System Assimilation of E-Skills in Tertiary Institutions to Empower Graduates in South Africa

The value of system assimilation is to improve working relationships between tutors and learners while increasing workflow efficiency among tertiary institutions with low operational costs. E-skills could be described as electronic education development, to assist ICT professionals to reach their future career goals and aim to help users boost their ICT skills. In a society that is expanding, it is also a crucial issue to take into account. Researchers have turned their attention to this topic because of its significance and contribution to the empowerment of graduates in digital education. Many scholars have proposed many methods for integrating e-skills into society with impressive results, but the rising rate of graduate unemployment in South Africa is gradually becoming a big worry in our society. A model based on Activity Theory (AT) and e-skills will be developed in our tertiary institution to equip graduates with skills that will increase their employability and provide more individualized work opportunities as part of this study’s effort to solve this issue. With the use of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and Cronbach’s Alpha for validity and reliability testing, the study will create an experimental performance to assess the approach taken to measure e-skills in tertiary institutions to empower graduates in South Africa. The study established that system development and e-skilled models for tertiary institutions are growing gradually, especially in South African institutions, that empower graduates with profitable employability with experiences to improve work operation in the industries. In conclusion, system development and e-skills are very demanding but important to empower graduate employability to determine competency in the professional workforce.

Discussion on the Application of Technical and Tactical Skills in Mixed Martial Arts Competitions

This article mainly analyzes the application of technical and tactical skills in mixed martial arts competitions,including mixed martial arts and its competition characteristics,the main application significance of technical and tactical skills in mixed martial arts competitions,and its primary application strategies.It is hoped that this analysis can provide some guidelines for the appropriate application of mixed martial arts athletes’technical and tactical skills to improve their winning rate in mixed martial arts competitions.

Research on the Role of Guiding Students to Participate in Skills Competitions on the Development of Young Teachers in Vocational Colleges

This paper explores the role of guiding students to participate in skills competitions on the development of young teachers in vocational colleges.We investigate the impact of skills competitions on the consolidation of professional knowledge,development of innovation capabilities,improvement of hands-on abilities,and enhancement of communication skills with students.The results of this research demonstrate that skills competitions have a positive influence on the professional growth of young teachers.The consolidation of professional knowledge,development of innovation capabilities,improvement of hands-on abilities,and enhancement of communication skills collectively contribute to the effectiveness of young teachers in vocational colleges.It is recommended that vocational colleges prioritize and support the participation of young teachers in skills competitions to foster their professional development.

Competitive oxidation behavior of Ni-based superalloy GH4738 at extreme temperature

A high thrust-to-weight ratio poses challenges to the high-temperature performance of Ni-based superalloys. The oxidation behavior of GH4738 at extreme temperatures has been investigated by isothermal and non-isothermal experiments. As a result of the competitive diffusion of alloying elements, the oxide scale included an outermost porous oxide layer (OOL), an inner relatively dense oxide layer (IOL), and an internal oxide zone (IOZ), depending on the temperature and time. A high temperature led to the formation of large voids at the IOL/IOZ interface. At 1200℃, the continuity of the Cr-rich oxide layer in the IOL was destroyed, and thus, spallation occurred. Extension of oxidation time contributed to the size of Al-rich oxide particles with the increase in the IOZ. Based on this finding,the oxidation kinetics of GH4738 was discussed, and the corresponding oxidation behavior at 900-1100℃ was predicted.

Empowering Vocational Students to Excel in Skills Competitions:Challenges and Recommendations

This paper analyzes the key challenges faced by vocational college students when participating in national skills competitions.It identifies problems such as limited resources,insufficient training,lack of mentorship,academic workload constraints,and inadequate equipment.Targeted solutions are proposed,including improving resource access,providing structured skill training,implementing expert mentorship programs,offering flexible schedules,and upgrading experimental equipment.Implementing these recommendations through a collaborative effort among stakeholders can significantly empower vocational students to excel in skills competitions by enabling access to resources,building practical skills,obtaining guidance,managing time effectively,and gaining hands-on experience.

