Use Of Software Tools Research Articles

ФОРМУВАННЯ АЛГОРИТМІЧНОЇ КУЛЬТУРИ СТАРШОКЛАСНИКІВ У ПРОЦЕСІ РОЗВ’ЯЗУВАННЯ ОБЧИСЛЮВАЛЬНИХ ЗАДАЧ З ВИКОРИСТАННЯМ ІНСТРУМЕНТАЛЬНИХ ПРОГРАМНИХ ЗАСОБІВ: РЕЗУЛЬТАТИ ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ

Представлено нове практичне вирішення актуальної проблеми формування алгоритмічної культури старшокласників у процесі розв’язування обчислювальних задач з використанням інструментальних програмних засобів. Виявлено й теоретично обґрунтовано дидактичні умови формування алгоритмічної культури старшокласників у процесі розв’язування обчислювальних задач з використанням інструментальних програмних засобів. Розроблено навчальну програму курсу за вибором «Розв’язування обчислювальних задач з використанням інструментальних програмних засобів», упровадження якого є необхідним для реалізації дидактичних умов формування алгоритмічної культури старшокласників, й упроваджено у навчальний процес окремих загальноосвітніх навчальних закладів.

Modeling and optimization of a crude distillation unit: A case study for undergraduate students

AbstractThe need for proper use of process simulators in engineering education is addressed through the modeling and optimization of a crude distillation unit. This exercise has been presented to Chemical Engineering students to help them relate concepts learned in class and the use of software tools widely available in the practice of engineering. The unit, composed of three distillation columns, is simulated using the equilibrium model and the Peng–Robinson equation of state; it is solved using a multiple‐step initialization and the Inside‐Out algorithm. An analysis of the system's degrees of freedom is made in order to specify a base case that is used as the starting point for the optimization. The maximization of the stabilized gasoline flow is achieved through the use of the Sequential Quadratic Programming (SPQ) algorithm. Throughout the exercise, the importance of understanding the mathematical model of the process and the algorithms used is emphasized. The exercise's effectiveness is evaluated by the students considering the achievement of ABET outcomes. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Comput Appl Eng Educ 21: 276–286, 2013

A New Approach for Code Generation from UML State Machine

The emergence of Unified Modeling Language (UML) as a standard for modeling systems has encouraged the use of automated software tools that facilitate the development process from analysis through coding. The UML state machine diagram is used for modeling the dynamic aspects of systems and includes many concepts that are not present in most popular programming languages, like Java or C++. There exists a gap between high level modeling language and a programming language. This paper proposes an approach to narrow the gap between multiple UML models and an implemented system. The narrowing of gap is achieved by generating compact and efficient Java code directly from UML state machine having sequential and concurrent substates. The code generation is achieved by creating a mapping between UML behavior and the Java programming language. Our model can work as a basis for automatic code generation for object-oriented systems.

Possibilities for the application of mental maps in thematic curriculum planning

Mnemotechnics or mental maps aim to increase mental literacy, that is to say, more balanced use of left and right brain hemisphere and thus mental capability. This paper illustrates possibilities for the use of mental maps in thematic curriculum planning for preschool aged children. Thematic planning is a complex, cyclical and interactive process in which of central importance are needs and interests of both children and their parents, as well as characteristics of the overall life context of children and adults in preschool institution. The paper presents how a 'life topic' can be developed through the use of software tools for creating mental maps, in order to increase the effectiveness of thematic planning.

PhysioScripts: An extensible, open source platform for the processing of physiological data

A commonality across research involving physiological measures is the need to process large amounts of data. Such data processing typically involves the use of software tools to achieve several methodological steps, including identifying and correcting artifacts and defining epochs of time for the reduction and analysis of one or more physiological measures. This article describes a new tool to aid in the processing of physiological data: PhysioScripts. Key elements of PhysioScripts include a graphical interface to view and edit the results of processing steps, as well as a flexible framework to automate the creation of uniform or variable length epochs. The software comprises freely available scripts implemented in the R computing environment. Consequently, PhysioScripts can be readily modified to process other data types through the addition of new subroutines that can be plugged into the existing data processing framework. For illustrative purposes, we describe the steps involved in two data processing examples: (1) heart rate variability from the electrocardiogram and (2) respiratory rate derived from a chest strain gauge. The software, accompanying documentation, and an example data set are available online at israelchristie.com/software.

