Computer Sciences Commons^™

Adaptive User Models For The Design Of Intelligent User Interfaces, Lisa Martha Hunt

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research is to determine the effects over time of a dynamic system that adapts itself to a user's current state of expertise, in terms of the application domain, by constantly monitoring the user throughout use of the system, placing them in appropriate user models when this expertise has changed.

A dynamic system, named ER-by-Design version 2.0, is presented, consisting of an inference component, a help system, a help/assistance screen, and user models. The user models are responsible for adapting the system interface to the level of expertise of the user. The system monitors and analyzes a …

(Ω, Ξ)-Logic: On The Algebraic Extension Of Coalgebraic Specifications, Rolf Hennicker, Alexander Kurz

Engineering Faculty Articles and Research

We present an extension of standard coalgebraic specification techniques for statebased systems which allows us to integrate constants and n-ary operations in a smooth way and, moreover, leads to a simplification of the coalgebraic structure of the models of a specification. The framework of (Ω,Ξ)-logic can be considered as the result of a translation of concepts of observational logic (cf. [9]) into the coalgebraic world. As a particular outcome we obtain the notion of an (Ω, Ξ)- structure and a sound and complete proof system for (first-order) observational properties of specifications.

Developing Database Applications By Using Software Components, Nusret Conk

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations (1964–2006)

Today, the software application development process is more assembly work than a "build from scratch" approach. By placing pre-existing software components together, it is possible to create a complete application. Such components provide interfaces so that programs use them for their intended purposes. The objective of this thesis is to illustrate how software components work together to make a complete application. To illustrate the ideas and the components, this project presents a three-tiered web database application. This application, as a whole, is made up of the client side web browser, a database and the actual application programs which are Java …

Applications Of Advanced Software Techniques To Internet And Www Server Development, John A. Brosnan

Theses

We are living in an information age. Never before has so much data been globally available and instantaneously accessible. The main reason for this revolution is the arrival of the Internet; or perhaps more accurately, the World Wide Web(WWW). This thesis discusses the development of Internet and WWW servers and the latest Web technologies including Java, CORBA and Object Databases. It presents the fundamental concepts of server development and aims to study in particular dynamic WWW servers providing multimedia content. From the viewpoint of interoperability, the CORBA multimedia standard is reviewed. The various mechanisms of data storage and retrieval for …

Search For Charginos And Neutralinos In E+E- Collisions At Centre-Of-Mass Energies Near 183 Gev And Constraints On The Mssm Parameter Space, R. Barate, M. Thulasidas

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Searches for charginos and neutralinos are performed with the data collected by the ALEPH detector at LEP at centre-of-mass energies near 183 GeV. In these searches, it is assumed that R-parity is conserved and that the lightest neutralino is the LSP. No evidence of a signal is observed in the 57 pb−1−1 accumulated, which excludes chargino and associated neutralino production up to the kinematic limit over large regions of the MSSM parameter space. Under the assumptions of common gaugino and common sfermion masses at the unification scale, the interplay between the chargino, neutralino and slepton exclusion limits allows a lower …

Decision Analytic Approach To Severe Head Injury Management., Harmanec D., Tze-Yun Leong, Sundaresh S., Poh K., Yeo T., Ng I., Lew T.

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Severe head injury management in the intensive care unit is extremely challenging due to the complex domain, the uncertain intervention efficacies, and the time-critical setting. We adopt a decision analytic approach to automate the management process. We document our experience in building a simplified influence diagram that involves about 3000 numerical parameters. We identify the inherent problems in structuring a model with unclear domain relationships, numerous interacting variables, and real-time multiple inputs. We analyze the effectiveness and limitations of the decision analytic approach and present a set of desiderata for effective knowledge acquisition in this setting. We also propose a …

An Algorithm For Optimal Winner Determination In Combinatorial Auctions, Tuomas Sandholm

All Computer Science and Engineering Research

Combinatorial auctions, i.e. auctions where bidders can bid on combinations of items, tend to lead to more efficient allocations than traditional auctions in multi-item auctions where the agents' valuations of the items are not additive. However, determining the winners so as to maximize revenue is NP-complete. First, existing approaches for tackling this problem are reviewed: exhaustive enumeration, dynamic programming, approximation algorithms, and restricting the alloable combinations. Then we present our search algorithm for optimal winner determination. Experiments are shown on several bid distributions. The algorithm allows combinatorial auctions to scale up to significantly larger numbers of items and bids than …

