The scope of this work is to present a multidisciplinary study in order to propose a tool called DIMZAL. DIMZAL forecasts fuelbreak safety zone sizes. To evaluate a safety zone and to prevent injury, the Acceptable Sa...The scope of this work is to present a multidisciplinary study in order to propose a tool called DIMZAL. DIMZAL forecasts fuelbreak safety zone sizes. To evaluate a safety zone and to prevent injury, the Acceptable Safety Distance (ASD) between the fire and firefighters is required. This distance is usually set thanks to a general rule-of-thumb: it should be at least 4 times the maximum flame length. A common assumption considers an empirical relationship between fireline intensity and flame length. In the current work which follows on from an oral presentation held at the VII International Conference on Forest Fire Research in Coimbra in 2014, an alternative way is proposed: a closed physical model is applied in order to quantize the ASD. This model is integrated in a software tool, which uses a simulation framework based on Discrete EVent system Specification formalism (DEVS), a 3D physical real-time model of surface fires developed at the University of Corsica and a mobile application based on a Google SDK to display the展开更多
Objective:The purpose of the study was to evaluate listening effort in adults who experience varied annoyance towards noise.Materials and methods:Fifty native Kannada-speaking adults aged 41e68 years participated.We e...Objective:The purpose of the study was to evaluate listening effort in adults who experience varied annoyance towards noise.Materials and methods:Fifty native Kannada-speaking adults aged 41e68 years participated.We evaluated the participant's acceptable noise level while listening to speech.Further,a sentence-final wordidentification and recall test at 0 dB SNR(less favorable condition)and 4 dB SNR(relatively favorable condition)was used to assess listening effort.The repeat and recall scores were obtained for each condition.Results:The regression model revealed that the listening effort increased by 0.6%at 0 dB SNR and by 0.5%at 4 dB SNR with every one-year advancement in age.Listening effort increased by 0.9%at 0 dB SNR and by 0.7%at 4 dB SNR with every one dB change in the value of Acceptable Noise Level(ANL).At 0 dB SNR and 4 dB SNR,a moderate and mild negative correlation was noted respectively between listening effort and annoyance towards noise when the factor age was controlled.Conclusion:Listening effort increases with age,and its effect is more in less favorable than in relatively favorable conditions.However,if the annoyance towards noise was controlled,the impact of age on listening effort was reduced.Listening effort correlated with the level of annoyance once the age effect was controlled.Furthermore,the listening effort was predicted from the ANL to a moderate degree.展开更多
The concept of control system of acceptable gap in the entrance ramp, the construction of the minimum acceptable gap and the method of determining it are introduced. On the above-mentioned basis and by taking the Chin...The concept of control system of acceptable gap in the entrance ramp, the construction of the minimum acceptable gap and the method of determining it are introduced. On the above-mentioned basis and by taking the Chinas reality into consideration, the issues on the design of control system of acceptable gap are approached in this paper.展开更多
The wait time of bus patrons at bus stops is one of several measures for assessing reliability of transit services, especially in urban areas. The uncertainty associated with waiting affects bus patrons’ perception o...The wait time of bus patrons at bus stops is one of several measures for assessing reliability of transit services, especially in urban areas. The uncertainty associated with waiting affects bus patrons’ perception of quali of the service provided. Studies in this subject area have therefore been of interest to transit service agencies and officials. This paper presents the findings of a study conducted to determine patrons’ maximum acceptable wait times (beyond the scheduled arrival time) at bus stops in an urban area. In all, 3387 bus patrons at 71 selected bus stops were surveyed over a period of 9 months. The results of the survey showed that the least acceptable wait time beyond the scheduled arrival time was 1 minute, while the maximum acceptable wait time was reported to be 20 minutes. Also, only one-third (33%) of the total number of patrons surveyed were willing to wait up to 5 minutes beyond the scheduled arrival time of buses. In addition, patrons are willing to wait longer in warm weather. On average, white patrons were found to have the least maximum acceptable wait times, followed by Hispanics, Asians, and then Blacks.展开更多
The world consumes approximately 40 million tons of lubricants annually,and nearly half of them end up in the environment because of leaks,discharges,and evaporation,causing significant environmental and economic impa...The world consumes approximately 40 million tons of lubricants annually,and nearly half of them end up in the environment because of leaks,discharges,and evaporation,causing significant environmental and economic impacts.The need for moving toward environmentally acceptable lubricants(EALs)is increasingly being recognized.Synthetic ester,polyalkylene glycol,vegetable oil,and water are among the base fluids approved by the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency for EALs.However,neat base fluids cannot fully meet the lubrication requirements without incorporating functional additives such as anti-wear,antioxidant,corrosion inhibitor,and viscosity modifiers.Both the performance and environmental compatibility of lubricant additives are critical.In this article,current and candidate EAL additives,both in liquid and solid forms,are reviewed,with a focus on their functionalities in friction and wear reduction,toxicity,and biodegradability.Finally,a perspective for future research on EAL additives is discussed.展开更多
Ice conditions on the North Sea Route are characterized by time-to-time variability;favourable ice conditions exist only in 3 out of 10 years.Navigation becomes complicated and dangerous in connection with the deterio...Ice conditions on the North Sea Route are characterized by time-to-time variability;favourable ice conditions exist only in 3 out of 10 years.Navigation becomes complicated and dangerous in connection with the deterioration of weather and ice conditions:compression of ice,visibility decline,fall of temperature and other reasons.In this case,the person who makes the decision on the departure of a cargo ship from the port should choose one of three variants of the operations.First,traffic congestion before an improvement in the ice conditions;second,the departure from a port and independent navigation on the scheduled route;or third,navigation with icebreaker assistance.Each of the variants differs in the defined risk of accident and possible economic losses,including the idle time in a port and the costs of icebreaker assistance.This paper contains a possible approach to the decision:applying the yardstick of acceptable risk that allows considering probabilities of realization of the various scenarios of the ice conditions,the probability of emergency incidents,economic losses because of idle time or repair work after damage,and readiness of the decision maker to run acceptable risks for the acceleration of delivery of the onboard cargo.展开更多
