Characterisation of mortar morphology in thin sections by digital image processing

A digital imaging approach was applied to investigate mortar morphology in thin sections; in particular, the binder/aggregate ratio and the grading curve of five mortar bars were attained by digital image processing (DIP), using the Image Pro Plus 4.1 software package. The imaging procedure employed image segmentation, to extract mortar aggregate, and image filtering, to fix grain boundaries. The results show that digital image processing may be considered as an alternative method to mechanical sieving for the characterisation of mortar morphology, as it appears to be quicker and more accurate than the traditional method. However, digital image processing exhibits limits, which are discussed in the text.     

(CO2 + 2‐propanol) mixture as a foaming agent for polystyrene: A simple thermodynamic model for the high pressure VLE‐phase diagrams taking into account the foam vitrification

The equation of state model developed by Lacombe and Sanchez (J Phys Chem 1976, 80, 2352) is used in the form proposed later by Sanchez and Stone (Polymer Blends, Vol. 1: Formulation, 2000; Chapter 2) to correlate experimental vapor‐liquid equilibrium (VLE) data for the three binaries and the ternary systems. Experimental data from the binary systems carbon dioxide‐isopropyl alcohol (CO₂‐IPrOH), isopropyl alcohol‐polystyrene (IPrOH‐PS), and carbon dioxide‐polystyrene (CO₂‐PS) are used to calculate VLE properties for the ternary system CO₂‐IPrOH‐PS. Two‐dimensional VLE‐phase diagrams were calculated and used to describe from a thermodynamic point of view the pressure, volume, and temperature values that characterize a thermoplastic foam evolution process, from the extruder to the foaming die. For different initial mixture CO₂ + IPrOH concentrations, pressure reduction produces liquid foaming until the vitrification curve arrests the final foam volume expansion. The dependence of the vitreous transition with the system CO₂ + IPrOH concentration while foaming is represented by the Chow (Macromolecules 1980, 13, 362) equation. The calculation procedure is proposed as a design tool to reduce the amount of experimental data usually needed as a requirement previous to the design stage. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 104: 2663–2671, 2007     

A low-cost real time virtual system for postural stability assessment at home

Background and objective

The degeneration of the balance control system in the elderly and in many pathologies requires measuring the equilibrium conditions very often. In clinical practice, equilibrium control is commonly evaluated by using a force platform (stabilometric platform) in a clinical environment.In this paper, we demonstrate how a simple movement analysis system, based on a 3D video camera and a 3D real time model reconstruction of the human body, can be used to collect information usually recorded by a physical stabilometric platform.

Methods

The algorithm used to reconstruct the human body model as a set of spheres is described and discussed. Moreover, experimental measurements and comparisons with data collected by a physical stabilometric platform are also reported. The measurements were collected on a set of 6 healthy subjects to whom a change in equilibrium condition was stimulated by performing an equilibrium task.

Results

The experimental results showed that more than 95% of data collected by the proposed method were not significantly different from those collected by the classic platform, thus confirming the usefulness of the proposed system.

Conclusions

The proposed virtual balance assessment system can be implemented at low cost (about 500$) and, for this reason, can be considered a home use medical device. On the contrary, astabilometric platform has a cost of about 10,000$ and requires periodical calibration. The proposed system does not require periodical calibration, as is necessary for stabilometric force platforms, and it is easy to use. In future, the proposed system with little integration can be used, besides being an emulator of a stabilometric platform, also to recognize and track, in real time, head, legs, arms and trunk, that is to collect information actually obtained by sophisticated optoelectronic systems.     

Microporous anisotropic phase inversion membranes from bisphenol A polycarbonate: Effect of additives to the polymer solution

Phase inversion is a very flexible technique to obtain membranes with a large sort of morphologies. Membrane properties can vary greatly depending on the kind of polymer system used. Bisphenol A polycarbonate (PC) could be used as a phase inversion membrane base polymer, and presents very good properties. Nevertheless, very little information on membrane preparation using PC and the phase inversion process can be found in the literature. In this work flat‐sheet microporous membranes were obtained by the phase inversion process using the immersion precipitation technique. A new polymer system was studied, consisting of polycarbonate, N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidone as solvent, water as the nonsolvent, and an additive. The influence of some parameters on membrane morphology, such as polymer solution composition, exposition time before immersion into the precipitation bath, and the kind of additive was investigated. Precipitation was followed using light transmission experiments and membrane morphology was observed through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The viscosity and cloud points of all polymer solutions were also determined. The results were related to the studied synthesis parameters, using the basic principles of membrane formation by the phase inversion technique, looking forward to establishing criteria to control the morphology of flat‐sheet membranes using polycarbonate as the base polymer. The results showed that both additives were able to increase pore interconnectivity and even suppress macrovoid formation. The decrease in the miscibility region of the polymer system and increase in mass transfer resistance are found to be the determining factors during polymer solution precipitation. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 3085–3096, 2002     

Esterification of acrylic acid with methanol by reactive chromatography: Experiments and simulations

