This study proposes a framework to understand the impacts of both value-related and transaction cost-related factors on repurchase intention from online shoppers' perspective. In particular, this ...study defines the construct of cost as a three-component conceptualization (i.e., information searching cost, moral hazard cost, and specific asset investment). Based upon empirical evidence on a survey of 887 online shoppers, this study shows that consumers' perceived value and each cost component are positively related to repurchase intention. Importantly, information searching cost exerts the most significant influence on repurchase intentions among the four relational factors. The result suggests that providing sufficient cues to reduce consumers' information searching cost is the core element of repurchase intention formation. This article closes with theoretical and practical implications.
The aim is to explore the relation between inflammation‐associated factors and in‐hospital mortality and investigate which factor is an independent predictor of in‐hospital death in patients with ...coronavirus disease‐2019. This study included patients with coronavirus disease‐2019, who were hospitalized between February 9, 2020, and March 30, 2020. Univariate Cox regression analysis and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression (LASSO) were used to select variables. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was applied to identify independent risk factors in coronavirus disease‐2019. A total of 1135 patients were analyzed during the study period. A total of 35 variables were considered to be risk factors after the univariate regression analysis of the clinical characteristics and laboratory parameters (p < .05), and LASSO regression analysis screened out seven risk factors for further study. The six independent risk factors revealed by multivariate Cox regression were myoglobin (HR, 5.353; 95% CI, 2.633–10.882; p < .001), C‐reactive protein (HR, 2.063; 95% CI, 1.036–4.109; p = .039), neutrophil count (HR, 2.015; 95% CI, 1.154–3.518; p = .014), interleukin 6 (Il‐6; HR, 9.753; 95% CI, 2.952–32.218; p < .001), age (HR, 2.016; 95% CI, 1.077–3.773; p = .028), and international normalized ratio (HR, 2.595; 95% CI, 1.412–4.769; p = .002). Our results suggested that inflammation‐associated factors were significantly associated with in‐hospital mortality in coronavirus disease‐2019 patients. C‐reactive protein, neutrophil count, and interleukin 6 were independent factors for predicting in‐hospital mortality and had a better independent predictive ability. We believe these findings may allow early identification of the patients at high risk for death, and can also assist in better management of these patients.
Purpose
To determine the efficacy of two myopia control contact lenses (CL) compared with a single‐vision (SV) CL.
Methods
Ninety‐five Chinese children with myopia, aged 7–13 years in a 1‐year ...prospective, randomised, contralateral, cross‐over clinical trial with 3 groups; bilateral SVCL (Group I); randomised, contralateral wear of an extended depth of focus (EDOF) CL and SVCL (Group II) and MiSight® CL and SVCL (Group III). In Groups II and III, CL were crossed over at the 6‐month point (Stage 1) and worn for a further 6 months (Stage 2). Group I wore SVCL during both stages. At baseline and the end of each stage, cycloplegic spherical equivalent refractive error (SE) and axial length (AL) were measured. Six‐monthly ΔSE/ΔAL across groups was analysed using a linear mixed model (CL type, stage, eye and eye* stage included as factors). Intra‐group paired differences between eyes were determined.
Results
In Group I, mean (SD) ΔSE/ΔAL with SVCL was −0.41 (0.28) D/0.13 (0.09) mm and −0.25 (0.27) D/0.16 (0.09) mm for stages 1 and 2, with a mean paired difference between eyes of 0.01 D/0.01 mm and 0.05 D/−0.01 mm, respectively. ΔSE/ΔAL with SVCL was similar across Groups I to III (Stage 1: p = 0.89/0.44, Stage 2: p = 0.70/ 0.64). In Groups II and III, ΔSE/ΔAL was lower with the EDOF and MiSight® CL than the contralateral SVCL in 68% to 94% of participants, and adjusted 6‐month ΔSE/ΔAL with EDOF was similar to MiSight® (p = 0.49/0.56 for ΔSE/ΔAL, respectively). Discontinuations across the three groups were high, but not different between the groups (33.3%, 48.4% and 50% for Groups I to III, respectively p = 0.19) and most discontinuations occurred immediately after baseline.
Conclusions
Extended depth of focus and MiSight® CL demonstrated similar efficacy in slowing myopia. When switched from a myopia control CL to SVCL, myopia progression was similar to that observed with age‐matched wearers in SVCL and not suggestive of rebound.
