Product Model Research Articles

A productive pedagogy of liminality: a counterpoint to a limited performativity

ABSTRACT Education as a journey of human becoming involves commitment to one’s ethical life project as well as learning to live well and actively participate with others in an ever-changing socio-cultural, political and material world. This paradoxical journey is at the heart of our philosophical criticism of contemporary policy impulses to formulate risk averse pedagogies which centre on a product model of outcomes. We draw from philosophical perspectives of liminality and the Productive Pedagogy study from Australia to inform our position by indicating how students make sense of pedagogical experiences in unique, deeply personal, corporeal and limitlessness ways. We use Aquatics Education as a useful symbolic representation for the immersive, embodied and relational practices involved in human becoming; practices that we aver need to be acknowledged, while never fully defined. These practices require teachers’ localised autonomous judgements in evaluating risk for dilemmas encountered. Holistic experiences, provided by games with gravity, are consistent with such ‘aesthetic experiences’ for primacy of the subject/subjective. Our affirmative critique reveals how immersive experiences occupy a defensible position for our concept of a Productive Pedagogy of Liminality, which aims to open affordances for each student’s ethical life project by heightening subjective awareness between body and spirit.

Identifying At-Risk Factors of a College Course in Blended Mode and a Case Study

A framework was proposed to identify the at-risk factors of college courses in blended mode, offering suggestions for continuous improvement. An indicator system concerning teaching quality characteristics was constructed based on context, input, process, and product (CIPP) model. Subsequently, the group Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) algorithm was employed to assign weights to each indicator. Notably, the approach for assessing the consistency of the judgment matrix was improved, with a focus on preserving the initial judgments of the experts to the greatest extent. Finally, results were computed using a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation. Continuous improvements were suggested to enhance the teaching quality of the course and improve student learning outcomes. A typical case study was presented to illustrate the detailed process of the proposed framework. The evaluation results demonstrate its potential as a new tool for understanding blended teaching mode and enhancing learning outcomes across various college courses.

Understanding User Experience with Smart Home Products

ABSTRACT There has been a surge in the popularity of smart home products. Existing literature primarily focuses on the initial adoption of these products, with less attention given to the post-adoption stage. This has created a research gap in understanding user experience (UX) and the key dimensions of user satisfaction and dissatisfaction. This study aims to address this gap by examining both positive and negative user experiences with smart home products. Using robotic vacuum cleaners as a case study, we analyze key UX dimensions derived from their positive and negative reviews on Amazon.com that influence user satisfaction and dissatisfaction, respectively. Dimensions contributing to satisfaction include “functionality,” “smartness,” and “enhanced capacity (mopping feature).” In contrast, “insufficient smartness,” “poor customer service,” and “connectivity problems” are critical dimensions for user dissatisfaction. Notably, “smartness” serves as a double-edged sword, potentially leading to high satisfaction but also significant dissatisfaction if poorly implemented. Our analysis also includes a comparative examination of robotic vacuums with traditional vacuums, highlighting the different UX dimensions associated with each product type. Using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), we further examine the configurations of these UX dimensions that contribute to satisfaction and dissatisfaction. To generalize our findings, we applied our framework to smart thermostats and proposed a UX model for smart home products. Our findings not only fill the research gap in smart home literature but also offer valuable insights for practitioners in designing smart home products and developing marketing strategies. Our research method can be applied to understand user experience with various types of smart home products and other innovative technologies.

Evaluasi Program Bantuan Sosial Lansia Non Potensial di Kota Madiun dengan Model Context Input Process Product (CIPP)

The non-potential elderly social assistance program is Madiun City's flagship program for handling helpless elderly which is implemented on an ongoing basis, but has never been evaluated for its effectiveness. The aim of the research is to describe the results of the match between program achievements and the initial design and to determine the driving and inhibiting factors of the program. The research method is descriptive qualitative, with data collection techniques using observation, interviews and documentation. Evaluation uses the Context, Input, Process, and Product (CIPP) model. The results of the Context evaluation explain that the program objectives and target priorities are in line with community needs. Input shows that the instruments for implementing the program are incomplete. Process describes program implementation as less effective. The product shows that the program objectives have been achieved but have not been maximized. Meanwhile, factors driving the success of the program include the commitment of the Mayor of Madiun, fairly complete regulations, funding support, and community participation in implementing the program. Inhibiting factors include the limited number of implementing human resources, the lack of synergy between various parties, and the lack of an integrated system. The conclusion is that this program is still needed for the treatment of non-potential elderly, but program improvements need to be implemented immediately so that the goals are achieved more optimally.

