Cooperative Research Project Research Articles

Optimization of international talent training program in biological and biomechanical field of Shaanxi universities by integrating Transformer-GRU model under the “Belt and Road” initiative

In the field of biology of Shaanxi universities, there are problems such as insufficient internationalization of course content, limited internationalization level of teachers, and difficulty in meeting the personalized needs of students’ foreign language ability. To this end, under the Belt and Road Initiative, this paper proposes an intelligent solution based on Transformer and GRU (Gated Recurrent Unit) models, aiming to improve the quality of international education in the field of biology of universities by optimizing course content and teaching methods. This study first uses the Transformer model to integrate and analyze a large number of international education resources, identify global cutting-edge knowledge and cross-cultural education elements in biology courses, including biomechanical principles that underpin biological functions and interactions. This provides scientific support for the optimization of course content. At the same time, the GRU model is used to dynamically analyze the progress of teachers’ international teaching and students’ learning feedback. Just as organisms can adjust their metabolic rate according to the changes in the environment, the model automatically adjusts the pace and difficulty of the subsequent teaching content according to the students’ speed of mastery and difficulties in understanding biomechanics knowledge, ensuring that each student can keep up with the pace of teaching. Additionally, the integration of biomechanical concepts into the curriculum helps students understand the mechanical properties and behaviors of biological systems, fostering interdisciplinary thinking and enhancing their global vision. Experimental results show that the students in Class A who adopt this research program are significantly better than the control Class B in terms of knowledge mastery, interdisciplinary thinking, and global vision (P < 0.05); after the experiment, the average foreign language ability score of the students in Class A is 7.04 points higher than that of Class B; the overall satisfaction of the students in Class A with the new teaching program is as high as 82.5%. This paper, based on the combination of Transformer and GRU models, can effectively promote the international talent training process of biology majors in Shaanxi universities, particularly by incorporating biomechanical insights, thereby enhancing the competitiveness of this major in global academic and scientific research cooperation.

How does the collaboration work? An Analysis of Power in the Disabled in Politics Cooperative Project and its Implication for Action Research

The article addresses the problem of power relations in cooperative and action research projects. The Disabled in Politics project, a cooperative research project, was conducted in Switzerland by three institutions: 1) the Tatkraft Association, an association of disabled people; 2) the Centre for Social Law at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW); and 3) the Chair of Special Education: Society, Participation, and Disability at the University of Zurich. However, the different resources of the cooperation partners led to practical problems with power. Therefore, we analyze the collaboration within the project through Pierre Bourdieu’s theory of capital and reveal power relations and shifts based on critical project decisions. This article examines the influence of the partners’ institutional backgrounds on the collaboration and how their positions changed throughout the project. Finally, Bourdieu’s template is proposed to better understand power relations in action research projects.

China-UK Global Health Collaboration Project on Strengthening Public Health Capacity in Sierra Leone.

Since 2016, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention has continued to conduct project to assist Sierra Leone in improving its public health capacity and building a laboratory for bacteriological and parasitic diseases. Firstly, we can understand the epidemiological characteristics, etiological characteristics and drug resistance of important infectious diseases in Africa through this project, and provide services and guarantees for the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative. Secondly, the project is to carry out scientific research cooperation on the monitoring and detection capacity of major infectious diseases, biosecurity, and prevention and control technologies for important infectious diseases. Thirdly, in order to implement the concept of "building a community with a shared future for mankind", it is important to improve the capacity of Sierra Leone and West Africa to prevent and control infectious diseases, maintain global health security, and participate in global health governance. This article reviews the implementation of the project, and summarizes the experience and shortcomings, in order to help readers achieve better results in future project practice.

On Problems of Establishing State Sovereignty over Antarctic Territories: China’s International Legal Position

