Exploring crucial social media marketing factors for improving customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in bed and breakfast sectors in Taiwan

PurposeThe Bed and Breakfast (B&B) enterprises generally lack sufficient human resources and time to conduct research on important social media marketing factors for visitors' satisfaction and visitors' intentions. Therefore, this study aims to provide crucial social media marketing and factors and service quality elements for improving customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in B&B sectors. This study also provides some recommendations for attracting more visitors and increasing customer satisfaction and customer loyalty through social media.Design/methodology/approachFirst, social media marketing factors and service quality elements were identified through the systematic literature review. Then these identified factors and elements were used to design a survey questionnaire for collecting data. The research data included responses of 64 B&B enterprises and 625 customers. The collected data was analyzed by feature selection approaches including Decision Tree algorithm and Information Gain to identify the key factors for improving customer satisfaction and customer loyalty.FindingsThe findings of this study determined that featured choice is an important social media marketing factor, and assurance is the common service quality element for both B&B enterprises and their customers in terms of satisfaction and loyalty.Originality/valueThis study adds a value to the growing literature on customer satisfaction and loyalty in B&B sectors by exploring key social media marketing factors and service quality elements. The study reveals several implications for theories and practices. The findings hopefully help B&B enterprises better social media marketing with less workforce and budget.

Quizzes and Eggs: Exploring the Impact of Course Design Elements on Students' Engagement

In this paper, we explored the impact of course design elements that aim to support and sustain students' engagement during a 12-week online course. The course we analyzed targeted higher education, master-level students of Computer Science and Educational Technologies, and took place fully online during the COVID-19 pandemic. The course was facilitated by a Learning Management System (LMS), and due to the circumstances, the instructor's primary goal was to motivate students to actively participate during the course duration. To that end, the instructor implemented a course design focused on integrating elements such as interactive activities, short quizzes, hidden "easter eggs,” and real-time webinars. To study the impact of these elements on students' activity, we carried out an exploratory analysis of students' activity as recorded by the log files of the LMS and the qualitative feedback that students provided to the instructor. Our results suggest that the course design supported sustaining students' engagement. The level of students' activity varied for the learning materials and resources, but we confirmed a high usage of the quizzes over the course duration. Copyright © 2023 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda.

A Physics Learning System Using Gamification for High-School Students

With rapid proliferation of digitalization and compulsion by COVID-19 pandemic, learning formats have been changing from face-To-face to online. Online education enables learners to take courses from anywhere, anytime, but it can also cause some problems for learners who struggle to maintain motivation. In addition, for STEAM education, it is important to engage in hands-on activities, but the ongoing pandemic has made it difficult for students to gather in one place to perform such activities. Incorporating gamification into online education can potentially motivate students and make STEAM education more interactive. On this premise, we have developed PhyGame as a learning system to help high-school students learn Physics. The system includes common game elements such as badges and leaderboards, and interactive simulation of Physics concepts embodying game-like charm. It also includes three modes of learning that allow students to adjust the difficulty according to their own learning levels, and a function that automatically saves learning log. For evaluation, PhyGame was used by students (N=23) at a high school in central Tokyo. The students rated the system on a scale of 1 to 10, and the main results are as follows: (1) Using PhyGame made learning enjoyable (mean score: 7.74);(2) PhyGame provided a good UI/UX (mean score: 7.83);(3) The overall experience with PhyGame was satisfactory (mean: 7.00). Our evaluation results show that interactive and gamified learning systems like PhyGame have a positive impact on user engagement and motivation. © 2023 IEEE.

