Correlated binary data in a 2x2 table has been analyzed from both the frequentist and Bayesian perspectives, but a fully Bayesian hierarchical model has not been proposed. This is a commonly used model for correlated proportions when considering, for example, a diagnostic test performance where negative subjects are tested a second time. We consider a new hierarchical Bayesian model for the parameters resulting from a 2x2 table with a structural zero. We investigate the performance of the hierarchical model via simulation. We then illustrate the usefulness of the model by showing how a set of historical studies can be used to build a predictive distribution for a new study that can be used as a prior distribution for both the rate ratio and marginal probability of a positive test. We then show how the prior based on historical 2x2 tables can be used to power a future study that accounts for pre-experimental uncertainty. High quality prior information can lead to better decision making by improving precision in estimation and by providing realistic numbers to power studies.

Social media platforms have been entirely an undeniable part of the lifestyle for the past decade. Analyzing the information being shared is a crucial step to understanding human behavior. Social media analysis aims to guarantee a better experience for the user and risen user satisfaction. For deriving any further conclusion, first, it is necessary to know how to compare users. In this paper, a hybrid model has been proposed to measure Twitter profiles’ similarity and quantifies the likeness degree of profiles by calculating features considering users’ behavioral habits. For this, first, the timeline of each profile has been extracted using the official TwitterAPI. Then, in parallel, three aspects of a profile are deliberated. Behavioral ratios are time-series-related information showing the consistency and habits of the user. Dynamic time warping has been utilized to compare the behavioral ratios of two profiles. Next, the audience network is extracted for each user, and for estimating the similarity of two sets, Jaccard similarity is used. Finally, for the Content similarity measurement, the tweets are preprocessed respecting the feature extraction method; TF-IDF and DistilBERT for feature extraction are employed and then compared using the cosine similarity method. Results have shown that TF-IDF has slightly better performance; therefore, the more straightforward solution is selected for the model. Similarity level of different profiles. As in the case study, a Random Forest classification model was trained on almost 20000 users revealed a 97.24% accuracy. This comparison enables us to find duplicate profiles with nearly the same behavior and content.

Floods are among the most serious natural disasters worldwide; they cause enormous crop losses every year and threaten world food security. There are many studies focused on flood impact assessments for administrative districts but fewer on postdisaster impact assessments for specific crops. Therefore, this study used remote sensing data, including the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), elevation data, slope data, and rainfall data, combined with crop growing season data to construct a crop flood damage assessment index (CFAI). First, an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was used to assign weights to the impact factors; then, the weighted composite score method was used to calculate the CFAI; and finally, the impact was classified as slight, moderate, or severe based on the magnitude of the CFAI . This method was used for the Missouri River floods of 2019 in the U.S. Due to the lack of measured data, the disaster vegetation damage index (DVDI) was used to validate the results. The combined approach achieved a high degree of consistency in spatial distribution. The CFAI can respond well to the degree of crop impact after flooding, providing new ideas and reference standards for agriculture-related departments.

The susceptible-infected-recovered-vaccinated-deceased (SIRVD) epidemic compartment model extends the SIR model to include the effects of vaccination campaigns and time-dependent fatality rates on epidemic outbreaks. It encompasses the SIR, SIRV, SIRD, and SI models as special cases, with individual time-dependent rates governing transitions between different fractions. We investigate a special class of exact solutions and accurate analytical approximations for the SIRVD and SIRD compartment models. While the SIRVD and SIRD equations pose complex integro-differential equations for the rate of new infections and the fractions as a function of time, a simpler approach considers determining equations for the sum of ratios for given variations. This approach enables us to derive fully exact analytical solutions for the SIRVD and SIRD models. For nonlinear models with a high-dimensional parameter space, such as the SIRVD and SIRD models, analytical solutions, exact or accurately approximative, are of high importance and interest: not only as suitable benchmarks for numerical codes, but especially as they allow us to understand the critical behavior of epidemic outbursts as well as the decisive role of certain parameters. In the second part of our study, we apply a recently developed analytical approximation for the SIR and SIRV models to the more general SIRVD model. This approximation offers accurate analytical expressions for epidemic quantities, such as the rate of new infections and the fraction of infected persons, particularly when the cumulative fraction of infections is small. The distinction between recovered and deceased individuals in the SIRVD model affects the calculation of the death rate, which is proportional to the infected fraction in the SIRVD/SIRD cases but often proportional to the rate of new infections in many SIR models using a posteriori approach. We demonstrate that the temporal dependence of the infected fraction and the rate of new infections differs when considering the effects of vaccinations and when the real-time dependence of fatality and recovery rates diverge. These differences are highlighted for stationary ratios and gradually decreasing fatality rates. \Revised{The case of stationary ratios allows one to construct a new powerful diagnostics method to extract analytically all SIRVD model parameters from measured COVID-19 data of a completed pandemic wave.

One of the most important unresolved mysteries in mathematics is the Riemann Hypothesis, which suggests a fundamental connection between the non-trivial zeros of the Riemann zeta function and the distribution of prime numbers. Here, we explore the fascinating union of trigonometric functions, prime numbers, and the Riemann zeta function through an examination of the zeros in the statement ln(sec(π·n log(n))). We demonstrate a strong mathematical connection between these components, providing information on the mysterious properties of prime numbers and their complex relationships to basic mathematical operations. Our thorough investigation adds to the current discussion of the Riemann Hypothesis by offering possible solutions and deepening our comprehension of the intricate relationship between number theory and analytic functions.

This paper presents a non-perturbative method for solving eigenproblems. This method applies to almost all potentials and provides non-perturbative approximations for any energy level. The method converts an eigenproblem into a perturbation problem, obtains perturbation solutions through standard perturbation theory, and then analytically continues the perturbative solution into a non-perturbative solution.

Using geometric considerations, we provide a clear derivation of the integral representation for the error function, known as the Craig formula. We calculate the corresponding power series expansion and prove the convergence. The same geometric means finally help to systematically derive handy formulas that approximate the inverse error function. Our approach can be used for applications in e.g. high-speed Monte Carlo simulations where this function is used extensively.

As the demand for long-distance flights continues to increase, supersonic transport (SST) has once again become a hot research topic. However, due to its uniqueness, there was few corresponding evaluation methods to compare the supersonic civil aircraft with common subsonic aircraft. This paper proposed an evaluation method for the competitiveness of supersonic civil aircraft based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Key indicators were selected to form a competitiveness evaluation model from the perspective of four criterion factors of economy, comfort, adaptability, and environment. The evaluation method proposed in this paper could reflect characteristics of supersonic civil aircraft and other subsonic aircraft, and effectively compare their competitiveness. This work can be used to evaluate the social acceptance of supersonic civil aircraft and provide reliable decision-making support for airlines' design work.

In this study, a simple approach to solving the Riemann Hypothesis, one of the most prominent unsolved problems in the field of Number Theory in mathematics and one of the “Millenium Prize Problems”, is presented. The Riemann Hypothesis, a conjecture about distribution of prime numbers, has remained unsolved since it was first proposed by German mathematician, Bernhard Riemann in 1859. This paper introduces an analytic continuation of the Zeta Function as well as symmetric approach through integration by parts to address this hypothesis. The proposed solution is obtained through analytical continuation in the critical strip 0<Re(s)<1 to establish that Re(s)=1/2.