INTRODUCTION. The Antarctic region is unique in terms of organizing effective management by a large number of states at the same time. For this purpose, the Antarctic Treaty was concluded, which made it possible to prevent the conflicts. Nevertheless, not long ago the concept of territorial division of this region has been actively discussed. China, being one of the most economic rapidly developing states, which implies its interest in strengthening its influence in the Antarctic region, also actively participates in solving the problems related to the legal regulation of the Antarctic region. The purpose of the article is to determine the position of China in relation to the activities in the Antarctic region in general, as well as, establishing state sovereignty over the territories of Antarctica.MATERIALS AND METHODS. The research uses various documents of international legal nature, including international treaties, doctrinal sources and national legislation of foreign countries. The research is carried out with the use of general scientific and special scientific methods. RESEARCH RESULTS. The article provides a comprehensive analysis of the Chinese international legal doctrine concerning the establishment of state sovereignty over the Antarctic territories and makes assumptions on further development of China in the Antarctic region. The main directions of China’s activity, including related to national security and extraction of natural resources, were analyzed. The provisions of the “White Book of China on Antarctica” were also analyzed. In addition, China’s initiatives concerning the establishment of Marine Protected Areas, Specially Managed Areas were examined. The question of whether China has its own Antarctic policy was answered.DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS. The examination of the problems of establishing state sovereignty over the Antarctic territories from the point of view of China allows us to conclude that at the moment China does not have a developed Antarctic policy and is at the stage of its formation. China’s attempts to influence the Antarctic management system began in 2005, when the establishment of the Specially Managed Areas was suggested. Since then, China’s influence has continued to grow. China acted and continues to act in accordance with the Antarctic Treaty System, which indicates that China is not willing to change the system of management of the region to the system of territorial division. At the moment, China’s interests in Antarctica are characterized by an increased focus on scientific research, environmental protection and international cooperation. China’s influence in the region is expected to increase.

Uncertainty and Sensitivity Analyses for Postulated Severe Accidents of Reference PWRs and SMRs in the Frame of the IAEA CRP and Relevant Insights

In 2019, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) launched the 5-year Cooperative Research Project (CRP) I31033 to advance the understanding and characterization of sources of uncertainty and to investigate their effects on the key figures of merit (FOMs: response parameters of interest) of the severe accident code predictions for water-cooled reactors. Twenty-two institutions from 18 member states participated in the CRP, and as a result, TECDOCs are being developed for the relevant benchmark exercises. The respective TECDOCs address a specific exercise and outline relevant research results pointing to best practices for the uncertainty and sensitivity analyses of the currently available severe accident codes. For the uncertainty analysis exercise, the CRP participants defined their own analysis scope and framework, including target plant, severe accident code, accident scenario, and relevant FOMs. According to each respective framework, participants independently carried out their own exercise, including plant modeling and nodalization, simulation of reference cases, and relevant uncertainty and sensitivity analyses. Finally, general conclusions were made based on an analysis of the results in view of the best-practice application of the uncertainty and sensitivity methods. Among them, this paper summarizes the main results of the uncertainty and sensitivity exercise performed for both pressurized water reactors and integral light water small modular reactors in the frame of the IAEA CRP with relevant insights.

Bibliometric Analysis of International Studies on the Use of Nanotechnology in Historical Wooden Structures and Their Surroundings

In recent years, innovative solutions offered by nanotechnology for the preservation and restoration of historic wooden structures have become the focus of scientific research and international cooperation. This development is of great importance for the preservation of cultural heritage and its transmission to future generations. Nanotechnology, revolutionizing materials science and engineering, provides innovative solutions in many sectors, and these solutions are finding increasing application in the field of preserving historical structures. In this study, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of international scientific studies has been conducted, addressing the use of nanotechnology in historic wooden structures and their surroundings. By examining key criteria such as the development of studies over time, international cooperation networks, most cited publications, scientific publications, authors, number of publications, locations and years, and identifying prominent research themes, the study aimed to gain a deeper understanding of nanotechnology's role in preserving historic wooden structures. In conclusion, the bibliometric analysis presented in this study will provide strategic guidance for future research, allowing for a broader perspective in evaluating the potential effects of nanotechnology on historical structures.

Evaluation of South Korea’s Growing Activities in the Changing Arctic: An Essay in Honor of Ted L. McDorman

South Korea, though not an Arctic state itself, has emerged as a significant player in Arctic affairs. This article explores South Korea’s multifaceted engagement in the region, including scientific research, economic endeavors, and international cooperation. South Korea aims to become a leading state in Arctic-related activities, with its Arctic policy focused on this goal. To achieve this, the country prioritizes strengthening scientific research in the Arctic, expanding economic activities, and fostering global cooperation. These objectives and activities in the Arctic are part of South Korea’s broader effort to establish itself as a pivotal player on the global stage. Additionally, South Korea has developed unique Arctic initiatives, such as the North Pacific Arctic Conference, which has grown into a leading academic forum hosted by a non-Arctic state; the Arctic Academy, where Arctic students are invited to South Korea to learn alongside Korean students; and Arctic Partnership Week, which brings together experts from the Arctic region to discuss a wide range of Arctic-related topics. These distinctive Arctic activities of South Korea have also played a significant role in diversifying Arctic Ocean governance by bridging the gap between Arctic and non-Arctic states.

