Prescribed-Time Nash Equilibrium Seeking for Pursuit-Evasion Game

Dear Editor,This letter is concerned with prescribed-time Nash equilibrium(PTNE)seeking problem in a pursuit-evasion game(PEG)involving agents with second-order dynamics.In order to achieve the prior-given and user-defined convergence time for the PEG,a PTNE seeking algorithm has been developed to facilitate collaboration among multiple pursuers for capturing the evader without the need for any global information.Then,it is theoretically proved that the prescribedtime convergence of the designed algorithm for achieving Nash equilibrium of PEG.Eventually,the effectiveness of the PTNE method was validated by numerical simulation results.A PEG consists of two groups of agents:evaders and pursuers.The pursuers aim to capture the evaders through cooperative efforts,while the evaders strive to evade capture.PEG is a classic noncooperative game.It has attracted plenty of attention due to its wide application scenarios,such as smart grids[1],formation control[2],[3],and spacecraft rendezvous[4].It is noteworthy that most previous research on seeking the Nash equilibrium of the game,where no agent has an incentive to change its actions,has focused on asymptotic and exponential convergence[5]-[7].

PRC at 75:Open and Seeking Sustainable Development for All

As the EU gears up to vote on proposed tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles(EVs),former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi has a different perspective.Relying on China for green products might be the EU’s cheapest path to meet its climate ambitions,he told European Parliament members on September 17.Some EU members are rethinking their China strategy,seeking feasible solutions for their differences with China and more cooperation,as indicated by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez during his visit to China.

Distributed Nash Equilibrium Seeking Strategies Under Quantized Communication

This paper is concerned with distributed Nash equi librium seeking strategies under quantized communication. In the proposed seeking strategy, a projection operator is synthesized with a gradient search method to achieve the optimization o players' objective functions while restricting their actions within required non-empty, convex and compact domains. In addition, a leader-following consensus protocol, in which quantized informa tion flows are utilized, is employed for information sharing among players. More specifically, logarithmic quantizers and uniform quantizers are investigated under both undirected and connected communication graphs and strongly connected digraphs, respec tively. Through Lyapunov stability analysis, it is shown that play ers' actions can be steered to a neighborhood of the Nash equilib rium with logarithmic and uniform quantizers, and the quanti fied convergence error depends on the parameter of the quan tizer for both undirected and directed cases. A numerical exam ple is given to verify the theoretical results.

Distributed Optimal Formation Control for Unmanned Surface Vessels by a Regularized Game-Based Approach

Dear Editor,This letter explores optimal formation control for a network of unmanned surface vessels(USVs).By designing an individual objective function for each USV,the optimal formation problem is transformed into a noncooperative game.Under this game theoretic framework,the optimal formation is achieved by seeking the Nash equilibrium of the regularized game.A modular structure consisting of a distributed Nash equilibrium seeker and a regulator is proposed.

Remaining original aspirations,seeking innovation,striving for excellence

Prof.Xiaoying Jiang Director of the Chinese Nursing Journals Publishing House As time passes,a new chapter emerges.Looking back at the year 2022,under the leadership and strong support of the China Association for Science and Technology(CAST)and the Chinese Nursing Association,the Chinese Nursing Journals Publishing House,with its original aspirations,has always insisted on serving the overall national construction and development of nursing disciplines.

Multi-Timescale Distributed Approach to Generalized-Nash-Equilibrium Seeking in Noncooperative Nonconvex Games

Dear Editor,The distributed generalized-Nash-equilibrium(GNE)seeking in noncooperative games with nonconvexity is the topic of this letter.Inspired by the sequential quadratic programming(SQP)method,a multi-timescale multi-agent system(MAS)is developed,and its convergence to a critical point of the game is proven.To illustrate the qualities and efficacy of the theoretical findings,a numerical example is elaborated.

Fixed-Time Consensus-Based Nash Equilibrium Seeking

Dear Editor,This letter examines the fixed-time stability of the Nash equilibrium(NE)in non-cooperative games.We propose a consensus-based NE seeking algorithm for situations where players do not have perfect information and communicate via a topology graph.The proposed algorithm can achieve NE in a fixed time that does not depend on initial conditions and can be adjusted in advance.

