bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interobserver agreement of Prostate Imaging–Reporting and Data System (PI-RADS–v2)
Authors: Ahmed Hala Maher , Ebeed Ahmed Ebrahim , Hamdy Ahmed , El-Ghar Mohamed Abou , Razek Ahmed Abdel Khalek Abdel
Published: January 2021

Background

A retrospective study was conducted on 71 consecutive patients with suspected prostate cancer (PCa) with a mean age of 56 years and underwent mp-MRI of the prostate at 3 Tesla MRI. Two readers recognized all prostatic lesions, and each lesion had a score according to Prostate Imaging–Reporting and Data System version 2 (PI-RADS-v2).

Purpose of the study

To evaluate the interobserver agreement of PI-RADS-v2 in characterization of prostatic lesions using multiparametric MRI (mp-MRI) at 3 Tesla MRI.

Results

The overall interobserver agreement of PI-RADS-v2 for both zones was excellent (k = 0.81, percent agreement = 94.9%). In the peripheral zone (PZ) lesions are the interobserver agreement for PI-RADS II (k = 0.78, percent agreement = 83.9%), PI-RADS III (k = 0.66, percent agreement = 91.3 %), PI-RADS IV (k = 0.69, percent agreement = 93.5%), and PI-RADS V (k = 0.91, percent agreement = 95.7 %). In the transitional zone (TZ) lesions are the interobserver agreement for PI-RADS I (k = 0.98, percent of agreement = 96%), PI-RADS II (k = 0.65, percent agreement = 96%), PI-RADS III (k = 0.65, percent agreement = 88%), PI-RADS IV (k = 0.83, percent agreement = 96%), and PI-RADS V (k = 0.82, percent agreement = 92%).

Conclusion

We concluded that PI-RADS-v2 is a reliable and a reproducible imaging modality for the characterization of prostatic lesions and detection of PCa.
PHACE syndrome with parotid hemangiomas: a unique case report
Authors: Mukhtar Muhammad Umer , Kanwal Mahjabeen , Qamar Adeel , Arooj Sadaf , Qamar Samina
Published: January 2021

Background

PHACE syndrome is a congenital disorder in infants characterized by the presence of large hemangiomas in the cervicofacial region along with congenital anomalies of the cardiovascular system, brain, and eyes. PHACE syndrome is an extremely rare condition, and PHACE syndrome with parotid hemangiomas has never been reported in the medical literature.

Case presentation

A 3-month-old female infant presented with cervicofacial plaques that later involved the left eyelids. The plaques blanched on application of pressure and were diagnosed to be hemangiomas. MRI and MRA studies of the brain showed extensive vascular malformations, agenesis of the left internal carotid artery, and hemangiomas in the parotid glands. A biopsy of the parotid glands confirmed the parotid hemangiomas. Bilateral cataracts and subclavian artery with an aberrant origin were also found. On the basis of the hemangiomas and the arterial, cardiovascular, and ocular abnormalities, PHACE syndrome was diagnosed. A multi-disciplinary treatment approach was begun, but the infant died 20 days after presentation to the hospital.

Conclusions

PHACE syndrome is an extremely rare condition that has only been described three hundred times in medical literature. It is usually associated with extensive structural, arterial, ocular, and cutaneous anomalies. However, PHACE syndrome with parotid hemangiomas has never been reported in the medical literature. Hemangiomas are the main diagnostic feature and the most common lesion of this disease. This strong association between PHACE syndrome and hemangiomas suggests the parotid hemangiomas seen in our case to be a new addition to the broad spectrum of anomalies associated with PHACE syndrome.
The relationship between tourism and economic growth among BRICS countries: a panel cointegration analysis
Authors: Rasool Haroon , Maqbool Shafat , Tarique Md.
Published: January 2021

Tourism has become the world’s third-largest export industry after fuels and chemicals, and ahead of food and automotive products. From last few years, there has been a great surge in international tourism, culminates to 7% share of World’s total exports in 2016. To this end, the study attempts to examine the relationship between inbound tourism, financial development and economic growth by using the panel data over the period 1995–2015 for five BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) countries. The results of panel ARDL cointegration test indicate that tourism, financial development and economic growth are cointegrated in the long run. Further, the Granger causality analysis demonstrates that the causality between inbound tourism and economic growth is bi-directional, thus validates the ‘feedback-hypothesis’ in BRICS countries. The study suggests that BRICS countries should promote favorable tourism policies to push up the economic growth and in turn economic growth will positively contribute to international tourism.
Recent Developments on Therapeutic and Diagnostic Approaches for COVID-19
Authors: Majumder Joydeb , Minko Tamara
Published: January 2021

The ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has made a serious public health threat worldwide with millions of people at risk in a growing number of countries. Though there are no clinically approved antiviral drugs and vaccines for COVID-19, attempts are ongoing for clinical trials of several known antiviral drugs, their combination, as well as development of vaccines in patients with confirmed COVID-19. This review focuses on the latest approaches to diagnostics and therapy of COVID-19. We have summarized recent progress on the conventional therapeutics such as antiviral drugs, vaccines, anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody treatments, and convalescent plasma therapy which are currently under extensive research and clinical trials for the treatment of COVID-19. The developments of nanoparticle-based therapeutic and diagnostic approaches have been also discussed for COVID-19. We have assessed recent literature data on this topic and made a summary of current development and future perspectives.
Separation of powers in thought and practice?
Authors: Waldron Jeremy
Published: January 2021

