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Multiple factors contribute to the occurrences of disruptions in workflow management within the e-commerce system that focuses on the distribution of goods and other fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). These disruptions have particularly affected and increased lead times and caused frequent shipment delays. The causes of these disruptions, especially in the context of distribution of goods and FMCG towards inventory control, have been widely speculated upon in recent years. Given the recent interruptions, the study presented in this paper used a methodology called statistical model analysis (SMA) to study the impact of human factors (HFs) on the system performance in a warehouse distribution system. A case study was taken on a particular company called ABC and XYZ to model the impact of some specific HF such as job fatigue, and job rotation to name a few and to uncover the underlying reasons behind the ongoing disruptions within the distribution system. Specifically, the result of this study aims to provide a data-driven understanding of these issues and one of the contributions of this study is to enhance our understanding of the significance of these HFs, rather than focusing on the equipment and materials as seen in prior research. Through this data-based approach study, stakeholders in operations management, e-commerce, and the supply chain system would be well-informed in many ways to resolve the challenges faced by humans in the system towards enhancing their overall system performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along with technological advancement, many sellers in Indonesia have shifted to use digital platform like e-commerce, which is creating potential ecosystem for various e-commerce applications to grow and face intense competition in facilitating direct transactions between consumers (C2C). This study aims to confirm the mobile service quality dimensions of e-commerce on mobile applications. The study adopts a quantitative approach with sellers who are use of popular C2C mobile applications in Indonesia, such as Tokope­dia, Shopee, Bukalapak, and TikTok Shop as the population. Sample selection using purposive technique resulted in a sample size of 313 respondents. Test­ing was conducted using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to determine the proposed dimensions of e-commerce mobile application service quality from previous research. The results of the study confirm six factors of mobile service quality in e-commerce applications: Application Design, Reliability, Responsiveness, Trust, Efficiency, and System Availability. Testing with the modified model provides higher fit criteria. ANOVA was used to compare components in each dimension. E-commerce service providers can use the re­sult to improve service quality. These improvements involve refining the ap­plication interface, ensuring reliability, responsiveness, security, efficiency, and system availability, aiming to boost user satisfaction, foster continued app usage, and fortify the service provider's reputation.

E-commerce means electronic commerce. E-commerce involves carrying on a business with help of the internet and by using the information technology like Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). E-commerce relates to a websites of the vendor on the internet, who trades products or services directly to the customer from the portal. The portal uses a digital shopping cart or digital basket system and allows payment through credit, debit card or EFT (Electronic fund transfer) payments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theoretical and practical understanding of sustainability implementation has been changing in depth and scope. In particular, circular economy paradigms (e.g., Cradle to Cradle or "C2C" practices) have enabled firms to rethink their resource management behavior, resulting in distinct trade‐off patterns among different sustainability dimensions. Furthermore, while many established firms remain reactive and market‐oriented in their sustainability implementations, sustainability‐rooted firms proactively integrate sustainability practices into their core business. The prior literature on sustainability trade‐offs has unduly focused more on established firms that predominantly indulge in market‐oriented decisions and trade‐offs between profit and sustainability, lacking insights into the approaches adopted by sustainability‐rooted firms and trade‐offs among the different dimensions of sustainability. We performed a mixed‐methods study to address this gap and illustrated the rationale and dynamics of trade‐offs among five sustainability dimensions (i.e., material health, material reutilization, renewable energy, water stewardship, and social fairness). We primarily focused on firms in the United States and the European Union since they are the leading areas in terms of circular economy adoption. We explained the pattern of sustainability trade‐offs and associated them with a three‐stage maturity framework, namely, low‐hanging fruits, exploratory, and resource and time intensive. We contributed to the theory by depicting the influence of resource allocation and sustainability maturity level on trade‐offs among the five dimensions of sustainability. Practitioners can leverage our framework to better understand their sustainability transformation and make more informed decisions for attaining higher levels of sustainability with more impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A huge amount of marketing literature focuses on communication among customers about products, services, or providers, which is referred to as Word-of-mouth (WoM). However, only a small part of the literature discusses in which situations and between which individuals WoM occurs. This article derives theoretically that the tie strength and the contextual reference between individuals can be regarded as important predictors for the occurrence of WoM: More precisely, we suggest that a higher tie strength and a contextual reference has an association with the likelihood that WoM occurs. We apply several scenarios with different levels of disconfirmation of expectations – which are regarded as escalations levels. Afterwards, a quantitative empirical study proves that individuals are more likely to tell others about certain events if these people have a higher tie strength. Also, we provide evidence that the contextual reference has an impact. The article underlines the importance of WoM for businesses and contributes to the existing literature.

