Search Results (15)

Determining the optimal vegetation cover threshold in a region for facilitating both high levels of ecosystem services (ESs) supply and synergistic sustainable development among different ESs is crucial. This study delineated the nonlinear relationship between the fractional vegetation cover (FVC) and the integrated synergy–supply capacity of ESs in Ji County, on China’s Loess Plateau (2000–2023). The FVC was quantified using Landsat remote sensing data. Assessments of carbon storage, soil conservation, water conservation, and habitat quality were conducted based on multi-source remote sensing datasets and the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model, which subsequently informed the evaluation of the integrated synergy–supply capacity of ESs. Spatial–temporal distribution characteristics were assessed via trend analysis methods and the spatial correlation relationship was assessed via bivariate local spatial autocorrelation analysis. The constraint line analysis and the restricted cubic spline method were combined to analyze the nonlinear relationship between the two and to quantify the FVC threshold. The results revealed that the spatial distribution of both the FVC and the integrated synergy–supply capacity of ESs was higher in the north, with a growth trend observed respectively. A highly significant positive spatial correlation existed between the two (Moran’s I > 0.6520, p < 0.01), dominated by the High–High agglomeration type (55.71%). The relationship between the regional FVC and the ISSC of ESs, the forest land FVC and the ISSC of ESs, and the grassland FVC and the ISSC of ESs all exhibited a positive convex function constraint line. The regional FVC threshold was 0.5, the forest land FVC threshold was 0.28, and the grassland FVC threshold was 0.77. When the FVC value was above the threshold, its facilitating effect on the ISSC of ESs diminished. This study advances vegetation threshold research by integrating the supply levels and synergy degrees of multiple ESs, providing a scientific foundation for formulating strategies for regional ecological restoration and adaptive management, and offering a reference for high-quality vegetation restoration in global arid, semi-arid, and erosion-prone regions. Full article

The CT (computed tomography) scanner has been used for many years now not only for medical measurements but also in many industries, for example, in defectoscopy for measuring sheet thickness and checking the joining of materials, as well as for measuring the geometry of individual components. This type of scanner is a good complement to coordinate contact and non-contact measurements for intra-structural measurements and inaccessible places. The variety of materials, however, makes it very difficult to select individual CT parameters. In this paper, a curve for selecting the maximum and minimum voltage of the lamp depending on the density of a given material is determined and an interpolation polynomial (1d with a third-degree polynomial) is used, by defining third-degree glued functions (cubic spline) to determine intermediate voltage values to a given material density, so as to determine full data ranges. This approach can facilitate the work of selecting scanning parameters for non-destructive testing, as this is a difficult process and sometimes consumes half of the measurement time. The practical experiments were carried out at the Accredited Coordinate Metrology Laboratory to develop a multi-criteria matrix for selecting CT measurement parameters for measurement accuracy. This approach reduced the time by an average of half an hour and effectively optimized the selection of scanning parameters. Full article

In this study, an optimization method for the motion trajectory of attitude actuators was investigated in order to improve assembly efficiency in the automatic docking process of large components. The self-developed dual-attitude adjustment mechanism (2-PPPR) is used as the research object, and the structure is symmetrical. Based on the modified Denavit–Hartenberg (MDH) parameter description method, a kinematic model of the attitude mechanism is established, and its end trajectory is parametrically expressed using a five-order B-spline curve. Based on the constraints of the dynamics and kinematics of the dual-posture mechanism, the total posturing time, the degree of urgency of each joint, and the degree of difficulty of the mechanism’s posturing are selected as the optimization objectives. The Lévy flight and Cauchy variation algorithms are introduced into the salp swarm algorithm (SSA) to solve the parameters of the multi-objective trajectory optimization model. By combining the evaluation method of the multi-objective average optimal solution, the optimal trajectory of the dual-tuning mechanism and the motion trajectory of each joint are obtained. The simulation and experiment results show that the trajectory planning method proposed in this paper is effective and feasible and can ensure that the large-part dual-posture mechanism can complete the automatic docking task smoothly and efficiently. Full article

Prefabricated construction has pioneered a new model in the construction industry, where prefabricated component modules are produced in factories and assembled on-site by construction workers, resulting in a highly efficient and convenient production process. Within the construction industry value chain, the smoothing and roughening of precast concrete components are critical processes. Currently, these tasks are predominantly performed manually, often failing to achieve the desired level of precision. This paper designs and develops a robotic system for smoothing and roughening precast concrete surfaces, along with a multi-degree-of-freedom integrated intelligent end-effector for smoothing and roughening. Point-to-point path planning methods are employed to achieve comprehensive path planning for both smoothing and roughening, enhancing the diversity of textural patterns using B-spline curves. In the presence of embedded obstacles, a biologically inspired neural network method is introduced for precise smoothing operation planning, and the A* algorithm is incorporated to enable the robot’s escape from dead zones. Experimental validation further confirms the feasibility of the entire system and the accuracy of the machining path planning methods. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed system meets the precision requirements for smoothing and offers diversity in roughening, affirming its practicality in the precast concrete process and expanding the automation level and application scenarios of robots in the field of prefabricated construction. Full article

