Current Product Research Articles

Numerical Simulation of Cathode Nodule Local Effects

As one of the main factors decreasing current efficiency and product quality, the growth of nodules deserves attention in the copper electrorefining process. Three-dimensional (3D) Finite Element Method models combining tertiary current distribution and fluid flow were established in this study to investigate the details of the growth of columnar nodules, including the electrolyte flow around the nodule and its effects. Compared with an inert nodule, a significant impact of the electrochemical reaction of an active nodule has been observed on the fluid flow, which may be one of the reasons for the formation of small nodule clusters on the cathode. Furthermore, the local current density is not even on the nodule surface under the comprehensive influence of local electrolyte flow, local overvoltage, and the angle with the anode surface. Thus, the head of an active nodule grows faster than the root, and the upper parts grow faster than the lower parts, leading to asymmetric growth of the nodules.

Health and economic burden of insufficient physical activity in Saudi Arabia.

Insufficient physical activity (PA) was estimated to cause 4.8% of deaths and 2.6% of disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) due to noncommunicable diseases in Saudi Arabia in 2019. While Saudi Arabia is already achieving great improvements, we predict the health and economic burden of insufficient PA up to 2040 to present a case for policy makers to invest more in the uptake of PA. Using a population health model to estimate avoidable health loss, we identified four causes of health loss related to low PA (cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer) and estimated the deaths and DALYs from these causes. We projected the expected disease burden until 2040 under alternative assumptions about future PA levels and trends by using three health scenarios: baseline (no change in 2019 PA levels), intervention (81% of the population achieving sufficient PA levels), and ideal (65% of population: moderate PA, 30%: high PA, and 5%: inactive). We applied an "intrinsic value" approach to estimate the economic impact of each scenario. Overall, we estimate that between 2023 and 2040, about 80,000 to 110,000 deaths from all causes and 2.0 million to 2.9 million DALYs could be avoided by increasing PA levels in Saudi Arabia. The average annual economic loss from insufficient PA is valued at 0.49% to 0.68% of the current gross domestic product, with an average of US$5.4 billion to US$7.6 billion annually till 2040. The most avoidable disease burden and economic losses are expected among males and because of ischemic heart disease. This study highlights that low PA levels will have considerable health and economic impacts in Saudi Arabia if people remain inactive and do not start following interventions. There is an urgent need to develop innovative programs and policies to encourage PA among all age and sex groups.

Research on Product Competitiveness of the Digital Music Platform: A Case Study of the QQ Music Platform

The advent of the information age has led to a gradual transition of the traditional music industry towards digital development. This report delves into product innovation strategies implemented by QQ Music, such as its copyright strategy and product features, in response to intense competition within the digital music market. Based on the key findings, this report discusses how QQ Music’s innovative strategies have contributed to reinforcing the company’s dominance within China’s music streaming industry. A thorough SWOT analysis also serves as a strategic compass, highlighting the ways in which QQ Music strategically builds on its innate strengths and aggressively addresses its shortcomings. With a forward-looking perspective, this report provides insights into the future trajectory of QQ Music. The aim is to evolve strategies in response to changing copyright policies and to increase market competition. This research demonstrates QQ Music’s current product competitiveness and serves as a strategic roadmap for the platform’s future endeavors. Through constant strategy adjustments and grappling with the industry trend, QQ Music is positioned to both navigate and actively shape the changing digital music streaming marketplace in China.

Interactive design of intelligent wearable products based on network communication technology

