Investigating the characteristic delay time in the leader–follower behavior in children single-file movement

The single-file movement experiment offered a convenient way to investigate the one-dimensional leader–follower behavior of pedestrians. This study investigated the time delays of children pedestrians in the leader–follower behavior by introducing a time-dependent delayed speed correlation. A total of 118 German students from the fifth grade(aged11–12 years old) and the 11th grade(aged 17–18 years old) participated the single-file experiment. The characteristic delay time for each pedestrian was identified by optimising the time-dependent delayed speed correlation. The influences of the curvature of the experimental scenario, density, age, and gender on the delay time were statistically examined. The results suggested that to a large extent, the revealed characteristic delay time was a density-dependent variable, and none of the curvatures, the age and gender of the individual, and the age and gender of the leader had a significant influence on it. The findings from this study are variable resources to understand the leader–follower behavior among children pedestrians and to build related simulation models.

Trade credit financing for supply chain coordination under financial challenges:a multi‑leader–follower game approach

This study is designed to solve supply chain inefficiencies caused by some members’financial problems,such as capital shortages and financing restrictions in a stochastic environment.To this end,we have established a supply chain finance framework by designing two novel coordinating contracts based on trade credit financing for different problem settings.These contracts are modeled in the form of multi-leader Stackelberg games that address horizontal and vertical competition in a supply chain consisting of multiple suppliers and a financially constrained manufacturer.However,previous studies in the trade credit literature have addressed only simple vertical competition,that is,seller-buyer competition.To solve the proposed models,two algorithms were developed by combining population-based metaheuristics,the Nash-domination concept,and the Nikaido-Isoda function.The results demonstrate that the proposed supply chain finance framework can eliminate supply chain inefficiencies and make a large profit for suppliers,as well as the financially constrained manufacturer.Furthermore,the results of the contracts’analysis showed that if the manufacturer is required to settle its payments to suppliers before the end of the period,the trade credit contract cannot coordinate the supply chain because of a lack of incentive for suppliers.However,if the manufacturer is allowed to extend its payments to the end of the period,the proposed trade credit financing contract can coordinate the supply chain.Finally,the sensitivity analysis results indicate that the worse the financial status of the manufacturer,the more bargaining power suppliers have in determining the contract parameters for more profit.

Precious Scrolls of Chinese Devout Women Buddhist Followers:A Case Study of Wilt Idema’s Pitfalls of Piety for Married Women

Deeply-rooted in China’s popular culture,precious scrolls(Baojuan)are the golden material to display popular religious belief of the mass.Based on the rare texts sorted and annotated by Shang Lixin,Dutch Sinologist Wilt L.Idema continues his journey of translating precious scrolls.Focused on the theme of devoted women Buddhist followers in Ming dynasty,he explores the ethical choices of married women in facing the betrayal of servants or concubines.His translations not only add important reading material to Western readers in the field of Chinese popular literature,but also set standard for the coming translators in rendering Chinese ballads.

基于Leader-follower与人工势场的多移动机器人编队控制

目的提出一种基于Leader-follower法和人工势场法相结合的多移动机器人编队控制方法,从而克服传统Leader-follower法中由微分方程确定的控制率无法将队形控制与避障统一的缺点.方法确定关于参数l和φ的人工势场函数,通过控制参数l和φ,使多移动机器人保持预定队形;机器人follower通过主动避障方法躲避障碍物,确定一个总的人工势场控制队形和避障.结果算法能使多移动机器人系统成功地进行编队和避障.结论通过仿真试验,机器人系统能够顺利通过狭窄通道,躲避静态障碍物和动态障碍物,并在避障后恢复队形,顺利到达目标,算法简单,从而验证了算法的有效性.

采用Leader-follower和模糊反馈机制的机器鱼队形控制

在Leader-follower框架下的多机器鱼系统队形控制中,针对Leader和Follower相对独立及落后机器鱼离队等问题,在传统的Leader-follower队形控制算法中引入模糊反馈控制器进行反馈调节,使得领航机器鱼Leader能定时检查Follower的位置,将多机器鱼系统的队形控制问题转化为具有反馈调节的Follower跟踪Leader的位置和方向的问题,以增强多机器鱼队形控制的稳定性,更好地协同作业完成任务.仿真试验验证了所提出的方法能较好地实现多机器鱼系统的队形控制.

