scholarly journals Investigation of Co3O4 and LaCoO3 Interaction by Performing N2O Decomposition Tests under Co3O4-CoO Transition Temperature

Catalysts ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 325
Author(s):  
Ewa M. Iwanek (nee Wilczkowska) ◽  
Leonarda F. Liotta ◽  
Giuseppe Pantaleo ◽  
Krzysztof Krawczyk ◽  
Ewa Gdyra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cobalt Oxide ◽  
Cobalt Catalyst ◽  
N2o Decomposition ◽  
Oxygen Scavenger ◽  
Oxygen Desorption ◽  
Enhanced Diffusion ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Two Phases ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Insight Into

The research presented in this paper addresses the question: How does the addition of a small amount of LaCoO3 impact the activity of a Co3O4 catalyst? By testing such a catalyst in N2O decomposition under conditions at which the thermal decomposition of Co3O4 to CoO is possible, one gains unique insight into how the two phases interact. The activity of such a catalyst increases in the entire studied temperature range, unlike the activity of the undoped cobalt catalyst which is lower at 850 °C than at 800 °C due to the reduction of Co3O4 to CoO. XRD measurements showed that CoO was also the main cobalt oxide present in the Co3.5La catalyst after operating at 850 °C, as did the XPS measurements, but there was no drop of activity associated with this change. The influence of NO, O2 and H2O on the activity of the new catalyst, Co3.5La, was determined. Lack of positive effect of NO, a known oxygen scavenger, on the activity was noticed at all temperatures, showing that the effect of LaCoO3 is probably due to increased oxygen desorption. Temperature programed oxidation (TPO) tests showed that the beneficial effects of the presence of LaCoO3 on the activity of cobalt oxide at 850 °C were probably caused by enhanced diffusion of O2− anions through the entire catalyst, which facilitates desorption of oxygen molecules from the surface.

Dynamic assessment and requesting: Assessing the development of Japanese EFL learners’ oral requesting performance interactively

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 545-575
Author(s):  
Allan Nicholas
Keyword(s):  
Conversation Analysis ◽  
Dynamic Assessment ◽  
Task Type ◽  
Efl Learners ◽  
Coding Scheme ◽  
Dynamic Methods ◽  
Two Phases ◽  
Japanese Learners ◽  
Development Analysis ◽  
Insight Into

AbstractThis study investigates the use of dynamically-administered strategic interaction scenarios (D-SIS) in identifying Japanese EFL participants’ difficulties with requesting-in-interaction, and tracking their development. Informed by conversation analysis research, six Japanese EFL learners at a university in Japan carried out D-SIS tasks in two phases, with the aim of both identifying specific aspects of requesting-in-interaction that were challenging, and learner development. Analysis focuses on three particular areas of difficulty that arose for participants during the dialogic interactions—connecting request turn utterance linguistic choices to social context; pre-request expansions of requesting talk, and pre-closing sequences. A coding scheme was applied that analyzed mediation sequences in terms of the efficiency with which participants oriented to and resolved problems, allowing ZPD movement to be quantified. In combination with close qualitative analysis of the transcript data, mediation sequences provided insights into the participants’ knowledge and understanding of these areas that would not have been gained through non-dynamic methods. Results therefore provide insight into areas of difficulty for Japanese learners with regards to requesting, and provide support for the use of the D-SIS task type as a diagnostic tool in regards to request-based talk-in-interaction.

scholarly journals Effect of Pedestrian Penalty on Pedestrian Behavior in Qatar

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omar Khaled Ghonim ◽  
Deepti Muley ◽  
Mohamed Kharbeche ◽  
Yousef Mohamed ◽  
Ahmed Madkoor
Keyword(s):  
Behavior Changes ◽  
Actual Behavior ◽  
Crash Data ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Twitter Account ◽  
The Law ◽  
Future Work ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Before And After Study ◽  
Insight Into

