“Uncovered in the glass cages”. Rethinking neoliberal governance in the times of COVID-19: Critical performativity for performance management in higher education:

This conceptual article draws on social harm theory and critical management studies to critically examine the neoliberal governance of academics’ performance management in higher education, particularly in the emerging “normal” of COVID-19. The article argues that the COVID-19 pandemic has created a crisis that lays bare the deleterious global ramifications of the dominant political-economic ideology of neoliberalism in every aspect of societal life, more so in education. Moreover, the justifiably lauded shift to the digital space of teaching and learning is increasing the already problematic panoptic surveillance and is invading the hiding spaces within the glass cages. The neoliberal approach to PM is inflicting social harms, unintentionally and intentionally. With the COVID-19 pandemic offering us the “rega” moment of opportunity to rethink and pragmatically insert critical alternatives to the neoliberal governance of universities’ performance management practices, this article proposes a critical performativity approach to work towards incremental micro-emancipations

Web-based marketing communication to develop brand image and brand equity of higher educational institutions: a structural equation modelling approach

Abstract Purpose – Internet-based marketing communication has been an important element for organizations to build brand image and brand equity. Higher education is not an exception. However, configuring the right mix in the age of social networking sites and various online displays and constantly changing algorithm in search engine optimization have become major challenges today. Hence, the purpose of this study is to configure integrated online marketing communication for the development of brand image andbrand equity forhighereducationalinstitutions. Design/methodology/approach – The study is quantitative in nature. A responsive group of 370 students was chosen from different educational institutions in Malaysia via stratified random sampling techniques.Bothexploratoryandconfirmatoryfactoranalyseswereusedforinterpretingthedata.Totestthe derivedhypotheses,structuralequationmodellingwasused. Findings – In line with contemporary literature, the study revealed positive relationships between brand imageandbrandequity,betweensearchengineandbrandimageandbetweensocialmediaandbrandimage. Therelationshipbetweenonlinedisplayandbrandimagewasnotfoundsignificant. Research limitations/implications – Future research can be done considering both online and conventional marketing communications for the same purpose. This approach can also be used for private andpublicinstitutionsseparately,consideringtheirdifferencesinnature. Practical implications – Because history and tradition are no more a single tool to attain and retain the positive image and customer-based brand equity, this study can help higher educational institutions to configure integrated online communication for their target groups, such as students and industry, in the age oftheinternet. Originality/value – This study generates a comprehensive understanding of the impact of Web-based marketingcommunicationtodevelopbrandimageandbrandequityofhighereducationalinstitution

Effectiveness of facebook towards online brand awareness : a study on Malaysian facebook users perspective

The purpose of this study is to determine the relative importance of facbook as compared to other strategies such as affiliate marketing and word of mouth in creating online brand awareness. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis is performed in the study. The study chooses 303 Malaysian frequent internet users as the respondents. In confirmatory factor analysis, a structural equation modelling (SEM) approach is applied to determine the relationship among the exogenous and endogenous constructs. The study finds facebook as the most influential online brand awareness creating strategies followed by the affiliated marketing and online word of mouth. In creating the online brand awareness; all the strategies have positive influence, however. The study can be a useful guideline for managerial implication in practice

Appealing avatars from 3D body scans: Perceptual effects of stylization

Advances in 3D scanning technology allow us to create realistic virtual avatars from full body 3D scan data. However, negative reactions to some realistic computer generated humans suggest that this approach might not always provide the most appealing results. Using styles derived from existing popular character designs, we present a novel automatic stylization technique for body shape and colour information based on a statistical 3D model of human bodies. We investigate whether such stylized body shapes result in increased perceived appeal with two different experiments: One focuses on body shape alone, the other investigates the additional role of surface colour and lighting. Our results consistently show that the most appealing avatar is a partially stylized one. Importantly, avatars with high stylization or no stylization at all were rated to have the least appeal. The inclusion of colour information and improvements to render quality had no significant effect on the overall perceived appeal of the avatars, and we observe that the body shape primarily drives the change in appeal ratings. For body scans with colour information, we found that a partially stylized avatar was most effective, increasing average appeal ratings by approximately 34%

2 Novel deletions of the sterol 27-hydroxylase gene in a Chinese Family with Cerebrotendinous Xanthomatosis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis (CTX) is a rare lipid-storage disease. We investigated the clinic manifestation, histopathology and sterol 27-hydroxylase gene (CYP27A1) in a Chinese family with Cerebrotendinous Xanthomatosis (CTX).</p> <p>Case Presentation</p> <p>A 36-year-old female with typical CTX clinical manifestation had Spindle-shaped lipid crystal clefts in xanthomas and "onion-like demyelination" in sural nerve. The patient was compound heterozygote carrying two deletions in exon 1 (c.73delG) and exon 2 (c.369_375delGTACCCA). The family memebers were carriers.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A Chinese family with Cerebrotendinous Xanthomatosis had typical clinical manifestation. CYP27A1 mutations were found in the proband and all other family members.</p