Auctions Without Common Knowledge, Sviatoslav B. Brainov, Tuomas W. Sandholm

All Computer Science and Engineering Research

This paper proves that the revenue equivalence theorem ceases to hold for auctions without common knowledge about the agents' prior beliefs. That is, different auction forms yield different expected revenue. To prove this, an auction game is converted to a Bayesian decision problem with an infinite hierarchy of beliefs. A general solution for such Bayesian decision problems is proposed. The solution is a generalization of the standard Bayesian solution and coincides with it for finite belief trees and for trees representing common knowledge. It is shown how the solution generalizes the frequently used technique of backward induction for infinite belief …

Design Issues For High Performance Active Routers, Tilman Wolf, Jonathan Turner

All Computer Science and Engineering Research

Active networking is a general approach to incorporating general-purpose computational capabilities within the communications infrastructure of data networks. This paper proposes a design of a scalable, high performance active router. This is used as a vehicle for studying the key design issues that must be resolved to allow active networking to become a mainstream technology.

Algorithms For Optimizing Leveled Commitment Contracts, Thomas Sandholm, Sandeep Sikka, Samphel Norden

All Computer Science and Engineering Research

In automated negotiation systems consisting of self-interested agents, contracts have traditionally been binding. Leveled commitment contracts - i.e. contracts where each party can decommit by paying a predetermined penalty - were recently shown to improve Pareto efficiency even if agents rationally decommit in Nash equilibrium using inflated thresholds on how good their outside offers must be before they decommit. This paper operationalizes the four leveled commitment contracting protocols by presenting algorithms for using them. Algorithms are presented for computing the Nash equilibrium decomitting thresholds and decommitting probabilities given the contract price and the penalties. Existence and uniqueness of the equilibrium …

Tracking Mobile Units For Dependable Message Delivery, Amy L. Murphy, Gruia-Catalin Roman, George Varghese

All Computer Science and Engineering Research

As computing components get smaller and people become accustomed to having computational power at their disposal at any time, mobile computing is developing as an important research area. One of the fundamental problems in mobility is maintaining connectivity through message passing as the user moves through the network. An approach to this is to have a single home node constantly track the current location of the mobile unit and forward messages to this location. One problem with this approach is that during the update to the home agent after movement, messages are often dropped, especially in the case of frequent …

Floor Control Protocol For Alx Video Conference Application, Ruibiao Qiu

All Computer Science and Engineering Research

With wide deployment of high-speed networks such as vBNS today, video-conference applications over WANs have become increasingly feasible. MMX has proven to be a good desktop video-conference devide for local ATM networks. Now, ALX has been designed to extend MMX's video conferencing capability to IP-over-ATM WANs such as vBNS. In this report, we discuss a floor control protocol for ALX video-conference applications. We first show how an "ideal" protocol should behave to meet our requirements. Then we compare three protocols based on distributed algorithms, and a protocol based on a centralized algorithm. Based on the comparison and performance analysis, we …

Software Engineering For Mobility: A Roadmap, Gruia-Catalin Roman, Gian Pietro Picco, Amy L. Murphy

All Computer Science and Engineering Research

The term distributed computing conjures the image of a fixed network structure whose nodes support the execution of processes that communicate with each other via messages traveling along links. Peer-to-peer communication is feasible but client-server relationships dominate. More recently, servers have been augmented with brokerage capabilities to facilitate discovery of available services. Stability is the ideal mode of operation; changes are relatively slow; even in the case of failure, nodes and links are expected eventually to come back up. By contrast, mobility represents a total meltdown of all the stability assumptions (explicit or implicit) associated with distributed computing. The network …

Bargaining With Deadlines, Tuomas Sandholm, Nir Vulkan

All Computer Science and Engineering Research

This paper analyzes automated distributive negotiation where agents have firm deadlines that are private information. The agents are allowed to make and accept offers in any order in continuous time. We show that the only sequential equilibrum outcome is the one where the agents wait until the first deadline, at which point that agent concedes everything to the other. This holds for pure and mixed strategies. So, interestingly, rational agents can never agree to a nontrivial split because offers signal enough weakness of bargaining power (early deadline) so that the recipient should never accept. Similarly, the offerer knows that it …

