New Science Gateways for Advanced Computing Simulations and Visualization Using Vine Toolkit in PL-Grid

A Science Gateway is a connection between scientists and their computational tools in the form of web portal. It creates a space for communities, collaboration and data sharing and visualization in a comprehensive and efficient manner. The main purpose of such a solution is to allow users to access the computational resources, process and analyze their data and get the results in a uniform and user friendly way. In this paper we propose a complex solution based on the Rich Internet Application (RIA) approach consisting of a web portal powered by Vine Toolkit with Adobe Flex/BlazeDs technologies. There are two Science Gateways described in detail one for engineers to manage computationally intensive workflows used in advanced airplane construction simulations, and one for nanotechnology scientists to manage experiments in nano-science field calculated with Density Functional Theory (DFT). In both cases the results show how modern web solution can help scientists in their work. &nbsp

Unsupervised learning based coordinated multi-task allocation for unmanned surface vehicles

In recent decades, unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) are attracting increasing attention due to their underlying capability in autonomously undertaking complex maritime tasks in constrained environments. However, the autonomy level of USVs is still limited, especially when being deployed to conduct multiple tasks simultaneously. This paper, therefore, aims to improve USVs autonomy level by investigating and developing an effective and efficient task management algorithm for multi-USV systems. To better deal with challenging requirements such as allocating vast tasks in cluttered environments, the task management has been de-composed into two submissions, i.e., task allocation and task execution. More specifically, unsupervised learning strategies have been used with an improved K-means algorithm proposed to first assign different tasks for a multi-USV system then a self-organising map (SOM) been implemented to deal with the task execution problem based upon the assigned tasks for each USV. Differing to other work, the communication problem that is crucial for USVs in a constrained environment has been specifically resolved by designing a new competition strategy for K-means algorithm. Key factors that will influence the communication capability in practical applications have been taken into account. A holistic task management architecture has been designed by integrating both the task allocation and task execution algorithms, and a number of simulations in both simulated and practical maritime environments have been carried out to validate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms

Cognitive Task Planning for Smart Industrial Robots

This research work presents a novel Cognitive Task Planning framework for Smart Industrial Robots. The framework makes an industrial mobile manipulator robot Cognitive by applying Semantic Web Technologies. It also introduces a novel Navigation Among Movable Obstacles algorithm for robots navigating and manipulating inside a firm. The objective of Industrie 4.0 is the creation of Smart Factories: modular firms provided with cyber-physical systems able to strong customize products under the condition of highly flexible mass-production. Such systems should real-time communicate and cooperate with each other and with humans via the Internet of Things. They should intelligently adapt to the changing surroundings and autonomously navigate inside a firm while moving obstacles that occlude free paths, even if seen for the first time. At the end, in order to accomplish all these tasks while being efficient, they should learn from their actions and from that