Degrees Of Opacity Research Articles

The anthropomorphic pursuit of AI-generated journalistic texts: limits to expressing subjectivity

Many newsrooms around the world are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to generate journalistic content. Often, these machine-generated texts are distributed without being clearly identified as synthetic or hybrid. Since the launch of ChatGPT in late 2022, the tool’s extraordinary ability to mimic human language has been widely celebrated. Given that subjectivity is an integral part of human language, this study examines how different texts generated using AI tools are imbued with subjective features in order to anthropomorphize their linguistic content. Our aim is to gain insight into the ways in which these texts express subjectivity in order to appear anthropomorphic, as well as the limits of this expression and its implications for communication. To this end, a corpus of AI-generated journalistic texts published in various media, as well as texts created using AI tools such as ChatGPT and Gemini, is analysed to assess these tools’ capabilities. Ten criteria are used to characterize the expression of subjectivity in journalistic discourse on the surface of texts and in terms of situational appropriateness. The results show that AI tools can incorporate subjective markers on the text surface, but have important limitations when it comes to situational appropriateness, making it difficult to imitate certain features of journalistic writing. The paper also discusses the implications of asymmetrical audience interaction with machines that simulate human characteristics, and the varying degrees of opacity and transparency with which AI is used in newsrooms.

Monocular Depth Decomposition of Semi-Transparent Volume Renderings.

Neural networks have shown great success in extracting geometric information from color images. Especially, monocular depth estimation networks are increasingly reliable in real-world scenes. In this work we investigate the applicability of such monocular depth estimation networks to semi-transparent volume rendered images. As depth is notoriously difficult to define in a volumetric scene without clearly defined surfaces, we consider different depth computations that have emerged in practice, and compare state-of-the-art monocular depth estimation approaches for these different interpretations during an evaluation considering different degrees of opacity in the renderings. Additionally, we investigate how these networks can be extended to further obtain color and opacity information, in order to create a layered representation of the scene based on a single color image. This layered representation consists of spatially separated semi-transparent intervals that composite to the original input rendering. In our experiments we show that existing approaches to monocular depth estimation can be adapted to perform well on semi-transparent volume renderings, which has several applications in the area of scientific visualization, like re-composition with additional objects and labels or additional shading.

Machine learning identification of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains from colony image data.

When grown on agar surfaces, microbes can produce distinct multicellular spatial structures called colonies, which contain characteristic sizes, shapes, edges, textures, and degrees of opacity and color. For over one hundred years, researchers have used these morphology cues to classify bacteria and guide more targeted treatment of pathogens. Advances in genome sequencing technology have revolutionized our ability to classify bacterial isolates and while genomic methods are in the ascendancy, morphological characterization of bacterial species has made a resurgence due to increased computing capacities and widespread application of machine learning tools. In this paper, we revisit the topic of colony morphotype on the within-species scale and apply concepts from image processing, computer vision, and deep learning to a dataset of 69 environmental and clinical Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. We find that colony morphology and complexity under common laboratory conditions is a robust, repeatable phenotype on the level of individual strains, and therefore forms a potential basis for strain classification. We then use a deep convolutional neural network approach with a combination of data augmentation and transfer learning to overcome the typical data starvation problem in biological applications of deep learning. Using a train/validation/test split, our results achieve an average validation accuracy of 92.9% and an average test accuracy of 90.7% for the classification of individual strains. These results indicate that bacterial strains have characteristic visual 'fingerprints' that can serve as the basis of classification on a sub-species level. Our work illustrates the potential of image-based classification of bacterial pathogens and highlights the potential to use similar approaches to predict medically relevant strain characteristics like antibiotic resistance and virulence from colony data.