The aim of the paper is to analyse the performance of the Neural Radiance Field (NeRF) algorithm, implemented in Instant-NGP software, for photogrammetric purposes. To achieve this aim, several datasets with different characteristics were analysed, taking into account object size, image acquisition technique and geometric configuration of the images. The NeRF algorithm proved to be effective in the construction of the 3D models; in other words, in Instant-NGP it was possible to obtain realistic 3D models in a detailed manner and very quickly, even in rather weak geometric configurations of the images. The performance obtained in the latter environment was compared with that achieved by two software packages, one widely used in the photogrammetric field, Agisoft Metashape, and one open source, Colmap. The comparison showed encouraging results in building 3D models, especially under weak geometry conditions; although, the geometric description of objects under point clouds or meshes needs improvement for use in the photogrammetric field.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative bone and joint disease that often occurs in aging animals. Currently, there are still no biomarkers that can effectively diagnose OA in the early stage. To identify possible biomarkers, here we examined changes in the expression of C‐telopeptide fragments of type II collagen (CTX‐II) and collagenase generated carboxy‐terminal neoepitope of type II collagen (C2C) in serum at different time points in an anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT)‐induced rat OA model. The serum levels of CTX‐II and C2C, and the OARSI score in the ACLT group were increased from week two until the end of the experiment. The AUC of the combined biomarkers was higher than that of CTX‐II or C2C alone. Moreover, serum levels of CTX‐II and C2C were positively correlated with the OARSI score. The results suggest that the combined detection of serum CTX‐II and C2C concentrations may have potential for assessing and diagnosing OA at early stages.

Thanks to constantly improving software packages, apps, and technologies themselves, creating and improving websites has become much easier. Excess or lack of information, inappropriate layout of website management, inefficiency of additional functions, excess of visual material - these are the problems faced by website users. These problems are usually not of a technological nature, so the change in technology will not determine what the user wants and what problems he faces. However, studies have ignored the fact that the type of business can affect decision outcomes (i.e., website evaluation) may also influence the perceived satisfaction and trust. This article examines consumer satisfaction and trust with services provided by the C2C websites. This study first proposes an analytical model that contains website quality indicators of consumer satisfaction and trust. Theoretical contributions and managerial implications are generated on the basis of the findings and analysis. The results showed a positive effect of website quality on consumer trust and satisfaction, which was partially mediated through consumer trust. Moreover, consumer trust had a positive association with all website quality indicators and satisfaction. The C2C website business should understand the consumer’s website quality expectations with respect to online shopping, to attract new consumers and to retain their existing consumers.

