Exploring Factors That Influence Students’ Behaviors in Information Security

Due to the ever-increasing use of the Internet, information security has become a critical issue in society. This is especially the case for young adults who have different attitudes towards information security practices. In this research, we examine factors that motivate college students’ information security behaviors. Based on the concept of fear arousal in the presence of a threatened event, a well-founded theory known as Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) is adopted in the research model. Social norms and habit factors are integrated to the model as a means to assess students’ behaviors of information security. A survey of 202 responses is used to test the designed model using structural equation modeling to analyze relationships among variables. Results indicated that students are very motivated to practice information security if they perceive high levels of severity, response efficacy, response costs and self-efficacy. Their intentions, however, are not affected by perceived vulnerability or by social influence. Our findings suggest that PMT is a valuable model for predicting students’ attitudes towards information security and that their motivation is influenced by education in security awareness and understanding severity of such issues

Theory of Planned Behavior and Ethics Theory in Digital Piracy: An Integrated Model

digital piracy, theory of planned behavior, ethics theory, moral obligation, justice, perceived benefits, perceived risk, habit,

Factors of the Adoption of O2O Service Platforms: Evidence from Small Businesses in Korea

O2O service platforms, which combine online and offline channels to provide more convenient services, are drawing attention as a new way of commerce that can revitalize small businesses that are losing competitiveness and struggling due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. In this study, we investigated and empirically analyzed the factors affecting the adoption of O2O service platforms in small businesses. We developed a research model that combines the technology acceptance model (TAM), an individual-level theory of IT acceptance, and the technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework, an organizational-level theory of information systems adoption. Data from 279 valid questionnaires were collected from small business owners and analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results show that the technical characteristics of the TOE framework, namely, relative advantage, compatibility, and trialability, and small business owners’ characteristics, namely, innovativeness, risk-taking tendency, and IT knowledge, affect the adoption of O2O service platforms through perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. The environmental variables of the TOE framework, namely, government support, digital environment change, and competitive pressure, affect the adoption of O2O service platforms through subjective norms. We identify practical implications for the adoption of O2O service platforms by small businesses

Production of Selenomethionine-Enriched <em>Bifidobacterium bifidum</em> BGN4 via Sodium Selenite Biocatalysis

Selenium is a trace element essential for human health that has received considerable attention due to its nutritional value. Selenium’s bioactivity and toxicity are closely related to its chemical form, and several studies have suggested that the organic form of selenium (i.e., selenomethionine) is more bioavailable and less toxic than its inorganic form (i.e., sodium selenite). Probiotics, especially Bifidobacteriium and Lactobacillus spp., have received increasing attention in recent years, due to their intestinal microbial balancing effects and nutraceutical benefits. Recently, the bioconversion (a.k.a biotransformation) of various bioactive molecules (e.g., minerals, primary and secondary metabolites) using probiotics has been investigated to improve substrate biofunctional properties. However, there have been few reports of inorganic selenium conversion into its organic form using Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus spp. Here we report that the biosynthesis of organic selenium was accomplished using the whole cell bioconversion of sodium selenite under controlled Bifidobacterium bifidum BGN4 culture conditions. The total amount of organic and inorganic selenium was quantified using an inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES). The selenium species were separated via anion-exchange chromatography and analyzed with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Our findings indicated that the maximum level of organic selenium was 207.5 µg/g in selenium-enriched B. bifidum BGN4. Selenomethionine was the main organic selenium in selenium-enriched B. bifidum BGN4 (169.6 µg/g). Considering that B. bifidum BGN4 is a commercial probiotic strain used in the functional food industry with clinically proven beneficial effects, selenium-enriched B. bifidum BGN4 has the potential to provide dual healthy functions as a daily supplement of selenium and regulator of intestinal bacteria. This is the first report on the production of organic selenium using B. bifidum spp

