1,721,903 research outputs found
Eosentomon sayani Imadate 1965
No full text<i>Eosentomon sayani</i> Imadaté, 1965 <p> <i>Nature and Life in Southeast Asia</i>, IV: 225</p> <p> <b>Holotype.</b> Thailand. Chieng Dao: 1♂ 24/X/1961 G. Imadaté leg., on slide (NHMD 214804).</p> <p> <b>Current status:</b> Valid name.</p>Published as part of <i>Eusébio, Rita, Sendra, Alberto, Enghoff, Henrik & Reboleira, Ana Sofia P. S., 2018, Catalogue of the type material in the entomological collection of the Natural History Museum of Denmark: basal hexapods, pp. 201-236 in Zootaxa 4457 (2)</i> on pages 220-221, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4457.2.1, <a href="http://zenodo.org/record/1341991">http://zenodo.org/record/1341991</a>
Failed surrogate conceptions: social and ethical aspects of preconception disruptions during commercial surrogacy in India
Full text linkBackgroundDuring a commercial surrogacy arrangement, the event of embryo transfer can be seen as the formal starting point of the arrangement. However, it is common for surrogates to undergo a failed attempt at pregnancy conception or missed conception after an embryo transfer. This paper attempts to argue that such failed attempts can be understood as a loss. It aims to reconstruct the experiences of loss and grief of the surrogates and the intended parents as a consequence of their collective failure to conceive a surrogate pregnancy.MethodsDrawing on a qualitative study conducted over a period of eight months between 2014 and 2015 at two fertility clinics in Delhi and two in Kolkata, India, this paper examines the experiences of the surrogates and the intended parents when faced with missed conceptions or failed conceptions during a surrogacy arrangement.ResultsWe argue that while the surrogate grieves the non-arrival of a 'good news' as an uncertain loss, the intended parents experience yet another, failure in addition to the losses they might have incurred during their previous fertility treatments. The body of the surrogate becomes a site of 'a lost opportunity'. The surrogate embodies a loss in her quest to achieve social mobility and the intended parents experience a disembodied pregnancy loss. This very emotional experience stands in stark contrast to the conceptualisation of such failed attempts as non-events within the discourse of the surrogacy industry. The experience of loss of the intended parents is recognised but their grief is given no space. We argue that such ambiguity around the nature of losses resulting out of a missed or failed conception during surrogacy is an outcome of lack of interpersonal relationship between the surrogate and the intended parents.ConclusionsSince commercial surrogacy is a relational process, the only way in which the experiences of losses and failures of the actors at the preconception stage can be better addressed is through developing close sharing and understanding between each other through an ethics of care. Therefore, to nurture caring relationships, surrogacy needs to be understood as a moral commitment by -the surrogates and intended parents. To enable such a commitment, there is a need to reconsider the pre-defined and legally regulated professional duty of the doctors, agents and agencies. It cannot be a one-sided commitment, but has to have elements of mutuality
Alzheimer's Patient Organizations' Role in Enabling Citizenship Projects: A Comparison of the USA, Germany, and the UK
No full textThis paper examines how Alzheimer's disease (AD) patient support organizations (POs) located in diverse healthcare regimes enable patients to claim and construct their rights as citizens. Since citizenship rights of people with AD are debated widely, it is important to recognize the role of POs in enabling people to construct citizenship identities. This paper thus examines the factors that shape the citizenship projects of the AD POs. Since collective health-related behavior changes in line with national differences, we compare the biggest AD POs in three starkly distinct healthcare regimes: the Alzheimer's Association in the US (ALZ), the Deutsche Alzheimer Gesellschaft (German Alzheimer's Association) in Germany (DAG), and Alzheimer's Society in the UK (AS), to examine how distinct health policy contexts shape their citizenship projects. Based on our website analysis of the three POs and other related secondary documents, we argue that the way each POs work toward enabling its members to claim rights and assume responsibilities depend upon the nature of healthcare funding and resource allocation for AD care. Since AD involves long-term care, the ways in which the three POs enable the people with AD to secure their care expenses set apart the nature of citizenships enactments
Semantic database management: Its evolution and challenges
No full textDr. Hasan Sayani, Professor and Program Director of Software Engineering in the Graduate School, discussed the evolution of digital data management, from early record-based systems through current, state-of-the-art semantic models.©Copyright, H. Sayani, Md, March, 2010
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Hasan H. Sayani, Ph.D.
