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This paper carries out calculation and analysis of various kinds of ecological footprint and 104 yuan GDP in Hefei City during the period 2005-2010, and the results show that in recent years, the industrial economic development in Hefei City is accelerated, people's living standards are improved, and the momentum of urbanization is gathered. At the same time, as the resource utilization rate is increased year by year, the city's economic development has already begun to be resource-intensive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: China is experiencing tremendous changes of rapid urbanization and aging society. The development of age-friendly communities (AFCs) has been encouraged for improving health and well-being of older adults. Hence, this study aimed to deepen the understanding of AFCs in China and to investigate the integrated relationships between AFCs and the quality of life (QoL) of older adults, using a large-scale questionnaire survey. Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire survey was conducted in Hefei, China, to investigate the complicated relationships between the components of AFCs and the QoL of older adults. Ultimately, 1,383 valid questionnaires were collected from senior respondents aged more than 60 years. Several statistical methods, including reliability analysis, correlation analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM), were adopted to develop an integrated model for AFC components and the QoL of older adults. Findings: Six AFC components and four older adults' QoL factors were identified. The SEM results revealed integrated relationships between specific AFC components and the QoL of older adults: (1) physical QoL was affected by outdoor spaces, public transportation, housing and community and health services; (2) psychological QoL was predicted by most of the AFC components except community and health services; and (3) environmental QoL and social QoL were both influenced by outdoor spaces, communication and information and community and health services. Practical implications: In order to enhance the QoL of older adults, it is suggested that outdoor spaces need to be enlarged by fully using the facilities and playgrounds of middle schools and renovating the older buildings. The locations of public transportation stations are recommended to be revised to be within a 5-minute walking distance of senior residents. Improvements to the social environment of AFCs, by increasing the coverage of medical services and creating multiple approaches to recreational activities, are encouraged. Originality/value: These findings have empirical significance for urban planners and policy-makers in regard to identifying major components of AFCs and understanding the effect of those components on the QoL of older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper reviewed child behavior in Chinese residential landscapes. A field survey was used to investigate place characteristics, whereas fixed-point observation and visualization records were utilized to analyze child behavior. Children were then classified into two categories, namely, those with action capacity and those with little capacity. Based on the classification and comparative analysis of place characteristics, along with the quantitative and visualized analysis of child behavior, the relationship between these two aspects was determined, and the effect of spatial elements in the selected residential areas on such a relationship was clarified. Additionally, the designing of a comprehensive landscape space that satisfies children''s needs was also discussed. The conclusions are as follows: (1) Waterside is the element that most significantly affects child behavior. Children who can act on their own prefer to play along the waterside. (2) Open spaces attract children with action capacity, whereas children with little capacity tend to choose more private spaces. (3) Despite the presence of facilities for various activities, an extremely open space or one that is separated by a road still affects child behavior. (4) A comprehensive space with a water landscape, fitness facilities, high accessibility, and a number of cultural events may significantly affect child behavior. Both types of children were found to enjoy a place with such characteristics. Therefore, the evaluation of residential landscape space should be integrated with landscape design. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The accuracy of traffic status based on FCD (Floating Car Data) is related to taxi coverage rate and sample number. Small sample number leads to less accurate results. If no data is uploaded during some period, it will use historical archive data to infer the results which can cause error. To improve reliability of traffic information and provide accurate information to traffic management department, we carried out the traffic information fusion process which is based on camera and FCD. The two data sources can complement each other. The application scenario of this paper is based on information acquired through camera and FCD on main roads of Hefei city. We adopt decision tree methods to integrate these two data sources and get more reliable traffic status which facilitates the management and control of traffic system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Based on the principle of light propagation, it is necessary to obtain the ratio (R MN) of atmospheric aerosol mass concentration to the imaginary part of the atmospheric equivalent refractive index for measuring aerosol mass vertical flux. In this paper, the factors affecting the R MN values are analyzed by numerical calculation under an ideal state and by using observational data. Numerical calculations show that the R MN is mainly determined by the aerosol particle size distribution (PSD), hygroscopicity parameters and relative humidity. With the same relative humidity, the smaller the geometric mean diameter (Dg) is, the larger the R MN , and when the aerosol particle hygroscopicity parameter is greater than 0.14, the greater the relative humidity is, the smaller the R MN. Comprehensive experiments were conducted in urban Hefei, and the results of observations at Hefei confirm the numerical results. Data from ten cities across China also confirm the numerical results. The order of geometric mean diameter of aerosol particles at the ten sites can be determined by the order of R MN , and the order of hygroscopicity parameters at the ten sites can be determined by the order of the change rate of R MN with relative humidity. The geometric mean diameters of aerosol particles are different among the ten sites, while the hygroscopicity parameters are similar. • The ratio (R MN) of TSP mass concentration to the imaginary part of the atmospheric equivalent refractive index is defined • The R MN is mainly affected by aerosol particle size distribution, relative humidity and hygroscopicity parameter. • The order of geometric mean diameter of aerosol particles at the ten sites can be determined by the order of R MN. • The variation of R MN with relative humidity reflects hygroscopicity parameter (α) of the aerosol particles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Debate on the relationship between mental health and environment is of long standing. Resilience, as a core aspect of mental health promotion, has been described as the interaction between risk and protective factors present in the environment (Rutter, 1987). Central to the concept is that protective factors -- those factors in the individual or the environment that enhance an individual's ability to resist problems and deal with life's stresses -- can be fostered and promoted. The paper specifies aspects of the school environment in a holistic, or ecological setting, drawing on a multi-strategy health promotion project in primary schools in Hefei and Nanjing in China. A prospective intervention study design was used to collect data in pre-intervention and post-intervention phases, and to analyse it to establish the effectiveness of the intervention in improving the