An Acoustic Phonetic Analysis of Different Realizations of [θ] in Serbian-Accented English

This study investigates several acoustic correlates of the phonetic realizations of [θ] produced by Serbian speakers of English. The impressionistic phonetic transcriptions and aural perception accounts indicate that Serbians have difficulty pronouncing the English non-sibilant [θ] segment accurately. It is reported (Dimitrijevic-Savic & Jerotijevic, 2011; Koffi, 2015a) that they substitute [t], [f], [s], and [ts] for [θ]. The present study uses an acoustic phonetic methodology to investigate how Serbians pronounce this segment. Speech samples from seventeen native Serbian speakers are investigated. These samples are part of George Mason University Speech Accent Archive. Spectrographic and acoustic measurements are provided for 5 words from the elicitation paragraph that contain the digraph represented in the IPA by [θ]. Words containing [θ] in initial position are . The only word in text that ends with [θ] is . The acoustic correlates of intensity, duration, VOT, and COG are examined for 85 occurrences of . The results show that [θ] is substituted by the voiceless dental stop [t] 49% of the time, by the affricate [tʃ] 7%, and 1% by the flap [ɾ]. The acoustic measurements indicate that Serbian speakers rely on intensity more than duration and Center of Gravity in determining which segments to substitute for [θ]. The substitute segments are all very similar in intensity with [θ] in GAE

A comparative analysis of the corrosive effect of artificial saliva of variable pH on DMLS and cast Co-Cr-Mo dental alloy

Abstract: Dental alloys for direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) are available on the market today, but there is little scientific evidence reported on their characteristics. One of them is the release of ions, as an indicator of the corrosion characteristics of a dental alloy. Within this research, the difference in the elution of metals from DMLS and cast (CM) samples of Co-Cr-Mo dental alloy in saliva-like medium of three different pH was examined by inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The obtained results show that the metal elution in artificial saliva from the DMLS alloy was lower than the elution from the CM alloy. The release of all investigated metal ions was influenced by the acidity, both from the DMLS and CM alloy, throughout the investigated period of 30 days. The change in acidity from a pH of 6.8 to a pH of 2.3 for the cast alloy led to a higher increase of the elution of Co, Cr and Mo from CM than from the DMLS alloy. The greatest release out of Co, Cr and Mo was for Co for both tested alloys. Further, the greatest release of all ions was measured at pH 2.3. In saliva of pH 2.3 and pH 4.5, the longer the investigated period, the higher the difference between the total metal ion release from the CM and DMLS alloys. Both alloys showed a safe level of elution according to the ISO definition in all investigated acidic environments

Educational Campus as a Paradigm for a Global Innovation - University of Nis Case Study

This paper deals with contemporary discourse regarding urban revival, elaborating the Educational Campus as a paradigm for global innovation. The objective is to examine the significance and capacity of education and its spatial articulation for social incubation and overall urban development. Furthermore through case of the city of Nis it was demonstrated the possibilities for connecting capacities and priorities in order to build a theoretical 'platform' for systematic urban design package in respect to the local resource. The new needed identity for the city of Nis in the time of transition from former industrial into the modern competitive city, can take many forms. Here was argued that, while there is the absence of a formal response to neoliberal governance regarding the strategic urban development, new Educational Campus paradigm might be solution for urban revival. This paper has examined possibilities of formation of the University Campus within the city core as a plausible model for prosper urban transformation of the city. Particularly concerning positive outcomes for the city and the university, the revival and redevelopment of historically important but neglected urban area including city's Fortress in the center of the city is given proposal that was used for model analysis through which some important issues was examined

Village Knez Selo in the Context of Sustainable Development

The paper analyses the present condition of the sustainability elements at the level of a village, and then on the relevant representative sample of the households, according to the parameters of sustainability defined in advance. By definition, such analysis of natural, economic, human and spatial resources provides the scope of the present status, but also defines the sustainability degree, and the capacities and potential directions of development. The obtained results and drawn conclusions served as a platform for the analysis of the future development and transformation of the village and the households’ courtyards as spatial manifestation of households in general. Knez Selo belongs to, by its morphology, compact type of villages, and has been firstly uninhabited since Roman Empire. Position of the higher ground and the excellent view towards Nis’s valley has always been interesting place for living. There are rich complexes of forests and pastures, and favourable conditions for livestock keeping, mild climate, as well as many other natural and environmental values in the village locality, which has caused that in XX century a hospital (later clinic) for lungs diseases had been built nearby the settlement. It is situated 10km from the centre of the city of Nis with decent traffic roads and public transport, this settlement took a turn and during 70’s and 80’s started transformation from rural mostly agricultural village towards a cottage village with substantial number of cottages mainly build by people who live in the city. With steady number of inhabitants a little less than 1000, this settlement belongs to semi-urban areas that have multiple chances for sustainability. Although it is economically weak with no clear developmental discourse, this village have enough natural and human resources for consideration of sustainable future development

