Coefficient Values Research Articles

Experimental investigation on duration of load effect of novel inorganic-bonded bamboo composite under flexural load

Conventional engineered wood and bamboo materials commonly require organic adhesives for adequate bonding. As an alternative solution in bio-based composites, a novel bamboo-based composite prepared with a magnesium-based inorganic adhesive was proposed herein, which is named as “inorganic-bonded bamboo composite” and abbreviated as InorgBam. This study investigates the duration of load (DOL) effect on InorgBam beams under long-term flexural load. The percentile matching method was used to obtain the short-term strengths matched to the long-term specimens, and the strength reduction of the long-term specimens was obtained. The DOL result were calibrated using the DOL empirical formulas and DOL damage models, including Gerhards, Foschi and Yao, and Nielsen models. The impact of the selected cumulative probability functions of short-term strength on the DOL analysis has also been discussed. Results illustrated that the strength reduction in the InorgBam was less than the prediction of Madison curve. The value of DOL coefficient determined with Foschi and Yao model was closest to that derived from the empirical fitted formula. The DOL effect of the InorgBam beams was significantly smaller than that of conventional engineered wood beams, which is beneficial for determining the design strength value of InorgBam material.

Performance of CHIRPS for estimating precipitation extremes in the Wala Basin, Jordan

Abstract The evaluation of open-source precipitation data is crucial to enable the selection of the most appropriate product for a specific research. This study aims to evaluate the capability of the Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS) with a spatial resolution of 0.05° for estimating monthly and annual precipitation in the Wala basin, Jordan, from 1987 to 2017 using a point-to-pixel comparison approach. Eleven precipitation extreme indices, recommended by the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices (ETCCDI), were used in this study. The findings show that CHIRPS correlated moderately with stations in monthly precipitation estimation, with the Pearson correlation coefficient values ranging from 0.50 to 0.73. However, CHIRPS had low correlations with stations in most of the extreme indices, except PRCPTOT, R10mm, and R20mm. The CHIRPS, particularly in the extreme years, overestimated low precipitation amounts and underestimated high ones. Moreover, CHIRPS underestimated the calculation of consecutive dry days, consecutive wet days, R10mm, R20mm, and R30mm, while an overestimation was found for the R95p, R99p, and Rx1day. The trend analysis and Wilcox text showed a lack of resemblance between the CHIRPS and gauges, showing a bias correction is needed before applying an extreme analysis in this region.

Impact of nano-dopants on the mechanical and physical properties of magnesium oxychloride cement composites – Experimental assessment

The importance of the reduction of the World's CO2 emissions due to their non-negligible contribution to climate change is inevitable. As the Portland cement (PC) industry is one of the main contributors to the overall volume of CO2 emissions produced over the World, a sustainable PC substitute must be implemented. Previous scientific studies suggest that magnesium oxychloride cement (MOC) – an eco-friendly binder based on reactive magnesia – could be a suitable alternative. This contribution studies the influence of various nano-dopants on the mechanical and physical properties of MOC-based composites. The nano-dopants introduced to the MOC composite were the following: multi-walled carbon nanotubes, oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide, graphene nanoplatelets, and alumina nanosheets. Ahead of the composite preparation, the nano-dopants were analysed with a wide spectrum of analytical methods to study their composition and microstructure in detail. The used amount of nano-dopant was 1.0 wt%, relative to the cement paste weight. After a curing period of 28 days, the prepared composite samples underwent a comprehensive analysis of their microstructure, phase, and chemical composition, as well as micro- and macrostructural parameters and mechanical properties. Additionally, the research studied the effects of nano-dopants on the hygric properties and water resistance of the MOC composites after 24-h immersion in water. The findings revealed a noteworthy increase in mechanical parameters with the addition of nano-dopants. The highest compressive strength of 85.4 MPa was obtained for the MOC composite enriched with the addition of oxidized multi-walled carbon nanotubes. MOC doped with alumina nanosheets exhibited the highest value in flexural strength (20.99 MPa) and dynamic modulus of elasticity (38.85 GPa) measurements. The resistance of MOC composites to deterioration in water was also improved by all the implemented nano-dopants. The softening coefficient determined for samples immersed in water for 24 h varied from 62.7 to 74.8%. The best resistance to water degradation was obtained for MOC with alumina nanosheets, which showed a softening coefficient value about 23.2% higher than that of the reference sample. Thus, the incorporation of nanomaterials as functional nano-dopants in MOC-based composites shows promising opportunities in the improvement of both mechanical properties and water resistance, contributing to the development of environmentally sustainable building materials.

