Teaching chemical engineering using Jupyter notebook: Problem generators and lecturing tools

The primary objective of this study is to develop teaching materials for chemical engineering students (or students pursuing other related B.Sc./M.Sc. degrees) that encourage self-learning to facilitate understanding and the development of problem-solving skills. Tools are oriented to support the teaching of “Introduction to Chemical Engineering” courses to 1^st year B.Sc. students in Chemical Engineering, 2^nd year B.Sc. students in Chemistry, and 3^rd year B.Sc. students in Biochemistry at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM). Problem generators of standard exercises, as an additional complement to the exercises that are used in the lectures, seminars, and assignments to facilitate the learning of the students, have been developed. These generators provide exercises to students with “unlimited” initial values (with certain restrictions). The software that was used to develop these materials was Jupyter Notebook, which runs under the Python 3.6 language. The problem generators can be classified into fixed problem generators, case-based generators, and random problem generators. Additionally, lecturing tools have been developed to support teaching using live/interactive examples. These examples can learning understanding of various topics of the courses.     

电力系统自动化发展方向分析

计算机技术、控制技术及信息技术的发展,电力系统自动化面临着空前的变革,多媒体技术、智能控制技术将迅速进入电力系统自动化领域。     

Analysis of driver roles: modelling the changing role of the driver in automated driving systems using EAST

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the role of the driver within automated driving systems using the Event Analysis of Systemic Teamwork (EAST) method. We already know that as the level of automation increases within the driving task, the role of the driver shifts from that of an active operator (i.e. a driver driving) to more of a passive monitor (i.e. a driver monitoring). Task, social and information networks were constructed using the Hierarchical Task Analysis of Driving and evidence from driver verbalisations collected during a previous study to further explore the changing role of the driver using network analysis. A ‘broken links’ approach was conducted to show that momentary engagement in non-driving-related secondary tasks within an automated driving system can dramatically change the structure of driving system.     

The application of decision support tools and the influence of local data in prioritizing barrier removal in lower Michigan,USA

Web-based decision support tools (DSTs) can be useful to facilitate decision-making processes for managing complex natural resource systems. However, the alignment of DSTs with the objectives in governmental policies or management plans and the influence of limited local data on the outputs of these tools may reduce the use of DSTs by decision makers. In this study, we examined the outcomes of web-based DSTs when different types of local data were incorporated and demonstrated a way to incorporate outputs from multiple DSTs or local inventories to benefit barrier removal decisions. Restoring habitat connectivity in rivers in northwest lower Michigan, USA, was used as a case study due to the abundance of local inventory data and web-based DSTs. We found that, when compared to prioritizations made using local data, some DSTs could produce similar outcomes (in barriers selected, cost, and the benefit for migratory fish) with limited data, but the trade-offs among users' objectives might influence the cost and effectiveness of DSTs' outputs. Improving the ability of DSTs to incorporate objectives consistent with policy and stakeholders' values (e.g., restore certain species or sedimentation control) across management scales can help close the gap between tool recommendations and management decisions while making the barrier removal prioritization process transparent and efficient.     

Exploring the Impact of Social Networking on Communication in Organizations

ABSTRACT

Social networking technology has the potential to transform how organizations communicate, cooperate, and connect with key stakeholders. Our research explores how social networking technologies are deployed within organizations and how the use of these technologies is related to effectiveness in organizational communication and promotion. We also identify the facilitating factors and constraints around the use of social networking tools for communication. To examine these questions, we conducted interviews with 131 senior level executives across a broad range of organizations and employed both quantitative and qualitative methods of analysis. The executives were asked to rate numerically and then discuss in narrative form a series of questions about IT strategy and issues affecting social networking in their organization. We find important differences both in the types of tools used as well as how they are used and discuss the implications of our findings for companies seeking to more effectively harness social networking technologies.     

