People, in general, follow others' choices or opinions. This phenomenon has been defined as herd behavior. Accordingly, this study utilized the concept of herd behavior, and examined whether restaurant customers follow others' choices or opinions, especially when they choose a restaurant in an unfamiliar place. Two different stimuli were considered "others' choice"-online review ratings and consumers' last minute observations on the crowdedness of the restaurant. By adopting experimental design (3 Crowdedness × 2 Review Rating ), this study found that customers' intention to choose a restaurant was significantly influenced by crowdedness when customers are choosing a dine-in restaurant. Comparably, a high review rating stimulated customers' intention to choose in the case of both dine-in and take-out restaurants. Interaction effects were significant, suggesting that individuals make decisions based on both the crowdedness and review ratings of restaurants. Detailed results and discussion are followed by theoretical and managerial implications.

In terms of steel alloying elements, generally, nickel is used as an austenite stabilizing element to increase the toughness of steel. The low temperature materials, such as nickel alloy steels with a nickel content of 3.5% to 9%, stainless steel and Invar, show excellent toughness at low (173 K) and cryogenic (108 K) temperatures. In particular, in the shipbuilding industry, it is mainly used for liquefied ethane and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) carriers, and research on low-temperature steels are attracting attention again as regulations on environmental issues are strengthened in recent years. Therefore, in this study, fatigue and fracture performances of nickel alloy steel containing 9% or less among nickel alloy steels are evaluated. Moreover, we assess the Fatigue Ductile to Brittle Transition (FDBT) of nickel alloy steels based on crack tip opening displacement (CTOD). In order to discuss the fatigue and fracture performances of nickel alloy steels, microstructure analysis carried out. As a result, CTOD and Fatigue Crack Growth Rate (FCGR) of nickel alloy steels increases as nickel contents increase. In addition, FDBT of 9% nickel alloy steel is the lowest compared to other nickel alloy steels.

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Welding is used as the main joining method in various industries, including the shipbuilding industry. In the case of welded structures, structural integrity assessment is essential to ensure the safety of the structure because many defects inevitably exist during the manufacturing process. The value of reliable fracture toughness is required for structural integrity assessment. It is obtained by the fracture toughness test, but the fracture toughness test requires a lot of time and effort. Therefore, many studies have been conducted on efficient methods to evaluate fracture toughness. Among the various studies that estimate fracture toughness, some have been conducted using the Charpy impact test, which is relatively simple compared to the fracture toughness test. This study conducted a series of experimental investigations on API 2W Gr.50 steel applied with different welding conditions. Based on the Charpy impact test results, the fracture behavior was well estimated in the ductile to brittle transition region according to the temperature. However, there was a difference in the accuracy of predicting fracture behavior depending on the welding process. Therefore, additional consideration reflecting the various welding conditions is required to ensure the safety of welded structures.

Numerous non-avian dinosaurs possessed pennaceous feathers on their forelimbs (proto-wings) and tail (caudal plumage). Their functions remain unclear. We propose that the pennaceous feathers were used in displays to flush prey through stimulation of sensory-neural escape pathways in prey, and to provide higher speed and maneuverability during pursuits after prey. We evaluated escape behavior of grasshoppers to the hypothetical visual flush-displays by a robotic dinosaur, and neurophysiological responses of grasshoppers’ escape pathway to computer animations of the hypothetical flush-displays by dinosaurs. We confirmed that prey of small dinosaurs might have escaped more often when proto-wings were present, especially distally and with contrasting patterns, and when caudal plumage, especially of large area, was used during the hypothetical flush-displays. The reinforcing loop between flush and pursue functions could have contributed to the evolution of larger and stiffer feathers for faster running, maneuverability, and stronger flush-displays, promoting foraging based on the flush-pursue strategy. The flush-pursue hypothesis can explain the presence and distribution of the pennaceous feathers, plumage color contrasts, as well as a number of other features observed in early pennaraptorans. This scenario highlights that sensory-neural processes underlying prey’s antipredatory reactions may contribute to the origin of major evolutionary innovations in predators.