In order to accurately identify the external economic situation in China and analyze the situation of economic development in Northeast China, based on the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis framework, this article analyses the economy in Northeast China from the four factors of SWOT. To solve the lack of quantitative analysis in SWOT analysis, this article applies Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to the analysis, and finally forms a complete system framework with the combination of qualitative and quantitative factors, through the analysis of the important degree of various factors and the consistency test, the key factors influencing the economic development in Northeast China are analyzed, and constructive countermeasures are proposed.

In order to maintain the best conditions of the building from the first day of opening, explorations of office buildings in the world investigated the approaches of optimizing the building operation and property facilities, whereas building managers often have trouble prioritizing improvements toward their sustainable objectives. The challenge is due to numerous equipment types in the building, which has various durability in years and represents users’ different feelings of importance and satisfaction. When faced with multiple improvement projects, building managers are often unable to determine the order of implementation.Hence, this research applies the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) using TAIPEI 101 Tower as a case study to explore the key factors affecting tenants’ willingness to lease office buildings by distributing questionnaires to real estate experts. By filtering out key indicators related to property facilities that users care about, this study used Importance and Satisfaction Analysis (IS Analysis) to identify items that need urgent improvement. The research revealed that air conditioning is the top priority for improvement through empirical evaluation and weight ranking. This study hopes to establish an evaluation model for facility improvements to help clarify the prioritization and defeat limited resources to projects effectively, which is helpful for sustainable property management.

Consumer behavior is unpredictable. The accelerated pace of life and daily changes in the desires and preferences of each individual require significant marketing efforts to fulfill needs. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has created significant disruptions in the market to which consumers have responded in a specific way. Our previous research on this topic [11], which included an analysis of various factors that influence consumer habits, was the basis for a new, more detailed analysis of the impact on individual consumption. The results of our previous research set psy-chological influence as a significant factor in consumer behavior. That is the main reason we put the impact of COVID-19 at the center of this research. The analysis was conducted on an existing sample of 559 respondents in the Republic of Croatia. The data obtained by the questionnaire were used to develop a hierarchical model. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is a model based on deci-sion-making and was used to rank individual influences on consumer behavior due to the COVID-19 pandemic. These influences have had a significant impact on consumer buying habits.

The geological and hydrological conditions of tunnels near reservoirs are complex, and the impact of water level changes on the stability and leakage assessment of the lining structure is not considered in the current leakage evaluation. In order to construct an evaluation model for leakage level of tunnels near reservoirs, the influence of water level changes on tunnel stability and changes in environmental conditions on the leakage of tunnels were researched. Based on the AHP and extensibility theory, a hierarchical system for leakage assessment, incorporating values from nine indexes representing three aspects: geological conditions, hydrological conditions, and tunnel engineering. Numerical simulation was used to analyze the influence of water level changes. It was found that the water level change index greatly influences the displacement and stress distribution inside the tunnel structure. The leakage evaluation model was applied to the Tiebeishan Tunnel, resulting in a rating of 3, indicating medium-level leakage. Attention should be paid to water leakage in tunnels with changes in reservoir water levels. The leakage evaluation model for tunnels near reservoirs can effectively assess leakage levels under various conditions, providing a reference for safety assessments of tunnel leakage near reservoirs.

Genome-based testing in oncology is a rapidly expanding area of health care which is the basis of the emerging area of precision medicine. Efficient and considered adoption of novel genomic medicine testing is hampered in Canada by the fragmented nature of health care oversight as well as by lack of clear and transparent processes to support rapid evaluation, assessment and implementation of genomic tests. This article provides an overview of some key barriers and proposes approaches to addressing these challenges as a potential pathway to developing a national approach to genomic medicine in oncology.

Fires are the leading cause of death, serious injury and property damage. In the past, schools, temples and government offices had more frequent fires than they should. Statistics showed that the number of fires between 2017 to 2022 amounted 13,593 cases which mostly occurred in the school, temple and government offices (40.0% of all buildings). Moreover, it causes more damage among disabled especially the blinds who has a limited vision. Therefore, this cross-sectional purpose of this study was to assess fire risk including management model in school for the blind. The fire checklists, brainstorming and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) were applied to estimate the fire risk in school for the blind building. The findings revealed an inherent fire hazard factors with a risk score equal to 3.2830 and evacuation factors with a risk score equal to 3.3178 were acceptable risk except the fire control factors with a risk score equal to 1.4320 was unacceptable risk may cause an impact on life, health, property and public communities. Eventually, efforts should be made to supervise those risk factors by designing suitable activities to reduce undesirable conditions in school for the blind.

Environmental degradation is one of the most visible problems in Hargeisa. Currently, solid waste is disposed of at two dumping sites within the city limits causing nuisance and unsanitary conditions. Moreover, the existing dumpsites are on the verge of closure, therefore necessitating a dire need to be addressed. This research paper is aimed to integrate multicriteria decision analysis and GIS for evaluating the site suitability for the landfill in Hargeisa, Somaliland. For this purpose, eleven significant parameters were selected: proximity from built-up areas, surface water, groundwater well points, sensitive sites (Airports), land use/land cover, geology, soil type, elevation, slopes, roads, and distance to existing dumpsites. These were then integrated using an analytical hierarchy process (AHP). Subsequently, restriction buffer analysis was performed on the seven parameters to obtain better and more accurate results, and restricted zones were omitted. Furthermore, the pair-wise comparison used to obtain priorities between the selected criteria showed that the land uses land cover is the most significant criterion in the model with a relative weight of 0.1829, followed by the habitations, 0.1506. The overall result reveals that about 68.96% (21060.9 ha) of the study area is unsuitable, while 24.36% (7441.53 ha) and 6.68% accounted for the less and highly appropriate zone, respectively. Following the results of this study, Hargeisa City's municipal council must reconsider the waste management and landfill sites to solve the problems observed in the area before it is overdue. Furthermore, this systematic research approach will assist regional and global researchers, policymakers, and municipal governments.

The report [1] shows that in many European cities the sewer system is older than 40 years, potentially reducing their ability to cope with more intense pluvial flooding [2] addition to climate change, urbanization is an important factor increasing the flooding risk, as it increases of impervious surfaces. Flash floods are particularly troublesome, causing not only the overloading of drainage systems [3], but also urban transport disruption, affecting human health, and contributing to pollution due to untreated sewage discharges [4]. Pluvial floods in urban areas are caused by short-duration precipitation, high intensity and on small scale. Such rainfall is difficult to predict and does not always apply to catchment areas. In Poland, heavy rainfall lasts relatively short, from a few minutes to a few, at most, several hours [5]. The method of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to rank the importance of criteria characterizing exposure in urban areas. The ranking is based on expert judgements. The article focuses on exposure which is one of the components of risk. Geographical Information System (GIS) is integrated with Multicriteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) to evaluate exposure of urban area on pluvial floods.