Fulfillment Testing Standards in Design of Pre-School Facilities as a Basis for Architectural and Urban Transformation in the Context of Energy Efficiency

This paper analyses examples of existing kindergartens’ buildings in Serbia in terms of meeting the requirements of spatial capacity and compliance with the minimum standards of required area. Surveyed buildings are dating from various periods. Over time, their environments have undergone numerous changes and interventions, so it is important to establish whether basic requirements are been violated. The second parameter is the degree of land availability, and the existence or nonexistence of free space for possible intervention aimed at changing urban context. Finally, the third aspect is the possibility of using the closest environment to amend the urban environment parameters that would affect the local climate change, reducing outside air temperature in summer or increasing in winter, changing direction or stopping unwanted effects of dominant winds. Namely, by the influence on the input parameters, the need for thermal insulation and the method of ventilation could be changed. The norms are dealing predominantly with the external building envelope and with the insulation, which is necessary, but the last in a series of interventions and by far the most expensive, as a solution. Due to frequent climatic anomalies, global trends are going in the direction of prevention, while interventions have been aimed at the urban environment and the use of space resources. Possible changes in city planning, transformation and revitalization of the area would also have a significant impact on the physical environment and the energy efficiency of buildings

Experimental and MCNP5 based evaluation of neutron and gamma flux in the irradiation ports of the University of Utah research reactor

Neutron and gamma flux environment of various irradiation ports in the University of Utah training, research, isotope production, general atomics reactor were experimentally assessed and fully modeled using the MCNP5 code. The experimental measurements were based on the cadmium ratio in the irradiation ports of the reactor, flux profiling using nickel wire, and gamma dose measurements using thermo luminescence dosimeter. Full 3-D MCNP5 reactor model was developed to obtain the neutron flux distributions of the entire reactor core and to compare it with the measured flux focusing at the irradiation ports. Integration of all these analysis provided the updated comprehensive neutron-gamma flux maps of the existing irradiation facilities of the University of Utah TRIGA reactor

Co-creating Inclusive Interviews: VR technologies for job interview training of individuals on the autism spectrum and strategies for employers

This paper reported on the research of how to use Virtual Reality (VR) technologies and Video Self-Modeling (VSM) techniques to structure job interviews so that individuals on the autism spectrum could more easily provide the information that employers seek. The paper also addressed the use of the same technologies for job interview training by informing the affordances of a different structure of behavioral interview questions. The participatory research comprised two phases, Phase 1: co-design development and deployment, and Phase 2: co-design evaluation and revision. It was rooted in an iterative and inclusive process that generated an app with a scaffolding sequence of behavioral interview questions to address different verbal abilities of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). It resulted in the creation of strategies for employers such as the Inclusive Interview Guide for Employers and specific question inputs. This co-creative method generated technologies and procedures that could be used by individuals on the autism spectrum, as well as by employers, employment agencies, and ASD support programs. It demonstrated a process by which to communicate better with individuals on the autism spectrum

Bubble Evolution on Different Carbon Anode Designs in Cryolite Melt

The anode potential has been shown to be highly dependent on anode geometry and orientation in the Hall–Héroult process. This work is an experimental laboratory scale study of the effect of anode geometry and orientation on bubble formation and detachment for four different anode designs: horizontal (surface facing downwards), inverted horizontal (surface facing upwards), vertical, rod (with both vertical and horizontal surface). From polarization curves, it was found that the vertical anode and the inverted horizontal anode operated at lowest potentials. Above 1 A cm−2, the vertical anode showed the lowest potential. As the current increases, the transition towards smaller noise is pronounced for the horizontal anode and to some degree for the vertical anode and inverted horizontal anode. Fast Fourier Transform analysis of chronoamperometric data gave a dominant frequency only for the horizontal anode and the rod anode. The bubble release time corresponded well with the dominant frequency for the rod anode for all current densities and for the horizontal anode at lower current densities. Only random bubble noise was found for the vertical and the inverted horizontal anode and is probably due to a bubble-induced convection effectively removing the bubbles.publishedVersio