Red–Green–Blue (RGB) colour system approach to study the segregation and percolation in a mixture of white wheat flour and bleached wheat bran

In this work, we applied a nonintrusive measurement method based on the Red–Green–Blue (RGB) image analysis system to study the segregation and percolation in a mixture of white wheat flour and bleached wheat bran. This method intended to quantify the presence of one or several colours in the surface of mixed ingredients. The mixing of flour particles with bleached and unbleached wheat bran was studied using a 90 mm closed rotating cube. This system forced the particles to roll relative to each other so as to favourite the segregation by percolation in order to hide one colour by another. The obtained results showed a possibility of obtaining homogeneous colour when the wheat flour was mixed with the bleached wheat bran at a volume ratio of 20/5%–10%. By increasing to ratio up to 20/15% (flour/bran), the RGB system showed a presence of two colours in the surface of the mixture. Moreover, the RGB method confirmed the presence of two heterogeneous colours when the wheat flour was mixed with the unbleached wheat bran whatever the ratio (20/5%, 10% and 15%).     

Reliability of noninvasive methods to measure cardiac autonomic function

Cardiac autonomic modulation was examined in 10 healthy subjects (mean age = 27.8 +/- 1.7) at rest (paced breathing at 12 and 16 breaths/min) and during a submaximal cycle ergometer exercise test. Heart rate variability (HRV) spectral parameters and spontaneous baroreflex (SBR) function variables showed no significant differences between mean values for any of the testing conditions. Spectral parameters and SBR function did not differ significantly between the resting conditions. Significant reliability coefficients (r = 0.59-0.73) were observed for all spectral parameters except low frequency power (r = 0.22) during 12 breaths/min, with moderately lower values during 16 breaths/min (r = 0.10-0.75) and exercise (r = 0.20-0.89). Significant reliability coefficients were observed for baroreflex sensitivity at 12 (r = 0.83) and 16 (r = 0.92) breaths/min. It was concluded that at rest, HRV spectral and SBR analyses are reliable methods for studying cardiac autonomic balance.     

Polymer powders mixing part II: Multi-component mixing dynamics using RGB color analysis

In this work, the mixing quality of a multi-component blend of particles is determined using Multivariate Image Analysis of RGB images combined with the Grey Level Co-occurrence Matrix (GLCM) texture analysis. The mixing dynamics and flow behavior are studied in terms of mixing homogeneity and time to achieve equilibrium for binary, ternary and quaternary mixtures of equal size particles. The parameters studied are rotational speed, filling ratio, initial powder composition and particle sizes. Using the experimental data in the rolling regime, a second order model is proposed to predict the mixing curve as a function of time.     

2D MXene-Based Biosensing: A Review

MXene emerged as decent 2D material and has been exploited for numerous applications in the last decade. The remunerations of the ideal metallic conductivity, optical absorbance, mechanical stability, higher heterogeneous electron transfer rate, and good redox capability have made MXene a potential candidate for biosensing applications. The hydrophilic nature, biocompatibility, antifouling, and anti-toxicity properties have opened avenues for MXene to perform in vitro and in vivo analysis. In this review, the concept, operating principle, detailed mechanism, and characteristic properties are comprehensively assessed and compiled along with breakthroughs in MXene fabrication and conjugation strategies for the development of unique electrochemical and optical biosensors. Further, the current challenges are summarized and suggested future aspects. This review article is believed to shed some light on the development of MXene for biosensing and will open new opportunities for the future advanced translational application of MXene bioassays.     

Double watermarking‐based biometric access control for radio frequency identification card

The integration of data privacy and security into radio frequency identification (RFID) technology, particularly into RFID tags, has become one of the most attractive research areas. A crucial challenge in RFID technology research lies in providing an efficient protection for systems against information theft and illegitimate access. This article proposes a secure solution based on an RFID card for physical biometric access‐control applications. This is done by integrating two biometric modalities, namely face and fingerprint which are secured via a double watermarking technique. The suggested approach is ensured by two levels of watermarking. At the first level, the wavelet packet decomposition watermarking algorithm is used to insert features from the fingerprint (minutiae) in the face image of an authorized person. At the second level, the same watermarking algorithm is employed to insert the fingerprint watermark in the face features extracted by Gabor filters from the previously watermarked face image (at the first level). The obtained secured watermarked biometric data are then integrated in a 1‐kB high frequency proximity RFID card. This combination of both RFID technology and the double watermarking technique provides a biometric control access framework. Compared with the state‐of‐the‐art frameworks, the proposed one ensures a good compromise between a reduced computational complexity and a high level of data security while maintaining a small space of storage and a low cost compared to those of the marketed products.     