The formulation and analytic solution of a new mathematical model with constitutive curvature for analysis of tunnel ventilation shaft wall is proposed. Based on the Mindlin-Reissner theory for thick shells, this model also takes into account the shell constitutive curvature and considers an expression of the shear correction factor variable (αn) in terms of the thickness (h) and the radius of curvature (R). The main advantage of the proposed model is that it has the possibility to analyze thin, medium and thick tunnel ventilation shafts. As a result, two comparisons were made: the first one, between the new model and the Mindlin-Reissner model without constitutive curvature with the shear correction factor (α_n=6/5) as a constant, and the other, between the new model and the tridimensional numerical models (solids and shells) obtained by finite element method for different slenderness ratios (h/R). The limitation of the proposed model is that it is to be formulated for a general linear-elastic and axial-symmetrical state with continuous distribution of the mass.

Recently, with the rapid advancement of the 4th Industrial Revolution, there has been a continuous outlook that Data (D), Network (N), and Artificial Intelligence (A) should be heavily utilized as resources in light of new value. South Korea is preparing policy training plans the likes of 5G network enhancement, AI manpower training, and data openings, etc., recognizing DNA technology as the key driving force behind the 4th Industrial Revolution and 5G network enhancement, AI manpower training, and data opening, etc. However, there is a criticism that the DNA industry remains in an early stage. Despite policy support within South Korea, the DNA industry has not been revitalized due to various causes, and in particular, not being concentrated on limited resources selectively is also pointed to as an important cause. this study would quantitatively draw the priority of policy measures as well as propose policy implications for the revitalization of the DNA industry by means of the ISM-ANP model. It is judged that South Korea’s experience in this way will be an important lesson for other countries which would politically promote the DNA industry as a new growth engine within the 4th Industrial Revolution environment.

The purpose of the present paper is to introduce and investigate new subclasses of analytic function class of bi univalent function defined in open unit disk connected with a linear q-convolution operator, which are associated with the quasi-subordination. We find coefficients estimate |h_2 |,|h_3 | for functions in these subclasses. Several known and new consequences of these results are also pointed out.

The aim of this study was to determine the technical potential of the Polish Exclusive Economic Zone and to identify potential areas for offshore wind development. The paper proposes a GIS-based methodology in which a unique set of constraint-related criteria was employed to select the bests sites. These criteria included wind velocity, water depth, distance from nature conser-vation areas, distance from submarine cables and gas pipelines, distance from shipping routes, distance from fishing areas, distance from shipwrecks, distance from coastline. The Analytic Hi-erarchy Process was employed to indicate the best locations. Accordingly, the total suitable marine area of 16218.67 square kilometers was divided into three parts, in which the highly suitable area accounted for 17.55%, the moderately suitable area was 48.56%, and the marginally suitable area was 10.26%. Two different spatial configurations for the deployment of individual wind turbines were considered to assess the offshore wind potential. First configuration could accommodate 3664 turbines with overall electrical capacity equal to 54.96 GW, whereas the second one 2347 turbines with overall electrical capacity equal to 35.2 GW. The technical potential only in highly suitable areas was equal to 15.24 GW and 9.15 GW, respectively. The results were presented in the form of maps over the domain covering with spatial resolution of 1 km x 1 km.

Some researchers in Taiwan argue that the current mechanism by which government subsidies are allocated for smart city demonstration projects warrants improvement. A comprehensive literature review determined that the development potential of smart cities should be prioritized in site selection for such demonstration projects. This study developed an evaluation framework on the basis of multi-criteria evaluation methods to enable the identification of suitable smart community demonstration sites. Evaluation criteria were first identified through the Delphi method. Next, the weights of each criterion were derived through the analytic hierarchy process. Furthermore, the capability of the proposed evaluation model was determined through simulation testing.

In this paper, we introduce two subclasses of analytic and Spirallike functions and investigate convolution properties, the necessary and sufficient condition, coefficient estimates and inclusion properties for these classes .

In this paper, we investigate a new subclass of univalent functions defined by a generalized differential operator, and obtain some interesting properties of functions belonging to the class R^m λµ ( α, β, γ, υ ).

According to the characteristics of the sustainable development of subway traffic, the establishment process of an evaluation index system is determined, and the evaluation method and basis are defined. The evaluation index system is established from the aspects of subway traffic sustainability, economic sustainability and urban coordination sustainability. The comprehensive evaluation method of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model is used to calculate the weights of comprehensive evaluation indexes at each level. Finally, the sustainable development model of Shijiazhuang subway traffic is evaluated. The results show that the proposed evaluation system and model reflect the degree of sustainable development of subway traffic and can be used for reference in the evaluation of regional subway traffic sustainable development.

It is a significant task to assess the safety of the aging offshore jacket platform in order to extend the service life. This paper analyzes the multiple risk factors of an aging jacket platform in Bohai Bay, China and builds the safety evaluation index system, which includes three levels, namely, the target layer, the first-grade indicators layer and the second-grade indicators layer. The target layer consists of three first-grade indicators: ocean environments, structure status, and human and organizational factors. Each first-grade indicator is divided into three second-grade indicators. The weight of each indicator is calculated by analytic hierarchy process to weaken subjective effect. Grey clustering method is applied to estimate the failure risk of the platform in Bohai Bay qualitatively and quantitatively. The assessment standard is divided into five grades and the whitening function of each grey cluster is determined by the assessment scheme. The grey evaluation weight vector of each second-grade indicator is calculated by the table dispatching method. Through layer by layer calculation, the grey assessment value of the target layer is finally estimated by making the grey assessment weight vector single-value and the grey grade is determined according to the maximum principle. The evaluation results show quantitatively that the failure risk grade of the jacket platform in Bohai Bay is medium and the safety assessment method is reasonable and feasible.

A comprehensive evaluation system of rural building energy consumption from the innovative composite perspective was established, which was suitable for southwest of China. The index system was established by Brainstorming method and Delphi method, the weights of the comprehensive evaluation model were calculated by Network Process (ANP) method, the scoring criteria of all evaluation indexes were leveld based on fuzzy evaluation theory. The system model was verified by case analysis, at the countryside around Chengdu Second Circle. With the highest weight, lowest comprehensive score, and broadest range of comprehensive scores taken into consideration, three key factors affecting the target layer, namely "Percentage of Clean Energy Use", "Thermal Performance of Exterior Walls", and "Implementation Rate of Energy saving Measures". The distribution of comprehensive indicators and evaluation factors has certain spatial distribution characteristics, and the overall spatial distribution shows a characteristic of "high in the southeast and low in the northwest". Finally, Based on key factors and regional distribution characteristics, energy-saving measures have been proposed from three aspects: increasing sunrooms, adding wall insulation layers, and standardizing air conditioning temperature settings.

A comprehensive evaluation system of rural building energy consumption from a innovative composite perspective is established, which is suitable for southwest China. the brainstorming method and Delphi method were used to establish the indicator system, the ANP method was applied to calculate the weights of the comprehensive evaluation model, the scoring criteria of all evaluation indexes are constructed based on fuzzy evaluation theory, the applicability of the model is verified by an example of the countryside around Chengdu. The results showed that the score of some factors is low, whole or part area, just like the percentage of clean energy use(C24), the thermal performance of external walls(E21), the implementation of energy-saving measures(S22), were key factors affecting the target level, which has greater potential for improvement. The distribution of comprehensive indicators and evaluation factors have certain spatial distribution characteristics, the overall spatial distribution shows the characterwastic of "high in the southeast and low in the northwest". The key factors and spatial distribution characteristics found can be used as an important basis for the improvement of green energy-saving promotion measures, energy-saving retrofit programmes were proposed in terms of additional solar room, energy-saving of external walls and air-conditioning temperature setting guidance.

