Current agent-oriented methodologies focus mainly on multi-agent systems analysis and design, but without providing straightforward connections to the implementation of such systems on any of the existing agent platforms (e.g. FIPA-OS, Jade, or Zeus), or just forcing the use of specific agent platforms. In this paper we show how the Model Driven Architecture (MDA) can be effectively used to der...

In this chapter we introduce a vision of agent-oriented AmI systems that is extended to integrate ideas inspired by Mirror Worlds as introduced by Gelernter at the beginning of the 80ies. In this view, AmI systems are actually a digital world mirroring but also augmenting the physical world with capabilities, services and functionalities. We then discuss the value of stigmergy as background ref...

[Purpose] This study compared the activities of the abdominal and hip extensor muscles between the bridging exercise (BE) and bridging exercise with hip adduction (BEHA) positions in women using electromyography (EMG). [Subjects] We recruited 14 healthy adult females with no history of low back pain. [Methods] The subjects performed bridging exercises with and without hip adduction. The EMG act...

Double-end-anchored poly-ethylene-glycol-surfactants ~DEA-PEG-surfactants! induce the gelation of lyotropic lamellar La phases stabilized by undulation forces. The physical hydrogel (La ,g) derives its viscoelasticity from the proliferation of defects at a mesoscopic level. The DEA-PEG-surfactants assume both looping and bridging conformations. The existence of novel bridging conformations is i...

The Internet has changed from an information tool to a social tool. More and more people use social networking sites such as Facebook to build and maintain numerous interpersonal relationships. The benefits of online social interaction can be manifested in bridging and bonding social capital. This study examined how the four dimensions of perceived interactivity (control, synchronicity, surveil...

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can rescue some critical patients with circulatory collapse when intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) and ventricular assist devices (VAD) are not suitable. A subset of these patients can use ECMO for direct bridging, or indirect double bridging via VAD to heart transplantation (HTx). For these patients, we identified risk factors for unsuccessful ECMO bri...

During metaphase, forces on kinetochores are exerted by k-fibres, bundles of microtubules that end at the kinetochore. Interestingly, non-kinetochore microtubules have been observed between sister kinetochores, but their function is unknown. Here we show by laser-cutting of a k-fibre in HeLa and PtK1 cells that a bundle of non-kinetochore microtubules, which we term 'bridging fibre', bridges si...

This article describes one of the five patterns of teaching, the bridging pattern, which was identified by the author in a previous qualitative study that investigated the processes by which nurse educators teach ethnically diverse nursing students. An overview of the original study is presented, followed by a discussion of the findings regarding the bridging pattern. Data were obtained through...

Bridging relations are frequently used to provide engineering aerodynamic predictions in the transitional regime between free-molecular and continuum ows. Such predictions are important for mission studies of high-speed planetary entry vehicles to provide accurate analysis of trajectory dynamics, vehicle stability, and landing footprint. However, empirical parameters in these bridging relations...

Bridging fault extraction and analysis are crucial to deriving high quality bridging fault test generation. As state-of-the-art designs integrate millions of logic gates into a VLSI circuit, a run-time and memory eecient bridging fault extraction approach must be developed to cope with the design complexity. In this paper, a hierarchical bridging fault analyzer-FAULTAN is described. In FAULTAN,...