Research on Public Engineering Emergency Decision-Making Based on Multi-Granularity Language Information

To effectively deal with fuzzy and uncertain information in public engineering emergencies,an emergency decision-making method based on multi-granularity language information is proposed.Firstly,decision makers select the appropriate language phrase set according to their own situation,give the preference information of the weight of each key indicator,and then transform the multi-granularity language information through consistency.On this basis,the sequential optimization technology of the approximately ideal scheme is introduced to obtain the weight coefficient of each key indicator.Subsequently,the weighted average operator is used to aggregate the preference information of each alternative scheme with the relative importance of decision-makers and the weight of key indicators in sequence,and the comprehensive evaluation value of each scheme is obtained to determine the optimal scheme.Lastly,the effectiveness and practicability of the method are verified by taking the earthwork collapse accident in the construction of a reservoir as an example.

Artificial Intelligence Based Meteorological Parameter Forecasting for Optimizing Response of Nuclear Emergency Decision Support System

This paper presents a novel artificial intelligence (AI) based approach to predict crucial meteorological parameters such as temperature,pressure,and wind speed,typically calculated from computationally intensive weather research and forecasting (WRF) model.Accurate meteorological data is indispensable for simulating the release of radioactive effluents,especially in dispersion modeling for nuclear emergency decision support systems.Simulation of meteorological conditions during nuclear emergencies using the conventional WRF model is very complex and time-consuming.Therefore,a new artificial neural network (ANN) based technique was proposed as a viable alternative for meteorological prediction.A multi-input multi-output neural network was trained using historical site-specific meteorological data to forecast the meteorological parameters.Comprehensive evaluation of this technique was conducted to test its performance in forecasting various parameters including atmospheric pressure,temperature,and wind speed components in both East-West and North-South directions.The performance of developed network was evaluated on an unknown dataset,and acquired results are within the acceptable range for all meteorological parameters.Results show that ANNs possess the capability to forecast meteorological parameters,such as temperature and pressure,at multiple spatial locations within a grid with high accuracy,utilizing input data from a single station.However,accuracy is slightly compromised when predicting wind speed components.Root mean square error (RMSE) was utilized to report the accuracy of predicted results,with values of 1.453℃for temperature,77 Pa for predicted pressure,1.058 m/s for the wind speed of U-component and 0.959 m/s for the wind speed of V-component.In conclusion,this approach offers a precise,efficient,and wellinformed method for administrative decision-making during nuclear emergencies.

Information Aggregation of Group Decision-Making in Emergency Events

Information is a key factor in emergency management, which helps decision makers to make effective decisions. In this paper, aiming at clarifying the information aggregation laws, and according to the characteristic of emergency information, information relative entropy is applied in the information aggregation to establish the information aggregation model of emergency group decision-making. The analysis shows that support and credibility of decision rule are the two factors in information aggregation. The results of four emergency decision-making groups in case study support the analysis in the paper.

Characteristics of Decision-Making by Family Members When Older Adults Are Hospitalized in Emergency Cases with Life-Threatening Conditions

Aim: This study aims to elucidate decision-making characteristics based on interviews with family members with experience in having to select treatments for older adult patients who have been hospitalized following emergency transport to the hospital. Design: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 individuals with experience in surrogate decision-making for an older adult family member. Methods: The recorded interview data were transcribed verbatim, divided into minimum semantic units, and coded. Next, categories and subcategories were abstracted. A comparison was made with the conceptual constructs of a previous study that examined decision-making by families in a life-threatening crisis. Results: Four categories were extracted from 489 antecedents, 370 attributes, and 388 consequences. One new category was abstracted for each of: 1) antecedents: observing abnormalities and responding, while being worried about death;2) attributes: deliberating on the patient prognosis, the relationship with the patient, and what they believe the patient would want;and 3) consequences: continuing support during convalescence. It is desirable to provide support based on the characteristics of families of older adults, including considering the psychological burden on the families who make surrogate decisions, and also the burden of subsequent caregiving because it is not and in the present environment has not been common for patients to express their wishes beforehand.

Construction of an Index System for Earthquake Emergency Loss Assessment and Decision-making

Loss assessment and decision-making are essential for earthquake emergency rescues,and for scientific prediction of seismic damage and determination of rescue objectives.In practice,however,there exist some problems,such as basic data not being precise and rich enough and decision making not having systematic and complete criteria.This paper tries to solve these problems using the method of data indexation by constructing an index system for earthquake emergency loss assessment and decision-making.

