Value added logistics in supply and demand chains. Smile. Part 1. eBusiness between global company and itslocal sme supplier network

VALOSADE (Value Added Logistics in Supply and Demand Chains) is the research project of Anita Lukka's VALORE (Value Added Logistics Research) research team inLappeenranta University of Technology. VALOSADE is included in ELO (Ebusiness logistics) technology program of Tekes (Finnish Technology Agency). SMILE (SME-sector, Internet applications and Logistical Efficiency) is one of four subprojects of VALOSADE. SMILE research focuses on case network that is composed of small and medium sized mechanical maintenance service providers and global wood processing customers. Basic principle of SMILE study is communication and ebusiness insupply and demand network. This first phase of research concentrates on creating backgrounds for SMILE study and for ebusiness solutions of maintenance case network. The focus is on general trends of ebusiness in supply chains and networksof different industries; total ebusiness system architecture of company networks; ebusiness strategy of company network; information value chain; different factors, which influence on ebusiness solution of company network; and the correlation between ebusiness and competitive advantage. Literature, interviews and benchmarking were used as research methods in this qualitative case study. Networks and end-to-end supply chains are the organizational structures, which can add value for end customer. Information is one of the key factors in these decentralized structures. Because of decentralization of business, information is produced and used in different companies and in different information systems. Information refinement services are needed to manage information flows in company networksbetween different systems. Furthermore, some new solutions like network information systems are utilised in optimising network performance and in standardizingnetwork common processes. Some cases have however indicated, that utilization of ebusiness in decentralized business model is not always a necessity, but value-add of ICT must be defined case-specifically. In the theory part of report, different ebusiness and architecture models are introduced. These models are compared to empirical case data in research results. The biggest difference between theory and empirical data is that models are mainly developed for large-scale companies - not for SMEs. This is due to that implemented network ebusiness solutions are mainly large company centered. Genuine SME network centred ebusiness models are quite rare, and the study in that area has been few in number. Business relationships between customer and their SME suppliers are nowadays concentrated more on collaborative tactical and strategic initiatives besides transaction based operational initiatives. However, ebusiness systems are further mainly based on exchange of operational transactional data. Collaborative ebusiness solutions are in planning or pilot phase in most case companies. Furthermore, many ebusiness solutions are nowadays between two participants, but network and end-to-end supply chain transparency and information systems are quite rare. Transaction volumes, data formats, the types of exchanged information, information criticality,type and duration of business relationship, internal information systems of partners, processes and operation models (e.g. different ordering models) differ among network companies, and furthermore companies are at different stages on networking and ebusiness readiness. Because of former factors, different customer-supplier combinations in network must utilise totally different ebusiness architectures, technologies, systems and standards.

Content value chains modelling using a copyright ontology

Existing digital rights management (DRM) systems, initiatives like Creative Commons or research works as some digital rights ontologies provide limited support for content value chains modelling and management. This is becoming a critical issue as content markets start to profit from the possibilities of digital networks and the World Wide Web. The objective is to support the whole copyrighted content value chain across enterprise or business niches boundaries. Our proposal provides a framework that accommodates copyright law and a rich creation model in order to cope with all the creation life cycle stages. The dynamic aspects of value chains are modelled using a hybrid approach that combines ontology-based and rule-based mechanisms. The ontology implementation is based on Web Ontology Language and Description Logic (OWL-DL) reasoners, are directly used for license checking. On the other hand, for more complex aspects of the dynamics of content value chains, rule languages are the choice.

Easy introduction of maleimides at different positions of oligonucleotide chains for conjugation purposes

[2,5-Dimethylfuran]-protected maleimides were placed at both internal positions and the 3'-end of oligonucleotides making use of solid-phase synthesis procedures. A new phosphoramidite derivative and a new solid support incorporating the protected maleimide moiety were prepared for this purpose. In all cases maleimide deprotection (retro-Diels-Alder reaction) followed by reaction with thiol-containing compounds afforded the target conjugate.

