Modelling Reference-Dependent and Labelling Effects in Consumers’ Functional Food Choices

This paper examines the reference-dependent and labelling effects when consumers make choices about functional foods, and explores how changes in reference points could alter individuals’ preferences. Functional food (probiotic yogurt) and regular food (regular yogurt) are used as examples to explore the potential reference-dependent effects and labelling effects. A consumer utility model with reference point effects is developed. The paper also explores how to model the effects of different labelling (health claim) policies, which could influence consumer preferences by changing consumers’ reference points.consumer utility, functional food, labelling policy, Agribusiness, Agricultural and Food Policy, Consumer/Household Economics, Demand and Price Analysis, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, D11, D12,

Modelling functional food choice and health care impacts: A literature review

The global market for functional foods is estimated to be worth about US$33 billion (Hilliam, 2000). Given the information asymmetry inherent in functional foods, labelling information plays a key role in allowing consumers to make informed choices. Understanding consumer choices with respect to functional foods is an important new area of research. Several potential consumer choice models are available to assess consumer choices for functional food. This paper provides an overview of key consumer research questions, and a review of several different models, including the Stated Preference Choice Model with Discrete Choice Analysis, Dependent Preference Model, and modified Protection Motivation Theory.information asymmetry, stated preference models, protection motivation, functional food, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, Q13, I1, D12, D82,

Fractionalization and Anomalies in Symmetry-Enriched U(1) Gauge Theories

We classify symmetry fractionalization and anomalies in a (3+1)d U(1) gauge theory enriched by a global symmetry group $G$. We find that, in general, a symmetry-enrichment pattern is specified by 4 pieces of data: $\rho$, a map from $G$ to the duality symmetry group of this $\mathrm{U}(1)$ gauge theory which physically encodes how the symmetry permutes the fractional excitations, $\nu\in\mathcal{H}^2_{\rho}[G, \mathrm{U}_\mathsf{T}(1)]$, the symmetry actions on the electric charge, $p\in\mathcal{H}^1[G, \mathbb{Z}_\mathsf{T}]$, indication of certain domain wall decoration with bosonic integer quantum Hall (BIQH) states, and a torsor $n$ over $\mathcal{H}^3_{\rho}[G, \mathbb{Z}]$, the symmetry actions on the magnetic monopole. However, certain choices of $(\rho, \nu, p, n)$ are not physically realizable, i.e. they are anomalous. We find that there are two levels of anomalies. The first level of anomalies obstruct the fractional excitations being deconfined, thus are referred to as the deconfinement anomaly. States with these anomalies can be realized on the boundary of a (4+1)d long-range entangled state. If a state does not suffer from a deconfinement anomaly, there can still be the second level of anomaly, the more familiar 't Hooft anomaly, which forbids certain types of symmetry fractionalization patterns to be implemented in an on-site fashion. States with these anomalies can be realized on the boundary of a (4+1)d short-range entangled state. We apply these results to some interesting physical examples.Comment: are welcome; v2 references adde

Isolation and characterization of sixty sequences of cot-1 DNA from the Asiatic black bear, Ursus thibetanus

The Asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) is a class II protected species in China whose genome is not well characterized. All mammalian genomes have a high proportion of repetitive sequences; thus, studying the repetitive sequences of the Asiatic black bear can provide new insight into the organization of its genome. It is well known that cot-1 DNA is enriched for repetitive DNA elements with high and moderately high copy numbers within the genome. In this small-scale study, cot-1 DNA from U. thibetanus was first isolated and characterized using DNA reassociation kinetics, then a Southern blotting probe was used to indicate the presence of polymorphic repetitive DNA families in this species. Analysis of homologous sequences by online database searches revealed that the obtained fragments contained satellite sequences, mitochondrial DNA, retrotransposons, DNA transposons, and unclassified fragments whose deduced amino acid sequences has significant relationships to known proteins. The data produced by this study may lead to more research into repetitive DNAs.Key words: Asiatic black bear, cot-1 DNA, repetitive elements, southern blottin

The meson-exchange model for the ΛΛˉ\Lambda\bar{\Lambda} interaction

In the present work, we apply the one-boson-exchange potential (OBEP) model to investigate the possibility of Y(2175) and $\eta(2225)$ as bound states of $\Lambda\bar{\Lambda}(^3S_1)$ and $\Lambda\bar{\Lambda}(^1S_0)$ respectively. We consider the effective potential from the pseudoscalar $\eta$-exchange and $\eta^{'}$-exchange, the scalar $\sigma$-exchange, and the vector $\omega$-exchange and $\phi$-exchange. The $\eta$ and $\eta^{'}$ meson exchange potential is repulsive force for the state $^1S_0$ and attractive for $^3S_1$. The results depend very sensitively on the cutoff parameter of the $\omega$-exchange ($\Lambda_{\omega}$) and least sensitively on that of the $\phi$-exchange ($\Lambda_{\phi}$). Our result suggests the possible interpretation of Y(2175) and $\eta(2225)$ as the bound states of $\Lambda\bar{\Lambda}(^3S_1)$ and $\Lambda\bar{\Lambda}(^1S_0)$ respectively

Integrating Cultural Perspectives in the iField: The Case of Asian Informatics

This research study justifies Asian informatics as an emerging area of research in the information field (iField) and demonstrates its potential to facilitate diversity of library and information science (LIS) education in the U.S. by offering a cross-cultural perspective in this increasingly multicultural information age. Providing a critical analysis of the iField doctoral education in the U.S., this paper demonstrates the needs and benefits of integrating Asian informatics as part of the LIS curricula, urging LIS education to raise cultural awareness in information studies

A Framework for Analyzing the Effects of Spring Load Restriction

Spring Load Restrictions (SLR) impose load restrictions on heavy trucks during the spring thaw period. Although the policies have been implemented for many years, we are still unsure of their economic effects on truckers. This paper overviews practices around the world and sets up a framework to estimate the Benefit/Cost of the SLR policy. A freight demand model in Minnesota was built to estimate the impacts of SLR on the freight transportation pattern. The model allows various policy scenarios to be tested before being tested in practice. A preliminary result of the freight demand model shows the SLR policy increased truck Vehicle Kilometers of Travel (VKT) in Lyon County, Minnesota by about 13 percent.Spring load restrictions, Benefit/Cost analysis, EMME/2, Freight demand model