How can you resist? Executive control helps romantically involved individuals to stay faithful.

In the present research, we examined why some people have more difficulty than others in staying faithful to their romantic partners. Three studies supported our main prediction that executive control is associated with romantically involved individuals' ability to stay faithful. Study 1 showed that participants with a higher level of executive control reported less difficulty in staying faithful to their partners than did those with lower levels of executive control. In Study 2, romantically involved male participants were placed in a waiting room together with an attractive female confederate. Results showed that participants with a higher level of executive control showed less flirting behavior with the confederate than did those with lower levels of executive control. Study 3 demonstrated that a higher level of executive control was related to a lower expressed desire to meet an attractive other, but only for romantically involved participants. Together, these studies showed that executive control helps romantically involved individuals to deal with the lure of attractive alternatives. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

A cash-constrained stochastic inventory model with consumer loans and supplier credits: the case of nanostores in emerging markets

We consider a small traditional retailer that is managing its inventory under strict cash constraints, mainly because typically informal loans are offered to customers. These stores are widely present in emerging markets, and we refer to them as nanostores (also called ‘mom-and-pop stores’). As the suppliers require immediate payments for goods delivered, a nanostore can only replenish products to the level for which it has on-hand cash available. To improve delivery efficiency, a supplier might offer a nanostore credit for its replenishments. However, currently, suppliers are often reluctant to do so as these nanostores quickly go bankrupt or disappear, hence defaulting on all outstanding credits. The objective of this paper is to determine when it is beneficial to offer supplier credits. We propose a multi-period, stochastic inventory model, and numerically compare scenarios with and without supplier credits. Our study shows that even in the presence of this risk, suppliers often have good incentives to provide these credits, even if interest is not incurred. For this to hold, the operations of the retailer should be (a little) profitable in the first place, for which we provide analytical conditions.     

Algorithmic Aspects of Proportional Symbol Maps

Proportional symbol maps visualize numerical data associated with point locations by placing a scaled symbol—typically an opaque disk or square—at the corresponding point on a map. The area of each symbol is proportional to the numerical value associated with its location. Every visually meaningful proportional symbol map will contain at least some overlapping symbols. These need to be drawn in such a way that the user can still judge their relative sizes accurately.     

Identifying multiple roles of ICT coordinators

This study reports on the development and validation of measurement scales to study the different roles fulfilled by ICT coordinators. Based on a review of the literature, a 24 item questionnaire was constructed and administered to a sample of 177 Flemish ICT coordinators working in primary education. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a four-factor solution: the ICT coordinator as a planner, a budgeter, a technician, and an educationalist. Qualitative data corroborated these roles. This study provides a quantitative measure of the different roles assumed by ICT coordinators in practice. The implications of our findings for schools, researchers and policy makers are discussed.     

On the applicability of the laminar flow index when selecting surgical lighting

In modern operating rooms ultraclean air is supplied through the ceiling to prevent bacteria from entering an operating wound and cause infections. Operating lamps can disturb this flow of clean air. In this paper the accuracy of some aspects of the Laminar Flow Index of operating lamps was tested. The disturbance of the airflow was determined for different shapes and sizes of operating lamps in an isothermal situation. To accomplish this, an experimental study and a simulation study of a small room with an operating lamp were performed. The infection risk was found to be proportional to the projected surface area of the lamp. Although different lamp shapes resulted in a distinctly different flow pattern in the room, this did not affect the infection risk in a significant way. Operating lamps with a projected area smaller than 0.1 m² do not disturb the airflow at all in this particular setup.     

Fluid-to-fluid modeling of supercritical water loops for stability analysis

The use of supercritical water as coolant/moderator may induce oscillations in the supercritical light water reactor similar to the density wave oscillations observed in boiling water reactors (BWRs). In order to experimentally investigate the stability of supercritical reactors, a fluid-to-fluid downscaled facility is proposed. It is found that with an appropriate mixture of refrigerants R-125 and R-32, the dimensionless enthalpy and density of the supercritical water can be accurately matched for all relevant operational conditions of the reactor. Moreover, the inertia distribution, the friction factor distribution and the heat transfer mechanism are taken into account in the modeling. As a result of the proposed downscaling, the operational pressure, temperature and power are considerably smaller than those of a water-based system, which in turn helps reducing the construction and operational costs of a test facility. Finally, it is found that the often used modeling fluid supercritical CO₂ cannot accurately represent supercritical water at reactor conditions.     

Modified method for rainwater ponding on flat roofs

A method for the analysis of rainwater ponding on flat or nearly flat one-way and two-way roofs, published in 2007, is modified. The existing method appears accurate for roofs of continuous secondary members and profiled steel sheeting, but is far too pessimistic for roofs in which all composing parts are simply-supported. After summarizing the formerly published method, a modification is proposed in order to fit better with FEM-packages, considered in this context to be exact solutions. In essence, the stored water in the deflected secondary members and steel sheeting elements is estimated more properly. An easy way has been found how to adapt the existing spring-piston model in order to better account for the correct volume of accumulated water in the secondary members and profiled steel sheeting. An application example and discussion of the results complete the article.