Simulating the spread of opinions in online social networks when targeting opinion leaders

An increasing number of people are joining online social networks. By interacting with each other, network members influence one another’s opinion. These influencing effects can be utilized by marketing. A wave of influence can be triggered by addressing only a few opinion leaders in the network. Targeting the right opinion leaders is a big challenge. This paper presents a new approach which simulates the spread of opinions when influencing certain opinion leaders. In contrast to other approaches, the influencing effects are not assumed but revealed by real data. The principles of opinion formation are detected by ant mining algorithms before they are applied to simulate the spread of opinions. The approach is applied to an online gaming community and provides valuable insights for marketing.     

Relative deprivation and energy poverty: when does unequal access to electricity cause dissatisfaction?

In the least developed countries, unequal access to infrastructure is a major form of inequality. We examine the conditions under which unequal electricity access causes dissatisfaction. The question is important because grievances could prompt demands for policy change. We argue that feelings of relative deprivation both cause dissatisfaction and create hope for improvement. Empirically, we analyze household survey data from five East African countries. All else constant, households living close to a power line are less satisfied with their lighting solution but also have more hope for improvement. Because household lighting is the most important use for electricity in a poor household, this supports the relative deprivation hypothesis. Households that are reminded of their deprivation by the power line are both less satisfied and believe something can be done to solve the problem. To inform policy, we also show that the proximity of a power line decreases the household's interest in solar home systems as an alternative to grid electrification, whereas valuation for solar lanterns seems to be increasing. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Proposal of a New Method for Measuring F?rster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) Rapidly,Quantitatively and Non-Destructively

The process of radiationless energy transfer from a chromophore in an excited electronic state (the “donor”) to another chromophore (an “acceptor”), in which the energy released by the donor effects an electronic transition, is known as “Förster Resonance Energy Transfer” (FRET). The rate of energy transfer is dependent on the sixth power of the distance between donor and acceptor. Determining FRET efficiencies is tantamount to measuring distances between molecules. A new method is proposed for determining FRET efficiencies rapidly, quantitatively, and non-destructively on ensembles containing donor acceptor pairs: at wavelengths suitable for mutually exclusive excitations of donors and acceptors, two laser beams are intensity-modulated in rectangular patterns at duty cycle ½ and frequencies f₁ and f₂ by electro-optic modulators. In an ensemble exposed to these laser beams, the donor excitation is modulated at f₁, and the acceptor excitation, and therefore the degree of saturation of the excited electronic state of the acceptors, is modulated at f₂. Since the ensemble contains donor acceptor pairs engaged in FRET, the released donor fluorescence is modulated not only at f₁ but also at the beat frequency Δf: = |f₁ − f₂|. The depth of the latter modulation, detectable via a lock-in amplifier, quantitatively indicates the FRET efficiency.     

Quantifying of a dynamic refractory wear test setup for MgO-C products

The induction furnace test is one of the most common used refractory wear testing methods for MgO-C products. Due to the high oxidation rates in the ITO test setup and the significant changes in slag chemistry the test method sometimes gives results which cannot be compared to the field. For a general “Yes or No” decision this test is suitable for testing MgO-C refractories, determination of small differences in performance of MgO-C products, which is especially important for the development of new grades, is hardly possible. Due to that the application of a supplementary testing method was tested at the Chair of Metallurgy (Montanuniversitaet Leoben).     

BASF NanoSelect? Technology: Innovative Supported Pd- and Pt-based Catalysts for Selective Hydrogenation Reactions

An innovative BASF catalyst manufacturing technology (NanoSelect?) is introduced which allows production of heterogeneous catalysts with excellent control over metal crystallite sizes. NanoSelect? technology enabled the development of Pd catalysts which are lead-free Lindlar catalyst replacements in alkyne-to-cis-alkene hydrogenations. NanoSelect? Pt catalysts showed excellent chemoselectivity in substituted nitro-arene hydrogenation reactions without build-up of hydroxylamine intermediates. All NanoSelect? produced catalysts show markedly higher activity per gram of metal leading to ten-fold less use of precious metal.     

Development and Performance of Crystallization with Additives Applied on Different Milk Samples

Crystallization with additives is developed on milk samples from different processing treatments. Performance tests are carried out based on structure analysis of the crystallization patterns. Crystallization with milk as additive is applied following changes in milk after different processing treatments. When an aqueous cupric chloride dihydrate solution crystallizes in the presence of milk as additive, specific patterns emerge, which can be evaluated by image analysis. Milk samples were heated and homogenized in a pilot plant and characterized by various parameters. Furthermore, milk samples from the market were tested. Patterns from milk after heat treatment and homogenization are significantly different from those derived from untreated milk. The experiments could be reproduced for other milk samples, on different days and in another laboratory.