The BURA digital repository system captures, stores, indexes, preserves, and distributes digital research material. http://bura.brunel.ac.uk:80 2012-02-23T00:03:41Z 2012-02-23T00:03:41Z Heravi, BR http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/6267 2012-02-22T13:47:45Z 2012-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Ontology-based information standards development Authors: Heravi, BR Abstract: Standards may be argued to be important enablers for achieving interoperability as they aim to provide unambiguous specifications for error-free exchange of documents and information. By implication, therefore, it is important to model and represent the concept of a standard in a clear, precise and unambiguous way. Although standards development organisations usually provide guidelines for the process of developing and approving standards, they are usually more concerned with administrative aspect of the process. As a consequence, the state-of-the-art lacks practical support for developing the structure and content of a standard specification. In short, there is no systematic development method currently available: (a) For developing the conceptual model underpinning a standard; and/or (b) to guide a group of stakeholders to develop a standard specification. Semantic interoperability is considered to be an essential factor for effective interoperation – the ability to achieve semantic interoperability effectively and efficiently being strongly equated with quality by some. Semantics require that the meaning of terms, their relationships and also the restrictions and rules in the standards should be clearly defined in the early stages of standard development and act as a basis for the latter stages. This research proposes that ontology can help standards developers and stakeholders to address the issues of improving conceptual models and providing a robust and shared understanding of the domain. This thesis presents OntoStanD, a comprehensive ontology-based standards development methodology, which utilises the best practices of the existing ontology creation methods. The potential value of OntoStanD is in providing a comprehensive, clear and unambiguous method for developing robust information standards, which are more test friendly and of higher quality. OntoStanD also facilitates standards conformance testing and change management, impacts interoperability and also assists in improved communication among the standards development team. Last, OntoStanD provides an approach that is repeatable, teachable and potentially general enough for creating any kinds of information standard. Description: This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.

2012-01-01T00:00:00Z Al-Shafi, SH http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/6266 2012-02-22T13:39:43Z 2009-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Factors affecting e-Government implementation and adoption in the State of Qatar Authors: Al-Shafi, SH Abstract: Electronic government (e-government) has established as an effective mechanism for increasing government productivity and efficiency and a key enabler of citizen-centric services. However, e-government implementation is surrounded by organisational, technological, political and social issues, which have to be considered and treated carefully in order to facilitate this change. Conversely, from an adoption perspective, e-government services are yet to be universally accepted as a medium for accessing online public services since its inception more than a decade ago. In terms of prior research into understanding the implementation challenges and adoption factors, most existing literature focus into either the implementation context or adoption context separately and no research studies were found that take a holistic viewpoint of both implementation and adoption. Furthermore, only a few researchers have explored and reflected on the important factors that can impact e-government implementation using well founded theoretical models or frameworks. Besides, there is no universal model for e-government implementation and adoption that is applicable for all countries to ensure success, especially for developing and Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC). Therefore, this thesis attempts to explore and investigate the key challenges that influence e-government implementation and the factors influencing citizen adoption in the state of Qatar. By simultaneously analysing and aligning the implementation issues of e-government with the adoption aspects, this study aimed to develop a better understanding of the gaps that exists between implementation and adoption. Through combining the implementation and adoption aspects of e-government, this thesis proposes a unified conceptual model which could be used as a frame of reference by government institutions that seek to implement and diffuse e-government systems in Qatar. To do so, the research draws from two well established theoretical models, Institutional Theory (for understanding implementation) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model (for understanding adoption). The research adopted a multi-method approach [combining qualitative (interviews) and quantitative (survey) methods] to explore practices and experiences of implementing and adopting e-government systems in the State of Qatar. Description: This thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.

2009-01-01T00:00:00Z Nebrensky, H http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/6265 2012-02-22T13:29:19Z 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Goals and Status of MICE the International Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment Authors: Nebrensky, H Description: This Article can be accessed from the link below.

2010-01-01T00:00:00Z Nebrensky, J Hanlet, PM http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/6263 2012-02-22T13:22:43Z 2011-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: POMPOMs: Cost-efficient polarity sensors for the MICE muon beamline Authors: Nebrensky, J; Hanlet, PM Abstract: The cooling effect in MICE (Muon Ionisation Cooling Experiment) will be studied with both positive and negative muons, reversing the electrical input to the magnets by physically swapping over the power leads. Ensuring the actual operating polarity of the beamline is correctly recorded is a manual step and at risk of error or omission. We have deployed a simple system for monitoring the operating polarity of the two bending magnets by placing in each dipole bore a Honeywell LOHET-II Hall-effect sensor that operates past saturation at nominal field strengths, and thus return one of two well-defined voltages corresponding to the two possible polarities of the magnet. The environment in the experimental hall is monitored by an AKCP securityProbe 5E system integrated into our EPICS-based controls and monitoring system. We read out the beamline polarity sensors using a voltmeter module, and translate the output voltage into a polarity (or alarm) state within EPICS whence it can be accessed by the operators and stored in the output datastream. Initial tests of the LOHET-II sensors indicate they will still be able to indicate beamline polarity after radiation doses of 900 Gy (Co60). Description: Copyright @ 2011 The Authors

2011-01-01T00:00:00Z