Which moral exemplars inspire prosociality?

Some stories of moral exemplars motivate us to emulate their admirable attitudes and behaviors, but why do some exemplars motivate us more than others? We systematically studied how motivation to emulate is influenced by the similarity between a reader and an exemplar in social or cultural background (Relatability) and how personally costly or demanding the exemplar’s actions are (Attainability). Study 1 found that university students reported more inspiration and related feelings after reading true stories about the good deeds of a recent fellow alum, compared to a famous moral exemplar from decades past. Study 2A developed a battery of short moral exemplar stories that more systematically varied Relatability and Attainability, along with a set of non-moral exemplar stories for comparison. Studies 2B and 2C examined the path from the story type to relatively low stakes altruism (donating to charity and intentions to volunteer) through perceived attainability and relatability, as well as elevation and pleasantness. Together, our studies suggest that it is primarily the relatability of the moral exemplars, not the attainability of their actions, that inspires more prosocial motivation, at least regarding acts that help others at a relatively low cost to oneself.

Global research mapping on reproductive health: a bibliometric visualisation analysis

Purpose This study aims to examine the research productivity and network visualisation on reproductive health (RH) domain with several bibliometric indicators and applied visualisation approach in co-authorship, citation, co-occurrence of keywords and bibliographic coupling analysis in the area of RH. Design/methodology/approach This study used bibliometric indicators to determine the highly productive authors, source title, documents and organisations. This study used Web of Science database and retrieved a total of 18,186 scientific publications on the domain of RH published during the period of 2010–2020. Data analysis was also performed using VOS viewer software and RStudio. Findings The findings discovered the increasing trends of research publications in reproductive health in past ten years. The USA UK, China and Australia were the top four productive countries in terms of publishing research in the arena, and “Kishsin DM” and “Hauser R” have secured in top two positions under highly prolific authors category. University of California, Harvard University and University of London were observed under the top three productive institutions in the domain. This study also revealed association and collaboration among authors, country and institutions in the visualisation analysis. The core findings of co-occurrence of keywords emphasised that “RH,” “assisted reproductive technology,” “women,” “pregnancy” and “in-vitro fertilization” were established frequently used keywords and have robust link strength. Practical implications The findings will be helpful to the researchers to know about the status of latest trends and development of the domain. This study is also helpful to the library authority for collection development in the specific subject domain. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there was no past study found on the evaluation of research productivity and network visualisation in the domain of RH, which is a globally important issue.

Electrical Properties of Two Types of Membrane Component Used in Taste Sensors

The lipid phosphoric acid di-n-decyl ester (PADE) has played an important role in the development of taste sensors. As previously reported, however, the concentration of PADE and pH of the solution affected the dissociation of H+, which made the measurement results less accurate and stable. In addition, PADE caused deterioration in the response to bitterness because PADE created the acidic environment in the membrane. To solve these problems, our past study tried to replace the PADE with a completely dissociated substance called tetrakis [3,5-bis (trifluoromethyl) phenyl] borate sodium salt dehydrate (TFPB) as lipid. To find out whether the two substances can be effectively replaced, it is necessary to perform an in-depth study on the properties of the two membranes themselves. In this study, we fabricated two types of membrane electrodes, based on PADE or TFPB, respectively, using 2-nitrophenyl octyl ether (NPOE) as a plasticizer. We measured the selectivity to cations such as Cs+, K+, Na+ and Li+, and also the membrane impedance of the membranes comprising PADE or TFPB of the different concentrations. As a result, we found that any concentration of PADE membranes always had low ion selectivity, while the ion selectivity of TFPB membranes was concentration-dependent, showing increasing ion selectivity with the TFPB concentrations. The ion selectivity order was Cs+>K+>Na+>Li+. The hydration of ions was considered to participate in this phenomenon. In addition, the membrane impedance decreased with increasing PADE and TFPB concentrations, while the magnitudes differed, implying that there is a difference in the dissociation of the two substances. The obtained results will contribute to the development of novel receptive membranes of taste sensors.

Effect of growth forms of bamboo on the mycorrhizal and fluorescent pseudomonas population

Bamboo, also called as the poor man’s timber, is one of the fastest growing giant grass species. Having shallow root system and fast growth rate, the dependability of the plant on the rhizospheric microbial web cannot be denied. The study was conducted to explore the population and seasonal variations of indigenous mycorrhizal fungi as well as the functional diversity of plant growth promoting bacteria, especially fluorescent pseudomonas from the different growth forms of Dendrocalamus strictus, the most commonly present bamboo species in Indian sub-continent. In a past study, it was established that the growth forms of D. strictus which developed over time in their respective locations, were genetically varied. The present research further explores the variations in their respective rhizospheric microbes and looks for the role of plant selection phenomenon. Considerable variation in mycorrhizal structures and in the functional diversity of fluorescent pseudomonas was registered. It seems probable that selection pressure of nutrient deficient condition has created a condition that promoted occurrence of high numbers of P solubilisers which, in turn, boosted the mycorrhizal as well as bamboo growth.

