Consumerism Research Articles

Bourbon, Black and White: Bourbon and Race in America, 1935-1975

ABSTRACT This article explores the cultural history of bourbon in the United States between the 1930s and the 1970s through the lenses of race, politics, and consumerism. Several related trends pushed bourbon’s cultural history in new directions during this time. Like many popular consumer products, Americans endowed bourbon with complex meanings that reflected imagined, contested notions of history and racial identities and hierarchies. As Black and white Americans bought, sold, drank, and talked about bourbon, they also grappled with racial conflict and social change. Distillers crafted new appeals to Black Americans to spur sales. Mass consumerism grew in importance as an arena of activism after the Second World War. Black activists targeted the bourbon industry in their ongoing fight against commercial racism and segregation. Bourbon became a touchstone in the politics of civil rights. Black and white commentators invoked contrasting bourbon symbolism and tropes in their civil rights rhetoric. These trends and dialogues flavored the meanings that Americans consumed as they drank bourbon. All the while, bourbon whiskey became a staple of the upwardly mobile, consumption-driven lifestyles of the middle and professional classes, regardless of their racial identities. To tell these stories, the article relies on bourbon-related advertising, journalism, and commentary in the Black and white presses, corporate market research materials and correspondence, and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) archival records.

Television and the Formation of Urban Middle-class Identities

The Indian middle class has been a powerful force in the sphere of consumption culture since the formal advent of economic liberalization in 1991. With the advent of television, Indian society has been witnessing changes in class identities. The role of Indian television shows has been instrumental in shaping urban middle-class identities within Indian society. These shows have been effective in creating a desired lifestyle and everyday practices that are symbolic of urban middle-class practices. The objective of this paper is to reflect upon how these shows portray a way of common and relatable practices of the Indian middle class and explore the representation of the middle-class lifestyle. The idea of new modes of consumption reflects itself as a way of economic coercion that the capitalist world is trying to propagate with the practice of mass consumption. Thus, the concept of culture industry attempts to argue how commodification and the consumption of capitalist goods act as a way of manipulation to preserve the reigning capitalistic order. Through the lens of Birmingham School, this paper attempts to understand the process of Indian middle-class formation within the sphere of Television programs. The messages and values deciphered by the content of the television shows are in various ways interpreted by their audience. This study will be based on qualitative data that aims to use several secondary sources such as academic journals, articles, and online blogs to analyze the ideas that are put forward in understanding the very idea of consumption culture and middle-class formation. The investigation is also based on content analysis which will include a thorough analysis of the television show ‘Yeh Meri Family’ and its portrayal of consumerist practice within its specific context. This brings us to the fundamental idea of the paper of examining 'television' as a significant household gadget symbolic to middle-class families and also understanding the content put forward by television shows encouraging consumerist behaviours.

Analysis of Effectiveness of Bottom Stirring after the Modernization on Basic Oxygen Furnace in HBIS Serbia Group

The significant modernization effort in the steel shop at HBIS Group Serbia is the introduction of a Basic Oxygen Furnace, which features bottom stirring with argon and nitrogen, along with the capability for slag splashing with nitrogen through the lance tip after steel tapping from the converter. Implementing this new technology presented a challenge, as it was our first encounter with such advancements. The primary objectives of this modernization were to achieve a lower dissolved oxygen content in steel while reaching the targeted carbon level at the end of the blowing process. This aims to optimize the steel's oxidation degree [%C] [%O], reduce the use of Al as a deoxidizer, increase yield, and achieve a low phosphorus content in steel at the end of blowing. Additionally, it aimed to increase the lining's lifetime through slag splashing and decrease the refractory mass consumption needed for lining repairs. This analysis covers a 7-month period since the start of the campaign with the new refractory lining, based on research conducted on 3,150 heats. Our examination of the process led us to conclude that while certain parameters met our expectations, some results did not reach the anticipated level.

