“PM！I want to sign up”: Decoding Parental Decision-making in Educational S-commerce Community

This study delves into the prevalence and impact of private supplementary tutoring in Hong Kong, where a significant percentage of Secondary Three and Secondary Six students seek such services. The proliferation of tutoring and interest class advertisements across various media platforms underscores the educational landscape\u27s emphasis on private tutoring. The emergence of educational social commerce communities on social media platforms has further facilitated the exchange of educational information, interest activities, and parenting tips. By analyzing factors influencing parent engagement in these communities, such as perceived ease-of-use, perceived usefulness, sociability, and informativeness, this research sheds light on the dynamics of educational s-commerce. Additionally, the study explores how post characteristics and scarcity of educational resources influence parent engagement and recommendation willingness within these communities. Understanding these factors is crucial for enhancing customer engagement and optimizing the educational social commerce experience

Identification of patients with chronic migraine by using sensory-evoked oscillations from the electroencephalogram classifier

Background: To examine whether the modulating evoked cortical oscillations could be brain signatures among patients with chronic migraine, we investigated cortical modulation using an electroencephalogram with machine learning techniques. Methods: We directly record evoked electroencephalogram activity during nonpainful, painful, and repetitive painful electrical stimulation tasks. Cortical modulation for experimental pain and habituation processing was analyzed and used to differentiate patients with chronic migraine from healthy controls using a validated machine-learning model. Results: This study included 80 participants: 40 healthy controls and 40 patients with chronic migraine. Evoked somatosensory oscillations were dominant in the alpha band. Longer latency (nonpainful and repetitive painful) and augmented power (nonpainful and repetitive painful) were present among patients with chronic migraine. However, for painful tasks, alpha increases were observed among healthy controls. The oscillatory activity ratios between repetitive painful and painful tasks represented the frequency modulation and power habituation among healthy controls, respectively, but not among patients with chronic migraine. The classification models with oscillatory features exhibited high performance in differentiating patients with chronic migraine from healthy controls. Conclusion: Altered oscillatory characteristics of sensory processing and cortical modulation reflected the neuropathology of patients with chronic migraine. These characteristics can be reliably used to identify patients with chronic migraine using a machine-learning approach

Pain sensitivities predict prophylactic treatment outcomes of flunarizine in chronic migraine patients: A prospective study

Abstract Background We aimed to assess the differences in quantitative sensory testing between chronic migraine and healthy controls and to explore the association between pain sensitivities and outcomes in chronic migraine following preventive treatment. Methods In this prospective open-label study, preventive-naïve chronic migraine and healthy controls were recruited, and cold, heat, mechanical punctate, and pressure pain thresholds over the dermatomes of first branch of trigeminal nerve and first thoracic nerve were measured by quantitative sensory testing at baseline. Chronic migraines were treated with flunarizine and treatment response was defined as ≥50% reduction in the number of monthly headache days over the 12-week treatment period. Results Eighty-four chronic migraines and fifty age-and-sex-matched healthy controls were included in the analysis. The chronic migraine had higher cold pain thresholds over the dermatomes of the first branch of trigeminal nerve and the first thoracic nerve (p  158 g (p = 0.020) or heat pain threshold over the dermatome of the first branch of the trigeminal nerve > 44.9°C (p = 0.002) were more likely to be responders. Conclusions Chronic migraine were generally more sensitive compared to healthy controls. Preventive treatment with flunarizine should be recommended particularly for chronic migraine who have relatively normal sensitivity to mechanical punctate or heat pain. Trial registration: This study was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT02747940)

The 2005 Ilan earthquake doublet and seismic crisis in northeastern Taiwan: evidence for dyke intrusion associated with on-land propagation of the Okinawa Trough

