Properly wearing a face mask has become an effective way to limit the COVID-19 transmission. In this work, we target at detecting the fine-grained wearing state of face mask: face without mask, face with wrong mask, face with correct mask. This task has two main challenging points: 1) absence of practical datasets, and 2) small intra-class distance and large inter-class distance. For the first challenging point, we introduce a new practical dataset covering various conditions, which contains 8635 faces with different wearing status. For the second challenging point, we propose a novel detection framework about conditions of wearing face mask, named Context-Attention R-CNN, which enlarge the intra-class distance and shorten inter-class distance by extracting distinguishing features. Specifically, we first extract the multiple context feature for region proposals, and use attention module to weight these context feature from channel and spatial levels. And then, we decoupling the classification and localization branches to extract more appropriate feature for these two tasks respectively. Experiments show that the Context-Attention R-CNN achieves 84.1% mAP on our proposed dataset, outperforming Faster R-CNN by 6.8 points. Moreover, Context-Attention R-CNN still exceed some state-of-the-art single-stage detectors.

In the mean-variance-skewness-kurtosis framework, this paper discusses an uncertain higher-order moment portfolio selection problem when security returns are given by experts’ evaluations. Based on uncertainty theory and the assumption that the security returns are zigzag uncertain variables, an uncertain multi-objective portfolio optimization model is proposed by considering the maximization of both the expected return and skewness of portfolio return while simultaneously minimizing the risk and kurtosis of portfolio return. Subsequently, the proposed model is transformed into a single-objective programming model by using fuzzy programming approach, in which investor preferences for high moments are incorporated. Furthermore, a modified flower pollination algorithm (MFPA) is developed for solution, in which PSO in local update strategy (PSOLUS) and dynamic switching probability strategy (DSPS) are employed to enhance the local searching and global searching abilities. Finally, a numerical example is presented to illustrate the application of the proposed model and solution comparisons are also given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the designed algorithm.

Recently, financial institutions and investors have placed an increasing emphasis on ESG (environmental, social, and governance) as a principal indicator for the evaluation of companies. However, the current ESG scoring systems lack uniformity and are often subjective. It is of great importance to be able to make accurate predictions regarding the ESG scores of corporations. A Stacked Generalization Model that employs Random Forest (RF), Gradient Boosting Decision Tree (GBDT), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM) as base learners, with Bayesian Ridge Regression (BRR) as the meta-model for integrating the predictions of these diverse models is proposed. The goal is to develop an ESG score prediction model for Chinese companies. The experimental data set encompasses Chinese A-share listed companies from 2012 to 2020. The Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), and coefficient of determination (R²) are employed for model evaluation and are compared with seven benchmark models. The results demonstrate that SGM-BRR reduces the RMSE by 18.4%, 17.3%, 13.7%, and 76.1%, the MAE by 15.4%, 18.4%, 15.8%, and 68.4%, and increases the R² by 2%, 1.4%, 2%, and 6% for ESG, E, S, and G scores, respectively. Furthermore, the model’s performance is validated across different industries, with SGM-BRR exhibiting the most optimal performance of RMSE, MAE, and R² in 27, 25, and 27 groups, respectively. Consequently, the model demonstrates broad applicability and stability performance in ESG score prediction.

In financial markets, investors will face not only portfolio risk but also background risk. This paper proposes a credibilistic multi-objective mean-semi-entropy model with background risk for multi-period portfolio selection. In addition, realistic constraints such as liquidity, cardinality constraints, transaction costs, and buy-in thresholds are considered. For solving the proposed multi-objective problem efficiently, a novel hybrid algorithm named Hybrid Dragonfly Algorithm-Genetic Algorithm (HDA-GA) is designed by combining the advantages of the dragonfly algorithm (DA) and non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA II). Moreover, in the hybrid algorithm, parameter optimization, constraints handling, and external archive approaches are used to improve the ability of finding accurate approximations of Pareto optimal solutions with high diversity and coverage. Finally, we provide several empirical studies to show the validity of the proposed approaches.

Amidst the escalating demands for efficient Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) management, the significance of accurate Origin-Destination (OD) data prediction has emerged as a paramount concern, given its indispensable role in the ITS domain. This paper introduces a groundbreaking integrated model, creatively fusing the unique strengths of Graph Convolutional Network (GCN), Residual Neural Network (ResNet), and Long Short-Term Memory Network (LSTM) into a single architecture, which we name GraphResLSTM, to exploit road segment average speed data for OD prediction. Compared with conventional road segment traffic volume data, average speed data is more readily available, significantly reducing the data accessibility barrier for OD prediction. We underscore the critical role of selection of key road segments and employs a combination of Entropy Weight Method and Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) to identify 41 representative road segments from the experimental road network. In the experimental phase, we simulate 86400000 seconds of traffic conditions, generating a total of 1440000 data records. Utilizing these simulated data, we design and conduct comparative experiments between models as well as data types. The results demonstrate that both the GraphResLSTM model and road segment average speed data outperform other models and data types notably in OD prediction tasks.