基于安全约束的客站晚点列车到发线分配优化

为了研究安全约束条件下客站晚点列车到发线分配优化问题,采用混合整数规划建模方法建立基于安全约束的晚点列车到发线分配模型,避免列车出现行车事故和晚点传播,设计模拟退火算法对模型进行求解,以宝鸡车站为例,验证模型及方法的有效性。结果表明:当列车晚点时间较短情况下,安全约束对非晚点列车及车站作业影响较小,可采取“先到先服务”原则;当有多列列车晚点且时间较长时,优先安排非晚点列车进站作业。     

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT WITHOUT SURFACE RUNOFF1

ABSTRACT: Legal, economic, and social constraints prevented the development of a surface outlet from an 878 acre watershed in the eastern Great Plains. However, frequent flooding of potentially excellent cropland within the watershed had to be controlled. The process of considering various alternatives within given constraints and utilizing natural features of the watershed to attain a water management system without surface runoff is presented. The coordinated system includes surface drainage, waterholding structures, and pumping plants. The excellent water control provided permits effective utilization of more than 115 acres of land which was previously of very low productivity.     

五大连池风景名胜区旅游名镇总体规划环境制约因素及替代方案分析

为配合五大连池风景区申请世界自然遗产地的环境综合整治和生态移民工程,规划在五大连池风景区西南部新建一座旅游名镇,在概要介绍新镇总体规划(2010-2025年)内容和目标基础上,针对规划中环境制约因素及替代方案进行简要分析。     

大气环境约束下的中国煤炭消费总量控制研究

煤炭消费过程中排放的大气污染物已成为我国大气污染的重要来源。本文采用WRF-CAMx 空气质量模型定量分析了煤炭消费- 污染物排放- 空气质量之间的影响关系,基于情景分析方法,研究了2020 年、2030年空气质量改善需求对地区大气污染物排放总量与煤炭消费总量的约束作用。在此基础上,结合重点地区行业发展与能源供需等因素,提出各省煤炭消费总量控制目标与控煤对策建议。研究结果表明,要实现2020 年、2030 年空气质量改善阶段性目标,全国煤炭消费总量应分别控制在40.8 亿吨和37.7 亿吨左右,京津冀鲁豫等11 个重点省份2020 年煤炭消费量应控制在15.8 亿吨、2030 年控制在13.1 亿吨,全国煤炭清洁化利用水平需要在当前基础上大幅度提升。     

Advanced process control system with MPC as a new approach for layer of protection analysis

Layer of protection analysis (LOPA) is a widely used method to support process safety in the chemical industries. In the LOPA, the process is classified into many layers, one of such layers considers the basic process control system (BPCS) which commonly uses PID controllers. This kind of controllers cannot deal with constraints. For this reason, the main purpose of this work is to provide a framework to enhance the control layer in the LOPA, which consists of a model predictive control (MPC) with safety features. These features include: sublayers in the controller system (such as real time optimization, target calculation, and MPC), safety constraints, and guarantee of stability by adopting an Infinite Horizon MPC (IHMPC). Here, we propose an approach for control-inspired view to process safety, replacing the BPCS by an Advanced Process Control System (APCS). Moving forward with these concepts, first, a literature review emphasizes the content, showing two perspectives for the APCS. The APCS is designed for two varieties of controllers, a basic IHMPC and IHMPC with zone control to compare the performance. In this framework, the first sublayer consists of a real time optimization (RTO) structure, that calculates the optimal operating condition for the process controller, which computes the control action. Besides, RTO has an additional constraint called the safety index, based on the protection of process operational. RTO and basic IHMPC communicate directly, while for IHMPC with zone control there is an inner sublayer called Target Calculation, it computes a feasible target to the controller, working as another safety strategy in APCS. After that, we demonstrate both structures applied to a CSTR reactor. From the case study, we compared both controllers, and evaluated the effect that the safety index constraint causes in the setpoints, outputs, and control actions. The use of safety constraint in RTO proved to be a safe strategy for the control layer, as well as IHMPC with zone control presented a safer profile than basic IHMPC. Furthermore, the results show that safety constraint affect the economic goal, decreasing its value.     

Polish adaptation of three self-report measures of job stressors: the Interpersonal Conflict at Work Scale,the Quantitative Workload Inventory and the Organizational Constraints Scale

Aim. The objective of the present study was to test the psychometric properties, reliability and validity of three job stressor measures, namely, the Interpersonal Conflict at Work Scale, the Organizational Constraints Scale and the Quantitative Workload Inventory. Method. The study was conducted on two samples (N?=?382 and 3368) representing a wide range of occupations. The estimation of internal consistency with Cronbach's α and the test–retest method as well as both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were the main statistical methods. Results. The internal consistency of the scales proved satisfactory, ranging from 0.80 to 0.90 for Cronbach's α test and from 0.72 to 0.86 for the test–retest method. The one-dimensional structure of the three measurements was confirmed. The three scales have acceptable fit to the data. The one-factor structures and other psychometric properties of the Polish version of the scales seem to be similar to those found in the US version of the scales. It was also proved that the three job stressors are positively related to all the job strain measures. Conclusions. The Polish versions of the three analysed scales can be used to measure the job stressors in Polish conditions.     