The impact of digital leadership on digital transformation in university organizations: an analysis of students' views

Introduction. Digital leadership must have the ability to adapt to changes in the technological environment. The rapid development of technology demands adjustments to changes that run quickly so that organizational goals can still be achieved. Digital leadership must be formed with the mindset and ability to solve problems and the ability to maintain relationships between members and between teams. This study aims to determine how digital leadership improves digital transformation in university organizational by analyzing student opinions. Study participants and methods. The present quantitative descriptive study samples were students from five faculty in Universitas Terbuka using purposive sampling. The data were gathered from a structured questionnaire survey of 403 respondents. The factor analysis was applied to bring out the Digital Leadership and Digital Transformation variables representing the attributes, and later, the causality between these variables was established using structural equation modelling (SEM). Results. The confirmatory factor analysis has shown that digital leadership was constructed by eight factors, namely digital literacy (0.740), digital vision (0.801), defence (0.820), presence (0.836), communication (0.849), adaptability (0.801), self-awareness (0.783), and cultural awareness (0.760). Digital transformation comprises five factors: strategy and governance (0.343), curriculum and method (0.447), assessment (0.478), self support and development (0.427), infrastructure and resources (0.461). Empirically, digital leadership significantly influences the digital transformation in university organizational with a coefficient value of 0.507 and an R square value of 0.325. Leaders with digital leadership are able to adapt to the rapid development of technology and changes in organizational behaviour. Digital leadership enables leaders to direct, lead and evaluate an organization's digital transformation process. Practical significance. This study examined the influence of Digital Leadership on Digital Transformation. Digital leadership is innovative leadership that supports the implementation of digital transformation in organizational culture to increase the university's competitive advantage. University leaders must have digital leadership skills, including digital literacy, digital vision, defence, presence, communication, adaptability, self-awareness, and cultural awareness. This capability is used by university leaders to execute all problems encountered in the digital transformation process. Finally, the next research recommendation is to provide a digital leadership module for university leaders. Future digital leadership research should also be linked to emotions, followers, gender, and organizational culture.

Enhancing the Quality of Secondary Education Through Professional Development of Teachers in Nigeria

The study investigated how to enhance the quality of secondary education through professional development of teachers in Nigeria. Two research questions guided the study and one hypothesis was tested at 0.05 level of significance. The descriptive survey research design guided the study. The population of the study comprised 5396 (5,133 teachers and 263 principals) in 263 public secondary schools in six Education Zones in Anambra State. A total of 579 respondents (513 teachers and 66 principals) were drawn through proportionate stratified and simple random sampling technique for the study. Two validated structured questionnaires were used as a instrument for data collection. The application of Cronbach Alpha reliability coefficient yielded coefficient values of 0.81 for teachers’ professional development and 0.77 for quality in secondary education for the two instruments respectively with an overall coefficient value of 0.79 for internal consistency of the instrument. Mean, standard deviations and t-test were used for data analysis. The findings of the study revealed that engaging secondary school teachers in ongoing training workshops target at improving subject knowledge; establishing mentorship programmes for experienced and less experienced teachers so as to provide guidance and providing teachers with adequate time to study new techniques to improve their practice are TPD strategies for enhancing the quality of secondary education in Nigeria. The findings also show that dysfunctional school cultures, poor leadership commitment towards providing quality in secondary education, poor funding and lack of a shared vision about what high-quality instruction entails are some of the obstacles to professional development of teachers. Further findings revealed that teachers’ professional development significantly enhances the quality of secondary education in Nigeria. The researchers therefore recommended among others that Government at all levels through the ministries of education should draw up a policy framework for teachers’ professional development in secondary schools in Nigeria.