The people can tolerate elitists’claims to be superior on three conditions,relating to distributive justice,open access,and transparent deliberation.Hierarchy is acceptable as long as the elite redistribute wealth an...The people can tolerate elitists’claims to be superior on three conditions,relating to distributive justice,open access,and transparent deliberation.Hierarchy is acceptable as long as the elite redistribute wealth and include new deserving members,and as long as they maintain open a channel of communication with a general audience at large.To be sustainable in the long run any hierarchy must be at least tolerated and at most fully accepted by those who are at its roots.When it is so,hierarchy and democracy can cohabit:unequal people are treated unequally according to variations of merit,services to society,and vision of the future,whereas shared and refined knowledge can bring people the benefits of a just hierarchy without sacrificing basic equality and individual rights in the process.This applies to regimes where power is strictly compartmentalized(successor regimes of the British revolution;later on,countries organized according to the Westminster’s system)and regimes where individual rights prevail(once in Athens;now in Europe).The recipe could work also in patriarchal regimes of the Middle East,despite a trend to be estranged from sources of constitutional inspiration and a tendency to have an excessive respect for grey power.展开更多
This study explores whether the current external quality assessment(EQA)level and acceptable bias for basic semen analysis in China are clinically useful.We collected data of semen EQA from Andrology laboratories in t...This study explores whether the current external quality assessment(EQA)level and acceptable bias for basic semen analysis in China are clinically useful.We collected data of semen EQA from Andrology laboratories in the Hunan Province(China)in 2022 and searched for data in the published literature from January2000 to December 2023 in China.On the basis of these data,we analyzed the coefficients of variation and acceptable biases of different quality control materials for basic semen analysis through robust statistics.We compared these findings with quality specifications based on biological variation from optimal,desirable,and minimum levels of bias to seek a unified and more suitable semen EQAbias evaluation standard for China's national conditions.Different sources of semen quality control material exhibited considerable variation in acceptable biases among laboratories,ranging from 8.2%to 56.9%.A total of 50.0% of the laboratories met the minimum quality specifications for progressive motility(PR),whereas 100.0%and 75.0%of laboratories met only the minimum quality specifications for sperm concentration and total motility(nonprogressive[NP]+PR),respectively.The Z value for sperm concentration and PR+NP was equivalent to the desirable performance specification,whereas the Z value for PR was equivalent only to the minimum performance specification.This study highlights the feasibility of operating external quality assessment schemes for basic semen analysis using quality specifications based on biological variation.These specifications should be unified among external quality control(EQC)centers based on biological variation.展开更多
The distribution substation planning is faced with numerous uncertainties so that the planning result can only be a“rough outline,”and the problem of determining the planning period arises.On the basis of the assess...The distribution substation planning is faced with numerous uncertainties so that the planning result can only be a“rough outline,”and the problem of determining the planning period arises.On the basis of the assessment of uncertainties in distribution planning,a specific approach to determine the planning period of a distribution substation based on acceptable errors is proposed,indicating that the load forecast error is the key factor to affect the planning period.In order to provide a clearer understanding of this paper’s primary objective,the proposed approach is applied to determining the planning period of a power supply radius optimization(PSRO)model in distribution substation planning.Finally,an example is illustrated which validates the suggested approach of this paper.展开更多
1 I Like Me follows a cheerful and confident little pig who celebrates everything about herself.From her curly tail to her big feet,she loves every part of herself.In the book,I remember that the pig enthusiastically ...1 I Like Me follows a cheerful and confident little pig who celebrates everything about herself.From her curly tail to her big feet,she loves every part of herself.In the book,I remember that the pig enthusiastically declares that no matter what she does,even if she's making mistakes,being silly or being a clumsy rookie(笨拙的新手)of trying something new,she will always like herself.展开更多
The Cross-domain Heuristic Search Challenge(CHeSC)is a competition focused on creating efficient search algorithms adaptable to diverse problem domains.Selection hyper-heuristics are a class of algorithms that dynamic...The Cross-domain Heuristic Search Challenge(CHeSC)is a competition focused on creating efficient search algorithms adaptable to diverse problem domains.Selection hyper-heuristics are a class of algorithms that dynamically choose heuristics during the search process.Numerous selection hyper-heuristics have different imple-mentation strategies.However,comparisons between them are lacking in the literature,and previous works have not highlighted the beneficial and detrimental implementation methods of different components.The question is how to effectively employ them to produce an efficient search heuristic.Furthermore,the algorithms that competed in the inaugural CHeSC have not been collectively reviewed.This work conducts a review analysis of the top twenty competitors from this competition to identify effective and ineffective strategies influencing algorithmic performance.A summary of the main characteristics and classification of the algorithms is presented.The analysis underlines efficient and inefficient methods in eight key components,including search points,search phases,heuristic selection,move acceptance,feedback,Tabu mechanism,restart mechanism,and low-level heuristic parameter control.This review analyzes the components referencing the competition’s final leaderboard and discusses future research directions for these components.The effective approaches,identified as having the highest quality index,are mixed search point,iterated search phases,relay hybridization selection,threshold acceptance,mixed learning,Tabu heuristics,stochastic restart,and dynamic parameters.Findings are also compared with recent trends in hyper-heuristics.This work enhances the understanding of selection hyper-heuristics,offering valuable insights for researchers and practitioners aiming to develop effective search algorithms for diverse problem domains.展开更多