health-promoting environment in Chinese primary schools. The results indicate a significant intervention effect on the physical and social school environment in primary schools, and these results can be used in forthcoming comprehensive work to improve school mental health and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lidar (Light detection and ranging) has special capabilities for remote sensing of many different behaviours of the atmosphere. One of the techniques which show a great deal of promise for several applications is Raman scattering. The detecting capability, including maximum operation range and minimum detectable gas concentration is one of the most significant parameters for lidar remote sensing of pollutants. In this paper, based on the new method for evaluating the capabilities of a Raman lidar system, we present an evaluation of detecting capability of Raman lidar for monitoring atmospheric CO2 in Hefei. Numerical simulations about the influence of atmospheric conditions on lidar detecting capability were carried out, and a conclusion can be drawn that the maximum difference of the operation ranges caused by the weather conditions alone can reach about 0.4 to 0.5km with a measuring precision within 30ppmv. The range of minimum detectable concentration caused by the weather conditions alone can reach about 20 to 35 ppmv in vertical direction for 20000 shots at a distance of 1 km on the assumption that other parameters are kept constant. The other corresponding parameters under different conditions are also given. The capability of Raman lidar operated in vertical direction was found to be superior to that operated in horizontal direction. During practical measurement with the Raman lidar whose hardware components were fixed, aerosol scattering extinction effect would be a significant factor that influenced the capability of Raman lidar. This work may be a valuable reference for lidar system designing, measurement accuracy improving and data processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a study of Jurassic-- Early Cretaceous sedimentary evolution of the Hefei basin in eastern China and explores the relationship between clastic sedimentation and coeval deformation of the Dabieshan to the south and the Tanlu fault to the east. The Hefei basin experienced a twostage evolution. The basin was initiated in the Early Jurassic and expanded in the Middle and Late Jurassic. The synsedimentary Jinzhai normal fault is considered to be a border fault of the basin because it controlled Middle to Upper Jurassic proximal alluvial deposits. Persistent N- to NE-directed paleo-flows in the southern Hefei basin indicate that sediments came from the Dabieshan, and the presence of Triassic coesite-bearing detrital zircon in Lower Jurassic sediments documents exhumation of ultrahigh-pressure rocks of the Dabieshan to the surface as early as the Early Jurassic. Occurrences of eclogite clasts in an Upper Jurassic unit indicate continued denudation of the Dabieshan at that time. Thickening of Jurassic clastic units to the southern and southeast parts of the basin suggests that basin subsidence and depositional loci were under the coupled control of the Jinzhai normal fault on the south and the NE-striking left-lateral transtensional Tanlu fault on the east. Jurassic extensional subsidence of the Hefei basin is in marked contrast to the coeval development of a contractional foreland basin south of the Dabieshan, which combines to indicate contemporaneous extension and contraction on the north and south sides of the Dabieshan, respectively. Vigorous volcanism and uplift of the southern Hefei basin characterized the second stage of development of the Hefei basin in the Early Cretaceous, and this led to a synchronous shift of its main depocenter to the north. This younger depocenter is characterized by lacustrine and fluvialdeltaic sedimentation, where alluvial and fan-deltaic coarse-grained deposition mainly occurred along the eastern edge of the basin. Early Cretaceous subsidence is attributed to E-W extension across the middle segment of the Tanlu fault, and the Zhangbaling massif on the east acted as a footwall and provided a source for sediment to the northern basin. A model is accordingly advanced to account for how the Hefei basin developed in response to the tectonic exhumation of the Dabieshan and the deformation of the Tanlu fault in the Mesozoic. It illustrates that the Hefei basin initiated and evolved during Jurassic time in an extensional setting that was triggered by southerly upward extrusion of ultrahigh-pressure rocks of the Dabieshan. Early Cretaceous development of the basin was controlled by magmatism-related uplift of the Dabieshan on the south and orthogonal normal faulting of the middle segment of the Tanlu fault on the east. This study provides an independent constraint upon the exhumation processes of ultrahigh-pressure rocks of the Dabieshan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing studies have shown that high temperature is a potential risk factor of schizophrenia occurrence. Therefore, elaborate analysis of different temperature exposure patterns, such as cumulative heat exposure within a time period and transient exposure at a particular time point, is of important public health significance. This study aims to utilize hourly temperature data to better capture the effects of cumulative and transient heat exposures on schizophrenia during the warm season in Hefei, China. We included the daily mean temperature and daily schizophrenia hospitalizations into the distributed lag non-linear model (DLNM) to simulate the exposure–response curve and determine the heat threshold (19.4 °C). We calculated and applied a novel indicator—daily excess hourly heat (DEHH)—to examine the effects of cumulative heat exposure over a day on schizophrenia hospitalizations. Temperature measurements at each time point were also incorporated in the DLNM as independent exposure indicators to analyze the impact of transient heat exposure on schizophrenia. Each increment of interquartile range (IQR) in DEHH was associated with elevated risk of schizophrenia hospitalizations from lag 1 (RR = 1.036, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.016, 1.057) to lag 4 (RR = 1.025, 95% CI: 1.005, 1.046). Men and people over 40 years old were more susceptible to DEHH. Besides, we found a greater risk of heat-related schizophrenia hospitalizations between 0 a.m. and 6 a.m. This study revealed the adverse effects of accumulated and transient heat exposures on schizophrenia hospitalizations. Our findings need to be further tested in other regions with distinct regional features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along with climate change, unstable weather patterns are becoming more frequent. However, the temporal trend associated with the effect of temperature variation on schizophrenia (SCZ) is not clear. Daily time-series data on SCZ and meteorological factors for 15-year between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2019 were collected. And we used the Poisson regression model combined with the time-varying distribution lag nonlinear model (DLNM) to explore the temporal trend of the association between three temperature variation indicators (diurnal temperature range, DTR; temperature variability, TV; temperature change between neighboring days, TCN) and SCZ hospitalizations, respectively. Meanwhile, we also explore the temporal trend of the interaction between temperature and temperature variation. Stratified analyses were performed in different gender, age, and season. Across the whole population, we found a decreasing trend in the risk of SCZ hospitalizations associated with high DTR (from 1.721 to 1.029), TCN (from 1.642 to 1.066), and TV (TV0–1, from 1.034 to 0.994; TV0–2, from 1.041 to 0.994, TV0–3, from 1.044 to 0.992, TV0–4, from 1.049 to 0.992, TV0–5, from 1.055 to 0.993, TV0–6, from 1.059 to 0.991, TV0–7, from 1.059 to 0.990), but an increasing trend in low DTR (from 0.589 to 0.752). Subgroup analysis results further revealed different susceptible groups. Besides, the interactive effect