Virtual simulation for teaching cardiology in nursing: a scoping review protocol

IntroductionVirtual simulation (VS) can be an effective learning strategy in the context of nursing education on cardiovascular disease; however, its use in teaching cardiology in nursing is less studied. The...

Analysis on the Exchange of Young Scientific and Technological Talents in China

The exchange of young scientific and technological talents is conducive to the exchange of knowledge, skills, achievements and experience. This paper analyzes 6000 questionnaires. The results show that after the outbreak of COVID-19, international scientific and technological exchanges have become more and more, but mainly concentrated in developed countries. The forms of communication have become more and more diversified, but more academic; Different organizations have different financial support in scientific research cooperation, but there is a big gap in the exchange of young scientific and technological talents in rural areas. From the perspective of young scientific and technological talents exchange, this paper discusses how to optimize the talent exchange mechanism, build a platform for young scientific and technological talents exchange, and expand international cooperation.

Research on Enhancement Strategies for the Integration of Industry-Education Information Technology Platforms in Vocational Colleges

During this pivotal period in which China's vocational education is transitioning from a scale-oriented to a connotation-oriented development, efforts to reform vocational education are continuously intensifying, with the integration of industry and education consistently serving as the key logical thread in the reform of the modern vocational education system. Educational informatization stands as a crucial indicator of educational modernization, and the comprehensive promotion of educational modernization through educational informatization is a significant strategic decision for China's educational reform and development. However, integration of industry and education has not formed mutual integration and commonality between the entire school and enterprise levels in aspects such as talent cultivation, faculty construction, and scientific research cooperation, leading to a lack of a scientific evaluation system for assessing the effectiveness of this integration. Therefore, vocational colleges should actively construct an integration of industry and education information management platform based on the thinking of integration of industry and education and the ISO 25010 software quality model. This will further improve and enhance the service capabilities of the integration of industry and education information technology platform, facilitate multi-party interactive cooperation among governments, industries, enterprises, and schools, better meet the requirements of talent cultivation model transformation and innovative development in the construction of higher vocational colleges, and standardize the process of integration of industry and education, making it more transparent, visualizing data analysis, and comprehensively evaluating effectiveness.

Chinese Studies: Researches and services in the National Library of China

Background The Chinese Studies Center of the National Library of China is an institution focusing on the collection, research and service of Chinese studies literature. Since the last century, the National Library of China (NLC) has started to collect a wide range of Chinese studies literature, and has now formed a huge special collection covering multiple languages and disciplines. Purpose This article introduces the origin of construction of the Chinese Studies Center (CSC), its service positioning, development status, major achievements and future outlook, with the aim of clarifying ideas for better development of the NLC’s Chinese studies collection and research services, and for the promotion of the development of Chinese studies to a higher level. Research Design The article aims to build a research framework to assess the role and potential of the CSC in promoting Chinese studies by reviewing its history and analyzing its service orientation and development direction. Study Sample: The research sample includes the CSC's resources, services, accomplishments and cooperations. Data Collection and/or Analysis: The article assesses the performance and influence of the CSC by collecting and analyzing information on its resources, services, achievements and academic exchanges. Results The CSC has basically formed a multi-dimensional development pattern integrating reading services, consulting and reference services, literature research, website construction, scientific research cooperation and foreign exchanges. Its service positioning has become clearer, its responsibilities richer, its research capability further enhanced, and it has achieved social benefits and a series of good results, making a great contribution to the development of Chinese studies. Conclusions The CSC has played an important in promoting Chinese studies and it will continue to enrich the collection of Chinese studies literature, promote the construction of Chinese studies catalogue, create a one-stop research and service platform, and carry out exchanges and cooperation in Chinese studies worldwide, so as to promote the further development of Chinese studies.

Mega Research Infrastructure as a Driver for High-quality Development and Innovation: Promoting Scientific Cooperation and Interdisciplinarity

Mega research infrastructures, as megaprojects, play a crucial role in promoting high-quality development, particularly in relation to innovation. They contribute to the development of disciplinary layouts and scientific collaborations. Additionally, during the operational phase of a infrastructure, maximizing efficiency and ensuring sustainable development become key aspects of project management. The operation of mega research infrastructures involves increasing levels of interdisciplinarity, interagency collaboration, and cross-regional cooperation. Therefore, it is essential to further clarify the characteristics of scientific collaboration within these facilities and understand the current status and evolving trends of disciplinary and collaborative networks. This work serves as a fundamental and necessary endeavor. In this study, we employ social network analysis methods to investigate the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility as a case study. We analyze the network structure and evolution of its collaborative and disciplinary networks from 2009 to 2022. The findings reveal the enormous potential and value of mega research infrastructures in promoting scientific research cooperation and development. They emphasize the need for increased attention and support for instrument scientists by facility managers, as well as the importance of expanding collaboration areas and formats to enrich the range of disciplines involved. The contribution of this study lies in its systematic analysis of the evolutionary process of collaborative and disciplinary networks within mega research infrastructures. It reveals the scientific value of these facilities in driving scientific research cooperation and interdisciplinary integration, providing a scientific basis for project management and policy formulation in the operational phase of mega research infrastructures. The research will align the strategic development direction of mega research infrastructures with the requirements of high-quality development and deepen the foundational role of mega research infrastructures in supporting high-quality development.

