Natural stones are used as coating material on the exteriors and terraces of buildings in architecture, and in places such as entrances, halls, living rooms, kitchens, bathrooms and stairs in interior spaces. Limra limestone and travertine are used as natural building materials in many structures depending on their colors. However, the water absorption values of these two natural stones are high due to their porosity, resulting in negative effects from atmospheric conditions. In this study, two different carbonate-based natural stones, limra limestone and travertine, were treated with two different water-repellent chemicals, one solvent-based and one water-based. After application, thermal shock tests were performed with a sodium chloride solution consisting of twenty cycles. The changes in the weights of samples dried to constant mass, ultrasonic permeability, Leeb hardness, and color change values in the samples were determined after the thermal shock tests. In addition, the effects of water-repellent chemicals on the formation of NaCl crystals accumulated in the pores of the rocks were examined by SEM and EDX analysis. Changes in non-destructively measured values were compared with the values of reference samples without surface protection. The solvent- based water-repellent chemical made the sample surface more hydrophobic than the water-based repellent. In both types of natural stones, the solvent-based water repellent chemical showed more protective properties against salt crystallization under thermal shock conditions compared to the water-based repellent.

Philosophers are motivated to do research concerning pattern recognition because of wide range of its applications. One of the pathfi nders of research in that area was Satosi Watanabe, who has been frequently commented in the literature concerning this subject. The rule of decrease in entropy and the rule of simplicity are described in the context of pattern recognition. Although the concept of entropy had been initially used in the area of thermodynamics, it could be adopted also in the fi eld of pattern recognition. The concept of entropy should be then suitable transformed. A few of examples of the entropy concept application and the relationship between entropy and simplicity are discussed in the article. Simplicity considered by Watanabe should be treated mainly as polynomial curve simplicity, however the issue is described in the wider context.

An annotated Polish translation of the famous hieroglyphic inscription from the stele erected by Ptolemy in 311 BC, five years before he assumed the title of King of Egypt.