A escola e o professor no cinema brasileiro contemporâneo: discursos e hegemonia a partir dos conceitos da indústria cultural

Esta pesquisa tem como objeto de estudo filmes brasileiros contemporâneos que têm professores e/ou a escola como personagens/cenários em seus conteúdos. Para a análise desses filmes, realiza-se, inicialmente, a apresentação do desenvolvimento da atividade cinematográfica no Brasil e seu funcionamento como indústria, a partir de três etapas: produção, distribuição e exibição. Todas essas etapas envolvem grandes investimentos que podem ser públicos ou privados. Atualmente, o Estado brasileiro financia de forma indireta a produção fílmica, através de parcerias com o mercado. As fases de distribuição e exibição, por sua vez, só recebem investimentos de instâncias privadas, o que contribui para um processo de monopolização da atividade cinematográfica brasileira por indústrias culturais, sejam americanas ou nacionais. A partir da relação cinema e indústria, apresenta-se o conceito de indústria cultural, desenvolvido por Adorno e Horkheimer, abordando os interesses econômicos e ideológicos que permeiam a criação de produtos culturais. No intuito de explicitar, ainda mais, a importância dos interesses ideológicos, busca-se o conceito de hegemonia, de Gramsci, a partir do qual se afirma que a indústria cultural pode funcionar como um aparelho privado de hegemonia, contribuindo para hegemonizar valores comuns aos parceiros. No Brasil, o foco está posto nas Organizações Globo como indústria cultural e aparelho privado de hegemonia, com a discussão de suas práticas econômicas e sociais. A Globo Filmes é a empresa das Organizações Globo responsável pelo cinema, atuando na produção e divulgação de filmes nacionais. Os filmes escolhidos para análise nesse trabalho foram produzidos ou apoiados por essa empresa e são eles: Verônica (2009), Uma Professora Muito Maluquinha (2011) e Qualquer gato vira-lata (2011). Todos eles têm o professor como personagem principal e os dois primeiros apresentam a escola como cenário. A análise do discurso na abordagem tridimensional apresentada por Fairclough é utilizada como proposta teórico-metodológica, para abordar os filmes como texto, prática discursiva e prática social, permitindo a aproximação do objeto expresso no título da tese

A importância da gestão de resíduos sólidos na redução de custos da não qualidade.

A presente dissertação visa analisar a importância da gestão dos resíduos sólidos industriais em uma indústria petroquímica e o uso da metodologia Seis Sigma na redução dos custos da qualidade associados à geração de resíduos sólidos e poluição ambiental. A Petroflex, fundada em 1962, situada em Campos Elíseos Duque de Caxias / RJ, é a maior fabricante de borracha sintética da América Latina e uma das primeiras empresas do Brasil e se certificar nas normas ISO. Os processos produtivos de obtenção da borracha sintética são potencialmente poluidores, todas as suas atividades provocam a geração de toneladas de resíduos sólidos. A Petroflex iniciou na década de 1990 seus esforços para reverter um quadro de degradação ambiental e uma cultura de desperdício. A partir de 2004, a Petroflex necessitou de uma nova concepção para priorização das suas ações e tomadas de decisões. A Metodologia Seis Sigma foi a escolhida para sustentar o novo salto de desenvolvimento da empresa e em 2008 a empresa alinhou a Seis Sigma ou Gerenciamento de Resíduos Sólidos. O uso da metodologia Seis Sigma, as ações tomadas e os resultados alcançados, bem como, a realização de um projeto em uma das unidades da Petroflex, que levou a criação de um manual de gestão de resíduos sólidos, serão apresentados nos capítulos dessa dissertação, que buscou pesquisas bibliográficas, eletrônicas e documentais para ilustrar os conceitos deste tema de grande importância para sociedade.

