Yields,growth and water use under chemical topping in relations to row configuration and plant density in drip-irrigated cotton

Background Water deficit is an important problem in agricultural production in arid regions.With the advent of wholly mechanized technology for cotton planting in Xinjiang,it is important to determine which planting mode could achieve high yield,fiber quality and water use efficiency(WUE).This study aimed to explore if chemical topping affected cotton yield,quality and water use in relation to row configuration and plant densities.Results Experiments were carried out in Xinjiang China,in 2020 and 2021 with two topping method,manual topping and chemical topping,two plant densities,low and high,and two row configurations,i.e.,76 cm equal rows and 10+66 cm narrow-wide rows,which were commonly applied in matching harvest machine.Chemical topping increased seed cotton yield,but did not affect cotton fiber quality comparing to traditional manual topping.Under equal row spacing,the WUE in higher density was 62.4%higher than in the lower one.However,under narrow-wide row spacing,the WUE in lower density was 53.3%higher than in higher one(farmers’practice).For machine-harvest cotton in Xinjiang,the optimal row configuration and plant density for chemical topping was narrow-wide rows with 15 plants m-2 or equal rows with 18 plants m-2.Conclusion The plant density recommended in narrow-wide rows was less than farmers’practice and the density in equal rows was moderate with local practice.Our results provide new knowledge on optimizing agronomic managements of machine-harvested cotton for both high yield and water efficient.

Model test of negative Poisson’s ratio cable for supporting super-largespan tunnel using excavation compensation method

In recent years,there is a scenario in urban tunnel constructions to build super-large-span tunnels for traffic diversion and route optimization purposes.However,the increased size makes tunnel support more difficult.Unfortunately,there are few studies on the failure and support mechanism of the surrounding rocks in the excavation of supported tunnel,while most model tests of super-large-span tunnels focus on the failure characteristics of surrounding rocks in tunnel excavation without supports.Based on excavation compensation method(ECM),model tests of a super-large-span tunnel excavation by different anchor cable support methods in the initial support stage were carried out.The results indicate that during excavation of super-large-span tunnel,the stress and displacement of the shallow surrounding rocks decrease,following a step-shape pattern,and the tunnel failure is mainly concentrated on the vault and spandrel areas.Compared with conventional anchor cable supports,the NPR(negative Poisson’s ratio)anchor cable support is more suitable for the initial support stage of the super-large-span tunnels.The tunnel support theory,model test materials,methods,and the results obtained in this study could provide references for study of similar super-large-span tunnels。

To improve robustness of mechanical properties of semi-solid cast A356 alloy using taguchi design method

Mechanical properties of semi-solid casting are dependent on multiple processing parameters,and improper processing parameters will not only reduce mean data but also increase variations.The present study investigated the impact of parameters in slurry preparation and heat treatment on the yield strength and ductility of T6 heat-treated A356 Al-Si alloy using rapid slurry forming(RSF)semi-solid casting.The focus was primarily on the robustness of mechanical properties based on Taguchi design method.By analyzing signal-to-noise ratio and minimum value calculated from-3S,the optimum slurry preparation parameters and heat treatment parameters were determined to be no quench,enthalpy exchange material(EEM)temperature of 140℃,EEM-to-melt ratio of 6mass%,stirring time of 18 s,solution heat treated at 520℃ for 2 h,and ageing heat treated at 190℃ for 6 h.In a small batch validation,the-3S yield strength and-3S elongation reach 256.1 MPa and 5.03% respectively,showing a satisfactory robustness.The hardness and microstructure of heat-treated samples with the best and worst properties were characterized to gain insight into the underlying mechanisms affecting the mean value and variations of mechanical properties.

