bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Relative Influence of Economic and Relational Direct Marketing Communications on Buying Behavior in Business-to-Business Markets
Authors: Kim Kihyun Hannah , Kumar V.
Published: April 2017

Business-to-business firms spend significant resources in direct marketing to manage close relationships with their customers. Nevertheless, there is limited understanding of how the effectiveness of direct marketing communications varies by value propositions. Typically, direct marketing efforts are geared toward explicitly featuring economic or relational values. To implement an effective communication strategy catering to customers' preferences, firms should understand how customers consistently evaluate these organizational marketing communications, which ultimately affect their buying behaviors. Therefore, the authors analyze marketing messages and employ content analysis to capture the two distinct types of direct marketing communications. Using data from a Fortune 500 business-to-business service firm and a robust econometric model, they find that the (1) effects of economic and relational marketing communication on customer purchase behaviors interplay and vary over time, (2) latent stock of direct marketing communication affects customer purchase behaviors, and (3) evolution of customers' perceived importance can be recovered using transaction data. Overall, the authors provide a marketing resource reallocation strategy that enables marketers to customize marketing communications and improve a firm's financial performance.
Nanotechnology in food safety and quality assessment: potentiality of nanoparticles in diagnosis of foodborne pathogens
Authors: Primec Maša
Published: April 2017

A rapid microbial detection in different biological and environmental material is a key of preventing several foodborne diseases. By implementing nanotechnology into food safety sector, a great step towards successful, reliable and sensible detection methods of foodborne pathogens has been achieved. Therefore, the aim of this review was to illustrate some of the principal functions of nanotechnology-based techniques, used for microbial detection in the last few years. Regarding consumer’s health, the review also discusses the question of safety, concerning human exposure to nanomaterials (NMs). Due to their different composition-unique properties, such as greater penetrability, reactivity and high surface to volume ratio, NMs have been coupled to several biomolecules and integrated in special system devices, resulting in improvement of sensitivity in transmitting biological signal informations in a shorter time. Among all the NMs, gold, magnetic and fluorescent nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely used, also in microbial diagnosis. Despite the success of linking nanotechnology to detection of foodborne pathogens, the exposure to various NMs could also be a matter of potential risk to human health, although conclusions still need to be definitely proven.
Identification of hypothetical duplicate accessions of plums (Prunus domestica L.) within the slovene plant gene bank collection using molecular markers
Authors: Šiško Metka
Published: April 2017

The main goal of the Slovene Plant Gene Bank is preservation, maintenance and evaluation of traditional cultivars and other useful genotypes. The Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences houses among other plant materials also numerous accessions of plums (Prunus domestica L.). Duplicates among 15 accessions were studied using six microsatellite primer pairs. These microsatellite markers revealed an average of 7.67 alleles per locus, and a range of 4 to 10 different alleles per locus. The genetic distances between studied accessions were calculated using the Dice coefficient to form a dendrogram. The six SSRs were found to be adequate for differentiating among genotypes within the collection. Among the analysed accessions no duplicates were found.
Assessment of cassava supply response in Nigeria using vector error correction model (VECM)
Authors: Obayelu Oluwakemi Adeola , Ebute Samuel
Published: April 2017

The response of agricultural commodities to changes in price is an important factor in the success of any reform programme in agricultural sector of Nigeria. The producers of traditional agricultural commodities, such as cassava, face the world market directly. Consequently, the producer price of cassava has become unstable, which is a disincentive for both its production and trade. This study investigated cassava supply response to changes in price. Data collected from FAOSTAT from 1966 to 2010 were analysed using Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) approach. The results of the VECM for the estimation of short run adjustment of the variables toward their long run relationship showed a linear deterministic trend in the data and that Area cultivated and own prices jointly explained 74% and 63% of the variation in the Nigeria cassava output in the short run and long-run respectively. Cassava prices (P<0.001) and land cultivated (P<0.1) had positive influence on cassava supply in the short-run. The short-run price elasticity was 0.38 indicating that price policies were effective in the short-run promotion of cassava production in Nigeria. However, in the long-run elasticity cassava was not responsive to price incentives significantly. This suggests that price policies are not effective in the long-run promotion of cassava production in the country owing to instability in governance and government policies.
A Generalization of m-Convexity and a Sandwich Theorem
Authors: Lara Teodoro , Matkowski Janusz , Merentes Nelson , Quintero Roy , Wróbel Małgorzata
Published: April 2017

Functional inequalities generalizing m-convexity are considered. A result of a sandwich type is proved. Some applications are indicated.
Chip bonding of low-melting eutectic alloys by transmitted laser radiation
Authors: Hoff Christian , Venkatesh Arjun , Schneider Friedrich , Hermsdorf Jörg , Bengsch Sebastian , Wurz Marc C. , Kaierle Stefan , Overmeyer Ludger
Published: April 2017

