bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of socio-economic factors on the consumption of milk, yoghurt, and cheese
Authors: Celik Ates Hacer , Ceylan Melike 
Published: March 2010

Purpose
– People living in rural and urban areas experience different socioeconomic conditions, which should affect their consumer behaviour. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of these socio-economic differences on the consumption of milk, yoghurt, and cheese.

Design/methodology/approach
– Face-to-face interviews are conducted with 191 households in the city of Van (Eastern Turkey). The collected data are evaluated using SPSS – Multiple Correspondence Analysis.

Findings
– Results of the evaluations show that there are socio-economical differences between urban and rural populations in terms of age, education, occupation, and income, which affects their consumption behaviour. The rural consumers generally consume raw (unpasteurized, unpackaged) milk. These consumers tend to have low income and be illiterate. The urban consumers, on the other hand, consume pasteurized milk and have higher incomes compared with the rural consumers and have a mid-level to university education. In the rural areas, consumers usually make their own yoghurt but those who purchase their yoghurt pay attention to its packaging the most. In the rural areas, consumers who make their own cheese have mid-level income and primary school education.

Originality/value
– The paper analyses the current effects of socio-economic differences in rural and urban areas on the consumption behaviour of milk, yoghurt, and cheese using the Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA). MCA analysis has rarely been used in this area.
Evaluating academic library portal effectiveness
Authors: Noorman Masrek Mohamad , Jamaludin Adnan , Awang Mukhtar Sobariah 
Published: March 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the effectiveness of a specific library portal at the University of Technology MARA based on the opinions of students in the Faculty of Information Management.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is survey based; 400 self‐administered questionnaires were sent out to students of Faculty of Information Management, University of Technology MARA.FindingsIn terms of information quality assessment, respondents had indicated that the library portal met their expectations. All the information quality attributes, namely completeness, comprehensiveness, accuracy, timeliness, reliability and appropriateness of format were rated highly by users. Equally important to information quality is systems quality and service quality. When asked to evaluate the systems quality aspect of the library portal, respondents have also rated highly.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper utilizes effective existing methods to determine portal effectiveness. It provides a study of only one portal, however, and as such the results are indicative only of the views of one group of students using the portal.Originality/valueThis paper offers a snapshot of a library portal and the opinions of users as regarding its effectiveness and would be of value to digital library researchers, or others interested in library portal effectiveness or design.
Three‐dimensional measurements: a review of technologies and applications
Authors: Bogue Robert 
Published: March 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a review of three‐dimensional (3D) measurement technologies and their applications.Design/methodology/approachThis paper first describes 3D measuring techniques and then considers a selection of key applications, citing a number of specific examples. Reference is also made to certain new developments and research activities.FindingsIt is shown that both active and passive techniques are used to conduct 3D measurements. The former includes various forms of laser scanning such as time of flight, triangulation and phase measurements and photogrammetry is the main passive method. Laser‐based Doppler shift techniques are used to monitor dynamic phenomena, notably vibration, in three dimensions. These methods are used across a diversity of industries and disciplines in a wide and varied range of applications.Originality/valueThe paper provides a technical review of the leading 3D measurement technologies and their uses.
Advances in inductive position sensor technology
Authors: Golby John 
Published: March 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to outline the basic principles of inductive position sensors.Design/methodology/approachThe paper explains one company's advances in inductive position technology in detail, together with some of the applications for which they are now suitable.FindingsIt is shown that concentrating on high volume applications in market sectors such as automotive, user interfaces, and utility metering, where the low cost of these sensors and their moderate accuracy (typically<1 percent of full scale) offers an attractive price/performance ratio.Originality/valueAn original and useful contribution direct from an international technology consulting, product development, and intellectual property [IP] licensing organisation with a reputation for successfully commercialising emerging science and technology. Which, for more than a decade, has made innovations in inductive position sensors and developed application‐specific sensor systems.
Predicting e‐procurement adoption in a developing country
Authors: Gamal Aboelmaged Mohamed 
Published: March 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to predict e‐procurement adoption through integrating the constructs of the technology acceptance model and the theory of planned behaviour.Design/methodology/approachA structural equation modelling is conducted through the analysis of 316 usable questionnaires.FindingsThe results show that the proposed model has good explanatory power and confirms its robustness, with a reasonably strong empirical support, in predicting users' intentions to use e‐procurement technology. Behavioural intention toward e‐procurement technology is mainly determined by user's attitude and additionally influenced by perceived usefulness and subjective norm.Practical implicationsThe paper provides procurement system developers and managers with a useful adoption model that demonstrates the significance of perceived usefulness of e‐procurement system in influencing the adoption decision. This highlights the importance of maximizing the benefits of e‐procurement system for potential users to facilitate the adoption process.Social implicationsSystem developers and procurement managers should also consider the role of social influences, such as these from supply chain partners, in the adoption process and how such influences may facilitate or inhibit e‐procurement adoption process.Originality/valueThe paper is the first study that examines e‐procurement adoption in the United Arab Emirates. Also, the findings allow us to understand the importance of both technology‐related aspects and social influence in e‐procurement adoption.
Business integration model with due‐date re‐negotiations
Authors: Park Mokmin , Lee Dongmyung , Shin Kitae , Park Jinwoo 
Published: March 2010