Design of an Energy-Saving System for Smart Home Decoration Based on Situational Awareness

This article analyzes the specific energy-saving requirements for smart home decoration in the current market to determine the overall plan of the entire smart home decoration energy-saving system. Based on situational analysis combined with grounded theory, organize and summarize the original data, and use factor analysis for dimensionality reduction analysis. Combining the multi-level analysis method, experts evaluated and scored the user experience evaluation indicators, obtained the weight assignment of each influencing factor, and constructed a user experience evaluation model for smart home products based on situational theory. After extensive testing, it was found that the ZigBee based smart home network implemented in this article has low energy consumption, overcomes many shortcomings of smart home networks, and has high application value.

Mammalian Esterase Activity: Implications for Peptide Prodrugs.

As a traceless, bioreversible modification, the esterification of carboxyl groups in peptides and proteins has the potential to increase their clinical utility. An impediment is the lack of strategies to quantify esterase-catalyzed hydrolysis rates for esters in esterified biologics. We have developed a continuous Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay for esterase activity based on a peptidic substrate and a protease, Glu-C, that cleaves a glutamyl peptide bond only if the glutamyl side chain is a free acid. Using pig liver esterase (PLE) and human carboxylesterases, we validated the assay with substrates containing simple esters (e.g., ethyl) and esters designed to be released by self-immolation upon quinone methide elimination. We found that simple esters were not cleaved by esterases, likely for steric reasons. To account for the relatively low rate of quinone methide elimination, we extended the mathematics of the traditional Michaelis-Menten model to conclude with a first-order intermediate decay step. By exploring two regimes of our substrate → intermediate → product (SIP) model, we evaluated the rate constants for the PLE-catalyzed cleavage of an ester on a glutamyl side chain (kcat/KM = 1.63 × 103 M-1 s-1) and subsequent spontaneous quinone methide elimination to regenerate the unmodified peptide (kI = 0.00325 s-1; t1/2 = 3.55 min). The detection of esterase activity was also feasible in the human intestinal S9 fraction. Our assay and SIP model increase the understanding of the release kinetics of esterified biologics and facilitate the rational design of efficacious peptide prodrugs.

Nonexistence of mean curvature flow solitons with polynomial volume growth immersed in certain semi-Riemannian warped products

Abstract Our purpose is to establish nonexistence results concerning complete noncompact mean curvature flow solitons with polynomial volume growth immersed in certain semi-Riemannian warped products, under mild constraints on the warping and soliton functions. Applications to self-shrinkers in the Euclidean space, as well as to mean curvature flow solitons in other important warped product models such as the Schwarzschild and Reissner-Nordström spaces, and Robertson-Walker spacetimes such as the Einstein-de Sitter spacetime, are also given. Furthermore, we study the nonexistence of entire solutions to the mean curvature flow equation. Our approach is based on a suitable conformal change of metric jointly with a maximum principle for complete noncompact Riemannian manifolds with polynomial volume growth due to Alías et al.

Amplified temperature sensitivity of extreme precipitation events following heat stress

This study investigates global extreme precipitation events (EPEs) during warm seasons, with a particular focus on EPEs preceded by extreme heat stress (EPE-Hs) and a comparative analysis with those not (EPE-NHs). Using reanalysis product and Earth System Model data, the spatiotemporal characteristics and temperature sensitivities of EPEs are analyzed. Results show that EPE-Hs, while less frequent, have longer duration and greater magnitude compared to EPE-NHs, particularly in high latitude regions. In the future, a significant increase is projected in the characteristics of EPE-Hs, in contrast to the stable duration and magnitude of EPE-NHs. EPE-Hs demonstrate substantially higher temperature sensitivity than EPE-NHs, especially in low latitudes. The precipitation-temperature scaling relationships diverge markedly between EPE-Hs and EPE-NHs, with notable regional variations. These insights are pivotal for crafting region-specific early warning and adaptation strategies to mitigate the risks associated with extreme precipitation under the backdrop of global warming.