A Novel NeuMOS Source Follower Cell with High Precision

A novel neuMOS source follower circuit is presented.The cell can complete the s ource follower function even if the input voltage is lower than the threshold of the source follower,thus high-precision operation of the circuit is achieved. The simulation and the measurement results show that its precision is higher tha n that of other neuMOS source follower circuits.

Wave Attenuation and Turbulence Driven by Submerged Vegetation Under Current-Wave Flow

A set of laboratory experiments are carried out to investigate the effect of following/opposing currents on wave attenuation.Rigid vegetation canopies with aligned and staggered configurations were tested under the condition of various regular wave heights and current velocities,with the constant water depth being 0.60 m to create the desired submerged scenarios.Results show that the vegetation-induced wave dissipation is enhanced with the increasing incident wave height.A larger velocity magnititude leads to a greater wave height attenuation for both following and opposing current conditions.Moreover,there is a strong positive linear correlation between the damping coefficientβand the relative wave height H_(0)/h,especially for pure wave conditions.For the velocity profile,the distributions of U_(min)and U_(max)show different patterns under combined wave and current.The time-averaged turbulent kinetic energy(TKE)vary little under pure wave and U_(c)=±0.05 m/s conditions.With the increase of flow velocity amplitude,the time-averaged TKE shows a particularly pronounced increase trend at the top of the canopy.The vegetation drag coefficients are obtained by a calibration approach.The empirical relations of drag coefficient with Reynolds and Keulegane-Carpenter numbers are proposed to further understand the wave-current-vegetation interaction mechanism.

Multi-circular formation control with reinforced transient profiles for nonholonomic vehicles:A path-following framework

This article investigates a multi-circular path-following formation control with reinforced transient profiles for nonholonomic vehicles connected by a digraph.A multi-circular formation controller endowed with the feature of spatial-temporal decoupling is devised for a group of vehicles guided by a virtual leader evolving along an implicit path,which allows for a circumnavigation on multiple circles with an anticipant angular spacing.In addition,notice that it typically imposes a stringent time constraint on time-sensitive enclosing scenarios,hence an improved prescribed performance control(IPPC)using novel tighter behavior boundaries is presented to enhance transient capabilities with an ensured appointed-time convergence free from any overshoots.The significant merits are that coordinated circumnavigation along different circles can be realized via executing geometric and dynamic assignments independently with modified transient profiles.Furthermore,all variables existing in the entire system are analyzed to be convergent.Simulation and experimental results are provided to validate the utility of suggested solution.

A Novel Prescribed-Performance Path-Following Problem for Non-Holonomic Vehicles

The issue of achieving prescribed-performance path following in robotics is addressed in this paper,where the aim is to ensure that a desired path within a specified region is accu-rately converged to by the controlled vehicle.In this context,a novel form of the prescribed performance guiding vector field is introduced,accompanied by a prescribed-time sliding mode con-trol approach.Furthermore,the interdependence among the pre-scribed parameters is discussed.To validate the effectiveness of the proposed method,numerical simulations are presented to demonstrate the efficacy of the approach.

Ground response and failure mechanism of gob-side entry by roof cutting with hard main roof

This study is the result of long-term efforts of the authors’team to assess ground response of gob-side entry by roof cutting(GSERC)with hard main roof,aiming at scientific control for GSERC deformation.A comprehensive field measurement program was conducted to determine entry deformation,roof fracture zone,and anchor bolt(cable)loading.The results indicate that GSERC deformation presents asymmetric characteristics.The maximum convergence near roof cutting side is 458 mm during the primary use process and 1120 mm during the secondary reuse process.The entry deformation is closely associated with the primary development stage,primary use stage,and secondary reuse stage.The key block movement of roof cutting structure,a complex stress environment,and a mismatch in the supporting design scheme are the failure mechanism of GSERC.A controlling ideology for mining states,including regional and stage divisions,was proposed.Both dynamic and permanent support schemes have been implemented in the field.Engineering practice results indicate that the new support scheme can efficiently ensure long-term entry safety and could be a reliable approach for other engineering practices.

How secure can we expect the surveillance policies to be after the implementation in T1 polyps with carcinoma?

