bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Retinal slip compensation of pitch-constrained blue-bottle flies flying in a flight mill
Authors: Hsu Shih-Jung , Cheng Bo
Published: May 2020

In the presence of wind or background image motion, flies are able to maintain a constant retinal slip velocity via regulating flight speed to the extent permitted by their locomotor capacity. Here we investigated the retinal slip compensation of tethered blue-bottle flies (Calliphora vomitoria) flying semi-freely along an annular corridor in a magnetically levitated flight mill enclosed by two motorized cylindrical walls. We perturbed the flies’ retinal slip via spinning the cylindrical walls, generating bilaterally averaged retinal slip perturbations from -0.3 to 0.3 m·s−1 (or -116.4 to 116.4 deg.·s−1) When the perturbation was less than ∼0.1 m·s−1 (38.4 deg.·s−1), the flies successfully compensated the perturbations and maintained a retinal slip velocity by adjusting their airspeed up to 20%. However, with greater retinal slip perturbation, the flies’ compensation became saturated, as the flies’ airspeed plateaued, indicating that they were unable to further maintain a constant retinal slip velocity. The compensation gain, i.e., the ratio of airspeed compensation and retinal slip perturbation, depended on the spatial frequency of the grating patterns, being the largest at 12 m−1 (0.04 deg.−1).
The spectral sensitivity of cone vision in the diurnal murid, Rhabdomys pumilio
Authors: Allen Annette E. , Mouland Joshua W. , Rodgers Jessica , Baño-Otálora Beatriz , Douglas Ronald H. , Jeffery Glen , Vugler Anthony A. , Brown Timothy M. , Lucas Robert J.
Published: May 2020

An animal's temporal niche – the time of day at which it is active – is known to drive a variety of adaptations in the visual system. This includes variations in the topography, spectral sensitivity and density of retinal photoreceptors, and changes in the eye's gross anatomy and spectral transmission characteristics. We have characterised visual spectral sensitivity in the murid rodent Rhabdomys pumilio (‘the four-striped grass mouse’), which is the same family as (nocturnal) mice and rats, but exhibits a strong diurnal niche. As is common in diurnal species, the Rhabdomys lens acts as a long-pass spectral filter, providing limited transmission of light <400nm. Conversely, we found strong sequence homologies with the Rhabdomys SWS and MWS opsins and those of related nocturnal species (mice and rats) whose SWS opsins are maximally sensitive in the near UV. We continued to assess in vivo spectral sensitivity of cone vision using electroretinography and multi-channel recordings from the visual thalamus. These revealed that responses across the human visible range could be adequately described by those of a single pigment (assumed to be MWS opsin) maximally sensitive ∼500nm, but that sensitivity in the near UV required inclusion of a second pigment whose peak sensitivity lay well into the UV range (λmax <400nm, likely ∼360nm). We therefore conclude that, despite the UV-filtering effects of the lens, the Rhabdomys retains an SWS pigment with a UV-A λmax. In effect, this somewhat paradoxical combination of long-pass lens and UV-A λmax results in narrow-band sensitivity for SWS cone pathways in the UV-A range.
Recent Advances in treatment of urethral stricture disease in men
Authors: Mangir Naside , Chapple Christopher
Published: May 2020

Urethral stricturing is a narrowing of the urethral lumen as a result of ischaemic spongiofibrosis. The main challenge of currently available treatment options is recurrence of the stricture. Recent advancements in the treatment of urethral strictures mainly came from the fields of regenerative medicine and tissue engineering. Research efforts have primarily focused on decreasing the recurrence of stricture after internal urethrotomy and constructing tissue-engineered urethral substitutes to improve clinical outcomes of urethroplasty surgeries. The aim of this article is to review the most recent advancements in the management of urethral stricture disease in men.
Implementing Analytics Projects in a Hospital: Successes, Failures, and Opportunities
Authors: Scheinker David , Brandeau Margaret L.
Published: May 2020

Healthcare lags decades behind other industries in terms of operational analytics. Numerous technical proof-of-concept projects in the use of optimization, machine learning, and other analytical methods to solve clinical and operational problems in hospitals and other healthcare settings have been published, but relatively few have been shown to provide sustained value. For a project to provide sustained value, it must succeed in each of four successive stages: stakeholder engagement, technical performance, implementation, and sustained use. We describe recent work on a variety of analytical projects that we have carried out at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford with a focus on key reasons why projects failed or succeeded at each stage. We discuss lessons learned, and we present principles and best practices for the design of analytical projects intended for implementation in healthcare settings.
Why Isn’t Business Investment More Sensitive to Interest Rates? Evidence from Surveys
Authors: Sharpe Steven A. , Suarez Gustavo A.
Published: May 2020

Using recent chief financial officer surveys, we examine the sensitivity of investment plans to interest rate expectations and find that, for most firms, investment is extremely insensitive to interest rate decreases and only modestly more responsive to increases. Firms cite ample cash holdings as the most frequent reason to explain their lack of sensitivity. This result is consistent with dynamic models of corporate behavior in which firms build cash buffers in anticipation of potential changes in external financing conditions. In the cross section, we find that the investment plans tend to be the least sensitive to interest rate changes at firms that do not expect to borrow over the coming year and firms facing less-binding financing constraints.