The rationale of the separation of powers is often elided with the rationale of checks and balances and with the rationale of the dispersal of power generally in a constitutional system. This Essay, however, focuses resolutely on the functional separation of powers in what M.J.C. Vile called its “pure form.” Reexamining the theories of Locke, Montesquieu, and Madison, this Essay seeks to recover (amidst all their tautologies and evasions) a genuine case in favor of this principle. The Essay argues that the rationale of the separation of powers is closely related to that of the rule of law: it is partly a matter of the distinct integrity of each of the separated institutions— judiciary, legislature, and administration. But above all, it is a matter of articulated governance (as contrasted with compressed undifferentiated exercises of power).
Prevention of lumbar disc herniation in young adult population – Collecting data for the awareness campaign
Authors: TEOIBAS-SERBAN Doroteea , IORDACHE Liviu , STAN Valentin , BLENDEA Dan
Published: January 2021

Introduction. Our previous paper discussed the increasing number of young adult population with lumbar disc herniation in the past few years. Most of the patients who seek medical attendance are young healthy male adults. They workout at the gym for a variety of reasons such as weight loss, muscle toning and increasing muscle mass. They are either unaware of the risk that certain exercises involve, or they wish to get faster results, obtaining the opposite effects. Thus, many of them develop lumbar disc herniation at a young age and must maintain certain restraints in order to stop it from evolving or reoccurring. The ideal solution is to increase awareness at the already numerous young male population who frequents the gym to prevent disc herniation. Material and method. The next step for our awareness campaign is to collect data directly from the source. A carefully created questionnaire with specific questions related to general knowledge, way of training and individual research on the topic was given to young adult males in many gyms from Bucharest. The questionnaire was completely anonymous and targeted young adult males which had to respond truthfully and give away only their age. Results and discussions. The statistics show that most of the responders to the questionnaire did know about lumbar disc herniation and the risk involved in exercises such as weightlifting but did not possess the proper knowledge of how to do certain movements in order to prevent it. Conclusions. The data collected showed that most of the young male adults which frequent the gym are not fully prepared with enough knowledge in order to do certain exercises without risking lumbar disk herniation. We must continue our campaign of awareness in this category of population in order to reduce the number of young patients with this disease.

Keywords: lumbar disc herniation, gym, low back pain, exercises,
God`s mathematics: 1+1 equals more than what we know. Unexpected favorable progressive evolution, from vegetative state and severely deposturizing tetraplegia, to minimally conscious state, and finally independence in activities of daily living
Authors: ANGHELESCU Aurelian , AXENTE Catalina , RADUCAN Cristi , MAGDOIU Anca Magdalena , ONOSE Gelu
Published: January 2021

The case reported a 21-year-old female patient, admitted and treated in the neurorehabilitation clinic, after traumatic vegetative state and severely deposturizing tetraplegia. She had an unexpected favorable progressive evolution to minimally conscious state, then post-traumatic encephalopathy and functional tetraparesis. Finally both functional and vocational prognosis were favorable, and she achieved independence in activities of daily living. She started her academic education as student, one year after the traumatic accident.

Keywords: vegetative state, minimally conscious state, polytrauma, tetraplegia, neurorehabilitatio, outcome,
Very good neuromotor and psycho-cognitive rehabilitation outcomes in a post-TBI patient with initially severe fidget and breath insufficency with secondary eso-tracheal fistula, after necessity tracheostoma in subsequent important pulmonary complications - case report
Authors: CONSTANTIN Elena , POPESCU Laura Georgiana , NIRLU Luminița , REBEDEA Ana Carmen , SAGLAM Ali Osman , ONOSE Gelu
Published: January 2021

The subject matter of the present scientific paper is the report of a sustained and persistent therapeutic rehabilitation team-run program in the case of a polytraumatized patient with severe TBI (severe psychomotor agitation and dislogia, bifrontal syndrome, post-traumatic encephalopathy) associated with locomotor and self-care dysfunction, neurogenic bladder and complicated with eso-tracheal fistula after necessity tracheostoma due to subsequent important pulmonary complications that led to a favorable progression despite the limitations imposed by the mental state of the patient during hospitalization and the presence of multiple severe pulmonary complications.

Keywords: neuromuscular rehabilitation, traumatic brain injury, bifrontal syndrome, polytraumatism, eso-tracheal fistula,
Alcohol consumption patterns among men who have sex with men in major cities of Myanmar: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Htut Kyaw-Min , Areesantichai Chitlada , Mon Myo-Myo
Published: January 2021

Background: Alcohol consumption patterns vary widely across the regions of the world. Although previous studies have focused on the sexual risk behaviours among men who have sex with men (MSM), studies regarding binge alcohol drinking among MSM in Myanmar are scarce.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to identify the alcohol consumption patterns among MSM aged over 18 years in two major cities of Myanmar where the MSM population is higher than other regions. Purposive sampling was applied and sampling was made through Myanmar MSM network. Face-to-face interviews were conducted using a structured questionnaire. Patterns of alcohol consumption were described as frequency/percentage and mean/median as appropriate. Bivariate analysis was also done to find out the association between types of MSM and binge drinking.

