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This paper is to propose a novel generalized grey target decision method (GGTDM) with index and weight both containing mixed types of data.

The decision-making steps of the proposed approach are as follows. First, all mixed attribute values of alternatives and weights are transformed into binary connection numbers and also comprised two-tuple (determinacy, uncertainty) numbers. Then, the two-tuple (determinacy, uncertainty) numbers of target center indices are calculated. Next, the certain weights are determined by the Gini–Simpson (G–S) index-based method. Following this, the comprehensive-weighted Kullback–Leibler distances (CWKLDs) of all alternatives and the target center are obtained. Finally, the alternative ranking relies on the CWKLD considering the smaller value as the better option.

The certain weights determined by the improved Gini–Simpson index (IGSI) based method are more accurate in compared with that by the proximity-based method and the weight function method. The discrimination ability of alternatives ranking of the proposed approach is stronger than that of the compared comprehensive-weighted proximity (CWP) based method and comprehensive-weighted Gini–Simpson index (CWGSI) based method.

The proposed method fulfills the decision-making task relying on CWKLD, which solves the uncertain measurement from the viewpoint of entropy.

The proposed approach adopts the IGSI to transform uncertain weights into certain ones and takes the CWKLD as the basis for the decision-making.

While Hemingway noted that all stories end in death, this story begins with a death in the family. I recount my mother's (Ma's) death from a sociological point of view, making use of an autoethnographic perspective. Such a perspective encourages a frank portrayal of my involvement in the story as well as more detached reflection of various behaviors (enacted by Ma, her children, her grandchildren, and her friends). I also focus on Ma as a child of the Depression, a young adult during World War II, and a casualty of a middle class lifestyle. Her death, while unwanted, allowed her to create and construct authentic encounters with her children, grandchildren, and friends – encounters that she had avoided while living the middle class life. Her story allows me to reflect on her death as encouraging an authentic understanding of my emotions.

A collection of essays by a social economist seeking to balance economics as a science of means with the values deemed necessary to man′s finding the good life and society enduring as a civilized instrumentality. Looks for authority to great men of the past and to today′s moral philosopher: man is an ethical animal. The 13 essays are: 1. Evolutionary Economics: The End of It All? which challenges the view that Darwinism destroyed belief in a universe of purpose and design; 2. Schmoller′s Political Economy: Its Psychic, Moral and Legal Foundations, which centres on the belief that time‐honoured ethical values prevail in an economy formed by ties of common sentiment, ideas, customs and laws; 3. Adam Smith by Gustav von Schmoller – Schmoller rejects Smith′s natural law and sees him as simply spreading the message of Calvinism; 4. Pierre‐Joseph Proudhon, Socialist – Karl Marx, Communist: A Comparison; 5. Marxism and the Instauration of Man, which raises the question for Marx: is the flowering of the new man in Communist society the ultimate end to the dialectical movement of history?; 6. Ethical Progress and Economic Growth in Western Civilization; 7. Ethical Principles in American Society: An Appraisal; 8. The Ugent Need for a Consensus on Moral Values, which focuses on the real dangers inherent in there being no consensus on moral values; 9. Human Resources and the Good Society – man is not to be treated as an economic resource; man′s moral and material wellbeing is the goal; 10. The Social Economist on the Modern Dilemma: Ethical Dwarfs and Nuclear Giants, which argues that it is imperative to distinguish good from evil and to act accordingly: existentialism, situation ethics and evolutionary ethics savour of nihilism; 11. Ethical Principles: The Economist′s Quandary, which is the difficulty of balancing the claims of disinterested science and of the urge to better the human condition; 12. The Role of Government in the Advancement of Cultural Values, which discusses censorship and the funding of art against the background of the US Helms Amendment; 13. Man at the Crossroads draws earlier themes together; the author makes the case for rejecting determinism and the “operant conditioning” of the Skinner school in favour of the moral progress of autonomous man through adherence to traditional ethical values.

The purpose of this study was to produce dimensionally accurate and reliable fused layer modeling (FLM) feedstock composed of an impact modified polypropylene matrix, compounded with a cellulose nanofiber (CNF) reinforcement and coupled by a maleic anhydride coupling agent to produce comparable mechanical properties in comparison to the industry-standard method of injection molding (IM).

A spray dried CNF (SDCNF) was compounded with the polymer matrix using a masterbatch method. The composite was diluted with neat polymer and extruded into a filament and then printed into standardized mechanical testing samples. For comparison, the filament was chopped and standardized samples were produced with IM.

A loss in mechanical properties of up to 30% was observed in FLM samples. If normalized to reflect improved density from a part consolidation method, losses are reduced to 15% or show improvements in the neat polymer matrix.

Limited research has been done on producing FLM feedstock, reporting mechanical property results based on standardized testing and comparing the same material with IM.