suggests that temperature variation may cause greater harm under low-temperature conditions. There was a synergy between TCN and temperature on the addition and multiplication scales, which were 1.068 (1.007, 1.133) and 0.067 (0.009, 0.122), respectively. Our findings highlight public health interventions to mitigate temperature variation effects needed to focus not only on high temperature variations but also moderately low temperature variations. Future hospitalizations for SCZ associated with temperature variation may be more severely affected by temperature variability from low temperature environments. The temporal trend is associated with the effect of temperature variation on schizophrenia (SCZ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studying the impact of the high-speed railway (HSR) on economic growth has important practical significance and can provide a theoretical basis for government investment in infrastructure. In this study, the adoption of HSR was used for natural and rigorous exploration. Based on the panel data on counties in Hubei Province of China from 2001 to 2017, a synthetic control method was used to analyse the impact of HSR on the economic growth of county-level areas with different economic bases. The results showed that HSR had different influences on the economic development of county-level cities with different economic bases in the short term. The Wuhan-Guangzhou HSR had significantly promoted the gross domestic product (GDP) growth of Chibi City with a good economic foundation. The robustness test results revealed that the promoting effect was significant at a level of 3.7%. The Hefei-Wuhan section of the Shanghai-Wuhan-Chengdu HSR had significantly inhibited the GDP growth of Hong'an County by developing on a weak economic foundation. The robustness test results revealed that the inhibitory effect was significant at the level of 2.8%. However, the Hefei-Wuhan section had a stable and promoting effect on Macheng City. Based on the abovementioned conclusions, each county-level city should focus on long-term economic development, invest in HSR construction based on local conditions instead of blind expansion, make use of HSR to vigorously develop characteristic industries, and implement talent retention and introduction policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking unsaturated clay foundation soil of an airport project in Hefei as the research object, the effects of particle gradation and mineral composition on the unsaturated soil properties were analyzed through two kinds of tests. The results show that there is a good correlation between the residual water content and the clay fraction or silt fraction content in the grading, and the residual water content has a significant positive linear correlation with the clay fraction content, but a negative linear correlation with the silt fraction content. Residual matric suction has a nonlinear correlation with clay fraction or silt fraction content in gradation, which has a significant nonlinear negative correlation with clay fraction content and a positive nonlinear correlation with silt fraction content. The residual water content and the residual matric suction have obvious linear relationship with the content of montmorillonite but have no obvious correlation with the content of illite. The water-storage coefficient of unsaturated airfield foundation soil decreases exponentially with the increase of clay content and montmorillonite content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large volumes of data have been accumulated in identical or very similar contexts of decision making. To generate accurate and explanatory decision recommendations by using these data, this paper proposes a data-driven multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) method based on machine learning (ML) algorithms and the evidential reasoning (ER) approach. In the method, based on the assessments of all historical alternatives, a comparison framework is designed to determine the most appropriate ML algorithm with the highest predictive accuracy. An optimization model is then constructed to connect the appropriate ML algorithm with the ER approach. Through the optimization model, the difference between overall assessments derived from the ER approach and the predicted results derived from the appropriate ML algorithm is minimized to learn criterion weights. The learned criterion weights are used to generate accurate and explanatory decisions. Such a combination takes advantage of high predictability of ML algorithms and favorable interpretability of the ER approach simultaneously. To demonstrate the validity and applicability of the proposed method, it is used to aid the diagnosis of thyroid nodules for a tertiary hospital located in Hefei, Anhui, China. Its merits are further highlighted by its comparison with two traditional ER approaches and the appropriate ML algorithm. • Data-driven decision making based on ER approach and ML algorithms is proposed. • ML algorithms are compared based on their linkage with ER approach. • An optimization model is constructed to make explanatory decisions based on ML. • The proposed method is used to help radiologists diagnose thyroid nodules. • The proposed method is compared with decision making learning from accuracy and AUC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Conventional methods of estimating minimum cover depth of underwater tunnel were reviewed. • A typical case history of underwater shield tunnelling was presented. • Ground and tunnel lining responses to underwater tunnelling were investigated considering fluid-mechanical interaction. • A new procedure for estimating minimum cover depth of underwater tunnel was proposed. This paper presents an investigation to estimate the minimum cover depth of underwater shield tunnels. Five different conventional methods for minimum cover depth estimation were reviewed and validated based on a case history of underwater shield tunneling in the Swan Lake in Hefei, China. It was found that the Japanese minimum seepage water volume (JMSWV) method and the mechanical equilibrium (ME) method are effective, and fulfill the upper and lower limits of the reasonable minimum cover depth. Afterwards, the reasonable minimum cover depth was determined by performing three-dimensional finite difference analysis considering the fluid-mechanical interaction of the ground and tunnel lining responses at different cover depths estimated by the conventional methods. The analysis indicates a consistent pattern of the cover depth effect on ground surface settlement, subsurface vertical displacement, pore water pressure, tunnel lining horizontal displacement, bending moment, and major principal stress, when the cover depth increases from 2.3 m to 6.8 m. However, for the tunnel lining vertical displacements at the tunnel vault and the tunnel bottom, the pattern of the cover depth effect reverses at an intermediate cover depth (5 m). Based on the analysis, a new procedure combining the appropriate conventional methods and numerical analysis was proposed to estimate the reasonable minimum cover depth of an underwater shield tunnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of the green economy is universally recognized as a solution to natural resource shortages and environmental pollution. When exploring and developing a green economy, it is important to study the relationships between the environment and economic development. As opposed to descriptive and qualitative research without modeling or based on environmental Kuznets curves, quantitative relationships between environmental protection and economic development must be identified for exploration and practice. In this paper, we used the generalized additive model (GAM) regression method to identify relationships between atmospheric pollutants (e.g., NO2, SO2 and CO) from remote sensing and in situ measurements and their driving effectors, including meteorology and economic indicators. Three representative cities in the Anhui province, such as Hefei (technology-based industry), Tongling (resource-based industry) and