Biodistribution and toxicity of spherical aluminum oxide nanoparticles

With the rapid development of the nano-industry, concerns about their potential adverse health effects have been raised. Thus, ranking accurately their toxicity and prioritizing for in vivo testing through in vitro toxicity test is needed. In this study, we used three types of synthesized aluminum oxide nanoparticles (AlONPs): gamma-aluminum oxide hydroxide nanoparticles (gamma-AlOHNPs), gamma- and alpha-AlONPs. All three AlONPs were spherical, and the surface area was the greatest for gamma-AlONPs, followed by the alpha-AlONPs and gamma-AlOHNPs. In mice, gamma-AlOHNPs accumulated the most 24 h after a single oral dose. Additionally, the decreased number of white blood cells (WBC), the increased ratio of neutrophils and the enhanced secretion of interleukin (IL)-8 were observed in the blood of mice dosed with gamma-AlOHNPs (10 mg kg(-1)). We also compared their toxicity using four different in vitro test methods using six cell lines, which were derived from their potential target organs, BEAS-2B (lung), Chang (liver), HACAT (skin), H9C2 (heart), T98G (brain) and HEK-293 (kidney). The results showed gamma-AlOHNPs induced the greatest toxicity. Moreover, separation of particles was observed in a transmission electron microscope (TEM) image of cells treated with gamma-AlOHNPs, but not gamma-AlONPs or alpha-AlONPs. In conclusion, our results suggest that the accumulation and toxicity of AlONPs are stronger in gamma-AlOHNPs compared with gamma-AlONPs and alpha-AlONPs owing their low stability within biological system, and the presence of hydroxyl group may be an important factor in determining the distribution and toxicity of spherical AlONPs. Copyright (C) 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Time-dependent bioaccumulation of distinct rod-type TiO2 nanoparticles: Comparison by crystalline phase

A complete understanding of the interaction between nanoparticles and biological systems, including nanoparticle uptake and distribution and the biological responses, could guide the design of safer and more effective nanoparticles than those currently available. In this study, we compared the distribution in mice over time of two rod-type titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiNPs) that feature distinct phases, anatase (ATO) and brookite (BTO). Surface areas of BTO and ATO were estimated to be 102 and 268m(2)g(-1), respectively, and negative charge on the surface of ATO was higher than that of BTO in deionized water. Both TiNPs were rapidly distributed into tissues after injection. At 4weeks after injection, both TiNPs were maximally accumulated in the spleen, followed by the liver, but the total accumulation of ATO in tissues measured in this study was more than that of BTO. Moreover, the cellular antioxidant function was similar although the levels of Ti measured in tissues were distinct between the two TiNPs. Based on these results, we suggest that the fate of TiNPs in the body may differ according to the size and surface charge of the TiNPs even when their shape is the same. Copyright (c) 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

A 13-week repeated-dose oral toxicity and bioaccumulation of aluminum oxide nanoparticles in mice

Because of an increase in the commercial applications of manufactured nanoparticles, the issue of potential adverse health effects of nanoparticles following intended or unintended exposure is rapidly gaining attention. In this study, we evaluated the toxicity of aluminum oxide nanoparticles (AlNPs, rod-type, 1.5, 3, and 6 mg/kg) after oral administration to mice for 13 weeks. Compared with the control group, the consumption of diet and drinking water and body weight gain decreased in the group treated with AlNPs. The group treated with 6 mg/kg AlNPs also showed a marked elevation in the count of white blood cells that associated with a significant decrease and increase to the proportion of eosinophils and lymphocytes, respectively. In addition, the secretion of IL-6 and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 increased in a dose-dependent manner in the treated groups. Furthermore, AlNPs showed the highest accumulation in the liver and kidneys compared with the control group, increased the lactate dehydrogenase level in the blood, and induced the development of a pathological lesion in the liver and kidneys. Taken together, we suggest that the target organs of rod-type AlNPs may be the liver, kidneys and the immune system, and the not-observed adverse effect level may be lower than 6 mg/kg

Generation of reversible Rb-knockdown mice

This study describes the generation of reversible Rb-knockdown mice using Tet-off system coupled with Rb-deficient mice currently available. Mice expressing pRB conditionally in Rb-/- background were generated by crossings P(hCMV)-tTA/TRE-Rb transgenic mice with conventional Rb+/- mice. Transgenic Rb was tightly controlled with reversibility and biologically effective as exemplified by cyclin E expression in a doxycycline-dependent manner in mouse embryonic fibroblasts. However, its ectopic expression was not sufficient to rescue the phenotypes of Rb-/- embryos at organismal level, suggesting the requirement of more sophisticated regulation of pRB. With all, these results demonstrate that our experimental strategy can be an alternative way to convert classical gene-disrupted mice into reversible conditional ones