Special Issue on Extended Papers from Science and Information Conference 2014 - thesai.org

Special Issue on Extended Papers from Science and Information Conference 2014

Copyright Statement: This is an open access publication licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, even commercially as long as the original work is properly cited.

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Paper 1: An Enhanced Version of the MCACC to Augment the Computing Capabilities of Mobile Devices Using Cloud Computing

Abstract: Recently as smartphones have a wide range of capabilities a lot of heavy applications like gaming, video editing, and face recognition are now available. However, this kind of applications need intensive computational power, memory, and battery. A lot of researches solve this problem by offloading applications to run on the Cloud due to its intensive storage and computation resources. Later, some techniques chooses to offload part of the applications while leaving the rest to be processed on the smartphone based on one or two metrics like power and CPU consumption only without any consideration to other important metrics. Our previously proposed MCACC framework has introduced a new generation of offloading frameworks that handle this problem by smartly emerging a group of real-time metrics like total execution time, energy consumption, remaining battery, memory, and security into the offloading decision. In this paper, we introduce an enhanced version of the MCACC framework that can now smartly operate under low bandwidth network scenario in addition to its existing capabilities. In this framework, any mobile application is divided into a group of services, and then each of them is either executed locally on the mobile or remotely on the Cloud through a dynamic offloading decision model. The extensive simulation studies show that both heavy and light applications can benefit from the proposed framework while saving energy and improving performance compare to previous counterparts. The enhanced MCACC turns the smartphones to be smarter as the offloading decision is taken without any user interference.

Author 1: Mostafa A. Elgendy

Author 2: Ahmed Shawish

Author 3: Mahmoud I. Moussa

Keywords: smartphones; android; offloading; mobile Cloud computing; battery; security

Paper 2: Design of a Content Addressable Memory-based Parallel Processor implementing (-1+j)-based Binary Number System

Abstract: Contrary to the traditional base 2 binary number system, used in today’s computers, in which a complex number is represented by two separate binary entities, one for the real part and one for the imaginary part, Complex Binary Number System (CBNS), a binary number system with base (-1+j), is used to represent a given complex number in single binary string format. In this paper, CBNS is reviewed and arithmetic algorithms for this number system are presented. The design of a CBNS-based parallel processor utilizing content-addressable memory for implementation of associative dataflow concept has been described and software-related issues have also been explained.

Author 1: Tariq Jamil

Keywords: binary number; complex binary; parallel processing; content-addressable; memory; associative dataflow; compiler; operating system

Paper 3: User Satisfaction Determinants for Digital Culture Heritage Online Collections

Abstract: The aim of this paper is to identify the possible determinants that influence user satisfaction in the context of digital cultural heritage (DCH) online collections. The data was collected in 3 stages. For the first stage, literature studies were conducted in understanding the general overview about user satisfaction in various web-domains. Next, think-aloud protocol was conducted with a group of general user with nil background of cultural heritage. Two existing digital culture heritage online collections were used as the vehicle to get the findings. Lastly, existing studies on Herzberg Two-Factor Theory in web-environment context was adapted and adopted in identifying the possible hygiene and motivator factors which influence the user satisfaction in this context of study.

Author 1: Zaihasriah Zahidi

Author 2: Yan Peng Lim

Author 3: Peter Charles Woods

Keywords: User experience; user satisfaction; digital culture heritage online collections

Paper 4: Dissecting Genuine and Deceptive Kudos: The Case of Online Hotel Reviews

Abstract: As users continue to rely on online hotel reviews for making purchase decisions, the trend of posting deceptive reviews to heap praises and kudos is gradually becoming a well-established e-business malpractice. Conceivably, it is not trivial for users to distinguish between genuine and deceptive kudos in reviews. Hence, this paper identifies three linguistic cues that could offer telltale signs to distinguish between genuine and deceptive reviews. These linguistic cues include readability, genre and writing style. Drawing data from a publicly available secondary dataset, results indicate that readability and writing style of reviews offer useful clues to distinguish between genuine and deceptive reviews. Specifically, genuine reviews could be more readable and less hyperbolic compared with deceptive entries. With respect to review genre however, the differences were largely blurred. The implications of the findings for theory and practice are highlighted.