Don’t forget emergency surgery! Lessons to learn from elective indocyanine green-guided gastrointestinal interventions

Fluorescence-based imaging has found application in several fields of elective surgery,but there is still a lack of evidence in the literature about its use in the emergency setting.Clinical trials have consistently shown that indocyanine green(ICG)-guided surgery can dramatically reduce the risk of postoperative complic-ations,length of in-hospital stay and total healthcare costs in the elective setting.It is well-known that emergency surgery has a higher complication rate than its elective counterpart,therefore an impelling need for research studies to explore,validate and develop this issue has been highlighted.The present editorial aims to provide a critical overview of currently available applications and pitfalls of ICG fluorescence in abdominal emergencies.Furthermore,we evidenced how the experience of ICG-fluorescence in elective surgery might be of great help in implementing its use in acute situations.In the first paragraph we analyzed the tips and tricks of ICG-guided cancer surgery that might be exploited in acute cases.We then deepened the two most described topics in ICG-guided emergency surgery:Acute cholecystitis and intestinal ischemia,focusing on both the advantages and limitations of green-fluorescence application in these two fields.In emergency situations,ICG fluorescence demonstrates a promising role in preventing undue intestinal resections or their entity,facilitating the detection of intestinal ischemic zones,identifying biliary tree anatomy,reducing post-operative complications,and mitigating high mortality rates.The need to improve its application still exists,therefore we strongly believe that the elective and routinary use of the dye is the best way to acquire the necessary skills for emer-gency procedures.

Sleep and Stress of Late Middle Age Males Who Are Forced to Live in Emergency Temporary Houses and Post-Earthquake Public Houses for a Long Period Due to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station Accident

It has been revealed that prolonged shelter life caused by Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station accident in conjunction with the Great East Japan Earthquake influences sleep and mental health of the residents, and therefore its influence on their physical and emotional health has become a concern. Therefore, in this study, the authors aimed at clarifying actual situations of sleep and stress of middle age males living in shelters for a long period in each of emergency temporary houses and post-earthquake public houses. For 5 males who moved from emergency temporary houses to post-earthquake public houses, their objective and subjective sleep states were measured with Actigraph and PSQI, respectively. Furthermore, their objective and subjective stresses were measured with saliva stress biomarkers and GHQ28, respectively. Their data were analyzed by paired t-test. As result, in comparison between the life in the emergency temporary houses and post-earthquake public houses, significant variation was not recognized in their objective sleep states and saliva stress biomarkers though their subjective sleep and subjective stress were significantly worsened after moving to the post-earthquake public houses.

A framework for nuclear power plant emergency response system

The purpose of this study is to establish an intelligent expert system for nuclear power plant emergency response.A new framework of environmental risk management methodology by the concept of pattern recognition was introduced in this paper.A knowledge-based decision support system for emergency response and risk management of nuclear power plant was also discussed.The mathematical pattern relationship of accidental release effects on neighboring area and the corresponding response measures were presented in this paper.With this decision system,the decision maker can specify the procedure and minimize their human error in the decision process.The improvement of risk response and the quality of management system could be upgraded by this system.Besides,the methodology can also be served as a basis for the future development of environmental risk response system design.

A comparison of perspectives on costs in emergency care among emergency department patients and residents

BACKGROUND: Costs of care are increasingly important in healthcare policy and, more recently, in clinical care in the emergency department(ED). We compare ED resident and patient perspectives surrounding costs in emergency care.METHODS: We conducted a mixed methods study using surveys and qualitative interviews at a single, academic ED in the United States. The two study populations were a convenience sample of adult ED patients(>17 years of age) and ED residents training at the same institution. Participants answered open- and closed-ended questions on costs, medical decision making, cost-related compliance, and communication about costs. Closed-ended data were tabulated and described using standard statistics while open-ended responses were analyzed using grounded theory.RESULTS: Thirty ED patients and 24 ED residents participated in the study. Both patients and residents generally did not have knowledge of medical costs. Patients were comfortable discussing costs while residents were less comfortable. Residents agreed that doctors should consider costs when making medical decisions whereas patients somewhat disagreed. Additionally, residents generally took costs into consideration during clinical decision-making, yet nearly all residents agreed that they had too little education on costs.CONCLUSION: There were several notable differences in ED patient and resident perspectives on costs in this U.S. sample. While patients somewhat disagree that cost should factor into decision making, generally they are comfortable discussing costs yet report having insuf? cient knowledge of what care costs. Conversely, ED residents view costs as important and agree that cost should factor into decision making but lack education on what emergency care costs.

