A tendon system to re-center steel moment frames with weak stories

A wide open bottom story of a frame building is often expected by owners for use as a garage or shops.However,this leads to weak stories due to abrupt changes in lateral stiffness and often results in unexpected story collapse as observed in many previous earthquakes.To retrofit frame buildings that have experienced weak story damage,a tendon system is proposed in this study,which consists of a set of swaying columns and tendons.The swaying columns are used to uniformly redistribute the lateral deformation along the height,while the tendons provide extra lateral stiffness and renders the entire structural system a re-centering capability.To avoid unnecessary forces to swaying columns,pin-connections are used at the bottom.Tendons are placed over the entire story to gain large elastic displacements.Parametric analysis reveals that the swaying column,with a stiffness of about 0.9 times that of the weak story,and the tendons attached at the roof,with a stiffness of 0.04 times that of the weak story,can provide the optimal performance with a maximum residual story drift angle of less than 0.5%.Online hybrid tests were carried out,which demonstrated that uniformly distributed story drifts and acceptable residual deformation could be achieved by the proposed tendon system.

Optical trapping capability of tornado circular Pearcey beams

We systemically investigate optical trapping capability of a kind of tornado waves on Rayleigh particles.Such tornado waves are named as tornado circular Pearcey beams(TCPBs)and produced by combining two circular Pearcey beams with different radii.Our theoretical exploration delves into various aspects,including the propagation dynamics,energy flux,orbital angular momentum,trapping force,and torque characteristics of TCPBs.The results reveal that the orbital angular momentum,trapping force,and torque of these beams can be finely tuned through the judicious manipulation of their topological charges(l_(1)and l_(2)).Notably,we observe a precise control mechanism wherein the force diminishes with|l_(1)+l_(2)|and|l_(1)-l_(2)|,while the torque exhibits enhancement by decreasing solely with|l_(1)+l_(2)|or increasing with|l_(1)-l_(2)|.These results not only provide quantitative insights into the optical trapping performance of TCPBs but also serve as a valuable reference for the ongoing development of innovative photonic tools.

Accountable capability improvement based on interpretable capability evaluation using belief rule base

A new approach is proposed in this study for accountable capability improvement based on interpretable capability evaluation using the belief rule base(BRB).Firstly,a capability evaluation model is constructed and optimized.Then,the key sub-capabilities are identified by quantitatively calculating the contributions made by each sub-capability to the overall capability.Finally,the overall capability is improved by optimizing the identified key sub-capabilities.The theoretical contributions of the proposed approach are as follows.(i)An interpretable capability evaluation model is constructed by employing BRB which can provide complete access to decision-makers.(ii)Key sub-capabilities are identified according to the quantitative contribution analysis results.(iii)Accountable capability improvement is carried out by only optimizing the identified key sub-capabilities.Case study results show that“Surveillance”,“Positioning”,and“Identification”are identified as key sub-capabilities with a summed contribution of 75.55%in an analytical and deducible fashion based on the interpretable capability evaluation model.As a result,the overall capability is improved by optimizing only the identified key sub-capabilities.The overall capability can be greatly improved from 59.20%to 81.80%with a minimum cost of 397.Furthermore,this paper also investigates how optimizing the BRB with more collected data would affect the evaluation results:only optimizing“Surveillance”and“Positioning”can also improve the overall capability to 81.34%with a cost of 370,which thus validates the efficiency of the proposed approach.

From Knowledge Transfer to Capability Development:The Future of PBL+CBL Teaching Method in Operating Room Nursing Education

Concomitant with the advancement of contemporary medical technology,the significance of perioperative nursing has been increasingly accentuated,necessitating elevated standards for the pedagogy of perioperative nursing.Presently,the PBL(problem-based learning)pedagogical approach,when integrated with CBL(case-based learning),has garnered considerable interest.An extensive literature review has been conducted to analyze the application of the PBL-CBL fusion in the education of perioperative nursing.Findings indicate that this integrative teaching methodology not only enhances students’theoretical knowledge,practical competencies,and collaborative skills but also contributes to the elevation of teaching quality.In conclusion,the PBL-CBL teaching approach holds immense potential for broader application in perioperative nursing education.Nevertheless,it is imperative to continually refine this combined pedagogical strategy to further enhance the caliber of perioperative nursing instruction and to cultivate a greater number of exceptional nursing professionals in the operating room setting.

