bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE OF VARIABLE STIFFNESS PLATES SUBJECTED TO MULTISCALE DEFECTS
Authors: PAGANI ALFONSO , SANCHEZ-MAJANO ALBERTO RACIONERO , ZARATE IGNACIO SANCHEZ
Published: November 2021

Novel manufacturing techniques that have arisen during the last decades have permitted to improve both the manufacturing quality and performance of laminates parts. Despite these improvements, such manufactured parts are not flaw-exempt, since uncertainty in the fabrication processes and in the material properties are still present. At the same time, numerical models that allow to describe the ground truth designs have been developed. Nevertheless, some defects have not been studied yet. This work aims to analyze the influence of spatially varying microscale defects on the mechanical performance of variable stiffness plates at both microscale and macroscale level. Attention has been paid to the usage of component-wise and layer-wise modeling, based on the Carrera Unified Formulation, to study the stochastic response of the micromechanical stresses and the macroscale buckling performance, respectively.
AUTOMATIC IMAGE SEGMENTATION OF CT DATA FROM THE LOW VELOCITY IMPACT TESTS OF CFRP COMPOSITES
Authors: ZHUPANSKA OLESYA I. , KROKHMAL PAVLO A.
Published: November 2021

In this work, the role of image segmentation in the analysis of the micro-CT data for the low velocity damage assessment in carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites is discussed. A novel automatic image segmentation method based on the unsupervised learning approach and the Kullback–Leibler divergence is presented. The method has been successfully applied to identify and isolate impact damage in the CFRP composites subjected to the low velocity impact. The results show that the method enables not only an automatic image segmentation, but also delivers a statistics based rigorous damage threshold.
IMPACT RESPONSE ANALYSIS OF COMPOSITE PLATE WITH DIFFERENT FIBER ORIENTATION ANGLES
Authors: KAJIHARA SHO , AOKI TAKAHIRA , YOKOZEKI, TOMOHIRO , HIGUCHI RYO
Published: November 2021

In this study, we established an analytical model of rectangular plate as a carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) fan blade, and simulated propagation of strain due to a foreign object collision such as a bird strike. The effect of fiber orientation angles was investigated as one method to reduce the propagating strain. In this model, large deflection caused by bird-striking is considered and nonlinear vibration equation derived from Rayleigh-Ritz method was integrated using Newmark-β method. It was shown that the strain propagates to the spanwise tip of the fan blade and causes detrimental damage there. It was also suggested that changing the fiber orientation angle of CFRP can reduce the strain transmitted to the tip of fan blade.
Equitable Vessel Traffic Scheduling in a Seaport
Authors: Jia Shuai , Meng Qiang , Kuang Haibo
Published: November 2021

In the global maritime transportation network, the on-time performance of cargo transportation depends largely on the service capacity and accessibility of seaports. When opportunities for infrastructure expansions are not available, seaport congestion mitigation may require effective scheduling of the vessel traffic in the port waters. Although existing works on vessel traffic scheduling focus on minimizing vessel delays, this paper studies a novel vessel traffic scheduling problem that aims to address the inter-shipping line equity issue. We develop a lexicographic optimization model that accounts for two conflicting performance measures: efficiency, which favors minimizing total vessel delay; and equity, which favors balancing the impacts of delays fairly among shipping lines. Our model allows the port operator to quantify the efficiency-equity tradeoff and make the best vessel traffic scheduling decisions. For solving the model, we develop an effective two-stage solution method in which the first stage solves two single-objective models to obtain the maximum system efficiency and equity, whereas the second stage trades between efficiency and equity and seeks the best compromise between the two conflicting objectives. We apply our model and solution method on instances generated from the operational data of the Port of Shanghai. Our computational results show that an efficiency-oriented model can lead to highly inequitable traffic plans, whereas inter-shipping line equity can be achieved at only mild losses in efficiency, indicating that the consideration of inter-shipping line equity can lead to satisfactory service at both the vessel level and the shipping line level.
Probabilistic Set Covering Location Problem in Congested Networks
Authors: Aboolian Robert , Berman Oded , Karimi Majid
Published: November 2021

This paper focuses on designing a facility network, taking into account that the system may be congested. The objective is to minimize the overall fixed and service capacity costs, subject to the constraints that for any demand the disutility from travel and waiting times (measured as the weighted sum of the travel time from a demand to the facility serving that demand and the average waiting time at the facility) cannot exceed a predefined maximum allowed level (measured in units of time). We develop an analytical framework for the problem that determines the optimal set of facilities and assigns each facility a service rate (service capacity). In our setting, the consumers would like to maximize their utility (minimize their disutility) when choosing which facility to patronize. Therefore, the eventual choice of facilities is a user-equilibrium problem, where at equilibrium, consumers do not have any incentive to change their choices. The problem is formulated as a nonlinear mixed-integer program. We show how to linearize the nonlinear constraints and solve instead a mixed-integer linear problem, which can be solved efficiently.
DETERMINATION OF THE NUMBER OF NURSES FOR HOSPITAL AID IN THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA
Authors: Koleva Greta , Georgieva Despina , Hristova Irinka
Published: November 2021

The nurses in the Republic of Bulgaria addressed a number of official demands to the Ministry of Health, one of them was to work out a long-term strategy for the development of standards, including detailed minimal requirements for the number of staff for both hospital, and outpatient care.

