bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of protective properties of acrylate varnishes used for conservation of historical metal artefacts
Authors: Švadlena J. , Stoulil J.
Published: February 2017

Acrylate varnishes are due to their suitable properties frequently used in restoration and preservation on variety of historical objects and materials. Common practice of their application involves using as an adhesive agents, consolidants and protective coatings. The purpose of protective coatings especially on metal artefacts is to reduce access of pollutants to the surface of the artefact. In this paper, coatings prepared from two acrylate polymers Paraloid B72 and Paraloid B48N are compared in terms of permeability for water and level of protective properties against air pollutants. For this purpose, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and resistometric method were chosen for analysis of the coatings. Obtained results show lower permeability for water in case of Paraloid B72. However, same coating provided lower protection against air pollutants than Paraloid B48N coating.
Integrative lineage delimitation in rodents of the Ctenomys Corrientes group
Authors: Caraballo Diego A. , Rossi María Susana
Published: February 2017

The tuco-tucos rodents (genus Ctenomys) of the Corrientes group comprise several populations that inhabit the vast area under the influence of the Iberá wetland. Lineage delimitation within the recently diverged Corrientes group is a challenging task as morphological differentiation is not conspicuous between populations. However, delimitation is crucial for evolutionary studies and conservation issues. In this study, we performed a phylogenetic analysis including cytochrome b (cyt-b) sequences from taxa that had never been studied in a comprehensive context. We integrated previously published chromosomal studies, mitochondrial phylogenies and simple sequence repeat (SSR) variability analyses, and applied a delimitation criterion over the basis of chromosomal incompatibilities and genetic exclusivity. Under this integrative approach seven independently evolving lineages were delimited in the Corrientes group: Ctenomys roigi, which conserves its former definition, Ctenomys dorbignyi and Ctenomys perrensi complex which were redefined, Sarandicito which includes the population of Paraje Sarandicito and probably a group of nearby poorly studied populations, and Iberá i, ii and iii distributed at both sides of the Iberá wetland. We discuss future perspectives to evaluate the proposed lineages and conservation issues concerning these tuco-tucos.
Tourism destination: The networking approach
Authors: Żemła Michał
Published: February 2017

Different approaches to the analysis of tourism destinations as the basic units of research in tourism, are reviewed in this paper. Traditional geographical and economic perspectives are presented as the bases for more modern system and networking approaches. Network analysis is discussed as the most useful current approach to understand cooperation and coopetition processes taking place in destinations. This approach, developed in general management theory, however, if implicated directly in tourism, is not free from major problems and may lead to misleading conclusions. Among such problems, spatial embeddedness and the non-voluntary character of membership in a network, the crucial role of free goods in product creation, the predominance of SMEs in a destination network, differences between particular destinations and the difficulty in setting clear borders between networks, are discussed.
Air charter leisure traffic and organised tourism in Poland: Are charters passé?
Authors: Taylor Zbigniew
Published: February 2017

Data from a number of tourism and transport sources are used in this analysis, concentrating on Poland: the largest tour operators and areas in which air carriers are likely to have the greatest impact. The top 25 air charter carriers identified are examined closely in terms of connections, and the geographical characteristics of these links are highlighted. The research reveals substantial differences in models of air leisure traffic between Western Europe and Poland. These are of a quantitative, but also a qualitative nature, and reflect the disparate levels of affluence of societies, different mobility patterns, and various experiences, adventures and demands on the part of travellers. Overall, charter traffic in Poland is still seen to be flourishing, while that in Western Europe is in relative decline.
Anytime? Anywhere? The seasonality of flight offers in Central Europe
Authors: Kraft Stanislav , Havlíková Denisa
Published: February 2017

Air transport can be considered as the most dynamic transport mode during recent decades. It is an important but also responsive indicator of global social, economic, political and cultural cooperation in different areas. For this reason, air transport is a unique source of various aspects of international relations. The principal goal of this study is an analysis of seasonality in the offer of flights in Central Europe during 2014, considering the different positions and functions of the airports within the air transport system. Ten airports from the Central European region are monitored in the analysis in terms of fluctuations in flight offers and offered destinations. A synthesis of these patterns is presented as a typology of the surveyed airports using the Ossan triangle. This paper clearly shows the different patterns of the spatial and temporal organization of air transport in Central Europe.
The spatial concentration of immigrant pupils at primary and lower secondary schools in the Czech Republic
Authors: Hasman Jiří , Kostelecká Yvona , Hána David
Published: February 2017

Since the fall of the Iron Curtain and especially since joining the European Union, the Czech Republic has become a country with a sharply growing number of immigrants, who more and more often are coming to the country with the purpose of settling long term and starting a family. This change places demands on society as a whole but also on particular areas such as the education system, which needs to integrate these children successfully and ensure that they are provided with quality education. The experiences of countries with a long history of migration have shown a negative correlation between the extent of concentration of non-citizen pupils in a school and their academic performance. Such a relationship is explored in this article which examines the degree of concentration of non-citizen pupils at Czech primary and lower secondary schools both in terms of concentration in individual regions, as the spatial distribution of immigrants tends to be very unequal, and in terms of concentrations at particular schools within individual regions. The article shows that despite a current growing concentration of non-citizen students in some regions, there is not clear evidence to confirm a growing segregation at particular schools.
Solvothermal synthesis and characterization of magnetic Fe3O4nanoparticle by different sodium salt sources
Authors: Jamshidiyan M. , Shirani A.S. , Alahyarizadeh Gh.
Published: February 2017

