bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Linear Time Solution to Prime Factorization by Tissue P Systems with Cell Division
Authors: Zhang Xingyi , Niu Yunyun , Pan Linqiang , Pérez-Jiménez Mario J.
Published: October 2011

Prime factorization is useful and crucial for public-key cryptography, and its application in public-key cryptography is possible only because prime factorization has been presumed to be difficult. A polynomial-time algorithm for prime factorization on a quantum computer was given by P. W. Shor in 1997. In this work, it is considered as a function problem, and in the framework of tissue P systems with cell division, a linear-time solution to prime factorization problem is given on biochemical computational devices – tissue P systems with cell division, instead of computational devices based on the laws of quantum physical.
Organising Chemical Reaction Networks in Space and Time with Microfluidics
Authors: Jones Gareth , Lovell Chris , Morgan Hywel , Zauner Klaus-Peter
Published: October 2011

Information processing is essential for any lifeform to maintain its organisation despite continuous entropic disturbance. Macromolecules provide the ubiquitous underlying substrate on which nature implements information processing and have also come into focus for technical applications. There are two distinct approaches to the use of molecules for computing. Molecules can be employed to mimic the logic switches of conventional computers or they can be used in a way that exploits the complex functionality offered by a molecular computing substrate. Prerequisite to the latter is a mapping of input-output transform provided by the substrate. This paper reviews microfluidic technology as a versatile means to achieve this, show how it can be used, and provide proven recipes for its application.
Adoption and Usage of Healthcare Portals
Authors: Rao Pallavi , Chandra Shalini , Theng Yin-Leng
Published: October 2011

Healthcare portals provide abundant information to consumers. This study examines the factors influencing consumers’ decisions to adopt and continue using healthcare portals. A research model is developed using constructs from past Information Systems (IS) literature. Research hypotheses derived from this model were empirically validated using a filed survey. Data collected from the survey (N=269) was tested for adoption (N=181, individuals who have not used healthcare portals) and continuance (N=88, individuals who have used healthcare portals) separately. According to the results, more than usefulness and ease of use of healthcare portals, trust and satisfaction emerged as the main factors determining adoption and continuance respectively. Further, this data was grouped on gender and analyzed to see the effect of gender on consumers’ decisions. In light of these findings, theoretical and practical implications for understanding the consumers’ decisions in using healthcare portals are discussed.
Participation in ICT-Enabled Meetings
Authors: Chudoba Katherine M. , Watson-Manheim Mary Beth , Crowston Kevin , Lee Chei Sian
Published: October 2011

Meetings are a common occurrence in contemporary organizations. The authors’ exploratory study at Intel, an innovative global technology company, suggests that meetings are evolving beyond their familiar definition as the pervasive use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) changes work practices associated with meetings. Drawing on data gathered from interviews prompted by entries in the employees’ electronic calendar system, the authors examine the multiple ways in which meetings build and reflect work in the organization and derive propositions to guide future research. Specifically, the authors identify four aspects of meetings that reflect work in the 21st century: meetings are integral to work in team-centered organizations, tension between group and personal objectives, discontinuities, and ICT support for fragmented work environment.
The Role of Computer Attitudes in Enhancing Computer Competence in Training
Authors: Downey James P. , Smith Lloyd A.
Published: October 2011

Computer competence is poorly conceptualized and inconsistently measured. This study clarifies computer competence and examines its relationship with anxiety, affect, and pessimism, along with self-efficacy and previous experience. Using a survey of 610 end users, the strengths of anxiety, affect (positive), pessimism, self-efficacy, and previous experience were compared for nine different competency measures in seven different domains, including word processing, email applications, spreadsheets, graphic programs, databases, web design, and overall computing. Results suggest that for most domains, affect and anxiety are significant predictors, as are self-efficacy and previous experience, but pessimism is not. In addition, competence in a domain was found to mediate the relationship between competence and its antecedents. These results suggest that organizations focus not only on skills training, but on ways to enhance computing attitudes during the training process.
Bounded Primal Simplex Algorithm for Bounded Linear Programming with Fuzzy Cost Coefficients
Authors: Ebrahimnejad Ali , Nasseri Seyed Hadi , Mansourzadeh Sayyed Mehdi
Published: October 2011

In most practical problems of linear programming problems with fuzzy cost coefficients, some or all variables are restricted to lie within lower and upper bounds. In this paper, the authors propose a new method for solving such problems called the bounded fuzzy primal simplex algorithm. Some researchers used the linear programming problem with fuzzy cost coefficients as an auxiliary problem for solving linear programming with fuzzy variables, but their method is not efficient when the decision variables are bounded variables in the auxiliary problem. In this paper the authors introduce an efficient approach to overcome this shortcoming. The bounded fuzzy primal simplex algorithm starts with a primal feasible basis and moves towards attaining primal optimality while maintaining primal feasibility throughout. This algorithm will be useful for sensitivity analysis using primal simplex tableaus.
Measuring the Effect of the Rules and Regulations on Global Malmquist Index
Authors: Alirezaee Mohammadreza , Afsharian Mohsen
Published: October 2011

