United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) is a company that is experiencing a lot of turbulence in the stock market, as investors rush to make sense of recent developments that are having an impact on the companys financial outlook. UNFIs stock opened at $26.14 on Friday, with a 12-month high of $49.56 and a low of $22.07.

The companys 50-day moving average is $33.08, while its 200-day moving average is $38.49, reflecting a decline in share price momentum over time. UNFI has a current ratio of 1.56 and a quick ratio of 0.51, indicating an adequate level of liquidity for the business to pay off its short-term obligations.

UNFI also has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.13, which signifies that the company may have leverage, although it does not necessarily mean that this leverage poses significant risks to shareholders investments.

With regards to market capitalization, UNFI currently stands at $1.55 billion and has a price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of 8.41 and Beta of 1.05.

However, recent research reports indicate mixed ratings from analysts regarding UNFIs prospects for growth going forward.

Some analysts have reduced their price targets for UNFI stocks; Wells Fargo & Company notably lowered their target from $40 to $28 per share while Northcoast Research downgraded UNFI from buy to neutral.

Goldman Sachs Group also reduced their target price from $43 to $30 per share and designated the stock as neutral. These changes reflect an overall cautious approach among investors towards recommendin gthe purchase or retentionof shares in UNFI.

Nevertheless, two analysts recommend buying UNFI shares while eight recommend holding onto them with Bloomberg data showing an average Hold rating for the stock and consensus target price value being cited as $35.71.

In other news, UNFIs Chief Executive Officer (CEO), J. Alexander Douglas Jr., recently purchased 45,168 shares of the companys stock at an average cost of $22.22 per share for a total of $1,003,632.96 thus bringing his stake in the company to approximately valued at $3,353,797.92.

This move was seen as a positive signal by investors who interpreted it as confidence from management regarding the future outlook for UNFI.

But on the downside, insiders have sold a combined 42,431 shares of company stock worth $1,731,113 over the past three months with Christopher Testa President selling 27,931 shares at an average price of $40.54 per share on January 23rd.

Furthermore in March when UNFI last reported its quarterly earnings data saw it miss consensus estimates; while earning per share (EPS) was up YoY to stand at $0.78/share with net margin widening slightly to 0.64% Return on Equity contracting slightly by 5 bpts YoY to sit at 14.45%. However revenue recorded rose by 5.4% YoY albeit shy analysts expectations by coming inline at$7.82 billion compared toexpectations pegged at$7.77 billion.

As such these events are shaking investor confidence leaving many speculating about what to expect next from United Natural Foods Inc., and whether its shakeup indicates seismic shifts in the organic food market overall.

Ultimately there is no single answer as both internal and external forces are influencing developments at United Natural Foods Inc., meaning that investors would need to conduct further research before determining whether or not investing in this companys stock is right for them.

What is certain though is that if action isnt taken soon by management to steady things out and improve financial results there could be more volatility and a downward trajectory in the companys stock, leading to harsh commentary from both insiders and analysts.

United Natural Foods, Inc. (NYSE:UNFI) has experienced a reduction in Q3 2023 earnings per share estimates by Jefferies Financial Group. In a note issued to investors on Tuesday, April 11th, Jefferies analyst J. Dickerson projected that the company will earn $0.66 per share for the quarter, down from their previous projection of $1.44. The consensus estimate for United Natural Foods current full-year earnings is $3.23 per share.

Moreover, Jefferies Financial Group released additional estimation figures that include projections for United Natural Foods Q4 2023 earnings at $0.74 EPS and FY2023 earnings at $3.32 EPS. They also estimated Q1 2024 earnings at $0.81 EPS, Q2 2024 earnings at $1.09 EPS, and Q3 2024 earnings at $0.95 EPS.

Jefferies FY2024 projected earnings for United Natural Foods is reported to be $3.83 EPS, while their Q1 2025 expectations stand at $0.91 EPS and projections show that the companys Q2 2025 earnings could reach up to $1.17 EPS with FY2025 coming in strong with an estimated earning of around $4.15 EPS.

Despite these estimations projecting a potential decrease in United Natural Foods performance, several hedge funds have recently purchased shares of the business as well as sold them; this includes DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale which acquired a new stake worth approximately $25k and Quadrant Capital Group LLC which increased its share; owning the companys stocks now stands at around USD27k after purchasing an additional 495 shares in the last quarter.

Additionally, Ronald Blue Trust Inc bought more shares resulting in owning about USD30k worth of shares after acquiring an additional 582 during the period analyzed by Jefferies. Meanwhile, Allworth Financial LPs ownership increased from 28.3% to USD46k after adding 294 shares during the same period. Finally, Wipfli Financial Advisors LLC joined in on owning a new position in shares of United Natural Foods valued at around USD54k.