Key elements and checklist of shared decisionmaking conversation on life-sustaining treatment in emergency:a multispecialty study from China

BACKGROUND:Shared decision-making(SDM)has broad application in emergencies.Most published studies have focused on SDM for a certain disease or expert opinions on future research gaps without revealing the full picture or detailed guidance for clinical practice.This study is to investigate the optimal application of SDM to guide life-sustaining treatment(LST)in emergencies.METHODS:This study was a prospective two-round Delphi consensus-seeking survey among multiple stakeholders at the China Consortium of Elite Teaching Hospitals for Residency Education.Participants were identified based on their expertise in medicine,law,administration,medical education,or patient advocacy.All individual items and questions in the questionnaire were scored using a 5-point Likert scale,with responses ranging from"very unimportant"(a score of 1)to"extremely important"(a score of 5).The percentages of the responses that had scores of 4-5on the 5-point Likert scale were calculated.A Kendall’s W coefficient was calculated to evaluate the consensus of experts.RESULTS:A two-level framework consisting of 4 domains and 22 items as well as a ready-touse checklist for the informed consent process for LST was established.An acceptable Kendall’s W coefficient was achieved.CONCLUSION:A consensus-based framework supporting SDM during LST in an emergency department can inform the implementation of guidelines for clinical interventions,research studies,medical education,and policy initiatives.

Multi-objective optimization and evaluation of supercritical CO_(2) Brayton cycle for nuclear power generation

The supercritical CO_(2) Brayton cycle is considered a promising energy conversion system for Generation IV reactors for its simple layout,compact structure,and high cycle efficiency.Mathematical models of four Brayton cycle layouts are developed in this study for different reactors to reduce the cost and increase the thermohydraulic performance of nuclear power generation to promote the commercialization of nuclear energy.Parametric analysis,multi-objective optimizations,and four decision-making methods are applied to obtain each Brayton scheme’s optimal thermohydraulic and economic indexes.Results show that for the same design thermal power scale of reactors,the higher the core’s exit temperature,the better the Brayton cycle’s thermo-economic performance.Among the four-cycle layouts,the recompression cycle(RC)has the best overall performance,followed by the simple recuperation cycle(SR)and the intercooling cycle(IC),and the worst is the reheating cycle(RH).However,RH has the lowest total cost of investment(C_(tot))of$1619.85 million,and IC has the lowest levelized cost of energy(LCOE)of 0.012$/(kWh).The nuclear Brayton cycle system’s overall performance has been improved due to optimization.The performance of the molten salt reactor combined with the intercooling cycle(MSR-IC)scheme has the greatest improvement,with the net output power(W_(net)),thermal efficiencyη_(t),and exergy efficiency(η_(e))improved by 8.58%,8.58%,and 11.21%,respectively.The performance of the lead-cooled fast reactor combined with the simple recuperation cycle scheme was optimized to increase C_(tot) by 27.78%.In comparison,the internal rate of return(IRR)increased by only 7.8%,which is not friendly to investors with limited funds.For the nuclear Brayton cycle,the molten salt reactor combined with the recompression cycle scheme should receive priority,and the gas-cooled fast reactor combined with the reheating cycle scheme should be considered carefully.

The Use of Underground Metro Stations and Tunnels as Protective Structures in Case of Nuclear Emergencies

This paper discusses the use of Underground Metro stations and tunnels as protective structures in case of nuclear emergencies. Six lines are taken as a case study to investigate the use of their underground stations and tunnels. The research explains the structural design of Underground Metro and the necessary needs for hidden people inside Underground Metro used as shelters. The research investigates the calculations of the number of hidden persons inside Underground Metro used as shelters. A field study has been conducted to an Underground Metro station to detemaine the peaceful use and the emergency use of all basements of the station. Also, the field study aims to determine the existing spaces and the needed spaces of the Underground Metro station to dual--used as a nuclear shelter. Three Underground Metro stations have been selected and a field study has been conducted to determine the usages of these basements, the planning, general and design features for each one of them, and whether they can be used as protective structures for citizens in emergencies. These basements were compared for their protective factors. Also, their capacities for sheltering were calculated.

Risk Communication and External Emergency Plan in Angra dos Reis, Brazil

The presence of a potentially hazardous facility in a community demands several safety procedures. Bringing risk communication among those actions may help the population that lives near the facility feel more confident and have the required knowledge on how to behave in an emergency situation. A research performed in Angra dos Reis, RJ, Brazil, where a nuclear power plant is located, shows that there is a lack of information and awareness about the emergency plan.

Intelligent decision-making method for vehicles in emergency conditions based on artificial potential fields and finite state machines

This study aims to propose a decision-making method based on artificial potential fields(APFs)and finite state machines(FSMs)in emergency conditions.This study presents a decision-making method based on APFs and FSMs for emergency conditions.By modeling the longitudinal and lateral potential energy fields of the vehicle,the driving state is identified,and the trigger conditions are provided for path planning during lane changing.In addition,this study also designed the state transition rules based on the longitudinal and lateral virtual forces.It established the vehicle decision-making model based on the finite state machine to ensure driving safety in emergency situations.To illustrate the performance of the decision-making model by considering APFs and finite state machines.The version of the model in the co-simulation platform of MATLAB and CarSim shows that the developed decision model in this study accurately generates driving behaviors of the vehicle at different time intervals.The contributions of this study are two-fold.A hierarchical vehicle state machine decision model is proposed to enhance driving safety in emergency scenarios.Mathematical models for determining the transition thresholds of lateral and longitudinal vehicle states are established based on the vehicle potential field model,leading to the formulation of transition rules between different states of autonomous vehicles(AVs).

