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Enzymes may hydrolyse cellulose to produce glucose, which is then utilized to make ethanol, organic acids and other compounds. Cellulases are a class of hydrolytic enzymes that can break down cellulose, the most prevalent organic polymer, into smaller sugar molecules like glucose subunits. Due to its exorbitant price and low specific activity, cellulase accounts for only 50% of the total cost of hydrolysis. This enzyme is employed in a variety of industries, including the food, beverage, textile, laundry, paper and pulp sectors. As a result, extensive research has been done to find new microorganisms that produce cellulose enzymes more effectively and with higher specific activity. The evaluation of cellulase producing fungi isolated from various soil samples obtained at chosen sites in the Agra district was the main goal of this study. Using carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) agar medium, a total of 18 fungi were isolated in the form of pure colonies and tested for cellulose degrading abilities based on the presence of clear zones. Seven of the 18 fungal strains that were isolated were found to have cellulolytic activity. Endoglucanase "CMCase" (carboxymethyl cellulase) measured the cellulase activity. After quantitative assay it was found that isolated fungi SF3 had highest cellulase activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper describes the conceptual design phase in the product development of a natural fibre composites cyclist helmet liner, beginning with idea generation and ending with selecting the best design concept. The integrated Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ), Biomimetic methods, and the Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) method are demonstrated in this paper. This work aims to produce nature-inspired design concepts and determine the best design concept for the composite cyclist helmet liner. Following that, four design concepts were generated using the TRIZ-Biomimetic method, and the variance of concepts was developed using a morphological chart. The GRA method was chosen as the multiple criteria decision-making tool to compare their cost and weight criteria. The design concept C1 was selected as the best design concept for the natural fibre composites of cyclist helmet liner conceptual design when the highest grey relational grade (GRG) value and rank with a value of 1.0000 satisfied the GRA method conditions. This paper demonstrates how the integrated method of TRIZ-Biomimetics-Morphological Chart and GRA helps researchers and engineers develop designs inspired by nature and select the best design concept during the conceptual design stage using a systematic strategy and justified solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper presents an advanced exploration into the utilization of ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) combined with natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) to achieve higher concentrations of polyphenols from Graševina grape pomace. Focusing on optimizing extraction parameters to maximize the yield of polyphenols, this study evaluates their potential industrial applications, particularly within the food and cosmetics sectors. The effectiveness of betaine/glucose (BGlc) NADESs in producing stable, ready-to-use extracts with enhanced bioavailability and eco-friendly attributes is underscored. The integration of UAE with BGlc NADESs has shown significant scalability and applicability for industrial use, as evidenced by the extracts' collagenase-inhibitory effects, determined using a ninhydrin-based colorimetric assay showing the significant inhibition of gelatine degradation and scratch tests on cultured skin cells, demonstrating enhanced cell migration and wound healing, indicating their potential in anti-aging cosmetic products. Additionally, the results from PAMPA tests demonstrated that NADES extraction significantly enhances the intestinal absorption of polyphenols from grape pomace extracts compared to conventional solvents, highlighting the potential of NADESs to improve the bioavailability of these compounds and offering promising implications for their application in the food industry. Furthermore, the research highlights the practicality of directly incorporating these extracts into products, such as anti-aging creams and functional foods, supporting sustainability initiatives within the cosmetic and food industries. This work aims to provide a comprehensive guide to green extraction techniques on a preparative scale, showcasing the versatility and innovative applications of NADES-extracted compounds across various industries, thereby paving the way for the development of eco-conscious and effective products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, photodetectors based on traditional semiconductor materials no longer meet the needs of the rapid development of science and technology. Two-dimensional materials have attracted wide attention in academia and industry because of their excellent electrical and optical properties. In addition, WS2 is considered a promising photodetector material because of its tunable band structure, high stability, and high carrier mobility. In this paper, a metal-semiconductor-metal photodetector based on mechanically stripped WS2 material is designed, with a metal used as electrode material. However, the Schottky barrier and trap state between metal-semiconductor structures will lead to decreasing carrier collection efficiency. To further improve the performance of the detector, we consider graphene as the electrode material and design a photodetector with Au–WS2–Graphene (Gra)–Au structure. According to experiments, using graphene as an electrode can significantly improve the photocurrent gain and reduce the dark current. At 1 V positive bias and 3.9 nW illumination power, the responsivity of the Au–WS2–Gra–Au structure is as high as 29.0 A/W, which indicates that it has excellent ability in light response and weak light detection. This research makes it possible to realize photodetectors with low power consumption and ultra-high light responsiveness, which have great application prospects in practical electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The employment of college graduates is related to the overall situation of China's social development, and the difficulty of employment has become a social problem that cannot be ignored. Through the analysis of the current situation of employment, it is found that the lack of employment guidance in colleges and universities and the lack of employment concept of college students are important factors for the difficulty of college students' employment, and college counselors play an irreplaceable role in college students' career planning. Based on the characteristics of college counselors' work, the paper constructs a career planning evaluation system, hoping to provide new ideas for counselors' employment guidance. The college students' career planning evaluation is a multiple attributes group decision making (MAGDM). Recently, the TODIM and GRA technique has been employed to manage MAGDM. The probabilistic hesitant fuzzy sets (PHFSs) are employed as a useful tool for depicting uncertain information during the college students' career planning evaluation. In this paper, the probabilistic hesitant fuzzy TODIM-GRA (PHF-TODIM-GRA) technique is built to manage the MAGDM under PHFSs. At last, the numerical example for college students' career planning evaluation is employed to show the PHF-TODIM-GRA technique. The main contribution of this paper is outlined: (1) the TODIM technique based on GRA technique has been extended to PHFSs based on CRITIC technique; (2) the CRITIC technique is employed to derive weight values under PHFSs. (3) the PHF-TODIM-GRA technique is founded to manage the MAGDM under PHFSs; (4) a numerical case study for college students' career planning evaluation and some comparative analysis is supplied to validate the proposed PHF-TODIM-GRA technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-electrical discharge machining (µ-EDM) is one the most favourable process to machine difficult to cut materials in micro-scale with higher accuracy and precision. In this paper, two multi-response optimisation tools called Taguchi's grey relation analysis (GRA) and response surface methodology (RSM)-based desirability function are used to evaluate optimised micro-machining parameters for minimal overcut and circularity error during µ-EDM of nickel-titanium (NiTi) shape memory alloy (SMA). Taguchi's GRA revealed that electrode material has the strongest influence on both the responses followed by capacitance and discharge voltage. ANOVA analysis established that electrode material has the highest