Projection Technique Research Articles

A method for noninvasive beat-by-beat visualization of His bundle signals.

Invasive recording of His bundle signals (HBS) in electrophysiological study (EPS) is important in determining HV interval, the time taken to activate the ventricles from the His bundle. Noninvasive surface measurements of HBS are attempted by averaging typically 100-200 cardiac cycles of ECG time series in body surface potential mapping (BSPM) and in magnetocardiography (MCG) which records weak cardiac magnetic fields by highly sensitive detectors. However, noninvasive beat-by-beat extraction of HBS is challenged by ramp-like atrial signals and noise in PR segment of the cardiac cycle. By making use of a signal-averaged trace showing prominent HBS as a guide trace, we developed a method combining interval-dependent wavelet thresholding (IDWT) and signal space projection (SSP) technique to eliminate artifacts from single beats. The method was applied on MCG recorded on 21 subjects with known HV intervals based on EPS and noninvasive signal-averaging, including five subjects with BSPM recorded subsequently. The method was also applied on stress-MCG of a subject featuring autonomic dynamics. HBS could be extracted from 19 out of 21 subjects by signal-averaging whose timing differed from EPS between -8 and 11 ms as tested by 2 observers. HBS in single beats were seen as aligned patterns in inter-beat contours and were appreciable in stress-MCG and conspicuous than BSPM. The performance of the method was evaluated on simulated and measured MCG to be adequate if the signal-to-noise ratio was at least 20 dB. These results suggest the use of this method for noninvasive assessments on HBS.

SPATIO-TEMPORAL DIFFERENTIATION AND FUTURE TRENDS ANALYSIS OF AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY IN HATHRAS DISTRICT, UTTAR PRADESH

The agriculture sector has gone through different phases of growth, embracing a wide variety of institutional interventions, technology and policy regimes in India. It is important to assess whether the past, present and future trends of agricultural productivity are compatible with the growing demand of people. This paper analyzes the spatiotemporal differentiation and future trends of agricultural productivity in Hathras district, Uttar Pradesh. This study is based on secondary sources of data for the period 2000-01 and 2014-15. Yang’s Crop Yield Index (CYI), Standard Deviation (SD) and Data Projection techniques have been used in this work. The study reveals that the whole district has made reasonable enhancements in their agricultural productivity from 2000-01 to 2014-15 which are varied over space and time. The future trends of agricultural productivity for the year 2030-31 indicate that the study area has continuously boosted its productivity since 2000-01. It concludes that the problems which are needed to address are accessibility, invention, and equal delivery mechanism of government-sponsored schemes, programs, policies and projects like irrigation, capacity building programs, farmer sensitization issues and others.

Fast and Accurate Calculation of the UV-Vis Spectrum with the Modified Local Excitation Approximation.

The local excitation approximation (LEA), a method for the calculation of electronic excitations localized in a specific region of a molecule, has been modified with new approaches to enhance the accuracy of the original method. The primary concept behind LEA involves isolating the region of interest as a submolecule from the full molecule using a localization method, followed by calculating electronic excitations solely within this submolecule. In this study, we examined approaches that improve the accuracy in describing the region of interest, particularly its molecular orbital energies. Additionally, the localization method was extended with a new projection technique to accelerate calculations. These approaches were studied in time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations applied to four testing systems with a chromophore as the region of interest: two basic linear molecules, acrolein surrounded by 24 water molecules, and a model of a green fluorescent protein. For all studied systems, the results of TDDFT calculations combined with LEA exhibited near-zero error when groups of atoms adjacent to the chromophore were explicitly included in the submolecule. This was achieved with at least a quadratic speedup of the calculation time as a function of the submolecule size.