Reviewing Software As A Means Of Enhancing Instruction, Marcus D. Childress, Guang-Lea Lee, Gregory P. Sherman

Teaching & Learning Faculty Publications

A software review procedure developed by the authors is described. The procedure centers around a form that extends the functionality of traditional software evaluation forms by enhancing the use of the computer software in the early childhood classroom. The form encourages teachers to discover ways a piece of software can be integrated across disciplines and used as an anchor for instruction. Users of the review form are also encouraged to examine ways the software motivates the user to remain engaged in its use. The majority of the review form emphasizes the important role of the teacher in identifying outcomes or …

Search For The Standard Model Higgs Boson At The Lep2 Collider Near √S = 183 Gev, R. Barate, M. Thulasidas

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

During 1997 the ALEPH experiment at LEP gathered 57pb−1 of data at centre-of-mass energies near 183 GeV. These data are used to look for possible signals from the production of the Standard Model Higgs boson in the reaction e+e−→HZ. No evidence of a signal is found in the data; seven events are selected, in agreement with the expectation of 7.2 events from background processes. This observation results in an improved lower limit on the mass of the Higgs boson: mH>87.9GeV/c2 at 95% confidence level.

One-Prong Τ Decays With Kaons, R. Barate, M. Thulasidas

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

One-prong ττ decays into final states involving kaons are studied with about 161 000 τ+τ−τ+τ− events collected by the ALEPH detector from 1991 to 1995. Charged kaons are identified by dE/dx measurement, while K0LKL0's are detected through their interaction in calorimeters. Branching ratios are measured for the inclusive mode, B(τ−→K−Xντ)=(1.52±0.04±0.04)%B(τ−→K−Xντ)=(1.52±0.04±0.04)%, where X can be any system of neutral particles, and for the exclusive modesB(τ−→K−ντ)=(6.96±0.25±0.14)×10−3,B(τ−→K−π0ντ)=(4.44±0.26±0.24)×10−3,B(τ−→K−π0π0ντ)=(0.56±0.20±0.15)×10−3,B(τ−→K−π0π0π0ντ)=(0.37±0.21±0.11)×10−3,B(τ−→K−K0ντ)=(1.62±0.21±0.11)×10−3,B(τ−→K−K0π0ντ)=(1.43±0.25±0.15)×10−3,B(τ−→K0¯¯¯¯¯¯¯π−ντ)=(9.28±0.45±0.34)×10−3,B(τ−→K0¯¯¯¯¯¯¯π−π0ντ)=(3.47±0.53±0.37)×10−3,B(τ−→K−ντ)=(6.96±0.25±0.14)×10−3,B(τ−→K−π0ντ)=(4.44±0.26±0.24)×10−3,B(τ−→K−π0π0ντ)=(0.56±0.20±0.15)×10−3,B(τ−→K−π0π0π0ντ)=(0.37±0.21±0.11)×10−3,B(τ−→K−K0ντ)=(1.62±0.21±0.11)×10−3,B(τ−→K−K0π0ντ)=(1.43±0.25±0.15)×10−3,B(τ−→K0¯π−ντ)=(9.28±0.45±0.34)×10−3,B(τ−→K0¯π−π0ντ)=(3.47±0.53±0.37)×10−3,where the first error is statistical and the second is systematical. Upper limits for B(τ−→K0¯¯¯¯¯¯¯π−π0π0ντ)B(τ−→K0¯π−π0π0ντ) and B(τ−→K−K0π0π0ντ)B(τ−→K−K0π0π0ντ) are also obtained. Mass spectra in the final states are investigated in order to study the relevant dynamics.

Determination Of The Lep Centre-Of-Mass Energy From Zγ Events, R. Barate, Manoj Thulasidas

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

A study of events with photons and missing energy has been performed with the data sample obtained with the ALEPH detector at centre-of-mass energies from 161 to 184 GeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of about 80 pb−1. The measured distributions are in agreement with Standard Model predictions, leading to constraints on WWγ gauge coupling parameters ∆κγ and λγ. The results from the fit to the cross sections and to the energy and angular distributions of the photons are: ∆κγ = 0.05+1.15 −1.10(stat)±0.25(syst) λγ = −0.05+1.55 −1.45(stat)±0.30(syst).