Tumor necrosis factor α inhibitor (TNFαI) therapy is associated with a significant inhibition of radiographic progression, resulting in improved physical function and quality of life among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The mechanism by which TNFαI prevent joint destruction is still unknown. In this study, the effect of 15-month anti-TNF-α therapy in combination with methotrexate on circulating levels of biochemical markers of cartilage turnover in female RA patients was assessed. Serum levels of collagen type II C-terminal cleavage neoepitope (C2C), C-terminal propeptide of type II collagen (PIICP), cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), and matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) were evaluated using immunoassays at baseline and 15 months after the start of TNFαI treatment. Baseline COMP, C2C, and MMP-3 levels and C2C/PIICP ratios were significantly higher in women with RA compared with those observed in the healthy subjects. No differences in PIICP levels between the controls and the women with RA were observed. After 15 months of TNFαI treatment, serum levels of C2C, COMP, and MMP-3 decreased, whereas the levels of PIICP increased but were still not different from those of the controls. These changes were accompanied by significantly reduced C2C/PIICP ratios. Before the start of TNFαI therapy, serum levels of COMP significantly correlated with the patients' ages (p < 0.05) and their 28-joint disease activity score values based on their erythrocyte sedimentation rates (DAS28-ESR; p < 0.05). Moreover, multiple linear regression analysis showed that baseline COMP levels retained a significant association with DAS28-ESR value (β = 287.74, p = 0.022, R2 model = 0.25) after model adjustments. The largest area under the ROC curve was obtained for C2C/PIICP ratios (AUC: 0.830, 95% CI: 0.727–0.932, p < 0.001). Our results suggest that long-term anti-TNF-α therapy combined with MTX has a beneficial effect on cartilage remodeling that is associated with clinical improvement among RA patients. Serum C2C/PIICP ratios may help to monitor the effectiveness of anti-TNF-α treatment among RA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to analyse the performance of the Neural Radiance Field (NeRF) algorithm, implemented in Instant-NGP software, for photogrammetric purposes. To achieve this aim, several datasets with different characteristics were analysed, taking into account object size, image acquisition technique and geometric configuration of the images. The NeRF algorithm proved to be effective in the construction of the 3D models; in other words, in Instant-NGP it was possible to obtain realistic 3D models in a detailed manner and very quickly, even in rather weak geometric configurations of the images. The performance obtained in the latter environment was compared with that achieved by two software packages, one widely used in the photogrammetric field, Agisoft Metashape, and one open source, Colmap. The comparison showed encouraging results in building 3D models, especially under weak geometry conditions; although, the geometric description of objects under point clouds or meshes needs improvement for use in the photogrammetric field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative bone and joint disease that often occurs in aging animals. Currently, there are still no biomarkers that can effectively diagnose OA in the early stage. To identify possible biomarkers, here we examined changes in the expression of C‐telopeptide fragments of type II collagen (CTX‐II) and collagenase generated carboxy‐terminal neoepitope of type II collagen (C2C) in serum at different time points in an anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT)‐induced rat OA model. The serum levels of CTX‐II and C2C, and the OARSI score in the ACLT group were increased from week two until the end of the experiment. The AUC of the combined biomarkers was higher than that of CTX‐II or C2C alone. Moreover, serum levels of CTX‐II and C2C were positively correlated with the OARSI score. The results suggest that the combined detection of serum CTX‐II and C2C concentrations may have potential for assessing and diagnosing OA at early stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thanks to constantly improving software packages, apps, and technologies themselves, creating and improving websites has become much easier. Excess or lack of information, inappropriate layout of website management, inefficiency of additional functions, excess of visual material - these are the problems faced by website users. These problems are usually not of a technological nature, so the change in technology will not determine what the user wants and what problems he faces. However, studies have ignored the fact that the type of business can affect decision outcomes (i.e., website evaluation) may also influence the perceived satisfaction and trust. This article examines consumer satisfaction and trust with services provided by the C2C websites. This study first proposes an analytical model that contains website quality indicators of consumer satisfaction and trust. Theoretical contributions and managerial implications are generated on the basis of the findings and analysis. The results showed a positive effect of website quality on consumer trust and satisfaction, which was partially mediated through consumer trust. Moreover, consumer trust had a positive association with all website quality indicators and satisfaction. The C2C website business should understand the consumer's website quality expectations with respect to online shopping, to attract new consumers and to retain their existing consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the factors influencing users' trust in and loyalty to Karrot, a Korean consumer-to-consumer secondhand marketplace platform. This research develops a model with key variables based on the dual model of post-adoption phenomena and adds variables reflecting the specific context of Karrot. An online survey of 305 Karrot users was conducted in South Korea during 19–23 May 2022; the data obtained were analyzed by SEM. The results reveal that two types of trust—trust in Karrot and mutual trust among Karrot users—are direct antecedents of loyalty. Mutual trust among Karrot users is an essential predictor of trust in Karrot. Economic benefits and perceived platform functionality are positively associated with trust in Karrot. Psychological ownership and information interactions were shown to be the important determinants of mutual trust among Karrot users. This study contributes to extending the horizons of post-adoption research by understanding users' affective and practical motivations for trust and loyalty and by confirming the significant role of two types of trust in forming loyalty. Moreover, this study also provides implications for practitioners of C2C secondhand market platforms to develop their management strategies and expand their customer base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to contribute to the literature, understanding how the micro-segmentation strategies developed by the C2C e-marketplaces influence customer satisfaction, brand loyalty, trust, and brand equity by proposing a PLS-SEM model with seven hypotheses. An online questionnaire was answered by a sample of 403 people. The results were edited, coded, transformed, and finally analysed with the software Smart- PLS 3.3.7. The results confirm that the reflective model shows good reliability and validity and that six of the seven were accepted. Furthermore, micro-segmentation mostly influences customer satisfaction, followed by brand equity and trust. On the other hand, the results confirm that, apparently, customer satisfaction does not impact brand loyalty, and micro-segmentation is the more significant construct in reaching brand loyalty in the C2C e-marketplaces. It is worth noting that this research contributes to knowledge about two issues unexplored by the academia, micro-segmentation and the C2C e-marketplaces. Dataset: https://data.mendeley.com/datasets/zzx5kw6cy9/1 Dataset License: CC BY 4.0 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the factors influencing users’ trust in and loyalty to Karrot, a Korean consumer-to-consumer secondhand marketplace platform. This research develops a model with key variables based on the dual model of post-adoption phenomena and adds variables reflecting the specific context of Karrot. An online survey of 305 Karrot users was conducted in South Korea during 19–23 May 2022; the data obtained were analyzed by SEM. The results reveal that two types of trust—trust in Karrot and mutual trust among Karrot users—are direct antecedents of loyalty. Mutual trust among Karrot users is an essential predictor of trust in Karrot. Economic benefits and perceived platform functionality are positively associated with trust in Karrot. Psychological ownership and information interactions were shown to be the important determinants of mutual trust among Karrot users. This study contributes to extending the horizons of post-adoption research by understanding users’ affective and practical motivations for trust and loyalty and by confirming the significant role of two types of trust in forming loyalty. Moreover, this study also provides implications for practitioners of C2C secondhand market platforms to develop their management strategies and expand their customer base.