Algorithms and radiation dynamics for the vicinity of black holes

We present the results of our studies on accretion disks in the proximity of astrophysical black holes. These disks can be of varying degrees of opacity, geometrical shapes, sizes, and volumes. The central compact object is a Schwarzschild or a Kerr black hole of various spin parameters. We describe the environment and the physics of the systems under examination and the disk models considered. We first investigate the effects of the spacetime rotation on photon trajectories. We then examine the radiation forces recorded at various points of the arrangement inside and outside the disk material, and in the inner, outer, and off-equatorial material orbits. We document and explore the radiation effects, which are revealed to be significant and positively consequential. Afterward, we inspect the possible imaging outcome of various types of black hole and accretion disk configurations, and we show our results for plots that could be used to estimate the central black hole spin in a system. Finally, we show results regarding the disk material orbit degradation due to its thermal radiation.

Relationship between opacity of cytomegalovirus retinitis lesion borders and aqueous viral load among patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Objective: To evaluate the relationship between lesion features of cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis, including lesion size and degree of opacity of lesion borders, and aqueous CMV-DNA load in patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Methods: It was a retrospective case series study. Data of patients diagnosed as CMV retinitis after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation at the Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University Third Hospital from January 2018 to October 2020 were reviewed. Lesion size was detected by ultra-wide-field fundus image and measured by ImageJ, an image processing and analysis software. Opacity of lesion borders was evaluated by a masked reader. The CMV retinitis lesions were divided into 3 types according to the opacity degree of the border of the lesions: suspected active lesion mildly to moderately opacified lesion and severely opacified lesion. All eyes were diagnosed as active cytomegalovirus retinitis. CMV-DNA in aqueous humor was detected at the first visit and at the end of the induction period of antiviral drugs. CMV-DNA load was quantitatively detected by polymerase chain reaction after 100 μl of aqueous humor was extracted, and were converted to common logarithmic representations. Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between lesion area, opacity degree of lesion border and aqueous humor CMV-DNA load. Results: A total of 71 eyes from 46 patients were included and 26 was male and 20 was female. The age of the patients was 27(13, 33)years. The active lesion size of CMV retinitis was 40(12, 65) disc areas. Eight eyes (11.3%) had a suspected active lesion, 51 eyes (71.8%) had a mildly to moderately opacified lesion border, and 12 eyes (16.9%) had a severely opacified border. At the first visit, 67 eyes (94.4%) were CMV-positive, and the CMV-DNA load was 2.04×104 (6.24× 102, 1.48 ×105) copies/ml. After 2 weeks of induction therapy, the viral load was 2.47×102 (1.08× 10, 6.87 ×103) copies/ml. The correlation analysis showed that the CMV-DNA load in aqueous humor was significantly correlated with the lesion border opacity both at presentation and 2 weeks after intravitreal antiviral treatment (r=0.765, P<0.001; r=0.761, P<0.001), but was not related with the size of active fundus lesions (r=0.209, P=0.095; r=0.220, P=0.078). Conclusion: Degrees of lesion border opacity can reflect levels of aqueous viral load of CMV retinitis in patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and can become a useful measurement for investigation of CMV retinitis activity.

Estratificação incremental com resina composta: reprodução de efeitos ópticos incisais em restauração classe IV

O presente artigo tem como objetivo abordar o protocolo clínico utilizado na realização de restaurações estéticas um relato de caso clínico demonstrando a técnica de estratificação incremental em resina composta para a construção dos efeitos ópticos em uma restauração do tipo Classe IV. Reproduzir as características dentais presentes no terço incisal de incisivos centrais superiores pode ser um desafio estético para o odontólogo. O profissional necessita ter o conhecimento das técnicas de inserção das diferentes camadas de resina visando garantir o mimetismo óptico dental. Além disso há uma vasta gama de compósitos que possuem diferentes graus de opacidade, croma, saturação e efeito opalescente, que aliados ao treinamento do operador, visam garantir o sucesso clínico na reprodução de tais características dentais. O resultado dependerá da criteriosa sequência de passos que envolve desde o diagnóstico até as etapas de acabamento e polimento.

Comparison of the radiopacity of selected materials used for vital pulp therapy: An in vitro assessment.

