Multi-omics Portraits of Cancer

Precision oncology demands accurate portrayal of a disease at all molecular levels. However, current large-scale studies of omics are often isolated by data types. I have been developing computational tools to conduct integrative analyses of omics data, identifying unique molecular etiology in each tumor. Particularly, this dissertation presents the following contributions to the computational omics of cancer: (1) uncovering the predisposition landscape in 33 cancers and how germline genome collaborates with somatic alterations in oncogenesis; (2) pioneering methods to combine genomic and proteomic data to identify treatment opportunities; and (3) revealing selective phosphorylation of kinase-substrate pairs. These findings advance our understanding of tumor biology on a systematic scale and inform clinical practice of cancer diagnosis and treatment design

Nanographite/polyaniline composite films as the counter electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells

100學年度研究獎補助論文[[abstract]]Nanographite/polyaniline (NG/PANI) composite films were developed and characterized, and the performances of the dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) employing these composite films as the counter electrode (CE) were evaluated in this study. The nanographite/aniline (NG/ANI) particle was firstly synthesized by a reflux method and served as the monomer for the electro-polymerization of the NG/PANI composite films. The surface modification of NG by ANI was confirmed by EDX mapping, TEM image, zeta-potential, and UV-Vis absorption measurements. The electro-polymerized NG/PANI composite films were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, XPS, and conducting-AFM, which verified the successful incorporation of NGs in the PANI films. The electro-catalytic activity of the NG/PANI composite film was evaluated using the positive-feedback mode of scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM), by which a comparable heterogeneous rate constant (ks0) for the ferrocene/ferrocenium (Fc/Fc+) redox pair was obtained and compared with that of a sputtered Pt. The DSSC employing the NG/PANI (20 mC cm−2) CE exhibited a higher short-circuit current density (JSC) but lower fill factor (FF), and gave a comparable power-conversion efficiency (η) of 7.07%, as compared to that of a DSSC containing a sputtered Pt CE (η = 7.19%).[[incitationindex]]SCI[[booktype]]紙

Why people adopt VR English language learning systems: An extended perspective of task-technology fit

Virtual Reality (VR) techniques involving immersion, interaction, and imagination, not only can improve conventional teaching methods, but also can enhance the transmission of education training contents through the interaction and simulation characteristics of VR. Incorporating information technology (IT) with English teaching has become an important issue in the academic field. Emerging after computer-assisted teaching, interactive network learning, distance education, and mobile learning in the early days, virtual reality techniques have been regarded as a new trend of merging technology with education. To explore the factors affecting users’ adoption intention of VR English language learning systems (VRELLS), this study has sought to build a theoretical framework based on the task-technology fit theory (extrinsic motivation) combining users’ needs (internal and external needs) and satisfaction to put forward an integrated research model (perceived needs-technology fit model), which explicates people’s adoption behaviors of VRELLS. An online questionnaire was employed to collect empirical data. A total of 291 samples were analyzed using a structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. The results of the study showed that both perceived needs-technology fit and satisfaction play a significant role in the user’ adoption intention of VRELLS services. In addition, the utilitarian and hedonic needs have a positive impact on the user’s perceived needs-technology fit. Also, it was found that relative advantage, service compatibility and complexity are important factors in influencing individuals’ perceived needs-technology fit. The implications of these findings are discussed along with suggestions for future research

What Drives Continued Intention for Mobile Payment? - An Expectation Cost Benefit Theory with Habit

The number of smartphone users has increased rapidly in recent years as the mobile networking becomes more mature, which not only gives rise to a new lifestyle but also facilitates the development of mobile application services. Smartphones thus become an indispensable device of people’s daily contact. Today people from all walks of life set their attention on mobile payments amongst smartphone mobile application services. To explore the factors affecting users’ continued use of mobile payments, this study has sought to build a theoretical framework based on the cost-benefit theory and add habit as a factor to put forward an integrated research model, which explicates people’s continued use of mobile payment services. An online questionnaire was employed to collect empirical data. A total of 295 samples were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) approach. The results showed that both perceived value and habit played an important role in users’ continued intention to use mobile payment services. Also, the perceived benefits (mobile convenience and service compatibility) and perceived costs (security risk and perceived fee) are crucial factors that determine users’ perceived value. In addition, the study also found that perceived value had a positive impact on users’ habit, showing that in the context of a mobile-oriented information system, whether mobile payment services satisfied users’ perceived value influenced the formation of habit of using such services. The implications of these findings are discussed