The circle-type or global Malmquist index, which is based on Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) models, is an important index that is widely used for measuring the relative productivity change of decision-making units (DMUs) in multiple time periods. This index, similar to the standard approach of measuring the productivity change using the standard Malmquist index, breaks down into various components, which can then be used to measure the impact of the efficiency, technology, and scale on productivity changes over time. However, empirical studies show that there are some rules and regulations that can affect the result of the productivity changes. Therefore, this paper presents new insight into the global Malmquist index for measuring the effect of the rules and regulations on productivity changes that come from imposing some trade-offs to the production possibility set of the problem, and provides a new decomposition of this index.
The Ontology of the OSS Business Model
Authors: Lakka Spyridoula , Stamati Teta , Michalakelis Christos , Martakos Dracoulis
Published: October 2011

This study focuses on theory building providing a holistic conceptual framework that consists of an ontology based OSS business model and an OSS business model taxonomy. The study extends existing theory in OSS business models and corresponding taxonomies, based on the structured-case methodological approach. An exploratory study is conducted in two research cycles, for the identification, validation, and evaluation of the critical constructs of an OSS business model. Results reveal that OSS business models differ from traditional software business models, having specific features that affect the software value chain, the infrastructure, and the revenue model of an OSS oriented firm.
Pricing and Replenishment Policies for Imperfect Quality Deteriorating Items Under Inflation and Permissible Delay in Payments
Authors: Jaggi Chandra K. , Goel Satish K. , Mittal Mandeep
Published: October 2011

Usually it is assumed that all items in a lot are of good quality, but in reality this assumption may not always be pertinent. Thus, the inspection of lots becomes essential in almost all organizations. Moreover, its role becomes more vital when the items are deteriorating in nature. Owing to this fact, this paper investigates the impact of initial inspection on retailer’s pricing and ordering policy for deteriorating items under inflation and permissible delay in payments using discounted cash flow approach over a finite planning horizon. Demand rate is assumed to be a function of selling price. The proposed model jointly optimizes the number of replenishments and price by maximizing the retailer’s total profit. Results have been demonstrated with the help of a numerical example, and sensitivity analyses are also presented to provide managerial insights into practice.
Backward & Forward Linkages in Chinese Steel Industry Using Input Output Analysis
Authors: Wang Lafang , Xie Rui , Liu Jun
Published: October 2011

This paper measures the direct and indirect contribution made by iron and steel industry in the economy of China and assess the differences between China and other steel producing countries. With this aim in view, the input-output modelling is used to detect the industrial linkages known as backward and forward linkages of eight iron and steel producing countries, including China, USA, Japan, Germany, Italy, Brazil, Korea, and India. The induction effect of export demand on steel industry in China is shown to be less than several OECD countries, such as Japan.
Maintenance Strategy Evaluation Using ANP and Goal Programming
Authors: Jajimoggala Sarojini , Rao V. V. S. Kesava , Satyanarayana Beela
Published: October 2011

An optimal maintenance strategy mix is necessary for increasing availability and reliability levels of production facilities without significantly increasing operational costs. The selection of maintenance strategies is a typical Multiple Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) problem with conflicting goals. Consideration of interdependence among the criteria and alternative policies for maintenance strategy provides valuable cost savings and greater benefits for any hybrid flow systems. For any decision maker, it is convenient to prioritize the criteria of MCDM problems and goals of goal programming problems in fuzzy terms. This paper presents an integrated approach for maintenance policy selection, using fuzzy Analytic Network Process (ANP) within a Goal Programming, based on fuzzy preemptive priority where goal hierarchies are specified in different levels of fuzzy importance. To overcome the criticism of inconsistency, unbalanced scale of judgments and uncertainty in the pair-wise comparison process, criteria weights are determined using modified fuzzy LLSM method.
Analysis of Human Emotions Using Galvanic Skin Response and Finger Tip Temperature
Authors: Shivakumar G. , Vijaya P. A.
Published: October 2011