This paper was accepted by Tomasz Piskorski, finance.
Should We Wait Before Outsourcing? Analysis of a Revenue-Generating Blended Contact Center
Authors: Legros Benjamin , Jouini Oualid , Koole Ger
Published: May 2020

Problem definition : We consider a revenue-generating call center with inbound and outbound calls, where service and sales activities are blended. For maximizing the call center’s revenue, the call center manager exercises two levels of control: agent reservation for inbound calls and call outsourcing. Given the influence of waits on purchase probability, we investigate the strategy of outsourcing customers who have waited already as opposed to outsourcing customers directly at arrival. Academic/practical relevance : The main novelty of this article arises from the use of a single framework to investigate both the combination of agent reservation with outsourcing decisions, and a waiting time–based outsourcing strategy. The existing literature only considers these two strategies in isolation and is restricted to quantity-based decisions. From a practical viewpoint, our results aim to provide decision support tools that are directly implementable in a call center’s routing software. Methodology : We apply a Markov decision process approach to optimize the manager’s decisions. The particularity of our approach is that we use the experienced waiting time as a decision variable. Results : We prove that the optimal policy for reservation and outsourcing is of threshold type. Our main conclusion is that outsourcing customers after letting them wait in-house generates higher revenue than outsourcing calls at arrival. However, it is also detrimental to service quality. In addition, we identify contexts in which the difference between the two outsourcing strategies is significant. Managerial implications : Contrary to standard call center practices, which either consist of specialized teams for one type of call or only exercise one specific level of decision-making (reservation or outsourcing), we demonstrate the potential of partial outsourcing with partial reservation. Our study shows that the benefits of implementing our results are greatest in small congested call centers.
Reducing Passenger Delays by Rolling Stock Rescheduling
Authors: Hoogervorst Rowan , Dollevoet Twan , Maróti Gábor , Huisman Dennis
Published: May 2020

Delays are a major nuisance to railway passengers. The extent to which a delay propagates, and thus affects the passengers, is influenced by the assignment of rolling stock. We propose to reschedule the rolling stock in such a way that the passenger delay is minimized and such that objectives on passenger comfort and operational efficiency are taken into account. We refer to this problem as the passenger delay reduction problem. We propose two models for this problem, which are based on two dominant streams of literature for the traditional rolling stock rescheduling problem. The first model is an arc formulation of the problem, whereas the second model is a path formulation. We test the effectiveness of these models on instances from Netherlands Railways (Nederlandse Spoorwegen). The results show that the rescheduling of rolling stock can significantly decrease passenger delays in the system. Especially, allowing flexibility in the assignment of rolling stock at terminal stations turns out to be effective in reducing the delays. Moreover, we show that the arc formulation–based model performs best in finding high-quality solutions within the limited time that is available in the rescheduling phase.
Robotic technology: current concepts, operative techniques and emerging uses in unicompartmental knee arthroplasty
Authors: Begum Fahima A. , Kayani Babar , Morgan Samuel D. J. , Ahmed Syed S. , Singh Sandeep , Haddad Fares S.
Published: May 2020

Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) is associated with improved functional outcomes but reduced implant survivorship compared to total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Surgeon-controlled errors in component positioning are the most common reason for implant failure in UKA, and low UKA case-volume is associated with poor implant survivorship and earlier time to revision surgery. Robotic UKA is associated with improved accuracy of achieving the planned femoral and tibial component positioning compared to conventional manual UKA. Robotic UKA has a learning curve of six operative cases for achieving operative times and surgical team comfort levels comparable to conventional manual UKA, but there is no learning curve effect for accuracy of implant positioning or limb alignment. Robotic UKA is associated with reduced postoperative pain, decreased opiate analgesia requirements, faster inpatient rehabilitation, and earlier time to hospital discharge compared to conventional manual UKA. Limitations of robotic UKA include high installation costs, additional radiation exposure with image-based systems, and paucity of studies showing any long-term differences in functional outcomes or implant survivorship compared to conventional manual UKA. Further clinical studies are required to establish how statistical differences in accuracy of implant positioning between conventional manual UKA and robotic UKA translate to long-term differences in functional outcomes, implant survivorship, complications, and cost-effectiveness.

Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2020;5:312-318. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.5.190089
Elemental analysis of sage (herb) using calibration-free laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy
Authors: Iqbal J. , Asghar H. , Shah S. K. H. , Naeem M. , Abbasi S. A. , Ali R.
Published: May 2020

In this work, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) has been used for the quantitative and qualitative analysis of the sage sample using the calibration-free LIBS (CF-LIBS) technique. The sage plasma is generated by focusing the second harmonics (532 nm) of a

Q

-switched Nd:YAG laser with a repetition rate of 10 Hz and pulse duration of 5 ns. The emission spectra are recorded using a LIBS 2000 detection system spectrometer consisting of five high-resolution spectrometers covering a wavelength range from 200 to 720 nm. The optical emission spectra of the sage sample reveal the spectral lines of Fe, Ca, Ti, Co, Mn, Ni, and Cr. The plasma temperature and electron number density of the neutral spectral lines of the pertinent elements have been deduced using the Boltzmann plot and Stark-broadening line profile method, with average values