Present-day thermode bond systems for the assembly of radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips are mechanically inflexible, difficult to control, and will not meet future manufacturing challenges sufficiently. Chip bonding, one of the key processes in the production of integrated circuits (ICs), has a high potential for optimization with respect to process duration and process flexibility. For this purpose, the technologies used, so far, are supposed to be replaced by a transmission laser-bonding process using low-melting eutectic alloys. In this study, successful bonding investigations of mock silicon chips and of RFID chips on flexible polymer substrates are presented using the low-melting eutectic alloy, 52In48Sn, and a laser with a wavelength of 2 μm.
The effects of 20-m repeated sprint training on aerobic capacity in college volleyball players
Authors: Kaynak Kerimhan , Eryılmaz Selcen Korkmaz , Aydoğan Sami , Mihailov Dimitar
Published: April 2017

Study aim: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a repeated sprint training program in addition to volleyball training on the aerobic capacity of college volleyball players.

Materials and methods: Eighteen male volleyball players were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 9, age: 21.2 ± 1.3 years) or a control (n = 9, age: 21.2 ± 1.6 years) group. Both groups followed a traditional volleyball training program three times per week for 6 weeks. The experimental group additionally performed a repeated sprint training protocol immediately before each volleyball training session. The repeated sprint training consisted of 1-3 sets of 5 × 20 m maximal sprints with 20 seconds of active recovery between sprints and 4 min of passive recovery between sets. Before and after the 6-week training period, all participants performed an incremental treadmill test to determine maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) and time to exhaustion, and the repeated sprint test (10 × 20 m with a 20‑second recovery between each sprint).

Results: The experimental group showed significant improvements in VO2max (+7.1 ± 4.8%; p = 0.001) and running time to exhaustion (+15.8 ± 6.8%; p = 0.004) after training. The best 20-m sprint time (−2.3 ± 2.5%; p = 0.029), mean sprint time (−5.3 ± 3.1%; p = 0.001) and fatigue index (−34.1 ± 28.2%; p = 0.012) also improved significantly in the experimental group. None of these variables changed significantly in the control group (p > 0.05).

Conclusions: The current findings indicate that the addition of a repeated sprint training program can improve both the aerobic capacity and anaerobic performance of college volleyball players.
Swailing affects seed germination of plants of European bio-and agricenosis in a different way
Authors: Bączek-Kwinta Renata
Published: April 2017

Swailing as a part of agricultural practice is an illegal habit in many European countries. The indirect effect of swailing is the emission of volatiles (SGV), hence the aim of the study was to identify their impact to seeds of different species occurring or grown Europe. It was carried out on seeds of 29 species of 10 botanical families within the angiosperms. The response to SGV was more or less differentiated within a family, and even within the species, e.g. in the case of tomato. The stimulation of germination and/or increased seedling vigour was established in celery, green- and red-leafed basil, white and red cabbage, white clover and wild thyme. The same effect was noticed for the seeds of stratified broadleaf plantain and the positively photoblastic seeds of German chamomile germinated in darkness. The inhibition of seed germination and/ or reduced seedling vigour was demonstrated in case of caraway, dill and forget-me-not. Similar results were obtained in the experiments carried outin vitroand in the soil, hence it can be assumed that the indirect impact of SGV on plant habitat composition is likely. The interaction of SGV compounds with seed testa and seed phytohormones is discussed.
Chemical composition and antifungal potential of medicinal plants against seedborne mycoflora of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)
Authors: Ashiq Bushra , Chohan Sobia , Perveen Rashida , Abid Muhammad , Mehmood Mirza Abid
Published: April 2017

Antifungal activities of medicinal plants were observed against seedborne mycoflora of eggplant (Solanum melongena). The effect of ethanolic leaf extracts of Mangifera indica, Mentha spicata, Citrus limon, Eucalyptus camaldulensis against four isolated fungal species including Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus flavus, Rhizopus stolonifer and Penicillium digitatum was evaluated at various concentrations, by using the poisoned food technique. The impact of the extracts on seed germination and growth of eggplant was assessed by seed treatment and growth in a greenhouse experiment. Total flavonoids of E. camaldulensis were analyzed through spectrophotometer, using quercetin as a standard. Physico-chemical parameters were also determined. Antifungal activity showed that maximum inhibition percentage of P. digitatum (67.78%) and F. oxysporum (64.44%) was observed at the highest concentration (80%) of C. limon and E. camaldulensis extracts, respectively, followed by M. spicata extract against A. fl avus (63.33%) and R. stolonifer (52.22%). Least inhibition percentage of F. oxysporum, P. digitatum, R. stolonifer and A. flavus was 6.67, 7.78, 14.44 and 16.67%, respectively, at the lowest (20%) concentration of M. spicata. The greenhouse experiment showed variations in seedling germination and post-germination growth. E. camaldulensis extract showed an increase in percent germination (78.98%) over untreated control (62.83%), root and shoot length and fresh and dry weight of root and shoot with the consequent reduction in disease symptoms. Phytochemical analysis depicted the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins in all extracts while steroids and glycosides were absent. A fair amount (10.38 mg QE g-1DF) of flavonoid was present in leaf extract of E. camaldulensis. Physico-chemical analysis showed pH of 4.6, ash content of 0.41% and weight loss on drying of 8.14%.
Judicial Activism Contributing to the Understanding of Social State Principle(S) – Constitutional Court of Slovenia at the Crossroads
Authors: Brezovar Nejc
Published: April 2017

