Common Dimensions Research Articles

The Old Frontier of Reverse Engineering: Netlist Partitioning

Without access to high-level details of commercialized integrated circuits (IC), it might be impossible to find potential design flaws or limiting use cases. To assist in high-level recovery, many IC reverse engineering solutions have been proposed. This paper focuses on a hard problem facing reverse engineering researchers, that of netlist partitioning. To assist in this endeavor, we propose our own methods that focus on signal matching by analyzing fan-in trees. This analysis extends to representing signal’s fan-ins numerically by their structural properties. These values go through certain common dimension reducing algorithms; clustering practices are also leveraged to assist in our proposed partitioning process. Adversely researchers have almost never agreed on the metric for evaluating such netlist partitioning methods. To keep our results unbiased, we leverage the Normalize Mutual Information (NMI) to evaluate our proposed partitioning method and compare its results with other techniques that aim to solve the same problem. Lastly, we show how our proposed methods are capable of effectively partition netlists of larger scale than previously proposed schemes.

The mediating effect of lean management on the relationship between flexibility implementation and operational metrics in US automotive manufacturing plants

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the mediating effect of lean management (LM) dimensions on the relationship between flexible manufacturing systems (FMS) dimensions and operational performance metrics.Design/methodology/approachA survey questionnaire was developed based on previous literature and interviews conducted at the automotive facilities visited that identified 28 lean dimensions, 15 flexibility dimensions and 8 operational performance metrics. The survey was presented to 175 North American automotive manufacturing managers through interviews conducted at 64 automotive facilities. A total of 164 usable responses were studied.FindingsLean and FMS are multi-dimensional philosophies, the results demonstrate that the automotive industry in North America has implemented many dimensions of both philosophies. Each dimension is categorized based on specific organizational metrics. The 64 facilities studied use common dimensions identified by this study for lean and flexibility. Data analysis indicates a direct link between lean, flexibility and operational metrics. It shows that LM plays a critical role in improving the impact of flexibility on performance metrics. The results also indicate that specific lean and FMS dimensions or categories have higher significant roles than others in the relationship between LM, FMS and operational performance metrics.Research limitations/implicationsSince the sample size only considered automotive manufacturing facilities, the results need to be considered with caution.Originality/valueThis research empirically develops a framework linking FMS and LM to operational performance metrics. This research addresses an area within which there is little consensus on the relationship between LM, FMS and their impact on operational performance metrics. The study is unique due to the depth and breadth of the investigation that far exceeds previous literature conducted. In addition, this research highlights the LM and FMS practices on which managers should focus on when attempting to improve operational performance metrics at their facility.

Repetitive negative thinking as a predictor of depression and anxiety: A longitudinal cohort study

BackgroundRepetitive Negative Thinking (RNT) is assumed to be a transdiagnostic proximal risk factor in depression and anxiety. We examined the prospective relations of disorder-dependent as well as disorder-independent measures of RNT with depression and anxiety outcomes. MethodsIn a prospective cohort study, 1972 adults completed a 3-year follow-up period (attrition = 12.6%). DSM-IV diagnoses were assessed with the CIDI, symptom severity with the IDS and BAI, and RNT with measures for perseverative thinking (PTQ), rumination (LEIDS-R) and worry (PWQ). ResultsThe common dimension of our RNT measurements (according to Confirmatory Factor Analysis) was significantly associated with comorbidity among depressive and among anxiety disorders, severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms, as well as persistence and relapse of depressive and anxiety disorders. Additionally, a specific factor for rumination predicted comorbidity of depressive disorders, comorbidity of anxiety disorders and relapse of depressive disorder, while a specific factor for worry predicted comorbidity of anxiety disorders and relapse of anxiety disorders, although to a lesser extent than general RNT. LimitationsThe present study relied solely on self-report measures of RNT and controlling for baseline demographic and clinical variables greatly attenuated the predictive value of RNT. DiscussionDisorder-independent RNT may be a similar underlying process present across depressive and anxiety disorders. It seems more important than the representation of this process in disorder-specific cognitive content such as rumination in depression and worry in anxiety. RNT as a pathological trait deserves more attention in clinical diagnosis and the transdiagnostic treatment of comorbid depression and anxiety in particular.

