bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Online Virtual Laboratory of Electricity
Authors: Tejedor J.A.G. , Martínez G.M. , Vidaurre C.B.
Published: February 2011

In this article, we describe a Java-based virtual laboratory, accessible via the Internet by means of a Web browser. This remote laboratory enables the students to build both direct and alternating current circuits. The program includes a graphical user interface which resembles the connection board, and also the electrical components and tools that are used in a real laboratory to build electrical circuits. Emphasis has been placed on designing access patterns to the virtual tools as if they were real ones. The virtual laboratory developed in this study allows the lecturer to adapt the behaviour and the principal layout of the different practical sessions during a course. This flexibility enables the tool to guide the student during each practical lesson, thus enhancing self-motivation. This study is an application of new technologies for active learning methodologies, in order to increase both the self-learning and comprehension of the students. This virtual laboratory is currently accessible at http://personales.upv.es/jogomez/labvir/ (in Spanish).
A Virtual Laboratory on Natural Computing
Authors: de Castro Leandro N. , Muñoz Yupanqui J. , de Freitas Leandro R. , El-Hani Charbel N.
Published: February 2011

Natural computing is a terminology used to describe computational algorithms developed by taking inspiration from information processing mechanisms in nature, methods to synthesize natural phenomena in computers, and novel computational approaches based on natural materials. The virtual laboratory on natural computing (LVCoN) is a Web environment to support the teaching and learning of natural computing, and whose goal is to provide didactic contents about the main themes in natural computing, in addition to interactive simulations, videos, exercises, links for related sites, forum, and other materials. This article describes an experiment with LVCoN during a School of Computing in Brazil. The results are presented in four parts: Self-Evaluation, Evaluation of LVCoN, Evaluation of the Simulations (Applets), and Interviews. The results allowed us to positively evaluate the structure and contents of LVCoN, in the sense that most students were satisfied with the environment. Besides, most students liked the experience of working with a virtual laboratory, and considered a hybrid teaching approach; that is, one mixing lectures with virtual learning, very appropriate and productive.
Collaborative E-Learning Using Semantic Course Blog
Authors: Lu Lai-Chen , Yeh Ching-Long
Published: February 2011

Collaborative e-learning delivers many enhancements to e-learning technology; it enables students to collaborate with each other and improves their learning efficiency. Semantic blog combines semantic Web and blog technology that users can import, export, view, navigate, and query the blog. We developed a semantic course blog for collaborative e-learning. Using our semantic course blog, instructors can import the lecture course. Students can team up for projects, ask questions, mutually discuss problems, take the comments, support answers, and query the blog information. This semantic course blog provided a platform for collaborative e-learning framework. In this chapter, we described some collaborative e-learning and semantic blog technology, and then we introduced functions, implementation and how collaborative e-learning appears in semantic course blog.
Mobile e-Learning for Next Generation Communication Environment
Authors: Wu Tin-Yu , Chao Han-Chieh
Published: February 2011

This article develops an environment for mobile e-learning that includes an interactive course, virtual online labs, an interactive online test, and lab-exercise training platform on the fourth generation mobile communication system. The Next Generation Learning Environment (NeGL) promotes the term “knowledge economy.” Inter-networking has become one of the most popular technologies in mobile e-learning for the next generation communication environment. This system uses a variety of computer embedded devices to ubiquitously access multimedia information, such as smart phones and PDAs. The most important feature is greater available bandwidth. The learning mode in the future will be an international, immediate, virtual, and interactive classroom that enables learners to learn and interact.
Applying Semantic Agents to Message Communication in e-Learning Environment
Authors: Wang Ying-Hong , Lin Chih-Hao
Published: February 2011

A traditional distance learning system requires supervisors or teachers always available on online to facilitate and monitor a learner’s progress by answering questions and guiding users. We presents an English chat room system in which students discuss course contents and ask questions to and receive from teachers and other students. The mechanism contains an agent that detects syntax errors in sentences written by the online the user and also checks the semantics of a sentence. The agent can thus offer recommendations to the user and, then, analyze the data of the learner corpus. When users query the system, this system will attempt to find the answers from the knowledge ontology that is stored in the records of previous user comments. With the availability of automatic supervisors, messages can be monitored and syntax or semantic mistakes can be corrected to resolve learner-related problems.
The Effects of Communicative Genres on Intra-Group Conflict in Virtual Student Teams
Authors: Hsu Jung-Lung , Chou Huey-Wen
Published: February 2011