A Study Of Single W Production In E+E- Collisions At √S = 161-183 Gev, R. Barate, Manoj Thulasidas

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Single W production is studied in the data recorded with the ALEPH detector at LEP at centre-of-mass energies between 161 and 183 GeV. The cross section is measured to be σw = 0.41 ± 0.17(stat.) ± 0.04(syst.) pb at 183 GeV, consistent with the Standard Model expectation. Limits on non-standard WWγ couplings are deduced as -1.6 γ γ = 0) and -1.6 γ γ = 1) at 95% C.L. A search for effectively invisible decays of the W boson in W pair production is performed, leading to an upper limit on the branching ratio of 1.3% (Γinv = 27 MeV) …

Measurement Of W-Pair Production In E+E- Collisions At 183 Gev, R. Barate, Manoj Thulasidas

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The production of W+W− pairs is analysed in a data sample collected by ALEPH at a mean centre-of-mass energy of 182.7 GeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 57 pb−1 . Cross sections are given for different topologies of W decays into leptons or hadrons. Under Standard Model assumptions for the W-pair production and decay, the W-pair cross section is measured to be 15.57 ± 0.62(stat.) ± 0.29(syst.) pb. Using also the W-pair data samples collected by ALEPH at lower centre-of-mass energies, the decay branching ratio of the W boson into hadrons is measured to be B(W → hadrons) = …

Monitoring The Stability Of The Aleph Vertex Detector, G. Sguazzoni, Manoj Thulasidas

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

The ALEPH Silicon Vertex Detector features an optical fibre laser system to monitor its mechanical stability. The operating principle and the general performance of the laser system are described. The experience obtained during 1997 and 1998 operations confirms the important role that such a system can have with respect to the detector alignment requirements. In particular, the laser system has been used to monitor short-term temperature-related effects and long-term movements. These results and a description of the laser-based alignment correction applied to the 1998 data are presented.

Search For Invisible Higgs Boson Decays In E+E- Collisions At Centre-Of-Mass Energies Up To 184 Gev, R. Barate, Manoj Thulasidas

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

In a data sample of 78.3 pb−1 collected in 1996 and 1997 by the ALEPH detector at centre-of-mass energies from 161 to 184 GeV, invisible decays of a Higgs boson have been searched for in the reaction e+e− → hZ, where the Z can decay into e+e−, µ+µ− or q¯q. No evidence for a signal is found and limits on the production cross section are derived as a function of the Higgs boson mass. These results are combined with those obtained in an update of the analyses of the ALEPH data taken at LEP 1. For a production cross section …

Measurement Of The Hadronic Photon Structure Function At Lep 1 For 〈Q2〉 Values Between 9.9 And 284 Gev2, Barate, R.; Et Al., M. Thulasidas

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

Inclusive γ∗γ interactions to hadronic final states where one scattered electron or positron is detected in the electromagnetic calorimeters have been studied in the LEP 1 data taken by ALEPH from 1991 to 1995. The event sample has been used to measure the hadronic structure function of the photon F2γ in three bins with 〈Q2〉 of 9.9, 20.7 and 284 GeV2.

Determination Of |Vub| From The Measurement Of The Inclusive Charmless Semileptonic Branching Ratio Of B Hadrons, R. Barate, M. Thulasidas

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

From a study of the kinematic properties of the final state produced in the semileptonic decays b→Xℓνℓb→Xℓνℓ, the inclusive charmless semileptonic branching ratio of b hadrons is measured. With a sample of 3.6 million hadronic Z decays recorded between 1992 and 1995 with the ALEPH detector at LEP, the value Br(b→Xuℓνℓ)Br(b→Xuℓνℓ) is determined to be (1.73±0.55stat±0.55syst)×10−3(1.73±0.55stat±0.55syst)×10−3, where XuXu represents any charmless hadronic state and b is a mixture of b hadrons weighted by their production rates. This measurement yields the result|Vub|2=(18.68±5.94stat±5.94syst±1.45HQE)×10−6,|Vub|2=(18.68±5.94stat±5.94syst±1.45HQE)×10−6,where the last error comes from the conversion of the branching ratio to the CKM matrix element squared.

