Search Results (12)

This article examines the functional transformation of Buddhist temples from religious edifices to elements of the political landscape in Northern Wei Luoyang, in order to elucidate the grandiose portrayal of these temples in geographical records. The proliferation of Buddhism significantly altered the spatial configuration of the capital city, previously dominated by imperial architectural complexes. Buddhist temples emerged as emblematic structures of Luoyang, surpassing palaces in prominence due to their extensive occupation of urban space, enhancement of the empire’s international standing, and involvement in the political vicissitudes of Northern Wei. Yang Xuanzhi drew upon the literary techniques of Han fu 漢賦, particularly its elaborate descriptive style, to articulate the sentiments of the emperor’s subjects and extol the ruler’s virtue while subtly conveying criticism and advice. By shaping Buddhist temples into imperial landscapes, Yang Xuanzhi conferred on Luoyang a legitimacy comparable to that of the Han Dynasty. The evolving social functions and literary representations of Buddhist temples during the Northern Wei Dynasty reflect the profound integration of Buddhism, politics, and literature. Full article

The high-quality development of urban innovation provides important support for implementing new development concepts, constructing new development patterns, and promoting high-quality development. Based on the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) theoretical analysis framework, this paper takes 19 first-tier cities and 30 second-tier cities as research samples, explores the multiple path combinations of the business environment on urban high-quality development from a configuration perspective, and uses the fsQCA method. The research results show that the following are true: (1) The innovation ecology is the sole necessary condition for the high-quality development of urban innovation development; (2) efficient financial services and comprehensive market size play a crucial role in enabling cities to achieve high-quality innovation development; and (3) there are three configurations driving high-quality urban innovation development, namely the “Balanced Synergy Pathway”, the “Organizational Synergy Pathway”, and the “Technological Synergy Pathway”. This study explores the impact of the coupling of the business environment on the high-quality development of urban innovation, reveals the diverse configuration relationships of the business environment in urban high-quality development, and has important theoretical and practical significance for the high-quality development policies of cities. Full article

In challenging environments such as disaster aid or forest rescue, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been hampered by inconsistent or even denied global navigation satellite system (GNSS) signals, resulting in UAVs becoming incapable of operating normally. Currently, there is no unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) positioning method that is capable of substituting or temporarily replacing GNSS positioning. This study proposes a reliable UAV top-down absolute positioning method (RTAPM) based on a monocular RGB camera that employs joint optimization and visual–inertial assistance. The proposed method employs a bird’s-eye view monocular RGB camera to estimate the UAV’s moving position. By comparing real-time aerial images with pre-existing satellite images of the flight area, utilizing components such as template geo-registration, UAV motion constraints, point–line image matching, and joint state estimation, a method is provided to substitute satellites and obtain short-term absolute positioning information of UAVs in challenging and dynamic environments. Based on two open-source datasets and real-time flight experimental tests, the method proposed in this study has significant advantages in positioning accuracy and system robustness over existing typical UAV absolute positioning methods, and it can temporarily replace GNSS for application in challenging environments such as disaster aid or forest rescue. Full article

Phase-change thermal storage is essential for renewable energy utilization, addressing spatiotemporal energy transfer imbalances. However, enhancing heat transfer in pure phase-change materials (PCMs) has been challenging due to their low thermal conductivity. Rotational actuation, as an active method, improves heat transfer and storage efficiency. This study numerically examined the melting behavior of finned thermal storage units at various rotational speeds. The influence of speed was analyzed via melting time, rate, phase interface, temperature, and flow distribution. Results showed that rotational speed effects were non-monotonic: excessive speeds may hinder complete melting or reduce efficiency. There existed an optimal speed for the fastest melting rate and a limited speed range for complete melting. At the preferred rotation speed of 2.296 rad·s⁻¹, the utilization of PCMs in a finned tube could mitigate the risk of local overheating by 97.2% compared to a static tube, while improving heat storage efficiency by 204.9%. Full article