8855

±
885

K

and

3.89

×

10

16

c
m

−
3

, respectively. The average values of the plasma parameters were used for the quantification of the detected elements in the sample. Based on the calibration-free method, the measured results demonstrate that Fe is the major constituent in the sample, having a percentage concentration of 48.1%, while the remaining elements are Ca, Ti, Co, Mn, Ni, and Cr, with percentage concentrations 0.7%, 5.3%, 8%, 11%, 12.3%, and 14.6%, respectively. This study demonstrates the feasibility of LIBS for the compositional analysis of major and trace elements present in the plant samples and its further applications in medicine.
Zernike monomials in wide field of view optical designs
Authors: Johnson Tim P. , Sasian Jose
Published: May 2020

Zernike polynomials are universal in optical modeling and testing of wavefronts; however, their polynomial behavior can cause a misinterpretation of individual aberrations. Wavefront profiles described by Zernike polynomials contain multiple terms with different orders of pupil radius (

ρ

). Zernike polynomials are a sum of high and low orders of

ρ

to minimize the RMS wavefront error and to preserve orthogonality. Since the low-order polynomials are still contained in the net Zernike sum, there is redundancy in individual monomials. Monomial aberrations, also known as Seidel or primary aberrations, are useful in studying an optical design’s complexity, alignment, and field behavior. Zernike polynomial aberrations reported by optical design software are not indicative of individual (monomial) aberrations in wide field of view designs since the low-order polynomials are contaminated by higher order terms. An aberration node is the field location where an individual (monomial) aberration is zero. In this paper, a matrix method is shown to calculate the individual monomial aberrations given the set of Zernike polynomials. Monomial aberrations plotted as a function of field angle (

H

) indicate the field order (

H

n

) and the location of true aberration nodes. Contrarily, Zernike polynomial versus field (ZvF) plots can indicate false aberration nodes, due to the polynomial mixing of high- and low-order terms. Accurate knowledge of the monomial aberration nodes, converted from Zernike polynomials, provides the link between a ray-trace model or lab wavefront measurement and nodal aberration theory (NAT). This method is applied to two different optical designs: (1) 120° circular FOV fish-eye lens and (2)

120

∘

×

4

∘

rectangular FOV, off-axis, freeform four-mirror design.
Phase retrieval and adaptive optics correction for systems with diffractive surfaces
Authors: Finan Emily , Milster Tom
Published: May 2020

Adaptive optics (AO) is a powerful technique for correcting extrinsic aberrations, such as those caused by atmospheric turbulence or biological sample thickness variations, by using measured phase information and a wavefront-correcting element. To extend AO techniques to systems with diffractive surfaces, considerations need to be made for additional components of the measured phase that are attributable to diffraction from the object and are not a part of the extrinsic aberration. For example, light reflected from a diffractive surface of an optical storage disk contains an additional phase due to the diffracted orders from the grating-like structure of the data tracks. In this work, a modified Gerchberg algorithm is presented as a viable method of phase retrieval to detect the total aberration, and correction for extrinsic aberrations is shown for light reflected from a grating. An experimental microscope system demonstrates successful AO correction, thus verifying simulation results.
Correction of non-common path aberrations in pyramid wavefront sensors to recover the optimal magnitude gain using a deformable lens
Authors: Quintavalla M. , Bergomi M. , Magrin D. , Bonora S. , Ragazzoni R.
Published: May 2020

Adaptive optics (AO) correction based on pyramid wavefront sensors (P-WFSs) has been successfully implemented in several instruments for astronomical observation due to the P-WFS advantages in terms of sensitivity with respect to other WFSs, such as the Shack–Hartmann. The correction of non-common path aberrations (NCPAs) between the sensing and the scientific arm, commonly performed introducing offsets to the Zernike coefficients of the measured wavefront in the AO closed loop, reduces the sensitivity of P-WFSs causing a loss in sky coverage and scientific throughput. We propose a technique to exploit the full capabilities of P-WFSs compensating the NCPAs up to the fourth order on the WFS channel by means of a multi-actuator adaptive lens (MAL). We show the preliminary results obtained in a dedicated laboratory test bench.
Distributed directional torsion sensing based on an optical frequency domain reflectometer and a helical multicore fiber
Authors: Yin Guolu , Lu Lei , Zhou Lei , Shao Cong , Fu Qingjiang , Zhang Jingdong , Zhu Tao
Published: May 2020

We propose and experimentally demonstrate a distributed directional torsion sensor based on an optical frequency domain reflectometer (OFDR) using a helical multicore fiber (MCF). A theoretical model is first established to reveal that the ability of the torsion direction discrimination stems from the fiber design of the central-offset cores with helical structure and the shorter helical pitch holds higher sensitivity. Such a distributed torsion sensor is then experimentally realized by using an OFDR system with an adjacent sensing distance of 9.4 mm. Comparative experiments with three different MCFs fully prove the theoretical predication. Finally, a distributed directional torsion sensor is realized with a linear sensitivity of 1.9 pm/(rad/m) by using the helical MCF with a helical pitch of 6 mm. Such a torsion sensing system would find potential applications in the fields of bionic robotics, 3-D shape sensing, oil drilling and so on.
Tuning the phase and amplitude response of plasmonic metasurface etalons
Authors: Haim Danielle Ben , Michaeli Lior , Avayu Ori , Ellenbogen Tal
Published: May 2020