Approximately 7%of the polyps resected endoscopically have an adenocarcinoma focus,with no previous endoscopic evidence of malignancy.This raises the question of whether endoscopic resection has been curative.Furthermore,there is no consensus on what the endoscopic and histological criteria for good prognosis are,the appropriate follow-up strategy and what are the long-term results.The aim of the retrospective study by Fábián et al was to evaluate the occurrence of local relapse or distant metastasis in those tumors that were resected endoscopically compared to those that underwent oncologic surgery.They concluded that,regardless of the treatment strategy chosen,there was a higher recurrence rate than described in the literature and that adherence to follow-up was poor.The management approach for an endoscopically benign polyp histologically confirmed as adenocarcinoma depends on the presence of any of the previously described poor prognostic histological factors.If none of these factors are present and the polyp has been completely resected en bloc(R0),active surveillance is considered appropriate as endoscopic resection is deemed curative.These results highlight,once again,the need for further multicentric clinical practice studies to obtain more evidence for the purpose of establishing appropriate treatment and follow-up strategies.

Evaluation of the Impact of Driver Behavior on Back of Queues Events in Work Zones Using the SHRP2 Naturalistic Driving Study Data

The SHRP2 Naturalistic Driving Study was used to evaluate the impact of various work zone and driver characteristics on back of queue safety critical events (crash, near-crash, or conflicts) The model included 43 SCE and 209 “normal” events which were used as controls. The traces included representing 209 unique drivers. A Mixed-Effects Logistic Regression model was developed with probability of a SCE as the response variable and driver and work zone characteristics as predictor variables. The final model indicated glances over 1 second away from the driving task and following closely increased risk of an SCE by 3.8 times and 2.9 times, respectively. Average speed was negatively correlated to crash risk. This is counterintuitive since in most cases, it is expected that higher speeds are related to back of queue crashes. However, most queues form under congested conditions. As a result, vehicles encountering a back of queue would be more likely to be traveling at lower speeds.

A Case of Investigation and Diagnosis of Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura After Vaccination of COVID-19 Inactivated Vaccine

Objective:Analyze the relationship between inoculating one case of the COVID-19 inactivated vaccine(Vero cell)and immune thrombocytopenic purpura to provide a reference for the standardized handling of adverse events following immunization.Methods:According to the"National Monitoring Program for Suspected Adverse Reactions to Vaccinations,"an on-site investigation,data collection and analysis,expert group diagnosis,and medical association assessment were conducted on a case of immune thrombocytopenic purpura in District A of Chongqing after vaccination with the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine.The assessment report was delivered to the three relevant parties,the case was reviewed,and the experience was summarized.Results:The investigation and diagnosis by the district-level vaccination abnormal reaction expert group concluded that the disease that occurred after vaccination with the COVID-19 inactivated vaccine was secondary immune thrombocytopenic purpura,an abnormal reaction to the vaccination.The medical damage was classified as Level II Grade B.The vaccine production enterprise raised objections to this conclusion.After re-assessment by the municipal-level medical association,the conclusion was consistent with that of the district-level medical association.The vaccine production enterprise did not raise any further objections.Conclusion:Through active collaboration among district and municipal-level medical associations,disease control institutions,and vaccination units,the recipients have been promptly and effectively treated,providing financial support for their subsequent treatment and safeguarding their rights.The investigation and disposal procedures for adverse events following immunization in Chongqing are clear,and the mechanism is sound.It is necessary to continue strengthening the monitoring of adverse events following immunization according to the existing plan and to ensure timely and standardized handling.Simultaneously,it is crucial to strengthen vaccine management and vaccination management.

基于条件反馈机制Leader-follower多机器人队形控制

针对Leader-follower多机器人系统队形控制中,Leader和follower相对独立及落后机器人离队等问题,采用基于条件反馈机制的Leader-follower多机器人队形控制方法,建立基于条件反馈机制和Lead-follower相结合的多机器人队形控制模型。将多机器人系统的队形控制问题转化为基于条件反馈机制的follower跟踪leader的位置和方向的问题,通过实例仿真验证了方法的有效性。仿真结果表明所提出的方法是合理有效的,使多机器人系统能够有效地完成编队控制任务。

Analysis of 3D curve expansion of conical cam with oscillating tapered roller follower

This paper focuses on the analysis of running conditions and machining processes of conical cam with oscillating follower. We point out the common errors existing in the design and machining of the widely used plane expansion method of conical cam trough-out line. We show that the motion can be divided into two parts, i.e. the oscillating motion of oscillating bar and the rotary motion of oscillating bar relative to the conical cam. By increasing the rotary motion of oscillating bar, the motion path of tapered roller on oscillating bar (i.e. contour surface of conical cam) can be expanded on the cylinder. Based on these analyses, we present a creative and effective designing and machining method for 3D curve expansion of conical cam with oscillating follower.