In order to improve the wave energy capture rate of the buoy of a wave energy generation device, this paper proposes a multi-degree of freedom method to optimize the shape of the buoy with maximum wave energy capture. Firstly, a multi-degree of freedom wave energy converter was designed, and the buoy shape was defined using a B-spline curve to generate the shape vector; then, a numerical model of the multi-degree of freedom wave energy converter was established and numerical calculations were carried out using AQWA/WEC-Sim software; on this basis, the particle swarm optimization algorithm was introduced to find the buoy shape corresponding to the maximum wave energy capture. Finally, the optimization of the buoy shape was in irregular waves. The results show that as the wave energy capture increased, the buoy shape tended to be flatter, with a smaller taper, and the optimal buoy shape had a better motion response than the conventional cone buoy. Eventually, the correctness of the buoy shape optimization method was verified through experimental testing. Full article

This paper proposes a B-spline trajectory algorithm to realize multi-axis trajectory interpolation and analyzes the operating accuracy in an embedded system. However, the existing trajectory generation method needs to use computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software to convert the interpolating trajectory into G code and download the code into the computer numerical control (CNC) system for processing. In this paper, the method of third-degree B-spline interpolation is proposed to generate a curved surface trajectory, and the trajectory generated by this algorithm can be run directly into a CNC system. The precision analysis of the ISO parameter segmentation interpolation algorithm and the theory of constant velocity motion is also presented. The significance of this project is that it designs a complete set of embedded systems, including hardware circuit design and software logic design, and uses low-cost STM32 architecture to realize a B-spline constant-speed interpolation algorithm, which is verified on CNC polishing equipment. A simulation conducted with the MATLAB software and the B-spline curve interpolation experiments performed on a multi-axis polishing machine tool demonstrate the effectiveness and accuracy of the optimized third-degree B-spline algorithm. Full article

Background: Pregnancy anemia is a global health concern. However, to our knowledge, there still has little consensus on the reference value of hemoglobin levels. Particularly, little evidence from China was accessible in most existing guidelines. Objective: To evaluate hemoglobin levels and anemia prevalence of pregnant women in China and offer evidence for anemia and its reference values in China. Methods: A multi-center retrospective cohort study was conducted among 143,307 singleton pregnant women aged 15–49 at 139 hospitals in China, with hemoglobin concentrations routinely tested at each prenatal visit. Subsequently, a restricted cubic spline was performed to reveal a non-linear variation of hemoglobin concentrations during the gestational week. The Loess model was used to describe the changes in the prevalence of different degrees of anemia with gestational age. Multivariate linear regression model and Logistic regression model were applied to explore influencing factors of gestational changes in hemoglobin level and anemia prevalence, respectively. Results: Hemoglobin varied nonlinearly with gestational age, and the mean hemoglobin levels decreased from 125.75 g/L in the first trimester to 118.71 g/L in the third trimester. By analyzing hemoglobin levels with gestational age and pregnancy period, we proposed new criteria according to 5th percentile hemoglobin concentration in each trimester as a reference for anemia, with 108 g/L, 103 g/L, and 99 g/L, respectively. According to WHO’s criteria, the prevalence of anemia sustainably increased with gestational age, with 6.2% (4083/65,691) in the first trimester, 11.5% (7974/69,184) in the second trimester and 21.9% (12,295/56,042) in the third trimester, respectively. In subsequent analysis, pregnant women in non-urban residents, multiparity, and pre-pregnancy underweight tended to have lower hemoglobin levels. Conclusions: This research, the first large-sample study to present a set of gestational age-specific reference centiles for hemoglobin levels in China, could be used to obtain a better understanding of the overall levels of hemoglobin in Chinese healthy pregnant women and ultimately offer clues for a more precise hemoglobin reference value of anemia in China. Full article