At this stage, network communication technology is increasingly mature, and intelligent wearable products are also widely used in human daily life. Wearable products are popular with users because of their numerous types, complete functions and convenient services. Wearable products integrate interaction technology, and users can interact with products. However, how to improve the user’s interaction experience and reduce the user’s cognitive burden on the interaction interface is an urgent problem in the current product interaction design. Therefore, based on the analysis of the types and related technologies of wearable products, this paper made a specific analysis of the interaction design of wearable products, and established an interaction design model. At the same time, the wearable fall detection system was also tested by machine learning algorithm. The experimental results showed that the average test result of the algorithm in this paper was 87.39%, while the average test result of the traditional algorithm was 83.79%. In terms of the missed alarm rate of fall detection, the average test result of this algorithm was 6.4%, while the average test result of the traditional algorithm was 12.33%. In terms of fall detection sensitivity, the average test result of this algorithm was 92.50%, while the average test result of the traditional algorithm was 88.24%. Compared with traditional algorithms, this method performs better, with lower missed detection rate and higher sensitivity. Innovative combination of machine learning algorithm, through three-dimensional coordinate system, differentiation and vector sum formula, improves the accuracy and reliability of fall detection. In conclusion, the algorithm in this paper can effectively optimize the relevant performance of the system, thus improving the accuracy of the system’s fall detection.

IJCM_382A: Awareness regarding use of menstrual cups among female college students in Mangalore

Background: Menstruation is a normal body function requiring proper menstrual hygiene products. There are many products available for management of mensuration among which one of the most undervalued products is the menstrual cup. Despite all of the many sustainable advantages it offers, the use of menstrual cup is limited to not even 10 percent of menstruating women Objective: 1. To assess the knowledge of usage of menstrual cups amongst female non-medical students. 2. To evaluate the willingness to use menstrual cups amongst female non-medical students Methodology: The study was conducted in non-health science colleges of Mangalore. The participants were undergraduate female students. Non-random convenient sampling was used and the study was conducted in March 2022. A self-administered semi-structured questionnaire was created using Google Forms. Institutional Ethics Committee (IEC) approval and permission from college authorities was obtained prior to commencement of study. Results: Majority of students had heard about a menstrual cup (92.1%) but 87.7% of the participants used sanitary pads and only 4.6% used menstrual cups. After obtaining knowledge from the study, 45% of the participants agreed to use a menstrual cup if available and 46.9% would recommend it to their family and friends. Menstrual cup knowledge was found to be significantly correlated with study course (p=0.043) and current sanitary product use (p=0.001). Conclusion: The main concerns regarding menstrual cups among participants were limited knowledge, discomfort, and limited availability. Many participants had no idea about menstruation cups and it’s functioning and method to dispose of them.

Recycling Product Model and Its Application for Quantitative Assessment of Product Recycling Properties

The consideration of environmental factors is common in current product design. For the purpose of the assessment of recycling properties of a product, quantitative measures have been defined in the literature. The main obstacle in using these measures in practical design is lack of data in typical product models. In this article, a Recycling Product Model (RPM) is presented. The RPM enables calculations of quantitative assessment measures defined in the literature directly from a CAD 3D product model. The term RPM and elements of the RPM are described. The functionality of the software dedicated for the RPM is presented. The use of the RPM is demonstrated based on a case study of an actual CAD 3D product model. The article concludes by outlining the potential use of the RPM for other purposes; the limitations of the RPM are elucidated in the conclusions of the article.

A novel algorithm for ocean chlorophyll-a concentration using MODIS Aqua data

The ability to infer ocean chlorophyll-a concentrations (Chla) from spaceborne instruments is key to assessments of global ocean productivity and monitoring of water quality. Here, we present a novel parametric algorithm, OCG, trained on a set of global in situ high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) data that leverages Level-3 remote sensing reflectance (Rrs) products from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aboard the Aqua satellite. The OCG algorithm leverages more bands than existing algorithms and also provides pixel-wise uncertainty assessments that enable the calculation of the probability of exceeding specific Chla thresholds. This feature has significant implications for water quality management, particularly in monitoring harmful algal blooms. The OCG surpasses existing algorithms in bias and accuracy without overfitting, especially in coastal areas, where it outperforms the current standard product (CI OC3) by 20 % in median symmetric accuracy. Moreover, the OCG reduces the signed symmetric percentage bias (SSPB) in coastal regions from 41 % (CI OC3) to below 5 %. Globally, the OCG algorithm yields lower Chla in coastal regions, the Southern Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, and higher values in the open ocean, particularly in ocean gyres and polar regions. For the Chesapeake Bay and the Baltic Sea, for example, daily OCG estimates for 2002 to 2021 are, on average, 2.9 g/L and 3.7 g/L lower than CI OC3 estimates, respectively. The presented approach also shows great potential for other existing and upcoming sensors, enabling widespread application in remote sensing.