With increasing convenience and prevalence, the distant communication application has become a promising way for individuals who are eager to cooperate and interact virtually. This study explored the question of whether the collaborative interaction of the virtual teams has any effect on the conflict and network structure of virtual groups. A total of 150 participants were invited and randomly assigned to thirty groups with each group of five subjects. To function like real virtual groups, they were asked to communicate with their members through e-mail. Through genre analysis and social network analysis, nine communicative genres most frequently used in the collaborative groups were identified. Results of correlation analysis suggested that it was the communicative genres, not the network structure, that were associated with intra-group conflict of virtual group. Accordingly, whether the network structure of the virtual group is centralized or decentralized may not be instructors’ or developers’ major concern. Instead, they may wish to focus on a well-designed interface providing needed supports of communicative procedure for coordinating with distant members.
A Rule-Based System for Test Quality Improvement
Authors: Costagliola Gennaro , Fuccella Vittorio
Published: February 2011

To correctly evaluate learners’ knowledge, it is important to administer tests composed of good quality question items. By the term “quality” we intend the potential of an item in effectively discriminating between skilled and untrained students and in obtaining tutor’s desired difficulty level. This article presents a rule-based e-testing system which assists tutors in obtaining better question items through subsequent test sessions. After each test session, the system automatically detects items’ quality and provides the tutors with advice about what to do with each of them: good items can be re-used for future tests; among items with lower performances, instead, some should be discarded, while some can be modified and then re-used. The proposed system has been experimented in a course at the University of Salerno.
Statistical Inference-Based Cache Management for Mobile Learning
Authors: Li Qing , Zhao Jianmin , Zhu Xinzhong
Published: February 2011

Supporting efficient data access in the mobile learning environment is becoming a hot research problem in recent years, and the problem becomes tougher when the clients are using light-weight mobile devices such as cell phones whose limited storage space prevents the clients from holding a large cache. A practical solution is to store the cache data at some proxies nearby, so that mobile devices can access the data from these proxies instead of data servers in order to reduce the latency time. However, when mobile devices move freely, the cache data may not enhance the overall performance because it may become too far away for the clients to access. In this article, we propose a statistical caching mechanism which makes use of prior knowledge (statistical data) to predict the pattern of user movement and then replicates/migrates the cache objects among different proxies. We propose a statistical inference based heuristic search algorithm to accommodate dynamic mobile data access in the mobile learning environment. Experimental studies show that, with an acceptable complexity, our algorithm can obtain good performance on caching mobile data.
EduTutor
Authors: Rodrigues Joel J.P.C. , João Pedro F. N. , Vaidya Binod
Published: February 2011

Intelligent tutoring systems are any computer systems encompassing interactive applications with some intelligence that support and facilitate the teaching-learning process. The intelligence of these systems is the ability to adapt to each student throughout his/her learning process. This paper presents an intelligent tutoring system, called EduTutor, created for the web-based Aulanet learning management system (LMS).The system architecture and its main characteristics are described in detail. EduTutor focuses on subjects for the first cycle of studies of the Portuguese primary education system, between the first and the fourth year. Its purpose is to facilitate the perception of the learning process of each student, individually, in a virtual environment, and as a study guide. Furthermore, this intelligent tutor system was designed and its architecture was prepared for being easily integrated in higher levels of studies, different subjects, and different languages. EduTutor was validated with a large set of real cases and is being used, with success, in the Aulanet LMS platform.
Scalable Video Streaming in Wireless Mesh Networks for Education
Authors: Liu Yan , Wang Xinheng , Zhao Liqiang
Published: February 2011

In this paper, a video streaming system for education based on a wireless mesh network is proposed. A wireless mesh network is a self-organizing, self-managing and reliable intelligent network, which allows educators to deploy a network quickly. Video streaming plays an important role in this system for multimedia data transmission. This new system adopts the scalable video coding scheme that enables the video server to deliver layered videos to different user groups. In addition, a quality control method was developed to automatically change the output data rate based on network conditions. Real implementation test results show the proposed methods are effective.
Adaptive Device Context Based Mobile Learning Systems
Authors: Pu Haitao , Lin Jinjiao , Song Yanwei , Liu Fasheng
Published: February 2011

Mobile learning is e-learning delivered through mobile computing devices, which represents the next stage of computer-aided, multi-media based learning. Therefore, mobile learning is transforming the way of traditional education. However, as most current e-learning systems and their contents are not suitable for mobile devices, an approach for mobile devices to adapt to e-learning is presented. To provide device-independence mobile learning services, a context-aware mobile learning approach is proposed. Firstly, the formal definitions of contexts and their influence on mobile learning services, including device contexts NCxt, matrix of information transmission parameters S, the degree of influence of the context NCxt on information transmission parameters Q, and adaptation coefficient E, are given. By using this approach, the mobile learning system is constructed. In an example using this approach, the authors detect the contextual environment of mobile computing and adapt the mobile learning services to the learners’ devices automatically.
A Scheduling Algorithm for the Distributed Student Registration System in Transaction-Intensive Environment
Authors: Li Wenhao
Published: February 2011

