Rousing reviews and instigative images: The impact of online reviews and visual design characteristics on app downloads

Mobile apps are very popular. However, this is not true for every app, with some apps receiving millions of downloads, while other apps are mostly ignored. We investigate the popularity of apps in terms of downloads by focusing on two salient cues: (a) online recommendations (e.g., presence and valence of online reviews) and (b) visual characteristics of app icons (e.g., use of visual metaphors and anthropomorphism). Study 1 was a field study in which we content-analyzed 500 apps from the “transportation” subcategory of the Google Play Store. We found that the presence and valence of online reviews, as well as the presence of visual metaphors in app icons were positively related to the number of app downloads. Study 2 was an experiment in which we presented participants with different app icons containing different types of visual metaphors. We again found that app icons with visual metaphors led to more positive attitudes towards the apps and behavioral intentions. Combined, our studies show that both online consumers (through online reviews) and app designers (through visual design) impact an app’s popularity. </jats:p

How feedback boosts motivation and play in a brain-training game

AbstractGames are important vehicles for learning and behavior change as long as players are motivated to continue playing. We study the impact of verbal feedback in stimulating player motivation and future play in a brain-training game. We conducted a 2 (feedback valence: positive vs. negative)×3 (feedback type: descriptive, comparative, evaluative) between-subjects experiment (N=157, 69.4% female, Mage=32.07). After playing a brain-training game and receiving feedback, we tapped players’ need satisfaction, motivation and intention to play the game again. Results demonstrate that evaluative feedback increases, while comparative feedback decreases future game play. Furthermore, negative feedback decreases players’ feeling of competence, but also increases immediate game play. Positive feedback, in contrast, satisfies competence and autonomy needs, thereby boosting intrinsic motivation. Negative feedback thus motivates players to repair poor short-term performances, while positive feedback is more powerful in fostering long-term motivation and play

Vibrational wave packets in the B1Πu and D1Σu+ states of Cs2: Determination of improved Cs2+(X) and Cs2(B) spectroscopic constants

Vibrational wave packets in the B 1Πu and D 1Σu+ excited states of Cs2 have been studied on the ∼100 fs time scale by pump-probe laser spectroscopy. The temporal behavior of the wave packets was monitored by photoionizing the electronically excited molecule with a time-delayed probe pulse and recording the time and energy-integrated photoelectron signal as a function of time delay between the pump and probe pulses. For the B 1Σu+ experiments, wave packets were produced by exciting the B 1Σu+ ← X 1Σg+ transition in the ∼740-790 nm region and subsequently detected by photoionizing the molecule at wavelengths between 565 nm and 600 nm. By simulating the experimentally observed transients with the density matrix formalism (and explicitly accounting for laser chirp and |Δv|&gt;1 coherences), improved values for the equilibrium internuclear separation for the Cs2(B 1Πu) state and Te for the Cs2+(X) state were determined to be Re(B 1Πu) = 4.93 ±0.03 Å and Te[Cs2+(X)] = 29 930± 100 cm-1, respectively. Similar experiments were conducted for the D 1Σu+ state. Wave packets composed of vibrational levels (v′ ≈ 40-50). perturbed by the bound 2 3Πou state were produced on the D 1Σu+ potential surface by driving the D 1Σu+ ←X1Σg+ transition in the 575-610 nm spectral interval

Nucleon Charge and Magnetization Densities from Sachs Form Factors

Relativistic prescriptions relating Sachs form factors to nucleon charge and magnetization densities are used to fit recent data for both the proton and the neutron. The analysis uses expansions in complete radial bases to minimize model dependence and to estimate the uncertainties in radial densities due to limitation of the range of momentum transfer. We find that the charge distribution for the proton is significantly broad than its magnetization density and that the magnetization density is slightly broader for the neutron than the proton. The neutron charge form factor is consistent with the Galster parametrization over the available range of Q^2, but relativistic inversion produces a softer radial density. Discrete ambiguities in the inversion method are analyzed in detail. The method of Mitra and Kumari ensures compatibility with pQCD and is most useful for extrapolating form factors to large Q^2.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev. C. Two new figures and accompanying text have been added and several discussions have been clarified with no significant changes to the conclusions. Now contains 47 pages including 21 figures and 2 table

Integrating group Delphi, fuzzy logic and expert systems for marketing strategy development:the hybridisation and its effectiveness

A hybrid approach for integrating group Delphi, fuzzy logic and expert systems for developing marketing strategies is proposed in this paper. Within this approach, the group Delphi method is employed to help groups of managers undertake SWOT analysis. Fuzzy logic is applied to fuzzify the results of SWOT analysis. Expert systems are utilised to formulate marketing strategies based upon the fuzzified strategic inputs. In addition, guidelines are also provided to help users link the hybrid approach with managerial judgement and intuition. The effectiveness of the hybrid approach has been validated with MBA and MA marketing students. It is concluded that the hybrid approach is more effective in terms of decision confidence, group consensus, helping to understand strategic factors, helping strategic thinking, and coupling analysis with judgement, etc

Cut Diagrams for High Energy Scatterings

A new approach is introduced to study QCD amplitudes at high energy and comparatively small momentum transfer. Novel cut diagrams, representing resummation of Feynman diagrams, are used to simplify calculation and to avoid delicate cancellations encountered in the usual approach. Explicit calculation to the 6th order is carried out to demonstrate the advantage of cut diagrams over Feynman diagrams.Comment: uu-encoded file containing a latex manuscript with 14 postscript figure

Epidemiology, practice of ventilation and outcome for patients at increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications

BACKGROUND Limited information exists about the epidemiology and outcome of surgical patients at increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs), and how intraoperative ventilation was managed in these patients. OBJECTIVES To determine the incidence of surgical patients at increased risk of PPCs, and to compare the intraoperative ventilation management and postoperative outcomes with patients at low risk of PPCs. DESIGN This was a prospective international 1-week observational study using the ‘Assess Respiratory Risk in Surgical Patients in Catalonia risk score’ (ARISCAT score) for PPC for risk stratification. PATIENTS AND SETTING Adult patients requiring intraoperative ventilation during general anaesthesia for surgery in 146 hospitals across 29 countries. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome was the incidence of patients at increased risk of PPCs based on the ARISCAT score. Secondary outcomes included intraoperative ventilatory management and clinical outcomes. RESULTS A total of 9864 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The incidence of patients at increased risk was 28.4%. The most frequently chosen tidal volume (VT) size was 500 ml, or 7 to 9 ml kg1 predicted body weight, slightly lower in patients at increased risk of PPCs. Levels of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) were slightly higher in patients at increased risk of PPCs, with 14.3% receiving more than 5 cmH2O PEEP compared with 7.6% in patients at low risk of PPCs (P < 0.001). Patients with a predicted preoperative increased risk of PPCs developed PPCs more frequently: 19 versus 7%, relative risk (RR) 3.16 (95% confidence interval 2.76 to 3.61), P < 0.001) and had longer hospital stays. The only ventilatory factor associated with the occurrence of PPCs was the peak pressure. CONCLUSION The incidence of patients with a predicted increased risk of PPCs is high. A large proportion of patients receive high VT and low PEEP levels. PPCs occur frequently in patients at increased risk, with worse clinical outcome