Siemens (Israel)

Ozone and electrochemical oxidation treatment technologies were evaluated for wastewater recycling in the textile industry. Textile wastewater was collected from eight textile mills that use different dying processes. Both ozone and electrochemical oxidation removed the color from wastewater containing acid, reactive, and natural dyes, while mixed results were achieved with pigment and disperse dyes. The variability in color removal for the pigment and disperse dyes may be related to the concentration and type of auxiliary chemicals used. Color criteria for reusing wastewater for reactive dye was determined to be ΔE⩽2 . This level of treatment provided an acceptable level of residual color for reuse in dark color dyeing operations and for rinse water. Some reformulation of the dye concentration and auxiliary chemicals is necessary for wastewater reuse in light color dyeing operations. Also, multiple reuse of the treated wastewater, as would occur in a completely closed system, would require changes in salt and other auxiliary chemicals to achieve the same fabric color as clean process water.

Blood counts of 372 Yemenite Jews of all ages were reviewed in order to clarify the epidemiology of benign leukopenia. Twenty-one percent of the total leukocyte counts were below 5.0 x 10(3) cells/mm3. Neutropenia < 2.0 x 10(3) was present in 15.4% of the blood counts, significantly lowering the average neutrophil count in the population. There was no significant variation in the prevalence of neutropenia with age. In contrast, the average lymphocyte and erythrocyte counts were normal. We conclude that leukopenia among Yemenite Jews should be defined as neutropenia rather than leukopenia, and that the phenomenon is only half as common as was previously noted. Since the prevalence of neutropenia remains constant across all age-groups, in immigrants as well as among the Israeli-born, it is unlikely to be an acquired condition.

Many organization consider insider threat for data theft to be one of the most severe threats. An insider may also leak sensitive information without malicious intent (as a result of social engineering) Data leakage prevention (DLP) systems attempt to prevent intentional or accidental disclosure of sensitive information by monitoring the content or the context in which the information is transferred, for example, in a file system, an email server, instant messengers. We present a context-sensitive DLP system, called Efficient DLP-Visor. We implemented DLP-visor as a thin hypervisor capable of intercepting system calls in Windows operating systems equipped with Kernel Patch Protection. By intercepting system calls that govern the file system, inter-process communications, networking, system register and system clipboard, DLP-Visor guarantees that sensitive information can never leave a predefined set of directories. The performance overhead of Efficient DLP-Visor (7.2%) allows its deployment in real-world applications. Efficient DLP-visor logs were improved for better detection and logging of a DLP event. On idle time Efficient DLP-visor deletes most of the data log while maintaining the important data of leaks and attack.

Abstract Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful and versatile technique that offers a range of physiological, diagnostic, structural, and functional measurements. One of the most widely used basic contrasts in MRI diagnostics is transverse relaxation time (T 2 )-weighted imaging, but it provides only qualitative information. Realizing quantitative high-resolution T 2 mapping is imperative for the development of personalized medicine, as it can enable the characterization of diseases progression. While ultra-high-field (≥ 7 T) MRI offers the means to gain new insights by increasing the spatial resolution, implementing fast quantitative T 2 mapping cannot be achieved without overcoming the increased power deposition and radio frequency (RF) field inhomogeneity at ultra-high-fields. A recent study has demonstrated a new phase-based T 2 mapping approach based on fast steady-state acquisitions. We extend this new approach to ultra-high field MRI, achieving quantitative high-resolution 3D T 2 mapping at 7 T while addressing RF field inhomogeneity and utilizing low flip angle pulses; overcoming two main ultra-high field challenges. The method is based on controlling the coherent transverse magnetization in a steady-state gradient echo acquisition; achieved by utilizing low flip angles, a specific phase increment for the RF pulses, and short repetition times. This approach simultaneously extracts both T 2 and RF field maps from the phase of the signal. Prior to in vivo experiments, the method was assessed using a 3D head-shaped phantom that was designed to model the RF field distribution in the brain. Our approach delivers fast 3D whole brain images with submillimeter resolution without requiring special hardware, such as multi-channel transmit coil, thus promoting high usability of the ultra-high field MRI in clinical practice.

Dysembryoplastic neuroepithelial tumor (DNT) was first characterized in 1988 by Daumas-Duport and Scheithauer [1], who described 39 cases in children with morphologically distinct brain tumors. Partial complex seizures (PCSs), well-defined neuroimages, and typical pathologic findings were characteristic. Surgical resection of the tumor was usually curative. We present a new case of a child with PCSs who was diagnosed and treated for DNT. The clinical presentation and the difficulties of the differential diagnosis are discussed.

We demonstrate a regenerative optical grooming switch for interconnecting 130 Gbit/s and 40 Gbit/s networks with switching functionality in time, space and wavelength domain. Q-factors are above 21 dB.

