RITA: Boost Autonomous Driving Simulators with Realistic Interactive Traffic Flow

High-quality traffic flow generation is the core module in building simulators for autonomous driving. However, the majority of available simulators are incapable of replicating traffic patterns that accurately reflect the various features of real-world data while also simulating human-like reactive responses to the tested autopilot driving strategies. Taking one step forward to addressing such a problem, we propose Realistic Interactive TrAffic flow (RITA) as an integrated component of existing driving simulators to provide high-quality traffic flow for the evaluation and optimization of the tested driving strategies. RITA is developed with consideration of three key features, i.e., fidelity, diversity, and controllability, and consists of two core modules called RITABackend and RITAKit. RITABackend is built to support vehicle-wise control and provide traffic generation models from real-world datasets, while RITAKit is developed with easy-to-use interfaces for controllable traffic generation via RITABackend. We demonstrate RITA's capacity to create diversified and high-fidelity traffic simulations in several highly interactive highway scenarios. The experimental findings demonstrate that our produced RITA traffic flows exhibit all three key features, hence enhancing the completeness of driving strategy evaluation. Moreover, we showcase the possibility for further improvement of baseline strategies through online fine-tuning with RITA traffic flows.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, 3 table

Nanostructured Molybdenum-Oxide Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries: An Outstanding Increase in Capacity

This work aimed at synthesizing MoO3 and MoO2 by a facile and cost-effective method using extract of orange peel as a biological chelating and reducing agent for ammonium molybdate. Calcination of the precursor in air at 450 °C yielded the stochiometric MoO3 phase, while calcination in vacuum produced the reduced form MoO2 as evidenced by X-ray powder diffraction, Raman scattering spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy images showed different morphologies and sizes of MoOx particles. MoO3 formed platelet particles that were larger than those observed for MoO2. MoO3 showed stable thermal behavior until approximately 800 °C, whereas MoO2 showed weight gain at approximately 400 °C due to the fact of re-oxidation and oxygen uptake and, hence, conversion to stoichiometric MoO3. Electrochemically, traditional performance was observed for MoO3, which exhibited a high initial capacity with steady and continuous capacity fading upon cycling. On the contrary, MoO2 showed completely different electrochemical behavior with less initial capacity but an outstanding increase in capacity upon cycling, which reached 1600 mAh g−1 after 800 cycles. This outstanding electrochemical performance of MoO2 may be attributed to its higher surface area and better electrical conductivity as observed in surface area and impedance investigations

International R&D Spillovers and Innovation Efficiency

The objective of this study is to examine the impact of international research and development (R&D) spillovers on innovation efficiency of specific R&D outcomes, employing the country-level panel data for 44 countries in the 1996⁻2013 period. Fully considering the heterogeneity of different R&D outputs, scientific papers, PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) patents, US patents, and domestic patents are observed separately, which enriches the angles of measuring international R&D spillovers. By applying a stochastic frontier analysis to knowledge production function, we find that foreign R&D capital stock positively contributes to the innovation efficiency of scientific papers, but suppresses the productivity of domestic patents, whereas it does not really matter for PCT or US patents. These results are robust to control for a set of institutional factors and also in sensitivity analyses. Hence, dependence on international R&D spillovers seems neither to be the right way for emerging economies to catch up, nor to be a sustainable model for developing countries to fill the technical gap. Local R&D capital stock, instead, keeps an essential contributor to all four R&D outputs, so raising internal R&D expenditure is actually the key to improving innovation level and sustainable development ability

Economic Growth Effect and Optimal Carbon Emissions under China’s Carbon Emissions Reduction Policy: A Time Substitution DEA Approach

In this paper, provincial panel data for China during 1995–2015 and the time substitution data envelopment analysis (DEA) model were used to measure the influences of China’s carbon emissions reduction policy on economic growth under various reduction targets and to determine optimal economic growth and optimal carbon emissions of each province. In addition, this paper empirically examines the factors that influence the optimal economic growth and carbon emissions. The results indicate that not all provinces will suffer from a loss in gross domestic product (GDP) when confronted by the constraints of carbon emissions reductions. Certain provinces can achieve a win-win situation between economic growth and carbon emissions reductions if they are allowed to reallocate production decisions over time. Provinces with higher environmental efficiency, higher per capita GDP, smaller populations, and lower energy intensity might suffer from a larger loss in GDP. Therefore, they should set lower carbon emissions reduction targets

Preparation of MCM-41 Supported Benzene Sulphonic Acid, a Catalyst for the Synthesis of CL-20 from TAIW

