The impact of gamification elements on the evaluation of marketing activities

Recently, gamification obtains increasingly attention in marketing. Based on the S-O-R model, this research applied gamification to marketing and examined two important gamification elements (external reward and interactive competition) on evaluation of marketing activity. It was found that external reward and interactive competition have positive impacts on evaluation of marketing activity, and perceived enjoyment and immersion mediate the effects of external reward and interactive competition on such evaluation. This research contributes to gamification literature by examining the impact of different gamification elements (external reward vs interactive competition) on the evaluation of marketing activity. Further, this study contributes to marketing literature by exploring the impact of the perceived enjoyment and immersion. This research also provides insights for firms and game administrators on how to encourage customers to generate purchase intention and purchase behavior by designing appropriate gamification elements

The multidimensional relative poverty of rural older adults in China and the effect of the health poverty alleviation policy

IntroductionAlthough, especially in the past decade, poverty measurement approaches have been duly developed in two paths (from unidimensional to multidimensional poverty and from absolute to relative poverty), merely a few studies have focused on the combination of both perspectives. However, with global aging, poverty among older adults simultaneously presents multidimensionality and relativity characteristics. This paper explores a multidimensional relative poverty index (MRPI) relative to the aged group in four dimensions, namely, health, social, mental, and material, and then empirically evaluates the specific effects on the MRPI of one of the key targeted anti-poverty policies, that is, the health poverty alleviation policy (HPAP), which includes public health service, medical expense reimbursement, rewarding assistance, basic medical insurance, and so on.MethodsUsing pooled cross-sectional data of poverty alleviation from 2014 to 2020 with a total of 83,521 observations aged 60+ in County J, Shaanxi Province in China, we calculate the MRPI for the older adults via a fuzzy set approach. Statistical difference testing is used to analyze the characteristics and trends of the MRPI. In policy evaluation, to address endogenous problems, the treatment effect model based on Heckman's two-stage regression and finite distributed lag model are used with a controlled township cluster structure.ResultsFrom 2014 to 2020, the MRPI shows a significant upward trend for older adults in rural China, and the health component takes the dominant MRPI position. Empirically, we find that the HPAP can significantly alleviate the MRPI of older adults. Furthermore, among the health poverty alleviation measures, basic medical insurance is the most effective anti-poverty policy to support older adults. Specifically, empirical evidence shows that there is a more statistically significant reduction in the MRPI with the HPAP for the sub-group of older adults with chronic diseases or disabilities.ConclusionBoth relativity and multidimensionality should be emphasized when analyzing poverty vis-à-vis the aging society, and for this, the MRPI is one of the effective tools. Comparing the relativity with the aged group engenders a more accurate understanding of their poverty situation. Moreover, the importance of the health component among all the four dimensions is more conducive to the detailed analysis of their poverty. The empirical analysis results show that regarding poverty reduction approaches in China, developing integrated health promotion systems is necessary and imminent, especially in the long run, such as long-term care insurance that covers typical disabled older adults with chronic diseases

Information communication technology accessibility and mental health for older adults during the coronavirus disease in South Korea

IntroductionAs society ages and the digital economy continues to develop, accessibility to information and communication technology (ICT) has emerged as a critical factor influencing the mental health of older adults. Particularly, in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for non-face-to-face communication has significantly increased older adults’ reliance on ICT for accessibility. This transition from a self-motivated engagement to a more socially passive mode of interaction highlights the importance of creating a digitally inclusive aging society.MethodsThis empirical study used pooled cross-sectional data from the Digital Gap Survey conducted in South Korea in 2018 and 2020. It aimed to analyze the association between ICT accessibility and the mental health of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic.ResultsA significant positive relationship was found between ICT and mental health among older adults in South Korea. However, this positive association weakened during the COVID-19 period. Furthermore, the analysis revealed heterogeneity among older adults by age, sex, and place of residence, with older females in their 70s living in rural areas experiencing the greatest weakening.DiscussionThese results highlight the need for tailored interventions and support mechanisms for specific demographic groups of older adults. We recommend that the South Korean government implement various policies to facilitate the post-COVID-19 digital landscape. These include initiatives such as ICT-related education programs, development of user-friendly e-government systems, and creation of social media platforms designed to accommodate the needs and preferences of older adults

Structural properties of the Late Pleistocene Liujiang femoral diaphyses from southern China.

