Effect of two gaps on the flux lattice internal field distribution: evidence of two length scales from muSR in Mg1-xAlxB2

We have measured the transverse field muon spin precession in the flux lattice (FL) state of the two gap superconductor MgB2 and of the electron doped compounds Mg1-xAlxB2 in magnetic fields up to 2.8T. We show the effect of the two gaps on the internal field distribution in the FL, from which we determine two coherence length parameters and the doping dependence of the London penetration depth. This is an independent determination of the complex vortex structure already suggested by the STM observation of large vortices in a MgB2 single crystal. Our data agrees quantitatively with STM and we thus validate a new phenomenological model for the internal fields.Comment: now in press Phys. Rev. Lett., small modifications required by the edito

The Scoop on SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast): Exploring Consumer Behaviours towards a Novel Ice Cream

With the growing demand for sustainable practises, the food industry is increasingly adopting circular economy approaches. One example is recycling the symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) used in kombucha fermentation to create value-added products. However, consumer acceptance of such novel products remains unclear. To address this, the present study examined consumer attitudes towards ice cream made with SCOBY as an ingredient and how this affected their intention to consume it. Drawing on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) and additional constructs such as emotions and food neophobia, an online survey was conducted with New Zealand consumers (N = 170). Results showed that the TPB constructs significantly predicted the intention to consume SCOBY ice cream. Moreover, by adding emotions to the constructs, the model's explanatory power was enhanced. Attitudes, subjective norms, and emotions were the main predictors of intention, which in turn was found to be the main predictor of behaviour. Participants' beliefs about the safety and taste of SCOBY ice cream were significantly correlated with their intention and behaviour, as were the opinions of nutritionists/dietitians, friends, and family. The model accounted for 21.7% of the variance in behaviour and 57.4% of the variance in intention. These findings can be used to plan marketing strategies related to waste-to-value-added products such as SCOBY ice cream.fals

Hard macrocells for DC/DC converter in automotive embedded mechatronic systems

A novel configurable DC/DC converter architecture, to be integrated as hard macrocell in automotive embedded systems, is proposed in the paper. It aims at realizing an intelligent voltage regulator. With respect to the state of the art, the challenge is the integration into an automotive-qualified chip of several advanced features like dithering of switching frequency, nested control loops with both current and voltage feedback, asynchronous hysteretic control for low power mode, slope control of the power FET gate driver, and diagnostic block against out-of-range current or voltage or temperature conditions. Moreover, the converter macrocell can be connected to the in-vehicle digital network, exchanging with the main vehicle control unit status/diagnostic flags and commands. The proposed design can be configured to work both in step-up and step-down modes, to face a very wide operating input voltage range from 2.5 to 60 V and absolute range from −0.3 to 70 V. The main target is regulating all voltages required in the emerging hybrid/electric vehicles where, besides the conventional 12 V DC bus, also a 48 V DC bus is present. The proposed design supports also digital configurability of the output regulated voltage, through a programmable divider, and of the coefficients of the proportional-integrative controller inside the nested control loops. Fabricated in 0.35 μm CMOS technology, experimental measurements prove that the IC can operate in harsh automotive environments since it meets stringent requirements in terms of electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection, operating temperature range, out-of-range current, or voltage condition

11^{11}B NMR study of pure and lightly carbon doped MgB2_2 superconductors

We report a $^{11}$B NMR line shape and spin-lattice relaxation rate ($1/(T_1T)$) study of pure and lightly carbon doped MgB$_{2-x}$C$_{x}$ for $x=0$, 0.02, and 0.04, in the vortex state and in magnetic field of 23.5 kOe. We show that while pure MgB$_2$ exhibits the magnetic field distribution from superposition of the normal and the Abrikosov state, slight replacement of boron with carbon unveils the magnetic field distribution of the pure Abrikosov state. This indicates a considerable increase of $H_{c2}^c$ with carbon doping with respect to pure MgB$_2$. The spin-lattice relaxation rate $1/(T_1T)$ demonstrates clearly the presence of a coherence peak right below $T_c$ in pure MgB$_2$, followed by a typical BCS decrease on cooling. However, at temperatures lower than $\approx 10$K strong deviation from the BCS behavior is observed, probably from residual contribution of the vortex dynamics. In the carbon doped systems both the coherence peak and the BCS temperature dependence of $1/(T_1T)$ weaken, an effect attributed to the gradual shrinking of the $\sigma$ hole cylinders of the Fermi surface with electron doping.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Effects of repeated tasting sessions on acceptability, emotional responses, and purchasing behaviors of waste-to-value-added SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) ice cream

