Scalable And Secure Provenance Querying For Scientific Workflows And Its Application In Autism Study

In the era of big data, scientific workflows have become essential to automate scientific experiments and guarantee repeatability. As both data and workflow increase in their scale, requirements for having a data lineage management system commensurate with the complexity of the workflow also become necessary, calling for new scalable storage, query, and analytics infrastructure. This system that manages and preserves the derivation history and morphosis of data, known as provenance system, is essential for maintaining quality and trustworthiness of data products and ensuring reproducibility of scientific discoveries. With a flurry of research and increased adoption of scientific workflows in processing sensitive data, i.e., health and medication domain, securing information flow and instrumenting access privileges in the system have become a fundamental precursor to deploying large-scale scientific workflows. That has become more important now since today team of scientists around the world can collaborate on experiments using globally distributed sensitive data sources. Hence, it has become imperative to augment scientific workflow systems as well as the underlying provenance management systems with data security protocols. Provenance systems, void of data security protocol, are susceptible to vulnerability. In this dissertation research, we delineate how scientific workflows can improve therapeutic practices in autism spectrum disorders. The data-intensive computation inherent in these workflows and sensitive nature of the data, necessitate support for scalable, parallel and robust provenance queries and secured view of data. With that in perspective, we propose $OPQL^{Pig}$, a parallel, robust, reliable and scalable provenance query language and introduce the concept of access privilege inheritance in the provenance systems. We characterize desirable properties of role-based access control protocol in scientific workflows and demonstrate how the qualities are integrated into the workflow provenance systems as well. Finally, we describe how these concepts fit within the DATAVIEW workflow management system

Distributed Solutions for a Reliable Data-Driven Transformation of Healthcare Management and Research

Modern healthcare management and clinical practice strongly rely on data and scientific evidence. Digital technologies, tools, and services are core components of Healthcare Management and scientific Research (HMR). Data interoperability, security, privacy, and ease of sharing represent fundamental conditions for guaranteeing quality HMR. Current data management solutions in HMR are mainly built on two technological infrastructures: cloud-based (CB) or distributed ledger systems (DLTs). DLTs offer alternative and reliable alternatives for the management and sharing of data in HMR. Their use can help increase confidence and trust in the integrity of data and the resulting evidence. The aim of this paper is to shed light on CB and DLT solutions, emphasizing the potential role of innovative digital solutions based on DLTs in creating a data-driven transformation of HMR, and to describe relevant examples and practical uses of DLT-based solutions for patients, healthcare management, and research activities. DLTs in particular can be increasingly useful for patients to truly have control over their health, for healthcare policymakers to increase the quality of organizational processes, and for research funders, editors and publishers to increase the return on investment, and the reuse and reproducibility of research. In conclusion, harnessing the potential of digital technologies is essential to transform healthcare management and research, by enhancing data quality, reliability, and trust

The Role of Knowledge Management on Organization Performance "Field Study on Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority"

The study aims to expose the role of knowledge management on organization performance at Aqaba special economic zone authority (ASEZA), where the researcher uses the questionnaire to collect data, and distribute (35) questionnaires on employees of different management levels and departments, and analyzes (33) of them with a percentage of (94.3%). The researcher has concluded that protecting information from loss or waste, the cost of transferring information to make speedy decisions, and the efficiency of knowledge management in the economy all have plays role on the performance of ASEZA, according to the opinions of the survey. The researcher recommends the following: the necessity for improving the methods of protecting systems, protecting information used in organizations and their sub systems, the need for the existence of scientific methods in order to calculate information costs which will help in reducing costs through the international crisis, trying to reduce expenses, and the needs to increase employee's efficiency through training programs, and also recruit expertise and skills from other professional government departments. Keywords: Knowledge management, information security, information transfer costs, knowledge management efficiency in economy

Analysis of Food Safety and Security Challenges in Emerging African Food Producing Areas through a One Health Lens: The Dairy Chains in Mali

