Design Principles and Mechanistic Understandings of Non-Noble-Metal Bifunctional Electrocatalysts for Zinc-Air Batteries

Zinc-air batteries(ZABs)are promising energy storage systems because of high theoretical energy density,safety,low cost,and abundance of zinc.However,the slow multi-step reaction of oxygen and heavy reliance on noble-metal catalysts hinder the practical applications of ZABs.Therefore,feasible and advanced non-noble-metal elec-trocatalysts for air cathodes need to be identified to promote the oxygen catalytic reaction.In this review,we initially introduced the advancement of ZABs in the past two decades and provided an overview of key developments in this field.Then,we discussed the work-ing mechanism and the design of bifunctional electrocatalysts from the perspective of morphology design,crystal structure tuning,interface strategy,and atomic engineering.We also included theoretical studies,machine learning,and advanced characterization technologies to provide a comprehensive understanding of the structure-performance relationship of electrocatalysts and the reaction pathways of the oxygen redox reactions.Finally,we discussed the challenges and prospects related to designing advanced non-noble-metal bifunctional electrocatalysts for ZABs.

A multi-scale second-order autoregressive recursive filter approach for the sea ice concentration analysis

To effectively extract multi-scale information from observation data and improve computational efficiency,a multi-scale second-order autoregressive recursive filter(MSRF)method is designed.The second-order autoregressive filter used in this study has been attempted to replace the traditional first-order recursive filter used in spatial multi-scale recursive filter(SMRF)method.The experimental results indicate that the MSRF scheme successfully extracts various scale information resolved by observations.Moreover,compared with the SMRF scheme,the MSRF scheme improves computational accuracy and efficiency to some extent.The MSRF scheme can not only propagate to a longer distance without the attenuation of innovation,but also reduce the mean absolute deviation between the reconstructed sea ice concentration results and observations reduced by about 3.2%compared to the SMRF scheme.On the other hand,compared with traditional first-order recursive filters using in the SMRF scheme that multiple filters are executed,the MSRF scheme only needs to perform two filter processes in one iteration,greatly improving filtering efficiency.In the two-dimensional experiment of sea ice concentration,the calculation time of the MSRF scheme is only 1/7 of that of SMRF scheme.This means that the MSRF scheme can achieve better performance with less computational cost,which is of great significance for further application in real-time ocean or sea ice data assimilation systems in the future.

What-If XAI Framework (WiXAI): From Counterfactuals towards Causal Understanding

People learn causal relations since childhood using counterfactual reasoning. Counterfactual reasoning uses counterfactual examples which take the form of “what if this has happened differently”. Counterfactual examples are also the basis of counterfactual explanation in explainable artificial intelligence (XAI). However, a framework that relies solely on optimization algorithms to find and present counterfactual samples cannot help users gain a deeper understanding of the system. Without a way to verify their understanding, the users can even be misled by such explanations. Such limitations can be overcome through an interactive and iterative framework that allows the users to explore their desired “what-if” scenarios. The purpose of our research is to develop such a framework. In this paper, we present our “what-if” XAI framework (WiXAI), which visualizes the artificial intelligence (AI) classification model from the perspective of the user’s sample and guides their “what-if” exploration. We also formulated how to use the WiXAI framework to generate counterfactuals and understand the feature-feature and feature-output relations in-depth for a local sample. These relations help move the users toward causal understanding.

A Study on High School Mathematics Teaching Design Based on Teaching for Robust Understanding: Taking the Cosine Theorem as an Example

Teachers’teaching behavior plays a crucial role in students’development,and there are problems in the current teaching behavior of mathematics teachers such as ignoring students’cognitive needs,lack of equal opportunities for students’classroom performance as well as lack of formative evaluation of students.In order to solve the phenomenon,this paper analyzes and explains how to promote teaching based on the Teaching for Robust Understanding(TRU)evaluation framework with the goal of focusing on the development of all students,taking the teaching design of The Cosine Theorem as an example,and provides ideas and methods for first-line high school mathematics teachers.

