What is the Natural Abstraction Level of an Algorithm?

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Personalized Recommendations for Physical Activity e-Coaching (OntoRecoModel): Ontological Modeling

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Teaching Model Driven Language Handling

Many universities teach computer language handling by mainly focussing on compiler theory, although MDD (model-driven development) and meta-modelling are increasingly important in the software industry as well as in computer science. In this article, we share some experiences from teaching a course in computer language handling where the focus is on MDD principles. We discuss the choice of tools and technologies used in demonstrations and exercises, and also give a brief glimpse of a prototype for a simple meta-model-based language handling tool that is currently being designed and considered for future use in teaching

NFC-BASED ELECTRONIC DATA CAPTURE SYSTEMS - THE CASE OF A QUALITY OF LIFE QUESTIONNAIRE

In this paper, we present a Near Field Communication (NFC)-based electronic data capture prototype for patient self-reported rating scales. Such scales are valuable feedback for medical treatment and care processes. As traditional paper-based questionnaires are time- and cost-consuming and may be affected by low patient compliance, our prototype allows patient monitoring and electronic data acquisition directly from the patient\u27s home. It enables real time representation and analysis of patient data and thus allows direct medical intervention by physicians. In developing the prototype, we followed a design science approach, developed design goals for the special case of patients suffering from impaired motor skills, and tested the prototype in a field study over the course of twelve weeks. We chose NFC, as the interaction paradigm is intuitive and quickly learned, without prior knowledge being necessary. Our results indicate that NFC is almost as simple as to fill out a paper-based questionnaire. During the study patients used the prototype autonomously and with minimal errors. Further, NFC technology was perceived as very intuitive and the information quality of each patient\u27s health status could be improved. Based on the findings we derive recommendations for future research and applications of NFC based electronic data capture systems

Representation of acoustic communication signals by insect auditory receptor neurons

Despite their simple auditory systems, some insect species recognize certain temporal aspects of acoustic stimuli with an acuity equal to that of vertebrates; however, the underlying neural mechanisms and coding schemes are only partially understood. In this study, we analyze the response characteristics of the peripheral auditory system of grasshoppers with special emphasis on the representation of species-specific communication signals. We use both natural calling songs and artificial random stimuli designed to focus on two low-order statistical properties of the songs: their typical time scales and the distribution of their modulation amplitudes. Based on stimulus reconstruction techniques and quantified within an information-theoretic framework, our data show that artificial stimuli with typical time scales of >40 msec can be read from single spike trains with high accuracy. Faster stimulus variations can be reconstructed only for behaviorally relevant amplitude distributions. The highest rates of information transmission (180 bits/sec) and the highest coding efficiencies (40%) are obtained for stimuli that capture both the time scales and amplitude distributions of natural songs. Use of multiple spike trains significantly improves the reconstruction of stimuli that vary on time scales <40 msec or feature amplitude distributions as occur when several grasshopper songs overlap. Signal-to-noise ratios obtained from the reconstructions of natural songs do not exceed those obtained from artificial stimuli with the same low-order statistical properties. We conclude that auditory receptor neurons are optimized to extract both the time scales and the amplitude distribution of natural songs. They are not optimized, however, to extract higher-order statistical properties of the song-specific rhythmic patterns

SFTSDH: Applying Spring Security Framework with TSD-Based OAuth2 to Protect Microservice Architecture APIs

The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) combines medical devices and applications that use network technologies to connect healthcare information systems (HIS). IoMT is reforming the medical industry by adopting information and communication technologies (ICTs). Identity verification, secure collection, and exchange of medical data are essential in health applications. In this study, we implemented a hybrid security solution to secure the collection and management of personal health data using Spring Framework (SF), Services for Sensitive Data (TSD) as a service platform, and Hyper-Text-Transfer-Protocol (HTTP (H)) security methods. The adopted solution (SFTSDH = SF + TSD + H) instigated the following security features: identity brokering, OAuth2, multifactor authentication, and access control to protect the Microservices Architecture Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), following the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Moreover, we extended the adopted security solution to develop a digital infrastructure to facilitate the research and innovation work in the electronic health (eHealth) section, focusing on solution validation with theoretical evaluation and experimental testing. We used a web engineering security methodology to achieve and explain the adopted security solution. As a case study, we designed and implemented electronic coaching (eCoaching) prototype system and deployed the same in the developed infrastructure to securely record and share personal health data. Furthermore, we compared the test results with related studies qualitatively for the efficient evaluation of the implemented security solution. The SFTSDH implementation and configuration in the prototype system have effectively secured the eCoach APIs from an attack in all the considered scenarios. The eCoach prototype with the SFTSDH solution effectively sustained a load of (≈) 1000 concurrent users in the developed digital health infrastructure. In addition, we performed a qualitative comparison among the following security solutions: SF security, third-party security, and SFTSDH, where SFTSDH showed a promising outcome.publishedVersio

Digital interventions on healthy lifestyle management: Systematic review

Background: Digital interventions have tremendous potential to improve well-being and health care conveyance by improving adequacy, proficiency, availability, and personalization. They have gained acknowledgment in interventions for the management of a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, we are reviewing existing conceptual frameworks, digital intervention approaches, and associated methods to identify the impact of digital intervention on adopting a healthier lifestyle. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the impact of digital interventions on weight management in maintaining a healthy lifestyle (eg, regular physical activity, healthy habits, and proper dietary patterns). Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review to search the scientific databases (Nature, SpringerLink, Elsevier, IEEE Xplore, and PubMed) that included digital interventions on healthy lifestyle, focusing on preventing obesity and being overweight as a prime objective. Peer-reviewed articles published between 2015 and 2020 were included. We used the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines and a framework for an evidence-based systematic review. Furthermore, we improved the review process by adopting the Rayyan tool and the Scale for the Assessment of Narrative Review Articles. Results: Our initial searches identified 780 potential studies through electronic and manual searches; however, 107 articles in the final stage were cited following the specified inclusion and exclusion criteria. The identified methods for a successful digital intervention to promote a healthy lifestyle are self-monitoring, self-motivation, goal setting, personalized feedback, participant engagement, psychological empowerment, persuasion, digital literacy, efficacy, and credibility. In this study, we identified existing conceptual frameworks for digital interventions, different approaches to provide digital interventions, associated methods, and execution challenges and their impact on the promotion of healthy lifestyle management. Conclusions: This systematic literature review selected intervention principles (rules), theories, design features, ways to determine efficient interventions, and weaknesses in healthy lifestyle management from established digital intervention approaches. The results help us understand how digital interventions influence lifestyle management and overcome the existing shortcomings. It serves as a basis for further research with a focus on designing, developing, testing, and evaluating the generation of personalized lifestyle recommendations as a part of digital health interventions.publishedVersio

Machine learning and ontology in eCoaching for personalized activity level monitoring and recommendation generation

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Human Coaching Methodologies for Automatic Electronic Coaching (eCoaching) as Behavioral Interventions with Information and Communication Technology: Systematic Review

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