Visualizing latent domain knowledge

Knowledge discovery and data mining commonly rely on finding salient patterns of association from a vast amount of data. Traditional citation analysis of scientific literature draws insights from strong citation patterns. Latent domain knowledge, in contrast to the mainstream domain knowledge, often consists of highly relevant but relatively infrequently cited scientific works. Visualizing latent domain knowledge presents a significant challenge to knowledge discovery and quantitative studies of science. We build upon a citation-based knowledge visualization procedure and develop an approach that not only captures knowledge structures from prominent and highly cited works, but also traces latent domain knowledge through low-frequency citation chains. We apply this approach to two cases: (1) identifying cross-domain applications of Pathfinder networks (PFNETs) and (2) clarifying the current status of scientific inquiry of a possible link between Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), also known as mad cow disease, and a new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD), a type of brain disease in human

Information visualization for DNA microarray data analysis: A critical review

Graphical representation may provide effective means of making sense of the complexity and sheer volume of data produced by DNA microarray experiments that monitor the expression patterns of thousands of genes simultaneously. The ability to use ldquoabstractrdquo graphical representation to draw attention to areas of interest, and more in-depth visualizations to answer focused questions, would enable biologists to move from a large amount of data to particular records they are interested in, and therefore, gain deeper insights in understanding the microarray experiment results. This paper starts by providing some background knowledge of microarray experiments, and then, explains how graphical representation can be applied in general to this problem domain, followed by exploring the role of visualization in gene expression data analysis. Having set the problem scene, the paper then examines various multivariate data visualization techniques that have been applied to microarray data analysis. These techniques are critically reviewed so that the strengths and weaknesses of each technique can be tabulated. Finally, several key problem areas as well as possible solutions to them are discussed as being a source for future work

Building an evaluation instrument for OO CASE tool assessment for Unified Modelling Language support

The Unified Modelling Language (UML) as delivered in September 1997 offers the structure and dynamics of its modelling constructs developed in order to standardise different object oriented (OO) development practices. Represented as a language, UML covers some aspects addressed by any methodology and is expected to be accompanied by OO CASE tools through notation and implementation of the UML philosophy. This paper discusses the problem of OO CASE tools as methodology companions that encourage or enforce methodology support. The basis for an evaluation instrument has been developed in order to analyse how commercially available OO CASE tools support the UML. The evaluation instrument is based on extraction of a set of rules that are supposed to be followed in order to claim that the UML itself is being followed. The rules are extracted from the current UML Semantics document and its well-formedness rules. The evaluation instrument is tested against a few OO CASE tools in order to analyse how it can be used on a larger scale for assessing the level of automation and UML support embedded in the tools

Patient perceptions of epinephrine auto-injectors: Exploring barriers to use

Background: In recent years, government initiatives have proposed that patient self-care should serve as a key resource in response to the anticipated increase in global demand for health care. However, if patients are to be empowered as self-carers, barriers to engagement must be identified and overcome. Anaphylaxis is an increasingly common life threatening allergic reaction. Patients at risk of anaphylaxis are prescribed epinephrine auto-injectors and play a crucial role in delivering their own care and management of this condition. One key recommendation is that patients routinely carry an epinephrine auto-injector with them, and deploy the device when needed. However, only a small proportion of patients that require epinephrine actually receive it. Objective: To explore the reasons why patients who have been prescribed epinephrine auto-injectors fail to adhere to self-care and management recommendations. Methods: In-depth interviews with 15 adults who have been prescribed epinephrine auto-injectors were carried out to explore the barriers that exist in the provision of effective self-care and management of anaphylaxis. Results: Inconsistent health professional advice, perceived stigma of carrying a ‘weapon-like’ device, poor device design and limited patient training were identified as barriers to carriage or use. Patients were reluctant to carry devices in public because of perceived and observed stigma and suspicion. They were happy to ignore expiry dates and some participants were confident that the emergency services would provide them with the appropriate care they needed, and therefore did not carry the device in urban areas. Conclusions and clinical implications: Improved training of patients, the public and health professionals around both the carriage and use of auto-injectors are areas for urgent attention if improved levels of self-care are to be attained. The design of epinephrine auto-injectors should also receive attention as patients often fail to carry them due to size and aesthetics. Key words: Adherence, allergy, anaphylaxis, empowerment, epinephrine, self-care, self-management, patient perspectivesThis study was funded by grant number Ref: GR/S29874/01 from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

Footprints of information foragers: Behaviour semantics of visual exploration

Social navigation exploits the knowledge and experience of peer users of information resources. A wide variety of visual–spatial approaches become increasingly popular as a means to optimize information access as well as to foster and sustain a virtual community among geographically distributed users. An information landscape is among the most appealing design options of representing and communicating the essence of distributed information resources to users. A fundamental and challenging issue is how an information landscape can be designed such that it will not only preserve the essence of the underlying information structure, but also accommodate the diversity of individual users. The majority of research in social navigation has been focusing on how to extract useful information from what is in common between users' profiles, their interests and preferences. In this article, we explore the role of modelling sequential behaviour patterns of users in augmenting social navigation in thematic landscapes. In particular, we compare and analyse the trails of individual users in thematic spaces along with their cognitive ability measures. We are interested in whether such trails can provide useful guidance for social navigation if they are embedded in a visual–spatial environment. Furthermore, we are interested in whether such information can help users to learn from each other, for example, from the ones who have been successful in retrieving documents. In this article, we first describe how users' trails in sessions of an experimental study of visual information retrieval can be characterized by Hidden Markov Models. Trails of users with the most successful retrieval performance are used to estimate parameters of such models. Optimal virtual trails generated from the models are visualized and animated as if they were actual trails of individual users in order to highlight behavioural patterns that may foster social navigation. The findings of the research will provide direct input to the design of social navigation systems as well as to enrich theories of social navigation in a wider context. These findings will lead to the further development and consolidation of a tightly coupled paradigm of spatial, semantic and social navigation

