bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Financial Hegemony, Diversification Strategies and the Firm Value of Top 30 FTSE Companies in Malaysia
Authors: Yusoff Wan Sallha , Salleh Mohd Fairuz Md. , Ahmad Azlina , Basnan Norida
Published: February 2016

This study investigates the relationships between financial hegemony groups, global diversification strategies and firm value of the Malaysia’s 30 largest companies listed in FTSE Bursa Malaysia Index Series during 2009 to 2012 period. We chose Malaysia as an ideal setting because the findings contribute to the phenomenon of the diversification–performance relationship in the Southeast Asian countries. We apply hegemony stability theory to explain the importance of financial hegemony groups in deciding international locations for operations. By using panel data analysis, we find that financial hegemony groups are significantly important in international location decisions. Results reveal that the stability of financial hegemony in BRICS and G7 groups enhances the financial value of the Malaysia’s 30 largest companies, whereas the stability of financial hegemony in ASEAN groups is able to enhance the non-financial value of the firms. Overall, this paper suggests that in order to diversify globally, it is necessarily for the manager in the guest country to evaluate and fully understand the host country’s geopolitical situation and its financial stability.
Love from the View of Big Islamic Mystics
Authors: Ali Ahmadpour , Fatemeh Razmjoo
Published: February 2016

This article is about love. Although love is so infinite that it can't be limited to words, it is united with human spirit and even all creatures in a way that everyone likes to taste some drops of this sea. Pure love and real lover is not very easy to know. By examining the lives of famous lovers, whose names are recorded in the history for ever, we can get interesting information about these concepts. Hallaj, Aynolghozat and Sohravardi are 3 top martyrs of love path. This article emphasizes the lives and speeches of these 3 martyrs to get a clear image of love, lover, and beloved by this means.
Academic Performance in Blended-Learning and Face-to-Face University Teaching
Authors: Alducin-Ochoa Juan M. , Vázquez-Martínez Ana I.
Published: February 2016

The benefits promoted by the use of the blended-learning model in higher education have been well studied from a general point of view, but no conclusive results have been achieved so far. However, within the field of engineering, these researches are quite scarce and become even rarer in the case of researches trying to demonstrate whether the benefits of blended learning could be compared to those achieved by classroom education. Learning platforms allow us to incorporate rich learning resources, interactive tools that foster collaborative learning, student to student, student to professor and student-professor-student interactions. Learning platforms also give us the opportunity of incorporating tasks that allow students to check the progress of their own learning processes. This paper presents the results of a research carried out at theSchoolofTechnical Architectureof theUniversityofSevillewith students enrolled in the Materials Science course. The aim of this investigation was to compare students’ results when trained by means of traditional teaching and blended learning. In order to achieve our goal we followed a quasi-experimental, descriptive and correlational design applied to two non-equivalent groups. The results indicated that in the blended-learning model, the students had more academic success as compared to traditional teaching.
Gilles Deleuze’s Point of View for Biographical Trends of Frances Bacon’s Ideas
Authors: Pakzad Zahra
Published: February 2016

Francis Bacon as a precursor of modern painting, in addition to reputation in the fields of visual arts, has attracted the attention of many philosophers and scholars of the twentieth century due to its creative and controversial works. One of these philosophers is Gilles Deleuze. Gilles Deleuze is written numerous works in various fields ranging from photography and cinema to the history of philosophy. In a book entitled “Francis Bacon: The Logic of Sense”, Deleuze presented a new understanding of the concepts contained and hidden in Bacon’s paintings of Bacon. Seeking to explore Bacon’s position in painting and also Deleuze’s position in the philosophy, the current study intends to analyze Deleuze philosophical interpretation of the works of Bacon.
Identification and Ranking Paramount Factors Affecting the Organizational Health Using AHP Method (Case Study: Gas Transmission Office in Area 7)
Authors: Asgharinajib Maryam , Sohrabi Rohollah , Hamidi Kambiz
Published: February 2016

The organizational health is amongst the overriding concepts in management employed to indicate the overall condition of organizations and companies. Organizational health in national organizations would culminate into appropriate decisions, policy-making and due application of policies. Hence, the aim of this study was to identify and rank paramount factors affecting the organizational health.

The data gathering instrument was researcher-made questionnaires. 500 questionnaires were distributed among the employees of Gas Transfer Office in Area 7 and 230 of them were collected and analyzed by virtue of structural equations modeling in LISREL Software. The verification procedure was carried out through the “Pearson Correlation Test” using SPSS. The ranking of aforementioned factors was carried out through the use of AHP analysis in Expert Choice Software.

