Flies can use prior experience to improve visual cognitive abilities

Modification of ongoing and future behaviors based on prior experience demonstrates the so-called "intelligence" in animals and even     

Should we use carbohydrate deficient transferrin as a marker for alcohol abusers?

Carbohydrate deficient transferrin (CDT) is one of the conventional markers for chronic alcohol consumption, is used by researchers and clinicians. A number of enzymes are affected by ethanol intake. The induction or inhibition of sialyl transferase and plasma sialidase may be involved in the CDT level elevation. An alteration of protein transport during post-translational modification could be a primary mechanism in the impairment of protein metabolism associated with chronic alcohol abuse. Transferrin being a steroid responsive protein, sex-based hormonal variations might contribute to the lower sensitivity of CDT. Varying hormonal statuses such as pregnancy, use of contraceptives, menopause/ menstrual cycle can alter iron homeostasis in women. CDT levels are markedly affected by iron homeostasis. Several CDT assay methods appeared promising, but it is not readily apparent which technique is the most accurate. Moreover, false-positive results of CDT have been reported in non-alcohol related hepatic failure and in rare conditions. Therefore clinical interpretation of CDT needs careful assessment in patients with alcohol-related or non-alcohol-related health disorders.     

Damages of over RMB 40,000 Yuan imposed for use of pictures on the Internet

The Beijing Rongxinhe Economic Information Consultaion Co.,Ltd.（Rongxinhe） enjoyed the copyright in the involved monographic work of commercial pictures and essays depicting constellatroy crystal（including 12 plane designs in the form of crystal picture）.The work was published on the internet,with express declaration on the copyright made in the form of elecrtonic information of the right management on the Internet.The Beijing Kewen Book Industry Corporation and Beijing Dangdang Kewen Corporaion,the hosts of the website www.dangdang.com,deleted,in bad faith.     

"use"与"用"之异同及其对翻译的影响

本文试图通过运用对比语言学的方法,对汉语中“用“和英语中“use“进行比较分析,探讨两词在词义和用法上的差异对英汉翻译的影响.     

“use”与“用”之异同及其对翻译的影响

本文试图通过运用对比语言学的方法,对汉语中“用”和英语中“use”进行比较分析,探讨两词在词义和用法上的差异对英汉翻译的影响。     

Differences in mobile health app use: A source of new digital inequalities?

This article provides a more differentiated understanding of mobile health consumers, and considers whether health app use may contribute to new digital inequalities. It focuses on factors associated with mobile health app use, and identifies which factors explain the use of different types of health apps. Data from a large representative sample of the Dutch population (N = 1,079) show that mobile health app users were generally younger, higher educated, and had higher levels of e-health literacy skills than non-users. Interestingly, different usage patterns were found for specific types of health apps. Theory and policy implications are discussed.     

Who moves to the methodological edge? Factors that encourage scientists to use unconventional methods

Breaking from tradition is necessary for scientific advancement, yet we know little about the factors that encourage scientists to break from tradition in their research, particularly by using methods that are unconventional in their fields. To address this gap, we integrate the sociology of science with insights from organization theory, which delineates the evaluative advantages bestowed on those with elite status and a consistent professional identity. We use a mixed methods design. Bibliometric data on articles using three unconventional methods in sociology—Correspondence Analysis, Qualitative Comparative Analysis, and Sequence Analysis—allow us to identify which types of scholars have a greater hazard of using unconventional methods and the conditions under which these associations hold. Interviews with published, unpublished, and likely users reveal how scholars manage the career risks associated with unconventional method use. We find that scholars who are male and affiliated with top-tier universities, as well as those already committed to an identity consistent with the use of unconventional methods, have a greater hazard of using them in published work, though these associations depend on the extent to which the method diverges epistemologically from conventional methodology and the visibility of its lineage. In addition, we identify five successful (and two unsuccessful) strategies scholars use to manage their use of unconventional methods. Taken together, results from this mixed methods study advance knowledge on scientific practice, extend organization theory, and provides guidance to policymakers and administrators who aim to foster risky, path-breaking research.     

A blockchain use case in food distribution: Do you know where your food has been?

