How do full-service carriers and low-cost carriers passengers perceived service dimensions, passengers’ satisfaction, and loyalty differently? An empirical study

Purpose: In this study, group differences between full-service carriers (FSC) and low-cost carriers (LCC) in loyalty constructs are investigated, revealing the relationship between service quality and loyalty. This work focuses on five dimensions, including tangibility, empathy, assurance, responsiveness, and reliability, constitute service quality. Design/methodology/approach: 248 questionnaires were collected in the first half of 2019. The antecedents of customer loyalty are explored, and the group differences between FSC and LCC are analyzed. For assessing the path model with the consideration of group variance, the Partial Least Squares Multiple Group Analysis (PLS-MGA) was adopted to analyze the differences of the estimated inter-group coefficient. Findings: Our findings suggest that service assurance, service empathy, and service reliability positively impact the value perceived. The impact of service empathy on customer satisfaction in FSC is significantly diverse from LCC. Several suggestions are provided to FSC and LCC on improving their services in view of passengers’ wants and interests. Originality/value: With the data collected at the HKIA, this study examined the relationships among service quality, perceived value, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty and divided service quality into five dimensions. The findings show that assurance, empathy, and reliability of service quality positively affect the value perceived, and the effects of responsiveness and tangibility of service quality on perceived value are insignificant. Among the five aspects of service quality, assurance, reliability, responsiveness, and tangibility of the service quality are the pre-conditions of customer satisfaction. However, only the reliability of service is the antecedent of customer loyalty. Besides, the value perceived positively affects customers to be satisfactory and loyal. Furthermore, satisfaction degree also significantly influences the degree of customers’ loyalty. As to the role of airline types, the sole effect is on customers' satisfaction is service empathy, with a significant difference between FSC and LCCPeer Reviewe

Genome sequence and genetic linkage analysis of Shiitake mushroom _Lentinula edodes_

_Lentinula edodes_ (Shiitake/Xianggu) is an important cultivated mushroom. Understanding the genomics and functional genomics of _L. edodes_ allows us to improve its cultivation and quality. Genome sequence is a key to develop molecular genetic markers for breeding and genetic manipulation. We sequenced the genome of _L. edodes_ monokaryon L54A using Roche 454 and ABI SOLiD genome sequencing. Sequencing reads of about 1400Mb were de novo assembled into a 40.2 Mb genome sequence. We compiled the genome sequence into a searchable database with which we have been annotating the genes and analyzing the metabolic pathways. In addition, we have been using many molecular techniques to analyze genes differentially expressed during development. Gene ortholog groups of _L. edodes_ genome sequence compared across genomes of several fungi including mushrooms identified gene families unique to mushroom-forming fungi. We used a mapping population of haploid basidiospores of dikaryon L54 for genetic linkage analysis. High-quality variations such as single nucleotide polymorphisms, insertions, and deletions of the mapping population formed a high-density genetic linkage map. We compared the linkage map to the _L. edodes_ L54A genome sequence and located selected quantitative trait loci. The Shiitake community will benefit from these resources for genetic studies and breeding.
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Liquid-shaped microlens for scalable production of ultrahigh-resolution OCT microendoscope

Endoscopic optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a valuable tool for providing diagnostic images of internal organs and guiding interventions in real time. Miniaturized OCT endoscopes are essential for imaging small and convoluted luminal organs while minimizing invasiveness. However, current methods for fabricating miniature fiber probes have limited ability to correct optical aberrations, leading to suboptimal imaging performance. In this study, we introduce a new paradigm of liquid shaping technique for the rapid and scalable fabrication of ultrathin and high-performance OCT microendoscopes suitable for minimally invasive clinical applications. This technique enables the flexible customization of freeform microlenses with sub-nanometer optical surface roughness by regulating the minimum energy state of curable optical liquid on a wettability-modified substrate and precisely controlling the liquid volume and physical boundary on a substrate. Using this technique, we simultaneously fabricated 800-nm OCT microendoscopes with a diameter of approximately 0.6 mm and evaluated their ultrahigh-resolution imaging performance in the esophagus of rats and the aorta and brain of mice.Comment: 42 pages, 7 figures in the main tex

Contribution of discourse and morphosyntax skills to reading comprehension in Chinese dyslexic and typically developing children

