Comprehensive Verification Research Articles

SRNet-YOLO: A model for detecting tiny and very tiny pests in cotton fields based on super-resolution reconstruction.

Effective pest management is important during the natural growth phases of cotton in the wild. As cotton fields are infested with "tiny pests" (smaller than 32×32 pixels) and "very tiny pests" (smaller than 16×16 pixels) during growth, making it difficult for common object detection models to accurately detect and fail to make sound agricultural decisions. In this study, we proposed a framework for detecting "tiny pests" and "very tiny pests" in wild cotton fields, named SRNet-YOLO. SRNet-YOLO includes a YOLOv8 feature extraction module, a feature map super-resolution reconstruction module (FM-SR), and a fusion mechanism based on BiFormer attention (BiFormerAF). Specially, the FM-SR module is designed for the feature map level to recover the important feature in detail, in other words, this module reconstructs the P5 layer feature map into the size of the P3 layer. And then we designed the BiFormerAF module to fuse this reconstruct layer with the P3 layer, which greatly improves the detection performance. The purpose of the BiFormerAF module is to solve the problem of possible loss of feature after reconstruction. Additionally, to validate the performance of our method for "tiny pests" and "very tiny pests" detection in cotton fields, we have developed a large dataset, named Cotton-Yellow-Sticky-2023, which collected pests by yellow sticky traps. Through comprehensive experimental verification, we demonstrate that our proposed framework achieves exceptional performance. Our method achieved 78.2% mAP on the "tiny pests" test result, it surpasses the performance of leading detection models such as YOLOv3, YOLOv5, YOLOv7 and YOLOv8 by 6.9%, 7.2%, 5.7% and 4.1%, respectively. Meanwhile, our results on "very tiny pests" reached 57% mAP, which are 32.2% higher than YOLOv8. To verify the generalizability of the model, our experiments on Yellow Sticky Traps (low-resolution) dataset still maintained the highest 92.8% mAP. The above experimental results indicate that our model not only provides help in solving the problem of tiny pests in cotton fields, but also has good generalizability and can be used for the detection of tiny pests in other crops.

Enhanced PFM-PSM Hybrid Control of CLLC Resonant Converter for Electric Vehicles: Comprehensive Study and Verification

Enhanced PFM-PSM Hybrid Control of CLLC Resonant Converter for Electric Vehicles: Comprehensive Study and Verification

Mechanisms of Sophora flavescens in the treatment of cervical squamous cell carcinoma based on comprehensive biological analysis, network pharmacology, and experimental verification

Mechanisms of Sophora flavescens in the treatment of cervical squamous cell carcinoma based on comprehensive biological analysis, network pharmacology, and experimental verification

Implementation of an advanced bounding surface constitutive model in OpenSees

The dynamic behaviour of saturated coarse-grained soils has recently received wide attention because of its impact on the seismic performance of geotechnical and structural systems. This is due to the peculiarities of their cyclic response (e.g., liquefaction, ratcheting and volumetric-deviatoric coupling). Consequently, the seismic risk mitigation of the built environment requires efficient predictive models applicable in design and assessment. To this end, several constitutive models have been developed for a realistic description of the cyclic soil behaviour. From this perspective, this paper describes the implementation and testing of the bounding surface plasticity model developed by Papadimitriou and Bouckovalas (2002) in OpenSees as a means for advanced assessment of soil-structure systems. The implemented model includes essential features of the cyclic soil response. Moreover, a modified fabric tensor evolution equation is introduced for improving the response and numerical stability in boundary value problems, at the cost of an extra model constant. The workflow concerning the integration of the model into OpenSees is presented, followed by instructions about its use in boundary value problems. A comprehensive verification of the model response is discussed. The numerical simulations demonstrated the robustness of the implemented code in capturing soil behaviour from small to large strain levels.

Impact of Pre-Annealed ZrO2 Interfacial Layer on the Ferroelectric Behavior of Hf0.5Zr0.5O2