An assessment of the therapeutic effects of vital pulp treatment is based on both clinical and radiological evaluation. The aim of the research was a long-term (after 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks) radiological assessment of X-ray absorption by 8 selected materials used for the vital treatment of dental pulp. The materials, prepared in accordance with the manufacturers' recommendations, were placed in molds measuring 10 mm in diameter and 2 mm in thickness. The molds with the samples were placed on an occlusal film with an aluminum step wedge, and then X-rayed using an intraoral X-ray unit. After processing, an X-ray image with varying degrees of opacity was obtained. The radiological density of the samples, the step wedge and the background was measured 6 times using a densitometer. The tests were repeated at the following intervals: after 7 days, and after 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks. The molds with the material samples were stored in an incubator at 37°C and 95% humidity. The obtained results were statistically analyzed. The mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) materials exhibited the highest degree of contrast, whereas the lowest radiopacity was shown for the non-setting calcium hydroxide preparations (p < 0.0001). Calcium hydroxide cements presented medium radiopacity values. The radiopacity of all the evaluated materials showed a statistically insignificant increasing tendency with regard to the duration of the experiment. All the tested preparations showed acceptable radiopacity, enabling radiological detection in the course of vital pulp therapy.

Therapeutic effects of three human-derived materials in a mouse corneal alkali burn model*

Purpose: To compare the therapeutic effects of human derivatives in a mouse alkali burn model.Methods: The right eyes of mice were injured using NaOH. After alkali injury, one of the following agents was topically administered for 7 d: human amniotic membrane (hAM) suspension, human umbilical cord serum (hUCS), and human peripheral blood serum (hPBS), or saline. The epithelial defect areas on days 1, 2, and 3 degrees of opacity on days 2, 3, and 7, and corneal neovascularization (NV) areas on day 7 were evaluated. Histologic examination and mRNA expression levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-8, and MMP-9 were also evaluated on day 7.Results: The epithelial defect areas in the hUCS group were smaller than those in the control and hPBS groups on day 3 (p < .05, respectively). The epithelial defect areas in the hAM suspension group showed smaller than those in the control and hPBS groups on days 1 and 2 (p < .05, respectively). The degrees of opacity were lower in all treatment groups than that of the saline control group on day 7 (p < .05, respectively). Corneal NV areas were not different among groups on day 7 (p = 0.20). The expression levels of TNF-α, IL-6, MMP-8, and MMP-9 mRNA and the infiltration of the inflammatory cells in all treatment groups were lesser than those in the control group on day 7 (p< .05, respectively).Conclusions: All treatments reduced inflammatory reactions and corneal opacity development. Corneal reepithelialization was faster in the hUCS group.

Studying the process of enamel powder preparation for émail champlevé by colour measurements and μ‐X‐ray mappings

Colour measurements and non‐destructive μ‐X‐ray mappings have been used for the first time in a comprehensive study of medieval émail champlevé works from different production areas in France and Germany. This approach has given a new insight into the enamel powder preparation process of the glass material used for enamelling. Colour measurements demonstrated that all production centres used glass of very similar hues, but with large differences in colour saturation. The μ‐X‐ray mapping results of blue enamels are described by a semi‐qualitative approach. Significant variations in oxide contents of lead, cobalt, manganese and antimony oxides were found. The variations suggest that more than one glass material was used to prepare the powder for enamelling. The variations in antimony and cobalt show that glass had different degrees of opacity and colour depth. The manganese and lead contents, which do not correlate with the cobalt or antimony contents, indicate that probably glass of different base compositions was used to prepare the enamel powder for one champlevé field.

Tracking Photoexcited Carriers in Hybrid Perovskite Semiconductors: Trap-Dominated Spatial Heterogeneity and Diffusion.

