The basics of formation of expert systems for industry and science

This paper considers the basics of development of a practice-oriented information system of examination of industrial and scientific projects realized in the field of machine building. The first part of the paper is devoted to the main problems which are necessary to solve while designing such systems. The methods of self-organisation and adaptation, the use of expert evaluations and other approaches, for instance, those connected with the study of various fundamental and applied aspects of intelligence control systems, were considered. The main problems that are solved when creating an effective system of the expert selection were structured and expounded. In addition, the information, based both on already existing models (DFD, BPMN) and on modern approaches (a system approach, Delphi technique, artificial neural networks), concerning the creation of an effective system of expert evaluations was presented. A combination of the approved methods and new approaches allows adapting the system to different conditions of use

A novel widespread cryptic species and phylogeographic patterns within several giant clam species (Cardiidae: Tridacna) from the Indo-Pacific Ocean

Giant clams (genus Tridacna) are iconic coral reef animals of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, easily recognizable by their massive shells and vibrantly colored mantle tissue. Most Tridacna species are listed by CITES and the IUCN Redlist, as their populations have been extensively harvested and depleted in many regions. Here, we survey Tridacna crocea and Tridacna maxima from the eastern Indian and western Pacific Oceans for mitochondrial (COI and 16S) and nuclear (ITS) sequence variation and consolidate these data with previous published results using phylogenetic analyses. We find deep intraspecific differentiation within both T. crocea and T. maxima. In T. crocea we describe a previously undocumented phylogeographic division to the east of Cenderawasih Bay (northwest New Guinea), whereas for T. maxima the previously described, distinctive lineage of Cenderawasih Bay can be seen to also typify western Pacific populations. Furthermore, we find an undescribed, monophyletic group that is evolutionarily distinct from named Tridacna species at both mitochondrial and nuclear loci. This cryptic taxon is geographically widespread with a range extent that minimally includes much of the central Indo-Pacific region. Our results reinforce the emerging paradigm that cryptic species are common among marine invertebrates, even for conspicuous and culturally significant taxa. Additionally, our results add to identified locations of genetic differentiation across the central Indo-Pacific and highlight how phylogeographic patterns may differ even between closely related and co-distributed species

Measuring social resilience in cities: An exploratory spatio-temporal analysis of activity routines in urban spaces during Covid-19

Covid-19 has dramatically changed life in cities across the globe. What remains uncertain is how national policies and appeals to comply with suggested rules translate to changes in the behaviour of citizens in urban areas. This lack of local knowledge leaves urban policy makers and planners with few clues as to the determinants of social resilience in cities during protracted crises like a pandemic. Methods are required to measure the capacity of people to conduct routine activities without risking exposure to a prevalent disease, particularly for those most vulnerable during a health crisis. By spanning the fields of urban resilience, human geography, mobility studies and the behavioural sciences, this study explores how to measure social resilience in cities during a protracted crisis. Using a public participation GIS online platform, we observe changes in citizen behaviour within urban spaces during the Covid-19 pandemic. Inhabitants from three districts of a Dutch city mapped their activity routines during the lockdown period and during the year before the pandemic. Spatio-temporal analysis reveals changes in the clustering of activities into what we describe as 'activity bubbles'. We reflect on the influence of the urban space on these changes and assess the contribution of this exploratory research methodology for gaining insights into behavioural change. Implications for urban planning and resilience theory are discussed

Mitigating personal protective equipment (PPE) supply chain disruptions in pandemics - a system dynamics approach

