Search

Let G(p,q) be a simple graph, where p is the number of vertices and q is the number of edges if there exists a one-to-one mapping f: E(G)→{1,2,...,|E|}, so that for any two vertices uv∈E(G), if d(u)=d(v), then S(u)=S(v), where ... represents the degree of vertex u, f is called the Adjacent Vertex Reducible Edge Labeling (AVREL) of G. Building on the current graph labeling algorithm, a heuristic search algorithm is designed, and this algorithm is used to label random graphs with less than 12 vertices and obtain the result set of adjacent vertex reducible edge labeling. Based on the analysis of the result set and combining it with the known theorem, the adjacent vertex reducible edge labeling law of other compound graphs is obtained, and the related proof is given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Economica: Revistă Ştiinţifico-Didactică is the property of Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova (AESM) / Academia de Studii Economice din Moldova (AESM) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Most scientists claim that genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in foods are safe for human consumption and offer societal benefits such as better nutritional content. However, many consumers remain skeptical about their safety. Against this backdrop of diverging views, the authors investigate the impact of different GMO labeling policy regimes on the products consumers choose. Guided by the literature on negativity bias, structural alignment theory, and message presentation, and based on findings from four experiments, the authors show that consumer demand for GM foods depends on the labeling regime policy makers adopt. Both absence-focused ("non-GMO") and presence-focused ("contains GMO") labeling regimes reduce the market share of GM foods, with the reduction being greater in the latter case. GMO labels reduce the importance consumers place on price and enhance their willingness to pay for non-GM products. Results indicate that specific label design choices policy makers implement (in the form of color and style) also affect consumer responses to GM labeling. Consumer attitudes toward GMOs moderate this effect—consumers with neutral attitudes toward GMOs are influenced most significantly by the label design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on legal aspects related to animal husbandry labelling, meat industry regulations and environmental information in product labelling. Topics discussed include the new animal husbandry labelling act; the Italian ban on meat-sounding names and cell-cultured meat; the regulatory situation in the European Union (EU) on lab-grown ingredients imitating milk proteins; and highlighting the need for transparency and sustainability in product labeling and consumer choices.

Performance of classifiers is often measured in terms of average accuracy on test data. Despite being a standard measure, average accuracy fails in characterising the fit of the model to the underlying conditional law of labels given the features vector (⁠ Y ∣ X ⁠), e.g. due to model misspecification, over fitting, and high-dimensionality. In this paper, we consider the fundamental problem of assessing the goodness-of-fit for a general binary classifier. Our framework does not make any parametric assumption on the conditional law Y ∣ X and treats that as a black-box oracle model which can be accessed only through queries. We formulate the goodness-of-fit assessment problem as a tolerance hypothesis testing of the form H 0 : E [ D f (B e r n (η (X)) ‖ B e r n (η ^ (X))) ] ≤ τ where D f represents an f -divergence function, and η (x) ⁠ , η ^ (x) ⁠ , respectively, denote the true and an estimate likelihood for a feature vector x admitting a positive label. We propose a novel test, called G oodness-of-fit with Ra ndomisation and S coring P rocedure (GRASP) for testing H 0 ⁠ , which works in finite sample settings, no matter the features (distribution-free). We also propose model-X GRASP designed for model-X settings where the joint distribution of the features vector is known. Model-X GRASP uses this distributional information to achieve better power. We evaluate the performance of our tests through extensive numerical experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), the field of creativity faces new opportunities and challenges. This manifesto explores several scenarios of human–machine collaboration on creative tasks and proposes "fundamental laws of generative AI" to reinforce the responsible and ethical use of AI in the creativity field. Four scenarios are proposed and discussed: "Co‐Cre‐AI‐tion," "Organic," "Plagiarism 3.0," and "Shut down," each illustrating different possible futures based on the collaboration between humans and machines. In addition, we have incorporated an AI‐generated manifesto that also highlights important themes, ranging from accessibility and ethics to cultural sensitivity. The fundamental laws proposed aim to prevent AIs from generating harmful content and competing directly with humans. Creating labels and laws are also highlighted to ensure responsible use of AIs. The positive future of creativity and AI lies in a harmonious collaboration that can benefit everyone, potentially leading to a new level of creative productivity respecting ethical considerations