This study aimed at identifying important skills for reading comprehension in Chinese dyslexic children and their typically developing counterparts matched on age (CA controls) or reading level (RL controls). The children were assessed on Chinese reading comprehension, cognitive, and reading-related skills. Results showed that the dyslexic children performed significantly less well than the CA controls but similarly to RL controls in most measures. Results of multiple regression analyses showed that word-level reading-related skills like oral vocabulary and word semantics were found to be strong predictors of reading comprehension among typically developing junior graders and dyslexic readers of senior grades, whereas morphosyntax, a text-level skill, was most predictive for typically developing senior graders. It was concluded that discourse and morphosyntax skills are particularly important for reading comprehension in the non-inflectional and topic-prominent Chinese system

A new polygenic score for refractive error improves detection of children at risk of high myopia but not the prediction of those at risk of myopic macular degeneration

Background High myopia (HM), defined as a spherical equivalent refractive error (SER) ≤ −6.00 diopters (D), is a leading cause of sight impairment, through myopic macular degeneration (MMD). We aimed to derive an improved polygenic score (PGS) for predicting children at risk of HM and to test if a PGS is predictive of MMD after accounting for SER. Methods The PGS was derived from genome-wide association studies in participants of UK Biobank, CREAM Consortium, and Genetic Epidemiology Research on Adult Health and Aging. MMD severity was quantified by a deep learning algorithm. Prediction of HM was quantified as the area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC). Prediction of severe MMD was assessed by logistic regression. Findings In independent samples of European, African, South Asian and East Asian ancestry, the PGS explained 19% (95% confidence interval 17–21%), 2% (1–3%), 8% (7–10%) and 6% (3–9%) of the variation in SER, respectively. The AUROC for HM in these samples was 0.78 (0.75–0.81), 0.58 (0.53–0.64), 0.71 (0.69–0.74) and 0.67 (0.62–0.72), respectively. The PGS was not associated with the risk of MMD after accounting for SER: OR = 1.07 (0.92–1.24). Interpretation Performance of the PGS approached the level required for clinical utility in Europeans but not in other ancestries. A PGS for refractive error was not predictive of MMD risk once SER was accounted fo

Fractured : an autobiographical illustrative narration about a life with suicidal thoughts

Fractured is an autobiographical project that consists of illustrations put into a narrative format, to record personal struggles in life involving suicidal ideation. Harbouring and expressing suicidal thoughts is often seen as taboo and referred to as a weakness, even if the thoughts are fleeting. Expressing these thoughts and seeking help are the most commonly recommended and effective way in easing such thoughts, but the Asian mindset of keeping ones’ problems to oneself is an obstacle for such treatment, and it is detrimental to those inflicted especially if these thoughts start from young. Thus, this project aims to increase the visibility and sympathy for people in similar situations as I, and to offer ways to cope with such thoughts.Bachelor of Fine Art

Systematics and phylogenetics of disepalum (annonaceae) : morphological diversification, pollination ecology and historical biogeography

abstractBiological SciencesDoctoralDoctor of Philosoph

The association between media multitasking and executive function in Chinese adolescents: Evidence from self-reported, behavioral and fNIRS data

This study examined the association between media multitasking and executive function in Chinese adolescents by comparing heavy/high and light/low media multitaskers, i.e., HMMs and LMMs, with self-reports, behavioral measures and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). The participants were 12 HMMs (media multitasking scores above the 75th percentile) and 10 LMMs (media multitasking scores below the 25th percentile) chosen from a sample of 61 adolescents. Each participant completed a self-reported questionnaire on executive function and three executive function cognitive tasks: 2-back, Color Stroop, and Number-letter Determination) while wearing the fNIRS. The results indicated that: (1) the HMMs showed more impairment in executive function than the LMMs based on questionnaire data analysis; (2) there were no significant differences between the HMMs and LMMs in their performance on the cognitive tasks; and (3) the HMMs showed greater prefrontal activation than the LMMs during the 2-back and Color Stroop tasks. These findings implied that media multitasking might be associated with the reduced effectiveness in the brain areas responsible for executive function. These findings provide evidence of the negative relationship between media multitasking and executive function; and indicated the benefits of using multiple assessment methods in studying this topic