Trace Elements Zinc and Selenium: Their Significance in the Conditions of the Covid-19 Pandemic

Within the conditions of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, when many questions regarding prevention and treatment strategies remain unsolved and the search for the best antiviral agents is underway, attention should be paid to the role of trace elements zinc and selenium in increasing the body's resistance to viral infections and their direct antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2. Experimental data show that trace elements zinc and selenium not only actthrough regulating the immune response at all levels of humoral and cellular immunity, but also can play a significant role in adjuvant therapy for viral diseases. This is especially relevant in the case of COVID-19. Studies of the direct antiviral effect of these micro-elements testify to its 3 main ways to SARS-Cov-2: I - counteraction to virus replication and its transcription through: (i) their covalent binding to the SH-group of the cysteine of the main protease M(Pro) of the virus;(ii) inhibition of its RNA polymerase activity by zinc;II - preventing the penetration of the virus into cells due to blocking SH-groups of protein disulfide isomerase (RDI) of the protein of its spikes (peplomers);III - decreasing the adsorption capacity of the virus due to the blocking of the electrostatic interaction of SARS-CoV-2 peplomers and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE-2) in ultra-low, uncharacteristic oxidation states (Zn+1and Se-2). The intensity of the antiviral action of these trace elements may depend on their chemical form. It was found that zinc citrate (a five-membered complex of zinc with citric acid) and monoselenium citric acid obtained with the help of nanotechnology have a greater intensity of action and higher chemical purity. Taking into account the immunostimulating and direct antiviral effect of zinc and selenium, their use in the form of pharmaceuticals and dietary supplements should be considered as adjunctive therapy for SARS-CoV-2 in patients, or as a preventive strategy for uninfected people from risk groups during the spread of COVID-19.Copyright © Publisher PH <<Akademperiodyka>> of the NAS of Ukraine, 2023.

Mitigating poverty and undernutrition through social protection: a simulation analysis of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh and Myanmar

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in severe income losses, but little is known about its impacts on diets and nutritional adequacy, or the effectiveness of social protection interventions in mitigating dietary and nutritional impacts. We first assess the likely impacts of COVID-19 shocks in Bangladesh and Myanmar on poverty and food and nutrient consumption gaps. We then analyze the estimated mitigating effects of five hypothetical social protection interventions of a typical monetary value: (1) cash transfers;(2) in-kind transfers of common rice;(3) in-kind transfers of fortified rice enriched with multiple essential micronutrients;(4) vouchers for a diversified basket of rice and non-staple foods;and (5) food vouchers with fortified rice instead of common rice. The simulation results suggest modest effectiveness of the cash transfers for mitigating poverty increases and little effectiveness of all five transfers for preventing increasing food and nutrient consumption gaps among the poorest 40%. Rice fortification is, however, effective at closing key micronutrient consumption gaps and could be a suitable policy instrument for averting 'hidden hunger' during economic crises.

Identification of host factors that bind to the 5 ' end of the MERS-CoV RNA genome

Plain language summaryMERS-CoV is a virus that causes a severe illness in the nose, mouth and throat of humans. It is a zoonotic virus, which means that it can spread from animals to humans. MERS-CoV was first found in Saudi Arabia in 2012 and continues to pose a threat to public health. Interactions between the virus and human cells and proteins are important to establishing infection. Understanding these interactions is important for the development of drugs to treat viral infections. Here, we have identified some proteins that interact with MERS-CoV. Tweetable A proteomic approach for the identification of cellular proteins that interact with the 5 '-terminal region of MERS-CoV RNA genome. #MERS-CoV #RNA_viruses. Aim: The aim of this study was to identify host factors that interact with the 5 ' end of the MERS-CoV RNA genome. Materials & methods: RNA affinity chromatography followed by mass spectrometry analysis was used to identify the binding of host factors in Vero E6 cells. Results: A total of 59 host factors that bound the MERS-CoV RNA genome in non-infected Vero E6 cells were identified. Most of the identified cellular proteins were previously reported to interact with the genome of other RNA viruses. We validated our mass spectrometry results using western blotting. Conclusion: These data enhance our knowledge about the RNA-host interactions of coronaviruses, which could serve as targets for developing antiviral therapeutics against MERS-CoV.

