The web site and brand trust as antecedents of online loyalty

As online business thrives, a company’s Web presence holds enormous importance as a source of information, entertainment, and customer service for Internet users. Besides being user-friendly, a Web site should offer interesting and enjoyable content to attract online visitors in an ever-changing multimedia environment. Companies that operate globally must know how cultural differences influence the way potential customers perceive their sites. This paper presents a model that highlights the importance of ease of use, enjoyment, content, and brand trust for Web site loyalty. The model is subsequently tested in four countries: Australia, Japan, Mongolia, and the USA. The results show that perceptual differences exist: while ease of use is crucial for Web site loyalty in all four countries, the importance of content, perceived enjoyment, and brand trust varies across different cultures.

Implantation of osteogenic differentiated donor mesenchymal stem cells causes recruitment of host cells

The interaction between host and donor cells is believed to play an important role in osteogenesis. However, it is still unclear how donor osteogenic cells behave and interact with host cells in vivo. The purpose of this study was to track the interactions between transplanted osteogenic cells and host cells during osteogenesis. In vitro migration assay was carried out to investigate the ability of osteogenic differentiated humanmesenchymal stemcells (O-hMSCs) to recruit MSCs. At the in vivo level, O-hMSCs were implanted subcutaneously or into skull defects in severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice. New bone formation was observed bymicro-CT and histological procedures. In situ hybridization (ISH) against human Alu sequences was performed to distinguish donor osteogenic cells from host cells. In vitro migration assay revealed an increased migration potential of MSCs by co-culturing with O-hMSCs. In agreement with the results of in vitro studies, ISH against human Alu sequences showed that host mouse MSCs migrated in large numbers into the transplantation site in response to O-hMSCs. Interestingly, host cells recruited by O-hMSCs were the major cell populations in newly formed bone tissues, indicating that O-hMSCs can trigger and initiate osteogenesis when transplanted in orthotopic sites. The observations fromthis study demonstrated that in vitro induced O-hMSCs were able to attract hostMSCs in vivo andwere involved inosteogenesis togetherwith host cells,whichmay be of importance for bone tissue-engineering applications.

The rationale for using microscopic units of a donor matrix in cartilage defect repair

The efficacy of existing articular cartilage defect repair strategies are limited. Native cartilage tissue forms via a series of exquisitely orchestrated morphogenic events spanning through gestation into early childhood. However, defect repair must be achieved in a non-ideal microenvironment over an accelerated time-frame compatible with the normal life of an adult patient. Scaffolds formed from decellularized tissues are commonly utilized to enable the rapid and accurate repair of tissues such as skin, bladder and heart valves. The intact extracellular matrix remaining following the decellularization of these relatively low-matrix-density tissues is able to rapidly and accurately guide host cell repopulation. By contrast, the extraordinary density of cartilage matrix limits both the initial decellularization of donor material as well as its subsequent repopulation. Repopulation of donor cartilage matrix is generally limited to the periphery, with repopulation of lacunae deeper within the matrix mass being highly inefficient. Herein, we review the relevant literature and discuss the trend toward the use of decellularized donor cartilage matrix of microscopic dimensions. We show that 2-µm microparticles of donor matrix are rapidly integrate with articular chondrocytes, forming a robust cartilage-like composites with enhanced chondrogenic gene expression. Strategies for the clinical application of donor matrix microparticles in cartilage defect repair are discussed.

A comment on "Inherited Trust and Growth"

Algan and Cahuc (2010) argue that “inherited trust” is a key factor in explaining growth rates across countries. They derive a measure of inherited trust by linking respondents’ “home countries: in the United States General Social Survey (1972-2004) and the 2000 wave of the World Values Survey. Algan and Cahuc then estimate trust levels for people born before 1910 (inherited trust in 1935) and afterwards (inherited trust in 2000). They show a strong link between economic growth rates and inherited trust. We do not challenge this result, but we do argue that: (1) The 2000 World Values Survey has many anomalous results; (2) the estimates for inherited trust in 1935 are mostly based upon tiny samples for most ethnic heritage groups in the General Social Survey; and (3) Algan and Cahuc’s findings are based upon two-tailed rather than one-tailed tests. We reestimate their model using the more reliable waves of the World Values Survey and find much weaker relationships between inherited trust in 1935 and trust in the home country. We also suggest caution in the overall measure of inherited trust in 1935.

