A two-parameter multiple shooting method and its application to the natural vibrations of non-prismatic multi-segment beams

This paper presents an enhanced version of the standard shooting method that enables problems with two unknown parameters to be solved.A novel approach is applied to the analysis of the natural vibrations of Euler-Bernoulli beams.The proposed algorithm,named as two-parameter multiple shooting method,is a new powerful numerical tool for calculating the natural frequencies and modes of multi-segment prismatic and non-prismatic beams with different boundary conditions.The impact of the axial force and additional point masses is also taken into account.Due to the fact that the method is based directly on the fourth-order ordinary differential equation,the structures do not have to be divided into many small elements to obtain an accurate enough solution,even though the geometry is very complex.To verify the proposed method,three different examples are considered,i.e.,a three-segment non-prismatic beam,a prismatic column subject to non-uniformly distributed compressive loads,and a two-segment beam with an additional point mass.Numerical analyses are carried out with the software MATHEMATICA.The results are compared with the solutions computed by the commercial finite element program SOFiSTiK.Good agreement is achieved,which confirms the correctness and high effectiveness of the formulated algorithm.

Fast-moving target tracking based on mean shift and frame-difference methods

The mean shift tracker has difficulty in tracking fast moving targets and suffers from tracking error accumulation problem. To overcome the limitations of the mean shift method, a new approach is proposed by integrating the mean shift algorithm and frame-difference methods. The rough position of the moving tar- get is first located by the direct frame-difference algorithm and three-frame-difference algorithm for the immobile camera scenes and mobile camera scenes, respectively. Then, the mean shift algorithm is used to achieve precise tracking of the target. Several tracking experiments show that the proposed method can effectively track first moving targets and overcome the tracking error accumulation problem.

Solution of scattering from rough surface with a 2D target above it by a hybrid method based on the reciprocity theorem and the forward-backward method

This paper proposes a hybrid method based on the forward-backward method （FBM） and the reciprocity theorem （RT） for evaluating the scattering field from dielectric rough surface with a 2D target above it. Here, the equivalent electric/magnetic current densities on the rough surface as well as the scattering field from it are numerically calculated by FBM, and the scattered field from the isolated target is obtained utilizing the method of moments （MOM）. Meanwhile, the rescattered coupling interactions between the target and the surface are evaluated employing the combination of FBM and RT. Our hybrid method is first validated by available MOM results. Then, the functional dependences of bistatic and monostatic scattering from the target above rough surface upon the target altitude, incident and scattering angles are numerically simulated and discussed. This study presents a numerical description for the scattering mechanism associated with rescattered coupling interactions between a target and an underlying randomly rough surface.

Multi-objective Evolutionary Algorithm Based on Target Space Partitioning Method

Considering the defects of conventional optimization methods, a novel optimization algorithm is introduced in this paper. Target space partitioning method is used in this algorithm to solve multi-objective optimization problem, thus achieve the coherent solution which can meet the requirements of all target functions, and improve the population's overall evolution level. The algorithm which guarantees diversity preservation and fast convergence to the Pareto set is applied to structural optimization problems. The empirical analysis supports the algorithm and gives an example with program.

RADAR CROSS-SECTION COMPUTATIONS OF ARBITRARILY COMPLICATED TARGETS BY APPLYING THE PANEL METHOD

The present paper deals with the method for the radar cross-section (RCS)computations of arbitrarily complicated targets based on the work by D. Klement et al.(1988).This method is convenient in use, fast in operation and precise in calculating RCS of a complicatedtarget. With this method, the RCS of classic scatterers, for example, a cone and a cylinder, arecomputed with the result of good agreement with experimental data. Furthermore, the RCS’of an aircraft model at various attitudes are calculated with the result of good agreement withexperimental data also.

Scaled radar cross section measurement method for lossy targets via dynamically matching reflection coefficients in THz band

In the terahertz band,the dispersive characteristic of dielectric material is one of the major problems in the scaled radar cross section(RCS)measurement,which is inconsistent with the electrodynamics similitude deducted according to the Maxwell’s equations.Based on the high-frequency estimation method of physical optics(PO),a scaled RCS measurement method for lossy objects is proposed through dynamically matching the reflection coefficients according to the distribution of the object facets.Simulations of the model of SLICY are conducted,and the inversed RCS of the lossy prototype is obtained using the proposed method.Comparing the inversed RCS with the calculated results,the validity of the proposed method is demonstrated.The proposed method provides an effective solution to the scaled RCS measurement for lossy objects in the THz band.