Professor and Program Director
Software Engineering
Faculty Research Seminar
Graduate School of
Management & Technology
1616 McCormick Drive
Largo, MD 20774
(240) 684-2400
[email protected] www.umuc.edu
U M U C
Semantic DataBase Management: Its Evolution and Challenges, March 11, 2010©Copyright, H. Sayani, Md, March, 2010
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The Evolution of Digital Data Management
Storing Data
Lag between between when data becomes available and when it is needed (Marion Weisbard, IBM)
Retrieving it
At appropriate time
Three major parameters that interact
Storage Time
Storage Space
Retrieval Time©Copyright, H. Sayani, Md, March, 2010
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Serial storage (Digital Data)
Punched cards
Paper tape
Magnetic Tape
Reel-to-reel
Cassette©Copyright, H. Sayani, Md, March, 2010
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Direct Access
Drums, Disks, CardRandomAccessMethod (CRAM NCR)
Access by Cylinder, Track, Sector addresses
File access techniques
Sequential, Random, Indexed-Sequential…
Optical disks, Flash drives, Memory Chips
Removable vs fixed devices©Copyright, H. Sayani, Md, March, 2010
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The S-Curve Effect
A technology matures, providing increasing capabilities
Until it reaches saturation (asymptote)
About this time a new, more powerful technology arrives on the scene
The old technology proponents make frantic improvements to keep it relevant
minor gains
until replaced by the new technology©Copyright, H. Sayani, Md, March, 2010
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The Classic “S” Curve
Using S-Curves and Trends of Evolution in R & D Strategy Planning, Darrell Mann, Industrial Fellow, Department of Mechanical Engineering, U of Bath, Bath, UK©Copyright, H. Sayani, Md, March, 2010
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Technology over time©Copyright, H. Sayani, Md, March, 2010
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File –Record based
Most data management techniques focused on files containing records
A record contained relevant information about an Entity of interest
A File was a collection of like records
Early data management systems were record –based
Network model –records connected to each other as a network; e.g. DMS 1100 from Univac
Hierarchic model –records related to each other hierarchically; e.g. IBM’s IMS
ANSI standards developed (Sayani participated)©Copyright, H. Sayani, Md, March, 2010
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Advent of the Spread Sheet –Tables galore
Representing data in tables
Accountants adapted to it easily
Need for granularity at the “data” level, not just the “record” level
Ted Codd’s formulation of the “Relational Model” at IBM
3rdNormal form, etc.
(Visit to Sayani’s class at College Park)
RDBMS take off
SQL becomes a standard
End-user as well as programming interface
NIST (then, NBS) helped in standardization©Copyright, H. Sayani, Md, March, 2010
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RDBMS Technology Saturation
Requires complexity of multiple tables
Managing duplication
Connections between them (Inner/Outer Joins, etc.)
Difficult to program reliably
Not end-user friendly
Generates doubts about accuracy of retrieved results
Varies with query formulation style©Copyright, H. Sayani, Md, March, 2010
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Efforts to Prolong Utility of RDBMS
Star Schema
Dimensional Modeling
Column-based storage of tables
Natural language to SQL translators©Copyright, H. Sayani, Md, March, 2010
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Object-oriented data management
Filled a niche for programmers
“C”, ADA had no built in data management facilities
Self-contained parameters and methods
Convenient for modeling constraints
Inheritance as a way to maintain classification
End-users find it difficult to think of their data only in terms of Objects (Nouns)©Copyright, H. Sayani, Md, March, 2010
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Need to manage even more complexity
Health Management systems
Manufacturing systems
Modern Airplanes
Battle arena
CASE Tools, Repositories
Security systems©Copyright, H. Sayani, Md, March, 2010
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Demand for simpler access by non-technical folks
RDBMS requires users to model the world as tables
Object-oriented systems make users express the world using only nouns
How about describing your data in sentences?
