Generating Fluttering Patterns with Low Autocorrelation for Coded Exposure Imaging

The performance of coded exposure imaging critically depends on finding good binary sequences. Previous coded exposure imaging methods have mostly relied on random searching to find the binary codes, but that approach can easily fail to find good long sequences, due to the exponentially expanding search space. In this paper, we present two algorithms for generating the binary sequences, which are especially well suited for generating short and long binary sequences, respectively. We show that the concept of low autocorrelation binary sequences, which has been successfully exploited in the field of information theory, can be applied to generate shutter fluttering patterns. We also propose a new measure for good binary sequences. Based on the new measure, we introduce two new algorithms for coded exposure imaging - a modified Legendre sequence method and a memetic algorithm. Experiments using both synthetic and real data show that our new algorithms consistently generate better binary sequences for the coded exposure problem, yielding better deblurring and resolution enhancement results compared to previous methods of generating the binary codes.     

Perceptually inspired real-time artistic style transfer for video stream

This study presents a real-time texture transfer method for artistic style transfer for video stream. We propose a parallel framework using a T-shaped kernel to enhance the computational performance. With regard to accelerated motion estimation, which is necessarily required for maintaining temporal coherence, we present a method using a downscaled motion field to successfully achieve high real-time performance for texture transfer of video stream. In addition, to enhance the artistic quality, we calculate the level of abstraction using visual saliency and integrate it with the texture transfer algorithm. Thus, our algorithm can stylize video with perceptual enhancements.     

Lonsdaleite diamond growth on reconstructed Si (100) by hot-filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD)

In this paper, the growth of Lonsdaleite diamond using hot-filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) on flashed and reconstructed Si (100) is reported. Surface morphology studies using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) show that the film is composed of decahedron and icosahedron diamond particles. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern has a strongest peak at 47° and a peak at 41°, which is indicative of Lonsdaleite nature of the grown diamond film. The Raman spectrum of the film shows a broadened diamond peak at wave number of 1,329 cm⁻¹, which has shifted towards the peak position corresponding to Lonsdaleite nature of the diamond (1,326 cm⁻¹).     

Crystallization kinetics and nucleation activity of silica nanoparticle-filled poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalate)

Silica nanoparticle-filled poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalate) (PEN) composites were melt-blended to improve the mechanical and rheological properties of PEN. The melt viscosity and total torque values of the composites were reduced by the silica content. The crystallization exothermic peak shifted to a higher temperature, and the overall crystallization time was reduced by increasing the silica content. Non-isothermal crystallization kinetics was analyzed using the Ozawa and Avrami theories, and a combined method. The combined method was successful in describing the non-isothermal crystallization of these composites. The crystallization activation energy calculated using Kissinger's method was reduced, and the spherulite growth rate increased, with increasing silica content.A study of the nucleation activity, which indicated the influence of the filler on the polymer matrix, revealed that the fumed silica nanoparticles had a good nucleation effect on PEN.     

Surface characterization of 8‐quinolinyl acrylate‐grafted poly(ethylene terephthalate) prepared by plasma glow discharge and it's antibacterial activity

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) film was exposed to oxygen plasma glow discharge to produce peroxides on its surface. These peroxides were then used as catalysts for the polymerization of 8‐quinolinyl acrylate (QA) to prepare the PET grafted with QA (PET‐Q). The surface‐modified PET was characterized by attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR‐FTIR) and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The introduction of QA to the PET surface was confirmed by observing the presence of nitrogen in the XPS survey scan and high‐resolution spectra. The amount of QA grafted on to the PET surface as measured by the gravimetric method was about 5.2 μg cm^?2. The antibacterial activity of the surface‐modified PET texture was investigated by using a shake‐flask and an inhibition zone test method. After 6 h of shaking, the PET grafted with QA showed the inhibition (91%) of the growth of the gram‐positive microorganism, S. aureus. Even after laundering ten times, an effectiveness of the inhibition was found. However, little inhibition was shown with the gram‐negative microorganism, K. pneumoniae. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 863–868, 2006     

Complete benzene oxidation over Pt-Pd bimetal catalyst supported on γ-alumina: influence of Pt-Pd ratio on the catalytic activity

Pt-Pd bimetal catalysts were prepared in order to develop and investigate catalysts with excellent activity and stability for benzene destruction. In the reaction results, the addition of Pt to Pd/γ-Al₂O₃ catalyst brought about the increase of catalytic activity. Moreover, it was effective in preventing the deactivation of the catalysts in benzene combustion. The addition of some amount of Pt made Pd particles available for better benzene combustion. On the contrary, the addition of Pt beyond a certain amount decreases activity because of the Pd active sites overlapped with the Pt active sites. The activity of the catalysts is related to oxidation state of metal, Pd/Al ratio and particle size on γ-Al₂O₃. These effects of Pt addition to Pd catalysts were studied by XPS, XRD, and TEM analyses.     