and human values during the creative process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of food allergies varies by country, as does each country's food allergen labeling. While labeling laws may vary by country, most follow the Codex Alimentarius. Even developing countries have some degree of labeling guidelines for food allergies, but it is highly developed countries that tend to implement stricter labeling regulations to protect their citizens and tourists. Different organizations, both domestic and international, such as Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), work to advance food allergen labeling laws around the globe. Eating out and traveling can be anxiety-provoking for people with food allergies, especially when traveling to international destinations. Furthermore, experiences that young children, teenagers, and parents have with food allergies can have psychosocial and social impacts. To evaluate food allergen labeling laws across the globe, official legal documents outlining the laws pertaining to foods and allergen food labeling were reviewed for each respective country or region. These were organized according to continent, then region or country. The majority of countries require that major food groups be listed on food labels, including milk, egg, soy, wheat, peanuts, treenuts, fish, and shellfish. There are individual variations across regions depending on staples in respective diets. With increasing rates of food allergies worldwide, legislative action is needed to ensure that people living with food allergies can more safely purchase and consume foods. Until then, the work of avoiding accidental ingestions and anaphylaxis remains primarily with the individual, who must educate themselves on labeling laws and implement other protective measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol labelling laws and policy are contentious and highly politicized. Very few countries have been able to implement health warnings on alcohol labels due to complex legal and governance systems and coordinated industry lobbying. In 2020, Australia and New Zealand implemented a mandatory and evidence-based legal standard for pregnancy warning labels on alcohol products. This article discusses some of the challenges faced in achieving policy change and how these barriers were overcome by public health advocacy groups to build the evidence, counter industry conflicts of interest, consumer test health messages, mobilize community support and gather political support. Reflecting on the decades of ineffective regulation and politicization of this health issue, lessons for other countries include the importance of creating and maintaining relationships with decision makers and regularly updating them with evidence and recommendations, highlighting industry failures and tactics, building broad-based coalitions and sharing lived-experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper leverages a quasi-natural experiment in Vermont to analyze the effects of mandatory GMO labeling on consumer demand. The United States recently mandated disclosure labels on all foods that contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs), despite longstanding, widespread use of voluntary third-party non-GMO labeling. We leverage the earlier passage and implementation of a mandatory GMO labeling law in Vermont as a quasi-natural experiment to show that adding this mandatory labeling into a market with pre-existing voluntary non-GMO labels had no effect on demand. Instead, the legislative process made consumers aware of GMO topics and increased non-GMO product sales before the GMO labeling mandate went into effect. The GMO-related legislative processes also increased non-GMO product demand in other states that considered, but did not implement, GMO labeling mandates. We find that 36% of new non-GMO product adoption can be explained by differences in consumer awareness tied to legislative activity. Our findings suggest that voluntary non-GMO labels may have provided an efficient disclosure mechanism without mandatory GMO labels. History: Avi Goldfarb served as the senior editor and Anja Lambrecht served as associate editor for this article. Funding: This research was funded in part by the Cornell University Business of Food Small Grants Program. Supplemental Material: The online appendices and data are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mksc.2022.1375. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every year, foetal alcohol spectrum disorders impact 1 in 100 live births in France. France is one of the few countries with mandated labelling that must include a pregnancy warning. However, as the regulation passed with minimal specifications regarding the size and colour of the ensuing pictogram, the current pregnancy warning labels (PWLs) is often barely visible. This study investigated the potential influence of the PWL design on women's attention and alcohol product choice. The study used a within-subject experiment, with participants exposed to four PWL conditions. An eye-tracking method was adopted. Eye movement was used as a proxy for measuring visual attention. In total, 4752 observations were collected (99 participants × 48 wine bottles) among women of childbearing age. The results show that almost none of the participants paid