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Call for Papers: Cloud Computing and Service-Oriented Architecture

2012-01-11T08:22:00.000-08:00

A special issue of International Journal of Information and Communication Technology

Cloud computing is a new paradigm in the area of computing with a pool of virtualised computer resources and is driven by economics of scale. A cloud supports redundant, self-recovering, highly scalable programming models and allows workloads to recover from many unavoidable hardware/software failures. The idea of cloud computing is to move desktop computing to a service-oriented platform using server clusters and huge databases at datacenters.

Cloud computing overlaps some of the concepts of cluster, distributed, grid, service, ubiquitous, utility and virtual computing; however, it has emerged from these computing domains and now has its own meaning. Cloud computing is now associated with a higher level abstraction of the cloud. Instead of there being application software, routers and servers, there are now services. Using these cloud computing models and toolsets, IT-related capabilities are provided as services, accessible without requiring detailed knowledge of the underlying technology.

Service-oriented architecture (SOA) also generally provides a way for consumers of services such as web-based applications to be aware of available SOA-based services. SOA defines how to integrate widely disparate applications for a Web-based environment and uses multiple implementation platforms.

This special issue will cover all of the above issues.

Although we welcome submissions on any area within the scope of cloud computing, the following areas are particularly suitable (but not exhaustive):

Auditing, monitoring and scheduling
Automatic reconfiguration
Autonomic computing
Cloud architecture and modelling
Cloud-based services
Consistency models
Data grid and semantic web
Fault tolerance and reliability
Hardware as a service (HaaS)
High-performance computing
Integration of mainframe and large systems
Innovations in IP (especially open source) systems
IT service and relationship management
Load balancing
Middleware frameworks
New and innovative pedagogical approaches
Novel programming models for large computing
Optimal deployment configuration
Peer-to-peer computing
Power-aware profiling, modelling and optimisation
Resource registration and discovery
Scalable fault resilience techniques for large computing
Scalable scheduling on heterogeneous architectures
Security and risk
Self-healing
Self-monitoring
Service integration and management
Service level agreement definitions
Software as a service
Trustworthiness, security and privacy
Utility computing
Virtualisation technologies

Important Dates
Paper submission deadline: 30 April, 2012
Notification of acceptance: 1 June, 2012
Submission of final revised paper: 1 August, 2012

Call for Papers: Commercial Diplomacy and International Business

2012-01-11T08:19:00.000-08:00

A special issue of International Journal of Diplomacy and Economy

Governments have a major interest in supporting business abroad as it may lead to domestic job creation, tax revenue increase and a stable economy (Naray, 2010). As a consequence, a change in the current practice of diplomacy towards more commercial activities can be observed (Kostecki & Naray, 2007). According to Lee and Hudson (2004: 343), “commercial activities of diplomatic services have been centralized, […] extended, and business interests have been formally integrated within diplomatic systems”.

Commercial diplomacy has thereby become a foreign policy priority of governments. Activities within the field of commercial diplomacy aim at “encouraging business development” (Naray, 2010: 122), “the development of socially beneficial international business ventures” (Kostecki & Naray, 2007: 1), and “national economic development” (Saner & Yiu, 2003: 1).

The spectrum of actors in commercial diplomacy ranges from the high-policy level (head of state or prime minister to ambassador) to the lower level of specialised diplomatic envoy, such as trade representative, commercial attaché or commercial diplomat.

But more and more private actors are involved, especially international business representatives. “Many of the global challenges now confronting international business are issues and matters of diplomacy”, as Muldoon (2005, p. 355) puts it. Terms such as business diplomacy (Muldoon, 2005), the business-government interface (Hillman & Keim, 1995), corporate diplomacy (Ordeix-Rigo and Duarte, 2009), strategic political management (Hillman, 2003) and corporate political strategy (Oliver & Holzinger, 2008) have been proposed in the literature to label and describe international business’ involvement in diplomatic activity.

But whereas the commercial aspect seems to be gaining importance in diplomatic practice, the body of literature on the subject is still rather limited. The literature “fails to identify, explain and understand […] the increased influence of private interests in diplomacy” (Lee & Hudson, 2004: 344), and hardly draws a complete picture of all its aspects.

This special issue aims to contribute to expanding the body of literature on the relationship between commercial diplomacy and international business. This call for papers therefore invites conceptual as well as empirical (quantitative and qualitative) work.

References:
Hillman, A.J. (2003). Determinants of political strategies in U.S. Multinationals. Business & Society. 42 (4): 455-484.
Hillman, A., Keim, G. (1995). International variation in the business-government interface: institutional and organizational considerations. Academy of Management Review. 20 (1): 193-214.
Kostecki M., Naray O. (2007). Commercial Diplomacy and International Business, Clingendael Discussion Paper in Diplomacy, The Hague, Clingendael Institute, April 2007.
Lee, D., Hudson, D. 2004. The Old en new significance of political economy in diplomacy. Review of International Studies, 30, 343 – 360.
Naray, O. (2010a). Commercial Diplomats in the context of International Business. The Hague Journal of Diplomacy, 6, 121-148.
Muldoon, J.P. (2005). The Diplomacy of Business. Diplomacy and Statecraft. 16: 341-359.
Ordeix-Rigo, E., Duarte, J. (2009). From Public diplomacy to corporate diplomacy: increasing corporation’s legitimacy and influence. American Behavioral Scientist. 53 (4): 549-564.
Oliver, C., Holzinger, I. (2008). The Effectiveness of Strategic Political Management: A Dynamic Capabilities Framework. Academy of Management Review. 33 (2), 496–520.
Potter, E. 2004. Branding Canada : The Renaissance of Canada’s Commercial Diplomacy, International Studies Perspectives, 5, 55-60.
Saner, & Yiu, L. (2003). International economic diplomacy: Mutations in post-modern times. The Hague : Netherlands Institute of International Relations "Clingendael", January, -37p.
Yakop, M. & Bergeijk, P.A.G. van (2009). The weight of economic and commercial diplomacy. International Institute of Social Studies, working paper 478