Results: A total of 256 MSM included in the study (mean age, 27.33±7.7 years). Of 256 participants, 225 MSM had the experience of alcohol consumption in their lifetime (225/256, 87.9%). Among ever drinkers, 152 MSM consumed alcohol within three months (152/225, 67.6%). Regarding beer consumption, the highest proportions of MSM from both groups (42.8%, 36.8%) consumed 1-3 times per week. Overall, 57.2% of young MSM and 41.2% of adult MSM consumed beer together with their friends. Nearly 34% of young MSM and nearly 38% of adult MMS consumed beer at gatherings of friends. At different time periods, higher proportions of Thange (partners of MSM) had experienced of binge drinking than apwint (open) and apone (hidden) (p<0.05).

Conclusions: The current study identified the alcohol consumption patterns in terms of type, amount, frequency at different time periods among MSM in major cities of Myanmar. It is suggested to develop and implement alcohol control policy for MSM since the proportion of current drinkers as well as binge drinking higher among these groups.
States of Affairs as Structured Extensions in Free Logic
Authors: Leeb Hans-Peter
Published: January 2021

The search for the extensions of sentences can be guided by Frege’s “principle of compositionality of extension”, according to which the extension of a composed expression depends only on its logical form and the extensions of its parts capable of having extensions. By means of this principle, a strict criterion for the admissibility of objects as extensions of sentences can be derived: every object is admissible as the extension of a sentence that is preserved under the substitution of co-extensional expressions. The question is: what are the extensions of elementary sentences containing empty singular terms, like ‘Vulcan rotates’. It can be demonstrated that in such sentences, states of affairs as structured objects (but not truth-values) are preserved under the substitution of co-extensional expressions. Hence, such states of affairs are admissible (while truth-values are not) as extensions of elementary sentences containing empty singular terms.
Social Media as a Source of Information and Misinformation on the Example of the Notre Dame Fire
Authors: Kosowski Bogdan , Luzar Artur
Published: January 2021

Aim: The aim of this article is to analyse the activity of individual users, institutions and organisations in social media in the context of the fire in the Notre Dame Cathedral. The main threats of using this type of tools in crisis communication are presented, with particular emphasis on the propagation of information and disinformation. Introduction: The development of social media (platforms) in the global Internet means that they have become a tool commonly used by various types of private organisations, public administration and services. Using this medium gives great opportunities in the process of providing current information, efficient communication with the local community, building positive relations and creating a positive image of the organisation. Social media are also used by the government administration and emergency services of many countries during each of the four phases of crisis management (mitigation, preparedness, response, recovery). Information and communication technologies together with social media play an important role in contemporary people’s lives. They constitute an important part of everyday reality and are intrinsically related to it. The fire of the Notre Dame Cathedral in 2019 was widely commented on social media. The existing traditional methods of communication, such as press, television or radio, have significant limitations consisting in the inability to interact with the media users. Only the person who created the information could be the broadcaster. The internet, and social media in particular, has changed dramatically this state of affairs, giving recipients the opportunity to interact with people/institutions generating content. Methodology: The method applied in the article is that of literature review in the area of Web 1.0, Web 2.0, Web 3.0 development as well as the course of the fire of the Notre Dame Cathedral. Statistical analysis was performed using Google Trends. The paper indicates the main sources of opportunities and threats to users' activity in social media, with particular emphasis on the aspects related to the efficient operation of emergency services. Conclusions: The role of social media in crisis situations has not yet been established. It is evolving and it can be expected that with time it will be used to an increasing extent also in cases such as fires and other threats to cultural goods. The authors recommend further research on the behaviour of users of social networking sites, groups and the entire portal.
Rising Unemployment in Nigeria-Public Debt to the Rescue?
Authors: Iwuoha Jude Chukwunyere
Published: January 2021

Among the macroeconomic challenges facing Nigeria as a country are weak growth of the economy, ever increasing unemployment rate, and increasing inequality occasioned by increasing poverty. In trying to mitigate these challenges, the Nigeria government usually run aborrowing. In all these, the unemployment rate keep rising year-on-year. In this study, we tried to find out whether borrowing will come to the rescue in reducing unemployment in Nigeria, using time series data from 1981 - 2019. Employing the VECM model, we carried out the stationarity and cointegration tests respectively. While the stationarity test confirmed all variables being stationary at I(1), existence of cointegration was also confirmed indicating a relationship between public debt and unemployment which turned out to be an inverse relationship. A high value of ECM was recorded. It was found that unemployment granger causes government debt and debt servicing. The overall result shows that public debt have rendered little or no assistance in combating unemployment in Nigeria. While we do not discourage government from borrowing for the provision of critical infrastructures, corruption should be put in check so as to allow the amount of borrowing be reflected on the infrastructures available, as public debt also have some adverse effects on the economy.
Science KIT Teaching Aid for the Earthquake in Improving Students’ Collaboration Skills and Creative Thinking in Junior High School
Authors: Atun Sri , Latupeirisa Veronica Purnama Sari
Published: January 2021