Habitar o presente, fazer um mundo: movimentos de crianças e adultos em uma escola de educação infantil

Lugar de criança é na escola? Talvez sim. Talvez não. Talvez exista um problema em querer determinar um lugar para crianças que estão em movimento, que se movimentam por diversos e variados espaços e tempos. O caminho que percorre este texto se põe a caminhar nessa questão inicial, mas não se preocupa em respondê-la. Busca, antes, pensar uma escola de educação infantil habitada e habitável por crianças, onde suas vozes se fazem ouvir em contraponto às dos adultos na experiência de uma infância que é mais do que mera etapa em um desenvolvimento cronológico. Uma infância que nos faz seres à espreita, sensíveis ao novo que nasce para o mundo, e a devires que nos levam a renovar o mundo. Essa escola vai sendo contornada na ideia de skholé, um espaço de tempo livre. Um tempo que iguala todos que nela estão em torno de algo comum, algo que é suspenso, profanado, feito comum, algo que nos atrai para o presente. E que presente seria esse? Um presente que se vê em um ponto entre um passado e um futuro ou um presente que acontece em um instante de intensidade que tudo muda? Entre crianças e adultos, em suas incessantes movimentações, encontra-se uma escola feita de experiências, de um aprender que nos leva a decifrar o mundo em individuações em que somos unos e múltiplos. Uma escola que faz professores-pedagogos e crianças-alunos, e que é feita por eles. Poderia o brincar, em uma tal escola de educação infantil nos igualar ao mesmo tempo que nos diferencia, fazendo-nos dissolver; levar-nos a habitar o presente, a fazer um mundo?

Ground vibration generated by trains in underground tunnels

A popular method used to reduce vibration transmitted from underground railways into nearby buildings is floating-slab track, whereby a concrete slab supporting the two rails is mounted on rubber bearings or steel springs to isolate it from the tunnel invert. This paper adds a track model to a previously developed three-dimensional tunnel model in order to assess the effectiveness of floating-slab track. A slab beam coupled to the tunnel in the wavenumber domain, with the slab bearings represented by an elastic layer, is examined first. A second beam representing the two rails together is then coupled to the slab, and axle masses representing a train are added to the rail beam. Power-spectral densities and RMS levels of soil vibration due to random roughness-displacement excitation between the masses and the rail beam are calculated. Analytical techniques are used to minimise the computational requirements of the model. The results demonstrate the inadequacy of simple mass-spring and Winkler-beam models with rigid foundations for the assessment of the vibration-isolation performance of railway track. They suggest that the achievable insertion loss is modest and that floating the track slab may in fact cause increased transmission of vibration under certain conditions. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Opt-out options in new product co-development partnerships

We study three contractual arrangements—co-development, licensing, and co-development with opt-out options—for the joint development of new products between a small and financially constrained innovator firm and a large technology company, as in the case of a biotech innovator and a major pharma company. We formulate our arguments in the context of a two-stage model, characterized by technical risk and stochastically changing cost and revenue projections. The model captures the main disadvantages of traditional co-development and licensing arrangements: in co-development the small firm runs a risk of running out of capital as future costs rise, while licensing for milestone and royalty (M&R) payments, which eliminates the latter risk, introduces inefficiency, as profitable projects might be abandoned. Counter to intuition we show that the biotech's payoff in a licensing contract is not monotonically increasing in the M&R terms. We also show that an option clause in a co-development contract that gives the small firm the right but not the obligation to opt out of co-development and into a pre-agreed licensing arrangement avoids the problems associated with fully committed co-development or licensing: the probability that the small firm will run out of capital is greatly reduced or completely eliminated and profitable projects are never abandoned.

Enhanced integrated modelling approach to reconfiguring manufacturing enterprises