Emerging Key Elements of a Business Model for Sustaining the Cultural and Creative Industries in the Post-Pandemic Era

In this article, the challenges that cultural and creative industry (CCI) firms face in forming sustainable business models—issues heightened by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the evolving consumer patterns that it has triggered—are addressed. The goal of this study was to identify a set of unique key elements crucial for the construction of a business model that aligns with the distinct characteristics of CCIs. To achieve this goal, an in-depth, long-term study using semi-structured interviews with proprietors in Eastern Taiwan was conducted. This region is home to unique, small-scale cultural and creative businesses and represents less than 5% of Taiwan's population. The semi-structured, in-depth interviews served as the data collection method, while content analysis was used for data interpretation. This approach allowed the current study to encapsulate a set of key elements that could inform the creation of a business model for CCI firms. The insights gathered by the study provide a robust framework for the development of sustainable CCI business models, offering valuable guidance for both existing businesses seeking to adapt and grow and new entrepreneurs entering the industry. This research also aims to stimulate further scholarly debate on the importance of a tailored, multidisciplinary business model for CCIs, given their unique needs and characteristics.

Public sector's misinformation debunking during the public health campaign: a case of Hong Kong.

For a public health campaign to succeed, the public sector is expected to debunk the misinformation transparently and vividly and guide the citizens. The present study focuses on COVID-19 vaccine misinformation in Hong Kong, a non-Western society with a developed economy and sufficient vaccine supply but high vaccine hesitancy. Inspired by the Health Belief Model (HBM) and research on source transparency and the use of visuals in the debunking, the present study examines the COVID-19 vaccine misinformation debunking messages published by the official social media and online channels of the public sector of Hong Kong (n = 126) over 18 months (1 November 2020 to 20 April 2022) during the COVID-19 vaccination campaign. Results showed that the most frequently occurring misinformation themes were misleading claims about the risks and side effects of vaccination, followed by (non-)effectiveness of the vaccines and the (un)-necessity of vaccination. Among the HBM constructs, barriers and benefits of vaccination were mentioned the most, while self-efficacy was the least addressed. Compared with the early stage of the vaccination campaign, an increasing number of posts contained susceptibility, severity or cues to action. Most debunking statements did not disclose any external sources. The public sector actively used illustrations, with affective illustrations outnumbering cognitive ones. Suggestions for improving the quality of misinformation debunking during public health campaigns are discussed.

A review of HTA guidelines on societal and novel value elements.

OBJECTIVES: Health technology assessment (HTA) organizations vary in terms of how they conduct assessments. We assess whether and to what extent HTA bodies have adopted societal and novel elements of value in their economic evaluations. METHODS: After categorizing "societal" and "novel" elements of value, we reviewed fifty-three HTA guidelines. We collected data on whether each guideline mentioned each societal or novel element of value, and if so, whether the guideline recommended the element's inclusion in the base case, sensitivity analysis, or qualitative discussion in the HTA. RESULTS: The HTA guidelines mention on average 5.9 of the twenty-one societal and novel value elements we identified (range 0-16), including 2.3 of the ten societal elements and 3.3 of the eleven novel value elements. Only four value elements (productivity, family spillover, equity, and transportation) appear in over half of the HTA guidelines, whereas thirteen value elements are mentioned in fewer than one-sixth of the guidelines, and two elements receive no mention. Most guidelines do not recommend value element inclusion in the base case, sensitivity analysis, or qualitative discussion in the HTA. CONCLUSIONS: Ideally, more HTA organizations will adopt guidelines for measuring societal and novel value elements, including analytic considerations. Importantly, simply recommending in guidelines that HTA bodies consider novel elements may not lead to their incorporation into assessments or ultimate decision making.

Seaweeds and Corals from the Brazilian Coast: Review on Biotechnological Potential and Environmental Aspects.

Brazil has a megadiversity that includes marine species that are distributed along 800 km of shoreline. This biodiversity status holds promising biotechnological potential. Marine organisms are important sources of novel chemical species, with applications in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, chemical, and nutraceutical fields. However, ecological pressures derived from anthropogenic actions, including the bioaccumulation of potentially toxic elements and microplastics, impact promising species. This review describes the current status of the biotechnological and environmental aspects of seaweeds and corals from the Brazilian coast, including publications from the last 5 years (from January 2018 to December 2022). The search was conducted in the main public databases (PubChem, PubMed, Science Direct, and Google Scholar) and in the Espacenet database (European Patent Office-EPO) and the Brazilian National Property Institute (INPI). Bioprospecting studies were reported for seventy-one seaweed species and fifteen corals, but few targeted the isolation of compounds. The antioxidant potential was the most investigated biological activity. Despite being potential sources of macro- and microelements, there is a literature gap regarding the presence of potentially toxic elements and other emergent contaminants, such as microplastics, in seaweeds and corals from the Brazilian coast.