This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the IPA KIT teaching aids for earthquakes science KIT in improving students' collaboration skills and creative thinking. The design of this research is a quasi-experimental research with a stratified random sampling technique. This study involved two classes, namely the experimental class (n = 32) and the control class (n = 33) with a pretest-posttest control group design. This research was conducted at SMP Negeri 5 Depok. The statistical analysis used to test the research hypothesis based on the pretest and posttest scores is the normality test, linearity test, homogeneity test, correlation test, effect size, and MANOVA test. The results showed that the use of IPA KIT teaching aids for earthquakes was more effective in improving students' creative thinking skills and collaboration. Therefore, teachers are advised to use the earthquake science KIT teaching aids for earthquakes to improve the creative thinking skills and collaboration of junior high school students.
The Profile of Students' Social Skills of Bengawan Solo Elementary Nature School
Authors: Salimi Moh , Dardiri Achmad , Sujarwo Sujarwo
Published: January 2021

This study aimed to describe the profile of the students’ social skills of Bengawan Solo nature elementary school. The study was qualitatively conducted as a case study. The participants were teachers and students who were chosen by employing a purposive sampling technique. The data were obtained through observations, questionnaires, interviews, and document analysis. This study employed an interactive model data analysis included: data validating, data collection, data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The conclusions of the study comprise: (1) the cooperation aspect, students can collaborate well; (2) the assertion aspect, students can get along with new friends and communicate with others; (3) the responsibility aspect, students understand their role and responsibility to the God, themselves, others, and society; (4) the empathy aspect, students can feel others' feeling and problem; (5) the self-control aspect, students can control their mental state so that they can avoid anger and bad influences.
The Relationship between Shared Leadership, Employee Empowerment and Innovativeness in Primary Schools: A Structural Equation Modeling
Authors: Cobanoglu Necati
Published: January 2021

Shared leadership and employee empowerment develop positive feelings in employees towards the organization, the work they do and themselves. These positive emotions create confidence for employees to try new methods and techniques in their work. Employees who approach their work with an innovative mindset will be more beneficial to their organizations and increase their own satisfaction. In this study, the shared leadership, employee empowerment and innovativeness levels of schools, the relationship of these variables with each other and the predictive status were examined according to the perceptions of the teachers. This study is a research in relational survey model. The data of the research were collected in the province of Malatya in November during 2019-2020 academic year. The data were collected through "Shared Leadership", "Employee Empowerment" and "Innovativeness" scales. Correlation analysis and structural equation modeling were used to analyze the data. According to the results of the research, the levels of shared leadership, employee empowerment and innovativeness in primary schools are “partially high”. There is a positive, significant and moderate relationship between the school's shared leadership and employee empowerment and teachers' innovativeness. In addition, shared leadership and employee empowerment predict teachers' innovativeness. For this reason, it is considered important to create a school environment where leadership is shared in order to increase the innovativeness of teachers and to support teachers and include them in decision-making processes in order to empower them.
Sub-pixel displacement measurement based on the combination of a gray wolf optimizer and gradient algorithm
Authors: Sun Long , Tang Chen , Xu Min , Lei Zhenkun
Published: January 2021

The digital speckle correlation method (DSCM) aims to measure the displacement of the interesting points by matching the subset around the same point between the undeformed image and the deformed image. It is an effective and powerful optical metrology method for deformation measurement. Considering that the gray wolf optimizer (GWO) is one of the most popular metaheuristic algorithms to calculate the unknown search spaces in the field of optical engineering, a sub-pixel displacement measurement technique based on the GWO and gradient algorithm is proposed. First, the zero-mean normalized cross correlation function is applied to analyze the correlation between the reference image and deformed image subsets. Second, by exploiting the global searching ability of the GWO algorithm, the initial integer pixel value is obtained and further viewed as the initialization displacement. Finally, the final sub-pixel displacement is generated by using a Barron gradient algorithm. Compared with the state-of-the-art methods on synthetic speckle images, the proposed method can effectively measure the displacement and deformation of rigid bodies. Furthermore, the experiments on the real images demonstrate the effectiveness of our presented framework.
Bulk, cascaded pulse compression scheme and its application to spin
emitter characterization
Authors: Calendron Anne-Laure , Meier Joachim , Kueny Elias , Velten Sven , Bocklage Lars , Röhlsberger Ralf , Kärtner Franz X.
Published: January 2021

The 35-fs-long pulses of a commercial Ti:sapphire amplifier are
compressed to

∼

20

f
s

via self-phase modulation in bulk
glass substrates. The cascading of both nonlinear broadening and
dispersion compensation stages makes use of the increasing peak power
in the successive nonlinear stages. As an application example, the
compressed pulses are used for electro-optical sampling of terahertz
waves created by optically pumped thin-film spin
emitters.
Error self-correction method for phase jump in multi-frequency phase-shifting structured light
Authors: Li Ji , Guan Jingtian , Du Hui , Xi Juntong
Published: January 2021

