In situ digital testing method for quality assessment of soft soil improvement with polyurethane

This study purposes an in situ testing method on quality assessment of soil improvement.Factual drilling data includes the spatial distribution and in situ strength of untreated and treated soil along three different drillholes measured by on-site drilling monitoring method.These factual drilling data can characterize the degree of soil improvement by penetration injection with permeable polyurethane.Result from on-site drilling monitoring shows that the linear zones represent constant drilling speeds shown in the plot of drill bit advancement vs.net drilling time,which indicates the spatial distributions of soil profile.The soil profile at the study site is composed of four layers,which includes fill,untreated silty clay,treated silty clay,and mucky soil.The results of soil profile are verified by the parallel site loggings.The constant drilling speeds profile the coring-resistant strength of drilled soils.By comparing with the untreated silty clay,the constant drilling speeds of the treated silty clay have been decreased by 13.0-62.8%.Two drilling-speed-based indices of 61.2%and 65.6%are proposed to assess the decreased average drilling speed and the increased in situ strength of treated silty clay.Laboratory tests,i.e.uniaxial compressive strength(UCS)test,have been performed with core sample to investigate and characterize in situ strength by comparing that with drilling speeds.Results show that the average predicted strengths of treated silty clay are 2.4-6.9 times higher than the average measured strength of untreated silty clay.The UCS-based indices of 374.5%and 344.2%verified the quality assessment(QA)results by this new in situ method.This method provides a cost-effective tool for quality assessment of soil improvement by utilizing the digital drilling data.

Optimization of Hydrocracking Process for Enhanced BTX Production from Coal Tar-Derived Hydrorefined Products

Hydroconversion of coal tar to produce aromatic hydrocarbons(BTX)represents a crucial strategy for the highvalue hierarchical utilization of coal.This study focused on the hydrocracking of hydrorefined products derived from coal tar to enhance the production of benzene,toluene,and xylene(BTX).Various reaction conditions,including reaction temperature,hydrogen pressure,space velocity,and hydrogen-to-oil volume ratio,were systematically explored to optimize BTX yields while also considering the process’s economic feasibility.The results indicate that increasing the reaction temperature from 360℃ to 390℃ significantly favors the production of BTX,with yields increasing from 21.42%to 41.14%.Similarly,an increase in hydrogen pressure from 4 MPa to 6 MPa boosts BTX production,with yields rising from 36.31%to 41.14%.Reducing the space velocity from 2 h^(-1) to 0.5 h^(-1) also favors the BTX production process,with yields increasing from 37.96%to 45.13%.Furthermore,raising the hydrogen-to-oil volume ratio from 750 to 1500 improves BTX yields from 41.61%to 45.44%.Through economic analysis,the optimal conditions for BTX production were identified as a reaction temperature of 390℃,hydrogen pressure of 5-6 MPa,space velocity of 1 h^(-1),and hydrogen-to-oil volume ratio of 1000,achieving a BTX yield of 43.73%.This investigation highlights the importance of a holistic evaluation of hydrocracking conditions to optimize BTX production.Furthermore,the findings offer valuable insights for the design and operation of industrial hydrocracking processes aimed at efficiently converting coal tar-derived hydrorefined feedstock into BTX.

Comprehensive analysis of advanced glycation end-products in commonly consumed foods:presenting a database for dietary AGEs and associated exposure assessment

Advanced glycation end-products(AGEs)are a group of heterogeneous compounds formed in heatprocessed foods and are proven to be detrimental to human health.Currently,there is no comprehensive database for AGEs in foods that covers the entire range of food categories,which limits the accurate risk assessment of dietary AGEs in human diseases.In this study,we first established an isotope dilution UHPLCQq Q-MS/MS-based method for simultaneous quantification of 10 major AGEs in foods.The contents of these AGEs were detected in 334 foods covering all main groups consumed in Western and Chinese populations.Nε-Carboxymethyllysine,methylglyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone isomers,and glyoxal-derived hydroimidazolone-1 are predominant AGEs found in most foodstuffs.Total amounts of AGEs were high in processed nuts,bakery products,and certain types of cereals and meats(>150 mg/kg),while low in dairy products,vegetables,fruits,and beverages(<40 mg/kg).Assessment of estimated daily intake implied that the contribution of food groups to daily AGE intake varied a lot under different eating patterns,and selection of high-AGE foods leads to up to a 2.7-fold higher intake of AGEs through daily meals.The presented AGE database allows accurate assessment of dietary exposure to these glycotoxins to explore their physiological impacts on human health.

