Upgraded Facility Research Articles

Emergency Water Facility Upgrades Prevent Sediment Overload After Wildfire

Emergency Water Facility Upgrades Prevent Sediment Overload After Wildfire

LECTURERS' ASSESSMENT ON THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ONLINE TEACHING AT THE INDUSTRIAL UNIVERSITY OF HO CHI MINH CITY

The study collected data on how lecturers of Industrial University of Ho Chi Minh city (IUH) evaluated the effectiveness of online teaching conducted at the University. Data were collected through an online survey with the participation of 126 lecturers. Lecturers highly evaluated their students' effort but appreciated their interaction, lesson acquisition, interest and satisfaction at a moderate level. The student-student interaction inside and outside classroom was limited. The lecturers also said that the levels of student interaction, effort, and interest in learning in online classes were much lower than those in traditional classes. However, there was no significant difference in students' lesson acquisition and grade point average between online and traditional classes. To add qualitative data to the study, the researchers held a group discussion with 10 lecturers who participated in online teaching in the second semester of the 2019- 2020 school year. Based on the results of the online survey and the group discussion, the researchers put forward some suggestions for impoving the effectiveness of online teaching at IUH. The university should equip students with more computer skills; upgrade facilities and learning equipment; and arrange suitable learning schedules. In addition, lecturers should change their teaching methods to enhance student interaction and stimulate student learning interest.

Improved quality tests of R11410-21 photomultiplier tubes for the XENONnT experiment

Photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) are often used in low-background particle physics experiments, which rely on an excellent response to single-photon signals and stable long-term operation. In particular, the Hamamatsu R11410 model is the light sensor of choice for liquid xenon dark matter experiments, including XENONnT. The same PMT model was also used for the predecessor, XENON1T, where issues affecting its long-term operation were observed. Here, we report on an improved PMT testing procedure which ensures optimal performance in XENONnT. Using both new and upgraded facilities, we tested 368 new PMTs in a cryogenic xenon environment. We developed new tests targeted at the detection of light emission and the degradation of the PMT vacuum through small leaks, which can lead to spurious signals known as afterpulses, both of which were observed in XENON1T. We exclude the use of 26 of the 368 tested PMTs and categorise the remainder according to their performance. Given that we have improved the testing procedure, yet we rejected fewer PMTs, we expect significantly better PMT performance in XENONnT.

Analysis of Pedestrian–Motor Vehicle Crashes in San Antonio, Texas

Pedestrian safety is becoming a global concern and an understanding of the contributing factors to severe pedestrian crashes is crucial. This study analyzed crash data for San Antonio, TX, over a six-year period to understand the effects of pedestrian–vehicle crash-related variables on pedestrian injury severity based on the party at fault and to identify high-risk locations. Bivariate analysis and logistic regression were used to identify the most significant predictors of severe pedestrian crashes. High-risk locations were identified through heat maps and hotspot analysis. A failure to yield the right of way and driver inattention were the primary contributing factors to pedestrian–vehicle crashes. Fatal and incapacitating injury risk increased substantially when the pedestrian was at fault. The strongest predictors of severe pedestrian injury include the lighting condition, the road class, the speed limit, traffic control, collision type, the age of the pedestrian, and the gender of the pedestrian. The downtown area had the highest crash density, but crash severity hotspots were identified outside of the downtown area. Resource allocation to high-risk locations, a reduction in the speed limit, an upgrade of the lighting facilities in high pedestrian activity areas, educational campaigns for targeted audiences, the implementation of more crosswalks, pedestrian refuge islands, raised medians, and the use of leading pedestrian interval and hybrid beacons are recommended.

Achievement of 26.5 T at 1.8 K and 24.0 T at 4.4 K in a Free Bore of 68-mm Diameter: Successful Commissioning of the HOMER II LTS/HTS High-Field Facility Upgrade

As an upgrade for higher fields, a REBCO high-temperature superconductor (HTS) insert coil with a remarkable cold bore of 68-mm diameter has been constructed with the goal to be routinely operated to attain total fields of 25 T and beyond in HOMER II. HOMER II is the most advanced superconducting high-field facility of the Institute for Technical Physics at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. With its basic magnet configuration, consisting of NbTi and (NbX) <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> Sn low-temperature superconductor solenoid sections, HOMER II can generate a magnetic field of 20 T in a large bore of 185-mm diameter at a Helium bath temperature of 1.8 K. The REBCO HTS insert coil was manufactured using the rarely implemented concept of layer winding technology and consists of five nested solenoids. In this article, we report on the design of the insert, its construction, and commissioning as well as related aspects. In the initial operation period, magnetic fields of up to 26.5 T were obtained at 1.8 K and 24.0 T at 4.4 K, respectively, without training steps and quenching or other problems.

