Colour management system: Monte Carlo implementation for camouflage pattern generation

The Monte Carlo method provides a simple yet powerful and flexible tool for simulation of complex or random systems. This paper contains an overview of the theory behind the method and some simple examples to illustrate its implementation to model the refinement of patterns on the camouflaged surface. The objective is to provide an introduction to the method and to present a useful tool for solving practical problems. The first attempts of its application for military camouflage pattern generation are presented. A colour management system utilising the Monte Carlo method and based on the imaging and spectral data enabled the design of a dedicated camouflage pattern for both small‐ and large‐size military objects.     

Fly ash as a sorbent for boron removal from aqueous solutions: Equilibrium and thermodynamic studies

ABSTRACT

This study presents the application of fly ash from brown coal and biomass burning power plant as a sorbent for the removal of boron ions from an aqueous solution. The adsorption process efficiency depended on the parameters, such as adsorbent dosage, pH, temperature, agitation time and initial boron concentration. The experimental data fitted well with the Freundlich isotherm model and the maximum capacity was found to be 16.14 mg g^?1. The adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second-order model. Also, the intra-particle diffusion model parameters were calculated. Thermodynamic parameters such as change in free energy (ΔG°), enthalpy (ΔH°), entropy (ΔS°) revealed on exothermic nature of boron adsorption onto the fly ash.     

Effect of lanthanum-modified magnesium silicate on isotactic polypropylene crystallization in composite materials during shear flow

The activity of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) nucleating additives during shear flow of composite materials is still not entirely explained. In current work the sol-gel method was employed to synthesize MgO·SiO₂ filler, surface-modified with trivalent lanthanum. The crystallization of commercial iPP in the presence of 0.5% by weight La³⁺ modified or unmodified silicates was analyzed. The wide angle X-ray scattering analysis proved that the presence of even small amount of filler influences significantly on supermolecular structure of iPP. The results of microscope observations confirmed that the lanthanum-modified filler shows the nucleating ability for iPP. In that case a significant reduction of crystallization induction time was noticed. The investigation of iPP crystallization in composites after shear treatment confirmed that the increase of shear rate reduces the nucleating ability of additives. Moreover, the flow of filler particles during shearing may impede the shear-induced crystallization phenomenon.     

Expression of RCAS1 Correlates with Urothelial Bladder Cancer Malignancy

RCAS1 is a protein that participates in regulation of the tumor microenvironment and its immune responses, all in order to evade the immune system. The aim of this study was to analyze RCAS1 expression in urothelial bladder cancer cells (and in fibroblasts and macrophages of the tumor stroma) and its relationship with the histological pattern of malignancy. Eighty-three postcystectomy patients were enrolled. We analyzed the histological maturity (grade), progress (pT stage), tissue invasion type (TIT), nonclassic differentiation number (NDN), and the ability to metastasize (pN). The expression of RCAS1 protein was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. Indicators of histological malignancy were observed solely in association with the RCAS1 expression in cells in the border parts (BPs) of the tumor. Histological malignancy of the tumor, indicated by the pT and pN, and metastasis-free survival time, correlated significantly with RCAS1 expression in tumor neoplastic cells, whereas malignancy determined by grade, TIT, and NDN correlated with RCAS1 expression in fibroblasts and macrophages in the tumor microenvironment. These findings suggest that the increased RCAS1 expression depends on its cellular source and that RCAS1 expression itself is a component of various signaling pathways. The immune escape occurs within the tumor BPs, where the increase in the RCAS1 expression occurs within tumor cells and stromal cells in its microenvironment. We conclude that the histological pattern of tumor malignancy, indicated by grade, TIT, NDN, pT, and pN is a morphological indicator of immune escape.     

N‐Oligo(3‐hydroxybutyrate)‐functionalized polypyrroles: towards bio‐erodible conducting copolymers

New copolymer materials have been prepared by chemical grafting of oligomeric 3‐hydroxybutyric acid (OHB) onto polypyrrole (PPy) derivatives. The influence of grafting density and molecular weight of OHB brushes on the physicochemical properties of prepared copolymers was investigated. PPy substrates were prepared by FeCl₃‐driven oxidative homopolymerization of N‐(2‐carboxyethyl)pyrrole or its copolymerization with pyrrole. The grafting method employed involved controlled anionic polymerization of β‐butyrolactone on pyrrole‐tethered potassium carboxylate active sites. Obtained PPy‐g‐OHB copolymers of varying grafting density and pendant polyester chain length were characterized and the observed structure–property relationships discussed. The impact of real time exposure to phosphate‐buffered saline environment was investigated and the residue products were characterized. Cross‐correlation of spectroscopic, thermal, electrical and elemental analysis data afforded comprehensive evaluation of the structure of prepared materials and their behaviour in hydrolytic medium. Erosion and degradation pathways have been identified, indicating ways to consciously tailor the physicochemical properties of these new biomimetic materials. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry     

Preparation and enhanced mechanical properties of hydroxyapatite hybrid hydrogels via novel photocatalytic polymerization

