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Abstract The paper industry is a major environmental polluter due to paper waste sludge (PWS), often disposed of in hazardous ways. The techniques are employed to disposing of PWS are posing significant environmental hazards and risks to well-being. This study aims to evaluate PWS as a potential replacement for commercial adsorbents like AC and ZEO in treating stabilized leachate. Contact angle analysis of PWS was 92.60°, reveals that PWS to be hydrophobic. Batch adsorption experiments were conducted with parameters set at 200 rpm stirring speed, 120 min contact time, and pH 7. Optimal conditions for COD and NH3–N removal were identified at 120 min contact time, 200 rpm stirring speed, pH 7, and 2.0 g PWS ratio. Removal percentages for COD and NH3–N were 62% and 52%, respectively. Based on the results of the isotherm and kinetic studies, it was observed that the Langmuir and Pseudo second order (PSO) model exhibited greater suitability compared to the Freundlich and Pseudo first order (PFO) model, as indicated by higher values of R-squared (R2). The R-squared of Langmuir for COD and NH3–N were 0.9949 and 0.9919 and for Freundlich model were 0.9855 and 0.9828 respectively. Whereas the R-squared of PFO for COD and NH3–N were 0.9875 and 0.8883 and for PSO were 0.9987 and 0.9909 respectively.

Abstract Anger suppression is important in our daily life, as its failure can sometimes lead to the breaking down of relationships in families. Thus, effective strategies to suppress or neutralise anger have been examined. This study shows that physical disposal of a piece of paper containing one’s written thoughts on the cause of a provocative event neutralises anger, while holding the paper did not. In this study, participants wrote brief opinions about social problems and received a handwritten, insulting comment consisting of low evaluations about their composition from a confederate. Then, the participants wrote the cause and their thoughts about the provocative event. Half of the participants (disposal group) disposed of the paper in the trash can (Experiment 1) or in the shredder (Experiment 2), while the other half (retention group) kept it in a file on the desk. All the participants showed an increased subjective rating of anger after receiving the insulting feedback. However, the subjective anger for the disposal group decreased as low as the baseline period, while that of the retention group was still higher than that in the baseline period in both experiments. We propose this method as a powerful and simple way to eliminate anger.

Abstract Energy storage devices (ESD) which are intended to power electronic devices, used in close contact of human skin, are desirable to be safe and non-toxic. In light of this requirement, Zn based energy storage devices seem to provide a viable pathway as they mostly employ aqueous based electrolytes which are safe and non-toxic in their functioning. Additionally, having a flexible ESD will play a crucial role as it will enable the ESD to conform to the varying shapes and sizes of wearable electronics which they energize. In this work, we have developed an inkjet-printed Zinc ion battery (IPZIB) with planar electrode configuration over bond paper substrate. Zn has been used as the negative electrode, MnO2 is used as the positive electrode with Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) as the active binder. Conducting tracks of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) are used to construct the current collector on the paper substrate. The fabricated IPZIB delivered a high discharge capacity of 300.14 mAh g−1 at a current density of 200 mA g−1. The energy density of the IPZIB is observed as 330.15 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 220 W kg−1 and retains an energy density of 94.36 Wh kg−1 at a high power density of 1650 W kg−1. Finally, we have demonstrated the capability of the IPZIB to power a LED at various bending and folding conditions which indicates its potential to be used in the next generation flexible and wearable electronic devices.

Abstract Oil-immersed transformers are expensive equipment in the electrical system, and their failure would lead to widespread blackouts and catastrophic economic losses. In this work, an elaborate diagnostic approach is proposed to evaluate twenty-six different transformers in-service to determine their operative status as per the IEC 60599:2022 standard and CIGRE brochure. The approach integrates dissolved gas analysis (DGA), transformer oil integrity analysis, visual inspections, and two Back Propagation Neural Network (BPNN) algorithms to predict the loss of life (LOL) of the transformers through condition monitoring of the cellulose paper. The first BPNN algorithm proposed is based on forecasting the degree of polymerization (DP) using 2-Furaldehyde (2FAL) concentration measured from oil samples using DGA, and the second BPNN algorithm proposed is based on forecasting transformer LOL using the 2FAL and DP data obtained from the first BPNN algorithm. The first algorithm produced a correlation coefficient of 0.970 when the DP was predicted using the 2FAL measured in oil and the second algorithm produced a correlation coefficient of 0.999 when the LOL was predicted using the 2FAL and DP output data obtained from the first algorithm. The results show that the BPNN can be utilized to forecast the DP and LOL of transformers in-service. Lastly, the results are used for hazard analysis and lifespan prediction based on the health index (HI) for each transformer to predict the expected years of service.

Abstract As the social organism, Polistes wasps build a communal nest using woody fibers with saliva for sustaining brood and adult population throughout the season. Limited information exists regarding the identification specific plant materials employed in wasp nest building. Thus, we firstly tested if the DNA metabarcoding approach utilizing rbcL and trnL molecular markers could identify the plant species quantitatively and qualitatively inform the mixed-origin woody samples. A threshold of 0.01 proportion of reads was applied for rbcL and trnL molecular markers, while this threshold for median proportion was 0.0025. In assessing taxa richness, the median proportion demonstrated superior performance, exhibiting higher taxa detection power, however, rbcL marker outperformed in quantitative analysis. Subsequently, we applied DNA metabarcoding to identify the plant materials from the nests of two Polistes species, P. mandarinus and P. rothneyi. The results showed that higher preference of Quercus and Robinia as the major nest building materials regardless of the surrounding plant communities, by two wasp species. Material diversity was higher for P. rothneyi than P. mandarinus, which may explain the abundance of this species possibly with heightened adaptive capacities in their nesting behavior. This study demonstrated that DNA metabarcoding could identify the complex nest-building plant materials of paper wasps and provide insights into their ecological interactions in the natural ecosystem.

Abstract This article presents the results of an experiment designed to study the impact of temperature on the characteristic parameters of creeping discharges. The insulating interfaces consist of a thermally enhanced cellulose surface immersed in mineral oil, palm kernel oil methyl ester (PKOME) and castor oil methyl ester (COME). The study was carried out under a standard negative lightning impulse voltage (1.2/50 μs). The article also presents the complete algorithms for calculating the maximum extension of the discharges, the ionisation rate and the charge produced by them. The results of the study show that temperature favors the propagation of discharges and the ionisation rate. It was observed that liquids with a higher dielectric constant and high electrical conductivity were more exposed to the impact of temperature. The results show ionisation increments of 0.973%/°C, 1.093%/°C and 1.076%/°C in mineral oil (MO), COME and PKOME respectively. The maximum extension of the discharges shows a linear evolution with the applied voltage and temperature but a non-linear increment with the temperature. As for the charge produced, it shows a constant increment with temperature and voltage in each liquid. These values are (5.839%/°C, 1.977%/kV), (6.047%/°C, 2.082%/kV) and (6.177%/°C, 2.113%/kV) respectively in MO, COME and PKOME.

Abstract In mountain areas landslides many times endanger safety of transport infrastructures, and these must be stabilized with retaining wall structures. In this paper the validation of a new composite as a backfill material for landslide stabilization with a large scale demo retaining wall is presented. The new composite was made from residues of paper industry, which uses for its production deinking process. New composite was validated with the laboratory tests, construction of small demo sites and at the end with a large demo retaining wall structure with a length of 50 m. It was concluded that the paper sludge ash and the paper sludge are in proportion 70:30, compacted on the optimal water content and maximum dry density, reached sufficient uniaxial compressive and shear strength. However, the composite's hydration processes required the definition of an optimal time between the composite mixing and installation. In 2019, the retaining wall structure from the new composite was successfully built. The large demo structure is an example of the knowledge transfer from the laboratory to the construction site, in which composite and installing technology could be verified.

