Contact Situations Research Articles

Scale Characteristics of Intercultural Competence Measures and the Effects of Intercultural Competence on Prejudice.

Due to proceeding globalization processes, involving a rise in mobility and international interdependencies, the frequency and relevance of intercultural contact situations increases. Consequently, the ability to deal effectively with intercultural situations is gaining in importance. However, the majority of studies on measures of intercultural competence focuses on Western Europe and the United States or cultures of the Far East. For the present study, previously understudied Eastern European (former communist) cultures were included, by sampling in Hungary, Serbia, and the Czech Republic, in addition to (the Central or Western European country) Germany. Thus, this study enabled comparisons of scale characteristics of the cultural intelligence scale (CQS), the multicultural personality questionnaire (MPQ), as well as the blatant and subtle prejudice scales, across samples from different cultures. It was also examined how the CQS and MPQ dimensions are associated with prejudice. To analyse scale characteristics, the factor structures and measurement invariances of the used instruments were analyzed. There were violations of configural measurement invariance observed for all of these scales, indicating that the comparability across samples is limited. Therefore, each of the samples was analyzed separately when examining how the CQS and MPQ dimensions are related to prejudice. It was revealed that, in particular, the motivational aspect of the CQS was statistically predicting lower prejudice. Less consistently, the MPQ dimensions of open-mindedness and flexibility were statistically predicting lower prejudice in some of the analyses. However, the violations of measurement invariance indicate differences in the constructs' meanings across the samples from different cultures. It is consequently argued that cross-cultural equivalence should not be taken for granted when comparing Eastern and Western European cultures.

The Interface Thermal Resistance Evolution between Carbide-Bonded Graphene Coating and Polymer in Rapid Molding for Microlens Array.

Surface rapid heating process is an efficient and green method for large-volume production of polymer optics by adopting 3D graphene network coated silicon molds with high thermal conductivity. Nevertheless, the heat transfer mechanism including the interface thermal resistance evolution between 3D graphene network coating and polymer has not been thoroughly revealed. In this study, the interface thermal resistance model was established by simplifying the contact situation between the coating and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), and then embedding into the finite element method (FEM) model to study the temperature variations of PMMA in surface rapid heating process. Heating experiments for graphene network were then carried out under different currents to provide the initial heat for heat transfer model. In addition, residual stress of the PMMA lens undergoing the non-uniform thermal history during molding was presented by the simulation model together. Finally, the optimal molding parameters including heating time and pressure will be determined according to calculation results of the interface thermal resistance model and microlens array molding experiment was conducted to illustrate that the interface thermal resistance model can predict the temperature of the polymer to achieve a better filling of microlens array with smooth surface and satisfactory optical performance.

Red, black, and white hearts: ‘heart’, ‘liver’, and ‘lungs’ in typological and areal perspective

AbstractOn the basis of a sample of 424 languages or dialects, this article provides a typological-comparative investigation of designations for three major internal organs of the torso, the ‘heart’, the ‘liver’, and the ‘lungs’. While colexification patterns are relatively unconstrained, the data show a skewing in morphologically complex terms: ‘heart’ and ‘liver’ often serve as head nouns in complex terms for ‘lungs’, but the reverse is rare. Another recurrent phenomenon is that two of the organs –sometimes ‘heart’ and ‘lungs’, but more frequently ‘liver’ and ‘lungs’– share their head noun, and are distinguished from one another by modifiers that refer to their most salient characteristics, as in Azerbaijaniaɣ ǯiyær‘white ǯiyær’ = ‘lungs’ andgara-ǯiyær‘black-ǯiyær’ = ‘liver’. Having thus set the typological stage, I move on to discuss two different regions of the world in which such terms for ‘lungs’ and ‘liver’ have spread through language contact. This has happened in Eurasia, where the abovementioned pattern, which I call “explicitly dyadic”, was brought from Turkish to vernaculars of the Balkans and, most likely through Azerbaijani influence, to languages of the Southern Caucasus. Similar explicitly dyadic terms, but based on a head noun meaning ‘heart’, also occur in the Andes, where they appear to have spread from Quechuan to Barbacoan languages. The evidence not only shows that ‘liver’ and ‘lungs’ form a “semantic dyad” in which designations make use of “opposed characteristics” in different regions of the world, but also that such designations are salient and therefore prone to spread in language contact situations.