The abstract nature of Constitutional principles, such as the social state principle, requires further interpretation to determine their concrete substance. Their realization is primarily the duty of politics and the legislator. Yet the Constitutional Courts can substantially contribute to developing the contents and nature of social state principles. This paper attempts to show, through examples from Slovenian judicature, how Constitutional Courts can, with the use of (limited) judicial activism, form and shape social politics and their main principles. The Slovenian Constitutional Court is usually relatively restrained in its interpretations of the social state principles respecting the primary authority of the legislator in regulating the area. On the other hand, we cannot ignore the important role the Constitutional Court and its judicature play in developing the substance of social state principles. This is usually done by means of dynamic and evolutionary interpretations. After analysing the judicature,we can conclude that some of the interconnected social state principals developed by the Court, which play a vital role in understanding the essence of a social state and social rights it provides, are: social balance, social security, social justice, solidarity, a minimum protection of existence, prevention of social exclusion, proving the important contribution of Constitutional Courts to the understanding of the concept of social state principals.
Effectiveness of Marketing Mix Activities in Engineering Companies in the Czech Republic
Authors: Milichovský František
Published: April 2017

The effectiveness of marketing activities has become important, especially in the industrial environment. In an industrial environment, there is a prerequisite for the success of strategic marketing objectives in relation to corporate strategy. The main aim of the paper is to determine whether the realization of marketing activities is influenced by corporate size. For this reason, a questionnaire survey was used, focusing on engineering companies operating in the Czech Republic. To process the results of the questionnaire survey, both basic types of descriptive statistics and Pearson’s chi-square test were used on the selected dataset. The data were processed using the statistical program IBM SPSS Statistics 22. The conclusions provide characteristics of the limitations of research and its potential further direction.
European Institutions On Social Media ‒ Shaping the Notion of European Citizenship
Authors: Gaušis Eduards
Published: April 2017

This study supports topical discussion about the possibilities to use social media as a tool for citizen involvement in democratic processes. Contemporary academic views and statistics on the use of social media for communication between institutions and citizens are gathered in the study. The research focus is on social media publications, analysing the content of four European Parliament’s social media accounts in Latvian during the period from 1 July 2015 to 31 December 2015. The aim of the research is to identify the potential of the information published on European Parliament’s social media accounts in shaping the European citizenship notion among youth in Latvia. The conclusions present clear idea on the frequency of European citizenship topics in the corresponding social media accounts as well as on the amount of feedback and the share of youth involvement in this communication. The results of the study suggest that for now European Parliament’s social media publications in Latvian have little potential to develop the notion of European citizenship and there is a need for a well-considered use of social media to assure that the opportunity for two-way communication is fruitfully used.
Survey On Competence and Administration of Supervisory Board Activities in German Stock-Listed Companies
Authors: Michelberger Knut J.
Published: April 2017

According to the agency theory (Jensen & Meckling 1976), it is expected that there exists a positive relationship between corporate governance and company performance which is also generally assumed in recent research (Dignam & Galanis 2016). This relationship is investigated in the study performed by the author of this paper. Two different approaches were chosen in parallel: (1) quantitative data analysis, based on financial figures and corporate governance variables, and (2) a survey of supervisory board members of listed German companies. This paper is about the results of structured interviews with 30 supervisory board members. The survey confirms that corporate governance regulations have an important influence on the administration of supervisory board activities and on board competence. Many supervisory board members stated that the German Corporate Governance Codex leads to extended meeting time to fulfil regulatory requirements, more data requirements to identify and estimate risk issues and to rising risk awareness. The interview results converge with the results from the multivariate analysis.
Renewable Energy Efficiency for Regional Development: Case of Belgorod Region
Authors: Pakina Alla , Karnaushenko Anastasia
Published: April 2017

The article presents the results of an original research, conducted to evaluate the potential of renewable resources for increasing the sustainability of Belgorod region development. It is one of the most developed regions in Russia with diversified structure of economy. Significant feature of the region’s economy is a lack of domestic energy production and dependence on energy supplies from neighbouring regions. To define the most suitable way to cover the lack of energy and to contribute to the solution of environmental problems, the potential of renewable energy resources, such as solar radiation, wind speed, and biomass energy was estimated. The research was conducted using a variety of sources, such as scientific articles, statistical data, reports of industrial companies and agricultural farms, cartographic materials, space images and materials of own field researches. The most effective way of regional development, which contributes to the decline of energy intensity and environment improvement, is agricultural waste recycling by biogas production. The conclusions on the efficiency of renewable energy sources were based on calculations of GRP energy intensity in cases of traditional and alternative energy systems.
Surfactants in Klodnica River (Katowice, Poland). Part I. Linear Alkylbenzene Sulphonates (LAS)
Authors: Ruman Marek , Olkowska Ewa , Drąg-Śmigalska Magdalena , Jankowski Grzegorz , Polkowska Żaneta
Published: April 2017

