Fast UAV path planning in urban environments based on three-step experience buffer sampling DDPG

The path planning of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle(UAV)is a critical issue in emergency communication and rescue operations,especially in adversarial urban environments.Due to the continuity of the flying space,complex building obstacles,and the aircraft's high dynamics,traditional algorithms cannot find the optimal collision-free flying path between the UAV station and the destination.Accordingly,in this paper,we study the fast UAV path planning problem in a 3D urban environment from a source point to a target point and propose a Three-Step Experience Buffer Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient(TSEB-DDPG)algorithm.We first build the 3D model of a complex urban environment with buildings and project the 3D building surface into many 2D geometric shapes.After transformation,we propose the Hierarchical Learning Particle Swarm Optimization(HL-PSO)to obtain the empirical path.Then,to ensure the accuracy of the obtained paths,the empirical path,the collision information and fast transition information are stored in the three experience buffers of the TSEB-DDPG algorithm as dynamic guidance information.The sampling ratio of each buffer is dynamically adapted to the training stages.Moreover,we designed a reward mechanism to improve the convergence speed of the DDPG algorithm for UAV path planning.The proposed TSEB-DDPG algorithm has also been compared to three widely used competitors experimentally,and the results show that the TSEB-DDPG algorithm can archive the fastest convergence speed and the highest accuracy.We also conduct experiments in real scenarios and compare the real path planning obtained by the HL-PSO algorithm,DDPG algorithm,and TSEB-DDPG algorithm.The results show that the TSEBDDPG algorithm can archive almost the best in terms of accuracy,the average time of actual path planning,and the success rate.

Enhancing corrosion resistance of 7150 Al alloy using novel three-step aging process

The effects of a novel three-step aging process （T76＋T6） on the electrochemical corrosion behavior of 7150 extruded aluminum alloy were evaluated and compared with those of the conventional retrogression and re-aging process （T77）. The open circuit potential （OCP）, cyclic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectra （EIS） of the A1 alloys were measured after treatment in three solutions （3.5% NaCl （mass fraction）; 10 mmol/L NaCl ＋ 0.1 mol/L Na2SO4; 4 mol/L NaCl ＋ 0.5 mol/L KNO3 ＋ 0.1 mol/L HNO3）. The parameters including the corrosion potential, pitting potential, pit transition potential and steepness, and potential differences were extensively discussed to evaluate the corrosion behavior of the Al alloys. The electrochemical and scanning electron microscopy （SEM） data show that compared with the 7150-T77 Al alloy, the T76 ＋ T6 aged 7150 A1 alloy exhibits better resistance to pitting corrosion, inter-granular corrosion （IGC） and exfoliation corrosion, which is attributed to further coarsening and inter-spacing of the grain boundary particles （GBPs） as revealed by transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, the hardness tests indicate that an attractive combination of strength and corrosion resistance was obtained for the 7150 Al alloy with T76 ＋ T6 treatment.

One-pot synthesis and characterization of a new, branched polycarbosilane bearing allyl groups

A highly branched polycarbosilane bearing allyl groups has been prepared by a one-pot synthesis with chloromethyltrichlorosilane, chloromethylmethyldichlorosilane and allyl chloride as the starting materials. The resultant polymer, with the approximate formula [SiH1.2(CH3)0.71(CH2CHCH2)0.09CH2]n, has been characterized by 1H, 13C, and 29Si NMR, GPC, TG and elemental analysis. It could be cross-linked thermally at 170 °C in the absence of oxygen. Pyrolysis of the polymer gave a ceramic with a yield of about 70%.

Efficient one-pot synthesis of n-butyl levulinate from carbohydrates catalyzed by Fe_2(SO_4)_3

Butyl levulinate（BL） is a promising new candidate as diesel fuel and fuel additive. In this study, an efficient process for a one-pot synthesis of BL from biomass-derived carbohydrates in butanol medium with the catalysis of metal sulfates was developed. The catalytic activity of a series of metal sulfates for the synthesis of BL from fructose was investigated. Among various metal sulfates, ferric sulfate Fe（SO）was found to be the most efficient catalyst, which gave a remarkably high BL yield of 62.8 mol% under the conditions of 463 K, 3 h, a catalyst dosage of 5.0 g/L, and fructose concentration of 25 g/L. Different carbohydrates including glucose, cellulose, inulin and sucrose were also used for one-pot synthesis of BL with the catalysis of Fe（SO）, showing the yields of 39.6, 30.5, 56.6 and 50.1 mol%, respectively. In addition,the recycling and reuse of Fe（SO）was studied by characterizing them using powder X-ray diffraction（XRD）, scanning electron microscope（SEM）, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy（XPS）. A plausible reaction pathway for the one-pot synthesis of BL from fructose was proposed. This study provides a facile and feasible way for the synthesis of BL from biomass.