A SERVQUAL approach to identifying the influences of service quality on leasing market segment in the German financial sector

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to determine the nature of the relationship between service quality and desired customer behaviours in the leasing market using an appropriate service quality measurement model. The authors take a step further by recognising the possible differences in influence of service quality in private and corporate customers, and those business dealings with low, medium and high lease values.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use deduction method to test the SERVQUAL in the German leasing market and the relationship between customer satisfaction and desired behavioural outcomes. The developed questionnaire is based on the 22-item scale of the SERVQUAL approach. Samples are selected based on convenience sampling.FindingsThe authors found differences in the levels of influence by SERVQUAL dimensions on corporate and private customers as well as among those customers with different leasing contract values. From the regression analyses, it is clear that “assurance” from the leasing company is the most common SERVQUAL dimension that has significant impact on overall service quality perceptions and obtaining customers satisfaction and loyalty (behavioural outcomes).Originality/valueThe authors recognised that all financial services are not created equally to meet customer demands. Hence, the customer expectations of service quality from these services will be different. The authors contributed to the marketing literature by studying customer perceptions of service quality by specifying financing aspects of financial services, i.e. leasing. The authors further contributed to the literature of SERVQUAL model in financial services by dividing customers into two different types of customers and those with diverse leasing contract values. The authors found that priorities given on service quality dimensions by them are different. These concepts were never considered in the literature. This also implies that future studies on financial services marketing need to recognise such differences in the research.

A framework for improving the effectiveness of evidence-based practices in vocational rehabilitation

BACKGROUND: Vocational rehabilitation for people with severe mental illnesses has reached a critical stage in its development of evidence-based practices. A recent meta-analysis has suggested that good program quality measured by fidelity scales is necessary but not sufficient to achieve good employment outcomes. It is likely therefore that there are other aspects of program implementation quality that are not addressed by the current scales.OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to identify new dimensions of program quality potentially applicable to improving the effectiveness of evidence-based vocational rehabilitation.METHODS: A review and synthesis of the theoretical and empirical literature in the broader science of psycho-social program implementation was conducted to identify the core dimensions which could be applied to evidence-based vocational rehabilitation.RESULTS: Twenty reviews and four single studies identified the common dimensions of a generic implementation framework. Empirical findings from eight of these, and 19 additional papers built a conceptual framework for improving evidence-based practices in vocational rehabilitation. The resulting framework consists of nine dimensions of implementation quality and twenty-three contextual factors.CONCLUSIONS: This conceptual framework will assist program funders, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to consider a wider range of program influences to advance the science and practice of vocational rehabilitation for people with severe mental illness.

Dimethylarginines correlate to common carotid artery wall layer dimensions and cardiovascular risk factors in pregnant women with and without preeclampsia

Dimethylarginines correlate to common carotid artery wall layer dimensions and cardiovascular risk factors in pregnant women with and without preeclampsia

“Divergent personality structures of brown (Sapajus apella) and white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus)”: Correction to Robinson et al. (2016).

Reports an error in "Divergent personality structures of brown (Sapajus apella) and white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus)" by Lauren M. Robinson, F. Blake Morton, Marieke C. Gartner, Jane Widness, Annika Paukner, Jennifer L. Essler, Sarah F. Brosnan and Alexander Weiss (Journal of Comparative Psychology, 2016[Nov], Vol 130[4], 305-312). In the article, there is an error in several of the Tables in the Results. The coefficients related to Attentiveness were unintentionally reversed-scored. As these associations were not significant, this error had no effect on the interpretation of the results. (The following abstract of the original article appeared in record 2016-39633-001.) One way to gain insights into personality evolution is by comparing the personality structures of related species. We compared the personality structure of 240 wild white-faced capuchin monkeys to the personality structure of 100 captive brown capuchin monkeys. An ancillary goal was to test the degree to which different personality questionnaires yielded similar personality dimensions. Both species were rated on a common set of 26 antonym pairs. The brown capuchin monkeys were also rated on the 54-item Hominoid Personality Questionnaire. Our cross-species comparisons revealed 3 personality dimensions-Assertiveness, Openness, and Neuroticism-shared by brown and white-faced capuchins, suggesting that these dimensions were present in the common ancestor of these species. Our comparison of the dimensions derived from the antonym pairs and the Hominoid Personality Questionnaire revealed that three common dimensions were identified by both questionnaires. In addition, the dimension Attentiveness was only identified using the Hominoid Personality Questionnaire. These results indicate that major features of capuchin personality are conserved and that the structure of some traits, such as those related to focus, persistence, and attention, diverged. Further work is needed to identify the evolutionary bases that led to the conservation of some dimensions but not others. (PsycINFO Database Record