The results showed that there was a significant relationship between organizational health and the factors such as trust, motivation, responsiveness, reputation, capabilities, outward tendency, path-objective, collaboration, coordination, innovation, ethics, communication, commitment, leadership, performance identifying ,culture, employee effectiveness, and, resource usage. The final model was validated. Also, the final model was validated. Communication factor is ranked as the first paramount factor while capability factor is the 18th factor.
Critiques on Thai Educational Research Methodology
Authors: Lapanachokdee Warunee , Lawthong Nuttaporn , Piyapimonsit Chatsiri
Published: February 2016

This critique aimed to; 1) synthesize a body of knowledge of educational research methodology, 2) analyze and compare educational research methodology in Thai and international research articles, and 3) critique problems, strengths and weaknesses and put forward suggestions for standardizing Thai educational research methodology. Data were obtained from eight international textbooks, 95 articles and four Thai educational research methodology experts. Results revealed that the principles and international standards of educational research methodology included eight methodological categories which covered 34 characteristics. Findings from a comparison of Thai and international research articles indicated that Thai and international research articles were similar in 15 characteristics and different in five characteristics. Thai research articles had six problems relating to educational research methodology: information searching and English skills, educational research instruction, lack of experts in educational research methodology, research finding distribution, educational researcher development, and research article format. 
Reviewer Acknowledgements for International Journal of Psychological Studies , Vol. 8, No. 1
Authors: Sun Barbara
Published: February 2016

Reviewer Acknowledgements for International Journal of Psychological Studies , Vol. 8, No. 1, 2016
The Effect of Creative Thinking Education in Enhancing Creative Self-Efficacy and Cognitive Motivation
Authors: Alzoubi Ahmad M , Al Qudah Mohammad F , Albursan Ismael Salameh , Bakhiet Salaheldin F , Abduljabbar Adel S
Published: February 2016

This study aimed to explore the effectiveness of creative thinking education on enhancing creative self-efficacy and cognitive motivation. The sample consisted of 44 female students studying childhood education in the Princess Alia University College divided into two groups (experimental and control). The experimental group was taught a unit in creative thinking whereas the control group was not. Data were collected using two tools; first, a creative self-efficacy scale that included two dimensions (self-efficacy in creative thinking and creative performance) and second, a cognitive motivation scale that included three dimensions (curiosity, discovery, and questioning). Data showed significant differences between experimental and control groups in creative self-efficacy and its dimensions, and also in cognitive motivation and two of its dimensions (curiosity and discovery) in favor of the experimental group. No significant difference was found between the two groups in questioning. We recommend embedding creative thinking education in study courses.
The Roles of School Readiness and Poverty-Related Risk for 6th Grade Outcomes
Authors: Pressler Emily , Raver C. Cybele , Friedman-Krauss Allison H. , Roy Amanda
Published: February 2016

Low-income students are at increased risk for grade retention and suspension, which dampens their chances of high school graduation, college attendance, and future success. Drawing from a sample of 357 children and their families who participated in the Chicago School Readiness Project, we examine whether greater exposure to cumulative poverty-related risk from preschool through 5th grade is associated with greater risk of student retention and suspension in 6th grade. Logistic regression results indicate that exposure to higher levels of cumulative risk across the elementary school years is associated with students’ increased risk of retention in 6th grade, even after controlling for child school readiness skills and other covariates. Importantly, findings of the association between average cumulative risk exposure and student suspension are more complex; the role of poverty-related risk is reduced to non-significance once early indicators of child school readiness and other covariates are included in regression models. While, children’s early externalizing behavior prior to kindergarten places children at greater risk of suspension 7 years later, children’s higher levels of internalizing behaviors and early math skills are associated with significantly decreased risk of suspension in the 6th grade. Together, findings from the study suggest the complex ways that both early school readiness and subsequent exposure to poverty-related risk may both serve as compelling predictors of children’s likelihood of “staying on track” academically in the 6th grade.
Are Seminar Periods Supportive of the Professional Development of Social Studies Teachers?
Authors: Demir Selcuk Besir , Dogan Soner , Atasoy Turgay
Published: February 2016

The purpose of this study is to determine the efficiency of the seminar periods intended for contributing to the professional development of social studies teachers based on their own perspectives. This study adopts a qualitative approach and is carried out in the form of a case study. Among the purposeful sampling methods, the criteria sample method was used in the study. The sampling consisted of six social studies teachers in Sivas: three males and three females. In the research, semi-structured interview form was used as a data collection tool. As a result of the analysis conducted in the study, two main themes were identified: 1) findings regarding the seminar period and the activities conducted during that period, and 2) findings regarding the factor of efficiency of the seminar period. Based on the study results, seminar periods are found to be unfruitful for social studies teachers.
Cryoconite holes on frozen lakes as source of interesting extremophilic and extremotolerant organisms
Authors: Sehnal Luděk
Published: February 2016

