High-value Items Research Articles

A Study of Property Intrinsic Value Prediction Based on Machine Learning Modeling

When purchasing goods, buyers consistently prioritize the fairness of the price to make informed decisions, particularly for high-value items. This consideration becomes even more crucial in the real estate market, where verifying the fairness of a property's asking price through conventional methods can be challenging. This study addresses this issue by aiming to develop a functional predictive model that can estimate a property's intrinsic value using various machine learning techniques. By analyzing the California Census Data published by the US Census Bureau, this research investigates the potential for determining a property's intrinsic value based on readily available information about the block in which the property is situated. The study's objective is to create a model that provides accurate and reliable property valuations, helping buyers make more informed decisions and promoting transparency in the real estate market. This model leverages demographic, economic, and housing data from the census to predict property values, potentially transforming how properties are appraised and traded. By offering a method to verify asking prices, the research seeks to enhance fairness and efficiency in real estate transactions, providing a valuable tool for buyers, sellers, and real estate professionals alike.

Improving gel properties of low-salt silver carp surimi through single-mode microwave-assisted processing

Surimi, a product derived from low-value fish, is widely used to produce high-value items such as imitation crabsticks and fish balls. However, surimi from freshwater fish like silver carp generally exhibits inferior gel properties compared to marine fish. This study investigated the effects of 915 MHz single-mode microwave-assisted processing on the gel properties of low-salt silver carp surimi. Traditional water bath processing served as the control for comparison. Gel strength, texture, water-holding capacity (WHC), whiteness, protein secondary structure, and microstructure, along with thermal processing efficiency for microbial inactivation were evaluated. The results demonstrated that single-mode microwave processing significantly improved gel properties compared to water bath processing. Compared with the optimal water bath treatment, the gel strength of microwave processed samples increased significantly from 479.32 g·cm to 821.74 g·cm, while WHC increased from 0.77 to 0.87. The microwave processed surimi exhibited a more uniform microstructure. Because it enhanced the dissolution and cross-linking of myofibrillar proteins, leading to superior gel formation characterized by a lower α-helix content (10.31%) and higher β-sheet content (61.70%). Furthermore, microwave processing achieved faster heating rates, reducing the time spent in the critical gel deterioration temperature range, thereby improving overall gel quality. Single-mode microwave-assisted gelation also provided better thermal processing uniformity and efficiency, achieving pasteurization standards. The study highlights the potential of 915 MHz single-mode microwave processing to produce high-quality, low-salt surimi products, meeting contemporary health and convenience demands. These findings offer valuable insights for the industrial application of single-mode microwave technology in surimi production, promoting the development of innovative processing techniques to enhance the quality of surimi-based food products.

Green tea drying in a closed cycle continuous vibro fluidized bed dryer with dehumidified air

There is potential for the development of zeolite as an adsorbent material for drying high-value items. This study aims to compare the green tea drying characteristic utilizing vibro-fluidized bed dryers that operate without dehumidification and with dehumidification. The research was carried out experimentally. The drying chamber was set at temperatures of 50oC, 60oC, and 70oC. In the drying with dehumidification setup, zeolite was placed in a dehumidifier with a weight-to-tea leaf ratio of 1:2.86, 1:3.33, 1:4, and 1:5. The results showed that zeolite's impact on decreasing drying time is effective at a specific temperature, in this case is 60oC. The effect is negligible at low temperatures (50oC), while at high temperatures (70oC) it is minor and drying time is primarily influenced by temperature. Utilizing zeolite for dehumidification can enhance the rate of drying during the falling rate period.

