TILT-BASED PREDICTIVE TEXT INPUT CONCEPT FOR MOBILE DEVICES

In the paper authors are introducing the concept of usage of physical orientation of a mobile device, calculated using built-in environmental sensors like accelerometer, gyroscope and magnetometer for detection of tilting gesture. This gesture is used as an acceptance factor for the two next probable word solutions suggested to the user during text input. By performing the device tilt, the first or second word is being automatically put into the desired text field and new prediction is performed. The text predictions are calculated and stored directly on the device to maintain privacy protection. The founding concept of the software is being presented, as well as initial considerations and further plans. This solution is recommended especially to smartphone manufacturers like Microsoft, Samsung and Apple to deploy in their latest models

Churn Risk Identification as an Important Aspect of Marketing Controlling - the Case of a German Start-up Company

Aim/purpose - The purpose of this paper is to understand possible methods of identifying churn risk in small and medium-sized start-up companies. Design/methodology/approach - This paper describes the case study of a German IT start-up company and its churn risk identification approach. All presented insights are based on the company's internal documentation. Additionally, the author conducted online surveys addressing 50 client teams asking them to assess the occurrence probability of the most common risk. The surveys have been conducted every month (August- -November 2017) with 16 middle and upper managers. Findings - Based on the research findings, it has been found out that consideration of customer opinions and estimations is very important to prevent the potential churn and strengthen marketing controlling systems. When a company aims to start tracking potential risks, it is recommendable to focus on small steps and continue adding additional risk factors that need to be tracked. Research implications/limitations - This case study shows that a customized churn risk identification system does not have to be very advanced or sophisticated. The most important aspect of an effective churn risk identification system is its ability to be fully implemented, controlled, and corrected in case of any methodological issues or inconsistencies. However, the core key performance indicators should not be assessed based on the internal input, as self-evaluation approach tends to be very error-prone and subjective. Originality/value/contribution - The research confirms that it is important to introduce risk identification as a holistic process, focusing not only on defining potential risks, but also estimating which risk factors are the most important ones from the strategic point of view. Introducing churn risk KPIs and tracking them on a regular basis contributes to transparency and creativity of strategic and tactical management, enabling managers to identify issues and address them in a proactive manner. (original abstract

A new hybrid porphyrin-heteropolyacid material : synthesis, characterization and investigation as catalyst in Baeyer-Villiger oxidation : synergistic effect

A new tetraphenylporphyrin-tungstophosphoric acid hybrid was synthesized and physico-chemically characterized by different techniques. This hybrid, its molybdenum analogue, tungstophosphoric and molybdophosphoric acids as well as their Mn, Fe and Co salts were applied in Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of cyclohexanone to caprolactone with molecular oxygen. Due to the synergistic effect porphyrin-heteropolyacid hybrids exhibit similar catalytic activity as appropriate heteropoly salts and much higher activity than parent heteropolyacids

The phenology of winter rye in Poland: an analysis of long-term experimental data

The study of the phenology of crops, although quite popular, has limitations, mainly because of frequent changes to crop varieties and management practices. Here, we present data on the phenology and yield of winter rye in western Poland collected between 1957 and 2012 from a long-term field experiment. Data were examined for trends through time and compared to climatological factors using regression analysis. Both annual air temperature and precipitation increased during the study period, equivalent to 2 °C and 186 mm, respectively, over the 52-year period for which met data were available. We detected significant delays in sowing date and recently in emergence, but significant advances were apparent in full flowering date equivalent to 4 days/decade. Yield and plant density experienced a step like change in 1986; yield increasing by ca. 70 % and plant density increasing by ca. 50 %, almost coinciding with a similar change in annual mean temperature, but most likely caused by a changed seed rate and use of herbicides. Future climate change is expected to have a greater impact on this crop, but farmers may be able to adapt to these changes by modifying water regimes, using new machinery and sowing new rye varieties

Personnel risk assesment. The case of a German start-up company

The main goal of this article is to understand possible simplistic methods of assessing personnel risk at start-up companies. The author aims to prove the hypothesis that small and medium sized companies do not require sophisticated personnel risk assessment tools in order to mitigate their personnel risk. Thus, this article aims to understand strategies and KPIs that can be implemented in order to address potential stuffing problems without the need of hiring additional experts specialized in big data analysis methods. The author analyses theoretical approaches towards HR planning and aims to suggest strategies that can be implemented by middle-sized companies for their planning purposes. This paper describes a case study of a German IT start-up and its workforce planning strategy. The article presents ways for planning, implementing, and controlling workforce‒planning solutions at companies with flat and not well-established structures that need effective and efficient solutions

Experimental Investigation of the Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop inside Tubes and the Shell of a Minichannel Shell and Tube Type Heat Exchanger

