Rating valence versus rating distribution: perceived helpfulness of word of mouth in e-commerce.

The success of e-commerce (EC) platforms depends heavily on word of mouth (WOM). Therefore, it is important to understand the characteristics of WOM, an aspect of consumer behavior, and using this knowledge to create customer experiences that helps the business to remain competitive. The factors that influence consumer behavior are classified into four types: the amount of WOM, text characteristics, reviewer characteristics and valence. However, the perspective of rating distribution is missing. This information has been provided to consumers on major EC platforms to help them improve their product quality product quality. Previous research is limited because it is difficult to quantify the improvement in their judgments. Therefore, this study investigates the impact of rating valence and distribution of ratings for personal computers through a randomized controlled trial in an online survey environment. The results show that rating valence has a greater impact on purchase intention than rating distribution. However, rating distribution, which is polarized both positively and negatively, contributes to WOM intention to help. In addition, the polarized rating distribution has a positive impact on consumers who prefer online purchases but a negative impact on consumers who prefer offline purchases as it gives the impression of risk. Therefore, EC platform operators should consider rating distribution as a recommended product algorithm.

Disengaged, Positive, or Negative: Parents' Attitudes Toward Learning From Home Amid COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many countries to close their schools and to change their education system to adopt the learning from home (LFH) method, which arguably requires more direct involvement from parents to succeed. This study explored parent's attitudes toward LFH policy based on a survey of 261 participants from 16 provinces in Indonesia. Employing latent class analysis, we revealed three distinct groups of parents with unique compounds of attitudes toward LFH (i.e., disengaged, positive, and negative). Disengaged parents neither consider LFH useful, nor do they see it as demanding. In contrast, the other two groups of parents have quite the opposite views on the usefulness and demandingness of LFH. Further analysis using multinomial logistic regression revealed that older parents from low-income households tend to be disengaged while fathers of young children tend to have negative attitudes toward LFH. Interestingly, the ownership of a personal computer at home seems to be a key indicator of parents with positive attitudes toward LFH after controlling for other demographic factors. How the findings provide a firsthand insight on the existence of digital divide by highlighting the importance of access to personal computers at home is further discussed.

Natural radionuclides in electronic waste: an initial approach.

Some radionuclides are present in trace amount in the raw material of electronic devices that suffer obsolescence and are improperly disposed of. Obsolete personal computers become electronic waste and may contain potential environmental contaminants. Furthermore, there may be an additional concern: the ionizing radiation emission. This study aimed to assess qualitatively the possibility of alpha and beta particles and gamma rays reaching somehow workers involved in the handling of such wastes. Using gamma spectrometry method, we analyzed a set of 10 microprocessors randomly taken from motherboards incorrectly discarded. The analysis resulted in the occurrence of primordial radioisotopes in the microchips.

Quantifying the potential export flows of used electronic products in Macau: a case study of PCs.

The used electronic product (UEP) has attracted the worldwide attentions because part of e-waste may be exported from developed countries to developing countries in the name of UEP. On the basis of large foreign trade data of electronic products (e-products), this study adopted the trade data approach (TDA) to quantify the potential exports of UEP in Macau, taking a case study of personal computers (PCs). The results show that the desktop mainframes, LCD monitors, and CRT monitors have more low-unit-value trades with higher trade volumes in the past 10 years, while the laptop and tablet PCs, as the newer technologies, owned the higher ratios of the high-unit-value trades. During the period of 2005-2015, the total mean exports for used laptop and tablet PCs, desktop mainframes, and LCD monitors were approximately 18,592, 79,957, and 43,177 units, respectively, while the possible export volume of used CRT monitors was higher, up to 430,098 units in 2000-2010. Noticed that these potential export volumes could be the lower bound because not all used PCs may be shipped using the PC trade code. For all the four kinds of used PCs, the majority (61.6-98.82%) of the export volumes have gone to Hong Kong, followed by Mainland China and Taiwan. Since 2011, there was no CRT monitor export; however, the other kinds of used PC exports will still exist in Macau in the future. The outcomes are helpful to understand and manage the current export situations of used products in Macau, and can also provide a reference for other countries and regions.