Based on Yang Xuanzhi’s account of the burned-down Luoyang city during the Northern Wei dynasty and contemporary archeological discoveries, this paper tries to decipher the pre-Luoyang memory and imperial identity of the Northern Wei royal family that are embedded in the urban planning of Luoyang city by understanding the reformation of Buddhist politico-religious policy through both a historical approach and literary analysis. Buddhism played a crucial role in the Northern Wei’s campaign of establishing their rulership as a legitimate one from the Chinese perspective. Buddhist temples became structures where commoners interacted on a daily basis, and, in these interactions, the Xianbei rulers managed to bring multiple factors into balance: Northern Wei imperial and Chinese identities and the tension between preserving the ancestral memory and merging the Northern Wei regime into a Chinese political context. Full article

High-energy-density lithium metal batteries with high safety and stability are urgently needed. Designing the novel nonflammable electrolytes possessing superior interface compatibility and stability is critical to achieve the stable cycling of battery. Herein, the functional additive dimethyl allyl-phosphate and fluoroethylene carbonate were introduced to triethyl phosphate electrolytes to stabilize the deposition of metallic lithium and accommodate the electrode–electrolyte interface. In comparison with traditional carbonate electrolyte, the designed electrolyte shows high thermostability and inflaming retarding characteristics. Meanwhile, the Li||Li symmetrical batteries with designed phosphonic-based electrolytes exhibit a superior cycling stability of 700 h at the condition of 0.2 mA cm⁻², 0.2 mAh cm⁻². Additionally, the smooth- and dense-deposited morphology was observed on an cycled Li anode surface, demonstrating that the designed electrolytes show better interface compatibility with metallic lithium anodes. The Li||LiNi_0.8Co_0.1Mn_0.1O₂ and Li||LiNi_0.6Co_0.2Mn_0.2O₂ batteries paired with phosphonic-based electrolytes show better cycling stability after 200 and 450 cycles at the rate of 0.2 C, respectively. Our work provides a new way to ameliorate nonflammable electrolytes in advanced energy storage systems. Full article

Business model innovation (BMI) is a key performance driver for startups. Nonetheless, the reality is that new firms with new business models still face survival pressures. New institutional theory shows that legitimacy factors will affect the performance level of new ventures. Legitimacy is an important subject in the field of institution and organization, which refers to the extent to which an individual or organization’s behavior is accepted by the public and reflects the important influence of external institutional forces on the organization. Consequently, this study collected data from entrepreneurs in Eastern China and conducted a regression analysis, which revealed that novelty-based and efficiency-based business model innovation positively affects the performance of startups. Moreover, this study found that different dimensions of external legitimacy have different effects on the relationship between business model innovation and the performance of startups. Regulative legitimacy and normative legitimacy negatively regulate the relationship between novelty-based business model innovation and the performance of startups. In contrast, normative legitimacy positively regulates the relationship between efficiency-based business model innovation and the performance of startups. The study also found that cognitive legitimacy positively regulates the relationship between novelty-based business model innovation and the performance of startups. In summary, the study highlights the importance of considering the influence of different dimensions of external legitimacy on the relationship between business model innovation and the performance of startups. The findings suggest that legitimacy is a crucial factor affecting startups’ ability to improve their performance through business model innovation. Full article

Probabilistic computing is an emerging computational paradigm that uses probabilistic circuits to efficiently solve optimization problems such as invertible logic, where traditional digital computations are difficult to solve. This paper proposes a true random number generator (TRNG) based on resistive random-access memory (RRAM), which is combined with an activation function implemented by a piecewise linear function to form a standard p-bit cell, one of the most important parts of a p-circuit. A p-bit multiplexing strategy is also applied to reduce the number of p-bits and improve resource utilization. To verify the superiority of the proposed probabilistic circuit, we implement the invertible p-circuit on a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), including AND gates, full adders, multi-bit adders, and multipliers. The results of the FPGA implementation show that our approach can significantly save the consumption of hardware resources. Full article

