China’s Post-90s Rise to the Challenge of Combatting Coronavirus

POST-90S in China are typically stereotyped as twenty-something light-hearted kids. But,a large number of these post-90s including medical workers, policemen, community workers, and even volunteers, have defied this generalization in their fight against the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) since its outbreak in Wuhan and other cities in China’s Hubei Province.

Mastering air combat game with deep reinforcement learning

Reinforcement learning has been applied to air combat problems in recent years,and the idea of curriculum learning is often used for reinforcement learning,but traditional curriculum learning suffers from the problem of plasticity loss in neural networks.Plasticity loss is the difficulty of learning new knowledge after the network has converged.To this end,we propose a motivational curriculum learning distributed proximal policy optimization(MCLDPPO)algorithm,through which trained agents can significantly outperform the predictive game tree and mainstream reinforcement learning methods.The motivational curriculum learning is designed to help the agent gradually improve its combat ability by observing the agent's unsatisfactory performance and providing appropriate rewards as a guide.Furthermore,a complete tactical maneuver is encapsulated based on the existing air combat knowledge,and through the flexible use of these maneuvers,some tactics beyond human knowledge can be realized.In addition,we designed an interruption mechanism for the agent to increase the frequency of decisionmaking when the agent faces an emergency.When the number of threats received by the agent changes,the current action is interrupted in order to reacquire observations and make decisions again.Using the interruption mechanism can significantly improve the performance of the agent.To simulate actual air combat better,we use digital twin technology to simulate real air battles and propose a parallel battlefield mechanism that can run multiple simulation environments simultaneously,effectively improving data throughput.The experimental results demonstrate that the agent can fully utilize the situational information to make reasonable decisions and provide tactical adaptation in the air combat,verifying the effectiveness of the algorithmic framework proposed in this paper.

Optimal confrontation position selecting games model and its application to one-on-one air combat

In the air combat process,confrontation position is the critical factor to determine the confrontation situation,attack effect and escape probability of UAVs.Therefore,selecting the optimal confrontation position becomes the primary goal of maneuver decision-making.By taking the position as the UAV’s maneuver strategy,this paper constructs the optimal confrontation position selecting games(OCPSGs)model.In the OCPSGs model,the payoff function of each UAV is defined by the difference between the comprehensive advantages of both sides,and the strategy space of each UAV at every step is defined by its accessible space determined by the maneuverability.Then we design the limit approximation of mixed strategy Nash equilibrium(LAMSNQ)algorithm,which provides a method to determine the optimal probability distribution of positions in the strategy space.In the simulation phase,we assume the motions on three directions are independent and the strategy space is a cuboid to simplify the model.Several simulations are performed to verify the feasibility,effectiveness and stability of the algorithm.

Combating Cholera

Lying in her makeshift hospital bed,Joyce Tembo thanked medical personnel for evacuating her to the designated national cholera treatment centre,6 km north of Zambia’s capital Lusaka.She was recently diagnosed with diarrhoeal disease.Tembo,43,commended the medical sta!stationed at the treatment centre for their great service to thousands of patients,especially women and children seeking urgent treatment.“I am very grateful to the Chinese doctors who attended to me as soon as the ambulance rushed me to the clinic where I received urgent treatment;they have really saved my life,”Tembo told ChinAfrica.But not all residents in her community are as lucky as her.Many in the densely populated slums die every day due to the area’s poor sanitation-one of the major causes of the cholera outbreak.

Cooperative maneuver decision making for multi-UAV air combat based on incomplete information dynamic game

Cooperative autonomous air combat of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs)is one of the main combat modes in future air warfare,which becomes even more complicated with highly changeable situation and uncertain information of the opponents.As such,this paper presents a cooperative decision-making method based on incomplete information dynamic game to generate maneuver strategies for multiple UAVs in air combat.Firstly,a cooperative situation assessment model is presented to measure the overall combat situation.Secondly,an incomplete information dynamic game model is proposed to model the dynamic process of air combat,and a dynamic Bayesian network is designed to infer the tactical intention of the opponent.Then a reinforcement learning framework based on multiagent deep deterministic policy gradient is established to obtain the perfect Bayes-Nash equilibrium solution of the air combat game model.Finally,a series of simulations are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method,and the simulation results show effective synergies and cooperative tactics.