Optimization of simvastatin transdermal patch for hyperlipidemia treatment in rat model

ObjectiveBiopharmaceutics Classification System says that simvastatin (SMV) is a Class II drug with low bioavailability (5%). This is because it dissolves slowly and is broken down a lot in the first pass. Simvastatin transdermal patches were produced as part of this study's aim to treat hyperlipidemia. The Box–Behnken design (three-factor, three-level) was selected for optimization of patches.MethodologyThe optimization design involved 15 runs with independent factors hydroxypropyl methylcellulose K100, Eudragit L100, and polyethylene glycol 400 percentage, and dependent factors including folding endurance and in-vitro drug release.ResultsThe results showed that the concentration of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose K-100 positively impacted the patch’s folding endurance. The fact that factor C was the only scenario where the p-value was less than 0.05 and the coefficient value was higher in the in vitro drug release model means that it has a greater influence on the release of medicines. The patches were also evaluated for drug content, swelling, moisture uptake, moisture content, etc. The optimized patch shows an in vitro drug release of 55.3% in up to 24 h. In vivo antihyperlipidemic activity was evaluated in albino Wistar rats. In the standard treatment (simvastatin oral) groups, there is a decrease in cholesterol (132.76 ± 0.35) and triglyceride level (139.80 ± 76) whereas in the test formulation group or test group, there is also a decrease in cholesterol (169.65 ± 0.21 mg/dL) and triglyceride level (151.20 ± 31 mg/dL) level.ConclusionBased on in-vitro and in-vivo results it can be concluded that simvastatin patches can be an alternative to traditional therapy.

Intercropping lettuce and radish as strategy for efficient water use: determination of water demand and crop coefficient

Determining the need for water, as well as crop coefficients, is essential information for the management of irrigation and consequently efficiency in the use of water resources. The study aimed to determine the evapotranspiration and the culture coefficients of lettuce and radish in a monoculture system and consortium in a protected environment. The lettuce cultivar used was Vanda and for radish hybrid 19 was used. The reference evapotranspiration was estimated by the Penman-Monteith method using data from the automatic weather station and the evapotranspiration of the cultures was determined by the direct method using lysimeters of constant water table. The water demand for lettuce and radish in the intercropping system was 170 mm, being less than the lettuce monoculture which was 190 mm and higher than the radish monoculture which was 121 mm. The recommended average values of culture coefficient for conditions were 0.96, 1.85, and 1.50 for lettuce and 0.85, 1.28, and 1.10 for the radish in the initial, intermediate and final stages, respectively. The intercropped cultivation showed lower water consumption than the lettuce monoculture. The coefficient values of lettuce and radish in a monoculture system were higher than the standard values recommended by FAO, emphasizing the importance of conducting regional studies.

Global evapotranspiration simulation research using a coupled deep learning algorithm with physical mechanisms

AbstractEvapotranspiration (ET) and actual evapotranspiration (AET) serve as critical parameters in the water vapour exchange between terrestrial surfaces and the atmosphere. ET denotes the theoretical maximum evapotranspiration achievable under ideal conditions, whereas AET represents the actual evapotranspiration observed, factoring in the constraints imposed by available water resources. Precise estimation of AET is imperative for the optimization of water resource management and the advancement of sustainable development initiatives. In recent years, deep learning techniques have been extensively utilized in AET estimation. However, traditional deep learning models often lack the incorporation of essential physical constraints. We proceeded to enhance the loss function of the temporal convolutional network (TCN) by taking into account the physical relationships that exist among soil water content (SWC), potential evapotranspiration (PET) and AET, thereby introducing a novel physically coupled deep learning model (AET, SWC after kernel principal component analysis, PET, TCN and AKP‐TCN), and checked the rationality of the model with the FLUXNET 2015 dataset. These findings underscore that the AKP‐TCN model exhibits heightened sensitivity to peak fluctuations in AET under the imposition of physical constraints. This approach notably enhances the precision of AET simulations in areas marked by complex and variable climatic conditions, such as the Mediterranean climate zone and Oceania, achieving determination coefficient (R2) values surpassing the threshold of 0.900. Compared to traditional models, which include long short‐term memory (LSTM), convolutional neural networks (CNN) and TCN, the AKP‐TCN delivers substantial R2 improvements of 16%, 16% and 9%, respectively. This advancement offers a novel perspective for coupling deep learning with physical mechanisms.