Huangshan (tourism-based industry), were studied from 2016 to 2020. After eliminating the influence of meteorological factors, the relationship between air quality indexes and industrial production in the target cities was clearly observed. Taking Hefei, for example, when the normalized output of chemical products increases by one unit, the effect on atmospheric NO2 content increases by about 20%. When the normalized output of chemical product increases by one unit, the effect on atmospheric SO2 content increases by about 10%. When chemical and steel product outputs increase by one unit, the effect on atmospheric CO content increases by 25% and 20%, respectively. These results can help different cities predict local economic development trends varying by the changes in air quality and adjust local industrial structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hotel manager has the responsibility to stimulate the passion of the staff. The vision, hope/faith, and altruistic love advocated by spiritual leaders can meet the independent psychological needs of employees, thus enhancing their harmonious passion. This study is based on self-determination theory, intrinsic motivation theory and psychological capital theory, and explores the relationship between spiritual leadership and employees' harmonious passion. This study uses 260 employees of star hotels in Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Hefei, Huangshan, and other cities in China. Results show that spiritual leadership positively impacts employees' harmonious passion, and calling plays an mediation role between spiritual leadership and employees' harmonious passion. The results are helpful to clarify the formation mechanism of employees' harmonious passion from the perspective of self-determination theory, intrinsic motivation theory and psychological capital theory and show that spiritual leadership can drive employees' harmonious passion, especially when hotel vision and employee calling are consistent. Furthermore, the altruistic love of spiritual leaders for their followers also plays a key role in employee calling and promoting harmonious passion. Therefore, this study also emphasizes the importance of calling in improving the harmonious passion of employees. The theoretical and management implications that help to enhance the harmonious passion of employees are discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies had focused on the association between air pollution and health outcomes in recent years. However, little evidence is available on associations between air pollutants and premature rupture of membranes (PROM). Therefore, we performed time-series analysis to evaluate the association between PROM and air pollution. The daily average concentrations of PM2.5, SO2 and NO2 were 54.58 μg/m3, 13.06 μg/m3 and 46.09 μg/m3, respectively, and daily maximum 8-h average O3 concentration was 95.67 μg/m3. The strongest effects of SO2, NO2 and O3 were found in lag4, lag06 and lag09, and an increase of 10 μg/m3 in SO2, NO2 and O3 was corresponding to increase in incidence of PROM of 8.74% (95% CI 2.12–15.79%), 3.09% (95% CI 0.64–5.59%) and 1.68% (95% CI 0.28–3.09%), respectively. There were no significant effects of PM2.5 on PROM. Season-specific analyses found that the effects of PM2.5, SO2 and O3 on PROM were more obvious in cold season, but the statistically significant effect of NO2 was observed in warm season. We also found the modifying effects by maternal age on PROM, and we found that the effects of SO2 and NO2 on PROM were higher among younger mothers (< 35 years) than advanced age mothers (≥ 35 years); however, ≥ 35 years group were more vulnerable to O3 than < 35 years group. This study indicates that air pollution exposure is an important risk factor for PROM and we wish this study could provide evidence to local government to take rigid approaches to control emissions of air pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethane (C2H6) is an important greenhouse gas and plays a significant role in tropospheric chemistry and climate change. This study first presents and then quantifies the variability, sources, and transport of C2H6 over densely populated and highly industrialized eastern China using ground-based high-resolution Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) remote sensing along with atmospheric modeling techniques. We obtained a retrieval error of 6.21 ± 1.2 (1 σ)% and degrees of freedom (DOFS) of 1.47 ± 0.2 (1 σ) in the retrieval of C2H6 tropospheric column-averaged dry-air mole fraction (troDMF) over Hefei, eastern China (32 ∘ N, 117 ∘ E; 30 ma.s.l.). The observed C2H6 troDMF reached a minimum monthly mean value of 0.36 ± 0.26 ppbv in July and a maximum monthly mean value of 1.76 ± 0.35 ppbv in December, and showed a negative change rate of - 2.60 ± 1.34 %yr-1 from 2015 to 2020. The dependencies of C2H6 troDMF on meteorological and emission factors were analyzed using generalized additive models (GAMs). Generally, both meteorological and emission factors have positive influences on C2H6 troDMF in the cold season (December–January–February/March–April–May, DJF/MAM) and negative influences on C2H6 troDMF in the warm season (June–July–August/September–October–November, JJA/SON). GEOS-Chem chemical model simulation captured the observed C2H6 troDMF variability and was, thus, used for source attribution. GEOS-Chem model sensitivity simulations concluded that the anthropogenic emissions (fossil fuel plus biofuel emissions) and the natural emissions (biomass burning plus biogenic emissions) accounted for 48.1 % and 39.7 % of C2H6 troDMF variability over Hefei, respectively. The observed C2H6 troDMF variability mainly results from the emissions within China (74.1 %), where central, eastern, and northern China dominated the contribution (57.6 %). Seasonal variability in C2H6 transport inflow and outflow over the observation site is largely related to the midlatitude westerlies and the Asian monsoon system. Reduction in C2H6 abundance from 2015 to 2020 mainly results from the decrease in local and transported C2H6 emissions, which points to air quality improvement in China in recent years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, big data and data analytics based on Cyber–Physical–Social Systems (CPSS) have become increasingly popular in providing valued services to humans. For many applications of CPSS, adequate computing infrastructure, which can be realized using powerful data centers (DCs), is needed. These DCs can then provide CPSS application developers with flexible and efficient High-Performance-Computing-Communications services. In DCs, the energy consumption of the cooling system which dissipates the heat generated by information technology (IT) devices should be optimized. Since the cooling system is one of the main energy consumers of DCs, optimization of its energy consumption can drastically reduce the operating costs while maintaining stable operation of the IT devices by efficient heat dissipation. Therefore, there is continuing development on improving the performance of cooling systems for DCs using different optimization strategies. In particular, model-based optimization algorithms have had impressive advances, but their deployment in real physical systems often becomes difficult due to limited data, poor optimization efficiency, and potential operation risks. In this paper, we propose a two-layer optimal scheduling framework for room-level cooling of DCs. In the global layer, we use limited data to build a set of novel physically-based empirical models to achieve accurate system energy tracking. Then with defined equipment operating constraints, a genetic algorithm efficiently obtains the optimal plan of all equipment control while ensuring safe system operations. In the local layer, through interactions with the global layer, local precision air conditioners are regulated to stabilize the room temperature within a safe range. To test our solution in a real physical system, we deployed the two-layer optimal scheduling technique in the real DC cooling system of Postal Savings Bank of China in Hefei, China. Our