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The purpose of this paper is to study a new approach by combining a multilayer perceptron neural network (MLPNN) algorithm with a GM(1, N) model in order to estimate the development cost of a new type of aircraft.

First, data about developing costs and their influencing factors were collected for several types of Boeing and Airbus aircraft. Second, a GM(1, N) model was constructed to simulate development costs for a civil aircraft. Then, an MLPNN algorithm was added to optimize and revise the simulative and forecasting values. Finally, a combined approach, using both a GM(1, N) model and an MLPNN algorithm was adopted to forecast development costs for new civil aircraft.

The results show that the proposed approach could do the work of cost estimation for new types of aircraft. Rather than using a single model, the combined approach could improve simulative and forecasting accuracy.

Scientific cost estimation could improve management efficiency and promote the success of a new type of civil aircraft development. Considering that China’s civil aircraft research and development is at its very beginning stages, only very limited data could be collected. The development costs for civil aircraft are affected by a series of factors. The approach outlined by this paper could be applied to development cost estimations in China’s civil aircraft industry.

The paper has succeeded by constructing a cost estimation index system and proposing a novel combined cost estimation approach comprised of a GM(1, N) model and an MLPNN. It has undoubtedly contributed to improving the accuracy of cost estimations.

A web site usually contains a large number of concept entities, each consisting of one or more web pages connected by hyperlinks. In order to discover these concept entities for more expressive web site queries and other applications, the web unit mining problem has been proposed. Web unit mining aims to determine web pages that constitute a concept entity and classify concept entities into categories. Nevertheless, the performance of an existing web unit mining algorithm, iWUM, suffers as it may create more than one web unit (incomplete web units) from a single concept entity. This paper presents two methods to solve this problem. The first method introduces a more effective web fragment construction method so as reduce later classification errors. The second method incorporates site‐specific knowledge to discover and handle incomplete web units. Experiments show that incomplete web units can be removed and overall accuracy has been significantly improved, especially on the precision and F1 measures.

This study analyses the advantages and weaknesses of using Facebook to aid the learning of Japanese as a foreign language.

A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data from 100 Hong Kong Japanese language learners (who are generally fluent in Chinese and English), ranging from total amateur to advanced learners (Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) qualified at different levels).

The authors' results suggest that the advantages of using Facebook to help learn Japanese include: (1) serving as a free-of-charge, casual, and convenient learning platform; (2) enriching learners' knowledge beyond the language learning and (3) encouraging interactive and collaborative learning with other users for practicing the language. However, the low credibility and unstructured educational materials posted on Facebook and being easily distracted by other Facebook feeds are the major weaknesses of learning a language through Facebook. Furthermore, the authors' result shows that Facebook is especially effective for Japanese learning when learners fall into either one of the following groups: young, female, or intermediate (N2/3) learners.

Scant studies focus on the aid of learning Japanese via Facebook, especially Hong Kong learners' perceptions, or generally in the East. Therefore, this study aims to fill this research gap. The authors' findings will facilitate the students, teachers, and language institutions from Hong Kong and other countries to improve the students' effectiveness in learning and teaching Japanese.

Artificial electromagnetic (EM) medium and devices are designed with integrated micro- and macro-structures depending on the EM transmittance performance, which is difficult to fabricate by the conventional processes. Three-dimensional (3D) printing provides a new solution for the delicate artificial EM medium. This paper aims to first review the applications of 3D printing in the fabrication of EM medium briefly, mainly focusing on photonic crystals, metamaterials and gradient index (GRIN) devices. Then, a new design and fabrication strategy is proposed for the EM medium based on the 3D printing process, which was verified by the implementation of a 3D 90o Eaton lens based on GRIN metamaterials.

A new design and manufacturing strategy driven by the physical (EM transmittance) performance is proposed to illustrate the realization procedures of EM medium based device with controllable micro- and macro-structures. Stereolithography-based 3D printing process is used to obtain the designed EM device, an GRIN Eaton lens. The EM transmittance of the Eaton lens was validated experimentally and by simulation.

A 3D 90o Eaton lens was realized based on GRIN metamaterials structure according to the proposed design and manufacturing strategy, which had the broadband (12-18 GHz) and low loss characteristic. The feasibility of 3D printing for the artificial EM medium and GRIN devices has been verified for the further real applications in the industries.

The applications of 3D printing in artificial EM medium and devices were systematically reviewed. A new design strategy driven by physical performance for the EM device was proposed and validated by the firstly 3D printed 3D Eaton lens.

