Link In Chain Research Articles

Forecasting Order Delays with Artificial Intelligence-Based Applications

The digitalization trend in the world in the last two decades has begun to transform business processes. Departing from the traditional business approach, the use of technology in every field has changed business processes and, accordingly, the approach of managers. On the other hand, cloud computing, the internet of things, sensors and instant notification systems through these components brought by the last industrial revolution have transformed supply chains into a smart structure. Now, the information that a product sold by a retailer, which is the last link of a supply chain, is out of stock is transmitted to the raw material supplier in the first link of the chain. In this way, a perfect supply chain structure is formed and operations are carried out in lean working principles. The products prepared according to the reduction of the retailer's stocks are continuously supplied, which shows flawless operation. On the other hand, through digital components such as sensors and the Internet of Things, each step in workflows is instantly converted into data and stored in virtual environments called cloud computing. At this point, besides the problem of data storage and security, the main problem is to process the data in a meaningful way. Analyzing big data generated by AI-based components and systems is also possible with AI-based systems. Methods called machine learning have been developed for this situation and their application area is increasing day by day. In the light of this information, within the scope of the study, forecasts of order quantity delays for future periods using historical order data from customers for the products produced by an enterprise were analyzed using machine learning algorithms. The results of the analysis made through the Microsoft Azure Machine Learning Studio platform will contribute to the use of digital tools in the sector as well as increasing the application examples of machine learning. According to the results obtained as a result of the analyzes, recommendations were developed for the enterprise. Finally, suggestions for the application of machine learning in the field of business administration are presented.

Assessment of the sustainability of the swine supply chain

Purpose: Among the production chains, the pig farming supply chain stands out. The study aims to identify the level of sustainability in the swine production chain based on the analysis of externalities, considering the criteria of the System of Management and Assessment of Sustainability of Pig Farming. Design/methodology/approach: The case study is carried out at a rural property in the municipality of Herval D’Oeste-Santa Catarina, the research is descriptive with qualitative analysis. For the development of the research, the information about the productive process was identified through interviews, the structured script allowed for identification of about 60 metrics and external indicators of the social, environmental, and economic-financial dimensions. Findings: The economic-financial dimension presented the remuneration of labor and invested capital as positive externalities. The social performance indicators (social interaction, human capital, and environmental practices) showed compliance levels in the model. Based on the analysis, negative externalities were identified in the environmental assessment indicators of water, air/greenhouse effect, and energy, highlighting the need for improvements in the production process and in the management of natural resources. Practical implications: The model contributes to the evaluation of production practices and indicates weaknesses and needs for improvements in the management of the pork supply chain. Social implications: The results demonstrate the importance of assessing sustainability in rural areas, considering it relevant link in the production chain. Originality/value: The analysis highlights the importance of assessing sustainability in supply chains, aiming to correct the negative externalities of the production process of rural activities.

MANAGEMENT OF COMBATING FOOD FRAUD IN THE FIELD OF PUBLIC CATERING

Food that is safe, made and declared nutritionally correct and free movement contribute significantly to the health and well-being of citizens and to their social and economic interests. This is essential for the EU internal market and food fraud prevention and detection policies make an important contribution to the exercise of this responsibility. The prevalence of food fraud can be explained by the complex nature of global food supply chains and the economic incentive to provide cheaper food. Fraudulent practices in the food sector can also lead to risks to public health.This paper highlights the main strategies and measures to effectively combat food fraud in public catering in Romania. Due to the impact of food fraud issues on public health and consumer confidence, it is important to build and implement a system of appropriate prevention, control and improvement measures (SPCI - food fraud - PA). Raising awareness of the risks associated with food fraud, educating consumers and catering workers is the main pillar of the proposed system. Standardization of food quality and safety, monitoring of supply chains, transparency and exchange of information, cooperation between links in the food chain, and appropriate sanctioning of those involved in fraud, are key issues addressed in this paper. The development of a set of recommendations for consumers and operators lays the foundation for activities that will support the national plan to reduce food fraud. By implementing these strategies, we can develop a system that makes catering safer, more transparent, an economic sector that preserves product integrity and protects public health.