A comparative study of serum Zn, Cu, Mg, Mn, Cr, and Fe levels and their association with the vulnerability of Iraqi COVID-19 patients.

BACKGROUND: For the immune system to protect the body from infectious diseases such as COVID-19, it needs the ideal amount of vital trace elements. Trace element levels, especially, zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr), and iron (Fe) levels, may affect how sensitive an individual is to COVID-19 and other viruses. The current study evaluated the level of those trace elements during stays in the isolation center and investigated their association with vulnerability to COVID-19. METHODS: A total of 120 individuals, 49 males and 71 females aged between 20 and 60 years, were included in this study. Forty individuals infected with COVID-19, 40 individuals who had recovered from it, and 40 healthy individuals, were all evaluated and studied. By using a flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer, levels of Zn, Cu, and Mg were assessed for all samples, whereas levels of Mn, and Cr were determined by a flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometer. RESULTS: The infected individuals had significantly lower levels of Zn, Mg, Mn, Cr, and Fe than recovered individuals and healthy control individuals (P < 0.0001). On the other hand, the total number of infected patients was found to have much higher levels of Cu than those in the recovered group and the control group. For the recovered and healthy control groups, no significant differences were observed in the levels of trace elements (P > 0.05), except for Zn (P < 0.01). Also, the findings indicated no association of trace elements with age and BMI (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: These results show that an imbalance in the levels of essential trace elements could be associated with increasing the risk of COVID-19 infection. However, additional thorough research of greater scope is required considering the severity of the infection.

Implications of the Improvement in Atmospheric Fine Particles: A Case Study of COVID-19 Pandemic in Northern Taiwan

The outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic in northern Taiwan led to the implementation of Level 3 alert measures during 2021 and thereby impacted the air quality significantly, which provided an unprecedented opportunity to better understand the control strategies on air pollutants in the future. This study investigated the variations in sources, chemical characteristics and human health risks of PM2.5 comprehensively. The PM2.5 mass concentrations decreased from pre-alert to Level 3 alert by 49.4%, and the inorganic ions, i.e., NH4+, NO3- and SO42-, dropped even more by 71%, 90% and 52%, respectively. Nonetheless, organic matter (OM) and elemental carbon (EC) simply decreased by 36% and 13%, which caused the chemical composition of PM2.5 to change so that the carbonaceous matter in PM2.5 dominated instead of the inorganic ions. Correlation-based hierarchical clustering analysis further showed that PM2.5 was clustered with carbonaceous matter during the Level 3 alert, while that clustered with inorganic ions during both pre-alert and post-alert periods. Moreover, 6 sources of PM2.5 were identified by positive matrix factorization (PMF), in which secondary nitrate (i.e., aging traffic aerosols) exhibited the most significant decrease and yet primary traffic-related emissions, dominated by carbonaceous matter, changed insignificantly. This implied that secondary traffic-related aerosols could be easily controlled when traffic volume declined, while primary traffic source needs more efforts in the future, especially for the reduction of carbonaceous matter. Therefore, cleaner energy for vehicles is still needed. Assessments of both carcinogenic risk and non-carcinogenic risk induced by the trace elements in PM2.5 showed insignificant decrease, which can be attributed to the factories that did not shut down during Level 3 alert. This study serves as a metric to underpin the mitigation strategies of air pollution in the future and highlights the importance of carbonaceous matter for the reduction in PM2.5.