We use correlated confocal and wide-field fluorescence microscopy to probe the interplay between local variations in charge carrier recombination and charge carrier transport in methylammonium lead triiodide perovskite thin films. We find that local photoluminescence variations present in confocal imaging are also observed in wide-field imaging, while intensity-dependent confocal measurements show that the heterogeneity in nonradiative losses observed at low excitation powers becomes less pronounced at higher excitation powers. Both confocal and wide-field images show that carriers undergo anisotropic diffusion due to differences in intergrain connectivity. These data are all qualitatively consistent with trap-dominated variations in local photoluminescence intensity and with grain boundaries that exhibit varying degrees of opacity to carrier transport. We use a two-dimensional kinetic model to simulate and compare confocal time-resolved photoluminescence decay traces with experimental data. The simulations further support the assignment of local variations in nonradiative recombination as the primary cause of photoluminescence heterogeneity in the films studied herein. These results point to surface passivation and intergrain connectivity as areas that could yield improvements in perovskite solar cells and optoelectronic device performance.

Reducing agency conflicts through bank dividend payout decisions: the role of opacity and ownership structure

ABSTRACTWe empirically examine whether banks’ dividend decisions are influenced by their degree of opacity and ownership structure. We find that banks with concentrated ownership structure pay lower dividends when they have high degrees of opacity, in line with the hypothesis that majority shareholders pay lower dividends to extract higher levels of private benefits. We do not observe such expropriation behaviour from managers in widely held banks. Further analysis shows that higher levels of shareholder protection and stronger supervisory regimes help to constrain opportunistic behaviour of majority shareholders. Our findings have critical policy implications for the Basel 3 implementation of restrictions on dividend payouts.

Spirited Skies Project: Silica Aerogel Domes for the Habitat of the Future

The hypothesis of this paper is the examination of dome constructions using the space technology nanomaterial silica aerogel as insulating material. Silica aerogels are nanomaterials with excellent thermal insulations properties because 99.98% of their volume can be pure air. Insulation’s origin is the Latin insula ‘island’, an “isolated land” we could say. Planet Earth is a “space island”, in other words an oasis enveloped by its atmosphere: a layer of gases named sky surrounds our planet and protects life from genetic damage by ultraviolet solar radiation. By imitating nature -and in order to protect themselves-humans create garments and architectures. The primary function for garments and architecture is to insulate and to protect the human body. Silica aerogels could be considered as the eco friendly “plastic” of the 21st century because they can find application in any field. As aerogels are phenomenal energy savers they could be the paradigmatic materials for designing the insulation for future sustainable space habitats. Aerogels represent one of the most promising materials for thermally insulating buildings of the future, since the material demonstrates high performance, exhibiting thermal conductivities of 10-20 mW/(mK) in insulated, commercial products not used in a vacuum. Aerogels, when manufactured, can exhibit varying degrees of opacity, including both translucency and transparency, thereby enabling a diverse variety of applications for insulation in buildings that might require access to daylight or exploit sunlight for energy. Silica aerogel is the material-epicentre of all of the author’s multidisciplinary research. During the interactive presentation we will propose the design of small glass domes entitled Spirited Skies and Heaven in a Glass where silica aerogel was poured into jacketed glass beakers and micro clouds were settled in between the glazing. We suggest that the artificial clouds set on the transparent or translucent shell of these future space domes may relieve astronauts of their nostalgia of Earth, our home planet. With the same intention we also propose for a future space mission to utilise water (or wine) glasses with blue and gold skyscapes in double walled glass utensils.

Reducing Agency Conflict through Bank Dividend Payout Decisions: The Role of Opacity and Ownership Structure

We empirically examine whether banks’ dividend decisions are influenced by their degree of opacity and ownership structure. We find that banks with concentrated ownership structure pay lower dividends when they have high degrees of opacity, in line with the hypothesis that majority shareholders pay lower dividends to extract higher levels of private benefits. We do not observe such opportunist behavior for widely held banks. These results suggest that there exist other corporate mechanisms in widely held banks that can induce insiders to select payout policies that reduce agency conflict in a context of high degrees of opacity. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of these mechanisms is reduced in banks with controlling shareholders. Further analysis shows that higher levels of shareholder protection and stronger supervisory regimes help to constrain opportunistic behavior of majority shareholders. Our findings have critical policy implications for the Basel 3 implementation of restrictions on dividend payouts.