In the realm of robotics and automation, robot teleoperation, which facilitates human-machine interaction in distant or hazardous settings, has surged in significance. A persistent issue in this domain is the delays between command issuance and action execution, causing negative repercussions on operator situational awareness, performance, and cognitive load. These delays, particularly in long-distance operations, are difficult to mitigate even with the most advanced computing advancements. Current solutions mainly revolve around machine-based adjustments to combat these delays. However, a notable lacuna remains in harnessing human perceptions for an enhanced subjective teleoperation experience. This paper introduces a novel approach of sensory manipulation for induced human adaptation in delayed teleoperation. Drawing from motor learning and rehabilitation principles, it is posited that strategic sensory manipulation, via altered sensory stimuli, can mitigate the subjective feeling of these delays. The focus is not on introducing new skills or adapting to novel conditions; rather, it leverages prior motor coordination experience in the context of delays. The objective is to reduce the need for extensive training or sophisticated automation designs. A human-centered experiment involving 41 participants was conducted to examine the effects of modified haptic cues in teleoperations with delays. These cues were generated from high-fidelity physics engines using parameters from robot-end sensors or physics engine simulations. The results underscored several benefits, notably the considerable reduction in task time and enhanced user perceptions about visual delays. Real-time haptic feedback, or the anchoring method, emerged as a significant contributor to these benefits, showcasing reduced cognitive load, bolstered self-confidence, and minimized frustration. Beyond the prevalent methods of automation design and training, this research underscores induced human adaptation as a pivotal avenue in robot teleoperation. It seeks to enhance teleoperation efficacy through rapid human adaptation, offering insights beyond just optimizing robotic systems for delay compensations., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The pharmaceutical industry is an important industry for the national economy and the people's livelihood, which is not only beneficial to the people's livelihood, but also has huge commercial value. How to promote the development of Chinese pharmaceutical industry is an urgent problem to be solved. In this study, 47 listed pharmaceutical companies are taken as cases, and Qualitative Comparative Analysis of Fuzzy Sets (fsQCA) is used to analyze the influence of five antecedent conditions on the total factor productivity of pharmaceutical enterprises from the perspective of corporate governance, and to explore the composition to Total Factor Productivity (TFP) improvement. The results are as follows. First, single corporate governance factor does not constitute the necessary condition to improve the TFP of pharmaceutical enterprises. Second, there are three configurations of high TFP of pharmaceutical enterprises, among these, two configurations belong to regulatory constraints type and one configuration belongs to the active board type. There is only one configurations to low TFP of pharmaceutical enterprises: the passive board. Based on the perspective of configuration, this paper discusses how corporate governance drives TFP improvement in pharmaceutical enterprises, which can provide systematic thinking and practical guidance for each company to promote its TFP improvement according to its own corporate structure., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Healthcare systems worldwide are grappling with the challenge of providing high-quality healthcare in the face of evolving disease patterns. India, like many other countries, faces a significant treatment gap for various curable impairments, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). To address their healthcare needs, individuals often relocate in search of better treatment options. However, no studies were conducted to understand the spatial mobility. This paper explores the determinants of spatial mobility for treatment in India using data from NSS 75th round (2017-2018). A total of 64,779 individual medical cases of different diseases were taken into consideration for our analysis. Fixed effect and multinomial regression models were used to understand diseases specific mobility for treatment. It was found that those with CVDs, NCDs, and disabilities are more prone to travel outside their district for medical care. Rural and economically disadvantaged individuals also tend to travel further for treatment. The key factors impacting treatment-seeking mobility include insurance coverage, hospital quality, cost of medicine, and cost of X-rays/surgeries. The study highlights the need for improved policies to address the gap between healthcare needs and infrastructure in India, with a focus on prioritizing the development of local healthcare facilities for disabilities, NCDs, and CVDs., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Abstract Reservoir flood control scheduling is a challenging optimization task, particularly due to the complexity of various constraints. This paper proposes an innovative algorithm design approach to address this challenge. Combining the basic walrus optimization algorithm with the adaptive ε-constraint method and introducing the SPM chaotic mapping for population initialization, spiral search strategy, and local enhancement search strategy based on Cauchy mutation and reverse learning significantly enhances the algorithm's optimization performance. On this basis, innovate an adaptive approach ε A New Algorithm for Constraints and Multi Strategy Optimization Improvement (ε-IWOA). To validate the performance of the ε-IWOA algorithm, 24 constrained optimization test functions are used to test its optimization capabilities and effectiveness in solving constrained optimization problems. Experimental results demonstrate that the ε-IWOA algorithm exhibits excellent optimization ability and stable performance. Taking the Taolinkou Reservoir, Daheiting Reservoir, and Panjiakou Reservoir in the middle and lower reaches of the Luanhe River Basin as a case study, this paper applies the ε-IWOA algorithm to practical reservoir scheduling problems by constructing a three-reservoir flood control scheduling system with Luanxian as the control point. A comparative analysis is conducted with the ε-WOA, ε-DE and ε-PSO (particle swarm optimization) algorithms.The experimental results indicate that ε-IWOA algorithm performs the best in optimization, with the occupied flood control capacity of the three reservoirs reaching 89.32%, 90.02%, and 80.95%, respectively. The control points in Luan County can reduce the peak by 49%.This provides a practical and effective solution method for reservoir optimization scheduling models. This study offers new ideas and solutions for flood control optimization scheduling of reservoir groups, contributing to the optimization and development of reservoir scheduling work.

Abstract This paper presents a comparison of machine learning (ML) methods used for three-dimensional localization of partial discharges (PD) in a power transformer tank. The study examines ML and deep learning (DL) methods, ranging from support vector machines (SVM) to more complex approaches like convolutional neural networks (CNN). Multiple case studies are considered, each with different attributes, including sensor position, frequency content of the PD signal, and size of the transformer tank. The paper focuses on predicting the PD location in three-dimensional space using single-sensor electric field measurements. Various aspects of each method are analyzed, such as the input signal, core methodology, correlation coefficient between the predicted location and the actual location, and root mean square error (RMSE). These features are discussed and compared across the different methods. The results indicate that the CNN model exhibits superior performance in terms of location accuracy among the methods considered.

Abstract With the rapid development of modern medical technology and the dramatic increase in the amount of medical data, traditional centralized medical information management is facing many challenges. In recent years blockchain, which is a peer-to-peer distributed database, has been increasingly accepted and adopted by different industries and use cases. Key areas of healthcare blockchain applications include electronic medical record (EMR) management, medical device supply chain management, remote condition monitoring, insurance claims and personal health data (PHD) management, among others. Even so, there are a number of challenges in applying blockchain concepts to healthcare and its data, including interoperability, data security privacy, scalability, TPS and so on. While these challenges may hinder the development of blockchain in healthcare scenarios, they can be improved with existing technologies In this paper, we propose a blockchain-based healthcare operations management framework that is combined with the Interplanetary File System (IPFS) for managing EMRs, protects data privacy through a distributed approach while ensuring that this medical ledger is tamper-proof. Doctors act as full nodes, patients can participate in network maintenance either as light nodes or as full nodes, and the hospital acts as the endpoint database of data, i.e., the IPFS node, which saves the arithmetic power of nodes and allows the data stored in the hospitals and departments to be shared with the other organizations that have uploaded the data. Therefore, the integration of blockchain and zero-knowledge proof proposed in this paper helps to protect data privacy and is efficient, better scalable, and more throughput.

