Uncertainty entropy-based exploratory evaluation method and its applications on missile effectiveness evaluation

Some attributes are uncertain for evaluation work because of incomplete or limited information and knowledge.It leads to uncertainty in evaluation results.To that end,an evaluation method,uncertainty entropy-based exploratory evaluation(UEEE),is proposed to guide the evaluation activities,which can iteratively and gradually reduce uncertainty in evaluation results.Uncertainty entropy(UE)is proposed to measure the extent of uncertainty.First,the belief degree distributions are assumed to characterize the uncertainty in attributes.Then the belief degree distribution of the evaluation result can be calculated by using uncertainty theory.The obtained result is then checked based on UE to see if it could meet the requirements of decision-making.If its uncertainty level is high,more information needs to be introduced to reduce uncertainty.An algorithm based on the UE is proposed to find which attribute can mostly affect the uncertainty in results.Thus,efforts can be invested in key attribute(s),and the evaluation results can be updated accordingly.This update should be repeated until the evaluation result meets the requirements.Finally,as a case study,the effectiveness of ballistic missiles with uncertain attributes is evaluated by UEEE.The evaluation results show that the target is believed to be destroyed.

Application of Principal Component Analysis(PCA)to the Evaluation and Screening of Multiactivity Fungi

Continued innovation in screening methodologies remains important for the discovery of high-quality multiactive fungi,which have been of great significance to the development of new drugs.Mangrove-derived fungi,which are well recognized as prolific sources of natural products,are worth sustained attention and further study.In this study,118 fungi,which mainly included Aspergillus spp.(34.62%)and Penicillium spp.(15.38%),were isolated from the mangrove ecosystem of the Maowei Sea,and 83.1%of the cultured fungi showed at least one bioactivity in four antibacterial and three antioxidant assays.To accurately evaluate the fungal bioactivities,the fungi with multiple bioactivities were successfully evaluated and screened by principal component analysis(PCA),and this analysis provided a dataset for comparing and selecting multibioactive fungi.Among the 118 mangrove-derived fungi tested in this study,Aspergillus spp.showed the best comprehensive activity.Fungi such as A.clavatonanicus,A.flavipes and A.citrinoterreus,which exhibited high comprehensive bioactivity as determined by the PCA,have great potential in the exploitation of natural products and the development of new drugs.This study demonstrated the first use of PCA as a time-saving,scientific method with a strong ability to evaluate and screen multiactive fungi,which indicated that this method can affect the discovery and development of new drugs.

Piezoelectric Actuator/Sensor Wave Propagation Based Nondestructive Active Monitoring Method of Concrete Structures

In order to monitor the basic mechanical properties and interior damage of concrete structures,the piezoelectric actuator/sensor based wave propagation method was investigated experimentally in the laboratory using a specifically designed test setup.The energy attenuation of stress waves was measured by the relative index between the output voltage of sensors and the excitation voltage at the actuator.Based on the experimental results of concrete cube and cylinder specimens,the effect of excitation frequencies,excitation amplitude,wave propagation paths and the curing age on the output signals of sensors are evaluated.The results show that the relative voltage attenuation coefficient RVAC is an effective indicator for measuring the attenuation of stress waves through the interior of concrete.

Recent developments in activities, utilization and sources of cellulase

One of the latest sources of alternative energy, bioethanol, has been the focus of modem research, The production of bioethanol is commonly restricted by the activity of cellulase. Therefore, cellulase has become one of the critical issues in the conversion of lignocelluloses to bioethanol. This article is an overview of the sources and factors affecting enzyme activity, as well as methods of evaluation and utilizations of cellulase. We conclude that a combination of cellulases from various strains can enhance hydrolysis of substrates. Large enough amounts of cellobiase or sufficient cellobiase activity can reduce the inhibition to exoglucanase activity of cellobiose. Characterization and exploitation of cellulase should focus on a definite substrate. Promotion and mixed incubation of strains can reduce the cost of industrial utilization of cellulase.

Effects of Dispersed Mo-Fe Catalysts on Catalytic Hydrothermal Conversion of Residue

Replacement of precious single metal catalysts with cost-effective,highly-dispersed composite catalysts for catalytic hydrothermal conversion of residue holds tremendous promise for the residue upgrading technologies.Organic metals were added to the feed as the oil-soluble precursors,and were transformed into the catalytic active phases in this work.Physical properties and structures of the composite catalysts had been investigated by X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy,X-ray diffraction,scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy.The composite catalysts were found to be highly efficient in the catalytic hydrothermal conversion of both the model compound and the residue.Increased metal dispersion and synergistic effects of two metals played indispensable roles in such catalytic system.Results showed that under the test conditions specified in the article,the catalyst had the best catalytic performance when the mass ratio of molybdenum to iron was 1.5.

A water quality analysis system to evaluate the impact of agricultural activities on N outflow in river basins in Japan

We have developed a personal-computer-based water quality analysis system for river basins. The system estimates potential N outflow by model and calculates actual N outflow from monitoring data. For the former it uses the potential load factor method to estimate annual nitrogen load from various sources and runoff potential from each area of land in a basin. For the latter it analyzes water quality monitoring data in relation to meteorological data. We used the system to analyze N outflow in basins around Lake Kasumigaura and the Yahagi River in central Honshu, Japan. The land around Lake Kasumigaura is rather flat, and about 25% is periodically flooded for rice and lotus cultivation. The land around the Yahagi River is mountainous, and much less land is flooded. In the Yahagi River basin the actual N outflow agreed closely with the potential. However, the actual N outflow in the basin around Lake Kasumigaura was much less than the potential, suggesting that a large part of the N load is denitrified in flooded soils. This further indicates that a sequence of different land uses including flooded rice fields is an important factor determining N outflow in basins in Japan. On the basis of the above analyses, we incorporated a denitrification model into the system that enables us to estimate N balance in a designated basin;this system may be helpful in the formulation of scenarios of land use andsoil management for improving water quality.