Qigong is an important part of traditional Chinese health preservation culture,and the accurate translation of its terms is of great significance for international communication.Currently,there are many deficiencies i...Qigong is an important part of traditional Chinese health preservation culture,and the accurate translation of its terms is of great significance for international communication.Currently,there are many deficiencies in the translation of Qigong terms,such as a lack of systematicity and inconsistent translations.Based on hermeneutics theory,this study analyzes the factors influencing the acceptance of Qigong term translations,and constructs an evaluation model for translation acceptance,covering three dimensions:culture,language,and readers.Accordingly,translation strategies are proposed,including culturally adaptive translation,optimization of language structure,reader stratification strategies,horizon fusion,and the hermeneutic circle,etc.The aim is to balance the cultural connotations and readers’acceptance,and to promote the international communication of Qigong culture.展开更多
In this paper,we show that for a connected compact Lie group to be acceptable,it is necessary and sufficient that its derived subgroup is isomorphic to a direct product of the groups SU(n),Sp(n),SO(2n+1),G2,SO(4).We s...In this paper,we show that for a connected compact Lie group to be acceptable,it is necessary and sufficient that its derived subgroup is isomorphic to a direct product of the groups SU(n),Sp(n),SO(2n+1),G2,SO(4).We show that there are invariant functions on SO4(ℂ)2 which are not generated by 1-argument invariants,though the group SO4(ℂ)is acceptable.展开更多
Objectives:This study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the abbreviated Committed Action Questionnaire(CAQ-8)in a cohort of 1635 Chinese university students.Methods:Participants completed the Chinese ver...Objectives:This study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the abbreviated Committed Action Questionnaire(CAQ-8)in a cohort of 1635 Chinese university students.Methods:Participants completed the Chinese version of the CAQ-8 along with other standardized measures,including the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II(AAQ-II),the Valuing Questionnaire(VQ),the Satisfaction with Life Scale(SWLS),the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales(DASS-21),and the World Health Organization Fiveitem Well-Being Index(WHO-5).A retest was conducted one month later with 300 valid responses.Results:Exploratory factor analysis(n=818)identified a 2-factor structure,confirmed through validated factor analysis(n=817),showing good fit indices(CFI=0.990,RMSEA=0.040).Measurement equivalence across genders was established.The CAQ-8 showed significant positive correlations with life satisfaction,mental health,and values,and negative correlations with depression,anxiety,stress,and experiential avoidance.The scale demonstrated good internal consistency(Cronbach’sα=0.76)and retest reliability(ICC=0.70).Network analysis confirmed the robustness of the 2-factor model,with item 4 in CAQ-8 identified as a core item.Conclusion:The CAQ-8 is a reliable and valid tool for measuring committed action within the psychological flexibility model in Chinese populations.展开更多
Background Schizophrenia is characterised by pervasive cognitive deficits that significantly impair daily functioning and quality of life.Pharmacological treatments have limited efficacy in addressing these deficits,h...Background Schizophrenia is characterised by pervasive cognitive deficits that significantly impair daily functioning and quality of life.Pharmacological treatments have limited efficacy in addressing these deficits,highlighting the need for adjunctive interventions like computerised cognitive training(CCT).Aims This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a 30-session CCT programme on mental well-being and cognitive performance in individuals with schizophrenia.Additionally,it assessed the usability and acceptability of CCT in this population.Methods A double-blind,randomised clinical trial was conducted with 54 participants assigned to intervention and control groups.Cognitive and mental health outcomes were assessed using validated tools such as the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21,the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale and the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery.Usability was measured with the System Usability Scale(SUS).Assessments were conducted at baseline,post-intervention and 3 months post-follow-up.Results The CCT intervention significantly improved mental well-being,reduced stress and enhanced working memory(paired associate learning,spatial working memory and spatial span)compared with controls.However,no significant effects were observed for anxiety,depression or executive function.Usability scores were high(SUS=83.51),and compliance rates were strong(92.7%),indicating favourable participant engagement.Conclusion CCT demonstrated potential as an adjunctive treatment for schizophrenia,with significant improvements in targeted cognitive and mental health domains.The high usability and compliance rates support its feasibility for broader implementation.Further research is needed to optimise protocols and explore long-term benefits.CCT offers a promising approach to addressing mental health and cognitive challenges in schizophrenia,particularly for stress and working memory.Its usability and acceptability suggest it could be seamlessly integrated into clinical practice.展开更多