The characterization of the femoral diaphysis in Pleistocene hominins with chronoecogeographical diversity plays a crucial role in evaluating evolutionary shifts in locomotor behavior and body shape. However, Pleistocene hominin fossil remains in East Asia are scarce and are widely dispersed temporally and spatially, impeding our comprehension of the nature and polarity of morphological trends. Here, we present qualitative and quantitative analyses of the cross-sectional properties and structural organization of diaphyses in two Late Pleistocene hominin femora (Liujiang PA91 and PA92) from southern China, comparing them to other Eurasian and African Pleistocene hominins. By integrating surface features and internal structure, our findings reveal that the Liujiang femora exhibit modern human-like characteristics, including a developed pilaster, a gluteal buttress, and minimum mediolateral breadth located at the midshaft. The presence of a femoral pilaster may relate to posterior cortical reinforcement and an increased anteroposterior bending rigidity along the mid-proximal to mid-distal portion of the diaphysis. Compared to archaic Homo, Liujiang and other Late Pleistocene modern human femora show a thinner mediolateral cortex and lower bending rigidity than the anteroposterior axis, and a lack of medial buttress, potentially indicating functionally related alterations in a range of pelvic and proximal femoral features throughout the Pleistocene. The femoral robusticity of the Liujiang individual resembles that of other Pleistocene hunter-gatherers from East Asia, implying comparable overall mobility or activity levels. The investigation of Liujiang femoral diaphyseal morphology contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of early modern human postcranial structural morphology in East Asia. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biomechanical Evaluation on the Bilateral Asymmetry of Complete Humeral Diaphysis in Chinese Archaeological Populations

Diaphyseal cross-sectional geometry (CSG) is an effective indicator of humeral bilateral asymmetry. However, previous studies primarily focused on CSG properties from limited locations to represent the overall bilateral biomechanical performance of humeral diaphysis. In this study, the complete humeral diaphyses of 40 pairs of humeri from three Chinese archaeological populations were scanned using high-resolution micro-CT, and their biomechanical asymmetries were quantified by morphometric mapping. Patterns of humeral asymmetry were compared between sub-groups defined by sex and population, and the representativeness of torsional rigidity asymmetry at the 35% and 50% cross-sections (J35 and J50 asymmetry) was testified. Inter-group differences were observed on the mean morphometric maps, but were not statistically significant. Analogous distribution patterns of highly asymmetrical regions, which correspond to major muscle attachments, were observed across nearly all the sexes and populations. The diaphyseal regions with high variability of bilateral asymmetry tended to present a low asymmetrical level. The J35 and J50 asymmetry were related to the overall humeral asymmetry, but the correlation was moderate and they could not reflect localized asymmetrical features across the diaphysis. This study suggests that the overall asymmetry pattern of humeral diaphysis is more complicated than previously revealed by individual sections

Provozní vlivy Jaderné elektrárny Dukovany (EDU) na vodu

Import 20/04/2006Prezenční výpůjčkaVŠB - Technická univerzita Ostrava. Fakulta hornicko-geologická. Institut environmentálního inženýrství (546

Additional file 1: Figure S1. of Thioredoxin-interacting protein links endoplasmic reticulum stress to inflammatory brain injury and apoptosis after subarachnoid haemorrhage

TXNIP and inflammatory factor expression after RES treatment. Representative Western blot of TXNIP, TRX1, NLRP3, cleaved Caspase-1 (CC1) and cleaved IL-1β (a). Densitometric quantification of protein band optical densities for TRX1, CC1 and cleaved IL-1β (b-d). TXNIP and inflammatory factor expression were reduced by RES treatment. Analysed by Fusion (fx 7 Spectra, Vilber, France). Results were expressed as a percentage of the values of β-actin. *p < 0.05 vs. sham; #p < 0.05 vs. SAH+ NS. (EPS 1277 kb

Additional file 5: Table S1. of Thioredoxin-interacting protein links endoplasmic reticulum stress to inflammatory brain injury and apoptosis after subarachnoid haemorrhage

The brain water content. (DOC 38 kb