Life-Cycle Assessment in the Service Industries

Despite the dominant role service industries play in modern society, those industries have by and large not been involved in the strong efforts underway to create environmentally responsible operations. Part of the reason is that the role of these industries as driving factors in resource flows has not been recognized. Perhaps more important, no common framework for assessing the environmental responsibility of service industries has been established. This article provides such a framework and applies it to a generic service industry: automotive repair. Among the results are that evaluation must take different forms for different types of services, and that the approaches of service industries to the use of buildings and equipment will require innovative solutions quite unlike those advocated for the "greening" of manufacturing operations.     

Canadian macromolecular crystallography facility: a suite of fully automated beamlines

The Canadian light source is a 2.9 GeV national synchrotron radiation facility located on the University of Saskatchewan campus in Saskatoon. The small-gap in-vacuum undulator illuminated beamline, 08ID-1, together with the bending magnet beamline, 08B1-1, constitute the Canadian Macromolecular Crystallography Facility (CMCF). The CMCF provides service to more than 50 Principal Investigators in Canada and the United States. Up to 25% of the beam time is devoted to commercial users and the general user program is guaranteed up to 55% of the useful beam time through a peer-review process. CMCF staff provides "Mail-In" crystallography service to users with the highest scored proposals. Both beamlines are equipped with very robust end-stations including on-axis visualization systems, Rayonix 300 CCD series detectors and Stanford-type robotic sample auto-mounters. MxDC, an in-house developed beamline control system, is integrated with a data processing module, AutoProcess, allowing full automation of data collection and data processing with minimal human intervention. Sample management and remote monitoring of experiments is enabled through interaction with a Laboratory Information Management System developed at the facility.     

基质血管组分(SVF)临床分离技术研究

脂肪组织易获取、组织相容性好且对供体影响小,可作为获得成体干细胞的重要来源.基质血管组分(SVF)是从脂肪中分离出来的包括脂源性干细胞(ADSC)和基质细胞的异质性细胞群.SVF促进组织的修复和再生已被大量的临床实验所证实,尤其是在美容整形和组织修复中的应用.早期,SVF通过酶消化法获得,随着近年来在临床中扩大应用,为...     

基于Android系统的医院设备共享服务管理系统

为了提高设备利用率,大多医院将部分设备集中放置于病区服务中心,供全院科室共享使用,但是设备的借用、归还登记依然采用手工模式,这种模式工作效率低下且数据统计难度大。为了解决该问题,本文设计开发了一套基于Android系统的医院设备共享服务管理系统。该系统利用二维码作为设备唯一识别标识,利用Android移动终端软件扫描设备二维码获取该设备基础信息,并通过Web Service接口从数据服务器中获取设备详细信息后进行共享服务管理操作。该软件系统采用Java+MVC框架开发,利用SQL Server 2008实现设备信息存储、共享。通过对徐州医科大学附属医院病区服务中心200余台设备的日常共享服务管理的实际应用与测试,该系统能很好的优化医院设备共享服务管理流程,提高了设备管理人员工作效率。     

A database of microsatellite genotypes for <Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccharomyces cerevisiae</Emphasis>

A system for genotyping Saccharomyces cerevisiae is described based on a multiplex of ten microsatellite loci and the MAT locus. A database of genotypes has been developed for 246 yeast strains, including a large set of commercial wine yeasts, as well as 35 sequenced natural isolates currently being sequenced. The latter allow us, for the first time, to make direct comparisons of the relationship between DNA sequence data and microsatellite-based genotypes. The genotyping system provides a rapid and valuable system for strain identification as well as studying population genetics of S. cerevisiae.     

广州市公园对比评价研究——基于社交媒体数据的文本分析

传统公园评价的研究大多集中在单个公园使用满意度方面,存在问卷样本量小、采集时间较集中等缺陷。大数据相关研究的快速发展为公园系统评价提供了新的契机。基于对社交媒体数据的文本分析,研究对比广州市 50 个公园的评价结果,同时探究公园评价与人口统计学特征、地理区位、评价时间以及公园属性之间的关系。研究发现, 1）公园正面评价主要集中在免费设施、环境和特色等方面,而负面评价多集中于公园卫生、交通成本、停车等管理服务方面,广州公园的管理服务水平亟待提升。 2）女性较男性更关注公园能否满足其对社交场所的需求,本地游客较外地游客更关注公园本身的服务质量而非公园的外部属性。 3）基干公园应更侧重其可达性和基本的服务功能,承担大众日常活动;特色公园应更注重满足特定人群的需求及特色打造;自然公园应更关注公园生态质量并能够承担需要较大场地的活动。 4） 2010—2018 年,人们越来越关注公园特色的打造,在公园中的活动类型也越来越多样,现代公园建设更应着力于文化服务质量的提升。研究突破传统公园研究方法的局限,将大数据的手段运用到多个公园的整体评价当中,有助于建立更普适、更有针对性的公园评价指标体系,具有较高的实践价值。     