This study introduces the type-I heavy-tailed Burr XII(TIHTBXII)distribution,a highly flexible and robust statistical model designed to address the limitations of conventional distributions in analyzing data character...This study introduces the type-I heavy-tailed Burr XII(TIHTBXII)distribution,a highly flexible and robust statistical model designed to address the limitations of conventional distributions in analyzing data characterized by skewness,heavy tails,and diverse hazard behaviors.We meticulously develop the TIHTBXII’s mathematical foundations,including its probability density function(PDF),cumulative distribution function(CDF),and essential statistical properties,crucial for theoretical understanding and practical application.A comprehensive Monte Carlo simulation evaluates four parameter estimation methods:maximum likelihood(MLE),maximum product spacing(MPS),least squares(LS),and weighted least squares(WLS).The simulation results consistently show that as sample sizes increase,the Bias and RMSE of all estimators decrease,with WLS and LS often demonstrating superior and more stable performance.Beyond theoretical development,we present a practical application of the TIHTBXII distribution in constructing a group acceptance sampling plan(GASP)for truncated life tests.This application highlights how the TIHTBXII model can optimize quality control decisions by minimizing the average sample number(ASN)while effectively managing consumer and producer risks.Empirical validation using real-world datasets,including“Active Repair Duration,”“Groundwater Contaminant Measurements,”and“Dominica COVID-19 Mortality,”further demonstrates the TIHTBXII’s superior fit compared to existing models.Our findings confirm the TIHTBXII distribution as a powerful and reliable alternative for accurately modeling complex data in fields such as reliability engineering and quality assessment,leading to more informed and robust decision-making.展开更多
The Master Intelligent interview is based on the Stimulus-Organism-Response(SOR)theory,this study integrates key constructs from the Technology Acceptance Model(TAM)and the Theory of Planned Behavior(TPB),namely attit...The Master Intelligent interview is based on the Stimulus-Organism-Response(SOR)theory,this study integrates key constructs from the Technology Acceptance Model(TAM)and the Theory of Planned Behavior(TPB),namely attitude and behavioral intention,to develop a dual-path model of how AI empowerment influences college graduates’acceptance of intelligent interview technology.Taking AI empowerment as the independent variable,perceived risk and attitude as mediating variables,and behavioral intention as the outcome variable,the study employs questionnaire surveys and structural equation modeling(SEM)for empirical analysis.The results show that AI empowerment exerts a significant positive impact on attitude,perceived risk,and behavioral intention.Both perceived risk and attitude play significant mediating roles between AI empowerment and behavioral intention.Interestingly,perceived risk does not suppress behavioral intention;instead,it positively promotes it through a“rational trade-off”mechanism.Moreover,perceived risk and attitude form a significant chain-mediated pathway,revealing a continuous psychological transmission mechanism of“rational cognition-emotional adjustment-behavioral decision-making”.This study enriches the theoretical framework of AI technology acceptance,extends the application of the SOR model to the context of intelligent recruitment,and provides valuable implications for optimizing university career guidance and enterprise recruitment systems.展开更多
Payment for Ecosystem Services(PES)has been widely acknowledged as an effective tool for mitigating grassland degradation and enhancing ecosystem services provision.However,critical factors,such as herders'willing...Payment for Ecosystem Services(PES)has been widely acknowledged as an effective tool for mitigating grassland degradation and enhancing ecosystem services provision.However,critical factors,such as herders'willingness to accept(WTA)preferences and compensation expectations,are often overlooked,leading to insufficient effectiveness of PES initiatives.This study focused on grassland ecological compensation policy(GECP),quantifying herders'WTA compensation for grassland grazing bans.Through face-to-face surveys and employing the contingent valuation method,we estimated households'WTA for participating in a grassland conservation program to bolster ecosystem service provision.Our findings indicated that herders required an average compensation of 237 CNY mu^(-1)yr^(-1)to engage in the grazing ban program.Notably,herders'environmental awareness positively influenced their willingness to participate,whereas larger family sizes were negatively correlated with WTA.Additionally,herders in better health,with higher livestock incomes or categorized as semi-herders,tended to accept lower compensation levels.These insights are crucial for improving the effectiveness of GECP and provide valuable reference points for similar analyses in economically disadvantaged and ecologically fragile regions.展开更多
The advancement of generative AI has reshaped EFL education,particularly in EFL writing.This qualitative case study investigates the perceptions of Chinese college students and EFL teachers towards the integration of ...The advancement of generative AI has reshaped EFL education,particularly in EFL writing.This qualitative case study investigates the perceptions of Chinese college students and EFL teachers towards the integration of Gen AI in EFL writing.The research involved semi-structured interviews with 13 students and 10 EFL teachers.Thematic analysis,guided by the Technology Acceptance Model(TAM),was employed to analyze the qualitative data.The findings reveal the perceptions of students and teachers regarding the role of generative AI in EFL writing.Regarding usefulness,students appreciate Gen AI for reducing writing difficulty and enhancing efficiency,though some note that it may produce logical flaws and misinformation.Teachers share similar perceptions,but stress effectiveness depends on students’language level.Some teachers also advocate traditional writing initially to build foundational skills.On the ease of use,most students find it easy interacting with Gen AI but mention dialogical understanding challenges.Both students and teachers stress clear prompts are crucial,indicating“AI interaction literacy”should be part of teaching.Moreover,teachers worry that Gen AI’s ease of use may lead to over-reliance.These results reveal contradicting goals of using Gen AI:students value efficiency,while teachers focus on ability cultivation.These insights guide more effective integration of Gen AI in EFL writing education.展开更多