Pure MCM-41 anchored benzene sulphonic acid (BSA/MCM-41), an efficient heterogeneous catalyst, was prepared for the synthesis of CL-20 from TAIW. The prepared catalysts were fully characterized by FTIR, XRD, TEM, TG, N2 adsorption techniques, elemental analysis and acidity tests. It was observed that the catalyst (BSA/MCM-41) retained the mesoporous structure like MCM-41, exhibited excellent thermal stability and high activity. Compared with a blank, the high catalytic activity promoted shorter reaction times by a factor of 3/5. In addition, this catalyst could be reused at least five times without significant loss of its catalytic potential. Moreover, the BSA/MCM-41 catalyst exhibited an optimal catalytic performance, with a high to excellent yield of CL-20 (92.5%) with a purity of 98.3%, under the optimum synthesis conditions

Comparison of the efficacy and safety between rivaroxaban and dabigatran in the treatment of acute portal vein thrombosis in cirrhosis

Abstract Background New oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have been becoming prevalent in recent years and are increasingly used in the treatment of port vein thrombosis. The difference of the efficacy and safety between rivaroxaban and dabigatran remains unclear in the treatment of cirrhotic patients with acute portal vein thrombosis (PVT). Methods This retrospective study included all consecutive cirrhotic patients with acute portal vein thrombosis in our institute from January 2020 to December 2021. The patients received oral anticoagulation with rivaroxaban or dabigatran. The demographic, clinical, and imaging data of patients were collected. The diagnosis of acute PVT was confirmed by imaging examinations. The severity of liver cirrhosis was assessed using Child–Pugh score and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score. Outcomes included recanalization (complete, partial, and persistent occlusion), liver function, bleedings, and survival. The log-rank test was used to compare Kaplan–Meier distributions of time-to-event outcomes. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results A total of 94 patients were included, 52 patients (55%) received rivaroxaban and 42 (45%) with dabigatran. The complete and partial recanalization of PVT was observed in 41 patients. There was no significant difference in complete recanalization, partial recanalization, and persistent occlusion between the two groups. With multivariate analysis, D-dimer (HR 1.165, 95% CI 1.036–1.311, p = 0.011) was independent predictors of complete recanalization. The Child–Pugh score (p = 0.001) was significantly improved in both two groups after anticoagulation, respectively. However, there was no difference between the two groups. The probability of survival was 94%, 95% in the rivaroxaban and dabigatran groups (log-rank p = 0.830). Major bleedings were reported in 3 patients (6%) in rivaroxaban group and 1 patient (2%) in dabigatran group (p = 0.646). Six patients (12%) in rivaroxaban group experienced minor bleeding, and five (12%) from dabigatran group (p = 0.691). Conclusions The efficacy and safety were comparable between rivaroxaban and dabigatran in the treatment of cirrhotic patients with acute portal vein thrombosis. And D-dimer can contribute to the prediction of PVT recanalization in cirrhotic patients

A New Smart Grid Control and Operation Concept - Autonomic Power System

As the distributed energy resource (DER) penetrance increasing, future power system will be more large-scale with much complexity and uncertainty. Taking an active approach, active distribution network (ADN) can deal with future complex and uncertain challenges to some extent. However, too much re-lying on information exchange of each layer, ADN will lack global adaptability and stability. To make up for the deficiency, this paper proposes a new smart grid control and operation concept, namely autonomic power system (APS). Based on goal-directed mechanism, APS obtains global self-adaptive management. Meanwhile, under the concept of distributed coordination and autonomic control, autonomic units (AUs) in APS coordinate each other and make their own autonomic operation. APS takes not only an optimally and co-ordinately active control of power system, but also brings more intelligence with characteristics of self-configuration, self-optimization, self-protection and self-healing, i.e. self-management and overall self-adaption. Thus, APS completes real-time dynamic goals and makes the operation of future power system more intelligent, effective, safe and reliable

A New Smart Grid Control and Operation Concept - Autonomic Power System

As the distributed energy resource (DER) penetrance increasing, future power system will be more large-scale with much complexity and uncertainty. Taking an active approach, active distribution network (ADN) can deal with future complex and uncertain challenges to some extent. However, too much re-lying on information exchange of each layer, ADN will lack global adaptability and stability. To make up for the deficiency, this paper proposes a new smart grid control and operation concept, namely autonomic power system (APS). Based on goal-directed mechanism, APS obtains global self-adaptive management. Meanwhile, under the concept of distributed coordination and autonomic control, autonomic units (AUs) in APS coordinate each other and make their own autonomic operation. APS takes not only an optimally and co-ordinately active control of power system, but also brings more intelligence with characteristics of self-configuration, self-optimization, self-protection and self-healing, i.e. self-management and overall self-adaption. Thus, APS completes real-time dynamic goals and makes the operation of future power system more intelligent, effective, safe and reliable