Evaluation of the effects of two alternative participatory ergonomics intervention strategies for construction companies

To improve the use of ergonomics tools by construction workers, the effect of two guidance strategies – a face-to-face strategy (F2F) and an e-guidance strategy (EG) – of a participatory ergonomics intervention was studied. Twelve construction companies were randomly assigned to the F2F group or the EG group. The primary outcome measure, the percentage of workers using ergonomics tools, and secondary outcome measures – work ability, physical functioning and limitations due to physical problems – were assessed using surveys at baseline and after 6 months. Additionally, a cost-benefit analysis was performed on company level. No differences in primary and secondary outcomes were found with the exception of the use of ergonomics tools to adjust working height (F2F +1%; EG +10%; p?=?.001). Newly-implemented tools were used by 23% (F2F) and 42% (EG) of the workers (p?=?.271). Costs were mainly determined by guidance costs (F2F group) or purchase costs (EG group).

Practitioner Summary: Participatory strategies aim to stimulate behavioural change of stakeholders to increase the use of ergonomics tools. Two guidance strategies – face-to-face or e-mail interventions – among construction companies were studied. Both guidance strategies led to an increase in the use of new ergonomics tools.     

Automation fears: Drivers and solutions

New technologies offer employers the ability to replace tasks done by human labour with those done by machines. There are challenges for both employers and employees, as employers look for strategies for the implementation of automation technologies and employees may have concerns about their employment being threatened by automation technologies. In this research, we analyse data of over 500 Bulgarians to learn about how they perceive the automation of their jobs. The analysis finds that there are segments of the population defined by demographics and attitudes that are more fearful of the automation of their jobs than others. Additionally, we see that attitudes towards the dehumanizing effects of automation, peer-pressure, job automatability, and a person's self-perception of professionalism are the main drivers of the fear of automation. Finally, the paper evaluates respondents' attitudes towards various individual, corporate and social solutions to automation fears.     

Bioinformatic characterization of the extracellular lipases from Kluyveromyces marxianus

Lipases are hydrolytic enzymes that break the ester bonds of triglycerides, generating free fatty acids and glycerol. Extracellular lipase activity has been reported for the nonconventional yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus, grown in olive oil as a substrate, and the presence of at least eight putative lipases has been detected in its genome. However, to date, there is no experimental evidence on the physiological role of the putative lipases nor their structural and catalytic properties. In this study, a bioinformatic analysis of the genes of the putative lipases from K. marxianus L-2029 was performed, particularly identifying and characterizing the extracellular expected enzymes, due to their biotechnological relevance. The amino acid sequence of 10 putative lipases, obtained by in silico translation, ranged between 389 and 773 amino acids. Two of the analysed putative proteins showed a signal peptide, 25 and 33 amino acids long for KmYJR107Wp and KmLIP3p, and a molecular weight of 44.53 and 58.23 kDa, respectively. The amino acid alignment of KmLIP3p and KmYJR107Wp with the crystallized lipases from a patatin and the YlLip2 lipase from Yarrowia lipolytica, respectively, revealed the presence of the hydrolase characteristic motifs. From the 3D models of putative extracellular K. marxianus L-2029 lipases, the conserved pentapeptide of each was determined, being GTSMG for KmLIP3p and GHSLG for KmYJR107Wp; besides, the genes of these two enzymes (LIP3 and YJR107W) are apparently regulated by oleate response elements. The phylogenetic analysis of all K. marxianus lipases revealed evolutionary affinities with lipases from abH15.03, abH23.01, and abH23.02 families.     

符合阿贝原则的数控机床几何误差建模

为提高现有数控机床空间误差分析方法的准确度,本文基于阿贝原则对齐次转换矩阵(HTM)几何误差补偿模型进行优化。首先,推导出XYFZ型三轴机床适用的HTM几何误差补偿模型并给出模型正确使用的前提条件;然后,基于阿贝原则分析了三轴机床的空间误差传递机理,指出阿贝误差对机床定位精度的影响,给出理论计算公式并在机床运动轴上进行实验验证;最后,基于阿贝原则和布莱恩原则对现有的HTM几何误差补偿模型进行优化,采用该模型拟合体对角线空间误差,并与实测机床体对角线误差进行对比验证。现有HTM几何补偿模型可将机床空间误差由41.15μm补偿至16.37μm,补偿率为60.22%;优化后的补偿模型可将机床空间误差补偿至5.32μm,补偿率为87.07%,提高了26.85%。实验结果表明,优化后的补偿模型更加合理,进一步改善了空间误差的补偿精度。