One-pot synthesis of 2-aminothiazoles in PEG-400

A facile one-pot synthesis of 2-aminothiazoles has been carried in PEG-400 as a greener medium at room temperature.This method avoids the use of lachrymatric a-bromoketones as well as the volatile,toxic organic solvents.

One-pot synthesis of 1,3,4-oxadiazole-5-thioethers in water

An efficient and environmental-friendly one-pot procedure has been developed for the synthesis of 1,3,4-oxadiazole-5- thioethers by the reaction of acylhydrazine with carbon disulfide and organic halides or α, β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds. The reactions were carried out in water in the presence of potassium phosphate within 2-4 h to afford the expected products in excellent yields.

Effect of three-step homogenization on microstructure and properties of 7N01 aluminum alloys

The effect of different homogenization treatments on the microstructure and properties of the 7N01 aluminum alloy was investigated using hardness measurements, electrical conductivity measurements, tensile and slow strain rate tests, electron probe microanalysis, optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The results revealed that three-step homogenization improved the uniformity of Zr distribution by eliminating segregation of the main alloying elements. During the second homogenization step at 350 °C for 10 h, coarse and strip-like equilibrium η phases formed which assisted the nucleation of Al3Zr dispersoids and reduced the width of the precipitate-free zone of A13Zr dispersoids. As a result, coarse recrystallization was greatly reduced after homogenization at 200 °C, 2 h ＋ 350 °C, 10 h ＋ 470 °C, 12 h, which contributed to improving the overall properties of the 7N01 aluminum alloys.

Effect of a novel three-step aging on strength, stress corrosion cracking and microstructure of AA7085

The influence of a novel three-step aging on strength, stress corrosion cracking(SCC) and microstructure of AA7085 was investigated by tensile testing and slow strain rate testing combined with transmission electron microscopy(TEM). The results indicate that with the increase of second-step aging time of two-step aging, the mechanical properties increase first and then decrease, while the SCC resistance increases. Compared with two-step aging, three-step aging treatment improves SCC resistance and the strength increases by about 5%. The effects of novel three-step aging on strength and SCC resistance are explained by the role of matrix precipitates and grain boundary precipitates, respectively.

One-pot Synthesis of Lewis Acidic Ionic Liquids for Friedel-Crafts Alkylation

Novel Lewis acidic ionic liquids containing thionyl cations and chloroaluminate anions were obtained by one-pot synthesis for the first time. Their acidities were determined by acetonitrile probe on IR spectrography. The ionic liquids were used as catalyst for Friedel-Crafts alkylation of benzene and 1-dodecene. The turnovers of l-dodecene were higher than 99%. Monoalkylbenzene selectivity was 98%, while the 2-substituent product selectivity was 45%.

Microwave radiation one-pot synthesis of chloropropyl-functionalized mesoporous MCM-41

Chloropropyl-functionalized mesoporous MCM-41（MCM-41-（CH2）3Cl） was synthesized in alkaline medium by the microwave radiation one-pot method, using cetyltrimethy-lammoniumbromide （CTAB） as novel template, tetraethoxysilane （TEOS） as silica source, and chloropropyltriethoxysilane （C1PTES） as the coupling agent. The microstructure of MCM-41-（CH2）3Cl was characterized by the means of X-ray diffraction （XRD）, nitrogen absorption-desorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy （FT-IR）, scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, and transmission electron microscopy （TEM）. The results show that a successful synthesis of MCM-41-（CH2）3Cl with well structure is obtained. The optimal microwave power is 120 W and the best microwave time is 50 rain. The dosage of chloropropyltriethoxysilane on the structure of chloropropyl-functionalzed MCM-41 was also investigated. It is found that the chloropropyltriethoxysilane volume between 0.8 mL and 1.6 mL is favorable for the formation of highly ordered MCM-41-（CH2）3Cl mesostructure.