Miao Zhang Comment on COVID-19: Malaysia Experience and Key Lessons

Miao Zhang Comment on COVID-19: Malaysia Experience and Key Lessons

ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINANT OF RURAL HOUSEHOLDS’ VULNERABILITY TO WATER SCARCITY IN SEMI-ARID NIGERIA

Though water resource is an important natural endowment for the attainment of improved living conditions and sustainable development, man’s consumptive demand for it continued to fall short of the supplies. This is especially in the rural communities of the semi-arid region of Nigeria, whose most water sources are unimproved and the supplies from which fall below the demand, resulting in water scarcity. The study assessed the environmental perspective of the rural households’ susceptibility to water scarcity in Nigeria. The study employed multistage sampling, the mixed-method approach of data sourcing, and the data were analyzed with the basic descriptive and inferential statistical tools. The study findings show the continued practice of extended family system, characterized with low literacy rate and weak income levels, use of shared latrines, as well as defecation in the bushes and open spaces. It also demonstrated nine-in-ten households are vulnerable to the complex conditions of water scarcity, especially those in Kerri-Kerri Formation and the Fika Shale, as the Pearson correlation of the conditions revealed. The linear regression model of the correlated variables statistically proved to have accounted for more than 60% of the water crisis. However, the households’ adaptation strategies to water scarcity were traditional and highly ineffective to the problem of water scarcity conditions of the area. This denotes that the environmental variability influences both water availability and vulnerability to scarcity. Therefore, the study recommends the mainstreaming of the physical environmental conditions into the rural water policy, in addition to upgrading and maintenance of the available water facilities.

Effects of banking scale and operating expenses to profit of joint stock commercial banks in Vietnam

The operation of the bank is an important economic activity, which has contributed significantly to the development of the national economy over the past years. Therefore, the efficiency in the business operations of joint stock commercial banks is a topic that needs to be addressed, as it directly affects the efficiency in providing capital to businesses, as well as the stability and development of the financial market. Determining the factors affecting the profitability of joint-stock commercial banks will help managers to operate the bank's operations more efficiently. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the profitability of a joint stock commercial bank in Vietnam is affected by its size and operating costs. All parameter estimates of the regression model are based on regression analysis of the random effects table of REM. Data of the study included 28 joint stock commercial banks in Vietnam for the period of 2012-2019. Empirical research results show that the bank's profit is affected by financial leverage and more particularly, there exists a positive correlation of the bank size and the operating cost on the bank's profit. The fact that larger banks are more competitive has the ability to diversify their asset portfolios, focus on higher profit margins, and spend money to investment, upgrading of service quality and facilities lead to increased operating costs, thereby reducing risks and increasing profits.

The Living-Related Kidney Transplant Program in Brunei Darussalam: Lessons Learnt from a Nascent National Program in a Small, Muslim, and Asian Country.

Brunei Darussalam commenced its living-related renal transplant program in 2013, with subsequent attainment of independent local capacity and proficiency in 2019. The preliminary outcome from the program has already begun to shape the national nephrology landscape with a 36% increment in transplant rate and mitigation of commercialized transplantations. The blueprint for the program was first laid out in 2010 and thereupon executed in four phases. The first phase involved the gathering of evidence to support the establishment of the national program, through researches investigating feasibility, public opinion, quality of life, graft survival, and cost-effectiveness. The second phase focused on laying the foundation of the program through grooming of local expertise, implementation of legal-ethical frameworks, religious legitimization, and propagation of awareness. The third phase worked on facilitating experiential exposure and strengthening local infrastructure through the upgrading of facilities and the introduction of subsidiary services. The fourth phase was implemented in Brunei in 2013 when foreign personnel worked together with the local team to perform the transplants. Between 2013 and 2019, ten kidney transplants were performed, with two being done in 2018 and three in 2019. We hope to inspire other similar countries to develop their own self-sustainable and independent local program.