The conventional B-splines possess the de Boor–Cox formula, which relates to a pyramid algorithm. However, for multi-degree splines, a de Boor–Cox-type evaluation algorithm only exists in some special cases. This paper considers any multi-degree spline with arbitrary degree and continuity, and provides two generalized de Boor–Cox-type relations. One uses several lower degree polynomials to build a combination to evaluate basis functions, whose form is similar to using the de Boor–Cox formula several times. The other is a linear combination of two functions out of the recursive definition, which keeps the combination coefficient polynomials of degree 1, so it is more similar to the de Boor–Cox formula and can be illustrated by several pyramids with different heights. In the process of calculating the recursions, a recursive representation using the Bernstein basis is used and numerically analyzed. Full article

Topology and shape optimization are still rarely applied to problems in electromagnetic design due to the computational complexity and limited commercial tooling, even though components such as electrical motors, magnetic springs or magnetic bearings could benefit from it, either to improve performance (reducing torque ripple and losses through shaping harmonic content in back electromotive force) or reduce the use of rare-earth materials. Magnetic springs are a fatigue free alternative to mechanical springs, where shape optimization can be exploited to a great degree—allowing for advanced non-linear stiffness characteristic shaping. We present the optimization methodology relying on a combination of several approaches for characteristic shaping of magnetic springs through either a modular design approach based on: (i) Fourier order decomposition; (ii) breaking conventional design symmetry; or (iii) free shaping of magnets through deviation from a nominal design using problem formulations such as spline and polynomials for material boundary definitions. Each of the parametrizations is formulated into a multi-objective optimization problem with both performance and material cost, and solved using gradient free optimization techniques (direct search, genetic algorithm). The methodology is employed on several benchmark problems—both academic and application inspired magnetic spring torque characteristic requirements. The resulting designs fit well with the requirements, with a relatively low computational cost. As such, the methodology presented is a promising candidate for other design problems in 2D shape optimization in electrical motor research and development. Full article

We consider a function estimation method with change point detection using truncated power spline basis and elastic-net-type $L^1$-norm penalty. The $L^1$-norm penalty controls the jump detection and smoothness depending on the value of the parameter. In terms of the proposed estimators, we introduce two computational algorithms for the Lagrangian dual problem (coordinate descent algorithm) and constrained convex optimization problem (an algorithm based on quadratic programming). Subsequently, we investigate the relationship between the two algorithms and compare them. Using both simulation and real data analysis, numerical studies are conducted to validate the performance of the proposed method. Full article

This paper deals with polynomial Hermite splines. In the first part, we provide a simple and fast procedure to compute the refinement mask of the Hermite B-splines of any order and in the case of a general scaling factor. Our procedure is solely derived from the polynomial reproduction properties satisfied by Hermite splines and it does not require the explicit construction or evaluation of the basis functions. The second part of the paper discusses the factorization properties of the Hermite B-spline masks in terms of the augmented Taylor operator, which is shown to be the minimal annihilator for the space of discrete monomial Hermite sequences of a fixed degree. All our results can be of use, in particular, in the context of Hermite subdivision schemes and multi-wavelets. Full article

In this paper, we consider the computational cost of a multi-frontal direct solver used for the factorization of matrices resulting from a discretization of isogeometric analysis with T-splines, and analysis-suitable T-splines. We start from model projection or model heat transfer problems discretized over two-dimensional meshes, either uniformly refined or refined towards a point or an edge. These grids preserve several symmetries and they are the building blocks of more complicated grids constructed during adaptive isotropic refinement procedures. A large class of computational problems construct meshes refined towards point or edge singularities. We propose an ordering that permutes the matrix in a way that the computational cost of a multi-frontal solver executed on adaptive grids is linear. We show that analysis-suitable T-splines with our ordering, besides having other well-known advantages, also significantly reduce the computational cost of factorization with the multi-frontal direct solver. Namely, the factorization with N T-splines of order p over meshes refined to a point has a linear O(Np⁴) cost, and the factorization with T-splines on meshes refined to an edge has O(N2^pp²) cost. We compare the execution time of the multi-frontal solver with our ordering to the Approximate Minimum Degree (AMD) and Cuthill–McKee orderings available in Octave. Full article

When the inverse finite element method (inverse FEM) is used to reconstruct the deformation field of a multi-element structure with strain measurements, strain measurement errors can lower the reconstruction accuracy of the deformation field. Furthermore, the calibration ability of a self-structuring fuzzy network (SSFN) is weak when few strain samples are used to train the SSFN. To solve this problem, a novel two-step calibration method for improving the reconstruction accuracy of the inverse FEM method is proposed in this paper. Initially, the errors derived from measured displacements and reconstructed displacements are distributed to the degrees of freedom (DOFs) of nodes. Then, the DOFs of nodes are used as knots, in order to produce non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) curves, such that the sample size employed to train the SSFN can be enriched. Next, the SSFN model is used to determine the relationship between the measured strain and the DOFs of the end nodes. A loading deformation experiment using a three-element structure demonstrates that the proposed algorithm can significantly improve the accuracy of reconstruction displacement. Full article

