The research question how green marketing is used as a competitive advantage was answered by the analysis of the multiple case-study of two organizations of the boardsports industry, Jade and Notox. The comparison between theories and interviews revealed that, by doing green branding, having eco-labels, and implementing the five I’s, Jade and Notox are differentiating. This differentiation provides them a competitive advantage. In addition, Jade and Notox innovate in green materials and processes which, coupled with eco-labels, maintain the differentiation and generate a sustainable advantage.

In a complex and ever changing software environment, controlling and coordinating asoftware system's architecture and its components have become an almost an impossibletask. It takes a lot of effort from a developer and even then it is not a foolproof plan. In thisMasters thesis, we introduce Architectural Agents. Architectural agents are specializedconfigurable components. They are the key elements that make a software environmentself-adaptive. Should there be any problem in the software, the architectural agents havingmonitored the software architecture can know which component is having the problem andfix it.This thesis aims towards making software self-adaptive by using Architectural Agents.This can be achieved by combining two frameworks namely, Prism-MW and JADE. Eachof these frameworks have their own property that contribute towards achieving the goal ofthe thesis. Prism-MW decomposes a software into separate and easily manageablecomponents. JADE on the other hand, creates agents. Combining these two frameworksmeans using the agents to control the software components. This will make the softwareenvironment self-adaptive.We support our claims and theories by practically proving them.

The goal of this master's thesis is to design and implement framework that can be used for development of agent systems. Framework is implemented in Java and encapsulates JADE library. Framework is used for implementation of adventure game. There are several characters (agents) with specific roles who cooperate and try to achieve their goals.

Organophosphates are neurotoxic compounds that inhibit acetylcholinesterase producing excess cholinergic stimulation. This produces various toxic signs including excitotoxic neuronal damage. Oximes can be used as a treatment for organophosphate poisoning by reactivating inhibited acetylcholinesterase. Traditional oximes do not penetrate the blood-brain barrier, limiting protection of the central nervous system. Novel, brain-penetrating oximes have the potential to protect the brain from organophosphate induced damage. Adult male rats were used to examine the ability of model organophosphates to produce neuropathology and the ability of novel oximes to prevent this damage. Additionally, adult male rats were used to examine changes in gene expression of the MAP kinase system resultant of treatment with model organophosphates and novel oximes. Results of these experiments support that the model organophosphates can be used to study neurodegeneration, the novel oximes may prevent neurodegeneration, and both organophosphates and novel oximes affect expression of MAP kinase genes.

縄文時代早期末に出現した玦状耳飾をはじめとする「縄文玉製品」の諸様相を分析することによって、日本列島固有の文化であると強調されがちな縄文文化に、中国大陸の新石器時代の文化に起源がある要素の存在を明らかにした。それと同時に、縄文玉製品が他の文化要素と融合し、汎列島的に展開していることから、縄文文化の枠組みを示すような重要な要素であることも示した。 / 博士(文化史学) / Doctor of Philosophy in History / 同志社大学 / Doshisha University