Emotion is the excited mental state of a person caused by internal and external factors. In this work, a person’s physiological parameters are measured to decide emotional status. A generalized system measures changes occurring in the body of a subject, such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, electro-dermal (Galvanic skin resistance) activity, and arm and leg motions. These measurements are then compared with the normal levels of the subject. The present work monitors the physiological parameters by connecting sensors at specific points on a test body. Two physiological parameters are considered: galvanic skin response (GSR) and finger tip temperature (FTT). The heart rate is predominant in deciding the emotion of a person. This system, in conjunction with a certified examiner, is used to analyze a subject’s stress. A system is constructed that measures physiological parameters along with signal conditioning units. These measurements are transmitted to a LabVIEW add-on card for further data processing and analysis. LabVIEW is a graphical programming language that includes all tools necessary for data acquisition, data analysis, and presentation of results. The results obtained are realistic and provide a measure of accuracy.
On Realizing a Multi-Agent Emotion Engine
Authors: Nair Shivashankar B. , Godfrey W. Wilfred , Kim Dong Hwa
Published: October 2011

Emotions have always been a complex phenomenon and research on their causes and effects have been fraught with debates. Though a reasonable and unified theory seems lacking, there have been many attempts at building models that emote. This paper describes a multi-agent approach that aids robot emotion. Emotions are grounded on percepts from sensors and generated by dedicated emotion agents that work concurrently with others – the positive suppressing the negative and vice versa while stimulating their own kinds. Each agent forms a metaphor of an emotion-generating entity that has a replenishing capability. Both the replenishing of an emotion resource and the sampling of the environment are based on fuzzy logic. Sampling of the percepts from the sensors is based on an adrenaline-like effect. Stimulations, suppressions, emotion resource, and a look-back before decay feature embed a deep and dynamic emotional milieu into a machine. The paper presents and discusses how three emotions churned from percepts gathered by a robot act as an emotional control juice capable of governing the manner of its motion along a path.
The Semi-Aquatic Theory
Authors: Campbell George S. , Campbell David F.J.
Published: October 2011

This article presents the semi-aquatic theory motivated to provide an explanation for why or how did language of the modern humans develop? Key propositions of this theory are early hominids went through a semi-aquatic evolutionary phase and that this semi-aquatic environment exposed the early hominids to frequent visual reflections of their own image, thus transforming a “potential sense of self” to an “active sense of self”, which supported the language development of early hominids. In the epilog of this article, the semi-aquatic theory is being framed and assessed in context of a broader discussion that receives analytical input from “Conceptualized Evolution” and social ecology. Conceptualized Evolution distinguishes between “possible worlds of evolution” and “real worlds of evolution”. However, Conceptualized Evolution stresses that based on “theoretical” (theoretically designed) examples of evolution, even if they never existed empirically, much could be learned for an understanding of our real world. The semi-aquatic theory qualifies at least as a conceptually possible scenario of evolution.
A Study of Tourist Perceptions of Overseas Travel Stress While Visiting Bangkok, Thailand
Authors: Batra Adarsh
Published: October 2011

Traveling has long been considered one of the best ways to release the stress caused by work and life. But in fact, uncertainties and negative experiences can break down the benefits and may make travelers feel stressed. A considerable amount of literature in tourism focuses on topic areas like destination building, market operation, and consumer satisfaction, but ignores one important aspect which negates many of the positive benefits of tourism—stress. Thus, the main purpose of this study is to examine foreign tourists’ perceptions of travel related stress on their visits to Bangkok, Thailand, and test how demographic and traveler characteristics act on them by such data statistical treatments as independent sample t-test and one way ANOVA. Descriptive research and questionnaires are used as the research method and the research instrument in this study, which involved 384 tourists. Results reveal that there are significant differences in foreign tourists’ perceptions of stress, which can be classified in terms of nationality, personality, type of tour, purpose of tour, group size, and familiarity with fellow travelers.
Sustainable Development of Pilgrimage Tourism in Jammu Region
Authors: Chauhan Vinay
Published: October 2011

Tourism is a socio-economic activity and has evolved into one of the largest and fastest growing industries of the world. While the economic benefits of tourism are well known, the research evidence indicates that the benefits of tourism are rarely equitably distributed among the key stakeholders. In this context, sustainable tourism development (STD) as a long-term approach development aims to balance social and economic objectives with environmentally sound management. The sustainable development as a strategic tool requires a process of planning and management that brings together a series of interests and stakeholders’ concerns in the form of planning and development. Therefore, keeping in view the importance and relevance of stakeholder cooperation for sustainable tourism development, and the residents being the key stakeholders, this research examines the rural residents’ attitudes towards the impacts of the pilgrimage tourism. The results of the research points out that the sustainable development is important for responding to the current problems as caused by tourism development, as well as to address the needs of future generations.
How to Survive in an Environment of Technological Changes
Authors: Ardilio Antonino , Warschat Joachim
Published: October 2011