Objectives: The goal of the current report is a summary of the regulatory documents, concerning the number of nurses in the Republic of Bulgaria, in context of the global practices.

Methods: Current medical standards in the Republic of Bulgaria are being taken into account, and methods for determining the number of nurses in other countries.

Results: In the period between November and December 2020, within the public consultations for projects of different Regulations for approval of medical standards, the proposed and developed methods by the Bulgarian association of health professionals in nursing to be included in the standards, which concern calculating the necessary staff of nurses, was not admitted for inclusion in any of those standards.

Conclusions: Until now, the number of active nurses in the Republic of Bulgaria in all active medical standards is calculated either on the basis of doctors (not patients), or it’s pointed out that the methods of calculating the sufficient number of nurses may be applied. It should be noted that the International Council of Nurses, actually does not recommend universal methods for all countries worldwide.
JUSTIFYING THE NEED FOR IMPROVED HEALTH EDUCATION OF OBESE ADULT PATIENTS IN BULGARIA
Authors: Nikolova Mima , Kyuchukova Silviya , Andonova Albena
Published: November 2021

Bulgaria is the second-fastest aging nation in Eastern Europe and fifth in the world. Older people are the largest and ever-growing group of people in health care. The most common diseases in this age group are circulatory, endocrine, digestive, musculature, neoplasms, and respiratory systems. Some of the main reasons for these diseases include an unhealthy diet, a sedentary lifestyle, and obesity.

One hundred twelve adult patients with chronic diseases were interviewed.

The aim of the study is to establish the awareness of older people about overweight-related problems. In order to increase their knowledge and improve their quality of life and independence, we prepared a training program (Table4).
LIFE QUALITY OF PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS ACCORDING TO THE LEVEL OF PAIN
Authors: Shabani Zamira , Shkoza Donika , Haxhija Edona
Published: November 2021

This is a transversal (cross-sectional) descriptive study. The aim of the study is to evaluate the quality of life of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Objectives: To identify the level of pain related to daily activities in patients with RA according to gender and age groups.

Conclusions: 77% of these patients have poor quality of life because of pain associated with RA. The FSI for pain resulted in 0.25, 0.39 for addiction and 0.26 for difficulty.
ORGANIC PERSONAL CARE COSMETICS: BEHAVIOR OF CHOICE AND CONSUMPTION
Authors: Šniepienė Gražina , Jankauskienė Rita
Published: November 2021

Background. The researchers have shown that even small doses of some chemical substances in cosmetics, when absorbing and accumulating in the body, can damage the skin and provoke various diseases. Therefore, the choice of organic cosmetics with certified ingredients can contribute to human health and nature conservation.

The survey aimed to determine behavior of choice and consumption of organic cosmetic products according to the consumers’ socio-demographic characteristics.

Methods. A quantitative survey was performed, a validated questionnaire and data collection method – a written survey were used. Survey sample – 335 people (38.5 ± 4.07 years old). Data analysis using SPSS 26.0 was performed, calculated percentage frequencies, mean, Pearson’s Chi-Square test to detect statistically significant differences, and Spearman’s correlation was used.

Results. The study found that more than half of women used organic cosmetics. A significant difference (p <0.05) was found with age, which showed that organic products were used significantly more often by 26–35-year-old individuals and between the sexes (p = 0.05).  It was found that facial skincare, body care, and hair care products are the most commonly used, while pregnancy skincare products are the least commonly used. Consumers indicated the reasons for choosing these products: health benefits, natural composition, non-polluting environment during production, and recyclability of packaging. Most often, respondents do not use such cosmetics due to unclear labeling and the higher prices of these products.  Sufficient and complete information on the label, a reliable and well-known producer are considered to be the most important identification criteria. In contrast, a special point of sale, clear and attractive promotional/visual information being the least important.
AN APPROACH FOR DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF CPSS- EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS IN BULGARIAN SCHOOL
Authors: Glushkova Todorka , Tabakova-Komsalova Veneta
Published: November 2021

Modern realities in the era of Industry 4.0 and the global Covid-19 pandemic place new challenges to education. It is a fact that classical learning, supported by modern information and communication technologies, provides an effective learning process, but the Covid-19 realities require a rapid transition to distance absentee learning. The use of computer-based training systems and cloud platforms has its advantages, but also problems related to the low level of personalization of the learning process and the adaptability of the learning content to the specific characteristics of each student.