We study the optical response of plasmonic metasurface etalons in reflection. The etalons consist of a metallic mirror and a plasmonic metasurface separated by wavelength-scale dielectric spacer. We show that tuning the localized surface plasmon resonance and spacer thickness can be used to achieve both enhanced reflectivity and perfect absorption, in addition to full 2π range phase control, and tunable regions of normal and anomalous dispersion. We validate our claims by measuring the spectral reflection and phase response of metasurface etalons consisting aluminum nanodisks of different radii separated from an aluminum reflector by a SiO2 spacer. In addition, we use this approach to demonstrate a simple Hermite-Gaussian (HG) wavelength selective beam-shaping reflective mask. The concept can be further extended by using multilayers to obtain multi-functional elements.
Silicon erasable waveguides and directional couplers by germanium ion implantation for configurable photonic circuits
Authors: Chen Xia , Milosevic Milan M. , Runge Antoine F. J. , Yu Xingshi , Khokhar Ali Z. , Mailis Sakellaris , Thomson David J. , Peacock Anna C. , Saito Shinichi , Reed Graham T.
Published: May 2020

A novel technique for realization of configurable/one-time programmable (OTP) silicon photonic circuits is presented. Once the proposed photonic circuit is programmed, its signal routing is retained without the need for additional power consumption. This technology can potentially enable a multi-purpose design of photonic chips for a range of different applications and performance requirements, as it can be programmed for each specific application after chip fabrication. Therefore, the production costs per chip can be reduced because of the increase in production volume, and rapid prototyping of new photonic circuits is enabled. Essential building blocks for the configurable circuits in the form of erasable directional couplers (DCs) were designed and fabricated, using ion implanted waveguides. We demonstrate permanent switching of optical signals between the drop port and through the port of the DCs using a localized post-fabrication laser annealing process. Proof-of-principle demonstrators in the form of generic 1×4 and 2×2 programmable switching circuits were fabricated and subsequently programmed.
Effective dipolar polarizability of amorphous arrays of size-dispersed nanoparticles
Authors: Czajkowski Krzysztof M. , Antosiewicz Tomasz J.
Published: May 2020

Inhomogeneity of nanoparticle size, shape, and distribution is ubiquitous and inherent in fabricated arrays or may be a deliberate attempt to engineer the optical response. It leads to a spread of polarizabilities of interacting elements and phases of scattered light, and quantitative understanding of these effects is important. Focusing on random/amorphous arrays of optical antennas, we combine T-matrix calculations and an analytical approach based on an effective dipolar polarizability within a film of dipoles framework to quantify the spectral response as a function of the particle inhomogeneity and stochastic clustering. The interplay of position-dependent stochastic coupling and size distribution of antennas determines the optical properties of such arrays as a function of mean/standard deviation of diameter and minimum separation. The resonance wavelength, amplitude, and scattering-to-absorption ratio exhibit oscillations around their size-averaged values with periods and amplitudes given by average structural factors.
Waveguide platform for quantum anticentrifugal force
Authors: Gajewski Andrzej , Gustaw Daniel , Yusof Nor Roshidah , Ali Norshamsuri , Słowik Karolina , Kolenderski Piotr
Published: May 2020

This work is a proposition of an experimental platform to observe
quantum fictitious anticentrifugal force. We present an analytical and
numerical treatment of a rectangular toroidal dielectric waveguide.
Solving the Helmholtz equation, we obtain analytical solutions for
transverse spatial modes and estimate their number as a function of
system characteristics. On top of that, the analysis of the structure
is extended onto a real material platform, a thin-film lithium niobate
on insulator rib waveguide. The framework presented here can be
applied directly to analyze the phenomenon of quantum anticentrifugal
force.
Coherent propagation and amplification of intense laser pulses in hexagonal multicore fibers
Authors: Balakin A. A. , Skobelev S. A. , Andrianov A. V. , Anashkina E. A. , Litvak A. G.
Published: May 2020

Propagation and amplification of intense coherent laser pulses in a multicore fiber of 24 weakly coupled cores arranged in the form of seven close-packed hexagons were studied. Exact stable analytical solutions are found for the out-of-phase mode, which describes the coherent propagation of wave beams and temporal soliton solutions in such fibers. Their stability is demonstrated. The analytical results are confirmed by the direct numerical simulation of the wave equation.
Single-pixel sensing with optimal binarized modulation
Authors: Fu Hao , Bian Liheng , Zhang Jun
Published: May 2020

Conventional high-level sensing techniques require high-fidelity images as input to extract target features. The images are produced by either complex imaging hardware or high-complexity reconstruction algorithms. In this Letter, we propose single-pixel sensing (SPS) that performs high-level sensing directly from a small amount of coupled single-pixel measurements, without the conventional image acquisition and reconstruction process. The technique consists of three steps, including binarized light modulation at