Comparative analysis of early growth phase performance in F3 crossbred Indonesian chickens

Body mass and ratio of feed conversion (FCR) are crucial factors for assessing production potential in local chickens. This study utilized a total of 116 F3 crossbred chickens resulting from the mating of Indonesian local chicken breeds, including Kampung Unggul Balitbangtan, Murung Panggang, Merawang Bangka, and Merawang Sembawa. The chickens were divided into six crossbred groups: BS1 (n = 19), BS2 (n = 19), BS3 (n = 20), BS4 (n = 19), BS5 (n = 20), and BS6 (n = 19), all managed under uniform conditions. Measurements of body mass and feed consumption during the pre-starter phase were taken at weeks 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 using a digital scale. Data from this study were subjected to ANOVA analysis, followed by a Duncan multiple range test The findings showed notable variations in body mass and FCR among all BS chicken groups (P < 0.05). Notably, BS5 exhibited the highest performance in both body mass and FCR analyses, achieving 392.50 ± 42.76g at week 4, and an overall FCR of 2.01 ± 0.80.

Optimal control of ribosome population for gene expression under periodic nutrient intake.

Translation of proteins is a fundamental part of gene expression that is mediated by ribosomes. As ribosomes significantly contribute to both cellular mass and energy consumption, achieving efficient management of the ribosome population is also crucial to metabolism and growth. Inspired by biological evidence for nutrient-dependent mechanisms that control both ribosome-active degradation and genesis, we introduce a dynamical model of protein production, that includes the dynamics of resources and control over the ribosome population. Under the hypothesis that active degradation and biogenesis are optimal for maximizing and maintaining protein production, we aim to qualitatively reproduce empirical observations of the ribosome population dynamics. Upon formulating the associated optimization problem, we first analytically study the stability and global behaviour of solutions under constant resource input, and characterize the extent of oscillations and convergence rate to a global equilibrium. We further use these results to simplify and solve the problem under a quasi-static approximation. Using biophysical parameter values, we find that optimal control solutions lead to both control mechanisms and the ribosome population switching between periods of feeding and fasting, suggesting that the intense regulation of ribosome population observed in experiments allows to maximize and maintain protein production. Finally, we find some range for the control values over which such a regime can be observed, depending on the intensity of fasting.

Strategi Distribusi Pemasaran Guna Meningkatkan Produk Perusahaan: Studi Kasus pada PT. Bintang Sidoraya

This internship report contains matters relating to marketing distribution strategies to improve products at PT. Bintang Sidoraya. This research uses marketing management theory and marketing mix strategies, namely segmenting, targeting and positioning strategies with a 4P marketing mix approach (Place, product, price and promotion). PT. Bintang Sidoraya is a company that operates as a beverage distributor company. Business activities at PT Bintang Sidoraya include purchasing, stock inventory and sales transactions. This research uses a qualitative approach with descriptive methods through interviews and direct observation. The conclusion of this research is that PT Bintang Sidoraya offers their products to a wide market segment and reaches all consumer classes. Market segmentation carried out by PT. Bintang Sidoraya is an offer at a more affordable price and is proven by PT. Bintang Sidoraya succeeded in identifying that they are a company that sells beverage products at affordable prices. This is one of the competitive advantages that can maintain the company's existence in a sustainable manner.

Innovative exponential TODIM-CoCoSo framework for uncertain multiple-attribute group decision-making in the effectiveness evaluation of short video marketing strategies