Challenges posed by changes in livestock production in emerging food producing areas and demographic development and climate change require new approaches and responsibilities in the management of food chains. The increasingly recognized role of primary food producers requires the support of the scientific community to instruct effective approaches based on scientific data, tools, and expertise. Mali is an emerging food producing area, and this review covers (i) the dairy farming scenario and its environment, (ii) the role of dairy production in food security, including the greatly different animal rearing systems in the Sahel and tropical regions, (iii) risk management pillars as modern infrastructures, effective farmer organizations, and institutional systems to guarantee animal health and safety of products, and (iv) feasible interventions based on good practices and risk assessment at the farm level (e.g., sustainable use of fertilizers, feeds, veterinary drugs, and pesticides) to protect consumers from food safety hazards. Social innovation based on the empowerment of the primary food producers emerges as crucial for sustainable and safe food production. Sustainable policies should be supported by the mobilization of stakeholders of One Health, which is a science-based approach to linking human health and nutrition with the health and management of food producing animals and environmental safety. In the context of the complex, multifaceted scenario of Mali dairy production, this article presents how a cost-effective animal health and food safety scheme could be established in the dairy production chain. Because milk is a major commodity in this country, benefits could be derived in food security, public health, the resilience of the farming system, animal husbandry, and international trade

Smartbay: the development and implementation of an advanced marine technology platform on the west coast of Ireland

This paper is about the development, implementation and operation of SmartBay - a subsea cabled observatory and supporting infrastructure to stimulate the development of marine technology in Ireland. Blue Growth is the long term strategy of the European Union to support sustainable growth in the marine sector and offers great potential for innovation. The development of Ocean Technologies currently presents a number of challenges globally in terms of costs, reliability and longevity of infrastructure in the development of Renewable Energy, Blue Biotechnology, Water, and Environmental Monitoring & Management as well as more established markets such as Oil and Gas, Shipping and Security and Fishing and Aquaculture. We discuss the rationale behind the development of SmartBay in terms of addressing these challenges and focus particularly in the area of marine renewable energy technology development The design and installation phases of SmartBay are discussed. Costs were minimised, whilst maximising the range of features and applications that the infrastructure can provide to scientific and commercial users. The scientific subsea instrument node is also described in detail, along with the advanced supporting cyber-infrastructure that ensures the data is collected, processed archived and displayed as per end user requirements. The facility provides access to state of the art marine assets and resources for Researchers, Designers, Innovators and Entrepreneurs within Ireland and the EU and is a unique catalyst in the attraction of inward investment and venture capital investment. The SmartBay infrastructure platform centres on a core technology or service, the provision of high quality, time-series marine data. This is essential for a broader, interdependent ecosystem of businesses to develop and supply complementary value-added products and applications to wide multidisciplinary set of users. SmartBay’s role as a key technology node in broader European initiatives Ocean Observation initiatives like the European Multidisciplinary Seafloor and water column observatory (EMSO), which has been established as a European Research Infrastructure consortium (ERIC) is also discussed.Peer Reviewe

Indonesian and Türkiye Defense Strategies For Maintaining International Collective Security In 2022

The war that took place between Russia and Ukraine presents a new chapter for the stability of international collective security. It seems that the UN has not been able to present a common ground for the two conflicting countries. Türkiye and Indonesia have an important role in maintaining the desired international collective security. The defense strategies of Indonesia and Türkiye have received international attention in their efforts to reconcile Russia and Ukraine. This study aims to discuss the strength of the defense strategy between Indonesia and Türkiye. The contribution of the two countries in maintaining collective international security was also discussed. The research method used is qualitative. The data were collected from online interviews with defense management students' overseas study, non-participant observations, and documentation. Data were taken from interviews, journals, books, previous research, scientific articles, literature, and news from official websites. Furthermore, the research data will be processed and analyzed further based on the theories studied and used as material for discussion so that it can produce a conclusion. The results of this study describe Indonesia's defense strategy, namely active defense with a universal people's defense system. Türkiye's defense strategy is formulated in several important pillars, namely increasing military operational readiness, pre-emptive intervention, and deterrence capabilities. There are significant differences between the defense strategies of Indonesia and Türkiye in two respects, namely the development of the defense industry and defense diplomacy. The contribution of the two countries in their efforts to reconcile countries in conflict can be said to be an effort to maintain international collective security

Model of Forensic Hydrography

Forensic science plays a vital role in the work of judicial bodies. The contents, knowledge, and specialized expertise permit the identification of facts essential to law enforcement and judicial disputes. Hydrography is an applied science that concerns the physical description, measurement, mapping, and predictions of marine and terrestrial water features (ocean, seas, rivers, lakes, and coastal areas). A variety of economic and other activities take place in water resources. In order to reduce incidents and losses, it is extremely important to operate with accurate hydrographic data. In addition to its standard analytical role, forensics may serve in the prevention of adverse events and /or conditions. This paper aims at contributing towards the development of the new multidisciplinary field of forensic hydrography. The specific objectives are to provide a framework for the establishment of a model of forensic hydrography. A model of forensic hydrography is developed based on eleven modules (elements) relevant to fields in the marine, terrestrial, and coastal water domains. Forensic hydrography should serve the analysis and prevention of unwanted and other events and conditions to increase safety of navigation and security of water resources and in support of all other marine activities, including economic development, defence, safety and security, scientific research, social cohesion, as well as environmental management and conservation