percentage contribution of 40.15% on both the responses. The optimisation result obtained by Taguchi's GRA approach is validated by the RSM-desirability function-based technique. The final optimisation result (capacitance 155 pF, electrode material tungsten, discharge voltage 80 V) is a very close agreement with the literature model (capacitance 355 pF, electrode material tungsten, discharge voltage 80 V), with reference to the overcut and circularity error for the improvement of the dimensional accuracy of the micro-holes. Further, the response surface plots disclosed the variation of overcut and circularity error with the process parameters at various levels in a descriptive manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the sustainable efficiency of container terminals (CTs). By the definition of United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), business sustainable development includes three domains: Economics, Environment, and Society. Accordingly, based on the definition and the practical features of CT operations, this paper assesses sustainable efficiency for CTs from three perspectives: container throughput, CO2 emissions, and occupational safety. In this paper, a modality movement and a fuzzy grey relational analysis (GRA) approach are first proposed to estimate CO2 emissions and occupational safety index for CT operators, respectively. A hybrid slacks‐based measure (SBM)‐DEA model is then developed to assess the sustainable efficiency of CT operators. Finally, the CT operators in the Port of Kaohsiung are empirically investigated to validate the research model. Based on the results, theoretical and practical implications for the management of CT operators and port authorities are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universities are important talent training bases in China and the main driving force for achieving the strategic layout of "revitalizing the country through science and education" and "strengthening the country through talent". Oil painting is a global art with rich humanistic and artistic value. Most art colleges in China have set up oil painting courses. Analyze the current situation and value of oil painting course teaching in local art (teacher training) majors, and leverage the educational role of oil painting courses by enriching course offerings, emphasizing the integration of humanistic innovation, improving teacher literacy, and striving to further improve the quality and efficiency of oil painting course teaching. The quality evaluation of oil painting teaching in universities is viewed as multiple-attribute decision-making (MADM). The grey relational analysis (GRA) is a useful tool to cope with the MADM issue. The probabilistic simplified Neutrosophic set (PSNSs) is easy to characterize uncertain information during the quality evaluation of oil painting teaching in universities. In this paper, in order to obtain the weight information, an optimization model implemented to obtain a simple and exact formula which can be employed to derive the attribute weights values based on the Lagrange function and the probabilistic simplified neutrosophic number grey relational analysis (PSNN-GRA) technique is implemented for MADM to rank the alternatives. Finally, a numerical example for quality evaluation of oil painting teaching in universities is used to verify the practicability of the PSNN-GRA technique and compares it with other techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abrasive Water Jet Machining (AWJM) is a popular machining method used to machine polymer matrix composites that are sensitive to temperature. This method is non-thermal, and each input parameter has a significant effect on output parameters, such as material removal rate, kerf width, surface roughness, and the potential for delamination. To ensure high-quality machining, it is crucial to set these input parameters at their optimal level. This paper proposes a simple approach to predict the optimum process parameters of water jet machining operations on jute fiber-reinforced polymer composite (JFRPC). The process parameters considered are standoff distance (SOD), traverse speed (TS), and abrasive material flow rate (MFR). Conversely, surface roughness (Ra) and delamination (Da) are the output parameters. Process parameters are set using Taguchi's L27 array, with consideration given to three levels of each input parameter. The best value for process parameters is found using grey relational analysis (GRA), and an ANOVA on GRA illustrates the impact of each input variable. After a confirmation test, it was found that the suggested parameters guarantee the best possible results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, multi-objective optimization of the hydrogen production ( m ˙ H 2 ) of a solar-based cobalt-chlorine (Co–Cl) thermochemical cycle with grey relational analysis (GRA) has been performed. Monthly total irradiance averages (A), wind velocity (B), receiver height (C), receiver radius (D) and number of heliostats (E) are considered to achieve the highest the useful energy absorbed by the solar receiver ( Q ˙ a b s ), efficiency of the receiver (η r e c ), the overall efficiency of the system (η o v e r a l l) and hydrogen production ( m ˙ H 2 ). Orthogonal experimental design is planned according to L 18 orthogonal array created by Taguchi method. The percent contribution rates (PCR) on the Q ˙ a b s , η r e c , η o v e r a l l and m ˙ H 2 are determined with the help of ANOVA analysis. The optimal parameters are identified as monthly total irradiance average of 143.8 kW h (A 3), wind velocity of 5 m/s (B 2), receiver height of 8 m (C 1), receiver radius of 3 m (D 1) and number of heliostats of 850 (E 3), respectively. The highest Q ˙ a b s , η r e c , η o v e r a l l and m ˙ H 2 values corresponding to A 3 B 2 C 1 D 1 E 3 are obtained as 50.2 GW; 64.1%; 22.2% and 122.59 (tons/month), respectively. The PCR of the A, B, C, D and E parameters influencing the f-factor are determined to be 12.6 %, 1.92 %, 0.48 %, 15.03 %, and 53.20 %, respectively. Also, empirical equations are developed with regression analysis (RA) to estimate the Q ˙ a b s , η r e c , η o v e r a l l , m ˙ H 2 values. The statistical coefficients (R2-value) for training and testing data's are determined in the range of 0.771167–0.99608 for Q ˙ a b s , η r e c , η o v e r a l l and m ˙ H 2 , respectively. • Hydrogen production of a solar-based Co–Cl has been investigated. • Optimization of solar-based Co–Cl determined with Taguchi based GRA. • The η o v e r a l l of solar-based Co–Cl computed as 22.2%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the process parameters of pulsed laser welding of Al–Cu are studied using response surface methodology (RSM) and grey relation analysis (GRA) to propose optimal directions for lap-shear strength of the joints. A single-factor experiment was conducted to find the suitable process parameter windows. The RSM models were established and analyzed with laser power, welding speed, pulse width, and frequency as inputs and joint lap shear, interfacial weld width, and weld-penetration-depth as outputs. With the use of GRA of interfacial weld width and weld penetration depth with the lap-shear force of joints, the improved direction for the lap-shear force of joints can be proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study utilizes the mold flow analysis technique of the injection compression molding (ICM) process, combined with the Taguchi--gray relational analysis (GRA), for process optimization analysis on the roundness of the lens holes and the flatness of the lens mount in a 4 x 4 planar multilens array mount. After manufacturing simulation analysis, the eccentricity and tilt information of the lens mount was further evaluated optically through spot diagram analysis upon inserting the same glass lenses. The results showed a positive correlation trend between roundness and flatness in structural deformation analysis, indicating that improving the overall flatness of the lens mount can enhance the roundness of the lens holes. In optical analysis, better improvements in the lens tilt angle were achieved through GRA. In conclusion, aiming to simultaneously improve the roundness of the lens holes and the overall flatness of the lens mount, the Taguchi--GRA method can achieve the optimization objectives. In terms of optical performance, by optimizing for roundness, it is possible not only to reduce the diameter of the light spot but also to simultaneously reduce the offset displacement of the light spot center on the screen. The method proposed in this paper can serve as an analytical model for the design and fabrication of plastic multilens mount. