Semantic Region Estimation of Assistant Robot for the Elderly Long-Term Operation in Indoor Environment

In this work, in order to improve spatial recognition abilities for the long-term operation tasks of the assistant robot for the elderly, a novel approach of semantic region estimation is proposed. We define a novel graphbased semantic region descriptions, which are estimated in a dynamically fashion. We propose a two-level update algorithm, namely, Symbols update level and Regions update level. The algorithm firstly adopts particle filter to update weights of the symbols, and then use the Viterbi algorithm to estimate the region the robot stays in based on those weights, optimally. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed approach can solve problems of the long-term operation and kidnapped robot problem.

Long-term Operation Realization of Laser Ion Source

The capability of the laser ion source to produce high charge state and high intensity ion beams from light to medium-mass elements had been demonstrated in our previous research[1],and the shot-to-shot repeatability of the ion beam pulses during the operation lasting for less than three hours as well.

Improving the operational stability of perovskite solar cells with cesium-doped graphene oxide interlayer

Perovskite solar cells(PSCs)have made great advances in terms of power conversion efficiency(PCE),yet their subpar stability continues to hinder their commercialization.The interface between the perovskite layer and the charge-carrier transporting layers plays a crucial role in undermining the stability of PSCs.In this work,we propose a strategy to stabilize high-performance PSCs with PCE over 23%by introducing a cesium-doped graphene oxide(GO-Cs)as an interlayer between the perovskite and hole-transporting material.The GO-Cs treated PSCs exhibit excellent operational stability with a projected T80(the time where the device PCE reduces to 80%of its initial value)of 2143 h of operation at the maximum powering point under one sun illumination.

Recovery of Cu(Ⅱ) from aqueous solution by induced crystallization in a long-term operation

The feasibility of copper recovery by induced crystallization in a long period（174 days） was investigated in a seeded fluidized bed reactor（FBR）. The process was divided into 3 periods according to different influent conditions, and the period Ⅲ was separated into Ⅲ-a and Ⅲb due to the adjustment of the molar ratio of CO3^2- concentration to copper concentration（[CT]/[Cu^2＋]）. The removal efficiency could exceed 95% and the average effluent copper concentration decreased to 3.0 mg/L. The mean particle size of seed grains with copper crystals coating on, raised to 0.36 mm from initial 0.18 mm. During period Ⅲ-a, the supersaturation exceeded 2.88 × 104, the removal efficiency decreased to 60%–80% and the particle size dropped to 0.30 mm, due to the generation of fines by homogeneous crystallization and seeds breaking. And the morphology of the crystals on the seed grains changed from rod-like to spherical which lead to the particle size decreasing. In period Ⅲ-b,the supersaturation was modified by adjusting the molar ratio of [CT]/[Cu^2＋] to 1.2 from 2.The efficiency was back to 95% and the mean particle size grew to 0.36 mm at the end of Ⅲb, the crystals coating on the seeds turned back to rod-like products of good stability. This study illustrated that the copper salt crystal could keep on growing on the seed grains for over 150 days, the feasibility and controllability of copper recovery by induced crystallization process in FBR were satisfactory, even under the dramatic changes in influent conditions.

Development of a Long-Term Operational Optimization Model for a Building Energy System Supplied by a Geothermal Field

In order to reduce energy consumption and CO_(2) emissions in the building sector, more and more renewable energy sources are integrated into energy systems. Especially geothermal fields combined with heat pumps are able to supply buildings with heat and cold at low carbon emissions. However, using geothermal fields as heat and cold source influences the ground temperature. Consequently, the ground temperature can change dramatically over a building’s lifetime, leading to less efficient operation of the energy system. Therefore, a sustainable operation is required to ensure the long-term efficiency of geothermal fields. In this paper, we develop an optimization model to derive operating strategies for an efficient long-term operation of a building energy system coupled to a geothermal field. The investigated energy system is the main building of the E.ON Energy Research Center in Aachen, Germany, which includes a heat pump, two boilers, a combined heat, and power unit, a glycol cooler, and a geothermal field with 41 probes. For each component, we develop energy-based sub-models, which are connected to form the overall system. The geothermal field is modeled by using a g-functions approach as well as a simplified resistance-capacitance approach. To achieve short computing times and realize an optimization horizon of several years, the optimization problem is formulated as mixed-integer linear programming(MILP). The developed model is optimized regarding two different objectives: the minimization of energy costs and the minimization of long-term temperature changes in the ground. Conclusions for an efficient and sustainable operation of the field, especially for the cooling supply, can be derived from the optimization results. It is shown that a state of equilibrium should be aimed to achieve an energy-efficient operation, in which the temperature of the field is close to the initial ground temperature.

