Search results for: implementation

Authors: Sachin Kamble, Shradha Gawankar

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This paper presents the findings of successful implementation of Business Process Reengineering (BPR) of cement dispatch activities in a cement manufacturing plant located in India. Simulation model was developed for the purpose of identifying and analyzing the areas for improvement. The company was facing a problem of low throughput rate and subsequent forced stoppages of the plant leading to a high production loss of 15000MT per month. It was found from the study that the present systems and procedures related to the in-plant logistics plant required significant changes. The major recommendations included process improvement at the entry gate, reducing the cycle time at the security gate and installation of an additional weigh bridge. This paper demonstrates how BPR can be implemented for improving the in-plant logistics process. Various recommendations helped the plant to increase its throughput by 14%.

Keywords: in-plant logistics, cement logistics, simulation modelling, business process re-engineering, supply chain management

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Authors: Lisa Wilderink, Ingrid Bakker, Albertine J. Schuit, Jacob C. Seidell, Carry M. Renders

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To ensure that health behavior interventions for children living in low socioeconomic position (SEP) neighborhoods are in line with children’s wishes and needs, participation of the children in the development, implementation, and evaluation is crucial. In this paper, we show how children living in three low-SEP neighborhoods in the Netherlands can be involved in Participatory Action Research (PAR) and what influences this participation process. The Photovoice method was used and provided comprehensive information from the children’s perspectives. With the help of the community workers, the children identified feasible actions. This paper shows that it is possible to involve children from low SEP neighborhoods in a meaningful way. We found that it is important to constantly discuss the process with participants, start with a concrete question or problem and adapt the project to the local context and skills of participants

Keywords: children, healthy behavior, participatory action research, socioeconomic health inequalities

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Authors: Lata Shakya, Toshio Otsuki, Saori Imoto, Bijaya Krishna Shrestha, Umesh Bahadur Malla

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2015 Gorkha Nepal earthquake have damaged the human settlements in 14 districts of Nepal. Historic core areas of three principal cities namely Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur including numerous traditional ‘newari’ settlements in the peripheral areas have been either collapsed or severely damaged. Despite Government of Nepal and (international) non-government organisations’ attempt towards disaster risk management through the preparation of policies and guidelines and implementation of community-based activities, the recent ‘Gorkha’ earthquake has demonstrated the inadequate preparedness, poor implementation of a legal instrument, resource constraints, and managerial weakness. However, the social capital through community based institutions, self-help attitude, and community bond has helped a lot not only in rescue and relief operation but also in a post-disaster temporary shelter living thereby exhibiting the resilient power of the local community. Conducting a detailed case study of ‘Kaminani’ community with 42 houses at ward no. 16 of Bhaktapur municipality, this paper analyses the local community’s response and activities on the Gorkha earthquake in rescue and relief operation as well as in post disaster work. Leadership, the existence of internal/external aid, physical and human support are also analyzed. Social resource and networking are also explained through critical review of the existing community organisation and their activities. The research methodology includes literature review, field survey, and interview with community leaders and residents based on a semi-structured questionnaire. The study reveals that community carried their recovery process in four different phases: (i) management of emergency evacuation, (ii) constructing community owed temporary shelter for individuals, (iii) demolishing upper floors of the damaged houses, and (iv) planning for collaborative housing reconstruction. As territorial based organization, religion based agency and aim based institution exist in the survey area from pre-disaster time, it can be assumed that the community activists including leaders are well experienced to create aim-based group and manage teamwork to deal with various issues and problems collaboratively. Physical and human support including partial financial aid from external source as a result of community leader’s personal networking is extended to the community members. Thus, human/social resource and personal/social network play a crucial role in the recovery process. And to build such social capital, community should have potential from pre-disaster time.