Establishing initial trust in autonomous delay tolerant networks without centralised PKI

A Delay Tolerant Network (DTN) is one where nodes can be highly mobile, with long message delay times forming dynamic and fragmented networks. Traditional centralised network security is difficult to implement in such a network, therefore distributed security solutions are more desirable in DTN implementations. Establishing effective trust in distributed systems with no centralised Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) such as the Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) scheme usually requires human intervention. Our aim is to build and compare different de- centralised trust systems for implementation in autonomous DTN systems. In this paper, we utilise a key distribution model based on the Web of Trust principle, and employ a simple leverage of common friends trust system to establish initial trust in autonomous DTN’s. We compare this system with two other methods of autonomously establishing initial trust by introducing a malicious node and measuring the distribution of malicious and fake keys. Our results show that the new trust system not only mitigates the distribution of fake malicious keys by 40% at the end of the simulation, but it also improved key distribution between nodes. This paper contributes a comparison of three de-centralised trust systems that can be employed in autonomous DTN systems.

Why trust the Head? : key strategies for transformational school leaders for building a purposeful relationship of trust

Trust is widely recognised as one of the key qualities that a successful leader needs to bring about change within their organization. Browning’s study aimed to identify practices which a school leader can effectively use to inspire, build, and maintain trust between themselves, their staff and Chair of governing body. The study was undertaken in two phases. Phase One was the identification of four highly trusted transformational leaders from the Australian independent schooling sector. Phase Two was a multicase study of the four school leaders. The findings provide practical advice for school leaders wishing to have a positive impact on the outcomes of the students in their school.

Outsourcing data storage without outsourcing trust in cloud computing

The main theme of this thesis is to allow the users of cloud services to outsource their data without the need to trust the cloud provider. The method is based on combining existing proof-of-storage schemes with distance-bounding protocols. Specifically, cloud customers will be able to verify the confidentiality, integrity, availability, fairness (or mutual non-repudiation), data freshness, geographic assurance and replication of their stored data directly, without having to rely on the word of the cloud provider.

Limbal mesenchymal stromal cells (L-MSC) display immunosuppressive properties across donor and species boundaries

Purpose: We have evaluated the immunosuppressive properties of L-MSC with the view to using these cells in allogeneic cell therapies for corneal disorders. We hypothesized that L-MSC cultures would suppress T-cell activation, in a similar way to those established from human bone marrow (BM-MSC). Methods: MSC cultures were established from the limbal stroma of cadaveric donor eye tissue (up to 1 week postmortem) using either conventional serum-supplemented growth medium or a commercial serum-free medium optimized for bone marrow derived MSC (MesenCult-XF system). The MSC phenotype was examined by flow cytometry according to current and emerging markers for human MSC. Immunosuppressive properties were assessed using a mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) assay, whereby the white cell fraction from two immunologically incompatible blood donors are cultured together in direct contact with growth arrested MSC. T-cell activation (proliferation) was measured by uptake of tritiated thymidine. Human L-MSC were tested in parallel with human BM-MSC and rabbit L-MSC. Human and rabbit L-MSC were also tested for their ability to stimulate the growth of limbal epithelial (LE) cells in colony formation assays (for both human as well as rabbit LE cells). Results: L-MSC cultures were >95% negative for CD34, CD45 and HLA-DR and positive for CD73, CD90, CD105 and HLA-ABC. Modest levels (30%) of CD146 expression were observed for L-MSC cultures grown in serum-supplemented growth medium, but not those grown in MesenCult-XF. All MSC cultures derived from both human and rabbit tissue suppressed T-cell activation to varying degrees according to culture technique and species (MesenCult-XF >> serum-fed cultures, rabbit L-MSC >> human L-MSC). All L-MSC stimulated colony formation by LE cells irrespectively of the combination of cell species used. Conclusions: L-MSC display immunosuppressive qualities, in addition to their established non-immunogenic cell surface marker profile, and stimulate LE cell growth in vitro across species boundaries. These results support the potential use of allogeneic or even xenogeneic L-MSC in the treatment of corneal disorders.

