Cloud computing services consumers do not have enough reliable information about critical characteristics of their providers, such as performance, security, trust and privacy, compliance with laws and regulations, among others. Our proposal addresses these problems presenting a trust assessment framework that integrates three domains: Governance, Transparency, and Security Information. Our approach is consumer-centric and deals with trust aspects from the end-user's perspective. We use Indicators to communicate the outcomes, which aim to represent the expression of cybersecurity, manageability, and transparency of services under assessment. This paper includes an implementation proposal, prototype, and proof of concept, in which the framework was applied in a real scenario and executed over a long-term (18 months) usage simulation to verify its applicability, sensitivity, and robustness. Our study is intended for use by consumers of cloud computing who seek to know and measure levels of cybersecurity, protection of privacy, transparency of security, and high levels of quality in their services and infrastructure.

A systematic literature review is presented to understand and analyze the state of the art in Blockchain-based solutions applied to the carbon trading context. The main contributions of the work are twofold: i) updated literature review, emphasizing the contributions of each selected work; ii) classification of the papers based on their main contributions and application domains as well as summarizing and discussing challenges and open research issues. Our results reveal the need for research focusing on understanding the use of advanced technology in complex scenarios of trade and management of carbon credits. This work is intended for researchers who aim to develop methods and techniques that make use of Blockchain technology in the realm of carbon trading.

A public service examination is an effective manner of selecting civil and military servants for admission to various sectors of public service. These examinations usually attract well trained personnel by presenting highly competitive and meritocratic selection. Nevertheless, they also attract criminals that offer candidates the possibility of easy and illegitimate admission. Aiming to provide better security and trust in the selection process, we propose a conceptual method that uses data mining and statistical techniques to detect fraud in public service examinations. The method analyzes geographic and biographical data of candidates, scores, and similarity of answers of one candidate to those of other candidates, as well as past information, to compose a comprehensive index of suspicion. When the value of the index is above a certain limit, it indicates a degree of suspicion of an approved candidate, which may call for further investigation.

This foreword introduces a summary of themes and papers of the Web2Touch (W2T) 2021 Track at the 30th IEEE WETICE Conference held as a virtual Conference, in October 2021. W2T 2021 includes four full papers. They all address relevant issues in the field of collaborative web, semantic technologies, ontologies, knowledge engineering, linked data and internet of things applied to themes of high impact on society, such as education, social inclusion and health. These papers propose to explore affordable technologies to promote and valorize rural areas, to develop ontologies for supporting simulation-based training in Medicine, to use semantic technologies in a framework for promoting reuse and interoperability of Electronic Health Records, as well as to use these technologies to provide recommendations in an Internet of Things device migration scenario.

Electronic Health Record (EHR) is a valuable tool to store patients' history as well as to promote evidence-based best practices and advances in healthcare. However, these benefits are limited due to problems related to data quality, difficulties in information retrieval, and semantic interoperability issues. We present the BioFrame aiming to standardize and semantically annotate EHR forms. Our proposal is composed of a multi-dimensional conceptual model, an EHR specification process, and a catalog of software tools. We expect to contribute with a framework that enables the efficient real-life application of semantic technologies and EHR standards to healthcare software systems. A case study was carried out on the specification of pediatric oncology nutrition records in a specialized hospital. The results point to the feasibility of BioFrame, as well as limitations, improvements, and challenges regarding the increase of productivity in the specification process.

This foreword introduces a summary of themes and papers of the Web2Touch (W2T) 2020-21 Track at the 29th IEEE WETICE Conference held as a virtual Conference, in October 2020. W2T 2020-21 includes six full papers and four short papers. They all address relevant issues in the field of information sharing for collaboration, including, big data analytics, knowledge engineering, linked open data, applications of smart Web technologies, and smart care. The papers address a portfolio of hot issues in research and applications of semantics, smart technologies (e.g., IoT, sensors, devices for tele-monitoring, and smart contents management) with crucial topics, such as big data analysis, knowledge representation, smart enterprise management, among the others. This track shows how cooperative technologies based on knowledge representation, intelligent tools, and enhanced Web engineering can enhance collaborative work through smart service design and delivery, so it contributes to radically change the role of the semantic Web and applications.

