Editorial

Abstract

Defining and measuring sustainability is a major challenge. This article argues these limitations need not stop us from trying to identify and value the possible impacts of what we are doing, or are thinking about doing, over time periods much longer than the lives of our investments, or even of the lives of those of us living today. Sustainability is a relative concept that must be applied in an environment undergoing multiple changes, changes that are occurring over different temporal and spatial scales. We depend on our water resource systems for our survival and welfare. Yet no one expects them to be restored to, or survive in, their most productive pristine states in the face of increasing development pressures for land in their watersheds and for water in their streams, rivers, lakes, and aquifers. A continuing task of water resource planners and managers is to identify the multiple impacts and tradeoffs resulting from what we who are living today may wish to do for ourselves and our immediate children and what we can only guess our yet-to-be-born descendants may wish us to do, or not do, for them in some distant future. This task must involve professionals from other disciplines in a context much broader than just water management. Once these impacts and tradeoffs are identified, it is then up to the political process to make choices when they are in conflict. All of us need to be a part of this decision-making process.     

土石坝渗流及应对施工技术探析

对土石坝出现流土、管涌及冲刷破坏进行了探索分析．对当今水利技术条件下的土石坝应对技术做出了探讨性分析。     

Using online collaboration applications for group assignments: The interplay between design and human characteristics

In recent years, educators and students are increasingly employing online collaboration applications such as Google Docs™ and PBWorks™ for group projects and assignments. Yet, the effectiveness of these emerging technologies has not been rigorously examined. Anchoring upon and informed by the existing literature, two design characteristics – sociability and visibility, and two human characteristics – gender and age, are focused on, which are salient in online collaboration applications. A field experiment was conducted to examine the direct and moderating effects of design and human characteristics on learning outcomes. The research found that sociability improved process satisfaction and positive social environment while visibility enhanced academic performance and solution satisfaction of learners. Males had higher solution satisfaction while older learners had higher academic performance. Moderating effects were also found. Both theoretical and practical implications are drawn. In particular, a rubric for online collaboration application selection for academic performance is conceived. This study provides empirical support for online collaboration application effectiveness in education which will augur well for future adoption, use and evolution.     

Denotation and connotation in the human – computer interface: The ‘Save as …’ command

This paper presents a semiotic technique as a means of exploring meaning and understanding in interface design and use. This is examined through a study of the interaction between the ‘file’ metaphor and ‘save as’ command metaphor. The behaviour of these (from a functional or computational basis) do not exactly match, or map onto, the meaning of the metaphor. We examine both the denotation of a term to the user, i.e. its literal meaning to that person, and the term's connotations, i.e. any other meanings associated with the term. We suggest that the technique applied is useful in predicting future problems with understanding the use of metaphor at the interface and with designing appropriate signification for human-computer interaction. Variation in connotation was expected but a more fundamental difference in denotation was also uncovered. Moreover, the results clearly demonstrate that consistency in the denotation of a term is critical in achieving a good user understanding of the command.     

ZigBee在动态血压监测中的应用研究

我国已成为世界上高血压危害最严重的国家之一,在全国范围大力开展高血压病的防治,积极治疗高血压病患者,已经刻不容缓.通过研究ZigBee技术,提出了以ZigBee无线传感器网络为核心,以以太网为骨干网,采用CC2430芯片为血压传感器控制核心的动态血压测量方案,系统测量的收缩压、舒张压误差范围均小于5mmHg.试验证明,系统能够实时监测患者的血压变化,工作稳定可靠,具有较高的实用性和市场价值.     

计算机技术下的数字化校园分析

随着计算机和无线网络技术的迅猛发展,计算机技术渗透到社会的各个领域,我们已经进入到了信息化时代。在此背景下,数字化校园建设也在如火如荼地进行。如何利用计算机技术,为广大师生在校学习、工作和生活提供信息化服务,以提升学校办学质量、提高办公效率和服务质量,是主要研究讨论的问题。     

镀膜技术在陶瓷上的应用

叙述了镀膜技术在种类和特点以及应用于陶瓷产品上存在问题和解决方法     

束状小口径钢管内壁粉末涂料涂装工艺研究

论述了束状小口径钢管内壁用粉末涂料的涂装工艺，解决了热交换器传热管的防腐结垢问题。着重介绍了束状小口径钢管内壁粉末涂料的涂装工艺研究过程及热交换器传热管的施工工艺，并对该项工艺的经济效益作了分析。     

80 kt/a硫铁矿制酸扩建装置采用的新技术措施

针对采用水洗净化工艺的某80kt/a硫铁矿制酸装置的扩建设计，介绍了其中主要改扩建工段及设备采用的新技术措施，设计中对原料工段、沸腾炉、文氏管、泡沫塔、转化器、换热器等进行了改进，满足了厂方两期建设产量不同的要求。