The Evaluation of Tree Bark as Filler for Wood-Plastic Composites: Experimental Study and Modelling

Tree bark is one of the waste materials produced during harvesting. In this study, tree bark was evaluated for the production of WPCs. Three tree barks (Oak, Calabrian pine, and Cedar) were added to the matrix as an alternative for wood flour (20-80 mesh). Different tree bark content (10, 20, 40%) were also selected. The tree bark-based WPCs were produced with the flat-pressed method. The effect of tree bark on water absorption (WA) and thickness swelling (TS) were investigated during the 14 days. Tree barks have a significant effect on the WA and TS properties of the composites. As the bark content increased, the WA and TS values decreased. While the WA values increased up to 11.27% for control samples, it is only 3.27% for 40% of tree bark. Similar results were also observed for TS values. Also, the prediction models were developed using multiple linear regression (MLR). Correlation coefficient (R2) values of models were determined as 0.882, 0.853, and 0.850 for oak, Calabrian pine, and cedar WA values and 0.889, 0.839, and 0.879 for oak, Calabrian pine, and cedar TS values, respectively. The results showed that tree bark has the potential as an alternative to wood flour for WPC production.

Technology exploration of micro, small, and medium enterprises in Kuningan Regency, Indonesia

The purpose of this research is to explore technology use in micro, small, and medium enterprises in Kuningan Regency, Indonesia. The data analysis method used in this study is Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with programming tools that support primary data analysis in the form of Lisrel 8.8 with the population being UMKM actors totaling 791 people and the sample used was 222 MSMEs offender with random sampling technique. The structural model analysis between the technology learning orientation and the MSMEs performance shows that the estimation coefficient is positive and high at 2.94 with a t-value of 0.77, which means it is significant (the number is greater than 1.96). The results of the structural analysis between Competitive Advantage and MSMEs Performance show a coefficient value of 4.72 and a total value of 0.80. The research is expected to give more insight into the use of technology for MSMEs, especially in Indonesia, and become a reference for future research discussing about similar issues.

The diagnostic efficiency of integration of 2HG MRS and IVIM versus individual parameters for predicting IDH mutation status in gliomas in clinical scenarios: A retrospective study.

Currently, there remains a scarcity of established preoperative tests to accurately predict the isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation status in clinical scenarios, with limited research has explored the potential synergistic diagnostic performance among metabolite, perfusion, and diffusion parameters. To address this issue, we aimed to develop an imaging protocol that integrated 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) by comprehensively assessing metabolic, cellular, and angiogenic changes caused by IDH mutations, and explored the diagnostic efficiency of this imaging protocol for predicting IDH mutation status in clinical scenarios. Patients who met the inclusion criteria were categorized into two groups: IDH-wild type (IDH-WT) group and IDH-mutant (IDH-MT) group. Subsequently, we quantified the 2HG concentration, the relative apparent diffusion coefficient (rADC), the relative true diffusion coefficient value (rD), the relative pseudo-diffusion coefficient (rD*) and the relative perfusion fraction value (rf). Intergroup differences were estimated using t-test and Mann-Whitney U test. Finally, we performed receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and DeLong's test to evaluate and compare the diagnostic performance of individual parameters and their combinations. 64 patients (female, 21; male, 43; age, 47.0 ± 13.7years) were enrolled. Compared with IDH-WT gliomas, IDH-MT gliomas had higher 2HG concentration, rADC and rD (P < 0.001), and lower rD* (P = 0.013). The ROC curve demonstrated that 2HG + rD + rD* exhibited the highest areas under curve (AUC) value (0.967, 95%CI 0.889-0.996) for discriminating IDH mutation status. Compared with each individual parameter, the predictive efficiency of 2HG + rADC + rD* and 2HG + rD + rD* shows a statistically significant enhancement (DeLong's test: P < 0.05). The integration of 2HG MRS and IVIM significantly improves the diagnostic efficiency for predicting IDH mutation status in clinical scenarios.