Prescribed-Time Fully Distributed Nash Equilibrium Seeking Strategy in Networked Games

Dear Editor, This letter is concerned with prescribed-time fully distributed Nash equilibrium seeking for networked games under directed graphs. An adaptive algorithm is proposed to ensure the convergence of all players to the Nash equilibrium without requiring any knowledge of global parameters. Moreover, it is theoretically proved that the convergence time of the proposed seeking strategy can be predefined based on practical requirements. Finally, a numerical example is presented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Seeking Health Information Online:The Moderating Effects of Problematic Situations on User Intention

Purpose： This study investigates how online user intention in searching health information is affected by problematic situations.Design/methodology/approach： Based on the Theory of Reasoned Action, the Technology Acceptance Model, and Sense-making theory, we propose two dimensions of problematic situations： urgency and severity of health issues being searched online. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey among 214 Wuhan University students and analyzed using hierarchical regression analysis.Findings： Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and subjective norm can influence user intention to seek health information online. The urgency of problematic situations has a negative moderating effect on the relationship between perceived ease of use and user intention and the relationship between subjective norm and user intention. The severity of problematic situations has a negative moderating effect on the relationship between subjective norm and user intention.Research limitations： The respondents of the survey are limited to students in one Chinese university, so whether this study＇s results can be applied to another population or not remains to be verified. In addition, only two dimensions of problematic situations are considered in this study. Practical implications： The paper puts forward the moderating effect of problematic situations and verifies it, which is the compensation for online health information-seeking behavior research. Besides, our analyses have implications for professional design of health care systems and related consumer information searches, and improve their performance. Originality/value： Previous work has reported the effects of problematic situation on user intention to seek health information online, ignoring its influence on other factors. This empirical study extends that work to identify the influence of problematic situation when seeking intention-behavior data in two dimensions, urgency and severity.

Information seeking and anxiety among colonoscopy-na?ve adults: direct-to-colonoscopy vs traditional consult-first pathways

AIM To investigate the effects of direct to colonoscopy pathways on information seeking behaviors and anxiety among colonoscopy-na?ve patients.METHODS Colonoscopy-na?ve patients at two tertiary care hospitals completed a survey immediately prior to their scheduled outpatient procedure and before receiving sedation.Survey items included clinical pathway(direct or consult),procedure indication(cancer screening or symptom investigation),telephone and written contact from the physician endoscopist office,information sources,and pre-procedure anxiety.Participants reported pre-procedure anxiety using a 10 point scale anchored by "very relaxed"(1) and "very nervous"(10).At least three months following the procedure,patient medical records were reviewed to determine sedative dose,procedure indications and any adverse events.The primary comparison was between the direct and consult pathways.Given the very different implications,a secondary analysis considering the patient-reported indication for the procedure(symptoms or screening).Effects of pathway(direct vs consult) were compared both within and between the screening and symptom subgroups.RESULTS Of 409 patients who completed the survey,34% followed a direct pathway.Indications for colonoscopy were similar in each group.The majority of the participants were women(58%),married(61%),and internet users(81%).The most important information source was family physicians(Direct) and specialist physicians(Consult).Use of other information sources,including the internet(20% vs 18%) and Direct family and friends(64% vs 53%),was similar in the Direct and Consult groups,respectively.Only 31% of the 81% who were internet users accessed internet health information.Most sought fundamental information such as what a colonoscopy is or why it is done.Pre-procedure anxiety did not differ between care pathways.Those undergoing colonoscopy for symptoms reported greater anxiety [mean 5.3,95%CI: 5.0-5.7(10 point Likert scale)] than those for screening colonoscopy(4.3,95%CI: 3.9-4.7).CONCLUSION Procedure indication(cancer screening or symptom investigation) was more closely associated with information seeking behaviors and pre-procedure anxiety than care pathway.