PurposeThis paper aims to enhance the responsiveness of enterprises with regard to delivery schedules in a supply chain. Based on the observations in industry, it seems that companies often re‐negotiate their due‐dates. These phenomena have begun to appear only recently, as a result of the advancements of information technology and flexibility in the supply chain. However, these due‐date re‐negotiation processes are haphazard and ad hoc in nature, and a formal process is needed to respond to market fluctuations more quickly. In this paper, a re‐negotiable order processing method is developed that can change the already‐assigned due‐dates or allow partial shipments to increase the flexibility of firm response to a rush order from a prior customer (PC).Design/methodology/approachA due‐date re‐negotiation process is defined and a formal system for handling customer orders is proposed. The new data and business process integration model are proposed for the due‐date re‐negotiation process based on RosettaNet's Partner Interface Processes. Web services and ubiquitous computing technologies are used in the proposed system architecture to allow for responsive sales order management.FindingsThe paper shows that assigned due‐dates can also be re‐negotiated by enhancing the connectivity and visibility of the supply chain with co‐operative customers. In the early stage of the product life cycle or high‐regional demand variation environments, it is better to re‐negotiate due‐dates than to meet scheduled due‐dates.Practical implicationsIn some instances, meeting the due‐date requested by a customer relates to the success or failure of a particular sales order. The proposed re‐negotiation method could help the sales offices of the MF to respond to PC requests quickly and flexibly. Rush orders from PC might be acceptable based on the slack gained through the re‐negotiation of co‐operative customers' assigned orders.Originality/valueThere has been a considerable volume of studies on the due‐date assignment, order releasing, and scheduling problems. However, these previous studies considered due‐dates as exogenous parameters or fixed endogenous variables. In this paper, the assigned due‐dates for pre‐contracted co‐operative customers are considered as re‐negotiable variables. On the other hand, most studies on ubiquitous computing technologies, especially those relate to radio frequency identification (RFID), have focused mostly on asset management and processing time reduction. This paper suggests other benefits of increased visibility and traceability of RFID technology in enhancing responsiveness and flexibility in the sales order management system.
Emerging patterns and trends in utilizing electronic resources in a higher education environment
Authors: Deng Hepu 
Published: March 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present an investigation of the extent to which electronic resources are utilized in higher education in Australia. It seeks to explore the pattern and trend of accessing and using electronic resources in a university library for helping university libraries manage their resources better. This leads to the identification of the underlying motivation for such emerging patterns and trends in the use of electronic resources in the university library. It also aims to identify the critical factors for the effective and efficient use of electronic resources.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was conducted to investigate the use of electronic resources in a university library and for identifying the emerging pattern and trend in accessing and using electronic resources. A comprehensive review of the relevant literature was carried out on the utilization of electronic resources, which led to the development of an online survey instrument with respect to the user profile, the frequency of use, the purpose of use, the reasons for use, and the critical factors for the effective and efficient use of electronic resources in a university library.FindingsThe study reveals that the usage of electronic resources is common in a university environment with the rapid advance of information and communication technologies. It shows that the use of electronic resources is very much dependent on the user and the purposes of using electronic resources. The awareness and the quality of the available electronic resources are the two important factors for the effective and efficient use of electronic resources. The findings shed light on the use of electronic resources and help university libraries to understand better the perception and experience of users in using electronic resources, leading to more effective and efficient use of electronic resources.Research limitations/implicationsThe online survey was conducted in one university with a student population of about 57,000. It is a purposeful survey in which 305 valid responses to the survey were obtained. The survey was distributed through the university weekly news bulletin. As a result, the response rate to this survey is hard to determine owing to the insufficient information on the size of the real population in the survey. This is due to the fact that not everyone in a university will pay attention to every news item in the weekly bulletin.Originality/valueThe paper provides, for the first time, empirical data for understanding the perception and experience of users on the use of electronic resources in a university environment. It identifies the critical factors for the effective and efficient use of electronic resources. Such findings are of practical significance for the continuous development of electronic resources in a higher education environment.
