From standards and regulations to executable rules: A case study in the Building Accessibility domain

Regulatory compliance check in the building industry is a complex task that involves cross-domain national and international standards and regulations. This paper introduces a refined approach to extract SWRL rules from building accessibility regulatory texts and then to transform them into executable rules for semi-automatic compliance checking of Building Information Models. The domain ontology model is a key input to the approach and is enriched by new knowledge extracted from the regulatory text. This semantic technology enhanced rule extraction approach standardized the rule extraction process by covering the whole lifecycle from regulatory text to executable rules. It is based on the open standards and applies open source tools and thereby portable and extendable. It conforms to the open BIM principle to support knowledge sharing cross domains and disciplines. The approach is also adaptable to other types of regulatory rules in the building industry.publishedVersio

Towards intelligent web services: the web service modeling ontology (WSMO)

The Semantic Web and the Semantic Web Services build a natural application area for Intelligent Agents, namely querying and reasoning about structured knowledge and semantic descriptions of services and their interfaces on the Web. This paper provides an overview of the Web Service Modeling Ontology, a conceptual framework for the semantical description of Web services

Building Semantic Knowledge Graphs from (Semi-)Structured Data: A Review

Knowledge graphs have, for the past decade, been a hot topic both in public and private domains, typically used for large-scale integration and analysis of data using graph-based data models. One of the central concepts in this area is the Semantic Web, with the vision of providing a well-defined meaning to information and services on the Web through a set of standards. Particularly, linked data and ontologies have been quite essential for data sharing, discovery, integration, and reuse. In this paper, we provide a systematic literature review on knowledge graph creation from structured and semi-structured data sources using Semantic Web technologies. The review takes into account four prominent publication venues, namely, Extended Semantic Web Conference, International Semantic Web Conference, Journal of Web Semantics, and Semantic Web Journal. The review highlights the tools, methods, types of data sources, ontologies, and publication methods, together with the challenges, limitations, and lessons learned in the knowledge graph creation processes.publishedVersio

Towards Cognitive Self-Management of IoT-Edge-Cloud Continuum based on User Intents

Elasticity of the computing continuum with on demand availability allows for automated provisioning and release of computing resources as needed; however, this self management capability is severely limited due to the lack of knowledge on historical and timely resource utilisation and means for stakeholders to express their needs in a high-level manner. In this paper, we introduce and discuss a new concept – intent-based cognitive continuum for sustainable elasticity.acceptedVersio

MethOSM: a methodology for computing composite indicators derived from OpenStreetMap data

The task of computing composite indicators to define and analyze complex social, economic, political, or environmental phenomena has traditionally been the exclusive competence of statistical offices. Nowadays, the availability of increasing volumes of data and the emergence of the open data movement have enabled individuals and businesses affordable access to all kinds of datasets that can be used as valuable input to compute indicators. OpenStreetMap (OSM) is a good example of this. It has been used as a baseline to compute indicators in areas where official data is scarce or difficult to access. Although the extraction and application of OSM data to compute indicators is an attractive proposition, this practice is by no means hassle-free. The use of OSM reveals a number of challenges that are usually addressed with ad-hoc and often overlapping solutions. In this context, this paper proposes MethOSM-a systematic methodology for computing indicators derived from OSM data. By applying MethOSM, the computation task is divided into four steps, with each step having a clear goal and a set of guidelines to apply. In this way, the methodology contributes to an effective and efficient use of OSM data for the purpose of computing indicators. To demonstrate its use, we apply MethOSM to a number of indicators used for real estate valuation of properties in Italy

Open Environmental Platforms: Top-Level Components and Relevant Standards

We present our ideas of an open Information and Communication Technology (ICT) platform for monitoring, mapping and managing our environment. The envisioned solution bridges the gap between the Internet of Things, Content and Services, and highly specific applications, such as oil spill detection or marine monitoring. On the one hand, this environmental platform should be open to new technologies; on the other hand, it has to provide open standard interfaces to various application domains. We identify core components, standards, and needs for new standard development in ICT for environment. We briefly outline how our past and present activities contribute to the development of the desired open environmental platform. Future implementations shall contribute to sustainable developments in the environmental domain.JRC.DDG.H.6-Spatial data infrastructure

A graph-based approach for representing, integrating and analysing neuroscience data: the case of the murine basal ganglia

Purpose: Neuroscience data are spread across a variety of sources, typically provisioned through ad-hoc and non-standard approaches and formats and often have no connection to the related data sources. These make it difficult for researchers to understand, integrate and reuse brain-related data. The aim of this study is to show that a graph-based approach offers an effective mean for representing, analysing and accessing brain-related data, which is highly interconnected, evolving over time and often needed in combination. Approach: The authors present an approach for organising brain-related data in a graph model. The approach is exemplified in the case of a unique data set of quantitative neuroanatomical data about the murine basal ganglia––a group of nuclei in the brain essential for processing information related to movement. Specifically, the murine basal ganglia data set is modelled as a graph, integrated with relevant data from third-party repositories, published through a Web-based user interface and API, analysed from exploratory and confirmatory perspectives using popular graph algorithms to extract new insights. Findings: The evaluation of the graph model and the results of the graph data analysis and usability study of the user interface suggest that graph-based data management in the neuroscience domain is a promising approach, since it enables integration of various disparate data sources and improves understanding and usability of data. Originality: The study provides a practical and generic approach for representing, integrating, analysing and provisioning brain-related data and a set of software tools to support the proposed approach.acceptedVersio

Identification of single nucleotides in MoS2 nanopores

Ultrathin membranes have drawn much attention due to their unprecedented spatial resolution for DNA nanopore sequencing. However, the high translocation velocity (3000-50000 nt/ms) of DNA molecules moving across such membranes limits their usability. To this end, we have introduced a viscosity gradient system based on room-temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) to control the dynamics of DNA translocation through a nanometer-size pore fabricated in an atomically thin MoS2 membrane. This allows us for the first time to statistically identify all four types of nucleotides with solid state nanopores. Nucleotides are identified according to the current signatures recorded during their transient residence in the narrow orifice of the atomically thin MoS2 nanopore. In this novel architecture that exploits high viscosity of RTIL, we demonstrate single-nucleotide translocation velocity that is an optimal speed (1-50 nt/ms) for DNA sequencing, while keeping the signal to noise ratio (SNR) higher than 10. Our findings pave the way for future low-cost and rapid DNA sequencing using solid-state nanopores.Comment: Manuscript 24 pages, 4 Figures Supporting Information 24 pages, 12 Figures, 2 Tables Manuscript in review Nature Nanotechnology since May 27th 201

Observations on Groundwater Contamination with Nitrogen Compounds: A Case Study from Medias town, Sibiu County

Worldwide, the groundwater (water well and public spring) is used as drinking water source. The water quality is important due to the possible negative effects on the consumers’ health, especially for infants. Nitrogen compounds (NO2-, NO3-, NH4+) are present as natural components of the nitrogen cycle and their presence in the groundwater is ubiquitous. But, due to the anthropogenic activities high concentrations of nitrogen compounds are release into the groundwater, thereby the chemical compounds concentrations exceed the maximum allowable concentrations (MACs). The purpose of the present study was to assess the content of nitrogen compounds in groundwater, namely private water wells and public springs used as drinking water sources by the Medias town population. The study results show alarming NO2- and NO3- concentrations; the NO3- concentrations exceed 5 times the MAC and NO2- concentrations exceed3 times the MAC.