Using Pearson’s System of Curves to Approximate the Distributions of the Difference between Two Correlated Estimates of Signal-to-Noise Ratios: The Cases of Bivariate Normal and Bivariate Lognormal Distributions

Background: The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is recognized as an index of measurements reproducibility. We derive the maximum likelihood estimators of SNR and discuss confidence interval construction on the difference between two correlated SNRs when the readings are from bivariate normal and bivariate lognormal distribution. We use the Pearsons system of curves to approximate the difference between the two estimates and use the bootstrap methods to validate the approximate distributions of the statistic of interest. Methods: The paper uses the delta method to find the first four central moments, and hence the skewness and kurtosis which are important in the determination of the parameters of the Pearsons distribution. Results: The approach is illustrated in two examples;one from veterinary microbiology and food safety data and the other on data from clinical medicine. We derived the four central moments of the target statistics, together with the bootstrap method to evaluate the parameters of Pearsons distribution. The fitted Pearsons curves of Types I and II were recommended based on the available data. The R-codes are also provided to be readily used by the readers.

Optimization of Open-cast Mining Procedure Based on RSR Method

To explore the optimal evaluation mechanism of open-cast mining procedure,this paper takes the actual operation status of Huolinhe No.1 Open-cast Mine as the research basis,and makes a deep analysis of the four representative mining procedures proposed by this mine.A detailed and comprehensive evaluation system is constructed using rank-sum ratio(RSR)method.The system covers 17 key indicators and aims to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each scheme in an all-round and multi-angle manner.Through the calculation and analysis by RSR method,the comprehensive evaluation of the four types of mining procedure schemes is carried out,and finally the secondary river improvement project is determined as the optimal mining implementation scheme,and the joint mining scheme of the south and north areas is the alternative strategy.The research results of this paper are objective,clear and definite,can not only reveal the effectiveness and feasibility of RSR method in solving the problem of open-cast mining procedure optimization,but also provide a strong technical support and decision-making basis for the future production development of Huolinhe No.1 Open-cast Mine.Thus,this study is expected to further promote the scientific and refined process of mining operations.

Estimation of quality factors by energy ratio method

The quality factor Q, which reflects the energy attenuation of seismic waves in subsurface media, is a diagnostic tool for hydrocarbon detection and reservoir characterization. In this paper, we propose a new Q extraction method based on the energy ratio before and after the wavelet attenuation, named the energy-ratio method（ERM）. The proposed method uses multipoint signal data in the time domain to estimate the wavelet energy without invoking the source wavelet spectrum, which is necessary in conventional Q extraction methods, and is applicable to any source wavelet spectrum; however, it requires high-precision seismic data. Forward zero-offset VSP modeling suggests that the ERM can be used for reliable Q inversion after nonintrinsic attenuation（geometric dispersion, refl ection, and transmission loss） compensation. The application to real zero-offset VSP data shows that the Q values extracted by the ERM and spectral ratio methods are identical, which proves the reliability of the new method.

On the interaction between bubbles and the free surface with high density ratio 3D lattice Boltzmann method

The bubbles rise up and burst at the free surface is a complex two-phase process.A free energy lattice Boltzmann method(LBM)model is adopted in this paper to study this phenomenon.The interface capturing technique[Zheng et al.,2006]is used to deal with the high density ratio problem.The Laplace law and the air-water interface capturing ability are validated for the multiphase model.The interaction between the single bubble or multiple bubbles and the free surface are studied by the multiphase model.The force acting on the bubble and the evolution of the free surface is studied.Meanwhile,effect of the initial distance between two adjacent bubbles on interaction effects of multiple bubbles is investigated as well.

Q-factor estimation in CMP gather and the continuous spectral ratio slope method

The attenuation factor or quality factor(Q-factor or Q) has been used to measure the energy attenuation of seismic waves propagating in underground media. Many methods are used to estimate the Q-factor. We propose a method to calculate the Q-factor based on the prestack Q-factor inversion and the generalized S-transform. The proposed method specifies a standard primary wavelet and calculates the cumulative Q-factors; then, it finds the interlaminar Q-factors using the relation between Q and offset(QVO) and the Dix formula. The proposed method is alternative to methods that calculate interlaminar Q-factors after horizon picking. Because the frequency spectrum of each horizon can be extracted continuously on a 2D time–frequency spectrum, the method is called the continuous spectral ratio slope(CSRS) method. Compared with the other Q-inversion methods, the method offers nearly effortless computations and stability, and has mathematical and physical significance. We use numerical modeling to verify the feasibility of the method and apply it to real data from an oilfield in Ahdeb, Iraq. The results suggest that the resolution and spatial stability of the Q-profile are optimal and contain abundant interlaminar information that is extremely helpful in making lithology and fluid predictions.