Keywords: Gorkha Nepal earthquake, local community, recovery process, social resource, social network

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Authors: H. Al-Jabli

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The research on the presence of heavy metals and bromate in drinking water is of immense scientific significance due to the potential risks these substances pose to public health. These contaminants are subject to regulatory limits outlined by the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. Through a comprehensive analysis involving the compilation of existing data and the collection of new data via water sampling in residential areas of Kuwait, the aim is to create detailed maps illustrating the spatial distribution of these substances. Furthermore, the investigation will utilize GRAPHER software to explore correlations among different chemical parameters. By implementing rigorous scientific methodologies, the research will provide valuable insights for the Ministry of Electricity and Water and the Ministry of Health. These insights can inform evidence-based decision-making, facilitate the implementation of corrective measures, and support strategic planning for future infrastructure activities.

Keywords: heavy metals, bromate, ozonation, GIS

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Authors: Ahmed Mateen, Zhu Qingsheng, Muhammad Awais, Muhammad Yahya Saeed

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This paper targets the rising factor of entrepreneurship innovation, which lacks in Pakistan as compared to the other countries or the regions like China, India, and Malaysia, etc. This is an exploratory and explanatory study. Major aspects have identified as the direction for the policymakers while highlighting the issues in true spirit. IT needs to be considered not only as a technology but also as itself growing as a new community. IT management processes are complex and broad, so generally requires extensive attention to the collective aspects of human variables, capital and technology. In addition, projects tend to have a special set of critical success factors, and if these are processed and given attention, it will improve the chances of successful implementation. This is only possible with state of the art intelligent decision support systems and accumulating IT staff to some extent in decision processes. This paper explores this issue carefully and discusses six issues to observe the implemented strength and possible enhancement.

Keywords: security and defense forces, IT-incentives, big IT-players, IT-entrepreneurial-culture

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Authors: Ayala Kobo-Greenhut, Amos Notea, Izhar Ben-Shlomo

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In R&D projects, there is no doubt about the need to change a current concept to an alternative one over time (i.e., concept leaping). Concept leaping is required since with most R&D projects uncertainty is present as they take place in dynamic environments. Despite the importance of concept leaping when needed, R&D teams may fail to do so (i.e., frozen concept). This research suggests a possible reason why frozen concept happens in the framework of quality engineering and control engineering. We suggest that frozen concept occurs since concept determines the derived plan and its implementation may be considered as equivalent to a closed-loop process, and is subject to the problem of not recognizing gaps as failures. We suggest that although implementing quality practices into an R&D project’s routine has many advantages, it intensifies the frozen concept problem since working according to quality practices relates to exploitation of learning behavior, while leaping to a new concept relates to exploring learning behavior.

Keywords: closed loop, control engineering, design, leaping, frozen concept, quality engineering, quality practices

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Authors: Phitsanu Phunphetchphan

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The purposes of this research was to investigate opinions of Rajabhat University staff towards performance of the university council committee by focusing on (1) personal characteristics of the committees; (2) duties designated by the university council; and (3) relationship between university council and staff. The population of this study included all high level of management from Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University which made a total of 200 respondents. Data analysis included frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation. The findings revealed that the majority of staff rated the performance of university council at a high level. The 'overall appropriate qualification of the university council' was rated as the highest score while 'good governance' was rated as the lowest mean score. Moreover, the findings also revealed that the relationship between university council’s members and the staff was rated at a high level while 'the integrity of policy implementation' was rated as the lowest score.

Keywords: investigation, performance, university council, management

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Authors: Grace Omowunmi Soyebi

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A computerized medical record system is a collection of medical information about a person that is stored on a computer. One principal problem of most hospitals in rural areas is using the file management system for keeping records. A lot of time is wasted when a patient visits the hospital, probably in an emergency, and the nurse or attendant has to search through voluminous files before the patient's file can be retrieved, this may cause an unexpected to happen to the patient. This Data Mining application is to be designed using a Structured System Analysis and design method which will help in a well-articulated analysis of the existing file management system, feasibility study, and proper documentation of the Design and Implementation of a Computerized medical record system. This Computerized system will replace the file management system and help to quickly retrieve a patient's record with increased data security, access clinical records for decision-making, and reduce the time range at which a patient gets attended to.