of other agents. Most of existing industrial mobile robots navigate along pre-generated trajectories. They follow ectrified wires embedded in the ground or lines painted on th efloor. When there is no expectation of environment changes and cycle times are critical, this planning is functional. When workspaces and tasks change frequently, it is better to plan dynamically: robots should autonomously navigate without relying on modifications of their environments. Consider the human behavior: humans reason about the environment and consider the possibility of moving obstacles if a certain goal cannot be reached or if moving objects may significantly shorten the path to it. This problem is named Navigation Among Movable Obstacles and is mostly known in rescue robotics. This work transposes the problem on an industrial scenario and tries to deal with its two challenges: the high dimensionality of the state space and the treatment of uncertainty. The proposed NAMO algorithm aims to focus exploration on less explored areas. For this reason it extends the Kinodynamic Motion Planning by Interior-Exterior Cell Exploration algorithm. The extension does not impose obstacles avoidance: it assigns an importance to each cell by combining the efforts necessary to reach it and that needed to free it from obstacles. The obtained algorithm is scalable because of its independence from the size of the map and from the number, shape, and pose of obstacles. It does not impose restrictions on actions to be performed: the robot can both push and grasp every object. Currently, the algorithm assumes full world knowledge but the environment is reconfigurable and the algorithm can be easily extended in order to solve NAMO problems in unknown environments. The algorithm handles sensor feedbacks and corrects uncertainties. Usually Robotics separates Motion Planning and Manipulation problems. NAMO forces their combined processing by introducing the need of manipulating multiple objects, often unknown, while navigating. Adopting standard precomputed grasps is not sufficient to deal with the big amount of existing different objects. A Semantic Knowledge Framework is proposed in support of the proposed algorithm by giving robots the ability to learn to manipulate objects and disseminate the information gained during the fulfillment of tasks. The Framework is composed by an Ontology and an Engine. The Ontology extends the IEEE Standard Ontologies for Robotics and Automation and contains descriptions of learned manipulation tasks and detected objects. It is accessible from any robot connected to the Cloud. It can be considered a data store for the efficient and reliable execution of repetitive tasks; and a Web-based repository for the exchange of information between robots and for the speed up of the learning phase. No other manipulation ontology exists respecting the IEEE Standard and, regardless the standard, the proposed ontology differs from the existing ones because of the type of features saved and the efficient way in which they can be accessed: through a super fast Cascade Hashing algorithm. The Engine lets compute and store the manipulation actions when not present in the Ontology. It is based on Reinforcement Learning techniques that avoid massive trainings on large-scale databases and favors human-robot interactions. The overall system is flexible and easily adaptable to different robots operating in different industrial environments. It is characterized by a modular structure where each software block is completely reusable. Every block is based on the open-source Robot Operating System. Not all industrial robot controllers are designed to be ROS-compliant. This thesis presents the method adopted during this research in order to Open Industrial Robot Controllers and create a ROS-Industrial interface for them