Digital formats of the global healthcare service industry

Nowadays, both diversified channels of medical care for patients in remote mode, as well as extensive telemedical networks and systems of exchange of specialized medical information between all participants in the process of public reproduction of medical services at the national and supranational levels are actively being formed. As a result, we are all witnessing the development in global coordinates of a multi-level integrated system of a digital ecosystem of health care, which is based on digital technologies, forms qualitatively new channels of value creation for consumers of medical services and ensures deep convergent interaction of all key subjects of the medical care system citizens - from doctors, patients, health care institutions and states to health insurance companies, intergovernmental and non-governmental international organizations, business communities, etc. In view of this, there is every reason to claim that the qualitatively new business models of the digital health care system implemented in a fragmented manner in the conditions of digitalization will already in the next decade accumulate a powerful institutional and technological resource for "undermining" traditional business models of medical care with their departure from the narrowed format of the primary link of medical services to deep penetration into all links of the value chain formed in health care, and therefore - the formation of sustainable cash flows for producers of medical services. In the systemic processes of the global digital transformation of economic activity, a special place has been occupied by the service industry in recent years, which, as international experience shows, in the post-industrial paradigm of world economic development largely determines the structural dynamics of the national economies of most countries of the world. The purpose of the article is to reveal conceptual approaches to the systematic implementation in global coordinates of the key priority of digital health — the formation of values for patients in an ethical, safe, reliable, fair and sustainable way, while fully complying with such principles of providing medical services as: its transparency, safety and accessibility to broad segments of the population, scalability of medical care and its regularity, digital compatibility of structural components of the digital ecosystem, and strict confidentiality of medical information.

Applying an alginate and mucilage-based edible coating to avocado halves favors some physical attributes and consumer acceptance

The avocado is a highly perishable fruit, leading to significant potential waste and loss in some links of the agri-food chain, with negative environmental and economic impacts. This study explored the influence of an alginate and mucilage-based edible coating on some physical attributes, cold storage, and consumer acceptance of avocado halves coated at the ready-to-eat stage. Two lots of avocado halves were formed. One was treated with an edible coating formulated from alginate and mucilage; the other was uncoated. Uncoated and coated avocado halves were cold-stored at 4 ± 1 °C and 95% relative humidity for 12 d. The fruit mass loss (FML), fresh firmness (FF), and some color parameters were measured every other day. The experiment was conducted in a completely random design with three replicates at each sampling date. On the sixth day, a sensory study was performed with 30 untrained panelists who were frequent avocado eaters. The coated avocado halves were brighter, redder, and yellower during the experimental period than uncoated avocado halves. A significant color differences (?E*) were found between coated and uncoated avocado halves. At the end of the experiment, the coated samples had the lowest FML and FF and the greatest consumer acceptance. Therefore, the edible coating presented here is a feasible technology for minimally-processed avocado halves and for high-latitude markets, where this fruit is scarce.

The motif of billboard texts of adverts in four cities: Apropos of Bantu and African languages

Advertising, which is but one link in the value chain of marketing, is the hallmark of the postmodern world, ubiquitous and dominant in all public spaces and spheres of life. A random count of billboards, posters, and electronic and digital advertisements can attest to this without recourse to systematic empirical evidence. However, there is a need to interrogate the basis of this status quo, its ‘superstructure’ and ‘base’, and address the impact of advertising on African peoples and their values; how they are influenced and directed in public sphere in African localities, where their values should be predominant. The impetus that inspired the thematic exploration of this article is that in public spaces where indigenous languages and values should logically be dominant, they are marginalised and patronised, in ways that are cynical and are an instrument of capitalist motives and agenda. This article seeks to explore manifestations of this marginalisation and undermining of values of speakers of Bantu and other African languages in advertisements, a genre that is so ubiquitous that it imposes a subliminal crisis among indigenous languages speakers, who are demographically in the majority on the African continent. The impact of this genre pervades spaces in languages, in style, diction, and undertones that have an ideological impact in environments and settings where African languages and values are expected to be predominant, or at least should indigenously and logically be strongly anchored. This premise is the base of my inquiry.Contribution: This dominance is achieved by means of visual and textual images of advertisements that have sought to ‘sustain alienation’ and establish subordination of the consumer.