∼

22.7

kHz

refresh rate, single-pixel coupled detection with a wide working spectrum and high signal-to-noise ratio, and end-to-end deep-learning-based decoding that reduces both hardware and software complexity. Also, the binarized modulation patterns are optimized with the decoding network by a two-step training strategy, leading to the least required measurements and optimal sensing accuracy. The effectiveness of SPS is experimentally demonstrated on the classification task of the handwritten MNIST dataset, and 96% classification accuracy at

∼

1

kHz

is achieved. The reported SPS technique is a novel framework for efficient machine intelligence, with data-reduced acquisition and load-relieved processing.
Single-molecule orientation localization microscopy for resolving structural heterogeneities between amyloid fibrils
Authors: Ding Tianben , Wu Tingting , Mazidi Hesam , Zhang Oumeng , Lew Matthew D.
Published: May 2020

Simultaneous measurements of single-molecule positions and orientations provide critical insight into a variety of biological and chemical processes. Various engineered point spread functions (PSFs) have been introduced for measuring the orientation and rotational diffusion of dipole-like emitters, but the widely used Cramér-Rao bound (CRB) only evaluates performance for one specific orientation at a time. Here, we report a performance metric, termed variance upper bound (VUB), that yields a global maximum CRB for all possible molecular orientations, thereby enabling the measurement performance of any PSF to be computed efficiently (

∼

1000
×

faster than calculating average CRB). Our VUB reveals that the simple polarized standard PSF provides robust and precise orientation measurements if emitters are near a refractive index interface. Using this PSF, we measure the orientations and positions of Nile red (NR) molecules transiently bound to amyloid aggregates. Our super-resolved images reveal the main binding mode of NR on amyloid fiber surfaces, as well as structural heterogeneities along amyloid fibrillar networks, that cannot be resolved by single-molecule localization alone.
Quantum fast hitting on glued trees mapped on a photonic chip
Authors: Shi Zi-Yu , Tang Hao , Feng Zhen , Wang Yao , Li Zhan-Ming , Gao Jun , Chang Yi-Jun , Wang Tian-Yu , Dou Jian-Peng , Zhang Zhe-Yong , Jiao Zhi-Qiang , Zhou Wen-Hao , Jin Xian-Min
Published: May 2020

Quantum walks on graphs play an important role in the field of quantum algorithms. Fast hitting is one of the properties that quantum walk algorithms can utilize to outperform classical random walk algorithms. Fast hitting refers to a particle starting from the entrance node on a graph and trying to hit the exit node quickly. Especially, continuous-time quantum walks on random glued binary trees have been investigated in theories extensively for their exponentially faster hitting speed over classical random walks. Here, using heralded single photons to represent quantum walkers and laser-written waveguide arrays to simulate the theoretical graph, we are able to demonstrate the hitting efficiency of quantum walks with tree depth as high as 16 layers for the first time. Furthermore, we expand the graph’s branching rate from 2 to 5, revealing that quantum walks can exhibit more superiority over classical random walks as the branching rate increases. Our results may shed light on the physical implementation of quantum walk algorithms as well as quantum computation and quantum simulation.
Distance-controllable and direction-steerable opto-conveyor for targeting delivery
Authors: Che Zhen , Zhu Wenguo , Huang Yaoming , Zhang Yu , Zhuo Linqing , Fan Pengpeng , Li Zhibin , Zheng Huadan , Long Wenjin , Qiu Wentao , Luo Yunhan , Zhang Jun , Ge Jinghua , Yu Jianhui , Chen Zhe
Published: May 2020

Opto-conveyors have attracted widespread interest in various fields because of their non-invasive and non-contact delivery of micro/nanoparticles. However, the flexible control of the delivery distance and the dynamic steering of the delivery direction, although very desirable in all-optical manipulation, have not yet been achieved by opto-conveyors. Here, using a simple and cost-effective scheme of an elliptically focused laser beam obliquely irradiated on a substrate, a direction-steerable and distance-controllable opto-conveyor for the targeting delivery of microparticles is implemented. Theoretically, in the proposed scheme of the opto-conveyor, the transverse and longitudinal resultant forces of the optical gradient force and the optical scattering force result in the transverse confinement and the longitudinal transportation of microparticles, respectively. In this study, it is experimentally shown that the proposed opto-conveyor is capable of realizing the targeting delivery for microparticles. Additionally, the delivery distance of microparticles can be flexibly and precisely controlled by simply adjusting the irradiation time. By simply rotating the cylindrical lens, the proposed opto-conveyor is capable of steering the delivery direction flexibly within a large range of azimuthal angles, from

−
75
°

to 75°. This study also successfully demonstrated the real-time dynamic steering of the delivery direction from

−
45
°

to 45° with the dynamical rotation of the cylindrical lens. Owing to its simplicity, flexibility, and controllability, the proposed method is capable of creating new opportunities in bioassays as well as in drug delivery.
White-light color conversion with red/green/violet laser diodes and yellow light-emitting diode mixing for 34.8  Gbit/s visible lighting communication
Authors: Wang Wei-Chun , Cheng Chih-Hsien , Wang Huai-Yung , Lin Gong-Ru
Published: May 2020