Similar to other developing nations, Egypt is experiencing a “youth bulge,” or increase in the proportion of young persons in the population. Individuals aged 29 years or younger compose approximately 62 percent of the Egyptian population; persons aged 10–29 years, nearly 40 percent (Population Council, 2011). Based on these statistics, the development and well-being of this segment of the population have become central topics during discussions of the future prosperity of Egypt (Population Council, 2010b). This chapter provides an overview of the ecology and political economy of Egyptian youth’s development during the transition from the twentieth to the twenty-first century. The chapter also examines issues related to education, poverty, health, opportunity structures, and challenges associated with social mobility.

At the doorsteps of the fourth wave of the industrial revolution, it is compulsory to develop a new understanding regarding the future of human labor based on “Industry 4.0” for German manufacturers, and two American concepts: “The Industrial Internet” and “The Internet of Things.” How will the nature of human work be in the digital economy of the forthcoming future? The problem of unemployment and the composition of the labor market, in terms of professional skills, are yet to be waiting for answers. Scientific management is also transforming to answer the emerging requirements of this new era, as “Digital Taylorism” to re-organize work in a techno-centric manner. Accordingly, the aim of this chapter is to examine the nature and the possible opportunities and threats of the digital age and try to develop a digital Taylorism understanding to minimize the negative impacts of digitalism on both individual workers and society in a way that all parts including the manufacturers can fully take the benefit of potential advantages of this new era.

Quantum-dot Cellular Automata (QCA) is a new nano-scale transistor-less computing model. To address the scaling limitations of complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor technology, QCA seeks to produce general computation with better results in terms of size, switching speed, energy and fault-tolerant at the nano-scale. Currently, binary information is interpreted in this technology, relying on the distribution of the arrangement of electrons in chemical molecules. Using the coplanar topology in the design of a fault-tolerant digital comparator can improve the comparator’s performance. This paper aims to present the coplanar design of a fault-tolerant digital comparator based on the majority and inverter gate in the QCA.

As the digital comparator is one of the essential digital circuits, in the present study, a new fault-tolerant architecture is proposed for a digital comparator based on QCA. The proposed coplanar design is realized using coplanar inverters and majority gates. The QCADesigner 2.0.3 simulator is used to simulate the suggested new fault-tolerant coplanar digital comparator.

Four elements, including cell misalignment, cell missing, extra cell and cell dislocation, are evaluated and analyzed in QCADesigner 2.0.3. The outcomes of the study demonstrate that the logical function of the built circuit is accurate. In the presence of a single missed defect, this fault-tolerant digital comparator architecture will achieve 100% fault tolerance. Also, this comparator is above 90% fault-tolerant under single-cell displacement faults and is above 95% fault-tolerant under single-cell missing defects.

A novel structure for the fault-tolerant digital comparator in the QCA technology was proposed used by coplanar majority and inverter. Also, the performance metrics and obtained results establish that the coplanar design can be used in the QCA circuits to produce optimized and fault-tolerant circuits.

The aim of this paper is to explore how the role of low intensity cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) could be incorporated as a treatment option for individuals who engage in non‐suicidal self‐injury. Primary Care Mental Health Workers (PCMHWs) and Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners (PWPs) are employed to assist patients experiencing common mental health problems through CBT‐based self‐help materials; this is commonly referred to as low intensity CBT.

This article reviews the literature in order to investigate how these workers could incorporate their skills to offer support to those who self‐harm as means of coping with psychological distress.

The findings from this review identify a call for research into the efficacy of low intensity CBT, to enable the dissemination of clear guidance into the treatment of non‐suicidal self‐injury, considering the role of PWPs and PCMHWs.

At present, there is a lack of guidance into the treatment options for people who participate in non‐suicidal self‐injury. There is ambiguity into how PWPs and PCMHWs should manage this client base and training courses designed for these workers do not address the issues of self‐harm. It is hoped that this article may promote the development of such protocols.

This paper provides the strategic direction and coordination mechanism selection for the intelligent transformation of manufacturing enterprises.

A theoretical framework is developed through grounded theory and case analysis.

Collaboration value is the building block of the intelligent product ecosystem. The ecosystem is upgraded via a path of product coordination, platform coordination and network coordination.

This paper provides a framework for enterprises to build an intelligent product ecosystem.

The proposed intelligent product ecosystem framework is new to the literature and lays down a fruitful avenue for future research.