One-pot cascade conversion of xylose to furfuryl alcohol over a bifunctional Cu/SBA-15-SO3H catalyst

The conversion of hemicellulose-derived xylose to furfuryl alcohol is a practical procedure for producing value-added chemicals from biomass.In this study,a bifunctional Cu/SBA-15-SO3 H catalyst was employed for the one-pot catalytic conversion of xylose to furfuryl alcohol with a yield of up to 62.6% at the optimized conditions of 140℃,4 MPa,and for 6 h in a biphasic water/n-butanol solvent.A high reaction temperature resulted in further hydrogenation to 2-methyl furan,while a high hydrogen pressure led to a side hydrogenation reaction to xylitol.The biphasic solvent allowed xylose solvation as well as furfuryl product extraction.The acidic-SO3 H sites and Cu sites co-existed,maintained a balance,and cooperatively catalyzed the cascade conversion.Excessive acidic sites and large pores could promote the xylose conversion,although a low furfuryl alcohol yield was obtained.This catalytic system could be potentially applied to the one-pot synthesis of furfuryl alcohol from hemicellulose-derived xylose.

Improved One-pot Synthesis of 4,6-Dihydroxyisophthalic Acid and 2,3-Dihydroxyterephthalic Acid

An improved method for the large-scale preparation of 4,6-dihydroxyisophthalic acid and 2,3-dihydroxyterephthalic acid has been developed.Compared to the previous procedures,this new process-requires much lower CO2 pressure of 0.3 Mpa and shorter reaction time.thus providing a convenient access for large-scale synthesis.The yield is high （93% and 65%,respectively）, and the oxidation of phenol is nearly inhibited,neither decolorization nor further chromatographic purification is required.

Ultrasound-assisted one-pot synthesis of 2,4,5-triarylimidazole derivatives catalyzed by ceric (Ⅳ) ammonium nitrate in aqueous media

2,4,5-Triarylimidazoles could be obtained in excellent yields by the one-pot three-component condensation of benzil/benzoin, aldehydes and ammonium acetate in the presence of catalytic amount of the inexpensive, readily available and non-toxic ceric （IV） ammonium nitrate （CAN） in aqueous media under ultrasound at room temperature. In this reaction the products were obtained in short reaction time and easy operation under mild conditions.

Efficient one-pot synthesis of 1,3-diaryl-3H-benzo[f]chromenes using ferric hydrogensulfate

An efficient and easy method for one-pot three-component synthesis of l,3-disubstituted-3H-benzo[f]chromenes by the condensation of naphtol,aromatic aldehyde derivatives and phenylacetylene in the presence of ferric hydrogensulfate[Fe（HSO4）3], has been described.The catalyst displayed high activity which afforded the corresponding 1,3-disubstituted-3H-benzo[f]chromenes in satisfying yields.Alkyl-substituted phenols were examined and the corresponding benzopyran derivatives were synthesized in moderate yields.Heterogeneous nature of the using catalyst made it reusable for further chemical reactions.

One-pot synthesis of network supported catalyst using supramolecular gel as template

A simple and general strategy is described for preparing network supported catalyst through a one-pot synthetic procedure using supramolecular gel as template.This procedure directly attaches ligand to support during fabricating the support.Using this strategy,supported CuBr/di-（2-picolyl） amine catalyst with U-shaped fibrillar network was prepared and used in atom transfer radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate.XPS and SEM characterization of the catalyst revealed homogeneous distribution of ligand,sufficient reactive sites,adequate mechanical strength and macroporosity.The polymerization results demonstrated high activity and reusability of such catalyst.This strategy might be extended to other supported catalysts used in column reactors.

A bifunctional and recyclable catalyst:Amine and ionic liquid grafting on MOFs for the one-pot synthesis of N-aryl oxazolidin-2-ones

