In recent times,technology has advanced significantly and is currently being integrated into educational environments to facilitate distance learning and interaction between learners.Integrating the Internet of Things...In recent times,technology has advanced significantly and is currently being integrated into educational environments to facilitate distance learning and interaction between learners.Integrating the Internet of Things(IoT)into education can facilitate the teaching and learning process and expand the context in which students learn.Nevertheless,learning data is very sensitive and must be protected when transmitted over the network or stored in data centers.Moreover,the identity and the authenticity of interacting students,instructors,and staff need to be verified to mitigate the impact of attacks.However,most of the current security and authentication schemes are centralized,relying on trusted third-party cloud servers,to facilitate continuous secure communication.In addition,most of these schemes are resourceintensive;thus,security and efficiency issues arise when heterogeneous and resource-limited IoT devices are being used.In this paper,we propose a blockchain-based architecture that accurately identifies and authenticates learners and their IoT devices in a decentralized manner and prevents the unauthorized modification of stored learning records in a distributed university network.It allows students and instructors to easily migrate to and join multiple universities within the network using their identity without the need for user re-authentication.The proposed architecture was tested using a simulation tool,and measured to evaluate its performance.The simulation results demonstrate the ability of the proposed architecture to significantly increase the throughput of learning transactions(40%),reduce the communication overhead and response time(26%),improve authentication efficiency(27%),and reduce the IoT power consumption(35%)compared to the centralized authentication mechanisms.In addition,the security analysis proves the effectiveness of the proposed architecture in resisting various attacks and ensuring the security requirements of learning data in the university network.展开更多
In the past two decades,there has been a lot of work on computer vision technology that incorporates many tasks which implement basic filtering to image classification.Themajor research areas of this field include obj...In the past two decades,there has been a lot of work on computer vision technology that incorporates many tasks which implement basic filtering to image classification.Themajor research areas of this field include object detection and object recognition.Moreover,wireless communication technologies are presently adopted and they have impacted the way of education that has been changed.There are different phases of changes in the traditional system.Perception of three-dimensional(3D)from two-dimensional(2D)image is one of the demanding tasks.Because human can easily perceive but making 3D using software will take time manually.Firstly,the blackboard has been replaced by projectors and other digital screens so such that people can understand the concept better through visualization.Secondly,the computer labs in schools are now more common than ever.Thirdly,online classes have become a reality.However,transferring to online education or e-learning is not without challenges.Therefore,we propose a method for improving the efficiency of e-learning.Our proposed system consists of twoand-a-half dimensional(2.5D)features extraction using machine learning and image processing.Then,these features are utilized to generate 3D mesh using ellipsoidal deformation method.After that,3D bounding box estimation is applied.Our results show that there is a need to move to 3D virtual reality(VR)with haptic sensors in the field of e-learning for a better understanding of real-world objects.Thus,people will have more information as compared to the traditional or simple online education tools.We compare our result with the ShapeNet dataset to check the accuracy of our proposed method.Our proposed system achieved an accuracy of 90.77%on plane class,85.72%on chair class,and car class have 72.14%.Mean accuracy of our method is 70.89%.展开更多
Due to the recently increased requirements of e-learning systems,multiple educational institutes such as kindergarten have transformed their learning towards virtual education.Automated student health exercise is a di...Due to the recently increased requirements of e-learning systems,multiple educational institutes such as kindergarten have transformed their learning towards virtual education.Automated student health exercise is a difficult task but an important one due to the physical education needs especially in young learners.The proposed system focuses on the necessary implementation of student health exercise recognition(SHER)using a modified Quaternion-basedfilter for inertial data refining and data fusion as the pre-processing steps.Further,cleansed data has been segmented using an overlapping windowing approach followed by patterns identification in the form of static and kinematic signal patterns.Furthermore,these patterns have been utilized to extract cues for both patterned signals,which are further optimized using Fisher’s linear discriminant analysis(FLDA)technique.Finally,the physical exercise activities have been categorized using extended Kalmanfilter(EKF)-based neural networks.This system can be implemented in multiple educational establishments including intelligent training systems,virtual mentors,smart simulations,and interactive learning management methods.展开更多
Glutamatergic projection neurons generate sophisticated excitatory circuits to integrate and transmit information among different cortical areas,and between the neocortex and other regions of the brain and spinal cord...Glutamatergic projection neurons generate sophisticated excitatory circuits to integrate and transmit information among different cortical areas,and between the neocortex and other regions of the brain and spinal cord.Appropriate development of cortical projection neurons is regulated by certain essential events such as neural fate determination,proliferation,specification,differentiation,migration,survival,axonogenesis,and synaptogenesis.These processes are precisely regulated in a tempo-spatial manner by intrinsic factors,extrinsic signals,and neural activities.The generation of correct subtypes and precise connections of projection neurons is imperative not only to support the basic cortical functions(such as sensory information integration,motor coordination,and cognition)but also to prevent the onset and progression of neurodevelopmental disorders(such as intellectual disability,autism spectrum disorders,anxiety,and depression).This review mainly focuses on the recent progress of transcriptional regulations on the development and diversity of neocortical projection neurons and the clinical relevance of the failure of transcriptional modulations.展开更多