The combination of these actions paints an overall picture of how investors continue to view United Natural Foods despite the potentially lowering estimated earnings per share for its next fiscal year as they still continue to maintain their stakes in the company.

Read the original:

UNFI Faces Turbulence in Stock Market as Investors Struggle with ... - Best Stocks

A COLLEGE student was given an eviction notice from his tiny house in a charming community just before his midterms due to its size.

David Andrews was studying at the University of Colorado and in a bid to have affordable student housing, he built his own tiny home on wheels.

He parked his home in a backyard in Boulder, which is extremely sought-after and expensive.

The tiny house was situated on a small plot of land with a communal garden which David made with his neighbors who live in an RV opposite him.

He parked there for six months and lived happily alongside his neighbors as they enjoyed the outdoor space together.

David, his neighbors, and their children would pick the vegetables and use them for fresh meals as part of their passion for sustainable living.

However, just before his midterms, his landlord was given an eviction notice.

This was due to a code violation and the tiny home dwellers were given 30 days to vacate their structures.

Previously, there had been no comments from anyone about concerns surrounding the small homes.

It emerged that the tiny home was too small to be classified as a house and therefore, David and his neighbors were dwelling in non-conforming structures.

David was forced to put his home in storage for a month as he and his small community worked with the city to give a temporary allowance for these small homes.

He told Tiny House Blog: "The city of Boulder doesnt have any appropriate legal code regarding tiny houses or other nontraditional housing methods.

"The tiny is essentially non-conforming, and living in a structure was not allowed."

Members of the community, including landlords whose tenants were having similar issues, were relentless in speaking up at council meetings and writing letters to the city.

David said: "I reached out to the city council members as a whole and told my story part of which was showing them the video of my house.

"Immediately the majority of the city council was on our side and agreed that there was an issue with non-conforming structures and that it needed to be addressed.

"At a meeting they asked the city attorney if they could write a letter allowing those who were kicked out [to get] a temporary exemption to codes and ordinances, allowing us to continue living in our structures."

In a warning to other people hoping to live in tiny homes, David said: "Be very diligent in making sure you can be legal if thats what you want to do.

"There are many ways around tough situations like Im in, just be willing to adjust your plan."

David and his partner Erin Donahue now live in a tiny home on a farm in Mid-coast Maine.

The pair own the Tiny Acres Farm which focuses on producing organic food from the unceded Wabanaki homeland.

Go here to read the rest:

I built my perfect tiny home from scratch but was evicted by the city they said Id made a crucial mis... - The US Sun

This summer, with my garden deconstructed amid renovations, I decided to experiment with a temporary measure: growing veggies in straw balesfertilised by human pee yes, really.

It was, I supposed, a way to grow food quickly and cheaply in a bed that could easily be removed once I'm ready to build my more permanent permaculture veggie garden.

The experiment was a huge success, with plenty of delicious organic veggies coming off the straw bales and into my kitchen.

Here's how I created my temporary straw bale garden, plus a few other ideas for making veggie beds that are cheap and effective, yet quick to remove handy for renters and renovators alike.

I chose four pea straw bales for my beds, but any kind of straw works fine. Just avoid hay bales, which are an animal feed crop and so contain seed heads that could germinate in your bed.

Straw, on the other hand, is just the stems left over after seed harvesting which is why it's a lot cheaper, too.

As with any food gardening, choosing a spot that gets at least six hours of sunlight is crucial more if possible. Sun mapping is the best way to determine this.

At my place, I positioned my bales against a north-facing fence, where they receive direct sunlight throughout the day,perfect for veggie production.

The fence backdrop also made it easy to add cheap, second-hand wire trellising so I could train some plants to grow vertically, packing more food into my small space.

Finally, I made sure to place my bales on their side, with the cut straw facing upward and the string around the sides. This helps hold each bale together during the growing season.

Then came the most important step before planting: "activating" my straw bale using a high-nitrogen fertiliser.

The idea is to fully soak your bales with water, then apply some form of fertiliser every day for two weeks.

The nitrogen reacts with the carbon in the straw, kickstarting the process of decomposition so your plants have readily available food when you plant them out a fortnight later.

This activation can be done with organic fertilisers, compost teas or worm teas or by using your own urine, as I discovered while chatting with Geelong permaculture designer Michelle Mairs about growing edible flowers at home.

Human pee is rich in nitrogen, free and happened to be readily available to me at the timeas I had a party planned. My friends happily obliged with deposits throughout the night.

