Understanding the Intention to Use Virtual Currency in a Gamified E-Commerce Context

Gamification is all about using game features in a serious context to encourage people to use products or services. E-commerce has used gamification for marketing determinations to strengthen intent to use. Technology Acceptance Model is employed in the current study to investigate the intention to use gamified virtual currency in the Indian context. A survey was used to accumulate records from a random sample of relevant virtual currency users in an e-commerce context using a quantitative approach. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is expended for data analysis in this research. This empirical research shows the incremental impact of the users' perceptions of the ease of use and usefulness on intention to use virtual currency. The variable attitude seems to be not mediating significantly. There are also discussions, restrictions, and future research directions mentioned in this study

THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING AMONG ECO-TOURISTS IN MALAYSIA: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON MALAYSIAN ECOTOURISM

The focus of the study is to achieve the maximum advertising value on ecotourists using social media. In this area, the main objective of the “Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)” is to increase the present awareness of social media marketing. This topic is primarily concerned with exploring the context of social media advertisement with knowledge, service, and its behavioural intent to use social media ads within the unique environment of ecotourism in Malaysia. The approach of the study is to analyse a survey of 395 local Malaysian tourists in Klang Valley to test the “Technology Acceptance Model (TAM)”. The empirical findings denote that social media advertisement in ecotourism has positive effects on “Perceived ease of use” and “Perceived usefulness,” in terms of its ‘Informativeness’ and “Service Functionality.” That, in effect, contributes to the behavioural purpose of using social media ecotourism advertisements. The discipline’s findings indicate that advertising in social media in ecotourism needs to be utilized to provide a quick understanding. Also, the advertising is updated continuously to ensure reliable and appropriate sources to meet ecotourists’ information requirements and the support of tourist product ratings. These traits should satisfy travellers, making them likely to re-visit different ecotourism sights. These appearances should satisfy tourists and allow them to re-visit various ecotourist attractions.

Reasons for Utilizing Telemedicine during and after the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Internet-Based International Study

The COVID-19 pandemic challenges healthcare services. Concomitantly, this pandemic had a stimulating effect on technological expansions related to telehealth and telemedicine. We sought to elucidate the principal patients’ reasons for using telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic and the propensity to use it thereafter. Our primary objective was to identify the reasons of the survey participants’ disparate attitudes toward the use of telemedicine. We performed an online, multilingual 30-question survey for 14 days during March–April 2021, focusing on the perception and usage of telemedicine and their intent to use it after the pandemic. We analyzed the data to identify the attributes influencing the intent to use telemedicine and built decision trees to highlight the most important related variables. We examined 473 answers: 272 from Israel, 87 from Uruguay, and 114 worldwide. Most participants were women (64.6%), married (63.8%) with 1–2 children (52.9%), and living in urban areas (84.6%). Only a third of the participants intended to continue using telemedicine after the COVID-19 pandemic. Our main findings are that an expected substitution effect, technical proficiency, reduced queueing times, and peer experience are the four major factors in the overall adoption of telemedicine. Specifically, (1) for most participants, the major factor influencing their telemedicine usage is the implicit expectation that such a visit will be a full substitute for an in-person appointment; (2) another factor affecting telemedicine usage by patients is their overall technical proficiency and comfort level in the use of common web-based tools, such as social media, while seeking relevant medical information; (3) time saving as telemedicine can allow for asynchronous communications, thereby reducing physical travel and queuing times at the clinic; and finally (4) some participants have also indicated that telemedicine seems more attractive to them after watching family and friends (peer experience) use it successfully.

Exploring the Determinants of Intent to Adopt Mobile Value-Added Services by Women's Micro and Small Businesses in Tonga

This paper examines factors affecting the intention to adopt mobile value‐added services (MVS) by women's micro and small businesses (WMSBs) in the Kingdom of Tonga. Previous research on technology acceptance reveals that perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness affect the intent to use technologies. Nevertheless, studies on behavior propose that societal values affect the intent to use. The study tries to fill the gap by examining those three variables' effects on the intent to adopt MVS in Tonga—a Pacific island nation that embraces a distinctive culture of mutuality and sharing. After surveying 267 women microbusiness owners, the study reveals that the most influential determinant of intent to use MVS is social support. Social support also affects perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of MVS. Therefore, in collective cultures such as Tonga, leaders and decision-makers should involve social networks to expand the adoption of technologies.