Cyber-physical and social systems (CPSS) largely solve the problems associated with integrating processes and interactions in the virtual world with the dynamically changing conditions of the physical world in which learning occurs. This gives grounds to draw the attention of specialists to the creation of CPSS educational platforms for secondary school. Following this approach, we created a prototype of ь CPSS educational space called BLISS. The results of the test application of this platform in the school environment give us reason to believe that if we put the learner with his/her peculiarities, goals, and interests at the center of such a system, and present him/her in the virtual space through his / her personal assistant, we could significantly increase the interactivity of the learning process and the adaptability of the offered learning content.
STUDENTS 'OPINION OF A SELECTED EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION ON THE USE OF TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION IN ORDINARY LIFE
Authors: Jucha Peter , Corejova Tatiana
Published: November 2021

Technological progress is becoming more significant every year, and people are witnessing a number of innovations that are becoming part of their daily lives. The development of technology is advancing at great speed because the needs and requirements of people are becoming more and more difficult to meet, and so innovations are being developed to help fulfill these needs. However, not all people accept technological progress and innovation positively. The aim of the paper is to evaluate the opinion of people, specifically students of the selected higher education institution, on new technologies and innovations. In particular we wish to evaluate their general attitude towards technological innovation, but also their views on the use of specific technologies such as robots, drones or autonomous vehicles. Students' responses as to whether they would like them and whether they would be satisfied with the aforementioned innovations being widely used in the future vary. Some would benefit from the use of such innovations, others would not. Some students don't like it because people could lose their jobs and others don't really believe in such innovations. The results of the paper provide an evaluation of all the answers given by the students.
POTENTIAL OF OVERLOOKED INDUSTRY HERITAGE IN HOREHRONIE REGION IN SLOVAKIA AND ITS REGENERATION
Authors: Aschenbrierová Veronika
Published: November 2021

The territory of Slovakia is rich in places with an ironworks history, which formed important urban and economic centers in the past. The valuable urban-architectural settlements emerged due to favorable geographical conditions, availability of forest and water resources. Currently, these important historical spots find themselves in the regions suffering from lack of job opportunities and low level of life quality. The research work deals with one of the most important 19th century‘s Slovak ironworks, its urban and architectural values ​​in the setting, and regenerative activities involving development activities to preserve the constantly overlooked part of Horehronie‘s cultural heritage. This study aims to contribute to the knowledge about the ironwork complex, to present its current state and research, which has stimulated interest in the protection of so far degrading industrial heritage. The result of this work is to show potential of industrial heritage in regional development and tourism, which is an opportunity to strengthen the region identity, its competitiveness, as well as to the potential of industrial heritage in regional development and tourism, which is an opportunity to strengthen the region identity, its competitiveness, and improve the socio-economic conditions of its inhabitants.
SPANISH LANGUAGE ACQUISITION IN TERTIARY EDUCATION: THE ACTUAL SITUATION IN LATVIA
Authors: Babina Agata
Published: November 2021

The data published by The Instituto Cervantes (2021) prove that Spanish language use in the world is constantly rising. The current number of native speakers is 489 million people, and there are more than 22 million learners worldwide. It is the fourth most spoken language in the EU and the third in the UN. The newest Latvian Educational Standard states that the first and second-level educational institutions should offer a minimum of two foreign language acquisition. Nevertheless, the Latvian Educational Curriculum does not include Spanish as an option; therefore, it lacks institutional support to establish Spanish studies in all educational levels with the proper follow-up. The article presents the current situation in various study programs proposed by several Latvian tertiary education institutions in 2020/2021. The data has been collected by contacting current Spanish lecturers and analyzing the current study programs offering Spanish language acquisition in tertiary education institutions mentioned in the article. The analysis presents the content of the study programs in the bachelor and master study levels and the estimated number of students in each study program. It is a panoramic insight into Latvia's Spanish language teaching situation, which is necessary to understand Latvian-speaking Spanish learners' needs, existing resources for Spanish language teaching, and a further perspective for promoting Spanish studies in Latvia. It proves a lack of institutional cooperation to provide the constant Spanish language acquisition from the first till the tertiary educational level that would improve the general recognition of Spanish and its need in Latvian society as a part of the European Union.
ENGAGEMENT AND INVOLVEMENT OF PERSONNEL DURING REMOTE WORK
Authors: Blumberga Solveiga , Lapkovska Laura
Published: November 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the majority of the world’s organisations through making remote work a part and parcel of everyday life. The number of people working remotely has increased substantially creating a challenge for the organisations to manage and involve their personnel. Engagement and involvement of the personnel are major factors contributing to a positive outcome of the remote work processes. The aim of this research paper is to establish what the engagement and involvement of the personnel are while practising remote work in the Latvian financial institutions. This research paper put forward the following issues for exploration: what is the engagement of the financial institutions’ personnel in their work while working remotely? What is the involvement of the financial institutions’ personnel in their work while working remotely? Is there a link between engagement and involvement of the financial institutions’ personnel during remote work? This paper explores the definitions of engagement and involvement by various authors and many forms of remote work putting emphasis on expansion of remote work due to the pandemic. The research made use of 3 surveys: a survey on the engagement of personnel during remote work, a survey on involvement of the personnel during remote work and a survey on the personnel’s opinion on remote work compiled by the authors of this research paper. There were 98 full-time employees of financial institutions participating in the research who were transferred from office jobs to a form of remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of the research demonstrate that only a fraction of the financial institutions’ personnel were engaged and involved during their remote work and that institutions had to resort to additional measures in order to promote involvement and engagement of the rest of the personnel and attain better operational results. The major problems highlighted by the results of the research are: insufficient internal information exchange and co-operation. The personnel feel responsible for the performance of their work, but admit to lacking inspiration that would foster their engagement. They also acquired negative experiences while working remotely. The results of the research identify a need for further research on the significance of the internal culture and communication of financial organisations for the promotion of involvement and engagement of personnel during remote work.
THE INFLUENCE OF PARENTAL AND PEER ATTACHMENT ON SELF-ESTEEM AT LATE ADOLESCENCE
Authors: Kecaj Migena , Rapti Edmond , Andersons Aigars
Published: November 2021

