Cognitive abilities,digital games and arithmetic performance enhancement: A study comparing the effects of a math game and paper exercises

Besides entertainment, games have shown to have the potential to impact a broader variety of cognitive abilities. Research has consistently shown that several aspects in cognition such as visual short-memory, multitasking and spatial skills can be enhanced by game play. In a previous study, it was found that playing Monkey Tales, a game aimed at training arithmetic skills, helped second grade pupils to increase their accuracy in mental calculation as compared to paper exercises. In this follow up study we explore whether traditional methods and game training differ in terms of the cognitive processes that both are able to impact. We incorporated standardized measures of working memory and visuo-motor skills. Additionally, the mathematics game was modified and its contents extracted to allow precise comparison between the gaming and paper exercises condition. Thus each single math exercise, type of question (e.g., multiple choice), quantity and order was perfectly matched in the game training and the traditional training conditions. Gains in arithmetical performance, and self-reported measures of enjoyment were also investigated. We found some evidence suggesting that arithmetic performance enhancement induced by game play and paper exercises differ not only in terms of enjoyment but also of working memory capacity improvements.     

An agile model for the eco-design of electric vehicle Li-ion batteries

Numerous design choices need to be made at several levels when designing high-tech products: technology, processes, architecture, components, materials… and these choices need to be made in relation to the product life cycle with the corresponding experts for each stage of the life cycle. At the same time, to ensure product sustainability, a specific focus on the future potential environmental impacts is highly recommended. In this research, an agile model is proposed to help designers make decisions while monitoring environmental performance indicators of high-tech solutions. The concept of Critical Product Life Cycle Parameters had to be introduced to facilitate the eco-design of the final product. The approach is illustrated by the Electric Vehicle Li-Ion Batteries case study.     

基于儿童使用主体的建成环境评价尺度研究

评价尺度是建筑使用后评价的基 本问题之一，它是使用者评判建成环境好 坏、优劣的重要测度标准。为弥补目前环境 评价尺度研究方面的缺失，建立与儿童使用 主体相一致的建成环境评价尺度，对儿童常 用语义量词进行汇总和筛选，采用五级线 分刻度方法进行问卷调查研究。基于儿童的 理解，通过问卷试验分析，结果表明：双侧 5级区间评价尺度为：很（负面）；有点（负 面）；中等；有点（正面）；很（正面）；单侧 5级区间评价尺度为：不；好像有点；比较； 很；特别。     

Biodegradability Study of the Biosurfactant Contained in a Crude Extract from Corn Steep Water

Over the last few years, the global biosurfactant market has raised due to the increasing awareness among consumers, for the use of biological or bio-based products. Because of their composition, it can be speculated that these are more biocompatible and more biodegradable than their chemical homologous. However, at the moment, no studies exist in the literature about the biodegradability of biosurfactants. In this work, a biosurfactant contained in a crude extract, obtained from a corn wet-milling industry stream that ferments spontaneously in the presence of lactic acid bacteria, was subjected to a biodegradation study, without addition of external microbial biomass, under different conditions of temperature (5–45 °C), biodegradation time (15–55 days), and pH (5–7). For that, a Box–Behnken factorial design was applied, which allowed to predict the percentage of biodegradation for the biosurfactant contained in the crude extract, between the range of the independent variables selected in the study, obtaining biodegradation values between 3 and 80%. The percentage of biodegradation for the biosurfactant was calculated based on the increase in the surface tension of samples of the crude extract. Furthermore, it was also possible to predict the variation in t_1/2 for the biosurfactant (time to achieve the 50% of biodegradation) under different conditions.     

Cost-minimization analysis of a working vacation queue with N-policy and server breakdowns

This paper investigates the N-policy M/M/1 queueing system with working vacation and server breakdowns. As soon as the system becomes empty, the server begins a working vacation. The server works at a lower service rate rather than completely stopping service during a vacation period. The server may break down with different breakdown rates during the idle, working vacation, and normal busy periods. It is assumed that service times, vacation times, and repair times are all exponentially distributed. We analyze this queueing model as a quasi-birth–death process. Furthermore, the equilibrium condition of the system is derived for the steady state. Using the matrix-geometric method, we find the matrix-form expressions for the stationary probability distribution of the number of customers in the system and system performance measures. The expected cost function per unit time is constructed to determine the optimal values of the system decision variables, including the threshold N and mean service rates. We employ the particle swarm optimization algorithm to solve the optimization problem. Finally, numerical results are provided, and an application example is given to demonstrate the applicability of the queueing model.     

Occupational Factors and 5-Year Weight Change Among Men in a Danish National Cohort.

This study explored whether factors related to the work environment could predict changes in body mass index (BMI) and whether the effect of psychosocial factors was dependent on baseline BMI. The sample consisted of 1,980 male employees from the Danish National Work Environment Cohort Study. Changes in BMI between 1995 and 2000 were analyzed, by multiple regression, as a function of background variables and a series of occupational variables obtained in 1995. Age, baseline BMI, job insecurity, and psychological demands predicted changes in BMI. Job insecurity and high or low psychological demands increased the likelihood of weight gain among obese employees, whereas they increased the likelihood of weight loss among employees with a low BMI. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

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我国是煤资源大国，长期来在采煤的同时，抽放排空大量煤层瓦斯，不仅浪费大量资源，还严重污染大气。利用煤层瓦斯发电是解决煤层瓦斯放空的重要途径 。文章介绍一种全新的有别于传统 发动机的瓦斯内燃机空燃自动混合控制装置，其中包括：煤层瓦斯的理化特性、装置的结构、工作原理及工作过程，阐述了结构参数对发动机性能的影响。经过在中心瓦斯工区内燃发动机组群上安装试运行，结果表明：该装置可以适用于高、中、低不同浓度的煤层瓦斯，性能稳定、可靠，达到了设计性能指标，完全满足燃气,内燃机组的使用要求，并取得了很好的经济效益、生态效益和环保效益。     

环境影响及计算机设备可靠性

和所有设备一样，计算机设备也是在一定环境中工作的，各种环境因素无时不对设备产生影响。要使计算机设备在各种环境中保持良好的性能，必须了解各种环境对计算机设备影响的机理和过程，分析在环境因素中那些因素是影响计算机设备的主要因素及其力度、频率、周期等，以便采取措施保护计算机设备正常工作。简要介绍除温度外，各种环境因素对计算机设备的影响。     

8096/8098单片机集成开发系统

本集成开发环境集编辑、编译、调试和运行于一体,模拟了MCS-96系列单片机的指令系统,并给教学、实验、应用、科研和单片机的开发提供了强有力的手段。     

灌溉与环境浅议

灌溉为人类带来了巨大的社会效益,也对环境产生了一定的不利影响,但目前对于灌溉的环境问题还处于起始阶段。文中从生态、土壤、水质、人群健康、水文地质、景观地貌等等方面分析了灌溉工程对环境的影响,试图引起人们在今后的多目标水资源开发中重视研究灌溉与环境如何达到协调平衡,为人类创造更好的生存环境。