From Full stopping to transparency in a holographic model of heavy ion collisions

We numerically simulate planar shock wave collisions in anti-de Sitter space as a model for heavy ion collisions of large nuclei. We uncover a crossover between two different dynamical regimes as a function of the collision energy. At low energies the shocks first stop and then explode in a manner approximately described by hydrodynamics, in close similarity with the Landau model. At high energies the receding fragments move outwards at the speed of light, with a region of negative energy density and negative longitudinal pressure trailing behind them. The rapidity distribution of the energy density at late times around midrapidity is not approximately boost invariant but Gaussian, albeit with a width that increases with the collision energy.

Kestävän kehityksen näkökulmien huomioiminen kunnan energiaratkaisussa

Diplomityön tavoitteena on tuottaa informaatiota kunnalliseen päätöksentekoon, jonka avulla kestävän kehityksen näkökulmia voidaan huomioida kunnan energiaratkaisusta päätettäessä. Yhtenä työn lähtökohtana on ollut myös uusi EU-direktiivi, jonka mukaan ympäristönäkökohtia voidaan huomioida julkisten hankintojen tarjouspyyntömenettelyssä valintaperusteena. Tarkastelun kohteena oli kokoluokaltaan 0,5–3 MW:n aluelämpölaitokset sekä polttoaineiden tuotantoketjut. Työssä vertailtavat polttoaineet olivat metsähake, raskas polttoöljy, kevyt polttoöljy ja turve. Diplomityössä on perehdytty kestävän kehityksen käsitteeseen ja muodostettu sen mukaan ekologiselle, sosiaaliselle ja taloudelliselle näkökulmalle kunnallisen energiaratkaisun indikaattoreita. Empiirisessä osassa käsitellään kestävän kehityksen näkökulmien muodostumista Enon energiaosuuskunnan toimintaan perustuen. Käytettävät kestävän kehityksen näkökulmien mukaiset indikaattorit ovat polttoaineen tuotannosta ja käytöstä aiheutuvat kasvihuonekaasupäästöt, polttoaineen tuotannon työllisyysvaikutukset sekä energian hinnan muodostuminen osuuskunnan asiakkaille. Tässä diplomityössä tarkastelluilla kestävän kehityksen indikaattoreilla mitattuna, metsähakkeen käytöllä energiantuotannossa on positiivinen vaikutus niin kunnan kasvihuonekaasutaseessa, työllisyystilanteessa sekä myös enemmän kuluttajaystävällinen asema, lämmön hinnan vakauden ansiosta, kuin muilla työssä käsiteltävillä polttoaineilla. Polttoaineen tuotantoketjun osalta metsähakkeelle saatiin tuotannon ja käytön aiheuttamaksi kasvihuonekaasupäästöksi 2,9–4,2 g CO2-ekv/MJ. Tulos perustuu Enon energiaosuuskunnan polttoaineen hankinnassa käytössä oleviin keskimääräisiin etäisyyksiin metsäkuljetuksessa (250 m) ja kaukokuljetuksessa (15 km). Tuotannon ja käytön aiheuttamat kasvihuonekaasupäästöt olivat raskaalla polttoöljyllä 88,2 g CO2-ekv/MJ, kevyellä polttoöljyllä 85,0 g CO2-ekv/MJ ja turpeella 104,0–108,1 g CO2-ekv/MJ. Metsähakkeen osalta polttoaineen tuotannon osuus koko tarkastellun energiaketjun kasvihuonekaasupäästöistä oli noin 43–57 %. Enon energiaosuuskunnan tapauksessa vuoden 2005 odotetulla toiminta-asteella metsähakkeella tuotetun lämmön tuotantoketjun kasvihuonekaasupäästöt ovat noin 160 t CO2-ekv. Kevyellä polttoöljyllä tuotetun lämmön tuotantoketjun kasvihuonekaasupäästöt olisivat noin 3700 t CO2-ekv sekä turpeen (50 %) ja metsähakkeen (50 %) seoskäyttöön perustuvalla ketjulla noin 2300–2400 t CO2-ekv. Samaisella toiminta-asteella työllisyysvaikutukset ovat käytettäessä metsähaketta 2,2–8,6 htv, raakaöljyä 0,12 htv ja turvetta 1,4–1,6 htv. Metsähakkeen käyttö aluelämpölaitosten pääpolttoaineena takaa myös vakaan hintakehityksen osuuskunnan asiakkaille.