solution achieved an impressive average reduction of 6.1% on cooling load factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional centralized drainage systems are not only expensive, but their mono-function to discharge surface runoff also imposes a negative effect on the local environment while compounding regional watershed dysfunction. Sponge city initiative promoted by the Chinese government is a broader sustainable stormwater management concept that aims to use more nature-based solutions, reduce urban flooding and runoff pollution, and increase rainwater resource usage. As part of decentralized and cost-effective solutions, green infrastructure (GI) is considered in the Sponge City development across China. Although GI has been successfully implemented through a range of small-scale projects, the GI approach has not been adopted widely, which is because the GI approach is micro-scale techniques and the local government is skeptical about the efficiency of GI to mitigate stormwater on a large scale. Although some researchers have explored the effectiveness of GI to reduce stormwater in small catchments, only a limited number of studies have examined the efficacy of GI at the watershed scale. Moreover, there is lack of a system and cross-scale approach in sponge city practices. To understand the effect of GI on the watershed scale, this paper proposed a comprehensive approach using ArcGIS and SWMM platforms to study the spatial configuration and implementation of multi-scale stormwater management. The approach is to apply a three-step sequence of catchments, sub-catchments, and micro-catchments for the urban watershed through designing interconnected network of landscape infrastructure (LI) systems. The design scenarios and performance of LI system-based approach with different combinations and sizes of the sponge facilities were analyzed based on the Old Town district of Hefei City, China. This study demonstrated that the inherent capacity of the landscape can act as the conduit for multifunctional, flexible, localized, and synergistic infrastructural systems, in which cross watershed holds promise to decrease both runoff volumes and peak flows while providing ecosystem services, such as enhancing neighborhood aesthetics and cultural/health benefits through shared public green spaces. Thus, Sponge City Development here as green concepts and techniques for nature-based solutions enhances the function and value of green infrastructure with benefits of ecological, economic and social significances, which presents a new approach for sustainable city making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study described the clinical features, risk factors, factors affecting the outcome of this disease, and ribavirin therapeutic efficacy for severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) patients in Hefei. Methods: Between April 2020 and July 2020, 62 cases admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University were included in this study. Serum samples were collected from all patients, after which diagnosis was made via reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction and via the use of a colloidal gold immunochromatography assay approach. Results: In multivariate analysis, the following factors were determined as risk factors for SFTS: Being a farmer (odds ratio [OR], 3.033), working in areas with weeds and shrubs (OR, 2.807), and being bitten by a tick (OR, 6.64). The rates of confusion, neck stiffness, viral encephalopathy, and the presence of liver damage were higher in the patients who died than that in the surviving ones. Additionally, the median of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine phosphokinase, activated partial thromboplastin time, D‐dimer, fibrinogen degradation products, creatinine, and urea was also higher in the patients who died. One of the 15 patients treated with ribavirin in the early stage could not survive (6.7%), whereas 11 of the 35 patients treated with ribavirin in the late stage could not survive (31.4%); this difference was statistically significant. However, there was no significant difference in mortality between the untreated group and the other two groups (i.e., patients who started antiviral treatment <5 days from the onset and those who started antiviral treatment ≥5 days from the onset). Moreover, there was no positive effect determined on clinical or laboratory parameters in SFTS patients treated with ribavirin. Also, it was observed that leukocyte levels and platelet levels took longer to return to normal. Conclusions: In Hefei, clinical features, prognostic factors, and risk factors associated with SFTS are similar to those in other areas. Patients who were given ribavirin did not have better survival rates than patients who were not given ribavirin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direct surface wave tomography has become an efficient tool in imaging 3-D shallow Earth structure. However, some fundamental problems still exist in selecting the grids to parametrize the model space. This study proposes to implement a model parametrization approach with multiple grids to the direct surface wave tomography. These multiple grids represent several overlapping collocated grids with the same or different grid spacings, such as staggered grids, multiscale grids and multiscale-staggered grids. At each iteration, direct inversion is applied to each individual set of collocated grids to invert for the shear wave velocity (Vs) model; the models are then projected onto a set of predefined base grids (usually the finest grids) using 3-D B-spline interpolation. At the end of each iteration, we average the Vs models of all sets of collocated grids to obtain the average 3-D Vs model, which is then used as the initial model for the next iteration. The properties of this approach are explored by applying it to a newly deployed dense array in Chao Lake (CL), eastern China. Synthetic and field data tests demonstrate that the method using multiple grids recovers anomaly patterns better than that using the individual set of collocated grids, though it does not necessarily achieve the smallest traveltime residual. We then obtain a high-resolution 3-D shallow crustal Vs model beneath the CL. The 3-D Vs model reveals two prominent features: (1) a stripe-like structural pattern of velocity variations, where the Hefei basin and eastern CL display low-velocity anomalies while the Tanlu fault zone (TFZ), Zhangbaling uplift and Yinping mountain present high-velocity anomalies and (2) north-shifted low-velocity anomalies beneath the eastern CL as depths go shallow. The shallow Vs features are consistent well with the local geological units and topography. We suggest that the two main features could be associated with the multistage tectonic activities of the Tanlu fault. The multiple-grid scheme proposed in this study could be conveniently extended to other 3-D direct inversion approaches in the near future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In some situations, such as the diagnosis of thyroid nodules, a decision maker considers observations on multiple criteria to provide the overall assessments and advice on what will be done in the next step. To guarantee the quality of the assessments and advice and their consistency with observations, this paper proposes a method of learning the preferences of the decision maker from the observations on multiple criteria and the overall assessments provided. The constraints on preferences are learned first to avoid extreme and irrational preferences. Within the feasible region formed by the constraints, the preferences are learned. When gold standards, which can be used to judge the correctness of the overall assessments, are available, the issue of how to learn the constraints and the preferences that satisfy the constraints is presented. With and without the consideration of gold standards, the way in which solutions can be generated using the learned preferences is introduced. To demonstrate the process of preference learning based on observations and overall assessments, a case study is conducted using the