An affable neighbour then helped keep my bales soaked in liquid gold for the required two weeks.

A fortnight later, with my balesloaded with free nitrogen, it was time to plant out.

I made a hole in each bale, filled it with homemade compost and a little organic chook poo-based fertiliser, then planted my seedlings directly in.

Within a matter of weeks, I was harvesting bountiful zucchinis, jalapeos and tromboncino.

Right now, I have capsicums, cucumbers and pumpkins on the way. Several bean plants even popped up from my soil's seed bank, offering an extra harvest.

The straw bales proved surprisingly resilient during the 35-plus-degree heat that signals summer in Tarntanya (Adelaide), with watering only needed every couple of days.

But they did need topping up with a little extra fertiliser every few weeks this I applied in the form of homemade "weed tea", or by sliding composted chook poo in around the plant roots.

As the season slows, my straw bales are gradually turning into a rich compost-like material, which I'll spread across my new garden in winter to breathe life and fertility into the soil.

Back when I rented my home, before I managed to buy the place from my landlord, I mainly grew food directly in the ground.

Knowing that I might have needed to deconstruct my patch one day, I used simple, second-hand, plastic garden bed edging to border each patch and keep everything contained.

Other easy and removable veggie bed options include:

Whichever option you choose, you'll be up and running with an edible garden in no time one that's just as quick to remove if your circumstances change.

Koren Helbig is a freelance journalist who practices permaculture and grows organic food in the backyard of her small urban Tarntanya (Adelaide) home.

Excerpt from:

Why I decided to grow veggies in straw bales and fertilise them with pee - ABC News

As the weather warms and we can finally roll out the barbecue grills from winter storage, some people might be looking for something a little more unique than burgers or brats. Florida-based Wild Fork Foods, which opened its first Wisconsin location in December at 635 W. Silver Spring Drive in Glendale, offers approximately 500 different meat and seafood items like chicken, beef and fish, along with bison, venison, duck, rabbit, rack of lamb, ahi tuna and alligator.

Wild Fork Foods is part traditional grocery store and part specialty retailer. The meat and seafood items are sourced from farms throughout the country and blast frozen to preserve freshness, so plan ahead for thawing time. Various cuts of meat are available, as well as ground meats, along with sausages and burgers. Customers can choose from meats conventionally farmed, or from a line of organic and grass-fed meats.

The store also stocks frozen foods such as pizzas, prepared entres, vegetables, breads such as brioche buns, ciabatta rolls or garlic bread, and desserts including cheesecake, mini flan and chocolate mousse. Theyve also got spices and sauces.

Items are available for pickup and delivery. Theres a Wild Fork membership program that includes free shipping and same day delivery. Theyve also got gift baskets, and staff will offer cooking tips and guidance for selecting meats.

Wild Fork operates approximately 30 brick-and-mortar locations in Florida, Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, California and Wisconsin. The company plans to open more locations this year. In addition to the brick-and-mortar stores, stores, theyve got an ecommerce fulfillment centers throughout the United States.

For more information, visit wildforkfoods.com.

Sheila Julson is a freelance writer who enjoys capturing the stories behind Milwaukees happening food, beverage and urban farming scenes. She also pens articles about holistic health, green living, sustainability and human-interest features.

Apr. 14, 2023

12:41 p.m.

View original post here:

Wild Fork Foods Offers Traditional and Specialty Meats and Seafood - Shepherd Express

Formed in Los Angeles in 1979, the familyhood known as Fishbone shares All We Have Is Now, a sentiment with which were familiar but can be hard to grasp in our everyday lives.

Founding member Norwood Fisher says it best: Sometimes a note-to-self finds its way to the song form. 'All We Have Is Now' is a prime example. Philosophically, its far from a new concept. Eckard Tolle, Alan Watts, Joseph Campbell, and many others have contemplated and pontificated on this topic the pursuit of self inquest, in the hopes of experiencing an extended, extraordinary sense of Being. The song, wrapped in a fully blown Fishbone party, reminds me to take advantage of the gift of the ever-present now. Feel free to interpret it however it speaks to you. Aint nuttin buttah pawty

See Fishbone LIVESunday, May 21 - Fishbone open for Les Claypools Flying Frog Brigade @ The Observatory North Park - San Diego

See more here:
Fishbone: 'All We Have Is Now' | Today's Top Tune - KCRW

Estoy cansado, my students will almost always say come Monday like clockwork. Im tired.

I teach Spanish, and the post-weekend reply is automatic, nearly scripted. But its also accurate. For many in todays world, to be a student is to be tired.

