Optimised editing of variable data documents via partial re-evaluation

With the advent of digital printing presses and the continued development of associated technologies, variable data printing (VDP) is becoming more and more common. VDP allows for a series of data instances to be bound to a single template document in order to produce a set of result document instances, each customized depending upon the data provided. As it gradually enters the mainstream of digital publishing there is a need for appropriate and powerful editing tools suitable for use by creative professionals. This thesis investigates the problem of representing variable data documents in an editable visual form, and focuses on the technical issues involved with supporting such an editing model. Using a document processing model where the document is produced from a data set and an appropriate programmatic transform, this thesis considers an interactive editor developed to allow visual manipulation of the result documents. It shows how the speed of the reprocessing necessary in such an interactive editing scenario can be increased by selectively re-evaluating only the required parts of the transformation, including how these pieces of the transformation can be identified and subsequently re-executed. The techniques described are demonstrated using a simplified document processing model that closely resembles variable data document frameworks. A workable editor is also presented that builds on this processing model and illustrates its advantages. Finally, an analysis of the performance of the proposed framework is undertaken including a comparison to a standard processing pipeline

Optimised editing of variable data documents via partial re-evaluation

With the advent of digital printing presses and the continued development of associated technologies, variable data printing (VDP) is becoming more and more common. VDP allows for a series of data instances to be bound to a single template document in order to produce a set of result document instances, each customized depending upon the data provided. As it gradually enters the mainstream of digital publishing there is a need for appropriate and powerful editing tools suitable for use by creative professionals. This thesis investigates the problem of representing variable data documents in an editable visual form, and focuses on the technical issues involved with supporting such an editing model. Using a document processing model where the document is produced from a data set and an appropriate programmatic transform, this thesis considers an interactive editor developed to allow visual manipulation of the result documents. It shows how the speed of the reprocessing necessary in such an interactive editing scenario can be increased by selectively re-evaluating only the required parts of the transformation, including how these pieces of the transformation can be identified and subsequently re-executed. The techniques described are demonstrated using a simplified document processing model that closely resembles variable data document frameworks. A workable editor is also presented that builds on this processing model and illustrates its advantages. Finally, an analysis of the performance of the proposed framework is undertaken including a comparison to a standard processing pipeline

Page Composition using PPML as a Link-editing Script

The advantages of a COG (Component Object Graphic) approach to the composition of PDF pages have been set out in a previous paper [1]. However, if pages are to be composed in this way then the individual graphic objects must have known bounding boxes and must be correctly placed on the page in a process that resembles the link editing of a multi-module computer program. Ideally the linker should be able to utilize all declared resource information attached to each COG. We have investigated the use of an XML application called Personalized Print Markup Language (PPML) to control the link editing process for PDF COGs. Our experiments, though successful, have shown up the shortcomings of PPML's resource handling capabilities which are currently active at the document and page levels but which cannot be elegantly applied to individual graphic objects at a sub-page level. Proposals are put forward for modifications to PPML that would make easier any COG-based approach to page composition

Documents as functions

Treating variable data documents as functions over their data bindings opens opportunities for building more powerful, robust and flexible document architectures to meet the needs arising from the confluence of developments in document engineering, digital printing technologies and marketing analysis. This thesis describes a combination of several XML-based technologies both to represent and to process variable documents and their data, leading to extensible, high-quality and 'higher-order' document generation solutions. The architecture (DDF) uses XML uniformly throughout the documents and their processing tools with interspersing of different semantic spaces being achieved through namespacing. An XML-based functional programming language (XSLT) is used to describe all intra-document variability and for implementing most of the tools. Document layout intent is declared within a document as a hierarchical set of combinators attached to a tree-based graphical presentation. Evaluation of a document bound to an instance of data involves using a compiler to create an executable from the document, running this with the data instance as argument to create a new document with layout intent described, followed by resolution of that layout by an extensible layout processor. The use of these technologies, with design paradigms and coding protocols, makes it possible to construct documents that not only have high flexibility and quality, but also perform in higher-order ways. A document can be partially bound to data and evaluated, modifying its presentation and still remaining variably responsive to future data. Layout intent can be re-satisfied as presentation trees are modified by programmatic sections embedded within them. The key enablers are described and illustrated through example

Investigating the complexities of microrna-target interactions in cardiac biology