The Role of Human Resource Management in Developing the Human Capital for Global Excellence-An Empirical Study

Companies currently are facing various crucial business challenges; Intellectual capital, Technology, Globalization, Profitability through growth, and Change. These challenges require organizations to build new capabilities in a collaborative manner, and it is human resource management developing these capabilities. It enables the organizations by playing the leadership role in meeting competitive challenges. HR professionals have shed their traditional image of policing rule making policy. Today HR professionals are held responsible for the employee’s engagement and commitment towards the organization and making them contribute and stepping into the shoes of ownership. It is no longer administrative dinosaur. It has changed from a narrow picture, reactive role to a much wider canvas. By bringing the management of the organization together with the employees, a new management of human resources triggers, a merging of the reservoir of knowledge of the person and the organization, culminating in the combined triumph of both. Competitiveness at the global level can be achieved not by only using the upgraded technologies and facilities, but by motivating employees efficiently and effectively, to comply with universal standards. Every company on the world stage, human resources professionals have the mission to affect the business world; HR is now on a paradigm shift and as a support function, withered on the board, called on to help others and to hire and fire from the companies are rapidly eroding. Human resources playing a very proactive role in managing the problems of globalization. It brings change and improves the individuals' ability to learn and collaborate, manage diversity, ambiguity and complexity. The research is an attempt to understand the role of HRM in building national talent for global achievement and to study and compare the perception of corporate employees, management faculties &amp; management students.

Optimization for Locating Emergency Medical Service Facilities: A Case Study for Health Planning from China.

PurposeRational location of emergency medical service (EMS) facilities could improve access to EMS, and thus assist in saving patients’ lives and improving their health outcomes. A considerable amount of spatial optimization research has been devoted to the development of models to support location planning in the context of EMS, with extensive applications in policy making around the world. However, in China, studies on the location of EMS facilities have not been paid enough attention to, let alone their practical applications. This paper conducted location optimization for EMS facilities in Chengdu, one of the biggest cities in southwest China with more than 16.5 million population, aiming to optimize the EMS system by adding (upgrading) a minimum number of EMS facilities to achieve a given population coverage.MethodsLocation optimization was conducted according to regional health policy goal for the EMS system in Chengdu, China, 2017. The nearest-neighbor approach was used to calculate the shortest travel time based on geographical information system (GIS). The location set covering model was used to formulate the optimization problem under China’s context, and genetic algorithm (GA) was employed to determine the optimized locations.ResultsThe results showed that a minimum number of 55 new facilities were required to upgrade to EMS facilities to achieve the policy goal of 90% population coverage of EMS within 15 minutes. Access to EMS also improved substantially in terms of shortest travel time after facility upgrading. The weighted median shortest travel time to EMS facilities in Chengdu decreased by 14.57%, from 6.45 minutes to 5.51 minutes.ConclusionOur study showed that the solution could effectively achieve the policy goal of population coverage with a minimum number of new EMS facilities. Our findings would support evidence-based decision-making in future EMS planning in China.

New approach to precisely measure [formula omitted]-ray intensities for long-lived fission products, with results for the decay of 95Zr

For many fission products, the γ rays emitted following β decay provide an easily-detectable signature that can be used to identify their quantities and distributions in a sample. As a result, γ-ray spectroscopy is often exploited to study fission-product yields, provided sufficiently accurate information on the γ-ray intensity is available. However, in many cases, the uncertainties in the existing nuclear data are large enough that they compromise the precision achievable for modern experiments and applications. To address this need, we have developed a new experimental method that is well suited to precisely measure absolute γ-ray intensities in the β decay of long-lived fission products. The approach involves the production of a radiopure sample by implantation of a mass-separated ion beam from the CAlifornium Rare Isotope Breeder Upgrade (CARIBU) facility on a thin carbon foil. The emitted β-decay radiation is detected with a 4π gas proportional counter and a meticulously efficiency-calibrated high-purity germanium (HPGe) detector. As a first measurement to demonstrate the approach, we studied the absolute γ-ray intensities of the strongest transitions following the β decay of 95Zr and its decay-daughter 95Nb, and determined them to fractional precisions of better than 1–2%. In addition, with a larger sample of activity produced through neutron irradiation of an isotopically-enriched Zr foil, we performed a high-precision measurement of the relative γ-ray intensities following the decay of 95Zr with just the HPGe detector. The sample-production method at CARIBU and the coincidence detection approach demonstrated here can be applied to study fission products with half-lives longer than a day, which includes isotopes important not only for nuclear-energy and national-security applications, but also for medical-isotope research and environmental monitoring.

