New roles of research data infrastructure in research paradigm evolution

Research data infrastructures form the cornerstone in both cyber and physical spaces,driving the progression of the data-intensive scientific research paradigm.This opinion paper presents an overview of global research data infrastructure,drawing insights from national roadmaps and strategic documents related to research data infrastructure.It emphasizes the pivotal role of research data infrastructures by delineating four new missions aimed at positioning them at the core of the current scientific research and communication ecosystem.The four new missions of research data infrastructures are:(1)as a pioneer,to transcend the disciplinary border and address complex,cutting-edge scientific and social challenges with problem-and data-oriented insights;(2)as an architect,to establish a digital,intelligent,flexible research and knowledge services environment;(3)as a platform,to foster the high-end academic communication;(4)as a coordinator,to balance scientific openness with ethics needs.

A novel framework to intercept GPS-denied,bomb-carrying,nonmilitary,kamikaze drones:Towards protecting critical infrastructures

Protection of urban critical infrastructures(CIs)from GPS-denied,bomb-carrying kamikaze drones(G-BKDs)is very challenging.Previous approaches based on drone jamming,spoofing,communication interruption and hijacking cannot be applied in the case under examination,since G-B-KDs are uncontrolled.On the other hand,drone capturing schemes and electromagnetic pulse(EMP)weapons seem to be effective.However,again,existing approaches present various limitations,while most of them do not examine the case of G-B-KDs.This paper,focuses on the aforementioned under-researched field,where the G-B-KD is confronted by two defensive drones.The first neutralizes and captures the kamikaze drone,while the second captures the bomb.Both defensive drones are equipped with a net-gun and an innovative algorithm,which,among others,estimates the locations of interception,using a real-world trajectory model.Additionally,one of the defensive drones is also equipped with an EMP weapon to damage the electronics equipment of the kamikaze drone and reduce the capturing time and the overall risk.Extensive simulated experiments and comparisons to state-of-art methods,reveal the advantages and limitations of the proposed approach.More specifically,compared to state-of-art,the proposed approach improves:(a)time to neutralize the target by at least 6.89%,(b)maximum number of missions by at least 1.27%and(c)total cost by at least 5.15%.

Enhancing the Trustworthiness of 6G Based on Trusted Multi-Cloud Infrastructure:A Practice of Cryptography Approach

Due to the need for massive device connectivity,low communication latency,and various customizations in 6G architecture,a distributed cloud deployment approach will be more relevant to the space-air-ground-sea integrated network scenario.However,the openness and heterogeneity of the 6G network cause the problems of network security.To improve the trustworthiness of 6G networks,we propose a trusted computing-based approach for establishing trust relationships inmulti-cloud scenarios.The proposed method shows the relationship of trust based on dual-level verification.It separates the trustworthy states of multiple complex cloud units in 6G architecture into the state within and between cloud units.Firstly,SM3 algorithm establishes the chain of trust for the system’s trusted boot phase.Then,the remote attestation server(RAS)of distributed cloud units verifies the physical servers.Meanwhile,the physical servers use a ring approach to verify the cloud servers.Eventually,the centralized RAS takes one-time authentication to the critical evidence information of distributed cloud unit servers.Simultaneously,the centralized RAS also verifies the evidence of distributed RAS.We establish our proposed approach in a natural OpenStack-based cloud environment.The simulation results show that the proposed method achieves higher security with less than a 1%system performance loss.

Mapping and measuring urban-rural inequalities in accessibility to social infrastructures

Equal access to social infrastructures is a fundamental prerequisite for sustainable development,but has long been a great challenge worldwide.Previous studies have primarily focused on the accessibility to social infras-tructures in urban areas across various scales,with less attention to rural areas,where inequality can be more severe.Particularly,few have investigated the disparities of accessibility to social infrastructures between urban and rural areas.Here,using the Changsha-Zhuzhou-Xiangtan urban agglomeration,China,as an example,we investigated the inequality of accessibility in both urban and rural areas,and further compared the urban-rural difference.Accessibility was measured by travel time of residents to infrastructures.We selected four types of social infrastructures including supermarkets,bus stops,primary schools,and health care,which were funda-mentally important to both urban and rural residents.We found large disparities in accessibility between urban and rural areas,ranging from 20 min to 2 h.Rural residents had to spend one to two more hours to bus stops than urban residents,and 20 min more to the other three types of infrastructures.Furthermore,accessibility to multiple infrastructures showed greater urban-rural differences.Rural residents in more than half of the towns had no access to any infrastructure within 15 min,while more than 60%of the urban residents could access to all infrastructures within 15 min.Our results revealed quantitative accessibility gap between urban and rural areas and underscored the necessity of social infrastructures planning to address such disparities.