Recent Stressful Experiences and Electronic Nicotine Product Use Among Young Adults

Background and Objective: The goal of the current study was to examine how specific recent stressors are related to electronic nicotine product use among young adults. Despite increases in electronic nicotine product use among adults, stressors shaping the use of these products remain largely unknown. The current study examined the types and average severity of stressors endorsed between young adults with past 30-day electronic nicotine product use and young adults with no lifetime use, as well as the association between frequency of recent electronic nicotine product use and average severity of stressors. Methods: 175 current electronic nicotine product users and 333 lifetime abstainers of electronic nicotine products and cigarettes reported recent stressful experiences that occurred in the past six months, as well as lifetime and past 30-day substance use. Chi-square, independent samples t-test, and regression analyses were performed. Results: There were no significant group differences in the primary type of stressor experienced (p = 0.320) or average stress of the three recent stressful experiences reported (p = 0.246). There was no significant relationship between electronic nicotine product use and average stress of the three recent stressful experiences, controlling for demographic and substance use covariates (p = 0.150). Both current electronic nicotine product users and lifetime abstainers endorsed school, family, and romantic relationship stressors most frequently as their top stressors. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine group differences in specific stressor categories and perceived stress between current electronic nicotine product users and lifetime abstainers of these products. Given the novel assessment of stressor types, the current study provides a critical starting point for research on this timely topic. In addition, due to the high overlap between stress and nicotine use, future studies should investigate different populations of electronic nicotine product users and other methods to assess stressful experiences.

Objective Characteristics and Subjective Responses of 18–24-Year-Olds to U.S. nationally Televised Tobacco Advertisements

Background: Restrictions on televised tobacco ads do not apply to vaping and oral nicotine products. Several campaigns are currently active on U.S. national television. This research examines the extent to which objective ad features are associated with ad, brand, and product appeal and use intentions among 18-24-year-olds. Methods: We identified seven unique campaigns for Vuse, Velo, and JUUL from the Mintel Comperemedia database, coded for youth-appealing content, and then randomly assigned among N = 1450 18-24-year-olds. Following exposure to one 15-second ad, participants completed a survey assessing their subjective responses. Results: Youth-appealing content was prevalent across these ads to varying degrees. Mixed effects regression analyses showed a positive association between features from the Content Appealing to Youth (CAY) index and pro-social brand perceptions, positive attitudes, reactions, and perceived effectiveness of the ad, and positive use perceptions. Moreover, themes related to customization of the device and environmental sustainability were associated with similar positive perceptions, including that using the product would be cool, as well as behavioral intentions to try, use occasionally, and use daily. Conclusions: Regulators need to update tobacco advertising restrictions to accurately reflect the current tobacco product landscape. This study contributes to the research on tobacco promotion strategies by examining the current marketing landscape for newer tobacco products and their appeal to youth. Findings from this study inform comprehensive tobacco marketing regulations, recommending the FDA update its guidelines and apply current marketing restrictions to e-cigarettes and oral nicotine products.

Fractional PID with Genetic Algorithm Approach for Industrial Tank Level Control Process

Process control is used in various types of industries to boost production while using current resources, product quality, and safety, with level control being one of the most important schemes. It is suggested that study be conducted on nonlinear continuous processes, particularly in process control applications such as conical tank level control. Initially, each process receives one set of Proportional-Integral (PI) controller settings and a First Order Plus Dead-Time (FOPDT) model using the Ziegler Nicholas (ZN) step response tuning method. The numerous FOPDT models and parameter sets are also obtained. Responses obtained with a single set of parameters and responses obtained with many sets of parameters are compared. By creating a Fractional PID Controller (FPID) with Genetic Algorithm (GA), a simulation-based tuning strategy is proposed. The step responses are acquired through experimental research using fine-tuned settings. At most operational points, the Fractional PID Controller with Genetic Algorithm-based tuning approach outperforms, with lowest oscillation, extremely tiny overshoot, minimum average ISE, and minimum average IAE. The proposed FPID with GA method provides better setpoint and regulatory tracking performance compared to ZN-PID.