Upgrade and Commissioning of the SULTAN Facility to Host Quench Experiments on HTS High Current Conductors

High Temperature Superconductors (HTS) are promising materials for future fusion magnets. One of HTS conductors' main issues is the quench protection: the quench develops much slower than in LTS, delaying the quench detection by voltage monitoring and causing a massive temperature increase before detection. The Swiss Plasma Center (SPC), with the support of EUROFusion, has upgraded the SULTAN facility to test large current conductors during the whole quench evolution. The 100 kA superconducting transformer has been replaced by an 18 kA direct power supply, which allows sustaining the operating current in the sample during a quench. Five HTS conductors have been manufactured at SPC: they are sub-size of the HTS high-current cables designed by the group for an HTS high current high field cable proposed for EU-DEMO Central Solenoid (CS) hybrid magnet. Every conductor has a specific feature. The aim is to compare the quench behavior of the five conductors “parametrically”. The commissioning of the upgraded facility and the preliminary results of the measurements are presented in this work.

Study on upgrading and engineering design of leachate treatment facilities in a landfill in Beijing

This paper systematically introduces the technical route and engineering design practice of upgrading and reconstruction of a landfill leachate treatment station in Beijing. The Water balance tank+ Two-stage A/O external MBR+ Nanofiltration+ Reverse osmosis process is adopted to realize that the effluent quality of landfill leachate treatment meets the requirements of B emission limits in Table 1 of Beijing local standard DB11/307-2013, which can provide reference for engineering design and research on the selection of technical route for upgrading landfill leachate treatment.

The impact of land consolidation on vulnerability of rural households: evidence from Central China

In the context of the Sustainable Livelihood Framework, the vulnerability of rural households is closely related to external risks and their responsibility. Recently, land consolidation has been widely implemented throughout China, which is supposed to boost livelihood capital and thereby improve rural households’ vulnerability. In order to examine this initiative, a case study was carried out in Central China. A matched Differences-in-Differences specification was adopted to estimate the effect of land consolidation. The results demonstrate that (1) land consolidation significantly reduces vulnerability by enhancing the quality and quantity of natural and physical capital, (2) the impact is highly spatially distributed, varying with the distance to the water source, and (3) the proposed model appears robust enough to explain the impact mechanism after a couples of robustness check. Finally, several suggestions are advised, including upgrading of infrastructure and facilities, reducing land fragmentation and adjusting the distance between cropland and the water source.

Life-cycle analysis of drop-in biojet fuel produced from British Columbia forest residues and wood pellets via fast-pyrolysis

A well-to-wake life-cycle analysis of biojet fuel produced from pyrolysis-derived biocrudes upgraded via hydrotreatment was carried out and compared to petroleum-derived jet fuel. The life-cycle analysis model compared a 100 million liter-per-year upgraded pyrolysis oil facility at three locations in British Columbia, Canada using British Columbia pellet and forest residue feedstocks. The carbon intensity of the pyrolysis-based biojet fuel was 69–71% lower than conventional fossil-based jet fuel, depending on the location and type of woody biomass feedstock that was used. Methodological choices such as the source of the hydrogen consumed during pyrolysis oil upgrading and the co-product method used had the greatest impact on the carbon intensity of the biojet fuel, while technical factors such as the moisture content of the biomass feedstock and the overall yield had a moderate impact on the carbon intensity . Optimizing these various parameters could reduce the carbon intensity of pyrolysis-derived biojet fuel by 110% when compared to petroleum jet fuel.

Identifying exposures of health facilities to potential disasters in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area of Ghana

The Health sector in Ghana has over the years received huge capital investments from the government, its partners and other private entities. These have resulted in the transformation, upgrade and provision of new health facilities across the country. Despite these efforts, the sector still faces challenges of inadequate infrastructure. Furthermore, the existing facilities may be threatened by the occurrences of disasters in the country. The Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA), which contains the most advanced health facilities in the country is one area perceived to be most vulnerable to disasters. Hence, this study uses a multiple approach to identify and assess health facilities highly exposed to hazards and may be vulnerable should disaster occur. It samples 60 health facilities from twelve municipalities in the GAMA area for the assessment. The study reveals flooding as a key threat to health facilities in the entire GAMA area but identifies Accra metropolitan area as a locality with most exposed health facilities. Furthermore, the study discovers that, many of the health facilities in GAMA are clustered in a highly vulnerable enclave of about 20 km radius and estimates that, occurrence of any \\disaster within this area could affect more than twenty facilities and deny healthcare services to over two hundred thousand people. It suggests collective efforts from all stakeholders to secure and protect these facilities as priority for resilience.

