ADVICE: A virtual environment for Engineering Change Management

In this paper, we analyze Engineering Changes (EC), which are modifications in forms, fits, functions, materials, or dimensions in components constituting the design. We propose a new approach for processing these changes within a Virtual Collaborative Design Environment. This environment, named Active Distributed Virtual Change Environment (ADVICE) offers an Engineering Change Management solution by merging graphical and parametric data involved in the process into a virtual platform, which improves the comprehension of users and hence decreases the time required for review. ADVICE provides smart user support for predicting Engineering Changes to be triggered due to a specific change and for offering priorities to Engineering Change Requests. This is managed by employing Sequential Pattern Mining techniques to process captured Engineering Change history with Prioritization and Change Propagation mechanisms. For verifying these mechanisms, experiments involving synthetic data are conducted. The experiments present the capability of ADVICE to facilitate Engineering Change Management.     

MMLT: A mutual multilevel trust framework based on trusted third parties in multicloud environments

In this article, a mutual multilevel trust framework is proposed, which involves managing trust from the perspective of cloud users (CUs) and cloud service providers (CSPs) in a multicloud environment based on a set of trusted third parties (TTPs). These independent agents are trusted by CUs and CSPs and distributed on different clouds. The TTPs evaluate the CUs' trustworthiness based on the accuracy of feedback ratings and assess the CSPs' trustworthiness based on the quality of service monitoring information. They are connected themselves through the trusted release network, which enables a TTP to obtain trust information about CSPs and CUs from other clouds. With the objective of developing an effective trust management framework, a new approach has been provided to improve trust-based interactions, that is, able to rank the trusted cloud services (CSs) based on CU's priorities via fuzzy logic. Fuzzy logic is applied to manage the different priorities of CUs, all the CUs do not have the same priorities to use trusted CSs. Customizing service ranking allows CUs to apply trusted CSs based on their priorities. Experiments on real datasets well matched the analytical results, indicating that our proposed approach is effective and outperforms the existing approaches.     

Model use in sustainability policy making: An experimental study

We examine whether decision makers who use a system dynamics model more readily create policies whose outcomes match their stated priorities or are on the Pareto Frontier of achieved outcomes, and whether model users are more likely to change their priorities. Comparing model use with other decision tools, we address these questions in a role-play simulation (serious game) experiment in which participants make multi-dimensional policy recommendations to address environmental, economic, and social equity dimensions of sustainability. Participants are randomly assigned to use one of four decision support tools: (1) actively using the model or passively being briefed. The briefings cover: (2) the insights of the model; (3) general, relevant information; or (4) irrelevant information (control). We find that model-users, group (1), discovered key insights about win-win opportunities—over-performing their priorities—and most readily created policies on the Pareto Frontier of achieved outcomes. Groups (2) and (3) best matched their policy outcomes to their priorities, missing the win-win.     

一种基于区间数判断矩阵的加权AlP群决策方法

针对决策过程中区间数更适合表达决策者对候选方案的偏好程度,基于区间数判断矩阵,综合考虑决策者个体权重,扩展“和积法”,应用“相对熵”的概念,提出了一种加权个体方案权重集结的群体决策方法．该方法将中间结果转化为实数型再进行集结,避免了决策者判断信息的丢失．最后,通过算例说明了该方法的可行性和有效性．     

基于优先级的访存调度算法研究

文章研究了存储控制器中的访存调度策略,提出了基于优先级的访存调度算法。首先使用遗传算法建立有效的数据源,然后对得到数据源应用统计进行调度优先级挖掘,共获取三个优先级别,这样仅使用这三个优先级构造调度算法进行访存序列调度。实验结果表明,提出的算法很好地降低了访存序列的运行时间,优化效果接近于文献[4]中提出的贪婪访存调度算法,但算法运行时间却远小于后者。     

Educational programmes in ergonomics A world-wide profile∗

This paper summarizes the results of a survey conducted as part of an effort to publish an International Directory of Educational Programs in Ergonomics/Human Factors. Data from 156 programmes located in 28 countries around the world are presented in terms of departmental location, programme title, names of degrees offered, major emphases of programmes, and subjects available to students. Statistical information on the number of faculty and students, as well as on their ergonomics society involvement, is also given.