attention to the current French PWL. However, the findings also indicate that a larger colourful PWL, with a combined text and pictogram, attracts far more attention, and that participants chose the bottles of wine displaying this type of PWL less frequently. The study indicates that the current French PWL is insufficient to draw women's attention and suggests improvements to the PWL design to help increase its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper, based on the author's winning presentation at the BDNG Annual Conference in 2021, considers the flammability and fire risk posed by emollients. To test different risk factors, the author partnered with a local fire brigade, following a conversation with her firefighter husband, to understand the risks posed by emollient-soaked cloths and to carry out practical experiments to see how these risk factors translated to real-world scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite progress made by many countries on the adoption of plain tobacco packaging laws over the last years, low- and middle-income countries, with a large supply of loose cigarettes via informal vendors, remain far behind. To study the potential effectiveness of plain tobacco packaging and dissuasive cigarette sticks, via willingness-to-pay estimates, when illicit cigarette options are available. We conducted a discrete choice experiment (DCE) in which respondents chose licit and illicit products with three attributes: packaging (standard vs. plain packaging), stick design (branded stick vs. stick with warning), and price level. The sample, collected on 12/2021, consisted of 1761 respondents from an internet panel involving smokers and nonsmokers. Conditional logit and latent class models were used to estimate the willingness-to-pay (WTP) to avoid restrictive packaging elements. Nonsmokers are willing to pay USD $5.63 for a pack of cigarettes to avoid plain packaging, which is higher than the actual commercial price of illicit cigarettes (USD $2.40). The WTP increases to USD $12.14 in the presence of illicit alternatives. Smokers are also willing to pay to avoid illicit options, which they also deem riskier, and the presence of such options increases the WTP to avoid plain packaging. However, nonsmokers do not perceive the illicit option as riskier. The dissuasive stick (stick with warning) does not affect perceptions of risk and plays a small role in terms of choice for both smokers and nonsmokers. Even in the presence of illicit tobacco alternatives, plain packaging seems to be as effective in reducing the attractiveness of tobacco products in Colombia as in other countries that have already adopted it. Given conflicting results on the case for dissuasive sticks, there is a need for more research. • Few LMICs have adopted plain tobacco packaging recommendations • Illicit trade (IT) cigarettes and single sticks could reduce policy effectiveness • We designed and implemented a discrete choice experiment in Colombia (N = 1761) • The DCE has as attributes: packaging, stick design, and price level; IT and no IT • Plain packaging reduces the appeal of cigarettes even under the presence of IT [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses two polemical works by the Fifth Monarchist John Rogers to argue that Interregnum Millenarian Scriptural hermeneutics cogently draws on Scholastic as well as Reformed authorities. This article traces how in the years of 1652–3, during which England transitions from the rule of the Rump Parliament to the Nominated Assembly, Rogers adapts the questions on voluntary action and human law from Thomas Aquinas's Summa Theologiæ to extend his defence of Congregationalism to an argument for rule by the Saints. Fifth Monarchists, by labelling all laws and forms of government that were not strictly Biblical as anti-Christian, claim to bypass the problem of how to reconcile human custom with Scriptural law. Ironically, Rogers's argument for the applicability of Deuteronomic law to all nations and at all times draws on Thomistic Aristotelianism to develops its hermeneutical strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Warning labels are an important source of health information. This study examined awareness of health warnings on cannabis packages over time in Canada—where large rotating messages are mandated—versus US states with legal adult-use cannabis, which have less comprehensive regulations. Repeat cross-sectional data were collected from the International Cannabis Policy Study online surveys among past 12-month cannabis consumers in Canada and the US (n = 38,448). Free recall of warning messages was assessed in 2018–2020, followed by a prompted recognition task (2020 only). Adjusted logistic regression models tested differences in free recall and recognition of warnings between Canada and US states with and without legal adult-use cannabis ("legal" and "illegal" states, respectively). Free recall of ≥1 warning increased to a greater extent in Canada from 2018 (5%; pre-legalization) to 2019 (13%; post-legalization) compared to US "legal" (AOR = 1.93, p < 0.001) and "illegal" states (AOR = 1.80, p = 0.007), and from 2018 to 2020 (5% vs. 15%) compared to US "legal" states (AOR = 2.23, p = 0.027). In all jurisdictions, free recall of warnings was higher among more frequent consumers (p < 0.001) and