The Convergence Rate of Fréchet Distribution under the Second-Order Regular Variation Condition

In this article we consider the asymptotic behavior of extreme distribution with the extreme value index γ>0 . The rates of uniform convergence for Fréchet distribution are constructed under the second-order regular variation condition.

Electrochemical Carbon Dioxide Reduction to Ethylene:From Mechanistic Understanding to Catalyst Surface Engineering

Electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR)provides a promising way to convert CO_(2)to chemicals.The multicarbon(C_(2+))products,especially ethylene,are of great interest due to their versatile industrial applications.However,selectively reducing CO_(2)to ethylene is still challenging as the additional energy required for the C–C coupling step results in large overpotential and many competing products.Nonetheless,mechanistic understanding of the key steps and preferred reaction pathways/conditions,as well as rational design of novel catalysts for ethylene production have been regarded as promising approaches to achieving the highly efficient and selective CO_(2)RR.In this review,we first illustrate the key steps for CO_(2)RR to ethylene(e.g.,CO_(2)adsorption/activation,formation of~*CO intermediate,C–C coupling step),offering mechanistic understanding of CO_(2)RR conversion to ethylene.Then the alternative reaction pathways and conditions for the formation of ethylene and competitive products(C_1 and other C_(2+)products)are investigated,guiding the further design and development of preferred conditions for ethylene generation.Engineering strategies of Cu-based catalysts for CO_(2)RR-ethylene are further summarized,and the correlations of reaction mechanism/pathways,engineering strategies and selectivity are elaborated.Finally,major challenges and perspectives in the research area of CO_(2)RR are proposed for future development and practical applications.

Closed-form steady-state solutions for forced vibration of second-order axially moving systems

Second-order axially moving systems are common models in the field of dynamics, such as axially moving strings, cables, and belts. In the traditional research work, it is difficult to obtain closed-form solutions for the forced vibration when the damping effect and the coupling effect of multiple second-order models are considered.In this paper, Green's function method based on the Laplace transform is used to obtain closed-form solutions for the forced vibration of second-order axially moving systems. By taking the axially moving damping string system and multi-string system connected by springs as examples, the detailed solution methods and the analytical Green's functions of these second-order systems are given. The mode functions and frequency equations are also obtained by the obtained Green's functions. The reliability and convenience of the results are verified by several examples. This paper provides a systematic analytical method for the dynamic analysis of second-order axially moving systems, and the obtained Green's functions are applicable to different second-order systems rather than just string systems. In addition, the work of this paper also has positive significance for the study on the forced vibration of high-order systems.

The Effect of Latinization on Reading Time and Understanding: Greeklish in Communication and Social Media

The increasing prevalence of technology in society has an impact on young people’s language use and development. Greeklish is the writing of Greek texts using the Latin instead of the Greek alphabet, a practice known as Latinization, also employed for many non-latin alphabet languages. The primary aim of this research is to evaluate the effect of Greeklish on reading time. A sample of 732 young Greeks were asked about their habits when communicating through e-mail and social media with their friends and they then participated in an experiment in which they were asked to read and understand two short texts, one written in Greek and the other in Greeklish. The findings of the research show that nearly one third of the participants use Greeklish. The results of the experiment conducted reveal that understanding is not affected by the alphabet used but reading Greeklish is significantly more time consuming than reading Greek independently of the sex and the familiarity of the participants with Greeklish. The findings suggest that amending social and communication media with software utilities related to Latinization such as language identifiers and converters may reduce reading time and thus facilitate written communication among the users.