Among 3D measurement approaches, multi-frequency phase-shifting structured light has advantages such as high resolution and high sampling rate owing to its point-to-point calculation method. However, there is always phase jump in the measurement process, which greatly reduces measurement accuracy. This paper proposes an error self-correction method for phase jump based on the multi-frequency heterodyne approach. The method uses redundant measurement data to implement self-correction and does not require additional data acquisition steps. We perform both simulations and experiments using the proposed error self-correction method and the classical heterodyne approach to compare the results. The experiment results verify both the accuracy and suitability of the proposed method.
Instability mechanism and discharge regime diagnosis of microthrusters based on plasma properties
Authors: Wang Fangyi , Zhang Shaohua , Liu Yan , Yu Xilong
Published: January 2021

In order to make it possible to control the plasma state and predict
the regime transitions via coupling optical and electrical diagnosis
in aerospace engineering, we have experimentally investigated the
regime transitions under 0.1–15 kPa with an input discharge power of
0–25 W in a parallel-plate electrode configuration. An abnormal glow
discharge (AGD), filamentary discharge (FD), and arc discharge (AD)
are distinguished using the voltage–current characteristics under
different gas pressures. The electron excitation temperature (

T

e

), electron density (

N

e

), spatial resolutions of

T

e

and

N

e

, and ionization degree are obtained
via optical emission spectroscopy to reveal the transition mechanisms.
Thermal instability, characterized by

T

e

, plays a dominant role during the
transition from an AGD to an FD. The conclusions are supported by
analysis of ionization degree, whereas electronic instability becomes
the dominant mechanism in the transition from an FD to an AD. This is
related to collision kinetics because of an observed drop in

N

e

, which is verified by the spatial
resolution as well. Moreover, planar laser-induced fluorescence
provides further insight into the instantaneous location and relative
number variation of Ar

1
s

5

metastable atoms, which agrees well
with the plasma properties mentioned above. In addition, a pressure of
1 kPa with a maximum input power of 17.5 W are specified as suitable
working parameters for further study when applied to microthrusters
due to its higher

N

e

and better stability.
300  W two-stage Nd:YAG Innoslab microsecond amplifier
Authors: Zhang Xuguang , Ye Junzhi , Luo Xingwang , Chen Xiaoming , Zhang Lei , Xu Xiafei , Ren Huaijin , Lu Yanhua , Ma Yi , Gao Qingsong , Sun Jun , Wang Weimin
Published: January 2021

In this paper, a two-stage partially pumped slab (Innoslab) microsecond amplifier at 1064 nm is reported. The 4.4-W single-frequency seed laser is amplified to 303.6 W, with an overall optical–optical efficiency of 25.7%. The overlapping efficiency of the first- and second- amplifier stage is 67% and 55.6%, respectively. The pulse width is 145.0 µs, at a repetition rate of 500 Hz, and the beam quality factor of

M
2

is 1.84 and 1.71 in the horizontal and vertical directions, respectively. With higher overlap between the pump volume and the seed laser mode, the output power and optical–optical efficiency can be further improved.
Digital filtering ghost imaging to remove light disturbances
Authors: Zhang Wenxin , Wu Yangkang , Wu Jinzhi , Liu Ning , Liu Yuxin , Liu Zhijia , Xue Ping
Published: January 2021

Ghost imaging (GI) can reconstruct the image of an object when the light traveling from the object to the detector is scattered or distorted. It is usually used in complicated environments, where the environmental light may heavily impact measurement. However, the traditional GI algorithm will be seriously affected if the environmental light changes during the measurement. In this paper, we analyze the frequency of environmental light and the light source, and introduce a digital filtering method that can improve the image quality of the traditional GI algorithm. Compared to the traditional GI algorithm, the digital filtering method can obtain an image even if the environmental light changes seriously.
Controllable optical response and tunable sensing based on self interference in waveguide QED systems
Authors: Du Lei , Wang Zhihai , Li Yong
Published: January 2021

We study the self interference effect of a resonator coupled with a bent waveguide at two separated ports. Such interference effects are shown to be similar for the cases of standing-wave and traveling-wave resonators, while in the system of two separated resonators indirectly coupled via a waveguide, the coupling forms and the related interference effects depend on which kind of resonators is chosen. Due to the self interference, controllable optical responses including tunable linewidth and frequency shift, and optical dark state can be achieved. Moreover, we consider a self-interference photon-magnon hybrid model and show phase-dependent Fano-like line shapes which have potential applications in frequency sensing. The photon-magnon hybridization can not only enhance the sensitivity and provide tunable working region, but also enables optical readout of the magnetic field strength in turn. The results in this paper provide a deeper insight into the self interference effect and its potential applications.
Fabrication of self-aligning convergent waveguides of microlens arrays to collect and guide light
Authors: Wang Wenjun , Yang Wen , Mei Xuesong , Li Jiang , Sun XueFeng
Published: January 2021

