title: User-centric Visualization of Data Provenance

authors: Garae, Jeffery

subjects: User-centric Visualization

abstract: The need to understand and track files (and inherently, data) in cloud computing systems is in high demand. Over the past years, the use of logs and data representation using graphs have become the main method for tracking and relating information to the cloud users. While it is still in use, tracking and relating information with ‘Data Provenance’ (i.e. series of chronicles and the derivation history of data on meta-data) is the new trend for cloud users. However, there is still much room for improving representation of data activities in cloud systems for end-users.
In this thesis, we propose “UVisP (User-centric Visualization of Data Provenance with Gestalt)”, a novel user-centric visualization technique for data provenance. This technique aims to facilitate the missing link between data movements in cloud computing environments and the end-users’ uncertain queries over their files’ security and life cycle within cloud systems.
The proof of concept for the UVisP technique integrates D3 (an open-source visualization API) with Gestalts’ theory of perception to provide a range of user-centric visualizations. UVisP allows users to transform and visualize provenance (logs) with implicit prior knowledge of ‘Gestalts’ theory of perception.’ We presented the initial development of the UVisP technique and our results show that the integration of Gestalt and the existence of ‘perceptual key(s)’ in provenance visualization allows end-users to enhance their visualizing capabilities, extract useful knowledge and understand the visualizations better. This technique also enables end-users to develop certain methods and preferences when sighting different visualizations. For example, having the prior knowledge of Gestalt’s theory of perception and integrated with the types of visualizations offers the user-centric experience when using different visualizations. We also present significant future work that will help profile new user-centric visualizations for cloud users.

text: User-centric Visualization of Data Provenance The need to understand and track files (and inherently, data) in cloud computing systems is in high demand. Over the past years, the use of logs and data representation using graphs have become the main method for tracking and relating information to the cloud users. While it is still in use, tracking and relating information with ‘Data Provenance’ (i.e. series of chronicles and the derivation history of data on meta-data) is the new trend for cloud users. However, there is still much room for improving representation of data activities in cloud systems for end-users.
In this thesis, we propose “UVisP (User-centric Visualization of Data Provenance with Gestalt)”, a novel user-centric visualization technique for data provenance. This technique aims to facilitate the missing link between data movements in cloud computing environments and the end-users’ uncertain queries over their files’ security and life cycle within cloud systems.
The proof of concept for the UVisP technique integrates D3 (an open-source visualization API) with Gestalts’ theory of perception to provide a range of user-centric visualizations. UVisP allows users to transform and visualize provenance (logs) with implicit prior knowledge of ‘Gestalts’ theory of perception.’ We presented the initial development of the UVisP technique and our results show that the integration of Gestalt and the existence of ‘perceptual key(s)’ in provenance visualization allows end-users to enhance their visualizing capabilities, extract useful knowledge and understand the visualizations better. This technique also enables end-users to develop certain methods and preferences when sighting different visualizations. For example, having the prior knowledge of Gestalt’s theory of perception and integrated with the types of visualizations offers the user-centric experience when using different visualizations. We also present significant future work that will help profile new user-centric visualizations for cloud users.

year: 2015

title: How sustainable are OECD current account balances in the long run?

authors: Holmes, Mark J.

subjects: OECD

abstract: The study examines the long-run sustainability of OECD current account balances. For this purpose, tests for current account stationarity and then cointegration between exports and imports are based on recently developed panel data methods that offer increased power over existing time-series techniques. Unlike existing panel studies on this topic, this study utilizes techniques that enable the examination of sustainability for individual panel members. The first stage of the investigation relies on a novel approach to unit root testing whereby tests for stationarity are conducted within a seemingly unrelated regression framework. The second stage involves the estimation of the long-run relationship between exports and imports by a range of recently developed panel data techniques advocated by Pedroni. Using a panel of 11 OECD countries, the results from these techniques suggest that sustainability is present in six countries at most. Also, sustainability is generally a characteristic of the non-Euro countries. These results can be contrasted with existing group mean unit root and cointegration tests that indicate sustainability for the group as a whole.