Solving Algebraic Problems with Geometry Diagrams Using Syntax-Semantics Diagram Understanding

Solving Algebraic Problems with Geometry Diagrams(APGDs)poses a significant challenge in artificial intelligence due to the complex and diverse geometric relations among geometric objects.Problems typically involve both textual descriptions and geometry diagrams,requiring a joint understanding of these modalities.Although considerable progress has been made in solving math word problems,research on solving APGDs still cannot discover implicit geometry knowledge for solving APGDs,which limits their ability to effectively solve problems.In this study,a systematic and modular three-phase scheme is proposed to design an algorithm for solving APGDs that involve textual and diagrammatic information.The three-phase scheme begins with the application of the statetransformer paradigm,modeling the problem-solving process and effectively representing the intermediate states and transformations during the process.Next,a generalized APGD-solving approach is introduced to effectively extract geometric knowledge from the problem’s textual descriptions and diagrams.Finally,a specific algorithm is designed focusing on diagram understanding,which utilizes the vectorized syntax-semantics model to extract basic geometric relations from the diagram.A method for generating derived relations,which are essential for solving APGDs,is also introduced.Experiments on real-world datasets,including geometry calculation problems and shaded area problems,demonstrate that the proposed diagram understanding method significantly improves problem-solving accuracy compared to methods relying solely on simple diagram parsing.

The Chinese Association for International Understanding Holds Lecture II of the Civilisation Lecture Series

On December 6th,2023,the Chinese Association for International Understanding(CAFIU)held Lecture II of the Civilisation Lecture Series in Paramaribo,the capital of Suriname.Ai Ping,Vice-President of CAFIU,delivered a keynote speech.Han Jing,the Chinese Ambassador to Suriname,delivered a speech.

Tiêu Equation Experimentation of Understanding by Energy Transfer Quantum Mechanics

Background: The Tiêu equation has a ground roots approach to the process of Quantum Biology and goes deeper through the incorporation of Quantum Mechanics. The process can be measured in plant, animal, and human usage through a variety of experimental or testing forms. Animal studies were conducted for which, in the first day of the study all the animals consistently gained dramatic weight, even as a toxic substance was introduced as described in the introduction of the paper to harm animal subjects which induced weight loss through toxicity. Tests can be made by incorporating blood report results. Human patients were also observed to show improvement to their health as administration of the substance was introduced to the biological mechanism and plants were initially exposed to the substance to observe results. This is consistent with the Tiêu equation which provides that wave function is created as the introduction of the substance to the biological mechanism which supports Quantum Mechanics. The Tiêu equation demonstrates that Quantum Mechanics moves a particle by temperature producing energy thru the blood-brain barrier for example. Methods: The methods for the Tiêu equation incorporate animal studies to include the substance administered through laboratory standards using Good Laboratory Practices under Title 40 C.F.R. § 158. Human patients were treated with the substance by medical professionals who are experts in their field and have knowledge to the response of patients. Plant applications were acquired for observation and guidance of ongoing experiments of animals’ representative for the biologics mechanism. Results: The animal studies along with patient blood testing results have been an impressive line that has followed the Tiêu equation to consistently show improvement in the introduction of the innovation to biologic mechanisms. The mechanism responds to the substance by producing energy to the mechanism with efficient effect. For plant observations, plant organisms responded, and were seen as showing improvement thru visual observation.

Three-dimensional mixed convection stagnation-point fow past a vertical surface with second-order slip velocity

This study is concerned with the three-dimensional(3D)stagnation-point for the mixed convection flow past a vertical surface considering the first-order and secondorder velocity slips.To the authors’knowledge,this is the first study presenting this very interesting analysis.Nonlinear partial differential equations for the flow problem are transformed into nonlinear ordinary differential equations(ODEs)by using appropriate similarity transformation.These ODEs with the corresponding boundary conditions are numerically solved by utilizing the bvp4c solver in MATLAB programming language.The effects of the governing parameters on the non-dimensional velocity profiles,temperature profiles,skin friction coefficients,and the local Nusselt number are presented in detail through a series of graphs and tables.Interestingly,it is reported that the reduced skin friction coefficient decreases for the assisting flow situation and increases for the opposing flow situation.The numerical computations of the present work are compared with those from other research available in specific situations,and an excellent consensus is observed.Another exciting feature for this work is the existence of dual solutions.An important remark is that the dual solutions exist for both assisting and opposing flows.A linear stability analysis is performed showing that one solution is stable and the other solution is not stable.We notice that the mixed convection and velocity slip parameters have strong effects on the flow characteristics.These effects are depicted in graphs and discussed in this paper.The obtained results show that the first-order and second-order slip parameters have a considerable effect on the flow,as well as on the heat transfer characteristics.