Abstract Green finance (GF) is recognized as a key driver of sustainable development. While existing studies have extensively discussed the relationship between GF and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), few have explored the coupling coordination relationship between GF and SDGs. In this paper, we use data from thirty Chinese provinces (municipalities and autonomous regions) from 2008–2021 to examine the degree of coupling coordination development (CCD) between GF and the SDGs systems using the CCD model. We find that most SDGs and their sub-goals exhibit a significant upward trend, except for SDG8, 14–16. GF presents a fluctuating upward trend, with a significant decline in 2010 and 2019. The CCDs between GF and SDGs and their sub-goals generally show an M-shaped upward trend in most regions, with most of them experiencing a synchronous decline in 2011–2012 and 2019. In the analysis of regional heterogeneity, the eastern region performs better in SDG8–9, the central region performs better in SDG3, 14–15, while the western region performs better in SDG7. This paper provides empirical evidence for a further in-depth understanding of the relationship between GF and SDGs, which can contribute to advancing GF development and the SDG process.

Abstract In a coal mine, air leakage exists in some roadways through doors and other ventilation structures inevitably. Based on this opinion, there are different views on whether these roadways must be assigned airflow in coal mine ventilation design. This paper analyses some relevant regulations and criteria on the designed air quantity of coal mines. Then, based on the ventilation design of the Guizhou Yizhong Coal Mine, through the study of the calculation of needed air quantity of every working place and its distribution method in coal mine ventilation design, this paper puts forward that explosion-proof door, safety exit, and other short distance roadways with ventilation structures need not assign airflow in coal mine ventilation design, while some long-distance roadways need. Additionally, it presents the main reason to support this opinion, gives the distribution method of inner air leakage quantity, which comes with the calculation of the designed mine total air quantity, puts forward the remedy method for the air leakage through ventilation structures in a coal mine ventilation system, then offers the mine operator with the basic opinions for the day-to-day planning and effective operation of a coal mine ventilation system.

Abstract The development of DC microgrids is reliant on multi-input converters, which offer several advantages, including enhanced DC power generation and consumption efficiency, simplified quality, and stability. This paper describes the development of a multiple input supply based modified SEPIC DC–DC Converter for efficient management of DC microgrid that is powered by two DC sources. Here Multi-Input SEPIC converter offers both versatility in handling output voltage ranges and efficiency in power flow, even under challenging operating conditions like lower duty cycle values. These features contribute to the converter's effectiveness in managing power within a DC microgrid. In this configuration, the DC sources can supply energy to the load together or separately, depending on how the power switches operate. The detailed working states with equivalent circuit diagrams and theoretical waveforms, under steady-state conditions, are shown along with the current direction equations. This paper also demonstrates the typical analysis of large-signal, small-signal, steady-state modeling techniques and detailed design equations. The proposed configuration is validated through the conceptual examination using theoretical and comprehensive MATLAB simulation results. Detailed performance analysis has been done for different cases with various duty ratios. Finally, to show the competitiveness, the multi-input SEPIC topology is compared with similar recent converters.

Abstract Buildings are energy- and resource-hungry: their construction and use account for around 39% of global carbon dioxide emissions; they consume around 40% of all the energy produced; they are responsible for over 35% of the EU's total waste generation; and account for about 50% of all extracted (fossil) materials. Therefore, they present a significant challenge to meeting national and international Net Zero targets of reducing greenhouse emissions and fossil resource use. The CircularB Project, is at the heart of this issue, which will underpin synergies of multi-scale circular perspectives (from materials, to components, to assets and built environments), digital transformation solutions, data-driven and complexity science, stakeholder behavioral science, and interdisciplinary capabilities towards achievable, affordable and marketable circular solutions for both new and existing buildings, for sustainable urban design, and for circular built environments across Europe. This paper contributes to the project by deriving new insights into the stakeholders’ influences, inter-relationships, and obstacles in the implementation of circular economy concepts on existing building stocks in Europe, which represent over 90% of whole building assets. In order to identify and derive the insights, our study is rigorously based on (i) a robust critical literature review of key documentations such as articles, standards, policy reports, strategic roadmaps and white papers; and (ii) interviews with relevant stakeholders and decision makers. Uniquely, our work spans across all scales of CE implementation from materials, to products and components, to existing building stocks, and to living built environments. The findings point out the current challenges and obstacles required to be tackled. Inadequacies of financial incentives and governmental enforcement (via policy, legislation, or directive) are commonly found to be the most critical obstacles found throughout Europe. Circular economy is the global challenge and not just a single country can resolve the climate issue without the cooperation of other countries. The insights thus highlight the essential need for harmonized actions and tactical/pragmatic policies promoted and regulated by the European Commission, national and local governments who can dominate the influence, promote inter-relationship, and overcome the barriers towards circular economy much more effectively.

Abstract In the late stage of underground brine mining in salt lakes, the method of injecting fresh water is often used to extract the salt from the brine storage medium. This method of freshwater displacement breaks the original water–rock equilibrium and changes the evolution process of the original underground brine. To explore the mechanism of salt release in saline water-bearing media under conditions of relatively fresh lake water dissolution, this paper analyzes the changes in the chemical parameters of brine from 168 sampling points in the Mahai salt lake in the Qaidam Basin at three stages (before exploitation, during exploitation, and late exploitation) by correlation analysis, ion ratio analysis, and other methods and investigate the variations in porosity and the evolution laws of brine. The results show that the changes in the main ion content and brine mineralization during the exploitation process are small. The changes in Ca2+ content are significant due to the low solubility of calcium minerals, the precipitation of gypsum during the mixing process, and the adsorption of cations by alternating with Ca2+. Primary intergranular pore skeletons are easily corroded to form secondary pores, which increase the geological porosity. Na+ and Cl- are the dominant ions in the brine in the study area, but the concentration of Ca2 + decreased significantly under the influence of mining, by 41.7% in the middle period and 24.5% in the late period. The correlation between Ca2+ and salinity changes significantly in different mining stages, and the reason for the decrease of Ca2+ may be due to the influence of mineral dissolution, mixing, and anion-cation exchange. The porosity of the layer in the study area showed the opposite trend of Ca2+, and the porosity increased first and then decreased. The innovation of this paper lies in analyzing the reasons and mechanisms of the disturbance of artificial dissolution mining on stratum structure by comparing the hydrochemical characteristics and porosity of underground brine storage media in three different mining stages. The research in this paper provides a theoretical basis for the calculation of brine resource reserves and the sustainable development of underground brine in salt lake areas.

Abstract This paper proposes an algorithm for the automatic assessment of programming exercises. The algorithm assigns assessment scores based on the program dependency graph structure and the program semantic similarity, but does not actually need to run the student’s program. By calculating the node similarity between the student’s program and the teacher’s reference programs in terms of structure and program semantics, a similarity matrix is generated and the optimal similarity node path of this matrix is identified. The proposed algorithm achieves improved computational efficiency, with a time complexity of $$O(n^2)$$ O ( n 2 ) for a graph with n nodes. The experimental results show that the assessment algorithm proposed in this paper is more reliable and accurate than several comparison algorithms, and can be used for scoring programming exercises in C/C++, Java, Python, and other languages.