Polyoxometalates (POMs) are a class of polyanions that have fixed metal-oxygen frameworks composed of early transition metals in high oxidation states (most commonly V
V
, Mo
VI
and W
VI
). The ...diversity in composition and configuration endows POMs with fascinating chemical and physical properties, as well as prospective applications in photochromic or electrochromic materials, catalysts, nano-structural materials, medicines and so on. In order to develop more advanced materials based on POMs, a lot of effort has been devoted to the exploration of new types of POMs and combining POMs with other functional units through non-covalent modifications or covalent bonding. Among these delicate studies, integrating inorganic POMs with organic polymers into diverse hybrids through covalent linking is a quite interesting field. We present here a perspective review on the synthesis of POM-polymer hybrids (PPHs) based on covalent modifications, their hierarchical structures and potential applications.
In this perspective, the field of covalent polyoxometalate-polymer hybrids has been reviewed and some perspectives are provided.
Purpose
This study aims to explore three critical factors, namely, specific assets investment (SAI), knowledge integration mechanism (KIM) and complementary capability (CC), the antecedents of market ...knowledge from on structure, process and strategy aspects. This study then tests their effects on the market knowledge-market performance linkage in an asymmetric commerce relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
This study identified the asymmetric business-to-business (B2B) channel relationship of travel service industry. A total of 248 responses were received from the two waves of data collection and the data was analyzed by the structural equation modeling method.
Findings
Based on the managerial theory related to transaction cost, knowledge-based view and resource-dependent, SAI, KIM and CC all affect market knowledge, and had an indirect effect on market performance; market knowledge significantly and positively affects market performance.
Research limitations/implications
In addition to relationship marketing or social exchange theory, this study provides an integrated framework with different theoretical studies to supplement the explanation of relationship marketing theory in the non-significant relationship between trust and commitment and their outcomes.
Practical implications
This study provides answers for weaker firms how to enhance their market knowledge from their stronger partners.
Originality/value
No current studies have explored how service firms with weak bargaining power could enhance their market knowledge under an imbalanced B2B relationship. This supports the call for the possible factors as the key antecedents of market knowledge on the asymmetric B2B relationship.
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•A novel cultivation method for fast aerobic granulation was proposed.•The new method shortened the granulation time to 18days in a pilot scale SBR.•Biological selector was ...implemented to inhibit filamentous bacteria overgrowth.•The inoculated aerobic granules maintained stable and directly as nucleus and carriers for new particles.
Aerobic granular sludge which had good performance to pollutants removal was successfully cultivated within 18days in a pilot scale sequencing batch reactor, about 25% mature aerobic granular sludge was inoculated when the setting time of activated sludge was reduced to 10min. Anaerobic biological selector was implemented to inhibit filamentous bacteria overgrowth, where the maximum COD could reach to 1703.74mg/L. The cultivated aerobic granular sludge was irregular and pale yellow, average particle size, SVI, SV30/SV5, PN/PS, EPS and water content were 1.58mm, 67.64mL/g, 0.91, 2.17, 268.90mgEPS/g MLVSS and 98.16% on the 18th day. Mechanism of rapid granulation mainly included crystal nucleus hypothesis and selection pressure hypothesis. The inoculated aerobic granules could maintain stable under short setting time environment, making it directly as the crystal nucleus and the carriers for new particles without obvious disintegration, which eventually shortened the granulation time greatly.
This study intends to explore the moderator of work–family conflict on the relationship between leader–member exchange and relative deprivation, and simultaneously examine the impact of relative ...deprivation on employees' behavior (including effort behavior and service sabotage). Questionnaire survey was conducted in 14 international tourist hotels in Taipei. Of the returned sample, 379 questionnaires are effective. The result indicates that high quality leader–member exchange relationship has negative impact on employees' relative deprivation. Also, relative deprivation has significant impact on effort behavior, and service sabotage. Furthermore, work–family conflict is found to have moderating effect on the relationship between leader–member exchange and relative deprivation. This study fills the research gap in the hospitality literature regarding the effect of work–family conflict on the relationships among leader–member exchange, employees' relative deprivation, and work behaviors. It also sheds the light on work–family conflict literature by extending leader–member exchange theory to leader–employee relationship.