This work systematically investigates the impact of a pre-annealed ZrO2 interfacial layer on the ferroelectric behavior of Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO) capacitors. The remanent polarization (2Pr) value of HZO capacitors, including configurations such as W/HZO/TiN/p+ Si, W/HZO/(pre-annealed) ZrO2/TiN/p+ Si, W/HZO/SiO2/TiN/p+ Si, and W/HZO/SiO2/p+ Si, exhibits significant variations. The W/HZO/(pre-annealed) ZrO2/TiN/p+ Si capacitor demonstrates superior ferroelectric performance, with a 2Pr value of ~32 µC/cm2. Furthermore, by optimizing the thickness combination of HZO and the pre-annealed ZrO2 interfacial layer, a capacitor with a 10 nm HZO and 2 nm ZrO2 achieves the largest 2Pr value. The pre-annealing process applied to ZrO2 is found to play a very important role in inducing the orthorhombic phase and thus enhancing ferroelectricity. This enhancement is attributed to the pre-annealed 2 nm ZrO2 interfacial layer acting as a structural guide for the subsequent HZO orthorhombic phase, thereby improving the ferroelectric performance of HZO capacitors. These findings provide a comprehensive explanation and experimental verification of the impact of pre-annealed ZrO2 on ferroelectric devices, offering novel insights for the optimization of ferroelectric properties.

Comprehensive analyses and experimental verification of NETs and an EMT gene signature for prognostic prediction, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) is an aggressive malignancy with high mortality and poor prognosis. Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) significantly influence on the progression of various cancers. However, the underlying relevance of NETs- and EMT-associated genes on the outcomes of patients with PAAD remains to be elucidated. Transcriptome RNA sequencing data, together with clinical information and single-cell sequencing data of PAAD were collected from public databases. In the TCGA-PAAD cohort, ssGSEA was used to calculate NET and EMT scores. WGCNA was used to determine the key gene modules. A risk model with eight NET- and EMT-related genes (NERGs) was established using LASSO and multivariate Cox regression analysis. Patients in the reduced risk (RR) group showed better prognostic values compared with those in the elevated risk (ER) group. The prognostic model exhibited reliable and robust prediction when validated using an external database. The distributions of risk genes were explored in a single-cell sequencing data set. Immune infiltration, immune cycle, and immune checkpoints were compared between the RR and ER groups. Moreover, potential chemotherapeutic drugs were examined. DCBLD2 was identified as a key gene in PAAD cell lines by qRT-PCR, and was highly expressed in PAAD tissues. GSEA demonstrated that DCBLD2 induced the EMT. Transwell assays and western blotting showed that cell invasion and EMT induction were significantly reduced after DCBLD2 knockdown. Collectively, we constructed a prognosis model based on a NET and EMT gene signature, providing a valuable perspective for the prognostic evaluation and management of PAAD patient.

A vibration correction system for cold atom gravimeter

Cold atom gravimeters are used to measure the absolute value of the gravitational acceleration. To mitigate the influence of seismic noise on the mirror, a vibration correction system is used. A commercial seismometer CMG-3ESPC is employed to measure the mirror vibration. The transfer function between the mirror vibration and the output of the seismometer is regarded as a proportional element with a time delay. The best proportional element and the best time delay are obtained by minimizing the standard deviation of the fitting residuals of the interference fringe with vibration correction. This system not only exhibits excellent environmental adaptability but also eliminates the need for rough estimation of local gravitational acceleration during the vibration correction process. The system was built on the homemade cold atom gravimeter to carry out experiments in the laboratory. Compared with the measurement results without vibration correction, the standard deviation of the gravity measurement results was reduced from Gal to Gal, resulting in a significant reduction by a factor of 28.7. Meanwhile, its sensitivity was significantly improved from 330.8 to 18.0 by performing vibration correction. In the future, this system is expected to carry out comprehensive verification experiments in more complex noisy environments.

High-velocity impact experiments and quantitative damage evaluation for finite ultra-high-performance concrete targets

In this work, we aim at improved characterization of target damage occurring as the result of projectile impact against ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC). For this purpose, we present the results of high-velocity impact experiments with spherical steel projectiles and finite-thickness UHPC targets of approximately 115 MPa compressive cylinder strength in the impact velocity range from approximately 600 m/s to 1500 m/s. The data set obtained from these experiments includes residual projectile velocities as well as qualitative and quantitative information on damage. Quantitative damage information is mainly extracted from digital 3D post mortem targets, which are produced by 3D-scanning. For all damage quantities, a dependence on the impact velocity and the target thickness is discussed and used to provide possible explanations for the origin of the particular type of damage. The large data set presented in this work can constitute the basis for a comprehensive and quantitative verification and validation of analytical, empirical, and numerical models that describe the perforation of UHPC targets in the investigated impact velocity range.