Suitable topics include but are not limited to:

The relationship between commercial diplomats and international business representatives
The value of commercial diplomacy for international business
The role of international business in commercial diplomacy's effectiveness
International business networks and commercial diplomats
Commercial diplomats' competence for international business collaboration
Foreign policy, economic policy, and international justice
Corporate social responsibility and commercial diplomacy
Commercial diplomacy instruments for international business support
Theory development on the commercial diplomacy and international business relationship
International business' involvement in commercial diplomacy
Research methodology for studying the commercial diplomacy and international business relationship

Important Dates
Extended abstract due: 1 March, 2012 (by email)
First paper submission due: 1 April, 2012 (online submission)
Notification of acceptance/Reviews: 1 June, 2012
Final paper submission due: 1 September, 2012

Call for Papers: Role of ICT in Vocational Education and Training and Lifelong Learning

2012-01-11T08:12:00.000-08:00

A special issue of International Journal of Information and Communication Technology

ICT is a general tool in all fields of work and professions today. Consequently, ICT and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) professional education are integrated at all levels.

In the use of ICT in and for education in general, UNESCO stresses several points. Firstly, ICT is only part of a continuum of technologies, starting with chalk and books, all of which can support and enrich learning. Secondly, ICT, as is the case with any tool, must be considered as such, and used and adapted to serve educational goals. Thirdly, many ethical and legal issues intervene in the widespread use of ICT in education, such as ownership of knowledge, the increasing exchange of education as a commodity, and the globalisation of education in relation to cultural diversity.

The aim of this special issue is to concentrate on “21st century competencies” in a knowledge economy driven by technology. The efforts aim at finding indicators, criteria and benchmarks for international comparisons in order to assess the effects of ICT in education. Recent documents emphasise innovation strategy for education and training. Attention will be given to the needs and skills used by innovative firms, the working population, and also in arts and science education. In TVET there is a tendency to emphasise the “learning by doing” approach.

Suitable topics include but are not limited to:

ICT and TVET
TVET and lifelong learning
Technology-enhanced education
Skills and competences in TVET
Skills acquisition processes
Quality assessment
Entrepreneurship and SMEs
Human-computer interaction blended learning
Distributed work
Global networking
Knowledge management and collaboration systems
Global e-learning
TVET and sustainability
ICT and new literacies
ICT and new humanism
TVET and the global knowledge society

Important Dates
Deadlines for papers: 15 April, 2012
Notification of acceptance: 15 June, 2012
Submission of final paper: 15 August, 2012

Call for Papers: Biomedical Signal and Image Processing

2012-01-11T06:20:00.000-08:00

A special issue of International Journal of Convergence Computing

Biomedical signal and image processing is an active area of research where disciplines such as engineering, computer science, physics, biology and medicine inter-disciplinarily synchronise in order to improve healthcare.

This particular area deals with the generation, reconstruction, pre-processing, improvement, analysis, quantification, visualisation and management of all kind of medical images. We invite the submission of highly innovative research papers on recent trends and challenges in the field of biomedical signal and image processing, describing new methods employing computer-aided detection and diagnosis of diseases, and improvement of diagnostic imaging using soft computing techniques.

This special issue will focus particularly on image enhancement, edge detection and segmentation methods/algorithms/tools developed to aid early detection/diagnosis of diseases (e.g. brain tumours, breast cancers, malignant melanomas) by the processing of images obtained from modalities such ultrasounds, mammography, MRI, CT-scans, etc. These methods must be preferably supported by thorough clinical evaluation or assessment on recognised standard medical databases.

The issue will be an important resource for research scholars, engineers and scientists interested in theoretical and methodological aspects of biomedical signal and image processing in reference to the development of computer-aided diagnosis techniques.

Suitable topics include but are not limited to:

Mathematical models for medical image contrast enhancement
Algorithms for noise suppression in medical images
Edge enhancement techniques for segmentation of abnormality in diagnostic images
Algorithms for growth detection of lesions/tumours
Multi-scale/multi-resolution techniques for analysis of fine details in medical images
Quantitative assessment techniques for evaluation of computer-aided detection/diagnosis algorithms
Efficient pre- and post-processing of image-based computational models
Non-linear techniques for contrast enhancement and edge detection of medical images
Medical image compression and watermarking
Fractal-based approaches for medical image analysis
Mathematical morphology
Soft computing and bio-inspired computing techniques in medical image processing
Bioinformatics and computational biology

Important Dates
Manuscript submission: 31 March, 2012
Notification of acceptance: 30 May, 2012
Final version due: 20 June, 2012

Call for Papers: eCRM and the Hospitality Industry

2012-01-11T04:58:00.000-08:00

A special issue of International Journal of Electronic Customer Relationship Management

We are pleased to announce a special issue focused on electronic customer relationship management (eCRM) systems used in the hospitality industry. eCRM systems have been used by many businesses to support both strategic decision making and daily operations. Traditionally, the role of eCRM has been to engage customers in a mutually beneficial relationship. But increasingly, eCRM is becoming a major part of the extended ERP system.

As with any other information system, the implementation of eCRM systems is a reconfiguration process and requires industry-specific knowledge. This is especially true when eCRM is used in the people-oriented hospitality industry. All aspects of the eCRM system, including system development issues, system quality issues, system implementation issues, evaluation issues, security and privacy issues and human-computer interface issues, should be examined in the context of the hospitality industry.

The goal of this special issue is to provide an open discussion in which researchers and practitioners can share the latest developments in electronic customer relationship management relating to the hospitality industry. The issue’s main objective focuses on the application of information and communication technology (ICT) in solving various issues in the hospitality industry.