BACKGROUND Acceptance and commitment therapy(ACT)is a third-generation therapy that appears to be a promising psychological intervention for psychotic disorders.While several systematic reviews and meta-analyses that ...BACKGROUND Acceptance and commitment therapy(ACT)is a third-generation therapy that appears to be a promising psychological intervention for psychotic disorders.While several systematic reviews and meta-analyses that address the efficacy of ACT for psychosis have been conducted,no systematic review has specifically focused on the application of ACT to the early stages of psychosis.AIM To review the state of the art regarding the feasibility and efficacy of treating early psychosis(EP)with ACT-based interventions.METHODS First,we describe the foundations of the ACT model to provide the background required to contextualize the main objective of this review.Second,we searched the PubMed and PsycINFO databases for studies published up to January 2025 and identified eight studies that met our selection criteria.The systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines and the critical appraisal checklist provided by the Joanna Briggs Institute for randomized controlled trials(RCTs).RESULTS All studies were published after 2019.Among the reviewed studies,five were RCTs with a total combined sample of 399 nonoverlapping participants.The methodological quality was moderate for RCTs.The results showed that ACTbased treatments are feasible and improve psychotic symptoms,medication adherence,and global functioning in patients with EP.Furthermore,preliminary evidence exists for the benefits of group-based and online-delivered programs and those that combine face-to-face therapy with novel real-time digital interventions,such as“ecological momentary intervention”,to apply therapeutic con cepts to real life.CONCLUSION ACT-based treatments in the early stages of psychosis are feasible and improve symptoms,treatment adherence,and self-care skills.Although promising,these results are inconclusive.Further research is required.展开更多
基金pported in part by the French Ministry of Research,the Corsican Region and the CNRS,under Grant CPER 2007-2013
文摘The scope of this work is to present a multidisciplinary study in order to propose a tool called DIMZAL. DIMZAL forecasts fuelbreak safety zone sizes. To evaluate a safety zone and to prevent injury, the Acceptable Safety Distance (ASD) between the fire and firefighters is required. This distance is usually set thanks to a general rule-of-thumb: it should be at least 4 times the maximum flame length. A common assumption considers an empirical relationship between fireline intensity and flame length. In the current work which follows on from an oral presentation held at the VII International Conference on Forest Fire Research in Coimbra in 2014, an alternative way is proposed: a closed physical model is applied in order to quantize the ASD. This model is integrated in a software tool, which uses a simulation framework based on Discrete EVent system Specification formalism (DEVS), a 3D physical real-time model of surface fires developed at the University of Corsica and a mobile application based on a Google SDK to display the
文摘Objective:The purpose of the study was to evaluate listening effort in adults who experience varied annoyance towards noise.Materials and methods:Fifty native Kannada-speaking adults aged 41e68 years participated.We evaluated the participant's acceptable noise level while listening to speech.Further,a sentence-final wordidentification and recall test at 0 dB SNR(less favorable condition)and 4 dB SNR(relatively favorable condition)was used to assess listening effort.The repeat and recall scores were obtained for each condition.Results:The regression model revealed that the listening effort increased by 0.6%at 0 dB SNR and by 0.5%at 4 dB SNR with every one-year advancement in age.Listening effort increased by 0.9%at 0 dB SNR and by 0.7%at 4 dB SNR with every one dB change in the value of Acceptable Noise Level(ANL).At 0 dB SNR and 4 dB SNR,a moderate and mild negative correlation was noted respectively between listening effort and annoyance towards noise when the factor age was controlled.Conclusion:Listening effort increases with age,and its effect is more in less favorable than in relatively favorable conditions.However,if the annoyance towards noise was controlled,the impact of age on listening effort was reduced.Listening effort correlated with the level of annoyance once the age effect was controlled.Furthermore,the listening effort was predicted from the ANL to a moderate degree.
文摘The concept of control system of acceptable gap in the entrance ramp, the construction of the minimum acceptable gap and the method of determining it are introduced. On the above-mentioned basis and by taking the Chinas reality into consideration, the issues on the design of control system of acceptable gap are approached in this paper.
文摘The wait time of bus patrons at bus stops is one of several measures for assessing reliability of transit services, especially in urban areas. The uncertainty associated with waiting affects bus patrons’ perception of quali of the service provided. Studies in this subject area have therefore been of interest to transit service agencies and officials. This paper presents the findings of a study conducted to determine patrons’ maximum acceptable wait times (beyond the scheduled arrival time) at bus stops in an urban area. In all, 3387 bus patrons at 71 selected bus stops were surveyed over a period of 9 months. The results of the survey showed that the least acceptable wait time beyond the scheduled arrival time was 1 minute, while the maximum acceptable wait time was reported to be 20 minutes. Also, only one-third (33%) of the total number of patrons surveyed were willing to wait up to 5 minutes beyond the scheduled arrival time of buses. In addition, patrons are willing to wait longer in warm weather. On average, white patrons were found to have the least maximum acceptable wait times, followed by Hispanics, Asians, and then Blacks.
基金supported by the Water Power Technologies Office and Vehicle Technologies Office,Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy,US Department of Energy(DOE).
文摘The world consumes approximately 40 million tons of lubricants annually,and nearly half of them end up in the environment because of leaks,discharges,and evaporation,causing significant environmental and economic impacts.The need for moving toward environmentally acceptable lubricants(EALs)is increasingly being recognized.Synthetic ester,polyalkylene glycol,vegetable oil,and water are among the base fluids approved by the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency for EALs.However,neat base fluids cannot fully meet the lubrication requirements without incorporating functional additives such as anti-wear,antioxidant,corrosion inhibitor,and viscosity modifiers.Both the performance and environmental compatibility of lubricant additives are critical.In this article,current and candidate EAL additives,both in liquid and solid forms,are reviewed,with a focus on their functionalities in friction and wear reduction,toxicity,and biodegradability.Finally,a perspective for future research on EAL additives is discussed.
