Age of Acquisition and Spoken Words: Examining Hemispheric Differences in Lexical Processing

The relationship between the age of acquisition (AoA) of words and their cerebral hemispheric representation is controversial because the experimental results have been contradictory. However, most of the lexical processing experiments were performed with stimuli consisting of written words. If we want to compare the processing of words learned very early in infancy—when children cannot read—with words learned later, it seems more logical to employ spoken words as experimental stimuli. This study, based on the auditory lexical decision task, used spoken words that were classified according to an objective criterion of AoA with extremely distant means (2.88 vs. 9.28 years old). As revealed by the reaction times, both early and late words were processed more efficiently in the left hemisphere, with no AoA × Hemisphere interaction. The results are discussed from a theoretical point of view, considering that all the experiments were conducted using adult participants.

Premature repayment of fixed interest mortgage loans without compensation, a case of misguided consumer protection in the EU

Consumer protection shifts risks from consumers to businesses. This raises marginal costs and equilibrium prices. It is justified when markets are not strong enough to allocate contractual risks or accident risks efficiently, especially in cases of severe asymmetric information between suppliers and consumers. Consumer protection can then increase the consumer’s expected welfare from a contract. We test these considerations in a theoretical and empirical study on consumers' right to early repayment of mortgage loans without damage compensation to the creditor in the European Union. We show in a formal model that such a right can lead to an impairment of consumer welfare, compared with the traditional rule of expectation damages for breach of contract. This applies if the consumer is risk averse and repays a loan with a high interest rate in a low interest period to take up a new loan for the same project at lower interests. From a theoretical point of view, this right has no solid economic underpinning, if it is not restricted to cases of personal hardship of the consumer and serves an insurance purpose. We present empirical evidence supporting this argument. In a panel study on monthly mortgage interest rates of 23 EU Member States between 2005 and 2017 we show how interest rate spreads change with the level of consumer protection.

Characterisation of supersonic gas jets for different nozzle geometries for laser-plasma acceleration experiments at SPARC_LAB

Plasma-based technology promises a tremendous reduction in size of accelerators used for research, medical, and industrial applications, making it possible to develop tabletop machines accessible for a broader scientific community. The use of high-power laser pulses on gaseous targets is a promising method for the generation of accelerated electron beams at energies on the GeV scale, in extremely small sizes, typically millimetres. The gaseous target in question can be a collimated supersonic gasjet from a nozzle. In this work, a technique for optimising the so generated plasma channel is presented. In detail, a study on the influence of the nozzle throat shape in relation to the uniformity and density of the generated plasma profile is reported. These considerations are discussed first of all from a theoretical point of view, by means of a stationary one-dimensional mathematical model of the neutral gas, thus exploiting the possibility of comparing the properties of the output flow for different nozzle geometries. This is combined with an experimental approach using interferometric longitudinal density measurements of the plasma channel. The latter is generated by a high-power laser pulse focused on a helium gasjet, in the SPARC_LAB laboratories.

Need for Leadership in Times of Crises

The aim of this chapter is to give a comprehensive framework through integrating the modern and post-modern leadership approaches in times of crises. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to great challenges worldwide. Organizing in times of crisis or crisis management has gained greater attention much more than before. Pandemic new workforce created new perspectives on the basis of leadership. This study provides detailed information about both modern leadership types as autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire, charismatic, transformational, transactional, and post-modern leadership types as spiritual, resonant, agile, relational social constructionist, and hybrid. In chaotic and uncertain environment, the leadership types and their effectiveness are analyzed and discussed at the heart of social exchange, social identity, leader-member exchange, self-determination, and complexity leadership theoretical point of views and related empirical findings.

Energy-efficient omd processes with complex local loading for the production of machine parts with a given level of properties

The article discusses some new energy-efficient metal forming processes (PMD) with complex local loading of the deformation zone for the production of machine parts with a given level of properties. The place of such processes in the aggregate of all OMD technologies is shown, and their classification is given. The initial data of numerical mathematical modeling of the specified class of processes for a particular case are given, the features of the stress-strain state of the metal in the deformation zone are revealed. In the study, from a theoretical point of view, one of the important practical aspects of these technologies is considered: the effect of the value of axial compression on the shape and size of the deformation zone arising from the action of local loading of the workpiece.

