Inter-system code double differencing is an effective method for improving the positioning accuracy of low-cost receivers in complex environments. Due to the adoption of Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA), Globalnaya Navigazionnaya Sputnikovaya Sistema (GLONASS) code observations are affected by the Inter-Frequency Code Biases (IFCBs), which makes it difficult to calculate the Differential Inter-System Code Biases (DISCBs) between GLONASS and the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) systems directly. In this contribution, the focus is on the performance of tightly combined Global Positioning System (GPS) and GLONASS code Double Difference (DD) positioning. After analysing the relationship between IFCBs and GLONASS channel numbers, an IFCB correction model and an inter-system code differencing model between GLONASS and GPS are proposed. Results show that even if there is no obvious relationship between IFCBs and channel numbers, the long-term stable IFCB values of each satellite can be obtained by using the proposed model. In addition, the GPS + GLONASS DISCB is also stable. Therefore, compared with the intra-system model, the inter-system model can benefit from prior IFCBs and DISCBs parameters and thus can significantly improve the positioning accuracy in obstructed environments.

CrFeNiTix (x = 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, and 0.6 molar ratio) compositionally complex alloys were fabricated by vacuum arc melting to investigate the microstructure, hardness, and compressive properties. The results revealed that CrFeNiTix alloys consisted of the principal face-centered cubic (FCC) phase and body-centered cubic (BCC) solid solution, with an amount of (Ni, Ti)-rich hexagonal close-packed phase. CrFeNiTix alloys exhibited the typical dendrite. Ti0.2 and Ti0.3 alloys were composed of FCC and BCC solid solutions in the dendrite, as well as ε (Ni3Ti) and R (Ni2.67Ti1.33) phases in the inter-dendrite, simultaneously. For Ti0.4, Ti0.5, and Ti0.6 alloys, (Fe, Cr)-rich solid solution separated out and ε phase transformed into R phase gradually. Meanwhile, TEM analysis indicated that Ti0.4 alloy matrix consisted of the principal FCC phase containing (Ni, Ti)-rich intragranular nanoprecipitates. The hardness values of CrFeNiTix alloys were increased with the addition of Ti content and the high compressive strength of CrFeNiTix alloys was maintained, which was attributed to the solid solution strengthening and precipitation hardening.

To understand the effect of pH value on the corrosion and corrosion fatigue behavior of AM60 magnesium alloy, electrochemical tests, viz., electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and fatigue tests, were carried out in PBS (phosphate buffered saline) solutions of pH 5.2, 7.4, and 9.0. The microstructure was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results are as follows: (i) the corrosion mechanism of AM60 under different pH values was different according to EIS; (ii) the corrosion resistance and corrosion fatigue life reduced in the following order: pH 9.0 > pH 7.4 > pH 5.2; (iii) the crack initiation was associated with hydrogen embrittlement of AM60 on the basis of fractographic analysis.

Two phases of diabase-sill-forming magmatism are recorded within the Badu anticline where magmas were emplaced into upper Palaeozoic carbonates and clastic rocks of the Youjiang fold-and-thrust belt in the SW South China Block, China. Zircons from these diabase units yield weighted mean U–Pb ages of 249.2±2.0 Ma and 187.1±3.3 Ma, and magmatic oxygen fugacity values from ‒20 to ‒6 (average of ‒12, equating to FMQ +5) and ‒20 to ‒10 (average of ‒15, equating to FMQ +2), respectively. These data indicate that the sills were emplaced during Early Triassic and Early Jurassic times. The discovery of c. 250 Ma mafic magmatism in this area was probably related to post-flood-basalt extension associated with the Emeishan mantle plume or rollback of the subducting Palaeo-Tethys slab. The c. 190 Ma diabase sills indicate that the southwestern South China Block records Early Jurassic mafic magmatism and lithospheric extension that was likely associated with a transition from post-collisional to within-plate tectonic regimes. The emplacement of diabase intrusions at depth may have driven hydrothermal systems, enabling the mobilization of elements from sedimentary rocks and causing the formation of a giant epigenetic metallogenic domain. The results indicate that high-oxygen-fugacity materials within basement rocks caused crustal contamination of the magmas, contributing to the wide range of oxygen fugacity conditions recorded by the Au-bearing Badu diabase. In addition, data from inherited xenocrystic zircons within the Badu diabase and detrital zircons from basement rocks suggest that the Neoproterozoic Jiangshao suture extends to the south of the Badu anticline.

We consider compound Poisson claims reserving models applied to the paid claims and to the number of payments run-off triangles. We extend the standard Poisson-gamma assumption to account for over-dispersion in the payment counts and to account for various mean and variance structures in the individual payments. Two generalized linear models are applied consecutively to predict the unpaid claims. A bootstrap is used to estimate the mean squared error of prediction and to simulate the predictive distribution of the unpaid claims. We show that the extended compound Poisson models make reasonable predictions of the unpaid claims.

Outside surface fluctuations of inertial confinement fusion (ICF) capsule greatly affect the implosion performance. An atomic force microscope (AFM)-based profilometer is developed to precisely characterize the capsule surface with nanometer resolution. With the standard nine surface profiles and the complete coverage data, 1D and 2D power spectra are obtained to quantitatively qualify the capsule. Capsule center fast aligning, orbit traces automatic recording, 3D capsule orientation have been studied to improve the accuracy and efficiency of the profilometer.