Risk identification and safety assessment of human-computer interaction in integrated avionics based on STAMP

To solve the problem of risk identification and quantitative assessment for human-computer interaction(HCI)in complex avionics systems,an HCI safety analysis framework based on system-theoretical process analysis(STPA)and cognitive reliability and error analysis method(CREAM)is proposed.STPACREAM can identify unsafe control actions and find the causal path during the interaction of avionics systems and pilot with the help of formal verification tools automatically.The common performance conditions(CPC)of avionics systems in the aviation environment is established and a quantitative analysis of human failure is carried out.Taking the head-up display(HUD)system interaction process as an example,a case analysis is carried out,the layered safety control structure and formal model of the HUD interaction process are established.For the interactive behavior“Pilots approaching with HUD”,four unsafe control actions and35 causal scenarios are identified and the impact of common performance conditions at different levels on the pilot decision model are analyzed.The results show that HUD's HCI level gradually improves as the scores of CPC increase,and the quality of crew member cooperation and time sufficiency of the task is the key to its HCI.Through case analysis,it is shown that STPACREAM can quantitatively assess the hazards in HCI and identify the key factors that impact safety.

Application of Feature, Event, and Process Methods to Leakage Scenario Development for Offshore CO_(2) Geological Storage

Offshore carbon dioxide(CO_(2)) geological storage(OCGS) represents a significant strategy for addressing climate change by curtailing greenhouse gas emissions. Nonetheless, the risk of CO_(2) leakage poses a substantial concern associated with this technology. This study introduces an innovative approach for establishing OCGS leakage scenarios, involving four pivotal stages, namely, interactive matrix establishment, risk matrix evaluation, cause–effect analysis, and scenario development, which has been implemented in the Pearl River Estuary Basin in China. The initial phase encompassed the establishment of an interaction matrix for OCGS systems based on features, events, and processes. Subsequent risk matrix evaluation and cause–effect analysis identified key system components, specifically CO_(2) injection and faults/features. Building upon this analysis, two leakage risk scenarios were successfully developed, accompanied by the corresponding mitigation measures. In addition, this study introduces the application of scenario development to risk assessment, including scenario numerical simulation and quantitative assessment. Overall, this research positively contributes to the sustainable development and safe operation of OCGS projects and holds potential for further refinement and broader application to diverse geographical environments and project requirements. This comprehensive study provides valuable insights into the establishment of OCGS leakage scenarios and demonstrates their practical application to risk assessment, laying the foundation for promoting the sustainable development and safe operation of ocean CO_(2) geological storage projects while proposing possibilities for future improvements and broader applications to different contexts.

Assessment and Application of Beach Quality Based on Analytic Hierarchy Process in Yangkou Beach, Qingdao

The whole-beach quality assessment is the basis of building and preserving beautiful beaches.The beach quality assessment index system and assessment standard have been established based on the attributes of beaches(including the width,slope,landform,and types),sorting coefficient,and softness degree of surface sediment.The assessment weight of each index for quality evaluation was analyzed using the analytic hierarchy process,and comprehensive scores of selected beach profiles were calculated in accordance with the light assessment standard.A beach quality evaluation model based on index weight and scores was established in this paper.The factors of 12 profiles of Yangkou Beach in Qingdao City were surveyed to carry out a quality assessment,and the comprehensive scores of each profile were calculated in accordance with the evaluation model.The results showed that the quality of Yangkou Beach can be divided into four ratings:excellent,good,medium,and poor.The excellent-quality area includes a wide and flat dry beach zone and soft,flat,and clean intertidal and subtidal zones covered with well-sorted fine sand,and leisure sports,such as volleyball,running,and swimming,are suitable for tourists.The good-quality area features a slightly narrow and dry beach zone,moderately soft and uneven intertidal and subtidal zones covered with fine sand and a small tidal gully,and a small amount of foreign matter;leisure sports,such as walking and running,are suitable for tourists.This study recommends the building of fixed drainage ditches or underground culverts to reduce the tidal gully.The medium-quality area consisted of a narrow and dry beach zone,moderately soft and uneven intertidal and subtidal zones covered by poorly sorted medium sand,a tide ditch,and a small amount of foreign matter.In this area,walking is suitable for tourists.Sand should be supplemented in the intertidal zone.The poor-quality area contained a very narrow and dry beach zone covered with poor-sorted gravel,a very chaotic intertidal zone with a considerable amount of foreign matters,such as bricks and rocks,wide tidal ditches,and an uneven subtidal zone with some reefs;leisure sports are unsuitable here.Thus,foreign matter and reefs should be removed,and the dry beach zone should be supplemented with sand.Therefore,the beach quality assessment is a very useful tool for building beautiful beaches.