Fictitious cases as a methodology to discuss sensitive health topics in focus groups

ABSTRACT Purpose It can be challenging to research aspects of people’s health behaviour, attitudes, and emotions due to the sensitive nature of these topics. We aimed to develop a novel methodology for discussing sensitive health topics, and explore the effectiveness in focus groups using prostate cancer and screening as an example. Method We developed a fictitious case and employed it as a projective technique in focus groups on prostate cancer and screening. The participants were men and their partners who lived in Denmark. Results The technique encouraged emotional and cognitive openness in focus group discussions about the risk of prostate cancer, the benefits and harms of screening, and decision-making about screening. It appeared that using the fictitious case allowed the participants to personally distance themselves from the topic, project emotions onto the case, and thereby openly talk about their emotions. Conclusion This article presents a methodological contribution to communication about sensitive topics in focus groups, using prostate cancer screening as an example. Further refinement of the methodology is needed to enable participants to transfer improvements in knowledge to their own decision about screening.

PARSIMONIOUS MACHINE LEARNING MODELS IN REQUIREMENTS ELICITATION TECHNIQUES SELECTION

The subject of research in the article is machine learning algorithms used for requirement elicitation technique selection. The goal of the work is to build effective parsimonious machine learning models to predict the using particular elicitation techniques in IT projects that allow using as few predictor variables as possible without a significant deterioration in the prediction quality. The following tasks are solved in the article: design an algorithm to build parsimonious machine learning candidate models for requirement elicitation technique selection based on gathered information on practitioners' experience, assess parsimonious machine learning model accuracy, and design an algorithm for the best candidate model selection. The following methods are used: algorithm theory, statistics theory, sampling techniques, data modeling theory, and science experiments. The following results were obtained: 1) parsimonious machine learning candidate models were built for the requirement elicitation technique selection. They included less number of features that helps in the future to avoid overfitting problems associated with the best-fit models; 2) according to the proposed algorithm for best candidate selection – a single parsimonious model with satisfied performance was chosen. Conclusion: An algorithm is proposed to build parsimonious candidate models for requirement elicitation technique selection that avoids the overfitting problem. The algorithm for the best candidate model selection identifies when a parsimonious model's performance is degraded and decides on the suitable model's selection. Both proposed algorithms were successfully tested with four datasets and can be proposed for their extensions to others.

High dynamic reflection surface 3D reconstruction with sharing phase demodulation mechanism and multi-indicators guided phase domain fusion.

Accurate and complete 3D measurement of complex high dynamic range (HDR) surfaces has been challenging for structured light projection technique. The behavior of spraying a layer of diffuse reflection material, which will inevitably incur additional thickness. Existing methods based on additional facilities will increase the cost of hardware system. The algorithms-based methods are cost-effective and nondestructive, but they generally require redundant patterns for image fusion and model training, which fail to be suitable for practicing automated 3D measurement for complex HDR surfaces. In this paper, a HDR surface 3D reconstruction method based on sharing demodulation phase unwrapping mechanism and multi-indicators guided phase fusion strategy is proposed. The division of the exposure interval is optimized via the image entropy to generate an optimal exposure sequence. The combination of temporal-spatial binary (TSB) encoding fringe patterns with time-integration strategy and the variable exposure mode of digital mirror device (DMD)-based projector with a minimum projection exposure time of 233μs enables the proposed approach to broadly adapt complex HDR surfaces. We propose an efficient phase analysis solution called sharing mechanism that wrapped phase sequences from captured different intensity fringe images are unwrapped through sharing the same group of misaligned Gray code (MGC) decoding result. Finally, a phase sequences fusion model guided by multi-indicators, including exposure quality, phase gradient smoothness and pixel effectiveness, is established to obtain an optimum phase map for final 3D reconstruction. Comparative experiments indicate that the proposed method can completely restore the 3D topography of HDR surfaces with the images reduction of at least 65% and the measurement integrity is maintained at over 98% while preserving the measurement accuracy and excluding the outliers.