This study analyses the factors that users of consumer-to-consumer (C2C) commerce value as direct influences in the intention to use and the acceptance of a marketplace. An empirical model is formulated, which integrates three variables that evaluate trust and, in turn, other variables that influence C2C intention and purchases, taking a sample of 686 surveys gathered using the Internet in Colombia. The results show that trust is a fundamental factor in this type of electronic commerce in Colombia, given that C2C users seek intermediation pages with third-party recognition (TPR) and high web quality; similarly, key variables in the adoption of this type of commercial platform include finding low prices and social influence. The perception of trust in this type of electronic commerce is a broader concept that requires the analysis of psychosocial factors. For companies that manage marketplaces, this study allows them to focus on key actions and tools in their websites. This study allows one to get to know the users of this transactional system, specifically for the Latin American region, highlighting the variables that they most consider when engaging in direct commerce between people. The results show that C2C requires marketplaces that guarantee the necessary conditions for a purchase/sale transaction with trust and quality.

The purpose of this study is to contribute to the literature, understanding how the micro-segmentation strategies developed by the C2C e-marketplaces influence customer satisfaction, brand loyalty, trust, and brand equity by proposing a PLS-SEM model with seven hypotheses. An online questionnaire was answered by a sample of 403 people. The results were edited, coded, transformed, and finally analysed with the software Smart- PLS 3.3.7. The results confirm that the reflective model shows good reliability and validity and that six of the seven were accepted. Furthermore, micro-segmentation mostly influences customer satisfaction, followed by brand equity and trust. On the other hand, the results confirm that, apparently, customer satisfaction does not impact brand loyalty, and micro-segmentation is the more significant construct in reaching brand loyalty in the C2C e-marketplaces. It is worth noting that this research contributes to knowledge about two issues unexplored by the academia, micro-segmentation and the C2C e-marketplaces.