The key thought of this short communication is biodiversity evaluation of the photo-autotrophic inhabitants of lake cryoconite holes and point out their potencial as extremo-tolerant or even extremophilic organisms that deserve attention. Cyanobacterial diversity of these environments was investigated in cryoconites holes of 2 permanently and 1 sea-sonally ice-covered lakes at James Ross Island. Twelve species from different taxonomic groups, both coccal and filamentous (with and without heterocytes) cyanobacteria, were determined using a light microscope and morphological features of autorophic microorganisms. The results suggested relatively high diversity in such extreme environments and also indicated potential of lake cryoconites to serve as a reservoir of organism that can have special protection properties.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle – Efficient mapping tool available for recent research in polar regions
Authors: Stuchlík Radim , Stachoň Zdeněk , Láska Kamil , Kubíček Petr
Published: February 2016

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) have technical capabilities to extended usage in various fields ofscience. The existing UAVs are to be relatively easily accessible in the near future. It is possible to equip them with different sensors but there are still some usage limitations. This paper focuses ondemonstrating UAVs usage for research in polar regions. The research in polar regions is very specific and, due to harsh climate, limits the field work with UAVs. The options and limitations are presented in a case study performed in the Nordenskiöldbreen area, Svalbard Archipelago. In the end some derived products suitable for further analysis are presented.
Dynamic Reservoir Operations Support Sustainable Water Management
Authors: Rivera Megan , Nebiker Steven , Wright Ben
Published: February 2016

Dynamic reservoir operations help optimize water quantity and quality, flood management, and environmental responsibilities of water utilities.
Gis Streamlines Water Service Restoration
Authors: Ekadis Shawny
Published: February 2016

An Arizona municipality uses geographic information system technology to improve its meter lockout process and optimize customer service.
Match Recycled Water Quality with Customer Service for Best Results
Authors: Goldman Elise
Published: February 2016

Taking a closer look at each recycled water user's operation and culture allows a Los Angeles‐area municipal water district to deliver better customer service and treat and allocate its reuse water supply most efficiently.
Convert AMI Data to Knowledge with System Interoperability
Authors: Sala John
Published: February 2016

Is the data your utility gathers underused? Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) is designed to be used for so much more than fixed‐network meter reading and billing.
Innovation Initiative Works to Lower Technology Barriers
Authors: Moore Randy
Published: February 2016

In light of ever‐growing water quality and quantity challenges, a coalition of water industry professionals is working to lower major barriers to utilities' acceptance and adoption of new technologies.
Practically Secure Feistel Ciphers
Authors: Knudsen Lars Ramkilde
Published: February 2016

In this paper we give necessary design principles to be used, when constructing secure Feistel ciphers. We introducee a new concept,  practical security against linear and differential attacks on Feistel ciphers. We give examples of such Feistel ciphers (practically) resistant to differential attacks, linear attacks and other attacks.
Witness Hiding Proofs and Applications
Authors: Lidong Chen
Published: February 2016

Witness hiding is a basic requirement for most cryptology protocols. The concept was proposed by Feige and Shamir several years ago. This thesis concentrates on witness hiding protocols and its applications.

The possibility to divert a witness hiding protocol parallelly had been an open problem for some time. The parallel divertibility is not only of theoretical significance but also a crucial point for the security of some applications, for example, electronic cash, digital signatures, etc. It is proved, in this thesis, that with limited computational power, it is impossible to divert a witness hiding protocol parallelly to two independent verifiers with large probability.

The thesis explores the applications of witness hiding protocols in anonymous credentials, election schemes, and group signatures. In an anonymous credential system, one user may have many pseudonyms. The credentials issued on one of a user's pseudonyms can be transferred to other pseudonyms by the user without revealing the links between pseudonyms. Election, as a practical model, is formally defined. Two election schemes are proposed and discussed. Especially the voting scheme is parallelized with electronic cash system so that some new tool can be introduced. Group signature is a kind of digital signature for a group of people such that only members of the group can sign messages on behalf of the group and without revealing which member has signed. But the signer can be identified by either an authority or a certain number of group members who hold some kind of auxiliary information. The new group signature schemes, based on witness hiding proofs, have several advantages, compared with the original scheme proposed by Chaum and Heijst. The most important improvement is that the signers can be identified by a majority of group members, which had been a open problem in the literature. In this thesis, some theoretical results about bounds of secret keys and auxiliary information have been proved.
Group Signatures: Unconditional Security for Members
Authors: Lidong Chen , Pedersen Torben Pryds
Published: February 2016