RDF triples have been extensively deployed for the interlinking of data in a structured way. Links between web resources described by RDF models are at the core of the Semantic Web. By exploring a variety of computation methods, semi-automatic algorithms are used to build connections among RDF datasets. However, RDF assertions are subject to constant changes, which can affect existing links. Interconnected open data demands (semi-)automatic methods and tools to maintain their consistency over time. This paper presents a framework for supporting the maintenance of “external” links, which connect different Linked Open Data (LOD) datasets. The LODMF framework is suited to detect change operations on RDF triples as well as deal with affected links to other repositories. We define link maintenance actions, which are applied based on triple change operations to keep links up-to-date. This study illustrates how the framework works in practical scenarios. Our contribution paves the way for the development of (semi-)automatic mechanisms for link evolution in LOD.Web of Data evolution; Link evolution; Change Operations; Link changes; Link Repairment.

Information Security is an aggregation of people effort, processes and technology to help organizations at providing confidentiality, integrity and availability in their information assets. Nowadays, almost all technology services are heavily dependent on cloud computing under their various forms of service models. We realize there are weaknesses in cloud services concerning issues of performance, reliability, security, and privacy, among other issues. Cloud services consumers do not have enough information on these issues neither on compliance with laws and regulations. In this paper, we present a comprehensive mapping of works that deal with cloud trust aspects from user perspective. We aim at identifying how users or consumers of Cloud services measure trust on cloud computing services. Our main contributions are: (i) an updated study on the state of the art of cloud trust models; (ii) a taxonomy of characteristics and contributions to cloud trust; (iii) a discussion on works which present hard problems of research on cloud trust models and gaps of contributions in the literature.

Nowadays, military cyber-missions are increasingly complex, demanding specific and critical socio-technical operational resources. We propose a conceptual proposal of a system architecture aimed at supporting complex operations of cyber-missions. The architecture allows the systematic selecting and prioritizing socio-technical resources for cyber-missions in a systematic manner. The foundations of the proposed architecture are based on a mission operations ontology; it was developed for formalizing the main concepts. The main contributions of the work are: (i) Conceptual Architecture to supporting complex cyber-mission operations; (ii) Lightweight ontology to make explicit its main concepts; and, (iii) an Application Scenario of the system architecture. Our proposal is meant to be useful for researchers, developers and actuators who deal with socio-technical systems in cyber-mission operations.

This foreword introduces a summary of themes and papers of the Web2Touch (W2T) 2019 Track at the 28th IEEE WETICE Conference held in Capri, June 2019. W2T 2019 includes ten full papers and one short paper. They all address relevant issues in the field of information sharing for collaboration, including, big data analytics, knowledge engineering, linked open data, applications of smart Web technologies, and smart care. The papers are a portfolio of hot issues in research and applications of semantics, smart technologies (e.g., IoT, sensors, devices for tele-monitoring, and smart contents management) with crucial topics, such as big data analysis, knowledge representation, smart enterprise management, among the others. This track shows how cooperative technologies based on knowledge representation, intelligent tools, and enhanced Web engineering can enhance collaborative work through smart service design and delivery, so it contributes to radically change the role of the semantic Web and applications.

Soft ontologies enable knowledge representation in a flexible way because they are more susceptible to changes in their interrelationships over time. The transformation of a nonstandardized model of information into a computer-interpretable representation is not an easy task. Our investigation expands the concept of soft ontologies to fuzzy data represented as fuzzy RDF triples. In this paper, we elaborate a process that transforms a soft ontology implemented in the form of a matrix of probabilities into a fuzzy RDF dataset. The study presents the way the matrix of probabilities are used in the representation and how the data elements are triplified exploring fuzzy characteristics. We apply the proposal in an experimental scenario, by constructing a soft ontology which expresses a repertoire of actions in an mBot robot. Then, the facts are triplified to fuzzy RDF statements. Our results present original aspects related to the transformation of soft ontologies to fuzzy RDF triples.

Information security is a critical issue in the context of complex and interconnected nowadays IT Systems. Innovative testing approaches are demanded to verify whether the main security characteristics are provided in the systems. The conceptual formalization level required by security test processes can be supplied by semantic technologies. STEP-ONE is the Security TEst Process supported by ONtology Environment; its foundations come from largely accepted testing processes and security testing standards. The STPO (Security Testing Process Ontology) formalizes and makes explicit the main concepts of the domain. We present a conceptual characterization of STEP-ONE and describe a usage scenario to illustrate how the proposal can be applied. The main contributions are the conceptual process and the ontology. Our proposal is meant to be applied for the evaluation of IT systems with respect to security characteristics as well as to make systematic the security testing activities.