We present an application of short-pulse laser-generated hard x rays for the diagnosis of indirectly driven double shell targets. Coneinserted double shell targets were imploded through an indirect drive approach on t...We present an application of short-pulse laser-generated hard x rays for the diagnosis of indirectly driven double shell targets. Coneinserted double shell targets were imploded through an indirect drive approach on the upgraded SG-II laser facility. Then, based on thepoint-projection hard x-ray radiography technique, time-resolved radiography of the double shell targets, including that of their near-peakcompression, were obtained. The backlighter source was created by the interactions of a high-intensity short pulsed laser with a metalmicrowire target. Images of the target near peak compression were obtained with an Au microwire. In addition, radiation hydrodynamicsimulations were performed, and the target evolution obtained agrees well with the experimental results. Using the radiographic images, arealdensities of the targets were evaluated.展开更多
The Nesterov accelerated dynamical approach serves as an essential tool for addressing convex optimization problems with accelerated convergence rates.Most previous studies in this field have primarily concentrated on...The Nesterov accelerated dynamical approach serves as an essential tool for addressing convex optimization problems with accelerated convergence rates.Most previous studies in this field have primarily concentrated on unconstrained smooth con-vex optimization problems.In this paper,on the basis of primal-dual dynamical approach,Nesterov accelerated dynamical approach,projection operator and directional gradient,we present two accelerated primal-dual projection neurodynamic approaches with time scaling to address convex optimization problems with smooth and nonsmooth objective functions subject to linear and set constraints,which consist of a second-order ODE(ordinary differential equation)or differential conclusion system for the primal variables and a first-order ODE for the dual vari-ables.By satisfying specific conditions for time scaling,we demonstrate that the proposed approaches have a faster conver-gence rate.This only requires assuming convexity of the objective function.We validate the effectiveness of our proposed two accel-erated primal-dual projection neurodynamic approaches through numerical experiments.展开更多
Agricultural investment project selection is a complex multi-criteria decision-making problem,as agricultural projects are easily influenced by various risk factors,and the evaluation information provided by decisionm...Agricultural investment project selection is a complex multi-criteria decision-making problem,as agricultural projects are easily influenced by various risk factors,and the evaluation information provided by decisionmakers usually involves uncertainty and inconsistency.Existing literature primarily employed direct preference elicitation methods to address such issues,necessitating a great cognitive effort on the part of decision-makers during evaluation,specifically,determining the weights of criteria.In this study,we propose an indirect preference elicitation method,known as a preference disaggregation method,to learn decision-maker preference models fromdecision examples.To enhance evaluation ease,decision-makers merely need to compare pairs of alternatives with which they are familiar,also known as reference alternatives.Probabilistic linguistic preference relations are employed to account for the presence of incomplete and uncertain information in such pairwise comparisons.To address the inconsistency among a group of decision-makers,we develop a pair of 0-1mixed integer programming models that consider both the semantics of linguistic terms and the belief degrees of decision-makers.Finally,we conduct a case study and comparative analysis.Results reveal the effectiveness of the proposed model in solving agricultural investment project selection problems with uncertain and inconsistent decision information.展开更多
Suzhou City,located in the Yangtze River Delta in China,is prone to flooding due to a complex combination of natural factors,including its monsoon climate,low elevation,and tidally influenced position,as well as inten...Suzhou City,located in the Yangtze River Delta in China,is prone to flooding due to a complex combination of natural factors,including its monsoon climate,low elevation,and tidally influenced position,as well as intensive human activities.The Large Encirclement Flood Control Project(LEFCP)was launched to cope with serious floods in the urban area.This project changed the spatiotemporal pattern of flood processes and caused spatial diversion of floods from the urban area to the outskirts of the city.Therefore,this study developed a distributed flood simulation model in order to understand this transition of flood processes.The results revealed that the LEFCP effectively protected the urban areas from floods,but the present scheduling schemes resulted in the spatial diversion of floods to the outskirts of the city.With rainstorm frequencies of 10.0%to 0.5%,the water level differences between two representative water level stations(Miduqiao(MDQ)and Fengqiao(FQ))located inside and outside the LEFCP area,ranged from 0.75 m to 0.24 m and from 1.80 m to 1.58 m,respectively.In addition,the flood safety margin at MDQ and the duration with the water level exceeding the warning water level at FQ ranged from 0.95 m to 0.43 m and from 4 h to 22 h,respectively.Rational scheduling schemes for the hydraulic facilities of the LEFCP in extreme precipitation cases were developed ac-cording to food simulations under seven scheduling scenarios.This helps to regulate the spatial flood diversion caused by the LEFCP during extreme precipitation.展开更多
In this study,the vertical components of broadband teleseismic P wave data recorded by China Earthquake Network are used to image the rupture processes of the February 6th,2023 Turkish earthquake doublet via back proj...In this study,the vertical components of broadband teleseismic P wave data recorded by China Earthquake Network are used to image the rupture processes of the February 6th,2023 Turkish earthquake doublet via back projection analysis.Data in two frequency bands(0.5-2 Hz and 1-3 Hz)are used in the imaging processes.The results show that the rupture of the first event extends about 200 km to the northeast and about 150 km to the southwest,lasting~90 s in total.The southwestern rupture is triggered by the northeastern rupture,demonstrating a sequential bidirectional unilateral rupture pattern.The rupture of the second event extends approximately 80 km in both northeast and west directions,lasting~35 s in total and demonstrates a typical bilateral rupture feature.The cascading ruptures on both sides also reflect the occurrence of selective rupture behaviors on bifurcated faults.In addition,we observe super-shear ruptures on certain fault sections with relatively straight fault structures and sparse aftershocks.展开更多