文摘Ice conditions on the North Sea Route are characterized by time-to-time variability;favourable ice conditions exist only in 3 out of 10 years.Navigation becomes complicated and dangerous in connection with the deterioration of weather and ice conditions:compression of ice,visibility decline,fall of temperature and other reasons.In this case,the person who makes the decision on the departure of a cargo ship from the port should choose one of three variants of the operations.First,traffic congestion before an improvement in the ice conditions;second,the departure from a port and independent navigation on the scheduled route;or third,navigation with icebreaker assistance.Each of the variants differs in the defined risk of accident and possible economic losses,including the idle time in a port and the costs of icebreaker assistance.This paper contains a possible approach to the decision:applying the yardstick of acceptable risk that allows considering probabilities of realization of the various scenarios of the ice conditions,the probability of emergency incidents,economic losses because of idle time or repair work after damage,and readiness of the decision maker to run acceptable risks for the acceleration of delivery of the onboard cargo.
文摘The people can tolerate elitists’claims to be superior on three conditions,relating to distributive justice,open access,and transparent deliberation.Hierarchy is acceptable as long as the elite redistribute wealth and include new deserving members,and as long as they maintain open a channel of communication with a general audience at large.To be sustainable in the long run any hierarchy must be at least tolerated and at most fully accepted by those who are at its roots.When it is so,hierarchy and democracy can cohabit:unequal people are treated unequally according to variations of merit,services to society,and vision of the future,whereas shared and refined knowledge can bring people the benefits of a just hierarchy without sacrificing basic equality and individual rights in the process.This applies to regimes where power is strictly compartmentalized(successor regimes of the British revolution;later on,countries organized according to the Westminster’s system)and regimes where individual rights prevail(once in Athens;now in Europe).The recipe could work also in patriarchal regimes of the Middle East,despite a trend to be estranged from sources of constitutional inspiration and a tendency to have an excessive respect for grey power.
基金supported by the Hunan Province Municipal Natural Science Foundation(2022JJ30018)the Hunan Province Health Commission Science Foundation(B202301037899)to WNL。
文摘This study explores whether the current external quality assessment(EQA)level and acceptable bias for basic semen analysis in China are clinically useful.We collected data of semen EQA from Andrology laboratories in the Hunan Province(China)in 2022 and searched for data in the published literature from January2000 to December 2023 in China.On the basis of these data,we analyzed the coefficients of variation and acceptable biases of different quality control materials for basic semen analysis through robust statistics.We compared these findings with quality specifications based on biological variation from optimal,desirable,and minimum levels of bias to seek a unified and more suitable semen EQAbias evaluation standard for China's national conditions.Different sources of semen quality control material exhibited considerable variation in acceptable biases among laboratories,ranging from 8.2%to 56.9%.A total of 50.0% of the laboratories met the minimum quality specifications for progressive motility(PR),whereas 100.0%and 75.0%of laboratories met only the minimum quality specifications for sperm concentration and total motility(nonprogressive[NP]+PR),respectively.The Z value for sperm concentration and PR+NP was equivalent to the desirable performance specification,whereas the Z value for PR was equivalent only to the minimum performance specification.This study highlights the feasibility of operating external quality assessment schemes for basic semen analysis using quality specifications based on biological variation.These specifications should be unified among external quality control(EQC)centers based on biological variation.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant 51777121.
文摘The distribution substation planning is faced with numerous uncertainties so that the planning result can only be a“rough outline,”and the problem of determining the planning period arises.On the basis of the assessment of uncertainties in distribution planning,a specific approach to determine the planning period of a distribution substation based on acceptable errors is proposed,indicating that the load forecast error is the key factor to affect the planning period.In order to provide a clearer understanding of this paper’s primary objective,the proposed approach is applied to determining the planning period of a power supply radius optimization(PSRO)model in distribution substation planning.Finally,an example is illustrated which validates the suggested approach of this paper.
文摘1 I Like Me follows a cheerful and confident little pig who celebrates everything about herself.From her curly tail to her big feet,she loves every part of herself.In the book,I remember that the pig enthusiastically declares that no matter what she does,even if she's making mistakes,being silly or being a clumsy rookie(笨拙的新手)of trying something new,she will always like herself.
基金funded by Ministry of Higher Education(MoHE)Malaysia,under Transdisciplinary Research Grant Scheme(TRGS/1/2019/UKM/01/4/2).
文摘The Cross-domain Heuristic Search Challenge(CHeSC)is a competition focused on creating efficient search algorithms adaptable to diverse problem domains.Selection hyper-heuristics are a class of algorithms that dynamically choose heuristics during the search process.Numerous selection hyper-heuristics have different imple-mentation strategies.However,comparisons between them are lacking in the literature,and previous works have not highlighted the beneficial and detrimental implementation methods of different components.The question is how to effectively employ them to produce an efficient search heuristic.Furthermore,the algorithms that competed in the inaugural CHeSC have not been collectively reviewed.This work conducts a review analysis of the top twenty competitors from this competition to identify effective and ineffective strategies influencing algorithmic performance.A summary of the main characteristics and classification of the algorithms is presented.The analysis underlines efficient and inefficient methods in eight key components,including search points,search phases,heuristic selection,move acceptance,feedback,Tabu mechanism,restart mechanism,and low-level heuristic parameter control.This review analyzes the components referencing the competition’s final leaderboard and discusses future research directions for these components.The effective approaches,identified as having the highest quality index,are mixed search point,iterated search phases,relay hybridization selection,threshold acceptance,mixed learning,Tabu heuristics,stochastic restart,and dynamic parameters.Findings are also compared with recent trends in hyper-heuristics.This work enhances the understanding of selection hyper-heuristics,offering valuable insights for researchers and practitioners aiming to develop effective search algorithms for diverse problem domains.