Dynamism and uncertainty are real challenges for present day manufacturing enterprises (MEs). Reasons include: an increasing demand for customisation, reduced time to market, shortened product life cycles and globalisation. MEs can reduce competitive pressure by becoming reconfigurable and change-capable. However, modern manufacturing philosophies, including agile and lean, must complement the application of reconfigurable manufacturing paradigms. Choosing and applying the best philosophies and techniques is very difficult as most MEs deploy complex and unique configurations of processes and resource systems, and seek economies of scope and scale in respect of changing and distinctive product flows. It follows that systematic methods of achieving model driven reconfiguration and interoperation of component based manufacturing systems are required to design, engineer and change future MEs. This thesis, titled Enhanced Integrated Modelling Approach to Reconfiguring Manufacturing Enterprises , introduces the development and prototyping a model-driven environment for the design, engineering, optimisation and control of the reconfiguration of MEs with an embedded capability to handle various types of change. The thesis describes a novel systematic approach, namely enhanced integrated modelling approach (EIMA), in which coherent sets of integrated models are created that facilitates the engineering of MEs especially their production planning and control (PPC) systems. The developed environment supports the engineering of common types of strategic, tactical and operational processes found in many MEs. The EIMA is centred on the ISO standardised CIMOSA process modelling approach. Early study led to the development of simulation models during which various CIMOSA shortcomings were observed, especially in its support for aspects of ME dynamism. A need was raised to structure and create semantically enriched models hence forming an enhanced integrated modelling environment. The thesis also presents three industrial case examples: (1) Ford Motor Company; (2) Bradgate Furniture Manufacturing Company; and (3) ACM Bearings Company. In order to understand the system prior to realisation of any PPC strategy, multiple process segments of any target organisation need to be modelled. Coherent multi-perspective case study models are presented that have facilitated process reengineering and associated resource system configuration. Such models have a capability to enable PPC decision making processes in support of the reconfiguration of MEs. During these case studies, capabilities of a number of software tools were exploited such as Arena®, Simul8®, Plant Simulation®, MS Visio®, and MS Excel®. Case study results demonstrated effectiveness of the concepts related to the EIMA. The research has resulted in new contributions to knowledge in terms of new understandings, concepts and methods in following ways: (1) a structured model driven integrated approach to the design, optimisation and control of future reconfiguration of MEs. The EIMA is an enriched and generic process modelling approach with capability to represent both static and dynamic aspects of an ME; and (2) example application cases showing benefits in terms of reduction in lead time, cost and resource load and in terms of improved responsiveness of processes and resource systems with a special focus on PPC; (3) identification and industrial application of a new key performance indicator (KPI) known as P3C the measuring and monitoring of which can aid in enhancing reconfigurability and responsiveness of MEs; and (4) an enriched modelling concept framework (E-MUNE) to capture requirements of static and dynamic aspects of MEs where the conceptual framework has the capability to be extended and modified according to the requirements. The thesis outlines key areas outlining a need for future research into integrated modelling approaches, interoperation and updating mechanisms of partial models in support of the reconfiguration of MEs.

瞄准国际软件科技前沿走自主创新之路--不断开拓进取的软件研究所

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植物路与土质路产流产沙过程的比较试验

通过室内人工降雨+放水冲刷相结合的方法,对5个坡度(3~18°),5种雨强(1~3mm.min-1),5组放水流量(1.4~9.0kg.m-2.s-1)下的黄棉土土质路面和早熟禾植物路面进行了共60余场次试验,对比分析了植物路相对于土质路侵蚀过程差异及产水、减沙效果。结果表明:在放水冲刷条件下,植物路侵蚀率随放水历时降低,其过程可用对数函数描述;土质路面侵蚀率变化复杂。两类道路的放水流量与侵蚀强度均呈现幂函数变化,且植物道路表现出明显的防蚀作用。雨强增加引起径流量、侵蚀强度增加,土质路的增加快于植物路;坡度增大时,侵蚀强度增大,径流深则为植物路稳定,土质路有小幅增加。植物路相对土质路的减沙幅度为26.24%~47.22%,减少能力可用抛物线方程描述,但植物路较土质路面有利于产生径流,径流深增加幅度平均为58.7%~144.1%,由于径流的泥沙含量大大降低,道路的侵蚀产沙反而有一定降低。

