Modeling Services for the Semantic Grid

The Grid has emerged as a new distributed computing infrastructure for ad- vanced science and engineering aiming at enabling sharing of resources and infor- mation towards coordinated problem solving in dynamic environments. Research in Grid Computing and Web Services has recently converged in what is known as the Web Service Resource Framework. While Web Service technologies and standards such as SOAP and WSDL provide the syntactical basis for communi- cation in this framework, a service oriented grid architecture for communication has been defined in the Open Grid Service architecture. Wide agreement that a flexible service Grid is not possible without support by Semantic technologies has lead to the term "Semantic Grid" which is at the moment only vaguely defined. In our ongoing work on the Web Service Modeling Ontology (WSMO) we so far concentrated on the semantic description of Web services with respect to applications in Enterprise Application Integration and B2B integration sce- narios. Although the typical application areas of Semantic Web services have slightly different requirements than the typical application scenarios in the Grid a big overlap justifies the assumption that most research results in the Semantic Web Services area can be similarly applied in the Semantic Grid. The present abstract summarizes the authors view on how to fruitfully in- tegrate Semantic Web service technologies around WSMO/WSML and WSMX and Grid technologies in a Semantic Service Grid and gives an outlook on further possible directions and research. The reminder of this abstract is structured as follows. After giving a short overview of the current Grid Service architecture and its particular requirements, we shortly review the basic usage tasks for Semantic Web services. We then point out how these crucial tasks of Semantic Web services are to be addressed by WSMO. In turn, we try to analyze which special requirements for Semantic Web Services arise with respect to the Grid. We conclude by giving an outlook on the limitations of current Semantic Web services technologies and how we plan to address these in the future in a common Framework for Semantic Grid services

Spinal ultrasound in neonates and infants. Normal and pathologic findings. Correlation with MRI results