Development of decision support methods for efficient maintenance of urban wastewater systems

The sanitation network is a vital urban infrastructure that requires systematic and co-ordinated activities and practices to realize lowest life cycle cost. The sustainable management of this asset is based on the efficient acquisition of diagnostic data from the sanitation network in order to analyze the defects of each section, then to assess their condition to prioritize and consider the effective mode of maintenance of sections deemed failing. In this perspective, knowledge of the sanitation networks is essential for reliable classification of defects and effective maintenance. A numerical model based on weighted criticality is developed to evaluate and prioritize the defects in an urban sanitation network. It is based on the combination of two methods: Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (F-AHP) and Weighted Product Model (WPM). A case study of a real sanitation network in Bejaia city (Algeria), consisting mainly of non-visitable pipes evaluated from television inspections, is used to illustrate and validate the proposed model. The results show that the weighting of criticality parameters has a considerable influence on the classification of defects in a sanitation network. The weighted criticality results obtained in the present case are significantly better than those obtained using a method based on the notion of classical criticality. This clearly indicates the relevance of the proposed numerical model.

The Concept of Building an Integrated Digital Ecosystem to Improve the Quality of Products and Services of Defense Industry Enterprises

Research and development of systems for managing material, technical, and intellectual resources are key directions for improving manufacturing processes in the modern world. In recent years, the question of integrating various management systems has become particularly relevant due to the widespread adoption of quality management systems and their certification to meet current regulatory requirements. This study attempts to merge the advantages of using product lifecycle information support technologies, such as data and information management, with the concept of digital twins, including virtual design, digital product modeling, and real-time analysis. The analysis covers the constituent elements of the generalized product design and manufacturing process, addressing the construction of an integrated digital ecosystem to enhance the quality of products and services in the defense-industrial complex. This ecosystem is based on the integration of technologies for continuous product information support using their digital twins and an integrated quality management system. It is shown that the approach to evaluating the effectiveness of purposeful processes should be complemented by a risk-oriented model, which includes response scenarios to potential adverse effects of the operation of the purposeful organizational-technical system. A structural scheme and formalized description of a generalized product information support model are presented, allowing for the integration of specific quality indicators into a unified strategic outcome. Ultimately, a concept for building an integrated digital ecosystem for defense-industrial enterprises is proposed, aimed at enhancing the overall quality of products and services.

Ethical empowerment: Examining the impact of business education in Indian universities through the lens of international standards and CIPP model

This study assessed the effectiveness of Indian postgraduate business education in addressing ethical challenges, integrating International Education Standards (IES) and the Context, Input, Process, and Product (CIPP) model. Using a positivist approach, a cross-sectional survey was conducted, focusing on 233 postgraduate business students through various sampling methods. Data analysis employed descriptive (frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential (multiple linear regression) statistics. Findings revealed a significant 75% alignment with IES 4 in surveyed universities' business programs. Participative teaching methods were found to be used often in ethics instruction, particularly in accounting courses. Students perceived the program as highly effective in meeting ethical requirements, influenced by age, religiosity, and to a lesser extent, gender. Future research should explore components affecting ethical preparedness, considering content, teaching methods, case studies, long-term impacts, and cultural variations. The study, which was constrained by self-reported data and student perspectives, highlights the need for diverse viewpoints and methods in future cross-cultural research.

Finite Element Analysis of Leaf Spring Fabricated Via Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)

An introduction to fused deposition modeling, or 3D printing technology, will be given in this chapter. The basic idea of additive manufacturing and its underlying scientific theory will be presented at the outset of this chapter as a novel and emerging industrial technology. The parameters used to predict the melt deposition of polymers and their basic interactions with the structural component qualities will also be covered in this chapter. The chapter will provide a brief description of the quality features of FDM products concerning the process parameters. The additive manufacturing process will involve layering material to produce three-dimensional (3D) parts using a class of manufacturing technologies known as additive manufacturing (AM). This substance will include composite, metal, polymer, or concrete materials. A manufacturing process will need to have the following three main elements to be designated as an AM technique: making visual 3D models with computers and computer-aided design (CAD), utilizing a variety of CAD tools such as AutoCAD, SolidWorks, CATIA, and others. Some of these programs will be either closed- source or open-source. For additive manufacturing to be successful, an engineer or artist working with several computers will need to be proficient in using multiple operating systems. With these CAD tools and user experiences, it will be possible to produce a variety of complex 3D product models. The amount of material a 3D printer will take and the time it will require will be important factors influencing the additive manufacturing process.