Cognitive offloading is value-based decision making: Modelling cognitive effort and the expected value of memory

How do people decide between maintaining information in short-term memory or offloading it to external reminders? How does this affect subsequent memory? This article presents a simple computational model based on two principles: A) items stored in brain-based memory occupy its limited capacity, generating an opportunity cost; B) reminders incur a small physical-action cost, but capacity is effectively unlimited. These costs are balanced against the value of remembering, which determines the optimal strategy. Simulations reproduce many empirical findings, including: 1) preferential offloading of high-value items; 2) increased offloading at higher memory loads; 3) offloading can cause forgetting of offloaded items (‘Google effect’) but 4) improved memory for other items (‘saving-enhanced memory’); 5) reduced saving-enhanced-memory effect when reminders are unreliable; 6) influence of item-value: people may preferentially offload high-value items and store additional low-value items in brain-based memory; 7) greatest sensitivity to the effort of reminder-setting at intermediate rather than highest/lowest levels of task difficulty; 8) increased offloading in individuals with poorer memory ability. Therefore, value-based decision-making provides a simple unifying account of many cognitive offloading phenomena. These results are consistent with an opportunity-cost model of cognitive effort, which can explain why internal memory feels effortful but reminders do not.

Fine Optimization of Colloidal Photonic Crystal Structural Color for Physically Unclonable Multiplex Encryption and Anti-Counterfeiting.

Robust anti-counterfeiting techniques aim for easy identification while remaining difficult to forge, especially for high-value items such as currency and passports. However, many existing anti-counterfeiting techniques rely on deterministic processes, resulting in loopholes for duplication and counterfeiting. Therefore, achieving high-level encryption and easy authentication through conventional anti-counterfeiting techniques has remained a significant challenge. To address this, this work proposes a solution that combined fluorescence and structural colors, creating a physically unclonable multiplex encryption system (PUMES). In this study, the physicochemical properties of colloidal photonic inks are systematically adjusted to construct a comprehensive printing phase diagram, revealing the printable region. Furthermore, the brightness and color saturation of inkjet-printed colloidal photonic crystal structural colors are optimized by controlling the substrate's hydrophobicity, printed droplet volume, and the addition of noble metals. Finally, fluorescence is incorporated to build PUMES, including macroscopic fluorescence and structural color patterns, as well as microscopic physically unclonable fluorescence patterns. The PUMES with intrinsic randomness and high encoding capacity are authenticated by a deep learning algorithm, which proved to be reliable and efficient under various observation conditions. This approach can provide easy identification and formidable resistance against counterfeiting, making it highly promising for the next-generation anti-counterfeiting of currency and passports.

<새끼 서 발> 설화의 놀이적 성격

The folktale Six-yard [seo-bal] Straw Rope is unique. Its formal characteristic of cumulative repetition is prominent, and the story is well-developed, making it seem sufficiently open to interpretation. However, discussing the meaning is not as easy as anticipated. This is because the coherence of characters and the causality of events, often emphasized when understanding works centered on content, is lacking, and the structure of the ending is dispersed. This study addresses these issues by focusing on the formal characteristics of the work; it seeks to reinterpret these formal features from a playful perspective.
 The Six-yard Straw Rope follows a format similar to phrase-tail linking folk songs. The gradual exchange process from the six-yard straw rope to the maiden unfolds as a weaving play characterized by phrase-tail linking. The key in narrativizing lies in ‘creating a situation,’ which entails crafting a specific and appropriate situation where two objects can be exchanged. Ultimately, Six-yard Straw Rope is created by aptly weaving various situations where low- and high-value items can be exchanged into a narrative. This study names it the ‘Situation-Weaving Play.’ The lack of consistency in character portrayal and causality in event development and the dispersed structure of the resolution all stem from the playful nature of the work.
 The playful characteristic of the Six-yard Straw Rope is deeply related to the situational thinking encouraged in oral culture. Utilizing common objects found in everyday spaces to create appropriate situations in folktales is the ultimate play that enhances situational thinking in oral culture. Folktales with a situational play abound beyond Six-yard Straw Rope, with Mole’s Wedding being a prime example. The charm of situational play, based on situational thinking, lies in the fact that humble objects like a six-yard straw rope can become a maiden or silk when well combined with situations, and even a humble mole can become the finest groom in the world under various situations.

The limited memory of value following value directed encoding.