Flame retardants on the surface of phones and personal computers.

Mobile phones and personal computers (PCs) are essential products that are frequently contacted in daily life. Thus, phones and computers containing flame retardants (FRs) may play vital roles in human exposure to FRs. We measured several FRs, including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy) ethane (BTBPE), decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), tetrabromobisphenol (TBBPA), and phosphate flame retardants (PFRs), on the surfaces of phones and PCs (laptop keyboards and mice). Triphenyl phosphate (TPHP, 228pg/cm2) and tris(chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP, 43pg/cm2) were the most abundant chemicals on the surfaces of phones, while TPHP (65pg/cm2), TCIPP (48pg/cm2), and DBDPE (22pg/cm2) were dominant on the surfaces of PCs. The usage time and time after the production of the electronics were not significantly correlated with the FR concentrations, except for that of BDE 209. The concentrations of FRs differed on the surfaces of different brands of electronics. Dermal contact with the surface of electronics may contribute to human exposure to FRs, which should be of concern.

mHealth Security.

With the implementation of Electronic Health Record (EHR), the patients' health information will reside on the network of computers that can be accessed through a variety of techniques and technologies. One of the widely used present-day communication technology is the mobile/cell phone that has great potential in the healthcare delivery and management as the healthcare providers can remotely access electronically stored health information of patients from anywhere anytime. One of the greatest advantages of the mobile health technology is convenience of time-independent communication from geographically distant places with the healthcare centers and patients that enhances healthcare quality at reduced cost. However, its equally great disadvantage lies in sending and receiving the health information wirelessly through atmosphere which can be easily intercepted, eavesdropped, interjected, modified or even destroyed.

Emerging 21(st) Century Medical Technologies.

Although several medical technologies have been around since decades and are in the continuous process of development, some latest technologies are changing the way medicine would be practiced in the future. These technologies would allow medical practice from anywhere, any time and from any device. These include smart phones, Tablet PCs, Touch screens, digital ink, voice recognition, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), Health Information Exchange (HIE), Nationwide Health Information Network (NwHIN), Personal Health Records (PHRs), patient portals, Nanomedicine, genome-based personalized medicine, Geographical Positioning System (GPS), Radiofrequency Identification (RFID), Telemedicine, clinical decision support (CDS), mobile home healthcare, cloud computing, and social media, to name a few significant.

Clinical application of minimizing picture archiving and communication system / 中华放射学杂志

Objective To investigate the use of the minimizing picture archiving and communication system (mini PACS) in practical work and to realize the advent of filmless radiology Methods A PC based ethernet was set up The medical imaging equipments including CT, MR, digital fluoroscopy, DSA, and a laser camera were combined with the ethernet, and the digital imaging network (DIN) was integrated with the medical diagnostic imaging system (MDIS) In this way, the radiology information system (RIS) was established Through one of the PC workstations with a double network card, this RIS was connected to the hospital information system (HIS) Results The mini PACS has been repeatedly used for more than 2 years The system in Radiology department has been established and improved With the present digital imaging system, such functions as the acquiring, storing, transmitting, printing, and browsing of digital images have been put into practice, all in accordance with the manners of the digital imaging communication in medicine 3 0 (DICOM 3 0) Digital imaging and diagnostic reports were managed through Microsoft Access database Images may be kept on line in different kinds of equipment for 3-6 months All images have been recorded on CD R disks, so as to be kept off line permanently So far, over 32 700 reports have been stored in the database From mini PACS HIS terminals images and diagnostic information may be acquired on a limited scale Conclusion mini PACS needs only a low cost of investment and operation Its maintenance is simple and its performance is efficient The main functions of the PACS can mostly be achieved There lies a bright prospect for its use in small and medium hospitals

Algorithms for Fresnel Diffraction at Rectangular and Circular Apertures.

This paper summarizes the theory of Fresnel diffraction by plane rectangular and circular apertures with a view toward numerical computations. Approximations found in the earlier literature, and now obsolete, have been eliminated and replaced by algorithms suitable for use on a personal computer.