Climate warming profoundly affect vegetative growth, flowering phenology and sexual reproduction of plants, therefore the ornamental value of wild flowers. Despite this, the extent and mechanism of the impact remain unclear. Here, we conducted warming experiment for two growing seasons (1.89 ℃ in 2017 and 2.37 ℃ in 2018 increases) with infrared heaters to examine the effects of warming on ornamental value of wild flower I. oxyanthera, endemic to China, in Mount Emei. We fitted generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) and generalized linear model (GLM) to examine how warming affected plant morphology and floral traits. We evaluated comprehensive ornamental value based on plant morphology and flowering characteristics using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and disentangled the impact of the two traits on ornamental value using principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) under the ambient and warming treatments. Warming decreased significantly plant height and crown width, while increased branch number and single leaf area. Warming also decreased vexillum length, corolla tube length, nectar spur length and pedicel length. In addition, warming shortened flowering duration per plant and reduced flower number, while there was no significant effect on flower longevity, flower color at full-bloom stage between the control and warming treatment. Therefore, comprehensive ornamental value under warming was lower than that under the control. Pedicel length, flower color, flower longevity and flowering duration per plant were the main factors of affecting comprehensive ornamental value. PLS-SEM showed that warming had an indirect negative effect on ornamental value via direct negative effects on flowering traits. Collectively, these results indicate that although promoting vegetative growth, short-term warming decreased significantly ornamental value of I. oxyanthera due to warming-caused smaller flowers and shorter flowering duration.

The purpose of this paper is to find the time optimal control to a target set for semilinear stochastic functional differential equations involving time delays or memories under general conditions on a target set and nonlinear terms even though the equations contain unbounded principal operators. Our research approach is construct a fundamental solution for corresponding linear systems and establish variations of constant formula of solutions for given stochastic equations. The existence result of time optimal controls for one point target set governed by the given semilinear stochastic equation is also established.

This paper presents a steady-state and transient heat conduction analysis framework using the polygonal scaled boundary finite element method (PSBFEM) with polygon/quadtree meshes. The PSBFEM is implemented with commercial finite element code Abaqus by the User Element Subroutine (UEL) feature. The detailed implementation of the framework, defining the UEL element, and solving the stiffness/mass matrix by the eigenvalue decomposition are presented. Several benchmark problems from heat conduction are solved to validate the proposed implementation. Results show that the PSBFEM is reliable and accurate for solving heat conduction problems. Not only can the proposed implementation help engineering practitioners analyze the heat conduction problem using polygonal mesh in Abaqus, but it also provides a reference for developing the UEL to solve other problems using the scaled boundary finite element method.

In the existing group decision-making fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) methods, the consensus among experts has rarely been fully reached. To fill this gap, in this study, a pre-aggregation fuzzy collaborative intelligence (FCI)-based FAHP approach is proposed. In the proposed pre-aggregation FCI-based FAHP approach, fuzzy intersection is applied to aggregate experts’ pairwise comparison results if these pairwise comparison results overlap. The aggregation result is a matrix of polygonal fuzzy numbers. Subsequently, alpha-cut operations are applied to derive the fuzzy priorities of criteria from the aggregation result. The pre-aggregation FCI-based FAHP approach has been applied to select suitable alternative suppliers for a wafer foundry in Taiwan amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The experimental results revealed that the pre-aggregation FCI-based FAHP approach significantly reduced the uncertainty inherent in the decision-making process by deriving fuzzy priorities with very narrow ranges.

Based on the composite perspective of environment-building-resource(EBR), influencing factors of the greenness of rural buildings were sorted out by brainstorming and expert consultation, an innovative comprehensive evaluation system was constructed and the weight ofthe impact factors were calculated by fuzzy analytic network process(FANP). The EBR greenness comprehensive scoring standards of each influence factor were established by means of questionnaire, field measurement and numerical simulation. As a typical representative of human populated areas in southwest China, 13 villages in the second circle of Chengdu were selected as case study areas by means of the regional average distribution theory and minimum sampling criteria. Innovative combination of obstacle degree model and spatial interpolation analysis, the key factors affecting the greening of rural buildings were diagnosed. The results showed that, indoor thermal environment(E21), indoor light environment(E22), popularity of biogas facilities (R12), green building material usage(R13) have a significant impact on the EBR greenness score. The EBR score of study area shows a spatial distribution pattern of high in the west and low in the east, with extremely uneven scores in various dimensions. According to the key factors obtained from the systematic evaluation, the refined exploration of promotion strategies and measures was carried out, the greenness improvement suggestion was put forward.

Abstract: As more and more numerical and analytical solutions to the linear neutron transport equation become available, verification of numerical results is increasingly important. This presentation concerns the development of another benchmark for the linear neutron transport equation. There are numerous ways of solving the transport equation, such as the Wiener-Hopf method based on analyticity, method of singular eigenfunctions, Laplace and Fourier transforms and analytical discrete ordinates, which is arguably one of the most straightforward, to name a few. Another potential method is the PN method, where the solution is expanded in terms of full range orthogonal Legendre polynomials and with orthogonality and truncation, the moments form a set of second order ODEs. Because of the half-range boundary conditions for incoming particles however, full range Legendre expansions are inaccurate near material discontinuities. For this reason, a double PN (DPN) expansion is more appropriate, where the incoming and exit-ing flux distributions are expanded separately to preserve the discontinuity at material interfaces. Here, a new method of solution for the DPN equations is proposed and demonstrated for an iso-tropically scattering medium.

In Taiwan, remote healthcare was initially limited to telemedicine services, and the systematic development of remote care was relatively delayed. It was not until 2007 that the Department of Health of the Executive Yuan first initiated the 'Remote Care Pilot Program,' followed by the 'Remote Care Service Improvement and Quality Enhancement Plan' in the subsequent year. In 2010, Taiwan officially launched the 'Remote Health Care Services Development Plan' and established a dedicated project office, marking the comprehensive start-up of remote care services. This stage saw significant contributions from artificial intelligence aids and ICT remote transmission technologies, greatly promoting the application of smart healthcare in home care. This study aims to explore the strategic gaps in the application of smart healthcare in home remote care. By analyzing gaps in 'legal regulations,' 'economic factors,' 'user behavior habits,' 'policy and culture,' and 'environment and technology,' this study employs a mixed-methods approach. Particularly, it uses the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to construct a weighted ranking of these strategic gaps. Through in-depth interviews with doctors and smart healthcare experts and the collection of 16 valid AHP questionnaire samples, which cover both industry and academia with a balanced distribution, the survey results are ensured to be representative and reliable. The findings indicate that 'legal regulations' are considered the most critical strategic gap that needs to be addressed first, followed by 'user behavior habits.' This suggests that when designing smart healthcare applications, greater consideration needs to be given to user acceptance and habits. By systematically analyzing and addressing these strategic gaps, this study not only provides solutions to issues in the application of smart healthcare in home remote care but also offers valuable references for future research and practice, aiming to make home remote care services more comprehensive and efficient.