Технология сценарного анализа территории: планирование экономического развития региона (на примере Новосибирской области)

The results of the study on the spatial organization of the Novosibirsk region, as well as modeling and choice of optimal trajectories of its economic development using the technology of scenario-based analysis of the territory are presented. Based on the laws of mutual influence of spatial factors and main economic drivers of regional development, the best location of new links of production chains and infrastructure facilities are determined. The analysis of the spatial organization of the population distribution system, location of industrial, social and road transport infrastructure facilities in the Novosibirsk region is given. A number of investment and social scenarios of the regional economic development are simulated and evaluated. The work was carried out using GIS technology in combination with external software module and expert database. A variety of suitability maps for investment and social scenarios, infrastructure-secure areas, and best location of prospective production clusters/chains are generated. It is offered to use the described technology when planning regional economic development

Impact of unfair purchasing policies on the retail price

This paper provides empirical evidence of the negative aspects of unfairness within the food supply chain concerning the purchasing policies of a micro-food producer who is also a supplier of large retail chains in the Republic of Croatia. When looking at the business relations between micro-enterprises and retailers, the authors identify a problem in the form of purchasing policies of retailers that contradict the legislative intention of the Act on the Prohibition of Unfair Trading Practices in the Food Supply Chain and the Directive of the European Parliament and the Council on the same subject. The paper aims to point out to the legislators that their approach to the issue has not led to the economic sustainability of the vulnerable links in the food supply chain, i.e., the supply side companies, as the problem has mostly been diverted to unfair prices. The authors point out the undue rigidity of the legislation concerning market competition in prohibited vertical agreements and the undue flexibility in price intelligence. In addition, this paper points out that unfair purchasing policies may constitute inflationary pressures not yet recognized by macroeconomic theory. The limitation of the paper stems from the likely generalization based on inductive inferences based on a case study. There is the possibility of further research on this topic in the short term to make informed economic and policy decisions.

The effect of perceived corporate social responsibility on purchase intention in mobile commerce: mediating roles of trusting beliefs and satisfaction

PurposeCorporate social responsibility (CSR) activities of companies have been reported to generate favorable consumer attitudes towards the business, which in turn, encourages positive consumer behavior. But the application of this conclusion in the mobile commerce domain remains limited. Drawing on social exchange theory, the authors examined the mediating role of trusting beliefs and satisfaction in the relationship between CSR and purchase intention in mobile commerce.Design/methodology/approachUsing nonprobability convenience sampling, the authors administered a cross-sectional survey with 314 students from Keimyung University in Korea. Initially, SPSS-Amos was utilized to run confirmatory factor analysis. The proposed hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling.FindingsThis study showed that two components of trusting beliefs, namely benevolence and competence, had a positive effect on the association between CSR and the purchase intention on mobile shopping applications. This relationship was partially mediated by trusting beliefs. Further findings demonstrated that the impact of CSR on purchase intention was also partially mediated by satisfaction.Originality/valueThe authors' contribution includes extending the social exchange theory to the mobile commerce setting by establishing mechanisms that explain the ways CSR influences purchase intention in the mobile commerce framework. The authors integrated trusting beliefs and satisfaction in the CRS chain link with purchase intention. Additionally, the authors examined the individual effects of three trusting beliefs components. Based on the results, the authors proposed suggestions for the mobile shopping application business on the methods they can implement to boost the outcomes of their CSR activities.

Subject of prevention of road traffic offences: concept, features, classification, practical significance

The article is devoted to consideration of a number of fundamental issues related to the subject of prevention of motor vehicle offences, its main features, classifications, and the system of subjects. It is argued that the essence of preventing criminal manifestations is to eliminate or limit their determinants - causes and conditions. The study confirms the conclusion that the driving force, the dominant cause is the human factor, consciousness, will, emotions, interests of offenders, which requires activities, measures, and means which, in combination, can have a real impact on road traffic. In this regard, the author defines the subject of accident prevention, the main feature (among others) of which is the ability and capacity to eliminate or limit the criminogenic effect of "vulnerable" links in the deterministic chain of these offences using its respective resource potential. It is proposed to create a new or activate existing structures. Similar bodies have been created in many countries around the world, which have achieved significant positive results on the path of professionalisation and specialisation of actors, moving towards Vision Zero.
 The author classifies subjects according to the criterion of the functional purpose of their main activity. According to this criterion, 4 groups of entities are distinguished: entities for which preventive activity in the criminological sense is: the main, one of the main, function within other types of activity, informal public duty. It turned out that the first group of subjects of prevention is not represented in Ukraine on a permanent or long-term basis.
 The author makes a number of proposals regarding the creation of the first group of subjects, and critical remarks are made regarding the statement that the country has a system of crime prevention and its manifestation such as road traffic offences with grave consequences. Such a system has not been built in Ukraine.