Vegetation Type Mapping in Southern Patagonia and Its Relationship with Ecosystem Services, Soil Carbon Stock, and Biodiversity

Vegetation Type (VT) mapping using Optical Earth observation data is essential for the management and conservation of natural resources, as well as for the evaluation of the supply of provisioning ecosystem services (ESs), the maintenance of ecosystem functions, and the conservation of biodiversity in anthropized environments. The main objective of the present work was to determine the spatial patterns of VTs related to climatic, topographic, and spectral variables across Santa Cruz province (Southern Patagonia, Argentina) in order to improve our understanding of land use cover at the regional scale. Also, we examined the spatial relationship between VTs and potential biodiversity (PB), ESs, and soil organic content (SOC) across our study region. We sampled 59,285 sites sorted into 19 major categories of land cover with a reliable discrimination level from field measurements. We selected 31 potential predictive environmental dataset covariates, which represent key factors for the spatial distribution of land cover such as climate (four), topography (three), and spectral (24) factors. All covariate maps were generated or uploaded to the Google Earth Engine cloud-based computing platform for subsequent modeling. A total of 270,292 sampling points were used for validation of the obtained classification map. The main land cover area estimates extracted from the map at the regional level identified about 142,085 km2 of grasslands (representing 58.1% of the total area), 38,355 km2 of Mata Negra Matorral thicket (15.7%), and about 25,189 km2 of bare soil (10.3%). From validation, the Overall Accuracy and the Kappa coefficient values for the classification map were 90.40% and 0.87, respectively. Pure and mixed forests presented the maximum SOC (11.3–11.8 kg m−2), followed by peatlands (10.6 kg m−2) and deciduous Nothofagus forests (10.5 kg m−2). The potential biodiversity was higher in some shrublands (64.1% in Mata Verde shrublands and 63.7% in mixed shrublands) and was comparable to those values found for open deciduous forests (Nothofagus antarctica forest with 60.4%). The provision of ESs presented maximum values at pure evergreen forests (56.7%) and minimum values at some shrubland types (Mata Negra Matorral thicket and mixed shrubland) and steppe grasslands (29.7–30.9%). This study has provided an accurate land cover and VT map that provides crucial information for ecological studies, biodiversity conservation, vegetation management and restoration, and regional strategic decision-making.

Hubungan antara Indeks Massa Tubuh pada Awal Kehamilan dan Kenaikan Berat Badan Ibu dengan Perdarahan Pasca Salin

The number of maternal deaths in Indonesia caused by postpartum bleeding can occur vaginally or sectio caesarean. This can be reduced if every mother is able to access quality health services from pregnancy to postpartum and health workers immediately make referrals if complications occur. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between body mass index in early pregnancy and postpartum bleeding and the relationship between maternal weight gain and postpartum bleeding. This research uses design cross sectional. The population is 465 patients in the delivery room at the Tidore Islands City Hospital in August 2020-August 2021, using a total sampling technique, using secondary data from census books in the delivery room and medical records room at the Tidore Islands City Hospital and recorded in a collection sheet. data. Test results chi-square between the body mass index variable and postpartum hemorrhage, the p value = 0.000, there is a significant relationship with the contingency coefficient value (0.534). Test results chi-square between the variable maternal weight gain and postpartum bleeding, the p value = 0.000, there is a significant relationship with the contingency coefficient value (0.344). So it is very important to monitor weight gain during pregnancy as a form of early detection of postpartum bleeding.

