Exploring design trade-offs for achieving social inclusion in multi-tiered design problems

ABSTRACT

The digital age of the future is ‘not out there to be discovered’, but it needs to be ‘designed’. The design challenge has to address questions about how we want to live, work, and learn (as individuals and as communities) and what we value and appreciate, e.g.: reflecting on quality of life and creating inclusive societies. An overriding design trade-off for the digital age is whether new developments will increase the digital divide or will create more inclusive societies. Sustaining inclusive societies means allowing people of all ages and all abilities to exploit information technologies for personally meaningful activities. Meta-design fosters the design of socio-technical environments that end-user developers can modify and evolve at use time to improve their quality of life and favour their inclusion in the society. This paper describes three case studies in the domain of assistive technologies in which end users themselves cannot act as end-user developers, but someone else (e.g.: a caregiver or a clinician) must accept this role requiring multi-tiered architectures. The design trade-offs and requirements for meta-design identified in the context of the case studies and other researchers’ projects are described to inform the development of future socio-technical environments focused on social inclusion.     

社交网络中基于网络结构支撑模型的谣言传播研究

结合结构支撑理论，探究节点网络结构支持力的一些性质，提出了社交网络结构中的全网支持力和被支持力的总量一致性，并进一步提出计算节点支持力的方法。谣言作为特殊信息，在支持力不同节点之间的传播特性有所不同，借鉴随机游走模型中的PageRank计算方法，对不同节点支持力的谣言传播以及传播后的辟谣状况进行了仿真模拟，结果表明支持力不同的节点对于谣言传播和辟谣影响明显。     

Long-run urban dynamics: understanding local housing market change in London

Abstract

Recently, a literature has emerged using empirical techniques to study the evolution of international cities over many centuries; however, few studies examine long-run change within cities. Conventional models and concepts are not always appropriate and data issues make long-run neighbourhood analysis particularly problematic. This paper addresses some of these points. First, it discusses why the analysis of long-run urban change is important for modern urban policy and considers the most important concepts. Second, it constructs a novel data set at the micro level, which allows consistent comparisons of London neighbourhoods in 1881 and 2001. Third, the paper models some of the key factors that affected long-run change, including the role of housing. There is evidence that the relative social positions of local urban areas persist over time but, nevertheless, at fine spatial scales, local areas still exhibit change, arising from aggregate population dynamics, from advances in technology, and also from the effects of shocks, such as wars. In general, where small areas are considered, long-run changes are likely to be greater, because individuals are more mobile over short than long distances. Finally, the paper considers the implications for policy.     

中子平衡节块离散纵标法及CMFD加速技术研究

本文基于横向积分离散纵标方程,解析得到横向积分通量中出射通量与入射通量的关系,并根据类似于扩散方程节块展开法的输运节块中子平衡方程形式,得到了一种高效的节块离散纵标法数值迭代策略。数值结果表明,本文提出的方法可行且数值结果正确。此外,粗网有限差分(CMFD)加速技术在节块离散纵标法中也取得了非常好的应用效果。     

Laser induced fast ignition made realistic by relativistic velocities-dream or reality?

Due to the recent developments in high power lasers it is suggested to accelerate a micro-foil by the laser pressure to relativistic velocities. The time dependent velocity of this micro-foil is calculated analytically for pulsed constant laser intensity. The accelerated foil collides with a target creating a shock wave on impact. The shock wave parameters are calculated within the context of relativistic fluid dynamics.It is suggested to use the energy of the relativistic micro-foil to ignite a pre-compressed target with a density relevant for fusion ignition. The equations are written and solved for the collision between the micro-foil and the very dense target. The criteria for shock wave ignition and heat wave ignition are used to show that one needs significantly less laser energy for heat wave ignition.The present scheme shows that nuclear fast ignition by micro-foil impact could be attained in the near future with lasers that are currently under construction.     

Salivary Proteome Changes in Response to Acute Psychological Stress Due to an Oral Exam Simulation in University Students: Effect of an Olfactory Stimulus

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a crucial role both in acute and chronic psychological stress eliciting changes in many local and systemic physiological and biochemical processes. Salivary secretion is also regulated by ANS. In this study, we explored salivary proteome changes produced in thirty-eight University students by a test stress, which simulated an oral exam. Students underwent a relaxation phase followed by the stress test during which an electrocardiogram was recorded. To evaluate the effect of an olfactory stimulus, half of the students were exposed to a pleasant odor diffused in the room throughout the whole session. Saliva samples were collected after the relaxation phase (T0) and the stress test (T1). State anxiety was also evaluated at T0 and T1. Salivary proteins were separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis, and patterns at different times were compared. Spots differentially expressed were trypsin digested and identified by mass spectrometry. Western blot analysis was used to validate proteomic results. Anxiety scores and heart rate changes indicated that the fake exam induced anxiety. Significant changes of α-amylase, polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (PIGR), and immunoglobulin α chain (IGHA) secretion were observed after the stress test was performed in the two conditions. Moreover, the presence of pleasant odor reduced the acute social stress affecting salivary proteome changes. Therefore, saliva proteomic analysis was a useful approach to evaluate the rapid responses associated to an acute stress test also highlighting known biomarkers.     