Resistive random access memory (RRAM) is one of the most promising new nonvolatile memories because of its excellent properties. Moreover, due to fast read speed and low work voltage, it is suitable for seldom-write frequent-read applications. However, as technology nodes shrink, RRAM faces many issues, which can significantly degrade RRAM performance. Therefore, it is necessary to optimize the sensing schemes to improve the application range of RRAM. In this paper, the issues faced by RRAM in advanced technology nodes are summarized. Then, the advantages and weaknesses in the novel design and optimization methodologies of sensing schemes are introduced in detail from three aspects, the reference schemes, sensing amplifier schemes, and bit line (BL)-enhancing schemes, according to the development of technology in especially recent years, which can be the reference for designing the sensing schemes. Moreover, the waveforms and results of each method are illustrated to make the design easy to understand. With the development of technology, the sensing schemes of RRAM become higher speed and resolution, low power consumption, and are applied at advanced technology nodes and low working voltage. Now, the most advanced nodes the RRAM applied is 14 nm node, the lowest working voltage can reach 0.32 V, and the shortest access time can be only a few nanoseconds. Full article

Ferroelectric capacitors (FeCAPs) with high process compatibility, high reliability, ultra-low programming current and fast operation speed are promising candidates to traditional volatile and nonvolatile memory. In addition, they have great potential in the fields of storage, computing, and memory logic. Nevertheless, effective methods to realize logic and memory in FeCAP devices are still lacking. This study proposes a 1T2C FeCAP-based in situ bitwise X(N)OR logic based on a charge-sharing function. First, using the 1T2C structure and a two-step write-back circuit, the nondestructive reading is realized with less complexity than the previous work. Second, a method of two-line activation is used during the operation of X(N)OR. The verification results show that the speed, area and power consumption of the proposed 1T2C FeCAP-based bitwise logic operations are significantly improved. Full article

In the ever-changing environment, companies are often required to adopt improvised responses to certain unpredicted events and sometimes need to improvise strategically to sustain or thrive. However, the mechanism between strategic improvisation and competitive advantage is understudied. In this study, we try to unveil the mechanism by proposing a moderated mediation model investigating the relationships among strategic improvisation, organizational memory, organizational identity strength, and competitive advantage. Using survey data collected among top managers and members of funding teams in Jiangsu Province, China, we find that strategic improvisation is positively related to competitive advantage, and most importantly, this relationship is partially mediated by organizational memory. However, the moderating effect of organizational identity strength on the relationship between strategic improvisation and organizational memory is not proven. We contribute to the existing literature by making up for the deficiency of the traditional resource-based view to some extent, enhancing the understanding of strategic improvisation, and contributing to achieving sustainable development goals 8 and 12. We also offer some practical suggestions to top managers in terms of cultivating improvising learning as well. Full article

Innovation serves as the first impetus for high-quality development. The role of government in promoting high-quality innovation development has become a chief driving force. Therefore, based on role theory, this paper will discuss the effect of different government roles on high-quality innovation development and regional alienation, providing policy recommendations for China. In this paper, firstly, a super-efficiency DEA model is introduced to measure the high-quality innovation development level among 30 provinces and municipalities in mainland China from 2010 to 2017. Secondly, a Tobit model is used to analyze the impact of different government roles on high-quality innovation development. The following conclusions are drawn through a super-efficiency DEA model: (1) From the holistic perspective, the high-quality innovation development in mainland China shows a fluctuating growth trend, but its level still needs improvement. (2) From the regional perspective, there is a patchwork pattern of ‘the eastern region ranks highest, followed by the western region and the middle region that stays at the lowest’. In addition, the three regions’ average of total factor productivity of high-quality innovation development has shown a smooth upward trend over the years. Then, the results of Tobit regression analysis are as follows: (1) Apart from the role in supporting talent, roles in constructing innovation platforms, cultivating the innovation environment, and coordinating social resources all pass the significance test. (2) Demands of different government roles vary significantly in different regions from the regional perspective. For the betterment of an innovation society, this paper puts forward suggestions according to different regional development statuses, such as shifting our focus from quantity to quality, strengthening cooperation among provinces and municipalities, and formulating appropriate governance role strategies. Full article