Mesoscale numerical analysis of the historical November 1982 heavy precipitation event over Andorra (Eastern Pyrenees)

From 6 to 8 November 1982 one of the most catastrophic flash-flood events was recorded in the Eastern Pyrenees affecting Andorra and also France and Spain with rainfall accumulations exceeding 400 mm in 24 h, 44 fatalities and widespread damage. This paper aims to exhaustively document this heavy precipitation event and examines mesoscale simulations performed by the French Meso-NH non-hydrostatic atmospheric model. Large-scale simulations show the slow-evolving synoptic environment favourable for the development of a deep Atlantic cyclone which induced a strong southerly flow over the Eastern Pyrenees. From the evolution of the synoptic pattern four distinct phases have been identified during the event. The mesoscale analysis presents the second and the third phase as the most intense in terms of rainfall accumulations and highlights the interaction of the moist and conditionally unstable flows with the mountains. The presence of a SW low level jet (30 m s-1) around 1500 m also had a crucial role on focusing the precipitation over the exposed south slopes of the Eastern Pyrenees. Backward trajectories based on Eulerian on-line passive tracers indicate that the orographic uplift was the main forcing mechanism which triggered and maintained the precipitating systems more than 30 h over the Pyrenees. The moisture of the feeding flow mainly came from the Atlantic Ocean (7-9 g kg-1) and the role of the Mediterranean as a local moisture source was very limited (2-3 g kg-1) due to the high initial water vapour content of the parcels and the rapid passage over the basin along the Spanish Mediterranean coast (less than 12 h).

New method for measuring longitudinal fuctuations and directed flow in ultrarelativistic heavy ion reactions

It has been shown in recent ALICE@LHC measurements that the odd flow harmonics, in particular, a directed flow v1, occurred to be weak and dominated by random fluctuations. In this work we propose a new method, which makes the measurements more sensitive to the flow patterns showing global collective symmetries. We demonstrate how the longitudinal center of mass rapidity fluctuations can be identified, and then the collective flow analysis can be performed in the event-by-event center of mass frame. Such a method can be very effective in separating the flow patterns originating from random fluctuations, and the flow patterns originating from the global symmetry of the initial state.

Liberal alcohol legislation: does it amplify the effects among Swiss men of person-related risk factors on heavy alcohol use?

AIM: To estimate the statistical interactions between alcohol policy strength and the person-related risk factors of sensation-seeking, antisocial personality disorder and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder related to heavy alcohol use. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Young Swiss men living within 21 jurisdictions across Switzerland. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 5701 Swiss men (mean age 20 years) participating in the Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors (C-SURF). MEASUREMENTS: Outcome measures were alcohol use disorder (AUD) as defined in the DSM-5 and risky single-occasion drinking (RSOD). Independent variables were sensation-seeking, antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and an index of alcohol policy strength. FINDINGS: Alcohol policy strength was protective against RSOD [odds ratio (OR) = 0.91 (0.84-0.99)], while sensation-seeking and ASPD were risk factors for both RSOD [OR = 1.90 (1.77-2.04); OR = 1.69 (1.44-1.97)] and AUD [OR = 1.58 (1.47-1.71); OR = 2.69 (2.30-3.14)] and ADHD was a risk factor for AUD [OR = 1.08 (1.06-1.10)]. Significant interactions between alcohol policy strength and sensation-seeking were identified for RSOD [OR = 1.06 (1.01-1.12)] and AUD [OR = 1.06 (1.01-1.12)], as well as between alcohol policy strength and ASPD for both RSOD [OR = 1.17 (1.03-1.31)] and AUD [OR = 1.15 (1.02-1.29)]. These interactions indicated that the protective effects of alcohol policy strength on RSOD and AUD were lost in men with high levels of sensation-seeking or an ASPD. No interactions were detected between alcohol policy strength and ADHD. CONCLUSION: Stronger alcohol legislation protects against heavy alcohol use in young Swiss men, but this protective effect is lost in individuals with high levels of sensation-seeking or having an antisocial personality disorder.