生态环境移动数据采集系统研究与实现

针对快速、实时、有效采集并录入生态环境野外调查大样本量、多源数据的需求,充分应用移动GIS技术、移动智能终端、3G等现代信息技术优势,提出了基于ArcGIS for Mobile的移动数据采集方案,研究解决了包括系统运行机制、数据访问模式、移动数据库技术等面向全国生态环境野外调查的移动GIS关键技术,设计并研发野外调查移动数据采集系统。该系统采用C#和Java语言,以SQL Server 2008 为服务器端的数据库环境,在Microsoft Visual Studio 2008集成开发环境上实现设计开发,并在全国生态环境10年变化遥感调查与评估项目土地覆盖类型地面核查、生态系统参数野外观测等工作中予以应用。实践检验表明：该系统实现了野外调查数据的数字采集、智能校验、实时上传与有效管理,简化了填报程序,规范了填报内容,提高了工作效率,能够为生态环境相关的调查数据采集提供信息化支持。     

A Partially Automated Radioligand Binding Assay System for use in Clinical and Pharmaceutical Research

Abstract

Using a Tecan robotic sample processor and IBM compatible PCs we have developed a flexible, partially automated radioligand binding assay system. It handles pipetting parameters of up to 16 saturation or competition experiments at a time with up to 24 radioligand- or competitor-concentrations in a range over 4 orders of magnitude per experiment. The system provides enough flexibility so that all pipetting parameters including different tube-, rack-sizes, sample volumina and pipetting sequences may be easily adapted to the large variety of experimental requirements in binding assays. It rationalizes and increases assay throughput (up to 70% spare of working time), improves reliance and reproducibility of results. Radioactive exposure is minimized to the time preparing the radioligand working solution and transferring the sample tubes to and from the sample processor. The system has proven effective in various investigations on binding interactions, as well as in clinical studies on receptor expression under physiologic, pathological and therapeutic conditions.     

The Functional Genomics Experiment model (FuGE): an extensible framework for standards in functional genomics

The Functional Genomics Experiment data model (FuGE) has been developed to facilitate convergence of data standards for high-throughput, comprehensive analyses in biology. FuGE models the components of an experimental activity that are common across different technologies, including protocols, samples and data. FuGE provides a foundation for describing entire laboratory workflows and for the development of new data formats. The Microarray Gene Expression Data society and the Proteomics Standards Initiative have committed to using FuGE as the basis for defining their respective standards, and other standards groups, including the Metabolomics Standards Initiative, are evaluating FuGE in their development efforts. Adoption of FuGE by multiple standards bodies will enable uniform reporting of common parts of functional genomics workflows, simplify data-integration efforts and ease the burden on researchers seeking to fulfill multiple minimum reporting requirements. Such advances are important for transparent data management and mining in functional genomics and systems biology.     

城市生态观测:质量控制对象、体系和规范编制

城市生态系统长期观测是开展城市生态安全评价和制定人居环境健康管理政策的基础。为了确保城市生态观测数据的准确性和科学性,通过辨识城市生态观测质量控制的概念,基于"人机料法环"理论构建了城市生态观测质量控制体系,结合城市生态观测质量控制相关规范的编制与实施现状,探讨了城市生态观测质量控制规范的编制技术。结果表明：（1）城市生态观测质量控制是面向城市生态观测内容（要素、空间格局、功能、服务）,为保证生态观测全过程质量要求、提高生态观测结果的准确性而实施的质量控制活动和措施。（2）城市生态观测质量控制体系可从对象和过程这两个维度进行界定：对象维度方面,包括"人"-人员、"机"-仪器设备、"料"-数据、"法"-文件和"环"-观测过程5个方面;过程维度方面,涵盖城市生态观测全过程,包括城市生态观测前期准备工作、观测过程中以及观测后的数据录入、审核与评价等环节的质量控制措施。（3）我国已发布的生态观测相关技术标准中,发布的时间越晚,质量控制内容越完整,目前生态观测相关标准共102则,仅38则明确提出了质量控制具体要求。（4）《城市生态观测质量控制规范》编制需包含质量体系和质量控制措施两项技术内容,主要包括前引、正文和附录三个章节,对生态观测全过程质量保证和质量控制技术进行规定。     

Virtual Fire: A web-based GIS platform for forest fire control

Α web-based Geographic Information Systems (GIS) platform – named Virtual Fire – for forest fire control has been developed to easily, validly and promptly share and utilize information and tools among firefighting forces. This state-of-the-art system enables fire management professionals to take advantage of GIS capabilities without needing to locally install complex software components. Fire management professionals can locate fire service vehicles and other resources online and in real-time. Fire patrol aircrafts and vehicles may use tracking devices to send their coordinates directly to the platform. Cameras can augment these data by transmitting images of high-risk areas into the graphical interface of the system. Furthermore, the system provides the geographical representation of fire ignition probability and identifies high-risk areas at different local regions daily, based on a high performance computing (HPC) pilot application that runs on Windows HPC Server. Real-time data from remote automatic weather stations and weather maps based on a weather forecasting system provide vital weather data needed for fire prevention and early warning. By using these methods and a variety of fire management information and tools, the end-users are given the ability to design an operational plan to encompass the forest fire, choosing the best ways to put the fire out within the proper recourses and time.     