Cross section measurement of neutron capture reaction based on back-streaming white neutron source at China spallation neutron source

The data of neutron capture cross section are very important for the research of nuclear astrophysics, advanced nuclear energy development. Owing to the limitation of neutron source and detector, the experimental data of neutron capture cross section in an energy range of 1 eV–10 keV were almost blank in China. The first Chinese gamma-ray total absorption facility has been constructed in the key laboratory of nuclear data at China institute of atomic energy, which consists of 40 BaF&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; detector units. The BaF&lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt; crystal shell with a thickness of 15 cm and an inner radius of 10 cm covers 95.2% of the solid angle. On-line measurement method of neutron capture reaction cross section is established on the back-streaming white neutron source of China spallation neutron source by using the upgraded facility. The cross section of &lt;sup&gt;197&lt;/sup&gt;Au neutron capture reaction is measured for the first time under the experimental condition of irregular 30 mm neutron beam spot. The measured position of resonance peak is well consistent with the relevant data of ENDF evaluation database, which verifies the reliability of the measurement device and measurement technology, and thus laying the foundation for the acquisition of high precision cross section in future.

Spectral structures of backward stimulated Brillouin scattering driven by a picosecond laser

Laser plasma interaction (LPI) is an important content in laser plasma related research, and it is one of the key issues related to the success or failure of inertial confinement fusion ignition, and has received extensive attention. In order to suppress the relevant LPI process as much as possible, the major laboratories around the world have developed a variety of beam smoothing methods through decades of research. However, the current understanding and suppression of LPI are still far from enough, and further in-depth studies are still needed. Generally, the research of LPI is based on nanosecond laser driving, and focuses mainly on the effects of the related LPI process caused by nanosecond lasers. However, the LPI processes, such as stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS), stimulated Raman scattering (SRS), etc., occur and develop on a time scale of picoseconds.The comprehensive effect can be studied only on a longer scale of nanosecond. For highly nonlinear LPI processes, the comprehensive effect may be difficult to reflect the real physical laws. The emergence of the picosecond laser has made it possible to study the LPI process in more detail and on a more appropriate time scale. The present research tries to gain an understanding of LPI from a more refined perspective. The experimental research of picosecond laser driving LPI is carried out on the Shenguang-Ⅱ upgrade and picosecond laser facilities. First, a nanosecond laser is used to irradiate a target to generate a large-scale plasma, and a few nanoseconds later, the picosecond laser is injected as an interaction beam to drive the LPI scattering such as SBS and SRS. The spectral signal of backscatter light is measured experimentally by using the method of diffuse reflector. From the research results it is found that the backward signals of the band near the laser wavelength contain, in addition to the true backward SBS component, a large number of interference signals introduced by picosecond laser and nanosecond laser. The interference signal introduced by nanosecond laser can be eliminated by using specific measures, but the interference signal introduced by picosecond laser cannot be eliminated experimentally, which will affect the estimation of the true share of the backward SBS. The comprehensive results show that under different experimental conditions, the backward scatter energy of SBS may be less than half that of the total recorded signals. This result is helpful in further understanding and re-recognizing previous relevant experimental data.

Research on the Coordinated Development of Mass Sports Events and Community Sports Activities in the Post-Epidemic Era

Mass sports events and community sports activities, as important carriers of national fitness, are important ways to promote the construction of my country's sports power. With the full outbreak of the "Covid-19", how to better coordinate the relationship between mass sports events and community sports activities has become an important research topic. This article uses research methods of literature and logical analysis to systematically analyze the post-epidemic era new features of mass sports events and community sports activities. Proposed ways to strengthen the public opinion propaganda of sports concepts, continuously upgrade sports facilities, and sports organizations to take the initiative to play a spirit of coordinated development of related mass sports events and community sports activities, hoping to provide useful reference and help.