Keywords: programming, computing, data, innovation

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Authors: Carla Van De Sande, Jana Vandenberg

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Just like physical skills, cognitive skills grow rusty over time unless they are regularly used and practiced, so academic breaks can have negative consequences on student learning and success. The Keeping in School Shape (KiSS) program is an engaging, accessible, and cost-effective intervention that harnesses the benefits of retrieval practice by using technology to help students maintain proficiency over breaks from school by delivering a daily review problem via text message or email. A growth mindset is promoted through feedback messages encouraging students to try again if they get a problem wrong and to take on a challenging problem if they get a problem correct. This paper reports on the relationship between confidence, accuracy, and decision-making during the implementation of the KiSS Program at a large university during winter break for students enrolled in an engineering introductory Calculus course sequence.

Keywords: growth mindset, learning loss, on-the-go learning, retrieval practice

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Authors: Collins Chike Kwasi-Effah, Timon Rabczuk, Osarobo O. Ighodaro

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The energy density of various battery technologies used in the electric vehicle industry still ranges between 250 Wh/kg to 650 Wh/kg, thus limiting their distance range compared to the conventional internal combustion engine vehicle. In order to overcome this limitation, a new material technology is necessary to overcome this limitation. The proposed sole lithium-air battery seems to be far behind in terms of practical implementation. In this paper, experimental analysis using COMSOL multiphysics has been conducted to predict the performance of lithium ion battery with variation in the elastic property of five different cathode materials including; LiMn2O4, LiFePO4, LiCoO2, LiV6O13, and LiTiS2. Combining LiCoO2, and aqueous lithium showed great improvement in the energy density. Thus, the material combination of LiCoO2/aqueous lithium-air could give a practical solution in achieving high energy density for application in the electric vehicle industry.

Keywords: battery energy, energy density, lithium-ion, mechanical property

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Authors: C. Patrascioiu, M. Jamali

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The paper deals with the simulation of the crude distillation process using the Unisim Design simulator. The necessity of simulating this process is argued both by considerations related to the design of the crude distillation column, but also by considerations related to the design of advanced control systems. In order to use the Unisim Design simulator to simulate the crude distillation process, the identification of the simulators used in Romania and an analysis of the PRO/II, HYSYS, and Aspen HYSYS simulators were carried out. Analysis of the simulators for the crude distillation process has allowed the authors to elaborate the conclusions of the success of the crude modelling. A first aspect developed by the authors is the implementation of specific problems of petroleum liquid-vapors equilibrium using Unisim Design simulator. The second major element of the article is the development of the methodology and the elaboration of the simulation program for the crude distillation process, using Unisim Design resources. The obtained results validate the proposed methodology and will allow dynamic simulation of the process.  

Keywords: crude oil, distillation, simulation, Unisim Design, simulators

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Authors: Michael W. Markowitz

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A central element of higher education today is the “core” or “general education” curriculum: that configuration of courses that often encompasses the essence of liberal arts education. Ensuring that such offerings reflect the mission and values of the institution is a challenge faced by most college and universities, often more than once. This paper presents an action model of program planning designed to structure the processes of developing, implementing and revising core curricula in a manner consistent with key institutional goals and objectives. Through presentation of a case study from a university in the United States, the elements of needs assessment, stakeholder investment and collaborative compromise are shown as key components of a planning strategy that can produce a general education program that is comprehensive, academically rigorous, assessable and mission consistent. The paper concludes with recommendations for both the implementation and evaluation of such programs in practice.

Keywords: academic assessment, academic program planning, curriculum development, general education reform

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Authors: M. Pagasa Nanette Rotairo

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The research focuses on the effectiveness, responsiveness, adequacy, and appropriateness of customer service of selected fast food restaurant using William Dunn’s four evaluation criteria tantamount to the focus of the research. Due to efficiency the fast food restaurants offer and the increasing demand for acquiring its services, the researcher conducted a study on the effectiveness of customer service of five popular restaurants in Metro Manila. Using descriptive method, the research is furthered in par with evaluation and implementation of different instruments effective for data gathering to further scientific judgment. Results of this research indicate that consumers consider the quality service as the major reason in patronizing fast food restaurants while they consider cleanliness and customer satisfaction as their least concern. Details of this study provided support on how the proposed operational model can further improve the services of fast food restaurants.