Seismic performance assessment of medical equipment using experimentally validated rolling and toppling nonlinear models

During the last decades, several hospitals stopped service due to severe seismic damage to nonstructural components and medical equipment. This article investigates the dynamic behavior of medical equipment deployed in a full-scale, five-story building with two different support conditions, base isolated (BI) and fixed to the base (FB). Two nonlinear mathematical models, namely, rolling and toppling, are used to simulate the observed experimental responses using recorded data and the camera projection technique (CPT). CPT generated the possibility of measuring equipment horizontal displacements, slips, rotations, rocking, and toppling responses. The Euler–Lagrange formulation, along with the Stribeck friction model, was used to numerically model the rolling and in-plane rotation behavior of a four-wheel mobile cart (4WMC), which is considered to represent the trajectory of equipment supported on caster wheels. Besides, a simple two-dimensional (2D) rigid block model was used to describe the rocking and toppling behavior of locked and free-standing equipment. It was found that the 4WMC model was sensitive to the platform and wheels’ initial orientation angles, as well as the static and kinetic friction coefficients. As it should be, the toppling model was sensitive to the block dimensions and the intensity of the shaking. It was concluded that both numerical models successfully predicted the equipment rolling, in-plane rotation, rocking, and toppling behavior, as long as neither severe lateral impacts nor significant changes in the equipment mass occur during the motion.

Surface Waterproofing Techniques: A Case Study in Nova Lima, Brazil

Considering the various problems caused by infiltration in civil construction, this study aimed to identify the most appropriate waterproofing methods for different types of surfaces. A study was conducted on the mechanisms of water infiltration on surfaces and the waterproofing methods available on the market, focusing on asphalt blankets, in addition to a literature review highlighting state-of-the-art methods on this topic. A case study was also conducted in a residence in Nova Lima, Brazil, analyzing different waterproofing techniques, including their characteristics and stages. Among the conclusions, it is highlighted that the implementation of adequate project, installation, inspection, and maintenance techniques can significantly reduce the waterproofing failure rate and repair costs, and that the excellent choice of materials, along with the skill of the labor force in the application, is fundamental to guarantee the adequate performance of these materials in buildings.

EVALUATION OF TIME OVERRUNS AND TIME MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS IN ERBIL CITY

Successful people utilize their time judiciously. The challenge of completing construction projects within the estimated time frame is the biggest concern among practitioners. In this research two aspects have been highlighted, first; the most significant factor of time overrun in construction projects performed by Erbil Municipality during road construction. The second aspect is the time management methods held by the project team. A random sampling technique was used to administer 126 questionnaires to professionals such as Project managers, Engineers, and contractors working on road construction projects for Erbil municipality. On the other hand, a case study has been conducted for 70 constructed projects during 2018-2022 for the evaluation of time management techniques in road construction projects by identifying the process of monitoring, software packages that are used for that, the progress of work, and investigating how progress records are kept in Erbil City municipality projects. The results revealed that the most significant factor for time overrun was the economic crisis which led to the failure to pay contractors' dues in a timely manner, followed by the unreasonable time frame for the completion of projects. Used techniques and software packages for time management were identified It is revealed that there is no specific method for managing time. Multiple methods are used depending on the situation.

USAGE AND ACCEPTANCE OF MANAGEMENT TOOLS IN PROJECT-BASED LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

AbstractThis paper aims to identify the reasons for neglecting and the motivations for using management tools among three groups of students participating in a project that was carried out and followed over a period of one semester. For this purpose, a survey in the form of questionnaires and interviews was created. Particular emphasis was placed on the use of project management methods, tools and techniques and respondents were asked to rate the effectiveness of their usage. Additionally, the participants were asked to report limitations or distractions they had encountered. The results revealed five aspects that mainly influenced the students’ motivation in using management tools: the team atmosphere, determining responsibilities, performance transparency, expectations by the supervisors, feedback and performance evaluation. On that basis conclusions were drawn on what actions can be taken to motivate future students and designers.