Neonatologie, Neurologie Pediatrică. Life Memorial Hospital, București, Universitatea ”Titu Maiorescu”, Bucureşti, Facultatea de MedicinăObiectiv: Cercetarea a avut drept obiective stabilirea fezabilităţii ecografiei spinale la nou-născut şi sugarul mic, identificarea imaginilor ecografice normale la diferite vârste, identificarea concordanţei între datele ecografice şi cele RMN în cazul disrafismelor spinale. Material şi metode: Pentru stabilirea fezabilităţii ecografiei spinale şi a identificării imaginilor normale au fost efectuate 350 de ecografii spinale la nou-născuţi normali, la termen. Au fost efectuate secţiuni longitudinale şi transversale la nivel cervical, toracic, lombar şi sacro-coccigian, folosind o sondă liniară cu frecvenţa de 10 Hz. Au fost notate: poziţia şi mobilitatea maduvei, diametrele măduvei şi ale canalului medular la nivel cervical, toracic, lombar, poziţia conus medullaris, diametrul filum terminale, prezenţa de chisturi de filum terminale sau conus medular. Pentru a se stabili vârsta până la care este fezabilă ecografia spinală, au fost trecute în revistă ecografiile spinale efectuate la pacienţii din cadrul programului de urmărire pentru nou-născuţii cu risc. Au fost de asemenea investigate cu aceeaşi tehnică, 40 de cazuri de nou-născuţi cu risc de disrafism spinal oculta, indicat prin prezenţa de stigmate cutanate, sinusuri lombo-sacrate, mase mediane sau paramediane, anomalii detectate intrauterin. Pacienţii au beneficiat de examen RMN pentru confirmarea leziunilor identificate ecografic. În anumite cazuri a fost efectuată urmărirea ecografică a pacienţilor cu coloană fixată (tethered cord) sau lipo-mielomeningocel pentru a ajuta la fixarea momentului operator. Rezultate: Nivelul conus medullaris a fost identificat a fi la nivelul vertebrei L1 în 88 de cazuri (25.1%), spaţiul L1-L2 în 203 cazuri (58%) şi sub nivelul L2 în 59 de cazuri (16.8%). Grosimea filum terminale a fost de 1.8 (+ 0.5 cm). Nu au fost identificate defecte spinale în cazul nou-născuţilor normali, fără stigmate. Au fost identificate un număr de 5 chisturi de filum terminale şi 3 cazuri de ventriculus terminalis, fără semnificaţie patologică. În cadrul programului de urmărire pentru nou-născuţii cu risc, au fost efectuate ecografii spinale la un număr de 36 de pacienţi. În 32 din cazuri, ecografiile au fost efectuate până la vârsta de 3 luni, structurile intravertebrale fiind vizibile la această vârstă. În 4 cazuri au fost efectuate ecografii şi la vârstele de 4 şi 6 luni; ecografiile de la 4 luni au decelat structurile cu suficientă acurateţe, imaginile fiind parţial vizibile la unul dintre pacienţi la vârsta de 6 luni, şi nevizibile la ceilalţi. În 4 cazuri, pacienţii au ajuns la ecografie după vârsta de 5 luni, în această situaţie structurile nu au mai putut fi vizualizate. Indicaţiile pentru ecografie spinală pentru risc de disrafism au fost reprezentate de sinusuri sacro-coccigiene – 24 cazuri, hemangioame în regiunea vertebrală sau paravertebrale – 6 cazuri, zone hiperpigmentate în regiunea vertebrală V cazuri şi mase tumorale lombosacrate – 2 cazuri. Au fost identificate 4 lipoame intratecale – 3 lipoame de filum terminale şi un lipom dural toracic (asociat unui sindrom plurimalformativ), două cazuri de coloană fixată, asociate cu siringomielie (asociate cu hemangioame în regiunea vertrebrală lombară) şi două lipo-mielomeningocel. A existat o corelaţie bună între imaginile ecografice şi cele RMN, sensibilitate 100%. Un caz de coloană fixată cu siringomielie şi un caz de lipo-mielomeningocel au beneficiat de urmărire ecografică timp de 3 luni pentru a se stabili momentul operator în funcţie de gradul de fixare al coloanei, respectiv creşterea masei tumorale intratecale. În ambele cazuri, a putut fi realizată o urmărire corectă ecografic, momentul operator fiind stabilit în colaborare cu medicul neurochirurg. Pacienţii au avut evoluţie favorabilă postoperator. Concluzii: Ecografia spinală poate furniza date de încredere dacă este efectuată până la vârsta de 3-4 luni. Pot fi identificate ecografic mobilitatea măduvei, dimensiunile acesteia, poziţia conus medullaris şi a filum terminale. În cazul pacienţilor cu risc de disrafism, ecografia a identificat cu exactitate leziunile ulterior confirmate de examenul RMN şi în cazuri selectate a permis urmărirea evoluţiei leziunii şi stabilirea momentului operator. Recomandăm folosirea ecografiei spinale ca primă linie de investigaţie în cazul pacienţilor cu risc de disrafism spinal închis, înaintea efectuării examenului RMN.Aim: The aims of our research were to establish the feasibility of the spinal ultrasound in the neonate and small infant, to identify the normal ultrasound findings at different ages, to identify the correlation between the ultrasound images and the spinal MRI in the case of spinal dysraphisms. Material and methods: In order to establish the feasibility of the spinal ultrasound and identify the normal findings 350 spinal ultrasounds were performed in normal term neonates. There were performed longitudinal and transverse sections in the cervical, thoracic, lumbar, and sacrococcygeal areas, using a linear probe with a frequency of 10 Hz. There were noted: the position and mobility of the spinal cord, the diameters of the cord and spinal canal (cervical, thoracic, lumbar), the position of the conus modular, the diameter of filum terminal, the presence of cysts of filum terminale or conus medularis. In order to establish the age until the spinal ultrasound can provide reliable images, there were reviewed the spinal ultrasound performed in patients in the follow-up programme for infants at risk. There were also investigated by ultrasound 40 cases of neonates at risk of occult spinal dysraphism, suggested by the presence of cutaneous stigmata, lumbosacral sinuses, median or paramedian masses, abnormalities detected in utero. The patients had also spinal MRI performed in order to confirm the abnormalities detected by ultrasound. In certain situations (see below) serial ultrasound was performed in patients with tethered cord or lipo-myelomeningocele in order to help to establish the optimal timing for surgery. Results: The level of the conus medullaris was identified to be situated at the level of L1 in 88 cases (25.1%), L1-L2 space in 203 cases (58%) and below L2 in 59 cases (16.8%). The thickness of the filum terminale was 1.8 cm(+ 0.5 cm). There were not identified spinal defects in the case of normal neonates, without stigmata. There were identified 5 cysts of filum terminale and 3 cases of ventriculum terminalis, with no pathologic significance. In the case of the patients in the follow-up programme, there were performed spinal ultrasounds in 36 patients. In 32 cases, the ultrasounds were performed until the age of 3 months, the intravertebral stuctures were visible at this age. In 4 cases, the ultrasounds were performed between 4 and 6 months; the ultrasounds performed at 4 months displayed the structures with sufficient accuracy, the intravertebral space was partially visible in one patient at 6 months and was not visible in the others. In 4 cases, the patients were referred to ultrasound after the age of 5 months, in these cases, the intravertebral structures could not be visualised. The indications for spinal ultrasound in case of risk of spinal dysraphism were represented by sacro-coccygeal sinuses -24 cases, hemangioma in verterbral or paravertebral regions – 6 cases, hyperpigmented areas in the vertebral region – 5 cases and lumbosacral tumoral masses – 2 cases. There were identified 4 cases of lipoma – 3 lipoma of filum terminale and one dural thoracic liopoma (associated with a plurimalformative syndrome), two cases of tethered cord associated with syringomyelia (associated with hemangioma in the vertebral lumbar region) and two lipo-myelomeningoceles. There was a good correlation between the ultrasound images and MRI findings, 100% sensitivity. In one case of tethered cord and one case of lipo-myelomeningocele serial spinal ultrasounds were performed for 3 months in order to help to establish the optimal time for surgery, in relation to the degree of fixation of the cord and the increase of the intrathecal tumoral mass. In both cases a correct ultrasound follows up could be undertaken, the optimal timing for surgery being established in coordination with the neurosurgeon. The patients had a favourable evolution after surgery. Conclusions: Spinal ultrasound can provide reliable data if it is performed until the age of 3-4 months. There could be identified: the mobility of the cord, the dimension of different segments, the position of conus medullaris and filum terminale. In the case of the patients with a risk of dysraphism, the ultrasound exactly identified the lesions confirmed further by MRI and allowed in selected cases the follow of the evolution of the lesion and help to establish the timing for surgery. We recommend the use of the spinal ultrasound as a first-line investigation in the case of patients with risk of closed spinal dysraphism, before the MRI

