Elucidating social networking apps decisions: Performance expectancy, effort expectancy and social influence

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the determinants of behavioural intention and use behaviour towards social networking apps. Exogenous latent constructs, namely, performance expectancy, effort expectancy and social influence are the key antecedents proposed based on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology to predict the usage intention and behaviour of social networking apps (i.e. endogenous latent constructs). Experience as a moderator is the extended construct to explain social networking apps user’s behavioural intention. Design/methodology/approach: To target young generation (Millennial), a cross-sectional data collection approach was conducted to collect data from the social networking apps users (i.e. Facebook, WhatsApp, WeChat, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and others) whereby a total of 384 valid questionnaires were obtained from six universities in Malaysia. Statistical analysis using partial least squares path modelling approach and a variance-based structural equation modelling (VB-SEM) techniques is performed to analyse the measurement and structural relationship. Findings: The findings indicate that performance expectancy, effort expectancy and social influence determine behavioural intention, and behavioural intention impacts social networking apps use behaviour. Moreover, the moderation analysis reveals that the relationship between effort expectancy and behavioural intention is moderated by experience, whereas the relationship between social influence and behavioural intention is not moderated by experience. Originality/value: While the surge of social networking apps has gained tremendous popularity among Millennial as an attractive market segment, previous studies mainly have focussed on intention and behaviour of online users in general. Despite apps and related technologies which have opened a new era of effective communications in marketing, social networking apps usage intention and behaviour focussing on Millennial is not well understood in the current literature. This study contributes and sheds lights on the current issue of social networking apps usage intention and behaviour and looks into a key rising market segment, the Millennial users. © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

Approximate distributed clustering by learning the confidence radius on Fisher discriminant ratio

10.1049/el.2012.0347Electronics Letters4814839-841ELLE

Stress testing Ethernet Switches for NectarCAM in the Cherenkov Telescope Array with a synchronous UDP frame generator

International audienc

1C.06: Ambulatory pulse pressure is negatively associated with excretions of urinary caffeine and its metabolites

OBJECTIVE: Systolic blood pressure (BP) has been associated with urinary caffeine and its metabolites such as paraxanthine and theophylline. Caffeine and caffeine metabolites could influence arterial pulse pressure (PP) via sympathomimetic effects, smooth muscle relaxation, and phosphodiesterase inhibition. The purpose of this analysis was to explore the association of ambulatory PP with urinary caffeine and its related metabolites in a large population-based sample. DESIGN AND METHOD: Families were randomly selected from the general population of three Swiss cities (2009-2013). Ambulatory BP monitoring was conducted using validated Diasys Integra devices. PP was defined as the difference between the systolic and diastolic ambulatory BP. Urinary caffeine, paraxanthine, theophylline, and theobromine excretions were measured in 24 h urine using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Urinary excretions were log-transformed to satisfy regression assumptions. We used linear mixed models to explore the associations of urinary caffeine and caffeine metabolite excretions with 24-hour, day- and night-time PP while adjusting for major confounders. RESULTS: The 836 participants (48.9% men) included in this analysis had mean (±SD) age of 47.8 (±17.5), and mean 24-hour systolic and diastolic BP of 120.1 mmHg (±13.9) and 78.0 (±8.6). Except theobromine, log transformed urinary caffeine and caffeine metabolite excretions were associated negatively with 24-hour, daytime and night-time ambulatory PP. 24-hour, daytime, and night-time ambulatory PP decreased by -0.804 mmHg (SE, 0.209), -0.749 (0.215), and -0.968 (0.243) (all P values <0.005), for each doubling excretion of caffeine. Strong negative associations with night-time ambulatory PP were observed for paraxanthine and theophylline.(Figure is included in full-text article.) CONCLUSIONS: : The negative associations of PP with caffeine, paraxanthine, and theophylline excretions suggest that caffeine and its metabolites do lower BP, possibly by modifying arterial stiffness