旅游相关活动对九寨沟核心景区植物多样性与结构的影响

日益增强的旅游活动干扰正成为九寨沟世界自然遗产的有效保护与持续管理不可回避的挑战，已成为当前区域生态保护与经济发展的焦点问题之一。阐明相关旅游的干扰活动对核心景区植物物种组成、多样性与结构的影响是九寨沟有效保护与持续管理的必要前提和基础，然而至今少有研究。选择九寨沟与旅游活动相关的九个景点、公路建设地段以及退耕地还林地，详细调查了林下植被结构、物种组成与多样性，比较了相关旅游活动干扰与基本未受干扰地段的差异。目的是阐明九寨沟核心景区旅游干扰条件下植物多样性与群落结构及其特点，揭示旅游干扰与植被结构和生物多样的相互关系，评估九寨沟旅游管理的有效性，探索减免旅游干扰影响的对策与措施。初步结论如下。 1.旅游活动引起九寨沟核心景区植物组成和群落结构特征改变显著。栈道及公路附近许多耐荫喜湿的敏感种局部消失，而早熟禾、车前草、委陵菜等耐干旱、耐践踏、繁殖能力强的植物种群扩大；外来物种频繁出现并已少量侵入干扰相对较轻的林分深处；林下群落以草本植物为优势，灌木与苔藓植物的频度、盖度、高度以及灌木密度均有所下降。可见，大量的游人活动和景区公路建设已对九寨沟丰富的乡土植物构成极大威胁，导致其生物多样性降低。而九寨沟农耕地退耕有利于九寨沟生态环境和生物多样性保护，正逐步向稳定群落演替。 2．干扰强度的差异导致九寨沟植物所受影响的程度不同。栈道附近植物受影响的程度与游人活动频率有关，活动频率高的地段干扰强度大，对植物的影响程度重，反之植物所受的影响较轻。强度干扰地段，耐荫喜湿的物种少见，伴生植物优势地位突出，生物多样性明显降低，植物群落结构特征改变也极为显著；干扰较轻的地段，伴生物种少量出现，植物群落结构变化不明显，生物多样性略为降低，部分地区结构参数值和多样性指数有所升高。公路修建是一种强度干扰，它导致附近植物种类极为单一，草本优势种异常突出，多数植物生活力低下、生长更新能力差。 3.不同植物类群受干扰影响的程度不同。草本及苔藓植物的种类组成和多样性指数受干扰影响较大，灌木和苔藓植物的结构受干扰影响较大，苔藓植物对干扰影响最为敏感。 综合分析表明，九寨沟核心景区的管理虽然比较规范，但目前核心区热点景点段的管理仍然不够，旅游活动驱动了林下植被退化明显、物种组成显著变化、生物多样性衰退、非乡土喜光耐旱种群扩大。导致九寨沟核心区旅游活动与生物多样性保护目标尖锐冲突，进一步约束旅游活动带来的干扰，强化管理，开展林下植被恢复与非乡土喜光耐旱种群调控是九寨沟自然遗产地保护一项紧迫任务。 The increasing tourism disturbance is an unavoidable challenge to effective conservation and sustained tourist management of Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve. It has become one of the focal problems of regional ecological protect and economic development. It is important to clarify effects of tourism disturbance on plant species composition, diversity and community structure in kernel spot for effective conservation and sustained tourist management in Jiuzhaigou, China. However, there were little studies about this yet. The study investigated the vegetation structure, species composition and diversity at nine sight spot, road area and four abandoned farmlands connecting with tourism, and compared the differences between disturbed area and undisturbed area. The purpose of the this study is clarifying the plant diversity and community structure and characteristics of the disturbed area in kernel spot of Jiuzhaigou, discovering the relation between vegetation structure and biodiversity, evaluating the effect of tourist management and exploring the measure decreasing tourist disturbance. Our results are following: 1. Tourism disturbance caused a significant change in species composition and structure of plant communities in kernel Spot of Jiuzhaigou. In the vicinity of plank and road, some native shade-tolerant or hygrophilous plants had disappeared, accompanying with the population expansion of some xerophilous and disturbance-resisting species such as Poa sp. Plantago depressa, Potentiila multicaulis and some exotic and synanthropic species. Herbs were domaint species, while frequency coverage and height of shrubs and bryophytes, and shrub density decreased. In indicated that tourist activities and build of road had adversely affected on native plant species, and led to decline in biodiversity of Jiuzhaigou Nature Reserve. Abandoned farmlands maybe conduced to entironment and biodiversity conservation. 2. Nearby the plank, influency variable of tourism disturbance on plant was alosely and positively correlated with disturbance intensity. There was companion plant species and lacked shape-loving species in heavy disturbed areas, which caused decrease in biodiversity and significant change in community structure in these places. On the contrary, in the slightly disturbed areas, some companion speices displayed and biodiversity decreased slightly, but no significant change in community structure in these areas. The biuld of road is a heavy disturbance form, which led to increase of herb species and to decrease in vitality and regeneration capacity. 3. The intensity of tourism disturbance on plant depended on plant groups. Tourism interference significantly influenced species composition and diversity index of herb and bryophyte; it also significantly influenced community structure; the bryophyte was more sensitive to tourism disturbance. Our result indicated that the management in kernel spot of Jiuzhaigou is relatively reasonable, but not adequate. Tourism speed the degradation of the vegetation under woodland, the change of the species composition, the decreaing of the biodiversity and the expanding of the exotic sunloving plant populations. The contradiction between tourism and conserving biodiversity is increasing, so enforcing management, regenerating the vegetation under woodland and adjusting the exotic sunloving arid-tolerent plant populations is a pressing work to protect the Jiuzhaigou natural legacy.