Predicting Electronic Cigarette Use Among Adults in the Philippines

Background: The Philippines has one of the highest cigarette smoking rates in Southeast Asia. Tobacco prevention and control efforts should not be a one-size-fits-all approach. One of the most recent and highly marketed way of cutting down smoking is the use of E-cigarettes. But its use may also have potential harmful effects which would be similar to cigarette smoking. Purpose: This study aimed to determine the factors predicting electronic cigarette use among adults in a large metropolitan area in the Philippines. Methods:The study used a descriptive-correlational multivariate research design. Adults who are at least 18 years of age, who are electronic cigarettes users, dual users (electronic cigarette and cigarette users), and non-smokers were chosen for this study. The researchers utilized a researcher- made questionnaire based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) in gathering the data. Results: Multiple regression analysis suggests that positive attitude and high perceived behavioral control significantly predict intent to use electronic cigarettes. Moreover, intent to use is a significant predictor of actual e-cigarette use. Conclusion: People who have positive attitudes and high perceived behavioral control towards e-cigarette use are most likely to have higher intent to use e-cigarettes. Further, people who have high intent to use e-cigarettes will most likely use e-cigarettes. With reverence to the findings of this study, health managers and professionals should look into how e-cigarettes are being marketed to the public which may shape their attitude and behavior. Lastly, further studies should be conducted on other variables that may predict electronic cigarette use and measure health outcomes.

Comparing DNA yield from fish scales following different extraction protocols

Background Studies on genetic diversity, adaptive potential and fitness of species have become a major tool in conservation biology. These studies require biological material containing a reliable source of DNA which can be extracted and analysed. Recently, non-invasive sampling has become the preferred sampling method of such biological material; particularly when studying endangered species. Elasmoid scales from teleost fish are an example of non-invasive samples from which DNA can successfully be extracted. Methods This study compared different extraction protocols to find an optimal method for extracting DNA from teleost fish scales. This was done with the intent to use the protocol that yielded the highest quantity of DNA on dried, archived scales. The protocols tested in this study included (i) phenol/chloroform with a TNES-urea digestion buffer, (ii) phenol/chloroform with an amniocyte digestion buffer and (iii) Qiagen DNeasy Blood & Tissue Kit with variations in incubation times and temperatures of each protocol. Results While the phenol/chloroform with TNES-urea digestion buffer yielded significantly higher concentrations of DNA compared to the other protocols, all protocols followed in this study yielded sufficient quantities of DNA for further downstream applications. Conclusion Therefore, while there are multiple viable options when selecting a DNA extraction protocol, each research project’s individual needs, requirements and resources need to be carefully considered in order to choose the most effective protocol.

Application of Cannabis Use Intention Questionnaire (CUIQ) to First Year University Students

Cannabis is the illegal drug most used worldwide. Its long-term use increases the risk of depression and schizophrenia, causing a major public health problem. A validated questionnaire was applied to first year students of Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz to assess their intention regarding cannabis use. They do not consider cannabis to be much associated with well-being, they slightly consider the opinion of relatives, and they show a low intent to use the drug, believing themselves to have strong self-control. Scores are above average for 18-y.o. Portuguese students, except for belief in self-control.

The Epistemic Revolution Induced by Microbiome Studies: An Interdisciplinary View

Many separate fields and practices nowadays consider microbes as part of their legitimate focus. Therefore, microbiome studies may act as unexpected unifying forces across very different disciplines. Here, we summarize how microbiomes appear as novel major biological players, offer new artistic frontiers, new uses from medicine to laws, and inspire novel ontologies. We identify several convergent emerging themes across ecosystem studies, microbial and evolutionary ecology, arts, medicine, forensic analyses, law and philosophy of science, as well as some outstanding issues raised by microbiome studies across these disciplines and practices. An ‘epistemic revolution induced by microbiome studies’ seems to be ongoing, characterized by four features: (i) an ecologization of pre-existing concepts within disciplines, (ii) a growing interest in systemic analyses of the investigated or represented phenomena and a greater focus on interactions as their root causes, (iii) the intent to use openly multi-scalar interaction networks as an explanatory framework to investigate phenomena to acknowledge the causal effects of microbiomes, (iv) a reconceptualization of the usual definitions of which individuals are worth considering as an explanans or as an explanandum by a given field, which result in a fifth strong trend, namely (v) a de-anthropocentrification of our perception of the world.