Getac has introduced the AI-ready ZX80, a brand new 8-inch fully rugged tablet, powered by the versatile Android operating system.

Lexmark has introduced the 9-Series printers and MFPs, built with versatility, sustainability and ease of use in mind. They are also reliable, durable, affordable and Secure by Design. Built by evolving Lexmark’s renowned A4 technology, the 9-Series is squarely focused on delivering versatility, simplicity and sustainability.

Jisp, the retail technology company, has marked the three-year anniversary of its Scan & Save app achieving high performance figures. Jisp reports that, since its launch in 2021, Scan & Save has earned retailers almost £6million while shoppers have saved over £2.2million in that time.

[Domestic] :
Memorial events are taking place across the country to honor the victims of the Itaewon crowd crush on Tuesday, the second anniversary of the tragedy.  Earlier in the day, a memorial event at the National Assembly brought together survivors, members of the bereaved families, the National Assembly ...

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Viscose, a semisynthetic fiber, is the most common type of rayon fabric. It's become a staple in the textile industry due to its versatility and affordability. Derived from cellulose and wood pulp, viscose can mimic the luxurious feel of silk while offering the practicality of cotton.

Red Velvet will celebrate its 10th debut anniversary with a fan concert tour.The two-day live event called “Happiness: My Dear, ReVeLuv” will kick off in Seoul on Aug. 3. Meanwhile, the group will...

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The bulk solvent is a major component of biomacromolecular crystals that contributes significantly to the observed diffraction intensities. Accurate modelling of the bulk solvent has been recognized as important for many crystallographic calculations. Owing to its simplicity and modelling power, the flat (mask-based) bulk-solvent model is used by most modern crystallographic software packages to account for disordered solvent. In this model, the bulk-solvent contribution is defined by a binary mask and a scale (scattering) function. The mask is calculated on a regular grid using the atomic model coordinates and their chemical types. The grid step and two radii, solvent and shrinkage, are the three parameters that govern the mask calculation. They are highly correlated and their choice is a compromise between the computer time needed to calculate the mask and the accuracy of the mask. It is demonstrated here that this choice can be optimized using a unique value of 0.6 Å for the grid step irrespective of the data resolution, and the radii values adjusted correspondingly. The improved values were tested on a large sample of Protein Data Bank entries derived from X-ray diffraction data and are now used in the computational crystallography toolbox (CCTBX) and in Phenix as the default choice.

Analytical calculations of absorption corrections for X-ray powder diffraction experiments on non-ideal samples with surface roughness, porosity or absorption contrasts from multiple phases require complex mathematical models to represent their material distribution. In a computational approach to this problem, a practicable ray-tracing algorithm is formulated which is capable of simulating angle-dependent absorption corrections in reflection geometry for any given rasterized sample model. Single or multiphase systems with arbitrary surface roughness, porosity and spatial distribution of the phases in any combination can be modeled on a voxel grid by assigning respective values to each voxel. The absorption corrections are calculated by tracing the attenuation of X-rays along their individual paths via a modified shear-warp algorithm. The algorithm is presented in detail and the results of simulated absorption corrections on samples with various surface modulations are discussed in the context of published experimental results.

Aerosol science is of utmost importance for both climate and public health research, and in recent years X-ray techniques have proven effective tools for aerosol-particle characterization. To date, such methods have often involved the study of particles collected onto a substrate, but a high photon flux may cause radiation damage to such deposited particles and volatile components can potentially react with the surrounding environment after sampling. These and many other factors make studies on collected aerosol particles challenging. Therefore, a new aerosol sample-delivery system dedicated to X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies of aerosol particles and gas molecules in-flight has been developed at the MAX IV Laboratory. The aerosol particles are brought from atmospheric pressure to vacuum in a continuous flow, ensuring that the sample is constantly renewed, thus avoiding radiation damage, and allowing measurements on the true unsupported aerosol. At the same time, available gas molecules can be used for energy calibration and to study gas-particle partitioning. The design features of the aerosol sample-delivery system and important information on the operation procedures are described in detail here. Furthermore, to demonstrate the experimental range of the aerosol sample-delivery system, results from aerosol particles of different shape, size and composition are presented, including inorganic atmospheric aerosols, secondary organic aerosols and engineered nanoparticles.