Technologies are a main source for the innovative evolvement of innovative products in small and medium enterprises (SME). In addition, the implementation of other technologies in the company can enable SMEs to address new application fields. If new technologies and their potential are identified and implemented into the company in a strategically convenient way, it can cope with the continuously growing requirements of the markets and participate in global economic growth. However, most SMEs do not examine strategic matters. The SMEs are not informed of or are scared by the laborious process behind such a strategy. In many instances, companies do not have a clearly enunciated corporate strategy or a vision of the future on which the technology strategy can be elaborated. This paper introduces a methodology for a sustainable technology strategy based on competence management through a technology-function matrix. The methodology targets SMEs and their specific conditions. Different benefits of the application of the methodology are presented within a use case.
Common Problems and Lessons Learned from Managing Large-Scale US Government IS/IT Projects
Authors: Patanakul Peerasit , Omar Saif Syed
Published: October 2011

To promote sustainable development, many government agencies initiated large-scale government projects. However, managing such government projects to their success is often a challenge to many project managers. Many projects fail because of their large scope and high degree of complexity. The failure of these government projects has significant impact on sustainable development, both at the organizational level and the public at large. To enhance the success of government projects, this study investigates the management of selected government IS/IT projects in the US; identifies common problems; discusses some lessons learned; and provides propositions for future research. The results of this study will provide significant contributions to the literature and implications to practitioners.
Studies on Utilizing the Three Famous International Index Systems to Evaluate Scientific Research Level of Higher Learning Institutions
Authors: Liu Xun , Huang Changyu , Qian Wei-Liang , Huang Yong-Chang
Published: October 2011

Science Citation Index (SCI), The Engineering Index (EI), and Index to Scientific & Technical Proceeding (ISTP) are widely accepted and used to evaluate the scientific research level of higher learning institutions by many countries’ science and technology field currently. After research, the authors point out the blemishes in this method and put forward the problems that need to be noticed, and then, under current conditions, bring forward brand-new standards and methods to estimate research level, efficiency, and fund exploitation. One shouldn’t over-emphasize the total amount of papers collected in SCI, EI & ISTP when evaluating the scientific research level of higher learning institutions, whereas using ‘comprehensive factor’ analysis method can make it more scientific and efficient.
Information Technology Capability, Knowledge Assets and Firm Innovation
Authors: Datta Avimanyu
Published: October 2011

In this paper, the author presents a theoretical framework that establishes an indirect link between IT capabilities and firm innovation by characterizing the mediating role of knowledge assets: knowledge networks and knowledge capabilities. Firm innovation itself is characterized as innovation development and innovation commercialization. The search on literature of IT capability and innovation revealed a very lukewarm recognition towards firm level variables in knowledge networks, knowledge capabilities, and distinction between innovation development and commercialization. Backed up by detailed reviews of literature on innovation, strategy, and entrepreneurship, the author posits propositions linking the aforementioned constructs, and proposes a framework for future research linking IT Capability with Firm Innovation.
Service Quality Dimensions Within Technology-Based Banking Services
Authors: Alkibsi Sharaf , Lind Mary
Published: October 2011

Technology-based banking services (TBBS) are quickly expanding and provide cost reductions per transaction, given increasing labor costs. However, TBBS can be very costly if not introduced correctly. It is critical to have a clear understanding regarding how to best implement, manage, and promote TBBS for success. The purpose of this quantitative correlational descriptive research study is to determine if a set of technology-based banking service quality dimensions have an association with customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions toward TBBS in Yemen. Findings revealed evidence that seven service quality dimensions—functionality, enjoyment, security, assurance, design, convenience, and customization—suggested by Lin and Hsieh (2006) were significantly associated with customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions toward TBBS in Yemen. The findings contain descriptive and inferential statistical analysis to describe service quality dimensions and predict customer perceptions of TBBS. The study includes a recommendation that bank leaders focus on service enjoyment and customization to enhance customers’ experience using TBBS. Additional research venues are discussed to improve self-service technologies within the banking industry in Yemen.
Process and Structural Implications for IT-Enabled Outsourcing
Authors: Drnevich Paul , Brush Thomas H. , Luckock Gregory T.
Published: October 2011

Recent research examined the non-traditional, but increasingly common case of the use of IT to facilitate theoretically inconsistent outsourcing decisions involving (strategic) core firm resources and asset-specific capabilities. It further illustrated how IT can enable such outsourcing decisions and how performance advantages may ensue. However, the process and structural implications of such practices remain unexamined. This paper extends this area of research by proposing three distinct approaches to IT-enabled business process outsourcing (BPO). The authors differentiate these approaches by the timing of when the outsourcing vendor takes ownership of the activity, and when and where any transformation of the activity takes place. The authors label these processes by the order of the initial activities that lead the outsourcing process, (e.g., transformation, transition, or a transfer of an organizational activity). The authors illustrate and discuss the implications of the propositions through several real-world case examples.
Developing Organisational Stories Through Grounded Theory Data Analysis
Authors: Coakes Elayne , Elliman Anthony
Published: October 2011