Surfactants are a group of compounds with specific physico-chemical properties and therefore they are used in many spheres of human activity. Surface-active substances undergo various physico-chemical transformations, what enables their migration between different elements of the environment and may lead to its pollution. Selected anionic surfactants were determined in samples of water from the Klodnica river (25 samples) and bottom sediments (25 samples). In most samples the presence of anionic analytes was confirmed. The determined concentration levels were in the range of up to 0.2105±0.0023 mg/dm3 or 0.207±0.010 μg/kg (surface water and bottom sediment samples, respectively). Comparing the concentrations of certain analytes found in liquid and solid environmental samples, it can be noticed that the surfactants containing a shorter alkyl chain in a molecule were present in higher concentrations in liquid samples (hydrophobicity increasing with the increasing length of the chain) and the other way round.
Kinetic and Isotherm Analysis of Cu(II) Adsorption onto Almond Shell (Prunus Dulcis)
Authors: Yildiz Sayiter
Published: April 2017

In the work, adsorption of Cu2+ ions onto almond shell were investigated under different operational conditions. Almond shell was used without any pretreatment prior to the tests. The optimum conditions for adsorption of Cu2+ ions through almond shell were determined to be; pH 5.0, temperature 20°C, shaking rate 125 rpm, sorbent dose 0.3 g and initial Cu2+ ion concentration 50 mg/dm3. The equilibrium duration of the system was 60 minutes. The sorption capacities of the sorbents were predicted with the aid of equilibrium and kinetic models. The interactions of peanut shell with metal ions were constituted by SEM, EDX, FT-IR, XRD and AFM. The pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, Weber-Morris, Elovich model and Bangham kinetic models were applied to test the experimental data. The Cu+2 ions adsorption onto almond shell was better defined by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, for initial pH. The equilibrium data were evaluated using Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, D-R and Harkins Jura isotherms. The highest R2 value in isotherm studies was obtained from Langmiur isotherm (R2 = 0.98) for the inlet concentration.
Vertical Migrations in an Alpine Grassland Cambisol after Long-Term Sewage Sludge Application
Authors: Sager Manfred
Published: April 2017

Differences between vertical mobilities of nutrient and trace elements within a long-term sludge-treated and an adjacent untreated Alpine grassland cambisol were investigated by column experiments. The site had been intensely fertilized with urban sewage sludge for 10 years of 7.5 Mg/ha annually, whereas an adjacent site had been left untreated. A model column experiment was set up to investigate changes of permeabilities and trace element retentions at 0-20 cm and 20-60 cm layers thereof. Elution was performed with de-ionized water at amounts of expected rainfall at the sampling site (1000 mm), as well as with equal volume of manure after biogas production. Long-term sludge treatment increased organic carbon, formation of ammonium and nitrate, and increased vertical mobility of K, P, S, Cu, and Fe, but also slightly higher (below 10-fold) for Na, Sr, Ba, Ni and V. Additional application of manure was of minor effect, mainly upon nitrate formation, and upon leaching of Fe, Mn as well as Fe/Mn proportion. Prior addition of FeCl2 to the manure in order to increase sulfide precipitation, mainly affected the output of ammonia, but hardly the cations or anions (e.g. P) investigated.
Daniel Stern′s Developmental Psychology and its Relation to Gestalt Psychology
Authors: Galli Anna Arfelli
Published: April 2017

Daniel N. Stern’s research on the first years of life offers the view of an active newborn, developing in a continuous dialogue with the Other.

The mother places the infant feelings at the center of her attention. The infant gets in tune with the mother, and learns that she welcomes and understands his inner states. Such attunement is a primary holistic experience, taking place because of the infant innate ability to perceive the “interpersonal happenings” as a unitary Gestalt, emerging “from the theoretically separate experiences of movement, force, time, space and intention”. Large convergence exists between Daniel Stern’s developmental psychology and Gestalt theory: both view the infant development occurring within an inter-subjective matrix, not as a process with phases or stages, but rather as a progressive organization of structures.
“Invariants” in Koffka’s Theory of Constancies in Vision: Highlighting Their Logical Structure and Lasting Value
Authors: Burigana Luigi , Vicovaro Michele
Published: April 2017

By introducing the concept of “invariants”, Koffka (1935) endowed perceptual psychology with a flexible theoretical tool, which is suitable for representing vision situations in which a definite part of the stimulus pattern is relevant but not sufficient to determine a corresponding part of the perceived scene. He characterised his “invariance principle” as a principle conclusively breaking free from the “old constancy hypothesis”, which rigidly surmised point-to-point relations between stimulus and perceptual properties. In this paper, we explain the basic terms and assumptions implicit in Koffka’s concept, by representing them in a set-theoretic framework. Then, we highlight various aspects and implications of the concept in terms of answers to six separate questions: forms of invariants, heuristic paths to them, what is invariant in an invariant, roots of conditional indeterminacy, variability vs. indeterminacy, and overcoming of the indeterminacy. Lastly, we illustrate the lasting value and theoretical power of the concept, by showing that Koffka’s insights relating to it do occur in modern perceptual psychology and by highlighting its role in a model of perceptual transparency.
Recharging infiltration of precipitation water through the light soil, in the absence of surface runoff
Authors: Czyżyk Franciszek , Świerkot Zbigniew
Published: April 2017