A bifunctional heterogeneous catalyst was designed and synthesized,denoted DMEDA/IL–NH2-MIL-101.The structure and physical-chemical characterization of DMEDA/IL–NH2-MIL-101 and its precursors were characterized by SEM,N2 adsorption-desorption,XPS,FT-IR,PXRD,elemental analysis,and TGA techniques.The date showed that the two catalytic components of N,N-dimethylethylenediamine(DMEDA)and 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide(BmimBr)were chemically immobilized in NH2-MIL-101 nanocages.The amine of DMEDA was grafted onto carrier NH2-MIL-101 by N–Cr coordinate covalent bonds and the ionic liquid of BmimBr(IL(Br-))was anchored in the NH2-MIL-101 nanocages by'ship-in-a-bottle'method,in which the amidogen of NH2-MIL-101 condensed with N,N-carbonyldiimidazole(CDI)firstly,and then alkylated with 1-bromo butane.This novel heterogeneous catalyst with two different active sites can efficiently catalyze the synthesis of N-aryl oxazolidin-2-ones from carbon dioxide(CO2),epoxides,and anilines in one-pot under mild solvent-free conditions.It not only showed good stability and recoverability after five cycles but also exhibited shape selectivity for the substrate due to the synergic catalysis of amine,ionic liquid,and NH2-MIL-101.This novel bifunctional material is a promising solid catalyst for the green synthesis of N-aryl oxazolidin-2-ones.

Strontium chloride-catalyzed one-pot synthesis of 4(3H)-quinazolinones under solvent-free conditions

Strontium chloride was used as an efficient and recyclable catalyst in one-pot condensation of anthranilic acid, ortho esters and amines leading to the formation of 4（3H）-quinazolinone derivatives in good yields at room temperature under solvent-free conditions.

Short-term efficacy of robotic and laparoscopic spleen-preserving splenic hilar lymphadenectomy via Huang’s three-step maneuver for advanced upper gastric cancer: Results from a propensity scorematched study

BACKGROUND Robotic surgery has been considered to be significantly better than laparoscopic surgery for complicated procedures.AIM To explore the short-term effect of robotic and laparoscopic spleen-preserving splenic hilar lymphadenectomy(SPSHL)for advanced gastric cancer(GC)by Huang’s three-step maneuver.METHODS A total of 643 patients who underwent SPSHL were recruited from April 2012 to July 2017,including 35 patients who underwent robotic SPSHL(RSPSHL)and 608 who underwent laparoscopic SPSHL(LSPSHL).One-to-four propensity score matching was used to analyze the differences in clinical data between patients who underwent robotic SPSHL and those who underwent laparoscopic SPSHL.RESULTS In all,175 patients were matched,including 35 patients who underwent RSPSHL and 140 who underwent LSPSHL.After matching,there were no significant differences detected in the baseline characteristics between the two groups.Significant differences in total operative time,estimated blood loss(EBL),splenic hilar blood loss(SHBL),splenic hilar dissection time(SHDT),and splenic trunk dissection time were evident between these groups(P<0.05).Furthermore,no significant differences were observed between the two groups in the overall noncompliance rate of lymph node(LN)dissection(62.9%vs 60%,P=0.757),number of retrieved No.10 LNs(3.1±1.4 vs 3.3±2.5,P=0.650),total number of examined LNs(37.8±13.1 vs 40.6±13.6,P=0.274),and postoperative complications(14.3%vs 17.9%,P=0.616).A stratified analysis that divided the patients receiving RSPSHL into an early group(EG)and a late group(LG)revealed that the LG experienced obvious improvements in SHDT and length of stay compared with the EG(P<0.05).Logistic regression showed that robotic surgery was a significantly protective factor against both SHBL and SHDT(P<0.05).CONCLUSION RSPSHL is safe and feasible,especially after overcoming the early learning curve,as this procedure results in a radical curative effect equivalent to that of LSPSHL.

A new one-pot neat synthesis of 1,2,4-triazol-3-ones through 4-(N,N-dimethylamino) pyridine (DMAP) catalyzed cyclocondensation of ethyl carbazate with aryl nitriles

A new one-pot neat synthesis of some 5-aryl-2,4-dihydro-3H- 1,2,4-triazol-3-ones through cyclocondensation of ethyl carbazate with aryl nitriles catalyzed by DMAP as an efficient and basic nucleophilic catalyst is described.

One-pot synthesis of 2,5-disubstituted-1,3,4-thiadiazoles under ultrasonic irradiation

A facile one-pot synthesis of 2,5-disubstituted-1,3,4-thiadiazoles was achieved by ultrasonic irradiation of a mixture of 1-naphthylacetyl chloride, NH4CNS, CH2Cl2 and PEG-400 for 1.5 h at 10–20 °C and subsequent irradiation for 1.5 h in the presence of N-arylglycine hydrazides. This method requires short time and gives thiadiazoles in high yields.