Impact of BRICS Trade Facilitation on China's Exports Using Cross-Border E-Commerce

With the rapid growth of the global digital economy, cross-border e-commerce, as an emerging form of trade, has gradually become a powerful engine to promote the development of global trade. BRICS is an important force in the global economy, and the progress of the BRICS countries' trade facilitation level has an important impact on the global trade environment. This paper conducts an in-depth study of the dynamic changes in BRICS trade facilitation from 2013 to 2022, and uses an extended gravity model to analyze the specific impact of this change on China's exports using cross-border e-commerce. The results show that although the BRICS countries have made some progress in trade facilitation, the overall level still needs to be improved, and there are obvious differences among member countries. However, the improvement of trade facilitation among BRICS countries has undoubtedly brought significant positive effects to China's exports using cross-border e-commerce.

Analyzing the transportation infrastructure-rural industry integration relationship in China

Transportation infrastructure is crucial to China’s economic growth because it substantially contributes to the holistic development of rural primary,secondary,and tertiary industries.This study innovatively examines transportation infrastructure and urbanization levels to explore,both theoretically and empirically,their relationship with the holistic development of primary,secondary,and tertiary industries in rural China,and the mediating role of urbanization on this relationship.We employed fixed-effects models,the entropy weight approach,mixed regression,and generalized method of moments to analyze the data of 30 provinces across China from 2013 to 2020.The results indicate that the construction of transportation infrastructure directly fosters the collective advancement of such industries in rural areas and that urbanization partially mediates the transportation infrastructure-rural industry integration relationship.However,the western region shows disparities in the integrated development of these sectors.Further analysis reveals that foreign investments amplify the positive influence of transportation infrastructure on rural industry integration.Essentially,the enhancement of rural transportation infrastructure,promotion of urbanization,implementation of strategic planning,and strengthening of support mechanisms are crucial aspects in the comprehensive development of rural industries and the achievement of rural revitalization in China.

Digital Infrastructure and Common Prosperity: An Influence Mechanism and Effect Test

Common prosperity is an important goal of China’s modernization efforts,and narrowing the income gap among different regions and populations is crucial to achieving common prosperity.The construction of digital infrastructure has significantly boosted productivity and facilitated the diffusion of technology in less developed regions,leading to notable changes in labor employment and the income gap,which aligns with the goal of common prosperity.This paper explores the mechanism through which digital infrastructure influences common prosperity with a focus on employment,using panel data from 30 provinces in China between 2011 and 2021 for an empirical test.The research finds that digital infrastructure significantly promotes common prosperity.By expanding employment and increasing labor remuneration,the influence of digital infrastructure on common prosperity exhibits regional heterogeneity and a nonlinear threshold effect.The research suggests that the government should enhance investment in and construction of digital infrastructure,reduce the digital divide through policy support in rural areas,promote digital employment and skills training,and encourage industrial integration and enterprise participation.

Building a Stronger Foundation for Web3:Advantages of 5G Infrastructure

The emergence of Web3 technologies promises to revolutionize the Internet and redefine our interactions with digital assets and applications.This essay explores the pivotal role of 5G infrastructure in bolstering the growth and potential of Web3.By focusing on several crucial aspects—network speed,edge computing,network capacity,security and power consumption—we shed light on how 5G technology offers a robust and transformative foundation for the decentralized future of the Internet.Prior to delving into the specifics,we undertake a technical review of the historical progression and development of Internet and telecommunication technologies.