Implementing Smart Specialisation Strategies: A Handbook

Smart Specialisation represents the most comprehensive industrial policy experiment being implemented in Europe. Conceived within the reformed Cohesion policy of the European Commission, Smart Specialisation is a place-based policy promoting economic transformation and investment in innovative activities in selected areas of the socio-economic system in order to achieve a smart, inclusive and sustainable growth. Drawing on empirical evidence, the Smart Specialisation Implementation Handbook is targeted at policy-makers and regional development professionals who are crafting their innovation policy according to a common set of principles and methodologies. The handbook aims at taking stock of the Smart Specialisation experience and presenting its current state of the art, both in terms of conceptual developments and practical implementation. It addresses five key milestones of the implementation process: 1) The Entrepreneurial Discovery Process (EDP) cycle: from priority selection to strategy implementation 2) Good governance: principles and challenges 3) From priorities to projects: selection criteria and selection process 4) Transnational cooperation and value chains 5) MonitoringJRC.B.3-Territorial Developmen

Plataforma ABAC para aplicações da IoT baseada na norma OASIS XACML

Mestrado em Engenharia de Computadores e TelemáticaA IoT (Internet of Things) é uma área que apresenta grande potencial mas embora muitos dos seus problemas já terem soluções satisfatórias, a segurança permanece um pouco esquecida, mantendo-se um como questão ainda por resolver. Um dos aspectos da segurança que ainda não foi endereçado é o controlo de acessos. O controlo de acesso é uma forma de reforçar a segurança que envolve avaliar os pedidos de acesso a recursos e negar o acesso caso este não seja autorizado, garantindo assim a segurança no acesso a recursos críticos ou vulneráveis. O controlo de Acesso é um termo lato, existindo diversos modelos ou paradigmas possíveis, dos quais os mais significativos são: IBAC (Identity Based Access Control), RBAC (Role Based Access Control) and ABAC (Attribute Based Access Control). Neste trabalho será usado o ABAC, já que oferece uma maior flexibilidade comparativamente a IBAC e RBAC. Além disso, devido à sua natureza adaptativa o ABAC tem maior longevidade e menor necessidade de manutenção. A OASIS (Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards) desenvolveu a norma XACML (eXtensible Access Control Markup Language) para escrita/definição de políticas de acesso e pedidos de acesso, e de avaliação de pedidos sobre conjuntos de políticas com o propósito de reforçar o controlo de acesso sobre recursos. O XACML foi definido com a intenção de que os pedidos e as políticas fossem de fácil leitura para os humanos, garantindo, porém, uma estrutura bem definida que permita uma avaliação precisa. A norma XACML usa ABAC. Este trabalho tem o objetivo de criar uma plataforma de segurança que utilize os padrões ABAC e XACML que possa ser usado por outros sistemas, reforçando o controlo de acesso sobre recursos que careçam de proteção, e garantindo acesso apenas a sujeitos autorizadas. Vai também possibilitar a definição fina ou granular de regras e pedidos permitindo uma avaliação com maior precisão e um maior grau de segurança. Os casos de uso principais são grandes aplicações IoT, como aplicações Smart City, que inclui monitorização inteligente de tráfego, consumo de energia e outros recursos públicos, monitorização pessoal de saúde, etc. Estas aplicações lidam com grandes quantidades de informação (Big Data) que é confidencial e/ou pessoal. Existe um número significativo de soluções NoSQL (Not Only SQL) para resolver o problema do volume de dados, mas a segurança é ainda uma questão por resolver. Este trabalho vai usar duas bases de dados NoSQL: uma base de dados key-value (Redis) para armazenamento de políticas e uma base de dados wide-column (Cassandra) para armazenamento de informação de sensores e informação de atributos adicionais durante os testes.IoT (Internet of Things) is an area which offers great opportunities and although a lot of issues already have satisfactory solutions, security has remained somewhat unaddressed and remains to be a big issue. Among the security aspects, we emphasize access control. Access Control is a way of enforcing security that involves evaluating requests for accessing resources and denies access if it is unauthorised, therefore providing security for vulnerable resources. Access Control is a broad term that consists of several methodologies of which the most significant are: IBAC (Identity Based Access Control), RBAC (Role Based Access Control) and ABAC (Attribute Based Access Control). In this work ABAC will be used as it offers the most flexibility compared to IBAC and RBAC. Also, because of ABAC's adaptive nature, it offers longevity and lower maintenance requirements. OASIS (Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards) developed the XACML (eXtensible Access Control Markup Language) standard for writing/defining requests and policies and the evaluation of the requests over sets of policies for the purpose of enforcing access control over resources. It is defined so the requests and policies are readable by humans but also have a well defined structure allowing for precise evaluation. The standard uses ABAC. This work aims to create a security framework that utilizes ABAC and the XACML standard so that it can be used by other systems and enforce access control over resources that need to be protected by allowing access only to authorised subjects. It will also allow for fine grained defining of rules and requests for more precise evaluation and therefore a greater level of security. The primary use-case scenarios are large IoT applications such as Smart City applications including: smart traffic monitoring, energy and utility consumption, personal healthcare monitoring, etc. These applications deal with large quantities (Big Data) of confidential and/or personal data. A number of NoSQL (Not Only SQL) solutions exist for solving the problem of volume but security is still an issue. This work will use two NoSQL databases. A key-value database (Redis) for the storing of policies and a wide-column database (Cassandra) for storing sensor data and additional attribute data during testing

Cluster policy of innovative development of the national economy: integration and infrastructure aspects