Distributed workflow technology has been widely used in modern education and e-business systems. Distributed web applications have shown cross-domain and cooperative characteristics to meet the need of current distributed workflow applications. In this paper, the author proposes a dynamic and adaptive scheduling algorithm PCSA (Pre-Calculated Scheduling Algorithm) for a distributed student registration system in a transaction-intensive environment. In this algorithm, every workflow application is pre-calculated before deployed into the workflow engine to create priority lists for solution generating. The simulations illustrate that the algorithm has a preferable efficiency and fits the needs of the distributed student registration system.
Theory and Practice in Digital Competence Assessment
Authors: Cartelli Antonio
Published: February 2011

Today, life is more complex and difficult due to uncertainties in society. Liquid life (Bauman, 2006) is frenetic, rapidly changing and highly influenced from information and communication technologies, and forces subjects to adapt to group behavior avoiding exclusion. Human beings are experimenting with the digital age and the pervasiveness of computers and IT/ICT equipment, which are influencing learning and knowledge construction. This raises questions in regard to a privileged role for digital competences in the knowledge society, whether or not there is a framework for digital competence assessment, and possible hints, suggestions, experiments, protocols, or curricula helping teachers in hitting this target with students. This paper answers these questions, describing the evolution of psycho-pedagogical paradigms and their comparisons. A framework for digital competence assessment is proposed and teaching activities are suggested. A proposal of a teaching-learning process called OTS (Open Teaching Process) is also presented.
Digital Literacy for Health
Authors: Klecun Ela
Published: February 2011

This paper outlines and challenges expectations and promises regarding the potential of the internet and Web 2.0 for empowering patients and citizens. It focuses on literacies required to make a meaningful (to the individual) use of these technologies for health and health care related purposes. The author briefly discusses how these should be taught and concludes that these literacies, including digital literacy and health literacy, are complex and challenging to many while the empowering claims are over-stated. Traditional sources of information and advice will remain essential to maintaining quality of health care.
Current Trends of Media Literacy in Europe
Authors: Cervi Laura Manuel Pérez , Paredes Oralia , Tornero José
Published: February 2011

In this paper, the authors give an overview of the current trends of media literacy in Europe. The study titled “Current trends and approaches to media literacy in Europe”, commissioned in the second half of 2007 by the European Commission to the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, maps current practices in implementing media literacy in Europe and recommends measures to increase the level of media literacy in Europe. Starting with information from the study, this paper will examine the evolution of media literacy in Europe, its orientation, and its relationship with other related fields, such as media education and digital literacy to explore the emerging trends, innovations, changes, crisis points, alternatives, and so forth.
An Enterprise Model Repository
Authors: Lee Heeseok , Joung Jae-Woo
Published: February 2011

The management of organizational knowledge has become increasingly important since knowledge was identified as the new basis of competition in post-industrial society. One of the key issues in knowledge management is to put knowledge into a repository where it can be easily stored, reused and re-created. This paper proposes a model repository and a type of knowledge management using a new repository system. The emphasis of the model repository is on abstracting knowledge in the form of schematic models. Major benefits include model independence and model integration. A metaschema is constructed according to six conceptual components that can include a variety of models. A case and prototype system illustrate the practical feasibility of model repository and knowledge management
Simplifying the Formulation of a Wide Range of Object-Oriented Complex Queries
Authors: Alhajj Reda
Published: February 2011

We present a model that simplifies the formulation of a wide range of complex, mainly selection-based, object-oriented queries, including linear recursive queries. They are complex because it is almost impossible for naive users to predict the formulation of their predicate expressions. Naive users are mainly decision makers who are most probably not computer professionals. Therefore, it is necessary to provide them with a straightforward and easy-to-handle approach to retrieve the information required for the decision making process. To achieve this, the definition of the selection operation and the predicate definition are adjusted to make it possible to have in the output only a subset of the objects from the actual result of a linear recursive query. Otherwise, it is infeasible to achieve the same output without an additional selection with a complicated predicate. We also define an operation that facilitates applying aggregate functions on objects. The two operations proved to be very useful and necessary to study the characteristics of trees and directed graphs. The presented model has been implemented as a part of our object-oriented database management system prototype.
Formal Approaches to Systems Analysis Using UML
Authors: Whittle Jon
Published: February 2011