Assessment of foods for infants and toddlers in Australia against the World Health Organization's Nutrient and Promotion Profile Model for food products for infants and young children.

Global public health agencies have recommended stronger regulation of food marketing to protect children's diets. This study assessed commercial foods for infants and toddlers available in Australian supermarkets for compliance with the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Europe's Nutrient and Promotion Profile Model: supporting appropriate promotion of food products for infants and young children 6-36 months in the WHO European Region (NPPM). Dietitians assessed a sample of commercial foods for infants and toddlers against the composition, labelling and promotion requirements of the NPPM. Australia. Commercial foods for infants and toddlers (n 45) available in two major Australian supermarkets, purposely sampled across product categories and brands. Fewer than one quarter (23 %) of the assessed products met all nutrient content requirements of the NPPM. No products met all of the labelling or promotional requirements. All products included at least one promotional marketing claim that was not permitted under the NPPM. The NPPM is useful to assess and monitor the nutritional composition and prevalence of marketing claims on commercial foods for infants and toddlers. Findings of noncompliance with the NPPM recommendations indicate an urgent need for stronger government regulation of the composition, labelling and marketing of commercial foods for infants and toddlers in Australia.

Exercising of integrated approach for the specialized meat products development

The principles of the specialized food products development differ from the traditional technologies, which require the integrated approach to their creation, taking into consideration the specified properties, purpose and type of the food product. This article describes the general algorithm for developing the specialized dietary therapeutic and prophylactic nutrition meat products, and demonstrates the implementation of the individual stages of the algorithm on the example of developing the food products for people who suffer from the most socially significant diseases like diabetes and CVD. The algorithm of methodology is a sequence of stages executed during the product development and a description of their content and practical implementation. The modern approaches to creation of healthy food products for people with socially significant diseases, the recommendations of the World Health Organization based on the analysis of scientific literature posted in open sources and publicly available databases were used as the material of the research, as well as the results of our own studies in the field of technologies for dietary therapeutic and prophylactic nutrition meat products. The specialized meat products for therapeutic and prophylactic nutrition, information about their ingredient composition, nutritional value, results of preclinical and clinical trials were used as the objects of the study. The stages of product creation include medical and biological substantiation of the composition, designing of a virtual model of the food product, technology development, evaluation of the safety and efficiency of the resulting product taking into consideration the technological impact, preclinical and clinical evaluation. The study showed the difference in the approaches to the dietary meat products development depending on the purpose — whether its therapeutic nutrition or prophylactic nutrition. The developed methodology can be used as a tool that provides for scientifically justified development of the specialized meat products and substantiation of their efficiency.

Kinetic modelling of Maillard reaction products and protein content during roasting of coffee beans

In this study, the effects of various roasting methods on the α–dicarbonyl compounds (α-DCs), melanoidins, crude proteins, and colour value of roasted coffee beans (Coffea arabica) were analysed. The concentration of α-DCs in the coffee samples significantly changed (p < 0.05) during roasting, while that of melanoidins increased with roasting time in all roasting methods regardless of temperature. Crude protein decreased as roasting time increased. Through kinetic modelling, pan roasting was found to increase the rate constant of α-DCs, melanoidins, and crude proteins by up to 62.6%, 9.3%, and 33.3%, respectively. Air frying was observed to decrease the activation energy of α-DCs, melanoidins, and crude proteins by up to 57.8%, 22.3%, and 12.6%, respectively. The pan roasting method was shown to minimise α-DCs by up to 15% during medium roasting of coffee beans.

Integrating Process Re-Engineering Models in Cement Production to Improve Energy Efficiency

The demand for cement has significantly increased, growing by 8% in the year 2022 and by a further 12% in 2023. It is highly anticipated that this trend will continue, and it will result in significant growth by 2030. However, cement production is highly energy-intensive, with 70 to 80% of the total energy consumed during the clinker formation, which is the main cement production process. Minimising energy losses requires a radical approach that includes optimising the performance of the kilns and significantly improving their energy efficiency. One of the most efficient approaches to optimise the performance of the kilns and reduce energy losses is by integrating process re-engineering models, which leverage process data analytics, machine learning, and computational methods. This study employed a model-based integration approach to improve energy efficiency during clinker formation. Energy consumption data were collected from two semi-automated cement production plants. The data were analysed using a regression model in Minitab (Minitab 21.1.0) statistical software. The analysis resulted in a linear energy consumption equation that links energy consumption to both production and energy loss. Dynamic simulations and modelling using Simulink in MATLAB were performed based on a proportional–integral–derivative (PID)-controlled system. The dynamic behaviour of the model was evaluated using data from Plant A and validated with data from Plant B. The energy efficiency equation was established as a mathematical model that explains energy improvements based on incorporating parameters for the cement kiln system and disturbances from the environment.