With the population growth through natural growth and migration,coupled with the city expansion,it is the fact that Dehradun City in India faces severe water scarcity.Therefore,the Song Dam Drinking Water Project(SDDW...With the population growth through natural growth and migration,coupled with the city expansion,it is the fact that Dehradun City in India faces severe water scarcity.Therefore,the Song Dam Drinking Water Project(SDDWP)is proposed to provide ample drinking water to Dehradun City and its suburban areas.This paper examined economic significance and environmental impacts of the SDDWP in Garhwal Himalaya,India.To conduct this study,we collected data from both primary and secondary sources.There are 12 villages and 3 forest divisions in the surrounding areas of the proposed dam project,of which 3 villages will be fully submerged and 50 households will be affected.For this study,50 heads of the households were interviewed in the 3 submerged villages.The questions mainly focused on economic significance,environmental impacts,and rehabilitation issues of the dam project.The findings of this study indicate that economic significance of the dam project is substantial,including providing ample water for drinking and irrigation,contributing to groundwater recharge,creating job opportunities,and promoting the development of tourism and fisheries in the Doon Valley.In terms of the rehabilitation of the affected people,there are only 50 households in need of rehabilitation.Currently,the arable land of these affected people is not sufficient to sustain their livelihoods.The entire landscape is fragile,rugged,and precipitous;therefore,the affected people are willing to rehabilitate to more suitable areas in the Doon Valley.Moreover,it is essential to provide them with sufficient compensation packages including the compensation of arable land,houses,cash,common property resources,institutions,belongingness,and cultural adaptation.On the other hand,the proposed dam project will have adverse environmental impacts including arable land degradation,forest degradation,loss of fauna and flora,soil erosion,landslides,and soil siltation.These impacts will lead to the ecological imbalances in both upstream and downstream areas.This study suggests that the affected people should be given sufficient compensation packages in all respects.Afforestation programs can be launched in the degraded areas to compensate for the loss of forest in the affected areas.展开更多
Social dysfunction is a risk factor for several neuropsychiatric illnesses.Previous studies have shown that the lateral septum(LS)-related pathway plays a critical role in mediating social behaviors.Howeve r,the role ...Social dysfunction is a risk factor for several neuropsychiatric illnesses.Previous studies have shown that the lateral septum(LS)-related pathway plays a critical role in mediating social behaviors.Howeve r,the role of the connections between the LS and its downstream brain regions in social behavio rs remains unclea r.In this study,we conducted a three-chamber test using electrophysiological and chemogenetic approaches in mice to determine how LS projections to ventral CA1(vCA1)influence sociability.Our res ults showed that gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA)-e rgic neuro ns were activated following social experience,and that social behavio rs were enhanced by chemogenetic modulation of these neurons.Moreover,LS GABAergic neurons extended their functional neural connections via vCA1 glutamatergic pyramidal neurons,and regulating LSGABA→vCA1Gluneural projections affected social behaviors,which were impeded by suppressing LSprojecting vCA1 neuronal activity or inhibiting GABAAreceptors in vCA1.These findings support the hypothesis that LS inputs to the vCA1 can control social prefe rences and social novelty behaviors.These findings provide new insights rega rding the neural circuits that regulate sociability.展开更多
This study comprehensively examines the patterns and regional variation of severe rainfall across the African continent, employing a suite of eight extreme precipitation indices. The analysis extends to the assessment...This study comprehensively examines the patterns and regional variation of severe rainfall across the African continent, employing a suite of eight extreme precipitation indices. The analysis extends to the assessment of projected changes in precipitation extremes using five General Circulation Models (GCMs) from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) under four Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) scenarios at the long-term period (2081-2100) of the 21<sup>st</sup> century. Furthermore, the study investigates potential mechanisms influencing precipitation extremes by correlating extreme precipitation indices with oceanic system indices, specifically Ni?o 3.4 for El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Dipole Mode Index (DMI) for the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). The findings revealed distinct spatial distributions in mean trends of extreme precipitation indices, indicating a tendency toward decreased extreme precipitation in North Africa, Sahel region, Central Africa and the Western part of South Africa. Conversely, West Africa, East Africa and the Eastern part of South Africa exhibit an inclination toward increased extreme precipitation. The changes in precipitation extreme indices indicate a general rise in both the severity and occurrence of extreme precipitation events under all scenarios by the end of the 21<sup>st</sup> century. Notably, our analysis projects a decrease in consecutive wet days (CWD) in the far-future. Additionally, correlation analysis highlights significant correlation between above or below threshold rainfall fluctuation in East Africa and South Africa with oceanic systems, particularly ENSO and the IOD. Central Africa abnormal precipitation variability is also linked to ENSO with a significant negative correlation. These insights contribute valuable information for understanding and projecting the dynamics of precipitation extreme in Africa, providing a foundation for climate adaptation and mitigation efforts in the region.展开更多
The performance of bridge projects in Kenya is poor in terms of completion by schedule, cost, and quality (scope). Yet, there is less evidence of empirical research on what factors contribute to this outcome. This stu...The performance of bridge projects in Kenya is poor in terms of completion by schedule, cost, and quality (scope). Yet, there is less evidence of empirical research on what factors contribute to this outcome. This study aimed to bridge this gap by examining the effects of contractor-related factors on the performance of bridge construction projects in Kenya through a case study of the Bridge projects Implemented by the Kenya National Highway Agency (KeNHA). The theory of constraints (TOC) was adopted as its theoretical framework. Descriptive research was used, and the target population was 18 bridge construction projects, which were the units of analysis from 2012 to 2022. In each of these projects, 18 respondents, namely clients, consultants, contractors, engineers, environment and social guards, project managers, stakeholders, subcontractors, technical advisors, and inspectors, were included in a target population of 144 respondents. A census was conducted and a structured questionnaire was administered from which a response rate of 68% was achieved. The information was analyzed using descriptive, correlation, and multiple linear regression analysis. The contractor-related factors considered in the study were staff and management factors. The findings indicated that staff and management factors had a positive and significant outcome on performance of bridge construction projects. The study recommends continuous training and a safe learning environment for staff to improve their skills and performance in future projects. The study also recommends that a special category for bridge contractors be created in Kenya’s National Construction Authority rankings to ensure that only qualified contractors implement the Bridge projects.展开更多
