Data mining for government construction procurement

A new data-mining model for government construction procurement was developed to consider data preparation, domain knowledge and a conceptual model to reflect the needs of the knowledge economy. Prototype experiments and analysis were performed to test the data mining using information from a typical Taiwanese local construction procurement unit. The application of the data-mining algorithm to this construction procurement management model improves government procurement effectiveness and efficiency. By complying with this governmental procurement information system and revealing the information required by the World Trade Organization and the Government Procurement Agreement, the model has the potential to improve government procurement and industry effectiveness and efficiency. It also provides a platform for government access to the international community.     

Dutch contracting fraud and governance issues

Building companies in the Netherlands used a clandestine sharing of the markets. These illegal actions have resulted in increased construction prices in the tender phase as well as false invoicing and fiscal statements. The irregular practices were precipitated by the structure of the building industry, inadequate governance policies and enforcement. Recommendations are made for government policy to promote better institutional frameworks within public-sector client organizations and for creative competition based on wider selection criteria.     

Comportement electrochimique anodique de divers neuroleptiques en milieu aqueux et non-aqueux

The electrochemical properties of a number of neuroleptics structurally related, with a piperazinyl side chain associated to a tricyclic ring system in aqueous and non-aqueous media have been examined by voltammetry at rotating platinum, vitreous carbon and carbon paste disc electrodes, cyclic voltammetry and controlled potential coulometry.In neutral aqueous and non-aqueous media an irreversible oxidation is observed for the three compounds, probably giving rise to polymeric structures disturbing the electrochemical analysis.In non-aqueous media, in the presence of two equivalents of perchloric acid per molecule, the piperazinyl group is protonated and no oxidation peaks are observed. Only the clozapine molecule biprotonated remains oxidizable but at a more anodic potential, the behavior is then the same as in aqueous acidic media; the oxidation is located on the tricyclic ring. The results observed are confirmed by infra-red(ir), uv visible, and mass spectrometric techniques.     

印染助剂发展的回顾与瞻望(续一)

抚今往昔,我国印染助剂行业自行设厂生产始于1950年,迄今70年,发展很快,从无到有,由小到大,但大而不强,同质化现象严重。近年来,国际、国内不断出台纺织印染用化学品的环保法规,印染助剂行业加紧研发环保产品,以规避环保法规禁用化学品和适应供给侧改革。对印染行业耗能耗水、废水排放量最多的前处理助剂进行革新,以生物酶取代精炼剂,以氧漂活化剂取代氧漂稳定剂,禁用百年来一直沿用的传统助剂,实施绿色生产。着重介绍Gemini表面活性剂和树枝状聚合物,详述其分子结构、合成方法、性能和应用。但遗憾的是,这些化学品无一是我国首创,碍于知识产权保护不能生产,只能应用。     

Localized event-based reasoning for multiagent domain1

This paper presents the GEM concurrency model and GEMPLAN, a multiagent planner based on this model. Unlike standard state-based AI representations, GEM is unique in its explicit emphasis on events and domain structure. In particular, a world domain is modeled as a set of regions composed of interrelated events. Event-based temporal-logic constraints are then associated with each region to delimit legal domain behavior. The GEMPLAN planner directly reflects this emphasis on domain structure and constraints. It can be viewed as a general-purpose constraint satisfaction facility which constructs a network of interrelated events (a “plan”) that is subdivided into regions (“subplans”), satisfies all applicable regional constraints, and also achieves some stated goal. GEMPLAN extends and generalizes previous planning architectures in the range of constraint forms it handles and in the flexibility of its constraint satisfaction search strategy. One critical aspect of our work has been an emphasis on localized reasoning—techniques that make explicit use of domain structure. For example, GEM localizes the applicability of domain constraints and imposes additional “locality constraints” on the basis of domain structure. Together, constraint localization and locality constraints provide semantic information that can be used to alleviate several aspects of the frame problem for multiagent domains. The GEMPLAN planner reflects the use of locality by subdividing its constraint satisfaction search space into regional planning search spaces. Utilizing constraint and property localization, GEMPLAN can pinpoint and rectify interactions among these regional search spaces, thus reducing the burden of “interaction analysis” ubiquitous to most planning systems. Because GEMPLAN is specifically geared towards parallel, multiagent domains, we believe that its natural application areas will include scheduling and other forms of organizational coordination.     