[EN] In recent years, within the field of mobile robotics, distributed architectures are becoming the fundamental pillar on which to develop modular, scalable and reusable algorithms that offer flexible solutions that can be applied easily and quickly to any platform with minimal changes in the software. Thus avoiding to reinvent the wheel facing the same problem again and again with each different type of robot on which it wants to work. Within this type of architecture, the multi-agent systems have the ability to orient their programming to modular behaviors and offer a well defined communication management. The ability for a group of robots to communicate with each other with some ease, gives new information to the agents that the sensoring hardware may sometimes not be able to detect, and that can be used to propose new or complementary solutions to the already defined within the area. This is exactly the reason and the challenge faced by this work, applied to mobile robots with limited resources. The first contribution of this thesis lies in the development of a control middleware which allows the use of two important distributed frameworks: JADE oriented multi-agent software development and ROS oriented distributed robotic software. The middleware was integrated into the set of robots available for testing and it was used as the basis of the architecture of most simulated and practical experiments that are presented. Once the established and detailed the hardware and software used, the new algorithms developed for local and global localization of mobile robots with limited resources, based on filters of sensory fusion and geometric correspondences are established. In addition, the benefits are evaluated using the principles of control and sampling based on events and taking as a starting point the cascade algorithms based on time. Based on these localization algorithms, navigation and coordination methodologies are described for groups of cooperative robots, where the communications between agents are the basis of success and where satisfactory results are observed both individually by robot and globally on the set Of robots. When working on a scenario shared by various mobile robots navigating, one of the most critical issues is to get the robots do not collide with each other. For this reason, another of the most important contributions of this work has been the development of an algorithm of detection and avoidance of collisions based on the consensus and agreement between robots through the point-to-point communications between them. For cases when a robot collided with just another robot, and for cases where multiple collisions occurred at the same time. Finally, the conclusions and the possible lines of work on which to continue researching and developing from the results obtained in this thesis are presented. / [ES] En los últimos años, dentro del campo de la robótica móvil, las arquitecturas distribuidas se están convirtiendo en el pilar fundamental sobre el cual desarrollar algoritmos modulares, escalables y reaprovechables que ofrezcan soluciones flexibles aplicables fácil y rápidamente a cualquier plataforma con unos cambios mínimos en el software, evitando de este modo reinventar la rueda enfrentándose al mismo problema una y otra vez con cada tipo distinto de robot sobre el que se desea trabajar. Dentro de este tipo de arquitectura los sistemas multi-agente permiten orientar su programación hacia comportamientos modulares y ofrecen una gestión de comunicaciones bien definida. La habilidad de que un grupo de robots pueda comunicarse entre sí con cierta facilidad, otorga información nueva a los agentes que el hardware de sensorización puede en ocasiones no ser capaz de detectar, y que puede ser utilizada para proponer nuevas soluciones alternativas o complementarias a las ya definidas dentro del área. Este es exactamente el motivo y el reto al que se enfrenta este trabajo, aplicado a robots móviles de recursos limitados. La primera aportación de esta tesis radica en el desarrollo de un middleware de control el cual permite el uso de dos importantes frameworks distribuidos: JADE orientado al desarrollo software multi-agente y ROS orientado a software robótico distribuido. El middleware se integró en el conjunto de robots disponibles para pruebas y se utiliza como base de la arquitectura de la mayoría de experimentos simulados y prácticos que se presentan. Establecido y detallado el hardware y el software a utilizar, se establecen los nuevos algoritmos desarrollados para la localización local y global de robots móviles de recursos limitados, basados en filtros de fusión sensorial y en correspondencias