Current Situation and Implementation Paths of International Understanding Education in Local Application-oriented Universities

It is urgent and necessary to implement international understanding education in local application-oriented colleges and universities.Improving the international competitiveness of talents and cultivating global citizens is one of the goals of higher education.This paper discussed the problems of international understanding education in local application-oriented colleges and universities,including weak policy orientation,insufficient practical exploration,aphasia of national culture,etc.It is recommended to implement the international understanding education from two ways:subject penetration and project-based professional courses.In addition,the introduction of Chinese culture cannot be ignored to prevent the absence of national culture in cross-cultural communication.

Six New Sets of the Non-Elementary Jef-Family-Functions that Are Giving Solutions to Some Second-Order Nonlinear Autonomous ODEs

In this paper, we define some new sets of non-elementary functions in a group of solutions x(t) that are sine and cosine to the upper limit of integration in a non-elementary integral that can be arbitrary. We are using Abel’s methods, described by Armitage and Eberlein. The key is to start with a non-elementary integral function, differentiating and inverting, and then define a set of three functions that belong together. Differentiating these functions twice gives second-order nonlinear ODEs that have the defined set of functions as solutions. We will study some of the second-order nonlinear ODEs, especially those that exhibit limit cycles. Using the methods described in this paper, it is possible to define many other sets of non-elementary functions that are giving solutions to some second-order nonlinear autonomous ODEs.

Second-Order MaxEnt Predictive Modelling Methodology. I: Deterministically Incorporated Computational Model (2nd-BERRU-PMD)

This work presents a comprehensive second-order predictive modeling (PM) methodology designated by the acronym 2nd-BERRU-PMD. The attribute “2nd” indicates that this methodology incorporates second-order uncertainties (means and covariances) and second-order sensitivities of computed model responses to model parameters. The acronym BERRU stands for “Best- Estimate Results with Reduced Uncertainties” and the last letter (“D”) in the acronym indicates “deterministic,” referring to the deterministic inclusion of the computational model responses. The 2nd-BERRU-PMD methodology is fundamentally based on the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) principle. This principle is in contradistinction to the fundamental principle that underlies the extant data assimilation and/or adjustment procedures which minimize in a least-square sense a subjective user-defined functional which is meant to represent the discrepancies between measured and computed model responses. It is shown that the 2nd-BERRU-PMD methodology generalizes and extends current data assimilation and/or data adjustment procedures while overcoming the fundamental limitations of these procedures. In the accompanying work (Part II), the alternative framework for developing the “second- order MaxEnt predictive modelling methodology” is presented by incorporating probabilistically (as opposed to “deterministically”) the computed model responses.

Second-Order MaxEnt Predictive Modelling Methodology. II: Probabilistically Incorporated Computational Model (2nd-BERRU-PMP)

This work presents a comprehensive second-order predictive modeling (PM) methodology based on the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) principle for obtaining best-estimate mean values and correlations for model responses and parameters. This methodology is designated by the acronym 2nd-BERRU-PMP, where the attribute “2nd” indicates that this methodology incorporates second- order uncertainties (means and covariances) and second (and higher) order sensitivities of computed model responses to model parameters. The acronym BERRU stands for “Best-Estimate Results with Reduced Uncertainties” and the last letter (“P”) in the acronym indicates “probabilistic,” referring to the MaxEnt probabilistic inclusion of the computational model responses. This is in contradistinction to the 2nd-BERRU-PMD methodology, which deterministically combines the computed model responses with the experimental information, as presented in the accompanying work (Part I). Although both the 2nd-BERRU-PMP and the 2nd-BERRU-PMD methodologies yield expressions that include second (and higher) order sensitivities of responses to model parameters, the respective expressions for the predicted responses, for the calibrated predicted parameters and for their predicted uncertainties (covariances), are not identical to each other. Nevertheless, the results predicted by both the 2nd-BERRU-PMP and the 2nd-BERRU-PMD methodologies encompass, as particular cases, the results produced by the extant data assimilation and data adjustment procedures, which rely on the minimization, in a least-square sense, of a user-defined functional meant to represent the discrepancies between measured and computed model responses.