Competitive effect, but not competitive response, varies along a climatic gradient depending on tree species identity

Background: Understanding the role of species identity in interactions among individuals is crucial for assessing the productivity and stability of mixed forests over time. However, there is limited knowledge concerning the variation in competitive effect and response of different species along climatic gradients. In this study, we investigated the importance of climate, tree size, and competition on the growth of three tree species: spruce(Picea abies), fir(Abies alba), and beech(Fagus sylvatica), and examined their competitive response and effect along a climatic gradient.Methods: We selected 39 plots distributed across the European mountains with records of the position and growth of 5,759 individuals. For each target species, models relating tree growth to tree size, climate and competition were proposed. Competition was modelled using a neighbourhood competition index that considered the effects of inter-and intraspecific competition on target trees. Competitive responses and effects were related to climate.Likelihood methods and information theory were used to select the best model.Results: Our findings revealed that competition had a greater impact on target species growth than tree size or climate. Climate did influence the competitive effects of neighbouring species, but it did not affect the target species? response to competition. The strength of competitive effects varied along the gradient, contingent on the identity of the interacting species. When the target species exhibited an intermediate competitive effect relative to neighbouring species, both higher inter-than intraspecific competitive effects and competition reduction occurred along the gradient. Notably, species competitive effects were most pronounced when the target species' growth was at its peak and weakest when growing conditions were far from their maximum.Conclusions: Climate modulates the effects of competition from neighbouring trees on the target tree and not the susceptibility of the target tree to competition. The modelling approach should be useful in future research to expand our knowledge of how competition modulates forest communities across environmental gradients.

Live-streaming selling strategies for competitive firms

The booming live-streaming commerce has significantly changed the traditional e-commerce model,thus attracting much attention from both industry and academia.In recent years,an increasing number of scholars have applied analytical models to explore live-streaming strategies for firms in different scenarios.However,the previous literature mainly considers monopolists,while in the real world,competition is not rare.To fill this gap between the literature and practical observations,this paper applies a game theoretical model to study live-streaming adoption and pricing strategy for firms under competitive environments.The results show that,for competitive firms,the equilibrium strategy depends on the relation between the commission rate and the intensity of the market expansion effect.Additionally,compared to the case in which no firm adopts live-streaming,competitive firms do not always benefit from the adoption of live-streaming selling.The paper also shows that competition plays a negative role in inducing a firm to adopt live-streaming.

Research on the Reform of the Course“Reading of Concrete Structure Plan and Construction Drawings”Under the Background of“Promoting Teaching and Learning Through Competitions”

The inherent teaching approach can no longer meet the demands of society.In this paper,current issues within the teaching landscape of architectural engineering technology in higher vocational colleges as well as the policies and teaching demands that formed the basis of this model were analyzed.The study shows the importance of the implementation of the teaching model“promoting teaching and learning through competitions.”This model puts emphasis on the curriculum and teaching resources,while also integrating the teaching process and evaluation with competition.These efforts aim to drive education reform in order to better align with the objectives of vocational education personnel training,while also acting as a reference for similar courses.

Optimal Control for Age Distribution and Weighted Size Competitive Species in a Polluted Environment

In the paper,we study an optimal control for a system representing a competitive species model with fertility and mortality depending on a weighted size in a polluted environment.A fixed point theorem is applied to obtain the existence and uniqueness exhibited by a non-negative solution of above mentioned model.A maximum principle helps to carefully verify the existence of the optimal control policy,and tangent-normal cone techniques help to obtain the optimal condition specific to control issue.

Enhancing Vocational Education through Innovative Skills Competitions: Challenges and Solutions

This study investigates the challenges encountered by vocational colleges when preparing for innovative skills competitions and proposes effective countermeasures.It highlights issues concerning students’motivation,limited financial resources and hardware,teacher capacity limitations,inadequate reward systems,and curriculum misalignment.Through meticulous research and analysis,this paper presents practical recommendations to mitigate these challenges.Suggestions encompass strategies to enhance students’motivation,increase financial support,provide professional development opportunities for teachers,revamp the reward system,and align the curriculum with competition requirements.By implementing these measures,vocational colleges can cultivate active student participation,elevate teaching quality,bridge the gap between education and industry demands,and equip students for success in innovative skills competitions.

CRB:A new rumor blocking algorithm in online social networks based on competitive spreading model and influence maximization

The virtuality and openness of online social platforms make networks a hotbed for the rapid propagation of various rumors.In order to block the outbreak of rumor,one of the most effective containment measures is spreading positive information to counterbalance the diffusion of rumor.The spreading mechanism of rumors and effective suppression strategies are significant and challenging research issues.Firstly,in order to simulate the dissemination of multiple types of information,we propose a competitive linear threshold model with state transition(CLTST)to describe the spreading process of rumor and anti-rumor in the same network.Subsequently,we put forward a community-based rumor blocking(CRB)algorithm based on influence maximization theory in social networks.Its crucial step is to identify a set of influential seeds that propagate anti-rumor information to other nodes,which includes community detection,selection of candidate anti-rumor seeds and generation of anti-rumor seed set.Under the CLTST model,the CRB algorithm has been compared with six state-of-the-art algorithms on nine online social networks to verify the performance.Experimental results show that the proposed model can better reflect the process of rumor propagation,and review the propagation mechanism of rumor and anti-rumor in online social networks.Moreover,the proposed CRB algorithm has better performance in weakening the rumor dissemination ability,which can select anti-rumor seeds in networks more accurately and achieve better performance in influence spread,sensitivity analysis,seeds distribution and running time.