Призначається для науковців, викладачів, студентів економічних спеціальностей, підприємців, представників органів державної та регіональної влади та інших зацікавлених осіб.В монографії розглянуто теоретико-концептуальні, методологічні та практичні аспекти іннова- ційного розвитку національних економік на основі кластерного підходу. На підставі узагальнення світового та європейського досвіду доводиться стратегічна роль кластерних структур для економіч- ного зростання та забезпечення конкурентоспроможності національних економік на глобальному рівні. Розглянуто особливості формування кластерної політики країн ЄС в умовах розвитку мереже- вої та інтелектуальної економіки, визначені проблеми та перспективи розвитку кластерів в Україні та запропоновані певні критеріальні вимоги до формування українських кластерних об’єднань згідно з кращими практиками ЄС. Запропонована концептуально-методологічна модель оціню- вання синергетичних ефектів кластерних структур. Проаналізовано інноваційні та інституаційні передумови формування та розвитку кластерних структур в Україні з урахуванням економічної політики кластеризації Європейського Союзу. На основі сегментного аналізу галузевих кластерних ініціатив в Україні запропонована кластерна модель структурної трансформації та конкурентного розвитку стратегічно важливих для економіки країни галузей. На основі дослідження стану та перспектив розвитку регіональних кластерів, розроблено рекомендації щодо використання клас- терного підходу при формуванні регіональної політики, зокрема, в українському Причорномор’ї та в Одеській області. Розроблено комплекс заходів щодо формування та розвитку транспортно-ло- гістичних кластерів, які належать до кластерів інфраструктурного типу та мають першочергове значення для розвитку національної економіки. Надані рекомендації щодо побудови ефективної системи доставки на основі кластеризації міської території. Запропонована еколого-інноваційна модель кластерної взаємодії транспорту та промисловості в умовах інформаційної економіки.The monograph deals with theoretical and conceptual, methodological and practical aspects of innovative development of national economies based on the cluster approach. Based on the generalisation of the world and European experience, the strategic role of cluster structures for economic growth and ensuring the competitiveness of national economies at the global level is proven. The features of cluster policy formation of the EU countries in the conditions of the network and intellectual economy development are considered. The problems and prospects of clusters development in Ukraine are defined. Specific criteria for the formation of Ukrainian cluster associations according to the best EU practices are proposed. A conceptual and method- ological model for evaluating the synergetic effects of cluster structures is proposed. The inno- vative and institutional prerequisites for the formation and development of cluster structures in Ukraine, taking into account the economic policy of the European Union’s clustering, are analysed. Based on the segmental analysis of industry clusters initiatives in Ukraine, a clus- ter model of structural transformation and competitive development of strategically important industries for the country’s economy is proposed. Based on the study of state and prospects of regional clusters’ development, developed recommendations for the use of the cluster approach in the formation of regional policy, in particular, in the Ukrainian black sea region and the Odesa region. A set of measures developed for the formation and development of transport and logistics clusters, which are related to infrastructure-type clusters and are of primary importance for the development of the national economy. Recommendations for building an effective delivery system based on clustering of the city territory are given. An ecological and innovative model of cluster interaction between transport and industry in the information economy is proposed

Impact de traitements antibiotiques sur la flore digestive du porcelet : Etude in vivo et développement d'une approche en système de fermentation in vitro

In the context of antibiotic resistance, the aim of the current PhD work is to assess the impact of antibiotics on intestinal microbiota of piglets. Two antibiotics i.e. colistin and ceftiofur, for which the main resistances include respectively chromosomal mutations and plasmid genes have been used. Colistin significantly reduced the population of Enterobacteriaceae, but there was no selection of resistant E. coli. The administration of ceftiofur had a limited impact on the bacterial populations that make up the digestive ecosystem but it led to strong selection and dissemination of a plasmid gene encoding an extended-spectrum beta-lactamase. Then, in the framework of regulations to reduce animal testing, an in vitro model of colonic pig named PigutIVM was developed in order to simulate the digestive environment of the piglet and then check the effect of colistin on the microbiota simulated in PigutIVM in vitro. Therefore both the approaches i.e. in vivo and in vitro were compared in order to check the effect of colistin on intestinal microbiota of piglets. This tool was then used to evaluate the impact of a probiotic i.e. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as alternative to antibiotics. Therefore we assume that this PigutIVM model should be positioned as a relevant predictive tool in the fields of nutritional and pharmacological investigations.Dans le contexte de l'antibiorésistance, l'objet de ce doctorat vise à évaluer l'impact d'antibiotiques sur le microbiote intestinal de porcelets. La colistine et le ceftiofur, pour lesquels les résistances incluent essentiellement et respectivement mutations chromosomiques et gènes plasmidiques, ont été utilisés. La colistine a significativement réduit la population des entérobactéries, mais aucun E. coli résistant n'a été détecté. L'administration de ceftiofur a eu un impact limité sur les populations bactériennes composant l'écosystème digestif mais a conduit à une forte sélection et à la diffusion d'un gène plasmidique codant pour une bêta-lactamase à spectre étendu. Puis, dans le cadre de la réglementation visant à diminuer l'expérimentation animale, un modèle in vitro colique porcin, nommé PigutIVM, a été mis au point afin de simuler l'environnement digestif du porcelet et a permis de confirmer, in vitro, l'effet observé in vivo de la colistine sur le microbiote. Cet outil a ensuite été utilisé pour évaluer l'impact d'un probiotique, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, comme alternative aux antibiotiques. Le modèle PigutIVM devrait se positionner comme un outil de prédiction pertinent dans les domaines d'investigation aussi bien nutritionnels que pharmacologiques