PhotoGeo: a photo digital library with spatial-temporal support and self-annotation

The recent popularity of digital cameras has posed a new problem: how to efficiently store and retrieve the very large number of digital photos captured and chaotically stored in multiple locations without any annotation. This paper proposes an infrastructure, called PhotoGeo, which aims at helping users with the people photo annotation, event photo annotation, storage and retrieval of personal digital photos. To achieve the desired objective, PhotoGeo uses new algorithms that make it possible to annotate photos with the key metadata to facilitate their retrieval, such as: the people who were shown in the photo (who); where it was captured (where); the date and time of capture (when); and the event that was captured. The paper concludes with a detailed evaluation of these algorithms.     

In vivo aging of gutta‐percha dental cone

Gutta‐percha cone is the most widely used material for root canal filling. The in vivo aging of this cone focus on the degradation of its main organic component, trans‐1,4‐polyisoprene, was studied. Aged cones (25 samples) from 2 to 30 years of root canal filling were extracted from different patients in the occasion of retreatment by mechanical way. The information about the aging time was given by the patients. Gel‐permeation chromatography (GPC) and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were the analytical techniques used. Polyisoprene degrades with time of aging, but in a slow process. Decrease in polymer molar mass from 5.7 × 10⁵ to 1.7 × 10⁵ g/mol was observed in polyisoprene from cone after 30 years of root canal filling and inside a noninfected tooth. In tooth with caries and periodontal infection, the decrease in molar mass is higher (4.6 × 10⁴ g/mol in cone with 10 years of aging). The production of carbonyl and hydroxyl groups in the aged material indicates that the process is oxidative, even in closed teeth. In these cases, the oxygen could be provided from tissue fluid. The degradation mechanism is complex and depends on many factors, besides time of root canal filling. The dental problem caused by the aging could be the production and migration of cytotoxic substances to periodontal ligament and the reduction on the canal sealing property due to the polymer weight loss. Both of them could contribute to the root canal treatment failure. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100:4082–4088, 2006     

An open source object-based framework to extract landform classes

This paper introduces a new open source, knowledge-based framework for automatic interpretation of remote sensing images, called InterIMAGE. This framework exhibits a flexible modular architecture, in which image processing operators can be associated to both root and leaf nodes of a semantic network, which accounts for a differential strategy in comparison to other object-based image analysis platforms currently available. The architecture, main features as well as an overview on the interpretation strategy implemented in InterIMAGE are presented. The paper also reports an experiment on the classification of landforms. Different geomorphometric and textural attributes obtained from ASTER/Terra images were combined with fuzzy logic to drive the interpretation semantic network. Object-based statistical agreement indices, estimated from a comparison between the classified scene and a reference map, were used to assess the classification accuracy. The InterIMAGE interpretation strategy yielded a classification result with strong agreement and proved to be effective for the extraction of landforms.     

Application of a multicriteria methodology for evaluation of energy alternatives for hydrogen production for the automotive sector – Case study

This paper presents a case study focusing on fourteen most used energy alternatives in Brazil, possible to feed large scale hydrogen production plants for the automotive sector. The evaluations are made using a Decision Making Support Method, MACBETH - Measuring Attractiveness by a Categorical Based Evaluation Technique, with the computational code M-MACBETH 3.2.0, using criteria that include economic and financial, technological, environmental and social aspects. The selected criteria that were used in the assessment, for each of the energy alternatives are capital to be invested in a plant, leveled cost of electric energy produced, CO₂ emissions, mortality rate due to the technology use and energy efficiency of technology. The main results obtained showed that photovoltaics off grid electric energy is the most attractive alternative, followed by the photovoltaic on grid alternative, for an eventual automotive hydrogen program in Brazil.     

Amino and organic acids of the prickly pear cactus (Opuntia ficus indica L.)