Onlay-graft of 3D printed Kagome-structure PCL scaffold incorporated with rhBMP-2 based on hyaluronic acid hydrogel

The onlay-graft, one of the most difficult graft conditions, is used for diverse clinical conditions, including plastic and dental surgery. The graft should withstand continuous pressure from overlying tissues and have excellent bone formation capability in a limited bone contact situation. We recently developed a 3D printed Kagome-structured polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffold that has a stronger mechanical property. This study evaluated the clinical feasibility of this scaffold for onlay-graft use. The value of the scaffold containing recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 in a hyaluronate-based hydrogel (rhBMP-2/HA) to enhance bone regeneration was also assessed. 3D-printed Kagome-PCL scaffolds alone (n = 12, group I) or loaded with rhBMP-2/HA (n = 12, group II) were grafted using a rat calvarial onlay-graft model. Following sacrifice at 2, 4, and 8 weeks, all 3D-printed Kagome-PCL scaffolds were accurately positioned and firmly integrated to the recipient bone. Micro-computed tomography and histology analyses revealed a constant height of the scaffolds over time in all animals. New bone grew into the scaffolds in both groups, but with greater volume in group II. These results suggest the promising clinical feasibility of the 3D-printed Kagome-PCL scaffold for onlay-graft use and it could substitute the conventional onlay-graft in the plastic and dental reconstructive surgery in the near future.

A Companion to Ancient Near Eastern Languages. Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World

A Companion to Ancient Near Eastern Languages. Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World

Sağlık çalışanlarında COVID-19 temas riskinin değerlendirilmesi için bir matris: Teknik not

The aim of this technical note is to propose a reliable, fast-adaptable and easy-to-use matrix that accurately classifies risk for contact tracing of healthcare workers with COVID-19 patients. The researchers have created a matrix with the support of the literature and their experience within the university hospital surveillance team. This matrix enables a detailed High / Medium / Low Risk classification of contacts of healthcare workers with COVID-19 cases, covering many different contact situations encountered in a university hospital. Three main headings have come to the fore in health worker contact risk classification: Differences caused by the ventilation of the environment: Indoors, well ventilated indoors, outdoors; direct contact or material sharing; aerosol generating procedure. The matrix is quickly adapted by surveillance team members and is easy to use.

Tool wear and spring back analysis in orthogonal machining unidirectional CFRP with respect to tool geometry and fibre orientation

Machining abrasive carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRP) is characterised by extensive mechanical wear. In consequence, the cutting edge micro-geometry and thus the tool/material contact situation are continuously changing, which affects process forces and machining quality. As a conclusion, a fundamental understanding of the tool wear behaviour and its influencing factors is crucial in order to improve performance and lifetime of cutting tools. This paper focuses on a fundamental tool wear analysis of uncoated tungsten carbide cutting inserts with different combinations of fibre cutting angles and tool geometries. For this purpose, orthogonal machining experiments with unidirectional CFRP material are conducted, where the wear progression of the micro-geometry is investigated by means of five wear parameters lα, lγ, γ*, α*, and bc. For detecting the actual contact zone of the cutting edge and to measure the elastic spring back of the material, the flank face is marked via short pulsed laser processing. Furthermore, the process forces and the wear rate are measured. It is shown that the material loss due to wear clearly varies along the tool’s contact region and is highly dependent on the clearance angle and the fibre cutting angle Φ, while the influence of the tested rake angles is mostly negligible. Especially in machining Φ=30° and Φ=60°, a strong elastic spring back is identified, which is more intense for smaller clearance angles. For all tested configurations, the material’s elastic spring back increases in intensity as wear progresses which, in combination with the decreasing clearance angle, is the main reason for high thrust forces.

INFRINGEMENT OF THE PRINCIPLES OF VERBAL COMMUNICATION AS A SIGN OF PSEUDOCOMMUNICATION

The purpose of the article is to study the features of dialogic speech in the situations of ineffective communication. The research allows us to comprehend from a linguistic point of view the process of regulation of the verbal behavior of the dialogical interaction participants, to deepen the knowledge of nature and features of verbal communication. The infringement of principles regulating verbal communication means deterioration of communicative properties of speech, violation of the boundaries of the interlocutor's personal sphere, carelessness in the field of the partner’s private interests. Thereby verbal communication principles infringement destroys normal communication, makes discomfort, tension and misunderstanding, introduces distrust and discord into the conversation, aggravates contradictions, directs communication in the unfavorable direction, becomes the cause of unsuccessful and even failed communication, contributes to the formation of the situations of pseudocommunicative contacts. The communication is made as a process but not a result therefore it is considered as unsuccessful and ineffective.

