Mirror Effect Research Articles

The classification of eye diseases from fundus images based on CNN and pretrained models

Visual impairment affects more than a billion people worldwide due to insufficient care or inadequate vision screening. Computer-aided diagnosis using deep neural networks is a promising approach, it can analyse and process retinal fundus images, providing valuable reference data for doctors in clinical diagnosis or screening. This study aims to achieve an accurate classification of fundus images, including images of healthy patients as well as those with diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and glaucoma, using a convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture and several pretrained models (AlexNet, GoogleNet, ResNet18, ResNet50, YOLOv3, and VGG 19). To enhance the training process, a mirror effect technique was applied to augment the volume of data. The experimental study resulted in very satisfactory outcomes, with the GoogleNet model paired with the SGDM optimiser achieving the highest accuracy (92.7 %).

Creativity and Mirror Effect: Teaching Creative Skills Through Non-traditional Pedagogies

Design pedagogy is crucial for transferring project methodologies and fostering creative skills. However, the technological and social transformations of this century have challenged traditional educational canons and the very definition of creativity. This article proposes that this challenge can be analyzed through non-traditional educational paradigms to address this challenge from a design methodology perspective. It first reviews the existing literature on creativity training and presents a case study on training methodologies. This case was incorporated into an undergraduate design course, providing insight into design pedagogy itself. Then, the article discusses the future challenges and projections of Design education and the cultivation of creative skills for the 21st century. Finally, by examining alternative educational approaches, this research contributes to the current discourse on design pedagogy and its adaptation to the changing needs of contemporary society.

Preparation of multifunctional protective coating on alloy surface by laser-electrodeposition additive-subtractive hybrid manufacturing

The preparation of multi-protective coatings is of great significance for improving the surface performance and prolonging the service life of parts. Here, a composite preparation method combining subtractive and additive manufacturing has been proposed to manufacture durable coatings with multiple protective capabilities. A special surface composed of a micro-nano structure and a zinc nickel composite coating was prepared through the clever combination of laser surface texturing technology and electrodeposition technology. The microstructure, surface chemical composition, and various protective properties of the prepared micro-nano structure and protective coating were mainly explored. Based on the experiment results, the Zn-Ni alloy coating successfully covered the aluminum alloy substrate. For the prepared superhydrophobic surface, the water drops contact angle was 151.5° while the sliding angle was 9°. The prepared surface exhibited excellent characteristics in reducing adhesion, mirror effect, water jet reflection, self-cleaning, anti-icing, corrosion prevention, and wear resistance. This study had positive significance in promoting the widespread application of metal based protective surfaces in the industrial field.

Evaluation and analysis of target interpretation capability for novel rotating synthetic aperture system

The novel rotating synthetic aperture imaging system has the advantages of short processing cycle, light weight, low cost, and convenient transport, which is a potential development direction for future optical satellite payloads with ultra-large aperture. However, influenced by the coupling effects of the rectangular primary mirror, rotating imaging, and link perturbation, images from this system may have unique spatial and temporal variability with resolution anisotropy, resulting in the dynamics and weak features of targets. The insufficient recognition of system characteristics seriously restricts the application ability of corresponding target interpretation methods. To address this problem, we start with the analysis of system imaging characteristics and target interpretation mechanisms. Considering calculating texture, grayscale, and edge feature parameters in evaluation regions of different sizes, we propose a degradation assessment method based on multi-scale feature characterization. Then, combined with the theoretical calculation and practical target detection experiments, the influence of crucial parameters such as the aspect ratio and rotation angle of the primary mirror on the target interpretation capability is analyzed. The results will provide guidance for the integrated design and optimization of optical imaging systems and intelligent image processing methods.

Retrieving effectively from source memory: Evidence for differentiation and local matching processes

The ability to distinguish between different explanations of human memory abilities continues to be the subject of many ongoing theoretical debates. These debates attempt to account for a growing corpus of empirical phenomena in item-memory judgments, which include the list strength effect, the strength-based mirror effect, and output interference. One of the main theoretical contenders is the Retrieving Effectively from Memory (REM) model. We show that REM, in its current form, has difficulties in accounting for source-memory judgments – a situation that calls for its revision. We propose an extended REM model that assumes a local-matching process for source judgments alongside source differentiation. We report a first evaluation of this model’s predictions using three experiments in which we manipulated the relative source-memory strength of different lists of items. Analogous to item-memory judgments, we observed a null list strength effect and a strength-based mirror effect in the case of source memory. In a second evaluation, which relied on a novel experiment alongside two previously published datasets, we evaluated the model’s predictions regarding the manifestation of output interference in item and lack of it in source memory judgments. Our results showed output interference severely affecting the accuracy of item-memory judgments but having a null or negligible impact when it comes to source-memory judgments. Altogether, these results support REM’s core notion of differentiation (for both item and source information) as well as the concept of local matching proposed by the present extension.