Suitable topics include but are not limited to:

Electronic customer relationship management (eCRM)
Effects of CRM systems on hospitality
Hospitality CRM strategies for the internet and e-CRM
Hospitality CRM marketing
Hospitality CRM technology and software
Hospitality custom marketing
Hospitality customer lifetime value
Hospitality customer loyalty
Hospitality customer satisfaction
Hospitality consumer behaviour
Hospitality customer databases
Issues for implementing CRM systems in hospitality
Tools for capturing customer information
Solutions for hospitality CRM problems
Hospitality partner relationship management
Managing and sharing customer data
Business to business market (B2B)
Business to consumer market (B2C)
Hospitality enterprise resource planning (ERP)
e-commerce customer relationships on the internet
Channel management
Demand chain management (DCM)
Hospitality strategic alliances and partnerships
Hospitality sales management
Hospitality information technology and systems
Hospitality performance measurement and performance indicators
Logistics information systems
International hospitality issues

Important Dates
Manuscript submission: 1 September, 2012
Notification of initial decision: 1 October, 2012
Submission of revised manuscript: 1 November, 2012
Notification of final acceptance: 1 December, 2012
Submission of final revised paper: 1 January, 2013

Special issue: Aerodynamics of rotating bodies

2012-01-11T04:53:00.000-08:00

International Journal of Engineering Systems Modelling and Simulation 4(1/2) 2012

Papers from the 46th International Symposium of AppliedAerodynamics, held in Orleans, France, 28-30 March 2011

Wind turbine wake: a disturbance to wind resource in wind farms
On the prediction of tip vortices in the near wake of the MEXICO rotor using the actuator surface method
Aerodynamic study of a 'humpy' propeller
Assessment of propeller 1P loads predictions
Numerical simulations of a low-speed radial fan
Installation impact on pusher CROR engine low speed performance and noise emission characteristics
Semi-/empirical transition prediction and application to an isolated rotor in hover
Optimisation of aspects of rotor blades in forward flight
Direct numerical simulation of helical vortices
Application of vorticity confinement to rotor wake simulations

Special issue: Sport as an entrepreneurial venture

2012-01-11T04:46:00.000-08:00

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing 4(1) 2012

Guest editor's introduction: Sports entrepreneurship: towards a conceptualisation
Vanessa Ratten
Still playing the game?
Calgary Flames: a case study in an entrepreneurial sport franchise
Click clack: examining the strategic and entrepreneurial brand vision of Under Armour
Branding the elite professional athlete through use of new media and technology: an interview with Ash De Walt
Sport entrepreneurship: challenges and directions for future research
Opening the black box: a comparative case study on international prospectors

Special issue: Nanotechnology in Scotland

2012-01-11T04:44:00.000-08:00

International Journal of Nanotechnology 9(1/2) 2012

Optical in situ characterisation of carbon nanotube growth
High pressure studies of metal organic framework materials
Growth and characterisation of titanium sulphide nanostructures by surface-assisted vapour transport methods; from trisulphide ribbons to disulphide nanosheets
Colloidal syntheses of FePt nanoparticles
Ten years of electron microscopy of nanomaterials in St. Andrews
Gold nano-particles supported on hematite and magnetite as highly selective catalysts for the hydrogenation of nitro-aromatics
Ethanol photoreaction to hydrogen over Au/TiO2 catalysts. Investigating the synergistic effect of nanoparticles
The photoreaction of TiO2 and Au/TiO2 single crystal and powder with organic adsorbates

Special issue: Sport marketing and emerging technology

2012-01-11T04:37:00.000-08:00

International Journal of Sport Management and Marketing 10(3/4) 2011

'It's incredible – trust me': exploring the role of celebrity athletes as marketers in online social networks
Set the agenda like Beckham: a professional sports league's use of YouTube to disseminate messages to its users
Opportunity or obstacle? A preliminary study of professional sport organisations in the age of social media
Agenda-setting and La Copa Mundial: marketing through agenda-setting on soccer blogs during the 2010 World Cup
Beyond touchdowns, homeruns, and three-pointers: an examination of fantasy sport participation motivation
Understanding website useability: an eye-tracking study of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Games website
New media and technology use in corporate sport sponsorship: performing activational leverage from an exchange perspective
A content analysis of sponsor representation across professional sport websites: extension of attribute typology

First issue: International Journal of Computational Systems Engineering

2012-01-08T07:21:00.000-08:00

Providing a forum for researchers in the field of computational algorithms, intelligent information systems, computer applications and other related areas of science and engineering, International Journal of Computational Systems Engineering focuses on the state-of-the-art of aspects of theoretical analysis and practical application with emphasis on computational methods and systems engineering.

There is a free download of the papers from this first issue.

Special issue: Context-awareness and self-managing systems

2012-01-08T07:14:00.000-08:00

International Journal of Autonomous and Adaptive Communications Systems 5(1) 2012

Papers from the 3rd ACM International Workshop on Context-Awareness for Self-Managing Systems (CASEMANS2009) held in Nara, Japan, 11 May 2009.

    •    Building an intelligent sensing system: a case study
    •    Anthropomorphic awareness of partner robot to user's situation based on gaze and speech detection
    •    Dynamic scheduling-based inpatient nursing support: applicability evaluation by laboratory experiments
    •    The context aware workflow execution framework

Additional Papers

    •    Improving antijamming characteristics of spread spectrum communication systems
    •    Wireless network simulators relevance compared to a real testbed in outdoor and indoor environments

Special issue: Discrete-event simulation in production management

2012-01-08T07:06:00.000-08:00

International Journal of Simulation and Process Modelling 6(3) 2011

Papers from the 12th and 13th IFACSymposiums ‘Information Control Problems inManufacturing’ (INCOM'06 and INCOM'09) held in Saint-Etienne, France, 17-19 May 2006 and Moscow, Russia, 3-5 June 2009.

