2024
Authors
Silvares, C; Sao Mamede, H; Costa, J;
Publication
ENTERPRISE INFORMATION SYSTEMS
Abstract
Organizations in competitive, regulated environments must enhance business processes for efficiency, quality, and compliance while minimizing risks and costs. Process automation solutions play a vital role in achieving these goals, though the variety of tool descriptions creates challenges for compatibility and interoperability. This hinders innovation and competitiveness. The adoption of standard specifications or widely accepted best practices for automation descriptions offers a solution. This research aims to identify a set of best practices to guide process-oriented organizations in evaluating their current automation practices, ensuring alignment and fostering improvements in business process automation.
2024
Authors
Brandao P.R.; Mamede H.S.; Correia M.P.;
Publication
Journal of Computer Science
Abstract
This research is inserted in the context of cybersecurity and specifically in the attribution of Advanced Persistent Threats (APT). The investigation that gave rise to the article studies the MICTIC Framework, validating it and proposing an extension to facilitate the assignment of APTs. In this research, we present the motivation for this proposal and its validation. Also, the MICTIC is presented layer by layer and the extended version is submitted for validation through a survey of around 50 university professors and researchers. Due to the fact the MICTIC by itself has not been validated, we decided to do that in conjunction with the extension proposal. Attribution is very important because lets you know who promoted or who carried out an APT-type attack. On the other hand, just the fact that there are sophisticated Attribution mechanisms can act as a deterrent to future attacks. This research contributes to greater ease in obtaining the Assignment of APTs and consequently in understanding how this type of cybercrime works. so much so that there are few studies on the Assignment of APTs. This study objectively contributes to achieving the APT attribution by combining technological and non-technological techniques. It contributes to achieving computer security environments since an APT Attribution is a high deterrent to an APT group getting uncovered and an Attribution being assigned to it. Typically, cybercriminals who have been identified have stopped operating, whereas the opposite is not true; unidentified actors persist with attacks for a long time. Thus, this study also contributes to the overall maintenance of cybersecurity.
2024
Authors
Barbosa, S; Silva, ME; Rousseau, DD;
Publication
NONLINEAR PROCESSES IN GEOPHYSICS
Abstract
Palaeoclimate time series, reflecting the state of Earth's climate in the distant past, occasionally display very large and rapid shifts showing abrupt climate variability. The identification and characterisation of these abrupt transitions in palaeoclimate records is of particular interest as this allows for understanding of millennial climate variability and the identification of potential tipping points in the context of current climate change. Methods that are able to characterise these events in an objective and automatic way, in a single time series, or across two proxy records are therefore of particular interest. In our study the matrix profile approach is used to describe Dansgaard-Oeschger (DO) events, abrupt warmings detected in the Greenland ice core, and Northern Hemisphere marine and continental records. The results indicate that canonical events DO-19 and DO-20, occurring at around 72 and 76 ka, are the most similar events over the past 110 000 years. These transitions are characterised by matching transitions corresponding to events DO-1, DO-8, and DO-12. They are abrupt, resulting in a rapid shift to warmer conditions, followed by a gradual return to cold conditions. The joint analysis of the delta 18O and Ca2+ time series indicates that the transition corresponding to the DO-19 event is the most similar event across the two time series.
2024
Authors
Sequeira, R; Reis, A; Alves, P; Branco, F;
Publication
INFORMATION
Abstract
Higher education institutions (HEIs) make decisions in several domains, namely strategic and internal management, without using systematized data that support these decisions, which may jeopardize the success of their actions or even their efficiency. Thus, HEIs must define and monitor strategies and policies essential for decision making in their various areas and levels, in which business intelligence (BI) plays a leading role. This study presents a systematic literature review (SLR) aimed at identifying and analyzing primary studies that propose a roadmap for the implementation of a BI system in HEIs. The objectives of the SLR are to identify and characterize (i) the strategic objectives that underlie decision making, activities, processes, and information in HEIs; (ii) the BI systems used in HEIs; (iii) the methods and techniques applied in the design of a BI architecture in HEIs. The results showed that there is space for developing research in this area since it was possible to identify several studies on the use of BI in HEIs, although a roadmap for its implementation was not identified, making it necessary to define a roadmap for the implementation of BI systems that can serve as a reference for HEIs.
2024
Authors
Borges, DS; Oliveira, M; Teixeira, MM; Branco, F;
Publication
ENVIRONMENTS
Abstract
The growing demand for sustainable and environment-friendly energy sources resulted in extensive research in the field of renewable energy. Biomass, derived from organic materials such as agricultural waste, forestry products, and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) sludge, holds great potential as a renewable energy resource that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and offer sustainable solutions for energy production. This study focused on diverse biomass materials, including sludge from WWTPs, forest biomass, swine waste, cork powder, and biochar. Chemical and physicochemical characterizations were performed to understand their energy potential, highlighting their elemental composition, proximate analysis, and calorific values. Results showed that different biomasses have varying energy content, with biochar and cork powder emerging as high-energy materials with net heating values of 32.56 MJ/kg and 25.73 MJ/kg, respectively. WWTP sludge also demonstrated considerable potential with net heating values of around 14.87 MJ/kg to 17.44 MJ/kg. The relationships between biomass compositions and their heating values were explored, indicating the significance of low nitrogen and sulphur content and favourable carbon, hydrogen, and moisture balances for energy production. Additionally, this study looked into the possibility of mixing different biomasses to optimize their use and overcome limitations like high ash and moisture contents. Mixtures, such as 75% Santo Emiliao WWTP Sludge + 25% Biochar, showed impressive net heating values of approximately 21.032 MJ/kg and demonstrated reduced emissions during combustion. The study's findings contribute to renewable energy research, offering insights into efficient and sustainable energy production processes and emphasizing the environmental benefits of biomass energy sources with low nitrogen and sulphur content.
2024
Authors
Serôdio C.; Mestre P.; Cabral J.; Gomes M.; Branco F.;
Publication
Applied Sciences (Switzerland)
Abstract
In the context of Industry 4.0, this paper explores the vital role of advanced technologies, including Cyber–Physical Systems (CPS), Big Data, Internet of Things (IoT), digital twins, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), in enhancing data valorization and management within industries. These technologies are integral to addressing the challenges of producing highly customized products in mass, necessitating the complete digitization and integration of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) for flexible and automated manufacturing processes. The paper emphasizes the importance of interoperability through Service-Oriented Architectures (SOA), Manufacturing-as-a-Service (MaaS), and Resource-as-a-Service (RaaS) to achieve seamless integration across systems, which is critical for the Industry 4.0 vision of a fully interconnected, autonomous industry. Furthermore, it discusses the evolution towards Supply Chain 4.0, highlighting the need for Transportation Management Systems (TMS) enhanced by GPS and real-time data for efficient logistics. A guideline for implementing CPS within Industry 4.0 environments is provided, focusing on a case study of real-time data acquisition from logistics vehicles using CPS devices. The study proposes a CPS architecture and a generic platform for asset tracking to address integration challenges efficiently and facilitate the easy incorporation of new components and applications. Preliminary tests indicate the platform’s real-time performance is satisfactory, with negligible delay under test conditions, showcasing its potential for logistics applications and beyond.
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