This article provides a concrete example of a technique or tool that may improve intensive case research and understanding, especially when considering explanatory case study research. It is argued that researchers must work hard and be creative to provide robust methodological tools so that their work is accepted in the Information Systems field (in particular), as it is traditionally skeptical about qualitative studies. This paper argues that story-telling grounded in the data through the use of the Grounded Theory methodology and its associated methods provide a way of identifying the causal conditions in any case where the underlying dynamics for any type of organisational change are unknown. Although this research and method of presentation is relevant to the IS field, it has applications in any social science research where it is necessary to present the causal conditions for the phenomena under study.
Quotient Space-Based Boundary Condition for Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Chi Yuhong , Sun Fuchun , Jiang Langfan , Yu Chunyang , Chen Chunli
Published: October 2011

To control particles to fly inside the limited search space and deal with the problems of slow search speed and premature convergence of particle swarm optimization algorithm, this paper applies the theory of topology, and proposed a quotient space-based boundary condition named QsaBC by using the properties of quotient space and homeomorphism. In QsaBC, Search space-zoomed factor and Attractor are introduced according to the dynamic behavior and stability of particles, which not only reduce the subjective interference and enforce the capability of global search, but also enhance the power of local search and escaping from an inferior local optimum. Four CEC’2008 benchmark functions are selected to evaluate the performance of QsaBC. Comparative experiments show that QsaBC can achieve the satisfactory optimization solution with fast convergence speed. Furthermore, QsaBC is more effective with errant particles, and has easier calculation and better robustness than other methods.
Four-Channel Control Architectures for Bilateral and Multilateral Teleoperation
Authors: Wang Yuji , Sun Fuchun , Liu Huaping
Published: October 2011

The four-channel architecture in teleoperation with force feedback has been studied in various existing literature. However, most of them focused on Lawrence architecture and did not research other cases. This paper proposes two other four-channel architectures: passive four-channel architecture and passive four-channel architecture with operator force. Furthermore, two types of multilateral shared control architecture based on passive four-channel architecture, which exists in space teleoperation, are put forward. One is dual-master multilateral shared control architecture, and the other is dual-slave multilateral shared control architecture. Simulations show that these four architectures can maintain stability in the presence of large time delay.
Generic Cabling of Intelligent Buildings Based on Ant Colony Algorithm
Authors: Wang Yunlong , Lo Kueiming
Published: October 2011

Generic cabling is a key component for multiplex cable wiring. It is one of the basic foundations of intelligent buildings. Using operation flow in generic cabling, the index constraints affecting generic cabling have been evolved in this paper. A mathematical model is built based on the ant colony algorithm with multiple constraints, and improvements were made on the original basis to extend the ant colony algorithm from the regular simple ant colony and structure to a multi-ant colony and structure. The equilibrium settlement of multiplex wiring is realized according to the introduction of the multi-ant colony model. The ant cycle model is combined to extend the optimization target from the local wiring path to the entire wiring path, and to solve the drawbacks existing in the regular ant colony algorithm and other search algorithms that take the local wiring path as the optimization target. The introduced retrospective algorithm make the ants avoid the path marked “invalid” in the subsequent search process and improves the search performance and convergence speed of the ant colony algorithm.
Security Gaps in Databases
Authors: Neto Afonso Araújo , Vieira Marco
Published: October 2011

When deploying database-centric web applications, administrators should pay special attention to database security requirements. Acknowledging this, Database Management Systems (DBMS) implement several security mechanisms that help Database Administrators (DBAs) making their installations secure. However, different software products offer different sets of mechanisms, making the task of selecting the adequate package for a given installation quite hard. This paper proposes a methodology for detecting database security gaps. This methodology is based on a comprehensive list of security mechanisms (derived from widely accepted security best practices), which was used to perform a gap analysis of the security features of seven software packages composed by widely used products, including four DBMS engines and two Operating Systems (OS). The goal is to understand how much each software package helps developers and administrators to actually accomplish the security tasks that are expected from them. Results show that while there is a common set of security mechanisms that is implemented by most packages, there is another set of security tasks that have no support at all in any of the packages.
An Ontology-Based and Model-Driven Approach for Designing IT Service Management Systems
Authors: Valiente María-Cruz , Vicente-Chicote Cristina , Rodríguez Daniel
Published: October 2011