The South Asian economy is on the rise but struggling with power shortages and heavy dependence on fossil fuels. For sustained growth, there is a need for access to readily available energy sources, such as electricity. Trading clean electrical energy among neighbouring countries can ensure access to readily available points. South Asia has a diverse range of energy sources, including hydropower, that are available in the region. However, sectorial barriers can impede energy trading. This study has attempted to assess the readiness and barriers to Nepal’s cross-border energy trade with India and Bangladesh using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). This study also recommends possible measures to strengthen preparedness and address the challenges in energy trade that can be tailored and applied to other cross-country situations.

Abstract: Wildfires in forest ecosystems exert substantial ecological, economic, and social impacts. The effectiveness of fire management hinges on precise pre‐fire risk assessments to inform mitigation efforts. This study aims to investigate the relationship between predictions from pre‐fire risk assessments and outcomes observed through post‐fire burn severity analyses. In this study, forest fire risk was assessed with the Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process, in which fire behavior factors were used as input. The degree of burn was determined using the Random Forest method using 11519 training points and 400 test points on Sentinel‐2 satellite images in three different classes. According to the results obtained from 266 selected test points located within the forest boundaries, all primary factors showed an increased effect in areas with high burn severity. Climate, in particular, emerged as the most influential factor, accounting for 52% of the overall impact. However, in cases of high fire severity, climate proved to be the most effective risk factor, ac‐counting for 67%. It followed by topography with 50% accuracy at high fire intensity. In the risk assessment is based on the FAHP method, climate was assigned the highest weight value among other factors with 32.2%. Topography emerged as the second most effective risk factor with 27 %. To evaluate the results more comprehensively both visually and statistically, two regions with different stand canopy characteristics were selected within the study area. While high burn severity had the highest accuracy in Case 1 area, moderate burn severity had the highest in Case 2 area. During the days when the fire continued, the direction of spread was obtained from MODIS images. In this way, the fire severity depending on the direction of fire progression was also interpreted. Through an analysis of various case studies and existing literature, the research underscores both the strengths and limitations inherent in predicting forest fire behavior‐based pre‐fire risk assessments. Furthermore, it emphasizes the necessity of continuous improvement to increase the success of forest fire management.

This work aims to produce a cartographic model that identifies areas with a greater probability of finding karstic caves - the endokarst potential - in the northern sector of Santo António Plateau (Estremadura Limestone Massif, Central Portugal). Geological, topographic, hydrogeological, and vegetation cover data were collected, processed, and integrated into a spatial database using a geographic information system (GIS). The location of known cave entrances in the study area was also identified from the records of local public institutions and speleological teams. Four conditioning factors were extracted from the collected data, including lithostratigraphic units, fracture density, relief energy, and land cover. In a multi-criteria decision-making analysis framework, each previously chosen conditioning factor and respective classes/categories were weighted using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). With an agreement of 81.9%, the results of the cartographic model constructed in GIS seem to be promising, considering that the entrances of the known caves are mainly located in areas classified as having high to very high endokarst potential. This prototype of the endokarst potential map for the study area can be used in strategic and operational environmental planning (at least on a local scale), as it can assist decision-makers, competent authorities, and local speleological teams in a more accurate and thoughtful definition of the areas that should be investigated, providing a substantial reduction in times and costs field prospecting.

Call set up success rate (CSSR) in a mobile network is an important quality parameter, which directly influences overall key performance indicators (KPIs) of the network service providers. Network KPIs especially the CSSR is the fraction of the attempts to make a call that result in a successful connection to the dialled number. Nevertheless, all call attempts do not end with a connection to the dialled number. In this research, six sigma methodology is applied to improve the call quality of a legacy mobile network and subsequently to boost comprehensive CSSR of a telecom service provider. This research elucidates an empirical study of improving overall CSSR by employing DMAIC methodology consisting of five stages, e.g. Define, Measure, Analysis, Improve and Control. In addition, analytic hierarchy process (AHP) technique is used for determining the vital causes out of all the identified network parameters affecting overall CSSR. Furthermore, the identified vital parameters are being upgraded in order to improve the overall CSSR and finally the system achieved a higher CSSR.

In this article, author performs computational analysis for the generalized zeta functions by using computational software Mathematica. To achieve the purpose recently obtained difference equations are used. These difference equations have a computational power to compute these functions accurately while they can not be computed by using their known integral represenations. Several authors investigated such functions and their analytic properties, but no work has been reported to study the graphical representations and zeors of these functions. Author performs numerical computations to evaluate these functions for different values of the involved parameters. Taylor series expansions are also presented in this research.

Forestry and the wood-based sector, including the wood industry, which is an important element of economic systems and a source of budget revenues for many countries in the world, found itself in the first quarter of 2020 in a situation of a serious threat of a prolonged crisis as a consequence of the pandemic. In this perspective, it is necessary to review existing sector strategies and look for new solutions to ensure first survival, then functioning and finally development of entities forming the wood market. In the scientific research, which is the subject of this work, an attempt was made to multi-criteria analysis of the selection of the optimal anti-crisis strategy for actors from forestry and the wood-based sector in the face of a pandemic. Preparatory studies were conducted on the example of Poland, where both forestry and the wood industry belong to the dominant sectors of the economy, conducting them at the turn of March and April 2020. The research was referred to the primary wood raw material market in Poland, which is the main link in the value chain, created first by the dominant owner: Państwowe Gospodarstwo Leśne "Lasy Państwowe" - the “State Forests” National Forest Holding (SFNFH), and then forest service entrepreneurs, to entities representing the wood industry. The work uses a concept modified for the purposes of the author's research scenario, based on the method of multi-criteria hierarchical analysis AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process). The best possible decision was to be searched that would allow the selection of the optimal anti-crisis strategy for enterprises - actors of the sector concerned. Based on the collected results and their expert discussion, recommendations for sectoral policy for forestry and the wood-based sector were then formulated. The proposed solutions are located against the background of a dispute between the concept of institutional intervention and a model taking into account the effects of market factors. The work is both cognitive (optimization and adaptation of the research method) and practical up-to-date. An accurate development strategy for forestry and the wood-based sector is urgently needed and necessary to implement as quickly as possible.

