Preferred Shape Research Articles

Eyebrow Shape Preference Across Age, Gender, and Self-reported Ethnic Group.

Preference in eyebrow shape has been studied in young women, but less so in older adults, men, and a wide variety of ethnic groups. To identify preference in eyebrow shape across age groups, genders, and ethnic groups for both the survey responder and the observed subject. Digital images of subjects from 3 age groups (18-39, 40-59, and 60+ years), 2 genders (female and male), and 4 self-identified ethnic backgrounds were edited to correspond to 5 brow shapes (Anastasia, head-up, horizontal, rounded, and tail-up). Panels of images representing the same subject with different brow shapes were displayed and responders ranked them in order of attractiveness via an online survey. Six hundred fifty-two responders answered the survey. Survey responders generally preferred the Anastasia shape, but not in all subgroups. Strength of preference in eyebrow shape was more marked when observing images of women and less marked when observing men. An arched brow, such as the Anastasia shape, was the preferred eyebrow shape. This study is limited by its survey nature, underrepresentation of self-identified Black study responders, and categorization of data. Despite these findings, the authors advocate determining eyebrow shape preference individually with patients during cosmetic consultations.

Effect of Perspective on Eye Movement of Aesthetic Preference Research on Wai Shape of New Chinese Style Arhat Bed

The new chinese style Arhat bed is taken as the research objective to explore the effect of people’s view on people’s aesthetic preferences for Wai shape of new chinese Arhat bed, using the eye movement analysis method through comprehensive analysis on eye movement data from volunteers. Eye movements characteristics of 20 volunteers in watching pictures of different new chinese Arhat bed Wai shape are recorded by SR research Eyelink head mounted eye tracker. Experimental results show that eye movement data of men and women are in the same trend, but there are few data in instability and the male and female have a significant correlation with the time and the number of fixation points, with a obvious regression effect, under two different presented Perspective of products. In all 16 samples selected, samples 12 has the most fixation and fixation times, while samples 15 and samples 13 has the least. Visual fatigue and the difference between 3D model and the real Arhat bed products have some effects on the experimental data. It makes no difference for people to choose products from different perspectives in where the products are placed, and people prefer the Wai shape which contains column and is simple.

Developing an eye tracking dot-probe paradigm to measure men’s body shape and size preferences

Developing an eye tracking dot-probe paradigm to measure men’s body shape and size preferences

Nontraditional biomanipulation: A powerful ecotechnology to combat cyanobacterial blooms in eutrophic freshwaters

<p>Cyanobacterial blooms, occurring frequently in eutrophic freshwaters worldwide, are considered as potential hazards to ecosystems and human health, and it is often difficult and expensive to control their outbreaks in large lakes through reduction of nutrient loadings. Biomanipulation, launched as an ecology-based solution in the 1970s, was once believed to be an effective way to counteract cyanobacterial blooms. It is divided into traditional biomanipulation (TB) and nontraditional biomanipulation (NTB) that use filter-feeding <i>Daphnia</i> and filter-feeding fish, respectively. There have been numerous reviews on the former, yet few on the latter. Here, we first revisit the debate on the digestibility of cyanobacteria in silver and bighead carp. Then, we review 42 experiments that clearly mention cyanobacterial changes and reveal substantial reductions in cyanobacterial abundance by filter-feeding carp in 88% of the cases. In particular, in a whole-lake experiment in Lake Donghu, increased stock of silver and bighead carp effectively decreased <i>Microcystis</i> blooms from a coverage of 87% in 2021 to 0% in 2022. Finally, we discuss possible factors related to NTB��s effectiveness that depends not only on standing stock, niche divergence and shape preference of the fish but also on trophic status of the waterbodies. Particularly, silver and bighead carp feed more effectively on colony-forming <i>Microcystis</i> than on filamentous cyanobacteria, but are capable of increasing small-sized algae. NTB can be used to prevent or diminish cyanobacterial blooms that are poorly grazed by <i>Daphnia</i>, providing an effective and sustainable in-lake ecotechnology to combat heavy cyanobacterial blooms in eutrophic waterbodies.</p>

Drivers of Change: How Intra-Household Preferences Shape Employment Responses to Gender Reform

Drivers of Change: How Intra-Household Preferences Shape Employment Responses to Gender Reform

Effects of morphology and size of nanoscale drug carriers on cellular uptake and internalization process: a review.