Improved designed method of pervious concrete based on optimal volume ratio of paste to aggregate

An improved design method of pervious concrete was proposed to lower the deviation between the designed and actual porosity and maintain both mechanical property and permeability of pervious concrete. The improved design method is mainly based on the optimal volume ratio of paste to aggregate(VRPA), which was determined by testing the average thickness of cement paste coating aggregate. The performances of pervious concrete designed by the traditional method and the improved one were compared. The results show that with the increase of designed porosity, the reduction of compressive strength and flexural strength of pervious concrete designed by the improved method is significantly smaller than those designed by the traditional one. The maximum deviation between the designed and actual porosity of the pervious concrete by the improved method is only 1.54%, which is far less than 8.7% obtained by the traditional one. Micro-structural analysis shows that the porous distribution of pervious concrete designed by improved method exhibits better uniformity.

The height-width ratio limited value for rubber bearing isolated structure computed by uniform design method

Rubber isolation is the most mature control technology in practical application, and is widely used by short rigid buildings. However, many high isolation buildings have been built around the world in recent years, which do not follow the existing criterions and codes. Many researchers began to research the special problems caused by larger height-width ratio isolation structures. The overturning effect of high height-width ratio structures with rubber bearing is firstly studied. Considering the main factors, such as the height-width ratio of structures, type of site, the designed basic acceleration of ground motion and the decouple factor in horizon, computing experiment is defined with the Uniform Design Method, which is also known as designing isolation structure. The forces of the bearing under edge of structures based on the position of the rubber bearing are calculated. The result indicates that the rubber bearings will lose its functionality under very high tension and compressing force of earthquake motion in horizon and vertical, when the height-width ratio is over a certain value. Thus, based on the calculation result of isolation structures defined in the uniform design method, regression analysis is conducted, and also the rubber edge force regression formula are gotten, which has higher correlation and smaller standard deviation. This formula can be used to roughly calculate whether the pull force occurs at the edge of the building. By the edge bearings of isolation structure minimum force formula, the height-width ratio limited value of the isolation structure is deducted when rubber bearing has minimum force of zero.

Fuzzy distances based FMAGDM compromise ratio method and application

An extended compromise ratio method（CRM） based on fuzzy distances is developed to solve fuzzy multi-attribute group decision making problems in which weights of attributes and ratings of alternatives on attributes are expressed with values of linguistic variables parameterized using triangular fuzzy numbers.A compromise solution is determined by introducing the ranking index based on the concept that the chosen alternative should be as close as possible to the positive ideal solution and as far away from the negative ideal solution as possible simultaneously.This proposed method is compared with other existing methods to show its feasibility and effectiveness and illustrated with an example of the military route selection problem as one of the possible applications.

Study on the packed volume and the void ratio of idealized human red blood cells using a ?nite-discrete element method

Numerical simulations are performed to examine the packing behavior of human red blood cells(RBCs). A combined ?nite-discrete element method(FDEM) is utilized, in which the RBCs are modeled as no-friction and no-adhesion solid bodies. The packed volume and the void ratio of a large number of randomly packed RBCs are clari?ed,and the effects of the RBC shape, the mesh size, the cell number, and the container size are investigated. The results show that the packed human RBCs with normal shape have a void ratio of 28.45%, which is slightly higher than that of the ?at or thick cells used in this study. Such information is bene?cial to the further understanding on the geometric features of human RBCs and the research on RBC simulations.