This paper celebrates Professor Yongqi GAO's significant achievement in the field of interdisciplinary studies within the context of his final research project Arctic Climate Predictions: Pathways to Resilient Sus...This paper celebrates Professor Yongqi GAO's significant achievement in the field of interdisciplinary studies within the context of his final research project Arctic Climate Predictions: Pathways to Resilient Sustainable Societies-ARCPATH(https://www.svs.is/en/projects/finished-projects/arcpath). The disciplines represented in the project are related to climatology, anthropology, marine biology, economics, and the broad spectrum of social-ecological studies. Team members were drawn from the Nordic countries, Russia, China, the United States, and Canada. The project was transdisciplinary as well as interdisciplinary as it included collaboration with local knowledge holders. ARCPATH made significant contributions to Arctic research through an improved understanding of the mechanisms that drive climate variability in the Arctic. In tandem with this research, a combination of historical investigations and social, economic, and marine biological fieldwork was carried out for the project study areas of Iceland, Greenland, Norway, and the surrounding seas, with a focus on the joint use of ocean and sea-ice data as well as social-ecological drivers. ARCPATH was able to provide an improved framework for predicting the near-term variation of Arctic climate on spatial scales relevant to society, as well as evaluating possible related changes in socioeconomic realms. In summary, through the integration of information from several different disciplines and research approaches, ARCPATH served to create new and valuable knowledge on crucial issues, thus providing new pathways to action for Arctic communities.展开更多
Scientific research projects aim to produce new knowledge generally in domains of high specialization.Some of these projects have goals of improving the performance of companies.In this case,the issues of the capitali...Scientific research projects aim to produce new knowledge generally in domains of high specialization.Some of these projects have goals of improving the performance of companies.In this case,the issues of the capitalization and transfer of scientific knowledge and its rapid transformation into professional skills are directly addressed.However,there is no method to derive e-learning teaching material from project results.So,this paper presents the e-LITE Method and its application to the ISTA3 project to support the process of developing a e-learning training.This application has allowed us to highlight the contributions of the method that promotes better knowledge sharing between partners of a research project and the development and transfer of research results to the professional world.So,after the presentation of the method,an application to the ISTA3 project will be presented.展开更多
Maps, essential tools for portraying the Earth’s surface, inherently introduce distortions to geographical features. While various quantification methods exist for assessing these distortions, they often fall short w...Maps, essential tools for portraying the Earth’s surface, inherently introduce distortions to geographical features. While various quantification methods exist for assessing these distortions, they often fall short when evaluating actual geographic features. In our study, we took a novel approach by analyzing map projection distortion from a geometric perspective. We computed the fractal dimensions of different stretches of coastline before and after projection using the divide-and-conquer algorithm and image processing. Our findings revealed that map projections, even when preserving basic shapes, inevitably stretch and compress coastlines in diverse directions. This analysis method provides a more realistic and practical way to measure map-induced distortions, with significant implications for cartography, geographic information systems (GIS), and geomorphology. By bridging the gap between theoretical analysis and real-world features, this method greatly enhances accuracy and practicality when evaluating map projections.展开更多
文摘In recent times,technology has advanced significantly and is currently being integrated into educational environments to facilitate distance learning and interaction between learners.Integrating the Internet of Things(IoT)into education can facilitate the teaching and learning process and expand the context in which students learn.Nevertheless,learning data is very sensitive and must be protected when transmitted over the network or stored in data centers.Moreover,the identity and the authenticity of interacting students,instructors,and staff need to be verified to mitigate the impact of attacks.However,most of the current security and authentication schemes are centralized,relying on trusted third-party cloud servers,to facilitate continuous secure communication.In addition,most of these schemes are resourceintensive;thus,security and efficiency issues arise when heterogeneous and resource-limited IoT devices are being used.In this paper,we propose a blockchain-based architecture that accurately identifies and authenticates learners and their IoT devices in a decentralized manner and prevents the unauthorized modification of stored learning records in a distributed university network.It allows students and instructors to easily migrate to and join multiple universities within the network using their identity without the need for user re-authentication.The proposed architecture was tested using a simulation tool,and measured to evaluate its performance.The simulation results demonstrate the ability of the proposed architecture to significantly increase the throughput of learning transactions(40%),reduce the communication overhead and response time(26%),improve authentication efficiency(27%),and reduce the IoT power consumption(35%)compared to the centralized authentication mechanisms.In addition,the security analysis proves the effectiveness of the proposed architecture in resisting various attacks and ensuring the security requirements of learning data in the university network.