Influence of the position relationship between the cathode and magnetic separatrix on the discharge process of a Hall thruster

Previous studies have shown that there is an obvious coupling relationship between the installation location of the external cathode and the magnetic separatrix in the plume region of a Hall thruster. In this paper, the particle-in-cell simulation method is used to compare the thruster discharge process under the conditions of different position relationships between the cathode and the magnetic separatrix. By comparing the distribution of electron conduction, potential, plasma density and other microscopic parameters, we try to explain the formation mechanism of the discharge difference. The simulation results show that the cathode inside and outside the magnetic separatrix has a significant effect on the distribution of potential and plasma density. When the cathode is located on the outer side of the magnetic separatrix, the potential above the plume region is relatively low, and there is a strong potential gradient above the plume region. This potential gradient is more conducive to the radial diffusion of ions above the plume, which is the main reason for the strong divergence of the plume. The distribution of ion density is also consistent with the distribution of potential. When the cathode is located on the outer side of the magnetic separatrix, the radial diffusion of ions in the plume region is enhanced. Meanwhile, by comparing the results of electron conduction, it is found that the trajectories of electrons emitted from the cathode are significantly different between the inner and outer sides of the magnetic separatrix. This is mainly because the electrons are affected by the magnetic mirror effect of the magnetic tip, which makes it difficult for the electrons to move across the magnetic separatrix. This is the main reason for the difference in potential distribution. In this paper, the simulation results of macroscopic parameters under several conditions are also compared, and they are consistent with the experimental results. The cathode is located on the inner side of the magnetic separatrix, which can effectively reduce the plume divergence angle and improve the thrust. In this paper, the cathode moves from R = 50 mm to R = 35 mm along the radial direction, the thrust increases by 3.6 mN and the plume divergence angle decreases by 23.77%. Combined with the comparison of the ionization region and the peak ion density, it is found that the main reason for the change in thrust is the change in the radial diffusion of ions in the plume region.

Facile preparation of durable superhydrophobic coating with microstructure self-repairing function by spraying method

Self-healing superhydrophobic coatings have attracted tremendous attention recently, although their practical applications are severely limited by hydrophobic instability and poor structure durability. In this study, a durable superhydrophobic coating was fabricated by a rapid micro/nano structural reconstruction strategy. Carbon nanofibers (CNF) with high aspect ratio were interspersed in fluorosilicone resin (FSR) to construct a uniform network structure. By combining with temperature-responsive carnauba wax (CW) and modified fluororubber (MFR), we obtained a superhydrophobic FSR/CNF/CW/MFR coating with a water contact angle (WCA) of 157 ± 1.2° and water sliding angle (WSA) of 4.5 ± 0.4°. Under the triple synergy of polymer segment migration of FSR, temperature-responsive phase transition of CW, and elastomer rebound repair of MFR, the damaged FSR/CNF/CW/MFR coating surface was rapidly reformed to a new hierarchical micro/nanostructure with short heat treatment (less than 120 s). As a result, for a flat surface, after 1000 abrasion cycles or falling ball impact, a rich micro/nano structure was rapidly reconstructed and superhydrophobic properties were restored. The reconstructed micro/nano multistage structure could effectively capture air, which led to the repaired area exhibiting a charming silver mirror effect and excellent self-cleaning performance. Therefore, this work is expected to provide new insight into the restoration of micro/nanostructures of durable superhydrophobic coatings.

Wikipedia gender gap: a scoping review

In this scoping review, we portray an examination of the gender gap on Wikipedia by analyzing scholarly literature from 2007 to 2022. Employing quantitative methods, the study identifies key author characteristics such as gender, disciplines, countries, and institutions. The research reveals a slight majority of female authors, followed by male authors, with limited representation from non-binary authors. Qualitatively, content analysis uncovers two central themes: addressing the contribution gap and incorporating content related to underrepresented genders. Additionally, the study assesses results on the content gap, editing and participation bias, readership imbalances, and strategies to mitigate the gender gap. Furthermore, it explores the repercussions of this gap and categorizes the contributing factors as “the women’s problem,” “the mirror effect,” and “the systemic problem.” Overall, this comprehensive review enhances our comprehension of the Wikipedia gender gap and provides valuable insights into the research landscape in this domain.

