Key determinants of real estate service quality among renters and buyers

Purpose The purpose of this study is to compare quality perceptions of virtual servicescapes and physical service encounters among buyers and renters of real estate. Design/methodology/approach Qualitative data from a sample of 27 professionals engaged in higher education in the USA are gathered by recorded interview before being transcribed and imported into MAXQDA 2007 software for analytical coding. Findings Particular differences are found to exist between renters and buyers with regard to specific service attributes – for example, description of properties and type of visuals during the pre‐purchase stage, knowledge/experience and honest behavior of realtors during the service encounter stage and a continuous relationship with the realtor in the post‐encounter stage. Research limitations/implications Generalization of the results is limited because the study utilizes data from only one industry (real estate) and from only one demographic segment (professionals in higher education). Practical implications Real‐estate firms need to pay attention to both the training of agents and the design and content of their websites. Originality/value This paper contributes to knowledge regarding virtual servicescapes in professional services.

Investigating the concept of potential quality: An exploratory study in the real estate industry

Purpose The purpose of this research is to examine the concept of “potential quality” – that is, a company's tangible search qualities (such as the physical servicescape and virtual servicescape) – within the context of the real‐estate industry in the USA. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative study collects data by conducting personal in‐depth interviews with 34 respondents who had been recent buyers or renters of property. The data are then coded and themed to identify quality dimensions relevant to this industry. Findings The results indicate that a buyer's perception of the overall service quality of real‐estate service consists of two components: the interaction with a realtor (process quality); and the virtual servicescape, especially the firm's website design and content (potential quality). The study concludes that existing scales (such as SERVQUAL and RESERV) fail to capture the tangible component of service quality sufficiently in the real‐estate industry. Research limitations/implications The study uses data from only one industry (real estate) and from only one demographic segment (professionals in higher education). Practical implications Service providers of intangible, high‐contact services must appreciate the importance of the virtual servicescape as a surrogate quality indicator that can help to reduce information asymmetries and consumers' uncertainty with regard to initiating a business relationship. Real estate firms need to pay attention to the training of agents and the design and content of their e‐service systems. Originality/value This study integrates potential quality, process quality, and outcome quality in a comprehensive proposed model. In particular, the study identifies “potential quality” as a combination of the attributes of the virtual service environment and the physical service environment.

A dynamic real time scheduling methodology for the emergency department

This project constructs a scheduling solution for the Emergency Department. The schedules are generated in real-time to adapt to new patient arrivals and changing conditions. An integrated scheduling formulation assigns patients to beds and treatment tasks to resources. The schedule efficiency is assessed using waiting time and total care time experienced by patients. The solution algorithm incorporates dispatch rules, meta-heuristics and a new extended disjunctive graph formulation which provide high quality solutions in a fast time-frame for real time decision support. This algorithm can be implemented in an electronic patient management system to improve patient flow in the Emergency Department.

Real time maximum power conversion tracking and resonant frequency modification for high power piezoelectric ultrasound transducer

Piezoelectric ultrasound transducers are commonly used to convert mechanical energy to electrical energy and vice versa. The transducer performance is highly affected by the frequency at which it is excited. If excitation frequency and main resonant frequency match, transducers can deliver maximum power. However, the problem is that main resonant frequency changes in real time operation resulting in low power conversion. To achieve the maximum possible power conversion, the transducer should be excited at its resonant frequency estimated in real time. This paper proposes a method to first estimate the resonant frequency of the transducer and then tunes the excitation frequency accordingly in real time. The measurement showed a significant difference between the offline and real time resonant frequencies. Also, it was shown that the maximum power was achieved at the resonant frequency estimated in real time compare to the one measured offline.

Wastewater analysis of Census day samples to investigate per capita input of organophosphorus flame retardants and plasticizers into wastewater

The use of organophosphate esters (PFRs) as flame retardants and plasticizers has increased due to the ban of some brominated flame retardants. There is however some concern regarding the toxicity, particularly carcinogenicity and neurotoxicity, of some of the PFRs. In this study we applied wastewater analysis to assess use of PFRs by the Australian population. Influent samples were collected from eleven wastewater treatment plants (STPs) in Australia on Census day and analysed for PFRs using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Per capita mass loads of PFRs were calculated using the accurate Census head counts. The results indicate that tris(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP) has the highest per capita input into wastewater followed by tris(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP), tris(isobutyl) phosphate (TIBP), tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) and tris(1,3-dichloroisopropyl) phosphate (TDCIPP). Similar PFR profiles were observed across the Australian STPs and a comparison with European and U.S. STPs indicated similar PFR concentrations. We estimate that approximately 2.1 mg person−1 day−1 of PFRs are input into Australian wastewater which equates to 16 tonnes per annum.