Items associated with higher values during encoding are later recognized and recalled better than are lower valued items. During recall paradigms, these value directed encoding (VDE) effects heavily depend upon learned strategies acquired during repeated testing with earnings feedback. However, because VDE effects also occur in single test recognition designs, precluding such learning, it has been suggested that high value may automatically induce good encoding. We tested this by manipulating encoding instructions (Experiments 1a and 1b) and manipulating concurrent levels of processing (LOP) requirements during encoding (Experiment 2a and 2b). Two main findings emerged. First, subject initiated strategies played a dominant role in VDE effects with little evidence for automaticity. This was demonstrated in Experiment 1 by a more than three-fold increase in the VDE recognition effect when instructions specifically encouraged selective elaboration of high-value items. It was also shown by the complete elimination of VDE recognition effects in Experiment 2 when LOP tasks were concurrently performed during encoding. Critically, the blocking of VDE effects occurred even though a catch trial procedure verified that value was being processed during encoding and remained even when subjects had unlimited time to process the materials during encoding. Second, the data showed, for the first time, that when subjects attempted to specify the value of recognized items, they heavily depended upon a recognition heuristic in which increases in recognition strength, even when nondiagnostic, were inferred to reflect high encoding value. The tendency for subjects to conflate recognition strength and value may have important implications for behavioral economics.

Analysis of consumer protection system in improving expedition services from an Islamic perspective: A case study of insurance at J&T Express Medan

IntroductionAs the economic landscape in Indonesia continues to evolve, there is a growing demand for shipping services. Nevertheless, from an Islamic perspective, research regarding insurance protection for shipped goods remains limited.ObjectivesThis research aims to examine consumer protection in enhancing expedition services for the shipment of goods at J&T Express Medan, focusing on the forms of protection against delays, damages, and losses during delivery due to negligence in the shipment process, which results in losses for consumers.MethodThe research methodology employed is qualitative research with a descriptive approach. This study utilized both primary and secondary data.ResultsIn the context of J&T Express's regular services, the service provider includes protections such as insurance and wooden packaging if deemed necessary by consumers to prevent damages and resultant losses during the shipment of goods. To ensure the safety of shipped items, J&T always offers insurance options for every item dispatched, especially for high-value items. Additionally, J&T Express provides packing services to guarantee the security and safety of the transported goods.ImplicationsThis research provided insights for sellers on whether they should opt for insurance protection or not based on the nature, fragility, and value of the items being shipped.Originality/NoveltyThis study contributes to insurance protection in the context of shipments from an Islamic perspective in Indonesia.

Does value-based prioritization at working memory enhance long-term memory?

Research has demonstrated that individuals can direct their attention to valuable information in both working memory and long-term memory tasks with observable effects on performance. However, it is currently unclear whether prioritising an item for a working memory task automatically translates into a boost at long-term memory. This was examined in two experiments using relatively short (250 ms per item; Experiment 1) and longer (500 ms per item; Experiment 2) encoding times. Participants first completed a visual working memory task, in which they were presented with series of photographs of everyday objects. Following a brief delay (1,000 ms), they completed a four-alternative forced-choice test. Prior to encoding, participants were informed of the point values associated with each item. In some trials, the first item in the sequence was worth more points than the rest. In other trials, all items were equally valuable. After a filled delay, participants completed a surprise long-term memory task. At working memory, a value effect was reliably observed on recognition accuracy, along with some evidence of faster response times for high-value items. However, there was little consistent evidence of this effect automatically persisting into long-term memory. Thus, the benefits of attentional prioritization in working memory do not always translate into longer-term performance. More broadly, this provides further evidence that manipulations that enhance working memory performance do not necessarily enhance long-term memory.

A recycling model based on blockchain and reverse logistics for remanufacturing

ABSTRACT This paper addresses the challenge of integrating discarded products as pivotal raw materials in the remanufacturing process. The pervasive lack of transparency in the origin of discarded products and the prevalent issues of diminished recycling value in existing market recycling models underscore the need for a transformative solution. In response, this study introduces a novel remanufacturing-centric recycling framework that harnesses blockchain (BC) technology and reverse logistics (RL). This framework orchestrates transactions within the recycling market by systematically tracking the quality attributes of products. The proposed model innovates by deploying dynamic game theory to devise recycling pricing strategies tailored for recycling entities. Additionally, the incorporation of an appraisal mechanism for recycled product quality enhances the capability of recycling entities to acquire high-value items. The model’s viability and pioneering attributes are corroborated through a case study involving a retailer’s engine recycling strategy. The empirical findings validate the model’s potential in creating a standardized market for recycling high-value products, thereby empowering remanufacturers to access superior-quality discarded materials through optimized recycling channels.