Proactive production activity control by online simulation
An emulation-based execution control system evaluation tool: application to a furniture manufacturing group
A simulation-based equipment environment for flexible manufacturing systems
Feasibility evaluation of multi-site scheduling by distributed simulation of workshops
Risk analysis for cooperation policies benefits in reducing the bullwhip effect in a telecom supply chain
Manufacturing network simulation using a data-driven model
A genetic algorithm with tournament selection for optimising inspection allocation in multiproduct multistage production systems

Special issue: Knowledge flows, learning and development in an international context

2012-01-08T06:58:00.000-08:00

European Journal of International Management 6(1) 2012

Editorial: Knowledge flows, learning and development in an international context
Cross-cultural training for Dutch expatriates going to India
Inpatriation in a globalising MNC: knowledge exchange and translation of corporate culture
The e-mentoring of expatriates: mapping existing research domains and new opportunities
Expatriate categorisation and evaluation: an empirical investigation in Poland and India
The relationship between transformational leadership and innovative behaviour in a healthcare context: a team learning versus a cohesion perspective
Devolvement of HRM and perceived performance within multinational corporations (MNCs)

Special issue: Research and advances in vehicle body engineering

2012-01-08T06:54:00.000-08:00

International Journal of Vehicle Design 57(2/3) 2011

A new approach to improve the vehicle ride comfort by electroencephalogram data
Lightweight design of vehicle front-end structure: contributions of multiple surrogates
Optimisation-based approach for determining driver seat adjustment range for vehicles
Development of a ride comfort evaluation method with a laboratory testing system
Multi-disciplinary optimisation for front auto body based on multiple optimisation methods
Three-phase optimisation design of an electric car body at conceptual design stage
Structure and transformation of the Italian car styling supply chain
Automotive body inspection uncertainty associated with computational processes
Rapid structural property evaluation system for car body advanced design
Development and validation of a finite element model of a dummy for design of pedestrian-friendly vehicles
The influence of wheel-housing shape on vehicle aerodynamic performance
Optimal mounting design for cab vibration isolation

Newly announced title: International Journal of Swarm Intelligence

2012-01-05T07:54:00.000-08:00

Beginning publication in 2013, International Journal of Swarm Intelligence will report research, new developments and applications in the multidisciplinary field of swarm intelligence.

Special issue: Simulation-based optimisation techniques

2012-01-05T07:28:00.000-08:00

International Journal of Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Optimisation 3(1/2) 2012

GATE: a genetic algorithm designed for expensive cost functions
Simulation-driven sequential metamodels for fuzzy reliability-based optimisation tasks
Design of a matrix hydraulic turbine using a metamodel-assisted evolutionary algorithm with PCA-driven evolution operators
Variable-fidelity simulation-driven design optimisation of microwave structures
Metamodelling approach using radial basis functions, stochastic search algorithm and CFD – application to blade cascade design

Special issue: Cultural heritage and tourism: trends and innovative strategies for learning and management

2012-01-03T07:28:00.000-08:00

International Journal of Web Based Communities 8(1) 2012

E-heritage and e-museums: technological resources for tourism planning
Facebook, heritage and tourism reorientation. The cases of Tenerife and Fuerteventura (Canary Isles, Spain)
Tripadvisor rates Einstein: using the social web to unpack the public meanings of a cultural heritage site
Mobile devices: a tool for tourism and learning at archaeological sites
Cultural events, cultural heritage, tourism and new media
Project Mus.Cat: a CMS open-source application
User generated content in destination marketing organisations' websites
Crossing the borders in language learning through the use of web-conferencing as an e-learning tool

Special issue: Precision micro- and nano-metrology for nanomanufacturing

2012-01-03T06:35:00.000-08:00

International Journal of Nanomanufacturing 8(1/2) 2012

Nanometrology at PTB in support of process control of nanoscale features in semiconductor manufacturing
Improvement of free-spectral-range measurement for Fabry-Perot cavity using phase modulation technique
GPU-accelerated white-light scanning interferometer for large-area, high-speed surface profile measurements
In-situ scanning white light interferometry employing dual-sensing configuration and active fringe-locking strategy
Development of nanoparticle sizing system integrated with optical microscopy using fluorescence polarisation
The system and the mechatronics of a pagoda type micro-CMM
Fabrication of micro-ball styluses for scanning-type surface form metrology
Establishment of a measuring station on a diamond turning machine for in-process cutting edge inspection of single point diamond micro-tools
Nanomanufacturing of radial grating patterns by nanoimprint with a silicon mould for rotational angle measurement of micro gears
A study of characterisation of surface generation in ultra-precision polishing using power spectrum analysis Probe type micro magnetic manipulator utilising localised magnetic field with closed-loop magnetic path

Special issue: Water wars in 21st century along international rivers basins: speculation or reality?

2012-01-03T06:31:00.000-08:00

International Journal of Sustainable Society 4(1/2) 2012

Navigating cooperation beyond the absence of conflict: mapping determinants for the effectiveness of river basin organisations
Rising to the challenge of water security: international (water) law in need of refinement
Hydropolitics is what societies make of it (or why we need a constructivist approach to the geopolitics of water)
Global climate change and challenges for international river agreements
The Jordan River basin: at the crossroads between conflict and cooperation
Water sector in Central Asia: slow transformation and potential for cooperation
From monocentric ideal to polycentric pragmatism in the Syr Darya: searching for second best approaches
Hydropower ambitions of South Asian nations and China: Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers basins
Ganges basin: an example of social conflicts regarding water resources especially in developing countries
Three lenses on water war, peace and hegemonic struggle on the Nile

Additional Paper

A DEA model for efficiency evaluation with undesirable output: an application of paper mills along Huai River

Special issue: Advances in RFID Technology (Part 2)