Hydroxyapatite (HA) hybridized poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-co-acrylic acid (PNIPAM-co-AAc) hydrogel on thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) were successfully prepared via photocatalytic polymerization technique. Low temperature plasma processing of HMDSZ and O₂ plasma were deposition on substrate. The HA/hydrogel were stabilized by HA of which the wettability was modified by calcium nitrate and ammonium phosphate dibasic. The HA gradually increases with the increase of time cycles. The deposition of organic silicone group by the HMDSZ on the TPU substrate is hydrophobic surface. When deposition of O₂, the water contact angles (WCA) was changed to <10° and surface hydrophilicity. The materials were characterized by OM, SEM, FT-IR, XPS and XRD. The results showed that the NIPAM: AAc (1:1 mol) polymers possess macropores ranging from 2 to 20 μm, and their large numbers of carboxyl groups and hydroxyl groups result in a favorable adsorption capacity for HA. Swelling studies indicated that NIPAM: AAc (1:1 mol) was 446 ± 0.3%. This work provided a promising alternative method for the fabrication of polymer materials with tunable and interconnected pores structures for the HA.     

Glass microparticle- versus microsphere-filled experimental dental adhesives

This study aimed to formulate antibacterial dental adhesives. Phosphate-substituted methacrylate adhesives were modified with 0–20 wt % copper-doped glass microparticles. Two shapes of microparticles were used: regular shaped (microspheres) and irregular shaped (microparticles). The morphology/composition, roughness, monomer conversion (DC%), thermogravimetric analysis, and antibacterial action against S. mutans and P. aeruginosa and ion release were investigated. The results showed that microspheres produced adhesives with a relatively smoother surface than microparticles did. The DC% of adhesives increased with increasing glass filler content. Filled adhesives showed polymer decomposition at ~315 °C and glass melting at 600–1000 °C. The weight loss percent of adhesives decreased with increasing weight percent of fillers. Glass microparticles at 0–20 wt % significantly increased the antibacterial action of adhesives against both bacteria. Glass microspheres at 0–5 wt % significantly increased the antibacterial action of adhesives against both bacteria. Only 20 wt % microparticle-filled adhesive showed an inhibition zone similar to tobramycin (positive control). Microparticle-filled adhesives (with >5 wt % filler) significantly reduced S. mutans more than their microsphere counterparts. Microsphere-filled adhesives (with ≤5 wt % filler) significantly reduced P. aeruginosa more than their microparticle counterparts. Microsphere-filled adhesives showed higher Cu release than their microparticle counterparts. Accordingly, phosphate-substituted methacrylate filled with glass could be used as an antibacterial adhesive. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47832.     

Improvement of Aglycone π-Stacking Yields Nanomolar to Sub-nanomolar FimH Antagonists

Antimicrobial resistance has become a serious concern for the treatment of urinary tract infections. In this context, an anti-adhesive approach targeting FimH, a bacterial lectin enabling the attachment of E. coli to host cells, has attracted considerable interest. FimH can adopt a low/medium-affinity state in the absence and a high-affinity state in the presence of shear forces. Until recently, mostly the high-affinity state has been investigated, despite the fact that a therapeutic antagonist should bind predominantly to the low-affinity state. In this communication, we demonstrate that fluorination of biphenyl α-d -mannosides leads to compounds with perfect π–π stacking interactions with the tyrosine gate of FimH, yielding low nanomolar to sub-nanomolar K_D values for the low- and high-affinity states, respectively. The face-to-face alignment of the perfluorinated biphenyl group of FimH ligands and Tyr48 was confirmed by crystal structures as well as ¹H,¹⁵N-HSQC NMR analysis. Finally, fluorination improves pharmacokinetic parameters predictive for oral availability.     

Analyzing semiconductor devices using modulation spectroscopy

Improvements in the quality and yield of semiconductor devices will rely on characterization methods that are informative, nondestructive, convenient, easy to use, and inexpensive. Ideally, one would like to perform the characterization procedure at room temperature on entire wafers, possibly even before the structure is removed from the growth chamber. Because of their simplicity and proven ability, the contactless electro-modulation methods of photoreflectance and contactless electroreflectance are ideally suited for this purpose. Modulation spectroscopy has already been applied to examine such devices as heterojunction bipolar transistors, pseudomorphic high-electron-mobility transistors, quantum-well lasers, vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers, multiple-quantum-well infrared detectors, superlattice optical mirrors, resonant tunneling structures, solar cells, and metal-oxide-semiconductor configurations.     

Physico-Chemical Properties of Cobalt–Ruthenium (10% Co–0.5% Ru) Catalysts Supported on Binary Oxides 8.5%ZrO<Subscript>2</Subscript>/Support (SiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>, Al<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>3</Subscript>, TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>) for Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis

The promotion of Fischer-Tropsch catalysts 10%Co/Al₂O₃, 10%Co/SiO₂, 10%Co/TiO₂ by 0.5% Ru and the modification of supports by 8.5 wt% ZrO₂ have been studied. The following properties: catalyst specific surface area as well as reducibility and dispersion of metallic phase were studied by different techniques: BET, TPR, and H₂ chemisorption. The modification of supports by non-reducible ZrO₂, results in a decrease of cobalt oxide reduction on Al₂O₃ and TiO₂ but not on SiO₂ supports. Additionally the enhancement of cobalt dispersion was found for all catalysts with ZrO₂ modified supports. The impact of Ru promotion is likely due to the stabilization of applied supports, prevention or blockage of interaction between surface Co species and support and an increase in cobalt oxide reducibility to the catalytically active metallic cobalt phase.