Research on the Model of Consumer Health Information Seeking Behavior via Social Media

Purpose: We aim to create a model of consumer health information seeking behavior via social media, then to have a better understand of it. After that further efforts should be made to provide targeted recommendations for media managers to promote health communication via social media. Methods: Our custom model was derived from literature review, empirical research was tested by the use of questionnaire investigation, and then the collected data were analyzed by structural equation model tool SmartPLS. Finally, the custom model was modified according to the experimental results of SmartPLS. Results: A total of 239 (66.39%) of the respondents were female and 121 (33.61%) were male. The maximum of two stages of age were 18 - 29 (70.56%), 30 - 39 (13.89%). Wechat (60.28%), QQ Zone (55.22%), Micro-blog (48.89%) were the most commonly used social media to obtain health information. About 44.72% of respondents used social media to obtain health information multiple times a day. The whole numerical values of AVE, cronbach’s alpha, CR and square roots of AVE were above the benchmarks of themselves and showed great reliability and validity. All the 11 hypotheses had obvious statistical significance, the P-value of eight path coefficients exhibited <0.001, one path coefficient exhibited <0.01 and two path coefficients exhibited <0.05. Conclusions: A suitable model of consumer health information seeking behavior via social media was created and some inner relationships were found. Namely, gratification of health information and its platform had a positive effect on attitudes toward health information seeking behavior. Health information literacy and health status were proved to have a significant influence on attitudes toward health information seeking behavior, subject norms and perceived behavioral control respectively. In addition, attitudes toward the health information seeking behavior, subject norms and perceived behavioral control were proved to positively associate with health information seeking behavior intention.

Developing the information-seeking behavior scale for undergraduates

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to develop a standardized and reliable measurement tool for assessing information-seeking behavior of undergraduate students.Design/methodology/approach: Based on information literacy and information-seeking behavior theories, expert advice and students' interview, items of undergraduates' informationseeking behavior indicators were selected. With the analysis of homogeneity reliability, item analysis and factor analysis, this study constructs an assessment system to evaluate reliability and validity of the scale.Findings: The information-seeking behavior scale for undergraduates has divided undergraduates' information-seeking behavior into seven dimensions, which include 46 items. The reliability analysis of Cronbach's α was 0.910, and the coefficient of split-half reliability was0.817. The results of factor analysis showed that Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin(KMO) was 0.864,which indicates 55.536% of the total variation could be explained by the above seven dimensions.Research limitations: Due to a small sample size and limited sample distribution, further research need be conducted in an expanded sample size in order to explore the application scope of this evaluation system; in addition, the stability of the scale also need be confirmed.Practical implications: The paper sets up an information-seeking behavior evaluation system for undergraduates and explores the characteristics of their information-seeking behavior.This study provides guidance for the development of future information literacy education and the improvement of the information literacy level of undergraduates.Originality/value: An information-seeking behavior scale for undergraduates has been developed, which comprehensively covers information need, information source, information evaluation, information retrieval, information management, information utilization and information morality. The scale is proved to have good reliability, validity, popularity anddiscrimination that it is qualified to be an assessment tool of information-seeking behavior for Chinese undergraduates.

OPTIMAL TRACK SEEKING CONTROL OF DUAL-STAGE ACTUATOR FOR HIGH DENSITY HARD DISK DRIVES

Based on generalized the variation method, by introducing Hamilton function and Lagrange multiplier, this paper proposed a linear quadratic optimal control strategy for an incomplete controllable system with fixed terminal state and time. Applying the proposed optimal control to the simple two-input dual-stage actuator magnetic head positioning system with three degrees-of-freedom, the simulation results show that the system has no residual vibration at the terminal position and time, which can reduce the total access time during head positioning process. To verify the validation of the optimal control strategy of three degrees-of-freedom spring-mass models in actual magnetic head positioning of hard disk drives, a finite element model of an actual magnetic head positioning system is presented. Substituting the optimal control force from simple three degrees-of-freedom spring-mass models into the finite element model, the simulation results show that the magnetic head also has no residual vibration at the end of track-to-track travel. That is to say, the linear quadratic optimal control technique based on simple two-input dual- stage actuator system with three degrees-of-freedom proposed in this paper is of high reliability for the industrial application of an actual magnetic head positioning system.