examination reports generated by three radiologists from 2013 to 2017 in a hospital located in Hefei, Anhui, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The major air pollutant emissions have decreased, and the overall air quality has substantially improved across China in recent years as a consequence of active clean air policies for mitigating severe air pollution problems. As key precursors of formaldehyde (HCHO) and ozone (O 3), the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in China are still increasing due to the lack of mitigation measures for VOCs. In this study, we investigated the drivers of HCHO variability from 2015 to 2019 over Hefei, eastern China, by using ground-based high-resolution Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and GEOS-Chem model simulation. Seasonal and interannual variabilities of HCHO over Hefei were analyzed and hydroxyl (OH) radical production rates from HCHO photolysis were evaluated. The relative contributions of emitted and photochemical sources to the observed HCHO were analyzed by using ground-level carbon monoxide (CO) and O x (O 3 + nitrogen oxide (NO 2)) as tracers for emitted and photochemical HCHO, respectively. Contributions of emission sources from various categories and geographical regions to the observed HCHO summertime enhancements were determined by using a series of GEOS-Chem sensitivity simulations. The column-averaged dry air mole fractions of HCHO (XHCHO) reached a maximum monthly mean value of 1.1 ± 0.27 ppbv in July and a minimum monthly mean value of 0.4 ± 0.11 ppbv in January. The XHCHO time series from 2015 to 2019 over Hefei showed a positive change rate of 2.38 ± 0.71 % per year. The photochemical HCHO is the dominant source of atmospheric HCHO over Hefei for most of the year (68.1 %). In the studied years, the HCHO photolysis was an important source of OH radicals over Hefei during all sunlight hours of both summer and winter days. The oxidations of both methane (CH 4) and nonmethane VOCs (NMVOCs) dominate the HCHO production over Hefei and constitute the main driver of its summertime enhancements. The NMVOC-related HCHO summertime enhancements were dominated by the emissions within eastern China. The observed increasing change rate of HCHO from 2015 to 2019 over Hefei was attributed to the increase in photochemical HCHO resulting from increasing change rates of both CH 4 and NMVOC oxidations, which overwhelmed the decrease in emitted HCHO. This study provides a valuable evaluation of recent VOC emissions and regional photochemical capacity in China. In addition, understanding the sources of HCHO is a necessary step for tackling air pollution in eastern China and mitigating the emissions of pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution, especially by particulate matter with diameters less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5), is a serious threat to public health. The accurate prediction of PM2.5 concentration is significant for air pollution control and the prevention of health issues. However, accurate prediction and forecasting of PM2.5 has been challenging. In this study, a multiple attention (MAT) mechanism based on multilayer perception, which includes monitoring site attention, time feature attention, and weather attention, was designed to obtain the spatial-temporal and meteorological dependences of PM2.5. A hybrid deep learning method based on MAT long short-term memory (MAT-LSTM) neural networks is proposed to predict PM2.5 concentration. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed model, hourly air pollution, and meteorological measurements were collected at 10 monitoring sites in Hefei City from May 13, 2014 to March 21, 2020. Comparison experiments were performed using the MAT-LSTM model, recurrent neural network (RNN), back propagation (BP), and LSTM neural network models. The comparison of the results demonstrated that the MAT-LSTM model was superior to the baseline models and achieved reductions of 86.44%, 69.64%, and 35.2% in the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) compared with RNN, BP, and LSTM, respectively. In addition, the PM2.5 forecast experiments were conducted at different time steps from 1 to 12 h. The results show that the proposed model performs well and exhibits an MAPE of 17.86% at the future time step of 1 h, and the prediction performance of the proposed model is satisfactory, even for the next 12-h forecast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Antimicrobial resistance, especially carbapenem resistance Enterobacteriaceae and plasmid mediated mobile colistin resistance, is a serious issue worldwide. This study was designed to determine the epidemiological characteristics of plasmid mediated colistin resistance and carbapenem resistant Enterobacteriaceae from tertiary A hospital located in Hefei, China. Methods: Totally, 158 carbapenems resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) were screened for antibiotic susceptibility, mcr-1, extended spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs), and fosfomycin resistance genes using PCR and sequencing. The sequence types were identified by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Plasmid profiles were determined by PCR based replicon typing (PBRT), and the plasmid sizes were confirmed by southern blotting. Results: The isolates showed high MIC50 and MIC90 for all antimicrobials, except tigecycline, meropenem, and colistin. The main Carbapenemase genes were blaKPC-2 (90.5%), blaNDM-1(3.7%), blaOXA-48(5.6%) and fosA3 (14.5%). The blaCTXM-15 found 36.7%, mcr-1 (3.7%) recorded in six isolates. PBRT revealed blaKPC-2 in K. pneumoniae on IncR, IncFII, and IncA/C. blaNDM-1 in E. coli on IncFII, whereas in E. cloacae noticed on IncHI2 plasmid. mcr-1 was recorded among IncFIIK, IncFII, and IncF in E. coli, K. pneumoniae, and E. cloacae. Resistance genes (mcr-1, blaNDM-1, blaKPC-2) harboring plasmids are successfully trans-conjugant to EC-600. A high incidence of ST11 was observed in K. pneumoniae carbapenem resistant isolates. While in E. coli, multiple STs were identified. However, mcr-1 in ST23 was identified for the first time in Anhui Province. Among Enterobacter cloacae, ST270 detected carrying blaNDM-1. Southern-hybridization confirmed the plasmid sizes 35– 150kb. Conclusion: This study indicates the co-carrying of mcr-1, blaKPC-2, and blaNDM-1 among clinical isolates, the prevalence of different Enterobacteriaceae STs is alarming, especially in E. coli. Holding such a resistance profile is a threat for humans and animals, which may be transferred between the strains through plasmid transfusion. Persistent control actions are immediately necessary to combat this hazard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air and dust borne heavy metals can be deposited and bioaccumulated by plants; therefore, biomonitoring employing plants is an effective tool for environmental impact assessment in urban environments. In this study, in addition to road dust, leaves and bark were collected from four common tree species at roadside and urban park sampling sites within the metropolitan area of Hefei, China. A range of heavy metals were analyzed by ICP-MS and AFS. The metal accumulation index (MAI) was adopted to compare the bioaccumulation capacity. Results showed that Cd was highly enriched in road dust although its abundance was low in comparison with that of other elements. The MAI values presented a narrow range (1.8–2.7); however, significant differences (p < 0.05) were found for Al, Cu, Zn, and As among the tree species. Moreover, deciduous Platanus orientalis bioaccumulated more nonessential As than the other species and deserved further risk management. In addition, bark samples from Cinnamomum camphora bioaccumulated more heavy metals than the other species as a result of its morphological and anatomical characteristics. The distribution patterns of heavy metals in tree tissues showed obvious spatial heterogeneity, as impacted by anthropogenic activities to varying degrees. This study examined the biomonitoring potential of roadside trees and the distribution pattern of heavy metals