Spirulina platensis from Nomayos: a potential health food for the management of COVID-19 infection

The proteins (37%), carbohydrates (24.4%) and lipids (30.1%) contents of S. platensis from Nomayos provide the body with its structural and energy needs for about 518.8 Kcal per 100g of spirulina. Polyphenols (56.4 mEq. QE / g ES.), flavanols (13.2 mEq. QE / g ES.) flavonoids (21.2 mEq. QE / g ES.), carotenoids (3, 8%) and phycocyanin (16.15%) is responsible of its antioxidant capacities (7.5 + 0.33 mg eq. Vit C/g ES) and for a significant decrease in malondialdehyde MDA (< 0.001) concentration. Zinc (25 mG/Kg), Iron (256 mG/Kg), Selenium (1.24 mG/Kg), Manganese (23mG/Kg) and Copper (28.95 mG/Kg) reinforce this antioxidant power because they are cofactors of enzymes (Superoxide dismutase, Peroxidase, Catalase) which ensure the fight against free radicals. The presence of phycocyanin is an asset for the anti-inflammatory action. The significant decrease in IL-8 (p < 0.001) and TNF alpha (p < 0.04) levels confirms this property. On the other hand, the nonsignificant increase in Il-6 (1.56 to 2.18 pg/m;p > 0.05) would be partly responsible for the rise in CD4 levels (p < 0.001) and the reduction in viral load in immune deficiency patients (p = 0.000) supplemented with spirulina. In conclusion, S. platensis from Nomayos by its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immuno-stimulatory properties would be a good supplement food for subjects at risk of developing severe forms of COVID-19.

Preliminary Investigation on Wrist Temperature Control by Wearable Peltier Armband

Due to COVID-19 pandemic, body temperature measurement in commercial facilities is performed using a non-contact method. However, if the human body can be controlled in some way to disguise body temperature, a thermometer would have difficulty detecting an entrant with a fever. In this study, we propose a method to control body temperature measured at the wrist in order to demonstrate the vulnerability of temperature measurement at the wrist. Our device lowers body temperature by cooling the upper arm, thereby cooling blood flow and reducing the intensity of infrared radiation detected by a thermometer. The implemented device was used to cool the upper arm under three different conditions. The results showed that cooling the blood flow in the upper arm can lower the body temperature at the wrist. The cooled body temperature was difficult to maintain after the end of cooling, irrespective of the cooling intensity and cooling time. © 2022 ACM.

Online creative community support: Framing of two independent documentary films? creation from Caochangdi Workstation during the COVID-19 pandemic

In late December 2019, the world witnessed the outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which subsequently led to numerous social and work limitations including face-to-face communication and documentary production worldwide. While many studies have focused on the framing of COVID-19 by mainstream news agencies and political figures, few studies have concentrated on the perspectives of independent filmmakers regarding the pandemic. The challenges faced by these niche filmmakers during COVID-19 would have likely magnified and changed due to the uncertainties that befell filming and distribution. In this intrinsic case study, the researcher aims to explore the creative processes of two documentary films, Luo Luo's Fear and Entrapment, produced by emerging and experienced filmmakers, respectively, during the pandemic while participating in the Caochangdi (CCD) Workstation's Folk Memory Project. A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted on data collected from in-depth interviews with two participants and their reflective memos. This work also seeks to describe the filmmakers' experiences of filming during the pandemic and how these experiences framed their documentary filmmaking. Next, the researcher explores the salient visual framework used by the filmmakers through their documentary film analysis. Both films focused on their fears and challenges at this particular time of the pandemic, framing the entire film through internal monologues that have also become a distinctive style of their own creation. Overall, the current research contributes to the limited literature by focusing on the impacts of building of online strategies and creative community support on independent filmmakers' self-rescue during the pandemic and how visual framing can be enhanced in the study of films.

