INTEGRAL and New Classes of High-Mass X-ray Binaries

The gamma-ray observatory INTEGRAL, launched in October 2002, produces a wealth of discoveries and new results on compact high energy Galactic objects, nuclear gamma-ray line emission, diffuse line and continuum emission, cosmic background radiation, AGN and high energy transients. Two important serendipitous discoveries made by the INTEGRAL mission are new classes of X-ray binaries, namely the highly-obscured high-mass X-ray binaries, and the super-giant fast transients. In this paper I will review the current status of these discoveries.Comment: 3 pages, 1 figure, submitted; Proceedings "The nature and evolution of X-ray binaries in diverse environments", St Petersburg/FL, USA, 28 Oct - 02 Nov 200

Testing and Assessment in Mathematics via Web Applications

This paper deals with the web interface Maple T.A. which is used for mathematical education at the Vienna University of Technology. Maple T.A. is based on the computer algebra system Maple. This fact offers the possibility to test and assess the students in easy but also complex mathematical matters in an uncomplicated way. This interface was first used only for the refresher course. This course takes place in the first 3 weeks of the semester and deals with the repetition of all the important themes of the school mathematics. Maple T.A. is also used for the basic and advanced mathematical courses in the first two years in the study of electrical engineering. For these courses the use of Maple T.A. includes the offer of assignments for every chapter of the lecture but also homework and tests are realized in it

Space Charge Transfer in Hybrid Inorganic/Organic Systems

We discuss density functional theory calculations of hybrid inorganic/organic systems (HIOS) that explicitly include the global effects of doping (i.e. position of the Fermi level) and the formation of a space-charge layer. For the example of tetrafluoro-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4TCNQ) on the ZnO(000$\bar{1}$) surface we show that the adsorption energy and electron transfer depend strongly on the ZnO doping. The associated work function changes are large, for which the formation of space-charge layers is the main driving force. The prominent doping effects are expected to be quite general for charge-transfer interfaces in HIOS and important for device design

Collaboration between education and health professionals for the assessment of speech development

Im Spannungsfeld Kita, Schule und Sprachtherapie ist multifaktorielle Expertise gefragt, um sprachliche Fähigkeiten von Kindern einzuschätzen und gegebenenfalls geeignete Förder- oder Therapiemaßnahmen abzuleiten. Eine besondere Herausforderung stellt dabei die strukturelle Komplexität der Versorgung hinsichtlich der verschiedenen Akteur*innen, Organisationen und Versorgungssysteme dar. Ziel der Studie war es, in Form einer Kontextanalyse die interprofessionellen Prozesse und Strukturen bzgl. kindlicher Sprachentwicklung zu rekonstruieren sowie fördernde und hemmende Faktoren zu identifizieren. Es wurden fünf Fokusgruppen mit jeweils drei Expert*innen aus den Berufsgruppen Erzieher*in, Sprachtherapeut*in, (Grundschul-)Lehrer*in, Sonderpädagog*in und Mediziner*in durchgeführt und ausgewertet, wobei auf die Methode der qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse mittels Extraktion zurückgegriffen wurde. Aus den Analysen ergab sich, dass personelle und ökonomische Ressourcen sowie klar kommunizierte rechtliche Rahmenbedingungen auf Systemebene eine Rolle spielen. Organisationsbezogen konnte die Gestaltung der Kommunikations- und Dokumentationsprozesse als wesentlicher Faktor für das Gelingen interprofessioneller Zusammenarbeit identifiziert werden. Das Engagement der Akteur*innen und der adäquate Einbezug von Erziehungsberechtigten sind ebenfalls als Einflussfaktor zu nennen. Die Expert*innen sehen ein hohes Potential in interprofessioneller Zusammenarbeit. Eine solche Zusammenarbeit ist ihrer Ansicht nach besonders wertvoll, wenn es um die Qualität der Beurteilung des kindlichen (Sprach-)Entwicklungsstandes (1) und der Förder- und Therapieangebote (2) geht. Es besteht ein Bedarf an der Gestaltung interprofessioneller Netzwerke über eine zentrale, sichere, niedrigschwellige und digitale Dokumentations- und Austauschplattform für die fallzentrierte Zusammenarbeit. (DIPF/Orig.)Across daycare, school and speech and language therapy (SLT), multifactorial expertise is required to assess the language skills of children and, if necessary, define suitable support or therapeutical measures. The structural complexity of health care, welfare and public education involving various stakeholders, organisations and care systems poses a particular challenge. The aim of the study was a context analysis to reconstruct interprofessional processes and structures with regard to children’s language development and to identify promoting and inhibiting factors. Five focus group interviews, involving three experts each, were conducted and analysed, using the method of qualitative content analysis by means of extraction. The analyses showed that staff and economic resources as well as clearly communicated legal framework conditions play a role at the system level. In terms of organisation, the nature of communication and documentation processes was identified as an essential factor for the success of interprofessional cooperation. The commitment of stakeholders and the adequate involvement of caregivers can also be mentioned as an influencing factor. The participants see high value in interprofessional cooperation. Such cooperation, in their view, is particularly valuable when it comes to the quality of the assessment of the language development of children (1) and of the support and therapy services (2). This study thus suggests that there is a need to create and sustain interprofessional networks through a central, secure, low-threshold and digital documentation and exchange platform for case-centred cooperation. (DIPF/Orig.