Anti-follower jamming wide gap multi-pattern frequency hopping communication method

This paper deals with the follower jamming(FJ)resistance for the frequency hopping(FH)communication system over additive white Gaussian noise(AWGN)channel.Conventional FH systems are susceptible to be jammed by FJ,and multi-pattern frequency hopping(MPFH)has good resistance to FJ.To further improve the FJ rejection capability of MPFH,we propose a wide gap multi-pattern frequency hopping(WGMPFH)scheme.WGMPFH uses channels to represent messages,and the data channel and complementary channel are hopping on orthogonal frequency slots according to wide gap FH patterns.The transmitted signal lures FJ to aim at the data channel and the complementary channel is away from FJ by adopting wide gap frequency patterns.FJ does not affect the complementary channel but increases the signal energy in the data channel,thus the effect of FJ is reduced.Its bit error rate(BER)is derived under FJ and the effects of three FJ parameters(tracking success probability,jamming duration ratio and jamming bandwidth ratio)on the BER performance of WGMPFH are investigated versus the co nventional FH/BFSK and MPFH system.Numerical and simulation results show that when under the worst-case FJ,the proposed WGMPFH outperforms the MPFH by about 1-3 dB and outperforms the conventional FH/BFSK by more than 4 dB.The proposed WGMPFH shows superior jamming rejection performance under FJ especially in severe signal-to-jamming ratio(SJR).

Design of Cylindrical Cam with Oscillating Follower Based on 3D Expansion of Planar Profile Model

Cylindrical cam with oscillating follower is widely applicable and used in many mechanical devices and machines. However, a common error exists in the methods of designing planar profile for oscillating follower cylinder cam. In this study, we propose a new hypothesis to solve this design problem with the inclusion of deviation angle. On the basis of this new concept, equations for planar profile expansion and methods of calculating pressure angle are deduced by applying 3D expansion formula of the follower＇s motion orbit. When the pressure angle is less than allowable value, the minimum base radius can be determined by using MATLAB software. Accordingly, the planar profile of oscillating follower cylinder cam is generated by CAD software. This new method is practical and can be easily adopted for the design of oscillating follower cylindrical cam with desirable accuracy. We applied the method in the design of cylindrical cam for paper feeding mechanism used in high-speed printers. We calculated the planar profile and used it to direct the NC machine for the manufacture of the groove of cylindrical cam. The improved cylindrical cam met all of the requirements of speed and accuracy demanded by high-speed printers. Therefore, our new method has been validated by practical application.

A Parallel Indexing Cam Mechanism with Internal Placed Followers

A new type of parallel indexing cam mechanism is discovered.The composition of the cam profile is proposed and the formulas of the mechanism parameters are established by synthesis of its configuration and size.The equations for working pro- file and pressure angle of the cam are derived based on the inverse model and the derivative of pitch curve of cams.An example is given and demonstrates that it is available to design the new mechanism using the derived expressions.

Wall Follower Autonomous Robot Development Applying Fuzzy Incremental Controller

This paper presents the design of an autonomous robot as a basic development of an intelligent wheeled mobile robot for air duct or corridor cleaning. The robot navigation is based on wall following algorithm. The robot is controlled using fuzzy incremental controller (FIC) and embedded in PIC18F4550 microcontroller. FIC guides the robot to move along a wall in a desired direction by maintaining a constant distance to the wall. Two ultrasonic sensors are installed in the left side of the robot to sense the wall distance. The signals from these sensors are fed to FIC that then used to determine the speed control of two DC motors. The robot movement is obtained through differentiating the speed of these two motors. The experimental results show that FIC is successfully controlling the robot to follow the wall as a guidance line and has good performance compare with PID controller.

Transverse Vibration and Stability Analysis of Circular Plate Subjected to Follower Force and Thermal Load

Transverse vibration and stability analysis of circular plate subjected to follower force and thermal load are analyzed.Based on the thin plate theory in involving the variable temperature,the differential equation of transverse vibration for the axisymmetric circular plate subjected to follower force and thermal load is established.Then,the differential equation of vibration and corresponding boundary conditions are discretized by the differential quadrature method.Meanwhile,the generalized eigenvalue under three different boundary conditions are calculated.In this case,the change curve of the first order dimensionless complex frequency of the circular plate subjected to the follower force in the different conditions with the variable temperature coefficient and temperature load is analyzed.The stability and corresponding critical loads of the circular plate subjected to follower force and thermal load with simply supported edge,clamped edge and free edge are discussed.The results provide theoretical basis for improving the dynamic stability of the circular plate.