The optical properties of microlens arrays may be significantly affected by the optical crosstalk effect between adjacent lenses. Recently, this issue has triggered increasing attention in the scientific community. In this study, an integrated microlens array (MLA) consisting of self-aligning convergent waveguides of microlenses was fabricated. The optical crosstalk effect does not influence the performance of such system. Based on the self-focusing effect principle, self-writing of the waveguide array was achieved in a photosensitive polymer. The light collection and guiding performance of the MLA with and without thermal cross-linking treatment was analyzed in depth. The relation between the stray light and the filling rate of the MLA shows that a high filling rate decreases the optical crosstalk. Finally, an integrated MLA with a large area, high uniformity, and excellent optical performance was fabricated.
Experimental demonstration of an optical quantizer with ENOB of 3.31 bit by using a cascaded step-size MMI
Authors: Liu Chang , Qiu Jifang , Tian Ye , Tao Ran , Liu Yue , He Yan , Zhang Bowen , Li Yan , Wu Jian
Published: January 2021

We experimentally demonstrated an optical phase shifted quantizer using a cascade step-size MMI (CS-MMI), which was fabricated on a commercially available 220-nm SOI platform via multi-project wafer (MPW) process. An experimental setup was built to test the ability of the CS-MMI acting as a quantizer. The experimental results show that the proposed CS-MMI-based quantizer has an effective number of bit (ENOB) of 3.31bit, which is a little slighter than the ideal ENOB of 3.32bit. The operation range is 12 nm for ENOB≥3 bit. Moreover, the insertion loss of the CS-MMI is −1.26 dB at 1560 nm, the performance of the fabricated device agrees well with simulation results.
Adiabatic guided wave optics – a toolbox of generalized design and optimization methods
Authors: Siriani Dominic F. , Tambasco Jean-Luc
Published: January 2021

Starting from the fully vectorial coupled local-mode theory, a general design rule for adiabatic waveguide design is derived. The design rule guarantees adiabaticity and puts an upper limit on the transmission loss of any guided wave transformation. The rule is applicable to any waveguide geometry, admits multi-dimensional optimization, and accounts for radiative loss to guided and radiation modes. Moreover, the design technique is enhanced with further optimization procedures that eliminate coupling between particular pairs of modes. The utility of this toolbox of design rules and methods is illustrated through the design of a 2×2 coupler and a bilayer waveguide transition. These design procedures can be used to optimize single-mode and multimode photonic devices by varying one or more waveguide parameters.
Synergien zwischen nicht-digitalen und digitalen Geschäftsmodellen in Unternehmen: Möglichkeiten und Handlungsempfehlungen
Authors: Toutaoui Jonas , Müller Lea , Benlian Alexander
Published: January 2021

Führungskräfte erkennen zunehmend, wie wichtig digitale Geschäftsmodelle sind, um die digitale Transformation in Unternehmen mit bestehenden nicht-digitalen Geschäftsmodellen erfolgreich umzusetzen. Dennoch fehlt oft das Bewusstsein für Synergien, die durch koexistente digitale und nicht-digitale Geschäftsmodelle innerhalb desselben Unternehmens möglich sind. Unsere Studie hebt digitale Plattformen als entscheidende Mechanismen hervor, die es etablierten Unternehmen ermöglichen, diese Synergien zu nutzen. Wir identifizieren sechs Arten von Synergien zwischen nicht-digitalen und digitalen Geschäftsmodellen, die etablierten Unternehmen helfen, einen Mehrwert im Vergleich zu einer bloßen Koexistenz dieser Geschäftsmodelle zu schaffen. Darüber hinaus bilden wir diese Synergien auf die einzigartigen Merkmale und Dynamiken digitaler Plattformen ab. Der Artikel schließt mit Empfehlungen zur Freisetzung dieser Synergien entlang der verschiedenen Phasen der Geschäftsmodellentwicklung.
Metagenomic sequencing generates the whole genomes of porcine rotavirus A, C, and H from the United States
Authors: Hull Jennifer J. A. , Qi Mingpu , Montmayeur Anna M. , Kumar Deepak , Velasquez Daniel E. , Moon Sung-Sil , Magaña Laura Cristal , Betrapally Naga , Ng Terry Fei Fan , Jiang Baoming , Marthaler Douglas
Published: January 2021

The genus Rotavirus comprises eight species, designated A to H, and two recently identified tentative species I in dogs and J in bats. Species Rotavirus A, B, C and H (RVA, RVB, RVC and RVH) have been detected in humans and animals. While human and animal RVA are well characterized and defined, complete porcine genome sequences in the GenBank are limited compared to human strains. Here, we used a metagenomic approach to sequence the 11 segments of RVA, RVC and RVH strains from piglets in the United States (US) and explore the evolutionary relations of these RV species. Metagenomics identified Astroviridae, Picornaviridae, Caliciviridae, Coronoviridae in samples MN9.65 and OK5.68 while Picobirnaviridae and Arteriviridae were only identified in sample OK5.68. Whole genome sequencing and phylogenetic analyses identified multiple genotypes with the RVA of strain MN9.65 and OK5.68, with the genome constellation of G5/G9-P[7]/P[13]-I5/I5- R1/R1-C1-M1-A8-N1-T7-E1/E1-H1 and G5/G9-P[6]/P[7]-I5-R1/R1-C1-M1-A8-N1-T1/T7-E1/E1-H1, respectively. The RVA strains had a complex evolutionary relationship with other mammalian strains. The RVC strain OK5.68 had a genome constellation of G9-P[6]-I1-R1-C5-M6-A5-N1-T1-E1-H1, and shared an evolutionary relationship with porcine strains from the US. The RVH strains MN9.65 and OK5.68 had the genome constellation of G5-P1-I1-R1-C1-M1-A5-N1-T1-E4-H1 and G5-P1-I1-R1-C1-M1-A5-N1-T1-E1-H1, indicating multiple RVH genome constellations are circulating in the US. These findings allow us to understand the complexity of the enteric virome, develop improved screening methods for RVC and RVH strains, facilitate expanded rotavirus surveillance in pigs, and increase our understanding of the origin and evolution of rotavirus species.
The association of chest radiographic findings and severity scoring with clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19 presenting to the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan
Authors: Kaleemi Raima , Hilal Kiran , Arshad Ainan , Martins Russell Seth , Nankani Avinash , TU Haq , Basharat Sundas , Ansar Zeeshan
Published: January 2021