Linear Quadratic Regulator and Fuzzy Control for Grid-Connected Photovoltaic Systems

This work presents a control scheme to control the grid-connected single-phase photovoltaic (PV) system. The considered system has four 250W solar panels, a non-inverting buck-boost DC-DC converter, and DC-AC inverter with LCL filter. The control system aims to track and operate at the maximum power point (MPP) of PV panels, regulate the voltage of DC link, and supply the grid with a unity power factor. To well achieve these goals, the proposed control system consists of three parts, that are MPP tracking controller module with a fuzzy-based modified incremental conductance (INC) algorithm, a DC-link voltage regulator with a hybrid fuzzy proportional-integral (PI) controller, and a Current Controller module using the linear quadratic regulator (LQR) for grid-connected power. Based on fuzzy control and LQR, this work introduces a full control solution for grid-connected single-phase PV systems. The key novelty of this research is to analyze and prove that the newly proposed method is more successful in numerous aspects by comparing and evaluating the previous and present control methods. The designed control system settles quickly, which is critical for output stability. In addition, as compared to backstepping approach used in our past study, the LQR technique is more resistant to sudden changes and disturbances. Furthermore, backstepping method produces the larger overshoot, which has a detrimental impact on efficiency. Simulation findings under various weather conditions were compared to theoretical ones to indicate that the system can deal with variations in weather parameters.

Factors that Influence Adults' False Memories also Influence Children's False Memories

<p>The primary aim of this thesis was to investigate whether Mazzoni et al.'s (2001) model for adult false memory development also accounts for children's false memory develoment. Thus, three studies were conducted targeting different aspects of Mazzoni et al.'s model. Study 1 examined whether children could become equally confident, and develop just as many memories of a plausible as a less plausible false event. Thus, study 1 targeted both the plausibility and memory construction components of Mazzoni et al.'s (2001) model. Over three interviews 6-year olds and 10-year olds were shown two true photos and two false photos created using Photoshop(copyright)-one depicted a plausible event and one depicted a less plausible event. Children described what they could remember about each of the four events, and rated their confidence and how much they could remember. The results showed that within each age group, children were just as confident and claimed to remember just as much about the plausible as the less plausible event. Moreover, children developed just as many memories of the plausible as the less plausible event. In addition, children were just as likely to develop memories of the false events when they were told that those events had happened in the distant past versus the recent past. Study 2 examined whether including personalised detail in the false photo makes it easier for children to construct images of the false event, and therefore increases the likelihood of children developing false memories. Thus, study 2 further examined the memory construction component of Mazzoni et al.'s (2001) model. Ten-year olds saw four photos, one of which was false. For some children the false photo included personalised detail, while for others the false photo included only generic detail. The results showed that children who saw the personalised detail in the false photo were more confident, and claimed to remember more about the false event than children who did not see the personalised detail. Moreover, children who saw the personalised detail were also more likely to develop images and memories of the false event. Study 3 examined whether event information would help children develop more false memories then protagonist information alone. Thus, Study 3 also examined the memory construction component of Mazzoni et al.'s (2001) model. Ten-year olds were asked about for events. All children saw a photo of their family members from the relevant time period. However, half the children also saw a photo depicting an aspect of the specific event to be recalled. The results showed that children who saw a photo depicting an aspect of the event were not more confident nor did they claim to remember any more than children who saw only a photo of the protagonists. In addition, there was no difference in the rate of false memories and images between children who did and did not see a photo depicting an aspect of the event. Taken together, the results of these studies demonstrate that Mazzoni et al.'s (2001) model does explain how children develop false memories. More specifically, these studies show that the level of detail, as well as the type of detail, are important factors in determining whether or not children will develop false memories.</p>

Factors that Influence Adults' False Memories also Influence Children's False Memories

<p>The primary aim of this thesis was to investigate whether Mazzoni et al.'s (2001) model for adult false memory development also accounts for children's false memory develoment. Thus, three studies were conducted targeting different aspects of Mazzoni et al.'s model. Study 1 examined whether children could become equally confident, and develop just as many memories of a plausible as a less plausible false event. Thus, study 1 targeted both the plausibility and memory construction components of Mazzoni et al.'s (2001) model. Over three interviews 6-year olds and 10-year olds were shown two true photos and two false photos created using Photoshop(copyright)-one depicted a plausible event and one depicted a less plausible event. Children described what they could remember about each of the four events, and rated their confidence and how much they could remember. The results showed that within each age group, children were just as confident and claimed to remember just as much about the plausible as the less plausible event. Moreover, children developed just as many memories of the plausible as the less plausible event. In addition, children were just as likely to develop memories of the false events when they were told that those events had happened in the distant past versus the recent past. Study 2 examined whether including personalised detail in the false photo makes it easier for children to construct images of the false event, and therefore increases the likelihood of children developing false memories. Thus, study 2 further examined the memory construction component of Mazzoni et al.'s (2001) model. Ten-year olds saw four photos, one of which was false. For some children the false photo included personalised detail, while for others the false photo included only generic detail. The results showed that children who saw the personalised detail in the false photo were more confident, and claimed to remember more about the false event than children who did not see the personalised detail. Moreover, children who saw the personalised detail were also more likely to develop images and memories of the false event. Study 3 examined whether event information would help children develop more false memories then protagonist information alone. Thus, Study 3 also examined the memory construction component of Mazzoni et al.'s (2001) model. Ten-year olds were asked about for events. All children saw a photo of their family members from the relevant time period. However, half the children also saw a photo depicting an aspect of the specific event to be recalled. The results showed that children who saw a photo depicting an aspect of the event were not more confident nor did they claim to remember any more than children who saw only a photo of the protagonists. In addition, there was no difference in the rate of false memories and images between children who did and did not see a photo depicting an aspect of the event. Taken together, the results of these studies demonstrate that Mazzoni et al.'s (2001) model does explain how children develop false memories. More specifically, these studies show that the level of detail, as well as the type of detail, are important factors in determining whether or not children will develop false memories.</p>