The software implementation of decoding for RS code based on a new degree computationless modified Euclid (DCME) algorithm
Authors: Bao Tao , Xu Jiadong , Wei Gao 
Published: March 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to design a decoding software for the Reed‐Solomon (RS) codes, which are using an efficient degree computationless algorithm based on the Euclidean algorithm. As a consequence, the complexity of this new decoding algorithm is dramatically reduced.Design/methodology/approachApplying the rules of polynomial in finite field, operation modules which can carry out multiplication, inverse calculation in GF(28) are designed with “C++” language, and a RS codec software based on these is implemented. In this software, the new decoding algorithm computes the error locator polynomial and the error evaluator polynomial simultaneously without performing polynomial divisions, and there is no need for the degree computation cell and the degree comparison cell.FindingsOwing to the help of this software, the paper can easily perform the RS code for different values of t and different primitive polynomials over GF(2m) without re‐designing the programme.Originality/valueIt will be served as an efficient auxiliary technique for algorithm development and verification together with hardware design and debugging. Furthermore, an illustrative example of (255, 223) RS code using this program shows that the speed of the decoding process is approximately three times faster than that of the conventional decoding software.
Rate control in H.264 wireless video communication system
Authors: Zeng Qiangyu , He Xiaohai , Lv Rui , Wu Wei 
Published: March 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to introduce an efficient rate control algorithm for the H.264/AVC video coding in wireless communication. The adaptive rate control algorithm can reduce rate fluctuation, effectively prevent the skipping frame, and be suitable to the characteristics of wireless channel. The experimental result indicates that this plan can guarantee the quality of service of video transmission.Design/methodology/approachA motion complexity measure is developed to enhance the existing mean of absolute difference (MAD)‐based algorithm and is applied to bit allocation for rate control. Time and space relativities in frames are also used in the proposed rate control algorithm for MAD prediction. A quantitative parameter (QP) control scheme is used to adjust the computed QP based on actual encoding results of previous coded macroblocks (MBs) in a frame.FindingsThe proposed rate control algorithm always outperforms JM 8.6. The adaptive MAD model can reduce the prediction error. Both the subjective and objective reconstructed video qualities are improved, and the luminance PSNR is increased by up to 0.53 dB (or an average of around 0.37 dB).Originality/valueThe adaptive rate control algorithm based on motion complexity and MAD prediction with space and time relativities will be suitable for wireless communication applications.
Characteristic analysis of switching voltage power spectra under the mode of random carrier‐frequency modulation
Authors: Guo Haiyan , Li Zhaoji , Zhang Bo 
Published: March 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a theoretical platform for studying the characteristic of random carrier frequency (RCF) modulation and analyze the related parameters in terms of electromagnetic interference (EMI) suppressing.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, the expression of the amplitude of switching voltage power spectra under the RCF mode is presented. According to the expression, the effectiveness of related parameters on EMI mitigation is discussed. Theoretical predictions are confirmed with a closed‐loop boost converter which power is 7.5 W and nominal switching frequency is 200 KHz. Finally, special attention has been paid to output voltage ripple.FindingsUnder RCF scheme, with increasing of random degree, the spectrum of switching voltage is dispersed, so the power spectrum density amplitude of switching voltage falls, and then the level of EMI is lowered. This theory shows that the voltage power spectrum density attains maximum when d=0.5, so in the spread spectrum modulation, the duty cycle of 0.5 should be avoided in terms of conducted EMI mitigation.Originality/valueThe analytical expression of switching voltage power spectra under the RCF mode is presented, providing a theoretical platform for the related research. The selection of duty cycle has effect on EMI level is put forward for the first time. Voltage ripple is discussed in close‐loop circuit.
Interfacial gradient priors‐based geodesic geometric flows for 3D medical image segmentation
Authors: Hao Jiasheng , Shen Yi , Xu Hongbing , Zou Jianxiao 
Published: March 2010

