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This study aims to investigate how various forms of social control, namely selective incentive and behavioral conformity, collectively rationalize participation in collective action, through indirect network connections. To address it, we use a public game model and analyze the equilibrium conditions of the emergence of collective action on centralized, star-shaped networks and on decentralized, loop-shaped networks. The results show that social control is effective in motivating contribution towards a public good; however, the effect is highly dependent on the ratio of the benefits derived from selective incentive versus behavioral conformity as well as on the structure of social networks. Moreover, we find that indirect network connections can be an important route through which social control can improve the emergence of collective action. These findings have important implications for collective action theory and for intervention in collective actions.

In order to improve the marketing effect of e-commerce products, based on machine learning algorithms, this paper constructs an e-commerce product marketing model based on machine learning and SVM. Moreover, this paper studies the classic reinforcement learning algorithm Q-learning and proposes an improved Q-learning algorithm. In addition, this paper uses the method of mean standardization to reduce the noise impact of the reward signal caused by the unfixed time interval between decision points, further constructs a standardization factor for the deviation caused by the asynchronous update of the time interval in the iterative process of the Q value function and updates the standardization factor according to the update method of the value function, and proposes the Interval-Q algorithm. At the same time, in view of the fact that traditional reinforcement learning algorithms cannot effectively deal with the observable part of customer status in direct marketing scenarios, based on the deep reinforcement learning DQN model, this paper combines with the idea of hybrid model to propose a DQN model based on dual networks. Finally, this paper uses public data sets for model training and simulation environment construction and then evaluates the algorithm proposed in this paper from different angles and analyses model performance based on examples. From the research results, it can be seen that the precision marketing model constructed in this paper has a good effect and can be applied to practice.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to facilitate understanding of how to mitigate the privacy concerns of users who have experienced privacy invasions. Design/methodology/approach Drawing on the communication privacy management theory, the authors developed a model suggesting that privacy concerns form through a cognitive process involving threat-coping appraisals, institutional privacy assurances and privacy experiences. The model was tested using data from an empirical survey with 913 randomly selected social media users. Findings Privacy concerns are jointly determined by perceived privacy risks and privacy self-efficacy. The perceived effectiveness of institutional privacy assurances in terms of established privacy policies and privacy protection technology influences the perceptions of privacy risks and privacy self-efficacy. More specifically, privacy invasion experiences are negatively associated with the perceived effectiveness of institutional privacy assurances. Research limitations/implications Privacy concerns are conceptualized as general concerns that reflect an individual’s worry about the possible loss of private information. The specific types of private information were not differentiated. Originality/value This paper is among the first to clarify the specific mechanisms through which privacy invasion experiences influence privacy concerns. Privacy concerns have long been viewed as resulting from individual actions. The study contributes to literature by linking privacy concerns with institutional privacy practice.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the antecedents of self-disclosure intention on mobile social applications. This study integrates privacy calculus model and elaboration likelihood theory to reconcile the rational and heuristic views of privacy decision making. Design/methodology/approach Using a “random dialing” sampling method, an empirical survey with 913 respondents was conducted. A series of regression models were employed to test the proposed relationships. Robust checks with sub-group analysis were conducted. Findings Self-disclosure intention develops along a dual route including the central route and the peripheral route. When the central route predominates, social media users form their attitudes toward self-disclosure based on a rational calculus of the privacy concern and perceived rewards. When the peripheral route predominates, users perform a more heuristic evaluation of relevant informational cues (information about privacy harms, the extent of information asymmetry between users and operators) and contextual cues (flow experience, privacy disclosure of friends). Peripheral cues moderate the relationships between central cues and self-disclosure intention. Originality/value This paper extends the Elaboration Likelihood Model by investigating the interaction between the central route and peripheral route. The results provide alternative explanations on the renowned “privacy paradox” phenomenon.

This paper examines the promotional strategies for new product diffusion by leveraging peer effects among consumers. Previous studies have offered conflicting recommendations on whom to target (e.g., influentials, susceptibles, or unsusceptibles) with respect to new product promotions. Utilizing agent-based modeling and simulation (ABMS), we show that each of the proposed consumer groups can be a promising target, depending on how they are targeted, according to target size and promotion intensity. The authors further recommend the optimal combination of whom and how to target under budget constraints. Specifically, where a budget is limited, the best approach is to target as many susceptibles as possible with a weak promotion. Targeting unsusceptibles with free products should be the first choice, where the budget is large. In other cases, the best approach is to target as many influentials as possible with a moderate promotion.

Biogeographical regionalization schemes have traditionally been constructed based on taxonomic endemism of families, genera, and/or species, and rarely incorporated the phylogenetic relationships between taxa. However, phylogenetic relationships are important for understanding historical connections within and among biogeographical regions. Phylogeny-based delineation of biota is a burgeoning and fruitful field that is expected to provide novel insights into the conservation of regional diversity and the evolutionary history of biota. Using the Chinese flora as an example, we compared regionalization schemes that were based on: (1) taxonomic endemism, (2) taxonomic dissimilarity, and (3) phylogenetic dissimilarity. Our results revealed general consistency among different regionalization schemes and demonstrated that the phylogenetic dissimilarity approach is preferable for biogeographical regionalization studies. Using the phylogenetic dissimilarity approach, we identified five phytogeographical regions within China: the Paleotropic, Holarctic, East Asiatic, Tethyan, and Qinghai–Tibet Plateau Regions. The relationship of these regions was inferred to be: (Paleotropic, ((East Asiatic + Holarctic) + (Tethyan + Qinghai–Tibet Plateau)).