Identification and analysis of serum samples by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy combined with characteristic ratio method and PCA for gastric cancer detection

This study aimed to explore the application of surface-enhanced Raman scattering(SERS)in the rapid diagnosis of gastric cancer.The SERS spectra of 68 serum samples from gastric cancer patients and healthy volunteers were acquired.The characteristic ratio method(CRM)and principal component analysis(PCA)were used to differentiate gastric cancer serum from normal serum.Compared with healthy volunteers,the serum SERS intensity of gastric cancer patients was relatively high at 722 cm^(-1),while it was relatively low at 588,644,861,1008,1235,1397,1445 and 1586 cm^(-1).These results indicated that the relative content of nucleic acids in the serum of gastric cancer patients rises while the relative content of amino acids and carbohydrates decreases.In PCA,the sensitivity and specificity of discriminating gastric cancer were 94.1%and 94.1%,respectively,with the accuracy of 94.1%.Based on the intensity ratios of four characteristic peaks at 722,861,1008 and 1397 cm^(-1),CRM presented the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 100%and 97.4%,respectively,and the accuracy of 98.5%.Therefore,the three peak intensity ratios of I_(722)/I_(861),I_(722)/I_(1008)and I_(722)/I_(1397)can be considered as biologicalfingerprint information for gastric cancer diagnosis and can rapidly and directly reflect the physiological and pathological changes associated with gastric cancer development.This study provides an important basis and standards for the early diagnosis of gastric cancer.

Preparation of Layered Potassium Titanate Whiskers with Large Length-diameter Ratio by KDC Method

Pure K2Ti4O9 whiskers were prepared by KDC（Kneading-Drying-Calcination） method with TiO2 and K2CO3 as raw materials. The influences of TiO2/K2CO3 molar ratio（RT/K）, calcination temperature（TC） and cooling process on phase composition and morphology of the whiskers were investigated by TG-DSC（thermo gravimetric-differential scanning calorimeter）, XRD（X-ray diffraction）, and SEM（scanning electron microscope）. Pure K2Ti4O9 potassium titanate whiskers with large length-diameter ratio（r）（over 250） can be obtained at RT/K = 2.9 and TC = 950 ℃.

Equivalence of Ratio and Residual Approaches in the Homotopy Analysis Method and Some Applications in Nonlinear Science and Engineering

A ratio approach based on the simple ratio test associated with the terms of homotopy series was proposed by the author in the previous publications.It was shown in the latter through various comparative physical models that the ratio approach of identifying the range of the convergence control parameter and also an optimal value for it in the homotopy analysis method is a promising alternative to the classically used h-level curves or to the minimizing the residual(squared)error.A mathematical analysis is targeted here to prove the equivalence of both the ratio approach and the traditional residual approach,especially regarding the root-finding problems via the homotopy analysis method.Examples are provided to further justify this.Moreover,it is conjectured that every nonlinear differential equation can be considered as a root-finding problem by plugging a parameter in it from a physical viewpoint.Two examples from the boundary and initial and value problems are provided to verify this assertion.Hence,besides the advantages as deciphered in the previous publications,the feasibility of the ratio approach over the traditional residual approach is made clearer in this paper.

Calculation method of sliding ratios for conjugate-curve gear pair and its application

The calculation method of sliding ratios for conjugate-curve gear pair, generated based on the theory of conjugate curves,is proposed. The theoretical model of conjugate-curve gear drive is briefly introduced. The general calculation formulas of sliding ratios are developed according to the conjugate curves. The applications to the circular arc gears based on conjugate curves and the novel involute-helix gears are studied. A comparison on the sliding coefficient with the conventional corresponding gear drive is also carried out. The influences of gear parameters such as spiral parameter, gear ratio and modulus on the sliding ratios of gear drive are discussed. Brief description of manufacturing method for conjugate-curve gear pair is given. The research results show that the sliding ratios of gear pair become smaller with the increase of spiral parameter and gear ratio, respectively. And it will be greater with the increase of modulus for the tooth profiles. The meshing characteristics of conjugate-curve gears are further reflected and the optimization design of tooth profiles with high performance may be obtained.