To examine skipjack tuna’s habitat utilization in the western North Pacific (WNP) we used an ensemble modelling approach, which applied a fisher- derived presence-only dataset and three satellite remote-sensing predictor variables. The skipjack tuna data were compiled from daily point fishing data into monthly composites and re-gridded into a quarter degree resolution to match the environmental predictor variables, the sea surface temperature (SST), sea surface chlorophyll-a (SSC) and sea surface height anomalies (SSHA), which were also processed at quarter degree spatial resolution. Using the sdm package operated in RStudio software, we constructed habitat models over a 9-month period, from March to November 2004, using 17 algorithms, with a 70:30 split of training and test data, with bootstrapping and 10 runs as parameter settings for our models. Model performance evaluation was conducted using the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC), the point biserial correlation coefficient (COR), the true skill statistic (TSS) and Cohen’s kappa (k) metrics. We analyzed the response curves for each predictor variable per algorithm, the variable importance information and the ROC plots. Ensemble predictions of habitats were weighted with the TSS metric. Model performance varied across various algorithms, with the Support Vector Machines (SVM), Boosted Regression Trees (BRT), Random Forests (RF), Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS), Generalized Additive Models (GAM), Classification and Regression Trees (CART), Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP), Recursive Partitioning and Regression Trees (RPART), and Maximum Entropy (MAXENT), showing consistently high performance than other algorithms, while the Flexible Discriminant Analysis (FDA), Mixture Discriminant Analysis (MDA), Bioclim (BIOC), Domain (DOM), Maxlike (MAXL), Mahalanobis Distance (MAHA) and Radial Basis Function (RBF) had lower performance. We found inter-algorithm variations in predictor variable responses. We conclude that the multi-algorithm modelling approach enabled us to assess the variability in algorithm performance, hence a data driven basis for building the ensemble model. Given the inter-algorithm variations observed, the ensemble prediction maps indicated a better habitat utilization map of skipjack tuna than would have been achieved by a single algorithm. Full article

The ionosphere is one of the largest error sources in GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) applications and can cause up to several meters of error in positioning. Especially for single-frequency users, who cannot correct the ionospheric delay, the information about the state of the ionosphere is mandatory. Dual- and multi-frequency GNSS users, on the other hand, can correct the ionospheric effect on their observations by linear combination. However, real-time applications such as autonomous driving or precision farming, require external high accuracy corrections for fast convergence. Mostly, this external information is given in terms of grids or coefficients of the vertical total electron content (VTEC). Globally distributed GNSS stations of different networks, such as the network of the International GNSS Services (IGS), provide a large number of multi-frequency observations which can be used to determine the state of the ionosphere. These data are used to generate Global Ionosphere Maps (GIM). Due to the inhomogeneous global distribution of GNSS real-time stations and especially due to the large data gaps over oceanic areas, the global VTEC models are usually limited in their spatial and spectral resolution. Most of the GIMs are mathematically based on globally defined radial basis functions, i.e., spherical harmonics (SH), with a maximum degree of 15 and provided with a spatial resolution of ${2.5}^{°}\times 5^{°}$ in latitude and longitude, respectively. Regional GNSS networks, however, offer dense clusters of observations, which can be used to generate regional VTEC solutions with a higher spectral resolution. In this study, we introduce a two-step model (TSM) comprising a global model as the first step and a regional model as the second step. We apply polynomial and trigonometric B-spline functions to represent the global VTEC. Polynomial B-splines are used for modelling the finer structures of VTEC within selected regions, i.e., the densification areas. The TSM provides both, a global and a regional VTEC map at the same time. In order to study the performance, we apply the developed approach to hourly data of the global IGS network as well as the EUREF network of the European region for St. Patrick storm in March 2015. For the assessment of the generated maps, we use the dSTEC analysis and compare both maps with different global and regional products from the IGS Ionosphere Associated Analysis Centers, e.g., the global product from CODE (Berne, Switzerland) and from UPC (Barcelona, Spain), as well as the regional maps from ROB (Brussels, Belgium). The assessment shows a significant improvement of the regional VTEC representation in the form of the generated TSM maps. Among all other products used for comparison, the developed regional one is of the highest accuracy within the selected time span. Since the numerical tests are performed using hourly data with a latency of one to two hours, the presented procedure is seen as an intermediate step for the generation of high precision regional real-time corrections for modern applications. Full article