A numerically efficient optimization technique aimed at the suppression of grating lobes in ultra-wideband phased array antenna is proposed. Low computational complexity is achieved through efficient representation of the array factor over the desired band of frequencies and domain of main beam and observation directions. Subarray approach and fast array factor evaluation algorithm further reduce the computational cost. Significant grating lobe suppression in Cartesian and hexagonal array geometries has been demonstrated.

A postal questionnaire was sent to a random sample of Israeli gynaecologists and family physicians to study their attitudes to primary care gynaecology. The gynaecologists (n = 50) tended to think that family physicians should not be involved at all, except for adolescent sex education. The family physicians (n = 60) thought that they should be managing menstrual disorders, vaginal discharges, family planning counselling, prescription of oral contraceptives, insertion of intrauterine devices, routine antenatal and postnatal care, sexually transmitted diseases, breast examinations, and menopausal counselling. Both professions agreed that high risk pregnancies, hospital deliveries, infertility, and PAP smears were in the gynaecologists' domain. The younger family physicians and those in rural practice held these views more strongly than their older colleagues in urban practice. The results are discussed in the light of the patients' and the doctors' diverse interests.

Purpose Conventional sequences are static in nature, fixing measurement parameters in advance in anticipation of a wide range of expected tissue parameter values. We set out to design and benchmark a new, personalized approach—termed adaptive MR —in which incoming subject data is used to update and fine‐tune the pulse sequence parameters in real time. Methods We implemented an adaptive, real‐time multi‐echo (MTE) experiment for estimating T 2 s. Our approach combined a Bayesian framework with model‐based reconstruction. It maintained and continuously updated a prior distribution of the desired tissue parameters, including T 2 , which was used to guide the selection of sequence parameters in real time. Results Computer simulations predicted accelerations between 1.7‐ and 3.3‐fold for adaptive multi‐echo sequences relative to static ones. These predictions were corroborated in phantom experiments. In healthy volunteers, our adaptive framework accelerated the measurement of T 2 for n‐acetyl‐aspartate by a factor of 2.5. Conclusion Adaptive pulse sequences that alter their excitations in real time could provide substantial reductions in acquisition times. Given the generality of our proposed framework, our results motivate further research into other adaptive model‐based approaches to MRI and MRS.

Automatic generation of assembly sequences for products containing deformable objects, is an important step required for fully automated production. Robotic manipulation with deformable objects involves handling uncertainty related to object deformation which should be accounted for during assembly sequence planning (ASP). This work describes a two-stage sequencing planning of robotic assembly operations with deformable objects. ASP is an NP-hard problem and many heuristics have been developed for solving it. We suggest a method that improves a purely heuristic ASP by using a heuristic stage based on genetic algorithm (GA) and an additional robotic simulation stage. The method was demonstrated with products with deformable objects and promising results were achieved.

Ultra-high-field functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) offers a way to new insights while increasing the spatial and temporal resolution. However, a crucial concern in 7T human MRI is the increase in power deposition, supervised through the specific absorption rate (SAR). The SAR limitation can restrict the brain coverage or the minimal repetition time of fMRI experiments. In the majority of today's studies fMRI relies on the well-known gradient-echo echo-planar imaging (GRE-EPI) sequence, which offers ultrafast acquisition. Commonly, the GRE-EPI sequence comprises two pulses: fat suppression and excitation. This work provides the means for a significant reduction in the SAR by circumventing the fat-suppression pulse. Without this fat-suppression, however, lipid signal can result in artifacts due to the chemical shift between the lipid and water signals. Our approach exploits a reconstruction similar to the simultaneous-multi-slice method to separate the lipid and water images, thus avoiding undesired lipid artifacts in brain images. The lipid-water separation is based on the known spatial shift of the lipid signal, which can be detected by the multi-channel coils sensitivity profiles. Our study shows robust human imaging, offering greater flexibility to reduce the SAR, shorten the repetition time or increase the volume coverage with substantial benefit for brain functional studies.

症例は60歳の男性で，黄疸と腹痛を主訴に来院した．腹部造影CTで胆管と膵管の著明な拡張と膵内胆管の造影効果を伴う壁肥厚を認めた．膵頭部に線上石灰化以外に病変を指摘できず，下部胆管癌の膵内浸潤を疑った．ERCPで乳頭の発赤と胆管十二指腸瘻を認めたが，瘻孔と乳頭部からの生検で悪性所見は認めなかった．MRCPでは胆管と膵管の著明な拡張と総胆管結石を認めた．腫瘍マーカーの上昇はなかったが，FDG-PETでも膵頭部に一致して強い集積を認めたため下部胆管もしくは膵頭部の悪性疾患を否定できず，幽門輪温存膵頭十二指腸切除術を施行した．病理組織学的検索で膵頭部の放線菌感染による膵膿瘍と診断された．膵における放線菌感染症は極めてまれで，本症例の原因の一つとして総胆管結石による胆管十二指腸瘻が考えられた．