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) learning is one of the main challenges for students and educators in technical and undergraduate courses. Most of the OOP disciplines involve high level of complexity, which frequently generates lack of interest and increases the dropout rates. OOP requires the comprehension of high abstract concepts, as well as the use of these concepts with advanced programming methods. Several studies point out the potential of digital modeling and fabrication as alternatives for supporting integrated learning of concepts from various disciplines, such as programming, engineering, and design, among other disciplines related to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). However, the use of these technologies in formal educational contexts is not a straightforward process. Researches on methods to support their application during OOP learning activities are still needed. In this paper, we propose an innovative method for planning and executing OOP learning activities with the support of digital modeling and fabrication. This method is based on concepts of instructional design and organizational semiotics. Studies with 260 students of technical and undergraduate courses point out the potentialities and the limitations of the approach.

Digital fabrication and 3D modeling bring new opportunities and challenges to teaching activities. These technologies may represent a step towards developing integrated learning of concepts from various disciplines, such as programming, engineering, and design. However, there is no single methodology for using these technologies in education, particularly in programming learning. In this paper, we present a review of existing literature on programming learning with the use of digital fabrication and 3D modeling, focusing on high-level Object Oriented concepts. This article analyzes and categorizes existing works according to the adopted teaching methods, technologies explored in the activities, and programming concepts covered. We expect to contribute to the field by mapping the adopted strategies used in these studies, as well as by presenting challenges to be faced in future research.

We present Web2Touch 2018, one of the Tracks at the 27th IEEE WETICE Conference. Web2Touch 2018 includes five full papers and one short paper tackling very up-to-date issues in information sharing and collaboration, including, among others, big data analytics, development of virtual agents and assistants, privacy and security analysis and evaluation. Papers come from areas such as knowledge engineering, linked data, big data, security, safety, and web science. The overall focus is on how research on semantics coupled with crucial topics such as big data analysis, privacy, knowledge representation, and enterprise contents management, among the others, can improve services and collaboration and push forward new ways of interpreting the role of the web.

Bots are virtual agents that people can interact with text messages. They are mostly made with the aim of mimicking a person in conversations. Although several studies have devised natural language processing techniques for the creation of bots, few studies explore the use of ontologies in the development of novel context-aware interactive bots. In this article, we propose a software architecture that allows ontology-based interpretation of several types of data (audio, video, and text) from the bot's environment. We define formal concept-based rules to express affective behavior aiming to improve the empathy of bots. The proposed technique relies on Semantic technologies such as OWL and SWRL languages. This technique is illustrated in an interaction scenario.

Cognitive assistants bring new opportunities to strengthen the coupling of data, information and knowledge aiming to collective intelligence. This technology can boost decision making on complex issues, such as Sustainability and Bioeconomy on agricultural production systems. However, the design of collaborative systems that explore cognitive assistants is an open research question. This challenge deals with meaning interpretation and involves semantic formal models to represent, in a systemic view, knowledge related to the structures, competencies, responsibilities, policies, and culture of a production system. In this paper, we propose a design framework for the development of solutions based on cognitive assistant technology. This framework contributes to a novel view of the design process by integrating a method for modeling complex system with formal semantic models, collective intelligent systems, and cognitive assistant development technologies. A scenario in a sugarcane production system illustrates the proposed framework.