An Overview of Formative Assessment

Formative assessment is integral to classroom instruction and learning.This paper gives an overview of the major issues in formative assessment,including its definition,scope,and the assessment process.Formative assessment can be performed by a teacher,peer,and even AI,includes self-assessment,and involves the process of elicitating and interpreting evidence of learning and using the information to make decisions on further learning.

Penetration Study of Key Technologies for Cybersecurity Risk Assessment

In recent years,with the frequent occurrence of cyber security incidents,people have paid more attention to it.Information security risk assessment is a very important research topic.This paper gives a brief overview of the theory of cybersecurity risk assessment,focuses on the description of the current mainstream cybersecurity risk assessment methods,classifies and compares the existing methods according to the nature of the methods,and analyses the advantages,disadvantages,and application scope of each method.Finally,the main factors affecting the evaluation results are summarized and refined,and future research hotspots in this field are proposed.Through the empirical analysis of the three factors,the influence of the correlation of the three factors,the uncertainty of the evaluation indexes,and the timeliness of the evaluation on the evaluation results are concluded,which provides a reference for future research on evaluation methods.

A methodological framework of landslide quantitative risk assessment in areas with incomplete historical landslide information

Landslide risk assessment(LRA)is of great significance to hazard prevention and mitigation.However,the historical landslide information is incomplete in most areas,which makes the landslide quantitative risk assessment(LQRA)extremely difficult.This research proposed a set of frameworks for LQRA,so as to achieve LQRA in areas with incomplete historical landslide information.Firstly,we constructed the convolutional neural network(CNN)model suitable for landslide susceptibility assessment(LSA)by studying the structure and hyperparameters optimization of CNN.Secondly,we proposed a method to calculate the temporal probability by using the Poisson model based on the time range of historical landslides occurrence,and then conducted landslide hazard assessment(LHA).Then,we established a mathematical model for landslide intensity of shallow landslide based on landslide area and slope,aiming at solving the problem that it is difficult to calculate landslide intensity due to the lack of landslide volume and velocity.Based on the landslide intensity and the hazard-resistant capacity of the element at risk,we assessed the landslide vulnerability.Finally,population risk map and economic risk map are obtained based on the landslide hazard,vulnerability,and estimated value of the elements at risk.The proposed LQRA framework was applied to Tumen City,China for testing and field validation.From the results,the CNN model built can help improve the accuracy of LSA.The proposed temporal probability calculation method is conducive to the completion of LHA in areas with incomplete historical landslide information.The established landslide intensity mathematical model has certain credibility.Since the landslide risk map is obtained through appropriate simplification and substitution estimation,its final value cannot be used as an accurate prediction of future losses,but it can be used as a reference for the extent of potential losses,so as to determine the areas where hazard prevention and mitigation measures need to be taken.

Investigation and Hazard Assessment of Invasive Alien Plants on the Campus of Tongren University

[Objectives]The paper was to investigate and assess the species,distribution and hazard status of invasive alien plants on the campus of Tongren University.[Methods]A survey was conducted using line survey method,and the risk assessment index system of invasive alien plants was established by analytic hierarchy process(AHP).[Results]There were 11 species of invasive alien plants on the campus of Tongren University,belonging to 8 genera and 5 families.There were 6 species of invasive alien plants belonging to Asteraceae,accounting for 54.55%of the total.In terms of the origin of invasive plants,most of them were native to North America and Europe,accounting for 27.27%of the total.In terms of harmful level,there were no high-risk invasive plants on the campus of Tongren University,but Alternanthera philoxeroides had the highest score and was the most harmful.[Conclusions]The present situation of alien plant invasion on the campus of Tongren University is closely related to the ecological environment of the campus.It is suggested to strengthen the management of campus plants,focus on the prevention and control of A.philoxeroides,and carry out regular investigation of invasive alien plants on campus to ensure the ecological safety of the campus.

The Research on the Impact Factors of the Comprehensive Evaluation of Communication Unit Camps Based on Analytic Hierarchy Process

Currently, the comprehensive assessment of the communication troops’ camp planning project is primarily qualitative, with limited quantitative evaluation. Drawing upon the relevant spirit of the Military Commission’s documents and leveraging the author’s own work experience in branch offices, this article thoroughly explores the factors influencing the comprehensive assessment of the project and proposes quantitative representation methods for these factors. Utilizing the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), a hierarchical structure model and judgment matrix for the evaluation factors of the communication troops’ camp construction planning project are constructed, enabling the determination of the weightage of each factor. This provides a certain level of support and reference for the project approval and management by branch offices, while also offering valuable insights for the approval and management of camp planning and construction projects in other types of troops and battlefield projects.