Four different magnetic Fe3O4nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized by solvothermal method based on different sodium salts. Sodium salts which were used to synthesize the nanoparticles were NaOAc, Na2CO3, a mixture of NaOAc and Na3Cit, and a mixture of NaOAc and Na2C2O4. The structural and optical properties of the synthesized nanoparticles were examined by XRF, XRD, SEM and FT-IR. The results estimated from XRD pattern and SEM image indicated that the second sample (Na2CO3) had the lowest average particle and crystallite size around 29 nm and 43 nm. It was also shown that the first (NaOAc) and second (Na2CO3) samples had the best FT-IR spectra, similar to the available commercial sample which was provided by Merck. At last, the prepared Fe3O4nanoparticles were applied as sorbents to sorb uranium ions (U(VI)) from radioactive wastewater. The adsorption results showed that the highest U(VI) adsorption was obtained for the second sample in the solution with pH around 10.
Effect of magnesium substitution on structural and dielectric properties of LiNiPO4
Authors: Anand K. , Ramamurthy B. , Veeraiah V. , Vijaya Babu K.
Published: February 2017

The aim of this paper is to study the effect of Mg2+doping in place of Ni in LiNiPO4compounds synthesized by solid state reaction method. As Mg is a relatively light and cheap, and is expected to stabilize the structure, it has been considered as a substituent for Ni. The structural and conductivity studies of the substituted phases are discussed in comparison with LiNiPO4. In this study, we have proposed cation-substituted compounds, LiNi1–xMgxPO4(x = 0, 0.05, 0.1 and 0.15) where a part of the divalent state of Ni2+is replaced with the corresponding amount of Mg2+and where the charge compensation is maintained by lithium deficiency. It is possible to obtain the mentioned compounds because the pristine LiNiPO4compound is stable in ambient atmosphere, which differs considerably from the LiCoPO4compound.
Magnetoelastic properties of epoxy resin based TbxHo0.9−xNd0.1 (Fe0.8Co0.2)1.93 particulate composites
Authors: Zhang Z.R. , Liu J.J. , Song X.H. , Li F. , Zhu X.Y. , Si P.Z.
Published: February 2017

TbxHo0.9−xNd0.1 (Fe0.8Co0.2)1.93 (0 ⩽ x ⩽ 0.40) particulate composites were prepared by embedding and aligning alloy particles in an epoxy matrix with and without a magnetic curing field. The magnetoelastic properties were investigated as functions of composition, particle volume fraction and macroscopic structure of the composite. The magnetic anisotropy compensation point was found to be around x = 0.25, where the easy magnetization direction (EMD) at room temperature was detected lying along ⟨ 1 1 1 ⟩ axis. The composite with ⟨ 1 1 1 ⟩ preferred orientation and pseudo-1-3 type structure was prepared under an applied magnetic field of 12 kOe. An enhanced magnetoelastic effect and large low-field magnetostriction λa, as high as 430 ppm at 3 kOe, were obtained for Tb0.25Ho0.65Nd0.1 (Fe0.8Co0.2)1.93 composite rod. The value of λa was of 72 % of its polycrystalline alloy (~595 ppm/3 kOe) although it only contained 30 vol.% of the alloy particles. This enhanced effect can be attributed to the larger λ111 (as compared to λ100), low magnetic anisotropy, easy magnetization direction (EMD) along the ⟨ 1 1 1 ⟩ axis and ⟨ 1 1 1 ⟩-textured orientation of the alloy particles as well as the chain-like structure of the composite. The good magnetoelastic properties of the composite, in spite of the fact that it contained only 30 vol.% of the alloy particles with light rare-earth Nd element in the insulating epoxy, would make it a potential material for magnetostriction application.
Double-layer microwave absorber based on nanocrystalline CoFe2O4and CoFe2O4/PANI multi-core/shell composites
Authors: Xu Yewen , Shen Guozhu , Wu Hongyan , Liu Bin , Fang Xumin , Zhang Ding , Zhu Jun
Published: February 2017

Organic-inorganic nano-CoFe2O4/PANI (polyaniline) multi-core/shell composites have been successfully synthesized by chemical oxidative polymerization of aniline. The characterization results showed that the ferrite nanocrystals were efficiently embedded in PANI. The electromagnetic parameters of the composites were measured by a vector network analyser in the frequency range of 2 GHz to 18 GHz. Double-layer absorbers based on the CoFe2O4/PANI composite (matching layer) and calcined CoFe2O4ferrite (absorbing layer) have been designed. The reflection loss of the microwave absorbers of both single layer and double-layer with a total thickness of 2.0 mm and 2.5 mm was calculated according to transmission-line theory. The results indicated that the minimum reflection loss of the CoFe2O4/PANI composite was −19.0 dB at 16.2 GHz at the thickness of 2.0 mm and −23.6 dB at 13.1 GHz at the thickness of 2.5 mm, respectively. The minimum reflection loss for double-layer absorbers reached −28.8 dB at 16.2 GHz at the total thickness of 2.0 mm, and −31.1 dB at 12.8 GHz at the total thickness of 2.5 mm. The absorption bandwidth under −10 dB was 4.2 GHz (13.8 GHz to 18.0 GHz) and 5.5 GHz (10.3 GHz to 15.8 GHz), respectively. The results show that the reflection loss and absorption bandwidth of the double-layer absorbers are obviously enhanced compared to corresponding single layer absorbers.
Polystyrene/magnetite nanocomposite synthesis and characterization: investigation of magnetic and electrical properties for using as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)
Authors: Omidi Mohammad Hassan , Alibeygi Mahboobeh , Piri Farideh , Masoudifarid Mohammad
Published: February 2017