Wikipedia gender gap: a scoping review

In this scoping review, we portray an examination of the gender gap on Wikipedia by analyzing scholarly literature from 2007 to 2022. Employing quantitative methods, the study identifies key author characteristics such as gender, disciplines, countries, and institutions. The research reveals a slight majority of female authors, followed by male authors, with limited representation from non-binary authors. Qualitatively, content analysis uncovers two central themes: addressing the contribution gap and incorporating content related to underrepresented genders. Additionally, the study assesses results on the content gap, editing and participation bias, readership imbalances, and strategies to mitigate the gender gap. Furthermore, it explores the repercussions of this gap and categorizes the contributing factors as “the women’s problem,” “the mirror effect,” and “the systemic problem.” Overall, this comprehensive review enhances our comprehension of the Wikipedia gender gap and provides valuable insights into the research landscape in this domain.

Beyond the black mirror effect: the impact of machine translation in the audiovisual translation environment

In an increasingly globalized world, technological advancements and artificial intelligence (AI) have catalysed the proliferation of audiovisual productions and their translation, leading to new dynamics in the professional landscape. Tools and practices such as machine translation (MT) and post-editing (PE) are becoming widespread, augmenting and diversifying translators’ tasks and creating new professional profiles and educational needs. While some specialized fields with more restrictive languages and terminology have readily incorporated MT, recent developments in neural MT (NMT) engines have led to their use in more creative areas such as literary or audiovisual translation (AVT). However, this trend raises concerns about the quality of both the raw and the final output, user perceptions, ethics and working conditions. Academic studies which explore the convergence of MT and AVT therefore become crucial to understanding the implications of this technology for all stakeholders: professionals, students and instructors, researchers, audiences and society at large. This article delves into the impact of neural MT and other AI-based tools on AVT workflows, both professionally and academically, and stresses the need for further research in this area. It then proceeds to outline the main research directions in this field as evidenced by the contributions included in this special issue, particularly those regarding the incorporation of MT into different AVT modes.

Photovoltaic module augmented by commercial reflectors in Southern Algeria: Comparison between different reflective materials

Even though the southeast region of Algeria, especially Ouargla city, enjoys a lot of sunshine all over the year, fixed photovoltaic (PV) solar panels are not sufficient due to two main reasons. Firstly, these panels are unable to capture sunlight during the early morning and late afternoon, and secondly, their efficiency is low, requiring the use of economical methods to enhance their performance. To overcome these limitations, this research suggests incorporating commercial reflectors to enhance sunlight capture. Furthermore, this paper compares the effects of three types of reflective materials: mirrors, aluminium, and transparent glass, on the performance of the PV module. To achieve this objective, reflectors are installed at the top and bottom of the PV module at their optimal tilt angles. Moreover, the effect of the adjacent module's mirrors was studied by installing two big mirrors (3X). The obtained results show an average improvement of 14.24 %, 11.41 %, and 4.7 % in the electrical energy generated by the PV panel with mirrors, aluminium, and transparent glass, respectively, compared to the module without reflectors. Subsequently, in the large mirror case, the results were positive, with an average 20.84 % increase in the maximal electrical power produced compared to the conventional one.

Effects of lexical skills and orthographic neighborhood size in word memory

Two experiments were designed to investigate the relationship between individual lexical skills in young adults and memory performance on words varying by their orthographic neighborhood size. In Experiment 1, a sample of 100 university students were administrated a set of spelling, reading, and vocabulary tests to assess their lexical skills. Then, they had to learn mixed lists of words from high and low neighborhood size and perform free recall and memory recognition tasks. Importantly, high lexical skills were found to enhance free recall and, to a lesser extent, recognition. In addition, a typical mirror effect of neighborhood size was found in recognition as words were better recognized and also produced less false alarms when they had a low neighborhood size. In Experiment 2, pure lists of words were designed and a new sample of 90 university students was assessed. We replicated the effect of lexical skills in free recall and the effect of neighborhood size for hits in recognition. Spelling skills were found to interact with neighborhood size in free recall in that low spelling skills were associated with a facilitatory effect of neighborhood size. In recognition, a relation between reading skills and neighborhood size was found such that the higher the reading skills, the higher was the inhibitory effect of neighborhood size. These results provide new evidence of an influence of lexical skills in word memory performance and underline the role of orthographic neighborhood size in episodic memory tasks.