Journal Article Design of Interactive Mechanisms to Support the Communication of Users' Intentions Get access Julio Cesar dos Reis, Julio Cesar dos Reis Institute of Computing at the University of Campinas, Av. Albert Einstein, 1251, 13084-722, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil Corresponding author: [email protected] Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Rodrigo Bonacin, Rodrigo Bonacin Faculty of Campo Limpo Paulista (UNIFACCAMP), Rua Guatemala, 167, 13231-230, Campo Limpo Paulista, Sao Paulo, BrazilCenter for Information Technology Renato Archer, Rodovia Dom Pedro I, km 143,6, 13069-901, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Cristiane Josely Jensen, Cristiane Josely Jensen Faculty of Campo Limpo Paulista (UNIFACCAMP), Rua Guatemala, 167, 13231-230, Campo Limpo Paulista, Sao Paulo, BrazilFAH—Rua Pastor Hugo Gegembauer, 265, Parque Ortolândia, 13184-010, Hortolândia, Sao Paulo, Brazil Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Heiko Horst Hornung, Heiko Horst Hornung Institute of Computing at the University of Campinas, Av. Albert Einstein, 1251, 13084-722, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Maria Cecília Calani Baranauskas Maria Cecília Calani Baranauskas Institute of Computing at the University of Campinas, Av. Albert Einstein, 1251, 13084-722, Cidade Universitária Zeferino Vaz, Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Interacting with Computers, Volume 30, Issue 4, July 2018, Pages 315–335, https://doi.org/10.1093/iwc/iwy013 Published: 04 July 2018 Article history Received: 14 May 2017 Revision received: 01 May 2018 Accepted: 01 June 2018 Published: 04 July 2018

The analysis of malicious software (malware) is one of the hardest open problems in computer security, since there is a huge and varied number of samples produced daily. In addition,modern malicious programs have automatic mutation capabilities. Through behavior analysis of existing malware, we are able to understand new variants and develop new protection methods. Ontologies can be used to model those behaviors, enabling experts to define classes and rules that represent complex behaviors. In this paper, we used an ontology and architecture built during our previous studies as a starting point to inspire the development of a crowdsource-based framework and platform. The objective of this work is to explore crowdsourcing mechanisms to collaboratively evolve ontologies, in which users can propose new classes and rules that increasingly identify potential malicious programs. With a user-friendly platform, we expect to leverage a model that could be used in other malware analysis systems, as well as to quickly respond to new malware variants. Eight domain experts evaluated this platform with the goal of validating and identifying the platforms potentials and limitations.

This report presents Web2Touch 2017, a Track at the 26th IEEE WETICE Conference. This year Web2Touch completed 10 editions focusing on scientific and practical works about semantic web as a support for collaborative platforms in their need for sharing knowledge. Web2Touch is an open forum for studies in multiple application domains including, for example, web science, health systems, collaborative learning, smart cooperative systems, and web collaboration and communication in general. Web2Touch 2017 includes five full papers and one short paper. The overall focus of the contributions is on the research of how semantics can improve information sharing, services, and collaboration on "the new web".

Recent literature indicates that user intention analysis brings benefits for several computational tasks including information retrieval and communication. However, intentions are expressed implicitly in natural language texts. Domain related specificities and cultural language aspects hamper their machine representation and interpretation. This requires thorough investigations of intention recognition methods in free text to permit further exploring them. In this paper, we propose a technique based on the matching with representative key phrases and semantic extension of terms to detect instances of intention classes in natural language sentences. We explore a multidimensional framework of illocution categorization to structure the distinct intention classes. The conducted experiments with Portuguese language datasets of different characteristics reveal the potentialities of our method when analyzing the outcome of state-ofthe- art machine-learning based text-mining techniques.

Various methodologies explore the use of Web resources in educational practices. The WebQuests model, which has been used in educational practices since the nineties, employs these resources in inquiry-oriented lessons in classrooms. The literature emphasizes that WebQuests are more effective when exploring the higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy (i.e., the capacity to create, evaluate and analyze). However, studies also point out that many WebQuests do not properly explore learning at these levels. This paper proposes a method and prototype for the construction of WebQuests aiming to stimulate the higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. This model is based on norm concept from Organizational Semiotics with the objective of proposing best practices to be considered during the WebQuest design. The article presents the evaluation of the model in an empirical study with three lessons performed with fifty-one primary (elementary) school students. The results reveal improved student performance in post lessons tests, as compared with randomly selected control groups. The paper ends with a discussion of the results, limitations, challenges and future research.

This report introduces the Web2Touch 2016, a Track at the 25th IEEE WETICE Conference. This track involves works from collaborative web knowledge research community and related themes. Web2Touch 2016 explores the state-of-the-art on users' practical experiences, as well as trends and research topics paving the way for future collaborative approaches to knowledge management. Papers come from areas such as computational analysis, management of contextual information, support to personalized information management, collaborative knowledge production, consistency, knowledge engineering and security modeling for multiple knowledge sources. The overall focus is on determining how to route, organize, and present contextual and meaningful information and services to facilitate collaboration.