Formal methods, whereby a system is described and/or analyzed using precise mathematical techniques, is a well -established and yet, under-used approach for developing software systems. One of the reasons for this is that project deadlines often impose an unsatisfactory development strategy in which code is produced on an ad-hoc basis without proper thought about the requirements and design of the piece of software in mind. The result is a large, often poorly documented and un-modular monolith of code, which does not lend itself to formal analysis. Because of their complexity, formal methods work best when code is well structured, e.g., when they are applied at the modeling level. UML is a modeling language that is easily learned by system developers and, more importantly, an industry standard, which supports communication between the various project stakeholders. The increased popularity of UML provides a real opportunity for formal methods to be used on a daily basis within the software lifecycle. Unfortunately, the lack of preciseness of UML means that many formal techniques cannot be applied directly. If formal methods are to be given the place they deserve within UML, a more precise description of UML must be developed. This article surveys recent attempts to provide such a description, as well as techniques for analyzing UML models formally.
Extended Spatiotemporal UML
Authors: Price Rosanne , Tryfona Nectaria , Jensen Christian S.
Published: February 2011

This paper presents a conceptual modeling language for spatiotemporal applications that offers built-in support for capturing spatially referenced, time-varying information. More specifically, the well-known object-oriented Unified Modeling Language (UML) is extended to capture the semantics of spatiotemporal data. The extension, Extended Spatiotemporal UML, maintains language clarity and simplicity by introducing a small base set of fundamental modeling constructs: spatial, temporal, and thematic. These constructs can then be combined and applied at attribute, attribute group, association, and/or class levels of the object-oriented model; where the attribute group is an additional construct introduced for attributes with the same spatiotemporal properties. A formal functional specification of the semantic modeling constructs and their symbolic combinations is given and an example is used to illustrate the simplicity and flexibility of this approach.
Understanding the Role of Use Cases in UML
Authors: Dobing Brian , Parsons Jeffrey
Published: February 2011

A use case is a description of a sequence of actions constituting a complete task or transaction in an application. Use cases were first proposed by Jacobson (1987) and have since been incorporated as one of the key modeling constructs in UML (Booch, Jacobson, & Rumbaugh, 1999) and the Unified Software Development Process (Jacobson, Booch, & Rumbaugh, 1999). This paper traces the development of use cases, and identifies a number of problems with both their application and theoretical underpinnings. From an application perspective, the use case concept is marked by a high degree of variety in the level of abstraction versus implementation detail advocated by various authors. In addition, use cases are promoted as a primary mechanism for identifying objects in an application, even though they focus on processes rather than objects. Moreover, there is an apparent inconsistency between the so-called naturalness of object models and the commonly held view that use cases should be the primary means of communicating and verifying requirements with users. From a theoretical standpoint, the introduction of implementation issues in use cases can be seen as prematurely anchoring the analysis to particular implementation decisions. In addition, the fragmentation of objects across use cases creates conceptual difficulties in developing a comprehensive class model from a set of use cases. Moreover, the role of categorization in human thinking suggests that class models may serve directly as a good mechanism for communicating and verifying application requirements with users. We conclude by outlining a framework for further empirical research to resolve issues raised in our analysis.
Object-Process Methodology Applied to Modeling Credit Card Transactions
Authors: Dori Dov
Published: February 2011

Object-Process Methodology (OPM) is a system development and specification approach that combines the major system aspects - function, structure and behavior - within a single graphic and textual model. Having applied OPM in a variety of domains, this paper specifies an electronic commerce system in a hierarchical manner, at the top of which are the processes of managing a generic product supply chain before and after the product is manufactured. Focusing on the post-product supply chain management, we gradually refine the details of the fundamental, almost "classical" electronic commerce interaction between the retailer and the end customer, namely payment over the Internet using the customer’s credit card. The specification results in a set of Object-Process Diagrams and a corresponding equivalent set of Object-Process Language sentences. The synergy of combining structure and behavior within a single formal model, expressed both graphically textually yields a highly expressive system modeling and specification tool. The comprehensive, unambiguous treatment of this basic electronic commerce process is formal, yet intuitive and clear, suggesting that OPM is a prime candidate for becoming a common standard vehicle for defining, specifying and analyzing electronic commerce and supply chain management systems.
FOOM - Functional and Object-Oriented Analysis and Design of Information Systems
Authors: Shoval Peretz , Kabeli Judith
Published: February 2011

