The human body generates 10-100 billion cells every day, and the same number of cells die to maintain homeostasis in our body. Cells infected by bacteria or viruses also die. The cell death that ...occurs under physiological conditions mainly proceeds by apoptosis, which is a noninflammatory, or silent, process, while pathogen infection induces necroptosis or pyroptosis, which activates the immune system and causes inflammation. Dead cells generated by apoptosis are quickly engulfed by macrophages for degradation. Caspases are a large family of cysteine proteases that act in cascades. A cascade that leads to caspase 3 activation mediates apoptosis and is responsible for killing cells, recruiting macrophages, and presenting an "eat me" signal(s). When apoptotic cells are not efficiently engulfed by macrophages, they undergo secondary necrosis and release intracellular materials that represent a damage-associated molecular pattern, which may lead to a systemic lupus-like autoimmune disease.
The sudden change in the learning process during the Covid-19 pandemic has brought schools at all levels to adopt e-learning. In this study, we analyze user acceptance of NUADU platform in private ...schools in Balikpapan, Indonesia. The extended Technology Acceptance Model is used as a reference model. The study results indicate that facilitating conditions have a significant effect on perceived usefulness. All core constructs of TAM have a significant effect except the relationship between perceived ease of use and attitude and perceived usefulness and behavior. Based on these findings, recommendations are then made to strengthen the acceptance of NUADU platform.
The extent to which teachers adopt technology in their teaching practice has long been in the focus of research. Indeed, a plethora of models exist explaining influential factors and mechanisms of ...technology use in classrooms, one of which—the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and versions thereof—has dominated the field. Although consensus exists about which factors in the TAM might predict teachers’ technology adoption, the current field abounds in some controversies and inconsistent findings. This meta-analysis seeks to clarify some of these issues by combining meta-analysis with structural equation modeling approaches. Specifically, we synthesized 124 correlation matrices from 114 empirical TAM studies (N = 34,357 teachers) and tested the fit of the TAM and its versions. Overall, the TAM explains technology acceptance well; yet, the role of certain key constructs and the importance of external variables contrast some existing beliefs about the TAM. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
•The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) explains teachers' technology adoption.•Relations among variables in the TAM are synthesized meta-analytically.•The TAM and its versions fit the data well—even for subsamples of teachers.•Within the TAM, direct effects of PU on BI and ATT on USE exist.•The TAM explains behavioral intentions and technology use significantly.
Resumen Introducción. Este artículo presenta el proyecto de investigación I+D, financiado por el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España (EDU5746-P-Proyecto Rafodiun), para conocer el nivel ...de adopción de una tecnología o modelo TAM, formulado por Davies (1989). Se presentan las características del modelo, se formula uno para el análisis de la RA, así como el instrumento para su diagnóstico. Objetivo. Establecer el grado de motivación y nivel de satisfacción que despierta en los estudiantes universitarios el hecho de participar en experiencias formativas apoyadas en RA, e indagar sobre las dificultades técnicas, curriculares y organizativas que pudiera tener la RA para ser aplicada a los contextos de formación universitaria. Materiales y métodos. Se utilizó el Modelo de Aceptación de la Tecnología (TAM), formulado inicialmente por Davies(1989). Resultados. La investigación se llevó a cabo mediante estudios experimentales realizados con estudiantes de diferentes estudios universitarios, que interaccionen con diferentes objetos de aprendizaje producidos bajo la arquitectura de la RA, algunos de los cuales pueden observarse en el sitio web del RA del "Secretariado de Recursos Audiovisuales y Nuevas Tecnologías" de la Universidad de Sevilla (http://ra.sav.us.es/). Conclusiones. La RAes una tecnología que se está presentando como de verdadera utilidad y con diferentes posibilidades para facilitar el aprendizaje por parte de los estudiantes en diferentes áreas curriculares, pero sobre la que se debe reconocer que se están efectuando más análisis tecnológicos que investigaciones sobre su aplicación en el terreno educativo.
Augmented reality smart glasses are a major trend in retailing. However, little is known about the factors that drive customers’ acceptance of these wearables as a channel in stores. Especially, the ...roles of perceived enjoyment and perceived informativeness for usage intentions of such novel and immersive technologies are unclear. Thus, the authors propose an extended technology acceptance model as an instrument to predict future adoption. The results indicate that perceived enjoyment largely mediates the influence of perceived informativeness and other variables on attitude and usage intention. Further, perceived enjoyment functions as a direct predictor for attitude and in strength even exceeds perceived usefulness. Hence, retailers should consider focusing on joy-related aspects when aiming at the introduction of broadly accepted AR applications in stores.
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•PE mediates the influence of perceived PI and other variables on AT.•PE functions as a direct predictor for attitude and in strength even exceeds PU.•A focus on joy-related elements is crucial for implementing AR in retail.
The development of multiple applications with features of games has brought about a new trend – gamification. Gamification has become a fast-emerging practice in the business world, with a growing ...number of organizations adopting gaming techniques and game-style rewards in order to increase customer engagement. Despite this growing trend and the potential role played by gamification, the marketing literature lacks models that explain the use of gamification in the marketing context, customers' perceptions of gamification and its effects on their attitudes towards the brand. This study addresses this omission by adopting the TAM framework in a gamification context. Similar to TAM, gamification finds its roots in the technology and information systems literature. Drawing on TAM, this study presents a model that examines the effects of gamification on customers' intention to engage in the gamification process and their attitudes toward the brand. Using a quantitative methodology, the results provide empirical support for perceived usefulness and perceived enjoyment as predictors to intention of engagement and brand attitude. However, perceived ease of use was surprisingly found not to be significantly related to people's intention of engagement with the gamification process and their brand attitude. In addition, perceived social influence was found not to be related to people's intention of engagement, but was related to their brand attitude. The findings of this research have theory and practical implications.
