The majority of taxonomic descriptions are currently in print format. The majority of digital descriptions are in a format, such as DOC, HTML, or PDF, for human readers. These formats do not convey rich semantics in taxonomic descriptions for computer-aided processing. Newer digital formats, such as XML and RDF, accommodate semantic annotations that allow a computer to process the rich semantics on human's behalf, opening up opportunities for a wide range of innovative usages of taxonomic descriptions, including searching in more precise and flexible ways, integrating morphological, genomic, georeference, or other information, automatically generating taxonomic keys, and knowledge mining and visualizing taxonomic data etc. This paper reports our experience with the development of an automated semantic markup system named MARTT and discusses challenging issues involved. To address these challenging issues, a number of utilities were implemented to make MARTT a more operable system. The utilities can be used to speed up the preparation of training examples for MARTT, to facilitate the creation of more comprehensive annotation schemas, and to predict system performance on a new collection of descriptions. MARTT has been tested on several plant and alga taxonomic publications including Flora of China, Flora of North America, and Flora of North Central Texas.

Libraries have been involved in technological transformation for several decades, and are now increasingly associated with discourses surrounding the development of a global information society. The information society, however, remains a contested terrain, with a major focus on connectivity to ICTs, and is often linked with technological determinist and technocratic agendas. The library profession and field do not adequately theorize technology in a way that offers a progressive alternative to this dominant information society vision. In light of this context, this dissertation argues for the relevance of critical theory as a framework for guiding and analyzing library technology actions. This confluence of critical theory and library technology studies is named a “critical theory of library technology.” The framework is both a conceptual tool for re-envisioning the roles of libraries in relation to technology, as well as an analytical tool for exploring library technology decisions at various levels of impact. The open source software movement in libraries serves as test case in the application of this framework as a mode of analysis. Prominent library open source projects are discussed, and an in-depth, qualitative case study of Simon Fraser University Library in Canada, a library developing open source software for electronic resource management and electronic journal publishing, is undertaken. Interviews and documentary research are the main sources of data. Findings indicate that while the software projects are nominally open source, the co-developer communities remain limited. Best practices research will have to address areas related to the on-going community development and sustainability of these projects. However, in relation to the critical framework, the library emerges as a model of high investment in the technological skills of systems staff. The case presents a regional example of cooperation that is benefiting smaller client libraries in the regional consortia. Open source ideology, however, appears as just one of a variety of factors behind the deployment of these projects. In the case of the electronic journal publishing software project, an open source/open access ideological orientation is prominent, and the project presents a potentially new model for academic libraries in the support of electronic publishing services.

In this paper, an empirical study of tagging behaviour in web-based bibliographic annotation systems is presented. Starting from an initial category finding phase in which tags attributed to selected articles from Connotea were classified we have set up a category model for linguistic and functional aspects of tag usage as well as for the relationship between tags and document full text. In a second phase this model is applied to approx. 500 tagged articles from the information and computer technology domain randomly selected from Connotea. Our findings show significant differences to other tagging research which was primarily conducted using popular (non-scientific) tagging platforms like Flickr or Delicious. We observe a great overlap of tag material and document text and rather few non-content related tags. The comparison of user tags with author keywords shows that users tend to use less and more general tags. Finally, system functionality seems to play a role for users’ tagging behaviour.

Exposure to airborne nanoparticles contributes to many chronic pulmonary diseases. Nanoparticles, classified as anthropogenic and natural particles, and fibers of diameters less than 100 nm, have unrestricted access to most areas of the lung due to their size. Size relates to the deposition efficiency of the particle, with particles in the nano-range having the highest efficiencies. The deposition of nanoparticles in the lung can lead to chronic inflammation, epithelial injury, and further to pulmonary fibrosis. Cases of particle-induced pulmonary fibrosis, namely pneumoconiosis, are mostly occupationally influenced, and continue to be documented around the world. The tremendous growth of nanotechnology, however, has spurred fears of increased rates of pulmonary diseases, especially fibrosis. The severity of toxicological consequences warrants further examination of the effects of nanoparticles in humans, possible treatments and increased regulatory measures.

This paper examines mortality—the fact that we humans are all going to die—as an issue in philosophical anthropology, by applying a fourfold typology of some key forms of philosophical anthropology to the topic of death and mortality. First, this typology, originally suggested by Heikki Kannisto, is outlined; the mortality issue is, then, viewed from the perspective it opens. Finally, the challenges to our understanding of death and mortality that this perspective may help us meet are discussed. The treatment of mortality from the perspective of philosophical anthropology may make it more understandable in a manner that will highlight the importance of the concept of normativity in the philosophical examination of any such humanly relevant issue.

This paper examines the fundamental shift occurring within multimedia asset management and Digital Asset Management solutions, a shift that has been ignited by Web 2.0 and its core principles; community-driven adaptive technologies that converge media, metadata, users, and tools — all via the web. This paper explores how the social networks and technology, which are driving the Web 2.0 phenomena, are expanding user adoption at alarming rates, drastically increasing re-use of licensed and unlicensed assets, as well as emphasizing a need for greater and more scalable governance of intellectual property and business rules for managing user generated content.

Most post-industrial cities have a complex web of business and community needs, a diverse architectural heritage and aspirations that may conflict, as they compete for trade, inward investment and reputation. But negative perceptions can undermine regeneration and destroy the confidence of local communities, leading to the notion of a 'lost' city with no clear identity or brand. Consequently, this exploratory, empirical research examines how stakeholder perceptions of cities can be influenced by visual evidence of change in the street environment. Reference is made to a survey of community perceptions about Bradford, UK, and a visual audit of four main corridors through the city that affect its reputation and brand. Crucially, we identify that a concerted effort to market the city periphery, rather than its streetscape, not only creates a narrow and negative perception of the brand, but also limits views of what a 'good' urban environment, and city, might be.

Political decision making is more than just the aggregation of preferences. Politics also has deliberative features in that, under certain conditions, the force of the better arguments can be decisive for the outcome. The deliberative perspective is often criticized for being a normative ideal rather than an explanatory approach to the study of democratic politics. I argue, however, that the deliberative approach is an important supplement to the traditional conception of politics as a perpetual struggle for power and influence. By means of comparing two municipal communities I have illustrated how it can enrich and deepen our understanding of political decision making in local government. My conclusion is that we need more than one approach in order to establish what constitutes and legitimates local politics, as well as what makes it ticking. In local municipalities, we will find different institutionalized working methods that will enhance more choice in terms of argumentative logic.