Crashes involving pedestrians are a major concern for authorities in many developed and developing countries. To refrain pedestrians from illegal or unsafe road behavior, authorities introduced three pedestrian penalties in the State of Qatar from August 2019. This paper assesses the awareness, perception, and adaptive intentions of the new amendment to the pedestrians’ law. A questionnaire survey, designed in three languages, was distributed online using Qatar University contacts and Twitter account of the General Directorate of Traffic at the Ministry of Interior, State of Qatar. A sample of 521 complete responses was obtained and used for statistical analysis. The results indicated that only 32 % of the respondents were aware of the law amendment before taking this survey. Further, the higher score for perception, adaptive intentions and awareness showed that the respondents were aware of the risks and the law amendment will have a positive effect on their behavior on road as pedestrians. The outcomes of the analysis show the efficacy of the law amendment. However, the actual behavior changes need to be studied by analyzing the pedestrian crash data and conducting a before and after study. Moreover, the study of the effects on pedestrians’ behavior, through empirical observations, is proposed to get insight into actual behaviors after law amendment as a part of future work on the topic.

scholarly journals Influence of Microbiologically Enriched Mineral Fertilizers on Selected Groups of Microorganisms in the Rhizosphere of Strawberry Plants

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lidia Sas-Paszt ◽  
Urszula Smolińska ◽  
Beata Kowalska ◽  
Magdalena Szczech ◽  
Anna Lisek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effect ◽  
Bacillus Amyloliquefaciens ◽  
Soil Microorganisms ◽  
Paenibacillus Polymyxa ◽  
Mineral Fertilizers ◽  
Bacterial Strains ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Purpureocillium Lilacinum ◽  
Bacteria And Fungi ◽  
Positive Effect

Abstract In recent years, the use of bio-fertilizers enriched with specially selected microorganisms has been used more and more often. The beneficial effects of bio-fertilizers enriched with consortia of microorganisms on strawberry plants have been reported previously. The purpose of the research was to determine the effect of bio-fertilizers containing selected fungal and bacterial strains on the microorganisms living in the rhizosphere of strawberry plants. In the experiments described in this paper, synthetic mineral fertilizers were enriched with selected microorganisms. The fertilizer urea was enriched with the fungi Aspergillus niger and Purpureocillium lilacinum, while the fertilizers Polifoska 6 and Super Fos Dar 40 with strains of the bacteria Bacillus sp., Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, and Paenibacillus polymyxa. Bacteria and fungi belonging to these species can exert a positive effect on the growth of many plants. The results obtained in this study showed that the application of fertilizers enriched with microorganisms had different effects on the analyzed populations of soil microorganisms in the rhizosphere of strawberry plants. There were evidences of both, an adverse effect of the applied fertilizer and/or microorganisms, but more often, the beneficial effect was found on the abundance of the microorganisms in the rhizosphere of the strawberry. The most effective for the population of Pseudomonas bacteria was application of urea and fungi and Polifoska and bacteria. The highest number of phosphorus utilizing bacteria B was scored in the treatments containing NPK, NPK + fungi and urea 60% + fungi. The application of NPK + fungi and urea 100% + fungi as well as Super Fos Dar with bacteria was most beneficial for population of actinomycetes.

Eco-labelling brand strategy

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 305-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sihem Dekhili ◽  
Mohamed Akli Achabou
Keyword(s):  
Interaction Effect ◽  
Consumer Preference ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Brand Strategy ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Branded Product ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Insight Into

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore consumers’ preference for responsible labels in the specific case of well-known brands. The research examines the propensity of consumers to consider self-declarations carried out by the company itself in comparison with independent certifications organised by an external third party. Design/methodology/approach – An empirical study involving 134 French consumers by means of a conjoint analysis method was conducted, and the case of Nespresso coffee was tested. Findings – The results show that self-declaration (Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality) positively influences consumer preference. Moreover, this positive effect is equivalent to that of independent certification (Fair Trade Max Havelaar). Research limitations/implications – This study’s contribution gives a better insight into the consumers’ response to eco-labelling. It suggests the existence of an interaction effect between the brand and the responsible label. But, a future research needs to be conducted to gain better understanding of this interaction effect. Practical implications – The results suggest that a strategy of promoting a well-known branded product based on self-declaration would be effective. They offer additional insights to managers on the eco-labels’ efficiency. Originality/value – Contrary to the literature which suggests the superiority of the effect of certifications organised by a third party, this research shows that this finding is not valuable in the case of a well-known brand. Self-declaration may be preferred by consumers in the same way as independent certification. This research is one of the rare research to stress the need to consider brand when exploring eco-labelling issue.

