From rendering to tracking point-based 3D models

This paper adds to the abundant visual tracking literature with two main contributions. First, we illustrate the interest of using Graphic Processing Units (GPU) to support efficient implementations of computer vision algorithms, and secondly, we introduce the use of point-based 3D models as a shape prior for real-time 3D tracking with a monocular camera.     

Metal‐Insulator Transition in ALD VO2 Ultrathin Films and Nanoparticles: Morphological Control

Nanoscale morphology of vanadium dioxide (VO₂) films can be controlled to realize smooth ultrathin (<10 nm) crystalline films or nanoparticles with atomic layer deposition, opening doors to practical VO₂ metal‐insulator transition (MIT) nanoelectronics. The precursor combination, the valence of V, and the density for as‐deposited VO₂ films, as well as the postdeposition crystallization annealing conditions determine whether a continuous thin film or nanoparticle morphology is obtained. It is demonstrated that the films and particles possess both a structural and an electronic transition. The resistivity of ultrathin films changes by more than two orders of magnitude across the MIT, demonstrating their high quality.     

Overview of the use of artificial neural networks for energy‐related applications in the building sector

The incessant growing of the world's energy consumption and associated greenhouse gases emissions have created tremendous problems to be solved by today's and future generations. As the building sector is one of the biggest energy consumers, reducing its energy consumption is now mandatory. Being able to conceive and built efficient buildings, to effectively manage and operate them, and to rapidly renovate the existing building stock is a challenging task. Neural networks models open new possibilities to address this problem. This paper offers a comprehensive review of the studies that use neural networks for energy‐related applications in the building sector focusing on their application and on the technical characteristics of the network (ie, learning algorithm, number of layers, number of neurons, inputs and output variables, and performance criteria). On the basis of this review, limitations concerning the use of neural networks in the building sector along with existing research gaps and future research directions are identified.     

Promising anode candidates for direct ethanol fuel cell: Carbon supported PtSn-based trimetallic catalysts prepared by Bönnemann method

To find an efficient anode catalyst for ethanol electrooxidation, several trimetallic PtSnM/C (M = Ni, Co, Rh, Pd) and their corresponding bimetallic PtX/C (X = Sn, Ni, Co, Rh, Pd) catalysts were synthesized by Bönnemann's colloidal precursor method and evaluated by comparing their electrocatalytic activity using conventional electrochemical techniques. For better understanding of the catalyst deactivation during the ethanol electrooxidation, chronoamperometric test was also combined to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. A significant finding is that trimetallic compositions PtSnCo/C and PtSnNi/C have enhanced activity compared to that of PtSn/C, with lower onset potential for ethanol electrooxidation and notably improved peak current densities. Thus the presence of Ni and Co heteroatom seems to promote C–C bond cleavage and facilitate the removal from the catalyst surface of adsorbed intermediates. These trends are satisfactorily confirmed by testing in a direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC), since trimetallic PtSnNi/C and PtSnCo/C anode catalysts have significantly higher overall performance and peak power density than Pt/C, PtSn/C or other trimetallic catalyst compositions PtSnRh/C or PtSnPd/C. Furthermore, the presence of Ni or Co helps to improve the weak stability of PtSn/C by providing a stronger Pt–carbon support interaction. XPS results revealed that the surface Pt/Sn atomic ratio of PtSnNi/C catalyst only slightly decreased even after 12 h at 500 mV. On the other hand, a higher concentration of oxide species appeared on the treated PtSn/C surface as a result of a high degradation of carbon support.     

Influence of an O2 Type Oxidizing Environment on SiCf/SiC Composites: Properties/Microstructure Relationship

Ceramic matrix composites have been identified as a potential material of core structure for the fourth generation of fission nuclear reactors. Regarding their excellent mechanical behavior in very harsh conditions (high temperature and high irradiation flux), the CVI–SiC_f/SiC composites with pyrocarbon interlayer are of prime interest for the fuel cladding in the gas-cooled fast reactor. Although the working atmosphere is helium in these advanced reactors, the presence of oxidizing impurities could have a significant role on the mechanical behavior of materials subjected to long-term exposures. Within this framework, this study was intended to investigate the influence of oxidation on the SiC_f/SiC composites mechanical properties. Different pre-damage states were intentionally introduced by mechanical tensile tests on plate specimens before performing an oxidation treatment of 1,000 h at 1,000 °C under helium with 10 ppm of O₂. The degradation of the composite was determined from the mechanical behavior of post-exposure specimens. Results were correlated both with microstructural observations of the damage and with characterizations of the generated oxides at the surface of the composites. The most severe decline of mechanical properties occurs for the higher predamaged loadings. Indeed in this case, the silica formed during the oxidation of SiC is not in sufficient quantities to fill the cracks.     