A new method for the estimation of fine-sediment resuspension ratios in estuaries-taking the turbidity maximum zone of the Changjiang(Yangtze) estuary as an example

Based on the principle of conservative matter removal in estuary,a new method is proposed for estimating the ratio of sediment resuspension in estuaries with fine suspended sediments in the turbidity maximum zone(TMZ) of the Changjiang(Yangtze) estuary during 2005.Results show that there was a range of 18.7%±27.9% to 73.9%±22.5% per annum of total suspended particulate matter(SPM),with an average of 49.2%.Nearly half of the particulate matter in the TMZ originates from sediment resuspension.This indicates that sediment resuspension is one of the major mechanisms involved in formation of the TMZ.Compared with traditional method for calculating these ratios in the estuary,this new method evaluates the dynamic variation of SPM content carried by river runoff from the river mouth to the ocean.The new method produced more reliable results than the traditional one and could produce a better estimation of resuspension flux for particulate matter in estuaries.

Effect of lateral heterogeneity on 2-D Rayleigh wave ZH ratio sensitivity kernels based on the adjoint method: Synthetic and inversion examples

The ratio between vertical and radial amplitudes of Rayleigh waves(hereafter,the Rayleigh wave ZH ratio)is an important parameter used to constrain structures beneath seismic stations.Some previous studies have explored crust and upper mantle structures by joint inversion of the Rayleigh wave ZH ratio and surface wave dispersion.However,all these studies have used a 1-D depth sensitivity kernel,and this kernel may lack precision when the structure varies a great deal laterally.Here,we present a systematic investigation of the two-dimensional(2-D)Rayleigh wave ZH ratio kernel based on the adjoint-wavefield method and perform two synthetic tests using the new kernel.The 2-D ZH ratio kernel is consistent with the traditional 1-D sensitivity kernel but has an asymmetric pattern with a preferred orientation toward the source.The predominant effect caused by heterogeneity can clearly be seen from kernels calculated from models with 2-D heterogeneities,which confirms the necessity of using the new 2-D kernel in some complex regions.Inversion tests using synthetic data show that the 2-D ZH ratio kernel has the potential to resolve small anomalies as well as complex lateral structures.

A SPARSITY AND COMPRESSION RATIO JOINT ADJUSTMENT METHOD FOR COLLABORATIVE SPECTRUM SENSING

Spectrum sensing is the fundamental task for Cognitive Radio (CR). To overcome the challenge of high sampling rate in traditional spectral estimation methods, Compressed Sensing (CS) theory is developed. A sparsity and compression ratio joint adjustment algorithm for compressed spectrum sensing in CR network is investigated, with the hypothesis that the sparsity level is unknown as priori knowledge at CR terminals. As perfect spectrum reconstruction is not necessarily required during spectrum detection process, the proposed algorithm only performs a rough estimate of sparsity level. Meanwhile, in order to further reduce the sensing measurement, different compression ratios for CR terminals with varying Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) are considered. The proposed algorithm, which optimizes the compression ratio as well as the estimated sparsity level, can greatly reduce the sensing measurement without degrading the detection performance. It also requires less steps of iteration for convergence. Corroborating simulation results are presented to testify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm for collaborative spectrum sensing.

Evaluation of gases'molecular abundance ratio by fiber-optic laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy with a metal-assisted method

A metal-assisted method is proposed for the evaluation of gases’molecular abundance ratio in fiber-optic laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy(FO-LIBS).This method can reduce the laser ablation energy and make gas composition identification possible.The principle comes from the collision between the detected gases and the plasma produced by the laser ablation of the metal substrate.The interparticle collision in the plasma plume leads to gas molecules dissociating and sparking,which can be used to determine the gas composition.The quantitative relationship between spectral line intensity and molecular abundance ratio was developed over a large molecular abundance ratio range.The influence of laser ablation energy and substrate material on gas quantitative calibration measurement is also analyzed.The proposed metal-assisted method makes the measurement of gases’molecular abundance ratios possible with an FO-LIBS system.