The present study investigates the relationship between parent and peer attachment bonds on the development of self-esteem during late adolescence. The sample was randomly selected. Data was collected from 387 participants including 166 male and 221 female students from seven high schools of the Shkoder Municipality in Albania. A self-developed Demographic Questionnaire, Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment (Armsden & Greenberg, 1987) and Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale (Rosenberg, 1965) were administered. A Pearson Correlation and Independent sample t-test were applied. Specific attention is focused on the assessment of attachment in adolescence. The results show the existence of a significant positive correlation between parental/peer attachment and self-esteem. Concerning gender differences during late adolescence, females showed higher attachment with parents and peers than males, but there were no gender differences in self-esteem. This research enables us to develop new insight into the importance of parent and peer attachment for a healthy adolescence.
PUBLIC PERCEPTION OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF POVERTY IN SELECTED LIFE DIMENSIONS
Authors: Kovalčíková Nadežda , Bánovčinová Andrea
Published: November 2021

Poverty is a phenomenon that receives a lot of attention from a wide range of professionals as well as the lay public. This is a serious problem that significantly changes the lives and functions of individuals, families, as well as communities.

The aim of this study was to find out how society perceives the consequences of poverty in individual dimensions of human life selected by us and also to find differences in perception of the consequences of poverty in terms of the selected demographic data (gender, place where the respondent lives, place of residence – city or countryside, faith, employment status, shared household, benefits in material deprivation, and an opinion on who should primarily address the problem of poverty). A quantitative research strategy was implemented using a self-designed questionnaire. The questionnaire contained 37 items and focused on the perception of poverty and its consequences in our selected areas. The questionnaire contained 6 basic dimensions, resp. areas. These were the health area, the hygiene area, the social area, the psychological area, the structural area and the housing area. We used a deliberate and quota selection (region, gender). The total sample (n) consisted of 384 respondents. The average age of the respondents was 36.30 ± 12.91 years old (min. 18, max. 75).

The results did not show a statistically significant difference in the perception of areas most affected by poverty in terms of gender; in terms of receiving benefits in material need, there was a statistically significant difference in health, mental health, housing and social affairs. In terms of residence (countryside, city), a statistical difference was recorded only in the area of ​​health. There were also significant statistical differences in the area of geography (the region in which the respondent lives), in the area of health and hygiene, and the structural area. The practice of faith has proven to be an important determinant of the perception of poverty, especially in the social and psychological spheres. We also noticed differences in the perception of poverty in some areas in terms of shared household and employment status.
IN-SERVICE TEACHERS' VIEWS ON DEVELOPING COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE AT PRIMARY LEVEL IN THE PROCESS OF TEFL IN SLOVAKIA
Authors: Paulikova Klaudia
Published: November 2021

Reaching communicative competence in a foreign language is one of the key objectives of the foreign language education policy of multiple European countries, including Slovakia. The unified concept of communicative competence provides learners with equal opportunities for mastering languages at their best and enables its development from the very beginning of learners' studies. In low proficiency levels (A1) in primary education teachers play a crucial role in developing communicative competence of their learners. Research in the field reveals that although teachers are aware of their great influence and importance in the development of communicative competence, they often do not provide sufficient circumstances for learners to reaching it. A qualitative inquiry conducted with a number of in-practice English teachers working in Slovak primary schools presents the importance of having balanced development in all the components of communicative competence in TEFL, its implementation into the lessons of English, as well as an overall view of teachers’ standpoints towards its development at the primary level.  The results show the tendencies of teachers to concentrate more on certain (especially linguistic) elements of communicative competence, whereas other competences (mainly of pragmatic character) are often neglected.
Obstacle Tracking on Unmanned Surface Vehicle Using Kalman Filter
Authors: Kadir Rusdhianto Effendi Abdul , Sahal Mochammad , Bilfaqih Yusuf , Hidayat Zulkifli , Jagad Gaung
Published: November 2021

Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV) are self-driving vehicles that operate on the water surface. In order to be operated autonomously, USV has a guidance system designed for path planning to reach its destination. The ability to detect obstacles in its paths is one of the important factors to plan a new path in order to avoid obstacles and reach its destination optimally. This research designed an obstacle tracking system which integrates USV perception sensors such as camera and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDaR) to gain information of the obstacle’s relative position in the surrounding environment to the ship. To improve the relative position estimation of the obstacles to the ship, Kalman filter is applied to reduce the measurements noises. The results of the system design are simulated using MATLAB software so that results can be analyzed to see the performance of the system design. Results obtained using the Kalman filter show 12% noise reduction. Keywords: filter kalman, obstacle tracking, unmanned surface vehicle.
Balancing Charging System Using Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System Based On CUK Converter
Authors: Setyawan Mohammad Fajar , Efendi Mohammad Zaenal , Murdianto Farid Dwi
Published: November 2021

In a battery set, there is always a voltage difference caused by charging and discharging. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to the condition of the battery or State of Charge (SOC) so that it is in a balanced state between the batteries. Unbalanced battery conditions result in decreased performance of the battery. For that we need a balancing circuit that works actively with the help of a DC-DC converter. DC-DC converters generally have a principle like a buck-boost converter to increase and decrease the output voltage, however the output still has a fairly large ripple in the waveform. Therefore, the CUK converter is used which is a development of the buck-boost converter topology, where the output of this CUK converter has smaller ripples because it uses two capacitors and two inductors. Of the various methods used to adjust the duty cycle of the CUK converter, a precise and accurate algorithm is needed to overcome the instability of the converter output. The method used to adjust the duty cycle uses the Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) algorithm as the development of the Fuzzy method. The system is implemented using MATLAB Simulink software. The simulation results show that the output of the CUK converter with the ANFIS method has a faster response speed reaching a set point of 1.95 × 10-4 seconds and the accuracy of the output voltage with ANFIS is 99.94% while the accuracy of the output converter current using ANFIS is 65.7%.Keywords: ANFIS, balancing, battery, CUK converter, state of charge (SOC).15
Varus-valgus constrained insert with posterior-stabilized femoral components in complex primary total knee arthroplasties
Authors: Limberg Afton K. , Wyles Cody C. , Taunton Michael J. , Hanssen Arlen D. , Pagnano Mark W. , Abdel Matthew P.
Published: November 2021

Aims

Varus-valgus constrained (VVC) devices are typically used in revision settings, often with stems to mitigate the risk of aseptic loosening. However, in at least one system, the VVC insert is compatible with the primary posterior-stabilized (PS) femoral component, which may be an option in complex primary situations. We sought to determine the implant survivorship, radiological and clinical outcomes, and complications when this VVC insert was coupled with a PS femur without stems in complex primary total knee arthroplasties (TKAs).

Methods

Through our institution’s total joint registry, we identified 113 primary TKAs (103 patients) performed between 2007 and 2017 in which a VVC insert was coupled with a standard cemented PS femur without stems. Mean age was 68 years (SD 10), mean BMI was 32 kg/m2 (SD 7), and 59 patients (50%) were male. Mean follow-up was four years (2 to 10).

Results

The five-year survivorship free from aseptic loosening was 100%. The five-year survivorship free from any revision was 99%, with the only revision performed for infection. The five-year survivorship free from reoperation was 93%. The most common reoperation was treatment for infection (n = 4; 4%), followed by manipulation under anaesthesia (MUA; n = 2; 2%). Survivorship free from any complication at five years was 90%, with superficial wound infection as the most frequent (n = 4; 4%). At most recent follow-up, two TKAs had non-progressive radiolucent lines about both the tibial and femoral components. Knee Society Scores improved from 53 preoperatively to 88 at latest follow-up (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

For complex primary TKA in occasional situations, coupling a VVC insert with a standard PS femur without stems proved reliable and durable at five years. Longer-term follow-up is required before recommending this technique more broadly. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2021;2(11):921–925.
Performance is political
Authors: Harris John
Published: November 2021