Trace elements: role in the development of severe forms of COVID-19 and the possibility of correction

The COVID-19 pandemic has set tasks for health professionals, in particular, related to the rapid diagnosis of the disease and the provision of medical care to patients with a new coronavirus infection. All over the world, scientific work is being carried out on the study of the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of the dis-ease, the development of new means of its prevention and treatment. Epidemiological studies have identified a number of physiological and other factors that increase the risk of developing severe forms of the disease. Among them: old age, as well as concomitant diseases, including diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease and others. Changes in the balance of trace elements (ME) are considered as a risk factor for the development of severe forms of COVID-19. It is especially important that this factor can potentially be influenced, especially given the potential for replenishing the ME deficit in patients with COVID-19 for the purpose of early recovery and faster rehabilitation.Copyright © 2022 Tomsk Polytechnic University, Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Characterization and Source Apportionment of PM in Handan—A Case Study during the COVID-19

Handan is a typical city affected by regional particulate pollution. In order to investigate particulate matter (PM) characterization, source contributions and health risks for the general populations, we collected PM samples at two sites affected by a pollution event (12–18 May 2020) during the COVID-19 pandemic and analyzed the major components (SNA, OCEC, WSIIs, and metal elements). A PCA-MLR model was used for source apportionment. The carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks caused by metal elements in the PM were assessed. The results show that the renewal of old neighborhoods significantly influences local PM, and primarily the PM10;the average contribution to PM10 was 27 μg/m3. The source apportionment has indicated that all other elements came from dust, except Cd, Pb and Zn, and the contribution of the dust source to PM was 60.4%. As PM2.5 grew to PM10, the PM changed from basic to acidic, resulting in a lower NH4+ concentration in PM10 than PM2.5. The carcinogenic risk of PM10 was more than 1 × 10−6 for both children and adults, and the excess mortality caused by the renewal of the community increased by 23%. Authorities should pay more attention to the impact of renewal on air quality. The backward trajectory and PSCF calculations show that both local sources and short-distance transport contribute to PM—local sources for PM10, and short-distance transport in southern Hebei, northern Henan and northern Anhui for PM2.5, SO2 and NO2. © 2023 by the authors.

Comparison of Exclamation Mark Usage as Message Nuances in Digital Chat Communication Between Japanese and Indonesian

Exclamation mark or kantanfu in Japanese, is one of written language elements used to convey expressions. Based on exclamation mark usage, the meaning and nuance of a sentence could differ. Amidst the COVID19 pandemic that limits one's interaction to another, the frequency of digital communication has significantly increased. Digital communication through chats has become an activity that cannot be separated from everyday life. Therefore, it is important to understand exclamation marks correctly. The aim of this study is to avoid misunderstandings that could happen through chats in Japanese. This study will compare the use and interpretation of exclamation marks in Japanese chat between Indonesians and Japanese. Japanese chat messages containing exclamation marks were analyzed using Hymes' SPEAKING theory. This study uses Creswell's convergent mixed methods, with quantitative data of Indonesians' questionnaire survey results, and qualitative data of interviews with Japanese people. Study results show that there are differences in the use and function of exclamation marks between Indonesians and Japanese. © 2022 IEEE.

Anxiety Prediction Based on Finger Pulse Wave Signal and Convolutional Neural Network

One of the key elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is the pulse wave diagnosis technique, and the pulse wave signal contains a variety of physiological information. A deep learning model was used in this study to train and predict 500 pieces of pulse wave data from adult males during the novel coronavirus epidemic, and it was able to do so with a prediction accuracy of over 70%. © 2022 IEEE.

The image of women in the philosophical tales of Europe.

In this period of sanitary crisis - Covid-2019, the article investigates the fictional portrayal of women in Charles Perrault's and Voltaire's writings. By analyzing the tales, we examine the gender-specific elements put forward in the philosopher's prose and thus to define a possible contribution to current women rights. In an effort, first, to determine the historical and social context, a consideration of "the image of women in 18th century France" has been established. Then the author derives from the observation of several critical studies, emphasizing on Charles Perrault's and Voltaire's contradictory attitude towards women. Therefore, this chapter attempts to provide an intelligible answer to the question if the free-thinker must be considered as a misogynist or as a precursor of feminism. The main part of this paper presents a synthetic overview, as well as a descriptive analysis of the female protagonists' profile, followed by a discussion of a few remarkable main characters and, finally, a review of closely related themes. The study concludes that, despite the strong masculine values dominating his epoch, Charles Perrault's and Voltaire's fictional work, in its historical definition, can partly be considered as a key in feminist efforts.Copyright © 2020 Ubiquity Press. All rights reserved.