Knowledge and health seeking behavior for malaria among the local inhabitants in an endemic area of Ethiopia: implications for control

This cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the knowledge and health seeking behavior for malaria among the local inhabitants in an endemic area of Ethiopia: Implications for control. 98.6% and 80.7% of respondents had awareness about malaria and the cause (‘mosquito bite’) of malaria, respectively. 186 (81.6%) respondents seek treatment for a febrile disease from health care facilities. Chi-square analysis revealed a strong association between the edu- cational status of respondents and the measures they take to prevent malaria (Х2 = 58.7;df = 16;p < 0.001). The findings clearly suggest that the majority of the respondents had adequate knowledge and enviable health seeking behaviour. However, still a sizable faction had misconception and undesirable health seeking behaviour. It’s a major barrier to implement effective malaria control strategies in the resource- limited settings particularly in country like Ethiopia. In this context, appropriate communication strategies apparently inevitable. Therefore, appropriate communication strategies should be designed to promote the knowledge and health seeking behaviour of vulnerable section of the society in this vicinity.

Cultivate Talent and Seek for Innovation in the past 20 Years——Exclusive Interview with Professor Li Chunling Dean of the School of Economics and Management, Yanshan University

Yanshan University was formerly known as Northeast Heavy Machinery Institute,and was one of the key universities in China at that time.As of1985,the institute moved to Qinhuangdao Island,and as it was located at the foot of Yanshan,it was called as Yanshan University.The School of Economics and Management was established in1979and the Management Engineering Department was established in1984,which was renamed as the School of Economics and Management in1998.This year is the20th anniversary for the establishment of the School.

Seeking for Nature～BANXIAOXUE Fashion Show

Ban Xiao Xue fashion show was held in Beijing 751D.PARK first workshop in China Fashion Week A/W2014/2015.One should naturally do the natural things and keep the silence and softness of the original mind to look for the source of all things and understand the present consciousness in seeking and regression.Without deliberation and not try

SEEKING FOREIGN COOPERATIVE PARTNERS FOR TIANJIN INDUSTRIAL PROJECTS

Description of the Chinese Partner 1. Factory name: Tianjin Cutlery Company 2. Total land occupancy: 54,818.50 sqm Current total building space: 19,063 sqm 3. Existing main products and production capacity: Stainless steel western table ware: 6 million dozens/year. Project description: 1. Project name: Table-ware 2. Cooperation form: Joint

Parents’ and caregivers’ attitudes towards malaria, and health care seeking practices for their febrile children in a hospital in north-eastern Nigeria

Despite the very high burden of malaria among children in Borno state, the proportion of those who receive standard treatment has been very low. This study aimed to determine malaria knowledge, attitude towards prevention, and health care seeking behaviours of parents or caregivers of children presenting with fever at the paediatric clinic of a secondary-level hospital in Maiduguri, Borno state, Nigeria. A cross-sectional study design was used to obtain information from the respondents. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, from the parents or caregivers of children presented to the Paediatric clinic with history of fever, and analysed in SPSS. A total of 331 respondents were finally recruited into the study. The ages of the children ranged from one to fourteen years. Some of them (15.3%) were internally displaced persons (IDPs). As many as 90.7% and 91.9% of the respondents believed that malaria is a life-threatening illness, and ITNs could prevent malaria, respectively. Less than a half of them (42.3%) had immediately brought their children to the hospital once they detected the fever. At the hospital, only 202 (60.7%) of the children had had malaria parasite test done on them, of which 89.1% tested positive. Permanent residents were more likely to promptly take their children to the hospital, one they detected fever, compared to IDPs ( 2=12.401, df =1, p=0.002). There is the need for promoting early presentation of febrile children to health centres, and also promoting routine malaria tests for febrile persons.

Beijing's Infrastructure and Tertiary Industry Contruction Projects Seeking Foreign Investment

No Projects Coopera- Total Invest- Investment Chinese Partners tion Mode ment Predicted Proportion KF3-01 Sewage Treatment Plant J.V. US$30 million Chinese 30% Beijing Economic with land as & Technological investment, 70% Development Zone for foreign partner SZ3-02 Beijing freight transport J.V. US$85 million Through Beijing Traffic Bureau hub of southwest highway negotiation SZ3-03 Beijing southeast international J.V. US$40 million 50% for each ditto container