•Leader-member exchange has negative impact on employees' relative deprivation.•Relative deprivation significantly influences effort behavior and service sabotage.•Work-family conflict moderates the relationship between leader-member exchange and relative deprivation.
Purpose
Previous studies have argued that trust and commitment can create value in cooperative relationships. However, this study observed that, in practice, trust and commitment alone may not ensure ...value creation in asymmetric relationships. Accordingly, this study aims to investigate the mediating role of specific assets in the effects of trust and commitment on value creation in asymmetric buyer–seller relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
Contract manufacturers (CMs) in Asia were sampled to validate the argument proposed by this study. Most Taiwanese CMs are partnered with international brands (original equipment manufacturers OEMs) that have stronger bargaining power. This cooperative relationship is characteristically asymmetric. A questionnaire method was applied, and structural equation modeling was performed to verify the proposed hypotheses.
Findings
Specific asset investment (SAI) was a crucial mediator that explained the effects of trust and commitment on the relationship value of an asymmetric cooperative relationship. Past studies have claimed that power asymmetry results in an unequal distribution of benefits. Nevertheless, regarding the relationship between CMs and OEMs, the study revealed that relationship value could still be increased once the congruent goals have been achieved by both parties. This finding contradicts past theoretical predictions.
Practical implications
Characteristically asymmetric CMs–OEMs (seller–buyer) relationships cannot be maintained merely through trust and commitment, particularly in the context of power and resource imbalances in which the stronger party often possesses a wider selection of prospective partners. The results of this study suggested that the CM should unilaterally invest in specific assets conducive to a cooperative relationship as an expression of faith in the relationship with the stronger firm, thereby creating opportunities for value cocreation.
Originality/value
The analysis of the relevance of relationship quality in the context of asymmetric cooperative relationships confirmed the mediating influences of SAI on ensuring value creation and the maintenance of the relationships. Relationship value could still be created despite the highly asymmetry power relationship. The CMs’ SAI is the key mechanism for this achievement.
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•A novel continuous flow aerobic granular reactor was introduced.•Tolerance to organic load by aerobic granules in the reactor was investigated.•Evolution of losing stability of AGS ...was observed.•Cause of the disintegration of the granules was explored.
Sodium acetate as carbon source, tolerance to organic loading rate (OLR) by aerobic granular sludge in a cyclic aerobic granular reactor (CAGR) was investigated by gradually increasing the influent COD. AGS could maintain stability in the continuous flow reactor under OLR⩽15kg/m3d in the former 65days, and SVI, granulation rate, average particle size and water content was 21ml/g, 98%, 1.8mm and 97.2% on the 65th day. However, AGS gradually disintegrated after the 66th day when OLR increased to 18kg/m3d, and granules’ properties deteriorated rapidly in a short time. High removal rates to pollutants were achieved by CAGR in the former 65days, but the removal rates of pollutants dropped sharply from the 66th day. With the increase of OLR and particle size, anaerobic cores inside the granules were formed by massive dead cells, while instability of anaerobic core eventually led to the collapse of the system.
The RNA-binding motif 4 (RBM4) protein participates in cell differentiation via its role in regulating the expression of tissue-specific or developmentally regulated mRNA splice isoforms. RBM4 is ...expressed in embryonic brain during development; it is initially enriched in the ventricular zone/subventricular zone and subsequently distributed throughout the cerebral cortex. Rbm4a knockout brain exhibited delayed migration of late-born neurons. Using in utero electroporation, we confirmed that knockdown of RBM4 impaired cortical neuronal migration. RNA immunoprecipitation with high-throughput sequencing identified Disabled-1 (Dab1), which encodes a critical reelin signaling adaptor, as a potential target of RBM4. Rbm4a knockout embryonic brain showed altered Dab1 isoform ratios. Overexpression of RBM4 promoted the inclusion of Dab1 exons 7 and 8 (7/8), whereas its antagonist polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 1 (PTBP1) acted in an opposite manner. RBM4 directly counteracted the effect of PTBP1 on exon 7/8 selection. Finally, we showed that the full-length Dab1, but not exon 7/8-truncated Dab1, rescued neuronal migration defects in RBM4-depleted neurons, indicating that RBM4 plays a role in neuronal migration via modulating the expression of Dab1 splice isoforms. Our findings imply that RBM4 is necessary during brain development and that its deficiency may lead to developmental brain abnormality.
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