Evoking emotions in virtual reality: schema activation via a freeze-frame stimulus

Virtual Reality - Virtual reality can be used for educational purposes, particularly in demanding professions such as firefighting. Such virtual training may be useful for preparing trainees for...     

Quality is in the eye of the stakeholders: what do professional subtitlers and viewers think about subtitling?

Quality is a rather slippery concept, and its assessment in subtitling can be a challenging task, as its appreciation can easily vary depending on the different stakeholders involved in the production and reception of subtitles. In this paper, we evaluate quality indicators in subtitling as perceived by professional subtitlers and viewers. After exploring the various subtitle parameters that can have an impact on the quality of the end product (such as line breaks, synchronisation, display rates), we present the results of two qualitative studies conducted with professional subtitlers and subtitle viewers with different audiovisual backgrounds. The results yield some similarities and discrepancies, particularly in the way in which the strategy of condensation is perceived by the two groups, and they also help delineate the subtitle parameters that should be taken into consideration in order to improve the creative process as well as the reception of subtitles.

     

Microwave-assisted synthesis and characterization of bioactive chitosan scaffolds doped with Au nanoparticles for mesenchymal stem cells culture

In this work we present a novel strategy for chitosan-based scaffolds. Chitosan is a versatile biopolymer obtained from waste biomass known of its favorable biological properties. Thus it can replace other polymers in the preparation of bioactive scaffolds. To increase its durability chitosan can be crosslinked into form of the hydrogel yet application of toxic crosslinkers may lead to loss of biocompability. Mesenchymal stem cells can be used in cell therapy for advanced wound treatment. However their culture requires special biomaterials application. In this article a novel microwave-assisted synthesis method for bioactive chitosan scaffolds is presented.     

Ultrastructural and developmental toxicity of potato and tomato leaf extracts to beet armyworm,Spodoptera exigua (lepidoptera: noctuidae)

Beet Armyworm, Spodoptera exigua is a herbivorous moth and a serious pest of many economically important plants, which are used as food sources. Because of rigorous standards of food quality, usage of synthetic insecticides in crop protection, against pests, is limited. Solanaceae plant extracts may be a relatively cheap source of efficient natural insecticides that can limit usage of synthetic substances. Their biological activity is not fully known. In particular, ultrastructural studies, using transmission electron microscopy, are not usual. In the present article we describe the effects of sublethal concentrations of tomato and potato leaf extracts against S. exigua. Acute lethal effects were not observed. Both extracts exerted similar effects within midgut and fat body cells. Midgut cells were not significantly altered while fat body cells showed prominent swelling of nuclear envelope and endoplasmic reticulum, vacuolization of mitochondria and fusion of fat droplets. These changes were much more intensive within groups exposed to potato than tomato extracts at highest concentration at least. Light microscopy was used to observe and document developmental alterations of S. exigua exposed to potato and tomato leaf extracts. Potato leaf extracts significantly decreased hatching success and caused morphological malformations of imagoes. Among them, malformations of wings were the most prominent. Interestingly, these effects were not observed within populations exposed to tomato extracts at highest concentration at least.     

Anwendung eines Stranggieß-Simulationsmodells bei Štore Steel – II

This paper represents the elements and the use of the upgraded simulation system, developed in the last half decade for ?tore Steel billet caster. The simulation system is used in the context of the state-of-the-art automation and information of the twenty-five year-old three-strand Concast billet continuous caster for dimensions square 140 and 180 mm with the capacity of 160,000 tons/year. The simulation system is used in the off-line and on-line modes. The off-line mode is used in order to set the proper process parameters and to calculate the temperature field, macrosegregation, and grain structure of the strand. It is also used to calculate the changes in the caster design such as the secondary cooling and the position of the SEN. The on-line model is used in automatic casting control system. The paper represents an update of our BHM publication of 2005 (Application of Continous Casting Simulation at ?tore Steel, BHM, Vol. 150, No. 9, 300–306).     

Sex‐related differences in the nutritional value of Japanese quail meat

The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of birds’ sex on the carcass composition and meat (breast muscle) nutritional value in Japanese quails in a large‐scale four‐generation study. Standard poultry feed was used, based on maize, soya bean meal and wheat. Four generations of quails were housed up to the age of 17 weeks each. Then samples of breast muscle were collected after dissection and analysed for basic nutrient content and for fatty acids composition. Results were analysed by GLM procedure in SAS, and significance of differences between birds of different sex was estimated by Duncan's test. Dissection revealed marked differences between birds’ of different sex in case of relative organ weight. Results of meat analyses showed no differences in the basic composition. Fatty acids analyses showed a more advantageous profile in female meat.     

Synthesis and Antiangiogenic Properties of Tetrafluorophthalimido and Tetrafluorobenzamido Barbituric Acids

The development of novel thalidomide derivatives as immunomodulatory and anti‐angiogenic agents has revived over the last two decades. Herein we report the design and synthesis of three chemotypes of barbituric acids derived from the thalidomide structure: phthalimido‐, tetrafluorophthalimido‐, and tetrafluorobenzamidobarbituric acids. The latter were obtained by a new tandem reaction, including a ring opening and a decarboxylation of the fluorine‐activated phthalamic acid intermediates. Thirty compounds of the three chemotypes were evaluated for their anti‐angiogenic properties in an ex vivo assay by measuring the decrease in microvessel outgrowth in rat aortic ring explants. Tetrafluorination of the phthalimide moiety in tetrafluorophthalimidobarbituric acids was essential, as all of the nonfluorinated counterparts lost anti‐angiogenic activity. An opening of the five‐membered ring and the accompanying increased conformational freedom, in case of the corresponding tetrafluorobenzamidobarbituric acids, was well tolerated. Their activity was retained, although their molecular structures differ in torsional flexibility and possible hydrogen‐bond networking, as revealed by comparative X‐ray crystallographic analyses.     

Morphological and mechanical study of nanostructured epoxy systems modified with amphiphilic poly(ethylene oxide-b-propylene oxide-b-ethylene oxide)triblock copolymer

Thermosetting systems based on DGEBA epoxy resin and poly(ethylene oxide-b-propylene oxide-b-ethylene oxide) (EPE) triblock copolymer were prepared and investigated. Different mixtures were obtained by using different contents of EPE block copolymer in order to study the influence of the modifier on the properties of the final materials. All thermosetting systems were prepared without using any solvent and were cured at ambient temperature, taking into account the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior of the block copolymer. DSC results indicated that the addition of block copolymer affected to the curing reaction time and to the glass transition temperature of the mixtures and also the miscibility of EPE triblock copolymer in the epoxy resin was proved. The morphologies studied by AFM and TEM showed clear nanostructuration up to 25 wt % EPE content. The addition of 5 and 15 wt % of EPE block copolymer led to a considerable improvement in the toughness of the materials. When EPE block copolymer was added to the epoxy resin, the surface became more hydrophilic and the UV–vis transmittance decreased slightly maintaining a high level of transparency.