Development, verification and experimental validation of a 3D numerical model for tubular solar receivers equipped with Raschig Ring porous inserts

This study presents a numerical investigation of gaseous tubular absorbers used in a solar furnace and introduces a 3D model to simulate porous inserts with random packing of metallic Raschig Rings (RR) at pore-scale. A comprehensive verification and validation process was conducted based on the experimental data obtained at Plataforma Solar de Almeria (SF60). The evaluations were carried out on three samples, including a smooth pipe (SP) and two enhanced pipes (20RR and 40RR) with 20 mm and 40 mm RR inserts. The effects of several influential parameters, such as the fluid turbulence model, the effective thermal conductivity of the porous material, and the randomness of the RR in the porous structure, were studied to assess the accuracy and repeatability of the model in predicting thermal and fluidic characteristics of air inside the absorber pipes under different working conditions. A detailed thermo-hydraulic analysis revealed an irregular flow pattern inside the porous zone, while the air recirculation at the porous entrance and exit provides an uneven pressure drop distribution in the azimuthal direction. Moreover, fluid turbulence is enhanced downstream of the porous insert thanks to several stream jets formed by uneven flow discharge at the insert outlet face, which improves heat transfer in that area. The analyses demonstrated a significant improvement in heat transfer, with a maximum enhancement factor of 10–15 than the smooth tube. Additionally, in the evaluation of thermo-hydraulic performance, the enhanced absorbers exhibit Performance Evaluation Criteria up to 2, compared to the tube without RR inserts.

Information Fusion Approach for Transformer Protection: Concept, Application, and Field Data Verification

The ultimate goal of power transformer protection system is to quickly and reliably detect internal faults while remaining stable for external faults and transients. Since in the conventional protection system, each relay decides about the transformer condition independently, it can be considered that the output signals of relays are logically "OR"ed with each other. In this case, confirming internal fault condition by more than one relay does not increase the confidence level of decision-making and consequently the operation speed, while maloperation of one function causes the failure of overall protection system. To cover this drawback, this paper introduces a new protection paradigm based on fusing the decision of independent protection functions. The fundamental concepts along with an application of this approach are proposed in the paper. Besides, to improve the fusion performance, a probabilistic approach for the protection functions is suggested. Results of the comprehensive evaluations and field data verifications demonstrate that the proposed approach not only increases the operation speed and dependability of protection system, but also improves its security by accurately detecting the transformer status even in cases where a protection function maloperates for a transient condition.

Simulation Research on Active Noise Control in Turboprop Cabin with Complex Sound Field Environment

This article summarizes the research work on the complex sound field environment in the cabin of a certain turboprop aircraft, the construction of multi-channel noise active control system and the verification of noise reduction effect were carried out. On the basis of spectrum analysis and distribution characteristic analysis of the measured data in the cabin of this turboprop, taking the key peak frequency as the target frequency, a multi-channel noise active control system with 16 inputs and 16 outputs that meets the requirements of noise reduction indicators is built. And a comprehensive verification platform for the noise reduction effect of turboprop aircraft similar to the real environment was built in a semi-anechoic chamber to verify the real environment was built in a semi-anechoic chamber to verify the noise reduction effect of the system. The result show that the system can reduce the sound pressure level at key frequencies by 14.9 dB(A), the system noise reduction effect is significant and effective.

A new scheme of 2:1 photonic multiplexer and multiplexer-based NOT, OR, AND logic gates in electro-optic Mach–Zehnder interferometer

This paper introduces the development of NOT, OR, and AND logic gates utilizing a 2:1 Multiplexer (MUX) based on a titanium-diffused lithium niobate electro-optic Mach–Zehnder interferometer. The shift towards large-scale optical integrated circuits as an alternative to traditional CMOS technology has gained traction, driven by the growing demand for high-speed computation and data transfer rates, reaching up to the terahertz scale, along with the need for energy-efficient interconnects. To optimize the design and reduce the number of photonic MUX, we leverage Shannon decomposition and Reduced Binary Decision Diagram mapping in the creation of MUX-based combinational and logic circuits. The entire design undergoes comprehensive simulation and verification using OPTIBPM with a beam propagation method (BPM). The wafer dimensions for the 2:1 electro-optic MZI-MUX and MUX-based NOT, AND, OR gates are 33 mm × 100 μm, classifying them as integrated optics. The proposed photonic MUX-based combinational circuits exhibit rapid response times, making them particularly advantageous for communication systems, transmission networks, and various industrial applications. Key device parameters, including insertion loss (0.0012 dB), extinction ratio (ER) (28.97 dB), and contrast ratio (29.5 dB), fall within acceptable limits. The BPM simulated results align well with the mathematical computations based on PYTHON simulations.

V-MODEL FOR AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS

This article explores the application of the V model, a structured software development and testing framework, to air defense systems. The V model's sequential approach aligns development and testing phases, promoting comprehensive verification and validation. The article delineates the adaptation of the V model to air defense systems, encompassing both verification and validation activities. Verification ensures adherence to design and requirements, while validation assesses system alignment with user needs. The article underscores the benefits of early issue identification, higher-quality software, and improved system performance through the V model's systematic approach.