Analysis of Capability Requirement of Dynamic Positioning System for Cargo Transfer Vessel at Sea

In response to the development of deep-sea oil and gas resources,which require a high degree of cooperation by crude oil transportation equipment,a new type of ship known as the cargo transfer vessel(CTV)has been developed.To provide a theoretical reference for the design and equipment of the CTV’s dynamic positioning system,in this paper,we take the new deepwater CTVas the study object and theoretically and numerically analyze its operation,wind load,current load,wave load,and navigational resistance in a range of Brazilian sea conditions with respect to its positioning and towing modes.We confirm that our proposed method can successfully calculate the total environmental load of the CTVand that the CTV is able to operate normally under the designed sea conditions.

Soil Properties and Land Capability Evaluation in a Mountainous Ecosystem of North-West Cameroon

Up to date, tropical mountainous ecosystems still lack in depth information on soil and environmental characteristics which are major factors limiting optimum crop production. The objective of this work was to study soil characteristics and to evaluate the land capability level for the production of some common tropical crops in mountainous ecosystem soils of North West Cameroon. Soil sampling was done following a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications for three topographic positions (upslope, midslope and footslope) and at two depths (0 - 20 cm and 20 - 100 cm). It was completed by standard laboratory analyses. The fertility capability classification (FCC) system enabled to identify soil limitations and to classify soils into FCC units. Land and climate were evaluated by simple limitation and parametric methods. Globally, the soils were dark-colored, sandy clayey to clayey, compact and very acidic (pHH2O = 4.3 - 5.8). The organic matter (3.7% - 5.1% dry matter), total nitrogen (0.08% - 0.56%) and available phosphorus (22.1 to 30.9 mg?kg?1) recorded for the 0 - 20 cm depth then reduced with depth but midslope values were also lower. The C/N ratio varied between 9 and 45. Low C/N values appeared mostly in 0 - 20 cm depth at the upslope and downslope soils and subsurface soils of midslope position. Exchangeable Ca was very low to low (1.43 - 3.6 cmol + kg?1), Mg was very low to low (0.39 - 1.5 cmol + kg?1), K was low to medium (0.2 - 0.54 cmol + kg?1) and Na was very low (?1). The sum of exchangeable bases was very low (3.02 - 5.19 cmol + kg?1), cation exchange capacity was low to moderate (8.60 - 25.6 cmol + kg?1) and base saturation was very low to low (19.27% - 36.97%). Leaching of bases under heavy rainfall is a major cause of soil acidification under humid topical ecosystems. The Ca/Mg/K ratio was unbalanced and Mg was the most relatively concentrated base in all the soils. There was a clear variation of most of the soil properties along the slope and with depth. The soils were classified in the FCC system as aek for the upslope soils, Caek for the midslope soils and Cagk for the footslope soils. The principal limitations to production of huckleberry, beans, maize and potatoes were heavy rainfall, wetness, steep slope, soil texture/structure and low soil fertility. These constraints might be overcome by farming at the end of the raining season, contour ploughing, terracing, fertilization and liming.

An executable framework for modeling and validating cooperative capability requirements in emergency response system

As the scale of current systems become larger and larger and their complexity is increasing gradually,research on executable models in the design phase becomes significantly important as it is helpful to simulate the execution process and capture defects of a system in advance.Meanwhile,the capability of a system becomes so important that stakeholders tend to emphasize their capability requirements when developing a system.To deal with the lack of official specifications and the fundamental theory basis for capability requirement,we propose a cooperative capability requirements(CCR)meta-model as a theory basis for researchers to refer to in this research domain,in which we provide detailed definition of the CCR concepts,associations and rules.Moreover,we also propose an executable framework,which may enable modelers to simulate the execution process of a system in advance and do well in filling the inconsistency and semantic gaps between stakeholders’requirements and their models.The primary working mechanism of the framework is to transform the Alf activity meta-model into the communicating sequential process(CSP)process meta-model based on some mapping rules,after which the internal communication mechanism between process nodes is designed to smooth the execution of behaviors in a CSP system.Moreover,a validation method is utilized to check the correctness and consistency of the models,and a self-fixing mechanism is used to fix the errors and warnings captured during the validation process automatically.Finally,a validation report is generated and fed back to the modelers for system optimization.