This study investigated the effects of repeated exposure on acceptability, emotionalresponses, and purchase intention of a novel symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast(SCOBY) ice cream, compared to a control (no extra additives) and a guar gum ice creamsample, using three sessions: a survey (SCOBY information) and two tasting sessions(repeated-exposure effect). Participants initially conducted blind evaluations of all sam-ples, followed by an informed tasting. The blind tasting sessions evoked high arousalemotions for the SCOBY ice cream and positive emotions for the control and guar gumsamples. The second session showed a rise in liking for sweetness (5.6–6.5) and texture(5.6–6.7) of the SCOBY samples. Sensory attributes such as flavor (odds ratio = 1.7)and texture (odds ratio = 1.7), coupled with positive emotions such as “happy” (oddsratio = 3.8), “pleasant” (odds ratio = 0.4), and “interested” (odds ratio = 3.8) affectedpurchase intention. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into participants'liking and emotional responses during repeated exposures to stimuli. Practical Applications: The study's findings show that repeated exposure to novel products enhances con-sumer acceptance and emotional responses, challenging the current formats of tradi-tional sensory studies. This implies that the introduction of novel products can besuccessful with repeated tasting exposure strategies. The focus on improving famil-iarity with sensory attributes, especially flavor and texture, can positively impact pur-chase intention. This insight can guide product positioning, marketing campaigns, andflavor development efforts, encouraging the successful integration of innovativeproducts into the market.1 | I N T RO DU CT I O NFood choice behavior is a multifaceted process influenced by physio-logical (Manippa et al., 2019), socioeconomic (Van Lentheet al., 2015), and psychological factors (Babicz-Zieli nska, 2006). Asconsumer preferences and trends evolve, novel food products andinnovations emerge in the market to cater to the needs and demandsof consumers. Lack of familiarity and exposure to novel food productsReceived: 14 December 2023 Revised: 5 February 2024 Accepted: 12 February 2024DOI: 10.1111/joss.12901Journal ofSensory StudiesThis is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in anymedium, provided the original work is properly cited and is not used for commercial purposes.© 2024 The Authors. Journal of Sensory Studies published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.J Sens Stud. 2024;39:e12901. wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/joss 1 of 12https://doi.org/10.1111/joss.12901fals

Exploring the effects of packaging on consumer experience and purchase behaviour: insights from eye tracking and facial expressions on orange juice

Packaging is crucial in attracting consumer attention, conveying product identity, influencing product perception and affecting approach-based consumer behaviours. The present exploratory study aimed to gain insights into the effects of packaging on consumer experiences and the factors driving willingness to buy different orange juice products based on packaging. Eye tracking and facial expressions were used to capture the consumer perception journey, from the initial interaction to the final product evaluation. The study also examined hedonic liking, explicit emotions and different label attributes in the evaluation stage, and the importance of texture, price and the New Zealand (NZ)-made logo in the validation stage. Results showed that the packaging's physical features significantly affected consumer's attention during the initial interaction stage. Implicit emotions provided deeper insights into consumers' preferences in the orientation stage. Nutritional information gained maximum visual attention (fixation counts = 0.40) in the evaluation stage, while the NZ-made logo (odds ratio = 15.62) drove purchase intention. The study revealed that the packaging that attracted the maximum attention was not necessarily the one with the highest liking score. Moreover, consumers may not pay much visual attention to attributes (price, r = −0.22) that they reported to be important. By advancing our knowledge in this field, marketers and product designers can refine their strategies and create packaging that captures visual attention and evokes positive emotional responses, ultimately influencing consumer behavioursfals

Packaging, perception, and acceptability: a comprehensive exploration of extrinsic attributes and consumer behaviours in novel food product systems

In today's global markets, the constant arrival of new products represents a challenge for the food industry to offer distinct choices to consumers, primarily due to the parallel sensory attributes and pricing structures of the available food options. Innovators must employ methodologies beyond traditional sensory analysis to ensure the product's success. Researchers must, therefore, explore the entire product experience to understand its influence on consumer behaviours. Food choices are multifaceted, influenced by various factors, including individual physiological and psychological characteristics and intrinsic and extrinsic product attributes. As a result, consumers' decisions are shaped by the multisensory information derived from products they encounter in supermarkets. This review aims to comprehensively examine the factors influencing consumer food choices, from initial product encounters to consumption. The review explores the impact of repetitive tasting on the consumer's attitudes and intentions towards novel products. Additionally, the review investigates which extrinsic attributes capture consumer attention in supermarket settings. It also delves into the effects of extrinsic product attributes on both explicit and implicit emotions and expectations raised about the sensory properties of the product and, ultimately, their purchasing behaviours.fals