geométricas. Además se evalúan las prestaciones utilizando los principios de control y muestreo basados en eventos y tomando como punto de partida los algoritmos en cascada basados en el tiempo. Partiendo de dichos algoritmos de localización, se describen metodologías de navegación y coordinación de grupos de robots cooperativos, donde las comunicaciones entre agentes son la base del éxito y donde se observan resultados satisfactorios tanto a nivel individual por robot, como a nivel global sobre el conjunto de robots. Cuando se trabaja sobre un escenario compartido por diversos robots móviles navegando, una de las problemáticas más críticas es conseguir que los robots no choquen entre ellos. Por este motivo, otra de las aportaciones más importantes de este trabajo ha sido el desarrollo de un algoritmo de detección y evasión de colisiones basado también en el consenso y el acuerdo entre robots a través de las comunicaciones punto a punto entre ellos, el cual se ha definido tanto para situaciones donde un robot colisionaba sólo con otro robot, como para casos en los que ocurrían múltiples colisiones al mismo tiempo. Finalmente se exponen las conclusiones y las posibles líneas de trabajo sobre las que seguir investigando y desarrollando a partir de los resultados obtenidos en la presente tesis. / [CAT] En els últims anys, dins del camp de la robòtica mòbil, les arquitectures distribuïdes s'estan convertint en el pilar fonamental sobre el qual desenvolupar algorismes modulars, escalables i reaprovechables que oferisquen solucions flexibles aplicables fàcil i ràpidament a qualsevol plataforma amb uns canvis mínims en el programari, evitant d'aquesta manera reinventar la roda enfrontant-se al mateix problema una vegada i una altra amb cada tipus diferent de robot sobre el qual es desitja treballar. Dins d'aquest tipus d'arquitectura els sistemes multi-agent permeten orientar la seua programació cap a comportaments modulars i ofereixen una gestió de comunicacions ben definida. L'habilitat de que un grup de robots puga comunicar-se entre si amb certa facilitat, atorga informació nova als agents que el hardware de sensorització pot en ocasions no ser capaç de detectar, i que pot ser utilitzada per a proposar noves solucions alternatives o complementàries a les ja definides dins de l'àrea. Aquest és exactament el motiu i el repte al que s'enfronta aquest treball, aplicat a robots mòbils de recursos limitats. La primera aportació d'aquesta tesi radica en el desenvolupament d'un middleware de control el qual permet l'ús de dos importants frameworks distribuïts: JADE orientat al desenvolupament de la programació multi-agent i ROS orientat a la programació robòtica distribuïda. El middleware es va integrar en el conjunt de robots disponibles per a proves i s'utilitza com a base de l'arquitectura de la majoria d'experiments simulats i pràctics que es presenten. Establit i detallat el hardware i el software a utilitzar, s'estableixen els nous algorismes desenvolupats per a la localització local i global de robots mòbils de recursos limitats, basats en filtres de fusió sensorial i en correspondències geomètriques. A més s'avaluen les prestacions utilitzant els principis de control i mostreig basats en esdeveniments i prenent com a punt de partida els algorismes en cascada basats en el temps. Partint d'aquests algorismes de localització, es descriuen metodologies de navegació i coordinació de grups de robots cooperatius, on les comunicacions entre agents són la base de l'èxit i on s'observen resultats satisfactoris tant a nivell individual per robot, com a nivell global sobre el conjunt de robots. A més, quan es treballa sobre un escenari compartit per diversos robots mòbils navegant, una de les problemàtiques més crítiques és aconseguir que els robots no xoquen entre ells. Per aquest motiu, una altra de les aportacions més importants d'aquest treball ha sigut el desenvolupament d'un algorisme de detecció i evasió de col·lisions basat també en el consens i l'acord entre robots a través de les comunicacions punt a punt entre ells, el qual s'ha definit tant per a situacions on un robot col·lisionava només amb un altre robot, com per a casos en els quals ocorrien múltiples col·lisions al mateix temps. Finalment s'exposen les conclusions i les possibles línies de treball sobre les quals seguir investigant i desenvolupant a partir dels resultats obtinguts en la present tesi. / Soriano Vigueras, Á. (2017). Integración de sistemas multi-agente en plataformas embebidas heterogéneas con recursos limitados para tareas de localización y coordinación en detección y evasión de colisiones en robótica móvil [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/86174