Currently, few projects applying a Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) approach start from high-level requirements models defined exclusively in terms of domain knowledge and business logic. Ontology Engineering (OE) aims to formalize and make explicit the knowledge related to a particular domain. In this vein, this paper presents a modeling approach, formalized in ontological terms, for defining high-level requirements models of software systems that provide support for the implementation of Information Technology Service Management Systems (ITSMSs). This approach allows for: (1) formalizing the knowledge associated to the ITSM processes contained in an ITSMS; (2) modeling the semantics of the activities associated to these processes in terms of workflows; (3) automatically generating the high-level requirements models of the workflow-based software systems needed to support (part of) the ITSM processes; and (4) from the latter, obtaining lower-level models (and eventually code) by means of automated model transformations. A real case study describing the use of this proposal to model an Incident Management System is also included to demonstrate the feasibility and the benefits of the proposed approach.
The Impact of E-Retail Environment Characteristics on E-Satisfaction and Purchase Intent
Authors: Kim Jung-Hwan , Kim Minjeong , Kandampully Jay
Published: October 2011

The purpose of this research is to determine the key dimensions of e-retail environment characteristics which affect consumer e-satisfaction and purchase intent and to examine the mediating role of e-satisfaction and the moderating effects of consumers’ previous e-shopping experience on the relationship between e-retail environment characteristics and consumer responses. The study focused on young adults ranging in age from 18 to 25. The results showed that convenience, customization, security/privacy, web appearance and entertainment value were the key characteristics of e-retail environment impacting e-satisfaction. E-satisfaction fully mediated the effects of e-retail environment characteristics on online purchase intent. Prior e-shopping experience was found to moderate the relationships among the key dimensions of e-retail environment, e-satisfaction, and e-purchase intent. The findings of this study add to the existing literature on e-service quality by focusing on e-retail environment characteristics beyond products and prices, and further by providing e-retailers with practical implications as to how they can improve their website environments for successful e-retailing business.
Automated Ranking of Relaxing Query Results Based on XML Structure and Content Preferences
Authors: Yan Wei , Yan Li , Ma Z. M.
Published: October 2011

This paper proposes a contextual preference query method of XML structural relaxation and content scoring to resolve the problem of empty or too many answers returned by XML. This paper proposes a XML contextual preference (XCP) model, where all the possible relaxing queries are determined by the users’ preferences. The XCP model allows users to express their interests on XML tree nodes, and then users assign interest scores to their interesting nodes for providing the best answers. A preference query results ranking method is proposed based on the XCP model, which includes: a Clusters_Merging algorithm to merge clusters based on the similarity of the context states, a Finding_Orders algorithm to find representative orders of the clusters, and a Top-k ranking algorithm to deal with the many answers problem. Results of preliminary user studies demonstrate that the method can provide users with most relevant and ranked query results. The efficiency and effectiveness of the approach are also demonstrated by experimental results.
A Service Bus Architecture for Application Integration in the Planning and Production Phases of a Product Lifecycle
Authors: Minguez Jorge , Silcher Stefan , Riffelmacher Philipp , Mitschang Bernhard
Published: October 2011

Constantly changing business conditions require a high level of flexibility in business processes as well as an adaptive and fully interoperable IT infrastructure in today’s manufacturing environments. The lack of flexibility prevents manufacturing companies from improving their responsiveness and adapting their workflows to turbulent scenarios. In order to achieve highly flexible and adaptive workflows, information systems in digital factories and shop floors need to be integrated. The most challenging problem in such manufacturing environments is the high heterogeneity of the IT landscape, where the integration of legacy systems and information silos has led to chaotic architectures over the last two decades. In order to overcome this issue, the authors present a flexible integration platform that allows a loose coupling of distributed services in event-driven manufacturing environments. The proposed approach enables a flexible communication between digital factory and shop floor components by introducing a service bus architecture. This solution integrates an application-independent canonical message format for manufacturing events, content-based routing and transformation services as well as event processing workflows.
Enforcing ASTD Access-Control Policies with WS-BPEL Processes in SOA Environments
Authors: Jiague Michel Embe , Frappier Marc , Gervais Frédéric , Laleau Régine , St-Denis Richard
Published: October 2011

Controlling access to the Web services of public agencies and private corporations depends primarily on specifying and deploying functional security rules to satisfy strict regulations imposed by governments, particularly in the financial and health sectors. This paper focuses on one aspect of the SELKIS and EB3SEC projects related to the security of Web-based information systems, namely, the automatic transformation of security rules into WS-BPEL (or BPEL, for short) processes. The former are instantiated from security-rule patterns written in a graphical notation, called ASTD that is close to statecharts. The latter are executed by a BPEL engine integrated into a policy decision point, which is a component of a policy enforcement manager similar to that proposed in the XACML standard.
A Service-Oriented User Interface for the Next Generation Web
Authors: Chen Shiping , Nepal Surya
Published: October 2011