L'invisibile tecnologia della parola: design e sviluppo di un font per dislessici

The relationship between written text and the spatial dimension is so evident and obvious as to become practically transparent, invisible. Assuming Ong’s definition of writing as a technology of the word, written text is certainly classifiable among the “invisible technologies”. The work presented here is based on the consideration that not all technologies are transparent in the same way for everyone. For example, the process of reading and writing continues to present degrees of opacity that can have a dramatic impact in the case of specific learning disabilities. This paper discusses the choices made in the design of a font called D-FONT, which is geared towards making reading easier for dyslexic subjects. It also reports the results of a pilot study carried out to verify the font’s effectiveness for this purpose. At its present stage of development, D-FONT consists of 102 glyphs, including upper and lowercase letters, numbers, accents, symbols and punctuation.

Do Asymmetric Information and Ownership Structure Matter for Dividend Payout Decisions? Evidence from European Banks

We empirically examine whether banks' dividend decisions are influenced by their degree of opacity and ownership structure. We find that banks with concentrated or dispersed ownership structure pay lower dividends when they have high degrees of opacity. These results would be consistent with the entrenchment behavior hypothesis, with insiders (managers or majority shareholders) paying lower dividends to extract higher levels of private benefits when banks' opacity is high. Higher levels of shareholder protection and stronger supervisory regimes help to constrain entrenchment behavior of majority shareholders. Our findings have critical policy implications for the Basel 3 implementation of restrictions on dividend payouts.

A biocornea of fish scales – First results of a research model

AbstractPurpose To develop an animal model suitable to evaluate the biocompatibility of a fish‐scale derived biocornea. This biocornea has been developed as an alternative for the use of human tissue to replace damaged corneas. Prior to its use in humans, it is essential to determine the behavior and biocompatibility of the biocornea with the natural cornea.Methods A ±250 µm thick, decellularized and decalcified fish scale‐derived collagen matrix was implanted into the corneas of three groups of Fischer 344 male albino rats of 14 weeks old. Rats were anesthetized with isufluorane, oxybuprocaine and marcaine and received corticosteroids postoperatively. The first group (n=6) received an Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty (ALK). The second group (n=6) had the matrix implanted into an intralamellar corneal pocket and the third group (n=6) subconjunctivally. Discomfort, attachment of the implant, transparency of cornea and implant, epithelial damage and inflammation parameters were observed during 21 days.Results In rats receiving an intralamellar pocket implantation different degrees of opacity were observed. The anterior lamel started to disappear after day 7. Implants in the ALK group remained transparent despite neovascularization in all cases, but no reepithelialization was observed. Rats with a subconjunctival implant showed local swelling, redness and induration which decreased in time.Conclusion The artificial cornea is accepted quite well early on, but may lead to corneal melting. The curvature of the implant need be adjusted to better mimic the rats’ curvature. Future research is warranted to optimize the Biocornea. Commercial interest

Effects of opacity and oxygen inhibition of coating resin composites on bond strength to enamel

The purpose of this in vitro investigation was to study the effects on bond strength to primed human enamel stemming from opacity and polymerization inhibition by oxygen due to two coating resins. The coating resins and primers used were White Coat and an experimental material, SIR. The bond strengths on fine-ground enamel were evaluated for three shades of each of these coating resins after 24-hour storage in water. In addition, their degrees of opacity and oxygen inhibition depths were measured. The mild self-etch primer solutions produced very shallow but distinct etching patterns for micromechanical retention of the coating resin. Significant linear relationships between bond strength on the one hand and opacity and oxygen inhibition depth on the other were found for the three shades of each coating resin. Generally, the bond strength mediated on enamel is sufficiently high when these resins are combined with their proprietary adhesives. Therefore, the decrease in bond strength with increasing opacity of the coating resin shades has to be taken into account during application and light-curing.

Alteration of cadherin in dexamethasone-induced cataract organ-cultured rat lens.