Objective: To determine the effect of marathon running on serum levels of inflammatory, high energy, and cartilage matrix biomarkers and to ascertain whether these biomarkers levels correlate. Design: Blood samples from 17 Caucasian male recreational athletes at the Barcelona Marathon 2017 were collected at the baseline, immediately and 48 h post-race. Serum C reactive protein (CRP), creatin kinase (CK), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were determined using an AU-5800 chemistry analyser. Serum levels of hyaluronan (HA), cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), aggrecan chondroitin sulphate 846 (CS846), glycoprotein YKL-40, human procollagen II N-terminal propeptide (PIINP), human type IIA collagen N-propeptide (PIIANP), and collagen type II cleavage (C2C) were measured by sandwich enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Medians CK and sLDH levels increased (three-fold, two-fold) post-race [429 (332) U/L, 323 (69) U/L] (p < 0.0001; p < 0.0001) and (six-fold, 1.2-fold) 48 h post-race [658 (1,073) U/L, 218 (45) U/L] (p < 0.0001; p < 0.0001). Medians CRP increased (ten-fold) after 48 h post-race [6.8 (4.1) mg/L] (p < 0.0001). Mean sHA levels increased (four-fold) post-race (89.54 ± 53.14 ng/ml) (p < 0.0001). Means PIINP (9.05 ± 2.15 ng/ml) levels increased post-race (10.82 ± 3.44 ng/ml) (p = 0.053) and 48 h post-race (11.00 ± 2.96 ng/ml) (p = 0.001). Mean sC2C levels (220.83 ± 39.50 ng/ml) decreased post-race (188.67 ± 38.52 ng/ml) (p = 0.002). In contrast, means COMP, sCS846, sPIIANP, and median sYKL-40 were relatively stable. We found a positive association between sCK levels with sLDH pre-race (r = 0.758, p < 0.0001), post-race (r = 0.623, p = 0.008) and 48-h post-race (r = 0.842, p < 0.0001); sHA with sCRP post-race vs. 48 h post-race (r = 0.563, p = 0.019) and sPIINP with sCK pre-race vs. 48-h post-race (r = 0.499, p = 0.044) and with sLDH 48-h pre-race vs. post-race (r = 0.610, p = 0.009) and a negative correlation of sPIIANP with sCRP 48-h post-race (r = −0.570, p = 0.017). Conclusion: Marathon running is an exercise with high-energy demands (sCK and sLDH increase) that provokes a high and durable general inflammatory reaction (sCRP increase) and an immediately post-marathon mechanism to protect inflammation and cartilage (sHA increase). Accompanied by an increase in type II collagen cartilage fibrils synthesis (sPIINP increase) and a decrease in its catabolism (sC2C decrease), without changes in non-collagenous cartilage metabolism (sCOMP, sC846, and sYKL-40). Metabolic changes on sPIINP and sHA synthesis may be related to energy consumption (sCK, sLDH) and the inflammatory reaction (sCRP) produced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the effect of marathon running on serum levels of inflammatory, high energy, and cartilage matrix biomarkers and to ascertain whether these biomarkers levels correlate.Design: Blood samples from 17 Caucasian male recreational athletes at the Barcelona Marathon 2017 were collected at the baseline, immediately and 48 h post-race. Serum C reactive protein (CRP), creatin kinase (CK), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were determined using an AU-5800 chemistry analyser. Serum levels of hyaluronan (HA), cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), aggrecan chondroitin sulphate 846 (CS846), glycoprotein YKL-40, human procollagen II N-terminal propeptide (PIINP), human type IIA collagen N-propeptide (PIIANP), and collagen type II cleavage (C2C) were measured by sandwich enzyme-linked immune-sorbent assay (ELISA).Results: Medians CK and sLDH levels increased (three-fold, two-fold) post-race [429 (332) U/L, 323 (69) U/L] (p < 0.0001; p < 0.0001) and (six-fold, 1.2-fold) 48 h post-race [658 (1,073) U/L, 218 (45) U/L] (p < 0.0001; p < 0.0001). Medians CRP increased (ten-fold) after 48 h post-race [6.8 (4.1) mg/L] (p < 0.0001). Mean sHA levels increased (four-fold) post-race (89.54 ± 53.14 ng/ml) (p < 0.0001). Means PIINP (9.05 ± 2.15 ng/ml) levels increased post-race (10.82 ± 3.44 ng/ml) (p = 0.053) and 48 h post-race (11.00 ± 2.96 ng/ml) (p = 0.001). Mean sC2C levels (220.83 ± 39.50 ng/ml) decreased post-race (188.67 ± 38.52 ng/ml) (p = 0.002). In contrast, means COMP, sCS846, sPIIANP, and median sYKL-40 were relatively stable. We found a positive association between sCK levels with sLDH pre-race (r = 0.758, p < 0.0001), post-race (r = 0.623, p = 0.008) and 48-h post-race (r = 0.842, p < 0.0001); sHA with sCRP post-race vs. 48 h post-race (r = 0.563, p = 0.019) and sPIINP with sCK pre-race vs. 48-h post-race (r = 0.499, p = 0.044) and with sLDH 48-h pre-race vs. post-race (r = 0.610, p = 0.009) and a negative correlation of sPIIANP with sCRP 48-h post-race (r = −0.570, p = 0.017).Conclusion: Marathon running is an exercise with high-energy demands (sCK and sLDH increase) that provokes a high and durable general inflammatory reaction (sCRP increase) and an immediately post-marathon mechanism to protect inflammation and cartilage (sHA increase). Accompanied by an increase in type II collagen cartilage fibrils synthesis (sPIINP increase) and a decrease in its catabolism (sC2C decrease), without changes in non-collagenous cartilage metabolism (sCOMP, sC846, and sYKL-40). Metabolic changes on sPIINP and sHA synthesis may be related to energy consumption (sCK, sLDH) and the inflammatory reaction (sCRP) produced.

