Integration Technique Research Articles

Data Fusion Approaches for Authenticating and Evaluating Quality of Food and Beverages

The increasing interest of customers in the safety, authenticity and quality of food products has led to greater attention being paid to the nondestructive methods used to check them. In recent years, fast and reliable sensing and spectroscopic, together with multivariate and multipath chemometrics, have improved the entire control process by reducing analysis time and providing more informative results. As more and better data become available, combining the outputs of different instrumental methods has emerged as a way to increase the reliability of nondestructive food classification or prediction compared to using a single analytical method. While promising results have been obtained in the authentication and quality assessment of food and beverages, the integration of data from multiple techniques poses a significant challenge for chemometrics. This paper provides a general overview of data integration techniques that have been used in the field of food and beverage authentication and quality assessment.

EXACT SOLUTIONS OF NONLINEAR FRACTIONAL CAHN–ALLEN EQUATION ARIES IN DIFFERENT NONLINEAR PHYSICAL PHENOMENON USING UNIFIED TECHNIQUE

The nonlinear fractional Cahn–Allen (NFCA) equation provides insight into phase modifications and pattern elaboration in natural structures, clarifying how various states of matter have changed throughout time. By using a unified technique, this study aims to present novel, precise solutions to the NFCA problem. This method has led to the discovery of a broad spectrum of soliton solutions, ranging from dark compactons and dark solitons to periodic kink behaviors, rough wave behaviors, and periodic patterns featuring peaked crests and troughs. It has also unveiled anti-kink periodic behaviors, periodic wave behaviors, bright-dark single solitons, periodic patterns displaying anti-peaked crests and anti-troughs, bright solitons, and compound soliton phenomena. Notably, these accomplishments have been made possible through the utilization of Maple software. These findings are important for fractional nonlinear dynamical models (FNLDMs). In order to clarify many dynamic behaviors that solutions of the NFCA equation display in other scientific fields, such as quantum mechanics, mathematical biology, and plasma physics, contour plots and 3D surface representations of these exact solutions are also featured. Through our investigation using the unified technique, we have unveiled a plethora of novel discoveries. Employing this method has revealed a total of 54 fresh findings. In contrast, Javeed et al. [S. Javeed, S. Saif and D. Baleanu, New exact solutions of fractional Cahn–Allen equation and fractional DSW system, Adv. Differential Equations 2018 (2018) 459] applied the first integral technique, resulting in only eight outcomes. Upon comparing their results with ours, our approach has yielded an additional four out of six innovative results. As far as we are aware, the application of our technique to the NFCA equation has not been previously documented. We anticipate that future research will expand this methodology to include other FNLDMs.

Multiscale damage analysis based on the variational effective model

AbstractIn the damage analysis of material with complex microstructures, a full‐scale direct numerical simulation (DNS) could produce huge computational costs. Alternatively, multiscale modeling is a more effective method by using less degrees of freedom to balance the calculation accuracy and cost. In this paper, a new multiscale damage modeling method is proposed based on the framework of the variational effective model originally presented by Jezdan et al. and the relaxation damage model presented by Junker et al. A variational statement for the free energy and the dissipation potential for a coarse scale model is constructed by relating the free energy and dissipation potential of the fine scale model. In this way, the coarse scale damage variable is defined instead of directly solving in the fine scale model; therefore, the computational efficiency can be increased. Besides, the relaxation damage model can effectively avoid ill‐posed boundary value problems in damage analysis without use of gradients or integration techniques. Two numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

A Multi-Model Approach to Legal Judgment Prediction Using Advanced Knowledge Integration Techniques

This paper presents a multi-model approach to legal judgment prediction, emphasizing the integration of advanced knowledge techniques to enhance predictive accuracy and interpretability. As the volume of legal data continues to grow, traditional prediction methods often fall short in capturing the complexities of legal reasoning and case outcomes. By combining various modeling strategies, including rule-based systems and machine learning algorithms, this research demonstrates how a multi-model framework can leverage the strengths of different methodologies to provide more reliable predictions. Furthermore, the incorporation of knowledge integration techniques, such as knowledge graphs and Large Language Models (LLM), enriches the predictive models by offering contextual insights and improving feature selection. The findings indicate that this innovative approach not only improves the accuracy of legal predictions but also fosters transparency and trust among legal practitioners. Ultimately, this study lays the groundwork for future research in legal judgment prediction, advocating for the continued exploration of hybrid models and the application of emerging technologies to address the evolving challenges within the legal landscape.