We propose FOOM (Functional and Object-Oriented Methodology), an integrated methodology for information systems analysis and design, which combines two essential software-engineering paradigms: the functional/data approach (or process-oriented) and the object-oriented (OO) approach. System analysis phase, where user requirements are set and defined, includes functional analysis and data modeling activities. This phase produces a hierarchy of data flow diagrams (DFD) and an initial OO schema, which can be created directly or from an entity-relationship diagram (ERD). The design phase is performed according to the OO approach, producing a complete OO schema and a behavior schema. The seamless transition from analysis to design is enabled thanks to ADISSA methodology, which facilitates the design of the menus, forms and reports classes, and the system behavior schema, from the DFDs and the application transactions. The paper introduces the motivation for the combined approach, outlines the methodology, and presents an example that demonstrates it.
Providing Approximate Answers Using a Knowledge Abstraction Database
Authors: Huh Soon-Young , Lee Jung-Whan
Published: February 2011

As database users adopt a query language to obtain information from a database, a more intelligent query answering system is increasingly needed. Relational databases are exact in nature, but effectiveness of decision support would improve significantly if the query answering system returns approximate answers rather than a null information response when there is no matching data available. This paper proposes an abstraction hierarchy as a framework to practically derive such approximate answers from ordinary everyday databases. It provides a knowledge abstraction database to facilitate the approximate query answering. The knowledge abstraction database specifically adopts an abstraction approach to extract semantic data relationships from the underlying database, and uses a multi-level hierarchy for coupling multiple levels of abstraction knowledge and data values. In cooperation with the underlying database, the knowledge abstraction database allows the relaxation of query conditions so that the original query scope can be broadened and thus information approximate to exact answers can be obtained. Conceptually abstract queries can also be posed to provide a less rigid query interface. A prototype system has been implemented at KAIST and is being tested with a personnel database system to demonstrate the usefulness and practicality of the knowledge abstraction database in ordinary database systems.
Mobile Computing at the Department of Defense
Authors: Rodger James , Pendharkar Parag , Khosrow-Pour Mehdi
Published: February 2011

This paper is designed to relate the rationale used by the Department of Defense, to utilize Telemedicine, to meet increasing global crises, and for the U.S. military to find ways to more effectively manage manpower and time. A mobile Telemedicine package has been developed by the Department of Defense (DOD) to collect and transmit near-real-time, far-forward medical data and to assess how this improved capability enhances medical management of the battlespace. Telemedicine has been successful in resolving uncertain organizational and technological military deficiencies and in improving medical communications and information management. The deployable, mobile Teams are the centerpieces of this Telemedicine package. These teams have the capability of inserting essential networking and communications capabilities into austere theaters and establishing an immediate means for enhancing health protection, collaborative planning, situational awareness, and strategic decision-making.
A Framework for Analyzing Mobile Transaction Models
Authors: Hirsch Roberto , Coratella Andres , Felder Miguel , Rodriguez Eduardo
Published: February 2011

Currently, mobile technology is undergoing a high growth stage, allowing an increasing plethora of mobile devices (handheld PCs, handsets, etc.) to daily access to distributed resources and information. This availability entails the requirement for transactional capabilities adapted to the specific characteristics of the mobile environment without losing the consistency and reliability guarantees of traditional OLTP systems. This paper surveys the definition and extension of transactional models to a mobile environment, starting with an explanation of this environment and a review of transactional systems applied to mobile computing. Afterwards, a framework for analyzing competing mobile models is defined. This framework allows for different constraints to be imposed to the most general "motion independence" requirement. Finally, existing mobile transaction proposals are assessed against the framework and classified, highlighting their relative strengths and weaknesses in different situations.
A Metadata Oriented Architecture for Building Datawarehouse
Authors: Lee Heeseok , Kim Taehun , Kim Jongho
Published: February 2011

Data warehouse is an intelligent store of data that can aggregate vast amounts of information. A metadata is critical for implementing data warehouse. Therefore, integrating data warehouse with its metadata offers a new opportunity to create a more adaptive information system. This paper proposes a metadata-oriented data warehouse architecture that consists of seven components: legacy system, extracting software, operational data store, data warehouse, data mart, application, and metadata. A taxonomy for dataflow and metaflow is proposed for better understanding of the architecture. In addition, a metadata schema is built within the framework of the seven components. The architecture with its metadata component is applied to a real-life data warehouse for a large medical center in order to illustrate its practical usefulness.
Issues in Transaction-Time Temporal Object Database Systems
Authors: Norvag Kjetil
Published: February 2011

