End-user experience with information in Web-based electronic service : a case study

End-user experience with information presumably considered as one of the prominent factors shaping the adoption of web-based electronic services. User interfacing with large amount of information the rationale is to deduce the effect in the current web-based task environment. Understanding user’s perception on the basis of the prior experience with information may provide insights into what constitutes in driving those perceptions and their effect in the current and future task in web-based electronic services. The paper lays the theoretical context of end-user experience with information and proceeds further in an attempt to distinguish the role in web-based electronic services.

An artificial neural network-based hairiness prediction model for worsted wool yarns

This study evaluated the performance of multilayer perceptron (MLP) and multivariate linear regression (MLR) models for predicting the hairiness of worsted-spun wool yarns from various top, yarn and processing parameters. The results indicated that the MLP model predicted yarn hairiness more accurately than the MLR model, and should have wide mill specific applications. On the basis of sensitivity analysis, the factors that affected yarn hairiness significantly included yarn twist, ring size, average fiber length (hauteur), fiber diameter and yarn count, with twist having the greatest impact on yarn hairiness.

Micro-blogging in the workplace

Micro-blogging services such as Twitter, Yammer, Plurk and Google Buzz have generated substantial interest among members of the business community in recent years. Many CEOs, managers and front-line employees have embraced micro-blogs as a tool for interacting with colleagues, employees, customers, suppliers and investors. Micro-blogs are considered a more informal channel than emails and official websites, and thus present a different set of challenges to businesses. As a positional paper, this paper uses a case study of a bogus Twitter account to emphasise security and ethical issues relating to (i) Trust, Accuracy and Authenticity of Information, (ii) Privacy and Confidentiality, and (iii) Scams and Frauds, when micro-blogs are used in the workplace. It also highlights the potential risks businesses are exposed to if employees use micro-blogs irresponsibly. The paper contributes to practice by providing suggestions on managing security and ethical risks associated with micro-blogging in the workplace. It contributes to research by building on existing research in trust and data privacy in electronic communication.

The CDM-Net project : the development, implementation and evaluation of a broadband-based network for managing chronic disease

Background. In Australia most chronic disease management is funded by Medicare Australia through General Practitioner Management Plans (GPMPs) and Team Care Arrangements (TCAs). Identified barriers may be reduced effectively using a broadband-based network known as the Chronic Disease Management Service (CDMS).

Aims. To measure the uptake and adherence to CDMS, test CDMS, and assess the adherence of health providers and patients to GPMPs and TCAs generated through CDMS.

Methods. A single cohort before and after study.

Results. GPMPs and TCAs increased. There was no change to prescribed medicines or psychological quality of life. Attendance at allied health professionals increased, but decreased at pharmacies. Overall satisfaction with CDMS was high among GPs, allied health professionals, and patients.

Conclusion. This study demonstrates proof of concept, but replication or continuation of the study is desirable to enable the impact of CDMS on diabetes outcomes to be determined.

Interconnectedness, multiplexity and the global student : the role of blogging and micro blogging in opening students horizons

The authors explore the world of blogging and micro blogging (twitter) as a means of mediating engagement with students, lawyers, academics and other interested and interesting people around the world. Through the use of auto-ethnographic case studies of their own experiences with blogging and micro blogging tools, the authors propose that far from being a distraction from student learning, these tools have the potential to open up an international professional collaborative space beyond the physical classroom, for both academics and our students, from their first year experience through to practical legal training and continuing professional development.

A physarum network evolution model based on IBTM

The traditional Cellular Automation-based Physarum model reveals the process of amoebic self-organized movement and self-adaptive network formation based on bubble transportation. However, a bubble in the traditional Physarum model often transports within active zones and has little change to explore newareas.And the efficiency of evolution is very low because there is only one bubble in the system. This paper proposes an improved model, named as Improved Bubble Transportation Model (IBTM). Our model adds a time label for each grid of environment in order to drive bubbles to explore newareas, and deploysmultiple bubbles in order to improve the evolving efficiency of Physarum network.We first evaluate the morphological characteristics of IBTM with the real Physarum, and then compare the evolving time between the traditional model and IBTM. The results show that IBTM can obtain higher efficiency and stability in the process of forming an adaptive network.