Northern Taiwan underwent mountain building in the early stage of the Taiwan orogeny but is currently subjected to post-collisional crustal extension. It may be related to gravitational collapse or to the rifting of the Okinawa Trough, which lies offshore northeastern Taiwan. The Ilan Plain, northeastern Taiwan, which is bounded by the normal fault systems and filled up with thick Pliocene–Pleistocene sedimentary sequences, formed under such an extension environment. Over there on 2005 March 5 two earthquakes with about the same magnitude (M_L = 5.9) occurred within 68 s and produced intense aftershocks activity according to the records of Central Weather Bureau Seismic Network of Taiwan. We relocated the earthquake sequence by the three-dimension earthquake location algorithm with the newly published 3-D Vp and Vp/Vs velocity model, and determined the first-polarity focal mechanisms of the earthquake doublet. One major cluster of aftershocks which trends E–W and dips steeply to the south can be identified and picked up as a potential fault plane. The focal mechanisms of the two main shocks are both classified as normal type by first-polarity but strike-slip by centroid moment tensor inversion; however two methods both yield consistent E–W strike. Static coseismic deformation was additionally determined from Global Positioning System (GPS) daily solutions at a set of continuous GPS stations and from strong-motion seismographs. These data show NW–SE extension at high angle to the fault plane, which cannot be explained from a simple strike-slip double-couple mechanism. On the other hand, the small vertical displacements and steep fault plane cannot be explained from a simple normal event as well. We present from elastic dislocation modelling that the geodetic data are best explained by significant component of tensile source with centimetre-scale of opening on a 15-km-long fault extending from 1 to 13 km depth. We therefore interpret the crisis as the result of dyke intrusion at the very tip of the Okinawa Trough, which is reasonably driven by backarc spreading

Mechanical punctate pain threshold is associated with headache frequency and phase in patients with migraine

Objective: Previous studies regarding the quantitative sensory testing are inconsistent in migraine. We hypothesized that the quantitative sensory testing results were influenced by headache frequency or migraine phase. Methods: This study recruited chronic and episodic migraine patients as well as healthy controls. Participants underwent quantitative sensory testing, including heat, cold, and mechanical punctate pain thresholds at the supraorbital area (V1 dermatome) and the forearm (T1 dermatome). Prospective headache diaries were used for headache frequency and migraine phase when quantitative sensory testing was performed. Results: Twenty-eight chronic migraine, 64 episodic migraine and 32 healthy controls completed the study. Significant higher mechanical punctate pain thresholds were found in episodic migraine but not chronic migraine when compared with healthy controls. The mechanical punctate pain thresholds decreased as headache frequency increased then nadired. In episodic migraine, mechanical punctate pain thresholds were highest (p<0.05) in those in the interictal phase and declined when approaching the ictal phase in both V1 and T1 dermatomes. Linear regression analyses showed that in those with episodic migraine, headache frequency and phase were independently associated with mechanical punctate pain thresholds and accounted for 29.7% and 38.9% of the variance in V1 (p¼0.003) and T1 (p<0.001) respectively. Of note, unlike mechanical punctate pain thresholds, our study did not demonstrate similar findings for heat pain thresholds and cold pain thresholds in migraine. Conclusion: Our study provides new insights into the dynamic changes of quantitative sensory testing, especially mechanical punctate pain thresholds in patients with migraine. Mechanical punctate pain thresholds vary depending on headache frequency and migraine phase, providing an explanation for the inconsistency across studies

Neuromagnetic amygdala response to pain-related fear as a brain signature of fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic pain condition characterized by impaired emotional regulation. This study explored the brain response to pain-related fear as a potential brain signature of FM

Taiwan Oscillation Network

The Taiwan Oscillation Network (TON) is a ground-based network to measure solar intensity oscillations to study the internal structure of the Sun. K-line full-disk images of 1000 pixels diameter are taken at a rate of one image per minute. Such data would provide information onp-modes withl as high as 1000. The TON will consist of six identical telescope systems at proper longitudes around the world. Three telescope systems have been installed at Teide Observatory (Tenerife), Huairou Solar Observing Station (near Beijing), and Big Bear Solar Observatory (California). The telescopes at these three sites have been taking data simultaneously since October of 1994. Anl – v diagram derived from 512 images is included to show the quality of the data