Convective Hot Air Drying of Red Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. Capitata Rubra): Mathematical Modeling, Energy Consumption and Microstructure

This study examined the convective drying of red cabbage at temperatures ranging from 50 to 90 °C. Mathematical modeling was used to describe isotherms, drying kinetics and rehydration process. The effects of drying conditions on energy consumption and microstructure were also evaluated. The Halsey model had the best fit to the isotherm data and the equilibrium moisture was determined to be 0.0672, 0.0490, 0 0.0379, 0.0324 and 0.0279 g water/g d.m. at 50, 60, 70, 80 and 90 °C, respectively. Drying kinetics were described most accurately by the Midilli and Kuçuk model. Also, the diffusion coefficient values increased with drying temperature. Lower energy consumption was found for drying at 90 °C and the rehydration process was best described by the Weibull model. Samples dehydrated at 90 °C showed high water holding capacity and better maintenance of microstructure. These results could be used to foster a sustainable drying process for red cabbage.

ADAPTIVE DLC COATINGS WITH DIFFERENT MoS2 CONTENT

DLC coatings are widely used in engineering as they are resistant to abrasive wear. However, they exhibit anincreased coefficient of friction at temperatures of around 300C. Soft MoS2 coatings are known to maintaina low coefficient of friction at temperatures up to about 350C, but suffer from relatively high abrasive wear.Publications from the last decade report a synergistic improvement in the tribological performance of acoating consisting of both these materials. The aim of this study was to investigate the wear resistance ofcoatings composed of different a-C and MoS2 contents applied by magnetron sputtering on steel. The resultsobtained in tribological tests conducted using the ball-and-disk method showed at least 20% better adhesionto the substrate of the two-component nanocomposite coating and its increased wear resistance from 15% toas much as 700%, compared to single-component coatings in tests conducted at 20C and 250C. The testsshowed no deterioration of the two-component coating's coefficient value compared to DLC.

The Correlation of Parental Knowledge on Oral Health-Related Quality of Life in Down Syndrome Children (Overview in Banjarmasin Special School)

Background: Physical, motor, and intellectual retardation experienced by children with Down syndrome leads to low self-care skills and independence so that Down syndrome children depend on their parents in an effort to maintain oral hygiene. Parental knowledge will be one of the predisposing factors that shape the behavior of parents in maintaining children's oral health. Children's oral health can affect functional, psychological, and social aspects that impact the quality of life related to oral health. Objective: To analyze the correlation between the level of parental knowledge about dental and oral health to realize the quality of life in children with Down syndrome at SLB Banjarmasin. Methods: This study is an analytical observational study with a cross-sectional approach. The sampling method used was simple random sampling with 32 respondents from parents of children with Down syndrome at SLB Banjarmasin. The level of parental knowledge and quality of life related to oral health was determined using a modified oral health knowledge questionnaire and a modified Parent-Caregiver Perception Questionnaire (P-CPQ). Results: The results of the Spearman correlation test showed that there was a significant correlation between the level of parental knowledge and the quality of life of children with Down syndrome associated with oral health in SLB Banjarmasin with a significance value of 0.007 (p&lt;0.05). The correlation coefficient value is 0.466. Conclusion: There is a correlation between the level of parental knowledge and the quality of life related to oral health in children with Down syndrome in SLB Banjarmasin City.

Hybrid wavelet transform – MLR and ANN models for river flow prediction: Case study of Brahmaputra river (Pancharatna station)

In this research, discrete wavelet transform (DWT) is combined with MLR and ANN to develop WMLR and WANN hybrid models, respectively, for the Brahmaputra river (Pancharatna station) flow forecasting. Daily flow data for the period of 10 year were decomposed (up to fifth level) into detailed and approximation coefficients (using Daubechies wavelets db1, db2, db3, db8 and db10) which were fed as input to MLR and ANN to get the predicted discharge values two days, four days, seven days and 14 days ahead. For all lead times, the WMLR-db10 model was found to be superior as compared to WANN-db1, WANN-db2, WANN-db3, WANN-db8, WMLR-db1, WMLR-db2, WMLR-db3, WMLR-db8 and single MLR and ANN models. During testing period, the values of determination coefficient (R2) and RMSE for WMLR-db10 model for two-, four-, seven- and 14-day lead time were found to be, respectively, 0.996 (751.87 m3·s–1), 0.991 (1,174.80 m3·s–1), 0.984 (1,585.02 m3·s–1), and 0.968 (2,196.46 m3·s–1). Also, it was observed that for lower order wavelets (db1, db2, db3) WANN’s performance was better, and for higher order wavelets (db8, db10) WMLR’s performance was better. Correspondingly, it was observed that all hybrid models’ efficiency increased with increase in the decomposition level.