Assessing the Usefulness of Software Tools for Aiding Meaningful Access of Internet Health Information by Older Users

Consumers are increasingly using the Internet as a source of health information. Older users in particular, who generally have more health-related issues to contend with, can stand to benefit greatly from the vast resources of health information that the Internet can provide. However, finding, integrating, and making sense of such information in support of health management can be challenging for these users, especially in the face of age-related declines in cognitive abilities that are critical for Internet health information seeking. In this study, data from three focus groups comprised of 23 Internet users 65 years of age or older were collected to investigate the potential usefulness of four software tools that, in principle, offer the capability for aiding such users in their Internet health information search and decision-making activities. The data revealed both positive features and concerns with these tools. Overall, these data provided valuable guidance for an initial phase of design interventions directed at making these tools more usable and effective for supporting Internet health-information seeking for older users, and in the process for other users as well.

USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT IN CZECH ENTERPRISES

This study examines the impact of the adoption of software tools for Financial Management support on the Financial Management function. In addition to that, it was intended to study the level of contribution these technologies can bring to a company. The study was supported by research conducted on a sample of 46 small and 39 medium-sized manufacturing companies in the Czech Republic. The primary technique of data collection was a questionnaire distributed via mail, followed by further telephone and e-mail support. Collected data were explored by correlation analysis to determine the dependency between the use Financial Management supporting ICT and economic results of companies. For medium-sized companies has been established low to moderate dependence. Therefore in this case the use of soft ICT to some extent contributes to better economic performance. In contrast for small companies the dependence was negligible and sometimes even slightly negative, the use of software tools here can thus be counterproductive. Key words: financial management, information technology, small and medium enterprises.

Genome-wide Analysis of Simultaneous GATA1/2, RUNX1, FLI1, and SCL Binding in Megakaryocytes Identifies Hematopoietic Regulators

SummaryHematopoietic differentiation critically depends on combinations of transcriptional regulators controlling the development of individual lineages. Here, we report the genome-wide binding sites for the five key hematopoietic transcription factors—GATA1, GATA2, RUNX1, FLI1, and TAL1/SCL—in primary human megakaryocytes. Statistical analysis of the 17,263 regions bound by at least one factor demonstrated that simultaneous binding by all five factors was the most enriched pattern and often occurred near known hematopoietic regulators. Eight genes not previously appreciated to function in hematopoiesis that were bound by all five factors were shown to be essential for thrombocyte and/or erythroid development in zebrafish. Moreover, one of these genes encoding the PDZK1IP1 protein shared transcriptional enhancer elements with the blood stem cell regulator TAL1/SCL. Multifactor ChIP-Seq analysis in primary human cells coupled with a high-throughput in vivo perturbation screen therefore offers a powerful strategy to identify essential regulators of complex mammalian differentiation processes.

Automatic Storage and Analysis of Camera Trap Data

Automatic Storage and Analysis of Camera Trap Data

Selecting software tools for IS/IT curricula

The evaluation and selection of software tools for use in an IS or IT curriculum is difficult not only because actual industry software tools are often used but also because there is no formal approach to guide the process. How does one choose between SQL Server and MySQL, or Dreamweaver and Expression Studio? IS and IT educators must periodically go through the process of assessing the most suitable tools for their courses. Given how common such decisions are and how frequently they must be made, it is surprising to find that there is a lack of literature that deals with comparative studies of software tools for higher education. This paper proposes a set of criteria for the selection of software tools for IS and IT programs, explains how multi-criteria decision analysis can be used to weight those criteria, and details an approach for the application of those weighted criteria. The proposed approach is structured and replicable, and allows for a more thorough evaluation of the available options and a more easily supportable selection.