This paper aims to explain the implementation of blockchain technology in the production and supply chain delivery system for eggs from farm to consumer by a company based in the Midwestern USA. One of the primary research questions answered is how blockchain can be utilized and applied to more accurately and transparently move goods through global supply chains. This company is at the forefront of developing such systems for use in industry, and a use case for egg distribution is detailed. The goal is to track products from farm to fork using blockchain and internet of things (IoT) enabled technologies. By creating traceable and transparent supply chains for food, consumers can attain the information they need to make informed choices about the food they buy and the companies they support. For stakeholders in the food supply chain, having traceability and transparency builds better relationships with their customers, increases efficiency, and reduces the risk and cost of food recalls, fraud, and product loss. The blockchain technology and this business are creating a case for fixing and transforming the world’s food system.     

Information seeking,technology use,and vulnerability among migrants at the United States–Mexico border

Through interviews with migrants and migrant aid-workers at a shelter in the border town of Nogales, Mexico, we examine how undocumented migrants are seeking, acquiring, understanding, and using information prior to, and during, migration across the United States–Mexico border. Our study examines migrants' perceptions of humanitarian service and the use of so-called “border disturbance technologies” by activists to help prevent the death of migrants in the desert, finding that migrants appreciate water-caching efforts but generally distrust technologies they feel could subject them to surveillance by border agents. Exploratory in nature and based on a small sample, our findings are not necessarily representative of the broader population, but provide rich evidence of the prevalence of word-of-mouth information seeking and use of cell phones over other information technologies, and explore the ambivalent nature of information technology use in the vulnerable setting of life at the border. In particular, we find that mobile phones help migrants meet their communication needs, but also increase their exposure to crime and abuse.     

How can artificial intelligence enhance car manufacturing? A Delphi study-based identification and assessment of general use cases

The latest boom of artificial intelligence (AI) has left the information management community in strong need of structure-providing, high-level overview works. Such works are supposed to allow both researchers and practitioners to keep track of that steep development across the technology's numerous possible application domains. So it is among other things that AI is said to incorporate enormous potential for reducing the operational costs of car manufacturers all over the globe. Nevertheless, many of them are still struggling with adopting it at large scale just because of a lack of knowledge on if and where to apply it. This study is therefore designed to find out which general use cases exist for AI within the context of car manufacturing and which ones might be the most promising ones to pursue at this early stage. We conducted a Delphi study with 39 experts in 25 different globally scattered organizations over one and a half years. As a result, we were able to identify 20 different high-level use cases for AI along the entire car manufacturing process. Our panelists have completely ranked and assessed those 20 use cases within two different dimensions, i.e., their estimated business value and their realizability. Besides being the first study to provide such an overview at one glance and to give such quantitative insights on that steeply emerging topic, four use cases from that list have never been discussed in connection with car manufacturing within the scientific literature until now and can therefore be considered as completely new in that regard.     

Patients’ emotional bonding with MHealth apps: An attachment perspective on patients’ use of MHealth applications

While mobile health applications (mHealth apps) have attracted considerable practical and research attention in recent years, very few information systems (IS) studies have ever investigated patients’ use of mHealth apps. We draw insights from attachment theory, which states that when individuals experience fatigue or stress, they tend to develop affectionate bonds with objects that attend to their needs. Our study provides an evolutionary view on how patients’ attaining satisfaction of their basic needs through using mHealth apps leads to their emotional bonding with the mHealth apps and consequently contributes to their overall well-being. We surveyed 113 patients who used an mHealth app for hospitalization and discharge advice and education. We found that (a) patients’ emotional bonding with the apps mediated the impacts of autonomy and relatedness needs satisfaction on their well-being in terms of enhanced IT-enabled self-esteem and reduced post-surgery physical symptoms; and (b) autonomy need satisfaction positively and negatively moderated the impacts of competence and relatedness needs satisfaction, respectively, on patients’ emotional bonding with mHealth apps. Our findings not only contribute to the technology use literature and extend the interpretation of attachment theory in the IS field, but also yield practical insights for managers and developers who work in the mHealth industry.     

“Real life use” of troponin in the emergency department: a survey of over 3000 cases

Introduction

The aim of this study was to identify clinical variables which may be independently associated with positivity of a cardiac troponin I (cTnI) assay in a large population of patients admitted to the emergency department (ED).

Materials and methods

3166 subjects, with at least two troponin I tests ordered within 6 hours in the ED, were studied. Patient data were statistically analyzed to identify clinical associations with increased values of Troponin I.

