Giving form to computational things: developing a practice of interaction design

The computer is no longer the center of attention. Thus, what we design is no longer the interface to the computer. Rather, what we design is a thing or an environment in which a computer might be used to create certain desired effects. Indeed, interaction design in a sense becomes the practice of giving form to artifacts or environments rather like any of the other design disciplines that we have know for centuries. However, giving form to computational things is highly complex and somewhat different than most other form-giving practices due to its temporal form element—its ability to change between states. Thus, an interaction design practice needs to encompass this temporal form giving in combination with physical form giving and performances of the interaction gestalt. In this paper, I propose this trinity of forms as a framework to unfold the practice of interaction design. I further demonstrate how computational composites present a way to work with the temporal form and the physical form in a process not too different from any traditional form-giving practice. Lastly, I point to some tools and techniques to deal with the interdependencies of the three form elements and thereby also demonstrate that a form-giving practice of interaction design is already well under way.     

The Demand for Post‐Katrina Disaster Aid: SBA Disaster Loans and Small Businesses in Mississippi

Following Hurricane Katrina, the United States government provided billions of dollars in loans to repair the damage caused by the hurricane. However, the specifics surrounding demand for these loans and the process of application and approval for Small Business Administration (SBA) loans have yet to be fully examined. We analyse the demand of small businesses for such loans and delve into the factors which are associated with success in obtaining loan funds following disaster. Results indicate several factors are important in all of the stages of the loan process: the income of the business, whether the business had insurance or received money in an insurance claim and the gender of the business owner.     

Research trends in gender differences in higher education and science: a co-word analysis

The aim of this study is to map and analyze the structure and evolution of the scientific literature on gender differences in higher education and science, focusing on factors related to differences between 1991 and 2012. Co-word analysis was applied to identify the main concepts addressed in this research field. Hierarchical cluster analysis was used to cluster the keywords and a strategic diagram was created to analyze trends. The data set comprised a corpus containing 652 articles and reviews published between 1991 and 2012, extracted from the Thomson Reuters Web of Science database. In order to see how the results changed over time, documents were grouped into three different periods: 1991–2001, 2002–2007, and 2008–2012. The results showed that the number of themes has increased significantly over the years and that gender differences in higher education and science have been considered by specific research disciplines, suggesting important research-field-specific variations. Overall, the study helps to identify the major research topics in this domain, as well as highlighting issues to be addressed or strengthened in further work.     

Organic whey as a source of Lactobacillus strains with selected technological and antimicrobial properties

Twenty‐five strains, isolated from raw, non‐pasteurised, organic whey samples, were identified phenotypically and genotypically. Biochemical tests were performed, and enzyme profiles, antibiotic resistance and antimicrobial properties were investigated. Sixteen strains were identified as genus Lactobacillus. Based on 16S rDNA gene sequence, the strains were identified as Lb. plantarum and Lb. fermentum. All of the strains had β‐galactosidase activity, and some of them reduced nitrate content. All strains utilised carbohydrates. The tested strains were characterised by low or average lipolytic and esterolytic activity. Moreover, the strains showed low proteolytic activity which is advantageous for their use as starter cultures for foods with low protein content. Strains Lb. fermentum S20, SM1, SM3, S2R and Lb. plantarum SM5 produced harmful N‐acetyl‐β‐glucosaminidase; moreover, the strain S20 produced also β‐glucuronidase. None of the strains produced α‐chymotrypsin. In phenotypic studies, most of the test strains were susceptible to gentamicin, ampicillin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, penicillin and erythromycin. Strains Lb. plantarum S1 and Lb. fermentum S4, S7, S8, S10, SM1 and SM3 did not possess any transfer resistance genes. Antagonistic activity of the culture LAB strains was assessed as high or moderate in relation to the indicator strains, with the greatest zones of inhibition for E.coli and the smallest for L. monocytogenes ATCC 15313. This study reveals that the LAB strains isolated from organic whey have high potential for food application. Some strains of species Lb. fermentum (S4, S7, S8, S10) have been identified as the best candidates.     

Understanding reductions in water consumption in tourist areas: a case study of the Costa Brava,Spain

With nearly three million tourists per year, the Costa Brava (Spain) is one of the most frequently visited tourist areas on the Mediterranean coast. The aim of this article is to understand its hydrosocial cycle and to identify why water consumption per capita is decreasing in the region. Overall, this decrease is not related to a single factor. Instead, many factors, including the incorporation of technological and institutional innovations in water management, increasing levels of social awareness related to saving water, the introduction of alternative water resources, and increasing water prices, must be considered together.     

Triennial 1951: Post-War Reconstruction and “Divine Proportion”

This research centres on the conference dedicated to the theme “Divina Proporzione” organised on the occasion of the 1951 Milano Triennale. Participating in the meeting were some of the most important art historians, architects, engineers, mathematicians and artists of the day: from a very young James Ackerman to Pier Luigi Nervi, from Le Corbusier to Carlo Mollino, from Lucio Fontana to Ernesto Rogers. That historic moment, even given the plurality of voices and approaches, represented the synthesis of a reflection that was as urgent as it was rich in implications, since it brought the concept of “proportion” into the very heart of post-war reconstruction.     

Beta control charts for monitoring fraction data

p-Charts and np-Charts are commonly used in monitoring variables of the fraction type and these charts assume that the monitored variables are binomially distributed. In this paper we propose a new control chart called Beta Charts, for monitoring fraction data (p). The Beta Chart presents the control limits based on the Beta probability distribution. It was applied for monitoring the variables in three real studies, and it was compared to the control limits with three schemes. The comparative analysis showed that: (i) Beta approximation to the Binomial distribution was more appropriate with values confined in the [0, 1]-interval; and (ii) the charts proposed were more sensitive to the average run length (ARL), in both in-control and out-of-control processes monitoring. The Beta Charts outperform the control charts analyzed for monitoring fraction data.