How Sports Sponsorship Influences a Sponsor’s Financial Performance: A Case Study from the Korea Baseball Organization

2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyun-Min Kim ◽  
Woon-Kyung Song ◽  
Sanghak Lee
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Stock Returns ◽  
Abnormal Returns ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Cumulative Abnormal Returns ◽  
Abnormal Stock Returns ◽  
Korea Baseball Organization ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Insight Into

This study aims to examine the effects of sponsorship on the sponsor’s financial performance. Th is study investigates return on sponsorship (ROS) with a quantitative analysis. Nexen Tire’s title sponsorship agreement with the Heroes baseball club in the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO) in 2010 is studied. The positive effect of sponsorship on the sponsor’s Tobin’s q is confirmed by comparing the non-sponsorship period (2000‒2009) with the sponsorship period (2010‒2018). It is also shown from an event study that the sponsor experiences negative abnormal stock returns on the news of the sponsorship agreement, though this was not found to be statistically significant. Still, when the sponsee enters the postseason, positive cumulative abnormal returns are observed, particularly significant 10 days before the postseason games. Th is study confirms the positive influence of sponsorship on the sponsor’s financial performance and, with evidence from South Korea, provides insight into Asian markets in need of research. Th e results suggest that 10 days before a postseason game would be an ideal time to leverage marketing and activate a sponsorship strategy.

Effects of Nanosilica as Suspensions on the Hydration and the Microstructure of Hardened Cement Paste

2020 ◽  
pp. 036119812096795
Author(s):  
Dulani P. A. Kodippili ◽  
Robin A. L. Drew ◽  
Michelle R. Nokken
Keyword(s):  
Pore Size ◽  
Isothermal Calorimetry ◽  
Hardened Cement ◽  
Cement Pastes ◽  
Production Methods ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Agglomeration Of Nanoparticles ◽  
Calorimetric Studies ◽  
Hydration Characteristics ◽  
Insight Into

Nanosilica (NS) has shown significant beneficial effects on concrete. However, the utilization of NS to achieve its maximum benefits is limited by the agglomeration of nanoparticles, which is associated with production methods and the method of NS dispersion in concrete. In this study, the effects of the utilization of NS as a suspension in calcium hydroxide (CH) on the hydration characteristics and the microstructure of the cement pastes were investigated with different levels of cement replacements (1%, 2%, 4%, and 6% NS) at 2, 7, and 28 days. The hydration of the cement pastes was investigated by isothermal calorimetry, and the measurement of CH content by thermogravimetry. The microstructures were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy and by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopic mapping. The microstructure of the pastes was characterized by analyzing the pore size and the pore size distribution using mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP). The calorimetric studies indicated that the replacing cement by NS derived by this method leads to faster hydration up to 4% replacement. The CH contents could be reduced by the incorporation of NS. The pore structures revealed that the pastes with NS had become comparably denser than the pastes without NS. A positive insight into the durability characteristics was shown by the results of the MIP when using NS as suspensions.

Drivers of intention to use Murabaha financing: religiosity as moderator

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naqeeb Ullah Atal ◽  
Mohammad Iranmanesh ◽  
Fathyah Hashim ◽  
Behzad Foroughi
Keyword(s):  
Social Influence ◽  
Reasoned Action ◽  
Intention To Use ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Moderating Role ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Religious Obligation

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the determinants of Muslims’ attitude and intention towards Murabaha financing by considering religiosity as a moderator. Design/methodology/approach The data were collected through a survey of 373 Muslims in Afghanistan and were analysed using the partial least squares technique. Findings The results showed that social influence and religious obligation have a positive effect on attitude towards Murabaha financing. Furthermore, social influence and attitude have a positive effect on the intention to use Murabaha financing. Religiosity moderates negatively the impact of social influence on attitude towards Murabaha financing. Practical implications Managers and marketers of Islamic banks may benefit from the findings of this study, which provide insight into the factors that should be considered to promote Murabaha financing. Originality/value The findings contribute to the literature on Islamic financing products by demonstrating the drivers of attitude towards and intention to use Murabaha financing. The study also extends the literature by testing the moderating role of religiosity. Furthermore, the study extends the theory of reasoned action in the context of Islamic financing by introducing religious obligation as a potential driver of attitude and religiosity as a moderator.