But their exhaustion doesnt just follow the weekend. My students often return from lengthy holiday breaks with similar responses not long enough, or I wish I was still there.

Many adults feel that way after their weekends and vacations, too.

Why is it that the times we set aside for celebrating and resting from our work are in fact very unrestful, even stressful? What is the point of taking a holiday if we never find rest or fulfilling joy in our break?

During this past Christmas holiday, The New York Times reported that 41% of 2,000 polled adults felt an increase in worrying and 31% said they expected to feel more stressed than they did in 2021. The reasons given for the lack of rest and increased stress varied from social obligations to gift-giving woes, family tensions, travel challenges, financial concerns and so forth.

Of the many causes listed, however, the article left out one key reason inherent in the etymology of holiday itself.

The word comes from the Old English word hligdg, meaning holy day or consecrated day. Holidays, or holy days, were once a time to rest from ones labors by communing with the Divine at a specific time of the year. According to late cultural writer Alan Watts, the idea of a holiday was one in which a religious (specifically Christian) people would present the ritual reliving of the Christ-story through the seasonal cycle of the ecclesiastical year.

The holidays were days of holiness, and not just days off from work. On these holy days believers acted out the great spiritual stories of Christs mortal life. For example, during Advent or Christmas, believers would pause their labors to remember and symbolically re-live the birth of Christ. The day for the celebration was on or around the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, symbolizing the hope in Christs birth at the beginning of lengthening days into summer.

Then in the springtime, believers would (and still do to an extent) pause and celebrate seasonal growth and floral renewal as a mirror to the resurrection of Christ.

Many of our most common American holidays come from this tradition: Valentines Day, St. Patricks Day, Easter, Christmas and even Thanksgiving originated as a time to give thanks to God for our bounties. The embrace of the Divine was the relief from the mundane for in this embrace one symbolically left the mundane world for a higher one and thus could rest.

My students and the extant tradition of holidays show that this sort of rest is something our contemporary world craves though no one seems to fully understand how to attain it.

Its no wonder so many feel exhausted. Our holidays have become the very opposite of what they once were. They are now more like unholy days in which it is common to embrace the profane monotony of Netflix binging, gross laziness or drinking away the conscious mind. A colleague of mine once told me of a visit he made to Miami. I asked if he enjoyed himself and he answered, Yes, but I dont remember anything, literally anything with his eyebrows shooting up into his hairline. You know, spring break, he said.

American holidays are now about stressing over expensive gifts, decorating and travel, all to our own increased stress and anxiety. But it doesnt have to be that way. If we look to the past and embrace our ancestral heritage, we can find real rest and conserve the rejuvenation once found in our holy days.

My wife and I experienced a glimpse of this holiday spirit while living in Spain. I was a lecturer at a university there and had All Saints Day (Nov. 1) off. As the good commercial Americans that we are, we prepared our kids for a fun time at the mall, going out to eat before catching a movie. But when we got to the mall, everything was closed.

Quite confused, we learned that only the American fast-food chains (KFC and Burger King) were open. All other stores, including grocery stores, pharmacies and the movie theater, were closed it was a holiday. At first, our capitalist-driven minds could not understand what the Spaniards would even do on a holiday if not spend more money than necessary. But over time those holidays in Spain became moments of peaceful rest in which we grew together as a family. As the culture shock faded, we came to love this practice.

Of course, not every Spaniard takes these days as strictly holy days, but the vestiges of what once were holy days could still be felt as the people actually paused from the hum and drum of toil and spending.

If we truly seek rest in our holidays, even our spring breaks and Labor Days and Memorial Days, we must look to embrace something greater than ourselves. Ideally, we would embrace God and not social media, entertainment, money or the many other things we hope will distract and fulfill us but never do. It is only in transcending the mundane that we can find peace beyond daily life. It is only in the making holy of holidays that we will ever get back to real life refreshed from the break, and grateful for what we are given.

Scott Raines is a writer and doctoral student at the University of Kansas.

Read the original post:
Religious holidays: Why they matter more than secular ones | Opinion - Deseret News

Hotelivate Hotel Investment Conference South Asia

Hotelivate is all set to organise the 18th edition of Hotel Investment Conference South Asia (HICSA), on April 12 & 13 at Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru Embassy Manyata Business Park. The theme of the conference is Artificial Intelligence, Astute Investments, and Aesthetic Interiors is in sync with the changing scenario of the hotel industry.

HICSA has been an unequalled gathering platform for the hospitality industry the world over. The conference is valued for its content-rich sessions and excellent networking opportunities attracting the hospitality industrys top brands, hotel owners, bankers, developers, and professional advisors from around the globe.