(Ultra)wide bandgap semiconductor heterostructures for electronics cooling

The evolution of power and radiofrequency electronics enters a new era with (ultra)wide bandgap semiconductors such as GaN, SiC, and β-Ga2O3, driving significant advancements across various technologies. The elevated breakdown voltage and minimal on-resistance result in size-compact and energy-efficient devices. However, effective thermal management poses a critical challenge, particularly when pushing devices to operate at their electronic limits for maximum output power. To address these thermal hurdles, comprehensive studies into thermal conduction within semiconductor heterostructures are essential. This review offers a comprehensive overview of recent progress in (ultra)wide bandgap semiconductor heterostructures dedicated to electronics cooling and are structured into four sections. Part 1 summarizes the material growth and thermal properties of (ultra)wide bandgap semiconductor heterostructures. Part 2 discusses heterogeneous integration techniques and thermal boundary conductance (TBC) of the bonded interfaces. Part 3 focuses on the research of TBC, including the progress in thermal characterization, experimental and theoretical enhancement, and the fundamental understanding of TBC. Parts 4 shifts the focus to electronic devices, presenting research on the cooling effects of these heterostructures through simulations and experiments. Finally, this review also identifies objectives, challenges, and potential avenues for future research. It aims to drive progress in electronics cooling through novel materials development, innovative integration techniques, new device designs, and advanced thermal characterization. Addressing these challenges and fostering continued progress hold the promise of realizing high-performance, high output power, and highly reliable electronics operating at the electronic limits.

An enhanced integrated fuzzy logic-based deep learning techniques (EIFL-DL) for the recommendation system on industrial applications

An enhanced integrated fuzzy logic-based deep learning techniques (EIFL-DL) for the recommendation system on industrial applications

Advanced dual-switch converter with proportional integral technique for enhanced efficiency and power quality in electric vehicle energy storage

Advanced dual-switch converter with proportional integral technique for enhanced efficiency and power quality in electric vehicle energy storage

Digital Health Delivery of Parenting Skills to Improve Conduct Problems in Middle School Youth Across Two Distinct Randomized Trials

AbstractThis study evaluated direct and indirect effects of the Family Check-Up Online (FCU-O) across two distinct randomized trials with middle school youth and families. The FCU-O is a digital health adaptation of the Family Check-Up that is delivered in a brief, online format with supportive coaching. The FCU-O was delivered to parents of middle school youth with a focus on targeting both proximal and distal outcomes that impact the development of conduct problems, including a range of parenting skills, effortful control, and youth emotional problems. Participants were primary caregivers of children aged 10 to 14 years. Eligibility varied across the trials and included endorsing depression or significant stress, or having a child enrolled in a school with limited resources. A total of 374 participants across trials were included in the analysis and were randomly assigned to receive the intervention or control. Using Integrative Data Analytic techniques, we examined the effects of random assignment on a range of outcomes, including emotional and behavior problems, parenting skills, parenting confidence, and effortful control. We examined the indirect effects of the FCU-O on changes in conduct problems from baseline to 6 months via changes in mediator variables at the first follow-up assessment (2–3 months). The FCU-O improved emotional problems, effortful control, parenting confidence, and parent sense of importance at the first follow-up. Mediation analyses suggested indirect effects on conduct problems at 6-month follow-up via improvements in effortful control and emotional problems, but not via improvements in parenting confidence or sense of parenting importance. Results indicate the FCU-O has potential as a public health intervention for families with middle school youth to reduce behavioral risk. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT 03060291; NCT 05117099.