2012-01-03T06:27:00.000-08:00

International Journal of Radio Frequency Identification Technology and Applications 4(1) 2012

Vulnerability analysis of lightweight secure search protocols for low-cost RFID systems
A rules based RFID-enabled supply chain process monitoring system
Approaches to fast sequential inventory and path following in RFID-enriched environments
Thin film HF RFID tag deposited on paper by thermal evaporation
Cell phone-based mobile RFID: models, mechanisms and its security

Call for Papers: Advances in Robotics and Mechatronics

2012-01-01T06:49:00.000-08:00

A special issue of International Journal of Mechatronics and Manufacturing Systems

This special issue aims to bring researchers together about the latest advances in the field of intelligent and autonomous robotics and mechatronics. These robots are able to adapt to different tasks, learn, interact, autonomously navigate and adapt their behaviours in various environments using intelligent mechanisms, sensors and artificial perception, vision systems, sensor integration techniques, mapping and localisation. The special issue enables researchers in the field of robotics and mechatronics to present new results and contribute to the latest developments on the theory, technologies, methodologies, sensors, bio-inspiration approaches, embedded systems, algorithms and applications of robotics, mechatronics, control and smart systems.

Suitable topics include but are not limited to:

Intelligent mechatronics systems
Sensors and artificial perception for robotics
Vision systems and sensor integration techniques
Bio-inspiration approaches in robotics
Embedded systems and algorithms
Control and smart systems.

Important Date
Submission of a full paper: 15 April, 2012

Call for Papers: Green Technology and Digital Enterprise for Sustainability

2012-01-01T06:47:00.000-08:00

A special issue of International Journal of Communication Networks and Distributed Systems

This Special Issue on aims to bring together work from academia, research scholars, scientists, engineers, technologists, business entrepreneurs, practitioners, managers and policymakers responsible for delivering green technology (IS & IT) and digital enterprises for sustainability in order to achieve competitive advantage and cost savings in modern organisations in both industrial and business sectors. Authors are invited to submit papers presenting new research related to the theory and practice of recent trends in computing, innovation, communication and information technologies, green technology, digital enterprise, corporate sustainability, e-waste disposal and globalisation.

Extended versions of papers that are accepted for the 4th International Conference on Recent Trends in Computing, Communication & Information Technologies (ObCom - 2011) will be considered, in addition to other submissions.

Suitable topics include but are not limited to:

Information systems development
E-healthcare
Forensic informatics
Healthcare records management
Biomedical applications
Forensic finance
Bioinformatics
Biometric security
Data centres and energy efficiency
Enterprise business applications
Human-machine cooperation
Consumer electronics
Digital automotives
Corporate social responsibilities
IT and corporate governance
Sustainability and entrepreneurship
Carbon footprints
Facilities management
Healthcare informatics
Ecosystems
Financial engineering
Informatics finance
Environmental issues
Energy and sustainability
E-agriculture and technology transfer
Social engineering
Ergonomics and benchmarking
Climate change
Renewable energy

Important Dates
Submission deadline: 15 February, 2012
First-round notification: 10 April, 2012
Submission of revised paper: 15 June, 2012
Final acceptance notification: 15 July, 2012
Final manuscript due: 15 July, 2012

Special issue: Population and sustainable development

2012-01-01T06:41:00.000-08:00

International Journal of Global Environmental Issues 11(3/4) 2011

Long-run projections of environmental impact in the OECD: the importance of uncertainty and age structure
Demographic delusion and urban violence: a challenge to youth development in Nigeria
Water security and sustainability in urban India
Regional development in neo-liberal era: a missed opportunity for sustainable development
Colombian refugees in Ecuador: sampling schemes, migratory patterns and consequences for migrants
Relationship between environmental volunteers' demographic characteristics and their green purchase behaviour: evidence from Penang (Malaysia)
Analysing the impact of demographic development on sustainability via infrastructure networks

Special issue: Applications of ultra wideband technology in healthcare

2012-01-01T06:38:00.000-08:00

International Journal of Ultra Wideband Communications and Systems 2(2) 2011

UWB systems for body area networks
IEEE 802.15.4a UWB receivers in medical applications
On the UWB medical radars working principles
Physics-based propagation characterisations of UWB signals for the urine detection in human bladder
Application of IEEE 802.15.6 IR-UWB physical layer for medical BAN
Experimental study in breath detection and human target ranging in the presence of obstacles using ultra-wideband signals

Special issue: Image and data compression applications

2012-01-01T06:34:00.000-08:00

International Journal of Signal and Imaging Systems Engineering 4(4) 2011

Image compression using Least Probable Coefficients Approximation technique
An improved low complexity Near Lossless Image Compression
Efficient Distributed Video Coding based on principle of syndrome coding
Image denoising based on adaptive fusion of curvelet transform and Total Variation
Analysis of radiographical weld flaws using image-processing approach
Curvature driven diffusion coupled with shock for image enhancement/reconstruction
Effect of noise on speech compression in Run Length Encoding scheme

Mercedes-Benz C111

2011-07-12T13:44:00.000-07:00

The C111 was a series of experimental automobiles produced by Mercedes-Benz in the 1960s and 1970s. The company was experimenting with new engine technologies, including Wankel engines, Diesel engines, and turbochargers, and used the basic C111 platform as a testbed. Other experimental features included gullwing doors and a luxurious interior with leather trim and air conditioning.

The company decided not to adopt the Wankel engine and turned to Diesel experiments for the third C111. With its 230 horsepower (170 kW)@ 4,400-4,600 5-speed manual straight-5 turbo-Diesel, the C111 broke nine diesel and gas speed records. With more aerodynamic bodywork that gave it an air drag coefficient of an incredible .191, the C111 eventually hit 200 mph (322 km/h) at Nardò in 1978, and averaged 14.7mpg@ 316 km/h (195.4 mph) over a 12 hour cruise. A later 500 hp (372 kW) 4.8 L twin KKK-turbocharged V8 version set another record, with an average lap-speed of 403.78 km/h (250.958 mph). It was achieved by Dr. Hans Leibold in 1 minute, 56.67 seconds on May 5, 1979.