The prominent speakers sharing their knowledge from the HICSA platform are: Alan Watts, President Asia Pacific, Hilton; Andrew Langdon, Senior Vice President Development Asia, Accor; Anthony Capuano, Chief Executive Officer, Marriott International; Anuraag Bhatnagar, Chief Operating Officer, The Leela Palaces, Hotels and Resorts; Chris Nassetta, President and CEO, Hilton; Cyril Jacob, Founder and MD, Ascentis; Dillip Rajakarier, Group CEO, Minor International; Dimitris Manikis, President & MD-EMEA, Wyndham Hotels and Resorts; Hari Marar, Managing Director & CEO, BIAL; Harshavardhan Neotia, Chairman, Ambuja Neotia Group, Irfan Razack, Chairman & MD, Prestige Group; Jitu Virwani, Chairman and MD, Embassy Group; Laure Morvan, Chief Development Officer, India/ME/Africa/Turkey, Accor; Megna Shankaranarayanan, Industry Head Travel & FoodTech, Google; Mehul Patel, Managing Partner and CEO, Newcrestimage; Neil Jacobs, CEO, Six Senses Hotels Resorts & Spas; Pierre-Jean Malgouyres, Co-Founder and General Director, Archetype Group; Priya Paul, Chairperson, Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels; Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director & CEO, IHCL; Rahul Chaudhary, Managing Director and CEO, CG Corp Global and CG Hospitality Holdings and Rajeev Menon, President Asia Pacific (excluding Greater China), Marriott International amongst others.

Manav Thadani, Founder Chairman, Hotelivate said, The conference also moves to Bengaluru for the first time, which is the tech start-up capital of India and where many hospitality companies are adapting to the technology trends. Bengaluru also opens doors to a whole new set up of leading real estate players in the South.

For editorial related queries, reach us at edit@eventfaqs.com

The conference is valued for its content-rich sessions & networking opportunities attracting the hospitality industrys top brands, hotel owners, bankers, developers and professional advisors.

The rest is here:
Hotelivate organises the 18th edition of Hotel Investment ... - EVENTFAQs

Shaw, D. et al. Drivers of maternity care in high-income countries: Can health systems support woman-centred care?. Lancet 388(10057), 22822295 (2016).

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Mesterton, J. et al. Case mix adjusted variation in cesarean section rate in Sweden. Acta Obstet. Gynecol. Scand. 96(5), 597606 (2017).

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Seijmonsbergen-Schermers, A. E. et al. Regional variations in childbirth interventions in the Netherlands: A nationwide explorative study. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 18(1), 192 (2018).

Article CAS PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar

Dekker, S., Bergstrm, J., Amer-Whlin, I. & Cillier, P. Complicated, complex, and compliant: Best practice in obstetrics. Cogn. Technol. Work. 15, 189195 (2012).

Article Google Scholar

Downe, S. Beyond evidence-based medicine: Complexity and stories of maternity care. J. Eval. Clin. Pract. 16(1), 232237 (2010).

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Dekker, S. Patient Safety: A Human Factors Approach 1st edn. (CRC Press, 2011).

Google Scholar

Braithwaite, J., Clay-Williams, R., Nugus, P. & Plumb, J. Health care as a complex adaptive system. In Resilient Health Care (eds Hollnagel, E. et al.) 5773 (Ashgate Publishing Ltd, 2013).

Google Scholar

Kajonius, P. & Mac, G. E. Personality traits across countries: Support for similarities rather than differences. PLoS ONE 12(6), e0179646 (2017).

Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar

Kajonius, P. J. & Johnson, J. Sex differences in 30 facets of the five factor model of personality in the large public (N = 320,128). Pers. Individ. Differ. 129, 126130 (2018).

Article Google Scholar

De Raad, B., Perugini, M., Hrebckov, M. & Szarota, P. Lingua franca of personality: Taxonomies and structures based on the psycholexical approach. J. Cross Cult. Psychol. 29(1), 212232 (1998).

Article Google Scholar

John, O. P., Naumann, L. P. & Soto, C. J. Paradigm shift to the integrative Big Five trait taxonomy: history, measurement, and conceptual issues. In Handbook of Personality: Theory and Research 3rd edn (eds John, O. P. et al.) 114158 (Guilford Press, 2008).

Google Scholar

Soto, C. J. How replicable are links between personality traits and consequential life outcomes? The life outcomes of personality replication project. Psychol. Sci. 30(5), 711727 (2019).

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Borges, N. J. & Savickas, M. L. Personality and medical specialty choice: A literature review and integration. J. Career Assess. 10(3), 362380 (2002).