In this work, a novel polystyrene/Fe3O4nanocomposite prepared byin-situmethod is presented. Magnetic Fe3O4nanoparticles were encapsulated by polystyrene. The FT-IR spectra confirmed polystyrene/Fe3O4nanocomposite preparation. The electrical properties of prepared nanocomposite were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV). The CV analysis showed good electrical conductivity of the synthesized nanocomposite. Magnetic properties of the nanocomposite were studied by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The VSM analysis confirmed magnetic properties of the nanocomposite. The morphology and the size of the synthesized nanocomposite were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM). According to the VSM and CV results, such nanocomposite can be used in microelectromechanical systems.
Synthesis and characterization of hollow V2O5 microspheres for supercapacitor electrode with pseudocapacitance
Authors: Zhang Yifu
Published: February 2017

Hollow V2O5 microspheres (HVOM) were fabricated using NH4VO3, ethylene glycol and carbon spheres as the starting materials by a template solvothermal approach and subsequent calcination. The morphology and composition were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET). The results showed that the obtained HVOM were constructed from nanoparticles with rough surface. The electrochemical properties of HVOM as a supercapacitor electrode were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD). HVOM displayed excellent pseudocapacitance property and their specific capacitances were 488 F·g–1, 455 F·g–1, 434 F·g–1 and 396 F·g–1 at the current density of 0.5 A·g–1, 1 A·g–1, 2 A·g–1 and 5 A·g–1, respectively. They also exhibited an excellent energy density of 8.784 × 105 J·kg–1 at a power density of 900 W·kg–1 . The good electrochemical properties of the as-synthesized HVOM make them a promising candidate as a cathode material for supercapacitors.
Range Detection of the Extremely Low-Frequency Magnetic Field Produced by Laptop’s AC Adapter
Authors: Brodić Darko , Amelio Alessia
Published: February 2017

Human exposure to extremely low frequency magnetic field represents a risk to their health. This paper takes into consideration the level of an extremely low-frequency magnetic field between 30 and 300 Hz emitted by an AC laptop adapter. The experiment consists of testing 17 different AC adapters for laptops. During the testing, laptops are operated in a normal operating conditions as well as under heavy load. The magnetic field measurement is conducted in the area around the AC adapter. Obtained data is evaluated according to the critical level of the magnetic field proposed by safety standards. Furthermore, data is classified by a K-medians method in order to determine the critical levels of the magnetic field exposure in the nearby area of the AC adapter. Obtained classifications are evaluated according to safety standards, giving a critical analysis of magnetic field areas at risk. Due to emission of a very strong magnetic field in certain areas, a recommendation for safety use of the AC adapter is proposed.
Comparison of Two Experiments Based on a Physical and a Torsion Pendulum to Determine the Mass Moment of Inertia Including Measurement Uncertainties
Authors: Klaus Leonard
Published: February 2017

To determine the mass-moment-of-inertia properties of devices under test with particularly small mass moments of inertia (some 10−4kg m2), two measurement set-ups based on different measurement principles were developed. One set-up is based on a physical pendulum, the second set-up incorporates a torsion pendulum. Both measurement set-ups and their measurement principles are described in detail, including the chosen data acquisition and analysis. Measurement uncertainty estimations according to theGuide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement(GUM) were carried out for both set-ups by applying Monte Carlo simulations. Both set-ups were compared using the same three devices under test. For each measurement result, the measurement uncertainties were estimated. The measurement results are compared in terms of consistency and the resulting measurement uncertainties. For the given devices under test, the torsion pendulum set-up gave results with smaller measurement uncertainties compared to the set-up incorporating a physical pendulum.
Characterization of the Embryogenic Tissue of the Norway Spruce Including a Transition Layer between the Tissue and the Culture Medium by Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Kořínek R. , Mikulka J. , Hřib J. , Hudec J. , Havel L. , Bartušek K.
Published: February 2017

