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We propose a novel hybrid recommendation approach to address the well-known cold-start problem in Collaborative Filtering (CF). Our approach makes use of Cross-Level Association RulEs (CLARE) to integrate content information about domain items into collaborative filters. We first introduce a preference model comprising both user-item and item-item relationships in recommender systems, and present a motivating example of our work based on the model. We then describe how CLARE generates cold-start recommendations. We empirically evaluated the effectiveness of CLARE, which shows superior performance to related work in addressing the cold-start problem.

The definition and maintenance of workflow processes have become important tasks for enterprises as workflow management systems (WFMS) are systematically applied to critical business processes. In order to simplify the management and usage of workflow processes and to integrate with other applications, a good modeling method is essential. The WFCP-net (workflow-net based on colored Petri net) is an extension of the workflow-net (WF-net) which can be used to model family of workflow processes with similar process routes and logic rules. An expanding suite of tools, which currently includes, can support its application: a process structure graph editor, a WF script (workflow script language for writing business rules) editor and translator (translate WF script into Java classes) and a dynamically loadable workflow engine.

The concept of mediation has been successfully applied to the development of distributed information systems, where mediators form the middle tier between client applications and data resources, providing valuable abstraction and integration functions. Extensible MarkUp Language (XML) has been used to develop self-describing data models and common interfaces for mediators to be deployed in Web-based information systems. This makes such systems easier to develop, to maintain, and to evolve. This paper discusses the design of such an architecture and its application in retail inventory control in electronic commerce (e-commerce). The prototype system is implemented with Java Servlets and CORBA.

In this paper, we present our design of a GIS (Geographic Information System) to provide tourist information to visitors via the WWW. The system can help a tourist, even when he is not in Hong Kong, to find information about routes, buildings, underground railways and train stations. Further, the GIS also allows a tourist to interact with the displayed map by zooming, scrolling, panning, finding out a walking path between two locations with a time estimate, and linking to other WWW locations of tourist hotspots in Hong Kong.

A library of functions for the creation, manipulation, and viewing of solid models was created for deployment on the World Wide Web. The core data structure was based on the halfedge boundary-representation data structure proposed by M. Mantyla but much functionality had been added. It provided an alternate, constructive-solid-geometry interface to the core data structure. It was initially implemented in C and subsequently re-implemented in Java. An interface to the STEP standard and various applications such as a simple solid modeling applet, a conic illustrator applet, and a virtual furniture showroom applet had been built. It is being extended to support multiple simultaneous users as part of a prototype WWW-based tele-processing manufacturing system.

Data modelling plays a pivotal role in Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) as a vehicle for integration among the various component systems and users. Standardization in the representation of product information is receiving growing attention in recent years. In data modelling, the concepts of generalization, aggregation and classification are well known. They form the foundation of many, if not most, semantic and object-oriented models. Class hierarchy and the attendant inheritance semantics provide powerful modelling mechanisms whereby a more effective schema can be constructed in which common structural and behavioural specifications are shared. Aggregation has mainly been treated as an information structuring concept in most models, with focus on how complex-valued properties can be accommodated. In the application of computers in such areas as CAD/CAM and Geographic Information Systems where the structure of objects is of primary importance, the current aggregation semantics are inadequate. In this paper, we examine the aggregation concept from a number of perspectives. We discuss a proposed model of attribute semantics which can more effectively support the definition of constraints and derived data in an aggregation hierarchy. In the model, object attributes are categorized according to their meronymic type. The attribute categories serve as expansion scope for generating attribute references on a composite object. In the latter part of the paper we illustrate how part-of semantics can be incorporated into the current international standard for manufacturing data exchange of STEP/EXPRESS.