Effects of spot size on the operation mode of Ga As photoconductive semiconductor switch employing extrinsic photoconductivity

To guide the illuminating design to improve the on-state performances of gallium arsenide(GaAs)photoconductive semiconductor switch(PCSS),the effect of spot size on the operation mode of GaAsPCSS based on a semi-insulating wafer with a thickness of 1 mm,triggered by a 1064-nm extrinsic laser beam with the rectangular spot,has been investigated experimentally.It is found that the variation of the spot size in length and width can act on the different parts of the output waveform integrating the characteristics of the linear and nonlinear modes,and then significantly boosts the PCSS toward different operation modes.On this basis,a two-channel model containing the active and passive parts is introduced to interpret the relevant influencing mechanisms.Results indicate that the increased spot length can peak the amplitude of static domains in the active part to enhance the development of the nonlinear switching,while the extended spot width can change the distribution of photogenerated carriers on both parts to facilitate the linear switching and weaken the nonlinear switching,which have been proved by comparing the domain evolutions under different spot sizes.

Daily optimized model for long-term operation of the Three Gorges-Gezhouba Cascade Power Stations

This paper presents the step-by-step genetic algorithm based on artificial intelligence guidance and builds a long-term daily optimized operating model for the Three Gorges-Gezhouba Hydropower Complex with single generating set as the based operating unit. Actual operating data from 2004 to 2006 are used to verify the model, and results show that the simulation accuracy determined by measuring the total amount of cascade power generation reaches 99.66%. Statistic hydrological data of normal years and actual data of three years of 2004―2006 are respectively used to perform an optimized prediction of the power generation process and benefits in future when the water stored in the TGP Reservoir reaches 175 m level and power generation benefits under different operation modes, such as delayed subsiding water level, advance water storage, and adopting of different flood-limited water levels, are forecasted. In the case of years with normal inflows, the total amount of cascade power generation running on current specifications reaches 107500 GWh per year. If the commencement of water storage after the flood season is moved forward by 20 days, the amount of power generation can be increased by 3400 GWh per year. If the limited water level in the flood season is raised by three to five meters, the amount of power generation can be increased by 1600 to 3200 GWh per year. If the commencement of water storage is moved forward while the maximum water level allowed in the flood season is raised, the amount of power generation can be increased by 6400 GWh per year.

Stages and Fracture Mechanisms of Lamellar Pearlite of 100-m-Long Differentially Hardened Rails Under Long-Term Operation Conditions

Using the methods of transmission electron microscopy, the carbide phase evolution in surface layers of the differentiallyquenched rails is studied after the passed tonnage of 691.8 million tons at the depth up to 10 mm along the central axis andfillet of rail head. The action of two mutual supplement mechanisms of steel carbide phase transformation in surface layersat rail operation is established： （1） cutting mechanism of cementite particles with the following departure in the volume offerrite grains or plates （in pearlite structure）; （2） cutting mechanism and following dissolution of cementite particles,transfer of carbon atoms on dislocations （in Cottrell atmospheres and dislocation cores）, transfer of carbon atoms bymoving dislocations into ferrite grains volume （or plates） with the following repeated formation of nanosized cementiteparticles. The first mechanism is accompanied by the change in linear sizes and morphology of carbide particles. Cementiteelement composition change is not essential. Carbide structure change can take place during the second mechanism.

Video caching and scheduling with edge cooperation

In this paper,we explore a distributed collaborative caching and computing model to support the distribution of adaptive bit rate video streaming.The aim is to reduce the average initial buffer delay and improve the quality of user experience.Considering the difference between global and local video popularities and the time-varying characteristics of video popularity,a two-stage caching scheme is proposed to push popular videos closer to users and minimize the average initial buffer delay.Based on both long-term content popularity and short-term content popularity,the proposed caching solution is decouple into the proactive cache stage and the cache update stage.In the proactive cache stage,we develop a proactive cache placement algorithm that can be executed in an off-peak period.In the cache update stage,we propose a reactive cache update algorithm to update the existing cache policy to minimize the buffer delay.Simulation results verify that the proposed caching algorithms can reduce the initial buffer delay efficiently.