Developing Healthcare Infrastructure in Saudi Arabia Using Smart Technologies: Challenges and Opportunities

This study aims to explore the challenges and opportunities associated with developing healthcare infrastructure in Saudi Arabia through the implementation of smart technologies. The healthcare sector in Saudi Arabia is undergoing significant transformation, and the integration of smart technologies has the potential to revolutionize healthcare delivery, improve patient outcomes, and enhance the overall healthcare experience. However, several challenges need to be addressed in order to fully leverage the benefits of smart technologies in healthcare infrastructure development. This research identifies and analyzes these challenges while also highlighting the opportunities that arise from the adoption of smart technologies in the Saudi Arabian healthcare system. The findings contribute to the understanding of the current state of healthcare infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and provide insights into the strategies and policies required to overcome challenges and maximize the benefits of smart technologies in healthcare.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Consultants’ Roles in Improving Value for Money in Public Infrastructure Projects in Ghana

Ghanaian construction projects encounter a number of challenges, including low health, safety, and environmental requirements, poor performance, and time and cost overruns. To provide value for money (VFM) on government infrastructure projects in Ghana, this research assesses the roles of project consultants, specifically architects and quantity surveyors, and highlights important obstacles. A cross-sectional survey design involving architects and quantity surveyors yielded a 96% response rate after 100 questionnaires were distributed. Consultants’ responsibilities also include monitoring standards compliance, providing advice on delays, controlling budgets, and advising on project completion dates. Difficulties encompass a lack of promptness in decision-making, unethical conduct, political pressure, and inadequate focus on contract administration and construction audits. Project urgency, longevity, political clout, timely decision-making, and team experience are important variables that impact VFM. Policy makers and construction management practitioners should take note of the implications for Ghana’s public infrastructure projects.

Tunnel, Infrastructure Convergences/Monitoring and Engineering Role

Worldwide we see that the construction industry is expanding, requiring new directions, new perspectives that can help reduce time, cost, and make transportation easy, safe, and affordable. For decades now, most of the large cities have completed their surface infrastructure. It has become urgent to address their issues for overpopulated cities where nowadays all infrastructure is overwhelmed, these issues must be addressed, solved and have vision to build underground infrastructure. Developed countries are focused on expanding their infrastructure for road systems, subway network, railway, storm, and sanitary systems. The emergency for underground infrastructure development requires more large-scale projects to be built and it is becoming more crucial building tunnels/underground structures for the future than ever before. Engineering focus, scientific searches are looking to develop their ideas for designing and delivering project underground, but government, agencies and engineers are concerned about the safety, durability, functionality, and the lifetime of this structures planned to be functional for decades. To address all this concerns this study provides information of how to identify the risk on tunnels and underground structures by capturing data from the beginning phases of construction, to analyze, evaluate and produce bulletins and engineering reports through convergences and monitoring. Convergences are the key factor on development of infrastructure underground as it is the only way to explore and analyze the rock mass disturbance during excavation. Convergences and monitoring in infrastructure are the safety coefficient for building underground, preventing accidents, and assessing real risks associated with tunnel/mine works and ensuring progress of the construction in underground structures. This study delves into the engineering role of convergence monitoring, during construction activities on project excavated using New Austrian Tunnelling method and Sequential Excavation Method. The primary objective of convergence monitoring is to gather critical information on ground movements and disturbances, thereby enhancing safety measures during tunnel construction. The monitoring process serves as an early warning system offering evidence of the real risks associated with underground infrastructure, bringing results and engineering data to be used for the design as key coefficient for structural design, type of material, type and strength of the concrete, rebars, concrete mix design. By using the convergence and monitoring system on underground infrastructure this study represents information that can contribute to risk assessment, structural analysis, and the lifetime of a project.

Mapping Energy Expansion: Remote Sensing Insights into Oil and Gas Infrastructure and Land Use Changes in Midland, TX

Rapid expansion in global energy demand driven primarily by oil and gas consumption has spurred significant environmental concerns. This study delves into the intricate relationship between energy development and environmental impacts focusing on Midland County, Texas, a pivotal region within the Permian Basin. Leveraging satellite imagery and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) techniques, the research meticulously examines land use dynamics from 2001 to 2019. The findings illuminate a marked decline in vegetation health and density attributable to the burgeoning oil and gas infrastructure in the area. Moreover, the analysis underscores the emergence of barren lands and the displacement of agricultural areas, indicative of the profound alterations in land cover patterns over the study period. These insights underscore the urgent need for concerted efforts to mitigate the adverse environmental effects of energy expansion, emphasizing the importance of collaborative approaches to foster sustainable land use practices. Additionally, the study explores the socio-economic implications of land use changes, addressing how energy expansion affects local communities and economies. Previous studies have emphasized the need for comprehensive assessments of cumulative environmental impacts, advocating for the implementation of effective mitigation strategies.

