The purpose of this study is to assess the possibility of implementing an online advertising strategy using a well-known third-party privacy seal located on the order page of an unfamiliar online retailer. An online experiment was conducted with 223 participants using a 2 (third-party seal: present vs. absent)×2 (purchase-decision involvement: low vs. high)×2 (disposition to trust: low vs. high...

As educational service robots become increasingly accessible, the demand for methodologies that generate knowledge on r-learning applicable to real world learning environments equally increases. This paper proposes a participatory design framework for involving users in the development of robotsupported didactic designs and discusses its applicability to existing educational contexts on the bas...

The design for a reversible microfluidic coupler is proposed for use with microreactors and other MEMS devices. However, real couplers will include imperfections that must be considered to fully evaluate the degree of sealing. A method is presented for applying a normally distributed surface finish with a predetermined amplitude to a perfectly flat contact surface. The method is then applied to...

The colostrum trypsin inhibitor (CTI) gene and transcript were cloned from the Cape fur seal mammary gland and CTI identified by in silico analysis of the Pacific walrus and polar bear genomes (Order Carnivora), and in marine and terrestrial mammals of the Orders Cetartiodactyla (yak, whales, camel) and Perissodactyla (white rhinoceros). Unexpectedly, Weddell seal CTI was predicted to be a pseu...

In aquatic-mating pinnipeds, acoustic communication plays an important role in male competition and mate attraction. Vocal repertoire size and composition during the breeding season varies between species and is presumed to be a product of interspecific differences in sexual selection. In this study, we examine seasonal and diel patterns in acoustic repertoire size, composition and call activit...

Packaging protects food products from environmental influences, assuring quality and safety throughout shelf life if properly performed. Packaging quality depends on the quality of the packaging material and of the closure or seal. A common problem possibly jeopardizing seal quality is the presence of seal contamination, which can cause a decreased seal strength, an increased packaging failure ...

The sealing of rotating equipment has always presented a special challenge for rotating equipment manufacturers and end users. Shaft seals are provided to restrict or prevent the escape of process or sealing fluids to atmosphere. They are required to comply with environmental regulations, prevent monetary losses, and for personnel safety. Dry gas seal technology has demonstrated reliability and...

Mechanisms underlying in vitro immunomodulatory effects of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were investigated in harbor seal peripheral leukocytes, via real-time PCR. We examined the relative genetic expression of the protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) Fyn and Itk, which play a critical role in T cell activation, and IL-2, a cytokine of central importanc...

background: the strong link between sealer solubility and periapical reinfection indicates that water solubility of new sealers should be studied. this study aimed to assess the water solubility of five root canal sealers (ah-26, topseal, 2-seal, acroseal, and roeko seal automix [rsa]). materials and methods: in this in vitro experimental study, 30 specimens were fabricated from each of the abo...