The visible wavelength-division multiplexing (VWDM) optical wireless communication beyond 30 Gbit/s with a white-light beam mixed by red/green/violet (R/G/V) laser diodes (LDs) and yellow (Y) LED is demonstrated via quadrature amplitude modulation discrete multitone modulation (QAM DMT). To facilitate both high-quality indoor lighting and high-speed optical wireless communication, the R/G/V-LD white-light module incorporates with a Y-LED to provide a high color rendering index (CRI) and encapsulates with a frosted glass to enlarge its divergent angle. By respectively encoding the R/G/V-LDs with the filtered QAM DMT data in a back-to-back case, the total raw data rate as high as 34.8 Gbit/s is achieved by encoded R/G/V-LDs with respective VWDM data rates of 18/7.2/9.6 Gbit/s. To fulfill the demanded CRI and correlated color temperature (CCT) for indoor white-lighting, the yellow LED contributes the yellowish-orange luminescence with flexible CCT and CRI varying from 3952 K to 3031 K and from 0 to 45.9, respectively. A cold white-light carrier at a CCT of 4852 K, CRI of 71.6, and CIE of (0.3652, 0.4942) is also approached by attenuating the red LD power, and such a cold white-light spot with an illuminance of 6800 lux and a divergent solid angle of 0.89 steradian (sr) can support VWDM data transmission at 28.4 Gbit/s.
Co-designing for inclusion in international/interdisciplinary teams
Authors: Mateus-Berr Ruth , Trimmel Stephan , Dezso Renata
Published: May 2020

Educating for the future requires collaboration among professionals and people with impairments. This article discusses the knowledge-sharing project Design for Care, made up of interdisciplinary and international teams and based around dominant models of ability and (dis)ability studies. Design thinking served as a structured methodology throughout the workshop, which teaches skills such as team building, empathizing, defining, ideating, prototyping and testing that are essential as both analogue and digital means. In this case study, university students cooperated with each other to learn from children with severe impairments and their caregivers to increase the shared competence of embodied knowledge, which can then be applied to specific professional challenges. Secondary school design, industrial and social design university students are all relatively young when they begin their education, and educators need to engage them carefully with topics that might not mirror their own needs or expectations.
Art as Unlearning: Towards a Mannerist Pedagogy, John Baldacchino (2019)
Authors: Vella Raphael
Published: May 2020

Review of: Art as Unlearning: Towards a Mannerist Pedagogy, John Baldacchino (2019)

London and New York: Routledge, 166 pp.,

ISBN 978-1-13831-871-7, h/bk, £120.00
With Munari the Form of the Book Followed its Function
Authors: Santos Tiago
Published: May 2020

Review of Giorgio Maffei, Munari’s Books, New York, NY: Princeton Architectural Press, 2015. 288 pp. ISBN 978-1-616-89386-6.
Munari’s Books by Giogio Maffei, like its subtitles states, is “the definitive collection of book designs by Bruno Munari”, being “the first English-English monograph” about him. Bruno Munari was an Italian designer who lived between 1907 and 1998, and made a huge contribution to an understanding of the materialities of the book and its interdisciplinary functionality as we know it nowadays. He considered books the “best medium to communicate his visual ideas (…) and convey his creative spirit” and by his practices he created new perspectives about the possibilities inherent in bibliographic structures as forms of visual and haptic communication.
Diseñando convenciones para combatir la corrupción: la OCDE y la OEA a través de la teoría de las relaciones internacionales
Authors: Kochi Shigeru
Published: May 2020

RESUMEN: El presente artículo analiza los principales factores y procesos políticos en la formación y el desarrollo de convenciones anticorrupción con una comparación de los marcos jurídicos e institucionales adoptados por la OCDE y la OEA. En una era de globalización no es sorprendente saber que la corrupción se ha incrementado en América Latina y las naciones industrializadas. A través de las teorías de las relaciones internacionales, este artículo explora los diferentes patrones existentes en el proceso de negociación y diseño institucional de ambas convenciones. El análisis empírico puede ser explicado desde una perspectiva neorrealista (estabilidad hegemónica) en el caso de la convención de la OCDE, y por el institucionalismo neoliberal (instituciones internacionales) en el caso de la convención de la OEA. En este sentido, la corrupción y el crimen transnacional dejan espacio a una variedad de interpretaciones y futuros debates.ABSTRACT: This article analyses the main factors and political processes behind the formation and development of anti-corruption conventions with a comparison between the institutional and legal frameworks adopted by the OECD and the OAS. In an era of economic globalization, it is not surprising that corruption seems to have increased in Latin America and industrial nations. Through the lens of international relations theory, this article explores the different patterns in the bargaining process and institutional design of both conventions. The empirical analysis can be explained by a neo-realist perspective (hegemonic stability) in the case of OECD convention, and by neo-liberal institutionalism (international institutions) in the case of OAS convention. In this sense, corruption and transnational crime leave room for a variety of interpretations and further discussions.
Argentina: la crisis de representación y los partidos políticos
Authors: Mustapic Ana María
Published: May 2020