Performance management is usually presented as a technical tool to monitor policies and programmes. Performance indicators are presented as neutral and as having been developed in pursuit of economy, efficiency and effectiveness. According to this approach, if properly conceptualised and constructed, performance indicators illuminate the extent to which agencies or services are achieving goals and provide accountability. In contrast, understanding performance indicators as political requires examination of their social as well as their technical aspects. From this perspective, the effectiveness of an indicator as a means to measure performance is not as important as other roles, such as embedding policy and shaping practice. Accordingly, performance management represents a significant technology of control over social work. It acts as a powerful determinant of which forms of practice are approved by deciding which of them are drawn into the accountability framework and are therefore authorised.
Frequency-shifting technique for pixelwise absolute phase
retrieval
Authors: Qi Zhaoshuai , Liu Xiaolin , Liu Xiaojun , Wang Wei , Yang Jiaqi , Zhang Yanning
Published: November 2021

In fringe projection profilometry, phase shifting (PS) is the most used technique for
phase retrieval. However, it suffers from periodicity of sine wave in
PS; the result is wrapped into [

−

π
,

π

]; and additional phase unwrapping
(PU) is necessary to retrieve the absolute phase. In this paper, a
more general technique termed frequency shifting is proposed, based on
which the behavior of periodicity is eliminated and absolute phase can
be retrieved pixelwisely without any phase unwrapping. The
effectiveness of the proposed technique was verified by extensive
experimental results, and they demonstrate comparable performance with
those of the traditional technique combining PS and PU even in only
one step and less projection.
Phase response optimization of a liquid crystal spatial light modulator with partially coherent light
Authors: Kumar Praveen , Nishchal Naveen K.
Published: November 2021

This paper demonstrates a method to determine and calibrate the modulation characteristics of a liquid crystal spatial light modulator (SLM) for on-axis phase response with partially coherent light. A polarimetric approach has been implemented to obtain the phase characterization curve of the SLM. The corrections for phase response errors exhibited by SLM have been incorporated through encoded grayscale patterns to ensure a spatially uniform phase response and a linear relationship between addressed phase and phase delay by SLM. In this approach, corrections can be applied at selective pixels of the SLM’s display without altering its gamma curve. Experimental results are presented that verify the feasibility of the proposed approach.
Method for power reduction of demodulation driver circuit in indirect time-of-flight CMOS image sensor
Authors: Nie Kaiming , Tian Guan , Chen Quanmin , Wang Zeqing , Xu Jiangtao , Gao Zhiyuan
Published: November 2021

To improve the depth accuracy of an indirect time-of-flight CMOS image sensor, high modulation frequency is often adopted. It will result in high power consumption of an on-chip demodulation driver, and this problem will be much more serious when the resolution of the sensor is much higher. In this paper, a power reduction method that can lower the power consumption of the demodulation driver circuit during the integration time while obtaining accurate high-resolution depth maps is proposed and analyzed theoretically. The method decreases the number of driven pixels at a high-modulation frequency by a programmable resolution adjustment circuit to obtain an accurate low-resolution depth map. A low-depth accuracy high-resolution depth map is obtained at a low modulation frequency, and then a modified super-resolution algorithm is used to obtain an accurate high resolution solution depth map. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method, a model is established based on the actual indirect time-of-flight sensor architecture, then the depth error and power consumption are analyzed by the simulation results of the model. In the simulation, 25 MHz and 100 MHz are used as the low modulation frequency and high modulation frequency, respectively. With the best scenario in depth accuracy kept, average power consumption decreases 38.47% and peak power consumption decreases 49.83% while the depth error that is represented by RMSE merely increases 8.08%.
Signal enhancement method based on a Fabry–Perot etalon for a self-mixing laser diode
Authors: Liu Shiwei , Liang Hongwei , Chen Peng , Kan Lingling , Jiang Chunlei
Published: November 2021

An enhanced self-mixing interference (SMI) method in a laser diode (LD) based on a Fabry–Perot etalon (FPE) is presented. This method uses uncoated fused silica to form a FPE as a narrowband filter in the LD outer cavity, which can tune the laser wavelength to the edge of the FPE transmission spectrum profile to perform intensity demodulation. We compare the SMI signal based on the FPE filter with the conventional SMI signal. The experimental results show that the amplitude of the SMI signal based on the FPE filter is enhanced about 5 times in the range of 1 µm–5 µm; the displacement reconstruction errors are reduced by 30 nm; and the signal quality is significantly improved.
Exploring bacterial diversity via a curated and searchable snapshot of archived DNA sequences
Authors: Blackwell Grace A. , Hunt Martin , Malone Kerri M. , Lima Leandro , Horesh Gal , Alako Blaise T. F. , Thomson Nicholas R. , Iqbal Zamin
Published: November 2021

