Mini Literature Analysis on Information Technology Definition

Experience of authors highlights a lack of generally accepted definition of information technology, between scholars and in their research reports. In this study, authors aim to review information technology studies to conclude a comprehensive definition to fill the mentioned gap in this part of knowledge. Keywords: Information technology, Research, New scholars

Content-aware resource allocation model for IPTV delivery networks

Nowadays, with the evolution of digital video broadcasting, as well as, the advent of high speed broadband networks, a new era of TV services has emerged known as IPTV. IPTV is a system that employs the high speed broadband networks to deliver TV services to the subscribers. From the service provider viewpoint, the challenge in IPTV systems is how to build delivery networks that exploits the resources efficiently and reduces the service cost, as well. However, designing such delivery networks affected by many factors including choosing the suitable network architecture, load balancing, resources waste, and cost reduction. Furthermore, IPTV contents characteristics, particularly; size, popularity, and interactivity play an important role in balancing the load and avoiding the resources waste for delivery networks. In this paper, we investigate the problem of resource allocation for IPTV delivery networks over the recent architecture, peer-service area architecture. The Genetic Algorithm as an optimization tool has been used to find the optimal provisioning parameters including storage, bandwidth, and CPU consumption. The experiments have been conducted on two data sets with different popularity distributions. The experiments have been conducted on two popularity distributions. The experimental results showed the impact of content status on the resource allocation process

Assembly and Disassembly of Bare Chips using On-Substrate Linear Microvibromotor Arrays

A new method for the on-substrate fine positioning of micro/meso-scale discrete components is proposed, where component positions are finely adjusted using micro linear sliders and fixtures on the substrate. Each micro linear slider is actuated by vibratory impacts exerted by two pairs of micro cantilever impacters. These micro cantilever impacters are selectively resonated by shaking the entire substrate with a piezoelectric vibrator realizing forward and backward slider motion to facilitate assembly and disassembly of a micro component on the substrate. An array of the prototype externally-resonated linear micro vibrometers is fabricated using the MCNC MUMPS service. These prototypes are tested for forward and backward motion via external vibration applied by a piezoelectric stack vibrator. The linear micro vibromotor array is to be integrated in a on-chip micro assembly device where the assembly of micro/meso-scale discrete components (bare chips) on a common substrate is done by the combination of vibratory palletization for gross positioning, and linear micro vibromotor for fine positioningPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87251/4/Saitou103.pd

The associations between the response efficacy and objective and subjective change in physical activity and diet in the Information and Risk Modification trial.

OBJECTIVES: Many health promotion campaigns and interventions focussing on improving health-related behaviours have been based on targeting response efficacy. This is based on the assumption that response efficacy is an important modifiable determinant of behaviour change. This study aimed to quantify the association between response efficacy and objective and subjective measures of physical activity and diet. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort analysis of data from a randomised controlled trial. METHODS: A total of 953 participants were assessed for response efficacy at baseline and 12 weeks following randomisation to interventions to increase physical activity and improve diet. Subjective measures were collected via a self-report questionnaire that included two questions used to derive the Cambridge Index of physical activity and questions about daily or weekly fruit and vegetable, whole grain, meat and fish intake, based on the dietary guidelines to lower cardiovascular risk. Objective measures were quantified using accelerometers and plasma carotenoids. RESULTS: The mean change in response efficacy for physical activity was +0.5 (standard deviation [SD] 2.0) and for diet was +0.5 (SD 2.1).There were no clinically or statistically significant associations between baseline or change in response efficacy and objective and subjective measures of physical activity or objective measures of diet. There was a small statistically significant association between baseline response efficacy and change in self-reported wholegrain consumption, but this is unlikely to be clinically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Response efficacy is not a fundamental determinant of diet and physical activity and should not be the main focus of interventions targeting these behaviours

Technical factors for implementing SOA-Based business intelligence architecture : an exploratory study

Business intelligence (BI) architecture based on service-oriented architecture (SOA) concept enables enterprises to deploy agile and reliable BI applications. However, the key factors for implementing a SOA-based BI architecture from technical perspectives have not yet been systematically investigated. Most of the prior studies focus on organisational and managerial perspectives rather than technical factors. Therefore, this study explores the key technical factors that are most likely to have an impact on the implementation of a SOA-based BI architecture. This paper presents a conceptual model of BI architecture built on SOA concept. Drawing on academic and practitioner literature related to SOA and software architectural design, we propose fourteen key factors that may influence the implementation of a SOA-based BI architecture. This study bridges the gap between academic and practitioners.<br /