Re-engineering and Re-defining University Libraries in the context of modern Information and Communication Technologies: a study with special reference to the University Libraries in Kerala

Information and communication technologies are the tools that underpin the emerging “Knowledge Society”. Exchange of information or knowledge between people and through networks of people has always taken place. But the ICT has radically changed the magnitude of this exchange, and thus factors such as timeliness of information and information dissemination patterns have become more important than ever.Since information and knowledge are so vital for the all round human development, libraries and institutions that manage these resources are indeed invaluable. So, the Library and Information Centres have a key role in the acquisition, processing, preservation and dissemination of information and knowledge. ln the modern context, library is providing service based on different types of documents such as manuscripts, printed, digital, etc. At the same time, acquisition, access, process, service etc. of these resources have become complicated now than ever before. The lCT made instrumental to extend libraries beyond the physical walls of a building and providing assistance in navigating and analyzing tremendous amounts of knowledge with a variety of digital tools. Thus, modern libraries are increasingly being re-defined as places to get unrestricted access to information in many formats and from many sources.The research was conducted in the university libraries in Kerala State, India. lt was identified that even though the information resources are flooding world over and several technologies have emerged to manage the situation for providing effective services to its clientele, most of the university libraries in Kerala were unable to exploit these technologies at maximum level. Though the libraries have automated many of their functions, wide gap prevails between the possible services and provided services. There are many good examples world over in the application of lCTs in libraries for the maximization of services and many such libraries have adopted the principles of reengineering and re-defining as a management strategy. Hence this study was targeted to look into how effectively adopted the modern lCTs in our libraries for maximizing the efficiency of operations and services and whether the principles of re-engineering and- redefining can be applied towards this.Data‘ was collected from library users, viz; student as well as faculty users; library ,professionals and university librarians, using structured questionnaires. This has been .supplemented by-observation of working of the libraries, discussions and interviews with the different types of users and staff, review of literature, etc. Personal observation of the organization set up, management practices, functions, facilities, resources, utilization of information resources and facilities by the users, etc. of the university libraries in Kerala have been made. Statistical techniques like percentage, mean, weighted mean, standard deviation, correlation, trend analysis, etc. have been used to analyse data.All the libraries could exploit only a very few possibilities of modern lCTs and hence they could not achieve effective Universal Bibliographic Control and desired efficiency and effectiveness in services. Because of this, the users as well as professionals are dissatisfied. Functional effectiveness in acquisition, access and process of information resources in various formats, development and maintenance of OPAC and WebOPAC, digital document delivery to remote users, Web based clearing of library counter services and resources, development of full-text databases, digital libraries and institutional repositories, consortia based operations for e-journals and databases, user education and information literacy, professional development with stress on lCTs, network administration and website maintenance, marketing of information, etc. are major areas need special attention to improve the situation. Finance, knowledge level on ICTs among library staff, professional dynamism and leadership, vision and support of the administrators and policy makers, prevailing educational set up and social environment in the state, etc. are some of the major hurdles in reaping the maximum possibilities of lCTs by the university libraries in Kerala. The principles of Business Process Re-engineering are found suitable to effectively apply to re-structure and redefine the operations and service system of the libraries. Most of the conventional departments or divisions prevailing in the university libraries were functioning as watertight compartments and their existing management system was more rigid to adopt the principles of change management. Hence, a thorough re-structuring of the divisions was indicated. Consortia based activities and pooling and sharing of information resources was advocated to meet the varied needs of the users in the main campuses and off campuses of the universities, affiliated colleges and remote stations. A uniform staff policy similar to that prevailing in CSIR, DRDO, ISRO, etc. has been proposed by the study not only in the university libraries in kerala but for the entire country.Restructuring of Lis education,integrated and Planned development of school,college,research and public library systems,etc.were also justified for reaping maximum benefits of the modern ICTs.