those who purchased products from legal retail stores/websites (p < 0.001). With few exceptions, when a specific message was mandated (e.g., impaired driving), consumers were more likely to both freely recall and recognize that message (all p < 0.05). Cannabis legalization is associated with greater recall of health warning messages. Awareness of specific warning messages was higher in jurisdictions where the associated warning was mandated on packages, suggesting that warning labels may improve knowledge of cannabis-related health risks. Supplemental data for this article is available online at [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Nicotine labelling was mostly absent from packaging despite detection of nicotine. • Discrepancy between labelled and actual nicotine concentrations in 63.5 % of samples. • Packaging was altered in response to new Australian legislation in October 2021. • Potentially dangerous prohibited compounds were found in 4.2 % of samples. The sale of nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) is prescription only in Australia, regulated under the Standard for Nicotine Vaping Products (TGO110). Australian e-cigarette users, however, are purchasing e-cigarette products outside of the intended pathways. The labelling of e-cigarette packaging (N = 388 boxes) and the chemical composition of disposable e-cigarettes and pods (N = 428) were analysed for adherence to the current Australian regulations. These samples were confiscated from over-the-counter retailers in NSW by the NSW Ministry of Health during 2022 for non-compliance with Australian regulations. Following the announcement of the prescription only model for nicotine-containing e-cigarettes in Australia in mid-2021 there was a clear shift in the labelling of products. Any mention of the word 'nicotine' was removed from e-cigarette packaging by early 2022 and nicotine warnings were replaced with generic underage sale warnings. Despite this labelling, the vast majority (98.8 %) of devices analysed contained nicotine, most (89 %) at high concentration (>30 mg/mL) and 4.2 % contained at least one chemical prohibited by the TGO110. It appears that manufacturers have removed any mention of nicotine from the original packaging of nicotine-containing disposable e-cigarettes to circumvent restrictions on nicotine-containing products and continue their sale. The packaging of e-cigarette products in Australia is generally not indicative of their contents, particularly nicotine, and most did not display required warnings. Ingredients with associated health risks, prohibited in legal vapes by the TGO110, were found in samples. Consequently, the risks of e-cigarette use cannot be appropriately identified from the information supplied on the packaging or device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As cannabis policy trends toward liberalization, assessing cannabis health warning effects becomes increasingly important. This study investigated underlying mechanisms accounting for the effectiveness of cannabis health warnings on protective health intentions. A sample of 1,095 adults (21+) living in legal recreational US states who reported using cannabis in the past 12 months participated in an online experiment. Participants were randomly assigned to view cannabis health warnings that described risks of impaired driving, mental health, and smoke exposure and varied pictures and text (vs. text-only) attributes in warnings. Outcomes were message reactions (cognitive elaboration, fear, and hope), attitudes and beliefs (perceived severity of cannabis harms and perceived susceptibility to cannabis harms, and perceived response and self-efficacy to prevent cannabis harms), and protective health intentions (information-seeking about cannabis health effects and having interpersonal discussions about cannabis harms with family, friends, and medical professionals). MANCOVA results showed no significant differences between text-only vs. pictorial attributes on protective health intentions; thus, warning conditions were controlled and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). SEM results showed that attention to cannabis health warnings (text-only or pictorial) elicited higher cognitive elaboration, fear, and hope—an emotion associated with coping actions that motivate positive expectations of future events. These outcomes, in turn, were associated with greater perceived severity and susceptibility and greater perceived response efficacy, respectively. Hope, perceived severity, and perceived response and self-efficacy were independently associated with greater intentions to seek information about cannabis health effects and to discuss cannabis health harms. Attention to warnings impacted emotions, attitudes, and protective health intentions. Fear is commonly associated with health warning effects, and our results suggest that hope is also an important factor. This research contributes to understanding the effects of cannabis health warnings and can inform regulatory agencies that mandate warnings on cannabis products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including animal husbandry labelling law; the Italian law that bans cell-cultured meat and the use of meat-sounding names for alternative protein products; and production of laboratory-grown proteins.