•Perceived usefulness positively influences intention to engage with the game.•Perceived usefulness positively influences attitude towards the gamified brand.•Perceived enjoyment is the strongest predictor to intention of engagement.•Perceived enjoyment is a strong predictor to brand attitude.•Perceived social influence positively influences consumers' brand attitude.
Smartwatches, among many wearable form factors, have become an important starting point for the wide dissemination of wearable devices. Not only are smartwatches a new IT product, they are also a ...fashion product. Recognizing the smartwatch as the converging point of IT innovation and fashion, the current study examines whether factors germane to the characteristics of fashion products affect the intention to use smartwatches. Utilizing the technology acceptance model (TAM) as the base framework, the current study extended the model by incorporating perceived enjoyment and perceived self-expressiveness, which are influenced by an individual’s vanity and need for uniqueness. The findings from 562 Korean respondents indicated that the characteristics of smartwatches as fashion products significantly explain the intention to use a smartwatch, particularly the individual’s desire for uniqueness. A limited effect of vanity on self-expressiveness implies that the smartwatch is not yet deemed a luxury commodity. Theoretical and practical implications, as well as the limitations of the study are further discussed.
•Study focuses on factors affecting smartwatch use intention by extending TAM model.•Smartwatch is not only an IT innovation but also a fashion product.•Enjoyment and self-expressiveness are key predictors of smartwatch use intention.•People with higher need for uniqueness would be more likely to use smartwatch.•Smartwatch is not yet a luxury product, and should overcome some hurdles to be one.
Cloud computing is a recent and significant development in the domain of network applications with a new information technology perspective. This study attempts to develop a hybrid model to predict ...motivators influencing the adoption of cloud computing services by information technology (IT) professionals. The research proposes a new model by extending the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) with three external constructs namely computer self-efficacy, trust, and job opportunity. One of the main contributions of this research is the introduction of a new construct, Job Opportunity (JO), for the first time in a technology adoption study. Data were collected from 101 IT professional and analyzed using multiple linear regression (MLR) and neural network (NN) modeling. Based on the RMSE values from the results of these models NN models were found to outperform the MLR model. The results obtained from MLR showed that computer self-efficacy, perceived usefulness, trust, perceived ease of use, and job opportunity. However, the NN models result showed that the best predictor of cloud computing adoption are job opportunity, trust, perceived usefulness, self-efficacy, and perceived ease of use. The findings of this study confirm the need to extend the fundamental TAM when studying a recent technology like cloud computing. This study will provide insights to IT service providers, government agencies, academicians, researchers and IT professionals.
•An understanding of factors influencing adoption of cloud computing services by individual users in a workplace setting.•A hybrid model including Multiple Linear Regression and Neural Network Modeling is proposed.•A new construct, “job opportunity” is introduced.•The two most important factors influencing cloud computing adoption are job opportunity and trust.
•We proposed and empirically tested an autonomous vehicle (AV) acceptance model.•Trust was the most critical factor in promoting AV acceptance.•Perceived safety risk had a negative effect on AV ...acceptance through trust.•Perceived ease of use (PEOU) and perceived usefulness (PU) were significant factors.•The effects of PEOU and PU were weaker compared to trust.
The purpose of this study was to explore factors affecting users’ acceptance of automated vehicles (AVs, Level 3). A theoretical acceptance model was proposed by extending the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) with new constructs: initial trust and two types of perceived risk (i.e., perceived safety risk PSR and perceived privacy risk PPR). It was hypothesized that initial trust was built upon perception factors (i.e., perceived usefulness PU, perceived ease of use PEOU, PSR, and PPR) and was a key determinant of AV acceptance. The validity of the model was confirmed with a structure equation modeling analysis based on data collected from 216 survey samples. Results revealed that initial trust was the most critical factor in promoting a positive attitude towards AVs, which, together with PU, determined users’ intention to use AVs. Initial trust could be enhanced by improving PU and reducing PSR associated with AVs. Theoretically, these findings suggest that initial trust offers another and probably more important pathway for other factors to impact consumers’ adoption of systems with uncertainty. Practically, the findings provide guidance for designing interventions aimed at improving public’s acceptance towards AVs.
The purpose of this study is to propose a unified model integrating the technology acceptance model (TAM), task fit technology (TTF) model, MOOCs features and social motivation to investigate ...continuance intention to use MOOCs. A sample of 252 participants in China that have already used MOOCs took part in this study. Structural equation modeling implemented via partial least squares (PLS) is conducted to test the research hypotheses. The results show that research framework for integrating the TAM for the adoption and TTF model for utility provides a more comprehensive understanding of the behaviors related to this context: (1) perceived usefulness and attitude are critical to the continuance intention to use MOOCs; (2) perceived usefulness is a significant mediator of the effects of perceived ease of use, task-technology fit, reputation, social recognition and social influence on continuance intention; (3) perceived ease of use, task-technology fit, reputation, social recognition and social influence are found to play important roles in predicting continuance intention; (4) individual-technology fit, task-technology fit, and openness affect the perceived ease of use; (5) unexpectedly, perceived ease of use and social influence have no significant effect on attitude, and individual-technology and openness do not affect perceived usefulness.
•Integrating the TAM and TTF model provides a better understanding of MOOCs.•Perceived usefulness and attitude are critical to the continuance intention.•Perceived usefulness is a significant mediator for continuance intention.•Perceived ease of use and social influence do not influence attitude.•Task-technology fit and reputation predict continuance intention.
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