Abstract In response to the challenges posed by the high computational complexity and suboptimal classification performance of traditional random forest algorithms when dealing with high-dimensional and noisy non-agricultural vegetation satellite data, this paper proposes an enhanced random forest algorithm based on the C5.0 algorithm. The paper focuses on the Liaohe Plain, selecting two distinct non-agricultural landscape patterns in Shenbei New District and Changtu County as research objects. High-resolution satellite data from GF-2 serves as the experimental dataset. This paper introduces an ensemble feature method based on the bagging concept to improve the original random forest classification model. This method enhances the likelihood of selecting features beneficial to classifying positive class samples, avoiding excessive removal of useful features from negative samples. This approach ensures feature importance and model diversity. The C5.0 algorithm is then employed for feature selection, and the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) is utilized for vegetation coverage estimation. Results indicate that employing a multi-scale parameter selection tool, combined with limited field-measured data, facilitates the identification and classification of plant species in forest landscapes. The C5.0 algorithm effectively selects classification features, minimizing information redundancy. The established object-oriented random forest classification model achieves an impressive accuracy of 94.02% on the aerial imagery for forest classification dataset, with EVI-based vegetation coverage estimation demonstrating high accuracy. In experiments on the same test set, the proposed algorithm attains an average accuracy of 90.20%, outperforming common model algorithms such as bidirectional encoder representation from transformer, FastText, and convolutional neural network, which achieve average accuracies ranging from 84.41 to 88.33% in identifying non-agricultural artificial habitat vegetation features. The proposed algorithm exhibits a competitive edge compared to other algorithms. These research findings contribute scientific evidence for protecting agricultural ecosystems and restoring agricultural ecosystem biodiversity.

Abstract De-mining operations are of critical importance for humanitarian efforts and safety in conflict-affected regions. In this paper, we address the challenge of enhancing the accuracy and efficiency of mine detection systems. We present an innovative Deep Learning architecture tailored for pulse induction-based Metallic Mine Detectors (MMD), so called DL-MMD. Our methodology leverages deep neural networks to distinguish amongst nine distinct materials with an exceptional validation accuracy of 93.5%. This high level of precision enables us not only to differentiate between anti-personnel mines, without metal plates but also to detect minuscule 0.2-g vertical paper pins in both mineralized soil and non-mineralized environments. Moreover, through comparative analysis, we demonstrate a substantial 3% and 7% improvement (approx.) in accuracy performance compared to the traditional K-Nearest Neighbors and Support Vector Machine classifiers, respectively. The fusion of deep neural networks with the pulse induction-based MMD not only presents a cost-effective solution but also significantly expedites decision-making processes in de-mining operations, ultimately contributing to improved safety and effectiveness in these critical endeavors.

Abstract The object scale of a small object scene changes greatly, and the object is easily disturbed by a complex background. Generic object detectors do not perform well on small object detection tasks. In this paper, we focus on small object detection based on FocusDet. FocusDet refers to the small object detector proposed in this paper. It consists of three parts: backbone, feature fusion structure, and detection head. STCF-EANet was used as the backbone for feature extraction, the Bottom Focus-PAN for feature fusion, and the detection head for object localization and recognition.To maintain sufficient global context information and extract multi-scale features, the STCF-EANet network backbone is used as the feature extraction network.PAN is a feature fusion module used in general object detectors. It is used to perform feature fusion on the extracted feature maps to supplement feature information.In the feature fusion network, FocusDet uses Bottom Focus-PAN to capture a wider range of locations and lower-level feature information of small objects.SIOU-SoftNMS is the proposed algorithm for removing redundant prediction boxes in the post-processing stage. SIOU multi-dimension accurately locates the prediction box, and SoftNMS uses the Gaussian algorithm to remove redundant prediction boxes. FocusDet uses SIOU-SoftNMS to address the missed detection problem common in dense tiny objects.The VisDrone2021-DET and CCTSDB2021 object detection datasets are used as benchmarks, and tests are carried out on VisDrone2021-det-test-dev and CCTSDB-val datasets. Experimental results show that FocusDet improves mAP@.5% from 33.6% to 46.7% on the VisDrone dataset. mAP@.5% on the CCTSDB2021 dataset is improved from 81.6% to 87.8%. It is shown that the model has good performance for small object detection, and the research is innovative.

Abstract I/II/III mixed mode fractures of intersecting joint fissures often occur in natural rock masses, and jointed rock masses are prone to rockbursts in deep underground engineering when subjected to long-term crustal stresses. However, most studies of the mechanical mechanisms of these intersected joints have been conducted by simplifying two-dimensional joint model tests. Furthermore, the fracture mechanisms of two-dimensional intersected joints under tension and compression are completely different from those of three-dimensional joints. This paper presents a novel prefabricated specimen with combinations of intersecting joints capable of detecting the failure behaviours of rock I/II/III mixed mode fractures under creep loading. Uniaxial compression and multistage creep tests are performed on prefabricated sandstone specimens with intersecting joints of 0°/0°, 0°/30°, 0°/60°, and 0°/90°. The experimental results show that with the increase in the number of prefabricated intersecting joints, the uniaxial compressive strength and elastic modulus values of the sandstone specimens gradually decrease. In addition, the sandstone specimens experience relatively few AE events and minor axial strain variations in the first creep stage and the second creep stage of the multistage creep test. The axial strain increases sharply due to the sharp increase in the number of AE events in the third creep stage. The 0°/60° sandstone specimen undergoes accelerated creep failure, resulting in mixed X-shaped tensile‒shear rupture. The RA value is high based on the quantification of the creeping cracks using the acoustic emission parameters of the rise angle (RA) and average frequency (AF). The AF values of the 0°/0°, 0°/30°, and 0°/90° sandstone specimens are high. The experimental results show that a larger joint intersection angle leads to greater mutual restraints and greater effects of prefabricated crack propagation in the rock specimens, thus increasing the final failure strength. Finally, based on the acoustic emission count, a characteristic variable D suitable for characterizing the creep damage evolution of a joint rock mass is established. The findings of this paper can facilitate an effective understanding of the creep effect of I/II/III mixed mode fracture and its micromechanism. The research results will have a certain reference value for the detection and risk mitigation of instantaneous and time-delayed rockbursts.

Abstract The deep integration of digital technology and the real economy not only affects the production and operation mode of enterprises, but also becomes the promoter of service-oriented transformation and the driving force of sustainable development. Based on the text analysis method, this paper uses the data of Chinese listed manufacturing enterprises from 2011 to 2020 to study the impact of digital technology application on the service-oriented transformation and sustainable development of enterprises. It is found that digital technology application significantly improves the environmental performance and economic performance of enterprises by driving their service-oriented transformation and technological innovation, and then enhances their sustainable development. The improvement effect of digital technology application on the sustainable development of resource-based enterprises and capital-intensive enterprises is more significant. The conclusion in this paper provides micro-evidence for understanding the role of digital technology in addressing environmental issues and sustainable development.

Abstract This paper provides the first observational analysis of how droplet separation is impacted by the flinging action of microscale vortices in turbulent clouds over a select radii range and how they vary over cloud cores and along the peripheral edges. It is premised that this mechanism initiates droplet separation within a cloud volume soon after condensational growth, largely in the cloud core, and operates until the cloud droplet radii exceed 20–30 µm when this effect fades rapidly. New observations are presented showing how microscale vortices also impact the settling rates of droplets over a critical size range (6–18 µm) causing them to sediment faster than in still air affecting swept volumes and thereby impacting the rain initiation and formation. Large-scale atmospheric models ignore these microscale effects linked to rapid droplet growth during the early stages of cloud conversion. Previous studies on droplet spatial organization along the cloud edges and inside the deep core have shown that homogeneous Poisson statistics, indicative of the presence of a vigorous in-cloud mixing process at small scales obtained, in contrast to an inhomogeneous distribution along the edges. In this paper, it is established that this marked core region, homogeneity can be linked to microscale vortical activity which flings cloud droplets in the range of 6–18 µm outward. The typical radius of the droplet trajectories or the droplet flung radii around the vortices correlates with the interparticle distance strongly. The correlation starts to diminish as one proceeds from the central core to the cloud fringes because of the added entrainment of cloud-free air. These first results imply that droplet growth in the core is first augmented with this small-scale interaction prior to other more large-scale processes involving entrainment mixing. This first study, combining these amplified velocities are included in a Weather Research and Forecasting- LES case study. Not only are significant differences observed in the cloud morphology when compared to a baseline case, but the ‘enhanced’ case also shows early commencement of rainfall along with intense precipitation activity compared to the ‘standard’ baseline case. It is also shown that the modelled equilibrium raindrop spectrum agrees better with observations when the enhanced droplet sedimentation rates mediated by microscale vortices are included in the calculations compared to the case where only still-air terminal velocities are used.

