Contractor-Related Factors and Performance of Bridge Construction Projects Implemented by Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) Kenya

The performance of bridge projects in Kenya is poor in terms of completion by schedule, cost, and quality (scope). Yet, there is less evidence of empirical research on what factors contribute to this outcome. This study aimed to bridge this gap by examining the effects of contractor-related factors on the performance of bridge construction projects in Kenya through a case study of the Bridge projects Implemented by the Kenya National Highway Agency (KeNHA). The theory of constraints (TOC) was adopted as its theoretical framework. Descriptive research was used, and the target population was 18 bridge construction projects, which were the units of analysis from 2012 to 2022. In each of these projects, 18 respondents, namely clients, consultants, contractors, engineers, environment and social guards, project managers, stakeholders, subcontractors, technical advisors, and inspectors, were included in a target population of 144 respondents. A census was conducted and a structured questionnaire was administered from which a response rate of 68% was achieved. The information was analyzed using descriptive, correlation, and multiple linear regression analysis. The contractor-related factors considered in the study were staff and management factors. The findings indicated that staff and management factors had a positive and significant outcome on performance of bridge construction projects. The study recommends continuous training and a safe learning environment for staff to improve their skills and performance in future projects. The study also recommends that a special category for bridge contractors be created in Kenya’s National Construction Authority rankings to ensure that only qualified contractors implement the Bridge projects.

Multi-Criteria Wildfire Risk Hazard Assessment in GIS Environment: Projection for the Future and Impact on RES Projects Installation Planning

It is alarming for the fact that Wildfires number, severity and consequently impact have significantly increased during the last years, an aftermath of the Climate Change. One of the most affected areas worldwide is Mediterranean, due to the unique combination of its type of vegetation and demanding climatic conditions. This research is focused on the Region of Epirus in Greece, an area with significant natural vegetation and a range of geomorphological aspects. In order to estimate the Wildfire Risk Hazard, several factors have been used: geomorphological (slope, aspect, elevation, TWI, Hydrographic network), social (Settlements and landfils, roads, overhead lines and substations), environmental (land cover) and climatic (Fire Weather Index). Through a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) and an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) in a GIS environment, the Wildfire Risk Hazard has been estimated not only for current conditions but also for future projections for the near future (2031-2060) and the far future (2071-2100). The selected case study includes the potential impact of the Wildfires to the installed (or targeted to be installed) RES projects in the studied region.

A Review on Determinants Affecting Commercialization of Academic Institution Final Year Projects

Final year project is an important training and assessment component incorporated in many courses of academic institution.The ability to translate ideas,research,and creativity into actual products,services,or businesses shows how successful and impactful people or institutions can be in the wider economy.However,in most of the cases,the outcomes of the final year project usually remain as academic discussion without maximizing their potential to be converted into a commercialized product or services.In this review,theory and applications are discussed to understand how entrepreneurial skills and networking abilities,components of individuals’human capital can impact the commercialisation of final year projects.Furthermore,determinants affecting commercialization of final year projects will also be explored namely:entrepreneurial skills,networking ability,access to resources,institutional support as well as creativity and innovation.

Financial Calculation Problems and Countermeasure Analysis of Large-Scale Engineering Construction Projects

The financial aspects of large-scale engineering construction projects profoundly influence their success.Strengthening cost control and establishing a scientific financial evaluation system can enhance the project’s economic benefits,minimize unnecessary costs,and provide decision-makers with a robust financial foundation.Additionally,implementing an effective cash flow control mechanism and conducting a comprehensive assessment of potential project risks can ensure financial stability and mitigate the risk of fund shortages.Developing a practical and feasible fundraising plan,along with stringent fund management practices,can prevent fund wastage and optimize fund utilization efficiency.These measures not only facilitate smooth project progression and improve project management efficiency but also enhance the project’s economic and social outcomes.

Trust beyond Technology Algorithms: A Theoretical Exploration of Consumer Trust and Behavior in Technological Consumption and AI Projects

In an era dominated by artificial intelligence (AI), establishing customer confidence is crucial for the integration and acceptance of AI technologies. This interdisciplinary study examines factors influencing customer trust in AI systems through a mixed-methods approach, blending quantitative analysis with qualitative insights to create a comprehensive conceptual framework. Quantitatively, the study analyzes responses from 1248 participants using structural equation modeling (SEM), exploring interactions between technological factors like perceived usefulness and transparency, psychological factors including perceived risk and domain expertise, and organizational factors such as leadership support and ethical accountability. The results confirm the model, showing significant impacts of these factors on consumer trust and AI adoption attitudes. Qualitatively, the study includes 35 semi-structured interviews and five case studies, providing deeper insight into the dynamics shaping trust. Key themes identified include the necessity of explainability, domain competence, corporate culture, and stakeholder engagement in fostering trust. The qualitative findings complement the quantitative data, highlighting the complex interplay between technology capabilities, human perceptions, and organizational practices in establishing trust in AI. By integrating these findings, the study proposes a novel conceptual model that elucidates how various elements collectively influence consumer trust in AI. This model not only advances theoretical understanding but also offers practical implications for businesses and policymakers. The research contributes to the discourse on trust creation and decision-making in technology, emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary efforts to address societal challenges associated with technological advancements. It lays the groundwork for future research, including longitudinal, cross-cultural, and industry-specific studies, to further explore consumer trust in AI.