Purpose The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has emerged as an unprecedented health crisis worldwide and heavily disrupted the healthcare supply chain. This study focuses on analysing the different types of disruptions occurring in personal protective equipment (PPE) supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic and on proposing mitigation strategies that are fit to the global scale and many interdependencies that are characteristic for this pandemic. The authors construct a conceptual system dynamics model (SD) based on the literature and adjusted with the use of empirical data (interviews) to capture the complexity of a global supply chain and identify leverage points (mitigation strategies). Design/methodology/approach This research follows a mix-methods approach. First, the authors developed a conceptual framework based on four types of disruptions that usually occur during health emergencies (direct effect, policy, supply chain strategy, and behaviourally induced disruptions). Second, the authors collected and analysed data from interviews with experts in the PPE supply chain. Based on the interviews data, the authors developed a conceptual system dynamics (SD) model that allows to capture the complex and dynamic interplay between the elements of the global supply chain system, by highlighting key feedback loops, delays, and the way the mitigation strategies can impact on them. From this analysis, the authors developed four propositions for supply chain risk management (SCRM) in global health emergencies and four recommendations for the policy and decision makers. Findings The SD model highlights that without a combination of mitigation measures, it is impossible to overcome all disruptions. As such, a co-ordinated effort across the different countries and sectors that experience the disruptions is needed. The SD model also shows that there are important feedback loops, by which initial disruptions create delays and shortages that propagate through the supply chain network. If the co-ordinated mitigation measures are not implemented early at the onset of the pandemic, these disruptions will be persistent, creating potential shortages of PPE and other critical equipment at the onset of a pandemic - when they are most urgently needed. Originality/value This research enriches the understanding of the disruptions of PPE supply chains on the systems level and proposes mitigation strategies based on empirical data and the existing literature

Supplemental Material - Disadvantaged communities have lower access to urban infrastructure

Supplemental Material for Disadvantaged communities has lower access to urban infrastructure by Leonardo Nicoletti, Mikhail Sirenko and Trivik Verma in Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science</p

Mitigating personal protective equipment (PPE) supply chain disruptions in pandemics – a system dynamics approach

Purpose The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has emerged as an unprecedented health crisis worldwide and heavily disrupted the healthcare supply chain. This study focuses on analysing the different types of disruptions occurring in personal protective equipment (PPE) supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic and on proposing mitigation strategies that are fit to the global scale and many interdependencies that are characteristic for this pandemic. The authors construct a conceptual system dynamics model (SD) based on the literature and adjusted with the use of empirical data (interviews) to capture the complexity of a global supply chain and identify leverage points (mitigation strategies). Design/methodology/approach This research follows a mix-methods approach. First, the authors developed a conceptual framework based on four types of disruptions that usually occur during health emergencies (direct effect, policy, supply chain strategy, and behaviourally induced disruptions). Second, the authors collected and analysed data from interviews with experts in the PPE supply chain. Based on the interviews data, the authors developed a conceptual system dynamics (SD) model that allows to capture the complex and dynamic interplay between the elements of the global supply chain system, by highlighting key feedback loops, delays, and the way the mitigation strategies can impact on them. From this analysis, the authors developed four propositions for supply chain risk management (SCRM) in global health emergencies and four recommendations for the policy and decision makers. Findings The SD model highlights that without a combination of mitigation measures, it is impossible to overcome all disruptions. As such, a co-ordinated effort across the different countries and sectors that experience the disruptions is needed. The SD model also shows that there are important feedback loops, by which initial disruptions create delays and shortages that propagate through the supply chain network. If the co-ordinated mitigation measures are not implemented early at the onset of the pandemic, these disruptions will be persistent, creating potential shortages of PPE and other critical equipment at the onset of a pandemic – when they are most urgently needed. Originality/value This research enriches the understanding of the disruptions of PPE supply chains on the systems level and proposes mitigation strategies based on empirical data and the existing literature.peerReviewe