Abstract Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems are becoming widespread in all aspects of society, bringing benefits to the whole economy. There is a growing understanding of the potential benefits and risks of this type of technology. While the benefits are more efficient decision processes and industrial productivity, the risks may include a potential progressive disengagement of human beings in crucial aspects of decision-making. In this respect, a new perspective is emerging that aims at reconsidering the centrality of human beings while reaping the benefits of AI systems to augment rather than replace professional skills: Human-Centred AI (HCAI) is a novel framework that posits that high levels of human control do not contradict high levels of computer automation. In this paper, we investigate the two antipodes, automation vs augmentation, in the context of website usability evaluation. Specifically, we have analyzed whether the level of automation provided by a tool for semi-automatic usability evaluation can support evaluators in identifying usability problems. Three different visualizations, each one corresponding to a different level of automation, ranging from a full-automation approach to an augmentation approach, were compared in an experimental study. We found that a fully automated approach could help evaluators detect a significant number of medium and high-severity usability problems, which are the most critical in a software system; however, it also emerged that it was possible to detect more low-severity usability problems using one of the augmented approaches proposed in this paper.

Abstract The ever-growing threats in cybersecurity growing with the rapid development of quantum computing, necessitates the development of robust and quantum-resistant cryptographic systems. This paper introduces a novel cryptosystem, Public Key Cryptosystem based on Systematic Polar Encoding (PKC-SPE), based on the combination of systematic polar encoding and public-key cryptographic principles. The Systematic Polar Encoding (SPE), derived from the well-established field of polar codes, serves as the foundation for this proposed cryptographic scheme. Here, we have used MATLAB Software to introduce and implement the PKC-SPE Cryptosystem. The paper examines key generation, encryption, and decryption algorithms, providing insights into the adaptability and efficiency of systematic polar encoding in public-key cryptography. We assess the efficiency of the PKC-SPE Cryptosystem in three aspects: key size, computational complexity, and system implementation timings. In addition, we compare the PKC-SPE Cryptosystem with PKC-PC cryptosystem and find that it has reduced key sizes ( $$P_{r}$$ P r = 0.8436 kbytes). The results obtained through simulations validate the effectiveness of the proposed cryptosystem and highlighting its potential for integration into real-world communication systems. Thus, in the paradigm shift to quantum computing, the PKC-SPE cryptosystem emerges as a promising candidate to secure digital communication in the quantum computing era.

Abstract Microgrids require efficient energy management systems to optimize the operation of microgrid sources and achieve economic efficiency. Bi-level energy management model is proposed in this paper to minimize the operational cost of a grid-tied microgrid under load variations and uncertainties in renewable sources while satisfying the various technical constraints. The first level is day ahead scheduling of generation units based on day ahead forecasting of renewable energy sources and load demand. In this paper, a recent meta-heuristic algorithm called Coronavirus Herd Immunity Optimizer (CHIO) is used to solve the problem of day-ahead scheduling of batteries, which is a complex constrained non-linear optimization problem, while the Lagrange multiplier method is used to determine the set-point of the Diesel Generator (DG). The second level of the proposed EMS is rescheduling and updating the set-points of sources in real-time according to the actual solar irradiance, wind speed, load, and grid tariff. In this paper, a novel real-time strategy is proposed to keep the economic operation during real-time under uncertainties. The obtained results show that the CHIO-based bi-level EMS demonstrates an optimal economic operation for a grid-connected microgrid in real-time when there are uncertainties in weather, utility tariffs, and load forecasts.

Abstract Optical cross-correlation is a technique that can achieve both high specificity and high sensitivity when deployed as the basis for a sensing technology. Offering significant gains in cost, size and complexity, it can also deliver significantly higher signal-to-noise ratios than traditional approaches such as absorption methodologies. In this paper, we present an optical cross-correlation technology constructed around a bespoke customised Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG). Exploiting the remarkable flexibility in design enabled by multiple aperiodic Bragg gratings, optical filters are devised that exactly mimic the absorption features of a target gas species (for this paper, acetylene $$C_2H_2$$ C 2 H 2 ) over some waveband of interest. This grating forms the heart of the sensor architecture described here that employs modulated optical cross-correlation for gas detection. An experimental demonstration of this approach is presented, and shown to be capable of differentiating between different concentrations of the $$C_2H_2$$ C 2 H 2 target gas. Furthermore these measurements are shown to be robust against interloper species, with minimal impact on the detection signal-to-noise arising from the introduction of contaminant gases. This represents is a significant step toward the use of customised FBGs as low-cost, compact, and highly customisable photonic devices for deployment in gas detection.

Abstract Nature-inspired metaheuristic algorithms are important components of artificial intelligence, and are increasingly used across disciplines to tackle various types of challenging optimization problems. This paper demonstrates the usefulness of such algorithms for solving a variety of challenging optimization problems in statistics using a nature-inspired metaheuristic algorithm called competitive swarm optimizer with mutated agents (CSO-MA). This algorithm was proposed by one of the authors and its superior performance relative to many of its competitors had been demonstrated in earlier work and again in this paper. The main goal of this paper is to show a typical nature-inspired metaheuristic algorithmi, like CSO-MA, is efficient for tackling many different types of optimization problems in statistics. Our applications are new and include finding maximum likelihood estimates of parameters in a single cell generalized trend model to study pseudotime in bioinformatics, estimating parameters in the commonly used Rasch model in education research, finding M-estimates for a Cox regression in a Markov renewal model, performing matrix completion tasks to impute missing data for a two compartment model, and selecting variables optimally in an ecology problem in China. To further demonstrate the flexibility of metaheuristics, we also find an optimal design for a car refueling experiment in the auto industry using a logistic model with multiple interacting factors. In addition, we show that metaheuristics can sometimes outperform optimization algorithms commonly used in statistics.

Abstract Previous studies reported microplastics (MPs), antibiotics, and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). There is still a lack of research progress on the origin, fate, impact and hazards of MPs and ARGs in WWTPs. This paper fills a gap in this regard. In our search, we used “microplastics”, “antibiotic resistance genes”, and “wastewater treatment plant” as topic terms in Web of Science, checking the returned results for relevance by examining paper titles and abstracts. This study mainly explores the following points: (1) the origins and fate of MPs, antibiotics and ARGs in WWTPs; (2) the mechanisms of action of MPs, antibiotics and ARGs in sludge biochemical pools; (3) the impacts of MPs in WWTPs and the spread of ARGs; (4) and the harm inflicted by MPs and ARGs on the environment and human body. Contaminants in sewage sludge such as MPs, ARGs, and antibiotic-resistant bacteria enter the soil and water. Contaminants can travel through the food chain and thus reach humans, leading to increased illness, hospitalization, and even mortality. This study will enhance our understanding of the mechanisms of action among MPs, antibiotics, ARGs, and the harm they inflict on the human body.