In the field of targeted drug delivery, the effects of size and morphology of drug nanocarriers are of great importance and need to be discussed in depth. To be concise, among all the various shapes of nanocarriers, rods and tubes with a narrow cross-section are the most preferred shapes for the penetration of a cell membrane. In this regard, several studies have focused on methods to produce nanorods and nanotubes with controlled optimized size and aspect ratio (AR). Additionally, a non-spherical orientation could affect the cellular uptake process while a tangent angle of less than 45° is better at penetrating the membrane, and Ω = 90° is beneficial. Moreover, these nanocarriers show different behaviors when confronting diverse cells whose fields should be investigated in future studies. In this survey, a comprehensive classification based on carrier shape is first submitted. Then, the most commonly used methods for control over the size and shape of the carriers are reviewed. Finally, influential factors on the cellular uptake and internalization processes and related analytical methods for evaluating this process are discussed.

Green or Greenwashing? How Manager and Investor Preferences Shape Firm Strategy.

Green or Greenwashing? How Manager and Investor Preferences Shape Firm Strategy.

네일아트 이용자의 선호도에 따른 심리상태의 해소에 관한 연구

The purpose of this article is to find out if there are psychological changes other than cosmetic reasons in choosing a preferred color and shape by visiting a recent nail art store. In previous studies, there were many studies that favored people according to their psychological state, but this study, on the other hand, intends to measure changes in psychological state according to their preferences. Through this, this study aims to find out whether the preference of nail art is acting as a psychological relief medium. As a result of this study, if psychological resolution does not occur, it can not deviate from the main purpose of simple cosmetic. Conversely, if psychological resolution occurs, it means that nail art has an additional function of cosmetic and psychological resolution. In the future, it will be possible to present a standard for diversifying products by suggesting colors and shapes that are helpful for psychological resolution.

Too thin to be cute: the influence of letter height-to-width ratio on consumer perception

Purpose This study aims to test the possible correlation between the letter height-to-width ratio and consumers’ perception of cuteness. Design/methodology/approach Through the design of three groups of experimental questionnaires, this paper carried out experiments on subjects with different professional backgrounds. Findings The result shows that perceived cuteness is only beneficial for consumers who adopt communal relationship (rather than exchange relationship) with the brand. Compared to consumers who adopt communal relationship with brands, letters of lower height-to-width ratio are perceived as cuter and thus more preferable than thinner ones, whereas for consumers who adopt exchange relationship with brands, thinner letters are preferred. Research limitations/implications To rule out interference, this study focuses only on the height-to-width ratio of the letters. In the future, researchers can pay more attention to the mobility of brand relationships, consumers’ reading strategy and logos’ visual elements that influence consumers’ brand perception (besides height-to-width ratio). Practical implications The research reminds scholars that the height-to-width ratio of letters/logos is not only of aesthetic value but also imposes a great impact on consumer perception. And the result of this research explains the contradiction in consumers’ preference for wide vs thin letter shapes and provides evidence for the interaction between brand relationship norms and letter preferences. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is the first to explore the influence of letter height-to-width ratio in marketing.

Application of sensor analysis methodology in fish snacks technology for express bars with regulated histamine content

The object of research is the technology of fish snacks for express bars with a regulated histamine content for the rational correction of certain diets of the population. One of the most problematic places in the technology of fish fermented products is the accumulation of biogenic amines with toxic properties. An increased intake of histamine can cause the so-called «histamine» migraine (Horton's syndrome), headache (Harris' neuralgia, characterized by pain in the eyes, forehead, temporal part of the head, lacrimation, inflammation of the nasal mucosa) and other symptoms, including the gastrointestinal tract, sweat, increased secretion of gastric juice, increased heart rate, and decreased diastolic (lower) blood pressure. In addition, the appearance, namely the shape and color of snacks, reduces the attractiveness of snack products. In the course of the study, methods of sensory analysis, standard methods for studying physical and chemical quality indicators were used. The chosen methodology makes it possible to timely correct technological processes for the production of fish snacks to obtain high-quality, safe food products with a harmonic sensory profile, as well as to control the accumulation of biogenic amines. The obtained results of the research conducted allow to state that the proposed technological methods and the developed ingredient composition of the mince mixture in the production of snacks contribute to the expansion of the range of snack products for a healthy diet with high consumer properties that provide an attractive appearance, safety, and biological value. This is due to the fact that the consumer preferences for shape, color, usefulness and safety taken into account made it possible, based on the methodology of sensory analysis, to scientifically substantiate the choice of raw materials, form requirements for the appearance of finished products and containers used for packaging snacks. The main raw material for the production of snacks is fish from inland waters of Ukraine with a low-active enzymatic system and, accordingly, a small amount of low-molecular volatile substances involved in the formation of odor. The production process ensures a high sanitary level and the use of consumer packaging of small capacity, which meets the modern requirements of visitors to express bars. In addition, natural biopolymers of plant origin have been introduced into the recipe composition of the minced mixture, which allow to control the process of accumulation of biogenic amines.