The article presents the value of recharging infiltration of precipitation through the light soil and its distribution over time, based on five-year of lysimetric research. The effect of organic and mineral fertilization on the infiltration was studied. In lysimeters does not occur the phenomenon of surface runoff, and thus, by analogy, the results of the research can be applied to agriculturally used lowland areas with sandy soils. The results showed that the infiltration is very changeable in time. On its value, in addition to precipitation, the greatest influence has evapotranspiration. The largest infiltration occurs in March after the spring thaws (IE = 70-81% monthly precipitation) and the smallest in August (IE = 1.2-15.0% precipitation, depending on the type of fertilizer used and the level of fertilization). The soil fertilization, especially by using organic fertilizer (compost), is a factor, which has significantly influence on reduction of the recharging infiltration. The soil fertilization with compost reduced the infiltration of 7.4-9.0%, and with mineral fertilization of 5.4-7.0% of annual precipitation totals, compared with the infiltration through the soil not fertilized. The average annual index of infiltration was 21.8-25.3% of annual precipitation totals in variant of soil fertilized and 30.7% in case of the soil not fertilized.
Oral Language Assessment from an Ecolinguistic Perspective. An Empirical Investigation of Symbolic Competence
Authors: Vovou Evangelia (Evelyn)
Published: April 2017

Although today's educational environments are to a great extend multilingual, large-scale foreign language examinations test heterogeneous groups with homogeneous examination practices, without taking all ecolinguistic parameters into consideration. Trying to minimize this limitation by calibrating examinations to the sociolinguistic and intercultural competence definitions of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), secures to an extend construct validity. However, the question still arises, if “one test fits all”. This paper focuses on oral foreign language assessment discourses, where discursive coconstruction and social nature of performance prevail. Adopting the ecolinguistic approach (Fill, 1996) the paper investigates the notion of symbolic competence (Kramsch & Whiteside, 2008) in the context of oral language examinations. By analyzing oral data the paper seeks to address, how ecolinguistic parameters concur in examination discourses and to what extend this effects the validity of measurement.
English Vocabulary Size in Adults and the Link with Educational Attainment
Authors: Wilson Sarah , Thorne Alex , Stephens Molly , Ryan Jessica , Moore Sarah , Milton James , Brayley Georgia
Published: April 2017

Modern estimates of English native speaker vocabulary size have concentrated on acquisition in childhood (e.g. Biemiller & Slonim, 2001) and among undergraduates (e.g. Milton & Treffers-Daller, 2013). There seems to be an assumption that vocabulary size is pretty stable in adults and that the estimates for undergraduates are likely to be applicable to the broader population, at least until age related decline begins sometime after the age of about 60 (Burke & MacKay, 1997). The study reported in this paper examines a cross-section of adults aged from 20 to over 60, and from graduate and non-graduate populations. The results suggest that the graduate population has a marginally larger vocabulary size than the non-graduate population and it is speculated that the difference is probably too small, and the vocabulary sizes too large, to drive educational differences. The graduate population also differs from the non-graduate In the graduate population vocabulary size appears to continue to grow with age, but while vocabulary size scores vary in the non-graduate population, the differences noted are not statistically significant after the age of 30.
Register analysis based on corpus evidence: the case of Reports in IELTS
Authors: Melissourgou Maria N. , Frantzi Katerina T.
Published: April 2017

The IELTS exams attract numerous candidates globally and are considered high-stakes exams due to the impact the results can have on the candidates. The need therefore for goal-oriented guidance is crucial. Unfortunately, this preparation is based on teachers’ intuition on what is common and appropriate. This paper describes the typical lexicogrammatical features of Reports based on objective quantitative evidence. The WriMA (Writing Model Answers) corpus consists of model writings from preparation material. The DataReports sub-corpus used in this study consists of 100 texts, 16.828 tokens and is POS (Parts of Speech) tagged. The extraction of keywords and recurring patterns is combined with an interpretation of their functional role in the specific context. This analysis arms teachers with knowledge of specific words, word classes and combinations used by experienced writers in order to achieve genrespecific trends usually described in vague terms such as impersonal stance or factual language.
Comparison of the current state of non-forest woody vegetation in two contrasted case study areas in Central Europe
Authors: Demková Katarína , Lipský Zdeněk
Published: April 2017