Wear Characterization of Chromium PVD Coatings on Polymeric Substrate for Automotive Optical Components

The automotive industry is a pioneer in solutions that meet market expectations. However, in the automotive industry, some less environmentally friendly technologies are still used, such as electroplating. Due to legislative restrictions in several countries, thin coatings made in a vacuum have been replacing coatings traditionally made by electroplating, mainly in decorative terms. This work is more focused on the use of these coatings made in vacuum for optical applications, namely on headlights and exterior backlit components. Although these components are protected during the period of use, there may be situations of contact during the assembly of the components or their repair, necessary to safeguard and to ensure that these coatings have the scratch and wear resistance needed to withstand any treatment deficiency during the operations referred to above. Therefore, this work is essentially focused on the study of the wear resistance of Cr coatings made by PVD (Physical Vapour Deposition) on polymeric substrates. To this end, the coatings previously studied have now been subjected to micro-abrasion tests, with a view to assessing their wear resistance. For this purpose, alumina abrasive has been used, and the wear mechanisms observed in the coatings were studied. The abrasion and scratch tests showed that the most stable film has the one provided with 10-layers, showing greater wear resistance as well, greater adhesion to the substrate and less cohesive failures in the performed tests. Given the nature of the substrate and the coating, the results obtained are very promising, showing that these 10-layer Cr thin coatings can overcome any careless operation during manufacturing, assembly and repair processes, when applied in lightning or backlit components in motor vehicles.

Reflections on COVID-19 and the viability of curriculum adjustment and delivery options in the South African educational space

Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic brought unprecedented changes leading to ‘business unusual’ in all facets of life and livelihood on a global scale. The restrictions on gathering, social distancing and lockdown measures necessitated by the need to curtail its spread, had, and still have an enormous impact on the educational sector as indeed all spheres of life. These measures implied a change in the traditional modus operandi of curriculum and delivery options for educational institutions in South Africa in the bid to continue academic sessions. Hence, a transition of educational institutions from physical interactions to virtual meetings and the need to evolve curriculum contents and delivery. Aim: With the peculiarity of the South African socioeconomic and political space, this article assessed the viability of curriculum change and delivery options (e-teaching and learning) for both students and instructors in the higher institution and the varied implications. It drew from discourses around the theory of localisation within educative context to create a more student-centred approach especially with the situation of less physical contact. Setting: The discourse is set within the South African educational space. Method: Considering the novelty of Covid-19 research and the challenge of contact, the study adopted a participatory action desktop research method to collect and analyse secondary data. The article vividly discussed how institutions transitioned to a localisation of frameworks and policies to ensure successful academic sessions. Results: The educational landscape in South Africa is still plagued with historical antecedents of social injustice, funding, and resource allocation as well as the ever-present pressure of making education affordable to majority of local students. Also, the weakness of the online teaching methods to the physical contact method for learners and practitioners could be summed up into the issues of connectivity, technical knowledge, and attention span. Conclusion: The conclusion enumerated the need for the implementation of policies and frameworks on proper utilisation of online systems to adjust to the demands of less contact-based approaches in favour of virtual approaches. The study called for adequate consideration to issues around the localisation of teaching and learning techniques considering the peculiarities of South Africa with focus on the opportunities, feasibility, and challenges of online measures especially for those in economically disadvantaged spaces.

Tribological investigations of the glass‐to‐metal contact during glass forming at an industrial scale

AbstractAn industrial‐scale dynamic friction test set‐up was installed and optimized at the gob‐stage of a prototype container glass forming line. The set‐up was used to generate a fundamental understanding of the tribological interactions during container forming, considering the real‐size glass gob in the viscoelastic range and the respective contact material. The findings are universally applicable for other glass‐forming situations such as spinning, pressing, and blowing, where similar hot contact situations occur. The measured friction loss within that tribological system is correlated to different material properties. In doing so, existing knowledge is further developed, leading to new insights into the matter of glass‐metal interactions. With that a better fundamental understanding of the process at an industry level is obtained.