Autonomous air combat decision-making of UAV based on parallel self-play reinforcement learning

Aiming at addressing the problem of manoeuvring decision-making in UAV air combat,this study establishes a one-to-one air combat model,defines missile attack areas,and uses the non-deterministic policy Soft-Actor-Critic(SAC)algorithm in deep reinforcement learning to construct a decision model to realize the manoeuvring process.At the same time,the complexity of the proposed algorithm is calculated,and the stability of the closed-loop system of air combat decision-making controlled by neural network is analysed by the Lyapunov function.This study defines the UAV air combat process as a gaming process and proposes a Parallel Self-Play training SAC algorithm(PSP-SAC)to improve the generalisation performance of UAV control decisions.Simulation results have shown that the proposed algorithm can realize sample sharing and policy sharing in multiple combat environments and can significantly improve the generalisation ability of the model compared to independent training.

The personal protective equipment(PPE)based on individual combat:A systematic review and trend analysis

With the development of ordnance technology,the survival and safety of individual combatants in hightech warfare are under serious threat,and the Personal Protective Equipment(PPE),as an important guarantee to reduce casualties and maintain military combat effectiveness,is widely developed.This paper systematically reviewed various PPE based on individual combat through literature research and comprehensive discussion,and introduced in detail the latest application progress of PPE in terms of material and technology from three aspects:individual integrated protection system,traditional protection equipment,and intelligent protection equipment,respectively,and discussed in depth the functional improvement and optimization status brought by advanced technology for PPE,focusing on the achievements of individual equipment technology application.Finally,the problems and technical bottlenecks in the development of PPE were analyzed and summarized,and the development trend of PPE were pointed out.The results of the review will provide a forward-looking reference for the current development of individual PPE,and are important guidance for the design and technological innovation of advanced equipment based on the future technological battlefield.

UCAV situation assessment method based on C-LSHADE-Means and SAE-LVQ

The unmanned combat aerial vehicle(UCAV)is a research hot issue in the world,and the situation assessment is an important part of it.To overcome shortcomings of the existing situation assessment methods,such as low accuracy and strong dependence on prior knowledge,a datadriven situation assessment method is proposed.The clustering and classification are combined,the former is used to mine situational knowledge,and the latter is used to realize rapid assessment.Angle evaluation factor and distance evaluation factor are proposed to transform multi-dimensional air combat information into two-dimensional features.A convolution success-history based adaptive differential evolution with linear population size reduc-tion-means(C-LSHADE-Means)algorithm is proposed.The convolutional pooling layer is used to compress the size of data and preserve the distribution characteristics.The LSHADE algorithm is used to initialize the center of the mean clustering,which over-comes the defect of initialization sensitivity.Comparing experi-ment with the seven clustering algorithms is done on the UCI data set,through four clustering indexes,and it proves that the method proposed in this paper has better clustering performance.A situation assessment model based on stacked autoen-coder and learning vector quantization(SAE-LVQ)network is constructed,and it uses SAE to reconstruct air combat data fea-tures,and uses the self-competition layer of the LVQ to achieve efficient classification.Compared with the five kinds of assess-ments models,the SAE-LVQ model has the highest accuracy.Finally,three kinds of confrontation processes from air combat maneuvering instrumentation(ACMI)are selected,and the model in this paper is used for situation assessment.The assessment results are in line with the actual situation.