The amino acids of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus indica L.) proteins, free amino acids and nonvolatile organic acids were determined on fresh and lyophilised young pads. The calculated biological value of prickly pear protein was 72.6, relative to egg protein. Trace amounts of malonic, malic and citric acids in material collected at 1800 hours; traces 0.95 and 0.31 mg g^?1, respectively. In similar material analysed at 0600 hours, the concentrations of those acids were 0.36, 9.85, and 1.78 mg g^?1, respectively. Since there was a significant accumulation of the acids during the evening, crassulacean-type metabolism is suggested.     

Disinfection of Dental Instruments Contaminated with Streptococcus mutans Using Ozonated Water Alone or Combined with Ultrasound

Ozone gas diluted in water has been shown to produce significant results in terms of the elimination of microorganisms. Streptococcus mutans is the etiologic agent of dental caries. Methods using water containing ozone and an ultrasonic cleaner were employed for the disinfection of a curette. Streptococcus mutans was grown in a selective medium. The curette was submitted to disinfection by water containing ozone, by ultrasound, and then both techniques were combined. The results show that either method produced a significant microbial reduction, but the efficacy of both methods combined was greater. This method of disinfection proved to be both viable and cheap.     

Multi-agent simulator for urban segregation (MASUS): A tool to explore alternatives for promoting inclusive cities

Urban segregation represents a significant barrier to achieving social inclusion in cities. To mitigate this problem, it is necessary to implement policies founded upon a better understanding of segregation dynamics. This paper proposes MASUS, a multi-agent simulator for urban segregation, which provides a virtual laboratory for exploring the impacts of different contextual mechanisms on the emergence of segregation patterns. We illustrate the potential of MASUS through three experiments on segregation in São José dos Campos, a medium-sized city in southeast Brazil. The first experiment compares simulated outputs with empirical data, the second exemplifies the ability of MASUS to test theories, and the third tests an anti-segregation policy. We also discuss limitations of the current version of the model, and we recommend directions for further research.     

Ozonation of unstretched natural rubber film from Hevea brasiliensis studied by ozone consumption and 13C NMR

Unstretched films of natural rubber (NR) from Hevea brasiliensis were exposed to ozone flow of 15 ml min^?1 from 4 to 300 min. The efficiency of reaction was determined by ozone consumption of NR films. Plots of reacted ozone mass versus film thickness show that the ozone penetration and the ozone reaction progressed into deeper layers (170 µm) than described in the literature (～0.5 µm). The previous proposed model based on viscometry measurements was corroborated by ozone consumption results. The effect of thickness on the O₃/NR stoichiometric ratio indicated that the diffusion process that controls the ozonation in unstretched film does not consist of the boundary progression behind which all reactive sites have been saturated. Ozonation in unstretched rubber film, while being less efficient than ozonolysis in solution, does have a reaction efficiency of the same order of magnitude. NMR spectroscopy was used to characterise the products formed by ozonation. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry     

Mixed Cationic Surfactant Vesicles in (Dioctadecyldimethylammonium Bromide)/NaCl and (Dioctadecyldimethylammonium Chloride)/NaBr Aqueous Dispersions

One of the most challenging characteristics not fully understood yet of the cationic surfactant salt dioctadecyldimethylammonium (DODA⁺) halide is concerned with the effects of the counterion (usually Br⁻ and Cl⁻) on the surfactant assembly into vesicle structures in aqueous solution. These counterions play a key role in the self-organization of DODA⁺ into bilayer structures. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) techniques were used here to investigate systematically the effects of the single salts NaCl and NaBr, respectively, on the thermal behavior and structural organization of the cationic dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide and chloride (DODAB and DODAC) in water. The results undoubtedly indicate that the added Br⁻ or Cl⁻, respectively, into DODAC and DODAB aqueous dispersions, replaces partially the bound counterions (Cl⁻ and Br⁻) from the vesicles, yielding formation of DODAB/DODAC mixed vesicles. As a conclusion, single salts may be used to tune the thermal and structural characteristics of cationic vesicles.