Re-syllabification and morphophonological nativisation of English loans in Rukwangali

We here examine and discuss the phonological and morphological nativisation of English loan words in Rukwangali. The analysis, couched within the theoretical explications of CV Phonology (Clements & Keyser, 1983) and Distinctive Features Theory (Chomsky and Halle, 1968), argues that Rukwangali evinces a high level of resyllabification of borrowed words – increasing syllable count in the nativised forms. This, we argue, is largely motivated by the desire to preserve the canonical Consonant-Vowel (CV) syllable structure. The historical contact situation between English and Rukwangali in Namibia culminated in a transference of lexical items between the languages. Being one of the most widely used languages of the world, English has developed into the most influential donor of words to other languages such as Rukwangali. Of course, in the Namibian context, because of the close genetic affinities between English and Afrikaans and similarities in lexicon, it is sometimes difficult to locate objectively the donor of some words in Rukwangali. The words were randomly collected from the English Rukwangali dictionary and tested through one of the authors, who is a native Rukwangali speaker and a teacher of Rukwangali for the past 11 years. The infiltration of English and Afrikaans words into the Rukwangali lexical inventory led to the adoption and subsequent nativisation of English words by the native Rukwangali speakers. Words from English are then adopted and nativised in Rukwangali, since Rukwangali asserts itself as an independent language that can handle loans on its own. The main focus of this study, therefore, is to try and account for the phonological and morphological behaviour and changes that take place in English words that enter into Rukwangali. Analyzing phonological processes that are employed during nativisation of loan words entails analyzing how Rukwangali speakers handle aspects of English language such as syllabification, diphthongs, triphthongs, cluster consonants, Consonant-Vowel-Consonant (CVC) syllable structure and sounds in repairing unacceptable phonemic sequences in Rukwangali.

Intraclade Contact from an I-Language Perspective. The Noun Phrase in the Ligurian/Occitan amphizone

This article aims to compare some traits that characterise the syntax of the noun phrase in the Occitan/Ligurian amphizone (i.e., contact area) that lies at the border between southern France and northwestern Italy. The dialects spoken in this area differ in several syntactic traits that emerged in a situation of contact between dialects of different subgroups (Ligurian and Occitan), two roofing languages (Italian and French), and regional contact languages such as Genoese. In particular, I will elaborate on the syntax of mass and indefinite plural nouns, on the co-occurrence of determiners and possessives, and on the syntax of kinship terms. From an I-language perspective, the fine variation observed at the Occitan/Ligurian border raises two types of research questions: (a) which comparative concepts best capture the observed variation; (b) whether intraclade contact (i.e., contact between languages of the same branch) can contribute relevant evidence and arguments to the debate concerning the biological endowment of the language faculty.

Tribological response of laser-textured Ti6Al4V alloy under dry conditions and lubricated with Hank’s solution

A nanosecond laser was used to define different morphologies of a Ti6Al4V surface: lines, crosshatching and dimples. We analysed the influence of the surface morphology, texture density and orientation (parallel, perpendicular and at 45°) on the friction/wear under dry and lubricated (Hank’s solution) sliding conditions to evaluate the specific laser texturing of Ti alloys for biomedical applications. Under dry conditions, the lowest steady-state coefficient of friction was measured for dimples, whereas in Hank’s solution the lines and crosshatching showed better frictional characteristics after running-in and the removal of the bulges around the laser textures. In terms of wear resistance, the low-density lines pattern and particularly the dimples were the most promising in contact situations likely to occur during starved/dry-lubrication conditions.

Acquisition, Loss and Innovation in Chuquisaca Quechua—What Happened to Evidential Marking?

Variation among closely related languages may reveal the inner workings of language acquisition, loss and innovation. This study of the existing literature and of selected interviews from recent narrative corpora compares the marking of evidentiality and epistemic modality in Chuquisaca, Bolivian Quechua with its closely related variety in Cuzco, Peru and investigates three hypotheses: that morpho-syntactic attrition proceeds in reverse order of child language acquisition, that convergence characterizes the emergence of grammatical forms different from L1 and L2 in contact situations, and that the Quechua languages are undergoing typological shift toward more isolating morphology. It appears that reportive -sis disappeared first in Bolivia, with eyewitness/validator -min retaining only the validator function. This finding seems to concord with reverse acquisition since it has previously been claimed that epistemic marking is acquired earlier than evidential marking in Cuzco. Meanwhile, Spanish and Quechua in nearby Cochabamba are claimed to mark reportive evidentiality via freestanding verbs of saying. I explore the reportive use of ñiy ‘to say’ in Chuquisaca as compared to Cochabamba and Cuzco and suggest the need for comparative statistical studies of evidential and epistemic marking in Southern Quechua.