Assessing imprecision in Cochrane systematic reviews: a comparison of GRADE and Trial Sequential Analysis

BackgroundThe evaluation of imprecision is a key dimension of the grading of the confidence in the estimate. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) gives recommendations on how to downgrade evidence for imprecision, but authors vary in their use. Trial Sequential Analysis (TSA) has been advocated for a more reliable assessment of imprecision. We aimed to evaluate reporting of and adherence to GRADE and to compare the assessment of imprecision of intervention effects assessed by GRADE and TSA in Cochrane systematic reviews.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we included 100 Cochrane reviews irrespective of type of intervention with a key dichotomous outcome meta-analyzed and assessed by GRADE. The methods and results sections of each review were assessed for adequacy of imprecision evaluation. We re-analyzed imprecision following the GRADE Handbook and the TSA Manual.ResultsOverall, only 13.0% of reviews stated the criteria they applied to assess imprecision. The most common dimensions were the 95% width of the confidence intervals and the optimal information size. Review authors downgraded 48.0% of key outcomes due to imprecision. When imprecision was re-analyzed following the GRADE Handbook, 64% of outcomes were downgraded. Agreement between review authors’ assessment and assessment by the authors of this study was moderate (kappa 0.43, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.23 to 0.58). TSA downgraded 69.0% outcomes due to imprecision. Agreement between review authors’ GRADE assessment and TSA, irrespective of downgrading levels, was moderate (kappa 0.43, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.57). Agreement between our GRADE assessment following the Handbook and TSA was substantial (kappa 0.66, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.79).ConclusionsIn a sample of Cochrane reviews, methods for assessing imprecision were rarely reported. GRADE according to Handbook guidelines and TSA led to more severe judgment of imprecision rather than GRADE adopted by reviews’ authors. Cochrane initiatives to improve adherence to GRADE Handbook are warranted. TSA may transparently assist in such development.

Investigation on structural behavior of ring-stiffened composite offshore rubber hose under internal pressure

Ring-stiffened composite offshore rubber hose of single carcass is commonly used for offshore oil transfer. Common hose dimensions are length of 10.7 m and nominal diameter of 500 mm. The nominal burst pressure is 7.5 MPa, equal to five times rated working pressure of 1.5 MPa. The hose carcass is composite cylindrical tube made of rubber, reinforcing fiber cords and steel spiral stiffener that provides radial stiffness. In hose design, the burst pressure shall be determined to verify its pressure bearing capacity. In this paper, a nonlinear finite element hose model is created with commercial software ABAQUS and validated to predict its structural behavior under internal pressure. The large deformations, interactions between components and nonlinear material properties of hyperelastic rubber and fibers are considered. Stresses of stiffener, radial and axial deformation and load in reinforcement plies are obtained. A bulging phenomenon amid two stiffeners is found, which indicates the confine effect of stiffeners. Failure pressure is jointly determined by the strength limit of polymer cords and steel stiffener. The influence of different fibers and rubbers on hose pressure-deformation response are compared. The results demonstrate good accordance with requirement of specification. The finite element model can predict hose failure pressure and provide guidance for reliable hose design in practice.