“Patients are assigned to Doctors who belong to a Health insurance group and are billed for service by the business office.”
Traditional Entity-Relationship-Attribute models are broader, but restricted to:
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binary relationships;
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Multiple relationships needed for both directions
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lack of role concept restricts more than binary relationships©Copyright, H. Sayani, Md, March, 2010
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The state-of-the-art: Semantic Model
It could be the ultimate model –because it models human thinking©Copyright, H. Sayani, Md, March, 2010
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CaMERA
Culture-adaptive Mechanism for Expression, Reflection and Analysis
Roots in an almost universal Problem Solving Approach
Formulate, express, synthesize, evaluate, modify, present a solution
Components
Meta -view of the application domain, or players –e.g.,Patients, Doctors, Insurers;
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An Ontology
Data -instances from the application –e.g. Patient: Jane Doe, treating physician: Dr. Casey, Insurer: Klarion Corp.©Copyright, H. Sayani, Md, March, 2010
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Meta Meta Model –A Sentence
Verb (RELATIONSHIP), Subject, Object (OBJECT), part played in sentence (ROLE)
OBJECTs can be categorized hierarchically with inheritance of PROPERTY and ROLE-playing capabilities
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Class Hierarchies
Adjectives (PROPERTY of OBJECT)
Adverb (PROPERTY of RELATIONSHIP)
ROLEs
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played by OBJECTs (simple affirmative, declarative sentence)
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played by RELATIONSHIPs (to form complex sentences)
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PROPERTY of ROLEs equivalent to a Preposition©Copyright, H. Sayani, Md, March, 2010
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Visual Meta Meta Model
Relationship(n-ary)ConventionsusedinCaMERA'sInformationModelRoleRoleObject(Type)Relationship(Type)Characteristic(Type)RoleObject(Type)Relationship(Type)Characteristic(Type)Object(Type)Relationship(Type)Characteristic(Type)Abstraction(O,R,C)AbstractionAbstractionAbstraction(appropriateO,R,C)(appropriateO,R,C)HomogeneousTypeHierarchy123nk.....(appropriateO,R,C)PropertyPropertyDomainRules©Copyright, H. Sayani, Md, March, 2010
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Using CaMERA
Define domain-specific meta model
Query it to check completeness
Alter as appropriate
Populate with actual data
Can be updated, queried as desired
Extract contents from the database
Customizable reporting, ranging from
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English language reports
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Programming Language outputs (e.g., for automated Y2K transformation)
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XML
Governed by specified rules©Copyright, H. Sayani, Md, March, 2010
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Examples of Meta Models/Ontologies
IDEF Methodology
PSL
DataFlow Diagrams
Audio/Video devices and interconnections
Vendors’ CASE tool environments
Student Enrollment
Gourmet Group
Architect’s system to manage pre-fab components
Health Care Model
GPRA Model
IRS Knowledge Skills and Abilities model©Copyright, H. Sayani, Md, March, 2010
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Examples of Applications
Domain Engineering
Reverse Engineering
Vendors’ CASE tool Repositories
Index Technologies, Univac, NASTEC, Yourdon
Transfer between CASE Tool Vendors (Chapter in Book)
Meta Model comparisons
Data Warehouse to Data Mart mapping
DoD deliverables generation©Copyright, H. Sayani, Md, March, 2010
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Questions/Comments
???The Semantic DataBase
Humans and Computers
It is our conviction that if we are to use computers more effectively, we must bridge the gap between human thought and the expressions we have to utter to make a computer do our bidding. The distortion between human thinking and computer comprehension is more easily understood by examining the language we use to command the computer to perform tasks.