Crystallographic texture is a key organization feature of many technical and biological materials. In these materials, especially hierarchically structured ones, the preferential alignment of the nano constituents heavily influences the macroscopic behavior of the material. To study local crystallographic texture with both high spatial and angular resolution, we developed Texture Tomography (TexTOM). This approach allows the user to model the diffraction data of polycrystalline materials using the full reciprocal space of the crystal ensemble and describe the texture in each voxel via an orientation distribution function, hence it provides 3D reconstructions of the local texture by measuring the probabilities of all crystal orientations. The TexTOM approach addresses limitations associated with existing models: it correlates the intensities from several Bragg reflections, thus reducing ambiguities resulting from symmetry. Further, it yields quantitative probability distributions of local real space crystal orientations without further assumptions about the sample structure. Finally, its efficient mathematical formulation enables reconstructions faster than the time scale of the experiment. This manuscript presents the mathematical model, the inversion strategy and its current experimental implementation. We show characterizations of simulated data as well as experimental data obtained from a synthetic, inorganic model sample: the silica–witherite biomorph. TexTOM provides a versatile framework to reconstruct 3D quantitative texture information for polycrystalline samples; it opens the door for unprecedented insights into the nanostructural makeup of natural and technical materials.

Understanding the structure–property relationship in electrocatalysts under working conditions is crucial for the rational design of novel and improved catalytic materials. This paper presents the Aarhus University reactor for electrochemical studies using X-rays (AUREX) operando electrocatalytic flow cell, designed as an easy-to-use versatile setup with a minimal background contribution and a uniform flow field to limit concentration polarization and handle gas formation. The cell has been employed to measure operando total scattering, diffraction and absorption spectroscopy as well as simultaneous combinations thereof on a commercial silver electrocatalyst for proof of concept. This combination of operando techniques allows for monitoring of the short-, medium- and long-range structure under working conditions, including an applied potential, liquid electrolyte and local reaction environment. The structural transformations of the Ag electrocatalyst are monitored with non-negative matrix factorization, linear combination analysis, the Pearson correlation coefficient matrix, and refinements in both real and reciprocal space. Upon application of an oxidative potential in an Ar-saturated aqueous 0.1 M KHCO3/K2CO3 electrolyte, the face-centered cubic (f.c.c.) Ag gradually transforms first to a trigonal Ag2CO3 phase, followed by the formation of a monoclinic Ag2CO3 phase. A reducing potential immediately reverts the structure to the Ag (f.c.c.) phase. Following the electrochemical-reaction-induced phase transitions is of fundamental interest and necessary for understanding and improving the stability of electrocatalysts, and the operando cell proves a versatile setup for probing this. In addition, it is demonstrated that, when studying electrochemical reactions, a high energy or short exposure time is needed to circumvent beam-induced effects.

Here, a morphologically based approach is used for the in situ characterization of 3D growth rates of facetted crystals from the solution phase. Crystal images of single crystals of the β-form of l-glutamic acid are captured in situ during their growth at a relative supersaturation of 1.05 using transmission optical microscopy. The crystal growth rates estimated for both the {101} capping and {021} prismatic faces through image processing are consistent with those determined using reflection light mode [Jiang, Ma, Hazlehurst, Ilett, Jackson, Hogg & Roberts (2024). Cryst. Growth Des. 24, 3277–3288]. The growth rate in the {010} face is, for the first time, estimated from the shadow widths of the {021} prismatic faces and found to be typically about half that of the {021} prismatic faces. Analysis of the 3D shape during growth reveals that the initial needle-like crystal morphology develops during the growth process to become more tabular, associated with the Zingg factor evolving from 2.9 to 1.7 (>1). The change in relative solution supersaturation during the growth process is estimated from calculations of the crystal volume, offering an alternative approach to determine this dynamically from visual observations.