Construction Safety Management of Mechanical and Electrical Installation Projects

Various industries today rely on the support of electromechanical equipment,expanding its scope of application and leading to an increase in electromechanical installation projects.However,due to the high level of expertise required and the potential risks involved,it is crucial to emphasize safety management during construction.This paper delves into the significance of construction safety management for electromechanical installation projects,identifies common problems encountered during construction,and proposes solutions.This analysis aims to provide relevant personnel with essential guidance and references for managing electromechanical installation projects safely.

Impact of estuarine reclamation projects on saltwater intrusion and freshwater resource

Estuarine projects can change local topography and influence water transport and saltwater intrusion.The Changjiang(Yangtze)River estuary is a multichannel estuary,and four major reclamation projects have been implemented in the Changjiang River estuary in recent years:the Xincun Shoal reclamation project(RP-XCS),the Qingcao Shoal reclamation project(RP-QCS),the Eastern Hengsha Shoal reclamation project(RP-EHS),and the Nanhui Shoal reclamation project(RP-NHS).The effects of the four reclamation projects and each project on the saltwater intrusion and water resources in the Changjiang River estuary were simulated in a 3D numerical model.Results show that for a multichannel estuary,local reclamation projects change the local topography and water diversion ratio(WDR)between channels and influence water and salt transport and freshwater utilization in the estuary.During spring tide,under the cumulative effect of the four reclamation projects,the salinity decreases by approximately 0.5in the upper reaches of the North Branch and increases by 0.5-1.0 in the middle and lower reaches of the North Branch.In the North Channel,the salinity decreases by approximately 0.5.In the North Passage,the salinity increases by 0.5-1.0.In the South Passage,the salinity increases by approximately 0.5 in the upper reaches and decreases by 0.2-0.5 on the north side of the middle and lower reaches.During neap tide,the cumulative effects of the four reclamation projects and the individual projects are similar to those during spring tide,but there are some differences.The effects of an individual reclamation project on WDR and saltwater intrusion during spring and neap tides are simulated and analyzed in detail.The cumulative effect of the four reclamation projects favors freshwater usage in the Changjiang River estuary.

HSPM:A Better Model to Effectively Preventing Open-Source Projects from Dying

With the rapid development of Open-Source(OS),more and more software projects are maintained and developed in the form of OS.These Open-Source projects depend on and influence each other,gradually forming a huge OS project network,namely an Open-Source Software ECOsystem(OSSECO).Unfortunately,not all OS projects in the open-source ecosystem can be healthy and stable in the long term,and more projects will go from active to inactive and gradually die.In a tightly connected ecosystem,the death of one project can potentially cause the collapse of the entire ecosystem network.How can we effectively prevent such situations from happening?In this paper,we first identify the basic project characteristics that affect the survival of OS projects at both project and ecosystem levels through the proportional hazards model.Then,we utilize graph convolutional networks based on the ecosystem network to extract the ecosystem environment characteristics of OS projects.Finally,we fuse basic project characteristics and environmental project characteristics and construct a Hybrid Structured Prediction Model(HSPM)to predict the OS project survival state.The experimental results show that HSPM significantly improved compared to the traditional prediction model.Our work can substantially assist OS project managers in maintaining their projects’health.It can also provide an essential reference for developers when choosing the right open-source project for their production activities.

Projecting Spring Consecutive Rainfall Events in the Three Gorges Reservoir Based on Triple-Nested Dynamical Downscaling

Spring consecutive rainfall events(CREs) are key triggers of geological hazards in the Three Gorges Reservoir area(TGR), China. However, previous projections of CREs based on the direct outputs of global climate models(GCMs) are subject to considerable uncertainties, largely caused by their coarse resolution. This study applies a triple-nested WRF(Weather Research and Forecasting) model dynamical downscaling, driven by a GCM, MIROC6(Model for Interdisciplinary Research on Climate, version 6), to improve the historical simulation and reduce the uncertainties in the future projection of CREs in the TGR. Results indicate that WRF has better performances in reproducing the observed rainfall in terms of the daily probability distribution, monthly evolution and duration of rainfall events, demonstrating the ability of WRF in simulating CREs. Thus, the triple-nested WRF is applied to project the future changes of CREs under the middle-of-the-road and fossil-fueled development scenarios. It is indicated that light and moderate rainfall and the duration of continuous rainfall spells will decrease in the TGR, leading to a decrease in the frequency of CREs. Meanwhile, the duration, rainfall amount, and intensity of CREs is projected to regional increase in the central-west TGR. These results are inconsistent with the raw projection of MIROC6. Observational diagnosis implies that CREs are mainly contributed by the vertical moisture advection. Such a synoptic contribution is captured well by WRF, which is not the case in MIROC6,indicating larger uncertainties in the CREs projected by MIROC6.