Object database systems (ODBs) are an attractive alternative to relational database systems, especially in application areas where the modeling power or performance of relational database systems is insufficient. These applications typically maintain large amounts of data. Frequently, some of the data is temporal data. For the temporal data, the whole history of the individual objects is kept, and data is never deleted. The area of temporal ODBs is still immature, and there are many design issues that need to be solved in order to be able to achieve the desired performance. In this paper, we discuss some temporal ODB research issues and possible solutions related to object storage, object management, main memory buffering, and language bindings.
Normalization of Relations with Nulls in Candidate Keys
Authors: Philip George C.
Published: February 2011

This paper discusses normalization of relations when the candidate keys of a relation have missing information represented by nulls. The paper shows that when the missing information is of the type “not applicable” or “does not exist,” problems and confusion can arise in normalizing relations. Candidate keys with missing information commonly are found in relations that represent information on two entities with a one-to-one relationship between them. The current definition of Boyce-Codd Normal Form (BCNF) is ineffective in identifying poor designs in such relations that may have insertion/deletion anomalies. It is shown that the above problem can be corrected by incorporating the concept of entity integrity rule into the definition of BCNF. This paper also shows that incorporating the entity integrity rule into the definition of either a relation or a candidate key does not provide a satisfactory solution to the problem.
Representation and Storage of Motion Data
Authors: Gelbard Roy , Spiegler Israel
Published: February 2011

This research proposes a model for representation and storage of motion data. Such representation will enable one to communicate, store, and analyze patterns of motion in a way similar to that with spoken and written languages. The basic problem is the lack of a machine readable motion alphabet. We thus set out to define the elemental components and building blocks of motion, coming up with a Motion Byte. Such building blocks are suggested as basis for a motion language that has words, phrases, and sentences. The binary-based model, significantly different from the common “key frames” approach, is also a method of storing motion data. Comparison of our method with a standard motion system, based on key frames, indicates a significant advantage for the binary model.
A Rigorous Approach for Mapping Workflows to Object-Oriented IS Models
Authors: Joosten Staf , Purao Sandeep
Published: February 2011

Conceptual business models and conceptual models of information systems represent widely different perspectives, which are difficult to integrate due to differences in structure and meaning that exist across these two viewpoints. Such problems in integration can be difficult for an information architect to predict. Yet, the interoperability between the two is essential to ensure efficacy of the information system that will be built. Our research provides an approach to integrate a specific business modeling vehicle, based on workflows, against a specific IS implementation vehicle, based on object-oriented programming. The approach takes into account semantic constraints to ensure that the two perspectives can be integrated, thus moving the integration beyond the level of structures. Using a deductive argument form, we apply semantic constraints to the core concepts of in workflow management, mapped onto those in object-oriented programming languages. The mapping builds on ontological models of both domains-treating the concepts in each as things in the world – and integrates both worlds into a single ontology enriched with semantic constraints. The key innovation of this work, therefore, lies in reasoning about the semantics of conceptual mappings by standard logical means. The results demonstrate a practical approach to map semantic constraints across domains with example derivations. The research, thus, extends existing work closer towards practical application in several contexts including projects involving embedded workflow. The approach has been successfully used in several large real-world projects to reduce design efforts by increasing the consistency, simplifying the overall structure, and making the enterprise architecture more concrete.
Methodology Evaluation Framework for Component-Based System Development
Authors: Dahanayake Ajantha , Sol Henk , Stojanovic Zoran
Published: February 2011

Components are already prominent in the implementation and deployment of advanced distributed information systems. Part and parcel of this development are the effective Component Based Development (CBD) methodology encompassing methods, tools and techniques that effectively target the existing component based technology. Current CBD methodologies lack a comprehensive component-based concept structure. They handle components mainly at the implementation and deployment phases still, which are heavily influenced by UML notations. In this paper a presentation is made of an evaluation framework, which highlights the extent to which a methodology is component oriented. Current CBD methods and approaches do not provide full support for various component concepts. Therefore, a CBD method sample was evaluated using the framework’s concepts and requirements. CBD method improvements are proposed based on the evaluation. The improved approach suggests the use of the standard RM-ODP as an underlying framework, to provide consistent, systematic, and integrated CBD methodology engineering support throughout the lifecycle.
A New Approach to Secure Federated Information Bases Using Agent Technology
Authors: Weippl Edgar , Klug Ludwig , Essmayr Wolfgang
Published: February 2011