Results

Although patients with diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome displayed troponin I values significantly higher than those of other groups, positivity to troponin I (> 40 ng/L) was also observed in patients with other clinical conditions. In multivariate analysis, age, elevated heart rate and electrocardiographyc changes were independently associated with troponin I positivity at admission. In the whole study population troponin I positivity exhibited high sensitivity and negative predictive value, counterbalanced by low specificity and limited positive predictive value.

Conclusions

Troponin I positivity should be combined with history and clinical evaluation and cautiously interpreted in the ED, especially in patients exhibiting factors associated with higher troponin I levels such as older age, elevated heart rate or ECG changes.Key words: troponin I, acute coronary syndrome, emergency service, hospital, chest pain     

Why do people use mobile payment technologies and why would they continue? An examination and implications from India

Mobile payment technology continues to spread across the globe, but its diffusion has not been uniform. Its low usage in developing economies is of particular concern to policymakers since this technology has the potential to enable financial inclusion. In this study, in order to develop policy interventions for greater usage, we comparatively analyze factors impacting actual usage and future use intention. India, with its uneven trajectory of mobile payments, gives us an appropriate field to investigate citizens’ usage behaviour. Considering users’ perceptions of both positive and negative attributes of the technology, we develop research models under the umbrella of the valence framework. We utilize technology affordances and constraints theory (TACT) to refine the research models through an understanding of various innovative uses. To test the valence-TACT models, we collect survey responses of 551 citizens across four Indian cities. The results from the models show how certain factors, such as convenience, reflection, and security, have different impacts on actual usage and future use intention, respectively. These findings have implications for critical issues like security, risk, and digital literacy, and can help in the design of policy recommendations for enhancing the use of mobile payments, thereby impacting financial inclusion for all. The valence-TACT model provides a theoretical contribution to mobile payment and innovation literature and also offers several policy insights.     

The use of material transfer agreements in academia: A threat to open science or a cooperation tool?

The transfer of scientific material and data, which are scientific inputs, is fundamental to knowledge creation dynamics. This transfer is being controlled, more and more, by the use of Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs). Therefore, the effect of MTAs on the dynamic of knowledge creation is an important concern. The aim of this research is to characterise the restrictions imposed by MTAs, and their determinants. We consider MTA diversity based on a comprehensive analysis of the clauses included in 171 MTAs signed by two French universities. We show that the clauses included in MTAs depend on several factors such as kind of material involved, research field, patenting and collection of material. We find that the presence of an industry actor is not associated to more restrictions on publication and intellectual property. We propose a typology of MTAs corresponding to different transfer situations. We discuss the role of MTAs as collaborative tools and the influence of the legal, scientific, political and organisational context.     

Examination incentives,learning, and patent office outcomes: The use of examiner’s amendments at the USPTO

We investigate how U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) patent examiner experience and seniority-based incentives affect the innovation ecosystem. First, we show that examiners respond to production incentives and demonstrate learning by increasing the use of examiner’s amendments in both experience and seniority, a mechanism not previously studied. Second, this examination procedure directly benefits innovators and firms by significantly reducing prosecution processing time without impacting patent quality. Finally, after considering examiner’s amendments, the negative relationship between examiner characteristics and patent examination quality found in the previous literature does not persist at first action, a decision point that allows for the clear measurement of examiner behavior. Our results demonstrate a need for reformulated policy recommendations related to the structure of examination at the USPTO.     

How motivational feedback increases user’s benefits and continued use: A study on gamification,quantified-self and social networking

With the increasing provenance of hedonic and social information systems, systems are observed to employ other forms of feedback and design than purely informational in order to increase user engagement and motivation. Three principle classes of motivational design pursuing user engagement have become increasingly established; gamification, quantified-self and social networking. This study investigates how the perceived prominence of these three design classes in users’ use of information system facilitate experiences of affective, informational and social feedback as well as user’s perceived benefits from a system and their continued use intentions. We employ survey data (N = 167) gathered from users of HeiaHeia; an exercise encouragement system that employs features belonging to the three design classes. The results indicate that gamification is positively associated with experiences of affective feedback, quantified-self with experiences of both affective and informational feedback and social networking with experiences of social feedback. Experiences of affective feedback are further strongly associated with user perceived benefits and continued use intentions, whereas experiences of informational feedback are only associated with continued use intentions. Experiences of social feedback had no significant relationship with neither. The findings provide practical insights into how systems can be designed to facilitate different types of feedback that increases users’ engagement, benefits and intentions to continue the use of a system.