Keywords: customer satisfaction, customer service, restaurant management, business operations

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Authors: S. Fares, K. Mellakh, A. Hmouri

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The StorMer project aims to set up a network of researchers to study traditional hydraulic rainwater harvesting systems in the Mediterranean basin, a region suffering from the major impacts of climate change and limited natural water resources. The arid and semi-arid Mediterranean basin has a long history of pioneering water management practices. The region has developed various ancient traditional water management systems, such as cisterns and qanats, to sustainably manage water resources under historical conditions of scarcity. Therefore, the StorMer project brings together Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Jordan and Morocco to explore traditional rainwater harvesting practices and systems in the Mediterranean region and to develop accurate modeling to simulate the performance and sustainability of these technologies under present-day climatic conditions. The ultimate goal of this project was to resuscitate and valorize these practices in the context of contemporary challenges. This project was intended to establish a Mediterranean network to serve as a basis for a more ambitious project. The ultimate objective was to analyze traditional hydraulic systems and create a prototype hydraulic ecosystem using a coupled environmental approach and traditional and ancient know-how, with the aim of reinterpreting them in the light of current techniques. The combination of ‘traditional’ and ‘modern knowledge/techniques’ is expected to lead to proposals for innovative hydraulic systems. The pandemic initially slowed our progress, but in the end it forced us to carry out the fieldwork in Morocco and Saudi Arabia, and so restart the project. With the participation of colleagues from chronologically distant fields (archaeology, sociology), we are now prepared to share our observations and propose the next steps. This interdisciplinary approach should give us a global vision of the project's objectives and challenges. A diachronic approach is needed to tackle the question of the long-term adaptation of societies in a Mediterranean context that has experienced several periods of water stress. The next stage of the StorMer project is the implementation of pilots in non-urbanized regions. These pilots will test the implementation of traditional systems and will be maintained and evaluated in terms of effectiveness, cost and acceptance. Based on these experiences, larger projects will be proposed and could provide information for regional water management policies. One of the most important lessons learned from this project is the highly social nature of managing traditional rainwater harvesting systems. Unlike modern, centralized water infrastructures, these systems often require the involvement of communities, which assume ownership and responsibility for them. This kind of community engagement leads to greater maintenance and, therefore, sustainability of the systems. Knowledge of the socio-cultural characteristics of these communities means that the systems can be adapted to the needs of each location, ensuring greater acceptance and efficiency.

Keywords: oasis, rainfall harvesting, arid regions, Mediterranean

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Authors: A. Azari, S. S. K. Seyyedi

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One of the unaddressed and open challenges in the nano-networking is the characteristics of noise. The previous analysis, however, has concentrated on end-to-end communication model with no separate modelings for propagation channel and noise. By considering a separate signal propagation and noise model, the design and implementation of an optimum receiver will be much easier. In this paper, we justify consideration of a separate additive Gaussian noise model of a nano-communication system based on the molecular communication channel for which are applicable for MSK and MOSK modulation schemes. The presented noise analysis is based on the Brownian motion process, and advection molecular statistics, where the received random signal has a probability density function whose mean is equal to the mean number of the received molecules. Finally, the justification of received signal magnitude being uncorrelated with additive non-stationary white noise is provided.

Keywords: molecular, noise, diffusion, channel

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Authors: Margarita Mayoral-Villa, J. Klapp, L. Di G. Sigalotti, J. E. V. Guzmán

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Automated learning techniques are widely applied in the energy sector to address challenging problems from a practical point of view. To this end, we discuss the implementation of a Message Passing algorithm (MPNN)within a Graph Neural Network(GNN)to leverage the neighborhood of a set of nodes during the aggregation process. This approach enables the characterization of multiphase diffusion processes in the reservoir, such that the flow paths underlying the interconnections between multiple wells may be inferred from previously available data on flow rates and bottomhole pressures. The results thus obtained compare favorably with the predictions produced by the Reduced Order Capacitance-Resistance Models (CRM) and suggest the potential of MPNNs to enhance the robustness of the forecasts while improving the computational efficiency.