Full Text:

Earth's magnetic field seems steady and true -- reliable enough to navigate by. Yet, largely hidden from daily life, the field drifts, waxes and wanes. The magnetic North Pole is currently shifting toward Siberia, forcing the Global Positioning System that underlies modern navigation to update its software sooner than expected. Every several hundred thousand years, the magnetic field dramatically shifts and reverses its polarity. Magnetic north flips to the geographic South Pole and, eventually, back again. This reversal has happened countless times over Earth's history, but scientists' understanding of why and how the field reverses is limited. The researchers find that the most recent field reversal 770,000 years ago took at least 22,000 years to complete, several times longer than previously thought. The results call into question controversial findings that some reversals could occur within a human lifetime.

Image credit: Brad Singer

; Credit: /The Washington Post via Getty Images

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According to the National Institute For Early Childhood Research, nearly half of all three-year-olds and a third of all four-year-olds in the United States were not enrolled in preschool in 2019. That's in large part because many parents can't afford it. Imagine a future where we changed that. A future where every American child had access to two years of preschool during a critical period of their mental development. How would their lives change? How would society change? If President Biden gets his way, and Congress agrees to spend $200 billion on his proposal for universal preschool, then we may begin to find out.

But it turns out, we kind of already know. In fact, a new study from the National Bureau of Economic Research gives us a glimpse of what that world could look like. It adds to a burgeoning amount of high-quality research that shows just how valuable preschool is — and maybe not for the reasons you might think.

An Accidental Experiment

The story begins back in the mid-to-late 1990s. The Mayor of Boston, Thomas Menino, wanted to improve the city's schools. One of his big goals was to provide universal, full-day kindergarten for Boston's kids. But the budget was tight, and following a task force's recommendations, he and local lawmakers decided to move resources from preschool (for four-year-olds) to kindergarten (for five-year-olds) in order to achieve it.

The result was an even more limited number of slots for city-funded preschool, and the city officials had to figure out how to fairly divvy up those slots. They resorted to a lottery system, randomly selecting kids who would get in.

Fast forward two decades later, and the economists Christopher R. Walters, Guthrie Gray-Lobe, and Parag A. Pathak saw this as a golden opportunity to see how preschool can affect people's lives. The fact that Boston's school administrators randomized who got admitted meant there were two virtually identical groups of kids with only one difference: one group got an extra year of education by going to preschool. That gave the researchers the opportunity to compare and contrast the two groups of kids and credibly see how kids' lives changed as a result of getting into preschool.

Four thousand four-year-olds took part in Boston's preschool lottery between 1997 and 2003. Walters, Gray-Lobe, and Pathak acquired data on them from the Boston school system. And then they were able to get additional data from other sources that gave them insight into ways that the childrens' lives might have benefited from an additional year of preschool education. These kids are now all twentysomethings — a fact that should make you feel old.

Consistent with other studies that find preschool has a huge effect on kids, Walters, Gray-Lobe, and Pathak find that the kids lucky enough to get accepted into preschools in Boston saw meaningful changes to their lives. These kids were less likely to get suspended from school, less likely to skip class, and less likely to get in trouble and be placed in a juvenile detention facility. They were more likely to take the SATs and prepare for college.

The most eye-popping effects the researchers find are on high school graduation and college enrollment rates. The kids who got accepted into preschool ended up having a high-school graduation rate of 70% — six percentage points higher than the kids who were denied preschool, who saw a graduation rate of only 64%. And 54% of the preschoolers ended up going to college after they graduated — eight percentage points higher than their counterparts who didn't go to preschool. These effects were bigger for boys than for girls. And they're all the more remarkable because the researchers only looked at the effects of a single year of preschool, as opposed to two years of preschool (as President Biden is now proposing for the nation's youth). Moreover, in many cases, the classes were only half-day.

Intriguingly, while attending preschool at age four had clear effects on these kids' entire lives, it did not improve their performance on standardized tests. These findings fit into a large body of research that suggests the true value of preschool is helping little ones to develop "non-cognitive skills," like emotional and social intelligence, grit, and respect for the rules.