Application of Selected Software Tools for Data Collection and Analysis in Library Management and Their Effectiveness Assessment

In this paper, the authors present the results of research on the use of software tools for data collection and analysis in strategic and current library management. Special attention has been paid to StatuS and Performance Analysis for Polish Research Libraries (AFBN) — the tools most frequently used by Polish academic librarians. StatuS is used by the academic libraries of Krakow Library Group and several other libraries in Poland. Performance Analysis of Polish Research Libraries (AFBN) is a national project. Its main objective is to create standards for Polish libraries based on a set of performance indicators. AFBN consists of the e-survey, a database and special software for the collection and analysis of data. The surveys are submitted by academic and public research libraries once a year. The research on the application of selected software tools for data collection and analysis in library management in Polish academic libraries was conducted in February and March 2009. Results of the research reflect attitudes of managers toward usability of such tools to support various aspects of managerial processes.

Redevelopment and evaluation of EpiData: A practical software tool for use in the public health field

Redevelopment and evaluation of EpiData: A practical software tool for use in the public health field

Tests de compétences tableur : l’apport des discours des étudiants sur leurs activités

With a research perspective focused on software teaching and learning, we are interested in studying the skills deployed by young software users. What knowledge do they mobilize ? Do they have a deep understanding of the concepts of the software ? Which are the difficulties they face ? To assess skills in the use of software tools, we need to consider in our methodology both the fi nal production and the process. The software considered in this research is spreadsheet. Facing some difficulties to correctly interpret users’ behaviour, we found useful to take into account their own explanation on the process they followed. We found that interviews, inspired by elicitation techniques, may capture verbalization on activities and provide data about the motivation of actions. Based on a new study concerning 3 students in higher education, this article focuses on the contribution of their interviews in the analysis of their spreadsheet skills.

Applications of Microarray Technology to Acute Myelogenous Leukemia

Microarray technology is a powerful tool, which has been applied to further the understanding of gene expression changes in disease. Array technology has been applied to the diagnosis and prognosis of Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML). Arrays have also been used extensively in elucidating the mechanism of and predicting therapeutic response in AML, as well as to further define the mechanism of AML pathogenesis. In this review, we discuss the major paradigms of gene expression array analysis, and provide insights into the use of software tools to annotate the array dataset and elucidate deregulated pathways and gene interaction networks. We present the application of gene expression array technology to questions in acute myelogenous leukemia; specifically, disease diagnosis, treatment and prognosis, and disease pathogenesis. Finally, we discuss several new and emerging array technologies, and how they can be further utilized to improve our understanding of AML.

Hazards equal trips or alarms or both

Anyone who has been involved in the application of IEC 61508 and IEC 61511 by undertaking the Safety Integrity Level (SIL) determination for Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) will appreciate the amount of effort and tenacity that is required to undertake the task. SIL determination of Safety Instrumented Systems requires considerable commitment and tenacity to get the job done, but it is like climbing to the top of a hill only to be faced with a mountain when we come to consider what is involved in reviewing or configuring a typical alarm system. A medium sized process facility may have a few hundred or so primary Safety Instrumented Functions (SIF) or trips configured into a Safety Instrumented System, but the number of alarms configured into a process control system (PCS), that need to be assessed and prioritised, can often run into the thousands. There is synergy between safety instrumented functions and alarms because they both make a contribution to reduce the risk of having unwanted events, and both need an assigned appropriate criticality. This paper details various methods of criticality assessment which have been successfully applied to set the appropriate priority, identify the critical alarms that need to be upgraded to trips and to rationalise those of no value. It will also cover the use of software tools which can significantly reduce the effort involved in this process.

Key attributes of the SAPHIRE risk and reliability analysis software for risk-informed probabilistic applications

The Idaho National Laboratory is a primary developer of probabilistic risk and reliability analysis (PRRA) tools, dating back over 35 years. Evolving from mainframe-based software, the current state-of-the-practice has led to the creation of the SAPHIRE software. Currently, agencies such as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the National Aeronautics and Aerospace Agency, the Department of Energy, and the Department of Defense use version 7 of the SAPHIRE software for many of their risk-informed activities. In order to better understand and appreciate the power of software as part of risk-informed applications, we need to recall that our current analysis methods and solution methods have built upon pioneering work done 30–40 years ago. We contrast this work with the current capabilities in the SAPHIRE analysis package. As part of this discussion, we provide information for both the typical features and special analysis capabilities, which are available. We also present the application and results typically found with state-of-the-practice PRRA models. By providing both a high-level and detailed look at the SAPHIRE software, we give a snapshot in time for the current use of software tools in a risk-informed decision arena.