Approximating Nash Social Welfare under Submodular Valuations through (Un)Matchings

We study the problem of approximating maximum Nash social welfare (NSW) when allocating m indivisible items among n asymmetric agents with submodular valuations. The NSW is a well-established notion of fairness and efficiency, defined as the weighted geometric mean of agents’ valuations. For special cases of the problem with symmetric agents and additive(-like) valuation functions, approximation algorithms have been designed using approaches customized for these specific settings, and they fail to extend to more general settings. Hence, no approximation algorithm with a factor independent of m was known either for asymmetric agents with additive valuations or for symmetric agents beyond additive(-like) valuations before this work. In this article, we extend our understanding of the NSW problem to far more general settings. Our main contribution is two approximation algorithms for asymmetric agents with additive and submodular valuations. Both algorithms are simple to understand and involve non-trivial modifications of a greedy repeated matchings approach. Allocations of high-valued items are done separately by un-matching certain items and re-matching them by different processes in both algorithms. We show that these approaches achieve approximation factors of O ( n ) and O ( n log n ) for additive and submodular cases, independent of the number of items. For additive valuations, our algorithm outputs an allocation that also achieves the fairness property of envy-free up to one item ( EF1 ). Furthermore, we show that the NSW problem under submodular valuations is strictly harder than all currently known settings with an \(\frac{\mathrm{e}}{\mathrm{e}-1}\) factor of the hardness of approximation, even for constantly many agents. For this case, we provide a different approximation algorithm that achieves a factor of \(\frac{\mathrm{e}}{\mathrm{e}-1}\) , hence resolving it completely.

The effect of spatial separation on food and drink choices from an online menu

Emerging research suggests that modifying the presentation context of healthy food items can subtly ‘nudge’ individuals to make healthier choices. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of spatial separation between high and low nutritional value items on food and drink choices from an online fast-food menu. Participants (N = 210 women) were presented with one of three pictorial menus in which high nutritional value food and drink items were presented spatially mixed, grouped, or separate from low nutritional value items. Participants were asked to make one selection from each menu category (a main, drink, and dessert), and then completed a measure of dietary restraint. Overall, there was no main effect of menu condition. However, dietary restraint status moderated the effect of menu condition on healthy choices. In particular, women who scored low (but not those who scored high) on dietary restraint were positively influenced by the experimental manipulation, making approximately 14 % healthier selections when high nutritional value items were presented separately from low nutritional value items. This was principally the case for desserts, and to a lesser extent drinks. The findings have practical implications for the design of online fast-food menus to promote healthier food and drink selections.

Age-related differences in memory when offloading important information.

People can choose to use external memory aids and offload information to help them remember it, but it is unclear how objective and subjective value or importance influence offloading decisions in younger and older adults. We presented younger adults (n = 99; age range: 18-31) and older adults (n = 93; age range: 60-96) with items to remember for a later test and allowed them to offload a subset of the presented items. In Experiment 1, the to-be-remembered information was lists of associated words paired with point values counting toward participants' scores if recalled. In Experiment 2, the to-be-remembered information was lists of items along a theme, such as packing for vacation, which differed in subjective value. Results revealed that when words were paired with objective point values, younger adults were more selective in their offloading decisions and subsequent recall than older adults (i.e., younger adults were more likely to offload and recall high-value items than low-value items relative to older adults). When the to-be-remembered items instead differed in subjective value, older adults were more selective in their offloading decisions than younger adults. Specifically, older adults were more likely to offload words they rated as important relative to items they rated as less important while younger adults displayed the opposite pattern-younger adults were more likely to offload words they rated as less important compared with items they rated as more important. This difference in offloading tendencies when to-be-remembered information varies in subjective value may be indicative of older adults engaging in a form of metacognitive control that can help ensure the use of responsible remembering. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Developmental differences in value-based remembering: The role of feedback and metacognition.

