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.     

The Relevance of Laboratory Studies to Practical Situations

By their very nature laboratory experiments are at best only rough and approximate models of any real-life situation. First of all the possible independent variables that influence behaviour in any practical situation, a laboratory experiment selects only a. few for test. As a result, hidden or unsuspected interactions in real-life may easily nullify, or even reverse, conclusions arrived at in the laboratory. Second, variables always change when they are brought into the laboratory. Third, the effect of controlling extraneous or irrelevant variables in the laboratory is to increase the precision of an experiment but at the risk of discovering effects so small that they are of no practical importance. Fourth, the dependent variables (or criteria) used in laboratory experiments are variables of convenience. Rarely are they selected for their relevance to some practical situation. Last, the methods used to present variables in the laboratory are sometimes artificial and unrealistic. The safest and most honest conclusion to draw from all these considerations is that one should generalize with extreme caution from the results of laboratory experiments to the solution of practical problems.     

W6Mo5Cr4V3SiCo5钢的超微粒强化与力学性能研究

超微粒强化是金属强化途径之一，讨论了含钴高速钢W6Mo5Cr4V3SiCo5的超微粒强化工艺对组织与性能的影响。通过透射电镜观察，超微粒强化处理后的高速钢淬火的基体中有弥散分布直径在1nm左右的微细碳化物。研究结果表明，超微粒强化处理可显著地提高W6Mo5Cr4V3SiCo5钢的硬度、抗弯强度和冲击韧性，使刀具使用寿命提高2～3倍，耐用度提高150％～300%。     

关于管理信息化工作的思考

本文探讨在管理信息化工作的关键内容,分析了信息、信息工具与管理工作的关系,强调信息数据的重要性。认为信息是管理工作的主要内容,信息的载体从纸张介质向电磁介质转化,信息工具因此发生了重要变化。管理工作是对工作中产生的信息进行处理,信息量的大小决定了组织结构,信息的如何处理决定了管理的工作流程。管理信息化工作要从信息载体变化的前提出发,考虑这个转变所带来的各种困难,充分应用信息工具的各种资源。在管理信息化工作中应考虑企业的成本和效益。管理系统应从业务出发,打破部门的界限,从数据源头开始,着重考虑权限的榨制,增强灵活性和适应性。     

基于功率变化率的刀具破损监测系统

介绍一种以刀具切削功率变化率为信号，利用单片机进行处理与判断，实现加工过程刀具破损在线监测的系统组成和工作原理，讨论了提高刀具破损报警准确性的措施。     

The Effect of Coolant Concentration on the Machinability of Nickel-Base, Nimonic C-263, Alloy

This paper investigates the effect of coolant concentration on tool performance when machining nickel-base, C-263, alloy with triple coated (TiN/TiCN/TiN) carbide insert at various (3–9%) coolant concentrations and under different cutting speed conditions. Tool life, tool-failure modes, wear rates, component forces and surface finish generated during machining were recorded, analyzed and used to formulate mechanisms responsible for tool wear at the cutting conditions investigated. Analysis of the recorded data shows that tool performance during machining is dependent on coolant concentration. 6% coolant concentration gave the best overall performance as effective combination of cooling and lubrication functions were achieved during machining. Increasing coolant concentration to 9% reduced tool performance due to a reduction of the tool-chip contact length area and the consequent increase in compressive stresses at the tool-chip and tool-workpiece interfaces. This action often leads to pronounced chipping of the tool cutting edge during machining. Friction coefficient between the workpiece material and substrate increases once the coating layer(s) is broken as a result of the direct contact between the tool substrate and the work material. This action increases mechanical wear of the tool, which in turn leads to a significant increase in the cutting force with negligible effect on the feed forces during machining.     

Research on virtual dynamic optimization design for NC machine tools

Virtual dynamic optimization design can avoid the repeated process from design to trial-manufacture and test. The designer can analyze and optimize the product structures in virtual visualization environment. The design cycle is shortened and the cost is reduced. The paper analyzed the peculiarity of virtual optimization design, and put forwards the thought and flow to implement virtual optimization design. The example to optimize the internal grinder was studied via establishing precise finite element model, modifying the layout of Stiffened Plates and designing parameters of the worktable, and using the technology of modal frequency revision and the technology of multiple tuned damper. The result of optimization design compared the new grinder with the original grinder shows that the entire machine＇s first orders natural frequency is enhanced by 17%, and the response displacement of the grinding-head has dropped by 28% under the first order natural frequency and by 41% under second order natural frequency. Finally, the dynamic performance of the internal grinder was optimized.     

Identification of Spliceogenic Variants beyond Canonical GT-AG Splice Sites in Hereditary Cancer Genes

Pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in susceptibility genes that interrupt RNA splicing are a well-documented mechanism of hereditary cancer syndromes development. However, if RNA studies are not performed, most of the variants beyond the canonical GT-AG splice site are characterized as variants of uncertain significance (VUS). To decrease the VUS burden, we have bioinformatically evaluated all novel VUS detected in 732 consecutive patients tested in the routine genetic counseling process. Twelve VUS that were predicted to cause splicing defects were selected for mRNA analysis. Here, we report a functional characterization of 12 variants located beyond the first two intronic nucleotides using RNAseq in APC, ATM, FH, LZTR1, MSH6, PALB2, RAD51C, and TP53 genes. Based on the analysis of mRNA, we have successfully reclassified 50% of investigated variants. 25% of variants were downgraded to likely benign, whereas 25% were upgraded to likely pathogenic leading to improved clinical management of the patient and the family members.     

The Functional Characterization of GCaMP3.0 Variants Specifically Targeted to Subcellular Domains

Calcium (Ca²⁺) ions play a pivotal role in physiology and cellular signaling. The intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i) is about three orders of magnitude lower than the extracellular concentration, resulting in a steep transmembrane concentration gradient. Thus, the spatial and the temporal dynamics of [Ca²⁺]_i are ideally suited to modulate Ca²⁺-mediated cellular responses to external signals. A variety of highly sophisticated methods have been developed to gain insight into cellular Ca²⁺ dynamics. In addition to electrophysiological measurements and the application of synthetic dyes that change their fluorescent properties upon interaction with Ca²⁺, the introduction and the ongoing development of genetically encoded Ca²⁺ indicators (GECI) opened a new era to study Ca²⁺-driven processes in living cells and organisms. Here, we have focused on one well-established GECI, i.e., GCaMP3.0. We have systematically modified the protein with sequence motifs, allowing localization of the sensor in the nucleus, in the mitochondrial matrix, at the mitochondrial outer membrane, and at the plasma membrane. The individual variants and a cytosolic version of GCaMP3.0 were overexpressed and purified from E. coli cells to study their biophysical properties in solution. All versions were examined to monitor Ca²⁺ signaling in stably transfected cell lines and in primary cortical neurons transduced with recombinant Adeno-associated viruses (rAAV). In this comparative study, we provide evidence for a robust approach to reliably trace Ca²⁺ signals at the (sub)-cellular level with pronounced temporal resolution.     

气动工具的噪声防治

气动工具在我国机械制造等各行业广泛应用的同时,工作时的排气噪声对周围环境也造成了一定的污染。介绍了治理噪声所采用的消声装置及设计方法,通过消声后的试验数据及噪声频譜对比分析,用正交试验法解决功率与噪声的矛盾,通过这种方法使噪音降低最大,功率损耗最小,这种消声装置原理治理噪声效果显著。