若尔盖湿地公路对两栖类的生态影响

本文考察了若尔盖高寒泥炭湿地公路对高原林蛙（Rana kukunoris）、倭蛙（Narorana pleskei）和岷山蟾蜍（Bufo minshanicus）的生态影响。分析了公路对两栖动物空间分布和栖息地利用的影响，并用IBM模型探讨其可能作用机制，考察了两栖动物公路死亡的季节差异及影响公路死亡空间分布的景观因素。最后通过对若尔盖高寒湿地两栖动物陆地核心栖息地的分析，为若尔盖路域栖息地的管理提供依据。 1. 对公路周边6个沼泽水凼群进行了调查，每个样地设置5条样线（距离公路10m、20m、50m、100m和150m）。调查表明，在繁殖季节(5月)，距离公路距离对高原林蛙和倭蛙的相对数量都有显著作用，其效应明显大于其他各项栖息地环境参数。公路导致高原林蛙和倭蛙在公路周边种群密度降低，其相对数量从距离公路100m处到公路边缘一直呈现逐渐降低的趋势。在繁殖季节，若尔盖高寒湿地的公路生态影响域大约在100-150m之间，这一距离远远大于森林栖息地中公路对两栖类的生态影响域（35-40 m）。 在繁殖后期（9月），对公路周边16个草地样点的样线调查表明，公路对周边高原林蛙和倭蛙密度分布并未造成显著影响。 2. 二次模型的拟合表明繁殖季节高原林蛙和倭蛙在公路周边的密度分布符合钟型曲线。前人对森林公路两侧两栖类分布的研究也显示了类似的规律。我们通过基于个体的模型，模拟在了公路边缘100单位距离内的栖息地空间，栖息地环境质量呈梯度变化，动物个体在其中通过随机运动寻找适宜的栖息地。拟合结果表明，动物个体仅仅依照简单的运动规则寻找适宜栖息地，这种活动就可以导致公路周边栖息地中的动物分布曲线出现3个局部峰。公路周边两栖动物的钟型分布曲线可能仅仅是个体寻找适宜栖息地过程中出现的临时性群体分布模式。 3. 在若尔盖高寒湿地，公路交通造成了大量两栖类死亡。但是公路两栖类动物死亡的季节分布很不均匀：5月、8月和9月死亡数量很高，而7月和10月死亡数量却很低。这种季节性差异和两栖类各个生活史阶段的迁移运动有密切的关系。利用景观参数的逻辑斯蒂回归模型显示，距离公路1000-2000m范围内的湿草地比例对三种两栖类公路死亡概率均有很强的贡献。湿草地这一栖息地类型分类中有大量的沼泽水体，是两栖类重要的繁殖点和取食点。两栖类公路死亡概率湿草地的关系从一个侧面表明，要维持一个区域较高的两栖类种群数量，需要1000-2000m半径范围内存在大面积的湿草地。 4. 高原林蛙和岷山蟾蜍不同性别和年龄个体分布点的水体距离存在显著差异。不同种类、年龄的两栖类分布点距离水体距离的差异可能是由于对水体的依赖性造成的。而相同种类、年龄段的个体中，高原林蛙雌性、岷山蟾蜍亚成体和雌性的体重与分布点距水体距离有显著负相关，这可能是因为体重更大的个体对水体的依赖性更弱。考虑到过大的陆地核心栖息地面积在实际保护工作中存在操作上的困难，因此我们认为可以以水体周边90%个体的分布区为低限确定3种两栖类的最小陆地核心栖息地。但是，在同样的水体距离-两栖类密度分布格局下，水体的面积和分形参数对最小陆地核心栖息地半径的确定有一定影响。 Ecological effects of alpine wetland road on Rana kukunoris, Narorana pleskei, Bufo minshanicus was studied in Zoige wetland. The effects of road on distribution of amphibians and its possible underline mechanism was discussed based on empirical data and computer simulation. Road killed amphibians was surveyed in different season and those landscape factor which could have impact on road killing distribution was analyses. Core terrestrial habitat of amphibians in Zoige wetland was discussed in the consideration of conservation management. 1. Six pool groups was investigated in breeding season (May) of R. kukunoris, N. pleskei. Five transects at distance of 10m, 20m, 50m, 100m and 150m from road edge was surveyed in each pool groups. There was a significant effects of distance from road edge on relative counts of R. kukunoris, N. pleskei, which is much important than effects of other environmental factors. Road caused the density of R. kukunoris, N. pleskei decreased from distance of 100m from road to 10m from road. Road ecological effect zone of alpine wetland for amphibians is about 100-150m. It is much wider than those of forest roads, which is about 35-40m. However, studies on 16 grassland near road showed no significant effect of road on amphibians after breeding season (Sep.). 