Technology as a Pillar for Essential Oil Green Extraction

This paper focuses on essential oil (EO) extraction via steam distillation and the technological possibilities to enhance both operational and environmental performances. Steam distillation is the most common extraction method (93% of the worldwide volume), the opportunities in these production systems become a concrete target for improvements and are reflected in the businesses overall results. This paper brings the green extraction approach and the technology upgrade as an evolutionary path for this industry. A real process conception, in its current technology level, was assessed under the light of digital technology focus in order to enhance process effectiveness both in terms of material and energy balances, with direct effects over environmental performance and quality.

Towards a Dual Process Conception of the Selective Influence of Financial Literacy on Economic Behavior

While many studies examined the relationship between financial literacy and economic behavior, no fundamental theory that explains the mechanism by which financial knowledge influences behavior has yet emerged. This dissertation addresses this research gap by presenting a new theoretical model for financial literacy – the Cognitive Modulation of Economic Behavior [CMEB] that relates the availability of cognitive and mental resources with factors that influence individuals’ ability to rely on their knowledge: (i) the personal characteristics of the decision-maker, and (ii) the characteristics of the task that he or she wishes to perform. The influence of cognitive and mental resources, and task features, on the ability to apply financial knowledge when needed, was investigated in four different studies. Results indicate that the CMEB model explains the wide-ranging influence of financial literacy on economic behavior. By presenting a model that focuses on the influence of cognitive and mental resources on financial literacy-based behavior, this work expands our understating of the mechanism by which financial literacy operates. The CMEB model can serve as a basis for many theoretical advancements that are still needed in this field of research.

The Digital Transformation of the Product Management Process: Conception of Digital Twin Impacts for the Different Stages

In this paper the potential impact of digital transformation in general and digital twin applications on the Product Management Process (PMP) in particular will be investigated. The object is to figure out the potential benefits of digital twin utilization. Methodologically, a conceptual and analytical approach are applied in using statistical data, surveys, latest literature and logical conclusions. Thus, the approach is twofold: from the conceptual point of view the different types of digital twins are introduced; from the analytical point of view different applications in different stages of the PMP will be subject to investigation. So, this paper can be categorized as conceptual paper based on an extensive literature research. The findings of research revealed that the digital transformation can offer various benefits for the PMP. It can be summarized that in all phases of the PMP potential benefits can be identified. The most important is saving time and money, avoiding waste of physical resources and simultaneously raising quality, reliability and competitive advantage. Regarding the originality value it can be stated that this is the first comprehensive examination of the entire PMP with regard to digital transformation in order to identify sources of potential benefits.

Emotion-Regulation Choice

Despite centuries of speculation about how to manage negative emotions, little is actually known about which emotion-regulation strategies people choose to use when confronted with negative situations of varying intensity. On the basis of a new process conception of emotion regulation, we hypothesized that in low-intensity negative situations, people would show a relative preference to choose to regulate emotions by engagement reappraisal, which allows emotional processing. However, we expected people in high-intensity negative situations to show a relative preference to choose to regulate emotions by disengagement distraction, which blocks emotional processing at an early stage before it gathers force. In three experiments, we created emotional contexts that varied in intensity, using either emotional pictures (Experiments 1 and 2) or unpredictable electric stimulation (Experiment 3). In response to these emotional contexts, participants chose between using either reappraisal or distraction as an emotion-regulation strategy. Results in all experiments supported our hypothesis. This pattern in the choice of emotion-regulation strategies has important implications for the understanding of healthy adaptation.

Philosophy of Religion

The philosophy of religion became a recognizable subdiscipline in philosophy in the mid- to late 20th century, together with other notable subdisciplines such as the philosophy of science and the philosophy of language. Work in the philosophy of religion has always been present in the history of philosophy, but prior to the 20th century, it tended to be embedded in larger philosophical projects. By the mid-20th century, however, the process of specialization in philosophy led to an identifiable subfield with identifiable specialists in the area. This subfield can be roughly characterized in terms of its epistemological and metaphysical aspects. On the epistemological side are the various attempts to demonstrate or prove God’s existence (e.g., the classic ontological, cosmological, and teleological arguments) or nonexistence (e.g., the problem of evil) and the discussions of what is required for an adequate demonstration or proof, and there are further discussions of whether a proof or demonstration is needed in order for belief in God to be rational or justified. Included in the latter area is the large question of the degree to which one’s intellectual life ought to be guided by purely truth-related concerns or whether pragmatic concerns are legitimate factors in determining not only how to act but also what to think. On the metaphysical side are controversies about a proper conception of the nature of God, both about specific characteristics of God such as omnipotence, omniscience, simplicity, eternity, and moral perfection, and also about what general approach to the issue of the nature of God is appropriate (e.g., whether a process conception is preferable to a perfect being conception). There is also the question of God’s relationship to the world, both in terms of creation and providential control, and the related issue of whether miracles are possible and whether it is ever reasonable to believe that one has occurred. Finally, there is the further question of the significance of religious language itself, whether sense can be made of talking about a being and realms of reality that are difficult to account for in terms of empirical acquaintance and, if so, exactly what precise account can be given of the content of such language.

The Self as Process in Late-Life Reminiscence: Spiritual Attributes

ABSTRACTAgeing has been referred to as a spiritual journey. Empirical data from gerontological research and paractice literature on the phenomenon of late-life reminiscence reveal a sense of self as process, and ageing as a spiritual journey for a number of older persons. The empirical data experiential reports on reminiscence from the elderly themselves point to a life trajectory of ‘joruney’ of the self that moves from a possessive attachment to an identification with the physical self, significant others, and material belongings to a view of self as a process, as ‘being’ rather than ‘having’ within and as part of a larger process. A process conception of the self derived from William James, contemporary social science, and process theology is delineated to explain the nature of this journey and this process. Two older women who illustrate the process conception of self in their reminiscences are presented, followed by a discussion of the spiritual implications of this conception.