Narrowly lanceolate leaves occur frequently in the genus Aster. It was often employed as a distinguishing character in the taxonomy of this genus. The origin of this particular leaf shape, however, has never been investigated using comparative methods. In this study, we reconstructed a comprehensive phylogeny that includes most species of Aster with narrowly lanceolate leaf. We then gathered data on riparian habitats and the presence or absence of narrowly lanceolate leaves, and investigated the evolutionary association between them in a phylogenetic context. Our analysis indicated that the species with narrowly lanceolate leaves are nested in unrelated lineages of the genus Aster, implying that they originated independently several times. Using Pagel’s comparative method of discrete data, we demonstrated a significant correlation between riparian habitats and narrowly lanceolate leaves. We further inferred the sequence of transition of the two characters. This analysis indicated that the sequence of evolution of riparian habitat and narrowly lanceolate leaf form was usually uncertain, but some positive results showed that the occurrence of riparian habitats may not precede the evolution of narrowly lanceolate leaf form. This study provided new insights into the adaptive evolution in a mega-diverse family. In addition, Aster tonglingensis, an unexpected new species with narrowly lanceolate leaves, was discovered and established based on the evidence from morphology, micromorphology and molecular phylogeny.

It is widely accepted in word-of-mouth (WOM) research that weak ties have a greater macro-level impact than strong ties on the spread of WOM and that marketers should thus intentionally stimulate WOM between weak ties to optimize a given WOM campaign. Here, we challenge this idea based on the fact that, in practice, marketers often incorporate a WOM campaign into other forms of marketing activities, typically advertising. Using an agent-based modeling approach, we demonstrate that while advertising serves as one source of information flow, the WOM that is most effective at driving product growth is created by strong rather than weak ties. The rationale behind this is simple: advertising competes against weak ties in disseminating information globally, and it is this global reach that has been widely considered the vital strength of weak ties over strong ties. Keywords: Word-of-mouth (WOM), Strong ties, Weak ties, Advertising, Agent-based modeling (ABM), JEL classification: M310

The linear ordering problem (LOP) is an NP-hard combinatorial optimization problem with wide applications. As the problem is computationally intractable, the only practical alternative is to develop efficient heuristics to solve it. Here we present four new properties of block insertion for the LOP, and show that changing the node order in one sub-problem does not affect the objective values of the remaining sub-problems. Based on these properties, we then propose three local search schemes for solving the LOP. Our experimental results show that the block insert with the first strategy often outperforms other local search schemes within the same computational time. To further improve the performance of this local search scheme, we incorporate it into the iterated local search and genetic algorithm frameworks, and develop the block-insertion-based iterated local search (ILSb) and memetic algorithm (MAb), respectively. The computational results show that both the ILSb and MAb outperform the state-of-the-art meta-heuristics. Moreover, with appropriate parameter settings, the MAb frequently outperforms the ILSb. Finally, we design a parallel computing framework, which divides the LOP problem into independent sub-problems that are solved in parallel by exact methods. This parallel framework can further improve the solutions derived by MAb or other heuristics.

Narrowly lanceolate leaves occur frequently in the genus Aster. It was often employed as a distinguishing character in the taxonomy of this genus. The origin of this particular leaf shape, however, has never been investigated using comparative methods. In this study, we reconstructed a comprehensive phylogeny that includes most species of Aster with narrowly lanceolate leaf. We then gathered data on riparian habitats and the presence or absence of narrowly lanceolate leaves, and investigated the evolutionary association between them in a phylogenetic context. Our analysis indicated that the species with narrowly lanceolate leaves are nested in unrelated lineages of the genus Aster, implying that they originated independently several times. Using Pagel’s comparative method of discrete data, we demonstrated a significant correlation between riparian habitats and narrowly lanceolate leaves. We further inferred the sequence of transition of the two characters. This analysis indicated that the sequence of evolution of riparian habitat and narrowly lanceolate leaf form was usually uncertain, but some positive results showed that the occurrence of riparian habitats may not precede the evolution of narrowly lanceolate leaf form. This study provided new insights into the adaptive evolution in a mega-diverse family. In addition, Aster tonglingensis, an unexpected new species with narrowly lanceolate leaves, was discovered and established based on the evidence from morphology, micromorphology and molecular phylogeny.

When launching a new product, firms often give away free samples to seed the market. This paper aims to identify the optimal seeding targets, such as early adopters, social hubs, or randomly chosen consumers while considering the presence of negative word-of-mouth (WOM). Using agent-based modeling, it was found that seeding early adopters can generate the highest profit and the largest market penetration, followed by the social hubs and random consumers. Moreover, the results show that seeding early adopters can be more beneficial for a low-quality product, wherein adopters are more likely to spread negative WOM. These findings challenge a widely accepted notion in the related research that social hubs are often the most promising targets for seeding programs.

