ABSTRACT:
Vehicle scheduling problem addresses the task of assigning vehicles to cover all trips in a timetable. Minimum number m of vehicles is determined by the number of trips in the peak hours of demand (highest density of trips). In this paper, we propose an approach to detect the minimal set of trips (critical trips), such that omitting them allows to use only m – k vehicles. Results of the algorithm can be used also for increasing the efficiency of the vehicle scheduling problem, which leads to additional cost savings for the transport company. The algorithm was used for public transport vehicle scheduling in several cities within the Czech Republic and the solution stepped up the efficiency by up to 2%.

ABSTRACT:
With the change of times and the competition of the society, on-the-job training is already one of many things that modern people will practice for self-enrichment, competitiveness enhancement, and better future career opportunities. Recently, the working environment for military officers has been changing based on the government’s policies toward the aspect of increasing working quality and reducing manpower. Meanwhile, with the explosive improvement in communication devices, the military is gradually allowing officers to use smartphones. With access to technologies, military officers are more likely to utilize smartphones for trainings aiming to stay connected with the society. Therefore, this research aims to study the success factor of the usage of smartphones as the on-the-job training devices for military officers. Based on the research motive, this study uses AHP to analyze the success factor between the utilization of smartphones for on-the-job trainings of military officers and their employment competence after retirement. There are two research purposes: to study the self-directed learning phenomenon of military officers and the key factors of utilizing smartphones for self-directed learning of military officers.

The analysis of this study is based on the content of the literature, and the results show a number of key factors. There are four key factors in the second layer: "network functionality", "site architecture preferences", “mobile usage for self-learning", and "learning needs." The third level consists of 4-5 key factors extended from the second layer. The initial questionnaire was designed under the guidance of experts; a total of 25 questionnaires were obtained, including 4 invalid and 21 effective copies. In addition, hierarchical analysis method was used to discuss the weighted relationship between the military personnel and the key factors of the self-directed learning on smartphones.

The study found that "learning" is the largest weight, which resulted from the situation that military life circle and working environment is very different from the public. If the military officers can acquire knowledge from the self-directed learning on smartphones to stay connected with the society, it would be more encouraging to the officers as they would have the ability to enhance their competence and plan their future career.

ABSTRACT:
After over 30-year deployment, IPv4 addresses are running short on supply with the growth of the Internet so dynamic. A new technology will take its place, IPv6, an evolution from IPv4 that includes virtually unlimited address space. However, it will take time to totally transit from IPv4 to IPv6. IPv6 will coexist with IPv4 for a period of time and then eventually replace IPv4.

This paper studied network traffic that included information of both IPv4 and IPv6. The traffic was collected from 600 US government websites that were all reported to have Domain Name Services (DNS) and Web services accessible over IPv4 and IPv6. Cloud based, Internet distributed monitoring agents were deployed in eight geographic locations to collect data. Both feature selection algorithms, filter and wrapper, were applied to the dataset and the classification accuracy was then studied. The results showed that feature selection algorithms effectively reduced the complexity of the classification model. The results also confirmed that the reduced feature set contributed a superior classification performance over full feature set.

ABSTRACT:
Fundamental and technical analysis are two main methods of forecasting in economics, securities analysis and investments. Fundamental analysis is based on the consideration of those factors, which influence economic process. Technical analysis is the method of economic analysis, which is based on the previous history of the process analysis and does not consider influencing economic factors. Technical and fundamental analysis approaches are so different, that TA and FA can be considered as relatively independent methods.

As study courses, technical and fundamental analysis are included in study programs of faculties of economics and business administration in many European and American universities. Usually such courses consist of theoretical lectures and practical exercises. Sufficient help for fundamental and technical analysis course realization can provide specialized information system. The creation of such system is complicated task, because there are specific requirements for information systems for study courses in fundamental and technical analysis support. Such information systems should be complete enough – it should contain all necessary procedures for information processing, which are sufficient for investment portfolio creation and investment decision making. Appropriate procedures include input data receiving, data pre-processing, stocks screening, optimal portfolio creation, portfolio testing and correcting. Information system should be simple enough and understandable for students of economics and business administration. Information system should be flexible and provide the possibility to change algorithms of data processing from simple to complicate. Information system should be extendable and ensure the possibility to use it for research work and practical investment activities. Information system should be based on appropriate IT platform and use appropriate programming language.

The paper is devoted to the description of information system created at the Ventspils University College during last 10 years to support the study course in stock market fundamental and technical analysis. Results received using this system for US stock market and possible practical applications are considered also.