The affiliations of programmes with academic departments are quite diverse. Programme titles and areas of study emphasized also vary considerably from continent to continent. Regarding the degree level at which education is offered, many European institutions have strong undergraduate (bachelor's level) programmes, while in the United States most programmes emphasize postgraduate study leading to the doctoral degree. All told, in terms of a 1979 world-wide profile, the survey data confirm the considerable scope and hybrid character of the field of ergonomics.

Other than degree programmes, the paper also summarizes efforts in continuing education. Various purposes and modes of conduct of such efforts are contrasted, and examples of continuing education programmes in the ergonomics area from around the world are cited.     

A sequential approach for unconstrained optimization via a partitioning technique

In this paper, an alternative optimization strategy incorporating the ideas of lexicographic optimization and evolutionary algorithms is presented. The given optimization problem is approximated by others in which priorities are given. Under the sequential optimization method, they are optimized, not exhaustively, in order to produce an initial point for the given problem. An important role in the proposed approach plays the way of generating the involved problems and the given priorities on them. General principles to produce the objective functions of the involved problems are proposed. An algorithm named LexOpt Algorithm, which implements the suggested process, is given. Numerical results via LexOpt Algorithm, on a set of widely used test problems show noticeable promising convergence behaviour of the proposed strategy in comparison with the utilized optimization methods.     

实时中间件的优先级映射

实时CORBA(common object request broker architecture)规定了独立于操作系统的CORBA优先级,每个请求都可以携带CORBA优先级,而执行请求的所有线程都使用该CORBA优先级映射后的本地操作系统优先级.如何将范围较大的CORBA优先级映射到范围较小的操作系统优先级,并且尽量保持CORBA优先级的序关系,避免优先级翻转是实时CORBA需要解决的重要问题.该问题在实时中间件中具有普遍意义.简要介绍了实时中间件中的优先级映射机制,提出了中间件优先级到本地操作系统优先级的静态散列法和动态映射法,并给出了动态映射法的实现算法.散列法实现简单,但会影响中间件的互操作和可移植性,难以保证优先级映射的严格序关系;动态映射法实现复杂,但能严格保证优先级映射的序关系.     

Satellite-based products for monitoring optically complex inland waters in support of EU Water Framework Directive

The need to restore and protect waterbodies from further degradation has resulted in formulation of the European Union Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD). The directive aims to harmonize European legislation on water; and member states shall establish a programme for monitoring the status of all waterbodies larger than 0.5 km², in order to ensure future quality and quantity of inland waters. The biological and physical–chemical status and ecological potential should be assessed and action plans for a sustainable management and protection of freshwater resources should be established. In practice, this means that extensive and expensive sampling programmes are needed. The ecological status of a waterbody can be described by various biological and physical–chemical quality elements, and several of these important ecological parameters can be monitored by space-based instruments: (1) phytoplankton biomass; (2) chlorophyll-a concentration; (3) water transparency; and (4) frequency and intensity of blooms. The objective of this article is to demonstrate how Environmental Satellite/Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer and future Sentinel-3/Ocean Land Colour Instrument data can be effectively used to complement traditional water monitoring programmes by adding information with significantly improved spatial coverage and temporal detail to support the WFD status assessment process. Examples are provided for five large European lakes (Peipsi, Võrtsjärv, Vänern, Vättern, Mälaren). Time series based on satellite data and data collected within national and regional monitoring programmes were compiled and compared, to demonstrate good agreement between the two techniques, but also to discuss natural differences and limitations. Furthermore, the ecological status class based on satellite and in situ data for each waterbody was calculated and analysed.     

Hybrid evolutionary computation methods for quay crane scheduling problems

Quay crane scheduling is one of the most important operations in seaport terminals. The effectiveness of this operation can directly influence the overall performance as well as the competitive advantages of the terminal. This paper develops a new priority-based schedule construction procedure to generate quay crane schedules. From this procedure, two new hybrid evolutionary computation methods based on genetic algorithm (GA) and genetic programming (GP) are developed. The key difference between the two methods is their representations which decide how priorities of tasks are determined. While GA employs a permutation representation to decide the priorities of tasks, GP represents its individuals as a priority function which is used to calculate the priorities of tasks. A local search heuristic is also proposed to improve the quality of solutions obtained by GA and GP. The proposed hybrid evolutionary computation methods are tested on a large set of benchmark instances and the computational results show that they are competitive and efficient as compared to the existing methods. Many new best known solutions for the benchmark instances are discovered by using these methods. In addition, the proposed methods also show their flexibility when applied to generate robust solutions for quay crane scheduling problems under uncertainty. The results show that the obtained robust solutions are better than those obtained from the deterministic inputs.     