The ability to prioritize remembering explicitly valuable information is termed value-based remembering. Critically, the processes and contexts that support the development of value-based remembering are largely unknown. The present study examined the effects of feedback and metacognitive differences on value-based remembering in predominantly White adults from a Western university (N = 89) and children aged 9-14 years old recruited nationwide (N = 87). Participants completed an associative recognition task during which they memorized items worth varying point values under one of three feedback conditions (point feedback, memory-accuracy feedback, or no feedback). Developmental differences emerged such that children were most likely to selectively remember high-value items when receiving memory-accuracy feedback while adults were most selective when receiving point-based feedback. Furthermore, adults had more accurate metacognitive insight into how value impacted performance. These findings suggest developmental differences in the effects of feedback in value-based remembering and the role of metacognition. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Mitigating Counterfeiting Using Blockchain Enabled Product Authentication

Abstract: Counterfeit goods pose a significant challenge to businesses, particularly those involved in the production and sale of high-value items. Traditional methods of product verification have limitations and often fail to detect counterfeit products quickly and efficiently. The emergence of blockchain technology offers a promising solution to this problem, allowing for the creation of a secure and transparent system for product authentication and tracking. Blockchain technology leverages a decentralized and tamper-proof ledger to enable product verification and tracking across the supply chain. By using blockchain, businesses can establish a system that verifies the authenticity of products from the point of manufacture to distribution and beyond. This can help businesses combat the production and sale of counterfeit goods. To implement blockchain technology for product verification and counterfeit removal, technical expertise is required. This involves creating a blockchain-based system that can uniquely identify each product, developing secure networks of nodes to maintain the blockchain, and creating smart contracts to automate the verification process. By adopting blockchain technology for Products Authentication and counterfeit Elimination, businesses can benefit from increased customer trust, brand reputation protection, and reduced risk of health and safety hazards associated with counterfeit goods. Ultimately, the implementation of blockchain technology offers a more efficient and effective solution to the problem of counterfeit goods, benefiting businesses, customers, and the economy.

Modulation of carbon dots hybrids lasers for high security flexible multi-level anti-counterfeiting

Anti-counterfeiting materials development has been raised for a long time to improve the level of security against counterfeiting. Increasing counterfeiting difficulties as well as reducing difficulties of materials preparation are two major concerns in the development of anti-counterfeiting materials. Herein, carbon dots (CDs) and triethyl 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate (Et3BTC), both of which show two random lasing peaks located around 325 nm and 450 nm at 265 nm excitation are chosen as two lasing mediums to form hybrids. Moreover, lasing intensity ratio of the two lasing bands from the hybrids can be tuned by changing the working temperature, excitation area, and even bending angle of substrate. As a result, a strategy of dual random lasing medium modulation based high security flexible multi-level anti-counterfeiting technique is developed. Thus, it is suitable for anti-counterfeiting of high-value items due to its high security and excellent waterproofness. This work will provide a perspective to boost the development of high security anti-counterfeiting techniques.

Подарки и их смыслы в деятельности Монголо-тибетской экспедиции П. К. Козлова (1923–1926 гг.) (по новым архивным документам)

Introduction. The article examines gift donations practiced during the 1923–1926 expedition to Mongolia and Tibet led by the outstanding Russian explorer of Central Asia Pyotr K. Kozlov. Goals. The paper seeks to analyze items approved by the Soviet Government for P. Kozlov to have selected from the State Depositary, reasons why the traveler did receive the precious artifacts of gold and silver, circumstances of donations, addressees, and the latter’s perceptions. Materials and methods. The work focuses on materials from the State Archive of the Russian Federation and P. Kozlov’s expedition diaries, the objectives set be articulated via individual gift donation stories (occasions) with Mongolian elites and the 13th Dalai Lama, corresponding motives and offering forms. Results. The paper shows the gift-giving practices were viewed by the traveler not only as some homage be paid to local cultures but rather as a means of communication with Mongolian officials and authorities for the latter’s assistance in solving problems faced by the Expedition. No other Russian explorer ever delivered such high-value items to have been used as gifts. Conclusions. This suggests the Bolshevik Government was hoping — with the help of Kozlov’s expedition — to facilitate positive images of Soviet Russia in Mongolia and Tibet (during a scheduled meeting with the Dalai Lama). The Appendix to the article includes several documents from the State Archive of Russia describing the selected gifts and their distribution by individuals.

