Anne Ramsden, Zimin Wu and Dianguo Zhao
The Information Centre at De Montfort University Milton Keynes is carrying out a three year research project known as the ELINOR Electronic Library project, which will work…
Abstract
The Information Centre at De Montfort University Milton Keynes is carrying out a three year research project known as the ELINOR Electronic Library project, which will work towards the creation of a large, indexed collection of electronic texts and images accessible to the students and staff via desktop workstations. The pilot phase will build on the existing information network and use the latest document image processing (DIP) and text retrieval technologies to set up a central and secure location for the data. At this stage of the project, the recommended course texts are not available in electronic formats, so the priority was to assess the suitability of a DIP system for converting printed works into machine‐readable text and image files. Each electronic document will contain a searchable table of contents, abstract, back‐of‐the‐book index data, and, appended to this information will be a folder of image pages. This paper outlines the investigative stages in evaluating and selecting a DIP system, and finally, covers the shortcomings of using a commercial DIP system for electronic libraries.
Zimin Wu, Anne Ramsden and Dianguo Zhao
The electronic library is emerging as the library of the foreseeable future but its user aspect, particularly the usability, requires more research. This article describes the…
Abstract
The electronic library is emerging as the library of the foreseeable future but its user aspect, particularly the usability, requires more research. This article describes the ELINOR (Electronic Library and Information Online Retrieval) developments at De Montfort University from the user's perspective. It firstly shows the main features of the ELINOR user interface which illustrates how a user can find a document in the Electronic Library and subsequently read the retrieved document on the screen. This is then followed by a discussion of the methodology and findings of a user study based on a random sample of eight ELINOR users conducted in the Autumn term of 1993. The user study included searching/reading/browsing tasks and a questionnaire. The former is a controlled experiment designed to gauge objectively the usability of ELINOR by comparing the use of the electronic books with that of printed books. The questionnaire shows the user's subjective reaction to ELINOR. Future work on the user study will expand the sample to include all the first‐ and second‐year students doing the Business Information Systems Course at the University's Milton Keynes campus.
The ELINOR electronic library system is a well integrated, fully functioning system implemented at De Montfort University in 1993. The system currently contains the full contents…
Abstract
The ELINOR electronic library system is a well integrated, fully functioning system implemented at De Montfort University in 1993. The system currently contains the full contents of some 35 000‐page course materials assisting the teaching and learning of one undergraduate course. The core software for the system is PixTex/EFS, a free text retrieval system with well integrated imaging functions. A usage statistics collection and management subsystem and a printing control subsystem were developed in‐house later for copyright management and other management purposes. This paper presents the various aspects of the ELINOR electronic library system including its database, browsing, searching, printing, document capturing, managing, architecture, the user aspect, and the pros and cons of the system.
Kathryn Arnold, Mel Collier and Anne Ramsden
In November 1990 Leicester Polytechnic (now De Montfort University) won a contract to provide higher education in the new city of Milton Keynes, against strong competition from a…
Abstract
In November 1990 Leicester Polytechnic (now De Montfort University) won a contract to provide higher education in the new city of Milton Keynes, against strong competition from a number of other higher education institutions in the region. In January 1991 the Polytechnic took possession of a green field site for the new campus from the Milton Keynes Development Corporation. Eight months later in September 1991 the first buildings had been erected, staff appointed, services organized, students recruited and the first courses commenced. This must surely claim to be the quickest ever inception of a new higher education institution.
Copyright is frequently mentioned at library IT conferences as a slight problem to be overcome. Instead, this article affirms that it is a major impediment which affects all…
Abstract
Copyright is frequently mentioned at library IT conferences as a slight problem to be overcome. Instead, this article affirms that it is a major impediment which affects all players in the electronic information chain. Problems are reviewed both from the point of view of information professionals and copyright holders. The author suggests that librarians could take on the role of ‘emulsifier’ in mixing copyright and information.
The ability to manipulate efficiently data for management information is becoming increasingly important. Minstrel, a European Union funded project is creating a software tool…
Abstract
The ability to manipulate efficiently data for management information is becoming increasingly important. Minstrel, a European Union funded project is creating a software tool designed to assist with the acquisition and handling of data on library use. The activity has been developed from a study of decision support and performance measures in European libraries carried out in 1994. The first phase of Minstrel has included consultation with potential users, a specification of functions and investigation of methods for interfacing with potential data sources and decision support tools.
Details
Keywords
Ken Eason, Liangzhi Yu and Susan Harker
This paper examines the general value to users of a range of electronic journal functions and their usefulness in the specific context of the SuperJournal Project. For the…
Abstract
This paper examines the general value to users of a range of electronic journal functions and their usefulness in the specific context of the SuperJournal Project. For the evaluation of each of the functions three types of data were analysed in relation to each other and in light of other contextual data: logged data of usage, survey data on user satisfaction, and survey data on the perceived importance of the function. The analysis shows that basic browsing, printing and search make up the core functions of electronic journals; other functions, such as saving of bibliographic data, alerting, customising, links with external resources and communication, serve as peripheral functions. The usefulness of both the core functions and the peripheral functions in a specific service is influenced by various implementation factors. However, it is the realised usefulness of the core functions which determines the use of a service.