Safety Evaluation Method for Long-Term Operation of Metro Based on Combination Weighting Method

Metros are critical infrastructure in big cities and evaluation of their safe operation is of increasing im-portance.To make a reasonable safety evaluation for the metro during operation,this paper establishes a rational safety evaluation model based on long-term monitoring data of Shanghai Metro Line 2.Four evaluation indicators,ie.,absolute settlement,relative curvature,deformation rate and curvature radius,are adopted.Analytic hierar-chy process(AHP)and entropy method are combined to determine the weights of the indicators.The risk level values at different mileage are calculated and five danger levels are defined accordingly to determine the safety state of Shanghai Metro Line 2,ie.,safe,relatively safe,critical,relatively dangerous,and dangerous.Safety evaluation of Shanghai Metro Line 2 shows that:83.81%areas of Shanghai Metro Line 2 are in safe,relatively safe and critical states,while 15.63%and 0.57%areas are in relatively dangerous and dangerous states,respectively;the parts of Shanghai Metro Line 2 where the risk level values exceed the critical value are mainly distributed around the mileage at 6.0-7.5km and 8.5-11.0 km,and the risk level value peaks around the mileage at 7.3km,to which much attention should be attached and relevant protective measures be taken;the sections with the high risk level values coincide with the distinctly deforming arcas of the metro,indicating that this evaluation method is valid.

Numerical analysis for the free-boundary current reversal equilibrium in the AC plasma current operation in a tokamak

In recent decades, tokamak discharges with zero total toroidal current have been reported in tokamak experiments, and this is one of the key problems in alternating current(AC) operations.An efficient free-boundary equilibrium code is developed to investigate such advanced tokamak discharges with current reversal equilibrium configuration. The calculation results show that the reversal current equilibrium can maintain finite pressure and also has considerable effects on the position of the X-point and the magnetic separatrix shape, and hence also on the position of the strike point on the divertor plates, which is extremely useful for magnetic design, MHD stability analysis, and experimental data analysis etc. for the AC plasma current operation on tokamaks.

Influence of cyclic ignition and steady-state operation on a 1–2 A barium tungsten hollow cathode

Booming low-power electric propulsion systems require 1–2 A hollow cathodes.Such cathodes are expected to go through more frequent ignitions in the low orbit,but the impact of cyclic ignitions on such 1–2 A barium tungsten hollow cathodes with a heater was not clear.In this study,a 12,638-cyclic ignition test and a 6,000-hour-long life test on two identical cathodes were carried out.The discharge voltage of the cathode and the erosion of the orifice after cyclic ignition were all larger than that of the cathode after stable operation.This indicated that the impact of cycle ignition on the discharge performance of a low current BaO-W cathode with a heater was higher than that of stable operation.The results of the ion energy distribution function measured during the ignition period indicated that the main reason for the orifice expansion was ion bombardment.Therefore,it was necessary to pay attention to the number of ignitions for the lifetime of this kind of cathode.

JR East aims for driverless Shinkansen operation

East Japan Railway Company(JR East)is aiming to“realize driverless train operation”as one of the key measures to respond to rapid changes in the business environment.Currently,Automatic Train Operation(ATO)equipment is not installed on the Shinkansen,but there are plans to introduce ATO or driverless operation in the near future.From 2018-2021,the Ministry of Land,Infrastructure,Transport and Tourism(MLIT)held the“ATO Technology Study Group for Railways”in which the concept of technical requirements necessary for driverless operation was discussed.In 2021,JR East conducted the GOA4 demonstration test on the Joetsu Shinkansen.In this test,we were able to confirm the basic functions of Shinkansen vehicles such as automatic departure control,speed control,fixed position stop control,and remote stop control using ATO.We aim to realize unattended operation(GOA4)for deadhead trains between Niigata Station and the Niigata Shinkansen Rolling Stock Center by the end of the 2020 s,and driverless operation(GOA3)for passenger trains of the Joetsu Shinkansen by the mid-2030s and continue to develop the necessary technologies and build systems.

Continuous wave and active Q-switched operation of Watt-level LED-pumped two-rod Nd,Ce:YAG laser

A high-performance LED-side-pumped two-rod Nd,Ce:YAG laser with continuous-wave(CW) and acousto–optical(A-O) Q-switched operation is demonstrated in this work. A symmetrically shaped flat–flat cavity with two identical LEDside-pumped laser modules is employed for power scalability. In the CW regime, the maximum output average power of laser at 1064 nm is 4.41 W, corresponding to a maximum optical conversion efficiency of 5.3% and a slope efficiency is 12.4%. In the active Q-switched regime, the pulse energy of laser reaches as high as 0.89 m J at a repetition rate of 800 Hz with a pulse width of 457.2 ns, the corresponding highest peak output power is 1.94 k W and the M~2 factor is measured to be about 8.8. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first demonstration and the highest performance of a CW LED-side-pumped two-rod laser Nd,Ce:YAG with Watt-level output reported so far.