A side effect associated with long-term treatment of various diseases with steroids is a high incidence of posterior subcapsular cataracts (PSC). To understand the mechanism underlying steroid-induced cataract, the cultured lens model was developed, and the expression of potential candidate proteins during opacity formation was examined. Rat lenses were carefully dissected from the surrounding ocular tissue and incubated in medium 199. Dexamethasone was then added to the medium. The lenses were cultured for 7 days and photographed daily to record the development of opacity. Differential expression of candidate proteins was examined by Western blot analysis. Various degrees of opacity were observed on the posterior subcapsular region as early as 5 days after incubation with dexamethasone. The expression of E-cadherin and N-cadherin decreased in the cultured rat lenses during the development of opacity. The pattern of opacity that developed in cultured rat lenses closely resembled that observed in patients with PSC. The results suggest that the decrease in E-cadherin plays a role in the formation of steroid-induced cataract.

Thermoresponsive Opalescence ofN-Isopropylacrylamide/N,N‘-Methylene(bis)acrylamide Copolymer Gel

Polymer gels with various degrees of opacity were first made by copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide/N,N‘-methylene(bis)acrylamide solutions at polymerization temperatures of 22−29 °C. The opaque gels underwent a gradual opacity change from transparent to a whitish state with increase in temperature, whereas transparent gels prepared at polymerization temperatures below 21 °C underwent a discontinuous opacity change from transparent to white at 32 °C. These results could be successfully explained by taking into account a microaggregate structure formed by hydrophobic side chains of the gel polymers, in addition to conventional three-dimensional network structure. In particular, the results of temperature-dependent opacity changes of the gels were consistently accounted for by increasing/decreasing of the microaggregate structure upon change in temperature. From the other point of view, such a novel structural changes could be regarded as a sort of microphase separation formed between the hydrophobic ...

Chemistry and Technology of Prehistoric Glass from Lower Saxony and Hesse

The investigated collection of glass beads and bracelets represents a cross-section of the most important glass types found for the Bronze Age and Iron Age in Central Germany. Among the artefacts are examples of different chemical compositions, colours and varying degrees of opacity. The artefacts were dated from the 14th to the 1st centurybc, directly by their archaeological context, or indirectly through findings of contemporary representatives of similar fragments. The glass fragments were found in burial, settlement and oppida-like contexts. In order to highlight some of the principle characteristics of ancient glass manufacture, raw materials and recipes used, the major, minor and trace elements of the glass were determined by electron microprobe analysis, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy and ICP-mass spectrometry.According to our investigations, the silica content in ancient glasses ranges from 67 to about 72%. The predominant alkali is Na, with a concentration between 14 and 17wt.% Na2O. CaO ranges from 6 to 8%. The chemical analysis of Bronze Age glasses from Central Germany has indicated a chemical change of this soda-lime composition. Untilc. 800bcplant-ash glass with high Mg soda-lime composition was in use, which was manufactured from plant ash, likeSalicornia herbaceraand calcereous quartz sand. On account of the plant ash used, relatively high and correlating values of MgO (3·8wt.%), K2O (1·5wt.%) and P2O5(0·3wt.%) were determined in this glass with soda-lime composition. In contrast, the natron glass with low-Mg soda-lime composition of Late Bronze Age and Iron Age from about 800bconwards was assumingly manufactured with the mineral raw material natron/trona and quartz sand. Due to this raw material used, relatively low MgO (≤0·5wt.%), K2O (0·9wt.%) and P2O5(0·06wt.%) concentrations were determined. The fact that these Bronze and Iron Age glasses found in Central Germany were manufactured in the circum-Mediterranean area (Near East, Egypt, Syria or Mesopotamia) or even, but less probably, with the use of raw materials which were imported from there, is suggested by their relatively high Cl concentrations, which range from 0·9 to 1·3%. The Cl was probably introduced into the melting process by the Cl-containing natron/trona mixture or the Na-dominated plant ashes.In addition to this circum-Mediterranean plant-ash and natron glass, fragments of Bronze Age glass were found with a totally different chemical composition, an indication for an independent glass manufacture in Europe from the 12th centurybconwards. The artefacts of this glass type contain only traces of Cl. The low P2O5, MgO and relatively high K and Na contents demonstrate that these glasses were produced using processed plant ashes (like potash) and albite-rich quartz sands.