Gender and other determinants of trust and reciprocity in an experimental labour market amongst Chinese students

Due to economic and demographic changes highly educated women play an important role on the Chinese labour market. Gender has been shown to be an important characteristic that influences behaviour in economic experiments, as have, to a lesser degree, academic major, age and income. We provide a study looking at trust and reciprocity and their determinants in a labour market laboratory experiment. Our experimental data is based on two games, the Gift Exchange Game (GEG) and a variant of this game (the Wage Promising Game, WPG) where the employer's wage offer is non-binding and the employer can choose the wage freely after observing the workers effort. We and that women are less trusting and reciprocal than men in the GEG while this cannot be found in the WPG. Letting participants play the GEG and the WPG, allows us to disentangle reciprocal and risk attitudes. While in the employer role, it seems to be that risk attitude is the main factor, this is not confirmed analysing decisions in the worker role.

Testing an extended theory of planned behavior to predict young people's intentions to join a bone marrow donor registry

An extended theory of planned behavior (TPB) was used to understand the factors, particularly control perceptions and affective reactions, given conflicting findings in previous research, informing younger people's intentions to join a bone marrow registry. Participants (N  = 174) completed attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control (PBC), moral norm, anticipated regret, self-identity, and intention items for registering. The extended TPB (except PBC) explained 67.2% of variance in intention. Further testing is needed as to the volitional nature of registering. Moral norm, anticipated regret, and self-identity are likely intervention targets for increasing younger people's bone marrow registry participation.

Perceptions of climate change and trust in information providers in rural Australia

Disagreement within the global science community about the certainty and causes of climate change has led the general public to question what to believe and who to trust on matters related to this issue. This paper reports on qualitative research undertaken with Australian residents from two rural areas to explore their perceptions of climate change and trust in information providers. While overall, residents tended to agree that climate change is a reality, perceptions varied in terms of its causes and how best to address it. Politicians, government, and the media were described as untrustworthy sources of information about climate change, with independent scientists being the most trusted. The vested interests of information providers appeared to be a key reason for their distrust. The findings highlight the importance of improved transparency and consultation with the public when communicating information about climate change and related policies.

Scepticism and trust: two counterpoint essentials in science education for complex socio-scientific issues

In this response to Tom G. K. Bryce and Stephen P. Day’s (Cult Stud Sci Educ. doi:10.1007/s11422-013-9500-0, 2013) original article, I share with them their interest in the teaching of climate change in school science, but I widen it to include other contemporary complex socio-scientific issues that also need to be discussed. I use an alternative view of the relationship between science, technology and society, supported by evidence from both science and society, to suggest science-informed citizens as a more realistic outcome image of school science than the authors’ one of mini-scientists. The intellectual independence of students Bryce and Day assume, and intend for school science, is countered with an active intellectual dependence. It is only in relation to emerging and uncertain scientific contexts that students should be taught about scepticism, but they also need to learn when, and why to trust science as an antidote to the expressions of doubting it. Some suggestions for pedagogies that could lead to these new learnings are made. The very recent fifth report of the IPCC answers many of their concerns about climate change.

Supermarkets and agro-industrial foods : the strategic manufacturing of consumer trust

There is increasing evidence of a weakened platform of consumer trust in mass produced food products. The resistance shown by consumers to the agro-industrial paradigm is evident in an emergent phase of reflexive consumerism, public reactions to an overly-concentrated retail sector and the rise of alternative food networks such as farmers' markets and organic box schemes. Supermarkets are responding strategically by aiming to manufacture new trust relations with consumers. This paper identifies three key strategies of trust manufacturing: (i) reputational enhancement though the institution of “behind the scenes,” business-to-business private standards; (ii) direct quality claims via private standard certification badges on food products, and ; (iii) discursive claimsmaking through symbolic representations of “authenticity” and “tradition.” Drawing upon the food governance literature and a “visual sociology” of supermarkets and supermarket produce, we highlight how trust is both commoditized and increasingly embedded into the marketing of mass-produced foods.