Fine for Adam & Eve but not Adam & Steve? Homonegativity bias, parasocial contact, and public support for surrogacy

ABSTRACT The use of gestational surrogacy as a means of family construction is on the rise, and several legislatures and governments across the globe are currently considering repealing prohibitions on the process. Little is known about the public's attitudes towards this means of conception used by both opposite-sex and same-sex couples. In this paper, I present original experimental evidence from Britain to demonstrate the prevalent role of homonegativity in shaping preferences for surrogacy. Empirically, I leverage a pre-registered experiment to model the independent and combined effects of homonegativity and parasocial (celebrity) contact on support for commercial gestational surrogacy. On average, citizens are largely supportive of the practice. Experimental manipulations, however, provide robust causal evidence that homonegative discrimination exhibits a sizeable negative effect on support for the policy, while exposure to celebrity reliance on surrogacy provides mixed effects. Isolating the underlying causal mechanisms via which treatment assignment shapes outcomes, quantitative text analysis of open-ended survey responses establishes that assignment to different treatment conditions actively influences survey respondents’ explicit reasoning for their revealed preferences, providing additional purchase to causal interpretations of the experimental exposure

Digital Media Play a Key Role in Influencing Female Breast Perception.

The female breast is a symbol of femininity and plays a key role in the female body image. However, factors influencing the preferences for different breast shapes and sizes are still not elucidated. In particular, the role of the emerging social media in breast perception has not been analyzed yet. A representative cohort of 1,049 adults completed a web-based questionnaire containing hyperrealistic 3D models of the female breast in the United States. A machine-learning algorithm (Classification and Regression Tree [CART]) was implemented to identify the most influential factors. The study was able to identify the frequency of pornographic and social media consumption as the most influencing factor for altered breast preferences. Although digital media exposure did not alter satisfaction with the own breast among female participants, the tendency to undergo or history of conducted aesthetic surgery correlated with higher access frequency to digital media. Taken together, the overpowering impact of social media and pornographic consumption on the own body image was shown in preference alterations for different anatomical aspects of the breast in the whole population and distorted self-perception about the breast in female participants.

Next Stop: Europe? Aspirations for Secondary Migration Among Syrian Refugees in Jordan

Refugees who seek protection in neighboring countries (first safe countries of refuge) often have weak economic ties to their current place of residence. Refugees in these first safe countries also often have much to gain economically if they move on to Europe or other wealthier countries, as their refugee status opens doors that are closed to many other migrant groups. Still, far from all refugees in first safe countries aspire to move on to other locations. This article examines migration aspirations among Syrian refugees in Jordan and asks what characterizes refugees who aspire to move on to Europe. Building on theories of migration aspirations originally developed to study labor migration, it draws on a representative survey of 7,632 Syrian refugees in Jordan, conducted during the winter of 2017/2018. We show that religious and cultural preferences (preferences for living in a Muslim country and attitudes toward female labor market participation), as well as perceptions of when return to Syria will be possible, were more important in explaining variance in migration aspirations among Syrian refugees in Jordan than economic factors such as poverty or lack of jobs. These findings suggest that selection effects shape Syrian refugee migration to Europe and that refugees who go to Europe differ from those who remain in that they put less value on traditional gender roles and on living in Muslim societies. As such, the article contributes to the literature on how cultural ties and value preferences shape migration aspirations and influence the composition of migrant populations.