基金supported by the MSIT(Ministry of Science and ICT),Korea,under the ITRC(Information Technology Research Center)support program(IITP-2023-2018-0-01426)supervised by the IITP(Institute for Information&Communications Technology Planning&Evaluation).In additionsupport of the Deanship of Scientific Research at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University,This work has also been supported by Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University Researchers Supporting Project Number(PNURSP2022R239),Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University,Riyadh,Saudi Arabia.Alsosupported by the Taif University Researchers Supporting Project Number(TURSP-2020/115),Taif University,Taif,Saudi Arabia.
文摘In the past two decades,there has been a lot of work on computer vision technology that incorporates many tasks which implement basic filtering to image classification.Themajor research areas of this field include object detection and object recognition.Moreover,wireless communication technologies are presently adopted and they have impacted the way of education that has been changed.There are different phases of changes in the traditional system.Perception of three-dimensional(3D)from two-dimensional(2D)image is one of the demanding tasks.Because human can easily perceive but making 3D using software will take time manually.Firstly,the blackboard has been replaced by projectors and other digital screens so such that people can understand the concept better through visualization.Secondly,the computer labs in schools are now more common than ever.Thirdly,online classes have become a reality.However,transferring to online education or e-learning is not without challenges.Therefore,we propose a method for improving the efficiency of e-learning.Our proposed system consists of twoand-a-half dimensional(2.5D)features extraction using machine learning and image processing.Then,these features are utilized to generate 3D mesh using ellipsoidal deformation method.After that,3D bounding box estimation is applied.Our results show that there is a need to move to 3D virtual reality(VR)with haptic sensors in the field of e-learning for a better understanding of real-world objects.Thus,people will have more information as compared to the traditional or simple online education tools.We compare our result with the ShapeNet dataset to check the accuracy of our proposed method.Our proposed system achieved an accuracy of 90.77%on plane class,85.72%on chair class,and car class have 72.14%.Mean accuracy of our method is 70.89%.
基金supported by a Grant(2021R1F1A1063634)of the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation(NRF)funded by the Ministry of Education,Republic of Korea.
文摘Due to the recently increased requirements of e-learning systems,multiple educational institutes such as kindergarten have transformed their learning towards virtual education.Automated student health exercise is a difficult task but an important one due to the physical education needs especially in young learners.The proposed system focuses on the necessary implementation of student health exercise recognition(SHER)using a modified Quaternion-basedfilter for inertial data refining and data fusion as the pre-processing steps.Further,cleansed data has been segmented using an overlapping windowing approach followed by patterns identification in the form of static and kinematic signal patterns.Furthermore,these patterns have been utilized to extract cues for both patterned signals,which are further optimized using Fisher’s linear discriminant analysis(FLDA)technique.Finally,the physical exercise activities have been categorized using extended Kalmanfilter(EKF)-based neural networks.This system can be implemented in multiple educational establishments including intelligent training systems,virtual mentors,smart simulations,and interactive learning management methods.
基金supported by Guangdong Provincial Basic and Applied Basic Research Fund,No.2021A1515011299(to KT)。
文摘Glutamatergic projection neurons generate sophisticated excitatory circuits to integrate and transmit information among different cortical areas,and between the neocortex and other regions of the brain and spinal cord.Appropriate development of cortical projection neurons is regulated by certain essential events such as neural fate determination,proliferation,specification,differentiation,migration,survival,axonogenesis,and synaptogenesis.These processes are precisely regulated in a tempo-spatial manner by intrinsic factors,extrinsic signals,and neural activities.The generation of correct subtypes and precise connections of projection neurons is imperative not only to support the basic cortical functions(such as sensory information integration,motor coordination,and cognition)but also to prevent the onset and progression of neurodevelopmental disorders(such as intellectual disability,autism spectrum disorders,anxiety,and depression).This review mainly focuses on the recent progress of transcriptional regulations on the development and diversity of neocortical projection neurons and the clinical relevance of the failure of transcriptional modulations.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(Grant Nos.2022YFA1603300 and 2022YFA1603200)the Science Challenge Project(Grant No.TZ2018005)in China+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.11805188 and 12175209)the Laser Fusion Research Center Funds for Young Talents(Grant No.RCFPD6-2022-1).
文摘We present an application of short-pulse laser-generated hard x rays for the diagnosis of indirectly driven double shell targets. Coneinserted double shell targets were imploded through an indirect drive approach on the upgraded SG-II laser facility. Then, based on thepoint-projection hard x-ray radiography technique, time-resolved radiography of the double shell targets, including that of their near-peakcompression, were obtained. The backlighter source was created by the interactions of a high-intensity short pulsed laser with a metalmicrowire target. Images of the target near peak compression were obtained with an Au microwire. In addition, radiation hydrodynamicsimulations were performed, and the target evolution obtained agrees well with the experimental results. Using the radiographic images, arealdensities of the targets were evaluated.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(62176218,62176027)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(XDJK2020TY003)the Funds for Chongqing Talent Plan(cstc2024ycjh-bgzxm0082)。
文摘The Nesterov accelerated dynamical approach serves as an essential tool for addressing convex optimization problems with accelerated convergence rates.Most previous studies in this field have primarily concentrated on unconstrained smooth con-vex optimization problems.In this paper,on the basis of primal-dual dynamical approach,Nesterov accelerated dynamical approach,projection operator and directional gradient,we present two accelerated primal-dual projection neurodynamic approaches with time scaling to address convex optimization problems with smooth and nonsmooth objective functions subject to linear and set constraints,which consist of a second-order ODE(ordinary differential equation)or differential conclusion system for the primal variables and a first-order ODE for the dual vari-ables.By satisfying specific conditions for time scaling,we demonstrate that the proposed approaches have a faster conver-gence rate.This only requires assuming convexity of the objective function.We validate the effectiveness of our proposed two accel-erated primal-dual projection neurodynamic approaches through numerical experiments.
