Sąvokų konvencionalumo tyrimas

The present article represents data on how adults (19-29 year old people including 25 males and 25 females) understand conventionality of concepts “left”/“right”. Results of the investigation indicate that almost a half of subjects do not realize that “left”/“right” is a convention, thinking that “left”/“right” is immanence of objects. The investigation revealed answers of above subjects being analogous to those given by children in various stages of nominal realism (J. Piaget).Šis straipsnis pristato duomenis apie tai, kaip suaugę (19-29 metų žmonės, kurių 25 yra vyrai, o 25 moterys) supranta sąvokų „kairė”/ „dešinė” konvencionalumą. Rezultatai rodo, jog beveik pusė tiriamųjų nesuvokia „kairė”/ „dešinė” kaip konvencionalių sąvokų, manydami, kad „kairė”/ „dešinė” yra pastovi objektų savybė. Tyrimas atskleidė, kad šių tiriamųjų atsakymai yra analogiški vaikų atsakymams įvairiose nominalaus realizmo stadijose (J. Piaget)

Investigation of Oil - Water Ultrasound Emulsifier

Diesel fuel and water emulsifier designed for diesel fuel contaminated with water mixing to improve fuel combustion properties, it could also be used as mixing device for water and diesel fuel mixture. Examined literature describing the oil and water mixture emulsifiers. Analyzed the experiments related to diesel fuel and water emulsion combustion and distribution of its water volume. It has been developed and described principle emulsifier scheme. Calculated and modeled piezoelectric ultrasonic vibration actuator, which causes cavitations in mixing chamber. Ultrasonic vibration actuator is designed for the cavitation emulsion processing. Comparing experimental data with calculations obtained less than 10% deviation from the theoretical resonance frequency values. Performed experimental testing of ultrasonic vibration actuator to determine its resonance values. It also performed test of the distribution of water drops in diesel fuel using a microscope. Diesel fuel combustion effluents is one of the major problems stopping air pollution, especially in more populated areas

Investigation of novel design piezoelectric bending actuators

Two piezoelectric bending actuators of a novel design are presented and analysed in the paper. Numerical modelling and experimental study of the piezoelectric bending actuators were performed to verify operating principle and to investigate dynamic characteristics of the actuators. Numerical calculations are performed by using finite element method. Results of experimental study of piezoelectric actuators are compared with the results of finite element simulations. Results of the numerical and experimental research are analysed and discussed

Robust and Deterministic Preparation of Bosonic Logical States in a Trapped Ion

Encoding logical qubits in bosonic modes provides a potentially hardware-efficient implementation of fault-tolerant quantum information processing. Recent advancements in trapped ions and superconducting microwave cavities have led to experimental realizations of high-quality bosonic states and demonstrations of error-corrected logical qubits encoded in bosonic modes. However, current protocols for preparing bosonic code words lack robustness to common noise sources and can be experimentally challenging to implement, limiting the quality and breadth of codes that have been realized to date. Here, we combine concepts of error suppression via robust control with quantum error correction encoding and experimentally demonstrate high-fidelity, deterministic preparation of highly non-classical target bosonic states in the mechanical motion of a trapped ion. Our approach implements numerically optimized dynamical modulation of laser-driven spin-motion interactions to generate the target state in a single step. The optimized control pulses are tailored towards experimental constraints and are designed to be robust against the dominant source of error. Using these protocols, we demonstrate logical fidelities for the Gottesman-Kitaev-Preskill (GKP) state as high as $\bar{\mathcal{F}}=0.940(8)$, achieve the first realization of a distance-3 binomial logical state with an average fidelity of $\mathcal{F}=0.807(7)$, and demonstrate a 12.91(5) dB squeezed vacuum state.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figure

Electron paramagnetic resonance study of ferroelectric phase transition and dynamic effects in a Mn²⁺ doped [NH₄][Zn(HCOO)₃] hybrid formate framework

We present an X- and Q-band continuous wave (CW) and pulse electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) study of a manganese doped [NH4][Zn(HCOO)3] hybrid framework, which exhibits a ferroelectric structural phase transition at 190 K. The CW EPR spectra obtained at different temperatures exhibit clear changes at the phase transition temperature. This suggests a successful substitution of the Zn2+ ions by the paramagnetic Mn2+ centers, which is further confirmed by the pulse EPR and 1H ENDOR experiments. Spectral simulations of the CW EPR spectra are used to obtain the temperature dependence of the Mn2+ zero-field splitting, which indicates a gradual deformation of the MnO6 octahedra indicating a continuous character of the transition. The determined data allow us to extract the critical exponent of the order parameter (β = 0.12), which suggests a quasi two-dimensional ordering in [NH4][Zn(HCOO)3]. The experimental EPR results are supported by the density functional theory calculations of the zero-field splitting parameters. Relaxation time measurements of the Mn2+ centers indicate that the longitudinal relaxation is mainly driven by the optical phonons, which correspond to the vibrations of the metal–oxygen octahedra. The temperature behavior of the transverse relaxation indicates a dynamic process in the ordered ferroelectric phase

Impacts of innovation, productivity and specialization on tourism competitiveness - a spatial econometric analysis on European regions