Stochastic perturbations to dynamical systems: a response theory approach

Using the formalism of the Ruelle response theory, we study how the invariant measure of an Axiom A dynamical system changes as a result of adding noise, and describe how the stochastic perturbation can be used to explore the properties of the underlying deterministic dynamics. We first find the expression for the change in the expectation value of a general observable when a white noise forcing is introduced in the system, both in the additive and in the multiplicative case. We also show that the difference between the expectation value of the power spectrum of an observable in the stochastically perturbed case and of the same observable in the unperturbed case is equal to the variance of the noise times the square of the modulus of the linear susceptibility describing the frequency-dependent response of the system to perturbations with the same spatial patterns as the considered stochastic forcing. This provides a conceptual bridge between the change in the fluctuation properties of the system due to the presence of noise and the response of the unperturbed system to deterministic forcings. Using Kramers-Kronig theory, it is then possible to derive the real and imaginary part of the susceptibility and thus deduce the Green function of the system for any desired observable. We then extend our results to rather general patterns of random forcing, from the case of several white noise forcings, to noise terms with memory, up to the case of a space-time random field. Explicit formulas are provided for each relevant case analysed. As a general result, we find, using an argument of positive-definiteness, that the power spectrum of the stochastically perturbed system is larger at all frequencies than the power spectrum of the unperturbed system. We provide an example of application of our results by considering the spatially extended chaotic Lorenz 96 model. These results clarify the property of stochastic stability of SRB measures in Axiom A flows, provide tools for analysing stochastic parameterisations and related closure ansatz to be implemented in modelling studies, and introduce new ways to study the response of a system to external perturbations. Taking into account the chaotic hypothesis, we expect that our results have practical relevance for a more general class of system than those belonging to Axiom A.

Some Initial Conditions for Disposed Satellites of the Systems GPS and Galileo Constellations

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Study of silicon-on-insulator multiple-gate MOS structures including band-gap engineering and self heating effects

The progresses of electron devices integration have proceeded for more than 40 years following the well–known Moore’s law, which states that the transistors density on chip doubles every 24 months. This trend has been possible due to the downsizing of the MOSFET dimensions (scaling); however, new issues and new challenges are arising, and the conventional ”bulk” architecture is becoming inadequate in order to face them. In order to overcome the limitations related to conventional structures, the researchers community is preparing different solutions, that need to be assessed. Possible solutions currently under scrutiny are represented by: • devices incorporating materials with properties different from those of silicon, for the channel and the source/drain regions; • new architectures as Silicon–On–Insulator (SOI) transistors: the body thickness of Ultra-Thin-Body SOI devices is a new design parameter, and it permits to keep under control Short–Channel–Effects without adopting high doping level in the channel. Among the solutions proposed in order to overcome the difficulties related to scaling, we can highlight heterojunctions at the channel edge, obtained by adopting for the source/drain regions materials with band–gap different from that of the channel material. This solution allows to increase the injection velocity of the particles travelling from the source into the channel, and therefore increase the performance of the transistor in terms of provided drain current. The first part of this thesis work addresses the use of heterojunctions in SOI transistors: chapter 3 outlines the basics of the heterojunctions theory and the adoption of such approach in older technologies as the heterojunction–bipolar–transistors; moreover the modifications introduced in the Monte Carlo code in order to simulate conduction band discontinuities are described, and the simulations performed on unidimensional simplified structures in order to validate them as well. Chapter 4 presents the results obtained from the Monte Carlo simulations performed on double–gate SOI transistors featuring conduction band offsets between the source and drain regions and the channel. In particular, attention has been focused on the drain current and to internal quantities as inversion charge, potential energy and carrier velocities. Both graded and abrupt discontinuities have been considered. The scaling of devices dimensions and the adoption of innovative architectures have consequences on the power dissipation as well. In SOI technologies the channel is thermally insulated from the underlying substrate by a SiO2 buried–oxide layer; this SiO2 layer features a thermal conductivity that is two orders of magnitude lower than the silicon one, and it impedes the dissipation of the heat generated in the active region. Moreover, the thermal conductivity of thin semiconductor films is much lower than that of silicon bulk, due to phonon confinement and boundary scattering. All these aspects cause severe self–heating effects, that detrimentally impact the carrier mobility and therefore the saturation drive current for high–performance transistors; as a consequence, thermal device design is becoming a fundamental part of integrated circuit engineering. The second part of this thesis discusses the problem of self–heating in SOI transistors. Chapter 5 describes the causes of heat generation and dissipation in SOI devices, and it provides a brief overview on the methods that have been proposed in order to model these phenomena. In order to understand how this problem impacts the performance of different SOI architectures, three–dimensional electro–thermal simulations have been applied to the analysis of SHE in planar single and double–gate SOI transistors as well as FinFET, featuring the same isothermal electrical characteristics. In chapter 6 the same simulation approach is extensively employed to study the impact of SHE on the performance of a FinFET representative of the high–performance transistor of the 45 nm technology node. Its effects on the ON–current, the maximum temperatures reached inside the device and the thermal resistance associated to the device itself, as well as the dependence of SHE on the main geometrical parameters have been analyzed. Furthermore, the consequences on self–heating of technological solutions such as raised S/D extensions regions or reduction of fin height are explored as well. Finally, conclusions are drawn in chapter 7.