Author 1: Snehasish Banerjee

Author 2: Alton Y. K. Chua

Keywords: e-business; user-generated content; online reviews; opinion spam; readability; genre; writing style

Paper 5: Process Knowledge Discovery in Social BPM

Abstract: the utilization of process knowledge for future execution is an effective way of improving the efficiency of business processes and benefit from the knowledge captured in previous executions. This paper attempts to discuss how social tagging can be used in the context of social business process management to assist and support the execution of business processes in a social environment. We believe such an approach is a step forward towards producing a comprehensive model for social business process management.

Author 1: Mohammad Ehson Rangiha

Author 2: Bill Karakostas

Keywords: Social BPM; BPM; Goal-Based Modelling; Process Recommendation; Social Tagging

Paper 6: A new algorithm for detecting SQL injection attack in Web application

Abstract: Nowadays, the security of applications and Web servers is a new trend that finds its need on the Web. The number of vulnerabilities identified in this type of applications is constantly increasing especially SQL injection attack. It is therefore necessary to regularly audit Web applications to verify the presence of exploitable vulnerabilities. Web vulnerability scanner WASAPY is one of the audit tool, it uses an algorithm which bases on a classification techniques of pages obtained by sending HTTP requests especially formatted. We propose in this paper a new algorithm which was built in a vision to improve rather to supplement the logic followed in modeling WASAPY tool. The tool was supplemented by a new class reflecting the legitimate appearance or referential, therefore, the detection mechanism was solidly built on a statistic in a fairly clear mathematical framework described by a simple geometric representation or interpretation.

Author 1: Ouarda Lounis

Author 2: Salah Eddine Bouhouita Guermeche

Author 3: Lalia Saoudi

Author 4: Salah Eddine Benaicha

Keywords: SQL injection attack, scanner Web, Web Application, Web vulnerabilities, security

Paper 7: Introducing Concurrency to Workflows: Theory and A Real-World Case Study

Abstract: Making use of the concepts of the activity diagrams of the Unified Modeling Language, this paper defines an important class of workflows, called flow independent workflows, which are deterministic in the sense that if a flow independent workflow is given the same multi-set of resources as input over and over again, it will produce the same output every time. After which, this paper provides a methodology, and its accompanying algorithms, that introduces concurrency to flow independent workflows by rearranging the action nodes in every flow of control. It then applies the methodology to a real-world case to demonstrate its usefulness. It concludes with future research possibilities that might extend the methodology to general workflows, i.e., not necessarily flow independent workflows.

Author 1: Laird Burns

Author 2: Wai Yin Mok

Author 3: Wes N. Colley

Keywords: Business process re-engineering; Unified Modeling Language; activity diagrams; flow independent workflows; concurrency

Paper 8: Quantum Gravity Sensor by Curvature Energy: their Encoding and Computational Models*

Abstract: Through of the concept of curvature energy encoded in non-harmonic signals due to the effect that characterizes the curvature as a deformation of field in the corresponding resonance space ( and an obstruction to the displacement to the corresponding shape operator) is developed and designed a sensor of quantum gravity considering the quantized version of curvature as observable of gravitational field where the space is distorted by the strong interactions between particles, interpreting their observable in this case, as light fields deformations obtained on space-time background. To the application of this measurement we use a hypothetical particle graviton modeled as a magnetic dilaton which must be gauge graviton (gauge boson). Also are obtained several computational models of these photonic measurements, likewise their prototype photonic devices.

Author 1: Francisco Bulnes

Keywords: Curvature energy; magnetic dilaton; quantum gravity sensor; strong interactions; quantum computing

Paper 9: Developing a Framework for Examining the use of Mobile Transactions in Saudi Arabia: the User’s Perspective

Abstract: Both the recent advances in mobile technologies and the high penetration rate of mobile communication services have had a profound impact on our daily lives, and are beginning to offer interesting and advantageous new services. In particular, the mobile transaction (m-transaction) system has emerged, enabling users to pay for physical and digital goods and services using their mobile devices whenever they want, regardless of their location. Although it is anticipated that m-transactions will enjoy a bright future, there is apparently still reluctance among users to accept mobile transactions. Besides analyzing the literature, the authors have conducted five empirical studies to develop a robust comprehensive framework that encompasses the key factors which could affect Saudi users’ intentions to use m-transactions. This paper aims to summarize and discuss these studies, show how they have evolved in several stages, aiming to reach a satisfactory level of maturity and finally shed light on interesting results.