The open sharing of genomic data provides an incredibly rich resource for the study of bacterial evolution and function and even anthropogenic activities such as the widespread use of antimicrobials. However, these data consist of genomes assembled with different tools and levels of quality checking, and of large volumes of completely unprocessed raw sequence data. In both cases, considerable computational effort is required before biological questions can be addressed. Here, we assembled and characterised 661,405 bacterial genomes retrieved from the European Nucleotide Archive (ENA) in November of 2018 using a uniform standardised approach. Of these, 311,006 did not previously have an assembly. We produced a searchable COmpact Bit-sliced Signature (COBS) index, facilitating the easy interrogation of the entire dataset for a specific sequence (e.g., gene, mutation, or plasmid). Additional MinHash and pp-sketch indices support genome-wide comparisons and estimations of genomic distance. Combined, this resource will allow data to be easily subset and searched, phylogenetic relationships between genomes to be quickly elucidated, and hypotheses rapidly generated and tested. We believe that this combination of uniform processing and variety of search/filter functionalities will make this a resource of very wide utility. In terms of diversity within the data, a breakdown of the 639,981 high-quality genomes emphasised the uneven species composition of the ENA/public databases, with just 20 of the total 2,336 species making up 90% of the genomes. The overrepresented species tend to be acute/common human pathogens, aligning with research priorities at different levels from individual interests to funding bodies and national and global public health agencies.
Pre-natal nutrition education: Health care providers’ knowledge and quality of services in primary health care centres in Lagos, Nigeria
Authors: Ibikunle Hanifat Abisola , Okafor Ifeoma Peace , Adejimi Adebola Afolake
Published: November 2021

Introduction

A healthy and balanced diet is very important during pregnancy. By enhancing maternal nutritional status, healthcare providers can lower the risks of pregnancy complications and adverse birth outcomes.

Objectives

To assess the pre-natal nutrition knowledge and services rendered by healthcare providers in antenatal clinics at Primary Health care Centres in Lagos, Nigeria.

Methodology

This was a cross-sectional study carried out in June—September 2019. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data on nutritional knowledge from 391 nurses and midwives who provided pre-natal nutrition education. Direct observation with checklist was used to assess the nutrition education services at the ANC clinics and covered: adequacy of the venue, availability/use of nutrition education resources, education content and teaching strategies. EPi-Info version 3.5 was used for data analysis. Inferential statistics such as chi square and multiple logistic regression were used to determine associated factors and predictors of nutrition knowledge. The level of significance was set at 5% (p<0.05).

Results

The mean age of respondents was 41.71±10.33years, all were females; 44.8% were Registered Nurses, 12.0% were Registered Midwives, and 23.8% had a B.Sc. in Nursing. Majority (81.3%) had taken a nutrition course in nursing training program, 62.1% as elective classes. Majority (81.1%) had good knowledge of prenatal nutrition. Respondents who were older (51-60years) (p<0.001), single (p<0.001) and Christian (p = 0.001) had significantly better knowledge. Nurses who had University degrees (p<0.001), of higher cadre (p<0.001), more years of practice (p<0.001) and involved in treating severely malnourished children (p = 0.013) were also significantly more knowledgeable. Respondents below 40 years (OR 0.104, CI 0.049–0.218) and those with 10 years or less of practice (OR 0.189, CI 0.092–0.387) had less odds of having good nutrition knowledge. Being single (OR 8.791, CI 3.125–24.731), and Christian (OR = 5.810, CI: 3.321–10.164) predict good nutrition knowledge. In 39% of the 41 PHCs observed, quality of nutrition education services was inadequate. Gaps were mainly in availability of certain nutrition education facilities/resources and teaching strategies.

Conclusion

The majority of the respondents had good knowledge of pre-natal nutrition. Overall, however, nutrition education services provided by two-fifths of the facilities were inadequate. Interventions to improve prenatal nutrition knowledge of nurses/midwives should be focused more on those who are younger and have less work experience. All necessary equipment required for health service providers to execute their roles as nutrition counselors and educators should also be provided by the government.
Olfactory recovery following infection with COVID-19: A systematic review
Authors: Jafar Ali , Lasso Andrea , Shorr Risa , Hutton Brian , Kilty Shaun
Published: November 2021

Olfactory loss has been identified as one of the common symptoms related to COVID-19 infection. Although olfactory loss is recognized, our understanding of both the extent of loss and time to olfactory recovery following infection is less well known. Similarly, knowledge of potential impactful patient factors and therapies that influence olfactory recovery is desirable but is not overtly clear in the literature. Our systematic review sought to fill this knowledge gap. We included studies that: involved either an observational or an interventional design that reported data on patients with olfactory dysfunction due to Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) diagnosed COVID-19 infection; and reported data regarding olfactory recovery measured by an objective olfactory test, Likert scale and/or visual analog scale (VAS). The study methods were determined a priori and registered in PROSPERO (Registration Number CRD42020204354). An information specialist searched Medline, Embase, LitCovid and the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials up to March 2021, and two reviewers were involved in all aspects of study selection and data collection. After screening 2788 citations, a total of 44 studies of assorted observational designs were included. Patients had undergone objective COVID-19 testing, and most were adult patients with mild to moderate COVID-19. Olfactory recovery was found to occur as early as 7 days, with most patients recovering olfaction within 30 days. Few studies included prolonged follow-up to 6 months or longer duration. Poor olfaction at initial presentation was associated with poor recovery rates. Only a small number of studies assessed olfactory retraining and steroid therapy. Additional trials are underway.
Prediction of massive bleeding in pancreatic surgery based on preoperative patient characteristics using a decision tree
Authors: Wakiya Taiichi , Ishido Keinosuke , Kimura Norihisa , Nagase Hayato , Kubota Shunsuke , Fujita Hiroaki , Hagiwara Yusuke , Kanda Taishu , Matsuzaka Masashi , Sasaki Yoshihiro , Hakamada Kenichi
Published: November 2021

