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Systems biology approaches are extensively used to model and reverse engineer gene regulatory networks from experimental data. Conversely, synthetic biology allows ‘‘de novo’’ construction of a regulatory network to seed new functions in the cell. At present, the usefulness and predictive ability of modeling and reverse engineering cannot be assessed and compared rigorously. We built in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae a synthetic network, IRMA, for in vivo ‘‘benchmarking’’ of reverse-engineering and modeling approaches. The network is composed of five genes regulating each other through a variety of regulatory interactions; it is negligibly affected by endogenous genes, and it is responsive to small molecules. We measured time series and steady-state expression data after multiple perturbations. These data were used to assess state-of-the-art modeling and reverse-engi- neering techniques. A semiquantitative model was able to capture and predict the behavior of the network. Reverse engineering based on differential equations and Bayesian networks correctly inferred regulatory interactions from the experimental data.

Universal access is a key principle for the web, however, it is sometimes inaccessible, as can present barriers to people with different kinds of disabilities. Designing for accessibility is a real quality issue, granting access to information to people having different cultures, traditions, facilities. We present a general description of accessibility issues and international context. We also discuss the basic principles adopted in defining the Italian technical rules, and present some examples of best practices.

Evaluating web sites quality requires appropriate evaluation criteria. Many of existing criteria are not easy to measure and require methods such as heuristic evaluations, or/and empirical usability tests. This paper investigates on well-established definition and implementation of quality criteria, comparing approaches from different communities. Quality related aspects such as usability and accessibility are here considered taking into account only those that are objective and measurable, possibly through an automated process. Also novel quality criteria are here defined and an overall methodology to analyze the quality of web sites is then suggested.

To ensure the quality of a museum web site, appropriate evaluation criteria are necessary. Many of existing criteria are not easy to measure and require methods such as heuristic evaluations, and/or empirical usability tests. This paper investigates a well-established definition and implementation of quality criteria, comparing approaches from different communities. Quality related aspects such as usability and accessibility are considered here taking into account those that are objective and measurable, possibly through an automated process. Novel quality criteria are also defined here and an overall methodology to analyze the quality of museum web sites is then suggested.

Stimare e misurare la qualità di un sito web (e più in generale di un servizio offerto tramite internet) sta suscitando notevole interesse nell'ambito delle comunità scientifiche, industriali e di mercato. La qualità del sito può avere una maggiore importanza in alcune aree specifiche, come ad esempio in tutti quei siti di pubblica utilità che per legge ormai sono obbligati a garantire un livello minimo di "qualità". Per assicurare la qualità di un sito web sono necessari degli appropriati criteri di valutazione. Sfortunatamente molti dei criteri già esistenti non sono facili da misurare e richiedono metodi come valutazioni euristiche, spesso molto costose, o/e test empirici di usabilità. Questo lavoro, partendo dal confronto tra approcci provenienti da differenti comunità, definisce criteri di stima e misura della qualità di siti web, analizzandoli al fine di trovare il giusto bilanciamento tra "quality assurance measurement" e basso costo di implementazione. Aspetti legati alla qualità come l'accessibilità e l'usabilità sono qui considerati tenendo conto della loro effettiva misurabilità o stimabilità attraverso un processo automatizzato. Infine viene delineata una metodologia complessiva per analizzare la qualità di un sito web. Scopo del lavoro è utilizzare la metodologia definita in una più generale attività di creazione di siti web, nella prospettiva di inserirla in un appropriato authoring tool capace di garantire adeguati livelli di qualità.

In this chapter we describe an approach to supporting the interaction design of nomadic applications, which are applications that can be accessed through multiple devices from different locations. This approach is based on the use of task modelling techniques at design time. In addition we use user modelling techniques at run-time to adapt an application to the interaction device, user preferences and user knowledge. With this method it is also possible to adapt the navigation, presentation and content of the user interface to different interaction platforms.

For years Geographic Information has been tightly linked to local systems and GIS workstation. In the current evolution of WWW and devices (like integrated GPS receivers in PDAs, cell phones and other wireless systems) it appears evident that users can have a different perception in geographic information respect to the past. They can desire to search and share spatial information about the environment in which they daily move. In this context,the access to GIS systems is necessarily distributed and users express their requests in many forms according to their personal view about spatial notion. So adaptivity and personalized interaction with GIS services are a major issue and hypermedia can be used as an adaptive GIS interface. We sketch a conceptual architecture for interoperable GIS, compliant with web design principles, taking into account the need of semantic interaction,which lead to the identification of specific composite web services in a ubiquitous and multiplatform environment.