Thermal management of high-power (HP) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is an essential issue. Junction temperature (T_J) and thermal resistance (R_th) are critical parameters in evaluating LEDs thermal management and reliability. The purpose of this paper is to study thermal and optical characteristics of ThinGaN (UX:3) white LED mounted on SinkPAD by three types of solder paste (SP): No-Clean SAC305 (SP1), Water-Washable SAC305 (SP2) and No-Clean Sn42/Bi57.6/Ag0.4 (SP3).

Thermal transient tester (T3Ster) machine is used to determine T_J and total thermal resistance (R_th–JA). In addition, the LED’s optical properties are measured via thermal and radiometric characterization of power LEDs (TeraLED) system. The LED is mounted on SinkPAD using SP1, SP2 and SP3 by stencil printing to control a thickness of SP and reflow soldering oven to minimize the number of voids. The LED with SP1, SP2 and SP3 is tested at various input currents and ambient temperatures.

The results indicate that at high input current, which equals to 1,200 mA, R_th–JA and T_J, respectively, are reduced by 30 and 17 per cent between SP1 and SP2. At same current value, R_th–JA and T_J are minimized by 42 and 25 per cent between SP1 and SP3, respectively. In addition, at an ambient temperature of 85°C, R_th–JA and T_J are decreased by 34 and 7 per cent between SP1 and SP2, respectively. Similarly, the reduction in R_th–JA and T_J between SP1 and SP3 is 44 and 10 per cent, respectively. Luminous flux, luminous efficacy and color shift of the LED with the three types of SPs are compared and discussed. It is found that the SP1 improves the chromatic properties of the LED by increasing the overall light efficiency and decreasing the color shift.

Thermal and optical performance of ThinGaN LEDs mounted on SinkPAD via three types of SPs is compared. This investigation can assist the research on thermal management of HP ThinGaN-based LEDs.

This paper aims to propose a novel mathematical model of bearingless switched reluctance motor (BSRM). This model differs from conventional mathematical models in the calculation of torque and suspension forces. Conventional mathematical models neglect the coupling relationship between the α- and β-axes or ignore the magnetic saturation of the Si-Fe material. This study considers these issues simultaneously. Additionally, considering the air-gap edge effect, the fringing coefficient is used to establish a high-precision mathematical model.

An innovative mathematical model of BSRM based on the Maxwell stress method was established by selecting an appropriate integration path. The fringing coefficient of the air-gap was computed based on the finite element analysis results at the aligned position of the stator and rotor poles. Using the least squares fitting method, the piecewise fitted magnetization curve of the Si-Fe material was utilized to calculate flux density.

The appropriate integration path of the Maxwell stress method was selected, which considered the coupling relationship of the suspension forces in the α- and β-axes and was closer to the actual situation. The fringing coefficient of the air-gap improved the calculation accuracy of air-gap flux density. The magnetomotive force was consumed by the magnetic resistance of the stator and rotor poles considering the magnetic saturation.

A novel mathematical model of BSRM is proposed. Different from conventional mathematical models, the proposed model can effectively solve the coupling relationship of the suspension forces in the α- and β-axes. Additionally, this model is consistent with the actual situation of motor as it includes a reasonable calculation of the air-gap flux density, considering the air-gap edge effect and magnetic saturation.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a forecasting model to predict the demand under uncertain environment to control the bullwhip effect (BWE) considering review-period order-up-to level ((R, S)) inventory control policy and its different variants such as (R, βS) (R, γO) and (R, γO, βS) proposed by Jakšič and Rusjan, (2008) and Bandyopadhyay and Bhattacharya (2013).

A hybrid forecasting model has been developed by combining the feature of discrete wavelet transformation (DWT) and an intelligence technique, multi-gene genetic programming (MGGP), denoted as DWT-MGGP. Performance of DWT-MGGP model has been verified under (R, S) inventory control policy considering demand from three different manufacturing companies.

A comparison between DWT-MGGP model and autoregressive integrated moving average forecasting model has been done by estimating forecast error and BWE. Further, this study has been extended with analysing the behaviour of BWE considering different variants of (R, S) policy such as (R,βS) (R, γO) and (R,γO,βS) and found that BWE can be moderated by controlling the inventory smoothing (β) and order smoothing parameters (γ).

This study is limited to different variants of (R, S) inventory control policy. However, this study can be further extended to continuous review policy.

The proposed DWT-MGGP model can be used as a suitable demand forecasting model to control the BWE when (R, S), (R,βS) (R,γO) and (R,γO,βS)inventory control policies are followed for replenishment.

This study analyses the behavior of BWE through controlling the inventory smoothing (β) and order smoothing parameters (γ) when demand is predicted using DWT-MGGP forecasting model and order is estimated using (R, S), (R,βS) (R,γO) and (R,γO,βS) inventory control policies.