Introduction

While chest x-rays (CXRs) represent a cost-effective imaging modality for developing countries like Pakistan, their utility for the prognostication of COVID-19 has been minimally explored. Thus, we describe the frequency and distribution of CXR findings, and their association with clinical outcomes of patients with COVID-19.

Methods

All adult (≥ 18 years) patients presenting between 28th February-31st May to the emergency department of a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan, who were COVID-19 positive on RT-PCR with CXR done on presentation, were included. A CXR Severity Score (CXR-SS) of 0–8 was used to quantify the extent of pulmonary infection on CXR, with a score of 0 being negative and 1–8 being positive. The patients’ initial CXR-SS and their highest CXR-SS over the hospital course were used for analysis, with cut-offs of 0–4 and 5–8 being used to assess association with clinical outcomes.

Results

A total of 150 patients, with 76.7% males and mean age 56.1 years, were included in this study. Initial CXR was positive in 80% of patients, and 30.7% of patients had an initial CXR-SS between 5–8. The mortality rate was 16.7% and 30.6% patients underwent ICU admission with intubation (ICU-Int). On multivariable analysis, initial CXR-SS (1.355 [1.136–1.616]) and highest CXR-SS (1.390 [1.143–1.690]) were predictors of ICU-Int, and ICU-Int was independently associated with both initial CXR-SS 5–8 (2.532 [1.109–5.782]) and highest CXR-SS 5–8 (3.386 [1.405–8.159]). Lastly, age (1.060 [1.009–1.113]), initial CXR-SS (1.278 [1.010–1.617]) and ICU-Int (5.047 [1.731–14.710]), were found to be independent predictors of mortality in our patients.

Conclusion

In a resource-constrained country like Pakistan, CXRs may have valuable prognostic utility in predicting ICU admission and mortality. Additional research with larger patient samples is needed to further explore the association of CXR findings with clinical outcomes.
APPLICATION OF GEOMATICS METHODS IN THE RESEARCH OF STRUCTURES OF HISTORICAL KITCHENS
Authors: Cejpová Miroslava , Poloprutský Zdeněk , Poučová Štěpánka , Bujok Adam , Rykl Michael
Published: January 2021

The article deals with metric survey documentation of medieval and early modern kitchens preserved in various types of buildings in the Czech Republic. Historic kitchens are important but still neglected technical monuments in terms of knowledge of their functional and structural aspects. As part of the student scientific project, surveys and metric survey documentation were carried out, which are the bases for the creation of diagrams of the spatial and structural arrangement of medieval and early modern kitchens. For the article, five very well-preserved kitchens were selected which represent three construction types of historical kitchens. For selected examples, their current metric survey documentation was evaluated. According to its quality and according to the character of a particular kitchen, the method of new metric survey documentation was chosen – 3D geodetic measurement (total station), Terrestrial Laser Scanning (point cloud and 3D model) and close range photogrammetry (point cloud and textured 3D model). The aim was to test and evaluate the informative possibilities of these technologies. Outputs are the description and the metric survey documentation of the selected kitchens. These outputs will be used in the passports of individual buildings to evaluate their construction development. The documentation will also allow the creation of generalizing schemes of spatial and structural arrangement of the individual types of kitchens.
Childcare for Children under Three Years of Age from Mothers’ Point of View within the International Context
Authors: Grůzová Lucie , Syslová Zora
Published: January 2021

The present study brings a discussion on institutional care and education for children under three into the professional discourse. In the introduction, the authors introduce the historical context of care for children under the age of three in the Czech Republic and compare it with the situation elsewhere in the European Union. The core of the article was mothers’ viewpoint on facilities for children under three in the Czech Republic. A qualitative probe answers the question, “How do mothers perceive facilities for children under three years of age?” In-depth interviews revealed that the mothers who were addressed have a wide range of motives for deciding to place a child under three years of age in institutional care. Ultimately, however, they seek to satisfy the needs of their child. The situation of the sample that was monitored is in many respects comparable to foreign studies, even though the Czech situation regarding these services has specific features because of its historical development.
Keywords: early childhood education, day care institutions in the Czech Republic, state family policy, mothers
The institution of the examining magistrate in the Second Polish Republic
Authors: Materniak-Pawłowska Małgorzata
Published: January 2021