Nuclear magnetic resonance is one of the cornerstones of modern medicine and biomedical research. Over the past several decades, the speed and precision of in-vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy (MRS) have increased by leaps and bounds, by utilizing sophisticated excitation and acquisition techniques, from parallel imaging and compressed sensing to magnetic resonance fingerprinting. However, these approaches have all been static in nature, fixing measurement parameters in advance, in anticipation of a wide range of expected tissue parameter values, and are therefore sub-optimal for any given subject. We depart from the conventional framework of magnetic resonance and propose a new approach - termed adaptive magnetic resonance - which binds acquisition and excitation, by using the measured signal to update and fine-tune the measurement parameters in real time. This targets the specific tissue characteristics of the subject while they are being scanned. Adaptive magnetic resonance provides a completely new and previously-untapped avenue for improving the sensitivity and specificity of in-vivo magnetic resonance across all tissue contrast mechanisms. Equivalently, it can accelerate data acquisition compared to non-adaptive schemes, by obtaining the same precision using fewer, optimally tuned excitations. We demonstrate that an adaptive pulse sequence for measuring the transverse relaxation time ( T 2 ) of metabolites in-vivo improves upon the precision of static approaches by a factor of ≈ 1.7 - or, alternatively, accelerates acquisition 2.5-fold.

Purpose Fast proton ( 1 H) MRSI is an important diagnostic tool for clinical investigations, providing metabolic and spatial information. MRSI at 7 T benefits from increased SNR and improved separation of peaks but requires larger spectral widths. RS‐COKE (Readout‐Segmented Consistent K‐t space Epsi ) is an echo planar spectroscopic imaging ( Epsi ) variant capable to support the spectral width required for human brain metabolites spectra at 7 T. However, mismatches between readout segments lead to artifacts, particularly when subcutaneous lipid signals are not suppressed. In this study, these mismatches and their effects are analyzed and reduced. Methods The following corrections to the data were performed: i) frequency‐dependent phase corrections; ii) k‐space trajectory corrections, derived from short reference scans; and iii) smoothing of data at segment transitions to mitigate the effect of residual mismatches. The improvement was evaluated by performing single‐slice RS‐COKE on a head‐shaped phantom with a “lipid” layer and healthy subjects, using varying resolutions and durations ranging from 4.1 × 4.7 × 15 mm 3 in 5:46 min to 3.1 × 3.3 × 15 mm 3 in 13:07 min. Results Artifacts arising from the readout‐segmented acquisition were substantially reduced, thus providing high‐quality spectroscopic imaging in phantom and human scans. LCModel fitting of the human data resulted in a relative Cramer‐Rao lower bounds within 6% for NAA, Cr, and Cho images in the majority of the voxels. Conclusion Using the new reference scans and reconstruction steps, RS‐COKE was able to deliver fast 1 H MRSI at 7 T, overcoming the spectral width limitation of standard EPSI at this field strength.

The purpose of this study was to investigate feasibility of computer-aided detection of masses and calcification clusters in breast tomosynthesis images and obtain reliable estimates of sensitivity and false positive rate on an independent test set. Automatic mass and calcification detection algorithms developed for film and digital mammography images were applied without any adaptation or retraining to tomosynthesis projection images. Test set contained 36 patients including 16 patients with 20 known malignant lesions, 4 of which were missed by the radiologists in conventional mammography images and found only in retrospect in tomosynthesis. Median filter was applied to tomosynthesis projection images. Detection algorithm yielded 80% sensitivity and 5.3 false positives per breast for calcification and mass detection algorithms combined. Out of 4 masses missed by radiologists in conventional mammography images, 2 were found by the mass detection algorithm in tomosynthesis images.

