Output Feedback Control for Couple-Group Consensus of Multiagent Systems

This paper deals with the couple-group consensus problem for multiagent systems via output feedback control. Both continuous- and discrete-time cases are considered. The consensus problems are converted into the stability problem of the error systems by the system transformation. We obtain two necessary and sufficient conditions of couple-group consensus in different forms for each case. Two different algorithms are used to design the control gains for continuous- and discrete-time case, respectively. Finally, simulation examples are given to show the effectiveness of the proposed results

A decomposition-based multiobjective evolutionary algorithm with angle-based adaptive penalty

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.A multiobjective evolutionary algorithm based on decomposition (MOEA/D) decomposes a multiobjective optimization problem (MOP) into a number of scalar optimization subproblems and optimizes them in a collaborative manner. In MOEA/D, decomposition mechanisms are used to push the population to approach the Pareto optimal front (POF), while a set of uniformly distributed weight vectors are applied to maintain the diversity of the population. Penalty-based boundary intersection (PBI) is one of the approaches used frequently in decomposition. In PBI, the penalty factor plays a crucial role in balancing convergence and diversity. However, the traditional PBI approach adopts a fixed penalty value, which will significantly degrade the performance of MOEA/D on some MOPs with complicated POFs. This paper proposes an angle-based adaptive penalty (AAP) scheme for MOEA/D, called MOEA/D-AAP, which can dynamically adjust the penalty value for each weight vector during the evolutionary process. Six newly designed benchmark MOPs and an MOP in the wastewater treatment process are used to test the effectiveness of the proposed MOEA/D-AAP. Comparison experiments demonstrate that the AAP scheme can significantly improve the performance of MOEA/D

Research on the Impact of Executive Shareholding on New Investment in Enterprises Based on Multivariable Linear Regression Model

Based on principal-agent theory and optimal contract theory, companies use the method of increasing executives' shareholding to stimulate collaborative innovation. However, from the aspect of agency costs between management and shareholders (i.e. the first type) and between major shareholders and minority shareholders (i.e. the second type), the interests of management, shareholders and creditors will be unbalanced with the change of the marginal utility of executive equity incentives.In order to establish the correlation between the proportion of shares held by executives and investments in corporate innovation, we have chosen a range of publicly listed companies within China's A-share market as the focus of our study. Employing a multi-variable linear regression model, we aim to analyze this relationship thoroughly.The following models were developed: (1) the impact model of executive shareholding on corporate innovation investment; (2) the impact model of executive shareholding on two types of agency costs; (3)The model is employed to examine the mediating influence of the two categories of agency costs. Following both correlation and regression analyses, the findings confirm a meaningful and positive correlation between executives' shareholding and the augmentation of corporate innovation investments. Additionally, the results indicate that executive shareholding contributes to the reduction of the first type of agency cost, thereby fostering corporate innovation investment. However, simultaneously, it leads to an escalation in the second type of agency cost, thus impeding corporate innovation investment.Comment: Accepted by the 7th APWeb-WAIM International Joint Conference on Web and Big Data. (APWeb 2023

Getting the strain under control: Trans-Varestraint tests for hot cracking susceptibility

A new method for conducting Trans-Varestraint tests for assessing hot cracking susceptibility is proposed. Experiments were carried out, to validate the new method, with an industrial scale rig using tungsten inert gas welding. The hot cracking susceptibility of API-5L X65 and EN3B steel was compared. The results indicated that, by using the new method, the strain applied to the welding bead and consequently to the solidification front was controlled in a repeatable and reliable way. The results also indicated that EN3B has a maximum crack length (a parameter in the test) higher than X65 and it is reached at lower augmented strain thus demonstrating it is more susceptible to hot cracking, while also indicating that there is a capability of predicting the initiation position of hot cracks during welding. By using the method proposed, the capability of setting standardized test procedures for Trans-Varestraint tests is improved. It is recommended that future tests for assessing hot cracking susceptibility should employ the proposed method in order for the results to be comparable and to also study the effect of strain rate in hot cracking of materials

Impacts of Modified Fly Ash on Soil Available Lead and Copper and Their Accumulation by Ryegrass