Review of Fault-tolerant Control for Motor Inverter Failure with Operational Quality Considered

In recent years,motor drive systems have garnered increasing attention due to their high efficiency and superior control performance.This is especially apparent in aerospace,marine propulsion,and electric vehicles,where high performance,efficiency,and reliability are crucial.The ability of the drive system to maintain long-term fault-tolerant control(FTC)operation after a failure is essential.The likelihood of inverter failures surpasses that of other components in the drive system,highlighting its critical importance.Long-term FTC operation ensures the system retains its fundamental functions until safe repairs or replacements can be made.The focus of developing a FTC strategy has shifted from basic FTC operations to enhancing the post-fault quality to accommodate the realities of prolonged operation post-failure.This paper primarily investigates FTC strategies for inverter failures in various motor drive systems over the past decade.These strategies are categorized into three types based on post-fault operational quality:rescue,remedy,and reestablishment.The paper discusses each typical control strategy and its research focus,the strengths and weaknesses of various algorithms,and recent advancements in FTC.Finally,this review summarizes effective FTC techniques for inverter failures in motor drive systems and suggests directions for future research.

A Cross-Sectional Study on the Impact of Operation Triple Zero (OTZ) Program on Viral Load Suppression amongst Members of the Adolescent Club in 68 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital Yaba Lagos, Nigeria

Background: In Nigeria, adolescents and young people (AYP) aged 10 - 24, comprise 22.3% of the population and with HIV prevalence of 3.5%. The AYP living with HIV enrolled at the 68 NARHY, Lagos reflects the national challenges with poor viral suppression. The OTZ program aligns with the UNAIDS 95-95-95 goals. It seeks to empower AYPLHIV to be in charge of their treatment and commit to triple zero outcomeszero missed appointments, zero missed drugs, and zero viral loads. The purpose of the study was to assess the impact of the OTZ program on viral load suppression among members of the adolescent club in 68 NARHY, Lagos. Method: A cross-sectional retrospective study to evaluate the impact of the OTZ program on the viral load of 53 AYP enrolled in the OTZ program between March 2019 to December 2019 was analyzed. The Percentage of viral load suppression before enrollment compared with 6 and 12 months after enrollment into the OTZ program. The AYP is grouped into 10 - 14, 15 - 19, and 20 - 24 years. Activities conducted were peer driven monthly meetings with the AYP during which the adolescents interacted on issues relating to improving their treatment outcomes, healthcare workers reviewed their clinical status, viral load result, provider peer counseling, and caregivers engagement to support adherence to medication and ARV refills. Results: Before OTZ, 81% aged 10 - 14 years, 75% aged 15 - 19 years, and 25% aged 20 - 24 years were virally suppressed (VL less than 1000 copies/ml). Six months after enrollment, 94% were virally suppressed95% aged 10 - 14 years, 96% aged 15 - 19 years, and 66% aged 20-24 years. Twelve months after enrollment, 96% of AYP were virally suppressed100% aged 10-14 years, 93% aged 15 - 19 years, and 100% aged 20 - 24 years. Males viral load (VL) suppression improved from 79% to 96% and 92%, while females VL suppression improved from 69% to 93% and 100% at 6 and 12 months respectively. Conclusion: The OTZ activities contributed to improved viral load suppression in the AYP of the facility.

A Planning Method for Operational Test of UAV Swarm Based on Mission Reliability

The unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)swarm plays an increasingly important role in the modern battlefield,and the UAV swarm operational test is a vital means to validate the combat effectiveness of the UAV swarm.Due to the high cost and long duration of operational tests,it is essential to plan the test in advance.To solve the problem of planning UAV swarm operational test,this study considers the multi-stage feature of a UAV swarm mission,composed of launch,flight and combat stages,and proposes a method to find test plans that can maximize mission reliability.Therefore,a multi-stage mission reliability model for a UAV swarm is proposed to ensure successful implementation of the mission.A multi-objective integer optimization method that considers both mission reliability and cost is then formulated to obtain the optimal test plans.This study first constructs a mission reliability model for the UAV swarm in the combat stage.Then,the launch stage and flight stage are integrated to develop a complete PMS(Phased Mission Systems)reliability model.Finally,the Binary Decision Diagrams(BDD)and Multi Objective Quantum Particle Swarm Optimization(MOQPSO)methods are proposed to solve the model.The optimal plans considering both reliability and cost are obtained.The proposed model supports the planning of UAV swarm operational tests and represents a meaningful exploration of UAV swarm test planning.