人工智能背景下Materials Project数据库在计算材料学课程教学中的应用

该文探讨了在人工智能背景下,Materials Project数据库在计算材料学课程教学中的应用和影响。Materials Project数据库是一个集成了AI和大数据技术的开放获取的材料库,能为学生提供海量的材料晶体结构和物性数据,使教学内容更为丰富,让学生能通过亲自操作获取和分析数据,深入理解微观结构与物性之间的关系。这一新兴的教学模式不仅提升了学生的科研能力和创新思维能力,还有助于培养具备计算材料专业知识和多学科交叉的复合型人才。总体来说,人工智能时代下,大数据的引入为计算材料学课程带来新的活力,并对未来教育改革和实践产生了积极影响。

Transcriptional regulation in the development and dysfunction of neocortical projection neurons

Glutamatergic projection neurons generate sophisticated excitatory circuits to integrate and transmit information among different cortical areas,and between the neocortex and other regions of the brain and spinal cord.Appropriate development of cortical projection neurons is regulated by certain essential events such as neural fate determination,proliferation,specification,differentiation,migration,survival,axonogenesis,and synaptogenesis.These processes are precisely regulated in a tempo-spatial manner by intrinsic factors,extrinsic signals,and neural activities.The generation of correct subtypes and precise connections of projection neurons is imperative not only to support the basic cortical functions(such as sensory information integration,motor coordination,and cognition)but also to prevent the onset and progression of neurodevelopmental disorders(such as intellectual disability,autism spectrum disorders,anxiety,and depression).This review mainly focuses on the recent progress of transcriptional regulations on the development and diversity of neocortical projection neurons and the clinical relevance of the failure of transcriptional modulations.

Developing Projects with Low-code Combined with ChatGPT

This paper aims to explore a simpler and more user-friendly way of generating software based on model-driven development.Previous studies have attempted to generate code from domain models,hoping to reduce coding time by increasing modeling time.However,as code tools become more advanced,it is challenging to improve efficiency because models are abstract while implementations are concrete.This paper proposes a novel approach that integrates ChatGPT as a plug-in into the whole R&D process and combines it with our code generation tool to enhance R&D efficiency.We have developed some demos to demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.According to our evaluation,our approach can save more than 90%of the work in implementing the code generation tool,leaving only about 10%of the work for code review,code improvement,and unit testing.

Cascading multi-segment rupture process of the 2023 Turkish earthquake doublet on a complex fault system revealed by teleseismic P wave back projection method

In this study,the vertical components of broadband teleseismic P wave data recorded by China Earthquake Network are used to image the rupture processes of the February 6th,2023 Turkish earthquake doublet via back projection analysis.Data in two frequency bands(0.5-2 Hz and 1-3 Hz)are used in the imaging processes.The results show that the rupture of the first event extends about 200 km to the northeast and about 150 km to the southwest,lasting~90 s in total.The southwestern rupture is triggered by the northeastern rupture,demonstrating a sequential bidirectional unilateral rupture pattern.The rupture of the second event extends approximately 80 km in both northeast and west directions,lasting~35 s in total and demonstrates a typical bilateral rupture feature.The cascading ruptures on both sides also reflect the occurrence of selective rupture behaviors on bifurcated faults.In addition,we observe super-shear ruptures on certain fault sections with relatively straight fault structures and sparse aftershocks.

Correlations between the Global Earth Healing and Global Consciousness Projects—Brain-Mind-Matter-Interactions through Physical Noise Generators

Inspired by Roger Nelson’s Global Consciousness Project (GCP), the Global Earth Healing Project (GEHP) uses a network of several hundred physical noise generators to amplify the combined intentions of their users in order to infuse positive affirmations into the global consciousness. As mentioned in the original study design, it was intended to use the GCP as a reference for the effectiveness of its activities. The data of the GEHP consisting of 21 events from 2013 to 2020 is analyzed and statistically compared to the data of the GCP. An astonishing synchronicity was observed, which suggests an interaction between the brain states of the observers and the physical noise generators of the GCP.