Design and Practical Implementation of a Stream Cipher Algorithm Based on a Lorenz System

Currently, the security of data has gained significant attention in modern life. Researchers have continued to address this issue. This work addresses image encryption in communication systems. It presents a proposed design and implementation of a cryptography system based on the Lorenz chaos oscillator. The paper methodology uses Xilinx System Generator (XSG) and Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technologies to implement the chaotic system. To determine the approach that uses the least amount of FPGA resources while providing effective and efficient performance, the differential equations of the Lorenz chaotic system are solved via the forward-Euler and Runge–Kutta integration techniques. In the XSG environment, a secure communication system is constructed on the basis of the solution of the differential equations. After that, the planned communication system is implemented on the FPGA board and tested to encrypt images (coloured images). The histogram, entropy and other related security analysis factors are calculated and analysed to test the efficiency of the designed system. Six statistical methods were employed to provide a high level of image encryption in this work. Findings have shown that the proposed system generates (with stable, fast and robust performance) pseudorandom bits that can be successfully used to encrypt the data bits. The simulation and FPGA results are in good agreement; however, the security analysis factors prove that the system can be successfully adopted for image encryption purposes in real-time applications.

Predefined-time stabilisation of stochastic low-order nonlinear systems with asymmetric output constraint

This paper researches the predefined-time stabilisation problem for a class of stochastic low-order nonlinear systems with asymmetric output constraint whose nonlinearities satisfy high-order and low-order growth conditions. By introducing a novel nonlinear transformation and utilising the adding a power integrator technique, a continuous state feedback controller is designed. The proposed control scheme can guarantee that the output constraint will not be violated almost surely and the trivial solution of the closed-loop system is stochastic predefined-time stable. Finally, two simulation examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of this control method.

Power Quality Enhancement using Integrated Control Technique Quantum Calculus-based Least Mean Fourth and Optimized Fractional Order Proportional-Integral-Derivative

Power Quality Enhancement using Integrated Control Technique Quantum Calculus-based Least Mean Fourth and Optimized Fractional Order Proportional-Integral-Derivative

Occupational therapy in the Snoezelen® Room: Teachers’ and therapists’ knowledge and perceptions of the changes in children's behaviour and performance

Introduction: The Snoezelen® room, a multisensory environment (MSE), is often used in conjunction with sensory integrative techniques. Therefore, it may be of support in school-based occupational therapy intervention. Research has documented positive changes in children’s performance in the MSE. However, research to suggest that changes could be carried over to external environments is limited. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge and perception of teachers and therapists regarding changes in children's behaviour and performance after therapy in the Snoezelen® room. Methodology: A descriptive quantitative cross-sectional survey design by purposive sampling was used. Teachers and therapists working with children who received occupational therapy intervention in the Snoezelen® room participated. Results: Descriptive and inferential statistics were utilized to determine strong positive, significant correlations found between the total impact of the Snoezelen® room and the children’s level of arousal, as well as their behaviour and scholastic performance, as conveyed by 30 participants. After therapy in the Snoezelen® room, improvement in level of arousal was ranked as the biggest change, which appeared to improve for hours upon return to the classroom. Conclusion: Children’s arousal levels changed positively due to sensory input, which carried over to the external environment. Due to this, most teachers and therapists perceived that the Snoezelen® room positively changed behaviour and scholastic performance, through improved level of arousal. Implications for practice: The use of Snoezelen® rooms in schools, combined with sensory integration therapy (SIT), enhances children's self-regulation, which in turn positively impacts behaviour and academic performance. Strong, positive correlations were found between children's level of arousal and improvements in their behaviour and scholastic performance. Thus, Occupational therapy interventions in the Snoezelen® room significantly contribute to children’s ability to self-regulate, a key factor in achieving positive classroom behaviour and learning outcomes. Teachers and therapists perceive Snoezelen® rooms as beneficial, with 96.7% supporting their presence on school campuses to improve child behaviour through better self-regulation. Consistent with extensive research surrounding self-regulation of children, acquiring self-regulation skills in the early years lays the foundation for positive classroom behaviour and academic performance later.

Constrained Control of Autonomous Underwater Gliders Based on Disturbance Estimation and Tracking Back Calculation

ABSTRACTThis article presents an anti‐disturbance constrained control scheme for the pitch channel of autonomous underwater gliders subject to internal and external disturbances, as well as actuator saturation. First, the integral control technique is employed to develop a disturbance observer to estimate the overall effect of possible uncertainties and disturbances on the nominal vehicle model, which is referred to as the mismatched lumped disturbance. Then, a disturbance rejection control law is constructed based on the disturbance observer. Following that, a straightforward anti‐windup modification is proposed to handle potential input constraints by using the tracking back calculation technique. Specifically, the difference between saturated and unsaturated control input signals is utilized to create a feedback signal that addresses the disturbance observer input, thereby alleviating system windup during actuator saturation events. Furthermore, the stability of the overall closed‐loop system is established in term of the Lyapunov stability theorem, demonstrating that the tracking error is ultimately bounded. Compared with some existing anti‐windup control schemes, the suggested approach offers intuitive design guidelines, resulting in a simple controller that can be easily implemented. Finally, the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed control scheme are verified through simulation results.

