Mobile IT in health – the case of short messaging service in an HIV awareness program

ABSTRACT

This study aims to augment our understanding of user intention to use mobile IT in health. Experiential dispositions and technology perceptions around a mobile service that is currently in use to access other value-seeking services are integrated to present an enriched characterization of intention to use m-health. Primary data from a pressing health context in a developing economy are collected to validate the model. The results demonstrate that previous experience from value services received on a mobile service enhances user attention, which in turn positively impacts the perceived usefulness of an incoming m-health program, which then influences user intention to adopt m-health services delivered on that mobile service. Overall, the findings provide a comprehensive understanding of user intention to accept m-health. Additionally, our results provide insights toward the choice of mobile technology and indicate aspects of message framing that may ensure practicable deployment and successful implementation of m-health programs.     

Electronic content delivery and forensic watermarking

Today, digital content distribution is already common practice for media types like audio. It is expected that in the near future, systems like Video-on-Demand will also increase in popularity. Many Digital Right Management (DRM) models exist enforcing the copyrights associated with the distributed content. We argue that a simplified model based on so-called forensic watermarks is a viable alternative approach that closely mimics the current model of physical music and video distribution by providing a reasonable compromise between the conflicting interests of consumers and content owners. In this paper, we address the forensic watermark DRM model and introduce a generalized architecture for the distribution server and the forensic watermark tracker. In this model, important attack scenarios are identified as being the ‘copy attack’ and the watermark ‘rendering’. We show that it is more difficult to successfully work out these attack scenarios by (i) integrating a content identification and watermarking system and (ii) making the watermark (both the carrier signal as well as the payload) content dependent. In addition to these security aspects, we also focus on efficiency of the distribution server. By separating the computational efforts in so-called pre-coding and on-line computational phases, the required signal processing resources of the distribution server can be reduced significantly. The general architecture including security and efficiency requirements are analyzed in a practical example of Electronic Music Delivery (EMD). We show that computational complexity can be reduced up to a factor 4 compared to a straightforward approach. In practice, it means that with current state-of-the art computers (Pentium IV, 1 GHz) watermark embedding speeds of about 40 times Real Time (RT) can be achieved. In addition to the embedding architecture, we also demonstrate an efficient method for detecting watermarks in a forensic watermark tracker. Having multimedia identification fingerprints available (required for working with content-dependent watermarks), the efficiency of watermark detection can be enhanced by using them as side information. Again, in our EMD prototype, we demonstrate that (depending on the parameter settings) the detector can run up to 50 times faster than a blind detector, in which the original or the fingerprint is not available.     

A PhD in information systems for emerging economies: the Addis Ababa University model

Information systems (IS) provides a critical skill set for all economies, yet many of the emerging economies find that when they send the best minds overseas for a PhD in IS, many of them do not return. As a result, many poor countries are unable to create the intellectual infrastructure that they need to improve internal efficiency and participate in the world outsourcing market. Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia has developed a PhD in IS based on the willingness of overseas IS faculty to conduct intensive PhD seminars on a yearly basis. Now in its third year, the program is a model that other countries or regions might consider emulating.     

The health of the foreign immigrants in Turin in the current informative systems

The rising phenomenon of immigration to Italy makes necessary to be equipped with basic tools allowing to work out a health pattern of the immigrated foreigners useful to develop programs for their health protection. We describe the image of the health pattern of foreigners immigrated to Turin obtained using the current socio-sanitary informative systems and the record of some outpatient's department. The resulting health condition is similar to that of the general population, with a few epidemiological peculiarities of the origin countries (a larger diffusion of tubercolosys and intestinal parasitosis) and with acute problems typical of populations with high mobility (traumatology, respiratory diseases). Besides, these sources suggest to examine carefully health problems pregnancy and work related. Completeness and quality limits of the informative systems used are then discussed.     

Room temperature synthesis of metal organic framework MOF-2

One of the pioneering metal organic framework material, called MOF-2 and having the formula [Zn₂(BDC)₂], still continues awakening interest amongst the scientific community in spite of its layered character. However, the synthesis methods are either experimentally complicated or in two steps through the transformation of MOF-1. Here, we describe the preparation of a high-quality MOF-2 under more sustainable conditions, including room temperature, absence of any amine or any other pH-controller, partial substitution of the harmful organic solvent (N,N-dimethylformamide) by water, and by simply mixing linker and metal sources, the latter being zinc acetate, carefully selected as a function of their solubility in the solvent mixture. The optimum ratio of Zn(OAc)₂·4H₂O to terephthalic acid (H₂BDC) is 1.74 and H₂O to DMF is 3. MOF-2 [Zn₂(BDC)₂] has been characterized using powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, N₂ adsorption/desorption and scanning electron microscopy, all of them supporting the good quality of the material.     