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intangible cultural heritage can be said to be an important component of tourism resources. With the rapid development of society in today's era, tourism development and intangible cultural heritage protection have gradually attracted attention from Chinese society, and in recent years, it has attracted high attention from relevant departments of the Chinese government. Tourism development has a "dual" impact on the protection of intangible cultural heritage, with both positive and negative impacts. The risk assessment of intangible cultural heritage tourism development is a MAGDM problems. Recently, the TODIM and GRA technique has been employed to manage MAGDM issues. The interval-valued Pythagorean fuzzy sets (IVPFSs) are employed as a tool for characterizing uncertain information during the risk assessment of intangible cultural heritage tourism development. In this paper, the interval-valued Pythagorean fuzzy TODIM-GRA (IVPF-TODIM-GRA) technique is construct to manage the MAGDM under IVPFSs. Finally, a numerical case study for risk assessment of intangible cultural heritage tourism development is employed to validate the proposed technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the 3D-printed textured samples are fabricated using fused deposition modelling (FDM) process for two different polymers such as ABS and PLA. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the influence of printing parameters on the tribological characteristics of 3D-printed textured samples. Here, the four major FDM printing parameters such as layer thickness (LT), nozzle temperature (NT), line width (LW) and printing speed (PS) are considered for the study. Whereas, the tribological characteristics of 3D-printed textured sample such as wear rate and friction coefficient are considered as output responses. The present experimental study is carried out based on the response surface methodology to evaluate the effect of these FDM printing parameters on the tribological characteristics of textured samples. These experimental results show that the line width is the most significant printing parameter followed by layer thickness. Whereas, the printing speed is the third most significant printing parameter. Furthermore, the optimized value of printing parameters for ABS and PLA are evaluated by using grey relational analysis. For the ABS polymer, the optimal value of printing parameters as layer thickness = 0.1 mm, nozzle temperature = 230°C, line width = 0.28 mm and printing speed = 75 mm/s. Whereas, for the PLA, the optimal value of printing parameters are: layer thickness = 0.14 mm, nozzle temperature = 220°C, line width = 0.31 mm, and printing speed = 50 mm/s. In addition, However, the wear rate first decreases with the layer thickness and nozzle temperature and then increases. The wear rate linearly increases with the printing speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foundations are one of the oldest organizational forms globally; their number and resources, as well as their socio-political and economic importance, have steadily continued to grow. Yet, foundations' attributes, activities, and actual achievements remain underexplored and poorly understood. This is particularly noticeable in the context of global policy and transnational administration, an area where foundations tend to be subliminal players, acting as a widely unrecognized socio-political undercurrent. Addressing the resulting need for better and alternative conceptualizations of foundations, our paper uses French pragmatic sociology of critique (FPSC), a non-structuralist, post-Bourdesian, approach to sociology, to theorize philanthropic foundations within the policy agora. Through FPSC, we present foundations as a composite setup of activity, where critically reflexive actors bring normative ideologies and knowledge to policy, providing a new avenue for how scholarship can interpret and critique foundations and their influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This paper presents an effective approach based on combining possibility theorywith the concepts of the ideal/non-ideal points. • The major technique usestheconcept ofMarkowitz's portfolio mean–variance methodology. • Through empirical examples, comparative studies, and sensitivity analysis, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed approach in selecting and evaluating aMCDM problemof pest control methods. The study presents the effective approach that combines the ideal with non-ideal points, GRA, and possibility theory to handle uncertain information in selecting pest control methods within an MCDM problem. The proposed approach for selecting pest control methods can incorporate uncertainty information expressed by fuzzy numbers, possibilistic mean, and possibilistic variance. Decision-maker can comprehend the gaps between alternative solutions and the aspired outcomes, and it allows for the consideration of decision-making risks under a fuzzy environment. The study establishes an evaluation framework for selecting pest control methods by using the empirical study, and one obtains an appropriate pest control method for managing Tessaratoma papillosa in Taiwanese crops. Through the practical example, the proposed approach can be demonstrated the feasibility and efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing number of students majoring in art in universities, the improvement of the quality of art teaching in universities is becoming increasingly important. However, due to the unique characteristics of art teaching compared to other majors, in order to improve the quality of art teaching, it is necessary to follow the individual characteristics of art majors and students, and establish corresponding systems to ensure the steady improvement of teaching quality, while taking students as the main body. Thus, the overall quality of cultivating art talents in universities can be improved. The art education quality evaluation in higher education institutions is MAGDM. In recent years, the Exponential TODIM (ExpTODIM) and grey relational analysis (GRA) technique was employed to deal with MAGDM. The 2-tuple linguistic Pythagorean fuzzy sets (2TLPFSs) are employed as an effective tool for expressing uncertain decision information during the art teaching quality evaluation in higher education institutions. In this paper, the 2-tuple linguistic Pythagorean fuzzy number Exponential TODIM-GRA (2TLPFN-ExpTODIM-GRA) technique is implemented to deal with MAGDM under 2TLPFNs. Finally, a numerical example for art teaching quality evaluation in higher education institutions is implemented to verify the proposed technique. The research contributions of this work are outlined: (1) the entropy technique is employed to conduct the attribute’s weight; (2) the 2TLPFN-ExpTODIM-GRA technique is implemented to implement the MAGDM under 2TLPFNs; (3) a numerical example for art teaching quality evaluation in higher education institutions and several comparative analysis is employed to validate the 2TLPFN-ExpTODIM-GRA technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite efforts to prevent and correct unsafe behavior on construction sites, such behavior persists among construction workers. Much of what makes unsafe behavior so difficult to eradicate is its contagious nature. The contagion pattern of unsafe behavior is not only based on the group characteristics of construction workers but also influenced by government regulatory agencies (GRA) and general contractors (GC). In this study, we established a contagion model of construction workers' unsafe behavior based on group-level factors and the dual influence of GRA and GC and employed evolutionary game theory and epidemic models to explore the contagion patterns and interventions of unsafe behavior. We find that, although the strong and weak regulation strategies by GRA suppress the contagion of unsafe behavior, the strong regulation strategy exhibits a better preventive effect; further, the active management strategies by GC have a dampening effect on the contagion of unsafe behavior and vice versa, enhanced perceived social benefits of GRA prevent unsafe behavior more than enhanced perceived image loss, and a high degree of group identity perception effectively inhibits the contagion of unsafe behavior when construction workers have relatively high levels of safety awareness. By portraying the contagion state of construction workers' unsafe behavior in actual situations, this study provides a theoretical basis for the decision-making of GRA and GC and helps to improve the work efficiency of GRA as well as the safety management level of GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate and rapid prediction of water quality is crucial for the protection of aquatic ecosystems. This study aims to enhance the prediction of total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River