text: How sustainable are OECD current account balances in the long run? The study examines the long-run sustainability of OECD current account balances. For this purpose, tests for current account stationarity and then cointegration between exports and imports are based on recently developed panel data methods that offer increased power over existing time-series techniques. Unlike existing panel studies on this topic, this study utilizes techniques that enable the examination of sustainability for individual panel members. The first stage of the investigation relies on a novel approach to unit root testing whereby tests for stationarity are conducted within a seemingly unrelated regression framework. The second stage involves the estimation of the long-run relationship between exports and imports by a range of recently developed panel data techniques advocated by Pedroni. Using a panel of 11 OECD countries, the results from these techniques suggest that sustainability is present in six countries at most. Also, sustainability is generally a characteristic of the non-Euro countries. These results can be contrasted with existing group mean unit root and cointegration tests that indicate sustainability for the group as a whole.

year: 2006

title: Breaking the Barrier: Maori religious and spiritual entanglements at Aotea

authors: Klink, Kelly Moanna

subjects: Ngati Rehua

abstract: In 1889, Ngāti Rehua converted en masse to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS). This surprising conversion is remarkable for various reasons.  Māori across the country had not only converted to Christianity several decades earlier but by the late nineteenth century had already established their own religious denominations that renegotiated Judeao Christian teachings in new ways.  The proximity of Aotea to the Bay of Islands and their own converted kin on the mainland made this very late conversion all the more remarkable. This was the first time that any Christian organisation found any meaningful success with native peoples on the island, despite the widespread impact of Anglican, Catholic, Wesleyan, and Presbyterian missionaries throughout the region. With so many converted iwi at their doorstep, and the widespread influence of early missionaries and Māori agents of conversion, why did Ngāti Rehua take so long to convert to Christianity? While other iwi were converting in large numbers to Christianity or renegotiating Christianity on their own terms, Ngāti Rehua remained isolated and aloof for much of the nineteenth century, maintaining traditional beliefs and practices that had disappeared or been significantly modified in other tribal regions.  This thesis explores this question in three main chapters. Chapter One explores early Aotea history, beliefs and practices and examines how those on the island remained elusive from the onslaught of missionaries during the formative years of the establishment of Christianity.  Chapter Two highlights the many Aotea inter-tribal connections, the ongoing isolated history of Aotea and early missionary influences. Chapter Three turns its attention to the arrival of Mormon missionaries in 1889 and discusses the ‘moments’ of conversion that have been maintained in successive generations.

text: Breaking the Barrier: Maori religious and spiritual entanglements at Aotea In 1889, Ngāti Rehua converted en masse to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS). This surprising conversion is remarkable for various reasons.  Māori across the country had not only converted to Christianity several decades earlier but by the late nineteenth century had already established their own religious denominations that renegotiated Judeao Christian teachings in new ways.  The proximity of Aotea to the Bay of Islands and their own converted kin on the mainland made this very late conversion all the more remarkable. This was the first time that any Christian organisation found any meaningful success with native peoples on the island, despite the widespread impact of Anglican, Catholic, Wesleyan, and Presbyterian missionaries throughout the region. With so many converted iwi at their doorstep, and the widespread influence of early missionaries and Māori agents of conversion, why did Ngāti Rehua take so long to convert to Christianity? While other iwi were converting in large numbers to Christianity or renegotiating Christianity on their own terms, Ngāti Rehua remained isolated and aloof for much of the nineteenth century, maintaining traditional beliefs and practices that had disappeared or been significantly modified in other tribal regions.  This thesis explores this question in three main chapters. Chapter One explores early Aotea history, beliefs and practices and examines how those on the island remained elusive from the onslaught of missionaries during the formative years of the establishment of Christianity.  Chapter Two highlights the many Aotea inter-tribal connections, the ongoing isolated history of Aotea and early missionary influences. Chapter Three turns its attention to the arrival of Mormon missionaries in 1889 and discusses the ‘moments’ of conversion that have been maintained in successive generations.

year: 2019