Influence of Online Shopping Sites on Buying Behavior of Youth

The goal of the study is to determine how consumers feel about the apps like Flip-kart, Amazon, Mynthra, Snapdealetc .The internet evolved become a more essential and potent instrument for every person’s need and way of life. The study’s goal is to examine current customer product preferences, buying patterns, and purchase decisions made using various online shopping apps, such as Flip-kart, Amazon and Snapdeal etc. The majority of respondents are happy with the high rankings for ease of finding products, practicality, and deals or discounted costs. According to the research, online decision-support tools have the power to fundamentally alter how customers look for product information and decide what to buy.

Aqueous Electrocatalytic Reduction as a Low‐Carbon and Green Route for Chemical Synthesis and Environmental Remediation

AbstractThe green electricity‐driven electrocatalytic reduction of organic compounds in aqueous solution has merged as a sustainable and green platform for organic electrosynthesis, upcycling of chemical waste, and environmental remediation. Compared with the thermocatalytic hydrogenation process, the electrocatalytic reduction of organic compounds uses water as a proton source, which enables its operation at ambient conditions with simplified reaction schemes and significantly reduces operation cost and energy consumption. Most studies have demonstrated the development of electrocatalysts to boost the current efficiency, conversion, and product selectivity of the electrocatalytic reduction processes. Still, little attention has been paid to the mechanism (e. g., electron/proton transfer route) and related energetics behind the electrocatalytic reduction process. This Concept overviews the recent development of the electrocatalytic reduction systems for environmental remediation, pollutant upcycling, and valorization of biomass‐derived chemicals. This Concept highlights the underlying mechanisms and aims to provide instructive guidance on designing efficient and selective electrocatalytic systems.

Applying a System of Systems Perspective to Hyundai‐Kia's Virtual Tire Development

ABSTRACTSystems engineering has become important in almost every complex product manufacturing industry, especially automotive. Emerging trends like vehicle electrification and autonomous driving now pose a system of systems (SoS) engineering challenge to automotive OEMs. This paper presents a proof‐of‐concept (PoC) that applies a top‐down SoS perspective to Hyundai‐Kia Motor Corporation's (HKMC) virtual product development process to develop a performance‐critical component of the vehicle, the tire. The PoC demonstrates using the Arcadia MBSE method to develop a consistent, layered, vehicle architecture model starting from the SoS operational context down to the lowest level of system decomposition in the physical architecture thereby capturing top‐down knowledge traceability Using the concept of functional chains, several vehicle performance views are captured that serve as the basis for architecture verification orchestration across engineering domains using a cross‐domain orchestration platform thereby validating key vehicle/tire performance metrics that influence the tire design parameters. Preliminary results of the study show that applying a method‐based modeling approach could provide several benefits to HKMC's current product development approach such as reduced time to model, SoS knowledge capture and reusability, parameter/requirement traceability, early performance verification, and effective systems engineering collaboration between the OEM, tire design supplier, and tire manufacturers.

Range current retrieval fromsentinel-1 SAR ocean product based on deep learning

ABSTRACT In this study, the feasibility of current retrieval from Sentinel-1 (S-1) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) in the radar look/range direction is investigated. S-1 Ocean (OCN) products acquired in interferometric wide (IW) mode in the regions with the western boundary current, i.e., the western Pacific and western Atlantic, are collected for the period from 2020 to 2022, which are collocated with the current field from HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM). The OCN wind, HYCOM current, and Stokes drift estimated from the OCN wave parameters are geometric projected to be the range direction. In addition, the Doppler centroid anomaly (DCA) is estimated using the difference between the radar return Doppler frequency and the predicted Doppler shift, which are derived from the OCN products. The dependences of the upper ocean dynamics in the range direction on the DCA are studied, and it is found that the range Stokes drift, wind speed, and current speed are linearly related to the DCA. Based on deep learning, denoted as multi-layer perceptron, a range current retrieval algorithm from the OCN product is developed using two-thirds of the collocated dataset, and the root mean square error (RMSE) of the range current speed converges to 0.15 ms−1. In particular, the wave-induced surface Stokes drift is considered in the process. Comparison of one-third of the dataset yields an RMSE of 0.14 ms−1 for the range current speed, a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.85, and a bias of −0.001 ms−1. Validation against several moored buoys shows an RMSE of 0.12 ms−1 with a r of 0.74 and a bias of −0.01 ms−1. Under this circumstance, it is believed that the algorithm used in this study is applicable for range current retrieval from the S-1 OCN product.