Construction of University Teaching and Academic Community from the Perspective of Digital Transformation

Under the background of digital transformation, the construction of the university teaching and academic community is of great significance for promoting educational innovation and improving the quality of talent training. By strengthening the construction of digital infrastructure, promoting the professional development of teachers, constructing a digital learning platform, and establishing a scientific research cooperation mechanism, an effective university teaching and academic community can be built. This will help promote exchanges and cooperation between teachers and students, improve teaching quality and scientific research level, and cultivate more talents with innovative and practical abilities for society.

Development of an Infrared Marker based Encoder System as a Non-Contact Positioning System for Ultrasonic Probes

The digitalization of testing procedures is one of the challenges in the development of modern non-destructive testing systems. In order to guarantee a high level of inspection reliability, the assignment of measurement data to the measurement position plays an important role as well as the optimal inspection hardware. In a cooperative research and development project, an optical tracking system has been developed with which it is possible to determine the positions of different ultrasonic probes in space without contact. Thus, the position of the measurement is linked to the measurement results directly. Infrared LED markers attached to the ultrasonic probes are used for this purpose. The position of the markers are tracked in space with a camera. By linking several cameras and trackers, a positional accuracy of a few millimeters can be achieved for a camera specimen distance of 2 m. The more cameras are used the bigger the investigated part can be. For the tracking system, an existing optical camera system is coupled with a conventional of the shelve ultrasonic phased array device by means of a newly developed universal encoder. Different single transducer probes or phased array probes can be used. The costly and time consuming use of mechanical encoders is thus eliminated. This combination enables the further digitalization of hand-guided ultrasonic testing precisely in those areas where robot-based testing is not feasible. Additionally, a much easier way of documentation is possible. Due to the exact position determination a better evaluation of the measurement data can be carried out via a subsequent 3D display of the ultrasound data.

Zürich II Statement on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs): Scientific and Regulatory Needs.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are a class of synthetic organic chemicals of global concern. A group of 36 scientists and regulators from 18 countries held a hybrid workshop in 2022 in Zürich, Switzerland. The workshop, a sequel to a previous Zürich workshop held in 2017, deliberated on progress in the last five years and discussed further needs for cooperative scientific research and regulatory action on PFASs. This review reflects discussion and insights gained during and after this workshop and summarizes key signs of progress in science and policy, ongoing critical issues to be addressed, and possible ways forward. Some key take home messages include: 1) understanding of human health effects continues to develop dramatically, 2) regulatory guidelines continue to drop, 3) better understanding of emissions and contamination levels is needed in more parts of the world, 4) analytical methods, while improving, still only cover around 50 PFASs, and 5) discussions of how to group PFASs for regulation (including subgroupings) have gathered momentum with several jurisdictions proposing restricting a large proportion of PFAS uses. It was concluded that more multi-group exchanges are needed in the future and that there should be a greater diversity of participants at future workshops.

A systematic review of biobanks in Latin America: Strengths and limitations for biomedical research.

Biobanks are valuable tools for developing and applying scientific research and international cooperation through the collection of biological materials and their associated data. Systematic research following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis guidelines was conducted in late 2022 in PubMed and Scopus, and generated 17 articles to be reviewed in depth and critically assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Checklist due to the limited available data; 12 relevant health organizations and government websites outside of peer-reviewed journals were also included. Our research identified 44 biobanks in Latin America. In general, there is a lack of regulation and legislation guaranteeing the stored materials' quality and institutional collaboration. We believe a consensus needs to be reached regarding the terminology and definitions used for biobanks. The design for informed consent should also be agreed upon to ensure the privacy of the data shared among institutions. In conclusion, in Latin America, there is a clear need for government support in creating specific procedures for biobanks and providing further support for existing biobanks.