文摘Agricultural investment project selection is a complex multi-criteria decision-making problem,as agricultural projects are easily influenced by various risk factors,and the evaluation information provided by decisionmakers usually involves uncertainty and inconsistency.Existing literature primarily employed direct preference elicitation methods to address such issues,necessitating a great cognitive effort on the part of decision-makers during evaluation,specifically,determining the weights of criteria.In this study,we propose an indirect preference elicitation method,known as a preference disaggregation method,to learn decision-maker preference models fromdecision examples.To enhance evaluation ease,decision-makers merely need to compare pairs of alternatives with which they are familiar,also known as reference alternatives.Probabilistic linguistic preference relations are employed to account for the presence of incomplete and uncertain information in such pairwise comparisons.To address the inconsistency among a group of decision-makers,we develop a pair of 0-1mixed integer programming models that consider both the semantics of linguistic terms and the belief degrees of decision-makers.Finally,we conduct a case study and comparative analysis.Results reveal the effectiveness of the proposed model in solving agricultural investment project selection problems with uncertain and inconsistent decision information.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grants No.42001025 and 42001014)the Belt and Road Special Foundation of the State Key Laboratory of Hydrology-Water Resources and Hydraulic Engineering(Grant No.2021491211)the Natural Science Foundation of Ningbo Municipality(Grant No.2023J133).
文摘Suzhou City,located in the Yangtze River Delta in China,is prone to flooding due to a complex combination of natural factors,including its monsoon climate,low elevation,and tidally influenced position,as well as intensive human activities.The Large Encirclement Flood Control Project(LEFCP)was launched to cope with serious floods in the urban area.This project changed the spatiotemporal pattern of flood processes and caused spatial diversion of floods from the urban area to the outskirts of the city.Therefore,this study developed a distributed flood simulation model in order to understand this transition of flood processes.The results revealed that the LEFCP effectively protected the urban areas from floods,but the present scheduling schemes resulted in the spatial diversion of floods to the outskirts of the city.With rainstorm frequencies of 10.0%to 0.5%,the water level differences between two representative water level stations(Miduqiao(MDQ)and Fengqiao(FQ))located inside and outside the LEFCP area,ranged from 0.75 m to 0.24 m and from 1.80 m to 1.58 m,respectively.In addition,the flood safety margin at MDQ and the duration with the water level exceeding the warning water level at FQ ranged from 0.95 m to 0.43 m and from 4 h to 22 h,respectively.Rational scheduling schemes for the hydraulic facilities of the LEFCP in extreme precipitation cases were developed ac-cording to food simulations under seven scheduling scenarios.This helps to regulate the spatial flood diversion caused by the LEFCP during extreme precipitation.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2022YFF0800601)National Scientific Foundation of China(Nos.41930103 and 41774047).
文摘In this study,the vertical components of broadband teleseismic P wave data recorded by China Earthquake Network are used to image the rupture processes of the February 6th,2023 Turkish earthquake doublet via back projection analysis.Data in two frequency bands(0.5-2 Hz and 1-3 Hz)are used in the imaging processes.The results show that the rupture of the first event extends about 200 km to the northeast and about 150 km to the southwest,lasting~90 s in total.The southwestern rupture is triggered by the northeastern rupture,demonstrating a sequential bidirectional unilateral rupture pattern.The rupture of the second event extends approximately 80 km in both northeast and west directions,lasting~35 s in total and demonstrates a typical bilateral rupture feature.The cascading ruptures on both sides also reflect the occurrence of selective rupture behaviors on bifurcated faults.In addition,we observe super-shear ruptures on certain fault sections with relatively straight fault structures and sparse aftershocks.