Details
Keywords
Yuxiu Yan, Jie Gao, Zimin Jin and Jianwei Tao
– The purpose of this paper is to clarify the relationship between dynamic clothing pressure of women's sports bras and heart rate variation indexes during playing basketball.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to clarify the relationship between dynamic clothing pressure of women's sports bras and heart rate variation indexes during playing basketball.
Design/methodology/approach
Totally, 35 healthy females aged between 20 and 24 were employed as subjects. Their heart rate variability (HRV) data and the clothing pressure values when wearing sports bras of different bust sizes during playing basketball were measured using Polar RS800CX heart rate monitor and Flexi Force201 thin film type pressure sensor with MFF series pressure test system. Their subjective comfort evaluations were conducted by five-point Likert scale. Grey correlation analysis is used to determine the correlation degree of heart rate variation indexes and subjective comfort evaluations to identify the indexes preferably associated with subjective comfort. Multiple regression analysis is applied to investigate multiple correlations between pressure of test points and the indexes selected above.
Findings
Combined subjective comfort evaluation with objective HRV evaluation the heart rate variation indexes preferably associated with subjective comfort of these bras were identified, which includes mHR, mRR, RMSSD, pNN50. By the relationship between dynamic clothing pressure and the indexes above, this study finds that the clothing pressure of the chest area during basketball exercise should be controlled in the range of 2.01-4.74 kPa.
Research limitations/implications
The subjects of different body type should be taken into account. Further, the mathematic models from this study show low R2-value so the models should be provided more reliable prediction.
Originality/value
The present study indicates that there is an inevitable connection between heart rate variation indexes and subjective comfort of basketball sports bras and creatively points out that heart rate variation indexes can partly assess the comfortable clothing pressure. The study can offer theoretical basis for sports apparel industry to develop the comfortable basketball sports bra.
Details
Keywords
Zimin Li, Zilong Zhu, Jianqiu Wang, Meng Wang, Ting Hou, Qinghua Li and Pei Yu
Two corrosion inhibitors for closed cooling water systems, nitrite-based and mixture of nitrite and molybdate corrosion inhibitor, are often compared to each other. This study…
Abstract
Purpose
Two corrosion inhibitors for closed cooling water systems, nitrite-based and mixture of nitrite and molybdate corrosion inhibitor, are often compared to each other. This study aims to optimize these two inhibitors in terms of concentration and pH for carbon steel protection, with insights into the double layer structure on surface and its impact on corrosion inhibition.
Design/methodology/approach
Electrochemical analysis including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic test are carried out for quick assessment of corrosion inhibition efficiency and optimization, which is confirmed by immersion test and microscopic analysis. The electronic properties of the surface film are analyzed through Mott–Schottky method which provides new insights into the inhibition mechanism and the role of each component in mixture inhibitor.
Findings
Mixture of nitrite and molybdate is shown to present higher inhibition efficiency, owning to the double layer structure. Nitrite alone can form a protective surface film, whereas molybdate leads to an n-type semiconductive film with lower donor density, hence giving rise to a better inhibition effect.
Research limitations/implications
Surface after inhibitor treatment has been carefully characterized to the microscopic scale, implying the effect of micro-structure, chemical composition and electronic properties on the corrosion resistance. Inorganic corrosion inhibitors can be tuned to provide higher efficiency by careful design of surface film structure and composition.
Originality/value
Almost every study on corrosion inhibitor applies such method for quick assessment of corrosion inhibition effect. Mott–Schottky test is one of electrochemical methods that reveals the electronic properties of the surface film. Previous works have studied the surface layer mainly through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. This study provides another insight into the surface film treated by nitrite and molybdate through Mott–Schottky analysis, and relates this structure to the corrosion inhibition effect based on multiple analysis including electrochemistry, microscopic characterization, thermodynamics and interface chemistry.
Details
Keywords
Yuxiu Yan, Yanna Feng, Zimin Jin and Jianwei Tao
The purpose of this paper is to improve the comfort and shaping function of seamless shapewear on the material and structure and develop new seamless shapewear products. The…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to improve the comfort and shaping function of seamless shapewear on the material and structure and develop new seamless shapewear products. The shaping figure effect will be verified as well.
Design/methodology/approach
The performance of the knitted fabrics made of Polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT) filament was analyzed by orthogonal experiment and fuzzy mathematical methods analysis, in order to get the optimal conditions for the best performance. The new products were designed and made based on the results of the material research with the consideration of the aesthetic requirements. The shaping effect of seamless shapewears on local and global figure was tested by the methods of the combination of subjective and objective evaluation.
Findings
The sample which renders the optimal performance for shapewear is the one with PTT filament as face yarn, nylon core-spun yarn as ground yarn and 3+1 simulate rib knit structure. The material of face yarn, mixed proportion and structure can influence the shape retention, appearance and comfort of PTT fabric in various degrees. Three shapewears which were developed according to the results of material research have different shaping effect. And women with different figures put different satisfaction degrees on each shapewear’s shaping effect.
Practical implications
This paper provides scientific basis and reference for enterprise to design good tight seamless shapewear as well as for consumer to buy suitable products.
Originality/value
In the view of the problems of present shapewears, this paper completed the development of the shapewears and verified the shaping effect of them on women with different figures. The shapewears can be put into production directly.