色，香り，音楽に共通する印象次元の検討2

色，香り，音楽に共通する印象次元の検討2

Beyond postmodernism: a non-western perspective on identity

ABSTRACTThis article offers a critique of the Eurocentric nature of postmodernism and argues that it is necessary for non-Western peoples and cultures to go beyond postmodernism in their quest for their own identity in the globalization era. Non-Western ideas and ideals of personhood are important and valuable alternatives to the Western individualistic self-concept when it comes to reconsidering and reconceptualizing what it means to be fully human in the world. The article, therefore, aims to theorize the nature and dimensions of identity from a non-Western perspective. This article first contends that the conception of self in Eurocentric traditions of modernism and postmodernism are not apt to accurately and adequately capture selfhood in non-Western societies, which is predicated on radically different ontological and epistemological assumptions. By using a culture-as-living-tradition approach, then, the article delineates the Kemetic (ancient Egyptian) and Confucian modes of selfhood as an example of non-Western theorization of identity. More specifically, this article identifies five common dimensions of these African and Asian ways of being human: (1) collectivity, (2) morality, (3) sensitivity, (4) transformability and (5) inclusivity.

Associations of positive orientation with health and psychosocial adaptation: A review of findings and perspectives

Earlier findings have shown that positive evaluations about oneself, life, and future are related to each other and can be traced to a common latent dimension originally named positive orientation and then positivity. Further findings have led to the development of an eight‐item scale that allows a direct measurement of positivity. A review is presented of the major findings that point to positivity as a basic self‐evaluative disposition and that attest to its relevant impact across domains of functioning. Finally, possible avenues for promoting positivity and to allow individuals to fully benefit from it are discussed.

Measuring corporate social responsibility: A critical review of survey instruments

AbstractThe purpose of this study is to identify and review survey instruments used to evaluate stakeholders' perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CSR). In this article, the Thomson Reuters Web of Science database was used to search for relevant articles. A systematic review of published studies from 1990 to 2017 identified apposite survey instruments employed to measure the stakeholders' perceptions of CSR. Articles were analyzed for descriptive information and psychometric validity. A total of 43 survey instruments were found that measured stakeholders' CSR perception. Of those, 20 articles included all psychometric properties. In addition, the analysis suggested economic, legal, ethical, discretionary/philanthropic, social, and environmental responsibilities as common dimensions. This study contributes to CSR literature by providing several suggestions regarding the development of survey instruments to measure the stakeholders' perceptions of CSR.

An Exploration of Subjective Situation Dimensions Associated With Situation-Specific Behavior

The current research presents a general framework for assessing the subjective perception of situations. The framework was used to assess freely listed situations relevant to participants’ daily lives as well as laboratory situations in which behavior was objectively assessed. Exploratory factor analyses revealed five common situation dimensions that map closely to the Big Five: positive affect (PA)/affiliation, negative affect (NA), achievement, dominance/aggression, and situation strength. Results indicate that the five situation dimensions are sensitive to experimentally manipulated characteristics of situations. Further, correlations between subjective situation dimensions and both self-reported and nonself-reported behavior indicate that the situation dimensions possess predictive validity and that the subjective perception of situations is associated with situation-specific behavior. The correspondence between situation perception and personality is discussed.

Servitization in managerial literature: A content analysis

One of the most important phenomena of the modern economy is servitization, conceived as the evolution from offering a simply material product to a productservice system. The literature on servitization is rich but also composite and quite heterogeneous. Contributions adopt different perspectives with different research objectives and often use a variety of names to refer to the same thing, making it difficult to define and precisely circumscribe the phenomenon. Considering the state of the art, this work aims to analyse the managerial literature to bring to light common dimensions scholars use when dealing with servitization, thus proposing a new way of cataloguing that goes beyond the idea of mainstreams and research communities and considers multiple aspects of the phenomenon at the same time through multivariate statistical methods. The literature analysis was carried out using the content analysis technique, which allows reducing a phenomenon in a set of defined categories, thereby facilitating its analysis and interpretation. Data analysis identified three main research dimensions, which allowed sampling of papers in four different clusters and leading to the identification of four main research areas in the managerial literature. Insights for future research are consequently identified.