Keywords: multiphase diffusion, message passing neural network, well interconnection, interwell connectivity, graph neural network, capacitance-resistance models

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Authors: Mohammed Alkiyumi

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Educational systems are currently paying special attention to developing learners' higher thinking skills to develop the capabilities of human resources to deal with contemporary challenges. Although psychologists disagree about the concept of higher-order thinking skills and the skills they include, there is unlimited effort in designing them and building strategies for their implementation. The most important factor helping to develop these skills is their classification according to specific criteria, and the most important of these classifications is Bloom's classification, which is dominant in most educational systems at all levels. Previous classifications have many limitations, including the comprehensiveness of the skills they contain, the logical structure of their hierarchy, and classification criteria. Therefore, this article puts another step in this area by providing a new classification of higher-order thinking skills that includes five categories: the first response stage, transformative stage, application, reasoning stage, and the production stage with a logical justification for this classification, with some techniques to developing it among learners.

Keywords: high-order thinking skills, classification, teaching, education

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Authors: Sirus Sharifi, Arunima Haldar, S. V. D. Nageswara Rao

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The study attempts to analyze the impact of credit risk management practices of Indian scheduled commercial banks on their non-performing assets (NPAs). The data on credit risk practices was collected by administering a questionnaire to risk managers/executives at different banks. The data on NPAs (from 2012 to 2016) is sourced from Prowess, a database compiled by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE). The model was estimated using cross-sectional regression method. As expected, the findings suggest that there is a negative relationship between credit risk management and NPA growth in Indian banks. The study has implications for Indian banks given the high level of losses, and the implementation of Basel III norms by the central bank, i.e. Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Evidence on credit risk management in Indian banks, and their relationship with non-performing assets held by them.

Keywords: credit risk, identification, Indian Banks, NPAs, ownership

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Authors: A. van Staden, A. A. van Rhyn

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The numerous challenges South African, ESL learners experience were highlighted by the results of several literacy surveys and tests, which demonstrated that our learners’ literacy abilities are far below standard and very weak compared to other international countries. This study developed and implemented an interactive storybook intervention program to support the reading development of ESL learners. The researchers utilized an experimental pre-test/post-test research design, whereby 80 ESL learners from five participating schools, were purposively sampled to take part in this study. This paper, inter alia, discusses the key features of this intervention program whilst also reporting the results of the experimental investigation. Results are promising and show a significant improvement in the mean scores of the learners in the experimental group. Moreover, the results show the value of interactive storybook reading in creating responsive literacy environments to develop the literacy skills of ESL learners.

Keywords: ESL learners, reading comprehension, Interactive story book reading, South Africa

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Authors: Suraj Gururaj, Sumantha Udupa U.

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Browsing the Web has emerged as the de facto activity performed on the Internet. Although browsing gets tracked, the manageability aspect of Web browsing history is very poor. In this paper, we have a workable solution implemented by using machine learning and natural language processing techniques for efficient manageability of user’s browsing history. The significance of adding such a capability to a Web browser is that it ensures efficient and quick information retrieval from browsing history, which currently is very challenging. Our solution guarantees that any important websites visited in the past can be easily accessible because of the intelligent and automatic classification. In a nutshell, our solution-based paper provides an implementation as a browser extension by intelligently classifying the browsing history into most relevant category automatically without any user’s intervention. This guarantees no information is lost and increases productivity by saving time spent revisiting websites that were of much importance.

Keywords: adhoc retrieval, Chrome extension, supervised learning, tile, Web personalization

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Authors: Besa Muthuri

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This paper examines the correlation between the organization's human resources (HR) and marketing entities and reviews the literature on customer acquisition and loyalty retention and the various aspects of employer branding. It will also explore how these concepts can be applied to the marketing and human resources departments. HR and marketing teams in the organization function to educate, attract and retain the attention and interests of the modern talent market. While the teams' target products, personas, or services tend to differ, their execution, desired results, and implementation of the respective activities are closely related. Therefore, promoting collaboration between HR and marketing enables the company to enhance business branding and recruitment of top-tier talents that will drive the much-needed change in the organization and promote a higher employee and customer retention rate. To achieve the ultimate HR and marketing relationship, organizations should build their external and internal awareness, track their performance and programs, and promote in-house meetings among employees from all interfacing departments.

