Across several disciplines in the social and behavioral sciences, recent work on reciprocity in social exchange raises questions about exploitativeness, sustainability and environmental concerns (Weiss, 1987; Ursell, 2000; Smit, 2011; Lewis et al., 2015; Grinstein and Riefler, 2015) with calls to research to explore the importance of consumers’ prosocial activities in relation to concepts such as ethnocentrism (Ratner and Miller, 2001; Olivola and Shafir, 2013; Small and Cryder, 2016). Clearly, while the focus of ethnocentrism is on the consumer’s own group, the focus of many calls for prosocial activities is on the “other”. Hence, a question of interest arises from this: how do these competing forces coexist? In other words, since ethnocentrism is a complex multidimensional construct, how do the different dimensions of ethnocentrism relate to prosocial consumer behaviors? Furthermore, since prosocial behaviors are considered necessary, another question of interest is; how can consumers be urged to engage in prosocial behaviors?

The various sintered samples comprising of 72 wt%(Al2O3) : 28 wt%(SiO2) based ceramics were fabricated using a colloidal processing route. The phase analysis of the ceramics was performed using an X-ray diffractometer (XRD) at room temperature confirming the presence of Al2O5Si and Al5.33Si0.67O9.33. The surface morphology of the fracture surface of the different sintered samples having different sizes of grain distribution. The resistive and capacitive properties of the three different sintered samples at frequency sweep (1 kHz to 1 MHz). The contribution of grain and the non-Debye relaxation process is seen for various sintered samples in the Nyquist plot. The ferroelectric loop of the various sintered sample shows a slim shape giving rise to low remnant polarization. The excitation performance of the sample at a constant electric signal has been examined utilizing a designed electrical circuit. The above result suggests that the prepared lead-free ceramic can act as a base for designing of dielectric capacitors or resonators.

Free-standing hybridized electrode consisting of double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWNTs) and activated carbon have been fabricated for flexible supercapacitor applications. The xanthan-gum, used in our methodology, showed high ability in dispersing the strongly bundled DWNTs, and was then effectively converted to activated carbon with large surface area via chemical activation. The homogeneously dispersed DWNTs within xanthan-gum derived activated carbon acted as both electrical path and mechanical support of electrode material. The hybridized film from highly dispersed DWNTs and activated carbon was mechanically strong, has high electrical conductivity, and exhibited high specific capacitance of 141.5 F/g at the current density of 100 mV/s. Our hybridized film is highly promising as electrode material for flexible supercapacitors in wearable device.

This paper examined farmers’ perceptions and preferences for improved varietal traits in the Wenchi and Offinso North Municipalities of Ghana. Data from 306 randomly selected tomato farmers were analyzed using perception indices, Kendall’s Coefficient of concordance and the Poisson regression model. The results show that tomato farmers are willing to adopt an improved variety with long shelf life, good fruit quality and large fruit size. The study further indicates that tomato farmers lack requisite skills in pest and disease management. The number of varietal attributes preferred by farmers was positively influenced by sex of farmer, education, experience in tomato cultivation, household size, access to credit, FBO membership, extension contacts farm size and off-farm income. These factors and attributes need to be carefully considered by breeders and policy makers in the development of an improved tomato variety to enhance its uptake. The major constraints identified in tomato production include limited access to capital followed by low commodity prices coupled with low demand with the least constraint being access to tractors for land preparation. The potential of adoption of improved tomato varieties in Ghana will be augmented through paragenetic measures towards addressing these constraints.

At q = 1.81 ± 0.20 × 10-5, KMT-2018-BLG-0029Lb has the lowest planet-host mass ratio q of any microlensing planet to date by more than a factor of two. Hence, it is the first planet that probes below the apparent "pile-up" at q = 5-10 ×10-5. The event was observed by Spitzer, yielding a microlens-parallax πE measurement. Combined with a measurement of the Einstein radius θE from finite-source effects during the caustic crossings, these measurements imply masses of the host Mhost = 1.14+0.10-0.12 M⊙ and planet Mplanet = 7.59+0.75-0.69 M⊕, system distance DL = 3.38+0.22-0.26 kpc and projected separation a⊥ = 4.27+0.21-0.23 AU. The blended light, which is substantially brighter than the microlensed source, is plausibly due to the lens and could be observed at high resolution immediately.

This study demonstrates that low processing rate for producing polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based carbon fiber is a critical to obtain a homogeneous radial microstructure with high resistance to oxidation, thereby resulting in their improved mechanical strength. The dry-jet wet spun PAN organic fibers were processed (e.g., stabilized and then carbonized) utilizing two different rates; one is 1.6 times longer than the other. The effect of processing rate on the microstructural evolutions of carbon fibers was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy after slow etching in air, as well as Raman mapping after graphitization. The rapidly processed fiber exhibited the multilayered radial structure, which is caused by the radial direction stretching of the extrusion in the spinning. In case of the slowly processed fiber, the layered radial structure formed in the spinning process was changed into a more homogeneous radial microstructure. The slowly processed fibers showed higher oxidation resistance, higher mechanical properties, and higher crystallinity than the rapidly processed one. Raman mapping confirmed that the microstructure developed during spinning was sustained even though fiber was thermally treated up to 2800 °C.