Аналітичний спосіб дослідження криволінійного руху чотирьохколісної машини

We obtained equations for the curvilinear trajectory of a four-wheeled vehicle in the parametric form of a function of turning angle of the machine frame. The equations are suitable for the sections of entering a turn and exiting a turn. The proposed equations make it possible to build the trajectories taking into account the intensity of turning the front steered wheels. For this purpose, the course angle is represented as a function of the turning angle of the body of a machine. For example, in the case of a linear dependence, the proportionality factor (coefficient of intensity of change in the course angle, predetermined by the rotation speed of steered wheels) depends on the turning angle of a steering wheel. The solution was found based on the projections of velocity of the center of mass of a machine onto the inertial coordinate axes. In this case, the integrand functions are represented through a single variable – turning angle of the machine frame. For this purpose, we employed a special substitution, which replaces the differential of time with the differential of turning angle of the machine frame. Following the decomposition of integrand functions into the Maclaurin series, the integration becomes possible. We also found the equation of motion along a circular trajectory at fixed position of a steering wheel. Along with the equations for entering a turn and exiting a turn, they allow us to build complex trajectories of u-turns in a unified coordinate system. For the conjugation of separate sections of the trajectory, we applied formulas of change in the coordinates at parallel carry and turn of the coordinate axes. The coordinates of points along the trajectory can be calculated by using the software tools.The impact of the phenomenon of wheels slip under the action of lateral forces on the trajectory of curvilinear motion is accounted for by introducing to the equations the intensity coefficients that represent dependence of the course angle, caused by the slip, on the turning angle of the machine frameПолучены уравнения траектории движения четырёхколёсной машины в параметрической форме в функции угла поворота остова машины. Предложенные уравнения позволяют строить траектории с учётом интенсивности поворота передних управляемых колёс. Разработан способ учёта явления увода колёс обеих осей под действием боковых сил. Приведена программа построения сложной траектории и способ сопряжения отдельных её участковОтримано рівняння траєкторії руху чотирьохколісної машини в параметричній формі у функції кута повороту остова машини. Запропоновані рівняння дозволяють будувати траєкторії з урахуванням інтенсивності повороту передніх керованих коліс. Розроблено спосіб урахування явища відведення коліс обох осей під дією бічних сил. Наведена програма побудови складної траєкторії і спосіб спряження окремих її діляно

Extracting spatiotemporal commuting patterns from public transit data

Public transit networks in cities are crucial in addressing the transforming mobility needs of citizens for work, services and leisure. The rapid changes in urban demographics pose several challenges for the efficient management of transit services. To forecast transit demand, planners often resort to sociological investigations, modelling or population data that are either difficult to obtain, inaccurate or outdated. How can we then estimate the variable demand for mobility? We propose a simple method to identify the spatiotemporal demand for public transit in a city. Using a Gaussian mixture model, we decompose empirical ridership data into a set of temporal demand profiles representative of ridership over any given day. A case of ≈ 4.6 million daily transit traces of the primary mode of underground services from the Greater London region reveals distinct commuting profiles. We find that a weighted mixture of these profiles can generate any station traffic remarkably well, uncovering spatially concentric clusters of mobility needs. Our results also suggest that heavily used stations that exhibit mixed-use commuting patterns are generally located in the cluster of the central business district and stations away from the centre of the city are largely single use residential areas. Overall, identifying mixed temporal and spatial use of stations diverging from macro mobility patterns in public transit indicates that our approach may be useful in a detailed understanding of integrated transit planning for heterogeneous needs of travellers

Analytical Method of Examining the Curvilinear Motion of a Four-wheeled Vehicle

We obtained equations for the curvilinear trajectory of a four-wheeled vehicle in the parametric form of a function of turning angle of the machine frame. The equations are suitable for the sections of entering a turn and exiting a turn. The proposed equations make it possible to build the trajectories taking into account the intensity of turning the front steered wheels. For this purpose, the course angle is represented as a function of the turning angle of the body of a machine. For example, in the case of a linear dependence, the proportionality factor (coefficient of intensity of change in the course angle, predetermined by the rotation speed of steered wheels) depends on the turning angle of a steering wheel. The solution was found based on the projections of velocity of the center of mass of a machine onto the inertial coordinate axes. In this case, the integrand functions are represented through a single variable – turning angle of the machine frame. For this purpose, we employed a special substitution, which replaces the differential of time with the differential of turning angle of the machine frame. Following the decomposition of integrand functions into the Maclaurin series, the integration becomes possible. We also found the equation of motion along a circular trajectory at fixed position of a steering wheel. Along with the equations for entering a turn and exiting a turn, they allow us to build complex trajectories of u-turns in a unified coordinate system. For the conjugation of separate sections of the trajectory, we applied formulas of change in the coordinates at parallel carry and turn of the coordinate axes. The coordinates of points along the trajectory can be calculated by using the software tools.The impact of the phenomenon of wheels slip under the action of lateral forces on the trajectory of curvilinear motion is accounted for by introducing to the equations the intensity coefficients that represent dependence of the course angle, caused by the slip, on the turning angle of the machine fram