"The combination of findings — that we don't see an impact on test scores, but we do see an impact on these behavioral outcomes and the likelihood of attending college — is consistent with this idea that there's some kind of behavioral or socio-emotional, non-cognitive impact from preschool," says Christopher Walters, an economist at UC Berkeley who co-authored the study.

In other words, there's growing evidence that preschool can permanently improve kids lives — but it's not necessarily because it makes them smarter. It seems more related to making them more disciplined and motivated, which is just as important (or perhaps even more important) for their future livelihoods as how well they perform on reading or math tests.

The Bigger Picture

This latest study isn't the first to show the outsized effects of providing a preschool education. The Nobel Prize-winning economist James Heckman has spent many years studying the results of small, randomized experiments with preschool in the 1960s and 1970s. The most famous such experiment was The Perry Preschool Project, which was conducted in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The program provided two years of high-quality preschool for disadvantaged three- and four-year-olds.

Heckman and his colleagues found that the Perry Preschool had seismic effects on the kids who participated. They were much less likely to get arrested, go on welfare, or be unemployed as adults. They earned significantly more. In a recent study, Heckman and his team found that even the kids of the kids who went to the Perry preschool had significantly better outcomes in life.

All in all, Heckman and his team estimate that every dollar the Perry Preschool project invested in kids had a return on investment of 7-10 percent per year, through increased economic gains for the kids and decreased public spending on them through other social programs when they got older. That's a substantial return, equal to or greater than the average annual return from the stock market, and much greater than most other things our government spends money on.

Other preschool programs studied by Heckman and his colleagues have had even greater benefits. In the 1970s, a couple of programs in North Carolina experimented with high-quality childcare centers for kids. The centers offered kids aged zero to five education, medical checkups, and nutritious food. Heckman and his team found these centers delivered a 13 percent annual return on investment to the public for every dollar they invested. The program helped Heckman develop what's known as "the Heckman Curve," which asserts that the government gets more bang for the buck the earlier it provides resources to educate people. Educating toddlers, Heckman says, is much more powerful than educating high-schoolers, college students, or adults in, for example, job-training programs.

As astounding as Heckman's findings about preschool have been, naysayers have long questioned whether such effects could be replicated with larger scale programs, like the one President Biden is now proposing. This new study out of Boston, which looks at a large-scale program conducted across the entire city, is another brick in the growing edifice of evidence that shows preschool is a worthy investment, not just for kids, but for society overall.

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This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.

A new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine examines the effects and efficacy of using dispersants in marine oil spill response.

The National Academy of Sciences, in partnership with The Kavli Foundation and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, will host a symposium to consider the future of science in the U.S. and how it can best serve society in the 21st century.

The recently formed National Academies Standing Committee on Emerging Infectious Diseases and 21st Century Health Threats, assembled at the request of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, has been providing rapid expert consultations on several topics, such as social distancing and severe illness in young adults.

Communities in the Gulf of Mexico are especially familiar with the whims of nature and power of the sea. This year’s hurricane season has already brought power outages, heavy rain, downed trees, and death and injury. Roy Wright talks about the compounding effects and lasting impacts of disasters on shaping resiliency in the Gulf.

In the immediate aftermath of 9/11 and in the years following, the National Academies mobilized expertise and resources to help inform and advance national security priorities and protect the health and well-being of U.S. veterans who served selflessly to defend the nation from acts of terrorism.

The presidents of the National Academies join the nation in commemorating the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

For large enterprises, Conversational AI isn't just another digital tool; it's becoming a strategic imperative. Consider this: a typical Fortune 500 company handles over 50 million customer interactions annually across various channels – from social media and websites to mobile apps and contact centers.

The ready-to-eat popcorn brand is unveiling its makeover and flavors this month.

A recent mailing from the Almond Board of California highlights regional product innovations that prominently feature almonds—this one from Chicago, a “hub for culinary innovation with abundant opportunities for all sorts of food professionals."

Experts from the flavor provider discuss the types and uses of vanilla.