Computer Programming Languages
Computers have as a base language organized sequences of zeros and ones, or, a binary language. Hence, in the very early days, humans had to organize the commands they wanted the computer to carry out as strings of binary sequences. This quickly evolved into mnemonic commands sent to the components of a computer; commands such as LR 1 x (i.e., load your register 1 with the contents of the address known symbolically as 'x'). These languages were then "assembled" into programs that the computer was to execute. They were known as second generation programming languages.
Next came languages that were almost the equivalent of human sentences. Foremost among these was COBOL (others were Fortran, Pascal, Algol, etc.) where one issued commands such as "ADD Parts-on-Hand To New-Parts GIVING New-Parts-on-Hand". These languages were classified as third generation languages. Finally, with the advent of databases, we realized that most of the commands revolved around the data and we developed fourth generation languages.
As computers became more powerful, our ambitions to manage larger systems grew also. We wanted to deal with large amounts of data that was organized in a fashion that made it easier to access and manipulate. Let us visit the evolution of data management in the same fashion that we examined language evolution.
DataBase Management
Dealing with data became most interesting when we had the ability to access and manipulate data directly (as opposed to sequentially on a tape). Our method of addressing data had evolved from addressing the physical location on a disc (by sector and track), to addressing records in files.
File Management
These methods too evolved from sequentially addressing records in files to directly addressing a desired record. Other clever variants also appeared (e.g., Indexed Sequential Access Methods). Soon we realized that we wanted to relate records from one file to those in another. For example, if we had a file on vendors and another on parts, we were interested in showing which vendors supplied which parts.
©Copyright, Hasan Sayani, Md, 1990-2010
Network Data Model
This desire eventually resulted in a new standard (ANSI) called the network data language. In this approach, the concept of file was replaced by that of a "set" that could be composed of many types of records and the sets could be related to other sets. Hence, the Vendor set would be related to the Parts set as "supplier". While this approach took away our correspondence with traditional File drawers with folders, it was closer to human thinking in terms of relationships between data.
Relational Data Model
The next evolution arose out of the desire to make query operations more formal to ensure reliability of responses. The concept of using tables to represent data of a particular type of Entity was proposed. Properties about the entity could be represented as columns with the rows being actual instances of the entity. For example, if we had a table about vendors, we could assign column one for the vendor name, column 2 for the vendor address, column 3 for the vendor terms, etc. The specification of such a table forms a template into which actual data can be stored. Hence, if one of our Vendors was the ACME company, data about ACME would go into, say, row 1. Data about the Smith company could go into another row, etc. Similarly, we could have another table for Parts. To show relationships between Vendors and Parts, we had two approaches. We could put a marker in either of the tables associating a particular Vendor as a Supplier for a particular Part (the "foreign key" approach), or form a new table to perform this association. To make sure that the underlying mechanisms of query work correctly, we must "normalize" the data to suit the data manipulation scheme.
While the above approach, known as the Relational Model (a misnomer if ever there was one) of data management has theoretical advantages, it is not the normal manner in which humans think about data. Hence, in our opinion, it is a step backwards in the evolution of human-machine interaction. However, due to a very large push by various vendors, and the advent of Spread Sheets (which have a similar mind-set), the Relational approach has become very widely used in industry. However, except in very simple data models, it has pushed actual users a level farther from the computer.
Object-Oriented Model
A current band wagon is the Object-Oriented model. This approach recognizes that most data needs to be constrained in some fashion. Some of these constraints come as a result of business practices of those using it. Others may be due to the nature of the data itself. These constraints are often commands that we would like to give the data management system saying "...whenever you deal with this type of data always do this...". These commands are known as "methods" and are combined with the data to which they apply and encapsulated together as "Objects." We do not intend to go into a detailed treatise on Object-Oriented (OO) models. Suffice it to say, that the proponents of OO have found great acceptance among programmers, but not among end-users. The reason: humans are far more sophisticated thinkers. They think in sentences (not just the nouns -- Objects -- in the sentences)
Semantic Data Model
A more logical approach is to use the way humans think (linguistically, in sentences) to describe their data. Hence, this data modeling approach would require the expression of nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, etc., much the way humans form thoughts. Simple sentences would
©Copyright, Hasan Sayani, Md, 1990-2010
©Copyright, Hasan Sayani, Md, 1990-2010
probably be of the type Noun1-Verb-Noun2. Here Noun1 plays the Role of being the Subject; Noun2 plays the role of being the Object (in the English language sense); and the verb Relates the two together. Hence the data definition phase of defining a database on this principle would require the formulation of a generic sentence of the type "Animals eat Food." The data would be of the type "Bossy eats Hay." "Morris eats Fish", etc. Here Bossy and Morris are ("Entities") instances of Animals and Hay and Fish are (also "Entities") instances of Food. Bossy is playing the Role of the eater and Hay is playing the Role of the item eaten. "Eats" is the Relationship that ties the Entities together.