Construction of CDKN2A-related competitive endogenous RNA network and identification of GAS5 as a prognostic indicator for hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND Competitive endogenous RNA(ceRNA)is an innovative way of gene expression modulation,which plays a crucial part in neoplasia.However,the intricacy and behavioral characteristics of the ceRNA network in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)remain dismal.AIM To establish a cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor 2A(CDKN2A)-related ceRNA network and recognize potential prognostic indicators for HCC.METHODS The mutation landscape of CDKN2A in HCC was first explored using the cBioPortal database.Differential expression analysis was implemented between CDKN2Ahigh and CDKN2Alow expression HCC samples.The targeted microRNAs were predicted by lncBasev3.0,and the targeted mRNAs were predicted by miRDB,and Targetscan database.The univariate and multivariate analysis were utilized to identify independent prognostic indicators.RESULTS CDKN2A was frequently mutated and deleted in HCC.The single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis revealed that CDKN2A participated in cell cycle pathways.The CDKN2A-related ceRNA network-growth arrest specific 5(GAS5)/miR-25-3p/SRY-box transcription factor 11(SOX11)was successfully established.GAS5 was recognized as an independent prognostic biomarker,whose overexpression was correlated with a poor prognosis in HCC patients.The association between GAS5 expression and methylation,immune infilt-ration was explored.Besides,traditional Chinese medicine effective components targeting GAS5 were obtained.CONCLUSION This CDKN2A-related ceRNA network provides innovative insights into the molecular mechanism of HCC formation and progression.Moreover,GAS5 might be a significant prognostic biomarker and therapeutic target in HCC.

A Cooperated Imperialist Competitive Algorithm for Unrelated Parallel Batch Machine Scheduling Problem

This study focuses on the scheduling problem of unrelated parallel batch processing machines(BPM)with release times,a scenario derived from the moulding process in a foundry.In this process,a batch is initially formed,placed in a sandbox,and then the sandbox is positioned on a BPM formoulding.The complexity of the scheduling problem increases due to the consideration of BPM capacity and sandbox volume.To minimize the makespan,a new cooperated imperialist competitive algorithm(CICA)is introduced.In CICA,the number of empires is not a parameter,and four empires aremaintained throughout the search process.Two types of assimilations are achieved:The strongest and weakest empires cooperate in their assimilation,while the remaining two empires,having a close normalization total cost,combine in their assimilation.A new form of imperialist competition is proposed to prevent insufficient competition,and the unique features of the problem are effectively utilized.Computational experiments are conducted across several instances,and a significant amount of experimental results show that the newstrategies of CICAare effective,indicating promising advantages for the considered BPMscheduling problems.

The Role of Skills Competitions in Improving the Practical Ability of Vocational College Students

Vocational education and general education are two different types of education that are equally important.The orientation of talent training in vocational education is to nurture skilled talents to serve the society.The practical ability of students is both the focus of teaching in vocational colleges and the requirement of enterprise posts.The various types of skills competitions provide a“stage”for students to showcase their abilities.First,this paper explores students’problem-solving ability while preparing for these competitions,expounding the importance of vocational education and skills competitions.Second,this paper summarizes the views of different scholars.Third,based on a specific case,this paper describes the improvement in students’ability while preparing for these competitions.Fourth,this paper analyzes the results of the questionnaire survey conducted to investigate the improvement in students’ability.Lastly,this paper puts forward several suggestions that appeal for vocational colleges to pay more attention to skills competitions.

