Investigating the role of utilitarian and hedonic goals in characterizing customer loyalty in E-marketplaces.

Despite significant growth in sales in recent years, retaining customers remains a major challenge for the electronic marketplace (e-marketplace) industry worldwide, including Indonesia. The small basket size of Indonesian customers has created a highly price-sensitive market, making it difficult to nurture customer loyalty. This study investigates the factors affecting consumer behavior and loyalty in Indonesian e-marketplaces by employing a newly proposed E-Marketplace Customer Loyalty Model. Since customers' expectations have extended from mostly utilitarian-oriented goals to incorporate hedonic goals, the proposed model includes both utilitarian and hedonic-based constructs by integrating the Expectation-Confirmation Theory, e-service quality, and the Hedonic Information Systems Model. The proposed model was tested using a comparative approach of machine learning classification algorithms and partial least square, aiming to create a more robust model. The PLS analytical results of ECLM hiearchical component model from 678 customers show that the fulfillment of hedonic values via perceived enjoyment has a greater impact on customer satisfaction than utilitarian values of perceived service quality. Perceived enjoyment, personalization, and customer satisfaction positively affect customer loyalty. The classification results provide further evidence for all hypothesized relationships of the ECLM. The Sequential Minimal Optimization (SMO) algorithm has demonstrated superior performance compared with other classifiers in predicting the dependent variable in most cases. Based on findings, this study offers theoretical and practical implications, and recommendations for sustainable loyalty programs in e-marketplaces.

A Mechanical Sensor Designed for Dynamic Joint Angle Measurement.

Background. The measurement of the functional range of motion (FROM) of lower limb joints is an essential parameter for gait analysis especially in evaluating rehabilitation programs. Aim. To develop a simple, reliable, and affordable mechanical goniometer (MGR) for gait analysis, with six-degree freedom to dynamically assess lower limb joint angles. Design. Randomized control trials, in which a new MGR was developed for the measurements of FROM of lower limb joints. Setting. Reliability of the designed MGR was evaluated and validated by a motion analysis system (MAS). Population. Thirty healthy subjects participated in this study. Methods. Reliability and validity of the new MGR were tested by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), Bland-Altman plots, and linear correlation analysis. Results. The MGR has good inter- and intrarater reliability and validity with ICC ≥ 0.93 (for both). Moreover, measurements made by MGR and MAS were comparable and repeatable with each other, as confirmed by Bland-Altman plots. Furthermore, a very high degree of linear correlation (R ≥ 0.92 for all joint angle measurements) was found between the lower limb joint angles measured by MGR and MAS. Conclusion. A simple, reliable, and affordable MGR has been designed and developed to aid clinical assessment and treatment evaluation of gait disorders.

Characterization of the muscle electrical properties in low back pain patients by electrical impedance myography.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate the electrical properties of lumbar paraspinal muscles (LPM) of patients with acute lower back pain (LBP) and to study a new approach, namely Electrical Impedance Myography (EIM), for reliable, low-cost, non-invasive, and real-time assessment of muscle-strained acute LBP. DESIGN: Patients with muscle-strained acute LBP (n = 30) are compared to a healthy reference group (n = 30). Electrical properties of LPM are studied. BACKGROUND: EIM is a novel technique under development for the assessment of neuromuscular disease. Therefore, it is speculated that EIM can be employed for the assessment of muscle-strained acute LBP. METHODS: Surface electrodes, in 2-electrode configurations, was used to measure the electrical properties of patient's and healthy subject's LPM at six different frequencies (0.02, 25.02, 50.02, 1000.02, 3000.02, and 5000.02 kHz), with the amplitude of the applied voltage limited to 200 mV. Parameters of impedance (Z), extracellular resistance (Re), intracellular resistance (Ri), and the ratio of extracellular resistance to intracellular resistance (Re/Ri) of LBP patient's and healthy subject's LPM were assessed to see if significant difference in values obtained in muscle-strained acute LBP patients existed. RESULTS: Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) showed that all measurements (ICC>0.96 for all studying parameters: Z, Re, Ri, and Re/Ri) had good reliability and validity. Significant differences were found on Z between LBP patient's and healthy subject's LPM at all studying frequencies, with p<0.05 for all frequencies. It was also found that Re (p<0.05) and Re/Ri (p<0.05) of LBP patient's LPM was significant smaller than that of healthy subjects while Ri (p<0.05) of LBP patient's LPM was significant greater than that of healthy subjects. No statistical significant difference was found between the left and right LPM of LBP patients and healthy subjects on the four studying parameters. CONCLUSION: EIM is a promising technique for assessing muscle-strained acute LBP.

A preliminary study of the use of bioimpedance in the screening of squamous tongue cancer.

Oral cancers are the 11th most common malignancy reported worldwide, accounting for 3% of all newly diagnosed cancer cases, and one with high mortality ratios among all malignancies. The objective of this study was to study the electrical properties of cancerous tongue tissue (CTT) and normal tongue tissue (NTT). Five tongue cancer patients participated in this study. A disposable probe incorporating four silver electrodes was used to measure the electrical properties of CTT and the surrounding NTT of patients. Measurements were performed at six frequencies: 20 Hz; 50 kHz; 1.3 MHz; 2.5 MHz; 3.7 MHz; and 5 MHz, with the amplitude of the applied voltage limited to 200mV. Four measurement parameters of impedance (Z), phase angle (theta), real part of impedance (R), and imaginary part of impedance (X) of tongue tissue were assessed to see if there was any significant difference in the values obtained in CTT and surrounding NTT. The intraclass correlation coefficient showed that all measurements were reliable. A significant difference (P < 0.05 for the four measurement parameters) was found at 50kHz between CTT and surrounding NTT. It was also found that Z and R of CTT were generally smaller than that of surrounding NTT. In conclusion, bioimpedance at a particular frequency is a potentially promising technique for tongue cancer screening.

The use of bioimpedance in the detection/screening of tongue cancer.

Oral cancers are the 11th most common malignancy reported worldwide, accounting for 3% of all newly diagnosed cancer cases, and one with high mortality ratios among all malignancies. The objectives of this study were therefore to study the electrical properties of cancerous tongue tissue and normal tongue tissue, as well as to investigate a new approach for low-cost, noninvasive, and real-time screening of oral cancer. Twelve tongue cancer patients and twelve healthy subjects participated in this study. A disposable probe with four silver electrodes was used to measure the electrical properties of patient's and healthy subject's tongue tissues at six different frequencies, which were 20Hz, 50kHz, 1.3MHz, 2.5MHz, 3.7MHz and 5MHz. The amplitude of the applied voltage was limited to 200mV. Four measurement parameters of impedance, phase angle, real part of impedance, and imaginary part of impedance of tongue were assessed to see if significant difference in values obtained in patient's and healthy subject's tongue tissues existed. Intraclass correlation coefficient showed that all measurements had good reliability and validity (ICC>0.95 for all measurements). Significant differences were found at 20Hz (p<0.05-0.001 for the four measurement parameters) and 50kHz (p<0.001 for the four measurement parameters) between patient's and healthy subject's tongue tissues. In conclusion, bioimpedance at a particular frequency is a potentially promising technique for tongue cancer screening.