Bilingual Publishing Co. (BPC): E-Journals
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Development of Technology and Equipment for Non-destructive Testing of Defects in Sewing Mandrels of a Three-roll Screw Mill 30-80
No full textThe conditions of heating and cooling of piercing mandrels made of 4X5MFS steel of a three-roll screw mill 30-80 in the production of a closed cavity of steel vessels of small volume are determined. It is established that multiple cycles of heating up to 600 °C and cooling with water up to 80 °C for about 7 seconds/1 cycle lead to the formation of ridges, shells and cracks on the surface and in the volume of the tool. The loss of structural strength of the material leads to the breakdown of the mandrel during the stitching process. The technique and equipment of magnetic powder control have been developed to establish the dynamics of the growth of internal and external defects of mandrels. An equation is obtained that allows determining the increase in the number of defects in the sewing tool of a screw rolling mill. The technology of non-destructive testing made it possible to develop a rational plan for replacing the sewing mandrels, which allows for predicting the appearance of defects leading to a complex breakdown of the deforming tool at the NPO Pribor machine-building enterprise
Enhancing Semantic Segmentation through Reinforced Active Learning: Combating Dataset Imbalances and Bolstering Annotation Efficiency
No full textThis research addresses the challenges of training large semantic segmentation models for image analysis, focusing on expediting the annotation process and mitigating imbalanced datasets. In the context of imbalanced datasets, biases related to age and gender in clinical contexts and skewed representation in natural images can affect model performance. Strategies to mitigate these biases are explored to enhance efficiency and accuracy in semantic segmentation analysis. An in-depth exploration of various reinforced active learning methodologies for image segmentation is conducted, optimizing precision and efficiency across diverse domains. The proposed framework integrates Dueling Deep Q-Networks (DQN), Prioritized Experience Replay, Noisy Networks, and Emphasizing Recent Experience. Extensive experimentation and evaluation of diverse datasets reveal both improvements and limitations associated with various approaches in terms of overall accuracy and efficiency. This research contributes to the expansion of reinforced active learning methodologies for image segmentation, paving the way for more sophisticated and precise segmentation algorithms across diverse domains. The findings emphasize the need for a careful balance between exploration and exploitation strategies in reinforcement learning for effective image segmentation
Evaluation of the Relationship between Bacteria Concentration and the Strength and Durability of Self-compacting Concrete Incorporating Sporosarcina pasteurii
No full textThis research was carried out to evaluate the relationship between the incorporation of calcite precipitation bacteria, sporosarcina pasteurii using calcium lactate as nutrient source and the properties of calcined clay and limestone powder blended self-compacting concrete. Ten mixes were designed and designated S0 to S9 with S0 the control (without bacteria and nutrient) and S1 to S9 at varying bacteria and calcium lactate concentrations and the effect of the bacteria cell density and calcium lactate concentration on the compressive strength, sorptivity and tensile strength with age evaluated using experimental program and statistical packages (ANOVA and post hoc tests). The result of both the experimental program and statistical evaluation shows that the incorporation of sporosarcina pasteurii and calcium lactate as nutrient had a positive impact on the properties of the ternary blended self-compacting concrete
Co-designed Practical Use of Probabilistic Climate Advisories among Smallholder Farmers: A Balance between Confidence and Caution
No full textEspecially for smallholder farmers with limited land and financial resources, farming in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), where season-to-season rainfall fluctuation dictates production, is a risky business. Through participatory approaches, this study compares deterministic and probabilistic interpretations of climate forecasts and their use by smallholder farmers through a crop-growing season. The study revealed that deterministic advisories are good for smallholder farmers only when formulated from forecasts with higher accuracy than the historical climatological distribution. Otherwise, they cause farm loss in terms of labor and inputs. On the other hand, probabilistic advisories help farmers spread the risk to cater to all the uncertainty and in so doing bring out a balance between confidence and caution. However, farmers must be supported with enough sensitization to comprehend forecast probability, translate it into probabilistic advisories and use that to plan and manage farm activities. The findings support the hypothesis providing packaged climate products in transparent probabilistic terms in place of deterministic form can overcome inherent credibility challenges. The study’s conclusion highlights important takeaways and new understandings of the advantage of using probabilistic advisories among resource-poor smallholder farmers
Study on Phase Change Material in Grooved Bricks for Energy Efficiency of the Buildings
No full textPhase change materials (PCMs) are an interesting technology due to their high density and isothermal behavior during phase change. Phase change material plays a major role in the energy saving of the buildings, which is greatly aided by the incorporation of phase change material into building products such as bricks, cement, gypsum board, etc. In this study, an experiment has been conducted with three identical small chambers made up of normal, grooved and PCM-treated grooved bricks. Before the inclusion of PCM in grooved bricks, PCM material behavior has been studied by different techniques such as DSC, TG/DTA, SEM, and XRD. Thermal properties and thermal stability were investigated by differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to determine the microstructure and crystalloid phase of the PCM before and after the accelerated thermal cycling test (0, 60, 120). These three identical model rooms built were exposed at a temperature just above 40 °C with a heater. When the maximum outdoor temperature was 40-41 °C, then the temperature of the PCM-treated grooved chamber was 32-33 °C. The PCM-treated wall was tested and compared with a conventional and grooved wall. The difference between the PCM-treated grooved chamber and the untreated one was 8-9 °C. PCM-treated bricks provided more efficient internal heat retention in summer when the outside temperature increased