In recent years, e-commerce live streaming and short video marketing supported by big data and artificial intelligence technology have flourished, adding new sales models for e-commerce products to mass consumption, promoting the multimodal development of the e-commerce industry, giving new impetus and connotation to economic and social development, and being an effective means to achieve high-quality development in the new era. The effectiveness evaluation of short video marketing strategies is a multiple-attribute group decision-making (MAGDM) problem. Recently, the Exponential TODIM technique and Combined Compromise Solution (CoCoSo) technique has been employed to cope with MAGDM issues. The interval-valued Pythagorean fuzzy sets (IVPFSs) are employed as a tool for characterizing uncertain information during the effectiveness evaluation of short video marketing strategies. In this paper, the interval-valued Pythagorean fuzzy Exponential TODIM (ExpTODIM) (IVPF-ExpTODIM-CoCoSo) technique is constructed to solve the MAGDM under IVPFSs. In the end, a numerical case study for effectiveness evaluation of short video marketing strategies is given to validate the proposed technique. The main contributions of this paper are outlined: (1) the Exp-TODIM and CoCoSo technique has been extended to IVPFSs; (2) Information Entropy is employed to manage the weight values under IVPFSs. (3) the IVPF-ExpTODIM-CoCoSo technique is founded to implement the MAGDM under IVPFSs; (4) a numerical case study for effectiveness evaluation of short video marketing strategies and some comparative analysis is supplied to verify the IVPF-ExpTODIM-CoCoSo technique.

Day ahead demand response model with algorithm-based consumption classification and tariff planning

Demand Response (DR) programs effectively support the supply-demand balance in power systems. This study proposes a new Time-of-Use (ToU) tariff model, a type of price-based demand response (DR). The proposed model aims to shape the daily consumption profile of the distribution region by encouraging consumers through tariffs. Generally, in ToU demand response, various presumptions are being adopted to define consumption periods and consumer classes. It is unlikely that these presumptions are suitable for every day of the year and every consumer in the system. Achieving these definitions and classifications based on algorithms, free from human error, will increase the success and comprehensiveness of the DR program. To maximize success in this context, a deep learning model has been leveraged for day-ahead consumption forecasting. The forecasted daily consumption profile is partitioned into ToUs by using the Moving Boundary method. In addition, consumers within the region have been segmented based on the similarities in consumption behavior. Tariffs have been priced for each cluster through an optimization model that considers their participation rates in total consumption and contributions to consumption in ToU regions. The proposed model has been tested over a dataset belonging to a distribution system where different types of consumers coexist. Two sample days have been chosen as one is a weekday and the other is a weekend. The results prove that shifting consumption as encouraged by the proposed TOU method reduces consumers' costs. While, the profitability of the system operator is also preserved.

Legume intake and cancer risk in a network of case-control studies.

Evidence on the relationship between legume consumption and risk of specific cancer sites is inconclusive. We used data from a series of case-controls studies, conducted in Italy and in the Swiss Canton of Vaud between 1991 and 2009 to quantify the association between legume consumption and several cancer sites including oral cavity, esophagus, larynx, stomach, colorectum, breast, endometrium, ovary, prostate and kidney. Multiple logistic regression models controlled for sex, age, education, smoking, alcohol, body mass index, physical activity, comorbidities, and consumption of fruit, vegetables, processed meat and total calorie intake were used to estimate the odds ratios (OR) for different cancer sites and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals(CI). For female hormone-related cancers, the models also included adjustments for age at menarche, menopausal status and parity. Although most of the estimates were below unity, suggesting a protective effect, only colorectal cancer showed a significant association. Compared to no consumption, the OR for consuming at least one portion of legumes was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.68-0.91), the OR for consuming two or more portions was 0.68 (95% CI: 0.57-0.82) and the estimate for an increment of one portion per week was 0.87 (95% CI: 0.81-0.93). The inverse association between legume consumption and colorectal cancer suggests a possible role of legumes in preventing cancer risk.

Detailed Analysis of Energy Consumption for an Office Building

Modern buildings consume a significant share of global power production. The primary sources of the power consumption are heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), light, cooking equipment, technical equipment like elevators, office facilities. Optimization of the buildings power consumption requires real-life data both for strategic planing and operational control. Here we analyze detailed power consumption of a research institute campus which is a medium-sized office buildings. Our data contain detailed electric measurements of 100 three-phase power lines which power all facilities inside the building. Each line is associated with several power consumers like lights, HVAC and office equipment. We analyze weekly and monthly trends, typical patterns in power consumption, and provide rough analysis of what classes of power consumers are most active in specific periods of time.