The esterification of acrylic acid with methanol using Amberlyst 15 as a stationary phase has been investigated using a chromatographic reactor. Several experimental runs at various operating conditions have been conducted on a batch column. A classical reactive chromatography model including lumped kinetics, a linear driving force transport model and a heterogeneous kinetic model for the catalytic reaction has been developed. The additional dispersion of concentration fronts due to density gradient effects has been accounted for in the model. The model parameters have been determined in a fast and reliable way by directly fitting the batch column experiments. In general, a good agreement between experimental and calculated results is obtained. The evaluation of the covariance of the fitted model parameters reveals important insights about the system behavior.Based on the detailed batch column model, a complete model of a simulated-moving-bed reactor has been implemented and its optimal point of operation for the synthesis of methyl acrylate from acrylic acid has been determined. Particularly when considering the low-operating temperature, we can regard this process as a possible competition for current technologies.     

Bulk and suspension polymerization of styrene in the presence of n-pentane. An evaluation of monofunctional and bifunctional initiation

The plasticizing effect of n-pentane on the rate of bulk free radical polymerization of styrene and molecular weight distribution development has been modeled on the basis of the free volume theory for both monofunctional and bifunctional initiation. A strong decrease in the reaction rate in the late stages of the polymerization, due to the displacement of the onset of the gel effect, has been observed for both types of initiation. This decrease in the polymerization rate limited the terminal conversion to values well below 100% for mono-functional initiation. However, in bifunctionally initiated polymerization, terminal conversions close to 100% were obtained in spite of the decrease in reaction rate. Contrary to what was expected, the molecular weight distribution obtained at terminal conversion was almost completely insensitive to these changes in polymerization rate. This phenomenon is explained in terms of limited transfer to monomer reactions when n-pentane is present in the system. In suspension polymerization, the limiting conversion and plasticizing effects of n-pentane in monofunctionally initiated systems, caused enhanced coalescence leading to suspension set-up. In bifunctionally initiated systems this enhanced coalescence was completely overcome by the short duration of the particle growth stage, owing to high polymerization rates, and stable suspensions were achieved. For these systems the particle size distributions obtained were similar to that of suspension polystyrene without n-pentane. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Information Sharing Among Disaster Responders - An Interactive Spreadsheet-Based Collaboration Approach

Recent natural disasters have led crisis management organizations to revise their protocols so as to rely on the contribution of a wider range of actors, including simple citizens as well as expert operators, to support decision making activities. Reliable and timely information sharing among members of distributed teams of disaster responders has become paramount for the success of the overall crisis management process. In this paper we propose a crisis management system based on spreadsheet-mediated collaboration among on-site responders and decision makers. To share data a common spreadsheet artifact has been developed by using a participatory design approach which is accessed through mobile user interfaces. The evaluation results showed that the use of the spreadsheet artifact has resulted in more effective decision making relating to set of earthquake management scenarios in high-risk areas located in Italy.     

Geschäftsmodelle

The business model concept, although a relatively new topic for research, has garnered growing attention over the past decade. Whilst it has been robustly defined, the concept has so far attracted very little substantive research. In the context of the wide-spread digitization of businesses and society at large, the logic inherent in a business model has become critical for business success and, hence, a focus for academic inquiry. The business model concept is identified as the missing link between business strategy, processes, and Information Technology (IT). The authors argue that the BISE community offers distinct and unique competencies (e.g., translating business strategies into IT systems, managing business and IT processes, etc.) that can be harnessed for significant research contributions to this field. Within this research gap three distinct streams are delineated, namely, business models in IT industries, IT enabled or digital business models, and IT support for developing and managing business models. For these streams, the current state of the art, suggest critical research questions, and suitable research methodologies are outlined.     

Silphinene Sesquiterpenes as Model Insect Antifeedants

Silphinene sesquiterpenes are established chrysomelid antifeedants. In this work, nine silphinene analogs, 11-acetoxy-5-angeloyloxysilphinen-3-one (1), 11-acetoxy-5-tigloyloxysilphinen-3-one (2), 11-acetoxy-5-iso- butyryloxysilphinen-3-one (3), 11-hydroxy-5-angeloyloxysilphinen-3-one (4), 11,5-dihydroxysilphinen-3-one (5), 11,5-diacetoxysilphinen-3-one (6), 5,11-diisobutyryloxysilphinen-3-one (7), silphinen-3,5,11-trione (8), and O-methyl-5-epicantabrenolic acid methyl ester (10), and a presilphiperfolane sesquiterpene (9) were tested against several divergent insect species, including the lepidopteran Spodoptera littoralis, the chrysomelid Leptinotarsa decemlineata, and five aphid species, and their antifeedant effects were compared with those of picrotoxinin, a GABA-antagonist, and thymol, an allosteric modulator for insect GABA receptors. All insects tested responded to at least one silphinene analog and/or GABA antagonist. Compound 3 and thymol were effective antifeedants against all species tested except S. littoralis, with varying potencies according to their feeding ecologies. The toxicity of these compounds was species-dependent and did not correlate with their antifeedant effect.