Unsupported sleepers or void zones in ballasted tracks are one of the most recent and frequent track failures. The void failures have the property of intensive development that, without timely maintenance measures, can cause the appearance of cost-expensive local instabilities like subgrade damages. The reason of the intensive void development lies in the mechanics of the sleeper and ballast bed interaction. The particularity of the interaction is a dynamic impact that occur due to void closure. Additionally, void zones cause inhomogeneous ballast pressure distribution between the void zone and fully supported neighbour zones. The present paper is devoted studying the mechanism of the sleeper-ballast dynamic impact in the void zone. The results of experimental in-situ measurements of rail deflections showed the significant impact accelerations in the zone even for light-weight slow vehicles. A simple 3-beam numerical model of track and rolling stock interaction has shown the similar to the experimental measurements dynamic interaction. Moreover, the model shows that the sleeper accelerations are more than 3 times higher than the corresponding wheel accelerations and the impact point appear before the wheel enters the impact point. The analysis of ballast loadings shows the specific impact behaviour in combination with the quasistatic part that is different for void and neighbour zones, which are characterised with high ballast pre-stressed conditions. The analysis of void sizes influence demonstrate that the impact loadings, wheel and sleeper maximal accelerations appear at certain void depth after which the values decrease. The ballast quasistatic loading analysis indicates more than twice increase of the ballast loading in neighbour zones for long voids and almost full quasistatic unloading for short length voids. However, the used imitation model cannot explain the nature of the dynamic impact. The mechanism of the void impact is clearly explained by the analytic solution using a simple clamped beam. A simplified analytical expression of the void impact velocity shows that it is linearly related to the wheel speed and loading. The comparison to the numerically simulated impact velocities shows a good agreement and the existence of the void depth with the maximal impact. An estimation of the long-term influences for the cases of normal sleeper loading, high ballast pre-stress and quasistatic loading in the neighbour zones and high impact inside the void are performed.

Balancing the efficiency and robustness of food systems is a well-known trade-off process. Over-optimization of efficiency may lead to excessive use of resources. On the other hand, under-optimization of efficiency may lead to excessive waste of resources. Using non-parametric methods can help in developing actionable frameworks through which decision-makers and stakeholders can effectively balance and improve food systems' efficiency and robustness. Under this context, this paper presents a new structured approach integrating two well-suited non-parametric methods for analyzing and balancing the interconnection between the efficiency and robustness of food systems. This approach consists of three main steps. First, the slacks-based data envelopment analysis (SBM-DEA) is utilized to analyze the efficiency of five food robustness dimensions. Second, the weighted efficiency of these dimensions is computed and analyzed to provide an insight into their influence on the food system efficiency. Finally, two search methods were developed to identify opportunities for improving efficiency and robustness. The outcomes of these methods have been analyzed and validated to ensure their effectiveness and viability. The operational and mathematical properties of the proposed approach were evaluated using data from thirty-seven food-producing countries. The weights of the robustness dimensions in this study were determined using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method. The input matrix of the AHP was constructed using expert judgment and consultations with stakeholders. The results of this study have shown an appropriate level of applicability and effectiveness of the proposed approach. While the first search method provided valuable insights, the second method proved to be more effective in identifying the sources of inefficacy of robustness dimensions. Several conclusions have been drawn and reported with some recommendations for future research works.

This study delves into the realm of heuristic evaluation within usability testing, focusing on refining and applying a tailored algorithm that simplifies the implementation of the Analytic Hierarchy Process for heuristic prioritization. Addressing the prevalent challenge of disparate evaluation methodologies and the absence of a standardized process in usability testing, our research introduces a novel method that leverages the Analytic Hierarchy Process alongside a bespoke algorithm. This algorithm utilizes transitive properties for pairwise comparisons, significantly reducing the evaluative workload. This innovative approach facilitates the estimation of heuristic relevance irrespective of the number of items per heuristic or the item scale and streamlines the overall evaluation process. In addition to rigorous simulation testing of the tailored algorithm, we applied our method in a practical scenario, engaging seven usability experts in evaluating a web interface. This empirical application underscored our method’s capacity to diminish the requisite comparison count and spotlight areas of improvement for critically weighted yet underperforming heuristics. The outcomes of this study underscore the efficacy of our approach in enhancing the efficiency and organization of heuristic evaluations, paving the way for more structured and effective usability testing methodologies in future research endeavors.

Real and complex analytic functions are largely studied in the field of complex analysis and are seen as very useful tools in solving problems in mathematics, physics and engineering. Real and complex numbers are a subset of semi-structured complex numbers (a new number set created to algebraically solve division by zero). Nevertheless, the properties of analytic functions made up of semi-structured complex variables (called semi-structured complex analytic functions) is yet to be explored. This limits the range of possible problems that can be resolved using analytic functions). In this regard, the aim of this paper was to expound upon the properties of semi-structured complex analytic functions and show their application in solving engineering problems. The results of this paper included (1) developing a full set of Cauchy–Riemann Equations for the semi-structured complex -space; (2) define sufficient and necessary conditions for a semi-structured complex function to be analytic; (3) determine the relationship between semi-structured complex analytic functions, Laplace’s Equations and Poisson’s Equations; and (5) provide an example of the use of these functions.

In this study, we introduce a new class of bi-univalent functions using q-Janowski Function. We derive the Fekete-Szegö functional problems for functions in this new subclass, as well as estimates for the Taylor-Maclaurin coefficients |α2| and |α3|. Furthermore, a collection of fresh outcomes are3 presented by customizing the parameters employed in our initial discoveries.

Citizen participation has always been of vital importance in decision-making processes and, likewise, joint work in the formulation and execution of projects that respond to territorial needs. This in order to ensure the best impact of public or private investment, optimizing the result and community articulation. For this reason, this investigation proposes a methodology of evaluation and prioritization of projects based on an approach integrated between the modelling in dynamics systems (SDM) and the Analytical process network (ANP), in which the citizen factors are used as qualitative and quantitative variables inside the posed balance sheet model. This is how the model developed by the Stella Architect software, it offers to the decision makers approximate information about the reality of the community, especially those who were affected by the Colombian conflict and where the expectations of a comprehensive repair could disrupt the socioeconomic system and reveal more pressing interests than those of the central government. The methodology is described by the information gotten through the participatory workshops done in the California county that belongs to the Magdalena region, this is a very affected region by the conflict in Colombia. The investigation results confirm the useful of, first of all, the use of the modelling as an information-generating tool by allowing the simulation of relevant variables in the evaluation and prioritization of projects at different moments of time and, in second place, use the knowledge of the experts that expose the ANP method for establishing the importance of each variable compared with other variables and, likewise of each project compared to the rest of the alternatives in each of the different instants of time in which the evaluation is carried out, given that the results could change in any time, the official ranking is showed after an optimization process with partial results.

In this paper we investigate analytic automorphisms of complex topological vector spaces and their applications to linear and nonlinear transitive operators. We constructed some examples of polynomial automorphisms which show that a natural analogue of the Jacobian Conjecture for infinite dimensional spaces is not true. Also, we prove that any separable Fréchet space supports a transitive analytic operator which is not a polynomial. We found some connections of analytic automorphisms and algebraic bases of symmetric polynomials and applications to hypercyclisity of composition operators.

This note first summarizes the history of the manuscript "On a Continuum Model for Avalanche Flow and Its Simplified Variants" by Grigorian and Ostroumov―published in the Special Issue on snow avalanche dynamics of Geosciences―since the early 1990s and explains the guiding principles in editing it for publication. The changes are then detailed and some explanatory notes given for the benefit of readers who are not familiar with the early Russian work on snow avalanche dynamics. Finally, the editor's personal views as to why he still considers this paper of relevance for avalanche dynamics research today are presented in brief essays on key aspects of the paper, namely the role of simple and complex models in avalanche research and mitigation work, the status and possible applications of Grigorian's stress-limited friction law, and non-monotonicity of the dynamics of the Grigorian–Ostroumov model in the friction coefficient. A comparison of the erosion model proposed by those authors with two other models suggests to enhance it with an additional equation for the balance of tangential momentum across the shock front. A preliminary analysis indicates that continuous scouring entrainment is possible only in a restricted parameter range and that there is a second erosion regime with delayed entrainment.