in an urban area under rapid development. Results from the present study could provide baseline data for urban environmental impact assessment and the design of green belts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hybrid magnet system has been completed the commissioning and be ready to serve users at the High Magnetic Field Laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CHMFL) in Hefei, China. The hybrid magnet consists of a 28 MW, 34 T resistive insert coils set nested inside of a 800 mm bore 11 T superconducting outsert magnet. The outsert coils are wound with high J C Nb 3 Sn/Cu cable-in-conduit conductor (CICC), cooled with forced flow of supercritical helium at 4.5 K. The protection system of superconducting magnet is based on the classical approach of voltage detection with a co-wound coil. In this paper, we reviewed experimental behavior of the superconducting outsert in detail when the resistive insert magnet tripped. We also conducted a thermal-hydraulic performance analysis of the superconducting outsert for the same trip situation of the resistive insert with modified GANDALF code. The numerical simulation results of maximum inlet and outlet temperature show good agreement with the experimental data. In addition, the minimum temperature margin and maximum helium pressure in the superconducting conductor were introduced and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar energy is a sustainable and inexhaustible renewable energy. Solar-powered PV systems contribute to the cleanest and the most cost-effective electrical energy. However, PV systems are confronted with a nonlinear maximum power point tracking (MPPT) problem caused by partial shading (PS). PS causes the loss of available power. This paper presents a novel Harris hawk optimization (HHO) based MPPT controller to effectively track maximum power under all weather conditions. The effectiveness of the proposed HHO based MPPT is supplemented by a comparative study with perturb and observe algorithm (P&O), dragonfly optimization algorithm (DFOA), particle swarm optimization (PSO), cuckoo search (CS) and grey wolf optimization (GWO). The analytical and statistical analysis is made based on 4 different cases, including fast varying irradiance, PS, complex-PS (CPS), and field atmospheric data of Hefei city of China, to solidify the effectiveness of HHO based MPPT for PV systems in real-world applications. The proposed HHO shows superior performance in tracking maximum power point and faster convergence at the global maximum power point. The improvement of 10–30% in tracking time and more than 90% in random oscillations are effectively achieved by the proposed MPPT technique. Faster maximum power point (MPP) tracking, lower computational burden and higher efficiency are the key contributions of the HHO based MPPT technique. • Novel Harris hawk optimizations (HHO) based MPPT control of PV system is proposed. • HHO is compared with P&O, PSO, GWO, CSA, and DFOA through field atmospheric data and case studies. • HHO outperform competing techniques with 10-30% faster tracking, 4-6% more energy harvest and oscillation reduction 95.45%. • Statistical and quantitative analysis confirms the superior performance of the proposed HHO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Bayesian network model for buried gas pipeline failure analysis is presented. • The pipeline failure caused by corrosion and external interference is analyzed. • Failure frequency and leakage size are analyzed based on pipeline characteristics. • The pipeline in the city of Hefei is used to state the practicability of the model. • Critical pipeline parameters can be identified using this model. The unintentional release of urban buried gas pipeline may cause crucial consequences to the economy, society and environment. Corrosion and external interference are primary causes of pipeline failure incidents. Due to the complexity and unpredictability of outside influence on the buried gas pipeline, this paper presents an approach to analyze pipeline failure frequency and leakage size caused by corrosion and external interference based on pipeline characteristics. Bayesian network method is used to construct a knowledge model. Pipeline characteristics statistics and failure data are collected to build the relationships among variables in the model and verify the applicability of the model. Results show that the proposed model can estimate buried gas pipeline failure frequency and leakage size caused by corrosion and external interference. It is also capable of highlighting the critical parameters to pipeline failure. Practical application of the model is demonstrated on the underground gas pipeline in the City of H, China. Results indicate that proposed model can explicitly quantify uncertainties and then put forward practical measures for buried gas pipeline parameter design, laying plan and operating maintenance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focused on the impact of high-speed rail construction on the structure of tourist flow networks in typical tourist cities. Through three consecutive questionnaire surveys and online surveys, using Gephi and GIS software to carry out a tracking study of Huangshan City. The results were as follows: (1) After high-speed rail opening and operation, the proportion of tourists within the range of 400–1200 km from the destination kept growing, and the tourist destination attraction radius expanded to about 800 km, which is more than twice than that when there was no high-speed rail. (2) The route arrangement of high-speed rail tourists is more flexible. Meanwhile, partners in tourist cities along the route are increasing, and the "circle" cooperation relationship with a city as the core has been broken, forming a "chain" cooperation structure distributed along the high-speed rail. (3) High-speed rail has an important influence on the function of the tourist flow network node, which significantly enhances the traffic function of cities along the route, but the impact on tourism function is not significant, while the traffic and tourism functions of cities along the non-high-speed rail are gradually declining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thyroid nodule has been a common and serious threaten to human health. With the identification and diagnosis of thyroid nodules in the general population, large volumes of examination reports in clinical practice have been accumulated. They provide data basics of analyzing radiologists’ behavior of diagnosing thyroid nodules. To conduct data-driven analysis of radiologists’ behavior, an experimental framework is designed based on belief rule base, which is essentially a white box for knowledge representation and uncertain reasoning. Under the framework, with 2744 examination reports of thyroid nodules in the period from January 2012 to February 2019 that have been collected from a tertiary hospital located in Hefei, Anhui, China, experimental results are obtained from conducting missing validation, self-validation, and mutual validation. Three principles are then concluded from the results and corresponding analysis. The first is that missing features on some criteria are considered as benign ones by default, the second is that there is generally inconsistency between the recorded features on criteria and the overall diagnosis, and the third is that different radiologists have different diagnostic preferences. These three principles reflect three diagnostic behavioral characteristics of radiologists, namely reliability, inconsistency, and independence. Based on the three principles and radiologists’ behavioral characteristics, managerial insights in a general case are concluded to make the findings in this study available in other situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Response spectrum analysis of the CFETR CS Model Coil is performed. • Time history analysis is conducted with the artificial Hefei wave and modified El Centro wave. • Our results show that the seismic response is mainly caused by the horizontal wave. • The structural integrity of the CFETR CS Model Coil under