Approaching the problem from the internal factors and in particular the inherent state model of a Kalman Filter, this paper presents a novel Strapdown Inertial Navigation System (SINS) modelling, which is obtained with a pseudo-north-oriented mechanisation in a pseudo-geographic frame. Improved modelling associated with the backward algorithm is proposed to achieve velocity-aided in-motion alignment. Compared with traditional algorithms, the proposed method can eliminate the influence of alignment model on the performance of initial alignment caused by SINS modelling. On the other hand, the backward process can still be used to accelerate the process of alignment. As a result, the proposed method is expected to assist those methods only considered from external factors (such as coarse accuracy, process noise, measurement noise, and so on) to improve the stability and robustness of a velocity-aided in-motion alignment system and to solve the modelling problem of high latitude alignment without sacrificing alignment accuracy. Finally, simulations and field experiments with a navigation-grade SINS demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed method.

We propose a Bayesian spline model which uses a natural cubic B-spline basis with knots placed at every development period to estimate the unpaid claims. Analogous to the smoothing parameter in a smoothing spline, shrinkage priors are assumed for the coefficients of basis functions. The accident period effect is modeled as a random effect, which facilitate the prediction in a new accident period. For model inference, we use Stan to implement the no-U-turn sampler, an automatically tuned Hamiltonian Monte Carlo. The proposed model is applied to the workers' compensation insurance data in the United States. The lower triangle data is used to validate the model.

Phase predictions and characterizations on as-solidified septenary refractory high-entropy alloy, CrMoNbReTaVW, are presented. The simulated solidification process predicts a single body-centered-cubic (BCC) crystal structure with the tendency of compositional segregation. X-ray diffraction results confirm the “single-phase-like” BCC structure, while further experimental characterizations reveal the existence of multiple grains with significantly different compositions yet the same crystal structure and similar lattice parameters.

Monochamol (2-undecyloxy-1-ethanol) is a male-produced aggregation pheromone for several Monochamus Dejean (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) species. We conducted trapping experiments in Canada, Poland, and China to test whether monochamol was attractive to additional Monochamus species and if attraction was synergised by plant volatiles and bark beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) pheromones. We provide the first evidence of attraction for M. urussovii (Fischer) and M. saltuarius (Gebler) to monochamol or monochamol+kairomones. The highest numbers of M. urussovii were captured in traps baited with monochamol+plant volatiles (Manuka oil, ethanol and (95/5±) α−pinene). Captures of M. saltuarius were highest in traps baited with monochamol, with the addition of cubeb oil tending to reduce captures. The highest numbers of M. scutellatus (Say) were captured in traps baited with monochamol+kairomones. A similar pattern in trap captures was found for M. notatus (Drury), M. marmorator Kirby, M. carolinensis (Olivier), and M. mutator LeConte. Detection rates, that is, proportion of traps capturing at least one specimen, was highest for traps baited with monochamol plus kairomones, particularly for less-common species. These results support the emerging hypothesis that pheromone compounds can attract related cerambycid species with cumulative evidence for attraction to monochamol for 12 species of Monochamus worldwide.

Previous research has revealed that foot rotation of the supporting foot in a single support phase could increase walking speed. This paper presents a method for force-controlled bipeds to realize foot rotation by breaking the kinematic contact constraint between the supporting foot and the ground. An inverse dynamics controller is proposed to make the biped model controllable even when the constraint is broken. In addition, a linear inverted pendulum model is extended to make its ZMP adjustable so that the ZMP can be predefined as required. When the planned ZMP is in the toe, the kinematic contact constraint will be broken and foot rotation can be achieved. A walking simulation demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Maintaining good positioning performance has always been a challenging task for Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) applications in partially obstructed environments. A method that can optimise positioning performance in harsh environments is proposed. Using a carrier double-difference (DD) model, the influence of the satellite-pair geometry on the correlation among different equations has been researched. This addresses the critical relationship between DD equations and its ill-posedness. From analysing the collected multi-constellation observations, a strong correlation between the condition number and the positioning standard deviation is detected as the correlation coefficient is larger than 0·92. Based on this finding, a new method for determining the reference satellites by using the minimum condition number rather than the maximum elevation is proposed. This reduces the ill-posedness of the co-factor matrix, which improves the single-epoch positioning solution with a fixed DD ambiguity. Finally, evaluation trials are carried out by masking some satellites to simulate common satellite obstruction scenarios including azimuth shielding, elevation shielding and strip shielding. Results indicate the proposed approach improves the positioning stability with multi-constellation satellites notably in harsh environments.

A new route for atom-economical synthesis of functional polymers was developed. Oxidative polycoupling of 3,5-dimethyl-1-phenylpyrazole with 4,4’-(α,ω-alkylenedioxy) bis(diphenylacetylene)s and 1,2-diphenyl-1,2-bis[4-(phenylethynyl)phenyl]ethene, respectively, were catalyzed by [Cp*RhCl2]2, 1,2,3,4-tetraphenylcyclopenta-1,3-diene and copper(II) acetate in dimethylformamide under stoichiometric imbalance conditions, affording soluble poly(pyrazolylnaphthalene)s in satisfactory yields (isolation yield up to 82%) with high molecular weights (M w up to 35700). All the polymers were thermally stable, losing little of their weight at high temperatures of 323–422 oC. They possessed good film-forming property and their thin solid films showed high refractive indices (RI = 1.747–1.593) in a wide wavelength region of 400−1000 nm. The polymer carrying tetraphenylethene unit displayed a phenomenon of aggregation-induced emission and showed enhanced light emission in the aggregated state.