First a detailed definition of group signatures, originally suggested by Chaum and van {Heijst}, is given. Such signatures allow members of a group to sign messages anonymously on behalf of the group subject to the constraint that, in case of disputes later on, a designated authority can identify the signer. It is shown that if such schemes are to provide information theoretic anonymity, then the length of the secret information of the members and the authority increases with the number of members and the number of signatures each member is allowed to make. A dynamic scheme meeting these lower bounds is described. Unlike previous suggestions it protects each member unconditionally against framing, i.e.\ being held responsible for a signature made by someone else.
Provable Security Against a Differential Attack
Authors: Nyberg Kaisa , Knudsen Lars Ramkilde
Published: February 2016

The purpose of this paper is to show that there exist DES-like iterated ciphers, which are provably resistant against differential attacks. The main result on the security of a DES-like cipher with independent round keys is Theorem 1, which gives an upper bound to the probability of s-round differentials, as defined in Markov Ciphers and Differential Cryptanalysis  by X. Lai et al. and this upper bound depends only on the round function of the iterated cipher. Moreover, it is shown that there exist functions such that the probabilities of differentials are less than or equal to 23-n, where n is the length of the plaintext block. We also show a prototype of an iterated block cipher, which is compatible with DES and has proven security against differential attacks.
Strictness and Totality Analysis
Authors: Solberg Kirsten Lackner , Nielson Hanne Riis
Published: February 2016

We define a novel inference system for strictness and totality analysis for the simply-typed lazy lambda-calculus with constants and fixpoints. Strictness information identifies those terms that definitely denote bottom (i.e. do not evaluate to WHNF) whereas totality information identifies those terms that definitely do not denote bottom (i.e. do evaluate to WHNF). The analysis is presented as an annotated type system allowing conjunctions only at ``top level´´. We give examples of its use and prove the correctness with respect to a natural-style operational semantics.
Static and Dynamic Processor Allocation for Higher-Order Concurrent Languages
Authors: Nielson Hanne Riis , Nielson Flemming
Published: February 2016

Starting from the process algebra for Concurrent ML we develop two program analyses that facilitate the intelligent placement of processes on processors. Both analyses are obtained by augmenting an inference system for counting the number of channels created, the number of input and output operations performed, and the number of processes spawned by the execution of a Concurrent ML program. One analysis provides information useful for making a static decision about processor allocation; to this end it accumulates the communication cost for all processes with the same label. The other analysis provides information useful for making a dynamic decision about processor allocation; to this end it determines the maximum communication cost among processes with the same label. We prove the soundness of the inference system and the two analyses and demonstrate how to implement them; the latter amounts to transforming the syntax-directed inference problems to instances of syntax-free equation solving problems.
Patterns, Graphs and DNA
Authors: Mayoh Brian H.
Published: February 2016

Two papers in one! The first, ``On Patterns and Graphs´´, describes the pattern version of context-free grammars for many kinds of substitution structures. By giving striking examples, particularly for emotional neural nets and other forms of graph grammars, it shows that the extra expressive power of pattern multigrammars is worth having. The second paper, ``DNA pattern multigrammars´´ describes the pattern approach to the analysis of the secondary structure of DNA and RNA; in particular it gives an analysis of Tobacco Mosaic Virus RNA, Transfer RNA, and genetic switching in the bacteriophage l. The genetic algorithm approach to the machine learning of DNA and RNA grammars is also discussed.
Training of Neural Networks by means of Genetic Algorithms Working on very long Chromosomes
Authors: Korning Peter
Published: February 2016

In the neural network / genetic algorithm community, rather limited success in the training of neural networks by genetic algorithms has been reported. In a paper by Whitley (1991), he claims that, due to ``the multiple representations problem´´, genetic algorithms will not effectively be able to train multilayer perceptrons, whose chromosomal representation of its weights exceeds 300 bit's. In the following paper, by use of a ``real-life problem´´, known to be non-trivial, and by a comparison with ``classic´´ neural net training methods, I will try to show that the modest success of applying genetic algorithms to the training of perceptrons, is caused not so much by the ``multiple representations problem´´ as by the fact that problem-specific knowledge available is often ignored, thus making the problem unnecessarily tough for the genetic algorithm to solve.
Scenarios as springboards in design of CSCW
Authors: Bødker Susanne , Christiansen Ellen
Published: February 2016

Our point of departure is that the relationship between social science, cooperative working and technology is not as much a matter of differences in understanding, as it is a matter of how to accomplish change. This chapter outlines an approach to design of CSCW where change is addressed in terms of ''expansion of the work practice''. To facilitate the change process as a process of expansion, scenarios are used as springboards. Creation and use of scenarios are supported by a conceptual ''toolbox''. The foundation for this toolbox is an understanding of the design process as ``abductive thinking'' consisting of idea generation and systematic reflection, and an understanding of design tools inspired from activity theory. As design processes may involve different communities of practice, we discuss the role of scenarios as boundary objects.
A pictorial illustration of conventional cryptography
Authors: Knudsen Lars Ramkilde
Published: February 2016