The Economic Analysis of Law as a Reference for the Grounds of Judicial Decisions
No full textThe present article aimed to analyze the application of the economic analysis of Law as a reference for the reasoning of judicial decisions. To that end, an analysis was carried out on the definitions of what is hermeneutics and economic analysis of law, based on the construction of the matrix rule of conduct for public administration. The method of the approach followed was empirical dialectical, using bibliographic, legislative and jurisprudential research, having a reference to the Law and Economics
Statistical Characteristics of the Temporal Spectrum of Scattered Radiation in the Equatorial Ionosphere
No full textOn the basis of the solution of the space-time characteristic system by the method of geometric optics using symbolic calculations, analytical and numerical simulation of the propagation of the ordinary and extraordinary radio waves in the conducting equatorial ionospheric plasma was made considering the anisotropy of plasma irregularities and non-stationary nature of propagation medium. Broadening of the spectrum and the displacement of its maximum contain velocity of a turbulent plasma flow and parameters characterizing anisotropic plasmonic structures. Statistical moments of both radio waves do not depend on the absorption sign and are valid for both active and absorptive random media. Temporal pulsations and conductivity of a turbulent ionospheric plasma have an influence on the evaluation of the spectrum-varying propagation distances travelling by these waves. The new double-humped effect in the temporal spectrum has been revealed for the ordinary wave varying anisotropy coefficient and dip angle of stretched plasmonic structures. From a theoretical point of view, the algorithms developed in this work allow effective modelling of the propagation of both radio signals in the equatorial conductive ionospheric plasma, considering the external magnetic field, inhomogeneities of electron density in-homogeneities, as well as non-stationary
Impact of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Factors on Stock Prices and Investment Performance
No full textThis study examines the relationship between Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors and stock prices as well as investment performance. ESG factors have become increasingly relevant in investment decisions as investors prioritize companies with sustainable practices. Using a sample of publicly-traded companies, this research analyzes the impact of ESG factors on stock prices and investment returns. The findings suggest that companies with strong ESG performance tend to have higher stock prices and better investment performance than those with weak ESG performance. The study also highlights the significance of the individual components of ESG, such as environmental policies and corporate governance practices, on stock prices and investment returns. Overall, this research provides valuable insights for investors seeking to incorporate ESG factors into their investment decision-making processes
On The Profiling of Air Leakage Infiltration Pattern across Chinese Vernacular Buildings
No full textThe purpose of this paper is to provide understanding of the seasonal pattern of air leakage (infiltration) in Chinese vernacular buildings across China’s five climate regions. In achieving the set purpose, a grand extensive literature survey was conducted and supported with data drawn from established Meteonorm V6.1 on sensible heat and psychrometric variables. Numerical computations for normalized and specific infiltration from stack effects followed the Gowri method in line with ASHRAE reference 2004. Solar energy admittance into building followed Bouger’s model form Angstrom properties. From the distribution of vernacular buildings across five climate regions of China, evidence from computational and numerical values showed symmetries in terms of minimums and maximums times of occurrence. Further, a reciprocal pattern exists between solar radiative admittance and region’s temperature profile. Knowing that Chinese vernacular building heritage extended to further Asia, this research became limited to only the Chinese region. It became difficult to report if the construction culture away from China has correlation with infiltration and energy admittance value. Earlier works on Chinese climate and vernacular dwellings reported a climate responsive dwelling designed by passive cooling strategy; a gap was closed by extending the previous work to specific infiltration pattern and energy admittance level. Chinese vernacular buildings by virtue of research outcomes are and should be adoptable to modern housing needs for cultural integration
Considering Regional Connectivity and Policy Factors in the Simulation of Land Use Change in New Areas: A Case Study of Nansha New District, China
No full textNumerous emerging development areas worldwide are receiving attention; however, current research on land use change simulation primarily concentrates on cities, urban clusters, or larger scales. Moreover, there is a limited focus on understanding the impact of regional connectivity with surrounding cities and policy factors on land use change in these new areas. In this context, the present study utilizes a cellular automata (CA) model to investigate land use changes in the case of Nansha New District in Guangzhou, China. Three scenarios are examined, emphasizing conventional locational factors, policy considerations, and the influence of regional connectivity with surrounding cities. The results reveal several key findings: (1) Between 2015 and 2021, Nansha New District experienced significant land use changes, with the most notable shifts observed in cultivated land, water area, and construction land. (2) The comprehensive scenario exhibited the highest simulation accuracy, indicating that Nansha New District, as an emerging area, is notably influenced by policy factors and regional connectivity with surrounding cities. (3) Predictions for land use changes in Nansha by 2030, based on the scenario with the highest level of simulation accuracy, suggest an increase in the proportion of cultivated and forest land areas, alongside a decrease in the proportion of construction land and water area. This study contributes valuable insights to relevant studies and policymakers alike