Non-forest woody vegetation (NFWV), as a part of green infrastructure, has gained a great deal of attention in recent years. Despite its importance in many productive and non-productive functions, an inventory (collection of quantitative and qualitative data) on a national or even on a local level is not available in many European countries. The main aim of this study is to carry out a comparison of two study areas (lowland and upland) from the perspective of the current state of NFWV. We investigate qualitative attributes of NFWV, its relation to environmental conditions and its spatial pattern. After manual vectorization of orthophotos, qualitative data were collected in the field. Using statistical and landscape-ecological methods, the relation between NFWV and environmental conditions, as well as its spatial pattern were assessed. Substantial differences in character and in the spatial pattern of NFWV were identified between the study areas. NFWV in the upland area has a higher proportion (2.6%) than in lowland study area (1.5%), and it also has a more heterogeneous spatial structure. Statistical analysis points to a significant relation between the NFWV and land cover types in both study areas. A significant relation between NFWV and soil types was identified only in the upland area, however, while an association with potential natural vegetation was found in the lowland study area.
Formation of Fe and Ni substituted LiMn2–XMXO4nanopowders and their crystal and electronic structure and magnetic properties
Authors: Talik E. , Lipińska L. , Guzik A. , Zajdel P. , Michalska M. , Szubka M. , Kądziołka-Gaweł M. , Paul R.L.
Published: April 2017

The Pechini sol-gel method was applied to obtain LiMn2–xTxO4(T = Ni, Fe; x = 0.1 to 0.5) nanopowders. Crystal and electronic structures, chemical composition and magnetic properties of the materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, XPS, SEM/EDX microscopy, prompt gamma-ray activation analysis (PGAA), Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetic susceptibility, respectively. XRD measurements showed that the LiMn2–xNixO4were single phase for x = 0.1 and 0.2. Three samples with higher Ni content contained some addition of a second phase. Analysis of the oxidation state of the dopants by XPS revealed ionic Ni2+and Fe3+. Mössbauer spectroscopy also confirmed 3+ oxidation state of iron and its location in octahedral sites, which excluded the inverse spinel configuration. XPS examinations showed that Mn3+ions dominated in the iron substituted series whereas the Mn4+was dominant in the nickel series.
Bioethics for Biotechnologists: From Dolly to CRISPR
Authors: Caballero-Hernandez D. , Rodríguez-Padilla C. , Lozano-Muñiz S.
Published: April 2017

Bioethics, as a discipline, has developed mainly, but not exclusively, around themes of moral importance for the medical practice, such as abortion and euthanasia, a never ending discussion that has been shaped by social mores and influenced by scientific and technological advance. However, in the past 20 years an important shift has been taking place, one where bioethical issues and their discussion are starting to being driven by the so-called emerging biotechnologies, from cloning to genome sequencing and editing. If Bioethics is concerned with human beings, and their interaction with other living beings and the environment, it makes sense for Biotechnology, by definition the use of living systems or organisms to develop products, to become an important, if not the most important, source of bioethical conflicts in modern era and for future society. As Biotechnology keeps expanding and becomes entangled in everyday life, so does the need for ethical competent biotechnologists, with competencies built not only on ethical principles but also on a realistic grasp of the impact these technologies could have on human society and the world we inhabit.
The New Etymological Dictionary of Hungarian Idioms and Proverbs
Authors: Bárdosi Vilmos
Published: April 2017

After briefly surveying the research carried out in Hungary on the origin of sayings, proverbs and adages, this paper introduces and exemplifies the way the new Hungarian phraseological etymological dictionary has been compiled. It subsequently presents excerpts from the dictionary that will expound on the origin of 1800 set phrases and statistically analyses the linguistic, cultural-historical, historical, literary, ethnographic and intercultural background of the Hungarian set phrases included in the dictionary.
Path Following Control of the Underactuated USV Based On the Improved Line-of-Sight Guidance Algorithm
Authors: Liu Tao , Dong Zaopeng , Du Hongwang , Song Lifei , Mao Yunsheng
Published: April 2017

The path following control problem of the underactuated unmanned surface vessel (USV) is studied in this paper. An improved line-of-sight (LOS) guidance algorithm is proposed which can adjust adaptively based on the path following error. The global asymptotically stable path following controller is designed based on the nonlinear backstepping method and the Lyapunov stability theory. Firstly, the USV path following error model is established in the Serret-Frenet (SF) coordinate frame. The path following error in the inertial coordinate frame is transformed into the SF coordinate frame, which is used to define the path following control problem. Secondly, inspired by the traditional LOS guidance algorithm, the longitudinal path following error in the SF coordinate frame is introduced into the improved LOS guidance algorithm. This allows the algorithm to adjust adaptively to the desired path. Thirdly, in order to solve the underactuated problem of the USV path following control system, the tangential velocity of the desired path is designed as a virtual input. The underactuated problem is converted to a virtual fully actuated problem by designing the virtual control law for the tangential velocity. Finally, by combining backstepping design principles and the Lyapunov stability theory, the longitudinal thrust control law and the yaw torque control law are designed for the underactuated USV. Meanwhile, the global asymptotic stability of the path following error is proved. Simulation experiments demonstrate the effectiveness and reliability of the improved LOS guidance algorithm and the path following controller.
MSIS Image Postioning in Port Areas with the Aid of Comparative Navigation Methods
Authors: Wawrzyniak Natalia , Stateczny Andrzej
Published: April 2017