Optical efficiency of parabolic troughs with a secondary flat reflector; effects of non-ideal primary mirrors

Secondary flat receivers enhance concentration of parabolic trough collectors with cylindrical receivers. An increase of 70 % was possible for commercial primary mirrors while allowing the optical efficiency to be less sensitive to misalignments. Including the secondary flat reflector close to a parabolic-trough receiver may, however, reduce the optical efficiency of the trough due to the shadow projected. In this work ray-tracing simulations were conducted to compare the optical efficiency and the misalignment sensitivity of the standard absorber and its secondary flat reflector variation. In some cases, the required dimensions for the secondary flat reflector would make it a non-realistic solution due to the impossibility of encapsulating it within a glass cover. To overcome this issue, a truncated version of the secondary mirror is proposed and evaluated. A truncated secondary flat reflector will decrease the deleterious effects of the shading, enhancing concentration further but changing the tolerance to misalignments of the troughs. Analysis of two benchmark primary mirrors shows a worst-case scenario of optical efficiency reductions less than 3.5 and 2 %, with concentration increases of 20 and 80 % respectively. The reduction on absorber size offsets the lower optical efficiency by the reduction of radiation losses, especially for high-temperature applications.

On the radiation of sound from an immersed cylindrical shell close to the sea surface

Numerical methods for the prediction of underwater radiated noise from immersed structures play a key role in the naval and offshore industry to ensure high acoustic performance of systems or to preserve natural habitats. Most of the approaches so far assume that the surrounding fluid is homogeneous and unbounded. However, in many situations the structure can be close to interfaces, namely the sea surface and the sea bottom, such as navigation of underwater vehicles in shallow waters. The Lloyd's mirror effect describes the interference phenomena occurring when a sound source is close to the sea surface. This effect is easily accounted for with a source image approach, while the strong vibro-acoustic coupling between the structure and the interface is more complicated to deal with. In this context, an analytical method has recently been developed to predict the vibro-acoustic behaviour of an infinite length cylindrical shell close to the surface, based on the shell equations and Graf's addition theorem. In the present work, we compare this approach to a simplified one where the strong interactions between the surface and the structure are not considered. Results highlight these effects on a typical underwater structure

Principal component analysis: development and initial validation of the mirror effects inventory

BackgroundMirroring is a specific phenomenon that occurs in groups. People observe others enacting different roles in given situations, whereby concretizing the role of the observing aspect of their self as if looking in a mirror. Individuals could acquire emotional, cognitive, imaginative, behavioral, and interpersonal experiences through this process of mirroring; that is, “mirror effects.” Given that there are very few comprehensive scales capable of evaluating mirror effects, the Mirror Effects Inventory (MEI) was developed to measure experiences after participating in counseling education. This study describes the development of the MEI based on an interpersonal perspective and aimed to validate this scale.MethodsThe development and validation of the MEI involved a seven-stage process that utilized both qualitative and quantitative methods. Former students who studied counseling (N = 24) were surveyed via semi-structured telephone interviews. A subjective perceived scale (the MEI) was then constructed. The MEI was administered to part-time university students (N = 221) studying counseling courses. Psychometric tests were performed to examine its validity and reliability. Validation of the MEI included examining correlations between three types of mirror effects and age differences and educational attainment.ResultsThe PCA revealed three types of mirror effects: general, positive, and negative. These components accounted for 53.82% of the total variance. Reliability estimates measured using Cronbach’s alpha of .88 indicated that the items were internally consistent. The findings showed that as the general mirror effect increased, there was a corresponding increase in the positive mirror effect and a decrease in the negative mirror effect. However, an increase in positive mirror effects was associated with an increase in negative mirror effects.ConclusionsThe development of a reliable and valid measure of mirror effects has benefits and implications for counseling education and clinical practice. Further empirical research could contribute to resolving the controversies concerning the basic conceptual understanding of MEI.

Comparison of Objective Facial Metrics on Both Sides of the Face Among Patients with Severe Bell's Palsy Treated with Mirror Effect Plus Protocol Rehabilitation Versus Controls.