Keywords: branding, employee retention, human resources, marketing

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Authors: Waziri Victor Onomza, John K. Alhassan, Idris Ismaila, Noel Dogonyaro Moses

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This paper describes the problem of building secure computational services for encrypted information in the Cloud Computing without decrypting the encrypted data; therefore, it meets the yearning of computational encryption algorithmic aspiration model that could enhance the security of big data for privacy, confidentiality, availability of the users. The cryptographic model applied for the computational process of the encrypted data is the Fully Homomorphic Encryption Scheme. We contribute theoretical presentations in high-level computational processes that are based on number theory and algebra that can easily be integrated and leveraged in the Cloud computing with detail theoretic mathematical concepts to the fully homomorphic encryption models. This contribution enhances the full implementation of big data analytics based cryptographic security algorithm.

Keywords: big data analytics, security, privacy, bootstrapping, homomorphic, homomorphic encryption scheme

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Authors: Ahmad S. Mohd Noor, Emma A. Sirajudin, Nur F. Mat Zain

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Reliability is an important property for knowledge repository system. National Marine Bioinformatics System or NABTICS is a marine knowledge repository portal aimed to provide a baseline for marine biodiversity and a tool for researchers and developers. It is intended to be a large and growing online database and also a metadata system for inputs of research analysis. The trends of present large distributed systems such as Cloud computing are the delivery of computing as a service rather than a product. The goal of this research is to make NABTICS a system of greater availability by integrating it with Cloud based Neighbor Replication and Failure Recovery (NRFR). This can be achieved by implementation of NABTICS into distributed environment. As a result, the user can experience minimum downtime while using the system should the server is having a failure. Consequently the online database application is said to be highly available.

Keywords: cloud, availability, distributed system, marine repository, database replication

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Authors: Sahar Khedr, Dina Sayed, Ayman Hanafy

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Arabic is one of the most ancient and critical languages in the world. It has over than 250 million Arabic native speakers and more than twenty countries having Arabic as one of its official languages. In the past decade, we have witnessed a rapid evolution in smart devices, social network and technology sector which led to the need to provide tools and libraries that properly tackle the Arabic language in different domains. Stemming is one of the most crucial linguistic fundamentals. It is used in many applications especially in information extraction and text mining fields. The motivation behind this work is to enhance the Arabic light stemmer to serve the data mining industry and leverage it in an open source community. The presented implementation works on enhancing the Arabic light stemmer by utilizing and enhancing an algorithm that provides an extension for a new set of rules and patterns accompanied by adjusted procedure. This study has proven a significant enhancement for better search accuracy with an average 10% improvement in comparison with previous works.

Keywords: Arabic data mining, Arabic Information extraction, Arabic Light stemmer, Arabic stemmer

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Authors: V. Naciti, L. Pulejo, F. Cesaroni

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This study empirically analyzes whether the composition of the board of directors (BoD) enhances sustainability performance, in order to understand how the BoD contribute to the integration of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in their businesses. Hypotheses are developed based on the agency theory and stakeholder theory. Using a system generalized method of the moment (SGMM) two-step estimator, with data from Sustainalytics and Compustat databases for 362 firms in six regions, we find that firms with more diversity on the board and a separation of chair and CEO roles have higher sustainability performance. Moreover, our findings provide that a higher number of independent directors is negatively associated with sustainability performance. This study contributes to the literature on corporate governance and the firm’s performance by demonstrating that the composition of the board of directors contributes to a better sustainability performance: by the implementation of a particular corporate governance mechanism, it is possible to integrate SDGs in the corporate strategy.

Keywords: sustainable development goals, corporate governance, board of directors, sustainability performance

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Authors: Vitalijs Lusis, Videvuds-Arijs Lapsa, Olga Kononova, Andrejs Krasnikovs

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Steel fibres use in a concrete, such way obtaining Steel Fibre Reinforced Concrete (SFRC), is an important technological direction in building industry. Steel fibers are substituting the steel bars in conventional concrete in another situation is possible to combine them in the concrete structures. Traditionally fibers are homogeneously dispersed in a concrete. At the same time in many situations fiber concrete with homogeneously dispersed fibers is not optimal (majority of added fibers are not participating in a load bearing process). It is obvious, that is possible to create constructions with oriented fibers distribution in them, in different ways. Present research is devoted to one of them. Acknowledgment: This work has been supported by the European Social Fund within the project «Support for the implementation of doctoral studies at Riga Technical University» and project No. 2013/0025/1DP/1.1.1.2.0/13/APIA/VIAA/019 “New “Smart” Nanocomposite Materials for Roads, Bridges, Buildings and Transport Vehicle”.

