Jaroslav Fiala

Cycle induced microstructural changes

The aim of this research was to look for systematic structural changes in a metal subjected to repetitive or fluctuating stress which may be used for monitoring structural degradation and estimating residual life of fatigued components. A special X-ray technique was used to this end, which consists in the examination of the number and size of individual diffraction spots. As each diffraction spot represents the diffraction image of a coherent scattering region, such an examination provides information on the architecture of dislocation network forming the interface between the coherent X-ray diffraction scattering regions. Analysis of the structure of an aluminium alloy EN-AW-6082 subjected to cyclic stress proved that the effect of cycling was first to transform an irregular dislocation distribution into cellular one. The cells of the dislocation network formed in this way coagulated and grew in size under repeated stress up to a certain number of cycles when the effect of cycling reversed and the cells gradually disintegrated.

Evaluation of the professional worth of scientific papers, their citation responding and the publication authority

For the most part, the “publish or perish” paradigm has inevitable implications on the quality of research published because the scientific results are evaluated by quantity and not by quality. The pressure for multiple publication results in creation of so-called predators journals acting without the required peer reviving. Moreover, the citation records of papers do not reflect duly their scientific quality enhancing mere quantity. The growth of sophisticated “push-and-button” apparatuses allows easier preparation of publications while facilitating ready-to-publish data. Articles can thus be compiled by mere combination of different measurements usually without idea what it all is about and to what purpose this may serve. Moreover, any deep-rooted theory which is contravening mainstream executions is not welcome because is breaking the effortless often long-established practice. While the number of publications is clearly a quantitative criterion, much hopes has been placed on citation, which promised to serve well as an adequate measure of the genuine scientific value, i.e., of quality of the scientific work. The impact factor is related to the van’t Hoff law of activity coefficient. The case of Russian publication policy and that of JTAC are particularly examined. JTAC is enlightened by providing basis for new fields of thermal material science which should be recognized as a yet missing impact.

Reflections on how to evaluate the professional value of scientific papers and their corresponding citations

It is inevitable that the ´publish or perish´ paradigm has implications for the quality of research published because this leads to scientific output being evaluated based on quantity and not preferably on quality. The pressure to continually publish results in the creation of predatory journals acting without quality peer review. Moreover the citation records of papers do not reflect their scientific quality but merely increase the impact of their quantity. The growth of sophisticated ´push -button´ technologies allows for easier preparation of publications while facilitating ready-to-publish data. Articles can thus be compiled merely through combining various measurements, usually without thought to their significance and to what purpose they may serve. Moreover any deep-rooted theory which contravenes mainstream assumptions is not welcomed because it challenges often long-established practice. The driving force for the production of an ever growing number of scientific papers is the need for authors to be recognised in order to be seriously considered when seeking financial support. Funding and fame are distributed to scientists according to their publication and citation scores. While the number of publications is clearly a quantitative criterion, much hope has been placed on citation analysis, which promised to serve as an adequate measure of genuine scientific value, i.e. of the quality of the scientific work.

Regular arrangement of periodates bound to lysozyme.

The structure of tetragonal hen egg-white lysozyme soaked in a periodate solution has been determined to a resolution of 1.8 A. Four high-occupancy periodate positions have been identified on the basis of the anomalous signal of the I atoms. The four periodates exhibit a regular rectangular arrangement on the surface of the lysozyme molecule. No similar regular arrangement was found either in lysozyme crystals soaked in other heavy-atom anions or in other structures from the Protein Data Bank. Depending on their position on the surface of the protein, the periodate ions deviate to a varying extent from ideal octahedral geometry.

Professional Value of Scientific Papers and Their Citation Responding

In the course of the last thirty years, science enjoys a remarkable quantitative boom. For example, the total number of substances, registered in the Chemical Abstracts Service Registry File (CAS RF) at the end of the year 1985, was about 8 millions while at the end of the year 2015 it reached up to 104 millions. But, still more and more behind this quantitative boom of science are some of its qualitative aspects. So, e.g., the x–y–z coordinates of atoms in molecules are presently known for no more than 1 million of substances. For the majority of substances registered in CAS RF, we do not know much on their properties, how they react with other substances and to what purpose they could serve. Gmelin Institute for Inorganic Chemistry and Beilstein Institute for Organic Chemistry, which systematically gathered and extensively published such information since the nineteenth century, were canceled in 1997 (Gmelin) and 1998 (Beilstein). The number of scientific papers annually published increases, but the value of information they bring falls. The growth of sophisticated ‘push-and-button’ apparatuses allows easier preparation of publications while facilitating ready-to-publish data. Articles can thus be compiled by mere combination of different measurements usually without idea what it all is about and to what end this may serve. Driving force for the production of ever growing number of scientific papers is the need of authors to be distinguished in order to be well considered in seeing financial support. The money and fame are distributed to scientists according to their publication and citation scores. While the number of publications is clearly a quantitative criterion, much hopes have been placed on the citation, which promised to serve well as an adequate measure of the genuine scientific value, i.e., of quality of the scientific work. That, and why these hopes were not accomplished, is discussed in detail in our contribution. Special case of Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry is discussed in more particulars.

Evaluation of Fatigue Damage by X-Ray Diffraction Technique of Steam Turbine Rotor Steels at Elevated Temperatures

In many industrial applications materials are subjected to degradation of mechanical properties as a result of real service conditions. The assessment of the remaining lifetime of components and structures is commonly based on correlated procedures including numerous destructive, non-destructive and mathematical techniques that should guarantee reasonable precise assessment of the current damage extent of materials in question and the remnant lifetime assessment. The assessment of the remaining lifetime by X-ray diffraction technique is based on the fact that mechanical properties of the most materials depend strongly on crystallite size and orientation of ingredients, which are the crucial parameters for the determination of the ageing state and the prediction of residual lifetime of the components. X-ray diffraction technique proved to be useful as a tool for the assessment of material degradation extent after a long-time service. Framework 5 project “XPECTION” [1] was dealing with this task with respect to high temperature creep degradation of boiler tube steels. In this presentation, the X-ray diffraction technique was applied to reveal subtle details of the microstructural changes induced by fatigue. Several steam turbine rotor steels were fatigue tested at elevated temperatures up to 600°C at strain control regime. After the tests, the X-ray diffraction method was used to correlate the extent of fatigue damage with the X-Ray diffraction patterns to be able to assume the life-time exhaustion caused by fatigue loading in service.Copyright