Urine alkalization facilitates uric acid excretion

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Increase in the incidence of hyperuricemia associated with gout as well as hypertension, renal diseases and cardiovascular diseases has been a public health concern. We examined the possibility of facilitated excretion of uric acid by change in urine pH by managing food materials.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Within the framework of the Japanese government's health promotion program, we made recipes which consist of protein-rich and less vegetable-fruit food materials for H⁺-load (acid diet) and others composed of less protein but vegetable-fruit rich food materials (alkali diet). Healthy female students were enrolled in this consecutive 5-day study for each test. From whole-day collected urine, total volume, pH, organic acid, creatinine, uric acid and all cations (Na⁺,K⁺,Ca²⁺,Mg²⁺,NH₄⁺) and anions (Cl^-,SO₄^2-,PO₄^-) necessary for the estimation of acid-base balance were measured.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Urine pH reached a steady state 3 days after switching from ordinary daily diets to specified regimens. The amount of acid generated ([SO₄^2-] +organic acid-gut alkai) were linearly related with those of the excretion of acid (titratable acidity+ [NH₄⁺] - [HCO₃^-]), indicating that H⁺in urine is generated by the metabolic degradation of food materials. Uric acid and excreted urine pH retained a linear relationship, where uric acid excretion increased from 302 mg/day at pH 5.9 to 413 mg/day at pH 6.5, despite the fact that the alkali diet contained a smaller purine load than the acid diet.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We conclude that alkalization of urine by eating nutritionally well-designed food is effective for removing uric acid from the body.</p

Homozygosity Mapping on Homozygosity Haplotype Analysis to Detect Recessive Disease-Causing Genes from a Small Number of Unrelated, Outbred Patients

Genes involved in disease that are not common are often difficult to identify; a method that pinpoints them from a small number of unrelated patients will be of great help. In order to establish such a method that detects recessive genes identical-by-descent, we modified homozygosity mapping (HM) so that it is constructed on the basis of homozygosity haplotype (HM on HH) analysis. An analysis using 6 unrelated patients with Siiyama-type α1-antitrypsin deficiency, a disease caused by a founder gene, the correct gene locus was pinpointed from data of any 2 patients (length: 1.2–21.8 centimorgans, median: 1.6 centimorgans). For a test population in which these 6 patients and 54 healthy subjects were scrambled, the approach accurately identified these 6 patients and pinpointed the locus to a 1.4-centimorgan fragment. Analyses using synthetic data revealed that the analysis works well for IBD fragment derived from a most recent common ancestor (MRCA) who existed less than 60 generations ago. The analysis is unsuitable for the genes with a frequency in general population more than 0.1. Thus, HM on HH analysis is a powerful technique, applicable to a small number of patients not known to be related, and will accelerate the identification of disease-causing genes for recessive conditions

A Bayesian explanation of the 'Uncanny Valley' effect and related psychological phenomena

There are a number of psychological phenomena in which dramatic emotional responses are evoked by seemingly innocuous perceptual stimuli. A well known example is the ‘uncanny valley’ effect whereby a near human-looking artifact can trigger feelings of eeriness and repulsion. Although such phenomena are reasonably well documented, there is no quantitative explanation for the findings and no mathematical model that is capable of predicting such behavior. Here I show (using a Bayesian model of categorical perception) that differential perceptual distortion arising from stimuli containing conflicting cues can give rise to a perceptual tension at category boundaries that could account for these phenomena. The model is not only the first quantitative explanation of the uncanny valley effect, but it may also provide a mathematical explanation for a range of social situations in which conflicting cues give rise to negative, fearful or even violent reactions

Ionic liquids as tribological performance improving additive for in-service and used fully-formulated diesel engine lubricants

In recent years, several papers have been published that investigate the potential use of ionic liquids (ILs) as additives in lubricants. However, corrosive attack of ILs on lubricated metal surfaces and low miscibility of ILs in the non-polar oils are major obstacles to maintaining an optimum lubrication performance level. High miscibility and no corrosive behaviour of Trihexyltetradecyl phosphonium bis(2,4,4-tri-methylpentyl) phosphinate and Trihexyltetradecyl phosphonium bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphate, as lubricating oil additives have recently been described in literature. This article presents work on using these phosphonium based ILs as an additive in the fully formulated diesel engine lubricants. This approach could allow the used lubricants to recover their tribological performance for further use at the end of service life. This extension of service life has the potential to generate significant economic and environmental benefits. Also it will add to the much needed knowledge about the effect of interaction between ILs and existing additives in engine-aged lubricants on the tribological performance of ring-liner tribo-system of diesel engines. Results revealed an improvement in friction and antiwear performance of used lubricant by addition of both ILs. However an increase in wear was noted for new (fresh) and in-service lubricant samples. An interesting interference between existing lubricant additives and added ILs in a boundary film formation process has been observed