基金Hunan Province Social Science Achievements Evaluation Committee Project(XSP2023WXC039)Scientific Research Fund of Hunan Provincial Education Department(22B1037)。
文摘Qigong is an important part of traditional Chinese health preservation culture,and the accurate translation of its terms is of great significance for international communication.Currently,there are many deficiencies in the translation of Qigong terms,such as a lack of systematicity and inconsistent translations.Based on hermeneutics theory,this study analyzes the factors influencing the acceptance of Qigong term translations,and constructs an evaluation model for translation acceptance,covering three dimensions:culture,language,and readers.Accordingly,translation strategies are proposed,including culturally adaptive translation,optimization of language structure,reader stratification strategies,horizon fusion,and the hermeneutic circle,etc.The aim is to balance the cultural connotations and readers’acceptance,and to promote the international communication of Qigong culture.
基金research is partially supported by the NSFC Grant 11971036.
文摘In this paper,we show that for a connected compact Lie group to be acceptable,it is necessary and sufficient that its derived subgroup is isomorphic to a direct product of the groups SU(n),Sp(n),SO(2n+1),G2,SO(4).We show that there are invariant functions on SO4(ℂ)2 which are not generated by 1-argument invariants,though the group SO4(ℂ)is acceptable.
文摘Objectives:This study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the abbreviated Committed Action Questionnaire(CAQ-8)in a cohort of 1635 Chinese university students.Methods:Participants completed the Chinese version of the CAQ-8 along with other standardized measures,including the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II(AAQ-II),the Valuing Questionnaire(VQ),the Satisfaction with Life Scale(SWLS),the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales(DASS-21),and the World Health Organization Fiveitem Well-Being Index(WHO-5).A retest was conducted one month later with 300 valid responses.Results:Exploratory factor analysis(n=818)identified a 2-factor structure,confirmed through validated factor analysis(n=817),showing good fit indices(CFI=0.990,RMSEA=0.040).Measurement equivalence across genders was established.The CAQ-8 showed significant positive correlations with life satisfaction,mental health,and values,and negative correlations with depression,anxiety,stress,and experiential avoidance.The scale demonstrated good internal consistency(Cronbach’sα=0.76)and retest reliability(ICC=0.70).Network analysis confirmed the robustness of the 2-factor model,with item 4 in CAQ-8 identified as a core item.Conclusion:The CAQ-8 is a reliable and valid tool for measuring committed action within the psychological flexibility model in Chinese populations.
基金supported by a grant from University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences for the research expenses.
文摘Background Schizophrenia is characterised by pervasive cognitive deficits that significantly impair daily functioning and quality of life.Pharmacological treatments have limited efficacy in addressing these deficits,highlighting the need for adjunctive interventions like computerised cognitive training(CCT).Aims This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a 30-session CCT programme on mental well-being and cognitive performance in individuals with schizophrenia.Additionally,it assessed the usability and acceptability of CCT in this population.Methods A double-blind,randomised clinical trial was conducted with 54 participants assigned to intervention and control groups.Cognitive and mental health outcomes were assessed using validated tools such as the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21,the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale and the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery.Usability was measured with the System Usability Scale(SUS).Assessments were conducted at baseline,post-intervention and 3 months post-follow-up.Results The CCT intervention significantly improved mental well-being,reduced stress and enhanced working memory(paired associate learning,spatial working memory and spatial span)compared with controls.However,no significant effects were observed for anxiety,depression or executive function.Usability scores were high(SUS=83.51),and compliance rates were strong(92.7%),indicating favourable participant engagement.Conclusion CCT demonstrated potential as an adjunctive treatment for schizophrenia,with significant improvements in targeted cognitive and mental health domains.The high usability and compliance rates support its feasibility for broader implementation.Further research is needed to optimise protocols and explore long-term benefits.CCT offers a promising approach to addressing mental health and cognitive challenges in schizophrenia,particularly for stress and working memory.Its usability and acceptability suggest it could be seamlessly integrated into clinical practice.
基金supported and funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University(IMSIU)(Grant Number IMSIU-DDRSP2501).
文摘This study introduces the type-I heavy-tailed Burr XII(TIHTBXII)distribution,a highly flexible and robust statistical model designed to address the limitations of conventional distributions in analyzing data characterized by skewness,heavy tails,and diverse hazard behaviors.We meticulously develop the TIHTBXII’s mathematical foundations,including its probability density function(PDF),cumulative distribution function(CDF),and essential statistical properties,crucial for theoretical understanding and practical application.A comprehensive Monte Carlo simulation evaluates four parameter estimation methods:maximum likelihood(MLE),maximum product spacing(MPS),least squares(LS),and weighted least squares(WLS).The simulation results consistently show that as sample sizes increase,the Bias and RMSE of all estimators decrease,with WLS and LS often demonstrating superior and more stable performance.Beyond theoretical development,we present a practical application of the TIHTBXII distribution in constructing a group acceptance sampling plan(GASP)for truncated life tests.This application highlights how the TIHTBXII model can optimize quality control decisions by minimizing the average sample number(ASN)while effectively managing consumer and producer risks.Empirical validation using real-world datasets,including“Active Repair Duration,”“Groundwater Contaminant Measurements,”and“Dominica COVID-19 Mortality,”further demonstrates the TIHTBXII’s superior fit compared to existing models.Our findings confirm the TIHTBXII distribution as a powerful and reliable alternative for accurately modeling complex data in fields such as reliability engineering and quality assessment,leading to more informed and robust decision-making.