Tools for Searching, Annotation and Analysis of Speech, Music, Film and Video A Survey

This article examines the actual and potential use of software tools in research in the arts and humanities focusing on audiovisual (AV) materials such as recorded speech, music, video and film. The quantity of such materials available to researchers is massive and rapidly expanding. Researchers need to locate the material of interest in the vast quantity available, and to organize and process the material once collected. Locating and organizing often depend on metadata and tags to describe the actual content, but standards for metadata for AV materials are not widely adopted. Content-based search is becoming possible for speech, but is still beyond the horizon for music, and even more distant for video. Copyright protection hampers research with AV materials, and Digital Rights Management (DRM) systems threaten to prevent research altogether. Once material has been located and accessed, much research proceeds by annotation, for which many tools exist. Many researchers make some kind of transcription of materials, and would value tools to automate this process. Such tools exist for speech, though with important limits to their accuracy and applicability. For music and video, researchers can make use of visualizations. A better understanding (in general terms) by researchers of the processes carried out by computer software and of the limitations of its results would lead to more effective use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

Coronary CT Angiography: Insights Into Patient Preparation and Scanning

Cardiac computed tomography (CT) and coronary CT angiography represent a breakthrough in cardiac diagnostic power and are already making an impact on clinical practice. Yet, technical limitations remain and patients must be appropriately selected for this new and exciting examination. An understanding of those limitations will help guide patient selection and maximize the clinical yield of the test. The most significant issues to deal with are those of inherently increased image noise, vulnerability to cardiac and respiratory motion and arrhythmia, and image artifacts that result from the presence of coronary calcification and stents. Fortunately, there are methods to overcome all of these limitations. These predominantly involve diligent and attentive patient preparation before the scan, focusing on clinical, hemodynamic, and basic eletrocardiographic parameters. With proper premedication to optimize heart rate, simple patient coaching, attention to detail during the acquisition, and the use of software tools to optimize the axial image reconstruction, cardiac CT should consistently yield very satisfying results.

ProDEX – A DSS tool for environmental decision-making

Environmental concepts are becoming common and ever more important parts of decision support models, which are a vital part of decision support systems. proDEX is a software tool for use of decision support models that are based on extended DEX methodology for qualitative multi-criteria decision modelling and support. The supported modelling methodology and the software features are adjusted to environmental modelling needs.

Development of a combined audiovisual and extremity dose monitoring software tool for use in nuclear medicine

Conventional extremity dose monitoring in nuclear medicine, using thermoluminescent dosimeters, provides a convenient method of determining integral doses from a series of procedures. Although semiconductor extremity probes are able to add time information and allow doses from individual procedures to be determined, it can be difficult to relate individual operations to the dose-time curve. Solutions to this problem have been identified and developed. A novel software tool (Extremity Dose Information Package, EDIP) has been developed that uniquely combines and synchronizes two audiovisual and extremity probe data-streams. The value of this extra information was assessed by acquiring audiovisual and extremity dose information in nuclear medicine and radiopharmacy settings. The ability of the software tool to synchronize audiovisual and dose data-streams was verified. Preliminary studies of handling techniques in radiopharmacy and radioiodine administrations using this tool showed areas in which techniques could be adapted to reduce extremity doses, which would have been difficult or impossible to identify using the dose-time information alone. This low-cost multimedia extremity dose monitoring package can be used, for example, to aid staff training and pinpoint issues with current operating procedures within a clinical nuclear medicine department. Its unique ability to combine and synchronize audiovisual and dosimetry data is also likely to be of benefit to other industries handling unsealed radioactive materials.