The factors of the low iodine concentration in soil cover and drinking waters of the second ridge of the Mountain Crimea

Low iodine content in the environment can be one of the main factors of iodine deficiency diseases in humans and farm animals, including hypothyroidism, nodular thyroid tumors, irreversible brain damage in the fetus and newborn. Endemic goiter, caused primarily by iodine deficiency, is an urgent problem for most regions of modern Russia, including the Republic of Crimea. For the Republic of Crimea, along with other regions of the Crimean-Caucasian mountain zone, there is a deficiency of iodine in the lower links of the trophic chain, which provokes iodine deficiency diseases. The aim of the work was to reveal the contrast of iodine distribution in the lower links of the trophic chain: different types of soils for agricultural use and natural waters for drinking purposes from various sources in the Crimean Mountains. The article presents data of the iodine content in the soil cover and drinking water in the Crimean Mountains, on the example of the Bakhchisarai area (in Bodrak river valley). The dependence of the iodine content in the upper horizons of different types of soils, on the content of humus, pH-water soils and cation exchange has been established. It has been confirmed that the content of iodine in natural waters (springs, rivers, lakes) is determined primarily by the composition of water-bearing rocks.

Location of links in the pharmaceutical value chain in Сhina: the role of contract research organizations

Location of links in the pharmaceutical value chain in Сhina: the role of contract research organizations

The Impact of the Internet on the Development of Agricultural Product Value Chain

With the popularization and rapid development of the Internet, the development of the value chain of agricultural products has also been profoundly affected. The purpose of this paper is to study the application of the Internet in the production, processing, circulation, consumption and extension of each link in the value chain of agricultural products, analyze the impact of the Internet on the development of the value chain of agricultural products, and point out the problems of information security and value chain financing of agricultural products in the process of promoting the development of the value chain of agricultural products, so as to put forward countermeasures and suggestions to promote the development of agricultural products e-commerce and cross-border e-commerce of agricultural products, improve the Internet application ability of farmers, and increase the support for the value chain financing of agricultural products. This is of great significance for promoting the deep integration of the Internet and agriculture and promoting the realization of agricultural modernization in China.

Disruption of semiochemical-mediated movement by the immature Trogoderma variabile Baillon and Trogoderma inclusum Le Conte (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) after exposure to long-lasting insecticide-incorporatednetting.

Highly mobile stored product insects may be able to readily orient in response to food cues and pheromones to attack durable commodities at each link of the postharvest supply chain. A 0.4% deltamethrin-incorporated long-lasting insecticide-incorporated netting (LLIN) is a successful novel preventative integrated pest management (IPM) tactic to intercept dispersing insects after harvest. However, it is unknown whether exposure to LLIN may affect olfaction and orientation to important semiochemicals by immature stored product dermestids, therefore the aim of this study was to assess whether exposure to LLIN disrupts the normal olfactory and chemotactic behavior of warehouse beetle, Trogoderma variabile Ballion (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), and the larger cabinet beetle, T. inclusum Le Conte (Coleoptera: Dermestidae), larval movement in the presence of important semiochemicals, including food kairomones (e.g., flour) and pheromones, e.g., (Z)-14-methyl-8-hexadecenal. The distance moved by the larval population of T. variabile was reduced by 64% after 24-h exposure to LLIN compared to control netting but not immediately after exposure, while T. inclusum larvae movement was reduced by 50% after 24-h exposure to LLIN compared to the control netting. Generally, the olfaction and orientation of larval dermestids were affected after exposure to LLIN compared to control netting. There were species-linked differences in effects on olfaction after the insects were exposed to LLIN. Our study suggests the use of LLIN may enhance the effectiveness of other concurrent behaviorally-based strategies such as mating disruption when used as part of a comprehensive IPM program in the postharvest environment. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.

Changes in transcriptome regulations of a marine rotifer Brachionus plicatilis under methylmercury stress

Mercury (Hg), a heavy metal pollutant worldwide, can be transformed into methylmercury (MeHg) by various aquatic microorganisms in water, thus accumulating along the aquatic food chain and posing a particular challenge to human health. Zooplankton plays a crucial role in aquatic ecosystems and serves as a major component of the food chain. To evaluate the effects of MeHg on the rotifer Brachionus plicatilis and reveal the underlying mechanism of these effects, we exposed B. plicatilis to MeHg by either direct immersion or by feeding with MeHg-poisoned Chlorella pyrenoidesa, respectively, and conducted a transcriptomic analysis. The results showed that B. plicatilis directly exposed to MeHg by immersion showed significant enrichment of the glutathione metabolism pathway for detoxification of MeHg. In addition, the exposure to MeHg by feeding induced a significant enrichment of lysosome and notch signaling pathways of rotifers, supporting the hypothesis that MeHg can induce autophagy dysfunction in cells and disturb the nervous system of rotifers. In two different routes of MeHg exposure, the pathway of cytochrome P450 in rotifers showed significant enrichment for resisting MeHg toxicity. Our results suggest further studies on the potential mechanism and biological responses of MeHg toxicity in other links of the aquatic food chain.

