Consumer neuroscience: Assessing the brain response to marketing stimuli using electroencephalogram (EEG) and eye tracking

Application of neuroscience methods to analyze and understand human behavior related to markets and marketing exchange has recently gained research attention. The basic aim is to guide design and presentation of products to optimize them to be as compatible as possible with consumer preferences. This paper investigates physiological decision processes while participants undertook a choice task designed to elicit preferences for a product. The task required participants to choose their preferred crackers described by shape (square, triangle, round), flavor (wheat, dark rye, plain) and topping (salt, poppy, no topping). The two main research objectives were (1) to observe and evaluate the cortical activity of the different brain regions and the interdependencies among the Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals from these regions; and (2) unlike most research in this area that has focused mainly on liking/disliking certain products, we provide a way to quantify the importance of different cracker features that contribute to the product design based on mutual information. We used the commercial Emotiv EPOC wireless EEG headset with 14 channels to collect EEG signals from participants. We also used a Tobii-Studio eye tracker system to relate the EEG data to the specific choice options (crackers). Subjects were shown 57 choice sets; each choice set described three choice options (crackers). The patterns of cortical activity were obtained in the five principal frequency bands, Delta (0–4 Hz), Theta (3–7 Hz), Alpha (8–12 Hz), Beta (13–30 Hz), and Gamma (30–40 Hz). There was a clear phase synchronization between the left and right frontal and occipital regions indicating interhemispheric communications during the chosen task for the 18 participants. Results also indicated that there was a clear and significant change (p < 0.01) in the EEG power spectral activities taking a place mainly in the frontal (delta, alpha and beta across F3, F4, FC5 and FC6), temporal (alpha, beta, gamma across T7), and occipital (theta, alpha, and beta across O1) regions when participants indicated their preferences for their preferred crackers. Additionally, our mutual information analysis indicated that the various cracker flavors and toppings of the crackers were more important factors affecting the buying decision than the shapes of the crackers.     

Plasma Sprayed Dense MgO-Y2O3 Nanocomposite Coatings Using Sol-Gel Combustion Synthesized Powder

MgO-Y₂O₃ nanostructured composite powder (volume ratio of 50:50) was synthesized by a sol-gel combustion process which generated crystal sizes in the 10-20 nm range. The MgO-Y₂O₃ nanopowder was plasma sprayed using a conventional, DC arc plasma spray system. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that the as-sprayed MgO-Y₂O₃ coating is composed of cubic MgO and Y₂O₃ phases and has ~95% density. Microstructure characterization by SEM reveals that the as-sprayed coating has fine grain sizes of 100-300 nm as a result of rapid solidification. The hardness of the coating, 7.5 ± 0.6 GPa, is higher than that of coarse-grained, dense MgO, and Y₂O₃ ceramics. This approach demonstrates the potential of plasma spray processes for making thick, dense MgO-Y₂O₃ nanocomposite performs for applications as durable, infrared windows.     

优化建筑物内无线网络

正1引言移动数据流量的很大部分发生在室内。确保室内高密度用户的最佳网络质量显得特别重要。为了规划、实施和优化室内无线网络,首选必须对所有广泛使用的网络的无线信道质量进行可靠和全面评估。极其轻便和紧凑的路测扫描仪非常适合这一目标。甚至采用背包系统就能并行测量所有相关标准,因此极大缩短了测量时间。因为宽带市场上涌现出智能手机和平板电脑,移动宽带数据业务应用急速增加。仅2012年,全球移动数据     

Polyphenol conjugated poly(beta-amino ester) polymers with hydrogen peroxide triggered degradation and active antioxidant release

Oxidative stress has been implicated as a primary or secondary player to numerous diseases. A potential approach to control oxidative stress induced diseases is to deliver small antioxidant compounds to compromised sites at equivalent rates of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. This becomes a complicated task as antioxidant molecules typically have poor bioavailability and stability. Antioxidants synthesized into poly(beta-amino ester) (PBAE) crosslinked polymers have shown improved delivery by enhancing stability while allowing controlled release through hydrolysis. The tunable crosslinked networks show significant response to specific oxidizing environments, where free radicals can be present. Curcumin conjugated PBAE bulk films have proportional rates of accelerated degradation, thus faster release of curcumin, in a range of low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)_, where 2′2-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride has no substantial impact. This effect suggests the possibility to create a system that releases its therapeutic agent in direct relationship to the need through ROS signaling. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48647.     