The paper describes the visualization of the cells (ESEs) and mucilage (ECMSN) in an embryogenic tissue via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) relaxometry measurement combined with the subsequent multi-parametric segmentation. The computed relaxometry maps T
1 and T
2 show a thin layer (transition layer) between the culture medium and the embryogenic tissue. The ESEs, mucilage, and transition layer differ in their relaxation times T
1 and T
2; thus, these times can be used to characterize the individual parts within the embryogenic tissue. The observed mean values of the relaxation times T
1 and T
2 of the ESEs, mucilage, and transition layer are as follows: 1469 ± 324 and 53 ± 10 ms, 1784 ± 124 and 74 ± 8 ms, 929 ± 164 and 32 ± 4.7 ms, respectively. The multi-parametric segmentation exploiting the T
1 and T
2 relaxation times as a classifier shows the distribution of the ESEs and mucilage within the embryogenic tissue. The discussed T
1 and T
2 indicators can be utilized to characterize both the growth-related changes in an embryogenic tissue and the effect of biotic/abiotic stresses, thus potentially becoming a distinctive indicator of the state of any examined embryogenic tissue.
Measuring Light Air Ions in a Speleotherapeutic Cave
Authors: Roubal Z. , Bartušek K. , Szabó Z. , Drexler P. , Überhuberová J.
Published: February 2017

The paper deals with a methodology proposed for measuring the concentration of air ions in the environment of speleotherapeutic caves, and with the implementation of the AK-UTEE-v2 ionmeter. Speleotherapy, in the context of its general definition, is the medical therapy that utilizes the climate of selected caves to treat patients with health problems such as asthma. These spaces are characterized by the presence of high air humidity and they make extreme demands on the execution of the measuring device, the Gerdien tube (GT in the following) in particular, and on the amplifier electronics. The result is an automated measuring system using a GT with low-volume air flow, enabling long-term measuring of air ion concentration and determination of spectral ion characteristics. Interesting from the instrumentation viewpoint are the GT design, active shielding, and execution of the electrometric amplifier. A specific method for the calculation of spectral ion characteristics and the mode of automatic calibration were proposed and a procedure of automatic measurement in the absence of attendants was set up. The measuring system is designed for studying and long-term monitoring of the concentration of light negative ions in dependence on climatic conditions and on the mobility of ions occurring in the cave.
An Experiment to Prove the Effect of Low-Level Magnetic Fields Resulting from Ionospheric Changes on Humans
Authors: Hanzelka M. , Dan J. , Šlepecky M. , Holcner V. , Dohnal P. , Kadlec R.
Published: February 2017

The investigation presented in the paper was performed in the laboratories of the Department of Theoretical and Experimental Electrical Engineering, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication, Brno University of Technology, between April 22 and June 26, 2014. We examined a homogeneous sample of male and female participants comprising a total of 49 persons aged 19 to 26. The time required for the measurement of psychophysiological parameters corresponded to 19 minutes, encompassing five stages: Basic (5 mins.), Color (2 mins.), Rest (5 mins.), Math (2 mins.), and Rest (5 mins.). All the measuring cycles were carried out using a BioGraph Infiniti device (Thought Technology, Ltd.). Generally, the impact of the environment upon living organisms constitutes a crucial problem examined by today’s science. In this context, the present article describes the results of an investigation focused on ionosphere parameter variation and its role in the basic function of the nervous system. The discussed research concentrates on the measurement and detection of changes in the region of very low electromagnetic field frequencies; the authors introduce and verify related theoretical and experimental procedures to define the effects that influence brain activity and the cardiovascular system.
Students’ orientations to communication across linguistic difference with international teaching assistants at an internationalizing university in the United States
Authors: Subtirelu Nicholas Close
Published: February 2017

Institutions of higher education (HEIs) in English-speaking countries have been engaged in internationalization for decades. Among the many factors driving their internationalization are commitments to increasing and celebrating diversity as well as a desire to foster cross-cultural cooperation. Nonetheless, the linguistic diversity of their multi-national student body and faculty poses challenges for HEIs, including the decades-old controversy surrounding international teaching assistants (ITAs) in the United States. Despite their commitments to respecting diversity, HEIs have generally adopted a deficit approach to ITAs’ language, framing it as ‘flawed’ and attributing communication problems to those ‘flaws’. I argue that, despite its more nuanced understanding of the issue, applied linguistics has adopted an implicit politics complicit with this dominant framing which leads researchers to ignore the student’s role in ITA-student communication. In response, I propose an alternative approach grounded in critical sociolinguistics. Working from this perspective, I examine students’ discourse about their international instructors, arguing that their statements suggest contrasting orientations to communication across linguistic difference. Some students seek to cooperate with their international instructors, while others prefer to avoid them. I examine their justifications for these orientations in detail and discuss implications for higher education policy.
The crystal structure of 4-chloro-3,5-dinitroaniline, C6H4ClN3O4
Authors: Jianlong Wang , Tianbei Zhang , Lizhen Chen
Published: February 2017

C6H4ClN3O4, monoclinic, Cc (no. 9), a = 14.1945(7) Å, b = 8.1107(3) Å, c = 15.3834(6) Å, β = 115.472(6)°, V = 1598.90(12) Å3, Z = 8, R
gt(F) = 0.0269, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.0669, T = 105.6 K.
Crystal structure of 4-(1,3-dimethyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-perimidin-2-yl)benzonitrile, C20H17N3
Authors: Zhang Min , Yuan Lin , Yuan Xian-You , Li Zhong-Yan
Published: February 2017

C20H17N3, orthorhombic, Pnma, a = 11.371(11) Å, b = 12.144(12) Å, c = 11.718(11) Å, V = 1618(3) Å3, Z = 4, R
gt(F) = 0.0443, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1373, T = 296(2) K.
Crystal structure of (tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine-κ4
N,N′,N′′,N′′′′)-chloranilato-κO,O′-zinc(II) – methanol (1/1), C25H22Cl2N4O5Zn
Authors: Yun Zhao , Lu Xu , Li-Fang Zhang
Published: February 2017