Strategy dominance mechanism of autonomous collaboration in unmanned swarm within the framework of public goods game

The key advantage of unmanned swarm operation is its autonomous cooperation. How to improve the proportion of cooperators is one of the key issues of autonomous collaboration in unmanned swarm operations. This work proposes a strategy dominance mechanism of autonomous collaboration in unmanned swarm within the framework of public goods game. It starts with the requirement analysis of autonomous collaboration in unmanned swarm;and an aspiration-driven multiplayer evolutionary game model is established based on the requirement. Then the average abundance function and strategy dominance condition of the model are constructed by theoretical derivation. Furthermore, the evolutionary mechanism of parameter adjustment in swarm cooperation is revealed via simulation,and the influences of the multiplication factor r, aspiration levelα, threshold m and other parameters on the strategy dominance conditions were simulated for both linear and threshold public goods games(PGGs) to determine the strategy dominance characteristics;Finally, deliberate proposals are suggested to provide a meaningful exploration in the actual control of unmanned swarm cooperation.

Network-based structure optimization method of the anti-aircraft system

The anti-aircraft system plays an irreplaceable role in modern combat. An anti-aircraft system consists of various types of functional entities interacting to destroy the hostile aircraft moving in high speed. The connecting structure of combat entities in it is of great importance for supporting the normal process of the system. In this paper, we explore the optimizing strategy of the structure of the anti-aircraft network by establishing extra communication channels between the combat entities.Firstly, the thought of combat network model(CNM) is borrowed to model the anti-aircraft system as a heterogeneous network. Secondly, the optimization objectives are determined as the survivability and the accuracy of the system. To specify these objectives, the information chain and accuracy chain are constructed based on CNM. The causal strength(CAST) logic and influence network(IN) are introduced to illustrate the establishment of the accuracy chain. Thirdly, the optimization constraints are discussed and set in three aspects: time, connection feasibility and budget. The time constraint network(TCN) is introduced to construct the timing chain and help to detect the timing consistency. Then, the process of the multi-objective optimization of the structure of the anti-aircraft system is designed.Finally, a simulation is conducted to prove the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method. Non-dominated sorting based genetic algorithm-Ⅱ(NSGA2) is used to solve the multiobjective optimization problem and two other algorithms including non-dominated sorting based genetic algorithm-Ⅲ(NSGA3)and strength Pareto evolutionary algorithm-Ⅱ(SPEA2) are employed as comparisons. The deciders and system builders can make the anti-aircraft system improved in the survivability and accuracy in the combat reality.

Shuffled frog leaping algorithm with non-dominated sorting for dynamic weapon-target assignment

The dynamic weapon target assignment(DWTA)problem is of great significance in modern air combat.However,DWTA is a highly complex constrained multi-objective combinatorial optimization problem.An improved elitist non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II(NSGA-II)called the non-dominated shuffled frog leaping algorithm(NSFLA)is proposed to maximize damage to enemy targets and minimize the self-threat in air combat constraints.In NSFLA,the shuffled frog leaping algorithm(SFLA)is introduced to NSGA-II to replace the inside evolutionary scheme of the genetic algorithm(GA),displaying low optimization speed and heterogeneous space search defects.Two improvements have also been raised to promote the internal optimization performance of SFLA.Firstly,the local evolution scheme,a novel crossover mechanism,ensures that each individual participates in updating instead of only the worst ones,which can expand the diversity of the population.Secondly,a discrete adaptive mutation algorithm based on the function change rate is applied to balance the global and local search.Finally,the scheme is verified in various air combat scenarios.The results show that the proposed NSFLA has apparent advantages in solution quality and efficiency,especially in many aircraft and the dynamic air combat environment.

Entry-Level Forward Surgical Team Training Is Associated with Increased Confidence of Primary Combat Surgeons