一种带括号和优先级的四则运算计算器的设计与实现

随着生活的便捷化,计算器成为日常生活中必不可少的工具,它可以让人们轻松的获得计算结果,缩短计算时间,提高计算效率,降低劳动强度。目前,很多计算器带有许多复杂函数的强大功能,却缺少最基本的带括号和识别运算符优先级的功能,该文利用堆栈和数组,设计一种带有括号和优先级的四则混合运算计算器,并基于C#语言,实现该计算器的主要功能。     

Preparing for Creeping Crises: The Case of the Samara Region

In this article, conditions of creeping crises and priorities of environmental policy in the Samara region (Russia) are discussed from a crisis management perspective. Inefficiency of the existing policy is precipitated to a substantial extent by the underlying normative approach, which is more focused on environmental quality than on human health issues. It is therefore argued that this approach should be replaced by an integrated policy strategy including risk management. This strategy implies human health rather than environmental quality standards as key criteria for setting crisis policy priorities. The implications for crisis preparation and training are discussed within a framework of systemic crisis management.     

数据流系统中一种基于速率的抢占式批处理方法

针对数据流的特征，提出了一种基于速率的抢占式批处理方法。一个查询计划是一个操作符序列。文章将一个查询计划划分为不同的操作单元，并为不同的操作单元分配不同的优先级，而且这个优先级随系统因素的变化而动态改变，根据变化的优先级来动态调度操作单元，采取抢占式调度，从而提高连续查询的查询效率。实验表明该方法不但能提高系统的总体性能，而且可以减少元组的平均等待时间，大大提高了元组的输出速率。     

Combining different prioritization methods in the analytic hierarchy process synthesis

A multicriteria approach for combining prioritization methods within the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is proposed. The leading assumption is that for each particular decision problem and related hierarchy, AHP must not necessarily employ only one prioritization method (e.g. eigenvector method). If more available methods are used to identify the best estimates of local priorities for each comparison matrix in the hierarchy, then the estimate of final alternatives’ priorities should also be the best possible, which is in natural concordance with an additive compensatory structure of the AHP synthesis. The most popular methods for deriving priorities from comparison matrices are identified as candidates (alternatives) to participate in AHP synthesis: additive normalization, eigenvector, weighted least-squares, logarithmic least-squares, logarithmic goal programming and fuzzy preference programming. Which method will be used depends on the result of multicriteria evaluation of their priority vectors’ performance with regard to suggested deviation and rank reversal measures. Two hierarchies with matrices of size 3–6 are used to illustrate an approach.     

Design and implementation of motion compensator in memory reduced HDTV decoder with embedded compression engine

In this paper, a low-cost compatible motion compensator is implemented and integrated into a macroblock-level three-stage-pipelined HDTV decoder, in which an embedded compression (EC) engine is realized as well. The decoder with EC engine is designed to reduce the power consumption and memory bandwidth requirement since memory accesses are reduced. In the motion compensator, a boundary judgment scheme for reference pixel fetching is proposed to provide seamless integration in HDTV video decoder for the block-based EC engines. Furthermore, a buffer sharing mechanism is adopted to reduce extra memory requirement involved by EC. The reference pixel fetching unit costs only 17.3 K logic gates when the working frequency is set to 166.7 MHz. On average, when decoding HD1080 video sequence, 30% memory access reduction and 24% memory power consumption saving are achieved when a near lossless EC algorithm is integrated in the video decoder. In other words, the proposed motion compensator makes the EC engine an integral part of a memory reduced decoder without extra cost. Additionally, since the work in this paper is based on EC schemes, the EC design criterion are discussed, and several useful rules on the selection of EC algorithm are addressed for the video decoder of corresponding VLSI architecture.     