Formulation and Implicit Numerical Integration of a Kinematic Hardening Model for Unsaturated Soils

ABSTRACTCurrently, our understanding of material‐scale deterioration resulting from meteorologically induced variations in pore water pressure and its significant impact on infrastructure slopes is limited. To bridge this knowledge gap, we have developed an extended kinematic hardening constitutive model for unsaturated soils that refines our understanding of weather‐driven deterioration mechanisms in heterogeneous clay soils. This model has the capability of predicting the irrecoverable degradation of strength and stiffness that has been shown to occur when soils undergo wetting and drying cycles. The model is equipped with a fully coupled and hysteretic water retention curve and a hysteretic loading–collapse curve and has the capability to predict the irrecoverable degradation of strength and stiffness that occurs during cyclic loading of soils. Here, we employ a fully implicit stress integration technique and give particular emphasis to deriving a consistent tangent operator, which includes the linearisation of the retention curve. The proposed algorithm is evaluated for efficiency and performance by simulating various stress and strain‐driven triaxial paths, and the accuracy of the integration technique is evaluated through the use of convergence curves.

Isolation of highly polar galloyl glucoside tautomers from Saxifraga tangutica through preparative chromatography and assessment of their in vitro antioxidant activity

In this work, the rapid and efficient preparation of isolated galloyl glucoside tautomer free radical inhibitors was investigated using Saxifraga tangutica as a raw material. Four highly polar galloyl glucoside tautomers, 3-O-galloyl-α-d-glucose ⇌ 3-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose (Fr2-1-1), 2-O-galloyl-α-d-glucose ⇌ 2-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose (Fr2-1-2/2-1-3), 1-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose (Fr2-2-1), and 6-O-galloyl-α-d-glucose ⇌ 6-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose (Fr2-3-1/Fr2-3-2), were obtained via two-step medium-pressure liquid chromatography (with solid loading instead of conventional liquid injection) and one-step high-performance chromatography coupled with on-line RPLC-DPPH techniques for targeted isolation. This separation integration technique not only increases sample intake and reduces time cost but also visualizes each step of targeted separation. All four compounds were isolated from the plant for the first time. In vitro antioxidant activity assays by DPPH (1,1‑diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) revealed that Fr2-1-2/Fr2-1-3 (IC50: 5.52 ± 0.32 μM), Fr2-2-1 (IC50: 7.22 ± 0.57 μM), and Fr2-3–1/Fr2-3-2 (IC50: 7.36 ± 0.25 μM) had superior free radical scavenging abilities and that both were superior to that of quercetin (IC50: 18.61 ± 3.55 μM). Oxidative stress assays revealed that Fr2-1-2/Fr2-1-3 significantly inhibited oxidative stress damage in H2O2-induced HepG2 cells, decreased the level of ROS (P < 0.01) and protected hepatocytes. Combined with the current results, gallic acid showed greater antioxidant activity when H atoms were replaced at d-glucose –OH (C-2) than at the other three sites [–OH (C-1), –OH (C-6) and –OH (C-3)].

Plasmonic Sensors Based on a Metal-Insulator-Metal Waveguide-What Do We Know So Far?

Metal-insulator-metal (MIM) waveguide-based plasmonic sensors are significantly important in the domain of advanced sensing technologies due to their exceptional ability to guide and confine light at subwavelength scales. These sensors exploit the unique properties of surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) that propagate along the metal-insulator interface, facilitating strong field confinement and enhanced light-matter interactions. In this review, several critical aspects of MIM waveguide-based plasmonic sensors are thoroughly examined, including sensor designs, material choices, fabrication methods, and diverse applications. Notably, there exists a substantial gap between the numerical data and the experimental verification of these devices, largely due to the insufficient attention given to the hybrid integration of plasmonic components. This disconnect underscores the need for more focused research on seamless integration techniques. Additionally, innovative light-coupling mechanisms are suggested that could pave the way for the practical realization of these highly promising plasmonic sensors.

