We extend knot contact homology to a theory over the ring Z[λ±1, μ±1], with the invariant given topologically and combinatorially. The improved invariant, which is defined for framed knots in S and can be generalized to knots in arbitrary manifolds, distinguishes the unknot and can distinguish mutants. It contains the Alexander polynomial and naturally produces a two-variable polynomial knot in...

We provide a construction of the moduli spaces of framed Hitchin pairs and their master spaces. These objects have come to interest as algebraic versions of solutions of certain coupled vortex equations. Our method unifies and generalizes constructions of several similar moduli spaces. 2000 Mathematics Subject Classification: 14D20, 14D22, 14L30.

This research explores the moderating roles of regulatory focus and product category in the impact of advertising framing on consumers’ advertising attitudes toward healthcare products. 236 persons participated in a 2 (framing: negative vs. positive) × 2 (regulatory focus: prevention-focused vs. promotion-focused) × 2 (product category: informational vs. transformational) factorial design. Resu...

The objective of this paper is to investigate the response of a cold-formed steel framed building subjected to earthquake excitation primarily through nonlinear time history analysis employing the incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) framework. The two-story archetype building from the Cold-Formed Steel – Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (CFS-NEES) project is analyzed using OpenSees....

This study investigates gain-framed and loss-framed messages on graphic cigarette warning labels and their effects on adolescents' smoking-related attitudes and behaviors. Canadian cigarette warning labels emphasizing health consequences of smoking (loss-framed) were digitally manipulated into gain-framed versions. High school students (N = 210) completed a questionnaire measuring attitudes, pe...

Health-promoting messages can be framed in terms of the gains associated with healthy behaviour or the losses associated with unhealthy behaviour. It has been argued that gain-framed messages promoting physical activity (PA) are more effective than loss-framed messages, but empirical findings are inconsistent. Also, no previous studies investigated the effects of gain- and loss-framed messages ...

The beneficial effects of gain-framed vs. loss-framed messages promoting health protective behaviors have been found to be inconsistent, and consideration of potential moderating variables is essential if framed health promotion messages are to be effective. This research aimed to determine the influence of highlighting autonomy (choice and freedom) and heteronomy (coercion) on the avoidance of...