Enabling the evolution of J2EE applications through reverse engineering and quality assurance

Enterprise Applications are complex software systems that manipulate much persistent data and interact with the user through a vast and complex user interface. In particular applications written for the Java 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE) are composed using various technologies such as Enterprise Java Beans (EJB) or Java Server Pages (JSP) that in turn rely on languages other than Java, such as XML or SQL. In this heterogeneous context applying existing reverse engineering and quality assurance techniques developed for object-oriented systems is not enough. Because those techniques have been created to measure quality or provide information about one aspect of J2EE applications, they cannot properly measure the quality of the entire system. We intend to devise techniques and metrics to measure quality in J2EE applications considering all their aspects and to aid their evolution. Using software visualization we also intend to inspect to structure of J2EE applications and all other aspects that can be investigate through this technique. In order to do that we also need to create a unified meta-model including all elements composing a J2EE application.

Software Engineering and eLearning: The MuSofT Project

eLearning supports the education in certain disciplines. Here, we report about novel eLearning concepts, techniques, and tools to support education in Software Engineering, a subdiscipline of computer science. We call this "Software Engineering eLearning". On the other side, software support is a substantial prerequisite for eLearning in any discipline. Thus, Software Engineering techniques have to be applied to develop and maintain those software systems. We call this "eLearning Software Engineering". Both aspects have been investigated in a large joint, BMBF-funded research project, termed MuSofT (Multimedia in Software Engineering). The main results are summarized in this paper.

Neural Networks as Cybernetic Systems - 3rd and revised edition

This third edition essentially compares with the 2nd one, but has been improved by correction of errors and by a rearrangement and minor expansion of the sections referring to recurrent networks. These changes hopefully allow for an easier comprehension of the essential aspects of this important domain that has received growing attention during the last years.

Neural Networks as Cybernetic Systems (3rd and revised edition) - Part I

Neural Networks as Cybernetic Systems is a textbox that combines classical systems theory with artificial neural network technology. This third edition essentially compares with the 2nd one, but has been improved by correction of errors and by a rearrangement and minor expansion of the sections referring to recurrent networks. These changes hopefully allow for an easier comprehension of the essential aspects of this important domain that has received growing attention during the last years.

Neural Networks as Cybernetic Systems (3rd and revised edition) - Part 2

eural Networks as Cybernetic Systems is a textbox that combines classical systems theory with artificial neural network technology. This third edition essentially compares with the 2nd one, but has been improved by correction of errors and by a rearrangement and minor expansion of the sections referring to recurrent networks. These changes hopefully allow for an easier comprehension of the essential aspects of this important domain that has received growing attention during the last years.

E-Learning Systems, Environments and Approaches

The volume consists of twenty-five chapters selected from among peer-reviewed papers presented at the CELDA (Cognition and Exploratory Learning in the Digital Age) 2013 Conference held in Fort Worth, Texas, USA, in October 2013 and also from world class scholars in e-learning systems, environments and approaches. The following sub-topics are included: Exploratory Learning Technologies (Part I), e-Learning social web design (Part II), Learner communities through e-Learning implementations (Part III), Collaborative and student-centered e-Learning design (Part IV). E-Learning has been, since its initial stages, a synonym for flexibility. While this dynamic nature has mainly been associated with time and space it is safe to argue that currently it embraces other aspects such as the learners’ profile, the scope of subjects that can be taught electronically and the technology it employs. New technologies also widen the range of activities and skills developed in e-Learning. Electronic learning environments have evolved past the exclusive delivery of knowledge. Technology has endowed e-Learning with the possibility of remotely fomenting problem solving skills, critical thinking and team work, by investing in information exchange, collaboration, personalisation and community building.