Micro,Small,and Medium Enterprises’Cross-Border Business Strategies

This paper explores the operational strategies of cross-border micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Against the backdrop of globalization and digitalization, cross-border trade has become one of the important pathways for many MSMEs to achieve growth and competitive advantage. Firstly, the paper outlines the concept and characteristics of cross-border MSMEs, as well as the analysis of their operational environment in the context of globalization, including political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal factors. Secondly, the paper proposes operational strategies for cross-border MSMEs, including international market selection and positioning, cross-border marketing strategies, supply chain management, cross-border financial management, and cross-border risk management. Finally, the paper summarizes the importance of effectively implementing these strategies for cross-border MSMEs to seize international market opportunities, reduce operational risks, and enhance competitiveness and profitability.

Digital Transformation Trend of the Pharmaceutical Distribution Industry in the Context of New Infrastructure in China

Objective To study the pharmaceutical distribution industry against the background of new infrastructure construction since it is vital to the health and life of the public,and to offer some suggestions to further improve the industry quality and achieve industry upgrading.Methods The national strategies for new infrastructure as well as the underlying logic for enterprise digital transformation were analyzed to provide the outlook on the digital transformation trend of the pharmaceutical distribution industry.Results and Conclusion In the future,the pharmaceutical distribution industry shall transform the pattern,channel,management and control,and experience in the entire business chain in a digital way by focusing on connection efficiency,data efficiency and decision-making efficiency.

The Effects of Infrastructure Projects on House Prices and Rents:Evidence from the HS2 Extension Cancellation in the UK

This paper uses the HS2 extension cancellation in November 2021 as a quasi-experiment to study its impact on house prices and rents in Leeds.Using a DiD approach on repeat sales and monthly rents,I compare property values near the HS2 station and proposed construction site before and after the announcement.Results show a 3.6%decrease in house prices and a 3.9%decline in rents near the station,while properties near the construction site experienced a 2.4%increase in prices and a 2.1%rise in rents.This is the first paper to analyse the HS2 cancellation effect using panel data methods.

Ensemble Voting-Based Anomaly Detection for a Smart Grid Communication Infrastructure

Advanced Metering Infrastructure(AMI)is the metering network of the smart grid that enables bidirectional communications between each consumer’s premises and the provider’s control center.The massive amount of data collected supports the real-time decision-making required for diverse applications.The communication infrastructure relies on different network types,including the Internet.This makes the infrastructure vulnerable to various attacks,which could compromise security or have devastating effects.However,traditional machine learning solutions cannot adapt to the increasing complexity and diversity of attacks.The objective of this paper is to develop an Anomaly Detection System(ADS)based on deep learning using the CIC-IDS2017 dataset.However,this dataset is highly imbalanced;thus,a two-step sampling technique:random under-sampling and the Synthetic Minority Oversampling Technique(SMOTE),is proposed to balance the dataset.The proposed system utilizes a multiple hidden layer Auto-encoder(AE)for feature extraction and dimensional reduction.In addition,an ensemble voting based on both Random Forest(RF)and Convolu-tional Neural Network(CNN)is developed to classify the multiclass attack cate-gories.The proposed system is evaluated and compared with six different state-of-the-art machine learning and deep learning algorithms:Random Forest(RF),Light Gradient Boosting Machine(LightGBM),eXtreme Gradient Boosting(XGboost),Convolutional Neural Network(CNN),Long Short-Term Memory(LSTM),and bidirectional LSTM(biLSTM).Experimental results show that the proposed model enhances the detection for each attack class compared with the other machine learning and deep learning models with overall accuracy(98.29%),precision(99%),recall(98%),F_(1) score(98%),and the UNDetection rate(UND)(8%).

Delivery Invoice Information Classification System for Joint Courier Logistics Infrastructure

With the growth of the online market,demand for logistics and courier cargo is increasing rapidly.Accordingly,in the case of urban areas,road congestion and environmental problems due to cargo vehicles are mainly occurring.The joint courier logistics system,a plan to solve this problem,aims to establish an efficient logistics transportation system by utilizing one joint logistics delivery terminal by several logistics and delivery companies.However,several courier companies use different types of courier invoices.Such a system has a problem of information data transmission interruption.Therefore,the data processing process was systematically analyzed,a practically feasible methodology was devised,and delivery invoice information processing standards were established for this.In addition,the importance of this paper can be emphasized in terms of data processing in the logistics sector,which is expected to grow rapidly in the future.The results of this study can be used as basic data for the implementation of the logistics joint delivery terminal system in the future.And it can be used as a basis for securing the operational reliability of the joint courier logistics system.