Do credit constraints favor dirty production? Theory and plant-level evidence

This paper explores the effect of credit constraints on production-generated pollution emissions. I develop a theoretical model wherein polluting firms borrow externally to finance investment in various assets, subject to a credit constraint. The main insight of the model is that credit constraints distort the composition of assets towards over-investment in tangible assets, which can be pledged as collateral, thereby increasing the intensity of emissions. The predictions of the model are tested using a unique dataset consisting of plant-level measures of pollution emissions and creditworthiness. The empirical results indicate that credit constraints significantly increase pollution emissions (even after accounting for the scale effect), and the results withstand multiple robustness checks. Moreover, the effect of credit constraints is particularly acute in industries with greater reliance on external credit. Finally, I demonstrate that firm-level credit constraints distort the composition of assets and that the composition of assets influences pollution emissions.     

政企合谋下的策略减排困境——来自工业废气层面的度量考察

结合当前GDP导向下的晋升激励与层层加压的减排任务考核现实,立足于政治经济学角度,提出了政企合谋下策略性减排困境的假说,并利用1997-2011年间的相关数据进行双向固定效应下的普通面板与空间计量的检验。实证分析发现,相对于环境库茨涅茨曲线、污染天堂以及财政分权假说,晋升压力下本地晋升官员与企业合谋追求产出最大化的行为才是导致废气排放屡禁不止的主要原因;而即使考虑到政策时滞效应以及地区之间的空间依赖效应之后,政企合谋核心变量始终显著,但其他污染假说的备择变量依旧未能通过显著性检验,表明政企合谋导致外溢性物品排放恶化的假说十分稳健;同时,通过显著性检验的年度虚拟变量表明,尽管减排约束影响了合谋行为,但地方政府仅在检查力度较大的人事变动时期有限度的减排,而在后期无节制的增排,从而导致了废气排放与党代会同步的周期性波动;庆幸的是,尽管政企合谋假说十分稳健,但基于经济地理矩阵的空间滞后系数表明,晋升激励与考核任务的双重约束使得邻近地区之间,因为经济增长的短期不确定性与晋升博弈的残酷性而在短期内不敢贸然增排以避免陷入增长无法兑现的同时遭受约束性任务惩罚的尴尬境地,从而形成了经济差距下邻近地区之间废气排放的区域分化策略;最后,我们基于当前的政企合谋下策略性减排假说验证的基础上,认为要想扭转当前的减排困境,必须着力提升年轻官员与鼓励异地调任、给予环境污染以更多的激励权重、努力缩小地区经济差距以及改变单维GDP考核机制,方能从根本上转变当前的不利局面。     

Participatory research and sustainable development in the Sahelo-Sudanian region

SUMMARY

A participatory research programme was conducted in the groundnut basin of Senegal, where there was a need to intensify the local farming systems. The research yielded a set of technical references and profitable innovations, which were introduced through specific development actions. The technology transfer aims at the establishment of sustainable farming systems and takes into account the climatic risks and innovation costs. Identification of research themes and implementation of results was based on various analyses: climatic analysis at regional level (establishment of climatic zones) and identification of constraints at farm level. Farmers' interests and the research results were combined to define suitable interventions for each surveyed farm, with the aim of increasing farm income and restoring soil fertility. The research also yielded elements for formulating an appropriate and realistic agricultural policy for the region. Clearly, the development of livestock farming activities is essential in bringing new economic life into the region and increasing the sustainability of farming systems in erratic climatic conditions.     

Institutional challenges to climate change adaptation: A case study on policy action gaps in Uganda

Despite the considerable progress made in the last decade towards building governance systems for climate change adaptation in Africa, implementation still limits positive responses. This study applies an iterative process of field assessments and literature reviews across multiple governance levels and spatial scales to identify constraints to effective formulation and implementation of climate change related policies and strategies in Uganda. Data was collected through sex-segregated participatory vulnerability assessments with farming communities in Rakai district, policy document reviews, and interviews with policy actors at national and district levels. Findings reveal that the key challenges to effective policy implementation are diverse and cut across the policy development and implementation cycle. Policies are mainly developed by central government agencies; other actors are insufficiently involved while local communities are excluded. There is also a communication disconnect between national, district, and community levels. Coupled with limited technical capacity and finances, political interference, and absence of functional implementation structures across these levels, climate change adaptation becomes constrained. We propose strategies that enhance linkages between levels and actors, which will improve policy formulation, implementation and ultimately adaptation by smallholders.