Two risky and costly end-user related taboos when developing information systems: qualifications and accountability

This work highlights two critical taboos in organizations: 1)taking for granted the quality of certain capabilities and attitudes of the end-user representatives (EUR) in information systems development projects (ISDP), and 2) the EUR´s inherent accountability for losses in IS investments. These issues are neither addressed by theory nor research when assessing success/ failure. A triangulation approach was applied to combine quantitative and qualitative methods, having convergent results and showing that in problematic cases, paradoxically, the origin of IS rejection by end users (EU) points towards the EUR themselves. It has been evaluated to what extent some EUR factors impacted a macro ISDP involving an enterprise resource planning (ERP) package, ranking the ‘knowledge of the EUR’ as the main latent variable. The results validate some issues found throughout decades of praxis, confirming that when not properly managed the EUR role by itself has a direct relationship with IS rejection and significant losses in IS investments.

Nonlinear normal modes in mechanical systems: concept and computation with numerical continuation

The purpose of this Project is, first and foremost, to disclose the topic of nonlinear vibrations and oscillations in mechanical systems and, namely, nonlinear normal modes NNMs to a greater audience of researchers and technicians. To do so, first of all, the dynamical behavior and properties of nonlinear mechanical systems is outlined from the analysis of a pair of exemplary models with the harmonic balanced method. The conclusions drawn are contrasted with the Linear Vibration Theory. Then, it is argued how the nonlinear normal modes could, in spite of their limitations, predict the frequency response of a mechanical system. After discussing those introductory concepts, I present a Matlab package called 'NNMcont' developed by a group of researchers from the University of Liege. This package allows the analysis of nonlinear normal modes of vibration in a range of mechanical systems as extensions of the linear modes. This package relies on numerical methods and a 'continuation algorithm' for the computation of the nonlinear normal modes of a conservative mechanical system. In order to prove its functionality, a two degrees of freedom mechanical system with elastic nonlinearities is analized. This model comprises a mass suspended on a foundation by means of a spring-viscous damper mechanism -analogous to a very simplified model of most suspended structures and machines- that has attached a mass damper as a passive vibration control system. The results of the computation are displayed on frequency energy plots showing the NNMs branches along with modal curves and time-series plots for each normal mode. Finally, a critical analysis of the results obtained is carried out with an eye on devising what they can tell the researcher about the dynamical properties of the system.

Can model Hamiltonians describe the electron–electron interaction in π-conjugated systems?: PAH and graphene

Model Hamiltonians have been, and still are, a valuable tool for investigating the electronic structure of systems for which mean field theories work poorly. This review will concentrate on the application of Pariser–Parr–Pople (PPP) and Hubbard Hamiltonians to investigate some relevant properties of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and graphene. When presenting these two Hamiltonians we will resort to second quantisation which, although not the way chosen in its original proposal of the former, is much clearer. We will not attempt to be comprehensive, but rather our objective will be to try to provide the reader with information on what kinds of problems they will encounter and what tools they will need to solve them. One of the key issues concerning model Hamiltonians that will be treated in detail is the choice of model parameters. Although model Hamiltonians reduce the complexity of the original Hamiltonian, they cannot be solved in most cases exactly. So, we shall first consider the Hartree–Fock approximation, still the only tool for handling large systems, besides density functional theory (DFT) approaches. We proceed by discussing to what extent one may exactly solve model Hamiltonians and the Lanczos approach. We shall describe the configuration interaction (CI) method, a common technology in quantum chemistry but one rarely used to solve model Hamiltonians. In particular, we propose a variant of the Lanczos method, inspired by CI, that has the novelty of using as the seed of the Lanczos process a mean field (Hartree–Fock) determinant (the method will be named LCI). Two questions of interest related to model Hamiltonians will be discussed: (i) when including long-range interactions, how crucial is including in the Hamiltonian the electronic charge that compensates ion charges? (ii) Is it possible to reduce a Hamiltonian incorporating Coulomb interactions (PPP) to an 'effective' Hamiltonian including only on-site interactions (Hubbard)? The performance of CI will be checked on small molecules. The electronic structure of azulene and fused azulene will be used to illustrate several aspects of the method. As regards graphene, several questions will be considered: (i) paramagnetic versus antiferromagnetic solutions, (ii) forbidden gap versus dot size, (iii) graphene nano-ribbons, and (iv) optical properties.

Emerging technologies : Bio-Recovery Systems removal and recovery of metal ions from groundwater.

"August 1990."