This paper presents an experimental study on a shell and tube mini heat exchanger (STMHE). The STMHE consisted of seven tubes in a triangular arrangement, with an 0.8 mm inner diameter and 1.0 mm outer diameter. The heat exchanger shell had an inner diameter of 11 mm, and the heat exchanger had no baffles. For the adopted operating conditions, the Reynolds number on the tube side varied in the range of 300–3000, and 2000–12,000 on the shell side. The aim of this study was to determine pressure drop values during fluid flow and Nusselt number correlations for the heat transfer. A new method based on optimisation was used to derive the equations for calculating the heat transfer coefficients. It allowed the determine of the correlation equations for the heat transfer coefficients simultaneously for both sides of the heat exchanger. The obtained correlations yielded overall heat transfer coefficient values that, in most cases, did not differ by more than ±10% from those determined experimentally. The experimentally determined critical Reynolds number value for the flow inside the tubes was equal to Recr=1160. The Darcy friction factors correlated well with the classical laminar flow correlation and with the Blasius correlation for turbulent flow. The derived correlations for the Nusselt number were best aligned with the Sieder–Tate, Gnielinski, and Kozioł correlations for tube side laminar flow, turbulent flow, and shell flow, respectively. Good agreement between the results obtained using the experimentally derived correlations and the correlations available in the literature confirms the effectiveness of the used optimisation–based method

The notion of „consumer” in European Union law

Przedmiotem mojej pracy jest przedstawienie i analiza znaczenia pojęcia „konsument” w prawie Unii Europejskiej oraz w implementowanych aktach prawnych państw członkowskich, zwłaszcza w Polsce. Pojęcie „konsument” jest pojęciem stosunkowo nowym, a jego rozumienie może być wielopłaszczyznowe. Na potrzeby niniejszej pracy skupiłam się na rozumieniu konsumenta jako jednostki podatnej na wszelkie nieuczciwe działania ze strony profesjonalisty oraz słabszej ekonomicznie w relacjach z drugą stroną umowy, czyli przedsiębiorcą. Moim zamiarem było także ukazanie rozbieżności między określeniem tego pojęcia w dyrektywach i jego odpowiednikami w prawie państw członkowskich, a także przedstawienie konsekwencji jakie niosą za sobą te odmienności. Po to, aby możliwe było sporządzenie pełnego obrazu konsumenta jako podmiotu wymagającego ochrony prawnej, nie wystarczy poprzestać na zdefiniowaniu tego terminu – niezbędne staje się jeszcze określenie wzorca przeciętnego konsumenta, przez pryzmat którego oceniać będziemy naruszenie naszych praw. To właśnie ten wzorzec wyznacza standard ochrony konsumenckiej i umożliwia przywrócenie równowagi w relacji konsument – przedsiębiorca.The subject of my master's thesis is to present and analyze the meaning of the term "consumer" in the law of the European Union and implemented legislations of the European Union countries, particularly in Poland. The notion of "consumer" is a concept relatively new, and its understanding can be multidimensional. For the purpose of this study, I focused on understanding consumer as an individual susceptible to any unfair action by the professional and economically weaker relationships with the other party to the contract – the trader. My intention was also to show the differences between the definition of the concept of the consumer in the directives and his counterparts in the law of the European Union countries, and to present the consequences posed by these differences. In order to be able to draw up a complete picture of the consumer as a subject requiring legal protection, not just confine itself to defining this term - becomes even more necessary to define the average consumer standard, through the prism of the judge will be an infringement of our rights. This standard sets the level for consumer protection and restore balance in the relationship the consumer - trader

Determination of a Bubble Drag Coefficient during the Formation of Single Gas Bubble in Upward Coflowing Liquid

Bubble flow is present in many processes that are the subject of chemical engineering research. Many correlations for determination of the equivalent bubble diameter can be found in the scientific literature. However, there are only few describing the formation of gas bubbles in flowing liquid. Such a phenomenon occurs for instance in airlift apparatuses. Liquid flowing around the gas bubble creates a hydraulic drag force that leads to reduction of the formed bubble diameter. Usually the value of the hydraulic drag coefficient, cD, for bubble formation in the flowing liquid is assumed to be equal to the drag coefficient for bubbles rising in the stagnant liquid, which is far from the reality. Therefore, in this study, to determine the value of the drag coefficient of bubbles forming in flowing liquid, the diameter of the bubbles formed at different liquid velocity was measured using the shadowgraphy method. Using the balance of forces affecting the bubble formed in the coflowing liquid, the hydraulic drag coefficient was determined. The obtained values of the drag coefficient differed significantly from those calculated using the correlation for gas bubble rising in stagnant liquid. The proposed correlation allowed the determination of the diameter of the gas bubble with satisfactory accuracy

Occurrence of ergot in seed lots of grasses harvested in different regions of Poland

The ergot (Claviceps purpurea) incidence in seed samples of Poa pratensis, Lolium perenne, L. multiflorum, Festuca rubra and F. pratensis cultivars originating from different regions of grass cultivation in Poland was detected in 1999 – 2002. Each year, about hundred twenty cultivars of different species were tested. It was found that number of seed replaced by sclerotia significantly varied and depended on the year of seed harvest, species and cultivar tested and region of grass grown for seed. The highest level of Claviceps purpurea sclerotia almost for all grass species was detected in 1999. The highest number of seed replaced by sclerotia was found in sowing material of Poa pratensis for all years of testing. Ergot in seed lots of L. multiflorum and F. pratensis were detected at trace levels. Differences in susceptibility to Claviceps purpurea among cultivars were observed. However, significant variation in occurrence of ergot sclerotia were noted for the same cultivar harvested in different region of Poland. It was found that size of sclerotia depended on the host - grass species and the year of seed harvest. Significant differences  were noted particularly in the length and weight of sclerotia