Robust shortcut for controlling Bloch states in optical lattices

The ability to manipulate quantum states with robustness is crucial for various quantum applications, including quantum computation, quantum simulation, and quantum precision measurement. While pulsed shortcut techniques have proven effective for controlling bands and orbits in optical lattices, their robustness has not been extensively studied. In this paper, we present an improved shortcut design scheme that retains the advantages of high speed and high fidelity, while ensuring exceptional robustness. We conduct comprehensive experimental verifications to demonstrate the effectiveness of this new robust shortcut and its application in quantum gate design. The proposed scheme is expected to enhance the robustness of optical lattice orbit-based interferometry, quantum gates, and other processes.

Experimental study on impact of high voltage power transmission lines on silicon photovoltaics using artificial neural network

The recent trend of renewable energy has positioned solar cells as an excellent choice for energy production in today’s world. However, the performance of silicon photovoltaic (PV) panels can be influenced by various environmental factors such as humidity, light, rusting, temperature fluctuations and rain, etc. This study aims to investigate the potential impact of high voltage power transmission lines (HVTL) on the performance of solar cells at different distances from two high voltage levels (220 and 500 KV). In fact, HVTLs generate electromagnetic (EM) waves which may affect the power production and photocurrent density of solar cells. To analyze this impact, a real-time experimental setup of PV panel is developed (using both monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar cells), located in the vicinity of 220 and 500 KV HVTLs. In order to conduct this study systematically, the impact of HVTL on solar panel is being measured by varying the distance between the HVTL and the solar panels. However, it is important to understand that the obtained experimental values alone are insufficient for comprehensive verification under various conditions. To address this limitation, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is employed to generate HVTL impact curves for PV panels (particularly of voltage and current values) which are impractical to obtain experimentally. The inclusion of ANN approach enhances the understanding of the HVTL impact on solar cell performance across a wide range of conditions. Overall, this work presents the impact study of HVTL on two different types of solar cells at different distances from HVTL for two HV levels (i.e., 220 and 500 KV) and the comparison study of HVTL impact on both monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar cells.

Study on the potential mechanism of Qingxin Lianzi Yin Decoction on renoprotection in db/db mice via network pharmacology and metabolomics

BackgroundDiabetic nephropathy (DN) was one of the most popular and most significant microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus. Qingxin Lianzi Yin Decoction (QXLZY) was a traditional Chinese classical formula, suitable for chronic urinary system diseases. QXLZY had good clinical efficacy in early DN, but the underlying molecular mechanism remained unrevealed. PurposeThis study aimed to establish the content determination method of QXLZY index components and explore the mechanism of QXLZY on DN by network pharmacology and metabolomics studies. MethodsFirstly, the content determination methods of QXLZY were established with calycosin-7-O-β-d-glucoside, acteoside, baicalin and glycyrrhizic acid as index components. Secondly, pharmacological experiments of QXLZY were evaluated using db/db mice. UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS was used to carry out untargeted urine metabolomics, serum metabolomics, and kidney metabolomics studies. Thirdly, employing network pharmacology, key components and targets were analyzed. Finally, targeted metabolomics studies were performed on the endogenous constituents in biological samples for validation based on untargeted metabolomics results. ResultsA method for the simultaneous determination of multiple index components in QXLZY was established, which passed the comprehensive methodological verification. It was simple, feasible, and scientific. The QXLZY treatment alleviated kidney injury of db/db mice, included the degree of histopathological damage and the level of urinary microalbumin/creatinine ratio. Untargeted metabolomics studies had identified metabolic dysfunction in pathways associated with amino acid metabolism in db/db mice. Treatment with QXLZY could reverse metabolite abnormalities and influence the pathways related to energy metabolism and amino acid metabolism. It had been found that pathways with a high degree were involved in signal transduction, prominently on amino acids metabolism and lipid metabolism, analyzed by network pharmacology. Disorders of amino acid metabolism did occur in db/db mice. QXLZY could revert the levels of metabolites, such as quinolinic acid, arginine, and asparagine. ConclusionThis study was the first time to demonstrate that QXLZY alleviated diabetes-induced pathological changes in the kidneys of db/db mice by correcting disturbances in amino acid metabolism. This work could provide a new experimental basis and theoretical guidance for the rational application of QXLZY on DN, exploring the new pharmacological effect of traditional Chinese medicine, and promoting in-depth research and development.