文摘With the population growth through natural growth and migration,coupled with the city expansion,it is the fact that Dehradun City in India faces severe water scarcity.Therefore,the Song Dam Drinking Water Project(SDDWP)is proposed to provide ample drinking water to Dehradun City and its suburban areas.This paper examined economic significance and environmental impacts of the SDDWP in Garhwal Himalaya,India.To conduct this study,we collected data from both primary and secondary sources.There are 12 villages and 3 forest divisions in the surrounding areas of the proposed dam project,of which 3 villages will be fully submerged and 50 households will be affected.For this study,50 heads of the households were interviewed in the 3 submerged villages.The questions mainly focused on economic significance,environmental impacts,and rehabilitation issues of the dam project.The findings of this study indicate that economic significance of the dam project is substantial,including providing ample water for drinking and irrigation,contributing to groundwater recharge,creating job opportunities,and promoting the development of tourism and fisheries in the Doon Valley.In terms of the rehabilitation of the affected people,there are only 50 households in need of rehabilitation.Currently,the arable land of these affected people is not sufficient to sustain their livelihoods.The entire landscape is fragile,rugged,and precipitous;therefore,the affected people are willing to rehabilitate to more suitable areas in the Doon Valley.Moreover,it is essential to provide them with sufficient compensation packages including the compensation of arable land,houses,cash,common property resources,institutions,belongingness,and cultural adaptation.On the other hand,the proposed dam project will have adverse environmental impacts including arable land degradation,forest degradation,loss of fauna and flora,soil erosion,landslides,and soil siltation.These impacts will lead to the ecological imbalances in both upstream and downstream areas.This study suggests that the affected people should be given sufficient compensation packages in all respects.Afforestation programs can be launched in the degraded areas to compensate for the loss of forest in the affected areas.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.82171521(to CL)the Special Funds ofTaishan Scholars Project of Shandong Province,No.tsqn202211368(to CL)+2 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province,Nos.ZR2022YQ65(to CL),ZR2021MH073(to CL),ZR2019PH109(to WW)the Projects of Medical and Health Technology Development Program in Shandong Province,China,Nos.202003090720(to DZ),202003070728(to JL),2019 WS329(to DW)the Scientific Research Foundation of Binzhou Medical University,No.BY2018KJ21(to DW)。
文摘Social dysfunction is a risk factor for several neuropsychiatric illnesses.Previous studies have shown that the lateral septum(LS)-related pathway plays a critical role in mediating social behaviors.Howeve r,the role of the connections between the LS and its downstream brain regions in social behavio rs remains unclea r.In this study,we conducted a three-chamber test using electrophysiological and chemogenetic approaches in mice to determine how LS projections to ventral CA1(vCA1)influence sociability.Our res ults showed that gamma-aminobutyric acid(GABA)-e rgic neuro ns were activated following social experience,and that social behavio rs were enhanced by chemogenetic modulation of these neurons.Moreover,LS GABAergic neurons extended their functional neural connections via vCA1 glutamatergic pyramidal neurons,and regulating LSGABA→vCA1Gluneural projections affected social behaviors,which were impeded by suppressing LSprojecting vCA1 neuronal activity or inhibiting GABAAreceptors in vCA1.These findings support the hypothesis that LS inputs to the vCA1 can control social prefe rences and social novelty behaviors.These findings provide new insights rega rding the neural circuits that regulate sociability.
文摘This study comprehensively examines the patterns and regional variation of severe rainfall across the African continent, employing a suite of eight extreme precipitation indices. The analysis extends to the assessment of projected changes in precipitation extremes using five General Circulation Models (GCMs) from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) under four Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) scenarios at the long-term period (2081-2100) of the 21<sup>st</sup> century. Furthermore, the study investigates potential mechanisms influencing precipitation extremes by correlating extreme precipitation indices with oceanic system indices, specifically Ni?o 3.4 for El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Dipole Mode Index (DMI) for the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). The findings revealed distinct spatial distributions in mean trends of extreme precipitation indices, indicating a tendency toward decreased extreme precipitation in North Africa, Sahel region, Central Africa and the Western part of South Africa. Conversely, West Africa, East Africa and the Eastern part of South Africa exhibit an inclination toward increased extreme precipitation. The changes in precipitation extreme indices indicate a general rise in both the severity and occurrence of extreme precipitation events under all scenarios by the end of the 21<sup>st</sup> century. Notably, our analysis projects a decrease in consecutive wet days (CWD) in the far-future. Additionally, correlation analysis highlights significant correlation between above or below threshold rainfall fluctuation in East Africa and South Africa with oceanic systems, particularly ENSO and the IOD. Central Africa abnormal precipitation variability is also linked to ENSO with a significant negative correlation. These insights contribute valuable information for understanding and projecting the dynamics of precipitation extreme in Africa, providing a foundation for climate adaptation and mitigation efforts in the region.
文摘The performance of bridge projects in Kenya is poor in terms of completion by schedule, cost, and quality (scope). Yet, there is less evidence of empirical research on what factors contribute to this outcome. This study aimed to bridge this gap by examining the effects of contractor-related factors on the performance of bridge construction projects in Kenya through a case study of the Bridge projects Implemented by the Kenya National Highway Agency (KeNHA). The theory of constraints (TOC) was adopted as its theoretical framework. Descriptive research was used, and the target population was 18 bridge construction projects, which were the units of analysis from 2012 to 2022. In each of these projects, 18 respondents, namely clients, consultants, contractors, engineers, environment and social guards, project managers, stakeholders, subcontractors, technical advisors, and inspectors, were included in a target population of 144 respondents. A census was conducted and a structured questionnaire was administered from which a response rate of 68% was achieved. The information was analyzed using descriptive, correlation, and multiple linear regression analysis. The contractor-related factors considered in the study were staff and management factors. The findings indicated that staff and management factors had a positive and significant outcome on performance of bridge construction projects. The study recommends continuous training and a safe learning environment for staff to improve their skills and performance in future projects. The study also recommends that a special category for bridge contractors be created in Kenya’s National Construction Authority rankings to ensure that only qualified contractors implement the Bridge projects.