Low Complexity Radio Mobile Speed Estimation Using Count of Received Envelop Peaks and Troughs

Wireless Personal Communications - Future high densification wireless networks come with high handoff rates, which require knowledge of mobile speed. Mobile speed estimation is crucial for...     

Stormwater impact on water quality of rivers subjected to point sources and urbanization – the case of Addis Ababa,Ethiopia

Urbanization of a catchment often causes degeneration of rivers. We studied the water quality of three rivers in Addis Ababa based on the impact of stormwater and non‐point sources, and urbanization. Along these rivers several point sources were registered, with direct discharge of industrial and domestic wastes into them. To distinguish the impact of these year‐round point‐sources from stormwater, we analysed physicochemical parameters, nutrients and heavy metals sampled from upstream to downstream sections of each river in the dry and wet season. Dissolved oxygen (DO), NO₂–N, NH₄–N, PO₄–P, (Cr(VI) and Cu) exceeded international standards, pointing to a generally poor water quality of the rivers in both seasons. NO₃–N, Mn and Zn were problematic in dry season only. Although stormwater improved DO, conductivity, PO₄–P, Cr(VI) and Zn, the levels were still critical, pointing to construction sites, agriculture and pit latrines, somewhat offsetting the effect of stormwater dilution. No clear impact of urbanization pressure was found.     

Determinants of functional status of family size bio-digesters: empirical evidence from southern Ethiopia

The main objective of this study is to investigate factors that determine the functionality of bio-digesters in southern Ethiopia. Data were collected through personal interview of adopter households using a semi-structured questionnaire and focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Results indicated the proportion of the functional status of digesters was ‘never operate’ (17.9%), ‘poor’ (19.4%), ‘fair’ (18.6%), ‘good’ (17.2%) and ‘excellent’ (26.9%). Sex of household head, household total income, institutional technical follow-up and support, and level of satisfaction with the biogas programme service significantly and positively influence the functionality of bio-digesters. Whereas, distance from residence to water source and to the nearest market for appliances significantly and negatively influence the functionality of digesters. Advances in these perspectives could improve the functionality of bio-digesters, the reputation of biogas technology among members of communities as well as help ensuring a sustainable energy security in rural Ethiopia.     

Pheromone-based Mating and Aggregation in the Sorghum Chafer, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pachnoda interrupta</Emphasis>

Adults of the sorghum chafer, Pachnoda interrupta Olivier (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae), form aggregations during the mating period in July, but also in October. The beetles aggregate on food sources, e.g., Acacia spp. trees or sorghum with ripe seeds, to feed and mate. During the mating season, field trapping experiments with live beetles as bait demonstrated attraction of males to unmated females, but not to mated females or males, indicating the presence of a female-emitted sex pheromone. Unmated females combined with banana (food source) attracted significantly more males and females than did unmated females alone. Other combinations of beetles with banana were not more attractive than banana alone. Thus, aggregation behavior appears to be guided by a combination of pheromone and host volatiles. Females and males were extracted with hexane during the mating period, and the extracts were compared by using GC-MS. In a field trapping experiment, 19 compounds found only in females were tested, both singly and in a mixture. Traps baited with one of the female-associated compounds, phenylacetaldehyde, caught significantly more beetles than any other treatment. However, the sex ratio of beetles caught in these traps did not differ from that of control traps, and it is possible that other components may be involved in the sex pheromone signal. Furthermore, traps baited with a mixture of all 19 compounds attracted significantly fewer beetles than did phenylacetaldehyde alone.     

Multiresolution ESPRIT algorithm

Multiresolution ESPRIT is an extension of the ESPRIT direction finding algorithm to antenna arrays with multiple baselines. A short (half wavelength) baseline is necessary to avoid aliasing, and a long baseline is preferred for accuracy. The MR-ESPRIT algorithm allows the combination of both estimates. The ratio of the longest baseline to the shortest one is a measure of the gain in accuracy. Because of various factors, including noise, signal bandwidth, and measurement error, the achievable gain in accuracy is bounded