Perception-Based Assessment of the Factors Causing Delays in Construction Projects

Construction delay is a widespread issue in the construction industry of developing countries, and Nepal is no exception. These delays extend project durations and lead to cost overruns and disputes among stakeholders. To address this problem, this study aimed to identify and analyze the significant factors that contribute to construction project delays in Nepal. To gather data, a well-structured questionnaire was developed and administered to a sample of 100 participants, including contractors, consultants, and civil engineers. Various statistical tests were conducted to ensure the data’s integrity and consistency, such as reliability assessments and factor analyses. The findings of the study highlighted multiple factors contributing to delays in construction projects such as inadequate design, poor communication, and coordination among stakeholders, insufficient experience and planning by contractors, delays in material delivery and testing, labor-related problems including shortages and low qualifications, and external factors like regulatory changes and unforeseen circumstances. By identifying these major causes of construction project delays, this study presented insightful information that can contribute to the analysis and evaluation of project performance.

Application of Anti-seepage Technology in the Construction of Hydraulic Engineering Projects

With the development of China's economy,the implementation scale and scope of hydraulic engineering projects are increasing,and the application of anti-seepage technology has an important influence on the construction quality of hydraulic engineering.In this paper,the significance and problems of the application of anti-seepage technology in the construction of hydraulic engineering projects were mainly analyzed,and specific application strategies were proposed.

Recent Ventures in Interdisciplinary Arctic Research:The ARCPATH Project

This paper celebrates Professor Yongqi GAO's significant achievement in the field of interdisciplinary studies within the context of his final research project Arctic Climate Predictions: Pathways to Resilient Sustainable Societies-ARCPATH(https://www.svs.is/en/projects/finished-projects/arcpath). The disciplines represented in the project are related to climatology, anthropology, marine biology, economics, and the broad spectrum of social-ecological studies. Team members were drawn from the Nordic countries, Russia, China, the United States, and Canada. The project was transdisciplinary as well as interdisciplinary as it included collaboration with local knowledge holders. ARCPATH made significant contributions to Arctic research through an improved understanding of the mechanisms that drive climate variability in the Arctic. In tandem with this research, a combination of historical investigations and social, economic, and marine biological fieldwork was carried out for the project study areas of Iceland, Greenland, Norway, and the surrounding seas, with a focus on the joint use of ocean and sea-ice data as well as social-ecological drivers. ARCPATH was able to provide an improved framework for predicting the near-term variation of Arctic climate on spatial scales relevant to society, as well as evaluating possible related changes in socioeconomic realms. In summary, through the integration of information from several different disciplines and research approaches, ARCPATH served to create new and valuable knowledge on crucial issues, thus providing new pathways to action for Arctic communities.

Diagnosis of indirectly driven double shell targets with point-projection hard x-ray radiography

We present an application of short-pulse laser-generated hard x rays for the diagnosis of indirectly driven double shell targets. Coneinserted double shell targets were imploded through an indirect drive approach on the upgraded SG-II laser facility. Then, based on thepoint-projection hard x-ray radiography technique, time-resolved radiography of the double shell targets, including that of their near-peakcompression, were obtained. The backlighter source was created by the interactions of a high-intensity short pulsed laser with a metalmicrowire target. Images of the target near peak compression were obtained with an Au microwire. In addition, radiation hydrodynamicsimulations were performed, and the target evolution obtained agrees well with the experimental results. Using the radiographic images, arealdensities of the targets were evaluated.

Accelerated Primal-Dual Projection Neurodynamic Approach With Time Scaling for Linear and Set Constrained Convex Optimization Problems

The Nesterov accelerated dynamical approach serves as an essential tool for addressing convex optimization problems with accelerated convergence rates.Most previous studies in this field have primarily concentrated on unconstrained smooth con-vex optimization problems.In this paper,on the basis of primal-dual dynamical approach,Nesterov accelerated dynamical approach,projection operator and directional gradient,we present two accelerated primal-dual projection neurodynamic approaches with time scaling to address convex optimization problems with smooth and nonsmooth objective functions subject to linear and set constraints,which consist of a second-order ODE(ordinary differential equation)or differential conclusion system for the primal variables and a first-order ODE for the dual vari-ables.By satisfying specific conditions for time scaling,we demonstrate that the proposed approaches have a faster conver-gence rate.This only requires assuming convexity of the objective function.We validate the effectiveness of our proposed two accel-erated primal-dual projection neurodynamic approaches through numerical experiments.

New Projects[2022.1—2023.7]

On January 2^(nd),2022,the PM2 paper machine of Guanyun Limin Renewable Resource Technology Development Co.,Ltd.was successfully put into operation,with a width of 5,200 mm and a design speed of 700 m/min.The annual production capacity of PM2 exceeds 200,000 tons,which uses waste paper to produce low-weight cardboard boxes.