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In the brain imaging based on electrical impedance tomography, it is sometimes not able to attach 16 electrodes due to space restriction caused by craniotomy. As a result of this, the number of boundary measurements decreases, and spatial resolution of reconstructed conductivity distribution is reduced. The purpose of this study is to enhance reconstruction quality in cases of limited measurement.

A new data expansion method based on the shallow convolutional neural network is proposed. An eight-electrode model is built from which fewer boundary measurements can be obtained. To improve the imaging quality, shallow convolutional neural network is constructed which maps limited voltage data of the 8-electrode model to expanded voltage data of a quasi-16-electrode model. The predicted data is compared with the quasi-16-electrode data. Besides, image reconstruction based on L1 regularization method is conducted.

The results show that the predicted data generally coincides with the quasi-16-electrode data. It is found that images reconstructed with the data of eight-electrode model are the poorest. Nevertheless, imaging results when the limited data is expanded by the proposed method show large improvement, and there is a minor difference with the images recovered with the quasi-16-electrode data. Also, the impact of noise is studied, which shows that the proposed method is robust to noise.

To enhance reconstruction quality in the case of limited measurement, a new data expansion method based on the shallow convolutional neural network is proposed. Both simulation work and phantom experiments have demonstrated that high-quality images of cerebral hemorrhage and cerebral ischemia can be obtained when the limited measurement is expanded by the proposed method.

Drawing on the social cognitive theory, this study investigated the effect of mentors' drinking norms on their protégés' alcohol misuse by focusing on the mediating role of conformity drinking motives and the moderating role of moral disengagement. We conducted a three-wave survey of 148 mentor–protégé dyads and found that mentors' drinking norms were positively related to their protégés' alcohol misuse and that this relationship was fully mediated by conformity drinking motives. Moreover, the moderated mediation model revealed that moral engagement strengthens the main effects of mentors' drinking norms on conformity drinking motives and the indirect effects of mentors' drinking norms on protégés' alcohol misuse via enhanced conformity drinking motives. The theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

This paper attempts to critically question present IPE approaches and analyses that aim at assessing China’s role within the international political economy. Thus, unlike common theorizations that see the country as being integrated within US hegemony (Panitch and Gindin) or those accounts that claim that we are already witnessing the “terminal crisis” of US hegemony accompanied by a hegemonic transition toward China (Arrighi), the paper will argue that China was able to gain “relative geopolitical autonomy” as a result of the revolutionary processes it went through and eventually assert itself as a contender state, now just in the process of challenging US hegemony. Dissatisfied with existent theorizations of hegemony, I will be drawing on the critical edition of Gramsci’s Quaderni and attempt to offer a new perspective regarding the conceptualization thereof. Thus applying the elaborated framework of analysis to the current situation, I argue that unlike the US’s ability to counter the challenge of its traditional imperial rivals Germany and Japan as they developed under the grip of US hegemony, the country is facing difficulties in countering China’s ascent. However, while maintaining that China does indeed represent a challenge to US hegemony, particularly in East Asia, I will argue that the idea of a “crisis of US hegemony” is premature as China remains distant from fully realizing hegemonic relations, even at the regional level.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship among job training satisfaction (JTS), job satisfaction (JS) and turnover intention (TI) and moreover, the role of JS in the relationship between the JTS and TI.

A survey was used in this study for a sample size of 115. The principal component analysis was carried out to examine the factors in JTS and JS. The regression and mediation analyses were applied to assess the relationship among the JTS, JS and TI.

A significantly negative relationship between JTS and TI was found and mediated by JS. The paper also suggests that JS is positively related to JTS but is negatively related to TI, which is in accordance with what have been reported in the earlier studies.

This study reinforced the significance of job training in human resource management practices. The employees’ satisfaction with job training that would lead to higher JS and lower TIs was emphasized. Therefore, it becomes important for HRD professionals to consider both the delivery of the training to the employees and the employees’ satisfaction with the training approach when designing the training program.

While many different variables have been studied in the relationship with TI, the JTS is rarely discussed. This paper attempts to examine the relationship among JTS, JS and TI with addition of new insights.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the dependent competing failure reliability of harmonic drive (HD) with strength failure and degradation failure.