X-Ray crystal structure of the Dye 2,4,6-Tricyano-4'-N,N-diethylaminoazobenzene

The crystal structure and molecular conformation of 2,4,6-tricyano-4'-N,N-diethylaminoazobenzene (C₁₉H₁₆N₆, mol. wt. 328.4a.m.u.) has been determined from X-ray diffraction data: monoclinic P2₁/c, a = 9.302(7)Å, b = 8.733(5)Å, c = 20.98(1) Å, β = 94.93(6)°, V = 1699(2)ų, Z = 4, D_c = 1.284gem^?3, F(000) = 688, λ(MoKα) = 0-71069Å, μ(MoKα) = 0.76cm^?1. The structure was solved by MULTAN andrefined by full-matrix least-squares toR = 0.050 for 1358 independent observed reflections. The azobenzene skeleton is planar to within 0.12Å. Most significant bonding data are: NN, 1.286(4) Å; mean C-N (azo) 1.383(4) Å; mean C-C (cyano) 1.439(5) Å; mean CN 1.146(5)Å; NN-C, 112.8(2)° and 115.9(2)°; N-C-C (cis relative to NN) 127.6(2)° and 124.3(2)° ; N- C- C(trans) 115.2(2)° and 117.7(2)°.     

Environmental impact analysis for typical office facades

The design of a building facade influences internal thermal and lighting conditions and energy use associated with the provision of these conditions. Key decisions about the building facade are usually taken during the concept design stage of a building, while decisions about the method of providing the environmental conditions are often made later in the design process. This dilemma is addressed by the development of a concept design tool that allows the design team to investigate the effect of facade design on the resulting internal environmental conditions, energy use and environmental impact. The concept design tool was developed by performing detailed thermal, lighting and environmental modelling for a number of generic office building facade designs and a range of parameters that affect directly the environmental performance of an office building. The results are presented in a user-friendly interface requiring a minimum number of inputs. Key parameter outputs (such as temperature, lighting levels, heating/cooling energy demand, embodied energy and eco-points) can then be viewed, while a more detailed analysis can also be created for specified facade designs. A parametric analysis of the summary result outputs for selected facade parameters indicates that natural ventilation and cooling can reduce the environmental impact of offices by up to 16%, although heating energy demand could increase significantly. Improving the construction standard of the facade and reducing the internal heat loads can reduce the environmental impact by up to 22%. Use of this tool at early design stages will benefit the design team through an improved understanding of the dynamics between facade design and building services and assist with a more integrated approach.     

Towards a knowledge-based assessment of conceptual cost estimates

Conceptual cost estimates are critical inputs for owners' decision-making in the early planning stages of construction projects. However, a recurrent problem associated with conceptual estimating is how to assess the quality of the estimates, i.e. the expected accuracy and reliability of cost figures given the uncertainty and risk that every project will face during its development. One of the approaches used to assess the quality of an estimate is the application of expertise and experience. This paper examines the problem of the quality of conceptual estimating, proposes a model of this problem based on existing knowledge and shows how the model was used to develop an assessment system. Through the use of expert knowledge, it is possible to get an appropriate initial assessment of the expected accuracy and reliability of an estimate which should be later complemented with historical and empirical information.     

磁化处理对脂肪酸物理性质的影响

为进一步研究磁化处理对脂肪酸精馏过程的影响，在不同磁感应强度的磁场中，研究了磁化处理对脂肪酸物理性质的影响。研究结果表明，磁场对脂肪酸的物理性质有一定的影响，脂肪酸经磁化处理后，其密度基本不变，器度及表面张力下降，但磁化效果与磁感应强度不成正比，而是有一个最佳值，该最佳值为0．15—0．2T。定量计算表明，脂肪酸经磁化处理后，黏度下降5％--7％，表面张力下降5％—6％。