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Nowadays, the process of urbanization is accelerating, and the density of buildings is increasing rapidly. Natural ventlation is an energy-saving way of building ventilation and to solve the issue of building overheating. The buildings are all considered as cubes and their arrays are evenly distributed. The results from nearly 100 cases show density is the main factor in uniform arrays and not much difference between the staggered and normal arrangements if consider a year. The method can reflect the ventilation capacity of the buildings, which is somewhat inverse to the air age but different meaning. It can be used to guide the layout and planning in early design stage.

Our world has become increasingly dependent on electronic technology. As most economic, cultural, and social activities are conducted in cyberspace, how to protect data from cyberattacks has arisen as a prominent challenge. Cybersecurity education and training that improves awareness among personnel is recognized as an effective approach. Higher education institutions (HEIs) have become prime cyberattack targets as they hold vast amounts of valuable research and personal data. This paper analyses the state of cybersecurity in HEIs and the problems of cybersecurity education, and proposes the solution of gamification of cybersecurity education. A detailed feasibility analysis and recommendations for developing cybersecurity education games are provided. This paper expands the theories of gamified cybersecurity education in China, and sheds light on enhancing the effectiveness of cybersecurity education in HEIs through games.

Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae), a kind of zoonotic bacteria, is among the most common antibiotic-resistant pathogens, and it causes nosocomial infections that pose a threat to public health. In this study, the roles of synthetic bovine neutrophil β-defensin-5 (B5) in regulating inflammatory response and metabolic response against multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae infection in a mouse model were investigated. Mice were administrated intranasally with 20 μg of B5 twice and challenged with K. pneumoniae three days after B5 pretreatment. Results showed that B5 failed to directly kill K. pneumoniae in vitro, but it provided effective protection against multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae via decreasing the bacterial load in the lungs and spleen, and by alleviating K. pneumoniae-induced histopathological damage in the lungs. Furthermore, B5 significantly enhanced the mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, Cxcl1, Cxcl5, Ccl17, and Ccl22 and obviously enhanced the rapid recruitment of macrophages and dendritic cells in the lungs in the early infection phase, but significantly down-regulated the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-17 in the lungs in the later infection phase. Moreover, RNA-seq results showed that K. pneumoniae infection activated signaling pathways related to natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity, IL-17 signaling pathway, inflammatory response, apoptosis, and necroptosis in the lungs, while B5 inhibited these signaling pathways. Additionally, K. pneumoniae challenge led to the suppression of glycerophospholipid metabolism, the phosphotransferase system, the activation of microbial metabolism in diverse environments, and metabolic pathways in the lungs. However, B5 significantly reversed these metabolic responses. Collectively, B5 can effectively regulate the inflammatory response caused by K. pneumoniae and offer protection against K. pneumoniae. B5 may be applied as an adjuvant to the existing antimicrobial therapy to control multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae infection. Our study highlights the potential of B5 in enhancing pulmonary bacterial clearance and alleviating K. pneumoniae-caused inflammatory damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a comprehensive three-dimensional finite element modeling and parametric analysis of composite beam-to-column joints in steel–timber composite structures. The investigation encompassed a variety of shear connector configurations, end plate designs, and bolt dimensions, aiming to elucidate their respective influences on the structural performance and behavior of these joints. Through meticulous numerical simulation, this research sought to enhance the understanding of the interactions and load transfer mechanisms within composite connections, thereby contributing to the optimization of design practices in the field of structural engineering. The load–displacement relationship for timber–steel composite joints subjected to monotonic loading was investigated using ABAQUS 6.14 software. This study systematically analyzed the effects of various parameters, including different configurations of shear connectors, end plate thicknesses, and bolt dimensions, on the overall performance of the joints. Through this comprehensive numerical analysis, the research aimed to provide deeper insights into the mechanical behavior and structural integrity of these composite connections under the applied loading conditions. A non-linear finite element model of timber was developed and verified with the results of the experiment in this study. The findings are discussed in detail, highlighting the intricate relationships between the selected parameters and their respective effects on the performance and overall stability of the composite connections. This thorough evaluation aimed to enhance the understanding of how these variables interact within the context of composite joint design and behavior. Finally, design recommendations for composite structures, such as the dimensions of the bolt, end plate thickness, and different sizes of shear connectors are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the visual quality of low‐light images and discover hidden details in images, an image enhancement algorithm is proposed, which is based on a fast and robust fuzzy C‐means (FRFCM) clustering algorithm combined with Retinex theory. The algorithm is based on Retinex theory to solve the above problems as followings: Firstly, the initial illumination estimation image is constructed by max‐RGB and segmented by FRFCM algorithm. Secondly, initial illumination estimation image and its segmented image linearly fused with a certain proportion is to obtain the optimized illumination estimation image, then is smoothed by guided filtering. Finally, reflected image is obtained by Retinex theory and the edge details of the image by equal ratio are enhanced, showing the enhanced image rich in detail texture. In order to verify the proposed algorithm, a large number of low‐light image datasets are applied to test the proposed algorithm. And the effects of image enhancement of the algorithm and other existing enhanced algorithms are also compared. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm performs well in both subjective and objective evaluation, especially the good ability to keep meticulous of details and colour retention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sputtering nickel oxide (NiOx) is a production‐line‐compatible route for depositing hole transport layers (HTL) in perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells. However, this technique often results in films with low crystallinity and structural flaws, which can impair electronic conductivity. Additionally, the complex surface chemistry and inadequate Ni3+/Ni2+ ratio impede the effective binding of self‐assembled monolayers (SAMs), affecting hole extraction at the perovskite/HTL interface. Herein, these issues are addressed using a recrystallization strategy by treating sputtered NiOx thin films with sodium periodate (NaIO4), an industrially available oxidant. This treatment improved crystallinity and increased the Ni3+/Ni2+ ratio, resulting in a higher content of nickel oxyhydroxide. These enhancements strengthened the SAM's anchoring capability on NiOx and improved the hole extraction at the perovskite/HTL interface. Moreover, the NaIO4 treatment facilitated Na+ diffusion within the perovskite layer and minimized phase separation, thus improving device stability. As a result, single‐junction perovskite solar cells with a 1.68 eV bandgap achieve a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 23.22% for an area of 0.12 cm2. Perovskite/silicon tandem cells with an area of 1 cm2 reached a PCE of 30.48%. Encapsulated tandem devices retained 95% of their initial PCE after 300 h of maximum power point tracking under 1‐sun illumination at 25 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]