Comprehensive Dutch market data analysis shows that e-liquids with nicotine salts have both higher nicotine and flavour concentrations than those with free-base nicotine

ObjectivesRecent years have seen an increase in e-liquids containing nicotine salts. Nicotine salts are less harsh and bitter than free-base nicotine and therefore can facilitate inhalation. Because inhalation-facilitating ingredients are banned in the European Union, we assessed the occurrence and characteristics of nicotine salt-containing e-liquids notified for the Netherlands.MethodsWe analysed data for 39 030 products, submitted by manufacturers in the European Union Common Entry Gate system, as extracted on 30 June 2020.ResultsNicotine salts were present in 13% of e-liquids, especially in pod-related e-liquids (73%) and e-liquids registered from 2018 onwards (over 25%). We found six nicotine salt ingredients (NSIs): nicotine lactate, salicylate, benzoate, levulinate, ditartrate and malate. Nicotine salts also occurred as nicotine–organic acid ingredient combination (NAIC), like nicotine and benzoic acid. Nicotine concentrations were twofold higher in e-liquids with NSI (median 14 mg/mL) and NAIC (11 mg/mL) than for free-base nicotine (6 mg/mL). E-liquids with NSI contained a fourfold higher number (median n=17) and concentration (median 31.0 mg/mL) of flavour ingredients than e-liquids with free-base nicotine (n=4, 7.4 mg/mL). In NAIC-containing e-liquids, these were threefold higher (n=12, 21.5 mg/mL). E-liquids with nicotine salts were less often tobacco flavoured but more often had fruity or sweet flavours.ConclusionsA substantial and increasing share of e-liquids in the Netherlands contains nicotine salts. Their characteristics can make such e-liquids more addictive and more attractive, especially to young and beginning users. Policymakers are advised to consider regulating products containing nicotine salts.

FEM Simulations for the Optimization of the Inlet Gate System in Rapid Investment Casting Process for the Realization of Heat Exchangers

Over the last decades, additive manufacturing (AM) has become the principal production technology for prototypes and components with high added value. In the production of metallic parts, AM allows producing complex geometry with a single process. Also, AM admits a joining of elements that could not be realized with traditional methods. In addition, AM allows the manufacturing of components that could not be realized using other types of processes like reticular structures in heat exchangers. A solid mold investment casting that uses printed patterns overcomes typical limitations of additive processes such as expensive machinery and challenging process parameter settings. Indeed, rapid investment casting provides for a foundry epoxy pattern reproducing the component to exploit in the lost wax casting process. In this paper, aluminium radiators with flat heat pipes seamlessly connected with a cellular structure were conceived and produced. This paper aims at defining and investigating the principal foundry parameters to achieve a defect-free heat exchanger. For this purpose, different device CAD models were designed, considering four pipes’ thickness and length. Finite element method numerical simulations were performed to optimize the design of the casting process. Three different gate configurations were investigated for each length. The numerical investigations led to the definition of a castability range depending on flat heat pipes geometry and casting parameters. The optimal gate configuration was applied in the realization of AM patterns and casting processes

Dynamic Decision-Making Process of Evacuees during Post-Earthquake Evacuation near an Automatic Flap Barrier Gate System: A Broken Windows Perspective

The automatic flap barrier gate system (AFBGS) plays a critical role in building security, but it is more vulnerable to natural hazards than common exits (including power failure, due to earthquakes, and delayed evacuation, due to safety certification, etc.). This article considers a dynamic decision-making process of evacuees during post-earthquake evacuation near an AFBGS. An interesting metaphor, broken windows (BW), is utilized to interpret people’s actual behavior during evacuation. A multi-stage decision-making mechanism of evacuees is developed to characterize the instantaneous transition among three defined stages: Habitual, mild, and radical states. Then, we build a modified three-layer social force model to reproduce the interaction between evacuees based on an actual post-earthquake evacuation. The simulations reveal that BW provides a contextualized understanding of emergency evacuation with a similar effect to the traditional metaphor. An earlier appearance of a mild rule breaker leads to a higher crowd evacuation efficiency. If evacuees maintain the state of broken windows behavior (BWB), the crowd evacuation efficiency can be improved significantly. Contrary to the criminological interpretation, the overall effect of mild BWB is positive, but the radical BWB is encouraged under the command of guiders.