Evaluate the current and predict the future real GDP of Afar regional state, Ethiopia

Ethiopia has implemented numerous national development plans and strategies to achieve sustainable economic growth at both the national and regional levels, specifically in the Afar region. However, there has been a lack of assessment regarding the outcomes and expected goals of these plans and strategies, particularly for the regional economy. Hence, this study assesses the current and future gross domestic product (GDP) of Ethiopia’s Afar regional state. It analyzes the data using a descriptive and econometric model called autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA). The analysis shows that the regional GDP has been increasing over time, but per capita income remains below the national average. The service sector dominates the economy, while the growth of the industry sector has been stagnant. This indicates that development policies have not achieved their goals of reducing poverty and transforming the economy. Using the ARIMA model, it is projected that the Afar regional GDP will gradually increase from 19,300.20 Billion Birr to 21,678.20 Billion Birr between 2023q1 and 2025q4, with an average growth rate of 10%. It is important for development policies to prioritize not just economic growth, but also social development within local communities. This involves addressing issues related to institutional capacity, and governance, and leveraging agricultural resources to benefit agro-pastoralists and pastoralists, as the agricultural sector is the main driver of the economy. By understanding the present and projected GDP of the Afar regional state, policymakers and stakeholders can make informed decisions for sustainable and inclusive economic growth.

Benefits evaluation of ecological restoration projects based on value realization of ecological products

Ecological restoration project is the premise to realize the value of ecological products. The current ecological product value accounting and ecological restoration project benefit evaluation methods are interlinked. The benefit evaluation of ecological restoration projects can not only analyze the completion of ecological restoration projects, but also quantify the impact of externalities on regional development. This study proposes a hypothesis that the benefit evaluation results of ecological restoration projects can affect the realization of urban ecological product value. In order to verify the above hypothesis, this study designed a benefit evaluation framework to evaluate the economic benefits, ecological benefits and project costs of ecological restoration projects. In this study, the benefit evaluation results are divided into three cases to calculate the benefit-cost ratio under different conditions. The three cases are only considering the direct economic benefits (DEB), considering the indirect economic benefits (TEB) and considering the comprehensive benefits (AEB). Taking Jiangyin City of Jiangsu Province as an example, the benefit evaluation of water source protection project in Jiangyin City is carried out. The results show that the benefit-cost ratios in the three cases are 6.68,7.60 and 9.36, respectively. The results show that the benefit-cost ratio is different in different benefit situations. Therefore, when discussing the realization path of ecological product value in ecological restoration areas, it is also necessary to discuss the situation. The evaluation system can provide reference for the benefit evaluation of ecological restoration projects, and also provide data and theoretical support for the realization of regional ecological product value.

School Connectedness and Adolescent E-cigarette Susceptibility in an Urban Sample of Middle and High School Students.