Prediction of 2-[18F]FDG PET-CT SUVmax for Adrenal Mass Characterization: A CT Radiomics Feasibility Study

Background: Indeterminate adrenal masses (AM) pose a diagnostic challenge, and 2-[18F]FDG PET-CT serves as a problem-solving tool. Aim of this study was to investigate whether CT radiomics features could be used to predict the 2-[18F]FDG SUVmax of AM. Methods: Patients with AM on 2-[18F]FDG PET-CT scan were grouped based on iodine contrast injection as CT contrast-enhanced (CE) or CT unenhanced (NCE). Two-dimensional segmentations of AM were manually obtained by multiple operators on CT images. Image resampling and discretization (bin number = 16) were performed. 919 features were calculated using PyRadiomics. After scaling, unstable, redundant, and low variance features were discarded. Using linear regression and the Uniform Manifold Approximation and Projection technique, a CT radiomics synthetic value (RadSV) was obtained. The correlation between CT RadSV and 2-[18F]FDG SUVmax was assessed with Pearson test. Results: A total of 725 patients underwent PET-CT from April 2020 to April 2021. In 150 (21%) patients, a total of 179 AM (29 bilateral) were detected. Group CE consisted of 84 patients with 108 AM (size = 18.1 ± 4.9 mm) and Group NCE of 66 patients with 71 AM (size = 18.5 ± 3.8 mm). In both groups, 39 features were selected. No statisticallyf significant correlation between CT RadSV and 2-[18F]FDG SUVmax was found (Group CE, r = 0.18 and p = 0.058; Group NCE, r = 0.13 and p = 0.27). Conclusions: It might not be feasible to predict 2-[18F]FDG SUVmax of AM using CT RadSV. Its role as a problem-solving tool for indeterminate AM remains fundamental.

Pure edge-contact devices on single-layer-CVD-graphene integrated into a single chip

We present a simple and cost-effective fabrication technique for on-chip integration of pure edge contact two-terminal (2T) and Graphene field effect transistor (GFET) devices with low contact resistance and nonlinear characteristics based on single-layer chemical-vapor-deposited (CVD) graphene. We use a smart print-based mask projection technique with a 10X magnification objective lens for maskless lithography followed by thermal evaporation of the contact material Cr-Pd-Au through three different angles (90° and ± 45°) using a customized inclined-angle sample-holder to control the angle during normal incidence evaporation for edge-contact to graphene. Our fabrication technique, graphene quality, and contact geometry enable pure metal contact to 2D single-layer graphene allowing electron transport through the 1D atomic edge of graphene. Our devices show some signatures of edge contact to graphene in terms of very low contact resistance of 23.5 Ω, the sheet resistance of 11.5 Ω, and sharp nonlinear voltage-current characteristics (VCC) which are highly sensitive to the bias voltage. This study may find application in future graphene-integrated chip-scale passive or active low-power electronic devices.

Dirac equation from stereographic projection of the momentum sphere

The Dirac equation is commonly demonstrated under stringent hypotheses and after considerable math work made in relativistic quantum mechanics and quantum field theory. Here, a purely geometric approach free from hypotheses is suggested. The suggestion draws inspiration from the technique of stereographic projection that was developed before the quantum era to solve gyroscopic problems of classical mechanics. The projected variable is the generalized (or canonical) momentum vector. Its undetermined geometric orientations define a sphere in the momentum space and the projection onto the equatorial plane generates the Pauli matrices as soon as the conventional stereographic matrix is introduced. The associated eigenvalue problem results in the Dirac equation and the eigenvector (bispinor) has components that are related to geometric elements of the momentum space. The procedure has the advantage of revealing the correct form of the Dirac matrices without the mathematical effort that characterizes the presentation of the equation in traditional approaches. The other remarkable advantage is that, unlike the common reduction to the case of free space, the spatial inhomogeneity due to interaction potentials is included in the demonstration from the very beginning. The whole suggestion has an interdisciplinary character (relativity, complex analysis, rotation of rigid bodies, Pauli matrices) and can be useful in teaching the equation to students who lack in sufficient knowledge of quantum mechanics. Students equipped with more advanced education can benefit from the purely geometric perspective of this work if used to complement their studies about the equation.