RESUMEN: El artículo analiza la crisis de representación de los partidos argentinos a partir de dos dimensiones: la relación partido-electorado y la relación partido-gobierno. Con la primera se procura dar cuenta de las restricciones que coloca el sistema electoral federal a la consolidación de nuevas fuerzas políticas y los consecuentes problemas de representación que generan al limitar la oferta electoral. La segunda atiende al conjunto de reglas y prácticas, en particular, la organización territorial y descentralizada de los partidos y sus patrones de competencia interna, que contribuyen a la creación de una clase política ensimismada y a la vez fragmentada que administra pobremente los intereses sociales que representa. En la sección final, se señalan algunas de las paradojas que sugiere el análisis realizado, en particular respecto de los argumentos que, para mejorar la representación, abogan a favor de un contacto más estrecho entre representantes y representados, la «personalización» del voto y la democracia interna en los partidos.ABSTRACT: This article examines the crisis of representation of the Argentine political parties by highlighting two dimensions: the relationship between parties and the electorate and the relationship between parties and government. The first dimension relates to the restrictions that the federal electoral system poses to the consolidation of new political forces. Problems of representation arise because the electoral system limits the electoral offer. The second dimension deals with party organisation, in particular, its decentralised and territorial nature and the rules that structure internal party competition. These features contribute to create an auto referential political class that poorly administrates the interests it represents. In the final section the article deals with some of the paradoxes that stem from the analyses, specially those raised by the arguments in favour of a closer relationship between representatives and represented, the personal vote and the party’s internal democracy.
La crisis de confianza en la política y sus instituciones: los medios y la legitimidad de la democracia en Brasil
Authors: Porto Mauro Pereira
Published: May 2020

RESUMEN: El artículo aborda algunos problemas conceptuales dentro del debate teórico sobre la legitimidad, planteando como inciden en este proceso los medios de comunicación en el caso brasileño. Para ello se analizan distintos fenómenos informativos que dinamizan la articulación entre esfera mediática y proceso político: la ofensiva del periodismo de investigación; la "antipolítica" de los medios de comunicación y el carácter sesgado de la cobertura periodística de las instituciones políticas. Para concluir se analizan las consecuencias de este papel de los medios en la diseminación de la crisis de confianza en la política y en sus instituciones y, en consecuencia, en la creación de obstáculos a la consolidación del régimen democrático.ABSTRACT: This article undertakes some of the conceptual problems of the theoretical debate about legitimacy, proposing how the mass media influence over this process in the brazilian case. In this way, are analyzed different informative events which are in the articulation of media sphere and the political process: the offensive of research journalism, the "antipolitics" of mass media and the interesed character of the journalistic coverage of political institutions. Finally, are studied the consequences of the role of the media in the growing trust crisis politics and institutions, and, as a consequence in the appearance of obstacles in the consolidation of the democratic regime.
Un intento por explicar la violencia en Colombia: ¿y si no somos nación?
Authors: Currea-Lugo Víctor de
Published: May 2020

RESUMEN: "La desintegración nacional no es posible porque el país nunca ha estado articulado". Bajo esta premisa, el autor ensaya una reflexión sobre las múltiples dificultades de articulación que pesan sobre las relaciones que mantienen Estado y sociedad en Colombia. Realiza un repaso de las posiciones mantenidas por las diferentes fuerzas en conflicto —guerrillas, paramilitares, narcos, Ejército, Estados Unidos por medio de sus agencias-, que le lleva a concluir que la violencia armada generalizada e impune está conformando una sociedad cada vez más incapacitada para generar un proyecto colectivo.ABSTRACT: "The national desintegration is not possible because the country has never been articulated". Under this statement, the author reflects on the multiple difficulties of articulation between the State and the society in the colombian case. He makes a review of the positions standing by the different forces in conflict —guerrillas, paramilitaries, narcos, Army, USA through its agencies— which allows him to conclude that the generalized and unpunished armed violence is conforming a increasingly unable society to create a colective project.
Los partidos políticos en América Latina
Authors: Alcántara Sáez Manuel , Freidenberg Flavia
Published: May 2020

RESUMEN: El argumento principal del artículo es mostrar que los partidos y sistema de partidos de América Latina son más estables de lo que en términos generales se suele sostener. A pesar de la hostil percepción de los electores sobre los partidos, los sistemas de partidos presentan ciertos niveles de estabilidad en América Latina, más allá de casos como Venezuela y Perú, que parecen ser más la excepción que la regla. Se realiza una tipología de cuatro escenarios en la que se compara la oferta partidista en la elección fundacional postransición y en la última elección legislativa realizada en cada sistema. Se analizan tres características sistémicas de los sistemas de partidos a fines del siglo xx: el formato numérico del sistema de partidos (lo que muestra cierta tendencia al multipartidismo); el nivel de polarización ideológica (relativamente alto) y el apoyo social que los mismos reciben (variable que debe ser matizada por la consideración de una serie de indicadores).ABSTRACT: The principal argument of this article is to show that the parties and the Latin American party system are more stable of which in general term usually it is maintained. In spite of the electorate hostile perception about the parties, the party system presents some level of stability in Latin America, with the exception of Venezuela and Peru. A four-dimension tipology is realizated to compare the partidist offer in the fundational post-transition election and in the last legislative election in each system. The three characteristics of the party system in the final of the Twentieth Century are analysed: the numeric format of the party system (which tends to multipartidism); the ideological polarization level (high) and its social support (which depends on a serie of indicators).
Reformas electorales y sistemas de partidos parlamentarios en América Central
Authors: García Díez Fátima
Published: May 2020