Inter-comparison of GNSS- IPWV with ERA-5 IPWV and monitoring of convective events over the Indian region

The present study deals with (i) An Inter-comparison study of ground based Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) derived Integrated Precipitable Water Vapour (IPWV) with 5th generation global climate reanalysis data of European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecast (ERA-5) (ii) IPWV thresholds of GNSS data (iii) case studies of IPWV analysis. It is found that both the datasets (GNSS and ERA-5) are strongly correlated &amp; the correlation coefficient ranging between 0.97 and 0.99. Monthly Thresholds of IPWV (MTI) are generated with 2017 -2020 data sets from Indian GNSS station having continuous data and found very useful input as value addition to know the possibility of building up /decaying of convection in day to day daily forecast issued to the public. Case studies shows an increase of IPWV, 3 to 4 hour prior to the occurrence of convective event around the GNSS station and found very useful for nowcasting. Therefore, utilization of IPWV (model as wells GNSS based) have incremented value in enriching the understanding about the weather event and its forecasting. This supplement information along with other analysis products (model, surface, upper air, satellite or radar etc) can support further in appropriate decision making to the forecasters, decision makers and the end users of the society.

МОДЕЛИРОВАНИЕ ПРОЦЕССА ПРОГНОЗИРОВАНИЯ ДЕФИЦИТА ВЫЧИСЛИТЕЛЬНЫХ МОЩНОСТЕЙ НА ЗНАЧИМОМ ОБЪЕКТЕ КРИТИЧЕСКОЙ ИНФОРМАЦИОННОЙ ИНФРАСТРУКТУРЫ

The aim of the study is to formalize the process of forecasting the computing power deficit at significant objects of critical information infrastructure using a functional model. The task is to create a correct functional model for forecasting the computing power deficit. To solve this problem, the BPwin software product and functional modelling methods are used. The novelty of the work lies in using the analytical alignment of dynamic series to forecast the computing power deficit at significant objects of critical information infrastructure. As the study result, the authors build a functional model of the process of forecasting the computing power deficit at significant objects of critical information infrastructure. Thus, the resulting functional model reflects the technological features of the process of forecasting the computing power deficit and can be automated and applied to significant objects of critical information infrastructure in the future.

Новообразования в публицистических текстах региональных СМИ на эрзянском языке: словообразовательный аспект (на материале журнала «Сятко» / «Искра»)

The aim of the research is to identify the lexical peculiarity and word-formation processes in journalistic texts of regional mass media. The paper examines neologisms, lexical units created based on the internal resources of the regional (Erzya) language. The work emphasizes the important role of the media in preserving, enriching, and transmitting native languages. The scientific novelty of the research lies in conducting a structural and semantic analysis of neologisms, which, based on extensive linguistic material, allowed for identifying and characterizing the main productive word-formation models and methods of word formation in the modern language of the media in Erzya. As a result of the research, it was found that the most productive methods of word formation include suffixation, root affixation, compounding, and substantivization. It was also noted that the neologisms identified from journalistic texts perform a stylistic function of influencing the reader (listener) due to their rich emotional-expressive charge and wide semantic content.

Effects of solute alloying elements on solid solubility of TiC in austenite

Solute elements in microalloying steel affect the solid solubility of microalloying elements, and thus affect the second phase precipitation in steels. In this work, the influences of solid solution elements, especially Si and Al, on the solubility product of TiC in austenite were studied using the two-sublattice model. The results show that both Al and Si additions reduced the solubility product of TiC in the austenite region, and the reduction degree of TiC solubility product with Al addition was increased with increasing temperature, while it was decreased with Si addition. In addition, Mn, Mo and Cr additions all increased the solubility product of TiC in the austenite region, and the increment degree of TiC solubility product with Mo addition was decreased with increasing temperature, while it changed slightly with Mn or Cr addition with temperature. The model of solubility product of TiC without alloying additions in austenite was modified, and the calculating result was highly consistent with findings of literatures. Finally, a calculation model of TiC solubility product considering the influence of alloying elements was established.