Objective: It is unknown how well menu labelling schemes that enforce the display of kilojoule (kJ) labelling at point-of-sale have been implemented on online food delivery (OFD) services in Australia. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of kJ labelling on the online menus of large food outlets with more than twenty locations in the state or fifty locations nationally. A secondary aim was to evaluate the nutritional quality of menu items on OFD from mid-sized outlets that have fewer locations than what is specified in the current scheme. Design: Cross-sectional analysis. Prevalence of kJ labelling by large food outlets on OFD from August to September 2022 was examined. Proportion of discretionary ('junk food') items on menus from mid-sized outlets was assessed. Setting: Forty-three unique large food outlets on company (e.g. MyMacca's) and third party OFD (Uber Eats, Menulog, Deliveroo) within Sydney, Australia. Ninety-two mid-sized food outlets were analysed. Participants: N/A. Results: On company OFD apps, 35 % (7/23) had complete kJ labelling for each menu item. In comparison, only 4·8 % (2/42), 5·3 % (2/38) and 3·6 % (1/28) of large outlets on Uber Eats, Menulog and Deliveroo had complete kJ labelling at all locations, respectively. Over three-quarters, 76·3 % (345/452) of menu items from mid-sized outlets were classified as discretionary. Conclusions: Kilojoule labelling was absent or incomplete on a high proportion of online menus. Mid-sized outlets have abundant discretionary choices and yet escape criteria for mandatory menu labelling laws. Our findings show the need to further monitor the implementation of nutrition policies on OFD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mandatory labeling of genetically engineered foods reduces sales in the short-run. • These effects are driven in part by a salience effect, not information provision. • Mandatory GE labeling increases short-run demand for non-GMO and organic foods. • Effects are stronger in lower-education areas than in higher-education areas. On January 1, 2022, mandatory genetically engineered (GE) food disclosure labeling became required nationwide in the United States. To date, the only mandatory GE labeling law implemented in the U.S. was Vermont's Act 120. This article examines the consumer purchasing response to the implementation of Act 120 using store-level scanner data of food purchases. We measure the effects of Act 120 on the grocery store sales of (1) certain GE-labeled products, (2) non-GMO labeled products, and (3) organic products in Vermont. Using a difference-in-differences approach, we compare stores in Vermont to stores in control states before and after the law was passed, implemented, and repealed. We find that during Act 120′s one-month implementation period, sales of GE-labeled soup products decreased by 5.9%, sales of non-GMO labeled products increased by 2.5%, and sales of organic products increased by 1.7%. Areas with lower levels of education saw bigger increases in sales of non-GMO and organic products. Sales trends, however, reversed for all three product categories after Act 120 was repealed. The sales of GE-labeled soup products actually increased by 6% after the law was repealed in the medium term, suggesting improved attitudes towards GE products over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The labelling compliance with EU and national legislation of market products composed of Mytilus spp. sold in Italy was evaluated. Then, a PCR-RFLP technique analyzing a region of the Polyphenolic Adhesive Protein (PAP) nuclear gene was used to support the label assessment. The technique allows to discriminate the species most commercialized in EU (M. chilensis, M. edulis, M. galloprovincialis and their hybrids). The labelling of all the products was compliant with labelling legislation (mislabeling rate 0%). The PCR-RFLP identified 17 products (47.22%) as M. chilensis, 13 (36.1%) as M. galloprovincialis, 3 (8.3%) as a mix of pure species and hybrids and 3 (8.3%) as hybrids. Hybrids were represented by M. chilensis x M. edulis, M. chilensis x M. galloprovincialis, M. edulis x M. galloprovincialis. No cases of discrepancy respect to the information reported on the labels were found in products containing pure species; in those composed by mix of pure species and hybrids or hybrids, the pure species or at least one parental species of the hybrid corresponded to that declared. Some consideration emerged: the RFLP electrophoretic pattern should be deepened in M. edulis and in other Mytilus spp.; the possibility to extend the scope of the Regulation (EU) No 1379/2013 to pre-cooked and cooked products should be evaluated; since no disposition on hybrids labelling exist, a revision of the EU lists of commercial designations is recommended, also in the light to support official laboratories in interpretating the results and issuing analysis reports. • Studies assessing the label compliance with law dispositions of Mytilus sp. products was never performed. • Molecular tools are required in Mytilus spp. identification since the morphological characteristics are not highly informative. • The labelling of all the products was compliant with EU legislation. • Products containing pure species, a mix of pure species and hybrids and only hybrids were found. • Further investigation are required on M. edulis and other Mytilus spp. specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]