by integrating advanced modeling techniques. Using operational and discharge data from the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), along with water quality parameters from downstream sections, we used Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) to rank the factors contributing to TP concentrations. The analysis identified turbidity, permanganate index (CODMn), total nitrogen (TN), water temperature, chlorophyll a, upstream water level variation, and discharge from the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) as the top contributors. Subsequently, a coupled neural network model was established, incorporating these key contributors, to predict TP concentrations under the dynamic water level control during flood periods in the TGR. The proposed GRA-CEEMDAN-CN1D-LSTM-DBO model was compared with conventional models, including BP, LSTM, and GRU. The results indicated that the GRA-CEEMDAN-CN1D-LSTM-DBO model significantly outperformed the others, achieving a correlation coefficient (R) of 0.784 and a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.004, compared to 0.58 (R) and 0.007 (RMSE) for the LSTM model, 0.576 (R) and 0.007 (RMSE) for the BP model, and 0.623 (R) and 0.006 (RMSE) for the GRU model. The model's accuracy and applicability further validated in two sections: YC (Yunchi) in Yichang City and LK (Liukou) in Jingzhou City, where it performed satisfactorily in predicting TP in YC (R = 0.776, RMSE = 0.007) and LK (R = 0.718, RMSE = 0.007). Additionally, deep learning analysis revealed that as the distance away from dam increased, prediction accuracy gradually decreased, indicating a reduced impact of TGR operations on downstream TP concentrations. In conclusion, the GRA-CEEMDAN-CN1D-LSTM-DBO model demonstrates superior performance in predicting TP concentration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, offering valuable insights for dynamic water level control during flood seasons and contributing of smart to the advancement of water management in the Yangtze River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hastelloy B2 is a high-performance nickel-molybdenum alloy and has been used in micro reactor, pump, pipe, and corrosion-resistant equipment. Square holes are required in the above application components. Although square holes are easily produced by spending more electrodes wear in Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM). Moreover, the square hole with small electrode wear achieved is a challenging task in thermal machining. Hence, in this work, the effects of EDM process parameters on electrode taper angle, electrode radius, electrode wear length and cutting time of Hastelloy B2 are studied. Taguchi based VišekriterijumskoKompromisnoRangiranje (VIKOR) method is used to find the optimum process parameters and compared with Taguchi based Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) method for validation. The results showed that current and pulse duration greatly affects the electrode wear out surface and edges. The square electrodes with sharp edges and surfaces are fully transformed into hemispherical shapes at electrode ends due to an unstable spark with diffusion of heat. Also, the VIKOR method provides an alternative multi-criteria optimization method that enhances the process performance over the grey relational analysis due to comparability, uniqueness, assessment and prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid titanium metal matrix composites (HTMMCs) are advanced composite materials that can be tailored to a variety of applications. Because of their decreased fuel consumption and cost, they are popular in the transportation industry. Using multi-objective optimization and Taguchi-based Grey relational analysis (TGRA), this study investigates the impact of hybrid reinforced HTMMCs synthesized using powder metallurgy on their physic mechanical properties. The research investigates reinforcements such as B4C, SiC, ZrO2, and MoS2 at various compaction pressures, milling durations, and sintering temperatures. The best powder metallurgy control parameters for HTMMC synthesis, with a milling time of 5 h, a compaction pressure of 40 MPa, a sintering temperature of 1200 °C, and a sintering time of 1 h, and a compaction time of 40 min. According to validation results, HTMMC material with optimized process parameters had experimental densities, porosities, hardness, compressive strength, and wear rates of 4.29 gm/cm3, 0.1178%, 71.53RHN, 2782.36 MPa, and 0.1519 mm3 correspondingly. The material hardness was increased by 1.99% and compressive strength by 2.87%. The use of Taguchi and GRA techniques strongly verified that the impact of milling duration and sintering temperature was the greatest of all five factors. The novel synthesized hybrid reinforcing HTMMCs outperformed pure Ti grade 5 and single and double fortified HTMMCs in terms of physic mechanical characteristics. As a result, the newly developed tetra hybrid reinforced HTMMC material is expected to be used in heavy-duty vehicles, aerospace, automobiles, maritime, and other industries. Highlights: Developed new HTMMCs engineering material using powder metallurgy. In a multi-response optimization process, Taguchi-based Grey relational analysis (TGRA) was used to determine the most effective combinations of process variables. The high relative density, robust interface, and minimal cavities/porosity (less than 1%) of the sintered specimens make them acceptable engineering materials for use in the automotive and aerospace industries. The optimized HTMMC material exhibited improved hardness and compressive strength examination results, with an improvement of 1.99% in hardness and 2.87% in compressive strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban green spaces (UGSs) improve the environmental value of the city as well as the quality of life for citizens. Unfortunately, many major cities in India are lagging behind the minimum standard of UGS required in the city. For example, Agra city in India, one of the most famous tourist destinations in the world, represents two distinct realities of UGS in the same city. One is the focus of tourism, and the rest is the place of common people with very limited public green spaces, leading to multiple social issues (like spatial polarization, etc.). The secondary data concludes that the PPGC of Agra is lower than the standards, and the ongoing schemes are approached through quantitative methods. Despite having many UGS development schemes, Agra's UGS shows stalled growth. This research examines the policies and programs of UGS development (AMRUT, SCM, etc.) and reviews them to understand the unique gaps and possible regulatory interventions. The study includes an assessment of stakeholders' readiness to accept plausible UGS strategies using an analytical analysis approach. The primary data shows that PPP is the requirement for the integrated development of UGSs. The planners can make policies highlighting citizen's rights and responsibilities to enhance UGSs in Agra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During adolescence, socialization of gender role attitudes (GRA) shifts from parents to peers, friends, and classmates; thus, it takes place primarily in the school context. Accordingly, previous studies identified school-related factors associated to adolescents' GRA. However, little is known about the relative importance of these factors as well as about the factors' differences between females' and males' GRA. This study investigates the relevance of several school factors on adolescents' GRA and gender differences. Using data from the German National Educational Panel Study (N = 10,866), the results show that attending a higher educational school type, higher classmates' socio-economic background, lower proportion of female classmates, and more egalitarian classmates' GRA are related to more individual egalitarian GRA. Furthermore, the relation between classmates' GRA and individual GRA is more pronounced for males than females. The study further discusses starting points for possible interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In accordance with the emission regulations specified in GB17691-2018 ″Emission Limits and Measurement Methods for Heavy-Duty Vehicles (China VI)," this paper conducted actual on-road emission testing of a specific N 2 heavy-duty diesel vehicle using a vehicle-mounted portable emission measurement system (PEMS). Grey relational analysis and principal component analysis were employed to select input parameters and reduce the dimensionality of input parameters, thereby enhancing the quality of the input parameters. The main framework of the model utilized a Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) neural network characterized