The Problem of Experimental Evaluation for Corona Resistance of VFD Cables

This article describes an approach for evaluating experimental cable insulation resistance electro-thermal aging, typical for the drive frequency being adjusted. It estimates the average time until the insulation breakdown when exposed to a sample of high electrical loads. The possibility for an adequate choice of insulating materials, which are used in the insulation of VFD cable and shown ways to improve testing methods

Erlangen von Verständnis und Erlernen von Fertigkeiten in der Mathematik einmal anders

Der folgende Artikel behandelt die Vorstellung eines didaktischen Konzepts sowie deren Umsetzung und Auswirkungen in den Lehrveranstaltungen Mathematik für Elektrotechnik an der Technischen Universität Wien. Im ersten Abschnitt wird die Struktur der Lehrveranstaltungen vor den Projektmaßnahmen beschrieben. Dabei werden Defizite der alten Struktur aufgezeigt und die durch das Projekt initiierten Änderungen in Vorlesungen und Übungen vorgestellt. Deren praktische Umsetzung beschreibt der darauffolgende Abschnitt. Die Ergebnisse der im Anfangsstadium befindlichen Evaluation werden präsentiert und diskutiert. Weiterführende Transferüberlegungen werden im letzten Teil erörtert. 10.11.2014 | Andreas Körner, Stefanie Winkler, Carina Pöll & Felix Breitenecker (Wien

Triptycene-terminated thiolate and selenolate monolayers on Au(111)

To study the implications of highly space-demanding organic moieties on the properties of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs), triptycyl thiolates and selenolates with and without methylene spacers on Au(111) surfaces were comprehensively studied using ultra-high vacuum infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy and thermal desorption spectroscopy. Due to packing effects, the molecules in all monolayers are substantially tilted. In the presence of a methylene spacer the tilt is slightly less pronounced. The selenolate monolayers exhibit smaller defect densities and therefore are more densely packed than their thiolate analogues. The Se–Au binding energy in the investigated SAMs was found to be higher than the S–Au binding energy

First detection of hard X-ray photons in the soft X-ray transient Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxy WPVS 007: The X-ray photon distribution observed by Swift

We report on the first detection of hard X-ray photons (E>2.5 keV) in the X-ray transient Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 galaxy WPVS 007 which was the AGN with the softest X-ray spectrum during the ROSAT All-Sky Survey. The AGN is clearly detected at a level of about 2 x 10^{-17} W m^{-2} in the observed 0.3-10.0 keV band by Swift in a 50 ks observation in 2007 September. For the first time since the ROSAT All-Sky Survey observation in 1990 it was possible to derive an X-ray photon distribution by adding together all Swift observations that have been performed so far (85.5 ks in total). This photon distribution is consistent with an X-ray spectrum of an AGN with a partial covering absorber with a column density in the order of ~ 1 x 10^{23} cm^{-2} and a covering fraction of about 90%. A comparison with the 2002 Chandra data suggests that WPVS 007 has become brighter by a factor of about 4. The Swift data also suggest that the absorber which is causing the current low-state may have started to disappear. This disappearance is indicated by a significant change in the hardness ratio from a very soft X-ray state during the 2005 October to 2007 January observations to a rather hard X-ray state in the 2007 September observations. In the UV, WPVS 007 seems to become fainter by up to 0.5 mag over the last two years. The optical to X-ray spectral slope derived from the spectral energy distribution is alpha-ox=2.5 which classifies WPVS 007 as an X-ray weak AGN. After correcting for reddening and X-ray absorption, alpha-ox becomes 1.9 and the luminosity in the Big-Blue-Bump is log LBBB=37.7 [W], which translates into an Eddington ratio L/LEdd ~ 1.0.Comment: Accepted for publication in the Astronomical Journal, scheduled for December 2008, 8 pages, 3 figures, 3 table