3D haptic needle insertion simulator utilising an agent based spherical voxel model

This paper describes a technique for the real-time modeling of deformable tissue. Specifically geared towards needle insertion simulation, the low computational requirements of the model enable highly accurate haptic feedback to a user without introducing noticeable time delay or buzzing generally associated with haptic surgery simulation. Using a spherical voxel array combined with aspects of computational geometry and agent communication and interaction principals, the model is capable of providing haptic update rates of over 1000Hz with real-time visual feedback. Iterating through over 1000 voxels per millisecond to determine collision and haptic response while making use of Vieta’s Theorem for extraneous force culling.

Deferentially private tagging recommendation based on topic model

Tagging recommender system allows Internet users to annotate resources with personalized tags and provides users the freedom to obtain recommendations. However, It is usually confronted with serious privacy concerns, because adversaries may re-identify a user and her/his sensitive tags with only a little background information. This paper proposes a privacy preserving tagging release algorithm, PriTop, which is designed to protect users under the notion of differential privacy. The proposed PriTop algorithm includes three privacy preserving operations: Private Topic Model Generation structures the uncontrolled tags, Private Weight Perturbation adds Laplace noise into the weights to hide the numbers of tags; while Private Tag Selection finally finds the most suitable replacement tags for the original tags. We present extensive experimental results on four real world datasets and results suggest the proposed PriTop algorithm can successfully retain the utility of the datasets while preserving privacy. © 2014 Springer International Publishing.

A novel middleware based web database model

In this paper, we propose a novel model for web-based database systems based on the multicast and anycast' protocols. In the model, we design a middleware, castway, which locates between the database server and the Web server. Every castway in a distributed system operates as a multicast node and an anycast node independently, respectively. The proposed mechanism can balance the workload among the distributed database servers, and offers the "best" server to serve for a query. Three algorithms are employed for the model: the requirement-based probing algorithm for anycast routing, the atomic multicast update algorithm for database synchronization, and the job deviation algorithm for system workload balance. The simulations and experiments show that the proposed model works very well.

Analysis of work hardening and recrystallization during the hot working of steel using a statistically based internal variable model

A mathematical model has been developed which describes the hot deformation and recrystallization behavior of austenite using a single internal variable: dislocation density. The dislocation density is incorporated into equations describing the rate of recovery and recrystallization. In each case no distinction is made between static and dynamic events, and the model is able to simulate multideformation processes. The model is statistically based and tracks individual populations of the dislocation density during the work-hardening and softening phases. After tuning using available data the model gave an accurate prediction of the stress–strain behavior and the static recrystallization kinetics for C–Mn steels. The model correctly predicted the sensitivity of the post deformation recrystallization behavior to process variables such as strain, strain rate and temperature, even though data for this were not explicitly incorporated in the tuning data set. In particular, the post dynamic recrystallization (generally termed metadynamic recrystallization) was shown to be largely independent of strain and temperature, but a strong function of strain rate, as observed in published experimental work.

‘Be yourself and have a ball’ : using a school and community based health education model to build young women’s resilience and connectedness

Recognition of the important role schools play in the promotion of student wellbeing can be seen in the growing number of polices and programs being implemented in schools across the Australia. This paper reports on some initial data from focus group interviews with year 9 and 10 girls involved in the pilot of a health and physical activity intervention designed to connect them to their local community and reconnect them with their school and their peers. The aim of the program was to build connectedness and resilience by engaging young women in non-traditional physical activities whilst providing them with a sound understanding of health issues relevant to adolescent girls. Situated in a relatively isolated rural community 200 kilometers south east of Melbourne the program was overwhelmingly delivered by regional and local agencies in conjunction with the local secondary school. The intervention was built on a partnerships model designed with the purpose of increasing participation and access for young women whilst building a sustainable program run in partnership between the school and local agencies and services. The initial data from this pilot indicates the program is having a positive impact on the young women’s sense of self and their bodies, their relationships with their peers and in reducing bullying behaviour amongst the girls. However the data raises some important questions around the adequacy of school-based health education, and the sustainability of approaches designed to be delivered by outside agencies rather than classroom teachers.