Search

Social capital is a significant factor that determines the success of a business, company or individual. The paper presents a new method to predict the aquaculture household’s ability to access to credit, based on social capital and artificial intelligence. Social capital data is collected through surveys of aquaculture households, and then replying on artificial intelligence algorithms to build predictive models. The prediction results show that our proposed method can accurately predict households accessing the formal credit market. This is the basis for the planning and development of aquaculture in potential areas. &nbsp

Attapulgite rod clay (ATP) powder has been widely studied as a high-quality lubricant additive, but its anti-wear and antifriction mechanism has not been clearly explained. To solve this problem, oil samples with different attapulgite powder contents were prepared in this study, and friction and wear tests were carried out to test the friction coefficient on the surface of the friction pair. Finally, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to verify the analysis results, and the mechanism of anti-wear and friction reduction of attapulgite powder was revealed fundamentally. The research results show that the reason why the lubricating performance of the oil sample is closely related to the amount of attapulgite powder is the proportion of Al2O3 and Fe2O3 in the friction layer, indicating that the lubricating performance of the oil sample is positively correlated with the proportion of Al2O3 and Fe2O3 in the friction layer.

In sixth-generation (6G) communication networks, ultrahigh-data rate and reliability are greatly vital for massive user connections and network sensors, such as Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) has been evolved as an efficient strategy to enhance the reliability of wireless communication systems through prolonging the battery lifetime by harvesting energy from the received radio-frequency (RF) signals. Furthermore, cooperative relay sensors in IoT networks can extend the network coverage. In this article, we consider a massive multiple-input–multiple-output (MIMO) two-way relaying system, where the relay node splits the received RF signals into two power streams, one for information decoding (ID) and the other for energy harvesting (EH). Two classical and linear relay precodings, i.e., zero-forcing reception/zero-forcing transmission (ZFR/ZFT) and maximum-ratio combining/maximum-ratio transmission (MRC/MRT), are adopted to satisfy the requirements of high rate in this relay system. Different from prior work, the SWIPT technique and large-scale fading effects of MIMO channels are taken into account for deriving the asymptotic sum-rates of four prevalent power scaling cases when the number of relay antennas grows to infinity. Finally, the analytical results are evaluated by the presented simulation and numerical results.

A larger antecedent effective precipitation (AEP) indicates a higher probability of a debris flow (Pdf) being triggered by subsequent rainfall. There are a number of scientific topics surrounding this qualitative conclusion that can be raised, including what kinds of variation rules do they follow, and whether there is a boundary limit. To answer these questions, Jiangjia Gully in Dongchuan, Yunnan province, China, was chosen as the study area, and a numerical calculation, rainfall scenario simulation, and Monte Carlo integration method were used to calculate the occurrence probability of debris flow under different AEP conditions and derive the functional relationship between Pdf and AEP. The relationship between Pdf and AEP can be quantified by a piecewise function, and Pdf reaches a maximum value of 18.96 % after the AEP exceeds 110 mm, indicating that debris flow in nature has an extremely small probability compared to the rainfall frequency. Data from 1094 rainfall events and 37 historical debris flow events were collected to verify the reasonability of the functional relationship. The results indicate that the first two stages of the piecewise function are highly correlated with the observation results. Our study confirms the correctness of the qualitative description of the relationship between AEP and Pdf, clarifies that debris flow is a small probability event compared to rainfall frequency, and quantitatively reveals the evolution law of debris flow occurrence probability with AEP, which can provide a clear reference for the early warning of debris flows.

Background Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a progressive and irreversible loss of kidney function. After stage 3, there will be increased risks of hypertension, heart failure, bone disease, anemia, gastrointestinal symptoms, and progression to end-stage kidney failure without proper intervention and treatment. Compound α-ketoacid tablets (KA) administration plays an important role in clinical CKD adjunctive therapy for patients with restricted protein intake. Bailing Capsule (BC), a commonly used Chinese patent medicine for renal diseases, could regulate human immune function, repair renal tubular epithelial cells, prevent renal tubular atrophy, and reduce kidney damage to improve renal function. In this study, we try to conduct a double-blinded, randomized, controlled trial to observe the efficacy and safety of BC combined with KA in treating patients with stage 3 CKD. Methods This is a double-blinded, randomized, controlled trial. Patients will be randomly divided into treatment group (BC and KT) and control group (BC-simulation and KT) in a 1:1 ratio according to random number table. The treatment course will be 8 weeks, and the changes of subjective symptoms, patient global assessment (PGA) scale, serum creatinine, cystatin C, and estimated glomerular filtration rate, all related adverse events, vital sign measurements, and physical examinations will be recorded. SPSS 21.0 will be used for data analysis. Conclusions The results will show whether BC combined with KA could alleviate the symptoms of fatigue, anorexia, halitosis, nausea, itching, and edema, improve kidney function in patients with CKD at stage 3. Trial registration OSF Registration number: DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/24AJ7.