Background: In recent years, we have established an entry-level Forward Surgical Team (FST) training program in a Chinese military medical university for the 5th grade undergraduates, who would be deployed to different military medical services as primary combat surgeons. This study aimed to assess the role of this pre-service training in improving their confidence with combat medical skills, after several years since they received the training. Methods: We conducted a nationwide survey of 239 primary combat surgeons who have ever participated in an entry-level FST training program before deployment between June 2016 and June 2020, which was for evaluating on a 5-point Likert scale the benefits of entry-level FST training and conventional surgery training in improving their confidence with combat medical skills. The difference in scores was compared using the student t-test. Significance was considered as P Results: The total score was significantly higher for entry-level FST training than that for conventional surgery training (30.76 ± 4.33 vs. 28.95 ± 4.80, P There was no significant difference between the training for surgical skills confidence scores (18.03 ± 8.04 vs. 17.51 ± 8.30, P = 0.098), but for non-technical skills, the score of entry-level FST training was significantly higher than that of conventional surgery training (12.73 ± 5.39 vs. 11.44 ± 5.62, P The distributions of confidence scores were different under various subgroups by demographics. There were no significant differences in scores between the two training in all specific surgical skill sets except “life-saving surgery” (P = 0.011). Scores of all 4 non-technical skill sets were significantly higher for entry-level FST than those for conventional surgery training (P Conclusions: The training should be considered as an essential strategy to improve confidence in combat medical skills, especially life-saving surgery and non-technical skills, for primary combat surgeons.

A Year of Great Strides

Review of China-Africa relations in 2022 and prospects for 2023.THE year 2022 was the first year of implementing the outcomes of the Eighth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation(FOCAC)held in November 2021 in Dakar,Senegal,which adopted four outcome documents,namely the Dakar Declaration,the China-Africa Cooperation Vision 2035,the Declaration on China-Africa Cooperation on Combating Climate Change,and the Dakar Action Plan(2022-2024).

Combatting anthrax outbreaks across Nigeria's national land borders: need to optimize surveillance with epidemiological surveys

Background Anthrax is a non-contagious zoonotic disease caused by the Gram-positive,spore-forming bac-terium Bacillus anthracis.Infection is common in livestock and wild animals such as cattle,goats,sheep,camels,and antelopes.In humans,anthrax may occur after contact with contaminated carcasses or animal products like milk and meat.The best method to prevent anthrax in people is to ensure livestock are vaccinated,which significantly limits the risk of zoonotic spread to humans.However,the rate of vaccination of domesticated animals kept by nomadic pastoralists in West Africa is low.These groups regularly cross over national boundaries with their grazing herds.Nigeria is a country that historically has done comparatively well to contain this public health threat.However,in 2023 several outbreaks of human disease appear linked to the consumption of anthrax-contaminated animal products brought into Nigeria by pastoralists from neighboring countries.Clinical manifestations include skin sores or ulcers,nausea,vomiting,and fever.This article aims to raise awareness of recent outbreaks of anthrax in West Africa and to callfor a renewed focus on measures to combat this neglected public health concern to the region.Main body The imperative to pinpoint pivotal issues relating to the ongoing emergence of anthrax cases in Nigeria cannot be overstated.By delving into the prevalence of anthrax in both livestock and human populations residing along Nigeria's borders,unraveling the genetic diversity and potential sources of B.anthracis strains,and identify-ing the primary animal host(s)responsible for transmission,we stand to enhance our understanding of this critical issue.Furthermore,investigating the multifaceted factors contributing to anthrax transmission,assessing community knowledge and practices,mapping common migratory routes of pastoralists,and formulating targeted interven-tion strategies tailored to the challenges of border communities,are each crucial steps towards effective control andprevention.Conclusion Closing these knowledge gaps on anthrax is not only essential for safeguarding both animal and human health but also for fostering sustainable and resilient communities.Addressing research questions on these interdis-ciplinary concerns will undoubtedly pave the way for informed decision-making,proactive measures,and a more secure future for Nigeria and its border regions.

Performance Study of an FFH/BFSK Self-Normalizing Receiver with Multitone Jamming's Frequency Offsets

This study investigates how frequency offsets of multitone jamming affect the fast frequencyhopped binary frequency shift keying （FFH/BFSK） self-normalizing （SNZ） receiver under additive white Gaussian noise （AWGN）. The average bit-error-rate （BER） expressions of the FFH/BFSK SNZ receiver and the average BER expressions of an FFH/BFSK spread-spectrum （SS） communication system with frequency offsets of multitone jamming for the sake of understanding the simulation results better. Simulation results show that BER performance of the FFH/BFSK SNZ receiver with diversity under the worst case multitone jamming （MTJ） and AWGN suffers from multitone jamming＇s frequency offsets when the jamming power is moderate, which is validated by several simulations with different frequency offsets configured in multitone jamming. Therefore, an FFH/BFSK SNZ receiver under multitone jamming can be combated with the help of frequency offsets of multitone jamming.