EBook readers in Australian public libraries - are they REAL-e worth it

Hand-held ebook readers present many challenges for Australian libraries that want to integrate this emerging technology into their library’s service. In 2001, both Toowoomba City Library and the Brisbane City Council Library Service embarked on such projects. This paper reports on the differing experience of these two public library services, outlining difficulties encountered, customer reactions to the technology, and the central issues that acquiring and circulating these readers pose for public libraries in Australia.

Bridging STEM in a real-world problem

Engineering-based modeling activities provide a rich source of meaningful situations that capitalize on and extend students’ routine learning. By integrating such activities within existing curricula, students better appreciate how their school learning in mathematics and science applies to problems in the outside world...

Caught in the act of collaboration: Students’ experiences of collective learning within a real-world design studio context

This study is an evaluation of design students’ perceptions of the benefits of collective learning in a real-world collaborative design studio. Third year students worked in inter-disciplinary teams representing architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and industrial design. Responding to a real-world brief and in consultation with an industry partner client and early childhood education pre-service teachers, the teams were required to collectively propose a design response for a community-based child and family centre, on an iconic koala sanctuary site. Data were collected using several methods including a participatory action research method, through the form of a large analogue, collaborative jigsaw puzzle. Using a grounded theory methodology, qualitative data were thematically analysed to reveal six distinct aspects of collaboration, which positively impacted the students’ learning experience. The results of this study include recommendations for improving real world collaboration in the design studio in preparation for students’ transition into professional practice.

Bouncing back : Students learning through real-world experiences

The Bouncing Back research study, which began after the Queensland flooding in January 2011, has organically expanded through a number of architectural student design projects and exhibitions, which have sought to respond to catastrophic flooding events. In September 2011, 10 Queensland University of Technology architecture students travelled to Sydney to help construct a 1:1 true-to-life scale shelter, for the Emergency Shelter Exhibition at Customs House in Circular Quay. During the construction of the shelter, data were collected in situ, through dynamic interviews with the students. Using a grounded theory methodology, data were coded and then thematically analysed, to reveal three influential factors that positively impacted the students’ learning in this informal context. These were the student experience, the process of learning through physical making/fabrication, and development of empathy with the community. Analysis of these three factors demonstrated how this informal situated learning activity promoted vitally important learning in a real-world context, which is difficult to replicate in a physical on-campus environment.

Dynamic, invivo, real-time detection of retinal oxidative status in a model of elevated intraocular pressure using a novel, reversibly responsive, profluorescent nitroxide probe

Changes to the redox status of biological systems have been implicated in the pathogenesis of a wide variety of disorders including cancer, Ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury and neurodegeneration. In times of metabolic stress e.g. ischaemia/reperfusion, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production overwhelms the intrinsic antioxidant capacity of the cell, damaging vital cellular components. The ability to quantify ROS changes in vivo, is therefore essential to understanding their biological role. Here we evaluate the suitability of a novel reversible profluorescent probe containing a redox-sensitive nitroxide moiety (methyl ester tetraethylrhodamine nitroxide, ME-TRN), as an in vivo, real-time reporter of retinal oxidative status. The reversible nature of the probe's response offers the unique advantage of being able to monitor redox changes in both oxidizing and reducing directions in real time. After intravitreal administration of the ME-TRN probe, we induced ROS production in rat retina using an established model of complete, acute retinal ischaemia followed by reperfusion. After restoration of blood flow, retinas were imaged using a Micron III rodent fundus fluorescence imaging system, to quantify the redox-response of the probe. Fluorescent intensity declined during the first 60 min of reperfusion. The ROS-induced change in probe fluorescence was ameliorated with the retinal antioxidant, lutein. Fluorescence intensity in non-Ischemia eyes did not change significantly. This new probe and imaging technology provide a reversible and real-time response to oxidative changes and may allow the in vivo testing of antioxidant therapies of potential benefit to a range of diseases linked to oxidative stress

Combining HPLC-DAD and ICP-MS data for improved analysis of complex samples: Classification of the root samples from Cortex moutan

A combined data matrix consisting of high performance liquid chromatography–diode array detector (HPLC–DAD) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) measurements of samples from the plant roots of the Cortex moutan (CM), produced much better classification and prediction results in comparison with those obtained from either of the individual data sets. The HPLC peaks (organic components) of the CM samples, and the ICP-MS measurements (trace metal elements) were investigated with the use of principal component analysis (PCA) and the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) methods of data analysis; essentially, qualitative results suggested that discrimination of the CM samples from three different provinces was possible with the combined matrix producing best results. Another three methods, K-nearest neighbor (KNN), back-propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) and least squares support vector machines (LS-SVM) were applied for the classification and prediction of the samples. Again, the combined data matrix analyzed by the KNN method produced best results (100% correct; prediction set data). Additionally, multiple linear regression (MLR) was utilized to explore any relationship between the organic constituents and the metal elements of the CM samples; the extracted linear regression equations showed that the essential metals as well as some metallic pollutants were related to the organic compounds on the basis of their concentrations