More sophisticated users would think in terms of compound sentences. Hence they would require that other Relationships (rather than only Objects) be allowed to play Roles in Relationships. Similarly, both the Objects and Relationships could have Properties. Further, if one wished to have prepositions, Roles would also be allowed to have Properties. Finally, humans like to categorize items. Hence one could decide that Animals is too broad a category to describe all animals. Hence one could categorize Animals into Dogs, Cats, etc. The Dog category could include specific instances such as Fido, Lassie, etc. This categorization infers that the items categorized under a type would have some similarities (either in their properties, or in the kinds of Relationships in which they can participate).
The ultimate closure in closeness between humans and computers would allow humans to speak their sentences in natural language and have the computer understand them (there is on-going research in this area). The next best thing would be to match the structure of human thought with representations in computers. This is accomplished via the Semantic model.
Entity-Relationship-Attribute (ERA) models allow a restricted subset (e.g., only binary Relationships) of the semantic model. However, they are mostly used for descriptive purposes only and generally do not allow the data to be actually stored in that fashion.
CaMERA: an Implementation of the Semantic Model
CaMERA is a database system based on a semantic model. It allows the description of Objects (nouns), Relationships (Verbs) with Roles, Characteristics (dependent nouns) and Properties (adjectives, adverbs, prepositions). The Relationships are not restricted to just 2 Roles (which would be called "binary"). Objects, Relationships, Roles and Characteristics can have one or more Properties. Further, Objects may be categorized via the Sub-Part/Super-Part constructs.
Most importantly, CaMERA models are executable. Hence, you do not have to distort your thinking to implement the database. Because of the semantic nature of the data representation, you do not have to worry about issues such as data integrity as in the Relational Model. Also, you can capture greater complexity than you could using the Relational model. You are able to visibly recognize what you have defined (as opposed to needing a technical interpreter to tell you what the tables mean)
CaMERA has the traditional data definition, query and report writing mechanisms. It also has a generic GUI (in the Windows environment). CaMERA may be invoked from programs (e.g., "c", c++, Visual Basic) and its data can be exported in any desired form (e.g., to other applications). There are also bridges available which will import data from various sources (e.g., other databases, spread sheets, XML and other applications)
Finally, CaMERA has super-structure built upon it to produce a Generic Shell, Meta Database management and translation between representations
On the other side of the camera - Surrogacy in India and the moral concern of the film maker Surabhi Sharma
No full textThe spread of commercial surrogacy and its rapidly growing global market has raised many concerns among academics and activists alike. In this paper, we present some of the ethical issues associated with the practice of transnational surrogacy in India in the light of a documentary film. Arguments By discussing the nuances of the daily events occurring in the lives of the surrogate mothers as shown in the film, we point out that the discourse of commercial surrogacy in India needs to contextualize itself to the cultural expectations, social vulnerabilities and moral sensibilities of the actors. Results The perspective of Surabhi Sharma is helpful as an impulse for the discussion, focusing on surrogacy as labor and taking into consideration not only the physical risks that the surrogate mothers are prone to but also their social vulnerability
Investigation on effectiveness of different binder in geocomposite / Sayani Khorim