As most Korean OTT subscribers use mobile devices as their primary medium for watching OTT video content, mobile network traffic is soaring. However, the existing build-out of mobile communication technology – such as deploying more base stations or expanding the network bandwidth – is struggling to keep pace with the enormous increased demands of mobile network traffic. Accordingly, wireless device-to-device (D2D) caching networks are considered one of the most reliable alternatives for reducing the overload from mobile network traffic caused by streaming video content online. However, wireless D2D caching networks have pros and cons, like any other technology. Thus, this study aims to examine the practical decision-making process of mobile OTT service users in response to the application of wireless D2D caching networks on their mobile devices. An online survey of 94 respondents was conducted in South Korea during 19–23 May 2022; the data obtained were analyzed using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) approach. The study finds that it was the risks, rather than the situational conditions and benefits, that mostly affected mobile OTT service users’ behavioral intentions and strategies. Streaming video content using mobile data or Wi-Fi was perceived as the most viable option. Mobile OTT service users were also willing to take the leap of shifts towards downloading video content in advance rather than adopting wireless D2D caching networks on a mobile device. However, mobile OTT service users’ decisions are heavily dependent on situational conditions related to use of mobile OTT services that make the quality of service consumption different. As one of the first to examine the responses of mobile OTT service users, this study provides meaningful implications for a timely and sensitive issue.

This paper considers the solution of the equations for ruin probabilities in infinite continuous time. Using the Fourier Transform and certain results from the theory of complex functions, these solutions are obtained as com- plex integrals in a form which may be evaluated numerically by means of the inverse Fourier Transform. In addition the relationship between the re- sults obtained for the continuous time cases, and those in the literature, are compared. Closed form ruin probabilities for the heavy tailed distributions: mixed exponential; Gamma (including Erlang); Lognormal; Weillbull; and Pareto, are derived as a result (or computed to any degree of accuracy, and without the use of simulations).

In the paper, the authors express the Fuss–Catalan numbers as several forms in terms of the Catalan–Qi function, find some analytic properties, including the monotonicity, logarithmic convexity, complete monotonicity, and minimality, of the Fuss–Catalan numbers, and derive a double inequality for bounding the Fuss–Catalan numbers.

The introduction of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ship (MASS) through the development of autonomous navigation technologies is expected to bring about new technologies, new vessel types, and new job roles such as remote operation center (ROC) and remote operator (RO). The MASS Code are currently being discussed through Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) of International Maritime Organization (IMO). This code is expected to be adopted in the form of non-mandatory guidelines until 2025, with the goal of establishing mandatory requirements by 2028. Additionally, revisions to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW) related to crew training and qualifications are planned for adoption by 2027, which will include requirements for MASS operators. This paper aims to examine the fundamental competencies required for safe MASS operation by remote operators using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method, considering the emergence of the new profession of RO. Building upon the 66 Knowledge, Understanding &amp; Proficiencies (KUPs) outlined for marine officer in the STCW Convention, the study seeks to identify the additional competencies necessary for RO and contribute to the development of a training model for the future.

Various factors, such as uncertainty of component parameters and uncertainty of sensor meas-urement values, contribute to the difficulty of fault detection in the landing gear retrac-tion/extension hydraulic system. In this paper, we introduce linear fractional transformation technology and uncertainty analysis theory for the construction of the diagnostic bond graph of the landing gear retraction/extension hydraulic system. In this way, interval analytical redundancy relations and fault signature matrix can be derived. Using the fault signature matrix, existing faults of the system can be preliminarily detected and isolated. Additionally, interval analytical re-dundancy relations can be used to detect system faults in detail, and cases analysis can be carried out to determine if the actuator is externally or internally leaky, and if the landing gear selector valve is reversing stuck. Compared to the traditional analytical redundancy relations, this method takes into account the negative factors of uncertainty; and compared to the traditional absolute diagnostic threshold, the interval diagnostic threshold is more accurate and sensitive.

This paper proposes a Case-Based Reasoning (CBR) system to contribute to reinforce the sustainable performance of an environmental management system. The CBR system aims to support the decision-making process to select environmental management actions aimed at reducing risky trends of the environmental state of a region. The CBR system takes advantage of a set of situation-solution pairs called cases, which are stored in a memory and then retrieved as candidates to solve new problems. Situations in this work are represented by a set of risky trends of the following key environmental variables: CO2 emissions, Air-Quality, Loss of Vegetation Cover, Water Availability, and Solid Waste, whose combination damage the environmental state quality of a region. Meanwhile, solutions are represented by a set of environmental management actions. Similar situations to a given current situation are retrieved from the memory of cases and then their solutions are combined, through an adaptation mechanism, until the solution of the current problem is obtained. We used risky trends derived from real data related to the environmental states of a Mexican region to test the proposed CBR system. The results obtained provided insights into the potential of CBR systems to support the decision-making process to select environmental management actions aimed at reducing risky trends of current environmental states.

The architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry is dealing with serious challenges on a global scale, i.e., project delays, budget overruns, and insufficient stakeholder collaboration. In this context, Value Engineering (VE) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) have been used recently to address these challenges and cope with large-scale and complex construction projects. An extensive body of literature highlights significant advantages of integrated VE within BIM technology. Despite this, it is full practical potential has not yet been realized. For this reason, this paper aims to investigate the integration of Value Engineering (VE) and Building Information Modeling (BIM) within a Common Data Environment (CDE) for the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry. In doing this research, a comprehensive framework was developed and systematically implemented into practice through the use of four interconnected modules: (M. 1); Creating CDE, (M. 2); Design BIM Model Development, (M. 3); Value Analysis / Engineering Model, and (M. 4); Value Engineering Study. Introducing a new term the ""VEIDEA"" databank based on the OmniClass classification system provides a structured database utilized to store, manage, and accumulate VE ideas. Moreover, the study incorporates the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to automate the evaluation phase. Such a framework seeks to assist designers and VE team members make informed decisions when choosing appropriate design alternatives. Lastly, a case study method was adopted to examine the proposed framework for an office building. Quantitative data showed a significant link between cost savings and VR integration with BIM technology. For instance, cost of the RC slabs dropped by 20%, while flooring materials cost dropped by a 39%. Empirically, evidence from the case study supports literature regarding t the potential for significant enhancements in both cost-effectiveness and overall project performance through this innovative integration. In the context of knowledge contribution, this study provides an innovative way to assist designers and VE team members in making well-informed decisions when choosing appropriate design alternatives.

Current global commitments to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases encourage national targets for renewable generation. Due to its small land mass, offshore wind could help Bahrain to fulfill its obligations. However, no scoping study has yet been carried out. The methodology presented here addresses this research need. It employs Analytical Hierarchy Process and pairwise comparison methods in a Geographical Information Systems environment. Publicly available land use, infrastructure and transport data are used to exclude areas unsuitable for development due to physical and safety constraints. Meteorological and oceanic opportunities are ranked, then competing uses are analyzed to deliver optimal sites for wind farms. The potential annual wind energy yield is calculated by dividing the sum of optimal areas by a suitable turbine footprint, to deliver maximum turbine number. Ten favourable wind farm areas were identified in Bahrain’s territorial waters, representing about 4% of the total maritime area, and capable of supplying 2.68 TWh/yr of wind energy or almost 10% of the Kingdom’s annual electricity consumption. Detailed maps of potential sites for offshore wind construction are provided in the paper, giving an initial plan for installation in these locations.