Treatment of Helicobacter pylori with potassium competitive acid blockers:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)infects over half the global population,causing gastrointestinal diseases like dyspepsia,gastritis,duodenitis,peptic ulcers,GMALT lymphoma,and gastric adenocarcinoma.Eradicating H.pylori is crucial for treating and preventing these conditions.While conventional proton pump inhibitor(PPI)-based triple therapy is effective,there’s growing interest in longer acid suppression therapies.Potassium competitive acid blocker(P-CAB)triple and dual therapy are new regimens for H.pylori eradication.Initially used in Asian populations,vonoprazan(VPZ)has been recently Food and Drug Administration-approved for H.pylori eradication.AIM To assess the efficacy of regimens containing P-CABs in eradicating H.pylori infection.METHODS This study,following PRISMA 2020 guidelines,conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis by searching MEDLINE and Scopus libraries for randomized clinical trials(RCTs)or observational studies with the following command:[("Helicobacter pylori"OR"H pylori")AND("Treatment"OR"Therapy"OR"Eradication")AND("Vonaprazan"OR"Potassium-Competitive Acid Blocker"OR"P-CAB"OR"PCAB"OR"Revaprazan"OR"Linaprazan"OR"Soraprazan"OR"Tegoprazan")].Studies comparing the efficacy of P-CABs-based treatment to classical PPIs in eradicating H.pylori were included.Exclusion criteria included case reports,case series,unpublished trials,or conference abstracts.Data variables encompassed age,diagnosis method,sample sizes,study duration,intervention and control,and H.pylori eradication method were gathered by two independent reviewers.Meta-analysis was performed in R software,and forest plots were generated.RESULTS A total of 256 references were initially retrieved through the search command.Ultimately,fifteen studies(7 RCTs,7 retrospective observational studies,and 1 comparative unique study)were included,comparing P-CAB triple therapy to PPI triple therapy.The intention-to-treat analysis involved 8049 patients,with 4471 in the P-CAB intervention group and 3578 in the PPI control group across these studies.The analysis revealed a significant difference in H.pylori eradication between VPZ triple therapy and PPI triple therapy in both RCTs and observational studies[risk ratio(RR)=1.17,95%confidence interval(CI):1.11-1.22,P<0.0001]and(RR=1.13,95%CI:1.09-1.17,P<0.0001],respectively.However,no significant difference was found between tegoprazan(TPZ)triple therapy and PPI triple therapy in both RCTs and observational studies(RR=1.04,95%CI:0.93-1.16,P=0.5)and(RR=1.03,95%CI:0.97-1.10,P=0.3),respectively.CONCLUSION VPZ-based triple therapy outperformed conventional PPI-based triple therapy in eradicating H.pylori,positioning it as a highly effective first-line regimen.Additionally,TPZ-based triple therapy was non-inferior to classical PPI triple therapy.

Anion competition for Li^(+)solvated coordination environments in poly(1,3 dioxolane)electrolyte to enable high-voltage lithium metal solid-state batteries

Gel-based polymer electrolytes are limited by the polarity of the residual solvent,which restricts the coupling-breaking behaviour during Li^(+)conduction,resulting in the Li^(+)transport kinetics being greatly affected.Here,we designed anion competitive gel polymer electrolyte(ACPE)by introducing lithium difluoro(oxalato)borate(LiDFOB)anion into the 1,3-dioxolane(DOL)in situ polymerisation system.ACPE enhances the ionic dipole interaction between Li^(+)and the solvent molecules and synergizes with Li^(+)across the solvation site of the polymer ethylene oxide(EO)unit,combination that greatly improves the Li^(+)transport efficiency.As a result,ACPE exhibits 1.12 mS cm^(−1)ionic conductivity and 0.75 Li^(+)transfer number at room temperature.Additionally,this intra-polymer solvation sheath allows preferential desolvation of DFOB−,which contributes to the formation of kinetically stable anion-derived interphase and effectively mitigates side reactions.Our results demonstrate that the assembled Li||NCM622 solid-state battery exhibits lifespan of over 300 cycles with average Coulombic efficiency of 98.8%and capacity retention of 80.3%.This study introduces a novel approach for ion migration and interface design,paving the way for high-safety and high-energy-density batteries.

Extensive numerical simulations on competitive growth between the Edwards–Wilkinson and Kardar–Parisi–Zhang universality classes

Extensive numerical simulations and scaling analysis are performed to investigate competitive growth between the linear and nonlinear stochastic dynamic growth systems, which belong to the Edwards–Wilkinson(EW) and Kardar–Parisi–Zhang(KPZ) universality classes, respectively. The linear growth systems include the EW equation and the model of random deposition with surface relaxation(RDSR), the nonlinear growth systems involve the KPZ equation and typical discrete models including ballistic deposition(BD), etching, and restricted solid on solid(RSOS). The scaling exponents are obtained in both the(1 + 1)-and(2 + 1)-dimensional competitive growth with the nonlinear growth probability p and the linear proportion 1-p. Our results show that, when p changes from 0 to 1, there exist non-trivial crossover effects from EW to KPZ universality classes based on different competitive growth rules. Furthermore, the growth rate and the porosity are also estimated within various linear and nonlinear growths of cooperation and competition.