seismic loads is sound. The China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR) Central Solenoid (CS) Model Coil is being fabricated by the Institute of Plasma Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences, and will be cryogenically tested in 2021. In order to validate the structural integrity of the CS Model Coil under seismic loads, response spectrum (RS) and time history analyses have been carried out. This paper first introduces the manufacturing progress of the CS Model Coil and the structure of the CS Model Coil. Then, the RS analysis is perfomed with the complete-quadratic-combination (CQC) modal combination rule. Finally, time history analyses under the artificial Hefei wave and the modified El Centro wave are conducted. The seismic response of the CS Model Coil is described and the obtained maximum von-Mises stresses are respectively 30.9 MPa and 34.0 MPa for the RS and time history analysis. These stresses are mainly caused by the horizontal excitations, and are lower than the allowable stress limit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the time series of contact force among pedestrians in two different crowding conditions is analyzed by using the correlogram-based periodogram and the Fisher–Shannon method to investigate their spectral and informational properties, respectively. The overcrowding was simulated by controlled experiments carried out at University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei in three different walking styles. Our results show that: (1) the contact force is characterized by a significant periodic behavior; (2) a clear discrimination in the Fisher–Shannon information plane is found between contact forces measured in the two conditions of lower and higher pedestrian density. • Contact force among pedestrians is analyzed by the Fisher–Shannon method. • Periodic behavior has been revealed in the time series of contact force. • Lower and higher crowd density are well discriminated in the Fisher–Shannon plane. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A techno-economic analysis on the frost-free ASHP system was analyzed and compared. • The running cost reduced 23.2, 23.6 and 29.0 % compared with the reference system. • The payback period of the initial cost is about 3.3–4.2 years. • The studied system was a promising economical way for space heating. In order to improve the performance of air source heat pumps (AHSPs) when it is operated in winter, a novel frost-free ASHP system has been developed and the thermodynamic characteristics was performed in the previous work. Before it is large-scale promoted and applied, an economic analysis should be conducted. However, there is little research on the economic analysis of the system, which limits the development and application of innovation technologies. Therefore, a techno-economic analysis of the system was evaluated in typical climate zones in China and compared with a conventional ASHP unit in this paper. The results showed that the running cost of the frost-free ASHP system reduced 23.2, 23.6 and 29.0 % in comparison with the conversional ASHP system in Xi'an, Shenyang and Hefei cities respectively, also, corresponding to the payback period of the initial cost were 4.2 years, 3.3 years and 4.03 years respectively. It shows that the frost-free ASHP system is a promising economical way for space heating. Conclusion from this work will provide key information for the user in decision making and determining the economic viability of the frost-free ASHP system has been evaluated before it is large-scale promoted and applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A pair of 100 kA high temperature superconducting (HTS) current leads for CFETR is being designed at ASIPP. • The analysis of the maximum current carrying capacity of HTS module with self-field and external field has been performed. • The simulation of LOFA and burnout time for the 100 kA HTS current lead are also discussed. • The analysis results indicate that maximum current carrying capacity, LOFA and burnout time meet CFETR requirement. Based on the Agreement of Institute of Plasma Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP) and Ministry of Science and Technology of China during the Thirteen Five-Years Plan (so called 13∙5 plan), a dedicated test facility of superconducting magnet for China Fusion Engineering Test Reactor (CFETR) will be constructed in Hefei, China. A pair of high temperature superconducting (HTS) current leads rated at 100 kA for the CFETR magnet test facility is being designed at ASIPP. Because magnetic energy stored in the toroidal field magnet is 134 Giga Joules which are 3 times higher than the ITER case, HTS current leads must work at nominal current without performance degradation during the HTS current lead quench. In order to verify the safety and reliability of HTS current lead, the analysis of static magnetic field is done by ANSYS iteration to predict the maximum current carrying capacity of HTS module. This paper also give the numerical calculation of loss of flow accident(LOFA) of HTS current lead and temperature margin analysis of HTS module. The analysis results indicate that the HTS module has a current carrying capacity of 165 kA without external field at 65 K and a current carrying capacity of 149 kA with external 30 mT vertical field at 65 K. The LOFA time is about 580 s and the burnout time is about 30 s, which is better than the requirement of the toroidal field coil fast discharge time of 24 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new Infrared beamline was constructed at HLS II. • Details of the optics and experimental techniques at the beamline. • High performance of the infrared beamline and endstations. National Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory (NSRL) owns the first dedicated synchrotron radiation facility in China, Hefei Light Source (HLS). The HLS was fully upgraded to HLS II in 2016. Following the machine upgrade, the infrared beamline was reconstructed to match the new storage ring and improved its performance. The infrared radiation is extracted from a bending magnet (1 degree port) with an acceptance angle of 65(H) × 55(V) mrad2, which including edge radiation and constant field radiaton. Two endstations were reconstructed. One is for spectroscopy experiment covering from far to near infrared, the other one is for mid-infrared microspectroscopy and imaging experiment. In this paper, we introduce the new infrared beamline and endstations in detail, including optics, experimental techniques developed at two endstations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with the PV electricity generation, the hybrid Photovoltaic-thermoelectric (PV-TE) can generate more electricity due to its ability to utilize a wider solar spectrum than the PV. The PV-TE employing micro-channel heat pipe array is a novel PV-TE-MCHP system which is capable of providing high cost performance compared to the traditional PV-TE due to the use of the micro-channel heat pipe array. In this paper, the experimental investigation of this new system in summer in Hefei city, China is presented for the first time. The comparison between this system and PV alone is made, and the details are presented. The power output, PV temperature, and the hot and cold sides temperatures of the TE are all tested. The results show that the novel system has a higher electrical output than the PV alone. The electrical efficiencies of this system during the test are all higher than 14.0% and the PV temperatures are about 20 °C higher than the ambient temperature. Based on this experiment, the results also verify the feasibility of the new system, which will give a valuable reference for the PV-TE design. • Experiment on a novel Photovoltaic-thermoelectric system in summer was made. • The comparison between the PV-TE system and PV alone was indicated. • The PV temperature in PV-TE was about 20 °C higher than the ambient temperature. • The maximum electrical efficiency of the PV-TE WAS about 14.3%. • The PV-TE has a higher electrical output than the PV alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]