In this paper we consider conventional cryptosystems. We illustrate the differences between substitution, transposition and product ciphers by showing encryptions of a highly redundant cleartext, a portrait. Also it is pictorially demonstrated that no conventional cryptosystem in its basic mode provides sufficient security for redundant cleartexts.
Placement and global routing of VLSI macro-Cell layouts using genetic algorithms
Authors: Esbensen Henrik
Published: February 2016

The topic of this Ph.D. thesis is the application of evolution-based algorithms (EAs) to various highly constrained combinatorial optimization problems arising in layout synthesis of VLSI integrated circuits. The purpose is to investigate which performance can be obtained by EAs compared to traditional methods, to identify strengths and weaknesses of EAs within this application domain and to identify possible EA design principles yielding the best performance.

In particular, the study focuses on genetic algorithms (GAs) for placement and global routing of macro-cell layouts. GAs for the these problems are developed, and their performance compared to that of existing state-of-the-art tools, in terms of absolute solution quality and absolute runtime. The main results are new GAs for both macro-cell placement and global routing, which are comparable to or better than the current state-of-the-art approaches. Especially, a GA for the Steiner problem in a graph is presented, which to our knowledge is the current best heuristic for this problem, in terms of solution quality as well as runtime.

Finally, various design principles significantly affecting algorithm performance are identified, of which the constraint handling method is of utmost importance. Within the application domain considered, enforcing constraint satisfaction at all times is found to consistently outperform methods based on penalty terms.
Annotated Type Systems for Program Analysis
Authors: Solberg Kirsten Lackner
Published: February 2016

In this Ph.D. thesis, we study four program analyses. Three of them are specified by annotated type systems and the last one by abstract interpretation.

We present a combined strictness and totality analysis. We are specifying the analysis as an annotated type system. The type system allows conjunctions of annotated types, but only at the top-level. The analysis is somewhat more powerful than the strictness analysis by Kuo and Mishra due to the conjunctions and in that we also consider totality. The analysis is shown sound with respect to a natural-style operational semantics. The analysis is not immediately extendable to full conjunction.

The second analysis is also a combined strictness and totality analysis, however with ``full´´ conjunction. Soundness of the analysis is shown with respect to a denotational semantics. The analysis is more powerful than the strictness analyses by Jensen and Benton in that it in addition to strictness considers totality. So far we have only specified the analyses, however in order for the analyses to be practically useful we need an algorithm for inferring the annotated types. We construct an algorithm for the second analysis using the lazy type approach by Hankin and Le Métayer. The reason for choosing the second analysis from the thesis is that the approach is not applicable to the first analysis.

The third analysis we study is a binding time analysis. We take the analysis specified by Nielson and Nielson and we construct a more efficient algorithm than the one proposed by Nielson and Nielson. The algorithm collects constraints in a structural manner like the type inference algorithm by Damas. Afterwards the minimal solution to the set of constraints is found.

The last analysis in the thesis is specified by abstract interpretation. Hunt shows that projection based analyses are subsumed by PER (partial equivalence relation) based analyses using abstract interpretation. The PERs used by Hunt are strict, i.e. bottom is related to bottom. Here we lift this restriction by requiring the PERs to be uniform, in the sense that they treat all the integers equally. By allowing non-strict PERs we get three properties on the integers, corresponding to the three annotations used in the first and second analysis in the thesis.
Exponentiation, Modular Multiplication and VLSI Implementation of High-Speed RSA Cryptography
Authors: Orup Holger
Published: February 2016

This Ph.D. thesis treats the calculation of modular exponentials using very large operands. Through a top-down approach, the basic operations are identified: modular multiplication, modular addition, addition, modular reduction, and quotient determination. Various methods and optimisation techniques for these operations are decribed and compared. The focus is directed toward methods that are suited for VLSI implementation. A very fast VLSI processor has been designed, constructed, and tested.
Polymorphic Subtyping for Effect Analysis: The Integration
Authors: Nielson Hanne Riis , Nielson Flemming , Amtoft Torben
Published: February 2016

The integration of polymorphism (in style of the ML let-construct), subtyping, and effects (modelling assignment or communication) into one common type system has proved remarkably difficult. One line of research has succeeded in integrating polymorphism and subtyping; adding effects in a straightforward way results in a semantically unsound system. Another line of research has succeeded in integrating polymorphism, effects, and subeffecting; adding sybtyping in a straightforward way invalidaters the construction of the inference algorithm. This paper integrates all op polymorphism, effects, and sybtyping into an annotated type and effect system for Concurrent ML and shows that the resulting system is a conservative extension of the ML type system.
Polymorphic Subtyping for Effect Analysis: the Algroithm
Authors: Nielson Flemming , Nielson Hanne Riis , Amtoft Torben
Published: February 2016