Full text linkThis study investigates the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) characteristic of shredded tire geocomposite and the effectiveness of different types of binders (Ordinary Portland Cement, OPC and Rice Hush Ash, RHA) in shredded tire geocomposite. This project began with intensive literature review followed by mix design. Three preliminary tests namely particle size distribution test, specific gravity test and bulk densities test were then conducted to characterize the shredded tire. The main scope of this study is laboratory CBR test. A total of five CBR test series were conducted to investigate the effect of curing day, repeatability of test specimen, effect of soaking and non soaking, effect of cement content and effect of RHA content. To ensure the consistency of the test results, standardization and control was enforced on casting process and water-cement ratio. The CBR test results revealed that higher curing day and cement content increase the CBR of shredded tire geocomposite. On the contrary, a higher RHA content will reduce the CBR of the geocomposite. Higher CBR is also observed for non-soaking curing condition. In conclusion, this study has identified Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) as a suitable binder to form shredded tire geocomposite
Beyond Relativism: Comparing the Practice and Norms of Surrogacy in India, Israel, and Germany
No full textSupplemental Material - Impact of Recovery Colleges in Postsecondary Institutions in Canada – Preliminary Findings
No full textSupplemental Material for Impact of Recovery Colleges in Postsecondary Institutions in Canada – Preliminary Findings by Sayani Paul, Rachael Battistelli, and Simone Arbour in Emerging Adulthood</p
Producción de la revista digital Sayani, direccionada a la promoción alternativa del turismo en Cuenca
Full text linkLa revista Sayani es un proyecto digital enfocado en la promoción del turismo en la ciudad de
Cuenca. Es un sitio web que permite la difusión de productos comunicacionales en diferentes formatos y
pretende dar a conocer a la ciudad de Cuenca desde una perspectiva alternativa a las existentes. La revista
Sayani al ser diseñada en formato digital alberga contenido en video, audio, texto, de forma que resulta
atractiva a los usuarios, además de ser material propio, recogido y procesado por las autoras del presente
proyecto. Su contenido es distribuido respetando las normas de usabilidad web y permite una navegación
fluida dentro de la página. Durante el desarrollo del presente proyecto se realizó una encuesta que permitió
determinar el formato, el contenido y la plataforma en la cual se emitiría la revista. Así mismo, para crear
la identidad de marca que represente el objetivo del proyecto se elaboró un logotipo y un imagotipo, cuyos
colores y formas evocan al turismo y a la ciudad de Cuenca. La revista posee su propio dominio y
alojamiento, que permite mantener los indicadores de usabilidad a favor de la página web y que, además,
determina la calidad del servicio que va a consumir el usuario. La revista digital Sayani responde a las
necesidades de la era de la información adaptándose al formato digital, presentando contenido que resulta
útil y atractivo para los cuencanos y todos aquellos que desean conocer un poco más de la Atenas del
EcuadorSayani magazine is a digital project focused on promoting tourism in the city of Cuenca. It is a
website that promotes communication products in different formats and aims to publicize the city of
Cuenca from an alternative perspective to the existing ones. The Sayani magazine, being designed in
digital format, contains video, audio and text content, so that it is attractive to users, in addition to being
own material, collected and processed by the authors of this project. Its content is distributed respecting
the rules of web usability and promotes a smooth navigation within the page. During the development of
this project, a survey was conducted to determine the format, content and platform on which the magazine
would be issued. Likewise, in order to create the brand identity that represents the project's objective, a
logo and an imagotype were elaborated, whose colors and shapes evoke tourism and the city of Cuenca.
The magazine has its own domain and hosting, which promotes usability indicators in favor of the website
and also determines the quality of the service that the user will consume. Sayani digital magazine responds
to the needs of the information age by adapting to the digital format, presenting content that is useful and
attractive to the people of Cuenca and all those who want to know a little more about the Athens of
EcuadorLicenciado en Comunicación Social, en Periodismo y Comunicación DigitalCuenc
Introduction: Why Compare the Practice and Norms of Surrogacy and Egg Donation? A Brief Overview of a Comparative and Interdisciplinary Journey
No full text- …