C25H22Cl2N4O5Zn, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 16.302(3) Å, b = 11.324(2) Å, c = 14.636(3) Å, β = 111.43(3)°, V = 2515.1(9) Å3, Z = 4, R
gt(F) = 0.0511, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1109, T = 123(2) K.
Crystal structure of phenyl(2-phenyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-perimidin-2-yl)methanone, C24H18N2O
Authors: Grimmer Craig D.
Published: February 2017

C24H18N2O, monoclinic, P21/n (no. 14), a = 5.9227(7) Å, b = 16.462(2) Å, c = 18.150(2) Å, β = 98.372(2)°, V = 1750.8(4) Å3, Z = 4, R
gt(F) = 0.0353, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.0942, T = 100(2) K.
Crystal structure of halogen-bonded 2-chloro-1,10-phenanthroline—1,4-diiodotetrafluorobenzene (2/1), C30H14Cl2F4I2N4
Authors: Wang Jian-Ge , Wang Weizhou
Published: February 2017

C30H14Cl2F4I2N4, monoclinic, I2/a (no. 15), a = 17.3143(9) Å, b = 8.7081(4) Å, c = 19.6795(8) Å, β = 101.795(4)°, V = 2904.5(2) Å3, Z = 4, R
gt(F) = 0.0340, wR
ref (F2) = 0.0890, T = 293 K.
Microwave energy assisted carbonization of nanostructured conducting polymers for their potential use in energy storage applications
Authors: Poyraz Selcuk , Flogel Marissa , Liu Zhen , Zhang Xinyu
Published: February 2017

Three well-established one-step approaches, namely, conducting polymer (CP) nanofiber (NF) synthesis by NF seeding, CP nanoclip (NC) synthesis by oxidative template, and microwave (MW) energy-assisted carbonization were systematically combined to prepare carbonaceous nanostructures from CPs, with great potential as the active material for energy storage purposes. Polypyrrole (PPy), as one of the most well-known and commonly studied members of the CP family was prepared in both NF and NC forms, as the sacrificial carbonization precursor, for different property comparison purposes. Due to conducting polymers’ high electron mobility and easily exciting nature under MW irradiation, both PPy NF and NC samples had vigorously interacted with MWs. The as-obtained carbonaceous samples from such interactions exhibited high thermal stabilities, competitive specific capacitance values and long-term stable electrochemical cyclic performances, which are crucial for the active materials used in energy storage applications. Thus, it is believed that, this well-established and well-studied process combination will dominate the large-scale manufacturing of the carbon-based, active energy storage materials from CPs.
The effect of magnesium ions on triphosphate hydrolysis
Authors: Barrozo Alexandre , Blaha-Nelson David , Williams Nicholas H. , Kamerlin Shina C. L.
Published: February 2017

The role of metal ions in catalyzing phosphate ester hydrolysis has been the subject of much debate, both in terms of whether they change the transition state structure or mechanistic pathway. Understanding the impact of metal ions on these biologically critical reactions is central to improving our understanding of the role of metal ions in the numerous enzymes that facilitate them. In the present study, we have performed density functional theory studies of the mechanisms of methyl triphosphate and acetyl phosphate hydrolysis in aqueous solution to explore the competition between solvent- and substrate-assisted pathways, and examined the impact of Mg2+ on the energetics and transition state geometries. In both cases, we observe a clear preference for a more dissociative solvent-assisted transition state, which is not significantly changed by coordination of Mg2+. The effect of Mg2+ on the transition state geometries for the two pathways is minimal. While our calculations cannot rule out a substrate-assisted pathway as a possible solution for biological phosphate hydrolysis, they demonstrate that a significantly higher energy barrier needs to be overcome in the enzymatic reaction for this to be an energetically viable reaction pathway.
Producing Irony in Adolescence: A Comparison Between Face-to-Face and Computer-Mediated Communication
Authors: Aguert Marc , Laval Virginie , Gauducheau Nadia , Atifi Hassan , Marcoccia Michel
Published: February 2017

The literature suggests that irony production expands in the developmental period of adolescence. We aimed to test this hypothesis by investigating two channels: face-to-face and computer-mediated communication (CMC). Corpora were collected by asking seventh and 11th graders to freely discuss some general topics (e.g., music), either face-to-face or on online forums. Results showed that 6.2% of the 11th graders’ productions were ironic utterances, compared with just 2.5% of the seventh graders’ productions, confirming the major development of irony production in adolescence. Results also showed that adolescents produced more ironic utterances in CMC than face-to-face. The analysis suggested that irony use is a strategy for increasing in-group solidarity and compensating for the distance intrinsic to CMC, as it was mostly inclusive and well-marked on forums. The present study also confirmed previous studies showing that irony is compatible with CMC.
Zing Zing Bang Bang:How Do You Know What She Really Meant. Gender Bias in Response to Irony: The Role of Who is Speaking to Whom
Authors: Milanowicz Anna , Kałowski Piotr
Published: February 2017