The dark side of leave: how voluntary leave shapes preferences for male and female supervisors

PurposeTo determine how different voluntary leaves of absence (parental vs. community service) affect individuals’ preferences for working with either male or female supervisors. Drawing on role congruity theory, the authors examined whether individuals would least prefer supervisors who took voluntary leave that violated role expectations.Design/methodology/approachIn Study 1, participants (n = 372) evaluated supervisors who took different forms of leave (none vs. parental vs. community service). In Study 2 (n = 202), the authors tested an intervention to reduce negative bias toward males taking community service leave. In both studies the authors examined the sex of the supervisor (male vs. female) on perceptions of typicality and supervisor preference.FindingsMales who took community service leave were perceived as most atypical and were least preferred as supervisors. However, providing relevant research-based information about typicality reduced this bias.Practical implicationsThe results show that people respond negatively toward males who take community service leave. Managers can help reduce this bias by providing relevant research-based information regarding community service leave.Originality/valueThis work is among the first to explore the consequences of community service leave and how it interacts with supervisor sex. The authors also identify a simple way to reduce bias against males who take community service leave.

Proximidade e competição: a diplomacia das vacinas no espaço atlântico

Vaccines have suddenly been incorporated into the foreign policy toolbox of global and regional powers. This article analysis the strategies of producers and recipients of vaccines in the Atlantic space. It concludes that Covid-19 has reinforced previous trends, regarding regional cooperation and global geopolitical competition. In that vein, the Atlantic space has been a laboratory of both cooperation and competition initiatives among vaccine producers and recipient countries. Although material interests have been a major driver in shaping preferences and strategies, this article suggests that symbolic and normative factors also contributed to the configuration of vaccine diplomacies of producers and recipients.

New Construction Solutions of Gear Using in Space Vehicle Control Systems

Outer space presents construction challenges that are completely different from the terrestrial environment. They should be characterized by high resilience and indefinite durability because there is no possibility of repair during exploitation. There are drives in spacecraft control systems that are necessary to move solar panels, robotic arms, and manipulators, and also to position antennas. In these devices, they have applications where harmonic drives are characterized by high kinematic accuracy but relatively low mechanical strength. The analysis presented in this study is aimed at modifying the shape of the harmonic drive to increase its durability and reliability. In this study, the most vulnerable damage element of the harmonic drive is the flexspline. The calculation was carried out using the finite element method (FEM) in the computer program ABAQUS. A standardized shape was tested as a basic model, and several other design solutions were proposed. For each of them, the mechanical strength was determined, which allowed the selection of the most preferred shape for the flexspline of the harmonic drive. The specific environmental requirements of the expectations for sand for gear used in spacecraft control systems were included in the analysis. The selected construction solutions of the flexspline allow for longer work and transfer of greater loads by the harmonic driver than the solutions currently used. The choice of harmonic driver design shape allows for failure-free and maintenance-free work in space vehicle control systems.

Hot workability and microstructure evolution of wire arc additive manufactured 300M steel

Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) technology offers a material-saving and efficient method of manufacturing the 300M steel components, but the obtained microstructure and properties hardly reach the level of wrought materials. By combining WAAM technology with forging process, a novel forming process is proposed. The preferred shape pre-forgings are easily prepared, and the number of forging steps significantly decreases. The WAAMed as-cast microstructure also can be transformed into the wrought state by the proposed forming process. The aim of this study is to investigate the hot deformation behavior and microstructure evolution of WAAMed 300M steel under various deformation temperatures and strain rates. The results show that the WAAMed 300M steel exhibits a higher plastic deformation resistance than the wrought 300M steel. With the increase of deformation temperature and strain rate, the difference of flow stress between the WAAMed and wrought 300M steel decreases. The hot deformation activation energy of WAAMed 300M steel is calculated as 374.1 kJ/mol, which is much higher than that of wrought 300M steel (332.3 kJ/mol). The possible processing windows obtained from the hot deformation activation energy maps are 1040-1120 °C/0.01-10 s−1 for the WAAMed 300M steel and 1010-1130 °C/ 0.1-10 s−1 for the wrought 300M steel. The constitutive model considering strain compensation is established to describe the hot deformation behaviors of WAAMed and wrought 300M steel. The high correlation coefficient and low average absolute relative error confirm the suitability of the developed constitutive models for predicting the flow stresses of WAAMed and wrought 300M steel.