Let b∈Cn∖{0} be a fixed direction. We consider slice holomorphic functions of several complex variables in the unit ball, i.e. we study functions which are analytic in intersection of every slice {z0+tb:t∈C} with the unit ball Bn={z∈C:|z|:=|z|12+…+|zn|2&lt;1} for any z0∈Bn. For this class of functions there is introduced a concept of boundedness of L-index in the direction b where L:Bn→R+ is a positive continuous function such that L(z)&gt;β|b|1−|z|, where β&gt;1 is some constant. For functions from this class we describe local behavior of modulus of directional derivatives on every ’circle’ {z+tb:|t|=r/L(z)} with r∈(0;β],t∈C,z∈Cn. It is estimated by value of the function at center of the circle. Other propositions concern a connection between boundedness of L-index in the direction b of the slice holomorphic function F and boundedness of lz-index of the slice function gz(t)=F(z+tb) with lz(t)=L(z+tb). Also we show that every slice holomorphic and joint continuous function in the unit ball has bounded L-index in direction in any domain compactly embedded in the unit ball and for any continuous function L:Bn→R+.

In this study we introduce the new classes $\mathcal{M}_{\alpha}(\sin)$ and $\mathcal{M}_{\alpha}(\cos)$ of $\alpha$-convex functions associated with sine and cosine functions. Also, we obtain the initial coefficient bounds for the first five coefficients of the functions that belong to these classes. Further, we determine the upper bound of Zalcman functional for the class $\mathcal{M}_{\alpha}(\cos)$ for the case $n=3$, showing that the Zalcman conjecture holds for this value. Moreover, the problem of the Fekete-Szeg\H{o} functional estimate for these classes is studied.

In the paper, by convolution theorem for the Laplace transforms and analytic techniques, the author finds necessary and sufficient conditions for complete monotonicity, monotonicity, and inequalities of several functions involving polygamma functions. By these results, the author derives a lower bound of a function related to the sectional curvature of the manifold of the beta distributions. Finally, the author poses several guesses and open problems related to monotonicity, complete monotonicity, and inequalities of several functions involving polygamma functions.

The diverse socio-economic and environmental impacts that the set-up of a new photovoltaic installation has must be weighed carefully in order to reach the best possible solution. Among the different photovoltaic systems there are several classification criteria, depending on the technology, application and the size of the modules that define them. The size (installed nominal capacity) stands out as an impartial and critical measure in the decision making process. In this article we use a multi-criteria decision making method to analyse the responses of five experts to a detailed questionnaire in which several different criteria are correlated with various photovoltaic installation sizes. The limitation associated to the low number of experts is addressed with a robustness and sensitivity analysis. With this study we seek first, to apply and demonstrate the feasibility of a methodology which combines technical information with multi-criteria decision making methods, and second, to obtain a clear result oriented that increases the benefits of a forthcoming photovoltaic installation of modules in distributed generation adding up to 1GW total peak power in standard conditions. We observe a consistent result in which smaller photovoltaic modules are the ideal solution that maximises the socio-economic benefits of any installation. If a decision has to be taken about the type of photovoltaic plant to be installed, the conclusion is clear: given a certain size, small, easily scalable installations are the best solution for stake-holders, for the inhabitants, and for the environment.

Robots in space are necessarily extremely light and lack structural stiffness resulting in natural frequencies of resonance so low as to reside inside the attitude controller’s bandwidth. A variety of input trajectories can be used to drive a controller’s attempt to ameliorate the control-structural interactions where feedback is provided by low-quality, noisy sensors. Traditionally, step functions are used as the ideal input trajectory. However, step functions are not ideal in many applications, as they are discontinuous. Alternative input trajectories are explored in this manuscript and applied to an example system that includes a flexible appendage attached to a rigid main body. The main body is controlled by a reaction wheel. The equations of motion of the flexible appendage, rigid body, and reaction wheel are derived. A feedback controller is developed to account for the rigid body modes. Additional filters are added to compensate for the system’s flexible modes. Sinusoidal trajectories are autonomously generated to feed the controller. Whiplash compensation is additionally implemented for comparison. The control method without random errors with the smallest error is the sinusoidal trajectory method, which showed a 97.39% improvement when compared to the baseline response when step trajectories were commanded, while the sinusoidal method was inferior to traditional step trajectories when sensor noise and random errors were present.

Urban areas are centres of business and innovation. Freight transport is indispensable for the proper functioning of any modern urban society. Urban areas can’t function without an appropriate freight transport system, due to the need to replenish stocks of food and other goods in retail shops. The complexity of the decisions concerning implementation of measures to improve the movement of goods in the city requires tools designed to support this process. The purpose of this article is to introduce the possibility of applying the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) as well as the Decision Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory Method (DEMATEL) in choosing a set of measures and in analysing in the field of distribution logistics, which will help to solve the delivery problems and streamline the cargo flows in Szczecin, in the context of sustainable development.

In the context of healthcare technology management (HTM) in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region, this study addresses a significant gap by exploring both external and internal risk factors affecting HTM performance. Previous research has primarily focused on modeling or predicting failures in medical devices, mostly examining internal (endogenous) factors that impact device performance and the development of optimal service strategies. However, a comprehensive investigation of external (exogenous) factors has been notably absent. This research introduces a novel hierarchical risk management framework, designed to accommodate the broad array of healthcare technologies, not limited to medical devices. It significantly advances the field by thoroughly investigating and validating a comprehensive set of 53 risk factors and assessing their influence on HTM. Additionally, this study embraces the perspective of enterprise risk management (ERM) and expands it to identify and incorporate a wider range of risk factors, offering a more holistic and strategic approach to risk assessment in healthcare technology management. The findings reveal that several external and internal factors previously underexplored significantly impact HTM performance. Notably, the Fuzzy AHP survey identified “design risk” under facility and environmental risks as the highest risk for HTM in the region. Furthermore, the study reveals that three out of the top ten risks are related to “facility and internal environmental” factors, six are related to technological endogenous factors, and only one is related to managerial factors. This distribution underscores the critical areas for intervention and the need for robust facility and technology management strategies. In conclusion, this research not only fills a critical void by providing a robust framework for healthcare technology risk assessment but also broadens the scope of risk analysis to include a wider array of technologies, thereby enhancing the efficacy and safety of healthcare interventions in the region. Additionally, the proposed hierarchy provides insights into the underlying risk factors for healthcare technology management, with potential applications extending beyond the regional context to a global scale. Moreover, the equation we propose offers a novel perspective on the key risk factors involved in healthcare technology management, presenting insights with far-reaching implications applicable not only regionally but also on a global level. This framework also supports sustainability goals by encouraging the efficient and responsible utilization and management of healthcare technologies, essential for ensuring the long-term economic and environmental sustainability of medical technology use.