The institution of the examining magistrate in the Second Polish Republic
Kulturális sokszínűség az oktatásban
Authors: Hornyák-Kövi Franciska
Published: January 2021

A posztmodern globalizált világban elengedhetetlen, hogy megismerjük a rajtunk kívüli, távoli csoportokat, azok vallását és gondolkodásmódját. Szükség van egy vallási elfogultságtól mentes, minden világnézet számára elfogadható objektív, a mai tudományosság követelményeinek megfelelő kulturális kép kialakítására, valamint a világvallások felekezet- és világnézet semleges tanítására. Bele kell tanulnunk abba a helyzetbe, hogy olyan világrészben élünk, utazunk és dolgozunk, ahol a határok nem olyan élesek. A globalizáció, a megnövekedett mobilitás következtében a nemzeti kultúrák mellett az interkulturális együttélés mintái is megjelennek. Meg kell tanulnunk azt, hogyan bánjunk más vallási-kulturális csoportokkal, mivel a tőlünk eltérő kultúrák megismerése nemcsak lehetőség, hanem kötelesség is. A tanulmány középpontjában a multikulturalitás, illetve a kulturális sokszínűség áll.
A pécsi bányavidék elemi iskoláinak hálózati rendszere 1856 és 1944 között
Authors: Bércesi Richárd
Published: January 2021

Publikációm témája az Első Dunagőzhajózási Társaságnak (a továbbiakban: DGT) az 1880-as években a pécsi bányavidéken létrehozott és 1944 novemberéig működtetett elemi iskolai hálózata, amely a bányatörténettel való személyes érdeklődésemen alapuló kutatásom része. Több kérdés is foglalkoztatott: Hol és mennyi oktatási intézményt működtetett a cég? Milyen jellegű oktatás (képzés) zajlott az iskolákban? Csak bányászcsaládok gyermekei, vagy mások is lehettek az intézmények diákjai? Ingyenes volt az oktatás, és ha igen, akkor mindenki számára? Csak a fenntartásban volt érdekelt a vállalat, vagy tanszereket is biztosítottak a diákoknak? Milyen fokú volt az állami ellenőrzés? Történt-e bármilyen jellegű változás a DGT iskolahálózatának működtetésében, az intézmények mindennapi életében és az oktatásban az 1938. március 12-ei Anschluss után?[1] Továbbéltek a bányászhagyományok 1944, a szovjet megszállás, majd az államosítás után?[2] Vizsgálataim során a Tudásközpont helytörténeti részlegének szakirodalmát, a Magyar Nemzeti Levéltár (röviden: MNL) DGT-anyagát, továbbá a Pécsi Bányásztörténeti Alapítvány (röviden: PBA) relikvia és fényképgyűjteményét dolgoztam fel, valamint interjúkat is készítettem. Összegezve arra a következtésre jutottam, hogy a DGT-iskolák a magyar oktatástörténeten belül sajátos szerepben voltak: az államtól kapott különleges privilégiumoknak köszönhetően az iskolai élet minden területén a fenntartó hozhatta meg a kulcsfontosságú döntéseket, miközben a Vallás és a Közoktatásügyi Minisztérium (a továbbiakban: VKM), majd 1938 után német részről erőteljes asszimilációs törekvéseknek voltak kitéve az intézmények.
Fuzzy Ontology for Automatic Skin Lesion Classification
Authors: Abbes Wiem , Sellami Dorra , Marc-Zwecker Stella , Zanni-Merk Cecilia
Published: January 2021

Medical diagnosis of cancer is becoming more complex in recent years, with doctors focusing on making both earlier and accurate diagnoses to save patients’ lives. Such goals are more challenging for melanoma, which is the deadliest of skin cancers. Recently, melanoma incidence has increased significantly because of climate change. Fortunately, early detection leads to a 5-year survival rate of 98 %. Computer-aided diagnosis systems can offer a more objective analysis tool, taking into consideration the expert’s knowledge. Ontology offers an efficient framework for reducing the gap between low-level information and expert analysis. A dermatologist’s recommendation is often based on the ABCD rule, involving four characteristics of a lesion, which are asymmetry, border, color, and differential structures. A score, associated to a qualitative description of the lesion, allows lesions to be categorized into three classes: melanoma, benign, or recommended follow-up. Early research on automatic diagnosis doesn’t take into consideration either the qualitative aspect of expert description or the ambiguity of information itself. In this paper, we propose a fuzzy ontology–based melanoma diagnosis system. A fuzzy classifier is proposed to cope with the qualitative description of experts. Then, a fuzzy inference system is proposed to generate the decision. Experimental validation is undertaken on both optical and dermoscopic images from public datasets DermQuest, Dermatology Information System, and International Skin Imaging Collaboration (ISIC). For optical images, we get a sensitivity of 91 %, a specificity of 88 %, and an accuracy of 90 %, whereas for dermoscopic images, we obtain a sensitivity of 92 % and 91 %, a specificity of 91 % and 93 %, and an accuracy of 91 % and 92 % for ISIC 2016 and ISIC 2017, respectively. A comparative study with existing approaches shows that these performances ensure higher accuracy rates and the best compromise between sensitivity and specificity.