The Web enters a new era where contents are to take the back seat and services will take the driver seat to form a service-oriented Web. This paper presents a service-oriented user interface design for the next generation Web. The design leverages the advances of semantic Web and service composition technologies to provide an intelligent and generic user interface to query, compose and execute Web services for a variety of user tasks. First, a simple cost model is developed for estimating the development and learning overheads of Web service interfaces for service-oriented applications as the motivation of this work. Then, the authors present the design of the service-oriented browser and discuss the enabling technologies. A prototype system is developed using existing technologies and standards as a proof of concept.
RFID Enabled Vehicular Network for Ubiquitous Travel Query
Authors: Zhang Tianle , Wang Chunlu , Luo ZongWei , Han Shuihua , Dong Mengyuan
Published: October 2011

Fixed infrastructure based wireless network is very expensive to provide total coverage and offer ubiquitous communication capacity. RFID enabled Vehicular Network emerges as an alternative which can leverage mobile nodes to bridge the gap between information isolated islands. The mobility and low duty cycle activity of nodes may destroy the network connectivity. This paper proposes RFID Enabled Vehicular Network for Ubiquitous Travel Query over Mobile Relay Network (MRN) to facilitate the needed information access for drivers on the road. The ubiquitous service is introduced and the performance of the successful information query is evaluated based on the computing model and network simulation. The results of evaluation and the real experiences of this service validate the feasibility of the system.
The Middle Ground for Nuclear Waste Management
Authors: Marshall Alan
Published: October 2011

The 2001 terrorist attacks in the USA and the 2011 seismic events in Japan have brought into sharp relief the vulnerabilities involved in storing nuclear waste on the land’s surface. Nuclear engineers and waste managers are deciding that disposing nuclear waste deep underground is the preferred management option. However, deep disposal of nuclear waste is replete with enormous technical uncertainties. A proposed solution to protect against both the technical vagaries of deep disposal and the dangers of surface events is to store the nuclear waste at shallow depths underground. This paper explores social and ethical issues that are relevant to such shallow storage, including security motivations, intergenerational equity, nuclear stigma, and community acceptance. One of the main ethical questions to emerge is whether it is right for the present generation to burden local communities and future generations with these problems since neither local peoples nor future people have sanctioned the industrial and military processes that have produced the waste in the first place.
The Impact of Context on Employee Perceptions of Acceptable Non-Work Related Computing
Authors: Strader Troy J. , Fichtner J. Royce , Clayton Suzanne R. , Simpson Lou Ann
Published: October 2011

Employees have access to a wide range of computer-related resources at work, and often these resources are used for non-work related personal activities. In this study, the authors address the relationship between employee’s utilitarian ethical orientation, the factors that create the context that influences their ethical perceptions, and their overall perceptions regarding the level of acceptability for 14 different non-work related computing activities. The authors find that time and monetary cost associated with an activity has a negative relationship to perceived acceptability. Results indicate that contextual variables, such as an employee’s supervisory or non-supervisory role, opportunity, computer self-efficacy, and whether or not an organization has computer use policies, training, and monitoring, influence individual ethical perceptions. Implications and conclusions are discussed for organizations and future research.
Student Perceptions and Adoption of University Smart Card Systems
Authors: Murphy Jamie , Lee Richard , Swinger Evan
Published: October 2011

This study investigated student adoption of university campus card (UCC) applications. A review of smart card, technology adoption and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) literature led to three focus groups and a survey of student perceptions and attitudes towards the university’s campus card. Perceptions of 17 UCC components differed significantly across four student variables – international versus domestic, willingness to load funds, gender, and university level – supporting and extending UTAUT. Willingness to load funds on their UCC differed significantly across 16 out of 17 components, followed by domestic versus overseas students differing on 14 components, university level differing on 13 components and gender on 10. Overall, students reported that extra UCC features would enhance the university’s image, improve their student experience, and encourage them to use UCCs. The results and managerial implications can help universities select and prioritise UCC functions for campus adoption and implementation.
Effects of Email Utilization on Higher Education Professionals
Authors: Chase Nancy M. , Clegg Becky
Published: October 2011