by a small scale, high accuracy, and good generalization capability. Innovatively, a combination optimization algorithm incorporating Bayesian algorithm and k-fold cross-validation was used to optimize hyperparameters, improving the predictive accuracy of the model. The training process employed a learning rate adjustment strategy that combined cosine annealing and exponential decay, thereby improving the search performance during the neural network training process. The resulting BO-GRU network exhibited a root mean square error (RMSE) of 1.2352 (mg s−1) and a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.9569 on the test set, indicating good predictive accuracy with a relatively small number of network parameters. This research provides a potential approach for the online precise monitoring of NOx emissions from heavy-duty diesel vehicles. • GRA and PCA minimized noise in input models, boosting parameter quality and model predictivity. • Bayesian optimization with K-fold cross-validation for hyperparameter tuning enhanced accuracy and training speed. • Cosine annealing and exponential decay improved training parameter search, enabling optimal parameter identification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of cloud computing, artificial intelligence, etc., data centers have become a flexible load due to their adjustable capabilities and are able to take on power service. However, the existing communication architecture is monolithic and poorly adapted between services and communications, which poses a challenge for data centers to participate in power service. Firstly, this article constructs a multi-domain communication architecture for data center management systems that includes local and remote communication, and analyzes the key technologies supporting this architecture. Secondly, based on differentiated service types and communication requirements, an evaluation system for the adaptability between service and communication technology was constructed, and a communication mode adaptation method based on fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP)-improved CRITIC combined weighting model and grey Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) was proposed to achieve the analysis of the adaptability between differentiated service and multi-domain communication technology. According to the analysis of examples, the architecture and adaptation algorithm proposed in this article provide an effective theoretical basis and solution for the selection of multi-domain communication technologies for data center management system service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Monitoring salinized soil in saline–alkali land is essential, requiring regional-scale soil salinity inversion. This study aims to identify sensitive variables for predicting electrical conductivity (EC) in soil, focusing on effective feature selection methods. (2) The study systematically selects a feature subset from Sentinel-1 C SAR, Sentinel-2 MSI, and SRTM DEM data. Various feature selection methods (correlation analysis, LASSO, RFE, and GRA) are employed on 79 variables. Regression models using random forest regression (RF) and partial least squares regression (PLSR) algorithms are constructed and compared. (3) The results highlight the effectiveness of the RFE algorithm in reducing model complexity. The model incorporates significant environmental factors like soil moisture, topography, and soil texture, which play an important role in modeling. Combining the method with RF improved soil salinity prediction (R2 = 0.71, RMSE = 1.47, RPD = 1.84). Overall, salinization in Minqin oasis soils was evident, especially in the unutilized land at the edge of the oasis. (4) Integrating data from different sources to construct characterization variables overcomes the limitations of a single data source. Variable selection is an effective means to address the redundancy of variable information, providing insights into feature engineering and variable selection for soil salinity estimation in arid and semi-arid regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Powder-Mixed Electrical Discharge Machining (PM-EDM) is one of the latest advancements in EDM process capability augmentation. This procedure involves effectively mixing a suitable material in fine powder form with the dielectric fluid. The dielectric fluid's breakdown properties are enhanced by the additional powder. The objective of the present research is to machine the Ti-35Nb-7Zr-5Ta alloy prepared by powder metallurgy and study the influence of process parameters, such as peak current, pulse-on time, pulse-off time, powder type (Ag, Si, Ag+Si), and powder concentration. The metal removal rate and SR represent the response parameters. The Taguchi approach was followed to design the experiments. The five-factor three-level design was chosen to use the Taguchi L27 orthogonal array. It was found that the addition of Ag, Si, or Ag+Si powders to the dielectric fluid enhanced the metal removal rate and the surface finish for this alloy. The addition of Ag powder to the dielectric fluid gave a higher Material Removal Rate (MRR) and a lower SR compared to Si or Ag+Si powders. Powder concentration and pulse current are the most effective parameters on MRR and SR followed by powder type, pulse-on, and pulse-off. The maximum Grey Relational Grade (GRG) exists at (I=5 A, Ton=9 µs, Toff=37 µs, PT=Ag, PC=20 g/L). These are the optimal conditions for PM-EDM of the Ti-35Nb-7Zr-5Ta alloy that give maximum MRR with minimum SR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this research is to optimize the input parameters utilized in dry CNC drilling of forging steel to attain sustainable machining. Particular emphasis will be placed on achieving high productivity while minimizing the impact on surface quality. To achieve the aforementioned goal, three Taguchi-based multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approaches, such as traditional gray relational analysis (GRA), weighted gray relational analysis (WGRA), and data envelopment analysis ranking (DEAR), were used for simultaneous optimization of the MRR and Ra. In Taguchi's L12 (24) orthogonal array design, the cutting mode parameters—such as cutting speed, depth of cut, feed rate, and point angle—have been chosen as the input parameters for the modeling and analysis of the drilling process characteristics. The process of determining the effect of the input parameters on the output parameters was carried out with the use of analysis of variance (ANOVA). The best results from the studies were Ra = 2.19 and MRR = 375 mm3/s, which corresponded to Taguchi's single optimization levels, S2F1D1A2 and S2F2D2A1, respectively. In the next step, the performance values obtained for each MCDM technique were reoptimized using the Taguchi method, and the optimal levels were obtained: for traditional GRA, the level S2F1D2A1 (Ra = 2.52 µm, MRR = 125 mm3/s); for WGRA, the level S2F1D1A1 (Ra = 2.31 µm, MRR = 83 mm3/s); and for DEAR, the level S2F2D2A1 (Ra = 4.42 µm, MRR = 375 mm3/s), respectively. Lastly, in order to compare the experiments' performance, validation tests were carried out. The results of the experiments using multi-objective optimization show that traditional GRA improved the overall quality response characteristics by 29.86% compared to the initial setup parameters, while weighted GRA improved them by 34.48%, with the DEAR method providing an improvement of 96%. Based on the findings of this investigation, the DEAR optimization method outperforms the GRA method. As a result, the proposed methods are useful tools for multi-objective optimization of cutting parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Friction stir welding (FSW) is gaining traction as a preferred technique due to its potential to reduce heat input and enhance the mechanical properties of welded joints. However, the path to commercializing FSW for flange joints is not without challenges. Two primary obstacles are the complexity of the welding path and the intricate design requirements for the fixtures. These factors contribute to the difficulty in determining the ideal weld settings and process parameters, which are critical for achieving optimal results. The current study addresses these challenges by applying FSW to flange joints using custom-engineered fixtures. These fixtures are meticulously designed to hold the pipes and plates securely during the welding process. The focus of the research is on optimizing the multi-performance characteristics of FSW for Al 6063 flange joints through the hybrid Grey-based Taguchi method. The integrity of the weld joint is assessed by examining various mechanical properties within the weld zone, including rotation speed, travel speed, tool profile, and shoulder diameter. The study