The bees algorithm: Modelling nature to solve complex optimisation problems

The Bees Algorithm models the foraging behaviour of honey bees in order to solve optimisation problems. The algorithm performs a kind of exploitative neighbourhood search combined with random explorative search. This paper describes the Bees Algorithm and presents two application examples: the training of neural networks to predict the energy efficiency of buildings, and the solution of the protein folding problem. The Bees Algorithm proved its effectiveness and speed, and obtained very competitive modelling accuracies compared with other state-of-the-art methods

Property and maintenance management framework for New Zealand's state schools: a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Construction at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand

School buildings and infrastructure are considered fundamental elements of any community. The buildings and infrastructure are not only supposed to provide a pleasant, and safe environment for staff and students, but they are also a clearly visible presentation of the education system. As a result, it is important to ensure that school properties are well maintained through proactive management. In New Zealand (NZ), state school properties are owned by the Ministry of Education (MoE) and managed and operated by the school board of each school with the assistance of external consultants. This research aims to develop a framework which helps those involved in managing school buildings and infrastructure in New Zealand's state schools by focusing on improving the collaboration among the key stakeholders. Previous research on managing existing property and associated theoretical concepts, such as asset management, property management, maintenance management, stakeholders’ involvement, and maturity model frameworks, were reviewed to identify research problems. In order to refine the research objectives, a preliminary study was conducted that involved the researcher attending training courses on property and maintenance management to understand processes, make connections, conduct interviews with other attendees, and distribute a survey among them. Findings from the preliminary study highlighted the central role of stakeholders’ collaboration for the provision of efficient property and maintenance management, but other issues were also identified. A further in-depth study based on interviews with school managers was undertaken to cover the current activities and processes, challenges, roles, and responsibilities of the key stakeholders in managing existing buildings and infrastructure in state schools in New Zealand. Based on findings from the literature review and interviews, a maturity assessment model was developed, and a questionnaire was distributed to explore the maturity levels of different management processes currently in place with the aim of identifying the priorities for process improvement actions. The maturity level scores revealed the most needed improvement areas that the key stakeholders should focus on, including the reporting system, performance evaluation, staff training, lesson sharing, communication, and continuous improvement. In addition, Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) approach was used to explore the relationships among key stakeholders and test the research hypotheses. The results of PLS-SEM assessment prove that there are undeniable relationships between the key stakeholders. This also highlighted that all stakeholders are responsible to work closely as a team as they have both direct and indirect effects on each other's performance. Close teamwork contributes to the overall outcome of property and maintenance management for NZ's state schools. A property and maintenance management framework for NZ's state schools was then developed based on the findings of the literature review, and data analysis using the key concepts of the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle. The proposed framework comprises five stages (Establish, Plan, Implement, Evaluate, and Improve - E-PIE-I, and shortened to PIE) and includes activities in each stage. More activities were added in the Establish phase in order to address the need to provide staff training programmes and improve the collaboration between people involved in the processes. Moreover, the proposed PIE features a feedback loop in the Evaluate and Improve stages which helps assess performance of the processes and obtain feedback and learning outcomes for continuous improvements. Validation interviews with school managers were conducted and the results show that the PIE framework could help improve the property and maintenance management for New Zealand's state schools. The research contributes to the property and maintenance management field with a focus on the collaboration between the people involved in the process. The research also reveals other challenges and issues in managing school property in state schools and proposes solutions to overcome these challenges. More importantly, this research produces a set of diagrams in the PIE framework which can be used as guidelines for school managers and other stakeholders to perform their roles effectively. The study finally produces recommendations for improvements in managing school property at both the school and the MoE level. The findings should be of interest to top management, schools, service providers, and researchers dealing with the management of existing buildings and infrastructure in schools

Steering at a Distance: A Qualitative Case Study of Institutional Autonomy at a Vietnamese Public University

In 2012, the Vietnamese government enacted the Higher Education Law to give public universities institutional autonomy. Since the passage of the law, the term institutional autonomy has become contested; different interpretations have arisen among different actors concerned with implementing the policy. In a qualitative case study, I explore the meaning of autonomy in the context of Vietnamese higher education where the legacy of centralized governance is strong. To understand what autonomy means in this context, I use thematic analysis and interpretive policy analysis and draw on state steering theory (Wright, 2019b) as a theoretical framework through which to gain insight on tensions between autonomy and control. Data sources include government policy documents, semi-structured interviews with seventeen senior leaders from one Vietnamese public university, and internal university policy documents. I argue that autonomy in Vietnamese higher education involves steering at a distance whereby the legacy of Vietnam’s centralized governance system adds more control over the university. The autonomy policy has given the Vietnamese public university a higher level of status with more power to make decisions but has not made it independent of the state. The enactment of autonomy policy in Vietnam highlights tensions between the top-down authoritarian way in which the law and policy are enacted through the state’s centralized governance model and how the policy enters into institutions and becomes meaningful to actors. The present study addresses gaps in the literature on university governance and education policy and offers unique insights into the complexities of autonomy in Vietnam. I recommend that all actors involved in the autonomy policy take into consideration the different meanings of autonomy to better understand and to be more responsive to how the policy is actually taken up in the institutions

STUDY ON ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITIES OF THE AERIAL PARTS AND SOME COMPOUNDS ISOLATED FROM Archidendron clypearia ((Jack) I. Niels Part 2. ISOLATING, DETERMINING STRUCTURE AND ANTIOXIDANT CAPABILITY OF SOME COMPOUNDS FROM ETHYL ACETATE EXTRACT

The antioxidant activity in vitro of methanol extract of Archidendron clypearia was evaluated by in vitro tests on isolated liver cells of mouses with ED50 value ​​ of 2.18 μg/mL compared to that of curcumin of 1.87 µg/mL. Using combined chromatographic methods, four compounds were isolated from chloroform extract of the Archidendron clypearia. Their structures were elucidated to be daucosterol, 1-octacosanol, docosenoic acid, and methyl gallate by 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopic methods and in comparison with those reported in the literature. This is the first report of these compounds from the plant. All four compounds showed quite high antioxidant activity, for which methyl gallate was the highest one