Surface defect detection of hot rolled steel based on multi-scale feature fusion and attention mechanism residual block.

To improve the precision of defect categorization and localization in images, this paper proposes an approach for detecting surface defects in hot-rolled steel strips. The approach uses an improved YOLOv5 network model to overcome the issues of inadequate feature extraction capacity and suboptimal feature integration when identifying surface defects on steel strips. The proposed method achieves higher detection accuracy and localization precision, making it more competitive and applicable in real production. Firstly, the multi-scale feature fusion (MSF) strategy is utilized to fuse shallow and deep features effectively and enrich detailed information relevant to target defects. Secondly, the CSPLayer Res2Attention block (CRA block) residual module is introduced to reduce the loss of defect information during hierarchical transmission, thereby enhancing the extraction of fine-grained features and improving the perception of details and global features. Finally, the experimental results indicate that the mAP on the NEU-DET and GC10-DET datasets approaches 78.5% and 67.3%, respectively, which is 4.9% and 2.1% higher than that of the baseline. Meanwhile, it has higher precision and more precise localization capabilities than other methods. Furthermore, it also achieves 59.2% mAP on the APDDD dataset, indicating its potential for growth in further domains.

Monkeypox - A danger approaching Asia.

Since the end of June 2022, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of monkeypox cases worldwide. Given the potential spread of this epidemic, WHO has declared the monkeypox epidemic a global public health emergency. In the face of the changing epidemiology during this monkeypox outbreak, vaccines and preventive measures are being researched around the world in response to this emerging disease. Recently, confirmed cases were reported in South Korea and Japan; as connections between countries around the world resume, imported cases may be inevitable. China is also concerned and prepared for the danger approaching Asia. In response to this risk, China issued the "Monkeypox Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines" and the General Administration of Customs of China announced that travelers from countries reporting monkeypox cases and with suspected symptoms should be identified to customs upon entry. Chinese researchers have recently generated two pseudovirus reference materials for the monkeypox viral wild-type B6R gene and mutant F3L gene. Moreover, monkeypox as a communicable disease can be added to the current COVID-19 tracking system for better surveillance and management.

Can nasal irrigation with chlorine dioxide be considered as a potential alternative therapy for respiratory infectious diseases? The example of COVID-19.

Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is a high-level disinfectant that is safe and widely used for sterilization. Due to the limitations on preparing a stable solution, direct use of ClO2 in the human body is limited. Nasal irrigation is an alternative therapy used to treat respiratory infectious diseases. This study briefly summarizes the available evidence regarding the safety/efficacy of directly using ClO2 on the human body as well as the approach of nasal irrigation to treat COVID-19. Based on the available information, as well as a preliminary experiment that comprehensively evaluated the efficacy and safety of ClO2, 25-50 ppm was deemed to be an appropriate concentration of ClO2 for nasal irrigation to treat COVID-19. This finding requires further verification. Nasal irrigation with ClO2 can be considered as a potential alternative therapy to treat respiratory infectious diseases, and COVID-19 in particular.

Customer demand-driven low-carbon vehicles combined strategy and route optimisation integrated decision.

With the optimal operating cost and optimal carbon emission target of the chemical logistics companies, a low-carbon routing optimisation with a multi-energy type vehicle combined problem is proposed by considering the concept of the logistics companies' low-carbon behaviour. An integrated decision-making of multi-energy type vehicles combined strategy and route optimisation based on customer demand is presented, and an improved genetic algorithm is designed. A case study is then applied based on the data collected from the case research. The effectiveness of the improved genetic algorithm is tested. The two joint objectives of operating cost and carbon emission are examined through the cost analysis of environmental energy vehicles and traditional energy vehicles in different combination scenarios. The case analysis shows that a rational multi-energy type vehicle combination with route optimisation has a significant correlation with the operating cost and carbon emissions, while the environmental vehicle purchasing cost reduction and subsidy policy affect the operating cost.