Consumer Intentions to Use Electronic Banking Channels: The Role of Task-Channel Fit

<p>The increase in electronically mediated self-service technologies in the banking industry is changing the way banks service consumers. Despite a large body of research on electronic banking channels, no study has been undertaken to explore the importance of the fit between electronic banking channels and banking tasks. Nor has there been research into how task-channel fit and other factors influence consumer intentions to use electronic banking channels. Integrating task-technology fit theory with acceptance and adoption research, this research develops and tests a research model that explains how the task-channel fit (TCF) and other factors impact on consumers' intentions to use electronic banking channels. An exploratory study was first conducted, investigating industry experts' perceptions towards the concept of task-channel fit of electronic banking channels. The findings demonstrate that the concept was perceived as being highly relevant by bank managers. A research model was then developed drawing on the existing literature on electronic banking channels. Following this, five exploratory focus groups were conducted in order to assess the initial conceptualization of the research model. Subsequently, a survey questionnaire instrument was developed using judgment rounds and two pretest evaluations. Central to the scale development was the measurement of the TCF construct. Drawing on IS strategy and alignment literatures, a parallel instrument was created in order to determine TCF across several unique dimensions. A pilot study assessed responses from 280 consumers using Internet banking for two different banking tasks. Overall, the scales demonstrated high reliability and showed adequate construct validity. The analysis of the pilot study suggested that the TCF construct and other antecedents of consumer intentions to use Internet banking explained a substantial amount of variance in the dependent variable. The scales were refined in light of the pilot study. In the main study, 340 responses were collected from consumers using Internet banking for account inquiries or financial loans. The results showed that the TCF construct was a strong predictor of consumers' perceptions on the usefulness of Internet banking and their attitudes towards these services for both banking tasks. Overall, the TCF construct and other identified variables accounted for at least 63% of variance in the dependent variable.</p>

Consumer Intentions to Use Electronic Banking Channels: The Role of Task-Channel Fit

<p>The increase in electronically mediated self-service technologies in the banking industry is changing the way banks service consumers. Despite a large body of research on electronic banking channels, no study has been undertaken to explore the importance of the fit between electronic banking channels and banking tasks. Nor has there been research into how task-channel fit and other factors influence consumer intentions to use electronic banking channels. Integrating task-technology fit theory with acceptance and adoption research, this research develops and tests a research model that explains how the task-channel fit (TCF) and other factors impact on consumers' intentions to use electronic banking channels. An exploratory study was first conducted, investigating industry experts' perceptions towards the concept of task-channel fit of electronic banking channels. The findings demonstrate that the concept was perceived as being highly relevant by bank managers. A research model was then developed drawing on the existing literature on electronic banking channels. Following this, five exploratory focus groups were conducted in order to assess the initial conceptualization of the research model. Subsequently, a survey questionnaire instrument was developed using judgment rounds and two pretest evaluations. Central to the scale development was the measurement of the TCF construct. Drawing on IS strategy and alignment literatures, a parallel instrument was created in order to determine TCF across several unique dimensions. A pilot study assessed responses from 280 consumers using Internet banking for two different banking tasks. Overall, the scales demonstrated high reliability and showed adequate construct validity. The analysis of the pilot study suggested that the TCF construct and other antecedents of consumer intentions to use Internet banking explained a substantial amount of variance in the dependent variable. The scales were refined in light of the pilot study. In the main study, 340 responses were collected from consumers using Internet banking for account inquiries or financial loans. The results showed that the TCF construct was a strong predictor of consumers' perceptions on the usefulness of Internet banking and their attitudes towards these services for both banking tasks. Overall, the TCF construct and other identified variables accounted for at least 63% of variance in the dependent variable.</p>

Modulation of TASK-1/3 channels at the hypoglossal motoneuron pool and effects on tongue motor output and responses to excitatory inputs in vivo: implications for strategies for obstructive sleep apnea pharmacotherapy