Integrated software system for improving medical equipment management

The evolution of biomedical technology has led to an extraordinary use of medical devices in health care delivery. During the last decade, clinical engineering departments (CEDs) turned toward computerization and application of specific software systems for medical equipment management in order to improve their services and monitor outcomes. Recently, much emphasis has been given to patient safety. Through its Medical Device Directives, the European Union has required all member nations to use a vigilance system to prevent the reoccurrence of adverse events that could lead to injuries or death of patients or personnel as a result of equipment malfunction or improper use. The World Health Organization also has made this issue a high priority and has prepared a number of actions and recommendations. In the present workplace, a new integrated, Windows-oriented system is proposed, addressing all tasks of CEDs but also offering a global approach to their management needs, including vigilance. The system architecture is based on a star model, consisting of a central core module and peripheral units. Its development has been based on the integration of 3 software modules, each one addressing specific predefined tasks. The main features of this system include equipment acquisition and replacement management, inventory archiving and monitoring, follow up on scheduled maintenance, corrective maintenance, user training, data analysis, and reports. It also incorporates vigilance monitoring and information exchange for adverse events, together with a specific application for quality-control procedures. The system offers clinical engineers the ability to monitor and evaluate the quality and cost-effectiveness of the service provided by means of quality and cost indicators. Particular emphasis has been placed on the use of harmonized standards with regard to medical device nomenclature and classification. The system's practical applications have been demonstrated through a pilot evaluation trial.     

Service Lifetime,Storage Time,and Disposal Pathways of Electronic Equipment: A Swiss Case Study

Product lifetime is an essential aspect of dynamic material flow analyses and has been modeled using lifetime distribution functions, mostly average lifetimes. Existing data regarding the lifetime of electronic equipment (EE) are based on diverging definitions of lifetime as well as different temporal and regional scopes. After its active use, EE is often not disposed of immediately, but remains in storage for some time. Specific data on the share of EE that is stored and the time they remain in storage are scarce. This article investigates the service lifetime, storage time, and disposal pathways of ten electronic device types, based on data from an online survey complemented by structured interviews. We distinguish between new and secondhand devices and compute histograms, averages, and medians of the different lifetimes and their change over time. The average service lifetime varies from 3.3 years for mobile phones to 10.8 years for large loudspeakers, the average storage time from 0.8 years for flat panel display televisions to 3.6 years for large loudspeakers. Most service lifetime histograms are positively skewed and show substantial differences among device types. The storage time histograms, being more similar to one another, indicate that the storage behavior is similar for most device types. The data on disposal pathways show that a large proportion of devices are stored and reused before they reach the collection scheme.     

广西百色盆地早更新世长蛇岭组植物群的古气候分析

利用最相似现生种类分析法和叶相特征分析法,对产自广西百色盆地早更新世长蛇岭组植物群进行古气候分析.结果表明这个植物群反映的古气候性质是亚热带—热带过渡带,年均温约24℃,年较差约3℃-5℃.     

Control strategies of continuous bioprocesses based on biological activities

Based on the material balance principle applied to microbial reactions in continuous bioprocesses, the concept of reaction rate control has been developed theoretically. This concept provides a more direct way of controlling biological activities than the control of physical or chemical parameters in practice today. From an analysis of dynamic and steady-state experiments, two control systems for carbon dioxide production rate control during the continuous culture of baker's yeast have been designed and evaluated experimentally. In these control methods, intracellular NADH concentration is used as an immediate indication of the onset of glucose repression. A more sophisticated master controller based on the respiratory quotient can be combined with these control methods. The resulting control system provides a means to indirectly optimize biomass production while preventing ethanol formation in the continuous culture of baker's yeast.     

Equipment management: the Cinderella of bio-engineering

In recent years the work associated with equipment maintenance has become increasingly important. As concern for efficiency grows, the use of expensive equipment is questioned more closely. The running costs associated with such equipment are seen to be of growing relevance. Nonetheless, it is important to examine the work of maintenance departments, to identify the salient features and to ensure that the service is run as efficiently as possible. It becomes clear that the necessary support is considerably more than mere maintenance. Complete equipment management must be provided. Further, appropriate performance indicators must be developed, not only to allow overall efficiency to be examined, but also to assist in the daily running of the service. Examples are drawn from a typical equipment management department.     