Publication and Discovery of Semantically Annotated Geospatial Web Services

Proceedings of the 26th International Conference on Informatics - Informatics for Environmental Protection, Sustainable Development and Risk Management, August 29 - 31, 2012 Umweltbundesamt DessauEnvironmental information and services have become a crucial asset in the creation of decission support systems. Unfortunately, this information and services are not usually exposed in an interoperable and standard way, limiting their reusability and impact in the community. Publishing and discovering geospatial information and services on the Web is therefore an important challenge in order to create a breeding ground for collaboration and more sophisticated environmental platforms. Based on common standards defined by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) as the starting point to ensure interoperability, we propose a discovery mechanism based on semantic annotations. OGC service descriptions are annotated with SAWSDL and linked to concepts in domain ontologies, following a common semantic service model. We seamlessly integrate the semantics in the standard OGC discovery infrastructure, extending the CSW service catalogues with semantic publication and discovery. Semantics queries can be created based on formal languages like WSML, significantly improving the precission of discovery. In this paper we present our approach, which provides a semantic infrastructure for publication and discovery of environmentally enabled web services

A Semantic-Based Platform for Efficient Online Communication

To achieve an effective and efficient way of disseminating information to ever growing communication channels, we propose an ap proach that separates the information and communication channels and interlinks them with an intermediary component. The separation enables various dimensions to reuse the information and communication chan nels in transactional communication. In this paper we introduce our on line communication platform, which is comprised of several components. The important roles of semantic web technologies to the platform are explained in detail, including a use case to show the contributions of se mantic web in supporting the effectiveness and efficiency of information dissemination.European Union (UE) EU FP7 no. 600663 (Prelida)European Union EU FP7 257641 (PlanetData)European Union (UE) EU FP7 284860 (MSEE

A Service Ranker Based on Logic Rules Evaluation and Constraint Programming

Ranking of Semantic Web Services is usually performed based on user preferences descriptions. These descriptions are expressed in terms of an underlying logical formalism, which limits their expressiveness. Thus, there are some kind of descriptions, such as utility functions, that cannot be handled by reasoners currently being used to perform Semantic Web Services tasks, though utility functions provide a higher level of expressiveness. in this work, we present a hybrid solution to allow the introduction of utility functions in user preferences descriptions, using both Logic Programming rules evaluation and Constraint Programming to perform the ranking process. This proposal is based on the Web Service Modeling Ontology, extending it with a highly expressive framework to specify user preferences, and enabling the integration of different engines to perform the ranking process

Enabling customers engagement and collaboration for small and medium-sized enterprises in ubiquitous multi-channel ecosystems

Over the last few years, we have encountered an exponential growth in online communication opportunities. Organizations have more and more ways to connect and engage with their current or future customers. The existence of more opportunities in connecting to people can be both an enabler and a burden. Being present at a multitude of different channels requires the effective management of a very large number of adapted contents, formats, and interaction patterns fulfilling the communication and cooperation needs of distributed target groups. In this respect, we integrate existing fragmented communication and monitoring approaches into a full-fledged communication model as a basis for an adequate engagement approach. We describe applications of our approach in both the eTourism and manufacturing domain. In this paper, we introduce an approach that will enable communication, collaboration and value exchange of users through a multitude of online interaction possibilities based on the use of semantic technology. Finally, we also compare our approach with existing solutions with respect to the identified challenges in this subject.European Union (UE) EU FP7 284860 (MSEE

Upper Tag Ontology (UTO) For Integrating Social Tagging Data

Data integration and mediation have become central concerns of information technology over the past few decades. With the advent of the Web and the rapid increases in the amount of data and the number of Web documents and users, researchers have focused on enhancing the interoperability of data through the development of metadata schemes. Other researchers have looked to the wealth of metadata generated by bookmarking sites on the Social Web. While several existing ontologies have capitalized on the semantics of metadata created by tagging activities, the Upper Tag Ontology (UTO) emphasizes the structure of tagging activities to facilitate modeling of tagging data and the integration of data from different bookmarking sites as well as the alignment of tagging ontologies. UTO is described and its utility in modeling, harvesting, integrating, searching, and analyzing data is demonstrated with metadata harvested from three major social tagging systems (Delicious, Flickr, and YouTube)