An efficient scheme on wet/dry transitions for shallow water equations with friction

The present work concerns the derivation of a suitable discretization to approximate the friction source terms in the shallow-water model. Such additional source terms are known to be very stiff as soon as the water height is vanishing. The proposed numerical procedure comes from a relevant correction of a Godunov-type scheme that approximates the solutions of hyperbolic systems of conservation laws. The adopted correction gives a discretization of the source term which preserves the robustness and does not change the CFL condition. The scheme is shown to be particularly efficient for wet/dry transition simulations. In addition, this numerical procedure can be used together with any robust and well-balanced discretization of the topography source term. Second order extension is also investigated. Extensive numerical validations illustrate the interest of this new approach.     

法兰西之风巴黎设计酒店Sezz

巴黎设计酒店Sezz的原建筑诞生于经典的新艺术运动之后,这是一座非常重视服务品质的高端酒店。由于它位于塞纳河畔的山坡上,可以一览无余欣赏埃菲尔铁塔,在建造过程中,对当时奢华的帕西右岸造成强烈的冲击。还有一点是需要特别关注的是，当年Sezz酒店所选取的米黄色石材、灰板岩与蓝灰色的天空形成的基本调配色方案，曾经对法国高尚的接待礼仪产生了一次意味深远的革新。     

Structure and physical properties in crosslinked polyurethanes

Crosslinked polyurethanes based on a mixture of toluene diisocyanate, polypropylene glycol, trimethylol propane (TMP), glycerol (GLY), and desmophen (DES) were synthesized with various ratios of DES and GLY. Chemical crosslinks were introduced through the hard segment (TMP, GLY) and through the soft segment (DES). The effects of the degree of crosslinking on the properties were examined. The crystallinity of the obtained polymers were studied by using modulated differential scanning calorimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, dynamic mechanical analysis and their morphology was studied by atomic force microscopy. It appeared that the degree of crosslinking increased according to the increase of GLY content. Moreover, it was found that chemical crosslinks in the hard segment destroyed the crystallinity of the hard phase and reduced the mobility of the soft phase, improving the heat stability of the hard domains, and modifying the mechanical properties of polyurethane films. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Measurement of caffeic and ferulic acid equivalents in plasma after coffee consumption: Small intestine and colon are key sites for coffee metabolism

Previous studies on coffee examined absorption of phenolic acids (PA) in the small intestine, but not the contribution of the colon to absorption. Nine healthy volunteers ingested instant soluble coffee (～335 mg total chlorogenic acids (CGAs)) in water. Blood samples were taken over 12 h, and at 24 h to assess return to baseline. Many previous studies, which used glucuronidase and sulfatase, measured only PA and did not rigorously assess CGAs. To improve this, plasma samples were analyzed after full hydrolysis by chlorogenate esterase, glucuronidase and sulfatase to release aglycone equivalents of PA followed by liquid–liquid extraction and ESI‐LC‐ESI‐MS/MS detection. Ferulic, caffeic and isoferulic acid equivalents appeared rapidly in plasma, peaking at 1–2 h. Dihydrocaffeic and dihydroferulic acids appeared in plasma 6–8 h after ingestion (T_max=8–12 h). Substantial variability in maximum plasma concentration and T_max was also observed between individuals. This study confirms that the small intestine is a significant site for absorption of PA, but shows for the first time that the colon/microflora play the major role in absorption and metabolism of CGAs and PA from coffee.     

As oxidation by Thiomonas arsenivorans in up-flow fixed-bed reactors coupled to As sequestration onto zero-valent iron-coated sand

The combined processes of biological As^III oxidation and removal of As^III and As^V by zero-valent iron were investigated with synthetic water containing high As^III concentration (10 mg L⁻¹). Two up-flow fixed-bed reactors (R1 and R2) were filled with 2 L of sieved sand (d = 3 ± 1 mm) while zero-valent iron powder (d = 76 μm; 1% (w/w) of sand) was mixed evenly with sand in R2. Thiomonas arsenivorans was inoculated in the two reactors. The pilot unit was studied for 33 days, with HRT of 4 and 1 h. The maximal As^III oxidation rate was 8.36 mg h⁻¹ L⁻¹ in R1 and about 45% of total As was removed in R2 for an HRT of 1 h. A first order model fitted well with the As^III concentration evolution at the different levels in R1. At the end of the pilot monitoring, batch tests were conducted with support collected at different levels in R1. They showed that bacterial As^III oxidation rate was correlated with the axial length of reactor, which could be explained by biomass distribution in reactor or by bacterial activity. In opposition, As^III oxidation rate was not stable in R2 due to the simultaneous bacterial As^III oxidation and chemical removal by zero-valent iron and its oxidant products. However, a durable removal of total As was realized and zero-valent iron was not saturated by As over 33 days in R2. Furthermore, the influence of zero-valent iron and its oxidant corrosion products on the evolution of As^III-oxidizing bacteria diversity was highlighted by the molecular fingerprinting method of PCR-DGGE using aoxB gene as a functional marker of aerobic As^III oxidizers.