Analysis of Heat Transfer in Non-Coaxial Rotation of Newtonian Carbon Nanofluid Flow with Magnetohydrodynamics and Porosity Effects

The study analyzed the heat transfer of water-based carbon nanotubes in non-coaxial rotation flow affected by magnetohydrodynamics and porosity. Two types of CNTs have been considered; single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Partial differential equations are used to model the problem subjected to the initial and moving boundary conditions. Employing dimensionless variables transformed the system of equations into ordinary differential equations form. The resulting dimensionless equations are analytically solved for the closed form of temperature and velocity distributions. The obtained solutions are expressed in terms of a complementary function error. The impacts of the embedded parameters are graphically plotted in different graphs and are discussed in detail. The Nusselt number and skin friction are also evaluated. The temperature and velocity profiles have been determined to meet the initial and boundary conditions. An augment in the CNTs’ volume fraction increases both temperature and velocity of the nanofluid as well as enhances the rate of heat transport. SWCNTs provides high values of Nusselt number compared to MWCNTs. For verification, a comparison between the present solutions and a past study is conducted and achieved excellent agreement.

The Role of Social Entrepreneurship in Poverty Reduction

The key aim of the study was to investigate the role of social entrepreneurship in poverty alleviation in district Mardan. The researcher studied previous investigations, associated with this study earlier while adopting the study method. To find out the specific objectives of the study, the researcher followed quantitative method, based on the past study of Chebbi (2016), and data was collected through questionnaire. The questionnaire was a developed questionnaire from the study of Ali and Ali, (2013).The questionnaire was distributed to 200 social entrepreneurs providing their services in different local and international NGOs, social welfare foundations operating in district Mardan. In response, a total of 150 questionnaires were received, the response rate was 75%. It is a good response rate. In which 68.7% were male while the percentage of female respondents were 31.3. In which the percentage of age group under 20 were 2%, from 20-30 their percentage were 64.7, while the percentage of the respondents with 31-40 age group were 16.7, and the age group from 41 to 50 their percentage were 12.7. While the age of the respondents above 50 were of 4.0%.In the total 150 of the respondents, there were 55.3% single respondents while 43.7% were married respondents. Similarly, the respondents having no education or illiterate, their percentage were 0.0, while the respondents having highest school level education, there were of 4.7%, and the respondents having highest college level education there percentage were 6.7, while the respondents having highest level of education were university graduate, their percentage were 87.7%. Likewise, the obtained data were entered and analysed by SPSS.

Assessment of direct economic losses of flood disasters based on spatial valuation of land use and quantification of vulnerabilities: a case study on the 2014 flood in Lishui city of China

Detailed and reliable assessment of direct economic losses of flood disasters is important for emergency dispatch and risk management in small- and medium-sized cities. In this study, a single flood disaster in Lishui city in 2014 was taken as an example to study and verify a method for rapid and detailed assessment of direct economic loss. First, based on a field investigation, the inundation data simulated by the one-dimensional hydrodynamic model and geographic information system (GIS) analysis method were verified. Next, the urban land use map and high-resolution land use classifications based on remote sensing data were fused and combined with expert questionnaire surveys, thereby providing the 47 types and values of land use. Then, based on the previous depth–damage function in the past study, the vulnerability curves of 47 types of land use in Liandu district were fitted by the lognormal cumulative distribution function and then calibrated using disaster loss report data. Finally, the distributions of the loss ratio and loss value were estimated by spatial analysis. It is found that the land use data have detailed types and value attributes as well as high resolution. Secondly, the vulnerability curves after function fitting and calibration effectively reflect the change characteristics of land use loss ratio in this area. Finally, except for the three types of land for agriculture, recreational and sports facilities, and green parking spaces, the optimized simulated total loss is CNY 322.6 million, which is 0.16 % higher than the statistics report data. The estimated loss ratio and loss value can reliably reflect the distribution pattern of disaster losses in detail, which can be applied by government and private sectors to implement effective disaster reduction and relief measures.