CONSTRUCTIVE AND PROBABILISTIC ANALYSIS OF EXCAVATED PILES WITH LOST METALLIC SHIRT

This work brings in its scope some analyzes around the constructive methodology of a case study that refers to the implantation of a dolphin (a structure that in this case has the purpose of mooring ships) at Pier III, located in Ponta da Madeira Maritime Terminal, in the city of São Luís, Maranhão, and with a focus on the process of building its infrastructure, more precisely the adopted foundation. This type of work, being port and in a maritime environment is called offshore, the foundation used in this case is the deep type, more precisely called piles excavated with a lost metallic shirt whose constructional scope will be detailed in this work, from the driving from shirts to concreting the piles that made up the system. The theme is approached from a practical and theoretical point of view, with a probabilistic study of the load capacity of foundations based on geometrical data from surveys carried out in the region, in order to define results that include any variability of the location and guarantee functionality and safety necessary for the foundation to achieve the project's objectives and be optimized throughout its useful life. The analysis of the probability of rupture was made using the semi-empirical method of Aoki-Velloso, combined with the First Order Second Moment method in order to compare the result achieved with the established parameter values. The work also aims to serve as a basis for future guidance and guidance on the topic, which does not have such a vast bibliography, mainly in view of the installation of new similar projects in the region and in other locations.

SOME REMARKS ON FULFILMENT OF EMPLOYEE DUTIES AT EMPLOYEE’S HOME

The elaboration is dedicated to the problem of work performance at employee’s home. Author emphasizes that in industrial society work was in principle performed at employer’s premises. However, to a limited extent some employees could fulfil at least part of their duties at home. The technological development created broader opportunities to perform work in another location than work establishment. We should indicate telework, regulated in 2007, as well as remote work, introduced in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic by anti-crisis shield. Author argues that it would be appropriate to regulate remote work on permanent basis in the Labour Code. The essence of remote work amounts to work performance at home, i.e. in private sphere of an employee. In Author’s opinion, from theoretical point of view, work at the establishment and work at home may become equivalent options of an employment relationship

Identifying Strategies as a Ploy for Overcoming Negative Effects of COVIDization of Economy

The main goal of this publication is to highlight the importance of the strategy as a ploy to overcome the negative effects as a result of COVIDization of the economy. The term COVIDization of the economy is the term that best describes the situation caused by COVID-19 in the short term and the long term consequences it will have for the business. The first wave presented the companies the economic challenges that they had to deal with in the short term. The subsequent two new waves also determined the need for strategic changes on the part of companies. In these conditions, all five strategies derived by Mintzberg appear – plan, a pattern of behavior, positioning, ploy, perspective. The article substantiates from a theoretical point of view the importance of strategy as a ploy through some of the most popular concepts used in strategic management - McKinsey’s 7S, the Pyramid for organizational development; through the Value-added chain, the Strategic map and Balance scorecard. Viewed in this way, “strategy” means the definition (undertaking) of a set of actions to achieve a specific goal under certain, set as a result of COVIDization, external conditions and available internal prerequisites. The presented empirical data are the result of a study conducted in the period March-April, 2020.

Трамп, Твиттер и фейковые новости (Trump, Twitter and Fake News)

This study aims to provide rationality regarding Donald Trump as a fake news aggregator. Donald Trump's leadership from 2017-2020 is controversial and created a massive wave of fake news. As a populist leader, he often issued statements that confused the public during his reign, causing people's trust in the Trump administration to decline. He made the statement not only on national television but also on social media. Social media is the right political communication funnel for any populist leader when it comes to audience reach. Donald Trump is an active user especially on Twitter and uses it to spread misinformation and disinformation to spread what he calls as a truth. Many statements make Donald Trump worthy of being called a fake news aggregator. This study uses a qualitative approach with the content analysis method. Thirty-two samples of Donald Trump's hoax statements that were examined found that the hoaxes spread by him were not limited to just one topic. This research has both theoretical and practical significance. From a theoretical point of view, this research contributes to the development of literature regarding the relationship between hoaxes and populist leaders. In practical terms, this literature contributes to understanding the characteristics of populists and how social media is used as a funnel to spread hoaxes.Keywords: Hoax; Donald Trump; Populism; social media; Twitter.