The continued growth of e-commerce has seen several studies focusing on the business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce market, while research on the consumer-to-consumer (C2C) market is relatively limited. C2C e-commerce has also experienced significant growth in the last few years, specifically in the second-hand goods market. Consequently, trust remains a key determinant of e-commerce adoption; hence, understanding the elements that impact trust in the C2C market remains important. This research aims to uncover factors influencing trust in the C2C e-commerce market and identify areas for future research. A literature review from five databases, focusing on peer-reviewed articles and empirical studies from 2013 to 2023 was conducted. The PRISMA flow diagram guided the process. A defined search criteria initially yielded 382 articles, but after thorough analysis, only 44 were suitable for synthesis and reporting. The Mendeley referencing tool and MS Excel were instrumental in facilitating the analysis. The findings uncovered a persistent shortage of empirical studies within the realm of C2C e-commerce, particularly in the context of trust. The identified factors were categorised into those affecting buyers and sellers. Various elements, including seller reputation, product reviews, pricing, and the presence of profile photos, emerged as notable influencers on the buyer's side. On the other hand, aspects like structural assurance and website quality played a significant role in influencing trust in the platform from the buyer's perspective. Future C2C e-commerce research should diversify methods, contexts, and factors, like culture and reviews. The study's identified factors can guide researchers and aid practitioners in enhancing trust and C2C adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research paper is to study the present status of e-commerce industry in Bangladesh and finding out comprehensive model based solution for the expansion of the sector spreading e-commerce all over the country. SWOT analysis has been conducted and business expansion model has been developed from the data generated from surveying to the reputed e-commerce business organizations and customers of e-commerce. Primary data has been collected from the top level management of e-commerce business organizations and e-commerce customers as interviewees while secondary data have been collected from Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission reports, relevant literature etc. This study identifies that e-commerce intermediation and channel conflict are the great problems in case of e-commerce business expansion that increases the price level of the products and services but can not reach mass people outside the mega cities as Dhaka. That is why a value chain based business expansion model has been proposed to reach the mass people of Bangladesh for inclusive e-commerce through e-commerce agent. The study will provide insights to the policy makers to work with e-commerce business expansion in the process of digitization of Bangladesh.

In recent years, consumer-to-consumer (C2C) marketplaces have become very popular among Internet users. However, compared to the traditional business-to-consumer (B2C) stores, most modern C2C marketplaces are reported to be associated with stronger negative sentiments among consumers. These negative sentiments arise from the inability of sellers to meet certain buyers' expectations and are linked to the low trust relationship among sellers and buyers in C2C marketplaces. The growth of these negative emotions might jeopardize buyers' decisions to opt for C2C marketplaces in their future purchase intentions. In the present study, we extend the definition of trust as an emotion to cover the digital world and demonstrate the trust model currently used by most online stores. Based on the buyer's behavior in the C2C marketplace, we propose a conceptual framework to predict trust between the buyer and the seller. Given that the C2C marketplaces are rich sources of data for trust mining and sentiment analysis, we perform text mining on Airbnb to predict the trust level in host descriptions of offered facilities. The data are acquired from the US city of Ashville, Alabama, and Manchester in the U.K. The results of the analysis demonstrate that the guest negative feedbacks in reviews are high when the description of the host's property has the emotion of joy only. By contrast, the guest negative sentiments in reviews are at a minimum when the host's sentiment has mixed emotions (e.g., joy and fear).

Abstract Background Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) is an endemic and chronic osteoarthropathy. At present, the diagnosis of KBD mainly depends on the X-ray examination and which could not reflect early damage of cartilage sensitively. So, the aim of this study was to find effective and sensitive biomarkers for early diagnosis of pediatric KBD. Methods A total of 122 children aged 7–15 years old from 3 villages of Qinghai Province were eligible for the study. Thirty-one, 41, and 50 children were assigned in case, internal, and external control groups, respectively. The levels of CTX-II, C2C, and PYD in urine were measured by using ELISA and compared statistically. In addition, the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis was used to assess the performance of diagnostic biomarkers. Results There were significant differences in levels of CTX-II, C2C, and PYD in urine of subjects among three groups. The levels of CTX-II and PYD in the case group were significantly higher than those in external and internal control groups. On the contrary, the level of C2C in the case group was lower than that in the external control group. Compared to the external control group, the area under the curve (AUC) of CTX-II, C2C, and PYD were 0.857, 0.837, and 0.79, and the AUC of CTX-II significantly higher than that of PYD. Compared to the internal control group, the AUC of CTX-II, C2C, and PYD were 0.911, 0.875, and 0.839, and there were no significant differences in the AUC among three indicators. Conclusion Both CTX-II and PYD in urine could be used as biomarkers for early diagnosis of pediatric KBD, and the prediction accuracy of CTX-II was relatively superior.

Internet se ha consolidado como un escenario en el cual turistas y residentes han pasado a tener un rol activo en la creación de valor a través de medios sociales. Por ello, el pre­sente estudio empírico de tipo descriptivo-exploratorio con abordaje cualitativo tiene como objetivo identificar prácticas de co-creación entre consumidores, para lo cual parte del contenido generado por los usua­rios. El método utilizado fue la netnografía, con la finalidad de identificar procesos de co-creación a partir de las interacciones de los usuarios participantes en tres comunidades online de la red social Facebook: “Argentinos en Brasil”, “Argentinos en Maceio” y “Ar­gentinos en Arraial”. Se aplicaron técnicas de observación y análisis interpretativo. Los resultados permiten identificar la existencia de siete tipos de prácticas: conversación, consejo, ayuda, identificación, intercambio, conformidad y reconocimiento, las cuales se desarrollan en el nivel social de las com­munitas y crean valor resultante de dominio público, enmarcado en relaciones autotélicas e instrumentales.

