No-Reference Video Quality Assessment using novel hybrid features and two-stage hybrid regression for score level fusion

This paper presents a novel No-Reference Video Quality Assessment (NR-VQA) model that utilizes proposed 3D steerable wavelet transform-based Natural Video Statistics (NVS) features as well as human perceptual features. Additionally, we proposed a novel two-stage regression scheme that significantly improves the overall performance of quality estimation. In the first stage, transform-based NVS and human perceptual features are separately passed through the proposed hybrid regression scheme: Support Vector Regression (SVR) followed by Polynomial curve fitting. The two visual quality scores predicted from the first stage are then used as features for the similar second stage. This predicts the final quality scores of distorted videos by achieving score level fusion. Extensive experiments were conducted using five authentic and four synthetic distortion databases. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms other published state-of-the-art benchmark methods on synthetic distortion databases and is among the top performers on authentic distortion databases. The source code is available at https://github.com/anishVNIT/two-stage-vqa.     

Reconstruction and hydration of hydrotalcite response to thermal activation temperature: Enhancement of properties for magnesia castables

Optimization binding system for refractory castables is significant to enhance the service performance. Hydrotalcite has been considered a promoter for high-temperature performance of basic castables, however, its binding property remains to be improved before practical application. In this work, the thermal activated Mg–Al hydrotalcites were incorporated in magnesia castables, and the mutual influence of pre-calcination temperature on the hydration, microstructure, and strength of castables was investigated. The obtained results indicated that the reconstruction of calcined hydrotalcite took place in the hydration process and effectively motivated the hydrolysis. Hydrate was thus promoted and a relatively dense microstructure of magnesia castables was confirmed by X-ray computed tomography analysis. Hydrotalcite pre-calcinated at 300 °C contributed to the highest early strength for castable, and the high-temperature properties also performed better than that of other pre-calcinated hydrotalcite-adding. The enhancement mechanisms of calcined hydrotalcite were attributed to the two following reasons: (ⅰ) the modified microstructure of magnesia castables from the early stage by hydration process, (ⅱ) the further enhanced sinterability inspired by the appropriate thermal activation effect.     

Radiation- and Photo-Induced Oxidation Pathways of Methionine in Model Peptide Backbone under Anoxic Conditions

Within the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by cellular metabolisms, hydroxyl radicals (HO^•) play an important role, being the most aggressive towards biomolecules. The reactions of HO^• with methionine residues (Met) in peptides and proteins have been intensively studied, but some fundamental aspects remain unsolved. In the present study we examined the biomimetic model made of Ac-Met-OMe, as the simplest model peptide backbone, and of HO^• generated by ionizing radiation in aqueous solutions under anoxic conditions. We performed the identification and quantification of transient species by pulse radiolysis and of final products by LC-MS and high-resolution MS/MS after γ-radiolysis. By parallel photochemical experiments, using 3-carboxybenzophenone (CB) triplet with the model peptide, we compared the outcomes in terms of short-lived intermediates and stable product identification. The result is a detailed mechanistic scheme of Met oxidation by HO^•, and by CB triplets allowed for assigning transient species to the pathways of products formation.     

锌铝水滑石的制备及其在制革少铬鞣中的应用

通过共沉淀法制备了锌铝水滑石(ZnAl-LDH),采用XRD、FTIR、SEM对其结构进行了表征.将其配合用量为皮质量2％的铬粉(记为2％铬粉)应用于制革鞣制工艺中.考察了ZnAl-LDH制备时的金属源物质的量比、陈化时间对鞣制坯革收缩温度、鞣后废液中的Cr2O3质量浓度的影响.结果表明,ZnAl-LDH是尺寸在100～400 nm之间的片状材料.当n〔(Zn(NO3)2?6H2O)〕:n〔Al(NO3)3?9H2O〕=2.0:1.0,陈化时间为6 h时,制备的ZnAl-LDH-4具有优异的性能.与单独使用2％铬粉鞣制坯革相比,ZnAl-LDH-4(用量为皮质量的4％)配合2％铬粉鞣制坯革收缩温度由75℃提高到94℃,废液中的Cr2O3质量浓度由99.58 mg/L降低至46.98 mg/L,且加入ZnAl-LDH-4鞣制后,鞣后废液化学需氧量和生物需氧量均降低.     

氯乙烯变温吸附装置的研究

介绍了采用变温吸附技术对氯乙烯进行干燥脱水的工艺流程及运行效果,阐述了变温吸附装置运行过程中出现的问题及相应的解决方法。     

Non-Halogenated-Solvent Processed and Additive-Free Tandem Organic Solar Cell with Efficiency Reaching 16.67%

Organic solar cells (OSCs) have recently reached a remarkably high efficiency and become a promising technology for commercial application. However, OSCs with top efficiency are mostly processed by halogenated solvents and with additives that are not environmentally friendly, which hinders large-scale manufacture. In this study, high-performance tandem OSCs, based on polymer donors and two small-molecule acceptors with different bandgaps, are fabricated by solution processing with non-halogenated solvents without additive. Importantly, the two active layers developed from non-halogenated solvents show better phase segregation and charge transport properties, leading to superior performance than halogenated ones. As a result, a tandem OSC with high efficiency of up to 16.67% is obtained, showing unique advantages in future massive production.     

Investigation on thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of Si3N4 ceramics via one-step sintering

High thermal conductivity Si₃N₄ ceramics were fabricated using a one-step method consisting of reaction-bonded Si₃N₄ (RBSN) and post-sintering. The influence of Si content on nitridation rate, β/(α+β) phase rate, thermal conductivity and mechanical properties was investigated in this work. It is of special interest to note that the thermal conductivity showed a tendency to increase first and then decrease with increasing Si content. This experimental result shows that the optimal thermal conductivity and fracture toughness were obtained to be 66 W (m K)^-1 and 12.0 MPa m^1/2, respectively. As a comparison, the nitridation rate and β/(α+β) phase rate in a static pressure nitriding system, i.e., 97% (MS10), 97% (MS15), 97% (MS20) and 8.3% (MS10), 8.3% (MS15), 8.9% (MS20), respectively, have obvious advantages over those in a flowing nitriding system, i.e., 91% (MS10), 91% (MS15), 93% (MS20) and 3.1% (MS10), 3.3% (MS15), 3.3% (MS20), respectively. Moreover, high lattice integrity of the β-Si₃N₄ phase was observed, which can effectively confine O atoms into the β-Si₃N₄ lattice using MgO as a sintering additive. This result indicates that one-step sintering can provide a new route to prepare Si₃N₄ ceramics with a good combination of thermal conductivity and mechanical properties.