Literature points towards the role of context in irony interpretation and the existence of gender differences in language use. We decided to examine the influence of interlocutors’ gender stereotypes on interpreting and reacting to ironic criticism in conversation. To this end, we designed two experiments gathering participants’ responses to the same ironic utterances voiced both by women and by men in control and gender stereotype activation conditions. Results of the first experiment showed that women tended to use irony significantly more often when responding to a man than to another woman. The second, ongoing experiment will additionally examine participants’ response times and total time of utterance in respect to their addressee’s gender. The results are discussed with regard to the social comparison theory (Turner, Hogg, Oakes, Reicher, & Wetherell, 1987) and the linguistic intergroup bias theory (Wigboldus & Douglas, 2007).
“I Understand You, So I’ll Not Hurt You with My Irony”: Correlations Between Irony and Emotional Intelligence
Authors: Bajerski Michał
Published: February 2017

Due to the growing interest not only in theoretical approaches to irony, but also in its pragmatic functions, the number of questions is increasing. One of them is: Is irony in any way connected to emotional intelligence? This paper outlines what irony is and how it is used in everyday conversations. Analysis of current studies in emotional intelligence highlights its influence over behavior and attitude. It led to an experiment where subjects (N = 80) where asked to fill an emotional intelligence questionnaire and an irony questionnaire. The results show that emotional intelligence is negatively correlated with the overall sum of ironic sentences and self-ironic sentences, and with the number of ironic praise sentences. Later, the implications of empirical findings are discussed.
The Role of Individual Differences and Situational Factors in Perception of Verbal Irony
Authors: Gucman Magda
Published: February 2017

A study was conducted to analyze the influence of situational and individual factors on verbal irony perception. Participants (N = 144) rated smartness, criticality, humorousness, and offensiveness of ironic utterances and their literal equivalents. The utterances were put in various contexts, differing in terms of the structure of the interlocutors’ social ranks and the responsibility of the addressee for the described event. Additionally, participants’ state and trait of anxiety were measured using the Polish adaptation of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Wrześniewski, Sosnowski, Jaworowska, & Fecenec, 2011) and their social competences were measured with the Social Competences Questionnaire (Matczak, 2007). Analyses showed that the structure of the interlocutors’ social ranks, the addressee’s responsibility, as well as the state and trait of anxiety can influence the perception of irony, although it does not always concern all of the variables rated herein. No link between social competences and irony perception was found.
Influence of Voice Intonation on Understanding Irony by Polish-Speaking Preschool Children
Authors: Zajączkowska Maria Katarzyna
Published: February 2017

The main aim of the presented study was to investigate the influence of voice intonation on the comprehension of ironic utterances in 4- to 6-year-old Polish-speaking children. 83 preschool children were tested with the Irony Comprehension Task (Banasik & Bokus, 2012). In the Irony Comprehension Task, children are presented with stories in which ironic utterances were prerecorded and read by professional speakers using an ironic intonation. Half of the subjects performed the regular Irony Comprehension Task while the other half were given a modified version of the Irony Comprehension Task (ironic content was uttered using a non-ironic intonation). Results indicate that children from the ironic intonation group scored higher on the Irony Comprehension Task than children who heard ironic statements uttered using a neutral voice. Ironic voice intonation appeared to be a helpful cue to irony comprehension.
Young-School-Aged Children’s Use of Direct and Indirect Persuasion: Role of Intentionality Understanding
Authors: Kołodziejczyk Anna M. , Bosacki Sandra L.
Published: February 2017

Recent research suggests that social cognitive abilities, particularly the theory of mind (ToM), play a role in the development of persuasion in early and middle childhood. This study investigated the relations between children’s intentionality understanding and early persuasive skills, especially the ability to use direct and indirect persuasive strategies in symmetric and asymmetric relational context. Ninety-five 5- to 7-year-olds participated in a narrative task that described persuasive situations with parents and peers and answered questions in intentionality understanding stories. Results showed that participants used indirect strategies less often than direct proposals. To persuade their parents, participants used more direct than indirect persuasive strategies, while this difference was not significant for peer persuasion. Correlation analysis revealed that independent of age and expressive language ability, intentionality understanding significantly predicted participants’ number of persuasive proposals and the use of direct and indirect bilateral persuasive strategies. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Comprehension of Ironic Utterances by Bilingual Children
Authors: Banasik Natalia , Podsiadło Kornelia
Published: February 2017

This study investigates verbal irony comprehension by 6-year old bilingual children speaking Polish and English and living in the USA. Researchers have predominantly focused on monolingual populations when examining non-literal language in young children. This is the first exploratory study of how irony is comprehended by children growing up in a bilingual setting. Results suggest that 6-year olds from this population score high in decoding the intended meaning behind an ironic utterance and that there is a relation between this ability and the development of their theory of mind (ToM). Interestingly, the data suggests that in the tested sample, no difference could be observed between comprehension of sarcastic irony (i.e., irony containing the element of blame directed towards the addressee) and non-sarcastic irony (irony without criticism towards the interlocutor). The results may be a basis for assuming that irony comprehension may be different in bilingual, compared to monolingual, samples.
Irony Comprehension in the Nonnative Language Comes at a Cost
Authors: Bromberek-Dyzman Katarzyna , Rataj Karolina
Published: February 2017