Database agents, in our context also called DBagents, can be utilized to establish a federated information base by integrating heterogeneous databases. Agents are especially well suited to also address the highly relevant issue of security. During the process of migration, DBagents are wrapped into Java agents that provide various mechanisms for security and migration. This special architecture can be used to perform schema updates on distributed databases as well as to extract information in order to create and refresh data warehouses. Moreover, queries that require data which is too detailed for data warehouses can be answered by propagating them from the data warehouse to the underlying operational databases wrapped in DBagents. Furthermore, a federation connected by DBagents is much more flexible; new databases may join or existing ones may leave the federation even while queries are executed.
A Possibility Theory Framework for Security Evaluation in National Infrastructure Protection
Authors: Baskerville Richard L. , Portougal Victor
Published: February 2011

Simple probability theory is not a good basis for security in the case of high-stakes information resources where these resources are subject to attacks upon national infrastructure or to battle space illumination. Probability theory induces us to believe that one cannot totally rule out all probabilities of an intrusion. An alternative theoretical base is possibility theory. While persistent, well-supported, and highly professional intrusion attacks will have a higher probability of success, operating instead against the possibility of intrusion places defenders in a theoretical framework more suitable for high-stakes protection. The purpose of this paper is to introduce an alternative quantitative approach to information security evaluation that is suitable for information resources that are potential targets of intensive professional attacks. This approach operates from the recognition that information resource security is only an opinion of officials responsible for security.
RORIB
Authors: Lloyd Scott J. , Peckham Joan , Yang Qing , Li Jian
Published: February 2011

Data plays an essential role in business today. Most, if not all, E-business applications are database driven, and data backup is a necessary element of managing data. Backup and recovery techniques have always been critical to any database, and as real-time databases are used more often, real-time online backup strategies become critical to optimize performance. In this paper, current backup methods are discussed and evaluated for response time and cost. A prototype device driver, RORIB (Real-time Online Remote Information Backup) is presented and discussed. An experiment is conducted comparing the performance, in terms of response time, of the prototype and several current backup strategies. RORIB provides an economic and efficient solution for real-time online remote backup. Significant improvement in response time is demonstrated using this prototype device driver when compared to other types of software-driven backup protocols. Another advantage of RORIB is that the cost is negligible when compared to other hardware solutions for backup, such as Storage Area Networks (SANs) and Private Backup Networks (PBNs). Additionally, this multi-layered device-driver uses TCP/IP (Telecommunications Protocol/Internet Protocol) which allows the driver to be a “drop in” filter between existing hardware layers and thus reduces the implementation overhead and improves portability. Linux is used as the operating system in this experiment because of its open source nature and its similarity to UNIX. This also increases the portability of this approach. The driver is transparent to both the user and the database management system. Other potential applications and future research directions for this technology are presented.
Managing Data Quality in Dynamic Decision Environments
Authors: Shankaranarayan Ganesan , Ziad Mostafa , Wang Richard Y.
Published: February 2011

Large data volumes, widely distributed data sources, and multiple stakeholders characterize typical e-business settings. Mobile and wireless technologies have further increased data volumes, further distributed the data sources, while permitting access to data anywhere, anytime. Such environments empower and necessitate decision-makers to act/react quicker to all decision-tasks including mission-critical ones. Decision-support in such environments demands efficient data quality management. This paper presents a framework for managing data quality in such environments using the information product approach. It includes a modeling technique to explicitly represent the manufacture of an information product, quality dimensions and methods to compute data quality of the product at any stage in the manufacture, and a set of capabilities to comprehensively manage data quality and implement total data quality management. The paper also posits the notion of a virtual business environment to support dynamic decision-making and describes the role of the data quality framework in this environment.
XML Integration and Toolkit for B2B Applications
Authors: Nicolle Christophe , Yetongnon Kokou , Simon Jean-Claude
Published: February 2011

This paper presents a Web-based data integration methodology and tool framework, called X-TIME, for the development of business-to-business (B2B) design environments and applications. X-TIME provides a data model translator toolkit based on an extensible metamodel and XML. It allows the creation of adaptable semantics oriented metamodels to facilitate the design of wrappers or reconciliators (mediators) by taking into account several characteristics of interoperable information systems such as extensibility and composability. X-TIME defines a set of meta-types for representing meta-level semantic descriptors of data models found in the Web. The meta-types are organized in a generalization hierarchy to capture semantic similarities among modeling concepts of interoperable systems. We show how to use the X-TIME methodology to build cooperative environments for B2B platforms involving the integration of Web data and services.
IAIS
Authors: Bajaj Akhilesh , Ram Sudha
Published: February 2011