Synthetically quantitative evaluation function of characteristic parameters on CO_2 arc welding process

The statistical probability and their variation regularity of the measurable characteristic parameters in the CO 2 arc welding droplet short circuiting transfer process have been studied. The statistical analysis shows that the sensitivity of each characteristic parameter with regard to the variation of the short circuiting transfer process is different. The sensitivity of 4 kinds among these characteristic parameters is more intense than that of the short circuiting transfer frequency. In order to take account of the synthetic influence of these characteristic parameters, by means of the characteristic parameters synthetic value, a quantitative evaluation function is built up to describe and evaluate the short circuiting transfer process of CO 2 arc welding in real time. The testing shows that the evaluation function can give a suitable synthetic valuation for the short circuiting transfer process with a variety of welding variables.

A techno-economic and life cycle assessment for the production of green methanol from CO_(2): catalyst and process bottlenecks

The success of catalytic schemes for the large-scale valorization of CO_(2) does not only depend on the development of active,selective and stable catalytic materials but also on the overall process design.Here we present a multidisciplinary study(from catalyst to plant and techno-economic/lifecycle analysis)for the production of green methanol from renewable H2 and CO_(2).We combine an in-depth kinetic analysis of one of the most promising recently reported methanol-synthesis catalysts(InCo)with a thorough process simulation and techno-economic assessment.We then perform a life cycle assessment of the simulated process to gauge the real environmental impact of green methanol production from CO_(2).Our results indicate that up to 1.75 ton of CO_(2) can be abated per ton of produced methanol only if renewable energy is used to run the process,while the sensitivity analysis suggest that either rock-bottom H2 prices(1.5$kg1)or severe CO_(2) taxation(300$per ton)are needed for a profitable methanol plant.Besides,we herein highlight and analyze some critical bottlenecks of the process.Especial attention has been paid to the contribution of H2 to the overall plant costs,CH4 trace formation,and purity and costs of raw gases.In addition to providing important information for policy makers and industrialists,directions for catalyst(and therefore process)improvements are outlined.

Quantitative assessment of the surface crack density in thermal barrier coatings

In this paper, a modified shear-lag model is developed to calculate the surface crack density in thermal barrier coatings（TBCs）. The mechanical properties of TBCs are also measured to quantitatively assess their surface crack density. Acoustic emission（AE） and digital image correlation methods are applied to monitor the surface cracking in TBCs under tensile loading. The results show that the calculated surface crack density from the modified model is in agreement with that obtained from experiments. The surface cracking process of TBCs can be discriminated by their AE characteristics and strain evolution. Based on the correlation of energy released from cracking and its corresponding AE signals, a linear relationship is built up between the surface crack density and AE parameters, with the slope being dependent on the mechanical properties of TBCs.

The effects of applying an assessment form based on the health functional patterns on nursing student's attitude and skills in developing the nursing process

Objectives: Comprehensive nursing assessment,as the first step in the nursing process,involves the systematic and constant data gathering to facilitate the development of the patient-specific nursing process.The aim of this study is to determine the effects of applying an assessment form based on the health functional patterns on nursing student's attitude and skills in developing nursing process.Methods: A randomized controlling design was conducted.Of 84 undergraduate nursing students,42 students were allocated to the intervention or control group.In clinical education,a patient assessment form based on Gordon's functional health patterns was applied to help students in the intervention group to develop nursing process,while the control group received traditional methods.The data were gathered using a demographic information questionnaire,skills in nursing process development checklist,and attitudes towards nursing process questionnaire.Results: The average scores for students' attitude and skills in developing nursing process in the intervention group were greater than those of the control group.Conclusion: Applying nursing assessment using the patient assessment form based on Gordon's functional health patterns can improve the students' learning in developing nursing process.

Treatment assessment of radiotherapy using MR functional quantitative imaging

Recent developments in magnetic resonance(MR) functional quantitative imaging have made it a potentially powerful tool to assess treatment response in radiation therapy. With its abilities to capture functional information on underlying tissue characteristics, MR functional quantitative imaging can be valuable in assessing treatment response and as such to optimize therapeutic outcome. Various MR quantitative imaging techniques, including diffusion weighted imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, MR spectroscopy and dynamic contrastenhanced imaging, have been investigated and found useful for assessment of radiotherapy. However, various aspects including data reproducibility, interpretation of biomarkers, image quality and data analysis impose challenges on applications of MR functional quantitative imaging in radiotherapy assessment. All of these challenging issues shall be addressed to help us understand whether MR functional quantitative imaging is truly beneficial and contributes to future development of radiotherapy. It is evident that individualized therapy is the future direction of patient care. MR functional quantitative imaging might serves as an indispensable tool towards this promising direction.