Author 1: Mohammed A. Alqahtani

Author 2: Pam J. Mayhew

Keywords: Mobile Technologies; E-Commerce; M-Transactions; Conceptual Framework; Acceptance; Developing Countries

Paper 10: A Safety Analysis Approach to Clinical Workflows: Application and Evaluation

Abstract: Clinical workflows are safety critical workflows as they have the potential to cause harm or death to patients. Their safety needs to be considered as early as possible in the development process. Effective safety analysis methods are required to ensure the safety of these high-risk workflows, because errors that may happen through routine workflow could propagate within the workflow to result in harmful failures of the system’s output. This paper shows how to apply an approach for safety analysis of clinical workflows to analyse the safety of the workflow within a radiology department and evaluates the approach in terms of usability and benefits. The outcomes of using this approach include identification of the root causes of hazardous workflow failures that may put patients’ lives at risk. We show that the approach is applicable to this area of healthcare and is able to present added value through the detailed information on possible failures, of both their causes and effects; therefore, it has the potential to improve the safety of radiology and other clinical workflows.

Author 1: Lamis Al-Qora’n

Author 2: Neil Gordon

Author 3: Martin Walker

Author 4: Septavera Sharvia

Author 5: Sohag Kabir

Keywords: clinical workflows; safety analysis; radiology; HiP-HOPS

Paper 11: Benchmarking the Higher Education Institutions in Egypt using Composite Index Model

Abstract: Egypt has the largest and most significant higher education system in the Middle East and North Africa but it had been continuously facing serious and accumulated challenges. The Higher Education Institutions in Egypt are undergoing important changes involving the development of performance, they are implementing strategies to enhance the overall performance of their universities using ICT, but still the gap between what is existing and what is supposed to be for the self-regulation and improvement processes is not entirely clear to face these challenges. The using of strategic comparative analysis model and tools to evaluate the current and future states will affect the overall performance of universities and shape new paradigms in development of Higher Education System (HES), several studies have investigated the evaluation of universities through the development and use of ranking and benchmark systems In this paper, we provide a model to construct unified Composite Index (CI) based on a set of SMART indictors emulate the nature of higher education systems in Egypt. The outcomes of the proposed model aim to measure overall performance of universities and provide unified benchmarking method in this context. The model was discussed from theoretical and technical perspectives. Meanwhile, the research study was conducted with 40 professors from 19 renowned universities in Egypt as education domain experts.

Author 1: Mohamed Rashad M El-Hefnawy

Author 2: Ali Hamed El-Bastawissy

Author 3: Mona Ahmed Kadry

Keywords: Key Performance Indicators; Composite Index; Analytic Hierarchy Process; Performance Measurement; Higher Education Institutions; Ranking Systems; Benchmark Models

Paper 12: New Approach of Using Structural Modelling for Personalized Study Planning

Abstract: The planning of individual studies becomes more and more topical. Alongside the fast and diverse rhythm of life, people need individual approach to study planning. It ensures wider availability of learning for different social groups. The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the process of studies makes it more attractive and more interesting as well as more adequate to the demands of the 21st century. The authors have developed graph based framework for personalization of education process based on the set of four graphs representing the structure of the study programme, the structure of the study courses, the concept maps, and the learning objects [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Special tool is needed which allows the learners themselves to design the learning strategy corresponding to their interests. The authors had already implemented personalized study planning process in a prototype, which allows to create a personalized study programme, and then to plan the course learning, setting the courses in the required sequence [3, 4, 5]. In this paper the authors propose the use of the methods of structure analysis to calculate the ranks for the node of the graphs thus detecting the most significant nodes in the graph structure. The calculations for the ranks are made for the graph of the study programme, for the graph of study courses, and for the concept maps. The calculation of ranks for the graph nodes allows detecting the most significant courses in the study programme, the most important topics in the study course and the most essential concepts in the concept map

Author 1: Raita Rollande

Author 2: Janis Grundspenkis

Author 3: Antons Mislevics

Keywords: intelligent tutoring system; personalized education; graphs; structural modelling; element ranking and structural analysis