Electron scattering in isotonic chains as a probe of the proton shell structure of unstable nuclei

Electron scattering on unstable nuclei is planned in future facilities of the GSI and RIKEN upgrades. Motivated by this fact, we study theoretical predictions for elastic electron scattering in the N=82, N=50, and N=14 isotonic chains from very proton-deficient to very proton-rich isotones. We compute the scattering observables by performing Dirac partial-wave calculations. The charge density of the nucleus is obtained with a covariant nuclear mean-field model that accounts for the low-energy electromagnetic structure of the nucleon. For the discussion of the dependence of scattering observables at low-momentum transfer on the gross properties of the charge density, we fit Helm model distributions to the self-consistent mean-field densities. We find that the changes shown by the electric charge form factor along each isotonic chain are strongly correlated with the underlying proton shell structure of the isotones. We conclude that elastic electron scattering experiments on isotones can provide valuable information about the filling order and occupation of the single-particle levels of protons.

Reframing video gaming and internet use addiction : empirical cross-national comparison of heavy use over time and addiction scales among young users

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Evidence-based and reliable measures of addictive disorders are needed in general population-based assessments. One study suggested that heavy use over time (UOT) should be used instead of self-reported addiction scales (AS). This study compared UOT and AS regarding video gaming and internet use empirically, using associations with comorbid factors. DESIGN: Cross-sectional data from the 2011 French Survey on Health and Consumption on Call-up and Preparation for Defence-Day (ESCAPAD), cross-sectional data from the 2012 Swiss ado@internet.ch study and two waves of longitudinal data (2010-13) of the Swiss Longitudinal Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors (C-SURF). SETTING: Three representative samples from the general population of French and Swiss adolescents and young Swiss men, aged approximately 17, 14 and 20 years, respectively. PARTICIPANTS: ESCAPAD: n =22 945 (47.4% men); ado@internet.ch: n =3049 (50% men); C-SURF: n =4813 (baseline + follow-up, 100% men). MEASUREMENTS: We assessed video gaming/internet UOT ESCAPAD and ado@internet.ch: number of hours spent online per week, C-SURF: latent score of time spent gaming/using internet] and AS (ESCAPAD: Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire, ado@internet.ch: Internet Addiction Test, C-SURF: Gaming AS). Comorbidities were assessed with health outcomes (ESCAPAD: physical health evaluation with a single item, suicidal thoughts, and appointment with a psychiatrist; ado@internet.ch: WHO-5 and somatic health problems; C-SURF: Short Form 12 (SF-12 Health Survey) and Major Depression Inventory (MDI). FINDINGS: UOT and AS were correlated moderately (ESCAPAD: r = 0.40, ado@internet.ch: r = 0.53 and C-SURF: r = 0.51). Associations of AS with comorbidity factors were higher than those of UOT in cross-sectional (AS: .005 ≤ |b| ≤ 2.500, UOT: 0.001 ≤ |b| ≤ 1.000) and longitudinal analyses (AS: 0.093 ≤ |b| ≤ 1.079, UOT: 0.020 ≤ |b| ≤ 0.329). The results were similar across gender in ESCAPAD and ado@internet.ch (men: AS: 0.006 ≤ |b| ≤ 0.211, UOT: 0.001 ≤ |b| ≤ 0.061; women: AS: 0.004 ≤ |b| ≤ 0.155, UOT: 0.001 ≤ |b| ≤ 0.094). CONCLUSIONS: The measurement of heavy use over time captures part of addictive video gaming/internet use without overlapping to a large extent with the results of measuring by self-reported addiction scales (AS). Measuring addictive video gaming/internet use via self-reported addiction scales relates more strongly to comorbidity factors than heavy use over time.