Abstract Infrared thermal imaging is a passive non-contact detection and identification technology, which is not subject to electromagnetic infection and good concealment, is widely used in military and commercial fields. However, due to the limitations of the existing infrared imaging system mechanisms, the spatial resolution of the acquired infrared images is low and the edge details are blurred, which in turn leads to poor performance in downstream missions based on infrared images. In this paper, in order to better solve the above problems, we propose a new super-resolution reconstruction framework for infrared images, called DBFE, which extracts and retains abundant structure and textual information for robust infrared image high-resolution reconstruction with a novel structure-textual encoder module. Extensive experiment demonstrates that our proposed method achieves significantly superior contraband high-resolution reconstruction results on the multiple dataset compared to progressive methods for high resolution infrared image reconstruction, effectively proving the practicability of the method proposed in this paper.

Abstract The emergence of microgrids arises from the growing integration of Renewable Energy Resources (RES) and Energy Storage Systems (ESSs) into Distribution Networks (DNs). Effective integration, coordination, and control of Multiple Microgrids (MMGs) whereas navigating the complexities of energy transition within this context poses a significant challenge. The dynamic operation of MMGs is a challenge faced by the traditional distributed hierarchical control techniques. The application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques is a promising way to improve the control and dynamic operation of MMGs in future smart DNs. In this paper, an innovative hybrid optimization technique that originates from Cheetah Optimization (CHO) and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) techniques is proposed, known as HYCHOPSO. Extensive benchmark testing validates HYCHOPSO’s superiority over CHO and PSO in terms of convergence performance. The objective for this hybridization stems from the complementary strengths of CHO and PSO. CHO demonstrates rapid convergence in local search spaces, while PSO excels in global exploration. By combining these techniques, the aim is to leverage their respective advantages and enhance the algorithm's overall performance in addressing complex optimization problems. The contribution of this paper offering a unique approach to addressing optimization challenges in microgrid systems. Through a comprehensive comparative study, HYCHOPSO is evaluated against various metaheuristic optimization approaches, demonstrating superior performance, particularly in optimizing the design parameters of Proportional-Integral (PI) controllers for hierarchical control systems within microgrids. This contribution expands the repertoire of available optimization methodologies and offers practical solutions to critical challenges in microgrid optimization, enhancing the efficiency, reliability, and sustainability of microgrid operations. HYCHOPSO achieves its optimal score within fewer than 50 iterations, unlike CHO, GWO, PSO, Hybrid-GWO-PSO, and SSIA-PSO, which stabilize after around 200 iterations. Across various benchmark functions, HYCHOPSO consistently demonstrates the lowest mean values, attains scores closer to the optimal values of the benchmark functions, underscoring its robust convergence capabilities.the proposed HYCHOPSO algorithm, paired with a PI controller for distributed hierarchical control, minimizes errors and enhances system reliability during dynamic MMG operations. Using HYCHOPSO framework, an accurate power sharing, voltage/frequency stability, seamless grid-to-island transition, and smooth resynchronization are achieved. This enhances the real application's reliability, flexibility, scalability and robustness.

Abstract In Geophysics, topographic factors are observations that can be directly measured, but they are often ignored to simplify the model. Studying the coseismic deformation caused by earthquakes helps accurately determine the epicenter's parameterization. It provides a reference for the reasonable layout of coseismic observation stations and GNSS observation stations. After the Mw7.8 earthquake in Nepal in 2015, GCMT, USGS, GFZ, CPPT, and other institutions released their epicenter parameter. However, according to their parameters, the coseismic displacements simulated by the spectral-element method are quite different from the GNSS observations. Firstly, this paper inverts the geometric parameters of the seismogenic fault with Nepal’s coseismic GNSS displacement. The spectral-element method determines the source's location and depth under the heterogeneous terrain and outputs the source parameters. Among the results of many studies, the surface source is more consistent with the generation mechanism of large earthquakes. Secondly, this paper calculates the fault slip distribution of this earthquake using SDM (Steepest Descent Method) based on GNSS and InSAR data, which is divided into 1500 subfaults, and the moment tensor of each subfault is calculated. This paper investigates the distribution characteristics of the coseismic deformation field of the 2015 Mw 7.8 earthquake in Nepal under three different models. The results show that the influence of topographic factors is ~ 20%, and the influence of heterogeneous factors is ~ 10%. This paper concludes that the influence of topographic factors is much more significant than that of heterogeneous factors, and the influence of both should be addressed in coseismic deformation calculations.

Abstract With current and predicted economic pressures within English Children’s Services in the UK, there is a growing discourse around the development of methods of analysis using existing data to make more effective interventions and policy decisions. Agent-Based modelling shows promise in aiding in this, with limitations that require novel methods to overcome. This can include challenges in managing model complexity, transparency, and validation; which may deter analysts from implementing such Agent-Based simulations. Children’s Services specifically can gain from the expansion of modelling techniques available to them. Sensitivity analysis is a common step when analysing models that currently has methods with limitations regarding Agent-Based Models. This paper outlines an improved method of conducting Sensitivity Analysis to enable better utilisation of Agent-Based models (ABMs) within Children’s Services. By using machine learning based regression in conjunction with the Nomadic Peoples Optimiser (NPO) a method of conducting sensitivity analysis tailored for ABMs is achieved. This paper demonstrates the effectiveness of the approach by drawing comparisons with common existing methods of sensitivity analysis, followed by a demonstration of an improved ABM design in the target use case.

Abstract In current five-axis computer numerical control (CNC) machining, the use of minute linear path segments as an approximation for the ideal cutter contacting (CC) point trajectory is still prevalent. However, introducing rotation axes leads to a deviation of the actual CC point trajectory from the ideal, resulting in nonlinear errors. An integrated method is proposed in this paper for compensating and correcting both the contour error, associated with the approximation of the part surface by the ideal CC point trajectory and the nonlinear error of the CC point trajectory based on the information in the CC point data. By analyzing the spatial relationship between the tool posture and the CC point path during the five-axis linear interpolation process, two adjacent machining tool positions containing CC point data information are selected as the starting and ending points of the five-axis linear interpolation machining. The ideal tool center point and the actual CC point are calculated during the interpolation process, as well as the distance and the unit vector in the perpendicular direction between the actual CC point and the ideal CC point trajectory segment. In the comprehensive error compensation and correction phase, the obtained unit vectors are used as direction vectors for error compensation, and the tool center point during interpolation is first compensated and corrected. This ensures the actual CC point and the contour curve are on the same plane. The compensation direction for contour error is calculated using the start/end tool axis vectors and the ideal CC point trajectory vectors. The size of the contour error approximating the contour curve is calculated through the chord error. A second compensation and correction are applied to the tool center point for interpolation, ultimately achieving comprehensive compensation and correction of nonlinear errors. The data calculations were conducted in the MATLAB environment using actual machining data. After compensation and correction, the contour error was reduced by 76%, the nonlinear error of the CC point trajectory decreased to below 0.88 μm, and the comprehensive nonlinear error of the CC point trajectory was reduced from 19 to 1.5 μm, a reduction of 93%. This demonstrates significant practical value in enhancing the accuracy of five-axis CNC machining. Through actual machining verification, after using the method described in this paper, the average surface roughness decreased from 1.133 to 0.220 μm, and the maximum surface roughness decreased from 6.667 to 1.240 μm. This significantly demonstrates that the compensation and correction method proposed in this paper can significantly improve the surface quality of machined parts.