Based on life tests and stiffness degradation experiments, Wiener process is used to establish the accelerated performance degradation model of HD. Model parameter distribution is estimated by Bayesian inference and Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) and stiffness degradation failure samples are obtained by a three-step sampling method. Combined with strength failure samples of HD, copula function is used to describe the dependence between strength failure and stiffness degradation failure.

Strength failure occurred earlier than degradation failure under high level accelerated condition; degradation failure occurred earlier than strength failure under medium- or low-level accelerated condition. Gumbel copula is the optimum copula function for dependence modeling of strength failure and stiffness degradation failure. Dependent competing failure reliability of HD is larger than independent competing failure reliability.

The reliability evaluation method of dependent competing failure of HD with strength failure and degradation failure is first proposed. Performance degradation experiments during accelerated life test (ALT), step-down ALT and life test under rated condition are conducted for Wiener process based step-down accelerated performance degradation modeling.

This is a literature survey paper. The purpose of this paper is to focus on the latest developments in textual analysis on China’s financial markets, highlighting its differences from existing works in the US markets.

The authors review the literature and carry out an experiment of sentiment analysis based on a small sample of Chinese news articles.

Based on the experiment of sentiment analysis, there is limited evidence on the association between sentiment and other contemporaneous or future returns.

The supply of financial textual information has grown exponentially in the past decades. Technological advancements in recent years make the programming-based analysis an effective tool to digest such information. The authors highlight the use of credible textual information and discuss directions of research in this important field.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the drinking behaviour of alcohol dependents in the small island economy Mauritius, which is characterised by different cultures and ethnic groups. The drinking culture of Mauritius as a nation has dramatically changed over recent decades.

The analysis is based on a survey carried out on 300 alcohol dependents in different regions across the island in 2012. Information on alcohol consumption is derived from data obtained on the different types of drink consumed, their drinking preferences and habits, combined with information from the respondents on their alcohol intake. Alcohol-dependent individuals in this study are defined as those people who drink every day, drink in the morning before work and also drink during their working hours. Furthermore, they may also drink to get drunk and may encounter alcohol-related health problems.

The results first reveal that there is a gender gap in alcohol consumption with men being more dependent on alcoholic beverages on a daily basis, in the morning and at work. Second, the paper innovates by focussing on the most vulnerable segment of the population, that is those working in the informal sector. There is evidence that operating in the informal sector or being self-employed enhances the probability of the individual to become alcohol dependent through daily intake and consumption at the workplace. Informality is characterised by low wages, poor working conditions and high vulnerability which makes alcohol an escape avenue from financial difficulties. Consumption of other substances is also entwined with alcohol intake.

The authors focus on the characteristics and behaviour of alcohol-dependent individuals in a small pluriethnic changing society.

This paper aims to deepen the understanding of the relationship between global economic uncertainty and price volatility, specifically focusing on commodity, industrial materials and energy price indices as proxies for global inflation, analyzing data from 1997 to 2020.

The dynamic conditional correlation generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity model is used to study the dynamic relationship between variables over a while.

The results demonstrated a positive relationship between commodity prices and the global economic policy uncertainty (GEPU). Except for 1999–2000 and 2006–2008, the results of the energy price index model were very similar to those of the commodity price index. A predominant positive relationship is observed focusing on the connection between GEPU and the industrial material price index. The results of the pairwise Granger causality reveal a unidirectional relationship between the GEPU – the Global Commodity Price Index – and the GEPU – the Global Industrial Material Price Index. However, there is bidirectional causality between the GEPU – the Global Energy Price Index. In sum, changes in price indices can be driven by GEPU as a political factor indicating unfavorable economic conditions.

This paper provides a deeper understanding of the role of global uncertainty in the global inflation process. It fills the gap in the literature by empirically investigating the dynamic movements of global uncertainty and the three most important groups of prices.

This study aims to investigate the metaverse’s capability to foster sustainable tourism through word-of-mouth (WoM), by integrating embodied social presence theory with social identity theory. It aims to unveil how the interplay between metaverse technology and user attributes enhances tourists’ experiences and satisfaction, thereby promoting WoM for sustainable tourism practices.

A scenario-based survey research design was used, comprising a survey of 528 respondents. This study used structural equation modelling to analyse the data, focusing on the relationships between technological features, user attributes, social presence and their combined effect on promoting sustainable tourism through WoM.

