Channels have always been vital geologic features in the exploration of hydrocarbon reservoirs, which makes the interpretation of channels an important task. Many different seismic attributes have been proposed to help the process of channel interpretation. A single seismic attribute could not fully and accurately reflect the geologic structure and edge details of a channel. Therefore, interpretation on a single attribute causes inaccurate segmentation. A 3D channel body interpretation method based on multiple attributes and supervoxel graph cut is applied in (...) this paper, which identifies and segments the channel geologic body with fuzzy boundaries, poor continuity, or even data loss more accurately. First, a nonlinear dimensionality reduction method is applied to fuse a variety of seismic attributes to make channels clearer. Then, a graph-cut method based on the super geologic voxel is introduced, which reduces the computational complexity of segmentation and generates supervoxels more fitted to the edge of the channel body. Finally, a smooth 3D surface of the channel is obtained through the isosurface extraction. We use the data of a work area in northwest China and Parihaka-3D to evaluate the performance of our method. Our results show that, compared with other methods, the information provided by the fusion attribute is more complete, and the edge continuity of the channel is improved. The 3D channel bodies obtained by our method are clear and continuous. In the case of a complex channel body, our method can also work well. (shrink)

We clarify different definitions of the density matrix by proposing the use of different names, the full density matrix for a single-closed quantum system, the compressed density matrix for the averaged single molecule state from an ensemble of molecules, and the reduced density matrix for a part of an entangled quantum system, respectively. We show that ensembles with the same compressed density matrix can be physically distinguished by observing fluctuations of various observables. This is in contrast to a general belief (...) that ensembles with the same compressed density matrix are identical. Explicit expression for the fluctuation of an observable in a specified ensemble is given. We have discussed the nature of nuclear magnetic resonance quantum computing. We show that the conclusion that there is no quantum entanglement in the current nuclear magnetic resonance quantum computing experiment is based on the unjustified belief that ensembles having the same compressed density matrix are identical physically. Related issues in quantum communication are also discussed. (shrink)

This book is a translation of a key commentary on the Book of Changes, or Yijing, perhaps the most broadly influential text of classical China. The Yijing first appeared as a divination text in Zhou-dynasty China and later became a work of cosmology, philosophy, and political theory as commentators supplied it with new meanings. While many English translations of the Yijing itself exist, none are paired with a historical commentary as thorough and methodical as that written by the Confucian (...) scholar Cheng Yi, who turned the original text into a coherent work of political theory. (shrink)

Responding to recent concerns about the reliability of the published literature in psychology and other disciplines, we formed the X-Phi Replicability Project to estimate the reproducibility of experimental philosophy. Drawing on a representative sample of 40 x-phi studies published between 2003 and 2015, we enlisted 20 research teams across 8 countries to conduct a high-quality replication of each study in order to compare the results to the original published findings. We found that x-phi studies – as represented in our sample (...) – successfully replicated about 70% of the time. We discuss possible reasons for this relatively high replication rate in the field of experimental philosophy and offer suggestions for best research practices going forward. (shrink)

Appendix 1 was incomplete in the initial online publication. The original article has been corrected.

This research investigates firms’ bribery motivations in China. Based on resource dependence theory and anomie theory, we identify resource conditions as firms’ proactive motivation to bribe and firms’ perceived institutional environment as their passive motivation to bribe. We use the data from 2002 World Business Environment Survey, collected by the World Bank, to investigate firms’ bribery in the world’s largest emerging market, China. We employ a multi-level logistic model to test our hypotheses. The results show that unsatisfactory general and task (...) environmental conditions may trigger firms to bribe in order to compete for better resources and opportunities; institutional conditions such as the security expenditure and anomie climate may make firms perceive bribery as a common phenomenon and thus induce firms to bribe. This research provides some insights to understand business bribery behaviors in emerging market. It also discusses some managerial implications and guidelines for policy-making from the findings. (shrink)

In the water area monitoring of the traditional wireless sensor networks, the monitoring data are mostly transmitted to the base station through multihop. However, there are many problems in multihop transmission in traditional wireless sensor networks, such as energy hole, uneven energy consumption, unreliable data transmission, and so on. Based on the high maneuverability of unmanned aerial vehicles, a mobile data collection scheme is proposed, which uses UAV as a mobile sink node in WSN water monitoring and transmits data wirelessly (...) to collect monitoring node data efficiently and flexibly. In order to further reduce the energy consumption of UAV, the terminal nodes are grouped according to the dynamic clustering algorithm and the nodes with high residual energy in the cluster are selected as cluster head nodes. Then, according to the characteristics of sensor nodes with a certain range of wireless signal coverage, the angular bisection method is introduced on the basis of the traditional ant colony algorithm to plan the path of UAV, which further shortens the length of the mobile path. Finally, the effectiveness and correctness of the method are proved by simulation and experimental tests. (shrink)

BackgroundThe brain death standard allowing a declaration of death based on neurological criteria is legally endorsed and routinely practiced in the West but not in Asia. In China, attempts to legalize the brain death standard have occurred several times without success. Cultural, religious, and philosophical factors have been proposed to explain this difference, but there is a lack of empirical studies to support this hypothesis.Methods476 medical providers from three academic hospitals in Hunan, China, completed a selfadministered survey including a 12-question (...) brain death clinical knowledge assessment and hypothetical vignettes describing brain dead patients.ResultsThe response rate was 95.2 %. Almost all of the providers had heard of the term “brain death.” More than half have encountered presumed brain dead patients. Two-thirds accepted brain death as an ethical standard to determine human death. The mean knowledge score was 8.50 ± 1.83 out of 12. When given the description of a brain dead patient, 50.7 % considered the patient dead, 51.9 % would withdraw life support, and 40.6 % would allow organ procurement. Both provider and patient characteristics contributed to the providers’ decisions. Ethical acceptance was the most important independent predictor for brain death acknowledgement, followed by high knowledge scores, and the belief that the soul lives in the brain. Religious faith and associated beliefs did not have a significant effect.ConclusionsNotwithstanding scarce official accounts, recognition of the brain death standard is not uncommon in China. Chinese medical providers can adequately define the medical characteristics of brain death and accept it in theory, but hesitate to apply it to practice in the vignettes. Legalization is paramount in providing the protection providers need to comfortably declare brain death. However the medical decision-making surrounding brain death is complex and the provider's past experiences and emotions may also influence the process. (shrink)