Impact of the synergy between technology management and technological capability on new product development:a system dynamics approach

This paper employs system dynamics to explore how the synergy between technology management and technological capability affects new product development.The results show that the synergy between technology management and technological capability has positive impact on new product development.Moreover, the leading synergy processes between technology management and technological capability in different new product development stages are different.This paper deepens the theoretical understanding of how to achieve new product development, and also provides useful guidance for firms to implement new product development.

Visualization analysis of the capability of weapon system of systems for multi-dimensional indicators

In the field of weapon system of systems (WSOS) simulation, various indicators are widely used to describe the capability of WSOS, but it is always difficult to describe the comprehensive capability of WSOS quickly and intuitively by visualization of multi-dimensional indicators. A method of machine learning and visualization is proposed, which can display and analyze the capabilities of different WSOS in a two-dimensional plane. The analysis and comparison of the comprehensive capability of different components of WSOS is realized by the method, which consists of six parts: multiple simulations, key indicators mining, three spatial distance calculation, fusion project calculation, calculation of individual capability density, and calculation of multiple capability ranges overlay. Binding a simulation experiment, the collaborative analysis of six indicators and 100 possible kinds of red WSOS are achieved. The experimental results show that this method can effectively improve the quality and speed of capabilities analysis, reveal a large number of potential information, and provide a visual support for the qualitative and quantitative analysis model.

Evaluation of intermittent-distributed-generation hosting capability of a distribution system with integrated energy-storage systems

The penetration rate of distributed generation is gradually increasing in the distribution system concerned.This is creating new problems and challenges in the planning and operation of the system.The intermittency and variability of power outputs from numerous distributed renewable generators could significantly jeopardize the secure operation of the distribution system.Therefore,it is necessary to assess the hosting capability for intermittent distributed generation by a distribution system considering operational constraints.This is the subject of this study.An assessment model considering the uncertainty of generation outputs from distributed generators is presented for this purpose.It involves different types of regulation or control functions using on-load tap-changers(OLTCs),reactive power compensation devices,energy storage systems,and the reactive power support of the distributed generators employed.A robust optimization model is then attained It is solved by Bertsimas robust counterpart through GUROBI solver.Finally,the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed method are demonstrated by a modified IEEE 33-bus distribution system.In addition,the effects of the aforementioned regulation or control functions on the enhancement of the hosting capability for intermittent distributed generation are examined.

Land Capability Index Mapping for Waste Disposal Landuse Option Using Geographic Information System (GIS) in Enugu Area, South Eastern Nigeria

The projected 300% growth rate in the population of Enugu area and its environs by the year 2020 and the expected increase in waste generation necessitated the need to map out areas for waste disposal for future utilization and as a protective strategy for the environment in Enugu area. Land capability index mapping using Geographic Information System (GIS) is one of the appropriate tools required for solving this problem. A total of 12 landuse determinants were selected as thematic data layers, and as basic factors influencing the choice of waste disposal landuse option in the area. The themes (thematic maps) generated from field/laboratory measurements and from literature, include slope, water table, surface and subsurface water conditions, elevation, geology, soil, drainage and geo-structural stability (fault, erosion, landslide and flooding) maps. The maps were scanned, digitized, georeferenced, and polygonized using autocard drawing capabilities to convert them into vector format and later exported to arc view software for analysis. The final processing using overlay model builder yields layers that display areas of preferred waste disposal sites in a map form, which generally shows areas of varying suitability (suitable, moderately (low) suitable and unsuitable). The waste disposal map of Enugu area shows that blocks1 (Obeagu area) and 3 (Ebe/Nsude areas) represent suitable and unsuitable areas, respectively, while block 2 (Ngwo area) has low suitability for waste disposal.