Spodoptera cosmioides (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) as an alternative host for mass rearing the parasitoid Palmistichus elaeisis (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

Abstract Different alternative hosts can reduce or even avoid pre-imaginal conditioning of parasitoids in mass production programs. Spodoptera cosmioides (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) may be an alternative host for mass rearing the parasitoid Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare &amp; LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). The objective of this study was to evaluate the parasitism, emergence, egg-to-adult period, progeny size, sex ratio, and consumption of host tissue per individual of P. elaeisis produced using S. cosmioides pupae in the laboratory. Newly formed S. cosmioides pupae were weighed, individualized in glass tubes and each one was exposed to six newly emerged P. elaeisis females during 48 h. These pupae were transferred to plastic pots until the emergence of P. elaeisis adults. Palmistichus elaeisis parasitized and emerged from 100.0 % and 87.5 % of the S. cosmioides pupae, respectively. The egg-to-adult period of P. elaeisis was 24.28 ± 0.18 days, with 109 ± 2 individuals emerging per host pupae. Mass consumption of the host was 2.56 ± 0.01 mg per parasitoid emerged. This is the first report of P. elaeisis parasitizing and developing in S. cosmioides pupae. The ease of rearing S. cosmioides with an artificial diet, and the high parasitism, emergence, and progeny size of P. elaeisis support the suitability of this alternative host to mass-rearing this parasitoid.

Consumer Class Action in Taiwan And Experiences to Improve Access to Justice in Vietnam Consumer Litigation

Consumer Class Action in Taiwan And Experiences to Improve Access to Justice in Vietnam Consumer Litigation

Virtual Reality and Alternate Realities in Neal Stephenson’s “Snow Crash”

Cyberpunk literature encapsulates the genre's essence by representing technology integration and human existence in a dark, impending future. It shows a society rife with disparities and introduces unconventional heroes who navigate a world where the boundaries between the virtual and tangible realms. The primary objective of this research is to examine the representations of Virtual Reality and Alternate Reality in cyberpunk literature, mainly focusing on Neal Stephenson's "Snow Crash." The focus lies on how this significant work illustrates the portrayal of virtual and alternate realities in American science fiction, viewed through Postmodernism Literary Theory. An extensive discussion revealed that "Snow Crash" is a platform for addressing societal issues through its sturdy framework, examination of human interactions, and ethical considerations. It allows writers to explore intricate ideas, particularly emphasizing the significance of technology and scientific advancement. This exploration delves into the transformative potential of technology on society, ethics, and human experience, allowing for insightful social commentary. Also, "Snow Crash" mirrors societal shifts in scientific, technological, social, and cultural aspects affected by economic systems like mass consumerism and multinational capitalism. It embodies a paradigm that vividly portrays postmodern ideology, challenging established notions, especially concerning identity, within postmodern societies. Finally, the study's implications and limitations are discussed.

Modeling and Simulation of Distribution Networks under Lightning Transients: A Comparative Study of Accuracy and Complexity

Nowadays, electricity consumption is closely linked to the economic growth of cities, states, and countries, providing a better quality of life and security. Overhead power distribution networks at medium- and low-voltage levels are responsible for serving and supplying electricity to the largest consumer class, as they represent most consumer installations. Due to this reason, there is a vast expanse of exposed networks vulnerable to the effects of atmospheric discharges. Therefore, the objective of this article is to implement and evaluate the models available in the literature to represent distribution networks during transient events caused by lightning, using simulation in ATPDraw. These structures pose a significant complexity in their representation, and there are studies that assess more accurate methods for simulating transients in transmission lines, which have different structural and configuration characteristics. Ultimately, the results demonstrate that the choice of which model to implement in a simulation heavily depends on the analysis to be conducted by the researcher, and it can be observed that more accurate methods do not always yield substantial differences in the obtained outcomes.