Promoting Customers’ Augmented Reality Immersion in Restaurants

With the rapid growth of augmented reality (AR) applications, AR is set to influence companies and organizations in every industry. This study focuses on identifying how AR technology enhances memorable experiences through the lens of customer immersion. An AR 3D food ordering platform that included an AR food ordering app for customers and a restaurant management system for restaurants was implemented as part of the study, and the concept of AR immersion was further introduced. The investigation involved an empirical examination of the effects of perceived playfulness and personal innovativeness on three dimensions of AR immersion: engagement, engrossment, and total immersion. The results of an analysis of data collected from 343 restaurant customers who experienced using the AR food ordering app indicated that engagement and engrossment had direct effects on customer satisfaction, but total immersion did not. Perceived playfulness directly affected engagement, engrossment, and total immersion and indirectly affected customer satisfaction through its direct effects on engagement and engrossment. Similarly, personal innovativeness influenced customer satisfaction indirectly through its direct effects on engagement. In terms of the effects of AR immersion, engrossment should be the target, engagement is insufficient, and total immersion is unnecessary. A practical implication of our findings is that it is possible to increase customer satisfaction directly by increasing the levels of engagement and engrossment with an AR food ordering app

Understanding the antecedents of consumer brand engagement by managing brand communities on social media

As social media provide companies with opportunities to create touch-points by enabling consumers to interact with brands in new ways, a key issue for organizations is how to use brand communities to engage customers and enhance their relationships with brands. Brand community interactivity is one of the latest developments to engage consumers in online brand communities. The objective of brand communities is not only to attract potential customers, but also to retain loyal consumers and gain advocates. Thus, brands and companies’ social media activity should be appropriately organized and managed for high-level consumer brand engagement (CBE), which is a comprehensive construct that allow companies to examine the bond between their brands and consumers. The essence of this CBE bond is related to the involvement of consumers, as it increases the touch-points between them and the brand. This study examined perceived interactivity as a driving factor in the context of a brand community on social media with the purpose of encouraging consumer community engagement, community satisfaction, and consumer brand engagement (CBE). Two second-order constructs were operationalized in the research model. Communication, responsiveness, and control were treated as reflective factors to create the second-order construct “perceived interactivity,” while the other second-order construct “CBE” comprised cognitive processing, affection, and activation as reflective indicators. The results, based on data collected from 328 social media users who are followers of a smartphone brand’s Facebook page, indicated that perceived interactivity is likely to significantly affect consumer community engagement and community satisfaction, which in turn foster brand engagement. Successful social media marketing practices for companies should take responsibility for transforming consumer community engagement into CBE, as it is imperative for organizations building brand communities to enhance their consumer community satisfaction through proper community management to achieve high CBE

An Enhanced Screenshot Interaction with Animated Stickers to Promote Learning Transfer

This study has implemented a platform, namely piniton.tw, rolling out a redesign of user interaction with screenshot. It is an excellent environment for students’ collaborative learning, as students upload screenshots and interact with each other to complete assignments by using animated stickers. As the study intended to investigate how to promote learning transfer by means of such enhanced screenshot interaction with animated stickers, task difficulty, online participation, and learning transfer were chosen as the basis for the research model. By applying the technology acceptance model, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and behavioral intention were included. The results indicated that students’ perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness are likely to significantly affect their behavioral intention, which in turn promote learning transfer. An implication is that students’ learning transfer could be prompted greatly by enhancing their intention to use such platform that provides enhanced screenshot interaction with animated stickers