Search For Bs0 Oscillations Using Inclusive Lepton Events, R. Barate, M. Thulasidas

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

A search for B0sBs0 oscillations is performed using a sample of semileptonic b-hadron decays collected by the ALEPH experiment during 1991–95. Compared to previous inclusive lepton analyses, the proper time resolution and b-flavour mistag rate are significantly improved. Additional sensitivity to B0sBs0 mixing is obtained by identifying subsamples of events having a B0sBs0 purity which is higher than the average for the whole data sample. Unbinned maximum likelihood amplitude fits are performed to derive a lower limit of Δms>9.5ps−1Δms>9.5ps−1 at the 95% confidence limit (95% CL). Combining with the ALEPH D−sDs−-based analyses yields Δms>9.6ps−1Δms>9.6ps−1 at 95% …

Search For Supersymmetry With A Dominant R-Parity Violating Lqd̄ Coupling In E+E- Collisions At Centre-Of-Mass Energies Of 130 Gev To 172 Gev, R. Barate, M. Thulasidas

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

A search for pair-production of supersymmetric particles under the assumption that R-parity is violated via a dominant LQD¯LQD¯ coupling has been performed using the data collected by ALEPH at centre-of-mass energies of 130–172 GeV. The observed candidate events in the data are in agreement with the Standard Model expectation. This result is translated into lower limits on the masses of charginos, neutralinos, sleptons, sneutrinos and squarks. For instance, for m0=500m0=500 GeV/c2/c2 and tanβ=2–√tan⁡β=2 charginos with masses smaller than 81 GeV/c2/c2 and neutralinos with masses smaller than 29 GeV/c2/c2 are excluded at the 95% confidence level for any generation structure of …

Study Of T Decays Involving Kaons, Spectral Functions And Determination Of The Strange Quark Mass, R. Barate, M. Thulasidas

Research Collection School Of Computing and Information Systems

All ALEPH measurements of branching ratios of ττ decays involving kaons are summarized including a combination of results obtained with K0SKS0 and K0LKL0 detection. The decay dynamics are studied, leading to the determination of contributions from vector K∗(892)K∗(892) and K∗(1410)K∗(1410), and axial-vector K1(1270)K1(1270) and K1(1400)K1(1400) resonances. Agreement with isospin symmetry is observed among the different final states. Under the hypothesis of the conserved vector current, the spectral function for the KK¯¯¯¯¯πKK¯π mode is compared with the corresponding cross section for low energy e+e−e+e− annihilation, yielding an axial-vector fraction of (94+6−8)%(94−8+6)% for this mode. The branching ratio for ττ decay into …

On The Global Stabilization Of Nonlinear Systems Via Switching Manifolds, Stephen P. Banks, Meti̇n U. Salamci, M. Kemal Özgören

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

The global stabilization of nonlinear systems is investigated by using switching surfaces. The nonlinear system is forced to a lower order switching manifold, which is designed to be stable by construction. Thus, the stability of the reduced-order system is guaranteed and parameter selection for the switching surface is avoided. The method is extended to a class of uncertain nonlinear systems and exemplified with some fictitious dynamic models.

A Simple Formula Obtained Using Tabu Search Algorithm For The Radiation Efficiency Of A Resonant Rectangular Microstrip Antenna, Dervi̇ş Karaboğa, Keri̇m Güney

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

A new simple formula for the radiation efficiency of a resonant rectangular microstrip patch antenna is presented. The formula is obtained by using a tabu search algorithm, which is a quite new optimization technique based on the principles of intelligent problem solving. The formula is valid for substrates with relative permittivities between 1 and 12.8 and for the complete range of thicknesses normally used. The results obtained by using this new simple formula are in conformity with those reported elsewhere. The formula can also be used in the calculation of the radiation efficiency of dipoles.

Exclusive Disjunctions In Indefinite And Maybe Information In Relational Databases, Taflan İ. Gündem

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Incorporating indefinite information into databases has been studied extensively. In this paper, we propose a structure called an E-table to represent maybe information and inclusive and exclusive disjunctions. We define the type of redundancies in E-tables and show how to eliminate them. Also we present an extended relational algebra to operate on E-tables. In this paper we expand the concepts and operations defined by Lin and Sunderraman [1] in order to accommodate exclusive disjunctions in relational databases.