基金The 2025 Guizhou University of Finance and Economics University-level Project“Research on the‘Action-Learning’Strategy of Artificial Intelligence in Complex Tasks”(Project No.:2025BAZYSY287)。
文摘The Master Intelligent interview is based on the Stimulus-Organism-Response(SOR)theory,this study integrates key constructs from the Technology Acceptance Model(TAM)and the Theory of Planned Behavior(TPB),namely attitude and behavioral intention,to develop a dual-path model of how AI empowerment influences college graduates’acceptance of intelligent interview technology.Taking AI empowerment as the independent variable,perceived risk and attitude as mediating variables,and behavioral intention as the outcome variable,the study employs questionnaire surveys and structural equation modeling(SEM)for empirical analysis.The results show that AI empowerment exerts a significant positive impact on attitude,perceived risk,and behavioral intention.Both perceived risk and attitude play significant mediating roles between AI empowerment and behavioral intention.Interestingly,perceived risk does not suppress behavioral intention;instead,it positively promotes it through a“rational trade-off”mechanism.Moreover,perceived risk and attitude form a significant chain-mediated pathway,revealing a continuous psychological transmission mechanism of“rational cognition-emotional adjustment-behavioral decision-making”.This study enriches the theoretical framework of AI technology acceptance,extends the application of the SOR model to the context of intelligent recruitment,and provides valuable implications for optimizing university career guidance and enterprise recruitment systems.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(71934003,72322008,and72348003).
文摘Payment for Ecosystem Services(PES)has been widely acknowledged as an effective tool for mitigating grassland degradation and enhancing ecosystem services provision.However,critical factors,such as herders'willingness to accept(WTA)preferences and compensation expectations,are often overlooked,leading to insufficient effectiveness of PES initiatives.This study focused on grassland ecological compensation policy(GECP),quantifying herders'WTA compensation for grassland grazing bans.Through face-to-face surveys and employing the contingent valuation method,we estimated households'WTA for participating in a grassland conservation program to bolster ecosystem service provision.Our findings indicated that herders required an average compensation of 237 CNY mu^(-1)yr^(-1)to engage in the grazing ban program.Notably,herders'environmental awareness positively influenced their willingness to participate,whereas larger family sizes were negatively correlated with WTA.Additionally,herders in better health,with higher livestock incomes or categorized as semi-herders,tended to accept lower compensation levels.These insights are crucial for improving the effectiveness of GECP and provide valuable reference points for similar analyses in economically disadvantaged and ecologically fragile regions.
文摘The advancement of generative AI has reshaped EFL education,particularly in EFL writing.This qualitative case study investigates the perceptions of Chinese college students and EFL teachers towards the integration of Gen AI in EFL writing.The research involved semi-structured interviews with 13 students and 10 EFL teachers.Thematic analysis,guided by the Technology Acceptance Model(TAM),was employed to analyze the qualitative data.The findings reveal the perceptions of students and teachers regarding the role of generative AI in EFL writing.Regarding usefulness,students appreciate Gen AI for reducing writing difficulty and enhancing efficiency,though some note that it may produce logical flaws and misinformation.Teachers share similar perceptions,but stress effectiveness depends on students’language level.Some teachers also advocate traditional writing initially to build foundational skills.On the ease of use,most students find it easy interacting with Gen AI but mention dialogical understanding challenges.Both students and teachers stress clear prompts are crucial,indicating“AI interaction literacy”should be part of teaching.Moreover,teachers worry that Gen AI’s ease of use may lead to over-reliance.These results reveal contradicting goals of using Gen AI:students value efficiency,while teachers focus on ability cultivation.These insights guide more effective integration of Gen AI in EFL writing education.
文摘BACKGROUND Acceptance and commitment therapy(ACT)is a third-generation therapy that appears to be a promising psychological intervention for psychotic disorders.While several systematic reviews and meta-analyses that address the efficacy of ACT for psychosis have been conducted,no systematic review has specifically focused on the application of ACT to the early stages of psychosis.AIM To review the state of the art regarding the feasibility and efficacy of treating early psychosis(EP)with ACT-based interventions.METHODS First,we describe the foundations of the ACT model to provide the background required to contextualize the main objective of this review.Second,we searched the PubMed and PsycINFO databases for studies published up to January 2025 and identified eight studies that met our selection criteria.The systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines and the critical appraisal checklist provided by the Joanna Briggs Institute for randomized controlled trials(RCTs).RESULTS All studies were published after 2019.Among the reviewed studies,five were RCTs with a total combined sample of 399 nonoverlapping participants.The methodological quality was moderate for RCTs.The results showed that ACTbased treatments are feasible and improve psychotic symptoms,medication adherence,and global functioning in patients with EP.Furthermore,preliminary evidence exists for the benefits of group-based and online-delivered programs and those that combine face-to-face therapy with novel real-time digital interventions,such as“ecological momentary intervention”,to apply therapeutic con cepts to real life.CONCLUSION ACT-based treatments in the early stages of psychosis are feasible and improve symptoms,treatment adherence,and self-care skills.Although promising,these results are inconclusive.Further research is required.
