Nonsymbolic numerosity in sets with illusory-contours exploits a context-sensitive, but contrast-insensitive, visual boundary formation process

The visual mechanisms underlying approximate numerical representation are still intensely debated because numerosity information is often confounded with continuous sensory cues (e.g., texture density, area, convex hull). However, numerosity is underestimated when a few items are connected by illusory contours (ICs) lines without changing other physical cues, suggesting in turn that numerosity processing may rely on discrete visual input. Yet, in these previous works, ICs were generated by black-on-gray inducers producing an illusory brightness enhancement, which could represent a further continuous sensory confound. To rule out this possibility, we tested participants in a numerical discrimination task in which we manipulated the alignment of 0, 2, or 4 pairs of open/closed inducers and their contrast polarity. In Experiment 1, aligned open inducers had only one polarity (all black or all white) generating ICs lines brighter or darker than the gray background. In Experiment 2, open inducers had always opposite contrast polarity (one black and one white inducer) generating ICs without strong brightness enhancement. In Experiment 3, reverse-contrast inducers were aligned but closed with a line preventing ICs completion. Results showed that underestimation triggered by ICs lines was independent of inducer contrast polarity in both Experiment 1 and Experiment 2, whereas no underestimation was found in Experiment 3. Taken together, these results suggest that mere brightness enhancement is not the primary cause of the numerosity underestimation induced by ICs lines. Rather, a boundary formation mechanism insensitive to contrast polarity may drive the effect, providing further support to the idea that numerosity processing exploits discrete inputs.

Experimental study on the effect of surface texture on tribological properties of nanodiamond films under water lubrication

The effect of nanoscale surface texture on the frictional and wear performances of nanocrystalline diamond films under water-lubricating conditions were comparatively investigated using a reciprocating ball-on-flat tribometer. Although the untreated nanocrystalline diamond film shows a stable frictional state with an average friction coefficient of 0.26, the subsequent textured films show a beneficial effect on rapidly reducing the friction coefficient, which decreased to a stable value of 0.1. Furthermore, compared with the nanocrystalline diamond coating, the textured films showed a large decreasing rate of the corresponding ball wear rate from 4.16 × 10−3 to 1.15 × 10−3 mm3/N/m. This is due to the fact that the hydrodynamic fluid film composed of water and debris can provide a good lubrication environment, so the entire friction process has reached the state of fluid lubrication. Meanwhile, the surface texture can greatly improve the hydrophilicity of the diamond films, and as the texture density increases, the water contact angle decreases from 94.75° of the nanocrystalline diamond film to 78.5° of the textured films. The proper textured diamond film (NCD90) exhibits superior tribological properties among all tested diamond films, such as short run-in period, low coefficient of friction, and wear rate.

Sifat Fisik Wafer Berbahan Silase Limbah Sayur Kol dengan Jenis Kemasan dan Komposisi Konsentrat yang Berbeda

This research aims to know the physical quality of color, aroma, texture, density, and absorption of water and know the best type of packaging in wafers resulting from vegetable waste silage cabbage. This study used a Complete Randomized Design (RAL) factorial pattern (4×2) with 2 replication. Factor A consists of concentrate composition, A0=silage of cabbage waste 100% : A1= silage of cabbage waste 75% + 25% rice bran: A2 = silage of cabbage waste 50% + 50% rice bran : A3 = silage of cabbage waste 25% + 75% rice bran and factor B consists of B0 = Bag packaging type and B1=Plastic sack packaging type. Observed parameters include color, aroma, texture, density and water absorption. The results showed that there was interaction (P>0.01) between different types of packaging and substrate composition. No interaction (P>0.05) color, density, water absorption and texture. The composition factor of the substrate has a effect (P<0.01) on color, aroma and texture, but has no effect (P>0.05) on water density and absorption. Packaging type factors have a noticeable effect (P<0.01) on color and aroma, but have no effect (P>0.05) on density, water absorption and texture. It can be concluded that the treatment that gives the best results is the substrate composition of 25% cabbage vegetable waste + 75% rice bran and the type of jute bag packaging for 14 days of storage can maintain the physical quality of the wafer resulting from the silage of cabbage vegetable waste

Maximizing the Lubricant Film Thickness Between a Rigid Microtextured and a Smooth Deformable Surface in Relative Motion, Using a Soft Elasto-Hydrodynamic Lubrication Model

We design a pattern of microtexture features to increase hydrodynamic pressure and lubricant film thickness in a hard-on-soft bearing. We use a soft elastohydrodynamic lubrication model to evaluate the effect of microtexture design parameters and bearing operating conditions on the resulting lubricant film thickness and find that the maximum lubricant film thickness occurs with a texture density between 10% and 40% and texture aspect ratio between 1% and 14%, depending on the bearing load and operating conditions. We show that these results are similar to those of hydrodynamic textured bearing problems because the lubricant film thickness is almost independent of the stiffness of the bearing surfaces in full-film lubrication.

Optimization of Texture Density Distribution of Carbide Alloy Micro-Textured Ball-End Milling Cutter Based on Stress Field

The insertion of micro-textures plays a role in reducing friction and increasing wear resistance of the cutters, which also has a certain impact on the stress field of the cutter during milling. Therefore, in order to study the mechanisms of friction reduction and wear resistance of micro-textured cutters in high speed cutting of titanium alloys, the dynamic characteristics of the instantaneous stress field during the machining of titanium alloys with micro-textured cutters were studied by changing the distribution density of the micro-textures on the cutter. First, the micro-texture insertion area of the ball-end milling cutter was theoretically analyzed. Then, variable density micro-textured ball-end milling cutters and non-texture cutters were used to cut titanium alloy, and the mathematical model of milling force and cutter-chip contact area was established. Then, the stress density functions of different micro-texture density cutters and non-texture cutters were established to simulate the stress fields of variable density micro-textured ball-end milling cutters and non-texture cutters. Finally, the genetic algorithm was used to optimize the variable density distribution of micro-textured cutters in which the instantaneous stress field of the cutters was taken as the optimization objective. The optimal solution for the variable density distribution of the micro-textured cutter in the cutter-chip tight contact area was obtained as follows: the texture distribution densities in the first, second, and third areas are second, and third areas are 0.0905, 0.0712, and 0.0493, respectively.

Physical Attributes of Soil in Different Forest Cover in South of Tocantins

Eucalyptus planting represents 72.7% of the total area of planted trees in Brazil, and is constantly growing in the Cerrado biome. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the physical qualities of soil under Eucalyptus sp. and a fragment of cerrado sensu stricto. The study was conducted at the experimental farm of the Federal University of Tocantins, campus Gurupi, TO, on the coordinates 11º 46’ 25’’ latitude S and 49º 02’ 54’’ longitude W, in soil classified as Plinthosol petric. The collections were performed in the layer with a depth of 0–20 cm, with eleven repetitions for each area. The attributes evaluated were: soil texture, density (DS), particle density (PD) and total porosity (TP). The soil granulometric composition in the two studied areas was predominant of the sandy fraction. The values of DS, PD and TP did not show significant differences by Tukey test (5%), which assumes that the change of cover from cerrado sensu stricto to forest planted with Eucalyptus sp. does not favor physical problems for the soil under study.