PurposeThe 3D medical image segmentation is a really difficult problem. The purpose of this paper is to present a novel segmentation method for cases that some regions of interest to be segmented from 3D medical images have strong similarities such as gradient between adjacent slides.Design/methodology/approachThis method brings gradient characteristics of the adjacent‐segmented slide, called interfacial gradient priors, into the slide waiting for segmentation and to help the contour converge to actual boundary more accurately.FindingsThis method will improve the stopping criterion of curve evolution through introduction of adjacent slide's prior information into edge detection function, so that the leakage phenomena that exists in geometric active contour model when discontinuous or weak edges appear is reduced.Originality/valueIntroducing adjacent slide's priors improves the precision and stability of geodesic geometric flows in 3D medical image segmentation.
Performance evaluation of iterative parallel algorithms
Authors: Hanuliak Ivan , Hanuliak Peter 
Published: March 2010

PurposeWith the availability of powerful personal computers (PCs), workstations and networking devices, the recent trend in parallel computing is to connect a number of individual workstations (PC and PC symmetric multiprocessor systems (SMP)) to solve computation‐intensive tasks in parallel way on such clusters (networks of workstations (NOW), SMP and Grid). In this sense, it is not more true to consider traditionally evolved parallel computing and distributed computing as two separate research disciplines. Current trends in high performance computing are to use NOW (and SMP) as a cheaper alternative to traditionally used massively parallel multiprocessors or supercomputers and to profit from unifying of both mentioned disciplines. The purpose of this paper is to consider the individual workstations could be so single PC as parallel computers based on modern SMP implemented within workstation.Design/methodology/approachSuch parallel systems (NOW and SMP), are connected through widely used communication standard networks and co‐operate to solve one large problem. Each workstation is threatened similarly to a processing element as in a conventional multiprocessor system. But, personal processors or multiprocessors as workstations are far more powerful and flexible than the processing elements in conventional multiprocessors. To make the whole system appear to the applications as a single parallel computing engine (a virtual parallel system), run‐time environments such as OpenMP, Java (SMP), message passing interface, Java (NOW) are used to provide an extra layer of abstraction.FindingsTo exploit the parallel processing capability of such cluster, the application program must be paralleled. The effective way how to do it for (parallelisation strategy) belongs to a most important step in developing effective parallel algorithm (optimisation). To behaviour analysis, all overheads that have the influence to performance of parallel algorithms (architecture, computation, communication, etc.) have to be taken into account. In this paper, such complex performance evaluation of iterative parallel algorithms (IPA) and their practical implementations are discussed (Jacobi and Gauss‐Seidel iteration). On real application example, the various influences in process of modelling and performance evaluation and the consequences of their distributed parallel implementations are demonstrated.Originality/valueThe paper usefully shows that better load balancing can be achieved among used network nodes (performance optimisation of parallel algorithm). Generally, it claims that the parallel algorithms or their parts (processes) with more communication (similar to analyzed Gauss‐Seidel parallel algorithm) will have better speed‐up values using modern SMP parallel system as its parallel implementation in NOW. For the algorithms or processes with small communication overheads (similar to analysed Jacobi parallel algorithm) the other network nodes can be used based on single processors.
LC and LR networks of canals of yoyo flows
Authors: He Xiaoya , Lin Yi 
Published: March 2010

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate how networks of canals with various parts, such as a battery, yoyo capacitor, inductor, and yoyo resistor, of yoyo flows could practically function.Design/methodology/approachThe characteristics of spin of the general systemic yoyo model, combined with the traditional analytic tools, are employed as the method and thinking logic for this work of quantitative representations.FindingsFormulae are developed for calculating the inductance, intensity of the magnetic field, the total magnetic yoyo flux, and induced magnetomotive force of a coil. For LC networks of canals of electric yoyos, by analyzing the relationship between the electric yoyo charge Q of the capacitor and the induced electric yoyo current I in the network, the following problem is addressed: when the switch of the network is turned on, what will be the reaction of the network? For LR networks of canals of electric yoyo flows, the problem considered is: when the switch is turned off, how would the electric yoyo current evolve? Analysis shows that at the moment of the time constant, the electric yoyo current drops to the level of about 37 percent of its initial strength.Originality/valueIt is expected that some properties of the general systemic yoyo model can be reasonably expressed by using numbers and quantities so that good amount of the traditional quantitative analysis will become useful in the study of this general and intuitive systemic model. This end will become useful when this model is applied to investigate problems and phenomena considered in social science and humanities.