Optical coherence tomography image despeckling based on tensor singular value decomposition and fractional edge detection

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging is a technique that is frequently used to diagnose medical conditions. However, coherent noise, sometimes referred to as speckle noise, can dramatically reduce the quality of OCT images, which has an adverse effect on how OCT images are used. In order to enhance the quality of OCT images, a speckle noise reduction technique is developed, and this method is modelled as a low-rank tensor approximation issue. The grouped 3D tensors are first transformed into the transform domain using tensor singular value decomposition (t-SVD). Then, to cut down on speckle noise, transform coefficients are thresholded. Finally, the inverse transform can be used to produce images with speckle suppression. To further enhance the despeckling results, a feature-guided thresholding approach based on fractional edge detection and an adaptive backward projection technique are also presented. Experimental results indicate that the presented algorithm outperforms several comparison methods in relation to speckle suppression, objective metrics, and edge preservation.

Robust and Fast Measure of Information via Low-Rank Representation

The matrix-based Rényi's entropy allows us to directly quantify information measures from given data, without explicit estimation of the underlying probability distribution. This intriguing property makes it widely applied in statistical inference and machine learning tasks. However, this information theoretical quantity is not robust against noise in the data, and is computationally prohibitive in large-scale applications. To address these issues, we propose a novel measure of information, termed low-rank matrix-based Rényi's entropy, based on low-rank representations of infinitely divisible kernel matrices. The proposed entropy functional inherits the specialty of of the original definition to directly quantify information from data, but enjoys additional advantages including robustness and effective calculation. Specifically, our low-rank variant is more sensitive to informative perturbations induced by changes in underlying distributions, while being insensitive to uninformative ones caused by noises. Moreover, low-rank Rényi's entropy can be efficiently approximated by random projection and Lanczos iteration techniques, reducing the overall complexity from O(n³) to O(n²s) or even O(ns²), where n is the number of data samples and s ≪ n. We conduct large-scale experiments to evaluate the effectiveness of this new information measure, demonstrating superior results compared to matrix-based Rényi's entropy in terms of both performance and computational efficiency.

Analogy between Ancient Techniques of Theatrical Scenography and Shipbuilding Research Project: Iter Teatro - A Nautical, Nomadic Stage Using Water as Dramaturgical Element

The paper outlines the initial idea behind this project, i.e., the similarity between theatrical dynamics, particularly on stage, and the building of wooden vessels, which during years of research, from 2004 till today, have led to the production of eight different versions of movable and floating stages. Historical sources provide evidence of how theatre stagehands and sailors shared very similar skills since the times of ancient Rome, and how some of the rituals typical of fishing villages, like the tuna fisheries in Sicily, consists of highly dramatized behaviours and methods, in a unique mixture of spirituality and engineering, which was applied by seamen spontaneously. During the years of development of this project, the element of water has always had the greatest importance, and consequently it represents the main performative element. Another key element is the journey, or Iter (in Latin). The concept of mobility has been translated into a stagecraft design which can be very easily moved from town to town, or from one country to another. The second part of the presentation will focus on concept-theatre and its latest developments, highlighting its main characteristics, structural details, purposes and prospects. The conclusion will argue the specific reasons why this project – which has long been teetering between dream and reality - should now be realized, considering, in particular, the ethical and social values pertaining to scenic arts, which since the Greek theatre have always been a powerful medium for telling the story and life of the people, and for renewing their cultural heritage.

THE ROLE OF PLAY IN BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PEERSIN THE PRESCHOOL GROUP

The main purpose of the article is to study the importance of plays in building relationships between peers. The method of diagnostic survey was used to conduct the research, the research technique was a survey, and the tool was a questionnaire. The projective technique was also used. Its tool was the test of unfinished sentences. The play has a significant role in building relationships between peers in a preschool group. The child's adaptation to the new environment is also of great importance here. It is because the relations between the charges are also conditioned by a friendly atmosphere and positive attitude toward peers, teachers, and the institution. Children's attitude towards preschool is usually positive, and no negative feelings are noticed among children. It means that preschoolers feel good in the facility they attend. They like it, and they love playing with each other. Although, sometimes, there are aggressive behaviors to which the teacher should react appropriately. Positive relations between the teacher and the child are essential elements of a properly functioning preschool institution. Teachers know about this sympathy; they know that children take their personalities into account. Good relations with peers and appropriate contact with the teacher are also the most crucial factors in building relationships between children; the atmosphere in the facility is also significant, as the environment, the organization of the teacher's work, the level of the child's development, or the equipment of the facility.

