-operative phenomenon, it is rarely seen in association with vascular anomalies. This case represents a rare presentation of small bowel obstruction, highlighting the utility of diagnostic laparoscopy in patients with no previous abdominal surgery

Mediators of Impaired Adipogenesis in Obesity-Associated Insulin Resistance and T2DM

Obesity has become a global health issue due to its high prevalence and associated comorbidities including insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Obesity is associated with the expansion of adipose tissues through hypertrophy of mature adipocytes and differentiation of local preadipocytes in a process known as adipogenesis to store excess triacylglycerols (TAGs). Impairment of adipogenesis leads to ectopic fat deposition in skeletal muscles, liver, and kidneys, triggering IR in these tissues and increased risk of T2DM. Many factors contribute to impaired adipogenesis including obesity-associated mild chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and fatty acid signaling. This review summarizes recent literature covering mediators of impaired adipogenesis and underlying molecular pathways

Pengembangan Media Pembelajaran Gasik (Game Fisika Asik) Untuk Siswa Kelas VIII Sekolah Menengah Pertama

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk: (1) mengembangkan media pembelajaran Fisika berupa permainan Gasik pada pokok materi Cahaya untuk siswa SMP kelas VIII dengan kriteria baik/layak yang ditinjau dari segi materi dan media, (2) mendeskripsikan karakteristik media pembelajaran Fisika berupa permainan Gasik pada pokok materi Cahaya untuk siswa SMP kelas VIII yang telah dikembangkan. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan penelitian dan pengembangan. Model pengembangan yang dijadikan dasar adalah model ADDIE yang dimodifikasi oleh Molenda. Data yang diperoleh berasal dari ahli materi, ahli media, guru Fisika, dan siswa sebagai responden. Teknik pengumpulan data yang digunakan yaitu angket terbuka dan wawancara tidak terstruktur. Penentuan tingkat kelayakan media berdasarkan uji validasi isi dari pendapat para ahli pada segi materi dan media. Pada uji coba kelompok kecil diambil responden sebanyak 12 siswa. Pada uji lapangan diambil responden sebanyak 40 siswa dalam 2 kelas. Teknik analisis data yang digunakan adalah analisis deskriptif kualitatif dan kuantitatif. Tahap-tahap dalam pengembangan ini yaitu: (1) Analysis yaitu analisis kebutuhan berupa identifikasi awal keadaan sekolah terkait proses pembelajaran, karakteristik siswa dan kurikulum sekolah serta mereview literatur produk yang sudah ada, (2) Design yaitu perancangan media pembelajaran yang disesuaikan dengan hasil analisis kebutuhan, (3) Development yaitu penyiapan perangkat pembelajaran, alat evaluasi dan validasi serta uji coba rancangan media dalam kelompok kecil, (4) Implementation yaitu penerapan media di dalam kelas. (5) Evaluation yaitu perbaikan pada setiap tahap yang telah dilakukan. Media pembelajaran berupa permainan Gasik memenuhi kriteria baik dengan kesesuaian hasil dari validasi ahli materi, ahli media dan penilaian guru. Media permainan Gasik pada pokok materi Cahaya telah berhasil diujicobakan pada siswa dengan hasil sangat baik. Dari hasil penilaian siswa, dapat dinyatakan bahwa siswa sangat setuju apabila permainan Gasik digunakan sebagai media pembelajaran di SMP Negeri 1 Juwiring Klaten. Karakteristik media yang dikembangkan yaitu: (1) media dalam bentuk cetak yang terdiri dari 1 buah papan Gasik Board, 1 set Gasik Card, 1 set Gasik Point, aturan permainan dan petunjuk penggunaan Gasik, (2) pokok materi yang disajikan yaitu Kompetensi Dasar 6.3 tentang Cahaya (3) dapat digunakan sebagai media pembelajaran Fisika di dalam maupun diluar jam pelajaran, (4) kelebihannya dapat menarik perhatian siswa, melatih untuk berpikir kritis dan kreatif, serta dapat mendorong untuk belajar mandiri. (5) kelemahannya yaitu saat digunakan didalam kelas dibutuhkan media yang cukup banyak dan proses IPA belum bisa tercapai dengan baik

Pengaruh Pendidikan Kesehatan Bagi Ibu Terhadap Asupan Energi, Aktivitas Fisik Dan Indeks Massa Tubuh Pada Anak Kelebihan Berat Badan

Background : The percentage of overweight children in Bengkulu (16.4%) is higher than the national (11.9%). Factors causing overweight is a high energy intake and low physical activity.Objective : To analyze the impact of health education for mothers in changes of maternal behavior, energy intake, physical activity level and Body Mass Index (BMI) z-score among overweight children 3-6 years old.Methode : Quasi-Experiment with non-randomized pre-post test control group design. Subjects (48 mothers) were selected purposively and divided into 2 groups (treatment and control). Health education in the treatment group was conducted 6 times in 12 weeks. Analyses were conducted by Independent t-test, Mann Whitney, Paired t-test, Wilcoxon and Covariance.Results: There was an increased in attitude score (20.9 ± 3.52), carbohydrate intake percentage (3.7 ± 7.30%) and physical activity level (0.04 ± 0.01) in the treatment group. The energy adequacy level (-3.4 ± 13.26%) and BMI z-score (-0.57 ± 0.26) decreased in the treatment group. There were difference between the treatment and control groups in attitude, energy adequacy level, physical activity level and BMI z-score after intervention (p <0.05).Conclusion: Health education for mothers affect the positive change in mother attitude in terms of the overweight children treatment and increased physical activity level, decreased energy adequacy level and BMI z-score in overweight children

Liquid crystal behavior of the Kihara fluid

The liquid crystal phases of the Kihara fluid have been studied in computer simulations. The work focuses on the isotropic–nematic–smectic-A triple point region, especially relevant for the understanding of the properties and the design of real mesogens with specific phase diagrams. The Kihara interaction resembles more appropriately than other related models, the shape of elongated polymers and biomolecules, and a closer assertion is provided for the role of the configurational entropy and the dispersive interactions in the behavior of such molecules in dense phases or under macromolecular crowding conditions.Dirección Genaral de Investigación Científico y Técnica BQU2001-3615-C02Instituto de Salud Carlos III 01/1664Plan Andaluz de Investigación FQM-205, FQM-31

A novel orientation-dependent potential model for prolate mesogens

An intermolecular potential is introduced for the study of molecular mesogenic fluids. The model combines distinct features of the well-known Gay-Berne and Kihara potentials by incorporating dispersive interactions dependent on the relative pair orientation to a spherocylinder molecular core. Results of a Monte Carlo simulation study focused on the liquid crystal phases exhibited by the model fluid are presented. For the chosen potential parameters, molecular aspect ratio L*55 and temperatures T*52, 3, and 5, isotropic, nematic, smectic-A, and hexatic phases are found. The location of the phase boundaries as well as the equation of state of the fluid and further thermodynamical and structural parameters are discussed and contrasted to the Kihara fluid. In comparison to this latter fluid, the model induces the formation of ordered liquid crystalline phases at lower packing fractions and it favors, in particular, the appearance of layered hexatic ordering as a consequence of the greater attractive interaction assigned to the parallel side-to-side molecular pair configurations. The results contribute to the evaluation of the role of specific interaction energies in the mesogenic behavior of prolate molecular liquids in dense environments