Abstract The coordinated development of intelligence and greening is an intrinsic demand for high-quality economic and social development. Intelligentization and greening are the leading directions of sustainable development of the power industry. This paper directs of sustainable development of the power industry. This paper empirically analyzes the effect and mechanism of intelligence on the green environmental friendliness of electric power substations by using a panel fixed-effects model and instrumental variable regression, using substation engineering data from China southern power grid during 2013–2022. It is found that the level of intelligence significantly promotes the green performance of substation projects, and this conclusion still holds after a series of robustness tests. Intelligence can reduce material waste and pollutant emissions by improving the engineering environmental monitoring capability and the refinement of engineering resource control, thus improving the environmental friendliness of the project. The research in this paper helps to promote the integrated development of intelligent and green power engineering, to better achieve economic and green goals.

Abstract Compressive sensing is favored because it breaks through the constraints of Nyquist sampling law in signal reconstruction. However, the security defects of joint compression encryption and the problem of low quality of reconstructed image restoration need to be solved urgently. In view of this, this paper proposes a compressive sensing image encryption scheme based on optimized orthogonal measurement matrix. Utilizing a combination of DWT and OMP, along with chaos, the proposed scheme achieves high-security image encryption and superior quality in decryption reconstruction. Firstly, the orthogonal optimization method is used to improve the chaotic measurement matrix. Combined with Part Hadamard matrix, the measurement matrix with strong orthogonal characteristics is constructed by Kronecker product. Secondly, the original image is sparsely represented by DWT. Meanwhile, Arnold scrambling is used to disturb the correlation between its adjacent pixels. Following this, the image is compressed and measured in accordance with the principles of compressive sensing and obtain the intermediate image to be encrypted. Finally, the chaotic sequence generated based on 2D-LSCM is used to perform on odd-even interleaved diffusion and row-column permutation at bit-level to obtain the final ciphertext. The experimental results show that this scheme meets the cryptographic requirements of obfuscation, diffusion and avalanche effects, and also has a large key space, which is sufficient to resist brute-force cracking attacks. Based on the sparse and reconstruction algorithm of compressive sensing proposed in this paper, it has better image restoration quality than similar algorithms. Consequently, the compressive sensing image encryption scheme enhances both security and reconstruction quality, presenting promising applications in the evolving landscape of privacy protection for network big data.

Abstract Durability is one of the technical bottlenecks restricting fuel cell electric vehicle development. As a result, significant time and resources have been invested in research related to this area worldwide. Current durability research mainly focuses on the single cell and stack levels, which is quite different from the usage scenarios of actual vehicles. There is almost no research on developing durability test cycles on the fuel cell system level. This paper proposes a universal model for developing a durability test cycle for fuel cell system based on the China automotive test cycle. Large-scale comparison tests of the fuel cell systems are conducted. After 1000 h test, the output performance degradation of three mass-produced fuel cell system is 14.49%, 9.59%, and 4.21%, respectively. The test results show that the durability test cycle proposed in this paper can effectively accelerate the durability test of the fuel cell system and evaluate the durability performance of the fuel cell system. Moreover, the methodology proposed in this paper could be used in any other test cycles such as NEDC (New European Driving Cycle), WLTC (Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure), etc. And it has comprehensive application value and are significant for reducing the cost of durability testing of fuel cell systems and promoting the industrialization of fuel cell electric vehicles.

Abstract Losses from catastrophic floods are driving intense efforts to increase preparedness and improve response to disastrous flood events by providing early warnings. Yet accurate flood forecasting remains a challenge due to uncertainty in modeling, calibrating, and validating a useful early warning system. This paper presents the Requisitely Simple (ReqSim) flood forecasting system that includes key variables and processes of basin hydrology and atmospheric forcing in a data-driven modeling framework. The simplicity of the modeling structure and data requirements of the system allows for customization and implementation in any medium to large rain-fed river basin globally, provided there are water level or discharge measurements at the forecast locations. The proposed system's efficacy is demonstrated in this paper through providing useful forecasts for various river basins around the world. This include 3–10-day forecasts for the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers in South Asia, 2–3-day forecast for the Amur and Yangtze rivers in East Asia, 5–10-day forecasts for the Niger, Congo and Zambezi rivers in West and Central Africa, 6–8-day forecasts for the Danube River in Europe, 2–5-day forecasts for the Parana River in South America, and 2–7-day forecasts for the Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, and Arkansas rivers in the USA. The study also quantifies the effect of basin size, topography, hydrometeorology, and river flow controls on forecast accuracy and lead times. Results indicate that ReqSim's forecasts perform better in river systems with moderate slopes, high flow persistence, and less flow controls. The simple structure, minimal data requirements, ease of operation, and useful operational accuracy make ReqSim an attractive option for effective real-time flood forecasting in medium and large river basins worldwide.

Abstract This paper introduces a novel cable-driven robotic platform that enables six degrees-of-freedom (DoF) natural head–neck movements. Poor postural control of the head–neck can be a debilitating symptom of neurological disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and cerebral palsy. Current treatments using static neck collars are inadequate, and there is a need to develop new devices to empower movements and facilitate physical rehabilitation of the head–neck. State-of-the-art neck exoskeletons using lower DoF mechanisms with rigid linkages are limited by their hard motion constraints imposed on head–neck movements. By contrast, the cable-driven robot presented in this paper does not constrain motion and enables wide-range, 6-DoF control of the head–neck. We present the mechatronic design, validation, and control implementations of this robot, as well as a human experiment to demonstrate a potential use case of this versatile robot for rehabilitation. Participants were engaged in a target reaching task while the robot applied both assistive and resistive moments on the head during the task. Our results show that neck muscle activation increased by 19% when moving the head against resistance and decreased by 28–43% when assisted by the robot. Overall, these results provide a scientific justification for further research in enabling movement and identifying personalized rehabilitation for motor training. Beyond rehabilitation, other applications such as applying force perturbations on the head to study sensory integration and applying traction to achieve pain relief may benefit from the innovation of this robotic platform which is capable of applying controlled 6-DoF forces/moments on the head.

Abstract Based on a microeconomic entity perspective, this paper empirically examines the effect of enterprise digitalization on resource mismatch. We found that, firstly, an increasing in enterprise digitalization reduces resource mismatch. Moreover, the results remain robust after considering endogeneity and changing the variable measurements. Secondly, enterprise digitalization can significantly reduce resource mismatch of private and large-scale enterprises and significantly contribute to reducing enterprise resource mismatch in low marketability regions and eastern regions. Thirdly, enterprise digital transformation can reduce resource mismatch by decreasing operating costs and financing constraints; Executive incentives can help reduce resource mismatch in the digital process of enterprises. Fourthly, the increase in enterprise digitalization contributes to an enhance in corporate social responsibility, and enterprise resource mismatch plays a mediating role in the relationship of enterprise digitalization development improving corporate social responsibility. Finally, in response to the findings of the study, the paper suggests countermeasures for regional and corporate countermeasures regarding digital development.

