Remote Data Retrieval for Bioinformatics Applications: An Agent Migration Approach

Some of the approaches have been developed to retrieve data automatically from one or multiple remote biological data sources. However, most of them require researchers to remain online and wait for returned results. The latter not only requires highly available network connection, but also may cause the network overload. Moreover, so far none of the existing approaches has been designed to address the following problems when retrieving the remote data in a mobile network environment: (1) the resources of mobile devices are limited; (2) network connection is relatively of low quality; and (3) mobile users are not always online. To address the aforementioned problems, we integrate an agent migration approach with a multi-agent system to overcome the high latency or limited bandwidth problem by moving their computations to the required resources or services. More importantly, the approach is fit for the mobile computing environments. Presented in this paper are also the system architecture, the migration strategy, as well as the security authentication of agent migration. As a demonstration, the remote data retrieval from GenBank was used to illustrate the feasibility of the proposed approach

Methodology and tools for improving competence of a chemical plant characterized by a complex Supply Chain network

Supply chain performance is strongly influenced by its design, chosen architecture, logistic network and types of finished product that made their marketplace. Sometimes environmental reasons like site location due to deals between government administration and companies may cause changes in logical design and hence increase logistic network complexity and become in a strategic Supply Chain constraint. Our case study addresses a geographic place of a chemical manufacturing plant inside its supply chain which the 86% of the domestic raw material suppliers, its unique distribution center and 100% of the plastic and metallic packaging suppliers are placed over 800 kilometers of distance. Starting from this restriction the research work consists in how redesign and rethink the architecture of the existing supply chain and optimize the processes inside the chemical plant trying to minimize the cost disadvantages related directly to the physical location of the factory. This research treats the selection of coordination and collaborative mechanisms between supply chain members, other company departments and outsourcing partners in order to create a collaborative coordinated model for optimization of this complex supply chain network. Besides this environment limitation, the most salient threats were internal at the company and consisted successfully implement coordinated actions to improve the management of processes and to take practical level. Fighting against the cultural change of the sectors involved and achieves the proposed expected results. The thesis consists of five practical cases studies of coordinated process for performance improvement. Each one being part of an integrated system that converges in a Plant performance common goal, which is increase supply chain competence. RQ1 tries to identify the processes which will be possible to apply the SC new model and management system emerged from the theoretical study and practical benchmarking cases. The research design is then presented by the implementation at Plant’s field level of the proposed develop scheme using the coordinated collaborative improvement model. RQ2 asks whether the chosen cases are adequate. Selecting the best alternative proposed for each thread. After that, the obtained results are presented and discussed for each field case. The focus of the research study is on supply chain practice and supply chain theoretical framework also. To conclude with the author experience that remarks supply chain practice has been heavily influenced by supply chain research and vice versa

Covid-19 : Contact/Call Centre Workers in Scotland

This report analyses the responses of 510 contact centre workers in Scotland and the hazards they face from exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and the disease Covid19. Extensive evidence of serious dangers, including no or inadequate social distancing, face-to-face contact, hotdesking, problems with HVAC (Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning) systems. The report combines primary evidence with a critical review of including an extensive literature consisting of reports, academic articles, practitioner and government guidance. It concludes with an extended discussion section exploring the implications, Finally, a recommendations' chapter identifies important steps that should be taken to ensure contact workers' safety

Exploratory research into supply chain voids within Welsh priority business sectors

The paper reports the findings resulting from the initial stages of an exploratory investigation into Supply Chain Voids (SCV) in Wales. The research forms the foundations of a PhD thesis which is framed within the sectors designated as important by the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) and indicates local supplier capability voids within their supply chains. This paper covers the stages of initial data gathering, analysis and results identified between June 2006 and April 2007, whilst addressing the first of four research questions. Finally, the approach to address future research is identified in order to explain how the PhD is to progress

Pharmaceutical supply chains in Nigeria : a framework for outsourcing outbound value chains

Abstract: Effective patients’ treatment is predicated on availability of high quality medicines access. The outbound segment of pharmaceutical supply chains is critical to achieving this goal. In this study, the pharmaceutical supply chains management in Nigeria with emphasis on the outsourcing of the outbound value chains was investigated. The objectives were to study the extent of outsourcing of outbound value chain activities in the Nigerian pharmaceutical industry, investigate the rationale for outsourcing outbound pharmaceutical value chains in Nigeria, study the critical criteria for a successful selection and outsourcing relationship with 3rd Party Service Providers, identify the desired outcomes of outsourcing outbound pharmaceutical value chains and utilize the study results to develop a framework for outsourcing and improvement of outbound value chain activities in the Nigerian pharmaceutical industry...D.Phil. (Operations Management

The Procurement Perspectives of Fruits and Vegetables Supply Chain Planning

Supply chain planning in the fruits and vegetables (FV) supply chains, dealing with short life cycled products in a competitive marketplace, integrates the complex network farmers, food processing and supply to end customers to enhance operations effectiveness

Management, Technology and Learning for Individuals, Organisations and Society in Turbulent Environments