Empirical Line Method Using Spectrally Stable Targets to Calibrate IKONOS Imagery

By using speetrally stable targets, the empirical line （EL） method was tested to correct the multispectral IKONOS imagery acquired over Putuo Mountain, Zhejiang, China. A series of calibration targets, which were spectrally stable over time, were selected to establish the linear predicted equation. Subsequently, a series of spectrally stable validation targets were selected to assess the accuracy of the equations. And, validation targets, which were speetrally unstable over time, were used to test the feasibility of using the EL method to calibrate the archival remotely sensed data. Ground reflectance measurements for each target were made using an ASD FieldSpec spectroradiometer. A Trimble GeoXTTM GPS unit with sub-meter accuracy was used to estimate the target position accurately. Linear regression equations for four tKONOS bands were derived. The coefficients of determination for the blue, green, and red bands were all greater than 0.9800 and it was 0.9697 for the near infrared band. It was concluded that reasonable results could be obtained by using speetrally stable targets.

A Simple and “Green” Method for Synthesis of Magnetic Hollow Silica Spheres and Its ⁹⁹Tc^mLabeled Targeting Studies

The magnetic hollow silica spheres (MHSS) with uniform cavity size and shell thickness were prepared by a simple and “green” method using functionalized SiO2 spheres as templates. Magnetic particles (Fe3O4) were deposited on the SiO2 surface by varying the molar ratio of [Fe2+]/[Fe3+] and the molar concentration of iron salts. The obtained magnetic hollow silica spheres exhibited a super-paramagnetic behavior at room temperature. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray powder scattering (XRD) were applied to characterize the MHSS. Besides, their unit cell parameters are calculated according to results indexing to XRD, the MHSS sample prepared at 0.10 M iron salts and 2:1 molar ratio of [Fe2+]/[Fe3+] has a largest cell angle (β) of unit cell. Due to large hollow cavity space and super-paramagnetic characteristics, the inner amino-functionalized MHSS could be labeled with radioisotope 99Tcm to study the MHSS’s magnetic targeting distribution in vivo. These results indicate that the MHSS has potential in the magnetic targeted drug delivery system which reduces the damage to normal cells and improves the therapeutic effect of cancer.

A Modified Four Path Method for Calculating Coupling Field of Super-Low Altitude Aircraft Target

A novel modified four path method (FPM) is presented for calculating coupling field of super-low altitude aircraft target. Based on the hybrid method PO + MEC (Physical Optics and Method of Equivalent Currents), the antenna radiation pattern is introduced to consider the multipath interference from side lobe of seeker. The modified FPM is used to calculate the coupling field from super-low altitude aircraft target above different terrestrial environments. The curves of scattering coefficient are analyzed. The influences of height of target, root mean square (RMS), and incident angle on coupling field characteristics are discussed. The simulation results can be used for reference in detection for super-low altitude target and optimization for radar system.

A Mo LC+Mo M-based G^0 distribution parameter estimation method with application to synthetic aperture radar target detection

The accuracy of background clutter model is a key factor which determines the performance of a constant false alarm rate(CFAR) target detection method. G0 distribution is one of the optimal statistic models in the synthetic aperture radar(SAR) image background clutter modeling and can accurately model various complex background clutters in the SAR images. But the application of the distribution is greatly limited by its disadvantages that the parameter estimation is complex and the local detection threshold is difficult to be obtained. In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an synthetic aperture radar CFAR target detection method using the logarithmic cumulant(Mo LC) + method of moment(Mo M)-based G0 distribution clutter model is proposed. In the method, G0 distribution is used for modeling the background clutters, a new Mo LC+Mo M-based parameter estimation method coupled with a fast iterative algorithm is used for estimating the parameters of G0 distribution and an exquisite dichotomy method is used for obtaining the local detection threshold of CFAR detection, which greatly improves the computational efficiency, detection performance and environmental adaptability of CFAR detection. Experimental results show that the proposed SAR CFAR target detection method has good target detection performance in various complex background clutter environments.