Comparison of visual outcomes after epiretinal membrane surgery

AbstractPurposeTo elucidate the anatomical and visual outcomes of patients with idiopathic epiretinal membranes (ERM) who underwent vitrectomy, membrane removal only, or with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling under the assistance of different dyes.MethodsA retrospective chart review of patients with idiopathic ERM who received surgical treatment between January 2004 and December 2009. The patients were grouped according to the usage of staining materials assisting ILM peeling. Group 1 consisted of 61 eyes that underwent conventional vitrectomy and ERM peeling without staining-assisted ILM peeling. Group 2 consisted of 20 eyes with triamcinolone acetonide-assisted ILM peeling following conventional vitrectomy. Group 3 consisted of 23 eyes with indocyanine green-assisted ILM peeling following conventional vitrectomy.ResultsThis study included 104 eyes from 104 patients. There was no significant difference in age, sex, preoperative visual acuity, retinal thickness or follow-up duration among the three groups. Overall, the mean best-corrected visual acuity improved significantly from baseline 0.15 to postoperative 0.41 (p<0.0001). Among the three groups, the mean logarithm minimum angle of resolution acuity markedly improved. There was no significant difference in postoperative visual acuity among groups. As measured by ocular coherent tomography, the mean central foveal thickness decreased from 465.21±86.18 to 299.16±70.14μm. Although there was no difference between groups, postoperative retinal thickness was thicker than that observed in the normal population. The incidence of recurrent ERM was 13.1% in Group 1 and 0% in Groups 2 and 3; this incidence was significantly higher than in the conventional surgery group. Visual outcome was statistically more deteriorated in recurrent cases than in non-recurrent cases (p=0.011).ConclusionsERM surgeries with or without dye-assisted ILM peeling showed similar results. Moreover, the incidence of recurrence is lower in the ILM peeling groups and plays a primary role in determining the final postoperative vision outcome

Progesterone receptor does not improve the performance and test effectiveness of the conventional 3-marker panel, consisting of estrogen receptor, vimentin and carcinoembryonic antigen in distinguishing between primary endocervical and endometrial adenocarcinomas in a tissue microarray extension study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>Endocervical adenocarcinomas (ECA) and endometrial adenocarcinomas (EMA) are uterine malignancies that have differing biological behaviors. The choice of an appropriate therapeutic plan rests on the tumor's site of origin. In this study, we propose to evaluate whether PR adds value to the performance and test effectiveness of the conventional 3-marker (ER/Vim/CEA) panel in distinguishing between primary ECA and EMA.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A tissue microarray was constructed using paraffin-embedded, formalin-fixed tissues from 38 hysterectomy specimens, including 14 ECA and 24 EMA. Tissue microarray (TMA) sections were immunostained with 4 antibodies, using the avidin-biotin complex (ABC) method for antigen visualization. The staining intensity and extent of the immunohistochemical (IHC) reactions were appraised using a semi-quantitative scoring system.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The three markers (ER, Vim and CEA) and their respective panel expressions showed statistically significant (p < 0.05) frequency differences between ECA and EMA tumors. Although the additional ancillary PR-marker also revealed a significant frequency difference (p < 0.05) between ECA and EMA tumors, it did not demonstrate any supplementary benefit to the 3-marker panel.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>According to our data, when histomorphological and clinical doubt exists as to the primary site of origin, we recommend that the conventional 3-marker (ER/Vim/CEA) panel is easier, sufficient and appropriate to use in distinguishing between primary ECA and EMA. Although the 4-marker panel containing PR also reveals statistically significant results, the PR-marker offers no supplemental benefit to the pre-existing 3-marker (ER/Vim/CEA) panel in the diagnostic distinction between ECA and EMA.</p

Relationships among Job Satisfaction, Organizational Commitment, and Turnover Intention: Evidence from the Gambling Industry in Macau

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and turnover intention of workers in two casinos in Macau. The current study was a correlational study and used convenience sampling, and a total of 105 surveys were retrieved from employees working in two casinos in Macau. For our sample, we found that job satisfaction had a significant and positive correlation with organizational commitment. We also found that the association between job satisfaction and turnover intention was positive but not significant and the association between organizational commitment and turnover intention was negative but not significant. Finally, the regression model indicated that job satisfaction and organizational commitment were effective predictors of employees’ turnover intention