Study of Mixed Mode stress intensity factors by two- and three-dimensional photoelasticity

An experimental study was performed to investigate the stress intensity factors from two-dimensional inclined edge cracked models and three-dimensional inclined semi-circular surface cracks that penetrate part-way through a thick plate;To improve the accuracy of photoelastic data collection, fringe multiplication and fringe sharpening technique with a digital image processing system were used. Fracture coefficients, together with the exact origin of the crack tip, were extracted from data sets that produced an overdeterministic system of equations solved by an iterative least squares method. Power series type Williams equations were used in the analysis. The accuracy of the experimental results were evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively. For qualitative visual assessment, regenerated fringes were plotted by using the fracture equations and coefficients estimated from the data sets. For quantitative accuracy evaluation, statistical parameters, such as standard deviation and correlation coefficients between theoretical and observed fringes at the data points were introduced;The accuracy evaluation indicated that the first 4 terms of Williams equations are sufficient to describe the stress field in the vicinity of the crack tip for both Mode I and Mixed Mode cases. It was found that the modified Westergaard equations or the first two terms of Williams equations cannot be used to extract Mixed Mode fracture parameters;The average values of the new experimental results, K(,I)/K(,Io) and K(,II)/K(,I), for the two-dimensional inclined edge cracked plates lie within the range of numerical solutions and previous experimental values. Variation of stress intensity factor along a circumference of a semi-circular surface crack in pure Mode I loading is similar to that predicted by a finite element solution, but at higher numerical values. New experimental solutions for K(,I)/K(,Io) and K(,II)/K(,I) at the maximum depth of the three-dimensional inclined semi-circular cracks are presented

The Moderating Effect of Appearance Self-Esteem on Females’ Identification of and Reaction to Sexually-Themed Advertising

This research examines whether the impact of thematic fit of product positioning with sexual themes on female consumer responses varies as a function of appearance self-esteem (ASE). Study 1 demonstrates that perceived identification with sexual themes leads to more negative attitudes toward advertising and brand. Study 2 shows that higher ASE participants have more negative ad attitudes when exposed to sexual themes paired with utilitarian product positioning (low fit) than with hedonic product positioning (high fit). Furthermore, our findings reveal that the feeling of disgust partially mediates the relationship between ASE and attitudes. Theoretical and practical marketing implications are discussed

The Efficacy of Sexualized Female Models in Young Adult-Male Oriented Cigarette Advertising

This paper explores the portrayal (efficacy) of female models in male-targeted cigarette print advertisements through a content analysis (experiment). We first describe the presence and portrayal of females through a content analysis on male-targeted cigarette advertisements in magazines; we find that, in aggregate, females are often used as sexually attractive decoration, and the overall female portrayal is fundamentally different (and unequal) to that of the male. We next investigate the efficacy of these portrayals through an experiment among young adult-aged male smokers and nonsmokers. Our experimental findings indicate that these sexually charged advertisements generate superior attitudinal results in non-smoking males than smoking males, a finding that – in conjunction with the portrayal of females in the content analysis – suggests potential societal and public policy implications

The Effect of Presence on Consumers\u27 Responses to Virtual Mirror Technology

Virtual mirror, an increasingly popular application of augmented reality (AR), allows consumers to view their visages overlaid with product images on digital displays. This study investigates the effect of presence on consumers\u27 responses to AR- (versus virtual reality (VR-) based virtual mirror technology. Results show that AR-based presentation is more likely to induce presence than VR-based presentation, thereby leading to greater mental imagery, favorable virtual mirror attitude, and stronger purchase intentions. Implications for digital retailers in the fashion industry are discussed

A Retrospective Examination of Female Model Portrayals in Male Youth Targeted Cigarette Advertising Through the Lens of Objectification Theory

We present a retrospective (1994-2003) portrayal of female models in a decade’s worth of male-targeted cigarette advertising. We specifically conduct a content analysis on cigarette manufacturer-sponsored advertisements in male-oriented print magazines. We first explore the set of advertisements using a Gestalt-type analysis, which then informs a formal content analysis using a carefully developed manual and conduct quantitative analysis on key variables that emerged. Overall, we find that the portrayal of females in male-targeted cigarette print advertising largely consists of young, objectified women whose purpose is overwhelmingly decorative, primarily to endow the advertising with sexual allure and use a “sex sells” type effort at that male audience target. These female models are used to add a hedonic, pleasure-seeking, sexual meaning to cigarette consumption, are restricted in gender role to traditional notions of femininity, and rarely appear in groups. They even are assigned different roles in terms of the simple act of smoking than males in the advertisements. We also discuss implications and areas for further research