This thesis deals with the study of contactless and non-invasive methods for estimating heart and respiratory rate. Non-contact measurement involves sensing persons by using camera and the values of the physiological parameters are then assessed from the sets of image sequences by using suitable approaches. The theoretical part is devoted to description of the various methods and their implementation. The practical part describes the design and realization of the experiment for contactless detection of heart and respiratory rate. The experiment was carried out on 10 volunteers with a known heart and respiratory rate, which was covered by using of a sophisticated system BIOPAC. Processing and analysis of the measured data was conducted in software environment Matlab. Finally, results from contactless detection were compared with the reference from measurement system BIOPAC. Experiment results are statistically evaluated and discussed.

e-Learning is becoming an influential role as an economic method and a flexible mode of study in the institutions of higher education today which has a presence in an increasing number of college and university courses. e-Learning as system of systems is a dynamic and scalable environment. Within this environment, e-learning is still searching for a permanent, comfortable and serviceable position that is to be controlled, managed, flexible, accessible and continually up-to-date with the wider university structure. As most academic and business institutions and training centres around the world have adopted the e-learning concept and technology in order to create, deliver and manage their learning materials through the web, it has become the focus of investigation. However, management, monitoring and collaboration between these institutions and centres are limited. Existing technologies such as grid, web services and agents are promising better results. In this research a new architecture has been developed and adopted to make the e-learning environment more dynamic and scalable by dividing it into regional data grids which are managed and monitored by agents. Multi-agent technology has been applied to integrate each regional data grid with others in order to produce an architecture which is more scalable, reliable, and efficient. The result we refer to as Regionally Distributed Architecture for Dynamic e-Learning Environment (RDADeLE). Our RDADeLE architecture is an agent-based grid environment which is composed of components such as learners, staff, nodes, regional grids, grid services and Learning Objects (LOs). These components are built and organised as a multi-agent system (MAS) using the Java Agent Development (JADE) platform. The main role of the agents in our architecture is to control and monitor grid components in order to build an adaptable, extensible, and flexible grid-based e-learning system. Two techniques have been developed and adopted in the architecture to build LOs' information and grid services. The first technique is the XML-based Registries Technique (XRT). In this technique LOs' information is built using XML registries to be discovered by the learners. The registries are written in Dublin Core Metadata Initiative (DCMI) format. The second technique is the Registered-based Services Technique (RST). In this technique the services are grid services which are built using agents. The services are registered with the Directory Facilitator (DF) of a JADE platform in order to be discovered by all other components. All components of the RDADeLE system, including grid service, are built as a multi-agent system (MAS). Each regional grid in the first technique has only its own registry, whereas in the second technique the grid services of all regional grids have to be registered with the DF. We have evaluated the RDADeLE system guided by both techniques by building a simulation of the prototype. The prototype has a main interface which consists of the name of the system (RDADeLE) and a specification table which includes Number of Regional Grids, Number of Nodes, Maximum Number of Learners connected to each node, and Number of Grid Services to be filled by the administrator of the RDADeLE system in order to create the prototype. Using the RST technique shows that the RDADeLE system can be built with more regional grids with less memory consumption. Moreover, using the RST technique shows that more grid services can be registered in the RDADeLE system with a lower average search time and the search performance is increased compared with the XRT technique. Finally, using one or both techniques, the XRT or the RST, in the prototype does not affect the reliability of the RDADeLE system.

The main objective of this thesis work is to develop communication link between Runrev Revolution (IDE) and JADE (Multi-Agent System) through Socket programming using TCP/IP layer. These two independent platforms are connected using socket programming technique. Socket programming is considered to be newly emerging technology among these two platforms, the work done in this thesis work is considered to be a prototype.A Graphical simulation model is developed by salixphere (Company in Hedemora) to simulate logistic problems using Runrev Revolution (IDE). The simulation software/program is called “BIOSIM”. The logistic problems are complex, and conventional optimization techniques are unlikely very successful. “BIOSIM” can demonstrate the graphical representation of logistic problems depending upon the problem domains. As this simulation model is developed in revolution programming language (Transcript) which is dynamically typed and English-like language, it is quite slow compared to other high level programming languages. The object of this thesis work is to add intelligent behaviour in graphical objects and develop communication link between Runrev revolution (IDE) and JADE (Multi-Agent System) using TCP/IP layers.The test shows the intelligent behaviour in the graphical objects and successful communication between Runrev Revolution (IDE) and JADE (Multi-Agent System).

The thesis examines representations of the matriarch in three Chinese Canadian texts: SKY Lee's Disappearing Moon Cafe, Wayson Choy's The Jade Peony, and Denise Chong's The Concubine's Children. The matriarch is the female head of the Chinese household who is able to gain substantial power by manipulating the assets granted to her in a patriarchal system. Dislocated from her home in China, she serves in these texts as the focal point for the collision between the New World, Canada, and the Old World, China. Confronted by a new environment, the matriarch must decide whether she will choose conformity or identity experimentation. The thesis is concerned with the way Chinese Canadian writers negotiate multiple identities through narrators who must come to terms with the divided loyalties of the women of the past. The analysis of the matriarch's identity shifts is informed by the work of the feminist theorists, Elspeth Probyn and Moira Gatens, who explore the productive potentials of rebelling against binary codes. The thesis is divided into three chapters that discuss how the texts come close to embracing identity fluidity, but cannot overcome the need to reach a coherent representation of the matriarch. The first chapter is devoted to Disappearing Moon Cafe, and argues that Lee's narrator sacrifices her female characters, albeit reluctantly, in order to privilege feminism over her Chinese heritage. The second chapter turns to The Jade Peony and discusses how Choy's child narrators give in to binary thinking by relegating Poh-Poh, the Old One, to the realm of memories to make room for the New Ways. The final chapter on The Concubine's Children explores Chong's desire to redeem a grandmother who wreaked havoc on the family when she defied traditional gender roles. The thesis concludes by determining that Lee, Choy, and Chong are reaching for a multi-voiced reading of the past, but cannot yet articulate a way out. The uncertainty of their representations of the matriarch signals their efforts to move beyond binaries to a state of coexisting identity categories.