Forensic Technology and Crime Management in Nigeria: A Study of Rivers State

In Developed Countries (DCs) of the world adoption of scientific sophistication in crime management and investigation has advanced tremendously. This has led to unravelling of criminal syndicates and all forms of crime, and has also established incontrovertible act and legally admissible evidences before the court. Unfortunately the reverse is the case in Nigeria, following the inability of the government to provide the security agencies with modern equipment, such as a more functional and efficient database for criminal records and enough trained professionals. The Country’s Central Criminal Registry (CCR) still makes use of outdated manually kept records, thus making it difficult to assess the fingerprints of more than one hundred and fifty million people. It is therefore, in the interest of the researchers to critically examine the roles, challenges and prospects of forensic technology in crime management and control in Nigeria with a focus on Rivers State as well as to proffer relevant solutions to the already biting situation. The study found it necessary to adopt explorative and descriptive design since it is used in obtaining data/information related to the current status of the phenomena to be described or under investigation. The study adopted “Social Constructionist Theory” and “The Role Theory” to evaluate the relationship between the variables in the study. The findings showed that combating crime through forensic technology is eminent and sacrosanct but in Nigeria the reverse is the case hence protracted crime, insurgency and insecurity. It recommends that in view of technological advancement, government should integrate technology and specialist field training into crime management programme that will place security personnel ahead of criminals which will definitely create a robust national security and development. Keywords: Forensic, Technology, Crime Management in Nigeria DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/9-14-06 Publication date:July 31st 201

Workflow models for heterogeneous distributed systems

The role of data in modern scientific workflows becomes more and more crucial. The unprecedented amount of data available in the digital era, combined with the recent advancements in Machine Learning and High-Performance Computing (HPC), let computers surpass human performances in a wide range of fields, such as Computer Vision, Natural Language Processing and Bioinformatics. However, a solid data management strategy becomes crucial for key aspects like performance optimisation, privacy preservation and security. Most modern programming paradigms for Big Data analysis adhere to the principle of data locality: moving computation closer to the data to remove transfer-related overheads and risks. Still, there are scenarios in which it is worth, or even unavoidable, to transfer data between different steps of a complex workflow. The contribution of this dissertation is twofold. First, it defines a novel methodology for distributed modular applications, allowing topology-aware scheduling and data management while separating business logic, data dependencies, parallel patterns and execution environments. In addition, it introduces computational notebooks as a high-level and user-friendly interface to this new kind of workflow, aiming to flatten the learning curve and improve the adoption of such methodology. Each of these contributions is accompanied by a full-fledged, Open Source implementation, which has been used for evaluation purposes and allows the interested reader to experience the related methodology first-hand. The validity of the proposed approaches has been demonstrated on a total of five real scientific applications in the domains of Deep Learning, Bioinformatics and Molecular Dynamics Simulation, executing them on large-scale mixed cloud-High-Performance Computing (HPC) infrastructures

Developing a Conceptual Framework for the Scientific Social Networks using Metasynthesis Method

Scientific social networks play an important role in creating, organizing, storing, sharing, disseminating, and using information and knowledge among scientific communities and accelerate and facilitate the processes of information and knowledge management and communication among them. So the purpose of this research was to identify the dimensions and components of scientific social networks and to present its conceptual framework. This applied research has used a metasynthesis approach and library methods. A total of 50 sources out of 325 sources were selected for the meta-study and 170 codes, 25 concepts and 8 categories extracted. To analyze the data, seven step-by-step methods of Sandelowski and Barroso have been used. The findings showed that the components of scientific social networks, including: Management (science development, information management and knowledge management); Technology (information systems, scientific social websites, social networks); Culture (scientific behavior, scientific view, environmental and social factors); Communications (communication types and tools); Learning (education, content and cooperation); Personal characteristics (expert, skill, interest and motivation); Scientific performance (product, evaluation, assessment and scientific levels), and Legal issues (copyright and security) affect each other and scientific social networks. The proposed conceptual framework can be used for design, evaluation of success, assessment of status, prediction and pathology of scientific social networks in the scientific societies and centers