A coordinated operation method of wind-PV-hydrogenstorage multi-agent energy system

Wind-photovoltaic(PV)-hydrogen-storage multi-agent energy systems are expected to play an important role in promoting renewable power utilization and decarbonization.In this study,a coordinated operation method was proposed for a wind-PVhydrogen-storage multi-agent energy system.First,a coordinated operation model was formulated for each agent considering peer-to-peer power trading.Second,a coordinated operation interactive framework for a multi-agent energy system was proposed based on the theory of the alternating direction method of multipliers.Third,a distributed interactive algorithm was proposed to protect the privacy of each agent and solve coordinated operation strategies.Finally,the effectiveness of the proposed coordinated operation method was tested on multi-agent energy systems with different structures,and the operational revenues of the wind power,PV,hydrogen,and energy storage agents of the proposed coordinated operation model were improved by approximately 59.19%,233.28%,16.75%,and 145.56%,respectively,compared with the independent operation model.

Market Operation of Energy Storage System in Smart Grid:A Review

As a flexible resource,energy storage plays an increasingly significant role in stabilizing and supporting the power system,while providing auxiliary services.Still,the current high demand for energy storage contrasts with the fuzzy lack of market-oriented mechanisms for energy storage,the principle of market-oriented operation has not been embodied,and there is no unified and systematic analytical framework for the business model.However,the dispatch management model of energy storage in actual power system operation is not clear.Still,the specific scheduling process and energy storage strategy on the source-load-network side could be more specific,and there needs to be a greater understanding of the collaborative scheduling process of the multilevel scheduling center.On this basis,this paper reviews the energy storage operation model and market-based incentive mechanism,For different functional types and installation locations of energy storage within the power system,the operational models and existing policies for energy storage participation in the market that are adapted to multiple operating states are summarized.From the point of view of the actual scheduling and operation management of energy storage in China,an energy storage regulation and operation management model based on“national,provincial,and local”multilevel coordination is proposed,as well as key technologies in the interactive scenarios of source-load,network and storage.

TRIANGLE operation,combined with adequate adjuvant chemotherapy,can improve the prognosis of pancreatic head cancer:A retrospective study

BACKGROUND The TRIANGLE operation involves the removal of all tissues within the triangle bounded by the portal vein-superior mesenteric vein,celiac axis-common hepatic artery,and superior mesenteric artery to improve patient prognosis.Although previously promising in patients with locally advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC),data are limited regarding the long-term oncological outcomes of the TRIANGLE operation among resectable PDAC patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy(PD).AIM To evaluate the safety of the TRIANGLE operation during PD and the prognosis in patients with resectable PDAC.METHODS This retrospective cohort study included patients who underwent PD for pancreatic head cancer between January 2017 and April 2023,with or without the TRIANGLE operation.Patients were divided into the PD_(TRIANGLE)and PD_(non-TRIANGLE)groups.Surgical and survival outcomes were compared between the two groups.Adequate adjuvant chemotherapy was defined as adjuvant chemotherapy≥6 months.RESULTS The PD_(TRIANGLE)and PD_(non-TRIANGLE) groups included 52 and 55 patients,respectively.There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics or perioperative indexes between the two groups.Furthermore,the recurrence rate was lower in the PD_(TRIANGLE) group than in the PD_(non-TRIANGLE) group(48.1%vs 81.8%,P<0.001),and the local recurrence rate of PDAC decreased from 37.8%to 16.0%.Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that PD_(TRIANGLE)(HR=0.424;95%CI:0.256-0.702;P=0.001),adequate adjuvant chemotherapy≥6 months(HR=0.370;95%CI:0.222-0.618;P<0.001)and margin status(HR=2.255;95%CI:1.252-4.064;P=0.007)were found to be independent factors for the recurrence rate.CONCLUSION The TRIANGLE operation is safe for PDAC patients undergoing PD.Moreover,it reduces the local recurrence rate of PDAC and may improve survival in patients who receive adequate adjuvant chemotherapy.