Article Google Scholar

Iorga, M. et al. Factors influencing burnout syndrome in obstetrics and gynecology physicians. Biomed. Res. Int. 2017, 10 (2017).

Article Google Scholar

Dillon, S. J. et al. How personality affects teamwork: A study in multidisciplinary obstetrical simulation. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. MFM. 3(2), 100303 (2021).

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Dunphy, B. C. et al. Cognitive elements in clinical decision-making: Toward a cognitive model for medical education and understanding clinical reasoning. Adv. Health Sci. Educ. Theory Pract. 15(2), 229250 (2010).

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Yee, L. M., Liu, L. Y. & Grobman, W. A. The relationship between obstetricians cognitive and affective traits and their patients delivery outcomes. Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 211(6), 692e1-6 (2014).

Article Google Scholar

Kajonius, P. J. & Johnson, J. A. Assessing the structure of the five factor model of personality (IPIP-NEO-120) in the public domain. Eur. J. Psychol. 15(2), 260275 (2019).

Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar

Raoust, G. M., Bergstrom, J., Bolin, M. & Hansson, S. R. Decision-making during obstetric emergencies: A narrative approach. PLoS ONE 17(1), 21 (2022).

Article Google Scholar

Croskerry, P. Clinical cognition and diagnostic error: Applications of a dual process model of reasoning. Adv. Health Sci. Educ. Theory Pract. 14(Suppl 1), 2735 (2009).

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Dunphy, B., Dunphy, S., Cantwell, R., Bourke, S. & Fleming, M. Evidence based-practice and affect: The impact of physician attitudes on outcomes associated with clinical reasoning and decision-making. Aust. J. Educ. Dev. Psychol. 10, 5664 (2010).

Google Scholar

Manser, T. Teamwork and patient safety in dynamic domains of healthcare: A review of the literature. Acta Anaesthesiol. Scand. 53(2), 143151 (2009).

Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar

Lemieux-Charles, L. & McGuire, W. L. What do we know about health care team effectiveness? A review of the literature. Med. Care Res. Rev. 63(3), 263300 (2006).

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Csikszentmihalyi, M. & Nakamura, J. Effortless attention in everyday life: a systematic phenomenology. In Effortless Attention: A New Perspective in the Cognitive Science of Attention and Action (ed. Bruya, B.) 179190 (A Bradford Book, The MIT Press, 2010).

Chapter Google Scholar

Gobet, F. & Chassy, P. Expertise and intuition: A tale of three theories. Minds Mach. 19(2), 151180 (2008).

Article Google Scholar

Klein, G. & Jarosz, A. A naturalistic study of insight. J. Cogn. Eng. Decis. Mak. 5(4), 335351 (2011).

Article Google Scholar

Dworak, E. M., Revelle, W., Doebler, P. & Condon, D. M. Using the international cognitive ability resource as an open source tool to explore individual differences in cognitive ability. Pers. Individ. Differ. 169, 109906 (2021).

Article Google Scholar

Scott, S. G. & Bruce, R. A. Decision-making style: The development and assessment of a new measure. Educ. Psychol. Meas. 55(5), 818831 (1995).

Article Google Scholar

Gignac, G. E. & Szodorai, E. T. Effect size guidelines for individual differences researchers. Pers. Individ. Differ. 102, 7478 (2016).

Article Google Scholar

Browner, W. S., Newman, T. B. & Hulley, S. B. Estimating sample size and power: Applications and examples. In Designing Clinical Research Wolters Kluver Health 4th edn (eds Hulley, S. B. et al.) 5583 (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2013).

Google Scholar

Vedel, A. Big five personality group differences across academic majors: A systematic review. Pers. Individ. Differ. 92, 110 (2016).

Article Google Scholar

Bergstrm, J., Dekker, S., Nyce, J. M. & Amer-Whlin, I. The social process of escalation: A promising focus for crisis management research. BMC Health Serv. Res. 12, 161 (2012).

Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar

Matthews, G., Deary, I. J. & Whiteman, M. C. Personality, performance and information processing. In Personality Traits 3rd edn (eds Matthews, G. et al.) 357391 (Cambridge University Press, 2009).

Chapter Google Scholar

Byrne, K. A., Silasi-Mansat, C. D. & Worthy, D. A. Who chokes under pressure? The big five personality traits and decision-making under pressure. Pers. Individ. Dif. 74, 2228 (2015).

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Witt, L. A., Burke, L. A., Barrick, M. R. & Mount, M. K. The interactive effects of conscientiousness and agreeableness on job performance. J. Appl. Psychol. 87(1), 164169 (2002).