Electrochemical supercapacitors based on a novel graphene/conjugated polymer composite system

An efficient method for the preparation of a highly conducting hybrid material from graphene oxide nanosheets (GNS) and a novel conjugated polymer, poly(3,4-propylenedioxythiophene), is demonstrated. A functionalized monomer based on 3,4-propylenedioxythiophene, namely ProDOT-OH, was covalently functionalized with GNS, followed by oxidative polymerization to prepare GNS-f-PProDOT composites. The covalent functionalization process of GNS with the monomer ProDOT-OH was activated through the simple esterification reaction between the acyl chloride derivative on the nanosheets and the pendant hydroxyl group present in the monomer. Furthermore, the monomer functionalized GNS were co-polymerized with thiophene resulting in hybrid graphene nanostructures coated with highly conducting co-polymers with a room temperature electrical conductivity as high as 22.5 S cm(-1). The resulting hybrid materials were characterized using a range of analytical techniques. The specific capacitance value of the composite and the co-polymer hybrids at a scan rate of 10 mV s(-1) has been determined to be 158 and 201 F g(-1) respectively and hence particularly promising for supercapacitors.close232

Eosinophilic Otitis Media: CT and MRI Findings and Literature Review

Eosinophilic otitis media (EOM) is a relatively rare, intractable, middle ear disease with extremely viscous mucoid effusion containing eosinophils. EOM is associated with adult bronchial asthma and nasal allergies. Conventional treatments for otitis media with effusion (OME) or for chronic otitis media (COM), like tympanoplasty or mastoidectomy, when performed for the treatment of EOM, can induce severe complications such as deafness. Therefore, it should be differentiated from the usual type of OME or COM. To our knowledge, the clinical and imaging findings of EOM of temporal bone are not well-known to radiologists. We report here the CT and MRI findings of two EOM cases and review the clinical and histopathologic findings of this recently described disease entity

Message assertiveness and price discount in prosocial advertising: differences between Americans and Koreans

Purpose Prosocial advertisers widely use assertive messages to encourage prosocial attitudes and behaviors, but ironically, assertive messages may cause reactance. By applying cultural theories and the reciprocity principle, this study aims to observe whether consumers’ responses to assertive messages hold across culturally different audiences (Americans vs South Koreans) and different consumption situations (price discount vs no discount). Design/methodology/approach American and Korean participants take part in three experimental studies examining the interactions of nationality, price discounts and assertive messaging for influencing consumer responses, first to a prosocial ad encouraging recycling (Study 1), the second for a campaign requesting donations for disadvantaged children (Study 2) and the third to prosocial messages encouraging water conservation (Study 3). Findings The three experiments strongly support the moderating role of price discounts and cultural backgrounds in the persuasiveness of assertive prosocial messages. American consumers generally dislike assertive messages, but feel reciprocal obligations if marketers include price discounts, whereas South Korean consumers accept both assertive and nonassertive messages without resistance, and discounts have no effects on persuasion. Research limitations/implications The findings make two key contributions to the literature and to prosocial advertising practices. First, although many corporations have adopted philanthropic strategies, few researchers have examined how specific consumption contexts determine the effectiveness of prosocial persuasion. The findings show how price discounts and message framing potentially alter the effectiveness of prosocial messages across Eastern and Western cultures. Second, assertive language evokes reactance, but the findings suggest that reactive responses to prosocial advertising are culture-specific. Practical implications International nonprofit organizations and brands using philanthropic strategies might use the guidelines of this study for tailoring strategic, practical prosocial messages that will appeal to consumers from diverse cultural backgrounds. In particular, pro-environmental and charity campaigns targeting North American or Western European populations may consider bundling discounts into promotions to evoke reciprocity. Originality/value Findings provide novel implications for social marketers regarding on how to couple message assertiveness and price discounts to maximize the success of prosocial messages in different cultures