Examining Social Commerce Intentions Through the Uses and Gratifications Theory

Changes in consumer behavior enabled by social networking technologies is leading to a transformation in e-commerce. Consumers' use of social media sites and relevant technologies for different aspects of shopping has become an issue of utmost concern to retailers and related businesses. Adopting a uses and gratifications theory (UGT) perspective, the article aims to demonstrate motives of users utilizing social media in their purchase decisions. Drawing from digital marketing and e-commerce literature, relevant uses and gratifications for social commerce (s-commerce) were chosen as information access, escape, entertainment, passing time, cool and new trends, and socialization. The proposed model was analyzed and tested via OLS regression and ANOVA analysis using the data collected from a survey study on 361 subjects in Turkey. Information access, relaxing entertainment, and socialization motives emerged as significant antecedents of s-commerce intentions. No significant effect of demographics on social commerce intentions were observed in the analysis

Improving Health and Efficiency With Strategic Social Media Use in Health Organizations: A Critical Review of the Status Quo

The emergence of social networking systems as mainstream applications and an inherent element of daily life is a phenomenon observed throughout the world as the worldwide social media users exceeds 2.7 billion. Similar to other sectors, healthcare organizations have also started benefiting from social media in distinct ways such as collecting feedback, educating, communicating and supporting patients and citizens. Social networks can act as remarkable channels for healthcare providers, governmental institutions, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and others to educate, communicate to, listen, connect to and engage existing and potential customers, patients, physicians and healthcare professionals. Despite the various benefits offered, health institutions, health professionals and stakeholders are reluctant to utilize social media due to several barriers and lack of expertise. This chapter aims to provide a better understanding on the ways healthcare companies can utilize social networks in detail to overcome use barriers and obtain related benefits

The effect of melatonin on bacterial translocation following ischemia/reperfusion injury in a rat model of superior mesenteric artery occlusion

Background: Acute mesenteric ischemia is a life-threatening vascular emergency resulting in tissue destruction due to ischemia-reperfusion injury. Melatonin, the primary hormone of the pineal gland, is a powerful scavenger of reactive oxygen species (ROS), including the hydroxyl and peroxyl radicals, as well as singlet oxygen, and nitric oxide. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether melatonin prevents harmful effects of superior mesenteric ischemia-reperfusion on intestinal tissues in rats. Methods: Rats were randomly divided into three groups, each having 10 animals. In group I, the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) was isolated but not occluded. In group II and group III, the SMA was occluded immediately distal to the aorta for 60 minutes. After that, the clamp was removed and the reperfusion period began. In group III, 30 minutes before the start of reperfusion, 10 mg/kg melatonin was administered intraperitonally. All animals were sacrified 24 hours after reperfusion. Tissue samples were collected to evaluate the I/R-induced intestinal injury and bacterial translocation (BT). Results: There was a statistically significant increase in myeloperoxidase activity, malondialdehyde levels and in the incidence of bacterial translocation in group II, along with a decrease in glutathione levels. These investigated parameters were found to be normalized in melatonin treated animals (group III). Conclusion: We conclude that melatonin prevents bacterial translocation while precluding the harmful effects of ischemia/reperfusion injury on intestinal tissues in a rat model of superior mesenteric artery occlusion. © 2015 Ozban et al.; licensee BioMed Central

The Reverse Cuthill-McKee Algorithm in Distributed-Memory

Ordering vertices of a graph is key to minimize fill-in and data structure size in sparse direct solvers, maximize locality in iterative solvers, and improve performance in graph algorithms. Except for naturally parallelizable ordering methods such as nested dissection, many important ordering methods have not been efficiently mapped to distributed-memory architectures. In this paper, we present the first-ever distributed-memory implementation of the reverse Cuthill-McKee (RCM) algorithm for reducing the profile of a sparse matrix. Our parallelization uses a two-dimensional sparse matrix decomposition. We achieve high performance by decomposing the problem into a small number of primitives and utilizing optimized implementations of these primitives. Our implementation shows strong scaling up to 1024 cores for smaller matrices and up to 4096 cores for larger matrices

Some morphological and biological features of Megacephala (Grammognatha) euphratica euphratica Latreille and Dejean, 1822 (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae)

Some morphological and biological features of Megacephala euphratica euphratica were examined. The life table of M. euphratica euphratica was investigated and the net reproduction rate (R0), length of generation (T0) and intrinsic rate of natural increase” (rm) were calculated in 2004 under labarotory conditions. The net reproduction rate (R0) of M. euphratica euphratica (6.02), representing the total female birth rate with a mean length of generation (T0) as 18.87 days, was determined, and the “intrinsic rate of natural increase” (rm) was calculated as 0.0981. The duration of pre-oviposition, oviposition and post-oviposition of the species, the shortest life span of both male and female, and the lowest and highest total eggs of female were also investigated. Some morphological features, like adult description and body size of the species, collected from Izmir, Mersin and Adana provinces, in 2001 and 2010, was given.Key words: Tiger beetle, life table, morphology, adult, Turkey

Vulnerability of Megacephala (Grammognatha) euphratica euphratica Latreille & Dejean, 1822 (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) in natural and disturbed salt marsh and salt meadow habitats in Turkey