Inertial sensor real-time feedback enhances the learning of cervical spine manipulation: A prospective study

Background Cervical Spinal Manipulation (CSM) is considered a high-level skill of the central nervous system because it requires bimanual coordinated rhythmical movements therefore necessitating training to achieve proficiency. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of real-time feedback on the performance of CSM. Methods Six postgraduate physiotherapy students attending a training workshop on Cervical Spine Manipulation Technique (CSMT) using inertial sensor derived real-time feedback participated in this study. The key variables were pre-manipulative position, angular displacement of the thrust and angular velocity of the thrust. Differences between variables before and after training were investigated using t-tests. Results There were no significant differences after training for the pre-manipulative position (rotation p = 0.549; side bending p = 0.312) or for thrust displacement (rotation p = 0.247; side bending p = 0.314). Thrust angular velocity demonstrated a significant difference following training for rotation (pre-training mean (sd) 48.9°/s (35.1); post-training mean (sd) 96.9°/s (53.9); p = 0.027) but not for side bending (p = 0.521). Conclusion Real-time feedback using an inertial sensor may be valuable in the development of specific manipulative skill. Future studies investigating manipulation could consider a randomized controlled trial using inertial sensor real time feedback compared to traditional training.

Graphene quantum dots and the resonance light scattering technique for trace analysis of phenol in different water samples

A novel, highly selective resonance light scattering (RLS) method was researched and developed for the analysis of phenol in different types of industrial water. An important aspect of the method involved the use of graphene quantum dots (GQDs), which were initially obtained from the pyrolysis of citric acid dissolved in aqueous solutions. The GQDs in the presence of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and H2O2 were found to react quantitatively with phenol such that the RLS spectral band (310 nm) was quantitatively enhanced as a consequence of the interaction between the GQDs and the quinone formed in the above reaction. It was demonstrated that the novel analytical method had better selectivity and sensitivity for the determination of phenol in water as compared to other analytical methods found in the literature. Thus, trace amounts of phenol were detected over the linear ranges of 6.00×10−8–2.16×10−6 M and 2.40×10−6–2.88×10−5 M with a detection limit of 2.20×10−8 M. In addition, three different spiked waste water samples and two untreated lake water samples were analysed for phenol. Satisfactory results were obtained with the use of the novel, sensitive and rapid RLS method.

A novel near-infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics method for rapid analysis of several chemical components and antioxidant activity of mint (mentha haplocalyx briq.) samples

A novel near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) method has been researched and developed for the simultaneous analyses of the chemical components and associated properties of mint (Mentha haplocalyx Briq.) tea samples. The common analytes were: total polysaccharide content, total flavonoid content, total phenolic content, and total antioxidant activity. To resolve the NIRS data matrix for such analyses, least squares support vector machines was found to be the best chemometrics method for prediction, although it was closely followed by the radial basis function/partial least squares model. Interestingly, the commonly used partial least squares was unsatisfactory in this case. Additionally, principal component analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis were able to distinguish the mint samples according to their four geographical provinces of origin, and this was further facilitated with the use of the chemometrics classification methods-K-nearest neighbors, linear discriminant analysis, and partial least squares discriminant analysis. In general, given the potential savings with sampling and analysis time as well as with the costs of special analytical reagents required for the standard individual methods, NIRS offered a very attractive alternative for the simultaneous analysis of mint samples.

Electrochemical mechanism of eugenol at a Cu doped gold nanoparticles modified glassy carbon electrode and its analytical application in food samples

A simple one-step electrodeposition method was used to construct a glassy carbon electrode (GCE), which has been modified with Cu doped gold nanoparticles (GNPs), i.e. a Cu@AuNPs/GCE. This electrode was characterized with the use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The eugenol was electrocatalytically oxidized at the Cu@AuNPs/GCE. At this electrode, in comparison with the behavior at the GCE alone, the corresponding oxidation peak current was enhanced and the shift of the oxidation potentials to lower values was observed. Electrochemical behavior of eugenol at the Cu@AuNPs/GCE was investigated with the use of the cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique, and additionally, in order to confirm the electrochemical reaction mechanism for o-methoxy phenols, CVs for catechol, guaiacol and vanillin were investigated consecutively. Based on this work, an electrochemical reaction mechanism for o-methoxy phenols was suggested, and in addition, the above Cu@AuNPs/GCE was successfully employed for the analysis of eugenol in food samples.