The article presents a method to determine the position of mechanically scanned sonar images by comparing them with the database of simulated synthetic images. The synthetic images are generated from high-density bathymetric data coming from the same fragment of water region, using the ray tracing method. The article discusses the issues related to the choice of the probability function as the method of image comparing which allows to find the correct georeference of the real image. For the correlation method and the logical conjunction method, which are believed to give the best results, detailed studies were performed, including boundary cases. The obtained results of matching are presented in tabular and graphic form.
Corrosion Fatigue Crack Propagation Rate Characteristics for Weldable Ship and Offshore Steels with Regard to the Influence of Loading Frequency and Saltwater Temperature
Authors: Jakubowski Marek
Published: April 2017

After Vosikovsky (1975), the corrosion fatigue crack growth rate (CFCGR) characteristics have been divided into three regions. The region-III rates are very close to mechanical fatigue crack growth rates. CFCGR formulae, including the long-crack length effect (in region I only), the loading frequency effect (in region II only), and the saltwater temperature effect, have been proposed. It has been assumed that CFCGR is proportional to f-k, where f is the loading frequency and k is a constant. The averaged k-value for all steels of yield stress (YS) below 500 MPa, usually with ferrite-pearlite microstructures, is higher than that for YS > 500 MPa, usually with quenched and tempered microstructures. The temperature effect does not appear in region I below room temperature. In the remaining cases, that is, in region I for elevated temperatures and in region II for both low and elevated temperatures, the CFCGR increases with increasing temperature. Under a potential of -0.8 V, a long-crack-length effect, qualitatively similar to analogous effect for free corrosion conditions, appears.
Measurement of photo-neutron cross sections and isomeric yield ratios in the 89Y(γ,xn)89−x
Y reactions at the bremsstrahlung end-point energies of 65, 70 and 75 MeV
Authors: Tatari Mansoureh , Naik Haladhara , Kim Guinyun , Kim Kwangsoo , Shin Sung-Gyun , Cho Moo–Hyun
Published: April 2017

The flux-weighted average cross sections of the 89Y(γ,xn; x=1–4)89−x
Y reactions and the isomeric yield ratios of the 87m,gY, 86m,gY, and 85m,gY radionuclides produced in these reactions with the bremsstrahlung end-point energies of 65, 70 and 75 MeV have been determined by an activation and off-line γ-ray spectrometric technique using the 100 MeV electron linac in Pohang Accelerator Laboratory, Korea. The theoretical 89Y(γ,xn; x=1–4)89−x
Y reactioncross sections for mono-energetic photonshave been calculated using the computer code TALYS 1.6. Then the flux-weighted theoretical values were obtaind to compare with the present data. The flux-weighted experimental and theoretical 89Y(γ,xn; x=1–4)89−x
Y reaction cross sections increase very fast from the threshold values to a certain bremsstrahlung energy, wherethe other reaction channels open up. Thereafter it remains constant a while and then slowly decreases with the increase of cross sections for other reactions. Similarly, the isomeric yield ratios of 87m,gY,86m,gY and 85m,gY in the 89Y(γ,xn; x=2–4)89−x
Y reactions from the present work and literature data show an increasing trend from their respective threshold values to a certain bremsstrahlung energy. After a certain point ofenergy, the isomeric yield ratios increase slowly with the bremsstrahlung energy. These observations indicate the role of excitation energy and its partitioning in different reaction channels.
Residential Property Price Indices on Small Property Markets
Authors: Kokot Sebastian
Published: April 2017

There are many reasons for the fact that reliable property indices are difficult to calculate. Even though, in theory, there are several acknowledged methods of their determination, this task poses problems of various nature in practice. These problems grow when the data sets are limited, which is the case on small property markets where the number of transactions are low. The paper is an attempt to compute property price indices on the basis of a statistically smoothed series of average unit prices of residential properties sold on a small market, exemplified by the county of Łobez. Additionally, the paper discusses the problems that have emerged over the course of the study, as well as the obtained results, as viewed in the context of the general situation on the property market.
The Activities of Local Governments in the Revitalization of Public Space in Bulgaria and Poland
Authors: Kostov Ivo , Palicki Sławomir , Rącka Izabela
Published: April 2017

The research discussed in the article focuses on public space in urban areas and revitalization activities carried out by local governments. The goals of the paper are to identify the conditions and opportunities for the development of public space by local governments of Bulgaria and Poland, to find regularities (similarities and differences) and to assess the actions taken. The specific objective is to illustrate the process of planning and managing selected large revitalization investments in urban public spaces in Bulgaria and Poland. The research methods used comprise the analysis of literature, including official documents and acts of law and case studies.