2. Quadratic model fit indicated that the distribution of R. kukunoris and N. Pleskei followed a hump like curve. Previous studies on forest road showed similar results. A 100×100 habitat with gradual environment besides road was simulated with a individual-based model, and animal seek for suitable habitat with stochastic locomotion in it. Simulation results indicated that 3 density peak of animal distribution can emergent followed a simply rules. The hump like density cure could be a temporal swarm pattern during the process of individual seeking for habitat. 3. Road traffic caused mass death of amphibians in Zoige wetland. There was much road killed amphibians in May, Aug and Sep than those in July and Oct. The fluctuation of road kill could be related with migration of amphibians between seasons. Logistic regression of landscape variables indicated that wet grassland in 1000-2000m is essential to predict the probability of road kill. Wet grassland is an important breeding and forage habitat for amphibians. It also indicated that mass wet grassland in 1000-2000m is essential for maintain a big amphibian population. 4. There was significant differences among distance from aquatic site of subadults, female and males of R. kukunoris and B. Minshanicus. Possibly, it was because of their dependence on water. There was a significant negative relationship between distance from aquatic site and individuals body mass. Estimates of core habitat that are too large may make it difficult to establish protective regulations. The smallest suitable terrestrial core habitats were defined as the terrestrial habitats used during migration to and from the wetlands, and for foraging by 90% of any life stage (adults, and subadults) in a season. However, even with the same amphibian distribution pattern along the distance from aquatic sites, the radii of smallest suitable terrestrial core habitats will be varied with the fractal parameters of aquatic site.

动态系统结构与分形公司

传统的静态企业结构不能适应快速变化的环境，企业需要可以快速重构的动态结构，以内部变化来适应外部变化。系统的构成单元应该具有决策智能、自组织、协商合作和自治能力。本文研究了企业动态结构的需求与特点，同时介绍了分形公司的动态结构思想。

Economics of new oncology drug development.