The large volume of information stored in electronical health records is very valuable in the medical field, e.g., for clinical research and administrative purposes. However, health care professionals still face difficulties to recover and select relevant data. Although literature has investigated the influence of lexical, syntactical and semantic parameters in information retrieval techniques, few studies explore intentions as explicit users' actions in information recovery. This article studies means of considering intentions in search engines. We define a method with an original algorithm to properly rank search results from a set of electronical health records. This investigation relies on well-established theories to categorize several types of intentions. The proposed technique is based on knowledge representation models for annotating meanings and intentions in medical records. Achieved results are illustrated in scenarios based on real medical cases.

This is the Web2Touch 2015 track report.

The advance of web collaborative systems brought new possibilities for the research of complex interdisciplinary topics by means of scientific multidisciplinary networks. Potentially, computational systems can support the management of multifaceted and large scale data sources, providing valuable and indispensable information for the researches. However, these solutions rely on semantic interoperability problems as well as the construction of complex knowledge representation models. This paper describes interoperability issues on the engineering process of the OntoAgroHidro, an ontology to represent knowledge about impacts of agricultural activities on water resources, as well as the impacts from possible climatic changes. The paper also presents representative scenarios and questions, and discusses the reuse and integration of concepts using knowledge visualization techniques.

The ubiquity of Internet-connected devices motivates attackers to create malicious programs (malware) to exploit users and their systems. Malware detection requires a deep understanding of their possible behaviors, one that is detailed enough to tell apart suspicious programs from benign, legitimate ones. A step to effectively address the malware problem leans toward the development of an ontology. Current efforts are based on an obsolete hierarchy of malware classes that defines a malware family by one single prevalent behavior (e.g., viruses infect other files, worms spread and exploit remote systems autonomously, Trojan horses disguise themselves as benign programs, and so on). In order to address the detection of modern, complex malware families whose infections involve sets of multiple exploit methods, we need an ontology broader enough to deal with these suspicious activities performed on the victim's system. In this paper, we propose a core model for a novel malware ontology that is based on their exhibited behavior, filling a gap in the field.

The 2014 edition of the Web2Touch (W2T) Track aims at presenting alternatives to address interoperability and distributed knowledge management problem for Web systems. In particular, it provides a view on the field of secure and knowledge-intensive Web collaboration using semantic techniques to share experiences, challenges and opportunities, and to cope with frequent evolution of knowledge during cooperative processes based on the Web collaborative platform. Consequently, this year, W2T brings together applications, engineering issues, conceptual models and methods to provide a multidisciplinary view over knowledge organization systems based on the Web.

Water is no longer considered an unlimited resource. As a matter of fact, many studies have shown a recent increase of water scarcity. By far, the largest demand for water resources comes from agricultural activities. Various researchers from multidisciplinary fields address the impacts of agricultural activities on water resources, as well as the impacts from possible climatic changes. In this context, the Embrapa's research network AgroHidro aims to support integration and information sharing among a range of institutions and researchers. In this paper, we present the first version of a Web Ontology to represent key aspects of this problem. The objective is to provide the basis for computational mechanisms in support of knowledge sharing and recovery, e.g., semantic search, text mining and visualization techniques. The paper also discusses the reuse and integration strategies, limitations, and challenges to be faced in the ontology engineering process.

Computer-Interpretable Guidelines (CIG) are Clinical Guidelines described in a language that can be interpreted by computers. They are often used to support physicians in a single point in time to design and test guidelines. The next steps are the application of CIGs to determine careflows, the personalization of careflows and their execution. This paper presents the iCareflow ontological framework which intends to support the adaptation of guidelines during the design phase in order to obtain personalized careflows. The proposed framework explores how guidelines, policies of the care institution, patient preferences, terminologies and other knowledge sources interact with each other to determine a patient-centric careflow. Scenarios and further applications of the framework are also provided.

Most work activities in organizations involve problem discussion, interpretation and decision-making. Literature has shown that an understanding of the nature of groups and their organizational work context is essential to the designs of systems to support these activities. Andon is a CSCW (Computer-Supported Cooperative Work) system, designed to support discussion during problem-solving processes in a manufacturing organization. This paper addresses the reuse of results from participatory techniques applied to the Andon interface design to propose an artificial agent structure aimed at improving decision-making in workgroups.