Banana-shaped electron acceptors with an electron-rich core fragment and 3D packing capability

The emergence of Y6-type nonfullerene acceptors has greatly enhanced the power conversion efficiency(PCE)of organic solar cells(OSCs).However,which structural feature is responsible for the excellent photovoltaic performance is still under debate.In this study,two Y6-like acceptors BDOTP-1 and BDOTP-2 were designed.Different from previous Y6-type acceptors featuring an A–D–Aʹ–D–A structure,BDOTP-1,and BDOTP-2 have no electron-deficient Aʹfragment in the core unit.Instead,there is an electron-rich dibenzodioxine fragment in the core.Although this modification leads to a marked change in the molecular dipole moment,electrostatic potential,frontier orbitals,and energy levels,BDOTP acceptors retain similar three-dimensional packing capability as Y6-type acceptors due to the similar banana-shaped molecular configuration.BDOTP acceptors show good performance in OSCs.High PCEs of up to 18.51%(certified 17.9%)are achieved.This study suggests that the banana-shaped configuration instead of the A–D–Aʹ–D–A structure is likely to be the determining factor in realizing high photovoltaic performance.

Modernization of Governance System and Governance Capability of State-Owned Enterprises

State-owned enterprises are important pillars of socialism with Chinese characteristics,and the modernization of their governance system and governance capacity is an important part of the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity.Through case study and specific practice,this paper carries out an in-depth thinking and serious analysis on how to promote the modernization of the governance system and governance capacity of state-owned enterprises under the new situation and requirements.This paper puts forward three kinds of management and control mechanism to enhance core competence in addition to the specific implementation path by using digital governance means.

Effects of Internal Control System Deficiency on Contractors＇ Infrastructural Development Capability in the Nigerian Public Sector

Infrastructure development in Nigeria has attracted the attention of researchers in view of the attitudes of contractors and government lead-lag role playing. These attitudes led to the enactment of Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007 and Public Procurement Act 2007 to reduce internal control system deficiencies and budget indiscipline in the Nigerian public sector fiscal matters and procurement process. Ironically, despite these efforts, infrastructure development is still a problem affecting the lives of Nigerians as their poverty level is on the increase. This paper tests the effects of internal control system deficiency on contractors＇ capability in infrastructure development in the Nigerian public sector. Data drawn from a sample of 228 infrastructures were used for analysis. Two research questions on contractors＇ fiduciary obligation to government and capacity were analysed. Kendall＇s Tau-br correlation of coefficient and Chi-square X^2 statistics were employed for data analysis. Findings show that deficient internal control system strongly and directly breeds deficiency in the contractors＇ capability for infrastructure development. The paper recommends that oath of bribery should complement oath of secrecy to ensure that contractors and government agencies that are responsible for execution of infrastructure play to the rules of the ＂games＂, especially the provisions of Public Procurement Act 2007 and Fiscal Responsibility Act 2007. Public-private-partnership-initiative, such as build-operate and transfer method of contracting, should be encouraged to improve on contractors＇ capability and stewardship.

Software Intrusion Detection Evaluation System: A Cost-Based Evaluation of Intrusion Detection Capability

In this paper, we consider a cost-based extension of intrusion detection capability (CID). An objective metric motivated by information theory is presented and based on this formulation;a package for computing the intrusion detection capability of intrusion detection system (IDS), given certain input parameters is developed using Java. In order to determine the expected cost at each IDS operating point, the decision tree method of analysis is employed, and plots of expected cost and intrusion detection capability against false positive rate were generated. The point of intersection between the maximum intrusion detection capability and the expected cost is selected as the optimal operating point. Considering an IDS in the context of its intrinsic ability to detect intrusions at the least expected cost, findings revealed that the optimal operating point is the most suitable for the given IDS. The cost-based extension is used to select optimal operating point, calculate expected cost, and compare two actual intrusion detectors. The proposed cost-based extension of intrusion detection capability will be very useful to information technology (IT), telecommunication firms, and financial institutions, for making proper decisions in evaluating the suitability of an IDS for a specific operational environment.