카메룬은 인구증가와 도시화가 진전됨에 따라 쌀을 수입에 의존하고 있는 국가이다. 농업이 시장중심으로 전환되면서 소비자들의 선호 역시 달라지고 있다. 본 연구에서는 카메룬 북서부의 Mezam과 Ngo-ketunjia 지역 소비자의 쌀 선호도에 영향을 미치는 요인을 조사하였다. 특히 카메룬에서 소비자 선호에 영향을 주는 요인들에 대해 Mezam와 Ngoketunjia Divisions of the North West Regions 라는 사례연구와 함께 살펴보았으며 구조화된 설문지를 통해 주요 시장 지역들에 걸쳐 300명의 쌀 소비자들을 대상으로 조사하였다. 사회 경제적 요소들, 유도된 소비자 행동이나 선호를 확인하기 위해서 다항식 기호 논리학 회귀 분석을 사용하였고 소비자 선택에 영향을 미치는 쌀의 품질이나 시장 속성을 확인하기 위해 선형회귀분석을 사용하였다. 조사 분석 결과 소비자들은 오직 지역 쌀만 먹는 부류, 오직 수입된 쌀만 먹는 부류, 지역 쌀과 수입쌀을 모두 먹는 부류의 3가지 구매 형태를 나타냈다. 쌀 선호도에 영향을 미치는 주요 사회경제적 요소로는 소비자의 소득, 교육, 직업 수준인 것으로 나타났다. 소비자의 쌀 선호에 영향을 미치는 품질 요소는 맛, 향, 질감, 도정 후 낟알 색의 흰 정도였고, 시장 속성에 관해 소비자의 쌀 선호에 영향을 미치는 요소는 쌀의 출처와 구입 가능성이었다. 이러한 요소들을 2가지 차원으로 나누어 볼 때, 생산성과 쌀 품질에 관한 차원은 카메룬의 쌀 소비에 있어서 중요한 영향을 미친다고 확인 할 수 있었다.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is considered the major cause of mortality in the world. Tremendous animal studies are performed to develop novel therapeutics, and this study aimed to induce porcine myocardial infarction model by using polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Coronary guidewire was placed in left anterior descending artery (LAD). The balloon angioplasty catheter was inserted at the back of the PET. The balloon catheter was carefully pushed forward, until the balloon marker was located in mid-LAD. Coronary angiography was performed pre- and post-occlusion at 28 days by C-arm. Histologic analysis of heart tissue was performed 28 days after inducing AMI. Thirty three pigs were anesthetized and underwent percutaneous coronary catheterization. All pigs were successfully embolized in mid-LAD by PET. Fifteen pigs died due to ventricular fibrillation during post-anesthetic recovery time, and overall experiment mortality was 45.5%. In 2,3,5- triphenyl tetrazolium chloride staining, gross finding of the ischemic heart lesion showed firm and white area of infarction associated with the apex and left ventricular posterior wall. Infarct on H&E-stained sections demonstrated a region without myocytes and rich with cardiomyocyte with atypical nuclei. Successful induction of AMI by using PET may provide the pathophysiological information of ischemic heart disease and improvement of therapy development for AMI.

The occurrence of allergic disease has increased harmfully in the last few decades. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an allergic inflammation disorder characterized by itchy, red, swollen, cracked skin. Although the pathogenesis of AD is not fully understood, it is assumed that deregulation of T-helper 1 (Th1) and T-helper 2 (Th2) immune responses, a predominance of allergen-specific IgE, and interrupted epidermal barrier function are keys to the pathogenic mechanism. Activated T helper 2 (Th2) immune function is hallmark of various allergic diseases. Oxidative stress implicated in cutaneous damage in various inflammatory skin diseases. We investigated the effect of fermented soybean (SCGB1) on the improvement of AD. Soybean fermentation was carried out using B. amyloliquefaciense SCGB1 (KCCM11964P), which is known to produce of natural antibiotics. And then, we experiment of SCGB1 and soybean powder (NC) in DNCB-induced AD model. Mice were respectively oral administration of variety dose for 14 days. As a results, it was confirmed that serum Immunoglobulin E (IgE) expression was dose-dependently decreased in SCGB1 and NC compared to negative control, and it was reduced the skin pruritus inducing factor that Interleukin-31 (IL-31) mRNA level. In addition, the inflammatory cells were infiltration in skin for histological analysis. As a result, it reduced that epidermal hyperplasia, cancellation and aveolarization compared to negative control. These results suggest that SCGB1 may be effective for prevention and treatment of AD.