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs exclusively during sleep due to reduced tongue motor activity. Withdrawal of excitatory inputs to the hypoglossal motor nucleus (HMN) from wake to sleep contributes to this reduced activity. Several awake–active neurotransmitters with inputs to the HMN (e.g. serotonin [5-HT]) inhibit K+ leak mediated by TASK-1/3 channels on hypoglossal motoneurons, leading to increased neuronal activity in vitro. We hypothesize that TASK channel inhibition at the HMN will increase tongue muscle activity in vivo and modulate responses to 5-HT. We first microperfused the HMN of anesthetized rats with TASK channel inhibitors: doxapram (75 μM, n = 9), A1899 (25 μM, n = 9), ML365 (25 μM, n = 9), acidified artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF, pH = 6.25, n = 9); and a TASK channel activator terbinafine (50 μM, n = 9); all with and without co-applied 5-HT (10 mM). 5-HT alone at the HMN increased tongue motor activity (202.8% ± 45.9%, p &lt; 0.001). However, neither the TASK channel inhibitors, nor activator, at the HMN changed baseline tongue activity (p &gt; 0.716) or responses to 5-HT (p &gt; 0.127). Tonic tongue motor responses to 5-HT at the HMN were also not different (p &gt; 0.05) between ChAT-Cre:TASKf/f mice (n = 8) lacking TASK-1/3 channels on cholinergic neurons versus controls (n = 10). In freely behaving rats (n = 9), microperfusion of A1899 into the HMN increased within-breath phasic tongue motor activity in wakefulness only (p = 0.005) but not sleep, with no effects on tonic activity across all sleep–wake states. Together, the findings suggest robust maintenance of tongue motor activity despite various strategies for TASK channel manipulation targeting the HMN in vivo, and thus currently do not support this target and direction for potential OSA pharmacotherapy.

Increased TASK channel-mediated currents underlie high-fat diet induced vagal afferent dysfunction

We have previously demonstrated that satiety sensing vagal afferent neurons are less responsive to meal-related stimuli in obesity because of reduced electrical excitability. As leak K+ currents are key determinants of membrane excitability, we hypothesized that leak K+ currents are increased in vagal afferents during obesity. Diet-induced obesity was induced by feeding C57Bl/6J mice a high-fat diet (HFF) (60% energy from fat) for 8–10 wk. In vitro extracellular recordings were performed on jejunal afferent nerves. Whole cell patch-clamp recordings were performed on mouse nodose ganglion neurons. Leak K+ currents were isolated using ion substitution and pharmacological blockers. mRNA for TWIK-related acid-sensitive K+ (TASK) subunits was measured using quantitative real-time PCR. Intestinal afferent responses to nutrient (oleate) and non-nutrient (ATP) stimuli were significantly decreased in HFF mice. Voltage clamp experiments revealed the presence of a voltage-insensitive resting potassium conductance that was increased by external alkaline pH and halothane, known properties of TASK currents. In HFF neurons, leak K+ current was approximately doubled and was reduced by TASK1 and TASK3 inhibitors. The halothane sensitive current was similarly increased. Quantitative PCR revealed the presence of mRNA encoding TASK1 (KCNK3) and TASK3 (KCNK9) channels in nodose neurons. TASK3 transcript was significantly increased in HFF mice. The reduction in vagal afferent excitability in obesity is due in part to an increase of resting (leak) K+ conductance. TASK channels may account for the impairment of satiety signaling in diet-induced obesity and thus is a therapeutic target for obesity treatment. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study characterized the electrophysiological properties and gene expression of the TWIK-related acid-sensitive K+ (TASK) channel in vagal afferent neurons. TASK conductance was increased and contributed to decreased excitability in diet-induced obesity. TASK channels may account for the impairment of satiety signaling in diet-induced obesity and thus is a promising therapeutic target.

TASK Channel Deletion Reduces Sensitivity to Local Anesthetic-induced Seizures

Background Local anesthetics (LAs) are typically used for regional anesthesia but can be given systemically to mitigate postoperative pain, supplement general anesthesia, or prevent cardiac arrhythmias. However, systemic application or inadvertent intravenous injection can be associated with substantial toxicity, including seizure induction. The molecular basis for this toxic action remains unclear. Methods We characterized inhibition by different LAs of homomeric and heteromeric K channels containing TASK-1 (K2P3.1, KCNK3) and TASK-3 (K2P9.1, KCNK9) subunits in a mammalian expression system. In addition, we used TASK-1/TASK-3 knockout mice to test the possibility that TASK channels contribute to LA-evoked seizures. Results LAs inhibited homomeric and heteromeric TASK channels in a range relevant for seizure induction; channels containing TASK-1 subunits were most sensitive and IC₅₀ values indicated a rank order potency of bupivacaine &gt; ropivacaine &gt; lidocaine. LAs induced tonic-clonic seizures in mice with the same rank order potency, but higher LA doses were required to evoke seizures in TASK knockout mice. For bupivacaine, which produced the longest seizure times, seizure duration was significantly shorter in TASK knockout mice; bupivacaine-induced seizures were associated with an increase in electroencephalogram power at frequencies less than 5 Hz in both wild-type and TASK knockout mice. Conclusions These data suggest that increased neuronal excitability associated with TASK channel inhibition by LAs contributes to seizure induction. Because all LAs were capable of evoking seizures in TASK channel deleted mice, albeit at higher doses, the results imply that other molecular targets must also be involved in this toxic action.