Objective: The extent to which the healthy hemiface dynamically contributes to facial synchronization during facial rehabilitation has been largely unstudied. This study compares the synchronization of both hemifaces in severe Bell's palsy patients who either received facial rehabilitation called "Mirror Effect Plus Protocol" (MEPP) or basic counseling. Methods: Baseline and 1-year postonset data from 39 patients (19 = MEPP and 20 = basic counseling) were retrospectively analyzed using Emotrics+, a software that generates facial metrics with artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms. Paired t-tests were used for intrasubject comparisons of hemifaces, and mixed model analysis were used to compare between groups. Results: For voluntary movements, a significant difference in favor of the MEPP group was only found for smiling (p = 0.025*). However, at 1-year postonset, the control group showed significant variability between hemifaces for most synkinesis measurements [nasolabial fold (p = 0.029*); eye area (p = 0.043*); palpebral fissure (p = 0.011*)]. Conclusion: In this study, a better synchronization of both hemifaces was found in the MEPP group. Interestingly, motor adaptation in movement amplitude of the healthy hemiface seemed to contribute to this synchronization in MEPP patients. Further studies are needed to standardize the procedure of AI measurements and to adapt it for clinical use.

Fabrication of superhydrophobic self-cleaning Ni-Co-MoS2/Ni composite coating

This work investigated the parallel magnetically assisted jet electrodeposition of Ni-Co-MoS2/Ni superhydrophobic composite coatings. As a comparison, the effect of the magnetic field on Ni-Co alloy coatings was analyzed. Then, micro/nano MoS2/Ni particles were further added to study the performance of Ni-Co-MoS2/Ni composite coatings under different concentrations of micro/nano particles. Research indicated that the Ni-Co-MoS2/Ni composite coating surface exhibits coral like micro/nano structures, and the micro/nano structures became denser as the concentration of micro/nano particles increased. The superhydrophobic composite coatings were obtained without any chemical modification reagents. The contact angle of the superhydrophobic composite coating was as high as 153.2° and the sliding angle was 8.7° when the amount of micro/nano particles was added at 5 g/L. The coral like micro/nano structures of the composite coating provided additional air cushion to support surface water droplets and exhibited excellent self-cleaning performance. In addition, the composite coating also showed excellent corrosion resistance and wear resistance, which was still relatively intact after friction, only exhibiting few wears on coral like micro/nano structures, it still maintained a good silver mirror effect after friction. This work suggested that parallel magnetically assisted jet electrodeposition could fabricate superhydrophobic composite coatings with excellent performance.

The use of graphic design elements in commercial architectural design in the context of intelligence

Abstract In this paper, firstly, in the context of intelligence, using techniques such as hierarchical features, local perceptual field, weight sharing, and spatial subsampling make the convolutional neural network with representational learning ability, certain translation, scaling, and deformation invariance, which can accurately extract the features of target objects in graphic design elements. Next, the network structure, loss function, and optimization methods of MaskR-CNN are analyzed, and the MaskR-CNN convolutional neural network is implemented based on the TensorFlow framework, and the network is applied to the extraction of buildings from graphic design elements. Then the borrowed landscape technique in graphic design is used to enrich the combination form of elements of architectural design through the mirror effect of water landscape. The selected IALD dataset is composed of 180 data images and 180 corresponding labeled images, and the effect of high-resolution building extraction of graphic design elements based on the MaskR-CNN model is verified by simulation experiments. The simulation results show that Mask R-CNN improves the accuracy of building extraction from graphic design elements by 5.11%, mAP also improves by about 10.09%, and the inference time is less than 1 second; Mask R-CNN has good robustness and accuracy for building extraction from graphic design elements. This study has important research significance for the depth and development of the commercial architectural design.

Formation of Electron Butterfly Distribution by a Contracting Dipolarization Front

AbstractThe electron butterfly distribution, characterized by pitch angles (PA) primarily at 45° and 135°, was rarely observed in Earth's magnetotail. Here using the high‐resolution measurements from Magnetospheric Multiscale mission, we present the observation of electron butterfly distribution in a contracting dipolarization front (DF), and propose a new physical mechanism to explain its formation. Specifically, we discover that the electron butterfly distribution only exhibited in the locally contracted DF and was observed above 1.7 keV. We infer that local contraction of the DF transformed its configuration from a magnetic bottle to an hourglass‐shaped magnetic structure, and the butterfly distribution was formed by the magnetic mirror effect of this magnetic hourglass. Additionally, the theoretically estimated loss cone of the magnetic hourglass fits well with the observations of electrons, validating our inference about the formation mechanism. These findings can improve our understanding of electron dynamics in Earth's magnetosphere.

Context modulates discrepancy attribution processes: Evidence from the word frequency mirror effect

Context modulates discrepancy attribution processes: Evidence from the word frequency mirror effect