For the purpose of taking full advantages of the District Cooling System (DCS), the mathematical model was established based on the principle of non-decreasing state of the energy efficiency grade of the refrigeration unit and high level of the transportation energy efficiency of the cooling pipeline. Based on the mathematical model, two formula were derived. One is suitable for the scientific research concerning the length of the DCS, and the other is appropriate for the design in engineering application. The determination of the maximum length of the pipe provides an alternative for the research and design of the DCS, therefore it is worth studying.

Formula of the maximum length of direct burial cooling pipes used in the district cooling system (DCS) was derived, by means of establishing the mathematical relationship between the maximum temperature rise of the pipe, under which the energy efficiency of the refrigeration unit would not decrease, and the thermal equilibrium of the pipe. And an engineering application with DCS in Zhuzhou was analyzed. The results showed that the insulation measures should be applied to the directly buried cooling pipes in engineering applications, appropriately with a thermal insulation layer of 0.04m.

Settling velocity of sediment increases if flocculating occurred, and this enlarges deposition in reservoirs. According to water environmental factors in the Three Gorges reservoir, potential energy and forces between particles are evaluated based on DLVO theory. The critical water dynamics conditions were obtained by comparing extremum in synthetic potential curve and kinetic energy caused by relative velocity between particles. It is found that sediment flocculating is apt to happen when water level is high according to flow dynamics in the Three Gorges reservoir. The flocs are relatively loose and which is prone to be broken by water shear force. So the settling velocity of the flocculation is limited and the critical diameter of sediment is 0.019mm under which the sediments are affected by flocculating, and the settling velocity should be revised according to the limited settling velocity of flocculation when sediments are smaller than the critical diameter.

Taking the geothermal heat pump system in the campus of Hunan University of Technology for example, three technical solutions of the heat source of the system were analyzed in terms of the condensing heat load, the annual unbalanced heat load and the energy efficiency ratio (EER) of the system. In addition, comparison was conducted among the solutions. The results indicate that the solution 3, which has a cold and hot water integrative unit and hot water unit connected in series, meanwhile has a cooling tower for auxiliary cooling, shows better performance among all the solutions. The analysis on the solution of heat source of geothermal heat pump system, which usually contains the analysis on the condensing heat load, annual unbalanced heat load and EER, is of great significance for the design and development of the geothermal heat pump system with lower coat and higher EER.

This study investigates how cultural differences on the individualism-collectivism I-C dimension of social networks influence the outcomes of collective action. Evidence shows that I-C values are indicators of how people construct their social networks and use strong/weak ties as a behavioral reference. Specifically, when compared with individualists, collectivists tend to hold larger strong-tie networks and endow strong ties with greater interpersonal influence. Results obtained from agent-based modeling indicate that individualistic cultures are more effective at propagating collective action when one of the two following conditions is met: 1 people have a strong motivation to participate and 2 the connectivity of the social system is low. In contrast, spread of collective action in collectivistic cultures is more effective when motivation is not strong and the connectivity of the social system is high. These findings call for a serious consideration of the role of culture in collective action. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 20: 68-77, 2015

As an effective method in automobile tail gas treatment, dielectric barrier discharge（DBD）is introduced. There are many parameters In DBD reactor that influence nitrogen oxide treatment reaction including discharge voltage, discharge frequency, discharge distance, gas influence and electrode structure. Discuss the influence of discharge voltage, discharge distance and medium thickness to electric field distribution in cylindrical DBD reactor through 2D numerical simulation

Aster veitchianus, a species endemic to western China, is widely accepted in taxonomic and phytochemical literature (e.g. Hu 1965, Li et al. 2007, Chen et al. 2011). However, its name was not validly published, because the original diagnosis given by Ling (1935: 214) was in French, not in Latin. Thus, Ling did not validate the name A. veitchianus according to Art. 39.1 of the ICN (McNeill et al. 2012). In our survey of the taxonomic literature, we have never found this name accompanied by a Latin diagnosis or description before 31 December 2011, nor by an English diagnosis or description after 1 January 2012. We herein provide an English description to accomplish valid publication of the name. The specimen X. B. Peng 6049 (Fig. 1) deposited in PE is designated as the holotype, which was the only one specimen cited by Ling (1935).

Local opinion heterogeneity (LOH) critically influences an individual’s choice of collective behaviors, such as voting and protesting. However, several empirical studies have presented different conclusions on how LOH affects such preference. In the current research, the effect of LOH is considered based on agent-based modeling and the threshold model introduced by Granovetter (1978). A series of simulation experiments and statistical analyses are conducted. Results show that LOH has an inverse U-shape effect on the likelihood of participation (whether an individual decides to participate). By contrast, the findings reveal that LOH has a monotonous effect on participation timing (when a participant makes the decision). Specifically, when LOH is high, an individual opts to participate early. These observations can be explained by the influence of LOH on the structure of social networks and by the moderating effect of the global distribution of opinions within the population.