Results indicate that the metaverse significantly enhances social presence and tourist satisfaction, which in turn, fosters WoM for sustainable tourism. Key factors include technological attributes (individuality, empathy, naturalness and immersion) and user attributes (prior experience and interest in sustainable practices), which collectively influence the propensity for sustainable WoM, also impacted by prosocial identity and subcultural identification.

This research contributes to the literature by demonstrating the metaverse’s potential in enhancing sustainable tourism promotion through innovative technological engagement. It offers practical insights for destination marketers and service providers on leveraging metaverse technology to engage a wider audience in sustainable tourism practices, marking a significant step towards integrating digital innovations with ecological sustainability efforts.

本研究旨在探讨元宇宙促进可持续旅游的能力, 通过融合具身社会存在理论与社会认同理论, 分析元宇宙技术与用户属性之间的相互作用如何增强游客的体验和满意度, 从而推动可持续旅游实践的口碑（WoM）传播。

采用基于情境的调查研究设计, 对528名受访者进行了问卷调查。本研究运用结构方程模型对数据进行分析, 重点关注技术特性、用户属性、社交存在感及其对通过WoM促进可持续旅游的联合效应。

研究结果表明, 元宇宙显著增强了社交存在感、游客满意度和体验感, 进而促进了可持续旅游的WoM。关键因素包括技术属性（个性化、共情、自然性和沉浸感）和用户属性（先前经验和对可持续性的兴趣）, 这些因素共同影响了可持续性WoM的倾向, 同时也受到亲社会身份和亚文化认同的影响。

本研究通过展示元宇宙在通过创新技术参与中增强可持续旅游推广的潜力, 为文献做出了贡献。它为目的地营销人员和政策制定者提供了实际洞见, 关于如何利用元宇宙技术吸引更广泛的受众参与可持续旅游实践, 标志着将数字创新与生态可持续性努力相结合的重要一步。

Este estudio investiga la capacidad del metaverso para fomentar el turismo sostenible a través del boca a boca (WoM), integrando la teoría de la presencia social corporal con la teoría de la identidad social. Su objetivo es desvelar cómo la interacción entre la tecnología del metaverso y los atributos de los usuarios mejora las experiencias y la satisfacción de los turistas, promoviendo así el WoM para prácticas de turismo sostenible.

Se utilizó un diseño de investigación con encuestas basadas en escenarios, con 528 participantes. El estudio empleó modelos de ecuaciones estructurales para analizar los datos, centrándose en las relaciones entre las características tecnológicas, los atributos de los usuarios, la presencia social y su efecto combinado en la promoción del turismo sostenible a través del WoM.

Los resultados indican que el metaverso mejora significativamente la presencia social y la satisfacción del turista, lo que a su vez fomenta el WoM del turismo sostenible. Los factores clave incluyen atributos tecnológicos (individualidad, empatía, naturalidad e inmersión) y atributos de los usuarios (experiencia previa e interés por las prácticas sostenibles), que influyen colectivamente en la propensión al WoM sostenible, también afectado por la identidad prosocial y la identificación subcultural.

Esta investigación contribuye a la literatura al demostrar el potencial del metaverso para mejorar la promoción del turismo sostenible a través de un compromiso tecnológico innovador. Ofrece perspectivas prácticas para los comercializadores de destinos y los proveedores de servicios para aprovechar la tecnología del metaverso para involucrar a un público más amplio en prácticas de turismo sostenible, marcando un paso significativo hacia la integración de las innovaciones digitales con los esfuerzos de sostenibilidad ecológica.

Most of the linear encoders are based on optics. The accuracy and reliability of these encoders are greatly reduced in polluted and noisy environments. Moreover, these encoders have a complex structure and large sensor volume and are thus not suited to small application scenarios and do not have universality. This paper aims to present a new absolute magnetic linear encoder, which has a simple structure, small size and wide application range.

The effect of swing error is analyzed for the sensor structural arrangement. A double-threshold interval algorithm is then proposed to synthesize multiple interval electrical angles into absolute angles and convert them into actual displacement distances.

The final linear encoder measurement range is 15.57 mm, and the resolution reaches ± 2 µm. The effectiveness of the algorithm is demonstrated experimentally.

The linear encoder has good robustness, and high measurement accuracy, which is suitable for industrial production. The linear encoder has been mass-produced and used in an electric power-assisted braking system.