Article CAS PubMed Google Scholar

Perkins, A. M. & Corr, P. J. Can worriers be winners? The association between worrying and job performance. Pers. Individ. Differ. 38(1), 2531 (2005).

Article Google Scholar

Anthony, K. E. & Sellnow, T. L. The role of the message convergence framework in medical decision making. J. Health Commun. 21(2), 249256 (2016).

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Harris, C. R. & Jenkins, M. Gender differences in risk assessment: Why do women take fewer risks than men?. Judgm. Decis. Mak. 1(1), 4863 (2006).

Article Google Scholar

Baker, D. P., Day, R. & Salas, E. Teamwork as an essential component of high-reliability organizations. Health Serv. Res. 41(4 Pt 2), 15761598 (2006).

Article PubMed PubMed Central Google Scholar

Driskell, J. E., Goodwin, G. F., Salas, E. & OShea, P. G. What makes a good team player? Personality and team effectiveness. Group Dyn. Theory Res. Pract. 10(4), 249271 (2006).

Article Google Scholar

Sonesh, S. C. et al. Team training in obstetrics: A multi-level evaluation. Fam. Syst. Health. 33(3), 250261 (2015).

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Lankshear, G., Ettorre, E. & Mason, D. Decision-making, uncertainty and risk: Exploring the complexity of work processes in NHS delivery suites. Health Risk Soc. 7(4), 361377 (2005).

Article Google Scholar

Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., Lee, J. Y. & Podsakoff, N. P. Common method biases in behavioral research: A critical review of the literature and recommended remedies. J. Appl. Psychol. 88(5), 879903 (2003).

Article PubMed Google Scholar

Link:

Personality traits and decision-making styles among obstetricians ... - Nature.com

Image Credits: ROSLAN RAHMAN / AFP / Getty Images

Quantum computers have the potential to carry out highly complicated calculations in minutes that would have taken classical computers thousands of years to work out. But much of the industry is still in its infancy, partly because of a lack of domain experts and software tools that match the progress of quantum hardware.

Now, companies are working to simplify the process of developing quantum software applications so programmers dont actually need to understand the underlying quantum mechanics. One of the early-stage startups making such an effort is Singapore-based Horizon Quantum Computing, whose tools can automatically construct quantum algorithms based on programs written in classical programming languages.

The company recently picked up $18.1 million in a Series A round from Tencent along with other investors, boosting its equity financing to around $21.3 million. Other investors in the Series A round included Sequoia Capital India, SGInnovate, Pappas Capital and Expeditions Fund.

The money will be used to fund product development and its expansion in Europe, where the company is planning to open an office in Dublin, Ireland. The startup is also scheduled to launch the early access program of its developer tools later this year.

While Singapore is more widely known as a financial hub, it has also been one of the most proactive governments in supporting quantum technologies. The Center for Quantum Technologies, where Horizon Quantum Computings founder and CEO Joe Fitzsimons used to be a professor, was set up under the city-states Research Centres of Excellence program to advance research in the cutting-edge field.

When I made the jump from academia, Singapore already had the right talent [for quantum computing] and there was access to capital, said Fitzsimons, who earned a PhD from University of Oxford.

Singapore is also less likely to impose export restrictions on technologies, reckoned the founder, who said he doesnt want his company to be barred from selling in other markets like the European Union.

Being in a politically neutral country like Singapore is increasingly important in a world where businesses become caught in the tech war between the U.S. and China and lose access to supply chains. Launching from a neutral home base is now seen as a prerequisite for many tech firms, including quantum computer builders, who rely on components sourced from around the world.

Tencents investment in Horizon Quantum Computing is purely financial, so it wont entail any transfer of sensitive data, the founder noted. The startup took Tencents investment because the giant is an expert in the area, he said.

Indeed, the social networking and gaming giant showed a keen interest in the field when it opened its quantum research lab in 2018. Ling Ge, Tencents chief representative in Europe and the person who oversaw the deal with Horizon Quantum Computing, has known Fitzsimons since her years in Oxford, where she studied quantum computing.

At Tencent, we take a long-term perspective on quantum. In our own quantum lab, we are focused on fundamental research, first-principles simulations and quantum algorithms, and how these might serve enterprise customers, said Ge at an industry event last year.

In terms of investments, we take a science-driven approach. One of the challenges in investing in quantum is what we call the black box paradox. The challenge of evaluating early-stage deep tech companies in areas like quantum, nuclear fusion or biotech is difficult because the core technology is in its early proof-of-concept phase. It is hard to evaluate and understand at what stage of maturity it really is.