Paper 13: Extended 4-Dimensional OpenGL e-book associated with electric material

Abstract: The aim of this research is to develop a kind of 4 Dimensional electronic textbook (4D-Text) regarding a typical dielectrics material structure of Perovskit crystalline formations of Barium Titanate where 4D means a combined 1D direction-freely-viewing and 3D animation-ing is continuously extracting while being changed and scaled viewpoint as user chosen continuously. It is specific issue that e.g. Barium Titanium (IV) Oxide which crystallography 4D structural animation is discussed and relevantly addressing to virtual learning environments, e-learning tools, educational systems design and e-learning organizational issues. Additionally it should be an actually-expected theme that crystalline Perovskite structure with a chemical formula ABX3 is constructed as follows; the type of anion spheres are X atoms (usually oxygens as O[2-]), the another type of spheres are B-atoms (a smaller metal cation, such as Ti[4+]) and the third type of spheres are the A-atoms (a larger metal cation, such as Ba[2+]). Then thermal transformation between lower temperature ferroelectorode and higher temperature paraelectorode would be discussed. Meanwhile, crystallographic pictured 4D-Text is as follows among these structures; the undistorted isometric-regular cubic, on the other hand, the symmetry lowered orthorhombic, tetragonal and trigonal in each Perovskites. It has been concluded that free OpenGL assisted 4D animation approach technique should be good way to achieve the organization for free 4D-Text e-learning using Free 3D viewing and manipulating the 4D animation data file created via MGF (MicroAVS Geometry File) approached. Additionally crystallography numerical data processing methods in Perovskit structure are to be using Freeware AWK language data-processing and extracting how to prepare the 4D with MGF. Therefore 4D-OpenGL Free e-Text is a possible guidance that enables studying Perovskit structure while changing a viewpoint directly to the instructor's guidance and accessing contents, transcribed by being captured screens and supplementary reference with properly alphanumeric characters and relevant information. Consequently, for the achievement of presented aim of Free 4D e-learning organizational issues, the technology of free-OpenGL is indispensable.

Author 1: Kazu-masa YAMADA

Author 2: Nobuaki MATSUHASHI

Keywords: component; OpenGL; e-textbook Perovskit structure; dielectrics material; Barium Titanate

Paper 14: SMP-Based Approach for Intelligent Service Interaction

Abstract: Service-oriented computing is establishing itself as a new computing paradigm in which services advertise their capabilities within a network, and then are used, composed and orchestrated by other services and end-users. Whilst many approaches to matching service providers with consumers of their services have been developed in the past, the proposed approach in this paper takes a different view of the problem in that it does not look for the fittest individual utility, but views it as a constrained optimisation problem that matches between a set of services and a set of service requests. Our approach addresses this problem using an adaptation of the well known stable-marriage problem and demonstrates how matching between services and requests to a certain threshold can be expressed. This will contribute a fair assignment between services and requests based on their preferences. As the current state of the service selection process considers only the view of requests, the proposed approach can ensure several features to the services such as service protection and service quality, e.g. it can ensure the preservation of service availability by redirecting a coming request to a similar service if the current service is busy.

Author 1: Hosam AlHakami

Author 2: Feng Chen

Author 3: Helge Janicke

Keywords: Service Selection; Stable Marriage Problem (SMP); Selective Strategy

Paper 15: Reducing the Correlation Processing Time by Using a Novel Intrusion Alert Correlation Model

Abstract: Alert correlation analyzes the alerts from one or more Collaborative Intrusion Detection Systems (CIDSs) to produce a concise overview of security-related activity on the network. The correlation process consists of multiple components, each responsible for a different aspect of the overall correlation goal. The sequential order of the correlation components affects the correlation process performance. Furthermore, the total time needed for the whole process depends on the number of processed alerts in each component. This paper presents an innovative alert correlation framework that minimizes the number of processed alerts on each component and thus reducing the correlation processing time. By reordering the components, the introduced correlation model reduces the number of processed alerts as early as possible by discarding the irrelevant, unreal and false alerts in the early phases of the correlation process. A new component, shushing the alerts, is added to deal with the unrelated and false positive alerts. A modified algorithm for fusing the alerts is outlined. The intruders’ intention is grouped into attack scenarios and thus used to detect future attacks. DARPA 2000 intrusion detection scenario specific datasets and a testbed network were used to evaluate the innovative alert correlation model. Comparisons with a previous correlation system were performed. The results of processing these datasets and recognizing the attack patterns demonstrated the potential of the improved correlation model and gave favorable results.

Author 1: Huwaida Tagelsir Ibrahim Elshoush

Keywords: Alert Correlation, Alert Reduction, Intrusion Detection Systems, False Alarm Rate