Mercedes-Benz C291

2011-07-12T13:42:00.000-07:00

The Mercedes-Benz C291 was a Sports-prototype racing car introduced for the 1991 World Sportscar Championship season.

To meet the new regulations Mercedes-Benz came up with an all-new car; the C291 which was designed by its racing partner Sauber.

Mercedes-Benz C112

2011-07-12T13:35:00.000-07:00

The Mercedes-Benz C112 was an experimental mid-engined sportscar created in 1991 by Mercedes-Benz as a test bed, similar to the later versions of the Mercedes-Benz C111. Despite using the same number, it was not related to the 1960s Mercedes-Benz W112 series of limousines and coupes of the 1960s. The C112 also was a road-legal counterpart for the Sauber-built Mercedes-Benz C11 Group C prototype race car for the 1990 World Sportscar Championship.

This was designed to control the vehicle's stability through a combination of active springs and hydraulics at each wheel, plus sensors that monitor the vehicle's movements. The vehicle's computer assesses the information from the sensors and adjusts the suspension accordingly.

Mercedes-Benz C11

2011-07-12T13:34:00.000-07:00

The Mercedes-Benz C11 was a Group C prototype race car introduced in 1990 for the World Sportscar Championship. Built by Sauber as a successor to the Sauber C9, the C11 used the same Mercedes-Benz M119 5.0L Turbocharged V8 from the C9. It was the first time that Mercedes-Benz chose to put their name on the car, instead of simply using Sauber.

Although Sauber-Mercedes had been successful in winning the 1989 24 Hours of Le Mans, the team choose not to defend the title in 1990 due to the race not being part of the World Sportscar Championship schedule. The team chose instead to concentrate on winning the championship.

Mercedes-Benz Axor

2011-07-12T13:24:00.000-07:00

The Mercedes-Benz Axor was a truck manufactured by Mercedes-Benz designed to fill the gap between the premium Actros tractors and the mostly rigid Atego trucks and was targeted at fleet customers.

Originally the Axor was only available as a tractor but with the 2005 facelift, former Atego models over 18t were made part of the Axor Range.

Mercedes-Benz Atego

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Designated 970, it is available in weights of 7.5 to 16 metric tonnes (t) and is powered by a straight 4 or 6 cylinder engine. Originally all straight engined rigids by Mercedes were marketed as Atego but from the 2005 facelift Atego models over 18 t were renamed Mercedes-Benz Axor.

Race truck versions of the trucks are called Mercedes-Benz Race Truck. Built by LARAG in the Eastern Switzerland canton of St. Gallen. The race trucks have competed in ADAC Truck Grand Prix and NRW Truck Cup.

Mercedes-Benz 770

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The Mercedes-Benz 770, also known as the Großer Mercedes (large Mercedes) was a luxury automobile built by Mercedes-Benz from 1930 to 1943. It is probably best known from archival footage of high-ranking Nazi officials before and during World War II, including Adolf Hitler and Hermann Göring.

The W07 version of the 770 was powered by an inline eight cylinder engine of 7,655 cc (467.1 cu in) capacity with overhead valves and aluminium pistons. This engine produced 150 brake horsepower (110 kW) at 2800 rpm without supercharging. An optional Roots type supercharger, which was engaged at full throttle, would raise the output to 200 brake horsepower (150 kW) at 2800 rpm, which could propel the car to 160 km/h (99 mph). The transmission had four forward ratios, of which third was direct and fourth was an overdrive.

Mercedes-Benz 450SEL

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The Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9 is a high-performance version of the S-Class luxury saloon. It was built on its own assembly line by Daimler-Benz in Stuttgart, Germany and based on the long-wheelbase version of the W116 chassis introduced in 1972. The model was generally referred to in the company's literature as the "6.9", to separate it from the regular 450SEL.

Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9

The 6.9 was the first Mercedes-Benz to be fitted with the hydropneumatic self-levelling suspension system developed by Citroën in 1955, unlike the 600 and 6.3 which employed air suspensions. Using a combination of fluid-filled struts and nitrogen-filled pressure vessels or "accumulators" in lieu of conventional shock absorbers and springs, the system was pressurized by a hydraulic pump driven by the engine's timing chain. Compared to the new Mercedes-Benz system, Citroën's was belt-driven, exactly like a conventional power steering pump; failure of the Citroën system thus might result in loss of suspension. Conversely, every unit of the 6.9 was shipped with hard rubber emergency dampers that served as temporary springs and allowed the car to be driven in the event of a hydraulic failure. The special hydraulic fluid required by the system was stored in a tank inside the engine compartment. Not only was the system totally self-adjusting, ride height could be altered by a dash-mounted push-pull knob under the speedometer that raised the car an additional two inches (50 mm) for increased ground clearance. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) made this feature illegal in the US market,[citation needed] but it could be enabled simply by removing a limiter at the tank-mounted control valve.

File:Mercedes Benz 450SEL

Файл:Opel Movano rear

New Opel Movano raises the bar

Mercedes-Benz 500

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Mercedes-Benz has sold a number of automobiles with the "500" model name, and the nomenclature usually refers the 5.0L V8 engine under the hood.

File:Mercedes-Benz 500 SE,

File:Mercedes-Benz 500SE.jpg

1975 Fiat 238 camper van

Old Ambulance Fiat 238

Mercedes-Benz 560

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Mercedes-Benz_560_SEC_(front).