A Model for Evaluating E-Commerce Based on Cost/Benefit and Customer Satisfaction

Today's business managers face increased pressures to make sure that E-commerce (EC) investment has certain paybacks. They are attempting to find which investment will contribute effectively to their business benefits, thus determining whether money should be spent on these results. This paper develops a conceptual framework for evaluating web-based business-to-customer EC applications. The framework includes EC cost/benefit, EC functionality and customer satisfaction categories, each consisting of a set of factors. This paper then critically examines the inter-dependent and interrelated relationships among these factors through a group testing of hypotheses. The research is conducted based on a web exploration and two respective surveys: customer-oriented and company (supplier)-oriented. Through data analysis, findings are expressed into a factor-relationship model. The model shows how business organisations can use web-based EC applications to obtain further benefits by determining how EC investments can improve customer satisfaction in different ways.     

Recommendations for dispatching emergency vehicles under multitiered response via simulation

Emergency medical service (EMS) systems provide medical care and transportation. While many real‐world systems use multiple vehicle types to attend different call priorities, few guidelines exist about which vehicles to allocate in multitiered responses where more than one vehicle is sent per call. This paper makes recommendations for multiple‐unit dispatch to multiple call priorities based on simulation optimization and heuristics. The objective is to maximize the overall expected survival probability of patients classified as “life‐threatening”. We assume two types of medical units and three call priorities; and that information may be updated when the medical unit arrives on‐scene. First, we study the optimal dispatching policies through several examples. Numerical results show that dispatching while considering call priorities, rather than dispatching the closest units, improves EMS system effectiveness. A heuristic algorithm is developed for large‐scale problems. A comparison between the heuristic and closest policy is demonstrated using real‐world data.     

Contextual factors affecting task distribution in two participatory ergonomic interventions: a qualitative study

This article provides an analysis of the evolution of the division of labour in participatory ergonomics (PE) programmes in two worksites. The analysis is based on interviews and field observations in the worksites. In both settings there was meaningful participation by both worker and management members of ergonomic change teams (ECTs) in the hazard assessment and solution identification stages, but as the teams moved to the implementation stage, worker representatives were marginalised and the participatory nature of the programmes was severely curtailed. The removal of workers from the process was the outcome of the interplay among the type of activities pursued in the implementation stage, the skills and knowledge required to carry out those activities, and workers' limited influence in the organisational hierarchies. Findings highlight the salience of the social context in which participatory programmes are located and the importance of examining participatory programmes as they evolve over time. STATEMENT OF RELEVANCE: This article contributes to a growing literature on the process and implementation of PE programmes. The article's focus on social and organisational factors that affect the division of labour and attention to the evolution of involvement over time extend current understandings of participation in ergonomics programmes.     

Possibilistic Merging and Distance-Based Fusion of Propositional Information

The problem of merging multiple sources information is central in many information processing areas such as databases integrating problems, multiple criteria decision making, expert opinion pooling, etc. Recently, several approaches have been proposed to merge propositional bases, or sets of (non-prioritized) goals. These approaches are in general semantically defined. Like in belief revision, they use implicit priorities, generally based on Dalal's distance, for merging the propositional bases and return a new propositional base as a result. An immediate consequence of the generation of a propositional base is the impossibility of decomposing and iterating the fusion process in a coherent way with respect to priorities since the underlying ordering is lost. This paper presents a general approach for fusing prioritized bases, both semantically and syntactically, when priorities are represented in the possibilistic logic framework. Different classes of merging operators are considered depending on whether the sources are consistent, conflicting, redundant or independent. We show that the approaches which have been recently proposed for merging propositional bases can be embedded in this setting. The result is then a prioritized base, and hence the process can be coherently decomposed and iterated. Moreover, this encoding provides a syntactic counterpart for the fusion of propositional bases.     

A novel model on dynamic resource allocation in optical networks

A novel model on dynamic resource allocation in the WDM optical networks is proposed, basing on the integrated considerations of the impacts of transmission impairments and service classification on dynamic resource allocation in the optical layer. In this model, the priorities of optical connection requests are mapped into different thresholds of transmission impairments, and a uniform method which is adopted to evaluate the virtual wavelength path (VWP) candidates is defined. The Advanced Preferred Wavelength Sets Algorithm (A-PWS) and the heuristic Dynamic Min-Cost & Optical Virtual Wavelength Path Algorithm (DMC-OVWP) are presented addressing the routing and wavelength assignment (RWA) problem based on dynamic traffic and multi priorities in wavelength-routed optical networks. For a received optical connection request, DMC-OVWP is employed to calculate a list of the VWP candidates, and an appropriate VWP which matches the request's priority is picked up to establish the lightpath by analyzing the tra