“战斗力”能译成“combativeness”吗?

新华网英文版在一篇报道中把军事术语"战斗力"译成了"combativeness"。通过分析十四部英汉词典中"combativeness"的释义、八部汉英词典给出的"战斗力"的译法以及基于问卷调查的结果,作者指出了新华网这一译法的错误,补充了汉英词典未收录的"战斗力"的两种译法,并强调加强外宣翻译中政治意识的重要性。

Autonomous air combat maneuver decision using Bayesian inference and moving horizon optimization

To reach a higher level of autonomy for unmanned combat aerial vehicle(UCAV) in air combat games, this paper builds an autonomous maneuver decision system. In this system,the air combat game is regarded as a Markov process, so that the air combat situation can be effectively calculated via Bayesian inference theory. According to the situation assessment result,adaptively adjusts the weights of maneuver decision factors, which makes the objective function more reasonable and ensures the superiority situation for UCAV. As the air combat game is characterized by highly dynamic and a significant amount of uncertainty,to enhance the robustness and effectiveness of maneuver decision results, fuzzy logic is used to build the functions of four maneuver decision factors. Accuracy prediction of opponent aircraft is also essential to ensure making a good decision; therefore, a prediction model of opponent aircraft is designed based on the elementary maneuver method. Finally, the moving horizon optimization strategy is used to effectively model the whole air combat maneuver decision process. Various simulations are performed on typical scenario test and close-in dogfight, the results sufficiently demonstrate the superiority of the designed maneuver decision method.

A Predator-prey Particle Swarm Optimization Approach to Multiple UCAV Air Combat Modeled by Dynamic Game Theory

Dynamic game theory has received considerable attention as a promising technique for formulating control actions for agents in an extended complex enterprise that involves an adversary. At each decision making step, each side seeks the best scheme with the purpose of maximizing its own objective function. In this paper, a game theoretic approach based on predatorprey particle swarm optimization(PP-PSO) is presented, and the dynamic task assignment problem for multiple unmanned combat aerial vehicles(UCAVs) in military operation is decomposed and modeled as a two-player game at each decision stage. The optimal assignment scheme of each stage is regarded as a mixed Nash equilibrium, which can be solved by using the PP-PSO. The effectiveness of our proposed methodology is verified by a typical example of an air military operation that involves two opposing forces: the attacking force Red and the defense force Blue.

Analysis on MAV/UAV cooperative combat based on complex network

A formation model of manned/unmanned aerial vehicle(MAV/UAV) collaborative combat can qualitatively and quantitatively analyze the synergistic effects.However,there is currently no effective and appropriate model construction method or theory,and research in the field of collaborative capability evaluation is basically nonexistent.According to the actual conditions of cooperative operations,a new MAV/UAV collaborative combat network model construction method based on a complex network is presented.By analyzing the characteristic parameters of the abstract network,the index system and complex network are combined.Then,a method for evaluating the synergistic effect of the cooperative combat network is developed.This method provides assistance for the verification and evaluation of MAV/UAV collaborative combat.

Situation assessment for air combat based on novel semi-supervised naive Bayes

A method is proposed to resolve the typical problem of air combat situation assessment. Taking the one-to-one air combat as an example and on the basis of air combat data recorded by the air combat maneuvering instrument, the problem of air combat situation assessment is equivalent to the situation classification problem of air combat data. The fuzzy C-means clustering algorithm is proposed to cluster the selected air combat sample data and the situation classification of the data is determined by the data correlation analysis in combination with the clustering results and the pilots＇ description of the air combat process. On the basis of semi-supervised naive Bayes classifier, an improved algorithm is proposed based on data classification confidence, through which the situation classification of air combat data is carried out. The simulation results show that the improved algorithm can assess the air combat situation effectively and the improvement of the algorithm can promote the classification performance without significantly affecting the efficiency of the classifier.