This study analyses the factors that users of consumer-to-consumer (C2C) commerce value as direct influences in the intention to use and the acceptance of a marketplace. An empirical model is formulated, which integrates three variables that evaluate trust and, in turn, other variables that influence C2C intention and purchases, taking a sample of 686 surveys gathered using the Internet in Colombia. The results show that trust is a fundamental factor in this type of electronic commerce in Colombia, given that C2C users seek intermediation pages with third-party recognition (TPR) and high web quality; similarly, key variables in the adoption of this type of commercial platform include finding low prices and social influence. The perception of trust in this type of electronic commerce is a broader concept that requires the analysis of psychosocial factors. For companies that manage marketplaces, this study allows them to focus on key actions and tools in their websites. This study allows one to get to know the users of this transactional system, specifically for the Latin American region, highlighting the variables that they most consider when engaging in direct commerce between people. The results show that C2C requires marketplaces that guarantee the necessary conditions for a purchase/sale transaction with trust and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anuario Turismo y Sociedad is the property of Universidad Externado de Colombia, Facultad de Empresas Turísticas y Hoteleras and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Point clouds were obtained after laser scanning of the concrete panel, SMW, and sheet pile which is most widely used in retaining structures. The surface condition of the point cloud affects the displacement calculation, and hence both local roughness and global curvature of each point cloud were analyzed using the different sizes of the kernel. The curvature of the three retaining structures was also analyzed by the azimuth angle. In this paper, artificial displacements are generated for the point clouds of 100%, 80%, 60%, 40%, and 20% of the retaining structures, and displacement and analysis errors were calculated using the C2C, C2M, and M3C2 methods. C2C method is affected by the resolution of the point cloud, and the C2M method underestimates the displacement by the location of the points in the curvature of the retaining structures. M3C2 method had the lowest error, and the optimized M3C2 parameters for analyzing the displacement were presented.

Although the online business-to-consumer (B2C) channel is the primary selling channel for digital content (e.g., videos, images, and music), modern digital technology has made possible the legal dissemination of such content over the consumer-to-consumer (C2C) channel through personal computing devices, such as PCs, mobile phones, and portable media players. This paper investigates the optimal channel structure and the corresponding pricing and service strategies for digital content distribution in order to understand the business value of introducing the C2C channel alongside the prevailing B2C channel. We identify conditions under which it is more profitable to use both B2C and C2C channels simultaneously (i.e., the dual-channel distribution). In such cases, the seller performs price discrimination among consumers but provides them with a higher level of service. Our analysis further characterizes the benefits of service provision. We show that service provision can increase the dual-channel pricing flexibility, reduce the seller's B2C channel dependence, and allow the seller to tolerate higher C2C channel redistribution costs. Finally, in examining the effect of a competitively determined B2C channel price on optimal channel strategy, we find that the seller prefers a dual-channel distribution under higher B2C channel prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

El comercio electrónico en Chile ha ido creciendo de manera considerable en el último tiempo. Sin embargo, aún está lejos de alcanzar su potencial. Dadas las ventajas que el comercio electrónico ofrece para mejorar la competitividad de las pequeñas y medianas empresas globalmente, resulta vital mejorar el conocimiento de aquellos factores que pueden incrementar su uso. En la presente investigación se emplea el Modelo de Aceptación de la Tecnología (TAM) como base para analizar el comercio electrónico Consumidor-a-Consumidor (C2C) en Chile, una de las formas de compra online más importantes de ese país. Como antecedentes adicionales, se incluyeron la reputación de la plataforma web como la confianza del consumidor. Datos de 468 compradores chilenos reales proporcionaron importantes resultados acerca de los factores explicativos del uso de estas plataformas en Chile, así como también de las relaciones entre las variables estudiadas. Con esto, hemos proporcionado importantes contribuciones teóricas y prácticas.