Dodge D-500 Custom Sierra

Fiat 24-32 HP

The Porsche 917 subsequently

Mercedes-Benz 500K

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The Mercedes 500K (type W29) is a sports car built by Mercedes-Benz between 1934 and 1936, and first exhibited at the 1934 Berlin Motor Show. It carried the factory designation W29. Distinguished from the 500 sedan by the "K" in its name which denoted the kompressor (supercharger) only fitted to the sports cars, it succeeded the Mercedes-Benz 380 which had been introduced only the previous year, using a larger, more powerful engine and more opulent coachwork to meet customers' demands for greater luxury and performance.

File:Mercedes-Benz 500K 1934.

Pressing the throttle pedal fully engaged the Roots supercharger, inducing the five litre straight eight engine to produce up to 160 horsepower (120 kW) and making the car capable of over 160 kilometres per hour (100 mph), while consuming fuel at the rate of up to 30 l/100 km (9.4 mpg-imp; 7.8 mpg-US) as it did so.

Mercedes-Benz 500K

1936 Mercedes Benz 500K

The Porsche 917 subsequently

Mercedes-Benz 500E

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From 1990 to 1994 (model years 1991-1994), Mercedes-Benz sold a high performance version of the W124, the Mercedes-Benz 500 E (W124.036). The 500 E was created in close cooperation with Porsche; each 500 E was hand-built by Porsche, being transported back and forth between the Mercedes plant and Porsche's Rossle-Bau plant in Zuffenhausen, Germany during assembly — taking a full 18 days to complete each model. Design began in 1989 and into 1991.. Called '500 E' through model year 1993, for model year 1994 it was face-lifted along with the rest of the range and renamed to 'E 500'.

Mercedes Benz 500E

Called the "Wolf in Sheep's Clothing" by the press, performance tests of the day yielded impressive results: 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) times of 5.5 to 6.0 seconds and acceleration through the quarter-mile (0.4 km) in 14.1 seconds at 163 km/h (101 mph). The top speed was redline limited at 6,000 rpm to 260 km/h (~160 mph). It was rated at 16.8 L/100 km (14 mpg) in the city and 13.8 L/100 km (17 mpg) on the highway.

File:Peugeot 403 1960

File:1959 Peugeot 403.jpg

Peugeot 403 cabriolet 1960

Mercedes-Benz 600

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The Mercedes-Benz 600 is a large luxury automobile offered in several variants worldwide. Introduced in September, 1963, it had very few competitors, these being Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Cadillac Fleetwood 75, the stretched Lehmann-Peterson Lincoln, and the Crown Imperial Ghia. Generally, the long-wheel-base (lwb) 600 was intended as chauffeur-driven; many featured a central divider incorporating a powered window between front and rear compartments. Short-wheel-base (SWB) 600 models were designed to be owner-driven.

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes also made two coupés, one of them was made by Mercedes as a gift for Dr. Rudolf Uhlenhaut when he retired. He had designed the car, together with Fritz Nallinger and Karl Wilfert. A third coupe was constructed from a 600 SWB by Karl Middelhauve and Associates.[citation needed]

File:Mercedes-Benz 600

The Pope\x26#39;s 1965 Mercedes-Benz

\x26#39;69 Ferrari 312P

Mercedes-Benz 540K

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p1

Introduced at the 1936 Paris Motor Show, the Friedrich Geiger designed car was a development to the 500K, itself a development of the SSK. Available as a two seater cabriolet, four seater coupé or seven seater limousine with armoured sides and armoured glass, it was one of the largest cars of the time.

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The straight-8 cylinder engine of the 500K was increased to 5.401 litres (5,401 cc), which aspirated by twin pressurized updraft carburetors, developed a natural 115 hp (86 kW). However, there was an attached Roots supercharger which could either be engaged manually for short periods, or automatically when the accelerator was pushed fully to the floor. This increased power to 180 hp (130 kW), creating a top speed of 170 kilometres per hour (110 mph).

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Power was sent to the rear wheels through a four-speed or optional five speed manual gearbox that featured synchromesh on the top three gears. Vacuum-assisted hydraulic brakes kept the car under the drivers control.

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The 540K had the same chassis layout at the 500K, but was significantly lightened by replacing the girder-like frame of the 500K with oval-section tubes - an influence of the Silver Arrows racing campaign.

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The Aeroworxs "Mercedes Benz

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TOYOTA BREVIS

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pic of a suzuki mighty boy

1961 Cadillac Sedan de Ville.

Mercedes-Benz 450

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Mercedes-Benz 420

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Mercedes-Benz 380

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Mercedes-Benz 350

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Mercedes-Benz 430

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Mercedes-Benz 320

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Mercedes-Benz 400

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Mercedes-Benz 250

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Mercedes-Benz 230

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Mercedes-Benz 300

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Mercedes-Benz 280

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Mercedes-Benz 300SL

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The Mercedes-Benz 300SL was introduced in 1954 as a two-seat, closed sports car with distinctive gull-wing doors. Later it was offered as an open roadster. It was the fastest production car of its day.

The road model was suggested by Max Hoffman. Being intended for customers in the booming post-war American market it was introduced at the 1954 New York Auto Show, unlike previous models introduced at either the Frankfurt or Geneva shows. In Mercedes-Benz fashion, the "300" referred to the engine's three litre cylinder displacement. The "SL" stood for "Sport Leicht" (Sport Light).

Mercedes-Benz 300SEL

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The Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL 6.3 started out as a private venture in 1966 by company engineer Erich Waxenberger, which culminated in the world's first "Super Saloon" or Q-car.

Surprisingly, the rather conservative company went ahead and launched the car into the marketplace at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1968, in order to make better use of the M100 engine production facilities. The 6,500 build of the 6.3 outnumbered the 2,700 build of the 600 by far.

Mercedes-Benz 260 D

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The Mercedes-Benz 260 D was the first diesel engined series produced passenger car and was introduced in 1936. It was named in reference to its engine's cubic capacity. Nearly 2,000 vehicles were assembled until 1940, when the Daimler-Benz group had to devote itself entirely to military manufacture.