Tourism is clearly a place-based activity, while in many advanced economies it is increasingly becoming a knowledge-based activity, with a high potential for the development of practice- and place-based innovation strategies. This study analyses whether and how regional systems of innovation influence the competiveness of tourism destinations in Europe. Impacts of both traditional production factors (physical and human capital), productivity, specialization and other contextual variables - related to the territorial capital of each region - on regional tourism performance of 237 European regions (NUTS 2) are analysed over a period of 8 years, using advanced techniques for spatial econometric analysis. The results reveal lower levels of productivity in those regions where tourism services are more labour intensive, while regions where education, innovation and productivity demonstrate higher levels are those where gross value added in tourism is less important for the regional economy. Policy implications are discussed, taking into consideration the principles for smart specialisation strategies in European regions and the possibility for cross-border regional cooperation. This work also confirms the research potential of spatial econometric analysis - and in particular spatial autocorrelation techniques - for tourism studies.Fundacao para a Ciencia e a TecnologiaPortuguese Foundation for Science and TechnologyFEDER/COMPETEEuropean Union (EU) [UID/ECO/04007/2013, SFRH/BPD/98938/2013]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Application of the JA-CHRODIS Integrated Multimorbidity Care Model (IMCM) to a Case Study of Diabetes and Mental Health

The Integrated Multimorbidity Care Model (IMCM), developed by the Joint Action on Chronic Diseases and Promoting Healthy Ageing across the Life Cycle (JA-CHRODIS), proposes a set of 16 multidimensional components (i.e., recommendations) to improve the care of persons with multimorbidity in Europe. This study aimed at analyzing the potential applicability of the IMCM. We followed a qualitative approach that comprised two phases: (1) The design of a case study based on empirical clinical data, which consisted of a hypothetical woman with multimorbidity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, mental health, and associated social problems, and (2) the creation of a consensus group to gather the opinions of a multidisciplinary group of experts and consider the potential applicability of the IMCM to our case study. Experts described how care should be delivered to this patient according to each model component, suggested the use of specific rating scales and tools to assess her needs in a comprehensive and regular way, and pointed our crucial health and social resources to improve her care process. Experts also highlighted patient-centered, integrated and tailored care as one of the keystones of quality healthcare. Our results suggest that the IMCM is applicable in complex patients with multimorbidity

The impact of digital transformation on macroeconomic stability: Evidence from EU countries

The article deals with investigating the role of digital transformation in achieving competitive advantages of the economy. The paper identifies the benefits and risks of the digital transformation for macroeconomic stability of the economy. The comparison of the average level of the digital transformation and indicators of macroeconomic stability of EU countries for the period 2001–2020 allowed the authors to distinguish clusters of countries by the nature and direction of the relationship between the analyzed indicators. The results of VAR modelling on the example of EU countries proved the relationship between the level of digitalization of the economy and indicators of its macroeconomic stability. The paper simulates the responses of macroeconomic stability parameters to single and accumulated shocks of digital transformation. The results show the bidirectional causality between the digital transformation of the economy and indicators of its macroeconomic stability. The findings of the study are beneficial for authorities to form competitive advantages of the economy and its sustainable development

Integrating Entrepreneurship into the Design Classroom: Case Studies from the Developing World

© 2017, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC. Developing countries are more and more committed to building a knowledge-based economy as a means to diversify from their current resource-based economy. The current focus of many governments is on technology with real insights on creative economy and arts. In this context, universities are seen as a key partner of the government. This article presents the results of two innovative case studies of professors working in the College of Art and Design collaborating with a professor in the College of Business to integrate the concepts of entrepreneurship into their interior design courses. This was done through designing space for entrepreneurial projects and by the students acting as entrepreneurs themselves with an external client. This dual model of training combines (1) learning processes about the habits and the needs of entrepreneurs and (2) learning by acting as an entrepreneur. Such methods demonstrate the role of universities to provide a proper theoretical background for students and to foster entrepreneurial behaviors through arts entrepreneurship education. Furthermore, the central role of professors to introduce innovative teaching methods to combine entrepreneurship and the creative economy into non-business courses is an important finding in these case studies

The additional value of patient-reported health status in predicting 1-year mortality after invasive coronary procedures: A report from the Euro Heart Survey on Coronary Revascularisation

Objective: Self-perceived health status may be helpful in identifying patients at high risk for adverse outcomes. The Euro Heart Survey on Coronary Revascularization (EHS-CR) provided an opportunity to explore whether impaired health status was a predictor of 1-year mortality in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) undergoing angiographic procedures. Methods: Data from the EHS-CR that included 5619 patients from 31 member countries of the European Society of Cardiology were used. Inclusion criteria for the current study were completion of a self-report measure of health status, the EuroQol Questionnaire (EQ-5D) at discharge and information on 1-year follow-up, resulting in a study population of 3786 patients. Results: The 1-year mortality was 3.2% (n = 120). Survivors reported fewer problems on the five dimensions of the EQ-5D as compared with non-survivors. A broad range of potential confounders were adjusted for, which reached a p<0.10 in the unadjusted analyses. In the adjusted analyses, problems with self-care (OR 3.45; 95% CI 2.14 to 5.59) and a low rating (≤ 60) on health status (OR 2.41; 95% CI 1.47 to 3.94) were the most powerful independent predictors of mortality, among the 22 clinical variables included in the analysis. Furthermore, patients who reported no problems on all five dimensions had significantly lower 1-year mortality rates (OR 0.47; 95% CI 0.28 to 0.81). Conclusions: This analysis shows that impaired health status is associated with a 2-3-fold increased risk of all-cause mortality in patients with CAD, independent of other conventional risk factors. These results highlight the importance of including patients' subjective experience of their own health status in the evaluation strategy to optimise risk stratification and management in clinical practice