Efficient topic partitioning of Apache Kafka for high-reliability real-time data streaming applications

Apache Kafka is a widely-used event streaming platform for reliable high-volume real-time data exchange following a producer–consumer pattern. Despite its popularity, Apache Kafka requires expertise and attention to detail, and there are no default guidelines that can be applied to all use cases without careful consideration. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to optimise the number of partitions and brokers in Apache Kafka, which are two key configuration parameters, under the given characteristics and constraints of the target applications. In particular, we consider the distribution of data-intensive real-time flows exchanged between a set of producers and consumers, which is representative of fog computing environments for ML/AI analytics. We introduce a methodology for modelling the topic partitioning process in Apache Kafka and formulate an optimisation problem to determine the optimal number of partitions to satisfy the application requirements and constraints. We propose two efficient heuristics to solve the optimisation problem, considering the trade-off between resource utilisation and application performance. We evaluate the performance of our approach through numerical simulations, and we demonstrate its practicality by implementing a prototype on an Apache Kafka cluster and conducting experiments in three different scenarios focused on mass consumption vs. production and real-time data streaming. To carry out repeatable experiments in controlled conditions, we developed a reusable framework that fully automatises cluster setup and performance assessment, and we make it available to the community as open-source software.

Feasibility study of a Solar Electric Propulsion mission to Mars

Traditionally, space missions to outer planets have relied on large amounts of chemical propellant or flybys to achieve their objectives. This large mass consumption may be significantly reduced using electric propulsion (EP), since it allows for larger specific impulses. However, this improvement is counteracted by the lower thrust per power levels achievable with EP engines compared to chemical thrusters. Here we discuss how to find a balance for a purely solar EP (SEP) uncrewed mission to Mars. We present system engineering and mission analyses focused on the orbital mechanics. The result is the conceptual design of a realistic mission to Mars, in which any target orbit around Mars can be reached using solely present SEP technology. In particular, for a 2000 kg spacecraft propelled with a Hall effect thruster (HET), the interplanetary transfer can be performed in 363 days with less than 400 kg of fuel consumption, provided that the vehicle leaves the Earth orbit with a suitable specific energy that is attainable using current launchers. Subsequently, 300 kg of propellant are sufficient to allow for the planetary capture, plane change, and circularisation manoeuvres, finally inserting the spacecraft into a polar orbit of height between 300 km and 1000 km above the surface of Mars.

РОЗРОБКА СИСТЕМИ КЕРУВАННЯ ЕЛЕКТРОПОСТАЧАННЯМ В УМОВАХ ОБМЕЖЕННЯ ПОТУЖНОСТІ

Abstract. The article considers the problem of efficient distribution of electricity under conditions of limited production capacity. The specifics of production and energy consumption of various industries and classes of consumers are studied, which allows taking into account their needs and ensuring optimal distribution of electricity. Over the past decades, there has been an increase in demand for electricity in industry, the economy and the population. At the same time, existing sources of electricity generation may be limited in capacity, which leads to a situation where insufficient power cannot satisfy all consumer needs. The article presents an analysis of various methods of power supply management, including traditional and innovative approaches. The advantages and disadvantages of each method are discussed, and the author proposes his own control system that combines the best aspects of different approaches. The main results of the study are the development of an efficient power supply management system that ensures optimal distribution of electricity among different categories of consumers. The use of this system will reduce electricity losses and ensure a stable electricity supply for all consumers. In today's environment of technological development and growing electricity consumption, there is an urgent problem of optimising the management of limited sources of electricity supply to different categories of consumers. Solving this problem will help to increase the reliability and efficiency of electricity supply, as well as ensure the balanced operation of the system of conditionally limited electricity sources in the face of diverse consumer needs. Further research could consider the possibility of implementing the proposed power supply management system in practice and evaluate its effectiveness. Additional research can also be conducted on the impact of various factors, such as changes in electricity demand or increased production capacity, on the operation of the control system. Overall, this paper is an important contribution to the development of power management systems. It proposes a new approach to electricity distribution that allows for optimal resource utilisation and reduces energy losses. The results of the study may be useful for energy specialists and developers of power supply management systems. Keywords: autonomous power supplies, uninterrupted power supply, optimisation of energy consumption, renewable energy sources, power supply control system.

