Consequences of customer engagement behavior: when negative Facebook posts have positive effects

Sharing product information has become an integral part of today’s online social networking world. This research study addresses the effects of customer engagement behavior in online social networks on other consumers in order to understand how online social connections impact decision making. We investigate how different variations of a brand-related Facebook post trigger different response reactions. In particular, we analyze under which conditions negative posts can have positive consequences. The results of two online experiments set in a restaurant context suggest a difference when the user knows the restaurant brand. For users who are familiar with the restaurant brand, a positive effect of negative information posted by distant acquaintances is found with regard to the visiting intention of the user. The results of both experiments demonstrate that information posted by a close friend is perceived to be more diagnostic. For users not familiar with the restaurant brand, negative posts from strong ties induce the highest diagnosticity levels.     

Cyclic Nanoindentation for Local High Cycle Fatigue Investigations: A Methodological Approach Accounting for Thermal Drift

Cyclic nanoindentation allows characterizing the influence of single phases and their interactions on fatigue mechanisms. Herein, a method for high cycle fatigue testing by nanoindentation is presented. By combining high- and low-frequency indentation modes, high cycle numbers are achieved while obtaining sufficient data points to reconstruct force–displacement hysteresis loops. A challenge is the stochastic course of thermal drift which is addressed by measuring drift rate in regular low-force holding segments. Drift rates are used to correct the displacement values, yielding reproducible cyclic deformation data as it is shown for two very different materials, a ductile metal and a brittle ceramic.     

Non-photorealistic, depth-based image editing

Recent works in image editing are opening up new possibilities to manipulate and enhance input images. Within this context, we leverage well-known characteristics of human perception along with a simple depth approximation algorithm to generate non-photorealistic renditions that would be difficult to achieve with existing methods. Once a perceptually plausible depth map is obtained from the input image, we show how simple algorithms yield powerful new depictions of such an image. Additionally, we show how artistic manipulation of depth maps can be used to create novel non-photorealistic versions, for which we provide the user with an intuitive interface. Our real-time implementation on graphics hardware allows the user to efficiently explore artistic possibilities for each image. We show results produced with six different styles proving the versatility of our approach, and validate our assumptions and simplifications by means of a user study.     

Effective visualization of short routes

In this work we develop a new alternative to conventional maps for visualization of relatively short paths as they are frequently encountered in hotels, resorts or museums. Our approach is based on a warped rendering of a 3D model of the environment such that the visualized path appears to be straight even though it may contain several junctions. This has the advantage that the beholder of the image gains a realistic impression of the surroundings along the way which makes it easy to retrace the route in practice. We give an intuitive method for generation of such images and present results from user studies undertaken to evaluate the benefit of the warped images for orientation in unknown environments.     

Iterative analysis of Markov regenerative models

Conventional algorithms for the steady-state analysis of Markov regenerative models suffer from high computational costs which are caused by densely populated matrices. In this paper, a new algorithm is suggested which avoids computing these matrices explicitly. Instead, a two-stage iteration scheme is used. An extended version of uniformization is applied as a subalgorithm to compute the required transient quantities “on-the fly”. The algorithm is formulated in terms of stochastic Petri nets. A detailed example illustrates the proposed concepts.     

Spherical sample holders to improve the susceptibility measurement of superparamagnetic materials

The design of two custom sample holders with a spherical cavity for commercial vibrating sample magnetometer systems is described. For such cavities, the magnetization M[over ->] and the internal magnetic field H(i)[over ->] of a sample are both homogeneous. Consequently, the material parameter M(H(i)) of a sample can be determined even for liquids and powders with a high magnetic susceptibility.     

Die Mikroflora des Sauerteiges

Zusammenfassung Es wurden Ermittlungen über das Vitaminbedürfnis der an der Sauerteiggdrung beteiligten Milchsäurebakterien der UntergattungenThermobacterium, Streptobacterium andBetabacterium angestellt.Von den überprüften Sauerteigbakterien waren 54 Stämme aus sog. Reinzuchtsauerteigen und 49 Stämme aus Sauerteigen isoliert worden. Alle Sauerteigbakterien erwiesen sich biotin-, vitamin B₆-, vitamin B₁₂-, pyridoxamin- und pyridoxalautotroph. Ohne Ausnahme besteht bei den Sauerteigbakterien ein Bedürfnis an Pantothensäure und Nicotinsäure. Die Bedürftigkeit der Sauerteigbakterien an Folsäure, Vitamin B₂ und Vitamin B₁ ist von Art zu Art wechselnd.Das Vitaminbedürfnis der verschiedenen Gruppen von Sauerteigbakterien steht weitgehend in Übereinstimmung mit dem Bedürfnis der jeweils zum Vergleich herangezogenen Milchsäurebakterien definierter Art. Die Befunde geben somit eine Bestätigung der anhand des Zuckerspektrums vorgenommenen Zuordnung der Sauerteigbakterien zu den ArtenLactobacillus aeidophilus, L. casei, L. plantarum, L. fareiminis, L. brevis, L. brevis var. lindneri, L. fermentum undL. fructivorans.

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The microflora of sourdoughV. Communication: The vitamin requirement of lactic acid bacteria (Genus lactobacillus Beijerinck) of sourdough starter and sourdough

Summary Research was carried out on the vitamin requirements of lactic acid bacteria of the subgeneraThermobacterium, Streptobacterium andBetabacterium, which have a part in the sourdough fermentation. Of the investigated sourdough bacteria 54 strains were isolated from the Reinzuchtsauer (a starter culture) and 49 strains from sourdough. All sourdough bacteria were biotin-, vitamin B₆-, vitamin B₁₂-, pyridoxamine-and pyridoxal-autotroph. All sourdough bacteria showed a requirement for pantothenic acid and nicotinic acid. The requirement of sourdough bacteria for folic acid, vitamin B₂ and vitamin B₁ varied from species to species. The vitamin requirements of the different species of sourdough bacteria mostly agree with the requirements of reference strains of lactic acid bacteria (ATCC-strains, DSM-strains) with which they were compared. The results are therefore a confirmation for having assigned the sourdough bacteria from their sugar fermentation reactions to the speciesLactobacillus acidophilus, L. casei, L. plantarum, L. farciminis, L. brevis, L. fermentum, L. fructivorans andL. brevis var. lindneri.

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Nr. 4470 der Veröffentlichungen der Bundesforschungsanstalt für Getreide- und Kartoffelverarbeitung, Detmold

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Diese Untersuchungen wurden ermöglicht durch eine finanzielle Förderung seitens des Bundesministeriums für Forschung und Technologie im Rahmen des Programmes Biologie und Technik     

Rheological studies with spherically shaped thin liquid films

The present work shows the first experimental and theoretical results for investigations on the rheology of liquid films. The experiments are planned to be performed under microgravity conditions. This environment will allow forming films of different thickness, which is impossible under ground conditions due to drainage. Then the films are forced to harmonic oscillations of the film area so that the film elasticity can be measured as a function of frequency. The presented theoretical model demonstrates the main relationships to be solved under corresponding boundary conditions