Monitoring Acoustic Emission in an Epidemiological Pilot Study of a Collection of Wooden Objects

ABSTRACT

This experimental program, implemented by the Managing Collection Environment Initiative at the Getty Conservation Institute, has provided data about the response of historic objects to changes in relative humidity (RH). Alongside other less sensitive documentation techniques (visual observation, physical measurements, photography, and 3D scanning), acoustic emission (AE) was monitored for six historic, museum-like wooden objects exposed to gradually increasing RH variations. Quantitative calibration of AE sensors and an anti-correlation measuring scheme to reduce environmental noise allowed the AE system to effectively trace micro-damage development caused by environmentally induced stress. Using an epidemiological approach, with respect to sample selection and experimental protocol, the obtained results can be used to explore the acceptable range of climate fluctuations for museum collections. The study’s well-controlled environmental protocol also allowed for the examination of the concept of ‘proofed fluctuation’ by the analysis of object response to reoccurring conditions.     

Adult Learning – Providing Equal Opportunities or Widening Differences? The Polish Case

Educational activity among adults is not only a key factor of social development but also one of the most important priorities of public policies. Although large sums have been earmarked and numerous actions undertaken to encourage adult learning, many people remain educationally passive, a particularly acute problem in Poland. We point to the main cultural and economic determinants of educational passivity: the family environment, education, low earnings and job. Based on several years of research conducted within the Study of Human Capital in Poland project, we conclude that the Matthew effect is visible in the field of adult learning: better-educated people increase their educational capital, moving further away from those with a lower level of education. Comparison of the levels of self-evaluation of competences between educationally active and non-active adults of various levels of education indicates that the highest increase in evaluation occurs among less educated people. Owing to this group’s very low level of education, however, the scale of using the potential for educational activity is very low. The outcome of this is that the opportunities created by adult educational activity are not exploited to reduce social differences and instead it sometimes reinforces these differences.     

Arguing in Portugal: A cross-cultural analysis

We report data on Portuguese understandings of interpersonal arguing, based on a survey conducted in Portugal (N?=?252). Employing concepts and methods developed for studying interpersonal arguing, we report on the levels of argumentativeness, verbal aggressiveness, personalization of conflict, and argument frames. After comparing Portuguese men and women, we compare Portuguese respondents with two groups of US respondents. In contrast to US respondents, Portuguese report to argue more prosocially, cooperatively and civilly, and are more sophisticated in their reflections about arguing. We discuss these results in the context of the Portuguese notion of argumentation (argumentação) and Portuguese culture more broadly.