We study an annotated type and effect system that integrates let-polymorphism, effects, and sybtyping into an annotated type and effect system for a fragment of Concurrent ML. First a type inference algorithm and a procedure for constraint normalisation and simplification are defined, and next they are proved syntactically sound with respect to the annotated type and effect system.
MetaBETA: Model and Implementation
Authors: Schmidt Rene Wenzel
Published: February 2016

Object-oriented programming languages are excellent for expressing abstractions in many application domains. The object-oriented programming methodology allows real-world concepts to modelled in an easy and direct fashion and it supports refinement of concepts. However, many object-oriented languages and their implementations fall short in two areas: dynamic extensibility and reflection.

Dynamic extensibility is the ability to incorporate new classes into an application at runtime. Reflection makes it possible for a language to extend its own domain, e.g., to build type-orthogonal functionality. MetaBETA is an extension of the BETA language that supports dynamic extensibility and reflection. MetaBETA has a metalevel interface that provides access to the state of a running application and to the default implementation of language primities.

This report presents the model behind MetaBETA. In particular, we discuss the execution model of a MetaBETA program and how type- orthogonal abstractions can be built. This includes precentation of dynamic slots, a mechanism that makes is possible ectend objects at runtime. The other main area covered in this report is the implementation of MetaBETA. The central component of the architecture is a runtime system, which is viewed as a virtual machine whose baselevel interface implements the functionality needed by the programming language.
Users and Computers - A Contextual Approach to Design of Computer Artifacts
Authors: Kyng Morten
Published: February 2016

This note contains a presentation and overwiew of the papers that I have submitted for the degree doctor scientiarum (dr. scient.). Since the papers are written in English the official summary is in Danish. The summary is included at the end of this note.

The introduction relates the subject matter of the submitted papers to current discussions in computer science. Section two gives a brief account of the research area in question, how it has developed over the last 25 years, and its current status.

Section three presents and discusses the results structured according to the frame of reference given in section two. For each sub-area the central issues are introduced. Then the results obtained are presented; the practical as well as the theoretical. Finally, a short comparison and evaluation in relation to relevant literature is made.

Section four contains a short discussion of the methods used, and section five presents ideas for future research.
Tools for Stored Interactive Multimedia
Authors: Villumsen Ole Vedel
Published: February 2016

Thesis submitted for the PhD degree.
Computer Aided Verification of Lamport's Fast Mutual Exclusion Algorithm - Using Coloured Petri Nets and Occurrence Graphs with Symmetries
Authors: Jørgensen Jens Bæk , Kristensen Lars Michael
Published: February 2016

In this paper, we present a new computer tool for verification of distributed systems. As an example, we establish the correctness of Lamport's Fast Mutual Exclusion Algorithm. The tool implements the method of occurrence graphs with symmetries (OS-graphs) for Coloured Petri Nets(CP-nets). The basic idea in the approach is to exploit the symmetries inherent in many distributed systems to construct a condensed state space. We demonstrate a signigicant increase in the number of states which can be analysed. The paper is to a large extent self-contained and does not assume any prior knowledge of CP-nets (or any other kinds of Petri Nets) or OS-graphs. CP-nets and OS-graphs are not our invention. Our contribution is development of the tool and verification of the example.

Index Terms: Modelling and Analysis of Distributed Systems, Formal Verification, Coloured Petri Nets, High-Level Petri Nets, Occurrence Graphs, State Spaces, Symmetries, Mutual Exclusion.
Verification by State Spaces with Equivalence Classes
Authors: Jørgensen Jens Bæk , Kristensen Lars Michael
Published: February 2016

This paper demonstrates the pontential of verification based on state spaces reduced by equivalence relations. The basic observation is that quite often, some states of a system are similar, i.e., they induce similar behaviours. Similarity can be formally expressed by defining equivalence relations on the set of states and the set of actions of a system under consideration. A state space can be constructed, in which the nodes correspond to equivalence classes of states and the arcs correspond to equivalence classes of actions. Such a state space is often much smaller than the ordinary full state space, but does allow derivation of many verification results.

Other researches have taken advantage of the symmetries of systems, which induce a certain kind of equivalence. The contribution fo this paper is to show that a more general notion of equivalence is useful. As example, a communication protocol modelled in the formalism of Coloured Petri Nets is verified. Aided by a computer tool supporting state spaces with equivalence classes, significant reduction of state spaces are exhibited.