Irony as a communicative phenomenon continues to puzzle. One of the key questions concerns cognitive and linguistic mechanisms underpinning irony comprehension. Empirical research exploring how much time people need to grasp irony as compared to literal meanings, brought equivocal answers. In view of the timespan-oriented-approach’ inconclusiveness, we set to explore the efficiency of irony online processing in a limited-response-time paradigm. Additionally, we aimed to find out whether advanced nonnative users of a language, who have mastered ironic mode of thinking in their native language, get irony as efficiently in their nonnative as they do in their native language. Results show that participants were less efficient in processing irony than nonirony in both tested languages, yet the efficiency decreased in their nonnative language. These results license a claim that irony is a cognitively more demanding communicative phenomenon than literal meaning, and the effort invested in its comprehension increases in the nonnative language.
Cellulose modification and shaping – a review
Authors: Jedvert Kerstin , Heinze Thomas
Published: February 2017

This review aims to present cellulose as a versatile resource for the production of a variety of materials, other than pulp and paper. These products include fibers, nonwovens, films, composites, and novel derivatized materials. This article will briefly introduce the structure of cellulose and some common cellulose derivatives, as well as the formation of cellulosic materials in the micro- and nanoscale range. The challenge with dissolution of cellulose will be discussed and both derivatizing and nonderivatizing solvents for cellulose will be described. The focus of the article is the critical discussion of different shaping processes to obtain a variety of cellulose products, from commercially available viscose fibers to advanced and functionalized materials still at the research level.
Effect of aluminum nitride concentration on different physical properties of low density polyethylene based nanocomposites
Authors: Sohail Omer Bin , Bin-Dahman Osamah A. , Rahaman Mostafizur , Al-Harthi Mamdouh A.
Published: February 2017

In this study, blends of low-density polyethylene (LDPE)/aluminum nitride (AlN) ceramic nanocomposites have been prepared through melt blending technique. Increased loading of AIN leads to reduction in tensile properties but improvement in rheological property (storage modulus). The rheological behavior tends to become unique at higher frequencies (≥10 rad/s). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results show that the total crystallinity has decreased with the increase in AlN loading in the composites. It is seen that there is an improvement in electrical conductivity, dielectric constant, and flammability properties with the addition of AlN in the nanocomposites. The experimental data of tensile modulus, electrical conductivity, and dielectric constant have been fitted with some available theoretical models to check the models’ applicability for the present composite systems. Results show that only Nicolais-Nicodemo model, McCullough model, and Rahaman-Khastgir model are applicable for predicting the tensile modulus, electrical conductivity, and dielectric constant of the composites, respectively.
Profiling a set of personality traits of text author: what our words reveal about us
Authors: Litvinova Tatiana , Seredin Pavel , Litvinova Olga , Zagorovskaya Olga
Published: February 2017

Authorship profiling, i.e. revealing information about an unknown author by analyzing their text, is a task of growing importance. One of the most urgent problems of authorship profiling (AP) is selecting text parameters which may correlate to an author’s personality. Most researchers’ selection of these is not underpinned by any theory. This article proposes an approach to AP which applies neuroscience data. The aim of the study is to assess the probability of selfdestructive behaviour of an individual via formal parameters of their texts. Here we have used the “Personality Corpus”, which consists of Russian-language texts. A set of correlations between scores on the Freiburg Personality Inventory scales that are known to be indicative of self-destructive behaviour (“Spontaneous Aggressiveness”, “Depressiveness”, “Emotional Lability”, and “Composedness”) and text variables (average sentence length, lexical diversity etc.) has been calculated. Further, a mathematical model which predicts the probability of selfdestructive behaviour has been obtained.
The study of conceptual metaphors in ESAP L2 writing: range and variability
Authors: Permyakova Tatiana , Utkina Tatiana
Published: February 2017

The article presents the study of the influence of professional competence of EFL learners on their academic writing. The task was approached through analyzing learners’ competence in specific knowledge domains - knowledge of terms and specific concepts, represented as conceptual metaphors. Conceptual metaphor models were analyzed in the English written texts produced by Russian students with different competences in economics – at both non-professional and professional levels of academic discourse (NPAD and PAD respectively). Metaphor Identification Procedure VU University Amsterdam (MIPVU) was applied to metaphor identification, and alternative metaphor and preferential conceptualization analysis was performed to compare the scope of source and the range of target in NPAD and PAD. Findings highlight the areas of commonality as well as divergence in terms of students’ professional competence represented in conceptual metaphors in L2 writing. The main differences in the scope of the source analysis are quantitative rather than qualitative. The range of target comparison between NPAD and PAD indicates a significantly larger range of targets for the professional level students, a lower level of metaphorization for the non-professional level, and inclusive strategies across the two levels. Practical recommendations suggest an improved research methodology for studying metaphor production in EAP and ESP as well as a deeper understanding of ESP content and its structure.
A real interlocutor in elicitation techniques: does it matter?
Authors: Kanik Mehmet
Published: February 2017