Characteristics of Bi-metallic Interfaces Formed During Direct Energy Deposition Additive Manufacturing Processing

Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B - Various additive manufacturing processes are being evaluated to reduce the time and cost for fabrication of low volume, complex, and multifunctional...     

Utilizing Genomically Targeted Molecular Data to Improve Patient-Specific Outcomes in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Molecular biology combined with genomics can be a powerful tool for developing potential intervention strategies for improving outcomes in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Monogenic etiologies rarely cause autism. Instead, ASD is more frequently due to many polygenic contributing factors interacting with each other, combined with the epigenetic effects of diet, lifestyle, and environment. One limitation of genomics has been identifying ways of responding to each identified gene variant to translate the information to something clinically useful. This paper will illustrate how understanding the function of a gene and the effects of a reported variant on a molecular level can be used to develop actionable and targeted potential interventions for a gene variant or combinations of variants. For illustrative purposes, this communication highlights a specific genomic variant, SHANK3. The steps involved in developing molecularly genomically targeted actionable interventions will be demonstrated. Cases will be shared to support the efficacy of this strategy and to show how clinicians utilized these targeted interventions to improve ASD-related symptoms significantly. The presented approach demonstrates the utility of genomics as a part of clinical decision-making.     

Experimental investigation of unconfined spherical and cylindrical flame propagation in hydrogen-air mixtures

This paper presents results of experimental investigations on spherical and cylindrical flame propagation in pre-mixed H₂/air-mixtures in unconfined and semi-confined geometries. The experiments were performed in a facility consisting of two transparent solid walls with 1 m² area and four weak side walls made from thin plastic film. The gap size between the solid walls was varied stepwise from thin layer geometry (6 mm) to cube geometry (1 m). A wide range of H₂/air-mixtures with volumetric hydrogen concentrations from 10% to 45% H₂ was ignited between the transparent solid walls. The propagating flame front and its structure was observed with a large scale high speed shadow system. Results of spherical and cylindrical flame propagation up to a radius of 0.5 m were analyzed. The presented spherical burning velocity model is used to discuss the self-acceleration phenomena in unconfined and unobstructed pre-mixed H₂/air flames.     

Experimental validation of control rod related perturbations of moderator regions in an SCWR-like fuel lattice

Two different types of perturbations of an SCWR-like fuel lattice have been investigated experimentally in the central test zone of the PROTEUS zero-power research reactor at the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland. In each case, a campaign of high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy measurements was carried out on 34 fuel pins of the test lattice. In the first case, the test lattice was perturbed by inserting aluminum rods into the four central moderator regions, while in the second case, the perturbation was affected using steel absorber rods (instead of aluminum). The derived reaction rates are the capture rate in ²³⁸U (C₈) and the total fission rate (F_tot), as also the reaction rate ratio C₈/F_tot. Each of these has been mapped on the lattice and compared to calculated results from whole-reactor Monte Carlo simulations with MCNPX. Excellent agreement has been obtained, for both perturbed lattices, between the calculated and experimental distributions of C₈, F_tot and C₈/F_tot. Considering that control rods in an SCWR assembly are foreseen to be inserted into the central moderator regions, these results may be considered as generic validation of Monte Carlo simulations for the two different types of lattice perturbations which inserted control rods imply, viz. moderator displacement and strong neutron absorption.In a second step, calculated C₈, F_tot and C₈/F_tot distributions for the two perturbed lattices (as well as for the unperturbed lattice) have been compared, at assembly level, between MCNPX and the deterministic LWR lattice code CASMO-4E. In the case of the unperturbed lattice, as well as for the lattice with steel rods, the agreement between the codes is found to be within ～1% for all pins and each reaction rate. However, for the lattice with aluminum rods, i.e. the case with mainly just moderator displacement involved, CASMO overestimates the reaction rates in the vicinity of the perturbations by up to 2–3%, when employing the standard input options. The reason for this discrepancy has been found to be the leakage treatment, which uses the fundamental-mode buckling applied in a homogenized sense across the lattice. In this way, global leakage gradients get averaged out over the entire assembly. The optional input card BZ2 for CASMO resolves this problem, and the codes then agree within 1% even for the aluminum case.