Array optimization has recently received significant attention owing to its several advantages, such as larger array aperture and greater degrees of freedom (DOFs). However, current works focus on far-field sources, while array optimization for near-field sources has not been adequately investigated. Therefore, this work develops a new symmetry sparse array model for near-field sources based on the improved maximum inter-element spacing constraint (IMISC). The proposed symmetry IMISC (S-IMISC) array model has all the advantages of traditional sparse array models. Compared with traditional sparse array models, the S-IMISC array model affords more uniform DOFs and is less affected by mutual coupling. Additionally, in order to improve the real-time performance of near-field sources localization, the characteristic equation-based method (CEM) is used to obtain the azimuth information of near-field sources which can avoid eigenvalue decomposition (EVD), and a spectrum peak search and compression scheme is used to obtain the distance information by searching the partial area instead of the whole Fresnel area, thereby significantly reducing computation complexity. Extensive simulations verify the advantages of the proposed algorithm and the S-IMISC array model.

The main purpose of this research study is to examine leadership styles (autocratic, democratic and transformational) containing along with employees’ productivity in carefully chosen public university libraries of Sindh Province. So, for this purpose, the descriptive survey design is used in this study along with the nature of quantitative research methodology. The overall population for this study is comprised of two main public universities of Sindh, Pakistan. 1) University of Sindh, Jamshoro; 2) Mehran University of Engineering and Technology (MUET) Jamshoro, Sindh Province, Pakistan. The sample size for this study containing a total of thirty-one (31) library employees called librarians, which signifies the total population of academic employees called librarians in the institutes considered, was used. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire survey. The sample size for this study was thirty-one (31) respondents. Data was analyzed through SPSS software by using different statistical techniques likewise frequency, percentages, mean and standard deviation. Results for this study revealed the implementation of autocratic, democratic, and transformational leadership styles by means of the University library employees called librarians. The transformational style of leadership is largely accepted followed by democratic style. This study consistently concluded that the leadership styles of university library employees distress the efficiency of the employees under their supervision. This research study also endorsed that the formation of a better working environment, along with the adoption of good leadership styles that will absolutely develop the responsive relationship amongst the head of departments of all libraries with their subordinates.

In view of experimental literature of empowering leadership, current work proposes reevaluating the adequacy regarding empowering leadership from multiple lookouts. Right off the bat, the paper begins with the detail depiction of empowerment as indicated by the perspectives on various authors along with the process of empowerment together with five stages model and furthermore examines the numerous successful ideas of empowering leadership from different points of view based on legitimate and experiential looks into. According to the literature survey it recaps the constructs as well as dimensional parameters of empowering leadership. From that point onward, based on exact investigates; it breaks down the two principle viewpoints of empowering leadership alongside the discrepancies of empowering leadership from interrelated leadership constructs. It is also exploration about the feasibility of empowering leadership at individual and gathering level. Finally, in the end it brings up the confinements of momentum research and a few perspectives regarding upcoming study.

An abnormal phenomenal of rail corrugation was found in the transition and circular curve interval of the mountain city metro, in which the rail corrugation on the outer rail is more serious and ea...