In this paper we describe an approach to providing adaptive support to applications that can be accessed through multiple interactive devices from various locations. It is based on a user model, which can update information about user preferences and knowledge at run-time. Such information is used to adapt the navigation, presentation and content of each user interface also taking into account users' accesses through different interaction platforms.

This document covers the multi-targeting of user interfaces from the software development perspective. A taxonomic space makes explicit the core issues in multi-targeting for the development stages as well as for run-time. We propose a conceptual framework that helps structuring the development process of multitarget user interfaces as well as supporting run-time adaptation. By doing so, we are able to clearly characterize the functional coverage of current tools and identify requirements for future tools.

Recent years have seen an increasing availability of interaction device types. This has posed a number of issues for identifying suitable criteria for the design of interactive software applications. At the same time, network communication technology has evolved enabling more flexible protocols for communication among dynamic sets of devices, thus opening up further possibilities. In this position paper we discuss the various levels of interactive support that is possible to make available using a museum application as case study. The aim is to enable each interaction device to support the appropriate tasks users expect to perform and designers to develop the various device-specific application modules in a consistent manner.

The CAMELEON Glossary gathers definitions for the vocabulary used within the CAMELEON project. The purpose of this glossary is to serve as a companion for reading documents produced by the consortium. It also seeks to provide the project with a reference vocabulary for discussing issues addressed in the project. This document also contains the list of mathematical definitions of concepts that are relevant and a list of used mathematical symbols.

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This paper introduces an approach to providing intelligent support through different devices to organize and make a generic sightseeing visit involving indoor (a Museum) and outdoor areas (the city historical centre). The goal is to provide users with access to a range of information via wired and wireless client devices. The support is based on user modelling techniques that can update information at run-time about user preferences and knowledge expressed through any device used to make the visit. Such information provides the basis for tailoring the visit to the specific user, taking into account the accesses through different interaction devices

We have conducted a study revealing how even important Museums in various countries have implemented virtual cnvironnients that engender a number of usability problems for Web navigators.In our paper we discuss a set of criteria that should bc taken into consideration to obtain co sable virtual environments, discuss how we have implemented them in a specific case study (the Marblc Museum), and show how the tools provided can help users.

If we consider most applications accessible through the Web, we can notice a lack of support able to adapt to the different information needs that different users may have regarding a certain topic. Adaptive support, by which an application provides different information taking into account the users' interactions, can provide useful assistance. However, completely automatic adaptive support can still be confusing for users who may not understand the reasons for the dynamic change in behaviour of the application. Thus, users may benefit from the introduction of agents aiming at providing interactive support to access information of interest. In this paper, we present an approach that provides an agent (a virtual assistant) able to implement adaptive behaviour in such a way as to support a Web visit to museum information.

If we consider most current applications we can notice a lack of support able to adapt to the different information needs that different users may have regarding a certain topic. In this paper, we present a solution that integrates a virtual assistant, able to implement adaptive support, in an adaptable application and discuss the logical dimensions of the information that can be provided by the virtual guide.

Most applications accessible through the Web suffer from a noticeable lack of support for adapting to the different information needs that different users may have regarding a certain topic. However, completely automatic adaptive support can still be confusing for users who may not understand the reasons for the dynamic change in the behaviour of an application. In this paper, we present a possible solution to provide adaptive support that does not disorient the user. Such a solution integrates a virtual assistant able to provide adaptive support in an adaptable application. We discuss an example of application of this approach to support Web visits to museum information.

If we consider most museums applications accessible through the Web, we can notice a lack of support able to adapt to the different information needs that different users may have regarding a certain topic. Adaptive support, by which an application provides different information taking into account the users' interactions, can give useful assistance. In particular, we focus our attention on how to obtain adaptable and adaptive web museum interfaces using the web site for the Marble Museum (Carrara, Italy), which we have designed and developed, as a source of examples for our discussion of possible solutions.

High grade glial brain tumors and brain metastases are a complex subject with still unsatisfactory therapeutic results for the frequent absence of early and precise diagnosis as well as for the limited therapeutic interval between the tumor and presumed healthy tissues. The therapeutic problems of cellular hypoxia, the rapid recovery of sublethal damage for neoplastic cells, the rapid regrowth, have led to a number of efforts to deliver the dose of radiotherapy in various associations. The constant technological trend to increase the high dose gradient to the peripheral tumor, is reported.