RESUMEN: La Asamblea Legislativa es una institución política fundamental en las democracias representativas, y los sistemas electorales constituyen uno de los determinantes claves de su composición y el proceso de elaboración de políticas que tiene lugar en su interior. Las reformas electorales que han tenido lugar en América Central, a lo largo de las últimas dos décadas, han jugado un papel crucial en el proceso de democratización y consolidación de estos regímenes poliárquicos; y sin embargo, nuestro desconocimiento en la materia es manifiesto. Este trabajo se ocupa de sugerir algunas de las líneas de investigación a partir de las cuales podría abordarse el estudio del funcionamiento legislativo a partir del análisis comparado de los procesos de reforma electoral.ABSTRACT: Legislatures constitute the key political institution in representative democracies and electoral systems are the key variables affecting their composition and the process of policy making that takes place within this arena. Electoral reforms and their connection to the legislative party system have played a critical role in the process of democratization and consolidation in these recently emerged democracies, however our ignorance on the matter is manifest. This paper specifically address the question of how are electoral arrangements and the contemporary processes of electoral reform affecting the structure and general perfonnance of the recently established Central American parliaments.
Consecuencias políticas del calendario electoral en América latina: ventajas y desventajas de elecciones simultáneas o separadas para presidente y legislatura
Authors: Molina V. José Enrique
Published: May 2020

El trabajo analiza los planteamientos desarrollados por Shugart y Carey (1992) y Mainwaring y Shugart (1997) con relación al efecto que sobre la gobernabilidad y la representatividad tienen las distintas combinaciones de sistema electoral para presidente de la República con la fecha en que se realizan las elecciones legislativas (simultáneas o separadas con las presidenciales), confrontando las hipótesis que se derivan de estos análisis con los resultados de las elecciones presidenciales celebradas en los países de América Latina entre 1996 y 2000. Se llega a la conclusión de que los resultados electorales tienden a corroborar las hipótesis sobre el efecto combinado del calendario electoral y el sistema electoral presidencial sobre la gobernabilidad y la representatividad, y en particular sobre la posibilidad de que el presidente electo cuente con una fuerza parlamentaria mayoritaria o sólida.
Sistema electoral y sistema de partidos en México (1994-2000)
Authors: Hernández Norzagaray Ernesto
Published: May 2020

En este trabajo sobre el sistema electoral y el sistema de partidos políticos en México, exploramos las consecuencias que han tenido la fórmula electoral y el umbral efectivo, la magnitud de las circunscripciones y el tamaño del Congreso legislativo, en los niveles de desproporcionalidad existente en el poder legislativo desde las elecciones federales de 1994. Así mismo, como extensión de ese esfuerzo, mediante diversos índices politológicos profundizamos en los efectos que ha tenido en el sistema de partidos. En particular, interesa estudiar los niveles de concentración y competitividad, la fragmentación y número efectivo de partidos, la polarización y volatilidad del voto. En suma, pretendemos determinar cuál es el impacto institucional del llamado «periodo de reformas» en la conformación de un nuevo sistema de partidos políticos mexicanos.
México: la transición votada
Authors: Merino Huerta Mauricio
Published: May 2020

Los resultados de las elecciones federales del 2 de julio de 2000 en México despertaron nuevas interrogantes para los interesados en el tema de las transiciones. En contraste con las experiencias en América del Sur, Europa del Este o la Europa mediterránea –que han generado ya una amplia literatura–, los cambios políticos en México no son fácilmente asimilables a los marcos teóricos ya construidos. Este trabajo pretende contrastar el modelo ideal de transición y la verdadera transición mexicana. El argumento se centra en tres diferencias: en lugar de ser una transición pactada –como sugiere el modelo teórico–, la mexicana ha sido, por llamarla de alguna manera, una transición votada; además, no ha habido –como sí lo hubo en otros casos– una ruptura con el régimen anterior, por el contrario, el mexicano ha sido un cambio basado en la apertura gradual y continua, no en el rompimiento; por último, en vez de una transformación de las reglas del juego, lo que hemos presenciado ha sido la recuperación de instituciones formales más que el diseño de nuevas.
Empresariado, estado y políticas públicas en Brasil: nuevas tendencias en el umbral del nuevo milenio
Authors: Diniz Eli
Published: May 2020

El artículo evalúa el alcance y la profundidad de las transformaciones desencadenadas en Brasil a partir de la década de los años 80, cuando la instauración de la democracia y la ejecución de las reformas orientadas al mercado asumen el primer plano de la agenda pública. Mediante un contraste entre las décadas de los 80 y 90, este trabajo enfatiza los cambios en el orden económico y en la organización social del país, destancando las modificaciones de naturaleza política e institucional. Y para ello analiza particularmente el estilo de gestión pública, la naturaleza del proceso de toma de decisiones, las formas de articulación entre Estado y sociedad, así como los canales de acceso a los centros de decisión. Por último, se abordan las transformaciones en el peso relativo y en el papel de los actores estratégicos del nuevo orden capitalista en construcción.