Massive intraoperative blood loss (IBL) negatively influence outcomes after surgery for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, few data or predictive models are available for the identification of patients with a high risk for massive IBL. This study aimed to build a model for massive IBL prediction using a decision tree algorithm, which is one machine learning method. One hundred and seventy-five patients undergoing curative surgery for resectable PDAC at our facility between January 2007 and October 2020 were allocated to training (n = 128) and testing (n = 47) sets. Using the preoperatively available data of the patients (34 variables), we built a decision tree classification algorithm. Of the 175 patients, massive IBL occurred in 88 patients (50.3%). Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that alanine aminotransferase and distal pancreatectomy were significant predictors of massive IBL occurrence with an overall correct prediction rate of 70.3%. Decision tree analysis automatically selected 14 predictive variables. The best predictor was the surgical procedure. Though massive IBL was not common, the outcome of patients with distal pancreatectomy was secondarily split by glutamyl transpeptidase. Among patients who underwent PD (n = 83), diabetes mellitus (DM) was selected as the variable in the second split. Of the 21 patients with DM, massive IBL occurred in 85.7%. Decision tree sensitivity was 98.5% in the training data set and 100% in the testing data set. Our findings suggested that a decision tree can provide a new potential approach to predict massive IBL in surgery for resectable PDAC.
T-Squared - Theories and Tactics in Architecture and Design
Authors: Krukowski Samantha
Published: November 2021

Original collection explores the relationship between research that shapes art, architecture and design practices, and assignments that are developed by faculty for students. Demonstrates how pedagogical inquiry can become an evolutionary agent and makes innovative ideas/exercises available for the first time outside studio courses.
Iberian studies: reflections across borders and disciplines Núria Codina Solà y Teresa Pinheiro (Eds.). Berlín: Peter Lang (Col. Estudios Hispánicos En El Contexto Global, 8), 2019. 328 páginas. ISBN 9783631794357
Authors: Caballero Guadalupe Nieto
Published: November 2021

Sin duda, en los últimos años estamos asistiendo al auge de la disciplina que se conoce como estudios ibéricos o Iberian Studies, auge que se traduce en un interés renovado hacia este campo y en un crecimiento notable de los estudios centrados en las relaciones entre distintos ámbitos de la Península Ibérica.
SHORT-TERM IMPACT OF A COMBINED NUTRACEUTICAL ON COGNITIVE FUNCTION, PERCEIVED STRESS AND DEPRESSION IN YOUNG ELDERLY WITH COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT: A PILOT, DOUBLE-BLIND, RANDOMIZED CLINICAL TRIAL
Authors: Cicero A.F. , Bove M. , Colletti A. , Rizzo M. , Fogacci F. , Giovannini M. , Borghi C.
Published: November 2021

Background: The prevalence of senile dementia is increasing worldwide, especially in the developed countries. Nevertheless, drug therapy isn’t often enough to treat this condition. Researchers are evaluating the possible impact of a preventive approach, based on an improvement of lifestyle and the intake of micronutrients. Moreover, there is an increasing interest for combined nutraceuticals that can act as memory and learning enhancers, with a significant and beneficial potential on the cognitive disorders. Objective: To evaluate the effects of a rational assemblage of nutraceuticals on cognitive functions in a sample of 30 elderly subjects. Design: Double bind, cross-over designed trial versus placebo Setting: outpatient clinical practice Participants: 30 elderly subjects with basal Mini-Mental State Examination score between 20 and 27 and self-perceived cognitive decline. Intervention: Treatment with a combination of nutraceuticals based on Bacopa monnieri, L-theanine, Crocus sativus, copper, folate and vitamins of B and D group. After2 months of treatment or placebo. Measurements: Patients were evaluated with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Perceived Stress Questionnaire (PSQ) and Index and Self-Rating Depression Scale (SRDS). Results: MMSE and PSQ Index significantly improved in the active treatment arm, both versus baseline and versus the parallel arm. Both groups experienced a significant improving in the SRDS scores. Conclusions: We obtained a good and significant improvement of the cognitive functions tested with the MMSE, PSQ-Index and SRDS score, after 2 months of combined therapy of nutraceuticals. Further confirmation will be needed to verify these observations on the middle and long term in a larger number of subjects.