Adolescent school connectedness generally protects from risk behaviors such as tobacco use; however, its relationship to e-cigarette use is unclear. This study examines the relationship between adolescent school connectedness and e-cigarette susceptibility in a diverse longitudinal sample. This secondary analysis of a school-based intervention surveyed 608 middle (66%) and high school (34%) students from 10 schools at 3 time points over 1year. At baseline, respondents had a mean age of 14years, 54% were female, and 71% were BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color). Logistic regression models examined unadjusted and adjusted associations between school connectedness (both baseline and concurrent) and e-cigarette susceptibility over time. E-cigarettes represented the most prevalent form of current nicotine-containing product use in spring 2019 (2.3%), and most respondents reported no e-cigarette susceptibility (69%). E-cigarette susceptibility remained relatively stable during the study. Higher baseline school connectedness levels were associated with lower odds of e-cigarette susceptibility over time. Similarly, higher concurrent school connectedness scores were associated with lower odds of e-cigarette susceptibility over time: spring 2019 (OR, 0.39; 95% CI, 0.32, 0.47), fall 2019 (OR, 0.49; 95% CI, 0.34, 0.72), and spring 2020 (OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.47, 0.87). Findings were similar for middle and high school students and did not differ significantly after adjusting for other covariates. Adolescents' school connectedness appears to protect from e-cigarette susceptibility over time, underscoring the importance of promoting positive school experiences to reduce adolescent risk e-cigarette use.

Modeling Planar Electrodes and Zero‐Gap Membrane Electrode Assemblies for CO2 Electrolysis

AbstractMultiphysics modeling enables probing of conditions inside a CO2 electrolyzer that are difficult to measure, such as local concentrations and pH, as well as rapid testing of possible design changes. A one‐dimensional model for a zero‐gap membrane electrode assembly (MEA) CO2 electrolyzer was developed with the assumption that catalyst layers interact with the membrane ionomer such that the ionomer affects the underlying kinetics. The kinetics for bicarbonate reacting to form hydrogen are fit using a planar electrode model for silver with an ionomer coating. The MEA model results are validated against experimental studies for current density and product selectivity. Flooding of the cathode is modeled using saturation curves, and results show that blocked pores in the microporous layer play a significant role in limiting the mass transport at high potentials (>2.8 V). Sensitivity studies showed that CO Faradaic efficiency can be increased by decreasing catalyst layer thickness and porosity, and decreasing KHCO3 concentration.

Modulating surface zinc species via facet engineering for efficient electroreduction of CO2 to CO

Zn-based catalysts have attracted widespread interest in electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 to CO, but they struggle to achieve large current densities and high product selectivity. Herein, we develop two kinds of faceted ZnO nanorods with subtle changes in crystallography and surface composition, simply by adjusting thermal annealing conditions. The ZnO nanorods with high numbers of (101) facets (ZnO (101)) and a reorganized Zn-rich surface exhibit higher catalytic performance compared to conventional ZnO nanorods with more (002) crystal planes and an oxygen-rich surface. The ZnO (101) catalyst shows superior FECO (>90 %) over a broad potential range, and an attractive CO partial current density of − 215.3 mA cm−2 in flow cells. DFT results further reveal that CO2 molecules are more easily activated on the reorganized surface of the ZnO (101), which significantly facilitates the formation of *COOH and inhibits the hydrogen evolution reaction, leading to remarkable activity and selectivity.

A method for the competitiveness estimation of the incremental new product through user-generated content

The current dynamic market environment challenges successful incremental new product (INP) launches, compelling enterprise managers to promptly recognize and respond to competitive situations. Estimating INP competitiveness before sale helps enterprise managers adjust their strategies effectively and in a timely manner to ensure successful INP launches. However, a lack of historical evaluation information challenges the estimation. Given that INPs are updates of existing products, massive user-generated content (UGC) regarding existing products and the new product launch provides an appropriate data source for estimating INPs' competitiveness. Therefore, this study proposes a method for estimating the competitiveness of INP using UGC. First, the INP product attributes are classified as non-updated or updated. For the former, existing products containing the same attribute values are used as references, and their reference values are measured based on the time and price of the first sale. UGC regarding the launch of INPs serves as a data source for the latter. Sentiment analysis is performed on the UGC concerning product attributes to obtain the sentiment tendency and sentiment intensity for constructing an intuitive fuzzy number, which represents INP's attribute performance. INP's product performance is estimated by considering attribute weights determined by customer attention. INP's competitiveness in the market environment is then estimated by comparing its product performance with that of competing products. Finally, the proposed method is applied to a mobile phone, and its effectiveness and applicability are verified.