This study was carried out to determine the differentiation between populations inhabiting Megacephala euphratica euphratica & Dejean, 1822 (Coleoptera: Cicindelidae) in natural and disturbed salt marsh habitats in Göksu (Mersin Province) and Çukurova (Adana Province) Deltas in Turkey, for the period of 2005 and 2010. Correlation between anthropogenic effects (cattle grazing and drainage channels) and population dynamics of M. e. euphratica was calculated. Population dynamic of M. e. euphratica was not stable during the study years in the disturbed salt marsh and was found as rapidly descent according to the natural habitat. Cluster analysis used to quantify the associations of population of M. e. euphratica between sampling years showed that variation of the population of insect species in the natural habitats was not different from each other in the different years as much as in the disturbed habitats. The results showed that population density of the species were more rapidly decreased in the disturbed salt marsh habitats than the natural ones. Threatened category of M. e. euphratica was investigated according to IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Categories and its current situation in terms of being a threatened species was also discussed.Keywords: Distribution, ecology, habitat preferences, IUCN, threatened factors, Megacephala euphratica euphratica

How to Engage Consumers through Effective Social Media Use—Guidelines for Consumer Goods Companies from an Emerging Market

This study aims to establish actionable guidelines and provide strategic insights as a means of increasing the social media effectiveness of consumer brands. Post-related factors in addition to the contextual and temporal factors influencing consumer engagement (i.e., reposting, commenting on or liking posts), as an indicator of social media effectiveness, are considered in detail in the research model. Moreover, the model considers differences between industries as well as social media platforms. A total of 1130 posts made by four brands, two each from the durable goods and fast-moving consumer goods sectors, were collected from Facebook and Twitter in Turkey. Through predictive analysis, four different machine learning algorithms were utilized to develop easy-to-apply plans of action and strategies. The findings highlight the significant impact of videos, images, post frequency and interactivity on engagement. Furthermore, social media platforms and the brands themselves were found to be instrumental in influencing engagement levels, indicating that more than one formula is needed for effective social media management. The range and depth of the post-related factors (e.g., image type, video length, kind of interactivity) considered go far beyond those found in the significant majority of similar studies. Moreover, the unique setting and the novel data analysis algorithms applied set this study apart from similar ones

The Effects of Investment Expansions on Soldering

The investments used in the soldering procedure should provide a good soldering connection without causing any dimensional changes. In this research, the influence of investments with different expansions on the investment soldering procedures was investigated. For this purpose, following the preparation of the experimental models which represented the abutment teeth, standard bridge restorations were fabricated. After placing bridge restorations onto the abutment teeth, 10 kilograms of standard force was applied for setting the restorations and marginal openings were measured from six fixed points. The bridge restorations, which were subjected to standard separations, were divided into three groups and embedded in the investment block by using investments with different thermal expansions. The samples were then soldered by preheating + torch technique and marginal openings of each bridge prosthesis at the six predetermined measuring points were evaluated and recorded. The marginal opening values before and after the soldering and the differences between them were statistically analyzed. In pre-ceramic soldering of base metal alloys, the usage of special soldering investments with low thermal expansion cannot compensate for the expansion of metal during the soldering process and therefore causes the soldering space to shorten and leads to dimensional changes in the prosthesis

Isotropic three-dimensional left-handed meta-materials

We investigate three-dimensional left-handed and related meta-materials based on a fully symmetric multi-gap single-ring SRR design and crossing continuous wires. We demonstrate isotropic transmission properties of a SRR-only meta-material and the corresponding left-handed material which possesses a negative effective index of refraction due to simultaneously negative effective permeability and permittivity. Minor deviations from complete isotropy are due to the finite thickness of the meta-material.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figure

Socioeconomic and racial/ethnic differentials of C-reactive protein levels: a systematic review of population-based studies

Background:Socioeconomic and racial/ethnic factors strongly influence cardiovascular disease outcomes and risk factors. C-reactive protein (CRP), a non-specific marker of inflammation, is associated with cardiovascular risk, and knowledge about its distribution in the population may help direct preventive efforts. A systematic review was undertaken to critically assess CRP levels according to socioeconomic and racial/ethnic factors. Methods:Medline was searched through December 2006 for population-based studies examining CRP levels among adults with respect to indicators of socioeconomic position (SEP) and/or race/ethnicity. Bibliographies from located studies were scanned and 26 experts in the field were contacted for unpublished work. Results:Thirty-two relevant articles were located. Cross-sectional (n = 20) and cohort studies (n = 11) were included, as was the control group of one trial. CRP levels were examined with respect to SEP and race/ethnicity in 25 and 15 analyses, respectively. Of 20 studies that were unadjusted or adjusted for demographic variables, 19 found inverse associations between CRP levels and SEP. Of 15 similar studies, 14 found differences between racial/ethnic groups such that whites had the lowest while blacks, Hispanics and South Asians had the highest CRP levels. Most studies also included adjustment for potential mediating variables in the causal chain between SEP or race/ethnicity and CRP. Most of these studies showed attenuated but still significant associations. Conclusion: Increasing poverty and non-white race was associated with elevated CRP levels among adults. Most analyses in the literature are underestimating the true effects of racial/ethnic and socioeconomic factors due to adjustment for mediating factors