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There is limited information about the design process and outcomes of novice industrial designers when working with different levels of problem abstraction. In this paper, we propose a new way of describing the cognitive processes of problem solving based on problem decomposition strategy studies and network-based cognitive maps. An empirical study was conducted to examine the impact of problem abstraction on novice designers, and their reasoning mode was quantitatively explored. Thirty-three novice designers majoring in industrial design participated in a 40-min design exercise and verbalized their cognitive process while they were solving a given design problem. The verbal protocols from the experiment were first segmented, then encoded based on cognitive maps. By analyzing the problem-solving process using this new method, we found that designers use different reasoning modes for different levels of problem abstraction. Abstract problems helped designers to break design fixation and promote the divergence of ideas. Ideas also improved in fluency, originality and novelty so that the abstract group generated better solutions. The study contributes to an enhanced understanding of design activity.

With the rapid development of e-commerce, all industries in China have joined the army of e-commerce, and the food industry is no exception. E-commerce in the food industry can effectively broaden food sales channels, and the industry has great potential for development. As a food e-commerce company with the highest sales scale in China, Three Squirrels has a good representation in the food e-commerce industry. Therefore, selecting it as a case study for enterprise value evaluation is of reference significance for investors and managers to comprehensively and accurately assess the value of food e-commerce enterprises. This paper takes Three Squirrels Co., Ltd. as an example to explore the application of EVA model in food e-commerce enterprises and verify its applicability in the valuation of e-commerce enterprises.

The book "Metaphor in Foreign Language Instruction" edited by Piquer-Píriz and Alejo-González explores the role of metaphors in foreign language (FL) instruction. The book addresses gaps in current research, such as the lack of a clear definition and evaluation standard for metaphorical competence, limited empirical studies on promoting metaphor comprehension and production, and the absence of research on metaphor utilization in FL materials. The book is divided into two parts, with the first part providing conceptual reviews and the second part presenting empirical studies on metaphors in FL instruction. The book offers valuable insights for researchers, curriculum designers, and FL teachers, and highlights the importance of metaphorical competence in FL communication. However, some limitations in the empirical studies are noted, and future research is encouraged to address these gaps and further explore the affective connotations and pragmatic functions of metaphors in FL instruction. [Extracted from the article]

Aims and objectives: To evaluate the effects of a blended emergent research training programme for clinical nurses on research competence and critical thinking. Background: With the development of the nursing discipline and evidence‐based nursing practice, nursing research competence is increasingly important for clinical nurses. Current nursing research training programmes cannot meet the needs of clinical nurses. Design: A quasi‐experimental study. Methods: A total of 104 clinical nurses from two tertiary hospitals participated in this study. The intervention group received a blended emergent research training programme for clinical nurses, and the control group received no intervention. Nursing research competence and critical thinking were measured at baseline, after the intervention and three months after the intervention. The satisfaction with the training of clinical nurses in the intervention group was also measured after the intervention. Generalised linear mixed models were used to evaluate the effects of the intervention on outcome variables. Qualitative data were analysed by two researchers using the content analysis method. Our reporting complies with the TREND checklist. Results: The blended emergent research training programme for clinical nurses finally showed positive effects on nursing research competence and critical thinking. The effects lasted until three months after the training programme. 'Learner‐centred Training', 'Skilled Trainers', 'Encouraging Training Environment' and 'Positive Outcomes' are the main categories generated from the qualitative data. Conclusion: The blended emergent research training programme for clinical nurses could be used for clinical nurses' research education to improve their nursing research competence and critical thinking. Relevance to clinical practice: The blended emergent teaching method could be considered as an effective method to provide an encouraging learning environment and promote learner‐centred teaching for clinical nurses. The blended emergent research training programme could be used to improve nursing research competence and critical thinking of clinical nurses which are important for evidence‐based nursing practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights Hemp fiber is one of the most common reinforcements for polymer matrix composites and it is widely used in various applications due to its environmentally friendliness, favorable physical and mechanical properties. In spite of the numerous merits of the hemp fiber reinforced polymer composites, improvement of poor interfacial properties between the hemp fiber and polymer matrix is limited. The main objective of this work is to investigate the effect of increased fiber surface area and alkaline surface treatment on the mechanical performance of hemp fiber reinforced epoxy composites. An elevated temperature aqueous debundling treatment was employed to generate a large number of individual fibers from fiber bundles and was associated with a threefold increase in specific fiber surface area. The fiber dimension and surface properties were investigated through optical microscopy, confocal microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The effects of different debundling treatment times and additional alkaline treatment on the mechanical properties were studied. It was found that composites reinforced by the debundled hemp fiber with further alkaline treatment exhibited the best tensile and flexural properties in comparison to other composites reinforced with debundled hemp fiber without further alkaline treatment or with untreated hemp fiber. Provided a new physical method for separating hemp fiber bundle into individual hemp fibers using boiling water and blending. Debundled fibers resulted in a 3.5 times increase in fiber surface area for better bonding with epoxy matrix. Debundling process combined with chemical (alkaline) treatment to further improve the compatibility between individual fiber and epoxy. The effects of the debundling only, alkaline treatment only, and combined debundling + alkaline treatment on composite properties were studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) 2.0, computers are now equipped with new creative capabilities and are playing an increasingly significant role in design. The use of AI augmentation has the potential to enhance design performance, however, there is limited research on the acceptance of AI-augmented design. The research gap under consideration in this study is addressed by presenting an acceptance model designed for AI-augmented design. This model integrates a range of variables including perceived privacy risk, enjoyment, perceived value, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived behavioral control, social influence, and behavioral intention. The proposed model was validated through a questionnaire survey of 249 designers in China. The results reveal that enjoyment, perceived value, perceived ease of use, perceived behavioral control, and social influence have a significant positive impact on users' intention to use AI-augmented design, while perceived privacy risk has a significant negative impact. Perceived value was found to mediate the relationship between enjoyment and behavioral intention, while perceived behavioral control play a mediation role in the relationship between social influence and behavioral intention. In conclusion, this study highlights the variables that influence the acceptance of AI-augmented design and provides valuable insights into the potential benefits and drawbacks of integrating AI technologies in design. The proposed acceptance model serves as a framework for future research in this area and can guide the development of more user-friendly and effective AI-augmented design tools and technologies., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Zhou chuyi reports financial support was provided by Department of Education of Zhejiang Province, China. Zhou Chuyi reports administrative support was provided by Department of Construction of Zhejiang Province, China. Zhou Chuyi reports financial support was provided by Scientific Research Foundation of Hangzhou City University, China., (© 2023 The Authors.)