Partisan Alignment, Performance, and Citizen Approval of Political Actors

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 1345-1357
Author(s):  
Daniel J. Lyons ◽  
Susan M. Miller
Keyword(s):  
Survey Experiment ◽  
Performance Information ◽  
Substantial Evidence ◽  
Chief Executives ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
Broad Policy ◽  
Positive Effect ◽  
Insight Into

There is substantial evidence that citizen assessments of political actors and associated institutions are shaped by shared partisanship. However, much of this evidence comes from citizen evaluations of political actors who are policy generalists—officials elected with broad policy jurisdictions (e.g., chief executives and legislators). We suggest that citizen assessments of policy specialists—officials elected with relatively narrow policy jurisdictions (e.g., labor commissioners and education secretaries)—may be shaped to a lesser degree by shared partisan leanings than evaluations of policy generalists. Using a survey experiment, we find evidence that, among out-partisans, favorable performance information has a greater positive effect for specialists than generalists, highlighting one way in which shared partisanship may be less influential for evaluations of specialists. These results may help to provide insight into the diversity of partisanship we see across policy generalists and specialists within the same governments and have potential implications for accountability.

scholarly journals Revisiting the Metabolic Capabilities of Bifidobacterium longum susbp. longum and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis from a Glycoside Hydrolase Perspective

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 723
Author(s):  
Guillermo Blanco ◽  
Lorena Ruiz ◽  
Hector Tamés ◽  
Patricia Ruas-Madiedo ◽  
Florentino Fdez-Riverola ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
In Silico ◽  
Genetic Background ◽  
Bifidobacterium Longum ◽  
In Silico Analysis ◽  
Glycoside Hydrolases ◽  
Computational Tools ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Silico Analysis ◽  
Insight Into

Bifidobacteria are among the most abundant microorganisms inhabiting the intestine of humans and many animals. Within the genus Bifidobacterium, several beneficial effects have been attributed to strains belonging to the subspecies Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis, which are often found in infants and adults. The increasing numbers of sequenced genomes belonging to these two subspecies, and the availability of novel computational tools focused on predicting glycolytic abilities, with the aim of understanding the capabilities of degrading specific carbohydrates, allowed us to depict the potential glycoside hydrolases (GH) of these bacteria, with a focus on those GH profiles that differ in the two subspecies. We performed an in silico examination of 188 sequenced B. longum genomes and depicted the commonly present and strain-specific GHs and GH families among representatives of this species. Additionally, GH profiling, genome-based and 16S rRNA-based clustering analyses showed that the subspecies assignment of some strains does not properly match with their genetic background. Furthermore, the analysis of the potential GH component allowed the distinction of clear GH patterns. Some of the GH activities, and their link with the two subspecies under study, are further discussed. Overall, our in silico analysis poses some questions about the suitability of considering the GH activities of B. longum subsp. longum and B. longum subsp. infantis to gain insight into the characterization and classification of these two subspecies with probiotic interest.

scholarly journals Electron Paramagnetic Resonance - A Powerful Tool of Medical Biochemistry in Discovering Mechanisms of Disease and Treatment Prospects

2010 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 175-188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan Spasojević
Keyword(s):  
Electron Paramagnetic Resonance ◽  
Epr Spectroscopy ◽  
Human Organism ◽  
Efficient Tool ◽  
Paramagnetic Resonance ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Ascorbyl Radical ◽  
Antioxidative Therapy ◽  
Electron Paramagnetic ◽  
Insight Into

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance - A Powerful Tool of Medical Biochemistry in Discovering Mechanisms of Disease and Treatment ProspectsIn pathophysiological conditions related to oxidative stress, the application of selected antioxidants could have beneficial effects on human health. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is a technique that provides unique insight into the redox biochemistry, due to its ability to: (i) distinguish and quantify different reactive species, such as hydroxyl radical, superoxide, carbon centered radicals, hydrogen atom, nitric oxide, ascorbyl radical, melanin, and others; (ii) evaluate the antioxidative capacity of various compounds, extracts and foods; (iii) provide information on other important parameters of biological systems. A combination of EPR spectroscopy and traditional biochemical methods represents an efficient tool in the studies of disease mechanisms and antioxidative therapy prospects, providing a more complete view into the redox processes in the human organism.

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