This study investigates whether adding a real interlocutor to elicitation techniques would result in requests that are different from those gathered through versions with a hypothetical interlocutor. For this purpose, a written method is chosen. One group of 40 students receive a written discourse completion task (DCT) with two situations that ask respondents to write emails on paper to an imaginary professor. This data is compared to earlier data collected from 27 students, where a group of students composed emails for the same situations and sent them electronically to their professor. Thus, while one group write emails to a hypothetical professor, the other group is provided with a real interlocutor. The data is analyzed for the inclusion of opening and closing moves, density, the level of directness and the choices of moves in the opening and closing sequences, as well as the choices of supportive moves. Results indicate significant differences in (the) level of directness, and the choices of moves in the opening and closing sequences. The other analyses do not show significant differences. The findings reveal that the addition of a real interlocutor does make a difference, albeit not a drastic one. The results have implications for the design of elicitation techniques that aim to simulate real life.
Effects of two teaching methods of connected speech in a Polish EFL classroom
Authors: Kul Małgorzata
Published: February 2017

Abe (2010) argues that the Negotiation of Form (NF) instruction exerts positive effects on learning of connected speech by Japanese learners of English, finding that the progres achieved with NF was more significant than for the traditional treatment. The study reported here seeks to uncover the acquisitional value of NF in a Polish classroom. The study hypothesizes that NF, in comparison with the deductive teaching method, effectively promotes learning of assimilation, elision and weak forms. The hypothesis was tested by investigating production and perception of 50 Polish students of English. As for evaluating the effects of the two types of instructions, a classic pretest-posttest design was used. With regard to methodology, acoustic analysis was performed. The results demonstrate that in general, NF proved more effective than NNF. With regard to individual processes of connected speech, NF was more effective in production, whereas no such effect was found for perception.
Time reversal ultrasound focusing through multimode waveguides
Authors: Dawidowski David , Nauber Richard , Büttner Lars , Czarske Jürgen
Published: February 2017

Ultrasound imaging in harsh environments, such as the continuous steel casting process, benefits from a spatial separation of sensors and measuring volume to avoid damaging e.g. because of high temperatures. This can be achieved through acoustical multimode waveguides. To focus ultrasound in the measuring volume despite the complex sound propagation, we propose using the time reversal technique. We present numerical simulations and experiments using the phased array ultrasound Doppler velocimeter to focus through a water filled waveguide with a 64 element array. A resolution in the millimetre range is achieved for a 68 mm long waveguide.
In-Prozess-Charakterisierung
spiegelnder Oberflächen mit Laserstreulicht und leistungsfähiger
Hardware
Authors: Patzelt Stefan , Stehno Christian , Stöbener Dirk , Ströbel Gerald , Fischer Andreas
Published: February 2017

Laserstreulichtmessungen auf der Basis von
Specklekorrelationsverfahren charakterisieren Gestaltabweichung
opaker, technischer Oberflächen auf der Mikro- und
Nanometerskala. Anhand eines einzigen Streulichtbildes lässt sich
die Rauheit eines mit Laserlicht beleuchteten Oberflächenbereiches
mit mehreren Millimetern Durchmesser quantitativ bewerten. Mit hohen
Laser-Lichtleistungen, kurzen Belichtungszeiten und einer Kamera mit
hoher Bildrate lassen sich in laufenden Fertigungsprozessen
„scharfe“ Bilder erzeugen, die für die rauheitsbezogene
Bildauswertung geeignet sind. Die Bildauswertealgorithmen lassen sich
für die Implementierung auf einer leistungsfähigen Hardware
(FPGA – Field Programmable Gate Array) anpassen. Dies ermöglicht
fertigungsnahe und In-Prozess-Rauheitsmessungen an technischen
Oberflächen in Echtzeit mit einer Messrate von über
1,3 kHz und einer lückenlosen Oberflächenabdeckung von
nahezu 4 m2/min bei einer Bewegungsgeschwindigkeit von
1600 m/min. Der vorliegende Beitrag beschreibt den Aufbau und die
Funktionsweise eines In-Prozess-Laserstreulichtmesssystems für die
Charakterisierung schnell bewegter, spiegelnder Oberflächen und
stellt erste Messergebnisse vor.
Effect of Tip Configurations on Aerodynamic Performance of Variable Geometry Linear Turbine Cascade
Authors: Yue Guoqiang , Lin Hongfei , Jiang Yuting , Zheng Qun , Dong Ping
Published: February 2017

The variable geometry turbine (VGT) has been widely used in different fields due to its higher efficiency and lower fuel consumption at part-load. However, the flow field in a VGT is characterized by the leakage flow through the radial clearance of rotational vane compared with a general fixed vane turbine. Numerical simulations are conducted on a linear turbine cascade to reduce the leakage flow based on passive control method. The aerodynamic performances and flow fields are compared for four kinds of tip configuration firstly. Then, the effect of variable geometry on the linear turbine cascade aerodynamic performance is investigated for five installation angles ranging from –5 to 5 deg. In addition, the development patterns and trends of the tip leakage vortex and the passage vortex are analyzed. The results show that the squealer tip and the rotating axis have a significant impact on suppressing leakage flow. The leakage flow rate has a tendency to decrease, and the total pressure coefficient is gradually increased when installation angle ranges from –5 to 5 deg. The interactions between tip leakage vortex and passage vortex leads to the different trends on leakage flow at various installation angles and axial sections.