Keywords: fiber reinforced concrete, 4-point bending, steel fiber, SFRC

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Authors: Qiongzi Zheng, Lewis Cornwell, Neal Peres Da Costa

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Drawn on Confucian and Taoist philosophy and long-established tradition of aesthetic ideals, the Art of the Chinese Zither (Xishan Qinkuang), a classic work by Chinese music scholar Xu Shangyin in 1643, distilled twenty-four practicing principles for the Chinese zither. This work has influenced the practice of guzheng to the present day. Whilst the principles were described in detail, how they can actually be achieved on a technical level remains to be explored. This study focuses on three key practicing principles: yuan (roundness), liu (fluidness), and su (swiftness), and examines how the playing techniques developed by Master Zhao Manqin contribute to the implementation of the principles. The study concludes that knowledge of the technicality of fingering positioning before and after plucking motion is critical to the realization of these principles.

Keywords: Chinese music aesthetics, practicing principles of the Chinese zither, guzheng playing techniques, Zhao Manqin’s fingering techniques, Xishan Qinkuang

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Authors: Yinan Cao, Francine Herrmann

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Adversary emulation is a very effective concrete way to evaluate the defense of an information system or network. It is about building an emulator, which depending on the vulnerability of a target system, will allow to detect and execute a set of identified attacks. However, emulating an adversary is very costly in terms of time and resources. Verifying the information of each technique and building up the countermeasures in the middle of the test is also needed to be accomplished manually. In this article, a synthesis of previous MITRE research on the creation of the ATT&CK matrix will be as the knowledge base of the known techniques and a well-designed adversary emulation software CALDERA based on ATT&CK Matrix will be used as our platform. Inspired and guided by the previous study, a plugin in CALDERA called Tinker will be implemented, which is aiming to help the tester to get more information and also the mitigation of each technique used in the previous operation. Furthermore, the optional countermeasures for some techniques are also implemented and preset in Tinker in order to facilitate and fasten the process of the defense improvement of the tested system.

Keywords: automation, adversary emulation, CALDERA, countermeasures, MITRE ATT&CK

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Authors: Narinee Sophatsathit, Yuwadee Nitutorn

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitudes of the staff in the Faculty of Science and Technology towards the e-office documentary system of the Faculty of Science and Technology, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University. The subjects of this study included 98 staffs of the Faculty of Science and Technology, Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University. Questionnaires were used to ask the attitude of the staffs towards the implementation of e-office system. The results showed that most of the users of e-office are female with the age between 31-40 years old, master degree of education and in the academic positions. They have working experiences between 1-5 years and reported the time of using e-office between 8:30-12:30 during the weekday with the frequency of 3-5 times/day. Most of them reported their opinions on the e-office at high level (x=3.84) and problems and obstacles in using e-office at high level, as well (x=3.63).

Keywords: attitudes, e-office, staff, documentary system

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Authors: Mulalo Mushaisano

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It has been revealed in the existing literature that specific knowledge management practices can be implemented and utilized in organizations to enable sustaining service innovation. This kind of innovation is of crucial importance in service environments such as institutions of higher education because it allows the delivery of enhanced services which are designed to add value and deliver better services to clients. However, there is a widespread lack of the necessary implementation of essential knowledge practices in higher education institutions owing to a variety of internal challenges and barriers. The primary objective of the study was to identify the essential knowledge management practices required for the enablement of service innovation. The main outcome was the development of a framework of knowledge management practice which can be applied in institutions of higher education to achieve service innovation. The study will address the gap in where existing literature mostly explored the aforementioned processes in the context of commercial and corporate organizations and not in the higher education environment.

Keywords: higher education, innovation, knowledge management, service innovation

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