A modified alkaline comet assay for measuring DNA repair capacity in human populations

Trzeciak, A. R., Barnes, J. and Evans, M. K. A Modified Alkaline Comet Assay for Measuring DNA Repair Capacity in Human Populations. Radiat. Res. 169, 110-121 (2008). Use of the alkaline comet assay to assess DNA repair capacity in human populations has been limited by several factors, including lack of methodology for use of unstimulated cryopreserved peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), insufficient control of interexperimental variability, and limited analysis of DNA repair kinetics. We show that unstimulated cryopreserved PBMCs can be used in DNA repair studies performed using the comet assay. We have applied data standardization for the analysis of DNA repair capacity using negative and positive internal standards as controls for interexperimental variability. Our standardization procedure also uses negative controls, which provides a way to minimize the interference of interindividual variation in baseline DNA damage levels on DNA repair capacity measurements in populations. DNA repair capacity was assessed in a small human cohort using the parameters described in the literature including initial DNA damage, half-time of DNA repair, and residual DNA damage after 30 and 60 min. We have also introduced new DNA repair capacity parameter, initial rate of DNA repair. There was no difference in DNA repair capacity between fresh and cryopreserved PBMCs when measured by the Olive tail moment and tail DNA. The use of DNA repair capacity parameters in assessment of fast and slow single-strand break repair components is discussed.     

A more efficient Big Blue protocol improves transgene rescue and accuracy in a adduct and mutation measurement

Transgenic mutational systems have provided researchers with an invaluable tool, allowing the measurement of both spontaneous and induced mutations. The Big Blue transgenic rodent mutagenesis system developed by Stratagene (La Jolla, CA) uses a lambda shuttle vector carrying lacI as the mutational target gene. A common criticism of the Big Blue system is that it relies on visual screening to detect mutants rather than positive selection, which is employed in more recently developed systems. The lack of positive selection, however, has provided the Big Blue system with a unique advantage, as it allows for the dynamic quantification of mutation fixation, repair, and adduct stability, since both pre-mutagenic DNA adducts and mutations can readily be quantified [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 97 (2000) 11391]. Improvements to the standard Big Blue assay protocol are required for the visualization of mutant plaques resulting from pre-mutagenic damage, as these can appear much lighter in color than the lightest color control mutant (CM0). This increase in detection has been achieved by the development of a protocol that now permits the effective measurement of repair and mutation fixation utilizing the Big Blue system. This new protocol has also addressed efficiency, allowing for a two-fold increase in the number of plaques produced per packaging reaction and a decrease in both phage migration and plaque size, permitting a greater than three-fold increase in plating density. The implementation of this protocol will make the Big Blue assay more economical and less demanding than before, while providing researchers with an efficient means to measure both repair and mutation in this system.     

The eStation,an Earth Observation processing service in support to ecological monitoring

The eStation is a collecting and processing system designed to automatically deal with the reception, processing, analysis and dissemination of key environmental parameters derived from remotely sensed data. Developed mainly at the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, the eStation has been distributed to 47 sub-Saharan countries in the frame of the AMESD (Africa n Monitoring of Environment for Sustainable Development) project to provide local institutions with the capacity to easily access a large range of remote sensing products on vegetation, precipitation, fires and oceans. These products, derived from the processing of images coming from various instruments including SPOT-Vegetation, MSG-SEVIRI and MODIS are developed to allow end-users to make local and regional assessments of the state of marine and terrestrial ecosystems. The products, dispatched to the users through the EUMETSAT data broadcasting system (EUMETCast) or provided by other Earth Observation (EO) data agencies (e.g. NASA), are further processed by the eStation to allow end-users to generate their own environmental, whether terrestrial or marine, assessments and reports. Initially designed as a stand-alone system using an open source development framework, the eStation has recently been further developed as a web processing service to allow a broader range of end-users to access the data and services over the Internet. It is the purpose of this paper to introduce the readers to the eStation and its products, to share the lessons learnt in deploying these services as well as to discuss its more recent use in chained environmental web based modeling services.     

Clinical data evaluation and the PL health control information system.

In a health control service environment, that is, a periodic, membership AMHTS type of comprehensive health check-up system, where clinical data evaluation especially an evaluation in terms of subject-specific normal ranges, is most important, the medical information system is required to handle: (1) Various network types files; (2) real-time immediacy; (3) an asserted reliability to meet personal health control purposes. As in other computer applications already successfully used, an indexed direct assess method (IDAM) developed is our solution. It allows us to provide multiple indices for the file network, instead of inverted files, a unique index-to-record relationship, preventing any unrecoverable chaining destruction and, thereby, provides any network type access a stable access time. Furthermore, for research purposes, a data integrity for on-line access and batch access was attained as well as a retrieval language system with a multiple key retrieval function.