Real-time scalable hardware architecture for 3D-HEVC bipartition modes

This article presents a real-time scalable hardware architecture for the bipartition modes of 3D high-efficiency video coding (3D-HEVC) standard, which includes the depth modeling modes 1 (DMM-1) and 4 (DMM-4). A simplification of the DMM-1 algorithm was done, removing the refinement step. This simplification causes a small BD-rate increase (0.09 %) with the advantage of better using our hardware resources, reducing the necessary memory required for storing all DMM-1 wedgelet patterns by 30 %. The scalable architecture can be configured to support all the different block sizes supported by the 3D-HEVC and also to reach different throughputs, according to the application requirements. Then, the proposed solution can be efficiently used for several encoding scenarios and many different applications. Synthesis results considering a test case show that the designed architecture is capable of processing HD 1080p videos in real time, but with other configurations, higher resolutions are also possible to be processed.     

Periodic orbits of oval billiards on surfaces of constant curvature

In this paper, we define and study the billiard problem on bounded regions on surfaces of constant curvature. We show that this problem defines a two-dimensional conservative and reversible dynamical system, defined by a Twist diffeomorphism, if the boundary of the region is an oval. Using these properties and defining good perturbations for billiards, we show that having only a finite number of nondegenerate periodic orbits for each fixed period is an open property for billiards on surfaces of constant curvature and a dense one on the hyperbolic plane. We finish this paper studying the stability of these nondegenerate orbits.     

Immobilization of aloin encapsulated into liposomes in Layer-by-layer films for transdermal drug delivery

Layer-by-layer (LbL) films have been exploited in drug delivery systems that may be used in the form of patches, but the encapsulation of poor water soluble drugs and their release with a controlled rate are still major challenges to be faced. In this paper, we demonstrate the controlled release of aloin (barbaloin), an important component of the widely used Aloe vera, encapsulated into liposomes and immobilized in LbL films with a polyelectrolyte. With a systematic study using fluorescence spectroscopy of aloin release from solutions and from LbL films with different phospholipid liposomes, we inferred that optimized release was achieved with aloin incorporated into palmitoyl oleyl phosphatidyl glycerol (POPG) or dipalmitoyl phosphatidyl glycerol (DPPG) liposomes immobilized in LbL films. Significantly, with this optimized system aloin was almost completely released within 30 h, with a small release rate at the end, which followed a sharp release in the first 5 h. Upon comparing the rates of the distinct systems, we conclude that the main factors controlling the release are the electrostatic interactions involving the negatively charged phospholipids. Because these interactions can be tuned in LbL films, the approach used here opens the way for new drug delivery systems to be developed with fine control of the drug release.     

Encapsulationof lycopene from watermelon in calcium‐alginate microparticles using an optimised inverse‐gelation method by response surface methodology

Lycopene exhibits strong antioxidant activity due to its unsaturated molecular bonds, which also contributes to its susceptibility for degradation. Encapsulation techniques can reduce lycopene degradation, increasing its potential applications in functional foods and nutraceuticals. The objective of this study was to optimise the encapsulation of lycopene from watermelon in alginate microparticles using the inverse gelation method. Box–Behnken design was used for the optimisation of three variables: concentrations of alginate (w/v %) and CaCl₂ (g L^?1), and gelation time (min). Two types of alginate were investigated (low viscosity and high viscosity) and optimised separately using encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity as responses. Results indicated that the models had a good fit to the experimental data and the optimal conditions varied depending on the type of alginate. In general, particles prepared with low‐viscosity alginate exhibited higher encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity and could be used for further research.     

A theoretical physiologically based pharmacokinetic approach for modeling the fate of anthocyanins in vivo

Recent studies on the pharmacokinetics of anthocyanins (ACNs) and their metabolites have uncovered evidence for hitherto unknown physiological effects affecting the fate of these compounds in vivo. In particular, it has been shown that the stomach, in addition to the small intestine, has an important role in absorption. Most studies still use a noncompartmental or one-compartmental approach to determine the pharmacokinetic parameters of ACNs, which does not represent the anatomical and physiological conditions that a compound is subject to in the organism. Thus, the objective of this study was to review the current knowledge of the different processes involved in the metabolism of ACNs once ingested and, based on this information, propose a theoretical physiologically based, multicompartmental pharmacokinetic (PBMK) model to describe their fate in vivo. This is the first study that reports a PBMK model for ACNs; the model provides a more physiologically representative approach for ANC metabolism, which could be used as a basis for experimental designs and interspecies scale-up.     

Environmentally Friendly Determination of Quality Parameters of Biodiesel/Diesel Blends Using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectra

Multivariate calibration models based on data from mid‐infrared spectroscopy of biodiesel/diesel blends were obtained. The blends were prepared from diesel oil and esters of soybean oil, waste cooking oil, and hydrogenated vegetable oil in proportions ranging from 0 to 100 % biodiesel. The results showed that the multivariate regression models with interval partial least squares (iPLS), backward interval partial least squares (biPLS), and synergy interval partial least squares (siPLS) were able to determine the fractions of the infrared spectrum that contain the relevant information for estimating the values of physicochemical properties, flash point, specific gravity, and cetane number, which are used in quality control of the blends. In the best models, the values of determination coefficients were greater than 0.9500, proving their efficiency as an alternative to traditional analytical methods.     

Burial grounds’ impact on groundwater and public health: an overview

The most common practice for disposal of dead bodies is inhumation in soil, which favours interactions with the surrounding environment and returns nutrients to the life cycle. However, when the burial ground is located where hydrogeological, geological and climatic conditions are not favourable to the process, contamination of soils and groundwater may occur, and decomposition may be inhibited, leading to social, economic and political problems. The most critical parameters when assessing the pollution potential of a burial ground are inhumation depth, geological formation, depth of the water table, density of inhumations, soil type and climate. Considering that, this paper presents an overview of the potential threat that cemeteries can pose, analysing and discussing the influence of the main variables causing environmental impacts and public health risks.