Understanding trust in ms-commerce: The roles of reported experience,linguistic style,profile photo,emotional, and cognitive trust

This paper examines what influences trust in mobile social commerce environment. Drawing on trust-based acceptance model (i.e. cognitive and emotional trust) and online review features (i.e. profile photo, linguistic style, and reported experience), we examine how these factors affect trust in mobile social commerce. Hypotheses were tested using survey data. The results of our model showed that there are significant influences of profile photo, reported experience, cognitive, and emotional trust towards trust in ms-commerce. This work contributes to existing literature by examining the roles of previous trust in mobile payments and online reviews on trust in mobile social commerce.     

Social licence: power imbalances and levels of consciousness – two case studies

ABSTRACT

Social licence to operate (SLO) is a term that is finding increasing acceptance in a number of industries. Like all new terms, its precise meaning and implications are still being investigated. Using data from previous studies, this paper offers an analysis of the SLO of two case studies with each study being viewed separately through the grid of a distinct theoretical framework. Case study 1 looks at the development of differential social licence negotiated in the Hamlet of Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, as a result of an impact and benefit agreement negotiated between Tahera Diamond Corp. and the Kitikmeot Inuit Organisation in 2004. The study demonstrates that general acceptance of resource development can be uneven and reflect an unequal distribution of decision-making power. In case study 2, stakeholders of a failed mineral development project were queried across time about the specifics of the proposed mine development and were queried about resource development across different levels of consciousness. Perhaps, SLO is variable across different levels of consciousness. The paper concludes with observations about the variable nature of SLO acceptance across populations and across levels of consciousness within individuals. Perhaps, the concept of SLO is, in fact, complex, difficult to define and measure and, at this point, of limited utility as a measure of resource development acceptance.     

基于振动实测的非均质地层钻头失效分析与对策

四川盆地作为国内页岩气开发的重点区域,通过近几年的不断攻关和实践,机械钻速得到了提高,但由于受地层复杂、可钻性差、非均质性强等地质因素的影响,导致井下钻柱系统不良振动剧烈,容易出现钻头损坏严重、钻速较低等问题,严重影响了钻井时效。为了解决上述难题,以该盆地涪陵工区上二叠统龙潭组—中二叠统茅口组为例,采用井下振动高频测量工具的实测手段,测量了钻头—钻柱系统的动态振动加速度参数,结合地层的岩性和矿物组分分析,研究钻头失效原因与对策,并开展了现场试验。研究结果表明:①在非均质地层中钻进的钻头—钻柱系统产生了大于40 m/s~2的高幅值瞬时冲击振动,高幅值的瞬时冲击是导致钻头先期失效的主要原因;②提出了抑制高幅值的瞬时冲击振动采用"减振+增压"工具组合和避免井下工具共振的钻井参数;③采用钻井新参数的试验井比邻井的高幅值瞬时振动降低了17%,单只钻头进尺增加24%,钻头工作环境得到了较大的改善,钻头使用数量减少。结论认为,该研究成果能够有效地改善钻头—钻柱系统的振动状态,有利于达成延长钻头使用寿命的目标。     

Sustainable supply chain management in Indian organisations: an empirical investigation

The present work is an attempt to investigate the adoption of sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) practices amongst manufacturing and process based organisations in India and its impact on organisational performance encompassing all three dimensions of sustainability. SSCM practices conceived in the present study include environmental management practices (EMP), socially inclusive practices for employees (SPE), socially inclusive practices for community (SPC), operations practices (OP) and supply chain integration (SCI) which were treated as exogenous variables. Organisational performance considered in this study includes five dimensions, namely environmental performance (EPR), employee-centred social performance (ESP), community-centred social performance (CSP), operations performance (OPR) and competitiveness, which were regarded as endogenous variables. The analysis was carried out with the help of structural equation modelling considering natural logarithm of manpower as a control variable. Few major findings are mentioned. EMP does not have any significant association with OPR, nor does it result in competitiveness. However, when jointly mediated through both EPR and OPR, EMP leads to competitiveness. SPC has significant negative association with competitiveness, when only direct relationship is considered. However, indirect relationship between SPC and competitiveness shows significant positive association when mediated through CSP. The resultant total effect between SPC and competitiveness turns out to be insignificant. Further, OPR fully mediates the relationship between OP and competitiveness. Managerial implications of the findings are discussed.