Factors determining patients’ intentions to use point-of-care testing medical devices for self-monitoring: The case of international normalised ratio self-testing

This is an Open Access article which permits unrestricted noncommercial use, provided the original work is properly cited. - Copyright @ 2012 Dove Medical Press LtdThis article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.Purpose: To identify factors that determine patients' intentions to use point-of-care medical devices, ie, portable coagulometer devices for self-testing of the international normalized ratio (INR) required for ongoing monitoring of blood-coagulation intensity among patients on long-term oral anticoagulation therapy with vitamin K antagonists, eg, warfarin. Methods: A cross-sectional study that applied the technology-acceptance model through a self-completed questionnaire, which was administered to a convenience sample of 125 outpatients attending outpatient anticoagulation services at a district general hospital in London, UK. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, factor analyses, and structural equation modeling. Results: The participants were mainly male (64%) and aged ≥ 71 years (60%). All these patients were attending the hospital outpatient anticoagulation clinic for INR testing; only two patients were currently using INR self-testing, 84% of patients had no knowledge about INR self-testing using a portable coagulometer device, and 96% of patients were never offered the option of the INR self-testing. A significant structural equation model explaining 79% of the variance in patients’ intentions to use INR self-testing was observed. The significant predictors that directly affected patients' intention to use INR self-testing were the perception of technology (β = 0.92, P < 0.001), trust in doctor (β = −0.24, P = 0.028), and affordability (β = 0.15, P = 0.016). In addition, the perception of technology was significantly affected by trust in doctor (β = 0.43, P = 0.002), age (β = −0.32, P < 0.001), and affordability (β = 0.23, P = 0.013); thereby, the intention to use INR self-testing was indirectly affected by trust in doctor (β = 0.40), age (β = −0.29), and affordability (β = 0.21) via the perception of technology. Conclusion: Patients’ intentions to use portable coagulometers for INR self-testing are affected by patients' perceptions about the INR testing device, the cost of device, trust in doctors/clinicians, and the age of the patient, which need to be considered prior to any intervention involving INR self-testing by patients. Manufacturers should focus on increasing the affordability of INR testing devices for patients’ self-testing and on the potential role of medical practitioners in supporting use of these medical devices as patients move from hospital to home testing.This study is funded by the Multidisciplinary Assessment of Technology Centre for Healthcare (MATCH) program (EPSRC grant EP/GO12393/1)

Cross cultural Web design: an experience of developing UK and Korean cultural markers

The international and multicultural nature of the World Wide Web positions the issues of recognizing and observing cultural differences at the forefront of considerations in the design of Web pages. We address some of these issues. Research has already identified some Web page design elements that may be culturally or genre specific, that may also be generalised as 'cultural markers', and that consequently influence Web page design and usability. These cultural markers represent a significant aspect of today's electronic environments in terms of influencing people's behaviour, changing their practices and attitudes, and affecting their learning and performance abilities. We identify general issues of cross-cultural Web page design by defining a check-list of design elements relevant for developing a Web site and investigate culturally specific design elements, on examples of South Korean and UK Web environments

Reviewing and extending the five-user assumption: A grounded procedure for interaction evaluation

" © ACM, 2013. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of ACM for your personal use. Not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction (TOCHI), {VOL 20, ISS 5, (November 2013)} http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/2506210 "The debate concerning how many participants represents a sufficient number for interaction testing is well-established and long-running, with prominent contributions arguing that five users provide a good benchmark when seeking to discover interaction problems. We argue that adoption of five users in this context is often done with little understanding of the basis for, or implications of, the decision. We present an analysis of relevant research to clarify the meaning of the five-user assumption and to examine the way in which the original research that suggested it has been applied. This includes its blind adoption and application in some studies, and complaints about its inadequacies in others. We argue that the five-user assumption is often misunderstood, not only in the field of Human-Computer Interaction, but also in fields such as medical device design, or in business and information applications. The analysis that we present allows us to define a systematic approach for monitoring the sample discovery likelihood, in formative and summative evaluations, and for gathering information in order to make critical decisions during the interaction testing, while respecting the aim of the evaluation and allotted budget. This approach – which we call the ‘Grounded Procedure’ – is introduced and its value argued.The MATCH programme (EPSRC Grants: EP/F063822/1 EP/G012393/1

Software architecture style for interoperable databases

We propose a layered and component based software architecture style which supports interoperability in multiple databases (DB). The architectural style's building blocks and its constraints are described and the deployment of two design patterns outlined. Components placed in our architectural layers exhibit a linear topology and request/reply processing style. The constraints include communications between components which are not in the adjacent architectural layers and extension of the intuitive many : one bindings between components towards many : many. We comment on similarities with mediation architectures and outline some implementation issues

Is problem solving, or simulation model solving, mission critical?

How do we consider problems and models in the practice of simulation? It is our possibly contentious observation that simulation model solving seems to be more critical to the mission of simulation modeling than problem solving. Inspired by the theme of this year's Winter Simulation Conference, we ask the question, "Is problem solving, or simulation model solving, mission critical?" To investigate this we look at three perspectives, those of the textbook, the article and the editorial. The textbook perspective is the balance of the "traditional" view of simulation presented by the academic textbook against practical experience. The article perspective is a classification of papers published in four leading simulation journals in the year 2004 (ACM TOMACS, SIMULATION, Simulation Modelling Practice and Theory, and Simulation & Gaming). The editorial perspective is a discussion of editorial policy presented by the same journals. Our findings show that our observation is not contradicted