Direct Interrogation of Viral Peptides Presented by the Class I HLA of HIV-Infected T Cells

Identification of CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes has traditionally relied upon testing of overlapping peptide libraries for their reactivity with T cells in vitro. Here, we pursued deep ligand sequencing (DLS) as an alternative method of directly identifying those ligands that are epitopes presented to CTLs by the class I human leukocyte antigens (HLA) of infected cells. Soluble class I HLA-A*11:01 (sHLA) was gathered from HIV-1 NL4-3-infected human CD4+ SUP-T1 cells. HLA-A*11:01 harvested from infected cells was immunoaffinity purified and acid boiled to release heavy and light chains from peptide ligands that were then recovered by size-exclusion filtration. The ligands were first fractionated by high-pH high-pressure liquid chromatography and then subjected to separation by nano-liquid chromatography (nano-LC)–mass spectrometry (MS) at low pH. Approximately 10 million ions were selected for sequencing by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). HLA-A*11:01 ligand sequences were determined with PEAKS software and confirmed by comparison to spectra generated from synthetic peptides. DLS identified 42 viral ligands presented by HLA-A*11:01, and 37 of these were previously undetected. These data demonstrate that (i) HIV-1 Gag and Nef are extensively sampled, (ii) ligand length variants are prevalent, particularly within Gag and Nef hot spots where ligand sequences overlap, (iii) noncanonical ligands are T cell reactive, and (iv) HIV-1 ligands are derived from de novo synthesis rather than endocytic sampling. Next-generation immunotherapies must factor these nascent HIV-1 ligand length variants and the finding that CTL-reactive epitopes may be absent during infection of CD4+ T cells into strategies designed to enhance T cell immunity.

Care delivery value chains for ophthalmic clinics in Switzerland

Perceived patient value is often not aligned with the emerging expenses for health care services. In other words, the costs are often supposed as rising faster than the actual value for the patients. This fact is causing major concerns to governments, health plans, and individuals. Attempts to solve the problem have habitually been on the operational effectiveness side: increasing patient volume, minimizing costs, rationing, or closing hospitals, usually resulting in a zero-sum game. Only few approaches come from the strategic positioning side and "competition" among hospitals is still perceived rather as a danger than as a chance to create a positive-sum game and stimulate patient value. In their 2006 book, "Redefining Health Care", the renowned Harvard strategy professor Michael E. Porter and hospital management expert Professor Elizabeth Olmsted Teisberg approach the challenge from the positive-sum perspective: they propose to form Integrated Practice Units (IPUs) and manage hospitals in a modern, patient value oriented way. They argue that creating value-based competition on results should have the same effect on the health care sector like transparency and competition turned other industries with out-dated management models (like recently the inert telecommunication industry) into highly competitive and customer value creating businesses. The objective of this paper is to elaborate Care Delivery Value Chains for Integrated Practice Units in ophthalmic clinics and gather a first feedback from Swiss hospital managers, ophthalmologists, and patients, if such an approach could be a realistic way to improve health care management. First, Porter's definition of competitiveness (distinction between operational effectiveness and strategic positioning) is explained. Then, the Care Delivery Value Chain is introduced as a key element for understanding value-based management, followed by three practice examples for ophthalmic clinics. Finally, recommendations are given how the Care Delivery Value Chain can be managed efficiently and how the obstacles of becoming a patient-oriented organization can be overcome. The conclusion is that increased transparency and value-based competition on results has the potential to change the mindset of hospital managers-which will align patient value with the emerging health care expenses. Early adapters of this management approach will gain a competitive advantage. [Author, p. 6]