Second-Order MaxEnt Predictive Modelling Methodology. III: Illustrative Application to a Reactor Physics Benchmark

This work illustrates the innovative results obtained by applying the recently developed the 2nd-order predictive modeling methodology called “2nd- BERRU-PM”, where the acronym BERRU denotes “best-estimate results with reduced uncertainties” and “PM” denotes “predictive modeling.” The physical system selected for this illustrative application is a polyethylene-reflected plutonium (acronym: PERP) OECD/NEA reactor physics benchmark. This benchmark is modeled using the neutron transport Boltzmann equation (involving 21,976 uncertain parameters), the solution of which is representative of “large-scale computations.” The results obtained in this work confirm the fact that the 2nd-BERRU-PM methodology predicts best-estimate results that fall in between the corresponding computed and measured values, while reducing the predicted standard deviations of the predicted results to values smaller than either the experimentally measured or the computed values of the respective standard deviations. The obtained results also indicate that 2nd-order response sensitivities must always be included to quantify the need for including (or not) the 3rd- and/or 4th-order sensitivities. When the parameters are known with high precision, the contributions of the higher-order sensitivities diminish with increasing order, so that the inclusion of the 1st- and 2nd-order sensitivities may suffice for obtaining accurate predicted best- estimate response values and best-estimate standard deviations. On the other hand, when the parameters’ standard deviations are sufficiently large to approach (or be outside of) the radius of convergence of the multivariate Taylor-series which represents the response in the phase-space of model parameters, the contributions stemming from the 3rd- and even 4th-order sensitivities are necessary to ensure consistency between the computed and measured response. In such cases, the use of only the 1st-order sensitivities erroneously indicates that the computed results are inconsistent with the respective measured response. Ongoing research aims at extending the 2nd-BERRU-PM methodology to fourth-order, thus enabling the computation of third-order response correlations (skewness) and fourth-order response correlations (kurtosis).

Research on the Interrelationship among Understanding, Memory and Oral Expression in Listening Teaching of non-English in Higher Vocational College

This is a research report on the interrelationship among understanding, memory and oral expression in listening comprehension training. The research investigated 150 non-English majors through a questionnaire in a higher vocational college. The result indicates that the interrelationship among understanding, memory and oral expression in listening classes which are determined by the listening materials and teaching method directly influences students' listening proficiency and speaking ability. It is suggested that some strategies to be used to foster students' abilities in these three areas so as to improve their listening ability.

Failure of Aspired Understanding Among the Human Race——On the Theme of A Passage to India

The author attempts to interpret the theme of A Passsage to India by analyzing the major events and characterization. It is indicated in the thesis that E.M.Forster highlights the failure of aspired understanding between different races, different people and even within a person. In other words, in many cases people have aspirations for understanding, but in reality the real understanding is very difficult to fulfill.

哲学概念翻译的格义、立名与正名——以understanding的汉译为例

哲学的核心问题是概念考察,概念翻译成为哲学翻译的核心问题。哲学概念因其含义丰富而使翻译尤其困难,其译名从诞生到接受往往会经历一个漫长而复杂的过程。借用美国修辞学家伯克的新修辞学思想,以洛克认识论核心概念“understanding”汉译史上先后出现的“悟性”“理解”“认识”“理智”等几个代表性译名为例探讨哲学概念翻译过程中的格义、立名与正名现象,并对其中的动因及影响进行分析,以期对哲学翻译,尤其是哲学概念的翻译有所裨益。