Fly ash (FA) is promising for environmental remediation, but how to modify the FA with high remediation efficiency through an environmentally friendly and low-cost modification method is scare. A modified FA (MFA) was prepared through a one-step hydrothermal modification with Ca(OH)2 and KH2PO4. Results indicated that irregular agglomerates occurred on the surface of the MFA and that the specific surface area increased by 1.94 times compared to that of FA. Compared to FA, glassy compositions in MFA were destroyed and amorphous Si/Al and alkaline aluminosilicate gels were formed. The soil application of 0.2–0.6% MFA significantly increased soil pH by 0.23–0.86 units compared to FA and decreased available lead (Pb) and copper (Cu) by 25–97.1% and 13.5–75%, respectively. MFA significantly decreased exchangeable Pb and Cu by 12.5–32% and 11.4–35.2%, respectively, compared to FA. This may be due to the high pH and specific surface area of MFA, which promoted to the formation of amorphous Si/Al, metal–phosphate precipitation, and complexation with functional groups. In addition, MFA slightly increased the biomass of shoots and roots and decreased the uptake of Pb and Cu by ryegrass. This study provides a new modification method for the utilization of FA in the heavy metal-contaminated soils

Equilibrium, Kinetic, and Thermodynamic Studies on the Adsorption of Cadmium from Aqueous Solution by Modified Biomass Ash

Natural biomass ash of agricultural residuals was collected from a power plant and modified with hexagonal mesoporous silica and functionalized with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane. The physicochemical and morphological properties of the biomass ash were analyzed by ICP-OES, SEM, TEM-EDS, FTIR, and BET analysis. The adsorption behavior of the modified product for Cd2+ in aqueous solution was studied as a function of pH, initial metal concentration, equilibrium time, and temperature. Results showed that the specific surface area of the modified product was 9 times that of the natural biomass ash. The modified biomass ash exhibited high affinity for Cd2+ and its adsorption capacity increased sharply with increasing pH from 4.0 to 6.0. The maximum adsorption capacity was 23.95 mg/g in a pH 5 solution with an initial metal concentration of 50 mg/L and a contact time of 90 min. The adsorption of Cd2+ onto the modified biomass ash was well fitted to the Langmuir model and it followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. Thermodynamic analysis results showed that the adsorption of Cd2+ was spontaneous and endothermic in nature. The results suggest that the modified biomass ash is promising for use as an inexpensive and effective adsorbent for Cd2+ removal from aqueous solution

A Study on the Uniform Distribution and Counting Method of Raw Cow’s Milk Somatic Cells

The somatic cell count (SCC) in raw milk is an important basis for determining whether a cow is suffering from mastitis. To address the problem of an uneven distribution of somatic cells due to cell-adherent sedimentation, among other reasons, during milk sampling, which in turn results in unrepresentative somatic cell counting, a method is proposed for obtaining a uniform distribution of somatic cells and improving the counting accuracy based on a nine-cell grid microfluidic chip. Firstly, a simulation was performed to verify the uniformity of the somatic cell distribution within the chip observation cavities. Secondly, a nine-cell grid microfluidic chip was prepared and a negative-pressure injection system integrating staining and stirring was developed to ensure that the somatic cells were uniformly distributed and free from air contamination during the injection process. As well as the structure of the chip, a microscopic imaging system was developed, and the nine chip observation cavities were photographed. Finally, the somatic cells were counted and the uniformity of the somatic cell distribution was verified using image processing. The experimental results show that the standard deviation coefficient of the SCC in each group of nine images was less than 1.61%. The automatic counting accuracy of the system was between 97.07% and 99.47%. This research method lays the foundation for the detection and prevention of mastitis in cows

Cadmium Isotope Fractionations Induced by Foliar and Root Uptake for Rice Exposed to Atmospheric Particles: Implications for Environmental Source Tracing

Rice roots and leaves were exposed to cadmium (Cd)-contaminated particles in a greenhouse to modify the fractionation during Cd uptake and transport in the plants by using the Bayesian mixing model. The exposure to atmospheric Cd in rice near a copper smelter was determined under the field conditions. The results showed that the leaves directly absorb and accumulate atmospheric Cd in other aboveground tissues by 84–99%. Positive values of Δ114/110CdLeaf–Particle (0.08–0.11‰), Δ114/110CdNode–Leaf (0.77–0.81‰), and Δ114/110CdGrain–Leaf (0.39–0.43‰) following foliar exposure as well as Δ114/110CdRoot–Particle (0.19–0.22‰) and Δ114/110CdGrain–Root (−0.29 to 0.34‰) following root exposure suggested that particles released heavy isotopes. The roots and leaves preferentially retained light isotopes and transported heavy isotopes upward. The Cd isotope fractionations in the plant were constant under both root and foliar exposures at two dosages. The results were used to correct the parameters in the isotope mixing models and to trace the source of atmospheric Cd in rice tissues in the field. Both models of isotope mixing and mass balance suggested 50–63% Cd deposition on the grains. This study provides a theoretical basis for tracing the source of Cd isotopes in plants