The impact of cybermediaries' information on Consumer to Consumer (C2C) tax compliance is investigated by using a computational experiment approach and three conclusions are drawn. First, cybermediaries' information assists tax authorities in selecting audit objects and discovering unregistered taxpayers, and the second signaling role is the main reason for the improvement of the C2C tax compliance rate in the case of low audit probability. Second, the signaling role of cybermediaries' information is quite limited if the audit probability is low; the increase of the audit probability can directly improve the C2C tax compliance rate as well as indirectly by enhancing the signaling role of cybermediaries' information; in addition, if the proportion of honest taxpayers is lower than a certain threshold, the lower the proportion is, the lower the signaling role is, ceteris paribus. Finally, the signaling role of cybermediaries' information on the selection of audit objects rises with the increase of the correlation degree between cybermediaries' information and taxable income of taxpayers, and a critical value of the correlation degree exists, below which the signaling role of cybermediaries' information is negative. We also discuss how to enhance the signaling role of cybermediaries' information to improve the C2C tax compliance rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with current and recent research in the VANET networks. The focus is on the secure car to car communication. The article lists possible cryptographic attacks. A possible security solution against attacks in the VANET network is the design of protocols and cryptographic architecture based on ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute), CITS (Cooperative-Intelligent Transportation Systems), and NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration). In order to guarantee integrity and authentication message in the transmission, is the most suitable security architecture based on PKI (Public Key Infrastructure). Integrity and authentication of the message transmission between C2C (Car-to-Car) vehicles are appropriate to be secured through ab digital signature algorithms. Appropriate digital signature schemes are schemes based on the RSA algorithm or elliptic curves. Elliptical curve schemes of digital signature are less demanding for the size of the key and the size of the encrypted message. Practically, car-to-car encrypted communication has been implemented through a digital signature based on elliptic curves. The simulation tool was the OPNET MODELER with the OpenSSL library. The simulations identified network throughput and network latency in the highway scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to create a thriving c2c e-commerce environment, it is imperative for c2c e-commerce companies as well as merchants within to fully understand the factors that persuade existing customers to make repeat purchases. This article distinguishes itself by differentiating the roles of platform providers and those of merchants in identifying the determinants that affect repurchase intention in c2c e-commerce. Data in this article was collected from the users of a respected c2c e-commerce company in Indonesia. A total of 347 sample was analyzed using Partial Least Square (PLS), a variance based Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) aided by SmartPLS 2.0 software. The results of this article showed that satisfaction with merchants and trust in platform providers were factors that directly affected repurchase intention. Meanwhile, perceived quality of merchants, perceived quality of platform providers, perceived value, and trust in merchants were factors that affected repurchase intention indirectly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Envelope insulation and protection is an important technical solution to reduce energy consumption, exterior damage, and environmental impacts in buildings. Thermal insulation tiles are used simultaneously as thermal insulation of the building envelope and protection material of under layers in flat roofs systems. The purpose of this research is to assess the environmental impacts of the life cycle of thermal insulation tiles for flat roofs. This research presents the up-to-date “cradle to gate” environmental performance of thermal insulation tiles for the environmental categories and life-cycle stages defined in European standards on environmental evaluation of building. The results presented in this research were based on site-specific data from a Portuguese factory and resulted from a consistent methodology that is here fully described, including the raw materials extraction and production, and the modelling of energy and transport processes at the production stage of thermal insulation tiles. These results reflect the weight of the raw-materials within the production process of thermal insulation tiles in all environmental categories and show that some life cycle stages, such as transportation of raw materials (A2) and packaging and packaging waste (A3.1 and A3.3, respectively), may not be discarded in a cradle to gate study of a construction material because they can make a significant contribution to some environmental categories. Moreover, complementary results regarding the economic, environmental, and energy performance Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of flat roofs solutions incorporating the thermal insulation tiles studied showed that the influence of the economic costs on the total aggregated costs of these solutions is much higher than that of the environmental costs due to the lower environmental costs of the thermal insulation tiles at the product stage (A1−A3). These costs influenced the corresponding percentage of the environmental costs (between 14% and 18%) and the percentage of the economic costs (between 70% and 75%) in the total aggregated (environmental, economic, and energy) net present value (NPV). Finally, a complementary “cradle to cradle” environmental LCA discussion is presented including the following additional life cycle stages: maintenance and replacement (B2−B4), operational energy use (B6), and end-of-life stage and benefits and loads beyond the system boundary (C1−C4 and D).

The authors of this contribution focus on analysis of C2C communication in Cooperative - Intelligent Transportation Systems (C-ITS). In paper is proposed PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) secure architecture on the base of ECDSA (Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm) for several EC types. The experimental part is focused on worst case scenario of C2C communications for four-lane intersection, which model was realized via OPNET MODELER with OpenSSL libraries. From obtained results the influencje of used elliptic curve and size of message to performance of the VANET network was analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]