Enhancement of Competitiveness of Border Trade Entrepreneurs: Case Study of Su-Ngai Kolok Checkpoint, Narathiwat Province

This research aimed to analyze the enhancement of competitiveness among fruit and vegetable export entrepreneurs,with the case study of the Su-ngai Kolok checkpoint in Narathiwat Province.This research focused on three objectives:(1)examining how competitiveness is enhanced through government support and the development of border trade zones,(2)studying the supply chain dynamics,including strategic factors and opportunities in agricultural product management,and(3)developing a model for border trade to strengthen exporters’capabilities.The research employed qualitative methods,with data collected from 25 informants through interviews and employed descriptive methods.The research results revealed that:(1)government agencies play a crucial role in improving competitiveness by developing border economic zones and trade policies;additionally,(2)the research highlighted the importance of strategic partnerships,network building,and efficient logistics along the value chain;(3)the proposed Border Trade Model includes elements for instance government policy,partnerships,entrepreneurial potential,and transportation channels,aiming to enhance the overall efficiency and effectiveness of vegetable and fruit exporters in the region.

Tree allometry responses to competition and complementarity in mixed-species plantations of Betula alnoides

Tree allometry plays a crucial role in tree survival,stability,and timber quantity and quality of mixed-species plantations.However,the responses of tree allometry to resource utilisation within the framework of interspecific competition and complementarity remain poorly understood.Taking into consideration strong-and weakspace competition(SC and WC),as well as N_(2)-fixing and non-N_(2)-fixing tree species(FN and nFN),a mixedspecies planting trial was conducted for Betula alnoides,a pioneer tree species,which was separately mixed with Acacia melanoxylon(SC+FN),Erythrophleum fordii(WC+FN),Eucalyptus cloeziana(SC+nFN)and Pinus kesiya var.langbianensis(WC+nFN)in southern China.Six years after planting,tree growth,total nitrogen(N)and carbon(C)contents,and the natural abundances of^(15)N and^(13)C in the leaves were measured for each species,and the mycorrhizal colonisation rates of B.alnoides were investigated under each treatment.Allometric variations and their relationships with space competition and nutrient-related factors were analyzed.The results showed a consistent effect of space competition on the height-diameter relationship of B.alnoides in mixtures with FN or nFN.The tree height growth of B.alnoides was significantly promoted under high space competition,and growth in diameter at breast height(DBH),tree height and crown size were all expedited in mixtures with FN.The symbiotic relationship between ectomycorrhizal fungi and B.alnoides was significantly influenced by both space competition and N_(2) fixation by the accompanying tree species,whereas such significant effects were absent for arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.Furthermore,high space competition significantly decreased the water use efficiency(WUE)of B.alnoides,and its N use efficiency(NUE)was much lower in the FN mixtures.Structural equation modeling further demonstrated that the stem allometry of B.alnoides was affected by its NUE and WUE via changes in its height growth,and crown allometry was influenced by the mycorrhizal symbiotic relationship.Our findings provide new insights into the mechanisms driving tree allometric responses to above-and belowground resource competition and complementarity in mixed-species plantations,which are instructive for the establishment of mixed-species plantations.

Impact of coupling coordination development of port and city environments on urban economic competitiveness:Evidence from the coastal port cities in eastern China

Promoting the coupling coordination development of port and its hinterland city environments is an important way to improve urban economic competitiveness.Based on relevant data of 13 coastal port cities in eastern China from 2000 to 2018,this study explores the coupling coordination development of port and city environments and its impact on urban economic competitiveness by constructing the coupling coordination degree model and the panel threshold model.The research results show that:(1)In terms of the coupling coordination development of port and city environments,most coastal ports and their hinterland cities are in a state of moderate or serious disorder.Overall,the degree of coupling coordination of port and city environments needs to be further improved;(2)The coupling coordination degree of port and city environments has a significant impact on urban economic competitiveness,and this effect gradually increases with the development of the ports and the urban economy.Among the variables that impact the urban economic competitiveness,fixed assets investment and foreign trade are significant factors that can enhance urban economic competitiveness.(3)At present,there is a“U-shaped”relationship between the coupling coordination degree of port-city environments and the urban economic competitiveness.This relationship lies on the right side of the inflection point of the“U-shaped”curve.Therefore,following the concept of assigning priority to ecological development,expanding fixed assets investment and actively developing foreign trade can further enhance the urban economic competitiveness.