ABSTRACT:
The paper analyses the relationship between the social, environmental and economic performance and the firm market value as determined by the market value of shares in manufacturing companies. Empirical research has been verified according to the EU criteria in 87 joint-stock companies in the Czech Republic with more than 250 employees. Data was acquired by empirical research in the Czech Republic, which was completed in 2011-2015. The objective of the paper is to determine, on the basis of established hypotheses, whether the increased social and environmental performance increases the economic performance and the firm market value. Empirical research has shown that social performance has an impact on economic performance as well as on the market value of the share, that is, on the firm market value. Environmental performance has no significant effect on economic performance or on the market value of the share. Research results can provide investors with information that they only appreciate if social and environmental tools introduced into joint-stock companies increase economic performance while increasing the market value of the company.

The paper deals with the effect of sustainable performance on the market price of shares. The empirical research analysis was conducted for 87 joint-stock companies in the Czech Republic for the period 2011-2015. The aim of the paper is to determine whether the sustainable performance of non-listed joint stock companies increases economic performance and, at the same time, the market price of company shares. This effect was verified based on established hypotheses using linear regression models. The Firm Market Value of Shares was determined using the comparable enterprise method. In the paper, sustainable company performance is measured independently on the basis of an assessment of the environmental, social and economic indicators of manufacturing companies as compared to companies in the same industry. Empirical research has implied that social performance has an effect on both the economic performance and the market price of shares. Environmental performance has no significant impact on the economic performance or on the market price of shares. The results of the empirical research may provide investors with important information about the sustainable performance of joint stock companies whether their investment in social and environmental instruments will increase their economic performance, as well as the market price of shares.

ABSTRACT:
Government digital agendas worldwide want to help develop the digital transformation in businesses and public administra-tions, while acknowledging the digital changes taking place in society and the need to integrate information security (IS). Although information communication technology (ICT) shapes our lives, we tend to have an insufficient knowledge of the risks involved, of information security (IS), and of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR); this is compounded by carelessness in handling data and insufficient IS awareness (ISA). Backed by a clear conceptual approach, information security awareness trainings (ISAT) are also essential for everyone. However, classical trainings are not currently working. Psychologically based research shows that a systemic approach might be helpful. This is where analogue game-based learning (GBL) comes into play.

ABSTRACT:
Informatics and digital technologies serve a variety of infrastructural functions in the modern academic institution. Emerging technologies are viable solutions for collecting student performance data across the campus and addressing the growing concern of an equitable education even where budget restraints exist. Free or low-cost communication, collaborative and web tools allow for data collection across the campus making academic processes more comprehensive and expansive. Colleges can maintain dynamic information about student performance in preparation for their career success.

The digital age warrants an advancement on the traditional assessment process by catalyzing the power of technology in aggregating and appropriating micro-data to fuel effective decision making. When integrated seamlessly in the academic environment, digital assessment makes it possible to obtain a more accurate measure of excellence in education. The purpose of this research is to describe the implementation and evaluation of how digital assessment augments the educational experience and builds a culture of institution-wide performance excellence. It reviewsa “digital academic professional portfolio engagement and review system” (DAPPERS) that collects curricular and co-curricular student data in a dynamic digital network.

ABSTRACT:
“Multi-perspectivism as a philosophy of education” has a predominant role in the mission statement of Ghent University [1]. It opens up a path towards a critical and active participation into the society of today and the future. Within the framework of multi-perspectivism, a novel course has on “Co-creation” been set-up that is offered as an elective course in all educational programs of the university [2]. The course focuses on methods for creativity, transdisciplinary research, entrepreneurship, communication and collaboration, system thinking and design. The leading lecturers are members of the department of “Industrial Systems and Product Design” of the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture.

Students, researchers and lecturers from different faculties are actively participating in a transdisciplinary project to solve a real societal need. Each project brings all involved stakeholders – experts from different specialisms, designers and end-users – together in an iterative collaborative change process (using cocreation methods). Prototyping real-life experiences in a living space plays a central role as integration and communication method throughout the development cycle. During every iteration, a co-experience is obtained by all involved stakeholders through direct interaction with the prototype in a real “make” or “use” context. These interactions gradually reveal affordances and disturbances by iterative adaptations.

This particular education method is illustrated by ongoing student project cases in the domain of health-care and societal problems. An overview will be given on how to identify and set-up projects, how students perform these projects, and on how the obtained knowledge and results are valuated and transferred back to society.

ABSTRACT:
The aging population, new healthcare needs, and people living longer are driving an unmet clinical need for biomedical research and development of innovative medical devices. Academic research and development is a key component of biomedical R&D. Academic scientists and engineers have considerable ability to contribute to addressing the unmet clinical need. However, turning basic research into clinical interventions, such as medical devices, that improve the health of individuals, is exceptionally difficult. Device development and/or use of these devices in human clinical studies, even if for early feasibility studies, is highly regulated, requiring a unique knowledge base that is often lacking in academia. For successful regulated device development, and subsequent regulatory approval, researchers need access to tools, expertise and resources that can help simplify and accelerate an often complex and lengthy regulatory pathway while providing for patient safety and regulatory compliance. Therefore, it is necessary to integrate the use of regulatory and quality consulting and expertise into the translational process for taking scientific research into clinical research into usable innovation. Bringing together this type of synergistic relationship to advance research offers value to the researcher, the regulatory consultant, the students, and the patient population for which the technology was developed or will be used. This paper will discuss a model for an integrated biotechnology focused clinical research translational center that integrates research, regulatory, compliance, quality, and academics.