Civil Society Participation in Efforts to Prevent the Spread COVID-19

This study aims to describe civil society participation in efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Sidoklumpang Village, Sidoarjo District, Sidoarjo Regency and the obstacles faced. The method used was descriptive qualitative with data collection techniques through interviews, observation, documentation, and literature review. The results of this study indicate that civil society participation was carried out in mutual cooperation which was divided into four task forces including Wani Ngandani Task Force which tried to educate residents to implement health protocols, while Wani Jogo Task Force was tasked with limiting the mobility of residents with a one gate system. There was also Wani Sehat Task Force which functions to ensure the availability of a place to wash hands in front of the house and a Wani Sejahtera Task Force which identified the food needs of Probable (ODP), Confirmation (PDP), Suspect (OTG) patients, and confirms out patient care with predetermined criteria . Several obstacles were encountered such as lack of funds and low public awareness. The formation of Kampung Tangguh Semeru through the COVID-19 Prevention Task Force in Sidoklumpang Village was a concrete form of civil society participation at the grass roots level with a partnership model.

Face Recognition Using the Convolutional Neural Network for Barrier Gate System

The implementation of face recognition technique using CCTV is able to prevent unauthorized person enter the gate. Face recognition can be used for authentication, which can be implemented for preventing of criminal incidents. This re-search proposed a face recognition system using convolutional neural network to open and close the real-time barrier gate. The process consists of a convolutional layer, pooling layer, max pooling, flattening, and fully connected layer for detecting a face. The information was sent to the microcontroller using Internet of Thing (IoT) for controlling the barrier gate. The face recognition results are used to open or close the gate in the real time. The experimental results obtained average error rate of 0.320 and the accuracy of success rate is about 93.3%. The average response time required by microcontroller is about 0.562ms. The simulation result show that the face recognition technique using CNN is highly recommended to be implemented in barrier gate system.

77 Evaluation of Models Used to Predict Dry Matter Intake in Forage-Based Diets

Data from experiments conducted at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln were pooled to compare predicted and observed dry matter intake (DMI) of growing cattle consuming foraged-based diets (corn silage, grass, alfalfa, or sorghum-hay) to determine the accuracy of current modeling systems. Experiments (n = 22) were a minimum of 84 days and included individually fed calves using the Calan gate system with 8 to 12 calves per treatment mean or pen-fed calves with 8 to 12 head per pen. Average body weight (BW) of calves ranged from 235 to 397 kg with average daily gain (ADG) between 0.16 and 1.65 kg. Cattle were fed ad libitum and mid-point BW and ADG were entered into the Beef Cattle Nutrient Requirements Model (2016) to determine predicted DMI. Simple regression was used to compare predicted and observed DMI to determine the accuracy of the prediction model. Ninety-three treatment means were evaluated and were separated into three categories: hay-based diets (n = 24), hay-based diets with distillers grains (n = 31), and corn silage-based diets (n =38). The model for observed versus predicted DMI was significant (P < 0.05; R2 = 0.09) when comparing all means but had a poor R2. The model was the best at predicting DMI for forage-based diets (P < 0.08; R2 = 0.22). Observed and predicted DMI were regressed along TDN values, calculated using book values and digestion studies. As TDN increased, observed DMI increased linearly (P < 0.01) and predicted DMI had a quadratic response (P < 0.01), increasing up to 63% and then decreasing with increasing TDN. The model over predicted DMI intake for TDN < 63% and under predicted DMI in forage-based diets greater than 63% TDN. Further development of the current modeling system through addition of intake data from forage fed growing cattle is needed

PSIV-6 Effect of a Direct Fed Microbial Feed Additive on Finishing Beef Cattle Performance and Liver Abscess Rate

A feedlot study was conducted comparing the effects of a direct-fed microbial feed additive (DFM) to no feed additive (CON) on performance and liver abscess rates in finishing beef cattle. The study utilized 60 crossbred steers (initial BW 274 kg ± 2.23) individually fed using a Calan gate system. Steers were housed in separate pens by treatment to avoid DFM cross-contamination, with pen (barn of 30 steers) assigned randomly to each treatment. Cattle were fed a diet consisting of 15% corn silage, 36.5% high moisture corn, 24.5% dry rolled corn, 20% modified distillers grains, and 4% supplement for 189 days. The DFM counts were estimated using cell cytometry and was top dressed at a concentration of approximately 81 billion bacterial cells/head/day. The DFM additive used in this study was developed to reduce the abundance of Fusobacterium necrophorum and Streptococcus bovis in the rumen. No effect of treatment on hot carcass weight (HCW), average daily gain (ADG), dry matter intake (DMI), feed efficiency (G:F), or carcass traits (Table 1) were observed. No significant difference in the occurrence of liver abscesses between treatment groups were observed with 4 steers having abscessed livers in the CON group and 3 steers in the DFM group. Additionally, there were no differences in the severity of liver abscesses; all observed liver abscesses received the score of A. The DFM utilized in this study did not significantly affect performance, liver abscess rate, or the severity of liver abscesses in finishing beef cattle.