여수지역 재래 민가(在來民家) 가구(架構) 구성의 공통치수에 관한 연구

여수지역 재래 민가(在來民家) 가구(架構) 구성의 공통치수에 관한 연구

Towards a Refined New Concept of New Urbanism in Egypt

This paper introduces a method to apply the principles of New Urbanism in an Egyptian neighbourhood unit. It extends to their relationship with the common dimensions of urban design. It proposes four objectives: a) Interpret the new concepts of New Urbanism, b) Cite principles of Urbanism and trends emanating from it, c) Discover the structure of the philosophical concept of urbanization and d) Design a matrix inventories the compatibility of the principles of New Urbanism and urban design dimensions. Finally, the matrix tests the combination of the principles and the dimensions in a traditional Egyptian urban fabric, Basilica Church Plaza.

Joint Central Limit Theorem for Eigenvalue Statistics from Several Dependent Large Dimensional Sample Covariance Matrices with Application

AbstractLet Xn = (xij) be a k×n data matrix with complex‐valued, independent and standardized entries satisfying a Lindeberg‐type moment condition. We consider simultaneously R sample covariance matrices , where the Qr's are non‐random real matrices with common dimensions p×k(k≥p). Assuming that both the dimension p and the sample size n grow to infinity, the limiting distributions of the eigenvalues of the matrices {Bnr} are identified, and as the main result of the paper, we establish a joint central limit theorem (CLT) for linear spectral statistics of the R matrices {Bnr}. Next, this new CLT is applied to the problem of testing a high‐dimensional white noise in time series modelling. In experiments, the derived test has a controlled size and is significantly faster than the classical permutation test, although it does have lower power. This application highlights the necessity of such joint CLT in the presence of several dependent sample covariance matrices. In contrast, all the existing works on CLT for linear spectral statistics of large sample covariance matrices deal with a single sample covariance matrix (R = 1).

Dimensions of service quality in higher education – critical review (students’ perspective)

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to review the dimensions of service quality used in different countries across the world, especially in the higher education sector.Design/methodology/approachContent analysis is used to get a comprehensive insight of the studies accumulated from some of the selected databases such as Emerald Insight, Ebsco ABI/inform, etc. All these studies are related to the measuring of service quality in higher education.FindingsThe result of this paper reveals that SERVQUAL is the most widely accepted scale which has its dominance in the higher education setting. The paper focuses on revealing the dimensions which are used in the past studies. The paper notices a huge variation in the items as well as constructs while exploring the dimensions. Further, it is observed that many of the studies considered in this paper picked dimensions from other studies, expert opinions and factor analysis. In addition to this, it is found that different scales are proposed and checked for their reliability and validity through the confirmatory factor analysis. Few studies confirm the validity using average variance extracted (AVE), model fit values and correlations.Practical implicationsThe study will help other researchers to get a summarised form of different dimensions used in the higher education setting. It also points out the essential and common dimensions of similar studies. Further, with different samples and geographical location, it can help us to identify how the dimension varies as we move from one part to another around the globe with different samples. Further, it formulates directions to pick correct combination of scale, administration and methods that are useful in collecting the data and getting the inference out of it under correct settings.Originality/valueThe summarisation of different studies will help the researchers to have a holistic view of the important studies that took place in the higher education setting.

ComDim for explorative multi-block data analysis of Cantal-type cheeses: Effects of salts, gentle heating and ripening

Common Dimension (ComDim) chemometrics method for multi-block data analysis was employed to evaluate the impact of different added salts and ripening times on physicochemical, color, dynamic low amplitude oscillatory rheology, texture profile, and molecular structure (fluorescence and MIR spectroscopies) of five Cantal-type cheeses. Firstly, Independent Components Analysis (ICA) was applied separately on fluorescence and MIR spectra in order to extract the relevant signal source and the associated proportions related to molecular structure characteristics. ComDim was then applied on the 31 data tables corresponding to the proportion of ICA signals obtained for spectral methods and the global analysis of cheeses by the other techniques. The ComDim results indicated that generally cheeses made with 50% NaCl or with 75:25% NaCl/KCl exhibit the equivalent characteristics in structural, textural, meltability and color properties. The proposed methodology demonstrates the applicability of ComDim for the characterization of samples when different techniques describe the same samples.