ABSTRACT:
Smart Grid is a new and growing technology to developing countries. Its implementation and sustainability rely on well trained experts. Sustainability of the smart grid need local experts, hence a project named iGRID: Smart Grid Capacity Development and Enhancement in Tanzania was started. The project is running at the College of Information and Communication Technologies, University of Dar es Salaam. It intends to generate the necessary technical and scientific skills to ensure sustainable implementation of smart grid. iGRID project introduced taught PhD and Masters programs focusing on society, innovation and entrepreneurship in iGRID aspects, as well as to facilitate implementation of automation of monitoring, evaluation, analysis, control and management of electrical power system (smart grid) in order to improve delivery efficiency and to optimize operational costs in the electrical power system in Tanzania. The project made use of Challenge-Based Learning (CBL) methodology to engage students to work together with stakeholders in identifying challenges facing electrical power system in Tanzania. This paper presents the experience of using CBL methodology to achieve active learning to engineering students. The dynamicity of the teaching model, allowed students to acquire skills necessary to solve medium to high tech complex problems in electrical research field.

ABSTRACT:
Assessing existing masonry buildings in seismic zones is a critical issue, due to the high vulnerability of the built environment. Commonly, beside local analysis, refined assessment procedures are used based on non-linear static methods, like the pushover method, supplemented, if necessary, by dynamic linear analyses, devoted to check the order of magnitude of the results. In non-linear static analysis masonry buildings are mostly modelled using the so-called equivalent frame model, but the resulting structural scheme is usually very complicated and the analysis requires to be “driven” step by step by very skilled users in order to obtain consistent results. An innovative and “robust” method is proposed for non-linear static analysis of masonry building. The method, which relies on very simple structural models, nearly independent on the user, recovers some basic assumptions of the classical POR method, and can be applied to mono or multi-story masonry buildings. Comparing the results obtained with the proposed method with those derived using the classical pushover analysis in several relevant case studies, allowed to validate it. Moreover, the practical applications confirmed that the method is suitable for refined assessment of the seismic performance of the structure, with a limited computational effort, so making possible also extensive sensitivity studies.

ABSTRACT:
This paper describes an active learner-centered environment for an introductory computer networking and security class using a lab classroom. The classroom makes effective use of virtual machines running on workstations, real devices in a locally connected network/security lab, and a dedicated but Internet-connected subnet, to discuss and explain complex concepts of computer networking, offensive and defensive security. The objective of the class is to demonstrate that offensive security techniques, such as hacking and penetration testing, are ‘fun’ and intriguing, but defensive security practices, though rigorous and detail-oriented, effectively address the issues discussed in offensive security. The three parts of the course, networking, offensive and defensive security, thus complement one other to provide a comprehensive picture to the students.

ABSTRACT:
The paper concerns representation intended as abstraction of a model from reality through perception. The relation between reality and its model is a key issue to design because while the project is thought on models, it always affects reality, and this epistemological gap is the reason for many design failures.

In particular, models are adopted in top-down approaches to abstract only what decision-makers consider useful information to pursue their objectives. The bottom-up approach, instead, adopts as model reality itself intended as the total set of physical stimuli passed intact to agents which react by spontaneously transforming their environment.

This approach lacking representation proves itself automatically reflexive and contingent. Nevertheless representations which make top-down approach strategic make it also rigid and vulnerable to changing conditions.

The present paper outlines a research path to solve this contradiction by positing that the two approaches are not mutually exclusive but the extremes of a scale which can work as meta-model to regulate the relationship between reality and model in design activity, thus defining an intermediate design object which would determine neither a passive nor an active role of the subject with regard to his environment, but a reciprocal encounter at the phenomenal level.

ABSTRACT:
A micro flow channel with the surface electrodes has been designed to detect the dielectrophoretic movement of a biological cell. The surface electrodes of titanium (thickness of 200 nm) were formed along the edges of the flow channel by the photolithography technique. At the one of the edges, the tip angle of the triangle shape of the surface electrode is 0.26 rad. The other flat edge is the reference electrode. The rectangular periodic electrical stimulation (0.01 ms, or 0.001 ms of period) was applied between the surface electrodes. The suspension of C2C12 (mouse myoblast cell line originated with cross-striated muscle of C3H mouse) was introduced into the flow channel, and the flow rate was controlled by the pressure head between the inlet port and the outlet port. The experiment shows that the velocity of the cell is accelerated along the electric field during the flow through the flow channel.