The producer’s UR20 cobot reportedly keeps up with its demanding production pace.

The tortilla and Mexican foods manufacturer is celebrating 75 years of business by recognizing and honoring those who have contributed to its growth and success.

The Kansas-based supplier of premium distilled spirits and specialty wheat proteins and starches will hold celebratory observances throughout 2016 tied to the theme ‘75 Years Strong.’

The new kettle cooked potato chips are available in three flavors: Original, Zesty Jalapeno, and Sweet Maui Onion. 

Effectively and efficiently handling dough is integral to many snack and bakery operations. And the needs producers have today are diverse.

Consumer demand for artisanal baked goods and better-for-you snacks are making new laminators and sheeters must-have equipment for many manufacturers.

Flavors of the new pastries include cherry, bacon, lemon, apple, praline, and Speculoos.

Companies who make dough handling equipment like dividers, depositors and rounders say their customers want equipment that provides safety and sanitation, automation and the resulting labor savings, gentler handling of dough, and the flexibility to run a mix of high-throughput, and smaller, niche lines, depending on the job.

Snack and bakery customers in the market for dough-handling equipment like dividers, depositors, and rounders are looking for versatility, greater precision, higher capacity, longer maintenance intervals, adjustability of qualities like width and weight, and machines that can handle natural, clean-label, and gluten-free products.

Grains are a fundamental ingredient in bakery and snack food products that can provide flavor, texture, nutrition, and functional benefits. What’s more, there exists a multitude of different grains to choose from, depending upon the product needs. 

Busy lifestyles and affordability aren’t the only reasons why consumers add frozen baked goods to their shopping cart each week.

New fryers and oils enable bakers and snack producers to create more and better-for-you versions of the fried dough products and snacks consumers can’t live without.

Leading up to the SDWA anniversary in December, AWWA will continue to recognize the Act’s significant contributions to improving and protecting water quality and emphasize the need for continued investment and scientific evaluation to address emerging challenges.

Since opening its first factory in Englewood, New Jersey 1949, AERCO has grown into one of the leading providers of reliable water heating and boiler solutions, the company says.

Dive into 30 years of plumbing safety with the ICC! The code gurus celebrate their anniversary and sponsor "American Plumber Stories" to inspire future generations.

Last month marked the second anniversary of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the most significant U.S. federal action on climate change. With over $369 billion allocated to energy and climate programs, the IRA has driven unprecedented growth in renewable energy, boosting solar, wind, and battery storage, while cutting greenhouse gas emissions and lowering energy costs.

The new Hygienically Clean Certification Portal launched on April 15 as part of the Hygienically Clean Certification Program Enhancement Initiatives. 

The one-day event will feature expert speakers, panel discussions and roundtable sessions on topics such as mental health, employee retention, compensation, safety culture, chemical safety and more.

In this episode, editor-at-large Dave Johnson interviews behavioral psychologist Dr. E. Scott Geller. Dr. Geller discusses the uses and misuses of behavior-based safety, why the psychology of safety is more important today than ever, and the need for safety and health professionals to practice empathy, positive psychology, one-on-one conversations, and Actively Caring For People (AC4P).

19 Crimes partners with Universal Products & Experiences to release a limited-edition collection of highly sought after Halloween wines, featuring the classic Universal Monsters. 

Ingredient companies announce coalitions, new hires and new ingredient solutions to support sugar reduction efforts.

Punk Bunny’s Anniversary Blend will be available at 7-Eleven, Speedway and Stripes for a limited time.

Red Bull is commemorating the 20th anniversary of Oracle Red Bull Racing with the introduction of two initiatives: the exclusive Special Edition 2024 Red Bull Racing Can and the Red Bull All Terrain digital game.

Food and Alcohol Safety Classes Celebrates 15th Anniversary with Unmatched Study Package for ANSI-Accredited Food Protection Manager Certification Exams, Setting a New Standard in Food Safety Education Nationwide

New DYU T1 20-inch 15.5mph 36V 250W electric bike with torque sensor for city riding