Monotonic Vector Space Model(II): Application in System Capability Indicator Analysis and Design

The application of some MVS operations (each dimension of which corresponds to a capability indicator) in system capability analysis and design, including capability indicator requirement analysis, effectiveness analysis, sensibility analysis, fuzzy analysis, stability analysis, capability optimization design, etc., is discussed in the second paper of this series of papers. And some MVS-based models and algorithms for capability analysis and design are put forward. Finally, an example of capability analysis and optimization design is given for explaining the usages of related models and algorithms.

Experimental study of the temporary plugging capability of diverters to block hydraulic fractures in high-temperature geothermal reservoirs

The effective plugging of artificial fractures is key to the success of temporary plugging and diverting fracturing technology,which is one of the most promising ways to improve the heat recovery efficiency of hot dry rock.At present,how temporary plugging agents plug artificial fractures under high temperature remains unclear.In this paper,by establishing an improved experimental system for the evaluation of temporary plugging performance at high temperature,we clarified the effects of high temperature,injection rate,and fracture width on the pressure response and plugging efficiency of the fracture.The results revealed that the temporary plugging process of artificial fractures in hot dry rock can be divided into four main stages:the initial stage of temporary plugging,the bridging stage of the particles,the plugging formation stage,and the high-pressure dense plugging stage.As the temperature increases,the distribution distance of the temporary plugging agent,the number of pressure fluctuations,and the time required for crack plugging increases.Particularly,when the temperature increases by 100℃,the complete plugging time increases by 90.7%.

Practice on Capability Accreditation Program(CAP)of Ethics Review System for Chinese Medicine Research

Capability Accreditation Program(CAP) of Ethics Review System for Chinese Medicine Research of World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies(WFCMS) is the first certification project in the field of Chinese medicine research on ethics review. Based on the Requirements for Ethical Review of Biomedical Research Involving Human, ethical review system for Chinese medicine research was established and standardized from 4 aspects, such as organization, ethics committee, office of the ethics committee, and researchers. The period of CAP certification is three years, which include certification application and acceptance, initial certification(document review, on-site audit), certification decision, and supervision audit. The implementation of the CAP certification is of great importance for upgrading the research on ethics review system of Chinese medicine, which promotes the development of the research on ethics review system in China and the continuous improvement of the ability of the Chinese medicine research on ethics review.

Sb-Cu alloy cathode with a novel lithiation mechanism of ternary intermetallic formation: Enabling high energy density and superior rate capability of liquid metal battery

Antimony(Sb) is an attractive cathode for liquid metal batteries(LMBs) because of its high theoretical voltage and low cost.The main obstacles associated with the Sb-based cathodes are unsatisfactory energy density and poor rate-capability.Herein,we propose a novel Sb_(64)Cu_(36)cathode that effectively tackles these issues.The Sb_(64)Cu_(36)(melting point:525℃) cathode presents a novel lithiation mechanism involving sequentially the generation of Li_(2)CuSb,the formation of Li_(3)Sb,and the conversion reaction of Li_(2)CuSb to Li_(3)Sb and Cu.The generated intermetallic compounds show a unique microstructure of the upper floated Li_(2)CuSb layer and the below cross-linked structure with interpenetrated Li_(2)CuSb and Li_(3)Sb phases.Compared with Li_(3)Sb,the lower Li migration energy barrier(0.188 eV) of Li_(2)CuSb significantly facilitates the lithium diffusion across the intermediate compounds and accelerates the reaction kinetics.Consequently,the Li‖Sb_(64)Cu_(36)cell delivers a more excellent electrochemical performance(energy density:353 W h kg^(-1)at 0.4 A cm^(-2);rate capability:0.59 V at 2.0 A cm^(-2)),and a much lower energy storage cost of only 38.45 $ kW h^(-1)than other previously reported Sb-based LMBs.This work provides a novel cathode design concept for the development of high-performance LMBs in applications for large-scale energy storage.

An Analysis Method for Capability Reliability of a Thermal System

This paper introduces an analysis method for capability reliability of a thermal system. In the method, the requirement of its capability is taken as a failure criterion. Following the process of obtaining the capability and using Monte Carlo random simulation, the system reliability is analyzed, with thermal calculating. With the help of an example, a system composed of two units and under random boundary condition, the paper shows how to analyze the capability reliability.