How Users Perceive Infrastructure Development Affects Their Transport Mode Choice

Transport infrastructure development and perception vary across and within countries, influencing mode choice among road users. This study explores how road users perceive the development of infrastructure modes, service attributes, embedded safety levels, and commuting modes. Additionally, the research examines whether participants’ environmental backgrounds impact their mode choice patterns. The study gathered responses from 1169 participants residing in two regions of Amman, Jordan, each with distinct infrastructure development and population densities. Participants completed a standardized questionnaire, and several statistical techniques were employed for analysis. The findings revealed that facilities’ infrastructure attributes, development, and safety were assessed using three indices. Both participant groups perceived these indices differently on average. Residents of low population density areas with relatively developed infrastructure showed more consistent assessments, irrespective of their most frequently used mode of transportation, tending towards lower scores. Interestingly, subjective ratings of infrastructure development were higher (4.96) than attribute-based ratings (4.32). Despite their generally low-quality perception, public transportation services received the highest appraisal (4.9). Conversely, pedestrian infrastructure complementing public transport received the lowest assessment (4.57), only slightly higher than street environments (4.59). The study found weak associations between subjective service characteristics ratings. Traveler and trip characteristics influenced mode choice and trips more than infrastructure perception. In conclusion, the study suggests that policies should be developed to encourage green transportation, ensure social equality and safety. In addition, the study contributes to understanding perceptions about transport infrastructure, modes of transportation, and the factors that influence sustainable and equitable transportation systems.

Cross-border Urban Networks Based on Manufacturing Global Value Chain:A Study of Listed Companies in Western China

Cross-border investment is essential for western China’s globalization.Global value chain(GVC)forms cross-border investment networks between industries in western China and overseas cities.Focusing on GVC,this study uses the social network analysis method,entropy method,multi-index comprehensive evaluation method,and quadratic assignment procedure analysis method to examine the characteristics and influencing factors of the urban networks of research and development(R&D),production,and sales formed as a result of the overseas investments of listed manufacturing companies in western China.Results showed that the three types of investment networks involved multiple industry types and multiple central cities with differentiated diversity and multicentrality.The R&D urban network’s leading sub-industries were the mechanical equipment and instruments,medicine and biological products,and metal and nonmetal industries.The destination cities were mostly those home to educational and scientific research centers.The production urban network’s leading sub-industries were the mechanical equipment,instrument,and food and beverage industries.The destination cities were mostly regional central cities in developing countries.The sales urban network’s leading sub-industries were the mechanical equipment and instrument,metal and nonmetal,and petrochemical and plastics industries.The destination cities were numerous and scattered.In addition,the R&D urban network easily formed specialized clusters,core nodes easily controlled the production urban network,and individual nodes did not easily control the sales urban network.Technological and economic system advantages greatly impacted the three network types.Considering the different influencing factors,this study suggests optimizing the institutional investment environment to narrow the institutional gap,adjusting and optimizing the investment layout to expand overseas markets,and increasing R&D funds to stimulate technological progress and overseas investments in western China.

Impact of Dredging on Coastal Infrastructure: Case Studies from Okrika and Port Harcourt, Niger Delta

Sand excavations in river beds have compromised the safety of several bridges in recent years. Large scale sand mining from river beds is now common in the Niger Delta, due to the necessity of reclaiming land for development purposes and to meet construction needs in the region. There is currently no regulation as to where sand can be mined in river channels because of the lack of adequate understanding of the risks to coastal infrastructure involved with its abstraction. The phenomenon of bridge Abutment and bank failure induced by excessive dredging of sand river bed is considered. Two types of instability were distinguished, one relating to the equilibrium slope of the riverbed and the other riverbank instability. An empirical relationship in the form Xs = 3Htan(90 - α) has been developed through analysis, supported by examples that a minimum distance of 94 m (for sand river beds) from a bridge should be observed for sand abstraction in order to guaranty the safety of bridge foundation. For clay riverbeds, slightly shorter minimum distances can be considered safe. The study further shows that the capacity of sand borrowing in river channels to generate bank instability is dependent on the composition and stratigraphy beneath the river bed.