Physical and numerical investigations of target stratum selection for ground hydraulic fracturing of multiple hard roofs

Ground hydraulic fracturing plays a crucial role in controlling the far-field hard roof,making it imperative to identify the most suitable target stratum for effective control.Physical experiments are conducted based on engineering properties to simulate the gradual collapse of the roof during longwall top coal caving(LTCC).A numerical model is established using the material point method(MPM)and the strain-softening damage constitutive model according to the structure of the physical model.Numerical simulations are conducted to analyze the LTCC process under different hard roofs for ground hydraulic fracturing.The results show that ground hydraulic fracturing releases the energy and stress of the target stratum,resulting in a substantial lag in the fracturing of the overburden before collapse occurs in the hydraulic fracturing stratum.Ground hydraulic fracturing of a low hard roof reduces the lag effect of hydraulic fractures,dissipates the energy consumed by the fracture of the hard roof,and reduces the abutment stress.Therefore,it is advisable to prioritize the selection of the lower hard roof as the target stratum.

Adaptive moving target detection algorithm based on Gaussian mixture model

In order to enhance the reliability of the moving target detection, an adaptive moving target detection algorithm based on the Gaussian mixture model is proposed. This algorithm employs Gaussian mixture distributions in modeling the background of each pixel. As a result, the number of Gaussian distributions is not fixed but adaptively changes with the change of the pixel value frequency. The pixels of the difference image are divided into two parts according to their values. Then the two parts are separately segmented by the adaptive threshold, and finally the foreground image is obtained. The shadow elimination method based on morphological reconstruction is introduced to improve the performance of foreground image＇s segmentation. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can quickly and accurately build the background model and it is more robust in different real scenes.

Target effects on electrical properties and laser induced voltages of La_(0.72)Ca_(0.28)MnO_3 thin films prepared by pulsed laser deposition

La0.72Ca0.28MnO3 thin films were deposited on untilted and 15° tilted LaAlO_3 （100） single crystalline substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The polycrystalline targets used in the deposition process were synthesized by sol-gel and coprecipitation methods, respectively. The structure, electrical transport properties and surface morphology of the targets and films were studied. It is found that, compared with coprecipitation method, the sol-gel target has more homogeneous components and larger density and grain size, thus the higher insulator-metal transition temperature and larger temperature coefficient of resistivity. The thin film prepared by sol-gel target has a uniform grain size and higher quality. The metal-insulator transition temperature is higher and the laser induced voltage signal is larger. Preparing the target by sol-gel method can largely improve the properties of corresponding thin films in pulsed laser deposition process.

Elastic wave imaging of two dimensional targets

Presents a new way of elastic wave imaging which features 1)high inversion accuracy; 2)stable and rapid convergence; 3) high resistance to random noise; 4) little dependence on initial values, and concludes with numerical results that this method has many advantages over all the other imaging methods because our inversion equation following the variation principle reflects the relation between the little variation of scattering field and that of perturbation function.

Efficient structural seismic performance evaluation method using improved endurance time analysis

Evaluation of structural performance under seismic excitations from low intensity to high intensity is essential to verify the seismic resistant capacity of a structure, and usually carried out by the incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) method or pushover method. The recently developed endurance time (ET) method is another method that uses dynamic pushover excitations, i.e., endurance time acceleration function, to obtain results similar to those obtained by IDA or pushover methods with low computational cost and acceptable accuracy. This study proposes an improvement on the ET method by considering more restrictions for both the elastic and inelastic response spectra in the generation procedure, and by specifying a target duration. Four reinforced concrete frame structures with 4, 8, 12, and 16 stories are adopted to verify the accuracy of the improved method. Comparison of the results obtained by the proposed method, the ET method and the IDA method shows that the improved method has a higher accuracy than the ET method. For evaluation of structural responses under specifi c ground motion intensity, which is typically required in seismic design codes, the results obtained by the proposed method are compared with fi ve commonly used ground motion selection methods, and shows the proposed method provides acceptable accuracy for engineering applications.