An Analytical Expression for the Fundamental Frequency of a Long Free-Spanning Submarine Pipeline

The DNVGL-RP-F105 guidelines provide essential techniques for the preliminary design of undersea pipelines. However, its approximations for static displacement and the natural frequency of the pipe are restricted to cases where the ratio of the pipe’s diameter to its length (L/D) is less than 140. This limitation poses challenges for longer spans, which, although rare, can sometimes be unavoidable. This study introduces a novel analytical method, rooted in the energy method and cable theory, for computing the static deformation and natural frequency of long free-span underwater pipelines. We conducted a comprehensive verification of our proposed method by comparing its outcomes with those of 212 finite element analysis simulations. The results reveal excellent predictions for long spans. However, for shorter spans, traditional methods remain more accurate. Additionally, we explored the influence of pipeline’s diameter, thickness, and boundary conditions on both static displacement and frequency, providing valuable insights for design considerations. We found that the boundary conditions’ impact on the fundamental frequency becomes negligible for long spans, with up to a 10% difference between pinned–pinned and fixed–fixed conditions. In essence, this research offers a vital enhancement to the existing DNV guidelines, becoming particularly beneficial during the preliminary design phases of pipelines with L/D ratios exceeding 140.

Finite-time terminal sliding mode attitude control for tailless full-wing configuration UAVs based on extended state observers and auxiliary compensators

Considering the sensitivity of the tailless full-wing configuration unmanned aerial vehicle to disturbance and the strong nonlinearity and coupling caused by the manipulation combining the propeller and rudder, a finite-time terminal sliding mode controller with compound compensation is proposed in this paper to ensure stable attitude control. Based on singular perturbation theory, the inner loop sliding mode controller is designed so that the supremum of the convergence time of the rotational angular velocity tracking error in the sliding phase can be directly determined by the control parameters without requiring the initial state, and the outer loop sliding mode controller is designed so that the sliding surface function of the attitude angle tracking error has a fast convergence speed when it is far from and close to the origin. The compound compensation design further addresses the manipulation nonlinearity and disturbance sensitivity of the research object. Based on the minimum Euclidean norm optimization, the designed control allocator achieves command decoupling and reduces the desired control command. Through comprehensive verification, the proposed controller shows superior control performance and low energy consumption and exhibits strong robustness in the cruising flight envelope.

A Non-Expendable Leveler as Electrolyte Additive Enabling Homogenous Lithium Deposition.

Li metal anodes are extensively studied owing to their unparalleled advantages in achieving high energy density. However, safety issues originating from dendritic Li growth are always a huge hindrance for applications in Li metal batteries (LMBs). In this study, a functional additive, 4,6-dimethyl-2-mercaptopyrimidine (DMP), which is a typical leveler in the copper electroplating industry, is selected to suppress Li dendrite formation. Various Li-metal-based batteries are systematically investigated and they show stable performances, such as excellent cycling stability above 800h at 3mAcm-2 in Li||Li cells and 400 cycles with high coulombic efficiencies (CEs >98%) at 1mAcm-2 in Li||Cu cells. Furthermore, a comprehensive verification of the protective mechanism induced by the DMP leveling agent shows that the leveler updated the Li+ solvation structure and occupied the inner Helmholtz plane of the Li anode. The planar DMP molecular layer absorbed on the surface of the Li metal can suppress side reactions and modify the Li deposition behavior via steric hindrance, inducing homogeneous Li deposition. Interestingly, the DMP leveler does not participate in the formation of the solid electrolyte interphase. This study can stimulate further ideas on non-depleting but effective levelers as electrolyte additives for high-performance LMBs.

Design and analysis of a novel flexible variable stiffness damping mechanism for grinding electric spindle

The purpose of this research is to design a flexible variable stiffness damping mechanism to solve the load impact problem in the grinding process of permanent magnet electric spindle. Firstly, combined with the structure and usage scene of the grinding permanent magnet electric spindle, according to the design principles and technical indicators, a novel flexible variable stiffness vibration damping joint is proposed. Then the stiffness and energy storage model of the flexible variable stiffness damping mechanism is established, and the stiffness and energy storage characteristics of the mechanism are analyzed. The strength and dynamic characteristics of the flexible variable stiffness mechanism are analyzed by Ansys and Adams, respectively. Finally, an experimental platform for the comprehensive performance verification of the flexible variable stiffness damping mechanism is built to verify the dynamic characteristics and damping effect of the mechanism. The research results show that the designed flexible variable stiffness structure has better vibration damping effect and can improve the grinding performance of the permanent magnet electric spindle.