Establishing a causal role for left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex in value-directed memory encoding with high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation

One critical approach for promoting the efficiency of memory is to adopt selective encoding strategies to prioritize more valuable information. Past neuroimaging studies have shown that value-directed modulation of verbal memory depends heavily on the engagement of left-lateralized semantic processing regions, particularly in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC). In the present study, we used high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) to seek evidence for a causal role of left VLPFC in supporting the memory advantage for high-value items. Three groups of healthy young adult participants were presented with lists of words to remember, with each word accompanied by an arbitrarily assigned point value. During the first session, all participants received sham stimulation as they encoded five lists of 30 words each. Two of these lists were immediately tested with free recall, with feedback given to allow participants to develop metacognitive insight and strategies to maximize their point total. The second session had the exact same structure as the first, but the groups differed in whether they received continued sham stimulation (N = 22) or anodal stimulation of the left VLPFC (N = 21) or right VLPFC (N = 20). Those lists not tested with immediate recall were tested with recognition judgments after a one-day delay. Since no brain stimulation was applied during this Day 2 test, any performance differences can be attributed to the effects of stimulation on Day 1 encoding processes. Anodal stimulation of left VLPFC significantly boosted participants’ memory encoding selectivity. In comparison, no such effect was seen in participants who received right VLPFC or sham stimulation. Estimates of recollection- and familiarity-based responding revealed that left VLPFC stimulation specifically amplified the effects of item value on recollection. These results demonstrate a causal role for left VLPFC in the implementation of selective value-directed encoding strategies, putatively by boosting deep semantic processing of high-value words. Our findings also provide further evidence on the hemispheric lateralization of value-directed verbal memory encoding.

Dual emissive water-based flexo ink from tapioca-derived carbon dots for anti-counterfeiting applications

Counterfeiting of high-value items is a challenging menace worldwide, and luminescent nanoparticles-based security inks have promising applications while addressing this global issue. As Carbon dots (CDs) show attractive functional properties, hydrophilic CDs were prepared through hydrothermal approach from tapioca starch as an eco-friendly precursor. CDs with bluish-green fluorescence emission under 365 nm UV light illumination was obtained using column chromatography technique. TCSPC studies indicated the presence of blue and green emitters with average lifetimes of 1.12 and 1.61 ns, respectively. The graphitic and polycrystalline nature of CDs (~9 nm) with negatively charged surface groups was confirmed through ATR-IR, XPS, RS, XRD, SAED, DLS and TEM. An eco-friendly water-based security ink for flexography printing was formulated, and the influence of the ink components on the fluorescence of CDs were studied. The prints on UV dull paper displayed good abrasion resistance, densitometry and colorimetric values. The letters written using the invisible ink exhibited good security features including excellent covertness under daylight, and a bluish-green emission under 365 nm UV light. Moreover, a yellow emission was perceived using a yellow-orange pass filter under the same light source. The surface morphology and electrical property investigations suggested the use of flexo-ink in flexible printed electronics for anti-counterfeiting. These results propose that Tapioca-derived CDs can enable unique optical features in its eco-friendly ink formulation to demonstrate promising security applications.

Agricultural Diversification and its Impact on Income and Employment of the Farmers: A Review

Commercial crop diversity is currently an important approach for increasing agricultural profitability and reducing the risk of crop failure. Diversification can also be used to aid in poverty reduction, employment planning and environmental conservation. Growing a variety of crops does not guarantee increased returns, though it may help to stabilise them. Diversification leads to profit maximisation by taking use of complementary relationships. Agricultural diversification has been stressed at the national level as a strategy for increasing income and creating employment. Many countries have tried crop diversification to increase productivity and cultivate high value crops in order to address the challenges of a globalising agricultural market as well as the expanding and changing requirements of the people, with favourable results. These countries are gradually diversifying their crop sectors in favour of high-value items including fruits, vegetables and spices. Here, we review this under three main sections: the impact of agricultural diversification on farm income, the impact of agricultural diversification on employment and the factors influencing the implementation of crop diversification.