About the development of advanced membrane process control systems

This paper focuses on the design and development of advanced control systems to use on either batch or continuous, new or existing membrane process plants. In the last decade, membrane technologies resulted to be very appealing and shows positive market trends. One main drawback is membrane fouling, which affects productivity, selectivity and longevity of the process, which leads to both technical and economical failures: proper membrane process design and control is a difficult task to accomplish. This leads to overdesign the plant capacities by process engineers, making this technology less reliable and convenient. Nowadays membrane processes are controlled by a constant permeate flow rate or constant applied operating pressure. These simple control strategy approaches are sufficient to operate the processes, but do not distinguish different fouling operating regions, and therefore do not avoid process failures due to fouling. Fouling may be described by the boundary flux theory in a convenient way, separating low-fouling operations from high-fouling ones. The paper reports about the development of an advanced membrane process control system based on the boundary flux concept. The developed advanced control strategy by the use of a simulation software, capable to predict boundary flux values by measurement of some key parameters, provides suitable set-point values to the feedback controllers in order to work at or below the boundary flux. As a consequence, the membrane process is always operated far from irreversible fouling issues. The developed approach was then successfully validated by experiments on lab scale

SME Development Banks: Conceptual Framework and Empirical Analysis

In this paper we develop a conceptual framework to define small and medium-sized enterprise development banks (SMEDB). This conceptual effort is motivated by the lack of a clear definition of SMEDB. Once a consistent definition of SMEDB is provided, we compare a sample of banks that are SMEDB according to such definition with a sample of commercial banks. We conclude that it is possible to separate SMEDB from commercial banks in a statistically significant manner by taking into consideration a set of relevant financial indicators and we confirm the widespread idea that SMEDB play a crucial public/social role

Ontologies Development for IT Project Risk Management Teaching

The paper presents one practical approach aimed at developing teaching ontologies. The methodology that will scaffold the process of knowledge structuring and ontology design is described. Moreover, special stress should be placed on visual design as a powerful learning mind tool. The described process is used for developing of a practical ontology from the domain of IT project risk management

IT&C AND THE PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

In this paper I explore the phenomenon of personal development in an "unconventional" way. The contribution of this paper is to use a different method (i.e. in -depth interviews) to focus on a different unit of analysis (i.e. managerial couples) in a different context. In addition the information and communication technologies (IT&C) are entering all the fields: business, state institutions, education and the day-by-day life. This paper contributes to the field by suggesting a different theoretical approach to personal development conflict as a decision-making problem. I propose using social exchange theory to explain personal development conflict as a complex evaluation of cost and benefits of exchanges between multiple actors on the basis of personal values and beliefs. The critical thinking is one of the most popular learning objects in the English speaking countries and they are also offering most of hopes to distance learning and also the critical thinking is a reflective one. This paper suggests that the field may be overlooking some fundamental variables. Content analysis of the interview transcripts reveals the crucial importance of implicit values and benefits, immanent or tacit actions such as decision-making and learning and communication and mutual understanding. Communication and personal development is essential in this respect. It's difficult to separate work, family and personal development and communication is fundamental in all directions. To conceptualize personal development conflict as a decision-making problem while taking into account exchanges and interactions between multiple actors and we can draw on equity theory or social exchange theory.Future research should test whether decision making is central for the understanding of personal conflict only in managers or in other collectives as well. I recommend the couple as the best unit of analysis to address issues such as accommodation within couples and complex decision- making in both individuals and couples. Future research should draw on boarder and different samples to replicate our study and check the generalizability of its findings - because if it can be generalized it may have strong implication for theoretical development.e-learning, critical thinking, IT training

Free and open source software development of IT systems

IT system development, integration, deployment, and administration benefit significantly from free and open source software (FOSS) tools and services. Affordability has been a compelling reason for adopting FOSS in computing curricula and equipping computing labs with support infrastructure. Using FOSS systems and services, however, is just the first step in taking advantage of how FOSS development principles and practices can impact student learning in IT degree programs. Above all, FOSS development of IT systems requires changes to how students, instructors, and other contributors work collaboratively and openly and get involved and invested in project activities. In this paper I examine the challenges to engage students in FOSS development projects proposed by real clients. A six-week course project revealed problems with adopting FOSS development and collaboration across different activities and roles that student team members have assumed. Despite these problems, students have showed a genuine and strong interest in gaining more practice with FOSS development. FOSS development teaching was further refined in two other courses to learn about adequate teaching strategies and the competencies that students achieve when they participate in FOSS development of IT systems

Sustainable Development in Poland - why it is not workable?

The sustainable development principle was introduced into the Polish legal system when the New Constitution was adopted in Poland in 1997. Paradoxically, in Poland - one of the few countries which have introduced the concedpt of SD at the level of the Constitution, it is difficult to find a reference to it in the political debate. The national sustainable development strategy Poland 2025 has met no response among society and today it seems to be hardly remembered by anybody. An average citizen does not know the concept of SD. or has a vague notion of it, often identifying it exclusively with environmental protection.Problematyka trwałego rozwoju (sustainable development) w krajach "starej" Unii Europejskiej nabiera coraz większego znaczenia. Chodzi o równoczesne podnoszenie poziomu ekonomicznego życia społeczeństw, bezpieczeństwo socjalne oraz ochronę środowiska naturalnego. Polska, jak jeden z pierwszych krajów europejskich, wprowadziła imperatyw trwałego rozwoju do nowej konstytucji z 1997 r. Niestety, zapis w ustawie zasadniczej nie zmienił obojętnego podejścia polityków i społeczeństwa polskiego do koncepcji trwałego rozwoju. W rzeczywistości w Polsce nie toczy się żadna debata publiczna na powyższy temat. Wydaje się, że relatywnie ciągle jeszcze niski poziom gospodarczy i cywilizacyjny naszego społeczeństwa nie sprzyja podejmowaniu rzetelnej dyskusji i działań w kierunku zagwarantowania w Polsce trwałego rozwoju uwzględniającego czynniki ekonomiczne, społeczne i ekologiczne