Topics. State space reduction methods, equivalence vs. symmetry, High-level Petri Nets, communication protocols.
Analysing Coloured Petri Nets by the Occurrence Graph Method
Authors: Jørgensen Jens Bæk
Published: February 2016

This paper provides an overview og the work done for the author's PhD thesis. The research area of Coloured Petri Nets is introduced, and the available analysis methods are presented. The occurrence graph method, which is the main subject of this thesis, is described in more detail. Summaries of the six papers which, together with this overview, comprise the thesis are given, and the contributions are discussed.

A large portion of this overview is dedicated to a description of related work. The aim is twofold: First, to survey pertinent results within the research areas of -- in increasing generality -- Coloured Petri Nets, High-level Petri Nets, and formalisms for modelling and analysis of parallel and distributed systems. Second, to put the results obtained in this thesis in a wider perspective by comparing them with important related work.
Modelling the Work Flow of a Nuclear Waste Management Program
Authors: Mortensen Kjeld Høyer , Pinci Valerio
Published: February 2016

In this paper we describe a modelling project to improve a nuclear waste management program in charge of the creation of a new system for the permanent disposal of nuclear waste.

SADT (Structured Analysis and Design Technique) is used in order to provide a work-flow description of the functions to be performed by the waste management program. This description is then translated into a number of Coloured Petri Nets (CPN or CP-nets) corresponding to different program functions where additional behavioural inscriptions provide basis for simulation. Each of these CP-nets is simulated to produce timed event charts that are useful for understanding the behaviour of the program functions under different scenarios. Then all the CPN models are linked together to form a single stand-alone application that is useful for validating the interaction and cooperation between the different program functions.

A technique for linking executable CPN models is developed for supporting large modelling projects and parallel development of independent CPN models.
Parametrisation of Coloured Petri Nets
Authors: Christensen Søren , Mortensen Kjeld Høyer
Published: February 2016

In this paper we propose a conceptual framework for parametrisation of Coloured Petri Nets --- a first step towards the formulation and formalisation of Parametric Coloured Petri Nets. We identify and characterise three useful kinds of parametrisation, namely value, type, and net structure parameters. While the two former kinds are simple to design the latter kind is more complex, and in this context we describe how net structure parametrisation naturally induces concepts like modules and scope rules. The framework is applied to a non-trivial example from the domain of flexible manufacturing. Finally we discuss implementation issues.
Modular State Space Analysis of Coloured Petri Nets
Authors: Christensen Søren , Petrucci Laure
Published: February 2016

State Space Analysis is one of the most developed analysis methods for Petri Nets. The main problem of state space analysis is the size of the state spaces. Several ways to reduce it have been proposed but cannot yet handle industrial size systems.

Large models often consist of a set of modules. Local properties of each module can be checked separately, before checking the validity of the entire system. We want to avoid the construction of a single state space of the entire system.

When considering transition sharing, the behaviour of the total system can be capture by the state spaces of modules combined with a Synchronisation Graph. To verify that we do not lose information we show how the full state space can be conctructed.

We show how it is possible to determine usual Petri Nets properites, without unfolding to the ordinary state space.
Behaviour Analysis and Safety Conditions: a Case Study in CML
Authors: Nielson Hanne Riis , Amtoft Torben , Nielson Flemming
Published: February 2016

We describe a case study where novel program analysis technology has been used to pinpoint a subtle bug in a formally developed control program for an embedded system. The main technology amounts to first defining a process algebra (called behaviours) suited to the programming language used (in our case CML) and secondly to devise an annotated type and effect system for extracting behaviours from programs in a such a manner that an automatic inference algorithm can be developed. The case study is a control program developed for the "Karlsruhe Production Cell" and our analysis of the behaviours shows that one of the safety conditions fails to hold.
Digital systems synthesis from Petri net descriptions
Authors: Marranghello Norian
Published: February 2016

The design of digital systems has reached a degree of complexity that virtually prevents their effective realization without computer aided design tools. Several languages were already proposed to be used in such tools, each with the objective of capturing as much hardware characteristics as possible. During about the last fifteen years the importance and use of Petri nets as a language for modeling digital systems have greatly increased. Many computer aided design tools dealing with Petri nets for the analyzis, verification and synthesis of this sort of hardware have been recently developed as well. With such a growing importance in mind, this report aims at presenting an overview of the research going on the application of Petri nets to the description of digital systems and the synthesis of the corresponding hardware from these descriptions.
Workshop on Practical Use of Coloured Petri Nets and Design/CPN: Aarhus, Denmark, 10-12 June 1998
Authors: Jensen Kurt
Published: February 2016

This booklet contains the proceedings of the 1998 Workshop on Practical Use of Coloured Petri Nets and Design/CPN. The papers are also available in electronic form via the CPN Web pages at University of Aarhus: http://www.daimi.au.dk/CPnets/
Collaboration, Coordination and Computer Support: An Activity Theoretical Approach to the Design of Computer Supported Cooperative Work. Ph.D. Thesis
Authors: Bardram Jakob
Published: February 2016