Circular or angular? How nostalgia affects product shape preference

AbstractAs an important marketing strategy, nostalgia marketing is widely used by enterprises to attract consumers and influence their decision‐making. Besides, feelings of nostalgia can be easily elicited in people's daily life and exert a great impact on them. Though the effect of nostalgia on consumer behavior has been extensively studied, whether and how nostalgia affects consumer preference for products with certain visual designs remain underexplored. Our research extends this domain by focusing on product shape preference as a new downstream consequence of nostalgia. Five studies (including one field experiment) demonstrate that nostalgia can increase consumer preference for circular‐shaped products, with social connectedness as the underlying driver. Moreover, the indirect effect of nostalgia on circular shape preference via social connectedness is moderated by consumers' current social connections, such that the effect holds true for consumers with a low number of current social connections but is eliminated for those with a high number of current social connections. Together, marketers seeking to increase the sales of circular‐shaped products may use nostalgic elements or cues in marketing campaigns.

Ethical issues raised by incorporating personalized language models into brain-computer interface communication technologies: a qualitative study of individuals with neurological disease

Purpose To examine the views of individuals with neurodegenerative diseases about ethical issues related to incorporating personalized language models into brain-computer interface (BCI) communication technologies. Methods Fifteen semi-structured interviews and 51 online free response surveys were completed with individuals diagnosed with neurodegenerative disease that could lead to loss of speech and motor skills. Each participant responded to questions after six hypothetical ethics vignettes were presented that address the possibility of building language models with personal words and phrases in BCI communication technologies. Data were analyzed with consensus coding, using modified grounded theory. Results Four themes were identified. (1) The experience of a neurodegenerative disease shapes preferences for personalized language models. (2) An individual’s identity will be affected by the ability to personalize the language model. (3) The motivation for personalization is tied to how relationships can be helped or harmed. (4) Privacy is important to people who may need BCI communication technologies. Responses suggest that the inclusion of personal lexica raises ethical issues. Stakeholders want their values to be considered during development of BCI communication technologies. Conclusions With the rapid development of BCI communication technologies, it is critical to incorporate feedback from individuals regarding their ethical concerns about the storage and use of personalized language models. Stakeholder values and preferences about disability, privacy, identity and relationships should drive design, innovation and implementation. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Individuals with neurodegenerative diseases are important stakeholders to consider in development of natural language processing within brain-computer interface (BCI) communication technologies. The incorporation of personalized language models raises issues related to disability, identity, relationships, and privacy. People who may one day rely on BCI communication technologies care not just about usability of communication technology but about technology that supports their values and priorities. Qualitative ethics-focused research is a valuable tool for exploring stakeholder perspectives on new capabilities of BCI communication technologies, such as the storage and use of personalized language models.

Artificial intelligence-designer for high-rise building sketches with user preferences

Architectural design is a highly intellectual creative work. It is so interesting and fascinating to explore artificial intelligence (AI)-based architectural design methodology, i.e. exploring the creativity of machines from a design perspective. Conceptual design, which gives a sketch of a building satisfying certain constraints, requires very high creativity and is an important step in the architectural design process. This study proposes a novel AI-based design method of high-rise building sketches with user preferences (termed AI-designer), where AI-designer can control the sketch generation in two aspects: shape preferences and architectural fusion. To achieve these two functions, the AI-based design method contains the shape preference module with Self-Sparse GAN and architecture fusion module. The proposed shape preference module with Self-Sparse GAN enables the user to specify the shape of the building sketch by a simple hand-drawn sketch, where the Self-Similarity score (SS-score) is proposed to obtain the degree of similarity of shapes for selecting a specified number of sketches generated by the Self-Sparse GAN. Meanwhile, the architecture fusion module allows to implement user-preference elements (such as artistic style and local culture) with the generated sketches for further forming a clearer architectural fusion sketch by using the line loss with a feature-based attention mechanism. The design results show that the proposed AI-designer can not only generate a large number of desired architectural sketches with a specific theme while remaining diversity in just a few seconds, but also form clearer sketches with architectural fusion by re-rendering using user-specified elements.