Approximation of the Objective Function of Single-Machine Scheduling Problem

The problem of the approximation of the coefficients of the objective function of a scheduling problem for a single machine is considered. It is necessary to minimize the total weighted completion times of jobs with unknown weight coefficients when a set of problem instances with known optimal schedules is given. It is shown that the approximation problem can be reduced to finding a solution to a system of linear inequalities for weight coefficients. For the case of simultaneous job release times, a method for solving the corresponding system of inequalities has been developed. Based on it, a polynomial algorithm for finding values of weight coefficients that satisfy the given optimal schedules was constructed. The complexity of the algorithm is O(n2(N+n)) operations, where n is the number of jobs and N is the number of given instances with known optimal schedules. The accuracy of the algorithm is estimated by experimentally measuring the function ε(N,n)=1n∑j=1n∣wj−wj0∣wj0, which is an indicator of the average modulus of the relative deviation of the found values wj from the true values wj0. An analysis of the results shows a high correlation between the dependence ε(N,n) and a function of the form α(n)/N, where α(n) is a decreasing function of n.

Multiparametric MR-based radiomics fusion combined with quantitative stratified ADC-defined tumor habitats for differentiating TNBC versus non-TNBC

Objective. To investigate the incremental value of quantitative stratified apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) defined tumor habitats for differentiating triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) from non-TNBC on multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) based feature-fusion radiomics (RFF) model. Approach. 466 breast cancer patients (54 TNBC, 412 non-TNBC) who underwent routine breast MRIs in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Radiomics features were extracted from whole tumor on T2WI, diffusion-weighted imaging, ADC maps and the 2nd phase of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI. Four models including the RFF model (fused features from all MRI sequences), RADC model (ADC radiomics feature), StratifiedADC model (tumor habitas defined on stratified ADC parameters) and combinational RFF-StratifiedADC model were constructed to distinguish TNBC versus non-TNBC. All cases were randomly divided into a training (n = 337) and test set (n = 129). The four competing models were validated using the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity and accuracy. Main results. Both the RFF and StratifiedADC models demonstrated good performance in distinguishing TNBC from non-TNBC, with best AUCs of 0.818 and 0.773 in the training and test sets. StratifiedADC model revealed significant different tumor habitats (necrosis/cysts habitat, chaotic habitat or proliferative tumor core) between TNBC and non-TNBC with its top three discriminative parameters (p < 0.05). The integrated RFF-StratifiedADC model demonstrated superior accuracy over the other three models, with higher AUCs of 0.832 and 0.784 in the training and test set, respectively (p < 0.05). Significance. The RFF-StratifiedADC model through integrating various tumor habitats’ information from whole-tumor ADC maps-based StratifiedADC model and radiomics information from mpMRI-based RFF model, exhibits tremendous promise for identifying TNBC.

Generation of hyper-bunched light by single Gaussian and non-Gaussian scattering processes

We derive theoretically that hyper-bunched light with a central normalized second-order correlation coefficient of six can be realized by a single Gaussian scattering process of parametric down conversion (PDC) light with a central normalized second-order correlation coefficient of three. The Gaussian scattering process is realized by a rotating ground-glass diffuser. We show that the photon counting probability distribution in this case obeys a Tricomi confluent hypergeometric function U[1+n,3/2,1/⟨n⟩] dependence. Furthermore, we also study non-Gaussian light-scattering probabilities that together with the different impinging light statistics give rise to new photon statistics accompanied by a variety of new values of the second-order correlation coefficient of the scattered light. These theoretical calculations suggest experiments using twin photons from a PDC process and characterizing their photon statistics properties before and after the scattering at the rotating diffuser. These investigations contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the scattering process, the generated light, and new applications.