A Review of Critical Issues in High-Speed Vat Photopolymerization.

Vat photopolymerization (VPP) is an effective additive manufacturing (AM) process known for its high dimensional accuracy and excellent surface finish. It employs vector scanning and mask projection techniques to cure photopolymer resin at a specific wavelength. Among the mask projection methods, digital light processing (DLP) and liquid crystal display (LCD) VPP have gained significant popularity in various industries. To upgrade DLP and LCC VPP into a high-speed process, increasing both the printing speed and projection area in terms of the volumetric print rate is crucial. However, challenges arise, such as the high separation force between the cured part and the interface and a longer resin refilling time. Additionally, the divergence of the light-emitting diode (LED) makes controlling the irradiance homogeneity of large-sized LCD panels difficult, while low transmission rates of near ultraviolet (NUV) impact the processing time of LCD VPP. Furthermore, limitations in light intensity and fixed pixel ratios of digital micromirror devices (DMDs) constrain the increase in the projection area of DLP VPP. This paper identifies these critical issues and provides detailed reviews of available solutions, aiming to guide future research towards developing a more productive and cost-effective high-speed VPP in terms of the high volumetric print rate.

Triple Strut Concept for the Nasal Tip Projection in Small Lower Lateral Cartilages and Septum.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the triple strut graft technique for nasal tip projection in Asian patients with weak and small lower lateral cartilages and septum. The technique uses a combination of septal angle strut and, columellar strut grafts and lateral crural repositioning to provide support for the nasal tip. The study included 30 Asian patients who underwent primary rhinoplasty using this technique between January 2019 and December 2021. The surgical procedure involved making an open rhinoplasty incision and performing a scroll area release. A small triangular-shaped septal angle strut graft was then placed, and the lower lateral cartilages were suspended anteriorly and placed on the anterior end of the septal angle after a columellar strut graft was performed between both medial crura. The lateral crura of the lower lateral cartilages were transposed medially on top of the upper lateral cartilages and maintained in place by spanning sutures at the cephalic margins of both lateral crura. The triple strut graft technique was shown to be effective in providing stable tip projection in Asian noses with weak and small lower lateral cartilages and septum. Statistically significant differences were found between the preoperative and postoperative values of the nasal tip projection ratio and Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation ( P < 0.05). The triple strut graft tip projection technique can be an effective surgical option for Asian patients who have weak and small medial crura combined with a small septum, providing stability for the nasal tip projection.

Exact traveling wave solutions and soliton solutions of conformable M-fractional modified nonlinear Schrödinger model

The traveling wave solutions and soliton solutions of the conformable M-fractional modified nonlinear Schrödinger equation have been devised in this work by employing the generalized projective Riccati equations technique. The proposed method is straightforward and concise to obtain exact soliton solutions of nonlinear partial differential equations in various scientific discipline. This approach has been applied successfully to a wide variety of physical and mathematical problems. In many cases, the method has been able to provide new insights into the behavior of these systems and has led to the discovery of new phenomena. Several types of soliton solutions, including hyperbolic traveling wave solution, kink-shape soliton solution, singular soliton solution and dark soliton-type traveling wave solution, have been derived from the governing equation by using this effective technique. The solutions achieved by the governing model contain significant and dynamic justifications for certain real-world physical phenomena. Some acquired soliton solutions are displayed in 3D plots, corresponding contour plots and density plots to illustrate the physical dynamics of the governing model. Furthermore, the resulting outcomes manifest that the proposed method is highly efficient for revealing wave solutions for a wide range of nonlinear partial differential equations that emerge in optics.