The paper analyzes the conditions and manifestations of activities taken by local governments regarding investment in public space (development and revitalization of public space programs and investing in real estate) in Bulgaria and Poland, using examples from selected cities. The authors selected two comparable urban areas: Varna in Bulgaria and Poznań in Poland, chosen intentionally due to the similarity of the two post-socialist bloc countries and the availability of information. Bulgarian and Polish state law and various acts of local law were analyzed. The experimental part of the publication introduces case studies of investments in the revitalization of real estate in public space managed by the local governments. It shows examples of projects which are relevant to the development of the cities under study.
Maple Trees – Host Plants for Some Phytoseiid Mites
Authors: Kabíček J.
Published: April 2017

Phytoseiid mite communities on Acer pseudoplatanus, A. platanoides, and A. campestre were monitored in 2013-2014. Totally 3657 specimens of phytoseiid mites belonging to seven species (Euseius finlandicus, Neoseiulella aceri, N. tuberculata, Typhlodromus (Typhlodromus) pyri, Paraseiulus soleiger, P. triporus, and Phytoseius echinus) were found on the examined maple leaves. N. aceri, the most common species, was dominant and frequently present on the leaves of both A. platanoides and A. campestre. The leaves of A. pseudoplatanus were favourable habitats for both E. finlandicus and N. tuberculata. Thus, maple trees may serve as suitable host plants for some native phytoseiid mites, particularly N. aceri and E. finlandicus.
Feed Restriction and Muscle Fibre Characteristics of Pectoralis Major in Broiler Chickens
Authors: Chodová D. , Tůmová E.
Published: April 2017

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of one-week quantitative feed restriction (in days 8-14 of age) on histological characteristics of musculus pectoralis major in broiler chickens during the fattening period. Cockerels of Ross 308 (1215 chicken) were divided into 3 groups: ad libitum fed (AL; 3 × 135), restricted 80% of AL (R80; 3 × 135), and with limited feed intake 65% of AL (R65; 3 × 135). Eight cockerels per group were slaughtered in weekly intervals from day 14 of age till the end of experiment at 35 days to determine changes in the muscle fibre characteristics. The number of muscle fibres in pectoralis major decreased (P ≤ 0.001) with increasing age. Fibre cross sectional area was s ignificantly (P ≤ 0.027) affected by the interaction of group and age. At the end of feed restriction at 14 days all groups had similar fibre area (519-539 μm2), the differences between groups were observed at 35 days of age with the largest fibre area in R65 chickens (2296 μm2), while R80 did not differ from AL (1728 μm2 and 1667 μm2). There was no effect of feeding regime on giant muscle fibre incidence.
A time warping approach to multiple sequence alignment
Authors: Arribas-Gil Ana , Matias Catherine
Published: April 2017

We propose an approach for multiple sequence alignment (MSA) derived from the dynamic time warping viewpoint and recent techniques of curve synchronization developed in the context of functional data analysis. Starting from pairwise alignments of all the sequences (viewed as paths in a certain space), we construct a median path that represents the MSA we are looking for. We establish a proof of concept that our method could be an interesting ingredient to include into refined MSA techniques. We present a simple synthetic experiment as well as the study of a benchmark dataset, together with comparisons with 2 widely used MSA softwares.
Development and characterization of 10 microsatellite markers fromWisteria floribunda(Fabaceae)
Authors: Mori Hideki , Ueno Saneyoshi , Matsumoto Asako , Uchiyama Kentaro , Kamijo Takashi , Masaki Takashi , Tsumura Yoshihiko
Published: April 2017

Wisteria floribundais a deciduous liana species widely distributed in Japan. It is essential to evaluate the clonal structure of this species because high clonal ability enables lianas to make dense colonies after canopy gaps occur. Therefore, we developed 10 microsatellite markers forW. floribundafrom genomic shotgun sequences available in the publicly available database to study clonal structure and life history strategy of this species. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 7 to 16, with an average of 10.2. The observed and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.483 to 0.926 and from 0.642 to 0.916, with averages of 0.769 and 0.800, respectively. These findings will contribute to the understanding of ecological roles and management of this species.
The Relationship of Spike Stall and Hub Corner Separation in Axial Compressor
Authors: Jiang Bin , Shi Xiangtong , Zheng Qun , Zhu Qingfang , Chen Zhongliang , Tian Zhitao
Published: April 2017

The onset of spike stall induced by the interaction of hub corner separation flow with the tip leakage flow is investigated in detail by numerical method in this paper. The time resolved results indicate that the remarkable radial secondary flow from hub to tip near the trailing edge is formed when the compressor approaching rotating stall. The radial secondary flow is unstable and cross-passages propagates, which flows in and away out of the tip region periodically. The disturbance caused by radial secondary flow will influence the tip leakage flow directly by reforming the vortexes in blade tip region. A secondary vortex which comes from the radial migration of corner separation and is induced by the tip leakage vortex appears in the tip region. The simulation result demonstrates that the generation of the secondary vortex is an important symbol of blockage growth in the tip region at the stall inception phase. The disturbance produced by secondary vortex is an incentive of the leading edge overflow and the intensity of secondary vortex could be used as a criterion of rotating stall before leading edge spillage.