基金the Nord Forsk-funded Nordic Centre of Excellence project (Award 766654) Arctic Climate Predictions: Pathways to Resilient, Sustainable Societies (ARCPATH)National Science Foundation Award 212786 Synthesizing Historical Sea-Ice Records to Constrain and Understand Great Sea-Ice Anomalies (ICEHIST) PI Martin MILES, Co-PI Astrid OGILVIE+12 种基金American-Scandinavian Foundation Award Whales and Ice: Marine-mammal subsistence use in times of famine in Iceland ca. A.D. 1600–1900 (ICEWHALE), PI Astrid OGILVIESocial Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Award 435-2018-0194 Northern Knowledge for Resilience, Sustainable Environments and Adaptation in Coastal Communities (NORSEACC), PI Leslie KING, Co-PI, Astrid OGILVIEToward Just, Ethical and Sustainable Arctic Economies, Environments and Societies (JUSTNORTH). EU H2020 (https://www.svs.is/en/ projects/ongoing-projects/justnorth-2020-2023)INTO THE OCEANIC by Elizabeth OGILVIE and Robert PAGE (https://www.intotheo ceanic.org/introduction)Proxy Assimilation for Reconstructing Climate and Improving Model (PARCIM) funded by the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, led by Fran?ois COUNILLON, PI Noel KEENLYSIDEAccelerated Arctic and Tibetan Plateau Warming: Processes and Combined Impact on Eurasian Climate (COMBINED), Research Council of Norway (Grant No. 328935), Led by Noel KEENLYSIDEArven etter Nansen programme (the Nansen Legacy Project), Research Council of Norway (Grant No. 276730), PI Noel KEENLYSIDEBjerknes Climate Prediction Unit, funded by Trond Mohn Foundation (Grant BFS2018TMT01) Centre for Research-based Innovation Climate Futures, Research Council of Norway (Grant No. 309562), PIs Noel KEENLYSIDE, Fran?ois COUNILLONDeveloping and Advancing Seasonal Predictability of Arctic Sea Ice (4ICE), Research Council of Norway (Grant No. 254765), PI Fran?ois COUNILLONTropical and South Atlantic Climate-Based Marine Ecosystem Prediction for Sustainable Management (TRIATLAS) European Union Horizon 2020 (Grant No. 817578), led by Noel KEENLYSIDE, PI Fran?ois COUNILLONImpetus4Change, European Union Horizon Europe (Grant No. 101081555), PIs Noel KEENLYSIDE, Fran?ois COUNILLONLaboratory for Climate Predictability, Russian Megagrant funded by Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation (Agreement No. 075-15-2021-577), led by Noel KEENLYSIDE, PI Segey GULEVRapid Arctic Environmental Changes: Implications for Well-Being, Resilience and Evolution of Arctic Communities (RACE), Belmont Forum (RCN Grant No. 312017), PIs Sergey GULEV and Noel KEENLYSIDE。
文摘This paper celebrates Professor Yongqi GAO's significant achievement in the field of interdisciplinary studies within the context of his final research project Arctic Climate Predictions: Pathways to Resilient Sustainable Societies-ARCPATH(https://www.svs.is/en/projects/finished-projects/arcpath). The disciplines represented in the project are related to climatology, anthropology, marine biology, economics, and the broad spectrum of social-ecological studies. Team members were drawn from the Nordic countries, Russia, China, the United States, and Canada. The project was transdisciplinary as well as interdisciplinary as it included collaboration with local knowledge holders. ARCPATH made significant contributions to Arctic research through an improved understanding of the mechanisms that drive climate variability in the Arctic. In tandem with this research, a combination of historical investigations and social, economic, and marine biological fieldwork was carried out for the project study areas of Iceland, Greenland, Norway, and the surrounding seas, with a focus on the joint use of ocean and sea-ice data as well as social-ecological drivers. ARCPATH was able to provide an improved framework for predicting the near-term variation of Arctic climate on spatial scales relevant to society, as well as evaluating possible related changes in socioeconomic realms. In summary, through the integration of information from several different disciplines and research approaches, ARCPATH served to create new and valuable knowledge on crucial issues, thus providing new pathways to action for Arctic communities.
文摘Scientific research projects aim to produce new knowledge generally in domains of high specialization.Some of these projects have goals of improving the performance of companies.In this case,the issues of the capitalization and transfer of scientific knowledge and its rapid transformation into professional skills are directly addressed.However,there is no method to derive e-learning teaching material from project results.So,this paper presents the e-LITE Method and its application to the ISTA3 project to support the process of developing a e-learning training.This application has allowed us to highlight the contributions of the method that promotes better knowledge sharing between partners of a research project and the development and transfer of research results to the professional world.So,after the presentation of the method,an application to the ISTA3 project will be presented.
文摘Maps, essential tools for portraying the Earth’s surface, inherently introduce distortions to geographical features. While various quantification methods exist for assessing these distortions, they often fall short when evaluating actual geographic features. In our study, we took a novel approach by analyzing map projection distortion from a geometric perspective. We computed the fractal dimensions of different stretches of coastline before and after projection using the divide-and-conquer algorithm and image processing. Our findings revealed that map projections, even when preserving basic shapes, inevitably stretch and compress coastlines in diverse directions. This analysis method provides a more realistic and practical way to measure map-induced distortions, with significant implications for cartography, geographic information systems (GIS), and geomorphology. By bridging the gap between theoretical analysis and real-world features, this method greatly enhances accuracy and practicality when evaluating map projections.