The chassis was based on contemporary Mercedes technology and had transverse leaf spring independent front suspension and swing axles at the rear. The brakes were hydraulic. A range of body types were made including saloons, landaulettes and cabriolets.

Mercedes-Benz 230

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Mercedes-Benz 250

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Mercedes-Benz 300

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Mercedes-Benz 280

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Mercedes-Benz 300SL

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Mercedes-Benz 300SEL

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Mercedes-Benz 260 D

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Mercedes-Benz 250

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Mercedes-Benz 230

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Mercedes-Benz 280

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Mercedes-Benz 300

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Mercedes-Benz 300SL

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Mercedes-Benz 300SEL

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Mercedes-Benz 260 D

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Mercedes-Benz 190

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Mercedes-Benz 200

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Mercedes-Benz 220

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Mercedes-Benz

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Mercedes-Benz (German pronunciation: [mɛʁˈtseːdəs ˈbɛnts]) is a German manufacturer of automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks. Mercedes-Benz is a division of its parent company, Daimler AG. Mercedes-Benz traces its origins to Karl Benz's creation of the first petrol-powered car, the Benz Patent Motorwagen, patented in January 1886 and Gottlieb Daimler and engineer Wilhelm Maybach's conversion of a stagecoach by the addition of a petrol engine later that year. The Mercedes automobile was first marketed in 1901 by Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft. The first Mercedes-Benz brand name vehicles were produced in 1926, following the merger of Karl Benz's and Gottlieb Daimler's companies into the Daimler-Benz company. Mercedes-Benz has introduced many technological and safety innovations that later became common in other vehicles. Mercedes-Benz is one of the most well-known and established automotive brands in the world, and is also the world's oldest automotive brand still in existence today.

In 1958 Mercedes-Benz entered into a distribution agreement with the Studebaker-Packard Corporation of South Bend, Indiana (USA), makers of Studebaker and Packard brand automobiles. Under the deal, Studebaker would allow Mercedes-Benz access to its dealer network in the U.S., handle shipments of vehicles to the dealers, and in return, receive compensation for each car sold. Studebaker also was permitted to use the German automaker's name in its advertisements, which stressed Studebaker's quality over quantity.[citation needed]

When Studebaker entered into informal discussions with Franco-American automaker Facel Vega about offering Facel Vega Excellence model in the United States, Mercedes-Benz objected to the proposal. Studebaker, which needed Mercedes-Benz distribution payments to help stem heavy losses, dropped further action on the plan.[citation needed]

When Studebaker entered into informal discussions with Franco-American automaker Facel Vega about offering Facel Vega Excellence model in the United States, Mercedes-Benz objected to the proposal. Studebaker, which needed Mercedes-Benz distribution payments to help stem heavy losses, dropped further action on the plan.[citation needed]

Mercedes-Benz 130H

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Conceived by Hans Nibel, chief engineer of Mercedes Benz, the 130H was inspired by Edmund Rumpler's Tropfen-Auto. It followed on the Rumpler-chassis Tropfenwagen racers, which ran between 1923 and 1926.

Created in 1931 by Nibel, it had the 1.3 liter sidevalve four-cylinder engine mounted at the back, hence the "H", from German heck (rear), With the fan between the rear coil springs, it drove a transmission with three forward speeds, plus a semi-automatic overdrive which did not require the use of a clutch. (A similar idea was adopted by Cord for the abortive 810 in 1935.) The backbone chassis owed something to Hans Ledwinka, and suspension was independent at all four corners. Daimler-Benz put the 130H in production in 1934. Due to its suspension, handling proved poor, although perfectly adequate on German roads at the time, while its ride quality was superior to anything in Germany.

Mercedes-Benz 150H

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Conceived by Hans Nibel, chief engineer of Mercedes-Benz, the 150H was inspired by Edmund Rumpler's Tropfen-Auto. It followed on the Rumpler-chassis Tropfenwagen racers, which ran between 1923 and 1926, and was based on the backbone chassis of earlier 130H.

Created in 1934 by Nibel and chassis engineer Max Wagner. the 150H was a two-seat sports roadster. It featured transverse leaf spring front and coil-sprung swing axle rear suspension. A water-cooled 1,498 cc (91.4 cu in) OHC four-cylinder engine, producing 55 hp (41 kW), was mounted in back, hence the "H", from German heck (rear). The radiator was behind that, above the transaxle, with a squirrel-cage blower (reminiscent of the VW Type 1) feeding both radiator and carburetor. The roadster featured disc wheels, DuVal-style windshield, side-mounted spare (fastened with straps), and three headlights, the third mounted at the lip of the hood above the bumper.

Six 150Hs were built as coupes, "with low-drag lines that eerily presaged the VW Beetle". They were raced in several rallys, demonstrating much better handling than the 130H, before Nibel and Wagner turned to Grand Prix cars. Only twenty were produced before the 150H was abandoned in 1936.

Six 150Hs were built as coupes, "with low-drag lines that eerily presaged the VW Beetle". They were raced in several rallys, demonstrating much better handling than the 130H, before Nibel and Wagner turned to Grand Prix cars. Only twenty were produced before the 150H was abandoned in 1936.

List of Mercedes-Benz

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Mercedes-Benz produced a full line of straight-4 -5 and -6, V6, V8, V10, and V12 engines and even Wankel engine. Currently, they are distinctive for their 3-valve per cylinder Single overhead cam configuration, though this is being replaced by a more conventional 4-valve DOHC layout.

All Mercedes-Benz V6/V8 engines are manufactured in Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt, Germany. The 4-cylinder versions (M266, M266 Turbo and M271) are assembled in Stuttgart-Untertürkheim. The V12 engine plant is in Berlin.