Q&amp;A What was Siemens’ involvement in the Habshan-Fujairah oil pipeline project? Siemens was involved in this strategically important project from the very beginning, working in harmony with a series of other contractors on a tight timescale to deliver an alternative option to shipping crude oil through the Strait of Hormuz. Siemens’ contribution to the project was to supply the entire control and automation system of the pipeline—its “brain,” if you like. For this, we had to develop a relatively complex system, enlisting the assistance of a team from Europe to work with our local experts in order to design, finalize, and implement a suitably comprehensive solution. Essentially, the Siemens control and automation system at the Habshan-Fujairah facility is designed to ensure that the pipeline, under normal operation, can be accurately managed from a central location, including measuring and controlling the flow of oil, shifting the lines, monitoring and controlling different stations and streams, and supervising other variables fundamental to the reliable day-to-day operation of the pipeline. Within the system there is also a series of different modules and platforms that allow for operation under alternative conditions, for instance, in the case of an emergency. Any solution for the automation and control of critical infrastructure like this needs to be robust, and in a four-station pipeline that’s almost 400-km long, you cannot compromise on safety and reliability, especially when there’s a workforce involved. What are the main benefits of an automated control system like this? Firstly, it enables the pipeline to run safely and reliably. Safety is paramount, and our automation and control system is designed to protect the pipeline and its operation in a comprehensive range of scenarios. It also reduces the requirement to have a workforce stationed in the field—with obvious safety implications—in addition to lowering the potential for unreliable and sometimes time-intensive communications. Secondly, a system like this introduces enhanced efficiency. With accurate, real-time monitoring comes the ability to swiftly react to requirement changes for various aspects of the pipeline, allowing operators to maintain the facility at optimum efficiency under any conditions. The pipeline is intended to be customer operated. What level of training is involved? The automation system for the Habshan-Fujairah oil pipeline has been designed to allow the end-user to take over the operation and control of the pipeline. It’s important that the team is familiar with both the day-to-day running of the system and also its operation in a wide range of other scenarios. Naturally this requires extensive training of the customer’s workforce.

Abstract Ultra-high-field functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) offers the way to new insights while increasing the spatial and temporal resolution. However, a crucial concern in 7T human MRI is the increase in power deposition, supervised through the specific absorption rate (SAR). The SAR limitation can restrict the brain coverage or the minimal repetition time of fMRI experiments. fMRI is based on the well-known gradient-echo echo-planar imaging (GRE-EPI) sequence, which offers ultrafast acquisition. Commonly, the GRE-EPI sequence comprises two pulses: fat suppression and excitation. This work provides the means for a significant reduction in the SAR by circumventing the fat-suppression pulse. Without this fat-suppression, however, lipid signal can result in artifacts due to the chemical shift between the lipid and water signals. Our approach exploits a reconstruction similar to the simultaneous-multi-slice (SMS) method to separate the lipid and water images, thus avoiding undesired lipid artifacts in brain images. The lipid-water separation is based on the known spatial shift of the lipid signal, which can be detected by the multi-channel coils sensitivity profiles. Our study shows robust human imaging, offering greater flexibility to reduce the SAR, shorten the repetition time or increase the volume coverage with substantial benefit for brain functional studies.

Automated service provisioning is crucial for efficient interdomain networking. Using the business process modeling notation (BPMN), two automation-based interdomain architectures for carrier Ethernet transport are compared with traditional approaches, in order to identify main Operational Expenditure (OPEX) differences.

Trauma is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in dogs and cats. While prognostic tools are well-established in human medicine, few guidelines exist in veterinary trauma care. The Animal Trauma Triage (ATT) score and modified Glasgow Coma Scale (mGCS) are used to assess illness severity, but their clinical utility in veterinary patients remains undervalued. This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of ATT and mGCS scores and their association with organ dysfunction and survival in polytraumatized veterinary patients. We hypothesized that multi-organ failure (MOF) is more prevalent in non-survivors and correlates with higher ATT and lower mGCS scores. A prospective observational study was conducted for 30 patients (20 dogs and 10 cats) admitted to two veterinary hospitals. Clinical data, trauma scores, and outcomes were collected and analyzed. The overall survival rate was 83.3%; blunt trauma accounted for 80% of cases. Non-survivors (n = 5) had higher respiratory rates at admission (p = 0.01). The ATT score accurately predicted all fatalities, while the mGCS score showed limited prognostic value. MOF was the leading cause of death in 60% of non-survivors. ATT appears to be a more reliable tool for outcome prediction, enabling improved triage, resource allocation, and early intervention in veterinary trauma cases.

Chest X-ray (CXR) data is a projection image where each pixel of it represents a volumetric integration. Consequently identification of nodules and their characteristics is a difficult task in such images. Using a novel application of random process-based fractal image processing technique we extract features for nodule characterization. The uniqueness of the proposed technique lies in the fact that instead of relying on <i>apriori</i> information from user as in other random process inspired measures, we translate the random walk process into a feature which is based on its realization values. The Normalized Fractional Brownian Motion (NFBM) Model is derived from the random walk process. Using neighborhood region information in an incremental manner we can characterize the smoothness or roughness of a surface. The NFBM system gives a measure of roughness of a surface which in our case is a suspicious region (probable nodule). A classification procedure uses this measure to categorize nodule and non-nodule structures in the lung. The NFBM feature set is integrated in a prototype CAD system for nodule detection in CXR. Our algorithm provided a sensitivity of 75.9% with 3.1 FP/image on an independent test set of 50 CXR studies.