China＇s nuclear power under the global 1.5℃ target： Preliminary feasibility study and prospects

This study explores the measures to achieve the global 1.5 ℃ temperature rise target （1.5 ℃ target） by analyzing the feasibility and obstacles of nuclear power in China. The 1.5 ℃target imposes stricter requirements on China＇s nuclear power. Considering the available nuclear power plant sites, nuclear power layout, equipment manufacture ＆ supply, nuclear power plant construction capacity, supportive operation ＆ management talents, investment, cost effectiveness, and public acceptance, the achievement of the development objectives of nuclear power in China considering the 1.5 ℃ Target is difficult. However, it is possible if favorable decisions and policies are made.

Clinical decision-making by the emergency department resident physicians for critically ill patients

The application of main methodologies for clinical decision-making by residents in emergency medical practice was assessed,and issues in this area were investigated.The treatments provided to 2611 critical patients by the Emergency Department of Peking Union Medical College Hospital were analyzed by independent investigators who evaluated the main clinical decision-making processes applied by the hospital residents.The application of decision-making strategies by PG1 and PG3 groups,which means the residents in first year and the third year,were compared.The patients were treated according to pattern recognition(43.0%),hypotheticodeductive reasoning(23.4%),event-driven models(19.3%),and rule-using algorithms(5.9%).A significant difference was found between PG1 and PG3 groups(χ^(2)=498.01,P<0.001).Pattern recognition and hypotheticdeductive methods were the most common techniques applied by emergency physicians in evaluating critically ill patients.The decision-making processes applied by junior and senior residents were significantly different,although neither group adequately applied rule-using algorithms.Inclusion of clinical decision-making in medical curricula is needed to improve decision-making in critical care.

A method for emergency response alternative decision-making under uncertainty

In this paper,an emergency decision-making method,based on case-based reasoning and cloud model,is proposed to solve the risk decision-making problem in emergency response.Casebased reasoning,by allowing the decision-maker to referring to past decisions,introduces a short-cut to formulate feasible emergency alternatives.Cloud model is used to evaluate and optimise the emergency response alternatives.To evaluate emergency response alternatives,the decision criterion must be determined according to the aim and characteristics of emergency rescue in disasters or accidents.Then,the weight cloud and evaluation cloud of the decision criterion are determined by the Delphi method combined with backward cloud generator,and the synthesised cloud of each alternative is calculated through arithmetic rules of cloud.Finally,a ranking of all response alternatives can be determined,and the best alternative is selected.Case study shows that the method makes the conversion between qualitative description and quantitative indication more effective.

Status of Severe Accident Management Guidelines at Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant

The objective of this paper is to present the current organization of the Emergency Procedures including Emergency Operating Procedures (EOP) and Severe Accident Management Guidelines (SAMG) in Kozloduy Nuclear Power Plant (KNPP) as a function of the severity of the accident conditions. Special attention is paid to SAMG. It is described when the SAMG are used and at which conditions in a transition between the EOPs and the SAMG should be made. The Critical Safety Function Restoration Guidelines and their connections with SAMGs and EOPs are also discussed. The arrangement of SAMG is described in detail, since in the KNPP exist 2 types of SAMGs for Main Control Room (MCR) and for the Accident Management Centre (AMC) and they contain the same strategies, but they are different in format. Both types are symptom oriented procedures, but those for MCR are in 2-column-format with interconnections, whereas those for the AMC are developed in a logical manner and simplified for people, who take decisions. In the paper, they are also discussed the adopted strategies in existing SAMG that should be followed to recover from a damaged core condition and to prevent or mitigate the release of fission products. In the paper, they are also described a number of technical measures for management and mitigation of severe accidents, which are implemented in KNPP before and after the Fukushima accident. Many of them are common for WWER-1000 type of reactors, but some of them are unique and plant specific. This information can be useful for operators of other WWER type reactors or even PWR reactors.

Improved TOPSIS decision model for NPP emergencies

In this paper,an improved decision model is developed for its use as a tool to respond to emergencies at nuclear power plants.Given the complexity of multi-attribute emergency decision-making on nuclear accident,the improved TOPSIS method is used to build a decision-making model that integrates subjective weight and objective weight of each evaluation index.A comparison between the results of this new model and two traditional methods of fuzzy hierarchy analysis method and weighted analysis method demonstrates that the improved TOPSIS model has a better evaluation effect.