This exploratory study examines the impact of email as a primary communication technology upon the perceptions and work behaviors of higher education professionals who support university administrative functions. Based on the interviews and observations of 23 participants, key themes emerged regarding the relationship of email to the interactions of higher education professionals. Findings are presented in three sections: (1) impact on productivity, (2) impact on social interactions, and (3) impact on well-being. The professionals who participated in this study articulated the importance of face-to-face interaction particularly in complex situations; they recognize the need to manage email sender expectations to deal with their own work stresses, and strive to temper the negative impact of constant disruption by email on workplace productivity.
Analysis of Students’ Engagement and Activities in a Virtual Learning Community
Authors: Daniel Ben , Schwier Richard A.
Published: October 2011

With advances in communication technology and online pedagogy, virtual learning communities have become rich learning environments in which individuals construct knowledge and learn from others. Typically, individuals in virtual learning communities interact by exchanging information and sharing knowledge and experiences with others as communities. The team at the Virtual Learning Community Research Laboratory has employed an array of methods, including social network analysis (SNA), to examine and describe different virtual learning communities. The goal of the study was to employ mixed methods to explore whether the content of students’ interaction reflected the fundamental elements of community. SNA techniques were used to analyse ties and relationships among individuals in a network with the goal of understanding patterns of interactions among individuals and their activities, and interviews were conducted to explore features and student perceptions of their learning community.
Exploring Task-Based Curriculum Development in a Blended-Learning Conversational Chinese Program
Authors: Hill Yao Zhang , Tschudi Stephen L.
Published: October 2011

This paper brings task-based language teaching (TBLT) curriculum development principles into the blended learning context, presenting processes and outcomes from a project to develop a task-based thematic unit — asking and giving directions — in a hybrid web-based university-level class focused on listening and speaking skills in Mandarin Chinese. The authors follow the principled task-based curriculum design phases informed by Long and Crookes (1993) and Long and Norris (2000). Unit-based development made the workload manageable and provided an important experimental space for the instructors to best align task-based principles with online language instruction. First, the context of the project and its theoretical TBLT curriculum development framework are established. The distinct processes of needs analysis, materials development, task sequencing and teaching methods, and assessment methods adopted to meet the special requirements of the class are presented, along with a preliminary formative and summative evaluation of the teaching model. The conclusion discusses the theoretical and practical implications of the project.
“World of Uncertainty” Game for Decision-Makers
Authors: Kyzy Jyldyz Tabyldy
Published: October 2011

Decisions on both personal and public matters benefit significantly if uncertainties and risks are handled with more care and accuracy. It is crucial to refine and express degrees of confidence and subjective probabilities of various outcomes. Experience, intuition, and skills help make the most of uncertain information. This paper proposes a concept and design of a computer game which aims to train and enhance some of these skills. It is an online game, which allows players to indicate their subjective uncertainty on a numerical scale and to receive explicit feedback. The accuracy of the player is conditioned and motivated by the incentives based on proper scoring rules. The game aims to train accuracy and better calibration in estimating probabilities and expressing degrees of confidence. The “World of Uncertainty” (n.d.) project researched the learning effect of the game and its impact on players’ attitudes towards uncertainty. The concept of this game can be adopted as part of an advanced and complex game in the future.
Social Networking Sites and Language Learning
Authors: Brick Billy
Published: October 2011

This article examines a study of seven learners who logged their experiences on the language leaning social networking site Livemocha over a period of three months. The features of the site are described and the likelihood of their future success is considered. The learners were introduced to the Social Networking Site (SNS) and asked to learn a language on the site. They were positive about two aspects of the site: the immediate peer-feedback available and the ability to converse synchronously and asynchronously with native speakers of their target language. However, there was universal criticism of the “word-list” based language learning materials and several participants complained about the regular cyber-flirting they encountered. Other aspects of the site including accessibility, ease of use, syllabus, activities, and relationships with other members are also considered. The potential for integrating some of the features of SNSs for language learning into the Higher Education (HE) curriculum and the implications of this for educators are also discussed.
The Automatic Evaluation of Website Metrics and State
Authors: Alsmadi Izzat
Published: October 2011

This paper focuses on studying website structural and related metrics that can be used as indicators of the complexity of the website and predict maintainability requirements. The second goal of the study is to evaluate possible correlations between structural metrics and popularity (particularly in-links) metrics. Examples of some of the structural metrics evaluated in this paper include: size, complexity, and speed of page loading.While results showed that structural metrics are not good indicators of websites’ popularity, they may influence indirectly the popularity through their impact on the performance or the usability of those websites. A method is developed to evaluate the state of the website automatically and evaluate any change in that state. The study points to certain requirements that educational or higher institutes’ websites should have. Those websites should combine somewhat conflicting requirements of: high performance, particularly web page loading and speed of transaction, reliability; current, correct and up to-date information, navigability, visibility and popularity where website information should be visible internally and externally and should be easily indexed and searched for.