Establishing a rat model of spastic cerebral palsy by targeted ethanol injection

Spastic cerebral palsy is generally considered to result from cerebral cortical or pyramidal tract damage. Here, we precisely targeted the left pyramidal tract of 2-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats placed on a stereotaxic instrument under intraperitoneal anesthesia. Based on the rat brain stereotaxic map, a 1-mm hole was made 10 mm posterior to bregma and 0.8 mm left of sagittal suture. A microsyringe was inserted perpendicularly to the surface of the brain to a depth of 9.7 mm, and 15 wL of ethanol was slowly injected to establish a rat model of spastic cerebral palsy. After modeling, the rats appeared to have necrotic voids in the pyramidal tract and exhibited typical signs and symptoms of flexion spasms that lasted for a long period of time. These findings indicate that this is an effective and easy method of establishing a rat model of spastic cerebral palsy with good reproducibility. Ethanol as a chemical ablation agent specifically and thoroughly damages the py- ramidal tract, and therefore, the animals display flexion spasms, which are a typical symptom of the disease.

Waveform design for radar and extended target in the environment of electronic warfare

Transmit waveform optimization is critical to radar system performance. There have been a fruit of achievements about waveform design in recent years. However, most of the existing methods are based on the assumption that radar is smart and the target is dumb, which is not always reasonable in the modern electronic warfare. This paper focuses on the waveform design for radar and the extended target in the environment of electronic warfare. Three different countermeasure models between smart radar and dumb target, smart target and dumb radar, smart radar and smart target are proposed. Taking the signal-to-interferenceplus-noise ratio(SINR) as the metric, optimized waveforms for the first two scenarios are achieved by the general water-filling method in the presence of clutter. For the last case, the equilibrium between smart radar and smart target in the presence of clutter is given mathematically and the optimized solution is achieved through a novel two-step water-filling method on the basis of minmax theory. Simulation results under different power constraints show the power allocation strategies of radar and target and the output SINRs are analyzed.

Synthesis of Water Utilization System Using Concentration Interval Analysis Method （ Ⅰ ） Non-Mass-Transfer-Based Operation

A strategy for water and wastewater minimization is developed for continuous water utilization systems involving fixed flowrate(non-mass-transfer-based)operations,based on the fictitious operations that is introduced to represent the water losing and/or generating operations and a modified concentration interval analysis(MCIA) technique.This strategy is a simple,nongraphical,and noniterative procedure and is suitable for the quick yields of targets and the identification of pinch point location.Moreover,on the basis of the target method,a heuristic-based approach is also presented to generate water utilization networks,which could be demonstrated to be optimum ones. The proposed approaches are illustrated with example problems.

Development of PLGA micro-and nanorods with high capacity of surface ligand conjugation for enhanced targeted delivery

Particle shape has been recognized as one of the key properties of nanoparticles in biomedical applications including targeted drug delivery.Targeting ability of shape-engineered particles depends largely on targeting ligands conjugated on the particle surface.However,poor capacity for surface ligand conjugation remains a problem in anisotropic nanoparticles made with biodegradable polymers such as PLGA.In this study,we prepared anisotropic PLGA nanoparticles with abundant conjugatable surface functional groups by a film stretching-based fabrication method with poly(ethylene-alt-maleic acid)(PEMA).Scanning electron microscopy images showed that microrods and nanorods were successfully fabricated by the PEMA-based film stretching method.The presence of surface carboxylic acid groups was confirmed by confocal microscopy and zeta potential measurements.Using the improved film-stretching method,the amount of protein conjugated to the surface of nanorods was increased three-fold.Transferrin-conjugated,nanorods fabricated by the improved method exhibited higher binding and internalization than unmodified counterparts.Therefore,the PEMA-based film-stretching system presented in this study would be a promising fabrication method for non-spherical biodegradable polymeric micro-and nanoparticles with high capacity of surface modifications for enhanced targeted delivery.

Moving Target Detection and Tracking for Smartphone Automatic Focusing

In this paper,a non-contact auto-focusing method is proposed for the essential function of auto-focusing in mobile devices.Firstly,we introduce an effective target detection method combining the 3-frame difference algorithm and Gauss mixture model,which is robust for complex and changing background.Secondly,a stable tracking method is proposed using the local binary patter feature and camshift tracker.Auto-focusing is achieved by using the coordinate obtained during the detection and tracking procedure.Experiments show that the proposed method can deal with complex and changing background.When there exist multiple moving objects,the proposed method also has good detection and tracking performance.The proposed method implements high efficiency,which means it can be easily used in real mobile device systems.