This thesis is written in partial satisfaction of the requirements for a Ph.D. in Computer Science performed within the Industrial Research Education Programme established between the University of Aarhus, Kommunedata and Aarhus University Hospital.
 The initial focus of the project was to investigate ways of supporting the extensive cooperation taking place within a hospital. The theoretical objective of this work is to apply activity theory as a theoretical foundation for CSCW research and to focus on the issue of design within CSCW.
The Error of the Crank-Nicolson Method for Linear Parabolic Equations with a Derivative Boundary Condition
Authors: Østerby Ole
Published: February 2016

The accuracy of finite difference formulae for partial differential equations is usually characterized by the approximation order of the local truncation error as determined by Taylor expansions. Thus the local truncation error of the Crank-Nicolson formula is second order in the two step sizes, h and k, and this carries over to the global error in case of Dirichlet boundary conditions, but not if a derivative boundary condition is approximated by a first order formula. We study the pointwise global error on the form
 h c(t,x) + k d(t,x) + h^2 f(t,x) + k^2 g(t,x) + ...
 and show that the auxiliary functions, c, d, f, and g are solutions to related parabolic problems. We also present a method based on the computed numbers on refined grids to determine the order of the error and the dominant terms in the error expansion. The techniques are demonstrated on two examples.
Designing for the Dynamics of Cooperative Work Activities
Authors: Bardram Jakob
Published: February 2016

CSCW seems to have a persistent problem of understanding the nature of “cooperative work”. This paper argues that this problem is a direct result of not looking at the dynamic aspects of work – i.e. that cooperative work is not one thing, but different things at different times and in different places. Based on Activity Theory the paper gives a conceptual frame for understanding the dynamics of collaborative work activities, and argues that the design of computer support should view cooperative breakdowns not as a problem but as an important resource in design. These arguments are based on empirical studies of healthcare work and the design of a computer support for planning and scheduling operations and other activities within a hospital.
Interprocedural Control Flow Analysis (Extended version)
Authors: Nielson Flemming , Nielson Hanne Riis
Published: February 2016

Control Flow Analysis is a widely used approach for analysing functional and object oriented programs and recently it has also successfully been used to analyse more challenging notions of computation involving concurrency. However, once the applications become more demanding also the analysis needs to be more precise in its ability to deal with mutable state (or side-effects) and to perform polyvariant (or context-sensitive) analysis. Several insights in Data Flow Analysis and Abstract Interpretation show how to do so for imperative programs but the techniques have not had much impact on Control Flow Analysis because of the less abstract way in which the techniques are normally expressed. In this paper we show how to incorporate a number of key insights from Data Flow Analysis involving such advanced interprocedural techniques as call strings and assumption sets using Abstract Interpretation to induce the analyses from a general collecting semantics.
Ragnarok: An Architecture Based Software Development Environment
Authors: Christensen Henrik Bærbak
Published: February 2016

The Ragnarok project is an experimental computer science project within the field of software development environments. Taking current problems in software engineering as starting point, a small set of hypotheses are proposed, outlining plausible solutions for problems concerning the management of the development process and its associated data, and outlining how these solutions can be supported directly in a development environment. These hypotheses are all deeply rooted in the viewpoint that the logical software architecture forms a natural and powerful framework for handling essential aspects of the development process.

 The main contributions presented in the thesis have evolved from work with two of the hypotheses: These address the problems of management of evolution, and overview, comprehension and navigation respectively.

 The first main contribution is the Architectural Software Configuration Management Model: A software configuration management model where the abstractions and hierarchy of the logical aspect of software architecture forms the basis for version control and configuration management. The second main contribution is the Geographic Space Architecture Visualisation Model: A visualisation model where entities in a software architecture are organised geographically in a two-dimensional plane, their visual appearance determined by processing a subset of the data in the entities, and interaction with the project's underlying data performed by direct manipulation of the landscape entities.

 A major effort has been invested in the design, development and deployment of a prototype software development environment, Ragnarok, that implements the core of these models. The Ragnarok prototype has been used in three, small- to medium-sized, real development projects for nearly three years.

 The main results from the three case studies are the following: The architectural software configuration management model is a natural and viable model for configuration management, at least for small- to medium-sized systems. The model's main assets are that it minimises the gap between the concepts used in the development domain and configuration domain; and its emphasis on bound configurations ensures traceability and reproducibility of configurations and architectural changes. The geographic space architecture visualisation model is a viable model for visualising the logical aspect of an architecture. The model's main assets are enhanced navigational abilities as the focus is shifted from name-based to location-based search which allows humans' fine spatial memory to be exploited; and strengthened overview as the architecture is visible and readily accessible in a compact form.