Avoiding detection can provide significant survival advantages for prey, predators, or the military; conversely, maximizing visibility would be useful for signalling. One simple determinant of detectability is an animal's colour relative to its environment. But identifying the optimal colour to minimize (or maximize) detectability in a given natural environment is complex, partly because of the nature of the perceptual space. Here for the first time, using image processing techniques to embed targets into realistic environments together with psychophysics to estimate detectability and deep neural networks to interpolate between sampled colours, we propose a method to identify the optimal colour that either minimizes or maximizes visibility. We apply our approach in two natural environments (temperate forest and semi-arid desert) and show how a comparatively small number of samples can be used to predict robustly the most and least effective colours for camouflage. To illustrate how our approach can be generalized to other non-human visual systems, we also identify the optimum colours for concealment and visibility when viewed by simulated red-green colour-blind dichromats, typical for non-human mammals. Contrasting the results from these visual systems sheds light on why some predators seem, at least to humans, to have colouring that would appear detrimental to ambush hunting. We found that for simulated dichromatic observers, colour strongly affected detection time for both environments. In contrast, trichromatic observers were more effective at breaking camouflage.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2019.0183 | DOI Listing |
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int
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Laboratory of Design and Development of Innovative Knitted Textiles and Garments, Department of Industrial Design and Production Engineering, University of West Attica, 12244, Egaleo, Attica, Greece.
This study investigates the production of high-purity cellulose pulp from peach (Prunus persica) fruit wastes generated during the processing of a Greek compote and juice production industry. A three-step chemical process is used, including alkaline treatment with NaOH, organic acid (acetic and formic) treatment, and hydrogen peroxide treatment, with the goal of cellulose extraction and purification. A fractional factorial design optimized reagent levels, revealing the strong influence of NaOH concentration on α-cellulose content and degree of polymerization.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHeliyon
January 2025
Department of Food Science and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zanjan, Zanjan 45371-38791 Iran.
This research addresses the gap in efficient thawing methods by investigating the effects of ohmic thawing variables and freezing methods on the thawing speed and quality attributes of ground turkey breast, aiming to identify the optimal ohmic thawing method and compare it with traditional air and water thawing techniques. The variables for ohmic thawing consisted of voltage gradient (10, 15, and 20 V/cm), freezing method (Snap (rapid freezing of samples in liquid nitrogen at -210 °C), -70, and -20 °C), and probe type. The results showed that the snap-freezing method demonstrated superior functional and quality characteristics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiotechnol Biofuels Bioprod
January 2025
Graduate School of Bio-Applications and Systems Engineering, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Koganei, Tokyo, 184-8588, Japan.
Background: Fungal pretreatment for partial separation of lignocellulosic components may reduce lignocellulose recalcitrance during the production of biofuels and biochemicals. Quantitative and qualitative modification of plant lignin through genetic engineering or traditional breeding may also reduce the recalcitrance. This study was conducted to examine the effects of combining these two approaches using three white rot fungi and mulberry wood with an altered lignin structure.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInorg Chem
January 2025
College of Physics and Optoelectronics, Taiyuan University of Technology, Taiyuan 030024, P.R. China.
Phosphors with broadband green emission are highly desirable for the construction of high-color-rendering warm-white light-emitting diode (LED) devices toward healthy solid-state lighting applications. However, most of the reported green phosphors are subject to an undesirable emission bandwidth and low quantum efficiency. Here, a highly efficient broadband green-emitting garnet phosphor, CaLuScAlSiO:Ce (CLSASO:Ce), is successfully synthesized and investigated in detail.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFACS Nano
January 2025
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Lehigh University, 124 E. Morton Street, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States.
Quantum dot (QD) light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) are promising candidates for next-generation displays because of their high efficiency, brightness, broad color gamut, and solution-processability. Large-scale solution-processing of electroluminescent QLEDs poses significant challenges, particularly concerning the precise control of the active layer's thickness and uniformity. These obstacles directly impact charge transport, leading to current leakage and reduced overall efficiency.
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