Swollen behavior of crosslinked network hydrogels based on poly(vinyl alcohol) and polydimethylsiloxane

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) was dissolved in the water to make a 10 wt % aqueous solution, and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) was mixed with 1 wt % 2,2‐dimethyl‐2‐phenylacetophenone (DMPAP) and 0.5 mol % methylenebisacrylamide (MBAAm) in isopropyl alcohol. This mixture was added to a PVA aqueous solution and heated at 90°C for 7 h. Various crosslinked networks were prepared at different molar ratios of PVA/PDMS (1:1, 1:3, and 3:1). The characterization of PVA/PDMS crosslinked networks was determined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), a universal testing machine (UTM), and the equilibrium water content (EWC). The DSC melting endotherms showed, at 219.49°C, a sharp endothermic peak of PVA, and PVA/PDMS crosslinked networks had melting peaks close to this point. The value of EWC increased with the content of PVA in the crosslinked networks, simultaneously depending on the temperature. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 85: 957–964, 2002     

Effect of temperature, oxidant and catalyst loading on the performance of direct formic acid fuel cell

We investigated the effect of temperature, oxidant and catalyst loading on the performance of direct formic acid fuel cell (DFAFC). When oxidant was changed from air to oxygen, the power density was increased to 17.3 mW/ cm² at 25 ‡C. The power density of DFAFC operated with oxygen showed a maximum value of 40.04 mW/cm² with the temperature rise from room temperature to 70 °C. The highest power density of DFAFC using air was observed for Pt-Ru black catalyst with loading of 8 mgPt/cm² at room temperature. At 70 ‡C; however, the performance of catalyst with the loading of 4 mgPt/cm² was higher than that of 8 mgPt/cm². The DFAFC, operated with oxygen and catalyst of 4 mgPt/cm² loading, showed the best performance at all temperature range. The enhancement of cell performance with an increase of catalyst loading is believed to come from an increase of catalyst active sites. However, operated at higher temperature or with oxygen, the cell with higher catalyst loading showed lower performance than expected. It is speculated that the thick catalyst layer inhibits the proton transport.     

Enhancement of secreted production of glucoamylase through fed-batch bioreactor culture of recombinant yeast harboring glucose-controllable <Emphasis Type="Italic">SUC2</Emphasis> promoter

Glucoamylase that hydrolyses starch to glucose is one of the important industrial enzymes for ethanol production industry. Therefore, genetic production of recombinant glucoamylase has been widely studied. Previously, we reported secreted production of Saccharomyces diastaticus-originated glucoamylase in Saccharomyces cerevisiase expression system using its own signal sequence and the SUC2 promoter that is regulated by glucose level in culture medium. In the present work, we performed a comparative study between batch and fed-batch bioreactor cultures for secreted production of recombinant glucoamylase. Through maintaining low glucose levels in the culture broth, we obtained about 7-fold higher secreted production levels of glucoamlyase in fed-batch culture. Fed-batch culture strategy also enhanced (∼3.1-fold) secretion efficiency of recombinant glucoamylase in S. cerevisiae.     

A Kinetic Study on the Thermal Degradation of Multi‐Walled Carbon Nanotubes‐Reinforced Poly(propylene) Composites

Summary: The influence of the multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) content on the thermal degradation behavior of MWNTs‐reinforced poly(propylene) (PP) composites was investigated by using non‐isothermal thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Kinetic parameters of degradation were evaluated by using the Flynn‐Wall‐Ozawa iso‐conversional method and the pseudo first‐order method. As a result, compared with pristine PP, MWNTs‐PP nanocomposites have lower peak temperatures of degradation, narrower degradation temperature ranges and a higher amount of residual weight at the end of the degradation, which is likely to be a result of specific interactions between complimentary functional groups. The values of the reaction order of MWNTs‐PP nanocomposites determined by the Kissinger method are close to 1 in the non‐isothermal degradation process. There is a good correlation between the E_a in region II and the peak temperature of degradation for the composites.

Activation energies for degradation of different contents of MWNTs‐filled PP nanocomposites as a function of conversion.