Abstract This paper delves into the nuanced dynamics influencing the outcomes of risk assessment (RA) in scientific research projects (SRPs), employing the Naive Bayes algorithm. The methodology involves the selection of diverse SRPs cases, gathering data encompassing project scale, budget investment, team experience, and other pertinent factors. The paper advances the application of the Naive Bayes algorithm by introducing enhancements, specifically integrating the Tree-augmented Naive Bayes (TANB) model. This augmentation serves to estimate risk probabilities for different research projects, shedding light on the intricate interplay and contributions of various factors to the RA process. The findings underscore the efficacy of the TANB algorithm, demonstrating commendable accuracy (average accuracy 89.2%) in RA for SRPs. Notably, budget investment (regression coefficient: 0.68, P

Abstract The complex networks exhibit significant heterogeneity in node connections, resulting in a few nodes playing critical roles in various scenarios, including decision-making, disease control, and population immunity. Therefore, accurately identifying these influential nodes that play crucial roles in networks is very important. Many methods have been proposed in different fields to solve this issue. This paper focuses on the different types of disassortativity existing in networks and innovatively introduces the concept of disassortativity of the node, namely, the inconsistency between the degree of a node and the degrees of its neighboring nodes, and proposes a measure of disassortativity of the node (DoN) by a step function. Furthermore, the paper analyzes and indicates that in many real-world network applications, such as online social networks, the influence of nodes within the network is often associated with disassortativity of the node and the community boundary structure of the network. Thus, the influential metric of node based on disassortativity and community structure (mDC) is proposed. Extensive experiments are conducted in synthetic and real networks, and the performance of the DoN and mDC is validated through network robustness experiments and immune experiment of disease infection. Experimental and analytical results demonstrate that compared to other state-of-the-art centrality measures, the proposed methods (DoN and mDC) exhibits superior identification performance and efficiency, particularly in non-disassortative networks and networks with clear community structures. Furthermore, we find that the DoN and mDC exhibit high stability to network noise and inaccuracies of the network data.

Abstract Metagenomics has revolutionized access to genomic information of microorganisms inhabiting the gut of herbivorous animals, circumventing the need for their isolation and cultivation. Exploring these microorganisms for novel hydrolytic enzymes becomes unattainable without utilizing metagenome sequencing. In this study, we harnessed a suite of bioinformatic analyses to discover a novel cellulase-degrading enzyme from the camel rumen metagenome. Among the protein-coding sequences containing cellulase-encoding domains, we identified and subsequently cloned and purified a promising candidate cellulase enzyme, Celcm05-2, to a state of homogeneity. The enzyme belonged to GH5 subfamily 4 and exhibited robust enzymatic activity under acidic pH conditions. It maintained hydrolytic activity under various environmental conditions, including the presence of metal ions, non-ionic surfactant Triton X-100, organic solvents, and varying temperatures. With an optimal temperature of 40 °C, Celcm05-2 showcased remarkable efficiency when deployed on crystalline cellulose (> 3.6 IU/mL), specifically Avicel, thereby positioning it as an attractive candidate for a myriad of biotechnological applications spanning biofuel production, paper and pulp processing, and textile manufacturing. Efficient biodegradation of waste paper pulp residues and the evidence of biopolishing suggested that Celcm05-2 can be used in the bioprocessing of cellulosic craft fabrics in the textile industry. Our findings suggest that the camel rumen microbiome can be mined for novel cellulase enzymes that can find potential applications across diverse biotechnological processes.

Abstract Effective forecasting of energy consumption structure is vital for China to reach its “dual carbon” objective. However, little attention has been paid to existing studies on the holistic nature and internal properties of energy consumption structure. Therefore, this paper incorporates the theory of compositional data into the study of energy consumption structure, which not only takes into account the specificity of the internal features of the structure, but also digs deeper into the relative information. Meanwhile, based on the minimization theory of squares of the Aitchison distance in the compositional data, a combined model based on the three single models, namely the metabolism grey model (MGM), back-propagation neural network (BPNN) model, and autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model, is structured in this paper. The forecast results of the energy consumption structure in 2023–2040 indicate that the future energy consumption structure of China will evolve towards a more diversified pattern, but the proportion of natural gas and non-fossil energy has yet to meet the policy goals set by the government. This paper not only suggests that compositional data from joint prediction models have a high applicability value in the energy sector, but also has some theoretical significance for adapting and improving the energy consumption structure in China.

Abstract City reputation is a valuable asset for the local economy and firms in the contemporary society. However, the impact of city reputation on micro-level firms has been largely overlooked by the literature. This paper uses the National Civilized City (NCC) policy in China as a quasi-natural experiment to enhance city reputation. We employ the DID approach to investigate the relationship between city reputation and corporate risk-taking. The result shows that corporate risk-taking significantly increases following the NCC policy adoption. Moreover, information asymmetry can strengthen the positive impact of city reputation on corporate risk-taking. Channel tests show that city reputation improves financial condition and decreases default risk, leading to improved risk-taking tolerance. Overall, our paper indicates that city reputation is an important mechanism to improve corporate financial performance, providing empirical evidence for local governments to pursue the NCC title.

Abstract This paper is focused on the diagnostics of multicopter UAV propulsion system, in which the temporary transient states occur during operation in faulty conditions (eg. not all motor phases working properly). As a diagnostic sensor, the piezo strip has been used, which is very sensitive to any vibrations of the multi-rotor frame. The paper concerns the precise location of the sensor for more effective monitoring of the propulsion system state. For this purpose, a nonlinear analysis of the vibration times series was carefully presented. The obtained non-linear time series were studied with the recurrence analysis in short time windows, which were sensitive to changes in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle motor speeds. The tests were carried out with different percentage of the pulse width modulation signal used for the operation of the brushless motor and for different locations of the piezosensor (side and top planes of the multicopter arm). In the article, it was shown that the side location of the piezosensor is more sensitive to changes in the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle propulsion system, which was studied with the Principal Component Analysis method applied for four main recurrence quantifications. The research presented proves the possibility of using nonlinear recurrence analysis for propulsion system diagnostics and helps to determine the optimal sensor location for more effective health monitoring of multicopter motor.

Abstract Underwater explosions (UNDEX) generate shock waves that interact with the air–water interface and structures, leading to the occurrence of rarefaction waves and inducing cavitation phenomena. In deep-water explosions, complex coupling relationships exist between shock wave propagation, bubble motion, and cavitation evolution. The shock wave initiates the formation of cavitation, and their growth and collapse are influenced by the pressure field. The collapsing bubbles generate additional shock waves and fluid motion, affecting subsequent shock wave propagation and bubble behavior. This intricate interaction significantly impacts the hydrodynamic characteristics of deep-water explosions, including pressure distribution, density, and phase changes in the surrounding fluid. In this paper, we utilize a two-fluid phase transition model to capture the evolution of cavitation in deep-water explosions. Our numerical results demonstrate that the introduction of a two-phase vapor–liquid phase change model is necessary to accurately capture scenarios involving prominent evaporation or condensation phenomena. Furthermore, we find that the cavitation produced by the same charge under different explosion depths exhibits significant differences, as does the peak value of cavitation collapse pressure. Similarly, the cavitation produced by different charge quantities under the same explosion depth varies, and the relationship between cavitation volume and charge quantity is not a simple linear increase. The research methods and results presented in this paper provide an important reference for studying the dynamic characteristics of deep-water explosions.

Abstract With a significant number of mechanical products approaching the retirement phase, the batch recycling of discarded mechanical parts necessitates a preliminary assessment of their surface condition. However, the presence of surface rust poses a challenge to defect identification. Therefore, this paper proposes a method for detecting heavily rusted surface defects based on an improved YOLOv8n network. In the Backbone, the C2f-DBB module of re-parameterized deep feature extraction was introduced, and the attention module was designed to improve the accuracy of information extraction. In the Neck part, a Bi-Afpn multiscale feature fusion strategy is designed to facilitate information exchange between features at different scales. Finally, Focal-CIoU is employed as the bounding box loss function to enhance the network’s localization performance and accuracy for defects. Experimentally, it is proved that the improved network in this paper improves the Recall, Precision, and mAP0.5 by 1.2%, 2.1%, and 1.9%, respectively, on the original basis, which is better than other network models.