Recently, there has been increased interest in information sharing among government agencies, with a view toward improving security, reducing costs and offering better quality service to users of government services. In this work, the authors complement earlier work by proposing a comprehensive methodology called IAIS (Inter Agency Information Sharing) that uses XML to facilitate the definition of information that needs to be shared, the storage of such information, the access to this information and finally the maintenance of shared information. The authors compare IAIS with two alternate methodologies to share information among agencies, and analyze the pros and cons of each. They also show how IAIS leverages the recently proposed XML (extensible markup language) standard to allow for inclusion of various groups’ viewpoints when determining what information should be shared and how it should be structured.
Applying UML and XML for Designing and Interchanging Information for Data Warehouses and OLAP Applications
Authors: Trujillo Juan , Lujan-Mora Sergio , Song Il-Yeol
Published: February 2011

Multidimensional (MD) modeling is the basis for data warehouses (DW), multidimensional databases (MDB) and on-line analytical processing (OLAP) applications. In this paper, we present how the unified modeling language (UML) can be successfully used to represent both structural and dynamic properties of these systems at the conceptual level. The structure of the system is specified by means of a UML class diagram that considers the main properties of MD modeling with minimal use of constraints and extensions of the UML. If the system to be modeled is too complex, thereby leading us to a considerable number of classes and relationships, we describe how to use the package grouping mechanism provided by the UML to simplify the final model. Furthermore, we provide a UML-compliant class notation (called cube class) to represent OLAP users’ initial requirements. We also describe how we can use the UML state and interaction diagrams to model the behavior of a data warehouse system. To facilitate the interchange of conceptual MD models, we provide a Document Type Definition (DTD) which allows us to represent the same MD modeling properties that can be considered by using our approach. From this DTD, we can directly generate valid eXtensible Markup Language (XML) documents that represent MD models at the conceptual level. We believe that our innovative approach provides a theoretical foundation for simplifying the conceptual design of MD systems and the examples included in this paper clearly illustrate the use of our approach.
ONTOMETRIC
Authors: Lozano-Tello Adolfo , Gomez-Perez Asunción
Published: February 2011

In the last years, the development of ontology-based applications has increased considerably, mainly related to the semantic web. Users currently looking for ontologies in order to incorporate them into their systems, just use their experience and intuition. This makes it difficult for them to justify their choices. Mainly, this is due to the lack of methods that help the user to determine which are the most appropriate ontologies for the new system. To solve this deficiency, the present work proposes a method, ONTOMETRIC, which allows the users to measure the suitability of existing ontologies, regarding the requirements of their systems.
An Evaluation of Inter-Organizational Workflow Modelling Formalisms
Authors: Dussart Aymeric , Aubert Benoit A. , Patry Michel
Published: February 2011

This paper evaluates the dynamic aspects of the UML in the context of inter-organizational workflows. Two evaluation methodologies are used. The first one is ontological and is based on the BWW (Bunge-Wand-Weber) models. The second validation is based on prototyping and consists of the development of a workflow management system in the aerospace industry. Both convergent and divergent results are found from the two validations. Possible enhancements to the UML formalism are suggested from the convergent results. On the other hand, the divergent results suggest the need for a contextual specification in the BWW models.
An Efficient Concurrency Control Algorithm for High-Dimensional Index Structures
Authors: Song Seok Il , Yoo Jae Soo
Published: February 2011

In this paper, we propose a concurrency control algorithm based on link-technique for high-dimensional index structures. In high dimensional index structures, search operations are generally more frequent than insert or delete operations and need to access more nodes than those in other index structures, such as B+-tree, B-tree, hashing techniques, and so on, due to the properties of queries. In the proposed algorithm, we focus on minimizing the delay of search operations in all cases. It also supports concurrency control on reinsert operations for the high-dimensional index structures employing reinsert operations to improve their performance. We apply the algorithm to one of the exiting multi-dimensional index structures and implement it on a storage system. It is shown through various experiments that the proposed algorithm is more suitable for high dimensional index structures than existing ones.
Mobile Agents Based Self-Adaptive Join for Wide-Area Distributed Query Processing
Authors: Arcangeli J. P. , Hameurlain A. , Migeon F. , Morvan F.
Published: February 2011

In this article, optimization of decision support queries is considered in the context of wide-area distributed databases. An original approach based on the “mobile agent” paradigm is proposed and evaluated. Agents’ autonomy and reactivity allow operators of the execution plan to adapt dynamically to estimation errors on relations and to evolutions in the state of the execution system, avoiding time overheads commonly associated with centralized monitoring. We present decentralized self-adaptive algorithms for dynamic optimization of join operators, and their implementations in Java using mobile agents. Then, we evaluate performance depending on error rate on statistical information on database, and on communication bandwidth and CPU frequency. The results show that the agent-based approach can lead to a significant reduction of response time and provide decision criteria for developing an effective migration policy.