Language, Climate Change, and Cities beyond Capitalism

Appeals to the economy are often used to shut down substantive action on climate change. But exactly what is meant by the economy is rarely made explicit. In this paper, I draw on previously published research in ecological, feminist, and Marxist economics to argue that appeals to the economy are really appeals to capitalism. It is not an unchangeable set of economic laws that prevents climate action; rather, it is a set of stories and social relationships specific to capitalist ways of organizing economic activity. In theory, we can construct new laws and promote non-capitalist ways of organizing. But in practice, this is difficult because capitalism has enormous cultural power supported by the advertising industry and a lack of cultural depictions of alternatives to capitalism. Cities can undermine this cultural power by rethinking their advertising policy and using it to promote pro-social and pro-ecological ways of living rather than mass consumption. Cities can also produce cultural artefacts that name capitalism and alternatives to capitalism. In this way, cities can take on a radical educational role, helping their citizens to understand how they fit into both capitalist and non-capitalist modes of production, and organize for new economic structures that support substantive climate action.

Analysis of National Wave Brand Value and New Consumer Class Loyalty Combined with the HIROSE Model

Abstract With the continuous development of China’s market economy and the gradual transformation of market competition to brand competition, the brand has an increasingly important role for enterprises. Based on the HIROSE model, this study constructs the M-HIROSE model, which is more suitable for the evaluation of the value of the National Tide brand by adjusting the brand revenue, brand expansion power, and period. To explore the relationship between the loyalty of the new consumer class and national brands, multiple regression is used for analysis. By empirically analyzing the basic financial data of China’s five national tide brand operators in the past three years, the results show that the ranking of the final brand value of the enterprises and the ranking order of the loyalty drivers are consistent, and the loyalty drivers basically determine the final brand value of the enterprises. The direct effect of new consumer class loyalty on the National Tide brand is significant (R2=0.235, p&lt;0.001). This study, based on the M-HIROSE model of the National Tide brand value assessment, is feasible, and the new consumer class loyalty has a significant effect on the National Tide brand.

Physical activity, protein consumption, and loss of muscle mass in older adult participants of the ELSA-Brazil study

Objective: The objective was to evaluate the relationship between protein consumption, physical activity, and muscle mass in individuals aged ≥ 60 years. Methods: This prospective study was based on the baseline and second wave of the ELSA-Brazil study. Protein consumption was assessed using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Physical activity was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Muscle mass was estimated using a prediction equation, and the difference in MM between the first and second waves was calculated. Bivariate analyses were performed, with p &lt; 0.05 considered significant. Multivariate analysis consisted of 4 Poisson regression models including covariates with p &lt; 0.20. The statistical analysis was performed in IBM SPSS Statistics 21. Results: The sample included 2216 older adults, 55.10% of whom were women, with a mean age of 65.20 (SD, 4.15). Participants whose muscle mass decreased between the waves were in the first quartile of protein consumption. Mean physical activity significantly differed between the groups, while leisure-time physical activity differed only for women (p &lt; 0.05). After adjusting for sociodemographic, health, and lifestyle variables, participants with lower protein intake had a 1.45 (1.29–1.63) relative risk of muscle mass loss. Conclusions: Lower protein consumption and higher physical activity were associated with decreased muscle mass, and those with protein consumption in the first and second quartiles are at higher risk of muscle mass loss.