An Empirical Study on the Influencing Factors of University Teachers' Teaching or Scientific Research Cooperation among the Learning Community

An Empirical Study on the Influencing Factors of University Teachers' Teaching or Scientific Research Cooperation among the Learning Community

Twenty years of RIEC Cooperative Research Projects in Vision Science Lab.

Twenty years of RIEC Cooperative Research Projects in Vision Science Lab.

Challenges of Ethnographic Research with War Migrants from Ukraine

In this short reflection on ethnographic research with forced migrants who arrived in Poland after February 24, 2022, I would like to address topics that to me - as an anthropologist, Ukrainian studies specialist and researcher of Ukrainian communities in Poland, including war migrants - seem crucial in designing a research project in cooperation with people who fled from Ukraine. These are primarily issues related to research ethics, the situation of difficult research in cooperation with potentially traumatized people, positioned by popular discourses as refugees and victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In addition, my reflection concerns access to the site, the researcher's involvement and responsibility, the specificity of the situation in which this research is conducted, as well as problems and challenges facing their archiving and representation. I will shortly indicate the threats that researchers must take into account, such as revictimization, lack of psychological tools, burdens and burnout of the researcher, and the further life of the constructed ethnographic knowledge, built on the experience of war migrants from Ukraine. I also include some practical tips on designing conversations with war migrants from Ukraine. In addition to the indicated challenges of ethnographic research in cooperation with forced migrants from Ukraine, the paper contains an appeal for a radical increase in ethical standards in a situation of war and forced migration.

(Invited) Formation and Characterization of Fe-Silicide Nanodots for Optoelectronic Application

Light emission from group-IV based nanostructures has been attracting much attention in the field of Si-based photonics because of its potential to combine photonic processing with electronic processing on a single chip [1]. Among various Fe-silicides, semiconducting β-FeSi2 shows light emission in the near-infrared region [2, 3] and is one of promising materials in optoelectronic application from viewpoints of tuning emission energy and improving luminous efficiency by means of quantized structures. In this work, we focus on low temperature formation of β-FeSi2 nanodots (NDs) over ~1011 cm-2 in areal density on SiO2 and the characterization of light emission properties of β–FeSi2 NDs.After conventional wet-chemical cleaning steps of p-type Si(100) substrates, a ~300-nm-thick SiO2 layer was grown at 1000°C in dry O2 and followed by dipping shortly in a dilute HF solution to make uniform surface termination with Si-OH bonds. After that, Fe films in the thickness range from 1.0 to 3.0 nm were formed on the OH-terminate SiO2 layer by electron beam evaporation without any extra heating. And then, the Fe–films were exposed to remote plasma of pure H2 (H2-RP) at 400°C to form highly-dense Fe-NDs [4]. Subsequently, so-prepared Fe-NDs were exposed to pure SiH4 at 400°C while controlling the amount of SiH4 exposure by duration and pressure.AFM images taken after exposure of Fe-films to H2-RP confirm the high-density formation of well-defined NDs. In the cases of H2-RP exposure of 1.3-nm-thick and 3.0-nm-thick Fe-films, the areal dot densities as high as ~1.1 × 1011 and ~1.3 × 1011 cm−2 were obtained, respectively, in which the average dot-heights of self-assembled Fe-NDs were determined to be ~5.3 and ~10.9 nm, respectively, by fitting a log-normal function to each measured size distribution. Notice that AFM images taken after SiH4 exposure show almost no change in the areal dot density while a slight increase in the average dot height. From cross-sectional transmission electron microscope images, we have also verified the formation of distorted-spherical shape NDs with a lattice spacing of ~0.18 nm associated with β-FeSi2. And the result is well consistent with the chemical composition of NDs after SiH4 exposure as evaluated by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In addition, with 976 nm light excitation using a semiconductor laser, the NDs after the SiH4 exposure show stable photoluminescence (PL) signals in the energy region from ~0.7 to ~0.9 eV even at room temperature. On the other hand, no PL signals were detected from the NDs before the SiH4 exposure and after Ar anneal at 400°C. Also, when the size of the Fe-silicide NDs was increased from ~5.3 to ~10.9 nm in average dot height by increasing the initial Fe-film thickness, a distinct red-shift in PL was clearly observed. Thus, the observed PL can be interpreted in terms of radiative recombination of photogenerated carriers through quantized states of β-FeSi2 NDs. These results indicate that SiH4 exposure to Fe-NDs formed on SiO2 is a very promising technique for the low-temperature fabrication of luminescent FeSi2 NDs.AcknowledgementThis work was supported in part by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A) 21H04559 of MEXT Japan, and the Cooperative Research Project Program of the Research Institute of Electrical Communication, Tohoku University.