Structure and Boundaries of the Stages of the Civil Process

To successfully defend your rights in court, you should clearly understand the content and legal nature of the actions necessary for this. At the same time, the theory of civil procedure has not yet formed a unified approach to solving the question of what a civil process is, what elements it consists of. Since the civil process is one of the types of legal activity, its primary element is the procedural action. Setting the goal of determining the structure of the civil process, it is necessary to determine not only the list of its constituent parts and their names, but also their spatial and temporal boundaries. It should be noted that individual procedural actions cannot exist separately from each other, and therefore, the procedural form not only determines the order of their commission, but also combines them into a certain system. At the same time, the analysis of works devoted to the application of the system method in jurisprudence allowed us to conclude that the civil process is a set of various elements that are in relationships and connections with each other, forming a certain integrity, unity. Thus, the primary element of the civil process is the procedural actions, which make up the stages and stages. At the same time, it is not necessary to consider the process itself as a chain of interconnected links going in order one after another. The civil process is rather a set of relatively isolated elements that can form various structural connections depending on the circumstances of a particular case. They can exist not only within certain stages or stages, but also beyond them.

On the Issue of the Concept of Value Chain Management

The purpose of this article is to improve the terminology, structure and content of the integrated concept of chain management, including value chains, novelties, demands and supplies. Methods of classification, analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction chosen as research methods, and binary matrices used as a tool, formed on the basis of classification attributes and their dichotomies, allowing to increase the objectivity of obtained results. The results obtained with signs of scientific novelty: classification of variants for managing chains and other objects when creating values for end consumers of products and/or services; the sequence of formation of terms of the main and derived components of chain management; the structure of the chain management concept focused on creating the main types of value for end consumers of products and/or services; the content of management of new types of chains, such as chains of formalization, consumption and generalization of value. These results make it possible to reduce the lost profit of chain links of various types due to the rational distribution of functions, powers, responsibilities between performers and the elimination of cross-functional barriers. The originality of the article is based on the following hypotheses: the presence of a common «chain» management object allows us to develop the concept of integrated management of value chains, novelties, demands and supplies; the value of the end consumer of products and/or services is divided into types and objects, each of which is characterized by specific supply chains and a variant of managing these chains; the main objects chain management forms the prerequisites for the creation of a unified terminological apparatus.

Jernlænken fra Fæsted

Jernlænken fra Fæsted

MetaBCI: An open-source platform for brain–computer interfaces

Background:Recently, brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) have attracted worldwide attention for their great potential in clinical and real-life applications. To implement a complete BCI system, one must set up several links to translate the brain intent into computer commands. However, there is not an open-source software platform that can cover all links of the BCI chain. Method:This study developed a one-stop open-source BCI software, namely MetaBCI, to facilitate the construction of a BCI system. MetaBCI is written in Python, and has the functions of stimulus presentation (Brainstim), data loading and processing (Brainda), and online information flow (Brainflow). This paper introduces the detailed information of MetaBCI and presents four typical application cases. Results:The results showed that MetaBCI was an extensible and feature-rich software platform for BCI research and application, which could effectively encode, decode, and feedback brain activities. Conclusions:MetaBCI can greatly lower the BCI’s technical threshold for BCI beginners and can save time and cost to build up a practical BCI system. The source code is available at https://github.com/TBC-TJU/MetaBCI, expecting new contributions from the BCI community.

Optimizing Supply Chain Risk Management: A Case Study of Pharmaceutical Humanwell Healthcare

Supply chain risk management is an important area that enterprises in globalized competition must address. Effective supply chain risk management not only helps to ensure production and delivery stability but also improves competitiveness. As an internationalized enterprise, Humanwell Healthcare faces diversified risks from various links in the supply chain. This study aims to explore Humanwell Healthcares supply chain risk management strategy to improve its ability to identify, assess and respond to supply chain risks. Through comprehensive literature analysis and case studies, this study will provide an in-depth analysis of Humanwell Healthcares supply chain risk characteristics and propose corresponding management methods and tools. The study results show that Humanwell Healthcare can effectively reduce and control supply chain risks and improve its overall business performance by establishing an effective risk identification mechanism, strengthening the cooperative relationship with suppliers, and adopting appropriate insurance measures. This study provides useful reference and inspiration for other supply chain risk management enterprises.