The fruits of myrtle at different stages of development, namely green (G), colour break (C) and mature (M), were used to investigate the changes of fruit quality and anthocyanin composition during its development. Five anthocyanin components, such as delphinidin (Dp), cyanidin (Cy), pelargonidin (Pg), peonidin (Pn) and malvidin (Mv), were detected. Among them, the content of Dp glucoside was the highest (2.12 μg · g−1) and the content of Pn glucoside was the lowest (0.17 μg · g−1) at the green stage. The content of Cy glucoside was the highest (120.94 and 1,200.03 μg · g−1), and the content of Mv glucoside was the lowest (19.50 and 62.72 μg · g−1) at the colour break and mature stages. The single fruit weight, vertical diameter and transverse diameter at the mature stage were significantly higher than those at the colour break and the green stages by 0.87 g, 1.27 mm, 1.53 mm and 1.54 g, 3.4 mm, 3.55 mm, respectively. Fruit quality, the contents of soluble sugar and carotenoids, gradually increased with the development of fruit; and the contents were the highest at the mature stage (17.68% and 16.90 μg · L−1). The contents of titratable acidity, total phenol, flavonoids, chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll gradually decreased with the development of fruit, the content was the lowest at the mature stage (2.71 mmol · 100 g−1, 9.29 μg · g−1, 0.1%, 0.37 μg · L−1, 0.9 μg · L−1) and the content was the highest at the green stage (5.25 mmol · 100 g−1, 21.07 μg · g−1, 0.17%, 8.86 μg · L−1, 15.47 μg · L−1). The difference between the green period and the colour break period was significant.

A disastrous landslide occurred at the Hong’ao Waste Disposal Site in Shenzhen, China on December 20, 2015, involving a volume of 2.7 × 106 m3 of municipal solid waste (MSW) that travelled a distance of 700 to 800 m, covering an area of 3.8 × 105 m2 and caused 90 casualties. The geomorphological and geological characteristics of the waste disposal site were carefully examined and the landslide was classified as an extremely rapid flowslide. The major feature of the waste site was the basin-like structure with the bottom composed of low-permeable granite bedrock. Therefore, surface runoff could easily accumulate in the MSW due to the lack of drainage system, resulting in an increasing groundwater level. Laboratory tests, including physical characterization, Consolidation Isotropic Undrained (CIU) test and direct shear test were conducted to characterize the material properties of the MSW. Physical characterization indicated the MSW belongs to sandy silt, CIU tests indicated that static liquefaction was conducive to high-speed sliding. The direct shear test data were used to carry out numerical analysis of slope stability, in which the continuous rise in the groundwater level was taken into account. Numerical simulation showed that the pore water pressure induced by underground water seepage and gradual loading from the upper MSW placement aggravate the failure. Consequently, the main reason of the landslide could be concluded as follows: 1) the perched groundwater level due to a large upstream catchment area and the lack of drainage system; 2) the excess pore water pressure induced by static liquefaction played a significant role in its mobility.

In this paper, laser texturing is performed on the surface of Mn-Cu and Fe-Zn damping alloys and the tribological properties of the samples with various surface weaves under dry-sliding conditions are investigated. The results show that the surface weave parameters affect the size of the contact surface and change the number of micro-convex bodies at the contact interface. This leads to changes in the tangential damping of the contact and further affects the magnitude of the friction coefficient. Additionally, the damping properties significantly affect the wear mechanism and make it more prone to adhesive wear.

Studies have shown that the antecedent effect precipitation (AEP) is closely related to rainfall intensity-duration (ID) threshold of debris flow. However, the quantitative relationship between the AEP and ID threshold is still undetermined. In this study, a hydrological process based numerical model (Dens-ID) that can derive the ID threshold curve is adopted to address this issue. Jiangjia Gully (JJG) in Dongchuan District of Yunnan Province was chosen as the study area, Dens-ID was used to derive a series of ID threshold curves corresponding to different AEP. Based on calculated data sets including AEP, ID curves, parameters of ID curve equation (α and β), and debris flow density, the influence of AEP on the ID threshold curve is deeply explored. We found that although solid materials and runoff are the two necessary conditions for the formation of debris flow, the specific roles played in which are different: the volume of loose solid sources provides a basal condition for debris flow and determines the scale of debris flow, while the runoff volume will have a sudden change during the rainfall process, which is a key factor promoting the formation of debris flow. In the condition of AEP ranging from 20 mm to 90 mm, AEP and α can be described by the equation α = −0.0078AEP2 + 0.68AEP + 6.43, and β shows a linear change law with AEP. The error of the two equations were evaluated using 45 historical rainfall data that triggered debris flows, which is equal to 37.85 % and 11.1 %. Due to the two functions, the ID threshold curve can regularly move in the I-D coordinate system rather than a conventional threshold curve stay the same regardless of AEP variation, it is beneficial to improve the prediction capacity of the ID threshold.