One in three Australians die of cardiovascular disease and despite advances in treatment it remains the leading cause of death in Australia. MiRNAs play critical roles in the heart and specific miRNAs can promote or prevent cardiac hypertrophy, sparking interest to use miRNAs as therapeutic targets. However, cells can produce both miRNAs and their mRNA targets in multiple processing variants increasing the complexity of miRNA-mediated control. It is therefore critical to elucidate the role of these variants in cardiac disease. The aim of this thesis was to profile miRNA and mRNA 3' UTRs in cardiac hypertrophy and to interrogate this data for evidence of processing variation. We established a murine model of left ventricular hypertrophy using transverse aortic constriction as confirmed using haemodynamic, physiological and biochemical measurements. Cardiomyocyctes were isolated from pre-hypertrophic, hypertrophic and control hearts and RNA extracted for next-generation sequencing of miRNAs and mRNA 3' ends. We identified 17 miRNAs and 776 mRNAs that changed in level during the hypertrophy, with the majority being upregulated. Overall, more mRNAs changed expression in the pre-hypertrophic cardiomyocytes, while the miRNAs were altered mostly in the hypertrophic samples. This is the first study to document the expression of miRNAs and mRNAs simultaneously in purified cardiomyocytes and their change in hypertrophy. Analysing the datasets for processing diversity revealed that nearly all miRNAs in cardiomyocytes showed some degree of processing diversity including expression from both hairpin arms, 5' and 3' isomiRs, or the presence of non-templated additions. There was little directional change in miRNA processing during hypertrophy but two examples were identified where the bias for particular variants changed significantly. This is the first documentation of variable miRNA processing in purified cardiomyocytes. Such variants provide a mechanism to change the mRNA targeting properties of miRNAs from a given locus without changing the genomic sequence. In support of this, in vitro luciferase assays demonstrated that the different 5' isomiRs of the cardiac miR-133a-3p have distinct targeting preferences. Analysis of the 3' end sequencing data demonstrated that mRNAs expressed in cardiomyocytes had on average 2.35 distinct 3' UTRs with an average length of 3.7 kb. The proportion of short versus long 3' UTRs was altered for 424 mRNAs, with 272 3' UTRs getting shorter and 152 getting longer, in the pre-hypertrophic cardiomyocytes. This is the first study to provide an in-depth mapping of mRNA 3' UTR diversity in purified cardiomyocytes and document changes to the proportion of these variants in cardiac hypertrophy. Alterations in the length of 3' UTRs can lead to inclusion of or exclusion of miRNA target sites on mRNAs and thus change their sensitivity to regulation by miRNAs. Overall, the datasets reported here provide global information on expression changes to both miRNA sequence and mRNA 3' UTR lengths forming the basis for an improved systems level understanding of miRNA-regulation during cardiac hypertrophy. The realisation that cardiac miRNAs and their targets exist as currently under-appreciated variants with potentially complex effects on target specificities has important implications for the role of miRNAs in cardiac disease

NASA RECON: Course Development, Administration, and Evaluation

The R and D activities addressing the development, administration, and evaluation of a set of transportable, college-level courses to educate science and engineering students in the effective use of automated scientific and technical information storage and retrieval systems, and, in particular, in the use of the NASA RECON system, are discussed. The long-range scope and objectives of these contracted activities are overviewed and the progress which has been made toward these objectives during FY 1983-1984 is highlighted. In addition, the results of a survey of 237 colleges and universities addressing course needs are presented

Dictionary of privacy, data protection and information security

The Dictionary of Privacy, Data Protection and Information Security explains the complex technical terms, legal concepts, privacy management techniques, conceptual matters and vocabulary that inform public debate about privacy. The revolutionary and pervasive influence of digital technology affects numerous disciplines and sectors of society, and concerns about its potential threats to privacy are growing. With over a thousand terms meticulously set out, described and cross-referenced, this Dictionary enables productive discussion by covering the full range of fields accessibly and comprehensively. In the ever-evolving debate surrounding privacy, this Dictionary takes a longer view, transcending the details of today''s problems, technology, and the law to examine the wider principles that underlie privacy discourse. Interdisciplinary in scope, this Dictionary is invaluable to students, scholars and researchers in law, technology and computing, cybersecurity, sociology, public policy and administration, and regulation. It is also a vital reference for diverse practitioners including data scientists, lawyers, policymakers and regulators