PURPOSE: Review existing studies and provide new results on the development, regulatory, and market aspects of new oncology drug development. METHODS: We utilized data from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), company surveys, and publicly available commercial business intelligence databases on new oncology drugs approved in the United States and on investigational oncology drugs to estimate average development and regulatory approval times, clinical approval success rates, first-in-class status, and global market diffusion. RESULTS: We found that approved new oncology drugs to have a disproportionately high share of FDA priority review ratings, of orphan drug designations at approval, and of drugs that were granted inclusion in at least one of the FDA's expedited access programs. US regulatory approval times were shorter, on average, for oncology drugs (0.5 years), but US clinical development times were longer on average (1.5 years). Clinical approval success rates were similar for oncology and other drugs, but proportionately more of the oncology failures reached expensive late-stage clinical testing before being abandoned. In relation to other drugs, new oncology drug approvals were more often first-in-class and diffused more widely across important international markets. CONCLUSION: The market success of oncology drugs has induced a substantial amount of investment in oncology drug development in the last decade or so. However, given the great need for further progress, the extent to which efforts to develop new oncology drugs will grow depends on future public-sector investment in basic research, developments in translational medicine, and regulatory reforms that advance drug-development science.

Climate Adaptation: The future of extra-care housing for the elderly in the United Kingdom.

This paper describes the result of a project to develop climate adaptation design strategies funded by the UK’s Technology Strategy Board. The aim of the project was to look at the effects of climate change in the distant future (2080) on a vulnerable group such as older people with special needs and see how architectural design strategies and technologies may be used today to help mitigate problems ahead caused by climate change.
Older people are the most vulnerable sector of society and are particularly at risk in extreme weather, either excess cold in winter or continual high temperatures in summer. In the UK it is predicted that average temperatures may rise by as much as 8 degrees in Summer by 2080 and there will be a 20% greater chance of extreme weather events. This will place extreme stress on the building stock which is designed for today’s mild maritime climate.
The project took a current proposal for an extra-care home for the elderly designed to 2010 regulations and developed a road map to 2080 using climate models developed by the UK Meteorological Office. This allowed the current design to be assessed using future climatic data, proposals for improvement of the scheme to be made within existing constraints and also a new scheme to be developed from first principals using this data, and projections of new technologies that will be available. By comparing these schemes, the approach allowed a reassessment of the initial scheme, and allowed a new design to be developed that offered a more flexible solution incorporating future retrofit which allows new renewable technologies for heating, cooling and water storage to be added at a later date.

Theoretical investigation of the use of a moving vehicle to identify bridge dynamic parameters

Pavements and bridges are subject to a continuous degradation due to traffic aggressiveness, ageing and environmental factors. A rational transport policy requires the monitoring of this transport infrastructure in order to provide adequate maintenance and guarantee the required levels of transport service and safety. This paper investigates the use of an instrumented vehicle fitted with accelerometers on its axles to monitor the dynamics of bridges. A simplified quarter carbridge interaction model is used in theoretical simulations and the natural frequency of the bridge is extracted from the spectra of the vehicle accelerations. The accuracy is better at lower speeds and for smooth road profiles. The structural damping of the bridge was also monitored for smooth and rough road profiles. The magnitude of peaks in the power spectral density of the vehicle accelerations decreased with increasing bridge damping and this decrease was easier to detect the smoother the road profile.

The Pan-STARRS Moving Object Processing System

We describe the Pan-STARRS Moving Object Processing System (MOPS), a modern software package that produces automatic asteroid discoveries and identifications from catalogs of transient detections from next-generation astronomical survey telescopes. MOPS achieves >99.5% efficiency in producing orbits from a synthetic but realistic population of asteroids whose measurements were simulated for a Pan-STARRS4-class telescope. Additionally, using a nonphysical grid population, we demonstrate that MOPS can detect populations of currently unknown objects such as interstellar asteroids. MOPS has been adapted successfully to the prototype Pan-STARRS1 telescope despite differences in expected false detection rates, fill-factor loss, and relatively sparse observing cadence compared to a hypothetical Pan-STARRS4 telescope and survey. MOPS remains highly efficient at detecting objects but drops to 80% efficiency at producing orbits. This loss is primarily due to configurable MOPS processing limits that are not yet tuned for the Pan-STARRS1 mission. The core MOPS software package is the product of more than 15 person-years of software development and incorporates countless additional years of effort in third-party software to perform lower-level functions such as spatial searching or orbit determination. We describe the high-level design of MOPS and essential subcomponents, the suitability of MOPS for other survey programs, and suggest a road map for future MOPS development.