Therefore, we take appropriate steps to mitigate the risks of this black box paradox depending on the investment stage. This is primarily achieved through our deep technical expertise, which allows us to really understand what is being developed and its maturity, she said.

The story was updated on April 3, 2023 to clarify the founders view on export controls.

Follow this link:

Tencent backs Singapores Horizon Quantum Computing in $18M round - TechCrunch

Multinational consumer goods company Unilever, which owns brands ranging from Dove to premium Tatcha and Hourglass Cosmetics, has used machine learning since the 1950s. Now, its developing robotics and AI for use in product testing and development.

Unilevers beauty and wellbeing arm represents 20% of the companys annual revenue in 2022, that equated to $13.3 billion, and sales have been on the rise. The companys 120,000-square-foot Materials Innovation Factory (MIF), opened in 2017 in partnership with the University of Liverpool in Liverpool, U.K.. is run by over 250 researchers.

The MIF has been using robots and AI to test and develop its products for the last five years. In 2022, products that were developed using MIF technologies drove one-third of its tech-derived product sales. They included the Dove Intensive Repair Shampoo and Conditioner, the Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo and the Hourglass Cosmetics Red 0 Lipstick, which were all made with AI and robotics.

MIFs robots feature celebrity-inspired names, including Ariana, Shirley and Gwen. The Force Brush is a hair brush equipped with sensors for force, temperature and sound. Unilever used it in the development of the Dove Intensive Repair Conditioner to test its ability to detangle hair. The hair brush collects hundreds of data points during the hair brushing process, which translate to insights on potential improvements to be made to product formulas. The Ariana robot, on the other hand, prepares hair samples for widespread lab testing.

The robots we use in the lab probably exceed the output of three or four people doing the same task, said Dr. Paul Jenkins, global research director of beauty, personal care science and Technology at MIF. If a person was doing the same task, it would take them much longer. There are also other complications, like the boredom it would entail after a continuous period, and also the great potential for injury due to the involved repetition.

The robot Shirley, meanwhile, is stationary and washes hair. Its function is to gauge the user experience and performance of shampoo and conditioner products by Tresemm, another Unilever brand. It is able to do 120 hair swatch washes in 24 hours. Finally, Gwen, another stationary machine robot, can test up to 96 tubes of Unilever products in 24 hours. It tests and perfects products foam volume and density through a process that incorporates water. All the robots exceed human outputin these tasks at least fourfold.

Other uses of innovative machines are abundant in the Unilever lab. A rheometer is used to measure the viscosity and acidity of Dove, Sunsilk and Alberto Balsam formulas. It collects 400-500 data points per month. To make the perfect, cruelty-free red pigment for the Hourglass Cosmetics red lipstick, a spectrophotometer was incorporated to measure the pigments reflective quality. It took two years to achieve the color without resorting to use of carmine beetles.

The benefits of using robots in a lab setting are obvious. For one, robots can run through the night without experiencing injury due to repetitive tasks. Whats more, they allow for the manipulation of humidity and agitation, as well as speed and force, allowing for thorough trials and experimentation. Whats more, using AI, the data points they provide can be cross-referenced between experiments, increasing the potential for new discoveries and insights.

We now use AI everywhere, said Dr. Sam Samaras, global vp of science and technology in Unilevers beauty and wellness division. We use AI in our manufacturing plants to make the processes we run more efficient. We also use it to understand the input we get through consumer groups, through active listening and social media. We use it in research whether or not were using robotics.

Unilever is investing in robotics, AI and quantum computing, seeing them as key to the next stage of beauty innovation. It is currently testing three collaborative robots, or cobots, in its Liverpool lab. The same way that we took the repetitive work of hair washing down to a robot, the cobots will be a more flexible robotic solution versus a fixed robotic solution, said Dr. Samaras.

The company is also bringing in more stationary robots and plans to incorporate quantum computing when the technology is available for businesses. Quantum computing is an area of computer science that allows for quicker, more complex machine problem-solving, compared to classic computers. Its based on the physics concept of quantum theory.

Its definitely not a replacement for human jobs, she said. We hire the best and the brightest scientists from around the Northwest of England, but also all around the world. What AI and robotics allow us to do is have these people do more creative problem-solving and less of the repetitive stuff.

Working with robots and AI for data also allows the companys worldwide labs as far out as Bangalore, India to monitor each others progress using Microsoft lenses or digital camera feeds. Theyre great for efficiencies and cutting out menial tasks, said Dr. Samaras. But what really gets me excited is that I get to learn stuff that, 10 years ago, we couldnt have learned.

Visit link:

How Unilever is using robots, AI and testing quantum computing to innovate in beauty - Glossy