The role of biomechanics in enhancing cognitive function and learning outcomes in English language teaching

Language learning, traditionally taught through memory and repetition, often overlooks the role of physical movement in enhancing cognitive and linguistic abilities. Theories like embodied cognition and motor learning suggest that cognitive functions are closely linked to physical actions. Research suggests that posture, gestures, and movement can improve language processing and comprehension. However, the practical integration of biomechanical principles into structured language teaching remains underexplored. Previous studies on gesture-based learning and movement-enhanced vocabulary acquisition indicate potential benefits but lack a comprehensive approach. This study introduces a series of biomechanical interventions in English language teaching, including posture training, movement-based vocabulary learning, sensory-motor integration, and kinesthetic learning techniques. A quasi-experimental design with 115 12–16-year-olds was used for 8 weeks. The experimental group received biomechanical interventions, and the control group received traditional teaching. Cognitive function and language outcomes were assessed pre-and post-assessment. The experimental group showed significant cognitive function improvements, with scores rising from 78.5 ± 5.6 to 89.3 ± 4.8, while the control group showed only a minor change (77.9 ± 5.8 to 80.7 ± 5.5, t = 4.56, p = 0.002, d = 1.78 In the experimental group, vocabulary scores increased from 85.6 ± 7.4 to 92.3 ± 6.2 (t = 3.22, p = 0.008, d = 1.03). Memory improvement correlated strongly with vocabulary acquisition (r = 0.68, p = 0.003). Also, engagement frequency increased (p = 0.004).

Infrared and Visible Camera Integration for Detection and Tracking of Small UAVs: Systematic Evaluation

Given the recent proliferation of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UASs) and the consequent importance of counter-UASs, this project aims to perform the detection and tracking of small non-cooperative UASs using Electro-optical (EO) and Infrared (IR) sensors. Two data integration techniques, at the decision and pixel levels, are compared with the use of each sensor independently to evaluate the system robustness in different operational conditions. The data are submitted to a YOLOv7 detector merged with a ByteTrack tracker. For training and validation, additional efforts are made towards creating datasets of spatially and temporally aligned EO and IR annotated Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) frames and videos. These consist of the acquisition of real data captured from a workstation on the ground, followed by image calibration, image alignment, the application of bias-removal techniques, and data augmentation methods to artificially create images. The performance of the detector across datasets shows an average precision of 88.4%, recall of 85.4%, and mAP@0.5 of 88.5%. Tests conducted on the decision-level fusion architecture demonstrate notable gains in recall and precision, although at the expense of lower frame rates. Precision, recall, and frame rate are not improved by the pixel-level fusion design.

Control of probability flow in Markov chain Monte Carlo-Nonreversibility and lifting.

The Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method is widely used in various fields as a powerful numerical integration technique for systems with many degrees of freedom. In MCMC methods, probabilistic state transitions can be considered as a random walk in state space, and random walks allow for sampling from complex distributions. However, paradoxically, it is necessary to carefully suppress the randomness of the random walk to improve computational efficiency. By breaking detailed balance, we can create a probability flow in the state space and perform more efficient sampling along this flow. Motivated by this idea, practical and efficient nonreversible MCMC methods have been developed over the past ten years. In particular, the lifting technique, which introduces probability flows in an extended state space, has been applied to various systems and has proven more efficient than conventional reversible updates. We review and discuss several practical approaches to implementing nonreversible MCMC methods, including the shift method in the cumulative distribution and the directed-worm algorithm.

Fast finite‐time stabilization of stochastic nonlinear systems with output constraints and an application to single‐link robot

AbstractThis article studies the fast finite‐time stabilization problem for stochastic nonlinear systems with asymmetric output constraints. To address the issue of slow convergence encountered in previous finite‐time control designs of stochastic nonlinear constrained systems, this paper extends the fast finite‐time stabilization mechanism to such systems. First, a novel asymmetric barrier Lyapunov function is employed to tackle the output constraint. Then, by adding a power integrator technique and the barrier Lyapunov function, a state‐feedback controller for stochastic nonlinear systems is explicitly designed using the backstepping method. The designed controller achieves fast finite‐time stability in probability of the stochastic nonlinear system while ensuring no violation of the output constraints. Finally, two examples are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the controller scheme.