This book presents the collection of fifty papers which were presented in the Second International Conference on BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY 2011 - Management, Technology and Learning for Individuals, Organisations and Society in Turbulent Environments , held in Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal, from 22ndto 24thof June, 2011.The main motive of the meeting was growing awareness of the importance of the sustainability issue. This importance had emerged from the growing uncertainty of the market behaviour that leads to the characterization of the market, i.e. environment, as turbulent. Actually, the characterization of the environment as uncertain and turbulent reflects the fact that the traditional technocratic and/or socio-technical approaches cannot effectively and efficiently lead with the present situation. In other words, the rise of the sustainability issue means the quest for new instruments to deal with uncertainty and/or turbulence. The sustainability issue has a complex nature and solutions are sought in a wide range of domains and instruments to achieve and manage it. The domains range from environmental sustainability (referring to natural environment) through organisational and business sustainability towards social sustainability. Concerning the instruments for sustainability, they range from traditional engineering and management methodologies towards “soft” instruments such as knowledge, learning, and creativity. The papers in this book address virtually whole sustainability problems space in a greater or lesser extent. However, although the uncertainty and/or turbulence, or in other words the dynamic properties, come from coupling of management, technology, learning, individuals, organisations and society, meaning that everything is at the same time effect and cause, we wanted to put the emphasis on business with the intention to address primarily companies and their businesses. Due to this reason, the main title of the book is “Business Sustainability 2.0” but with the approach of coupling Management, Technology and Learning for individuals, organisations and society in Turbulent Environments. Also, the notation“2.0” is to promote the publication as a step further from our previous publication – “Business Sustainability I” – as would be for a new version of software. Concerning the Second International Conference on BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY, its particularity was that it had served primarily as a learning environment in which the papers published in this book were the ground for further individual and collective growth in understanding and perception of sustainability and capacity for building new instruments for business sustainability. In that respect, the methodology of the conference work was basically dialogical, meaning promoting dialog on the papers, but also including formal paper presentations. In this way, the conference presented a rich space for satisfying different authors’ and participants’ needs. Additionally, promoting the widest and global learning environment and participation, in accordance with the Conference's assumed mission to promote Proactive Generative Collaborative Learning, the Conference Organisation shares/puts open to the community the papers presented in this book, as well as the papers presented on the previous Conference(s). These papers can be accessed from the conference webpage (http://labve.dps.uminho.pt/bs11). In these terms, this book could also be understood as a complementary instrument to the Conference authors’ and participants’, but also to the wider readerships’ interested in the sustainability issues. The book brought together 107 authors from 11 countries, namely from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Serbia, Switzerland, and United States of America. The authors “ranged” from senior and renowned scientists to young researchers providing a rich and learning environment. At the end, the editors hope, and would like, that this book to be useful, meeting the expectation of the authors and wider readership and serving for enhancing the individual and collective learning, and to incentive further scientific development and creation of new papers. Also, the editors would use this opportunity to announce the intention to continue with new editions of the conference and subsequent editions of accompanying books on the subject of BUSINESS SUSTAINABILITY, the third of which is planned for year 2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

From Yosemite to a Global Market: How Patagonia, Inc. has Created an Environmentally Sustainable and Socially Equitable Model of Supply-Chain Management

There is an urgent pressure of the time (2016) to re-evaluate our patterns of consumption to adapt to changing climates and reduce waste and pollution. Because an immediate restructuring of global production strategies is not likely any time soon, industrial innovators are finding new ways of redesigning supply-chain management in efforts to move towards environmentally sustainable business in which all manufacturing practices are transparent. Patagonia, Inc. is a testament to the often-debated question of economic value in green business practices, and this thesis acts as an outline as to how they arrived at such an impressive presence in the business world, grow financially, maintain global influence, while maintaining their environmental priorities. Through its transparent and environmentally conscious supply-chain management, Patagonia has effectively set the scene for other producers to follow its lead in a time where redesign and innovation is the only answer to depleting natural resources and the need to eliminate waste. The crucial connection that Patagonia maintains with its consumers can be examined through the inherent environmental psychological analysis of Patagonia’s mission to create the highest quality product while doing the least amount of harm to the environment. The consumers who are buying products to engage in outdoor recreation presumably attach high value to those natural lands and waters that they are venturing out into. Therefore, with this deep emotional significance comes motivation to protect the sanctity of those places on Earth, and support those organizations and businesses that are driven by this same passion

Ubiquitous computing and natural interfaces for environmental information

Dissertação apresentada na Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia do Ambiente, perfil Gestão e Sistemas AmbientaisThe next computing revolution‘s objective is to embed every street, building, room and object with computational power. Ubiquitous computing (ubicomp) will allow every object to receive and transmit information, sense its surroundings and act accordingly, be located from anywhere in the world, connect every person. Everyone will have the possibility to access information, despite their age, computer knowledge, literacy or physical impairment. It will impact the world in a profound way, empowering mankind, improving the environment, but will also create new challenges that our society, economy, health and global environment will have to overcome. Negative impacts have to be identified and dealt with in advance. Despite these concerns, environmental studies have been mostly absent from discussions on the new paradigm. This thesis seeks to examine ubiquitous computing, its technological emergence, raise awareness towards future impacts and explore the design of new interfaces and rich interaction modes. Environmental information is approached as an area which may greatly benefit from ubicomp as a way to gather, treat and disseminate it, simultaneously complying with the Aarhus convention. In an educational context, new media are poised to revolutionize the way we perceive, learn and interact with environmental information. cUbiq is presented as a natural interface to access that information