Differencial Effect of E-Banking Services Determinants

This study proposes and empirically tests a research model regarding the use of electronic financial services based on the e-service acceptance model. The current study categorizes electronic financial services provided by banks into transaction-oriented services (TOS) and communication-oriented services (COS), in order to investigate the co-value creation phenomenon through customer participation. It is assumed that the antecedent variables in the previous studies may exert differential effects on the use behaviour of electronic services. The proposed model includes three Technology Readiness dimensions (discomfort, optimism, and insecurity), and two Technology acceptance constructs (perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness), as the antecedents to use of e-banking services. The proposed research model was tested against the data collected through a survey of service users who have experience with both TOS use and COS use. The key result is that the use behaviour of the different types of e-banking services is affected by different sets of factors: the use of TOS is found to be affected by perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and insecurity; whereas the use of COS is affected only by perceived ease of use

Anomalous response in the vicinity of spontaneous symmetry breaking

We propose a mechanism to induce negative AC permittivity in the vicinity of a ferroelectric phase transition involved with spontaneous symmetry breaking. This mechanism makes use of responses at low frequency, yielding a high gain and a large phase delay, when the system jumps over the free-energy barrier with the aid of external fields. We illustrate the mechanism by analytically studying spin models with the Glauber-typed dynamics under periodic perturbations. Then, we show that the scenario is supported by numerical simulations of mean-field as well as two-dimensional spin systems.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

Using In Vitro Dynamic Models To Evaluate Fluoroquinolone Activity against Emergence of Resistant Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium

The objectives of this study were to determine pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) indices of fluoroquinolones that minimize the emergence of resistant Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) using in vitro dynamic models and to establish mechanisms of resistance. Three fluoroquinolones, difloxacin (DIF), enrofloxacin (ENR), and marbofloxacin (MAR), at five dose levels and 3 days of treatment were simulated. Bacterial killing-regrowth kinetics and emergence of resistant bacteria after antibacterial drug exposure were quantified. PK/PD indices associated with different levels of antibacterial activity were computed. Mechanisms of fluoroquinolone resistance were determined by analyzing target mutations in the quinolone resistance-determining regions (QRDRs) and by analyzing overexpression of efflux pumps. Maximum losses in susceptibility of fluoroquinolone-exposed S. Typhimurium occurred at a simulated AUC/MIC ratio (area under the concentration-time curve over 24 h in the steady state divided by the MIC) of 47 to 71. Target mutations in gyrA (S83F) and overexpression of acrAB-tolC contributed to decreased susceptibility in fluoroquinolone-exposed S. Typhimurium. The current data suggest AUC/MIC (AUC/mutant prevention concentration [MPC])-dependent selection of resistant mutants of S. Typhimurium, with AUC/MPC ratios of 69 (DIF), 62 (ENR), and 39 (MAR) being protective against selection of resistant mutants. These values could not be achieved in veterinary clinical areas under the current recommended therapeutic doses of the fluoroquinolones, suggesting the need to reassess the current dosing regimen to include both clinical efficacy and minimization of emergence of resistant bacteria

Invasion and Interaction Determine Population Composition in an Open Evolving System

It is well-known that interactions between species determine the population composition in an ecosystem. Conventional studies have focused on fixed population structures to reveal how interactions shape population compositions. However, interaction structures are not fixed, but change over time due to invasions. Thus, invasion and interaction play an important role in shaping communities. Despite its importance, however, the interplay between invasion and interaction has not been well explored. Here, we investigate how invasion affects the population composition with interactions in open evolving systems considering generalized Lotka-Volterra-type dynamics. Our results show that the system has two distinct regimes. One is characterized by low diversity with abrupt changes of dominant species in time, appearing when the interaction between species is strong and invasion slowly occurs. On the other hand, frequent invasions can induce higher diversity with slow changes in abundances despite strong interactions. It is because invasion happens before the system reaches its equilibrium, which drags the system from its equilibrium all the time. All species have similar abundances in this regime, which implies that fast invasion induces regime shift. Therefore, whether invasion or interaction dominates determines the population composition.Comment: 15 pages (including supplementary material), 8 figures (4 figures in main, 4 figures in SI

Effects of pre-existing hydrogen to stress triaxiality and damage evolution on ultra high strength steel

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