identifies the optimal parameter settings for the FSW process: a rotation speed of 3000 rpm, a travel speed of 3 mm/min2, a shoulder diameter of 20 mm, and a conical tool profile. Under these ideal conditions, the welded material exhibited a tensile strength of 170.169 MPa, a hardness of 63.7709 HV, and a corrosion rate of 0.022 mm/year. These findings underscore the effectiveness of the optimized FSW process in producing robust and durable flange joints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The animation industry is an important part of China's cultural and creative industries. In fact, it is the leading cultural and creative industry in China. However, there is insufficient research on the audience's views in China's animation industry, which has become an important research gap. Thus, an integrated approach of FAHP and GRA is proposed in this study, to analyse and evaluate the key selection factors for the Chinese animation industry from the perspective of a Chinese audience. In this research, in both FAHP and GRA models, factors such as visual appealing character, interesting performance of character animation, and easy-to-understand storyline are prioritised conditions for the selection of Chinese animation from the perspective of Chinese audiences. The main contribution of this research is to underscore the value of the hybrid MCDM model to aid Chinese animation companies in aligning their productions with audience expectations and making informed decisions. Finally, this study offers a systematic and objective model for Chinese animation selection, providing practical insights that can be applied in the industry and can serve as a valuable reference for future research in similar domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The benefits provided by ecological assets play a crucial role in enhancing human well-being. However, there is a scarcity of viable methods for assessing their status. This study is grounded in Land Use and Land Cover Change (LUCC) and integrates both the quantity and quality aspects of these assets. Utilizing the ecological asset index (EQ and EQi), this study conducts a quantitative assessment of the assets in the Shibing karst and the Libo-Huanjiang karst heritage sites, while also qualitatively analyzing their influencing factors. The findings reveal that: (1) In the Shibing heritage site, forest and impervious surface assets exhibited an upward trend, whereas cropland and grassland experienced a decline; meanwhile, shrub and water body assets remained relatively stable. The total area of assets rated as excellent or good increased by 95.371 km2, resulting in an EQ enhancement of 45.427. (2) Likewise, in the Libo-Huanjiang heritage site, forest and impervious surface assets demonstrated an upward trajectory, while shrub assets declined. Cropland, grassland, and water body assets experienced minimal variation. The total area of assets rated as excellent or good expanded by 168.227 km2, resulting in an EQ enhancement of 80.806. (3) The execution of a series of ecological protection projects and management plans for heritage site conservation primarily accounts for the enhancement of regional assets. Notably, ecological resources, socio-economic conditions, human resources, and conservation management policies serve as pivotal drivers influencing the alterations in heritage site assets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The irrigation sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) confronts a range of obstacles, such as scarce water resources, the elevated salinity and alkalinity of irrigation water, inefficient irrigation practices, and inter-sectoral competition for water resources. These challenges have led to diminishing agricultural yields and abandonment of arable lands. Internet of Things (IoT)-based irrigation systems present a promising remedy for these issues. By curbing water wastage and ensuring precise water delivery to crops, IoT-based irrigation systems offer a viable solution to the challenges entrenched in traditional irrigation methodologies in KSA. However, the widespread implementation of an IoT-based Smart Irrigation System (I-SIMS) poses a multifaceted and intricate challenge in KSA. This study is focused on the identification of the factors and challenges through a systematic review and ranking of the challenges/factors that exert a significant influence on the adoption of I-SIMS. Ranking aids in determining the importance of various alternatives. It enables locating the best options that support the required objectives in complex decision situations. The study employs both Grey Relational Analysis (GRA) and Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) methodologies to prioritize these factors. The study's conclusive findings indicate that among the challenges, technical expertise and security measures emerge as the foremost concerns that demand attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The escalating prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria poses a grave threat to human health, necessitating the exploration of novel alternatives to conventional antibiotics. This study investigated the impact of extracts derived from the supernatant of four lactic acid bacteria strains on factors contributing to the pathogenicity of three Staphylococcus aureus strains. The study evaluated the influence of lactic acid bacteria supernatant extracts on the growth, biofilm biomass formation, biofilm metabolic activity, and biofilm integrity of the S. aureus strains. Additionally, the impact on virulence factors (hemolysin and coagulase) was examined. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry was used to identify the bioactive compounds in the extracts, while molecular docking analyses explored potential interactions. Predominantly, the extracts contain eight 2,5-diketopiperazines, which are cyclic forms of peptides. The extracts demonstrated inhibitory effects on biofilm formation, the ability to disrupt mature biofilms, and reduce the biofilm cell metabolic activity of the S. aureus strains. Furthermore, they exhibited the ability to inhibit α-hemolysin production and reduce coagulase activity. An in silico docking analysis reveals promising interactions between 2,5-diketopiperazines and key proteins (SarA and AgrA) in S. aureus, confirming their antivirulence and antibiofilm activities. These findings suggest that 2,5-diketopiperazines could serve as a promising lead compound in the fight against antibiotic-resistant S. aureus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, slit fin with lateral perforations are presented and the optimal parameters of the perforation on the silt fin are determined. The effects of the three design parameters of perforation length H , perforation height P and tilt angle θ on the j and f -factor are analyzed using gray relation analysis (GRA) base on the Taguchi method (TM). Numerical simulations were performed for different combinations of the three geometric parameters for 16 cases. Based on the Taguchi method (single-objective optimization) analysis, out of the three perforation parameters, the perforation length H exhibited the most pronounced impact on the j -factor, boasting a substantial contribution ratio of 33.1 %. The contribution ratios of the perforation length H , height P , and tilt angle θ influencing the f -factor were determined to be 31.1 %, 46.2 %, and 18.4 %, respectively. The optimal combination of parameters for perforation on the slit fins was obtained by Gray relation analysis (multi-objective optimization) with values of H = 1/3, P = 1 mm and θ = 90°, representing the highest j -factor and the lowest f -factor of the parameter configuration, in contrast to the remaining parameter combinations, the SNR values for its j and f -factor stand at −49.14 and 35.1, respectively while the JF -factor also outperformed those of the other 16 groups of cases. Finally, the results obtained by Taguchi method and GRA are analyzed in conjunction with flow behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global spread of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, originating in Wuhan, China, has had profound consequences on both health and the economy. Traditional alignment-based phylogenetic tree methods for tracking epidemic dynamics demand substantial computational power due to the growing number of sequenced strains. Consequently, there is a pressing need for an alignment-free approach to characterize these strains and monitor the dynamics of various variants. In this work, we introduce a swift and straightforward tool named GenoSig, implemented in C++. The tool exploits the Di and Tri nucleotide frequency signatures to delineate the taxonomic lineages of SARS-CoV-2 by employing diverse machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) models. Our approach achieved a tenfold cross-validation accuracy of 87.88% (± 0.013) for DL and 86.37% (± 0.0009) for Random Forest (RF) model, surpassing the performance of other ML models. Validation using an additional unexposed dataset yielded comparable results. Despite variations in architectures between DL and RF, it was observed that later clades, specifically GRA, GRY, and GK, exhibited superior performance compared to earlier clades G and GH. As for the continental origin of the virus, both DL and RF models exhibited lower performance than in predicting clades. However, both models demonstrated relatively higher accuracy for Europe, North America, and South America compared to other continents, with DL outperforming RF. Both models consistently demonstrated a preference for cytosine and guanine over adenine and thymine in both clade and continental analyses, in both Di and Tri nucleotide frequencies signatures. Our findings suggest that GenoSig provides a straightforward approach to address taxonomic, epidemiological, and biological inquiries, utilizing a reductive method applicable not only to SARS-CoV-2 but also to similar research questions in an alignment-free context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Variations in the concentration of glucoraphanin (GRA) and glucoerucin (GER), as well as the corresponding breakdown products, isothiocyanates (ITCs) and nitriles, were investigated during the growth of broccoli sprouts. The concentrations of GRA and GER decreased sharply from 33.66 µmol/g to 11.48 µmol/g and 12.98 µmol/g to 8.23 µmol/g, respectively, after seed germination. From the third to the seventh day, both GRA and GER were maintained as relatively stable. The highest concentrations of sulforaphane (17.16 µmol/g) and erucin (12.26 µmol/g) were observed on the first day. Hereafter, the concentrations of nitrile hydrolyzed from GRA or GER were higher than those of the corresponding ITCs. Moreover, the ratio of sulforaphane to sulforaphane nitrile decreased from 1.35 to 0.164 from 1 d to 5 d, with a similar trend exhibited for erucin/erucin nitrile after 2 d. RNA-seq analysis showed that BolMYB28 and BolCYP83A1, involved in aliphatic glucosinolate (GSL) biosynthesis, remained largely unexpressed until the third day. In contrast, the genes operating within the GSL-myrosinase hydrolysis pathway were highly expressed right from the beginning, with their expression levels increasing significantly after the third day. Additionally, we identified two BolESPs and six BolNSPs that might play important roles in promoting the production of nitriles during the development of broccoli sprouts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The qualitative and quantitative assessment of groundwater is one of the important aspects for determining the suitability of potable water. Therefore, the present study has been performed to evaluate the groundwater quality for Achhnera block in the city of Taj, Agra, India, where groundwater is an important water resource. The groundwater samples, 50 in number were collected and analyzed for major ions along with some important trace element. This study has further investigated for the applicability of groundwater quality index (GWQI), and the principal component analysis (PCA) to mark out the major geochemical solutes responsible for origin and release of geochemical solutes into the groundwater. The results confirm that, majority of the collected groundwater samples were alkaline in nature. The variation of concentration of anions in collected groundwater samples were varied in the sequence as, HCO3− > Cl− > SO42− > F− while in contrast the sequence of cations in the groundwater as Na > Ca > Mg > K. The Piper diagram demonstrated the major hydro chemical facies which were found in groundwater (sodium bicarbonate or calcium chloride type). The plot of Schoellar diagram reconfirmed that the major cations were Na+ and Ca2+ ions, while in contrast; major anions were bicarbonates and chloride. The results showed water quality index mostly ranged between 105 and 185, hence, the study area fell in the category of unsuitable for drinking purpose category. The PCA showed pH, Na+, Ca2+, HCO3− and fluoride with strong loading, which pointed out geogenic source of fluoride contamination. Therefore, it was inferred that the groundwater of the contaminated areas must be treated and made potable before consumption. The outcomes of the present study will be helpful for the regulatory boards and policymaker for defining the actual impact and remediation goal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advancement of quality and environmentally sustainable materials and products made from them has improved significantly over the last few years. However, a research gap is the lack of a developed model that allows for the simultaneous analysis of quality and environmental criteria in the life-cycle assessment (LCA) for the selection of materials in newly designed products. Therefore, the objective of the research was to develop a model that supports the prediction of the environmental impact and expected quality of materials and products made from them according to the design solution scenarios considering their LCA. The model implements the GRA method and environmental impact analysis according to the LCA based on ISO 14040. The model test was carried out for light passenger vehicles of BEV with a lithium-ion battery (LiFePO4) and for ICEV. The results indicated a relatively comparable level of quality, but in the case of the environmental impact throughout the life-cycle, the predominant amount of CO2 emissions in the use phase for combustion vehicles. The originality of the developed model to create scenarios of design solutions is created according to which the optimal direction of their development in terms of quality and environment throughout LCA can be predicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimization of machining processes is a deciding factor when increasing productivity and ensuring product quality. The response characteristics, such as surface roughness, material removal rate, tool wear, and cutting time, of the finish turning process have been simultaneously optimized. We used the Taguchi-based design of experiments L9(34) in this study to test and find the best values for process parameters like cutting speed, feed rate, depth of cut, and nose radius. The Taguchi-based multi-objective grey relational approach (GRA) method was used to address the turning problem of Inconel 718 alloy to increase productivity, i.e., by simultaneously minimizing surface roughness, tool wear, and machining time. GRA and the S/N ratio derived from the Taguchi approach were utilized to combine many response characteristics into a single response. The grey relational grade (GRG) produces results such as estimations of the optimal level of input parameters and their proportional significance to specific quality characteristics. By employing ANOVA, the significance of parameters with respect to individual responsibility and the overall quality characteristics of the cutting process were ascertained. The single-objective optimization yielded the following results: minimal surface roughness of 0.167 µm, tool wear of 44.65 µm, minimum cutting time of 19.72 s, and maximum material speed of 4550 mm3/min. While simultaneously optimizing the Inconel 718 superalloy at a cutting speed of 100 m/min, depth of cut of 0.4 mm, feed rate of 0.051 mm/rev, and tool nose radius of 0.4 mm, the results of the multi-objective optimization showed that all investigated response characteristics reached their optimal values (minimum/maximum). To validate the results, confirmatory experiments with the most favorable outcomes were conducted and yielded a high degree of concurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-image super-resolution (SISR) techniques have found wide applications in semiconductor defect inspection. Enhancing image resolution to improve inspection sensitivity and accuracy holds great significance. A novel SISR algorithm, called cross-convolutional residual network (CCRN), is proposed in this study. CCRN comprises a cross-convolutional module (CCM), which incorporates a cross-sharing mechanism that facilitates the fusion of features from different stages, enabling the extraction of more information from the image. Moreover, a global residual aggregation structure (GRA) is introduced. GRA captures and transfers different levels of residual features acquired from learning each CCM to the reconstruction layer. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed SR algorithm outperforms existing state-of-the-art SR algorithms in terms of both visual and quantitative metrics when applied to optical, SEM, and TEM images of microfluidic chips, CMOS image sensors, and quantum dots, respectively. Additionally, CCRN significantly improves the accuracy of defect classification and inspection of unpatterned wafers, as evaluated using the WM-811K dataset. Notably, an increase in local defection testing accuracy from 79.00% to 89.00% and an improvement in classification accuracy from 93.69% to 96.06% are achieved. These findings underscore the potential applications of the proposed algorithm in improving semiconductor defect inspection and classification accuracies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the rapid process of urbanization, many early renovated urban villages have also encountered many problems. Due to the rapid development of urban construction and the continuous changes in spatial functions, early renovated urban villages have already encountered problems such as unreasonable commercial distribution, lack of parking spaces, reduced commercial vitality, and commercial activities crowding out affecting the normal lives of villagers. There is a serious contradiction between the need for development and the quality of life of villagers. Due to the fixed nature of architectural space, only by fully understanding the essential morphological characteristics of the space can we find the optimal solutions for different space usage functions, and obtain the matching of the optimal solutions in the existing space requirements. The social ecological evaluation of the spatial form of old urban blocks is a multi-attribute group decision making (MAGDM). Recently, the grey relational analysis (GRA) and CRITIC method has been used to cope with MAGDM issues. The dual probabilistic linguistic term sets (DPLTSs) are used as a tool for characterizing uncertain information during the social ecological evaluation of the spatial form of old urban blocks. In this manuscript, the dual probabilistic linguistic GRA (DPL-GRA) method is built to solve the MAGDM under DPLTSs. The CRITIC method is used to obtain the attributes weights. In the end, a numerical case study for social ecological evaluation of the spatial form of old urban blocks is given to validate the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) materials have attracted more and more attention due to their excellent properties. In this work, we systematically explore the heat transport properties of Graphene-C3B (GRA-C3B) superlattices and van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures using molecular dynamics method. The effects of interface types and heat flow directions on the in-plane interfacial thermal resistance (ITRip) are analyzed. Obvious thermal rectification is detected in the more energy stable interface, GRA zigzag-C3B zigzag (ZZ) interface, which also has the minimum value of ITRip. The dependence of the superlattices thermal conductivity (k) of the ZZ interface on the period length (l p ) is investigated. The results show that when the l p is 3.5 nm, the k reaches a minimum value of 35.52 W m−1 K−1, indicating a transition stage from coherent phonon transport to incoherent phonon transport. Afterwards, the effects of system size, temperature, coupling strength and vacancy defect on the out-of-plane interfacial thermal resistance (ITRop) are evaluated. With the increase of temperature, coupling strength and vacancy defect, ITRop are found to reduce effectively due to the enhanced Umklapp phonon scattering and increased probability of energy transfer. Phonon density of states and phonon participation ratio is evaluated to reveal phonon behavior during heat transport. This work is expected to provide essential guidance for the thermal management of nanoelectronics based on 2D monolayer GRA and C3B. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In diabetes, high blood glucose induces glucotoxicity, resulting in the further damage of pancreatic beta-cells and then precipitating diabetic complications. This study was aimed to investigate the relationship between glucotoxicity with the level of adipokines, diabetic cardiomyopathy, and hematological markers. Moreover, the study examined the potential modulatory effect of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) on the aforementioned markers associated with the sequelae of diabetes mellitus. Material and methods: Twenty-four male rats were randomly assigned to receive an injection of STZ to induce diabetes (n = 16) or to remain uninduced (n = 8). The hyperglycemic status was induced in fasting rats by single intraperitoneal injection of STZ (45 mg /kg b.w.) dissolved in citrate buffer (pH 4.5). Three days after STZ injection, rats were divided into three groups; Normal control group (A), Diabetic control group (B), and CoQ10- treated diabetic group (C). The group (C) was fed with the basal diet supplemented with 5 g of CoQ10 per kilogram of diet for three weeks after the diabetes induction. After 21 days, the blood and serum samples were taken to conduct biochemical analyses. Blood glucose was determined by Blood Glucose Monitoring System. Adipokines or cytokines were evaluated by ELISA from a serum sample. Cardiac myopathy biomarkers were estimated by UP-Converting Phosphor Immunoassay Analyzer, and hematological parameters were measured by automatic hematology analyzer. Results: In hyperglycemic rats, the level of fasting blood glucose, and serum level of resistin, omentin, TNF-α, and cardiomyopathy biomarkers significantly increased (P < 0.05). The treatment with CoQ10 significantly decreased the profile of adipokines and cardiomyopathy markers (cardiac enzymes and LPPLA2) in diabetic rats and also reduced glucose levels (P < 0.05). Lymphocyte percentages significantly decreased while significant increases were observed in granulocytes and MID percentages in hyperglycemic rats. Conclusion: Diabetic rats had higher serum levels of adipokines and cardiomyopathy markers. Among the hematological markers, GRA% and MID% increased while LYM% decreased. The profile of adipokines and cardiomyopathy markers improved when CoQ10 was supplemented. The study suggests that CoQ10 may have a beneficial effect on improving diabetic complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this mixed methods, multi-year study was to explore aspects of a virtual international literacies project, the Global Read Aloud, that promoted students' multiple literacies. Guided by theories of critical, digital, and global literacies, we analyzed survey (N = 436) and interview (N = 21) data from K-12 literacy educators. Data revealed that educators perceived GRA-related benefits of virtual collaboration for digital literacies learning, of reading quality multicultural literature, and of teaching critical literacies as foundational to global meaning making. The results of this study contribute teachers' voices to discussions on the importance of developing critical, digital, and global literacies in this interconnected world. Data suggest that using shared readings and virtual collaboration can foster a community of readers, locally and globally, that create possibilities for students to experience and use literacies as a part of participating in authentic global meaning making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, information technology has penetrated into various fields of universities, and the development of information technology in teaching, scientific research, management, and services has become a catalyst for promoting changes in universities. In terms of teaching informatization, the Internet provides a powerful tool for knowledge dissemination and a huge platform for learning and communication between university teachers and students. Knowledge sharing has become easier, and the era of mutual interaction between teachers and students has arrived. University teachers need to quickly face this challenge, adapt to the new teaching and learning environment, improve their own literacy, enhance their information-based teaching ability, change their teaching behavior, and thereby improve the quality of university education and meet the needs of society for talent cultivation. The informationization teaching ability evaluation of university teachers is a classical MAGDM problems. Recently, the Exponential TODIM(ExpTODIM) and (grey relational analysis) GRA method has been used to cope with MAGDM issues. The interval neutrosophic sets (INSs) are used as a tool for characterizing uncertain information during the informationization teaching ability evaluation of university teachers. In this manuscript, the interval neutrosophic number Exponential TODIM-GRA (INN-ExpTODIM-GRA) method is built to solve the MAGDM under INSs. In the end, a numerical case study for informationization teaching ability evaluation of university teachers is given to validate the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]