On the fringe between West and North Germanic

Abstract In this paper I investigate the early language contact between North Frisian and Danish. Since we have no direct evidence for this language contact apart from the layer of medieval Danish interferences in Modern North Frisian, the question arises, whether it is possible to say anything about the specific type of language contact that has taken place in the Middle Ages on the basis of the modern language data and with the help of language contact theory. Taking the lead of van Coetsem’s language contact theory, I discuss two phenomena in the (morpho)syntax of Modern North Frisian, the placement of directional particles and the inventory of verbal particles, and argue that they point to a language contact situation in which a considerable number of Danish-speakers shifted to North Frisian.

Contact Area-Based Modeling of Robotic Grasps Using Deformable Solid Mechanics

In robotic grasp analysis, contact between an object and a hand is described using point contact models and soft contact models. Although soft contact models estimate both contact area and contact force for grasp analysis, most of the approaches use point contact models to analyze the stability of grasp because of the simplicity involved in computation and modeling. However, grasps suggested by these approaches are not intuitive to execute with and often fail in experiments. Since the hand–object interface is modeled using points, their physical characteristics are not taken into account in the analysis, thereby resulting in failed grasps. In this work, the contact models related to robotic grasping are briefly reviewed, and the discrepancies present in them are identified from a solid mechanics standpoint. Using the constitutive equations available in solid mechanics, these contact models are then reformulated based on contact areas for both deformable hard as well as soft fingertips. By performing Finite Element (FE) simulations of the contact situation considered, the contact models are validated. The proposed models are validated using robotic grasp experiments as well.

New English Words for Describing the International English as a Current World Language Reality

The evolution of the English language, its changing in the situation of language contacts and functioning of English as an international means of communication have created a need for a more systematic analysis of related phenomena. In this paper, new English words which apparently appeared due to globalization and internationalization, have been considered. On the basis of authoritative theoretical approaches and several e-dictionaries, the words selected by means of continuous sampling method (more than 200 units) were analysed in terms of their semantics, morphology and spelling. Then they were classified into several thematic groups: 1) new words for naming natural and artificial versions of current English; 2) words classified with regard to social accents and dialects; 3) neologisms that reflect the English language domain and its interaction with indigenous languages. The morphological analysis revealed the application of different processes of word-formation, including neologisms and forms created according to traditional English patterns. Sometimes play on words and homo-acronyms were used in order to reinforce the meaning and connotation. Compounding and blending were found to be the most productive means of words formation within the corpus, and stylistic neologisms, used to mark a certain underlying sense proved to be the second most frequent process. It is demonstrated that studying of the currently active processes of word formation in the English language used as an international communication tool emphasizes the interdisciplinary aspect of such research programs.

Slavic Alpine micro-varieties as part of an “Alpensprachbund”?

AbstractThis chapter deals with some characteristics of two more-or-less isolated Slavic varieties in the south-eastern Alps: Resian and Carinthian Slovene, whose nearest relative among the Slavic standard languages is Slovene. Both have been for centuries in situations of total language contact with Romance and Germanic varieties. I will concentrate on thecomepassive. At least in Resian, it developed due to direct Romance influence, which could be claimed to be the overall reason for this grammatical feature in the Alps. The situation in Molise Slavic in southern Italy will serve as a point of comparison.

A Static Friction Model for Unlubricated Contact of Random Rough Surfaces at Micro/Nano Scale.

A novel static friction model for the unlubricated contact of random rough surfaces at micro/nano scale is presented. This model is based on the energy dissipation mechanism that states that changes in the potential of the surfaces in contact lead to friction. Furthermore, it employs the statistical theory of two nominally flat rough surfaces in contact, which assumes that the contact between the equivalent rough peaks and the rigid flat plane satisfies the condition of interfacial friction. Additionally, it proposes a statistical coefficient of positional correlation that represents the contact situation between the equivalent rough surface and the rigid plane. Finally, this model is compared with the static friction model established by Kogut and Etsion (KE model). The results of the proposed model agree well with those of the KE model in the fully elastic contact zone. For the calculation of dry static friction of rough surfaces in contact, previous models have mainly been based on classical contact mechanics; however, this model introduces the potential barrier theory and statistics to address this and provides a new way to calculate unlubricated friction for rough surfaces in contact.