Quantitative Assessment on the Embodied Environmental Impact of Concrete with or without Fly Ash

According to the life cycle assessment and the environmental design method of industry prnduction, a quantitative assessment model for the embodied environmetal impact of concrete with or without fly ash was proposed. The environmental burden impact indicator （ EBII ）, the resources depletion impact indicator （RDII）, and the environmental impact comprehensive indicator （EICI） are defined. The specific environmental impact values of different grade concretes with or wittout fly ash were presented. In the embodied process of concrete with or without fly ash, the key potential environmental impact categories are global warming and dust endsskin, and it is an effective way for reducing the embndied environmental impact of concrete to mix fly ash and lower grade cenwat . The method presented in this paper makes it possible to quantitatively assess the embodied environmental impact of concrete with or without .fly ash. The results calculated in this paper can be used to quantitatively assess the life cycle environmental impact of construction materials and buildings.

Assessment of Effects of Green Construction by Analytic Hierarchy Process and Fuzzy Synthetic Judgment Method

The index system, code system, and weights of indexes are established to assess the effects of green construction. The index system consists of index level, factor level and sub-factor level. The analytic hierarchy process is used to determine the weights of indexes, and the consistency test indicate that the weight assignment is reasonable. Using fuzzy synthetic judgment method, the assessment model is built, which includes factor set, weight set and conclusion set. An example is given to demonstrate the assessment procedures.

Problem-Based Learning <i>in Situ</i>Applied to Students in the Assessment of Nursing Process

Background: Nursing is considered a science in the making that recognizes the nursing process (NP) as the scientific and methodological tool to provide care. The NP is composed of five stages of which the assessment is the first and fundamental to identify the health problems of the people. This research aimed to evaluate a pedagogical didactic strategy that is based on situated constructivism, the Based-Problem Learning (BPL), in order to improve significant learning. Methods: Quantitative research with an explanatory scope, was transversal, and it was applied to 30 students of the first year of the nursing career at the Faculty of Higher Studies Iztacala, National Autonomous University of Mexico. The sample was chosen considering the inclusion criteria. Data were collected using a Likert-type instrument validated in a previous investigation. Results: The average value obtained from the Likert scale to evaluate the intervention was 103.4, the highest score was 135 and the lowest was 83, which reflects that it was evaluated as good and particularly good. The grade given to the teacher as an agent of the ZPD, was between agree and totally agree, the highest percentages scored at 93%, since it provoked challenge in their thinking, and favored interaction among classmates. Conclusions: The application of the in situ teaching strategy, BPL favored significant learning of the assessment stage, the students were able to carry out the assessment in the hospital, the experience contributed to generate significant learning when students face real scenarios, which showed the effectiveness of the method.

Risk of Waterborne Parasitic Infection among Vegetables Producers in the City of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso: An Attempt to Quantify Them Using the Quantitative Microbiological Risk Assessment Method

The use of wastewater in urban agriculture has been promoted as an alternative to water scarcity and as a means to increase soil fertilizer. However, the use of wastewater in urban agriculture raises major public health concerns, mainly due to the often high concentration of pathogenic micro-organisms. Waterborne parasites are a major health concern in this regard, especially in endemic areas, mainly due to the high environmental resistance of eggs/cysts combined with a low infectious dose. In this study, the parasitological risk to vegetables producers in Ouagadougou using polluted water was evaluated through the quantitative microbiological risk analysis method. For this purpose, the search for and quantification of viable parasite eggs and cysts in irrigation water was coupled with epidemiological surveillance of vegetables producers in Ouagadougou. Protozoa and helminths belonging to 9 species were recorded and samples analyzed. These include Ancylostoma sp., Ascaris lumbricoides, tapeworm’s sp, Strongyloides stercoralis, Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia. Despite the variability of isolated parasitic species, Ancylostoma sp. eggs were common and severe to all types of water. Moreover, epidemiological approach showed that there were more parasitic species found in irrigation water and also other parasitic species circulating among vegetable farmers. In addition, there is no statistical significant association between the type of water used for irrigation and the carried parasites by vegetable gardeners. However, contamination of the groups using the raw wastewater is once higher than those using well water. When one is interested in the groups using treated wastewater as a source of irrigation, these risks of contaminations are halved. These contaminations are halved when one looks at groups using treated wastewater as a source of irrigation water. Still, whatever the type of water used by the gardeners, they have a probability of infection with Ancylostoma sp. of around 9.83 × 10−1 pppy.