A GPU Tile-Load-Map architecture for terrain rendering: theory and applications

This paper describes a robust, modular, complete GPU architecture—the Tile-Load-Map (TLM)—designed for the real-time visualization of wide textured terrains created with arbitrary meshes. It extends and completes our previous succinct paper Amara et al. (ISVC 2007, Part 1, Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 4841, pp. 586–597, Springer, Berlin, 2007) by giving further technical and implementation details. It provides new solutions to problems that had been left unresolved, in the context of a joint use of OpenGL and CUDA, optimized on the G80 graphics chip. We explain the crucial components of the shaders, and emphasize the progress we have proposed, while resolving some difficulties. We show that this texturing architecture is well suited to current challenges, and takes into account most of the distinctive aspects of terrain rendering. Finally, we demonstrate how the design of the TLM facilitates the integration of geomatic input-data into procedural selection/rendering tasks on the GPU, and immediate applications to amplification. Electronic Supplementary Material  The online version of this article () contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Is the academic Ivory Tower becoming a managed structure? A nested analysis of the variance in activities of researchers from natural sciences and engineering in Canada

As an adaptation to its new environment, universities have engaged in various organisational innovations and taken a more active role in the orientation of the researcher. The emerging institutional management imposes specific constraints and opportunities for researchers. Thus, the impact of institutional membership, notably on the different institutional policies, is increasingly a dominant force in academic working lives. However, some scholars have argued that the context of researchers remains an Ivory Tower situation, where academic working life is defined through the twin discourse of academic freedom and professional autonomy. This article analyses the activities of research faculty members funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, in comparison to the theories that contribute to the explanation of researchers?? behaviour. By using intra-class correlation, which is based on a multi-level analysis of the variance distribution, we find that the grouping effect is still small. In other words, despite the emerging constraints and opportunities determined by their institutional context, researchers still exist in an Ivory Tower, where the explanation of their behaviour is still a matter of individual differences.     

Sepiolite grafted polypyrrole: Influence of degree of grafting on structural,thermal, and impedance properties of nanohybrid

Conductive pyrrole monomer was grafted on vinyl modified sepiolite by surface initiated emulsion graft polymerization. Effect of process variables such as monomer, initiator, and surfactant on degree of grafting (%) were investigated. Maximum 745% degree of grafting was obtained at optimized grafting conditions. Structural changes in sepiolite by grafting of polypyrrole chains was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques. Surface morphology of the grafted nanohybrid was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Thermal studies were carried out to acquire information concerning thermal stability of the synthesized materials and it was found increasing with the increase in grafting (%) of polypyrrole in sepiolite grafted polypyrrole (MS-g-PPy). Complex impedance spectroscopic analysis was carried out to study the effects of grafting of PPy on the ac electrical properties of synthesized nanohybrid composite at ambient temperature in the frequency range of 0.5–10⁷ Hz. The value of electrical conductivity was affected by degree of grafting (%) and maximum value of 0.85 × 10⁻⁴ S/cm was achieved. Both dielectric loss factor and permittivity increase with the decrease of frequency exhibiting strong interfacial polarization at low frequency.     

First-principles study of structural, elastic, electronic, and thermal properties of LaAlO3 perovskite

In this paper, we study the structural, elastic and electronic properties of perovskite LaAlO₃ using two different methods: the full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method and the pseudopotential plane wave (PP-PW) scheme in the frame of generalized gradient approximation (GGA). We have evaluated the ground-state quantities such as lattice parameter, bulk modulus and its pressure derivative as well as the elastic constants. Also, we have presented the results of the band structure, densities of states and charge densities. These results were in favourable agreement with previous theoretical works and the existing experimental data. To complete the fundamental characteristics of this compound we have analyzed the thermodynamic properties using the quasi-harmonic Debye model.     

Urban agriculture in Kathmandu as a catalyst for the civic inclusion of migrants and the making of a greener city

This research explores the opportunities offered for the creation of a green city on the recently secured Bagmati riverbanks in Kathmandu, which is subject to rapid inward migration from landless rural farmers. The research asks what architectural theory and practice can contribute to this setting to support the fit between emergent bottom-up initiatives and top-down city investments. To this end, it deepens and extends loose fit theory, research methods, and reflective practices to investigate latent possibilities, assemble a narrative of embedded change, and create spatial imaginaries of topographical change on the Bagmati riverbanks. Moreover, it argues that architectural theory and practice can play a vital role in integrating migrants into civic institutions and helping generate a highly green city by making the relationships between setting and occupant explicit, stimulating and representing alternative imaginaries, and framing a civic discourse.